Objective To explore the effect of curcumin on the activity and migration of as well as c-kit mRNA expression in melanocytes.Methods Human epidermal melanocytes were isolated from the prepuce in adolescents and subjected to primary culture.To estimate the effect of curcumin on the proliferative activity of melanocytes, some melanocytes were randomly divided into several groups to be cultured in the MelM-2 medium with or without the presence of 5, 10, 20 or 30 μmol/L curcumin, the MelM-2 medium containing curcumin of 5-30 μmol/L served as the drug control groups, and the MelM-2 medium without curcumin served as the blank control group.After 24 and 48 hours of culture, MTS assay was performed to evaluate the proliferative activity of melanocytes.Some cultured melanocytes were randomly divided into 4 groups to be cultured in the MelM-2 medium with 0, 5, 10 and 20 μmol/L curcumin respectively for 48hours.Then, wound scratch assay was conducted to estimate the migratory activity of melanocytes, and real-time fluorescence-based quantitative PCR to quantify the mRNA expression of c-kit in melanocytes.Statistical analysis was carried out by factorial design analysis of variance (ANOVA), one-way ANOVA and least significant difference (LSD)-t test.Results The proliferative activity of melanocytes was significantly decreased at 24 and 48 hours in the 30-μmol/L curcumin group compared with the negative control group (0.783 ± 0.053 vs.1.000 ± 0.018 at 24 hours, 0.637 ± 0.015 vs.0.993 ± 0.064 at 48 hours, both P ＜ 0.05), while no significant differences were observed between the other curcumin groups and the negative control group (all P ＞ 0.05).The 48-hour treatment with curcumin could significantly inhibit the migration of melanocytes in the 5-, 10-and 20-μmol/L curcumin groups compared with the control group (all P ＜ 0.05).The mRNA expression level of c-kit was also significantly reduced at 48 hours in the 5-, 10-and 20-μmol/L curcumin groups compared with the control group (1.799 ± 0.372, 1.539 ± 0.224 and 1.026 ± 0.038 vs.3.371 ± 0.352, all P ＜0.05).Conclusion Curcumin at low concentrations (≤ 20 μmol/L) has no obvious cytotoxicity against melanocytes, but can inhibit the migration of and c-kit mRNA expression in melanocytes, while curcumin at 30 μmol/L can promote the apoptosis of melanocytes.

Objective To study the effect of percutaneous CT-guided lung biopsy on the patients with peripheral lung focus.Methods Percutaneous CT-guided lung biopsy was performed in 38 patients with peripheral lung focus who were admitted to the Affiliated Hospital,Armed Police Medical College from Feb.2002 to Jan.2005.Results A total of 38 patients were studied,including 30 patients with lung cancer,2 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis,5 patients with benign pulmonary diseases and 1 patient with negative result.The positive rate was 97.36% in the 38 cases with a slight side effect.Conclusion This method is simple,safe and effective,and it is very important in diagnosis of patients with peripheral lung focus.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common and serious clinical syndrome after cardiac surgery with the high morbidity and mortality.As the markers of AKI,Serum creatinine and urine output is not sensitive for early detection.Due to the lack of early biomakers for AKI,early effective treatment has been delayed.Identification of novel biomarkers for AKI has progressed to the clinical phase.Novel biomakers include neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin,kidney injury molecule-1,Cystatin C,IL-18,and so on.In this article the author will review the current progress of these clinical and experimental novel AKI biomarkers.

Objective To explore the feasibility of laparoscopic surgery for esophageal hiatus hernia and reflux esophagitis complicated with cholecystolithiasis.Methods Five trocars were used for the patients to perform laparoscopic hiatal hernia repair,followed by fundoplication(Nissen fundoplication in 21 cases and Toupet fundoplication in 6),and then LC.Results The procedures were completed in all of the 27 cases.The postoperative mean esophageal pressure of the patients was significantly higher than that before the operations [(19.32?4.11) mm Hg vs(7.30?1.36) mm Hg,t=-16.407,P=0.000],while the 24-hour pH value were decreased markedly(9.20?2.15 vs 160.16?50.30,t=16.387,P=0.000).No hemorrhage,intra-abdominal infection,biliary leakage occurred in this series.The patients were followed up for 1 to 24 months(1-6 months in 7 cases,and 7-24 months in 20 cases),during which no esophageal stenosis or incisional hernia were detected.Conclusions It is feasible to perform primary laparoscopic surgery for patients suffering from esophageal hiatus hernia and reflux esophagitis complicated with simultaneous cholecystolithiasis,if no contraindications.

Objective To analyze the risk factors leading to prolonged mechanical ventilation following valve replacement surgery with the purpose of improving the management of these patients.Methods The risk factors of prolonged mechanical ventilation at preoperative,operative and postoperative clinical data of 307 patients who underwent valve replacement surgery were retrospectively analyzed.Binary Logistic regression model was used to assess the factors.Results The time of mechanical ventilation after valve replacement surgery was (15 ± 35) h,and 31.6％ (97/307) of these patients underwent prolonged mechanical ventilation (＞ 8 h).Age ≥ 65 years (P =0.003),smoker (P =0.024),left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) preoperative (P =0.002),duration of operation (P =0.000),aortic block time (P =0.046),cardiopulmonary bypass time (P =0.030),number of replaced valve (P =0.001),volume of postoperative chest drainage (P =0.000) and postoperative complications (P =0.010) were risk factors of prolonged mechanical ventilation.Logistic regression analysis showed that LVEF (P =0.026),duration of operation(P =0.037),aortic block time (P =0.001),cardiopulmonary bypass time (P =0.013),number of replaced valve (P =0.017),volume of postoperative chest drainage (P =0.020) and postoperative complications (P =0.014) had extremely affection.Conclusions Greater importance should be attached to healthcare education,early treatment to avoid multivalvular involvement,preoperative heart function regulation,lower duration of operation especially aortic block time and cardiopulmonary bypass time,lower postoperative chest drainage and better preservation of organs during operation to decrease the rate of prolonged mechanical ventilation and optimize the clinical quality.

Objective To study the regulatory effect of ethanol extract of glossy privet fruit and its monomer tyrosol on the adhesion and migration of human epidermal melanocytes.Methods Epidermal melanocytes were isolated from human foreskin,and subjected to a primary culture.Mter 3-5 passages,the melanocytes were treated with various concentrations of ethanol extract of glossy privet fruit (0.0375-0.6 mg/ml)and tyrosol (0.125-2 mmol/L) for 24-72 hours.The XTT colorimetric assay was carried out to evaluate the proliferation of melanocytes,fibronectin (FN)-coated culture plates were used to evaluate the adhesion activity of melanocytes,and Transwell assay was conducted to assess the migration activity of melanocytes.Confocal laser microscopy was utilized to observe the structure and distribution of actin cytoskeleton in melanocytes,and cellular fluorescence intensity was determined by a semi-quantitative analysis.Statistical analysis was carried out by using unpaired t test.Results The adhesion activity of melanocytes to FN was significantly enhanced by the ethanol extract of 0.0375-0.6 mg/ml from glossy privet fruit (P ＜ 0.05 or 0.01),and by tyrosol of 0.5-2 mmol/L (P ＜ 0.05 or 0.01).As XTT assay showed,neither the ethanol extract of 0.15 mg/ml nor tyrosol of 2 mmol/L had cytotoxicity or promotive effect on cell proliferation.Hence,0.15 mg/ml and 2 mmol/L were determined as the working concentrations of ethanol extract and tyrosol respectively.The number of cells migrating through micropore membranes per high-power field (× 200) was 43.7 and 51.0 in melanocytes treated with the ethanol extract of 0.15 mg/ml and tyrosol of 2 mmol/L,respectively,significantly higher than that in untreated melanocytes (20.3,both P ＜ 0.01).Compared with untreated melanocytes,those treated with the ethanol extract of 0.15 mg/ml and those with tyrosol of 2 mmol/L showed higher intracellular fluorescence intensity (P ＜ 0.01) and more stress fiber bundles which congregated inside the cell membrane and around the nuclei.Conclusions The ethanol extract of glossy privet fruit and its monomer tyrosol can promote the adhesion and migration of human melanocytes in vitro,likely by promoting the congregation of actin cytoskeleton in melanocytes.

Objective To evaluate the effect of tacalcitol on the proliferation,adhesion,migration and c-kit mRNA expression of cultured human epidermal melanocytes.Methods Cultured epidermal melanocytes from the prepuce of adolescent males were treated with various concentrations of tacalcitol.Then,cell proliferation was evaluated by tetrazolium salt (XTT) assay after 24,48 and 72 hours of treatment,adhesive activity by using fibronectin-coated culture plates after 72 hours,migratory activity by Transwell assay using a microporous membrane after 24 hours,and the c-kit mRNA expression was semiquantitatively analyzed by reverse transcription PCR after 72 hours of treatment.Statistical analysis was done by repeated-measure analysis of variance and completely random design analysis of variance.Results As repeated-measure analysis of variance showed,tacalcitol of 10-10,10-9,10-8,10-7 and 10-6 mol/L significantly promoted the proliferation of melanocytes (F =9.47,P ＜ 0.01),with significant differences in the promoting effect among various durations of treatment with different concentrations of tacalcitol (F =14.44,P ＜ 0.01),and with significant interaction effect between drug concentration and treatment duration (F =2.47,P ＜ 0.01).The highest proliferation level was observed in melanocytes treated with tacalcitol of 10-s mol/Lfor 72 hours.There was a significant increase in the adhesion rate of human epidermal melanocytes to fibronectin after treatment with tacalcitol of 10-8-10-7 mol/L for 72 hours (both P ＜ 0.01),number of melanocytes migrating through micropore membranes per high-power field (× 200) after treatment with tacalcitol of 10-9-10-8 mol/L for 24 hours (both P ＜ 0.01),and in the c-kit mRNA expression in melanocytes treated with tacalcitol of 10-9-10-7mol/L for 72 hours (all P ＜ 0.01).Conclusion Tacalcitol can promote melanocytes to proliferate,migrate,express c-kit mRNA,and adhere to fibronectin.

Objective To investigate the correlation of possible risk factors with acute renal injury (AKI) after coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) and explore if the incidence of AKI could be lower by off-pump CABG for kidney protection.Methods Two hundred and nine patients who underwent coronary artery bypass surgery in Nanjing First Hospital from September 2010 to November 2013 were recruited.The patients were divided into AKI group (fifty-five cases) and non-AKI group (one hundred and fifty-four cases) according to the AKI criteria and compared the possible risk factors between two the groups by univariate analysis and multivariate analysis.Results The index of female gender,body mass index,age,hypertension,basic serum creatinine,ejection fraction,the number of coronary atherosclerosis,cardiopulmonary bypass,IABP for circulatory support,postoperative low cardiac output,lactate in AKI group were higher than that in non-AKI group by univariate analysis (P ＜ 0.05).And basic serum creatinine,ejection fraction,cardiopulmonary bypass,postoperative low cardiac output showed a significantly statistical difference between two group by multivariate analysis.Conclusions Cardiopulmonary bypass,basic serum creatinine,ejection fraction,postoperative low cardiac output were independent risk factors.Off-pump CABG could benefit for kidney protection.

Objective To test the hypothesis that interleukin-18 (IL-18) in the urine and serum sample are early biomarker for acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients after coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG).Methods Eighty patients who underwent CABG were recruited.The patients were divided into AKI group and non-AKI group according to the AKI criteria.The urine and serum sample were collected at pre-operation and 2 h,4 h,6 h,8 h,12 h,24 h after the CABG.The urine and serum IL-18 value were test by ELISA method.Receiver-operating characteristic cue(ORC) and the area under the cure(AUC) asses the sensitivity and specificity of IL-18 for AKI.Results Thirteen of eighty cases(16.25％) developed postoperative AKI according to the AKI criteria.Diagnosis with creatinine was only 24-48 hours after CABG.The serum and urinary concentrations of IL-18 at mostly each time point after CABG in AKI patients were significantly higher than those in non-AKI patients(P ＜ 0.01).Urinary and serous concentrations of IL-18 peaked at 4 h after CABG in AKI patients.ROC curve showed AUC in urinary and serous concentrations of IL-18 at 2 h ＞ 0.8 ; Concentrations of IL-18 in urine and serum at 2 h were the powerful independent predictors of AKI by logistic regression analysis.Conclusion IL-18 in urine and serum after CABG surgery were the powerful independent predictors of AKI.

Objective To evaluate the hypothesis that neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin(NGAL) ,kidney injury molecule-1(KIM-1)and Interleukin-18(IL-18) are early biomarker for acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients after coronary artery bypass graft surgery(CABG) .Methods 80 patients were recruited during September 2011 to May 2012 .The patients were divided into two groups according to the AKI criteria ,patients developed postoperative AKI in AKI group ;others did not postoperative developed AKI in non-AKI group .Before and 2 ,4 ,6 ,8 ,12 ,24 h after the CABG surgery ,the urine and serum sample were collected ,serum creatinine ,the urine and serum IL-18、NGAL、KIM-1 value were test by ELISA method .Results 13 of 80 cases(16 .25% )developed postoperative AKI according to the AKI criteria ,diagnosis with serum creatinine was only 12-48 h after cardiac surgery .Concen-trations of NGAL 、IL-18 in urine and serum at 2 h after CABG surgery ,concentrations of KIM-1 in urine and serum at 6 h were the powerful independent predictors of AKI by logistic regression analysis and ROC curve .Conclusion IL-18 in urine and serum at 2 h after CABG surgery were the powerful independent predictors of AKI ,and concentrations of KIM-1 in urine and serum at 6 h were the powerful independent predictors of AKI .Serous NGAL and IL-18 is better than urinary NGAL and IL-18 in diagnosis of AKI . Urinary KIM-1 was better than serous KIM-1 in diagnosis of AKI at 6 h .