Left atrial volume index (LAVI) is related to systolic and diastolic function of heart .It can reflect the se‐verity of left atrial dilation and heart failure (HF) ,and is a powerful index predicting poor prognosis of HF .This article made a review on the relationship among cardiac function ,prognosis and LAVI in HF patients ,and the diag‐nostic value of LAVI for HF patients .

OBJECTIVE To investigate and control the risk factors about hospital infection in patients with chronic severe hepatitis B. METHODS Totally 466 hospitalized patients with chronic severe hepatitis B in our hospital from Jan 2001 to Dec 2007 were studied retrospectively. RESULTS The total incidence of hospital infection was 20.1% for inpatients with chronic severe hepatitis B,the infection located as follows:56 patients were in lower respiratory tract (59.6%);17 patients in upper respiratory tract (18.1%);7 patients with bacteremia (7.4%);3 patients in urinary tract (3.2%);7 patients in gastrointestinal tract (7.4%);and 1 patients was in cutis tissue (1.1%). CONCLUSIONS The knowledge about the on infection risk factors liver disease must be strengthened by hospital medical staff of the use of antibiotics must be strict controlled in principle,operation must be aseptic,the concept of prevention standards must be enhanced,and the primary disease must be actively treated,all these can effectively reduce infection in hospital.

BACKGROUND:After glucose regulated protein 94 (GRP94) was knockout in model mice of transplanted tumor, cel ular adhesion is terminated, thus stimulating the proliferation of liver-derived cel s and promoting the development of liver cancer. We speculate that GRP94 plays a protective role against liver cancer.
OBJECTIVE:To investigate the expression of endoplasmic reticulum molecular chaperone GRP94 mRNA and protein with smal interfering RNA technique in nude mice model of transplantable human ovarian carcinoma, and to explore the effect of GRP94 mRNA and protein expression on the growth of transplanted tumor.
METHODS:The gene sequences of human GRP94 were obtained from Gene Bank. psiSTRIKETM/GRP94 was constructed, which is eukaryotic expression vector control ed by the U6 promoter of human RNA polymerase Ⅲ. The transplantable model of human ovarian carcinoma in nude mice was established using human ovarian cancer HO-8910 cel line. The eukaryotic expression vector was transfected into the transplanted tumors in nude mice, and the growth of the tumor was observed. The nude mice models were divided into three groups, specific smal interfering RNA group, non-specific smal interfering RNA group and saline control group. The volumes of the subcutaneous tumor were determined. RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression of GRP94 respectively.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The recombinant plasmid of RNA interference specific for GRP94 was successful y constructed. The subcutaneous tumors appeared in al the nude mice 5 days after transplantation. The diameter of subcutaneous tumors was 7-10 mm 14 days after transplantation. The growth of subcutaneous tumors in nude mice with interference specific for GRP94 treatment was significantly decreased as compared with non-specific smal interfering RNA group and control group (P<0.05). The proliferation activity was inhibited by 65.1%. The expression of GRP94 mRNA and protein was significantly down-regulated after treatment of psiSTRIKETM/GRP94 (P<0.01). The transfection of psiSTRIKETM/GRP94 could significantly induce inhibitory effects on the growth of ovarian carcinoma in nude mice, and the underlying mechanism is associated with the down-regulated expression of GRP94 mRNA and protein.

Objective To explore the expression of glucose-regulated protein (Grp) 78 in ovarian cancer tissues and its clinical significance.Methods The expression of Grp78 in 60 cases of ovarian cancer tissue,15 cases of ovarian borderline tumor tissue,10 cases of normal ovarian tissue,10 cases of ovarian cyst tissue,was detected by immunohistochemistry,and analyzed the relationship between its expression and clinicopathological features of ovarian cancer.Results The expression of Grp78 in ovarian borderline tumor and ovarian cancer tissue was significantly higher than that in normal ovarian and ovarian cyst tissue[7/15 and 68.3％ (41/60) vs.1/10 and 1/10] (P ＜0.05).The expression of Grp78 was positively correlated with clinicopathological staging and lymphatic metastasis of ovarian cancer (P ＜ 0.05),negatively correlated with histological differentiation (P ＜ 0.05).No correlation with age and ascites (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions The levels of Grp78 are elevated in ovarian cancer specimens; high expression of Grp78 maybe participate in the occurrence,development,and prognosis of ovarian cancer.Increased expression of Grp78 might be a useful marker for predicting the carcinogenesis and progression of ovarian cancer.

Background and purpose: As the most common tracer used for PET/CT to detect malignant tumors. ~(18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (~(18)F-FDG) can reflect the metabolism of glucose. However, there exists physiologic uptake in the intestinal tract of healthy people. Because ileocecal foci is predilection site of malignant tumors and inflammatory disease, the purpose of this study was to investigate the discrimination of PET/CT detection of incidental ileocecal high FDG uptake. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 28 unexpected ileocecal focal uptake of ~(18)F-FDG localized by PET/CT, and then semi-quantitatively analyzed the extent of radioactive uptake in ileocecal foci. After PET/CT, the etiology of the findings was confirmed histologically by surgery, endoscopic or by long-term follow-up. All the data were assessed for statistical significance using one-way ANOVA. Results: In all the ileocecal foci, there were 14(50%) physiologic FDG uptake, 8 (28.6%) benign diseases and 6 (21.4%) malignant tumor. Maximal standardized uptake value was 5.2±1.6 in physiologic uptake, 6.8±4.1 in benign lesions and 12.8±5.5 in malignant lesions. There was statistically significant difference between malignant tumors and the other 2 groups. According to ROC analysis, when SUN_(max) was 6.75, the sensitivity and specificity of ileocecal malignant tumor were 100% and 86.4%, respectively. Conclusion: The significant value of discrimination between benign and malignant lesions of ileocecal focal FDG uptake by PET/CT was affirmative. It is very important to recognize physiologic uptake of ileocecal conjunction in the interpretation of image. Semi-quantitative analyze was not helpful to identify benign lesions from physiologic uptake.

Objective To analyze the CT imaging features of Castleman disease and enhance our knowledge of Castleman disease.Methods Twenty two patients with lymph node biopsy-proved or surgeryproved Castleman disease were retrospectively reviewed in this study.Of the 22 patients,18 had localized lesion and 4 patients had multicentric lesions.Correlation was made between CT and pathologic findings.Results Eighteen patients with localized Castleman disease had the hyaline-vascular type and showed well-circumscribed masses with soft-tissue density [mean CT value,(45 ± 16) HU],punctate or bifurcate calcification and linear low-density areas on non-enhanced CT images.All localized masses showed significant enhancementwith an increase of(56 ± 22)HU on arterial phase and showed residual enhancement and some low-density areas on delayed phase.Enhancing patterns were variable,including homogeneous enhancement,gradual enhancement from the edge to the center of mass and heterogeneous enhancement.Four patients with localized lesion demonstrated enhancing vessels around masses.Four patients with muhicentric CD belonged to the plasma cell type and had multiple enlarged lymph nodes.Plasma cell type masses with homogeneous density also showed enhancement after injection of contrast media but appeared to reveal a less increase of (32 ± 10) HU than the hyaline vascular type.Conclusions The localized Castleman disease showed certain characteristics on CT imaging includingcalcification and contrast enhancing patterns,which could help in the differential diagnosis of this disease.The muhicentric Castleman disease did not reveal any useful imaging features.

Objective To study the clinical characteristics, the laboratory profile (CD4+ and CD8+ counts and CD4+/CD8+ ratio) and the efficacy of antifungal treatment in HIV/AIDS patients with oropharyngeal candidiasis. Methods Oral lesions were evaluated among 20 HIV/AIDS patients with oropharyngeal candidiasis and the controls who were HIV-negative patients with oropharyngeal candidiasis. Samples were obtained from the lesions for fungal examination by microscopy and culture. The flow cytometry was used for detection of CD4+ and CD8+ counts in peripheral blood. Treatment efficacy of itraconazole was assessed among study group and the control group after treatment for one week, two weeks, at the end of treatment, as well as two weeks after treatment. Results Out of 20 HIV/AIDS patients, 19 were infected with Candida albicans and one with Candida parapsilosis. Six cases had infection on the tongue and 14 on the mucous membrane of oral cavity. CD4+ and CD8+ counts, and CD4/CD8 ratio were 119.40?127.43, 652.50?338.57 and 0.163?0.13, respectively. Mycologic clearance rates were 16.67%, 50.00%, 61.11% and 66.67%, respectively, after treatment with itraconazole for one week, two weeks, at the end of treatment, and two weeks after treatment. Conclusions Oropharyngeal candidiasis is a complication occurred in HIV/AIDS patients, and Candida albicans is the most common pathogen of the infection. The tongue and mucous membrane of oral cavity are usually involved in the patients. The therapeutic efficacy is related to the status of immunity.

ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical and prognostic features of hypertriglyceridemic pancreatitis (HTGP) during pregnancy. MethodsA total of 77 patients with acute pancreatitis in pregnancy who were admitted to The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University from January 2013 to June 2020 were enrolled as subjects, and according to the presence or absence of HTGP, they were divided into HTGP group with 38 patients and non-HTGP group with 39 patients. The two groups were compared in terms of the clinical features including age, pregnancy, laboratory markers, complication, and prognostic indices. The independent samples t-test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups, and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups; the chi-square test or the Fisher’s exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups, and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of ranked data between two groups. According to the trimester of pregnancy, the patients were divided into early pregnancy group with 4 patients, middle pregnancy group with 14 patients, and late pregnancy with 59 patients, and blood lipid levels were compared between groups; the Kruskal-Wallis H test was used for comparison between two groups or within each group. ResultsCompared with the non-HTGP group, the HTGP group had significantly higher mean age (t=-3.000, P=0.004) and proportion of patients with diabetes (χ2=8.867, P=0.003). Compared with the non-HTGP group, the HTGP group had a significantly higher proportion of patients with disease onset in the third trimester (P＜0.001) and a significantly lower serum level of sodium (Z=-6.328, P＜0.001). Compared with the non-HTGP group, the HTGP group had significantly higher incidence rates of acute peripancreatic fluid collection (76.3% vs 33.3%, χ2=14.342, P＜0.001) and systemic inflammatory response syndrome (81.6% vs 410%, χ2=13.310, P＜0.001). There were significant differences between the two groups in the length of hospital stay, the rate of admission to the intensive care unit, and hospital costs (Z=-2.077, χ2=11.537, Z=-3.525, all P＜0.05). The levels of total cholesterol and triglyceride in the third trimester were significantly higher than those in middle pregnancy (both P＜0.05). ConclusionCompared with the non-HTGP group, the HTGP group has a higher proportion of patients with disease onset in the third trimester of pregnancy, a higher risk of complications, a longer length of hospital stay, and higher hospital costs.

Although somatic cells can be reprogrammed to pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) with pure chemicals, authentic pluripotency of chemically induced pluripotent stem cells (CiPSCs) has never been achieved through tetraploid complementation assay. Spontaneous reprogramming of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) was another non-transgenic way to obtain PSCs, but this process lacks mechanistic explanation. Here, we reconstructed the trajectory of mouse SSC reprogramming and developed a five-chemical combination, boosting the reprogramming efficiency by nearly 80- to 100-folds. More importantly, chemical induced germline-derived PSCs (5C-gPSCs), but not gPSCs and chemical induced pluripotent stem cells, had authentic pluripotency, as determined by tetraploid complementation. Mechanistically, SSCs traversed through an inverted pathway of in vivo germ cell development, exhibiting the expression signatures and DNA methylation dynamics from spermatogonia to primordial germ cells and further to epiblasts. Besides, SSC-specific imprinting control regions switched from biallelic methylated states to monoallelic methylated states by imprinting demethylation and then re-methylation on one of the two alleles in 5C-gPSCs, which was apparently distinct with the imprinting reprogramming in vivo as DNA methylation simultaneously occurred on both alleles. Our work sheds light on the unique regulatory network underpinning SSC reprogramming, providing insights to understand generic mechanisms for cell-fate decision and epigenetic-related disorders in regenerative medicine.
Male ; Mice ; Animals ; Cellular Reprogramming/genetics* ; Tetraploidy ; Pluripotent Stem Cells/metabolism* ; Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells/metabolism* ; DNA Methylation ; Spermatogonia/metabolism* ; Germ Cells/metabolism*