Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease. However, its etiology has not been yet fully elucidated. Endothelial dysfunction is currently considered to be one of the most important steps in the initiation of atherosclerosis. In addition, vascular smooth muscle cells, which are the main cellular component of de novo and in-stent restenosis lesions, play an important role in the development of atherosclerosis. Promoting the regeneration of endothelial cells and inhibiting the proliferation of smooth muscle cells are pivotal for the prevention and treatment of vascular injury. Recently, some studies have demonstrated that mesenchymal stem cells can home to the site of injury and differentiate into endothelial cells to repair damaged blood vessels. On the contrary, other researches have revealed that mesenchymal stem cells can differentiate into vascular smooth muscle cells that are involved in the development of restenosis. Here, we review the fundamental researches of mesenchymal stem cell therapy for atherosclerosis and address the perspectives of mesenchymal stem cells in atherosclerosis treatment.
Animals ; Atherosclerosis ; therapy ; Cell Differentiation ; Cells, Cultured ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; Humans ; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation ; methods ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology

Objective To explore the creation and control of measurement technique error on digital subtraction angiography (DSA). Methods The data was obtained from Advantx LCV Plus DSA system made by GE Corporation. We divided the screen into three areas, per area account for 1/3, ie, central area, middle area and outlying area. The enlargement rate or reduction rate of the target object was respectively calculated according to the different calibration, different height of the bed and different X-ray source to image distance (SID). Results The target object was enlarged gradually from the central area to the outlying area, and the lengthwise enlargement rate was more obvious than transverse. The different of target object measured by coin (diameter was 20.4 mm) with steel ball (diameter was 7.7 mm) was not significance, but the target object was underestimated significantly used the calibration by 4F catheter. When the target object was measured by the calibration in same area and same axis, the error of measurement technique was controlled rang from 1.0% to-2.5%. Conclusion This systematic investigation suggest that the screen was divided into the central area, middle area and outlying area will be beneficial to control DSA measurement error for the interventional physician. The target object was close to real size when it measured by transverse of the calibration, and the error was better controlled when the calibration was in the same area and same axis as the target object.

Objective To investigate the clinical features of bilateral native pelvic and ureteral transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) in renal transplant patients. Methods A retrospective analysis was carried out on 16 patients with bilateral native pelvic and ureteral TCC after kidney transplantation.The mean time between transplantation and diagnosis of upper urinary TCC was 56. 2 ± 33. 0 months.Two patients were suffered from bilateral upper urinary TCC at the same time. The mean interval between 2 upper urinary tract operations of the remaining 14 cases was 8. 6 ± 6. 7 months. Hematuria and hydronephrosis of native kidneys were the main symptoms and targets in checkup. Intravesical chemotherapy was postoperatively given. Results All operations were performed successfully. All specimens obtained from the operations were pathologically diagnosed as TCC. The TCC location involved pure native pelvis (n = 4), pure native ureter (n = 9), and pelvis combined with ureter (n = 19). Pelvic TCC pathological grades included grade 1 in 8 cases, grade 2 in 11 cases, and grade 3 in 4 cases; Ureteral TCC grades included grade 1 in 6 cases, grade 2 in 10 cases, and grade 3 in 12 cases.Patients were followed up for 26. 8 ± 25. 1 months. One patient died of lung metastasis. (One case of lumbar soft tissue transfer was given local excision. The remaining patients had no recurrence and metastasis. Conclusion Renal transplant patients with hematuria and native renal hydronephrosis should be highly vigilant of the occurrence of upper urinary tract TCC. TCC after renal transplantation is invasive. Prophylactic contralateral nephroureterectomy should be performed on the recipients having TCC at the bladder and one side of native upper urinary tract.

Objective To detect the ascites CD64 index of patients with decompensated cirrhosis ,and explore the value in the di-agnosis of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) .Methods Decompensated cirrhosis with ascites patients were divided into non-SBP group ,SBP suspected group and SBP diagnosed group .Two control groups were composed of patients with ascites culture pos-itive and non-SPB group .SBP suspected group were further grouped according to abdominal pain and the percentage of peripheral blood neutrophils .The CD64 index was detected by flow cytometry .Compared the difference of ascites CD64 index after treatment , and analyzed diagnosis performance of procalcitonin in human peripheral blood and ascites white blood cell count of SBP .Results The level of the ascites CD64 index was significantly higher in SBP diagnosed group (179 .39 ± 65 .56)and SBP suspected group (115 .49 ± 58 .42)than that of non-SBP group(26 .88 ± 26 .05)(P<0 .01) .The differences of the ascites CD64 index between SBP suspected associated with abdominal pain group and SBP suspected associated with painless group was not statistically significant (P>0 .05) .The level of the ascites CD64 index in SBP suspected with percentage of peripheral blood neutrophils elevated group was increased significantly than non-elevated group(P<0 .05) .CD64 index level in effective treatment group was significantly lower than the ineffective treatment group(P<0 .01) .The area of the ascites CD64 index under the curve was greater than procalcitonin in human peripheral blood and ascites WBC count ,and had a higher sensitivity and specificity .Conclusion The detection process of the ascites CD64 index is fast and with less influential factors ,which provides a new choice for the clinical diagnosis of SBP .

OBJECTIVE: Panel reactive antibody (PRA) can induce acute rejection following kidney transplantation, however, it is poorly understood which PRA is more associated with rejection. Therefore, the aim of this study is to analyze the correlation between PRA and rejection by observing the change of PRA Ⅰ and PRA Ⅱ prior to and after the kidney transplantation. METHODS: Levels of PRA Ⅰ and PRA Ⅱ were observed in 100 patients received kidney transplantation at the Department of Urology, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital Affiliated to the Capital Medical University. During these 100 patients, 18 patients had PRA changes after operation. The relationship between PRA changes after kidney transplantation and acute rejection were analyzed. RESULTS: Totally 18 patients were included in the final analysis. Nine of them occurred acute rejection with obviously increased PRA Ⅱ (P=0.040), however, the PRA Ⅰ had no significant changes (P=0.707). The changes of PRA Ⅰ and PRA Ⅱ had no significance in the remaining 9 patients prior to and after kidney transplantation. The overall level of PRA increased in 7 patients, in 5 patients with increased PRA Ⅱ, 4 patients suffered acute rejection, 1 of which was renal allogreft failure; 2 cases with PRA Ⅰ increasing did not occur acute rejection. The overall level of PRA declined in 11 patients, including 5 patients with PRA Ⅱ decreased, 1 patient occurred acute rejection; 4 patients in 6 patients with PRA Ⅰ declined suffered acute rejection. CONCLUSIONS: The increased PRA Ⅱ after transplantation easily result in acute rejection, which has definite correlation to acute rejection, however, the PRA Ⅰ changes has no impact on acute rejection.

AIM: To investigate the effects of aging on the angiotensinⅡ receptors (ATR) in different parts of the kidney. METHODS: Expression of AT 1 receptor in renal cortex was determined by Western and Northern blotting. Five micrometer thick cryostat sections of 3 or 24-month Wistar rats were mounted onto a 1.35?m thin polyethylene membrane. Glomeruli, tubules and arteries of rat kidney were isolated by laser microdissection and pressure catapulting system, AT 1aR mRNA, AT 1bR mRNA AT 2R mRNA were measured with reverse-transcription PCR(RT-PCR). RESULTS: Western and Northern blotting showed that protein and gene expression of AT 1 receptor in kidney cortex decreased in 24 month Wistar rats compared to those in 3 month Wistar rats. Glomeruli, tubules and arteries were quickly isolated by laser microdissection and pressure catapulting system without contamination. Compared to young group, AT 1aR mRNA expression was decreased in the tubules of aged rats, no changes was found in isolated glomeruli. AT 1bR mRNA was decreased in glomeruli and tubules. Both AT 1aR mRNA, AT 1bR mRNA were increased in the arteries. AT 2R mRNA was only increased in the tubules, whereas there were no significant changes in the glomeruli or arteries. CONCLUSION: Angiotensin Ⅱ receptors are regulated selectively in different portions of aged kidney, which might play an important role in aging related changes of the kidney.

Objective To investigate clinical characteristics,diagnosis,treatment and prognosis of mucormycosis in patients with renal failure. Methods We reported a 65-year old case of mucormycosis with chronic renal failure. The patient was successfully treated with amphotericin B. Mucormycosis complicated with renal failure were reviewed excluding mucormycosis peritonitis associated with peritoneal dialysis and desferrioxamine-related mucormycosis. Results Fifteen cases including our case were involved with mean age of 49.87?15.84 years old. Rhinocerebral,pulmonary,and disseminated forms accounted for 46.7%,33.3% and 20% respectively. Autopsy was made in 46.7% of patients. Mortality was 73.3% in all of them and 42.9% in seven patients who received antifungal therapy. All patients without treatments died. Conclusion Mucormycosis is a lethal invasive infection in patients with renal failure. The management to improve prognosis are early diagnosis,surgical debridement,drainage and aggressive antifungal chemo-therapy.

Objective To explore the correlations between elevated cfDNA with lupus nephritis and indentify the influencing factors of cfDNA in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).Methods Fifty four patients with SLE [37 patients with lupus nephritis (LN) and 43 age-and sex-matched healthy controls] were included in the study.In 37 LN patients,26 patients were at active stage,and 11 patients were in remission.cfDNA concentration was measured with Picogreen Kit and low-density granulocytes (LDGs) was tested by flowcytometer.Correlation and regression analysis were performed to discover whether cfDNA is related to LN and identify the influencing factor of cffDNA.Results The cfDNA in SLE group was (237±40) ng/ml,which was significantly higher than that in healthy control group (188±41 ng/ml,P＜0.01).cfDNA in LN group was significantly higher than that in patients without LN (NLN) (247±47 ng/ml vs 214±31 ng/ml,P=0.028).cfDNA in patients with active LN was significantly higher than that in patient with inactive LN (RLN) (254±50 ng/ml vs 216±29 ng/ml,P=0.035).In SLE group,cfDNA was positively correlated with quantitative 24-hour urinary protein (r=0.350,P=0.013) and reversely correlated with albumin (r=-0.500,P＜0.01) and endogenous creatinine clearance rate (Ccr) (r=-0.354,P=0.044).Percentage of LDGs in peripheral blood mononuclear ceils (PBMCs) of the SLE group was (8.3± 12.9)％,significantly was higher than that in healthy controls [(1.2±0.7)％,P=0.004].The cfDNA was positively correlated with LDGs (r=0.636,P=0.002) and neutrophils (r=0.599,P＜0.01).Conclusion NETs excessively released by neutrophils as well as LDGs may be one of the main reasons for elevated cfDNA level in SLE.cfDNA level is associated with LN activity,suggesting that there is a intrinsic link between NETs-related biomarkers and active LN and that more specific biomarkers of NETs may become a clinical biomarker for active LN.

Objective To study the expression difference of the insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I)and IGF-binding proteins-3,4,5(IGFBP-3,4,5)in the peripheral and local areas in senile hip fracture and discuss the correlation between the expression and the fracture types. Methods The study involved the senile patients (over 65 years) with hip fractures to compare the expressions of peripheral and local IGF-I and IGFBP-3,4,5 and observe the correlation between expression and fracture type.Results The serum and local specimens of 46 patients were collected,with lower level of BMD,IGF-I and IGFBP-3,5 in the intertrochanteric fracture group than the femoral neck fracture group(P<0.001)and with higher level of serum and local IGFBP-4 in the intertrochanteric fracture group than the femoral neck fracture group (P<0.001).Only local IGFBP-4 mRNA had positive correlation with serum markers (R=0.544,P<0.001). Conclusions The expression difference of IGF-I and IGFBP in the peripheral and local serum may be one of pathogenesis leading to different types of hip fractures.Except for the IGFBP-4,the other factors may affect the bone metabolism of the senile hip fractures through different regulatory mechanisms.

Background Serum cystatin C levels can be used to predict morbidity and mortality in patients with cardiovascular disease. However, the clinical relevance of serum cystatin C levels in patients with hypertensive left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) has rarely been investigated. We designed the present study to investigate whether serum cystatin C levels are associated with cardiac structural and functional alterations in hypertensive patients. Methods We enrolled 823 hypertensive patients and classified them into two groups:those with LVH (n=287) and those without LVH (n=536). All patients underwent echocardiography and serum cystatin C testing. We analyzed the relationship be-tween serum cystatin C levels and LVH. Results Serum cystatin C levels were higher in hypertensive patients with LVH than in those without LVH (P＜0.05). Using linear correlation analysis, we found a positive correlation between serum cystatin C levels and interven-tricular septal thickness (r=0.247, P＜0.01), posterior wall thickness (r=0.216, P＜0.01), and left ventricular weight index (r=0.347, P＜0.01). When analyzed by multiple linear regression, the positive correlations remained between serum cystatin C and interventricular septal thickness (β=0.167, P＜0.05), posterior wall thickness (β=0.187, P＜0.05), and left ventricular weight index (β=0.245, P＜0.01). Con-clusion Serum cystatin C concentration is an independent marker for hypertensive LVH.