Bronchi ; abnormalities ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Multidetector Computed Tomography ; methods ; Pulmonary Artery ; diagnostic imaging ; Trachea ; abnormalities

Objective To determine the effecting factors for diagnosis of binign or malignant in cystic lesions of pancreas(CLP).Methods One hundred twenty-six patients undergoing operations for CLP or suspected CLP in this hospital from January 1984 to June 2008 were reviewed.Patients were divided into two groups according to lesion's histological features after operation.The predictive effect of various preoperative factors on the malignant potential of CLP was evaluated.Results One hundred twenty-six patients underwent operations for suspected pancreatic cystic neoplasms.There were 89 benign and 37 malignant CLPs.The univariate analysis showed that gender, clinical symptoms(jaundice and weight loss), elevated serum CA199, and presence of one or more of three morphologic features such as solid component, nodule or septation were significantly different between benign and malignant cystic neoplasm of pancreas.The multivariate analysis indicated that imaging features and gender were independent predictors of malignancy.Conclusion In patients with suspected pancreatic cystic neoplasms, elevated serum CA199, clinical symptoms(jaundice and weight loss)and presence of suspicious morphologic features on imaging are predictors of malignant potential of CLP.Patients with a high likelihood of a potentially malignant or malignant lesion based on these three factors should undergo operation without additional investigations.

This study was aimed to investigate the stability and in vitro function of glycosylated platelets concentrates after long-term refrigeration. The experiments were divided into 4 groups: group preserved at room temperature (RT group), group preserved at 4 degrees C (4T group), group glycosylated and preserved at 4 degrees C (U + 4 group) and group preserved at 4 degrees C and glycosylated (4 + U group). All groups followed for up to 14 days. The binding rate of RCA I lectin and expression of Plt surface markers CD62P, CD42b and Annexin V binding were determined by flow cytometry. pH and mean volume were determined by pH meter and hematotocytometer respectively. Platelet aggregation was detected by aggregometer. The results showed that during storage up to 14 days RCAI binding rate of modified groups was 5 - 6 fold of RT group. The pH of platelets suspension had no significant difference between these two groups (p > 0.05). Mean volumes of both groups (10.6 +/- 1.9 fL and 11.14 +/- 1.1 fL) were also no significant difference (p > 0.05). Furthermore, aggregation responsiveness of modified groups was better than that of RT groups (p < 0.05) although both decreased during the storage. The expression level of CD62P, CD42b and Annexin V binding during 5 days of storage had no significant difference between modified and fresh platelet groups (p > 0.05). While the expression level of CD62P and PS increased and the expression level of CD42b decreased during storage up to 14 days, there was significant difference between modified and fresh platelet groups (p < 0.01). It is concluded that the glycan modification is stable during storage up to 14 days. The glycosylated platelets retain in vitro function better than RT platelets during storage, but it shows activation to varying degrees in vitro after storage for 5 days.
Blood Platelets ; cytology ; metabolism ; Blood Preservation ; Cryopreservation ; methods ; Galactose ; pharmacology ; Glycosylation ; Humans ; Platelet Aggregation ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo study the inhibitory effect of matrine on the proliferation of the prostate cancer cell line LNCaP and the expression of the androgen receptor (AR).

METHODSLNCaP cells were treated with matrine at the concentration of 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 3.0 g/L for 12, 24 and 36 hours, the cell growth activity determined by MTT colorimetry and trypan blue staining at 36 hours, the cell cycle changes detected by flow cytometry and the expression of AR by Western blot at 24 hours.

RESULTSMatrine suppressed the in vitro growth of the androgen-sensitive prostate cancer cell line LNCaP in a time- and dose-dependent manner, blocked the cell cycles in the G2/M phase and decreased the expression of AR in the cell line in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONMatrine can significantly inhibit the in vitro growth of NCaP cells by down-regulating the expression of AR and blocking cell cycles.

Alkaloids ; pharmacology ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Male ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Quinolizines ; pharmacology ; Receptors, Androgen ; metabolism

AIMStudies on synthesis and antibacterial activity of new heterocycles.

METHODSThe cyclocondensation of [(3-pyridyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl] thio acetic acid with various aroyl hydrazines in the presence of POCl3 and xylene gave the corresponding titled compounds, and the in vitro antibacterial activity was primarily evaluated by the method of cupplate diffusion solution.

RESULTSSixteen novel titled compounds were synthesized, their structures were confirmed by IR, 1HNMR, MS and elemental analysis. Biological screening results demonstrated that most of the compounds prepared displayed potential antibacterial activity.

CONCLUSIONOxadiazoles incorporting pyridyl oxadiazole ring may be usefully antibacterial candidate drugs.

Anti-Bacterial Agents ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Escherichia coli ; drug effects ; Oxadiazoles ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Proteus vulgaris ; drug effects ; Staphylococcus aureus ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo determine the genetic relationships between different Vibrio cholerae isolates in Shenzhen from 1993 to 2002.

METHODSChromosomal DNA from 60 isolates was digested in seakem gold agrose with restriction enzyme Not I and plugs were then analyzed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns of V. cholerae isolates were clustered using BioNumerics software.

RESULTS39 distinctive PFGE patterns were identified with each pattern having 20 to 30 bands. Most PFGE patterns were divided into cluster A or cluster B.

CONCLUSIONThe closely related pandemic clone clusters of V. cholerae strains did exist in Shenzhen. PFGE of V. cholerae could be used for active surveillance and tracking for cholerae.

China ; epidemiology ; Cholera ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field ; methods ; Humans ; Phylogeny ; Vibrio cholerae ; classification ; genetics

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; enzymology ; pathology ; virology ; Hepacivirus ; genetics ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; enzymology ; pathology ; virology ; Telomerase ; metabolism ; Viral Core Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism

Lyophilization of human red blood cells has important significance in clinical application. Some sugars, especially trehalose, can be more tolerant of some organism or cells to dry environments, But, how to bring sugars into cells is a challenge. This study was aimed to investigate the regularity of sugar-uptake in human red blood cells. The absorption rate of trehalose and glucose in red blood cells, free hemoglobin level and erythrocyte deformation index were determined at different incubation temperature (4, 25 and 37 degrees C), different sugar concentration (0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1 mol/L) and different incubation time (1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 hours). The results showed that with increase of temperature and extracellular sugar concentration, the uptake of sugar in red blood cells also increased, the intracellular trehalose and glucose concentrations were over 30 mmol/L and 40 mmol/L respectively. The effects of incubation time on uptake of trehalose and glucose were different. With prolonging of incubation time, the uptake of trehalose showed firstly increase and then decrease, however, the uptake of glucose showed a constant increase. But the loading process had side-effect on free hemoglobin and maximum deformation index (MAXDI) of red blood cells, especially for trehalose, which mainly come from high osmotic pressure. It is concluded that the uptake of sugars in red blood cells is closely dependent on incubation temperature, extracellular sugar concentration and incubation time. In certain condition, the efficiency of sugar uptake is very high, but this process also damages red blood cells so as to affect the application of sugars in lyophilization of red blood cells. The research in the future should focus on how to deal with the relation between cell injury and uptake efficiency of sugar in red blood cells.
Blood Preservation ; adverse effects ; Cryoprotective Agents ; pharmacokinetics ; Erythrocyte Membrane ; drug effects ; Erythrocytes ; metabolism ; Freeze Drying ; Glucose ; pharmacokinetics ; Humans ; Trehalose ; pharmacokinetics

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Hepatitis B virus ; physiology ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; virology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Virus Replication

BACKGROUNDHuman umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UCB-MSCs) could be induced to differentiate into insulin producing cells (IPCs) in vitro, which have good application potential in the cell replacement treatment of type-1 diabetes. However, the mechanisms regulating this differentiation have remained largely unknown. Notch signaling is critical in cell differentiation. This study investigated whether Notch signaling could regulate the IPCs differentiation of human UCB-MSCs.

METHODSUsing an interfering Notch signaling protocol in vitro, we studied the role of Notch signaling in differentiation of human UCB-MSCs into IPCs. In a control group the induction took place without interfering Notch signaling.

RESULTSHuman UCB-MSCs expressed the genes of Notch receptors (Notch 1 and Notch 2) and ligands (Jagged 1 and Deltalike 1). Human UCB-MSCs with over-expressing Notch signaling in differentiation resulted in the down-regulation of insulin gene level, proinsulin protein expression, and insulin-positive cells percentage compared with the control group. These results showed that over-expressing Notch signaling inhibited IPCs differentiation. Conversely, when Notch signaling was attenuated by receptor inhibitor, the induced cells increased on average by 3.06-fold (n = 4, P < 0.001) in insulin gene level, 2.60-fold (n = 3, P < 0.02) in proinsulin protein expression, and 1.62-fold (n = 6, P < 0.001) in the rate of IPCs compared with the control group. Notch signaling inhibition significantly promoted IPCs differentiation with about 40% of human UCB-MSCs that converted to IPCs, but these IPCs were not responsive to glucose challenge very well both in vitro and in vivo. Hence, further research has to be carried out in the future.

CONCLUSIONSNotch signaling may be an important mechanism regulating IPCs differentiation of human UCB-MSCs in vitro and Notch signaling inhibition may be an efficient way to increase the number of IPCs, which may resolve the shortage of islet of cell replacement treatment of type-1 diabetes.

Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; Fetal Blood ; cytology ; Humans ; Insulin ; biosynthesis ; Male ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Receptors, Notch ; physiology ; Signal Transduction ; physiology