Objective To study the value of event-related potentials P300 in evaluation of the cognitive function of patients with vascular dementia (VD).Methods P300 test and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) assessment were carried out in 31 patients with VD before and after 16 weeks of treatment with the oral in- take of donepezil hydrochloride,30 age-matched normal subjects served as the controls.Results Before treatment, the score of MMSE in the VD patients was significantly lower than that in the control group (P

OBJECTIVETo culture dendritic cells (DC) from peripheral blood of patients with laryngeal carcinoma for therapeutic aid.

METHODSAdherent peripheral blood mononuclear cells from peripheral blood were cultured with 15 ng/ml rhGM-CSF and 7 ng/ml rhIL-4 for one or two weeks. The purity of DC was detected by immunocytochemistry method. The mixed leukocyte reactions stimulated by DC loaded with laryngeal carcinoma antigen were tested by measuring 3H-TdR uptake.

RESULTSA considerable number of suspended cells with spicular or dendritic appearance were observed after 1 week of culture, and their mitochondria were rich in cytoplasm. The positivity of DC was about 30%-60%. DC loaded with laryngeal antigen could induce proliferation of syngeneic T lymphocytes.

CONCLUSIONA large number of DC with high purity can be cultured from peripheral blood of patients with laryngeal carcinoma in vitro. It may be used in further experimental studies for clinical applications.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; blood ; Cell Separation ; Cells, Cultured ; Culture Media ; Dendritic Cells ; pathology ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Interleukin-4 ; pharmacology ; Laryngeal Neoplasms ; blood ; Recombinant Proteins ; pharmacology

Objectives To investigate the effects of phytosterol intensive diet intervention on blood glucose, blood lipid and liver function in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus combined with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD). Methods Patients with NAFLD admitted to the department of endocrinology, the Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University from January 2016 to June 2016 were recruited.We divided the groups according to the order of patient admission,with patients admitted from January to March who received conventional diabetes mellitus low-fat diet enrolled as control group,and patients admitted from April to June received extra phytosterol intensive diet on the basis of conventional diabetes mellitus diet as treatment group. The changes of blood glucose, blood lipid and liver function between two groups with a follow-up of six months before and after intervention were compared and analyzed. Results After intervention,the levels of fasting blood sugar(FPG)and blood glucose(2hPG), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), cholesterol (TG), triglyceride (TC), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) of patients in control group(11.13 ± 3.17)mmol/L,(18.65 ± 6.21)mmol/L,(9.82 ± 1.69)%,(2.81 ± 1.43) mmol/L、(5.40 ± 1.14)mmol/L,77.27%(51/66),which were lower than those before intervention((8.51 ± 2.83)mmol/L,(10.39 ± 3.62)mmol/L,(7.78 ± 1.46)%,(2.18 ± 1.13)mmol/L,(4.99 ± 1.04)mmol/L, 90.91%(60/66),P<0.05,and FPG,2 hPG,HbA1c,TG,TC,LDL-C,ALT and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in the experimental group were(11.32 ± 3.64)mmol/L,(20.09 ± 4.83)mmol/L,(9.70 ± 2.12)%, (2.68 ± 1.74)mmol/L,(5.16 ± 1.10)mmol/L,(3.18 ± 0.92)mmol/L,(70.27)%(52/74),(86.49)%(64/74), which were significantly lower than those before intervention((7.37 ± 2.08)mmol/L,(9.20 ± 3.35)mmol/L, (6.75 ± 0.99)%,(1.86 ± 1.13)mmol/L,(4.69 ± 1.06)mmol/L,(2.67 ± 0.72)mmol/L, 91.89%(68/74), 98.65%(73/74), P<0.05, and the differences was statistically significant(t=4.584,9.329,7.349,2.823, 2.140,χ2=4.587, P<0.01 or 0.05 in control group;t=8.106,15.715, 10.826,3.393,2.651,3.755,P<0.01 in experimental group). The levels of FPG, 2 hPG and HbA1c were significantly lower in the experimental group compared with those in control group after intervention(P<0.05),and the positive-to-negative rate of fatty liver were found to be significantly higher (33.8%,25/74) than that (9.1%,6/66) in controls(P<0.05).There were not significantly differences in the level of TG,TC,high density lipoprotein(HDL-C), LDL-C, ALT and AST between the control group and experimental group(P>0.05). Conclusions Phytosterol intensive diet intervention can effectively reduce LDL-C,AST and the blood glucose level of type 2 diabetes patients with NAFLD, improving the positive-to-negative rate of fatty liver. Phytosterol intensive diet intervention can effectively reduce LDL-C, AST and the blood glucose level of type 2 diabetes patients with NAFLD,improve the positive-to-negative rate of fatty liver.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of interleukin-6 (IL-6) on the biological behaviors of the chondrocytes in the cartilage endplate of rabbits.

METHODSChondrocytes isolated from the cartilage endplate of New Zealand rabbits, verified for their biological characteristics by such means as toluidine blue staining for type II collagen, were treated with IL-6 at different concentrations. The proliferation of the chondrocytes was evaluated by MTT assay at different time points following the treatment, the cell cycle changes were determined by flow cytometry and the changes of aggrecan and type II collagen mRNAs detected by RT-PCR.

RESULTSAt the concentrations of 10, 50 and 100 ng/ml, IL-6 did not obviously affect the rate of chondrocyte proliferation. IL-6 at 50 ng/ml resulted in no obvious changes of the cell cycle of the chondrocytes, but significantly decreased the expression of collagen IIa mRNA.

CONCLUSIONIL-6 has no effect on the proliferation and cell cycle of the chondrocytes, but at higher concentrations, it inhibits matrix synthesis of the chondrocytes to promote intervertebral disc degeneration.

Aggrecans ; genetics ; Animals ; Cartilage ; cytology ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Chondrocytes ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Collagen Type II ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Interleukin-6 ; pharmacology ; Male ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rabbits

OBJECTIVETo understand HBV serotypes and genotypes epidemiology in a northern city and a southern city in China.

METHODSUsing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and direct sequencing of HBV DNA PCR products, the serotypes and genotypes of HBV in 530 from HBsAg positive samples. The enrolled patients were from Harbin, a northern city and Lianjiang, a southern city in China.

RESULTSComparison of the serotypes and genotypes of HBV between Harbin and Lianjiang showed that adrq+ was the most predominant hepatitis B virus serotype in both Harbin and Lianjiang (87.2% and 73.5%,respectively), adw2 was the next (12.0% and 25.7%, respectively); genotype C was the most frequent in Harbin and Lianjiang (87.8% and 73.2%, respectively), and genotype B was the next (12.2% and 26.1%, respectively) only 1 patient was infected by genotype D, and 1 patient was found to be co-infected by genotype B and C in Lianjiang.

CONCLUSIONThe results suggest that the percentage of HBV serotypes and genotypes between Harbin and Lianjiang was significantly different (P less than 0.001), but the main HBV serotype and genotype of the two cities were similar.

China ; DNA, Viral ; genetics ; Genotype ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B virus ; classification ; genetics ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Serotyping

OBJECTIVETo explore early diagnosis, treatment and prevention of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding after cardiac surgery.

METHODSIn the last 13 years, cases complicated with GI bleeding after cardiac surgeries were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTSFourty-four GI bleeding occurred post-operatively in (6 +/- 3) d. The mortality was 23% (10/44). Thirty-eight were located in upper GI tract, of them 26 underwent conservative therapy while 4 died of other than GI bleeding cause; six underwent laparotomy while 1 and 3 died of septicemia and multi-organ failure respectively; six underwent gastric endoscopic hemostasis by electrocautery or clipping the bleeding vessel while all survived. Six were located in lower GI tract, and 2 of them underwent laparotomy without finding bleeding section and died of multi-organ failure. By multivariable logistic regression analysis, deaths were highly related to the post-operative ventilator-dependence, acute renal insufficiency, intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) assisting and laparotomy.

CONCLUSIONThe mortality of GI bleeding after cardiac surgeries is very high, early gastrointestinal endoscopic examination and minimally invasive intervention can treat this complication more effectively. GI bleeding must be prevented whenever complicating post-operative ventilator-dependence, acute renal insufficiency, and IABP assisting after cardiac surgery.

Adult ; Aged ; Cardiac Surgical Procedures ; adverse effects ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; diagnosis ; etiology ; mortality ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVETo investigate the correlation between impaired non-viral specific immune function of dendritic cell (DC) and viral clearance and cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response to HBV or HCV in patients with HBV and HCV coinfection.

METHODSTwenty-five patients with HBV and HCV coinfection were investigated in this study. In 1994 and 2002, biochemical and virological markers and quantitative serum HBV DNA and HCV RNA levels were detected in these patients. According to the virus clearance status, these patients were divided into 4 groups: 14 patients with both HBV and HCV clearance (Group A), 6 patients with HCV clearance only (Group B), 3 patients with HBV clearance only (Group C), and 2 patients with persistent infection of HBV and HCV (Group D). Phenotypes and immune functions of monocyte-derived DCs were compared between these groups. 51Cr release assay were used to measure CTL response to epitopes derived from HBV, HCV or influenza virus (as positive control) in HLA-A2+ patients.

RESULTSImpaired non-viral specific immune functions of DCs were observed in group B, C and D compared with group A and normal donors (Group N). These impaired functions included CD86 decreasing expression and lower capacity to stimulating allogenic T cells and uptaking antigen. The specific CTL response to HBV- and HCV-derived peptides could be induced in group A (12/12). The specific CTL response to HBV-derived peptides or to HCV-derived peptides could be induced in group C (3/3) or B (5/5), respectively. But the specific CTL response to both of two HBV-derived peptides or two HCV-derived peptides could not be induced in group C (0/3) or B (0/5), respectively. And no CTL response to HBV or HCV-derived peptides could be induced in groups D (0/1) and N (0/4).

CONCLUSION1. The results suggest that specific CTL response to HBV or HCV play a vital role in the viral clearance. 2. The DCs with impaired non-viral specific immune functions exist in chronic patients with HBV and/or HCV infection, but do not interfere with clearance and CTL response to HBV or HCV. It is reasonable to speculate that impaired functions of DCs result from viral infection.

Adult ; Dendritic Cells ; immunology ; Female ; Hepacivirus ; immunology ; Hepatitis B virus ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunophenotyping ; Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed ; Male ; Middle Aged ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical features and surgical strategy for pediatric intractable epilepsy due to posterior quadrantic cortical dysplasia and to assess the surgical outcomes.

METHODSThe clinical features and preoperative evaluation results of 14 children with intractable epilepsy due to posterior quadrantic cortical dysplasia were retrospectively analyzed. The localization values of video-electroencephalography and intraoperative monitoring and the indications, advantages and disadvantages of temporoparietooccipital disconnection were evaluated.

RESULTSThe 14 children had different seizure types, of which spasm was the most common one. The lesions of cortical dysplasia involved the central cerebral region in 2 cases. After temporoparietooccipital disconnection in 14 patients, 13 cases were seizure-free; only one case still had seizures, but the frequency dropped by more than 50%.

CONCLUSIONSTemporoparietooccipital disconnection is a safe and effective surgical procedure for children with intractable epilepsy due to posterior quadrantic cortical dysplasia.

Child ; Child, Preschool ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsy ; etiology ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Malformations of Cortical Development ; complications

OBJECTIVETo analyze the risk factors of heterotopic (HO) ossification after total lumbar disc replacement and probe the preventive strategies for it.

METHODSThe radiographs and clinical data of 78 discs in 65 patients who received artificial lumbar disc replacement (ADR) from April 1998 to December 2003 were analyzed retrospectively by two radiologists and one orthopaedic surgeon and then postoperative HO were graded according to McAfee system. The bony formations in disc spaces, time of HO were found, and range of motion (ROM) of the operated levels were measured on radiographic films. In addition, the risk factors such as preoperative peri-annulus ossification, bony endplates injuries, and subsided or mal-position of the prostheses were also analyzed by Logistic regression analysis.

RESULTSPostoperative HO was found in 10 spaces of 9 cases. Class I of HO were occurred in 7 patients at means 2.1 years postoperatively with normal range of motion preserved. Three of them turned into class II or III with 10 degrees of mean ROM in the following 2.5 years. Another 2 (2/9) cases with preoperative peri-annulus ossification had bridging trabecular bone (class III) between the endplates and 9 degrees of ROM 2 years after surgery, then turned into class IV at 6 years with 0 degrees and 4 degrees of motion in the operated levels. As the risk factors of HO, preoperative annulus ossification (2 cases), bony endplates injuries (5 cases), mal-positioned prostheses (2 cases) and subsided prostheses (2 cases) were found simultaneity with significant positive relation to HO occurred (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSFactors such as preoperative ossification of annulus, endplate injuries, prosthesis subsided and mal-position would have higher risks to have HO occurred after ADR, but ROM of most affected levels are preserved. Strict control indication and avoid all above risk factors can prevent HO occurring effectively.

Adult ; Aged ; Diskectomy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ossification, Heterotopic ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Prosthesis Implantation ; adverse effects ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVETo study whether dendritic cells (DCs) derived from the peripheral blood in chronic hepatitis B patients can induce specific T cell immune response.

METHODS(1)The subjects were divided into 3 groups: chronic hepatitis B group (CHB), acute hepatitis B group (AHB), and normal donor group (ND). The peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from those subjects were stimulated with HBcAg 18 to 27 CTL epitope peptide, and intracellular cytokine staining (ICCS) was used for detecting IFN-gamma, IL-2 and TNF-alpha produced by CD8+ T cell. (2) DCs generated from PBMCs were pulsed with HBcAg 18 to 27 CTL epitope peptide, then were cocultured with autologous lymphocytes for 10 days to induce antigen-specific T cell, which was assessed by ICCS and cytotoxic assay.

RESULTS(1) The memory effect of the PBMCs from AHB group to HBcAg 18 to 27 CTL epitope peptide was stronger than that from CHB or ND group (t=2.508-3.305, P<0.05). (2)After lymphocytes were cocultured with DC treated with HBcAg 18 to 27 CTL epitope peptide, antigen-specific T cell effect was induced. And the killing rates were (57.0+/-23.0)%, (49.5+/-20.2)%, (21.8+/-12.9)% at the effector/target of 30:1, 10:1, 3:1, which were higher than that in control group.

CONCLUSIONSThe memory T cells against HBV antigen lacks in CHB patients. DCs from CHB patients pulsed with HBcAg 18 to 27 epitope peptide can induce HBV antigen-specific T cell, which can kill specific target cells and produce cytokines involved in virus clearance.

Adult ; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; immunology ; Cells, Cultured ; Dendritic Cells ; drug effects ; immunology ; virology ; Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte ; immunology ; Female ; Hepatitis B Core Antigens ; immunology ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; immunology ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; immunology ; Humans ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; immunology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic ; immunology