Humans ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Stomach Neoplasms ; therapy

Humans ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; prevention & control ; Pelvis ; pathology ; Postoperative Period ; Rectal Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery

BACKGROUND: It has been reported that Angiotensin Ⅱ (Ang Ⅱ) is related to occurrence and development of dermatofibrosis; however, less is explored about the expression and effect of AT1 and AT2 receptors in the fibroblasts of human hypertrophic scar.OBJECTIVE: To observe the expression of Ang Ⅱ type 1 (AT1) and type 2 (AT2) receptors in human hypertrophic scars, and explore their effects on collagen synthesis of fibroblasts.DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: Randomized control experiment was performed at the Experimental Center, Guangzhou General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Area Command of Chinese PLA between August 2006 and November 2007. PARTICIPANTS: Samples of hypertrophic scare were taken from 18 patients (10 males and 8 females, 19-47 years Old). Seven specimens of normal skin served as control. All of the specimens collected were divided into two parts, one part for immunohistochemical staining after fixated by 4% paraformaldehyde, the other part for culturing fibroblasts.METHODS: The expression of both AT1 and AT2 receptors in fibroblasts of hypertrophic scare was detected with immunohistochemical staining and radioligand receptor binding assay. Collagen synthesis was examined in cultured fibroblasts of hypertrophic scars by measuring [3H]-proline incorporation into collagenous proteins.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The expression of both AT1 and AT2 receptors in human hypertrophic scars; the [3H]-proline incorporation value in cultured fibroblasts.RESULTS: Positive staining signals of both AT1 and AT2 receptors were found in fibroblasts of hypertrophic scars. Similar results were also observed in cultured fibroblasts of hypertrophic scars, expression level of AT1 and AT2 receptors were (10.69±2.15) fmol/106 cells and (4.9±1.05) fmol/106cells, respectively. In cultured fibreblasts, Ang Ⅱ stimulation significantly increased collagen synthesis, which was inhibited by valsartan, an AT1 receptor blocker, but augmented by PD123319, an AT2 receptor antagonist.CONCLUSION: Both AT1 and AT2 receptors were expressee in the fibreblasts of hypertrophic scars, and Ang Ⅱ regulates collagen synthesis in hypertrophic scar fibroblasts through a negative cross-talk between AT1 and AT2 receptors, which might contribute, at least partly to formation and maturation of human hypertrophic scars.

AIM:To investigate the effects of ginsenoside Rg1 on the behavioral changes and the autophagy of hippocampal neurons of the rats with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).METHODS:The Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 5 groups:control group, model group, fluoxetine group, low-dose ginsenoside Rg1 group and high-dose of ginsenoside Rg1 group.The combination of single prolonged stress and foot stock was performed to induce PTSD-like animal model.The rats in fluoxetine group was administered with fluoxetine by gavage at dose of 10 mg/kg for 21 d, while the rats in low and high doses of ginsenoside Rg1 groups were administered with ginsenoside Rg1 by gavage at doses of 20 mg/kg and 40 mg/kg for 21 d, respectively.The rats in control group and model group were both given saline by gavage for 21 d.The open-field test and stiff behavior test were used to examine the behavioral changes of the rats.The morphological structure and numerical changes of the hippocampal neurons were observed by Nissl-staining method.We adopted immunofluorescence labeling to observe the beclin 1 and LC3 positive hippocampal neurons and the levels of beclin 1 and LC3-Ⅱ/LC3-Ⅰratio in rat hippocampus.RESULTS:Compared with control group, decreased vertical movement time and horizontal movement time in open-field test and increased rate of stiff behavior in the stiff behavior test were observed in model group.Hippocampal neurons in model group were loosely arranged with vacuole-like structures and different degrees of cell shrinkage in contrast with control group.More beclin 1 and LC3 positive cells were identified, and higher protein levels of beclin 1 and ratio of LC3-Ⅱ/LC3-Ⅰ in model group were found as compared with control group.However, increase in movement in open-field test and decrease in stiff behavior were detected in the rats treated with low-and high-dose ginsenoside Rg1 as compared with the model rats.Meanwhile, vacuole structures, the numbers of beclin 1 and LC3 positive neurons, the protein expression of beclin 1 and LC3, and the total cell numbers were increased.Higher dose of ginsenoside Rg1 had more profound effects on these observed results.CONCLUSION:Ginsenoside Rg1 alleviates the abnormal behaviors in the PTSD rats, which might be related to the inhibition of abnormal autophagy of hippocampal neurons.

OBJECTIVETo study the efficacy of Xiaoyao Powder (XYP) combined with interferon alpha (IFN-alpha) in treating HBeAg positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients and the effect on their quality of life (QOL).

METHODSTotally 193 patients with HBeAg-positive CHB confirmed by liver biopsy were randomly assigned to 2 groups, Group A (94 cases) and Group B (99 cases). IFN-alpha1b was subcutaneously injected to patients in Group A at the dose of 50 microg, thrice per week. Those in Group B additionally took XYP. The therapeutic course for all was 24 weeks. Clinical efficacy was observed by assessing ALT restoration rate, HBeAg negative rate, HBeAg conversion rate, HBV DNA negative rate, complete response rate, partial response rate, and symptoms integral. The evaluation of QOL was performed by using chronic liver disease questionnaire (CLDQ) score. Adverse reaction occurrence rate was observed in the two groups.

RESULTSBetter effects were obtained in Group A on ALT restoration rate, HBeAg negative rate, HBV DNA negative rate, complete response rate, partial response rate, TCM symptoms integral, the total effective rate of TCM sysmptoms, CLDQ score, and adverse reaction rates, showing statistical difference when compared with Group B (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONXYP could elevate the efficacy of TCM symptoms of HBeAg-positive CHB patients and anti-viral effect, improve their QOL, and reduce adverse reaction of IFN-alpha.

Adult ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Quality of Life ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To determine the effect of mild hypothermia on neonatal piglet cardiac hemodynamic function after hypoxia-ischemia (HI).Method Twenty five 7-day-old piglets were used for hypoxic ischemic brain damage (HIBD) model by the method of temporary occlusion of the bilateral carotid arteries and followed by mechanical ventilation with low concentration of oxygen (FiO_2=6%) for 30 minutes.The piglets were randomly divided into three groups:group A (normothermia with body temperature to 39℃,n=9),group B (body temperature to 36℃for 72 hours,n=8),and group C (body temperature to 34℃for 72 hours,n=8).Mild hypothermia was initiated at 4 hours after HI,the systolic and diastole function were evaluated by Doppler echocardiography at pre-HI,post-Hi 4 hours and post-HI 72 hours.Results There were no significant differences in left ventrieular ejection time/left ventrieular ejection time (LPEP/LVEF),right ventricular ejection acceleration time/right ventricular ejection time (RACT/RVET) and CO at post-HI with hypothermia 72 hours in three groups,but the heart rate decreased in B and group C group.Compared with nonnothermia,mild hypothermia treatment showed no significant differences in MAP,LPEP/LVET,RACT/RVET,CO,SV at post-HI with hypothermia 72 hours.Conclusions Body temperature decreased by 3～5℃for 72 hours will not aggravate hemodynamic abnormity.

Objective To investigate the effect of long-term antiviral treatment on clinical outcome and liver histology in patients with hepatitis B virus ( HBV)-related compensated cirrhosis .Methods A total of 61 patients with HBV-related compensated cirrhosis receiving antiviral therapy were enrolled from Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province during September 2010 and March 2015, including 26 HBeAg-positive cases and 35 HBeAg-negative cases .Thirty-nine patients were treated with entecavir ( ETV ) and 22 were treated with adefovir dipivoxil ( ADV ) .Biochemical , serological and virological markers were examined every 3 months during treatment, and Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) scores were calculated.All the patients underwent liver biopsy before and 144 weeks after antiviral treatment .Metavir scoring system was used to evaluate the liver histological activity ( A) and fibrosis score ( F) .Wilcoxon rank sum test and paired t-test were used for the evaluation of liver histopathology and liver function before and after treatment , respectively.Results After 144 weeks of antiviral treatment , HBV DNA was reduced and below the lower limit of detection in 58 patients (95.1%), HBeAg disappeared in 14 patients (14/26, 53.8%), and HBeAg seroconversion was observed in 10 patients (10/26, 38.5%); alanine aminotransferase ( ALT), aspartate amino transaminase (AST), total bilirubin (TBil) and CTP score decreased (t=7.489, 8.259, 14.000 and 6.026, all P<0.01), prothrombin time (PT) was shortened (t=9.777, P<0.01), and serum albumin (Alb) increased (t=3.446, P<0.01).Improvements in both liver histologic activity and fibrosis score were observed (Z=5.716 and 6.657, all P<0.01).Liver histological activity decreased from A1 to A0 in 16 cases, from A2 to A0 in 9 cases, from A2 to A1 in 15 cases, from A3 to A0 in 1 case, from A3 to A1 in 5 cases, and from A3 to A2 in 5 cases.Fibrosis score at the baseline was F 4 for all patients, while after treatment, there were 7 patients with F1, 22 with F2, 20 with F3, and F4 remained in rest 12 patients.Conclusion Both clinical and histological improvements can be obtained after long-term antiviral treatment for patients with HBV-related compensated cirrhosis .

Objective To reinvestigate the value of overnight low-dose dexamethasone suppression test in the diagnosis of Cushing syndrome.Methods Fifty-two patients with Cushing syndrome and 153 patients with simple obesity or essential hypertension in whom Cushing syndrome was excluded were studied retrospectively in order to compare the sensitivity and specificity of different serum cortisol cut-off levels in overnight 1 mg dexamethasone suppression test in the diagnosis of Cushing syndrome.Results The sensitivity of 50% of basal serum cortisol level at 8:00 and of the serum cortisol cut-off levels of 275,200,138,50 nmoL/L at 8:00 after the overnight 1 mg dexamethasone suppression test was 92.3%,92.3%,92.3%,92.3% and 100.0% respectively, and the specificity was 90.8%,98.7%,96.1%,91.5% and 78.4%,respectively.Conclusion The serum cortisol cut-off level of 50 nmol/L in the overnight 1 mg dexamethasone suppression test has very high sensitivity and can be used as a screening test for Cushing syndrome.

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of tea polyphenols (TP) on the apoptosis of germ cells in rats with experimental varicocele.

METHODSThirty-two adolescent male Wistar rats were randomly and equally divided into groups A (sham-operation), B (high-dose TP), C (low-dose TP), and D (experimental left varicocele). Experimental varicocele was induced by partial ligation of the left renal vein in the latter three groups of rats. The animals in groups A and D were fed with normal saline, while those in B and C with TP at 40 and 10 mg per kg per d, respectively, all for 4 weeks. Then, all the rats were sacrificed and the left testes harvested for determination of the expression of HIF-1, Bcl-2, Bax, CytC, and caspase-3 by immunohistochemistry and measurement of the apoptosis index (AI) of spermatogenic cells.

RESULTSThe expression of Bcl-2 was higher in groups B and C than in D but lower than in A (P < 0.05), and lower in C than in B (P < 0.05). However, the expressions of HIF-1, Bax, CytC, and caspase-3 were lower in groups B and C than in D but higher than in A (P < 0.05), and higher in C than in B (P < 0.05). The AI of spermatogenic cells was the lowest in group A, higher in D than in the other groups but lower in B than in C (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONTP can reduce the apoptosis of spermatogenic cells in a dose-dependent manner in varicocele rats.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspase 3 ; Cytochromes c ; metabolism ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; metabolism ; Ligation ; Male ; Polyphenols ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Renal Veins ; Spermatozoa ; drug effects ; Tea ; chemistry ; Testis ; metabolism ; Varicocele ; complications ; metabolism ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; metabolism

OBJECTIVESeveral studies have shown that L-selectin on CD34-positive cells play a role in hematopoietic reconstitution after peripheral blood stem cell transplantation and allograft bone marrow transplantation. This study sought to investigate whether the numbers of CD(34)(+)CD(62L)(+) cells infused affect the engraftment of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) and the time to neutrophil and platelet recovery after unrelated umbilical cord blood transplantation for the treatment of childhood acute leukemia.

METHODSTwenty-three children with acute leukemia who received unrelated umbilical cord blood transplantation of mostly mismatched HLA locus were included in this study. Flow cytometry was used to count the numbers of CD(34)(+)CD(62L)(+) cells after freezing-thawing by labelling the cells with anti-CD(34) and anti-CD62L. The patients' clinical data including body weight, engraftment of the HSC, times to neutrophil and platelet recovery were evaluated.

RESULTSTwenty-one patients who received CD(34)(+)CD(62L)(+) cell infusion at a number ranging from 1.37 x 10(5)/kg to 2.68 x 10(6)/kg (median, 3.567 x 10(5)/kg) had successful engraftment of the unrelated umbilical HSC. The numbers of CD(34)(+)CD(62L)(+) cells infused were statistically different between patients who had successful engraftment of the umbilical HSC and those who had not (P < 0.05). The engraftment occurred more commonly in patients who received > 1.3 x 10(5) CD(34)(+)CD(62L)(+) cells/kg. The time of neutrophil recovery (> 500/ microl) ranged from 11 days to 32 days (median, 17.5 days). The data of the time to platelet recovery (> 2 x 10(5)/ microl) were obtained in 18 patients, and it ranged from 12 days to 118 days (median, 14 days). There seemed to be a tendency of correlation between the numbers of CD(34)(+)CD(62L)(+) cells infused and time to platelet recovery (gamma = -0.324, 0.05 < P < 0.1), whereas the numbers of CD(34)(+)CD(62L)(+) cells infused correlated with the time to platelet recovery (gamma = -0.470, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThis study suggests that the numbers of CD(34)(+)CD(62L)(+) cells infused might be involved in the engraftment of HSC and hematologic reconstitution after umbilical cord blood transplantation.

Acute Disease ; Adolescent ; Antigens, CD34 ; blood ; Blood Platelets ; metabolism ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplantation ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infusions, Intravenous ; L-Selectin ; blood ; Leukemia ; immunology ; therapy ; Male ; Neutrophils ; metabolism ; Treatment Outcome