OBJECTIVETo study the effect of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on the gene expression of decorin by periodontal ligament fibroblasts (PLFs) in culture, and discuss the effect of bFGF in periodontal regeneration.

METHODSHuman PLFs were cultured and stimulated by exogenous bFGF. Gene expression of decorin was assessed by semi-quantitive RT-PCR.

RESULTSThe mRNA expression of decorin was suppressed by bFGF and the effect was dose-dependent. When the dose of bFGF increased, the inhibitive effect decreased.

CONCLUSIONDecorin has many biological effects. The inhibitive effect may be one of important factors which participate in the healing process of periodontitis, and provide partly theoretical basis of bFGF in periodontal regeneration.

Decorin ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 ; Fibroblasts ; Humans ; Periodontal Ligament ; RNA, Messenger ; Regeneration

Objective To determinate the prognostic value of etiology in patients with chronic systolic heart failure (CSHF).Methods Data of in-hospital patients with CSHF were investigated between 2000 and 2010 from 12 hospitals in Hubei province.All patients were followed up through telephone calls.Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards analyses were then used to explore the differences in the all-cause mortality,heart failure (HF) mortality and sudden cardiac death (SCD) among patients caused by different etiologies.Kaplan-Meier curve were then constructed and Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to select demographic and clinical variables in predicting the all-cause mortality,HF mortality and SCD in CSHF patients.Multivariate logistic models and ROC curve were developed with or without the cinfirmed etiology to assess the incremental additive information related to different etiologies.Results (1)Over the median 3 (2-4) years follow-up program,6453 (38.69％) patients died,including 5505 (33.00％) due to HF prognosis and 717 (4.30％) died of SCD.All-cause mortality rates accounted for 34.50％,54.30％,41.48％ and 15.76％,with HF mortality rates as 30.11％,44.95％,36.25％ and 13.10％.SCDs accounted 8.46％,8.45％,9.84％ and 1.05％ in patients with CHD,DCM,HHD and RHD,respectively.(2) Compared with RHD patients,the adjusted HRs for all-cause mortality were 1.554 (1.240 to 1.947;P＜0.001),1.405(1.119 to 1.764;P=0.003) and 1.315(1.147 to 1.467;P=0.005) while the adjusted HRs and 95％CIs for HF mortality were 1.458( 1.213-1.751 ;P＜0.001 ),1.763( 1.448-2.147;P＜0.001 ) and 1.281 ( 1.067-1.537; P=0.008),in patients with CHD,DCM and HHD,respectively.There were no significant differences in CHD (HR 3.345; 95％ CI,1.291 to 8.666; P=0.013 ) or HHD (HR 2.062; 95％CI,0.794 to 5.352; P=0.137 ),while only DCM ( HR 4.764; 95％CI,1.799 to 12.618;P=0.002) remained significant in SCD despite of the multivariate adjustment.(3) Etiology increased the sensitivity and specificity of predicting models for all-cause mortality(AUC 0.839,95％CI,0.832to 0.845 vs.0.776,95％CI,0.768 to 0.784) and HF mortality(AUC 0.814,95％CI,0.806 to 0.822 vs.0.796,95％CI,0.788 to 0.804) but not with SCD (AUC 0.777,95％CI,0.749 to 0.809 vs.0.747,95％CI,0.727 to 0.766).Conclusion CSHF due to CHD,DCM and HHD carried a worse prognosis than that of RHD.Different etiologies provided significant incremental prognostic information beyond readily available clinical variables for all-cause mortality and HF mortality.

Objective To investigate the prevalence and related factors of medicinal therapy in patients with chronic systolic heart failure (CSHF).Methods Data on in-hospital patients with CSHF were studied from 12 hospitals in Hubei province,in 2000 and 2010.Differences on gender and age were calculated and Multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to determinate the independent risk factors of all-cause mortality.Results (1) 16 681 patients were enrolled in this study.Among which,6453 died during the 5.82 ± 1.63 years of follow-up.The annual medical expenditure was larger in the survival group than in the dead ones (3.19 ± 0.65 vs.3.32 ± 0.57,P＜0.01).(2)The prevalence of Angiotensin Ⅱ receptor blocker increased along with age which accounted as 7.73％,7.35％,12.26％,14.29％,17.19％,19.87％ and 20.49％,respectively,in the ＜30,30-39,40-49,50-59,60-69,70-79 and ≥80-year groups.The distribution of digitalis,diuretics,β-receptor blocker,Angiorensin- converting enzyke inhibitors showed inversed U shape.(3)The annual medical expenditure increased as patients got older,with age groups ＜30,30-39,40-49,50-59,60-69 and 70-79 years old as 2.96 ± 0.70,3.09 ± 0.62,3.15 ± 0.58,3.30 ± 0.59 and 3.25 ±0.58,respectively (P＜0.01).It reduced to the same level as in the 50-59 year-old group.The distribution of annual medical expenditure showed similar pattern in males.However,the trends were only found in patients at 50-59,60-69,70-79 and ≥80 years-old groups in female.Conclusion More attention should be paid to medicinal therapy in patients with CSHF.Medicinal therapy shifted with age and gender,of which females had more adverse trend than in males.

Objective To determinate the prognostic value of red cell distribution width (RDW) and the relationships between RDW and clinical characteristics in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF).Methods A total of 16 681 in-hospital patients with chronic systolic HF and LVEF ＜50％ from 12 hospitals in Hubei province,China were enrolled.All patients were followed up with telephone call.Patients were divided into RDW ≤ 13.2％ (n =3981 ),13.3％ - 14.1％ (n =3996),14.2％ - 14.8％ ( n =4319) and ≥14.9％ (n =4385 )groups.Multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to determine whether RDW is an independent risk factor of all-cause mortality in overall patients,patients with various etiologies.Multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis was performed to determine the risk of all-cause mortality among various RDW groups.Results ( 1 ) Compared with RDW ≤ 13.2％ group,adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95％ confidence intervals (CIs) of all-cause mortality for RDW 13.3％ -14.1％,14.2％ -14.8％ and ≥ 14.9％ were 0.892 (95 ％ CI 0.818-0.973,P =0.01 ),0.859 (95 ％ CI 0.793 -0.931,P ＜0.01) and 1.034 (95％ CI 0.961 - 1.111,P =0.373) respectively. (2) Compared with MCV normal group,the adjusted HRs of MCV elevation and MCV decline groups were 1.351 (95％ CI 1.063 - 1.718,P ＜0.01 ) and 1.316 (95％ CI 1.034 - 1.675,P ＜ 0.01 ),respectively.(3) Compared to patients with rheumatic heart diseases,the adjusted HR for all-cause mortality in patients with coronary heart disease,dilated cardiomyopathy and hypertensive heart disease with RDW ＞ 16％ were 1.437 (95％ CI 1.141 -1.810,P＜0.01),1.651 (95％ CI 1.276 -2.138,P＜0.01) and 1.276 (95％ CI 1.004- 1.621,P ＜ 0.01 ),respectively.(4) The RDW is independently correlated with BMI ( r =- 0.345,P ＜ 0.01 ),diastolic blood pressure( r =- 0.321,P ＜ 0.01 ),albumin ( r =- 0.411,P ＜ 0.01 ),blood urine nitrogen ( r =0.476,P ＜ 0.01 ),right ventricular end-diastolic diameter( r =0.383,P ＜ 0.01 ),LVEF ( r =- 0.463,P ＜0.01 ) and heart rate( r =0.379,P ＜0.01 ).Conclusions There is a J shape relationship between allcause mortality and RDW.The elevation or decline of MCV with increased RDW is hnked with increased allcause mortality in CHF patients.

Objective To analyze the death trend of children under 5 years old in Lanzhou and establish the time series model to predict the mortality and incidence of children under 5 years old in Lanzhou in 2019. Methods Descriptive epidemiological method was used to analyze the mortality of children under 5 years old in Lanzhou from January 2010 to December 2018. SPSS 21.0 software was used to construct time series analysis model, selecting the best model and predict the mortality of children under 5 years old in Lanzhou in 2019. Results A total of 1 650 deaths of children under 5 years old were reported in Lanzhou from 2010 to 2018. The number of deaths reported by boys and girls was 871 and 774 respectively, with an average annual mortality rate of 6.23‰. In recent years, the overall mortality rate of children under 5 years old in Lanzhou had declined. The majority of deaths among children under 5 years old were neonates, accounting for 65.27%. Simple seasonal model was the best model by comparing different models. The model could well fit the monthly death cases of children under 5 years old in Lanzhou from 2010 to 2018. It is predicted that the total number of deaths of children under 5 years old in Lanzhou will be 140 in 2019, which is similar to the number of deaths in 2018. Conclusions The mortality rate of children under 5 years old in Lanzhou is decreasing year by year. Simple seasonal model can better reflect the mortality trend of children under 5 years old in Lanzhou and make short-term prediction.

BACKGROUNDHepatitis B is at particularly high risk of fibrosis progression. Unfortunately, the mechanism of hepatic fibrogenesis induced by hepatitis B virus (HBV) has not been fully understood to date. The aim of this study was to observe whether HBV can infect hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), and to examine the effects of HBV or HBV S protein (HBs) on the proliferation and collagen type I expression of HSCs.

METHODSThe supernatants of HepG2.2.15 cells which contained HBV-DNA or HBs were added to LX-2 cells for 72 hours. Cell survival was determined by MTT assay. HBV particles in LX-2 cells were detected by transmission electron microscopy. The expression of HBs and HBV C protein (HBc) was determined by confocal fluorescence microscopy. The expression levels of HBV-DNA were measured by real-time PCR. The cellular collagen type I mRNA and protein levels were quantified by reverse transcription-PCR and ELISA, respectively.

RESULTSHigh concentrations of HBV (1.2 x 10(5) - 5.0 x 10(5) copies/ml) or HBs (1.25 - 20 microg/ml) inhibited the proliferation of LX-2 cells, while low concentrations of HBV (1.0 x 10(3) - 6.2 x 10(4) copies/ml) or HBs (0.04 - 0.62 microg/ml) promoted the proliferation. After treating LX-2 cells with HBV for 72 hours, about 42 nm HBV-sized particles and strong expression of HBs and HBc were found in the cytoplasm of LX-2 cells. HBV-DNA in the culture medium of LX-2 cells decreased at 24 hours, rose at 48 hours and thereafter, decreased again at 72 hours. The mRNA and protein expression of cellular collagen type I in LX-2 cells were significantly increased by HBV infection but not by recombinant HBs.

CONCLUSIONSHBV and HBs affect the proliferation of HSCs; HBV can transiently infect and replicate in cultured HSCs and express HBs and HBc in vitro. Furthermore, HBV can significantly increase the expression of collagen type I mRNA and protein in HSCs.

Cell Line ; Cell Proliferation ; Collagen Type I ; metabolism ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Hepatic Stellate Cells ; metabolism ; ultrastructure ; virology ; Hepatitis B virus ; physiology ; Humans ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVETo compare the efficacy between subtotal colectomy with antiperistaltic cecoproctostomy and total colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis (TAC-IRA) for patients with severe refractory slow transit constipation(STC).

METHODSDuring 1999 to 2002, TAC-IRA was the preferred procedure for 20 STC patients in our department. From 2003 to 2005, 17 STC patients underwent subtotal colectomy plus antiperistaltic cecoproctostomy. Clinical data of the two groups were collected and compared retrospectively.

RESULTSThere were no significant differences in basic preoperative clinical data between the two groups. During the follow-up period, the time of daily defecation in the antiperistaltic cecoproctostomy group was less than that of TAC-IRA group (2.4+/-0.9 vs 3.4+/-0.8, P=0.0014), meanwhile the Wexner continence score was significantly lower in the antiperistaltic cecoproctostomy group (4.3+/-1.8 vs 5.8+/-1.9, P=0.0223). Barium enema after subtotal colectomy showed that residual ascending colon and cecum presented a sign of "reservoir".

CONCLUSIONSubtotal colectomy with antiperistaltic cecoproctostomy is a better method for appropriately selected patients with STC than TAC-IRA.

Adult ; Aged ; Anastomosis, Surgical ; Cecum ; surgery ; Colectomy ; methods ; Colon ; surgery ; Constipation ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Rectum ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: Although mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from different sources share many similar characteristics, they also exhibit individual properties. OBJECTIVE: To compare the biological characteristics of MSCs derived from umbilical cord and decidua parietalis. METHODS: Growth curve, cell doubling time, clone formation rate, immune phenotype, differentiation capacity and secreted cytokine levels were analyzed in MSCs derived from umbilical cord and decidua parietalis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: MSCs from umbilical cord and the decidua basalis exhibited similar morphology, spiral growth, S-shaped growth curve, immunophenotype, and differentiation potentials to osteogenesis and adipogenesis. For two kinds of MSCs, the positive rates of CD73, CD90 and CD105 were over 95% and the positive rates of CD34 and CD45 were below 1%. The growth rate, cell doubling time and clone formation rate of umbilical cord derived MSCs at passages 2 and 5 were significantly higher than those of decidua parietalis derived MSCs at passages 2 and 5 (P < 0.05). The level of epidermal growth factor secreted from umbilical cord MSCs was significantly higher that that from decidua basalis derived MSCs, while the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor and stem cell growth factor from umbilical cord derived MSCs was significantly lower those from decidua basalis derived MSCs (P < 0.05). These findings indicate that MSCs from both sources have similar biological properties, but umbilical cord derived MSCs are deemed to have better application prospects.

Objective To evaluate the current status of chronic heart failure (CHF) in Hubei province and analyze the epidemiology of CHF including the general condition, etiology and pharmacological therapy.Methods Data of in-hospital patients with CHF were investigated between 2000 and 2010 from 12 hospitals in Hubei Province. Inclusion criteria: over 18 years of age, organic heart disease and with the symptom of HF including dyspnea and fatigue. Patients with a history of myocardial infarction in the prior 12 months,congenital heart disease, pericardial disease and the history of cancer were excluded. Results (1) A total of 12 450 patients were enrolled (7166 male, 57.56%). The average age was (62.0±14.5) years. Patients in the scale of age ≥80, 70-79, 60-69, 50-59, 40-49 and ＜40 was 9.53%(1187/12 450), 30.80% (3835/12 450), 23.45% (2920/12 450), 18.81% (2342/12 450), 10.73% (1336/12 450) and 6.67% (830/12 450), respectively (P<0.01). The NYHA class Ⅰ,Ⅱ,Ⅲ and Ⅳ was 0.60%, 23.20%, 50.31% and 26.50%, respectively. (2) The age of patients was significant reduced from 2000-2003, 2004-2006 to 2007-2010 [(66.4±14.1) years, (64.9±14.4) years and (64.2±14.8) years, P<0.01]. (3) The major causes of CHF were hypertension (31.54%), coronary heart disease (28.24%), dilated cardiomyopathy (26.57%) and rheumatic valvular heart disease (17.49%). The most frequent etiology for CHF was rheumatic valvular heart disease in patients aged less than 40 years old, dilated cardiomyopathy in patients aged 40-49 and 50-59 years and hypertension in patients aged 60-69, 70-79 and ≥80 years. (4) Drug use was as follows: Digitalis (47.49%), diuretics (68.75%), ACEI (50.66%),β-blocker (44.06%) and aldosterone antagonist (53.08%). Use of digitalis (Wald χ2=903.41, P<0.01;r=0.271,P<0.01), diuretics (Wald χ2=818.05, P<0.01;r=0.249, P<0.01), aldosterone antagonists (Wald χ2=76.92, P<0.01;r=0.091, P<0.01) increased while the β-blocker (Wald χ2=160.65, P<0.01;r=-0.117,P<0.01) declined in proportion to NYHA class increase.Conclusions The age of in-hospital patients with CHF declined in the previous 10 years. The primary etiology was hypertension for aged CHF in-hospital patients with CHF. There was big gap between guideline recommended standard therapy and current drug use for in-hospital patients with CHF in Hubei province.

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of zinc supplementation on zinc and calcium levels in serum and tissue in burned rats.

METHODSEighty SD rats were randomly divided into C group (control group without scald, n = 8), and N, W, H groups (each consisting of 24 rats), in which the rats were exposed to scalding resulting in partial thickness burns covering 15% of the total body surface area on the back, and then they were fed with diets containing zinc 40 microg/g in N and W groups, and 80 microg/g in H group. A cream containing zinc 761.1 microg/g was applied on the wound in W group at the same time. Eight rats of each group were sacrificed on day 1, 3 and 7 after scald respectively. Venous blood and samples of liver, femur and scald skin were harvested. Zinc and calcium contents in serum and tissues were determined with atomic absorption spectrophotometer.

RESULTSThe serum Zn(2+) levels in N, W groups were lower than C group, however, it was obviously higher in H group (up to 16.2 micromol/L) on day 1 after scald. The liver Zn(2+) showed an increasing tendency in all groups, while Ca(2+) level declined in H group, but increased in N, W group. The bone Zn(2+) and Ca(2+) levels showed a progressive declination in all groups from day 1 to 7 after scald. The changes were more obviously in N group than H group (P < 0.05). The Zn(2+) content of the scalded skin increased obviously in H group on first day after scald and in W group on 7th day after scald. The Ca(2+) contents of scalded skin showed marked increases in all groups, especially in N group, but least in W group.

CONCLUSIONThere are obvious changes in Zn(2+) and Ca(2+) contents of serum and tissues after scald injury and zinc supplementation. The effects of zinc supplementation on calcium level in the tissue need to be further studied.

Animals ; Burns ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Calcium ; blood ; metabolism ; Dietary Supplements ; Disease Models, Animal ; Male ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Zinc ; administration & dosage ; metabolism ; pharmacology