Objective To investigate the relationship of the serum bilirubin level with acute ischemic stroke (AIS), and Chinese isch-emic stroke subclassification (CISS), stroke severity and short-term outcome of AIS patients. Methods 616 patients with AIS as well as 664 patients without stroke matched with gender and age were compared and analyzed with the non-conditional Logistic regression. The AIS pa-tients were divided based on the CISS, and their bilirubin levels were compared. The AIS patients were divided into high bilirubin group and normal bilirubin group, their scores of the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) as admission and discharge, and neural func-tion improvement rate were compared. Results The levels of total bilirubin (TBIL), direct bilirubin (DBIL) and indirect bilirubin (IBIL) were higher in the AIS group than in the control group (P<0.01), and the TBIL was the independent risk factors of AIS (OR=1.026, 95%CI 1.012-1.041, P<0.001). There was no significant difference of the levels of TBIL, DBIL and IBIL among the patients of CISS (P>0.05). The NIHSS score was higher in the high bilirubin group than in the normal bilirubin group as admission (P<0.05), but it was not significant as discharge (P>0.05), nor the rate of neural function improvement (P>0.05). Conclusion The serum bilirubin level elevated and correlated with the severity in the AIS patients, which might be the risk of pathogenesis and AIS. The bilirubin was not various with the CISS, and might be less involved in the short-term outcome of AIS.

Objective To explore the correlation between the serum levels of fibrinogen (FIB), C-reactive protein (CRP) and homocysteine (Hcy) with the carotid vulnerable plaque in patients with large artery atherosclerosis (LAA) stroke.Methods The patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) admitted to the Department of Neurology in The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University from Mar. 2014 to Feb. 2015 were collected continuously, and 273 patients with anterior circulation of LAA stroke were selected based on the TOAST classification. These patients were classified as non-plaque group (n=84), stable plaque group (n=42) and vulnerable plaque group (n=147) according to the carotid ultrasonography examination. Another 182 patients without carotid disease of non-stroke selected simultaneously from our department were regarded as controls. The 19 demographic parameters and hematological indices were compared among the four groups. The logistic regression was used to screen the independent risk factors for carotid vulnerable plaque in LAA stroke patients. The Spearman rank correlation was performed to analyze the correlation between the carotid plaque vulnerability in LAA stroke patients with all the indicators.Results The levels of FIB, CRP and Hcy in the four groups showed statistically signicantcant differences (P<0.05). The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that FIB (OR=1.408, 95% CI 1.028-1.927,P=0.033) was the independent risk factor for carotid vulnerable plaque in patients with LAA stroke. The Spearman correlation analysis presented a positive correlation between carotid plaque vulnerability in LAA stroke patients with FIB (r=0.292;P=0.000) and Hcy (r=0.172;P=0.000). Conclusions The serum FIB and Hcy levels may be the meaningful biomarkers to predict the vulnerable carotid plaque in patients with LAA stroke. The serum level of CRP has no obvious correlation with carotid plaque vulnerability in LAA stroke patients.

Background:CXC chemokine receptor type 2(CXCR2)is a member of G protein coupled receptor superfamily,and is mainly involved in the growth of tumor,angiogenesis and the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases. Studies showed that CXCR2 was associated with the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease(IBD),but the exact role has not yet been clarified. It was found that the interaction of interleukin-8(IL-8)with CXCR1 and CXCR2 played an important role in the pathogenesis of IBD. Aims:To investigate the expressions and significance of CXCR2 and IL-8 in patients with IBD. Methods:A total of 121 IBD patients in active stage from October 2013 to December 2014 at Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University were enrolled and assigned into Crohn’s disease(CD)group and ulcerative colitis(UC)group. Seventy healthy subjects were served as controls(HC). Expressions of IL-8 mRNA and CXCR2 mRNA in peripheral blood and intestinal mucosal tissue were determined by real-time PCR;expression of CXCR2 protein in intestinal mucosal tissue was determined by Western blotting. Results:In peripheral blood,expression of IL-8 mRNA in UC group was significantly higher than that in HC group(P = 0. 017),while expressions of CXCR2 mRNA in CD,UC and HC groups were not significantly different (P = 0. 285). In intestinal mucosal tissue,expressions of IL-8 mRNA in CD,UC and HC groups showed no significant difference(P = 0. 206),while expressions of CXCR2 mRNA in CD and UC groups were significantly higher than that in HC group(P = 0. 002;P < 0. 001),and expression of CXCR2 mRNA in UC group was significantly higher than that in CD group(P = 0. 005);expressions of CXCR2 protein in UC and CD groups were higher than that in HC group(P = 0. 049 P =0. 080). Conclusions:Expressions of CXCR2 mRNA and protein in intestinal mucosal tissue of patients with IBD, especially UC are significantly increased. Down regulation of CXCR2 expression in intestinal mucosa may provide a new target for treatment of UC. IL-8 is significantly highly expressed in peripheral blood of patients with UC,which suggests that IL-8 might be related mainly with UC.

Objective To investigate the risk factors of recurrent ischemic stroke, and evaluate the severity and short-term outcome. Methods From March, 2014 to March, 2015, 238 patients with recurrent ischemic stroke and 378 patients with initial ischemic stroke matched with gender and age were enrolled. The clinical data of two groups were compared and the non-conditional Logistic regression model was made to analysis the risk factors of recurrent ischemic stroke. The National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score as ad-mission and discharge, and the neural function improvement rate of two groups were compared. Results The incidences of leukoarailsis (χ2=8.666), hypertension (χ2=8.189), smoking (χ2=6.973) and alcohol consumption (χ2=4.722) were higher in the recurrent group than in the pri-mary group (P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that leukoarailsis (OR=1.690, 95%CI:1.198~2.384, P=0.003), hypertension (OR=1.715, 95%CI:1.135~2.592, P=0.010) and smoking (OR=1.896, 95%CI:1.233~2.915, P=0.004) were the independent risk factors of recur-rent ischemic stroke. The NIHSS scores as admission and discharge were significantly higher (t=-3.645, t=-4.675, P<0.001), and the neural function improvement rate was lower (t=2.643, P<0.01) in the recurrent group than in the primary group. Conclusion Hypertension, leuko-arailsis and smoking are independent risk factors for recurrent ischemic stroke. Recurrent ischemic stroke is more serious than initial isch-emic stroke, and the short-term neural function recovers more slowly.

Background:Studies showed that neuropeptide S receptor 1(NPSR1)gene polymorphisms were associated with the susceptibility of inflammatory bowel disease( IBD)in Europe’s populations,however,there is no study on the relevance in Chinese population. Aims:To investigate the association of NPSR1 gene polymorphisms with IBD in Chinese Han population. Methods:A total of 457 IBD patients[355 cases of ulcerative colitis(UC)and 102 cases of Crohn’s disease ( CD)]from Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University and 500 healthy controls were recruited. Genotyping of 2 single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs)of NPSR1,rs323922(C→G mutation)and rs740347(G→C mutation)was performed by using PCR and sequencing techniques. Results:Differences of the frequencies of genotypes and alleles for rs323922 and rs740347 between UC,CD patients and controls didn’t reach statistical significance(P >0. 05). Genotype-phenotype analysis showed that there were some impact of genotypes for rs323922 and rs740347 on clinical phenotypes of IBD:( i) For rs323922,mutant CG genotype was correlated with male CD patients(OR:0. 441,95% CI:0. 230-0. 844)and CD involving the colon(OR:0. 425,95% CI:0. 199-0. 911),and might be a protective factor.(ii)For rs740347,mutant CC genotype was correlated with early onset CD patients( <16 years old)(OR:15. 019,95% CI:2. 634-86. 470)and mutant C allele was correlated with CD involving the colon(OR:2. 142,95% CI:1. 709-4. 294),both were risk factors. Conclusions:Polymorphisms of NPSR1 rs323922 and rs740347 are not contributors of IBD susceptibility in Chinese Han population,but might be correlated with some clinical phenotypes of IBD.

OBJECTIVETo study the kinetogenic effects of serum containing Semen Arecae, Dandelion, Semen raphani and Atractylodes macrocephala on the colonic smooth muscle cells of rats.

METHODSSerum containing Chinese materia medicas was made according to standard methods. Smooth muscle cells were isolated from the muscle layers of Wistar rat's colon, referred to modified Bitar's method. The contractile response of colonic smooth muscle cells to serum containing Chinese materia medicas (10%, 50%, 100% concentration) and other medicines (blank and 1 x 10(-3) mol/L acetylcholine) were separately observed. The contractility was presented by the decrease of the cell length between the drug groups and the control.

RESULTSSerum containing each Chinese materia medica can make dose-dependent contraction at different concentrations (P < 0.05), but the strongest effect of each serum had no significant difference (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSerum containing Semen Arecae, Dandelion, Semen raphani and Atractylodes macrocephala can make notable contraction on colonic smooth muscle cells in rats.

Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Colon ; cytology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Muscle Contraction ; drug effects ; Muscle, Smooth ; cytology ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; drug effects ; Rats

This study aimed at investigating the effects of the extract of Chinese herb,Nansheteng (C.orbiculatus Thunb.),on human HepG2 cells through the overexpression of mTOR.The GV238-mTOR recombinant plasmids were transfected into HepG2 cells using molecular biological technology.The expression level of mTOR was evaluated by means of relative activity of luciferase and western blot.Human hepatic carcinoma HepG2/mTOR++ cells were treated with C.orbiculatus extract in different concentrations (20,40,80,160 and 320 tg·mL-1) for 24 h.The mTOR protein expression was detected by western blot.It was found that the protein expression of mTOR in transfected HepG2 cells was significantly enhanced.C.orbiculatus extract significantly inhibited the proliferation of HepG2/mTOR++ cells.Simultaneously,C.orbiculatus extract inhibited mTOR at its protein level in a dose-dependent manner.In conclusion,we successfully constructed recombinant mTOR cloning vectors,and established the stable HepG2 cell line with the overexpression of mTOR.Besides,C.orbiculatus extract significantly inhibited mTOR protein expression in human hepatic carcinoma HepG2 cells.

AIM To explore the action mechanism of puerarin's protective effects against oxidative stress of HUVEC-12 cells induced by high glucose.METHODS HUVEC-12 cells cultured with 100 mmol/L glucose medium and 10,25,50 μmoL/L puerarin for 36 h had the cell proliferation,the levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH),intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS),the activities of caspase-3,superoxide dismutase (SOD)and catalase (CAT),and the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) measured.The mRNA expressions of SIRT1 and PGC-1α were detected by real-time flu orescence quantitative PCR,and the protein contents of SIRT1 and PGC-1 α were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.RESULTS The puerarin treatment to HUVEC-12 cells resulted in markedly lowered LDH level,caspase-3 activity,intracellular levels of MDA and ROS,and notable improvement of the cell viability,the activities of SOD and CAT,GSH content,the mRNA expressions and the protein contents of SIRT1 and PGC-1α as well.CONCLUSION The protective effect of puerarin on high glucose-induced oxidative damage of HUVEC-12 cells may be attributed to the SIRT1/PGC-1α pathway activation.

?AIM:To observe the values and changing rules of angle Kappa in corneal refractive surgery under light and dark conditions.?METHODS:Two hundred and thirty-four eyes of 118 patients for corneal refractive surgery were enrolled for this study.Pupil diameters and angle Kappa values under light and dark conditions were measured by Keratron Scout corneal topography.?RESULTS: There were significant differences in pupil diameters between light and dark conditions (P<0.01). More angle Kappa of both eyes distributed in the superior nasal quadrant under light conditions, and more angle Kappa distributed in the superior temporal quadrant under dark conditions.The differences of horizontal and vertical offsets of angle Kappa under two conditions were statistically significant (P<0.01).?CONCLUSION: The changes of pupil diameters in light and dark conditions could affect angle Kappa and then affect the accuracy of corneal refractive surgery centered on angle Kappa.

Objective To evaluate the CT findings of pancreatic carcinoid tumors.Methods The CT imaging data of five patients with pancreatic carcinoid tumors confirmed by pathology were retrospectively analyzed.Results The tumors ranged in maximum diameter from 2.0 to 11.0 cm with a mean of 6.4 cm. On unenhanced CT,the tumors were slightly hypodense relative to the pancreatic parenchyma,homogenous in 2 cases,and heterogenous in 3 cases.One tumor showed calcification.After contrast material injection, the solid component of the tumor showed marked heterogenous enhancement on the arterial phase scanning in 3 cases,and mild heterogenous enhancement in 2 cases.The degree of tumor enhancement was less intense than the surrounding pancreatic parenchyma due to necrosis of various degree,which led to the cystic appearance of the tumor in 1 ease.On the portal phase scanning,all tumors showed marked enhancement similar to that of the pancreatic parenchyma.On the delayed phase scanning,the degree of enhancement was more intense than the surrounding pancreatic parenchyma in 1 case.Liver metastases with retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy and peripancreatic vessels invasion were seen in 1 case.No dilatation of the biliary tract or pancreatic duct was present.Conclusion The CT features of pancreatic carcinoid tumors included infrequent dilatation of the biliary tract or pancreatic duct and unusual vascular involvement,calcification within the mass,marked enhancement similar to that of the surrounding pancreatic parenchyma during the portal phase scanning and more intense during the delayed phase scanning.