Gastroesophageal variceal bleeding and hypersplenism caused by portal hypertension seriously threaten the life of patients with liver cirrhosis. At present, devascularization is still one of the important surgical procedures for the treatment of portal hypertension; however, the development of the treatment methods such as drugs, endoscopy, and interventional treatment has caused the controversies over the role, surgical indications, and surgical timing of devascularization in the treatment of portal hypertension, as well as whether splenectomy is needed. This article reviews the role of devascularization and related controversies and points out that devascularization is still irreplaceable. Individualized, comprehensive, and minimally invasive treatment regimens should be developed for portal hypertension, so as to bring maximum benefits to patients with minimal invasiveness.

Objective To establish a capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detection of plague IgM antibody in herding dogs.Methods ELISA plates were coated with serum IgM antibody against dogs and F1 antibody to plague in the serum of herding dogs was detected by a sandwich ELISA.Results A total of 216 serum samples of herding dogs were tested,26 were positive for plague F1 antibody and the positive rate was 12.03％ (26/216); 14 were positive for plague IgM antibody and the positive rate was 6.48％ (14/216); IgM positive accounted for 53.8％(14/26) of all positive samples.Conclusions Serum plague IgM antibody of herding dogs can be used to predict the prevalent time and distribution of recent animal plague in plague foci indirectly,and to provide reference information for timely implementation of control measures.

OBJECTIVETo observe the correlation relationship between acupuncture at Dicang (ST 4), Hegu (LI 4) and Houxi (SI 3) on the affected side of peripheral facial paralysis patients and activated areas in brain functional areas and central regulation mechanism of acupuncture at Hegu (LI 4) treatment.

METHODSEighteen cases with left peripheral facial paralysis were randomly divided into a Hegu group, a Dicang group and a Houxi group, 6 cases in each group. They were treated with electroacupuncture at left Dicang (ST 4), Hegu (LI 4) and Houxi (SI 3), respectively, and were examined with fMRI covering the whole brain at the same time. The fMRI data was analyzed by SPM software.

RESULTSIt was found that the left precentral gyrus area and the left postcentral gyrus area were activated when electroacupuncture at left Hegu (LI 4), and the right precentral gyrus area and the bilateral postcentral gyrus area were activated when electroacupuncture at left Dicang (ST 4), and there was no activated area at precentral gyrus area and post central gyrus area when electroacupuncture at left Houxi (SI 3).

CONCLUSIONThe sensory importation information from Hegu (LI 4) and Dicang (ST 4) can converge and coincide in the brain and may influence each other.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Brain ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; Facial Paralysis ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Female ; Human Body ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Radiography ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical effect of autologous red bone marrow injection in treating focal bone defect in postoperative nonunion.

METHODSThirteen patients with focal bone defect in postoperative nonunion (7 cases in tibia, 2 cases in femur, 4 cases in humerus), including 8 males and 5 females with the mean age of 32.5-years-old (ranging from 15 to 60 years). The bone defects were treated with autologous red bone marrow injection (1 time per 2 weeks, 5 times in total) and the X-rays of AP and LP were observed.

RESULTSThirteen patients were followed up from 6 to 12 months with an average of 7.5 months. According to results of X-ray pictures, 13 cases obtained bone defect recovered completely, and the average time of union was 4 months.

CONCLUSIONAutologous red bone marrow injection has ascendancy such as less wound and clear clinical effect, which can accelerate bone healing and promotes functional recovery of limb. It is a good method to treat focal bone defect in postoperative nonunion.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Bone Marrow Transplantation ; Bone Regeneration ; Bone and Bones ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; therapy ; Transplantation, Autologous ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of lipopolysaccharide binding protein (LBP) and its gene in rats with endotoxemia and explore the role of LBP in the response of host to endotoxin.

METHODSThirty Wistar rats were divided randomly into five groups: the normal group and the endotoxemia groups (1, 3, 6, 12 hours after LPS injection, respectively). The level of plasma endotoxin was determined by the Limulus Amebocyte Lysate assay. The expression of LBP mRNA in hepatic tissue was examined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Plasma levels of LBP, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interleukin (IL)-6 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Morphologic changes of hepatic tissue were observed under transmission electron microscope.

RESULTSThe level of plasma endotoxin peaked at 1 h after LPS injection, then declined, but was still higher than that of the normal group at 12 h; intrahepatic expression of LBP mRNA and plasma LBP increased with time after LPS stimulation; TNF-alpha and IL-6 in plasma increased with upregulation of LBP expression; there were significant differences between the normal group and endotoxemia groups (P<0.05). Activation of Kupffer cells and injury of hepatocytes could be seen in rats with endotoxemia.

CONCLUSIONSLPS can upregulate the intrahepatic expression of LBP mRNA and increase the plasma LBP level. Under certain conditions, LBP may enhance the sensitivity of host to the toxic effects of LPS.

Acute-Phase Proteins ; Analysis of Variance ; Animals ; Carrier Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Endotoxins ; blood ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; Interleukin-6 ; metabolism ; Membrane Glycoproteins ; Microscopy, Electron ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism ; Up-Regulation

Serum enzymes that play potential roles in tumor growth have recently been reported to have prognostic relevance in a diverse array of tumors. However, prognosis-related serum enzymes are rarely reported for nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC). To clarify whether the level of serum enzymes is linked to the prognosis of NPC, we reviewed the pretreatment data of lactate dehydrogenase(LDH), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and glutamyl transferase (GGT) in 533 newly diagnosed NPC patients who underwent radical radiotherapy between May 2002 and October 2003 at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center. Patients were grouped according to the upper limit of normal values of LDH, ALP, and GGT. The Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used for selecting prognostic factors from clinical characteristics and serum enzymes, and the chi-square test was applied to analyze the relationships of clinical characteristics and serum enzymes. Finally, a Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify the independent prognostic factors. We found that increased levels of LDH had poor effects on both overall survival and distant metastasis-free survival (P = 0.009 and 0.035, respectively), and increased pretreatment level of serum ALP had poor effects on both overall survival and local recurrence-free survival (P = 0.037 and 0.039, respectively). In multivariate analysis, increased LDH level was identified as an independent prognostic factor for overall survival. Therefore, we conclude that increased pretreatment serum LDH and ALP levels are poor prognostic factors for NPC.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Alkaline Phosphatase ; blood ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Child ; Cisplatin ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Fluorouracil ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; blood ; drug therapy ; pathology ; radiotherapy ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Radiotherapy, Computer-Assisted ; Radiotherapy, Conformal ; Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated ; Survival Rate ; Young Adult ; gamma-Glutamyltransferase ; blood

OBJECTIVETo study the characterization of time distribution of ventricular arrhythmias in patients with Brugada syndrome (BrS) using Holter monitoring and ICD follow-up.

METHODSPatients with BrS [all male, mean age (41.07 +/- 11.49) years], were divided into ventricular fibrillation (VF) group (n = 7) and no ventricular fibrillation (N-VF) group (n = 7). Premature ventricular capture (PVC) and VF episodes were detected by Holter monitoring and ICD recording.

RESULTSThe 24 hours total number of PVCs ranged from 0 to 74 (mean 9.61 +/- 17.23) in most of the patients and were similar between VF group and N-VF group. The percentage of PVC episodes in VF group was significantly higher than that in N-VF group from nocturnal time to early morning (22:00 to 7:00, 98.67% vs. 44.14%, P < 0.01). There were total 75 VF episodes during (23.18 +/- 17.96) months' follow-up in 5 patients with BrS, 93.3% of which occurred from nocturnal time to early morning (22:00 to 7:00).

CONCLUSIONSThe episodes of PVC were enriched from nocturnal time to early morning in BrS patients, this time distribution could be a new noninvasive risk stratification factor for BrS. The episodes of VF in BrS patients were also enriched from nocturnal time to early morning and this time characteristic of episodes of VF could be used to guide drug therapy.

Adult ; Brugada Syndrome ; complications ; physiopathology ; Electrocardiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Risk Factors ; Time ; Ventricular Fibrillation ; etiology

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of Platycarya strobilacea Sieb. et Zucc (PSZ) extract on methuosis of human nasopharyngeal carcinoma CNE1 and CNE2 cells and explore the underlying mechanism.

METHODSCNE1 and CNE2 cells were treated with 1 mg/mL PSZ extract and the expressions of Rac1 mRNA and Rac1 protein were detected using RT-qPCR and Western blotting, respectively. Results CNE1 and CNE2 cells showed obvious morphological changes typical of methuosis following treatment with PSZ extract characterized by cell merging, accumulation of large cytoplasmic vacuoles, and membrane rupture without obvious changes in the nuclei. PSZ treatment resulted in up-regulated Rac1 mRNA and Rac1 protein expressions in the cells. Application of EHT 1864 obviously blocked the effect of PSZ extract in inducing methuosis in CNE1 and CNE2 cells.

CONCLUSIONPSZ extract can induce methuosis in CNE1 and CNE2 cells by inducing the overexpression of Rac1.

BACKGROUNDOsteosarcoma (OS) is the most common primary malignant tumor of bone. Mouse models of human OS can invariably provide greater insight into the complex mechanisms that underlie the development and pathogenesis of this aggressive tumor. Bioluminescence technology favored tracing cancer cells in vivo. In this study, an OS model was described and evaluated using human OS cell line, Saos2, labeled with luciferase (Saos2-luc).

METHODSSaos2 cells were infected by lentivirus loading a firefly luciferase gene. Luciferase expression of Saos2-luc cells was characterized both in vitro and in vivo. Specific biologic and oncologic features of Saos2-luc cells were analyzed. The OS was established as orthotopic xenografts in nude mice. Both orthotopic tumors and spontaneous lung metastasis were analyzed.

RESULTSTumorigenesis and spontaneous lung metastasis in nude mice could be monitored in vivo through in vivo imaging system. The enhancement in proliferation, migration and invasion abilities and the attenuation in adhesion ability were observed in Saos2-luc cells compared with Saos2 cells. Furthermore, there were the up-regulation of Osteocalcin, CCR10, CXCR1 and ID1 and the down-regulation of ALP, collagen I, CCR1, CCR3, CXCR3, NID and N-cadherin in Saos2-luc cells compare to Saos2 cells. The rate of spontaneous lung metastasis in Saos2-luc cells was higher than that in Saos2 cells, although without significant difference.

CONCLUSIONSLentivirus transfection may cause alteration of gene expression profiles and further biological functions. This model can be used in the elucidation of molecular mechanisms of tumorigenesis and the screening of new therapeutic agents.

Animals ; Carcinogenesis ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Humans ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; pathology ; Osteosarcoma ; pathology ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Transplantation, Heterologous

OBJECTIVE: To construct and validate an individualized nomogram to predict the probability of occurrence of portal vein thrombosis (PVT) after splenectomy in patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis. METHODS: We retrospectively collected the clinical data from 180 patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis undergoing splenectomy with postoperative anticoagulation therapy during the period from January, 2014 to January, 2020 in our hospital. The patients were randomized into modeling group (= 120) and validation group (=60), and the former group was further divided into PVT group (=49) and non-PVT group (=71) according to the occurrence of PVT occurred within 1 month after splenectomy. The independent risk factors of PVT after splenectomy were screened in the modeling group using univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression analyses and were used for construction of the nomogram prediction model. The area under the receiver-operating characteristic (AUROC) curve (C-index), GiViTI calibration belt and Hosmer-Lemeshow test, and the DCA curve were used to estimate the discrimination power, calibration and clinical efficiency of the prediction model in both the model construction group and validation group. RESULTS: Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that a history of hemorrhage, portal vein diameter, spleen vein diameter, spleen volume, varicose, postoperative platelet change, and postoperative D-dimer differed significantly between PVT group and non-PVT group ( < 0.05), and portal vein diameter, spleen vein diameter, and postoperative platelet change were independent risk factors of PVT after splenectomy ( < 0.05). The prediction model had a good discrimination power with AUROC (C-index) of 0.880 (95% : 0.818-0.942) in the modeling group and 0.873 (95% : 0.785-0.960) in the validation group. The 80% and 95% region of GiViTI calibration belt did not cover the 45-degree diagonal bisector line (=0.965 and 0.632, respectively), and the P-values of the Hosmer-Lemeshow test were 0.624 and 0.911, respectively, suggesting a high reliability of the predicted probability by the model. DCA curve analysis showed a threshold probability of 30.5%, with a net benefit of 30% in the modeling group and 34% in the validation group, indicating a good clinical efficiency of the model. CONCLUSIONS The model for predicting the risk of PVT after splenectomy in patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis can help in early identification of patients having high risks of PVT.