Objective To enhance clinical gastrointestinal physicians’ understanding of ascites resulting from constrictive pericarditis by analyzing clinical features of. Methods A retrospective analysis was carried out in patients with constrictive pericarditis with the major presentation of ascites in our department of gastroenterology from January 1993 to May 2008. Medical records of these patients were reviewed, including data of demographics, course of desease, clinical presentation, relevant imaging studies and so on. Results There were 8 cases of constrictive pericarditis with the major presentation of ascites in our department of gastro-enterology in 15 years. The jugular varicosity was the most common manifestation in the 8 cases, followed by tabdominal distension and oedema. There were some abnormal changes in the electrocard-iography of the 8 cases. In 4 cases, no diagnosis was reached by the echocardiogram. In 8 cases,the definite diagnosis was reached by CT or MRI. Conclusion Cautions should be demanded for the patients with the major presentation of ascites in the department of gastroenterology owing to the possibility of constrictive pericarditis. In these patients, consummate physical examination is demanded such as the jugular varicosity. And the definite reason must be probed in the patients with the abnormal electrocardiographic changes.

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the antihypoxic effect of orientoside on hypoxia model rats.METHODS:The hy-poxia rats model was established through normobaric hypoxia,poisoning with sodium nitrite,potassium cyanide and lidocaine,trachea occlusion,decapitation,etc.20minutes prior to the modeling,the rats were administered with the corresponding drugs with the anti-hypoxic effects observed.RESULTS:As compared with placebo group,the survival time of rats under nor-mobaric hypoxia,poisoned by sodium nitrite,potassium cyanide and lidocaine,and the electrocardiograph extinction time after trachea occlusion and the gasping time of mice after decapitation were all significantly prolonged by orientoside.CONCLU-SION:Orientoside has antihypoxic effect on hypoxia model rats.

Objective Clinical features of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) were reviewed in order to improve its diagnosis in our clinical practice. Methods Clinical data of 70 patients with PBC were reviewed including the clinical manifestation, laboratory tests, pathological findings and the response to therapy. Results Sixty-two patients were females (88.6%), eight patients were males (11.4%), and the mean age at diagnosis was (53.1?10.4) years. The most frequently complained symptoms were pruitus (60.0%), fatigue (42.9%), anorexia (41.4%) and jaundice (45.7%). Serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and ? glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) levels were markedly elevated in all patients, while alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were mildly elevated. The serum total bilirubin level increased in sixty-five patients (92.9%). Forty-four patients (62.9%) had elevated serum immunoglobin M (IgM), and 98.6% of patients (69/70) were antimitochondrial antibody (AMA) /AMA-M2 positive. Forty-one patients underwent pathological examinations, 82.9% in early stage (Ⅰ,Ⅱ stage) and 17.1% in advanced stage (Ⅲ,Ⅳ stage).Conclusions PBC most frequently affects middle-aged women and the main clinical manifestations are pruritus, fatigue, anorexia and jaundice. The elevated level of ALP, GGT, IgM and positive AMA/AMA-M2 may be crucial to diagnosis of PBC.

Objective To investigate the regulation effect of hepatocyte nuclear factor (HNF) 1α on the gene expression profile and the signal pathways in HuH7 cells.Methods The expression of HNF1α was increased or decreased in HuH7 cells by Lenti-virus carrying HNF1α or shHNF1α.The expression profile of the cells after treated was examined by microarray technology.The difference expressed gene regulated by HNF1α were screened and the pathway was analyzed with DAVID software and related analysis system.The regulation effect of HNF1α on transforming growth factor (TGF)β signal pathway was detected by reporter gene test and the regulation role of HNF1α on related genes of TGFβ signal pathway was determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Western blotting assay.Results The expression of HNF1α in HuH7 cells was significantly up-regulated by Lenti-virus carrying HNF1α gene (Lenti-HNF1α) and which was down regulated by Lenti-virus with shHNF1α gene (LentishHNF1 α).Expression profile analysis revealed that 339 genes were positively up regulated two times by HNF1α and 325 genes were negatively down regulated two times.Signal pathway analysis revealed that HNF1α regulated drug metabolism,biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids and glycolysis/gluconeogenesis metabolism signal pathways.Moreover,it also involved in the regulation of TGFβ、nuclear factor (NF)-κB and p53 tumor-related signal pathways.Furthermore,Luciferase reportor gene experiment indicated that up-regulated HNF1α could inhibit the activation of TGFβ signal pathway.And the results of real-time PCR and Western blotting verified that up-regulated HNF1α could inhibit TGFβ signal pathway related gene c-myc and TGFβ1 and then inhibited the activation of TGFβ signal pathway.Conclusion HNF1α broadly affects the gene expression profile and the tumor genesis and development related signal pathways in HuH7 cells,furthermore,HNF1α can inhibit the activation of TGFβ signal pathway.

Objective To prepare proanthocyanidins/bletilla striata polysaccharide/chitosan microspheres ( PC/BSP/CTS ) and the physic-chemical characterizations were investigated.Methods The PC/BSP/CTS microspheres were prepared by spray drying method.The morphology of PC/BSP/CTS microspheres was observed by Scanning Electron Microscopy(SEM), and its physic-chemical characteristics such as diameters, release in vitro, moisture content, swelling ratio, solid density were studied.ResuIts The PC/BSP/CTS microspheres were successfully prepared by spray drying method, SEM showed that PC/BSP/CTS microspheres had the spherical shape with smooth surfaces.The diameters of microsphere A, B and C were 10~20, 2~15, 10~25μm.The in-vitro release showed that the cumulative release of three kinds of microspheres A, B, C was 25.07 %, 38.83 %and 60.00 % in 24 h, which had no burst release, while with time prolonged to 48 h, the cumulative release was 28.89%, 43.17% and 72.86%, respectively.The results of moisture content, swelling ratio, solid density were 15.35% ~23.51%, 46.50% ~105.80%, 0.375 ~0.496. ConcIusion The PC/BSP/CTS microspheres are successfully prepared by spray drying method which possess good characteristics and sustained-release effect, which would be as a good pulmonary drug delivery system.

Hepatic stellate cells(HSCs),the pluripotent cells,exist between liver sinusoidal endothelial cells and hepatic epithelial cells. Activated HSCs transform to myofibroblast-like cells,start to proliferate,and de novo express some proinflammatory and profibrogenic genes,which promote hepatic fibrogenesis. Previous studies mainly focused on the relationship between HSCs and liver fibrosis,however,recent studies indicate that HSCs are essential for proliferation, differentiation and maturation of various liver cells in the process of liver development and regeneration. This review systematically summarized the source,developmental regulation and function of HSCs,and focused on progress of recent studies on the role of HSCs in liver development and regeneration. The novel knowledge of HSCs may provide clues for treatment of liver diseases.

Objective To investigate the clinical value of tumour markers and serum-ascites albumin gradient (SAAG) in diagnosis of malignant ascites. Methods One hundred and fourteen patients with ascites, who were admitted to the hospital between Jan. 2005 and Jan. 2008, were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were divided into malignant (n = 39) or benign (12 with tuberculosis and 93 with aseptic liver cirrhosis) ascites groups according to the etiology. The distribution of tumor markers (CEA, CA19-9 and CA125) and SAAG in both groups were analyzed and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) was constructed. Results The tumor markers and SAAG were found both in malignant ascites group and benign ascites group. The concentrations of CEA and CA19-9 in serum and ascites were higher in malignant ascites group than in benign ascites group. The SAAG in malignant ascites group was significantly lower than that in patients with liver cirrhosis (P<0.05), but had no difference in comparison with tuberculosis patients (P>0. 05). There was no difference in level of CA125 in serum or ascites between malignant ascites group and benign ascites group (P>0.05). The area under the curve of ascitic fluid CEA, CA19-9 and SAAG were 0.79, 0.82 and 0.85, respectively. The cutoff values of ascitic fluid CEA, CA19-9 and SAAG were optimally chosen at 1.45 μ/L, 19.50 μ/L and 13. 50 g/L, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity were 66.7% and 78.1% in CEA, 74.4% and 84.8% in CA19-9, as well as 82.9% and 84.6% in SAAG.The combination of ascitic fluid CA19-9 with SAAG could increase the specificity to 97.14%, but decrease the sensitivity to 61.54%. Conclusion It is feasible to achieve optimum combination of biochemical indicators using ROC in differential diagnosis of malignant ascites from benign ascites.

Objective:To determine the expression level of bone morphogenetic proteins-4 (BMP-4) and the relationship between the expression of BMP-4 and the clinical/pathological parameters in patients with gastric cancer. Methods:Using im-munohistochemical staining technique ,expressions of BMP-4 were investigated in different tissues from 90 gastric cancer specimens and 30 specimens from normal gastric mucosa as control. ResultS:The positive rate of BMP-4 was 23. 3% (21/90) in gastric cancer and 3. 3% (1/30) in normal gastric mucosa. The expression of BMP-4 in gastric cancer was closely related with locus, serosa infiltration,cell differentiation and lymph node metastasis (P

Objective: To study the inhibition effect of agaro-oligosaccharide (AOS) on neovascularization and its mechamism. Method: The anti-angiogenic effect in vivo was evaluated on chicken chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model. Cytotoxic activity of AOS was demonstrated by inhibition of several human cell lines by MTT assay. The apoptosis of HUVECs induced by AOS was examined by Hoechst staining assay and quantified by flowcytometry. Results: In CAM, AOS caused dose-dependent decrease on the vascular density and adversely affected capillary plexus formation. Different cytotoxic sensitivities were observed for AOS towards several kinds of cell lines, and HUVECs were more sensitive. Moreover, the growth inhibitory activity was correlated with induction of apoptosis. Flowcytometric analysis also revealed that AOS arrested the cell cycle progression at S phase. Conclusion: Agaro-oligosaccharide possesses the anti-angiogenic effects, which are associated with apoptosis induction of endothelial cells.

The measurement of portal vein pressure (PVP) is important for the evaluation of therapeutic efficacy and prognosis in patients with liver cirrhosis.Aims: To investigate a non-invasive method for evaluating PVP in model of liver cirrhosis in rats.Methods: Liver cirrhosis model in rats was induced by intraperitoneal injection with thioacetamide.Magnetic resonance imaging with TOF sequence was used to measure portal vein diameter (PVD).PVP was detected directly by transvenous catheterization of portal vein.Body weight, liver weight, spleen weight, liver volume and spleen volume were determined.The hydroxyproline content in liver was determined by alkaline hydrolysis assay, proportion of collagen area in liver was detected by Sirius red staining.Results: Liver cirrhosis model in rats was successfully established after intraperitoneal injection for 20 weeks.Compared with control group, mean PVP, liver weight, liver volume, spleen weight, PVD, liver volume/body weight (LV/BW) ratio, spleen volume/body weight (SV/BW) ratio, hydroxyproline content and proportion of collagen area were significantly increased in model group (P<0.05), and body weight was significantly decreased (P<0.001).PVP was positively correlated with LV/BW ratio and proportion of collagen area (P<0.05).Conclusions: LV/BW and proportion of collagen area can indirectly reflect the PVP, and may provide a non-invasive approach for evaluation of portal hypertension.