OBJECTIVETo explore the impact of different warm ischemia time on structure and function of the non-heart-beating donor lung and to find out the feasibility of non-heart-beating donor in rat lung transplantation.

METHODSSixty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: heart-beating donor (HBD) group, non-heart-beating donor (NHBD) with 30 minutes of warm ischemia time (WIT) group and NHBD with 60 minutes of WIT group. Each group has 10 pairs (the donors and the recipients). The donor lungs of group HBD were flushed with low potassium dextran (LPD) solution at 4 degrees C after asystolia while the lungs of group NHBD-30 and group NHBD-60 remained ventilated at the room temperature for 30 and 60 minutes after asystolia and then were flushed with LPD solution. All the donor lungs remained inflated when they were stored in LPD solution at 4 degrees C for 4 hours. The recipient rat underwent left thoracotomy, and then orthotopic left lung transplantation. Followed by a right thoracotomy, the right pulmonary hilum were ligated with one-hour reperfusion and ventilation.

RESULTSAll the recipients in group HBD and group NHBD-30 survived the observation period of one hour with excellent gas exchange, whereas 4 of recipients in group NHBD-60 survived for 10 minutes after the ligation of right pulmonary hilum and 3 for 20 minutes. The pulmonary compliance, ultrastructure, energy metabolite and other markers revealed no significant differences between group HBD and group NHBD-30 (P > 0.05). But the differences between group NHBD-60 and other two groups were significant (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe adoption of non-heart-beating donor could be a safe and effective method to expand the lung donor pool. The NHBD lung with 30 minutes of WIT may be suitable for lung transplantation in rat.

Animals ; Heart ; physiopathology ; Ischemia ; physiopathology ; Lung ; physiopathology ; ultrastructure ; Lung Transplantation ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron ; Models, Animal ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Time Factors ; Tissue Donors

This article introduces a new-type anti-rotation reduction internal fixator, which can be applied in various spine fractures and dislocations in order to shorten the operation time, to raise reduction effect, and to reduce the complications such as the loss of reduction, broken nail, broken rod etc. Biomechanical tests and clinical applications have proved that the internal fixator has the features of a short operation time, a definite fixation and few complications.
Bone Nails ; Bone Plates ; Equipment Design ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; instrumentation ; methods ; Humans ; Internal Fixators ; Spinal Fractures ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo understand the distribution of hepatitis B virus genotype in Guangxi and its clinical significance.

METHODSNested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) was used for amplification of HBV DNA in sera of asymptomatic carrier (ASC) of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and patients with different liver diseases from southern and northern Guangxi. Specimens from 161 subjects were positive for HBV DNA and HBV genotype was determined by using restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, direct sequencing or cloning sequencing.

RESULTSThe prevalence of genotype A was 3.7% in all samples and that of genotype B, C and D was 21.7%, 72.7% and 1.2%, respectively. No other genotypes (such as genotype E, F, G, H) were found. The prevalence of genotype C showed an increasing trend in ASC, chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) group; in contrast, the prevalence of genotype B showed an opposite trend, although no statistically significant difference was observed, except between ASC and HCC (P=0.05). The HBeAg positive rate was higher, and the anti-HBe positive rate was lower in patients with chronic genotype C infection than in those with genotype B (P<0.05 for both). Liver function test (ALT) abnormality was more severe in genotype C group than in genotypes A and B groups having acute or chronic infection (P<0.01 for all comparisons). The prevalence of genotype C in southern Guangxi was higher than that in northern Guangxi. In contrast, the prevalence of genotype B in southern Guangxi was lower than that in northern Guangxi.

CONCLUSIONS1. The predominant HBV genotypes in Guangxi were genotypes B and C. The major genotype in southern Guangxi was genotype C; while that in northern Guangxi was genotype B, which implied that the distribution of HBV genotype C was consistent with the incidence of HCC in Guangxi. 2. Genotype C maybe associated with development of severe liver diseases including HCC. 3. Genotype A,D and B+C were mostly found in acute, hepatitis and chronic hepatitis group.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; virology ; Carrier State ; virology ; DNA, Viral ; blood ; genetics ; Female ; Genotype ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; virology ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; virology ; Liver Neoplasms ; virology ; Male ; Point Mutation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length

BACKGROUNDIn humans telomerase is expressed in most cancers and immortal cell lines, and activation of telomerase may play important roles in tumorigenesis and immortalization. This study was to investigate the roles of telomerase activity (TA) and human telomerase RNA (hTR) in sebaceous carcinoma of the eyelid.

METHODSThe telomerase repeated amplification protocol (TRAP) was used to demonstrate telomerase activity in 12 cases of sebaceous carcinoma of the eyelid. In situ hybridization (ISH) was used to demonstrate the expression of hTR in 55 cases of paraffin-embedded sebaceous carcinoma of the eyelid, and the results were compared with the proliferative index determined by Mib-1 immuno-labeling, histological patterns and recurrence of the tumor.

RESULTSDifferent telomerase activity was shown in the 12 cases of sebaceous carcinoma of the eyelid. The positive expression of hTR was 85.5% (47/55) in tumor cells, but not in the adjacent tissues. The positive expression of hTR was correlated with the proliferative activity (as assessed by Mib-1 immunolabelling, r = 0.942, P < 0.001) and the differentiation of sebaceous carcinoma of the eyelid (chi(2) = 17.621, P < 0.001), but not significantly related to tumor recurrence. The level of hTR expression increased with the decrease of differentiation of sebaceous carcinoma of the eyelid.

CONCLUSIONSThe results suggest that the up-regulation of telomerase expression plays some roles in tarsal gland carcinogenesis, and the expression of hTR is a useful marker for malignant degree of sebaceous carcinoma of the eyelid.

Biomarkers, Tumor ; analysis ; Eyelid Neoplasms ; enzymology ; pathology ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; enzymology ; RNA ; analysis ; Sebaceous Gland Neoplasms ; enzymology ; pathology ; Telomerase ; analysis

Objective To study the effect of curcumin on osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(hBMSCs)in high glucose condition and its mechanism.Methods The cultured hBMSCs were divided into the normal group,high glucose group,and high glucose+curcumin group.The early osteogenic differentiation level of the cells in each group was assessed by detecting alkaline phosphatase(ALP)activity.Alizarin red staining was used to evaluate the formation of mineralized nodules in the late stage of osteo-genic differentiation.The expression of osteogenic-related genes,including Runt-related transcription factor 2(Runx2),osteocalcin(OCN),and type Ⅰ collagen(COL-1),was detected by RT-PCR after 21 days of osteogenic induction.Western blot was used to detect the expression of heme oxygenase-1(HO-1)in each group.Furthermore,an HO-1 small interfering RNA(siRNA)model was constructed and its interference efficiency was assessed.The expression levels of osteogenesis-related proteins(Runx2,OCN,and COL-1)between the high glucose+curcumin group and high glucose+curcumin+siHO-1 group were compared.Results Compared with the normal group,the high glucose group showed decreased ALP activity,reduced formation of mineralized nodules,decreased expression of osteogenic-related genes(Runx2,OCN,and COL-1),and inhibited expression of HO-1(P＜0.05).Compared with the empty vector group,the siHO-1 group showed significantly reduced expression of HO-1 in cells,indicating successful siRNA interference(P＜0.01).Compared with the high glucose+curcumin group,the expression levels of osteogenesis-related proteins(OCN,COL-1,and Runx2)were all decreased in the high glucose+curcumin+siHO-1 group(P＜0.05).Conclusion Curcumin can promote osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs under high glucose environment,which is related to the expression of HO-1.

OBJECTIVETo characterize the incidence, epidemiologic features, etiologic agents and sequelae of bacterial meningitis in children under 5 years of age in Nanning, Guangxi.

METHODSA population-based surveillance was conducted to evaluate children with signs and symptoms of meningitis. All hospitals, township health centers and village clinics in the surveillance area were structured to participate in the case referral and evaluation. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood specimens were obtained and processed using standardized microbiologic methods.

RESULTSDuring the 26-month surveillance period, among the children under 5 years old, a total of 1272 cases who met the screening criteria of meningitis were studied. 265 of 1272 cases were identified as clinically diagnosed meningitis, with an incidence rate of 86.36 per 100 000 population. The annual incidence rate under the 38 cases of confirmed bacterial meningitis appeared to be 12.38/100 000. Staphylococcus species accounted for the largest proportion of laboratory-confirmed bacterial meningitis, followed by E. coli and S. pneumoniae. The highest attack rate occurred in neonates < 1 month, followed by children aged 1 - 12 months in the confirmed patients. Meningitis caused by Sp and Hi mainly occurred in children aged 1 - 12 months. All cases of meningitis due to Hi and Sp were children aged 1 - 24 months. 13.16% and 0.00% of the cases survived with complications and sequelae, and the case-fatality rate was 18.42%. 40 bacterial isolates were identified from 1193 blood cultures and 23 from 1211 cerebrospinal fluid samples, but no Neisseria meningitidis was found.

CONCLUSIONMeningitis due to Hi was first confirmed in Guangxi with the incidence of 0.98 per 100 000 population. The annual incidence rate of confirmed bacterial meningitis was 12.38 per 100 000, which was considered an important public health problem in children. Staphylococci was the predominant pathogen in confirmed bacterial meningitis.

Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Meningitis, Bacterial ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; Meningitis, Escherichia coli ; epidemiology ; Meningitis, Haemophilus ; epidemiology ; Population Surveillance ; Staphylococcal Infections ; epidemiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the efficacy profile of entecavir capsule (ETV) as a chronic hepatitis B therapy, as compared to lamivudine (LAM).

METHODSIn this multicenter, randomized, double-blind, parallel group evaluation of ETV, 232 subjects were administered a 96-week course of 0.5 mg/day ETV or 100 mg/day LAM. PCR measurement of hepatitis B virus (HBV) was conducted throughout the treatment course to determine achievement of complete virologic response (CVR; defined as less than 500 copies/ml of HBV DNA) or experience of virology rebound ( more than 500 copies/ml of HBV DNA after achievement of CVR).

RESULTSAfter week-48 of treatment, the ETV group showed a higher CVR rate (90.3% vs. LAM: 59.4%) and lower virology rebound rate (1.9% vs. LAM: 13.9%). After week-96 of treatment, the ETV group continued to have a higher CVR rate (86.0% vs. LAM: 71.4%), and virology rebound was experienced by significantly less subjects in the ETV group (1.2% vs. LAM: 11.9%, P = 0.005).

CONCLUSIONETV therapy can quickly and continuously suppress HBV replication in chronic hepatitis B patients, and has a lower resistance rate than LAM. Compared to LAM, ETV may be a superior long-term treatment choice for chronic hepatitis B.

Adult ; Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Double-Blind Method ; Female ; Guanine ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Lamivudine ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Young Adult

Objective To establish an artificial intelligence model based on B-mode thyroid ultrasound images to predict central compartment lymph node metastasis(CLNM)in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma(PTC). Methods We retrieved the clinical manifestations and ultrasound images of the tumors in 309 patients with surgical histologically confirmed PTC and treated in the First Medical Center of PLA General Hospital from January to December in 2018.The datasets were split into the training set and the test set.We established a deep learning-based computer-aided model for the diagnosis of CLNM in patients with PTC and then evaluated the diagnosis performance of this model with the test set. Result The accuracy,sensitivity,specificity,and area under receiver operating characteristic curve of our model for predicting CLNM were 80%,76%,83%,and 0.794,respectively. Conclusion Deep learning-based radiomics can be applied in predicting CLNM in patients with PTC and provide a basis for therapeutic regimen selection in clinical practice.
Artificial Intelligence ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes/diagnostic imaging* ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Thyroid Cancer, Papillary/diagnostic imaging* ; Thyroid Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging*

Raffinose series oligosaccharides are the transport and storage sugars of many plants, Rehmannia glutinosa is one of the commonly used Chinese herbal medicines, medicinal parts ist he roots. Root and tuber of R. glutinosa contains stachyose, raffinose and other oligosaccharides, but the study about the process of growth and development of other organs in the non-structural changes in sugar content is rare.In this study, leaves, stems and roots of R. glutinosa were used as materials to analyze the diurnal variation and the changes of sugar content of sucrose, raffinose and stachyose in different organs of R. glutinosa. The results showed that the content of sucrose in R. glutinosa leaves gradually increased from seedling stage.However, the content of stachyose did not change much at the early stage of growth, and the stachyose rapidly increased at the later stage of growth. The raffinose content gradually decreased throughout the growing season, young leaves of R. glutinosa have higher ability to sucrose synthesis than mature leaves, while mature leaf has higher raffinose and stachyose synthesis ability than young leaves. Sucrose and stachyose content in stem gradually increased, while there was little change in raffinose content. The content of raffinose and stachyose in root increased rapidly from the beginning of fast growing period, while the content of sucrose did not change much. The content of sucrose in leaves of R. glutinosa did not change much at day and night, while the daily changes of raffinose and stachyose contents were very obvious. The contents of raffinose and stachyose in daytime were higher than those at night. The content of raffinose in root and stem was not changed much, but the change of stachyose in root, stem and leaf was very obvious, especially in stem and leaf. In summary, the leaf is the main synthetic organ of raffinose, leaves, stems and roots are stachyose synthesis organ. Sucrose, raffinose and stachyose are the major transport forms of carbohydrates in R. glutinosa.

Jasmonic acid (JA) can promote the biosynthesis of artemisinin.To have an insight into the JA signaling in Artemisia annua,two new genes belonging to JAZ family,namely AaJAZ5 and AaJAZ6,were cloned from Artemisia annua,which might be the negative regulators involved in the JA signaling pathway.Bioinformatic analysis showed that AaJAZ5 and AaJAZ6 contained the conserved domains of ZIM and Jas specific to JAZ family.According to tissue profile analysis,AaJAZ5 had the highest expression level in leaf and AaJAZ6 had the highest expression level in root.The expression levels of both AaJAZ5 and AaJAZ6 were markedly elevated by methyl jasmonate and mechanical wounding.The BiFC results indicated that AaJAZ5,as well as AaJAZ6,physically interacted with AaMYC2.Importantly,only AaJAZ5 could interact with AaCOI1.The interaction assays given by BiFC suggested that AaJAZ5 might play a crucial role in JA signaling.This study facilitated the further analysis of the functional divergence of JAZ-family members and the understanding of molecular mechanism on JA signaling to regulate the artemisinin biosynthesis.