Clinical Medicine ; methods ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Holistic Health ; Humans ; Integrative Medicine ; methods ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods

Objective To explore the change of nerve growth factors(NGF) through the blood brain barrier(BBB) after distal intravenous injection of mannitol into the experimental rats and the effect of exogenous NGF on the expression of growth associated protein-43 in hypoxic-ischemic brain.Methods One hundred cases of 7 days rats were divided into 2 units.One unit was divided into 3 groups:treatment group,control group and sham operated group,20 rats in each group.The other unit was divided into 4 groups:mannitol and NGF treated group,NGF treated group,control group,and sham operated group,there were 10 rats in each group.The model rats with perinatal hypoxic-ischemic brain damage(HIBD) rats were prepared by ligation of left common carotid artery with a temporary systemic hypoxia(inhaling 80 mL/L O2 and 920 mL/L N2).The sections of brains were processed by immunochemistry with antibodies against GAP-43,and the study and memory ability of rats were tested by maze test.The effect of osmotic opening of BBB on the facilitation of NGF′s passage was tested by ELISA.Results The expression of GAP-43 increased after NGF treatment,and the differences were remarkable(P

Proteomics, which has been widely used in life science, is an emerging discipline following genomics. It can help to explore the pathogenic mechanism and early onset marker of Bacillus anthracis, playing an important part in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of B.anthracis. In this paper,the application of proteomics in the research of B.anthracis is reviewed.

OBJECTIVETo explore the feasibility of in vitro chondrogenesis by co-culture of chondrocytes and adipose-derived stromal cells (ADSCs) so as to confirm the hypothesis that chondrocytes can provide chondrogenic microenvironment to induce chondrogenic differentiation of ADSCs.

METHODSHuman ADSCs and porcine auricular chondrocytes were in vitro expanded respectively and then were mixed at the ratio of 7:3 (ADSCs: chondrocytes). 200 microl mixed cells (5.0 x 10(7)/ml) were seeded onto a polyglycolic acid/polylactic acid (PGA/PLA) scaffold, 8 mm in diameter and 2 mm in thickness, as co-culture group. Chondrocytes and ADSCs with the same cell number were seeded respectively onto the scaffold as positive control group and negative control group. 200 microl chondrocytes (1.5 x 10(7)/ml) were seeded as low concentration chondrocyte group. There were 6 specimens in each group. All specimens were harvested after in vitro culture for 8 weeks in DMEM plus 10% FBS. Gross observation, histology, immunohistochemistry, wet weight measurement and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) quantification were used to evaluate the results. Multiple-sample t-test statistics analysis was done to compare the difference of wet weight and glycosaminoglycan(GAG) content between the groups.

RESULTSCells in all groups had fine adhesion to the scaffold and could secrete extracellular matrix. In co-culture group and positive control group, cell-scaffold constructs could maintain the original size and shape during in vitro culture. At 8 weeks, cartilage-like tissue formed in gross appearance and histological features, and abundant type II collagen could be detected by immunohistochemistry. Wet weight and glycosaminoglycan(GAG) content of co-culture group were respectively (174 +/- 12) mg and (7.6 +/- 0.4) mg. There were respectively 75% (P < 0.01) and 79% (P<0.01) of those of positive control group. In negative control group, however, constructs shrunk gradually without mature cartilage lacuna in histology. In low concentration chondrocyte group, constructs also shrunk obviously with small amount of cartilage formation at the edge area of the construct, and wet weight was (85 +/- 5) mg, which was 37% (P<0.01) of that of positive control group.

CONCLUSIONSChondrocytes can provide chondrogenic microenvironment to induce chondrogenic differentiation of ADSCs and thus promote the in vitro chondrogenesis of ADSCs.

Adipocytes ; cytology ; Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; Cells, Cultured ; Chondrocytes ; cytology ; Coculture Techniques ; Humans ; Swine ; Tissue Engineering ; methods ; Tissue Scaffolds

OBJECTIVETo analyze the relationship between the expression of FasL, Perforin and Granzyme B and the development of acute graft versus host disease (aGVHD) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT).

METHODSThe peripheral blood mRNA expression of granzyme B, perforin, fasL from 17 patients after allo-HSCT was detected by competitive quantitative RT-PCR and the relationship between FasL, Granzyme B and Perforin expressions and clinical symptom of aGVHD was analyzed.

RESULTSThe expression level of Granzyme B, Perforin and FasL was 4.6 +/- 0.2, 4.5 +/- 0.1, 1.4 +/- 0.1 before aGVHD occurrence respectively, and was 98.7 +/- 2.5, 91.8 +/- 3.4, 61.5 +/- 2.2, after the occurrence in 14 patients (P < or = 0.05). Over expressions of Granzyme B, Perforin, and FasL during acute GVHD were detected in 13 of 14, 12 of 14, and 12 of 14 patients respectively. The upregulated expressions occurred prior to clinical symptom of aGVHD.

CONCLUSIONThe expressions of Granzyme B, Perforin, and FasL were significantly high in patients with acute aGVHD. Monitoring of the expressions, might predict the occurrence of clinical aGVHD and it severity and prognosis.

Acute Disease ; Adult ; Fas Ligand Protein ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Expression ; Graft vs Host Disease ; blood ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Granzymes ; genetics ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; adverse effects ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Perforin ; genetics ; Postoperative Complications ; blood ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Prognosis ; RNA, Messenger ; blood ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Transplantation, Homologous

OBJECTIVETo assess the therapeutic efficacy and adverse effects of endogenetic field hyperthermia (EFH) in combination with L-OHP /LV / 5-FU in the treatment of advanced gastric cancer.

METHODSThis study included 147 surgical patients with stage II-IV gastric cancer, who received postoperative chemotherapy with FOLFOX (L-OHP 85 mg /m square, 3 h intravenous infusion, followed by infusion of LV at 200 mg /m square in 2 h, intravenous injection of 5-Fu at 400 mg /m square, and intravenous infusion of 5-FU at 3000 mg /m square in 48 h). Eight treatment cycles (each lasting for 14 days) were administered. In 68 cases randomly selected from the cohort, EFH was performed on the first and third days (treatment group), but not in the other 79 cases (control group).

RESULTSThe response rate was 68.4% in the treatment group and 36.4% in the control group, showing significant difference between them (P<0.05). The 1-year survival rate was 88.2% in the treatment group, similar to the rate of 81.0% in the control group (P< 0.05), but the 3, 5-year survival rates in treatment group (67.6% and 30.9%) was significantly higher than those in the control group (47.6% and 15.4%, P<0.05). The adverse effects were similar between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONEFH combined with the chemotherapeutic regimen FOLFOX might improve the therapeutic effect of stage II-IV gastric cancer without obviously increasing the adverse effects.

Adult ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Fluorouracil ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Hyperthermia, Induced ; Leucovorin ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Organoplatinum Compounds ; therapeutic use ; Stomach Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; surgery ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo investigate the factors that affect the prognosis of primary gastrointestinal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (PGI-NHL).

METHODSThe clinical data of 116 patients with pathologically confirmed PGI-NHL we treated from January 1993 to December 2003 were analyzed retrospectively. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used for analyzing the survival of the patients, and Log-rank test was performed to compare the survival rates in relation to different prognostic factors.

RESULTSThe 3-year and 5-year survival rates of the patients were 63.8% (74/116) and 48.2% (40/83), respectively. Univariate analysis revealed that the factors affecting the prognosis of the patients included the presence of B symptom, tumor size, clinical stage, pathological type, depth of invasion, and treatment methods. The patients with B symptom, tumor size no less than 10 cm, advanced clinical stage (stages III(E) and IV(E)), T-cell type, and invasion beyond the serosa who received only surgical management had poorer prognosis than those free of B symptom with tumor size <10 cm, early clinical stage (stages I(E) and II(E)), B-cell type, and submucosal or serosal invasion managed with chemotherapy alone or in combination with surgery. Multivariate analysis showed that B symptom, tumor size no less than 10 cm, advanced clinical stage (stages III(E) and IV(E)), T-cell type, invasion beyond the serosa, and surgery alone were independently associated with poor prognosis.

CONCLUSIONThe tumor size, clinical stage, pathological type, treatment methods are the independent factors affecting the prognosis of patients with PGI-NHL.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; mortality ; pathology ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; diagnosis ; mortality ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

BACKGROUNDAssociations between glutamine (Gln) enriched nutrition support and surgical patients with gastrointestinal (GI) tumor remain controversy. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to assess the effect of Gln enriched nutrition support on surgical patients with GI tumor in term of relevant biochemical indices, immune indices, and clinical outcomes.

METHODSSix databases were systematically searched to find eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from 1966 to May 2014. When estimated the analysis indexes, the relative risk (RR) was used as the effect size of the categorical variable, while the weighted mean difference (MD) was used as the effect size of a continuous variable. Meta-analysis was conducted with Rev Man 5.2.

RESULTSThirteen RCTs, involving 1034 patients, were included in the meta-analysis. The analysis showed that Gln enriched nutrition support was more effective in increasing serum albumin (MD: 0.10; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.02-0.18; P < 0.05), serum prealbumin (MD: 1.98; 95% CI: 1.40-2.55; P < 0.05) and serum transferring (MD: 0.35; 95% CI: 0.12-0.57; P < 0.05), concentration of IgG (MD: 1.26; 95% CI: 0.90-1.63; P < 0.05), IgM (MD: 0.18; 95% CI: 0.11-0.25; P < 0.05), IgA (MD: 0.22; 95% CI: 0.10-0.33; P < 0.05), CD3 + (MD: 3.71; 95% CI: 2.57-4.85; P < 0.05) and CD4/CD8 ratio (MD: 0.27; 95% CI: 0.12-0.42; P < 0.05). Meanwhile, it was more significant in decreasing the incidence of infectious complications (RR: 0.67; 95% CI: 0.50-0.90; P < 0.05) and shortening the length of hospital stay (MD: -1.72; 95% CI: -3.31--0.13; P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSGlutamine enriched nutrition support was superior in improving immune function, reducing the incidence of infectious complications and shortening the length of hospital stay, playing an important role in the rehabilitation of surgical GI cancer patients.

Enteral Nutrition ; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms ; surgery ; Glutamine ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Parenteral Nutrition ; Postoperative Complications ; prevention & control ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) on the induction of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (rBMSCs) to differentiate into cardiomyocytes-like cells in vitro. rBMSCs were randomly divided into PEMFs groups, 5-Azacytidine (5-Aza) groups and control groups. PEMFs groups were exposed to 50 Hz, 1 mT PEMFs for 30 min every day, lasting for 10 d, 15 d and 20 d, respectively. 5-Aza groups were induced by 10 micromol/L 5-Aza for 1 day, then the medium was changed to complete medium without 5-Aza. And control groups were only cultured with complete medium, rBMSCs growth status and morphological features were observed by inverted phase microscope every day. The mRNA expressions of cardiac troponin T (TNNT2) and alpha-actinin (ACTN2) were determined by Real-Time PCR. The results showed that rBMSCs were spindle, polygon or fusiform in control groups. The cells gradually got longer and grew close together after being stimulated by PEMFs and 5-Aza, and with the extension of induction time, the tendency became obvious. At 20th day after PEMFs or 5-Aza treatment, rBMSCs gathered like a long chain, got much longer obviously at the high magnification, and some of them even fused with their neighbors. Compared with control groups, the levels of TNNT2 mRNA expression in 5-Aza groups were 19.40 fold (P < 0.01), 21.02 fold (P < 0.01) and 2.38 fold at 10 d, 15 d, 20 d and the levels of ACTN2 mRNA expression in 5-Aza groups were 6.64 fold (P < 0.01), 6.67 fold (P < 0.01) and 0.76 fold at 10 d, 15 d, 20 d. However, the levels of TNNT2 mRNA expression in PEMFs groups were 15.78 fold (P < 0.01), 6.73 fold (P < 0.05) and 2.73 fold (P < 0.01) of control groups at 10 d, 15 d, 20 d and the levels of ACTN2 mRNA expression in PEMFs groups were 4.93 fold (P < 0.01), 1.89 fold and 0.64 fold, respectively. Compared with 5-Aza groups, the levels of TNNT2 mRNA expression in PEMFs groups were 0.81 fold, 0.32 fold (P < 0.01) and 1.15 fold at 10 d, 15 d, 20 d and the levels of ACTN2 mRNA expression in PEMFs groups were 0.74 fold, 0.28 fold (P < 0.01) and 0.83 fold at 10 d, 15 d, 20 d. PEMFs could contribute to the induction of rat marrow rBMSCs to differentiate into cardiomyocytes-like cells in vitro, and the best exposure time might be 10 days, but further investigation is still needed.
Actinin ; genetics ; metabolism ; Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; radiation effects ; Cell Differentiation ; radiation effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Electromagnetic Fields ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; radiation effects ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; cytology ; radiation effects ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo design a platform for microarray data analysis and processing in the browser/server mode running in Linux operating system.

METHODSBased on the Apache HTTP server, the platform, programmed with Perl language, integrated R language and Bioconductor packages for processing and analysis of the input data of oligonucleotide arrays and two-color spotted arrays. Users were allowed to submit data and parameter configurations to the platform via the web page, and the results of analysis were also returned via the web page.

RESULTSWith an easy operation and high performance, the platform fulfilled the functions of processing, quality assessment, biological annotation and statistical analysis of the data from oligonucleotide arrays and two-color spotted arrays. Using the platform, we analyzed the gene expression profiles in Mtb-stimulated macrophages of three clinical phenotypes, namely latent TB (LTB), pulmonary (PTB) and meningeal (TBM), and obtained valuable clues for identifying tuberculosis susceptibility genes. We also analyzed the effect of INH treatment on Mycobacterium tuberculosis gene expression in various dormancy models, such as hypoxia and KatG mutant, and found that a set of genes responded to INH treatment during exponential growth but not in dormancy, and that the overall number of differentially regulated genes was reduced in the cells in low metabolic state.

CONCLUSIONThe platform we have constructed integrates comprehensive resources, and with a user-friendly interface, allows direct result visualization to facilitate microarray data analysis.

Computational Biology ; methods ; Databases, Genetic ; Gene Expression Profiling ; methods ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Humans ; Macrophages ; metabolism ; microbiology ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; genetics ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Software ; Tuberculosis ; genetics ; immunology ; User-Computer Interface