Objective To investigate the level of homocysteine among healthy examination people and the possible related factors.Methods Retrospective analysis was performed to collect 1 259 results of healthy examination people from July to September in 2015,and 564 patients were confirmed to be hyperhomocysteinemia.The serum level of lipoids,glucose,uric acid and blood routine results were also collected.Results The incidence of hyperhomocysteinemia was 45.52％,and man has a higher rate than woman.The results of logistic regression showed positive results of UA (OR =1.006,95％ CI =1.005-1.008),HBG(OR =1.035,95％CI=1.026-1.045),and PLT (OR =0.996,95％ CI =0.993-0.998) in high hyperhomocysteinemia patients.Condusion High UA、HBG and low PLT levels are risk factors in hyperhomocysteinemia,and could be the important way for the early diagnoses of hyperhomocysteinemia.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the neuroprotective effect and possible mechanisms of lute-olin-7-O-β-D-glucuronide (LGU) against focalcerebral ischemic injury. METHODS The focal cerebral ischemic injury model was established by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham group,model group(MCAO),LGU group(0.24,0.72 and 2.16 mg·kg-1)and positive control group(Edaravone at 5 mg·kg-1).LGU was injected intravenously 30 min after MCAO.Neurological severity score,infarct volume and brain water content were detected 24 h after MCAO and the levels of Na+-K+ATPase,Ca2+ATPase,TNF-α and IL-1β were detected to explore the possible mechanisms.For the therapeutic time window test,LGU(0.72 mg·kg-1)was injected intrave-nously 0.5, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 h respectively after MCAO. To evaluate motion behavior, LGU were injected intravenously 30 min after MCAO and once per day during detection period. The changes of motor coordination were detected by rotating rod method and grip strength analysis, and the changes of gaits were detected using DigiGait Imaging System. RESULTS LGU improved the neurological severity score, infarct volume ratio and brain water content. The therapeutic time window of LGU for cerebral infarction and brain edema was at least 6 h and for neurological dysfunction was 12 h.LGU also prolonged the latency on rotarod, increased the forelimb tension and improved 8 gait parameters, including stance duration,stride length,stance width,paw area,paw area variability,gait symmetry,ataxia coefficient and tau propulsion.Furthermore,LGU increased Na+-K+-ATPase and Ca2+-ATPase levels in the cortex and hippocampus in the ischemic side,reduced the levels of TNF-α and IL-1β in the serum. CONCLUSION LGU has a significant neuroprotective effect against cerebral ischemic injury via improving energy metabolism and reducing inflammation.

Background and Objective:Radiotherapy(RT)is a major nonsurgical modality in the comprehensive treatment for colorectal adenocarcinoma.The radioresistance of cancer stem cells(CSCs)is a key factor that influences therapeutic effectiveness.This study was to investigate the effects of specific chromosome structure and histone modification in CSCs in colorectal adenocarcinoma radioresistance.Methods:Samples were collected from resected human colorectaI adenocarcinomas.Subcutaneous colorectal cancer model was established in nude mice.Immunohistochemistry showed that xenografts generated from bulk colorectaI cancer cells resembled the original tumor specimen.Flow cytometry was performed to sort CSCs (CD133~+)and non-CSCs(CD133~-)from both resected samples of colorectal adenocarcinoma and xenograft before and after high single-dose radiation.The markers labeling heterochromatin(H3K9me3,HP1-α,and H3K4me1)and euchromatin(H3K4me3)in CD133~+ and CD133-nucleus were detected by immunoflurescence.Results:There was distinct difference in chromatin structure between colorectaI CSCs(CD133~+)and non-CSCs (CD133~-).The chromatin displayed compact patches in CD133~+ nucleus,but loosely latticed structure in CD133-nucleus:immunoflurescence verified that the compact patches existing in CSCs was generated from heterochromatin construction.In addition.the vacuole-like defect in heterochromatin regions of CSCs was observed within 24 h after exposure to 10 gray(Gy)single-dose RT.Interestingly.this phenomenon was repaired from 96 h.and recovered to dense plaque structure in heterochromatin regions of CSCs after 144 h.However,no significant difference in non-CSCs was observed after RT exception for a loose chromatin structure.Conclusions:CSCs play a role in radiosensitivity in colorectal cancer.The mechanism may be related to heterchromatin formation and histone methylation.

OBJECTIVE To characterize the molecular weight of Radix Isatidis protein(RIP)and optimize the extraction process of protein from Radix Isatidis.METHODS Response surface methodology(RSM)was applied to optimize the extrac-tion of protein from Radix Isatidis.Extraction time,liquid-to-solid ratio and pH value were set as the investigated factors with respect to the protein yield.In addition,Design Expert software was used for data analysis.The RIP was characterized for composition using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis(SDS-PAGE).Scanning electron microscopy(SEM)analysis was performed to observe microstructure of the Radix Isatidis powder before and after ultrasound-assisted ex-traction(UAE).RESULTS Based on the RSM analysis,optimum conditions were determined as follows:twice ultrasonic ex-traction in 50 mmol/L Tris-HCl buffer solution,pH at 7.8,liquid-to-solid ratio at 80:1 and extraction for 65 min each time.Under the optimized conditions,the experimental values were 0.705％,which is in close agreement with values predicted by the model.The characterization of the RIP demonstrated that it contained five major groups of protein bands,namely bands of 19.2 kDa,21.5 kDa,24.8 kDa,34～43 kDa and >170 kDa respectively.CONCLUSION RSM can be applied for the optimi-zation of extraction process of RIP,which is effective,stable and feasible.

OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical effect and safety of clopidogrel combined with aspirin in antithrombotic therapy for children with Kawasaki disease (KD) complicated by coronary artery aneurysm (CAA). METHODS: A total of 77 KD children who were diagnosed with multiple small/medium-sized CAAs by echocardiography between January 2013 and June 2018 were enrolled. They were randomly divided into observation group with 38 children (treated with clopidogrel and aspirin) and control group with 39 children (treated with low-molecular-weight heparin and aspirin). All children were followed up regularly, and the first 3 months of the course of the disease was the observation period. The children were observed in terms of the change of the coronary artery and the incidence of complications. RESULTS: At month 3 of follow-up, among the children in the observation group, 6 had normal coronary artery, 11 had coronary artery retraction, 19 had stable coronary artery, and 2 progressed to giant coronary aneurysm; among the children in the control group, 7 had normal coronary artery, 12 had coronary artery retraction, 19 had stable coronary artery, and 1 progressed to giant coronary aneurysm; there was no significant difference in the change of the coronary artery between the two groups (P>0.05). There were 2 cases of epistaxis and 6 cases of skin ecchymosis in the observation group, and 1 case of epistaxis and 7 cases of petechiae and ecchymosis at the injection site in the control group, and no other serious bleeding events were observed in either group. CONCLUSIONS Clopidogrel combined with low-dose aspirin is safe and effective in antithrombotic therapy for children with KD complicated by CAA.
Aspirin ; therapeutic use ; Child ; Clopidogrel ; Coronary Aneurysm ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Coronary Vessels ; Fibrinolytic Agents ; Humans ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome ; complications

OBJECTIVEPancreatic metastasis from renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a rare event and has not been reported in our country. We report a series of 3 patients with metastatic RCC to the pancreas after radical nephrectomy at our institution. The published reports in the literature were reviewed, and the diagnosis, treatment as well as prognosis of this rare event were discussed.

METHODSThe data of 3 RCC patients with metastasis to the pancreas were reviewed retrospectively, including radical nephrectomy, metastatic interval, the second and third surgical removal. Survival of the three patients was analyzed and the reports in the literature were compared as well.

RESULTSThe average interval from radical nephrectectomy to the comfirmed pancreatic metastasis was 6.6 years (range, 1.2 to 12 years). The pathological stage revealed T2N0M0 (n = 2) or T3N0M0 (n = 1), with right-sided tumor in 2 patients and left side in 1. One patient was asymptomatic, while the other two cases were symptomatic at presentation, including upper abdominal pain, weight loss, slight xanthochromia of the skin and titillation, clay stool (n = 1); irregular fever, weight loss and jaundice (n = 1). All pancreatic metastases were hypervascular on arterial stage of CT imaging. One patient had only a solitary pancreatic metastasis (n = 1), the another showed two metastatic lesions (n = 1), the third one had multiple lesions (n = 1). Surgical removal was accomplished in 2 patients: including pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy in one, and pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy together with partial tail resection in another one. The third one only received interventional therapy due to widespread extrapancreatic metastasis, and died of disseminated disease 11 months after the therapy. One of the above two surgically treated patients underwent the second removal due to local recurrence 2.5 years after the first removal of pancreatic metastasis. These two patients were still alive after follow-up of 8.6 years and 16.1 years, respectively.

CONCLUSIONRenal cell carcinoma is an unpredictable tumor that may demonstrate very delayed metastasis even from early-stage of the disease. The pancreas is a rare site of metastasis from renal cell carcinoma. We advocate careful long-term follow-up of patients with a history of RCC. Aggressive surgical management of pancreatic metastatic lesions may provide a chance of long-term survival.

Aged ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; pathology ; surgery ; Chemotherapy, Cancer, Regional Perfusion ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Kidney Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Neoplasm Staging ; Nephrectomy ; methods ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; secondary ; surgery ; Pancreaticoduodenectomy ; methods ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color

OBJECTIVETo study the mechanism by which AG490 improves the survival rate of rats following extensive liver resection.

METHODSThirty-eight rats were randomly divided into two groups after surgery: control group (n=10), without treatment; (2) AG490 group (n=28), with AG490 (1 mg x kg(-1) x 12 h(-1)) administrated intraperitoneally immediately and 36 hours after the operation. The survival rate was observed and the serum liver functions were measured.

RESULTSThe survival rates of control group and AG490 group were 0% and 25%. AG490 group had significantly better blood glucose and aminotransferase levels (P < 0.05) than control group; serum bilirubin levels significantly decreased 48 hours after the operation. Serum protein levels in both two groups had slow decrease but without statistical significance (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSAG490 can significantly increase the survival rate of rats following extensive liver resection. Such a benefit mainly results from the protection towards residual liver function rather than from the promotion of liver regeneration.

Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Animals ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; blood ; Bilirubin ; blood ; Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; Enzyme Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Hepatectomy ; methods ; Male ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Survival Rate ; Tyrphostins ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the impact of AG490, a cytokine signaling inhibitor, on cytokine signaling pathway with phosphorylation levels of Janus kinase 2 (Jak2) and singal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (Stat3), and liver pro-/anti-inflammatory cytokine expressions.

METHODSRats were divided into two groups after surgery: control group, without treatment; AG490 group, with AG490 (1 mg.kg(-1).12 h(-1)) administration intraperitoneally, immediately and through 36 hs after the operation. Western blotting was used to detect the levels of phosphorylated Jak2 and Stat3. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR was employed to examine Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and Interleukin-10 (IL-10) expression.

RESULTSAt 8 h and 12 h post-operatively, the phosphorylation levels of Jak2 and Stat3 were significantly inhibited in the AG490 group when compared with the control group. The DNA levels of IL-6 in the liver of the AG490 group rat at the same time points were also decreased, whereas IL-10 levels markedly increased. These changes made the ratio of IL-6/IL-10 dropped significantly.

CONCLUSIONSAG490 ameliorates the overwhelming inflammatory response via a mechanism of blocking cytokine signaling transduction and consequently suppresses the ratio of pro-/anti-inflammatory cytokine expression, which exerts potential clinical implications of use of anti-inflammatory agents in hepatic surgery.

Animals ; Cytokines ; biosynthesis ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; metabolism ; Hepatectomy ; methods ; Interleukin-10 ; biosynthesis ; Interleukin-6 ; biosynthesis ; Janus Kinase 2 ; Liver ; drug effects ; physiology ; Male ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; STAT3 Transcription Factor ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; physiology ; Trans-Activators ; metabolism ; Tyrphostins ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the characteristics of autophagy in fibrotic and postoperative remnant liver.

METHODSMale Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups: control group; fibrosis group, which received the solution of CCl4 in oil twice a week for 5 weeks; and hepatectomy group, which underwent 70% hepatectomy. Liver tissues and plasma were harvested 18 hours after the surgery. The rats' general conditions and plasma liver function were observed. Histopathological characteristics and regeneration were observed with microscope and transmission electron microscope. Qualitative analysis of autophagosome was made base on the data from transmission electron microscope.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, plasma total protein and albumin level significantly decreased in the fibrosis group (P < 0.01). Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) index was 85%-95% in the fibrosis group. Plasma alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels significantly increased in the hepatectomy group compared with the control group (P < 0.01), while the autophagical index significantly decreased in both the fibrosis group and hepatectomy group compared with the control group (-95%, P < 0.01; -19%, P < 0.05, respectively). PCNA index was 20%-30% in the hepatectomy group.

CONCLUSIONSAutophagy is weakened after fibrosis and hepatectomy, although it differs between these two processes. Proper regulation of autophagy may help facilitate the recovery of the residual liver function after hepatectomy.

Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Animals ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; blood ; Autophagy ; Disease Models, Animal ; Hepatectomy ; Humans ; Liver ; metabolism ; pathology ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Liver Cirrhosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Male ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo construct a luciferase reporter gene vector of p-selectin gene promoter and determine its transcriptional activity for screening the effect of drugs on the transcriptional activity of p-selectin promoter.

METHODSPrimers were designed based on human p-selectin promoter sequence from UCSC software. The p-selectin promoter from human genome DNA was then amplified. After digestion of pGL3-Basic vector and p-selectin promoter with Kpn I and Xho I, p-selectin promoter was inserted into pGL3-basic vector. The recombinant plasmid, namely pGL3-p-selectin-promoter, was transiently cotransfected into 293F cells with pRL-SV40 as the control vector, and the activity of the dual luciferase was detected. The transcription activity of serially truncated segments of the p-selectin promoter reporter gene was quantified by luciferase expression. 293F cells transfected with pGL3-p-selectin-promoter reporter gene and dual luciferase were stimulated with LPS, TNF-α and As2O3, and the transcriptional activity of p-selectin promoter were assessed.

RESULTSpGL3-p-selectin-promoter was constructed successfully as verified by restriction digestion and sequence analysis. The luciferase activity was higher in pGL3-p-selectin-promoter/pRL-SV40 group than in pGL3-basic/pRL-SV40 group (0.8573±0.4703 vs 0.03955±0.05894). pGL3- 1826 bp was actively transcribed compared with pGL3-1092 bp and pGL3-3738 bp. LPS, TNF-α and As2O3 significantly enhanced the transcriptional activity of p-selectin promoter.

CONCLUSIONpGL3-p-selectin-promoter can be transcribed and activated in 293F cells. This study provided an important basis for acquiring transcriptional factors and screening inflammatory factors and drugs.

Genes, Reporter ; Genetic Vectors ; HEK293 Cells ; Humans ; Luciferases ; P-Selectin ; genetics ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Transcriptional Activation ; Transfection