Down Syndrome ; complications ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Pleural Effusion ; complications ; congenital

"Mistreatment by warming therapy" refers to various symptoms/syndromes caused by improper use of fire methods mentioned in Treatise on Febrile Diseases, which are similar to damaged yin induced fire-heat syndrome (injury of yin, consumption of qi, loss of yin, consumption of body fluid) manifested after radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy in modern clinics. Better efficacy was obtained in treating various symptoms/syndromes by using nourishing yin purging fire method. In this paper authors focuses on exploring guiding significance of using "Mistreatment by warming therapy" in treating non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; therapy ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; therapy ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Practice Guidelines as Topic ; Syndrome

OBJECTIVEThe aim of this study was to investigate the effect of 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-Aza-dc), a methylation inhibitor, on cisplatin-resistance in non-small cell lung cancer cell line A549/DDP and to explore its possible mechanism.

METHODSMTT assay was used to test the cytotoxicity of 5-Aza-dc on A549/DDP cells, and the IC(50) and cisplatin resistance index of A540/DDP cells at 48 hours after 5-Aza-dc (0 µmol/L, 20 µmol/L, 40 µmol/L) treatment at different concentrations. MSP, fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR (real-time RT-PCR) and Western blot were used to detect the hMLH1 methylation status, mRNA and protein expressions, respectively.

RESULTSThe IC(50) value of cisplatin in A549/DDP cells was 30.15 ± 0.76 µmol/L. The MTT assay results demonstrated that during the 5-Aza-dc treatment for 48 hours, the dose of 20 µmol/L was non-toxic and 40 µmol/L was low-toxic. 5-Aza-dc at those two doses reduced IC(50) value of cisplatin to 16.54 ± 0.35 µmol/L (RI = 1.82) and 6.82 ± 0.16 µmol/L (RI = 4.42), respectively. MSP, real-time RT-PCR and Western blot showed that 5-Aza-dc at non-toxic and low-toxic doses removed the partial hMLH1-hypermethylation, and up-regulated hMLH1 mRNA and protein expressions.

CONCLUSIONSLow dose 5-Aza-dc can partially reverse the cisplatin-resistance in A549/DDP cells, which may be achieved through removal of hMLH1 hypermethylation and increased expression of hMLH1 gene. 5-Aza-dc may have a role in increasing the efficacy of chemotherapy for patients whose tumors are lack of hMLH1 expression because of hMLH1 promoter hypermethylation.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing ; genetics ; metabolism ; Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Azacitidine ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cisplatin ; pharmacology ; DNA Methylation ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; MutL Protein Homolog 1 ; Nuclear Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism

Objective: To observe the changes of liver metabolism in mice exposed to artificial light at night. Methods: Healthy male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into the light at night group and the control group, with 8 mice in each group. The daily light/dark cycle was 12/12 hours in the control group, and 24/0 hours in the light at night group for 10 consecutive days. The hepatic metabolite profiles of the two groups of mice were detected by high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. The modelling was assessed by combining principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis ( OPLS-DA ) , The changes of metabolites in the two groups were compared through KEGG database. Results: Compared with the control group, 9 different metabolites were detected in the light at night group, among which the down-regulated metabolites were glycine-betaine, glutathione, tyrosine, betaine, lysine, hypoxanthine, histidine and methionine, and the up-regulated ones were mannose-6-phosphate. The weight analysis of the metabolic pathways showed that the major influences on liver of light at night group were phenylalanine-tyrosine-tryptophan metabolism, tyrosine metabolism, fructose and mannose metabolism, cysteine and methionine metabolism and histidine metabolism. Conclusion The metabolism of various amino acids and sugars in light at night mice is disturbed,and the key differential metabolites are tyrosine, methionine, histidine and mannose-6-phosphate.

BackgroundThe quest to look for seed cells is a hot spot of cornea transplant research in solving the problem of the lack of donor. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(BMSCs) have been successfully induced into retinal ganglion cells(RGCs) in vivo,but the successful induction of BMSCs into corneal endothelial cells has not been reported.Objective This experiment was to study the transplantation of BMSCs on corneal endothelial surface using the splitting Descemet's membrane. MethodsFour healthy adult rhesus monkeys were divided into the experimental group ( 3 monkeys) and control group ( 1 monkey). Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were isolated from bone marrow by density gradient centrifugation combined with adhering means. The cultured cells were identified by flow cytometry and its ability to differentiate was determined by allowing them to differentiate into adipocytes in vitro and labeled by 5-bromodeoxyuridine ( BrdU ) for subsequent identification. Corneal grafts of 7 mm in size with tearing of the Descemet' s membrane were prepared in the experimental group and control group. After labeling by 5-bromodeoxyuridine( BrdU ) ,cultured cells were transplanted onto the endothelial surface of cornea grafts in the experimental group, but no cultured cells were seeded in the graft of the control group. The corneal grafts were then sutured in situ, and were removed 1,2 or 3 months after operation to examine the distribution and connection between transplanted cells and their morphologic changes under the electron microscope. Results High purity MSCs were harvested by density gradient centrifugation combined with adhering method. Cultured cells reached confluency after 12 to 16 days, presenting with a spindle shape and parallel or swirling arrangement. Flow cytometry analysis showed that 94.26％ of cells were positive for CD29,7. 51％ for CD34 and 4. 02％ for CD45. Larger nuclei filled with plastosomes, golgiosomes and rough endoplasmic reticula were found on the graft under the transmission electron microscope( TEM ). After 3 weeks, MSCs were differentiated into adipocytes where Oil Red O staining resulted in an orange-red staining in the cytoplasm and blue staining in the nuclei. The transplanted cells attached loosely on the endothelial surface of the corneal graft and came in contact with each other in one month. The shape of the cells appeared as spindle-shaped and polygonal after 2 months and became tightly packed after 3 months. The positive cells retained the BrdU label and presented with brown nuclei. No endothelia cells grew in the cornea graft in the control group, with an absence of BrdU labeling. Conclusions Mesenchymal stem cells can be transplanted onto the corneal endothelial surface successfully and form a monolayer using the centrifugation method, and present with good survival and proliferation ability.

Female ; Glomus Tumor ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Stomach Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Tomography, Spiral Computed ; methods

OBJECTIVE: To describe the MRI findings in ten patients of spinal epidural angiolipoma for differentiated diagnosis presurgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten surgically proved cases of spinal epidural angiolipomas were retrospectively reviewed, and the lesion was classified according to the MR findings. RESULTS: Ten tumors were located in the superior (n = 4), middle (n = 2), or inferior (n = 4) thoracic level. The mass, with the spindle shape, was located in the posterior epidural space and extended parallel to the long axis of the spine. All lesions contained a fat and vascular element. The vascular content, correlating with the presence of hypointense regions on T1-weighted imaging (T1WI) and hyperintense signals on T2-weighted imaging, had marked enhancement. However, there were no flow void signs on MR images. All tumors were divided into two types based on the MR features. In type 1 (n = 3), the mass was predominantly composed of lipomatous tissue (> 50%) and contained only a few small angiomatous regions, which had a trabeculated or mottled appear. In type 2 (n = 7), the mass, however, was predominantly composed of vascular components (> 50%), which presented as large foci in the center of the mass. CONCLUSION: Most spinal epidural angiolipomas exhibit hyperintensity on T1WI while the hypointense region on the noncontrast T1WI indicates to be vascular, which manifests an obvious enhancement with gadolinium administration.
Adult ; Aged ; Angiolipoma/*diagnosis/surgery ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Epidural Neoplasms/*diagnosis/surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Laminectomy/methods ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging/*methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; Young Adult

The aim of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic potential of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) on acute liver injury induced by concanavalin A (ConA). MSCs were isolated from male C57BL/6 mice and cultured, and a ConA-induced acute liver injury model was used. MSCs were systemically infused immediately after mice were challenged with ConA, control mice received only saline infusion. 24 hours after MSC transplantation, the level of serum aminotransferases, histologic change and in situ apoptosis of cells were detected, the expression of inflammatory mediators were examined by real-time RT-PCR. The results indicated that MSC transplantation significantly reduced ConA-induced acute liver injury, including the decrease of the level of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and the extenuation of liver necrosis and in situ apoptosis. Furthermore, after MSC infusion the expression of TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma in liver decreased greatly (p<0.05) with no statistical difference in the expression of iNOS, IL-2 and IL-10 (p>0.05). It is concluded that the systemic infusion of MSCs can alleviate ConA induced acute liver injury in mice.
Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury ; therapy ; Concanavalin A ; adverse effects ; Interferon-gamma ; metabolism ; Interleukin-10 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-2 ; metabolism ; Liver ; pathology ; Male ; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II ; metabolism ; Treatment Outcome ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo define cut-off values of plasma amino-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-ProBNP) for the diagnosis of congenital heart failure (CHF) and evaluate the importance of plasma NT-ProBNP measurement in the assessment of cardiac function prior to heart surgery in infants with congenital heart disease (CHD).

METHODSPlasma levels of NT-proBNP were measured in 120 infants with CHD before heart surgery and in 100 age-matched healthy infants between June 2010 and June 2013. The data were stratified based on the presence or absence of CHF in the whole group of CHD infants and on age (i.e., <1 year and ≥1 year) and time (i.e., before surgery) within the subgroup of CHF infants.

RESULTSOf the 120 infants with CHD, 41 met the criteria for CHF defined in the Ross Classification for Heart Failure in Infants.The cut-off values of plasma NT-ProBNP were ≥498 ng/L for infants of all ages, 557 ng/L for <1 year age group and 452 ng/L for ≥1 year age group, respectively, in the 41 CHF patients. In CHF infants, plasma NT-proBNP was significantly decreased after protecting of cardiac function (P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONSThe cut-off values of plasma NT-ProBNP for CHF differ between infants <1 year and infants ≥1 year. Moreover, plasma NT-ProBNP can be used as an additional parameter in the preoperative assessment of cardiac function in CHD infants.

Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; blood ; Heart Failure ; blood ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain ; blood ; Peptide Fragments ; blood

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and safety of entecavir (ETV) as a long-term treatment in patients with lamivudine (LAM)-refractory chronic hepatitis B (CHB).

METHODSIn this phase II study of ETV-056, 32 CHB patients with resistance to LAM monotherapy were administered ETV at 1.0 mg/day and monitored over a period of 8 years. The virologic, serologic and biochemical responses were measured throughout the treatment course. Outcomes analysis was conducted according to intention-to-treat principles.

RESULTSAt baseline and treatment weeks 8, 12, 24, 48, 96, 144, 192, 240, and 420, the proportion of patients with HBV DNA less than 300 copies/ml was 0, 6.3% (2/32), 9.4% (3/32), 18.8% (6/32), 18.8%(6/32), 46.9% (15/32), 43.8% (14/32), 50.0% (16/32), 50.0% (16/32), and 62.5% (20/32). At treatment weeks 48, 96, 168, 192, 240, and 420, the proportion of patients experiencing virological breakthrough was 6.1% (2/32), 9.4% (3/32), 12.5% (4/32), 18.8%(6/32), 25.0%(8/32), and 28.1% (9/32). In the 8 year study period, 32.3% (10/31) of patients achieved HBs seroconversion and four patients achieved HBe seroconversion.

CONCLUSIONWhile treatment with 1.0 mg/day ETV for up to 8 years resulted in mild HBV DNA suppression and increase of HBeAg seroconversion, the safety profile of this therapy was good but the economic cost was high and virological breakthrough rates were high.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Antiviral Agents ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Drug Resistance, Viral ; Female ; Guanine ; adverse effects ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Lamivudine ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Failure ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult