Differentiated somatic cells can be directly reprogrammed into induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells in vitro. Similarly to embryonic stem (ES) cells, iPS cells have pluripotency to differentiate into all cell types and capability to self-renew themselves indefinitely. Without immune rejection and ethical issues, patient-specific iPS cells promise to be an ideal tool for regenerative medicine, drug screening, and toxicity testing.
Humans ; Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

OBJECTIVETo explore the dose-effect relationship between premature chromosome condensation induced by Calyculin A and irradiation dose.

METHODSThe human peripheral blood was irradiated by (137)Cs gamma radial. The irradiation dose included 0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0 Gy. The premature chromosome condensation induced by Calyculin A was observed, and dyed by centromeric banding.

RESULTSThere was the quadratic relation between the total aberration, fragment, dicentric+centric ring (dic+r) ration and irradiation dose.

CONCLUSIONPremature chromosome condensation induced by Calyculin A can be used as a biodosimetry.

Cell Line ; Chromosome Aberrations ; radiation effects ; Chromosome Banding ; Chromosomes ; radiation effects ; Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation ; Female ; Gamma Rays ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; radiation effects ; Male ; Oxazoles ; pharmacology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Songling Xuemaikang Capsule (, SXC) for the treatment of primary hypertension.

METHODSAn extensive search including Cochrane Library, PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP), KoreaMed, Japanese database, and online clinical trial registry websites was performed up to February 2013. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) regarding SXC for the treatment of primary hypertension were searched without no language restrictions. The quality of each trial was assessed according to the Cochrane Reviewers' Handbook 5.0, and RevMan 5.0 provided by the Cochrane Collaboration.

RESULTA total of 17 RCTs involving 1,778 patients were included. Meta-analysis showed that there was no significant difference between SXC and antihypertensive agents on systolic blood pressure [mean difference (MD): -0.10 [-4.83, 4.63]; P=0.97] and diastolic blood pressure (MD: 1.00 [-1.16, 3.16]; P=0.36), but SXC combined with antihypertensive drugs was more effective in lowering systolic blood pressure (MD: -6.17 [-7.86, -4.49]; P<0.00001) and diastolic blood pressure (MD: -7.24 [-8.62, -5.85]; P<0.00001) compared with the antihypertensive drugs alone.

CONCLUSIONSSXC used alone or combined with antihypertensive drugs appear to be an effective treatment for lowering elevated blood pressure and improving symptoms in patients with primary hypertension. However, the conclusion cannot be drawn definitely due to the poor quality of the included studies. There is still an urgent need for well-designed, long-term studies to address the benefits of SXC for treating primary hypertension.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antihypertensive Agents ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Capsules ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Essential Hypertension ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; drug therapy ; epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; statistics & numerical data ; Treatment Outcome

In the management of public hospital,there are many methods to supervise,mainly divided into exter-nal supervision and internal management,aiming to improve the quality of medical management.With the develop-ment and progress of society,many hospitals are not only ensuring medical quality,but also continuously improving patients'humanistic care during medical treatment.As non-medical professionals,external supervisors,from the perspective of bystanders,provide reasonable suggestions to hospitals,which can help them better improve their medical experience during the medical service process.

OBJECTIVETo investigate pulmonary function impairment and the spinal factors that may determine pulmonary function in patients with scoliosis.

METHODSSeventy-eight patients with idiopathic scoliosis or congenital scoliosis and 78 age- and gender-matched healthy subjects were enrolled in this study. The radiographic parameters of spinal deformity were obtained from patients with scoliosis. Both two groups received pulmonary function tests.

RESULTSPatients with scoliosis demonstrated a restrictive pattern of pulmonary function impairment with a proportional decrease in both forced expiratory volume in one second and forced vital capacity. Total lung capacity and functional residual capacity were reduced. Carbon monoxide diffusion capacity was decreased, while diffusion coefficient remained normal or slightly higher. Airway resistance and conductance were not affected. In addition, airway resistance and residual volume were found abnormal in patients with congenital scoliosis. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that three spinal factors including involved thoracic vertebrae, vertical height from C7 to S1, and Cobb angle were independently responsible for 40%-51% of total variances of forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in one second, total lung capacity, and functional residual capacity.

CONCLUSIONSPatients with scoliosis have restrictive ventilation defects. More thoracic vertebrae involvement, lower vertical height, and larger Cobb angle are associated with severer impairment of lung volume.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Lung ; physiopathology ; Male ; Radiography ; Scoliosis ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical features, laboratory findings, diagnosis and treatment, and prognosis of children with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) accompanied by pulmonary hypertension (PH).

METHODSThe clinical symptoms, laboratory findings, echocardiographic features, SLE disease activity index, and treatment outcome of 15 hospitalized children with SLE accompanied by PH were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTSAmong the 15 patients, the median interval from diagnosis of SLE to diagnosis of PH was 0.1 year (range: 0-6.5 years). Aside from PH-related symptoms, Raynaud's phenomenon was observed in 6 (40%) of the 15 patients. There was no significant difference in SLE disease activity (evaluated by complements 3 and 4 levels, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and positive rate of anti-double-stranded DNA) between patients with mild-to-moderate PH and those with severe PH (P<0.05). As for treatment, 13 patients received immunosuppressive therapy with glucocorticoids, and among them 2 patients received PH-targeted therapy. During a median follow-up of 8.0 years (range: 0.5-18.1 years) since the diagnosis of PH, 2 deaths were noted with class III or IV cardiac function (World Health Organization), while the other patients were in a stable condition.

CONCLUSIONSRaynaud's phenomenon is a common clinical manifestation in children with SLE accompanied by pulmonary hypertension (PH). PH severity is not significantly associated with SLE disease activity, and thus greater focus should be placed upon early screening of pulmonary arterial pressure in SLE patients. Early diagnosis and early treatment can improve the prognosis of children with SLE.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; complications ; drug therapy ; Infant ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; complications ; drug therapy ; Male

OBJECTIVETo explore the feasibility of therapeutic angiogenesis in myocardial infarction induced by hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) mediated by ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction.

METHODSForty Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups after the models of myocardial infarction were established: HGF + ultrasound + microbubble (HGF + US/MB) groups, HGF and ultrasound (HGF + US) group, HGF and microbubble (HGF + MB) group, and surgery alone (SA) group. Ultrasound-targeted destruction microbubble loaded with HGF gene with ECG trigger was performed in HGF + US group. Microbubble loaded with HGF gene was infused intravenously in HGF + MB group, and normal saline were infused in SA group. All rats were killed 14 days after transfection. The CD34 expression was detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC), and microvessel density (MVD) was counted in high power field. The HGF expression on myocardium was detected by ELISA, and the correlation between the contents of HGF and MVD in myocardium was analyzed.

RESULTSIHC results showed that CD34 expressions, shown as brown granules, were located on the membrane and endochylema of vascular endothelial cells. The MVD in HGF + US/MB group [ (266.9 +/- 39.8) /HPF] were highest among all the groups. The contents of HGF in myocardium were highest in HGF + US/MB group [(5.54 +/- 0.81) ng/g], and the contents of HGF in anterior wall were significantly higher than those in posterior wall (P < 0.05); the difference was also significant when compared with others groups (P < 0.01). The correlation analysis showed the contents of HGF was positively correlated with MVD in myocardium.

CONCLUSIONUltrasound-targeted microbubble destruction can effectively deliver HGF into the infracted myocardium and facilitate angiogenesis, which provides a novel way in the gene therapy of myocardial infarction.

Animals ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Hepatocyte Growth Factor ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Microbubbles ; Microvessels ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Myocardial Infarction ; diagnostic imaging ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Ultrasonics ; Ultrasonography

BACKGROUNDNonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has emerged as the major cause of chronic liver injury. Intestinal barrier plays an important role in the pathogenis of NAFLD. The aim of this article was to assess intestinal immune barrier function during the development of NAFLD.

METHODSTotally 60 male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into 2 groups: normal diet (ND) group and high-fat diet (HFD) group. NAFLD rat model was established in the HFD rat group. Portal blood endotoxin level was assessed by limulus test. The percentage of CD4+ cells and CD8+ cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and lymphocytes in Peyer's patches (PP) were analysed by flow cytometry. Intestinal secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA) level was evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Paired Student's t test was used for the statistic analysis.

RESULTSHFD rats presented with simple steatosis at the 4th and 8th week and progressed to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis at the 12th week. Elevated lipopolysaccharides (LPS) level in HFD rats was observed at the 8th week ((1.54 ± 0.30) times of ND group, P < 0.01). CD4/CD8 ratios in PBMC and PP of HFD rats were increased at the 4th week ((1.50 ± 0.47) and (1.63 ± 0.34) times of ND group, P < 0.05) and decreased at the 8th week ((0.50 ± 0.16) and (0.61 ± 0.26) times of ND group, P < 0.05). At the 12th week, CD4/CD8 ratio ((1.47 ± 0.46) times, P < 0.05) in PP increased to levels observed in the 4th week. Intestinal SIgA expression of HFD rats was remarkably up-regulated at 12th week ((2.70 ± 1.65) times, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONLiver-gut axis in rats with NAFLD may mediate and improve intestinal immune function by increased CD4/CD8 ratio in PP and increased production of SIgA.

Animals ; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; immunology ; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; immunology ; Diet, High-Fat ; adverse effects ; Disease Models, Animal ; Fatty Liver ; chemically induced ; etiology ; immunology ; Immunoglobulin A, Secretory ; immunology ; Intestines ; immunology ; Male ; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Objective To describe the distribution and related risk factors of lipodystrophy (LD) among AIDS patients treated with antiretroviral drugs.Methods A cross-sectional study was performed on 261 AIDS patients treated with antiretroviral drugs.All the subjects were followed in the Center for Disease Control and Prevention of two counties in northern Anhui province from May 25 to 30,2012.Data related to demography,physical examination,history of antiretroviral treatment,HIV plasma viral load,and CD4 +T cell count were collected.Clinical examination was based on an assessment of changes in face,legs,arms,buttocks (peripheral sites),back,chest,neck or abdomen or change in waist size (central sites) as quoted by the clinicians.Results LD was observed in 147 (56.3％) patients.The differences of age,gender,quality of sleep,weight and time of treatment between LD and non-lipodystrophy (NLD) groups were statistically significant (P＜0.05).Results from the Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of women suffering from LD was 1.894 times ofthd males (95％CI:1.075-3.338).The risk of those with LD showed an 1.448-fold increase regarding the time of treatment for each additional year (95％CI:1.267-1.654).Patients with poor quality of sleep were prone to LD with 11.901 times more than those with good quality of sleep (95％CI:2.701-52.441).Conclusion LD was commonly observed in AIDS patients who were under antiretroviral therapy.Gender,tine of treatment and the quality of sleep appeared the main factors related to the results of observation.

OBJECTIVEStudy on quality of life of asymptomatic HIV infected persons with traditional Chinese medical, which can provide the clinical basis for improving the quality of life.

METHODThis study applied a randomized, double-blind, and placeb-parallel control designed method to select 1 200 persons in the asymptomatic period of HIV infection as the subjects. The subjects were randomly divided into the treatment group and the control group at the ratio of about 2:1. According to the results of monthly differential diagnosis of TCM, the test group and the control group were given homologue Chinese drugs preparations and model Chinese drugs. The total study period was 18 months. Using PRO scale and the world health organization AIDS determination of quality of life short scale form (WHOQOL-HIV-BREF) to investigate asymptomatic HIV infected persons, according to different times, we calculated the total score and each domain score of quality of life of the treatment group and control group, we did statistical analysis.

RESULTForm the PRO scale,we can see that the treatment group showed a trend of stability, compared with the control group with significant statistical difference (P < 0.05) after 6 months; from the WHOQOL-HIV scale analysis, we can see that compared with before treatment, the quality of life of the treatment group was increased, the difference was significant (P < 0.05), but the quality of life of the control quality of life was decreased, the differences was significant (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONDialectical therapy of Chinese medicine can significantly improve the patient's quality of life, which can provide the basis for the prevention and control policy formulation and implementation with asymptomatic HIV infected persons.

Asymptomatic Diseases ; Follow-Up Studies ; HIV Infections ; therapy ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Quality of Life ; Treatment Outcome