BACKGROUND: Pioglitazone is a common hypoglycemic drug capable of improving proliferation and activation, and inhibiting apoptosis of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs). We speculated that the combined use of pioglitazone and EPCs transplantation could have significant improving effects on hyperglycemia and kidney function after diabetes mellitus.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the improving effect of EPCs transplantation combined with pioglitazone treatment on the kidney function of diabetic rat models.METHODS: The 15 of 75 Wistar rats were randomly selected and served as normal control group (no treatment). Animal models of type 1 diabetes mellitus were made in the rest 60 rats through the intraperitoneal injection of 40 mg/kg streptozotocin for continuous 5 days. The human EPCs (labeled by CM-Dil) were recovered, cultured and preserved until transplantation. After 4 weeks of modeling, the 60 rat models were randomly divided into model group (PBS injection), pioglitazone group, EPCs transplantation group and combined treatment group, followed by tail vein injection of EPCs suspension and/or intragastric administration of 20 mg/kg pioglitazone for continuous 4 days. After 8 weeks of treatment, the levels of glucose, insulin and creatinine in serum, urea nitrogen and urine protein during 24 hours were determined. The number and distribution of EPCs labeled by CM-Dil were detected by fluorescence microscope, the apoptosis in kidney cells was tested by TUNEL method, and the kidney weight/body weight ratio in rats was calculated.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Compared with the model group, the blood glucose and serum creatinine levels and the urea nitrogen and urine protein concentrations during 24 hours were significantly decreased (P < 0.05), and the seruminsulin level was significantly increased (P < 0.05) in the pioglitazone and EPCs transplantation groups. These biochemical indexes in the combined treatment group were more significantly altered compared with the model group (P< 0.01). The kidney weight to the body weight ratio was lowest in the combined treatment group and lower in the pioglitazone and EPCs transplantation groups followed by the model group (P < 0.05). The order of apoptotic kidney cells labeled by TUNEL was as follows: model group > pioglitazone group > EPCs transplantation group > combined treatment group (P < 0.05). To conclude, the EPCs transplantation combined with pioglitazone treatment can decrease the blood glucose and serum creatinine levels and urea nitrogen and urine protein concentrations, improve the serum insulin level, reduce cell apoptosis in the kidney, and remit the kidney dysfunction of diabetic rats to a certain extent.

Objective To discuss clinical significance on early diagnosis of brain injury in premature infants with multiple sequence joint inspection of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).Methods The brain MRI findings of 160 premature infants treated by Neonatal Intensive Care Unit were analyzed retrospectively.Results In 160 premature infants,brain injury occurred in 76 cases,the incidence of brain injury was 47.5％.Ischemic lesions were seen more in brain injury in premature infants,cerebral white matter injury was the most common,especially periventricular leukomalacia.Ischemic brain injury performed patchy or large sheet increased signal intensity on T1-weighted images(T1 WI),decreased signal intensity on T2-weighted images (T2WI) and obviously increased signal intensity on diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) in half egg circle center and around the lateral ventricle.Periventricular leukomalacia performed patchy decreased signal intensity on T1WI,increased signal intensity on T2WI and decreased signal intensity on DWI.Periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage was seen more in hemorrhagic lesions.Hemorrhage stove was performed different signal because of different bleeding time.MRI performance in acute phase was iso-signal or slightly decreased signal intensity on T1WI,increased signal intensity on T2WI,increased signal intensity on T1WI,slightly decreased signal intensity on T2WI in early subacute,increased signal intensity on T1 WI and T2WI in late subacute and obviously decreased signal intensity on magnetic sensitive weighted imaging.The detection rate of ischemic lesions by DWI was higher than the conventional MRI,and DWI could show cerebral white matter damage of premature infants much earlier than the conventional MRI.The detection rate of hemorrhage stove by susceptibility weighted imagingc (SWI) was higher than the conventional MRI (x2 =23.78,P ＜ 0.05),and SWI could show hemorrhagic lesions much earlier than conventional MRI (x2 =27.02,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions MRI,especially combined multiple sequence checking,could provide accurate imaging evidence for the early diagnosis of brain injury in premature infants.

Objective To analyze the risk factors for delayed gastric emptying (DGE) after pancreaticoduodenectomy.Methods Clinical data of 213 patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy at our hospital from January 1996 to December 2011 was retrospectively analyzed.Results The overall incidence of DGE was 40.8％ (87/213).The incidence of grade A,grade B and grade C DGE was 14.1％ (30/213),14.5 ％ (31/213) and 12.2％ (31/213) respectively.Median postoperative hospital stay was significantly prolonged in patients with DGE:30.5,32 and 61 days for grade A,B and C respectively versus 21 days in patients without DGE (x2 =66.171,P =0.000).Univariate analysis showed that operation time (≥420 min),intraoperative blood loss (≥ 1000 ml),Child alimentary reconstruction and pancreatic fistula were risk factors for postoperative DGE.Multivariate analysis using Logistic regression identified three variables as independent risk factors associated with postoperative DGE,namely,Child alimentary reconstruction (OR =2.098),intraoperative blood loss (≥ 1000 ml) (OR =2.525) and pancreatic fistula (OR =4.821).Grade C DGE was more frequently seen in patients suffering from postoperative pancreatic fistula.Conclusions The incidence of DGE after pancreaticoduodenectomy is still high.DGE prolongs the postoperative hospital stay significantly.The incidence of DGE could be reduced by Roux-en-Y reconstruction and reducing intraoperative blood loss.Postoperative pancreatic fistula is significantly associated with DGE,especially grade C DGE.

Objective To analyze the prevention and treatment of postoperative hemorrhage after pancreaticoduodenectomy. Methods The clinical data of 142 patients undergoing pancreaticoduedenectomy from Jan 1995 to Dec 2008 were retrospectively analyzed. Results The incidence of postoperative hemorrhage was 14.1% (20/142), the mortality caused by this complication was 35% (7/20). Among these patients, intra-abdominal hemorrhage occurred in seven cases, and gastrointestinal hemorrhage occurred in 14 cases, with one case suffering both. There were three and four cases of early and delayed intra-abdominal hemorrhage respectively. Early and delayed gastrointestinal hemorrhage occurred in three and eleven cases respectively. Univariate analysis showed that operative blood loss, blood transfusion, infection and pancreatic fistula were significantly associated with postoperative hemorrhage. Multivariate analysis using Logistic regression identified two variables as independent factors associated with postoperative hemorrhage, namely, infection(OR=6.918) and pancreatic fistula(OR=3.948). Conclusions The incidence and mortality of hemorrhage after pancreaticoduodenectomy is still high. Skillful operation and prevention of pancreatic fistula, infection and stress ulcer are the key paints for reducing postoperative hemorrhage. Proper treatments should be used according to the site, onset and severity of hemorrhage.

Objective To investigate the significance of tumor markers CEA and CA19-9 in predicting the clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis of primary duodenal carcinoma.Methods A retrospective analysis of 110 cases with primary duodenal carcinoma treated in our hospital from January 1999 to December 2016 was conducted.ROC analysis,univariate and multivariate analysiswere performed to investigate the relationship between CEA,CA19-9 and the clinicopathologic characteristics of primary duodenal carcinoma.Kaplain-Meier method was used to analyze the relationship between CEA and CA19-9 and the prognosis of primary duodenal carcinoma.Results CEA level was of value for predicting the depth of infiltration,lymphatic involvement,metastasis and TNM stage.The receiver operating characteristic was 0.629,0.672,0.749,0.692 respectively.Univariate analysis showed serum CA19-9 lever was related to the depth of infiltration and serum CEA lever were related to tumor differentiation,lymphatic invasion,metastasis and TNM stage.Logistic analysis showed that CEA value was only associated with metastasis (OR:9.853,P ＜ 0.01).Patients with elevated serum CEA level had a significant worse prognosis than patients with normal serum CEA level (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Serum CEA level was closely associated with the clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis of primary duodenal carcinoma.

Objective To explore the effects of atorvastatin on inflammatory factors(hs-CRP,TNF-αand IL-6 levels )of coronary heart disease. Methods 160 patients with coronary artery disease were selected which were treated in Nanyang Municipal Central Hospital from January 2010 to July 2014.The 160 CHD patients were divided into two groups using the random number table method.On the basis of conventional treatment,patients of the experimental group were given atorvastatin,but the patients of control group were given only the other conventional treatment.Patients of two groups were tested about inflammatory factors before treatment and after two months treatment,and then analyzed and compared.Results It had no statistically significant difference on hs-CRP,TNF-αand IL-6 levels in patients of the two groups before treatment;it had statistically significant difference on hs-CRP,TNF-αand IL-6 levels in patients of the two groups of two months after treatment(P<0.05 );differences on hs-CRP,TNF-αand IL-6 levels of patients between pre-treatment and after treatment of two months in the experimental group were statistically significant (P<0.05 );however,it was opposite in the control group.Conclusion Atorvastatin could significantly reduce the levels of inflammatory factors(hs-CRP、TNF-αand IL-6)of patients with coronary artery disease.It has important clinical value.

Objective To analyze the risk factors for pancreatic fistula after pancreaticoduodenectomy.Methods Clinical data of 351 patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy in our hospital from Jan 2001 to Dec 2015 were retrospectively analyzed.Results The overall incidence of pancreatic fistula was 20.2％ (71/351),with grade A in 34 (9.7％) patients,grade B in 25 (7.1％),and grade C in 12 (3.4％).Postoperative hospital stay was significantly prolonged in patients with grade B and C pancreatic fistula.Multivariate analysis using Logistic regression identified three variables as independent factors associated with pancreatic fistula,namely,BMI (OR =2.281),preoperative total bilirubin level (OR =2.180) and soft pancreatic texture (OR =3.653).Preoperative total bilirubin level (OR =2.684),soft pancreatic texture (OR =5.128) and postoperative hemorrhage (OR =9.030) were independent risk factors of grade B and C pancreatic fistula after pancreaticoduodenectomy.Conclusions The incidence of pancreatic fistula after pancreaticoduodenectomy is still high.Pancreatic fistula prolongs the postoperative hospital stay significantly.The incidence of grade B and C pancreatic fistula could be reduced by avoiding postoperative hemorrhage.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of tacrolimus exposure in stable liver transplant recipients converted from FK506 twice a day to Advagraf (tacrolimus extended-release capsules) once daily. Methods This was an open-label, random, control and multi-center study.Eligible patients were 19 to 70 years of age, 6 months post-transplant with stable renal and hepatic function and receiving stable doses of tacrolimus twice a day for 2 weeks prior to enrollment. There were 86 patients in the experimental group and the control group, separately. The average age of experimental group and control group was 46 ± 10 and 49 ± 9, respectively. Patients in experimental group received Advagraf, once daily, and the dose was adjusted according to the drug concentration,and the drug concentration was between 2 to 10 μg/L. The control group given tacrolimus, twice daily, and the drug concentration was between 2 to 10 μg/L. Results The incidence of acute rejection reaction was 1.20 % and 1.18 % respectively in experimental group and control group, and the 95 %confidence interval was -3.25% ～3.31 % and -3.26% ～ 3.34 %, individually. There was 1 case of acute rejection reaction in experimental group and control group, respectively. The patient and organ survival rate was 100%. Sixteen adverse events occurred in 15 patients (17.65 %) of the experimental group, and 10 adverse events occurred in 10 patients (11.63 %) of control group. Severe adverse events relating to the test drug in experimental group occurred in 4 patients (4. 71 %). and 2 patients (2. 33) in control group.Conclision Clinical trials indicated that Advagraf has efficacy and safety profiles similar to those of tacrolimus. The drug is safe and may improve patient compliance.

Objective:To compare the clinical effects of microwave ablation (MWA) and surgical resection in the treatment of small hepatocellular carcinoma(SHCC).Methods:Sixty five SHCC patients with intact clinical data, treated in the Center of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Peking University People's Hospital between Feb 2005 and Aug 2012, were enrolled in this study. Among them, 30 patients were treated by MWA, and the other 35 by hepatectomy. Follow-up was conducted from Mar 2013 to Feb 2021. The differences in long-term survival, intraoperative blood loss, operative time, postoperative complications, performance status (PS), and postoperative hospital stay were compared between the two groups.Results:The survival probability at 1, 3, 5 and 10 years was 93.2%, 82.5%, 55.6% and 41.2%, respectively, in the MWA group, and 97.1%, 82.6%, 67.2% and 48.3%, in the resection group ( P=0.347). The MWA group had less perioperative complications, less blood loss, shorter operation time, better PS score and better hospital stay than the surgical resection group (all P<0.001).There was no statistically significant difference in the survival rate between BCLC stage 0~A1 and A2~A4 patients( P=0.773, 0.536). Conclusions:Microwave ablation in the treatment of small hepatocellular carcinoma can achieve similar results as hepatectomy with less traumatic,better postoperative PS score and shorter postoperative hospital stay.

Objective To investigate the effect of FAM83A on the stem cell-like phenotype, chemosensitivity and radiosensitivity of PANC-1 cells, aiming to provide new ideas for clinical combination therapy of pancreatic cancer. Methods The PANC-1 cells with stable silencing FAM83A were constructed by using lentivirus and validated by qPCR and Western blot. Flow cytometry was used to detect the number of CD133 positive cells and cellular apoptosis; the sphere formation assay was used to test the ability of sphere formation of PANC-1 cells;the effect of gecitabine on the cell viability was detected by MTT assay;the effect of radiation on the proliferation of PANC-1 cells was detected by colony formation assay; the effect of FAM83A on Wnt/β-catenin pathway was examined by Western blot. Results The expressions of FAM83A protein ( 0.83 ± 0.08 ) and mRNA ( 0.29 ± 0.03 ) in PANC-1 cells with stable silencing FAM83A were significantly lower than those in the scrambled control group, respectively (1.95 ± 0.19, 0.98 ± 0.09;t=9.410, 12.600, P<0.05). After silencing FAM83A, the expression of stem cell marker CD133 (8.97 ± 0.62) and the sphere formation ability (8 ± 1) also decreased significantly compared with the scrambled group, respectively (21.60 ± 2.60, 25 ± 3; t=8.184, 9.311, P<0.05), and the stem cell-like phenotype of PANC-1 cells was also significantly inhibited. When PANC-1 cells were silenced by FAM83A and further treated with 50 μmol/L gecitabine at 72 h, the activity of FAM83A-silenced PANC-1 cells (32.33 ± 3.05)％ was significantly lower than that of the gecitabine alone treated group (63.06 ± 5.98)％ (t=6.378, P<0.05), and the apoptosis rate of FAM83A-silenced PANC-1 cells (76.52 ± 8.34) ％ was significantly higher than that of gemcitabine alone group (40.88 ± 4.91)％(t=7.929, P<0.05). After silencing FAM83A combined with IR irradiation, the activity of PANC-1 cells (43.25 ±4.21)％ was significantly lower than that of IR alone (78.13 ± 7.98)％ (t=6.694, P<0.05), and the apoptosis rate (44.56 ± 5.32)％ was significantly increased compared with IR alone (15.15 ±1.95)％ (t = 8.990, P < 0.05). After silencing FAM83A, the expression of Active-β-catenin was significantly decreased while the expression of p-β-catenin was significantly increased, the expression of β-catenin in the nucleus was significantly reduced, although total β-catenin had no significant change, and the activity of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway was significantly inhibited. Conclusions Silencing FAM83A could significantly reduce the stem cell-like traits and enhance the chemosensitivity and radiosensitivity of pancreatic cancer cells to gemcitabine and radiation via Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, which may provide a new target for targeted and combination therapy of pancreatic cancer.