Hypercholesterolemia and coronary heart disease caused by it have become the most important factors threatening human health. The lipid metabolism-related studies are increasingly receiving attention. Recent studies have demonstrated that proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), a family member of precursor protein-converting enzyme, plays an important role in the regulation of lipid metabolism. The expression and mutation of PCSK9 gene are closely correlated with the content of low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR). The excessive expression of PCSK9 promotes the degradation of LDLR, thereby increasing the levels of plasma LDL; whereas the inhibition of PCSK9 gene expression causes the decreased levels of plasma LDL. Therefore, it is promising to develop novel medications for treating hypercholesterolemia, controlling hyperlipermia and preventing coronary heart disease by studying the mechanism of PCSK9.

Objective To evaluate the prognostic role of bispectral index (BIS) monitoring in patients after cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in the intensive care unit (ICU).Methods Thirtythree adult patients after CPR were enrolled and divided into survived group and non - survived group as per 7-day survival.During their stay in the ICU,BIS and SaO2 (saturation of artery oxygen) levels of all the patients were continuously monitored.The neurological status of the patients was measured with Glasgow coma scale (GCS).Acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ ( APACHE Ⅱ ) was used to evaluate the patient condition. SjO2 (saturation of jugular bulb venous oxygen ) levels of 23 patients were continuously monitored and then the difference in values between SaO2 and SjO2 was calculated to show oxygen metabolism in the brain. The studied variables were compared between the two groups. The correlations between BIS values and GCS scores,and between BIS and APACHE Ⅱ scores were respectively analyzed. Results The BIS values and difference in values between the SaO2 and SjO2 were significantly higher in the patients of survived group than those in the patients of non-survived group (P ＜0.01 ).There were positive correlation between BIS and GCS (r =0.821,P ＜ 0.01 ) and as well as positive correlation between BIS and APACHE- Ⅱ ( r =0.434,P ＜ 0.05 ).Conclusions The BIS may be useful to predict the post - resuscitative outcome of patients after cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Adenocarcinoma ; secondary ; therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Bone Neoplasms ; secondary ; therapy ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; secondary ; therapy ; Cisplatin ; administration & dosage ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Cyclophosphamide ; administration & dosage ; Doxorubicin ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives ; Finger Phalanges ; surgery ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Ifosfamide ; administration & dosage ; Lung Neoplasms ; pathology ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Radiotherapy, Conformal

Objective To examine the relationship of heparanase expression and age, clinicopathological features and prognosis of ovarian cancer patients. Methods Forty-one ovarian cancer specimens, from the patients admitted to the 3 hospitals of our university during the period of Jan 2003 to Nov 2005, were of serous carcinoma (22 cases) and mucous carcinoma (10 cases) and other types (9 cases), of which 16 were well and moderately differentiated and 25 poorly differentiated. Ten specimens of normal ovarian tissues were taken as normal controls. The heparanase expression was detected in all specimens and its relationship with histologic type, differentiation, FIGO stage and prognosis of the ovarian cancer was analyzed. Results The positive rate of heparanase expression was 80.48% in ovarian cancer tissues and 10.00% in normal ovarian tissues (P

Animals ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Myocarditis ; metabolism ; virology ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Osteopontin ; metabolism ; Virus Diseases ; metabolism

ObjectiveTo evaluate prognostic factors affecting local tumor progression after radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).MethodsA total of 246 HCC patients (343 lesions) underwent RFA treatment in our department and were enrolled into this study.The average tumor size was 3.7 cm ( range 0.9 ～ 3.7 cm).Regular follow-up with enhanced CT was performed to evalutate the treatment results.Kaplan-Meier model and log-rank test were used in univariate analysis and COX regression model was used in multivariate analysis to identify risk factors for local tumor progression.ResultsThe local tumor progression rate was 11.4％ (39/343 lesions),and the average time from initial RFA to local tumor progression was 12.0 months.Univariate analysis indicated tumor size ( P ＜0.001 ),close to intrahepatic vessels ( P ＜0.001),tumor boundary ( P =0.020),pathological grade( P =0.010) and CEUS before RFA ( P =0.001) as risk factors for local progression.The following factors were identified as independent prognostic factors for local tumor progression by multivariate model:tumor size (P ＜ 0.001),isolated or close to intrahepatic vessels( P ＜0.001) and CEUS before RFA(P =0.018).ConclusionsTumor size,CEUS before RFA and close to intrahepatic vessels are the most important factors for local progression after RFA.Being awaring of possible risk factors for local tumor progression may increase the treatment efficacy and help to promote the use of RFA technique.

BACKGROUND:Currently,there is not a standard method for in vitro culture and large scale amplification of umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells(UCB-MSCs).OBJECTIVE:To investigate the isolation,purification and culture of UCB-MSCs in vitro,and to detect its surface marker variation.METHODS:The monocytes were harvested from UCB using 1.077 g/cm3 lymphocytes separating solution and density gradient centrifugation,followed by incubation in an incubator containing 5%CO2 at 37℃.The cell morphological changes were observed at different time points and the expression of surface marker was detected using flow cytometry.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The monocytes isolated from the UCB grew initially into numerous hematopoietic cell clones,most of which were granulocyte/macrophage colony-forming units and burst forming unit-erithroid,increasing by(37.1±2.3)and (10.4±1.7),respectively.Switzerland staining showed most of them were granulocyte clones(80,1±85.2)%,next was erythroid clones(14.2±1.8)%.At 7 days after culture,some shuttle fibroblast-like cells and fiat osteogenic-like cell spread the whole plastic well.At 14 days after culture,flow cytometry showed CD38+ cells accounted for 1.64%,and CD34+/CD38+ cells accounted for 1,71%,and CD34+/CD38- were 0.55%.PI+ and Annexin-V+ cells accounted for 0.05% and 0.18% respectively.At 21 days after culture,CD38+,CD34+/CD38+ and CD34+/CD38- cells were 74.32%,1.61%,and 0.24%.The results reveled that UCB-MSCs can be isolated and cultured in vitro.

BACKGROUND: Stem cells are relatively primitive cells possessing the capabilities of self-renewal, high proliferation and multi-potential differentiation in vivo under certain conditions. Pancreatic stem cells and umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) may serve therapeutic purpose clinically, but they are still difficult to culture in vitro at present.OBJECTIVE: To explore the method for isolation, purification and culture of pancreatic stem cells and umbilical cord blood MSCs in vitro and observe their morphological changes during culture in vitro.DESIGN: Completely randomized experiment with repeated measurement.SETTING: Stem Cell Research Center, Teaching and Research Division of Physiology, Medical School of Zhengzhou University.MATERIALS: This experiment was conducted in the Stem Cell Research Center, Teaching and Research Division of Physiology, Medical College of Zhengzhou University, between April 2004 and January 2005. Ten to fifteen newborn SD rats (1-3 days) were selected for culture in vitro of pancreatic stem cells, and fresh umbilical cord blood was collected from healthy woman (24-35 years old, with informed consent) at full-term delivery for culture in vitro of umbilical blood SMCs.METHODS: The abdomen of the newborn SD rat was opened under aseptic condition to obtain the pancreas, which was cut into small tissue blocks and digested with type-V collagenase for islet isolation. The isolated islets were purified in continuous roller-bottle culture. Umbilical cord blood was freshly collected for isolating the monocytes by means of density gradient centrifugation in lymphocyte separation medium (with density of 1.077 g/cm3). The islet cells and umbilical cord blood monocytes were cultured in the incubator at 37 ℃ with 5% CO2. The morphological changes of the cells were observed at designed time points and flow cytometry was used to determine the expression of cell surface molecules.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The isolation and culture of pancreatic stem cells and umbilical cord blood MSCs, and their morphological changes during culture in vitro.RESULTS: During culture in vitro, the fusiform islet progenitor cells showed adherent polar growth and continuous proliferation, which covered the whole bottom of the flask after 12-14 days and could be subcultured for passages. However round cells appeared after removal of the growth factor and serum in the culture medium. The monocytes isolated from the umbilical cord blood grew initially into numerous hematopoietic cell clones, most of which proved to be granulocyte clones by Switzerland staining. Seven days later, flat flask wall-adhering epithelial cells and long fusiform fibroblasts were observed mixed with a number of osteoclasts. As the cell culture was prolonged, the cell number increased steadily.CONCLUSION: Pancreatic stem cells and umbilical cord blood SMCs can be cultured in vitro for further experiments.

Background Central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) is a common retinal vascular disease.Intravitreal injection of ranibizumab, a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) antibody, is being a useful approach to the treatment of macular edema secondary to CRVO.However,little literature about choroidal thickness variations following intravitreal injection of ranibizumab for CRVO is published up to now.Objective This study was to observe the dynamic changes of macular choroidal thickness after intravitreal injection of ranibizumab in CRVO eyes.Methods A self-controlled series cases study was designed.Thirty-one eyes of 31 CRVO patients were included in Tianjin Eye Hospital from June 2013 to November 2014,with the males 19 and females 12 and mean age of (51.13±16.65) years.Ranibizumab (5 mg,5 ml) was intravitreally injected in the CRVO eyes once per month for 3 times by the same operator.A enhanced depth image (EDI) mode of spectral-domain OCT system was employed to measure the choroidal thickness at subfoveal, 1 mm from fovea nasal and 1 mm from fovea temporal before and 1 month,2,3 months after first injection in both CRVO eyes and contralateral healthy eyes, respectively.The best LogMAR vision was recored.This research protocol was approved by the Ethic Committee of this hospital, and written informed consent was obtained from each individual prior to any medical examination.Results Retinal bleeding was exhibited in the CRVO eyes in color photography,and fundus fluorescein angiography showed the fluorescine leakege in the early phase and fluorescine accummulation in the late phase.The mean choroidal theckness value was (325.32±83.04) , (294.83±80.61), (315.95±90.77) and (314.81±84.98) μm before injection and 1,2,3 months after injection,respectively,showing a significantly difference among various time points (F =7.96,P =0.00) , and the choroidal theckness values were evidently reduced in various time points after injection in comparison with before injection (P =0.01,0.01,0.00).The choroidal thickness value at foveal was (314.81±84.98) μm in the CRVO eyes 3 months after injection,and that in the fellow eyes was (260.47±55.90) ,with significant difference between them (t =2.95, P =0.01).The LogMAR vision was 0.17±0.09,0.37±0.23,0.42±0.26 and 0.49±0.21 before and 1,2,3 months after injection,with the significant difference among various time points (F =21.50, P =0.00) and showed considerable improvement after intravitreal injection of ranibizumab(all at P＜0.01).The mean retinal thickness value was (244.14-±23.28) μm in the fellow eyes, and those in 1 month, 2,3 months after injection were (523.81 ± 147.61), (352.13 ± 166.71),(376.39±209.46) and (369.00±225.61) μm in the CRVO eyes, showing obvious reduce after intravitreal injection, with significant difference among different time points (F =7.09, P＜0.01).Conclusions Choroidal thickness at macular fovea is obviously increased in CRVO eyes compared with the contralateral healthy eyes.Intravitreal injection of ranibizumab can reduce choroidal thickness and therefore improve vision.EDI OCT is available in the evaluation of dynamic change of choroidal thickness.Macular choroidal thickness could be used as a predictor of CRVO prognosis following intravitreal ranibizumab.

To report a boy with reflex seizures induced by micturition.He suffered from seizures during micturition for four yesrs.The clinical symptoms consisted of head backwards,limbs dithering,sometimes accompanying tumble.During the episodes of the seizure,his consciousness did not lose.Few seizures showed only eyes up-staring for several seconds.The livelong process of micturition was often interrupted by seizures for several times.When he finished or stoped micturition,the seizures did not occur again.His seizures could not be induced by free of micturition or other stimulative factors.The interictal EEGs showed that background asymmetry manifested as the lower amplitude and irregular rhythm in the left hemisphere,sharp or sharp and waves in right hemisphere,especially mid and back temporal.There also had sharp,spike,and spike and waves in many regions of double spheres in interictal EEGs.The other assistant check-ups were normal.while this disease was infrenquncy,it would be worthy to regard.