OBJECTIVEThrombin and factor Xa are key players in the process of arterial thrombi formation and lectin-like oxidized low density lipoprotein receptor-1 (LOX-1) is a cell surface endocytosis receptor for atherogenic oxidized LDL (ox-LDL). Here we investigate whether thrombin and factor Xa can induce LOX-1 protein expressions in cell-associated forms and soluble forms in cultured bovine aortic smooth muscle cells (BSMCs).

METHODSBSMCs were treated with thrombin or factor Xa in the presence or absence of AG1478, an epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor-associated tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Total cell lysates and concentrated culture medium were then analyzed by Western blot using a mouse anti-LOX-1 monoclonal antibody.

RESULTSLOX-1 protein levels in cell lysates and culture medium were significantly increased by thrombin and factor Xa in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Upregulation of LOX-1 protein expressions in cell lysates and concentrated culture medium was observed at concentrations above 2.0 and 3.0 U/ml of thrombin and 50 and 100 nmol/L of factor Xa, respectively. Increased LOX-1 protein expressions in cell lysates and cell culture medium were detectable as early as 4 h and peaked at 12 h after treatment with thrombin or factor Xa. LOX-1 expression induced by thrombin and factor Xa could be blocked by pretreatment with AG1478.

CONCLUSIONSThrombin and factor Xa can act as LOX-1 inducers via tyrosine kinase activation.

Animals ; Atherosclerosis ; pathology ; Cattle ; Cells, Cultured ; Factor Xa ; pharmacology ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Scavenger Receptors, Class E ; biosynthesis ; Thrombin ; pharmacology

Objective:To retrospectively analyze the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signal differences between prostate cancer,benign prostatic hyperplasia,and normal prostate,and to explore the value of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) in prostate cancer grading.Methods:Forty cases of prostate cancer and eleven cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia in Zhongshan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University between January 2013 to March 2014 were enrolled,which were all confirmed by surgery or biopsy.At the same time,20 normal cases were arranged as the control group,which were healthy volunteers.All the patients and volunteers were obtained informed consent.The T2WI signal intensity,T1 WI signal intensity (including unenhanced,arterial and venous phase) and ADC value of the three groups were compared after MRI and magnetic resonance diffusion weighted imaging (DWI).Then the correlation between ADC value of prostate cancer and Gleason score was analyzed to determine the critical value of ADC in the identification of high-risk and low-risk prostate cancer.Results:In terms of T2WI signal intensity and ADC values,there were significant differences among the three groups (P＜0.05).In terms of T1 WI signal intensity,only the difference of dynamic and venous phase in central gland of normal prostate was significantly different from that in prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia (P＜0.05),with the former higher than the latter two.The ADC value of prostate cancer was negatively correlated with Gleason score (r=-0.401,P=0.010).The higher the Gleason score,the smaller the ADC value.When the critical value of ADC was 0.70 × 10-3 rm2/s,the sensitivity of identifying low/intermediate-risk group and high-risk group for prostate cancer was 96.4％,and the specificity was 58.3％.Conclusions:T2WI signal intensity and ADC value can be used to identify prostate cancer,benign prostatic hyperplasia,and normal prostate.T2WI signal differences of dynamic and venous phase also have a certain reference value.The ADC value of prostate cancer is related to Gleason score,suggesting that it may be used for grading the clinical risk of prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy of mitoxantrone combined high dose of cytarabine and recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (MAG) regimen for mobilizing autologous peripheral blood stem cells (APBSC) in patients with hematopoietic malignancies.

METHODSFrom December 1995 to April 2003, 14 lymphoma and 29 acute leukemia patients were treated with high-dose cytarabine (2 g/m2 every 12 h, days 1 and 2) and mitoxantrone (10 mg/m2, days 2 and 3), followed by 300 microgram recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor per day (rhG-CSF 300 microg/d) i.e, the MAG regimen as mobilization regimen of peripheral blood stem cells. rhG-CSF was given subcutaneously when the white blood cell (WBC) count below 1.0 x 10(9)/L following the MA chemotherapy, APBSC were harvested when WBC count increased using Baxter CS3000plus or Cobe Spectra.

RESULTSMobilization was successful in 13 of 14 lymphoma patients with MNC (3.91 +/- 2.70) x 10(8)/kg, CD34+ cells (17.79 +/- 12.90) x 10(6)/kg. Meanwhile, mobilization was successful in 24 of 29 acute leukemia patients with average of 2.13 times for apheresis. The median MNC and CD34+ cells yielded were 3.62 x 10(8)/kg and 7.37 x 10(6)/kg respectively, rhG-CSF was used for a median time of 7 days. Excepting for grade I-II gastrointestinal toxicity in 8 and infection in 14 cases, no major side effects were observed. There was no mobilization-related mortality. Minimal residual diseases became undetectable after mobilization in some patients.

CONCLUSIONMAG is a safe and highly effective mobilization regimen in patients with lymphoma and acute leukemia.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Cytarabine ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor ; administration & dosage ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Mobilization ; methods ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; drug effects ; Humans ; Lymphoma ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mitoxantrone ; administration & dosage ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; therapy ; Recombinant Proteins

Objective: To explore the efficacy and safety of haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (Haplo-HSCT) for paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH). Methods: A total of 17 patients with PNH who received Haplo-HSCT from January 2013 to September 2017 were analyzed retrospectively. Results: Of them, 4 patients had de novo PNH, 13 patients had aplastic anemia-PNH syndrome (AA-PNH). All patients received modified busulfan and Cytoxan (BuCy)-based regimens combined with anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG). Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor-mobilized bone marrow and peripheral blood stem cells were transplanted as graft. Prophylaxis for graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) was ciclosporin A+ mycophenolate mofetil (MMF)+short-term methotrexate (MTX). All patients were engrafted successfully. The median time of neutrophils to 0.5×10(9)/L and platelets to 20×10(9)/L was 12(10-15) days and 14(11-45) days, respectively. All of the 17 patients achieved full donor chimerism at 30 d after Haplo-HSCT. Seven patients developed grade Ⅱ-Ⅳ acute GVHD, and 4 chronic GVHD. Median follow-up time was 27.1 (8.6-60.4) months. Of the 17 patients, 15 survived and 2 died of severe pulmonary infection and transplant associated thrombotic microangiopathy. Three-year overall survival was (77.8±15.2)%. Conclusion: Haplo-HSCT may be effective and safe for PNH patients who did not have matched donor.
Anemia, Aplastic ; Graft vs Host Disease ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Hemoglobins ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Transplantation Conditioning

Objective： To study the application of DSA in the diagnosis and treatment of ENT diseases. Methods： The diagnostic and therapeutic roles of DSA in ENT patients admitted from November 1995 to December 1999 were retrospectively studied. Results： Therapeutic vascular embolization using DSA was performed in 9/10 patients with severe epistaxis. The treatment was successful in 8/9 patients with a successful rate of 88.89%; embolization of tumor supplying vessels using DSA as a preoperative measure for reducing operative blood loss in 3 patients with nasopharyngeal fibrohemangioma obtained a total success; diagnosis was clarified in 2 patients using DSA. No patients were with severe complications. Conclusion： DSA is not only a safe and effective measure for diagnosis and therapy, but also effective in differential diagnosis of space occupying lesions. Preoperative selective embolization of tumor supplying arteries can reduce operative blood loss.

OBJECTIVETo better understand the clinical feature of viral gastroenteritis attributed to noroviruses and to summarize the experience on an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis through rapidly colleting and confirmation of related information regarding to noroviruses in hospitals.

METHODSInformation on an outbreaks involving 18 patients with acute gastroenteritis in one hospital regarding its epidemiological and clinical features and to perform bacteria culture for stool specimens on every patient. On 7 patients, rotavirus antigen were RNA tested together with norovirus nucleic acid were examined by ELISA and PAGE and RT-PCR.

RESULTS(1) Most of the patients were elderly with several chronic diseases. (2) Watery diarrhea (12/18, 66.67%) and few with mucous (3/18, 16.67%) were seen. Most stool examination was normal (10/18, 55.56%) but few stool specimen could be found with some leucocytes (3/18, 16.67%) and little occult blood (4/18, 22.22%). (3) All bacteria culture in stools showed negative. There was no rotavirus RNA identified but 3 specimen showed norovirus nucleic acid positive as 42.86% (3/7).

CONCLUSIONNorovirus was one of the important pathogens causing acute gastroenteritis outbreaks in hospitals attacking elderly with several chronic diseases in particular. Surveillance program targeting elderly inpatient with diarrhea should be enhanced, especially in autumn and winter.

Acute Disease ; Aged ; Caliciviridae Infections ; epidemiology ; China ; epidemiology ; Disease Outbreaks ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Feces ; virology ; Gastroenteritis ; epidemiology ; virology ; Hospitals ; statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; Norovirus ; isolation & purification ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between serum creatinine (Scr) reference values in healthy adults and geographic factors and provide evidence for establishing Scr reference values in different regions.

METHODSWe collected 29 697 Scr reference values from healthy adults measured by 347 medical facilities from 23 provinces, 4 municipalities and 5 autonomous regions. We chose 23 geographical factors and analyzed their correlation with Scr reference values to identify the factors correlated significantly with Scr reference values. According to the Principal component analysis and Ridge regression analysis, two predictive models were constructed and the optimal model was chosen after comparison of the two model's fitting degree of predicted results and measured results. The distribution map of Scr reference values was drawn using the Kriging interpolation method.

RESULTSSeven geographic factors, including latitude, annual sunshine duration, annual average temperature, annual average relative humidity, annual precipitation, annual temperature range and topsoil (silt) cation exchange capacity were found to correlate significantly with Scr reference values. The overall distribution of Scr reference values featured a pattern that the values were high in the south and low in the north, varying consistently with the latitude change.

CONCLUSIONThe data of the geographic factors in a given region allows the prediction of the Scr values in healthy adults. Analysis of these geographical factors can facilitate the determination of the reference values specific to a region to improve the accuracy for clinical diagnoses.

The aim of study was to investigate the killing effect of double suicide gene system mediated by retroviral vector on K562 cells in vivo and ex vivo. CDglyTK gene was transfected into PA317 cells by using lipofectamine. K562 cells were infected with viral supernatant. K562/CDglyTK cells were treated with 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) and/or ganciclovir (GCV). Mice were randomly divided into three groups: tumor formation, tumor inhibition and tumor therapy. Each mouse was implanted with K562/CDglyTK cells or K562 cells. The results indicated that the killing effect of 5-FC in combination with GCV on K562/CDglyTK was more significant than using 5-FC or GCV alone. In vivo study showed that after being injected subcutaneously with K562 cells and K562/CDglyTK cells, there was not obvious difference in tumor formation rate of mice, 5-FC + GCV could suppress tumor formation of the K562/CDglyTK cells. After being treated with 5-FC and GCV, the median tumor volume of mice implanted with K562/CDglyTK cells decreased obviously, compared with the control group. Their median survival was significantly prolonged. It is concluded that double suicide genes are more effective for killing effect on K562 cells in vivo and in ex vivo. It may be applicable to clinical gene therapy.
Cytosine Deaminase ; genetics ; Flucytosine ; pharmacology ; Ganciclovir ; pharmacology ; Genes, Transgenic, Suicide ; genetics ; Genetic Therapy ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; genetics ; Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; genetics ; Recombination, Genetic ; Retroviridae ; genetics

Objective: To explore the risk predictive value of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) on acute coronary syndrome(ACS) and to study the relationship between Lp-PLA2 and the severity of coronary stenosis in ACS patients. Methods:A total of 155 ACS patients admitted in our hospital were enrolled. The patient were divided into 2 groups:AMI (acute myocardial infarction) group, n=49 and UA (unstable angina)group, n=106; in addition, there was a Control group, n=44 subjects with normal coronary angiography (CAG).Blood levels of Lp-PLA2 were examined, CAG was conducted and GRACE score, SYNTAX score,Gensini score were calculated. Based on Grace score, ACS patients were divided into 3 subgroups: Low risk subgroup, Grace score≤108, Mid risk subgroup,Grace score 109-140 and High risk subgroup,Grace score≥140.The above parameters were comparedamong different groups. Results: Compared with UA group and Control group, AMI group had increased blood level of Lp-PLA2, P<0.05. Compared with Low risk subgroup, High risk subgroup had much higher Lp-PLA2, P<0.05. Correlation analysis showed that Lp-PLA2 level was positively related to Gracescore (r=0.301, P<0.001). By SYNTAX score and Gensini score evaluation,Lp-PLA2 levels were similar among different subgroups. Conclusion:Blood level of Lp-PLA2 had certain risk predictive value in ACS patients; while it was not related to the severity of coronary stenosis.

Objective To understand the forming cause of the Oncomelania hupensis snail-existent non-endemic areas of schistosomiasis(SENEAS),and to verify the conclusion of previous studies,so as to provide the evidence for schistosomiasis monitoring in such areas in Nantong City,Jiangsu Province. Methods The controlled field tests were carried out to observe the O. hupensis snails artificially infected by schistosome miracidia in SENEAS. The influence of the soil from SENEAS and the en-demic areas on O. hupensis snails artificially infected by miracidia were observed. Results All the experimental snails could be infected by schistosome miracidia except the smooth-shell snails from Tangyuan Village in the controlled field test environment of SENEAS or the endemic areas. The infection rates of the smooth-shell snails were lower than those of the ribbed-shell snails , but there were no statistically significant differences. The mortality rates of the smooth-shell snails were higher than those of the ribbed-shell snails,which were statistically significant (χ2Xindian = 135.118,χ2Shuangdian = 122.836,χ2Baipu =154.436,χ2Dingyan =138.288,χ2Control=151.923,all P<0.01). There were no significant differences in the infection rates of snails between each test group of the soil from SENEAS and the endemic areas(χ2Rugao=0.071,χ2Rudong=0.216,both P>0.05). Also there was no signifi-cant difference between each test group and the control group without soil(χ2=7.148,P>0.05). Conclusion It is likely to form the spread of schistosomiasis in SENEAS in Nantong City with sufficient amount of infection source of schistosomiasis im-ported. It is still necessary to implement the surveillance of schistosomiasis and O. hupensis snails in Nantong City.