Objective:To analyze the correlation factors between peripapillary duodenal diverticulum (PDD) and choledochectasia by CT scan.Methods:The clinical data of 220 patients with duodenal diverticulum detected by multi-slice spiral CT scan and confirmed by gastrointestinal angiography or endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in Dahua Hospital, Xuhui District of Shanghai City were retrospectively analyzed. The correlation of the PDD, the contact of common bile duct (CBD), length of contact and exudation with choledochectasia in patients with PDD were analyzed.Results:A total of 236 duodenal diverticulum were found in 220 patients. Among them, there were 152 PDD, 41 diverticulum located superior to the duodenal papilla, 28 diverticulum located inferior to the duodenal papilla, 3 diverticulum located lateral to the duodenal papilla, and 12 diverticulumlocated in the horizontal portion. The incidence of choledochectasia in patients with PDD contacted with CBD was significantly higher than that in patients with PDD not contacted with CBD: 59.35% (73/123) vs. 37.93% (11/29), and there was statistical difference ( P<0.05); the incidence of choledochectasia in patients with contact length of PDD and CBD ≥1.5 cm was significantly higher than that in patients without contact of PDD and CBD and patients with contact length of PDD and CBD <1.5 cm: 82.43% (61/74) vs. 24.49% (12/49) and 37.93% (11/29), and there was statistical difference ( P<0.05); the incidence of choledochectasia in PDD patients with exudation was significantly higher than that in PDD patients without exudation: 10/11 vs. 52.48% (74/141), and there was statistical difference ( P<0.05). Conclusions:The patients with contact length of PDD and CBD ≥1.5 cm and patients with PDD combined with exudation could be prone to choledochectasia.

Objective To investigate the changes and clinical significance of the levels of matrix metallopro-teinase -9(MMP -9)in the serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF)in children with asthma whose had differ-ent levels of 25 -hydroxyl -vitamin D3 [25 (OH)D3 ]in the serum.Methods Fifty children with asthma between January 201 3 and January 201 5 were enrolled as the asthma group,based on the disease severity,and the patients were divided into the moderate to severe group (37 cases)and the mild group (1 3 cases),while 20 children with abnormal airway or tracheal foreign body were as a control group.The levels of 25 (OH)D3 and MMP -9 in the serum,levels of MMP -9 in BALF were measured and compared by using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)me-thod.Re-sults The level of serum 25 (OH)D3 in the asthma group[(1 9.5 ±6.4)μg/L]was lower than that in the control group[(39.3 ±7.1 )μg/L ],and there was a statistical difference between 2 groups(P <0.05).The level of serum 25(OH)D3 in moderate to severe group[(1 6.6 ±4.1 )μg/L]was lower than that in the mild group[(27.9 ±4.5)μg/L],there were statistically significant difference between 2 groups(P <0.05).There was no significant difference in the total number of cells and the percentage of macrophages among different serum 25(OH)D3 levels of children with asthma and the control group(P >0.05).The percentages of neutrophils,eosinophils and epithelial cells in BALF were significantly higher in different serum 25(OH)D3 levels of children with asthma than those of the control group(all P <0.05).There were significant difference levels of MMP -9 in the serum and BALF among different serum 25(OH)D3 levels of children with asthma and the control group(all P <0.05).In children with asthma,the levels of 25(OH)D3 in serum were significantly negatively correlated with the percentages of neutrophils,eosinophils and epithelial cells in BALF (r =-0.683,-0.795,-0.670,all P <0.05 ),exiting a significantly negatively correlation also seen between the serum levels of 25(OH)D3 and MMP -9 (r =-0.796,P <0.05).Conclusions Children with asthma often have low levels of serum 25 -(OH)D3 ,25(OH)D3 and MMP -9 may be involved in airway inflammation and airway remo-deling in children with asthma,and they may involve in the occurrence and development of asthma.

OBJECTIVE:To observe clinical efficacy and safety of Tianqi jiangtang capsules combined with metformin in the treatment of elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus complicated with cerebral microvascular lesions. METHODS:A total of 96 elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus complicated with cerebral microvascular lesions were randomly divided into control group(48 cases)and observation group(48 cases). Control group was given Metformin hydrochloride tablets 0.5 g orally,3 times a day. Observation group was additionally given Tianqi jiangtang capsules 1.6 g orally,3 times a day,on the basis of control group. Both groups received treatment for 4 weeks. Clinical efficacies of 2 groups were observed as well as total score of TCM symptoms,the levels of blood glucose(FPG,2 hPG,HbA1c),blood lipid(TC,TG,HDL-C,LDL-C),hs-CRP,ET-1,blood rheology and oxidative stress indexes(MDA,SOD),the occurrence of ADR. RESULTS:The total response rate of observation group was significantly higher than that of control group(89.58% vs. 70.83%),with statistical significance(P<0.05). After treat-ment,total score of TCM symptoms,the levels of blood glucose,hs-CRP,ET-1,TC,TG,LDL-C,blood rheology indexes and MDA in 2 groups were significantly lower than before;total score of TCM symptoms,the levels of FPG,2 hPG,hs-CRP,ET-1, TC,TG,LDL-C,blood rheology indexes and MDA in observation group were significantly lower than control group;the level of SOD in 2 groups were significantly higher than before,and the observation group was significantly higher than control group,and the level of HDL-C in observation group was significantly higher than before treatment and control group,with statistical signifi-cance(P<0.05). No obvious ADR was found in 2 groups during treatment. CONCLUSIONS:Tianqi jiangtang capsules combined with metformin show significant therapeutic efficacy in the treatment of elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus,and can re-duce the levels of blood glucose and lipid,improve blood rheology and oxidative stress reaction,with goud safety.

Objective To summarize the clinical characteristics,diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary sequestration(PS) in children.Methods The clinical data of 19 children with PS confirmed by operation and(or) imaging examination from Mar.2003 to May.2008 were analyzed retrospectively.Thirteen cases were male,and 6 cases were female.One case was newborn infant.Seventeen cases received operation.Intralober type had a pulmonary lobectomy and extralobar type had a sequestrectomy.Chest X-ray and CT scan examinations were performed on the patients before operation.Results Seventeen cases got complete cure by operation,and the mean age at operation was 5.2 years.Chest enhanced CT indicated abnormal feeding arteries.Lobectomy was performed in 13 cases of intralobar PS,4 cases of extralobar PS were resected in the separated lung tissue,and all patients had unilateral lesions.No late deaths occurred in this group except 1 case who was complicated with malformation,and the postoperative follow-up showed an excellent recovery.Conclusions The main diagnostic methods of PS are CT and angiography.The diagnosis of PS can be confirmed when systemic feeding arteries are indicated on enhanced CT scans.Surgical resection is the main choice of treatment in all cases of PS in order to prevent recurrent infection and hemoptysis.The excellent results can be obtained by surgery.

0.05),the MTT values were(5.2?1.1)and(10.9?2.6)s, respectively(t=7.24,P

Histone lysine methyltransferase EZH2 has been reported to be frequently overexpressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues and associated with hepatocarcinogenesis. However, the exact mechanism of EZH2 up-regulation in HCC has not been determined. In this study, we used murine hepatocyte AML12 cells to investigate the role of hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) in regulating the expression of mEZH2. Western blot analysis demonstrated that the expression level of mEZH2 protein in AML12 cells was up-regulated by HBx in a dose-dependent manner. To further investigate the mechanism of mEZH2 overexpression, the 2500 bp regulatory sequence upstream from the first exon of the mEZH2 gene was amplified from AML12 genomic DNA and constructed into a luciferase reporter plasmid. The luciferase activity of the mEZH2 promoter significantly increased in AML12 cells co-transfected with HBx plasmid, and deleting the -486/-214 promoter region decreased HBx-induced mEZH2 promoter activation by nearly 50%. The -486/-214 region was then analyzed in the TRANSFAC 6.0 database and a typical E2F1-binding site was found. Mutation of this E2F1-binding site or knockdown of E2F1 expression by RNAi led to a dramatic decrease in HBx-induced activation of the mEZH2 promoter and mEZH2 overexpression in AML12 cells. These results provide evidence that HBx up-regulates mEZH2 expression by transactivating the mEZH2 promoter through E2F1 transcription factor, thereby providing new epigenetic evidence for the carcinogenic effect of HBx.
Animals ; Binding Sites ; Cell Line ; E2F1 Transcription Factor ; genetics ; Enhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 Protein ; Hepatocytes ; cytology ; metabolism ; virology ; Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Mice ; Plasmids ; Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; genetics ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics ; Trans-Activators ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transfection ; Up-Regulation

Objective: To observe the effects of herb-partitioned moxibustion and ginger-partitioned moxibustion on the growth of colon tumors in rats with colitis-associated colon cancer (CACC), and explore the mechanism of moxibustion intervening CACC through the purinergic receptor P2X ligand-gated ion channel 7 (P2X7R)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3)/vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathway. Methods: A total of 26 male Sprague-Dawley rats were selected. According to the random number table method, 6 rats were selected as the normal group. The remaining 20 rats were injected intraperitoneally with azoxymethane (AOM) combined with oral dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) to prepare the CACC model. After the model was successfully established, 2 rats were randomly selected for model identification. The remaining 18 rats which were successfully modeled were randomly divided into a model group, a herb-partitioned moxibustion group and a ginger-partitioned moxibustion group, with 6 rats in each group. Moxibustion intervention was performed in the herb-partitioned moxibustion group and the ginger-partitioned moxibustion group at Qihai (CV 6) and bilateral Tianshu (ST 25). Moxibustion was performed twice at each point each time, once a day, at a 1-day interval after 6 consecutive interventions, for a total of 30 interventions. After intervention, the colon tumor load, pathological change and histopathological score were observed. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expressions of VEGF, P2X7R, phospho-STAT3 (p-STAT3), and nuclear factor-kappa B p65 (NF-κB p65) proteins in rat colon tissue. Western blot was used to detect the levels of p-STAT3 and NF-κB p65 proteins in rat colon tissue. Results: Compared with the normal group, the colon tumor load and histopathological score in the model group were significantly increased (both P<0.001), and different grades of dysplasia were observed in colon tissue from the model group, reaching the degree of adenocarcinoma; the expression level of P2X7R protein in colon tissue was significantly decreased (P<0.001), and the expression levels of p-STAT3, NF-κB p65 and VEGF proteins were significantly increased (all P<0.001) in the model group. Compared with the model group, the colon tumor load, colon histopathological score and the levels of p-STAT3, NF-κB p65 and VEGF proteins in colon tissue were significantly decreased (all P<0.05) in the herb-partitioned moxibustion group and the ginger-partitioned moxibustion group while the expression levels of P2X7R protein in colon tissue were significantly increased (both P<0.05). Conclusion: Both herb-partitioned moxibustion and ginger-partitioned moxibustion can reduce the colon tumor load in CACC rats and delay the progression of colon adenomas. The mechanism may be mediated by the P2X7R/STAT3 pathway to inhibit STAT3 phosphorylation, thereby reducing VEGF protein expression.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes of the levels of galectin-3 (Gal-3) in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of children with asthma whose have different serum levels of 25-hydroxyl-vitamin D₃[25(OH)D₃].

METHODSFifty children with asthma between January 2013 and December 2014 were enrolled as the asthma group, and they were classified into 25(OH)D₃sufficient (n=7), insufficient (n=12) and deficient subgroups (n=31) according to the serum levels of 25(OH)D₃. Twenty children with abnormal airway or tracheal foreign bodies served as the control group. The levels of 25(OH)D₃, Gal-3 and total IgE in serum and Gal-3 levels in BALF were measured using ELISA.

RESULTThe serum levels of 25(OH)D₃in the asthma group were lower than in the control group (P<0.05). The 25(OH)D₃deficient subgroup displayed the highest percentages of neutrophils, eosinophils and epithelial cells in BALF, followed by the 25(OH)D₃insufficient subgroup and the 25(OH)D₃sufficient subgroup (P<0.05). The percentages of neutrophils, eosinophils and epithelial cells in BALF in the three subgroups were all higher than in the control group (P<0.05). In children with asthma, serum levels of 25(OH)D₃were negatively correlated with the percentages of neutrophils, eosinophils and epithelial cells in BALF (r=-0.683, -0.795 and -0.670 respectively; P<0.05); and a negative correlation was also seen between serum 25(OH)D₃levels and serum Gal-3 and total IgE levels (r=-0.759 and -0.875 respectively; P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe children with asthma have low serum levels of 25(OH)D₃. 25(OH)D₃and Gal-3 may be involved in the airway inflammation and the development of asthma.

Asthma ; etiology ; metabolism ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; chemistry ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Galectin 3 ; analysis ; blood ; physiology ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; blood ; Infant ; Male ; Vitamin D ; analogs & derivatives ; blood ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo explore the therapeutic effect of STI571(imatinib mesylate) on advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs).

METHODSClinical data of 5 cases with advanced GISTs were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTSThe expression of c- kit (CD117) was detected by immunohistochemical method in five patients with advanced GISTs . All patients failed to systematic chemotherapy or radiofrequency and operation because of extensive and multiple metastases (4 cases underwent 1 to 3 times of exploratory surgery). Tumor size was markedly decreased one to six months after STI571 given without serious drug- related side effects.

CONCLUSIONSSTI571 is an effective chemotherapy for advanced unresectable or metastatic GISTs. Inhibitor of the Kit signal- transduction pathway is a promising regimen that is different from conventional chemotherapy for advanced GISTs.

Adult ; Aged, 80 and over ; Benzamides ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Humans ; Imatinib Mesylate ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Piperazines ; therapeutic use ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit ; metabolism ; Pyrimidines ; therapeutic use ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effects of carnosine against experimental closed head injury (CHI) in mice.

METHODSThe CHI model was established by free-falling weight-drop. Carnosine (250 mg/kg or 500 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally 30 min before brain trauma, then q.d for 7 d; while normal saline was administrated for control group. The neurological defect was evaluated by neurological severity score (NSS) within 7 d; the survival rate and the histological alternations were observed.

RESULTSCarnosine prevented the body weight loss of mice at dose of 500 mg/kg; significantly increased the survival rate, and reduced the neurological defect and histological damage at dose of 250 and 500 mg/kg.

CONCLUSIONCarnosine can attenuate closed head injury in mice.

Animals ; Carnosine ; therapeutic use ; Disease Models, Animal ; Head Injuries, Closed ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR