Objective To obtain a reliable estimate of the risk of H. pylori infection in causing pancreatic cancer ,by perform‐ing a M eta‐analysis of the existing observational studies evaluating the association .Methods Observational studies comparing the prevalence of H. pylori infection in patients with pancreatic cancer and healthy controls were identified through systematic search in the Medline ,EMBASE ,the Cochrane ,PubMed ,VIP database .H. pylori infection was confirmed by serological testing using an anti‐gen‐specific enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay .Pooled adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and associated 95% confidence intervals (CI) were obtained by using a Dersimonian and Laird random‐effects model .Results Six studies involving a total of 2 335 patients met our eligibility criteria .A significant association between H. pylori seropositivity and development of pancreatic cancer (AOR=1 .38 , 95% CI:1 .08-1 .75 ;P=0 .009) was seen .No significant association had been seen on pooled analysis of the three studies assessing the relationship between CagA positivity and pancreatic cancer (AOR=1 .14 ,95% CI:0 .66-1 .97 ,P=0 .639) .Conclusion The da‐ta suggests an association between infection with H. pylori and the development of pancreatic cancer .Further research is needed to confirm our findings .

Objective To investigate the effect of herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase/ganciclovir (HSV-TK/GGV)system driven by human alpha fetoprotein(AFP)enhancer on hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)cells in vitro and in vivo.Methods HCC-specific eukarotypic expression vector carrying suicide gene driven by AFP enhancer(pAFP-cDNA3.1-TK)was constructed.The plasmid was trasfected to AFP-positive HepG2 cells and AFP-negative SMMC7721 cells by liposomes.Protein and mRNA expressions of TK were detected by RT-PCR or Western blot.The survival rates of HCC cells were detected by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay.The effects of GGV on the in vitro proliferation,survival and apoptosis of HCC cells were observed,and the inhibitive effect of GGV on the survival of HCC cells in vivo was also detected.All data were analyzed by using the t test.Results The pAFP-cDNA3.1-TK was successfully constructed and transfected to the HCC cells.The protein and mRNA expressions of TK were detected in AFP-positive HepG2 cells.GGV dose-and time-dependently inhibited the growth and induced the apoptosis of HepG2 cells in vitro,but it had no effect on SMMC7721 cells.No protein or mRNA expression of TK was detected in the SMMC7721 cells.There was a significant difference on the inhibitory effects of GGV on HepG2 cells and SMMC7721 cells(t =2.58,2.73,3.12,P ＜0.05).GGV specifically inhibited the growth of AFP-positive HepG2 cells,and the inhibition rate was 46%;the growth of AFP-negative SMMC7721 cells was not influenced by GGV.There was a significant difference in the inhibitive effect of GGV on the growth of HepG2 cells and SMMC7721 cells(t = 3.36,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion HSV-TK/GGV systemdriven by human APF enhancer kills APF-positive HCC cells and inhibits the growth of HCC cells.

Background and objective cyclin D1 is a member of the cyclin family, and it has been proven that it plaied an important role in tumorigenesis, invasion and metastasis. We performed a retrospective study on the cyclin D1 expression in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) according to the clinical characteristics. Methods One hundred fifteen postsurgical NSCLC patients were investigated. Immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate the cyclin D1 expression. Results Overall survival was significantly lower in patients with cyclin D1-high expression of tumors than those with cyclin D1 low expression of tumors (χ2=5.132, P=0.023). In early stage patients (stage I, II), the overall survival was significantly lower in patients with cyclin D1-high expression of tumors than those with cyclin D1-low expression of tumors (χ2=6.863, P=0.009). cyclin D1 status (hazard ratio=0.630; P=0.035), differentiation (hazard ratio=0.399; P<0.001), and pTNM (hazard ratio=1.576; P<0.001) to be independent prognostic factors for NSCLC patients. Specifically, the cyclin D1 status (hazard ratio=0.188; P=0.008) was a significant prognostic factor for patients with stage I NSCLCs. Conclusion cyclin D1 expression is an independent prognosis factor for postoperative patient in stage I, II NSCLCs.

This study was purposed to verify the binding part of human complement C3 to complement receptor III (CRIII) in monocytes, the peptide rC3B, including the binding-site, was expressed, purified and identified. rC3B, the binding part of human complement C3 to CRIII, was selected by computer-aided modeling and summarizing researches published. Then, rC3B gene fragment was amplified by PCR, and cloned into prokaryotic vector pQE30a. The fusion protein rC3B was expressed in E.coli M15 and purified by Ni(2+)-chelating affinity chromatography. The activity of rC3B was identified by Western blot and adherence assay with monocytes. The results showed that rC3B fragment was obtained, and a prokaryotic expression vector pQE30-rC3B was constructed. rC3B was efficiently expressed and purified. In Western blot, the target protein showed the activity of binding with C3 antibody, while the purified protein showed the activity of adherence with monocytes. It is concluded that the recombinant C3B was obtained and identified, and this study lay the basis for the further functional analysis of C3.
Cloning, Molecular ; Complement C3 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; Macrophage-1 Antigen ; genetics ; metabolism ; Receptors, Complement 3b ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVEDietary factors that could potentially be related to the risk of birth defects are still unknown in Shanxi province, a region with high prevalence of neural tube defects(NTDs) in China. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the association between NTDs and local dietary factors.

METHODSA population-based case-control study was conducted during 2003-2005 in four selected counties of Shanxi province with 363 NTDs cases ascertained and 523 control babies without any external birth defects.

RESULTSBy multivariate logistic regression analysis, we found the NTDs risk was significantly associated with low consumption of meat and legume, high consumption of pickled vegetables, noncentralized supply of drinking water and drinking tea after adjusting for maternal education level and birth defects history. A significant dose response trend was found between the NTDs risk and the lower frequencies of meat and legume consumption and higher frequency of pickled vegetable consumption, with population attributable risks (PAR) of 69.4%, 22.0% and 18.5%, respectively. Mothers who got their drinking water from river or pond during periconceptional period were more likely to have a NTD-affected pregnancy [OR = 3.42, 95% CI: 1.44-8.09, population attributable risk (PAR) = 4.7%] compared with those who utilized tap or well water. Those who drank tea everyday had an elevated risk of having a NTD-affected pregnancy compared with those who didn't (OR = 4.65, 95% CI: 1.41-15.36, PAR = 2.6%).

CONCLUSIONHigher intake of meat and legume protects a woman from having a NTD-affected pregnancy, and consumption of pickled vegetables, drinking water from river or pond and drinking tea everyday increase the risk of having such a pregnancy in the study population.

Case-Control Studies ; China ; epidemiology ; Diet ; Female ; Humans ; Meat ; Neural Tube Defects ; epidemiology ; Pregnancy ; Risk Factors ; Vegetables ; Water Supply

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of Chinese drugs based on strengthening the spleen and replenishing qi treatment rule on neoformative capillaries and fibroblast during the soft tissue repair after serious trauma in rats, so as to explore the biological basis of the TCM theory "the spleen dominate extremities and muscles" applied to the treatment of soft tissue injuries.

METHODSThe model rats were established by bleeding from femoral artery and lancing method, and the rats were randomly divided into the control group, strengthening the spleen group and activating blood and resolving stasis group. The samples were got from the tissue of the wounded area at the 5th, 10th and 15th days after oral administration of the traditional Chinese medicine. After fixation and section, the tissues were stained by CD31 and PCNA staining. The amount of the capillaries and fibroblasts in the tissue of the wounded area were observed through multi-purpose microscope (ZEISS Axioskop2). Quantitative analysis was carried out on Image-ProPlus image analyzer.

RESULTSThe amount of the capillaries and fibroblasts in the wounded tissue in the strengthening the spleen group were larger than that in the control group at the 5th, 10th and 15th day. And the proliferation speed of capillaries and fibroblasts was faster than those in the control group or the activating blood and resolving stasis group.

CONCLUSIONThe Chinese drugs according to strengthening the spleen and replenishing qi treatment rule were effective to promote growth of the granulation tissue and facilitate healing of the wounded area. And it has better effect than the treatment of promoting blood circulation and removing stasis.

Animals ; Capillaries ; pathology ; Cell Count ; Cell Proliferation ; Female ; Fibroblasts ; pathology ; Male ; Qi ; Rats ; Soft Tissue Injuries ; pathology ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Spleen ; physiology ; Wound Healing

Adolescent ; Burns ; therapy ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Fluid Therapy ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Shock ; therapy

OBJECTIVESome animal models apply morphine in the drinking water to generate addiction, but related reports are not free of conflicting results. Accordingly, this study aimed to figure out if chronic consumption of morphine in the drinking water can induce morphine addiction in Wistar rats.

METHODSFor 3 weeks, the animals received a daily morphine dose of 35 mg/kg by offering a calculated volume of sugar water (5% sucrose) with morphine (0.1 mg/ml) to each rat; animals receiving just sugar water served as controls. Immediately after the treatment phase, the tail immersion test was used to check for morphine tolerance, and all animals were then kept on tap water for one week (withdrawal phase). Afterwards, all rats were allowed to choose their drinking source by offering two bottles, containing sugar water without and with morphine, simultaneously for two days (preference phase).

RESULTSWhile the chronic consumption of morphine led to a reduction in body weight and to morphine tolerance, the morphine-treated Wistar rats did not show any preference for the opiate-containing sugar water.

CONCLUSIONBody weight loss and tolerance do not reveal a condition of drug craving, and current animal models should be re-evaluated regarding their potential to establish morphine addicted animals.

Animals ; Body Weight ; drug effects ; Choice Behavior ; drug effects ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drug Tolerance ; Male ; Morphine ; administration & dosage ; Morphine Dependence ; Pain Measurement ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo assess the clinical value ofprocalcitonin in cirrhotic patients with severe infection by comparing the serum procalcitonin levels in those patients with and without liver cirrhosis when suffering from sepsis.

METHODSA total of 225 septic patients were included in the study,including 91 patients without hepatopathy, 80 patients with cirrhosis, and 54 patients with chronic liver disease. The serum procalcitonin level was measured in all patients and statistically assessed for correlation with relevant clinical biochemistry indicators. The t-test, ANOVA test, Mann-Whitney U test, chi-square test and Spearman's correlation analysis were used for statistical analyses.

RESULTSThe patients with cirrhosis showed significantly lower serum procalcitonin levels (0.84 (0.32-3.44) ng/ml) than the patients with no hepatopathy (2.17 (0.70-9.18) ng/ml) or the patients with chronic liver disease (2.12 (0.33-13.61) ng/ml) (both P less than 0.05); the patients in the no hepatopathy group and the chronic liver disease group showed statistically similar levels of serum procalcitonin (P=0.616). The patients with cirrhosis of Child-Pugh grade C showed significantly higher level of serum procalcitonin (1.25 (0.54-4.61) ng/ml) than those patients with Child-Pugh grade B (0.33 (0.14-1.31) ng/ml; P=0.026), suggesting that patients with Child-Pugh C stage cirrhosis may be more susceptible to gram-negative bacterial infection. In the cirrhosis group,serum procalcitonin level was positively correlated with white blood cell (WBC) count (r=0.312) and percentage of neutrophils (N%) (r=0.228) (both P less than 0.05). Correlation analysis of the no hepatopathy group and the chronic liver disease group showed no correlation between serum procalcitonin level and either WBC or N%.

CONCLUSIONUnder the sepsis condition, cirrhotic patients have lower serum procalcitonin level than patients without cirrhosis, and the serum procalcitonin level is positively correlated with WBC count and N%.

Calcitonin ; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Protein Precursors ; Sepsis

OBJECTIVETo ovserved the treatment of cervical vertebral instability with kinesitherapy combined with occipitomandibular traction.

METHODSFrom April 2005 to December 2008, 400 patients with cervical vertebral instability including 220 males and 180 females with an average age of 48.4 years old ranging from 34 to 72 years, were treated by the kinesitherapy combined with occipito-mandibular traction, contradict and amend muscle training 2 min everytime, 8 time a day. All patients were followed-up for 6 months (three treatment periods), the clinical symptom improvement, changes of clinical signs scoring and imaging were observed.

RESULTSAfter three treatment periods, the outcome were evaluated and the results were excellent in 210 cases, good in 126, accepted in 53, inefficacy in 11, the total effective rate was 97.3%. The total scores were (22.42 +/- 3.25) before the treatments and (9.03 +/- 1.92) after the treatments. The level replacement of intervertebral were (3.70 +/- 0.12) mm before the treatments and (2.96 +/- 0.09) mm after the treatments; The rotation angle was (12.64 +/- 0.21) degrees before the treatments and (8.90 +/- 0.17) degrees after the treatments.

CONCLUSIONThe kinesitherapy was a simple method with good effect to cure patients with cervical vertebral instability.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Motion Therapy, Continuous Passive ; Spinal Diseases ; therapy ; Traction