ObJective To explore the value of acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅲ(APACHE Ⅲ ) score and the concentration of serum cholinesterase (ChE) in predicting the condition and prognosis of patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) within 24 hours afar hospitalization.Methods Sixty-two SAP patients were enrolled and APACHE Ⅲ score was assessed and the concentration of serum ChE was detected within 24 hours after hospitalization.The correlation between the concentration of serum ChE,APACHE Ⅲ score and the condition and prognosis was analyzed.Results There were 44 survivalcases and 18 dead cases.The APACHE Ⅲ score of the surval patients was significantly lower than that of the dead patients [(52.16 ± 13.76) scores vs.(97.10 ± 15.85) scores] (P＜0.01).The concentration of serum ChE of survival patients was significantly higher than that of the dead patients [ (3685 ± 466) U/L vs.(2109 ± 345) U/L] (P＜ 0.01 ).The higher APACHE Ⅲ score was,the lower the serum ChE concentration was,and the higher the mortality rate was.APACHE Ⅲ score and the concontration of serum ChE both had statistical significances compared with the prognosis in the Logistic regression analysis (P =0.0043,0.0075);APACHE Ⅲ score (95％ CI 1.0306-1.1507),the concentration of serum ChE (95％ CI0.9986-1.0125 ).ROC areas under curve (AUC) of APACHE Ⅲ score,serum ChE concentration with the prognosis were 0.936 and 0.882,respectively.There was no significant difference (P=0.0820).In combined prediction of APACHE Ⅲ score and serum ChE concentration,AUC was 0.952,and its predicting accuracy was higher than either APACHE Ⅲ score or serum ChE concentration (P=0.0016,0.0027).Conclusions APACHE Ⅲ score and the concentration of serum ChE both are significantly correlated with the condition and prognosis of SAP patients.Their combined detection can significantly improve the accuracy of prognosis judgement and provide some clinical guidances for treatment.

Adenocarcinoma ; pathology ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Lasers ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neuroendocrine Cells ; pathology ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Stomach Neoplasms ; pathology

Hepatitis B virus ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; immunology ; virology ; Humans ; T-Lymphocytes ; immunology

Blood-eye barrier (BEB) is one of the most important structures of organism to maintain homeostasis of the eye. However, it is the major constraint for the medication of intraocular diseases. Traditional Chinese medicines have distinctive advantages for the treatment of intraocular diseases, which can be used to regulate the physiological function of human body with low toxicity. In this article, we have briefly summarized the feature of BEB, with the domestic and foreign literatures combined, and mainly reviewed current progress in the field of study on the permeability of traditional Chinese medicines and effective components in BEB and promoting methods.

OBJECTIVETo establish a method for assist design of the posterior pharyngeal flap (PPF).

METHODSThe width, length of velopharyngeal space in repose and phonation of "i" in 26 cases with VPI were measured with CT. The width and length of PPF needed, the location of the pedicle and the contact position with the soft palate were analyzed.

RESULTSThe width of velopharyngeal space in repose ranged from 15.10 to 37.25 mm, with the average of 27.01 mm, the length was 12.54 to 30.39 mm, with the average of 22.10 mm. The width in phonation of "i" was 9.11 to 34.06 mm, with the average of 17.69 mm, the position of the pedicle wasall located at the level of the first cervical vertebra or above and the contact area of the flap with the soft palate was in the middle posterior 1/3 mostly.

CONCLUSIONAs a method to quantitatively evaluate velopharyngeal function, CT can assist in design for the PPF.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Cleft Palate ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Pharynx ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Surgical Flaps ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Velopharyngeal Insufficiency ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo investigate the feasibility of repairing bone defect with methods of tissue-engineering and human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (hBMP-2) gene transfection in osteoporotic rats.

METHODSTwenty-four 6-month-old female Sprague-Dawley rats underwent ovariectomy, while 8 rats received sham-operations. Three months later, bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSC) harvested from osteoporotic rats were divided into two groups randomly. Experimental group were transfected by recombinant plasmid carrying hBMP-2 gene, and control group left untreated. All BMSC were seeded into coralhydroxyapatite scaffolds. Then the cell/scaffold constructs were implanted into the defect site created in the ramus of mandible of osteoporotic rats respectively.

RESULTSPositive results were confirmed by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization in experimental group. New bone formation was found at the margin of the defect treated with the BMSC modified by hBMP-2 gene transfer at 4 weeks after implantation and appeared mature 8 weeks after the treatment. However, the amount of newly formed bone was much less and there was some adipose tissue at defect margins 8 weeks after implantation in control group.

CONCLUSIONSThe results of this experiment indicate that BMSC-mediated rhBMP-2 gene therapy in conjunction with bone tissue engineering may allow for successful treatment of large bone defects in osteoporosis rats.

Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 ; genetics ; Female ; Genetic Therapy ; Humans ; Mandibular Diseases ; surgery ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; Osteogenesis ; physiology ; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal ; therapy ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tissue Engineering ; methods ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo study the biological features and osteoblast/adipocyte phenotypes of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats with Type I osteoporosis by induced culture.

METHODSSix-month-old SD rats were used in this study. 16 female rats were randomly divided into two groups. Eight rats were ovariectomied as experimental group to establish the modle of Type I osteoporosis, while other rats received sham-operation. Three month later BMSCs of 16 rats were isolated by discontinueous gradient centrifugation and then plated in alpha-MEM medium as primary culture. Secondary harvested cells were cultured for 14 days in alpha-MEM medium supplemented with dexamethasone, ascorbic acid, vitamin D3, beta-glycerophosphate or dexamethasone, 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, insuline, and indomethine. The cells were screened by inverted microscope each day and cell growth was studied with cell counting. The osteoblast and adipocyte phenotypes were verified by cytochemistry staining, counted the percentage of positive stained cells.

RESULTSThe weight and bone mineral density of rats were statistically different between experimental group and control group. Gomori and Von Kossa's staining demonstrated positive osteoblast phenotypes of alkaline phosphatase and mineralized nods by osteogenic inducer, while Oil Red O staining identified BMSCs treated with adipogenic medium resulted in adipocyte formation and there was no significant difference in the percentage of positive stained cells between two groups.

CONCLUSIONThe model of Type I osteoporosis has been established successfully. BMSCs from SD rats with osteoporosis maintain their differentiation potential.

Adipocytes ; Animals ; Bone Density ; Bone Marrow Cells ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Female ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Osteoblasts ; Osteoporosis ; physiopathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo compare different expression profiles of all known chemokine receptors in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines with different metastasis potentials.

METHODSEighteen pairs of chemokine receptor primers were designed using Premier software. Expression profiles of the 18 chemokine receptors on four HCC cell lines of lower to higher potentials of metastasis (SMMC-7721, MHCC97-L, MHCC97-H and HCCLM6) were analyzed by RT-PCR. Expression of CXCR4 was detected by RT-PCR.

RESULTSExpression profiles of chemokine receptors on four HCC cell lines with different metastatic potentials had significant differences (P < 0.01), in which CCR10, CXCR4 and CXCR6 expressions decreased gradually as the metastatic potential of the cell lines increased. The expressions of CCR3, CCR4, CCR10, CCR12 and XCR1 on HCCLM6 were significantly reduced compared with SMMC-7721 (P < 0.01), whereas the expressions of CXCR1 (P = 0.006) and CXCR5 (P = 0.003) exceeded that of SMMC-7721. Except for CXCR2, CXCR6 and XCR1, most of chemokine receptors on MHCC97-H were expressed differently compared with MHCC97-L (P < 0.05), in which expressions of CCR1 (P = 0.002), CCR2 (P = 0.004) and CCR5 (P = 0.046) exceeded MHCC97-L. CXCR4 was detected only on the positive controls and SMMC-7721 when the template of total RNA was reduced one-half in RT-PCR.

CONCLUSIONChemokine receptors are expressed very differently at mRNA level on HCC cell lines with different metastatic potentials. The different profiles of chemokine receptors in tumor microenvironment and the function of CXCR4 in HCC should be further studied. Our findings have important implications in understanding the relationship between chemokine receptors and the metastatic potential of HCC.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Receptors, Chemokine ; metabolism

OBJECTIVESTo examine the activities of transcription factors (TFs) in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines with different metastatic potentials, so as to identify the TFs associated with HCC metastasis.

METHODSTranscription factor activity profile of Hep3B, MHCC97L and MHCC97H, three HCC cell lines with different metastatic potentials, were examined using protein/DNA array. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) and Western blot were used to confirm the results obtained by protein/DNA array.

RESULTSFrom a total of 345 screened TFs, 7 activity differential TFs were found, of which 5 showed increased activity, including p53, hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1alpha), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (Stat3) and Sp1, and 2 showed decreased activity including Rb and Smad3.

CONCLUSIONThe abnormal functioning of transcription factors is closely associated with HCC metastasis. Our present findings could be of help in expanding our understanding of the mechanism of HCC metastasis and identify new predictive biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; DNA Fingerprinting ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Protein Array Analysis ; Transcription Factors ; classification ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVEAs our previous comparative proteomics study on high and low metastasis human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell strains revealed that cytokeratin 19 (CK19) was related to higher metastasis potential, we further investigated the relationship between serum CK19 level in HCC patients and their clinico-pathologic characteristics.

METHODSSerum CK19 levels of 101 normal controls and 108 pathology-proven HCC patients were determined using radioimmunoassay, and the their correlation with clinico-pathologic parameters were studied.

RESULTSThe upper limit of one-side 98% confidence interval of normal serum CK19 level was 2.3 microg/L. Among 108 HCC patients, 24 (22.2%) had increased serum CK19 level, ranging from 2.4 to 45.5 microg/L. There were 12 patients (11.1%) with increased CK19 level but normal AFP level. The percentage of poor differentiated tumor was higher in CK19 increased cases (37.5%, 9/24) than in CK19 normal cases (20.2%, 17/84). Moreover, the presence of portal vein tumor emboli was significantly higher in CK19 increased cases (25.0%, 6/24) than in CK19 normal cases (6.0%, 5/84). (Chi-square = 7.403, P < 0.01) In addition, the percentage of TNM stage III/IV tumor was significantly higher in CK19 increased patients (54.2%, 13/24) than in CK19 normal cases. (chi-square = 13.300, P < 0.005)

CONCLUSIONSome HCC patients do have increased serum CK19 level, which could be related to portal vein tumor emboli, poor tumor differentiation and advanced tumor stages.

Adult ; Aged ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; blood ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; blood ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Keratins ; blood ; Liver Neoplasms ; blood ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Proteins ; blood ; Peptide Fragments ; blood ; genetics ; Proteome ; analysis