0.05) before and after treatment. The rates of eosinophil infiltration: 98.2% vs. 80.4% in the mild UC (P

Objective To investigate the pathohistologic features and grading of biopsy mucosae and their correlation with disease severity of active ulcerative colitis(UC). Methods A prospective study was conducted in 133 patients with UC who were divided into three groups based on the degree of severity. Pathologic morphometry and grading with HE staining sections were analyzed. Results Pathologic features of active UC: there were neutrophilic leukocytes (100.0%), eosinophils (99.2%), plasmacytes(91.7%) and lymphocytes (75.2%) infiltration among mucosal epithelial cells, and lymphoid follicular formation(72.2%) and small vessels inflammation(63.9%) and focal hemorrhage(68.4%) in lamina propria. There were crypt abscesses(43.6%), glandular abnormalities (44.4%), goblet cell depletion (18.8%), epithelial cell regeneration (36.8%) , atypical hyperplasia (28.6%) and granulation tissue formation (42.9%) in mucosae. With the increase of severity of UC, there was a significant increasing incidence of small vessel inflammation, fiberoid necrosis of vessel wall, glandular abnormality, epithelial cell regeneration, atypical hyperplasia, goblet cell depletion, granulation tissue formation, fiber tissue hyperplasia, and crypt abscess. There was no significant difference of the incidence of lymphocyte hyperplasia, lymphoid follicular formation, eosinophil and plasmacyte infiltration between the groups. Mild UC was mainly characterized by the lesions of Grade Ⅰ and Ⅱ, moderate UC by those of Grade Ⅱ and Ⅲ and severe UC by those of Grade Ⅲ and Ⅳ. There were significant differences of grades among mild, moderate and severe UC. Conclusions There were some pathologic characters in active UC. The partial of markers and histological gradings can reflect the severity and activity of active UC.

Objective To investigate the clinical, pathological and endoscopic features of patients with ulcerative pancolitis (PUC) and distal colitis (DUC) and their differentiations. Methods The clinical, pathological and endoscopic data of 52 patients with PUC and 97 patients with DUC were analyzed by case-control study. Results The incidence and the frequency of bloody stool in patients with PUC were both higher than those in DUC (90.38% vs. 71.13%, P

AIM: To investigate the expression of MAT1 protein in pancreatic cancers and the relationship between MAT1 and clinicopathological features of pancreatic cancers. METHODS: 94 surgical specimens, including 70 pancreatic cancers, 10 pancreatic benign tumors, 14 chronic pancreatitis and 10 autopsy normal pancreas tissues, were analyzed immunohistochemically, and then MAT1 expression and clinicopathological features were compared. RESULTS: MAT1 was expressed mainly in the cancer cells,and also in the fibroblasts, where it was localized within the cytoplasm and nuclear envelope. MAT1 expression was found in 75.7% (53/70) of the cancers, but not detected or weakly expressed in control tissues. There was a significant difference in expression of MAT1 among the above four tissues (P

To explore the protective effect of sodium tanshinone IIA sulfonate (STS) on microcirculatory disturbance of small intestine in rats with sepsis, and the possible mechanism, a rat model of sepsis was induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). Rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: sham operated group (S), sepsis group (CLP) and STS treatment group (STS). STS (1 mg/kg) was slowly injected through the right external jugular vein after CLP. The histopathologic changes in the intestinal tissue and changes of mesenteric microcirculation were observed. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the intestinal tissue were determined by using enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA). The expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in the intestinal tissue was detected by using immunohistochemisty and Western blot, that of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) and tissue factor (TF) by using Western blot, and the levels of NF-κB mRNA expression by using RT-PCR respectively. The microcirculatory disturbance of the intestine was aggravated after CLP. The injury of the intestinal tissues was obviously aggravated in CLP group as compared with S group. The expression levels of NF-κB p65, ICAM-1, TF and TNF-α were upregulaed after CLP (P<0.01). STS post-treatment could ameliorate the microcirculatory disturbance, attenuate the injury of the intestinal tissues induced by CLP, and decrease the levels of NF-κB, ICAM-1, TF and TNF-α (P<0.01). It is suggested that STS can ameliorate the microcirculatory disturbance of the small intestine in rats with sepsis, and the mechanism may be associated with the inhibition of inflammatory responses and amelioration of coagulation abnormality.

Objective To investigate the correlation between the expression of EG-1 in breast cancer and the clinicopathological factors and prognosis of breast cancer.Methods EG-1 mRNA expression in 72 malignant and 18 benign breast tissues were evaluated by RT-PCR method,and its correlation with clinical characteristics and prognosis were retrospectively analyzed.Results EG-1 expression level was higher in malignant tissue than in the corresponding benign breast tissue(71%vs.24%,P＜0.05).EG-1 expression was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis and protein VEGF (P＜0.05)and was not significantly with age,menopause,tnmor size,grade,hormone status,protein Her2 and pS3.The metastastic rate and recurrence rate in EG-1 positive patients was higher than that in EG-1 negative patients.Multivariate Cox model showed that EG-1 positive was an independent factor affecting overall survival and disease free survival.Conclusions EG-1 expression was up-regulated in breast cancer and significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis and protein VEGF.

Objective To investigate changes in the number of endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) from peripheral blood and pathological feature in the development of transplant arteriosclerosis in mouse abdominal aortic allografts, and discuss their correlations. Methods A segment of abdominal aorta was transplanted orthotopically from C57BL/6 to Balb/c mice. The grafts were harvested at 3rd day, 2nd week, 4th week and 6th week after the operation and studied by light and electronic microscopy. Regional changes in the lumen and intima were measured with computer imaging analysis system. EPC from peripheral blood were quantified by flow cytometry. Results Endothelium injury and inflammatory cells infiltration were seen in the aortic allografts at 3rd day after transplantation.Neointimal lesions and acute rejection were observed as early as 2nd week after surgery. The lumen of allografts was significantly narrowed due to neointima hyperplasia and had progressed at 4th and 6th week postoperatively. The number of circulation EPC was increased from 1 st day after operation and reached the peak at 3rd day. Thereafter the number of EPC was decreased rapidly and significantly less at 14th and 28th day postoperation than that pre-operation. Conclusion Abdominal aortic transplantation from C57BL/6 to Balb/c mice presents typical pathological feature of transplant arteriosclerosis. The number of EPC from peripheral blood is related to the process of injured endothelial repair and neointima formation of aortic grafts. EPC count may be considered a novel biological marker and therapeutic intervention for transplant arteriosclerosis.

Objective To investigate the correlations between histological grading of the mucosal biopsies, clinical appearances and endoscopies of patients with active ulcerative colitis ( AUC) , and their roles in the therapeutic outcomes. Methods To analyze the grading in pathological, endoscopic and clinical manifestations of 133 patients, and use the scores to estimate each clinical appearance. A prospective study and Spearman correlation coefficients analysis were taken in this study. Results Among 133 patients, the grading of histological, clinical and endoscopic results in grades Ⅰ ,Ⅱ , Ⅲ , andⅣwere 29,45 ,37 and 22; 85 , 39,9 and 0; 8,30,16 and 79 cases respectively. There were significant positive correlations between histological grading and the following parameters; melena ( r =0. 49, P= 0. 000) , bowel movement ( r =0. 30, P = 0.001) , ESR (r=0. 42, P =0.000) , AI(r=0.56, P=0.000) , clinical grade (r=0.52, P=0.000) endoscopic grade (r = 0. 35 , P =0. 000). And no significant negative correlation with Hb (r = -0. 13, P = 0. 125). In 68 mild and moderate cases after administered SASP for 6 weeks with clinical remission there were 16 and 19 cases with 0 grade in endoscopies and histology respectively, and in the former group 7 cases fall in histological grade I . Conclusion There was no agreement in the clinical, endoscopic and histological grades of the AUC patients. For the evaluation of therapy, the sequence of priority is histological grade, endoscopic grade, and then clinical grade.

Objective To examine whether speckle tracking imaging(STI) could provide for the assessment of acute cardiac rejection. Methods Hearts from Brown Norway rats or Lewis rats were transplanted into other Brown Norway rats. Isografts and groups of allografts either untreated or treated with cyclosporin A (CsA) at a low dose (3 mg ·kg-1 ·d-1) or high dose (10mg · kg-1 ·d-1) from 1　day before transplantation were compared at posttransplantation day 7. Results Echocardiography-derived left ventricular post wall thickness was increased only in untreated allografts. The left ventricular eject fraction was significant lower in the allografts compared with isograft, but allografts treated without or with low-dose CsA showed similar results. The radial systolic radial strain rate showed a lower value in untreated allografts than other grafts,but there was no significant differences between allograft treated with high- or low-dose CsA and isografts. The circumferential strain and circumferential strain rate was comparable among the 4 groups. However the radial strain exhibited a clear gradient in these groups [(2. 8 ± 1.3)％ in untreated allografts, (5.2 ± 0.9)％ in allografts treated with low-dose CsA, (6.3 ± 1.8 )％ in allografts treated with high-dose CsA,and (12.7 ± 7.9) in isografts, P＜0.001]. The radial strain exhibited a clear correlation with the severity of rejection ( r =-0.812, P＜ 0.0000). Conclusions The radial strain decreased as the severity of rejection worsen. STI offers promise as a noninvasive method for detecting transplant allograft rejection.

AIM: To observe the effects of aspirin and prostaglandin E_2 (PGE_2) on the cell viability and cell cycle in SW1990 human pancreatic carcinoma cell lines, and to investigate the mechanisms of aspirin-induced growth inhibition and cell cycle arrest. METHODS: After incubated with aspirin or PGE_2 and their combination, the viability of SW1990 cells was measured by MTT assay. The levels of intracellular PGE_2 were determined by ELISA. The effects of aspirin or PGE_2 on cell cycle were investigated by flow cytometry (FCM). The expression of p21~ Wafl/cipl and p27~ Kipl/pic2 (the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors) were analyzed by Western blotting. RESULTS: Aspirin could inhibit the growth of cells and level of intracellular PGE_2 in a dose-dependent manner. Aspirin enhanced the expression of p21~ Wafl/cipl and p27~ Kipl/pic2 and induced cell cycle arrest at G_0/G_1 phase. PGE_2 increased the cell viability of SW1990 cells. However, it couldn't antagonize the changes of cell viability and cell cycle that induced by aspirin. CONCLUSIONS: The inhibitory effects of aspirin on growth and cell cycle of pancreatic carcinoma cells might not be mediated by a COX-dependent pathway completely. Cell cycle arrest induced by aspirin might be associated with up-regulation of p21~ Wafl/cipl and p27~ Kipl/pic2 .