Objective To evaluate the effect of cytokine-induced killer cells (CIKs) as an adoptive immunotherapy option for treatment of leukemia relapse after allo-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT).Methods Two cases of infusion of donor CIKs in patients with leukemia relapse after allo-HSCT were retrospectively analyzed.Patient one relapsed 986 days (+986d) after HLA-matched unrelated donor allo-HSCT.Applications of chemotherapy only resulted in short term remission,but allo-CIKs were successfully expanded from the patient's peripheral blood mononuclear cells of donor origin.Totally five cycles of CIKs infusion were infused as an alternative of adoptive immunotherapy.Patient two had recurrent in the + 158d after HLA-matched sibling alloHSCT.At + 204d and + 294d,two cycles of CIKs which were expanded from donor peripheral blood mononuclear cells were infused.Results One cycle of CIKs was given to patient one after the application of chemotherapy to reduce the tumor burden,and the patient successively achieved complete remission.Again after additional four cycles of CIKs infusion,consistent remission was maintained during the following seven months.Patient two who had relapsed disease posttransplantation,achieved cytological complete remission after withdrawal of immunosuppressants and undergoing chemotherapy combined with G-CSF mobilized stem cell infusion.However,at + 187d,the patient suffered from side-effect of acute graft versus host disease and extramedullary infiltration.The symptoms were alleviated markedly after one cycle of CIKs infusion at + 204d.Moreover,the pain disappeared after an additional infusion at + 294d.And up to the present,the bone marrow aspiration showed complete remission while the extramedullary disease vanished.Conclusion The use of CIKs in the treatment of leukemia relapse after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation can be feasible and well tolerated.

Adenoma ; pathology ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cytokines ; metabolism ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Ear Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Endolymphatic Sac ; pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Vimentin ; metabolism

ObjectiveTo investigate the role of reducing the door-to-needle time for patients with acute ischemic stroke based on the quality improvement program of PDCA cycle.MethodsConsecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke admitted to hospital were registered prospectively from January 1, 2016 to September 30, 2016.Questionnaires and time tracking method were used to investigate the door-to-needle (DNT) and its influencing factors.PDCA cycle method was used to improve the stroke channel workflow and the changing trend of DNT was analyzed.ResultsA total of 71 patients with acute ischemic stroke were enrolled.After 3 PDCA cycles, DNT (median, interquartile range) from 100.0 min (65.5-127.0 min) reduced to58.0 min (45.5-80.0 min) (Z=11.689, P<0.001), the proportion of the patients with DNT ≤60 min increased from 19.05% to 60.00% (χ2=7.893, P=0.019).Conclusions The quality improvement program of PDCA cycle may effectively reduce the time of DNT in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Adult ; Biopsy, Needle ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Kidney ; pathology ; Kidney Diseases ; pathology ; therapy ; Male ; Nephritis, Interstitial ; pathology ; Renal Dialysis ; Sarcoidosis ; pathology ; therapy ; Tuberculosis, Renal ; pathology

Objective To evaluate the correlation between regional blood perfusion and biological features of breast cancer. Methods Spiral CT technique was applied to quantitatively detect the central and marginal blood perfusion, including blood flow ( BF ) , blood volume ( BV) and permeability of surface (PS). Results The central and marginal blood perfusion of breast cancer were significantly higher than that of normal breast tissues. The marginal blood perfusion was higher than central blood perfusion. The regional blood perfusion of breast cancer varied with tumor size, clinical stage and histological grading. Conclusion The regional blood perfusion correlates with biological markers in breast cancer and can be used to evaluate the biological characteristics as a noninvasive marker before neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the toxicity of chicken calamus keratin (CCK) conduit as a tissue-engineered scaffold material.

METHODSThe chemical composition of the leaching solution of CCK was determined by means of ultraviolet spectrometry, and the toxic effects of the solution was evaluated by skin sensitization test in rats, intracutaneous stimulation test in rabbits, acute systemic toxicity test in mice, and cytotoxicity test in L929 cells.

RESULTSThe leaching solution of CCK consisted mainly of middle-molecular-weight peptides with a small quantity of macromolecular proteins. Skin sensitization test in rats showed that application of the CCK leaching solution caused no obvious skin reddening, regional edema, or skin necrosis. Intracutaneous injection of the leaching solution in rabbits did not induce obvious skin stimulation manifested by intradermal erythema or edema. In acute systemic toxic test, administration of the leaching solution in mice caused no death, organ dysfunction, cyanosis, tremor, severe peritoneal irritation, ptosis, or dyspnoea. In vitro cytotoxicity test indicated that the cell toxicity of the CCK leaching solution was approximately at 0 level.

CONCLUSIONCCK contained in the treated chicken calamus easily undergoes hydrolysis to release mainly some peptides which do not induce obvious toxic effects, suggesting the safe potential applications of CCK conduit as a tissue-engineering biomaterial.

Animals ; Cell Line ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Chickens ; Feathers ; chemistry ; Female ; Keratins ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Male ; Mice ; Rabbits ; Rats ; Skin Irritancy Tests ; Solutions ; Tissue Engineering ; Tissue Scaffolds ; chemistry ; Toxicity Tests ; methods

AIMTo investigate the effects of tamoxifen on proliferation of human breast cancer Bcap-37 cells and cervical carcinoma HeLa cells and to explore it's possible mechanism.

METHODSThe techniques of cell culture, growth curves, flow cytometry and laser scanning confocal microscope were used.

RESULTSTamoxifen (10(-6) mol/L) shifted the growth curve of Bcap-37 cells downward, and shifted the growth curve of HeLa cells upward. Tamoxifen (10(-8) - 10(-6) mol/L) inhibited the proliferation of Bcap-37 cells in a dose-dependent manner, but stimulated the proliferation of HeLa cells in a dose-dependent manner. Bcap-37 cells appeared apoptosis when treated with tamoxifen (10(-6) mol/L), and the same dose stimulated the proliferation of HeLa cells at GI/S phases. The apoptotic rate of Bcap-37 cells was 97.5%. It blocked G1 phase of HeLa cells from 55.5% to 32.8%, and increased the S phase from 29.0% to 49.4%. Tamoxifen (10(-6) mol/L) also increased the releasing of calcium in Bcap-37 and HeLa cells.

CONCLUSIONTamoxifen can significantly influence the proliferation of breast cancer and cervical carcinoma cells possibly by affecting cell cycle and stimulating the releasing of Ca2+ in the cells.

Breast Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Female ; HeLa Cells ; Humans ; Tamoxifen ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Tumor Cells, Cultured ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo study the mechanism of Ca(2+) on the apoptosis induced by hyperthermia in neonate rat hippocampal neurons to provide the applicative evidence of dantrolene for preventing brain injuries.

METHODSDantrolene, Ca(2+) specific blocking agent, was used in the hyperthermia-induced apoptosis of primary hippocampal neurons in vitro to observe its effect on the apoptosis, fluorescent intensity, and dynamic change of Ca(2+) by flowcytometry and laser confocal microscopy.

RESULTSThe rate of apoptosis was decreased significantly after hyperthermia treatment by dantrolene sodium. The intracellular Ca(2+) fluorescent intensity in 42 degrees C treatment group (107.35 +/- 6.0) was significantly lower than that in control group (159.12 +/- 33.8). The concentration of Ca(2+) began to decrease 20 approximately 25 s after adding dantrolene sodium, and reached the lowest level about 50 s later, and then kept lower than the basal level.

CONCLUSIONDantrolene sodium has an important protective effect on hippocampal neurons apoptosis induced by hyperthermia and may have some applicative value of preventing heat-induced brain injury.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Calcium Channel Blockers ; pharmacology ; Cells, Cultured ; Dantrolene ; pharmacology ; Female ; Hippocampus ; cytology ; drug effects ; Male ; Neurons ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Temperature

OBJECTIVETo Investigate the differences of sorbitol fermentation related genes and optimize molecular analysis method for distinguishing an epidemic with nonepidemic strains of Vibrio cholerae.

METHODSSequence analysis on four genes of sugar fermentation stimulation protein, periplasmic maltose-binding protein, periplasmic phosphate-binding protein and periplasmic amino acid-binding protein.

RESULTSIn this study, the following data was noticed: for O1 serogroup El Tor biotype V. cholerae, twenty-four epidemic and eight nonepidemic strains were chosen; For O139 serogroup V. cholerae, five epidemic and four nonepidemic strains were chosen. With those genes of sugar fermentation stimulation protein, there were three point mutations. The 106th, 150th, 378th oligonucleotide in epidemic strains were A, A and T, comparing to the nonepidemic strains which were G, G and C. When comparing the protein sequences, epidemic strains had a Threonine at 36th amino acid, whereas nonepidemic strains had an Alanine. The results in O139 serogroup were consistent with those in O1 serogroup El Tor biotype strains. Another two point mutations were found in the genes of periplasmic maltose-binding protein. The 999th, 1003rd oligonucleotides in epidemic strains were A and C, while in nonepidemic which were G and T. For the gene of periplasmic amino acid-binding protein, two point mutations were noticed. The 504th and 690th oligonucleotides in epidemic strains were T and C, but were C and T in nonepidemic. However, no amino acid differences were found in periplasmic maltose-binding protein and periplasmic amino acid-binding protein. For periplasmic amino acid-binding protein gene, there was no difference on oligonucleotide between epidemic and nonepidemic strains.

CONCLUSIONResults suggested that SNPs in these genes might serve as a useful tool to distinguish the epidemic strains from nonepidemic strains. The 36th amino acid mutation of sugar fermentation stimulation protein in epidemic and nonepidemic strains might change the activity of the protein which might be associated with sorbitol fermentation.

Amino Acid Sequence ; Bacterial Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Base Sequence ; Carrier Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Fermentation ; Maltose-Binding Proteins ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Periplasmic Binding Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Phosphate-Binding Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Point Mutation ; Sequence Analysis, Protein ; Sorbitol ; Vibrio cholerae ; genetics ; metabolism

Objective To explore the correlation between thyroid nodules and uric acid levels and to find their gender differences.Methods A total of 68 056 subjects in a regional medical physical examination center of Shanxi Province from January 2013 to June 2015 were enrolled in this study.All the participants′ general information and parameters were recorded.Thyroid nodules were detected by color Doppler ultrasonography.Results The total prevalence of thyroid nodule was 35.5%, 30.7% in males and 40.0% in females.The prevalence of single nodule was 50.1%, and multiple 49.9%.Compared with no nodule group, thyroid nodule group tended to be older, with higher BMI, and with a worse metabolic status(all P<0.01).The uric acid levels were lower[(352.37±78.14 vs 357.70±77.51) μmol/L, P<0.01] in thyroid nodule group in male and higher[(260.22±61.91 vs 253.91±59.18) μmol/L, P<0.01] in female.Conclusion Thyroid nodules may be associated with metabolism and inflammation.In males, hyperuricemia group had lower, while in females, hyperuricemia ones were with a higher prevalence of thyroid nodules.