0. 1). The incidence of peptic ulcer, incidence and severity of portal hypertensive gastropathy (PHG) and the incidence of upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage in Hp positive patients were higher than those in Hp negative . Conclusion Hp infection in patients with liver - cirrhosis may be related to incidences of peptic ulcer, PHG and upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) antibody on peripheral neural fibrosis after chronic entrapment.MethodsA total of 75 rats were randomly divided into three groups, ie, Group A (sham operation, only the sciatic nerve exposed), Group B (compression only, treated with sciatic nerve entrapment) and Group C (compression plus antibody injection).Electron microscopy, immunohistoehemistry, RT-PCR and Western blot were performed to observe the morphological changes of the compressed nerve tissue and to determine the level of TGF-β1 , collagen Ⅰ and collagen Ⅲ at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 weeks after sciatic nerve compression, respectively.Results The levels of TGF-β1 , types Ⅰ and Ⅲ collagen protein were increased significantly in the Group B compared with that in the Group A, when the expression of TGF-β1 was increased in the early phase of the compression, reached the peak at the 4th week, and then decreased slowly.The expressions of collagenⅠand collagen Ⅲ were increased after compression, reached a peak at the 6th week and then maintained a relatively high level.The number of the fibrous tissues was decreased significantly and the content of types Ⅰ and Ⅲ collagen protein declined in the Group C, with statistical difference compared with the Group B (P ＜ 0.05).ConclusionsPeripheral nerve fibrosis can be caused by chronic nerve compression.TGF-β1 plays an important role in effectively inhibiting the collagen synthesis and ameliorating the nervous fibrosis of the protein following peripheral nervous entrapment.

Objective To evaluate the protective effect of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) against interleukin (IL)-17-induced injury to keratinocytes,and to explore its mechanism.Methods Some cultured HaCaT cells were divided into 3 groups to be treated with IL-17 alone at concentrations of 50,70,90 μg/L,respectively,with those receiving no treatment as the blank control group.Some HaCaT cells were divided into 5 groups:IL-17 group treated with 90 μg/L IL-17 alone,IL-17 + EGCG group treated with 90 μg/L IL-17 and 60 μmol/L EGCG,IL-17 + SP600125 group treated with 90 μg/L IL-17 and SP600125 (a JAK signaling pathway inhibitor),IL-17+ EGCG + anisomycin group treated with 90μg/L IL-17,60xmol/L EGCG and anisomycin (a Janus kinase signaling pathway activator),and blank control group receiving no treatment.After different durations of treatment,CCK-8 assay was performed to evaluate cellular proliferative activity,flow cytometry to detect cell apoptosis,enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to measure expression levels of IL-6,IL-23 and IL-8,and Western-blot analysis to determine protein expressions of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and phosphorylated JNK (P-JNK).Results IL-17 promoted cellular proliferation of HaCaT cells,and the proliferation rate,which was correlated with the concentration of IL-17,reached the maximum in the 90-μg/L IL-17 group (P ＜ 0.05).EGCG at 60 μmol/L significantly inhibited cellular proliferation of,promoted apoptosis in,and reduced IL-6,IL-23 and IL-8 expressions in,HaCaT cells induced by 90 μg/L IL-17 (all P ＜ 0.05).Compared with the IL-17 group,the IL-17 + EGCG group and IL-17 + SP600125 group both showed significantly decreased P-JNK expression,cell proliferation rate and IL-6,IL-23 and IL-8 expression levels (all P ＜ 0.05).However,compared with the IL-17 + EGCG group,the IL-17 + EGCG + anisomycin group showed significantly increased protein expression of P-JNK,cell proliferation rate and IL-6,IL-23 and IL-8 expression levels (all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion EGCG protected against IL-17-induced injury to HaCaT cells,such as abnormal cell proliferation,apoptosis and inflammatory response,likely by inhibiting the JNK signaling pathway.

Objective To assess the radial systolic function of left ventricle(LV) in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy(DCM) by velocity vector imaging(VVI).Methods Sixteen patients with DCM and twenty control subjects were detected by VVI.VVI data were collected from the six basal segments and six mid segments in parastenal LV short axis views.The radial systolic velocity(V) ,strain(ε) ,strain rate(SR),the time to peak systolic velocity(PTV) and the time to maximum strain(PTε) were measured with special software.The differene of the earliest and the latest time to peak velocity(T-max) and the standard deviation of time to peak velocity(T-SD) of 12 segments were calculated.Results Compared to the controlled group,patients with DCM had significantly lower radial V,ε and SR (P ＜0.01) in all the 12 segments,significantly longer PTV and PTε (P ＜ 0.05) in most segments, and significantly larger T-max and T-SD (P ＜0.05).Conclusions VVI is useful to assess the abnormalities in LV radial movement in patients with DCM and could provide more information about regional cardiac function.

Objective To investigate the effects of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) on the chronic peripheral nerve compression injury and explore the function of CTGF in peripheral nerve compression injury and repair. Methods From July 2010 to September 2010, fifty aduh male SD rats were randomly divided into group A and B: group A (sham-operated group): only exposed the sciatic nerve; group B (compression group): undergone sciatic nerve entrapment operation on the right hind leg according to the method which Mackinnon adopted when he established the model of chronic sciatic nerve compression.Electron microscopy,immunohistochemistry,RT-PCR and Western-blot were performed to observe the morphological changes of the compressed nerve tissue and to determine the level of CTGF,collagen- Ⅰ,Ⅲ (COL- Ⅰ,Ⅲ),2,4,6,8,10 weeks after the surgery,respectively. Results After sciatic nerve compression,the collagen in nerve increased ; The expression of CTGF and COL- Ⅰ, Ⅲ in sciatic nerve of compressed group increased, which was statistically different compared with the sham-operation group (P ＜ 0.05); In the meanwhile,the contents of CTGF and COL- Ⅰ,Ⅲ were positively correlated in a certain period. Conclusion Peripheral nerve fibrosis can be caused by chronic nerve compression.The expression of COL- Ⅰ,Ⅲ in sciatic nerve increased and CTGF get involved in the pathophysiological process, which suggests that CTGF plays an important role in the process of neural injury and fibrosis.

Objective To analyze the imaging characteristics of hepatic involvement in Langerhans cell histiocytosis(LCH) in children on MRCP, MRI and CT. Methods Twenty-nine children from three children hospitals in China, who were diagnosed as hepatic involvement by disseminated LCH during Aug 2008 and Jan 2015 were included in this study. Their MRCP (n=16), MRI (n=22), contrast?enhanced CT (n=15) data were retrospectively analyzed. The stenoses and dilatation of the intrahepatic bile ducts, the common hepatic bile duct and its first order branches and the common bile duct were evaluated on the MRCP image. The size and shape of the liver, the imaging characteristics of the periportal lesions in the Glisson sheath and hepatic parenchymal lesions were also evaluated on the cross?sectional images. Results MRCP indicated alternative stenoses/dilatation of the bile duct tree (n=16), stenoses of the common hepatic duct and its first?order branches (n=15), partialindistinctness of the common bile duct (n=2) and multiple cystic lesions along the biliary tree (n=5). On the cross?sectional images, the periportal lesions in the Glisson sheath were observed in 28 children. On MRI, the periportal lesions were shown in all the 22 children with MRI, presented as hypo-signal intensity on T1WI, hyper?signal intensity on T2WI (n=11) or mixed?signal intensity on T1WI and T2WI (n=11); On CT, the periportal lesions were found in 14 of the 15 children with CT, presenting as low density (n=13) and mixed density (n=1). Multiple nodular or cyst?like parenchymal lesions were observed in 21 patients including 18 patients on MRI and 5 patients on enhanced CT. Sixteen patients presented as hypo?intensity on T1WI, hyper?intensity on T2WI and low density on plain CT, and 5 patients with iso? or hypo?intensity on T1WI, hypo?intensity on T2WI,and milder enhancement relative to the adjacent parenchyma on contrast?enhanced CT. Conclusions The imaging characteristics of hepatic involvement by LCH include alternative stenoses and dilatation of the intrahepatic ducts, stenoses of the common hepatic bile duct and its first?order branches on MRCP, the periportal lesions in the Glisson sheath and hepatic parenchymal nodular or cyst?like lesions on cross?sectional images.

Assessing dry weight accurately is crucial in providing effective and safe haemodialysis. Biases towards dry weight assessment may bring a series of dialysis complications. This study introduces an online detection technique of relative blood volume (RBV) based on ultrasound, which analyzes the correlation between changes in blood density and sound speed. By measuring the attenuation in sound velocity, this method was employed to calculate RBV, and then to evaluate the dry weight of patients on dialysis. TDC-GP2 time measurement chip and MSP430 Single-chip Microcontroller (SCM) were used in the system to measure the ultrasonic travel time. In the clinical trials, RBV values range between 71.3% and 108.1%, showing consistent result with Fresenius 4008S blood volume monitor (BVM). This detection method possesses several advantages, such as real time, convenient, reproducible, non-invasive, and etc.
Blood Volume ; Body Weight ; Humans ; Monitoring, Physiologic ; Renal Dialysis ; Ultrasonics

Aim To investigate the effect of ouabain and cinobufogenin on cell proliferation,apoptosis and cell cycle on HepG2,and explore their molecular mechanism.Methods The anti-proliferative effect on HepG2 cells was determined by MTT assay.The HepG2 cells were stained with Hoechst 33342,and its morphological changes were observed under fluorescence microscope;The cell cycle was measured by flow cytometry.The Cyclin A1,CDK 2,PCNA and p21~(CIP1) expression levels of HepG2 cells treated with ouabain and cinobufogenin were dectected in mRNA and protein by Real time PCR and Western blot.Results Ouabain and cinobufogenin could inhibit cell proliferation on HepG2 cells,and the inhibitory effects were in time and dose dependent manners.The HepG2 cells treated with ouabain and cinobufogenin showed the typical morphological features of apoptosis.Cell cycle analysis showed that the S phase of HepG2 cells treated with ouabain and cinobufogenin increased significantly compared with the control group.Real-time quantitative PCR and Western blot results showed that ouabain and cinobufogenin could down-regulate Cyclin A1,CDK 2,and PCNA expressions(P<0.05)and up-regulate p21~(CIP1) expression(P<0.05).Conclusion Nα~+,K~+-ATPase inhibitor has the anti-proliferative effect on HepG2 cells and induce apoptosis and S phase arrest.These effects might be related with proteins associated with cell cycle closely.

Objective To evaluate left ventricular wall motion changes after successful pereutaneous coronary artery intervention (PCI) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) by velocity vector imaging (VVI). Methods Twenty patients with acute MI, 16 anterior MI and 4 inferior MI,were studied by VVI within 3 days before PCI, 1 week and 3 months after PCI. The VVI parameters included peak systolic myocardial velocity (Vsys), peak systolic strain (εsys), maximal strain (εmax), peak systolic strain rate ( SRsys), isovolumic relaxation strain rate(SRivr),segmental ejection fraction (sEF), time to peak of velocity (TPKvel),and time to peak of strain (TPKε). Results Compared with that before PCI,εsys, SRsys, sEF, PSI, SRivr/SRsys, and TPKε were improved one week after PCI,and were further significantly improved at 3 months follow-up. Conclusions The VVI parameters can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of PCI shortly after the procedure and during long-term follow-up.

Objective The periacetabular tumor has a low rate of incidence, but its special location poses a challenge to clinical treatment.The aim of this study was to discuss the methods, effects, and complications of surgical treatment of periacetabular tumors. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 36 cases of periacetabular tumor surgically treated in our depart-ment, including 21 males and 15 females, aged 15 to 64 (45.2 ±6.3) years.Among them, there were 8 cases of benign tumor (4 ca-ses of simple bone cyst, 1 case of desmoplastic fibromas, 1 case of osteofibrous dysplasia, and 2 cases of hemangioma) and 28 cases of malignant tumor (5 cases of osteosarcomas, 12 cases of chondrosarcomas, 2 cases of giant cell tumor of the bone, 1 case of malignant chondroblastoma, 2 cases of malignant fibrohistiocytoma, and 5 cases of metastatic tumor of the bone).The benign cases received sim-ple tumor resection plus bone graft and steel plate system internal fixation, while malignant cases underwent reconstruction by combined pedicle screw fixation system with bone cement. Results No patients died perioperatively and controllable complications occurred in 5 cases after operation.All the patients were followed up for 5 to 96 months except for 1 case of benign tumor.None of the benign cases experienced recurrence, and all of them achieved normal hip function.Lung metastases occurred in 10 malignant cases (4 cases of os-teosarcomas and 6 cases of chondrosarcomas) , who died of respiratory failure, and the other 18 remained tumor-free after surgery.Of the 2 patients with malignant fibrohistiocytoma, 1 died 2 years postoperatively and the other survived with tumor.Neither local recur-rence nor lung metastasis was found in the patients with chordoma and malignant chondroblastoma till the end of follow-up.The 5 pa-tients with metastases died within 3 years after operation.At 3 months after surgery, the Harris scores after total hip replacement were >90 in the 7 benign cases, 70-79 in 9 malignant cases, and <70 in the other 19 malignant cases. Conclusion For the treatment of malig-nant tumors, reconstruction by combined pedicle screw fixation system with bone cement does not affect the general daily activities of the pa-tients.Preoperative embolization of the internal iliac artery can reduce bleeding and improve operation safety, and measures should be taken to minimize postoperative complications.