BACKGROUND: Human umbilical cord Wharton's jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hWJCs) via transplantation are able to survive in a dog model of intervertebral disc degeneration and to partially restore the height of the intervertebral disc. However, there is no study on whether hWJCs can repair nucleus pulposus cells after inflammatory injury as yet. OBJECTIVE: To observe the protective effect of hWJCs on interleukin-1β induced rat nucleus pulposus degeneration.METHODS: Nucleus pulposus cells at passage 3 from Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups: (1) normal control group cultured in culture medium containing fetal bovine serum for 24 hours, and then cultured in complete medium for 24 hours; (2) intervention group with interleukin-1β intervention for 24 hours, followed by culture in the complete medium for 24 hours; (3) co-culture group with interleukin-1β intervention for 24 hours, followed by culture in the complete medium for non-direct co-culture with hWJCs for 24 hours. Annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide (PI) double staining and flow cytometry were used in succession to measure the apoptosis rate of nucleus pulposus cells in each group. The ADAMTS-4, MMPs-3 and TIMP-1 expression in nucleus pulposus cells was observed though RT-PCR. The activities of caspase-3, caspase-8 and caspase-9 were determined by caspase kit.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The apoptosis rates were ranked as follows: the intervention group > co-culture group > normal control group, and there were significant differences between groups (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group,the expression levels of ADAMTS-4 and MMPs-3 were significantly higher and the expression level of TIMP-1 was significantly lower in the intervention and co-culture groups (P < 0.05). Compared with the intervention group, the expression levels of ADAMTS-4 and MMPs-3 were significantly lower and the expression level of TIMP-1 was significantly higher in the co-culture group (P < 0.05). The expression activities of caspase-3, caspase-8 and caspase-9 were highest in the intervention group, followed by the co-culture group, and lowest in the normal control group, and there were significant differences between groups (P < 0.05). To conclude, hWJCs has obviously inhibitory effect on the apoptosis of degenerated nucleus pulposus cells induced by interleukin-1β.

Objective To study the effects of preterm birth, infection, pathological jaundice and asphyxia on neonatal thyroid function. Methods From April 2012 to April 2014,neonates within 7 days after birth admitted to the neonatal department of our hospital were recruited. The neonates with one or more of the 4 aforementioned conditions were assigned to the observation group; the full-term newborns without any diseases to the control group. 2 ml of venous blood from each patient was collected 5-7 days after birth to determine the levels of serum free iodine thyroid original glycine ( FT3 ) , free thyroxine ( FT4 ) and thyroid stimulating hormone ( TSH ) . The thyroid function of newborns in the observation group were re-examined after recovery, and compared among different groups and conditions. Results A total of 220 newborns were recruited in the observation group and 34 in the control group. FT3 in the observation group was significantly lower than the control group ( P＜0. 05 ) . As for FT4 and TSH, no statistically significant differences existed between the two groups ( p＞0. 05 ) . FT3 and FT4 in neonates with severe infection were significantly lower than mild infection ( P＜0. 05 ) . FT3 in the preterm group with gestational age ( GA ) ≤32 weeks was significantly lower than GA＞32 weeks, and FT3 in the jaundice group, serum bilirubin level ≥ 342 mol/L group significantly lower than ＜342 mol/L group (P＜0. 05) . In the observation group, the re-examined FT3 concentration was significantly higher (P＜0. 05) than the result tested 5-7 days after birth while FT4 and TSH didn′t show significant differences. And no significant differences existed between the observation group and the control group in re-examined thyroid functions ( P＞0. 05 ) . The multivariate analysis showed that GA, pathological jaundice, infection and asphyxia were associated with FT3 concentration 5-7 days after birth (P＜0. 05), while the delivery method and gender not (P＞0. 05). Conclusions The main effect of preterm birth, infection, pathological jaundice and asphyxia on thyroid function was to decrease FT3 temporarily. Severe infection might decrease FT4 temporarily. However, the thyroid function would return to normal with recovery.

Objective To study the expression of skin aspartic protease (SASPase) in lesions of cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) and its role in the pathogenesis of CLE.Methods Skin samples were resected from the lesions and normal skin of 9 patients with CLE,including 3 cases of subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (SCLE),4 cases of discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) and 2 cases of acute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (ACLE).Keratinocytes were isolated from the tissue samples and cultured in serum-free medium.Total proteins were extracted from the keratinocytes and separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis.ImageMaster 2D analysis software was used to assess differentially expressed proteins in keratinocytes between the lesional and normal skin,which were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS).The expression levels of SASPase were further determined by Western blot.The data were analyzed statistically by Student's t test.Results Keratinocytes were isolated from the tissue samples and successfully cultured in vitro.Two-dimensional electrophoresis profiles of proteins from the keratinocytes were obtained with high resolution and reproducibility,and the average matching protein spots were about 1200 with the matching rate higher than 80％.As Western blot showed,the relative expression level of SASPase was 0.463 ± 0.018 in keratinocytes from the lesional skin,and 0.145 ± 0.011 in those from the normal skin (P ＜ 0.05).The Western blot results were consistent with those of two-dimensional electrophoresis.Conclusion The initiation and progression of CLE seem to be associated with the abnormal activation and overexpression of SASPase.

In the 40 years of last centry American scientists put forward a concep of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) therapeutic technique and had done some technical and clinical studies. Since 90 years the HIFU surgery technique treating tumors anew rised abruptly in the world. China firstly put out a comprehensive HIFU tumor treating sistem and successfully treated many solid tumors such as breast cancer, bone tumor, liver cancer etc.. Now the treating sistem has already exported to England, Italy,Spain, Japan, Colea etc. and treated tens thousands tumor patients. In the field of noninvasive ultrasound treating tumor technique China has continually kept the leading position in the world.

Objective To investigate the echocardiographic features of complete transposition of the great arteries (TGA)in fetuses.Methods Prenatal echocardiographic data of 9 fetuses diagnosed as TGA by autopsy or postnatal echocardiography during January 2010 to January 2017 were retrospectively analyzed.Results All of 9 fetuses showed normal cardiac axis and atrioventricular connection on four-chamber view.Eight of them showed the baby bird's beak sign on left ventricular outflow tract view.On left and right ventricular outflow tracts view,the two great arteries were parallel in 8 fetuses.Totally 6 fetuses showed just 2 vessels on three vessels and tracheal (3VT) view.On aortic arch view,the radian of aortic arch had increased in different degrees in 7 fetuses.There were 4 fetuses with ventricular septal defect observed by both of four-chamber and left ventricular outflow tract views.Conclusion The echocardiographic features of fetuses with TGA are characteristic in left ventricular outflow tract,left and right ventricular outflow tracts,3VT and aortic arch views,including baby bird's beak sign,2 great arteries' parallel relations,only 2 vessels on 3VT view,and increased radian of aortic arch.Of these features,baby bird's beak sign is the most common.

OBJECTIVE To explore the possibility of no recurrent laryngeal nerve injury in thyroid surgery. METHODS A total of 659 consecutive patients with thyroid disease undergoing thyroidectomy byotolaryngologists from March 2001 to March 2005 were retrospectively analyzed. The operative mode and incidence of complications, particularly postoperative RLN palsy, hypoparathyroidism and postoperative recurrence were evaluated. Routine dissection and identification of the RLN was performed during all operative procedures and parathyroid with the blood supply was preserved. RESULTS Unilateral total thyroidectomy with contralateral partial lobectomy was performed in 376 cases, unilateral total thyroidectomy with isthmectomy in 87, bilateral subtotal thyroidectomy with the remnant left at the upper pole in 76, total thyroidectomy in 73. The operations on 47 patients with substernal goiter have been successfully performed via cervical collar incision. None of our patients incurred unilateral or bilateral vocal cord paralysis and permanent hypocalcaemia. Of these patients, the incidence of temporary postoperative hypocalcemia was 1.67 %(11/659). Postoperative hemorrhage requiring reoperation occurred in 4 cases (0.60 %) and 5 patients developed wound haematomas (0.76 %).Postoperative hypothyroidism was found in 3 patients(0.45 %).The incidence of postoperative recurrence was 0.15 %(1/659). No patients had incision infection. CONCLUSION With knowledge of the anatomy of the RLN and routinely complete identification the RLN in performing capsular dissection high on the surface of the thyroid gland, RLN injury may be avoided in thyroid surgery. [

Objective To study the influence of microvascular invasion (MVI) on progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with a solitary small hepatocellular carcinoma,and to analyze the risk factors of MVI.Methods 126 patients with a solitary small hepatocellular carcinoma who underwent liver resection at Tianjin Medical University Cancer Hospital from January 2010 to December 2012 were retrospectively studied.Their demographic and clinicopathological characteristics including age,gender,HBV infection,HCV infection,alcohol consumption,comorbidity,liver cirrhosis,ascites,tumor size,tumor differentiation,MVI,satellite lesion,AFP,CA19-9,ALT and TBil were analyzed.Results The 1-,2-and 3-year PFS rates of patients with a solitary small hepatocellular carcinoma were 81.0％,60.3％ and 47.3％ after surgical resection,respectively.Univariate analysis revealed that MVI,comorbidity,non-well-differentiated tumor,tumor size ＞4 cm were risk factors of PFS.Multivariate analysis demonstrated that only MVI and comorbidity were independent factors of PFS.MVI occurred in 43.7％ of the patients.The median PFS of patients without MVI was 45 months,and the 1-,2-and 3-year PFS rates of these patients were 91.5％,67.6％ and 56.0％,respectively.The median PFS of patients with MVI was 30 months,and the 1-,2-and 3-year PFS rates were 67.3％,50.9％ and 35.4％,respectively.On univariate analysis,AFP ＞ 100 μg/L,non-well-differentiated tumor and satellite lesions were significantly associated with MVI.On multivariate analysis only non-well-differentiated tumor was independently associated with MVI.Conclusions MVI was an important factor affecting PFS in patients with a solitary small hepatocellular carcinoma.AFP ＞ 100 μg/L,non-well-differentiated tumor and satellite lesions were risk factors of MVI.

Epigenetic mechanisms influence gene expression and function without modification of the base sequence of DNA and may generate a genetic phenotype.Epigenetic modifications include DNA methylation,histone modifications,and deployment of noncoding RNA.There is growing evidence that epigenetic mechanisms could play a crucial role in the development of diabetic retinopathy (DR).Molecular biological methods which could maintain mitochondrial homeostasis through the regulation of epigenetic mechanisms may prevent the development of DR.Epigenetic-related treatment modalities will become the new direction of targeted therapy for DR.

Over-expression of P-glycoprotein (Pgp) is associated with the development of multi-drug resistance ( MDR). Pgp has been focused on as the main target in designing chemotherapy strategy. In this article we review some of the latest advancement in designing and evaluation methods of P- glycoprotein inhibitors.

Objective In order to observe the role of genetically modified Schwann cell (SC) with pSVPoMcat in the regeneration of injured spinal cord.Method The cells were implanted into the spinal cord.Ninety SD rats were used to establish a model of hemi- transection of spinal cord at the level of T8,and were divided into three groups,randomly, that is,pSVPoMcat modified SC implantation(Group A), SC implantation(Group B),and without cell implantation as control(Group C).After three months the presence of axonal regeneration of the injured spinal cord was examined by means of horseradish peroxidase(HRP)retrograde labeling technique and stereography.Result The results indicated that HRP labeled cells in Group A and B could be found in the superior region of injured spinal cord and the brain stem such as the red nuclei and oculomotor nuclei. The density of ventral horn neurons of the spinal cord and the number of myelinated axons in 100 μ m of the white matter was A >B >C group.Conclusion In brief,the pSVPoMcat modified SC intraspinal implantation could promote regeneration of the injured spinal cord.