Cardiovascular Diseases ; Follistatin-Related Proteins ; physiology ; Humans

Objective:To investigate the effects of thalidomide on vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) and quality of life in patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma after transcatheter arterial chemoembotization.Methods:A total of 60 patients with HCC,who were treated with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) in Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical University from January 2014 to January 2016,were randomly divided into group A (n=30)and group B (n=30).Group A was treated with Thalidomide in combination with TACE,oral 200 mg every night for 1 month;group B was treated with TACE alone.The levels of VEGF in the two groups were detected before treatment and 3 weeks after treatment;the quality of life of patients before treatment and 1 month after treatment was evaluated by quality of life scale (QOL);the weight of two groups before and after treatment and adverse reactions during treatment were compared.Results:There was no significant difference in VEGF levels between the two groups before treatment (P＞0.05).After treatment,the levels of VEGF in the two groups were higher than those before treatment,and the VEGF levels in the group A was significantly lower than that in the group B,the difference was statistically significant (P＜0.01).There was no significant difference in QOL score and body weight between the two groups before treatment (P＞0.05).The QOL scores of the two groups after treatment were lower than those before treatment,but the QOL scores of patients in group A were significantly higher than those in group B (P＜0.05).There was no significant difference in weight between the two groups before and after treatment (P＞0.05).In group A,1 patients (3.33％) had severe somnolence,2 (6.67％) patients stopped taking thalidomide due to severe dry mouth,and the remaining 27 patients were able to tolerate.Conclusion:Thalidomide combined with TACE in the treatment of patients with HCC can reduce the levels of VEGF and improve the quality of life of cancer patients,which is worthy to be popularized in clinic.

Objective To investigate the incidence of C-shaped root canal systems in mandibular second perma?nent molar of patients in the First People’s Hospital of Yunnan Province, and compare the success rate between one-and two-visit root canal treatment. Methods Two hundred and sixty mandibular second molars were recruited from the pa?tients in the department of endodontics of our hospital, and teeth with C-shaped root canal were categorized by using radio?graphic classification criteria and the modified Melton’s method. Teeth with C-shaped root canal systems were then random?ly divided into two groups to receive one-or two-visit root canal treatment, and success rates of 6-month post-operation were compared between two groups. Results Eighty out of 260 mandibular second molars exhibited C-shaped canals (30.77%). Radiographic examination showed that 25 teeth belonged to typeⅠ(31.25%), 32 teeth typeⅡ(40.00%) and 23 teeth typeⅢ(28.75%) in two groups. As for modified Melton’s method, the incidence rates were 21.25%, 48.75%, 16.25%and 13.75% for C1,C2,C3a and C3b, respectively, while C4 was not found. The success rates were 78.94% (30/38) and 81.08%(30/37) for A group and B group, respectively, with no statistically significant difference between two groups ( 78.94 vs 81.08, P>0.05). Conclusion Results indicate a frequent incidence of C-shaped root canal system of mandibular per?manent second molars in our hospital. One-visit root canal treatment is an effective way for treating C-shaped canals in man?dibular permanent second molar.

Objective To investigate the changes of serum C reactive protein(CRP) ,tumor necrosis factor alpha(TNF-alpha) and interleukin-17(IL-17) by minocycline ointment on the basis of conventional therapy in the treatment of aggressive periodontitis (AgP) .Methods All 45 cases of AgP patients were randomly divided into two groups ,23 cases in the therapeutic group ,were per-formed scaling and root planning plus local minocycline hydrochloride Ointment medication;22 cases in the control group ,were trea-ted by scaling and root planing only .All aggressive periodontitis patients were detected the serum CRP ,TNF-alpha and IL-17 levels before and after treatment ,and compared with normal controls .Results The serum levels of CRP ,TNF-αand IL-17 in normal hu-man were lower than those of AgP patients before and after treatment(P<0 .05) .After 3 months treatment ,the serum levels of CRP ,TNF-αand IL-17 in AgP patients were significantly lower than those before treatment(P<0 .05) .Conclusion The effect of minocycline on the basis of conventional therapy in the treatment of AgP patient is remarkable ,which can improve the serum level of CRP ,TNF-alpha and IL-17 .

Medicine, Chinese Traditional

AIM: To compare the clinical results of suture method and partial eyelash resection treating for pediatric eyelid trichiasis, and screen an effective method for the treatment of pediatric lower eyelid trichiasis.
METHODS: Fifty-six cases of pediatric patients with lower eyelid trichiasis were randomly divided into a control group and an observation group in accordance with the method of drawing lots, and each group was 28 cases. The control group was treated with suture method, and the observation group was treated with partial eyelash resection. The clinical efficacy, patient satisfaction before and after treatment, and the incidence of complications were compared.
RESULTS:(1) The clinically total effective rate was 74%of the control group, which was 89% of the observation group, and there were statistical differences of the clinical efficacy between the two groups ( P<0. 05 ); ( 2 ) the satisfaction scores were (3. 89±1. 22) points and (6. 27±1-86) points of the the control group before and after treatment, which were ( 4. 00±1. 34 ) points and ( 8-95±2-34) points of the observation group, and there were statistical differences of the two groups before and after treatment (P<0. 05), and the scores of the observation group were higher than that of the control group ( P<0-05);(3) complications such as swelling and stitches off appeared in both groups, and the rate was 21% in the control group, which was 11% in the observation group, and there were statistical differences between the two groups (P<0. 05).
CONCLUSION: The treatment of children with lower eyelid trichiasis, suture method is simple and can be performed under local anesthesia in collaboration with children, but with a higher relapse rate, some patients required reoperation;partial resection of eyelashes can be more thoroughly solve the problem of pediatric eyelid trichiasis with low recurrence rate, but children need to be under general anesthesia with some of big risk. So partial resection of eyelashes is unsuitable for using in clinical practice widely and can be used in special cases.

Objective To investigate the value of thyroid transcription factor-1(TTF-1) in the diagnosis and biological behavior assessment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods Thirty liver specimens obtained from benign lesions were analysed, among which 25 were hepatic cirrhosis and inflammatory diseases, and the other 5 were adenomas. And there were 176 specimens of liver tumors, among which 142 were HCC (well differentiated, n=12; moderately differentiated, n=57; poorly differentiated, n=73), 17 were intrahepatic cholangiocellular carcinoma (ICC) and the other 17 were liver metastatic carcinoma (MC). The expression of TTF-1 was examined immunohistochemically in the above tissues, and the difference in expression of TTF-1 among different tissues was examined by Fisher's exact test, Kruskal-Wallis test and Spearman rank correlation analysis. Results TTF-1 was significantly expressed in the cytoplasms of all the hepatocytes besides tumors and liver benign lesions. The expression rate of TTF-1 in HCC was 78.9% (112/142), however, TTF-1 was negatively expressed in ICC and MC(P

Objective To investigate the effects and mechanisms of immunosuppressants on in- duction of apoptosis of peripheral T lymphocytes.Methods T lymphocytes were derived from healthy donors and activated by super antigen SEB.The rest or activated T lymphocytes were incubated with immunosuppressants such as myophenolate mofetil (MMF),cyclosporine A (CsA),FK506,azathio- prine (Aza),sirolimus (SRL),prednisone (Pred),and daclizumab (Dac,anti-CD25mAb),alone or combined,for 3 days.The incidence of apoptosis was determined by the methods of confocal microsco- py,flow cytometer,DNA-ladder fragmentation electrophoresis,and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) gene amplification profiles.The quantitive assay of IL-2 and Fas in the cul- ture medium was also performed using the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay kit.Results Apoptosis in rest T lymphocytes was just induced by Pred among various immunosuppressants.MMF,Aza,and Pred promoted apoptosis in activated T lymphocytes (P＜0.05,P＜0.01),but it was blocked by CsA,FK506,SRL,and Dac (P＜0.01).After adding two or three kinds of immunosuppressants, the incidence of apoptosis in activated T lymphocytes was apparently lower than in control group (P＜0.01).The expression of Fas and IL-2 by activated T lymphocytes was inhibited by FK506 and CsA (P＜0.05).Conclusion MMF,Aza,and Pred may induce apoptosis of activated T lymphocytes via the signal pathway of Fas/Fasl.CsA and FK506 could inhibit the apoptosis of activated T lymphocytes by blocking the production of IL-2.Also,SRL and Dac can block the apoptosis of activated T lympho- cyte by interfering with the effect of IL-2 on T lymphocytes activation process.

Objective To study the genome DNA methylation in rheumatoid arthirits(RA)and the re- lated factors of DNA methylation.Methods Twenty-first cases with RA and 20 controls were recruited to par- ticipate the study.Plasma Hcy,SAM,SAH,the MTHFR gene C677T polymorphism and the expression of LFA-1 in CD4~+T cells was measured in all patients and controls.Results①The SAM levels were lower sig- nificantly in RA groups than in controls.The SAH levels were higher significantly in RA groups than in con- trols.②There was significant inverse correlation between plasma Hcy level and SAM level(r=-0.932,P＜0.01). There was significant positive correlation between plasma Hcy level and SAH level(r=0.924,P＜0.01).③The expression of LFA-1 in CD4~+T cells was higher significantly in RA groups than in controls.There was a signif- icant positive correlation between LFA-1 expression level and Hcy level(r=0.557,P＜0.01),a significant in- verse correlation between LFA-1 expression level and SAM level(r=-0.651,P＜0.01).④The MTHFR gene mu- tation lead to dramatically increase of Hcy,SAH level and the expression of LFA-1 level in CD4~+T cells and genome DNA hypomethylation.Conclusion①Hypomethylation of genome DNA is found in most RA pa- tients.②The factors associated with genome DNA hypomethylation include MTHFR gene mutation and hyper- homocysteinemia.③The expression of LFA-1 in CD4~+ T cells is higer in RA groups than in controls,which re- lates to the DNA methylation level and the MTHFR gene C677T polymorphism.

The gene which encodes (R)-specific carbonyl reductase(rCR) from Candida parapsilosis CCTCC M203011 was cloned.The cloned sequence includes an open reading frame (ORF) consisting of 1011bp, encoding a protein of 336 amino acids, with a molecular weight of 35.9 kD.The nucleotide sequence showed 99% similarity to those of the other members of the alcohol dehydrogenase superfamily.A recombinant Escherichia coli JM109 strain harboring the expression plasmid, produced (R)-1-phenyl-1,2-ethanediol(100%e.e,80.4%yield) from ?-hydroxyacetophenone without any additive to regenerate NAD~ + from NADH.