OBJECTIVETo evaluate the feasibility of three-dimensional pseudo-continuous arterial spin label (3D pCASL) non-contrast enhanced perfusion imaging applied to head and neck tumors in high-field MR and detect the effects of different postlabeling delay (PLD) time on image quality and the reliability of repeated measurements of tumor blood flow (BF) in different 3D pCASL groups.

METHODSIn this prospective study,all the 25 patients received neck 3D pCASL non-contrast enhanced perfusion examinations in a 3.0 T MR system by using an 8-channel head and neck joint coil. Conventional T1-weighted (TIWI) and T2-weighted imaging (T2WI) were performed firstly. Finally,three 3D pCASL with different PLD time [ASL1(PLD1=1525 ms),ASL2 (PLD2=2025 ms), ASL3(PLD3=2525 ms)] were acquired. Patients' perfusion-weighted images acquired from different 3D pCASL sequences underwent the analysis of signal to noise ratio (SNR) and contrast noise ratio (CNR) for tumors. Two observers performed the qualitative assessments on spiral artifacts and vascular artifacts of perfusion-weighted images from different 3D pCASL sequences. Blood flow (BF) of tumors from different 3D pCASL sequences were measured by the two observers respectively for the first time and by observer 2 for the second time.

RESULTSSeventeen enrolled patients (age:50.1 ± 12.7 years,M/F=10:7) with histopathologic.

RESULTSunderwent the evaluation of image quality and measurements of BF values. The SNRs and CNRs of ASL1,ASL2, and ASL3 showed a descending trendency. SNRs (P=0.011) and CNRs (P=0.009) of ASL1 were significant higher than those of ASL3. There was no significant difference of scores of spiral artifacts among the three ASL groups (P=0.932). The scores of vascular artifacts of ASL1,ASL2,and ASL3 showed a descending trendency,also. And scores of ASL1 was significant higher than that of ASL3(P=0.000). The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of intre-and intraobserver were high (ICC>0.9). Although the BF values of ASL1,ASL2, and ASL3 showed an ascending trendency,there was no significant difference among the three groups (P=0.977).

CONCLUSIONSThe 3D pCASL no-contrast enhanced perfusion MR imaging can be used for head and neck tumor. The image quality of perfusion weighted images and reliability of BF measurements were satisfied. The 3D pCASL series with PLD of 1525 ms and 2025 ms have better image quality than PLD of 2525 ms. And BF values do not show significant statistic difference among the three groups. Therefore, 3D pCASL series with PLD of 1525 ms and 2025 ms are more suitable for the perfusion imaging of head and neck tumors

Artifacts ; Female ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; Humans ; Image Enhancement ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Magnetic Resonance Angiography ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Reproducibility of Results ; Signal-To-Noise Ratio ; Spin Labels

OBJECTIVETo observe the change of intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) in severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) patients, and to study the effect of Qingyi Chengqi Decoction (QCD) on it.

METHODSEighty-six SAP patients from Department of General Surgery and Department of Digestive Diseases, Qingyang People's Hospital, Gansu Province, who were in line with diagnosis standard of SAP, were assigned to the treatment group (44 cases) and the control group (42 cases) from March 2012 to May 2013. All patients received routine Western medicine. Those in the treatment group took QCD additionally. Main clinical symptoms and APACHE II were observed. The serum levels of amylase (AMY), C-reactive protein (CRP), and IAP were examined. The incidence of secondary infection rate (SIR), drainage rate (percutaneous catheter drainage and operation), mortality, and mean days in ward were also recorded.

RESULTSMain clinical symptoms were significantly improved in the treatment group. APACHE II score, serum levels of AMY, CRP, and IAP obviously decreased in the treatment group. The incidence of SIR, drainage rate, and the mortality were also significantly lower in the treatment group than in the control group. The mean days in ward were also markedly shortened (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONQCD could relieve inflammatory response, lower IAP, SIR, and mortality, increase the curative rate and improve the prognosis of SAP.

Adult ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatitis, Acute Necrotizing ; drug therapy ; Phytotherapy ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUNDThe proliferation and apoptosis property of mesenchymal stem cells derived from peripheral blood (PB-MSCs) were investigated under hypoxia and serum deprivation conditions in vitro so as to evaluate the feasibility for autologous PB-MSCs applications in cartilage repair.

METHODSMSCs were mobilized into peripheral blood by granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) and AMD3100. The blood samples were collected from central ear artery of rabbits. Adhered cells were obtained by erythrocyte lysis buffer and identified as MSCs by adherence to plastic, spindle shaped morphology, specific surface markers, differentiation abilities into osteoblasts, adipocytes and chondroblasts in vitro under appropriate conditions. MSCs were cultured in four groups at different oxygen tension (20% O2 and 2% O2), with or without 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) conditions: 20% O2 and 10% FBS complete medium (normal medium, N), 20% O2 and serum deprivation medium (D), 2% O2 and 10% FBS complete medium (hypoxia, H), 2% O2 and serum deprivation (HD). Cell proliferation was determined by CCK-8 assay. Apoptosis was detected by Annexin V/PI and terminal deoxynucleotide transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining.

RESULTSSpindle-shaped adherent cells were effectively mobilized from peripheral blood by a combined administration of G-CSF plus AMD3100. These cells showed typical fibroblast-like phenotype similar to MSCs from bone marrow (BM-MSCs), and expressed a high level of typical MSCs markers CD29 and CD44, but lacked in the expression of hematopoietic markers CD45 and major histocompatibility complex Class II (MHC II). They could also differentiate into osteoblasts, adipocytes and chondroblasts in vitro under appropriate conditions. No significant morphological differences were found among the four groups. It was found that hypoxia could enhance proliferation of PB-MSCs regardless of serum concentration, but serum deprivation inhibited proliferation at the later stage of culture. Apart from that, hypoxia or serum deprivation could promote the apoptosis of PB-MSCs after 48 hours; the effect was stronger when these two conditions combined together. Furthermore, the effect of serum deprivation on apoptosis was stronger compared with that of hypoxia.

CONCLUSIONSPB-MSCs possess similar phenotypes as BM-MSCs. Their differentiation and proliferation abilities make them a new source of seed cells for ischemia-related cell therapy and tissue engineering in the field of the articular cartilage repair.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; physiology ; Cell Hypoxia ; physiology ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; Rabbits

BACKGROUNDThe genotype of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is associated with tyrosine kinase inhibitor and effectiveness of therapy, but its role in cytotoxic chemotherapy is still unknown. Previous studies indicated that certain EGFR mutations were associated with response and progression free survival following platinum based chemotherapy. Our recent studies have identified that EGFR genotypes in the tumour tissues were not associated with response to the first-line chemotherapy in Chinese patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this study, we investigated associations of EGFR genotypes from plasma of patients with advanced NSCLC and response to first-line chemotherapy and prognosis.

METHODSWe enrolled 145 advanced NSCLC patients who had received first-line chemotherapy in our department. We examined plasma EGFR genotypes for these patients and associations of EGFR mutations with response to chemotherapy and clinical outcomes.

RESULTSThere were 54 patients with known EGFR mutations and 91 cases of wild types. No significant difference was detected in the response rate to first-line chemotherapy between mutation carriers and wild-type patients (37.0% vs. 31.9%). The median survival time and 1-, 2-year survival rates were higher in mutation carriers than wild-types (24 months vs. 18 months, 85.7% vs. 65.7% and 43.7% vs. 25.9%, P = 0.047). Clinical stage (IV vs. IIIb), response to the first-line chemotherapy (partial vs. no) and EGFR genotype were independent prognostic factors.

CONCLUSIONPlasma EGFR mutations in the Chinese patients with advanced NSCLC is not a predictor for the response to first-line chemotherapy, but an independent prognostic factor indicating longer survival.

Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; drug therapy ; genetics ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Plasmids ; genetics ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor ; genetics ; Survival Rate

Objective To study the clinical and molecular epidemiology characteristics of human Bocavirus 1-3 (HBoV1-3) in children for acute respiratory infection in Lanzhou area. Methods Nasopharyngeal aspiration samples and throat swabs were collected from 524 children with ARTI at the First Hospital of Lanzhou University,Gansu Province,China,between December 2009 and November 2010. Nested PCR was employed to screening HBoV1-3, which amplified a 518-bp fragment of the partial NS1 gene.Furthermore, a standard reverse transcription-PCR was used to screen for other common respiratory viruses.Results The overall frequency of H BoV was 8.2% (43/524), lining up behind human rhinovirus, RSV,parainfluenza virus 3. Thirty of the HBoV-postive children (69. 8% ) were co-infected with other respiratory viruses. The prevalence of HBoV1 in ALRTI was obviously higher than that in AURI. The 2 HBoV2 NS1 sequences shared 99% and 100% nucleotide sequence identity with HBoV2 strain CU47TH respectively.Two cases of HBoV2 postive children appears gastrointestinal symptoms. The one HBoV3 NS1 sequences shared 99% nucleotide sequence identity with HBoV3 isolate 46-BJ07. Conclusion The HBoV3 was detected at the first time in lanzhou area. HBoV1-3 infection exists in children with acute respiratory tract infections in Lanzhou region, HBoV1 were dominant. The mixed infection rate was higher.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the cross-talk between the PI3K/Akt and MEK/ERK pathways and its role in cell cycle regulation under endoplasmic reticulum stress in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

METHODSPI3K inhibitor LY294002 and MEK inhibitor U0126 were used to block the PI3K/Akt and MEK/ERK pathways respectively, and constitutively activated Akt mutant construct was used to activate the PI3K/Akt pathway. Western blot was used to study the potential cross-talk between the PI3K/Akt and MEK/ERK pathways under endoplasmic reticulum stress in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells. the role of the cross-talk between the PI3K/Akt and MEK/ERK pathways in cell cycle regulation was investigated by using propidium iodide staining.

RESULTSLY294002 not only blocked Akt activation efficiently but also increased ERK phosphorylation markedly under endoplasmic reticulum stress in SMMC-7721 and Hep3B cells. Furthermore, myr-Akt inhibited endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated ERK phosphorylation. In contrast, MEK inhibitor U0126 had no effect on endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced Akt activation. It is notable that both myr-Akt overexpression and MEK inhibitor U0126 inhibited endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced G0/G1 phase arrest in SMMC-7721 cells.

CONCLUSIONEndoplasmic reticulum stress-induced Akt activation is mediated through PI3K and the PI3K/Akt pathway inactivation is involved in increased ERK activity in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells. The cross-talk between the PI3K/Akt and MEK/ERK cascades plays an important role in endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced human hepatocellular carcinoma cell cycle arrest.

Butadienes ; pharmacology ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; metabolism ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Chromones ; pharmacology ; Endoplasmic Reticulum ; metabolism ; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases ; metabolism ; Humans ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; Morpholines ; pharmacology ; Nitriles ; pharmacology ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase ; metabolism ; Phosphorylation ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) may suppress the expression and secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) from tumor cells in vitro and inhibit the VEGF-induced proliferation of human tumor vascular endothelial cells.

METHODSHuman lung cancer cell line A549, human liver cancer cell line HepG2, human colon carcinoma cell lines HCT116 and HCT8 were used in this study. The expression levels of VEGF and TNF-alpha (tumor necrosis factor-alpha) in the tumor cells with or without pretreatment of LMWH/heparin were measured by standard sandwich ELISA technique. The VEGF mRNA level of HepG2 cells cultured with or without LMWH/heparin was determined by RT-PCR and real time PCR. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were cultured in tissue culture medium (TCM) with or without LMWH/heparin for 3 days. Then non-radioactive cell proliferation assay (MTS) kit and cell cycle assay by flow cytometry were performed to measure the proliferation of HUVEC.

RESULTSThe VEGF levels in the control, LMWH, and heparin groups of the pulmonary adenocarcinoma cell line A549 were (1045.89 +/- 165.30) pg/ml, (782.45 +/- 67.17) pg/ml and (916.54 +/- 71.25) pg/ml, respectively. The VEGF levels in the control, LMWH, and heparin groups of the colon adenocarcinoma cell line HCT116 were (955.76 +/- 51.14) pg/ml, (822.89 +/- 142.39) pg/ml and (951.77 +/- 188.22) pg/ml, respectively. The VEGF levels in the control, LMWH, and heparin groups in the colon adenocarcinoma cell line HCT8 were (1290.62 +/- 41.23) pg/ml, (1063.34 +/- 63.82) pg/ml and (1257.14 +/- 11.40) pg/ml, respectively. The VEGF levels in the control, LMWH, and heparin groups in the liver cancer cell line HepG2 were (1083.00 +/- 134.35) pg/ml, (758.00 +/- 84.85) pg/ml and (874.00 +/- 22.62) pg/ml, respectively. The VEGF expression levels in the above mentioned cell lines cultured in TCM were significantly reduced in the LMWH-treated groups compared with that of the control group (P < 0.05). But the level of TNF-alpha in TCM-cultured cells was unaffected by LMWH. The VEGF mRNA was reduced in the LMWH-treated HepG2 cell line. Moreover, TCM exhibited stimulating effect on proliferation of HUVEC and the effect was significantly impaired by LMWH treatment. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that LMWH treatment arrested HUVECs at the G1 phase of cell cycle.

CONCLUSIONLMWH can suppress the expression and secretion of VEGF by tumor cell lines and therefore have a potential inhibiting effect on angiogenesis induced by VEGF.

Adenocarcinoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Culture Media, Conditioned ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; HCT116 Cells ; Hep G2 Cells ; Heparin ; pharmacology ; Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism ; Umbilical Veins ; cytology ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; genetics ; metabolism ; secretion

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents of the aerial parts of Liusticum chuanxiong.

METHODThe chemical components were isolated by silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography. Structures were elucidated on the basis of physico-chemical properities and spectral data.

RESULTEight chemical constituents were isolated, and identified as protocatechuic acid (1), caffeic acid (2), scopoletin (3), apigenin (4), quercetin (5), cosmosiin (6), kaempferol-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosid (7) and glucose (8).

CONCLUSIONCompounds 1-8 were obtained from the aerial parts of the plant for the first time, compounds 3-8 were obtained from the plant for the first time.

Apigenin ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Kaempferols ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Ligusticum ; chemistry ; Plant Components, Aerial ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Scopoletin ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; radiotherapy ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; radiotherapy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; metabolism ; Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Paraffin Embedding ; Survival Rate ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo probe blood serum Ab-IgG characteristics of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) patients in Guangzhou and investigate the related factors.

METHODSThe serum of such population diagnosed as SARS convalescent patients, non-SARS patients, family consanguineous contraction persons, wild animal and vegetable salesman and community common people was collected. The lab detective method of ELISA was adopted for these serum samples. And the epidemic investigations for the SARS patients were also carried out.

RESULTSOf these populations, the detective rate of Ab-IgG for the clinic diagnosed SARS patients, which was 53.7%; That for the wild animal salesman and community common people were 16.7% and 0.9%, respectively. Among the clinic diagnosed SARS patients, the positive antibody detective rate was 90.4% for those which had specific contact history or infectivity, which was higher than that for other population. Among the specific contact history or infectivity cases, the antibody positive rate for the young and the old was lower than that for the adult. Meanwhile the difference did not exist among other cases. The antibody positive rate was identical between the male and the female. And the antibody detective rate was decreased by the month.

CONCLUSIONAs a whole SARS-CoV Ab-IgG detective rate for the clinic diagnosed SARS patients was 53.7% only. The reasons for that mainly lie in the wrong clinic diagnosis besides these factors such as age, hormone use and reagent and so on. The combination of lab detection results and epidemic investigation was propitious to the diagnosis veracity. It was impossible for the sub-clinic infection of SARS-CoV virus. The importance in the virus transmitting course need to be further studied.

Adult ; Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; Child ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; SARS Virus ; immunology ; Seroepidemiologic Studies ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; epidemiology ; immunology