OBJECTIVE: To early differentiate between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and adult mycoplasma pneumonia with chest CT scan. METHODS: Twenty-six patients with COVID-19 and 21 patients with adult mycoplasma pneumonia confirmed with RT-PCR test were enrolled from Zibo First Hospital and Lanshan People's Hospital during December 1st 2019 and March 14th 2020. The early chest CT manifestations were analyzed and compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The interstitial changes with ground glass density shadow (GGO) were similar in two groups during first chest CT examination (>0.05). There were more lung lobes involved on the first chest CT in COVID-19 patients, which were mostly distributed in the dorsal outer zone (23/26, 88.5%), and nearly half of them (12/26, 46.2%) were accompanied by crazy-paving sign; while the lesions in adult mycoplasma pneumonia patients were mostly distributed along the bronchi, and the bronchial wall was thickened (19/21, 90.5%), accompanied with tree buds / fog signs (19/21, 90.5%). The above CT signs were significantly different between the two kinds of pneumonia (all <0.01). COVID-19 had a longer course compared with mycoplasma pneumonia, the disease peaks of COVID-19 patients was on day (10.5±3.8), while the disease on CT was almost absorbed on day (7.9±2.2) in adult mycoplasma pneumonia. The length of hospital stay in COVID-19 patients was significantly longer than that of mycoplasma pneumonia patients [(19.5±4.3) d vs (7.9±2.2) d, <0.01]. CONCLUSIONS The lesions of adult mycoplasma pneumonia are mostly distributed along the bronchi with tree buds/fog signs, while the lesions of COVID-19 are mainly distributed in the dorsal outer zone accompanied by crazy-paving sign, which can early distinguish two diseases.
Adult ; Betacoronavirus ; Clinical Laboratory Techniques ; standards ; Coronavirus Infections ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Lung ; diagnostic imaging ; Pandemics ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma ; diagnostic imaging ; Pneumonia, Viral ; diagnostic imaging ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Objective Colorectal polyp is a precancerous lesion of colorectal cancer .Aim of the study was to explore the risk fac-tors of colorectal polyp malignant transformation .Methods The related information of 75 084 colonoscopies performed from 2003 to 2012 in Southwest Hospital in Chongqing were collected and the relationship between polyp malignant transformation and the pa-tient age ,sex ,polyp location ,size or histological types was analyzed .Results From 2003 to 2012 ,polyps were diagnosed in 14 806 cases of the total 75 084 patients with a 19 .72% detection rate .There were significant difference of the left-side and right-side pol-yp detection rate in different age groups ,and the frequency of polyps distributed in the whole colorectum increased with the increase of age .The rates of epithelial neoplasia and malignant transformation increased with age .At the same time ,malignant transforma-tion rate was significant higher in polyps located in left-side than that in right-side (P<0 .0167) ,in adenoma than that in inflamma-tory hyperplastic polyp (P<0 .01) .The larger diameter and the more villus ,the higher rate of malignant transformation .Conclusion Patient age ,polyp size ,location and histological type could be considered as the significant predictors of colorectal polyp malignant transformation .It may be useful to treat the polyp with endoscopy in patient with age more than 45 and adenoma whose diameter was not less than 1 cm ,located in left-side for prevention of colorectal cancer .

Objective To investigate the effects of antisense recombinant euraryotic expression vector of HCCR-2 on the proliferation and apoptosis of HepG2. Methods The antisense recombinant eukaryotic expression vector of HCCR-2 was constructed. The vector was stably transfected to the HepG2 cells, and positive clones were selected by G418 (antiseuse vector group), pIRES2-EGFP vector was transfected into the HepG2 cells in the same way (pIRES2-EGFP group). The conditions of the nontransfected HepG2 cells were used as control (HepG2 group). Changes in cell growth curve, cell cycle, cell apoptosis and morphology of HepG2 cells after the transfec-tion were detected by MTT method, flow cytometry and transmission electron microscopy, respectively. All the data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and chi-square test. Results The expression level of HCCR-2 mRNA was down-regulated to 0.39±0.04 in antisense vector group, and the expression level of HCCR-2 mRNA in pIRES2-EGFP group and HepG2 group were 0.62±0.06 and 0.72±0.03, respectively, with significant difference among the 3 groups (F=43.701, P<0.05). The apoptotic rate of HepG2 cells in antisense vector group, pIRES2-EGFP grop and HepG2 group were 13.30%, 2.51% and 2.07%, respectively, with significant difference among the 3 group (χ2=6.793, 8.721, P<0.05). The growth of HepG2 cells in antisense vector group was retarded, and was blocked in G0/G1 stage. Conclusions The HCCR-2 antisense recombinant eukaryotic expression vector can inhibit the mRNA expression of HCCR-2 and promote the apoptosis of cells. HCCR-2 may be involved in cell regulation and the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Objective To investigate the effect of rebamipide on chronic non-atrophic gastritis (NAG) with erosion and its protection of gastric mucosa from Helicobacter priori(Hp) associated lesions.Methods Patients(n=452)with endoscopically confirmed NAG with erosion from 11 hospitals in China were enrolled and randomly assigned at a ratio of 3:1 to receive either rebamipide(100 mg t.i.d.)or sucralfate(1.0 t.i.d.)for 8 weeks.Hp infected patients received eradication treatment before randomization.Symptoms,endoscopic scores and histological changes were recorded before and after therapy.Concentrations of serum prostaglandin E(PGE:)and oxygen free radical(MDA)were measured in patients from 2 centers.Results Per-protocol analysis(n=415)showed that the dyspeptic symptom score in rebamipide group decreased significantly after eight weeks of treatment. The endoscopic inflammation score in rebamipide group also decreased from 2.65 ±0.09 to 0.60±0.10(P<0.001),which was,significantly better than that of sucralfate group(P<0.001).Histological findings were consistent with the endoscopic findings.There Was a significant elevation(P=0.002)in PGE2 concentration in mucesa from rebamipide-treated subjects [(225.4±18.3) pg/g vs.(266.7±14.7)Pg/g] compared with that in sucralfate group.The concentration of MDA significantly decreased from(325.9±65.6)mmoL/g to(216.5±61.5)mmol/g,which is markedly different from that of sucralfate group(P=0.046).No statistical difference was found between Hp eradication group,Hp infection group and Hp negative group,regarding the effect of Rebamipide.Conclusion Compared to sucralfate,Rebamipide demonstrates a superior effect on improvement of dyspepsia symptom and endoscopic findings in erosive NAG,which is not influenced by Hp infection.

Objective To investigate the polymorphism of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors-?2(PPAR-?2) and its association with obesity in Chinese population.Methods According to BMI,89 subjects who are in normal body weight range and 116 overweighted and obese subjects were included in this study.Their Pro12Ala mutation in the PPAR-?2 gene was detected by PCR restriction fragment length polymorphism.Results Allele frequency of Ala mutation of PPAR-?2 in overweighted and obese subjects(qA=11.64%) was significantly higher than that of normal body weight group(qA=5.06%,P

Objective To study the association of methylation status of C5 of the cytosine in the CpG di-nucleotide of caspase-8 promoter and expression of caspase-8 mRNA with the resistance to tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand(TRAIL) in human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines,and to evaluate the effect of demethylation agent 5-Aza-2′-deoxycytidine(5-Aza-CdR) on the resistance to TRAIL of human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines.Methods Methylation status of caspase-8 promoter was measured with methylation-specific PCR method(MSP).Expression of caspase-8 mRNA was detected with RT-PCR.Apoptosis induced by TRAIL was observed by Acridine Orange/Ethidium Bromide(AO/EB) staining.Results Unmethylated status of caspase-8 promoter was found in both HepG2 and SMMC 7721 hepatocellular carcinoma cells.5-Aza-CdR neither up-regulated caspase-8 mRNA expression nor increased the sensitivity of hepatocellular carcinoma cells to TRAIL.Conclusion caspase-8 promoter methylation status and caspase-8 mRNA expression are not related to the resistance to TRAIL.5-Aza-CdR can not increase the sensitivity of hepatocellular carcinoma cells to TRAIL.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the change in the expression of E-Cadherin of human hepatocarcinoma cell line SMMC-7721 after transfection by antisense human DNA MTase gene.

METHODSDNA MTase gene eukaryotic expression vectors, including sense and antisense fragments, were constructed with recombinant technology and transfected into the hepatocarcinoma cell line SMMC-7721 with liposome DOTAP. The expression of DNA MTase gene mRNA and E-Cadherin gene mRNA was examined with RT-PCR and the expression of E-Cadherin with immunohistochemical and flow cytometry. The status of methylation in E-Cadherin gene promoter area was examined with methylation specific PCR (MSP).

RESULTSThe sense and antisense eukaryotic expression vectors were successfully constructed and then the constructed recombinant plasmids were successfully transfected into SMMC-7721 cell with liposome DOTAP. The expression of endogenous DNA MTase mRNA was obviously decreased with E-Cadherin gene mRNA and its activity increased in the SMMC-7721 cell, which was tranfected with antisense DNA MTase gene fragment. Moreover, demethylation in the promoter area of E-Cadherin gene was observed with MSP.

CONCLUSIONDemethylation in the promoter area and increasing mRNA level of E-Cadherin gene can be induced by expression inhibition of DNA MTase gene of SMMC-7721 cell line.

Cadherins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; pathology ; CpG Islands ; DNA ; drug effects ; metabolism ; DNA Methylation ; DNA Modification Methylases ; antagonists & inhibitors ; DNA, Antisense ; genetics ; pharmacology ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; pathology ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; drug effects ; RNA, Messenger ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Transfection ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

Objective To probe the mechanism of hepatocarcinoma cell apoptosis promoted by human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) RNA interference (RNAi) by mitochondrial pathway in vitro. Methods Westernblot was employed to detect the intracellular expressions of caspase-9, hTERT, Bcl-2 and Bax, and mitochondrial and cytoplastic cytochrome C (cyt C) in HepG2 cells transfected by pSliencer 3.1-H1 neo-shTERT (small hairpin RNA hTERT). Result In the HepG2 cells transfected by pSliencer 3.1-H1 neo-shTERT, expressions of hTERT, Bcl-2 and mitochondrial cyt C were significantly down-regulated, while Bax and cytoplastic cyt C were obviously up-regulated, and active caspase-9 was found in addition to procaspase-9 compared with that in negative control cells and untransfected cells. Conculsion hTERT RNAi may suppress hTERT expression to result in reduction of Bcl-2 and increase of Bax, and then induce hepatocarcinoma HepG2 cell apoptosis by mitochondrial pathway subsequent to cyt C release from mitochondria to cytoplast.

Objective To investigate the relationships among clinical features, endoscopic characteristics and pathologic epithelial types of Barrett esophagus. Methods Magnification chromoendoscopy ( MCE) was performed in 2506 patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease ( GERD) and 106 patients with Barrett esophagus in our hospital during Feb,2003 -Feb,2004 were analyzed. The clinical features, endoscopic characteristics, pathologic epithelial types and their relationships were analyzed. Results The symptoms of gastro esophageal reflux disease ( GERD) were the main presentation of Barrett esophagus but 27 (25. 5% ) cases without such presentation. Four types of mueosal patterns, dot pattern, ridge or villous pattern and irregular/distorted pattern. were noted within the columnar mucosa using high magnification endos-copy: There were three epithelial types within the columnar lined esophagus: intestinal metaplasia (IM ) , cardiac and fundie types. Three epithelial types were noted in the methylene blue staining areas; ridged/vil-lous pattern and irregular/distorted pattern, all of them were in epithelial types of intestinal metaplasia. Conclusion Magnification chromoendoscopy helps to identify areas with IM, and having important significance in diagnosis and clinical follow up of Barrett esophagus.

Objective To observe the impacts of the transfection of antisense DNA methyltransferase Ⅰ(DNMT1) gene fragment into SMMC 7721 cell on the changes of cell sensitivities to tumor necrosis factor related apoptosis inducing ligand(TRAIL). Methods The eukaryon expression vector pCl neo was transfected into SMMC 7721 cells by liposomes and the transfection was identified by PCR. Survival cell rate was measured by trypan blue exclusion, apoptotic rate was determined by in situ TdT dUTP terminal nick end labeling(TUNEL) method. Results PCR detection indicated that the eukaryon expression vector pCl neo was successfully transfected into SMMC 7721 cells. Survival cell rate of SMMC 7721 cells transfected with antisense DNMT1 gene fragment was remarkably lower than that of transfected with sense DNMT1 gene fragment and empty vector ( P