BACKGROUNDDecoy receptor 3 (DcR3) is a protein with anti-apoptotic effect that belongs to the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily. DcR3 is highly expressed in a variety of malignant tumors including cholangiocarcinoma and its expression was found to be related to the clinical stage, the invasion, and the metastasis of the tumor. This in vitro study aimed to investigate the effect of downregulated expression of DcR3 on cell viability, cell apoptosis, and cell cycle in cholangiocarcinoma cell line TFK-1.

METHODSThree different cell lines were cultured: human cholangiocarcinoma TFK-1, human biliary epithelial carcinoma HuCCT-1, and human cholangiocarcinoma RBE. The cholangiocarcinoma cell line with the highest expression of DcR3 was selected for further investigation. The expression of DcR3 was silenced/knocked down by transfection with DcR3-siRNA in the selected cell line. Various biological phenotype parameters such as cell viability, apoptosis, and cell cycle were observed.

RESULTSThe mRNA and protein levels of DcR3 were measured in the three cell lines, and TFK-1 was selected. After the treatment with DcR3-siRNA for 48 h, DcR3 mRNA and protein expression in the treatment group were 38.45% (P < 0.01) and 48.03% (P < 0.05) of that of the control, respectively. It was found that the cell viability decreased to 61.87% of the control group (P < 0.01) after the downregulation of DcR3 in cholangiocarcinoma cell line TFK-1 by transfection with DcR3-siRNA, while the percentage of apoptotic cells was 2.98 times as compared with the control group (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group the ratio of G0/G1increased, and the ratio of G2/M decreased in the treatment group. However, the differences were not statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONSThe effect of DcR3 on the growth and apoptosis of cholangiocarcinoma has been demonstrated. DcR3 is not only a predictive marker for malignant tumor but it is also likely to be a potential target for cancer gene therapy. Further studies should focus on exploring the binding ligand of DcR3, the signaling pathway involved, and the molecular mechanism for the regulation of DcR3 expression in cholangiocarcinoma.

OBJECTIVETo determine the dietary zinc absorption in a Chinese elderly population and provide the basic data for the setting of zinc (Zn) recommended nutrient intakes (RNI) for Chinese elderly people.

METHODSA total of 24 elderly people were recruited for this study and were administered oral doses of 3 mg 67Zn and 1.2 mg dysprosium on the fourth day. The primary macronutrients, energy, and phytic acid in the representative diet were examined based on the Chinese National Standard Methods. Fecal samples were collected during the experimental period and analyzed for zinc content, 67Zn isotope ratio, and dysprosium content.

RESULTSThe mean (± SD) zinc intake from the representative Chinese diet was 10.6 ± 1.5 mg/d. The phytic acid-to-zinc molar ratio in the diet was 6.4. The absorption rate of 67Zn was 27.9% ± 9.2%. The RNI of zinc, which were calculated by the absorption rate in elderly men and women, were 10.4 and 9.2 mg/d, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThis study got the dietary Zn absorption in a Chinese elderly population. We found that Zn absorption was higher in elderly men than in elderly women. The current RNI in elderly female is lower than our finding, which indicates that more attention is needed regarding elderly females' zinc status and health.

Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Biological Availability ; China ; Diet ; Dysprosium ; Elements ; Feces ; chemistry ; Female ; Humans ; Intestinal Absorption ; Male ; Meals ; Middle Aged ; Nutritional Physiological Phenomena ; Zinc ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; Zinc Isotopes

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic and progressive degenerative disorder of brain commonly seen among the elderly. As conventionally medical therapy is of limited relief and potential side effects, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has attracted growing public and professional attention. Therapies such as acupuncture, musical/rhythmic therapy and deep brain stimulation have been gradually proved positively in clinic. In this review, we retrospected the scientifific or evidence-based-medicine advances of application and research for modern treatment of PD by CAM, especially traditional Chinese medicine in categories.

BACKGROUNDThe autologous saphenous vein is the most common conduit for coronary artery bypass grafting, but the vein graft disease will occur. This study used Matrigel basement membrane matrix with many different growth factors to promote vasa vasorum neovascularization and extenuate the hypoxia to improve remodeling.

METHODSThis study observed the hypoxia and thickness of the vein grafts at different times. Normal veins and vein grafts with 15 min of ischemia one day postoperatively were harvested in the neck of rabbits. Paired vein grafts with 15 min ischemia bilaterally (control vs. Matrigel basement membrane matrix) were performed and harvested at 2, 6, and 12 weeks postoperatively. The rabbits were randomly divided into four postoperative groups (six rabbits in each group): Group 1, one day postoperatively; Group 2, 2 weeks postoperatively; Group 3, 6 weeks postoperatively; and Group 4, 12 weeks postoperatively. The dimensions of vessel wall were captured, and the mean thicknesses of intima, media, and adventitia were measured. The hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α and HIF-2α labeling indices of intima, media, and adventitia were also measured.

RESULTSIn Group 1, the labeling index of HIF-1α was high in the normal vein and decreased significantly in the vein graft one day postoperatively (intima: 80 ± 3% vs. 12 ± 1%, P = 0.01; media: 67 ± 5% vs. 11 ± 1%, P = 0.01; adventitia: 40 ± 10% vs. 7 ± 2%, P = 0.03). The labeling index of HIF-2α had similar trend as HIF-1α (intima: 80 ± 10% vs. 10 ± 5%, P = 0.02; media: 60 ± 14% vs. 12 ± 2%, P = 0.01; adventitia: 45 ± 20% vs. 10 ± 4%, P = 0.03). Compared with the control vein grafts, vein grafts with Matrigel basement membrane matrix had lower labeling indices of HIF-1α and HIF-2α in media and adventitia at Group 2 (HIF-1α: 34 ± 5% vs. 20 ± 4%, P = 0.04 for media; 23 ± 3% vs. 11 ± 2%, P = 0.03 for adventitia; HIF-2α: 37 ± 6% vs. 21 ± 4%, P = 0.03 for media; 24 ± 4% vs. 13 ± 2%, P = 0.04 for adventitia) and Group 3 (HIF-1α: 33 ± 4% vs. 7 ± 2%, P = 0.04 for media; 13 ± 3% vs. 3 ± 1%, P = 0.02 for adventitia; HIF-2α: 27 ± 4% vs. 12 ± 3%, P = 0.02 for media; 19 ± 2% vs. 6 ± 1%, P = 0.02 for adventitia). There were no differences in mean thickness of intima, media, and adventitia between bilateral vein grafts at 2, 6, and 12 weeks postoperatively.

CONCLUSIONSThis study indicated that promoting vasa vasorum neovascularization of vein grafts extenuated hypoxia, but did not influence the intimal hyperplasia of the wall.

Animals ; Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors ; metabolism ; Hyperplasia ; pathology ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1 ; metabolism ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; metabolism ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; pathology ; Postoperative Period ; Rabbits ; Saphenous Vein ; pathology ; Tunica Intima ; pathology ; Vasa Vasorum ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the relationship between T lymphocyte subsets and the incidence of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and its clinical significance of monitoring the changes of T lymphocyte subsets dynamicly on 1, 3, 6, 12 month after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT).

METHODSTwenty cases received allo-HSCT in Department of Hematology of General Hospital of Beijing Military Command from January 2013 to January 2014, including 10 males and 10 females with average age of 20.3 years (3-46 years old), among them 4 cases rectived HLA matched transplantation and 16 cases rectived HLA mismatched transplantation. The levels of T lymphocyte subsets including CD3(+), CD4(+), CD8(+), CD4(+)/CD8(+), CD4(+)CD25(high) FOXP3(+) in the peripheral blood were manitored with flow cytometry (FCM) on +1, +3, +6, +12 month after transplantation dynamicly.

RESULTS(1) Follow up to March 2015, the levers of CD3(+), CD4(+), CD8(+), CD4(+)/CD8(+), CD4(+) CD25(high) FOXP3(+) showed a different degree of recovery after transplantation for all cases and returned to the lever of pre-transplantation on 12 month basically, and CD8(+) T cells recovered earlier than CD4(+) T cells, while the decrease of CD4(+) T cells lasted more than 1 year; The proportion inversion of CD4(+)/CD8(+) also lasted for more than 1 year;(2) The level of CD4(+) CD25(high) FOXP3(+) in patients with acute GVHD was lower than that in patients without acute GVHD.

CONCLUSIONThe dynamic monitoring of the T lymphocyte subsets, especially CD4(+) CD25(high) FOXP3(+) after transplantation has importent clinical significance, it can forecast the incidence of acute GVHD before symptoms appeared; the dynamic monitoring of the T-lymphocyte subsets also can be used as reference indicator for prediction of GVHD, theraby it can reduce mortality of patients after transplantation.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Graft vs Host Disease ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets ; cytology ; Young Adult

A urinary metabonomics method based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with LTQ-Orbitrap-mass spectrometry (UPLC/LTQ-Orbitrap-MS) was developed to study the difference of action mechanism of Coptidis Rhizoma (CR) and bile processed CR on the heat syndromein rats, and reveal the scientificity of CR processing method. The heat syndrome rat models were established by intragastric administration of water decoction of Aconiti Lateralis Radix Preparata, Zingiberis Rhizoma and Cinnamomi Cortex for 15 days combined with subcutaneous injection of dry yeast suspension. After administration for 15 days, the urine of rats in each group was collected at 0-6 h after modeling, 6-12 h after modeling and 12-24 h after modeling; principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) were used for data treatment. Good separation was observed between the normal groups and model group at 0-6 h and 6-12 h, but overlapped at 12-24 h with no separation trend. Obvious separation was achieved in urine samples between CR group, BCR group and model groups at 0-6 h, close to the normal group. Separation trend occurred between CR group and BCR group at 0-6 h and 6-12 h. Thirty potential biomarkers related with heat syndrome were identified by PLS-DA approach. The results showed that the overall therapeutic effect of CR for heat syndrome had been changed after being processed with pig bile. Bile processed CR has the characteristics of multiple targets, rapid onset and strong effects, mainly playing a role of antipyretic effect through regulating cholinergic neurotransmitter, amino acid metabolism and purine metabolism.

In order to figure out the status and distribution of the wild and cultivated resources of traditional Chinese medicine Daphnes Cortex, its suitable habitat and endangering factors were analyzed to provide the basis for its rational use, protection and cultivation.Our research group tooka resources survey in Shanxi, Gansu, Sichuan and Qinghai provinces, which include 23 counties. Investigation and sampling investigation combined with interview were carried out. The total reserve of resources was estimated through route-quadrat method in combination with the vegetation and soil-type map area method. The results indicated that there was no obvious change between the present distribution ranges of the wild Daphnes Cortex and its historical records, but the density of the population has undergone major changes. The wild reserves resources has declined seriously, even on the verge of exhaustion in some regions. According to the survey results, the current total reserve of the wild Daphnes Cortex in the four provinces was no more than 600 tons. Simultaneously, we only found the cultivated resource in a mountain at an altitude of about 2 800 m in Kang county of Gansu province, which cropping scope was about 33 000 m². The cultivated resource can't provide medicinal products at present, because their growing period is too short to have curative effect. Destructive excavation and the longer growth cycle result in a sharp decline of the wild resources reserves, even to the point of extinction. Artificial cultivation of product will become the main source of medicinal resources in the future. Therefore, we must protect its suitable habitat, formulate rational harvesting policy, strengthen the supervision of government departments, collect and establish the germplasm nursery and seed bank. On the basis, we must carry out studies into seed-selecting and breeding as well as rapid propagation and growth technology at once.

BACKGROUNDUrine output (UO) is an essential criterion of the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) definition and classification system for acute kidney injury (AKI), of which the diagnostic value has not been extensively studied. We aimed to determine whether AKI based on KDIGO UO criteria (KDIGOUO) could improve the diagnostic and prognostic accuracy, compared with KDIGO serum creatinine criteria (KDIGOSCr).

METHODSWe conducted a secondary analysis of the database of a previous study conducted by China Critical Care Clinical Trial Group (CCCCTG), which was a 2-month prospective cohort study (July 1, 2009 to August 31, 2009) involving 3063 patients in 22 tertiary Intensive Care Units in Mainland of China. AKI was diagnosed and classified separately based on KDIGOUOand KDIGOSCr. Hospital mortality of patients with more severe AKI classification based on KDIGOUOwas compared with other patients by univariate and multivariate regression analyses.

RESULTSThe prevalence of AKI increased from 52.4% based on KDIGOSCrto 55.4% based on KDIGOSCrcombined with KDIGOUO. KDIGOUOalso resulted in an upgrade of AKI classification in 7.3% of patients, representing those with more severe AKI classification based on KDIGOUO. Compared with non-AKI patients or those with maximum AKI classification by KDIGOSCr, those with maximum AKI classification by KDIGOUOhad a significantly higher hospital mortality of 58.4% (odds ratio [OR]: 7.580, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.141-13.873, P< 0.001). In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, AKI based on KDIGOUO (OR: 2.891, 95% CI: 1.964-4.254, P< 0.001), but not based on KDIGOSCr (OR: 1.322, 95% CI: 0.902-1.939, P = 0.152), was an independent risk factor for hospital mortality.

CONCLUSIONUO was a criterion with additional value beyond creatinine criterion for AKI diagnosis and classification, which can help identify a group of patients with high risk of death.

Acute Disease ; mortality ; Aged ; Creatinine ; blood ; Critical Illness ; mortality ; Female ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Kidney Diseases ; blood ; mortality ; pathology ; urine ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors

Vision is one of the most important human sensations about the surrounding world. Visual deprivation not only markedly affects the life of blind people, but also gives a heavy burden to their family and the society. A visual prosthesis is an electronic device that helps the blinds to regain visual perception by directly stimulating the visual pathway using the microelectrodes implanted into the body. In recent years, visual prostheses have been developed rapidly and some devices have already become clinically available. In this paper, we reviewed the history of visual prosthesis, introduced different visual prostheses classified according to the location of the implanted stimulating electrodes. Clinical study results as well as the functional status of the currently available visual prosthesis devices were also summarized.
Blindness ; Electrodes, Implanted ; Humans ; Microelectrodes ; Visual Perception ; Visual Prosthesis

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between cytogenetic markers with World Health Organization (WHO) classification, disease progress and prognosis in cases with primary myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS).

METHODS298 patients with de novo MDS from the first affiliated hospital of medical school, Zhejiang University were enrolled in the retrospective analysis of WHO classification, karyotype, and prognosis. Follow-up study was also conducted.

RESULTSThe WHO classifications at first diagnosis were as follows: refractory cytopenia with unilineage dysplasia (RCUD), 18 cases; refractory anemia with ring sideroblasts (RARS), 8 cases; refractory cytopenia with multiline dysplasia (RCMD), 104 cases; refractory anemia with excess blasts-1, 76 cases; refractory anemia with excess blasts-2, 85 cases; MDS unclassified (MDS-U), 5 cases involved; and single del (5q), 2 cases. 39.6% of MDS patients carried karyotypic abnormalities. Among them, the frequency of numerical abnormalities, structural abnormalities and the existence of composite abnormalities were 45, 31, and 42, respectively. The composite abnormalities were unbalanced translocations and complex chromosomal abnormalities. The incidence of both karyotypic abnormalities and complex chromosomal abnormalities in RAEB group was higher than that in non-RAEB group (P<0. 05). An analysis based on IPSS-R Scoring System showed that advanced risk stratification (except the low-risk group) gradually enhanced the incidence of karyotypic abnormalities (P<0.05). In addition, the probability of evolution to leukemia increased with the higher IPSS-R score (P<0.05). In RAEB group, the cases with +8 chromosome, accounting for 19.5% of karyotypic abnormalities, had worse prognosis than those with normal chromosomes.

CONCLUSIONKaryotype was identified with an independent risk factor in MDS patients. Therefore, the information on cytogenetic analysis was critical for diagnosis, prognosis and individual treatment. MDS patients presenting+8 chromosome, an intermediate risk factor, were associated with a poorer outcome compared to cases with normal chromosomes in RAEB group.

Abnormal Karyotype ; Anemia, Refractory ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 8 ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Karyotyping ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; World Health Organization