Pericytes are a kind of microvascular parietal cells, which constitute neurovascular units together with neurons, astrocytes, microglia, vascular endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells to maintain the basic function of the brain. Pericyte dysfunction can lead to cerebral microcirculation dysfunction, which is related to the occurrence and development of a variety of nervous system diseases. This article reviews the characteristics, identification and subtypes of pericytes, their relations with cerebral microcirculation, and their correlation with central nervous system diseases.

Objective:To explore the clinical characteristics and establish a corresponding prognostic scoring model in patients with early-stage clinical features of hepatitis B-induced acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF).Methods:Clinical characteristics of 725 cases with hepatitis B-related acute-on-chronic hepatic dysfunction (HBV-ACHD) were retrospectively analyzed using Chinese group on the study of severe hepatitis B (COSSH). The independent risk factors associated with 90-day prognosis to establish a prognostic scoring model was analyzed by multivariate Cox regression, and was validated by 500 internal and 390 external HBV-ACHD patients.Results:Among 725 cases with HBV-ACHD, 76.8% were male, 96.8% had cirrhosis base,66.5% had complications of ascites, 4.1% had coagulation failure in respect to organ failure, and 9.2% had 90-day mortality rate. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that TBil, WBC and ALP were the best predictors of 90-day mortality rate in HBV-ACHD patients. The established scoring model was COSS-HACHADs = 0.75 × ln(WBC) + 0.57 × ln(TBil)-0.94 × ln(ALP) +10. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of subjects was significantly higher than MELD, MELD-Na, CTP and CLIF-C ADs( P < 0.05). An analysis of 500 and 390 cases of internal random selection group and external group had similar verified results. Conclusion:HBV-ACHD patients are a group of people with decompensated cirrhosis combined with small number of organ failure, and the 90-day mortality rate is 9.2%. COSSH-ACHDs have a higher predictive effect on HBV-ACHD patients' 90-day prognosis, and thus provide evidence-based medicine for early clinical diagnosis and treatment.

AIM:To investigate the effect of short-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase ( SCAD) on collagen expres-sion and proliferation of rat cardiac fibroblasts and to explore the relationship between SCAD and cardiac fibrosis . METHODS:The model of proliferation and collagen expression of rat cardiac fibroblasts induced by angiotensin II was es -tablished.After treatment with siRNA-1186, the expression of SCAD at mRNA and protein levels , fatty acids beta oxida-tion rate, ATP, the enzyme activity of SCAD and free fatty acids in the rat cardiac fibroblasts were determined . RESULTS:The mRNA and protein expression of SCAD was decreased in the rat cardiac fibroblasts induced by angiotensin II compared with the control cells , and the expression of collagen I and collagen III was significantly upregulated .Com-pared with negative control group , SCAD expression and activity , fatty acid beta-oxidation rate and ATP significantly de-creased in siRNA-1186 group, but the content of free fatty acids were obviously increased in the rat cardiac fibroblasts , and the expression of collagen I and collagen III was significantly up-regulated.CONCLUSION:The expression and synthesis disorder of collagen may be triggered by down-regulation of SCAD .SCAD may be a promising therapeutic target for myocar-dial fibrosis .

AIM:To investigate the change of short-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (SCAD) expression during cardiomyocyte apoptosis and to explore the relationship between SCAD and cardiomyocyte apoptosis .METHODS: The neonatal rat cardiomyocytes treated by tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tBHP) were used as the model of cardiomyocyte apoptosis . The cell viability , the expression of SCAD at mRNA and protein levels , the activity of SCAD and the content of free fatty acids were determined .RESULTS:The mRNA and protein expression of SCAD decreased in the cardiomyocyte apoptosis model.Compared with negative control group , SCAD expression and activity were both significantly decreased in siRNA-1186 group, but the content of free fatty acids were obviously increased in the cardiomyocytes .Meanwhile, SCAD siRNA treatment triggered the same apoptosis as cardiomyocytes treated with tBHP .CONCLUSION: Down-regulation of SCAD may play an important role in primary cardiomyocyte apoptosis .Increase in the expression of SCAD may become an impor-tant part in intervening cardiomyocyte apoptosis .

Objective To investigate clinical significance of the changes in the peripheral blood T lymphocytes subsets in patients with diseases related to HBV infection .Methods 257 cases of inpatients and outpatients were selected from Jan .to Dec .2013 ,and were divided into hepatitis B carriers (ASC)group ,chronic hepatitis B(CHB)group ,hepatocirrhosis(LC)group and primary liver cancer(PHC)group according to types of diseases related to HBV infection .Other 50 healthy individuals conducted physical exami‐nation were enro1led in the control group .The absolute CD3+ ,CD4+ and CD8+ T‐cell count ,and CD3+ ,CD4+ and CD8+ percent‐age and CD4+ /CD8+ value were detected in all subjects by using flow cytometer .These data were compared and analyzed .Results Compared with the control group ,there were no significant differences of the absolute CD3+ ,CD4+ and CD8+ T‐cell count ,and CD3+ ,CD4+ and CD8+ percentage and CD4+ /CD8+ value in ASC group ,CHB group and LC group(P>0 .05) .Compared with the control group ,the absolute CD4+ T‐cell count ,CD4+ percentage and the CD4+ /CD8+ value were decreased in the PHC group , while the CD8+ percentage were increased in the PHC group ,there were statistical significant differences between the two groups (P<0 .05) .Conclusion The peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets could be monitor indexes of cell immune function in diseases related to HBV infection .

Objective To investigate the relationship between pancreatic beta cell function and liver function in hepatitis B cirrhosis with different glucose metabolism status.Methods A total of 247 patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis were included and divided into 3 groups according to measurement of fasting blood glucose (FBG),and 2h blood glucose in 75g oral glucose tolerance test(2hPG),normal glucose metabolic status group(group A,n =47),glucose tolerance impairment group(group B,n =103) and diabetes mellitus group(group C,n =97).Data of fasting and 2h postprandial blood glucose,C-peptide,insulin and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c),pancreatic beta cell function index(HBCI),insulin sensitivity index (ISI),hepatitis B virus load were collected and analyzed.Results Abnormal glucose metabolism was observed in 81％ patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis,while hepatogenic diabetes accounted for 39.3％.2 hPG[(6.29 ± 3.78) mmol/L,(10.56 ± 4.26) mmol/L,(17.34 ± 5.9) mmol/L],FBG [(4.72 ±2.15)mmot/L,(5.68 ±2.81) mmol/L,(9.82 ±5.1) mmol/L],HbA1c [(4.5 ± 1.2)％ (10.56 ±4.26) ％ (9.5 ± 3.0) ％],HBV-DNA [(3.78 ± 0.52),(4.82 ± 0.61),(6.02 ± 0.63)] were compared in group A,group B and C.2hPG,FBG,HbA1c and HBV viral loads in group A were significantly lower than group B and group C (F =93.23,41.35,84.93,237.2,P ＜ 0.05).Fasting insulin [(15.65 ± 4.17) mU/L,(26.53 ± 7.22) mU/L,(30.18 ± 3.23) mU/L],postprandial insulin [(45.28 ± 10.22) mU/L,(106.8 ± 20.74) mU/L,(141.68 ±20.25) mU/L],postprandial C peptide [(5.96 ± 4.82) mU/L,(9.86 ± 5.46) mU/L,(9.54 ± 6.42) mU/L] and ISI [(-5.96 ± 0.61),(-4.92 ± 0.42),(-5.03 ± 0.51)] were compared in group C,group B and A,those values in group C were lower than group A and B,the defferences were stastistically significant (P ＜ 0.05).HBCI in three groups were (5.66 ± 0.64),(5.32 ± 1.01),(4.30 ± 1.53),respectively,the defferences were stastistically significant(F =27.55,P ＜0.05).Patients in group C with Child-Pugh C score was much more than group A and B,the defference was stastistically significant (x2 =48.6,P ＜ 0.01).Conclusion Hyperinsulinemia,increased insulin resistance and decreased insulin secretion exist in hepatitis B cirrhosis patients,and they are closely related to liver function.

[ABSTRACT]AIM:ToinvestigatethedifferenteffectsofERK1/2/PPARα/SCAD(short-chainacyl-CoAdehy-drogenase) signal pathways on the cardiac hypertrophy induced by insulin-like growth factors 1 ( IGF-1) or phenylephrine ( PE) .METHODS:The neonatal rat cardiomyocytes induced by IGF-1 were used as the model of physiological cardiac hypertrophy , and those induced by PE were used as the model of pathological cardiac hypertrophy .The surface area of the cardiomyocytes, the expression of p-ERK1/2, PPARαand SCAD, the activity of SCAD and the content of free fatty acid in the cardiomyocytes were measured .RESULTS:Compared with the control cells , the surface area of the cardiomyocytes in-duced by IGF-1 and PE were both increased .Compared with the controls , the expression of SCAD and PPARα, and the activity of SCAD in the cardiomyocytes induced by IGF-1 were increased , while the expression of p-ERK1/2 was de-creased.However, the cardiomyocytes treated with PE showed decreased expression of SCAD and PPARα, decreased activ-ity of SCAD and increased expression of p-ERK1/2.Meanwhile, the decrease in free fatty acid in IGF-1-induced cardio-myocytes and the increase in PE-induced cardiomyocytes indicated that the fatty acid utilization was increased in the cardio -myocytes induced by IGF-1, but decreased in the cardiomyocytes induced by PE .CONCLUSION: The changes of p-ERK1/2, PPARαand SCAD in the cardiac hypertrophy induced by IGF-1 or PE indicate that the effects of ERK 1/2/PPARα/SCAD signal pathways are different between physiological cardiac hypertrophy and pathological cardiac hypertro -phy , and that SCAD may be a molecular marker of these 2 different cardiac hypertrophies and a potential therapeutic target for pathological cardiac hypertrophy .

Objective To observe the effect of enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) on diabetic retinopathy (DR). Methods 179 patients who accepted EECP combined with medication were as group A and the other 190 patients who accepted medication only were as group B. Their visual acuity, fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) and optical hemodynamics were compared. Results There was significant improvement in group A with visual acuity, FFA and optical hemodynamics (P<0.05), and the incidence of improvement was more in group A than in group B (P<0.05). Conclusion EECP is effective on diabetic retinopathy.

Objective To study the correlation between the level of serum ferritin(SF) and the degree of liver damagement with severe hepatitis B,and the clinical significance of SF changes in judging the prognosis.Methods The level of SF was detected by radioimmunoassay(RIA) from 62 cases with severe hepatitis B,the level of SF from acute hepatitis B,chronic hepatitis B,liver cirrhosis and normal men were served as contrast study.Results The level of SF from severe hepatitis B was significantly higher than those from acute hepatitis B,chronic hepatitis B,liver cirrhosis and normal men;the level of SF was positively correlated with total bilirubin(TB),prothrombin time(PT),total bile acid(TBA) and negatively with Alb,ALT,AST,CHE.The levels of SF of those who died were significantly higher than those of suvivals;the level of SF decreased as the disease controlled and increased as the disease deterio-rated.Conclusions There is a parallel correlationship between the level of SF and the degree of liver damagement with severe hepatitis B,the severer the hepatocyte damage was,the higher the ferritin was.It is helpful to judge the degree of damagement and prognosis of severe hepatitis by detecting the level of serum ferritin.

Objective To establish normally immortalized porcine hepatocyte lines by ectopic expression of simian virus 40 large T (SV40LT) antigen and the human telomerase reverse transcriptase(hTERT). Methods Primary porcine Hepatoeyte cells were transfeeted with recombinant retrovirus containing SV40LT or hTERT respectively. Subsequently drug resistant cell clones were screened and expanded for further studies. Immortalized porcine hepatocyte was confirmed by examination. Results The morphological phenotype of the transfected cells was similar to the primary porcine hepatocyte. One clone, HepLP, has been maintained in cultue for half year, and expanded by more than 60 passages. SV40 LT and hTERT could be detected in transfected porcine hepatocyte. Pig albumin mRNA was also detected by RT-PCR. No tumor formation occurred when HepLP cells were injected into Balb/c nude mice. Conclusions The immortalized, nontumorigenic, porcine hepatoeytes maintained the properties of porcine primary hepatocytes such as the albumin secretion. This generation of immortalized porcine hepatocyte may be helpful for bioartifical liver support system, hepatocytes transplantation, drug/toxicological studies, and liver biologic studies.