Objective : To explore the "clinical normal reference range" of pulpal blood flow (PBF) in the physiological state in an effort to provide a reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment. Methods: According to the working principle and operational considerations of laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF), the PBF blood flow value of the first molars of the upper and lower mandibles of normal adults was detected by LDF, and the clinical reference value range under physiological conditions was analyzed and calculated. The differences in PBF values by sex, dental position and location (left and right side, upper and lower jaw) were analyzed. Results : A total of 200 normal adult participants with an average age of (22.76 ± 3.26) years were included. The cohort included 95 males and 105 females, with a total of 800 first molars. Neither the PBF values of the left and right first molars nor the PBF values of the upper and lower first molars in males or females significantly differed (P>0.05). The PBF value for females was higher than that of males. Specifically, the clinical reference PBF values for males and females were (8.56 ± 3.25) PU and (9.51 ± 3.47) PU, respectively. Conclusion The PBF values of normal adult first molars in healthy subjects were higher in females than in males, and in the PBF values of first molars of the same sex did not significantly differ between the left side and right side or upper and lower jaw; these values could be used as a reference for the selection of control teeth.

Objective To investigate clinical and histopathological manifestations of cutaneous plasmacytosis.Methods The clinical and histopathological data were collected from 7 cases of cutaneous plasmacytosis and analyzed retrospectively.Results Of the 7 patients,2 were female,and 5 were male.The average age was 42.4 years,and the duration of disease ranged from 2 to 10 years.All the 7 patients presented with multiple slow progressive brown patches and plaques.No abnormality was observed in routine examinations of blood,urine and faeces,electrocardiogram and abdominal ultrasonography in the 7 patients.Three patients underwent serum IgG detection,and their serum levels of IgG were all higher than reference values.Two patients were subjected to cytological examination of bone marrow,which showed the percentage of plasma cells (mainly mature plasma cells) was up to 5％.Histopathological examination of 7 cases showed pigmentation in the basal layer of the epidermis,and infiltration mainly consisting of lymphocytes and mature plasma cells around the blood vessels in the dermis.Immunohistochemical study revealed that the ratio of κ to λ light chain was approximately 1∶ 1,and the plasma cells were strongly positive for IgG.IgG4 was positive in very few plasma cells in 1 case,and negative in the other 6 cases.Conclusion The etiology of cutaneous plasmacytosis is still unclear,but it has characteristic clinical and histopathological manifestations.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a collagen dressing for healing of wounds induced by fractional CO2 laser in patients with atrophic facial acne scars.Methods Seventy patients with atrophic facial acne scars were recruited to this study,and randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group.Both the two groups were treated by two sessions of fractional CO2 laser with an interval of one month.After each session of laser therapy,the treatment group were topically treated with a collagen dressing for 20 minutes once a day for 10 consecutive days,while the control group did not apply any collagen dressing.All the patients were followed for 6 months.Efficacy was evaluated by the degree of acute inflammatory reaction,time needed for crust shedding and patient comfort level.The length of downtime as well as incidence of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and other adverse reactions were also assessed.Results Compared with the control group,the treatment group showed a decrease in the score for acute inflammatory response (W =312,P ＜ 0.01),time needed for crust shedding (t =2.08,P ＜ 0.05),incidence rate of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (x2 =6.06,P ＜ 0.05),length of downtime (t =3.14,P ＜ 0.05),but an increase in self-reported comfort level (W =172,P ＜ 0.01).No new scar formed in any of these patients.Conclusion The collagen dressing is effective in reducing incidence of adverse reactions and improving satisfaction degree of patients with atrophic facial acne scars after fractional CO2 laser therapy.

BACKGROUND:Previous studies have demonstrated that normal rat liver homogenate supernatant can induce human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cels to differentiate into hepatocyte-like cels with partial hepatocyte functions. However, whether fibrotic liver homogenate supernatant can work or how the inducing effect is remains unclear. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the differentiation potential of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cels into hepatocytes under the normal liver and fibrotic liver microenvironment in vitro. METHODS:Liver fibrosis was induced in the SD rats by repeated intraperitoneal injections of 3% thioacetamide at a dose of 200 mg/kg body mass, twice a week for 4 weeks, and then fibrotic liver tissues and normal liver tissues were used to prepare liver homogenate supernatants. Passage 3 human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cels were used and divided into standard control group (cels were cultured in DMEM/F12 with 10% fetal bovine serum), fibrotic liver homogenate supernatants group (cels were cultured in DMEM/F12 with 10% fetal bovine serum and 50 g/L fibrotic liver homogenate supernatants), normal liver homogenate supernatants group (cels were cultured in DMEM/F12 with 10% fetal bovine serum and 100 g/L normal liver homogenate supernatants). The morphological changes of the cels in each group were recorded under inverted microscope; the protein levels of CK18, AFP, CYP3A4, CYP2E1, CYP2D6 and TPH2 were evaluated using western blot assay. Furthermore, the concentration of albumin in the cels was measured. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:After a 7-day inducement, the stem cels in liver homogenate supernatants groups lost their fusiform shape and changed into hepatocyte-like cels with the morphous of round shape. Compared with the standard control group, the hepatocyte-like cels in the two liver homogenate supernatants groups exhibited human hepatocyte biomarkers, CK18 and AFP. The standard control group cels could express a little amount of CYP2E1, while cels in the two liver homogenate supernatants groups could express CYP3A4, CYP2E1, CYP2D6, TPH2. Compared with the standard control group, the expression level of CYP2E1 in the two liver homogenate supernatants groups increased significantly (P < 0.01), and however, the relative levels of CYP3A4, CYP2E1, CYP2D6, TPH2 in the two liver homogenate supernatants groups showed no statistical significance (P > 0.05). At the same time, compared with the standard control group, the concentration of albumin in the two liver homogenate supernatants groups markedly increased (P < 0.01), but there was no difference between the two liver homogenate supernatants groups (P > 0.05). Experimental findings demonstrated that both of normal liver tissue and fibrotic liver tissue microenvironments could induce human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cels to differentiate into hepatocyte-like cels. To achieve the same effect, compared with normal liver tissue, fibrotic liver tissue required lower concentrations, suggesting that fibrotic liver tissue microenvironment may be more conducive to differentiation of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cels into hepatocytes.

Objective To improve the understanding of cutaneous intravascular natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (CIVNKTC). Methods Clinical data on five cases of CIVNKTC were collected. The histopathological feature, treatment and prognosis of CIVNKTC were retrospectively analyzed and discussed. Results Of the 5 patients, 1 was male and 4 were female. The age of onset ranged from 38 to 83 years (average, 56.2 years). All the patients presented with multiple plaques and nodules as the primary symptoms. Histopathological examination revealed vasodilatation in the dermis and subcutaneous tissue, as well as atypical lymphoid cells with large hyperchromatic nuclei containing 1-2 small nucleoli in dilated veins. Immunohistochemical studies of tumor cells showed positive staining for CD3ε, cytotoxic proteins (including T cell-restricted intracellular antigen-1, granzyme B and perforin)and Epstein-Barr virus(EBV)-encoded microRNA, but negative staining for cytokeratin, CD20, CD79a, CD4 and CD8. Furthermore, the tumor cells stained positive for CD56 in two patients. Among the 5 patients, only 2 received chemotherapy and the remaining received no treatment. During a 24-month follow-up, 4 patients died, and only 1 survived with the tumor. Conclusion CIVNKTC is a rare extranodal Hodgkin′s lymphoma with distinct histologic manifestations and immunophenotypes, rapid and aggressive clinical course, and poor prognosis.

Objective To investigate the effect of 17β-estradiol on ketamine-induced long-term cognitive deficits in neonatal rats.Methods 80 SD male rats aged 7 days were randomly divided into group C,V,E,K and K+E,and 16 per group.Group C was intraperitoneally injected with same volume of saline for three consecutive days,Group V was subcutaneously injected with same volume of sesame oil for three consecutive days,Group E was subcutaneously injected with 600 μg · kg-1 17β-estradiol for three consecutive days,group K was intraperitoneally injected with 75 mg · kg-1 ketamine for three consecutive days,group K+E was intraperitoneally injected with 75 mg · kg-1 ketamine in combination with 600 μg · kg-1 17β-estradiol injected subcutaneously for three consecutive days.At 2 months of age,learning and memory abilities were tested with the Mortis water maze.After Morris water naze test,ten rats from each group were decapitated and the prefrontal cortex (PFC) was isolated to detect acetylcholine esterase(AchE) activity with ELISA assay and to measure acetylcholine(Ach) level by hydroxylammonium chloride method.Results The escape latency ((40.26±2.36) s,(30.25±2.20) s,(21.55±2.42) s) and path length((1019.35±58.13) cm,(811.16±27.58) cm,(598.34±34.74) cm) of group K were more than those of group C on the third,fourth aud fifth training days (all P＜0.05),while escape latency ((29.46±2.20) s,(24.86± 2.14) s,(17.20±1.91) s) and path length((913.90±41.89) cm,(729.42±31.36) cm,(487.64±18.61)cm) of group K+E were significantly lower than those of group K(all P＜0.05).On test day 6,rats were subjected to a probe trial,ratio of time spent in the target quadrant ((24.5±2.7) ％) and the number of crossings over previous platform locations (1.9±0.5) in group K were fewer than those of group C (all P＜0.05),while ratio of time spent iu the target quadrant((42.3±3.0) ％) and the number of crossings over previous platform locations(3.5±0.5) of group K+E were more than those of group K (all P＜0.05).The AchE activity((0.69±0.04) U · mg pro-1) in rats PFC of group K was significantly higher than that of group C ((0.52±0.06) U · mg pro-1) (P＜0.05).The AchE activity of group K +E ((0.58±0.12)U · mg pro-1) was lower than that of group K(P＜0.05).The Ach level ((2.59±0.34)mg · g-1) in rats PFC of group K was significantly lower than that of group C ((4.35±0.56) mg · g-1) (P＜0.05).The Ach level of group K+E((3.88±0.61) mg · g-1) was higher than that of group K(P＜0.05).Conclusions These results indicate that ketamine impairs learning and memory abilities as rat matures,while 17β-estradiol treatment improves these impairments by inhibiting AchE activity and increasing Ach level.

OBJECTIVETo observe the in vivo migration of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs) labeled with the PKH26 red fluorescent dye after transplantation into rats with liver cirrhosis.

METHODSFrozen hUCMSCs were resuscitated and labeled with PKH26. Labeling efficiency and fluorescent maintenance time of the PKH26-1abeled cells were measured. Morphology of the labeled and unlabeled (control) cells was observed by microscopy. The cell growth curve was determined using the MTT method. The PKH26-1abeled hUCMSCs were transplanted via tail vein injection into healthy (control) rats and rats with liver cirrhosis. Migration of the PKH26-1abeled hUCMSCs observed 48 h later in frozen liver sections under a fluorescence microscope.

RESULTSThe labeling ratio of PKH26 to hUCMSCs was 100%. Growth of the labeled cells was good. The cell morphology was not significantly different between the labeled and unlabeled cells; all cells were long and spindle-like. Cell proliferation was not impacted significantly by labeling.Fluorescence was maintained for at least 20 days, as detected by in vitro analysis. After transplantation into the rats, the PKH26-1abeled hUCMSCs were mainly distributed in the area surrounding the portal vein, the blood vessels, and the false lobule of the cirrhotic liver; a small amount ofhUCMSCs were present in the spleen and lung.

CONCLUSIONPKH26 is an ideal fluorescent dye to label hUCMSCs. The PKH26 labeling technique can be used to study the migration of hUCMSCs in cirrhotic liver.

Objective To study the clinicopathological features of syringomatous adenoma of the nipple (SAN).Methods The clinical,histopathological and immunohistochemical findings of four cases of SAN were described,with a review of the literature.The diagnosis and differential diagnosis of SAN were also discussed.Results Among the four patients,three were female,and one was male.The mean age at onset was 42 years,and clinical course ranged from 3 months to 10 years.Clinically,SAN was manifested as an asymptomatic subcutaneous nodule,which was located in the areola of breast of female patients and in the right armpit of the male patient.Histopathologically,the tumor was located in the dermis and subcutaneous tissue,composed of nests and cords of epithelial cells forming tubular structures and infiltrating the indurated stroma between smooth muscle bundles.These tubules were lined by two layers of cells and displayed a comma or tadpole shape.Keratotic microcysts were seen.Immunohistochemically,the tumor cells stained positive for cytokeratin,cytokeratin 5/6,Ki67 (1％),but negative for estrogen receptor,progesterone receptor,CerbB2,cytokeratin 8/18,P53 and gross cystic disease fluid protein-15 (GCDFP-15).The peritubular myoepithelial cells expressed P63 and smooth muscle actin (SMA).Conclusions SAN is a rare benign tumor,which is often confused with some benign and malignant carcinomas of the breast.

BACKGROUND:Preliminary experiments have demonstrated that rat liver homogenate supernatants can induce the morphological changes of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells. However, little is known about whether the induced cells have some phenotypic and functional features of hepatocytes.
OBJECTIVE:To investigate whether human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells have some phenotypic and functional characteristic of hepatocytes after being induced by liver homogenate supernatants.
METHODS:Passage 3 human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells were used and divided into control group (cells were cultured in basic culture medium) and liver homogenate supernatant group (cells were cultured in liver homogenate supernatants for 3, 5, 7 days). Meanwhile, positive control group (QSG-7701 human liver celllines) and negative control group (simple liver homogenate supernatants) were set up. The protein and mRNA level of hepatocyte markers, alpha-fetoprotein, cytokeratin 18 and tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase enzyme, were detected at different time points.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:After inducement, the stem cells of fusiform shape began to lose their sharp edges and progressively shrunk, and then they changed into hepatocyte-like cells with the morphous of triangle, polygon and anomalism shape. Compared with the control group, the protein and mRNA level of alpha-fetoprotein, cytokeratin 18 and tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase enzyme significantly increased time dependently after inducement with liver homogenate supernatants (P<0.01). This study demonstrated that human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells are able to differentiate into hepatocyte-like cells in vitro that possess some functions of liver cells.

A case of benign follicular neoplasm-trichogerminoma-is reported.A 48-year-old man presented with a 10-year history of asymptomatic subcutaneous nodule in the chest.Histological examination revealed a well-circumscribed lesion composed of variously sized lobuli and cysts in the deep dermis and separated from the surrounding tissue by a fibrous capsule.Most lobuli consisted of concentrically arranged clear cells in the central area and basophilic cells in a palisade arrangement in the peripheral area.The tumor cells displayed a multi-directional differentiation toward hair bulb,inner root sheath,outer root sheath and infundibulum of hair follicles.Immunohistochemically,the tumor cells expressed AE1/AE3,CK5/6 and CK17,but were negative for CK20 or CK7.There was a sharp contrast in immunohistochemical findings between the central clear cells and peripheral basophilic cells.Based on the histological and immunohistochemical features,a diagnosis of trichogerminoma was made.