Insulin promotes sinusoidal endothelial cell proliferation mediated by upregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor in regenerating rat liver after partial hepatectomy.

Aim: To determine whether insulin could promote sinusoidal endothelial cell (SEC) proliferation mediated by upregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in regenerating rat liver after partial hepatectomy (PHx).

Methods: Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats undergoing 70% PHx were injected with insulin (300 MU/kg) or saline via the tail veins every 8 h after surgery for 7 d and killed at 0, 24, 48, 72, 96, 120, 144, and 168 h after surgery. Proliferation of both hepatocytes and SECs was monitored by evaluating the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) labeling index (LI).

Prevention and therapy of fungal infection in severe acute pancreatitis: A prospective clinical study.

Aim: To investigate the prevention and therapy of fungal infection in patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP).

Methods: Seventy patients with SAP admitted from Jan. 1998 to Dec.