The association study on renalase polymorphism and hypertension: a meta-analysis.

Hypertension is considered a multi-factorial disease since its development is affected by both genetic and environmental factors. Intensive efforts have been focused on identifying gene(s) related to hypertension. Renalase is a recently discovered protein that expressed in kidney, heart, liver, and brain that metabolizes catecholamines, regulation of blood pressure in humans and animals.

An investigation of antitumor efficiency of novel sustained and targeted 5-fluorouracil nanoparticles.

Traditional chemotherapeutic drugs remain the major treatment for advanced colorectal cancer. However, due to the lack of tumor specificity these drug also destroy healthy tissue and organs, which has been the main reason for treatment failure and mortality. Folate-based drug delivery systems for improving nanoparticle endocytosis have been used to address these problems.

A collagen-based multicellular tumor spheroid model for evaluation of the efficiency of nanoparticle drug delivery.

Targeted drug delivery systems, especially those that use nanoparticles, have been the focus of research into cancer therapy during the last decade, to improve the bioavailability and delivery of anticancer drugs to specific tumor sites, thereby reducing the toxicity and side effects to normal tissues. However, the positive antitumor effects of these nanocarriers observed in conventional monolayer cultures frequently fail in vivo, due to the lack of physical and biological barriers resembling those seen in the actual body. Therefore, the collagen-based 3-D multicellular culture system, to screen new nanocarriers for drug delivery and to obtain more adequate and better prediction of therapeutic outcomes in preclinical experiments, was developed.

Overcoming multidrug resistance in 2D and 3D culture models by controlled drug chitosan-graft poly(caprolactone)-based nanoparticles.

The principal limitations of chemotherapy are dose-limiting systemic toxicity and the development of multidrug-resistant phenotypes. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficiency of a new sustained drug delivery system based on chitosan and ε-caprolactone to overcome multidrug resistance in monolayer and drug resistance associated with the three-dimensional (3D) tumor microenvironment in our established 3D models. The 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-loaded nanoparticles (NPs) were characterized by transmission electron microscope and dynamic light scattering, and its released property was determined at different pH values.

[The effect of drainage in cavities on preventing from grade B and C of the pancreatic fistula after pancreaticoduodenectomy].

Objective: To explore the effect of drainage in cavities on preventing from grade B and C of the pancreatic fistula after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD).

Methods: From June 2008 to June 2010, the medical team had performed the operations of digestive tract reconstruction by the same way in 68 cases with PD. There were 43 male and 25 female patients, with a mean age of (64 ± 3) years.

Optimal treatment opportunity for mTHPC-mediated photodynamic therapy of liver cancer.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been clinically used for liver cancer. The pharmacokinetics of a photosensitizer needs to be monitored so that PDT can be performed at the most favorable time and with the proper dose to increase the cure rate. As mTHPC is a fluorescent compound, we investigate its pharmacokinetics, distribution, and elimination in the rat orthotropic liver cancer model in order to confirm an optimal treatment opportunity of liver cancer PDT.

Entering the duodenal diverticulum: a method for cannulation of the intradiverticular papilla.

Successful cannulation of the common bile duct may be difficult in patients in whom the papilla is located entirely within a diverticulum. In this study, we report successful biliary cannulation in three patients following intubation of the distal tip of the duodenoscope into the duodenal diverticulum and locating the major papilla. No complications occurred during the operation or during the postoperative period.

Comparison between air and carbon dioxide insufflation in the endoscopic submucosal excavation of gastrointestinal stromal tumors.

Aim: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of CO(2) insufflation compared with air insufflation in the endoscopic submucosal excavation (ESE) of gastrointestinal stromal tumors.

Methods: Sixty patients were randomized to undergo endoscopic submucosal excavation, with the CO(2) group (n = 30) and the air group (n = 30) undergoing CO(2) insufflation and air insufflation in the ESE, respectively. The end-tidal CO(2) level (pETCO(2)) was observed at 4 time points: at the beginning of ESE, at total removal of the tumors, at completed wound management, and 10 min after ESE.

Evaluation of two modified ECF regimens in the treatment of advanced gallbladder cancer.

Gallbladder cancer is a rare disease and it is associated with a poor clinical outcome and survival. A standard therapy for it has not been established yet. The aim of this study is to evaluate efficacy and safety of two modified ECF regimens in advanced gallbladder cancer patients.

[Effects of lipid-modulation and antiplatelet treatment on the endothelial lipase expression].

Objective: To investigate the effects of lipid-modulation and antiplatelet treatment on the expression of endothelial lipase (EL) of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), and investigate the role of EL in the development of CAD.

Methods: One hundred and fifty-seven cases were divided into three groups according to clinical manifestations and the results of coronary artery angiography: control group (n=41) with more than one risk factors of CAD and the vessel lesions was <30%; stable angina pectoris (SAP) group (n=55); acute coronary syndrome (ACS) group (n=61). The EL positive cell rate was measured 2 weeks after cessation of lipid-modulation and aspirin treatment, and 6 months after treatment with simvastatin and/or aspirin.

[Study on six-minute walk test and cardiac output response against exercise in patients with chronic heart failure].

Objective: To evaluate the significance of cardiac output (CO) response against exercise determined by IGR method and LVEF, 6 MWT distance in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF).

Method: To adopt 6 MWT, and before and after the test measuring the CO by the IGR method, furthermore, measure LVEF to 36 patients (heart failure group) with CHF, compare with the health groups (control group).

Results: The 6MWT distance of heart failure group (333.

Ferucarbotran versus Gd-DTPA-enhanced MR imaging in the detection of focal hepatic lesions.

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of ferucarbotran-enhanced MR imaging in the detection of focal hepatic lesions compared to plain and Gd-DTPA-enhanced MR imaging.

Methods: Fifty-nine patients with suspected focal hepatic lesions were admitted to the study. Plain MR imaging (FSE T(2)WI with fat suppression and GRE T(1)WI sequences) and Gd-DTPA dynamic enhanced MR of the liver were initially performed followed by ferucarbotran-enhanced MR imaging 48 h later (including GRE T(1)WI, FSE T(2)WI with fat suppression, and GRE T(2)WI sequences).

[Changes of fasting serum insulin in normotensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy].

Objective: To explore the relationship between left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and serum insulin changes in normotensive patients.

Methods: Forty-two normotensive patients with LVH, who were free of hypertension, coronary artery disease and diabetes, were examined for fasting serum insulin, glucose and serum lipids, and the left ventricular mass (LVM) and left ventricular mass index (LVMI) were also measured with echocardiography, with 46 normal subjects serving as the control group.

Results: The levels of fasting triglyceride and insulin, as well as insulin resistance index (IRI), were higher in the LVH group than in the control group.

[The effect of ginkgolide B on action potential, L-type calcium current and delayed rectifier potassium current in ischemic guinea pig ventricular myocytes].

Aim: To study the effect of ginkgolide B from Ginkgo leave on action potential (AP), L-type calcium current (I(Ca) - L) and delayed rectifier potassium current (I(K)) in normal and ischemic guinea pig ventricular myocytes.

Methods: With the standard microelectrode technique to record action potential and whole-cell variant patch-clamp technique to record calcium and potassium current.

Results: (1) Under normal condition, ginkgolide B shortened APD and had no effect on RP, AP and V(max).

Enhancement patterns of small hepatocellular carcinoma shown by dynamic MRI and CT.

Objectives: To study prospectively the enhancement features of small hepatocellular carcinoma (SHCC) with multi-phase scanning of dynamic MRI and spiral CT, and discuss the superiority of dynamic MRI to spiral CT.

Methods: Multi-phase dynamic contrast scanning of high field MRI and spiral CT were performed in 53 patients with SHCC. The arterial phase, portal venous phase and delayed phase scanning of spiral CT was done after the pre-contrast scanning of the entire liver.