Regenerative medicine in China: main progress in different fields.

Regenerative medicine (RM) is an emerging interdisciplinary field of research and China has developed the research quickly and impressed the world with numerous research findings in stem cells, tissue engineering, active molecules and gene therapy. Important directions are induced differentiation of induced pluripotent stem and embryo stem cells as well as somatic stem cell differentiation potential and their application in trauma, burns, diseases of aging and nerve regeneration. The products ActivSkin and bone repair scaffolds have been approved and are applied in the clinic, and similar products are being studied.

Efficient Inhibition of Hepatitis B Virus Infection by a preS1-binding Peptide.

Entry inhibitors are promising novel antivirals against hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. The existing potential entry inhibitors have targeted the cellular receptor(s). In this study, we aim to develop the first entry inhibitor that inhibits HBV infection via targeting viral particles.

High TUG1 expression is associated with chemotherapy resistance and poor prognosis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Purpose: Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play critical roles in diverse biological processes such as tumorigenesis and metastasis. Taurine upregulated gene 1 (TUG1) is a cancer-related lncRNA that is associated with chromatin-modifying complexes and plays an important role in gene regulation. In this study, we determined the expression patterns of TUG1 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and evaluated its clinical significance.

A controlled spinal cord contusion for the rhesus macaque monkey.

Most in vivo spinal cord injury (SCI) experimental models use rodents. Due to the anatomical and functional differences between rodents and humans, reliable large animal models, such as non-human primates, of SCI are critically needed to facilitate translation of laboratory discoveries to clinical applications. Here we report the establishment of a controlled spinal contusion model that produces severity-dependent functional and histological deficits in non-human primates.

[Clinical efficacy of paclitaxel combined with S-1 in the prevention and treatment of gastric cancer with peritoneal metastasis].

Peritoneal dissemination is the most common metastasis form in patients with highly advanced gastric cancer(AGC) or with recurrence after radical gastrectomy. The median survival time after manifestation of peritoneal carcinomatosis is about 4-6 months. Most systemic chemotherapeutic agents are not effective for peritoneal metastasis because of the blood-peritoneum barrier, although some adjuvant chemotherapy definitely improves overall survival.

Platelet Activation and Thrombus Formation over IgG Immune Complexes Requires Integrin αIIbβ3 and Lyn Kinase.

IgG immune complexes contribute to the etiology and pathogenesis of numerous autoimmune disorders, including heparin-induced thrombocytopenia, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid- and collagen-induced arthritis, and chronic glomerulonephritis. Patients suffering from immune complex-related disorders are known to be susceptible to platelet-mediated thrombotic events. Though the role of the Fc receptor, FcγRIIa, in initiating platelet activation is well understood, the role of the major platelet adhesion receptor, integrin αIIbβ3, in amplifying platelet activation and mediating adhesion and aggregation downstream of encountering IgG immune complexes is poorly understood.

Berberine ameliorates TNBS induced colitis by inhibiting inflammatory responses and Th1/Th17 differentiation.

Th1 and Th17 cells, and their associated cytokines, have been associated with the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease. Berberine (BBR), a compound long used in traditional Chinese medicines, has been reported to have therapeutic effects in treating experimental colitis. In this study, we show that BBR had a protective effect on mice with TNBS-induced colitis.

Inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase-9 with low-dose doxycycline reduces acute lung injury induced by cardiopulmonary bypass.

Objective: This study aims to demonstrate the protective effect of doxycycline, an exogenous inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases-9 (MMP-9), in the acute lung injury induced by cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).

Methods: A total of 30 healthy mongrel dogs were randomly divided into three groups: Group A (CPB control group, no treatment of doxycycline), Group B (low-dose group, treated with doxycycline at 30 mg/kg) and Group C (high-dose group, doxycycline at 60 mg/kg). The alveolar-arterial oxygen difference (A-aDO2) and respiratory index (RI) were calculated, the concentration of MMP-9 in plasma was measured by ELISA.

Expert consensus on acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the People's Republic of China.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common disease that severely threatens human health. Acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD) is a major cause of disease progression and death, and causes huge medical expenditures. This consensus statement represents a description of clinical features of AECOPD in the People's Republic of China and a set of recommendations.

Epigenetic modification of MiR-429 promotes liver tumour-initiating cell properties by targeting Rb binding protein 4.

Objective: Liver tumour-initiating cells (T-ICs) are critical for hepatocarcinogenesis. However, the underlying mechanism regulating the function of liver T-ICs remains unclear.

Methods: Tissue microarrays containing 242 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) samples were used for prognostic analysis.

17β-Estradiol enhances the recruitment of bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells into infarcted myocardium by inducing CXCR4 expression.

Background: 17β-Estradiol (E2) has been thought to produce cardioprotective effects by mediating bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) for cardiac repair in the setting of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, the underlying mechanism of action of E2 on EPC remains unclear. CXCR4 is a critical modulator in homing of EPC.

The implementation of an integrated computer-assisted system for minimally invasive cardiac surgery.

Background: Preoperative planning and surgical navigation are two crucial aspects of a computer-assisted system for the success of minimally invasive cardiac surgery.

Methods: In the first part, port placement planning was mainly discussed. We proposed an algorithm based on four criteria to achieve optimized placement.

[Notch signaling pathway and multiple myeloma].

Notch signaling pathway is a main pathway through cell-cell interactions, which regulates the programmed cell death, cellular proliferation and differentiation in multiple cell systems, and also is an important signaling pathway to modulate the balance between proliferation and differentiation in hematopoietic environment, and is related with the incidence of multiple hematologic malignancies. Multiple myeloma (MM) is malignant in B cell lineage and characterized by clonal proliferative plasma cells. It is very difficult to cure MM patients with a low proliferation rate of the MM cell and drug resistance to the standard dosage of chemotherapy.

[Viral factors influencing histological changes of HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B patients with persistently normal serum ALT levels].

Objective: To investigate the correlation between viral factors and liver histological changes of HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B patients with persistently normal serum ALT levels (PNAL).

Methods: HBV DNA level, HBV genotype, basal core promoter (BCP) and precore mutation were examined in 52 HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B patients with PNAL (defined as normal ALT measured on at least 3 occasions in the intervals of about two months over a period of 12 months or more prior to the biopsy).

Results: Subjects with both BCP and precore mutations had significantly higher HBV DNA levels than those without mutations [(4.

Clinical study on the influence of a fixed-dose combination of famotidine with calcium carbonate and magnesium hydroxide on the bioavailability of famotidine.

The potential interaction of the H2-receptor antagonist famotidine (CAS 76824-35-6) with calcium carbonate (CAS 471-34-1) and magnesium hydroxide (CAS 1309-42-8) during administration of the famotidine fixed dose combination (FDC) formulation was investigated. A randomized, open-label, two-period, crossover study was carried out on 12 healthy Chinese volunteers. Plasma concentration-time profiles of famotidine were similar with the FDC formulation and common formulation.

[Multi-center clinical study of the effect of silver nitrate ointment on the partial-thickness burn wounds].

Objective: To evaluate the therapeutic effect of silver nitrate ointment on partial-thickness burn wounds, and observe its side-effects.

Methods: Multi-center, randomized, positive drug paralleled self-controlled trial was carried out. Eighty patients with superficial partial-thickness burns, and 40 with deep-partial thickness burns were randomized into AgNO3 group and SD-Ag group according to drug topically applied to the wounds.

Gestational trophoblastic disease following in vitro fertilization.

Background: Gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) after fertility therapy seems to be a rare complication despite the widespread use of these treatments. Despite embryos derived from normally fertilized oocytes were transferred, molar pregnancies still occurring.

Cases: Two patients underwent first cycle of in vitro fertilization (IVF) for management of infertility related to tubal obstruction.

[Expression of hypoxia inducible factor-1alpha in the fetal vertebra development: experiment with mice].

Objective: To explore the expression pattern and effects of hypoxia inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) in the fetal vertebra development.

Methods: Fetuses at different developmental stages were obtained from C57BL6 mice. The vertebrae of the fetuses were isolated and the development of vertebra was observed by stereoscopic and light microscope.

[A clinical intervention study among 463 essential hypertensive patients with metabolic syndrome].

Objective: To study the role of baseline risk factors in predicting the onset of diabetes among essential hypertensive patients with metabolic syndrome (MS) and to evaluate an ideal therapeutic regime that could reduce the risk factors and risk of onset of diabetes.

Methods: A randomized parallel clinical trial in essential hypertensive patients of grade 1 or 2 was conducted. Two of the three components (1) increased waist circumference and/or BMI; (2) increased triglycerides (TG) and/or decreased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; (3) impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) were present define the MS.

[Investigation on the drug resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in our burn ward in the past 11 years].

Objective: To analyze the use of antibiotics and the drug resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the burn ward of our hospital in the past 11 years, so as to optimize the use of antibiotics in the future.

Methods: Bacterial epidemiology during 1991-2001 in our burn ward was investigated. The change of the drug resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was observed by defined daily dose (DDD) of antibiotics in adult patients and by the ranking of antibiotic administration days.

Serum and ascites levels of macrophage migration inhibitory factor, TNF-alpha and IL-6 in patients with chronic virus hepatitis B and hepatitis cirrhosis.

Objective: To study the potential role of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the development of chronic virus hepatitis B (CH) and hepatitis cirrhosis (HC).

Methods: The serum concentrations of MIF, TNF-alpha and IL-6 in 18 patients with chronic virus hepatitis B and in 14 patients with hepatitis cirrhosis without ascitic fluid, and the serum and ascites cytokine concentrations in 22 HC patients with ascitic fluid were detected by enzyme linked immunity sorbed assay.

Results: The cytokine concentrations of the patients were significantly higher than those of the controls.

[Surgical approaches of pheochromocytoma].

Objective: To evaluate the effects of surgery of Pheo.

Methods: Pheochromocytoma was removed in 89 patients.

Results: In 39 patients, pheochromocytoma was removed by intercostal incision at the 11th rib and 15 at the 10th rib, 14 by transrectal incision, 9 by abdominothoracic incision, 5 by abdominal subcostal oblique incision, 3 by inferior abdominal incision, 3 by posterolateral incision.

[Correlation between gene expression of CCK-A receptor and gallbladder emptying in gallstone patients].

Objective: To investigate the expression of CCK-A receptor and its relation with gallbladder hypomotility in patients with gallstone.

Methods: 20 patients with gallstone and 10 normal subjects were studied and gallbladder emptying function was measured by B ultrasonography. The other 8 patients without gallstone who died of accident were selected as controls for measuring mRNA expression of CCK-A receptor of gallbladder; RT-PCR was used to explore gene expression of CCK-A receptor of gallbladder.

[Laparoscopic assisted transvaginal hysterectomy].

Objective: To evaluate the indication, technical procedure and the clinical value of laparoscopic assisted trans vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH).

Methods: Ninety-eight patients suffered from various kinds of benign gynecological diseases underwent LAVH from Feb. 1995 to Feb.

[The inhibitory effects of serum of patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia on the formation of megakaryocytopoiesis colony unit].

Objectives: To determine if the sera of patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) and all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) inhibit the formation of colony-forming-unit of megakaryocyte (CFU-Meg).

Methods: By cellular culture assay, the sera of 22 APL patients treated with ATRA and 10(-6)' mol/L ATRA were kinetically used to perform the investigation. Meanwhile, serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF) activity and bone marrow CFU-L were also detected.