[Effects of plasma lipopolysaccharide changes on platelet release of vascular endothelial growth factor and thromobospondin-1 in patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension after TIPS procedure].

Objective: To investigate the effects of plasma lipopolysaccharide (LPS) concentration changes on platelet release of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and thrombospondin (TSP)-1 in patients with decompensated cirrhotic portal hypertension after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) procedure. Methods: 169 cases with cirrhotic portal hypertension were enrolled, of which 81 cases received TIPS treatment. LPS, VEGF, and TSP-1 concentrations with different Child-Pugh class in peripheral blood plasma of patients were measured. After pre-incubation of normal human platelets with different concentrations of LPS and stimulated by collagen in vitro, platelet PAC-1 expression rate, VEGF, and TSP-1 concentrations were detected. PAC-1 expression rate and the concentrations of LPS, VEGF and TSP-1 in peripheral blood plasma of patients before and after TIPS procedure were detected. The relationship between plasma LPS, VEGF and TSP-1 concentrations and Child-Pugh score changes in patients after TIPS procedure was analyzed. Statistical analysis was performed by t-test, one-way ANOVA or Pearson's rho according to different data. Results: Plasma LPS and TSP-1 concentrations were significantly higher in Child-Pugh class C patients than class A and B, but the concentration of plasma VEGF was significantly lower than class A and B (P < 0.01). In vitro experiments showed that concentration of LPS, TSP-1, and platelet PAC-1 expression rate was higher in the supernatant, but the difference in the concentration of VEGF in the supernatant was not statistically significant. Portal vein pressure and platelet activation were significantly decreased (P < 0.01) in patients after TIPS procedure. Portal venous pressure, platelet activation, plasma LPS, and TSP-1 levels were significantly decreased continuously, while VEGF levels were significantly increased continuously after TIPS procedure. Plasma LPS concentration was positively correlated with TSP-1 concentration (r = 0.506, P < 0.001), and negatively correlated with VEGF concentration (r = -0.167, P = 0.010). Child-Pugh score change range was negatively correlated with change range of plasma VEGF concentration (r = -0.297, P = 0.016), and positively correlated with change range of plasma TSP-1 concentration (r = 0.145, P = 0.031) after TIPS. Conclusion: Portal venous pressure gradient, plasma LPS concentration and corresponding platelet activation was decreased in cirrhotic portal hypertension after TIPS procedure, and with TSP-1 reduction and VEGF elevation it is possible to reduce the liver function injury caused by portal venous shunt.

Development of a multi-color gas puff imaging diagnostic on HL-2A tokamak.

A Multi-Color (MC) gas puff imaging diagnostic has been developed on HL-2A tokamak. This diagnostic can simultaneously measure two-dimensional (2D, radial, and poloidal) electron density and temperature distributions with a good spatial resolution of 2.5 × 2.5 mm2 and a temporal resolution of about 100 µs at best in edge plasmas. The 2D electron density and temperature distributions are inferred from the ratios of intensities of three different neutral helium emission lines; therefore, it is also referred to as helium beam probe or beam emission spectroscopy on thermal helium. A compact light splitter is used to split the inlet visible emission beam into four channels, and the specific neutral helium lines of the wavelengths λ1 = 587.6 nm, λ2 = 667.8 nm, λ3 = 706.5 nm, and λ4 = 728.1 nm are measured, respectively. This MC diagnostic has been experimentally tested and calibrated on a linear magnetic confinement device Peking University Plasma Test device, and the measured 2D electron density and temperature distributions are compared with the Langmuir probe measurements.

Facilitation of liver cancer SMCC7721 cell aging by sirtuin 4 via inhibiting JAK2/STAT3 signal pathway.

OBJECTIVE: Liver cancer severely threatens public health. Molecular targeted treatment is the further of cancer treatment. The functional role of Sir-related enzymes 4 (sirtuin 4) in treating liver cancer still requires further investigation. This study aimed to elucidate the effect of sirtuin 4 on aging of SMCC7721 liver cancer cell line, to underlying molecular mechanism and potential application in clinics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Adriamycin-induced aging model was established on SMCC7721 liver cancer cell line. Sirtuin 4 over-expression or siRNA plasmid was transfected. Cell aging was measured by ß-galactosidase approach. Aging-related proteins P53 and P16 were quantified in Western blot, which also examined activation of Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) signal pathway. CP-690550 was used to suppress JAK2 signal pathway for measuring aging status of SMCC7721 cells. RESULTS: In aged SMCC7721 cells, sirtuin 4 was up-regulated, whilst P53 and P16 protein levels were elevated, in accompanied with JAK2/STAT3 signal pathway. Transfection of sirtuin 4 over-expression plasmid or siRNA increased or decreased sirtuin 4 expression. Adriamycin-induced aging was enhanced or suppressed, accompanied with inhibited or potentiated JAK2 signal pathway in sirtuin 4 up-regulation or down-regulation cells, respectively. The usage of JAK2 signal inhibitor, CP-690550, enhanced Adriamycin-induced cell aging. CONCLUSIONS: Sirtuin 4 facilitates Adriamycin-induced aging of SMCC7721 liver cancer cells via inhibiting JAK2/STAT3 signal pathway, thus providing one novel anti-cancer strategy.