Prediction of post-hepatectomy liver failure and long-term prognosis after curative resection of hepatocellular carcinoma using liver stiffness measurement.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) is the main cause of perioperative death after hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) resection. PHLF occurrence is related to both the hepatectomy volume and the degree of cirrhosis. Accurate preoperative assessment of the degree of cirrhosis may aid in reducing the incidence of PHLF. Several studies have shown that the liver stiffness measurement (LSM) is well correlated with cirrhosis. This study explored the relationship between LSM and PHLF occurrence after radical HCC resection and the effect on long-term prognosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 164 patients who underwent radical HCC resection at our center from January 2017 to January 2020. The related postoperative PHLF factors were analyzed. The LSM threshold in postoperative PHLF was calculated through receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Patients were grouped according to different LSM thresholds and survival analysis was performed. RESULTS: Forty-six patients experienced PHLF, of whom 19, 21, and 6 were classified as grades A, B, and C, respectively. Multivariate analysis indicated that LSM was an independent risk factor for PHLF after HCC surgery (OR = 1.174, P < 0.000). LSM (OR = 1.219, P < 0.000) and intraoperative bleeding (OR = 1.001, P = 0.047) were risk factors for grade B-C PHLF. The LSM threshold that predicted PHLF occurrence was 17.9 kPa (AUC = 0.831, P < 0.000) and 24.5 kPa (AUC = 0.867, P < 0.000) for grade B-C PHLF. LSM was correlated with PHLF severity (r = 0.439, P < 0.001). The median survival times were 32 vs 26 months (P = 0.016) for patients with LSM ≤ 17.9 kPa vs those with LSM > 17.9 kPa and 28 vs 24 months (P = 0.004) for patients with LSM ≤ 24.5 kPa vs those with LSM > 24.5 kPa. CONCLUSION: LSM is related to PHLF occurrence in patients undergoing HCC resection; a higher LSM is associated with the occurrence of more severe PHLF after surgery. In addition, LSM may aid in predicting long-term survival after liver resection in patients with HCC.

Short interfering RNA directed against the GOLPH3 gene enhances the effect of chemotherapy against oral squamous cell carcinoma by regulating Caspase3, Bcl2 and cytochrome-c expression.

Growing evidence reported that Golgi phosphoprotein 3 (GOLPH3) was involved in the progression of several human cancers. To determine whether knockout of GOLPH3 enhances the effect of Chemotherapy against cell growth of oral squamous cell carcinoma in vitro. OSCC cells were transfected with Golph3 plasmid, Golph3-RNAi and the relative control plasmids. Transfected Tca-8113 cells treated with cis-Dichlorodiamineplatinum (DDP; 0, 0.05, 0.25, 1.25, 6.25 and 31.25 ug/ml) or Paclitaxe (0, 2, 10, 50, 250 and 1250 nM) or Adriamycin (0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 ug/ml) for 24 h, respectively, was determined using MTT assay. Apoptosis-related protein expression Cytochrome-C, Caspase3 and Bcl-2 was analyzed by RT-PCR and western blots. Result of MTT showed that Golph3-RNAi transfected Tca-8113 cells enhanced the effect of chemotherapy, and the effect was strengthened with the increasing concentration of drugs, and the Golph3 plasmid transfected Tca-8113 cells showed the opposite effect. RT-PCR and western blots assays revealed that expression of cytochrome-C and caspase3 were up-regulated, while Bcl-2 expression was down-regulated in Golph3-RNAi transfected Tca-8113 cells. Taken together, this study demonstrated that GOLPH3 had potent pro-tumor growth and decreased the effect of Chemotherapy, and its mechanism is primarily via cell anti-apoptosis, down-regulating the expression of cytochrome-C and caspase3, up-regulating Bcl-2 expression.

[An analysis of impact factor of Chinese Journal of Internal Medicine from 2008 to 2010].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the articles and citation published in the Chinese Journal of Internal Medicine from 2008 to 2010, in order to investigate the influence factors of impact factor (IF). METHODS: All articles published in the Chinese Journal of Internal Medicine covered by Chinese Medical Citation Index(CMCI) from 2008 to 2010 were searched and downloaded. Some article related attributions were manual added and their influences to IF were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 1164 academic papers were published in the journal in 3 years, with 9.95 references per paper. The total citation was 1029 times, with 0.93 time per paper and 0.31 time per page. Among them, 736 articles were not cited, accounting for 63.2%. Original articles, pure clinical articles had good citation output. For fund supporting, the citation of articles without fund was higher than those with fund. The articles on hematology, cardiology and gastroenterology accounted the most, while ICU, emergency and nephrology were the least internal medicine reported specialties. Although there exists citation difference among different subjects, for considering the absolute values, neurology/psychiatry (0.73 time per paper), cardiology (0.65 time per paper) and gastroenterology (0. 54 time per paper) had better citation output, while hematology, basic research and rheumatology had no good performance to IF. CONCLUSION: We should further strengthen acquisition and dissemination of excellent articles, reduce the number of non-cited paper, expand periodical visibility, and provide a quick and convenient way of literature reading.

[The citation analysis of Chinese Journal of Internal Medicine from 2005 to 2011].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the academic level of Chinese Journal of Internal Medicine by analyzing its citation status by using bibliometrics method. METHODS: The distribution of articles published in Chinese Journal of Internal Medicine from January, 2005 to December, 2011 indexed by Chinese Science Citation Database (CSCD) was analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 2809 articles were published in Chinese Journal of Internal Medicine between January,2005 and December, 2011. Among them, 832(29.62%) articles were cited for totally 1993 times. There were 14 authors whose total citation number in 2005-2011 was > or = 10 times. Authors of the cited articles came from 25 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities. The regions from where the articles had the highest citation were Beijing (341 articles), Shanghai (87 articles), Guangdong (64 articles), Jiangsu (45 articles) and Zhejiang (43 articles). The medical institutions with the highest citation were Peking Union Medical College Hospital of Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (205 times), Peking University People's Hospital (77 times), and Chinese PLA General Hospital (76 times). CONCLUSIONS: Quite a few high level academic papers had been published in Chinese Journal of Internal Medicine in recent years. Chinese Journal of Internal Medicine plays a good role in enhancing academic exchange.

[Study on clinical manifestation, genotype and genetic characteristics of two Kennedy disease pedigrees].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical manifestations, genotypes, and genetic characteristics of two pedigrees with Kennedy disease. METHODS: The clinical data of the patients from two Kennedy disease families were collected. The numbers of trinucleotide CAG repeats in exon 1 of the androgen receptor gene were determined by DNA sequencing and repeat fragment analysis. RESULTS: Family A was composed of 58 individuals in 4 generations. The proband had onset at 39 years old. There were two Kennedy disease patients in family B which included 61 individuals in 5 generations. The two patients had onset at 39 and 41 years old, respectively. All the three patients displayed limbs and bulbar muscular weakness because of the damage of lower motor neurons. They had androgen insensitivity syndrome in common, and showed mild or moderate increase in serum creatine kinase level. The electromyogram showed wild damage in anterior horn of spinal cord. Muscle biopsy displayed neurogenic muscular atrophy. The numbers of the CAG repeat expansion in the androgen receptor gene of the three patients were 49, 48, and 47, respectively. X-linked recessive mode of inheritance was demonstrated by pedigree analysis in the two families. CONCLUSION: Kennedy disease usually occurs in mid-adulthood man. The clinical features are the weakness and wasting of limbs and bulbar muscles. Genetic analysis contributes to diagnosis and identification of carriers, and is beneficial to genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis.

[Polymorphism of DXS15, CA13, CA22 loci in Guangdong normal population].

The aim of this study was to investigate the polymorphism of microsatellite repeats DXS15, CA13, CA22 tightly linked to FVIII gene in Guangdong population and its practical value in genetic diagnosis for hemophilia A. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and capillary electrophoresis (CE) methods were adopted to test the variability of the 3 microsatellite repeat in Guangdong females, including 111 females, 222 X chromosomes for detecting DXS15 polymorphism; 87 females, 174X chromosomes for detecting CA13 polymorphism; 94 females, 188 X chromosomes for detecting CA22 polymorphism. The results indicated that 11 alleles corresponding to DXS15 were found at this locus with size ranging from 140 to 160 bp. The polymorphism information content (PIC) of this microsatellite repeat was 0.82, heterozygosity was 82%. Six alleles corresponding to CA13 were found, with a size from 145 to 155 bp, and PIC was 0.56, heterozygosity was 56.2%. Four alleles corresponding to CA22 were found with size ranging from 79 to 85 bp, and PIC was 0.41, heterozygosity was 50%. It is concluded that in contrast to the information about Caucasian, the polymorphism of these 3 microsatellites differs from race to race, and region to region. DXS15, CA13 and CA22 are highly polymorphic genetic markers useful for linkage analysis of haemophilia A, which may play a vital role in detection and prenatal diagnosis for hemophilia A.

B16-F10 melanoma cells and cell culture supernatant enhance angiogenesis in mouse ischemic limb.

Generation of therapeutic angiogenesis to enhance vascularization in the ischemic tissues is a method for treating ischemic tissues in atherosclerotic cardiovascular artery disease. The chemokine stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) and its receptor (CXC chemokine receptor 4, CXCR4) play a critical role in the process of post-natal neovascularization. The SDF-1-CXCR4 axis is a potential mechanism for the treatment of ischemic limb. Here, we investigated the role of CXCR4 in bone marrow cells (BMCs) in neovascularization induced by tumor cells and the supernatant of culture media in a murine hind-limb ischemia model which was made by resecting femoral artery and vein. After the injection of mouse melanoma cells B16-F10 (1x10(6) cells in 0.1 mL at the operation day, s.c.) into the abdomen or the cell culture supernatant (0.1 mL/d for 21 d after operation, i.m.) into the ischemic abductor muscle, the CXCR4 positive BMCs were analyzed by flow cytometry. The perfusion of the ischemic limb was evaluated by laser Doppler perfusion imaging (LDPI) on 7, 14 and 21 d after vascular injury operation. Capillary endothelial alkaline phosphatase (AP) was stained to quantify the presence of capillaries, and histological method was used to evaluate the capillary density as a measure of neovascularization in ischemic tissues. The proportions of CXCR4 positive BMCs were notably higher in ischemic limb injected with tumor cells or the supernatant compared to those in the control group (P<0.05). Injection of tumor cells or the supernatant resulted in significantly improved perfusion as measured by LDPI perfusion ratios on 7, 14 and 21 d after femoral artery and vein resection in mice, compared to the controls (P<0.05). Tissue samples harvested from the lower calf muscle at day 21 demonstrated increased capillary densities in mice receiving tumor cells (0.81+/-0.13) or the supernatant (0.63+/-0.05), compared with those in control group (0.44+/-0.09, P<0.05). In conclusion, the injection of B16-F10 tumor cells or the supernatant induces the increase of CXCR4 positive cells in BMCs and the improvement of in vivo neovasculogenesis in mouse ischemic limb.

[Polymorphisms of human papillomavirus type 81 L1 gene in patients with cervical lesions in Guangdong].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the positivity rates and genetic polymorphism of human papillomavirus (HPV) type 81 (HPV81) L1 gene in patients with cervical cancer in Guangdong. METHODS: HPV L1 genes fragment in 1200 positive cervical samples detected with HC-II for high-risk HPV DNA were amplified by HPV-specific PCR with consensus primers, and the L1 genes of HPV81 were sequenced for mutation analysis. RESULTS: Four HPV81-positive cases were found in the total of 1200 cases for the positivity rate of 0.33%. Point mutations of HPV81 L1 gene were found in all of the samples. CONCLUSION: Compared with the HPV81 prototypes published in GenBank, several new point mutations are found in the L1 genes of the HPV81 in Guangdong, and these mutations are close to those found in Japan.

[Expression of Class I integrase gene in Acinetobacter baumannii and drug-resistance].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the expression level of class I integrase (intI 1) mRNA in Acinetobacter baumannii from biofilm cells and planktonic cultured cells ,and to analyze the drug-resistance of Class I integron positive strains. METHODS: Acinetobacter baumannii were collected from hospitals,and Class I integron strains were screened by gene amplification. Total RNA of Class I integron positive strains was extracted, and the intI1 mRNA expression in the bioflim cells and planktonic cultured cells was measured by RT-PCR. Susceptibilities to antibiotics of Class I integron positive strains were also examined. RESULTS: The intI1 gene mRNA was expressed under 2 conditions, and the mRNA expressed in the biofilm cells was about 4 times higher than that in the planktonic cultured cells. Among the 64 strains of Acinetobacter baumannii, 46 strains were Class I integron positive strains. The antibiotic resistance of intI1 gene cassette-positive strains was higher than that of gene cassette-negative strains. CONCLUSION: The intI1 gene mRNA can be up-regulated in Acinetobacter baumannii biofilm cells.Class I integron plays an important role in drug resistance. It is much easier to capture gene cassettes for bacteria under biofilm condition.

[Beta-thalassemia major caused by compound heterozygosity for +40 to +43(-AAAC), IVS-2-654 (C to T) and codon 41/42 (-TCTT)].

OBJECTIVE: To report the analysis of a rare beta-thalassemia ternary heterozygote [+40 to +43(-AAAC)*CD41/42(-TTCT)*IVS-2-654] causing beta-thalassemia major in a Chinese. METHODS: Using PCR-ASO probe hybridization analysis to scan 17 known types of beta-thalassemia mutations, and gene cloning and DNA sequencing to identify the underlying causative mutation. RESULTS: Reverse dot blot (RDB) analysis showed that the patient's beta-globin gene had three mutations: +40 to +43(-AAAC), CD41/42(-TCTT) and IVS-2-654(C to T). Beta-globin gene cloning and sequencing proved that, the two deletions of +40 to +43(-AAAC) and CD41/42(-TCTT) co-existed on the same chromosome, and the other homologous chromosome had an IVS-2-654 (C to T) mutation. So the patient is a compound heterozygote of [+40 to +43(-AAAC)*CD41/42 (-TCTT)]/IVS-2-654 (C to T) leading to beta-thalassemia major. CONCLUSION: The triple mutation of [+40 to +43(-AAAC)*CD41/42(-TCTT)/N] is a new genotype of beta-thalassemia in Chinese.

[Research on the procedure for recovery and species identification of Legionella from surface environmental water].

OBJECTIVE: To establish a set of procedure for recovery and species identification of Legionella from the surface environmental water. METHODS: Forty-four water samples were collected in eight parks of Guangzhou city from August to November in 2006. The bacteriologic examination was performed by cultivation on BCYEalpha plate, and 108 presumptive Legionella colonies were picked and their homogeneous relationship was analyzed by using an amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) method. Species identification was carried out by latex agglutination test, biochemical characterization, analysis of cellular fatty acids composition, 16 S rRNA gene and mip gene sequencing. RESULTS: Legionella was recovered among 27 (61.36%) samples of all eight parks, and 31 different strains were identified from those 108 presumptive Legionella isolates by AFLP method, including 20 strains of L. pneumophila, five strains of L. feeleii, four strains of L. longbeachae, one strain of L. oakridgensis and one strain of L. sainthelensi, and L. pneumophila could be easily differentiated by phenotypic and biochemical characteristics, latex agglutination test or analysis of the cellular fatty acids composition . However, uncertain factors were existing in those phenotypic identification methods as compared to the sequence analysis. CONCLUSION: The taxonomic analysis of the Legionellae family should be dependent on the 16 S rRNA gene or mip gene.

[Occurrence, distribution and fate of antibiotics in sewage treatment plants].

Occurrence and distribution of eight selected antibiotics were screened at four sewage treatment plants (STPs). Individual concentrations in raw influent and final effluent from the four STPs ranged from 16 to 1987 ng x L(-1) and from 16 to 2054 ng x L(-1), respectively. The other analytes were only detected in a few samples with lower concentrations. Antibiotics can not be removed completely at the four STPs with the highest removal efficiency reaching to 81%. Remarkable differences of the daily environmental loads (the sum of the amount in the final effluent and sludge) of the five most frequently detected compounds at the four STPs were found with mass data ranging from 0.5 to 828 g. The daily consumption per person in the charged area of selected STPs showed that more compounds, especially the erythromycin-H2O, were consumed each day in Guangzhou than in Hong Kong.

WITHDRAWN: Effect of monogalactosyldiacylglycerol on the interactions between light-harvesting complexes II and photosystem II core complexes reconstituted into liposomes constituted of thylakoid lipids.

This article has been withdrawn consistent with Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (http://www.elsevier.com/locate/withdrawalpolicy). The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause.

[Surgical treatment for lumbar discogenic low back pain].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the curative effect of surgical treatment for lumbar discogenic low back pain. METHODS: Forty-two patients with lumbar discogenic low back pain were treated with disc excision and lumbar interbody fusion: 12 of them were treated with posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF), 30 with afront lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF). The clinical results were evaluated by pre- and post-operative visual analogue scale (VAS), and the fusion rates of the lumbosacral spine were evaluated by X-ray. RESULTS: The average follow-up period was 18 months, ranging from 6 to 36 months. Low back pain basically disappeared in 11 patients treated with PLIF, with mild back pain in one patient; VAS after the operation decreased significantly in comparison with that preoperatively (P<0.01). Low back pain basically disappeared in 28 patients treated with ALIF; VAS after the operation decreased significantly in comparison with that preoperatively (P<0.01). The fusion rate was 90% in patients treated with PLIF, and 93% in patients with ALIF. CONCLUSION: Disc excision and interbody fusion is effective in the treatment of lumbar discogenic low back pain, but the operation indications should be paid attention to.