INTRODUCTIONVascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) which is also known as vascular permeability factor (VPF) is a heparin-binding, dimeric polypeptide growth factor and a potent mitogen for endothelial cells.VEGF can stimulate the endothelial cell growth and enhance the motility through its two known receptors flt-1 and KDR[1]. Acting through these receptors, VEGF may stimulate angiogenesis and promote tumor progression. VEGF12l, as one of the four VEGF protein isoforms containing the least number of amino acids, has all the biological function of VEGF and is the ideal isoforms for further studying VEGF at molecular levels[2]. In this study, we cloned

作者： 刊期： 2000年第02期

AIM To examine whether age alone or comorbidity is a risk factor for death in older adults who developed Clostridium difficile (Cd)colitis during hospitalization.METHODS A retrospective, observational study design was performed in our Lady of Mercy Medical Center, a 650-bed, urban,community-based, university-affiliated teaching hospital. 121 patients with a positive diagnosis of Cd colitis (aged 23- 97 years) were studied, and data pertinent to demographic variables,medical history, co-morbidity, physical examination, and laboratory results were collected. Age was examined as a continuous variable and stratified into Age1 (＜80 vs 80 + );Age2 ( ＜ 60, 60 - 69, 70 - 79 and 80 + ); or Age3 (＜ 60, 60 - 69, 70 - 79, 80 - 89, 90 + ).RESULTS Cd colitis occurs more frequently with advancing age (55% of cases ＞80 years).However, age, per se, had no effect on mortality. A history of cardiac disease (P= 0.036), recurrent or refractory infection ＞4 weeks (P--0.007), Iow serum total protein (P=0.034), Iow serum albumin (P=0.001),antibiotic use ＞4 weeks (P＜0.010), use of over 4 antibiotics (P=0.026), and use of certain classes of antibiotics (P = 0.035 - 0.004) were predictive of death. Death was strongly predicted by the use of penicillin-like antibiotics plus clindamycin, in the presence of hypoalbuminemia, refractory sepsis, and cardiac disease ( P = 0.00005). CONCLUSION Cd colitis is common in the very old. However, unlike co-morbidity, age alone does not affect the clinical outcome (survival vs death).

作者： 刊期： 2000年第02期

INTRODUCTIONEsophageal hematomas develop from the dissection of the mucosa from the muscular layers of the esophageal wall and represent an uncommon condition affecting all ages[t-3]. Although the most common cause of esophageal hematomas is iatrogenic mechanical injury-induced by prolonged nasogastric intubation, difficult or forceful endoscopic intubation, or the result of variceal injection sclerotherapy- some may be spontaneous,particularly in patients receiving anticoagulants[3-6]. Presenting symptoms most commonly include dysphagia, hematemesis, and sub-sternal or epigastric pain[5,9].

作者： 刊期： 2000年第02期

作者： 刊期： 2000年第02期

AIM To clone core gene cDNA of Chinese hepatitis C virus ( HCV ) into eukaryotic expression vector cosmid pTM3 and to express HCV core antigen in HepG2 cells.METHODS Core gene cDNA of HCV was introduced into eukaryotic expression vector cosmid pTM3. Using vaccinia virus/bacteriophage T7 hybrid expression system,HepG2 cells were transfected with the recombinant plasmid pTM3-Q534 by lipofectin.RESULTS From the transfected bacteria Top10F′, 2 pTM3-Q534 clones containing the recombinant plasmid were identified from randomly selected 10 ampicillin-resistant colonies. By reverse transcription PCR and indirect immunofluorescence technique, HCV RNA and core protein was identified in HepG2 cells transfected with the recombinant plasmid.CONCLUSION The construction of a recombinant plasmid and the expression of core gene cDNA of HCV in HepG2 was successful.

作者： 刊期： 2000年第02期

作者： 刊期： 2000年第02期

AIM To evaluate the possibility of using cultured human hepatocytes as a bridge between bioartificial liver and liver transplantation.METHODS In this experiment, the efficacy of extracorporeal bioartificial liver support system (EBLSS) consisting of spheriodal human liver cells and cultured hepatocytes supernatant was assessed in vivo using galactosamine induced rabbit model of fulminant hepatic failure.RiESULTS There was no difference of survival between the two groups of rabbits, but in the supported rabbits serum alanine aminotransferase, total bilirubin and creatinine were significantly lower and hepatocyte necrosis was markedly milder than those in control animals. In addition, a good viability of human liver cells was noted after the experiment.CONCLUSION EBLSS plays a biologic role in maintaining and compensating the function of the liver.

作者： 刊期： 2000年第02期

CHARACTERISTICS OF BILIARY CALCULOUS DISEASES IN CHINA: THE CHANGING SCOPE Diseases of the biliary tract in China is complicated with the prevalence of primary infection of the bile duct system. In the middle of the 20th century, biliary infection, biliary parasitic infestation, and biliary stones made up the three chief components of biliary diseases in China. As to the calculous diseases of the biliary tract, the relative incidence of primary bile duct stones accounted for 50% of the total cases. Therefore, calculous disease accounted for 60.1% among 228 surgical cases in the Chongqing Southwest Hospital, and 60 of the 80 common bile duct stones were primary bile duct origin ( including primary intrahepatic duct stones)[1,2].

作者： 刊期： 2000年第02期

INTRODUCTIONEndothelins (ETs) has a potent and sustained vasoconstrictive effect on a variety of blood vessels.The vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) is the target for ETs. VSMC of the whole body contains endothelin receptor (ETR)[1]. A great number of experiments have shown that three distinct complementary DNAs of ETR have been identified i. e., endothelin A receptor (ETA receptor),endothelin B receptor ( ETB receptor ) and endothelin C receptor (ETc receptor). ETA receptor was expressed in VSMC responsible for the contraction[2]. The aim of this study is to confirm the effects of endotoxin on the activity of ETR, and the transcription and expression of ETA receptor mRNA in hepatic and intestinal tissues.

作者： 刊期： 2000年第02期

AIM To study the agglutination pattern of Helicobacter pylori coccoid and spiral forms.METHODS Assays of agglutination and agglutination inhibition were applied using fifteen commercial lectins. RESULTS Strong agglutination was observed with mannose-specific Concanavalin A (Con A ),fucose-specific Tetragonolobus purpureas ( Lotus A ) and N-acetyl glucosamine-specific Triticum vulgaris (WGA) lectins. Mannose and fucose specific lectins were reactive with all strains of H. pylori coccoids as compared to the spirals. Specific carbohydrates, glycoproteins and mucin were shown to inhibit H. pylori lectin-agglutination reactions. Pre-treatment of the bacterial cells with formalin and sulphuric acid did not alter the agglutination patterns with lectins. However, sodium periodate treatment of bacterial cells were shown to inhibit agglutination reaction with Con A, Lotus A and WGA lectins. On the contrary, enzymatic treatment of coccoids and spirals did not show marked inhibition of H. pylori-lectin agglutination. Interestingly, heating of H.pylori cells at 60℃ for 1 hour was shown to augment the agglutination with all of the lectins tested. CONCLUSION The considerable differences in lectin agglutination patterns seen among the two differentiated forms of H. pylori might be attributable to the structural changes during theevents of morphological transformation,resulting in exposing or masking some of the sugar residues on the cell surface. Possibility of various sugar residues on the cell wall of the coccoids may allow them to bind to different carbohydrate receptors on gastric mucus and epithelial cells. The coccoids with adherence characteristics like the spirals could aid in the pathogenic process of Helicobacter infection.This may probably lead to different clinical outcome of H. pylori associated gastroduodenal disease.

作者： 刊期： 2000年第02期

INTRODUCTIONMacrophages play an important role in tumor lysis and growth inhibition. They can be activated to a tumoricidal state by a variety of agents such as IFNr, TNFa or IL2. The killing machanisms of activated macrophages have been extensively investigated[1,2]. Recently, it has been proved that antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) is one of the potent arms to lyse tumor cells resistant to cytotoxic macrophages,and that the antitumorous effect of a macrophage activator is significantly augmented by the combined use of mAbs capable of inducing ADCC to tumor cells[3].

作者： 刊期： 2000年第02期

INTRODUCTIONGastrin is a trophic gastrointestinal hormone which is secreted by G cell. Gastrin has long been considered a growth stimulatory hormone for mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract[1]. The growth responses of certain colorectal cancer cells, and xenografts, can be stimulated by endogenous gastrin[2]. Protein kinase C (PKC) is a family of isozymes that plays a crucial role in transducing signals of many hormones, growth peptides,neurotransmitters, and its activation is crucial in tumor promotion[3]. PKC is also involved in regulating cellular proliferation[4].

作者： 刊期： 2000年第02期

INTRODUCTIONAmino acid consumption test (AACT) has a high sensitivity and specificity in evaluating exocrine pancreatic insufficiency[1,2], but its diagnostic value to exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in Chinese has not been well understood. In this study, the oral reagent stimulating pancreatic secretion (O-AACT) was used instead of cerulein (I-AACT) for amido acid consumption test and the dignostic efficiency of O-AACT was evaluated and compared with I-AACT on the exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in Chinese.

作者： 刊期： 2000年第02期

INTRODUCTION It has now been almost 20 years since the initial descriptions of a heretofore unrecognized disorder afflicting homosexual men and manifesting as Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and Kaposi′s sarcoma. With the identification of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) as the etiology of this syndrome, there has been exponential growth in our understanding of this devastating immune disorder. During the first decade of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), there was an explosion of cases in the United States and Africa.

作者： 刊期： 2000年第02期

AIM To find out the difference of human primary liver carcinogenesis between Han and minority ethnic patients in Xinjiang.METHODS Expression of p53, c-erbB-2, Hrssp21 protein and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in tumor tissues of 50 patients (Han 38, minority 12 ) with primary hepatic carcinoma was detected by immunohistochemistry (LSAB).RESULTS The positive frequency of p53, cerbB-2, H-rasp21 and PCNA expression was 46.0% (23/50), 70.0% (35/50), 68.0% (34/50)and 82.0% (41/50) in tumor tissues; 4.0% (2/50), 22.0% (11/50), 64.0% (32/50) and 52.0%(26/ 50 ) in peritumors respectively and a significant difference, except for H-rasp21, of oncogene alteration was found (P＜0.05)between tumor and non- tumorous tissues.Combined the three oncogenes alteration, 26%(13/50)tumor tissues had positive immunoreactivity, but in peritumor and normal livers it was negative. The positive rate of p53,c-erbB-2 and H-rasp21 protein expression was 39.5% (15/38), 60.5% (23/38) and 39.5% (15/38) in tumors of Han patients; 66.7% (8/12),100% (12/12) and 75.0% (9/12) in minorities respectively, with statistical difference (P＜0.05).CONCLUSION Overexpression of p53, c-erbB-2 and H-rasp21 in human primary liver carcinoma is an important biomarker of genetic alteration.The different frequency of these oncogenetic changes may reflect some environmental or/and ethnic hereditary factors affecting the liver carcinogenesis. The special life style of Han,Uygur, Kazak and Mongolia nationalities in Xinjiang may also be related to the etiopathogenesis of this disease.

作者： 刊期： 2000年第02期

INTRODUCTIONA newly discovered DNA virus,transfusion transmitted virus (TTV), was reported as a cause of post-transfusion hepatitis of unknown etiology in Japan[1]. In order to investigate TTV prevalence in southern China, a study was carried out among blood donors, patients with liver diseases and hemodialysis to determine the epidemiological charateristics.

作者： 刊期： 2000年第02期

INTRODUCTIONThe recent studies have shown that rhubarb has not only the effect of removing stasis by purgation, but also intestinal barrier effects[1,2]. In order to further clarify the intestinal barrier mechanism of rhubarb, we studied the effects of rhubarb decoction and the active ingredients of rhubarb on the cytoplasmic free calcium in isolated intestinal mononuclear cells (INT-MNC)

作者： 刊期： 2000年第02期

AIM To investigate the expression of integrins in rats liver during 3 '-Me-DAB induced hepatocarcinogenesis and to find out the relationship between integrins and liver cancer metastasis.METHODS The expressions of integrins α1, α2,α3 and α5 and epidermal keratin (EK) were observed by immunohistochemical PAP method.RESULTS In the normal liver tissues,hepatocytes express integrins α1 and α5 and in the bile duct epithlium, EK. In liver cirrhosis,hepatocytes highly express integrins α1, α2, α3 and α5 and in hyperplsstic bile duct epithelium,integrins α1, α5 and EK. Expression of integrins α1, α2, α3 and α5 were obviously decreased in the preneoplsstic nodules and primary carcinoma but expressions of integrins α1 and α5 in metastasis in the lung and diaphragme were higher than those in primary carcinoma.CONCLUSION Integrins α1 and α5 may play a major role in chemically induced hepatocarcinogenssis and metastasis in rats.

作者： 刊期： 2000年第02期

AIM To develop a safe and effective DNA vaccine for inducing humoral and cellular immunological responses against hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg).METHODS BALB/c mice were inoculated with NV-HB/s, a recombinant plasmid that had been inserted S gene of hepatitis B virus genome and could express HBsAg in eukaryotes. HBsAg expression was measured by ABC immunohistochemical assay, generation of anti-HBs by ELISA and cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL), by MTT method, existence of vaccine DNA by Southern blot hybridization and activation of oncogene C-myc by in situ hybridization.RESULTS With NV-HB/s vaccination by intramuscular injection, anti-HBs was initially positive 2 weeks after inoculation while all mice tested were HBsAg positive in the muscles. The titers and seroconversion rate of anti-HBs were steadily increasing as time went on and were dose-dependent. All the mice inoculated with 100 μg NV-HB/ s were anti-HBs positive one month after inoculation, the titer was 1:1024 or more. The humoral immune response was similar induced by either intramuscular or intradermal injection. CTL activities were much stronger (45.26%) in NV-HB/s DNA immunized mice as compared with those (only 6%) in plasmaderived HBsAg vaccine immunized mice. Two months after inoculation, all muscle samples were positive by Southern-blot hybridization for NV-HB/s DNA detection, but decreased to 25%and all were undetectable by in situ hybridization after 6 months. No oncogene Cmyc activation was found in the muscle of inoculation site.CONCLUSION NV-HB/s could generate humoral and cellular immunological responses against HBsAg that had been safely expressed in situ by NV-HB/s vaccination.

作者： 刊期： 2000年第02期

INTRODUCTIONRadiology has been greatly advanced in China since its founding in 1949 and has been developed faster and further more since China adopted the policy of socioeconomic reform in 1978. It plays an increasingly important role in the medical health care and treatment in the country and has reached the world′s advanced level in certain fields. We now briefly review the history of China′s radiology so as to give a clear picture of its development.

作者： 刊期： 2000年第02期