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Objective@#To investigate the diagnostic value of serum α-enolase (ENO1) in the primary hepatocellular carcinoma.@*Methods@#From May 2012 to March 2017, 163 cases with liver diseases who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were admitted to the Infectious Diseases Department of the General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University. Among them, 28 cases were of chronic hepatitis B (CHB), 31 cases with liver cirrhosis (LC), 104 cases with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and 18 healthy volunteers (NC). Patient data and serum samples were collected and liver disease related indicators were measured to detect ENO1 levels with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The measured indicators were expressed in median. Mann-Whitney U nonparametric test was used to analyze the differences between the data. A Spearman’s correlation analysis was used for bivariate correlation analysis. The sensitivity and specificity of ENO1 and alpha-fetoprotein in the diagnosis of liver cancer were analyzed by ROC curve.@*Results@#Serum level of ENO1 in CHB group, LC group and HCC group was significantly higher than normal group. Serum level of ENO1 in HCC group was higher than CHB group (P = 0.001) and LC group (P < 0.01). Area under the curve (AUC) for serum ENO1 and alpha-fetoprotein were 0.782 (cut-off value 75.96, P = 0.000 1) and 0.800 (cut-off value 27.02, P = 0.000 1), respectively. There was a positive correlation between ENO1 and AFP (P = 0.001). The combined detection had significantly improved the detection efficiency (AUC = 0.835). Serum ENO1 was statistically significant (P < 0.05) in HCC tumor size (AUC = 0.663), tumor metastasis (AUC = 0.681), TNM stage (AUC = 0.710, stage I vs. II), and Edmondson grade (AUC = 0.685) (P < 0.05) and the elevated levels of ENO1 had significantly reduced (P < 0.05) the survival time.@*Conclusion@#ENO1 can be a new candidate marker for the diagnosis of early stage HCC and its progression.
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Objective@#To investigate the application of microlecture in clinical practice teaching of cardiovascular internal medicine.@*Methods@#A total of 98 students who received practice teaching in Department of Cardiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, from January to September, 2016, were randomly divided into control group and observation group. The students in the control group received traditional practice teaching, and those in the observation group received microlecture combined with the traditional practice teaching. The two groups were compared in terms of the scores of theoretical and skill examinations, and the degree of satisfaction with practice teaching was surveyed.@*Results@#The observation group had a significantly higher score of clinical skill examination than the control group (P<0.05). The observation group had a significantly higher degree of satisfaction with the teaching methods of cardiovascular internal medicine than the control group (P<0.05).@*Conclusion@#The introduction of microlecture into the clinical practice teaching of cardiovascular internal medicine can significantly enhance students' mastery of clinical operation skills and improve their satisfaction with practice teaching of cardiovascular internal medicine.
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Objective To investigate the application of microlecture in clinical practice teaching of cardiovascular internal medicine.Methods A total of 98 students who received practice teaching in Department of Cardiology,the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University,from January to September,2016,were randomly divided into control group and observation group.The students in the control group received traditional practice teaching,and those in the observation group received microlecture combined with the traditional practice teaching.The two groups were compared in terms of the scores of theoretical and skill examinations,and the degree of satisfaction with practice teaching was surveyed.Results The observation group had a significantly higher score of clinical skill examination than the control group (P＜0.05).The observation group had a significantly higher degree of satisfaction with the teaching methods of cardiovascular internal medicine than the control group (P＜0.05).Conclusion The introduction of microlecture into the clinical practice teaching of cardiovascular internal medicine can significantly enhance students' mastery of clinical operation skills and improve their satisfaction with practice teaching of cardiovascular internal medicine.
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<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the clinical significance of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) in the development of chronic hepatitis B (CHB).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 182 patients with untreated CHB and 50 healthy individuals (controls) participated in the study. Correlation analysis was performed to determine the association of serum hs-CRP with the age,sex,medical history,serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA, liver function parameters,liver stiffness measure (LSM) and hepatic fibrosis; in addition, correlation analysis was carried out for the associations of degree of liver damage with grade of hepatic fibrosis, LSM and the serum levels of hs-CRP.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>CHB patients showed significantly higher serum hs-CRP levels than healthy controls (2.38 ± 2.79 vs.0.78 ± 1.07; t =2.495, P < 0.05). Serum hs-CRP levels were significantly correlated with HBV DNA (r = 0.159), liver function parameters (total bilirubin, r = 0.271; alanine aminotransferase, r = 0.298; aspartate aminotransferase, r = 0.389), and LSM, r = 0.562) (all P < 0.05). The correlations with liver function (r = 0.340), LSM (r = 0.292) and hepatic fibrosis grade were positive (r = 0.434) (all P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Serum hs-CRP levels in CHB patients can reflect degree of liver damage and of liver fibrosis.</p>
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Humans , Alanine Transaminase , Aspartate Aminotransferases , C-Reactive Protein , Hepatitis B virus , Hepatitis B, Chronic , Liver CirrhosisABSTRACT
<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Urotensin II (UII), a potent vasoconstrictive peptide, is able to stimulate phenotypic differentiation of adventitial fibroblasts. This study aimed to determine the effect of UII on monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) expression in rat aortic adventitial fibroblasts, so as to explore possible mechanisms in the development of vascular inflammation.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Growth-arrested adventitial fibroblasts were incubated in serum-free medium with UII (10(-10)-10(-7) mol/L) and inhibitors of signal transduction pathways for 1 to 24 hours. MCP-1 mRNA and protein expression and secretion were determined by RT-PCR, Western blotting analysis and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>UII dose- and time-dependently promoted MCP-1 mRNA and protein expression and secretion in cells, with maximal effect at 10(-8) mol/L at 3 hours for mRNA expression, 24 hours for protein expression in the cells, and 12 hours for protein secretion from the cells. Furthermore, the UII effects were significantly inhibited by treatment with its receptor antagonist SB710411, Rho kinase inhibitor Y27632, protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor H7, mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitor PD98059, calcineurin inhibitor cyclosporine A, and the Ca(2+)channel blocker nicardipine.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>UII may stimulate MCP-1 expression in rat aortic adventitial fibroblasts through its receptor and Rho kinase, PKC, mitogen-activated protein kinase, calcineurin and Ca(2+) channel signal transduction, thus contributing to adventitial inflammation.</p>