[Laparoscopic management of persistent Müllerian duct syndrome: A case report and pedigree investigation].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical characteristics, diagnosis, treatment and etiology of persistent Müllerian duct syndrome (PMDS). METHODS: A 3-year-old boy was diagnosed with PMDS according to the clinical manifestations and the results of ultrasonography, laboratory examinations and earlier surgical examination. We performed genetic tests for the patient and his family members, removed the infantile uterus by laparoscopic wedge hysterectomy, biopsied and descended the bilateral testes, and ligated the bilateral internal rings, followed by a retrospective analysis and review of relevant literature. RESULTS: The operation was successful. Gonad biopsy revealed testis tissue, and PMDS was confirmed by intraoperative findings and related examinations. Good bilateral testicular blood supply was found during the 6-month follow-up after surgery. Medical exome sequencing showed the AMHR2 gene c.1499G > A (p.Cys500Tyr) mutant homozygote (A/A) in the patient and his sister and mutant heterozygote (G/A) in his parents. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopy is definitely effective for the treatment of PMDS. In surgery, the infantile uterus should be removed in case of good blood supply to the testis, and so were the bilateral testes if they cannot be descended. The homozygous mutation in the AMHR2 gene c. 1499G > A (p. Cys500Tyr) can lead to male PMDS. Pedigree investigation may provide some evidence for possible fertility in PMDS patients.

Mucin 1 and interleukin-11 protein expression and inflammatory reactions in the intestinal mucosa of necrotizing enterocolitis children after surgery.

BACKGROUND: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) of the newborn is a frequently occurring clinical disease in infants. The mortality rate of NEC in premature infants is as high as 50%, and the morbidity rate is on the rise. NEC has already caused serious impacts on newborn survival and poses serious threats to both children and families. AIM: To investigate the expression and significance of mucin 1 (MUC1) and interleukin-11 (IL-11) in the intestinal mucosa of infants with neonatal NEC after surgery. METHODS: Forty-eight postoperative intestinal mucosal specimens from children with NEC (NEC group) and twenty-two intestinal mucosal specimens from children with congenital intestinal atresia (control group) were collected in our hospital. Immunohistochemical staining and Western blot analysis were used to examine the protein expression of MUC-1 and IL-11 in the two groups. The serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and IL-1ß in the two groups were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the relationship between MUC-1 and IL-11 protein expression and serum TNF-α and IL-1ß levels was analyzed by the linear correlation method. RESULTS: The protein expression of MUC-1 and IL-11 in the NEC group was significantly lower than that in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The levels of serum TNF-α and IL-1ß in the NEC group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). The protein expression of MUC-1 and IL-11 in the NEC group negatively correlated with serum TNF-α and IL-1ß levels (P < 0.05). There was a significant negative correlation between the protein expression of MUC-1 and IL-11 and the levels of serum TNF-α and IL-1ß in the NEC group. CONCLUSION: The protein expression of MUC1 and IL-11 in the intestinal mucosa of children with NEC is significantly downregulated after surgery. This downregulation may be involved in the pathogenesis of this disease and has a certain correlation with inflammatory response factors in children with NEC.

Human Umbilical Cord-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Improve Left Ventricular Function, Perfusion, and Remodeling in a Porcine Model of Chronic Myocardial Ischemia.

UNLABELLED: : Stem cell therapy has emerged as a new strategy for treatment of ischemic heart disease. Although umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (UC-MSCs) have been used preferentially in the acute ischemia model, data for the chronic ischemia model are lacking. In this study, we investigated the effect of UC-MSCs originated from Wharton's jelly in the treatment of chronic myocardial ischemia in a porcine model induced by ameroid constrictor. Four weeks after ameroid constrictor placement, the surviving animals were divided randomly into two groups to undergo saline injection (n = 6) or UC-MSC transplantation (n = 6) through the left main coronary artery. Two additional intravenous administrations of UC-MSCs were performed in the following 2 weeks to enhance therapeutic effect. Cardiac function and perfusion were examined just before and at 4 weeks after intracoronary transplantation. The results showed that pigs with UC-MSC transplantation exhibited significantly greater left ventricular ejection fraction compared with control animals (61.3% ± 1.3% vs. 50.3% ± 2.0%, p < .05). The systolic thickening fraction in the infarcted left ventricular wall was also improved (41.2% ± 3.3% vs. 46.2% ± 2.3%, p < .01). Additionally, the administration of UC-MSCs promoted collateral development and myocardial perfusion. The indices of fibrosis and apoptosis were also significantly reduced. Immunofluorescence staining showed clusters of CM-DiI-labeled cells in the border zone, some of which expressed von Willebrand factor. These results suggest that UC-MSC treatment improves left ventricular function, perfusion, and remodeling in a porcine model with chronic myocardial ischemia. SIGNIFICANCE: Ischemic heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. Many patients with chronic myocardial ischemia are not suitable for surgery and have no effective drug treatment; they are called "no-option" patients. This study finds that umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stromal cells transplanted by intracoronary delivery combined with two intravenous administrations was safe and could significantly improve left ventricular function, perfusion, and remodeling in a large-animal model of chronic myocardial ischemia, which provides a new choice for the no-option patients. In addition, this study used clinical-grade mesenchymal stem cells with delivery and assessment methods commonly used clinically to facilitate further clinical transformation.

[Effect of soil-transmitted helminthes control through mass deworming and latrine improvement].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of soil-transmitted helminthes control through mass deworming and latrine improvement in rural areas. METHODS: The data including mass deworming (1998-2000) and latrine improvement (2001-2010) were collected, summarized and analyzed in Danyang City. The infection rate of the soil-transmitted helminthes was monitored annually by using Kato-Katz method from 2001 to 2010. In addition, 2 villages with the improved latrines strategy and one village without the strategy were selected for hygienic evaluation. RESULTS: Totally 1 130 000 person-times of mass deworming were carried out in Danyang City from 1998 to 2000, and the infection rate of soil transmitted helminthes of human was decreased from 40.82% to 1.10%. The infection rate (2.49%-4.81%) was bounced in the first five years (from 2001 to 2005) after mass deworming, while it gradually declined in the following five years (from 2006 to 2010) and maintained at a low level (0.07%-0.52%), and there was a significant difference between the average infection rates during the above two stages (χ2 = 353.83, P < 0.01). There was a negative correlation between the coverage rate of harmless latrine and the infection rate (r = -0.83, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The mass deworming and latrine improvement are effective measures for the control of soil-trans-mitted helminthes infection in rural areas.

[Dynamics and diffusion of Oncomelania snails in Danyang City, Jiangsu Province].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the dynamics and the diffusion trend of Oncomelania snails in Danyang City, Jiangsu Province, so as to explore effective control measures. METHODS: The data of historical records and routine surveillance of snails were collected and analyzed according to the river systems. RESULTS: The snails were imported from external river systems and spread from the rivers to inland. The diffusion trend was from the upstream to downstream and from the rivers to irrigation canals. CONCLUSION: The inland rivers connecting with the Yangtze River are the main routes where marshland snails can spread from outside to the inland. The irrigation system plays an important role in snail spreading to the irrigation areas. The regular surveillance in combination with the basic construction of farmland and irrigation system is needed to prevent the spread of the snails and the retransmission of schistosomiasis japonica in Danyang.

Hydrogen peroxide preconditioning enhances the therapeutic efficacy of Wharton's Jelly mesenchymal stem cells after myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Exposure of cells to sublethal concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) can alleviate subsequent oxidative stress-induced apoptosis. We assessed the effects of H2O2 preconditioning on the therapeutic potential of human umbilical cord Wharton's Jelly mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs) in a murine model of myocardial infarction. METHODS: WJ-MSCs were incubated in the media for 2 hours with or without 200 µmol/L H2O2. Mice underwent left anterior descending coronary artery ligation, and received injection of phosphate buffered saline, 1×10(6) WJ-MSCs, or 1×10(6) H2O2 preconditioned WJ-MSCs 3 hours later via tail vein. Echocardiography was performed 0, 7, 14 and 28 days after surgery, and the mice were euthanized on day 28 for histological analysis. In vitro cytokine concentrations in the WJ-MSC cell supernatant were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The effect of WJ-MSC cell supernatant on the migration and proliferation of endothelial cells were observed by transwell migration and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazoliumbromide (MTT) assays. RESULTS: Echocardiographic measurements revealed a significant improvement in the left ventricular contractility of the WJ-MSCs-H2O2 group compared to the WJ-MSCs group. Histological analysis revealed increased neovascularization and reduced myocardial fibrosis in the WJ-MSCs-H2O2 group compared to the WJ-MSCs group. Pretreatment of WJ-MSCs with H2O2 increased the secretion of interleukin-6 (IL-6) into the cell culture supernatant by approximately 25-fold. The culture supernatant from WJ-MSCs-H2O2 significantly increased the migration and proliferation of endothelial cells; these effects could be blocked using an anti-IL-6 antibody. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that H2O2 preconditioning significantly enhanced the therapeutic potential of WJ-MSCs, possibly by stimulating the production of IL-6 by WJ-MSCs, which may cause migration and proliferation of endothelial cells and increase neovascularization.

[Technology of preventing Oncomelania snail diffusion in east route of South-to-North Water Diversion Project. I. Field test of blocking diffusion of Oncomelania snails with blocking network via collecting water from middle layer].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of blocking diffusion of Oncomelania snails with the blocking network via collecting water from middle layer. METHODS: According to the principle of the installation preventing snails via collecting water from middle layer without snails, the blocking network was manufactured. The field test of the blocking diffusion of snails with the blocking network was carried out in the electric pumping station and the irrigation located in the area with snails. The snails stained were put into the water inlet of the pump when the pump was actuating, and the snails pumped were observed during the test period. The cost of the test was also calculated. RESULTS: The rate of blocking diffusion of snails with the blocking network was 100%, and the direct costs were only 11 030 CNY. CONCLUSIONS: The blocking network via collecting water from middle layer has good effect for prevention of snail dispersal. It is simple for manutacturing and installation, and suitable for emergency blocking diffusion of snails in the east route of South-to-North Water Diversion Project and the electric pumping station with snails.

[Role of mesenchymal stem cells in angiogenesis and clinical applications].

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are multipotent cells able to differentiate into multiple lineages including cardiomyocytes and vascular endothelial cells under in vitro culture conditions. In vivo studies have shown that MSC can facilitate angiogenesis, and they localize to the site of ischemic injury which block or reverse the pathologic process. All the data suggest that MSC may be a promising strategy in the treatment of ischemic heart diseases. In recent years, more and more reports demonstrated that researchers have made enormous advances in this field. This review focuses on the angiogenesis and therapeutic applications of MSC derived from human bone marrow, including basic biological features of MSC, role of MSC in angiogenesis, preclinical study of MSC therapy in ischemic heart disease and prospect of MSC application in this disease.