[Therapeutic effect of Actovegin on acute oral mucositis caused by radiotherapy].

PURPOSE： To explore the clinical effect of Actovegin in the treatment of acute oral mucositis in patients with radiotherapy. METHODS： One hundred and thirteen patients with acute oral mucositis caused by radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma admitted to the Department of Oncology, the Fifth People's Hospital of Qinghai Province from July 2015 to September 2017 were randomly divided into the experimental group (57 cases) and control group (56 cases). Patients in the experimental group were treated with Aiweizhi, while patients in the control group were treated with new rehabilitation. The changes of VAS score, oral mucositis grade, serum CRP, IL-6, TGF-ß1 and TNF-α were compared between the 2 groups. The data were analyzed with SPSS 16.0 software package. RESULTS: Before treatment, there was no significant difference in VAS score between the 2 groups (P>0.05). After 1 week and 2 weeks of treatment, the VAS scores of the two groups were significantly lower than those before treatment (P<0.05). The VAS score of the experimental group was significantly lower than that of the control group (P<0.05). After 2 weeks of treatment, oral mucositis grade of the experimental group was significantly lower than that of the control group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in serum CRP, IL-6, TGF-ß1, and TNF-α level between the 2 groups before treatment (P>0.05). After 2 weeks of treatment, the level of serum CRP, IL-6, TGF-ß1, and TNF-α in both groups was significantly lower than that before treatment (P<0.05). The serum level of CRP, IL-6, TGF-ß1 and TNF-α in the experimental group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Actovegin has a clear clinical effect on acute oral mucositis in patients with radiotherapy, which can significantly alleviate the pain of patients and reduce the level of serum inflammatory factors.

[Effects of different orthodontic treatments on sputum chemokines CX3CL1, RANKL/OPG levels in patients with malocclusion].

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of different orthodontic treatments on gingival crevicular fluid chemokine CX3CL1, nuclear factor κB receptor activating factor ligand/osteoprotegerin(RANKL/OPG) levels in patients with malocclusion. METHODS: Ninety-six patients with malocclusion who were scheduled to undergo orthodontic treatment were randomly divided into four groups. All patients were treated with square wire appliance, and 0, 50, 150, 250 g of far-distal orthodontic force were given respectively. The levels of CX3CL1 and RANKL/OPG in gingival crevicular fluid were detected in four groups after 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks of treatment. SPSS 25.0 software package was used for statistical analysis of the date. RESULTS: The levels of CX3CL1, RANKL and RANKL/OPG in the gingival crevicular fluid of the four groups were continuously increased after treatment for 1-3 weeks, and decreased after 4 weeks of treatment (P<0.05). The OPG in the gingival crevicular fluid was at a low level after 1-3 weeks of treatment. There was an increase after 4 weeks of treatment (P<0.05). The levels of CX3CL1, RANKL, OPG and RANKL/OPG in gingival crevicular fluid increased gradually in group A, B, C and D (P<0.05), and the differences between the groups were statistically significant (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The levels of CX3CL1 and RANKL/OPG in gingival crevicular fluid are closely related to orthodontic force and treatment time, and can be used as an index to evaluate orthodontic treatment of alveolar bone remodeling.

Peptide-Conjugated Quantum Dots Act as the Target Marker for Human Pancreatic Carcinoma Cells.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: In the present study, we describe a novel and straightforward approach to produce a cyclic- arginine-glycine-aspartic (RGD)-peptide-conjugated quantum dot (QD) probe as an ideal target tumor biomarker. Due to its specific structure, the probe can be used for targeted imaging of pancreatic carcinoma cells. METHODS: Pancreatic carcinoma cells were routinely cultured and marked with QD-RGD probe. The QD-RGD probe on the fluorescence-labeled cancer cell was observed by fluorescence microscopy and laser confocal microscopy. Cancer cell viability was detected by MTT assay after culturing with QD-RGD probe. RESULTS: Fluorescence microscopy and laser confocal microscopy displayed that 10nmol/L QD-RGD probe was able to effectively mark pancreatic carcinoma cells. In comparison with organic dyes and fluorescent proteins, the quantum dot-RGD probe had unique optical and electronic properties. CONCLUSION: QD-RGD probe has a low cytotoxicity with an excellent optical property and biocompatibility. These findings support further evaluation of QD-RGD probes for the early detection of pancreatic cancer.

Mycoplasma penetrans infection is a potential cause of immunoglobulin A nephropathy: a new animal model.

AIM: A new animal model of immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) was made by infecting mice with Mycoplasma penetrans (Mpe). To examine the pathogenesis of IgAN induced by Mpe infection, tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and nuclear factor-kB (NF-kB) protein levels were compared among study groups. METHODS: To make an experimental IgAN animal model, mice were infected with Mpe, SP-4 medium or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) via the urinary tract. To compare changes in the classical IgAN model, TNF-alpha and IL-6 RNA expression levels were measured using RT-PCR, and NF-kB protein was measured using EMSA. RESULTS: By producing a urinary tract infection with Mpe, we developed a new animal model of IgAN with a 100% success rate. There was no difference with the classical animal model. We also observed IgG deposition in 66.67% of the Mpe-infection group. Glomerular cell and mesangial matrix proliferation was greater in the Mpe-infection group than in the control groups (p<0.05). In the Mpe-infection and classical groups, TNF-alpha and IL-6 expression levels were much higher than in the control groups (p<0.01). NF-kB expression was much higher in the Mpe-infection group (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: We made a new IgAN animal model that will offer a new direction for IgAN research. The activation of inflammation factors was associated with the Mpe induction of IgAN.

Classification of gastric pit patterns by confocal endomicroscopy.

BACKGROUND: Confocal endomicroscopy is a newly developed endoscopic imaging technology that produces 1000-fold magnification cross-sectional images of the GI surface and subsurface tissue during routine endoscopy. The gastric pit patterns identified by confocal endomicroscopy and correlation with histopathologic examination have not yet been established. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to explore the appearance of various kinds of gastric pits and clarify the relationship between gastric pit patterns and the histopathologic findings. DESIGN: Descriptive study. SETTING: Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China. PATIENTS: A total of 132 consecutive patients underwent confocal endomicroscopy after 7 healthy volunteers had been examined in vivo and 10 samples resected from 10 patients with gastric cancer had been examined ex vivo by use of confocal endomicroscopy. The confocal images obtained from the 132 patients were compared with the histopathologic findings of the biopsy specimens from the corresponding confocal imaging sites in a prospective and blinded fashion. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: The relationship between the pit patterns and the histopathologic findings. RESULTS: Gastric pit patterns were classified into 7 types. Normal mucosa with fundic glands mainly showed type A (round pits), and corporal mucosa with histologic gastritis showed type B (noncontinuous short rod-like); normal mucosa with pyloric glands mainly showed type C (continuous short rod-like), and antral mucosa with histologic gastritis showed type D (elongated and tortuous branch-like). Goblet cells were easily distinguished by confocal endomicroscopy in intestinal metaplasia mucosa, which showed type F. The sensitivity and specificity of the type E pattern for predicting gastric atrophy were 83.6% and 99.6%, respectively. Corresponding values of the type G pattern for predicting gastric cancer were 90.0% and 99.4%. LIMITATIONS: No data on interobserver and intraobserver variability. CONCLUSIONS: The patterns of gastric pits identified by confocal endomicroscopy correlate well with the histopathologic findings. Confocal endomicroscopy may prove useful in predicting histopathologic diagnoses during routine endoscopic procedures.

Confocal endomicroscopy for in vivo detection of microvascular architecture in normal and malignant lesions of upper gastrointestinal tract.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Confocal laser endomicroscopy allows subsurface analysis of gastrointestinal mucosa during ongoing endoscopy. The present study assessed the feasibility of in vivo detecting superficial vascular architecture by confocal endomicroscopy in normal upper gastrointestinal mucosa and malignant lesions. METHODS: Early gastric cancer in eight patients, superficial esophageal carcinoma in six patients, and asymptomatic normal control in 10 patients were studied by confocal endomicroscopy. The characteristic of endomicroscopic microvascular architecture from normal and malignant mucosa was described and images were evaluated. RESULTS: Confocal endomicroscopy enabled clear visualization of the vascular networks of gastroesophageal mucosa. Honeycomb-like and coil-shaped regular microvascular architecture surrounding gastric pits were visible in the normal gastric body and antrum, respectively. Differentiated gastric cancerous mucosa showed hypervascularity and various caliber microvessels with irregular shapes. Undifferentiated gastric cancers disclosed a hypovascularity and irregular short branch vessels. Normal squamous epithelium had regular intraepithelial papillary capillary loops (IPCLs) directed toward the luminal surface. In superficial esophageal squamous carcinoma, dilated IPCLs were visible at the upper layer of the squamous mucosa. In esophageal adenocarcinoma, abnormal microvascular architecture showed tortuous and various calibers blood vessels. Of all the images, 41% were graded as good quality. The mean kappa value for interobserver agreement for the prediction of cancerous mucosa was 0.792. CONCLUSIONS: Confocal laser endomicroscopy system could yield very clear images of superficial microvascular network in the gastroesophageal mucosal layer both in malignant and normal mucosa. Endomicroscopic observation of vascular architecture may be of assistance in the identification of early gastroesophageal cancers.

[Confocal endomicroscopy for differential diagnosis of indented gastric lesions].

OBJECTIVE: Confocal endomicroscope (CEM) is a newly developed endoscope based on the integration of a confocal laser scanning microscope at the distal tip of a conventional video endoscope. It can visualize living tissue at a cellular level. The aim of the present study was to assess the value of CEM for prediction of the histopathology of gastric depressed-type lesions during endoscopy. METHODS: Forty-three patients with gastric depressed-type lesions underwent CEM and 51 depressed-type lesions were examined. Confocal diagnosis was made according to cellular and gastric pit morphology and compared with conventional histopathologic findings of corresponding biopsy specimens from the observed sites in a prospective and double-blinded fashion. RESULTS: The marginal and/or middle areas of every depressed-type lesion were examined by confocal imaging and a total of 4872 confocal images were obtained from 172 locations. Fluorescein sodium aided CEM to yield clear fluorescent images in vivo which allowed detailed analysis of surface and subsurface cellular and gastric pit architecture. A total of 46 biopsy specimens from 19 patients were diagnosed as gastric cancer. Confocal images had a sensitivity of 95.7%, a specificity of 97.6%, and accuracy of 97.1% for gastric cancer. CONCLUSIONS: CEM can provide virtual histopathology of gastric cancer with high accuracy during endoscopy and it is of potential value for the differential diagnosis of gastric depressed-type lesions and early detection of gastric cancer.

[Non-parameter estimation algorithm to determine stellar effective temperature].

The effective temperature of a star is one of the most important parameters, which determine the continuum and spectral lines in the stellar spectrum. A non-parameter estimation algorithm is proposed to estimate the stellar effective temperature in the present paper. Firstly, the spectrum data is processed by principal component analysis(PCA), then, an estimating model based on a Gaussian kernel function is set up using the PCA data and their temperatures. Experiments were carried out to verify the efficiency, and numerical robustness of the algorithm is also tested.