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Asprosin, coiled-coil domain-containing 80(CCDC80) and angiopoietin-like 4(ANGPTL4) are newly discovered adipocytokine that affects glucose tolerance, insulin resistance and cardiovascular diseases. The goal of this study was to investigate if a relationship exists among asprosin, CCDC80 and ANGPTL4 and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Fifty subjects with newly diagnosed IBD and fifty healthy individuals were enrolled. Patients were treated with standard therapies for 3 months. Plasma asprosin, CCDC80 and ANGPTL4 levels were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. High resolution ultrasound was used to measure brachial artery diameter at rest, after reactive hyperemia (flow-mediated dilation, FMD) and after sublingual glyceryltrinitrate. Compare with healthy individuals, plasma CCDC80, erythrocyte sedi¬mentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were significantly higher (p < 0.05, respectively), whereas plasma asprosin, ANGPTL4 levels and FMD were significantly lower in both UC and CD patients (p < 0.05). Plasma CCDC80 levels were significantly higher in patients with CD (p < 0.05), while plasma asprosin and ANGPTL4 levels were lower (pP < 0.05) as compared with those in patients with UC. Standard therapies increased plasma asprosin, ANGPTL4 levels and FMD in both UC and CD (p < 0.05), UC and CD patientswhile decreased plasma CCDC80, ESR, CRP levels and HOMA-IR (p < 0.05). The changes in HOMA-IR and FMD were correlated with the changes in plasma asprosin, CCDC80 and ANGPTL4 levels over the study period (p < 0.05). Plasma asprosin, CCDC80 and ANGPTL4 levels may be applied as a significant marker for early stage of insulin resistance and atherosclerosis in IBD, especially of CD.

Although laparoscopic technology has achieved rapid development in the surgical field, it has not been applied to liver transplantation, primarily because of difficulties associated with laparoscopic vascular anastomosis. In this study, we introduced a new magnetic-assisted vascular anastomosis technique and explored its application in laparoscopic liver transplantation in pigs.Two sets of magnetic vascular anastomosis rings (MVARs) with different diameters were developed. One set was used for anastomosis of the suprahepatic vena cava (SHVC) and the other set was used for anastomosis of the infrahepatic vena cava (IHVC) and portal vein (PV). Six laparoscopic orthotopic liver transplantations were performed in pigs. Donor liver was obtained via open surgery. Hepatectomy was performed in the recipients through laparoscopic surgery. Anastomosis of the SHVC was performed using hand-assisted magnetic anastomosis, and the anastomosis of the IHVC and PV was performed by magnetic anastomosis with or without hand assistance.Liver transplants were successfully performed in five of the six cases. Postoperative ultrasonographic examination showed that the portal inflow was smooth. However, PV bending and blood flow obstruction occurred in one case because the MVARs were attached to each other. The durations of loading of MVAR in the laparoscope group and manual assistance group for IHVC and PV were 13 ± 5 vs. 5 ± 1 min (P 0.01) and 10 ± 2 vs. 4 ± 1 min (P 0.05), respectively. The durations of MVAR anastomosis in the laparoscope group and manual assistance group for IHVC and PV were 5 ± 1 vs. 1 ± 1 min (P 0.01), and 5 ± 1 vs. 1 ± 1 min (P 0.01), respectively. The anhepatic phase was 43 ± 4 min in the laparoscope group and 23 ± 2 min in the manual assistance group (P 0.01).Our study showed that magnetic-assisted laparoscopic liver transplantation can be successfully carried out in pigs.

High-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is newly discovered protein, which play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of systemic inflammation. Recent studies showed that HMGB1 is one of the important pathophysiological mechanisms in the occurrence and development of atherosclerosis. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between serum HMGB1 levels and endothelial function in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Eighty newly diagnosed patients with PCOS and eighty normal women of similar age were selected. Metformin treatment (1,500 mg/day) was initiated in all patients for a period of consecutive 3 months. Serum HMGB1 levels were measured by ELISA. High resolution ultrasound was used to measure the brachial artery diameter at rest, after reactive hyperemia (flow-mediated arterial dilation, FMD) and after sublingual glyceryltrinitrate. Serum HMGB1 levels in PCOS were 24.87±14.93 ng/ml, which were significantly higher than that in controls (8.82±3.55 ng/ml, p

Irisin is first discovered as a potential mediator of obesity related energy homeostasis. Recent studies indicate that irisin is associated with endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes. Our objective was to examine the relationship between irisin and urinary albumin excretion in patients with type 2 diabetes.100 newly diagnosed patients with type 2 diabetes and 100 healthy subjects were selected. Serum irisin levels were measured by ELISA, and urine albumin was measured by radioimmunoassay. High resolution ultrasound was used to measure brachial artery diameter at rest, after reactive hyperemia (flow-mediated arterial dilation, FMD) and after sublingual glyceryltrinitrate.Patients with type 2 diabetes presented decreased irisin levels when compared to controls (14.12±3.93 versus 28.98±2.56ng/ml, P=0.015).Serum irisin levels in the microalbuminuric and macroalbuminuria subgroup were 9.89±1.56ng/ml and 5.67±1.89ng/ml, respectively, which were significantly lower than those in the normoalbuminuria (15.97±3.12ng/ml). In comparison to microalbuminuric subgroup, macroalbuminuria subgroup had lower levels of irisin. By dividing the distribution of serum irisin levels into quartiles, FMD was increased gradually with the increase of serum irisin levels (P0.001). Multiple stepwise linear regression analysis showed that FMD (β=0.75, P=0.002), 2-hBG (β=-0.25, P=0.038) and UAE (β=-0.87, P=0.008) were significantly associated with irisin. Pearson's correlation analyses showed a negative correlation between irisin and logUAE (r=-0.57) and between FMD and logUAE (r=-0.47), and positive correlations between irisin and FMD (r=0.51).Decreased plasma levels of irisin seem to be associated with UAE and FMD in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Osteoprotegerin (OPG) is a secreted glycoprotein in the regulation of bone turnover. Recently, many studies showed that OPG acts as an important regulatory molecule in the vascular systems. Our objective was to examine the plasma OPG levels alteration and its association with endothelial function before and after hypouricemic therapy in patients with hyperuricemia.Thirty patients (28 males and 2 females, serum uric acid7.0 mg/dl) with hyperuricemia were selected. Thirty healthy individuals (28 males and 2 females) with normal serum uric acid were also selected as control. Patients were administered with hypouricemic therapy for 6 months. Plasma OPG concentration was measured in duplicate using a sandwich ELISA and high-resolution ultrasound was used to measure brachial artery diameter at rest, after reactive hyperemia and after sublingual glyceryltrinitrate.Plasma OPG levels in patients with hyperuricemia before hypouricemic therapy was significantly higher than those in controls (3.39 ± 0.25 vs. 2.05 ± 0.74 ng/L, p0.01). After hypouricemic therapy, OPG levels decreased markedly (2.54 ± 0.38 ng/L, p0.01). Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) in patients with hyperuricemia was 3.07 ± 1. 23%, which was significantly lower than that in control subjects (4.62 ± 0.69%, p0.01), and it improved significantly after hypouricemic therapy (3.91 ± 1.37%, p0.01). The absolute changes in OPG showed a significant positive correlation with the changes in serum uric acid (p0.05) and negative correlation with the changes in FMD (p0.01) in patients with hyperuricemia during the course of hypouricemic therapy.The current study demonstrates that plasma OPG levels increased significantly in patients with hyperuricemia and decreased significantly after hypouricemic therapy, and are correlated with FMD. These findings support the growing concept that elevated plasma OPG levels may be involved with the development of endothelial dysfunction in patients with hyperuricemia.

To screen and identify the peptides that specifically bind to CD13 on monocytes.The phages capable of specific binding to CD13 were screened in the phage-displayed 12-peptide library. The affinity of the selected phages with CD13 was verified with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The sequences of the peptides bound to the phages were deduced according to the phage DNA sequences, and the functional peptides aligned using the BLASTP on the Website NCBI were synthesized. To analyze the biological function of the screened peptides, the location of the peptides bound to THP-1 cells was detected using immunofluorescence assay. The blocking effect of WM15 on the peptide binding to THP-1 cells was assessed by immunofluorescence assay.The phages that specifically bound to CD13 were effectively enriched to approach saturation after 4 rounds of panning. The recovery rate in the fourth round was 30 times that in the first round. Twenty selected phages were verified by ELISA, and the signals of 10 phages were higher than the control. The sequences of the peptides P9 and P7 showed 83% and 100% identity with those of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) UL38 and UL105, respectively. The peptides bound to the cell membrane of THP-1 cells as shown by immunofluorescence assay. The binding of the peptides P9 and P7 to THP-1 cells was blocked by CD13-specific monoclonal antibody WM15 at different levels.Two peptides (P7 and P9) that can specifically bind to CD13 have been screened successfully, and these two peptides show specific binding to CD13 on the membrane of THP-1 cells.

To construct eukaryotic expression plasmid of porcine CCK gene pIRES2-EGFP/CCK and express it in COS-7 cells and hamsters. Methods The aimed segments were obtained from intermediate vector pMD18-T/CCK and were inserted into an eukaryotic expression plasmid pIRES2-EGFP to construct a recombinant expression plasmid pIRES2-EGFP/CCK. The recombinant expression plasmid was transfected into COS-7 cells by liposome-mediated gene transfer method and was observed through fluorescence microscope. The plasmid was injected into the skeletal muscle of hamsters directly to detect the expression of the recombinant plasmid in vivo.A recombinant eukaryotic expression plasmid pIRES2-EGFP/CCK was successfully constructed. Green fluorescent protein could be detected in the transfected COS-7 cells 24, 48, and 72 hours after the transfection. On the 4th day postinjection into the skeletal muscle of hamsters, the protein could be detected at the injection site and the fluorescence intensity became much stronger on the 14th day than that on the 4th day. On the 42nd day the protein level increased. The green fluorescence protein was never expressed in the untransfected cells.The porcine CCK gene eukaryotic expression plasmid pIRES2-EGFP/CCK is constructed successfully, and is expressed in mammal COS-7 cells and hamsters in vivo. The research paves the way for the cross immunity therapy of hamster pancreatic carcinoma.

To construct eukaryotic expression plasmid of porcine CCK gene pIRES2-EGFP/ CCK and express it in COS-7 cells and hamsters.The aimed segments were obtained from intermediate vector pMD18-T/CCK by the method of restricted enzymatic resection and were inserted into a eukaryotic expression plasmid pIRES2-EGFP to construct a recombinant expression plasmid pIRES2-EGFP/CCK. The recombinant expression plasmid was transfected into COS-7 cells by liposome-mediated gene transfer method and observed through Fluorescence microscopy. The plasmid was injected into the skeletal muscle of hamsters directly to detect the expression of the recombinant plasmid in vivo.A recombinant eukaryotic expression plasmid pIRES2-EGFP/CCK was successfully constructed. Green fluorescent protein could be detected in the transfected COS-7 cells 24, 48, and 72 hours post transfection and the expression of green fluorescent protein reached its peak 72 h post transfection. The green fluorescent protein could be detected at the injection site on the 4th day post injection and the fluorescence intensity became stronger on the 14th day. The level of fluorescence became ever stronger on the 42nd day. No expression of green fluorescence was detected in the control group.Porcine CCK cDNA eukaryotic expression plasmid pIRES2-EGFP/CCK has been successfully constructed and expressed in mammal cells COS-7 and hamster in vivo. The research paved the way for cross immunity therapy of hamster pancreatic carcinoma.

Convenient way to clarify liver volume or tumor volume in the liver is eagerly demanded by hepatobiliary surgeons, for so many aspects of clinical work need to know the liver volumetry. At present, some methods have been used to measure the liver volumetry, such as computed tomography (CT) scans, three-dimensional ultrasound volumetric system([1]) and 3-dimensional sonography([2,3]) et al. But enough volumetric information was failed to obtain by surgeons and a new way of measuring the liver volumetry that can be operated by themselves is exigent. Whereas we devise a new method of using PhotoShop in personal computer to measure the liver volumetry.A piece of whole CT film was transformed to a high quality digitized image by digital camera or scanner and then the digitized image was conducted as JPEG file into personal computer. The JPEG image file of CT film was opened by PhotoShop. Determining the edge of interested areas, and the data of pixel values of the interested areas divided by 1 cm2 pixel value will produce the actual area with the unit of square centimeter. If section thickness of CT scan is 1 cm, the sum of the areas of the liver or tumor in all sections naturally is the volume of the liver or tumor.Comparison of 10 hepatic volumes gained by this method and those gained by the GE Prospeed CT set showed a good relativity between the two groups. The volumes of three right lobes were calculated by this method before lobectomy and their real volumes were obtained postoperatively by a volumenometer. Their variation was limited to 5%.Hepatic volume obtained by PhotoShop is reliable. This method can be used to measure hepatic volume perfectly to meet clinical demand, and many parameters such as liver resection rate, graft volume can be achieved. The disadvantage of this method is the step of copying the pixel value from PhotoShop to Microsoft Excel.