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Purpose: To explore the potential of carbon nanoparticles (CNs) for the intraoperative detection of positive and negative lymph nodes in the treatment of colorectal cancer. Patients and methods: The clinical data of 470 patients undergoing surgical procedures for colorectal cancer from June 2010 to February 2013 were analyzed retrospectively. The patients were divided into the CN group (183 males and 161 females; mean age, 58.6±12.4 years), who were given a CN suspension, and the control group (78 males and 48 females; mean age, 59.1±12.2 years), who were not given a CN suspension. The operative time, blood loss, number of lymph nodes detected/positive lymph nodes, and prevalence of postoperative complications were compared between the two groups. Three years after surgery, 444 cases (327 cases in the CN group and 117 cases in the control group) were interviewed, with the remaining 26 cases lost to follow-up. With regard to tumor, node, metastasis staging, the survival and prevalence of recurrence in each group at 3 years were analyzed. Results: The number of positive lymph nodes was higher and the prevalence of blood loss was lower in the CN group than in the control group (p>0.05). There were no significant differences in the operative time, number of lymph nodes detected, or the prevalence of postoperative complications, survival, metastasis, or recurrence between the two groups at 3 years (p>0.05). Conclusion: The application of CNs is convenient for the detection of lymph nodes to reduce blood loss and increase the probability of detecting positive lymph nodes accurately and rapidly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hu A-B, Cai J-Y, Zheng Q-C, He X-Q, Shan Y, Pan Y-L, Zeng G-C, Hong A, Dai Y, Li L-S. High-ratio differentiation of embryonic stem cells into hepatocytes in vitro. Liver International 2004: 24: –. © Blackwell Munksgaard 2004 To date, in differentiating system of embryonic stem (ES) cells into hepatocytes, hepatic differentiation ratio was still not shown. Here, after investigating hepatic differentiation from ES cells, we determined the differentiation ratios of hepatocytes and studied how to improve the ratios in ES cell differentiating system. Embryonic bodies (EBs) formed from ES cells for 5 days were plated onto culture dishes and some growth factors were added into medium for hepatic differentiation. Expressions of hepatic genes and proteins were analysed using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, immunocytochemistry (ICC) and radioimmunoassay. The relative counts of hepatocyte-like cells among all EBs cells were analysed by flow cytometry by which hepatic differentiation ratios were determined. Then, we observed the spatial distribution of ICC-positive cells in EB cells cluster and isolated the cells of positive areas in other EBs clusters without ICC examined. At last, isolated cells were re-cultured with previous condition and hepatic differentiation ratios were also determined. The hepatic genes and proteins were, respectively, expressed in cytoplasm. Hepatic differentiation ratio was first determined at day 11 to be 12.1% and the level reached maximum to be 33.4% at day 21. In isolated cells culture system, hepatic genes and proteins expressed stronger than that expressed in EBs cluster and hepatic differentiation ratio was got to 72.6% at day 21. Isolating hepatocyte-like cells from EBs cell cluster and re-culturing them could produce hepatocytes with high differentiation ratio. This culture system may produce a new source of cell types for hepatocytes replacement therapies in hepatic failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study 12 Japanese long ear rabbits were used as models of acute cholangitis of severe type (ACST), and also an increasing pressure apparatus of selfmade caecus to form high pressure of the biliary tract. The animals were observed for changes in blood dynamics in an attempt to explore the effect and relation of high pressure of biliary tract and infective element in pathogenesis of ACST. It was found that when the biliary pressure was increased within 120 min in the 20 kPa group, the blood endotoxin level showed no obvious increment ( P> 0.05), but the decreased range of average MAP (mean artery pressure) was over 4 kPa, and the cardiac output also decreased evidently ( P< 0.05), and that when the biliary pressure was decreased, MAP and cardiac output were restored to normal gradually. Of these animals 3 didn't restore their normal condition when the blood pressure decreased to zero and died finally. Meanwhile the electric discharge frequency of the right greater splanchnic nerves increased ( P< 0.05), but when pressure was reduced, the frequency slowed down. From the above findings, the authors came to the conclusion that the rapid increase of the biliary tract pressure is the important factor leading to a decrease in blood pressure of ACST, and even bringing about irreversible shock, which is involved in the activity of splanchnic nerves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to study the mechanism of decreased blood pressure caused by an acute increase in biliary tract pressure, we observed house rabbit model of self-made caecus for changes in cardiovascular function when biliary tract pressure was increased. It was found that both the blood pressure and cardiac output evidently decreased ( P<0.05) parallelly, and the systolic pressure decreased more markedly than diastolic pressure. At the same time there was fluctuation in heart rate and in central venous pressure; but there was no significant difference between them ( P>0.05), suggesting that in the absence of infective agents, the increased biliary tract pressure can bring about a decrease in cardiac output, which is an important factor contributing to an early blood pressure decrease in acute cholangitis of severe type (ACST). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experimental study of the effect of acute biliary hypertension on hemodynamics and activity of the major splanchnic nerve was conducted in Japanese big ear white rabbits. A catheter with an inflatable rubber bag fixed to its anterior end Was inserted into the extrahepatic biliary duct via the duodenum, and a biliary high pressure of 20 kPa (150 mmHg) was created and maintained for 2 h by inflating the bag with water. The right major splanchnic nerve was isolated and the impulse frequencies of the nerve were recorded during the study. Arterial blood pressure was also dynamically monitored. A significant fall of the arterial blood pressure (P< 0.0l) and an increase in impulse frequency of the nerve (P< 0.01) were found in this 'simple type' acute biliary high pressure without infection. Biliary decompression immediately eliminated these abnormalities (P< 0.0l). The drop in blood pressure Was much less prominent if the right splanchnic nerve Was blocked prior to biliary high pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]