Stem cells: Insights into the secretome

Stem cells have been considered as possible therapeutic vehicles for different health related problems such as cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. Secreted molecules are key mediators in cell–cell interactions and influence the cross talk with the surrounding tissues. There is strong evidence supporting that crucial cellular functions such as proliferation, differentiation, communication and migration are strictly regulated from the cell secretome. The investigation of stem cell secretome is accumulating continuously increasing interest given the potential use of these cells in regenerative medicine. The scope of the review is to report the main findings from the investigation of stem cell secretome by the use of contemporary proteomics methods and discuss the current status of research in the field. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: An Updated Secretome.     

Development of the Attitudes Toward Vegetarians Scale

Abstract

Studies have explored the motivations behind the decision to become vegetarian, and have explored the well being of vegetarians. However, little research has focused on the social psychological and interpersonal aspects of vegetarianism. The focus of this study was to develop a scale designed to measure attitudes toward vegetarians (ATVS). This scale measures a one-factor construct with adequate internal consistency. The ATVS correlated significantly with the construct of authoritarianism, and, as expected, the ATVS did not correlate significantly with social desirability. In addition, attitudes toward vegetarians were found to be generally positive. The positive attitudes toward vegetarians may be the result of using a college student population that was overwhelmingly female.     

Assessment of the potential iridology for diagnosing kidney disease using wavelet analysis and neural networks

Alternative or complementary medicine emphasizes therapies that are claimed to improve quality of life, prevent disease, and address conditions that conventional medicine has limited success in curing. There are many techniques which are prevalent in many countries and these can cause harm if not scientifically evaluated. The objective of this paper is to validate the use of iridology to diagnose kidney abnormalities. Two subject groups were evaluated: one was 168 subjects free from kidney disease and the other was 172 subjects with chronic renal failure. The procedure to acquire, process and classify the iris images was designed in such a way that avoids any dependency on the iridologists by using wavelet analysis and Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System. The results show a correct classification for both subjects with kidney problems and normal subjects of 82% and 93%, respectively. The proposed technique conducted on a systemic disease with ocular manifestations showed encouraging results. However, it is necessary to perform extensive studies with diseases that do not have ocular manifestations according to conventional medicine in order to validate iridology as a valid scientific technique.     

葶苈大枣泻肺汤加减对慢性心力衰竭患者尿液白蛋白/肌酐比值及炎症因子的影响

目的：探索葶苈大枣汤对慢性心力衰竭患者微量尿白蛋白及血浆炎症因子IL-6,C反应蛋白的影响。方法：70例诊断为慢性心力衰竭的患者（心功能Ⅱ~Ⅳ级）按心功能分级并随机分为中药＋心衰基础治疗组（治疗组）和心衰基础治疗对照组（对照组）,每组35例;在进行积极控制感染,改善心功能的基础上,对照组患者给予心衰的基础治疗（利尿剂＋β受体阻断剂＋ARB或ACEI）;治疗组在心衰基础治疗的基础上给予葶苈大枣汤加减进行治疗,每2周随访1次,观察周期为3月。治疗前后观察患者的心功能变化,尿微量白蛋白的变化,炎症因子IL-6,CRP的变化。结果：基线资料比较,两组患者无显著性差异;经3月的治疗后,治疗组患者心功能改善情况要好于对照组患者,P〈0.05;与对照组比较,葶苈大枣汤加减可显著降低慢性心力衰竭患者血浆IL-6,CRP水平,降低尿微量白蛋白水平,P均〈0.05,且与对照组比较,不良反应事件未见显著增加,P〉0.05。结论：对于慢性心力衰竭患者,在心衰基础治疗的基础上结合葶苈大枣汤加减治疗可显著提高对慢性心力衰竭患者的临床疗效,且安全性良好,值得临床推广。     

芪苈强心胶囊辅助治疗老年慢性心力衰竭的临床研究

目的：探讨芪苈强心胶囊辅助治疗老年慢性心力衰竭的临床疗效及其安全性。方法：选择我科2012年1月．6月收治的102例老年慢性心力衰竭患者为研究对象,并将其随机分为两组,对照组42例,给予西医常规治疗及地高辛0．125mg／d;观察组60例,在对照组基础上将地高辛用量改为O．0625mg／d,并予芪苈强心胶囊,每次4粒,每日3次12服,2个月为1个疗程,治疗3个疗程后观察和比较两组心功能的变化。结果：观察组和对照组的治疗总有效率分别为95．0．％和78．6％,观察组显著高于对照组,两组比较差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）;观察组的平均住院时间明显短于对照组（P〈0．05）。治疗后,两组心输出量（cO）、每搏输出量（SV）、左室射血分数（LVEF）舒张晚期与舒张早期充盈速度比（～E）均较治疗前明显升高（P〈0．05）,而脑钠肽（BNP）水平较治疗前显著降低（P〈O．05）,且观察组CO、SV水平均明显高于对照组（P〈0．05）,BNP水平明显低于对照组（P〈0．05）。治疗过程中,对照组发生洋地黄中毒3例,观察组无不良事件发生。结论：芪苈强心胶囊辅助治疗老年慢性心力衰竭可有效改善其心功能,并减少地高辛用量和洋地黄中毒的发生,值得临床推广应用。     

3.0T磁共振多序列成像对鉴别胰头癌与胰头肿块型慢性胰腺炎的应用价值

目的：探讨磁共振多序列成像对鉴别胰头癌与胰头肿块型慢性胰腺炎的临床价值及意义。方法：对已确诊的16例胰头癌患者和5例胰头肿块型慢性胰腺炎患者的磁共振多序列成像MR进行回顾性分析。主要征象包括：①肿块信号及形态学特点;②胰管及胆管扩张情况;③动态增强的特征;④胰周及大血管受累情况;⑤邻近器官受累与淋巴结肿大情况。检查方法包括：平扫T1WI＋FST2WI＋FS,MRCP,3D—VIBE动态增强扫描。结果：1）肿块形态信号异常：胰头癌与胰头肿块型胰头慢性胰腺炎的信号有较多重叠,在TlwI上均表现为相对低信号,T2WI表现为不均匀稍高、相等或低信号。2）胰管与胆管的异常：胰头癌表现为胰管扩张至肿块处突然截断12例,胆总管突然截断10例,“双管征”10例。胰头肿块型慢性胰腺炎胰管扩张3例,2例为串珠样扩张,扩张的胰管可贯通病灶区,胆总管5例均扩张,远端呈短锥形狭窄3例,鼠尾样狭窄2例。3）3D—VIBE强化特征分析结果：随着时间的延长胰头癌强化程度和强化百分率较胰头肿块型慢性胰腺炎明显减低。4）胰周大血管受累情况：胰头癌肿块与血管分界不清者8例,部分包绕血管6例完全包绕血管6例;胰头肿块型慢性胰腺炎1例与血管分界不清,1例部分被包绕。5）邻近器官受累与淋巴结肿大情况：胰头癌有7例淋巴结肿大主要分布在胰周及腹主动脉旁,胰头肿块型慢性胰腺炎,未见明显肿大淋巴结,有四例肾周筋膜增厚,两例肾前筋膜增厚。结论：磁共振多序列成像的联合使用及征象分析,有助于鉴别胰头癌与胰头肿块型慢性胰腺炎。     

胺碘酮联合厄贝沙坦对慢性心功能不全合并阵发性房颤的临床效果观察

目的:评价胺碘酮联合厄贝沙坦治疗慢性心功能不全合并阵发性房颤的临床疗效及安全性.方法:选择我院收治的慢性心衰合并阵发性房颤患者167例,均使用胺碘酮维持窦性心律,根据患者是否加用厄贝沙坦分为治疗组及对照组.治疗一年后,观察和比较两组患者的心衰住院率、左室射血分数、左房内径、心功能分级情况,通过动态心电图评估窦性心律维持率、房颤复发率.结果:治疗后,治疗组房颤的复发率、慢性房颤的发生率均明显低于对照组,窦性心律维持率明显高于对照组,左房内径较对照组明显减小,心衰住院率明显低于对照组,差异均有统计学意义(P＜0.05);对照组左房内径较治疗前明显扩大(P＜0.05),两组患者在心功能分级方面较治疗前均有明显改善(P＜0.05),但两组之间心功能分级比较无统计学差异(P＞0.05).两组不良反应(甲状腺功能异常、肝功能异常、肺纤维化、低血压)的发生率比较无统计学差异(P＞0.05).结论:胺碘酮联合厄贝沙坦治疗慢性心功能不全伴阵发性房颤的患者,能较好的维持窦性心律,降低心衰住院率,对心脏重构有较好的改善作用,且具有良好的安全性.     

慢性重型肝炎患者血浆D-二聚体和纤维蛋白原水平的变化

目的:分析慢性重型肝炎患者血浆D-二聚体和纤维蛋白原水平的变化及其临床意义.方法:应用乳胶比浊法及凝固法分别测定血浆D-二聚体和纤维蛋白原的水平,其中慢性重型肝炎患者40例,慢性肝炎患者28例作为对照组.结果:慢性重型肝炎患者血浆D-二聚体及纤维蛋白原检测异常率分别为62.5％(25/40)、92.5％(37/40),明显高于慢性肝炎组0％(0/28)、28.6％(8/28).慢性重型肝炎患者血浆D-二聚体及纤维蛋白原检测水平分别为3.45± 1.90 μg/mL、1.36± 0.49 g/L,慢性肝炎组患者血浆D-二聚体及纤维蛋白原检测水平分别0.91± 0.47 μg/mL、2.53± 1.02 g/L,组间比较差异有统计学意义.慢性重型肝炎组患者27例死亡,13例好转出院,死亡组患者血浆D-二聚体异常率74.1％ (20/27),检测水平为3.92± 1.76μg/mL,纤维蛋白原异常率100％(27/27),检测水平为1.17± 0.4 g/L;好转组患者血浆D-二聚体异常率38.5％(5/13),检测水平为2.48± 1.88 μg/mL,纤维蛋白原异常率为76.9％(10/13),检测水平为1.74± 0.44 g/L,差别有统计学意义.结论:慢性重型肝炎患者血浆D-二聚体水平明显增高,纤维蛋白原明显下降,并与患者的病情严重程度及预后相关,检测血浆D-二聚体和纤维蛋白原水平可以作为慢性重型肝炎患者病情轻重及预后判断的临床指标.     

慢性牙周炎患者龈沟液中IL-8 和TNF-alpha水平变化及临床意义

目的：探讨慢性牙周炎患者龈沟液中白细胞介素-8（IL-8）和肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）水平变化及临床意义,为临床诊疗提 供参考。方法：选择2013 年12 月到2015 年12 月我院收治的60 例慢性牙周炎患者为实验组,选择同期60 例牙周健康者为对照 组。对照组对象于体检时、实验组患者于牙周常规治疗前后收集龈沟液并记录牙龈指数（GI）、牙龈沟出血指数（SBI）、菌斑指数 （PLI）、牙周袋探诊深度（PD）、临床附着丧失（CAL）等牙周临床指标。测量并比较两组对象龈沟液中IL-8 和TNF-α水平。结果：实 验组患者治疗前GI、SBI、PLI、PD 及CAL 等牙周临床指标均明显高于对照组,差异具有统计学意义（P<0.05）;治疗后,实验组患 者各牙周临床指标明显低于治疗前,差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）,但与对照组比较差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。实验组患者治疗 前龈沟液中IL-8 和TNF-α水平均明显高于对照组,差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）;治疗后,实验组患者龈沟液中IL-8 和TNF-alpha水 平均明显低于治疗前,差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）。实验组患者治疗前龈沟液中IL-8 水平与牙周临床指标PD 呈正相关性（r=0. 495,P=0.027）,TNF-α水平与牙周临床指标SBI、PD 呈正相关性（r=0.512,0.673;P=0.019,0.012）。结论：慢性牙周炎患者龈沟液中 IL-8 和TNF-α具有较高水平,两者可能与慢性牙周炎的发生发展有关,对于临床诊断慢性牙周炎具有积极的临床意义。     

非透析慢性肾脏病患者心脏功能生物标记物的临床价值比较

目的:比较非透析慢性肾脏病患者心脏功能生物标记物的临床应用价值。方法:选取122例非透析且无急性冠脉综合征(ACS)的慢性肾脏病患者(CKD),将其分为CKD1-2期组、CKD3-4期组和CKD5期组,同时选择同期确诊急性冠脉综合征的慢性肾脏病患者20例作为对照组,观察并比较各组患者室间隔厚度(IVST)、左室后壁厚度(LVPWT),检测血液中血肌酐(Scr)、尿素氮(BUN)、心型脂肪酸结合蛋白(HFABP)、心肌钙蛋白(cTnI)以及肌酸激酶同功酶(CK-MB)。结果:非ACS的CKD患者HFABP、cTnI、CK-MB水平均呈不同程度增高,且各CKD组中这三个指标的阳性率存在显著差异,其中HFABP阳性率最高(P0.05)。cTnI与e GFR、Scr及年龄无显著相关性(P0.05),但与IVST、LVPWT呈显著正相关(P0.05);CK-MB与e GFR、Scr、年龄、IVST、LVPWT均无相关性(P0.05);HFABP与e GFR呈负相关(P0.05),与Scr和BUN正相关(P0.05),与年龄、IVST、LVPWT无相关性(P0.05)。结论:在非ACS的CKD患者中,HFABP可能不是一个可靠的反映心脏功能的生物标记物,cTnI及CK-MB对于CKD患者而言是较为可靠的心脏标记物。