Alternol and Alteronol are two small chemical compounds purified from a mutant fungal.The in vitro and in vivo experimental studies have confirmed their potent anti-cancer effect.In vitro studies show that they can inhibit cell division and proliferation of a variety of tumors including prostate cancer,osteosarcoma and melanoma.They exert their anti-cancer effects by attenuating cell cycle protein expression and causing cell cycle arrest,suppressing tumor cell invasion and metastasis,reducing new blood vessel formation,decreasing the expression of anti-apoptotic proteins Bcl-2 in malignant cells,and stimulating oxygen free radical accumulation.However,there is no significant cytotoxic effect on benign cells.Animal experiments show that these two compounds significantly inhibit xenograft growth derived from a variety of human malignant tumors,while there is no obvious side effect on normal tissue or organs.In conclusion,these two compounds are worthy to be developed as novel anti-cancer drugs.

Objective To study the optimum incision and reasonable extension of functional cervical dissection in well differentiated thyroid cancer. Methods The dissected specimens of 182 patients with well differentiated thyroid cancer treated by functional dissection(197 times), including therapeutic and selective dissection, from 1986 to 1998 were divided into 4 anatomical divisions(cervical inferior, media and superior area and subparotid gland area), and calculated the number of cervical lymph nodes that had been invaded by thyroid cancer in each area. Results The best incision was located in the area from the mastoid to downward and bakcward curvilinear to the surface and behind the anterior border of trapezium muscle 2～3?cm, then downward along the median of acromioclavicular joint to 5?cm below the midpoint of the clavicle. In therapeutic dissection group, among 61 patients with neck metastases, the metastases rate in the cervical superior area was 83.61%, but only one case in subparotid area. In selective dissection group, lymph nodes metastases was found in cervical superior area in 38.37% of patients, but none was found in subparotid gland ar ea. Conclusions The incision designed by authors is hard to see face to face. It is suitable for the young woman with thyroid cancer. There is almost no lymph nodes metastasis in the subparotid gland area, so it was unnecessary to dissect this area for it could reduce the operation time and extension of neck dissection. Able to protect the nerve function of spinal accessory, great auricular and lesser occipital nerve, so this operation can improve the life quality of patients with thyroid cancer.

Objective To evaluate the clinical application of helical CT 3D reconstruction technique in the dental orthopaedics. Methods The helical CT was performed with 3.0 mm slice thickness and 1.0 pitch in 41 patients with dental orthopaedics. The 3D reconstructions, including maximum intensity projection (MIP), surface shaded display (SSD), and multiplanar reconstructions (MPR), were made for all the cases. Results Thirty-seven of the 41 patients showed malalignment, tilt, rotation, overlap of the teeth and the different space between the longitudinal axes of the teeth. Twenty-five cases of them have shown 36 buried teeth in all. The axial images covered all the information. SSD demonstrated the external contours and entire morphologies of the teeth and the mandible with the relationship of the teeth alignment and the mandible. MIP clearly manifested the full view and the longitudinal alignment of the teeth. Among the 36 buried teeth, there were 29 palatally and 7 labially presented teeth, and they were morphologically delineated on MIP through various angles. Conclusion The helical CT 3D reconstruction is a new technique to display the stereoscopic configuration of teeth. The combination of axial images and MIP, SSD, and MPR provides valuable anatomic and diagnostic information helpful for the surgeons to structure and determine the treatment protocol for the dental orthopaedics.

Objective To identify the effective results of ultrasound in degradation of polymeric nanoparticles released DNA .Polymeric nanoparticles was made by dehydration of polyacetylglutamicacid (PLGA, polylactic-co-glycolic acid)solution. Method Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) was enclosed by PLGA. Different kinds of ultrasound mode and different duct cycle and power ones were used to radiate PLGA solution for 90 s, 9 min, 20 min separately after the solution prepared for 2 hrs,then putted the solution on centrifugal machine at 13000 r/m. Using Choloroform to get rid of fat-soluble impurity,then applied nanodrop to survey the releasing rate of DNA. Finally the effect of cell expression were observed by fluorescent microscope. Results The amount of DNA released from PLGA in groups which were exposed to ultrasound were significantly different from the groups which were not exposed to ultrosound. The releasing amount of former groups had upper limitation. The releasing rate was increased with the increment of the irradiation time,frequency of ultrasound;The effect of the DNA releasing and PLGA degradation by continuous-wave irradiation was stronger than pulsed-wave ultrasound. Conclusion Ultrasound can promote the degradation of PLGA, and do help in DNA releasing and expression in vitro.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the molecular mechanism of fibroblast growth factor 8b (FGF8b) in promoting epithelial-mesenchymal transition in prostate cancer DU145 cells. METHODS: Cells were selected in three groups as follows: a block control group (DU145 cells), a negative control group [DU145 cells transfected with empty plasmid (pcDNA3.1/DU145)], and an experimental group [DU145 cells transfected with FGF8b (FGF8b/DU145)]. The activity of extracellular regulated protein kinases1/2( ERK1/2) pathway was detected by western-blot in the three groups. The FGF8b-DU145 cells and DU145 cells were cultured with PD98059 (an ERK kinase inhibitor) to observe microscopically the morphology changes within the cells. The experimental samples were also divided into four groups: FGF8b/DU145 cells cultured with 2% FBS (Group A); FGF8b/DU145 cells cultured with 2% FBS+PD98059 (50 μmol/L) (Group B); DU145 cells cultured with 2% FBS (Group C); DU145 cells cultured with FBS+PD98059 (50 μmol/L) (Group D). The expression of epithelial- mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers (E-cadherin, vimentin) were detected by western-blot analysis and the cell's mobility were detected by the Transwell chamber. RESULTS: The activity of ERK1/2 in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the other two control groups; when ERK kinase inhibitor PD98059 was added to FGF8b/ DU145 cells, the expression of epithelial marker E-cadherin protein was significantly increased in group B compared with that in the group A (P<0.05). The expression of mesenchymal marker vimentin protein was significantly reduced in group B compared with that in group A (P<0.05). The cell migration assay suggested that cell migration was markedly decreased in group B (P<0.05) compared with that in group A. CONCLUSION EMT in prostate cancer induced by FGF8b can be mediated by ERK kinase pathway, in which mitogen-activated/extraceluer signal regulated kinase 1 (MEK1) may be a key factor. MEK1 could be an effective target in regulating the invasion and migration of prostate cancer.
Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition ; genetics ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 8 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; Humans ; MAP Kinase Kinase 1 ; metabolism ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; physiology ; Male ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Transfection ; Tumor Cells, Cultured