AIM: To study the expression of thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) and receptor-CD36, and investigate the relationship between tumor invasive capability and microvessel density and thrombospondin-1. METHODS: 43 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cases were under investigation. Tissues from tumor, corresponding adjacent non-HCC tissue were stained with CD34 to show the MVD. TSP-1 and CD36 were examined by immunohistochemistry (SP) and RT-PCR. Relationship between clinical pathological features and above parameters was analyed. RESULTS: The staining of TSP-1 in HCC tissue is significantly lower than that in corresponding adjacent non-HCC tissue. Expression of TSP-1 was correlated to tumor thrombi, capsule, tumor invasive capability and CD36. CD36 was also correlated to tumor thrombi and tumor invasive capability. MVD was significantly higher in TSP-1, CD36 positive group than that in negative group. CONCLUSION: TSP-1 inhibits the growth, invasion and angiogenesis in HCC. TSP-1 may take effect through CD36.

Objective To investigate the inhibition of Eriobotryae Folium from twenty different districts towards phosphodiesterase 4(PDF4) in vitro.Methods The Eriobotryae Folium were extracted with 95％ ethanol reflux and the inhibition rates against PDE4D2 were carried out by liquid scintillation counting method.Results All the samples exhibited inhibitory activities towards PDE4 at 5 mg/L.Among them,nine samples were of the inhibition rate less than 80％,eleven samples were of more than 80％ inhibition and eight samples were of more than 90％ inhibition.Conclusion The Eriobotryae Folium shows significantly different inhibitory activities towards PED4.

Objective    To evaluate whether long frozen elephant trunk (FET) increases the risk of spinal cord injury in patients with acute type A aortic dissection. Methods    From 2018 to 2019, 172 patients with acute type A aortic dissection were treated in Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital. They were divided into two groups according to the length of FET: patients treated with stents of 100 mm in length were enrolled into a short FET group, and those with stents of 150 mm in length into a long FET group. There were 124 patients in the short FET group, including 108 (87.1%) males and 16 (12.9%) females with a mean age of 51.8±7.9 years. There were 48 patients in the long FET group, including 44 (91.7%) males and 4 (8.3%) females with a mean age of 50.6±9.7 years. The clinical data and prognosis of the patients were analyzed. Results    The mean distal stent graft was at the level of T 8.5±0.7 in the long FET group, and at the level of T 6.8±0.6 in the short FET group (P=0.001). Sixteen patients died after operation in the two groups, including 13 (10.5%) in the short FET group and 3 (6.2%) in the long FET group (P=0.561). There were 7 patients of spinal cord injury in the two groups, including 6 (4.8%) in the short FET group and 1 (2.2%) in the long FET group (P=0.675). There was no statistical difference in other complications between the two groups. The follow-up time was 16.7 (1-30) months. During the follow-up, 2 patients died in the long FET group and 5 died in the short FET group. No new spinal cord injury or distal reintervention occurred during the follow-up. Conclusion    Long FET does not increase the incidence of spinal cord injury in patients with acute type A aortic dissection.