BACKGROUND:We tried to combine 8-bromo-7-methoxychrysin and sorafenib in order to offset the tolerance of hepatocelular cancer stem cels to sorafenib, thereby comprehensively improving the therapeutic efficacy on hepatocelular carcinoma. OBJECTIVE:To observe the effects of 8-bromo-7-methoxychrysin, sorafenib and their combination on apoptosis of liver cancer stem-like cels SMMC-7721, and to analyze their mechanisms. METHODS:SMMC-7721 cels were treated with 8-bromo-7-methoxychrysin, sorafenib alone and their combination for 24 hours. Then, flow cytometry was used to detect cel apoptosis and western blot assay was used to determine nuclear factor-κB protein expression. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with 8-bromo-7-methoxychrysin group and sorafenib group, the apoptotic rates of SMMC-7721 cels were significantly enhanced after treatment with the combination of 8-bromo-7-methoxychrysin group and sorafenib (2.5, 5, 10, 50 μmol/L), and meanwhile, the protein expression of nuclear factor-κB was down-regulated significantly. These findings indicate that the combined therapy of 8-bromo-7-methoxychrysin group and sorafenib can enhance the apoptosis of SMMC-7721 cels, which may be associated with down-regulation of nuclear factor-κB protein.

Objective To explore the effects of anti-tumor immunity induced by dendritic cells (DCs) vaccine pulsed with PEP3-KLH (keyhole limpet hemocyanin) on induction of specific immunity against prostate cancers.Methods DCs were propagated from bone marrow of C57BL/6 mice in vitro with granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and interleukin-4 (IL-4).On day 5 of culture, DCs were harvested and incubated with PEP3-KLH or KLH.Then the DC vaccine was inoculated into C57BL/6 mice by subcutaneous injection for three times with an interval of two weeks.One week after the last vaccination, the levels of IL-2, IL-12, and interferon (IFN)-γwere measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit.The aforementioned immunized mice with DC vaccines were challenged with transgenic adenocarcinoma of mouse prostate (TRAMP)-C2 tumor cells, the tumor growth curve was drawn, and survival rate was checked and compared.The cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) activity induced by DCs was tested with lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release method.The percentages of CD3 + , CD4+ ,or CD8 + T cells in tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) were determined with flow cytometry.Results PEP3-KLH-DC group stimulated the body and induced higher levels of secreted IL-2, IL-12, and IFN-γ compared to DCs control and KLH-DC groups (P ＜ 0.01).The tumor of mice vaccinated with PEP3-KLHDC grew significantly slower than that injected with DCs or KLH-DC (P ＜0.01).Compared to the others, the survival rate in PEP3-KLH-DC group raised remarkably (P ＜ 0.01).PEP3-KLH-DC group induced more outstanding specific CTL activities of killing tumor cells than DCs control group and KLH-DC group (P ＜ 0.01), and the cytotoxicities of TILs in PEP3-KLH-DC group was significantly enhanced (P ＜0.01).The percentages of CD3 + , CD4 + , or CD8 + T cells in TILs (40.9％, 34.1％) in PEP3-KLH-DC group were significantly higher than those in DC-KLH (27.3％, 5.2％) or DCs (26.2％, 5.1％) group.Conclusions PEP3-KLH-DC vaccine can inhibit effectively tumor growth, enhance long-term survival in mice,intensify the local immunologic function of tumor, and elicit and promote profound specific anti-prostate cancer cellular immune responses.

Functions of the 3′untranslated regions (3′UTR) of eukaryotic mRNAs are complicated. They can control the stability and intracellular localization of mRNAs, and direct the translation of special amino acids. Mutations in the 3′UTR of some mRNA can cause serious diseases, and recent studies showed that the 3′UTR of some eukaryotic mRNAs possess tumor-suppression function.

Objective:To explore influence of negative emotions on prognosis of patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) .Methods :Self‐rating anxiety scale (SAS) and self‐rating depression scale (SDS) were used to assess 90 patients undergoing PCI .According to the score results ,patients were divided into pure depression group (n=28 ,occupied 31.11% ) ,pure anxiety group (n=22 ,24.44% ) ,anxiety com‐plicated depression group (n= 25 ,27.78% ) and normal group (n = 15 ) . All patients were followed up for 12 months ,and Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze risk factors for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) .Results:Incidence rates of MACE in pure depression group ,pure anxiety group and anxiety complicated depression group were significantly higher than that of normal group (42.86% vs .40.91% vs .64.00% vs .6.67% , P<0.05 or <0.01) ,and that of anxiety complicated depression group was significantly higher than those of pure depression group and pure anxiety group (P<0.05 both) .Logistic regression analysis indicated that anxiety ,depres‐sion ,anxiety complicated depression were risk factors for MACE (OR = 1.49 ,2.16 ,3.28 , P < 0.05 or < 0.01) . Conclusion : Most patients undergoing coronary intervention possesses negative emotions ,which are risk factors for adverse clinical events and affect their prognosis .

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of warming spleen and stomach for dispersing phlegm recipe (Wenzhong Xiaotan Recipe, WZXTR), a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, on expression of interleukin-8 (IL-8) in S(180) tumor tissue in mice, and to explore the effectiveness and its mechanism. METHODS: Fifty mice were randomly divided into five groups: untreated group, cold water-treated group, cold water and WZXTR-treated group, cold water and dispersing phlegm and eliminating stagnation recipe (Xiaotan Sanjie Recipe, XTSJR, another compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine) treated group, cold water and tegafur-treated group. Mice in the latter 4 groups were fed 0-4 degrees centigrade cold distilled water 10 ml/(kg x d) one week before tumor inoculation for 3 weeks. Mice in the 5 groups were inoculated neoplastic cells which were diluted 2 x 10(7)/ml with normal saline in the right armpit at the second week. Forty-eight hours later, the mice were given drugs intragastrically (WZXTR, XTSJR and tegafur, respectively). The mice were continually intervened by cold water in the morning and given drugs in the afternoon. Mice in the cold water-treated group were given normal saline, and nothing was given in untreated group. Morphology appearance and changes of rectal temperature were observed, and the tumor weight and volume were measured and inhibitory rate was calculated 22 days after tumor inoculation. IL-8 was detected by avidin-biotin system-enzyme-labeled immunosorbent assay (ABC-ELISA) and real-time reverse polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR). RESULTS: The content of IL-8 in tumor tissue of the untreated group was significantly higher than that of the other groups (P<0.01), and that of the cold water-treated group was higher than that of the cold water and WZXTR-treated group (P<0.01) and the cold water and XTSJR-treated group (P<0.05), respectively. The gray scale value of cDNA amplification strap was descent more evidently in both the cold water and WZXTR-treated group and the cold water and XTSJR-treated group as compared with that of the cold water-treated group and the untreated group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: WZXTR can restrain tumor growth, and the mechanism may be that it can degrade the expression of IL-8 in S180 tumor.

AIM:To make compound demethycantharidin(including Radix astragali and Rhizoma bletillae) into stomach remaining-floating sustained-release preparation. METHODS:Radix astragal and Rhizoma betillae pulverized to superfine powders were combined with hydrophilic gel to manufacture stomach remaining-floating sustained-release tablet(floating tablet). RESULTS:The tablet started to drift in 3 min in the artificial gastric juice and float lasted for more than 8 h. By isotopic tracering,the floating tablets given on an empty stomach were retarded for 2-3 h and on large meal for 4-5 h in combination with ordinary tablet only retarded for 1 h. A pharmacopoeia dissolution method was set up to determine the release. 50% of tablets were disintegration in 5 h,70% in 8 h. The t 1/2 was 5.1 h(2-4 h for ordinary tablets),and the MRT was 8.3 h(3.3 h for ordinary tablets),and the remaining-floating sustained-release tablets showed a relative bioavailability of 230.71%. CONCLUSION:Pretreatment of raw herbs from compound demethylcantharidin and selection of the excipients will help to produce the herb-containing floating tablet.

Objective To compare the treatment effect between Duply combined with Duckett and Koyanagi surgical methods in severe hypospadias.Methods Forty-two cases of severe hypospadias were divided into two groups according to the surgical method,23 cases was enrolled in Duply combined with Duckett group while 19 cases in Koyanagi group.The operation time,the incidence rate of urinary fistula,urethral stricture,urethral diverticulum and penis torsion were compared.Results The operation time between two groups had no significant difference (P ＞ 0.05).The incidence rate of urinary fistula,urethral stricture,urethral diverticulum and penis torsion between two groups had no significant difference (x2 =0.04,0.31,0.03,1.16,P ＞ 0.05).The total incidence rate of complications between Duply combined with Duckett group and Koyanagi group had significant difference [69.6％ (16/23) vs.6/19] (x2 =4.59,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Each of the two methods can be a choice in treatment of severe hypospadias.

Objective To explore the Monte Carlo calculation methods for the absolute dose calibration and output factor of 6 MV flattening-filter ( FF) and flattening-filter free ( FFF) photon beams based on TrueBeam accelerator .Methods The BEAMnrc code was used to model the LINAC head of FF and FFF modes.The BEAM_up covers the components from the target to the monitor chamber , and BEAM_down includes the structures beneath the chamber , the dose deposit to the monitor chamber contributed by the incidence electrons and scattered particles from the secondary collimators were calculated respectively .The incidence electron-induced dose at certain depths on the central axis were simulated by means of the DOSXYZnrc code .By means of dose calibration equation , the calibration factor for the standard field (10 cm ×10 cm) and the output factors for various fields (1 cm ×1 cm-40 cm ×40 cm) were computed respectively .Results For the 6 MV FF and FFF beams under the standard 10 cm ×10 cm field, 1 MU equals to 7.747 ×1013 ±3.099 ×1011 and 3.248 ×1013 ±1.624 ×1011 electrons to the target , respectively , which deposited 21.53 and 35.01 cGy to the monitor chamber of the virtual accelerator respectively .The difference between the simulated and calculated output factors were 0.72%±1.4%and 0.56%±0.78%for FF and FFF , respectively .Conclusions The model generated and measured output factors agree well , indicating the good accuracy of the dose calculation by the model , which would provides basis for further clinical dosimetric studies .

Objective To investigate the transfer rate of alkaloids in extraction and purification process of Cortex Phellodendri Amurensis (CPA) and to ascertain the optimal purification technology.Methods We purified the alkaloids from Cortex Phellodendri Amurensis by AB-8 macroporous resin.With the contents of berberine hydrochloride and palmatine hydrochloride as the reference indexes,content determination of alcohol extract,sample solution and eluent from AB-8 macroporous resin were determined by HPLC.Results The optimal technology was as follows:using 8-fold 75 %(V/V) ethanol as extract,extracting for 3 times and lasting one hour for each time.The transfer rate of alkaloids was 83.75 %under the above condition.The transfer rate of alkaloids was about 80 %when the concentration of sample solution(pH value being 8 and centrifugation) was 0.1 g/mL,and the transfer rate of alkaloids in eluent was 75.14 %.Conclusion The optimum technology is stable and feasible,and the purification effect of alkaloids from Cortex Phellodendri Amurensis by AB-8 macroporus resin is good.

Objective To evaluate vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression and micro-vascular density (MVD),and their clinicopathological significance in clear cell renal carcinoma (CCRCC).Methods Immunohistochemistry method was used to examine the expression of VEGF.CD34 staining endo-thelial cells were applied to measure the MVD.Results Sixty-six cases of CCRCC were collected.VEGF ex-pressions in 36(54.5%) cases were positive.No significant relationship was detected between VEGF expres-sion and clinicopathological parameters.The MVD value was 12-96.3.The levels of MVD were significantly lower in advanced TNM staging (P=0.000),high grading (P=0.005) and metastasized tumors (P=0.011).In larger tumors,the cases of MVD 50(26.7%) were much less than those of MVD <50 (73.3%).There was no significant relationship between the expression of VEGF and MVD,and neither of them was correlated with the renal capsule infiltration.Conclusion The overexpression of VEGF in CCRCC shows that it may be the target molecule for treatment.The value of MVD is inversely correlated with the grad-ing and staging of CCRCC,indicating its significance in the prognosis assessment of CCRCC.