Objective To evaluate the accuracy of multi-detector-row CT (MDCT) in the diagnosis and preoperative evaluation of breast cancer. Methods From January 2004 to December 2007,the clinical data of 54 cases wih pathologically proved breast cancer undergoing preoperative MDCT scan (31 cases also underwent MRI scan) were retrospectively analyzed at our hospital. Surgical planning was based on MDCT assessment. The extent and location of tumor depicted by MDCT,MRI and pathology were compared. Results Breast carcinoma was diagnosed by MDCT in all the cases. In these 54 patients,MDCT achived an accuracy of 87% in evaluating the extent of tumor. Based on MDCT,39 cases underwent BCT surgery with a 8% margin positive rate. MDCT and MRI had no significant difference in accuracy of evaluation on the extent of tumor ( x2 = 0. 5, P ＞ 0. 05 ). Conclusions MDCT accurately assesses the extent and location of breast cancer, proving its value in preoperative evaluation of breast cancer.

AIM:To study the expression of glycine receptorα1 subunit in neonatal rat myocardial cells and to investigate the effect of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), hypoxia/reoxygenation, isoproterenol (ISO) and high concentration of glucose (HG) on the expression of glycine receptorα1 subunit in the neonatal rat myocardial cells.METHODS:Neonatal rat myocardial cells were cultured in vitro.The expression of glycine receptorα1 subunit was detected by Western blotting. The neonatal rat myocardial cells were treated with LPS (20 mg/L), ISO (100 μmol/L) or high concentration of glucose (25 mmol/L) for 24 h, or were exposed to hypoxia for 3 h followed by reoxygenation for 3 h.Subsequently, the cell viabil-ity was measured by CCK-8 assay, and the expression of glycine receptorα1 subunit was determined by Western blotting. RESULTS:The expression of glycine receptor α1 subunit in the neonatal rat myocardial cells was positively detectable by Western blotting.Compared with control group, no significant difference of the cell viability ( P>0.05) in LPS group, ISO group, hypoxia/reoxygenation group and HG group was observed.The expression of glycine receptor α1 subunit was in-creased (P<0.01) in LPS group, ISO group and hypoxia/reoxygenatio group, but decreased (P<0.01) in HG group. CONCLUSION:Glycine receptorα1 subunit exists in the neonatal rat myocardial cells.A certain concentration of LPS or ISO, or hypoxia/reoxygenation for a certain period upregulate the expression of glycine receptorα1 subunit, but HG down-regulates the expression of glycine receptor α1 subunit in cultured neonatal rat myocardial cells.

AIM:To investigate the effects of perfluorocarbon and ligustrazine on lung injury during liver transplantation in pigs with hepatopulmonary syndrome. METHODS:A hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) model of pig was established by chronic bile duct ligation. The animals were assigned randomly to 2 groups:(1) Perfluorocarbon in combination with ligustrazine treatment groups (PFCL group):the pigs were treated with intratracheal instillation of perfluorocarbon and ligustrazine; (2) The conventional mechanical ventilation group (MV group):all animals were subjected to mechanical ventilation and orthotopic liver transplantation. After 5 h the lungs were harvested for further analysis. RESULTS:The lung wet to dry weight radio,pulmonary permeation index and leukocyte count in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALF) in PFCL group significantly decreased compared to MV group (P<0.05). Contents of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in the lung tissue,plasma and BALF of pigs in PFCL group were significantly lower than those in MV group (P<0.05). Moreover,the activation of NF-κB was inhibited markedly by PFCL. CONCLUSION:Perfluorocarbon in combination with ligustrazine effectively reduces the PMN accumulation in the lungs,inhibits TNF-α and IFN-γ production and protects against lung injury during liver transplantation in pigs with hepatopulmonary syndrome.

AIM: To investigate the protective effects of berberine against liver injury induced by lipopolysaccharide in mice and the mechanisms underlying its protective effect.METHODS: The male mice were divided randomly into control,berberine group,LPS group and berberine treatment group.Mice were administered intragastrically with distilled water(0.01 mL/g) or(5 g/L) neutral sulfate berberine(0.01 mL/g) once a day for 5 days and injected intraperitoneally with normal saline or LPS(0.02(mL/g),28 mg/kg)at 1 h after gavage on day 5.Blood was collected for determining alanine aminotransferase(ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase(AST) activities,the content of tumor necrosis factors-?(TNF-?) at 10 h and 2 h after LPS or normal saline injection,respectively.Furthermore,the liver tissue was processed,and histological changes and ultrastructure in liver were observed with light and electron microscopy,malondialdehyde(MDA) content and superoxide dismutase(SOD) activity in liver were also detected.RESULTS: Both ALT and AST activities in serum in LPS group were higher than those in control and berberine treatment group.LPS increased the serum TNF-? content at 2 h after injection,which was reversed by berberine pretreatment.The histological examination showed that LPS caused severe hepatic cell edema,degeneration,apoptosis and even necrosis,and ultrastructure observation demonstrated that LPS induced mitochondrial swelling,condensation and margination of chromatin,irregular nuclear envelope in hepatocytes.The above pathological changes produced by LPS were attenuated by berberine pretreatment.Moreover,MDA contents in liver tissue were higher in LPS group than control and berberine treatment group,but there were no significant difference in SOD activity between berberine treatment and LPS group.CONCLUSION: Berberine has a protective effect on LPS-induced liver injury in mice,the mechanisms may be related to its decreasing the production of TNF-?,inhibiting lipid peroxidation and protecting mitochondria.

AIM: To observe the effect of glycine on the myocardial ischemic injury in mice METHODS: Mice were supplied with 20% glycine twice daily (0 025 mL/g, ig), or 40% Injection salviae miltiorrhizae composita (ISMC, 0 025 mL/g, ig) One week later, 0 02 U/g pituitrin was injected intraperitoneally The electrocardiogram was recorded, and activities of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the content of malondiadehyde (MDA) in the myocardium were examined RESULTS: Glycine reduced changes in J spot in electrocardiogram Both glycine and ISMC increased activities of SOD and NOS, inhibited increase in MDA content in the myocardium induced by pituitrin There was no difference in above parameters between glycine-treated and ISMC-treated mice. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrated that glycine can protect myocardium from ischemic injury, the mechanism may be related to increase in activities of NOS, SOD and supressing the lipid peroxidation.

AIM: To study the effect of food intake on weight, memory, staying balance and power, and some biochemical indexes in mice. METHODS: In accordance with the average food intake everyday, the animals were divided into five groups: group A took the average food intake fully, group B took 75% of the average food intake, group C took 50% of the average food intake, group D took 25% of the average food intake, and group E did not take any food at all. The weights, memory, staying balance and power were recorded every three days, the biochemical index was recorded on the 10th day. RESULTS: On the 3rd day, the weight and staying balance and power of mice in group E decreased. On the 6th and 9th day, the weight of mice in group ABC increased. Compared with group B and C, the memory group A and D decreased. On the 10th day, the blood glucose concentratoin in of group D decreased, total cholesterol and triglyceride also decreased with the reduction of food intake. CONCLUSION: A food intake of 75%-50% in all helpes to keep a good body status and memory, decreases total cholesterol and triglyceride in blood.

AIM:To explore the preliminary mechanism of senegenin ( Sen) on inhibiting hypoxia/reoxygenation ( H/R)-induced apoptosis of primary cortical neurons .METHODS:The cultured cortical neurons were randomly divided in-to normal group (control group), model group (H/R group), Sen+H/R group and Sen group.Flow cytometry was used to evaluate the effect of Sen on H/R-induced cell apoptosis .The protein levels of JNK , p-JNK, c-Jun, p-c-Jun, Bcl-2 and Bax were assessed by Western blotting .RESULTS:The apoptotic rate in H/R group was obviously higher than that in control group (P<0.05), while the apoptotic rate in Sen +H/R group was obviously lower than that in H/R group (P<0.05), suggesting that the model of apoptosis was established successfully .The results of Western blotting showed that Sen increased the expression of JNK and c-Jun, inhibited the phosphorylation of JNK and c-Jun (P<0.05), increased the protein level of Bcl-2 and inhibited the protein level of Bax in H/R treated primary cortical neurons (P<0.05).CONCLUSION:Sen has a protective effect against H/R-induced neuronal apoptosis by increasing the expression of JNK and c-Jun, inhibiting the phosphorylation of JNK and c-Jun, increasing the protein level of Bcl-2 and decreasing the protein level of Bax .

Objective To study the safety and feasibility of auto-transfusion of blood drained from patients own abdomen in patients with blunt trauma of spleen as conservative treatment.Methods From January 1,2008 to December 31,2010,94 patients were diagnosed to be blunt trauma of spleen.After careful assessment and series lab tests,44 patients were eligible to be non-operative treated.They were randomly (random number) into two groups in equal number (n =22).The patients of auto-transfusion group were transfused the blood drained from patients own abdomen,and the control group was transfused red blood cells from donors.The comparison of demographics,ISS (injury severity scores),AAST (American Association for the Surgery of Trauma) and lab findings between two groups before and after transfusion with t test and chi-square test.Then paired-samples t test was used to analyze the hemodynamics,blood components and blood clotting indexes of two groups before and after blood transfusion.Meanwhile t test was done as well to compare the differences in the above variables between two groups after transfusion.SPSS 10.0 version was used to analyze the collected data.Results There were no significant differences in demographics and physical condition between two groups.After blood transfusion,the hemodynamics and anemia of two groups were significantly improved,and there were no differences in the changes of the above variables between two groups.Conclusions Blood drained from patient own abdomen can be auto-transfused in patients with blunt trauma of spleen treated non-operatively as safe and efficient as transfusion of blood from donors.This study proves the autologous transfusionto to be an easy,feasible and economic measures in urgent situation as expected.

[ ABSTRACT] AIM:To observe the effects of berberine and yohimbine on splenocyte apoptosis in septic mice and underlying mechanisms.METHODS:The mice were subjected to cecal ligature and puncture ( CLP) .The drugs or vehi-cle were given intragastrically 2 h after the surgery according to the following 5 groups:sham, CLP, CLP+berberine, CLP+yohimbine, and CLP+berberine+yohimbine.The apoptosis of splenocytes stained by TUNEL was observed under laser scanning confocal microscope 20 h after CLP.The splenic lymphocytes were isolated and observed using flow cytometry. The activities of caspase-3, caspase-8 and caspase-9 in splenic lymphocytes were detected, and the expression of Fas, Bim, Bcl-2 and Bax in the splenocytes was also determined by Western blotting.RESULTS:The TUNEL staining showed that the apoptotic rate of the splenocytes in septic mice 20 h after CLP was significantly higher than that in sham and CLP+yohimbine groups (P<0.05).Compared with CLP group, the proportion of apoptotic cells was decreased in septic mice in CLP+berberine+yohimbine and CLP+yohimbine groups ( P<0.05) .Flow cytometry analysis demonstrated the similar results in the apoptosis of splenocytes and T lymphocytes.However, only yohimbine treatment reduced the apoptosis of B lymphocytes in the spleen of sepsis-challenged mice.Compared with CLP group, caspase-9 activity was significantly re-duced in CLP+berberine group (P<0.05), the activities of caspase-3, caspase-8 and caspase-9 were all statistically re-duced (P<0.05) in CLP+yohimbine group and CLP+yohimbine+berberine group.CLP significantly increased the ex-pression of cytosolic Fas, Bim and mitochondrial Bax in the splenocytes, and decreased Bcl-2 expression compared with sham group.Compared with CLP group, the expression of cytosolic Bim and mitochondrial Bax in CLP+berberine group were reduced (P<0.05).Fas expression decreased only in CLP+yohimbine group (P<0.05).Berberine combined with yohimbine reduced the expression of cytosolic Fas, Bim and mitochondrial Bax in the septic mouse splenocytes ( P <0.05).CONCLUSION:Yohimbine reduces sepsis-induced splenic lymphocyte apoptosis in mice by inhibiting Fas expres-sion and in turn blocking both extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis pathways.Berberine reduces Bim expression and inhibits caspase-9 activation, but not caspase-3 activation and apoptosis in the septic mouse splenocytes.Berberine combined with yohimbine reduces splenocyte apoptosis in the septic mice by inhibiting both extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways.

BACKGROUND:Conflicting data have been reported regarding the expression of retinol-binding protein 4 in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the impact of dietary interventionversus metformin treatment on expression of retinol-binding protein 4 in rats with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. METHODS: Fifty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized to six groups, including two normal control groups (rats were kiled after 8 and 16 weeks of normal diet), two HFD groups (rats were kiled after 8 and 16 weeks of high-fat diet), one dietary intervention group (rats were kiled after 8 weeks of high-fat diet and 8 weeks of normal diet) and one metformin treatment group (rats were kiled after 8 weeks of high-fat diet and 8 weeks of high-fat diet and metformin treatment). The levels of retinol-binding protein 4 in serum and biochemical indexes were detected through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The expression of retinol-binding protein 4 mRNA in liver tissues was measuredvia western blot analysis, immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease models were successfuly established by high-fat diet. Liver tissues of high-fat diet fed rats showed progressing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease histology, from non-alcoholic fatty liver to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Dietary intervention increased retinol-binding protein 4 expression in liver tissue as wel as improving liver enzyme, dyslipidemia and insulin resistance, and aleviated impaired liver histology. Metformin treatment only aleviated hepatic steatosis caused by high-fat diet. The results indicated that retinol-binding protein 4 expression might play a role in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Metformin treatment can aleviate non-alcoholic fatty liver disease histology,dietary intervention should be the fundamental treatment.