Objective To study the changes of liver function and its clinical significance during the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma by hepatic arterial and segmental arterial embolization. Methods Hepatic arterial embolization (conventional LP-TAE) was performed in 52 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma and segmental arterial embolizational(segmental LP-TAE) was done in 33 cases. The main data of the change of liver function were reviewed in three days and six months after treatment. All cases were followed up for 1 to 5 years. Results The change of ALT, AST, ALP, TBIL in conventional LP-TAE were remarkably increased than that in segmental LP-TAE after three days (P=0.000). After six months by LP-TAE, the Child of liver function in segmental group decreased obviously lighter than that in conventional group (P=0.000). The survival rates at 1-, 3-, and 5-year were 90.9%, 60.6% and 30.3% in segmental LP-TAE, respectively, and 61.5%, 21.2% and 7.7%, in conventional LP-TAE, respectively (P =0.003, P =0.000, P =0.006). Conclusion Segmental LP-TAE possesses stronger anticancerous effect and much less damage to liver function. Segmental LP-TAE is obviously superior than conventional LP-TAE in long term effectiveness.

Objective To investigate the effect of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE)combined with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in the treatment of liver cancer,and its influence on the serum markers.Methods 108 patients with primary liver cancer were selected as the subjects of this study.According to the random number table method,the patients were divided into two groups.The control group (54 cases) received TACE treatment,and the observation group (54 cases) received TACE combined with RFA treatment.The treatment effects,the changes of tumor recurrence related indicators and the levels of tumor related indicators were compared and analyzed.Results The effective rate of the observation group was 79.7 ％ (43/54),which was significantly higher than 50.0％ (27/54) of the control group (x2 =10.391,P =0.001).After treatment,the E-calcium protein (EC),vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF),matrix metalloproteinase (MMP),tumor recurrence index alpha fetoprotein (AFP),CA199,glutamate transferase (GGT) levels in the observation group were (1 738.8 ± 114.8) μg/L,(207.9 ± 37.2) ng/L,(34.9 ± 4.6) ng/L,(72.2 ± 19.5) μg/L,(34.2 ± 5.1) U/L,(88.9 ± 9.4) U/L,respectively,which were significantly lower than those in the control group [(2 382.4 ± 159.4) μg/L,(367.3 ± 49.3) ng/L,(72.1 ± 7.4) ng/L,(135.2 ± 21.8) μg/L,(66.9 ± 8.2) U/L,(124.6 ± 12.5) U/L],the differences were statistically significant(t =24.076,18.967,31.373,15.828,24.884,16.774,all P ＜0.05).Conclusion TACE combined with RFA is effective in the treatment of liver cancer,which can effectively kill tumor cells and reduce the contents of serum tumor markers,and it is worthy of popularizing in clinic.

Objective:To investigate the effects of tuina, treadmill running or both on the expression of factors related to gastrocnemius muscle proteins after acute muscle injury and to explore the mechanisms involved.Methods:Thirty adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a control group, a natural recovery group, a tuina group, a treadmill running group and a combined treatment group, each of 6. An impactor was used to induce an acute skeletal muscle injury in the right hind legs of all of the rats except those of the control group. One day after the successful modelling, the tuina, treadmill running and combined groups were given interventions as their name implied, 5 times a week for 3 weeks. The gait of rats in each group was analyzed and the number of times the rats fell into and striken by the electrical grid was counted. The injured muscles′ cross-sectional areas (CSAs) and the diameters of muscle fibers were observed using hematoxylin and eosin staining. The expression of mTOR, p-mTOR, p70S6K, p-p70S6K and smad2/3 protein were tested using western blotting. The relative expression of myostatin (MSTN) mRNA was measured using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reactions.Results:Compared with the natural recovery group, all the other groups fell into the electrical grid significantly less often. The average CSA and wet weight of the affected gastrocnemius had increased significantly in the tuina, treadmill running and combined treatment groups, with the average CSA increases in the treadmill running and combined treatment groups significantly greater compared with the tuina group. The average relative expression of mTOR, p-mTOR, p70S6K, and p-p70S6K in the other four groups increased significantly compared with the control group, while that of Smad2/3 and MSTN decreased significantly. Compared with the natural recovery group, the average increases in the other groups were significantly greater. Compared with the tuina group, the treadmill running and combined treatment groups showed significantly better improvements, on average.Conclusions:Tuina, treadmill running and their combination all can improve recovery from skeletal muscle trauma, at least in rats. However, treadmill running and combined treatment are more effect than tuina alone.

Objective To explore the effects and mechanism of electroacupuncture (EA) on denervation-induced atrophy in rats. Methods A total of 18 male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into sham group (n=6), model group (n=6) and EA group (n=6). The latter two groups were clamped right sciatic nerve to establish atrophy model of skeletal muscle. On the second day after modeling, EA group accepted electroacupuncture on right Zusanli (ST36) and Huantiao (GB30) for two weeks. Their gastrocnemius muscles were obtained after intervention, and the wet weight ratio of the gastrocnemius muscles was calculated. The cross-sectional area (CSA) and diameter of muscle fibers were measured after HE staining. The protein expression of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), phosphorylated mTOR (p-mTOR), 70-KD ribosomal protein S6 kinase (p70S6K) and phosphorylated p70S6k (p-p70S6k) was tested with Western blotting. The gene expression of mTOR and p70S6K was detected with real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results Compared with the sham group, the wet weight ratio of the gastrocnemius muscle, CSA and diameter of the muscle fibers decreased in the model group and EA group (P<0.001), which were more in EA group than in the model group (P<0.01); the protein expression of mTOR, p-mTOR, p70S6K and p-p70S6K increased in the model group (P<0.01), and increased more in EA group (P<0.05); the gene expression of mTOR and p70S6K increased in the model group (P<0.05) , and increased more in EA group (P<0.05).Conclusion Electroacupuncture delays the atrophy of denervated skeletal muscles, which may relate to activation of mTOR/p70S6K signal pathway to impact synthesis of skeletal muscle proteins.

Irrespective of physiological or pathological skeletal muscle atrophy, the endocrine and motor functions of skeletal muscle are impaired. The mechanism of acupuncture to prevent and treat skeletal muscle atrophy is not only related to classical protein synthesis and decomposition, but also involves apoptosis, autophagy, muscle satellite cell proliferation and differentiation, muscle fiber type conversion, neuromuscular junction conduction, and cell energy metabolism conversion.