The morbidity and nortality of esophageal carcinoma showed an upward trend in recent years.Neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy is the nain mode of treatment for advanced esophageal carcinoma,including neoadjuvant chemotherapy,neoadjuvant radiotherapy and neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy.However,there are still many controversies on efficacies and advantages or disadvantages of treatment mode.In this article,authors will investigate the present situations and future direction of neoadjuvant therapy for locally advanced esophageal carcinoma.

Objective To compare the effects of different composite resins as core material on the degree of microleakage in post-core repairation.Methods A total of 46 recently extracted single-rooted mandibular premolars were distributed into different groups according to different core material including ParaCore,AP-X and Ceramage.Then we used direct or indirect forming method to make post-core restorations.All of the specimens were submerged in dyes.Then,they were demineralized,dehydrated and processed to be transparent.The extent of the dye leakage was examined under a stereomicroscope.Results The microleakage value was significantly higher in Group of direct-mold-cement with ParaCore (4.94± 1.71)mm than in Group of indirect-mold-secondary-cement with ParaCore (0.91 ± 0.33) mm,Group of indirect-mold-secondary-cement with AP-X (0.87 ± 0.27) mm,and Group of indirect-mold-secondary-cement with Ceramage (1.02 ± 0.34)mm.Conclusion Different methods of building and cementing FRC post-core restorations,but not different composite resins as core material,have significant effects on the extent of microleakage in post-core repair.

Drug-induced liver injury(DILI) is one of the major causes of termination of drug development.The establishment of a high-throughput test system to predict potential clinical hepatotoxicity is a valuable approach in the pharmaceutical industry.The high-content imaging-based in vitro assays allow simultaneous detection of cellular multiple parameters in the system.The real-time monitoring of multiple signaling pathways can shed light on many mechanisms of cell injury,with high sensitivity and specificity.Many types of liver cell models have been applied to high-content screening(HCS) so far.This paper introduceds the HCS technology and reviews the data of hepatotoxicity obtained from HCS technology in recent years.At the same time,we discuss the application of this technology in exploring the mechanism of hepatotoxicity and the potential of HCS technology in studying DILI and mechanisms.

To compare the microleakage of fiber post and resin-core system fabricated by different methods.The roots of 36 recently extracted single-rooted mandibular premolars were undergone endodontic treatment.Fiber posts and Paracore flowable resin composite were used for fabricating post-core restorations.Microleakage was examined by dye penetration method.The microleakage value was significantly higher in Direct-Mold-Cement-Method group(4.94 ± 1.71) mm compared to Direct-Mold-Secondary-Cement-Method group(0.91 ±0.33) mm and Indirect-Mold-Secondary-Cement-Method group (0.87 ± 0.27) mm (P ＜ 0.05).

Objective To observe the effect of interventional therapy of urokinase on sudden hearing loss.Methods65 patients with sudden hearing loss were divided into the treatment group (n=35) and control group (n=30). The patients of the treatment group were treated with urokinase pouring into vertebral artery accordingly into labyrinthine artery in order to improve internal ear microcirculation. Those of the control group were treated with routine drug dropping in vein. All patients of two groups were examined by pure tone test before and after treatment and the therapeutic effect of two groups was compared.ResultsIn the treatment group, the audition of 21 cases recovered, 12 cases got 15～30 dB increasing, 2 cases increased <15 dB. In the control group, the audition of 10 cases recovered, 4 cases got 15～30 dB increasing, 9 cases increased <15 dB and 7 cases had no obvious improvement. There was a significant difference between effects of two groups ( P<0.05).ConclusionThe effect of urokinase on sudden hearing loss is superior to routine drug dropping in vein.

ObjectiveTo explore the effect of sodium selenite on gentamicin-induced ototoxicity.MethodsTwenty guinea pigs were randomly divided into the experimental group and control group with 10 animals in each group. The animals were treated with i.m injection of gentamicin (200 mg/kg/d for 8 consecutive days, and at same time, the experimental group was added with p.o tablet of sodium selenite (1 mg/kg/d). Before and after the administration, hearing function was evaluated by examination for auditory brain stem responses (ABR). The cochlear outer haircells were observed by scanning electronic microscope (SEM) and transmission electronic microscope (TEM).ResultsABR threshold of the control group was about 30 dB above that of the experimental group (P<0.01). The latency of waveⅠof the control group was about 0.23 ms above that of the experimental group (P<0.01). Under SEM, the cilia of the majority outer hair cells of the control group lodged even disappeared, while that of the experimental remained regular. Under TEM, in outer hair cells of the control group, mitochondrial crests were obscure, out-membrane was damaged and local protruding, the number of secondary lysosomes was increased, myeloid bodies appeared, but in the experimental group, outer hair cells basically remained normal.ConclusionSodium selenite has antitoxic effect on guinea pig cochlea injury induced by gentamicin in vivo.

Objective To observe the muscle wasting in diabetic kidney disease (DKD) model of type 2 and non-obese diabetes mellitus in Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats,and to evaluate the effect of lowprotein diet supplemented with α-keto acids on muscle wasting.Methods Forty-five male 24-weekage GK rats were randomly divided into three groups:normal protein diet group (22％ casein diet,NPD),low protein diet group (6％ casein diet,LPD) and LPD + α-keto group (5％ casein + 1％ α-keto,Keto).Fifteen gender-and age-matched Wistar rats were served as the control group (CTL).The living condition of GK rats was observed and body weight was measured once a week.Urine albumin,serum glucose,lipids,albumin,creatinine and urea nitrogen were measured at the age of 24,32,40,48 weeks.Soleus muscle at the age of 48-week was observed to calculate the muscle size with software.Expressions of atrogin-1,MuRF-1 and MyoD,myogenin were examined by Q-PCR and Western blotting.Results Compared with the CTL group,NPD,LPD,Keto groups had lower body weight [(317.90± 13.81),(330.38±11.96),(390.44±12.25) g vs (429.43± 16.85) g,all P ＜ 0.05],higher urine albumin [(14.36±5.52),(8.12±4.61),(5.58±3.50) mg/24 h vs (0.61±0.16) mg/24 h,all P ＜ 0.05],higher serum creatinine [(81.50±7.88),(66.32±8.36),(63.44±8.21) μmol/L vs (24.43±6.15) μmol/L,all P ＜0.05] and urea nitrogen [(7.53±1.05),(5.63±1.40),(5.54±0.97) mmol/L vs (2.98±0.62) mmol/L,all P ＜0.05].The cross-sectional area of soleus muscle fibers was larger in CTL group.Compared with CTL group,the expression levels of atrogin-1 and MuRF-1 increased significantly (all P ＜ 0.05),and of MyoD and myogenin decreased significantly in NPD,LPD,Keto groups (all P ＜ 0.05).In Keto group after 40 weeks,muscle wasting was improved compared with NPD and LPD group [body weight (381.62± 15.82) g vs (331.50±17.58),(326.60± 13.43) g,all P ＜ 0.05],cross-sectional area of soleus muscle increased,levels of urine albumin,serum creatinine and urea nitrogen decreased (all P ＜ 0.05),the protein expressions of atrogin-1 and MuRF-1 decreased,and myogenin and MyoD were higher as compared to CTL group (all P ＜ 0.05).There were no significant differences between NPD and LPD group.Conclusions In DKD condition,protein degradation in the skeletal muscle is accelerated,the genes which control muscle atrophy are activated,and proliferation and differentiation of the muscle satellite cells are impaired.Low-protein diet supplemented with α-keto acids can improve muscle wasting induced by DKD.

Objective To observe the expression of neuron specific enolase (NEC) to evaluate the neuroprotective effect of a cell-penetrating Bax-inhibiting peptide (BIP) on neonatal rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD). Methods Wi-star rats (7-day old) were randomly divided into Sham group, BIP group and HIBD group. After modeling HIBD, the histologi-cal (HE staining) and immunohistochemistry methods were used to determine the apoptotic pathological changes and the NSE expression levels in the brain at different time points. Results Compared to the Sham group, the rats of HIBD group showed significant apoptotic pathological changes. The histological changes and the brain damages were improved significantly in BIP group at each sampling point. The number of NSE-positive cells was significantly decreased in HIBD and BIP groups over time (P<0.05). The number of NSE-positive cells had significant difference among different groups at 48 h, 96 h and 7 d after opera-tion (F=45.35-81.66, P<0.01). The number of NSE-positive cells in the HIBD group was smaller than that of the Sham group and BIP group 48 h after operation (P<0.05). The number of NSE-positive cells in the BIP group was smaller than that of the Sham group 96 h after operation (P<0. 05). Conclusions BIP can decrease the apoptosis of cortex nerve cells in 7-day old HIBD rat model, and may have neuroprotective effect on the early stage of HIBD.

Objective To investigate the influence of uremic serum on the monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) expression of human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) in vitro and the effect of up-regulation of berne oxygenase 1 (HO-1) on the synthesis of MCP-1 of HUVECs in uremic milieu. Methods HUVECs were incubated to confluence and then preineubated with heroin and/or protoporphyrin zinc IX (ZnPP)for 6 hours.The cultures were subsequently incubated with M199 cell medium containing 10% serum of healthy people or with medium containing 10% serum of maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients.HO-1 protein and mRNA expression was detected by immunohistochemistry and semi-quantitative RT-PCR.MCP-1 mRNA expression was measured by semi-quantitative RT-PCR,and MCP-1 protein was quantified by ELISA. Results Up-regulated expression of MCP-1 mRNA and protein was detected in HUVECs incubated with medium containing 10% serum of MHD patients.The protein synthesis was 2.95 folds of the control.Heroin induced expression of HO-1 mRNA and protein,and concurrently inhibited the up-regulated MCP-1 expression induced by uremic serum.Such effects of heroin could be blocked by ZnPP. Conclusions Uremic serum induces the expression of MCP-1 in HUVECs.Up-regulated expresson of endothelial HO-1 induced by heroin inhibits the enhancement of MCP-1 synthesis.HO-1 may be beneficial to the alleviation of endothelial cell injury in uremic milieu.

Objective To probe into the social support, coping styles, and mental health status of medical staff in a tertiary hospital in Beijing, for identifying potential mental problems. Methods Such means as the Social Support Rating Sheet (SSRS), Simple Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ), Symptom Checklist (SCL-90), and demographic characteristics questionnaire were called into play, to study 2460 medical staff in five tertiary hospitals in Beijing. Results Differences were identified among medical staff of different demographic characteristics, in terms of positive coping style and support dimensions. Analysis of the survey data indicates that the total SCL scores, total symptom problem index, positive symptom pain level, total average score of the factors, are positively related to passive coping style, as P<0. 01; and are negatively related to subjective/objective support, support utilization, and total support scores, as P<0. 01. Conclusions Hospital administration is expected to implement focused intervention to such medical staff as those under 40 years old, women, widows or divorcees, those with education lower than university degree, those with junior academic title or lower, those without titles, those in emergency departments and emergency intensive care units, doctors and nurses, frequent night-shift workers, those of excessively low self evaluation, and medical staff with chronic diseases. The purpose of this practice is to alleviate their mental stress.