Fall has seriously impaired the quality of life of old people. The main risk factors for fall in the old people are concerned with balance dysfunction which is caused by ageing. Taiji Quan exercise can promote the lower limb muscle strength, proprioception, neuro-muscular reaction, gait and cognition of the old people, that plays a role in fall prevention.

Objective To evaluate the curative effects of portal vein tumor emboli(PVTE)of hepatocellular carcinoma treated by CT-guided percutaneous ethanol injection(PEI).Methods Absolute ethanol was injected into the tumor embolus of portal vein guided by CT in twenty patients with hepatocellular carcinomas.The procedure was carried out one or two times each week one to three times as a course and one to two courses for a patient.The interval between two courses was one month and the patients were followed up for 6 months-5 years.Results Among the twenty patients,17(85%)were improved in different degrees after the treatment,with disappearence of the tumor emboli in 2(10%)and size stability or even smaller in 15 (75%),and finally no response in 3(15%).Conclusions CT-guided PEI is an effective method for patient with PVTE and proper selection of patient for the procedure is the key to obtain better curative effects.

Adenocarcinoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous ; metabolism ; pathology ; Adenocarcinoma, Papillary ; metabolism ; pathology ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Cycle Proteins ; metabolism ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Ki-67 Antigen ; metabolism ; Male ; Neoplasm Staging ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins ; metabolism ; Stomach Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology

Hemiplegics after stroke are often disabled in sit-to-stand(STS).This article discussed the biomechanics of STS in the hemiplegic stroke patients,in terms of kinematics,kinetics and surface electromyography,and the rehabilitation for the stroke patients with STS dysfunction.It was found that the stability,duration,symmetry of support and degree and se-quence of muscular activation were different when the patients finished the STS task in three foot positions of natural, symmetrical and unaffected foot behind.The early STS rehabilitation training or other rehabilitation may improve the function of the hemiplegic lower extremity to prevent falls and apraxia.

BACKGROUNDTransmyocardial laser revascularization (TMLR) has been used in the treatment of patients with end-stage coronary artery disease (CAD) since 1990. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of TMLR in patients with diffuse CAD.

METHODSNinety-four consecutive patients underwent TMLR in one center from July 1997 to December 2000. The follow-up data of these patients were obtained through face-to-face, mail questionnaires, or telephone interviews in July 2004 and December 2004. Four cases failed to respond. Mean follow-up time was (5.5 +/- 1.0) years.

RESULTSMean Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) angina scores of TMLR patients were 3.1 +/- 0.8 at baseline, 1.7 +/- 0.9 at 1 year (P < 0.05), 1.7 +/- 0.9 at 3 years (P < 0.05), and 1.9 +/- 0.9 at 5 years (P < 0.05). At an average of 5 years, 69% of the patients had > or = 1 angina class reduction, mean NYHA class level (1.9 +/- 0.9) ameliorated compared to the baseline (2.5 +/- 0.7, P < 0.001), the rate of re-hospitalization was 2.7 times/person. Kaplan-Meier survival rate was 87% at 1 year, 69% at 3 years and 64% at 5 years. The causes of death were attributed more to heart failure (58.9%) and myocardial infraction (14.7%) after TMLR. The patients with no angina relief, or who died after TMLR, had a higher percentage of preoperative unstable anginas or prior myocardial infraction compared to the survivors. The assorted shapes of myocardial laser channels were detected in some patients by the color Doppler velocity technique.

CONCLUSIONSTMLR provided a long-term improvement in the quality of life, including CCS angina class or NYHA heart functional class for about 70% of Chinese patients with severely disabling angina pectoris. The various myocardial laser channels would always be visible after TMLR. 5-years after TMLR as a sole therapy, the survival rate of the patients was 64%.

Aged ; Coronary Artery Disease ; mortality ; psychology ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Laser Therapy ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Revascularization ; methods ; Quality of Life ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon ; Ventricular Function, Left

OBJECTIVETo identify novel multi-drug resistance-related genes, and to explore the mechanisms of multi-drug resistance.

METHODSMulti-drug resistant cell line Lovo/5-FU was established by incubation with increasing dose of 5-FU. The sensitivity to 5-FU and cis-diaminodichloroplatinum (CDDP) was measured by MTT assay. Two dimensional electrophoresis plus mass spectrum(2-DE/MS) was used to identify the differentially expressed protein between Lovo and Lovo/5-FU. The identified protein was then verified by Western blot analysis.

RESULTSThe IC50 concentrations of Lovo/5-FU to 5-FU and CDDP were increased by 31 and 3 times, compared with Lovo (both P<0.01). 2DE-MS showed that CAP-G and RhoGDI2 were up-regulated, whereas 6-PGL, DCI, Prdx-6 and Maspin were down-regulated in Lovo/5-FU. Western blot analysis confirmed that the expression levels of RhoGDI2 and CAP-G in Lovo/5-FU were increased by 6.14 and 2.98 fold respectively (both P<0.01), whereas Maspin was decreased to 5.2% of Lovo(P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSMulti-gene and multi-pathway are involved in the development of multi-drug resistance of colorectal cancer cells. CAP-G, RhoGDI2 and Maspin are potential multi-drug resistant genes.

Cell Line, Tumor ; Colonic Neoplasms ; genetics ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; genetics ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; genetics ; Humans ; Microfilament Proteins ; genetics ; Nuclear Proteins ; genetics ; Serpins ; genetics ; rho Guanine Nucleotide Dissociation Inhibitor beta ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of STK15 in regulating mitosis of gastric cancer cells (MKN45) by gene silencing through RNA interference mechanism.

METHODSRNA interference technique was used to inhibit STK15 expression in MKN45 cells. The expression levels of STK15 mRNA and protein were measured by real-time quantitative RT-PCR and Western blot respectively and cell morphological changes were investigated by reverse microscopy. In addition, cell cycle distribution and cellular proliferation were determined by flow-cytometry and MTT assay respectively. Finally, the mitotic phenotype of MKN45 cells was studied by immunofluorescence staining and confocal microscopy.

RESULTSSilencing of STK15 gene by RNA interference was confirmed by marked decrease of STK15 mRNA and protein levels in the treated MKN45 cells. This silencing correlated with rounding of the cells, decreasing of DNA content in G(2) phase (P < 0.05) and a lowered proliferation index (P < 0.05), along with alterations of mitotic phenotype of MKN45 (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSTK15 gene may play a key role in regulating cellular mitosis and its inhibition by RNA interference leading to mitosis arrest in MKN45 cells.

Adenocarcinoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Aurora Kinase A ; Aurora Kinases ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; DNA, Neoplasm ; metabolism ; Gene Silencing ; Humans ; Mitosis ; drug effects ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; RNA Interference ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; RNA, Small Interfering ; pharmacology ; Stomach Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of Hedgehog (HH) pathway on proliferation and in vitro tumorigenicity of gastric cancer cell lines.

METHODSThe expression of SHH, PTCH, SMO, SUFU and GLI1 in seven cell lines were tested by RT-PCR. siRNA targeting GLI1 mRNA was transfected into MKN28 cells. Cell proliferation and in vitro tumorigenicity were examined by CCK8 and soft agar colony formation test.

RESULTSSHH in six gastric cancer cell lines was up-regulated. Expression of PTCH in KATOIII cell lines and expression of SUFU in MKN28 and KATOIII were reduced. GLI1 siRNA significantly inhibited the expression of GLI1 in MKN28 cell line. Growth rate and colony formation rate of MKN28 cells treated with GLI1 siRNA were significantly lower than those of control cells (all P <0.001).

CONCLUSIONSHH signaling pathway is widely activated in gastric cancer cell lines. The activation of HH signaling pathway promotes the growth of MKN28 cells.

Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Gastric Mucosa ; cytology ; Hedgehog Proteins ; metabolism ; Humans ; Oncogene Proteins ; metabolism ; RNA, Small Interfering ; Signal Transduction ; Stomach Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Trans-Activators ; metabolism ; Zinc Finger Protein GLI1

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of inhibition of serine/threonine kinase15 (STK15) gene expression on apoptosis induction in gastric cancer cell line-MKN45 and discuss the role of STK15 in viability of gastric cancer cells.

METHODSThe STK15 expression was inhibited by chemically synthesized siRNA. The STK15 mRNA and protein level were respectively measured by real-time quantitative PCR and western blotting,the change of cell cycle distribution and apoptosis rate were detected by flow-cytometry, cell morphological change was observed by Hoechst staining,and pro-caspase 3 level was also detected by western blot.

RESULTSAfter treatment by siRNA targeting STK15 after 48 h, STK15 mRNA and protein level decreased obviously. More MKN45 cells accumulated at G(2)/M phase (P< 0.05). The apoptosis rate of STK15 siRNA treated MKN45 cells was higher than that of control cells(P< 0.05) with the pro-caspase 3 level decreased.

CONCLUSIONSInhibition of STK15 gene expression may induce apoptosis in MKN45 cells through the pathway of caspase3. STK15 gene play a key role in proliferation and viability of MKN45 cells.

Apoptosis ; Aurora Kinase A ; Aurora Kinases ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Gene Silencing ; Humans ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases ; genetics ; RNA, Small Interfering ; Stomach Neoplasms

OBJECTIVETo study the expression and intracellular localization of FRZB gene in gastric cancer tissue, and to explore its significance in gastric cancer.

METHODSThe expression of FRZB in tumor tissues from 90 patients with gastric cancer and in normal gastric mucous as control were analyzed by immunohistochemistry in tissue array. FRZB expression in gastric cancer cell lines and immortalized gastric epithelial cell line GES-1 were detected by quantitative real-time PCR(Q-PCR) and Western blot. The intracellular localization of FRZB was observed by immunofluorescence staining.

RESULTSThe positive expression rate of FRZB in gastric cancer was 92.2%. FRZB expressed in gastric cancer with well differentiation was higher than that with poor differentiation.The positive rate in normal gastric mucous was 10.0% (one out of ten). By confocal microscope, FRZB localized both in cytoplasma and nucleus, especially on the nuclear membrane. The Q-PCR and Western blot results also showed that the expression of FRZB in gastric cancer cell lines was higher than that in GES-1.

CONCLUSIONSThe expression of FRZB in gastric cancer is correlated with tumor cell differentiation and tumor Lauren classification. The nuclear localization of FRZB may contribute to its function in gastric cancer formation and progression.

Biomarkers, Tumor ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; DNA Primers ; Female ; Gene Expression ; Glycoproteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasm Staging ; Stomach Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology