Most epidemiological investigations and basic studies have demonstrated that estrogen has neuroprotective effects,and the application of estrogen in cerebrovascular disease has a positive attitude.However,large clinical trials of the application of estrogen have indicated that harms outweigh benefits,and even have the risks of stroke.This article reviews the related studies about the neuroprotective effects of estrogen from the positive and negative aspects.

Stage Ⅲ A non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has high heterogeneity and there are some controversies over the treatment of this disease,especially for patients with stage ⅢA-N2 NSCLC.This article investigates whether preoperative or postoperative radiotherapy can improve the survival of patients with stage ⅢA-N2 NSCLC and evaluates the effect of surgical treatment.

The concept and important role of associative memory neural network are introduced.The development of associative memory neural network is also summarized along with other neural networks such as the Hopfield neural network,the neural network composed of FitzHugh-Nagumo neuron model,the neural network composed of Hodgkin-Huxley neuron model.

Objective To study the signal pathway of apoptosis of renal proximal tubular cells (RPTC) caused by cisplatin for prevention of toxic effects of cisplatin on kidney. Methods pcDNA3.1/Hygromycin vector and pEGFP-C3 vector including Bcl-2(Bcl-acta,Bcl-cb5 and Bcl-nt) were co-transfected in RPTC.After treated with cisplatin, Bax was activated,cytochrom C release and apoptosis were analyzed with confocal microscope and immunofluoresence technique. Apoptotic cells stained with Hoechst33258 were also counted and statistically analyzed. Results The percent of cytochrom C release (35.74%) in Bcl-cb5 transfected group was higher than those in Bcl-nt group (18.7%) and Bcl-acta group(24.6%)(P

To investigate the role of ERC,6 gene in the growth rate and antifungal susceptibility,Aspergillus fumigatus strain with extra copies of ERG6 gene was constructed.Open reading frame (ORF) of putative ERG6 gene was searched in A.fumigatus genome.A PCR fragment, ERG6 ORF sandwiched by its flanking sequences (about 1 kb respectively),was amplified and was then subcloned into vector pRG-AMA1- NotI to produce a recombinant plasmid pERG6,which was further transformed into uracil auxotroph A.fumigatus strain AF293.1 to produce the transformant AF-pERG6.In the same time,empty plasmid pRG-AMA1-NotI was also transformed into A.fumigatus strain AF293.1 to produce the transformant AF-empty as a control.Radial growth of the transformants was tested on minimal medium (MM) and YAG medi- um.Antifungal susceptibilities of these resahing transformants,AF-pERG6 and AF-empty,to the common antifungal agents were performed by using both disk diffusion and broth microdillution methods.A.fumigatus genome contains a ERG6 gene,of which the ORF size is 1 256 bp.Comparing to Candida albicans and Sacchromyces cerivisiae sterol methyltransferase,A.fumigatus Erg6p had 57% and 50% identity, and had 70% and 63% similarity in amino acid sequences,respectively.Radial growth of transformant AF-pERG6 was slower than that of transformant AF-empty.The antifungal susceptibilties of transformant AF-pERG6 to the antifungal drugs itraconazole,voriconazole,terbin- aline,amphotericin B,caspofungin and grisefolvin were same to that of transformant AF-empty.In A.fumigatus,extra copies of ERG6 gene have no effect on antifungal susceptibilities to itraconazole,voriconazole,terbinafine,amphotericin B,caspofungin and grisefolvin.Radial growth of A.fumigatus harboring extra copies of ERG6 gene becomes slower compared to the control.

Objective To determine the key points in surgical treatment of Mirizzi syndrome in the olderlys. Methods Clinical data of 12 cases of Mirizzi syndrome treated in our hospital from 1995 to 2004 were retrospectively analyzed. Results Only 6 cases were definitely diagnosed by ERCP and ultrasounography before operations. Three cases were treated with cholecystectomy, 7 cases with cholecystectomy and T-tube drainage of common bile duct, 2 cases with cholecystectomy and Roux-Y hepaticojejunostomy. Conclusions It is still difficult to diagnose Mirizzi syndrome preoperatively. Appropriate operative patterns should be selected according to different types of Mirizzi syndrome.No patient death during operations.The patients were followed 1-10 years, average was 3.2 years. No bile duct stricture was found.

Objective A retrospective analysis was carried out in 3 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and liver cirrhosis associated with haemochromatosis in our hospital, to investigate the effect of surgery, radio frequency ablation (RFA) and erythroapheresis in such patients. Methods 8 operations including partial liver resection and ultrasound-guided percutaneous transhepatic RFA were performed in 3 male patients with HCC and liver cirrhosis arising from haemochromatosis.Capecitabine was used in 2 patients. Erythroapheresis was performed in all 3 patients. Result Pathological examination showed hepatocellular carcinoma and liver cirrhosis. Positive Prussian blue staining confirmed the diagnosis of haemochromatosis. The mean survival time of 3 patients was 86 months (from 39 to 154 months). Conclusion It is important to discover HCC in patients with haemochromatosis as early as possible. The curative therapy is liver transplantation and hepatic resection. For patients with recurrent HCC, the combined therapy including RFA, chemotherapy and erythroapheresis could prolong their survival.

Bone Morphogenetic Proteins ; therapeutic use ; Calcitriol ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Electric Stimulation Therapy ; methods ; Humans ; Osteogenesis ; Osteogenesis, Distraction ; classification ; methods ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; therapeutic use ; Vitamin D ; analogs & derivatives

ObjectiveTo compare the mRNA and protein expression levels ofγ-aminobutyric acid receptor B2 ( GABABR2 ) in brain regions of male rats with high level aggressive behaviors and low level aggressive behaviors respectively,and provide clues for exploring mechanism of GABA in aggressive behaviors.MethodsWistar male rats were randomly divided into two groups:the normal group and the aggressive behavior group.Then social isolation and resident intruder stresses were used to establish high level and low level aggressive behavior in the aggressive behavior group.The mRNA and protein level of GABABR2 in parietal cortex,prefrontal cortex,hypothalamus and hippocampus of the three groups rats ( n=10 in each group) were detected using RT-PCR and Western blot respectively.ResultsThe GABABRB22 RT-PCR/Western blot relative integrated optical density of parietal cortex,prefrontal cortex,hypothalamus and hippocampus in the normal group rats respectively were.Those of the above four brain regions in high aggressive behavior group rats respectively were ( 0.507 ± 0.049/0.626 ±0.038 ),(0.609 ± 0.049/0.652 ± 0.010 ),( 0.359 ± 0.030/0.731 ± 0.044 ) and ( 0.296 ± 0.054/0.452 ±0.079) were significantly lower (P＜0.05) compared with the normal group rats.In the low aggressive behavior group rats,the GABABRB2 RT-PCR/Western blot relative integrated optical density of parietal cortex and hippocampus increased statistically(P＜ 0.05 ),while those of prefrontal cortex and hypothalamus decreased obviously (P ＜ 0.05 ).all in comparison with the normal group rats.Conclusion Different expression levels of GABABR2 in parietal cortex,prefrontal cortex,hypothalamus and hippocampus are relative to aggressive behaviors,which might be one of the mechanism for GABA in aggressive behaviors.

ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical features of cardiac involvement in polymyositis or dermatomyositis(PM/DM).MethodsAll articles published in Chinese and English were retrieved by searching the electronic resource databases.Theeligible articles that metthe predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria were included and then a systemic review was performed.ResultsTotally 23 articles were enrolled in this study,including 1452 patients.The incidence of cardiac involvement was 27.1％-85％.Heart failure was the most frequent (43.8％-76.9％) symptom.Among the abnormal ECG and UCG,the incidence of conduction abnormalities,left ventricular diastolic dysfunction andhyperkinetic left ventricular contraction 25％-38.5％,27.3％-51.5％ and 11.5％-42.3％ respectively.The pathological findings revealed myocardial inflamma-tion,degenerative changes and necrosis similar to those findings in skeletal muscles.Some patients'condition were improved aftergluco-corticoid stero and immunosuppressant treatment.Thirtypatients (30.9％) died as a direct result of heart disease.ConclusionHeart abnormalities are common in patients with PM/DM,most of them are subclinical,however.The efficacy of gluco corticoid steroid and immunosup-pressant treatment are uncertain.Cardiac involvement is a common cause of death.