Two hundred and five patients with a confirmed diagnosis of aldosterone-producing adenomas underwent retroperitoneal laparoscopic operation from January 1999 to December 2009 in our hospital. All cases had hypokalemia and hypertension preoperatively. Of all the cases, 80 received total adrenalectomy and 125 received partial adrenalectomy. Operations were successfully performed in all cases. The time of operation ranged from 15 to 150 min [mean(45 ±13) min] and the volume of bleeding during operation ranged from 10 to 200 ml [mean(25 ±10) ml]. The length of hospital stay ranged from 4 to 9 d [mean(6. 8 ± 1. 2) d]. All patients were followed up for 0. 5 - 2 years (mean 1. 2 years). After operations blood potassium levels returned to normal in all cases, blood pressure returned to normal in 168 cases (82.0% ) . Results indicated that partial or total adrenalectomy with retroperitoneal laparoscopy for aldosterone-producing adenomas was safe and feasible technique.

In modern society,the spectrum of human diseases has changed significandy. Cerebrovascular diseases have become a huge threat to human health. Vascular smooth muscle cells,which constitute the main components of the cerebrovascular wall, play a key role in cerebrovascular diseases. Understanding the physiological metabolism of vascular smooth muscle cells is helpful to the research of cerebrovascular diseases. In recent years, researchers found that Wnt protein and Wnt signaling pathway were widely involved in cerebrovascular diseases. Wnt signaling pathway plays an important role in the proliferation,migration and apoptosis of smooth muscle cells. This review, based on Wnt signaling pathway, will explore the relationship between vascular smooth muscle cells and cerebrovascular lesions.

Objective To study on wavelet transform in calcium sparks image de-noising when excitation contraction cou-pling(ECC) was studied and researched by scanning confocal microscopy,in order to elucidate the mechanism of ECC.But due to the noise exist in most calcium sparks image,it is hardly to recognize and analyze the useful information of calcium sparks.So how to increase the signal-to-noise rate is very important in calcium spark studying.Methods By using the self-developed software based on multi-scale wavelet transform to remove the noise exists in the calcium sparks images.Results The experiments shows that the method can be increased the signal-to-noise rate in about 80 calcium sparks images.Con-clusion The new method for calcium spark expression and spatial and temporal analysis is provided.

Objective To indentify the high risk factors of bone metastasis in Chinese patients at the initial stage of prostate cancer (PCa) diagnosis, so as to elucidate the characteristics of patients with very low risk of bone metastasis at the initial stage of prostate cancer. Methods A consecutive series of 496 patients with newly diagnosed PCa between 2010 and 2015 were enrolled in the present study. All the patients were subjected to ECT scan for presence of bone metastasis (BM) using total-body 99mTc MDP scintigraphy regardless of baseline PCa characteristics. Factors including the age of diagnosis, prostate specific antigen (PSA) level at diagnosis, Gleason score, clinical T stage, bone scan and CT/MRI results were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the predictors of bone metastases. Results Of the 496 patients, 81 patients (16.3%) had bone metastases. The PSA levels of patients with BM were significantly higher than those without BM (P<0.001). The mean age of the patients with BM was not significantly older than that of the patients without BM. Patients with higher PSA level, clinical T stage or Gleason score showed a significantly higher risk of BM (P<0.001). Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that PSA>20 ng/mL at diagnosis, clinical stage at T3-T4 and Gleason score≥8 were the risk factors of bone metastasis in PCa patients. The multivariate analysis showed that the PSA level>50 ng/mL and the Gleason score≥8 were the independent predictors of bone metastases. No bone metastasis was found in 79 patients with PSA≤20 ng/mL and at the same time with Gleason score≤6. Conclusion The bone metastases rate is very low in Chinese patients with a PSA level ≤20 ng/mL and at the same time with Gleason score≤6, so a bone scan is not necessary as a routine for these patients with newly diagnosed prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects and possible mechanisms of decitabine on Molt4 in vitro.

METHODSEffects of decitabine on cells proliferation were detected by using CCK-8, the apoptosis by Annexin V-FITC, cell cycles by propidium iodide-FACS. Discrepancy genes were screened by RNA-seq technique. The CpG methylation of lactoferrin (LTF) gene in Molt4 cells were identified by Bisulfite sequencing PCR (BSP). The expression of LTF mRNA in Molt4 by RT-PCR and LTF protein expression were analyzed by Western blot.

RESULTSDecitabine effectively inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis for Molt4 cells by an time- and dose-dependent manners. Cell cycles were arrested at the G₀/G₁ phase. The promoter methylation degree of LTF gene in Molt4 cells was 72.3% before decitabine treatment and decreased to 45.0% after treatment with 0.50 μmol/L decitabine for 72 h. After the reduction of methylation, expression of its mRNA and protein increased, meanwhile caspase 3 and caspase 9 protein expression levels increased.

CONCLUSIONThe demethylating drug decitabine can induce apoptosis, detain cell cycle at phase G₀/G₁, inhibit proliferation and up-regulate LTF gene expression in Molt4 cells. LTF may become a new target for acute T lymphoblastic leukemia.

Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic ; Apoptosis ; Azacitidine ; analogs & derivatives ; Caspase 3 ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; DNA Methylation ; Humans ; Lactoferrin ; Precursor T-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; Promoter Regions, Genetic

Cerebrovascular diseases such as intracranial atherosclerosis, intracranial aneurysm and ischemic stroke have become the important causes of death and disability. The structural and functional changes of cerebrovascular, which are caused by various pathogenic factors, are the common pathophysiological basis of cerebrovascular diseases. At present, the etiology of cerebrovascular diseases has not been clarified. Growing evidence suggests that matrix metalloproteinases play an important role in the occurrence and development of cerebrovascular diseases. Blocking or inhibiting the expression of matrix metalloproteinases provides a new theoretical basis for non-invasive treatment of cerebrovascular diseases. This review discusses the relationship between matrix metalloproteinases and cerebrovascular diseases.

Objective To explore the effect of PRKAG2 gene G100S mutation in cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) region on adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activity in cardiomyocytes of mice. Methods A human PRKAG2 (G100S) transgenic mouse model was established. Four-week-old and 12-week-old transgenic mice, and 4-week-old and 12-week-old wildtype littermate were randomly selected from N4 generation mice (n＝6). The activity of AMPK in mouse cardiomyocytes was detected by phosphorylation assay kit. The difference of AMPK activity was compared between transgenic mice and wildtype littermate, and the changes of the activity of AMPK with the increase of age were observed in transgenic mice. Results The AMPK activities in cardiomyocytes of 4-week-old and 12-week-old transgenic mice were significantly lower than those of the wildtype littermate (0.042±0.013 vs 0.063±0.013, and 0.032±0.008 vs 0.062±0.018), and the differences were significant (P＝ 0.019, P＝0.004). There was no significant difference in the AMPK activity of cardiomyocytes between 4-week-old and 12-week-old transgenic mice (P＝0.135). Conclusion The PRKAG2 gene G100S mutation can cause a reduction of AMPK activity in cardiomyocytes of transgenic mice, and AMPK activity does not significantly increase or decrease with the growth of the transgenic mice.

Objective To explore the influencing risk factors of perioperative technical complications and clinical prognosis of stent-assisted coiling (SAC) for acute (≤28 d) ruptured intracranial aneurysm (RIA). Methods Acute RIA patients, who received SAC treatment in Changhai Hospital of Naval Medical University (Second Military Medical University) between Jan. 2012 and Jun. 2018, were retrospectively enrolled. The clinical and imaging data were analyzed using univariable analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify the potential risk factors of perioperative technical complications and clinical prognosis. Results A total of 509 acute RIA patients (170 males and 339 females), who underwent SAC treatment and received 30-d follow-up, were included in this study. Perioperative ischemic complications occurred in 28 cases (5.5%), and multivariate regression analysis showed that the location of aneurysms at the bifurcation of blood vessels was an independent risk factor of ischemic complications (odds ratio [OR]＝4.108, P＝0.001). Perioperative hemorrhagic complications occurred in 25 cases (4.9%), and multivariate regression analysis showed that age60 years was an independent risk factor of hemorrhagic complications (OR＝3.574, P＝0.014). The modified Rankin scale (mRS) scores of 81 patients (15.9%) ranged from 3 to 5 at discharge, 27 patients (5.3%) died with mRS score of 6, and the poor prognosis (mRS score2) rate was 21.2% (108/509). Multivariate regression analysis showed that age≥80 years, Hunt-Hess 3-5 class, perioperative ischemic complications, perioperative hemorrhagic complications and poor Glasgow coma scale (GCS) score were independent risk factors of poor prognosis (all P0.01). Conclusion For the acute RIA patients treated with SAC, the location of aneurysms at the vascular bifurcation is an independent risk factor of perioperative ischemic complications; age60 years is an independent risk factor for hemorrhagic complications; and the patients with poor GCS score at admission have a poor prognosis at discharge, and perioperative ischemic and hemorrhagic complications are independent risk factors of poor prognosis.

Accurate bracket placement is essential for efficient and ideal orthodontic treatment. Due to the extensive integration of computer technology into orthodontics, computer-aided positioning brackets and variable methods of indirect bonding develop rapidly, aiming to position the brackets more correctly and simply. Compared with direct bonding and indirect bonding based on plaster models, three-dimensional digital maxillofacial-dental models have the advantage of simulating the virtual bracket position and the whole treatment process, predicting the final treatment outcomes, consequently, allowing for more accurate bracket positioning and less chair time. Here we reviewed the recent development of bracket placement, direct and indirect positioning technique in orthodontics.

To explore the expressions of Beclinl and microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3(1X3) in type A aortic dissection (AD) tissue and to discuss the relevance. Methods Twenty surgical AD specimens were used in this study, and 10 normal control specimens were obtained from autopsy. Immuno-histochemical staining and Western blotting analysis were performed to evaluate the locations and expressions of Beclinl and LC3 proteins. Results It was found that Beclinl and LC3 proteins were mainly located in the vascular smooth muscle cells of the AD tissues, and the expressions in the AD tissues were signicantly higher than those in the control group (P<0. 05). Conclusion Autophagy is activated in the vascular smooth muscle cells of AD tissues, which may play an important role in the development and progression of thoracic aortic dissection.