Current cancer therapies, including chemotherapies and radiotherapies, can induce toxic side effects to normal tissues with low specificity to cancer cells and usually have limited efficacy as results of drug resistance. Phototherapies kill cancer cells under irradiation of light, preferably near-infrared light with high tissue penetration, and would normally show little toxic effect in the dark. Over the past decade, nanomaterial-based phototherapies have made tremendous progress worldwide. These therapies show remarkable results against cancer in many preclinical studies. This study reviews the recent achievements in the use of functional nanomaterials for photothermal therapy, photodynamic therapy, and photo-controlled therapeutic platforms and discusses future prospects and challenges in this field.

0.05),indicating that two groups had the similar effect on relieving pain.VAS score in both groups was markedly decreased after treatment(P0.05).Conclusion Acupuncture is effective in the treatment of lumbodorsal myofascial pain syndrome,and its effect is similar to that of local block of trigger points with lidocaine.Acupuncture has less side effect.

Erythropoietin(EPO) has an anti-apoptotic effect,and promotes the proliferation and differentiation of erythroid progenitor cells. Several studies have indicated that EPO can protect photoreceptor cells from the lightinduced retinal degeneration ;protect retinal neurons from ischemia-reperfusion injury and retinal ganglion cells after acute and chronic ocular hypertension; promote ganglion cell survival and axonal regeneration after optic nerve transaction; attenuate inflammation in multiple sclerosis optic neuritis; reduce the permeability of the retinal barrier and protect retinal neurons in diabetic retinopathy; enhance the stability of hypoxic retinal vessels in retinopathy of prematurity. Herein,we review the distribution of EPO and its receptor in retina,their expression in animal model of retinal diseases,and their effects and mechanisms in protection of retinal neurons and optic nerve.

Objective To evaluate the application of microscopic extended transsphenoidal approach in surgery for clival chordomas. Methods Nine patients with clival chordomas were managed by microscopic extended transsphenoidal approach from August 2007 to March 2008 with the assistance of neuro-navigation. Among those, 3-D stereoscopic virtual reality images of 4 cases were reconstructed successfully,which could identify the relationship between the tumors and surrounding structures and conduced to the operations. Results Total removal was achieved in 3 cases,which was confirmed by the imaging-scopy after the operations, subtotal removal in 6 cases. Because of the invasion of the subdural space by the tumor,CSF leakage occurred in 2 cases after the tumors were removed, which was cured by the reconstruction of the cranial base with the fat tissue and albumin gel. Conclusion The microscopic extended trans spbenoidal approach is a viable, minimally invasive alternative for surgical treatment of clival tumors. By this approach, the clivus including the anterior skull base and cavernous sinus can be exposed conveniently.

Objective To evaluate the value of fat-saturated three-dimensional fast imaging with steady state procession(FS-3D-FISP)sequence in detecting hyaline cartilage defects in osteoarthritis in rabbits.Methods Osteoarthritis was induced in eighteen male rabbits by injecting papain into the left knee joints.The same volume of sterile saline solution was injected into right knee joints as controls.MRI of knee joints was done at 1,2 and 4 weeks after injection using FS-3D-FISP sequence.The the rabbits were killed and pathohistological examinations of the femoral condylars and tibial plateaus were performed.The cartilage changes were observed by MR image according to the Outerbridge method and by pathology using Collins staging.Results There was closely correlation between MR imaging and pathology in grading of cartilage injury in grade I～II and grade III～IV(P＜0.001).Conclusion FS-3D-FISP can evaluate accurately the degree of articular injury.

Objective To observe the therapeutic effect of Jin 's three-needle manipulation combined with rehabilitation therapy for post-stroke shoulder-hand syndrome(SHS).Methods Eighty-two post-stroke SHS patients were randomized into the treatment group(N =42) and the control group(N =40).The treatment group received Jin 's three-needle manipulation combined with rehabilitation therapy,and the control group received rehabilitation therapy alone.The pain score was evaluated with Visual Analogue Scale(VAS),the score of upper-limb function was evaluated with simplified Fugl-Meyer Assay,and the movement of shoulder joint was measured with conimeter.Results The pain was relieved,upper-limb function was improved,and the movement of shoulder joint was increased to some extent after treatment in both groups(P

BACKGROUND:Previous studies have showed thatTougu XiaotongCapsule (TGXTC) exertsbetter effects on osteoarthritis, byregulatingRho/Rock signaling pathway, inhibitingsignal transduction of chondrocyte mitochondrial apoptosis pathway,varyingthe rate and pattern of subchondral bone remodeling and improving the arrangement of subchondral bone colagen fibers and calcium-phosphate crystalization. OBJECTIVE:To observe the effects of the serum containing TGXTC and itsdisassembled recipeson chondrocytedegenerationof ratsviaWnt/β-cateninsignal pathway, and to explore the maintherapeutic method forosteoarthritis in theTGXTC. METHODS:FortySprague-Dawley rats were randomlyassigned to receivethe treatment ofTGXTC,Bushen Rougan(BSRG),Huoxue Qufeng(HXQF) and normal saline, respectively, according tothe dose conversion methods ofanimaltoanimal and animaltohuman. Thenvarious drug-containing serums wereprepared for thefolowingcelular experiment.After culture and passage, chondrocytesfromSprague-Dawley ratsat passage 3 were divided into five groups: blank control, model, TGXTC, BSRG, HXQF groups. Cels in the latter four groups wereculturedin appropriate drug-containing serums(normal salineserumfor the model group) for 72 hours, folowing intervention with interleukin-1β for 24 hours.Cels in the blank control group were cultured innormal saline serum.Afterwards, cels in al the five groups were colected for detecting expression ofWnt 4, β-cateninandmatrix metaloproteinase 13at mRNA and proteinlevels using real-time PCR and western blot assay, respectively. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with theblank control group, the expressionof Wnt 4,β-catenin, matrix metaloproteinase 13 wassignificantly increasedin the model group. Compared with the model group, the expression of Wnt 4, β-catenin, matrix metaloproteinase 13 in the TGXTC, BSRG and HXQF groups were decreasedsignificantly, sequenced as TGXTC group

0.05).⑥Complications:1 case in the prosthetic disc nucleus replacement group had migration of the device in 1 year after the surgery,but no symptom and did not need revision;1 case complained of bilateral leg pain and 2 cases developed right leg pain in the fusion group,which were treated with oral medications and resolved after the 3-month follow-up.All patients with leg symptoms had surgery at the L5S1 disc space.CONCLUSION:①Quantitative clinical outcomes following prosthetic disc nucleus replacement are at least equivalent to clinical outcomes with traditional lumbar spinal fusion.These results support earlier reports in the literature.②Prosthetic disc nucleus replacement is a safe and effective alternative to fusion for the surgical treatment of symptomatic lumbar disc herniation in properly indicated patients.

Objective To study the predictive value of serum hyaluronic acid (HA) levels for morphological progression of osteoarthritis (OA).Methods Seventy New Zealand white rabbits were randomly and equally divided into the OA group and the normal control group.OA was induced by injecting 0.5 ml of 2％ papain into the left knee joints and the same volume of sterile saline solution was injected Into right knee joints in control group.The serum HA levels were detected at 1,2,4,6,8,10 and 12 weeks after injection.Then magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and pathohistological changes were observed.T test was used for the analysis of measurment.Resuts Compared with the control group,degeneration changes were found in the OA group,such as thinner articular cartilage,fibrillation and destroyed cartilage matrix,and inflammation,proliferation and degeneration of the synovial tissue.All these changes were much worse with prolonged observation time.The serum HA levels were increased [12 week:(657±132) ng/ml,vs (166±8) ng/ml],which correlate with structural damage.Conclusion Serum HA levels had a predictive value for further development of OA.