Objective: To investigate the effect of nerve growth factor-β(NGF-β) on the proliferation and cell cycle of human pancreatic cancer MIA PaCa-2 cells. Methods: MIA PaCa-2 cells were treated with different concentrations of NGF-β and K252a (inhibitor of NGF-β receptor TrKA) alone or in combination. Clone forming rate, proliferation, and cell cycle of MIA PaCa-2 cells treated with different strategies were examined by clone formation assay, MTT, and flow cytometry, respectively. Results: NGF-β significantly increased the clone formation and proliferation of MIA PaCa-2 cells (P<0.05, P<0.01). K252a significantly inhibited the proliferation of MIA PaCa-2 cells (P<0.05), while NGF-β combined with K252a had no significant effect on the proliferation of MIA PaCa-2 cells. NGF-β arrested MIA PaCa-2 cell cycle in S phase, K252a arrested cell cycle in G_0/ G_1 phase, and NGF-β combined with K252a arrested cell cycle in S phase. Conclusion: NGF-β can enhance the proliferation of pancreatic carcinoma MIA PaCa-2 cells.

Patients with neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD) experience urinary incontinence with or without difficult urination, which might promote recurrent urinary tract infection (UTI) and exacerbate upper urinary tract function. Nonetheless, appropriate bladder management has been shown to reduce urological complications and improve quality of life. In addition to pharmacological therapy and surgical intervention, botulinum toxin A (BoNT-A) has been widely utilized in NLUTD. The therapeutic efficacy of detrusor BoNT-A injections for neurogenic detrusor overactivity due to spinal cord injury (SCI), multiple sclerosis, or other central nervous system lesions, such as cerebrovascular accident, Parkinson disease, early dementia, and pediatric NLUTD due to myelomeningocele, has been well established, with repeated BoNT-A injections every 6 to 9 months being necessary to maintain its therapeutic effects. Urethral BoNT-A injection can decrease urethral sphincter resistance and facilitate efficient voiding in patients with NLUTD who wish to preserve self-voiding. Detrusor BoNT-A injection can also decrease the occurrence of autonomic dysreflexia in patients with SCI, even after failed augmentation enterocystoplasty, with additional benefits including reduced UTI episodes and preserved renal function with repeated injections. However, this treatment does have some side effects. Complete informed consent for BoNT-A injection therapy with full disclosure of its potential complications should therefore be obtained before this procedure is undertaken.

Objective: To compare moxibustion sensation and infrared thermography by the assessment of heat-sensitization on Guanyuan (CV 4) in patients with primary dysmenorrhea, and to prove the possibility of adopting infrared thermography as an objective demonstration of acupoints heat-sensitization. Methods: Seventy-one patients with primary dysmenorrhea were enrolled to receive moxibustion and infrared to detect the heat-sensitization of Guanyuan (CV 4). The results were then analyzed and compared. Results: The infrared radiation showed a lower temperature when the acupoint Guanyuan (CV 4) was sensitized in patients with primary dysmenorrhea. Compared with moxibustion sensation, its sensitivity rate (real positive rate) was 76.6%, divergence rate (real negative rate) was 70.1%, and the accuracy rate was 74.6%. After giving moxibustion to Guanyuan (CV 4), the infrared radiation area was significantly expanded longitudinally and transversely. Compared with moxibustion test, the sensitivity rate (real positive rate) of infrared test was 78.7%, divergence rate (real negative rate) was 83.3%, and the accuracy rate was 80.3%. Conclusion: To a certain extent, the heat-sensitization of the acupoint Guanyuan (CV 4) in patients with primary dysmenorrhea can be revealed by infrared thermography. The acupoint heat-sensitization phenomena (heat extension or transmission) after giving moxibustion to the heat-sensitized acupoints can also be demonstratedobjectively by infrared thermography, besides experienced subjectively by the receivers.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical outcomes of the posterior C1,2 screw-rod combined with C2 unilateral translaminar screw and contralateral pedicle screw fixation and autogenous bicortical iliac crest graft fusion in treating upper cervical instability with vertebral artery variations.

METHODSFrom June 2008 to December 2012, the clinical data of 12 patients with upper cervical instability underwent C1 lateral mass screws-C2 unilateral laminar and contralateral pedicle screws fixation combined with autogenous bicortical iliac crest graft fusion were analyzed retrospectively. There were 8 males and 4 females with a mean age of 47.5 years (ranged, 16 to 77 years). Patients suffered from occipitocervical activity limitation of motion with pain or not, VAS was 0-7 points with an average of (3.50 +/- 2.71) points. Unilateral vertebral artery hypoplasia was demonstrated by vertebral arteriography (VAG) or CTA in all patients. Cervical X-ray and CT scans were done within 7 days after surgery in order to confirm internal fixation position. Internal fixation loosening and breakage, reduction losing, bone fusion ratio were observed during follow-up.

RESULTSNo nerves and vertebral artery injuries occurred during operation. Cervical pain obviously decreased and VAS was (0.92 +/- 0.90) points. Cervical alignment of 12 patients had well-recovered by X-ray while Atlantoaxial ventral lamina cortex of 1 case was encroached by CT scan without neurological symptom. All patients were followed up for 6 months to 3 years, no internal fixation loosening and breakage, reduction losing were found. All patients obtained bone fusion in 6-12 months after operation.

CONCLUSIONPosterior C1 lateral mass screws-C2 unilateral laminar and contralateral pedicle screws fixation combined with autogenous bicortical iliac crest graft fusion can achieve biomechanical stability and raise the successful rate of bone fusion, while avoiding the risk of vertebral artery injury and overcoming the insufficient of bone fusion during bilateral laminar screws placement as well. Posterior C1 lateral mass screws fixation is a safe and effective additional method in treating upper cervical instability with vertebral artery variations.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Bone Screws ; Cervical Vertebrae ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Internal Fixators ; Joint Instability ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Vertebral Artery ; pathology

Objective To analyze and evaluate the population genetic quality of outbred KM mice from National Rodent Seed Center ( Shanghai ) .Methods A total of 30 outbred KM mice were randomly chosen.The genetic characteristics of the population were determined by PCR and STR scanning using 30 selected microsatellite loci. Popgen1.32 software was used to process the data.Results Thirty microsatellite loci shared 123 alleles in the KM mouse population.The average effective allele number and the average heterozygosity were 2.3989 and 0.5342, respectively.The average polymorphism information content ( PIC ) was 0.4735.Conclusions The outbred KM mouse population of Shanghai Seed Center has genetic stability and genetic diversity, and is satisfied with the genetic characteristics of closed colony laboratory animal.

Objective To investigate the role of the expression of prostate stem cell antigen(PSCA)in the development of perineural invasion in pancreatic carcinoma.Methods The histopathologic and immunohis-tochemical(SABC)studies were performed on 80 patients with pancreatic carcinoma.The overall incidence of PSCA expression,perineural,lymphatic and vascular vessel invasion were counted to investigate the relationships among them.Results Perineurel invasion was positively correlated with lymphatic and vascular vessel invasion (P<0.01).A positive corelation Was found between tumor PSCA expressioa(53 cases)and the perineurel in-vasion(66 cases).A definite correlation Was also found between cancer differentiation and PSCA tyxplres-sion.Conclusion PSCA is one of the most important molecules and may play a role as a "navigating" and " docking" molecule in the developmeat of perineural invasion.

In order to successfully develop the effective population pharmacokinetic model to predict the concentration of propofol administrated intravenously, the data including the concentrations across both distribution and elimination phases from five hospitals were analyzed using nonlinear mixed effect model (NONMEM). Three-compartment pharmacokinetic model was applied while the exponential model was used to describe the inter-individual variability and constant coefficient model to the intra-individual variability, accordingly. Covariate effect including the body weight on the parameter CL, V1, Q2, V2, Q3 and V3 were investigated. The performance of final model was assessed by Bootstrapping, goodness-of-fit and visual predictive checking (VPC). The context-sensitive half-times and the infusion rates necessary to maintain the concentration of 1 microg x mL(-1) were simulated to six subpopulations. The results were as follows: the typical value of CL, V1, Q2, V2, Q3 and V3 were 0.965 x (1 + 0.401 x VESS) x (BW/59)(0.578) L x min(-1), 13.4 x (AGE/45)(-0.317) L, 0.659 x (1 + GENDER x 0.385) L x min(-1), 28.8 L, 0.575 x (1 + GENDER x 0.367) x (1 - 0.369 x VESS) L x min(-1) and 196 L respectively. Coefficients of the inter-individual variability of CL, V1, Q2, V2, Q3 and V3 were 29.2%, 46.9%, 35.2%, 40.4%, 67.0% and 49.9% respectively, and the coefficients of residual variability were 24.7%, 16.1% and 22.5%, the final model indicated a positive influence of a body weight on CL, and also that a negative correlation of age with V1. Q2 and Q3 in males were higher than those in females at 38.5% and 36.7%. The CL and Q3 were 40.1% increased and 36.9% decreased in arterial samples compared to those in venous samples. The determination coefficient of observations (DV)-individual predicted value (IPRED) by the final model was 0.91 which could predict the propofol concentration fairly well. The stability and the predictive performance were accepted by Bootstrapping, the goodness-of-fit and VPC. The context-sensitive half-times and infusion rates necessary to maintain the concentration of 1 microg x mL(-1) were different obviously among the 6 sub-populations obviously. The three-compartment model with first-order elimination could describe the pharmacokinetics of propofol fairly well. The involved fixed effects are age, body weight, gender and sampling site. The simulations in 6 subpopulations were available in clinical anesthesia. The propofol anesthesia monitor care could be improved by individualization of pharmacokinetic parameter estimated from the final model.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of three dimensional confoimal radiotherapy(3D-CRT)concurrent taxotere for patients with esophageal carcinoma.Methods Ninty-six patients with esophageal carcinoma were received 3D-CRT concurrent taxotere,the radiotherapy was carried out by 3D-CRT,to a total dose 95% PTV 66Gy/33f/6.6W.The trial results were evaluated by the clinical curative effect criterion.Results Complete response rate(CR)was 67.7%.Overall response rate(CR+PR)was 89.6%.The local control rates of 1 year and 3 years were 86.5% and 63% ,respectively.The survival rates of 1 year and 3 years were 76.1% and 50.0%,respectively.The main acute toxic effect was radioactive esophagitis.Conclusions 3D-CRT concurrent taxotere could improve the overall response rate and survival rate of esophageal carcinoma.Although it increased the acute toxic effect,the patients could accept the therapy.

Objective To establish a novel experimental neural invasion model with human pancreatic cancer cell line MIA PaCa-Ⅱand explore the biological characters. Methods The tumor mass which was formed by injecting human pancreatic cancer cell line MIA PaCa-Ⅱsubcutaneously was orthotopically transplanted into pancreas of nude mice. Morphological and biological features, metastasis and nerve invasion of the transplanted tumor were studied after 4, 6 and 8 weeks. Expression and distribution of K-ras, C-erbB2, COX-2, PSCA, p53 and DPC4 were detected in MIA PaCa-Ⅱ cell, with SABC immunohistochemistry. Results The successful rate of pancreatic cancer orthotopic implantation was all 100 % after 4, 6, and 8 weeks. The rate of nerve invasion was 50 %, 80 % and 60 % after 4, 6, and 8 weeks. Expression of K-ras, C-erbB2, COX-2 and PSCA were higher in pancreatic cancer cells than in normal pancreas cells. However, p53 and DPC4 expression were lower than normal. Conclusion Neural invasion model with human pancreatic cancer cell line MIA PaCa-Ⅱ orthotopic implantation tumor is successfully established in nude mice. The best time for exploring perinerval invasion is the sixth weeks. Every index studied may play important roles in the development of pancreatic cancer.

Metastasis from unknown primary is always a challenge because finding the true primary tumor significantly affects subsequent management. We present a case of malignant abdominal wall nodule initially diagnosed as metastasis from hepatocellular carcinoma through excisional biopsy and immunohistochemical (IHC) staining. Dual-tracer positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) with 11 C-acetate and 18 F-FDG, however, showed metabolic findings in favor of metastasis from lung origin, which was finally confirmed by ensuing a lung biopsy with additional IHC stains. This case illustrates the complementary molecular role of PET to pathology, particularly when dual-tracer or multi-tracer PET is used in conjunction with pathology methods for cross referencing and confirmation.