This article introduces the principle, structure and components of a visualization system for carrying out minimally invasive surgical abortion. Without altering the current surgical approach or increasing the surgical difficulty, the surgical system integrated a mini-CMOS image sensor and LED light and a visual device to allow fixed-point removal of the fetus or embryo in the minimally invasive surgery.
Abortion, Induced ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Pregnancy

Objective To investigate the role of human estrogen receptor-related receptor(ERR) ?,a submember of orphan receptors,in the tumorigenesis of endometrial cancer.Methods Plasmid of pSG-ERR? was transfected into endometrial cancer cell lines HEC-1A,HEC-1B,and Ishikawa.Real-time quantitative RT-PCR and western blot were used to analyze the mRNA and protein expression of ERR? in endometrial cancer cell.Flow cytometry was used to analyze the cellular growth.Results Expressions of the ERR? were significantly increased in the endometrial cancer cells transfected with pSG-ERR? plasmid; expression of the ERR? mRNA in HEC-1A cell was 9644.4 copies/ng,HEC-1B:9835.3 copies/ng,and Ishikawa:8008.6 copies/ng(P

OBJECTIVETo discuss whether asiaticosides could effectively reduce the endothelial cell damage as a biochemical modulator, so as to further inhibit the post-stenting intima-media membrane hyperplasia.

METHODHuman aortic smooth muscle cells and aortic fibroblasts were selected and divided into the blank group, the rapamycin group and the asiaticoside group and the rapamycin and asiaticoside group. The expressions of muscle cells and fibroblasts TGF-beta1, Smad7 and I-collagen gene were determined by RT-PCR. The expression quantity of I-collagen protein was assayed by ELISA. The coefficient of drug interaction (CDI) between rapamycin and asiaticoside was calculated. Additionally, 16 Chinese mini-swines were randomly divided into group A and group B. One sirolimus drug-eluting stent of the same type was implanted after the high-pressure pre-expansion of anterior descending artery balloon. After the operation, the group A was intravenously injected with normal saline 30 mL x d(-1). Whereas the group B was intravenously injected with asiaticoside 30 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)(diluted to 30 mL). The expressions of plasma vWF of the two groups were measured at the 7th and 14th days after the operation. At the 28th day after the operation, tissues of the stented vessel segments were sliced and stained to calculate the vessel area, inner stent area, lumen area and neointima area

RESULTCompared with the control group, the combination group showed significant up-regulation in smooth muscle cells and fibroblast Smad7 gene, down-regulation in TGF-beta, and obvious inhibition of I-collagen gene expression (P < 0.01). As for smooth muscle cells, there was no difference in the expression of I-collagen between the combination group and the rapamycin group, with CDI at 0. 83. As for fibroblasts, there was a significant difference in the expression of I-collagen between the combination group and the rapamycin group (P < 0.05), with CDI at 0.77. Plasma vWF of the group B was significantly lower than that of the group A (P < 0.05) at the 7th and 14th days after the operation. At the 28th day after the operation, no difference was observed in vessel area and stent area between the two groups. However, the lumen area in the group B was significantly larger than that of the group A(P < 0.05), and the neointima area of the group B was significantly smaller than that of the group A (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAs an effective biochemical modulator for rapamycin, asiaticosides could inhibit TGF-beta expression, significantly decrease the synthesis and secretion of extracellular matrix, further inhibit the post-stenting intima-media membrane hyperplasia and reduce the endothelial cell damage by effectively up-regulate the expression of Smad7 protein.

Animals ; Collagen ; genetics ; metabolism ; Coronary Restenosis ; drug therapy ; prevention & control ; surgery ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; prevention & control ; Smad7 Protein ; genetics ; metabolism ; Stents ; adverse effects ; Swine ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Triterpenes ; administration & dosage

OBJECTIVETo study the necessity, feasibility, security of carotid angioplasty and stenting (CAS) for symptomatic carotid stenosis combined with kinking.

METHODSTwelve patients with symptomatic carotid stenosis and kinking demonstrated by digital subtraction angiography (DSA) received CAS from December 2003 to December 2009. There were 9 male and 3 female patients, age ranged from 59 to 77 years (mean 69.3 years). All the patients' clinical, imaging, intervention and follow up data were collected and analyzed.

RESULTSAll CAS procedures were successfully performed with 14 self-expandable stents placed. The mean degree of stenosis was reduced from 85.6% before stenting to 11.2% after stenting, the angle of kinking, according to Metz' category, were improved from less than 90° to more than 120° in each case. No perioperative procedure related stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA) occurred. The clinical symptoms and signs of cerebral ischemia were improved or disappeared for all patients. During follow-up of these 12 patients for 6 to 72 months, one patient experienced ipsilateral carotid territory TIA and another patient experienced contralateral carotid territory TIA. DSA follow up of 5 patients demonstrated 1 case with in-stent restenosis and arterial kinking remote to the stent of internal carotid artery. CAS were performed again and CT angiography follow up demonstrated no kinking and restenosis 2 years after the intervention. Duplex scan of the other 7 patients demonstrated neither kinking nor restenosis.

CONCLUSIONSCAS seems to be feasible and safe for the patients with symptomatic kinking and stenosis, and maybe helpful to lower the risk of cerebral ischemia, but further study is needed.

Aged ; Angioplasty, Balloon ; methods ; Carotid Stenosis ; surgery ; Feasibility Studies ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stents ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of total flavonoids of astragalus on the expression of endoplasmic reticulum chaperone, calumenin and connecxin 43 (CX43) in suckling mouse myocardium with myocarditis caused by coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3).

METHODSThe primary culture of suckling mouse myocardium cells were randomly divided into control group, CVB3 infected group and total flavonoids of astragalus group. Firstly, to confirm the identity of the suckling mouse myocardium, α-SMA was monitored by immunohistochemistry method. Then the protein expression changes of endoplasmic reticulum chaperone-glucose regulatory protein 78 ( GRP78), calumenin and CX43 were detected by Western blot.

RESULTS(1) Compared with that of the control group, the GRP78 expression level in CVB3 infected group was improved, the expression levels of calumenin and CX43 were all reduced. (2) Compared with that of CVB3 infected group, GRP78 expression level was decreased, and the expression levels of calumenin and CX43 were increased in total flavonoids of astragalus group.

CONCLUSIONCVB3 infection may cause endoplasmic reticulum stress of rat myocardium cells by increasing the expression of GRP78 and decreasing the expression of calumenin and CX43. On the other hand, total flavonoids of astragalus can reduce the expression of GRP78 and increase the expression of calumenin and CX43.The results of this experiment may be closely related to the effects of anti-arrhythmia with viral myocarditis caused by CVB3.

Animals ; Astragalus Plant ; chemistry ; Blotting, Western ; Calcium-Binding Proteins ; metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Connexin 43 ; metabolism ; Coxsackievirus Infections ; drug therapy ; Endoplasmic Reticulum ; metabolism ; Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress ; drug effects ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; Heat-Shock Proteins ; metabolism ; Mice ; Myocarditis ; drug therapy ; virology ; Myocardium ; cytology ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; drug effects ; virology ; Rats

OBJECTIVESBased on the immunologic character of Pichia pastoris yeast, a new therapeutic vaccine, whole recombinant yeast, was used to explore a new way to activate cell-mediated anti-viral immunity.

METHODSThe recombinant plasmids, pPIC9K/S and PIC9K/hsp(1-370)-S, were constructed by inserting the gene encoding HBsAg, HSP70 (1-370) -HBsAg into vector pPIC9K and then the recombinants were transfected into Pichia pastoris yeast,GS115, respectively. Then that recombinant yeast immunized BALB/C mice were detected for humoral and cellular immunity to HBsAg.

RESULTSRecombinant yeast successfully activated the humoral immunity to HBsAg in mice, but failed to activate the cellular immunity.

CONCLUSIONThe whole recombinant yeast can be used as vaccine, but need further study for optimal way of immunization.

Animals ; Female ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins ; genetics ; immunology ; Hepatitis B Antibodies ; blood ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; genetics ; immunology ; Hepatitis B Vaccines ; immunology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Pichia ; genetics ; Plasmids ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic ; immunology ; Vaccines, Synthetic ; immunology

With the surge of high-throughput sequencing technology, it is becoming popular to perform the phylogenetic study based on genomic data. A bundle of new terms is emerging, such as phylogenomics, pharmacophylogenomics and phylotranscriptomics, which are somewhat overlapping with pharmaphylogeny. Phylogenomics is the crossing of evolutionary biology and genomics, in which genome data are utilized for evolutionary reconstructions. Pharmaphylogeny, advocated by Prof. Pei-gen Xiao since 1980s, focuses on the phylogenetic relationship of medicinal plants and is thus nurtured by molecular phylogeny, chemotaxonomy and bioactivity studies. Phylogenomics can be integrated into the flow chart of drug discovery and development, and extend the field of pharmaphylogeny at the omic level, thus the concept of pharmacophylogenomics could be redefined. This review gives a brief analysis of the association and the distinguished feature of the pharmaphylogeny related terms, in the context of plant-based drug discovery and sustainable utilization of pharmaceutical resource.
Drug Discovery ; Pharmacogenetics ; Phylogeny ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo assess the feasibility and safety of vascular interventional surgery by using vascular interventional robot system (VIRS).

METHODSVIRS included image navigation systems and body propulsion systems, and adopted a master-slave structure. The surgeon sat at the master site, sending controlling instructions to the robot fixed at the slave site, and then the robot translated these instructions into catheter motion. A 3D vascular model was reconstructed so that the surgeon can perform surgical planning easily. In glass model and animal experiments, the surgeon remotely controlled VIRS, which inserted a catheter into predefined targets, and the catheter positioning error and robotic surgery time were measured.

RESULTSThe robot was initially tested on a glass vascular model. Under robotic manipulation, the catheter could enter an arbitrary branch of the vascular model. The catheter positioning error was less than 1 mm. Then robotic interventional surgery was performed successfully in ten adult dogs. The renal artery and the vertebral artery angiography carried out smoothly without complication. Experiment took 35 minutes, and the time what staff exposed to the digital subtraction angiography (DSA) machine was 0 minute.

CONCLUSIONVascular interventional surgical robot system is safe and feasible, and can achieve the catheter remote operation, meet the requirements of angiography basically.

Angiography ; Animals ; Dogs ; Feasibility Studies ; Robotics ; Surgery, Computer-Assisted ; instrumentation ; Vascular Surgical Procedures ; instrumentation ; methods

OBJECTIVETo analyse the relationship between superantigens produced by Staphylococcus aureus and the mRNA expression of T-cell receptor V beta region (TCR Vbeta), and to investigate the possible role of Staphylococcal superantigens in the pathogenesis of nasal polyps.

METHODSSinonasal mucus and polyp/mucosa tissue were obtained from patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (22 patients with bilateral nasal polyps, 15 without nasal polyps) and 12 normal subjects as comparative negative controls. Mucus specimens were assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for Staphylococcal exotoxins,and analyzed for the expression of TCR Vbeta genes using the technique of reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

RESULTSThe percentages of Staphylococcus exotoxins in nasal polyps were 54.54% (21/22) for chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyp (CRSwNP) subjects. There were no positive results in the CRSsNP or control groups. The expressional intensity of Vbeta3 (10.02), Vbeta14 (3.54), Vbeta15 (2.39), Vbeta17 (3.48), and Vbeta20 (2.94) was increased significantly for Staphylococcal exotoxin B (SEB) positive subjects (P < 0.05). Vbeta2 (13.8) and Vbeta6. 1-3 (6.53) were significantly highly expressed for toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSTf-1) positive subjects in CRSwNP group (P < 0.05). There were no dominantly used Vbeta fragments in ELISA- negative specimens. In the group of chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyp (CRSsNP), most of TCR Vbeta gene subfamilies demonstrated a trend toward higher expressional levels compared with those of normal controls, although there was no statistical difference (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThere was relationship between Staphylococcal superantigens and the excursion of TCR Vbeta gene spectra in nasal polyp, and superantigens possibly play an important role in the pathogenesis of CRSwNP.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Genes, T-Cell Receptor beta ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nasal Polyps ; genetics ; immunology ; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell ; genetics ; Sinusitis ; genetics ; immunology ; Staphylococcus aureus ; immunology ; Superantigens ; immunology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVESTo investigate adverse factors that may hinder successful placement and stabilization of the microcatheter during endovascular therapy of micro-intracranial aneurysms (≤ 3 mm in maximum diameter), and to explore the relevant managements.

METHODSForty-six patients with fifty-one micro-intracranial aneurysms treated by endovascular therapy from June 2001 to October 2009 were retrospectively analyzed for their intervention data.

RESULTSAdverse factors of optimal micro-catheterization mainly included, tortuosity of the proximal vessels (PVs) and the parent artery (PA), relative large gap in diameter among the PVs, the PA and the microcatheter, relative large divergence in direction among the PVs, the PA and the aneurysm dome, and stent deployed in the PA.

CONCLUSIONSCarefully considering the direction of the PVs and the PA, the aneurysm's location and dome orientation, choosing the microcatheter and microwire after balancing among their physical properties, as well as utilizing balloon and/or stent assistance, can facilitate micro-catheterization during endovascular treatment of micro-intracranial aneurysms.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Catheterization ; methods ; Embolization, Therapeutic ; methods ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Stents ; Treatment Outcome