Purpose To investigate the expression of the Cx43 and E-cad protein in esophageal carcinoma and normal esophageal tis-sue and to discuss their relationship. Methods SP immunohistochemical and Western blot analysis were used to detect the expression of Cx43 and E-cad in esophageal carcinoma and normal esophageal tissue. The relation between their expression and esophageal carci-noma was investigated. Results Immunohistochemical assay and Western blot analysis showed the expression levels of Cx43 and E-cad in esophageal carcinoma were significantly lower than that in normal esophageal tissue. The expression of Cx43 had correlation with lymph node metastasis. The expression of E-cad had correlation with degrees of pathological differentiation. There was a positive rela-tionship between the expression of Cx43 and E-cad in same sample. Conclusion Expression of Cx43 and E-cad protein is low in e-sophageal carcinoma, which can be helpful in the prediction of the biological behavior and prognosis of esophageal carcinoma.

Objective To evaluate the influence of different methods of anesthesia on the glucose metabolism of leukocytes in elderly patients undergoing colorectal cancer surgery. Methods Fifty ASA Ⅰ or Ⅱ patients, aged≥65 yr, with body mass index 18-25 kg/m2, scheduled for elective colorectal cancer surgery, were randomly divided into 2 groups ( n = 25 each) : sevoflurane anesthesia group (Sevo group) and sevoflurane anesthesia combined with epidural block group ( S + E group) . The patients in S + E group underwent epidural catheterization, and 2% lidocaine 3 ml was given via the epidural catheter. If no signs of spinal anesthesia were confirmed 5 min later, the mixture of 1% lidocaine and 0.2% tetracaine 8-10 ml was given, and an increment of the mixture 4-5 ml was given every 50 min. During the operation, the end-tidal concentration of sevoflurane was maintained at 0.7 MAC in S + E group and at 1.0 MAC in Sevo group. The depth of anesthesia was adjusted according to the BIS value in both groups. Venous blood samples were taken at 10 min before operation (T1 ), and 60 min, 24 h.and 5 days after the end of operation (T2-4 ) for WBC count and measurement of activities of pyruvate kinase (PK)and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) in the leukocytes. Results Compared with T1, the WBC count at T3 in both groups, the PK activity at T, in group S+E and G6PD activity at T, in group Sevo and at T3,4 in group S + E were significantly increased ( P ＜ 0.01) . Compared with group Sevo, the PK activity at T, and G6PD activity at T3,4 were significantly increased in group S+E ( P ＜ 0.05) . There was no significant difference in the WBC count between the two groups ( P ＞ 0.05) . Conclusion There is no significant change in the WBC count when the two methods of anesthesia are used in elderly patients undergoing colorectal caner surgery, however, sevoflurane anesthesia combined with epidural block enhances the leukocyte function in elderly patients compared with sevoflurane anesthesia alone.

Objective To compare the effects of different anesthetic and postoperative analgesic methods on the immune function of helper T lymphocytes and tumor metastasis after orthotopic liver cancer resection in rats.Methods Orthotopic liver cancer was induced by intrahepatic tumor implantation (IHTI) with Morris hepatoma 3924A.Thirty male ACI rats receiving IHTI,aged 12-18 weeks,weighing 240-300 g,were randomized into 3 groups (n =10 each) using a random number table:control group (group C),general anesthesia combined with epidural block-postoperative epidural analgesia group (group GE + EA),and general anesthesia-postoperative intravenous analgesia group (group G + IA).The liver cancer resection was performed on 14th day after IHTI,group G + IA inhaled 5％ sevoflurane for induction of anesthesia and inhaled 2％-3％ sevoflurane and received intraperitoneal injection of morphine 20 μg/100 g for maintenance of anesthesia.In group GE + EA,general anesthesia was performed as the method previously described in group G + IA,and epidural block was performed with 0.25 ％ bupivacaine 25 μl after tracheal intubation.Within 3 days after operation,0.125 ％ bupivacaine 150 μl + morphine 20 μg were injected daily via an epidural catheter once every 4 h (25μl per time) for postoperative analgesia in group GE + EA,and postoperative analgesia was performed with intraperitoneal morphine 240 μg injected daily once every 4 h (40 μg per time) in group G+ IA.Before surgery (T1) and on 2nd,7th and 30th days after sugery (T2-4),blood samples were collected to detect the levels of plasma interferon-γ (IFN-γ),interleukin-4 (IL-4),IL-17,IL-10 and tumor growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1).IFN-γ/IL-4 ratio was calculated.The rats were sacrificed after collecting blood samples at T4,and the development of abdominal lymph node metastasis,malignant ascites,implantation metastasis to abdominal wall and visible pulmonary metastasis nodules were observed.Results Compared with C group,the incidence of pulmonary metastasis,abdominal lymph node metastasis,and malignant ascites was significantly decreased,the plasma IFN-γ and IL-17 levels at T2 and IL-4 and TGF-β at T2,3 were increased,and IFN-γ/IL-4 ratio was decreased at T2,3 in group G+ IA,and the incidence of pulmonary metastasis,abdominal lymph node metastasis,malignant ascites and implantation metastasis to abdominal wall was significantly decreased,the plasma levels of IFN-γ,IL-4,IL-17,IL-10 and TGF-β1 were increased at T2(P ＜ 0.05),and no significant change was found in IFN-γ/IL-4 ratio in GE + EA group (P ＞ 0.05).Compared with G + IA group,the incidence of pulmonary metastasis and abdominal lymph node metastasis was significantly decreased,the plasma levels of IFN-γ and IL-17 at T2 and IL-4 and IL-10 at T3 were decreased,the plasma levels of IFN-γ at T4 and TGF-β1 at T2 and IFN-γ/IL-4 ratio at T3,4 were increased in GE + EA group (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion The inhibitory degree of the immune function of helper T lymphocytes is decreased and development of tumor metastasis is reduced after orthotopic liver cancer resection in rats when general anesthesia combined with epidural block-postoperative epidural analgesia is applied as compared with those when general anesthesia-postoperative intravenous analgesia is applied.

This study examined the mechanism by which the gastric cancer cells lead to early peritoneal metastasis. HMrSV5 cells, a human peritoneal mesothelial cell line, were co-incubated with the supernatants of gastric cancer cells. Morphological changes of HMrSV5 cells were observed. The cell damage was quantitatively determined by MTT assay. The apoptosis of HMrSV5 cells was observed under transmission electron microscope. Acridine orange/ethidium bromide-stained condensed nuclei was detected by fluorescent microscopy and flow cytometry. The expressions of Bcl-2 and Bax was immunochemically evaluated. The results showed that conspicuous morphological changes of apoptosis were observed in HMrSV5 cells 24 h after treatment with the supernatants of gastric cancer cells. The supernatants could induce apoptosis of HMrSV5 cells in a time-dependent manner. The supernatants could up-regulate the expression of Bax and suppress that of Bcl-2 in HMrSV5 cells. These findings demonstrated that gastric cancer cells can induce the apoptosis of HPMCs through supernatants in the early peritoneal metastasis. The abnormal expressions of Bcl-2 and Bax may contribute to the apoptosis. Anti-apoptosis drugs promise to be adjuvant chemotherapeutic agents in the treatment of peritoneal metastasis of gastric cancer.
Apoptosis ; Cell Line ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Coculture Techniques ; Epithelial Cells/*cytology ; Epithelium ; Peritoneal Neoplasms/pathology ; Peritoneal Neoplasms/*secondary ; Stomach Neoplasms/*pathology

OBJECTIVE To understand the pathogenicity of Staphylococcus epidermidis causing urinary tract infection. METHODS Thirty five isolates were collected in the patients with urinary tract infection during 2003-2004 to test the minimal inhibitory concentration(MIC) to erythromycin,ampicillin,cefoxitin,ceftriaxone,teicoplanin,ciprofloxacin,tetracycline,trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and vancomycin.The genes of ermA,ermB,ermC,msrA,mecA,and icaA were amplified by PCR.The biofilm producing of the isolates was determined by the quantitative method.The pulsed-field gel electrophoresis(PFGE) was used to discriminate the homology among the isolates. RESULTS Among the isolates,MRSE accounted for 71.4%.The antibiotic susceptibility to erythromycin,ampicillin,ceftriaxone,ciprofloxacin,tetracycline and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole were 22.8%,6.34%,34.9%,26.9%,44.4% and 62.2%,respectively,whereas to teicoplanin and vancomycin were 99.2% and 100%.All the isolates resistant to cefoxitin carried mecA.ermC Was the predominant determinant among the erythromycin resistant isolates.Among the 14 icaA positive isolates,10 isolates were biofilm producing.All the isolates were classified into 18 types by PFGE. CONCLUSIONS The high and multiple antibiotic resistance of S.epidermidis isolates causing urinary tract infection were shown.The detection of icaA gene in clinical S.epidermidis isolates was a signal of their pathogenicity.

Plague, infectious disease in modern medicine, refers to a type of disease with strong pathogenicity and infectiousness, it refers to the infectious diseases of western medicine. Due to its wide variety, the knowledge and understanding of plagues of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) doctors in different stages have evolved and developed with the times. This article, via collating ancient documents, differentiatesthe classification in TCM and analyzes itsrelated theories to perfect the type of plagues in TCM, providing the theoretical basis for the research of plague in modern times.

AIM: To observe the effect of Xiaoyu Huatan Decoction on the nonalchoholic fatty liver tissue peroxisome preliferator-activated receptor?(PPAR?) expression. METHODS: The nonalchoholic fatty liver disease rat model was fed by high fat forage and the rats were divided into five groups: normal control group,model control group,high-dose of Xiaoyu Huatan Decoction group,low-dose of Xiaoyu Huatan Decoction group,Dongbao Gantai control group.Total RNA of liver was extracted,and the expression of PPAR?mRNA was analyzed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR method.We determined the contents of total cholesterol(TC),triglyceride(TG),free ratty acid(FFA) in serum and the TC,TG in liver tissue homogenate of each group,and the degree of hepatocytic steatosis. RESULTS: Expression of liver tissue PPAR? mRNA in the model group decreased significantly,lipid in blood serum and hepatic tissues increased significantly,liver fat cell greatly denaturalized.After the intervention of medicine,expression of liver tissue PPAR? mRNA of each treatment group increased significantly,lipid in blood serum and hepatic tissues decreased significantly,liver fat cell denaturation was improved. CONCLUSION: Xiaoyu Huatan Decoction can increase the expression of liver tissue PPAR?mRNA of rats,It is likely to be one of the important mechanism for treating fatty liver.

Objective Our purpose was to evaluate the teaching satisfaction of clinical epi-demiology among medical postgraduate and to come up with measures for further improvement of teaching quality. Methods A self-administered questionnalre was given to all the medical postgradu-ates and doctoral students of Grade 2013 by cluster sampling when they finished the course of clinical epidemiology. A total of 559 graduate students, including 324 graduate students (58%), 235 doctoral students (42%), recruitment graduate students 350 (62.6%), on-the-job graduate student 209 (37.4%).The contents of the questionnalre included many aspects such as the investigation object in general, teaching materials evaluation satisfaction, curriculum and teacher satisfaction evaluation. Respondents ' self-administered manner was adopted. Parallel input was done by using Epidata software; data were analyzed with SPSS 19.0 software, continuous variable was made by x±s, categorical variables was expressed by n(%). Continuous variables were compared among groups by t test and analysis of vari-ance. Classification grouping variable was compared by chi-square test, and P<0.05 for the difference was statistically significant . Results Overall evaluation of theory was below that of the internship teaching materials. The satisfaction rate of practicability, meeting the learning needs and difficulty degree for theory and practice teaching material were 83.7% (468/559), 87.5% (489/559), 67.1% (375/559) and 92.7%(518/559), 89.6%(501/559), 83.0%(464/559) respectively. 41.6%(87/209) of on-the-job students and 36.7% (119/324) of postgraduates considered theory teaching material was difficult for them. The satisfaction rate for faculty teaching attitude (99.5%, 556/559), faculty teaching method (98.6%,551/559), the theories combining with practice teaching method (97.5%, 545/559) were high, but the satisfaction rate for teaching hours was low (67.4%, 377/559), with one third students consider more hours for the course. Conclusion The Teaching effect of clinical epidemiology is falrly good in our school. The postgraduates are satisfied with the teaching materials, curriculum setting, and teach-ing faculty. But there are also some shortcomings. In the future teaching work, we should appropriately increase the hours, and set corresponding teaching contents and methods according to the different learning characteristics of the on-the-job graduate students and recruitment graduate students, to improve the teaching effect and teaching quality.

Objective To observe the effects of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSC) transplantation on the expression of nerve growth factor(NGF) and brain derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF) in the rat spinal cord with spina bifida,and to investigate the change in cell apoptosis after BMSC transplantation.Methods Spina bifida aperta was induced with a single intragastric injection of all-trans retinoic acid,then the BMSC was microinjected into spina cord of rat embryos on embryo 16 d(E16),BDNF and NGF were tested by immunofluorescence staining,and TUNEL assay were used for investigating cell apoptosis.Results Transplantation of BMSC enhanced the expression of NGF and BDNF,and reduced cell apoptosis in the defective site of spinal cord.Conclusion The transplantation of BMSC may improve the microenvironment of spinal cord and repair the neurological defects by enhancing the expression of neurotrophic factor and reducing the cell apoptosis.

BACKGROUND: Endothelin(ET) -1 is a peptide with potent actions on blood vessels and nerve system. Its expression increases in the central nervous system(CNS) in a variety of pathological conditions, inducing harmful effects on the nervous tissue. However it is not clearly elucidated whether the over-expressed ET-1 can directly induce neuronal apoptosis.OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether ET-1 can directly induce apoptosis in primarily cultured brain neurons of rat, and which ET receptor subtype(s) is involved in this action.DESIGN: Completely randomized and controlled experimental study based on cells.SETTING: Neurological department in a university hospital, pathological department of a university and laboratory center of tissue transplantation and immunology, life science and technology college.MATERIALS: This study was completed in the Pathology Department, the Institute of Tissue Transplantation and Immunology, the Life Science and Technology College of Jinan University. The subjects were primarily-cultured neurons obtained from cerebral cortex of newborn rats that were provided by the Experimental Animal Center of the Medical College, Sun Yat-sen University.INTERVENTIONS: After culturing for five days, the neurons were treated with ET-1 (0. 2 nmol/L and 20 nmol/L) for 24 hours. Apoptotic neurons were semi-quantitatively measured with Annexin V and Hoechst 33258 staining respectively. ET-1(20 nmol/L), with BQ123(a selective antagonist for ET receptor A, 1 mmol/L) or with BQ788(a selective antagonist for ET receptor B, 1 mmol/L), was added respectively into the cultures simultaneously. And the apoptotic neurons were quantitatively measured with flow cytometry 24 hours later. Equal amount of PBS, instead of ET-1, waw added into the control subjects.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The effect of ET-1 on apoptosis rate of cultured rat cortical neurons, and the ET receptor subtypes involved in this action.RESULTS: Twenty-four hours after treated with 0.2 nmol/L ET-1, the Annexin-V, and Hoechest 33258 positive stained cell rates[ (23.00 ± 9.96)%,(9.82 ±0.95)% ] were of no difference as compared with those of the controls[ (13.50 ± 3.35)%, (8.21 ± 2. 17)% ]. By contrast, after incubation with the higher dose of ET-1 (20 nmol/L), significant higher rate of apoptosis was measured in Annexin V staining[(50.50 ± 10.78)%, P=0.01, n=4] and Hoechest 33258 staining[(13.78±1.52)%, P= 0. 000, n = 8] . Analyzed with flow cytometry, the apoptosis rate was (0.20±0. 15)% in the control group, (26. 11 ±3.28)% in 20 nmol/LET-1 group, and(13.58 ±4. 92)% in BQ123 +ET-1 and(9.99 ±3.30)% in BQ788 +ET-1 respectively, indicating that BQ123 and BQ788 partially-blocked the apoptosis effect of ET-1 on. cultured neurons(BQ123 + ET-1 vs ET-1, P = 0. 005; BQ788 + ET-1 vs ET-1, P = 0. 001, n = 4, respectively).CONCLUSION: The higher dose of ET-1 (20 nmol/L) can directly induce apoptosis of primarily-cultured cerebral neurons of rats. The effect of ET-1 inducing neuronal apoptosis may be mediated via both ET receptors A and B.