Transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1)has become an important biological marker and therapeutic target of clinical progression of chronic kidney diseases. Sma- and Mad-related protein (Smad)is a downstream signal transduction protein of the TGF-β family. TGF-β1 activates Smad2 and Smad3 before increasing the transcription of connective tissue growth factors in the nucleus. Smad3 promotes mesangial cell proliferation,extracellular matrix accumulation,epithelial-mesenchymal transition, leading to renal fibrosis. However,Smad2 and Smad7 play a negative regulatory role by inhibiting renal fibrosis. TGF-β1 specific inhibitor (SB431542,etc.) has antifibrosis effect,most of which is in the preclinical stage. The drugs on the market that are effective for DN,such as benzodiazepines,atorvastatin, losartan,and pirfenidone,can inhibit the expression of TGF-β1,while tripterygium wilfordii,cordyceps sinensis,and berberine can delay the process of diabetic nephropathy by reducing TGF-β1 levels.

Objective To summarize the first experience with ultrasound-guided percutaneous ab lation treatment (PAT) for recurrent hepatoblastoma (HB) after liver resection in children.Methods From August 2013 to April 2015,PAT was used to treat 6 children with a total of 9 recurrent HB,including 5 patients with 8 tumors in the liver and 1 patient with 1 tumor in the lung.The mean size of ablated tumors was (1.5 ± 0.8) cm,and the tumor size range was 0.7 cm to 3.1 cm.Results Four patients were performed percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for recurrent HB;and 2 patients were performed percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI).Ablation success was achieved in all patients (6/6,100％).The complete ablation rate after the first ablation session was 88.9％ (8/9) on a tumor-by-tumor basis.Only 1 patient developed a fever with temperature ＞ 39 ℃;it was resolved by conservative therapy.During the follow-up period of 5-30 months,3 patients died to tumor progression.The 1-and 2-year overall survival rates after ablation were 83.3％ and 41.7％,respectively.Conclusions PAT is a safe and promising therapy for children with recurrent HB after liver resection,and further investigation in large-scale randomized clinical trials is required to determine its role in the treatment of this disease.

Objective To retrospectively compare the safety and local efficacy of multiple-electrode switching based radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and the conventional RFA in treating single early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Methods A total of 82 patients with single early-stage HCC received either RFA with a multiple-electrode switching system (n =43) or conventional RFA (n =39) as the first-line treatment.The rate of initial local complete response,major complications and local tumor progression (LTP) were compared between two groups.Results The total ablation time was significantly shorter in the switching-RFA group [(16.7 ± 3.4) mins] than in the conventional RFA group [(29.8 ± 10.4) mins] (P ＜ 0.05).The rate of initial local complete response was 100％ (43/43) in the switching-RFA group and 94.9％ (37/39) in the conventional RFA group (P ＞0.05).After a mean follow-up period of (26.4 ± 21.8)months (ranging 3.0-91.6 months),the rates of LTP in the switching-RFA group and conventional RFA group were 16.3％ (7/43) and 17.9％ (7/39),respectively.The LTP rates in two groups were 16.1％ versus 11.2％ atyear1,and20.5％ versus 20.6％ at year2 (P=0.666).Conclusions The multiple-electrode switching based RFA is safe and effective with shorter ablation time in treating single early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma.

In view of the literature study and clinical practice, the rules of the distribution, the general function and the indication of the meridians points on the spine and back were explored. The TCM mechanism on the rehabilitation of infantile cerebral palsy was studied. The rules of acupoint combination on the spine and back were summarized with meridians, main points and supplementary points involved in the TCM rehabilitation of infantile cerebral palsy. In view of the theoretic study, the advantages on the early infantile motor function, such as body turning, sitting, standing and walking, were analyzed with the long-term intervention of meridian points on the spine and back. It is showed in the rehabilitation of infantile cerebral palsy that the intervention of meridian points on the spine and back improves the motor function on the back and relieves the incoordination in the development between each system and enhances the rehabilitation mechanism of the integration of Chinese and western medicine for the functional development of core stability, which provides much more effective and more precise approach to the diagnosis and treatment of infantile cerebral palsy in clinical practice.