The gold standard evaluation criteria of radiotherapeutic effect at the present time is the three-level classification of X-ray barium meal.However,this method has certain limitations.Morphological changes in esophagus wall and metastases after radiotherapy can be observed on computed tomography scanning.A positron emission tomography scan is a sensitive imaging test to observe the metabolic activity in pathologic cells and tissues.And diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging could provide the esophageal tumor necrosis information after radiotherapy by observing the changes of water molecular diffusion.With the development of medical imaging techniques,using various means in a comprehensive way to evaluate radiotherapeutic effect for esophageal carcinoma patients may become a trend.

Aim To evaluate the effect of expression inhibition of spermine oxidase(SMO)on the actitumor activity of polyamine analogue CPENSpm (N~1-cyclopropylmethyl-N~(11)-ethylnorspermine).Methods siRNA technique was used to inhibit expression of SMO in human lung cancer line A549.QT-RT-PCR and enzyme activity assay was performed to determine the expression level of SMO.The cell proliferation was detected by MTT assay.The apoptosis of A549 cells were evaluated by DNA degradation and Sub-G_1/flow cytometry assay.Results The A549 cell line with silenced SMO expression was successfully obtained.Basic SMO mRNA and enzyme activity levels in the SMO-siRNA plasmid transfected cells were 0.53% and 14% lower than that in the control cells respectively. Treating A549 control cells by 10 μmol·L~(-1) CPENSpm for 24 hours resulted in a 10-folds up-regulation of SMO in mRNA level and 20-fold increase in enzyme activity,but this drug-induced SMO expression was obviously prevented in SMO-siRNA plasmid transfected cells.MTT assay demonstrated that SMO expression inhibition decreased the sensitivity of A549 cells to CPENSpm exposure(0～20 μmol·L~(-1)).DNA degradation and sub-G_1 assay proved a deceased ability of CPENSpm to induce apoptosis in SMO-siRNA plasmid transfected cells.Conclusion Up-regulation of SMO by CPENSpm is possibly one of the molecular basics for its antitumor activity.

Objective To evaluate the agreement between contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging and histopathology in rabbit model of abdominal aortic atherosclerosis (AS)in early and development period.Methods Twenty-four healthy Japanese white rabbits were randomly divided into three groups:control group,hypercholesterolemic diet group for 8 weeks and 16 weeks (each for 8 rabbits).Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography for abdominal aorta was performed using sonicated perfluorocarbon albumin contrast agent.Imaging characteristics of abdominal aorta plaque of rabbits were monitored by two-dimensional mode,ultrasound visual grades were analyzed quantitatively before and after injection of contrast agent.Histopathologic changes were observed by HE staining.Results Contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging allowed early detection of AS and showed gradual progression of atherosclerosis over time.After contrast agent injected,intimal indentification and plaques checking-out ratio were improved.The ultrasound visual grades were increased after contrast imaging in hypercholesterolemic diet group for 8 weeks [(2.26± 0.27)vs.(1.79 ±0.25)] and 16 weeks [(3.54 ±0.43) vs.(3.20 ±0.25)] (all P＜0.05).The plaque detection rate was improved after contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging than before angiography in hypercholesterolemic diet group for 8 weeks [77.8％ (7/9) vs.55.6％ (5/9)] and 16 weeks [88.2％ (15/17) vs.70.6％ (12/17)](P ＞ 0.05).The imaging of ultrasound agreed well with pathological examination results.Conclusions Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography can effectively improve intimal and plaque imaging,and increase the detection accuracy of early and progressive pathology.

No abstract available.
Encephalitis, Tick-Borne* ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M*

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a kind of mental disorder that usually occurs after life-threatening and strong mental traumas .Clinical studies showed that the PTSD patients are 3 times more likely to have can-nabis as compared with the healthy people .The use of cannabinoids has a close relationship with the occurrence and clini-cal manifestations of PTSD .Experimental studies revealed that endocannabinoid ( eCB) signal alterations in animal models of PTSD influenced fear memory of the animals , suggesting a close correlation between the eCB system and the pathogenesis of PTSD.Given that the eCB system was reported to regulate affective states and participate in memory consolidation , re-trieval and extinction , targeting the eCB system may improve the emotional and cognitive features of PTSD , thereby holding out great promise for the development of novel approaches for clinical treatment of PTSD .

Objective To observe the difference in anticoagulant ability of endothelial cells from different sources.Methods Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(BMMSCs)were cultured,purified,and expanded by Ficoll-Paque density gradient centrifugation and adherent culture in vitro.Then they were induced and differentiated in medium with 10 ?g/L VEGF.After 7 days,Von Willebrand factor(VWF)of the cells were identified by immunohistochemistry.At last,the major anticoagulant gene expression of the vascular endothelial-like cells derived from BMMSCs and the human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVECs)was detected and compared by reverse transcriptase PCR(RT-PCR).Results Though BMMSCs can successfully differentiate into vascular endothelial-like cells in vitro,they fail to express mRNA of the major anticoagulant gene.However,HUVECs can express the mRNA of these genes.Conclusion BMMSCs can differentiate into vascular endothelial-like cells in vitro,but their anticoagulant ability is inferior to HUVECs.

AIM:Repair of trachea is disturbing the surgeon. Tissue engineering technology will probably resolve this problem. Seed cell is one of the key factors in engineered tracheal cartilage construction. This study investigated the feasibility of constructing tissue-engineered cartilage from porcine bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs) cultured and induced in vitro using tissue engineering technique. METHODS:The experiment was performed in the Central Laboratory of Peking Union Medical College Hospital between October 2006 and May 2007. ①By density gradient centrifugation,the MSCs were isolated and purified from porcine bone marrow. The MSCs had been cultured and induced in the defined medium mainly including transforming growth factor-?1,and then the type Ⅱ collagens were detected by immunohistochemical assay. The induced MSCs were seeded onto polyglycolic acids(PGA) scaffold as experimental group,and PGA scaffold were implanted into subcutaneous tissue as control group. The cell-scaffold construct was wrapped around a silicon tube(0.4 cm in diameter) and implanted into subcutaneous tissue of porcine. All specimens were harvested after in vivo culture for 6,8 and 10 weeks and evaluated by gross view,histology,and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS:①The MSCs were obtained by density gradient centrifugation method,and abundant seed cells were obtained after culture and amplification. ②The MSCs differentiated towards chondrocyte when cultured in the specific medium in vitro and were verified by the positive result of collagen type Ⅱ through immunohistochemistry. ③After implanted into subcutaneous tissue for 6,8 and 10 weeks,the cell-scaffold formed a tubular cartilage,which was very similar to normal porcine tracheal cartilage in both gross view and histology. And the result of collagen type Ⅱ through immunohistochemistry was positive. CONCLUSION:The in vivo and vitro cultured MSCs from porcine bone marrow can generate tissue-engineered cartilage under chondrogenic induction.

Objective To explore the feasibility and value of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) for acute cholecystitis complicated with incarcerated gallstones. Methods From January 2005 to December 2007,71 patients with acute cholecystitis complicated with incarcerated gallstones received laparoscopic cholecystectomy by using four trocars in our hospital. The Arteria cystica and ductus cysticus were operated successively. For widened ductus cysticus,we ligated the duct first and then cut it off. Afterwards,the wound on the liver bed and its margin were electrocoagulated. After the operation,a drainage tube was placed under the liver. Results Of the patients,the LC were successfully completed in 67 cases (94.4%),4 cases were converted to open surgery (2 of them had a disease course of less then 3 days,and one over 3 days). No biliary injury or death occurred in this series. The patients were discharged from hospital in 2-6 days (mean,3 days). No complication was found during a 6-month follow-up. Conclusions With the improvement of operator's proficiency and skills,LC becomes feasible and safe for acute cholecystitis complicated with incarcerated gallstones.

Objective To explore the differences of intelligence ，ability of social adaptation and behavior problems between patients of benign epilepsy childhood and those of normal controls .Methods Sixty children of benign epilepsy were investigated. Results The intelligence of children showed no significant differences between two groups ( P＞0.05), while the rate of ability of social adaptation among the children of benign epilepsy patients was less than that of nomal controls （P<0.01) . There were no significant differences in the total rate of behavior problems between two groups except that some factors were different . Conclusions We should create methods to enhance the ability of social adaptation in order to avoid the abnormal behavior when the children patients of benign epilepsy are treated by drugs.

Objective To explore application of case management for hypertension in the elderly.Methods In total, 106 elderly patients with hypertension treated at outpatient and inpatient departments of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xian Jiaotong University were recruited during January to October 2007, and divided randomly into two groups, one with conventional management and the other with case management.Patients with conventional treatment accepted routine diagnostic and therapeutic procedures and were followed-up passively, and patients with case management accepted integrated therapy and active interview provided by a team with a cardiovascular specialist as core, were followed-up actively and their medical records were kept in files. Percentage of the patients with blood pressure lowered to meet criteria of effectiveness and their improvement in depression and anxiety status and quality of life were evaluated two years after management for the two groups. Results Percentage of patients with their blood pressure lowered to meet effective criteria increased significantly in both of the groups, from 32. 8% to 67.5% in patients with conventional management and from 33.7% to 83.4% in those with case management ( P = 0. 007 ),respectively. Scores of self-rating anxiety scale ( SAS) and self-rating depression scale (SDS) decreased in patients of the both groups, from 57 ± 10 and 56 ± 11 before management to 40 ±9 and 48 ± 10 after it,respectively in patients of conventional management ( P = 0. 032 ), and from 56 ± 10 and 57 ± 10 before management to 35 ±9 and 40 ± 9 after it ( P = 0. 008 ), respectively in those with case management; and scores of quality of life improved in patients of the two group, from 65 ± 13 before management to 85 ± 14 after it in those with conventional management, and from 64 ± 13 before management to 98 ± 14 after it in those with case management ( P = 0.017 ), respectively. Conclusions Case management is better for chronic diseases and recommended in management for the elderly with hypertension, which can improve their targets of blood pressure lowering, decrease their scores of SAS and SDS and improve their quality of life,with an integrated, in-depth, continuous management.