Objective To establish VX2 hepatic carcinoma model in rabbits by implanting the tumor fragment into the liver through percutaneous puncture under ultrasound guidance and to observe its growing and metastatic characteristics, to determine the optimal time for interventional experiment study with the model. Methods Inoculation of VX2 carcinoma fragment was performed in 28 New Zealand white rabbits. PET/CT and ultrasonography (US) examinations were carried out in the second, third and forth week after the inoculation, and each time two tumor-bearing rabbits were sacrificed for pathologic study. Results The successful rate of model establishment was 89.28% (25/28). On PET or CT scans, single lesion in the liver was demonstrated in 25 rabbits. Two, three and four weeks after the inoculation, the maximum diameter of the tumor was (4.82±0.80) mm, (16.05±2.89) mm and (30.08±5.38) mm respectively, while the metastasis rates was 0% (0/25), 13.04% (3/23), 76.19% (16/21) respectively. No significant necrosis was found in the second week after inoculation, only tiny coagulation necrosis was revealed in the third week, and massive necrosis was seen in the forth week. Conclusion Percutaneous inoculation of the tumor fragment into the liver under ultrasonographic guidance is a simple method to establish VX2 hepatic carcinoma in rabbits with a high successful rate. The third week after inoculation is the suitable time for making interventional experiment study.

Adult ; Decompression, Surgical ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; surgery ; Laser Therapy ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; surgery ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Traction ; methods

Under the guidance of strengthening medical undergraduates' practical ability and their competence in future jobs, Dalian Medical University has established a clinical medical talents practical ability training mode. This model has implementedThree Turnsclinical skills training pattern to strengthen the three stage (before, during and after practice) clinical skills training and concentrated on humanistic quality education through overall evaluations and set up clinical skill examination system to evaluate teach-ing effectiveness comprehensively and truly , which has effectively improved the quality of education by perfecting safeguard mechanisms and guaranteeing teaching quality.

Diabetic nephropathy is one of the most common microvascular complications of diabetes mellitus. With an increasing prevalence, its proportion in end-stage renal diseases is ascending. Research on the mechanism of diabetic nephropathy was initially focused on the mesangial matrix and glomerular basement membrane. In recent years, changes in the structure and functions of glomerular filtration barriers, especially podocyte injury, has became new hotspots. Podocyte injury involves the decreases in the density and amount of podocytes, the hypertrophy and degeneration of podocytes, and foot-process effacement, along with changes in some specific protein structure and functions. It is the result of multiple factors and multiple pathways. This articles summarizes the common features of podocyte injury and its role in the development of diabetic nephropathy.
Diabetic Nephropathies ; pathology ; Humans ; Podocytes ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo investigate clinical effects of auricular acupoint (AA) in the treatment of analgesia during perioperative period in total hip arthroplasty.

METHODSFrom March 2008 to August 2010, 60 patients with late osteonecrosis of the femoral head were treated by total hip arthroplasty and randomly divided into auricular acupuncture (AA) group and control group, 30 patients in each group. There were 11 males and 19 females in the AA group,with an average age of (60.93 +/- 5.90) years; the patients were treated with auricular acupuncture on the point of Shenmen, Subcortex, Kidney and hip joint for four times a week. There were 12 males and 18 females in control group, with an average age of (59.87 +/- 6.21) years; while the patients without auricular acupuncture. VAS score was used to evaluat the degree of pain; Harris score was used to evaluat the function of hip joint. All patients received patient controlled analgesia pump (PCA) for 48 hours after surgery (400 ml liquids were in PCA pump, including 800 mg tramadol and 0.8 mg fentanyl). The dosage of liquids and adverse reaction of PCA pump in different time were recorded.

RESULTSThe VAS score on the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 7th day separately was (3.61 +/- 0.29), (3.59 +/- 0.30), (2.97 +/- 0.26), (2.29 +/- 0.45), and lower than control group, which separately was (4.19 +/- 0.28), (4.00 +/- 0.31), (3.15 +/- 0.29), (2.83 +/- 0.31). The dosage of PCA in AA group separately was (72.27 +/- 8.06), (60.40 +/- 8.16), (44.13 +/- 4.75), (40.40 +/- 3.69), and less than control group, which was (86.27 +/- 8.51), (73.87 +/- 8.32), (54.53 +/- 5.20), (44.67 +/- 6.31) on the time of 0-12, 12-24, 24-36 h and 36-48 h after surgery. During the using of PCA, nausea and vomiting occurred in 5 cases, less than control group (21 cases). Harris score in AA group (78.90 +/- 5.14) was higher than control group (73.37 +/- 5.99) 2 weeks after operation.

CONCLUSIONAuricular acupuncture can reduce postoperative pain, reduce the usage of analgesic and complications, such as nausea and vomiting, improve the function of hip joint after operation.

Acupuncture Analgesia ; Acupuncture, Ear ; Adult ; Aged ; Analgesia, Patient-Controlled ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pain Management ; Pain, Postoperative ; therapy ; Perioperative Period

OBJECTIVETo analyze the mutational features of adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene and to explore the effect of mismatch repair (MMR) deficiency on its mutations in hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancers (HNPCC).

METHODSPCR-based in vitro synthesized protein test (IVSP) assay and sequencing analysis were used to confirm somatic mutations of whole APC gene in 19 HNPCC patients.

RESULTSEleven cases with thirteen mutations were determined. The frequency of APC mutation was 58%(11/19). The exhibiting mutations consisted of 9 frameshift mutations and 4 nonsense ones, indicating the existence of more frameshift mutations (69%). All of frameshift mutations were deletion or insertion of 1-2 bp and most of them (7/9) happened at simple nucleotide repeat sequences, particularly within (A) n tracts (5/9). All of four nonsense mutations resulted from C to T transitions at CpG sites.

CONCLUSIONMutational inactivations of APC gene were detected in more than half of HNPCC patients in this study, indicating that APC mutation is a common molecular event in the tumorigenesis of HNPCC. According to the location of frameshift mutations at simple nucleotide repeat sequences and point mutations at CpG sites, it was suggested that endogenous mechanisms like MMR deficiency might exert an effect on the nature of APC mutations in most HNPCC.

Adenomatous Polyposis Coli ; genetics ; Adenomatous Polyposis Coli Protein ; genetics ; metabolism ; Carcinoma ; genetics ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; Colorectal Neoplasms, Hereditary Nonpolyposis ; genetics ; Genes, APC ; physiology ; Humans

OBJECTIVETo study the proto-oncogene RON mediated aggression of Raji cells and the inhibitory effects by monoclonal antibody Zt/f2 (2f2).

METHODSThe effects of RON ligand macrophage stimulating protein (MSP) (2.0 nmol/L) and inhibitory Zt/f2 (2F2) (2.0 nmol/L) antibody on proliferation of RON positive Raji cells after treatment for 24 and72 hours were detected by MTT method, colony formation units (CFU) of Raji cells by methylcellulose semi solid culture, Raji cells apoptosis and cell cycle analysis by AnnexinV/PI double staining, expression of RON, apoptosis-related proteins, and cyclins by Western blot.

RESULTS(1)Compared with the cell viability (1.0) and counts of CFU (103.6±7.0) in control group, Raji cells after MSP treatment had better viability (1.35±0.20) and CFU counts (133.7±10.4) (P<0.05), but worse viability (0.68±0.11) and CFU counts (66.3±6.1) after Zt/f2 (2F2) treatment (P<0.05). (2)Percentage of Raji cells apoptosis after Zt/f2 (2F2) antibody treatment (12.16±2.33)% was significantly increased than the control (2.89±1.03)% (P<0.05). The percentage of Raji cells arrested in G0/G1 phase was increased after Zt/f2 (2F2) antibody treatment as compared to the control [ (54.96 ±3.70)% vs (39.10±2.30)%, (P<0.05) ]. (3) High-level of RON phosphorylation and β-catenin expression activated by MSP could be inhibited significantly by Zt/f2 (2F2), which also up-regulated the expression of caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase-9 and PARP and down-regulated anti-apoptotic MCL-1 gene and inhibitor of apoptosis protein XIAP expression, accompanied with G1 phase protein changes accordingly.

CONCLUSIONMSP could aggravate Raji cells proliferation. Inversely, Zt/f2 (2F2) could inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis by inhibition of RON phosphorylation and up-regulation of apoptosis related proteins.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Humans ; Proto-Oncogenes ; Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between alcohol consumption and risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

METHODSTwo hundreds and twenty six subjects were enrolled in the study and grouped to non-drinkers, mild drinkers, moderate drinkers and heavy drinkers. Serum GGT, hs-CRP, %CDT, HCY, lipoprotein were measured in all groups.

RESULTThere were significantly higher GGT levels with heavy drinkers than those with other groups (P <0.05), and GGT levels were increased with increasing alcohol intake; and there were significantly higher %CDT levels with heavy drinkers compared with those with no-drinkers; there was significant higher hs-CRP levels with heavy drinkers compared with those with mild and moderate drinkers (P<0.05); but in moderate drinkers there was significantly lower hs-CRP levels than non drinkers (P<0.05). Compared with non-drinkers, there were significantly lower LDL-C and TG levels with mild and moderate drinkers. There were no significant differences in CHOL, HDL-C, HCY, WBC, MCV levels among all groups. Heavy drinkers had higher smoking rate and higher prevalence of hypertension (P <0.05).

CONCLUSIONHeavy alcohol consumption results in increasing GGT,%CDT and hs-CRP and may increase cardiovascular disease risk along with other risk factors.Mild to moderate alcohol consumption is associated with lower hs-CRP concentration,which may protect the cardiovascular system through anti-inflammatory mechanism.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Alcohol Drinking ; adverse effects ; blood ; Alcoholism ; blood ; C-Reactive Protein ; metabolism ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; epidemiology ; China ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Risk Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Transferrin ; analogs & derivatives ; metabolism ; Young Adult ; gamma-Glutamyltransferase ; blood

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on cytokines in the cardiac surgical patient and to evaluate the application of combined acupuncture anesthesia to cardiac surgery.

METHODSThirty patients with atrial septal defect were divided into 3 groups, general anesthesia group (A), acupuncture anesthesia group (B) and combined general anesthesia and EA group (C). Peripheral blood samples were collected before anesthesia, before cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), 30 min after CPB and 24 h after operation to determine the levels of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-6 and IL-10.

RESULTSThe levels of IFN-gamma and IL-2 decreased in the 3 groups after CPB and further decreased 24 h after operation, and in the group C were higher than those in the group B. The levels of IL-6 and IL-10 significantly increased 24 h after operation in the 3 groups with no significant difference among the 3 groups.

CONCLUSIONThe general anesthesia combined with EA can not completely improve the decrease of IFN-gamma and IL-2 induced by CPB, indicating that the good response of the general anesthesia combined with EA to stress can partially improve the immunosupression induced by CPB. Acupuncture does not have significant effect on inflammatory cytokine reaction induced by cardiac surgery.

Acupuncture Analgesia ; Adult ; Cardiac Surgical Procedures ; Electroacupuncture ; Female ; Humans ; Interferon-gamma ; blood ; Interleukin-10 ; blood ; Interleukin-2 ; blood ; Interleukin-6 ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged

This review presents the state of the art of pH-responsive polymeric micelles for cancer drug delivery. Solid tumors have a weakly acidic extracellular pH (pH < 7), and cancer cells have even more acidic pH in endosomes and lysosomes (pH 4-6). The pH-gradients in tumor can be explored for tumor targeting and drug release in cancer drug delivery by applying pH-responsive polymeric micelles. The pH-responsive polymeric micelles consist of a corona and a core, and are made of amphiphilic copolymers, in which there are pH-responsive polymeric blocks. Two types of pH-responsive polymers-protonizable polymers and acid-labile polymers have been mainly used to make pH-responsive micelles for drug delivery. The protonizable polymers are polybases or polyacids, and their water-soluble/insoluble or charge states undergo changes with the protonation or deprotonation stimulated by external acidity, while the acid-labile polymers change their physical properties by chemical reaction stimulated by the acidity. Polymeric micelles whose core or coronas respond to the tumor extracellular acidity can be explored for triggering the fast release of the carried drug, activating the targeting group and accelerating the endocytosis of drug-loaded polymeric micelles, and those whose core or coronas respond to the tumor lysosomal acidity can be used for facilitating their escape from the lysosomes and targeting the nucleus. Various in vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrated that pH-responsive polymeric micelles are effective for cellular targeting, internalization, fast drug release and nuclear localization, and hence enhancing the therapeutic efficacy and reducing the side effect of cancer chemical therapy.
Antineoplastic Agents ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Micelles ; Nanoparticles ; Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Polymers ; chemistry