OBJECTIVETo assess the feasibility and safety of robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RLRP) in the treatment of prostate cancer.

METHODSUsing the da Vinci robot surgical system, we performed RLRP for 34 patients with localized prostate cancer and analyzed the intraoperative and follow-up data.

RESULTSThe procedures were performed successfully in all the patients, with the mean operation time of 198 min (range 135-340 min), average blood loss of 257 ml (range 50-700 ml), and 1 case of blood transfusion, but no postoperative complications. Three cases had positive surgical margins. Postoperative examination at 4 weeks showed PSA > 0.2 microg/L in 2 cases, suggestive of residual tumor, for which maximal androgen block therapy was administered. The other 32 patients were followed up for 3-10 (mean 7.5) months, during which the average level of serum tPSA remained < 0.2 microg/L. Urinary continence was found in 94% (32/34) and 97% (33/34) of the patients at 3 and 6 months, respectively, of whom 77% (26/34) and 88% (30/34) had no urinary leakage (0 pad per day).

CONCLUSIONRLRP, with its advantages of less perioperative blood loss, low rate of positive margin, and good urinary continence, is a safe and effective surgical option for the treatment of prostate cancer.

Aged ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prostatectomy ; methods ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Robotics

There exist a number of mercury-resistant bacterial in environment, Mer operon is involved in the resistant mechanism, MerRTPA of Mer operon encodes the proteins related to the regulation, transport and reduction of mercury ion, respectively. The toxic mercury ion is transported by MerTP from medium to cytoplasmic mercuric reductase, MerA, and deoxidized to non-toxic and volatile element mercury, Hg(0). Bacterial mercury-resistant system originated from ancient times, and evolved into the Mer operon with diversity by gene integration and insertion. Mercury-resistant bacteria highly specifically absorb mercury ion, and can be used in recovering the mercury-polluted environment as well as the genetic selective marker.

B cell maturation antigen (BCMA) is a receptor of B lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS). Human IgG1Fc fusion proteins with the extracellular domain of BCMA(eBCMA), also called decoy receptors, have beenused as a potential BLyS antagonists to block BLyS activities. In order to design novel BLyS antagonistpeptides, computer-aided homologue modeling was used to construct an eBCMA-Fc fusion protein based on thecrystal structures of BCMA and Fc fragmant. To ensure the activity of eBCMA not to be interfered by Fcfusion, the root mean square distance (RMSD) for eBCMA and Fc were calculated to be 0.036 nm and 0.064nm, respectively, based on molecular docking modeling. An eBCMA-Fc fusion gene was constructed andintroduced into E. coli for expression. As expected, the purified 36 kD eBCMA-Fc fusion protein was able tobind BLyS in vitro at a dosage-dependent manner and demonstrated an anti-proliferative activity induced byBLyS in Daudi cells. The results have provided useful information on the evaluation of computer modeling andthe in vitro biological activity for the design of potential BLyS antagonist peptides.

Bacteria species belonging to the genus Leptospirillum are of great importance in bioleaching industry. This paper introduces the varieties and characteristics of Leptospirillum, its isolation and cultivation methods, as well as the advance of molecular biology and bioleaching mechanism researchs about Leptospirillum.

Objective To explore the effect of astragalus injection with heparin in treatment of children with nephrotic syndrome(NS) whose blood was high coagulable.Methods Seventy-two children suffering from NS, whose blood was high coagulable,were randomly divi-ded into 2 groups. The suffering children of 2 groups were given diuretic and anti-infective and hypotenive drugs, simultaneously taking prednisone 2 mg/( kg?d). In addition, the suffering children of therapeutic group was given astragalus injection 20 mL and heparin 100 IU/kg which were added in the glucose injection 200 mL absorbed by intravenous drop.They had blood test since they had taken the medicine once a day and maintained 2-4 weeks′ time.Results The suffering children′s PLT,febrinogen(Fbg) and prothrombin time(PT) of therapeutic group were all lowered down to normal quantity in 10 days but those of contrastive group in 2 weeks or more. The time of urinary protein′s vani-shing of the therapeutic group averages out to (8.9?4.1) d;but contrastive group became normal after 2 weeks and urinary albumen disa-ppeared in (12.8?6.2) d.Conclusions The astragalus injection with heparin is significant to shortening the course of treatment and redu-cing the relapse and preventing from thrombosis in the treatment of NS of suffering children whose blood is high coagulable.The treatment of anti-coagulation can be one of conventional plans.

ObjectiveTo establish a analytical system for the survival motor neuron (SMN) subtle mutation,and evaluate its application in two families with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).MethodsSMN genes in seven family members from two SMA families were analyzed at both transcript level and genomic level,by the use of the conventional PCR-RFLP,allele-specific PCR,multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) and T subcloning and sequencing of SMNI gene.ResultsIn family A,the patient had a single SMN1 copy who was carrying nonsense mutation L228X,which was also found in his father.In family B,as the patient's sample was unavailable,the father was indeed a carrier with one normal SMN1 allele and the other SMN1 allele carrying a frameshift mutation 22_23insA.The remaining family members were SMA carriers with one SMN1 copy.ConclusionThis analytical system for SMN subtle mutation offers viable molecular basis for genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis in SMA families.

Background Diabetiretinopathy(DR) ione of the leading causeof blindness.To understand the risk factorof Dpathogenesiiimportanfothe prevention and treatmenof DR.Objective The purpose of thistudy wato survey the prevalence and relevanfactorof Damong diabetipatientaged ove45 yearold.Methodcross-sectional study wadesigned.physical examination waperformed on 7300 subjectfrom July,2010 to March,2011 athe FirsHospital of Shanxi Medical University,and 5012 of them received non-mydriatidigital funduphotography.Type 2 diabetimellituwadetermined in 574 subjects,and 480 casethaconformed to the criteriof the currenstudy were recruited.questionnaire survey wacarried ouin the 480 patients,and the prevalence of diabeteand Dwacalculated fothe analysiof the causative factorof DR.ResultGradable funduphotographwere available in 480 subjects,and 98 of them presented with Dcomplication aprevalence rate of 19.8％.The morbidity rateof Dwere 14.3％,19.4％,23.7％ and 21.5％ in the 45-55 yeargroup,＞55-65 yeargroup,＞65-75 yeargroup and ＞75 yeargroup,respectively,withousignificandifference among them (x2 =3.824,P=0.281).The incidence rateof Dwere 11.8％,13.2％,15.4％,27.0％ and 62.5％ in patientwith disease courseof lesthan 5 years,5-10 years,＞ 10-15 years,＞ 15-20 yearand ove20 years,respectively,with significandifference among differendisease duration(x2 =57.518,P =0.000).No significandifference waseen in the prevalence of Damong groupwith body weighindiceof ＜18.5,18.5-22.9,23.0-24.9 and ≥25.0 (16.7％,23.3％,16.8％,19.7％) (x2 =2.099,P =0.718) and differentreatmenmethod,such aoral antidiabetidrugs,insulin injection ocombination treatmen(18.8％,25.9％,19.8％,respectively) (x2 =1.477,P=0.478).The questionnaire survey showed close relevancy between gender,disease duration,fasting glucose concentration,family history of diabetes,and whethefunduexamination waperformed (P =0.025,0.000,0.001,0.003,0.039).ConclusionThe prevalence rate of Dwaassociated with the awarenesfodiabeteand treatmenmodes.Gender,disease duration,family history of diabetes,fasting glucose concentration and submission to eye examination are the independenrisk factorof DR.

To investigate the biological role of snake venom cystatin(sv-cystatin) in tumor progression, the cDNA of sv-cystatin amplified by PCR from pUC18-cystatin plasmid was cloned into methanol-inducible expression vector pPICZ?A. The linearized recombinant plasmid pPICZ?A-cystatin was transfered into Pichia pastoris, strain GS115 by electrophoration. Transfermants with phenotype Mut+ selected were identified by PCR analysis and induced in 1.0% methanol. The reombinant sv-cystatin protein was examined by SDS-PAGE, Western blot analysis. The molecular mass of expression product was about 14 kDa and approximately 16 mg/L of recombinant sv-cystatin was produced from one of GS115-cystatin transformants. The chromatography purified protein could reduce the activity of papain. The ability of B16F1 cells treated with recombinant sv-cystatin to invade the reconstituted basement membrane decreased significantly (P

The effect of the complement C1q expression on total hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats was investigated. Sixty healthy male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats weighing 180-200 g were randomly divided into 5 groups: sham-operation group (S group, n=12); group of I/R for 1 h (I/R 1 h group, n=12); group of I/R for 3 h (I/R 3 h group, n=12); group of I/R for 6 h (I/R 6 h group, n=12); group of I/R for 24 h (I/R 24 h group, n=12). The hepatic I/R model of rats was established, and liver tissues were obtained 1 h, 3 h, 6 h and 24 h after hepatic I/R, respectively. Furthermore, the tissues were stained using hematoxylin-eosin, and the liver injuries of rats were observed using a microscope. The malondialdehyde (MDA) level and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in liver tissue were determined. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Western blotting were used to detect the expression levels of C1q mRNA and protein, respectively. As compared with the S group, the histopathological changes in I/R 1 h-24 h groups were gradually aggravated with the extension of I/R time. As compared with the S group, SOD activity and MDA content in the I/R groups were reduced and increased respectively with the extension of I/R time (P<0.01). Furthermore, the C1q expression at mRNA and protein levels in the I/R groups (especially in the I/R 3 h group) was significantly higher than that in the S group (P<0.05). It is suggested that C1q expression may play a principal role in hepatic I/R injury, particularly at the early stage of perfusion.

OBJECTIVETo compare the efficacies of portal vein stenting and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined therapy performed with or without endovascular implantation of iodine-125 (125I) seeds strand in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and main portal vein tumor thrombus (MPVTT).

METHODSOne-hundred-and-six patients with HCC complicated by MPVTT who were treated with portal vein stents and TACE, either with (Group A, n=56) or without (Group B, n=50) endovascular implantation of 125I seeds strand, between July 2005 and April 2011, were retrospectively analyzed. Overall survival, stent patency, and procedure-related adverse events were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSThe technical success rate was 100% for placement of 125I seeds strands and stents in the obstructed main portal vein. No serious procedure-related adverse events were recorded. Group A had significantly higher median survival (335 days vs. group B: 146 days; P=0.001, hazard ratio (HR)=2.244). Additionally, group A had significantly higher median stent patency (400 days vs. group B: 190 days; P=0.005, HR=2.479).

CONCLUSIONThe combination therapeutic strategy of portal vein stenting and TACE with endovascular implantation of 125I seeds strands improves the survival of HCC patients with MPVTT complication.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; complications ; therapy ; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Iodine Radioisotopes ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Liver Neoplasms ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplastic Cells, Circulating ; Portal Vein ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Stents ; Treatment Outcome ; Venous Thrombosis ; complications ; therapy