Objective To study the effect of Xuebijing, a Chinese traditional medicine injection, on the THP-1 cells challenged by endotoxin, and to explore whether it induces endotoxin tolerance. Methods The THP-1 cells were pretreated with Xuebijing in different concentrations (10, 25, 50 mg/mL) and times (4, 12, 24 hours), and then challenged by endotoxin. The level of TNF-α in culture supernatant was detected by ELISA assay, and the expression of TLR4 and IRAK-M mRNA were detected by Real time-PCR technique. Results There was no significant difference in TNF-α level among all the groups (pretreated with different concentrations of Xuebijing for different time) (P>0.05). Only in 50 mg/mL Xuebijing group, TLR4 mRNA was 1.547-fold increase in 24 h than in 4 h group (P<0.05). Only when pretreated for 24 h, IRAK-M mRNA was 1.349-fold increase in 50 mg/mL Xuebijing group than in control group (P<0.05). However,there was no significant difference among other groups (P>0.05). Conclusions Xuebijing can not block the release of TNF-α from the THP-1 cells challenged by endotoxin;and it does not induce endotoxin tolerance. When pretreated with high concentration of Xuebijing for long time, the expression of both TLR4 and IRAK-M mRNA is up-regulated, but its significance is not yet clear.

Magnesium and its alloys possess the features of low density,high strength and rigidity,good biocompatibility and biodegradability.Their elastic modulus is similar to human bone,which endows them with a broad application prospect in the field of orthopedic biomedical materials.This paper reviews the current research status of magnesium and its alloys as the orthopedic implant materials and as porous scaffold materials in bone tissue engineering.Methods to improve corrosion resistance of magnesium-based metals ale briefly described as well.

Interleukin-24 (IL-24) is a novel cancer suppressor cytokine. It can suppress cancer cell growth, induce cancer cell apoptosis, inhibit angiogenesis, stimulate the PBMC secretion of cytokines, and enhance the antitumor activity of radiotherapy, chemotherapy and targeting gene-virotherapy. It is reasonable to suggest that IL-24 may be a powerful and effective protocol for combinatorial cancer treatment in the clinic.

BACKGROUND: A variety of cages for lumbar interbody fusion have been used, which have good mechanics and clinical effects. Conventional posterior fusion requires parallel implantation of two cages, but some researchers believe that single lumbar fusion cage in oblique way is also possible.OBJECTIVE: Through in vitro biomechanical tests, to find a method with favorable effect and little trauma by combination of percutaneous lateral oblique way into the single expansive lumbar fusion cage between the fixed-line operations.DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: A randomized, controlled experiment was performed at the Shanghai Institute of Biomechanical Engineering between May 2005 and May 2008.MATERIALS: Expansile lumbar interbody fusion cage was simulated from B-Twin Cage (Disc-O-Tech, Israel). Fresh calf lumbar specimens were used.METHODS: Biomechanical tests were performed in 18 specimens of calf lumbar function spinal units (FSU), which were divided into 3 groups: 6 in control group, 6 in single cage groups and 6 in two-cage groups. The biomechanical tests of two experimental groups were performed following tests of intact specimens. Stiffness tests were conducted in the WE-10A MTS,including axial compression, flexion, extension, lateral bending, and torsion.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Axial and torsion stiffness results of each group.RESULTS: The stiffness was greater in two-cage groups compared with single cage group in axial compression and extension, but significant differences were only found in axial compression and extension tests (P < 0.05). The torsion stiffness of single cage group was significantly greater than two-cage groups (P < 0.05).CONCLUSION: Percutanous lumbar interbody fusion by single expansile lumbar interbody fusion cage from lateral approach is feasible theoretically. Biomechanical properties of FSU with B-Twin cage are improved, which contributes a lot to lumbar stability. Compared with posterior approach of single cage, two-cage can provide better stiffness and stability but its torsion stability is lower.

BACKGROUND: To review progressions in the pharmacological study of natural plant Ficus carica L. (fig), summarize its main pharmacological effects so as to manifest values in clinical practice.DATA SOURCES: .By computer retrieval system, the relevant papers on the researches on Ficus carica were retrieved on Medline from January 1950 to September 2004 and limited at the referred word "Ficus carica" in English. Simultaneously, the relevant papers were searched by the computer on China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database from January 1999 to September 2004, focusing on the referred word "Fieus carica" in Chinese.STUDY SELECTION: Of all the relevant papers, ones focusing on the pharmacological study of Ficus carica were selected and the whole text were checked, meanwhile those had no relation with the pharmacological latex as well as various constituents and preparations. Exclusion criterion:repeated studies.DATA EXTRACTION: A total of 226 papers were checked on the study of Ficus carica, 30 papers were consistent with the standards. Among the 196 excluded papers, 189 were excluded because they were clinical experience report or repeated studies, 7 were reviews.DATA SYNTHESIS: Investigations of the fig, its leaves and latex as well as various constituents and preparations, have revealed many pharmacological effects such as: anti-tumor effects, the ability to mediate body metabolism, mediating hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia and cholesterol levels, enhancing oxidation resistance, antibiotic effects, antivirus effects, the ability to mediate immunity, activating blood coagulation etc. It also may play an important role in supportive therapy in tumor treatment by reducing toxicity and side effects in actinotheraphy and chemotherapy. Several reports of anaphylaxis after fig intake have reported both in China and abroad.CONCLUSION: As an herb, fig has wide pharmacological effects and clinical practise values. The main pharmacological studies of it were focused on its anti-tumor effects and the ability to mediate body metabolism.Separation and purification of its active components and determining the interactions between them as well as the pharmacological and toxicological effects need further study. New pharmacological effect s will be found by studying various fig extracts.

Objective:To study the histogenesis and cell differentiation of desmoplastic ameloblastoma.Methods:The expression of various protein filaments was detected by immunohistochemical stainning in 20 cases of desmoplastic ameloblastoma and the ultrastructure of the tumor was observed in 4 cases.Results:CKH,CK8 and CK19 were positive in spindle-shaped and polygonal epithlium tumor cells.Vimentin was positive in mesenchymal fibrocytes and smooth muscle actin in some mesenchymal cells.Ultrastructural observation found that tonifilaments were in epithelial cells and there were desmosomes between these cells.In stroma myofibroblasts were presented.Loose connective tissue could be seen around some epithelial cell nests.Conclusion:Desmoplastic ameloblastoma may be arise from the early stage of the dental germ formation, epithelial cells of the tumor had the tendency to differentiate to the keratinized cells.

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of neoadjuvant chemo radiotherapy combined with surgical treatment for advanced rectal cancer.Methods Fifty-one patients with advanced rectal cancer were randomly divided into treatment group and control group by random number table.In treatment group,26 cases received three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy synchronization XELOX chemotherapy for 2 cycles,then they received radical resection after 4-6 weeks.Twenty-five cases in control group received neoadjuvant chemotherapy with XELOX for 2 cycles,then received radical resection.Results The objective response rate in treatment group was 84.6％ (22/26),and in control group was 60.0％(15/25),there was significant difference between two groups (P =0.049).Radical resection in treatment group was 96.2％ (25/26),significantly higher than that in control group 76.0％ (19/25)(P =0.037).The sphincter preservation rate in treatment group was 61.5％ (16/26),and in control group was 20.0％ (5/25),there was significant difference between two groups (P =0.003).The pathologic complete response rate in treatment group was 26.9％ (7/26),significantly higher than that in control group 4.0％ (1/25)(P =0.024).The 1,2 and 3 year survival rate in treatment group were 88.0％(22/25),60.0％(15/25),32.0％(8/25),which were significantly higher than those in control group 62.5％ (15/24),29.2％ (7/24),8.3％ (2/24) (P =0.038,0.030,0.040).The 1,2,and 3 year recurrence rate in treatment group were 8.0％(2/25),20.0％(5/25),36.0％ (9/25),which were significantly lower than those in control group 33.3％ (8/24),44.8％(12/24),66.7％ (16/24) (P=0.028,0.027,0.032).Conclusion Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy can improve the rate of surgical resection,sphincter preservation and prolong survival of rectal cancer,it can be used as a kind of effective treatment for rectal cancer.

Objective To explore the relevance of the microRNA-192 (miR-192) levels and prognosis in patients with diabetic nephropathy (DN).Methods A total of 59 cases with duration of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) ≥10 years from January 2010 to July 2011 were retrospectively admitted.The miR-192 levels were determined after admission,and other relevant clinical data were collected.And the patients were followed-up for 24 months.According to the patient's prognosis,the patients were divided into DN group(20 cases) and non-DN group(39 cases),and the relevant information was analyzed in two groups.Results The miR-192 levels in DN group were lower than those in non-DN group[(4.47 ± 2.27) μ g/L vs.(7.28 ± 2.39) μ g/L],and there was significant difference (P ＜ 0.05).Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that hypertension history,smoking history,high glycosylated hemoglobin,low fasting C-peptide,low 24 h urine protein,low miR-192 level,high body mass index was the independent risk factors of prognosis of T2DM (P ＜ 0.05).The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.697 in miR-192 levels individual predicting progression to DN stage,0.823 in six others without miR-192.After joining seven indicators forecast area under the curve increased significantly(0.856,95％ CI:0.832-0.904).The miR-192 levels 5.14 μ g/L was the best predictive value to the critical value of community,and the patients were divided into miR-192 ＜ 5.14 μ g/L group (28 cases) and miR-192 ≥ 5.14 μ g/L group (31 cases).The number of progression to DN within 24 months in miR-192 ＜ 5.14 μg/L group was more than that in miR-192 ≥5.14 μ g/L group (16/28 vs.4/31,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions A reduced level of miR-192 is an independent risk factor that can lead to poor prognosis in patients with DN,and can predict adverse outcomes in patients with T2DM effectively.

Objective To evaluate the influence of ProTaper rotary nickel-titanium files root preparation on root canal filling . Methods 30 cases of molars pulpitis and 20 cases of premolars pulpitis or periapical periodontitis were equally divided into two groups .The group A(30 cases) used the ProTaper rotary nickel-titanium files in root canal preparation and the group B (30 cases) adopted the common K files modified step-back technique for root canal preparation .The influence of the root preparation by 2 sets of apparatus on the effect of root canal filling ,and the several aspects of the root canal filling time ,the matching degree of main root canal file and master gutta-percha ,proper filling rate ,postoperative reaction of root canal filling were compared for conducting the e-valuation .Results In the mean root canal filling time of the group A ,average premolar time was 4 min 25 s and molar was 1 min 30 s ,however in the group B ,average premolar was 5 min 30 s and molar was 11 min 41 s ,the time in the group A was greatly short-ened with statistical difference(P<0 .05);the matching degree of main root canal file and master gutta-percha in the group A was 86 .37% for premolar and 88 .89% for molar ,however in the B group ,which was 62 .50% for premolar and 26 .67% for molar ,the matching degree in the group A was greatly improved with statistical difference between them (P<0 .05);the proper filling rate of upper premolar from the X-ray film was 72 .73% in the group A and 70 .83% in the group B ,while which of molar was 80 .0% in the group A and 77 .78% in the group B ,here was no statistical difference between them (P>0 .05);the postoperative pain reaction of root canal filling in both groups were very low and weak without statistical difference .Conclusion The ProTaper rotary nickel-titanium files root preparation can accelerate the root canal filling speed ,improve the matching degree of main root canal files and master gutta-percha and simplify the root-filling therapy procedure .

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of integration of traditional Chinese and western medicine (ITWM) or pure western medicine on the patients with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). Methods Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on ITWM treatment of ITP were searched in PubMed, EMBASE, Wanfang database, CBMDisc, CNKI and VIP. Quality of the RCTs was evaluated strictly, and statistical analysis was performed with Cochrane Collaboration’s RevMan5.1.7 software. Results Twenty-two trials involving 1527 patients were included. The results of Meta-analysis showed that the ITWM treatment of ITP significantly improved the total effective rate [RR=1.23, 95%CI (1.17, 1.29), P<0.000 01] compared with that of pure western medicine treatment. Funnel plot showed that publication bias was small. Meanwhile, peripheral platelet count and the number of megakaryocyte which can generate platelet in bone marrow increased, obvious advantage was showed in long-term effect, and adverse reactions were reduced with ITWM treatment in ITP patients. Conclusion The existed limited evidences suggest that ITWM treatment of ITP can significantly improve clinical efficacy. The quantity and quality of research literature were limited, and well-designed randomized double-blind controlled trials with large sample and multi-centers are required for a more reliable conclusion.