BACKGROUND: Decoy receptor 1 (DcR1), which acts as decoy receptors, is resistant to apoptosis induction by related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL). OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of the DcR1 (TRAIL-R3) protein in human herniated and normal lumbar intervertebral discs (IVD). METHODS: The expression and distribution of DcR1 proteins were assessed by using immunohistochemistry in 20 herniated lumbar IVD and 8 normal lumbar IVD tissues samples following discoidectomy from January to September 2010. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Percentage of nucleus pulposus and anulus fibrous cells with DCR1 expression was obviously more in the herniated group than in normal IVD group. The current results indicate that the expression of DCR1 rises after herniation.

Objective To evaluate the safety and feasibility of laparoscopy in combination with fast track colorectal surgery (FTCS) in the treatment of colorectal cancer in the elderly.Methods A total of 123 patients were randomly divided into 3 groups:the laparoscopy plus FTCS group (n=41),the laparoscopy group (n=41) and the laparotomy group (n=41).Parameters for measuring surgical quality,recovery and postoperative complications were analysed.Results No significant differences were found in age,gender,tumor location,anesthesia ASA classification,American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Tumor Node Metastasis (TNM) staging,Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score or complications between the three groups (P＞0.05 for all).There were no differences in blood loss,operative time,time required to resume defecation or number of lymph nodes dissected between the laparoscopy plus FTCS group and the laparoscopy or laparotomy group (P＞0.05 for all),but time taken to initiate postoperative ambulation,time taken to resume flatulence,time taken to start intake of liquid food and length of hospital stay were shorter in the laparoscopy plus FTCS group than in the other groups (P ＜ 0.05 for all).The incidence of postoperative complications was 12.2％ or 5/41 in the laparoscopy plus FTCS group,which was lower than in the laparoscopy group (34.1％ or 14/41) and in the laparotomy group (68.3％ or 28/41) (x2 =5.549 and 28.826,P=0.018 and 0.01,respectively),a statistically significant difference was also found between the latter two groups (x2 =9.567,P =0.002).Conclusions Laparoscopy in combination with FTCS is safe and effective in the treatment of colorectal cancer in the elderly.