Objective To investigate the different operative style for the intraspinal extramedullary neoplasms in the cervical vertebrae as well as evaluate the clinical effect of titanium net for spinal canal reconstruction and bone autograft after laminectomy. Methods Since March 2002 to September 2008, 26patents (14 men, 12 women) with the intraspinal extramedullary neoplasm in the cervical vertebrae. The average age was 38 years (range, 6-76 yr). According to Frankel classification, there were 26 cases for grade B before operation, 8 cases for grade C, 11 for grade D, and 4 for grade E. All patients underwent hemilaminectomy (as group HL) or total laminectomy combined with spinal canal reconstruction with titanium net (as group TL). Recovery of nerve function and bone fusion were recorded. Preoperative and postoperative cervical curvature index and ranges of neck motion were recorded and compared. Results Among the 3cases with incomplete paraplegia, neurological status ameliorated from Frankel grade B to C; 8 cases of Frankel grade C recovered to grade D; 11 cases of Frankel grade D improved to grade E in 10 cases and 1to grade D. Bone fusion was formed on the titanium net and spinal stability was well after operation. Loss of cervical curvature indices was 2.2±2.3 in group HL and 4.3±2.5 in group of TL, and the difference was of statistically significant (t=2.05,P＜0.05). At the same time, loss of ranges of neck motion was 1.3°±1.2°ingroup of HL and 9.2°±4.1°in group TL, significant difference was also seen (t=1.71 ,P＜ 0.05). Conclusion Hemi-laminectomy approach to intradural lesions lends itself well to eccentric tumors with smaller size. For the cases of total laminectomy, it is necessary and reliable to reconstitute integrity of spinal canal with titanium net and bone autograft.

AIM: To determine the contents of tetrandrine and fangchinoline in Qingshenjianfei Tablets by RP-HPLC. METHODS:In this method Zorbax C 18 column was used, and methanol—0.3%diethylamine (75∶25) as a mobile phase , the detection wavelength was at 242 nm. RESULTS:The recovery of tetrandrine was 103.65% and RSD was 1.59% .The recovery of fangchinoline was 97.11% and RSD was 1.91% (n=6). CONCLUSION: This method is simple,quick,reproducible and can be used for the quantitative analysis。

According to the results of quantum chemistry calculation and the present research status in the relationship between the structures and the functions of DT, the E154 in DT catalyzing domain was mutated to aspartic acid and arginine in order to study the effects of the alteration on the biological activities. By means of gene site-direct mutation, two mutated genes were prepared and the high performance expression was obtained in E.coli system. The results of toxcity studies indicated that the acute toxicity in guinea pig and cytotoxicities of mutant E154D increased slightly in compared with those of recombination wild toxin, and contrarily, those of E154R decreased obviously.

Objective To develop the fluorescence molecular imaging system and obtain the 3D images of near-infrared fluorescent probe in tissue-like solution.Methods Weak optical signals were acquired with hypothermal cooled CCD camera.The system captured the fluorescent images of different projections at rotating the tissue phantom.The photon propagation in tissue followed the diffusion approximation theory.The 3D image of probe was calculated with a fast reconstruction algorithm based on finite element approach.Results The imaging system could obtain the full-angle dense raw dataset.The reconstruction algorithm had capacity to recover the position and contour of the fluorescent target included in diffusive medium.Conclusion The results from phantom experiments are promising and show the potentials to act as a platform for in vivo fluorescence tomography.

Objective serous endotoxin(ET) were measured to determine the relationship between serous endotoxin and differ‐ent type of intestinal obstruction in children .Methods 25 inguinal hernia patients and 43 intestinal obstruction patients were classi‐fied into control group(n=25) ,incomplete intestinal obstruction (n=20) and complete intestinal obstruction group without necrosis of intestine (n=23) according to degree of obstruction .Serous endotoxin were measured in different time (the day of admission ,one day after admission or ,preoperation and one day postoperation ) ,and t test is used to determine the difference between them . Results ET in different group was(6 .53 ± 14 .96) ,(4 .40 ± 1 .15) ,(4 .20 ± 1 .20) ,(4 .09 ± 1 .31) ,(3 .70 ± 1 .46)EU/mL ,respec‐tively .There were no difference between each group .Conclusion ET examination suggests there is no difference between different type of intestinal obstruction in children and endotoxemia is not found in intestinal obstruction according to the results .

[ ABSTRACT] AIM:To study the protective effect of Astragalus polysaccharides ( APS) on free fatty acid-induced injury in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs).METHODS: Cultured HUVECs were divided into control group, APS group [ APS (200 mg/L) treated for 24 h], free fatty acid group [free fatty acid (0.25 mmol/L) treated for 24 h], free fatty acid plus APS group [free fatty acid (0.25 mmol/L) and APS (200 mg/L) treated for 24 h], and com-pound C group [ free fatty acid (0.25 mmol/L) and APS (200 mg/L) and AMPK inhibitor compound C (10 μmol/L) treated for 24 h] .The cell viability was detected by MTT assay.Nitric oxide ( NO) content in the medium was determined by nitrate reductase assay.The protein levels of total adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), phos-phorylated adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (p-AMPK), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and phosphorylated endothelial nitric oxide synthase ( p-eNOS) were measured by Western blot.RESULTS: No significant difference of all indexes between APS group and control group was observed.The cell viability in free fatty acid group de-creased significantly compared with control group.The cell viability in free fatty acid plus APS group was significantly im-proved as compared with free fatty acid group.The cell viability in compound C group was almost the same as that in free fatty acid group.The No content and protein levels of p-AMPK and p-eNOS in free fatty acid group decreased obviously as compared with control group, while the NO content and protein levels of p-AMPK and p-eNOS in free fatty acid plus APS group increased obviously compared with free fatty acid group.No significant difference of the p-AMPK and p-eNOS protein levels between free fatty acid plus APS group and free fatty acid group was observed.No significant difference of the AMPK and eNOS protein levels in all groups was found.CONCLUSION:APS attenuates the free fatty acid-induced injury, and its mechanism is related to the AMPK-eNOS signal pathway.

Objective To investigate the effect of astragalus polysaccharides (APS) on the growth and proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma cells and its effect on adenosine monophosphate activated pro-tein kinase (AMPK) activity.Methods Hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells cultured for 12,24,and 48 hours were treated with 200,300,and 400 mg/L concentration of astragalus polysaccharides.The cell inhibition rate was detected with methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT),and apoptosis was observed under the fluorescence microscope.Western blot method was used to measure the expression of total AMPK,phosphorylated AMPK (p-AMPK),and phosphorylate mammalian target of rapamycin (p-mTOR) protein expressions.Results Astragalus polysaccharides of each concentration significantly inhibited the proliferation of human hepatoma HepG2 cells (P ＜ 0.01),and the effect of 300 mg/L concentration astragalus polysaccharides was more significant than that of the 200 mg/L concentration (P ＜0.01);while inhibitory effect of 400 and 300 mg/L Astragalus polysaccharides on the proliferation of human hepatoma cell line HepG2 was not significant difference.We found that Astragalus polysaccharides of each concentration could promote the apoptosis of HepG2 cells,and the effect of 300 mg/L Astragalus polysaccharides was more significant.However,astragalus polysaccharide of 400 mg/L concentration could promote the apoptosis no more than the 300 mg/L concentration,which was observed by fluorescent microscope.Western blot results showed that astragalus polysaccharides could increase the expression of p-AMPK (P ＜ 0.05),and inhibit its downstream protein expressions of p-mTOR (P ＜ 0.05).The proliferation effect of astragalus polysaccharides was weakened after accession of AMPK antagonist compound C on hepatocellular carcinoma cells.Conclusions APS can inhibit the growth and proliferation of hepatocarcinoma cells,and its mechanism is related to the AMPK-mTOR pathway.

Objective To discuss the diagnostic value of two-dimensional speckle tracking imaging in the evaluation of left ventricular rotation and torsion in pre-apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy(PAHCM)patients. Methods A total of 26 patients with PAHCM,26 patients with hyperten-sive left ventricular hypertrophy(HLVH)and 26 healthy volunteers were recruited for the study. Two-dimensional echocardiographs were performed carefully. Two-dimensional images were obtained from the left ventricular apical four-chamber section,two-chamber section and two short-axis sec-tions,including mitral valve and apical levels. The peak subendocardial rotation(endo-rot),epicardial rotation(epi-rot),transmural torsion(mural-tor)and bulk rotation(bulk-rot)of each short-axis section were measured and analyzed using QLAB 9.1 software. Results In the mitral level, there was no statistically significant difference in endo-rot,epi-rot,mural-tor and bulk-rot between the PAHCM group and normal control group (P>0.05). There was statistically significant difference in endo-rot,epi-rot,mural-tor and bulk-rot between the PAHCM group and HLVH group (all P<0.05). There was statistically significant difference in endo-rot,epi-rot,mural-tor and bulk-rot between the HLVH group and normal control group(all P<0.05). In the apical level,there was no statistically significant difference in epi-rot among three groups(P>0.05). There was statisti-cally significant difference in endo-rot,mural-tor and bulk-rot between each two groups(P<0.05). There was statistically significant difference in G-tor between each two groups(P<0.05). The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the accuracy of differential diagnosis of G-tor PAHCM was high(the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve is 0.89),the sensitivity was 73.08%,and the specificity was 92.31%. Conclusion Two-dimensional speckle tracking imaging could accurately and quantitatively measure the left ventricular rotation and tor-sion in PAHCM patients. The G-tor could accurately screen and identify between PAHCM and HLVH.

Objective To investigate the effects of high-fat diet on fatty acid metabolism, expression and activity of acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase (ACC) in skeletal muscle in rats. Methods Male Wistar rats aged 22-24 months were randomly divided into old control (OC) group and high-fat diet (HF) group. Male Wistar rats aged 4-5 months were selected as young control (YC) group. The rats in OC and YC groups were fed with basic diet, and the rats in HF group received high-fat diet. Insulin sensitivity was evaluated by hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp technique. Skeletal muscle triglyceride was extracted and measured by an automated biochemistry analyzer. Long-chain acetyl coenzyme A (LCACoAs) were extracted from muscle and measured by a fluorospectrophotometer. Protein expressions of ACC and P-ACC were measured using SDS-PAGE and Western blot techniques. Results (1)Fasting blood glucose (FBG), fasting insulin (FINS) and free fatty acid were higher in OC group than in YC group and they increased significantly in HF group. Triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TO levels were also elevated after high-fat feeding. (2)Glucose infusion rates (GIR) were reduced in OC group than in YC group, and decreased significantly after high-fat feeding. GIR was lower at the end of the 8th week than at the end of the 4th week in HF group. (3) Compared with YC group, skeletal muscle triglyceride and LCACoAs increased in OC group and increased significantly in HF group. (4)No alterations of protein levels of ACC in skeletal muscle were detected among three groups (P>0.05). The protein levels of P-ACC in skeletal muscle were lower in OC group, and much lower in HF group than in YC group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Conclusions Compared with young rats, abnormal fatty acid metabolism and insulin resistance always exist in aged rats. High-fat feeding results in a significant increase in lipid content in skeletal muscle. Alterations of ACC activity may contribute to fat accumulation in skeletal muscle and insulin resistance.

Two cases of nevus of Ota resistant to multiple sessions of Q-switched laser treatment are reported.Both of the patients were females,who developed beige or blue patches on the left side of the face (zygomatic region,cheek)several months after birth.No conjunctiva or sclera was involved.The lesions spread to the left retroauricular region and posterior neck during pregnancy in one patient.Histopathological examination of the lesions showed scattered melanocytes and melanophages in lower dermis and subcutaneous adipose tissue as well as apparent proliferation of collagen.Immunostaining for CD34 showed no abnormality in the distribution of vascular endothelial cells in these tissues.No obvious improvement was observed in either of the patient after more than 10 sessions(12 sessions in 1 case,and 13 sessions in the other case)of treatments with Q-switched alexandrite(755 nm)or Q-switched Nd:YAG laser(1064 nm).The immediate response of lesions to laser irradiation was unusual.Purpura or errhysis was absent in the lesions after repetitive irradiation with high-energy laser,but both were visible in the adjacent normal skin even after irradiation with low-energy laser.