We review the proceedings on the methods of how the aromatase inhibitor maintains its function, the recently developed drugs and the progress in the field of endocrine therapy for human breast cancer

Objective To study clinical and electrophysiological features of multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN). Methods The clinical features and data of electrophysiological examination from 16 patients with MMN were analyzed retrospectively.Results In the present study, the onset age was 14 to 47 years with the mean age of (28.2?2.4) years. All the 16 patients presented with unsymmetrical weakness of extremities (Ⅱ～Ⅳ grade of muscle strength) and no hypoesthesia. More serious weakness was found in the upper limbs and in the right extremities. 4 cases were accompanied with mild amyotrophy. Electromyography showed segment conduct block (CB) and slow down of conduct velocity of motor nerves in all 16 patients. Slow conduct velocity of sensory nerve was found only in one case.Conclusions MMN is an unsymmetrical peripheral neuropathy, which affects mainly on motor nerve. Nerve electrophysiology plays an important role in diagnosis of MMN and CB is the characteristic manifestation of nerve electrophysiological change in MMN.

The main component of the tea is tea polyphenols, which can inhibit the processes of carcinogenesis and development of a variety of human cancers by diverse mechanisms. Further research may provide us with more information about the anticancer activities of these promising compounds and facilitate the usage in cancer prevention and treatment.

Objective To explore the effect and mechanism of CD4+CD25+Tregs(Tregs)on the protective efficacy of glutha?tione?S?transferase(GST)against Schistosoma japonicum in mice. Methods Female BALB/c mice were divided randomly into five groups:a normal control group,an infected control group,an anti?CD25mAb group,a GST immunization group and a com?bination group with GST immunization and anti?CD25 mAb. The GST group and combination group were injected percutaneously with GST 50μg each mouse,the other two groups were injected with equal volume PBS. The immunization was performed for 3 times for two?week interval,and 2 weeks after the last immunization,each mouse was challenged with 40 S. japonicum cercaria. Two weeks post?infection,the combination group and anti?CD25 mAb group were injected intraperitoneally with 300μg anti?CD25 mAb each mouse. The mice were succumbed 2 weeks,3 weeks,4 weeks and 5 weeks post?infection respectively. The per?centages of CD4+CD25+Tregs in splenocytes of mice were measured with flow cytometer. The levels of IFN?γ,IL?2,IL?4,IL?5 and TGF?βin cell cultural supernatants were determined by sandwich?ELISA after stimulation with Con A. The liver sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Results The worm burden in the combination group(15.80 ± 2.74)was significantly lower than those of the infected control group(27.78 ± 3.15),anti?CD25 mAb group(21.50 ± 4.21),and GST group(20.84 ± 6.46). Compared to those of the infected control group,the percentages of CD4+CD25+Tregs were significantly higher in the GST group,while the percentages of CD4+CD25+Tregs were significantly lower post?anti?CD25 mAb?administration. Regardless of GST administration,the levels of IFN?γ,IL?2,IL?4 and IL?5 after anti?CD25 mAb were significantly higher than those of the in?fected control groups. There were no significant differences of egg granuloma and the level of TGF?βbetween each group. Con?clusion CD4+CD25+Tregs could be partially blocked by anti?CD25 mAb while Th1 and Th2 type immunization response could be enhanced,which plays a role in improving the protective efficacy of GST against of S. japonicum.

BACKGROUND: Three kinds of donor meniscus are commonly used at present, namely cryopreserved, fresh and deep-frozen meniscus, which,however, almost invariably give rise to degenerative changes of various degrees after transplantation.OBJECTIVE: To compare the outcome of transplantation of allograft deep-frozen meniscus and meniscal acellular matrix to determine the most preferable means of allograft meniscus preservation.DESIGN: Randomized controlled experiment with rabbits.SETTING: Department of Orthopedics, Second Hospital Affiliated to Harbin Medical University.MATERIALS: Sixty-four male Japanese white rabbits with body mass of 3.0 - 3.5 kg.METHODS: This experiment was carried out in the Animal Experimental Center, Second Hospital Affiliated to Harbin Medical University between September 2002 and September 2003. Totally 64 adult rabbits were assigned into 32 pairs according to the body weight to served as the donor and the recipient animals, respectively. The medial menisci was obtained from the bilateral knees of the donor animals with the right one cryopreserved at -80 ℃ and the left prepared into acellular matrix for deep-frozen preservation. The donor menisci were respectively transplanted into the corresponding knee joints of the recipient animal's hindlimbs, with the left side taken as the experimental side and right as control. Gross observation,X-ray examination, and histological examination of the tissues were carried out at postoperative 4, 8, 12 and 16 weeks, respectively.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Findings in X-ray, gross observation and histological observation of the grafted meniscus with meniscal measurement and findings in abdominal aorta perfusion.RFSULTS: All the 64 rabbits were observed for result analysis. X-ray examination of the grafted meniscus revealed no obvious changes in either the experimental and control side at 4 and 8 weeks postoperatively, but mild changes occurred on the control side at 12 weeks, which became obvious at 16 weeks, presented by joint space narrowing, hyperostosis and osteosclerosis below the cartilage of varied severities (with scores of 1.3 and 0.6, respectively, P ＜ 0.05). By gross observation, meniscal atrophy on the experimental side was milder and slower than the control side, with al so lower atrophy rate [(15.14±4.62) % vs (20.97±4.72) % at week 4, P ＜ 0.001, and (19.23±11.27) % vs (32.74±10.43) % at week 16, P ＜ 0.05].Perfusion of the abdominal aorta revealed no revascularization in the surrounding tissues of the meniscus by gross observation in either groups, but histologically, the experimental side showed more favorable structure than the control side at postoperative weeks 4, 8, 12 and 16.CONCLUSION: Meniscal acellular matrix may produce better outcome than deep-frozen meniscus after transplantation and can be a more practical means for preservation of the meniscus.

Objective To investigate the clinical significance of fiberoptic ductoscopy-guided intraductal biopsy in diagnosing nipple discharge.Methods From May 2006 to April 2007,screening fiberoptic ductoscopy was performed for intraductal papillary lesions in 53 ducts among 51 patients.Fiberoptic ductoscopy-guided intraductal biopsy was carried out followed by open microdochectomy. Results Except for a failure in 5 ducts,biopsy found papilloma in 29 cases,ductal hyperplasia in 15 cases,severe ductal hyperplasia in 2 and carcinoma in 2.Microdochectomy revealed 43 benign diseases (12 solitary intraductal papillomas,12 multiple intraductal papillomas,and 25 ductal hyperplasia)and 4 malignancies (3 ductal carcinoma in situ,1 invasive ductal carcinoma).Surgeries performed for the 5 ducts failing a biopsy attempt revealed papilloma in one and adenosis in 4.Compared with conventional microdochectomy,fiberoptic ductoscopy-guided intraductal biopsy can significantly increase the detection rate of solitary papilloma(40.7% vs. 92.6%,P＜0.05).It might also underestimate multiple intraductal papilloma and breast cancer. Conclusion Fiberoptic ductoscopy-guided intraductal biopsy is microinvasive,safe,convenient with a high success rate,and could be as a routine procedure after intraductal lesion found by screening fiberoptic ductoscopy.

Objective To modify the methods of operation and establishment of cerebral ischemia rat models made by thread occlusion. Method We randomly divided 120 male SD rats into a common group (n = 50), an improvement group (n = 60) and a sham-operated group (n - 10). Rats in the common and improvement groups were made into models using the common and improvement methods separately. All models were evaluated on the basis of physical sign indices and 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining. The TTC staining results were taken as gold standards. Then, we compared the achievement ratios of the two groups, and computed the sensitivity and specificity of every physical sign index based on these standards. The χ~2 or correction χ~2 test was used to compare the ratios. Results (1) The achievement ratio in the improvement group was significantly higher than that in the common group (71.67% vs. 52.00%, P = 0.034). (2) The sensitivity of evaluation for both common and improvement methods was 98.55%. However, the specificity of evaluation for the improvement method was significantly higher than that for the common method (100.00% vs. 40.00%, P =0.000). Conclusions The establishment achievement ratio and evaluation correctness of models are obviously elevated by modification of the operation and establishment methods.

Objective The goal of this study is to compare the prognosis of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) thrombolysis for middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion with patients with good and poor cerebral collateral circulation.Methods This retrospective study included 49 patients diagnosed with acute MCA occlusion and treated with rt-PA in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University between October 1,2014 and February 1,2016.Patients were divided into good collaterals group (n =31) and poor collaterals group (n =18) according to their distribution of leptomeningeal arteries with CTA.Thirty day mortality rate,the incidence of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage,24h and 30 day Stroke scores with National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) were compared between the two groups.Corrected chi-squared test,Fisher's exact test,or t test was used to statistical analysis as appropriate.Results The 30 day mortality rate of good collaterals group was significantly lower than that of poor collaterals group (0％ vs.16.7％,P ＜ 0.05).There were no significant differences in the incidence of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage and 24h NIHSS score between the two groups (P ＞ 0.05),however,30 day NIHSS score of good collaterals group was significantly lower than that of poor collaterals group (7.2 ± 3.1 vs.9.6 ± 2.7,P ＜ O.05).Conclusion For patients with MCA occlusion and receiving intravenous thrombolysis,good cerebral collateral circulation may reduce their mortality and improve their clinical outcome after thrombolysis.However,good cerebral collateral circulation does not reduce the risk of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage in those patients.

Background and purpose:Rabs are members of Ras-related small GTPase superfamily. Rab27A is a unique member in the Rab family and has specific implications in human genetic diseases. We studied the potential role of Rab27A in proliferation, distribution of cell cycle, apoptosis and invasion of breast cancer cells and its mechanism(s). Methods:The eukaryotic expression vector containing Rab27A open reading frame (ORF) pcDNA3.1(+) - Rab27A was constructed and transfected into MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Then we detected the changes in terms of cell growth, cell cycle distribution, apoptosis and in vitro invasion capability before and after transfection. We also applied RT-PCR to investigate the molecular basis.Results:① The expression of Rab27A was increased as invasive and metastatic ability increased in four human breast cancer cell lines. ② Overexpression of Rab27A can promote breast cancer cells to grow faster, increase the proportion of S phase cells, avoid apoptosis and invade in vitro. ③ Rab27A transfectants constitutively enhanced the expression of Cyclin D1, MMP-7 and MMP-9 in MDA-MB-231 cell lines, on the contrary, that of p16 were down-regulated constitutively. Reduced Rab27A expression by RNAi down-regulated the expression of Cyclin D1, MMP-7 and MMP-9, and up-regulated p16 expression.Conclusions:Rab27A can stimulate breast cancer cells to proliferate, increase the proportion of cells in S phase,avoid apoptosis and invade in vitro by regulating the expression of Cyclin D1, MMP-7, MMP-9 and p16.

Objective: To investigate the effect of cinobufacini on proliferation, celly cycle distribution, invasion capability of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line in vitro and possible mechanism. Methods: The effect of cinobufacini on cell growth was measured by CCK-8 reagent kit. Cell cycle distribution was determined by flow cytometry. The invasion capability in vitro was detected by Transwell chamber assay. The mRNA expressions of cell cycle related factors (cyclin) and p21 were tested by RT-PCR. Results: Cinobufacini inhibited proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells. The half inhibition concentration (IC50) was 0.31 mg/mL. The inhibitory effect was timE-dependent (P<0.05). Cinobufacini significantly decreased invasion capability of MDA-MB-231 cells in vitro compared with control group (P<0.05). Cinobufacini induced S-phase arrest of MDA-MB-231 cells in a concentration-dependent manner (P<0.000 1). Cinobufacini down-regulated the expression levels of cyclin A1, cyclin D1, and cyclin E1, while up-regulated that of p21 in MDA-MB-231 cell line. However, there was no marked change in the expression of cyclin B1. Conclusion: Cinobufacini inhibits cell proliferation and influences the cell cycle distribution in vitro by regulating the expression of cyclin A1, cyclin D1, cyclin E1 and p21 in breast can-cer cells.