Objective To screen 18 endophytes from Pseudolarix kaempferi Gord for molluscicidal effect and identify them by morphology. Methods Molluscicidal tests were performed according to the immersion test suggested by WHO and the strain screened was identified by the slide culture. Results The mortality rates of snails immersed by JJ18 broth salified (pH=7) were 26.7%, 76.7% and 100.0% for 24,48 h and 72 h, respectively, and 53.3% and 86.7% in 5% and 10% concentrations of JJ18 broth, respectively. The active components were extracellular moiety of the broth which had no acute toxicity to fish, and JJ18 strain belonged to Aspergillus. Conclusion Extracellular moiety of endophyte JJ18 from Pseudolarix kaempferi Gord is a new resource of molluscicide.

Confronted with similar problems and difficulties in mainland,Taiwan reformed its medical education. The reform included setting up flexible program,formulating objective and detailed rotary guide,making the best of the resources,implementing medical humanities education based on the reality and forming unique cultivation system and mode. These measures can be taken as references for medical education reform in mainland.

Objective To determine the risk factors for post-operative delirium(POD)and post-operative cognitive dysfunction(POCD)in patients undergoing spine surgery.Methods One hundred and twenty ASA Ⅰ-Ⅲ of both sexes aged 50-76 yr undergoing elective spine surgery under general anesthesia were studied.POD was assessed by Delirium Rating Scale revised 98 at 2 days after operation and the patients were assigned into POD and nonPOD group.Cognitive function was assessed by Mini-Mental State Examination(MMSE)at 1 day before and 3 days after operation.The patients were diagnosed as having POCD if MMSEpre-MMSEpost ≥ 3.The palients were assigned into POCD and nonPOCD group.Executive function and depression were assessed by stroop interference test and Beck Depression Inventory(BDI)at 1 day before operation.Age,sex,education,alcohol consumption per week,a history of psychiatric disease,ASA physical status,Charlson comorbidity score,type of anesthesia,anticholinergic drug administration and VAS score at 1 day after operation were recorded.If there was signifirant difference between the 2 groups,the factor was analyzed using multi-factor logistic regression to select risk factor for incidence of POD and POC).Results Eleven patients developed POD(9.2％)and 30 patients developed POCD(25.0％).Logistic regression model showed that lower Stroop-CW,higher BDI score,higher Charlson comorbidity score and a history of psychiatric disease were risk factors for POD,while lower Stroop-CW,higher BDI score,higher Charlson comorbidity score and higher alcohol consumption per week were risk factors for POCD.Conclusion Preoperative executive dysfunction,depression and greater preoperative comorbidity are risk factors for both POD and POCD.A history of psychiatric disease is a risk factor for POD and higher alcohol consumption is a risk factor for POCD in patients undergoing spine surgery.

Objective To study the features of CT and MRI diagnosis of intracranial germ cell tumors ,and to improve the un-derstanding of its imaging findings .Methods Fifteen cases of intracranial germ cell tumors proved by pathology and follow-up were retrospectively analyzed .Results Among the 15 cases with intracranial germ cell tumors ,9 cases in pineal body , tumours showed like-round masses,the margin of the masses were well defined .CT was slightly high density,MRI revealed isointense or hypointense signals on T1 weighted and homogeneous hyperintense signals on T 2 weighted image without edema around tumors and homogeneous en-hancement.One cases in CSF spread.Four cases were identified in the saddle-up area, among the 2 cases was cystic,1 cases was sol-id-cystic and 1 cases was solid,CT was isointense or high density in solid,low density in cystic,without edema around tumors.MRI re-vealed slight-hypointense signals on T 1 weighted and hyperintense signals on T 2 weighted image clearly enhanced in solid , cystoid with-out enhance .In the other 2 cases of intracranial germ cell tumors in the basal ganglia region ,CT was inhomogeneous high density ,inho-mogeneous signals on T2 and T1 weighted image, inhomogeneous enhancement .Conclusions Intracranial germ cell tumors show char-acteristic manifestations on CT and MRI,according to location,shape,signal,age characteristic,which is helpful in diagnosis and differ-ential diagnosis and guide treatment plan .

The complete gene sequences of eight capripoxvirus strains in GenBank were aligned and analyzed with DNAStar software. We selected a size of 64 bp gene fragment that was located in gp064 region of goat pox virus (GPV) genome, and designed a pair of primers and a TaqMan-MGB probe against the gene fragment with Primer Express 2.0 software. Then, the fluorescence quantitative PCR (FQ-PCR) assay was developed and the standard curve of different dilution series was described. We extracted the DNA samples from clinical skin pox, scab and GPV infected materials of artificial challenge animals. The FQ-PCR assay has been performed for all kinds of DNA samples. The results showed that the FQ-PCR assay was sensitive, specific, stable and could be used for clinical diagnosis. This method provided an important tool for rapid diagnosis of goat pox clinically, and for study GPV pathogenesis in the course of disease occurrence, development and convalescence.
Animals ; Base Sequence ; Capripoxvirus ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Goats ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Poxviridae Infections ; diagnosis ; virology ; Sensitivity and Specificity

OBJECTIVETo study the regulatory effects of psoralen (PSO) plus ultraviolet A (UVA), which is PUVA, on cell apoptosis of human leukemia cell line NB4 and signal pathway of cell apoptosis.

METHODSHuman leukemia cell line NB4 was cultured in vitro. The NB4 cells were treated with PSO extracted from Chinese medicine psoralea fruits at different concentrations (0, 5, 10, 20 and 40 microL) plus UVA of wave length 360 nm at different irradiation time points (0 and 5 min). The apoptosis ratio was detected by flow cytometry (FCM). The ultrastructure changes were observed using transmission electron microscope (TEM). The expressions of Caspase-8 and Caspase-8 protein were detected by immunocytochemical method (ICC).

RESULTSAfter treatment of PSO at different concentrations with a 0 and 5-min exposure of UVA, the apoptosis rate of NB4 cells increased dose-and time-dependently, and was up to peak after treatment of PSO at 40 microg/mL with 5-min exposure of UVA. An interaction was shown between the two factors (P <0. 01). There were obvious morphological apoptosis of NB4 cells under TEM after treated with PUVA. The expressions of Caspase-3 and Caspase-8 protein were up-regulated by PSO, UVA, and PUVA, but the effects of PUVA on Caspase-3 protein were stronger than PSO and UVA at 12 h time-dependently (P <0.01).An interaction was shown between the concentration of PSO and time of UVA (P <0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe optimal combination of PUVA was PSO in 40 microg/mL and 5-min exposure of UVA. PUVA could induce the apoptosis of NB4 cells and in vitro activate Caspase-3 and Caspase-8 genes.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; radiation effects ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Caspase 8 ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Ficusin ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Photochemotherapy ; methods ; Ultraviolet Rays

OBJECTIVETo investigate the management experience with transnasal endoscopic technique for meningoencephalocele.

METHODSNine patients with endonasal encephalomeningocele were managed by transnasal endoscopic surgery, and the skull base defect was repaired by fascia.

RESULTSEight cases were successfully managed at the time of the first operation, and no relapse case was found during 1 to 4 years follow-up. Only one case of a two years old child relapsed with cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea one month after operation. During the second operation, titanium mesh uncovering was found, and replacement of titanium mesh by fascia via skull base defect was done, without relapse one and half years after the second operation. Another case of a one year old child got a fever one day after operation, but no white blood cell was found in the cerebrospinal fluid, and the temperature recovered to normal after release cerebrospinal fluid management. There were no complications of cranial infection, hemorrhage, edema and water retention in brain to be found in all cases.

CONCLUSIONSIt is not only minimally invasive, safety and efficiency of transnasal endoscopic technique for meningoencephalocele, but also had a clear operating view for better recolonization of the position of leak and the structure of operating field, therefore, transnasal endoscopic technique is the first choice for the management of endonasal encephalomeningocele. The accurate localization of leak and selection of the appropriate repairing materials are the key point for the successful operation.

Adult ; Child, Preschool ; Encephalocele ; surgery ; Endoscopy ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nasal Cavity ; surgery ; Otorhinolaryngologic Surgical Procedures ; methods

OBJECTIVESTo investigate mechanism for the increasing level of serum vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) in tumour patients during radiotherapy and the inhibitory action of the antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (AS-ODN) to the expression of VEGF protein by radiotherapy in the prostate cancer cell line (PC3M).

METHODSTo observe the changes of serum VEGF in the prostate cancer patients during radiotherapy dynamically and the inhibitory action of the antisense oligodeoxynucleotide to the expression of VEGF by radiotherapy in PC3M.

RESULTSThe changes of serum VEGF in three patients receiving radiotherapy had been observed continuously. The levels of serum VEGF began to increase when the patients received radiotherapy and rised up to peak value after fifteen days, then declined to the range of pre-radiotherapy. Irradiating the PC3M cells with X-rays significantly increased the VEGF expression and secretion. The expression of VEGF protein in the group treated by VEGF AS-ODNs and X-ray irradiation decreased significantly than the group treated only by X-ray irradiation.

CONCLUSIONSThe induction of VEGF protein expression by X-ray irradiation in tumor cells may result in the increasing of the VEGF in the prostate cancer patients during radiotherapy and the induction can be blocked by VEGF AS-ODNs.

DNA, Antisense ; pharmacology ; Endothelial Growth Factors ; antagonists & inhibitors ; blood ; genetics ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; radiation effects ; Humans ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; blood ; genetics ; Lymphokines ; antagonists & inhibitors ; blood ; genetics ; Male ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; blood ; pathology ; Radiotherapy ; adverse effects ; Tumor Cells, Cultured ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors

Age Factors ; Aged ; Anticoagulants ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Atrial Fibrillation ; drug therapy ; Female ; Humans ; International Normalized Ratio ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of laparoscopic-assisted resection of rectal carcinoma on perioperative levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), immunoglobulins(Ig) and complements.

METHODSFifty-four patients with rectal carcinoma were divided into laparoscopic group (n=26) and open operation group(n=28) according to the patients' will. C-reactive protein (CRP), IgG, IgA, IgM, C(3), C(4) and CH(50) of peripheral blood were assayed preoperatively and on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 7th day postoperatively.

RESULTSCompared with the preoperative period, the CRP levels in both groups were significantly increased on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd day(P<0.01) and peaked on the 2nd day postoperatively. The postoperative CRP levels were significantly lower in the laparoscopic group than those in the open operation group(P<0.01). After operation, the immunoglobulin levels were significantly decreased in both groups(P<0.01), and there were no significant differences in IgG and IgM. The levels of C(3), C(4) and CH(50) were significantly decreased after operation in both groups(P<0.05) and returned to the preoperative levels during postoperative 48-72 hours in laparoscopic group.

CONCLUSIONLaparoscopic-assisted resection of rectal carcinoma results in less wound, lower levels of stress response, and less effect on immune function compared to open surgery, which recovers the immune function of patients more rapidly after operation.

C-Reactive Protein ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Immunity, Humoral ; Laparoscopy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Rectal Neoplasms ; blood ; immunology ; surgery