Lumbar fusion is currently the major treatment of lumbar degenerative disease, spinal instability and discogenic disease etc. Transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) is a novel lumbar fusion technique in recent years, and with the progress of minimally invasive spinal surgery, minimally invasive TLIF (mini-TLIF) technique has also got access to rapid development, which has more advantages compared with traditional open TLIF. The authors review the indications and contraindications, surgical method, development and advantages and minimally invasive surgical assistant instruments of mini -TLIF.

Iatrogenic vertebral artery injury is a rare complication in cervical spine surgeries,the consequences of which may be catastrophic.With the extensive development of cervical spine surgeries and application of diverse new internal fixations of cervical spine,there is a potential increase of risk of iatrogenic vertebral artery injury,which should be paid attention to.This article reviews the rate,cause and management etc.of iarogenic vertebral artery injury.

ObjectiveTo design a new operation approach:extreme lateral transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (E-TLIF) via digital technology and to discuss its feasibility in treatment of degenerative lumbar diseases.MethodsCT scan image data of lumbar vertebra were obtained from volunteer (a healthy male of 26 years old,67 kg in weight and 172 cm in height).Mimics was used to read and reconstruct the data into 3D images.We observe the anatomical bone structures of intervertebral foramen and nerve roots through CT scan and 3D reconstruction in Mimics to analysis the feature of this area.Then E-TLIF operation,pedicle screw insertion and cage placement were simulated by computer via digital technology in Mimics.The feasibility of this new approach was proved through operating on lumbar of formalin doused body with E-TLIF approach.ResultsAn incision of 9 cm lateral form the central line and 45° from the sagittal plane is operated to fully expose the foraminal area.Remove superior facet while save inferior facet is feasible with this approach in E-TLIF.There is enough room for fully revealing and excision of intervertebral disc,and cage placement through enlarged foraminal area.Digital technology is a more economic,efficient way to design a new operation approach.The results are in accord with the formalin doused body test.ConclusionMimics is an effectively,reliable and economic method to design an operation approach.And the result suggested that E-TLIF is a safe,less minimal invasive and more efficient operation approach in treatment of degenerative lumbar diseases.

Objective To investigate the role of nentrophils in the pathogenesis of psoriasis vulgaris. Methods Neutrophils were isolated from venous blood samples of 25 patients with psoriasis vulgaris (including 13 cases of active psoriasis and 12 cases of inactive psoriasis) as well as 25 normal human con-trols, and cultured. Then, these neutrophils were grouped and treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 100 g/L),CpG-A (50 mg/L), CpG-B (50 mg/L), and RPMI 1640 culture medium, respectively, for 24 hours followed by the collection of culture supematants. Human keratinocytes (HaCaT) were cultured in the presence of su-pematants of treated or untreated nentrophils for 72 hours followed by the detection of cell proliferation with MTT assay. To determine the role of proinflammatory factors, SOD/CAT and monoclonal antibody to IL-8 and TNF-alpha of 400 u/mL were used to pretreat HaCaT cells 1 hour prior to the stimulation with super-natants of neutrophils. Results Compared with culture medium, the supematant of unstimulated neutrophils from normal controls or patients with inactive psoriasis had no significant effect on the proliferation of HaCaT cells (P ＞ 0.05), but that from patients with active psoriasis markedly promoted the proliferation of HaCaT cells (t = 2.41, P < 0.05). ARe, stimulation by LPS, CpG-A and CpG-B, the supematant of active patient-derived neutrophils significantly promoted the proliferation of HaCaT cells compared with that of normal control-derived nentrophils (t = 3.11, 2.89, 2.29, respectively, all P < 0.05). In comparison with tmstimulated neutrophils, the supematant from LPS- and CpG-A stimulated nentrophiles significantly accelerated the pro-liferation of HaCaT cells. Furthermore, the proliferation of HaCaT cells induced by the supematants of LPS-,CpG-A-, CpG-B-stimulated neutrophils from psoriatic patients was statistically suppressed by the pretreat-ment with the monoclonal antibody to IL-8, TNF-alpha and SOD/CAT (all P < 0.05). Conclusions In patients with psoriasis vulgaris, there is an abnormal secretion of IL-8, TNF-alpha and superoxide by neutrophils in peripheral blood, and these proinflammatory factors could promote the proliferation of HaCaT cells.

Objective To evaluate the feasibility of histogram analysis of susceptible signal intensity in differentiating papillary (pRCC) from chromophobe renal cell carcinoma(ChRCC). Methods Thirteen cases with pRCC and 9 cases with ChRCC, who underwent susceptible-weighted imaging(SWI), MR common scanning and enhancement, were assessed retrospectively. The histogram parameters of susceptible signal intensity were measured, including maximum, minimum, mean, median, skewness and kurtosis. The independent samples t test(normal distribution) and Mann-Whitney rank sum test(skewed distribution) were used to compare the differences in SWI parameters between pRCCs and ChRCCs. Receiver operating characteristic curve was used to evaluate the efficiency of the whole-tumor SWI parameters in differentiating pRCCs from ChRCCs. Results The significant differences of the minimum, mean, median and skewness between pRCCs and ChRCCs were present(P<0.05), and there was no significant differences in maximum and kurtosis between between pRCCs and ChRCCs(P>0.05). In all the histogram parameters, the area of ROC curve of mean value was largest(0.80). The sensitivity of minimum value (84.62％) was the highest and and the specificity of skewness(100.00％) was the highest. Conclusion Histogram analysis of susceptible signal intensity can help differentiate pRCCs from ChRCCs.

Objective To assess the different protein expressions of epithelial mesenchymal transition (EM T ) markers Vimentin and E‐cadherin in craniopharyngioma ,especially at the tumour invasive front ,and correlate the findings with clinicopathological fea‐tures and patient outcomes .Methods Forty‐two craniopharyngiomas were subjected to the detection of Vimentin and E‐cadherin by immunohistochemistry and double immunofluorescence staining .The relationships between expression of these markers and various clinico pathological indicators and clinical outcomes of these tumors were analyzed .Results There was statistically significant difference in the expression of Vimentin and E‐cadherin between adamantinomatous and papillary variants in whole tumor and at the tumor invasive front .The expression of Vimentin and E‐cadherin in whole tumor sections were associated with tumor recurrence , postoperative weight and hypothalamic disturbances ,and the expression of vimentin and E‐cadherin at the tumor invasive front were colligated with tumor recurrence ,postoperative weight and hypothalamic disturbances .Conclusion Our study exemplifies the po‐tential prognostic implications of Vimentin and E‐cadherin expression in craniopharyngioma .EM T may represent a crucial mecha‐nism in the progression of adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma .

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of weekly docetaxel and cisplatin in previously untreated patients with advanced non-small-cell lung carcinoma. Methods Between January 2002 and December 2003 ,34 patients with pathologically comfirmed advanced non-small-cell lung carcinoma who had not received treatment were enrolled. The mean age was under 66 years. The patients received intravenous infusions of docetaxel(25 mg/m2,dayl ,8,15) with dexamethasone premedication and cisplatin(25 mg/m2,dayl ,8,15) ,followed by a week of rest. The remedies which were less than 6 regimens lasted to disease progression or severe toxicity. Therapeutic effect was evaluated by CT scan every two courses . The patients were followed up for 24 months. Descriptive statistics and SPSSIO. 0 software were used to analyse the results. Results 34 patients finished 90 courses. The mean was 2. 6 courses. All patients were followed up. Two patients achieved complete responses, ten patients achieved partial responses, ten patients achieved stable disease. An objective response rate of 35. 29% (95% confidence interval 19. 25%-51. 33% )was obtained. Patients life quality was significantly improved. The median time to progression was 4. 1 months, and median overall survival was 11 months. The 1-year survival rate was 47. 06% , the 2-year survival rate was 11.76% . Toxicities were mild. Grade 3 to 4 neutropenia (11.76%), anemia (5.88%), hyponatremia (5.88%), alopecie (17.64%) and nausea/vomiting (5. 88% ) were observed. Conclusion Weekly Cisplatin plus docetaxel is an effective and well-tolerated regimen in chemo-naive patients with advanced NSCLC. Well-designed clinical trials should be conducted.

Objective To explore the role of Beclin 1 and PTEN in gastric caicinoma genesis and the effects on prognosis.Methods The expression of Beclin 1 and PTEN in 199 gastric caicinoma specimens and corresponding adjacent noncancerous tissues were examined by tissue microarrays and immunohistochemistary,and the relation with gastric cancer was analyzed.The rate of Beclin 1 and PTEN expression in 15 fresh gastric carcinoma samples and corresponding adjacent noncancerous tissues were detected by Western blot.All the samples were from Changzheng Hospital.Results The Results of immunohistochemistary showed that the rates of Beclin 1 and PTEN positive expression in cancinoma tissues were 47.2％ (94/199) and 55.8％ (111/199),both were lower than that of adjacent noncancinoma tissues (94.5％,188/199 and 92.5％,184/199; P ＜ 0.01).The lower expression of Beclin 1 and PTEN in gastric carcinoma were associated with gender,differentiation degree,depth of tumor invasion,lymph node metastases and disease stage(P＜0.05).There was a positive correlation between Beclin 1 and PTEN expression in gastric carcinoma tissues (r =0.680,P＜0.01). The survival analysis indicated that Beclin 1 and PTEN were independent factors in determining the prognosis of gastric cancinoma patients.The 5-year survival rate of Beclin 1 positive patients was 67.0％ (63/94),and of negative patients was 33.3％ (35/105).The 5-year survival rate of PTEN positive patients was 71.2％ (79/111),and of negative patients was 21.6％ (19/88) ( all P＜0.001).The Results of Western blot indicated that the expression of Beclin 1 and PTEN in gastric carcinoma tissues were significantly lower than that in the adjacent noncarcinoma tissues ( all P＜0.001).Conclusion The abnormal expression of Beclin 1 and PTEN may be related to carcinogenesis and the development of gastric carcinoma.

Objective Deleting the cysteine-rich region (22-37 amino acids)of HIV-1 HXB2 Tat protein(whole length is 101 amino acids) to improve its stability and expression level in E.coli and to analyze the immunogenicity of Tat protein without the cystein-rich region [Tat(△C)protein]. Methods Tat DNA deleted the cysteine-rich region (64-111 nucleotides), named as Tat(△C)DNA, was obtained in vitro by PCR and cloned into pET-32a vector. pET-32a-Tat(△C)plasmid and the pET-32a-Tat plasmid were established and transformed into E.coli BL21(DE3) strains respectively to express and purify the protein. Three rabbits were vaccinated with pET-32a-Tat(△C)protein, then testify the reactivity of sera from rabbits by ELISA and Western blot. Results The dense of the purified pET-32a-Tat(△C)protein was 7.12 mg/ml,which was greatly more than pET-32a-Tat protein(1.50 mg/ml). Dimer of pET-32a-Tat protein can be observed just after the protein purification and stored at 25℃ and 4℃ for 7 days, but dimer of pET-32a-Tat(△C)protein was not formed at the same condition. Experimental rabbits were immunized with pET-32a-Tat(△C)protein and produced high titre of anti-pET-32a-Tat(△C)serum(1∶320 000), the antibody can react specifically with Tat(△C)protein, Tat protein (1-101 AA)and synthetic Tat(1-86 AA) protein. Deletion mutation of the cysteine-rich region of Tat protein was first performed in the study. Conclusion The expression level in E.coli and the stability of Tat protein deleted the cysteine-rich region can be increased greatly, and the protein remains good immunogenicity. The results may provide a novel antigen for further development of HIV-1 Tat vaccine.

ObjectiveTo evaluate gallbladder conserving gallstone removal and polyps resection using combination laparoscopy,hard gallbladder endoscopy and soft choledochoscopy.MethodsClinical data of 122 patients with cholecystolithiasis or polyps undergoing removal of calculus (polyps) and preservation of gallbladder were analyzed retrospectively.ResultsGallstones in 56 patients and polyps in 24 cases was removed or resected successfully by laparoscopy and hard gallbladder endoscopy; In the remaining 34 cases stones were completely removed by combination soft choledochoscopy; 8 cases were converted to laparoscopic cholecystectomy.Romoved stone was single in 25 cases and multiple in 65 cases,with the number ranging from 1to 52,the diameter of stone ranged from 0.2 cm to 3.2 cm.In the 24 gallbladder polyps,7 cases were single,17 cases were multiple,the diameter of polyp ranged from 0.8cm to 1.2 cm.The operation time was 40-125 (78) min. The mean hospitalization was 4 days. No intraoperative and postoperative complications occurred.All patients were followed up for 1year.Gallstones recurred in 3 cases,and the recurrence rate was 3.06％. ConclusionsLaparoscopy combined with hard gallbladder endoscopy and soft choledochoscopy for removing calculi (polyp) and conserving gallbladder is safe and feasible.