Adult ; Calculi ; complications ; Foreign Bodies ; complications ; Humans ; Male ; Nasal Cavity ; injuries ; Nasal Septum ; injuries ; Palate, Hard ; injuries

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association between plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)-2 expression and invasive potential in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells.

METHODSThe HCC cell lines with high, low, and non-metastatic potentials, namely MHCC97-H, MHCC97-L, and SMMC-7721 respectively, were cultured in vitro. Matrigel invasion assay and Western blot of PAI-2 protein expression were conducted.

RESULTSThe number of invaded cells in MHCC97-L was significantly higher than that in SMMC-7721 (P=0.005), whereas that in MHCC97-H was higher than in MHCC97-L (P=0.017) and SMMC-7721 (P=0.001). Contrarily, PAI-2 protein expression was gradually reducing from SMMC-7721, MHCC97-L, to MHCC97-H (MHCC97-H vs. MHCC97-L, P<0.001; MHCC97-H vs. SMMC-7721, P=0.001; MHCC97-L vs. SMMC-7721, P=0.001). The Pearson's correlation analysis revealed a significant negative association between invaded cell number and PAI-2 expression (r=-0.892, P=0.001).

CONCLUSIONPAI-2 expression may be negatively associated with the invasive potential of HCC.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; pathology ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 2 ; physiology

Actinobacillus succinogenes A3 was mutagenized by ultra high hydrostatic pressure for improving the production ability of succinic acid.The effects of pressure,rate of pressure changes and growth periods on the lethality rate of the strain were investigated.The strain in stationary phase was mutagenized at 200 MPa with the pressure changes at the rate of 50 MPa/min.As a result,a mutation strain Actinobacillus succinogenes B19 was obtained,and the concentration of succinic acid could reach 32.2 g/L,which was 17.9%higher than that of the original strain,and in the meanwhile the concentration of acetic acid was decreased by 11.5%.After six generation,the mutant also has good stability of descendiblity for succinic acid production.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the mechanical characteristics of new anatomic plate of distal tibia from view of biomechanics.

METHODSTwelve fresh adult moist ankle specimens were randomly divided into four block groups (every group had 3 specimens), 3 tibial specimens as a normal control (normal group N), 9 specimens were resulted in unstable distal tibial Pilon fracture. Using steel plate fixation with a new anatomic distal tibial plate (group A), reconstruction plate (group B), clover plate (group C). Group B and group C as control group to test the remote axial compressive strength, remote axial stiffness, reversing biomechanical properties, contacted characteristics of the tibial astragaloid articular surface.

RESULTSThe remote axial compressive strength, remote axial stiffness, reversing biomechanical properties, contacted characteristics of tibial astragaloid articular surface the in distal tibial Pilon fracture instability of group A were near normal group N (P>0.05). Group A was best than group B and C (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe new anatomic plate of distal tibia was relatively strong, which can reach effective and stable fixation for unstable distal tibial Pilon fracture.

Biomechanical Phenomena ; Bone Plates ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Tibia ; chemistry ; injuries ; surgery ; Tibial Fractures ; surgery

This research is to study the relationship between HPLC fingerprints of Moutan Cortex, Paeoniae Radix Rubra and Paeoniae Radix Alba and their activity on lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury. HPLC fingerprints of each extract of Moutan Cortex,Paeoniae Radix Rubra and Paeoniae Radix Alba were established by an optimized HPLC-MS method. The activities of all samples against protein and tumor necrosis a factor were tested by the model of lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury. The possible relationship between HPLC-MS fingerprints and the activitieswere deduced by the Partial least squares regression analysis method. Samples were analyzed by HPLC-MS/MS to identify the major peaks. The results showed that each sample had some effect on acute lung injury. Four components with a lager contribution rate of efficacy were calculated by the research of spectrum-effect relationship. Moutan Cortex exhibited good activity on acute lung injury, and gallic acid, paeoniflorin, galloylpaeoniflorin and paeonol were the main effective components.
Acetophenones ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Acute Lung Injury ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; Animals ; Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Gallic Acid ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Glucosides ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Lipopolysaccharides ; pharmacology ; Male ; Monoterpenes ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Paeonia ; chemistry ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; methods

Objective The purpose of this study was to compare the image quality of readout-segmented EPI (RS-EPI) and that of standard single-shot echo-planar imaging (SS-EPI) in patients with scrotal diseases. Methods Initial diagnosis of scrotal diseases were included in the prospective study, all patients underwent scrotum routine MRI and RS-EPI, SS-EPI sequence at 3.0 T. A total of 38 patients were recruited qualitative assessment ,and 29 patients proved by operation and pathology (malignant 21 cases and benign 8 cases) were included quantitative analysis.For qualitative comparison of image quality, two readers independently assessed the two sets of DWI, which consisted of identification of structure and geometric distortion of scrotum (epididymis,testes, lesion) using a 5-point Likert scale. For assessment of image parameters, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast, contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR),apparent diffusion coefficient value of normal testis and testis distortion ratio of anatomical(T2WI)/DWI fusion image were calculated. Inter-observer agreement was assessed with the Kappa statistics, the differences of scores of
RS-EPI and SS-EPI were compared by using Wilcoxon rank-sum test, and image parameters were compared by using paired sample t test. Results There was good reader agreement in the scores, the Kappa value were 0.77, 0.74, 0.80, 0.87. The difference of identification of structure and geometric distortion on RS-EPI and SS-EPI had statistic significance, the RS-EPI was superior to SS-EPI in image quality (all P<0.05).The SNR, contrast of benign lesion for two sequences had no statistic significance(P values were 0.352, 0.124, respectively), but the difference of CNR had statistic significance(P<0.05). The SNR,contrast and CNR of malignant lesion for two sequences had statistic significance (all P<0.05). The mean size of the testis was (35.61 ± 9.78)mm, the mean distance in fusion image of RS-EPI or SS-EPI with T2WI were (3.80 ± 1.32)mm and (7.54 ± 2.62)mm, and the mean distortion ratios of the two set were (11.1 ± 0.6)% and (22.4 ± 19.2)%, respectively, the difference of two sets had statistic significance(P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the ADC obtained by using either DWI method(t=0.396,P=0.796), the mean ADC values of normal testes for RS-EPI and SS-EPI, respectively, were (1.18 ± 0.06) × 10-3mm2/s, (1.24 ± 0.11) × 10-3mm2/s.Conclusion RS-EPI DWI images is a feasible technique in the scrotum for producing high-resolution DWI with reduced geometric distortion and offers potentially superior image quality compared to SS-EPI at 3.0 T.

Objective: Reveal the global expression profile of serum exosomal proteins of Crouzon syndrome patients. Methods: We isolated microvesicles from serum of Crouzon children with a C342Y mutation in FGFR2 by ultracentrifugation, which were further characterized by electron microscopy and immunoblotting. The protein profiling in normal subjects and Crouzon patients was systematically compared by iTRAQ proteomic analysis. Results: The result demonstrated that microvesicles were between 30—100 nm in diameter, round shape with cup-like concavity and expressed exosomal marker tumor susceptibility gene (TSG) 101 and flotillin (Flot) 1. We identified a total number of 62 proteins, among which 22 proteins overlap with ExoCarta database and were different between the Crouzon patient and the normal subject. The Ingenuity Pathway Analysis showed that the functions of these proteins are mostly involved in Developmental Disorder, Hereditary Disorder, Skeletal and Muscular Disorders, which are all related to the clinical manifestations of Crouzon syndrome. In addition, the proteins were focused on the network of "Organismal Injury and Abnormalities, Hematological System Development and Function, Cell-To-Cell Signaling and Interaction" . The central protein FN1 was presented as the key protein in the network. Conclusions Our data demonstrated that serum exosomes harbor informative proteins and FN1 was selected as a potential candidate for its role in promoting osteoblast adhesion, proliferation and mineralization.

Objective To evaluate interventional therapy for biliary stricture (BS) after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). Methods The efficacy of interventional therapy for BS after OLT from Oct 2003 to Jan 2006 was analyzed retrospectively. Fifty-three patients received 107 times of interventional therapy through endoscopic retrograde cholangiography ( ERC) which included 68 nasobiliary catheter placements,26 biliary balloon dilatations and stent placements and 13 ERC. Nine patients received 11 times of interventional therapy through percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography ( PTC) including 2 PTC, 7 percutaneous drainages,3 biliary balloon dilatations and 1 biliary stent replacement. One patient received bile drainage through T tube. Results The success rate of ERC was 88. 8% (95/107) , that of nasobiliary catheter placement 94% (64/68) , biliary stent placement 88. 5% (23/26). The success rate of PTC was 81. 8% (9/11) , that of percutaneous drainage was 100% (7/7) , biliary stent replacement 100% (1/1). The curative rate of interventional therapy for 53 patients with BS was 28. 3% (15/53) ,the improvement rate was 41. 5% (22/53). The curative rate of interventional therapy for anastomotic, extrahepatic, intrahepatic hilar and diffuse BS was respectively 66. 7% (4/6)、66. 7% (10/15)、50% (1/2)、0 (0/7) and 0 (0/22). Conclusions The efficacy of interventional therapy for BS after OLT was not satisfactory. The result relates to the type of BS, for anastomotic, extrahepatic and solitary intrahepatic BS this therapy was effective, while that for hilar and diffuse BS the prognosis was poor.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the administration of far-lateral approach in lesions located anterior or anterolateral to brain stem and upper cervical spinal cord.

METHODSTwenty-three patients underwent far lateral approach, including 12 retrocondylar approach, 5 partial transcondylar approach, 3 transfacetal and partial transcondylar approach, 2 transtubercular approach and 1 complete transcondylar approach.

RESULTSTotal tumor removal was achieved in 15 patients, subtotal removal in 5 patients, 3 vertibral artery aneurysms were clipped successfully, 3 patients were given occipitalcervical fusion. There was no operative mortality. The most frequent complications were lower cranial nerve deficit, CSF leakage, injury to vertibral artery, and ischemia of brain stem, cerebellum or spinal cord. No patient presented clinical instability of the occipitocervical junction after surgery.

CONCLUSIONSThe far-lateral approach is an ideal approach to structures located ventral to cranial-cervicle junction. But some of the surgical steps are technically difficult and carry some degree of risk. The choice of approach depends on the pathological feature and degree of exposure required for effective surgical treatment. Bone removal should be quantified for individual lesion. The approach may be limited to less aggressive steps, while still achieving significant exposure and surgical space.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aneurysm ; surgery ; Basilar Artery ; surgery ; Brain Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Microsurgery ; Middle Aged ; Neurosurgical Procedures ; methods ; Treatment Outcome ; Vertebral Artery ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo evaluate multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) as a pre-operative staging tool for detecting lymph node metastasis in patients with early gastric cancer (EGC).

METHODSIn 77 consecutive patients with EGC, lymph node metastasis was assessed pre-operatively with MDCT at a slice thickness of 2.5 - 5.0 mm (n=24) or 7.5 - 10.0 mm (n =53).

RESULTSOverall accuracy of detecting NO to N3 lymph node was 74.0% for MDCT and 54.5% for operative assessment. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value in detecting lymph node metastasis was 75. 0%, 65.0%, 30.0% and 92.9% with 2.5 - 5.0 mm MDCT image, which was 62.5%, 82.2%, 38.5% and 92.5% by 7.5 - 10.0 mm MDCT image, whereas it was only 45.5%, 63.6%, 17.2% and 87.2% by operative assessment.

CONCLUSIONPre-operative assessment by multidetector CT may have a high accuracy in detecting lymph node metastasis for patients with early gastric cancer.

Adenocarcinoma ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; diagnostic imaging ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; diagnostic imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Stomach Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; surgery ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; methods