Objective To examine the morphological changes in the cervical intervertebral foramen during axial rotation of cervical spine and explore its clinical significance for the diagnosis and treatment of cervical degenerative disease. Methods Ten healthy volunteers (5 male, 5 female) were subjected to transectional scan by multislice spiral computed tomography of cervical spine from the upper edge of C 3 vertebra to the lower edge of C 7 vertebra. On the 45 degree oblique reconstructions of C 3～4, C 4～5, C 5～6 and C 6～7 intervertebral foramina, four parameters were measured, including foraminal height, foraminal width (both superior and inferior), and cross-sectional area of the foramen. Statistic analyses were performed to examine the morphological changes in the cervical intervertebral foramen. Results It was found that the foraminal cross-sectional area was decreased on the side of rotation,and increased on the opposite side of rotation. Significant correlation was revealed between the variation rate of the C 3～4 intervertebral foramen cross-sectional area and the rotational degree between C 3 and C 4. Conclusion Morphologic changes were found in the cervical intervertebral foramen due to axial rotation. The correlation between the cross-sectional foraminal areas with the degrees of rotation of the vertebrae was statistically significant. The results of the test have the clinical significance on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the cervical degenerative diseases, especially of the radiculopathy.

Hepatic stem cells transplantation might be an important treatment strategy for patients with end stage liver diseases and related research has become a focus of recent studies.Hepatic stem cells of different sources have great therapeutic potential in clinical practice,but much research still need to be done before it can be used as a routine method in clinical practice. This review discusses the characteristics of hepatic stem cells and its role in liver regeneration after liver damage.

In order to gain the strain which has high growth vigor and whose biomass concentration satisfy further fermentation to produce arachidonic acid, we took the yield of microbes olein and arachidonic acid as evaluative index, adopted twice ultraviolet mutation, determined the time of ultraviolet irradiation by single factor expriment, and then the content of the arachidonic acid was measured by GC. The results of this experiment showed that the power of viltalight lamp was 20 W, exposure distance was 30 cm and exposure time was 80 s, lethality of spores of Mortierella isabellina was 76.4%. After twice ultraviolet mutation and repeatedly screen, a mutation of Mortierella isabellina Z80s2-109 whose arachidonic acid concentration in biomass were 3.77 times of the control strains was obtained and genetic stability.

Objective To observe the ultrasonographic features of local chest wall tumor recurrence after mastectomy for breast cancer and its clinical and histopathological characteristics. Methods The ultrasonographic features, clinical and histopathological characteristics of 27 patients with local chest wall tumor recurrence after mastectomy confirmed histopathologically were retrospectively reviewed. Results The disease-free intervals of twenty-seven patients ranged from 3 to 129 months [mean (31.9±31.4) months]. Most of the recurrence(18/27, 66.7%) occurred within 3 years after mastectomy. The clinical manifestations were:7 cases (7/27, 25.9%) with regional skin redness and swelling, red rash or ulceration on chest wall associated with or without palpable mass, 20 cases(20/27, 74.1%) with chest wall palpable masses without obvious skin change. On ultrasonography, 2 cases showed diffuse inifltrative type with ill-deifned inhomogeneous hypoechoic lesion and skin thickening. And twenty-ifve cases(43 lesions) showed mass type with a lesion size range of 5.4-114.7 mm [mean (24.4±21.6) mm]. Among them, 32 lesions were located near to the operation incision scar, 36 involved muscle layer, 38 were hypoechoic, 31 had irregular shape, 24 had indistinct margin, and 31 had blood lfow signal. In addition, calciifcation, halo, and taller-than-wide shape were absent in all 43 lesions. Conclusions The tumor recurrence often occurred within 3 years after mastectomy in high-risk patients. Ultrasonographic feature of chest wall recurrent lesion is of great value in the diagnosis.

Objective To explore the influence of IFN-? on anti-proliferation and apoptosis of the Caspase-8 silenced neuroblastoma cell line induced by doxorubicin and the influence mechanism.Methods MTT and flow cytometric analysis were used to detect the survival and apoptosis rates before and after the combined treatment of IFN-? and doxorubicin.Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the expression of caspase-8 protein before and after the treatment of IFN-?.Results The survival rates of doxorubicin(0.03,0.10,0.30?g/ml)used alone for 24h were(95.62?13.03)%,(82.62?7.94)%,(64.84?9.19)%,IFN-?(10,100,1000U/ml)used alone for 48h were(98.37%?11.25)%,(97.15?5.36)%,(98.84?7.41)%.The survival rates of IFN-?(1000U/ml)combined with different concentration of doxorubicin(0.03,0.10,0.30?g/ml)were significantly lower than that of doxorubicin(0.03,0.10,0.30?g/ml)alone.The apoptosis rate of doxorubicin(0.30?g/ml)alone was(22.00?6.55)%,IFN-?(1000U/ml)alone was (8.22?4.00)%,whereas the apoptosis rate of the combined treatment of IFN-? and doxorubicin wassignificantly higher than that of doxorubicin alone;Immunohistochemical staining showed that caspase-8 protein was negative in SH-SY5Y cell line,whereas it become positiveafter the treatment of IFN-?(1000U/ml)for 48h.Conclusion Treating human neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y cell with doxorubicin may induce anti-proliferation and apoptosis.Combined treatment with IFN-? may significantly increase this effect.The mechanism may be realized by upregulating the expression of caspase-8 protein.

Adipose Tissue ; cytology ; physiology ; Animals ; Humans ; Leptin ; physiology ; Stromal Cells ; physiology

Objective To evaluate the accuracy of bispectral index (BIS) in predicting outcomes in patients with cerebral hemorrhage.Methods A total of 103 patients of either sex with acute cerebral hemorrhage,aged 18-77 yr,with body mass index of 17-29 kg/m2,of American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status Ⅱ-Ⅳ,undergoing craniotomy for evacuation of hematoma,were enrolled in this prospective study.BIS electrodes were adhered to the forehead of patients,and the BIS value was continuously recorded for 20 min.The maximum BIS value (BISmax) and minimum BIS value (BISmin) were recorded,and the mean BIS value (BISmean) was calculated.The patients were divided into 2 groups according to Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) scores assessed at 6 months after surgery:good outcome group (GOS score≥ 3) and poor outcome group (GOS score 1 or 2).The receiver operating characteristic curve of BIS in predicting outcomes was plotted,and the area under the curve (AUC) and 95％ confidential interval (CI) were calculated.The best cut point and sensitivity and specificity were calculated according to the BIS value when Youden index reached the maximal value.Results The AUC (95％ CI) for BISmax in predicting outcomes was 0.903 (0.830-0.976),the best cut point 79,the sensitivity 84％,the specificity 86％,and Youden index 0.695.The AUC (95％ CI) tor BISmin in predicting outcomes was 0.841 (0.760-0.921),the best cut point 43,the sensitivity 86％,the specificity 71％,and Youden index 0.577.The AUC (95％ CI) for BISmean in predicting outcomes w() 0.883 (0.800-0.958),the best cut point 60,the sensitivity 90％,the specificity 76％,and Youden index 0 562.Conclusion BIS can accurately predict outcomes in patients with acute cerebral hemoorrhage,and BISmax provides the highest accuracy.

Objective:To observe the expression of nuclear factor kappa B(NF-kB) during the replacement of primary and permanent teeth in dog. Methods:By immunohistochemistry, expression of NF-kB was examined in the tissues around deciduous tooth root at resorption stage in 2 dogs aged 3-4 months.Results:NF-kB positive signals were observed in the osteoclasts up to the permanent tooth germ and in odontoclasts in the medial wall of the pulp cavity of deciduous teeth.Conlusion:NF-kB may involve in the eruption of permanent teeth during the stage of the replacement of primary and permanent teeth.

Objective To assess the efficacy of the mixtures of different concentrations of ropivacaine(R) and chloroprocaine(C)for epidural anesthesia in patients undergoing hysterectomy.Methods Sixty ASAⅠorⅡpatients aged 27-56 weighing 45-75 kg undergoing elective hysterectomy were randomly divided into 4 groups(n= 15 each);groupⅠ0.75% R alone;groupⅡ0.5% R-1% C;groupⅢ0.5% R-1.5% C and groupⅣ0.75% R+1% C.The epidural catheter was placed at L_(2,3)interspace and advanced 3.5 cm into the epidural space in cephalad direction.A total of 22 ml of epidural solution was injected in each group.The onset time,block height and duration of sensory block and the onset time,degree and duration of motor block(using Bromage scale)were assessed.The use of supplementary drugs(ketamine and ephedrine)and side effects were recorded.Results The onset time of sensory and motor block was significantly shorter in groupⅡ,ⅢandⅣthan in groupⅠ(0.75% R alone).The duration of sensory and motor block was significantly shorter in groupⅡandⅢthan in groupⅠandⅣ.The incidence of hypotension was significantly increased but the incidence of discomfort produced by traction on the viscera during operation was reduced in groupⅣas compared with groupⅠ.Conclusion The anesthetic efficacy of epidural 0.5% ropivacaine is significantly enhanced when mixed with 1.0% or 1.5% chloroprocaine.

Objective:To study the function of tumor necrosis factor r eceptor-associated factor 6(TRAF6) in the development of rat dental germ. Methods:After specimen preparation of every stage of rat developing d ental germs, immunohistochemical staining of TRAF6 was carried out. Resu lts:Positive expression of TRAF 6 was observed in thickening stage of de ntal lamina, peripheral dental lamina of bud stage, outer and inner enamal epith elium, stellate reticulum,dental papilla cells and dentinoblasts in early bell s tage, ameloblasts, dentinoblast,intermediate layer, stellate reticulum and denta l papilla cells in late bell stage, and dentinoblasts and ameloblasts in the ger m 7 days after birth. Conclusions:TRAF6 may be a signal transduc tion factor which modulates the proliferation and differentiation of developing epithelial and mesenchymal cells in the development of the dental germ.