Objective To study the feasibility,efficacy,and safety of MRI-guided percutaneous cryoablation for the treatment of hepatic carcinoma. Methods From January to September 2008,27 cases of hepatic carcinoma were treated with MRI-guided percutaneous cryoablation with Cryo-Hit system via two cycles of freezing-thawing. During the procedure,MRI showed the expansion of ice globe wrapping the tumor. Ten days after the freezing treatment,TACE was carried out in 5 cases. Results MRI-guided percutaneous cryotherapy were completed successfully in all of the cases. In 26 patients (96.3%),expanded ice globe wrapping the tumor was detected by MRI,showing a dark zone with clear margin. Only in one patient,the tumor was wrapped. The patients were followed up for 1 to 12 months (mean,3.5 months),during which the level of AFP decreased to a normal value in 14 cases (51.9%),continued to increase in 1 cases,and increased after an reduction in 12 cases (44.4%). The patients received more than one times of re-examination by imaging,which showed completed necrotic tumor tissues or no confirmed living tumors in 14 cases (51.9%); and incomplete tumor necrosis or living tumor lesions in 13 (48.1%). No severe complications occurred in this series.Conclusions MRI-guided percutaneous cryoablation is feasible,effecitve and safety for hepatic carcinoma.

Objective To summarize the experience of operation treatment of severe mitral stenosis associated with small left ventricle.Methods The clinical data of 115 patients with severe mitral stenosis received mitral valve replacement (MVR) were retrospectively analyzed.According to whether associated with small left ventricle,they were divided into small left ventricle group (61 cases) and non-small left ventricle group (54 cases).The postoperative early complication rate and mortality rate between two groups were compared.Results The postoperative early complication rate and mortality rate in small left ventricle group was higher than that in non-small left ventricle group [14.75％ (9/61) vs.7.41％ (4/54),55.74％ (34/61) vs.25.93％(14/54)],there was significant difference(P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions The positive and effective perioperative management and correct intraoperative decision is key to reduce the incidence of early postoperative complications and mortality after MVR surgical in patients with severe mitral stenosis associated with small left ventricle.

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of Yu’s meridian detection and treatment plus acupuncture in treating facial paralysis.Method Sixty patients with facial paralysis in acute stage were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 30 cases in each group. The treatment group was intervened by Yu’s meridian detection and treatment plus acupuncture, while the control group was by ordinary acupuncture. The House-Brackmann (H-B) scale and symptom-sign scores were observed before and after the treatment.Result The H-B scale scores were changed significantly in the two groups after the treatment (P<0.05). After the treatment, the H-B score of the treatment group was significantly different from that of the control group (P<0.05). The symptom-sign scores were significantly changed in both groups after the treatment (P<0.01). The symptom-sign score of the treatment group was significantly different from that of the control group after the treatment (P<0.05).Conclusion Yu’s meridian detection and treatment plus acupuncture is an effective method in treating facial paralysis.

Objective: To elucidate the mechanism of melatonin combined with cisplatin in promoting cell apoptosis of rat pancreatic cancer AR42J cells. Methods: Rat pancreatic cancer AR42J cells were divided into control group, 1 mmol/L cisplatin treated group (cisplatin group), 1 mmol/L melatonin treated group (melatonin group), 1 mmol/L cisplatin combined with 1 mmol/L melatonin treated group (combined group), 1 μmol/L cisplatin combined with melatonin treated group after 1 μmol/L PBN pretreatment for an hour (PBN+ combined group) and 1 μmol/L cisplatin combined with melatonin treated group after PBN solvent pretreatment for an hour (solvent+ combined group). MTT and annexin V-FITC/PI were used to detect the cell proliferation rate and cell apoptosis rate, respectively. The protein expression of caspase-3 was detected by Western blot. DCFH-DA was used to detect the level of ROS. ROS level and caspase-3 expression in AR42J cells pretreated with ROS antagonist PBN for 24 hours were detected. Results: The cell proliferation rate of control group, cisplatin group, melatonin group and combination group after 24-hour culture was (96.29±3.49)%, (81.38±6.01)%, (80.72±3.68)% and (42.26±6.35)%, respectively. The cell apoptosis rate was (16.42±4.15)%, (56.47±9.06)%, (52.94±6.57)% and (87.36±6.48)%, respectively. The percentage of ROS positive cells was (1.33±1.53)%, (46.67±7.64)%, (45.67±5.13)% and (83.33±7.64)%, respectively. The expression of cspase-3 was 100%, (150.64±7.70)%, (147.00±7.27)% and (190.04±5.07)%, respectively. The cell proliferation rate of cisplatin group and melatonin group was significantly lower than that of the control group. The apoptotic rate, the proportion of ROS positive cells and the expression of caspase-3 were significantly higher than those in control group. The changes in the combined group were more obvious than those in the single drug treatment group, and the differences were all statistically significant (all Pvalues <0.05). The percentage of ROS positive AR42J cells [(45.24±4.64)% vs (84.90±6.13)%)] induced by melatonin combined with cisplatin could be significantly reversed by PBN pretreatment for 1 hour, and the expression of caspase-3 in AR42J cells could be down regulated (124.92±9.72 vs 184.69±7.76) with statistically significant difference (all P values<0.05). Conclusions Melatonin combined with cisplatin may promote cell apoptosis of pancreatic cancer AR42J cells through ROS/caspase-3 pathway.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the value of serum beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-HCG) on days 9 (d9) and 11 (d11) after fresh embryo transfer (ET) and frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) in predicting the pregnancy outcomes.

METHODSA total of 227 fresh ET and FET cycles performed at the Center of Reproductive Medicine, Qingyuan People's Hospital between Dec, 2012 and Feb, 2014 were analyzed. The data of serum β-HCG levels on d9 and d11 after fresh ET and FET cycles and the pregnancy outcomes were reviewed, and the ROC curve was constructed to determine the optimal cut-off level of serum β-HCG level for predicting pregnancy outcomes.

RESULTSAccording to pregnancy outcomes, the cycles were divided into non-pregnancy group (group A), biochemical pregnancy group (group B), and clinical pregnancy group (group C). Significant differences were found between the mean serum β-HCG levels measured on d9 and d11 in all the 3 groups (P<0.01). The cycles in group C were further divided into 5 subgroups with single pregnancy (C1), twin pregnancy (C2), early abortion (C3), ectopic pregnancy (C4), or intrauterine pregnancy complicated with ectopic pregnancy group (C5), and all the 5 subgroups showed significant differences in β-HCG measurements between d9 and d11 (P<0.01). On d9 after ET and FET, the optimal cut-off level of serum β-HCG was 49.05 IU/L for predicting for clinical pregnancy, and was 105.15 IU/L for predicting twin pregnancy; the two corresponding cut-off levels of serum β-HCG on d11 was 51.2 IU/L and 241.75 IU/L, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe absolute serum β-HCG level on d9 and d11 after fresh ET and FET allows an accurate diagnosis of pregnancy and helps in the prediction of the pregnancy outcomes.

Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human ; blood ; Embryo Transfer ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; ROC Curve ; Retrospective Studies

Objective To study the expression and significance of Nrf2 and caspase-3 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Methods The specimens from 82 cases of NSCLC in our hospital from September 2015 to December 2017 were selected for observation.All patients were surgically resected to obtain NSCLC specimens.The expression of Nrf2 and caspase-3 in NSCLC was detected by immunohistochemistry and its clinical significance was analyzed.Results The positive expression rate of Nrf2 in NSCLC (63.4％) was significantly higher than that in normal tissue (30.0％),with statistically significant difference (P ＜ 0.05).The analysis of clinical characteristics showed that the expression of Nrf2 in NSCLC was related to tumor diameter,tumor node metastasis (TNM) stage,lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis (P ＜ 0.05).The expression of Nrf2 in NSCLC was not significantly associated with gender,age,smoking history,case classification,and histological differentiation (P ＞ 0.05).The positive rate of caspase-3 in NSCLC (40.2％) and the positive rate of caspase-3 in normal tissues (40.0％) were not statistically different (P ＞ 0.05).Analysis of clinical characteristics showed that the expression of caspase-3 in NSCLC was related to TNM stage,lymph node metastasis,distant metastasis,and the difference was statistically significant (P ＜ 0.05);the expression of Nrf2 in NSCLC was not significantly associated with gender,age,smoking history,case classification,tissue differentiation,and tumor diameter (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions The abnormal expression of Nrf2 and caspase-3 is correlated with the progression of NSCLC and the malignant biological behavior.Active detection of Nrf2 and caspase-3 levels can clinically determine the clinical stage,lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis of NSCLC,providing information to facilitate clinical development of relevant interventions.