Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway is critical during embryonic development. Recent studies have shown that Hh sig-naling plays an important role in oncogenesis and development of many malignant tumors. In particular, activation of the Hh signaling pathway is implicated in the aggressiveness and progression of gastric cancer. This review provides an overview of the research prog-ress on the role of Hh pathway in gastric cancer. Investigation of this pathway may reveal a novel target for gastric cancer therapy.

The methods of diagnostic imaging for pulmonary embolism is diversified. However, the different characteristic features of diagnostic imaging and diagnostic accuracy impressive influenced the choice of selection by clinicians. Furthermore, the principle and indication of interventional therapy would have great impending force on the outcomings. This article presents a comprehension of diagnostic imagings and interventional therapy for pulmonary embolization.

BACKGROUND:Autologous split-thickness skin grafting is the main therapy for burn repair at functional sites, which has achieved certain effects, but there are stil some deficiencies, such as poor texture, stiffness and poor toughness, as wel as severer hyperplasia that is easy to result in contracture deformity and poor functional recovery. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical efficacy of skin co-transplantation on burn repair at functional sites. METHODS:Sixty patients with burns at functional sites (n=84) were randomized into two groups: co-transplantation of acelular dermis and autologous split-thickness skin in experimental group and autologous split-thickness skin graft in control group. Survival rate of skin flap and rate of secondary operation were compared between two groups. At 1 month after transplantation, Vancouver Scar Scale was used to assess skin color, thickness, blood vessel distribution and flexibility, and meanwhile, the severity of scar was determined. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The survival rate of skin flap was significantly higher in the experimental group than the control group (93%vs. 70%,P < 0.05), and the rate of secondary operation was significantly lower in the experimental group compared with the control group (0vs. 13%,P < 0.05). At 1 month after transplantation, scores on the skin color, thickness, blood vessel distribution and flexibility were al lower in the experimental group than the control group (P < 0.05), but the incidence of mild hyperplasia in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the control group (52% vs. 29%,P < 0.05). These findings indicate that co-transplantation of acelular alogeneic dermis and autologous split-thickness skin for burn repair at functional sites can effectively enhance the survival rate of skin flap, reduce the rate of secondary operation, contribute to wound healing and reduce the severity of hyperplasia.

Objective To evaluate the technique and result of endovascular treatment for right subclavian artery stenosis or occlusion.Methods Seventeen patients [13 males,4 females ; (56 ± 11)years old] with right subclavian artery stenosis or occlusion were treated with endovascular surgery which included recanalization,balloon angioplasty and stenting via femoral or brachial artery route.Cerebral protection devices were used in 6 cases to avoid cerebral embolism.Results Sixteen of the seventeen patients acquired successful recanalization in 8 cases with subclavian artery stenosis (100％ technical success rate) and in other 8 cases with subclavian artery occlusion (88.9％ technical success rate).Five cases were treated with balloon angioplasty,and 11 cases were treated with balloon angioplasty combined with stenting.Good patency was seen in the 16 cases immediately after the procedure.The cerebral protection devices prevented all the cases from cerebral embolism and were retrieved suceessfully.Sixteen cases were followed up from 1 to 66 months [mean (24 ± 18) months].Restenosis was found in one case 10 months later and was successfully treated with re-PTA.One case with aortoarteritis died of cerebral infarction 18 months later.No symptom recurrence was found in other cases and ultrasound or CTA of followup showed excellent patency.Conclusions Balloon angioplasty and stenting are safe and effective for the treatment of right subclavian artery occlusion.

Objective To explore the relation between the infection of Helicobacter pylori (H .pylori)and colorectal tumor.Methods From January 2012 to January 2013,the medical data of 152 patients with colorectal tumor were collected.According to the findings of colonoscopy examination, the patients were divided into the colorectal adenoma group (84 cases)and the colorectal carcinoma group (68 cases).A total of 88 healthy individuals were also enrolled as control.The differences of H .pylori infection were compared among the colorectal adenoma group,the colorectal carcinoma group and the healthy control group.The distribution of H .pylori infection in different age,gender and nation was analyzed in colorectal tumor group.According to the location,maximum diameter,number,type of pedicle and pathological type of adenoma,the colorectal adenoma group was divided into subgroups and the condition of H .pylori infection was compared among the subgroups.Chi-square test was used in the statistical analysis.Results The positive rates of H .pylori infection of colorectal adenoma group, colorectal carcinoma group and healthy control group were 70.2% (59/84),72.1 % (49/68)and 53.4%(47/88),respectively,where the former two groups were both higher than that of the healthy control group,and the differences were statistically significant (χ2 =5 .147 and 5 .637,both P <0.05).Regarding the H .pylori infection,there was no difference in age,gender and ethnicity among 152 patients with colorectal tumor (all P > 0.05 ).Among 84 patients with colorectal adenoma,there was no statistical difference in the positive rate of H .pylori infection in different location,maximum diameter,number, type of pedicle and pathological type of adenoma (all P > 0.05).Conclusion H .pylori may have promoting effects on the genesis and development of colorectal tumor.

Objective To investigate the state of Th1/Th2 cytokine imbalance in patients with lupus nephritis (LN) and its role in the pathogenesis. Methods Plasma level of interleukin-18 and interleukin-13 in 18 patients with active LN and 16 normal controls were measured by enzyme-linked immunoadsordent assay (ELISA). IL-18 and IL-13 expression in the renal tissues from 18 patients and 6 normal renal tissues were also detected by immunohistochemical assay. The ratio of plasma and renal IL-18/IL-13 was then calculated. Results Plasma levels and renal expression of IL-13 and IL-18 in patients with LN were increased significantly compared to those of normal controls (P0.05). The ratio of renal IL-18/IL-13 was not significantly different among all types of LN and normal controls. The ratio of plasma IL-18/IL-13 was positively correlated with LN renal tissue activity index (AI), but no correlationship could be found in renal IL-18/IL-13 ratio. Conclusion It seems that the immune disturbance in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) can not be simply divided into Th1 predominant and Th2 predominant. It seems far complicated than this Th1/Th2 paradigm. It may be affected by the state of disease activity, the lesion location and the type of pathology.

Objective To detection analysis of blood infectious disease markers in patients before blood transfusion or before surgery .Methods HBsAg ,anti-HBs ,HBeAg ,anti-HBe ,anti-HBc ,anti-HCV ,anti-HIV ,TP-Ab were detected for 3 542 cases of se-rum using chemiluminescence immunoassay(CLIA) and ELISA .Results For HBsAg ,there were 704 cases of positive among 3 542 cases ,the proportion was 19 .8% ;For anti-HCV ,there were 52 cases of positive among 3 032 cases ,the proportion was 1 .72% ;For anti-HIV ,there were 3 cases of positive among 3 049 cases ,the proportion was 0 .09% ;For TP-Ab ,there were 200 cases of positive among 3 153 cases ,the proportion was 6 .34% .The infection rate was different in different gender of HBV ,anti HCV ,anti HIV and TP-Ab .But for HBV ,anti-HCV and TP-Ab ,the detection rate of male was higher than female(P<0 .05);The infection rate was different in different age of HBV ,anti HCV ,anti HIV and TP-Ab different age .The detection rate of HBV and Anti-HCV in 21-40 years old was the highest ,They were 31 .9% and 2 .33% ;The detection rate of TP-Ab increases with age increased ,more than 60 years old was the highest ,up to 7 .55% .Detection of the above two methods ,for HBsAg ,there were 51 cases did not match ,the proportion was 1 .44% ;for anti-HCV ,there were 1 case did not match ,the proportion was 0 .03% ;for Tp-Ab ,there were 3 cases did not match ,the proportion was 0 .1% ;for anti-HIV ,CLIA agrees well with ELISA ,there were 3 cases of positive .The samples that did not match were detected by the third party verification of the reagent .The result displayed that CLIA was more accurate . Conclusion CLIA is a high-sensitivity detection method which could effectively avoid positive specimens missed ,detection of infec-tious disease markers in patients before transfusion or before surgery by CLIA had important significance .

Objective To evaluate different post-processing imaging techniques of multi-slice helical CT cholangiography (MSCTC). Methods Fourty-seven patients were suspected of bile duct disease by ultrasound, with no abnormality by ordinary CT. These patients then received MSCTC examination. The original images were post-processed at workstation. The result of post-processed images was compared with that of the laparotomy and surgical bile duct endoscopy. Results Procedures were successful in 45 cases. Thirty-one cases were found with choledocholithiasis. The specificity and the sensitivity of CT virtual endoscopy (CTVE) for choledocholithiasis group were high. Cholangitis and cholangiocarcinoma were detected in 3 each cases.Three cases were finally found to have gallbladder polypus, in which only CTVE provided the diagnosis. The diagnosis of bile duct disease made by ultrasound were finally excluded by CTVE. Conclusions KG1 The available post-processing methods are CTVE and X-proj, MPR is applicable for observing bile duct wall, it is valuable in the diagnosis of all kinds of bile duct disease. CTVE is better than other methods at displaying intraluminal structure.

Objective To study the molecular characters of porA and porB genes which encode outer membrane proteins (OMP), and predominated clonal complex of Neisseria meningitidis isolates from Guangdong province. Methods Eighteen Neisseria meningitidis isolates from Guangdong province during year 1967 to 2007 were recovered and reconfirmed by API NH biochemical system, and serogrouped by antiserum. The characters of porA and porB gene were analyzed by DNA sequencing. The allele profiles and the sequence types (ST) were determined by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Based on their allelic profiles, the evolution relationship was analyzed by PHYLIP software. The predominant clonal complex was determined through comparing with the information of reference strains from the PubMLST database. Results For porA gene, type 20 was more frequently in the variable region (VR) 1 and type 9 in VR2 before year 2004. However, for porB gene, type 4 was more frequently in VR Ⅰ, type7 in VR Ⅳ, type 11 in VR Ⅴ,and type 10 in VR Ⅵ, respectively. The multi-types character was presented in VR Ⅴ and VR Ⅵ after2004. VR Ⅶ and VR Ⅷ can not be found among all the isolates except for one W135 isolate in 2007. Among the seven housekeeping genes, the polymorphism of abcZ was the lowest one with 4 allele numbers, while pgm was the highest one with 13 allele numbers. The predominant clonal complex was ST-5 before 2004. The ST-4821 clone complex appeared in 2004 and caused cases every year since then. More important, highly invasive ST-11 clonal complex firstly appeared in Guangdong in 2007. Conclusion The molecular characteristic of OMP genes presents polymorphism for the Neisseria meningitidis isolates from patients in Guangdong province during 1967 to 2007. ST-5 is the predominant clonal complex before 2004 and the highly invasive clonal complex is circulating in recent 3 years. It suggests that the surveillance based on laboratory should be further enhanced.

OBJECTIVEThe aim of the present study was to prepare uniform-sized silybin loaded poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microspheres in study of silybin with stainless steel membrane.

METHODSilybin PLGA microspheres were prepared by stainless steel membrane emulsification. The preparation conditions were optimized by single-factor test and orthogonal experiment, and evaluating the mean diameters, the particle size distribution, drug loading, entrapment efficiency and morphology of microsphere.

RESULTPrepared microspheres were round and surface was smooth. The mean diameter was (4.961 +/- 0.56) microm. The span was (1.75 +/- 0.18). The entrapment efficiency was (54.997 +/- 4.05)% and the average drug loading was (23.6 +/- 1.70)%.

CONCLUSIONThe stainless steel membrane emulsification can be used to prepare the silybin PLGA microspheres. The mean diameters of the silybin PLGA microspheres can be controlled in certain level. Stainless steel membrane emulsification has great potentiality exploitation and utilization.

Drug Compounding ; methods ; Emulsions ; chemistry ; Lactic Acid ; chemistry ; Microspheres ; Particle Size ; Polyglycolic Acid ; chemistry ; Silymarin ; chemistry ; Stainless Steel ; chemistry