BACKGROUND: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can differentiate into osteoblasts in the action of dexamethasone; Meanwhile, bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) can promote the cell proliferation and differentiation, and matrix secretion in the process of bone repair. BMP-2 plays an important role in treating fracture and bone defects by inducing bone formation both in vivo and in vitro.OBJECTIVE: To analyze whether dexamethasone induction in vitro could enhance the ability of BMP-2 modified MSCs in osteogenic conversion.DESIGN: A randomized paired design.SETTING: Xijing Hospital of the Fourth Military Medical University of Chinese PLA.MATERIALS: The experiments were carried out in the Orthopaedic Oncology Institute of Chinese PLA, the Fourth Military Medical University of Chinese PLA from February to August in 2004. Twenty 20-month-old New Zealand rabbits were provided by the experimental animal center of the Fourth Military Medical University of Chinese PLA [Certificate number: 2005C00117]. The rabbits were raised normally at room temperature with normal humidity. The samples were collected bilaterally, the cells from the left limb were taken as the dexamethasone-induced group, and those from the right limb as the control group.METHODS: MSCs treated and untreated with dexamethasone were transfected with BMP-2 gene, then the BMP-2 expression was determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemical staining. The growths of the MSCs were observed, and the activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and osteocalcin of MSCs were determined with ALP kit and osteocalcin radioimmunoassay kit after Ad-BMP-2 transfection.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ① BMP-2 expression in MSCs; ② Morphological changes of the MSCs; ③ ALP activity and osteocalcin content in the MSCs. RESULTS: ① Expressions of BMP-2 gene could be observed in MSCs both treated and untreated with dexamethasone after transfection. ② The forms were irregular in most of the MSCs treated with dexamethasone, appeared as triangular or polygonal changes.They grew more slowly than those cultured with basic medium. There were no obvious changes of cellular forms after gene transfection. ③ Five days after transgene, the ALP activity in the MSCs supernatant in the dexamethasone-induced group was higher than that in the control group [(134.36±8.84), (104.02±7.83) nkat/L, t =3.350 6, P ＜ 0.01, n =20]. The amount of osteocalcin secretion in MSCs in the dexamethasone-induced group was higher than that in the control group [(14.68±0.73), (6.52±1.21) μg/L, t =3.568 2, P ＜ 0.01, n =20].CONCLUSION: Dexamethasone induction before transgene can promote the proliferation of BMP-2 modified MSCs and the conversion into osteoblasts.

Objective To investigate and compare the killing effects of different prodrugs combined with suicide gene HSV-tk on laryngocacinoma cell, Hep-2 in vitro. Methods Retroviral expressing vector pL(tk)SN was constructed by recombinant DNA technology. Hep-2 cells were infected by the recombinant retrovirus. The positive cloning was obtained after G418 selection and were termed Hep/tk. The integration and expression of tk gene in Hep-2 cells were identified by RT-PCR and Southern blot. The growth state and prodrugs killing effect of tk gene modified cells were used to investigate the expression of tk gene and antitumour effect on Hep-2 cells. Results RT-PCR and Southern blot analysis confirmed the integration and expression of tk gene in Hep-2 cells. There was no significant difference in cell proliferation between the Hep/tk and Hep-2. After the treatment of GCV,the Hep/tk showed high sensitivity to GCV and bystander effects were observed siginificantly in vitro. However the efficiency of another two prodrugs ACV and BVdU was lower than that of GCV. Both tk-positive and tk-negative Hep-2 cells were relatively insensitive to ACV and BVdU.Treatment of tk gene modified cells mixed with different proportion parental cells shoewd obviously bystander effects.Conclusions The laryngocarcinoma cells Hep-2 have sensitive to HSV-tk/GCV system and have significant bystander effects, which might have therapeutic potential value for laryngocarcinoma.

Objective To investigate the pathologic appearances,immunohistochemical features,and genetic changes of malignant triton tumor(MTT). Methods One case of MTT was studied pathologically and immunohistochemically,and the related literatures were reviewed. Results A huge mass,demonstrated in the thorax by X ray and CT scan was seen in the posterior mediastinum in the surgery.Histologically,the tumor was composed of spindle cells with significant atypia.Some of the tumor cells had dense eosinophilic cytoplasm.Immunohistochemical staining revealed positive for myoglobin,desmin and S-100 in most of the tumor cells.The pathological diagnosis was MTT of the posterior mediastinum. Conclusion Cases of MTT in the mediastinum are very rare,with less specific clinical and imaging manifestations.The diagnosis is mainly made on the basis of pathological examination and immunohistochemical staining.

Purpose:To study the effect of the herbal decoction Qingyi Xiaoji Formula(QYXJ) on the proliferation of human pancreatic cancer cell line SW1990 in vivo and to explore the mechanism of its functions by means of cDNA microarray.Methods:Tumor-burdened nude mice were randomized into control group,5-FU group,and QYXJ groups at different dosages.After treatment,inhibiting rates of tumor growth were calculated.Tumor mRNA of the control group and the QYXJ group at moderate dose was extracted.The fluorescent cDNA probes were prepared,labeled with two different dyes Cy3 and Cy5,and then hybridized with cDNA microarray and scanned for fluorescent intensity.The genes with different expression were identified through the analysis of gene expression profile.Results:Inhibition rates of tumor growth in the QYXJ groups were 21.31%,38.16% and 29.09%,in the dose of 18 g/kg,36 g/kg,and 72 g/kg respectively.7 genes with reduced expression were identified,the functions of which were oncogene,protein translation and synthesis,DNA synthesis and repair,cell signal transduction,etc.Conclusions:QYXJ decoction may inhibit the proliferation of pancreatic cancer in vivo,possibly by blocking the action of an oncogene and its downstream signaling,or by regulation of protein synthesis in cancer cells.

Objective To investigate the value of thyroid transcription factor-1(TTF-1) in the diagnosis and biological behavior assessment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods Thirty liver specimens obtained from benign lesions were analysed, among which 25 were hepatic cirrhosis and inflammatory diseases, and the other 5 were adenomas. And there were 176 specimens of liver tumors, among which 142 were HCC (well differentiated, n=12; moderately differentiated, n=57; poorly differentiated, n=73), 17 were intrahepatic cholangiocellular carcinoma (ICC) and the other 17 were liver metastatic carcinoma (MC). The expression of TTF-1 was examined immunohistochemically in the above tissues, and the difference in expression of TTF-1 among different tissues was examined by Fisher's exact test, Kruskal-Wallis test and Spearman rank correlation analysis. Results TTF-1 was significantly expressed in the cytoplasms of all the hepatocytes besides tumors and liver benign lesions. The expression rate of TTF-1 in HCC was 78.9% (112/142), however, TTF-1 was negatively expressed in ICC and MC(P

AIM: To investigate the relationship between up-regulation of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) expression and activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase ( ERK) pathways by TGF-β1 in human ovarian cancer cells .METHODS: PAI-1 expression in human ovarian cancer cells treated with TGF-β1 (10 μg/L)was assayed by real-time PCR and Western blotting.The activation of p38 MAPK and ERK was determined by Western blotting using phosphorylated p 38 MAPK and phosphorylated ERK antibodies . Specific p38 MAPK inhibitor (SB203580) or ERK inhibitor (PD98059) was used to inhibit their activation .RESULTS:TGF-β1 up-regulated the expression of PAI-1, and activated p38 MAPK and ERK pathways in the ovarian cancer cells .In-hibition of p38 MAPK activation by SB203580 resulted in significant inhibition of the mRNA expression of PAI-1 induced by TGF-β1.However, inhibition of ERK activation did not significantly alter TGF-β1-induced increase in PAI-1 mRNA level.CONCLUSION: TGF-β1-activated p38 MAPK pathway contributes to the up-regulation of PAI-1 expression by TGF-β1 in ovarian cancer cells .

Objective To develop a sheet to assess infection risks in children with malignant tumors after chemotherapies.Methods A risk assessing sheet (to consult) was designed and used to consult 24 experts from 9 hospitals located in 6 provinces.After 3 rounds of expert consultation,a sheet (to try) was developed and tried by nurses in the clinic.And then a sheet (to use) was developed.Results The authority coefficient of experts was 0.79,the positive coefficient of experts was 1.00 and 0.96.The sheet (to try) developed after 3 rounds of expert consultation consisted of 30 items and was divided into 2 parts,one was about static items and the other was about dynamic items.Depending on the trying of the sheet (to try),the sheet (to use) was constituted by 8 fundamental immune state assessing items and 16 infection risk screening items.Conclusions Experts consulted in the study were quite reliable,representative and positive.The sheet (to use) seemed to have good pertinence and practicability.Further studies should be done to verify whether the sheet (to use) may help nurses to prevent children with malignant tumors from infections after chemotherapies.

Objective To evaluate obstetrics and gynecology training quality by analysis of clinical knowledge and clinical skills scores for long-term graduates.Methods A retrospective analysis of clinical knowledge and clinical skills scores was performed in obstetrics and gynecology training for 134 long-term graduates.Results The clinical knowledge and clinical skills scores of obstetrics and gynecology training were 82.27?7.68,87.69?7.24.There was no,P﹥0.05.Only the scores of clinical skills judged by one teacher in interview was correlated with clinical knowledge scores,while there were no correlation between clinical knowledge judged by other five teachers and scores of clinical skills.Conclusion There was no correlation between clinical knowledge and the scores of clinical skills scores.Culturing students’practical ability and communication ability is worth strengthening,while the consistency of teachers’evaluation standard should be improved.

Objective To evaluate the effect of an Internet support program on uncertainty in illness in breast cancer patients after operation. Method One hundred and nineteen breast cancer patients after surgery who were discharged from Shanghai Cancer Hospital were assigned into the control group (63 cases) and the intervention group (56 cases). A 12-week Internet support program was offered to the patients in the intervention group, while the patients in the control group received the routine follow-up. Measurement of uncertainty in illness was taken at the sixth week and the twelfth week after the baseline survey. Results The total score of the uncertainty in illness as well as the factor scores of ambiguity and lack of information showed downward trend in both the intervention group and the control group, and the three indexes in the intervention group declined more rapidly than those in the control group. The scores of the three indexes in the intervention group were significantly lower than those in the control group at the twelfth week. Conclusion The Internet support program which offers abundant information, multi-disciplinary cooperation and real-time interaction intervention is an effective approach in reducing uncertainty in illness for breast cancer survivors.

Objective To intensify clinical evaluation on the manifestation, diagnosis and treatment of primary malignant duodenal tumors. Method The clinical data of 81 patients with primary malignant duodenal tumors from 1990 to 2002 were analyzed retrospectively. Result Tumors located above, around and below the duodenal papilla accounted for 16%, 78%, 6% respectively. The common clinical presentations were weight loss(72%)?abdominal pain(64%)?jaundice(45%)?alimentary tract bleeding(40%)?vomiting(33%) and anemia(24%). The preoperative diagnosis rate was 80%. Pancreatoduodenectomy was performed in 54 cases, bypass operation in 21 cases, segmental duodenectomy and simple laparotomy in 2 cases each. The postoperative 3- and 5- year survival rate was 36% and 21% for patients undergoing curative resection. In those with bypass operation, the survival time was between 1～18 months. Two cases undergoing segmental duodenectomy died within one year. Conclusion Patients usually lack special symptoms and signs, early diagnosis is fairly difficult, pancreaticoduodenectomy performed for purpose of curative resection could improve the prognosis of this malignancy.