Curcumin is a principal polyphenolic curcuminoid extracted from turmeric rhizome, which has been used for treating inflammation of joints, ulcers, jaundice and other disorders in Asian traditional medicine. In recent years, many studies have indicated that curcumin plays important roles in treatment of liver diseases. Curcumin attenuates liver injury and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by lowering the release of inflammation cytokines, minimizing oxidative stress, enhancing the sensitivity of insulin and altering lipid metabolism. Curcumin shows potent anti-fibrosis activity, contributing to inhibit the activation of hepatic stellate cells and reduce the deposition of extracellular matrix by its regulation of PPAR-γ, NF-ΚB and TGF-β signaling pathways. Moreover, curcumin exhibits anti-cancer effect by inducing G2/M phase cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in several hepatoma cell lines. However, poor water solubility and low bioavailability of curcumin limit its clinical applications. To overcome its limited systemic bioavailability, many new approaches have been explored to deliver curcumin effectively. This article focuses on advances in the effects of curcumin and its derivatives for treatment of liver injury, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, liver fibrosis and hepatocarcinoma.
Apoptosis ; Cell Cycle Checkpoints ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Curcumin ; pharmacology ; Hepatic Stellate Cells ; drug effects ; Humans ; Inflammation ; drug therapy ; Liver Diseases ; drug therapy ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; PPAR gamma ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; metabolism

Objective To study the effect of interventional treatment on the expression of PgP and GST ? in different histopathological types of primary lung carcinoma. Methods One hundred and eighteen cases of histopathologically verified primary lung carcinoma were studied. SCLC was found in 26 cases and NSCLC in 92 cases. The non chemotherapy group had 50 cases, and the interventional treatment group had 68 cases. PgP and GST ? were examined in all specimens with 2 step immunohistochemistry. Results The positive expression rates of PgP and GST ? were 32.0% and 34.0% in non chemotherapy group, respectively, 75.0% and 78.6% in interventional treatment with non embolization group, respectively, and 50.0% and 52.5% in interventional treatment with embolization group, respectively. The positive expression rates of PgP and GST ? had significant difference between non chemotherapy group and interventional treatment with non embolization group( P 0.05). There was a tendency of positive correlation between differentiated degree of carcinoma and the expression of PgP and GST ? in NSCLC. Condusion To detect PgP and GST ? in carcinoma tissue is important and has the instructive significance for chemotherapy of lung carcinoma. The positive rate of multidrug resistant gene is obviously increased in the primary lung carcinoma with bronchial arterial chemotherapy. The inducement to multidrug resistance gene in bronchial arterial embolization with the emulsifying agent of oil anticarcinogen was lower.

Objective To investigate the role of human estrogen receptor-related receptor(ERR) ?,a submember of orphan receptors,in the tumorigenesis of endometrial cancer.Methods Plasmid of pSG-ERR? was transfected into endometrial cancer cell lines HEC-1A,HEC-1B,and Ishikawa.Real-time quantitative RT-PCR and western blot were used to analyze the mRNA and protein expression of ERR? in endometrial cancer cell.Flow cytometry was used to analyze the cellular growth.Results Expressions of the ERR? were significantly increased in the endometrial cancer cells transfected with pSG-ERR? plasmid; expression of the ERR? mRNA in HEC-1A cell was 9644.4 copies/ng,HEC-1B:9835.3 copies/ng,and Ishikawa:8008.6 copies/ng(P

Objective To develop and apply the Oncomelania snail Information Management System based on GIS. Methods With calculating the path by some GPS points and snail information database, the visualized snail information profiles were drawn automatically. Results The Positioning Oncomelania snail Information Management System has been developed and running in Changsha, and it made snail information standardized, visualized and digital, not only supplied many precise queries, but also formed a link of snail information based on years. Conclusions The positioning Oncomelania snail Information Management System based on GIS raises the efficiency of information management and the veracity of information, it makes the snail information more integrated and systemic, which provides the basis for developing the Oncomelania snail Information Management System of Hunan Province.

BACKGROUND:A large number of studies have confirmed that tissue-engineered stem cel therapy is feasible to repair peripheral nerve injury, but the repair mechanism is unclear.
OBJECTIVE:To observe the differentiation and homing of bone marrow mesechnymal stem cel s under local nerve microenvironment by exploring the migration and effect of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel s in the repair of damaged nerve.
METHODS:Male SD rats, aged 8 weeks, were selected to establish segmental nerve injury models by freezing the sciatic nerve. Thirty-six model rats were randomized into three groups (n=12):frozen nerve injury group, cel injection into the nerve group, cel injection around the nerve group. Before modeling and at 4, 8, 12 weeks after cel implantation, the sciatic nerve function index was measured. Electrophysiological test, contractility recovery rate, wet weight recovery rate of the triceps surae were detected and Masson staining was performed;toluidine blue staining of the distal nerve injury and immunofluorescence staining of the damaged nerve were performed.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:At 4, 8, 12 weeks after cel implantation, the sciatic nerve function index was ranked as fol ows:frozen nerve injury group

Objective To comparing the diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia(BPH) between doctors in general hospitals and community hospitals,and to provide scientific clues for the standardization in medical practice.Methods General and community hospitals in urban China were selected via the stratified sampling.127,325 outpatients in these hospitals from December 2011 to December 2012 were randomly recruited.Results The average age of patients was(67.82±8.62) years.There were significant differences in I-PSS,prostate volume,urinary flow rate(UFR) and result of digital rectal examination(DRE) between patients in general and community hospitals.The rates of diagnostic applications were different between doctors in the two kinds of hospitals except I-PSS.Compared with community hospitals,DRE was more frequently applied while ultrasonic inspection and UFR test were less used in general hospitals in North China.A totally opposite situation was observed in East China as compared with the north.The application rates of DRE and UFR test were lower and ultrasonic inspection rate was higher in community hospitals than in general hospitals in South China.Pharmacotherapy was the most common treatment for BPH patients in both types of hospitals(97.53 ％).The rates of drug combinations were statistically different but both were close to 75％ in the two types of hospitals.In community hospitals,the percentage of patients receiving watchful waiting with severe symptoms and signs were lower than that of patients receiving watchful waiting with moderate symptoms and signs,but the percentage of patients receiving operation was not significantly increased.On the contrary,the percentage of patients receiving operation with severe symptoms and signs was higher than that of patients receiving operation with moderate symptoms and signs in general hospitals,but the percentage of patients receiving watchful waiting was not decreased.Conclusions Applications of diagnostic methods are significantly different between doctors in general hospitals and community hospitals and vary among regions.Therapeutic strategies are correlated with the severity of obstructive symptoms or signs.The medication strategy is similar between the two types of doctors.

Objective To investigate the risk factors of pancreatic fistula after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD).Methods The clinical data of 186 patients who received PD at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical College from May 2000 to May 2010 were retrospectively analyzed.All patients were divided into pancreatic fistula group (39 patients) and non-pancreatic fistula group ( 147 patients).Risk factors of pancreatic fistula after PD were screened out from 20 factors by univariate and multivariate analysis.The univariate analysis was carried out by chi-square test or Fisher exact test,and the muhivariate analysis was done by Logistic regression.Results Thirty-nine patients were complicated with pancreatic fistula,including 26 in grade A,10 in grade B and 3 in grade C.The results of univariate analysis showed that duration of preoperative jaundicc,loss of body weight at 6 months before operation,preoperative total bilirubin level,preoperative albumin level,postoperative albumin level,length of pancreas dissected,pancreatic tube diameter,pancreatic texture and time of abdominal drainage tube pull out were high risk factors of pancreatic fistula ( x2 =34.990,20.480,8.212,10.890,13.561,11.505,13.820,4.539,36.590,P ＜ 0.05).The results of multivariate analysis showed that duration of preoperative jaundice ＞ 8 weeks,loss of body weight at 6 months before operation ≥ 10％,pancreatic tube diameter ＜ 3 mm,soft pancreatic texture and time of abdominal drainage tube pull out ＞ 5 days were the independent risk factors of pancreatic fistula ( OR =2.229,3.383,1.437,1.273,11.939,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Duration of preoperative jaundice ＞ 8 weeks,unconscious loss of body weight ≥ 10％ within 6 months before operation,pancreatic tube diameter ＜ 3 mm,soft pancreatic texture,time of abdominal drainage tube pull out ＞ 5 days would increase the risk of pancreatic fistula after PD.

Objective To assess the relationship of serum prealbumin level with the severity of acute ischemic stroke (AIS).Methods The clinical data of 2522 AIS patients who were admitted in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from 2000 to 2008 were retrospectively analyzed.The serum prealbumin and hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels were evaluated by immunoturbidimetric assay within 24 hours after admission.The AIS severity was evaluated at admission using modified Rankin Scale (mRS).Patients were divided into mild AIS group (mRS score ≤ 3 ) and severe AIS group (mRS score ＞ 3 ).The levels of serum prealbumin and hs-CRP were compared between these two groups,and the relationship between praalbumin and hs-CRP was also analyzed.Results There were 1697 patients in the mild group (average mRS score:1.67) and 825 patients in the severe group ( average mRS score:4.53 ).The severe group had significantly lower prealbumin level [ ( 191.20,82.00)versus (219.18,72.00) mg/L,P =0.000] and higher hs-CRP level [ (6.01,8.22) versus (4.15,6.93) mg/L,P =0.000 ] than the mild group,respectively.Partial regression analysis showed that the stroke severity was negatively correlated with serum prealbumin level (r =-0.115,P =0.000) and positively correlated with hs-CRP level (r =0.098,P =0.000).Serum prealbumin level was inversely correlated with hs-CRP level ( r =- 0.396,P =0.000).Conclusion The prealbumin level is relevant with the severity of AIS and inflammation.

Objective To investigate the role of PI3K/Akt signaling in the regulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of peritoneal mesothelial cells (PMCs) in peritoneal dialysis in vitro and in vivo.Methods The level of Phosphorylated serine/threonine kinase Akt and the expression of EMT associated gene and protein,including ZO-1,Vimentin and FN,were measured in mice EMT model.In vitro study,phosphorylation level and nuclear translocation of Akt,ZO-1 and Vimentin expression induced by TGF-β1 in human peritoneal mesothelial cells (HPMCs) were also observed.Moreover,HPMCs were pre-treated by one of PI3K/Akt inhibitor,LY294002,or transfected with dominant-negative Akt plasmid to inhibit PI3K/Akt signaling,then analyzed its effect on Zo-1 and Vimentin expression induced by TGF-β1.Results Compared with the control,thickened parietal peritoneum and remarkable decrease in mRNA and protein of the epithelial marker ZO-1,and notable increased in the expression of mesenchymal markers Vimentin and FN were observed in PD mice (all P ＜ 0.01).Moreover,the phosphorylation of Akt also significantly increased under above condition (P ＜ 0.01).In vitro study,with the stimulation of TGF-β1,the expression of Zo-l was down-regulated,while the expression of Vimentin increased (all P ＜ 0.01).In addition,TGF-β1 remarkably increased pAkt in HPMCs (all P ＜ 0.01) in dose-dependent.However,LY294002 and DN-Akt dramatically inhibited the vimentin expression in HPMCs induced by TGF-β1 after inhibition of pAkt.On the other hand,the expression of ZO-1 also was restored (P ＜ 0.01).Conclusion PI3K/Akt signaling is involved in EMT of peritoneal mesothelial cells in peritoneal dialysis,and may be a new target for the prevention and treatment of peritoneal fibrosis during PD.

Objective To study the indications for extubation of percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage(PTGD).Methods Between January 2009 and December 2013,PTGD were performed on 104 patients with acute cholecystitis.The clinical data were analyzed retrospectively.Results PTGD were performed on all 104 patients successfully.In all the patients,after drainage the abdominal pain was relieved within 0.5 to 8 hours and mean time was(2.3 ± 1.9) h.The temperature decreased to normal in 1 days after drainage.The time of drainage was from 7 to 49 days,(22.4 ± 10.3) days on average.Thirteen patients'tubes were accidentally off during 3 to 12 days,5 patients were performed PTGD again,and 8 patients were given anti-infection,fluid infusion and other symptomatic treatments and all these patients were back to normal in time.Re-intubation rate was 4.8％.In 78 patients laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) were performed 1 to 2 months after PTGD.Operation time was between 35 to 95 min and mean time was(52.7 ± 15.0) min.There were 6 patients done open operation and the conservation rate was 7.7％.A mount of blood during LC was 30 to 150 mL,(61.7 ± 31.0) mL on average.No operative deaths occurred during therapeutic session.Conclusions Patients who formed PTGD obey the indications can extubate in time and reduce retrograde infection and skin irritation,also shorten the time during hospital's,which will have a positive impact about LC.