Objective To study the changes of liver function and its clinical significance during the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma by hepatic arterial and segmental arterial embolization. Methods Hepatic arterial embolization (conventional LP-TAE) was performed in 52 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma and segmental arterial embolizational(segmental LP-TAE) was done in 33 cases. The main data of the change of liver function were reviewed in three days and six months after treatment. All cases were followed up for 1 to 5 years. Results The change of ALT, AST, ALP, TBIL in conventional LP-TAE were remarkably increased than that in segmental LP-TAE after three days (P=0.000). After six months by LP-TAE, the Child of liver function in segmental group decreased obviously lighter than that in conventional group (P=0.000). The survival rates at 1-, 3-, and 5-year were 90.9%, 60.6% and 30.3% in segmental LP-TAE, respectively, and 61.5%, 21.2% and 7.7%, in conventional LP-TAE, respectively (P =0.003, P =0.000, P =0.006). Conclusion Segmental LP-TAE possesses stronger anticancerous effect and much less damage to liver function. Segmental LP-TAE is obviously superior than conventional LP-TAE in long term effectiveness.

【Objective】To study the effect of the specific p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase(p38 MAPK) inhibitor SB203580 on apoptosis of cerebellar granule neurons induced by low potassium.【Methods】Apoptosis was induced by switching the cultured cerebellar granule neurons from a culture medium containing K+ 25 mmol*L-1 to a medium containing K+ 5 mmol*L-1 (cLK).Fragmentation of DNA was analyzed using agarose gel eletrophoresis.SAPK/JNK activity was measured by SAPK/JNK assay kit.【Results】Low potassium resulted in apoptosis as characterized by morphological and biochemical features,but the specific p38 MAPK inhibitor SB203580 improved the survival of cerebellar granule neurons cultured in cLK medium by blocking apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner.The expression and phosphorylation of c-Jun increased and the activity of c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase (JNK) elevated when cerebellar granule neurons were cultured in cLK medium.But when the cerebellar granule neurons cultured in cLK medium were exposed to 25 μmol*L-1 SB203580,the expression and phosphorylation of c-Jun and the activity of JNK were both decreased evidently.【Conclusions】These results indicate that SB203580 inhibits the activation of JNK and phosphorylation of c-Jun,and therefore protects granule neurons from apoptosis induced by low potassium.