AIM: To study the protective effect of hepatic stimulator substance(HSS) on chemotherapeutic liver damage induced by cyclophosphamide and its possible mechanism.METHODS: The serum biochemical parameters,oxidative parameters and anti-oxidative parameters of liver tissue of male Kunming mice inoculated with S_(180) cells were measured.The pathology of the liver was observed with microscope.The weight of S_(180) sarcom was weighted.RESULTS: The elevation of MDA content of liver tissue and the less of GSH content and CAT,GSH-PX,GST,and SOD activities induced by CP were restored remarkably by HSS.The ALT and LDH activities of serum in HSS group which was compared with control group and CP group were not statistically distinctive.In the pathologic examination,spotty and focal necroses of hepatocytes in the liver of CP group were found with a great deal of inflammatory cells infiltration in the necrotic and portal areas,while the damage in the liver of HSS group was ameliorated obviously;The weight of S_(180) sarcom in CP group and HSS group was not statistically distinctive.CONCLUSION: The effect of HSS on CP-induced chemotherapeutic liver damage maybe due to anti-oxidative activity.

Objective To assess the significance of urethral sphincter electromyography (US-EMG) and external anal sphincter electromyography (EAS-EMG) for the diagnosis of multiple system atrophy (MSA).Methods US-EMG and EAS-EMG were performed in 9 patients who were diagnosed as MSA.Duration,motor unit action potentials amplitude,polyphasicity,as well as recruited pattern and amplitude during powerful contraction were recorded and analyzed.Results Among 9 patients who were diagnosed as MSA,7 cases showed neural injury by both US-EMG and EAS-EMG.There was significant difference of electromyographic findings between US-EMG group and EAS-EMG group (average volatility (μV):1063.44 ±499.92 vs 634.89 ±265.07; polyphasic wave:0(0,20％ ) vs 57％ (28％,63％ ) ; t =2.567,P=0.033;t =2.833,P=0.012).Conclusions Although US-EMG may be difficult to perform,US-EMG may have the same specificity as EAS-EMG for the diagnosis of MSA,especially for the diagnosis of MSA patients only with urination disorders,who are involved in Onuf neclear according to some of the abnormal indexes.

Aim Vascular endothelial cell growth inhibitor(VEGI) is a recently discovered novel member of the TNF superfamily,which is expressed predominantly in endothelial cells.As an endothelial cell-specific negative regulator of angiogenesis,the relationship between structure and function of VEGI is not understood at present.Methods In order to explore the functional key amino acids of VEGI,four mutants of VEGI(E45→R,G47→A,Y111→F,Y111→T) were construced by site-directed mutagenesis,and recombinant proteins were generated from E.coli.Four mutant proteins behaved similar to the wild type VEGI in various physico-chemical assays.The proliferation of HUVEC and chick choriallantic membrane assay were performed to study the activity of four mutants.Results The mutant E45→R significantly decreased the biological activity,and the mutant G47→A caused a slight drop on activity,but the mutants Y111→F,Y111→T almost completely abolished biological activity.Conclusion It suggests that Y111 is an important residue in biological activity,which may play a direct role in receptor recognition.Moreover,the tyrosine ring and hydroxy group of the amino acid are important determinant of biological activity.Additionally,E45 also plays an important role in biological activity of VEGI.

BACKGROUND: Traditional methods of repairing bone defect such as autograft and allograft have some disadvantages that are hard to deal with, gene treatment may be a new approach. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the biological properties of cultured human osteoblasts transfected with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: A controlled experiment based on cytology was carried out in the Scientific Experiment Centre of Liaoning Medical College from May 2005 to May 2006. MATERIALS: Human lilac born block was harvested from a cervical spondylosis patient who required lilac bone graft with his informed consent of this patient. Plasmid pCDI/VEGF_(121) was given as gift from Professor Ma, Peking Unviersity Human Disease Genomics Research Center. Competent Escherichia coU was given as gift from Professor Liu, Liaoning Medical College. METHODS: Human osteoblasts were isolated and cultured in vitro. There were a VEGF transfection group and a control group in the experiement. Using cation liposome, the pCDINEGF_(121) eukaryotic expression plasmis was induced into human osteoblasts.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: At 1, 3, 5, 7 days following passage culture, the expression of VEGF in human osteoblasts was detected. Its effects on the call proliferation, the secretion of osteocalcin and alkaline phosphatase were investigated.RESULTS: After the plasmid pCDI-VEGF_(121) was transferred into human osteoblasts 3 and 7 days, VEGF mRNA expression was detectable by RT-CPR method. The call number of transfection group was larger than that of control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01).When the cells were cultured for 3 days, the positive rate of alkaline phosphatase in the transfection group was increased compared with control group (P < 0.01 ); the secretion of osteocalcin in the transfection group was higher than that of control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01 ).CONCLUSION: VEGF gene transfection can improve the proliferation and biological function of human osteoblasts cultured in vitro.

T A R D N A-binding dom ain protein 43 (T D P-43) is a highly conserved and w idely expressed nuclear protein. N ow adays, the expression of T D P-43 can be found in m ost neurodegenerative diseases such as A lzheim er's disease, w hich m akes it becom e a neurodegenerative disease associated m arker pro-tein. From the current research status at hom eland and abroad, and around the relationship betw een the expression of T D P-43 and brain injury, this article em phatically probes into the specific expression and function of T D P-43 in acute and chronic brain injury based on the know ledge of its biological charac-teristics, w hich aim s to explore the feasibility for determ ining the cause of death and the injury and dis-ability situations by T D P-43 in forensic pathology.

Objective To analyze diagnostic evaluation of urethral sphincter electromyography (US-EMGs) for patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA).Methods Totally 15 patients who were diagnosed as MSA were examined as treatment group while 17 non-MSA patients were examined as controls.US-EMGs were performed in the both groups.Spontaneous activities when relax,parameters of motor unit potentials(MUPs) mean duration and amplitude,percentage of polyphasic ware,satellite potential,recruitment potentials and amplitude when strong contraction were recorded and analyzed.Results USEMGs changes of various abnormalities were found in 13 cases (86.7％) in MSA group.There were significant differences of electromyographic findings between the MSA group and control group including MUPs mean duration[(12.79 ±3.18)ms vs (9.49 ± 1.51)ms] and amplitude[(828.53 ±459.89) μV vs (378.76 ± 152.26) μV] as well as recruitment potentials [(11.47 ± 21.55) ％ vs (8.23 ± 10.74) ％] and amplitude [(2.19 ± 1.24) mV vs (0.75 ± 0.42) mV] when strong contraction (all P values ＜ 0.05).Conclusions There is certain value of US-EMGs for the diagnosis of MSA.It could be used as a routine electrophysiological method for the patients who are suspected of MSA.It could be a supplement of externalanal sphincter electromyography.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of electro-acupuncture (EA) treatment on the oocyte quality in polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) patients undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET).

METHODSTotally 217 PCOS patients undergoing IVF-ET were assigned to two groups by random digit table, the EA group (119 cases) and the control group (98 cases). All patients received long program ovarian hyperstimulation with gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist. Patients in the EA group received EA treatment in the process of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation till the oocyte retrieval day. The position relation of the spindle to the polocyte, the number of retrieved oocytes, the fertilization rate,the cleavage rate,the high quality embryo rate, the ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) incidence rate, the clinical pregnancy rate, the early abortion rate, the gonadotropins (Gn) dose and time, levels of estradiol (E2), progesterone (P), and luteinizing hormone (LH) on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) were observed between the two groups.

RESULTSThe ratio of oocytes in which the meiotic spindle deviation angle was < 60 degrees to the all oocytes was obviously higher in the EA group than in the control group (P < 0.05). The oocytes in which the meiotic spindle deviation angle was < 60 degrees was positively related to level of E2 on the HCG day and the high quality embryo rate (r = 0.19,P < 0.01). Compared with the control group, the high quality embryo rate increased significantly (P < 0.05), the dose and days of Gn decreased significantly (P < 0.05) in the EA group. The clinical pregnancy rate was improved by 8.36%.

CONCLUSIONSThe spindle was positively correlated with the oocyte quality. EA could improve the quality of oocytes and the clinical pregnancy rate in PCOS patients undergoing IVF-ET.

Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; Embryo Transfer ; Estradiol ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Gonadotropins ; Humans ; Luteinizing Hormone ; Oocytes ; Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome ; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome ; therapy ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate ; Progesterone

Objective To study the role of vascular resection in the radical resection of hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Methods One hundred and forty-two cases of hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HC) data during July 2009 and December 2014 were analyzed retrospectively .After sufficient preoperative management including relieving jaundice , three dimensional assessments were evaluated and then surgical planning was designed. Results One hundred and forty-two cases underwent surgery after adequate preoperative preparation and evaluation, of whom 16 patients had vascular resection. Portal vein resection was performed in 11 cases, in which the portal vein wedge excision was performed in 4 cases, the portal vein anastomosis in 6 cases, and right anterior portal vein resection and reconstruction was performed in 1 case. Because of tumor invasion in the right hepatic artery, 4 patients underwent right hepatic artery resection and saphenous vein reconstruction, and 1 patient underwent right hepatic artery anastomosis. Postoperative complications were as follows:bile leakage in 1 case, no abdominal bleeding and abdominal infection, and no vascular thrombosis-related complications, and the overall complication rate was 1/16. There was no perioperative death . The follow-up results was as follows: 1 patient died 3 months after surgery, 1 died of liver metastasis after 9 months, 2 cases were lost to follow up, and the rest patients were still followed up. Conclusions Vascular resection for hilar cholangiocarcinoma helps to improve tumor resection rate and prognosis in large medical centers. With the use of three dimensional assessment, preoperative management and reasonable surgical strategy can reduce postoperative complications and ensure safety for hilar cholangiocarcinoma resection.

To study the chemical constituents of the branches of Tamarix rasissima, repeated silica gel column chromatography, Sephadex LH-20 chromatography and recrystallization were applied for chemical constituents isolation and purification. Ten phenolic compounds were isolated from the n-BuOH fraction and their structures were elucidated by physical properties and spectra analysis such as UV, ESI-MS and NMR as monodecarboxyellagic acid (1), ellagic acid (2), 3, 3'-di-O-methylellagic acid (3), 3, 3'-di-O-methylellagic acid-4-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (4), 3, 3'-di-O-methylellagic acid-4'-O-alpha-D-arabinfuranoside (5), ferulic acid (6), isoferulic acid (7), caffeic acid (8), 4-O-acetyl-caffeic acid (9), and 4-methyl-1, 2-benzenediol (10). All compounds except for isoferulic acid were isolated firstly from this plant except for isoferulic acid, and compounds 5, 9 and 10 were obtained from Tamarix genus for the first time.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Molecular Structure ; Phenols ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization ; Tamaricaceae ; chemistry

Objective To evaluate the value of endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) in the diagnosis of Crohn's Disease (CD).Methods A total of 436 patients with endoscopically suspected CD underwent EUS and the clinical data of these patients were analyzed retrospectively.Changes of gastrointestinal wall stratification and perienteric complications detected by EUS were documented systematically.The consistency between the diagnosis of EUS and the results of pathology were recorded.Results A total of 297 cases of CD and 139 cases of non-CD were clinically diagnosed,while 277 CDs (including 17 non-CDs clinically diagnosed) and 159 non-CDs (including 37 CDs clinically diagnosed) were diagnosed by EUS.The sensitivity,specificity and accuracy rate of EUS in diagnosing CD were 87.5％ (260/297),87.8％ (122/139) and 87.6％ (382/436),respectively.Dilated vessels in submucosa were detected in 40 patients,fistulae in 13,abscesses in 5 and enlarged lymph nodes in 75.Conclusion EUS can show gastrointestinal wall stratification of CD clearly with high diagnostic accuracy.Meanwhile,EUS can detect extraluminal complications well to help in providing useful information for surgery.