Stage Ⅲ A non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has high heterogeneity and there are some controversies over the treatment of this disease,especially for patients with stage ⅢA-N2 NSCLC.This article investigates whether preoperative or postoperative radiotherapy can improve the survival of patients with stage ⅢA-N2 NSCLC and evaluates the effect of surgical treatment.

Most epidemiological investigations and basic studies have demonstrated that estrogen has neuroprotective effects,and the application of estrogen in cerebrovascular disease has a positive attitude.However,large clinical trials of the application of estrogen have indicated that harms outweigh benefits,and even have the risks of stroke.This article reviews the related studies about the neuroprotective effects of estrogen from the positive and negative aspects.

The concept and important role of associative memory neural network are introduced.The development of associative memory neural network is also summarized along with other neural networks such as the Hopfield neural network,the neural network composed of FitzHugh-Nagumo neuron model,the neural network composed of Hodgkin-Huxley neuron model.

Objective To study the signal pathway of apoptosis of renal proximal tubular cells (RPTC) caused by cisplatin for prevention of toxic effects of cisplatin on kidney. Methods pcDNA3.1/Hygromycin vector and pEGFP-C3 vector including Bcl-2(Bcl-acta,Bcl-cb5 and Bcl-nt) were co-transfected in RPTC.After treated with cisplatin, Bax was activated,cytochrom C release and apoptosis were analyzed with confocal microscope and immunofluoresence technique. Apoptotic cells stained with Hoechst33258 were also counted and statistically analyzed. Results The percent of cytochrom C release (35.74%) in Bcl-cb5 transfected group was higher than those in Bcl-nt group (18.7%) and Bcl-acta group(24.6%)(P

To investigate the role of ERC,6 gene in the growth rate and antifungal susceptibility,Aspergillus fumigatus strain with extra copies of ERG6 gene was constructed.Open reading frame (ORF) of putative ERG6 gene was searched in A.fumigatus genome.A PCR fragment, ERG6 ORF sandwiched by its flanking sequences (about 1 kb respectively),was amplified and was then subcloned into vector pRG-AMA1- NotI to produce a recombinant plasmid pERG6,which was further transformed into uracil auxotroph A.fumigatus strain AF293.1 to produce the transformant AF-pERG6.In the same time,empty plasmid pRG-AMA1-NotI was also transformed into A.fumigatus strain AF293.1 to produce the transformant AF-empty as a control.Radial growth of the transformants was tested on minimal medium (MM) and YAG medi- um.Antifungal susceptibilities of these resahing transformants,AF-pERG6 and AF-empty,to the common antifungal agents were performed by using both disk diffusion and broth microdillution methods.A.fumigatus genome contains a ERG6 gene,of which the ORF size is 1 256 bp.Comparing to Candida albicans and Sacchromyces cerivisiae sterol methyltransferase,A.fumigatus Erg6p had 57% and 50% identity, and had 70% and 63% similarity in amino acid sequences,respectively.Radial growth of transformant AF-pERG6 was slower than that of transformant AF-empty.The antifungal susceptibilties of transformant AF-pERG6 to the antifungal drugs itraconazole,voriconazole,terbin- aline,amphotericin B,caspofungin and grisefolvin were same to that of transformant AF-empty.In A.fumigatus,extra copies of ERG6 gene have no effect on antifungal susceptibilities to itraconazole,voriconazole,terbinafine,amphotericin B,caspofungin and grisefolvin.Radial growth of A.fumigatus harboring extra copies of ERG6 gene becomes slower compared to the control.

Objective To determine the key points in surgical treatment of Mirizzi syndrome in the olderlys. Methods Clinical data of 12 cases of Mirizzi syndrome treated in our hospital from 1995 to 2004 were retrospectively analyzed. Results Only 6 cases were definitely diagnosed by ERCP and ultrasounography before operations. Three cases were treated with cholecystectomy, 7 cases with cholecystectomy and T-tube drainage of common bile duct, 2 cases with cholecystectomy and Roux-Y hepaticojejunostomy. Conclusions It is still difficult to diagnose Mirizzi syndrome preoperatively. Appropriate operative patterns should be selected according to different types of Mirizzi syndrome.No patient death during operations.The patients were followed 1-10 years, average was 3.2 years. No bile duct stricture was found.

BACKGROUND:Endothelial progenitor cel s, known as the precursor cel s of mature endothelial cel s, have the function of neovascularization and neoendothelialization. Therefore, endothelial progenitor cel s have potential applicability in many fields. Endothelial progenitor cel s can be isolated and cultured from different resources with different methods, but the biological properties and identification of endothelial progenitor cel s stil have controversies.
OBJECTIVE:To explore the methods of isolation and culture of endothelial progenitor cel s from the human peripheral blood and to identify the biological features of endothelial progenitor cel s.
METHODS:Mononuclear cel s were isolated from the human peripheral blood using density gradient centrifugation, and the cel s were resuspended in endothelial basal medium-2 supplemented with the EGM-2-MV-SingleQuots. Then, the cel s were inoculated in human fibronectin-coated culture flasks and cultured in EBM-2MV medium. The morphology of endothelial progenitor cel s was observed. The proliferation potential and surface markers of endothelial progenitor cel s were characterized careful y. Furthermore, the functional properties such as nitric oxide release and tube formation on Matrigel were also evaluated.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:While adherent cel s maintained, spindle-shaped cel s formed a cel cluster after 6-7 days. Then, adherent cel s developed to endothelial progenitor cel s with a cobblestone appearance after 2-3 weeks. The endothelial progenitor cel s were confluent with an outgrowth appearance. Endothelial progenitor cel s had a higher proliferation potential compared with human aortic endothelial cel s under the same culture condition. Endothelial progenitor cel s expressed CD31, CD34, CD144 and KDR, displaying an obvious endothelial phenotype. Endothelial progenitor cel s were also found to uptake DiL-acLDL and exhibit lectin binding capability. Furthermore, endothelial progenitor cel s were able to form capil ary tubes on Matrigel and had the ability to release nitric oxide. Therefore, endothelial progenitor cel s can be obtained from the human peripheral blood by density gradient centrifugation and adherent culture. A combining method for the identification of endothelial progenitor cel s should be recommended.

Objective To evaluate the value of preoperative spiral CT (SCT) scanning in the diagnosis and staging of middle-late stage rectal carcinoma. Methods The results of SCT scanning of 34 patients with middle-late stage rectal carcinomas were compared with the pathological examination results and the findings of surgical operation. Results SCT could display the manifestations of middle-late stage rectal carcinoma, such as rectal wall thickening, local tumor mass, tumor invasion of rectal circumference, narrow rectal cava, lymph node enlarging (diameter≥10mm) and tumor distant metastasis. According to Duke's staging, the overall accuracy of SCT staging was 70.6%, and for the stages B1, B2, C, and D the sensitivity was 83.3%, 50%, 66.7%, 78.5%, and the specificity was 62.5%, 44.4%, 57.1%, 100%, respectively. According to TNM staging, the overall accuracy of SCT was 73.5%, and for the stages T2, T3, T4 the sensitivity was 85.7%, 61.5%, 78.6%, and the specificity was 54.5%, 66.7%, 100%, respectively. Conclusion Preoperative SCT could display the invasive range of middle-late stage rectal carcinoma and the tumor lymph nodes metastasis, especially distant metastasis, and had a definite diagnostic value.

Objective To investigate the expression of nestin in fibroblasts of adult human dermis.Methods A total of 6 samples of normal human skin were collected.Immunohistochemistry and immunocytochemistry staining were used to detect the nestin expression in adult human dermis and in cultured fibroblasts of different passages(3rd,5th,7th,10th,and 12th passages,respectively) in vitro.Nestin positive cells were counted to evaluate the expression quantity and intensity.Results There were 103.3?67.4 fibroblasts per square millimeter(mm~2) of adult human dermis,and the nestin positive fibroblasts accounted for(9.5?3.0)% of total amount.The amount of nestin positive fibroblasts in vitro was obviously higher than that in vivo.Significant difference was observed in the amount of nestin expression among different passages(P

ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical features of cardiac involvement in polymyositis or dermatomyositis(PM/DM).MethodsAll articles published in Chinese and English were retrieved by searching the electronic resource databases.Theeligible articles that metthe predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria were included and then a systemic review was performed.ResultsTotally 23 articles were enrolled in this study,including 1452 patients.The incidence of cardiac involvement was 27.1％-85％.Heart failure was the most frequent (43.8％-76.9％) symptom.Among the abnormal ECG and UCG,the incidence of conduction abnormalities,left ventricular diastolic dysfunction andhyperkinetic left ventricular contraction 25％-38.5％,27.3％-51.5％ and 11.5％-42.3％ respectively.The pathological findings revealed myocardial inflamma-tion,degenerative changes and necrosis similar to those findings in skeletal muscles.Some patients'condition were improved aftergluco-corticoid stero and immunosuppressant treatment.Thirtypatients (30.9％) died as a direct result of heart disease.ConclusionHeart abnormalities are common in patients with PM/DM,most of them are subclinical,however.The efficacy of gluco corticoid steroid and immunosup-pressant treatment are uncertain.Cardiac involvement is a common cause of death.