Objective To establish VX2 hepatic carcinoma model in rabbits by implanting the tumor fragment into the liver through percutaneous puncture under ultrasound guidance and to observe its growing and metastatic characteristics, to determine the optimal time for interventional experiment study with the model. Methods Inoculation of VX2 carcinoma fragment was performed in 28 New Zealand white rabbits. PET/CT and ultrasonography (US) examinations were carried out in the second, third and forth week after the inoculation, and each time two tumor-bearing rabbits were sacrificed for pathologic study. Results The successful rate of model establishment was 89.28% (25/28). On PET or CT scans, single lesion in the liver was demonstrated in 25 rabbits. Two, three and four weeks after the inoculation, the maximum diameter of the tumor was (4.82±0.80) mm, (16.05±2.89) mm and (30.08±5.38) mm respectively, while the metastasis rates was 0% (0/25), 13.04% (3/23), 76.19% (16/21) respectively. No significant necrosis was found in the second week after inoculation, only tiny coagulation necrosis was revealed in the third week, and massive necrosis was seen in the forth week. Conclusion Percutaneous inoculation of the tumor fragment into the liver under ultrasonographic guidance is a simple method to establish VX2 hepatic carcinoma in rabbits with a high successful rate. The third week after inoculation is the suitable time for making interventional experiment study.

Humans ; Joint Dislocations/diagnostic imaging* ; Neck Injuries ; Disability Evaluation

Adult ; Decompression, Surgical ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; surgery ; Laser Therapy ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; surgery ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Traction ; methods

Objective To compare the clinical features and results between transperitoneal laparoscopic radical prostatectomy and extraperitoneal laparoscopic radical prostatectomy.Methods Thirty-three prostate cancer patients treated with laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. Among them,21 cases had been done transperitoneally and 12 cases had been done extroperitoneally. The two different approaches were evaluated and compared in respects of operating time, estimated blood loss, complications during surgery, postoperative complications, intestinal function recovery time, catheterization time and length of hospital stay.Results All the surgeries had completed successfully without conversion to open surgery. For transperitoneal approach and extraperitoneal approach, the operating time was (299±46)min and (309±64)min, blood loss was (618±448)ml and (677±469)ml. There were 3 cases with severe blood loss, 2 cases with bladder injuries and 1 case with ureteral injury in transperitoneal approach group. There were 1 case with severe blood loss, 1 case with obturator never injury, 1 case with cysto-ureteral injury and 1 case with peritoneum injury in extraperitoneal approach group. For transperitoneal approach and extraperitoneal approach,the catheterization time was(14.6±3.8)d and (12.3±2.9)d, intestinal function recovery time was (2.7±0.7)d and (2.1±0.5)d, length of hospital stay was (17.0±3.6)d and (11.2±3.5)d, respectively.Conclusions Laparoscopic radical prostatectomy is feasible and safe in clinical practice. Extraperitoneal approach has better vision, less impact on abdominal organs, faster recovery and shorter hospital stay comparing to transperitoneal approach.

OBJECTIVETo analyze the mutational features of adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene and to explore the effect of mismatch repair (MMR) deficiency on its mutations in hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancers (HNPCC).

METHODSPCR-based in vitro synthesized protein test (IVSP) assay and sequencing analysis were used to confirm somatic mutations of whole APC gene in 19 HNPCC patients.

RESULTSEleven cases with thirteen mutations were determined. The frequency of APC mutation was 58%(11/19). The exhibiting mutations consisted of 9 frameshift mutations and 4 nonsense ones, indicating the existence of more frameshift mutations (69%). All of frameshift mutations were deletion or insertion of 1-2 bp and most of them (7/9) happened at simple nucleotide repeat sequences, particularly within (A) n tracts (5/9). All of four nonsense mutations resulted from C to T transitions at CpG sites.

CONCLUSIONMutational inactivations of APC gene were detected in more than half of HNPCC patients in this study, indicating that APC mutation is a common molecular event in the tumorigenesis of HNPCC. According to the location of frameshift mutations at simple nucleotide repeat sequences and point mutations at CpG sites, it was suggested that endogenous mechanisms like MMR deficiency might exert an effect on the nature of APC mutations in most HNPCC.

Adenomatous Polyposis Coli ; genetics ; Adenomatous Polyposis Coli Protein ; genetics ; metabolism ; Carcinoma ; genetics ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; Colorectal Neoplasms, Hereditary Nonpolyposis ; genetics ; Genes, APC ; physiology ; Humans

OBJECTIVETo comparatively determine the genetic variation and differentiation of different breeding strains of Panax notoginseng for providing the basic information for genetic breeding.

METHODThe genetic diversity and genetic structure of the 17 breeding strains of P. notoginseng were assayed by using EST-SSR molecular marker.

RESULTA total of 136 polymorphic loci of EST-SSR were detected in the 17 breeding strains of P. notoginseng, with the PIC (polymorphism information content) being 0.78, H (the gene diversity within population) being 0.139, the I (the Shannon's information index) being 0.208. Gst (coefficient of gene differentiation) was 0.382 among the 17 strains. The cluster analysis of genetic similarity showed that the 17 strains of P. notoginseng and P. stipuleanatus were classified into 4 groups, while the 17 strains of P. notoginseng were classified into three subgroups.

CONCLUSIONThe genetic differentiation was detected among the 17 strains of P. notoginseng from the same cultivation population by bulk selecting. And it was feasible to detect the effect of bulk selection by EST-SSR markers.

Breeding ; Expressed Sequence Tags ; Genetic Variation ; Microsatellite Repeats ; Panax notoginseng ; classification ; genetics ; physiology

This review presents the state of the art of pH-responsive polymeric micelles for cancer drug delivery. Solid tumors have a weakly acidic extracellular pH (pH < 7), and cancer cells have even more acidic pH in endosomes and lysosomes (pH 4-6). The pH-gradients in tumor can be explored for tumor targeting and drug release in cancer drug delivery by applying pH-responsive polymeric micelles. The pH-responsive polymeric micelles consist of a corona and a core, and are made of amphiphilic copolymers, in which there are pH-responsive polymeric blocks. Two types of pH-responsive polymers-protonizable polymers and acid-labile polymers have been mainly used to make pH-responsive micelles for drug delivery. The protonizable polymers are polybases or polyacids, and their water-soluble/insoluble or charge states undergo changes with the protonation or deprotonation stimulated by external acidity, while the acid-labile polymers change their physical properties by chemical reaction stimulated by the acidity. Polymeric micelles whose core or coronas respond to the tumor extracellular acidity can be explored for triggering the fast release of the carried drug, activating the targeting group and accelerating the endocytosis of drug-loaded polymeric micelles, and those whose core or coronas respond to the tumor lysosomal acidity can be used for facilitating their escape from the lysosomes and targeting the nucleus. Various in vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrated that pH-responsive polymeric micelles are effective for cellular targeting, internalization, fast drug release and nuclear localization, and hence enhancing the therapeutic efficacy and reducing the side effect of cancer chemical therapy.
Antineoplastic Agents ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Micelles ; Nanoparticles ; Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Polymers ; chemistry

OBJECTIVEThe interrelation of yield and agronomic traits of Gentiana rigescens was studied for the germplasm and breeding variety of this species.

METHODTwelve agronomic traits, root diameter, root length, root number, root biomass, stem diameter, plant height, the first branch number, leaf length, leaf width, leaf length/leaf width ratio, calyx length, and calyx number of G. rigescens from 26 wild populations in Yunnan were determined for correlation analysis, multiple stepwise regression analysis and path analysis.

RESULTCorrelation analysis showed that there were significantly positive correlation between the traits of aboveground part and the length, diameter, number, and biomass of the root. Multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that length, width, and number of root, plant height, the first branch number, and the calyx number were the main factors that affected the root biomass. Path analysis showed that the diameter, length, and number of the root, the stem height, and the first branch number had a direct positive effect on the root biomass.

CONCLUSIONThe traits, such as high and strong stem, high number of first branch number and shrubby shape could be selected for the breeding and high yielding of G. rigescens.

Gentiana ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Plant Leaves ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Plant Roots ; growth & development ; metabolism

Biosimilars are biological medicinal products that are highly similar to an already licensed reference product in terms of quality, safety, and efficacy. BAT1706 is being developed by Bio-Thera Solutions, Ltd. as a proposed biosimilar candidate to bevacizumab reference product (Avastin^®). Bevacizumab acts by specifically binding to vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A), and preventing the interaction of VEGF-A with its receptors on the surface of endothelial cells, then blocking the downstream signaling pathway mediated by ligand-receptor, and inhibiting endothelial angiogenesis, thus inhibiting tumor growth. Comprehensive analytical characterization studies incorporating orthogonal analytical techniques were performed to compare the in vitro functional activities of BAT1706 and Avastin^®. BAT1706 and Avastin^® showed highly similar binding activity to multiple VEGF-A isoforms and equivalent VEGF-A neutralizing activity, as well as inhibitory activity of VEGF receptor (VEGFR)-2 tyrosine kinase autophosphorylation. Both products exhibited similar binding of the Fcγ receptors and a lack of Fc-related effector functions such as antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) and complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC). Overall, the results demonstrate that BAT1706 and Avastin^® are highly similar in terms of in vitro functional activities.

This study was aimed to investigate the changes of cytokine contents in single donor platelets (SDPs) collected by using MCS(+), Trima, Amicus blood cell separators during storage. 18 portions of SDPs were collected by MCS(+), Trima, Amicus blood cell separators, were preserved in standard condition of blood bank, the levels of cytokines such as IL-8, RANTES, CD154, TGF-beta(1) and VEGF were detected by ELISA at 1, 3, 5, 7 days during storage. The results showed that the levels of IL-8, RANTES, CD154, TGF-beta(1) and VEGF in SDPs collected by blood cell separators MCS(+), Trima, and Amicus gradually increased with prolonging of time during storage, but the increase of IL-8 level in SDPs collected by MCS(+) separator was significant difference from SDPs collected by Trime and Amicus separators (p < 0.05). It is concluded that the all collected SDPs mentioned above express IL-8, RANTES, CD154, TGF-beta(1) and VEGF during storage, and their cytokine levels show a tendency to increase with prolonging of time during storage, apheresis platelets with less leukocytes express IL-8 lower.
Blood Platelets ; metabolism ; CD40 Ligand ; blood ; Cell Separation ; methods ; Chemokine CCL5 ; blood ; Cytokines ; blood ; Humans ; Interleukin-8 ; blood ; Platelet Count ; Specimen Handling ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; blood ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; blood