OBJECTIVE An understanding of the complex anatomy of the anterior skull base is crucial for the surgeon doing endoscopic surgery. The anatomic data of the olfactory sulcus and adjacent structures in Chinese patients were defined using 3-dimensional reconstruction images. The surgeon is encouraged to develop a detailed pre-operative surgical plan by utilizing these dynamic anatomical observations to avoid intracranial injury. METHODS The paranasal sinus CT scanning images of 100 adults were reconstructed for observation using EBW2.0 software and multiplanar reformation. All data obtained were in the coronal plane from the anterior point of the olfactory sulcus. The cribriform plate depth as compared to the ethmoid roof and adjacent structures, was measured bilaterally. Data obtained on adjacent structures include the vertical height of the lateral lamella of olfactory sulcus, the horizontal distance between the cribriform plate and the orbital lamella, the length of the middle turbinate, the height of the orbit, and the vertical distance between the cribriform plate and the nasal floor. RESULTS The olfactory sulcus was classified into three types: platform type (60 %), sloping type (17 %) and mixed type(23 %), as distinguished from Keros classification. In this study the vertical height of the lateral lamella of olfactory sulcus was (5.03 ± 0.17) mm (R) and (5.39 ± 0.19) mm (L) in platform type, and (2.79 ± 0.49) mm (R) and (4.72 ± 0.49) mm (L) in the mixed type. There were statistically significant differences between the right side and the left side in these two types (P＜0.01). The horizontal distance between the cribriform plate and the orbital lamella on the same side was significantly different between the platform type and the mixed type of olfactory sulcus. A similar result was observed for the vertical distance between the cribriform plate and the nasal floor. Gender differences exist in the horizontal distance between the cribriform plate and orbital lamella on the same side and the vertical distance between the cribriform plate and the nasal floor. CONCLUSION Different types of olfactory sulcus have distinct characteristics, hence care which must be taken into account when doing endoscopic surgery.

Objective To study the importance of back pain-lassitude as the key symptom in the differentiation of kidney-deficiency syndrome in diabetes patients.Methods Totally 460 diabetics were divided into the pain group(154 cases)and non-pain group(306 cases).The 39 symptoms,signs and behavior were abstracted and each patient was scored according to the details of kidney deficiency scale to analyze the constitution and distribution of kidney-deficiency syndrome.Results There was a significant difference in the total symptom score of the two groups(P

Objective In order to investigate the synaptic plasticity in dentate gyrus after seizures and axonal and dendrtic sprout- ing induced by KA administration. Methods The density of synapses, the curvature forms of synaptic interface were studied under electron microscope. Results 1 .The density of the synapse is decreased obviously 3 days after KA injection, while the density of synapses is increased to control level 7 days after KA injection. 2. Compare with the curvation forms of synaptic interface of control animals and 3days after KA administration animals, the amount of smile synapses is significantly decresed and the amount of frown synapses is significantly increased in the moleculous layer of dentate gyrus 7 days after KA injection. Conclusions 1 .This result demonstrates that the axonal and dendritic sprouting of dentate granule cells is functional. 2. The increase of frown synapse is related to the release of glutamate of sprouting mossy fibers.

The cDNA fragment of JEV prME gene was cloned into the baculovirus shuttle vector (bacmid) to construct a recombinant baculovirus vector, defined as AcBac-prME. Then the recombinant baculovirus Ac-prME was obtained by transfecting Sf9 cells with AcBac-prME. Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence results indicated that both prM and E proteins were efficiently expressed in Sf9 cells. Electron microscopy suggested that prME was assembled into JEV-VLPs. To further evaluate the potential of JEV-VLPs as vaccine, the mice were immunized with JEV-VLPs and then challenged with lethal JEV. The results of mice survival and pathological changes demonstrated that the JEV-VLPs performed complete protection against JEV-P3 strain and relieved pathological changes in the mice brain significant. This study suggest that JEV-VLPs would be a potential vaccine for Japanese encephalitis virus.
Animals ; Antibodies, Viral ; immunology ; Encephalitis Virus, Japanese ; genetics ; immunology ; Encephalitis, Japanese ; immunology ; prevention & control ; virology ; Humans ; Japanese Encephalitis Vaccines ; administration & dosage ; genetics ; immunology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Sf9 Cells ; Vaccination ; Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle ; administration & dosage ; genetics ; immunology ; Viral Envelope Proteins ; administration & dosage ; genetics ; immunology

Objective To investigate the effect of phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate(PMA)on cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2) mRNA and protein expression in cultured human HaCaT keratinocytes,and the mechanism for cytotoxity of PMA against keratinocytes.MethodsRT-PCR and Westem blot were utilized to detect the expression of COX-2 mRNA and protein in cultured HaCaT ells at 24 hours after the treatment with various concentrations of PMA (0.1,1.0,10 mg/L).ResultsWithout any treatment,there was no or a weak expression df COX-2 mRNA and protein in HaCaT cells;incubation witll PMA resulted in the induction of the expression of COX-2 in HaCaT cells.The expression levels of COX-2 mRNA and protein in 10 mg/L PMA-pretreated HaCaT cells were significantly higher than those in 1.0 mg/L PMA-pretreated HaCaT cells,which was in turn higher than that in 0.1 mg/L PMA-pretreated cells and untreated cells;the difrerence was statistically significant (all P＜0.01).Conclusion These results suggest that PMA may be involved in keratinocyte tumorigenesis by upregulating he expression of COX-2 as well as synthesis and release of prostaglandin in keratinocytes.

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of combined ozone hydrotherapy for the treatment of atopic dermatitis(AD). Methods A total of 60 patients with moderate or severe AD aged from 6 to 65 years were enrolled, and randomly and equally divided into a test group and a control group. Both the two groups were treated with oral levocetirizine capsules 5 mg once a day, topical tacrolimus ointment twice a day, and topical moisturizers. The test group was additionally treated with ozone hydrotherapy 3- 5 times every week. The treatment lasted 2 weeks. The severity scoring of atopic dermatitis (SCORAD) score, visual analog scale (VAS) score, dermatology life quality index (DLQI) or children′s dermatology life quality index (CDLQI) score were assessed before and after the treatment, and compared between the two groups. Enzyme?linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was performed to measure the levels of interleukin?4(IL?4)and nerve growth factor(NGF)in peripheral blood from the patients before and after the treatment. Results After 2?week treatment, the SCORAD scores, VAS scores and DLQI/CDLQI scores significantly decreased from 42.13 ± 16.03, 7.14 ± 2.12 and 14.92 ± 5.94 before the treatment to 27.3 ± 11.01, 2.23 ± 1.31 and 9.69 ± 4.17 respectively in the test group(all P<0.05), and from 43.36 ± 17.78, 6.45 ± 1.29 and 15.15 ± 5.40 to 39.65 ± 16.67, 3.32 ± 0.87 and 12.84 ± 5.37 respectively in the control group(all P<0.05). In addition, all the three scores were significantly lower in the test group than in the control group after 2?week treatment(all P<0.05). A significant decline was also observed in the levels of IL?4 and NGF in peripheral blood in the two groups at the end of the treatment compared with those at baseline(all P<0.05), and the magnitude of decline in IL?4 levels was significantly higher in the test group than in the control group(t=8.57, P<0.05), while that in NGF levels was insignificantly different between the two groups(t=9.51, P>0.05). Conclusion Combined ozone hydrotherapy can effectively and safely improve the condition of patients with AD, likely by decreasing the levels of IL?4 in peripheral blood.

Extralevator abdominoperineal excision (ELAPE) has been suggested to potentially improve oncological outcomes in advanced low rectal cancer patients. However, the urogenital function impairment as one of the main complications deteriorates the quality of life in these patients. The key point to prevent urogenital function impairment is to avoid autonomic nerve injury, including the superior and inferior hypogastric nerve plexus and neurovascular bundle. Three areas should be especially focused during surgery, including the posterolateral aspect of the prostate during the separation of the rectum from prostate, the lateral wall of ischioanal fossa and the area in front of anal canal. Previous presumption supposed that extended resection, though promoting oncologic outcomes, might lead to enlarged injury to surrounding vessels and nerves that deteriorated patients′ urogenital function. But recent studies show that postoperative urogenital function outcomes of rectal cancer patients who underwent ELAPE are not inferior to conventional APE after the induction of minimal invasive approaches including laparoscopic and robotic surgery. Their quality of life can be comparable with patients who underwent conventional APE, and are even better in some particular area. Moreover, as further improvement of ELAPE procedure has been made, the concept of individualized ELAPE addressed the importance of personalized surgical procedure based on tumor stage and location, dedicating to avoid injury to vessels and nerves through preserving more surrounding tissues. Urogenital function outcomes, as part of postoperative outcomes, get more and more attention in recent years. We review current studies on urogenital function after ELAPE from anatomy to clinical research, in order to raise surgeons′ attention of nerve preservation technique and to improve their understanding of ELAPE procedure.

Objective To evaluate the predictive value of serum carbohydrate antigen 50(CA50),tumor specific growth factor(TSGF),and tissue polypeptide antigen(TPA)levels for sensitivity to radiochemotherapy in patients with middle-and advanced-stage breast cancer using a nomogram model.Methods Eighty-two patients with middle-and advanced-stage breast cancer were selected as the study sub-jects.All patients received paclitaxel chemotherapy combined with radiotherapy and were divided into sensitive(n= 57)and insensitive(n= 25)groups according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors.The general information of the patients,serum expression of CA50,TSGF,and TPA,and their differences before and after treatment were recorded.A nomogram model was constructed,and cali-bration curves,receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves,and decision curves were used to evaluate the predictive power and clinical utility of the nomogram model.Results Significant differences were observed in tumor diameter,vascular invasion,TNM stage,lymph node metastasis,and degree of differentiation between the two groups(P＜0.05).Compared to those in the sensitive group,the serum expression of CA50,TSGF,and TPA after treatment was higher,and the difference in CA50,TSGF,and TPA was smaller in the insensitive group(P＜0.05).Three predictive variables were identified in the LASSO regression:differences in CA50,TSGF,and TPA.The logistic regression results showed that differences in CA50,TSGF,and TPA influenced sensitivity to radiochemotherapy in middle-and advanced-stage breast cancer(P＜0.05).A nomogram model was constructed using differences in CA50,TSGF,and TPA.Calibration,ROC,and decision curves showed the model's good predictive accuracy and clinical utility.Conclusion Serum expression of CA50,TSGF,and TPA is high in patients with middle-and advanced-stage breast cancer who are insensitive to radiochemotherapy,and differences in CA50,TSGF,and TPA affect their sensitivity to radiochemotherapy.The nomogram model had good predictive value and clinical utility.

Objective To develop a stable method for fingerprint analysis of extractum platycodi liquidum to ensure its u‐niformity and stability .Methods UPLC‐ELSD was applied to obtain a chromatogram with 11 well separated peaks ,and the chromatographic condition was as follows:mobile phase was gradient elution by acetonitrile‐water ,column was ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18 (2 .1 × 100 mm ,1 .7 μm) with the column temperature of 30 ℃ and the flow rate of 0 .2 ml/min .Results The chromatographic fingerprints were analyzed with similarity evaluation system for chromatographic fingerprint of TCM .Similar‐ities were all greater than 0 .90 ,which could meet the requirement for chromatographic fingerprint of TCM .Conclusion The stability ,repeatability and precision of the developed method were all validated ,and the chromatographic fingerprint analysis was a rapid and accurate method for the quality evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine .

OBJECTIVEThe effect of triptolide on the DNA methylation level of MMP-9 gene and the mRNA expression of tissue inhibitors of met-alloproteinases (TIMPs) were examined in human fibrosarcoma HT-1080 cells to explore the molecular mechanisms involved in the anticancer activity of triptolide.

METHODHT-1080 cells were cultured in MEM containing 10% newborn calf serum and 1% penicillin-streptomycin. Triptolide was dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) at a concentration of 1 goL-1 and stored at -20 degrees C. Triptolide was freshly diluted with culture medium perior to use and directly added to cell cultures at the indicated concentration, and incubated for 72 hours at 37 degrees C in a humidified atmosphere with 5% CO2, with changes of reagents every 24 hours. Methylation specific PCR (MSP)was applied to assess the methylation status of MMP-9 gene promoter, and semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was employed to measure the mRNA expression of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) in human fibrosarcoma HT-1080 cells after 72 hours of treatment with 6 nmol x L(-1), 12 nmol x L(-1) or 18 nmol x L(-1) triptolide, respectively.

RESULTSThe methylation index of MMP-9 gene promoter was statistically elevated in HT-1080 cells after 72 hours of treatment with 18 nmol L(-1) triptolide, compared with those in controls (0.61 +/- 0.10 vs 0.39 +/- 0.10, P < 0.05), while no significant difference was noted between 6 nmol x L(-1) or 12 nmol x L(-1) triptolide treated HT-1080 cells and controls (0.40 +/- 0.15 vs 0.39 +/- 0.10, 0.46 +/- 0.20 vs 0.39 +/- 0.10, respectively, both P > 0.05). The mRNA expression of TIMP-1, -2, -3 or -4 was not significantly changed in HT-1080 cells after 72 hours of treatment with the indicated concentrations of triptolide, respectively compared with those in controls (all P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe results demonstrated that triptolide upregulates the methylation level of MMP-9 gene in HT-1080 cells in vitro.

Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; DNA Methylation ; drug effects ; Diterpenes ; pharmacology ; Epoxy Compounds ; pharmacology ; Fibrosarcoma ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic ; drug effects ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; drug effects ; Humans ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Phenanthrenes ; pharmacology ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases ; genetics ; metabolism