Objective To evaluate the clinical outcome of microendoscopic surgery in treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis. Methods Twenty patients with lumbar spinal canal stenosis were treated with microendoscopic dis-cectomy by using the METRx microendoscopie spinal system. A fenestration of lamina, removal of ligamentum flavum and part of the facet were performed endoscopically,to obtain the complete decompression of dural sac and bi-lateral nerve roots. Clinical outcomes were evaluated with the modified functional scoring system. Results For thisgroup patients,the mean operation time was 112min,mean operative blood loss was 90ml,and mean duration of hos-pital-stay was 10.1 days. In the mean follow up of 9 months,15 cases were excellent,2 good and 3 fair based on the modified functional scoring system. Conclusion Microendoscopic spinal surgery is a safe, effective and ideal decom-pressive surgical method for lumbar spinal canal steneais.

Objective To investigate the renoprotective effect of erythropoietin(EPO) in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats and to explore the possible mechanism.Methods The SD rats were randomly divided into there groups: normal control rats, diabetic, diabetic treated with EPO(NC, DM, DE groups).The rats were sacrificed after 8 weeks treatment.Renal morphology was observed by light microscopy.The expression of erythropoietin receptor(EPOR) in kidney was detected by immunofluorescence and Western blotting.The expression of p47phox, transforming growthfactor (TGF)β1andfibronectin (FN)proteininkidneywasdetectedby immunohistochemistry and Western blotting.The activity of antioxidants including total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and the level of malondialdehyde(MDA) in kidney were also measured.Results EPO treatment notably attenuated renal pathologic and functional changes.The expression of EPOR was found in kidney,but there was no difference among groups(P＞0.05).Compared with normal rats, diabetic rats showed an elevated expression of p47phox, TGF-β1, FN proteins and MDA levels in kidney as well as reduced activities of SOD, GSH-Px and T-AOC (all P＜0.01).Compared with diabetic rats, EPO could decrease the protein expression of p47phox,TGF-β1and FN in kidney (all P＜0.05).Meanwhile, elevated MDA level in the kidney was decreased as well as decreased SOD, GSH-Px,T-AOC activities were significantly remitted in DE group(all P＜0.01).Conclusion EPO can amelioraterenaldamagevia theinhibition of oxidativestressandTGF-β1andFNprotein expression in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Objective To investigate whether erythropoietin (EPO) can inhibit the proapoptotic effect of high glucose on rat proximal tubular epithelial cells, and the possible mechanisms in which EPO exerts its anti-apoptotic role. Methods Rat proximal tubular epithelial cells (NRK-52E) were divided into 5 groups: normal control group, osmolarity control group, high glucose group, high glucose with EPO (50 U/ml) group and high glucose with EPO (100 U/ml) group. The expression of EPO receptor (EPOR) in NRK-52E cells was examined by immunocytochemistry. The effect of high glucose on the expression of EPOR was detected by Western blotting. The rate of apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry Annexin V-FITC/PI double stains. The intracellular ROS was detected using fluorescent probe CM-H2DCFDA. The expression of bcl-2, bax and caspase-3 mRNA were examined by RT-PCR. Results The expression of EPOR was demonstrated in NRK-52E cells, and high glucose could up-regulate the expression of EPOR. High glucose could induce oxidative stress in NRK-52E cells, and up-regulate the mRNA expression of bax and caspase-3, down-regulate the mRNA expression of bcl-2. These effects of high glucose on NRK-52E cells could be reversed by EPO. Conclusion EPO inhibits NRK-52E cells apoptosis induced by high glucose through attenuating oxidative stress,up-regulating theexpression of bcl-2 mRNA and down-regulating the expression of bax and caspase-3 mRNA, which may be mediated by EPOR.

Objective Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) were induced to differentiate to the special histological types of neurons in vitro.The morphological change of cells and positive expression of specific antigen on membrane were studied,and the function of connection between the induced BMSCs was also detected.The feasibility of BMSCs differentiate to the special histological types of neurons was investigated.Methods BMSCs were divided into group Ⅰ (induced with bFGF+GDNF),group Ⅱ (induced with bFGF+GDNF+WHI-P131 +Shh),and control group (no revulsive).The morphologic change of cells was observed,and the positive rate of neuron specific surface antigen and the content of dopamine were detected.Formation of mature synaptic structure was detected by immunohistochemical assay of postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95) expression,and synaptic loop was shown by FM1-43 stain synaptic vesicles.Results By immunohistochemical staining,the positive rates of dopamine transporter (DAT) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in group Ⅱ were significantly higher than those in group Ⅰ,and dopamine can been detected in cell culture supematant of group Ⅱ.After BMSCs was induced into dopamine neuron-like cells,number and length of cell protrusions,positive rate of PSD-95 and fluorescence intensity of FM1-43 in group Ⅱ were significantly higher than those of group Ⅰ.Conclusions There were no significant change in positive rate of neuron-specific surface markers,rate of cell survival and differentiation rate after BMSCs differentiated to dopaminergic neuron-like cells.The number and length of cell protrusions,content of dopamine in cell culture supematant,positive rate of dopaminergic neuron-specific surface antigen (DAT and TH),synaptic function index (positive rate of PSD-95 and fluorescence intensity of synaptic loop) of group Ⅱ were all significantly higher than that of group Ⅰ.

: The recovery of spinal cord injury(SCI) is a difficult problem in neuroscience research field, one of the reasons is that the ability of injured spinal cord regeneration is limited. Recent years many experiments prove that neurotrophin-3 is very important in SCI regeneration recovery, the gene transplantation is effective. This article makes a summary of SCI treatment research advancement.

ObjectiveTo investigate the expression and clinical significance of heat shock transcription factor 1 (HSF1) protein in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues,and deduce the probable molecular mechanism of HSF1 in the development and advancement of HCC.MethodsSixty-seven samples of HCC tissue and 21 samples of normal liver tissue were obtained from March 2006 to March 2007 at the Xijing Hospital.The expressions of HSF1 protein and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) were detected by using immunohistochemistry.The probable molecular mechanism of HSF1 in the development and advancement of HCC was deduced according to the relationship between the expressions of HSF1 protein and HSP70.Positive rates of HSF1 protein in different tissues and the relationship between HSF1 protein expression in the HCC tissues and clinical pathological factors were analyzed by the chi-square test and by calculating Fisher exact probability,respectively.The correlation between the expressions of HSF1 protein and HSP70 in the HCC tissue was analyzed by the Spearman correlation coefficient.The survival curve was drawn by the Kaplan-Meier method,and the survival rate was analyzed by the Log-rank test.ResultsThe positive rates of HSF1 protein expression was 69％ (46/67) in the HCC tissue,which was significantly higher than 29％ (6/21) in the normal liver tissue ( x2 =10.628,P ＜ 0.05 ),The positive rates of HSP70 expression in the HCC tissue was 57％ (38/67),which was significantly higher than 24％ (5/21) in the normal liver tissue ( x2 =6.929,P ＜ 0.05 ).The expression of HSF1 protein in the HCC tissue was positively correlated with that of HSP70 (r=0.319,P ＜0.05).The high expression of HSF1 protein was correlated with the integrity of capsule of HCC,tumor differentiation and TNM stage (x2 =5.935,9.762,5.159,11.267,P＜0.05 ),while the high expression of HSF1 protein was not correlated with the gender,age,levels of hepatitis B surface antigen and alpha fetoprotein,and portal vein tumor thrombus ( x2 =0.822,0.172,2.059,P ＞0.05 ).The survival time was (21.4 ± 1.9 )months for patients with positive HSF1 protein expression and (29.8 ± 2.7 ) months for patients with negative HSF1 protein expression.There was a significant difference in the survival time between patients with positive and negative HSF1 protein expression ( x2 =4.276,P ＜ 0.05 ).Conclusions HSF1 is correlated with the development,advancement,invasion,metastasis and malignant prognosis of HCC.HSF1 takes effects by regulating the expression of HSP70,and it has a good perspective of clinical application for the diagnosis and treatment of HCC.

Objective To evaluate the changes of the upper airway of the patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) before and after operations and to know the effects of operations by MSCT. Methods The upper airway dimensions of 26 patients with OSAS were measured on multiplanar reformatted (MPR), curved-planar reformatted (CPR), volume rendering(VR) images of 16-slice spiral CT. The measurements include the anteroposterior calibres and the areas on the reformatted axial images on the pharyngeal cavity levels, the calibres and the minimum areas in retropalatal and retroglossal regions, the areas of the soft palate and uvula on the reformatted sagittal view with maximum thickness, the maximum wall thickness of the right and left the upper airway on the coronary images, the volume of the upper airway before and after the operations. The measurements were correlated with the polysomnography (PSG) records. The data were analyzed paired-samples t-test and Pearson correlations. Results By comparison, the anteroposterior calibres and the cross-sectional areas on the reformatted axial view of the lower retropalatal region (slice 4) of the upper airway increased significantly after operations. The anteroposterior diameter increased from 5. 9 mm before operations to 12.8 mm after operations, where t = - 5.506, P < 0.05. The areas increased from 51.0 mm~2 before operations to 275.0 mm~2 after operations, where t = -5.011, P <0.05. In the higher retropalatal region (shce 2) of the upper airway, the anteroposterior diameter decresased from 14.8 mm before operations to 9.2 mm after operations, where t = 2.867, P < 0.05. The areas decreased from 241.0 mm~2 before operations to 128.0 mm~2 after operations, where t = 3.087, P < 0.05. The anteroposterior calibres of retroglossal region (slice 7) decreased from 12.7 mm before operations to 10.3 mm after operations,where t = 3.718, P <0.05. The L-R calibres and the minimum areas of of retropalatal increased significantly from 6.4 mm, 33.0 mm~2 before operation to 10.9 mm, 76. 0 mm~2 after operation, where t = -3.413, -2. 216, respectively and P < 0.05. Of the 9 cases whose apnea and hypopnea index (AHI) ≤5 events/hour after operations, the minimum areas of retropalatal region, the anterio-posterior diameter, L-R calibres increased significantly. The areas increased from 41.0 mm2 before operations to 76.0 mm~2 after operations, were t = -4. 932, P <0.05. The anteroposterior calibres increased from 4.6 mm before operations to 6.6 mm after operations, where t = - 7. 308, P < 0.05. The L-R calibres increased from 8.3 mm before operations to 13.6 mm after operations, where t = - 4.320, P < 0.05. Conclusions MPR、CPR、VR of MSCT can evaluate the not only the morphology but the function changes of the upper airways on the OSAS patients. The increasing of the minimum cross-sectional area may be one of the important indications for evaluating operations. The narrowing of the higher retropalatal region of the upper airway after operations should be an alert to the clinicians.

Objective To evaluate the clinical value of multislice-CT angiography (MSCTA)in planning for the patients undergoing deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEAP) flap operations. Methods Eighteen patients were performed with a 16-slice CT scanner to evaluate the deep inferior epigastric artery perforator prior to DIEAP flap operations. Axial, multiplanar reconstruction( MPR), maximum intensity projection(MIP) and volume rendered (VR) images were analysed and the origins, calibers, courses and anatomic relationships of the deep inferior epigastric artery perforator were evaluated. The anastomosis between the superficial inferior epigastric artery and the main perforator was observed as well. The images were classified into three grades based on the vessels'appearance. A + indicated the vessel appeared clear,continuous and thick. A- indicated the vessel appeared foggy,discontinuous and thin or the vessel partly showed. B indicated no related vessel can be seen. Other 18 patients undergoing conventional abdomen-pelvis CT scans for other reasons were used for control group to compare their CT findings of the deep inferior epigastric artery perforator. Results MSCTA well showed the course of the deep inferior epigastric artery (DIEA). Of the 18 cases, 17 cases appeared as A +, another one A -. It precisely displayed the origins, subcutaneous and intramuscular courses, relations of the main perforators on all cases of showing A +. The exact points where the chosen perforator vessels emerged from the rectus abdominis muscle fascia were located precisely. The superficial inferior epigastric arteries were mostly displayed and the connection between the arteries and the largest-caliber perforator from the deep system could also be shown clearly. Strict concordance with operative findings was found in CTA. Conclusion MSCTA can precisely locate the chosen perforator vessels emerging from the rectus abdominis muscle fascia and it may be a feasible, fast, safe and effective method for preoperative evaluation of DIEAP.

To study the chemical constituents of Artemisia lactiflora. The compounds were isolated by column chromatography with silica gel, C18 reverse-phase silica gel, semi-preparative HPLC, and their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral analysis. Twelve compounds were isolated from alcohol extracts of A. lactiflora and identified as 7-hydroxycoumarin (1), 7-methoxycoumarin (2), balanophonin (3), aurantiamide (4), aurantiamide acetate (5), isovitexin (6), kaempferol-3-O-beta-D-rutinoside (7), rutin (8), caffeic acid ethyl ester (9), quercetin (10), methyl 3, 5-di-O-caffeoyl quinate (11) and methyl 3, 4-di-O-caffeoyl quinate (12), respectively. Compounds 3-12 were obtained from this plant for the first time.
Artemisia ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Molecular Structure ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

Objective To evaluate the effect of a vasoactive substance urotensin Ⅱ on the expression of type Ⅰ collagen and migration of human skin fibroblasts,and to explore the underlying mechanisms of signal transduction.Methods Fibroblasts were isolated from human foreskin tissues and subjected to primary culture.After a series of subculture,fibroblasts were classified into several groups to be treated with different concentrations (10-10 to 10-6 mol/L) of urotensin lⅡ for 24 hours,urotensin Ⅱ of 10-s mol/L for different durations (0,4,12,24 hours),or pretreated with PD98059 (a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase inhibitor),nicardipine (a calcium channel blocker) and ciclosporin (a calcineurin inhibitor) of 10-5 mol/L respectively for 30 minutes followed by treatment with urotensin Ⅱ of 10-8 mol/L for 24 hours.The cells receiving no treatment served as the control.Subsequently,enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed to determine the level of urotensin Ⅱ in the supernatant of fibroblasts,and Transwell assay to estimate the migration activity of fibroblasts.Statistical analysis was carried out by t test and analysis of variance.Results Urotensin Ⅱ promoted the expression of type Ⅰ collagen in a time-and concentrationdependent manner.The level of type Ⅰ collagen was increased by 21.2％ (P ＞ 0.05),52.2％ (P ＜ 0.05),84.4％ (P ＜0.05),83.6％ (P ＜ 0.05) and 77.1％ (P ＜ 0.05) in the supernatant of fibroblasts treated with 10-10,10-9,10-8,10-7 and 10-6 mol/L of urotensin Ⅱ for 24 hours respectively,by 23.2％ (P ＞ 0.05),69.5％ (P ＜ 0.05) and 84.1％ (P ＜0.05) in the supernatant of fibroblasts treated with urotensin Ⅱ of 10-8 mol/L for 4,12 and 24 hours respectively,compared with the untreated control fibroblasts.The migration activity was markedly enhanced in fibroblasts treated with urotensin Ⅱ of 10-8 mol/L for 24 hours compared with the control fibroblasts (P ＜ 0.05).PD98059,nicardipine and cyclosporin A inhibited the secretion of type Ⅰ collagen by 18.2％,15.9％ and 19.7％ respectively,and suppressed the migration of fibroblasts by 38.3％ (P ＜ 0.05),20.7％ (P ＜ 0.05) and 81.4％ (P ＜ 0.05) respectively in the groups receiving pretreatment compared with those treated with urotensin Ⅱ alone.Conclusions Urotensin Ⅱ can promote the secretion of type Ⅰ collagen by and migration of fibroblasts,which may be realized through the Ca2+,calmodulin kinase,and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways.