Toad venom as a Chinese traditional natural medicine with a kind of effective chemical components has been widely used for many disease.Recently more and more research was focused on its remarkable antitumor efforts, new studies have found that the mechanism was closely associated with endoplasmic reticulum stress,tumor-related inflammation, autophagy, mitochondria-induced apoptosis pathway, heat chock protein and immuneomodulatory.In this article we reviewed the antitumor research advances of toad venom and its active compounds from several aspects mentioned above.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes and determine the difference of electrode impedance and neural response telemetry ( NRT) value with cochlear implants in children with malformed inner ear and normal inner ear. METHOD: Eighty-eight children with multi-channel cochlear implants participated in this study. Children were divided into malformed inner ear group and normal inner ear group. To test the electrode impedance values and NRT value. RESULT: The changes of electrode impedance showed the similar changing pattern in two groups. There was not different in electrode impedance values between the two groups (P > 0.05). The changes of electrode neural response telemetry values showed the similar changing pattern in two groups. There was significantly different in electrode impedance values between the two groups (P < 0.05). The NRT were going up higher from electrode 22 to electrode 1. CONCLUSION The values vary are different programming sessions and electrodes during the first 3 months of cochlear implant use. To acquire better hearing frequent programming sessions are necessary.
Adolescent ; Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cochlear Implantation ; Cochlear Implants ; Cochlear Nerve ; Ear, Inner ; abnormalities ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Electric Impedance ; Electrodes ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male

Extracorporeal shock wave treatment is capable of providing a non-surgical and effective treatment modality for patients suffering from osteoarthritis. The major objective of current works is to investigate how the shock wave (SW) field would change if a bony structure exists in the path of the acoustic wave. Firstly, a model of finite element method (FEM) was developed based on Comsol software in the present study. Then, high-speed photography experiments were performed to record cavitation bubbles with the presence of mimic bone. On the basis of comparing experimental with simulated results, the effectiveness of FEM model could be verified. Finally, the energy distribution during extracorporeal shock wave treatment was predicted. The results showed that the shock wave field was deflected with the presence of bony structure and varying deflection angles could be observed as the bone shifted up in the z-direction relative to shock wave geometric focus. Combining MRI/CT scans to FEM modeling is helpful for better standardizing the treatment dosage and optimizing treatment protocols in the clinic.
Finite Element Analysis ; Humans ; Lithotripsy ; Models, Theoretical ; Osteoarthritis ; therapy ; Photography ; Software ; Sound

Both microRNA and DNA methylation are the important contents of epigenetic modification.Lots of studies have confirmed that mutual regulation of microRNA and DNA methylation involve in tumorgenesis and development of cancer.The studies of their mechanisms bring some new ideas for investigating the pathogenesis of tumors,and provide a theoretical basis for the early diagnosis and treatment.

The electrochemical behaviors of parathion(PT) on nano-Al2O3 film modified electrode(nano-Al2O3/GCE/CME) were investigated. It was found that the redox peak currents of PT remarkably increased and the oxidation peak potential negatively shifted at the nano-Al2O3/GCE/CME. All the experimental parameters were optimized and a simple and sensitive electroanalytical method was developed for the determination of PT. The oxidation peak current was linear with the concentration of PT over the range from 2.5×10-9 to 1.0×10-7 mol/L and 1.0×10-7 to 1.0×10-5 mol/L. A low detection limit of 1.0×10-9 mol/L was obtained for 30 s accumulation at open circuit(S/N=3). The relative standard deviation(n=10) was 3.8% for 1×10-5 mol/L PT. The proposed method was used for the quantitative analysis of PT in some vegetables and the results were satisfactory.

The present study was performed to investigate the relationship between the countercurrent of portal vein and intrahepatic cancerometastasis in patients with hepatic carcinoma under color Doppler flow imaging.To display the situation of portal carcinomatous thrombosis and intrahepatic cancerometastasis, two dimensional ultrasound was carried out in patients with hepatitis hepatocarcinoma and non hepatitis hepatocarcinoma. Also, color Doppler flow imaging was employed to examine the incidence of the pylic countercurrent and the portal vein hepatic artery fistula in four groups: hepatitis hepatocarcinoma group, non-hepatitis hepatocarcinoma group, hepatocirrhosis group and control group. The results showed that the incidences of portal carcinomatous thrombosis,intrahepatic cancerometastasis and the incidences of the countercurrent in portal vein were higher in hepatitis hepatocarcinoma group than those in non hepatitis hepatocarcinoma group ( P

Objective To explore the relationship between cholecystoadenomyomatosis and gallbladder cancer.Method The expression of p53,bcl-2,EGFR oncoproteins were examined by method of immunohistochemistry in benign lesions and carcinomas in gallbladder.Results The study revealed that overexpressions of p53,bcl-2,EGFR oncoproteins were detected in 0,4,3 cases of 21 patients with chronic cholecystitis;0,5,3 cases of 20 patients with cholecysto-adenomyomatosis and 16,14,11 cases of 25 patients with adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder respectively.There were significantly differences in single or multiple oncogene expression rates among groups,but not in chronic cholecystitis to adenomyomatosis.Conclusions These results suggests that oncogenic changes of p53,bcl-2,EGFR expression may play a role in gallbladder oncogenesis,cholecystoadenomyomaltosis should not be considered as an important precancerous lesion of gallbladder.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the surgical outcomes and prognosis of patients after liver resection for noncolorectal liver metastases.Methods72 patients with liver metastases who underwent liver resection at Tianjin Medical University Cancer Hospital were retrospectively studied.There were 32 males and 42 females,aged between 35～78 years.After liver resection,68 patients had a R0 resection (negative histological margin),and 4 patients had a R1 resection (positive histological margin).The primary tumours were breast,(n =16,22.2 ％),lung (n =14,19.4 ％),gastrointestinal (n=12,16.7％),gynecological (n =8,11.1％),pancreatobiliary (n =8,11.1％),melanoma (n=4,5.6％),sarcoma (n=4,5.6％),and genitourinary (n=2,2.8％).The mean diameter of the main tumour was 4.8 cm (range,1.5- 11.0 cm).The mean number of liver metastases was 1.2 (range,1-5).Liver metastases were synchronous in 6 patients (8.3％) and metachronous in the remaining 66 patients (91.7％).ResultsThe operative mortality was 0％.The mean hospital stay was 14.4 days (range 6-67 days).The median overall survival was 31 months (range,6-127 months).The 1-,3- and 5-year survival rates were 81.9％,37.5％ and 23.6％,respectively.Univariate analysis revealed primary tumour sites (breast vs.others),histological type (adenocarcinoma vs.others),postoperative chemotherapy,number of liver metastases (solitary vs.multiple) and time to liver metastases from diagnosis of primary tumours (≤ 12 months vs.＞ 12 months) were associated with overall survival (all,P＜0.05).In multivariate analysis,factors independently associated with poor survival were nonbreast origin (P =0.012),time to liver metastases from diagnosis of primary tumours ＜12 months (P=0.027) and multiple liver metastases (P=0.008).ConclusionsIn selected patients,liver resection is an effective and safe treatment for noncolorectal liver metastases.The time to liver metastases from diagnosis of primary tumours was independently associated with overall survival.For solitary or liver metastasis of breast origin,surgical resection significantly improved survival.

Sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) is an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis and stroke. Studies have shown that the incidence of SAS increases significantly after stroke.This article reviews the mechanism of atherosclerosis caused by SAS and the characteristics and research progress of sleep apnea after stroke.

Objective To detect the expression of the transcription factor CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha (C/EBP-α) in the epidermis of psoriasis vulgaris lesions,and to investigate its correlation with abnormal keratinocyte proliferation and disease severity.Methods Biopsy specimens were obtained from the lesions of 30 patients with psoriasis vulgaris and normal skin of 30 healthy human controls.A two-step immunohistochemical procedure was performed to detect the expressions of C/EBP-αt and Ki-67 in these specimens,and Western blot to quantify the expression of C/EBP-α.The proliferation index of keratinocytes was calculated according to the expression intensity of Ki-67.Statistical analysis was carried out by using the SPSS 17.0 software,and Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to assess the relationship of C/EBP-α expression level with proliferation index of keratinocytes and psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) score.Results C/EBP-α was predominantly expressed in the cytoplasm of keratinocytes,while Ki-67 in the nuclei of keratinocytes.Compared with the normal skin,the psoriatic lesions showed a significantly lower expression of Ki-67 (t =7.82,P ＜ 0.05),but higher proliferation index of keratinocytes (t =4.54,P ＜ 0.05).The expression level of C/EBP-α was negatively correlated with the proliferation index of keratinocytes and PASI score in the patients (both P ＜ 0.05).Western blot also showed an obvious decrease in the expression of C/EBP-α in psoriatic lesions.Conclusions The expression of C/EBP-α is decreased in lesions of psoriasis vulgaris,which might be involved in the pathogenesis of psoriasis vulgaris.