The hepatocyte growth factor ( HGF) is a multifunctional growth factor, which produces multiple biological effects by binding to the c-Met acceptor. This article reviews the biological properties of HGF, particularly those correlated with male reproduction, including its abilities to promote testis embryonic development, spermatogenesis, and testosterone synthesis of Leydig cells. HGF may provide a new insight into the treatment of male hypogonadism and infertility.
Embryonic Development ; Hepatocyte Growth Factor ; physiology ; Humans ; Leydig Cells ; metabolism ; Male ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met ; metabolism ; Reproduction ; physiology ; Spermatogenesis ; physiology ; Testis ; embryology ; Testosterone ; biosynthesis

Circulating cell-free nucleic acids are defined as extracellular DNAs or RNAs in blood with physiological or pathological origins. Previous studies showed that the concentration of cell-free nucleic acids in the blood of cancer patients is significantly higher than in healthy people. Further studies showed that the genetic and epigenetic alterations of circulating cell-free nucleic acids are relevant to cancer development and progression, including mutation, hypermethylation, loss of heterozygosity, change of integrity, and abnormal expression of microRNAs. Detection of circulating cell-free nucleic acids shows promising potential in cancer screening, diagnosis, personalized treatment, and prognosis.

Objective To study the value of serum procalcitonin(PCT) to the early diagnosis of sepsis .Methods From June 2014 to June 2015 ,a total of 686 cases were enrolled in this retrospective study .PCT tests were assayed within 2 days of bacterial culture .Results In this study ,56 cases ,67cases ,and 567cases were classified into the positive blood culture group ,positive body fluid culture group ,and negative all culture group ,respectively .Median PCT values were 4 .26 2 .78 ,0 .46 ng/mL ,respectively .Me-dian PCT values in the gram-positive bacterial culture group and gram-negative bacterial culture group ,respectively ,were 2 .35 and 4 .56 ng/mL .Median PCT values in the positive hydrothorax culture group ,positive ascites culture group ,and positive bile culture group ,respectively ,were 1 .91 ,5 .23 ,3 .64 ng/mL .In all ,Median PCT values of 47 cases of sepsis and 16 cases of severe sepsis were 5 .32 and 10 .25 ng/mL ,respectively .Conclusion PCT level is correlated with the severity of sepsis ,pathogenic bacteria type ,and the site of infection ,and can be used in the early diagnosis of sepsis .

It is known that extracorporeal shock wave (SW) may promote healing of fracture. A previous study reported that SW promoted human bone marrow stromal cells (hMSCs) towards osteoblasts in vitro. To study the osteogenesis ability of hMSCs treated by shock wave in porous hydroxyapatite (HA) in vivo, primary hMSCs of SW group and control group were cultured in the porous HA for 2 weeks and then implanted into subcutaneous sites of nude mouse. These implants were harvested and prepared for the biochemical analysis of alkaline phosphatase activity by AKP kit, histological analysis of decalcified and undecalcified sections and morphology by scan electric microscope (SEM), as well as osteocalcin mRNA expression by RT- PCR 4 weeks and 8 weeks after implantation. It showed that cells of SW and control group almost covered the rough surface of HA before implantation and the extracelluar matrix of SW group was abundant by SEM photomicrograph . The histological analysis and SEM photomicrograph showed active bone formation 4 weeks and 8 weeks after implantation, as well as tetracycline labeling under fluoroscopy analysis in SW group. Alkaline phosphatase in supernatants of the implants detected 4 weeks and 8 weeks after implantation in SW group was higher than in control group (P

Background and purpose:In 2013, the ofifcial journal of European Society of Radiotherapy &Oncology (ESTRO) -Radiotherapy & Oncology published the updated version of Consensus Guidelines of Delineation of the neck node levels for head and neck tumors, which contributed to the standardization of description of neck nodal metastasis, as well as reduction of treatment variations from various institutions. This study applied this updated guidelines to analyze the patterns of lymph node metastasis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and explore the prognostic value of the radiologic characteristics of nodes, in order to provide evidence for future revision of N staging system. Methods:A total of 656 patients from Jan. 2009 to Dec. 2010 were retrospectively recruited to analysis. All were pathologically diagnosed as non-metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma, treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy. All patients received a pretreatment MRI scan. We retrospectively reviewed the MRI imaging of 656 patients and mapped the lymph node metastasis using the 2013 International Consensus Guidelines.Results:Median follow-up was 46.9 months. Four-year local recurrence-free survival, nodal recurrence-free survival, distant metastasis-free survival, disease-free survival and overall survival was 91.3%, 95.1%, 87.7%, 78.5% and 92.8%, respectively. The most common metastatic node levels were levelⅡ (76.2%) and levelⅦa (65.1%), followed by levelⅢ (50.4%),Ⅴa(17.5%) andⅣa (11.7%). There was a very low incidence of node skipping (1.0%). Cervical nodal necrosis was observed in 46.4%of patients with positive nodes and extracapsular spread was noted in 74.4% of them. Univariate analysis showed that bilateral nodal involvement, greatest dimension of positive nodes (≥6 cm), central nodal necrosis, T stage and N stage were prognostic factors for disease-free survival and distant metastasis-free survival (P<0.05). Extracapsular spread showed a trend to correlate with poor distant metastasis-free survival (P=0.060). The involvement of lower neck levels (below the caudal border of cricoid cartilage) did not have a signiifcant impact on disease-free survival and distant metastasis-free survival. In multivariate analysis, T stage and greatest dimension of nodes (≥6 cm) were independent prognostic factors for distant metastasis-free survival (P<0.05). T stage, greatest dimension of nodes (≥6 cm) and central nodal necrosis were independent prognostic factors of disease-free survival (P<0.05).Conclusion:This study demonstrates the patterns of lymph node metastasis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma based on 2013 International Consensus Guidelines. Bilateral nodal involvement, greatest dimension of positive nodes and central nodal necrosis had prognostic values on disease-free survival and distant metastasis-free survival. In our study, the involvement of lower neck levels was not proved to be a prognostic factor for disease-free survival and distant metastasis-free survival.

Objective To investigate the mechanism of Roscovitine, an inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK), in inhibiting HBV replication.Methods Recombiant expression plasmids of SAMHD1 (sterile alpha motif and histidine/aspartic acid domain-containing protein 1) mutants that were defective in dNTPase (deoxynucleoside triphosphate triphosphohydrolase) activity and phosphorylation at the threonine (T) 592 residue were constructed.Huh7.0 cells were respectively co-transfected with different SAMHD1 mutants in combiantion with HBV replication plasmid to analyze whether the retroviral restriction ability of SAMHD1 was regulated by phosphorylation.The cytotoxicity of Roscovitine to Huh7 cells was evaluated by MTT assay.HBV core-associated DNA levels and phosphorylation of SAMHD1 in transfected Huh7.0 cells which were treated with different concentrations of Roscovitine were measured by Southern blot and Western blot assays.Results The SAMHD1 mutant that was defective in the dNTPase active site of D207N lost its ability to restrict HBV replication.Dephosphorylation of SAMHD1 at T592 enhanced its restriction on HBV.The median toxic concentration (TC50) of Roscovitine was 11.20 μmol/L.Both the HBV core-associated DNA levels and the phosphorylation of SAMHD1 were down-regulated by Roscovitine.Conclusion The anti-HBV function of SAMHD1 in dividing cells is regulated by phosphorylation.Roscovitine can inhibit the replication of HBV through reducing the phosphorylation of SAMHD1.

Objective To conduct the molecular epidemiologic analysis of Staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus) in the intensive care units(ICUs) and general wards and to compare their clinical characteristics.Methods Ninety-six clinically isolated strains of S.aureus(43 strains from the emergency intensive care unit(EICU) and neurosurgical intensive care unit(NICU) and 53 strains from the general wards) collected from Sepetember 2015 to April 2016 were performed the bacterial identification and antibiotic susceptibility test.The molecular typing was performed by adopting staphylococcal protein A (spa) typing method.Results Among 96 strains of S.aureus,the detection rate of methicillin-resistant S.aureus(MRSA) was 40.6%(39/96),which among 43 strains in ICU was 62.8%(27/43) and which among 53 strains in the general words was 22.6%(12/53).The resistance rates of strains from ICUs to gentamicin,levofloxacin,clindamycin,fosfomycin and minocycline were 23.3%,48.8%,46.5%,32.6% and 32.5% respectively,while which from the general wards were 7.5%,24.5%,18.9%,2.1% and 0% respectively.The Spa typing results showed that the main types of ICUs were t002,t091 and t311.The major epidemic strain was t002(n=16,37.2%) and mainly isolated from EICUs(12 strains),26 spa types were identified among the general wards trains,mainly were t189,t377,t571,t034,t091,t127.Conclusion The detection rate of MRSA in ICUs is higher than that in the general wards,these strains have high resistant rate to routine antibacterial drugs.t002 is the major epidemic strain.The general wards have more spa types with higher genetic diversity.

Objective The periacetabular tumor has a low rate of incidence, but its special location poses a challenge to clinical treatment.The aim of this study was to discuss the methods, effects, and complications of surgical treatment of periacetabular tumors. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 36 cases of periacetabular tumor surgically treated in our depart-ment, including 21 males and 15 females, aged 15 to 64 (45.2 ±6.3) years.Among them, there were 8 cases of benign tumor (4 ca-ses of simple bone cyst, 1 case of desmoplastic fibromas, 1 case of osteofibrous dysplasia, and 2 cases of hemangioma) and 28 cases of malignant tumor (5 cases of osteosarcomas, 12 cases of chondrosarcomas, 2 cases of giant cell tumor of the bone, 1 case of malignant chondroblastoma, 2 cases of malignant fibrohistiocytoma, and 5 cases of metastatic tumor of the bone).The benign cases received sim-ple tumor resection plus bone graft and steel plate system internal fixation, while malignant cases underwent reconstruction by combined pedicle screw fixation system with bone cement. Results No patients died perioperatively and controllable complications occurred in 5 cases after operation.All the patients were followed up for 5 to 96 months except for 1 case of benign tumor.None of the benign cases experienced recurrence, and all of them achieved normal hip function.Lung metastases occurred in 10 malignant cases (4 cases of os-teosarcomas and 6 cases of chondrosarcomas) , who died of respiratory failure, and the other 18 remained tumor-free after surgery.Of the 2 patients with malignant fibrohistiocytoma, 1 died 2 years postoperatively and the other survived with tumor.Neither local recur-rence nor lung metastasis was found in the patients with chordoma and malignant chondroblastoma till the end of follow-up.The 5 pa-tients with metastases died within 3 years after operation.At 3 months after surgery, the Harris scores after total hip replacement were >90 in the 7 benign cases, 70-79 in 9 malignant cases, and <70 in the other 19 malignant cases. Conclusion For the treatment of malig-nant tumors, reconstruction by combined pedicle screw fixation system with bone cement does not affect the general daily activities of the pa-tients.Preoperative embolization of the internal iliac artery can reduce bleeding and improve operation safety, and measures should be taken to minimize postoperative complications.

Nanobody is a kind of antibody from camel, which misses light chain. Nanobody has the same antigen binding specificity and affinity as mAb. Moreover, because of its small molecular weight, high stability and easy preparation, nanobody has great value of biomedical applications. In this study, we successfully prepared highly pure antiEGFR nanobody in E.coli using genetic engineering techniques. Cell proliferation assay (CCK-8 assay) and migration experiments (cell scratch test and Transwell assay) indicated that the recombinant antiEGFRnano can significantly inhibit the proliferation and migration of endometrial cancer cells. These results provide a new way of thinking and methods for EGFR-targeted therapy of endometrial cancer.

Objective To compare the difference of adjacent segment degeneration (ASD) following one-level mini-open or conventional open posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF).Methods From October 2005 to September 2008,108 patients underwent one-level instrumented PLIF using two different approaches: mini-open approach in 56 patients including 32 males and 23 females,aged from 32 to 68 years (average,53.8 years) and conventional open approach in 52 patients including 24 males and 28 females,aged from 27 to 69 years (average,52.6 years).The follow-up rates of the mini-open and conventional open groups were 91.1％ and 88.5％,respectively.The visual analog scale (VAS),Oswestry disability index (ODI),multifidus muscle injury and ASD were evaluated.Results There were no significant differences in VAS and ODI scores between two groups preoperatively,but the two scores in the mini-open group were significantly lower than those in conventional open group after surgery.Compared with the conventional open approach,less decrease of cross sectional area and less severe fatty degeneration of the multifidus muscle were observed in mini-open group.There were 4 cases of radiographic ASD in the mini-open group including two symptomatic cases,and 11 cases in the conventional open group including 4 symptomatic cases among them 2 required surgical intervention.Both radiographic and symptomatic ASD were correlated with the decrease of cross sectional area and degree of fatty degeneration of the multifidus muscle,but only symptomatic ASD was associated with the clinical results.Conclusion Compared with the conventional open approach,the mini-open PLIF has many advantages,such as better clinical outcomes,lower incidence of multifidus muscle atrophy,and lower incidence of radiographic ASD.