Objective To investigate clinical value of procalcitonin (PCT ) in guiding treatment of infection in elderly patients with heart failure .Methods A total of 120 cases of elderly patients with heart failure and infection were divided into control group (50 cases) ,receiving conventional anti-infection treatment ,and observation group(70 cases) ,receiving adjusted anti-infection treat-ment based on serum PCT levels .Treatment efficiency ,cost of treatment ,hospitalization duration and other indicators were com -pared between the two groups .Results Effective rate of observation group was 78 .57% ,which was not significantly different with the 78 .00% of control group ( P > 0 .05) .Cost of treatment ,hospitalization duration ,application time of antibiotics ,antibacterial drug costs ,superinfection and mortality were significantly different between the two groups (P< 0 .05) .After treatment ,levels of e-rythrocyte sedimentation rate ,C-reaction protein ,white blood cells and neutrophil in the two groups were significantly improved (P< 0 .05) .After treatment ,C-reaction protein level of observation group was lower than control group (P < 0 .05) .Conclusion PCT based anti-infection treatment could help shorten the treatment time ,reducing treatment costs and improving outcomes ,and might be worthy of clinical application .

Objective:To investigate the relationship between telomerase activity and the biological behavior of prostate cancer.Methods:The telomerase activity in prostate cancer tissues was detected by TRAP (telomeric repeat amplification protocol) ELISA which is based upon amplification of the initial telomerase product and detected by ELISA.Results:None of the 10 samples from normal prostates expressed telomerase activity.The thirteen of fifteen cases (86.0%) with prostate cancer presented telomerase activity.The activity of telomerase was associated with the pathological differentiation of prostate cancer.The two of twelve cases (17.0%) with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) expressed telomerase activity,and the activity of telomerase was lower than prostate cancer.Conclusion:The telomerase acitivity may be related to the biological behavior of prostate cancer and can evaluate the malignant potential of prostate cancer.The presence of telomerase acitivity in some cases of BPH may indicate the presence of a minority of malignant cells,as yet clinically undetected,within the population of BPH cells.

Background and purpose:miR-17-92 gene cluster overexpression has been observed in various cancers, such as lung cancer, liver cancer, gastric cancer and prostate cancer. In this study, we established the stable cell line overexpressingmiR-17-92 to explore the inlfuence ofmiR-17-92 on the migration, invasion abilities and cisplatin resistance of the prostate cancer DU145 cells.Methods:miR-17-92 overexpression vectors were constructed. DU145 cells were infected with the viral supernatants produced by Phoenix A packaging system. Real-time lfuorescent quanti-tative polymerase chain reaction (RTFQ-PCR) was conducted to detect the expression level of miR-17-92 in the cells. The migration and invasion abilities were measured by a real-time xCELLigence system. The scratch healing assay was carried out to investigate the migration abilities. The expression of integrin β1 was detected by Western blot, and the activities of matrix metalloprotein-2 (MMP-2) and matrix metalloprotein-9 (MMP-9) were measured by gelatin zymography experiment. The cell growth of the two cell lines after the treatment of cisplatin was detected by a real-time xCELLigence system. The mRNA expression ofERCC1 was measured by RTFQ-PCR. Western blot was conducted to investigate the protein expressions of ERCC1, ERK1/2 and pERK1/2.Results:DU145-miR-17-92 cells migrated faster than DU145-control cells during the 24 h continuous monitoring (P<0.01). The scratch healing assay indicated that DU145-miR-17-92 cells migrated from the edge towards the scratch center faster than DU145-control cells. DU145-miR-17-92 cells invaded through matrigel markedly faster than DU145-control cells (P<0.01). The protein expression level of integrin β1 and the MMP-9 activities in DU145-miR-17-92 cells were increased than those in DU145-control cells. After the treatment of cisplatin, DU145-miR-17-92 cells grew faster than DU145-control cells, presenting cisplatin resistance (P<0.01). The phosphorylation of ERK1/2 in DU145-miR-17-92 cells was constantly at a high level regard-less of the treatment of cisplatin. Compared with DU145-control cells, the expression of drug resistance-related gene ERCC1 was dramatically increased in DU145-miR-17-92 cells after the treatment of cisplatin.Conclusion:miR-17-92 overexpression increases the migration and invasion abilities of the prostate cancer DU145 cells, which is associated with the upregulated expression of integrin β1 and the increased activity of MMP-9. Besides,miR-17-92 overexpression enhances the cisplatin resistance of DU145, which is correlated with the increased phosphorylation level of ERK and the upregulated expression of ERCC1 at both the mRNA and protein levels.

BACKGROUND:Under physiological conditions, nerve roots can move along with the movement of limbs and spine. However, the mechanisms of nerve root stretch injury under physiological conditions and the neurological dysfunction after injury are unclear.
OBJECTIVE:To review the reason of nerve root stretch injury, and to analyze the mechanism of nerve function from biomechanics, pathology and neurophysiology.
METHODS:A computer-based online search of PubMed database was undertaken by the first author to identify the articles related to the research of nerve root injury and nerve stretch injury between 1990 and 2012, with the key words of“nerve root, nerve, stretch injury”. A total of 391 articles were screened out. The articles on the anatomy and biomechanics research of nerve root were included, as wel as the pathology and neurophysiology research after nerve root stretch injury. Final y, 44 articles were included for review.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Nerve root can be stretched along with limbs and spine movement. However, diseases or trauma may cause pathological nerve root stretch, and thus leading neurological dysfunction. The nerve root is often influenced stretch because of its anatomical and tissue structure. Mechanical injury mechanism of stretch composes of peripheral (peripheral nerve conduction stress) and central mechanism (displacement of spinal cord content). Pathological studies found that the local fibrosis is caused by the extracted serum protein that difficult to remove after injury, and this is because of the shortage of lymphatic system in nerve roots. Fibrosis can cause nerve root ischemia, affect the nerve function, and change the biomechanical properties of nerve root. Nerve root injury can cause primary and secondary injury of internal axons, and this is the main reason for neurological dysfunction after injury.

Objective To evaluate regional right ventricular longitudinal function in fetus using velocity vector imaging(VVI),and establish nomogram of right ventricle,Methods One hundreed and seventy healthy fetuses were divided into 5 groups according to the gestational age.Dynamic digital views of four chamber view were collected and analyzed offline.Velocity,strain and strain rate were calculated in systolic and diastolic period,respectively.Results Normal systolic and diastolic values for velocity,strain and strain rate were established.Tissue velocity gradually decreased from the base segment to the apical segment(P＜0.05),whereas strain and strain rate were stable(P＞0.05).Tissue velocity was gestationalage dependent(P＜0.05),whereas strain and strain rate were stable throughout gestation (P＞0.05).Conclusions Fetal myocardial velocity,strain and strain rate measurements are easy to obtain and reproducible.Increase in tissue velocity throughout gestation probably reflects the growth of the fetal heart,whereas intrinsic myocardial properties as measured by strain and strain rate do not change.

Background and purpose:Stromal tumor is one of the common gastrointestinal mesenchymal tumors. There is certain understanding about the typical cases. However, the diagnosis of those occurring in rare location or with rare imaging findings is often difficult. This research summarized this kind of cases,in order to increase the radiological knowledge of the disease.Methods:This study retrospectively analyzed clinical, radiological and pathological data from 550 patients who had stromal tumor conifrmed by pathology in our hospital. Those with incomplete data were eliminated. Forty-nine patients were selected for further study according to the typical imaging findings.Results:Among these 49 patients, 9 were pathologically confirmed to have extra-gastrointestinal stromal tumor, while 40 patients had gastrointestinal stromal tumor. Among the patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumor, 22 were found in rare locations, 12 in retroperitoneal space, 3 in omentum majus and mesenterium, 5 in esophagus, and 2 in prostate. Obvious cystic degeneration was found in 16 patients. Bulky calciifcation, such as lfake or annulus, was found in 7 patients. The analysis result of risk-stratiifcation showed 19 patients were conifrmed as high-grade among the patients with tumors found in rare locations, 15 as high grade among those with obvious cystic degeneration, and 7 as high-grade among those with extra-gastrointestinal stromal tumor.Conclusion:Rare stromal tumor often occurs in the locations, such as retroperitoneal space, omentum majus and mesenterium. Obvious cystic degeneration and bulky calciifcation can be seen. The risk-stratiifcation of these patients often showed high-grade. Comprehensively analyzing its clinical features and imaging ifndings can help improve the diagnostic accuracy.

Objective To explore the preventive and therapeutic effects of diminazene (DIZE) on pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in rats.Methods Left pulmonary lobectomy combined with injection of monocrotaline was used to establish a rat model of pulmonary arterial hypertension.One hundred adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into blank control group (group A,n=20),DIZE control group (group B,n=20),PAH model group (group C,n=20),PAH model plus DIZE group (group D,n=20) and PAH model plus DIZE and C-16 group (group E,n=20).Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2),IL-6 and IL-8 levels were determined by fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA),and the mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) and right ventricular hypertrophy index (RVHI) were measured.The wall thickness (WT) and intimal hyperplasia score were calculated,and the pulmonary vascular lesions were analyzed using elastic fiber staining.Results RVHI,ACE2 enzyme activity and WT in the group A were significantly different from those of the groups C,D and E (P<0.05).Those of the group D and E were significantly different (P<0.05).The five groups showed significant differences in the overall analysis of each index (P<0.05).Conclusions Diminazene can increase the ACE2 enzyme activity,and decrease the mPAP,RVHI and WT,while reducing the pulmonary arterial medial hypertrophy,and inhibit intimal hyperplasia of pulmonary arterioles.The results of this study provide an experimental basis for the use of diminazene in the treatment of human pulmonary hypertension.

Objective E cadherin catenin complex mediates cell cell adhesion and plays an important role in maintaining normal architecture and function of epithelial tissues. We evaluated the expression patterns of E cadherin, ? catenin, and ? catenin in gastric carcinoma and determine the potential relationship between E cadherin catenin complex and tumor clinicopathological features as well as patient survival. Methods Immunohistochemical staining of E cadherin, ? catenin, and ? catenin in 148 gastric carcinomas was performed. Results The abnormal expression rates of E cadherin, ? catenin and ? catenin in the tissues of gastric carcinomas were 44.6%, 73.6% and 43.2%, respectively. The total abnormal expression rate of E cadherin complex in 148 cases of gastric carcinoma was 91.9%. Reduced expression of E cadherin, ? catenin and ? catenin were significantly correlated with tumor differentiation status ( P

Objective To study the anastomotic relationships of perforators in each zone of the poste-rior leg and design perforating flaps for clinic. Methods Six fresh cadavers underwent a whole body, intra-arterial injection of a lead oxide and gelatine preparation. The posterior part of leg is divided into upper, mid-die and below equal parts, Observe topography of the perforating branches in every district by layer, and mea-sured their location, diameter, course, branches and anastomosis pattern. Radiographs of tissue specimens were digitally analyzed. Results There were 13 perforators that diameter≥ 0.5 mm, the average external diameter was 0.8 mm. The areas of each perforator supplied was average 38 cm2. Perforators from popliteal artery was identified an area 4 cm wide, around the intersection of two lines, a line drawn between the medial and lateral epicondyles of the femurs, and the midline of posterior leg. The areas of the every perforator sup-plied was 55 cm2. These vessels were large in diameter and create multiple true anastomoses with the perfora-tors from the posterior tibial artery or fibular artery. Perforating branches were small in the below part, a long perforator chain comprised of two to three perforators accompanies the Achilles tendon. Conclusion The perforator flaps deviced by perforators from the posterior leg may be transplanted to the lower limbs and the other part of the body. The perforators located in the middle zone of the leg are larger. Free posterior tibial or peroneal perforator-based flaps are reliable, relatively large, and have thin flaps. The upper and lower zones were the larger donor site for the proximal or distally pedicled perforator flap harvest.

Objective To explore the protective effect of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) on cultured rat cortical neurons against glutamate (Glu)-induced injury and its mechanism. Methods Cortical neurons were primarily cultured from 1-day-old newborn Sprague-Dawley rats and then cultured for 7 d. The cortical neurons were divided randomly into 3 groups: control group,Glu group and BDNF group after identified with neuron-specific enolase (NSE) immunostaining. The cells of BDNF were treated with 50 ng/ml BDNF on day 6 for 24 h followed by cultured with 50 ?mol/L Glu for 0.5 h. While,the cells of Glu group were cultured with 50 ?mol/L Glu for 0.5 h on day 7. The control cells received no such treatments. On day 8,cell viability were determined by the colorimetric MTT assay. The morphological features of the neuron cells were observed under AO/EB fluorescence microscopy. Expressions of p75NTR,JNK and ERK were observed using Western blot analysis. Results On day 8,the primary cortical neurons grew well. BDNF protected cortical neural cells from Glu injury. Cell viability of BDNF group was (1.14?0.06),significantly higher than that of Glu group (0.72?0.10,P