OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical effect of Erlong Xizhu acupuncture for retinitis pigmentosa. Methods Sixty patients with retinitis pigmentosa were randomly divided into an Erlong Xizhu acupuncture group and a conventional acupuncture group, 30 cases in each one. In the conventional acupuncture group, Tongziliao (GB 1), Sizhukong (TE 23), Taiyang (EX-HN 5) were acupunctured as the main acupoints by uniform reinforcing-reducing manipulation; acupoints based on syndrome differentiation were coordinated by acupuncture manipulation of reinforcing deficiency and reducing excess. The treatment in the Erlong Xizhu acupuncture group was the same as that in the conventional group, except acupuncture manipulation at the main acupoints replaced by Erlong Xizhu acupuncture. In the two groups, treatment was given once a day, 10 days as one session and there were 2 days at the interval between sessions. The change of the vision and visual field and the efficacy were observed after 3 sessions in the two groups.

RESULTSThe total effective rate on enhancing the vision of patients in the Erlong Xizhu acupuncture group was 93. 10% (54/58), which was superior to 81. 36% (48/59) in the conventional acupuncture group (P<0. 01). And the effective rate on improving the visual field was 91. 38% (53/58) in the Erlong Xizhu acupuncture group, which was better than 83. 05% (49/59) in the conventional acupuncture group (P<0. 01). On the comprehensive effect, the effective rate was 90. 00% (27/30) in the Erlong Xizhu acupuncture group, which was better than 63. 34% (19/30) in the conventional acupuncture group (P<0. 05).

CONCLUSIONThe clinical effect of Erlong Xizhu acupuncture is superior to that of conventional acupuncture for retinitis pigmentosa and it is worthy of promoting.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retinitis Pigmentosa ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Vision, Ocular ; Young Adult

The Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway plays a central important role during embryo development of vertebrate,which participates in regulation of multiple basic life processes including cell proliferation,differentiation and tissue patterning.In normal adult physiology,the pathway is implicated in stem cell maintenance,tissue repair and regeneration.By now,more and more researches have been indicated that the Hh signaling pathway is related to the tumor growth promoting and survival capabilities.

Programmed cell death 4 (PDCD4) is a newly discovered tumor suppressor gene, whose expression is regulated by methylation of PDCD4 gene and many kinds of microRNAs.Protein of PDCD4 enco-ding can improve the sensitivity of tumor cells to anticancer agents, inhibit tumor development and metastasis process, and play an important role in a variety of tumors.It is expected to be a clinical indicator to determine the prognosis of tumor.

AIM: To study effect of endogenous carbon monoxide on intracellular calcium concentration and explore the mechanism in brain protection of endogenous CO in focal cerebral ischemia in rats. METHODS: SD rats were divided into three groups randomly, which including hemin, ZnPP group and saline group as control. Respectively saline, hemin, ZnPP were injected intra-peritoneally twelve hours before middle cerebral artery was occluded. Twenty four hours after MCAO model was set up, the concentration of carbon monoxide in blood and intracellular calcium in neural cells was examined. RESULTS: Contrast to saline group, the concentration of CO in blood rose up while intracellular calcium in occluded side decreased in hemin group; the concentration of CO in blood went down while intracellular calcium in occluded side rose up in ZnPP group, there was significant difference among them (P0.05). CONCLUSIONS: It may be one of mechanisms on brain protection in ischemic cerebral tissue that carbon monoxide affected intracellular calcium concentration of neural cells by regulating Ca~(2+)-K~+ channel on cell membrane as a messenger gaseous molecular and neurotransmitter. [

The biological activities i. e. antineoplastic activities and antiviral activity of the two novel kinds of interferons: hIFN-λ1 and hIFN-ε were studied and compared. First the fusion expression vector: pcDNA3.1A-hIFN-λ1-His and pcDNA3.1A-hIFN-ε-His by PCR was constructed, then the two kinds of plasmids were transfected into WI-38 (human embryonic lung cells ) with liposome. And cytopathic effect (CPE) suppression test was used to study and compare the antiviral activities of rhIFNλ1-His and rhIFN-ε-His, meanwhile MTT assay was used to detect their antineoplastic activities. It was found that, antiproliferative activity and MxA protein induction shown by rhIFN-λ1-His is more powerful than of rhIFN-ε -His. The antiviral molecular mechanisms of both hIFN-λ1 and hIFN-ε are related to MxA. The foundation for further study on the bioactivities and mechanism of action of hIFN-λ1 and hIFN-ε was established.

BACKGROUND: Brain trauma can stimulate the proliferation of neural stem cells (NSCs) to some extent, while progesterone can ameliorate the learning and memory function following brain trauma, which can also promote the neurofunctional recovery after brain trauma by stimulating the proliferation of NSCs.OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of progesterone on the proliferation of NSCs after diffuse brain injury (DBI).DESIGN: Randomized control animal experiment.SETTING: Xinxiang Medical College.MATERIALS: Forty-eight healthy male SD rats at 4-5 months with the body mass of 280-330 g were selected.METHODS: The experiment was conducted in Xinxiang Medical College from September 2004 to January 2005. Forty-eight rat models of Marmarou DBI were selected and randomly divided into 4 groups with 12 rats in each group: ①Sham-operation group: rats were cut open the scalp and then sutured.②Brain trauma group: rats were made into animal models of brain trauma.③Dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) group: rats were given intraperitoneal injection of DMSO at the same volume as progesterone group at one hour after brain trauma and then the same administration was performed daily. ④Progesterone group: rats were intraperitoneally injected with 4 mg/kg progesterone at one hour after brain trauma and then the same administration was performed daily. Rats were executed respectively at 3 and 6 days after sham operation or brain trauma operation, and hematoxylin-eosin staining was conducted to observe the morphological changes of cortical neurons in brain. The expressions of nestin in dentate gyrus and hippocampus were detected with immunohistochemical staining.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Observation of histomorphological changes of neurons and detection of the expressions of nestin in hippocampus and dentate gyrus.RESULTS: ①There was no injury in cortical neurons in the sham-operation group, while obvious neuronal injury and loss in cortex of rats were found in the 3-day and 6-day brain trauma groups, and the neuronal injury was significantly severer in brain trauma than in 3-day and 6-day progesterone groups. ②The expressions of nestin in hippocampal CA4 region or dentate gyrus of sham-operation group were in low level or little, and the expression of nestin could be seen occasionally in hippocampal CA4 region. The expressions of nestin in hippocampal CA4 region and dentate gyrus of the brain trauma group significantly increased (P ＜ 0.05), while those in the progesterone group increased more than the brain trauma group remarkably (P ＜ O.05).③There were no differences in neuronal injury and nestin expression between braintrauma group and DMSO group(P ＞ 0.05).CONCLUCION: Progesterone for brain trauma may be related with its promoting effects on the proliferation of NSCs.

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics of adult Wilms'tumor in Chinese adults and to improve the recognition of adult Wilms'tumor.Methods The clinical data of 6 Wilms'tumor patients treated in our hospital were reviewed. Of them, there were 4 male patients and 2 female patients with mean age of 31 years old. Four patients with abdominal and flank pain and 2 patients with abdominal masses were the main clinical manifestations. One case accompanied with hematuria and another one had fever.Tumor masses were palpable by physical examination in 4 patients. Five patients had percussion tenderness over kidney region and 1 case had abdominal tenderness. Six cases underwent urinalysis and red blood cell was positive in 2 cases. There were no abnormal results in other laboratory tests. Chest X-ray was routinely performed before operation. Six patients underwent ultrasonography and all showed hypoechoic masses (5.0cm×5.0 cm-22.0 cm×25.0 cm) with clear margin. Four cases examined by CT and all had solid masses with inhomogeneous density and clear margin. On enhanced CT scan, 1 of 4 cases demonstrated irregular enhancement of the mass with local hemorrhagic necrosis area. The CT value ranged from 11-40 HU, with an average value of 22.5 HU, and increased to 35-78 HU, with an average value of 63.5 HU after administration of contrast. Two cases of MRI revealed solid mass defects.Three cases underwent IVU examination and showed the enlargement of renal umbra as well as thinning of renal calices caused by the compression of tumor and 1 case showed hydronephrosis.Thus, 5 cases were diagnosed with renal tumor and 1 case was diagnosed with cavitas pelvis tumor before operation. Five patients successfully underwent nephrectomies and 1 patient accepted oophorotomy with no subsequent complication.Retroperitoneal lymph node dissection(RPLND) was performed at the time of radical nephrectomy or oophorotomy in all patients. The tumor was found to be about 5-25 cm in size during operation. One of the tumors had invaded pancreas tail, one had invaded to the lateral abdominal wall and one had invaded into the inferior caval vein. Renal hilar lymph node was found to be exceeded 1.5 cm×1.5 cm in 2 patients. The post-operative incisal surface of the tumor presented with gray-yellow color. Capsule was intact in 4 patients. Three cases had hemorrhagic necrosis in tumor center. All the specimens sent for the pathological examination. None received adjuvant therapy before operation. Four patients received chemotherapy plus radiotherapy after surgery and other 2 patients received chemotherapy only. All patients were followed up with routine lab tests, ultrasonography and chest X-ray.Results Six patients were staged according to the National Wilms'Tumor Study staging system as follows: 1 case in stage Ⅰ, 2 cases in stageⅡ, 2 cases in stage Ⅲ and 1 case in stage Ⅳ. Nephrectomies or oophorotomy were performed in all patients successfully. Tumor diameters were from 4.5-25.0 cm, in average 11.8 cm.All cases had pathological diagnosis of Wilm's tumor. Five cases were classified into favorable histologic type and 1 case was in unfavorable histologic type. Two patients with lymph node metastasis and 3 patients with local invasion were observed. One patient with pulmonary metastasis was recorded. Six patients were followed up for 1-7 years. Five patients survived with no evidence of cancer recurrence. One patient died of pulmonary metastasis 2 years after surgery.Conclusions The majority of adult Wilms'tumors are found with local invasion and metastasis. The incidence of hematogenous metastasis in adult Wilms'tumor is higher than other types of renal tumor as well. The early diagnosis and radical surgical treatment and adjuvant chemoradiotherapy could improve the survival rate.

Objective To review the diagnosis and treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of renal pelvis. Methods The clinical data from October 1991 to May 2009 of eight cases of squamous cell carcinoma of renal pelvis were reviewed and analyzed retrospectively. The symptoms of the patients were hematuria (eight cases), pain (seven cases) and abdominal mass (one case). All patients underwent B-ultrasound and IVU examination and four cases underwent CT scan. Three cases were diagnosed as having a tumor before surgery. Five cases were diagnosed as renal calculus, two of the five cases were diagnosed by intraoperative frozen section. Radical nephroureterectomy were performed in four cases, nephrectomy in three cases and palliative resection in one case. Results Histological classification revealed that six cases were moderately differentiated, one case was well differentiated and one case was poorly differentiated. Two cases had stage pT1/pT2 and six cases had stage pT3/pT4. 2 cases had regional lymph nodes metastasis. Seven cases were followed-up. All patients died of tumor recurrence or metastasis. The median tumor specific survive time was six months (range from two months to 42 months). Conclusions Squamous cell carcinoma of renal pelvis is often occurs concurrently with urolithiasis which could lead to difficulty in diagnose before operation. As the most of the patients were diagnosed with advanced stage disease, squamous cell carcinoma of renal pelvis tended to early recurrence and metastasis and the prognosis was very poor.

Objective To review the pathogenesis, pathology, diagnosis and prognosis of calci-fication or ossification renal cell carcinoma with 1 case report. Methods A 48-year-old man was re-ferred for evaluation of an incidental mass found on the upper-middle right kidney, and computed tomography showed a 7 cm tumor with extensively calcification. PET-CT found an extensively calci-fied and ossification mass without high-function in the upper-middle right kidney. Under the diagnosis of renal cell carcinoma, a transabdominal radical right nephrectomy was performed. Results During the operation, a 7.5 crux 5.0 cm well-circumscribed, encapsulated heterogeneous mass was found on the upper-middle right kidney. The patient underwent an partial nephrectomy. Frozen section diagno-sis was renal cell carcinoma with heterotopic bone formation. Then a transabdominal radical right ne-phrectomy plus regional lymph node dissection were performed. Paraffin sections showed renal cell carcinoma with heterotopic bone formation(clear cell carcinoma, pT2b No M0 ). There was neither me-tastasis nor recurrence during the 8 months follow-up. Conclusions Renal cell carcinoma with ossifi-cation is extremely rare. Renal mass with obvious substantive calcification ossification should be trea-ted as malignant mass before operation. The prognosis of renal cell carcinoma associated with ossifica-tion is relatively good.