Neurons descending from the griseum centrale mesencephali, nucleus Darkschewitsch and nucleus interstitialis of Cajal to the nucleus raphe magnus and adjacent reticular formation (nucleus reticularis gigantocellularis and nucleus reticularis pontis caudalis) were identified in 9 adult cats with the retrograde HRP method. In the griseum centrale mesencephali, the labeled neurons were found bilaterally but slightly more ipsilaterally. In the nucleus Darkschewitscb and nucleus interstitialis of Cajal, the labeled neurons were consistently found in its rostral part ipsilateral to the injected side at the level of the posterior commissure. In addition, in 5 of the 9 cases, a few labeled neurons were observed in the nucleus raphe dorsalis.

Objective To study the role of Vibrio vulnificus cytolysin(rVvhA) induced THP-1 apoptosis and calcium influx.Methods CCK-8 cell proliferation kit,Fluo3/AM staining and AnnexinV/PI staining were performed to identify the apoptosis and calcium influx induced by rVvhA in THP-1 cells.Results rVvhA could induce THP-1 apoptosis and up-regulate the cellular calcium concentration.BAPTAAM could enhance the calcium influx induced by rVvhA in THP-1.Conclusion rVvhA had cytotoxic to THP-1 cells by inducing apoptosis and triggering extracellular calcium influx.

Objective To clarify the expression and clinicopathological significances of mTOR and Merlin proteins in spinal schwannoma.Methods Immunohistochemical SP method was used to detect the expression levels of mTOR and Merlin proteins in tumor tissues from 21 spinal schwannoma patients.The meaning of the two proteins expression changes on schwannoma was analyzed.Results In 21 cases of schwannoma patients,the mTOR was positive expression in 16 cases,negative expression in 5 cases,while in the normal neural tissue,mTOR was all negative expression.In 21 cases of schwannoma patients,the Merlin protein was negative expression in 18 cases,positive expression in 3 cases,but it was positive in all of normal neural tissue.Merlin protein expression was negatively correlated with mTOR protein expression (r =-0.785,P ＜ 0.001).Conclusion The expression level of mTOR proteins in schwannoma is significantly higher than that in normal nerve tissue,while the expression level of Merlin protein in schwannoma tissue is significantly lower than that in normal nerve tissue.There is an internal relationship between mTOR and Merlin.

Objective To employ Borrelia burgdorferi( B. burgdorferi) , a culturable and genetical-ly transformable spirochete, as a surrogate system to study Treponema pallidum ( T. pallidum) gene function. Methods Bioinformatic analysis revealed that the T. pallidum gene tp0111 encodes the putative sigma factor RpoN. We constructed a B. burgdorferi shuttle vector harboring tp0111. The shuttle vector was then trans-formed into the B. burgdorferi rpoN mutant strain. The phenotype of the resulting B. burgdorferi strain was then determined. Results We successfully constructed the B. burgdorferi rpoN mutant carrying the T. palli-dum gene tp0111. We found that tp0111 could partially complement the B. burgdorferi rpoN mutant. Con-clusion This work provides the first experimental evidence showing that tp0111 is the rpoN gene of T. palli-dum. It also demonstrates that B. burgdorferi can be used as a surrogate system for studying T. pallidum gene function.

Objective To investigate the feasibility of laparoscopic-assisted transanal pull-through resection and anastomosis in the treatment of ultra-low rectal cancer.Methods From November 2005 to December 2006,21 patients with ultra-low rectal cancer had undergone laparoscopic-assisted transanal pull-through resection and anastomosis in Southwest Hospital.The perioperative condition,postoperative complications and the result of follow-up were retrospectively analyzed.Results The operation was successfully performed on all the patients.The mean operation time and postoperative hospital stay were(216±25)minutes(170-260 minutes)and(9.4±1.0)days(7-11 days),respectively.The time needed for the recovery of gastrointestina]function was(65±14)hours(38-88 hours).The mean perioperative blood loss was(140±49)ml(80-250 ml).All the patients were followed up for(22±4)months(15-28 months),and no anastomotic bleeding or fistula was observed.Six patients developed mild to moderate anastomotic striclure,1 local recurrence and 1 liver metastasis.Conclusions Laparoscopic-assisted transanal pull-through resection and anastomosis for ultra-low rectal cancer is safe and feasible,and the short-term effect is satisfactory.

Objective To compare the effects and significance of laparoscopic and open D2 gastrectomy on the expression of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10.Methods The clinical data of 146 patients with gastric cancer who were admitted to the Southwest Hospital from November 2010 to October 2011 were prospectively analyzed.All the patients were randomly divided into the laparoscopic group (75 patients) and open group (71 patients)according to the sealed envelope method.Laparoscopic or open D2 gastrectomy were performed according to the 14th edition of gastric cancer treatment guidelines of Japan Gastric Cancer Association.Peritoneal lavage fluid was collected at the beginning and the end of operation,and the concentrations of IL-6 and IL-10 in the peritoneal lavage fluid were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.The measurement data were analyzed using the t test,and the count data were analyzed using the chi-square test.Results The preoperative concentrations of IL-6 in the laparoscopic group and the open group were (34 ± 13)μg/L and (35 ± 12)μg/L,respectively,with no significant difference between the 2 groups (t =-5.110,P ＞ 0.05).The postoperative concentrations of IL-6 in the laparoscopic group and the open group were (4015 ± 1592)μg/L and (6724 ± 2112)μg/L,respectively.The postoperative concentration of IL-6 in the laparoscopic group was significantly lower than that of the open group (t =-8.367,P ＜ 0.05),and the postoperative concentrations of IL-6 were significantly higher than those before operation in the laparoscopic group and open group (t =-59.065,-87.123,P ＜0.05).The preoperative concentrations of IL-10 in the laparoscopic group and the open group were (43 ±9) μg/L and (42 ± 10) μL,respectively,with no significant difference between the 2 groups (t =1.190,P ＞0.05).The postoperative concentrations of IL-10 in the laparoscopic group and the open group were (92 ± 32)μg/L and (62 ± 23)μg/L,respectively.The postoperative concentration of IL-10 was significantly higher than that of the open group (t =6.408,P ＜ 0.05),and the postoperative concentrations of IL-10 were significantly higher than those before operation in the laparoscopic group and the open group (t =-12.680,-6.802,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Peritoneal inflammatory reaction is relatively lighter after laparoscopic D2 gastrectomy when compared with open D2 gastrectomy,which might prevent the peritoneal metastasis of gastric cancer mediated by IL-6.

Advanced gastric cancer is usually dealt with D2 radical dissection. There are different opinions as to whether it is necessary to perform D3 radical lymphadenectomy.Some scholars thought that properly enlarged radical dissection can improve long-term outcomes for the treatment of advanced gastric cancer.In recent years,laparoscopic D1 and D2 radical dissection of gastric cancer could be carried out in many hospitals.However,the technique and related skills for performing D3 radical lymphadeneetomy through laparoscope remains to be explored.Based on our previous experiences,D3 radical lymphadeneetomy using artery suspension method and medial-to-lateral approach for advanced gastric cancer is proved to be safe and feasihle.

Objective To investigate the relationship between the expression of eonnexin 43 (Cx43) and clinicopathologieal characteristics of gastric cancer, and to study the role of Cx43 in peritoneal metastasis of gastric cancer. Methods Thirty-two patients who had gastric cancer and with peritoneal metastasis had been admitted to Southwest Hospital from January 2000 to December 2008. Gastric cancer tissues, adjacent tissues and metastatic peritoneal tissues were obtained postoperatively, and the expression of Cx43 was detected by immunohistochemistry. The relationship between Cx43 expression and clinicopathological characteristics of gastric cancer was analyzed. All data were analyzed via Spearman rank correlation coefficient, Fisher exact probability and chi-square test. Results The expression of Cx43 was mainly detected in the cell membrane and cytoplasm. The positive expres-sion rates of Cx43 in gastric cancer tissues, adjacent tissues and metastatic peritoneal tissues were 34% (11/32), 100% (32/32) and 94% (30/32), respectively. There were significant differences in the Cx43 expression between gastric cancer tissues and adjacent tissues (X~2=28.350, P < 0.01), and between gastric cancer tissues and metastatic peritoneal tissues (X~2 = 21.989, P < 0.01). The expression of Cx43 did not correlate with age and sex of patients (r = -0.030, - 0.169, P > 0.05), but with tumor differentiation, histological type and lymph node metastasis (r = 0.750, 0.642, - 0.357, P < 0.05). Conclusions There is a decreased expression of Cx43 in gastric cancer tissues and a up-regulated expression of Cx43 in metastatic peritoneal tissues. Cx43 may play a positive role in the peritoneal metastasis.

Objective: To study the effects of Rhizoma Polygoni Cuspidati on expression of transforming growth factor beta 1(TGF-?1) in rats with pulmonary fibrosis induced by bleomycin.Method: 120 male SD rats were randomly divided into five groups: the control group(n=30),the bleomycin(BLM) model group(n=30),the Rhizoma Polygoni Cuspidati prophylactic group(n=30),the 7 th day treatment group(n=20) and the 28 th day treatment group(n=10).The rat models of pulmonary fibrosis were established by intratracheal injection of bleomycin, while the control group was given with normal saline instead.The Rhizoma Polygoni Cuspidati prophylactic group received intragastric administration with 4ml?kg-1?d-1 Rhizoma Polygoni Cuspidati 2 days before setting up models.The 7 th day treatment group and the 28 th day treatment group received the treatment on the seventh day and the twenty-eighth days after establishing models respectively.The other two groups received saline instead.On the 3rd,7th,14th,28th,42th and 56th day after instillation of bleomycin,lung samples were obtained and the content of hydroxyproline in lung tissue homogenate was detected to judge the degree of fibrosis and the therapeutic efficacy.At the same time the express of TGF-?1mRNA and TGF-?1 protein was examined by RT-PCR and immunohistochemical method.Results: Compared with the model group,the content of hydroxyproline in the Rhizoma Polygoni Cuspidati prophylactic group and the 7th day treatment group decreased significantly(P

ObjectiveTo evaluate the feasibility, safety and the long-termoutcomes of laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG) for advanced gastric cancer (AGC).MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical and follow-up data of 346 cases after LADG from January 2004 to June 2009, compared with 313 cases after conventional open distal gastrectomy (ODG) for advanced gastric cancer at the same period at our hospital. The surgical safety, postoperative complications, survival rate, and the recurrence and metastasis of cancer were compared.ResultsThere was no significant difference at the average time of LADG and ODG procedures (211 ± 56) min vs.(204 ±41 ) min, but blood loss during operation and length of incision in LADG group were significantly less than in the ODG group. The proximal and distal length were, respectively, (6. 3 ± 2. 0) cm and (5. 7 ± 1.7 ) cm in LADG group and (6. 3 ±2. 1 ) cm and (5.6 ± 1.6) cm in ODG group, the difference was not significant. The number of lymph node dissections was also similar: (33 ± 13) in LADG group and (33 ± 16) in ODG group. The incidence of postoperative complications in LADG group was significantly lower than that in ODG group ( 6. 7％ vs.13. 1％, P ＜ 0. 05). During the follow-up period of 6-72 months (average 37 months), the 1-, 3-and 5-year survival rates were, respectively, 87. 2％, 57. 2％ and 50. 3％ in LADG group and 87. 1％, 54. 1％and 49. 2％ in ODG group, the difference was not significant. The differences in recurrence and metastasis between the two groups were not statistically significant.ConclsionLaparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy for advanced gastric cancer is not significantly different with open surgery in postoperative survival rate or recurrence. It is less traumatic and of fewer complications.