Epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process of normal cell physiological development, in which epithelial cells transform into mesenchyme cells through a specific program. EMT plays a key role in inflammatory reaction, cell development, tumor invasion, and metastasis and has an interrelation with prostate cancer stem cells. Recent researches show the involvement of EMT in the development and metastasis of prostate cancer. This article reviews the specific roles and action mechanisms of EMT in the progression of prostate cancer.
Biomedical Research ; Cell Differentiation ; Disease Progression ; Epithelial Cells ; physiology ; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition ; physiology ; Humans ; Male ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Neoplastic Stem Cells ; physiology ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; pathology

Objective To assess the clinical effect and methods of posterior decompress and fixation for upper-middle thoracic fracture and dislocation. Methods Between September 2002 and September 2007,21 patients suffered from upper-middle thoracic fracture and dislocation were treated with posterior approach, which comprising 5 patients with compressed fracture,4 patients with burst fracture, 12 patients with fracture and dislocation. There were 12 cases companied by complete paraplegia, and 9 cases companied by incomplete paraplegia. All cases adapted to pedicle screw fixation system after decompression and reduction. Reduction or removal of fragments was done through posterior-lateral of the spinal canal for patients with fragments migrated into the spinal canal. The operation time,blood loss volume,preand postoperative transverse displacement degree and angle of the injured vertebra were recorded. The neurological function was assessed by Frankel criteria. Results The patients was followed up for (2.5 ± 0.5 ) years. The Frankel score increased from ( 1.0 ± 0.1 ) scores preoperatively to ( 1.3 ± 0.1 ) scores postoperatively. The incomplete paraplegia patients' score increased from (2.2 ± 0.2) scores preoperatively to (3.1± 0.2) scores postoperatively. The height of injured vertebral body, the interangle of vertebral body and spondylolistheses after operation increased comparing with those before operation(P ＜ 0.05 ). No implant loosening or breakage was found. Conclusions Severe spinal cord injury occurs in upper-middle thoracic fracture and dislocation.Unstable fracture should be treated with internal fixation and fusion in time. Decompression ought to be done in patients who suffering from incomplete paraplegia. Early operation takes advantages of immediate stability and a good improvement of the neurologic function.

Studies on the prescription combination regularity based on medicinal tastes focus on the internal relations between the structure and hierarchy of the prescription combination system. In this paper, with the systematic and scientific self-similarity theory as the core ideology, authors systematically interpreted the self-similarity theory of medicinal properties, defined the self-similarity of prescriptions with identical or similar medicinal properties, and built the systematic view of medicinal property theory based on the prescription combination based on the entity grammar system. As a result, the system was conducive to integrating traditional Chinese medicinal knowledge of syndromes, therapeutic principles, efficacies, medicinal properties and tastes and achieving the automatic design and optimization process from symptoms to prescriptions, and providing scientific and feasible methods and technical systems for the application of the medicinal property theory, with a guiding significance to the technology, methodology and theory of decoction pieces compatibility, component compatibility and compound medicine design.
Drug Combinations ; Drug Prescriptions ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

Objective To explore main influencing factors of postgraduate entrance examination of medical students in medical universities and to provide guidance for postgraduate entrance examination and employment.Methods Totally 300 2008 and 2009 grade undergraduates of Kunming Medical University were enrolled and divided into postgraduate entrance examination group (n =181)and non postgraduate entrance examination group (n =97).Self-designed questionnaire was used.Intentions of postgraduate entrance examination of two groups and main factors of not taking postgraduate entrance examination were analyzed.Softwares of Excel 2003 and SPSS 17.0 were applied to do constituent ratio analysis and x2 test of gender and residence.Results Among all enrolled students,71.2％ paid attention to the entrance exam and 65.1％ said that they would take part in the entrance exam.There was no significant differences in taking entrance exam between males and females (x2 =3.213,P=0.073).Age (74.1％),family economic situation (71.1％) and current employment status (68.1％) were the main influencing factor of graduate entrance exam.There were significant differences between factors of age and family economic situation and factors of gender and census register (x2 =4.810,P =0.028 and x2 =9.612,P =0.002).There was no significant difference between factors of age and family economic situation and factor of current employment status (x2 =0.279,P =0.597).Conclusions Age,family economical situation and current employment situation are major influencing factors of postgraduate entrance examination for medical students.Postgraduate entrance examination for medical students needs positive guidance and more care from schools,society and family.Medical students should form correct view for employment and postgraduate entrance examination according to their own condition.

Objective To investigate the relationship between carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and coronary atherosclerosis plaque through coronary CT angiography (CTA) in asymptomatic individuals.Methods Two hundred and fifty cases with CTA screened were selected in asymptomatic individuals,and according to the inspection result they were divided into no plaque group (detection of no coronary atherosclerosis plaque,180 cases) and plaque group (detection of coronary atherosclerosis plaque,70 cases).All cases were checked carotid IMT with B-ultrasonic.Results ANOVAs analysis showed that age and body mass index (BMI) had significant correlation with coronary atherosclerosis plaque (P ＜ 0.05).x2 test was used to show the smoking and family history of coronary heart disease had significant correlation with coronary atherosclerosis plaque (P ＜ 0.05).Univariate Logistic regression analysis showed that carotid IMT,systolic pressure,diastolic pressure,low density lipoprotein cholesterol,fasting serum glucose and creatinine had significant correlation with coronary atherosclerosis plaque (P ＜ 0.05).Multifactor Logistic regression analysis showed that carotid IMT had correlation with coronary atherosclerosis plaque (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion There is significant relationship between carotid IMT and coronary atherosclerosis plaque in asymptomatic individuals.

Objective To analyze the bacterial distribution and resistance of clinical isolates from exacerbation of COPD patients in C and D classification in our emergency department.Methods The sputums were taken to culture and antimicrobial susceptibility test.VITEK-2 compact automicrobe system was used to identify bacteria.Disc diffusion test was used to determine the antimicrobial resistance.Results Of 222 clinical isolates,27.0％ were Gram positive bacteria,73.0％ were Gram negative bacteria.The Gram positive bacteria mainly was Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae.The detection rates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were 50.00％.The MRSA were more resistant than methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA),and they were all sensitive to vancomycin,linezolid or tigecycline.The Gram negative bacteria mainly was Pseudomonas aeruginosa,Escherichia coli,Klebsiella spp and Acinetobacter baumannii.Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii had high resistant rates.The extended spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) producing strains in Escherichia coli were higher than in Klebsiella spp,which had multiple drug resistance.Conclusions The bacterial resistance situation is very severely in exacerbation of COPD patients in C and D classification in our emergency department.The first isolating rate was Pseudomonas aeruginosa.Surveillance of bacterial resistance is very important and effective control measures to reduce resistance is very necessary.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the improvement of speech perception in Chinese-native cochlear implant (CI) children using frequency modulated system (FM system). METHOD: The mandarin speech perception (MSP) system was used to evaluate 11 cases with severe and profound hearing loss who were fitted cochlear implants. Listeners were asked to repeat MSP words presented in quiet and several different signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) conditions and percent correct word repetition was determined. Performance was evaluated under FM system and without FM (CI only). In addition, the listeners' subjective performance changes in the experiment were also observed. RESULT: (1) There was significant main effect of the device condition (with FM and no-FM) (F = 72.938, P < 0.01), a significant main effect of signal level (F = 230.715, P < 0.01), a significant interaction effect between the signal level and the device condition (F = 40.893, P < 0.01). (2) Listeners answered the question in a louder voice, showed more confidence, when using with FM system. CONCLUSION FM system could improve the speech reception in a complex environment for Chinese-native CI children.
Child ; Cochlear Implantation ; Cochlear Implants ; Humans ; Noise ; Signal-To-Noise Ratio ; Speech ; Speech Perception ; Speech Therapy

BACKGROUND:Because of its advantages, Endobutton has been widely used in clinic. Currently, its shortcomings are increasingly recognized. Tightrope that overcomes the shortcomings of Endobutton has been gradualy accepted by a doctor skiled in sports injuries.
OBJECTIVE: To analyze and compare the differences in the effects of Tightrope and Endobutton in the reconstruction of the cruciate ligament.
METHODS:Totaly 60 cases of anterior cruciate ligament rupture were selected and subjected to anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction under arthroscopy, of which 30 cases were randomly assigned to reconstruction by Endobutton device and 30 cases underwent reconstruction by Tightrope device. Al operations were performed by the same surgeon. Al patients were subjected to regular functional exercise and were folowed up regularly after operation. Effects of Tightrope and Endobutton in the cruciate ligament reconstruction were evaluated by comparing various indexes in the two groups.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared to the Endobutton fixation system, the Tightrope fixation system could shorten the operation time, reduce the length of tendon incision, and decrease the loss of bone mass in the femoral bone tunnel. There were no significant differences in the maximum knee flexion, knee joint score and Tegner movement level score between the two groups at 3 and 6 months after operation. These findings indicate that the Tightrope fixation system is superior to the Endobutton fixation system, because it is more simple and convenient to operate and has less bone loss. However, their clinical efficacy has no difference after 6 months.

Objective To study the antibacterial property of silver loaded titanium dioxide (TiO2) antibacterial coated endotracheal intubation tube,and to determine the minimum effective antibacterial concentration.Methods Intubation tubes coated with different concentrations of antibacterial agents were prepared with sol gel method.Polyethylene endotracheal intubation tubes were used as substrate,and silver loaded TiO2 was used as the antibacterial agent.According to the different antibacterial concentrations of the antibacterial agent,the tubes were divided into nine groups:10.0％ group,5.0％ group,2.0％ group,1.5％ group,1.0％ group,0.8％ group,0.6％ group,0.2％ group,and conrol group.They were respectively immersed in three standard bacteria suspensions with 1.0 × l05 cfu/mL:Pseudomonas aeruginosa,Staphylococcus aureus,and Escherichia coll Together with standard bacteria liquid group,there were 10 experimental groups.They were kept overnight for 24 hours.10 μL of respective culture medium was smeared on blood agar culture medium.After being cultured overnight in 35 ℃,the number of bacteria colonies was respectively counted.Results In 1.0 × 105 cfu/mL of three standard bacteria liquids with antibacterial agent concentration≥ 1.0％,three bacterial colonies had un-obviously growth rate.Almost the same strong antibacterial effects to achieve sterilizing rates of more than 98％ was shown in each group of the antibacterial coating endotracheal intubation tubes (all P＞0.05).As the antibacterial agent concentration decreased,three bacterial colonies were increasing gradually.Intermediate antibacterial effects were shown in tubes of 0.8％ group,with significant statistic difference as compared with 1.0％ and 0.6％ groups [Pseudomonas aeruginosa:7.300 (4.050,8.350) vs.0.200 (0.050,1.200),9.700 (9.000,10.000); Staphylococcus aureus:4.100 (3.300,4.650) vs.0.000 (0.000,0.150),5.800 (5.350,7.650); Escherichia coli:1.400 (0.750,3.750) vs.0.050 (0.025,0.050),9.500 (8.500,9.800),all P＜0.01].Conclusions Silver loaded TiO2 antibacterial coated endotracheal intubation tube had definite antibacterial properties,which were related to the antibacterial concentration.Strong antibacterial effects were shown when antibacterial concentration was above 1.0％,with bacteria almost completely killed in the immersing liquid.

OBJECTIVE:To study the feasibility of purifying the effective blood-fat dropping parts from radix puerariae and fructus crataegi and to optimize the technical conditions and parameters.METHODS:Absorption capacities of four different macroporous resins on pueraria total isoflavones,crataegi total flavonoids and crataegi total triterpenic acid were compared.With adsorption quantity as index,optimization of the technics of purifying the effective blood-fat dropping parts from radix puerariae and fructus crataegi with macroporous resins were performed.RESULTS:AB-8resin showed a best adsorbability on the effective blood-fat dropping parts from radix puerariae and fructus crataegi,its optimum purification condition was the following,the concentration of the stock solution was0.13g crude drug/ml with a flow rate at0.5ml/min,and its pH value at about3.5(the same as the stock solution);80%ethanol solution was taken as the eluting solvent at an eluting flow rate of2ml/min.The purity coefficient of the purified effective portions was above85%.CONCLUSIONS:AB-8macroporous resin could be used for the purification of the effective blood-fat dropping parts from radix puerariae and fructus crataegi,the process is feasible and the reproduction of resin is easy.