Objective To evaluate the clinical value of transrectal ultrasound guided systematic 13 cores prostate biopsy. Methods A total of 160 patients referred for abnormal digital rectal examination and (or) prostate specific antigen 4ng/ml or greater underwent transrectal ultrasound guided systematic 13 cores prostate biopsy.That was,in addition to the standard sextant biopsies,cores were taken from the far lateral and middle regions of the gland as described by Eskew.Pathological findings of the additional regions were compared with those of the sextant regions. Results Of the patients 35 % had cancer on biopsy(56 /160).Of the 56 patients with prostate cancer 12(21%)had carcinoma only in the additional regions,which would be undetected on the sextant biopsy technique (P

Objective To compare the distribution and expression differences of glycogen synthase kinase-3?(GSK3?) among normal adult,aged and amyloid beta(A?)-induced neurodegenerative rat brains,so as to explore its functional role in neurodegeneration. Methods Aggregated A? was microinjected into normal adult rat hippocampus under a stereotaxic system. The rats over 12 months were defined as aged rats. The distribution and localization of GSK3? were examined using immunohistochemistry. Western blotting was performed to assess expression change in cortex and hippocampus quantitatively. Results The GSK3? positive cells were distributed extensively around the whole brain and almost with neuron-like morphology. In normal adult rats,the strong anti-GSK3? immunoreactivity located in the neocortex pyramidal layer,hippocampus pyramidal layer,dentate gyrus,thalamus,substantia nigra,etc. The amount of GSK3? positive cells was much more in the aged and A?-injected group than in normal ones. The immunoreactive signals usually extend to the distal area of neurite in the A?-injected ones. Western blot showed that the expression intensity of GSK3? was stronger in the aged and neurodegenerative rat brain than in the normal adult rat brain. Conclusion The expression of GSK3? increases apparently in the neurons of aged and A?-injected brain. It may play a role in the neurodegenerative process.

Objective To investigate the effect of lithium chloride(LiCl),an inhibitor of glycogen synthase kinase-3beta(GSK-3beta),on proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells(NSCs).Methods The NSCs were isolated from cortex of rat fetus and expanded in culturing system.Their morphological changes and attachment process were observed under microscope.The cell cycle dynamics of NSCs was examined with flow cytometry.And the expression of GSK-3β and β-catenin was examined quantitatively with Western blot.Results The culturing NSCs treated with LiCl were usually floated and much dispersed in the media.Many of the neurospheres became small and the time of attachment after serum induction became longer.Using flow cytometry,it was detected that the proportion of G1 phase NSCs declined gradually accompanying the increased concentration of LiCl,while the percentage of S and G2/M phase cells showed an increasing trend.Western blotting results revealed β-catenin expression increased whereas Gsk-3βdecreased gradually under the treatment of LiCl and also showed a dose dependent manner.Conclusion These results suggest that LiCl may promote the proliferation of NSCs and prevent them from differentiating,which may partly involve the activation of wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Huaier (Trametes robiniophila) has been widely used as an adjuvant drug for cancer treatment in China. The anti-cancer effect of Huaier extract has been confirmed in liver cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, gastric cancer, and so on. The main mechanisms by which Huaier exerts an anti-neoplastic effect include inhibition of the growth and proliferation of cancer cells, induction of apoptosis of cancer cells, suppression of angiogenesis, inhibition of the invasion and migration of cancer cells, regulation of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes expression, improving immunity, and reversal of drug resistance in cancer cells. In order to provide references for further study and clinical application on anti-tumor effect of Huaier, the latest research progress on anti-tumor effect of Huaier in recent years is summarized in this paper.
Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Trametes

Objective To study the effect of astrocyte on synapse formation and the molecular mechanism. Methods Cortical astrocytes were isolated and purified from neonatal rats.On the 2h,7th day,14th day and 21th day after passage,we counted the number of astrocytes and the culture medium(astrocyte-conditioned medium,ACM)was harvested to measure the concentration of estrogen(E 2)by using ELISA techniques.Based on the model of pure culures of neonatal cortical neurons,the experimental groups were designed as follows:1.pure neuron cultures(group N);2.ACM cultures(group A);3.mixed cultures(group M);4.E 2 cultures(group E 2);5.ACM+Tamoxifen(estrogen receptor antagonist)cultures(group A+T);6.Tamoxifen cultures(group T).Then synaptic puncta in every group was stained and counted through immunofluorescence,and we also compared the differences in puncta number among those six groups(at 9th day in culture,number/per neuron). Results The numbers of astrocytes were:1?10 4/ml, 1.1?10 6/ml, 1.4?10 6/ml, 1.5?10 6/ml; The concentrations of E 2 were:(ng/L):0, 117?22, 266?22,252?27 respectively.No estrogen was detected in the primary culture medium.The concenteration of estrogen increased in correspondence with the culturing days and reached the peak around at the 14th day, then decreased gradually but kept at a certain high level,and the numbers of synaptic puncta of per neuron in group N,A,M,E 2,A+T,T were:14?3;79?5;83?8;80?6;32?3;29?3 respectively.The treatment of pure neuron culture with ACM increased the number of synapses on per neuron by up to 6 fold by comparison with pure neuronal culture.Exogenic estradiol added into pure neurons can mimick the effect of the ACM.Tamoxifen which is antagonist of estrogen receptor could decrease the effect of ACM by 75%.Conclusion The astrocytes of neonatal rat cortex do secrete E 2.Astrocyte-derived estrogen may be the molecule regulating the synaptic formation through estrogen receptors.

Objective To study the effect and the mechanism of astrocytes-derived estrogen on synaptic transmission. Methods Based on the model of pure cultures of neonatal cortical neurons, the experimental groups were designed as follows: pure neuron culture (group P), ACM culture (group A), mixed culture of AST and neuron (group M), E_ 2 culture (group E), ACM+tamoxifen (estrogen receptor antagonist) culture (group A+T ), tamoxifen culture (group T). The difference among these groups of synaptic transmission was recorded by patch clamp and presynaptic vesicle releasing kinetics was marked by a dye named FM4-64. Results The mean amplitude and frequency of miniature postsynaptic currents (mPSCs) of group P, A, M, E, A+T and T were: (20.5?2) pA, (13?4) min -1 ; (29.1?3) pA, (73?16) min -1 ; (31.3?3) pA, (78?20) min -1 ; (30.2?3) pA, (76?18) min -1 ; (24.5?2) pA, (35?10) min -1 ; (22.1?2) pA, (37?10) min -1 respectivily. The treatment of pure neuron culture with ACM increased synaptic transmission of pure cultured cortical neuron. Exogenic estradiol added into pure neurons can stimulate the effect of the ACM. Tamoxifen which was the antagonist of estrogen receptor could decrease most effect of ACM on synaptic transmission. The assaying of vesicle release marked by FM4-64 showed astrocytes-derived estrogenic enhancing synaptic transmission was at least mediated by strengthening presynaptic vesicle releasing. Conclusion The estrogen from astrocytes of neonatal rat cortex may enhance neuronal synaptic transmission mainly through estrogen receptor.

Objective To measure the estrogen concentration of estrogen (E 2) in the culture medium of rat astrocytes (ASTs). Methods Astrocytes in brain cortex of the 2-day-old neonatal rats were collected and cultured. The number of astrocytes was counted and the concentration of estrogen was measured by ELISA method at 0, 7, 14, and 21 d after culture. Results The cell counts were 1?10 4/ml, 1.1?10 6/ml, 1.4?10 6/ ml, and 1.5?10 6/ml, respectively. The concentrations of E 2 were: 0 pg/ml, (117.03?21.32) pg/ml, (266.91?22.03) pg/ml, and (252.62?27.99) pg/ml, respectively. No estrogen was detected in the primary culture medium. The concentration of estrogen increased in a time-dependent manner and reached the peak at 14 d, and then decreased gradually but remained at a certain level. Conclusion E 2 is secreted by astrocytes in the brain cortex of the 2-day-old neonatal rats.

Hepatitis B-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a severe clinical syndrome characterized by jaundice, coagulopathy, ascites and hepatic encephalopathy and with a high mortality rate of 65% to 93%. It involves significant ethical issues when a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical study is conducted to such a serious disease. Therefore, a prospective cohort study design was utilized to explore a new treatment modality of applying integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine.

OBJECTIVE：To study the therapeutic effect and safety of domestic tolterodine tartrate in treating patients with urinary bladder overactivity.METHODS：56 cases of bladder overactivity were divided into two groups randomly：tolterodine and control(oxybutynin)group.The course of treatment was 6 weeks.RESULTS：The effect of tolterodine in treatment group was comparable to that of oxybutynin in control group,however,the adverse reactions in oxybutynin group were more common than those in tolterodine group.CONCLUSION：Tolterodine is a suitable drug to treat bladder overactivity.