AIM To investigate the potential effect of riboflavin on the growth of probiotic strains Bifidobacterium adolescentis ( B. adolescentis) and Bacillus cereus ( B. cereus) . METHODS By means of routine bacterial quantitative culture, Gram's staining, and light microscopy, changes in B. adolescentis and B. cereus counts were detected in the presence of riboflavin at different concentrations (1, 0 5, 0 25, 0 g?L -1 ). RESULTS ①The counts of B. adolescentis increased by 10 to 100 fold in 1g?L -1 riboflavin group after 48 h, and 10 to 390 fold in 0 5 g?L -1 and 0 25 g?L -1 riboflavin groups within 72 h as compared to that without riboflavin supplement. Meanwhile, the chain lengths of B. adolescentis were markedly longer in culture system with riboflavin than those without. ②Compared with 0 g?L -1 riboflavin group, the count of B. cereus increased significantly in 0 5 g?L -1 riboflavin group at 36 h, and in 0 25 g?L -1 riboflavin group within 72 h, while it decreased by 50 to 100 000 fold in 1 g?L -1 riboflavin group within 72 h. Likewise, the chain length of B. cereus was markedly longer in 0 5 g?L -1 and 0 25 g?L -1 riboflavin groups, together with the delayed spore formation of B. cereus. ③The 6 month survival rates of B. adolescentis and B. cereus counts in preparations (depositing at 4℃) with 0 5 g?L -1 riboflavin were much higher than those without riboflavin supplement. CONCLUSION Riboflavin in concentrations of 0 5 g?L -1 and 0 25 g?L -1 could markedly enhance the growth of B. adolescentis and B. cereus. 0 5 g?L -1 riboflavin might be beneficial to improve the survival rate of B. adolescentis as well as B. cereus when storing for a long term.

The current study was conducted to analyze the risk factors associated with the development of intestinal bacterial translocation in rats following major burns. Wistar rats were subjected to 30% total body surface area skin full thickness thermal injury, and samples were collected on postburn days 1, 3, and 5. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed to evaluate the correlations among intestinal mucosal barrier, biological barrier and immunologic barrier associated with gut derived bacterial translocation. The results showed that the total bacterial translocation rate was 53 9% (69 in 128) after burns. According to univariate analysis, the levels of plasma endotoxin and interleukin 6, the counts of mucosal fungi and E. coli, and the score of intestinal lesion markedly increased in animals with bacterial translocation compared with those without ( P =0 000～0 005). But intestinal mucus sIgA and the mucosal bifidobacteria count were significantly reduced in animals with bacterial translocation compared with those without ( P =0 000). Multivariate logistic regression revealed that intestinal lesion scores (odds ratio 45 52, 95% confidence interval 5 25～394 80) and the counts of mucosal bifidobacteria (OR 0 039, 95% CI 0 0032～0 48) were independent predictors associated with gut derived bacterial translocation secondary to severe burns. These results suggested that the increase in intestinal lesion score and decrease in bifidobacteria count in mucosal flora were independent risk factors related to bacterial translocation, and specific interventions targeting these high risk factors should be instituted to attenuate gut derived bacterial translocation.

High-mobility-group B1 (HMGB1), an abundant, highly conserved cellular protein, is widely known as a nuclear DNA-binding protein that stabilizes nucleosome formation, and facilitates gene transcription. Recent studies suggested that HMGB1 could be overexpressed and released from cellular nucleosome upon endotoxin and cytokine stimulation, or other stress challenge including burns, shock, as well as infection. Therefore, extracellular HMGB1 might be involved in the pathogenesis of sepsis and subsequent multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. Moreover, experimental data showed that extracellular HMGB1 might play vital roles in nerves development, tumor metastasis, atherosclerosis and restenosis after vascular damage.

Folic acid supplementation is one of the most important measures to prevent neural tube defects(NTDs)among child-bearing age women.This article reviews the NTDs prevention efficacy of the studies including field intervention trials,population folic acid supplementation and fortification in different countries,and analyzes the efficacy variation and their influencing factors of the related studies.The results of the article may provide references for folic acid supplementation,fortification and its efficacy evaluation in the population.

Objective To evaluate the treatment efficacy and treatment-related toxicity of late course accelerated hyperfractionated radiotherapy (LCAHRT) combined with cisplatin-based chemotherapy (CHT) for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).Methods A total of 46 patients with histologically confirmed ESCC,11 in the stage Ⅱa,3 in the stage Ⅱb,and 32 in the stage Ⅲ,underwent conventional fractioned radiation of 40 Gy in 20 fractions on the primary and metastatic lymph nodes,and high-risk lymph node drainage regions,and then the primary and metastatic lymph nodes were irradiated as boost with an additional dose of 19.6 Gy in 14 fractions (1.4 Gy twice a day),and the total prescribed dose was 59.6 Gy in 34 fractions.Two cycles of CHT were administered concurrently during the radiotherapy.The 1-,3-,and 5-year overall survival (OS) rates and local control rates (LCRs) were evaluated by Kaplan-Meier method,and treatment-related toxicity was analyzed based on the RTOG and CTCAE criteria 3.0.Results All patients received the whole course of treatment.The median followup time was 34.4 months (6-67 months).The overall response rate was 91.3％ (42/46).The median OS was 38.5 months (95％ CI 29.6-47.4 months).The 1-,3-,and 5-year OS rates and LCRs were 78.6％,49.4％,and 39.9％,and 84.3％,68.2％,and 61.4％ respectively.The incidence of ≥ G3 radiationinduced esophagitis was 23.9％.Three kinds of serious (≥G3) hematologic toxicities were recorded,including leucopenia (26.1％),thrombocytopenia (13.0％),and anemia (10.9％).Esophagotracheal fistula was recorded in 2 patients (4.3％).Conclusion LCAHRT plus CTH can be favorable for the patients with locally advanced ESCC,however,the treatment-related toxicities may be serious.

The present study investigated different types of eoexpression of brain derived neumtmphic factor(BDNF),nerve growth factor(NGF)and neutmphin-3(NT-3)mRNA and/or proteins in the left sixth lumbar dorsal root ganglion(DRG)of cats and discuss themechanism of coexpression in order to provide foundation for elucidating the relationship between the expression of neurotrophic factors andspinal cord plasticity.The eats used in this study were normal animals without any interventional treatment.They were subjected to renloveof the left L6 DRG and their DRG were processed for immunohistechemistry and in situ hybridization double staining to observe whetherthere are coexpression of mRNA and proteins of BDNF,NGF and NT-3.The results showed that the pmteios and mRNA of BDNF,NGFand NT-3 were all expressed in the DRG of cats,but the types of coexpression of mRNA and proteins were different and diverse amongthese three neumtrophic factors.The results of immunohiatochemistry showed that BDNF immunoreactivities were mainly observed in thecytoplasm and nucleus,and the staining of nucleus was weaker than that of cytoplasm;NGF immunoreactivities were mainly observed innucleus while NT-3 mainly in cytoplasm.The results of in situ hybridization showed that BDNF and NGF positive signals mostly distributedin the cytoplasm,NT-3 positive signals were observed in both the cytoplasm and nucleus.Our results suggest that the proteins and mRNAof BDNF,NGF and NT-3 have different types of coexpression which indicate they may have autocrine and/or paracrine mechanism contrib-uting to the plasticity of spinal cord in the left L6 DRG of cats.

Objective To assess the value of SPECT/CT lung perfusion imaging (SPECT/CT-LPI) in evaluation of the regional lung function and the correlation between lung perfusion defects (LPD) and the clinical findings in NSCLC patients.Methods A total of 48 NSCLC patients (43 males,5 females;average age 61.06 years) who underwent pulmonary function tests (PFT),CT and 99Tcm-MAA SPECT/CT-LPI from December 2006 to March 2013,were retrospectively studied.LPD were divided into four grades:grade 0 (no lung perfusion defect was identified),grade 1 (the area of lung perfusion defect (LPDA) was similar to the size of local tumor),grade 2 (the LPDA was larger than local tumor and extends to 1 pulmonary lobe),grade 3 (the LPDA exceeded 1 pulmonary lobe).x2 test,one-way analysis of variance and Logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the correlation of the lung perfusion function and clinical findings.Results LPD were found in 44 patients (91.67％,44/48),including 18 with grade 1,15 with grade 2,11 with grade 3.The abnormal results of PFT were found in 16 patients (33.33％,16/ 48).The abnormal findings by SPECT/CT-LPI were more than that by PFT (x2=34.844,P＜0.01).The rates of LPD with grade ≥ 2 were significant different between patients with central lung cancer and those with peripheral lung cancer (x2 =8.392,P＜0.01),and between hilar lymph nodes positive group and negative group (x2=10.801,P＜0.01).The degree of LPD was related to tumor location (1 was assigned for central lung cancer,2 was assigned for peripheral lung cancer),tumor size (1 was assigned for maximum diameter ≤3.0 cm,2 was assigned for ＞3.0 cm and ≤5.0 cm,3 was assigned for ＞5.0 cm) and hilar lymph node (1 was assigned for with metastasis,0 was assigned for no metastasis) (Wald=8.176,5.352,10.100,all P＜0.05).Conclusions Compared with PFT,SPECT/CT-LPI has a more significant value in assessment of the regional lung function in NSCLC patients.Tumor location,tumor size and metastasis of hilar lymph nodes may be helpful for LPD grading.SPECT-LPI may be beneficial for patients with central lung cancer,large tumor and hilar lymph nodes metastasis.

AIM: The aim of this study was to explore the expression of nerve growth factor(NGF) in spinal dorsal horn following crushed spinal cord injury. METHODS: The adult Srague-Dawley rat model of crushed spinal cord injury was established by the method in our laboratory, and intact spinal cord was used as control. The rats were sacrificed respectively after 24 hours, 7 days, and 21 days of operation, and the L3 spinal segments were removed out and fixed in 4% polyformaldehyde. The segments were sectioned into sections of 20 μm in thickness. The sections were stained with anti-NGF antibody by ABC method of immunohistochemistry technique. The immunoreactive intensity of NGF and the number of positive neurons as well as glial cells in dorsal horn were observed and counted under light microscope. RESULTS: The number of positive cells and immunoreactive intensity of NGF increased gradually in the dorsal horn at 24 hours, 7 days and 21 days following crushed spinal cord injury compared with control group (P＜0.01). CONCLUSION: These results indicated that NGF plays an important role in the postoperative reaction during the early period of the crushed spinal cord injury.

AIM: It is well known that different injuries will result in different consequences. In this paper, we investigated the morphological change of spinal cord following crushed, hemi-sectioned and transected injury. METHODS: Sixty Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: intact group, crushed spinal cord injury group (cSCI), hem-sectioned SCI group (hSCI) and transitioned SCI group (tSCI). The models of SCI were established by the method in our laboratory. The animals in each group were sacrificed respectively at 24 hours, 7 and 24 days after operation. The L2 spinal cord which located in the caudal of injury site was taken respectively from each animal in each group and sectioned into frozen sections (20 μm). The sections were stained by hematoxylin and observed under light microscope. The number of neurons in dorsal and ventral horn was also counted. RESULTS: In cSCI group, some neurons appear to atrophy compared with that of intact group, but the number of neurons did not decrease apparently than that of intact group (P＞0.05). Comparatively, some cavities were observed in dorsal and ventral horn in hemi-sectioned and transitioned SCI group. And the number of neurons in dorsal horn and ventral horn decreased greatly at 24 hours, 7 and 21 days compared with intact group (P＜0.05). The results indicated that the decrease of neuronal number in dorsal horn and ventral horn after injury resulted from hSCI and tSCI, but not from cSCI. As a result, some different strategies should be considered for different injuries. For example, some neurotrophic factors may be useful in cSCI, but, many neurons have disappeared following hSCI and tSCI, therefore, other strategies that increase the number of neurons should be considered too. CONCLUSION: Our results provide the important morphological evidences on the change of spinal cord following cSCI, hSCI and tSCI. The data will be useful in treatment of SCI in the future.

To explore the characteristic features of morpho logical changes of neurons in the spinal dorsal horn result from different types of spinal cord in jury, the adult Srague-Daweley fat models of crushed, hemi-sected and transected spinal cord injury established in our laboratory were used, and the intact spin al cords were as control． 　　These rats were sacrificed after 24 hours, 7 days and 2l days of operation, and the L3, segments were removed out and sectioned continuously into sections of 20 μm in thickness． The sections were stained by hematoxylin and observed under ． 　　 microscope． In addition, neurons in the dorsal horn were counted． 　　 Results: In the crushed spinal horns, bodies of neurons were atrophy, but neuron counting did not decrease markedly; in the hemi-sected and transected dorsal horn, a batch of empty cavities were presented, and neuron counting decreased greatly． The results indicated that different injuries of spinal cord resulted in different damage to neurons in the dorsal horn, i． e． the crushed one, the bad, the hemi-sected one, the worse; and the transected one, the worst．