OBJECTIVEThe aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of postoperative adjuvant therapy on the survival in patients with N1 lymph node metastasis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

METHODS110 patients with positive N1 lymph node metastasis of esophageal squamous carcinoma were included in this study. The surgery group included 46 cases and the postoperative adjuvant therapy group included 64 cases (24 cases in the adjuvant chemotherapy subgroup and 40 cases in the adjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy). The disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) of the two groups were compared and the prognostic factors were analyzed by multivariate Cox model.

RESULTSIn the postoperative adjuvant therapy group, the DFS (16.8 months) and OS (21.3 months) were significantly prolonged compared with those in the surgery group (10.6 months, P=0.007) and (13.7 months, P=0.001), respectively. Postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy significantly extended the OS (31.1 months) of N1-positive patients compared with 13.7 months (P=0.002) in the surgery group. But there were no significant differences between the DFS in the two subgroups (16.3 and 16.8 months, P=0.346) and between the OS (23.4 and 21.3 months, P=0.491). Postoperative adjuvant therapy was an independent prognostic factor in the ESCC patients with N1 lymph node metastasis.

CONCLUSIONPostoperative adjuvant therapy can improve the prognosis and prolong the survival time in ESCC patients with positive N1 lymph node metastasis.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; mortality ; secondary ; therapy ; Chemoradiotherapy ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Disease-Free Survival ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; mortality ; pathology ; therapy ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Postoperative Care ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies

The sufficiency of hard and soft tissue at the implant site is the guarantee of long-term function, health and the appearance of implant denture. Problem of soft tissue recession at the implant site has always been bothering dentists. Traditional methods for augmentation of soft tissue such as gingival transplantation have disadvantages of instability of the increased soft-tissue and more trauma. Lately the methods that base on tissue engineering to increase the soft tissue of peri-implant sites have drawn great attention. This review focuses on the current methods of peri-implant restoration through tissue engineering, seed cells, biological scaffolds and cytokines.
Dental Implants ; Dental Research ; trends ; Gingiva ; Gingival Recession ; therapy ; Humans ; Tissue Engineering ; methods

OBJECTIVETo study the instantaneous expression aFGF-GFP fusion gene in Carthamus tinctorius.

METHODMolecular biology methods were applied to construct aFGF and GFP fusion gene vector, it is transformed into C. tinctorius by Agrobacterium tumefaciens, forming the resistant callus, fluorescence microscopy was used for detection.

RESULTaFGF gene and GFP gene were amplified by PCR reaction. It was successfully constructed plant fluorescence expression vector pCAMBIA1390: :35S: :aFGF-GFP, it was used to transform C. tinctorius, and the acquired resistance calli showed strong green fluorescence under UV light.

CONCLUSIONThe expression of GFP in resistance C. tinrictorius calli is good, it is indicated that aFGF gene in plant cells has also been expressed.

Carthamus tinctorius ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cloning, Molecular ; Fibroblast Growth Factors ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Expression ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the flavonoids in leaves of Alstonia scholaris, an ethno-remedy of Dai People in Yunnan.

METHODThe chemical constituents were isolated and purified by column chromatography. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic evidences and physicochemical properties.

RESULTEight flavonoids were isolated and identified as kaempferol (1), quercetin (2), isorhamnetin (3), kaempferol-3-0-beta-D-galactopyranoside (4), quercetin-3-0-beta-D-galactopyranoside (5), isorhamnetin-3-0-beta-D-galactopyranoside (6), kaempferol-3-0-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-( 2-1)-0-beta-D-galactopyranoside (7) ,quercetin-3-0-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-( 2-1)-0-beta-D-galactopyranoside (8).

CONCLUSIONFlavonoids 1-7 were isolated from A. scholaris for the first time.

Alstonia ; chemistry ; Flavonoids ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo study the influence of Ureaplasma urealyticum (Uu) infection on the sperm-egg binding associated molecule, sulfogalactosylglycerolipid (SGG).

METHODSEpididymal sperm was collected from adult mice. The sperm suspension was randomly divided into 4 groups: Uu group (coincubated with Uu suspension), medium group (coincubated with Uu medium), normal group and PRS group. The indirect immunofluorescence technique was used to localize SGG on the sperm membrane and to observe the influence of Uu on SGG.

RESULTSIn the epididymal sperm, SGG was localized to the head plasma membrane overlaying the acrosomal region. The SGG-positive rate of the sperm coincubated with Uu medium was 82.0%, while that of the sperm coincubated with Uu suspension was reduced to 39.0% (P = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONUu can adhere to the sperm surface. SGG might be a membrane receptor on the sperm surface for Uu infection of the mammalian male genital tract. The blockage of SGG by Uu might be one of the molecular mechanisms correlative to male infertility induced by Uu infection.

Animals ; Cell Membrane ; metabolism ; Galactolipids ; biosynthesis ; Infertility, Male ; etiology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Random Allocation ; Sperm-Ovum Interactions ; physiology ; Spermatozoa ; metabolism ; Ureaplasma Infections ; complications ; metabolism ; Ureaplasma urealyticum