Chemical Composition Analysis of Antibacterial and Anti-inflammatory Functions of Volatile Oils from Pelargonium graveolens L'Herit / 中国生物化学与分子生物学报

The components of volatile oils are generally complex, and they often have the functions of divergent dissolving surface, insecticidal and antibacterial. However, there are few reports on bacteriostasis, anti-inflammation and antioxidation roles of volatile oils of Pelargonium graveolens L'Herit. The volatile oil of Pelargonium graveolens L’Herit. was extracted by steam distillation, and GC-MS and peak area normalization analysis showed that it mainly contained 30 compounds, and the identified components accounted for 90.26% of the total peak area. The volatile oil of Pelargonium graveolens L'Herit. has a certain inhibitory effect on Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus, especially on Candida albicans. The diameter of the bacteriostatic zone is 15.55±1.53 mm by using the oxford cup method. Dexamethasone and low, middle and high doses of volatile oils of Pelargonium graveolens L'Herit. were given after the RAW264. 7 cell inflammatory model and was induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS = 10.0 μg/mL). ELISA assays showed that it could effectively reduce the expression of IL-1β and TNF-α in inflammatory cells, and the effect of high doses was similar to that of IL-1β and TNF-α in the dexamethasone group. GC-MS was successfully used to determine and identify the chemical constituents of volatile oils from Pelargonium graveolens L'Herit. in this study. We show that the volatile oil of Pelargonium graveolens L'Herit. had certain bacteriostatic activity and effectively reduces the secretion of IL-1β and TNF-α by inflammatory cells. It provides an experimental basis for the development and utilization of volatile oils from Pelargonium graveolens L'Herit.

Study on micrometastases in pelvic lymph nodes detected by real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction with clinically localized prostate cancer before radical prostatectomy / 中华外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To clarify the significance of micrometastases in pelvic lymph nodes in patients with neoadjuvant hormonal therapy (NHT) before radical prostatectomy (RP).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty-one patients with clinically localized prostate cancer who received NHT between August 2007 and March 2010 were observed. The patients were clarified into four groups: pathological examination was positive (group A), real-time PCR examination targeting prostate specific antigen (PSA) mRNA and prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) mRNA were positive (group B), pathological examination and real-time PCR examination targeting PSA mRNA and PSMA mRNA were both negative (group C), and the control group (group D). After a standard bipedal lymphangiography the films were reviewed carefully by an experienced radiologist. If positive lymph nodes were seen or suspected, a thin-walled 22 gauge needle were directed transabdominally under fluoroscopic control into the area of question and an aspirate was obtained. The expression of PSA and PSMA in aspirate were assessed by a fully quantitative real-time PCR. The specimens were regarded in which either PSA mRNA or PSMA mRNA were positive as showing the "presence of micrometastasis". Lymph node specimens were also stained immunohistochemically with an antibody PSA after RP.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Pathological examination detected lymph node metastases from 3 cases, and real-time PCR further identified lymph node micrometastases from 14 cases with no pathological evidence of nodal involvement. The expression level of PSA mRNA and PSMA mRNA were statistically significant in patients with histological confirmed lymph node metastases and micrometastases detected by real-time PCR despite the lack of histological evidence, and the expression level of PSA mRNA and PSMA mRNA in aspirate were higher than the lymph node between the group A and group B.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Although residual foci of atrophic prostate cancer cells in resected lymph nodes after NHT can be difficult to diagnose by pathological examination, the present results show the usefulness of quantitative real-time PCR targeting PSA and PSMA mRNA for detected micrometastatic tumour foci in pelvic lymph nodes from fine needle aspiration biopsy of lymph nodes before RP.</p>

Clinical outcomes of sexuality preserving cystectomy and Roux-y sigmoid neobladder / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the penile erectile function, urinary continence and voiding, and cancer recurrence in 18 bladder cancer patients after sexuality preserving cystectomy and Roux-y sigmoid neobladder reconstruction.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Eighteen male patients with bladder cancer underwent sexuality preserving cystectomy and Roux-y sigmoid neobladder reconstruction, and were followed up for cancer recurrence and such clinical outcomes as erectile function and urinary continence and voiding.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The patients were followed up for an average of 41 months, of whom, all achieved day- and night-time urinary continence, but 2 with positive lymph nodes died of extensive metastasis at 10 and 15 months, respectively, after surgery. Among the total number, potency was maintained in 11 patients (61.1%), impaired in 2 and lost in 5, and the post-operative IIEF-5 score was (10.83 +/- 8.25) as compared with (13.72 +/- 6.39) before the operation, with a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Erectile function and urinary continence are fairly good in bladder cancer patients after sexuality preserving cystectomy and Roux-y sigmoid neobladder reconstruction, and the oncological results are fairly acceptable, but still need to be confirmed by longer follow-ups and larger trials.</p>

Application of low tension Roux-y sigmoid neobladder in urine diversion / 中华外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the therapeutic effects of low tension, anti-reflux Roux-y sigmoid neobladder.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 21 patients (7 male and 14 female) were included, aged 43-87 years. All cases received radical cystectomy and low tension Roux-y sigmoid neobladder procedure for invasive bladder cancer were included in this study. The period of follow-up was from 8 to 79 months (the average was 36 months). Evaluations included urinary flow rate, post voiding residual and filling cystometry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The mean maximum urinary flow rate, the voiding time and the post voiding residual were 28.1 ml/s (21.4-38.4 ml/s), 17 s(9-28 s) and 0 ml respectively. The cystometric capacity was 480 m1 (350-560 ml). The volume of desire to void was 330 ml (120-410 ml). The bladder pressure was from 14.2 to 18.6 cm H2O (the average bladder pressure was 16.4 cm H2O) at high filling volumes. The maximum voiding pressure was 45.0 cm H2O (23.6-63.4 cm H2O).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The Roux-y sigmoid neobladder has an adequate capacity at low pressure with a satisfactory continence, and it is an effective method for continent urinary diversion.</p>

Synergistic induction of apoptosis by the combination of TRAIL and low dose adriamycin in human osteosarcoma cell line U2OS / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate whether TRAIL can synergize with adriamycin (ADM) to kill osteosarcoma cells (U2OS) in vitro, and its possible molecular mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>MTT was used to evaluate the cytotoxic effect of TRAIL and ADM either used alone or in combination at 24 hours after treatment to U20S cells. Cell apoptosis and its proportion were detected by flow cytometry assay. Acridine orange fluorescence microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were used to examine cellular and ultrastructural changes of apoptosis. The changes of cFLIP in mRNA and protein level were semi-quantified by RT-PCR and Western blot analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) U2OS cells were not sensitive to TRAIL (IC(50) > 1 mg/L); the cells were relatively more responsive to ADM in an apparent dose-effect fashion. (2) The combination of TRAIL and ADM presented a synergistic effect on U2OS cells. Subtoxic concentration of TRAIL (0.1 mg/L) combined with subtoxic concentration of ADM (1.0 micromol/l) killed (49.54 +/- 2.79)% of U2OS cells. (3) The cytotoxicity was mainly attributed to cell apoptosis as demonstrated by flow cytometry assay, fluorescence microscopy and electron microscopy.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Subtoxic dose of TRAIL can effectively kill osteosarcoma cells (U2OS) in combination with subtoxic dose of ADM, but not effective when used alone. Apoptosis is the main mechanism of this killing effect induced by combination of TRAIL and ADM. Down regulation of cFLIP at mRNA and protein level is involved in this apoptosis pathway.</p>