Theoretical Study on the Coordination and Separation Capacity of Macrocyclic N-Donor Extractants for Am(III)/Eu(III).

Designing ligands that can effectively separate actinide An(III)/lanthanide Ln(III) in the solvent extraction process remains one of the key issues in the treatment of accumulated spent nuclear fuel. Nitrogen donor ligands are considered as promising extractants for the separation of An(III) and Ln(III) due to their environmental friendliness. Four new macrocyclic N-donor hexadentate extractants were designed and their coordination with Am(III) and Eu(III), as well as their extraction selectivity and separation performance for Am(III) and Eu(III), were investigated by scalar relativistic density functional theory. A variety of theoretical methods have been used to evaluate the properties of the four ligands and the coordination structures, bonding properties, and thermodynamic properties of the complexes formed by the four ligands with Am(III) and Eu(III). The results of various wavefunction analysis methods including NBO analysis, quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) analysis, and so on show that Am(III) has a stronger coordination ability with the ligands than Eu(III) due to the Am 5f orbitals more involved in bonding with the ligands than the Eu 4f orbitals, and the bonding environment of the N-donor in the ligand has a significant effect on its coordination ability of the metal ions. Thermodynamic analysis of the solvent extraction process shows that all of the four N-containing macrocyclic ligands have good extraction selectivity and separation performance for Am(III) and Eu(III). This study provides theoretical support for designing potential nitrogen-containing macrocyclic extractants with excellent separation performance.

Zein nanospheres assisting inorganic and organic drug combination to overcome stent implantation-induced thrombosis and infection.

The complication of stent implantation is the biggest obstacle to the success of its clinical application. In this study, we developed a combination way of 3D printing and the coating technique for preparation of functional polyurethane stents against stent implantation-induced thrombosis and postoperative infection. SEM, XPS, static water contact angle, and XRD demonstrated that the functional polyurethane stent had a 37 µm-thickness membrane composed of zein nanospheres (250-350 nm). Meanwhile, ZnO nanoparticles were encapsulated in zein nanospheres while heparin was adsorbed on the surface, causing 97.1 ± 6.4 % release of heparin in 120 min (first-order kinetic model) and 62.7 ± 5.6 % release of Zn2+ in 9 days (Korsmeyer-Peppas model). The mechanical analysis revealed that the functional polyurethane stents had about 8.61 MPa and 2.5 MPa tensile strength and bending strength, respectively. The in vitro biological analysis showed that the functional polyurethane stents had good EA.hy926 cells compatibility (97.9 ± 3.8 %), anti-coagulation response (comparable plasma protein, platelet adhesion and suppressed clotting) and sustained antibacterial activities by comparison with the bare polyurethane stent. The preliminary evaluation by rabbit ex vivo carotid artery intervention experiment demonstrated that the functional polyurethane stents could maintain blood circulation under the continuous stresses of blood flow. Meanwhile, the detailed data from the simulated implant infection experiment in vivo showed the functional polyurethane stents could effectively reduce microbial infection by 3-6 times lower and improve fibrosis and macrophage infiltration.

Oral Administration of the Antimicrobial Peptide Mastoparan X Alleviates Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli-Induced Intestinal Inflammation and Regulates the Gut Microbiota.

The gut microbiota plays an important role in intestinal immune system development and in driving inflammation. Antibiotic administration for therapeutic purposes causes an imbalance in the gut microbiota. Antimicrobial peptides can regulate the gut microbiota and maintain intestinal homeostasis. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects and regulation of the gut microbiota by the orally administered antimicrobial peptide mastoparan X (MPX). In this study, Escherichia coli was used to induce intestinal inflammation, and the results showed that MPX+ E. coli alleviated weight loss and intestinal pathological changes in necropsy specimens of E. coli-infected mice. MPX+ E. coli reduced the serum levels of the inflammation-related proteins interleukin-2, interleukin-6, tumour necrosis factor-α, myeloperoxidase, and lactate dehydrogenase on days 7 and 28. Furthermore, MPX+ E. coli increased the length of villi and reduced the infiltration of inflammatory cells into the jejunum and colon post infection. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy results showed that MPX could improve the morphology of jejunum villi and microvilli and increase tight junction protein levels. 16S rRNA sequencing analysis of caecal content samples showed that the species diversity and richness were lower in the E. coli-infected group. At the genus level, MPX+ E. coli significantly reduced the abundance of Bacteroidales and Alistipes and enhanced the relative abundance of Muribaculaceae. Alpha-diversity analyses (Shannon index) showed that MPX significantly increased the microbial diversity of mice. Overall, this study is the first to investigate the effects of oral administration of MPX on intestinal inflammation and the gut microbiota, providing a new perspective regarding the prevention of enteritis and maintenance of intestinal homeostasis.

Effects of acupoint application on TRPV1 expression and IFN-γ and IL-4 levels on skin and lung tissues of mice with bronchial asthma / 国际中医中药杂志

Objective:To observe the effects of acupoint application on TRPV1 expression on skin and lung tissue and levels of serum IFN-γ and IL-4 of mice with bronchial asthma, and to explore the mechanism of acupoint application in the treatment of asthma.Methods:75 BALB/C mice were divided into control group, model group, acupoint application group, sham application group and dexamethasone group, 15 in each group. The bronchial asthma model of mice was prepared by nasal drop method of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinuus (HDM). After the modeling, the acupoints such as "Feishu", "Xinshu" and "Geshu" of each side of the mice were taken for application. The acupoint application group was treated with white mustard seed, Corydalis yanhusuo, asarum and Gansui group, while the sham application group was treated with vaseline, once a day, 14 times in total. Emka-wbp pulmonary function detection system was used to detect airway resistance in mice. The expression of TRPV1 on lung tissues and skin tissues were detected by immunohistochemical method. The levels of IFN-γ and IL-4 were detected by ELASA method.Results:After the stimulation of methacholine chloride solution at the concentrations of 12.5, 25.0 and 50.0 mg/ml, compared with the model group, the Penh value (airway high resistance) of mice in the acupoint application group and dexamethasone group decreased ( P<0.05). HE staining and Sirius red staining of lung tissue showed that inflammatory infiltration and collagen fiber proliferation had been improved ( P<0.05). Compared with model group, the expression of TRPV1 (0.28±0.06, 0.28±0.05 vs. 0.31±0.08) in lung tissues of acupoint application group and dexamethasone group significantly decreased ( P<0.05). The levels of IFN-γ and IL-4 in BALF decreased ( P<0.05). Conclusion:The mechanism of skin reaction induced by acupoint application in treating asthma may be related to the changes of IFN-γ, IL-4 and other related factors caused by the activation of TRPV1 in lung tissues and skin tissues.

Effectiveness and safety of traditional Chinese herbs in children with cough variant asthma: a systematic review and Meta-analysi.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically investigate the clinical effectiveness and safety of traditional Chinese herbs (TCHs) as an alternative to conventional medicine (CM) in children with cough variant asthma(CVA). METHODS: Randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies that were published from their inceptions to March 31, 2020, were identified from the electronic databases of China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wangfang, PubMed, and Cochrane Central Library. The primary outcome of the review was the total effective rate (TER), and the secondary outcomes were immunoglobulin E (IgE), peak expiratory flow (PEF), adverse drug reactions, and relapse rates of interventions. RESULTS: For the Meta-analysis, 13 studies involving 992 children with CVA were included. In terms of TER and IgE, the experimental interventions of TCH, when compared with the control interventions of CM, on pediatric CVA were found to be significantly effective (P < 0.0001), whereas for spirometry, PEF was not significantly improved in the TCH group (P = 0.48). The incident rates of adverse drug reaction and relapse were found to be significantly lower in the TCH group than those in the CM group (P = 0.02 and P < 0.0001, respectively). CONCLUSION: Compared with CM therapy, the effects of TCH therapy on pediatric CVA were significantly beneficial in terms of TER and IgE, but not for PEF, and the methodological quality of included studies was poor. Therefore, the results should be interpreted with caution. More randomized controlled trials with rigorous experimental methodologies are required for objectivity in the future.

Clinical therapeutic effect on bronchial asthma by the observation of skin reaction after acupoint application based on chronic disease management platform of asthma / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To compare the therapeutic effect on bronchial asthma between presence of skin reaction and the absence of skin reaction after acupoint application.@*METHODS@#Sixty-one patients with bronchial asthma were treated with acupoint application during the hottest periods of summer ("dog days"). The acupoints included Dingchuan (EX-B 1), Feishu (BL 13), Xinshu (BL 15), Pishu (BL 20) and Shenshu (BL 23). The treatment was given once every 7 days, with the herbal plaster remained for 6 h each time, and 4 treatments were required totally. According to the local skin reaction after acupoint application, a skin reaction group (30 cases, 2 cases dropped off) and a non-skin reaction group (31 cases) were divided. Separately, before treatment and 1 year after treatment, using chronic disease management platform of asthma, the number of asthma attacks, the score of asthma control test (ACT) and the score of asthma quality of life questionnaire (AQLQ) were recorded online. Besides, the therapeutic effect was observed in the two groups 1 year after treatment.@*RESULTS@#One year after treatment, the number of asthma attacks was reduced as compared with that before treatment in the patients of either group (@*CONCLUSION@#In treatment of acupoint application for bronchial asthma, the clinical therapeutic effect is better in the patients with local skin reaction after acupoint application. The chronic disease management platform of asthma is convenient for online evaluation.

Effect of electroacupuncture on serum melatonin and dopamine in aged insomnia / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the clinical effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on aged insomnia, and explore its possible mechanism.@*METHODS@#A total of 60 patients with aged insomnia were randomly divided into an EA group (30 cases) and a sham EA group (30 cases, 1 case dropped off). The patients in the EA group were treated with acupuncture at Baihui (GV 20), Yintang (GV 29), Shenmen (HT 7), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Xinshu (BL 15) and Shenshu (BL 23), and EA was used at Baihui (GV 20) and Yintang (GV 29), with intermittent wave, 2 Hz in frequency. In the sham EA group, the acupoints and the EA connection acupoints were the same as those in the EA group, 2-3 mm in depth, but no current was connected. The intervention was given 30 min each time, once every other day, 3 times a week for 4 weeks in the both groups. Before and after treatment, the Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) scale were used to assess sleep quality and cognitive function, and serum melatonin (MT) and dopamine (DA) levels were detected.@*RESULTS@#After treatment, the total score and sub-item scores of PSQI in the EA group were lower than those before treatment (@*CONCLUSION@#Electroacupuncture can improve sleep quality and cognitive function in aged insomnia patients, and its mechanism may be related to regulating serum MT and DA levels.

Oxidative Dehydrogenation of Hydrazobenzenes toward Azo Compounds Catalyzed by tert-Butyl Nitrite in EtOH.

We describe a tert-butyl nitrite-catalyzed oxidative dehydrogenation of hydrazobenzenes for producing azobenzenes. This method proceeds at ambient temperature and under an atmospheric environment by employing eco-friendly EtOH as the medium, representing a mild, general route to the synthesis of various symmetrical and nonsymmetrical azobenzenes in excellent yields with broad functional group tolerance.

Facile Fabrication of Superhydrophobic Copper- Foam and Electrospinning Polystyrene Fiber for Combinational Oil⁻Water Separation.

Membrane-based metal substrates with special surface wettability have been applied widely for oil/water separation. In this work, a series of copper foams with superhydrophobicity and superoleophilicity were chemically etched using 10 mg mL-1 FeCl3/HCl solution with consequent ultrasonication, followed by the subsequent modification of four sulfhydryl compounds. A water contact angle of 158° and a sliding angle lower than 5° were achieved for the copper foam modified using 10 mM n-octadecanethiol solution in ethanol. In addition, the interaction mechanism was initially investigated, indicating the coordination between copper atoms with vacant orbital and sulfur atoms with lone pair electrons. In addition, the polymeric fibers were electrospun through the dissolution of polystyrene in a good solvent of chlorobenzene, and a nonsolvent of dimethyl sulfoxide. Oil absorption and collection over the water surface were carried out by the miniature boat made out of copper foam, a string bag of as-spun PS fibers with high oil absorption capacity, or the porous boat embedded with the as-spun fibers, respectively. The findings might provide a simple and practical combinational method for the solution of oil spill.

[Molecular mechanisms of meiotic recombination suppression in plants].

Meiotic recombination not only ensures the stability of chromosome numbers during the sexual reproduction in eukaryotes, but also shuffles the maternal and paternal genetic materials to generate genetic diversity in the gametes. Therefore, meiotic recombination is an important pathway for genetic diversity, which has been considered as a major driving force for species evolution and biodiversity in nature. In most eukaryotes, meiotic recombination is strictly limited, despite the large variation of physical genome size and chromosome numbers among species, but the mechanisms suppressing meiotic recombination remain elusive. Recently, several suppressors have been identified through the forward genetics screen, and revealed the functions and regulation pathways of these suppressors. In this review, we summarize the breakthrough discovery of meiotic recombination suppressors in plants based on research in Arabidopsis, with particular focus on the gene function and its regulation network to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of meiotic recombination suppression in plants.

Mechanism and protection of retina injured by blue light / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

@#Blue light is an important part of natural light.The wavelength is mainly between 400nm and 500nm, which is a kind of short-wavelength light and a part of the high-energy visible spectrum. The damage of blue light refers to the photochemical action caused by radiation of this wavelength, resulting in damage to the retina. In the visible light, blue light has the highest sensitivity to the retina and the strongest penetrating power, so the photochemical damage is the strongest. The primary harm is to damage retinal pigment epithelium(RPE)and retinal photoreceptor cells. The research on the protection against the damage of blue light has been gradually carried out. In this paper, the research progress of its protective mechanism is discussed based on the currently study.

The comparison of biocompatibility and osteoinductivity between multi-walled and single-walled carbon nanotube/PHBV composites.

The applications of poly (3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) in tissue engineering have been widely studied. This study aimed to compare the biocompatibility and osteoinductivity of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs)/PHBV composites with multi-walled CNTs (MWCNTs)/PHBV composites. CNTs were dispersed in PHBV by ultrasonication and composites were created using thermal injection moulding. In order to test their biocompatibility and osteoinductivity. Rat osteoblasts (rOBs) were then cultured and seeded on the composites. The composites were implanted in rat femoral bone defects. Our results showed that lower weight percentages of SWCNTs and MWCNTs (2-4%) improved both their mechanical and thermal decomposition properties. However, further reduction of rOBs cell death was observed in MWCNTs/PHBV. SWCNTs were shown to upregulate the expression of Runx-2 and Bmp-2 in early stage significantly, while MWCNTs showed a stronger long-term effect on Opn and Ocn. The in vivo result was that MWCNTs/PHBV composites induced intact rounding new bone, increased integration with new bone, and earlier completed bone remodeling when compared with SWCNTs. Immunohistochemistry also detected higher expression of RUNX-2 around MWCNTs/PHBV composites. In conclusion, there were no differences observed between SWCNTs and MWCNTs in the reinforcement of PHBV, while MWCNTs/PHBV composites showed better biocompatibility and osteoinductivity both in vitro and in vivo.

Subcritical water extraction of low methoxyl pectin from pomelo (Citrus grandis (L.) Osbeck) peels.

Low methoxyl (LM) pectin was extracted from pomelo peels using subcritical water in a dynamic mode. The effects of pressure and temperature were analyzed through a face-centred central composite design. Extraction yield and the rate of extraction were found to be predominantly influenced by temperature. Optimization of the subcritical water extraction (SWE) yielded an optimized operating condition of 120°C and 30bar with a predicted pectin yield of 18.8%. The corresponding experimental yield was 19.6%, which is in close agreement with the predicted data. The pectin obtained from the optimized condition was further analyzed for its physicochemical properties. The kinetics of the SWE was also evaluated whereby the one-site kinetic desorption model was found to be in good agreement with experimental data (R2>0.94).

Treatment of ankylosing spondylitis with Zhengqing Fengtongning release tablets: Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials / 中国中药杂志

The review aims to assess the effectiveness and safety of Zhengqing Fengtongning release tablets in treating ankylosing spondylitis (AS) systematically through searching relevant electronic databases and collecting relevant literature. Such Chinese databases as CNKI, VIP, Wanfang, and English databases as PubMed, EMbase and Cochrane Library, etc, were searched from the date of their establishment to September 2017. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the methodology quality of included studies was evaluated by two independent reviewer using Cochrance evaluation system, and Meta-analysis on the clinical efficacy and safety of Zhengqing Fengtongning release tablets for AS was conducted with RevMan 5.3 software. Seven randomized control trials (RCTs) including 570 patients of AS were included, with 294 patients in Zhengqing Fengtongning treatment group and 276 patients in the western medicine control group. Meta-analysis showed that: Zhengqing Fengtongning alone treatment was superior to sulfasalazine groups in the effect on improving the total effective rate. Besides, as compared to sulfasalazine control group, the time of morning stiffness and the finger-to-floor distance were significantly shortened in Zhengqing Fengtongning treatment group. However, the cciput-to-wall distance， the chest expansion, Schober's test, disease activity score (DAS) in patients, disease activity score (DAS) in doctors, ESR, CRP showed no statistically significant differences. As compared with western medicine control group, Zhengqing Fengtongning combined with western medicine had a higher total effective, significantly shorten the time of morning stiffness, and increase Schober's test values; However, the cciput-to-wall distance, the finger-to-floor distance, the chest expansion, DAS in patients, DAS in doctors, ESR and CRP showed no statistically significant differences. Zhengqing Fengtongning had less adverse reactions in clinical application, and the main adverse reaction was skin rash or itching when used alone. The study showed: Zhengqing Fengtongning is effective for AS with high safety, but high quality clinical trials are still needed to further prove its clinical efficacy and safety.

Purine Nucleotide Availability Regulates mTORC1 Activity through the Rheb GTPase.

Pharmacologic agents that interfere with nucleotide metabolism constitute an important class of anticancer agents. Recent studies have demonstrated that mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) inhibitors suppress de novo biosynthesis of pyrimidine and purine nucleotides. Here, we demonstrate that mTORC1 itself is suppressed by drugs that reduce intracellular purine nucleotide pools. Cellular treatment with AG2037, an inhibitor of the purine biosynthetic enzyme GARFT, profoundly inhibits mTORC1 activity via a reduction in the level of GTP-bound Rheb, an obligate upstream activator of mTORC1, because of a reduction in intracellular guanine nucleotides. AG2037 treatment provokes both mTORC1 inhibition and robust tumor growth suppression in mice bearing non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) xenografts. These results indicate that alterations in purine nucleotide availability affect mTORC1 activity and suggest that inhibition of mTORC1 contributes to the therapeutic effects of purine biosynthesis inhibitors.

Reducing the door-to-needle time for patients with acute ischemic stroke based on the quality improvement program of PDCA cycle / 国际脑血管病杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the role of reducing the door-to-needle time for patients with acute ischemic stroke based on the quality improvement program of PDCA cycle.MethodsConsecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke admitted to hospital were registered prospectively from January 1, 2016 to September 30, 2016.Questionnaires and time tracking method were used to investigate the door-to-needle (DNT) and its influencing factors.PDCA cycle method was used to improve the stroke channel workflow and the changing trend of DNT was analyzed.ResultsA total of 71 patients with acute ischemic stroke were enrolled.After 3 PDCA cycles, DNT (median, interquartile range) from 100.0 min (65.5-127.0 min) reduced to58.0 min (45.5-80.0 min) (Z=11.689, P<0.001), the proportion of the patients with DNT ≤60 min increased from 19.05% to 60.00% (χ2=7.893, P=0.019).Conclusions The quality improvement program of PDCA cycle may effectively reduce the time of DNT in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Sequential ultrasound-microwave assisted acid extraction (UMAE) of pectin from pomelo peels.

This study aims to optimize sequential ultrasound-microwave assisted extraction (UMAE) on pomelo peel using citric acid. The effects of pH, sonication time, microwave power and irradiation time on the yield and the degree of esterification (DE) of pectin were investigated. Under optimized conditions of pH 1.80, 27.52min sonication followed by 6.40min microwave irradiation at 643.44W, the yield and the DE value of pectin obtained was respectively at 38.00% and 56.88%. Based upon optimized UMAE condition, the pectin from microwave-ultrasound assisted extraction (MUAE), ultrasound assisted extraction (UAE) and microwave assisted extraction (MAE) were studied. The yield of pectin adopting the UMAE was higher than all other techniques in the order of UMAE>MUAE>MAE>UAE. The pectin's galacturonic acid content obtained from combined extraction technique is higher than that obtained from sole extraction technique and the pectin gel produced from various techniques exhibited a pseudoplastic behaviour. The morphological structures of pectin extracted from MUAE and MAE closely resemble each other. The extracted pectin from UMAE with smaller and more regular surface differs greatly from that of UAE. This has substantiated the highest pectin yield of 36.33% from UMAE and further signified their compatibility and potentiality in pectin extraction.

Observation on the Efficacy of Acupuncture at Xinming Points plus Strong Reinforcing Manipulation in Treating Optic Atrophy / 上海针灸杂志

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture at Xinming points (Extra) plus strong rein-forcing mani- pulation in treating optic atrophy.Methods Forty (56 eyes) optic atrophy patients were randomly allocated to a treatment group of 20 cases (29 eyes) and a control group of 20 cases (27 eyes). The control group received conventional medications, and the treatment group received acupuncture at Xinming points (Extra) plus strong reinforcing manipulation in addition. The visual acuity, the mean visual sensitivity (MS) of visual field and the P100 wave latency of P-VEP were recorded in the two groups before and after the treatment. The clinical therapeutic effects were compared between the two groups.Results The visual acuity, the MS of visual field and the P100 wave latency of P-VEP were significantly changed after treatment in both two groups (P<0.05). After the treatment, there were statistically significant differences in the visual acuity, the MS of visual field and the P100 wave latency of P-VEP between the two groups (P<0.05). The total efficacy rate was 75.0% in the treatment group versus 35.0% in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05).Conclusions Acupuncture at Xinming points (Extra) plus strong reinforcing manipulation is an effective method for optic atrophy.

Transvaginal color Doppler ultrasonography in investigating the influence of different treatments for tubal pregnancy on ovarian reserve function / 中华超声影像学杂志

Objective To investigate the influence of different treatments for tubal pregnancy on ovarian reserve function by transvaginal color Doppler ultrasonography.Methods One hundred and twentyfour cases of tubal pregnancy were divided into three groups according to the treatment,group A with 45 cases under the salpingectomy,group B with 36 cases under the laparoscopic conservative surgery for retaining oviduct,group C with 43 cases taken by Methotrexate.On the day of a spontaneous cycle,all the cases' antral follicles,the ovarian volume,peak systolic velocity (PSV),resistance index (RI),pulsatility index(PI) were measured by transvaginal color Doppler ultrasound.Results The antral follicles,varian volume and PSV of diseased side in group A were lower than those of the other side(P ＜0.05).The antral follicles,varian volume and PSV of diseased side in group A were lower than those of other groups (P ＜0.001).The PI and RI of diseased side in group A were higher than those of the unaffected side.The PI and RI of two sides in group B and C were not significantly different(P ＞0.05).Conclusions Salpingectomy affects the ovarian reserve function.Methotrexate and conservative surgery could not reduce the ovarion reserve.

Expression of Periostin and VEGF in the tissue of esophageal carcinoma and their signifi-cance / 临床与实验病理学杂志

Purpose To investigate the expression of Periostin and VEGF protein in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma tissue and their significance. Methods Immunohistochemical staining (SP method) was used to detect Periostin and VEGF expression in 130 cases of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and 130 cases of normal esophageal mucosa tissues. Results There was a significantly difference between esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and normal esophageal mucoma ( P<0. 05 ) . The expression of Periostin was related to the depth of invasion and the metastasis of lymph node (P<0. 05). A dramatic correlation has been found in the expression of VEGF to the degrees of differentiation, the depth of invasion and the metastasis of lymph node (P<0. 05). The expression of Peri-ostin was also positively correlated with the expression of VEGF (P<0. 05). Follow-up data was available in 66 cases with a range of 1 to 48 months. Kaplan-Meier survival curve showed survival rate of Periostin-positive group was significantly lower than that of Perios-tin-negative group (P<0. 05). The survival rate of VEGF-positive group was significantly lower than that of VEGF-negative group (P<0. 05). Conclusion The expression of Periostin has a close relationship with VEGF in the carcinogenesis, combined detection of both Periostin and VEGF can become an objective target to evaluate Potentials of invasion and lymph node metastasis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, which has a great significance to the judgment of prognosis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.