Discussion on "sugar needle - comfortable acupuncture and moxibustion" / 中国针灸

The cases of feeling comfort during acupuncture and moxibustion treatment in literature were summarized and its biological basis was explored. A simple classification of comfort was made, and the importance of obtaining comfort in acupuncture treatment was pointed out. Considering the pursuit of less pain and harmlessness in modern clinical treatment, sugar needle should be advocated and popularized in current clinical practice of acupuncture and moxibustion.

Prognosis and intervention strategy for postoperative recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma / 中国实用外科杂志

Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) is one of the most common malignancies in the world. Liver resection and transplantation are currently the most important treatments,but the high recurrence rate of postoperative tumors significantly reduces long-term survival. Microvascular invasion(MVI) predicts the risk of postoperative tumor recurrence and is an independent risk factor for recurrence after resection. Furthermore,focusing on how the postoperative management can be improved on histopathologically confirmed patients with HCC with MVI,and the potential roles of using predictive tests to estimate the risk of presence of MVI,help in preoperative therapeutic decision-making in patients with HCC.

Evidence for altered hippocampal volume and brain metabolites in workers occupationally exposed to lead: a study by magnetic resonance imaging and (1)H magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Environmental and occupational exposure to lead (Pb) remains to be a major public health issue. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to use non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H MRS) techniques to investigate whether chronic exposure to Pb in an occupational setting altered brain structure and function of Pb-exposed workers. The Pb-exposed group consisted of 15 workers recruited from either a Pb-smelting factory or a Pb-battery manufacturer. The control group had 19 healthy volunteers who had no history of Pb exposure in working environment or at home. The average airborne Pb concentrations in fume and dust were 0.43 and 0.44 mg/m(3), respectively, in the smeltery, and 0.10 and 1.06 mg/m(3), respectively, in the Pb battery workshop. The average blood Pb concentrations (BPb) in Pb-exposed and control workers were 63.5 and 8.7 microg/dL, respectively. The MRI examination showed that brain hippocampal volume among Pb-exposed workers was significantly diminished in comparison to age-matched control subjects (p < 0.01), although the extent of this reduction was relatively small (5-6% of the control values). Linear regression analyses revealed significant inverse associations between BPb and the decreased hippocampal volume on both sides of brain hemisphere. Among five brain metabolites investigated by MRS, i.e., N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA), creatine (Cr), choline (Cho), inosine (mI), glutamate/glutamine (Glx) and lipids (Lip), a significant decrease in NAA/Cr ratio (7% of controls, p < 0.05) and a remarkable increase in Lip/Cr ratio (40%, p < 0.01) were observed in the brains of Pb-exposed workers as compared to controls. Furthermore, the increased Lip/Cr ratio was significantly associated with BPb (r = 0.46, p < 0.01). Taken together, this study suggests that occupational exposure to Pb may cause subtle structural and functional alteration in human brains. The MRI and MRS brain imaging techniques can be used as the non-invasive means to evaluate Pb-induced neurotoxicity.

Effect of decellular treatment on the framework of extracellular matrix in bovine jugular vein conduit / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the effect of decellular treatment on the framework constituents of extracellular matrix and tissue stability in bovine jugular vein conduit (BJVC), and to provide an evidence for tissue engineering of vascular prosthesis.@*METHODS@#Bovine jugular veins were obtained fresh from a local slaughterhouse and were stored in chilled PBS. In the laboratory, any fat and loose connective tissue on the outer surface of the vessel was trimmed. BJVCs were decellularized by a 3-step extraction method as detergent Triton X-100 (0.5%), Trypsin (0.025%) EDTA (0.02%), and DNase I(30kU/L) RNaseA(0.3g/L). Histological and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques were used to study the framework constituents of extracellular matrix of treated the examples, and fresh tissues were used as controls. Tissue contents of hydroxyproline(alkaline hydrolysis method) and elastin (Fastin Elastin Assay) were assayed respectively in the fresh and decellularized groups (n=10). The vascular wall heat shrinking temperature and mechanical strength were measured to evaluate the tissue stability (n=10).@*RESULTS@#Histochemical and TEM analysis of BJVCs treated with decellularization proved a complete removal of nuclear and other cell components. Tissue collagen was well kept,but elastin was partly lessened. Tissue content of hydroxyproline increased comparatively [(25.73+/-2.97)mg/g vs. (29.25+/-2.99)mg/g, P<0.05] and the elastin content obviously decreased [(159.71+/-21.06)mg/g vs. (134.91+/-35.40)mg/g, P<0.05] in the decellular treatment group compared with the control group. The heat shrinking temperature and tensile stress of decelluarized tissue were lower than those of the fresh tissue[(72.50+/-0.53) degrees C vs. (69.75+/-0.54)degrees C ,P<0.05], [(5.19+/-0.65)MPa vs. (3.13+/-0.94)MPa, P<0.05].@*CONCLUSION@#The basic framework of extracellular matrix in the decellularized BJVC is partly damaged and tissue stability is reduced. Decellularized BJVC should be further crosslinked before being used as a tissue engineering scaffold for clinical pulmonary artery graft.

Postoperative intraperitioneal hyperthermic chemoperfusion combined with intravenous chemotherapy for 82 advanced gastric cancer patients / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the efficacy of postoperative intraperitoneal hyperthermic chemoperfusion (IHCP) combined with intravenous chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Eighty-two patients with stage II - IV gastric cancer were postoperatively randomized into two groups; 46 patients in treatment group who received IHCP combined with intravenous chemotherapy for three times and 36 patients in control group who received intravenous chemotherapy only for six times. All patients in the two groups received the same chemo-regimen LFAP (CF + 5-Fu + THP or MIT + PDD) 21 - 28 days after operation.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The 1-year survival rate was 98% (45/46) in the treatment group and 94% (34/36) in the control group without any significant difference (P > 0.05). The 3-year survival rate was 83% (38/46) in the treatment group and 61% (22/36) in the control group with significant difference (P < 0.05). Gastrointestinal reaction in the treatment group was significantly decreased compared with in the control group (37% vs 80%, P < 0.01), whereas no statistically significant difference was noted in bone marrow suppression (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Intraperitoneal hyperthermic chemoperfusion combined with intravenous chemotherapy can prolong survival and reduce gastrointestinal side-effect which provides an effective treatment option for advanced gastric cancer.</p>

Isolation and Characterization of a Moderately Halophilic Bacterium High-producing Esterase / 微生物学通报

A moderately halophilic bacterium strain DF-B6 capable of degrading Tween 20 was isolated from solar saltern brine by plate method.Based on the phenotype,physiological and biochemical character-istics,and the phylogenetic analysis of 16S rDNA sequence,strain DF-B6 was identified as Idiomarina.The substrate specificity test showed that the lipolytic enzyme from strain DF-B6 was an esterase,and not a li-pase.The maximum esterase activity was observed in 8% NaCl concentration at 50?C,pH 8.0.The effect of various divalent cations was studied on the activity of esterase from Idiomarina sp.DF-B6 at the concentra-tion of 10 mmol/L,Mg2+,Ca2+ and Mn2+enhanced the esterase activity,while Zn2+,Fe3+ and Cu2+ inhibited its activity.