Clinical Efficacy of Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization Combined With Percutaneous Microwave Coagulation Therapy for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Background: The aim of the study was to explore the clinical efficacy of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with percutaneous microwave coagulation therapy (PMCT) for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: Eighty-three advanced HCC patients were divided into the experimental group (TACE + PMCT, 57 cases) and the control group (TACE alone, 26 cases). They received TACE treatment first, and computed tomography (CT) or hepatic artery angiography was performed 3 - 4 weeks after each treatment.

A Multicenter Randomized Trial Assessing ZENFlow Carrier-Free Drug-Coated Balloon for the Treatment of Femoropopliteal Artery Lesions.

Backgrounds And Objectives: Drug-coated balloons (DCBs) have shown promising benefits in improving the outcomes for patients with peripheral artery disease. Several randomized clinical trials have reported that paclitaxel-coated balloon significantly reduce the rates of restenosis and the need for reintervention in comparison with regular balloon angioplasty. Due to the differences in excipients, paclitaxel dose, and coating techniques, variable clinical outcomes have been observed with different DCBs.

Augmented expression of gamma-glutamyl transferase 5 (GGT5) impairs testicular steroidogenesis by deregulating local oxidative stress.

An increasingly pro-oxidant environment has been widely implicated in causing dysfunction of testicular steroidogenesis, but little progress has been made in understanding the underlying molecular mechanism. Here, we report that gamma-glutamyl transferase 5 (GGT5), a key metabolism component responsible for the catalysis of important anti-oxidant glutathione (GSH), is predominantly expressed in mammalian Leydig cells (LCs). Deregulated GGT5 expression negatively correlates with testosterone deficiency in the testes of type 2 diabetic mice.

N-myc downstream-regulated gene 4, up-regulated by tumor necrosis factor-α and nuclear factor kappa B, aggravates cardiac ischemia/reperfusion injury by inhibiting reperfusion injury salvage kinase pathway.

N-myc downstream-regulated gene 4 (NDRG4) is expressed weakly in heart and has been reported to modulate cardiac development and QT interval duration, but the role of NDRG4 in myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury remains unknown. In the present study, we analyzed the expression as well as potential function of cardiac NDRG4 and investigated how NDRG4 expression is regulated by inflammation. We found that NDRG4 was weakly expressed in cardiomyocytes and that its expression increased significantly both in I/R injured heart and in hypoxia-reoxygenation (H/R) injured neonatal rat ventricular myocytes (NRVMs).

Percutaneous transhepatic embolization of gastroesophageal varices combined with partial splenic embolization for the treatment of variceal bleeding and hypersplenism.

This study aims to evaluate the therapeutic results of percutaneous transhepatic embolization of gastroesophageal varices combined with partial splenic embolization in patients with liver cirrhosis, and to explore the role of this minimally invasive treatment as an alternative to surgery. 25 patients with liver cirrhosis were received percutaneous transhepatic embolization of gastroesophageal varices combined with partial splenic embolization. Another 25 patients with liver cirrhosis underwent Hassab's operation.

Abnormal Accumulation of Collagen Type I Due to the Loss of Discoidin Domain Receptor 2 (Ddr2) Promotes Testicular Interstitial Dysfunction.

Background: Loss of functional allele for discoidin domain receptor 2 (Ddr2) results in impaired Leydig cell response to luteinizing hormone (LH), low testosterone production and arrested spermatogenesis in older male Ddr2slie/slie mice. However, the underlying mechanism responsible for this phenotype remains unknown. Herein, we reported for the first time that the deregulated expression of Ddr2 cognate ligand, namely collagen type I (COL1), may account for the disruption of the testicular steroidogenesis in Ddr2slie/slie mutant testes.

Changes in hepatic blood flow during transcatheter arterial infusion with heated saline in hepatic VX2 tumor.

Purpose: This study evaluates the influence of transcatheter arterial infusion with heated saline on hepatic arterial and portal venous blood flows to tumor and normal hepatic tissues in a rabbit VX2 tumor model.

Methods: All animal experiments were approved by the institutional animal care and use committee. Twenty rabbits with VX2 liver tumors were divided into the following two groups: (a) the treated group (n = 10), which received a 60 mL transarterial injection of 60 °C saline via the hepatic artery; (b) the control group (n = 10), which received a 60 mL injection of 37 °C saline via the hepatic artery.

Transient protection from heat-stress induced apoptotic stimulation by metastasis-associated protein 1 in pachytene spermatocytes.

Background: Deregulated thermal factors have been frequently implicated in the pathogenesis of male infertility, but the molecular basis through which certain responses are directed remain largely unknown. We previously reported that overexpression of exogenous Metastasis-associated protein 1 (MTA1) protects spermatogenic tumor cells GC-2spd (ts) against heat-induced apoptosis. To further dissect the underlying mechanism, we addressed here the fine coordination between MTA1 and p53 in pachytene spermatocytes upon hyperthermal stimulation.

Histone deacetylase inhibitor trichostatin A induced caspase-independent apoptosis in human gastric cancer cell.

Background: Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACIs) have been reported to induce apoptosis in cancer cells. The effects of trichostatin A (TSA) on gastric cancer cells have not been well characterized. This study was aimed to explore the effects and mechanisms of TSA on human gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells.

Determination of trace selenium by solid substrate-room temperature phosphorescence enhancing method based on potassium chlorate oxidizing phenyl hydrazine-1,2-dihydroxynaphthalene-3,6-disulfonic acid system.

A new method for the determination of trace selenium based on solid substrate-room temperature phosphorimetry (SS-RTP) has been established. This method was based on the fact that in HCl-KCl buffer solution, potassium chlorate could oxidize phenyl hydrazine to form chloridize diazo-ion after being heated at 100 degrees C for 20 min, and then the diazo-ion reacted with 1,2-dihydroxynaphthalene-3,6-disulfonic acid to form red azo-compound which could emit strong room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) signal on filter paper. Selenium could catalyze potassium chlorate oxidizing the reaction between phenyl hydrazine and 1,2-dihydroxynaphthalene-3,6-disulfonic acid, which caused the sharp enhancement of SS-RTP.

The proteasome inhibitor PS-341 markedly enhances sensitivity of multiple myeloma tumor cells to chemotherapeutic agents.

Increased nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) activity is associated with increased tumor cell survival in multiple myeloma. The function of NF-kappaB is inhibited through binding to its inhibitor, IkappaB. Release of activated NF-kappaB follows proteasome-mediated degradation of IkappaB resulting from phosphorylation of the inhibitor and, finally, conjugation with ubiquitin.