The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of piperazinyl estrone, a new estrogen derivative, on bone turnover, bone mass and uterine weight in female aged rats. Thirty-two Sprague-Dawley female rats at the age of 22 months were treated with vehicle or with piperazinyl estrone (P-E) at 0.5, 1 and 2 mg/kg/day, subcutaneous injection for 1 month. At the time of death, the uterine weight was measured and bone histomorphometric analysis of proximal tibial metaphyses (PTM) was performed in undecalcified sections. Compared with control, bone mass was increased in P-E groups. Dynamic data showed that bone resorption were decreased, but bone formation was not declined and bone mass was increased significantly in P-E (1 mg/kg day) group. There was no significant change in uterine weight. The findings of this study show that piperazinyl estrone at dosage of 1 mg/kg/d is most efficacious in preventing the bone losses in aged rats and has no side effect on uterus.
Aging ; Animals ; Estrone ; adverse effects ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Female ; Osteogenesis ; drug effects ; Osteoporosis ; prevention & control ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Uterus ; drug effects

Cardiovascular Diseases ; epidemiology ; etiology ; China ; epidemiology ; Diabetes Complications ; complications ; epidemiology ; Diabetic Foot ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Diabetic Neuropathies ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Diabetic Retinopathy ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Humans

BACKGROUNDTo explore a rapid and accurate method for examining cancer cell from the sputum in patients with lung cancer.

METHODSOne hundred and twenty patients with lung cancer diagnosed by operation and pathologically confirmed were enrolled in this study. Sputum sediment section and sputum smear examinations were performed and compared for diagnosis of lung cancer.

RESULTS(1) The positive rate of lung cancer cell was 71.67% (86/120) by sputum sediment section examination, however, only 31.67% (38/120) by sputum smear examination ( P < 0.001). The diagnostic rate of combination of two methods for lung cancer was 90.83% (109/120), which was significantly higher than that of single sputum sediment section examination ( P < 0.001). (2) With routine HE staining, 55 patients (55/86,63.95%) could be histologically identified by sputum sediment section examination, but only 6 patients (6/38,15.79%) by sputum smear examination ( P < 0.001). (3) In 31 patients unidentified with routine HE staining, 29 were further histologically confirmed by sputum sediment section examination with immunohistochemistry.

CONCLUSIONSCompared to sputum smear examination, sputum sediment section examination can make use of more sputum materials, show a higher sensitivity for cancer cell, and accurately identify the histological classification of tumor. It is supposed to be a good examination for lung cancer and deserved to be extended in clinical application.

This study was purposed to investigate the efficacy and safety of intravenous injecting itraconazole (ITCZ) as empirical antifungal therapy in the patients with hematological malignancies. According to recommendation in IDSA guidebook, the patients suffered from fever during neutropenia and inefficacy of treatment using broad-spectrum antibiotics for 4 days should receive intravenous injection of ITCZ as empirical antifungal therapy. The results showed that the overall clinical response rate to ITCZ injection was 62.9% (22/35), and the success rate of achieving composite endpoints was 54.3% (19/35). Mild adverse reactions were observed in 6 patients (17.1%). The injection of ITCZ was stopped in 2 patents (5.7%) due to adverse reaction. Further analysis revealed that the response rate was higher in patients with fever prior to the start of ITCZ within five days than beyond five days (P = 0.031). The response rate was higher in patients with possible invasive fungus infection (IFI) than that in patients with probable and confirmed IFI (P = 0.002). The prophylactic antifungal treatment during neutropenia displayed no significant influence on efficacy of empirical antifungal therapy with itraconazole (P = 0.054). It is concluded that the good efficacy and safety of empirical ITCZ injection for hematological malignancies patients is efficient and safe.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antifungal Agents ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Hematologic Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Injections, Intravenous ; Itraconazole ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

The aim of this study was to investigate the renal function in 149 patients receiving myeloablative allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) from June 2005 to June 2010 in our hospital, and analyze the risk factors resulting in kidney insufficiency and experience in diagnose and therapy. The creatinine clearance (CrCL) and serial creatinine level were evaluated before and after allo-HSCT within 100 days and 1 year. Non-radiation conditioning regimens were used for any patients. The acute kidney insufficiency (AKI) was defined as at least a 1.5-fold rise in serum creatinine level after allo-HSCT within the first 100 days. The chronic kidney insufficiency (CKI) was defined as the creatinine clearance < basal level within 3 months to 1 year after allo-HSCT. The results showed that the kidney insufficiency was found in 41 patients, in which the incidence of AKI was 32/149 (21.5%). CsA, amphotericin B (P = 0.025) and ES (P = 0.022) were defined as risk factors for AKI. The incidence of CKI was 18/138 (13%). cGVHD (P = 0.013) and TA-TMA (P = 0.012) were associated with the development of CKI. The 2-year survival was lower in patients with kidney dysfunction than that in patients without kidney dysfunction (39% vs 74.1%, P < 0.001). The main factors resulting in kidney insufficiency were defined as infection (52%), GVHD (20%), TA-TMA (12%) and tumor relapse (12%). It is concluded that kidney insufficiency is an important complication of allo-HSCT. Careful monitoring kidney function, minimizing the use of amphotericin B, prophylaxis and effective treatment of fungal infection, GVHD and TA-TMA may be effective preventive measures to decrease the incidence of kidney insufficiency.
Acute Kidney Injury ; etiology ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Renal Insufficiency ; etiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Transplantation, Homologous ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the pattern of RET proto-oncogene mutations in two pedigrees affected with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A (MEN2A).

METHODSPeripheral blood samples were collected from members of the two pedigrees, with total genomic DNA extracted for polymerase chain reaction (PCR). PCR products of 7 exons of the RET proto-oncogene (including exons 8, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16) which have higher mutation rates were purified and subjected to direct sequencing. Suspected mutations in the 2 probands were verified in other members of the pedigrees. To exclude other mutations, PCR products of remaining 14 exons were sequenced in the proband from pedigree 1.

RESULTSA novel heterozygous mutation, 1893-1895delCGA, was detected in exon 11 of the RET proto-oncogene among 3 patients and 2 unaffected members from pedigree 1, while a heterozygous mutation, Cys634Arg, was detected in exon 11 among 2 patients and 1 unaffected family member from pedigree 2.

CONCLUSIONThe heterozygous 1893-1895delCGA and Cys634Arg mutations of the RET proto-oncogene probably underlie the disease in the two pedigrees. Above discovery has enriched the human gene mutation database.

This study was aimed to investigate the c-kit mutation in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients with AML1-ETO and analyze its relation with clinical and laboratorial features and prognosis. PCR and sequencing methods were used to detect the c-kit 17 exon mutations in 31 AML patients with AML1-ETO. The relation of the c-kit mutation with clinical features, results of laboratorial examination and prognosis of disease were analyzed. The results showed that the c-kit mutation was found in 14 out of 31 AML patients and the mutation frequency was 45.16%. Male patients had a higher incidence of c-kit mutation than that of female patients (P = 0.020). The proportion of patients with newly diagnosed white blood cell>10×10(9)/L and with extramedullary infiltration in mutated group were higher than those in unmutated group respectively. No significant difference was observed at the age (P = 0.437) and the rate of bone marrow blasts(P = 0.510) between the above mentioned two groups. The difference in complete remission rate (64.29% vs 80%, P = 0.344)and relapse rate (58.33% vs 21.43%, P = 0.054) between c-kit mutated and c-kit unmutated groups were not significant. While the c-kit mutated group had a significant higher death rate as compared with c-kit unmutated group (57.14% vs 20%, P = 0.039). It is concluded that the c-kit mutation is frequent in AML patients with AML1-ETO and the c-kit mutated patients have a poor prognosis. It is important to detect c-kit mutation in routine clinical practice for patient's risk stratification, evaluation of prognosis and selection of effective treatment.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Core Binding Factor Alpha 2 Subunit ; genetics ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; genetics ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Oncogene Proteins, Fusion ; genetics ; Prognosis ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit ; genetics ; RUNX1 Translocation Partner 1 Protein ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of nitro oxide (NO) from mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) on the proliferative responses of allogeneic lymphocytes and its mechanism. MSCs were isolated and cultured from human bone marrow. Selected surface antigens of MSCs were detected by flow cytometry and their morphologic characteristics were determined by microscopy. Mitomycin C-treated MSCs were plated in dishes and then mixed lymphocyte cultures (MLC) were set up. After 4 days, lymphocyte proliferation was determined by CCK-8 assays; NO secretion in coculture supernatant was determined by Griess reagent kit; the level of FOXP3 mRNA expression was detected by real-time quantitative PCR. The results indicated that in MSC/MLC coculture experiment, the lymphocyte proliferation decreased significantly with of IOD value 0.49+/-0.03, NO production increased obviously (21.05+/-1.14 micromol/L) and FOXP3 mRNA expression was increased [(1.56+/-0.34)%] as compared with MLC coculture without MSC. There were significant difference between these two groups. It is concluded that NO production in human MSC culture up-regulates FOXP3 mRNA expression and thus inhibits lymphocyte proliferation response.
Adult ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Forkhead Transcription Factors ; metabolism ; Humans ; Lymphocyte Count ; Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed ; Lymphocytes ; cytology ; immunology ; metabolism ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism

This study was aimed to investigate the aven mRNA expression level of leukocytes from peripheral blood(PB)of de novo patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and analyze its clinical significance, so as to provide a experimental basis for evaluating prognosis. The aven mRNA expression levels in PB samples from 69 de novo AML patients were detected by using real-time quantitative PCR. The relation of aven mRNA level with clinical and hematological characteristics (age, sex, WBC, Hb, Plt, LDH, Blast% in PB and BM, FAB subtype) and treatment outcome (CR rate and relapse rate) were analyzed. 21 normal individuals served as controls. The results showed that the expression level of aven mRNA was between 11.72% and 178.93% (median 37.2%) in de novo AML and between 10.81% and 50.98% (median 28.81%) in normal individuals. Aven mRNA expression level was higher in the AML group than that in the controls (p = 0.006). As aven mRNA expression level was compared with other clinical and hematological parameters, there were significant correlations between aven mRNA expression level and age (r = 0.25, p = 0.039), and between hemoglobin level (r = 0.29, p = 0.019), FAB subtype(r = 0.253, p = 0.036). The median expression level (50.08%) of aven mRNA in older patients (> or = 44 years) was higher then that (32.41%) in younger patients (< 44 years) (p = 0.018). The complete remission (CR) rate after two cycles of chemotherapy in patients with lower aven mRNA level (25/30, 83.33%) was higher than that in patients with higher aven mRNA level(21/30, 70%), but the difference was not significant(p = 0.22). The difference of aven mRNA expression level between AML patients with relapse and AML patents without relapse was not significant (p = 0.076). It is concluded that the expression level of aven mRNA in de novo AML patients obviously increases, the overexpression of aven mRNA likely involves in genesis of AML. The definite relation of aven mRNA expression level with treatment outcome and relapse was not been found.
Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing ; genetics ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins ; genetics ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; genetics ; Male ; Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Sequence Analysis ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult