Radiotherapy is the principle method of non-surgical treatment for esophageal cancer.The 5-year survival rate ranges from 20％ to 40％.In recent years,the studies have found that anti-angiogenesis therapy can not only directly inhibit tumor nutritional intake,but also turn around tumor hypoxia by normalizing tumor vessels so as to enhance the radio-sensitivity of tumor ceils,which is expected to become an effective way to improve the curative effect of esophageal cancer radiotherapy.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the risk factors of vaginal dilators by 567 adverse event reports, and to provide a reference for the reasonable use.

METHODSWith retrospective case study, analyzed 567 reports induced by vaginal dilators by National Adverse Drug Reaction Monitoring Center in 2012.

RESULTSExpected treatment of disease might be relevant with severity of adverse events, while age was not the related factor; the influencing factor of consequences of grading was the classification of the cause of adverse events.

CONCLUSIONMonitoring should be strengthen in order to reduce or avoid the vaginal dilator adverse events.

Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Systems ; Dilatation ; adverse effects ; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Vagina ; pathology

Objective: To determine the long-term prognostic value of ~(99m)Tc-sestamibi (MIBI) Gated myocardial perfusion imaging(G-MPI)in patients with coronary artery disease.Methods: A total of 1345 consecutive symptomatic coronary artery disease patients who underwent ~(99m)Tc-MIBI G-MPI were studied.1250 patients were followed-up by telephone interview, the median follow-up time was 26.7±13.6 months.Events were defined as cardiac death, nonfatal myocardial infarction and revascularization by coronary artery bypass graft or percutaneous coronary artery intervention.Results: Cox regression analysis indicated that summed stress score (3.8±6.1,χ~2=67.25), summed different score (1.1±3.0,χ~2=21.09) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (0.667±0.097,χ~2=42.26) were independent predictive factors of cardiac events (P<0.01).Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that cardiac event free survival was significantly lower in the patient with LVEF≤50%.Conclusion: In Patients with symptomatic coronary artery disease, the summed stress score, summed rest score, summed different score and LVEF had prognostic value, and low LVEF indicated worse prognosis.

Aerenchyrna formation has been described in depth in a number of species at a histological level. But large gaps remain in our understanding of its regulation as a developmental process. It is attempted to analyse essential mineral elements like K, Mg, Cu, Zn, Ca and P in the cell wall of aerenchyma cells in petioles ofS. trifolia at five different developmental stages by CSEM-EDX technique. At early stage, K and Cl concentrations in cell wall were high up to 36% and 4.3% of dry weight, respectively. It supported the hypotheses that aerenchyma spaces are filled with liquid at early developmental stages of aerenchyma in S. trifolia petiole. Mg concentration was high at stage 2, up to 0.86% of dry weight. Zinc and Cu were detected only at rapid expansion stages, during which the concentrations were up to 1.5% and 2.5%, respectively. Calcium was detected in the cell wall only at mature stages, the concentration was high up to 1.3% of dry weight at stages 4 and 5. These results confirmed that the element concentration of aerenehyma cell wall undergoes dynamic changes during different developmental stages, and a low Ca with high Zn and Cu concentration are needed for cell expansion. Copper and Zn deposition in the cell wall showed a significant positive linear correlation, suggesting that these two elements share same or similar uptake and transport mechanism in plants.

Objective To investigate the influence of different carbon dioxide (CO2) absorbents (Dr(a)gersorb 800 plus , Sodasorb,Sodasorb LF) on the production of compound A during low-flow sevoflurane anesthesia.Methods Twenty-seven ASA Ⅰ or Ⅱ patients aged 20-64 years were randomly assigned to three groups according to different CO2 absorbents: Dr(a)gersorb 800 plus' group (group D, n = 10), Sodasorb group (group S, n = 10) and Sodasorb LF group (group LF, n = 7). Anesthesia was maintained with low-flow (500 ml/min) sevoflurane inhalation (with the end-tidal sevoflurane concentration of approximately 2% ). At 2 h after low-flow sevoflurane anesthesia, gas samples were taken from the expiratory limb of the circuit. Compound A was detected by gas chromatography. Serum alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), bilirubin (BR), urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (Cr) levels were measured before (T0 ) and 24 h after operation (T1).Results The three groups were comparable with respect to age, body weight and height. After 2 h of low-flow sevoflurane anesthesia, compound A concentrations in the expiratory limb of the circuit were 11.6 ± 5.8 (group D), 2.1 ± 1.9 (group S)and ＜ 0.1 ppm (group LF), respectively. There were no significant changes in the serum ALT, AST, BR, BUN and Cr levels at 24 h after operation as compared with the preoperative baseline values in the three groups.Conclusion After 2 h of low-flow (500 ml/min) sevoflurane anesthesia, compound A concentrations within the circuit with different CO2 absorbents ( Dr(a)gersorb 800 plus' , Sodasorb, Sodasorb LF) are less than 50 ppm, with the lowest in Sodasorb LF.However, they have no significant effects on hepatic or renal function.

In order to investigate the inhibitory effects of all trans-retinoitc acid (ATRA) on differentiation and apoptosis of Walker-256 hepatocellular carcinoma cells and the therapeutic effects of ATRA combined with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) on rat Walker-256 transplanted hepatocarcinoma, Walker-256 hepatocarcinoma cell lines were treated with ATRA at different concentrations. After culture for 48 h, the inhibitory rate of cell proliferation was determined by MTT assay; the changes of Fas and Bcl-2 mRNA expression were determined by RT-PCR, and the expression levels of Caspase3 and Caspase8 proteins were detected by Western blot. Twenty-seven Wistar rat models of hepatocarcinoma were set up successfully by implanting Walker-256 cell lines. The tumor volume at the 11th day after implantation (V(preoperation)) was measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The 27 rats were randomly and equally divided into three groups, and the therapy scheme was performed as follows: group A (ATRA 0.1 mg+mitomycin 0.05 mL+lipiodol 0.05 mL+gelfoam powder 0.025 mg); group B (mitomycin 0.05 mg+lipiodol 0.05 ml+gelfoam 0.025 mg; group C (0.9% NaCl 0.2 mL). After another 11 days, MRI was performed once again to measure the tumor volume (V(postoperation)). The expression of factor and Ki VIII -67 in the tumor tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry. The results showed that ATRA could suppress proliferation of Walker-256 cell lines. After treatment of Walker-256 cell lines with ATRA, the expression of Fas mRNA was significantly up-regulated and the Bcl-2 mRNA was significantly down-regulated by ATRA at the concentration of 10 mumol/L as compared with the control group (P<0.05). After treatment with 10 mumol/L ATRA for 48 h, the Caspase3 and Caspase8 were significantly activated as compared with the control group (P<0.05). Significant difference existed in growth rate among the three groups (P<0.01) and between either two groups (P<0.05). The expression rate of factor VIII and Ki-67 was gradually increased from group A, group B to group C. The study suggests that ATRA could inhibit the proliferation of Walker-256 cells and the effectiveness of the combined therapy (ATRA+TACE) for treating transplanted hepatoma of rats is superior to that of TACE alone.

BACKGROUND: Speech audiometry is decisive in selecting hearing aid,but it is seldom used in clinic in China.OBJECTIVE: To understand the differences in the speech resolution with speech audiometry between in-the-ear (ITE) and behind-the-ear (BTE)hearing aids.DESIGN: Paired controlled study.SETTING: Auditory Center of the 414 Hospital of Chinese PLA, Auditory Rehabilitation Center of Jiangsu Province.PARTICIPANTS: A total of 62 patients with auditory disability were selected from the Auditory Center of the 414 Hospital of Chinese PLA and Auditory Rehabilitation Center of Jiangsu Province. Among 32 ITE hearing aid users, average hearing loss at 500, 1 000, 2 000 and 4 000 Hz, was less than 85 dB, and the patients were aged from 16 to 60 years. Among 30 BTE hearing aid users, average hearing loss at 500, 1 000, 2 000 and 4 000 Hz, was also less than 85 dB, and the patients were aged from 16 to 60 years. All patients were consent.METHODS: Open and close methods were adopted for speech audiometry among ITE and BTE hearing aids users. Monosyllabic and disyllabic words were chosen as the type of speech and 20 words were given to one ear, respectively.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Comparison of speech resolution with monosyllabic and disyllabic words test between ITE and BTE hearing aid.RESULTS: In aspect of the effect of ITE and BTE hearing aids, there were no significant differences of both monosyllabic and disyllabic words no matter through open or close method (P ＞ 0.05). At the opening state, there were significant differences in resolution of monosyllabic and disyllabic words (P ＜ 0.05); while, there were no significant differences (P ＞ 0.05) at the closing state.CONCLUSION: Carrying out speech audiometry in the selection hearing aid is influenced by many factors.

A sensitive determination method for sulfur mustard ( HD ) metabolites thiodiglycol ( TDG ) in rabbit urine was established and validated using isotope dilution negative ion chemical ionization ( NICI) gas chromatography-mass spectrometry ( GC-MS ) , in which deuterated thiodiglycol ( TDG-d8 ) was used as internal standard. Two solid-phase extraction ( SPE) steps were established and optimized in order to reduce the interfering backgrounds, one was used to extract thiodiglycol ( TDG ) from urine with self-assemblied Florisil SPE cartridges, another cleaning treatment of the by-products after pentafluorobenzoyl chloride (PFBZ) derivatization. The results showed that the limits of detection quantitation of this method were 0. 1 and 0. 3 μg/L, respectively. The exposure time-response relationship and exposure dose-response relationship of TDG in rabbit urine were studied after rabbit skin exposure to sulfur mustard (HD, 0. 02-0. 15 LD50). The TDG levels in the rabbit urine increased rapidly during the first day after application and then decreased over time for all dosage groups. A secondary release was also noted for the high-dose group, and the duration of high TDG excretion levels was correlated positively with the HD dosage levels. We thus concluded that abnormally high levels of TDG in urine could be used as a clear diagnostic indicator of HD exposure.

BACKGROUND:Osteoarthritis is a joint disease that primarily affects the cartilage. With the changes of the extracelular matrix, chondrocytes appear to have apoptosis. Vascular endothelial growth factor plays an important role in promoting endothelial cel division and proliferation and inducing angiogenesis. Hypoxia-inducible factor is a celular transcription factor and produces different reactions due to the oxygen content. Vascular endothelial growth factor and hypoxia-inducible factor are focused on inhibiting chondrocyte apoptosis. OBJECTIVE:To elaborate the effects of vascular endothelial growth factor and hypoxia-inducible factors on chondrocyte apoptosis. METHODS: Recent literatures related to chondrocyte apoptosis were summarized and analyzed. During the process of osteoarthritis, changes in vascular endothelial growth factors in chondrocytes and regulatory effects of vascular endothelial growth factor and hypoxia-inducible factor on chondrocyte apoptosis were elaborated.

BACKGROUND:Studies have found that vascular endothelial growth factor and hypoxia inducible factor are involved in the development process of osteoarthritis, but their correlation is rarely reported. OBJECTIVE:To observe the expression and correlation of hypoxia inducible factor-2α and vascular endothelial growth factor in chondrocytes of articular cartilages in human osteoarthritis. METHODS: Articular cartilage specimens were colected from 50 patients with knee osteoarthritis undergoing total knee joint replacement. According to the joint Kelgren-Lawrance (K-L) X-ray grouping classification standard, there were 18 cases of K-LIII level and 32 cases of K-LIV level. Besides, articular cartilage specimens from 10 patients undergoing amputation for legs tumor or traffic accident served as control group. Hematoxylin-eosin staining, Safranin O-Fast Green staining and Mankin scoring were performed to observe and evaluate the histological characteristics of articular cartilages of each group, immunohistochemical staining was conducted to detect the expression of hypoxia inducible factor-2α and vascular endothelial growth factor in chondrocytes of articular cartilages, and their correlations were analyzed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The Mankin score of K-LIV group was significantly higher than those of K-LIII group and control group. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that the number of chondrocytes with positive expression of hypoxia inducible factor-2α or vascular endothelial growth factor in K-LIV group was significantly higher than that in K-LIII group and control group (P < 0.05). The expression of hypoxia inducible factor-2α and vascular endothelial growth factor increased in chondrocytes of articular cartilages of osteoarthritis patients, and to up-regulate the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor may be the regulatory mechanism of hypoxia inducible factor-2αinthe pathogenesis of osteoarthritis.