Objective To investigate the quality of life for clinical patients with malignant tumors and the influencing factors so as to provide health departments with basis for improvement. Methods(Using) methods of interviews and questionnaires,investigations were made on the quality of life for 639 patients with malignant tumors diagnosed between January 2001 and July 2002 in the various cities and regions of Sichuan and the influencing factors by means of filling out quality of life assessment scales.(Results) The quality of life for patients with malignant tumors was in general pretty low,scoring 54.40?10.95.Careers in management were positively related to psychological status(P

Pleomorphic adenoma ranks first among parotid gland tumors. Surgical procedure, which includes enucleation, ex-tra-capsular resection, partial superficial parotidectomy (PSP), superficial parotidectomy (SP), and total parotidectomy (TP), remains to be the treatment of choice for pleomorphic adenoma. In the last century, physicians lacked understanding on the pathological character-istics of pleomorphic adenoma and facial neurotomia. Thus, simple enucleation of tumors has always been the major therapy for pa-tients to reduce the rate of facial nerve injury. However, postoperative recurrence was frequently observed in patients that have under-gone simple enucleation. In this study, the surgeons attempted to control the relapse rate by enlarging the scope of excision when remov-ing a pleomorphic adenoma, and by performing an extra-capsular resection procedure that was developed in the clinic. Although the tu-mor peplos was excised, the surgeons failed to control the relapse rate. SP and TP apparently decreased the relapse rate of the pleomor-phic adenomas. However, these therapies seem to be overcorrected by the aggravation of facial nerve injuries. PSP is a relatively ad-vanced technique that is currently used in parotid surgery. PSP reduces the rate of relapse and facial nerve injury, as verified by basic pa-thology research. Nevertheless, the controversy between advanced PSP and classic SP still exists. Plastic surgery, pathology research, and gene testing were used to evaluate the advantages of advanced PSP and classic SP. However, the research failed to derive a con-firmed result that can determine which treatment method is fit and unfit to treat pleomorphic adenoma. Our study reviews the trend of parotid surgery from a historic point of view.

Head and Neck Neoplasms ; surgery ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures

Objective:Facial nerves can be dissected using anterograde and retrograde approaches. The optimal technique for the facial nerve dissection of a patient with benign parotid tumor has not yet been determined. This study focused on facial nerve dysfunc-tion and recovery rate after anterograde and retrograde facial-nerve dissections. Methods:The data of 110 patients with benign carotid adenoma from the Head and Neck Department of this hospital who were hospitalized between January 2011 and January 2013 were col-lected. These patients were divided into groups A (n=52) and B (n=58). Anterograde and retrograde dissections of the facial nerve were performed on group A and group B patients, respectively. Based on the preferential order of dissection, group B was divided into groups B1, B2, and B3 representing the zygomatic, buccal, and marginal mandibular branches, respectively. The patients were postoperatively observed to check for potential symptoms, such as facial paralysis along with its severity and recovery. The House-Brackmann grading system was used to assess all patients. Results:The operation could be successful, with better nerve exposure, using these approaches. Statistical differences were observed in the nerve injury and recovery rates between the groups, with group A better than group B, and group B2 better than the other two groups (P<0.05). Conclusion:Anterograde facial nerve dissection should be routinely used in be-nign parotid tumor, and the buccal branch of facial nerve dissection should be preferentially considered when no other option apart from retrograde dissection is available.

AMI: To clarify whether OX-LDL and simvastatin can induce the changes of PKC activity and cytosolic free Ca 2+ in rat aortic smooth muscle cells (ASMC). METHODS: PKC activity and cytosolic free Ca 2+ were measured by its ability to transfer phosphate from ATP to lysine-rich histone and flow cytometric analysis after loading with the Ca 2+ dye fluo 3/Am, respectively. RESULTS: OX-LDL increased PKC total activity in a dose-dependent manner and induced translocation of PKC from the cytosolic to membrane, while OX-LDL induced biphasic [Ca 2+ ]i responses including the rapid initial transient phase and the sustained phase. When simvastatin was added, the translocation of PKC was markedly decreased and simvastatin did not impair the initial peak response to OX-LDL but significantly reduced the subsequent plateau phase. CONCLUSSION: OX-LDL can induce dynamic changes of signal transduction of PKC and cytosolic free Ca 2+ in ASMC and these two events are closely linked.

Objective: To investigate the effects of oxLDL and HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor simvastatin on PKC activity, and level of cytosol ic free Ca 2+ in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Methods: Th e activity of PKC was determined by its ability to transfer phosphate from 32P-ATP to lysine-rich histone and level of cytosolic free calcium［Ca2+ ］i was measured by flow cytometric analysis loading with the Ca2+ dye F luo-3/Am. Results: oxLDL increased PKC total activity in a dose-de pendent manner and peaked after 12 min, then decreased slowly and maintained for at least 30 min, while oxLDL induced biphasic ［Ca2+］i responses includ ing the rapid initial transient phase and the sustained phase. Removal of extrac ellular Ca2+ did not inhibit the rapid transient phase, but abolished the sustained phase. When simvastatin was added, the activity of PKC wasmarkedly dec reased with no impairment to the initial peak response, but significantly reduce d the sustained phase. Conclusion: oxLDL can induced dynamic changes of signal transduction of PKC and level of cytosolic free Ca2+ in HUVEC, these 2 events are closely linked. The change of rapid initial transient phase i s the result of mobilization of Ca2+ from intracellular pool and the chang e of sustained phase is from the influx of extracellular Ca2+. The inhibit ion of PKC activity induced by simvastatin may contribute to the changes of ［Ca 2+］i.

AIM　To investigate the effect of OX-LDL and HMG- CoA reductase inhibitors simvastatin on PKC activity and cytosolic free Ca2+ in cultured human monocy tes. METHOD　The activity of PKC was determined by its ability to tr ansfer phosphate from ［32P］ATP to lysine-rich histone and cytosolic free calcium［Ca2+］i was measured by flow cytometric analysis loading with the Ca2+ dye fluo3/Am. RESULTS　OX-LDL increased PKC tot al activity in a dose-dependent manner with phase peaking at 12 min, then decre ased slowly and maintained for at least 20 min, while OX-LDL induced biphasic ［Ca2+］i responses including the rapid initial transient phase and the sustained phase. Removal of extracellular Ca2+ did not inhibit the rapid i nitial transient phase of OX-LDL-induced rise in ［Ca2+］i,but abolish ed the sustained phase of ［Ca2+］i response to OX-LDL. When simvastati n was added, the activity of PKC was markedly decreased and simvastatin did not impair the initial peak response to OX-LDL but significantly reduced the subseq uent plateau phase. CONCLUSION OX-LDL can significantly activate t he activity of PKC and elevate ［Ca2+］i in monocytes. The rapid initial transient phase was the result of mobilization of ［Ca2+］i from intrac ellular pool and sustained phase resulted from the influx of extracellular Ca 2+. The inhibition of PKC activity induced by simvastatin may be contribute to the changes of intracellular Ca2+.

Adenocarcinoma ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; Estrogens ; metabolism ; Humans ; Receptors, Estrogen ; metabolism ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; metabolism

Objective To observe the effects of Yishen Tongluo Decoction (YTD) on the renal mRNA expression of transforming growth factor-β1 ( TGF-β1) and collagen Ⅳ ( ColⅣ) in membranous nephropathy ( MN) rats. Methods SD rats were randomly divided into normal group, model group, benazepril group (in the dosage of 10 mg·kg-1·d-1) , YTD group ( in the dosage of 20 g·kg-1·d-1) . The rats in various groups were given intragastric administration of corresponding agents. At the end of the fourth week, 24-hour urinary protein quantity, albumin ( ALB) , total protein ( TP) , triglyceride ( TG) , total cholesterol ( TC) , blood urea nitrogen ( BUN) , and creatinine (Cr) levels were observed. The mRNA expression levels of TGF-β1 and ColⅣ in renal tissue of rats were detected by immunofluorescence method, electron microscopy and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Results In the model group, urinary protein quantity in rats was increased, serum levels of TP and ALB were significantly lowered, serum levels of TC and TG were significantly increased, renal pathological changes were present, and mRNA expression levels of TGF-β1 and ColIV in renal tissue were up-regulated (P<0.05 compared with normal group). Compared with the model group, 24-hour urinary protein quantity, TC and TG levels were significantly lowered, TP and ALB levels were significantly increased, rat renal injury was relieved, mRNA expression levels of TGF-β1 and ColIV in renal tissue were down-regulated in the treatment groups ( P<0.05) . However, the differences between benazepril group and YTD group were insignificant ( P>0.05) . Conclusion The therapeutic mechanism of YTD for MN is probably related with the inhibition of mRNA expression of TGF-β1 and ColⅣin renal tissue.

AIM: To investigate effects of OX-LDL and VitE on the levels of IL-6,IL-8 and TNF-? in human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVEC). METHODS: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells were obtained by in vitro culture. HUVEC treated with or without Vit E was incubated with OX-LDL, and the levels of IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-? were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assy technique. RESULTS:50 ?g/L,100 ?g/L, 200 ?g/L OX-LDL induced the release of IL-6,IL-8 and TNF-? by HUVEC in a dose-dependent manner. Compared with the control group , the levels of IL-6 and IL-8 were significantly increased at 6-12 h of stimulation with OX-LDL . Maximal levels of IL-6 and IL-8 occurred after 24-36 h, reaching a plateau maintained for at least 48 h. TNF-? rose after 2-6 h in HUVEC, and reached a maximum after 12 h. In contrast to IL-6 and IL-8, TNF-? declined after 48 h. However, when VitE (50 mg/L,100 mg/L,200 mg/L)was added, it can significant inhibited the release of IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-? in a dose-dependent manner, and after 48 h these cytokines have no diference between OX-LDL+VitE groups and OX-LDL groups. CONCLUSION: OX-LDL can obviously stimulate the production of IL-6,IL-8 and TNF-? in vascular endothelial cells, which can significantly be inhibited by VitE in a short time.