The term vasculogenic mimicry describes the formation of fluid-conducting channels by highly invasive and genetically dysregulated tumor cells. The molecular mechanisms of vasculogenic mimicry may be associated with phenotypically interconversion, tumor-extracellular matrix interactions and abnormality in signal pathway of tumor cells. It is recently discovered that in hepatocellular carcinoma vasculogenic mimicry may be associated with the invasive and metastatic potential of tumor cells, as well as poor clinical outcome. This article reviews the present research progression of vasculogenic mimicry in hepatocellular carcinoma.

0.05 ). But CD8 +CD28 -T suppressor cells from colitis rats was significantly higher than that from controls (spleen: 11.3% ? 2.3% vs. 5.6% ? 1.0% ; colon: 6.5% ?5.4% vs. 1.1 %? 0.6% , P 0.05 ; colon: 7.5% ? 4.2% vs. 16.9% ? 4.1% , P

Acupuncture Therapy ; Humans ; Pharyngeal Diseases ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Pharynx ; innervation ; physiopathology ; Sensation

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Asthma ; therapy ; Female ; Humans

Objective To evaluate the clinical outcome of severe ulcerative colitis(UC)and to find the factors related to treatment and outcome.Methods Forty one hospitalized patients with UC during 1988-2004 were retrospectively reviewed.Data were recorded including the onset,symptoms,signs, laboratory,endoscopic,radiologic and pathologic findings,as well as the processes of clinical treatment. The patients who undergone surgery were also analysed.Results Forty one of 144(28.5%)hospital ized patients were suffered from severe UC,and among them 92.7%(38/41)had pancolitis.The patients who had first onset,chronic persistent,chronic recurrent type were account for 36.9%(15/41),36.9%(15/41) and 26.8%(11/41),respectively.The steroids treatment played the main role in the inducing remission of severe UC(61.0%).Thirty one cases(75.6%)could be relieved by drug therapy.Seven cases(17.1%) were progressed to have operation.The age of early onset,pancolitis,low hemoglobin and serum albumin levels and need of intravenous steroids treatment were associated with the need of surgery.Conclusions Most of the severe UC patients respond well to the medical therapy,but for some non-responding or steroids depending individuals,after a reasonable duration of treatment,surgery should be considered.

Previous studies have shown that hearing loss people are more likely to have not only abnormal speech communication, but also psychological problems especially emotional disorders, cognitive impairments and personality defects. Therefore, it is necessary to provide psychological support to patients during they accept medical therapy.
Communication ; Hearing Loss ; complications ; psychology ; Humans ; Mental Disorders ; Mental Health ; Speech

Objective To evaluate the clincopathological presentation of eosinophilic gastroenteritis(EG). Methods Seven patients with EG were studied. their clinical manifestation, laboratory tests, endoscopy, treatment and prognosis were analyzed from the hospital records. Results (1) The patients of predominant mucosal type were presented with abdominal pain and diarrhea, and those of serosal type with abdominal pain and bloating.Some accompanied with nausea, vomiting and low fever.(2) Peripheral and bone marrow eosinophilia were presented in all seven patients. Eosinophil counts waxed and waned with symptoms and dramatically responsed to steroid therapy.(3) ESR, C-reactive protein and fibrinogen were in normal range, and the level of IgG was decreased.(4) The ascites were exudative with eosinophilia.(5) Some patchy lesions such as erosion and edema in antrum, duodenum and cecum were presented in endoscopy.Biopsy showed predominant eosinophil infiltration in mucosa.(6) It responsed to steroid therapy, and all symptoms and eosinophilia would be relieved within one week.(7) Symptoms may relapse but with good prognosis.Conclusion Eosinophilic gastroenteritis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of unexplained gastrointestinal symptoms especially in the presence of peripheral eosinophilia. Mucosal biopsy would be helpful to establish the diagnosis.

Objective To investigate the effects of comprehensive intervention on population death rate. Methods To analyze population crude death rate, cause-specific death rate, and compare the death rate in intervention group with that of control.Results The average crude death rate in communities of Changsha was 617 79 per 100 000, with 557 27 per 100 000 of standarized death rate. Cerebrovascular disease, cardiocascular disease, tumour, disease of respiratory system injury and intoxication were from the first rank to the fifth in order the death causes. The death rate in intervention group was lower than that of control group significantly, and the death rate of cerebrovascular disease and cardiocascular disease in intervention group were lower than that of control significantly.Conclusions Cerebrovascular disease and cardiocascular disease are the major causes of death. Intervention on risks factors of cardio- and cerebrovascular diseases can lower the death rate of cardio- and cerebrovascular diseases and the population death rate.

Objective To study the differences of anal manometry among dirrhea-dominant(DD), constipation-dominant(CD) irritable bowel syndrome(IBS) and functional constipation(FC), and to evaluate effects of sex and age on these parameters.Methods Age-matched 18 DD-IBS, 14 CD-IBS and 30 FC patients were selected, and 18 volunteers as healthy controls. Anal manometry was evaluated with localized point pull-extraction technique.Results The pressure parameters in DD-IBS, CD-IBS and FC were no significantly difference from those in healthy controls, but the threshold volume of gas to induce RAIR was significantly larger(P

Objective To evaluate and compare two definitions for metabolic syndrome(MS)issued by International Diabetes Federation(IDF)and by Chinese Medical Association Diabetes Branch(CDS).Methods An epidemic survey and physical examination were conducted among 481 subjects randomly selected from 3 354 subjects(above 40 years old)by cluster sampling.Results The prevalence rate of MS by IDF or by CDS definition were 40.96% and 38.05%,respectively.Kappa value was 0.51,P0.01).Metabolic disorder ratio for above 3 items by IDF was higher than that of CDS criterion.Conclusion The IDF diagnostic criterion for MS and CDS are in good accordance and applicability.The MS diagnostic criterion of IDF is better at diagnosing centricity obesity than that of CDS.