Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a common urologic malignancy, comprising 2% to 3% of all malignant diseases. Lym-phangiogenesis significantly affects the lymphatic metastasis of tumors. Vascular endothelial growth factors and their receptors have important functions in the spread of cancer cells. Vascular endothelial growth factor-C, which links the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-3, can increase lymphangiogenesis and promote lymphatic metastasis. These findings direct research efforts toward lymphangiogenesis in malignant diseases and a possible targeted therapy. An increasing number of studies on the lymphatic vessel of renal cell carcinoma have drawn considerable interest in the treatment of renal cell carcinoma. This paper summarizes recent studies on lymphangiogenesis and the clinical significance of renal cell carcinoma.

Human systolic blood pressure and heart rate were measured continuously. This was accomplished by an indirect noninvasive method employed while the subject was involved in exercise. The characteristics of the measurements, and the factors which produced those characteristics were investigated. Then, an index L composed of all of the significant factors was sat up in order to compute L-Scores. L-Score was later statistically considered as a significant indicator of evaluation of a subject's training level.
On the other hand, BP-HR Scores of each subject were obtained from BP-HR Scoring Chart. The Scoring Chart was drawn in order to serve as a scoring table for estimating subjects' training levels according to a formula which represented the characteristics of increments above resting blood pressure and heart rate. Highly significant correlation between L-Scores and BP-HR Scores, 0.94 at P<0.01, was observed.
The study concluded that synthetic investigations of multi factors such as computing L-Scores were more efficient than a singular investigation of individual factors in order to examine a human cardiovascular function from measurements of blood pressure and heart rate during exercise. For simplification of the measurements and computations, application of BP-HR Scores was considered as an effective method.

Objective: To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of transcatheter closure of secundum atrial septal defects (ASD) in patients aged over 40 years old. Methods: A total of 115 patients with secundum ASD, aged 40 or over, who were treated by transcatheter closure in our hospital from Oct. 1998 to Jul. 2005 were enrolled in this study, including 106 with single ASD, eight with multiple ASD and one with complicated patent foramen ovale. All the 115 patients received ASD closure with the AGA Amplatzer device or ASD occluder made in China. The patients received electrocardiogram (ECG), X-ray and transthoracic echocardiography (TEE) before and three days after operation. Follow-up were done 6 months and 3 years after operation. Results: The transcatheter procedure was successfully done in 114 (99.13%) of the 115 patients. The one failed case was transferred to the thoracic surgery department for ASD repair. The complication rate was (3.5%). Classification of heart function (NYHA) improved from 2.11±0.78 to 1.34±0.56 after operation (P<0.001). ECG showed that the right bundle branch block (RBBB) disappeared or improved (complete RBBB to incomplete RBBB). X-ray showed a decrease of cordis/ thorax ratio (CTR). TTE displayed that the right venticle (RV) volume was significantly decreased (P<0.001) and ejection fraction was significantly increased (P<0.001). There were three cases of transseptal residual leakage. Conclusion: Transcatheter Closure of secundum ASD in patients aged over 40 is safe and effective when indications are strictly followed.

Objective The generation of drug resistance often leads to the failure of the bladder cancer chemotherapy.P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is an ATP-dependent drug efflux pump linked to development of multidrug resistance in cancer cells.The laboratory has successfully established adriamycin-resistant human bladder cancer cell line (pumc-91/ADM) from its parental cell line (pumc-91).According to the drug resistant spectrum analysis,pumc-91/ADM cell line exhibited the characteristics of multi-drug resistance.However,the expression of P-gp in two cell lines was still unknown.In this paper,there was a comparison between pumc-91/ADM and pumc-91 about the differential expression of P-gp.Methods To determine the expression and location of P-gp in pumc-91 and pumc-91/ADM,qRT-PCR,Western blot and immunocytochemistry were applied in the experiment.qRT-PCR was implemented to research the expression of P-gp mRNA in two cell lines (pumc-91/ADM and pumc-91).Western blot was adopted to investigate the expression of P-gp protein in pumc-91 and pumc-91/ADM cell lines.Immunocytochemistry technique was used to explore the cellular location of P-gp and affirm its expression in two cell lines visually.Student's t-test was employed for statistical analysis and P ＜ 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results qRT-PCR analysis revealed that the expression of P-gp mRNA was upregulated in drug-resistant cell line pumc-91/ADM compared to parental cell line pumc-91.To normalize for differences in the amount of total RNA,GAPDH was selected as an endogenous RNA control.Compared with pumc-91,the expression of P-gp mRNA was upregulated 7.74 fold in pumc-91/ADM (t =11.97,P ＜ 0.05).Consistent with the qRT-PCR result,Western blot confirmed the protein of P-gp expressed differentially in two cell lines.The expression of P-gp protein was significantly increased in pumc-91/ADM compared to pumc-91.According to the results,the differences between pumc-91 and pumc-91/ADM had statistical significance (t =4.35,P＜0.05).Immunocytochemical analysis results demonstrated that P-gp was not only located in cell membrane but also in cytoplasm of the two cell lines.The expression of P-gp in pumc-91/ADM increased distinctly.The difference was statistically significant (t =11.41,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Compared with pumc-91,the expression of P-gp in pumc-91/ADM was significantly upregulated.

Cell Hypoxia ; Humans ; Misonidazole ; analogs & derivatives ; Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; radiotherapy ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Radiography ; Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated

AIM:To explore the effect of erythropoietin ( EPO) on the expression of myocardial NADPH oxi-dase (Nox) in the pressure overload rats.METHODS:Male SD rats (n=36) were used to establish a pressure overload myocardial hypertrophy model by abdominal aorta ligation.The animals were divided into model group, control group ( sham, without narrowing abdominal aorta, the rest of the operation was the same as the model) and recombinant human erythropoietin ( rhEPO) treatment group ( intraperitoneal injection of rhEPO postoperatively, 4 000 U/kg, twice a week) . After 8 weeks, the cardiac ultrasound imaging and hemodynamic evaluation were conducted to determine the cardiac func-tions.Masson staining was used to observe the degree of myocardial fibrosis.The expression of Nox2 and Nox4 at mRNA and protein levels was detected by real-time quantitative PCR and Western blotting.The protein levels of myocardial inflam-matory factors CD45, F4/80 and TGF-βwere determined by Western blotting.RESULTS:Compared with model group, the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular fractional shortening (LVFS), left ventricular end-systolic pressure (LVESP) and left ventricular pressure maximum rising and falling rates ( ±dp/dtmax) increased significantly in EPO treatment group (P<0.01).At the same time, left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVESD), left ventricular end-diastolic diameter ( LVEDD) and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure ( LVEDP) were decreased in EPO treatment group (P<0.01).EPO reduced the degree of myocardial fibrosis caused by pressure overload (P<0.01) and decreased the ex-pression of Nox2 and Nox4 at mRNA and protein levels in the myocardium (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and reduced the pro-tein expression of myocardial inflammatory factors CD45, F4/80 and TGF-β.CONCLUSION: EPO inhibits rat myocar-dial fibrosis induced by pressure overload, improves heart functions by decreasing NADPH oxidase activity and inhibiting myocardial oxidative stress levels and myocardial inflammatory reaction.

Objective To evaluate the urethra lengthening technique in the management of stricture of the external orifice and navicular fossa of urethra. Methods From June 1995 to April 1999,15 cases of severe stricture of the external orifice and navicular fossa of urethra were treated by the urethra lengthening technique and the therapeutic effect was evaluated. Results The patients have been followed up for 3～36 months with a mean of 21 months.Satisfactory results with normal voiding and good apearence of the penis have been observed in all but 2.Slight stricture of the external orifice has been noted in 2 patients and has been relieved after 3～6 times of urethral sounding. Conclusions Urethra lengthening technique yields a high success rate with consistant normal voiding and is compliant with the normal anatomy and physiology of the urethra.

Objective To investigate the incidence and prognosis of multiple primary malignant neoplasms of urologic and male genital system. Methods 22 cases of multiple primary neoplasms patients treated from Jan 1980 to Jun 2000 were studied retrospectively. Results The total incidence rate of the multiple malignant neoplasms was 3.2%.In the 7 patients with synchronous occurrence of multiple pramary malignant neoplasms,the survival time was 6 to 40 months,with a mean of 15;In the other 15 patients,3 died after 7 months to 5 years,12 have survived 8 months to 15 years after the second carcinoma being treated. Conclusions Multiple primary malignant neoplasms of urologic and male genital system is more frequently seen ronadays.Early diagnosis and adequate treatment of the second primary carcinoma is the only means to achieve a long survival.So the patient should be closely followed up after the first carcinoma being treated.

Objective To improve the diagnosis and treatment of primary ureteral cancer. Methods Thirty-six cases of primary ureteral cancer ascertained by pathological studies were reviewed.There were 22 men and 14 women with the mean age of 63 years.All patients underwent operation. Results Thirty-four cases (94%) were followed up for 6 to 180 months.Among them,6 died of metastasis,6 died of other diseases and 22 survived.Local recurrence in ureter or bladder occured in 3 patients 1～5 years after partial ureterectomy. Conclusions Nephroureterectomy and bladder cuff resection is the best treatment for primary carcinoma of ureter.Ureterectomy and bladder cuff resection should be carried out prior to nephrectomy for the lower segment ureteral carcinoma in order to lessen carcinoma cell transplantation in bladder.

Objective To develop plaque assay for SARS virus, in order to provide a reliable means for SARS research. Methods SARS virus BJ 01 strain in various dilutions was inoculated to Vero E6 cells, the cells were then covered with nutritious agar. The titers of the plaque were measured by Dullbecco R method. Results The plaque of SARS virus appeared on the third day after the cell cultures infected with virus. The plaque was round in shape, 2.5-3 mm in diameter. Conclusion The plaque assay developed in present study was stable and regular, and it could be used in SARS research.