Objective To analyze the clinical manifestations and treatment for toxic megacolon induced by drastic cathartics inpatients with an unknown history of ulcerative colitis. Methods The clinical data of 5 patients with toxic megacolon induced by ulcerative colitis with initial onset type from June 2003 to October 2008 were analyzed retrospectively. Results In 5 cases, the first symptom was abdominal pain and distention. After taking cathartics, these 5 cases were complicated with toxic megaeolon and 2 cases suffering from intestinal perforation. Four female patients suffered from transient unconsciousness, in which 3 patients were found with cerebral lacunal infarction identified by magnetic field diffusion-weighted imaging. All 5 cases underwent exploration, colectomy and ostomy, one patient died perioperatively, anastomotic fistula and anastomotic constriction developed in one each cases. Conclusions The most common clinical manifestations of toxic megacolon induced by ulcerative colitis are abdominaigia, abdominal distention. Emergency therapeutic strategy consists of partial culectomy and ostomy.

Objective Inflammation and calcification are common phenomenons in human atherosclerotic plaque.The objective of this study was to determine the gene expression of some proteins and anti-inflammatory factors as well as bone formation mediators in the fibrous cap and shoulder region of non-calcified and calcified carotid endarterectomy(CEA) plaques.Methods Twenty-two CEA plaques were classified as Va(non-calcified,n=11) and Vb(calcified,n=11) in accordance with the AHA consensus in 1995.Mean percent in carotid stenosis and calcification area was 76.4% and 0% in Va and 74.2% and 33.6% in Vb respectively as determined by quantitative histomorphometry.Using laser capture microdissection,the fibrous cap and shoulder regions were excised from 22 frozen sections/plaques.After total RNA extraction and reverse transcription,gene expression of proteins(IL-1,IL-8,and MCP-1),anti-inflammatory factor(IL-10) and bone formation protein(BMP-6 and Osteocalcin) were detected by Real-time PCR.Results mRNA expression of MCP-1,IL-8 and IL-1 in Va plaques were 1.8 fold higher than that in Vb plaques,mRNA expression of anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 and osteogenic related genes BMP-6 and Osteocalcin were 3.8,4.2,and 6.9 fold higher in Vb plaques compared to Va plaques.Conclusions Our findings indicate that fibrous cap inflammation and susceptibility to disruption is more likely to occur in non-calcified plaques.

Objective To explore the effect of vitamin D receptor (VDR) in intestinal tumor development and the relationship between VDR and β-catenin signaling pathway. Methods The interaction of vitamin D receptor and β-catenin were detected by co-immunoprecipitation assay after human colonic carcinoma cells SW480 were treated with vitamin D in vitro for 4 hours. The expression of E-cadherin protein was detected by Western blot after treated for 24 hours. To compare APCmin/+VDR-/- and APCmin/+ mice in vivo, the expression of VDR,β-catenin and BrdU proteins in intestinal tumor were determined by immunohistochemistry. The expression of β-catenin protein in tumor and adjacency intestinal was further determined by Western blot. Results After SW480 cells were treated with vitamin D, vitamin D receptor and β-catenin protein showed binding, the expression of E-cadherin protein further increased (Gray value the control group 145.57±4.21,Gray value of the experimental group 109.35±3.56,t＝32.63,P＜0.05). Immunostaining and Western blot detection（Gray value 166.47±2.36） showed a marked increase of β-catenin level(Gray value 140.51±2.57) in APCmin/+VDR-/- tumor compared to APCmin/+ tumor(145.41±3.62,182.35±3.24,t＝2.65,4.36,P＜0.05). Conclusions The role of vitamin D suppressing intestinal tumor may be achieved through VDR affectingβ-catenin signaling pathway.

Objective To investigate the expression and clinical significance of CXCR3/CXCL10in human cancer.Methods CXCR3 and CXCL10 were detected in 60 paraffinic tissues of patients with primary breast cancer,20 of mammary fibroma and 20 of mastopathy by immunohistochemistry S-P method and two stage method.Results The expression of CXCR3 (40/60,66.7％ ) and CXCL10 (45/60,75％)in breast cancer was higher than that in mastopathy [CXCR3(8/20,40％ )x2 =4.44,P =0.035 ;CXCL10( 10/20,50％ )x2 =4.36,P =0.037)].The expression of CXCR3 was related to status of axillary lymph node metastasis,clinical stage and the expression of HER-2 (x2 =4.15,P =0.042; x2 =7.74,P =0.021 ;x2 =4.27,P =0.039).The expression of CXCR3 had positive relationship to the number axillary lymph node metastasis( rs =0.375,P =0.003 ),clinical stage ( rs =0.451,P =0.000).Conclusions CXCR3 may be related to the progression and metastasis of breast cancer,and it may be used as a marker of breast cancer prognosis.