Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Adult ; Carcinoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Mucoepidermoid ; metabolism ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; secondary ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Keratins ; metabolism ; Male ; Nasal Cavity ; Nose Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; S100 Proteins ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the safety and efficacy of retroperitoneal laparoscopy for adrenal tumor and report the experience with this procedure for adrenal surgery.Methods From June 2003 to March 2007,we performed 24 laparoscopic tumorectomy via the retroperitoneal approach.Results All procedures were successful. The average operative time was 1.7 hours(ranging from 1 to 3.5 hours).All patients had no need of transfusion and no complication.All patients recovered.The average hospital stay was 4.5 days(ranging from 3 to 8 days).Patholog- ic diagnosis:10 cases of nonfunctional adenoma,6 cases of primary aldosteronism,4 cases of adrenal cyst,2 cases of pheochromocytoma,2 cases of Cushing's adenoma.Conclusions Retroperitoneal laparoscopic surgery for adrenal oc- cupying lesion had such advantages as minimal invasive,safe and effective,early recovery and shorter stay in hospital. It should be the flint choice of treatment for adrenal occupying lesion.

OBJECTIVETo study the genotype frequencies of peroxisome proliferators-activated -receptors-gamma C161-->T gene and its possible association with the metabolic syndrome and dietary intakes.

METHODSThe PCR-PFLP method was used to detect the polymorphism of PPARgammaC161-->T gene of 224 adults with metabolic syndrome and 224 normal adults in Shanghai. Their physical examinations, dietary investigation and the serum biochemistry were analyzed.

RESULTS(1) The genotype frequencies of PPARgamma C161-->T CC, CT and TT were 32.4%, 49.6% and 18.0% respectively, which were in agreement with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. There was no significant difference in the distribution of genotypes or allele between the metabolic syndrome group and the control group, and the result was the same between male and female subjects. (2) The levels of body mass index,waist width and hip width were significantly different among three genotypes groups. Subjects of the CT genotype had the highest levels. (3) There was significant difference in the negative correlation with the intake of protein and serum TG levels in the metabolic syndrome group.

CONCLUSIONThe results suggested PPARgamma gene C161-->T should be associated with body mass index, waist width and hip width. It might contribute to the heterogeneity in diet response to TG.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Alleles ; Causality ; China ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; genetics ; Diet ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Metabolic Syndrome ; genetics ; Middle Aged ; Obesity ; genetics ; PPAR gamma ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Genetic

OBJECTIVETo identify the relationship of adiponectin and the components of metabolic syndrome (MS).

METHODSCluster random sampling was applied in two districts of Shanghai. Two communities were selected. After investigating and physical examination, 235 MS subjects were obtained. Correlation analysis and principle components regression analysis were used to analyze the relationship between adiponectin and components of MS (waist circumference, blood pressure, blood glucose and lipid).

RESULTSAdiponectin in male was (2.82 +/- 1.73) microg/ml, lower than in female [(5.12 +/- 3.51) microg/ml] with statistical difference (Z = -5.25, P = 0.00). Adiponectin levels [(4.38 +/- 3.23) microg/ ml] correlated with abdominal obesity, including waist circumference [(93.37 +/- 7.76) cm] (r(s) = - 0.18, t(r) = -2.79, P = 0.01) and waist hip ratio (0.91 +/- 0.05) (r(s) = -0.28, t(r) = -4.44, P = 0.00), but did not correlate significantly with body mass index (BMI) [(26.85 +/- 3.10) kg/m2] (r(s) = -0.10, t(r) = - 1.45, P = 0. 15). Adiponectin correlated negatively with insulin resistance related indexes, including fasting glucose [(5.48 +/- 1.72) mmol/L] (r(s) = -0.13, t(r) = -2.00, P = 0.05), fasting insulin [(11.52 +/- 5.34) mU/L] (r(s) = -0. 15, t(r) = - 2.31, P = 0.02), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (2.90 +/- 2.07) (r(s) = -0.17, t(r) = -2.63, P = 0.01) and triglyceride [(2.11 +/- 1.24) mmol/L] (r(s) = -0.24, t(r) = -3.77, P = 0.00). The correlations were not observed between adiponectin with total cholesterol [(5.01 +/- 1.19) mmol/L] ( r(s) = -0.05, t(r) = -0.78, P = 0.44), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) [(1.21 +/- 0.32) mmol/L] (r(s) = 0.06, t(r) = 0.93, P = 0.36), systolic blood pressure [(131.40 +/- 14.93) mm Hg, 1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa] (r(s) = -0.02, t(r) = -0.34, P = 0.73) and diastolic blood pressure [(86.77 +/- 9.14)mm Hg] (r(s) = -0.02, t(r) = -0.27, P = 0.78).

CONCLUSIONAdiponectin should correlate negatively with abdominal obesity and insulin resistance, but not directly correlate with blood pressure in MS.

Adiponectin ; blood ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; China ; Cluster Analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Insulin Resistance ; Male ; Metabolic Syndrome ; blood ; epidemiology ; Middle Aged ; Obesity, Abdominal ; epidemiology ; Principal Component Analysis ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo compare the clinical efficacy in the treatment of allergic rhinitis (AR) of lung qi deficiency and cold syndrome between Jin's three-needle therapy and western medication.

METHODSSixty-six patients were randomized into an acupuncture group and a western medication group, 33 cases in each one. In the acupuncture group, acupuncture was applied at three-nose points [Yingxiang (LI 20), Shangyingxiang (EX-HN 8) and Yintang (GV 29); Cuanzhu (BL 2) was added for frontal headache] and three-back points [Dazhu (BL 11), Fengmen (BL 12) and Feishu (BL 13)], once every day. Ten treatments made one session. Two sessions of treatment were required. In the western medication group, desloratadine oral suspension was prescribed, 5 mg each time, once a day, for 20 days. The scores of the symptoms and physical signs in AR patients as well as the clinical efficacy were observed between the two groups.

RESULTSThe total effective rate was 93.9% (31/33) in the acupuncture group, which was better than 72.7% (24/33) in the western medication group (P < 0.05). After treatment, the scores of AR symptoms and physical signs as well as the total score were all reduced compared with those before treatment in the two groups (all P < 0.01). The score of every item in the acupuncture group was lower than that in the western medication group after treatment (score of symptoms: 4.70 +/- 2.07 vs 6.55 +/- 2. 69, score of physical signs: 0.85 +/- 0.67 vs 1.45 +/- +0.62, total score: 5.36 +/- 2.70 vs 8.00 +/- 2.91, all P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONJin's three-needle therapy achieves superior efficacy on AR of lung-qi deficiency and cold syndrome, which is better than desloratadine oral suspension.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; instrumentation ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Lung ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Needles ; Qi ; Rhinitis, Allergic ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of suppression of CCL5 ligand gene on the proliferation of human breast cancer cells.

METHODSA lentiviral vector carrying a short interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting CCL5 was transfected into human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. The expression of CCL5 mRNA in the cells was detected by real-time PCR. The proliferation of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells was assessed by MTT assay and FACS assay, and the colony formation ability of both cell lines were measured, respectively.

RESULTSReal time PCR showed a good knockdown effect of CCL5 in both cell-lines. Colony-forming assay showed that the ability of colony formation of MCF-7/CCL5-siRNA and MDA-MB-231/CCL5-siRNA was decreased markedly. The colony number of MCF-7/CCL5-siRNA group was (0.34 ± 0.08), significantly lower than 0.81 ± 0.12 in the MCF-7/CCL5-N group and 0.92 ± 0.12 in the MCF-7 group (P < 0.05). The colony number of MDA-MB-231/CCL5-siRNA group was 0.33 ± 0.10, significantly lower than 0.97 ± 0.09 in the MDA-MB-231/CCL5-N group and 1.04 ± 0.07 in the MDA-MB-231 group (P < 0.05). However, MTT assay revealed that the proliferation of MCF-7/CCL5-siRNA cells was not significantly different from that of MCF-7/CCL5-N or MCF-7 cells, respectively (P > 0.05), and the same result was found in MDA-MB-231 cells. FACS assay showed that the proliferation index (PI) of groups MCF-7/CCL5-siRNA, MCF-7/CCL5-N and MCF-7 were 0.48 ± 0.03, 0.43 ± 0.01 and 0.45 ± 0.02. The PI of groups MDA-MB-231/CCL5-siRNA, MDA-MB-231/CCL5-N and MDA-MB-231 cells were 0.48 ± 0.02, 0.44 ± 0.05 and 0.47 ± 0.02. There was no statistical difference among them (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe down-regulation of CCL5 gene in human breast cancer cells may significantly suppress their colony formation ability, rather than affecting their population doubling time to some extent.

Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Chemokine CCL5 ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiology ; Down-Regulation ; Female ; Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; Lentivirus ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of myringotomy with insertion of tube and tympanocentesis on alleviating secretory otitis media (SOM) and hearing loss in cleft palate infants.

METHODSNineteen cleft lip and palate infants with SOM and hearing loss (38 ears) were treated with myringotomy with insertion of ventilation tube at the same time of repair of the cleft lip, who were performed averagely at 6.9 months of age. Fifteen cleft lip and palate infants with SOM (30 ears) were treated with tympanocentesis at the same time of repair of the cleft lip averagely at 6.6 months of age. All cases were followed up from 1 week to 12 months and estimated by auditory brainstem response (ABR) and acoustic immitance audiometry.

RESULTSThe average wave V reacting thresholds of ABR were separately 55.41 dBnHL and 28.48 dBnHL, and 79.17% tympanogram B changed to tympanogram A in cleft palate infants with insertion of tube before and after operation. The average wave V reacting thresholds of ABR were separately 40.63 dBnHL and 26.50 dBnHL, and 40.91% tympanogram B changed to tympanogram A in cleft palate infants with tympanocentesis preoperatively and in 1 week postoperatively, in whom the average hearing thresholds and tympanograms had no significant difference preoperatively and in 1 or 3 months postoperatively (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe early myringotomy with insertion of tube is effective to restore the function of the middle ear in cleft palate infants with SOM, so to suggest to be performed at the same time of the repair of cleft lip within the first 1-year of life. The tympanocentesis should not be used as a regular management in the cleft palate infants with SOM.

Cleft Lip ; Cleft Palate ; Ear Diseases ; Humans ; Infant ; Middle Ear Ventilation ; Otitis Media with Effusion ; Postoperative Period

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the application of different variable number tandem repeats (VNTR) locus in genotyping of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tuberculosis) strains isolated from eight provinces in China, and to find the suitable locus-set of VNTR for epidemical strains in China.

METHODSAll 140 M.tuberculosis strains were randomly selected from 2800 M.tuberculosis strains isolated from eight provinces in China, 27 VNTR loci were used for typing all isolates. Discriminatory power (Hunter-Gaston Index, HGI) of every locus and different locus-set were analyzed by BioNumerics software. Meanwhile, Spoligotyping was used to identify Beijing family and non-Beijing family. Then the HGI of different locus-sets in two families was also evaluated.

RESULTSAll 140 isolates were clustered into Beijing kindred (112 strains, 80%) and non-Beijing kindred (28 strains, 20%) by Spoligotyping. The discriminatory power of Spoligotyping in 140 isolates was 0.4589. Every locus showed different polymorphism and HGI were from 0 to 0.809. The number of VNTR loci with HGI higher than 0.5 in all strains, Beijing family and non-Beijing family was 8, 7 and 14 respectively. 27 loci were combined into four groups which included 8, 12, 15 and 24 VNTR loci respectively. Four locus-sets showed different polymorphism, HGI of eight-locus, 12-locus, 15-locus, and 24-locus set in 140 strains was 0.9991, 0.9882, 0.9980 and 0.9986, and their discriminatory power were calculated in Beijing kindred (HGI: 0.9987, 0.9318, 0.9969 and 0.9975) and non-Beijing kindred (HGI: 1, 0.9894, 1 and 1).

CONCLUSIONDifferent VNTR locus and locus-set showed different discriminatory power in the selected M.tuberculosis strains isolated from China. Eight-locus set can be used in molecular epidemiological study of M.tuberculosis in China after standardization.

Bacterial Typing Techniques ; DNA, Bacterial ; genetics ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Tandem Repeat Sequences

BACKGROUNDThe application of pulmonary valved conduit to reconstruct the continuity between right ventricles and pulmonary artery is one of the major surgeries. This study aimed to establish an in vivo model of in situ implantation using pulmonary valved conduit in large animals under off-pump condition to validate the long-term effects of artificial pulmonary valved conduit.

METHODSDomesticate juvenile male sheep and tissue-engineered porcine pulmonary valved conduit were used for the experiment: 30 sheep, weighing (15 ± 3) kg (range 13 to 17 kg) were randomly divided into two groups which were all operated under general anesthesia by off-pump surgery (group 1) and left thoracotomy (group 2). Two different off-pump surgical methods were used to perform cannulation in sheep pulmonary artery to replace part of sheep pulmonary artery with pulmonary valved conduit which will work together with sheep pulmonary artery and valves. During the experiments, animal survival, complication rates, operating time and blood loss were recorded to compare the results between groups and to establish a surgical method with minimal invasion, simplicity, safety, and high success rates.

RESULTSIn group 1, a total of 15 cases of surgeries were performed, in which two sheep died; the operative mortality was 13.3% (2/15). In group 2, a total of 15 cases of surgeries were performed, and the surgical mortality rate was 0 (0/15). The operation time and blood loss in group 2 was significantly better than that in group 1. The postoperative echocardiograms showed that, after the surgeries by these two methods, the blood flows were normal, and the valves can open and close freely. Autopsy after 6 months showed that the inner wall and the valves of pulmonary valved conduit were smooth with no thrombus formation.

CONCLUSIONThese two off-pump methods are feasible and safe with fewer traumas; but the second method is better and particularly suitable for the establishment of a juvenile animal model.

Animals ; Heart Valve Prosthesis ; Male ; Pulmonary Valve ; Sheep ; Swine ; Tissue Engineering

OBJECTIVEMacrophage activation syndrome (MAS) is a rare but life-threatening complication in children with rheumatic diseases, particularly systemic-onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SOJIA). Because of the potential fatality of this condition, prompt recognition and immediate therapeutic intervention are important. This study reviewed the data of MAS in 13 cases with SOJIA.

METHODSRetrospective review was performed on the precipitating events, clinical manifestations, laboratory data, treatment, and outcome of macrophage activation syndrome in 13 children with SOJIA seen from 1996 to 2005.

RESULTSOver the past 10 years the unit has had 90 new patients with SOJIA. Thirteen of those patients (14.4%) developed MAS during the course of their primary SOJIA, of whom ten were male. All patients were noted to have active SOJIA prior to developing MAS; 3 patients had medications, which were considered as trigger factors; 8 had infections prior to MAS, in two of them the infections were possible triggers. All the patients had high grade fever; 12 cases (92.3%) had hepatomegaly; 10 patients (76.9%) had coagulopathy, and eight patients (61.5%) had central nervous system dysfunction. The counts of platelet, white blood cells and the mean erythrocyte sedimentation rate fell dramatically in all patients; hyperferritinemia was identified in 8 patients, in 5 of whom serum ferritin (SF) was >or= 10,000 microg/L; in 8 (72.7%) of 11 cases fibrinogen was or= 2.5 mmol/L in 9 (69.2%) of 13 cases.

CONCLUSIONMAS is a rare and potentially fatal complication of children with SOJIA. Primary disease activity, medications and infections preceding MAS were all important triggers. The strongest clinical discriminators were hepatomegaly, hemorrhages and central nervous system dysfunction. The strongest laboratory tests were decreased counts of platelet and white blood cells, decreased ESR and fibrinogen, dramatically increased SF and TG. It calls for the immediate treatments, particularly with cyclosporin A, which are often effective.

Arthritis, Juvenile ; complications ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Macrophage Activation Syndrome ; drug therapy ; etiology ; pathology ; Male ; Retrospective Studies