Objective To examine the effect of all-trans-retinoic acid (atRA) on proliferation and apoptosis rates of smooth muscle cells in healing vein bypass grafts.Methods Autogenous vein graft model was established in 40 rats by transplanting the internal branch of the jugular vein to the carotid by end-to-end anastomosis.Animals were divided at random into two groups:atRA group and control group.The animals received atRA(10mg?kg -1 ?d -1 ) or same dosage vehicle(corn oil) from 4 days preoperation to 10 days postoperation.Animals were sacrificed and the grafted veins were harvested at 7,14 days,respectively after the operation .The grafted veins were then processed for staining and measurements.Hyperplasia,smooth muscle cell proliferation were detected by pathological and immunohistochemical methods.All the data were analyzed by a computerized system.The presence of apoptotic smooth muscle cells was demonstrated by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase biotin nick end-labeling (TUNEL) method.Results There was a significant decrease in the average intimal thickness at 7,14 days in the atRA group.Immunohistochemical analysis of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) indicated decreased positive cells in the atRA group, compared with the control group at 1 or 2 weeks after the operation. Apoptosis of smooth muscle cells was higher in the atRA group than in the control group at 1 week or 14d postoperation.Conclusions These preliminary results demonstrated that atRA (10mg/kg/d) inhibits smooth muscle cell proliferation and induces smooth muscle cell apoptosis in rats.

Objective To explore the operative method for reconstruction of superior vena cave (SVC) and its branches in the treatment of patients with malignant mediastinal or pulmonary tumors through anterior mediastinotomy. Methods From 2001 to 2004 year, 22 patients with malignant mediastinal tumor or lung cancer received the resection of tumors and the reconstruction of the superior vena cave and its branches through anterior mediastinotomy. The operative efficacy was followed up in all patients. Results There was neither severe operative complications nor operative death in this group of patients, and 2 patients died of tumor recurrence in one year of post-operation, while others survived till now. Only one artificial graft occlusion occurred one month after operation. Conclusion The complete resection of malignant mediastinal or pulmonary tumors and the reconstruction of superior vena cave and its branches through anterior mediastinotomy is simple and reliable, and can remarkably improve the survival time of the short-term and long-term of the patients with malignant mediastinal or pulmonary tumor invading SVC.

BACKGROUND: Chronic rejection limits the long-term success of cardiac transplantation and the underlying causes of the disease are unknown. Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is considered as a mitogenic and chemotactic factor for fibroblasts and is associated with cell proliferation and collagen synthesis.OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role and significance of expression of CTGF in rat chronic rejection heart aliografta.DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: A randomized controlled animal experiment was performed at the Laboratory Animal Center of the Second Xiangya Hospital between April and August 2007.MATERIALS: Twenty Wistar rats serving as donors and twenty Sprague-Dawely (SD) rats serving as recipients were included. An additional 10 Wistar rats were included as controls.METHODS: After intra-abdominal heterotopic heart transplantations, rats received cyclosporine A, mycophenolate, and methylprednisolone immunosuppression. Ten recipient rats were anesthetized and sacrificed for heart harvesting at 2 and 8 weeks postoperation, respectively.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Coronary vessel density, fibrosis grade, and intimal occlusion were observed by hematoxylin-cosin staining and Van Gieson staining. Myocardial fibrosis was semi-quantitatively scored. CTGF expression was detected by immunohistochemistry. The associations between CTGF expression and allograft fibrosis and CAV formation were analyzed.RESULTS: Allografts harvested at 8-week post-surgery showed more obvious coronary intimal proliferation, fibrosis and higher CTGF expression compared with the 2-week allografts and the controls (P < 0.05-0.01 ) while the cardiac artery density was lower than the control group (P < 0.05). However, the control group in our study showed negligible CTGF expression. There were strong negative correlations between the gray value of CTGF protein expression and cardiac fibrosis and coronary intimal occlusion (r = -0.734, -0.713, P < 0.01), demonstrating that CTGF protein expression was positively correlated with cardiac fibrosis and coronary intimal occlusion.CONCLUSION: CTGF is expressed in cardiac myocyte with CAV. The increased expression of CTGF in the cardiac allograft is associated with CAV development and fibrosis formation and is involved in the pathogenesis of cbronic heart rejection

Objective To detect the expression of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in acute heart allograft rejection in rats and to investigate the relationship between CTGF expression and cardiac allograft fibrosis. Methods Sixteen Wister rats served as donors and another 16 Sprague-Dawely (SD) rats served as recipients. Intra-abdominal heterotopic heart transplantation was performed. All rats received 10 mg/(kg·d) cyclosporine,40 mg/(kg·d)CellCept, and 3 mg/(kg·d)methylprednisolone immunosuppression after the surgery. Ten allografts were harvested 2 weeks postoperation while 10 normal Wister rats served as controls. The paraffin sections of harvested heart specimens were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE),and van Gieson(VG) for the examination of morphological changes to observe the lumen loss of myocardial coronary arteries and myocardial fibrosis. The expression of CTGF was studied by immunnohistochemical method and was measured semi quantitatively. The correlation between the CTGF expression and allograft fibrosis was studied. Results The allografts showed a typical symbol of acute rejection with excessive granulocyte infiltration around the vessel wall and myocardial interstice. There were also intimal proliferation and obvious fibrosis in the acute group and the differences between the acute and control group were significant (P<0.05). The expression of CTGF protein was mainly located around the vascular and myocardial lesions in the acute group while the control group showed no CTGF expression. The gray scale value of CTGF was (AR vs NH: 103.52±6.42 vs. 182.61±8.72,P<0.05). Strong negative correlations were found between the gray scale value and fibrosis formation(r=-0.734,P<0.01). Conclusion CTGF was overexpressed in acute allograft rejection rat hearts and might be involved in the pathogenesis of transplanted heart fibrosis.

Clinical practice, the necessary way which must be passed by medical students, is a key period of medical education and a vital part to realize the goal of higher medical education. Our hospital has taken a series of effective measures to strengthen clinical practice teaching for many years, and we are ex-ploring the concentrated training model to medical students all the time. Every year before clinical practice, the Inspection Section develops theoretical and basic clinical skills training courses, selects experienced teachers to teach, check and evaluate the training result according to students' performance in medical and teaching activities in the ward, the clinical practice syllabus and Medical Qualification Examination aims to improve medical students' theoretical knowledge, skills, medical ethics, humanity, and clinical thinking, etc. Effect evaluation shows that our training model has played a positive role in improving overall qualities of medical students and got good feedback from them.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinic and pathologic data of thymic epithelial tumor (TET) and to explore its prognostic factors. METHODS: From June 1997 to September 2007, 137 patients with TET were surgically treated in our hospital. The data included age, gender, symptoms, histological type, stage and grade, pathological findings, and operation reports. The patients were followed up by telephones and mails. The patients were divided into Masaoka I/II group and III/IV group, and WHO A/AB/B1 group and B2/B3/C group. Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank test, and COX regression model were used to analyze the prognostic factors for TET. RESULTS: Among the 137 patients, 124 (90.5%) received complete resection, 9 (6.6%) incomplete resection, and 4 (2.9%) surgical biopsy. The rate of complete resection was significantly higher in Masaoka stages I/II than that in stages III/IV (P<0.001). The overall 5-year and 10-year survival rate was 71.4å and 50.1å, respectively. Patients in stage I/II had better long-term survival than those in stage III/IV (P<0.001). According to WHO histological classification, the 5-year and 10-year survival rate in patients with Type A/AB/B1 TET was significantly higher than that in patients with Type B2/B3/C TET (P<0.001). The 5-year and 10-year survival rate in patients with complete resection was significantly higher than that in patients with incomplete resection and biopsy (P<0.001).Cox regression analysis showed that the prognosis of patients with TET was related to Masaoka stage, WHO histological classification, extent of resection, and age at operation. CONCLUSION Masaoka stage, WHO histological classification, extent of resection, and age at operation are important prognostic factors in patients with TET.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; China ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial ; mortality ; pathology ; surgery ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Thymus Neoplasms ; mortality ; pathology ; surgery ; Young Adult

To analyze the components of tumor infiltrating T lymphocyte (TIL) cells in malignant pleural effusion of lung adenocarcinoma, and evaluate their killing activities to autologous tumor cells. 
 Methods: Malignant pleural effusions were collected from 17 patients with lung adenocarcinoma. Mononuclear cells were isolated by Ficoll density gradient centrifugation and flow cytometer was used to analyze TIL cell components. TIL and tumor cells were separated through adherent culture. The tumor cells were identified via intramuscular injection of adherent cells into nude mice and the killing effect of cultured lymphocytes on autologous tumor cells was studied.
 Results: Of the TIL in malignant pleural effusions, T cells accounted for 60.6%-79.3%, while T helper cells were significantly higher than T killer cells (36.63%±1.90% vs 24.64%±2.32%, P<0.001). There were also natural killer (NK) cells and NK T cells in the effusions. Tumor cells were successfully isolated and cultured. The killing activity of cultured TIL to autologous tumor cells was 39.14%±12.04%, and the killing activity of TIL with high proliferation rate to autologous tumor cells was higher than that of low proliferation group (50.51%±3.80% vs 29.04%±5.77%, P<0.001).
 Conclusion: T lymphocytes are the major components of TIL in malignant pleural effusions derived from lung adenocarcinoma, and T helper cells are more than T killer cells. The killing activity of TIL with strong proliferation ability to autologous tumor cells is higher than that of TIL with weak proliferation ability. Therefore, cells from malignant pleural effusions could be used for cellular immunotherapy against tumor.
Adenocarcinoma of Lung ; Animals ; Cytotoxicity, Immunologic ; Humans ; Interleukin-2 ; Lung Neoplasms ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Pleural Effusion, Malignant ; T-Lymphocytes

Antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) is a rare and serious complication after lung transplantation, with no characteristic of pathological manifestation, no systematic standard treatment, and the poor efficacy and prognosis. We reported a case of early AMR after lung transplantation and the relevant literature has been reviewed. A male patient presented with symptoms of cold 99 days after transplantation and resolved after symptomatic treatment. He admitted to the hospital 14 days later because of a sudden dyspnea and fever. Anti-bacteria, anti-fungi, anti-virus, and anti-pneumocystis carinii treatment were ineffective, and a dose of 1 000 mg methylprednisolone did not work too. The patient's condition deteriorated rapidly and tracheal intubation was done to maintain breathing. Serum panel reactive antibody and donor specific antibody showed postive in humen leukocyte antigen (HLA) II antibody. Pathological examination after transbronchial transplantation lung biopsy showed acute rejection. Clinical AMR was diagnosed combined the donor-specific antibody with the pathological result. The patient was functionally recovered after combined treatment with thymoglobuline, rituximab, plasmapheresis, and immunoglobulin. No chronic lung allograft dysfunction was found after 3 years follow up. We should alert the occurrence of AMR in lung transplantation recipient who admitted to hospital with a sudden dyspnea and fever while showed no effect after common anti-infection and anti-rejection treatment. Transbronchial transplantation lung biopsy and the presence of serum donor-specific antibody are helpful to the diagnosis. The treatment should be preemptive and a comprehensive approach should be adopted.
Graft Rejection ; Graft Survival ; HLA Antigens ; Humans ; Isoantibodies ; Lung Transplantation/adverse effects* ; Male