No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Basal Cell ; Nose

No abstract available.
Behcet Syndrome* ; Renal Insufficiency*

OBJECTIVES: During the past few years, the development of functional brain imaging techniques has allowed to describe brain impairment in cognitive disorders. Among them, based on the observation of bilateral parietotemporal hypoperfusion in Alzheimer's disease(AD), single photon emission computed tomography(SPECT) is advocated by some as powerful diagnostic tool in the evaluation of demented patients. The aim of this study is to investigate the usefulness of SPECT in the diagnosis of AD and to clarify the associated factors of parietotemporal hypoperfusion, the typical SPECT pattern of Alzheimer's disease(AD). METHODS: We reviewed the SPECT scans of 26 patients fulfilling NINCDS-ADRDA criteria for probable AD, 14 with typical pattern of SPECT and 12 with atypical pattern of SPECT. Dementia severity was assessed by the Mini-Mental State Examination. Image interpretation was done visually by the consensus opinion of 2 experienced nuclear medicine physicians who were blind to clinical information. To estimate the association of typical pattern of SPECT with other variables of interest, discriminant function analysis was done. RESULTS: Though the overall diagnostic sensitivity of SPECT in AD was 53.8%, it was 76.9%, in early-onset AD patients. Typical pattern of SPECT was more frequent in the patients with early onset of the symptoms. Duration of symptoms, duration of education, sex, severity of disease was not associated with this SPECT pattern. CONCLUSION: These findings may be useful in the clinical setting and point to heterogeneity of AD according to age at onset.
Alzheimer Disease* ; Brain* ; Consensus ; Dementia ; Diagnosis ; Functional Neuroimaging ; Humans ; Nuclear Medicine ; Population Characteristics ; Sex Education ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*

Cutaneous metastasis from renal cell carcinoma is unusual and have been reported infrequently. We report a case of metastatic renal cell carcinoma in a 33-year-old man who presented with a 3.5X2.0 cm-sized round, brightly red colored nodule on the scalp for 1 month. A skin biopsy revealed the typical clear cell adenocarcinoma with clear cytoplasm and oval hyperchromatic nuclei arranged in glandular pattern consistent with metastatic renal cell carcinoma. In most instances, once cutaneous involvement is manifested the disease is widespread and has a poor prognosis. But, our case presented only a single cutaneous nodule, and workup showed no evidence of further metastasis for 1 year.
Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell ; Adult ; Biopsy ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell* ; Cytoplasm ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Scalp* ; Skin

Effects of Chinese medicine on collateral circulation of coronary artery were reviewed, especially its regulatory effect through vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and fibroblast growth factor (FGF).
Animals ; Collateral Circulation ; physiology ; Coronary Artery Disease ; physiopathology ; Coronary Circulation ; physiology ; Coronary Vessels ; physiopathology ; Fibroblast Growth Factors ; metabolism ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Research Design ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo assess the relationship between fractional esterification rate of high density lipoprotein cholesterol (FER(HDL)) and coronary artery disease.

METHODSA total of 131 hospitalized patients underwent coronary angiography due to chest pain were included in the study and patients were divided into CAD group (n = 76) and non CAD group (n = 55) according to coronary angiogram. Clinical and laboratory data including biochemical laboratory, FER(HDL) and lipid subclasses were analyzed.

RESULTSThe FER(HDL) value of CAD group was significantly higher than that of the non CAD group (21.70 ± 8.73 vs. 18.65 ± 6.26, P < 0.05). There was an increased trend of FER(HDL) with numbers of diseased coronary arteries, significant difference was evidenced between non CAD group and 3-vessel group (18.65 ± 6.26 vs. 24.00 ± 9.22, P < 0.05). FER(HDL) was positively correlated with TG (r = 0.647, P < 0.001), LDLb-C(r = 0.441, P < 0.001) and negatively correlated with HDL-C (r = -0.708, P < 0.001) and HDL(2)-C (r = -0.748, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONOur data showed that the values of FER(HDL) were significantly increased in CAD patients and correlated with the severity of the CAD.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cholesterol, HDL ; metabolism ; Cholesterol, LDL ; metabolism ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; diagnostic imaging ; metabolism ; Esterification ; Female ; Humans ; Lipoproteins, HDL ; metabolism ; Lipoproteins, LDL ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged

This study was designed to investigate the different involvements of prostatic stromal cells from the normal transitional zone (TZ) or peripheral zone (PZ) in the carcinogenesis of prostate cancer (PCa) epithelial cells (PC-3) in vitro and in vivo co-culture models. Ultra-structures and gene expression profiles of primary cultures of human prostatic stromal cells from the normal TZ or PZ were analyzed by electron microscopy and microarray analysis. In vitro and in vivo co-culture models composed of normal TZ or PZ stromal cells and human PCa PC-3 cells were established. We assessed tumor growth and weight in the in vivo nude mice model. There are morphological and ultra-structural differences in stromal cells from TZ and PZ of the normal prostate. In all, 514 differentially expressed genes were selected by microarray analysis; 483 genes were more highly expressed in stromal cells from TZ and 31 were more highly expressed in those from PZ. Co-culture with PZ stromal cells and transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) increased the tumor growth of PC-3 cells in vitro and in vivo, as well as Bcl-2 expression. On the other hand, stromal cells of TZ suppressed PC-3 cell tumor growth in the mouse model. We conclude that ultra-structures and gene expression differ between the stromal cells from TZ or PZ of the normal prostate, and stroma-epithelium interactions from TZ or PZ might be responsible for the distinct zonal localization of prostate tumor formation.
Adenocarcinoma ; drug therapy ; genetics ; pathology ; Adult ; Animals ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Coculture Techniques ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Humans ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Prostate ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; genetics ; pathology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Stromal Cells ; metabolism ; pathology ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; pharmacology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical efficiency and safety of two-micron laser resection of the prostate-tangerine technique (TmLRP-TT) for the treatment of large-volume ( > 70 ml) prostate in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

METHODSThis retrospective analysis included 80 BPH patients with the prostatic volume larger than 70 ml, all treated by TmLRP-TT. We comparatively analyzed the levels of hemoglobin and serum sodium before and after surgery, recorded intra- and post-operative com- plications, and followed up the patients at 6 and 12 months after operation for International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), quality of life (QOL), maximum flow rate (Qmax), and postvoid residual urine volume (PVR).

RESULTSAll the operations were successfully completed. The mean hemoglobin decreased (0.68 +/- 0.43) g/dl intraoperatively, but no apparent reduction was observed in serum sodium. Lower urinary tract symptoms were relieved significantly in all the cases. At 12 months after surgery, IPSS was decreased by 73.89% as compared with the baseline (20.03 +/- 6.9 vs 5.23 +/- 3.59), QOL by 64.55% (4.09 +/- 1.19 vs 1.45 +/- 1.36), and PVR by 79.30% (97.31 +/- 57.90 vs 20.14 +/- 24.20 ml), while Qmax increased by 140.42% ([8.04 +/- 3.62] vs [19.33 +/- 3.28] ml/s). The incidence of complications was low either intraoperatively or during the 12 months after operation.

CONCLUSIONTmLRP-TT is a safe and effective surgical endoscopic approach to the treatment of large-volume prostate in BPH patients.

Aged ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Laser Therapy ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Transurethral Resection of Prostate ; methods ; Treatment Outcome