Objective To investigate the clinical presentations, pathologic features, and the di-agnosis and treatment of prostate sarcomatoid carcinoma. Methods Two cases of prostate sarcoma-told carcinoma were analyzed with review of the relevant literature. Case 1, a 51-year-old man com-plained of dysuria and perineal discomfort for 2 months, was admitted because of acute urinary reten-tion. His serum PSA was 2.31 ng/ml. Heterogeneous density of the prostate left lobe and bladder neck involvement was shown on CT scan. Prostate sarcomatoid carcinoma was confirmed by transrec-tal prostate biopsy, and patient accepted radical cystoprostatectomy and ideal conduit followed with lo-cal radiotherapy and hormonal therapy. Case 2 was a 54-year-old male. This ease was admitted with a history of dysuria and intermittent gross hematuria for 1 month. Hypoechoic lesion was found by ul-trasonography,and heterogeneous density of the prostate was shown on CT scan. His serum PSA was 2.61 ng/ml. The prostate biopsy result showed prostate sarcoma. Radical cystoprostatectomy and ide-al conduit was performed on this case. Results The diagnosis of prostate sarcomatoid carcinoma in the 2 cases was confirmed by postoperative pathology. Under microscope, the neoplasm was mainly composed of epithelial and sarcomatoid mesenchymal cells,with a transitional region of these cells. Im-munohistochemical staining showed that the cells were positive for cytokeratin and epithelial membrane antigen. Vimentin was negative in the epithelial cells, but was positive in the majority of sarcomatoid cell. Both patients died of multi-metastasis at 43 and 19 months after surgery respectively. Conclu-sions Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the prostate is extremely rare with a high grade of malignancy,and its prognosis is poor. The diagnosis depends on pathological features and immunohistochemical studies. Radical resection combined with endocrine therapy and radiotherapy is considered to be the most relia-ble treatment so far.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of salidroside on hypoxia-induced apoptosis of corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells (CCSMCs) in rats.

METHODSRat CCSMCs were cultured in vitro by the enzyme digestion method and identified by immunofluorescent staining of anti-alpha-SMA and anti-Desmin. The non-toxic dose of salidroside was determined by MTT assay. Low-oxygen mixed gas (1% O2, 5% CO2, and 94% N2) was piped into a modular incubator chamber to induce hypoxia. The CCSMCs were divided into a normal, a hypoxia, and a 32 microg/mL salidroside intervention group. The apoptosis of the CCSMCs was detected by flow cytometry and the expression of the caspase-3 protein determined by Western blot.

RESULTSThe majority of the CCSMCs were positive for alpha-SMA and Desmin at immunofluorescent staining. Salidroside at < 32 microg/ml produced no obvious toxicity to CCSMCs. Compared with the normal control group, the rates of early and late apoptosis of CCSMCs were both increased significantly in the hypoxia group ([12.77 +/-1.41]% vs [18.69 +/- 1.29]%, P < 0.01 and [14.63 +/- 2.00]% vs [21.03 +/- 1.530]% , P < 0.05). Western blot showed a markedly increased expression of cleaved caspase-3 (P < 0.01). Intervention with 32 microg/ml salidroside significantly reduced hypoxia-induced early apoptosis of CCSMCs ([13.46% +/- 1.87]%, P < 0.01) and decreased the expression of cleaved caspase-3 (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSalidroside can reduce the expression of cleaved caspase-3 and inhibit hypoxia-induced apoptosis of CCSMCs in rats.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; physiology ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Cell Hypoxia ; physiology ; Cells, Cultured ; Glucosides ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Male ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; cytology ; drug effects ; enzymology ; Penis ; cytology ; drug effects ; Phenols ; pharmacology ; Rats

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical effect of low-dose once-daily tadalafil combined with Shuganyiyang Capsules in the treatment of mild-to-moderate erectile dysfunction (ED).

METHODSNinety patients with mild-to-moderate ED were equally randomized to groups A, B and C to receive Shuganyiyang Capsules, tadalafil, and tadalafil + Shuganyiyang Capsules, respectively. The scores of the patients on IIEF-5 and SF-PAIRS (15-Item Short Form of Psychological Interpersonal Relationship Scales) were recorded before and at 1 and 3 months after treatment.

RESULTSThe IIEF-5 scores of groups A, B and C were 10.13 +/- 1.55, 11.00 + 1.60 and 10.73 +/- 1.91 before treatment, and 13.77 +/- 2.11, 17.77 +/- 2.13 and 17.17 +/- 3.84 at 1 month after treatment, significantly higher in B and C than in A (P <0. 001) , but with no remarkable difference between B and C (P =0. 411). At 3 months after treatment, the IIEF-5 scores were 15.77 +/- 2.05, 18.07 +/- 2.24 and 19.37 +/- 3.76 in the three groups, dramatically higher in B and C than in A (P <0.001) as well as in C than in B (P<0.05). The scores on sexual self-confidence, sexual spontaneity and time concerns in SF-PAIRS were 3.90 +/-0.80, 8.67 +/- 1.94 and 14.43 +/- 1.92 before medication, 5.83 +/- 1.02, 9.90 +/- 1.75 and 11.17 +/- 1.68 at 1 month and 6.73 +/- 0.98, 11.07 +/- 2.08 and 10.67 +/-1.60 at 3 months after medication in group A; 4.17 +/- 0.87, 9.37 +/-1.43 and 14.47 +/-1.57 before medication, 6.47 +/-0.78, 10.83 +/- 2.18 and 10.20 +/-1.56 at 1 month and 6.83 +/-0.91, 11.30 +/- 1.88 and 9.47 +/- 1.57 at 3 months in group B; and 4.23 +/-0. 94, 9.50 +/- 1.89 and 14.67 +/- 2.91 before medication, 8.03 +/- 1.67, 13.43 +/-1.10 and 9.70 +/-1.21 at 1 month and 8.93 +/- 1.78, 14.70 +/- 1.26 and 8. 87 +/- 0. 97 at 3 months in group C. Compared with the baseline, the SF-PAIRS scores of the three groups were all significantly improved after treatment (P <0. 05) , and markedly higher in C than in the other two groups (P <0.05).

CONCLUSIONLow-dose once-daily tadalafil combined with Shuganyiyang Capsules is obviously effective in the treatment of mild-to-moderate ED, which not only improves the patients'erectile function, sexual self-confidence and sexual spontaneity, but also reduces their time concerns.

Adult ; Carbolines ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Erectile Dysfunction ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Tadalafil ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To analyze the clinicopathological characteristics and the prognostic survival factors of young patients who have undergone hepatectomy for primary hepatic carcinoma.Methods Clinicopathological da-ta and treatment outcomes in 79 young (≤40 years old)and 67 elderly (≥65 years old)patients who underwent hep-atectomy for primary hepatic carcinoma between 2008 and 2012 were retrospectively collected and compared using various parameters.Then the survival rate and prognostic factors of the younger patients were analyzed using Kap-lan-Meier and COX multivariate proportional hazards model.Results The positive rate of HBs-antigen and alpha-fetoprotein level were significantly higher in the younger patients than in the elderly patients (P<0.05).However, the positive rate of Anti-HCV-Ab was markedly lower in the younger patients (P<0 .0 5 ).The two groups did not significantly differ in gender,clinical symptoms,intraoperative parameters or pathological features (P>0.05).The overall survival rate was similar between the two groups.COX multivariate proportional hazards model analysis showed that the independent prognostic factors of overall survival were pre-operative albumin level <3 5 g/L and maximum tumor diameter ≥5 cm.Conclusion Hepatectomy is a safe and feasible treatment for young and elderly patients with primary hepatic carcinoma.The independent prognostic factors of survival for young patients are pre-operative albumin level <3 5 g/L and the maximum tumor diameter ≥5 cm.

Corpus cavernous smooth muscle cells are the main functional component of the corpus cavernosum penis, whose phenotypic modulation is the key initial step in the proliferation and migration of smooth muscle cells. Therefore, an insight into the mechanism of the phenotypic modulation of smooth muscle cells and its influencing factors is important for the prevention and management of penis erectile dysfunction. Smooth muscle cells are generally divided into contracting (differentiated) and composing (undifferentiated, proliferated or dedifferentiated) types. It is found that TGF-beta, transcription factor E2F1, BTEB2 and insulin may affect the phenotypic modulation of smooth muscle cells. This paper presents an overview of the progress in the researches on the phenotypic modulation of corpus cavernous smooth muscle cells and its influencing factors.
Cells, Cultured ; Humans ; Male ; Muscle, Smooth ; cytology ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; classification ; cytology ; ultrastructure ; Penis ; Phenotype

Objective To investigate the effects of sevoflurane pretreatment on the inflammatory response in patients undergoing cardiac valve replacement with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and the mechanism of myocardial protection.Methods Twenty NYHA class Ⅱ or Ⅲ patients of both sexes,aged ＜ 60 yr,undergoing cardiac valve replacement with CPB,were randomly divided into 2 groups (n=10 each): sevoflurane group (group S) and control group (group C).The patients were premedicated with intramuscular morphine 0.1 mg/kg and scopolamine 0.3 mg.Anesthesia was induced with iv injection of midazolam 0.05-0.08 mg/kg,fentanyl 10-15 μg/kg and pipecuronium 0.08-0.10 mg/kg.The patients were tracheal intubated and mechanically ventilated.Anesthesia was maintained with intermittent iv boluses of midazolam0.03-0.06 mg/kg,fentanyl 5-10μg/kg and pipecuronium 0.04-0.08 mg/kg.Sevoflurane was inhaled before aortic clamping and the end-tidal concentration was rapidly adjusted to 1.0％ and maintained at this level for 30 min in group S.Blood samples were taken from the central vein before skin incision,immediately after aortic clamping,immediately after aortic unclamping and at 30 min after aortic unclamping,at 2,6,12 and 24 h (T1-8) after operation for determination of the concentrations of plasma tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α),interleukin-6 (IL) and interleukin-8 (IL-8),intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1),cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and activity of creatine kinase MB (CK-MB).The requirement for cardiovascular drugs was recorded after release of aortic cross clamp.Results Compared with group C,the plasma concentrations of TNF-α,IL-6 and IL-8 were significantly decreased at T3-8,the plasma concentrations of ICAM-1 and cTnl were significantly decreased at T4-8,the activity of plasma CK-MB was significantly decreased at T8,and the requirement for cardiovascular drugs was significantly reduced after release of aortic cross clamp in group S (P ＜0.05).Conclusion Sevoflurane pretreatment can inhibit the inflammatory response and provide myocardial protection to some extent in patients undergoing cardiac valve replacement with CPB.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Joint Instability ; complications ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Spinal Canal ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Spinal Stenosis ; complications ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; surgery

BACKGROUNDThe physiological differences between fetal and postnatal heart have been well characterized at the cellular level. However, the genetic mechanisms governing and regulating these differences have only been partially elucidated. Elucidation of the differentially expressed genes profile before and after birth has never been systematically proposed and analyzed.

METHODSThe human oligonucleotide microarray and bioinformatics analysis approaches were applied to isolate and classify the differentially expressed genes between fetal and infant cardiac tissue samples. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to confirm the results from the microarray.

RESULTSTwo hundred and forty-two differentially expressed genes were discovered and classified into 13 categories, including genes related to energy metabolism, myocyte hyperplasia, development, muscle contraction, protein synthesis and degradation, extracellular matrix components, transcription factors, apoptosis, signal pathway molecules, organelle organization and several other biological processes. Moreover, 95 genes were identified which had not previously been reported to be expressed in the heart.

CONCLUSIONSThe study systematically analyzed the alteration of the gene expression profile between the human fetal and infant myocardium. A number of genes were discovered which had not been reported to be expressed in the heart. The data provided insight into the physical development mechanisms of the heart before and after birth.

Computational Biology ; methods ; Fetal Heart ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Profiling ; methods ; Genome, Human ; genetics ; Genomics ; methods ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; methods ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effects of radiotherapy in the treatment of small-cell lung cancer and the optimal radiation doses, irradiation volume and fractionations.

METHODSUsing evidence-based principles to search and evaluate clinical evidence on radiotherapy of small-cell lung cancer and giving grades of recommendation in clinical practice.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONThe combination of chemotherapy and thoracic irradiation were the treatment strategy in limited stage small-cell lung cancer (LD SCLC). There were no clear answers on optimal irradiation dose and volume. Early thoracic irradiations were better than later ones. Radiotherapy should be started at the first or second cycle of chemotherapy. Hyperfractionated irradiation may have therapeutic benefit compared with conventional irradiation. Prophylactic cranial irradiation could improve survival for patients with complete response after chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Carcinoma ; drug therapy ; radiotherapy ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Evidence-Based Medicine ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; radiotherapy ; Radiation Dosage

Adult ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; blood ; Humans ; Liver Transplantation ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tissue Donors