Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravitreal ranibizumab injection combined with triamcinolone acetonide (TA) for macular edema secondary to type Ⅱ optic disc vasculitis.Methods Totally 19 cases(19 eyes) with macular edema secondary to type Ⅱ optic disc vasculitis from January 2013 to December 2015 were injected ranibizumab intravitreally and triamcinolone acetonide 2 weeks later.The visual acuity,intraocular pressure,ocular fundus,OCT,FFA and related complications were observed during the 6 months follow-up period.If the macuiar edema returns during the follow-up period,the eyes would be given ranibizumab and TA again until the macular edema subsided.Results The visual acuity was 0.16 ± 0.09 and the central retinal thickness was (694.88 ± 79.06) μm before treatment.Compared with pretreatment,the visual acuity of all cases were improved in different degree except for one at 1 month,3 months and 6 months (all P ＜ 0.05).Also central retinal thickness were decreased and macular edema were subsided,there were statistical differences (all P ＜0.05).Compared with results at 1 month,the visual acuity and central retinal thickness was no significant different at 3 months and 6 months (all P ＞ 0.05).The intraocular pressure of all cases were normal throughout the follow-up period but one was increased transitorily in the first day after intravitreal rauibizumab injection.FFA examination at 1 month showed retinal hemorrhage and effusion absorbed obviously,besides,the optic disc and macular fluorescein leakage reduced significantly.The macular edema of 1 eye returned at 3 months and subsided after giving ranibizumab and TA again.The average number of injected eyes was 2.11 times.No complications associated with intravitreal injection and drugs were observed during the follow-up period.Conclusion It is effective and safe that intravitreal ranibizumab junction combined with TA for macular edema secondary to type Ⅱ optic disc vasculitis,which not only shorten the period of treatment but also reduce the times of drug injection,surgical trauma and complications.

Objective To assess the prognosis of patients with bladder neck (BN) involvement in radical prostatectomy specimens and compare it with patients with seminal vesicle invasion (SVI).Methods From January 2002 to December 2008,42 patients with prostate carcinoma who underwent radical prostatectomy were analyzed retrospectively.The mean age was 70.3 years (range 59-78 years).The patients were divided into two groups according to 2002 TNM system:pT4a group (bladder neck invasion) with 17 cases and pT3b group (unilateral or bilateral seminal vesicle invasion)with 25 cases.Postoperative outpatients were followed-up on a regular basis,two consecutive postoperative serums PSA greater than 0.2 μg/L defined as a biochemical recurrence.The postoperative follow-up to the time of biochemical recurrence or follow up to the deadline without biochemical recurrence were defined as biochemical recurrence free survival time.Results All patients were followed up for 50-122 months.The patients with BN involvement 17.6％ (3/17) had biochemical recurrence,whereas seminal vesicle invasion 24.0％ (6/25),there was no statistical significance between the two groups (P＞0.05).Conclusions Postoperative adjuvant therapies can improve the biochemical recurrence free survival.In this study,the prognosis of pT4a and pT3b group is similar.A conceivable down-staging of BN involvement in the TNM staging system should be considered.

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical characteristic and treatment response of the Gleason 5 + 5 prostate cancer and to summarize the prognostic factor of such patients. MethodsFrom January 2005 to May 2010,21 cases of Gleason 5 + 5 prostate cancer were enrolled in this study.The average age was 73 years and the pre-treatment PSA was 60.8 ng/ml.Six of the 21 cases had a PSA level ≤20 ng/ml.The maximal androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in the form of castration and Casodex or fluctamide was carried out once the diagnosis was made.Bone metastasis was revealed in 16 cases.PSA levels were tested at the 4th month and then every 3 months after the castration.The observation endpoint was 6 months.Extracorporeal beam irradiation or the systemic chemotherapy was carried out if the PSA did not drop to a normal range after 6 months. ResultsIn the study group with initial PSA ＞ 20 ng/ml,the PSA did not drop to normal range in 5 cases; of which 4 had bone metastasis.With systemic chemotherapy,3 cases died within 1 year.Another case,with localized disease,received an extracorporeal beam irradiation and died within 1 year due to progression of the tumor.Among the remaining 10 cases sensitive to total androgen blockage,7 survived through the end of the study period.One case had PSA recurrence in month seven after the initial therapy and died at month 19.One case had PSA recurrence at month 22 and died at month 36.The patient had his PSA augmented at month 24 after total androgen blockage and the patient passed away 4 months later.Of the 6 cases who had an initial PSA ≤20 ng/ml 4 died within one year. ConclusionsGleason 5 +5 prostate cancer is relatively resistant to ADT with a worse prognosis,especially for the cases with a nadir PSA ＞4 ng/ml after 6 months’ ADT.The patients who had an initial PSA ≤20 ng/ml might have an unsatisfactory clinical outcome.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of thrombin on the cytotoxicity of astrocytes injured by hypoxia/reoxygenation(H/R) and to explore its relationship with inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). METHODS: Primary astrocytes were cultured in DMEM with 10% approximately 15% calf serum and divided into 6 groups: a control group, a Tm control group, an H/R group, a Tm+H/R group, a hirudin (HR) control group, and a Tm+HR+ H/R group. The cell damage and viability were detected by the 3-(4, 5-di-methyl-thazol-2-yl)-2, 5 diphenyl-tetrazol-iumbromide (MTT) conversion method. The NO level in the cultured cell supernatant was assayed by Griess reagent. The flow cytometry was performed to evaluate the apoptosis rate of astrocytes. The iNOS mRNA was examined by semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Immunocytochemistry was used to observe the expression of iNOS protein. RESULTS: The cell viability injured by H/R was lower than that of the control group, the NO production and apoptosis rate in the cell of H/R group were higher than those of the control group. Incubation of H/R cell with 10kU/L Tm enhanced the cytotoxicity of H/R stimulation compared with the cells injured by H/R. Hirudin can reverse the effect of thrombin. RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry analysis demonstrated that the levels of iNOS mRNA and iNOS protein increased in the cells treated by H/R. Tm enhanced the expression of iNOS mRNA and iNOS protein in the cells treated by H/R. Hirudin blocked the effect of Tm. CONCLUSION Increasing the level of iNOS and enhancing the production of NO may be the mechanism of thrombin cytotoxicity in astrocytes injured by H/R.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Astrocytes ; cytology ; drug effects ; Cell Hypoxia ; Cells, Cultured ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Thrombin ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo study the protective effects of polysaccharide of Spirulina platensis and Sargassum thunbeergii on vascular of alloxan (ALX) induced diabetic rats.

METHODWith the doses of polysaccharide of Spirulina platensis (PSP) and Sargassum thunbeergii (PST) compound (1:1) 12.261, 36.783, 110.349 mg x kg(-1) by i.g. administration to alloxan induced diabetic rats respectively for 6 weeks. Then the blood glucose and the TC, HDL-C, TG, NO, ET in serum were detected. The contraction and relaxation response to NE and ACh in aortic rings of the alloxan induced diabetic rats has been studied.

RESULTThe results showed the compound of PSP and PST could decrease the blood glucose and the TC, TG, NO, ET in serum and increase HDL-C than in the alloxan induced diabetic rats. The contraction responses to NE in aortic rings of the alloxan induced diabetic rats were significantly elevated in the normal rats, and the responses to ACh were significantly lower. PSP and PST compound could significantly lower the responses to NE and significantly elevate the responses to ACh in aortic rings of the alloxan induced diabetic rats.

CONCLUSIONPSP and PST compound could decrease blood glucose and could protect the vascular of alloxan induced diabetic rats.

Animals ; Aorta, Thoracic ; drug effects ; Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; Cholesterol ; blood ; Cholesterol, HDL ; blood ; Cyanobacteria ; chemistry ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; blood ; Endothelins ; blood ; Female ; Male ; Mice ; Muscle Contraction ; drug effects ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; drug effects ; Nitric Oxide ; blood ; Polysaccharides ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Polysaccharides, Bacterial ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Protective Agents ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sargassum ; chemistry ; Triglycerides ; blood

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVEAlthough surgery is the only possible means to cure gastric cancer, the prognosis is often discrepant. The American Joint Committee on Cancer / International Union against Cancer (AJCC/UICC) published the TNM classification of Malignant Tumors (seventh edition) for gastric cancer recently. This study aimed to use this new edition staging system to investigate the prognostic factors for gastric cancer.

METHODSThe clinicopathologic data of 980 patients with gastric cancer treated by surgical resection in our hospital between January 2000 and December 2006 were analyzed retrospectively. The overall survival rate was determined by using Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test was used to determine significance. The prognosis was analyzed using univariate analysis and multivariate analysis with the Cox proportional hazards model. The 6th and 7th edition AJCC/UICC TNM staging systems were used to compare the survival outcomes for the cohort of patients.

RESULTSThe overall 1-, 3-, 5-year survival rates for the whole group were 82.5%, 58.7%, and 52.6%. The 5-year survival rates for patients with pTNM stage I, II, III, and IV disease classified by the 7th edition staging system were 93.2%, 72.4%, 39.1%, and 5.2%, respectively. In both univariate analysis and Cox multivariate analysis, age, tumor site, tumor size, histological type, resection type, radical resection, lymphatic/venous invasion, depth of invasion, nodal status, metastasis, retrieved lymph nodes, metastatic lymph node ratio, and adjuvant chemotherapy were prognostic factors with these patients.

CONCLUSIONCompared with the 6th edition system, the new edition of TNM staging system for gastric cancer can accurately predict the survival after operation.

Adenocarcinoma ; classification ; pathology ; surgery ; Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous ; classification ; pathology ; surgery ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell ; classification ; pathology ; surgery ; Cohort Studies ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastrectomy ; methods ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; methods ; standards ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms ; classification ; pathology ; surgery ; Survival Rate ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of poly-ADP-ribosylation in hexavalent chromium Cr(VI) induced cell damage.

METHODSThe study object, poly (ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG) deficient human bronchial epithelial cells (16HBE cells), was constructed previously by our research group. Normal 16HBE cells and PARG-deficient cells were treated with different doses of Cr (VI) for 24 h to compare the differences to Cr (VI) toxicity, meanwhile set up the solvent control group. On this basis, 5.0 µmol/L of Cr (VI) was selected as the exposure dose, after the exposure treatment, total proteins of both cells were extracted for two dimension fluorescence difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) separation, statistically significant differential protein spots were screened and identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS/MS), and further validated by Western blot.

RESULTSAfter Cr (VI) treatment, the survival rate of PARG-deficient cells was higher than normal 16HBE cells. When the doses reached up to 5.0 µmol/L, the survival rate of 16HBE cells and PARG-deficient cells were respectively (59.67 ± 6.43)% and (82.00 ± 6.25)%, the difference between which was significant (t = -4.32, P < 0.05). 18 protein spots were selected and successfully identified after 2D-DIGE comparison of differential proteins between normal 16HBE cells and PARG-deficient cells before and after exposure. The function of those proteins was involved in the maintenance of cell shape, energy metabolism, DNA damage repair and regulation of gene expression. The differential expression of cofilin-1 was successfully validated by Western blot. The expression level of cofilin-1 in the 16HBE cells increased after Cr (VI) exposure with the relative expression quantity of 1.41 ± 0.04 in treated group and 1.00 ± 0.01 in control group, the difference of which was statistically significant (t = -18.00, P < 0.05), while the expression level in PARG-deficient cells had no statistically significant difference (t = -8.61, P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONMost of the identified differential proteins are closely related to tumorigenesis, suggesting that poly-ADP-ribosylation reaction may resist the cytotoxicity of Cr(VI) by inhibiting Cr (VI) induced tumorigenesis, which provides important reference data to clarify the mechanisms of poly-ADP-ribosylation in Cr (VI) induced cell damage.

Bronchi ; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic ; genetics ; Chromium ; Cofilin 1 ; DNA Repair ; Epithelial Cells ; Glycoside Hydrolases ; deficiency ; physiology ; Humans ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry

The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) on cortical neurons exposed to oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R). Primary cultured cerebral cortical neurons were prepared from Sprague-Dawley rats. The cells were used for experiments after culture for 12 d in vitro. To initiate OGD/R, the culture medium was replaced by glucose-free medium, and cells were transferred to a humidified incubation chamber flushed by a gas mixture of 95% N(2) and 5% CO(2) at 37 °C for 2 h. Following this treatment, neurons were fed with glucose-supplemented (25 mmol/L) medium, and returned to the incubator under normoxic condition for 0-24 h. The cell viability was assessed by MTT assay, and cell injury was evaluated by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage rate. The percentage of apoptotic cells was analyzed by flow cytometry and Hoechst 33258 staining. The expressions of c-Met mRNA and protein were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot analysis, respectively. Oxygen-glucose deprivation for 2 h decreased the cell viability and increased LDH leakage rate in cultured cerebral cortical neurons. The cell viability declined and LDH leakage rate increased with the reperfusion time going on (0-24 h). To explore the influence of HGF on neurons under oxygen-glucose deprivation for 2 h/reperfusion for 24 h (OGD(2)/R(24)) condition, the cultures were pretreated with HGF at different concentrations (5-120 ng/mL) 2 h prior to OGD(2)/R(24). The results showed that OGD(2)/R(24) treatment significantly decreased the cell viability, increased LDH leakage rate and the percentage of apopototic cells. Pretreatment with HGF at 5 ng/mL and 10 ng/mL did not affect the decrease in cell viability resulting from OGD(2)/R(24). In the presence of 20 ng/mL HGF, the increase in cell viability in cortical neurons exposed to OGD(2)/R(24) began to appear, and 80 ng/mL of HGF exhibited the maximal effect. HGF at 5, 10 and 20 ng/mL did not affect the increase in LDH leakage rate in cortical neurons exposed to OGD(2)/R(24). In the presence of 40 ng/mL HGF, the decrease in LDH leakage rate in cortical neurons subjected to OGD(2)/R(24) began to appear, and 80 ng/mL of HGF displayed the maximal effect. In addition, HGF at 80 ng/mL significantly attenuated cell apoptosis resulting from OGD(2)/R(24). As detected by semi-quantitative RT-PCR and Western blot analysis, c-Met mRNA and protein were expressed in cerebral cortical neurons cultured for 12 d in vitro. c-Met mRNA and protein expressions in cortical neurons exposed to OGD(2)/R(24) were significantly upregulated and were not affected by pretreatment of HGF at 80 ng/mL. Treatment with c-Met inhibitor SU11274 (5 μmol/L) completely eliminated HGF-mediated protection of cortical neurons subjected to OGD(2)/R(24). The results suggest that HGF directly protects cortical neurons against OGD/R-induced cell injury in a dose-dependent manner, and HGF has a potent anti-apoptotic action on neurons exposed to OGD/R.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Cell Hypoxia ; Cell Survival ; Cells, Cultured ; Cerebral Cortex ; cytology ; Culture Media ; chemistry ; Glucose ; chemistry ; Hepatocyte Growth Factor ; pharmacology ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; metabolism ; Neurons ; cytology ; metabolism ; Oxygen ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of pre-acupuncture and immediate acupuncture on kidney function and oxygen free radical metabolism in rats with simulated weightlessness.

METHODSTwenty male clean-grade Wister rats were randomly divided into a normal control group, a model group, a pre-acupuncture group and an immediate acupuncture group, 5 rats in each one. The rats in the normal control group did not receive any treatment but free activities for 4 weeks. The rats in the rest groups received 4-week tail suspension to establish the model of simulated weightlessness. One week before the tail suspension, the rats in the pre-acupuncture group were treated with electroacupuncture at "Shenshu" (BL 23), "Pishu" (BL 20) and "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) for 30 min per treatment, once a day for 7 days. The rats in the immediate acupuncture group received tail suspension and acupuncture at the same time; during the tail suspension, the electroacupuncture was applied at "Shenshu" (BL 23), "Pishu" (BL 20) and "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) for 30 min per treatment, once every other day for 14 days. The colorimetric method was used to measure the content of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) in serum as well as activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) and content of malonaldehyde (MDA) in renal tissue in each group.

RESULTSCompared with the normal control group, the content of BUN in the model group was increased significantly (P<0.01), the activity of SOD and GSH-PX in nephridial tissue was significantly reduced (both P<0.01), and the content of MDA was increased significantly (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the content of BUN in the pre-acupuncture group and immediate acupuncture group was significantly reduced (P<0.01, P<0.05), the activity of GSH-PX in the pre-acupuncture group was obviously increased (P<0.05) and the content of MDA in the immediate acupuncture group was increased significantly (P<0.01). Compared with the immediate acupuncture group, the content of MDA in the pre-acupuncture group was lower (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe pre-acupuncture and immediate acupuncture both have the capacity to improve the kidney function and anti-oxygen free radical injury in rats with simulated weightlessness, however, the capacity to increase the protection ability of the kidney and eliminate free radical in the pre-acupuncture group is superior to that in the immediate acupuncture group, which is likely to be related with improving antioxidant ability of kidney.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Animals ; Antioxidants ; metabolism ; Humans ; Kidney ; metabolism ; Kidney Diseases ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; Space Flight ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Weightlessness ; adverse effects

Objective To evaluate a model for axillary lymph node involvement combining CK19 mRNA with contrast enhanced ultrasound sonography (CEUS) score in operable breast cancer.Methods Operable breast cancer patients planned for sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy were enrolled.Preoperative CK19mRNA expressions in peripheral blood and CEUS score of axillary lymph nodes were tested before surgery.In the training set,postoperative sentinel lymph node (SLN) and non-sentinel lymph node (nSLN) pathological results were taken as the gold standard,effective modeling variables were screened,logistic regression was used to establish the prediction model.Parallel control studies were conducted between the validation set and the MSKCC model to evaluate the prediction accuracy and prediction efficiency.Results From Oct 2015 to Nov 2016,359 cases (training set) were enrolled and mathematical formulas for predicting SLN and nSLN were established,respectively.The sensitivity,specificity and AUC of predicting SLN involvement were 91.36％,94.92％ and 0.979 respectively.The sensitivity,specificity and AUC of predicting nSLN metastasis were 91.04％,90.53％ and 0.932 respectively.From Dec 2016 to Jul 2017,219 cases (verification set) were included.The sensitivity of SLN metastasis predicted by the model was 91.84％,the specificity was 96.69％,and the AUC was 0.979,significantly superior to the MSKCC model (0.739).The sensitivity,specificity and AUC of predicting nSLN metastasis were 95.35％,92.73％ and 0.945 respectively,significantly superior to the MSKCC model (0.873).Concolusions Combined with peripheral blood CK19 mRNA and CEUS score,the prediction model for axillary lymph node involvement for operable breast cancer,SLN/nSLN involvement probability can be calculated and qualitative judgment can be made.The overall accuracy and AUC of this model are better than the prediction model of MSKCC.