The purpose of this study was to determine if salivary chromogranin a secretion in dogs exhibits a circadian rhythm. Saliva sampling was performed during three different sessions occurring in three nonconsecutive 24-h periods. Sixteen healthy adult beagle dogs (8 males and 8 females) were moved to a sampling room and housed individually in cages. Saliva samples were obtained every 4 h from 12:00 p.m. to 12:00 p.m. the following day. In the interest of habituation, saliva was obtained hourly from each dog 3 h before the experiment was started. Salivary chromogranin A concentrations were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. No circadian rhythm was detected for salivary chromogranin A secretion, and no differences in salivary chromogranin A concentrations measured every 4 h were demonstrated during the 24-h cycle in dogs.
Animals ; Chromogranin A/*analysis/*metabolism ; *Circadian Rhythm ; Dogs/*physiology ; Saliva/*chemistry

OBJECTIVETo discuss the diagnosis and treatment of primary hepatic carcinoid tumor (PHCT).

METHODSReport one case of huge PHCT treated in February 2004, and search the other 19 cases which were published from January 1994 to December 2006 in the Chinese biological and medical literature database. The clinical manifestation, pathological findings, diagnosis and treatment of these 20 PHCT patients were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTSThe main symptoms were abdominal pain or discomfort (8 cases) and abdominal mass (7 cases), cases with typical carcinoid syndrome were rare (3 cases). Immunohistochemical staining was positive for neuron-specific enolase, chromogranin A and synaptophysin in most cases. Sixteen cases received operation, among which there were 13 removed completely, other 4 cases were treated by transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE).

CONCLUSIONSThe definite diagnosis of PHCT depends on pathological and histochemical findings. Complete surgical resection is the best treatment for PHCT with favourable prognosis. TACE is also effective for nonoperative cases.

Antigens, CD34 ; analysis ; Carcinoid Tumor ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; therapy ; Chromogranin A ; analysis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Liver Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged