Objective To study the changes of liver blood flow with or without portal vein thrombus (PVTT) in hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods The hepatocellular carcinoma patients with PVTT (n=26) and without PVTT (n=35) were enrolled. The diameter and the velocity of hepatic arterial (HA) and portal vein (PV) were measured with color Doppler flow imaging in all patients. Results In the patients with PVTT, the diameter of PV dilated and the velocity of PV dropped significantly and the velocity of HA rised obviously, as compared with those without PVTT. Conclusion The index of HA and PA is very important to guide the therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Limb-shaking transient ischemic attack (TIA), a rare manifestation, is commonly caused by severe stenosis or occlusion of an extracranial internal carotid artery. Such patients are usually treated with surgical revascularization or anti-platelet therapy. We present a 56-year-old woman with 6 months’ episodic attacks starting with mouth skewed to the right and a sensation of ‘weakness’ involving predominantly her left arm, and at times, also involved the left leg. This was immediately followed by rhythmic jerky movements of the left arm and at times, also involved the left leg. Magnetic resonance angiography revealed severe stenosis of M1 segment of the right middle cerebral artery. The patient’s symptoms were signifi cantly improved by treatment with anti-platelet drugs and nimodipine.

0.05).(4) Significant differences between CC and CIN Ⅰ for p16,CDH1,RASSF1A and TIMP3 genes(P

Objective:To compare the difference between 20 cases of subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma (SPTL) and 19 cases of cutaneous extra-nodal nasal-type NK/T-cell lymphoma (cutaneous NK/T-cell lymphoma). Methods:The two types of lymphoma were compared in clinical pathology, immunological marker, Epstein-Barr (EB) virus infection, and T-cell receptor (TCR) gene rearrangement. Results:Differentiated diagnosis of the two types of lymphomas was not easy based on their clinical manifestations,but the cutaneous NK/T-cell lymphoma was always followed by extracutaneous dissemination and had a poor prognosis. Histopathologically, SPTL was usually limited in subcutaneous fatty tissues while the cutaneous NK/T-cell lymphoma showed diffused infiltration around the dermis and it often infiltrated into the subcutaneous fat tissues. Coagulation necrosis, angiocentric infiltration and epidermotropism were often observed in cutaneous NK/T-cell lymphoma. When compared with immunophenotypes, SPTL often expressed βF1, membrane CD3 and CD8 but did not express CD4 and CD56, while most of the cutaneous NK/T-cell lymphomas expressed CD56 and cytoplasm CD3ε and only a few cases expressed CD3 and CD8. The differences in the expression of CD56, CD3, CD8, and βF1 were significant between the two types of lymphomas(P<0.05). The positive rate of EBER1/2 was 25% (5/20) in SPTL while it was 100% in cutaneous NK/T-cell lymphoma. The difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Monoclonal TCR-γ gene rearrangement was found in 16 out of 20 cases of SPTL (80%) but only in 4 of 18 cases in the cutaneous NK/T-cell lymphoma (22.2%). The difference was significant(P<0.05). Conclusion:The key points to distinguish the two lymphomas are (1) extracutaneous dissemination, coagulation necrosis, angiocentric infiltration and epidermotropism; (2) the expressions of CD56, CD3, CD3ε, CD8, and βF1; (3) the positivity of in situ hybridization of EB virus; (4) detection of the monoclonal TCR-γ gene rearrangement. To make an acute differentiated diagnosis of the two lymphomas, comprehensive analysis is necessary to integrate the results of clinical manifestation, histopathology, immunophenotype, infection of EB virus and gene rearrangement.

Aim To investigate the effect of salidroside on the phenotypic expression of osteoblast and the possible molecular mechanism in hypoxia environment.Methods MTT, Annexin V/PI double staining, alkaline phosphatase(ALP) activity assay and enzyme-linked immnosorbent assay(ELISA) were performed respectively to detect the effect of salidroside on regulating phenotypic expression of MG-63 cells exposed to hypoxia.Then RT-PCR and Western blot were conducted to detect the expression levels of Osterix and Runx2 which were related to differentiation.At last, we investigated the expression levels of components of the HIF-1α pathway by RT-PCR,Western blot and ELISA, respectively.Immunofluorescence confocal microscope technology and luciferase reporter assay were performed to explore nuclear translocation and transcriptional activity of HIF-1α.Results Salidroside could markedly promote MG-63 cell proliferation, inhibit hypoxia-induced apoptosis, stimulate cell differentiation and promote expression levels of components of the HIF-1α pathway in hypoxia environment.Conclusion Salidroside could regulate phenotypic expression of MG-63 cells through HIF-1α/VEGF signaling pathway in hypoxia environment.

To investigate the role of H-fas oncogene in the early stages of human breast carcinogenesis. Methods Thirty cases of human breast cancer, 36 epithelial hyperplasia of usual type and 31 atypical hyperplasia were employed to detect H-ras gene codon 12 mutations by PCR-RFLP and PCR-SSCP assays, and to detect the expression of H-ras protein by immunohistochemistry method. ResultsExpression of H-ras protein were found in 73.3 % (22/30) of breast cancer and 48.4 % (15/31 ) of atypical hyperplasia. No H-ras protein expression was observed in hyperplasia of usual type. All tested sarnples of breast cancer and hyperplsia showed no mutations of H-ras gene codon 12. ConclusionOverexpression of H-ras protein is involved in early stages of breast carcinogenesis, but mutations of H-ras gene codon 12 is rarely present in the stage.

Chronic Disease ; Humans ; Nasal Polyps ; classification ; Sinusitis ; classification

Objective:There are limited data describing the clinical characteristics and prognosis of culture negative pyogenic spondylitis.The aim of this study was to investigate the treatment,prognosis and clinical characteristics of culture negative pyogenic spondylitis.Methods: A retrospective study reviewed 74 patients who were diagnosed with spondylitis in Peking University First Hospital from January 2010 to December 2015.A total of 27 patients suffered from pyogenic spondylitis.According to the pa-thogenic culture results,the patients were divided into two groups: culture negative group and culture positive group.The clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes between the two groups were compared.Results: The elder were more vulnerable to pyogenic spondylitis,and of the 27 patients,12 patients were female and 15 male.All patients had no history of administration of antibiotics prior to obtaining culture samples.A causative germ was identified in 14/27 patients (51.9％) with Staphylococcus aureus being the most common pathogen.There was no significant difference between the two groups in the patient's age,gender,visual analogue score (VAS),predisposing factor,clinical symptom,sign and spinal segment (P>0.05).Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (P=0.056) and C-reactive protein (CRP) (P=0.040) of culture negative group were lower in contrast to culture positive group.The incidence of vertebral abscess in culture negative group was higher than in culture positive group (P=0.046).After treatment,ESR dropped almost equally in both groups,and CRP dropped faster in the culture positive group (P=0.192).At last,there was no significant difference between the two groups in hospital stay,pain relief,open debridement operation rate,and recurrence rate of infection.Conclusion: ESR and CRP of the culture negative patient were lower than those of the culture positive patient,and the incidence rate of paravertebral abscess was higher than that of the culture positive patient.After administration of antibiotics,there was no significant difference between the two groups in duration of antibiotics,open debridement operation rate and recurrence rate of infection.So,culture negative may not necessarily be a negative prognostic factor for pyogenic spondylitis.However,we should watch out for the drug resistant bacteria or double infection,due to the long term use of wide-spectrum antibiotic in culture negative patients.

Background and Objectives: Anticoagulation clinics are widely used for anticoagulation management in many countries, but have only recently began to gain acceptance in Taiwan. Our service model is a physician-managed outpatient clinic collaborating with clinical pharmacist and nurse. This study aimed to evaluate the adequacy of anticoagulation and rates of warfarin-related complications before and after referral to our collaborative anticoagulation clinic (CAC). Methods: Stroke patients taking warfarin from the neurology department were identifi ed and referred to the CAC during the 12-month period from February 2009 to January 2010. Quality markers include percentage of international normalized ratio (INR) values in the therapeutic range, frequency of INR monitoring, and frequency of follow-up visits and the mean interval of next INR monitoring after non-therapeutic INRs were compared one year before and after management in the CAC. Using studied patients as self-control, they were included in the analysis if patients had at least 3 months follow-up or 3 INR values both before and after referral. Results: A total of 44 stroke patients were included: mean age of 75.0 ± 9.7 years, with a CHADS2 score of 3.71 ± 0.69. The adequacy of anticoagulation was signifi cantly greater during CAC care compared with the period before referral; the percentage of INR within expanded therapeutic range was 60.9% versus 53.7%, respectively (p=0.049). Reduction in sub-therapeutic INR values from 31.8% to 24.2% (p=0.023) contributed mostly to the improved quality of care. The time interval of next INR monitoring after non-therapeutic INRs ( 4.0 or 1.5) was also signifi cantly shorter. However, there was no signifi cant difference in the rates of thromboembolic and hemorrhagic events which may be attributed to a small sample size. Conclusion: Based on results of our study, a CAC may be the optimal structure for anticoagulation management service in the future.

ObjectiveThis study was to review our experience for the management of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) invading the inferior vena cava(IVC). Methods Eleven patients were operated on. Tumors were first resected under portal triad clamping(PTC) and then the tumor emboli in the IVC were removed either under hepatic vascular exclusion(HVE) or under side clamping of the IVC. Results Surgery was successful in all cases, without operative death and complication caused by the removals of tumor emboli from the IVC. The mean operative time was 179 min (range 120～255 min) and the mean intraoperative blood loss 1 482 ml(range 600～3 000 ml). The mean PTC and HVE times were 27 9 min(range 12～83 min) and 16 5 min(range 7～28 min), respectively. The postoperative complications included pleural effusion in one needing thorancentesis and bile leak in one. During the follow up, 3 patients died at 30, 10 and 14 months, respectively, and the remaining 8 patients were alive at the follow up of 1 to 14 months. ConclusionsHCC with tumor thrombus in the IVC is operable and the proper procedure is hepatectomy plus thrombectomy with a favourable postoperative prognosis.