Cephalosporins ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Penicillins ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Skin Tests

Artemisia lactiflora is an important medicinal plant in China. The antitumor and antioxidant activities of the extracts of 54 endophytic fungi from the plant were screened via MTT assay and DPPH scavenging radical assay, respectively. The bioactive strains were identified based on similarity of 5.8S gene and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences. The results showed that extracts from ten (18.5%) isolates exhibited antitumor activity, and which from two (3.7%) isolates exhibited antioxidant activity. The Alternaria sp. GYBH47 strain was simultaneously having antagonistic activity against HL-60 leukemia, MCF-7 breast and COLO205 colon cell lines, and Phomopsis sp. GYBH42 strain having cytotoxic and antioxidant activities. The results indicated that endophytic fungi from Artemisia lactiflora are potential resources to find valuable bioactive components.
Antineoplastic Agents ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Artemisia ; microbiology ; Biphenyl Compounds ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Endophytes ; chemistry ; classification ; physiology ; Free Radical Scavengers ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Fungi ; classification ; physiology ; Humans ; Picrates ; metabolism

Biomarkers, Tumor ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; genetics ; metabolism ; CpG Islands ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p57 ; genetics ; metabolism ; DNA Methylation ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization ; Liver ; metabolism ; Liver Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism

Objective To discuss the molecular mechanism of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in tumor and to assess its value to identify pathologic type and cancer staging in patients with earlystage nasopharyngeal carcinoma.Methods Forty patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma of early-stage,including 12 cases with T1 stage and 28 cases with T2 stage, underwent FDG PET imaging.The maximum standardized uptake value ( SUVmax ) and mean standardized uptake value ( SUVmean ) of FDG uptake of each patient were measured and compared between T1 and T2 stage by t-test.The expression of glucose transport protein 1 ( Glut1 ) and hexokinase- Ⅱ ( HK- Ⅱ ) of each case was measured in paraffin sections by streptavidin-perosidase (SP) immunohistochemistry.The positive expression rate of Glut1 and HK- Ⅱ was calculated and compared between T1 and T2 by x2 test.Meanwhile, the correlation between the expression of Glut1 or HK-Ⅱ and the SUVmax was tested by Pearson analysis.Results The SUVmax and SUVmean in 40 patients were 9.45 ± 1.87 and 6.04 ± 1.09, respectively.The SUVmax of patients with T1 stage (8.95 ± 1.91 ) was significantly lower (t =4.46, P＜0.001 ) than that of patients with T2 stage (11.55 ± 1.70), and the SUVmean of patients with T1 stage (5.61 ± 1.08) was significantly lower ( t = 6.76, P ＜ 0.001 ) than that of patients with T2 stage (7.98 ± 1.10) too.Among 40 patients, all patients showed positive expression of Glut1 and HK-Ⅱ , and the positive expression rate of Glut1 and HK-Ⅱ was ( 45.2 ± 10.9 )% and ( 68.3 ±9.5)%, respectively.The positive expression rate of Glut1 was (38.4 ±8.1)% in T1 stage and (49.7 ±12.6)% in T2 stage, which displayed no difference (x2 =40.58, P＞0.05), but the HK-Ⅱ positive expression rate showed significant difference (x2 =58.71, P＜0.05) between T1 stage (60.1 ±11.1)% and T2 stage (77.9 ± 14.7 )%.The correlation analysis indicated that there was low-degree positive correlation (r =0.369, P=0.019) between the SUVmax and Glut1 expression, and there was medium-degree positive correlation (r = 0.549, P = 0.001 ) between the SUVmax and HK-Ⅱ expression.Conclusion Expression of Glut1 and HK-Ⅱ was positively correlated with FDG uptake in patients with early-stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Abnormalities, Multiple ; surgery ; Adolescent ; Humans ; Male ; Spleen ; abnormalities ; Testis ; abnormalities

AIMTo assess the psychometric properties of the Chinese Index of Premature Ejaculation (CIPE).

METHODSThe sexual function of 167 patients with and 114 normal controls without premature ejaculation (PE) were evaluated with CIPE. All subjects were married and had regular sexual activity. The CIPE has 10 questions, focusing on libido, erectile function, ejaculatory latency, sexual satisfaction and difficulty in delaying ejaculation, self-confidence and depression. Each question was responded to on a 5 point Likert-type scale. The individual question score and the total scale score were analyzed between the two groups.

RESULTSThere were no significant differences between the age, duration of marriage and educational level (P> 0.05) of patients with and without PE and normal controls. The mean latency of patients with PE and normal controls were 1.6 +/- 1.2 and 10.2 +/- 9.5 minutes, respectively. Significant differences between patients with (26.7 +/- 4.6) PE and normal controls (41.9 +/- 4.0) were observed on the total score of CIPE (P< 0.01). Using binary logistic regression analysis, PE was significantly related to five questions of the original measure. They are the so-called the CIPE-5 and include: ejaculatory latency, sexual satisfaction of patients and sexual partner, difficulty in delaying ejaculation, anxiety and depression. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis of CIPE-5 questionnaire indicated that the sensitivity and specificity of CIPE were 97.60 % and 94.74 %, respectively. Employing the total score of CIPE-5, patients with PE could be divided into three groups: mild (>15 point) 19.8 %, moderate (10-14 point) 62.8 % and severe (< 9 point) 16.7 %.

CONCLUSIONThe CIPE-5 is a useful method for the evaluation of sexual function of patients with PE and can be used as a clinical endpoint for clinical trials studying the efficacy of pharmacological intervention.

Adult ; Aged ; Algorithms ; China ; Coitus ; Ejaculation ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Orgasm ; physiology ; Penile Erection ; physiology ; Psychometrics ; ROC Curve ; Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological ; classification ; diagnosis ; psychology ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the postoperative outcomes of preserving the left colonic artery during laparoscopic anterior resection for rectal cancer.

METHODSThe clinicopathologic data of 91 rectal cancer patients (pathologic Stage II) undergoing laparoscopic anterior resection was retrospectively analyzed. During the surgeries, the left colonic artery was preserved in 40 patients (preserved group) and ligated in 51 patients (unpreserved group). The operating time, intraoperative blood loss, time to first flatus and defecation, duration of postoperative abdominal distension and pain, number of retrieved lymph nodes, ileum fistulation and anatomical leakage rate were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSThe surgeries were completed in all the 91 patients laparoscopically without conversion. There was no intraoperative complications including rectal perforation, injury to vessel or ureter in either group. The operating time, blood loss and number of retrieved lymph nodes were similar between the groups (P>0.05). Three patients in preserved group and 5 in ligation group received preventive ileum fistulation due to low rectal cancer. Anatomical leakage occurred in three patients of unpreserved group. The average duration of postoperative abdominal distension and pain was 2.14∓0.35 days in preserved group and 3.15∓0.42 days in ligation group. The time to first flatus and defecation was 37.15∓12.62 h and 3.16∓0.52 days in preserved group and 62.25∓11.75 h and 4.25∓0.75 days in ligation group. Postoperative hospital stay was 4.54∓0.42 days in preserved group and 6.23∓0.51 days in ligation group. Total hospitalization cost in the two groups was 34 525.32∓1206.36 Yuan and 41 215∓1051.32 Yuan, respectively. Significant differences were found the in duration of postoperative abdominal distension and pain, postoperative hospital stay, and total cost between the two groups (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONDuring laparoscopic anterior resection for rectal cancer, preserving the left colonic artery effectively ensures the blood supply to the anastomosis and the remaining descending colon to promote the recovery of the patients after surgery.

OBJECTIVETo study the overexpression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in early-stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and evaluate their relationship.

METHODSFDG positron emission tomography (PET) was performed in forty patients with stage I and stage II NPC. The maximum and mean standard uptake values (SUVmax and SUVmean, respectively) were measured in each patient, and the expression of VEGF was measured on paraffin sections using immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSThe FDG uptake in the patients were 9.45-/+1.87 (SUVmax) and 6.04-/+1.09 (SUVmean), 8.95-/+1.91 (SUVmax) and 6.04-/+1.09 (SUVmean) in stage I patients, and 11.55-/+1.70 (SUVmax) and 7.98-/+1.1 (SUVmean) in stage II patients. The FDG uptake of stage II patients was higher than that of stage I patients. The FDG uptake of non-keratinizing differentiated carcinoma was 9.74-/+1.82 (SUVmax) and 6.82-/+1.23 (SUVmean) and 10.44-/+2.16 (SUVmax) and 6.68-/+1.35 (SUVmean) in non-keratinizing undifferentiated carcinoma, showing no significant differences between them (SUVmax: t=1.230, P>0.05; SUVmean: t=0.346, P>0.05). The VEGF-positive cells were 60.80% in the tumor. A correlation between VEGF expression and FDG uptake in he tumor was noted (r=0.460, P=0.03).

CONCLUSIONVEGF overexpression is correlated to FDG uptake in patients with early-stage NPC. The SUV value reflects the glucose metabolism of NPC, and also shows the degree of oxygen insufficiency in the tumor tissue.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 ; pharmacokinetics ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; metabolism ; Neoplasm Staging ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; methods ; Radiopharmaceuticals ; pharmacokinetics ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; genetics ; metabolism ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the feasibility and the effect of surgical resection of hepatic tumor originated from segment IXb.

METHODSThe cases with hepatic tumors in segment IXb who had been operated on between March 2003 and January 2007 were retrospectively reviewed.

RESULTSA total of 15 tumors in segment IXb, including 13 primary liver cancers and 2 benign tumors with a mean diameter of (4.3 +/- 1.6) cm, were successfully resected by anterior transhepatic approach under sequential occlusions of portal tride and total hepatic vascularity or portal tride clamping only. There was no operative mortality,with a mean operative time of (190.3 +/- 37.6) min and a mean operative blood lose of (376.7 +/- 252.7) ml. All the patients had uneventful postoperative course except one who suffered from ascites and edema of the low body, which was successfully managed medically. The mean postoperative hospital stay was (13.3 +/- 6.0) d. During the follow-up of 1-47 months, two patients with benign tumor enjoyed a normal life. Among the 13 patients with primary live cancers, 1 patient died of recurrence, 2 patients remained alive with intrahepatic recurrence and 10 patients survived without any sign of relapse, with a median tumor-free survival time of 23.5 months.

CONCLUSIONSSurgical resection of hepatic tumor in segment IXb, despite their sophisticated anatomic position, is feasible in technique with high safety. The local resection can provide the patients with potential to cure.

Adult ; Aged ; Feasibility Studies ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hepatectomy ; methods ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVERadiotherapy is effective in treating nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). This study evaluated the treatment efficacy, toxicity, and prognostic factors of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) in the treatment NPC.

METHODSBetween September 2003 and September 2006, 305 patients with NPC were treated with IMRT in Fujian Provincial Cancer Hospital. IMRT was delivered as follows: gross tumor volume (GTV) received 66.0-69.8 Gy in 30-33 fractions, high-risk clinical target volume (CTV-1) received 60.0-66.65 Gy, low-risk clinical target volume (CTV-2) and clinical target volume of cervical lymph node regions (CTV-N) received 54.0-55.8 Gy. Patients with stages III or IV disease also received cisplatin-based chemotherapy. All patients were assessed for local-regional control, survival, and toxicity.

RESULTSWith a median follow-up of 35 months (range, 5-61 months), there were 16, 8, and 39 patients who had developed local, regional, and distant recurrence, respectively. The 3-year rates of local control, regional control, metastasis-free survival, disease-free survival, and overall survival were 94.3%, 97.7%, 86.1%, 80.3%, and 89.1%, respectively. Multivariate analyses revealed that T-classification had no predictive value for local control and survival, whereas N-classification was a significant prognostic factor for overall survival (P < 0.001), metastasis-free survival (P < 0.001), and disease-free survival (P = 0.003). For stages III-IV disease, concurrent and adjuvant chemotherapy did not influence prognosis. The most severe acute toxicities included Grade III mucositis in 14 patients (4.6%), Grade III skin desquamation in 90 (29.5%), and Grades III-IV leucocytopenia in 20 (6.5%). There were 7% patients with Grade II xerostomia after 2 years of IMRT, no Grades 3 or 4 xerostomia was detected.

CONCLUSIONSIMRT provided favorable locoregional control and survival rates for patients with NPC, even in those with locally advanced disease. The acute and late toxicities were acceptable. N-classification was the main factor of prognosis. Further study is needed on chemotherapy for patients with NPC.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Child ; Cisplatin ; administration & dosage ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Leukopenia ; etiology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mucositis ; etiology ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; radiotherapy ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Neoplasm Staging ; Radiotherapy Dosage ; Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated ; adverse effects ; methods ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Xerostomia ; etiology ; Young Adult