The transmission cycle of echinococcosis was established in 1853.More than 160 years have elapsed since Iceland initiated control measures to break the transmission cycle of echinococcosis in 1863.Control plans have been implemented in more than a dozen countries/territories,and lessons have been learned from failures as well as successes.In this review,we fo-cus on the failure experiences,which have also promoted successes in the control of cystic echinococcosis(caused by the para-site Echinococcus granulosus)in regions including Iceland,New Zealand,Uruguay,Wales(England),Turkana(Kenya),and Sardinia(Italy).The causes of the failures were analyzed,and the effects of health education,dog deworming,and con-trol measures for infected animal slaughter on echinococcosis control are comprehensively summarized.However,no suc-cessful experience has been reported in the control of alveolar echinococcosis(caused by the parasite Echinococcus multilocu-laris).On the basis of the biological characteristics of E.mul-tilocularis parasitization in dogs for a duration of 30 days and larvae parasitization in rodents,the fundamental measure for controlling alveolar echinococcosis is administration of monthly deworming treatments to dogs in high prevalence areas.

OBJECTIVETo compare the contents of baicalin in the raw medical material and the different prepared medical materials of Scutellaria baicalensis.

METHODThe contents of baicalin were determined by HPLC. Chromatographic conditions included Hypersil C18 column and the mobile phase consisting of a mixture of methanol-0.04% phosphoric acid (46:54). Baicalin was detected at 280 nm. The standard curve was linear in the range of 0.0280-4.6700 micrograms with correlation coefficient 1.0000. The average recovery of baicalin was 101.22% with RSD = 2.54% (n = 5).

RESULTThe contents of baicalin were 6.80% in raw material, 6.00% and 6.73% in the different prepared medical materials of S. baicalensis respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe two different kinds of preparing methods can be used to the raw material of S. baicalensis.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Flavonoids ; analysis ; Hot Temperature ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Scutellaria baicalensis ; chemistry ; Technology, Pharmaceutical

OBJECTIVETo analyze 3D digitized image of the adult penis, providing morphological data for plastic plerosis of the adult penis diagnosis and the surgery planning.

METHODS200 adult penis were measured at the length and perimeter of the resting state and erection, and the relation among the erectile angle and length, perimeter were analyzed by the Angel Digital Image Studio software.

RESULTSPenis increase with the age and stature growing. But the length increases in not the same ratio with the stature . With the erectile angle increasing, penile hardness is becoming strong, but penile volume do not marked change.

CONCLUSIONSThe digitized model of the penis and adjacent structure offer unique insights into the complex penis anatomy, providing morphological data for preoperative design and postoperative effective evaluation of the penile plastic plerosis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Penis ; anatomy & histology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVEAdrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare but highly malignant tumor, and its diagnosis is mostly delayed and prognosis is poor. We report estrogen receptor (ER) expression in this tumor and our clinical experiences with 17 ACC cases.

METHODSThe data of the 17 patients (9 females and 8 males, age range from 16 to 69 years, mean age of 42.6 years) with ACC were reviewed, and symptoms, diagnostic procedures, treatment, and results of follow-up were evaluated. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect ER expression in tumor samples from the 17 patients.

RESULTSAt the time of diagnosis, 4 tumors were classified as Stage I, 4 as Stage II, 3 as Stage III, and 6 as Stage IV. Eight patients demonstrated positive nuclear immunostaining of ER. The prognosis of patients with ER positive was significantly better (P<0.05) than that of patients with ER negative, with 1- and 5-year survival rates at 86% and 60% for ER-positive patients, and 38% and 0% for ER-negative patients, respectively.

CONCLUSIONER-positivity may be one of the factors associated with a worse prognosis of ACC.

Adolescent ; Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; mortality ; Adrenocortical Carcinoma ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; mortality ; Adult ; Aged ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; analysis ; China ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Proteins ; analysis ; Receptors, Estrogen ; analysis ; Risk Assessment ; methods ; Risk Factors ; Survival Analysis ; Survival Rate ; Young Adult

?AlM: To compare the clinical effect between small-incision cataract surgery and phacoemulsification.
?METHODS: Totally 93 patients ( 124 eyes ) with age-related cataract who received treatment in Mar 2010 and Feb 2013 were dicided into 2 groups randomly. Forty-two patients ( 59 eyes ) in group small - incision cataract surgery ( SlCS ) were treated by SlCS, while other 51 patients ( 65 eyes ) in group Phaco were treated by phacoemulsification. And then, postoperative visual acuity, corneal astigmatism, surgically induced astigmatism ( SlA ) and intraoperative and postoperative complications were contrasted between groups.
?RESULTS: After 1d and 1wk of postoperation, there were 38 eyes ( 64. 4%) and 41 eyes ( 69. 5%) having a better visual acuity of 0. 5 in the SlCS group, while there were 29 eyes (44. 6%) and 32 eyes (49. 2%) in the Phaco group. The vision of SlCS group was better than that of Phcao group (χ2 = 4. 877, 5. 242, P < 0. 05 ). On postoperative 1 and 3mo, with acuity of 0. 5 or better, eye numbers showed no statistically significant differences between two groups (χ2 = 0. 005, 0. 085, P>0. 05). The average corneal astigmatism used analysis of repeatedly measuring designing variance: Comparing the corneal astigmatism in intra - groups at different times, it was statistically significant (F=25. 624, P<0. 05), and had a tendency to decrease with time. However, there was no statistical significance for corneal astigmatism between groups (F=0. 986, P>0. 05). The coneal astigmatism of each group was higher at 1wk after the surgery than that of preoperation, and the contrast had statistical sigenficence (t=2. 906, 2. 427, P<0. 05). The Phaco group with SlA was lower than the SlCS group at 1wk and 1mo after the surgery (t=-4. 628, 2. 770, P<005). lt had no statistical significance in SlA by comparing with the two groups at 3mo after the surgery (t=0. 754, P>0. 05). There were statistical differences in SlA at different time both by intra-group comparison and group comparison ( F=26. 37, P<0. 05, F = 14. 29, P<0. 05). The comparison of posterior capsule rupture, the postoperative corneal edema and anterior chamber pigment membrane reaction in two groups showed no statistical significance.
?CONCLUSlON: Our research shows that small-incision cataract surgery and phacoemulsification had similar effect in the treatment of cataract. Phacoemulsification is not the only surgery option for the best treatment effect. Small- incision cataract surgery can be popularized in basic- level hospitals, achieving the effect similar to phacoemulsification.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression and the role of secreted frizzled-related protein 2 (SFRP2) in the earlobe keloid and find a valid way to treat the keloid with gene therapy.

METHODSThe expression of SFRP2 mRNA and protein was tested with in situ hybridization and Western Blot Analysis method in the different period of earlobe keloid.

RESULTSThe SFRP2 mRNA and protein expression at the keloid edge was significantly high in 12 month group than in 3 or 6 month groups (P < 0.01), but not than in 24 month group. The SFRP2 expression started to decrease in the keloid center 12 month later (P < 0.01). The SFRP2 expression was always higher in edge than in center during all the period (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe results suggest that SFRP2 may play an important role in the development of keloid, especially at the keloid edge. The high SFRP2 expression in endothelial cells and surrounding tissue is also important. It may be a new way for gene therapy of keloid by decreasing the SFRP2 expression.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Ear ; Female ; Humans ; Keloid ; metabolism ; Male ; Membrane Proteins ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo evaluate association between DNA methylation of MAL, CDKN2A, and MGMT in stool and development of colorectal cancer, and to evaluate the screening value of these biomarkers in colorectal cancer and pre-malignant lesions.

METHODSMorning stool specimens were collected from 69 patients with colorectal cancer, 24 with colon adenoma, 19 with hyperplastic polyps, and 26 healthy controls. DNA was extracted and treated with bisulfite. Methylation-specific PCR(MSP) was performed for methylation analysis of MAL, CDKN2A and MGMT in DNA samples. Associations between clinicopathological features and gene methylation were analyzed. The sensitivity of diagnosis by combining three methylation markers was compared with fecal occult blood test(FOBT).

RESULTSThe methylation frequencies of MAL, CDKN2A and MGMT were 78.3%, 52.5% and 55.1% in colorectal cancer, 58.3%, 41.7% and 37.5% in colon adenomas, 26.3%, 15.8% and 10.5% in hyperplastic polyps, and 3.8%, 0 and 3.8% in healthy controls, respectively. Significant differences in three genes were found between colorectal cancer and hyperplastic polyp, colorectal cancer and healthy control, colon adenoma and hyperplastic polyp, colon adenoma and healthy control(all P<0.05). The diagnostic sensitivity by combining three methylation markers was 92.8% in colorectal cancer, 70.8% in colon adenomas, significantly higher than FOBT examination (29.0% in colorectal cancer and 25.0% in colon adenomas, all P<0.05). No significant associations existed between three genes methylation of the three genes and clinical characteristic including sex, age, tumor location, lymph node metastases and TNM stage (all P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONDNA methylations levels of MAL, CDKN2A, and MGMT in stools are significantly higher in colorectal cancer and colon adenoma, which may serve as an noninvasive approach for the screening of colorectal cancer and pre-malignant lesions.

Adult ; Aged ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16 ; genetics ; DNA Methylation ; Early Detection of Cancer ; Feces ; chemistry ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Middle Aged ; O(6)-Methylguanine-DNA Methyltransferase ; genetics ; Precancerous Conditions ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo study the changes in clinical features of vasovagal syncope (VVS) in children.

METHODSFrom January 2000 to September 2009, 841 children with unexplained syncope or prodromata were enrolled. They were assigned to two groups according to the period of visiting hospital: group A (from January 2000 to December 2004, n=129) and group B (from January 2005 to September 2009, n=712). They were assigned to three age groups: 4-6 years old, 7-10 years old and 11-18 years old. A head-up tilt table test (HUTT) was performed on all the subjects.

RESULTSThe total positive rate of HUTT was 45.3% (381/841). Compared with that in group A, the positive rate of HUTT in group B increased significantly (47.5% vs 33.3%; P<0.05). The positive rate of HUTT in female children was significantly higher than that in male children (49.3% vs 37.9%; P<0.05). The positive rate of HUTT increased with age and it was the highest in children at age of 11-18 years (49.2%), followed by in children at age of 7-10 years (44.1%) and 4-6 years (37.1%) (P<0.05). The children at age of 7-10 years and 11-18 years from group B showed significantly higher positive rate of HUTT than those from group A (46.2% vs 27.8%; 54.0% vs 32.6%, P<0.05). Vasodepressor type was the most common response type (70.9%) shown by HUTT compared with mixed type (25.5%) and cardioinhibitory type (3.6%) (P<0.05). The proportion of children with vasodepressor response type in group B was significantly higher than that in group A (72.5% vs 58.1%; P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThere were obvious changes in the prevalence of VVS and response types before and after five years, suggesting that the development of VVS may be attributed to many factors, such as social factors, mental factor and life style.

Adolescent ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Syncope, Vasovagal ; diagnosis ; Tilt-Table Test

OBJECTIVETo detect the short-term clinical and side effects of cryosurgical ablation for prostate cancer.

METHODSThe ENDOCAm cryosurgical system with 2 mm Cryo-probes was used to treat the prostate cancer guided by rectal ultrasonic. 1. Completeness of freeze; 2. Complications; 3. The changes of PSA and PSMA before and after operation were observed respectively.

RESULTS1. The completeness of freeze rate and non-completeness of freeze rate were 34.8% (8/23) and 65.2% (15/23) showed by MRI 3 weeks later after operation; the biopsy results showed that tumor positive rates in completeness of freeze group and non-completeness of freeze group were 0 and 20% (3/15) respectively after 6 months. 2. The incontinence rate was 13%, and all recovered during 1 month; and the erectile dysfunction rate post-operation was 56.2% (9/16). 3. The levels of PSA before and after cryosurgical ablation were (32.98 +/- 35. 50) microg/L, (11.65 +/- 26. 51) microg/L respectively (P < 0.05). PSMA increased significantly after the cryosurgical ablation.

CONCLUSIONThe short-term curative effects of cryosurgical ablation, which guided by rectal ultrasound for prostate cancer is satisfied with low complication rate and minor vulnus.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cryosurgery ; methods ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; blood ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Rectum ; diagnostic imaging ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of a 10-day course of triptolide (TP) on rat cytochrome (CY) P3A4 activity, and on the pharmacokinetics of cyclophosphamide (CPA).

METHODSIn the pharmacokinetics experiment, rats were orally given 0.9% NaCl solution (n=5) and TP [1.2 (mg/kg·d)] for 10 days and a single dose of CPA was administered intravenously (100 mg/kg) to rats on day 11. Blood samples were collected up to 4 h at predetermined time intervals, the plasma concentration of CPA was determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and pharmacokinetic parameters were determined. In the in vitro CYP3A4 activity inhibition research, rat blank liver microsomes were divided into 3 groups: a control group, a TS (5 μL, 200 μmol/L) with TP (5 μL, 12.5 μmol/L) group, a TS with ketoconazole (5 μL, 1 μmol/L) group. Concentration of 6β-hydroxylated testosterone (6β-OHT) in liver microsomes was measured by HPLC and the activity of CYP 3A4 was calculated through the following formula: Einhibitor/Econtrol × 100%=Cinhibitor/Ccontrol × 100%.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, the area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC0-∞) of CPA was significantly increased by 229.05% pretreated with TP (P<0.01). Peak plasma concentrations (Cmax) of CPA was significantly increased and plasma half-life was correspondingly extended. The CYP3A4 activity was significantly inhibited by ketoconazole 93.5%±0.2% and TP 84.6%±0.3% compared with the control group (P<0.01 and P<0.05, respectively).

CONCLUSIONOur results strongly suggested that long-term oral intake of TP can distinctly inhibit the CYP3A4 activity and this inhibition evidently decrease the formation of toxic metabolites of CPA.

Animals ; Cyclophosphamide ; pharmacokinetics ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A ; metabolism ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Diterpenes ; pharmacology ; Epoxy Compounds ; pharmacology ; Herb-Drug Interactions ; Hydroxytestosterones ; metabolism ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; pharmacokinetics ; Injections, Intravenous ; Ketoconazole ; pharmacology ; Male ; Microsomes, Liver ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Phenanthrenes ; pharmacology ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley