1.0～(?)1.5 cm(14.81%)(P=0.10).There was no lymph node metastasis in tumors less than 1.0 cm in diameter. The 5-year survival rates for cases with or without lymph node involvement were 92.31% and 60.0%,respectively,the difference was significant(P=0.000).The 5-year survival rates of 12 patients showing ground-glass opacity(GGO)on chest CT was 91.67% without any lymph node involvement.Conclusions:There is mediastinal and hilar lymph node involvement even with tumor diameter less than 2 cm.The results of the present study suggested that routine lymph node dissection is necessary even for cases with tumor diameter less than 2 cm.However,if the tumor is within 1.0 cm in diameter with obvious GGO showing on chest CT,these are good candidates for partial resection without mediastinal lymph node dissection.

The study aims to characterize and compare interferon reference standards from 5 manufacturers. By testing molecular mass and trypsin-digested peptide mass mapping, the amino acid sequence was verified and post-translational modifications such as disulfide bond were identified. Results show that the molecular mass and amino acid sequence were consistent with theory; the disulfide bonds of 4 lots of interferon were Cys1-Cys98/Cys29-Cys138, 1 lot was Cys29-Cys139/Cys86-Cys99; N-terminal "+Met", acetyl N-terminal and Met oxidation were identified in part of the sample. UPLC-MS can be used to characterize and compare interferon reference standards from different manufacturers.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Interferons ; standards ; Mass Spectrometry ; methods ; Molecular Weight ; Oxidation-Reduction ; Peptide Mapping ; Protein Processing, Post-Translational ; Reference Standards

Objective To investigate the effect of tea polyphenols (TP) on renal damage in rats model induced by D-galactose. Methods Rats were injected with D-galactose (150 mg/kg?d),ip for 8 w,to induce renal damage. From the 3rd week,TP (150,75,37.5 mg/kg?d),aminoguanidine (150 mg/kg) and vitamin E (150 mg/kg) were administered with D-galactose for 6 w. After treatment,fasting blood glucose and 2 h blood glucose in oral glucose tolerance test were measured. The levels of HbA1C and fructosamine in serum,the activity of aldose reductase and content of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in plasma and in kidney tissues and the activity of SOD,GSH-Px,and the contents of MDA in kidney tissues were measured,and 24h urinary protein,blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine (Cr) were detected. The apoptosis of renal cells were detected by flow cytometer. Results After treatment of D-galactose for 8 w,2h glucose level in oral glucose talerance test was increased significantly,the activity of aldose reductase and the content of AGES were increased significantly in blood. The levels of AGEs and MDA in renal tissues were also enhanced significantly. However,the activities of SOD and GSH-Px decreased. Additionally,the contents of 24h urine protein,BUN,Cr and the apoptotic rate of renal cells were increased significantly. High and middle dose of TP could can decrease the activity of aldose reductase in red blood cells,and inhibit the formation of glycation products in model rats induced by D-galactose. Also,TP could enhance the antioxidative activities and decrease the contents of AGEs and MDA in renal tissues. Mesnwhile,24h urine protein,BUN and Cr and the apoptotic rate of renal cells were increased significantly. Conclusion TP can inhibit glycation reaction induced by D-galactose and then protect renal from damage caused by glycation.

Acanthosis Nigricans ; pathology ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Erythrokeratodermia Variabilis ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Keratoderma, Palmoplantar ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of computed tomography ( CT ) and diffusion?weighted magnetic resonance imaging ( DWMRI ) in the diagnosis of regional lymph node metastasis in thoracic carcinoma, and to figure out the methods and thresholds for delineation of lymph nodes with higher reasonability and accuracy. Methods A total of 43 patients with thoracic carcinoma, including 35 patients with esophageal cancer and 8 patients with non?small cell lung cancer, were enrolled as subjects from 2012 to 2013. All patients received abdominal CT scan and DWMRI examination one week before surgery, and regional lymph node metastasis was diagnosed based on the images of CT scan or DWMRI. With the postoperative pathology as the gold standard, the diagnostic efficacy was evaluated and compared between the two methods. The two sets of obtained images were analyzed using the χ2?test. Results The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and Youden’ s index of CT versus DWMRI in the diagnosis of regional lymph node metastasis were 57?1% vs. 60?0%, 96?3% vs. 98?9%, 93?8% vs. 96?5%, 50?0% vs. 77?8%, 97?2% vs. 97?4%, and 53?4% vs. 58?9%, respectively;the specificity, accuracy, and positive predictive value of DWMRI were significantly superior to those of CT ( P=0?005,0?038,0?022) . Twenty out of forty lymph nodes diagnosed by CT scan were false positive, and 15( 75%) of them could be corrected by DWMRI. Fifteen out of forty lymph nodes diagnosed by CT scan were false negative, and 3 ( 20%) of them could be recognized by DWMRI. In all 35 metastatic lymph nodes, 5 lymph nodes had no apparent swelling on images, and 13(43?3%) out of the other 30 lymph nodes had a short diameter less than 1?0 cm. Conclusions CT scan has apparent limitation in the diagnosis of regional lymph node metastasis. Many metastatic lymph nodes would be missed if a short diameter not less than 1? 0 cm is the only standard for target volume delineation . With superior specificity , accuracy , and positive predictive value to CT in the diagnosis of regional lymph node metastasis, DWMRI can effectively rule out non?cancerous intumescent lymph nodes and recognize some of small metastatic lymph nodes.

Objective To investigate the accuracy of measurement of lesion length by computed tomography (CT) scan and diffusion?weighted imaging (DWI) for esophageal carcinoma, and to provide an optimized imaging method as a reference for target delineation in esophageal carcinoma. Methods Thirty?five patients with thoracic esophageal carcinoma from 2012 to 2013 were prospectively enrolled as subjects. All patients underwent examinations of esophageal endoscopy, CT scan of the thorax and abdomen, and DWI before radical surgery. Lesion lengths were measured by the above methods and compared with the real length of pathological specimen resected at surgery. The consistency between the lesion length measured by each imaging method and the pathological standard were evaluated using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and the Bland?Altman method. Results Four patients had no hyperintense signal on DWI, resulting in a false?negative rate of 11% in all patients and a false?negative rate of 44%(4/ 9) in patients with stage T1 esophageal carcinoma. Thirty?one patients had lesion lengths measured by DWI for analysis. The tumor length of pathological specimen after surgery was 4?? 58 cm, while the tumor lengths measured by endoscopy, CT scan, and DWI with b?values of 600, 800, and 1000 s/ mm2 were 4?? 56, 5?? 58, 4?? 41, 3?? 99, and 3?? 83 cm, respectively. The ICC values were 0?? 703, 0?? 764, 0?? 946, 0?? 890, and 0?? 882, respectively, with P value of 0?? 000 for all. According to the results of the Bland?Altman method, the highest degree of consistency was achieved between the tumor lengths measured by endoscopy and DWI with a b?value of 600 s/ mm2 and the pathological standard. Conclusions The esophageal tumor lengths measured by DWI are close to the real tumor length of the pathological specimen, in which the lesion length measured by DWI with a b?value of 600 s/ mm2 is most reliable. However, the value of DWI in the early diagnosis of esophageal carcinoma is limited.

OBJECTIVETo analyze the spatial distribution of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) and to explore environmental factors associated with HPAI using geographic information system (GIS) techniques in Mainland China.

METHODSDatabases were set up using the information of HPAI during epidemics in 2004, and linked to digital maps at provincial and county administrative layers in the country through the ArcGIS 8.3 software. Spatial cluster analyses, spatial statistics analyses and tracking analyses on epidemic situation of HPAI were implemented. Environmental factors associated with HPAI were also analyzed on data related to weather, vegetation and migratory birds etc.

RESULTSFindings from spatial cluster analyses showed that high incidence area was centralized in 113.261 degrees ordm; east longitude and 23. 119 degrees ordm; north latitude with a radius of 1090.52 kilometers (relative risk= 2.646, P value= 0.001). Spatial statistical analyses showed that HPAI took place mainly in capital cities of provinces and surrounding areas as well as in the circumference areas of arterial rivers, lakes and seacoasts. Results also showed that HPAI occurrences were associated with low air temperature, high relative humidity and high air pressure as well as with east & central migration routes of migratory birds. The average normalized difference vegetation index was 0.36 +/- 0.11 in epidemic areas of HPAI.

CONCLUSIONHPAI was unrandomly distributed and geographically clustered in China.

Animal Migration ; Animals ; Atmospheric Pressure ; Birds ; virology ; China ; epidemiology ; Cluster Analysis ; Environment ; Geographic Information Systems ; Humidity ; Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype ; pathogenicity ; Influenza in Birds ; epidemiology ; Temperature

OBJECTIVETo analyze the patterns of serum soluble CD14 (sCD14) and C-reactive protein (CRP) alterations in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) and investigate the correlations of sCD14 variation to the etiology, clinical symptoms, and the number of mononuclear cells in these patients.

METHODSThis study involved 246 CHF patients stratified according to their etiology and clinical symptoms, with 107 normal individuals serving as the control group. Blood samples were collected from these patients the next day after admission and also from the control subjects for measuring serum sCD14 and CPR levels using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and rate nephelometry, respectively.

RESULTSThe CHF patients had significantly higher serum levels of sCD14 and CRP than the control subjects (P<0.01). In the CHF patients, serum sCD14 and CRP levels differed significantly in the patients with clinical symptoms of different severities (F=3.787, P=0.024), and those with moderate and severe symptoms had significantly higher levels than the asymptomatic patients (P<0.05). The difference in etiologies also resulted in significant difference in sCD14 levels (P<0.05), which were significantly lower in coronary artery disease group than in hypertension group (P<0.05). Significant positive correlations were found between sCD14 and the CRP levels in the CHF patients (r=0.227, P=0.018) and between sCD14 level and the clinical symptoms (r=0.206, P=0.001), but sCD14 level was not correlated to the absolute or relative number of mononuclear cells.

CONCLUSIONSSerum sCD14 and CRP levels are significantly elevated in CHF patients, but this condition may vary as the etiologies and clinical symptoms differ. Increased mononuclear cells do not contribute to the elevation of serum sCD14.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; C-Reactive Protein ; metabolism ; Chronic Disease ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Heart Failure ; blood ; Humans ; Lipopolysaccharide Receptors ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged

Adult ; Blood Circulation ; Blood Flow Velocity ; Blood Pressure ; Female ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics ; physiology ; Humans ; Hypertension, Portal ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Liver ; blood supply ; physiopathology ; Liver Cirrhosis ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ventricular Dysfunction ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of low temperature on the functions of learning and memory and activities of ATPase in brain tissue of mice.

METHODS120 mice were randomly divided into 3 groups of A, B, and C with different cold exposure time. After low temperature test, learning and memory ability and activities of ATPase in brain tissue of the mice were measured.

RESULTSCompared with corresponding control group, in the test of learning ability, the total electric shock period [(41.00 +/- 12.06), (45.90 +/- 13.61) min], the total electric times (85.00 +/- 15.81, 89.00 +/- 17.29), and the error reaction times (33.60 +/- 10.69, 39.00 +/- 11.63) were increased in group A and group C significantly (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), but the rate of right reaction (53.60% +/- 11.23%, 54.59% +/- 6.14%) were decreased in group A and group C significantly (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). In the test of memory ability, the total electric shock period [(19.00 +/- 4.62), (51.70 +/- 15.19) min] in group A and group C were increased significantly (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), the rate of right reaction (86.17% +/- 6.34%, 65.92% +/- 8.17%) in group A and group C were decreased significantly (P < 0.05). In test of activities of ATPase in brain tissue, the activities of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase and activities of Ca(2+)-Mg(2+)-ATPase in brain tissue in group A and group C were decreased significantly (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONLow temperature could decrease the functions of learning and memory and the activities of Na+-K+-ATPase and Ca(2+)-Mg(2+)-ATPase in brain tissue of mice.

Animals ; Brain ; enzymology ; Ca(2+) Mg(2+)-ATPase ; metabolism ; Cold Temperature ; adverse effects ; Environmental Exposure ; adverse effects ; Female ; Male ; Maze Learning ; Memory ; Mice ; Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase ; metabolism