Objective To investigate the clinicopathological features,diagnosis,treatment,prognosis and causative agent of a case of eumycetoma on the submaxilla.Methods A case of eumycetoma diagnosed in our department was assessed for its clinical and pathological features as well as mycologic and molecular identification.Related literature was reviewed.Results The patient was primarily characterized by swelling of the submaxilla,with multiple sinuses draining many black granules.Pathologic examination revealed a pyogenic granulomatous inflammation,and a number of lotus rhizome node-like hypha were observed in tissue samples through PAS staining.Sequence analysis of multiple loci of the isolates,including ITS 1,ITS2 and D1/D2,showed that it was mostly similar to Madurella mycetomatis with a homology of 97%.Conclusion This is a case ofeumycetoma on the submaxilla induced by a novel species of Madurella.

Background and purpose:The occurrence and development of lung cancer are closely correlated with the immune function in the human body.The patients with malignant tumors have shown a disorder of immune function,especially in terms of loss of cellular immune function.The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible auxiliary effect of sipulin in the treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer(NSCLC).methods: Ninety-three patients were randomly divided into two groups:sipulin group:sipulin plus docetaxel+cisplatin;control group:only administered docetaxel+cisplatin.The leukocyte,haemoglobin and platelet,toxicity of digestive tract,body weight,Karnofsky status and efficacy of those patients were evaluated before and after therapy,respectively.Results: Overall response rates were 46.67% and 30.23%(P=0.023)in sipulin group and control group,respectively.The median survival time was 10.1months versus 8.3 months(P=0.035)in sipulin group and control group,respectively.The 1-year survival rate for sipulin group and control group was 52.9% versus 39.4%(P=0.038),respectively.The clinical efficacy and the frequence of leukocyte reduction were better in sipulin group than in control group,the quality of life and clinical symptom of the patients in sipulin group were improved more significantly than those in control group (P

OBJECTIVETo observe the supplementary effect of moxibustion and Guben Yiliu III (GBYL), a Chinese herbal compound preparation, in combination with chemotherapy.

METHODSEighty-one patients of mid-late stage malignant tumor were randomly divided into 3 groups: 16 in Group A treated with chemotherapy and placebo; 35 in Group B treated with chemotherapy and GBYL and 30 in Group C treated with chemotherapy and GBYL plus moxibustion. The short-term effect of treatment, changes of blood picture, cell mediated immune function and blood coagulation in patients were observed.

RESULTSAfter chemotherapy, the lymphocyte count was significantly lowered in Group A and B (P < 0.01), but not in Group C (P > 0.05); lymphocyte subset T3 raised significantly in Group B; the average level of T-lymphocyte subsets was reduced in Group A while it increased in the other two groups; and a bi-directional regulation on plasma fibrinogen concentration was shown in Group C (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONMoxibustion prevented dropping of lymphocyte count caused by chemotherapy. Combination of GBYL and moxibustion could prevent the lowering of T-lymphocyte subsets caused by chemotherapy, and moxibustion could regulate bi-directionally the patients' abnormality in part of blood coagulation mechanism.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Blood Coagulation ; Carboplatin ; administration & dosage ; Cisplatin ; administration & dosage ; Cyclophosphamide ; administration & dosage ; Doxorubicin ; administration & dosage ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Etoposide ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Fluorouracil ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; blood ; immunology ; therapy ; Lymphocyte Count ; Male ; Mitomycin ; administration & dosage ; Moxibustion ; Phytotherapy ; Stomach Neoplasms ; blood ; immunology ; therapy ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets

Objective To explore the possible relationship between environmental contamination by Aspergillus and invasive aspergillosis.Methods From November 2005 to October 2006,samples were collected from the environment (air in corridors,air in wards,surfaces and tap water) twice a month,and from patients (nose,pharynx and sputum) at a liver transplantation department (LTD),neurologic surgery intensive care unit (NSICU) and central intensive care unit (CICU) in our hospital,and subjected to fungal culture.The Aspergillus density was determined in these environments.The isolates of Aspergillus flavus were genotyped by random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) assay to investigate the origin of infection.Results The mean aspergillus density was 12,10.75,0 and 20 cfu/m~3 at LTD,NSICU,CICU and corridors respectively.The five most prevalent species of aspergillus in these environments in decreasing order were Aspergillus flavus,Aspergillus fumigatus,Aspergillus niger,Aspergillus versicolor and Aspergillus clavatus.RAPD demonstrated that the genotypes ofA.flavus isolated from two patients were identical to those of the environmental strains in NSICU.The A.flavus genotypes from 3 patients in CICU were all different from those of the environment strains in CICU,but the genotypes were identical from two of the three patients.Conclusions Aspergillus contamination of different degree does exist at LTD,NSICU and CICU. The genotypes of A.flavus are identical from patients and environment in NSICU,suggesting that the clinical infection may originate from hospital environment.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the prognostic value of metastatic lymph node ratio (MLR) for patients with gastric cancer.

METHODSData collected from 1247 patients with gastric cancer who underwent radical surgery (pT4 cases were excluded) at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University between 2005 and 2009 were analyzed retrospectively. MLR was compared to pathological N staging (pN) in terms of prognostic accuracy, homogenicity, and applicability.

RESULTSMLR and pN were both positively correlated with the number of retrieved lymph nodes(both P<0.01). Significant differences were found in 5-year cumulative survival rate (5-YCSR) among different pN stages and MLR classification(all P<0.01). Multivariable analysis showed that both pN and MLR were independent prognostic factors(both P<0.01). The area under ROC curve(AUC) of MLR was larger than pN, however the difference was not statistically significant(P>0.05). There were significant differences in 5-YCSR among different MLR stages within the same pN stages(P<0.05), but not among different pN stages within the same MLR stage(P>0.05). Significant differences in 5-YCSR were also found among different retrieved-node groups within the same pN stage (P<0.05), but not within the same MLR stages (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSMLR is an independent prognostic factor for patients with gastric cancer. The prognostic homogenicity and applicability of MLR are better than those of pN, however the prediction accuracy is not favorable.

Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology

BACKGROUND: Studies have shown that bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells have the potential of differentiation into alveolar epithelial cells in vitro, but so far no study has indicated that adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs) can be differentiated into alveolar epithelial cells through long-term Transwell co-culture. OBJECTIVE: To observe whether rat lung epithelial-T-antigen negative cell lines (RLE-6TN) can induce rat ADSCs to differentiate into type II alveolar epithelial cells by long-term Transwell co-culture. METHODS: Three SPF health female Sprague-Dawley rats were used as donors to separate, extract, culture and identity ADSCs. The experimental group was subjected to the Transwell co-culture of ADSCs and RLE-6TN, while the control group was subjected to the culture of ADSCs alone. The morphological changes of ADSCs were observed by the inverted phase contrast microscope at 21 days after co-culture. Immunofluorescence staining using surfactant protein C (SP-C) was performed on the co-cultured ADSCs. The fluorescence staining was observed using the inverted fluorescence microscope. Integral optical density (IOD) analysis was conducted by Image pro plus 6.0 software. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: RLE-6TN cells were identified by fluorescence staining with stable expression of SP-C protein (red fluorescence) in the experimental group, and there was no red fluorescence in the control group. After 21-day co-culture, the cell shape in the experimental group was transformed from the long spindle shape into oval or polygon shape gradually, while the cell shape in the control group remained fibroblast-like. These results show that RLE-6TN can induce ADSCs to differentiate into type II alveolar epithelial cells after a long-term (21 days) co-culture.

OBJECTIVETo examine the absence of the third molar germs in orthodontic patients and to evaluate the relationship between third molar germs and malocclusion.

METHODSThe subjects comprised 234 patients (male 92, female 142) from the orthodontic clinic whose ages were 14-18. The assessments of the third molar germs were made from panoramic radiographs, and the assessments of ANB angle were made from lateral cephalograms. All the data were analyzed by statistic chi2 test.

RESULTSThe percentage of male who missed one or more third molar gems (37.0%) was higher than that of female (24.6%). There was no significant difference between the absent frequencies of third molar germs on left and right sides in either maxilla or mandible. The absent percentage of third molar germs in skeletal III subjects was higher than those in both skeletal class I and II subjects. The absent difference of third molar germs was in upper arches (P < 0.05), but not in lower arches (P > 0.05). There was no significant difference in absent percentage of third molar germs between skeletal class I and II subjects.

CONCLUSIONMale patients have higher absent frequencies of third molar germs than female ones. Skeletal class III patients have higher absence of third molar germs in upper jaws than skeletal class I and II patients.

Adolescent ; Anodontia ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mandible ; Maxilla ; Molar, Third ; abnormalities ; Radiography, Panoramic ; Tooth Germ ; abnormalities

Catalase ; genetics ; Mycelium ; growth & development ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; Sporothrix ; enzymology ; growth & development

Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; immunology ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; immunology ; virology ; Humans ; Male ; Phytotherapy ; Th1 Cells ; immunology ; Th2 Cells ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo explore the existence of vasculogenic mimicry (VM) in ovarian carcinoma and its correlationship with the clinicopathologic features and prognosis of the tumor.

METHODSA total of 84 ovarian carcinoma cases were collected with complete clinical and prognostic data. CD31 immunohistochemistry and PAS special stain were used to investigate VM in the tumor tissue. Immunohistochemical staining of VEGF, MMP-2, MMP-9, E-cadherin, beta-catenin, and Vimentin were used to explore the pathogenesis of VM.

RESULTSTotally 36 of 84 cases exhibited evidence of VM. FIGO classification, pathologic grades and histological types were significantly different between the VM and non-VM groups. Expression of VEGF, MMP-2, MMP-9, E-cadherin and beta-catenin were higher in the VM group than in the non-VM group. Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis showed that cases of the VM group had a lower survival rate than that of the non-VM group (P = 0.04).

CONCLUSIONSVasculogenic mimicry exists in ovarian carcinoma. Ovarian carcinomas with a high grade malignancy have a high incidence of VM formation, a higher incidence of metastases and a lower survival rate. High expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 may contribute to the formation of VM in the ovarian cancer.

Cadherins ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Endometrioid ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cystadenocarcinoma, Mucinous ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; metabolism ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; metabolism ; pathology ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Survival Rate ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism ; beta Catenin ; metabolism