OBJECTIVETo search for a simple and effective surgical approach to the management of moderate to severe pediatric concealed penis in children.

METHODSWe used Devine's technique via incision between the penis and scrotum in the treatment of 68 cases of moderate to severe pediatric concealed penis. The patients were aged 3 -13 (mean 6.5) years, 30 with moderate and 38 with severe pediatric concealed penis.

RESULTSThis strategy achieved good near- and long-term effects and satisfactory appearance of the penis, which was similar to that of circumcision. At 3 months after surgery, the penile length was 3 - 5.2 cm, averaging (2.35 +/- 0.35) cm.

CONCLUSIONDevine's technique via incision between the penis and scrotum is a simple and effective surgical option for moderate to severe pediatric concealed penis in children.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Humans ; Male ; Penis ; abnormalities ; surgery ; Scrotum ; surgery ; Urologic Surgical Procedures, Male ; methods

Simvastatin is a hypolipidemic drug that inhibits hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMGCoA) reductase to control elevated cholesterol,or hypercholesterolemia.Previous studies have shown that simvastatin may attenuate inflammation in ischemia-reperfusion injury and sepsis.Herein,we hypothesized that simvastatin may prevent rats from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced septic shock.In our study,rats were divided into a saline group,an LPS group and an LPS plus simvastatin group.Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were pretreated with simvastatin (1 mg/kg) for 30 min before the addition of LPS (8 mg/kg),with variations in left ventricular pressure recorded throughout.Ninety min after LPS injection,whole blood was collected from the inferior vena cava,and neutrophils were separated from the whole blood using separating medium.The neutrophils were then lysed for Western blotting to detect the levels of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1).In addition,mesentery microcirculations of inlet diameter,outlet diameter and blood flow rate were measured in all three groups.The results indicated that simvastatin significantly promoted heart systolic function and increased the level ofuPA while simultaneously inhibited the expression of PAI-1 as compared with LPS group.Moreover,simvastatin reversed the LPS-induced inhibition of mesentery microcirculation.Taken together,it was suggested that simvastatin can effectively protect the rats from LPS-induced septic shock.

Professor LUO Cai-gui's experience of acupuncture at acupoint "Baliao" with twisting manipulation for treatment of low back pain is introduced. This method has significant efficacy on improving low back pain and numbness of lower extremities, which is characterized with short-time manipulation, quick de-qi and long effective time. The acupuncture methods, manipulations, precautions, etc. are elaborated in details. A typical case is added.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; instrumentation ; methods ; Humans ; Low Back Pain ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of estrogen receptor alpha (ERa) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) on the proliferation of prostatic smooth muscle cells (PSMCs) in vitro.

METHODSThe ERalpha shRNA expression frame was subcloned to the pGSadeno adenovirus vector by homologous recombination technology to construct the pGSaaeno-ERalpha vector. After the mouse PSMCs were transfected in vitro by pGSaaeno-ERalpha, the mRNA and protein expression levels of ERalpha were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot respectively. The expression of IGF1 in the ERa-reduced cells was determined by Western blot 6 hours after treatment with 17beta-estradiol (E2) at 10(-8) mol/L. The post-transfection activity of estrogen or exogenous IGF1 in the proliferation of PSMCs was evaluated by MTT chlormetric analysis.

RESULTSAfter treatment with E2, the proliferation of PSMCs and the expression of the IGF1 gene were significantly increased in the normal control group (P <0.05), but not obviously changed in the ERalpha-siRNA group (P> 0.05). And exogenous IGF1 failed to induce the proliferation of the ERalpha-reduced PSMCs.

CONCLUSIONE2 induces the expression of IGF1 via ERalpha, and IGFl, with the interaction of ERalpha, promotes the proliferation of PSMCs.

Animals ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Estradiol ; pharmacology ; Estrogen Receptor alpha ; metabolism ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; cytology ; Prostate ; cytology ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the efficacy and toxicity of methotrexate (MTX) give intravenously in the primary treatment of gestational trophoblastic tumor (GTT).

METHODSA total of 37 patients with low-risk GTT was primarily treated by single MTX in Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University. Data on the patients' age, clinical stage, WHO classification criteria, antecedent pregnancy, presenting level of human chorionic gonadotropin, courses of chemotherapy required to achieve complete remission, and toxicity related to chemotherapy treatments were collected.

RESULTSThirty-seven patients with low-risk GTT totally received 137 cycles of MTX between Oct. 1999 and Sep. 2002, 34 patients (91.9%) achieved complete remission. Twenty-nine patients received multiple courses of MTX, complete remission was induced in 26 patients (89.7%). The complete response rates of I stage and III stage were 100.0% and 70.0% (P = 0.03) respectively in patients who were received multiple courses of MTX. However, eight patients received single course of chemotherapy, 7 patients achieved complete remission, and 1 achieved complete remission after another additional course of MTX was conducted. Grade III side effects (WHO criteria) only appeared in 7 courses (5.1%) during MTX treatment. Follow-up data showed that only one patient with single course of chemotherapy relapsed after 6 months.

CONCLUSIONSingle MTX chemotherapy may be effective and well tolerated for low-risk GTT.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic ; administration & dosage ; Choriocarcinoma ; drug therapy ; Drug Administration Schedule ; Female ; Gestational Trophoblastic Disease ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Methotrexate ; administration & dosage ; Pregnancy ; Uterine Neoplasms ; drug therapy

Breast Neoplasms ; pathology ; Cell Culture Techniques ; methods ; Cells, Cultured ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; methods ; Quality Control

OBJECTIVETo discuss the application of medial planta island flaps pedicled with anterior tibial artery perforator in front of inner malleolus for repairing small wounds around ankle.

METHODSFrom Jan. 2005 to Jun. 2009, 10 cases with small wounds around ankle were treated with medial planta island flaps pedicled with anterior tibial artery perforator. The flap size ranged from 7.5 cm x 2.8 cm to 13.0 cm x 5.0 cm. The wounds at the donor sites were covered with skin grafts.

RESULTSAll the 10 flaps and skin grafts were survived with primary healing. The patients were followed up for 6-12 months with satisfactory cosmetic results. The 2-point discrimination was 4-6 mm when the proximal end of saphenous nerve was not injured, and it was 9-10 mm when the nerve was injured or cut off. The patients could walk with no occurrence of ulcer in flaps or donor site.

CONCLUSIONSThe medial planta island flaps pedicled with anterior tibial artery perforator can effectively repair the small wounds around ankle with reliable blood supply.

Adult ; Ankle Injuries ; surgery ; Feasibility Studies ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Skin Transplantation ; Surgical Flaps ; blood supply ; Tibial Arteries ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

BACKGROUNDNeovascular glaucoma (NVG) is a refractory disease which is difficult to manage. This study aimed at evaluating the efficacy and safety of adjunctive intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) injection in conjunction with Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation (AGVI) in the management of NVG.

METHODSThis was a retrospective study of patients with NVG in whom AGVI was performed between October 2008 and May 2012. The sample was divided into two groups according to the pretreatment: with adjunctive IVB injection (the IVB group, n = 25 eyes) and without adjunctive IVB injection (the control group, n = 28 eyes). The surgical success rate, number of antiglaucoma medications used, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), postoperative complications, regression, and recurrence of iris neovascularization (NVI) were analyzed between the groups.

RESULTSThe surgical outcomes of the two groups were compared. The complete success rates in the IVB and control groups were 84.0% and 64.3% at 12 months and 80.0% and 53.6% at 18 months, respectively. There was a significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.041). Mean postoperative intraocular pressures, mean number of postoperative antiglaucoma medications, and BCVA were not significant between the two groups. The NVI in 22 (88.0%) eyes had completely regressed within 2 - 8 days after IVB. However, NVI recurred in 10 eyes (40.0%) 2 - 9 months later after IVB. The IVB group had only 1 case (4.0%) of hyphema out of 25 eyes, while there were 8 (28.6%) cases of hyphema out of 28 eyes in the control group (P = 0.026).

CONCLUSIONSThis study showed that preoperative IVB injection reduced NVI remarkably, decreased hyphema, and led to higher surgical success rates. Pre-operative IVB injection may be an effective adjunct to AGVI in the management of NVG.

Adult ; Aged ; Angiogenesis Inhibitors ; administration & dosage ; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized ; administration & dosage ; Bevacizumab ; Female ; Glaucoma Drainage Implants ; adverse effects ; Glaucoma, Neovascular ; therapy ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Intravitreal Injections ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prosthesis Implantation ; methods ; Retrospective Studies ; Visual Acuity

OBJECTIVETo report two de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients with t(11;22)(q23;q11.2) and summarize the clinical and biological characteristics.

METHODSBone marrow cells morphology, immunophenotype, chromosome karyotype, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), PCR and gene sequencing were performed. Clinical manifestation and routine laboratory tests were analyzed.

RESULTSThe patients were diagnosed as AML-M₂ and AML-M₅ by morphology and immunophenotype results. Both patients carried t(11;22)(q23; q11.2) and one of them carried an additional chromosome abnormality. MLL-SEPTIN5 fusion transcript was identified in two patients by RT-PCR and sequencing. The two patients got hematologic complete remission after induction chemotherapy with daunorubicin, homoharringtonine, and cytarabine (DHA) or daunorubicin and cytarabine (DA). One of them relapsed and died during consolidation therapy with intermediate-dose cytarabine.

CONCLUSIONLeukemia with t(11;22)(q23;q11.2) chromosome translocation met the clinical and laboratory manifestations of AML. The MLL-SEPTIN5 fusion transcript was the distinctively biological etiology. Patients with t(11;22)(q23;q11.2) were vulnerable to relapse after conventional chemotherapy and had poor prognosis. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation should be recommended as early as possible.

Adult ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 11 ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 22 ; Female ; Humans ; Karyotyping ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; genetics ; Male ; Prognosis ; Translocation, Genetic

BACKGROUNDTubulointerstitial renal fibrosis is the common end point of progressive kidney diseases, and tubular epithelial-myofibroblast transdifferentiation (TEMT) plays a key role in the progress of tubulointerstitial renal fibrosis. Anaphylatoxin C3a and C5a are identified as novel profibrotic factors in renal disease and as potential new therapeutic targets. The aim of this study was to investigate whether C3a, C5a can regulate TEMT by transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β)/connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) signaling pathway and the effects of C3a and C5a receptor antagonists (C3aRA and C5aRA) on C3a- and C5a-induced TEMT.

METHODSHK-2 cells were divided into C3a and C5a groups which were subdivided into four subgroups: control group, 10 ng/ml TGF-β1 group, 50 nmol/L C3a group, 50 nmol/L C3a plus 1 µmol/L C3aRA group; control group, 10 ng/ml TGF-β1 group, 50 nmol/L C5a group, 50 nmol/L C5a plus 2.5 µmol/L C5aRA group. TGF-β1 receptor antagonist (TGF-β1RA) 10 µg/ml was used to investigate the mechanism of C3a- and C5a-induced TEMT. Electron microscopy was used to observe the morphological changes. Immunocytochemistry staining, real-time PCR and Western blotting were used to detect the expressions of a smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), E-cadherin, Col-I, C3a receptor (C3aR), C5aR, CTGF and TGF-β1.

RESULTSHK-2 cells cultured with C3a and C5a for 72 hours exhibited strong staining of α-SMA, lost the positive staining of E-cadherin, and showed a slightly spindle-like shape and loss of microvilli on the cell surface. The expressions of α-SMA, E-cadherin, Col-I, C3aR, C5aR, TGF-β1 and CTGF in C3a- and C5a-treated groups were higher than normal control group (P < 0.05). C3aRA and C5aRA inhibited the expressions of α-SMA, Col-I, C3aR, C5aR, and up-regulated the expression of E-cadherin (P < 0.05). TGF-β1 and CTGF mRNA expressions induced by C3a and C5a were partly blocked by TGF-β1RA (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONC3a and C5a can induce TEMT via the up-regulations of C3aR and C5aR mRNA and the activation of TGF-β1/CTGF signaling pathway in vitro.

Blotting, Western ; Cadherins ; genetics ; Cell Line ; Cell Transdifferentiation ; drug effects ; Complement C3a ; pharmacology ; Complement C5a ; pharmacology ; Epithelial Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; ultrastructure ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Myofibroblasts ; cytology ; drug effects ; ultrastructure ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction