Child ; Humans ; Neoplasms ; Quality of Life

Objective To evaluate the effects of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) combined with drug therapy on patients with delayed encephalopathy caused by carbon monoxide poisoning ( COP). Methods Twenty to forty sessions of HBO therapy were used to treat 34 COP patients. Assessment relied on 99mTc-ethyl cysteinate dimer (~(99m)Tc-ECD) single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging of cerebral perfusion before and after treatment. Results After HBO therapy, cerebral perfusion in the COP patients improved significantly. There was a significant difference of the SPECT images before and after treatment. Conclusions SPECT imaging of cerebral perfusion can play an important role in the diagnosis of delayed encephalopathy caused by carbon monoxide poisoning, and it can be used for the therapeutic surveillance of HBO treatment.

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

Researches on the testicular dysgenesis syndrome (TDS) have flourished in the recent decade, and a widely accepted view on its pathogenesis is that environmental endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) act on Leydig cells and/or testicular Sertoli cells, resulting in abnormal development of the testis and leading to the symptoms of TDS. Molecular biological studies suggest a correlation of TDS etiology with insulin-like factor 3 (INSL-3), androgen receptor (AR), P27kip, WT-1 and Müllerian inhibiting substance (MIS). This review focuses on the progress in current researches on the etiology and mechanism of TDS.
Cryptorchidism ; Gonadal Dysgenesis ; etiology ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Testicular Diseases ; etiology ; genetics ; Testicular Neoplasms

Objective To introduce a new technique for urethral coverage in Snodgrass hypospadias repair,and to evaluate its effectiveness and complications.Methods From April 2003 to February 2006, this new procedure was performed in 289 children with hypospadias aged 3 months to 12 years (mean age,2. 4 years).The native meatus of urethra was identified subcoronal in 78 cases,penile/shaft in 136,penoscrotal in 36 and scrotal in 16;and 23 cases had undergoneⅡstage operation and re-operation.The overlapping coverage with bilateral shaft based vascularized dartos pedicle was done in the new urethra by Snodgrass hy- pospadias repair in these children.Results All the cases were followed for 3 months to 2 years.Postoper- atively,urinary fistulas developed in 32 cases (11%).Of them,11 were cured spontaneously within 4 weeks. The incidence of actual urinary fistula was 7% (21/289).Of the 21 fistulas which were not cured,11 (5%) occurred in 214 cases of distal hypospadias;and 10 (13%) in 75 cases of proximal hypospadias,Ⅱstage and re-operation.No dehiscence and diverticulum was found.Combined with mucosal collar technique,the ventral skin of the penis was sewn on the midline.During the follow-up,excellent cosmetic results with normal-ap- pearing circumcised penis were achieved in most patients.Conclusions Bilateral shaft based vascularized dartos pedicle urethral coverage procedure is a reliable and effective method for preventing urethral cutaneous fistulas and dehiscence.This method can reconstruct a satisfactory cosmetic appearance of the penis.

OBJECTIVETo examine cytokeratin 18(CK18) and it's gene in jaw odontogenic keratocyst (OKC) epithelial lining.

METHODSThe epithelial linings of 32 cases were subject to monoclonal antibody immunohistochemical staining for CK18, CK8 and CK19. RT-PCR and in situ hybridization for CK18 mRNA were conducted in 12 of 32 cases in keratocyst epithelial cell linings.

RESULTSIn 17 cases, CK18 were observed in keratinized surface layers, though weakly positive. In 27 cases, CK18 were positive in the granular cell layers. CK18 were also positive in the spinous cell layers in 14 cases. In all cases, CK18 was negative in basal cell layers. By RT-PCR, 4 cases expressed CK18 strongly, 8 cases weakly. By in situ hybridization, 8 cases expressed CK18 mRNA positively in both spinous and granular cell layers, and 4 cases positively in basal and keratinized cell layers. CK8 were expressed in basal cell layers of keratocyst epithelial linings. In 23 cases, CK19 were expressed in surface cell layers of keratocyst epithelial linings.

CONCLUSIONThe expression of CK18 in keratocyst epithelial linings transfers from basal cell layer to spinous layer. The expression of CK18 immunohistochemical staining and CK18 mRNA in situ hybridization are different, which shows CK18 might be related to proliferation of OKC epithelial linings. That suggests the existence of regulation of CK18 and CK18 mRNA expression.

Epithelial Cells ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization ; Keratin-18 ; Keratins ; Odontogenic Cysts ; RNA, Messenger

AIMTo prepare lipid microsphere of sodium norcantharidin (NCTD) and then study their characters and pharmacokinetic behavior.

METHODSDynamic Light Scattering, HPLC and retrodialysis technique were used to determine the in vitro characters of the NCTD loaded lipid microsphere (LM), such as the particle size, xi-potential, content, incorporation ratio, release profile and changes after dilute. And the plasma concentration was determined by HPLC-MS, compared with NCTD aqueous solution at the same time.

RESULTSEvery property showed that the LM was preferable. The average diameter was about 200 nm. The xi-potential was - 38 mV. The content was close to 100%. And the incorporation ratio exceeded 80%. After i. v. administration of single dose, the pharmacodynamic parameter of LM AUC was 111.28 microg x mL(-1) x h(-1). The data of plasma concentrations showed that the NCTD LM was of two compartment. There was no obvious difference between in vivo parameters of LM and reference solution.

CONCLUSIONThe NCTD LM was eligible and the character of it in vivo was not changed.

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; administration & dosage ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Area Under Curve ; Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic ; administration & dosage ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Female ; Lipids ; Male ; Mass Spectrometry ; Microspheres ; Particle Size ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo explore the influence of vacuum-assisted closure technique (VAC) on expression of Bcl-2 and NGF during wound healing.

METHODSEighty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 groups with 20 rats of each. Group T was the experimental group; group C1, C2 and C3 were the control groups. In group T and group C1, capsaicin was injected subcutaneously to the back of the rats to destroy the sensory nerve. VAC was employed to the wound of the rats in group T and C2 three times a day at 80 mmHg negative pressure. In all the groups, tissue samples were taken from the wound edge and granulation at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 days after the injury. Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization were used to detect the expression of Bcl-2 and NGF/NGFmRNA in the samples.

RESULTSIn group C2 and C3, the expression of Bcl-2 and NGF/NGFmRNA was obvious, which increased gradually and reached the peak at the 9th day. In the process of wound healing, the expression Bcl-2 and NGF/NGFmRNA was higher in the group C2 than in group C3 (P < 0.05). The expression Bcl-2 and NGF/NGFmRNA in group T and C1 was lower than group C2 and C3 (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe application of the vacuum-assisted closure technique during wound healing increases the expression of the apoptosic modulation related protein Bcl-2 and affects the expression of NGF/NGFmRNA, which may promote the wound healing process.

Animals ; Gene Expression ; Immunohistochemistry ; In Situ Hybridization ; Male ; Models, Animal ; Nerve Growth Factor ; analysis ; genetics ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; analysis ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Vacuum ; Wound Healing

OBJECTIVETo improve prognosis of the patients with advanced Wilms' tumor, the authors compared different therapeutic strategies including preoperative transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE), conventional preoperative chemotherapy and initial surgery.

METHODSSixty-two patients aged from 5 months to 10 years (mean 3.2 years) were identified from medical records to have histologically confirmed advanced Wilms' tumor during the period from January 1993 to December 2002. The criteria for choice were huge tumor size with a volume more than 550 ml or the mass extending beyond the midline, involvement of vital structures, inferior vena cava invasion, distal metastasis or bilateral Wilms' tumor judged by imaging examination. All cases were divided into 3 groups according to the treatment received: 31 cases in group TACE received preoperative transcatheter arterial chemoembolization with Lipiodol-Epirubicin (EPI)-Vincristine emulsion. One week after TACE, systemic chemotherapy with Actinomycin D (ACTD) was administered and tumor resected at two weeks after TACE. 20 cases in group PC received conventional preoperative chemotherapy with VCR, ACTD plus EPI for 4-5 weeks, and 11 cases in group IS underwent initial surgery. Postoperative treatment for all patients was based on the postoperative staging and tumor histology.

RESULTSIn the patients treated with TACE, no drug-induced complications such as cardiotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, hepatic dysfunction or bone marrow suppression were observed except for mild fever due to tumor necrosis. The percentages of tumor size shrinkage were 32.4% and 20.3% in group TACE and group PC, respectively (P < 0.05). Complete surgical removal of the tumor was achieved in 27 patients (87.1%) in group TACE, significantly higher in comparison with 14 in group PC (70.0%, P < 0.05) and 2 in group IS (18.2%, P < 0.01). Event-free survival (EFS) at 2 years was 87.1% (27/ 31), 60.0% (12/20) and 18.2% (2/11), respectivrely. EFS at 4 years was 84.6% (11/13), 56.3% (9/16 ) and 18.2% (2/11) in groups TACE, PC and IS, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe present study has shown that both preoperative TACE and conventional preoperative chemotherapy can be applied to the patients with advanced Wilms' tumor who are not candidates for immediately surgical resection. The survival is significantly increased in the patients undergoing preoperativeTACE when compared with conventional preoperative chemotherapy and initial surgery.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Dactinomycin ; administration & dosage ; Disease-Free Survival ; Epirubicin ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infant ; Iodized Oil ; administration & dosage ; Kidney Neoplasms ; mortality ; pathology ; therapy ; Male ; Neoplasm Staging ; Nephrectomy ; Preoperative Care ; Survival Rate ; Treatment Outcome ; Vincristine ; administration & dosage ; Wilms Tumor ; pathology ; therapy

Nowadays, more and more parents are paying increasing attention to the penile length of their children. At present, the methods of measuring penile length mainly include manual measurement and ultrasonography. The former can be used to measure the flaccid, stretched and erected penile lengths, and its use for measuring the stretched penile length has been internationally accepted for its precise definition, unified description, and high repeatability. The latter, as a new method, is being gradually accepted for its imaging visualization and measurement accuracy. This article reviews different measurements of penile length in the mainstream literature of recent years, with an analysis of their advantages and disadvantages.
Child ; Humans ; Male ; Organ Size ; Penis ; anatomy & histology ; Reference Values