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Objective To investigate the efficacy and clinical effectiveness of the steroid therapy with the all body and local application on hyperthyroid Graves ophthalmopathy.Methods A total of 57 patients (106 eyes)suffering from hyperthyroid Graves ophthalmopathy who hospitalized in the Department of Ophthalmology of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University from Mar 2008 to Oct 2011 were enrolled in the study.Of the 57 patients,there were 21 males and 36 females,aged 18 to 57(average 37.28 ± 11.63).The clinical course was from 1 month to 5 years(average 29.63 ± 15.36 months).Based on the patient's age,sex and condition,the 57 patients were randomly divided into steroid pulse therapy with all body group(group SPT,29 patients,54 eyes)and peribulbar injection of long-term steraid group(group PI,28 patients,52 eyes).The patients in group SPT were treated with 0.5-l.0 g methylprednisolone by intravenous infusion daily for 3 days,and then stopped for 7 days,the treatment was repeated once.But the total application dose of methylprednisolone was not overruned 5.0-20.0 g.After that,the patients were treated with oral prednisone 40 mg/d.The dose of prednisone was reduced gradually to 5 mg/d.The total course of group SPT was 3 months.The patients in the group PI were treated with triamcinolone acetonide in periorbital injection of 20 mg once every two weeks for 3 months.After one month treated,all patients were visited.The patients' body weights of two groups were measured before the treatment and after one month treated.The ocular signs of the patients including visual acuity,diplopia,intraocular pressure,exophthalmos and horizontal visual palpebral fissure width were observed before and after the treatment.Results In the group SPT,the average body weight [(62.83 ± 7.23)kg]after the treatment was higher than that before the treatment[(57.03 ±7.13)kg],and also higher than that of the group PI[(59.89 ± 10.67)kg,t =25.25,2.08,all P＜ 0.05]after the treatment.In the group SPT,the average intraocular pressures before and after the treatment were (13.46 ± 1.78)and (13.69 ± 1.41)mm Hg(1 nm Hg =0.133 kPa),respectively.In the group PI,the average intraocular pressures before and after the treatment were (13.52 ± 2.19) and (13.77 ± 2.03)mm Hg,respectively.There was no significant differences before and after the treatment in both gr0ups(P＞ 0.05).In the group SPT and PI,the average exophthalmos after the treatment[(18.63 ± 2.22) and (14.85 ± 2.61)mm]were lower than those before the treatment[(20.78 ± 2.24) and (20.60 ± 2.81)mm,t =9.97,29.68,all P＜ 0.05],respectively.After the treatment,the average exophthalmos in the group PI was significantly lower than that of the group SPT(t =7.79,P＜ 0.05).In the groups SPT and PI,the average averagepalpebral fissure width after the treatment[(15.00 ± 1.80) and (11.65 ± 2.45)mm]were lower than those before the treatment[(17.22 ± 1.89) and (17.44 ± 2.37)mm,t =22.74,91.24,all P ＜ 0.05].After treatment of the group PI,the average exophthalmos was significantly lower than that of the group SPT(t =8.01,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Compared with the steroid pulse therapy with all body,the peribullbar application of long-term hormone for hyperthyroid Graves ophthalmopathy is more effective,with lcss side effects and worthy of promotion.

OBJECTIVETo understand the trend of gastric cancer mortality based on the exploration of the death data from 1970 to 2004 in Zhaoyuan County.

METHODSThe death data of 1970-1974 were collected from the first malignant tumor death survey of China, and the data of 1985-2004 were derived from the cancer registration network of Zhaoyuan. The appreciation indexes were crude mortality rate and standardized mortality rates by the percentages of Chinese population in 1982 and the percentages of world population in 1966.

RESULTSThe crude mortality rates in the five periods of 1970-1974, 1985-1989, 1990-994, 1995-1999, and 2000-2004 were 34.94, 44.34, 40.05, 48.73, and 40.18 per 100,000, respectively; the standardized mortality rates by Chinese population were 30.82, 30.35, 27.78, 31.63, and 20.10 per 100,000, respectively. The gastric cancer mortality remained stability from 1970 to 1999, however, the standardized mortality rate of gastric cancer in 2000-2004 declined by 34.8% compared with that in 1970-1974. The study also observed that the highest age-specific gastric cancer mortality, in the past 35 years, has been postponed by 10 years. And, the gastric cancer mortality ranked from top first to top three.

CONCLUSIONThere is a decreasing trend for the incidence of stomach cancer and this might be associated with the changes of dietary consumption and pattern.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Distribution ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mortality ; trends ; Registries ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms ; mortality

No abstract available.
Dermoscopy ; Hair Diseases ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Pruritus

Objective To retrospectively determine the features of stones and calcifications in hepatobiliary system on virtual nonenhanced (VNE) dual-energy computed tomography (CT), and to evaluate the possibility of VNE images in diagnosis for those lesions.Methods A total of 128 gall stones and calcifications of the liver found in 110 patients were examined with triple phase abdominal CT scan from July 2007 to December 2011, in which true nonenhanced (TNE) phase and arterial phase were performed with single-energy CT (120 kVp) and portal venous phase was performed with dual-energy CT (100 kVp and 140 kVp). VNE images were generated from the portal venous phase dual-energy CT data sets by using commercially VNC software. The mean CT values for the stone, liver, bile and paraspinal muscle, mean lesion density and size in area dimension, contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of lesion to the liver or bile, and image noise were assessed and compared between VNE and TNE images. The effective dose and size-specific dose estimate (SSDE) were also calculated.Results The mean CT values of the lesions measured on VNE images declined significantly compared with those measured on TNE images (164.51±102.13 vs. 290.72±197.80 HU, P<0.001), so did the lesion-to-liver CNR (10.80±11.82 vs.18.81±17.06, P<0.001) and the lesion-to-bile CNR (17.24±14.41 vs. 21.32±17.31, P<0.001). There was no significant difference in size of lesions area between VNE and TNE images (0.69±0.88 vs. 0.72±0.85 cm, P=0.062). Compared to the 128 lesions found in TNE images, VNE images showed the same density in 30 (23.4%) lesions, lighter density in 88 (68.8%) lesions, while failed to show 10 (7.8%) lesions, and showed the same size in 61 (47.7%) lesions and smaller size in 57 (44.5%) lesions. The CT cutoff values of lesion and size were 229.21 HU and 0.15 cm, respectively. The total effective dose for triple phase scan protocol with TNE images was 19.51±7.03 mSv, and the SSDE was 39.84±11.10 mGy. The effective dose for dual phase scan protocol with VNE images instead of TNE images was 13.29±4.89 mSv, and the SSDE was 27.83±9.99 mGy. Compared with TNE images, the effective dose and SSDE of VNE images were down by 32.05%±3.69 % and 30.63%±2.34 %, respectively.Conclusions Although the CT values and CNR of the lesions decreased in VNE images, the lesions of which attenuation greater than 229.21 HU and size larger than 0.15 cmcould be detected with good reliability and obvious dose reduction. There was good consistency in the size of stones and calcifications in hepatobiliary system between VNE images and TNE images, which ensured the possibility of the clinical application of VNE images.

AIMTo elucidate the metabolic pathway of glufosfamide in rats.

METHODSIn this study, a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric method was developed and applied to characterize the metabolites of glufosfamide in rat urine, after an i.v. administration of 50 mg x kg(-1). The analysis was performed under two ionization modes in two different chromatographic systems, separately. To make sure that the compounds detected in rat urine were metabolites or degradation products, the stability of glufosfamide, isophosphoramide mustard (M1), and the degradation products of M1 in urine were investigated.

RESULTSIn positive ionization mode, besides glufosfamide, two metabolites, isophosphoramide mustard and monoaziridinyl derivative of isophosphoramide mustard, were detected. In negative ionization mode, only glufosfamide itself was detected, while derivatives of isophosphoramide mustard have no response in such condition.

CONCLUSIONGlufosfamide was mainly unchanged excreted in urine, and two metabolites were detected as isophosphoramide mustard and monoaziridinyl derivative of isophosphoramide mustard.

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating ; metabolism ; urine ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Glucose ; analogs & derivatives ; Ifosfamide ; analogs & derivatives ; Injections, Intravenous ; Male ; Phosphoramide Mustards ; metabolism ; urine ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo identify the anatomical variability of the left spermatic vein (LSV) and determine its effect on the induction of experimental left varicocele (ELV) in adolescent rats.

METHODSWe equally randomized 30 adolescent male SD rats to groups A (LSV collaterals fully ligated and the left renal vein constricted), B (only the left renal vein constricted), and C (sham operation), observed the courses of the LSVs and measured their diameters. At 30 days after operation, we analyzed the changes in the left kidneys and the diameters of the LSVs.

RESULTSIrregular collaterals were observed in 90% of the LSVs and no abnormal changes were found in the left kidneys after surgery. The postoperative LSV diameter was remarkably increased in group A as compared with the baseline ([1.47 +/- 0.15 ] vs [0.16 +/- 0.08] mm, P < 0.01), but showed no significant difference in group B ([0.31 +/- 0.49] vs [0.15 +/- 0.07] mm, P > 0.05) and C ([0.17 +/- 0.07] vs [0.16 +/- 0.06] mm, P > 0.05), and it was significantly longer in A than in B (P < 0.01). The success rate of ELV induction was 100% in group A and 10% in group B, but no varicocele was observed in group C.

CONCLUSIONCorrect identification of the anatomical course of the LSV and ligation of its irregular collaterals are essential for the establishment of a stable and consistent ELV model.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Kidney ; pathology ; Ligation ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spermatic Cord ; blood supply ; Varicocele ; Veins ; abnormalities

Adenocarcinoma ; diagnosis ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; metabolism ; Carcinosarcoma ; diagnosis ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prostate ; pathology ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Stromal Cells ; pathology ; Treatment Outcome

In view of the anatomical and physiological barrier of the ocular surface and the intraocular structure, the conventional ophthalmic agents cannot efficiently reach the lesion site.Currently, the different types of nanomaterials possess great advantages in delivering drugs due to their characteristics of small size, easy preparation, degradability, strong targeting and less irritation to biological tissue.As drug delivery carriers, nanomaterials have been widely used in ocular drug delivery so as to treat different types of eye diseases.In this paper, the applications of nanomaterials as drug delivery carriers in treating eye diseases are briefly reviewed.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the adhesion of Acanthamoeba trophozoites on cosmetic contact lenses (CLs) with and without CL care multipurpose solution (MPS) treatment. METHODS: Acanthamoeba lugdunensis L3a trophozoites were inoculated onto disks trimmed from CLs: 1-day Acuvue moist, 1-day Acuvue define, Acuvue 2, and Acuvue 2 define. After 18-hour inoculation, the number of adherent trophozoites was counted under phase contrast microscopy. The effects of MPS, Opti-Free Express, soaking CLs for 6 hours, on Acanthamoeba adhesion were analyzed. Scanning electron microscopic examination was performed for assessment of Acanthamoeba attached on the lens surface. RESULTS: Acanthamoeba trophozoites showed greater adhesion to cosmetic CL (P = 0.017 for 1-day CL and P = 0.009 for 2-week CL) although there was no significant difference between the types of cosmetic CL. On all lenses, the number of adherent Acanthamoeba was significantly reduced after treatment with MPS (P < 0.001 for 1-day Acuvue moist, P = 0.046 for 1-day Acuvue define, P < 0.001 for Acuvue 2, and P = 0.015 for Acuvue 2 define), but there was still significant difference between conventional and cosmetic CLs (P = 0.003 for 1-day CL and P < 0.001 for 2-week CL, respectively). More attachment of Acanthamoeba was observed on colored area and the acanthopodia of Acanthamoeba was placed on the rough surface of colored area. CONCLUSION: Acanthamoeba showed a greater affinity for cosmetic CL and mostly attached on colored area. Although MPS that contained myristamidopropyl dimethylamine reduced the adhesion rate, there was a significant difference between conventional and cosmetic CLs.
Acanthamoeba ; Contact Lenses ; Microscopy, Phase-Contrast ; Trophozoites