Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multiple Myeloma ; diagnosis ; immunology ; Prognosis ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the antiviral activity and safety of entecavir in patients with chronic HBV infection as a preliminarily step in selecting 0.1 mg or 0.5 mg as a better dosage for a further large scale clinical trial.

METHODSThis was a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled and dose-ranging trial of entecavir usage in 212 patients with chronic HBV infection. The patients were randomly assigned to 3 groups: 0.1 mg entecavir (69), 0.5 mg entecavir (72) and, placebo (71) groups and treated for 28 days. The patients were then followed for 56 days without treatment.

RESULTSThe proportion of subjects who achieved the primary endpoint at day 28, with their HBV DNA level decreased >2 log or undetectable, was significantly greater in the entecavir 0.1 mg and 0.5 mg dose groups compared with the placebo group (P < 0.01 for both comparisons). The mean change from baseline in HBV DNA levels at day 28 was greater for entecavir 0.1mg and 0.5 mg groups compared with the placebo group (both P < 0.01). The mean change from baseline in HBV DNA levels at day 28 for entecavir 0.5 mg group was greater than that of the entecavir 0.1 mg group (P < 0.01). During the 56-day post-dosing follow-up phase, the entecavir 0.5 mg group was associated with greater and more sustained suppression of viral replication than the entecavir 0.1 mg group (P < 0.01). There were no clinically meaningful differences in the incidence of any adverse events between the entecavir dosing and the placebo groups.

CONCLUSIONEntecavir at both 0.1 mg and 0.5 mg doses demonstrated superior antiviral activity compared with a placebo. Since the entecavir 0.5 mg dose appears to have greater antiviral activity than the 0.1 mg dose and with a comparable safety and tolerability profile, the 0.5 mg entecavir dose could be used in further trials.

Adult ; Antiviral Agents ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; DNA, Viral ; blood ; Double-Blind Method ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Guanine ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Hepatitis B virus ; drug effects ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUNDCleft lip (CL) and cleft palate (CP) are two of the most frequent congenital malformations. Many epidemiologic studies on this deformity have been conducted worldwide, often producing inconsistent results. This study assessed epidemiology and some genetic aspects of cleft lip and palate in a Chinese sample from the Smile Train Program and to compare with other methodologically sound surveys.

METHODSThe general information, family history, classification of cleft and associated malformations of 8000 CL and CP surgery patients were analyzed.

RESULTSOf the 8000 cases, 7812 had complete data. The distribution of cleft types is 17.04% with CP, 23.39% with CL and 59.58% with cleft lip and palate (CLP). Unilateral clefts were more common than bilateral, with unilateral to bilateral ratios being 10.4:1 for CL, and 3.42:1 for CLP. The overall male:female ratio was 2.01:1. Left sided defects were more common than right sided regardless of sex, 1.90:1 for CL and 1.96:1 for CLP. CLP and CL were more common in males than in females with sex ratios (SR) of 2.88:1 and 1.85:1 respectively, whereas CP was more common in females with SR of 0.76:1. Associated malformations (2.89%), involved 29 CP cases, 41 CL and 156 CLP. The frequency of associated malformations in CLP (3.35%) was higher than CL (2.24%) and CP (2.22%) (P < 0.05). Patients with CP or CLP were born less often in the winter than in the summer (P < 0.05). A history of family members having clefts occurred in 6.84% of patients. The proportion of CLP cases (7.56%) was significantly higher than that of CL cases (5.64%) (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe different types of clefts appeared in the highest proportion in CLP and lowest proportion in CP. Males are more common with CL and CLP and less common with CP. These characteristics are the same as those of other Chinese surveys but different from some European reports.

China ; epidemiology ; Cleft Lip ; epidemiology ; genetics ; surgery ; Cleft Palate ; epidemiology ; genetics ; surgery ; Female ; Functional Laterality ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Male ; Sex Factors ; Time Factors

To investigate the relationship between the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) of the bcr and abl gene and chronic myelogeous leukemia (CML), the 9 sequence-tagged sites (STS) in bcr and abl gene were screened by DNA pooling and denaturing high performance liquid chromatography (dHPLC), and the results were varified by sequencing. The results showed that the polymorphism sites were detected in 4 out of the 9 STS fragments and there were 3 bases different from the reference sequence found in 3 fragments. In conclusion, the novel SNP in U07000 fragment shows significantly different frequencies between CML and controled people.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl ; genetics ; Genes, abl ; genetics ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcr ; genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Sequence Tagged Sites

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of polyethylene oxide (PEO) on microcirculation of normal rat hindlimb skeletal muscle.

METHODSSixteen male Wistar rats were anesthetized and equally and randomly divided into PEO group (administered with 10 ppm PEO solution) and control group (administered with equal volume of normal saline). The PEO solution or saline was separately injected through the caudal vein at a constant rate of 5 ml/h for 20 minutes. Using short axis view at right mid thigh region, contrast-enhanced ultrasonography was performed before and after the administration of solution. Electrocardiogram, blood pressure, and central venous pressure were also monitored.

RESULTSIn the PEO group, after the administration of PEO, microcirculation capillary volume increased from (20.78±2.63) dB to (22.40±1.94) dB (P=0.023), red blood cell velocity from (0.27±0.08) s-1 to (0.35±0.13) s-1(P=0.010), and capillary blood flow from (5.65±1.81) dB/s to (7.91±3.28) dB/s (P=0.013). In the control group, there were no significant changes in microcirculation capillary volume, red blood cell velocity, and capillary blood flow (all Pþ0.05) after the injection of normal saline. The changes of heart rates, blood pressures and central venous pressure were not significant after the administration of either PEO or saline (all Pþ0.05).

CONCLUSIONPEO can remarkably increase capillary volume, red blood cell velocity, and capillary blood flow in normal rat hindlimb skeletal muscle.

Animals ; Hindlimb ; blood supply ; Male ; Microcirculation ; drug effects ; Muscle, Skeletal ; blood supply ; Polyethylene Glycols ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

Human mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are one kind of adult stem cells that can self-renew and give rise to one or more mesenchymal tissues, existing in bone marrow and other tissues. Not similar to CD34 recognizing hematopoietic stem cells, no such marker can be used yet to identify MSC. To isolate and identify MSC from bone marrow, anti-SH2 and SH3 monoclonal antibodies as markers to identify MSC were used. Two monoclonal antibodies were purified from ascites of SH2 and SH3 hybridomas-inoculated mice, flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry were used to identify plastic-adherent cultured MSC. And SH2 and SH3 antigen positive cells were isolated from bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNC) by immunobeads covered with secondary antibodies. And anti-SH2 and CD105 McAbs were used to label MSC at the same time to clarify whether they recognize the same antigen. The results showed that about 80% of MSC were antigens SH3 and SH2 positive. The SH2 and SH3 positive-selected cells were MSC while MSC accounted for less than 1% of negative-selected cells. When cells were labeled by SH2 McAb, they could not be labeled by CD105 simutaneously. In conclusion, antigens SH2 and SH3 are specific markers to identify and isolate MSC. Anti-SH2 McAb can replace anti-CD105 McAb to identify the specific marker on MSC.
Animals ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; biosynthesis ; immunology ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; immunology ; Cells, Cultured ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Immunomagnetic Separation ; methods ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; immunology ; Mice ; src Homology Domains ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical value of blood concentration monitoring during high-dose methotrexate (MTX) treatment.

METHODSHigh-dose MTX (1.5-9.0 g) was infused to 105 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia or lymphoma, and then the blood MTX concentration was measured by fluorescence polarization immune assay (FPIA) 44 hours after the start of administration. The procedure was repeated every 6-12 hours until the concentration was less than 0.1 micromol/L.

RESULTSForty-four hours after the start of administration, the blood MTX concentration (C(MTX/44h)) was > or = 5 micromol/L in 6 patients (2.8%) and was between 1 and 5 micromol/L in 23 patients (10.6%). C(MTX/44h) > or = 1 micromol/L was more common in patients received 5.0 g MTX. No severe adverse event was observed in all patients.

CONCLUSIONSBlood MTX concentration is different after high-dose MTX treatment due to individual metabolic differences, and therefore it is clinically important to monitor blood concentration of MTX. Elimination delay is more common in patients receive 5.0 g MTX. Application of high-dose MTX therapy under the monitoring of blood MTX concentration is safe and feasible.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic ; administration & dosage ; blood ; therapeutic use ; Drug Monitoring ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphoma ; drug therapy ; Male ; Methotrexate ; administration & dosage ; blood ; therapeutic use ; Middle Aged ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; drug therapy ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the feasible age limits in Chinese elderly patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL).

METHODSThe clinical data of 507 patients with NHL who were admitted to Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) from January 1990 to December 2007 were retrospectively analyzed. They were further followed up by reviewing medical records or by phone. The deadline of follow-up was October 2008.

RESULTSThe 5-year/8-year overall survival (OS) rates were 64.6%/45.7%, 53.0%/ 44.1%, 32.8%/17.5%, 40.0%/22.8%, and 19.8%/0, respectively, in patients aged < 60 years, 60-64 years, 65-69 years, 70-74 years, and > or = 75 years. The OS rate was significantly different between patients aged > or = 75 years and other age groups, and between patients aged 65-70 years and patients younger than 60 years (P < 0.05). Only age, serum albumin, and hemoglobin affected the survival status in elderly NHL patients.

CONCLUSIONSixty-five years can be regarded as the age limit in Chinese NHL patients.

Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; mortality ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate