Aneurysm, Dissecting ; genetics ; Aortic Aneurysm ; genetics ; Diseases in Twins ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo investigate the diagnostic value of serum CEACAM1 in patients with pancreatic cancer.

METHODSFifty patients with pancreatic cancer and 50 with chronic pancreatitis were examine for serum levels of CEACAM1 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The cut-off values and area under curve (AUC) of CEACAM1 was obtained by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The diagnostic efficiency of the tumor markers for pancreatic cancer was assessed by the fourfold table.

RESULTSThe serum level and positivity rate of CEACAM1 in pancreatic cancer patients were higher than those in chronic pancreatitis patients (P<0.05). Based on the ROC curve, the cut-off values and AUC of CEACAM1 were 13.835 ng/ml and 0.780, respectively (P<0.05). In pancreatic cancer patients, the diagnostic sensitivities of the tumor markers decreased in the order of CEACAM1 < CA242 < CA19-9 (P<0.05), and the specificity in the order of CA242 < CA19-9 < CEACAM1 (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONCEACAM1 shows a higher diagnostic sensitivity than CA19-9 and CA242 for pancreatic cancer, but due to its low specificity this marker alone is not sufficient for diagnostic purposes.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antigens, CD ; blood ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; blood ; Cell Adhesion Molecules ; blood ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; blood ; diagnosis ; ROC Curve

OBJECTIVESevere acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is an emerging infectious disease that first manifested in humans in November 2002. The SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) has been identified as the causal agent, but the pathology and pathogenesis are still not quite clear.

METHODSPost-mortem lung samples from six patients who died from SARS from April to July 2003 were studied by light and electron microscopy, Masson trichromal staining and immunohistochemistry. Evidence of infection with the SARS-CoV was determined by reverse-transcription PCR (RT-PCR) , serological examination and electron microscopy.

RESULTSFour of six patients had serological and RT-PCR evidence of recent infection of SARS-CoV. Morphologic changes are summarized as follows: (1) Diffuse and bilateral lung consolidation was seen in all patients (6/6) with increasing lung weight. (2) Diffuse alveolar damage was universal (6/6) with hyaline membrane formation (6/6), intra-alveolar edema/hemorrhage (6/6), fibrin deposition (6/6), pneumocyte desquamation (6/6). A marked disruption in the integrity of the alveolar epithelium was confirmed by immunostaining for the epithelial marker AE1/AE3 (6/6). (3) Type II pneumocytes, with mild hyperplasia, atypia, cytomegaly with granular amphophilic cytoplasm and intracytoplasmic lipid accumulation (5/6). (4) Giant cells in the alveoli were seen in five of 6 patients (5/6) , most of which were positive for the epithelial marker AE1/AE3 (5/6), but some cells were positive for the macrophage marker CD68(2/6). (5) A pronounced increase of macrophages were seen in the alveoli and the interstitium of the lung (6/6), which was confirmed by histological study and immunohistochemistry. (6) Haemophagocytosis was present in five of the 6 patients(5/6). (7) Lung fibrosis was seen in five patients(5/6), with alveolar septa and interstitium thickening(5/6), intraalveolar organizing exudates (6/6) and pleura thickening (4/6). Proliferation of collagen was confirmed by Masson trichromal staining, most of which was type III collagen by immunostaining. The formation of distinctive fibroblast/myofibroblast foci was seen in five patients (5/6) by light microscopy and immunochemistry. (8) Squamous metaplasia of bronchial mucosa was seen in five patients(5/6). (9) Thrombi was seen in all patients(6/6). (10) Accompanying infection was present in two patients, one was bacteria, the other was fungus. In addition, electron microscopy revealed viral particles in the cytoplasm of alveolar epithelial cells and endothelial cells corresponding to coronavirus.

CONCLUSIONDirect injury of SARS-CoV on alveolar epithelium, prominent macrophage infiltration and distinctive fibroblast/myofibroblast proliferation may play major roles in the pathogenesis of SARS.

Adult ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; metabolism ; Antigens, CD ; metabolism ; Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic ; metabolism ; Epithelium ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Keratins ; immunology ; Lung ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; virology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pulmonary Alveoli ; pathology ; Pulmonary Fibrosis ; etiology ; pathology ; SARS Virus ; isolation & purification ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; complications ; metabolism ; pathology ; virology

Objective To investigate the preventive and therapeutic effect and mechanism of simvastatin on secondary inflammatory damage of rats with cerebral hemorrhage. Methods Sixty SD rat aged 9–12 weeks were chosen and divided into the control group, model group and simvastatin-treated group randomly with 20 rats in each group. Rats in the model group and simvastatin-treated group were infused with autologous fresh uncoagulated blood to the right brain tissue of the basal ganglia to build the cerebral hemorrhage model, while rats in the control group were treated with the same amount of normal saline. Then, rats in the simvastatin-treated group were given a gavage of 3 mg/kg of simvastatin once a day after modeling. Rats in the three groups were given nerve dysfunction score (NDS) and wet-dry weighting method was used to detect the brain water content (BWC) of brain tissues around the lesion of the rats. Then Nissl staining was conducted and the undamaged neurons were counted. Immunohistochemical SP method was applied to count the number of NF-κB, TLR4 and IL-1β positive cells in brain tissues around the lesions, and the immuno fluorescence method was employed to determine the expression levels of NF-κB, TLR4 and IL-1β proteins. Results The NDS results of the simvastatin-treated group at all time points were all significantly higher than those of the model group (P < 0.05); the BWC values of the simvastatin-treated group at all time points were all significantly lower than those of the model group at the same periods (P < 0.05); the number of the undamaged neurons around the lesions of the simvastatin-treated group at all time points were all significantly higher than those of the model group (P < 0.05); seven days after treatment, the number of the NF-κB, TLR4 and IL-1β positive cells in brain tissues around the lesions of the simvastatin-treated group were all significantly lower than those of the model group (P < 0.05), and its expression levels of NF-κB, TLR4 and IL-1β protein were also significantly lower than those of the model group (P < 0.05). Conclusions Simvastatin can inhibit the expressions of NF-κB, TLR4 and IL-1β proteins in rats with cerebral hemorrhage, and protect neurons and reduce secondary inflammatory damages by down-regulating the above protein-mediated inflammatory responses.

In this paper,the potential climate factors affecting the Pairs polyphylla var. yunnanensis distribution in China at rational scales were selected from related literatures, using the sampling point geographic information from of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis, combine the maximum entropy model (MaxEnt) with spatial analyst function of ArcGIS software, to study the climate suitability of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis cultivating region in China and the leading climate factors. The results showed that, average rainfall in August, average rainfall in October, coefficient of variation of seasonal precipitation, the average temperature of the dry season, isothermal characteristic, average temperature in July were the leading climate factors affecting the potential distribution of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis cultivating region in China, with their cumulative contribution rate reached 97.2% of all candidate climate factors. Existence probability of the region to be predicted of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis through the constructed model, the climate unsuitable region, low, medium and high region of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis in China were clarified and the threshold of climatic factors were gave and clarified the climate characteristics of the cultivating region in each climatic suitability division. The results of research can provide reference for production layout and introduction of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis.

BACKGROUNDChromosomal abnormalities have been shown to play an important prognostic role in multiple myeloma (MM). Interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (i-FISH) has been much more effective to identify cytogenetic aberrations in MM than conventional cytogenetic technique (CC). To clearly determine the cytogenetic features of Chinese MM patients and identify their prognostic implications, we designed a multicenter study based on i-FISH including 672 patients from 52 hospitals in China.

METHODSAll 672 patients were systematically screened for the following genomic aberrations: del(13q), IgH rearrangement, del(p53) and 1q21 amplifications.

RESULTSThe analysis showed that the chromosomal changes were detected in 22.1% patients by CC and in 82.3% patients by i-FISH. The most common abnormalities by CC were chromosome 1 aberrations (48.4%), -13/13q- (37.6%), hyperdiploidy (36.6%), hypodiploidy (30.1%) and IgH rearrangements (23.7%). The most frequent abnormalities by FISH was del(13q), which was found in 60.4% patients, whereas IgH rearrangement, 1q21 amplification and p53 deletions were detected in 57.6%, 49.0% and 34.7% cases, respectively. By statistical analysis, -13/13q- by CC was associated with low level of platelet (P = 0.015), hyperdiploidy was associated with low level of serum albumin (P = 0.028), and IgH rearrangement by FISH was associated with high level of β2 microglobulin (P = 0.019). Moreover, 1q21 amplification and del(p53) by FISH conferred a high incidence of progressive disease (PD) after initial therapy. Metaphase detection of IgH rearrangements and chromosome 1 aberrations concurrently was associated with a short progression free survival (PFS) (P = 0.036). No significant prognostic implications of other cytogenetic abnormalities were found associated with overall survival and PFS.

CONCLUSIONSChinese MM patients had similar cytogenetic abnormalities compared with the previous reported studies. However, the prognostic significance of FISH aberrations were not clearly determined and further study is required.

Adult ; China ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 1 ; genetics ; Cytogenetic Analysis ; Female ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Karyotyping ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multiple Myeloma ; genetics ; pathology