Objective To primarily explore the efficacy and adverse effects of the combination of fiudarabine,cytarabine and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor(G-CSF)(FLAG regime)therapy for relapsed and refractory acute leukemia in children.Methods Ten children were treated with the FLAG regime for relapsed and refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML)and acute lymphoblastic leukemia(ALL)from Feb.2007 to Mar.2010.There were 8 male and 2 female,with mean age 8 years(ranging from 4 to 12 years).AML was diagnosed in 8 children,AML-M2 in 5 cases,AML-M4 in 3 cases.ALL was diagnosed in 2 children,both were B-ALL.Six children had refractory disease,and 4 cases were in relapse.FLAG regime included:fludarabine 25 mg?m-2?d-1,days 1-5;cytarabine 2 g?m-2?d-1,days 1-5;G-CSF 150-300 ?g?d-1,from day 0 to neutrophils ≥0.5?109 L-1.Results Complete remission was obtained in 6 children(60%),partial remission was obtained in 1 child(10%),and 3 children were considered non-response(30%).The total effective rate was 70%.For 8 children with AML,6 children had achieved complete remission(75%),2 children had non-response(25%).While in children with ALL,1 child got partial remission,and the other one had non-response.Myelosuppression and infections due to neutropenia were the most frequent adverse effects,severe nonhematologic toxicity were not observed in these children.And there were no chemotherapy-related death.Conclusions The FLAG regime is effective in treatment of children with relapsed and refractory acute leukemia,especially for the children with the relapsed and refractory AML.The adverse effects from this regime were well tolerated.FLAG regime can give children with relapsed and refractory acute leukemia another chance.

The source of seed cells has always been the major problem in cartilage tissue engineering.Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) have gradually become an optimal source of seed cells for cartilage engineering due to their high proliferative potential,multi-lineage differentiation potential and easiness to be obtained with minute trauma.The great challenge is how to get abundant BMSCs with a high purity and how to induce them in vitro into chondrogenic phenotype.This review aims to discuss the various strategies that can induce BMSCs chondrogenic differentiation in vitro so as to offer beneficial reference for constructing cartilage with BMSCs as seed cells.

Articular cartilage defects are commonly found in clinics. It is always a great challenge for the repair of cartilage defects due to the limited self-regeneration after injury. Tissue engineering,a newly emerging biotechnique to regenerate cartilage with chondrogenic potential cells and biodegradable scaffolds in vivo and in vitro,provides a promising method to solve the challenge in cartilage defects repair. To regenerate cartilage with favourable structure and function,it is essential to gain a deep insight into the biochemical structure,biomechanical property and their relationship of articular cartilage. This article gives an introduction to the biochemical structure,biomechanical property and their relationship of both native and tissue-engineered cartilage.

Objective To measure the changes in levels of tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α) secreted by human endothelial cells EC-304 after hematoporphyrin monomethyl ether-photodynamic treatment (HMME-PDT),and to explore the relationship between cytokines and inflammation initiation after management of nevus flammeus with photodynamic therapy.Methods EC-304 cells were cultured in 6-well plates,and classified into 4 groups:HMME-PDT group pretreated with HMME followed by irradiation with laser,HMME control group treated with HMME only,laser control group irradiated with laser only,and blank control group without any treatment.Culture supematants of EC-304 cells were collected from HMME-PDT group at 12,24 and 48 hours after the irradiation,and from the other three groups at the same time points.The supernatant TNF-α level was measured with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).Results The difference was statistically significant in the supernatant TNF-α level between different time points in each group (F=62.276.P<0.01) and between the 4 groups at each time point (F=11.538,P<0.01).Multiple comparison analysis showed that HMME-PDT group differed significantly from the other 3 control groups in the supernatant TNF-αlevel at each time point (all P<0.01),while no significant difierence was observed among the other three control groups at any time point (all P>0.05).Conclusion HMME-PDT promotes the secretion of TNF-α by EC-304 cells.

Objective To evaluate the effects of 131 adrenoceptor anfisense on blood pressure and?1 adrenoceptor mRNA and protein levels in 2 kidney 1 clip(2K1C)rats.Method 2KIC hypertensive rots were produced by clipping renal artery of SD rats.Liposome/AS-ODNs 2.0 were tested intravenously in rats with 2KIC hypertension.Animals were divided into 5 groups(n=18 in each group):?1-AS-ODN group,?1-IN-ODN group,2K1C group,Sham group and SD group.Blood pressure was measured by tail-cuff method,the levels of myocardial?adreneceptor mRNA and protein were tested by RT-PCR and binding assay.Results On the basis of the magnitude and duration of hypotension,?1-AS-ODN decreased blood pressure by 39 mmHg at the most for 4 weeks.Compared with the 2KIC group,?1-AS-ODN did not significantly change the levels of myocardial?1 adrenoceptor mRNA but significantly decreased the levels of myocardial?1 adrenoceptor protein at 2,7,30 days (P

Objective To observe the clinical effect of Yiqi Yangyin Huoxue decoction(the function of decoction is to tonify Qi,nourish Yin and enhance blood circulation)on salivary gland response attribute to radiotherapy.Methods This study,carried between January 2005 and December 2005,focused on the effect of Chinese herbs on salivary gland response attribute to radiotherapy.In the treatment group,30 cases took Chinese herbs during the duration of radiotherapy,while in the control group 30 cases were given routine therapy.Results Both groups had finished the radiotherapy,however,in the control group,there were 5 cas- es with a break for 1～2 weeks.For the comparison of the salivary gland change in acute stage,there was no variance(x~2=2.387,P=0.122);the latency for the salivary gland change in treatment group was longer than that in control group(x~2=13.106,P=0.000).For the comparison of Karnofsky after radiotherapy,the KS was superior in the treatment group than that in control group(x~2=12.685,P=0.013);For the comparison of objective effect after radiotherapy,the remission rate in treatment group was 90 %,and it was 86.7 % in control group(x~2=0.638,P=0.727).Conclusion The decoction can remit the salivary gland response caused by radiotherapy in clinic,prolong the latency for acute radioactive response;release the pain of the pa- tients,increase the achievement ratio for radiotherapy,and improve the patients'living condition.To combine with radiotherapy,Chinese herbs is a good supplemental therapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma

OBJECTIVETo explore the relation between the positive rates of autoantibodies against beta(1) adrenergic receptor (beta1-receptor)and (M2-receptor) with urinary albumin excretion rate (UAER) in type 2 diabetes patients with refractory hypertension.

METHODSAutoantibodies against beta(1)- and M(2)-receptor as well as autoantibodies were determined in type 2 diabetes patients with (n = 136) or without (n = 111) refractory hypertension, hypertensive patients without renal failure (n = 60) and healthy control subjects (n = 40, control) by ELISA.

RESULTSThe positive rates of the autoantibodies against beta1-receptors (44.9%) and M(2)-receptor (37.5%) in patients with type 2 diabetes with refractory hypertension were significantly higher than those in patients with type 2 diabetes without refractory hypertension (27.9% and 24.3%, respectively, all P < 0.05), in patients with hypertension without renal failure (11.7% and 15.0%, all P < 0.01) and in healthy controls (8.3% and 7.5%, all P < 0.01). In type 2 diabetes patients with refractory hypertension and renal failure (UAER > or = 200 microg/min), the positive rates of the autoantibodies against beta(1)-receptor (87.1%, 27/31) and against M(2)-receptor (67.7%, 21/31) were significantly higher than those in type 2 diabetes patients with refractory hypertension but without renal failure (UAER 20 - 199 microg /min, 46.7%, 28/60 and 41.7%, 25/60, respectively, all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe serum beta(1)- and M (2)-receptor autoantibodies are positively associated with the UAER level and suggest that these autoantibodies against beta(1) and M(2)-receptor may play important roles in the pathogenesis of the type 2 diabetes with refractory hypertension.

Aged ; Albuminuria ; etiology ; Autoantibodies ; analysis ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; complications ; immunology ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; complications ; immunology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Receptor, Muscarinic M2 ; immunology ; Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-1 ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate clinical effect and safety of floating needle therapy and duloxetine in treating patients with persistent somatoform pain disorder (PSPD).

METHODSTotally 108 PSPD patients were randomly assigned to the floating needle treatment group, the duloxetine treatment group, and the placebo treatment group, 36 in each group. Patients in the floating needle treatment group received floating needle therapy and placebo. Those in the duloxetine treatment group received duloxetine and simulated floating needle therapy. Those in the placebo treatment group received the placebo and simulated floating needle therapy. All treatment lasted for six weeks. Efficacy and adverse reactions were evaluated using Simple McGill pain scale (SF-MPQ) and Treatment Emergent Symptom Scale (TESS) before treatment and immediately after treatment, as well as at the end of 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 6th week of treatment, respectively. Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD, 17 items), Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) were assessed before treatment and at the end of 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 6th week of treatment, respectively. Patients in the floating needle treatment group and the duloxetine treatment group with the total reducing score rate of SF-MPQ in Pain Rating index (PRI) ≥ 50% after 6 weeks' treatment were involved in the follow-up study.

RESULTS(1) Compared with the same group before treatment, SF-MPQ score, HAMD score and HAMA total scores all decreased in all the three groups at the end of 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 6th week of treatment (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Besides , each item of SF-MPQ significantly decreased immediately after treatment in the floating needle treatment group (P < 0.01). Compared with the placebo treatment group, SF-MPQ, HAMD, and HAMA total score in the floating needle treatment group significantly decreased after 1, 2, 4, and 6 weeks of treatment (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). SF-MPQ score, HAMD score and HAMA total score in the duloxetine treatment group also significantly decreased after 2, 4, and 6 weeks of treatment (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). (2) There were 3 patients (8.3%) who had adverse reactions in the floating needle treatment group, 17 (50.0%) in the duloxetine treatment group, and 7 (21.2%) in the placebo treatment group. Compared with the placebo treatment group, the incidence of adverse reaction increased in the duloxetine treatment group (χ² = 6.04, P < 0.05). Besides, it was higher in the duloxetine treatment group than in the floating needle treatment group (χ² = 14.9, P < 0.05). (3) There were 19 patients in the floating needle treatment group and 17 patients in the duloxetine treatment group involved in the follow-up study. Compared with 6 weeks after treatment, no significant difference was observed at 3 and 6 months after treatment in the score of SF-MPQ, HAMD, and HAMA in the floating needle treatment group and the duloxetine treatment group. No significant difference was observed between the two groups (P > 0.05). There were 5 patients (29.4%) who had adverse reactions in the duloxetine treatment group, and no adverse reactions were observed in the floating needle treatment group. The adverse reaction rate was significantly different between the two groups (χ² = 4.26, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSFloating needle therapy and duloxetine were effective in treatment of patients with PSPD. However, floating needle therapy could relieve pain more rapidly than duloxetine, with obviously less adverse reactions.

Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; Analgesics ; therapeutic use ; Anxiety Disorders ; Duloxetine Hydrochloride ; therapeutic use ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Needles ; Pain ; Pain Management ; methods ; Pain Measurement ; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales ; Somatoform Disorders ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To explore the feasibility of constructing tissue engineered porcine corneal stroma with skin fibroblasts in vivo.Methods Skin fibroblasts were isolated from embryonic porcine,cultured and expanded in vitro.Cells were labeled with green fluorescence protein(GFP) gene by retro-viral infection.Cells at passage 3 were seeded on polyglycolic acid(PGA) non-woven fibers to form a cell-scaffold complex.The complexes were then implanted into porcines' corneal stroma after culturing in vitro for 1 week.Engineered stroma was observed continuously and harvested after 8 weeks for gross and histological evaluation.PGA with corneal stromal cells was served as control. Results The engineered tissue in the stroma gradually became transparent over a period of 8 weeks,showing no difference with the control group.Histologically,the engineered stromal lamellar was relatively regular and similar to the control.The implanted cells were confirmed by GFP expression under fluorescent microscope.By transmission electron microscopy examination, no significant difference in the diameter of collagen fiber was observed between the engineered stroma and normal stroma. Conclusion Tissue engineered corneal stroma may be formed with skin fibroblasts in porcine corneal microenvironment.

AIM: To investigate the ocular complication after radiation therapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC).METHODS: The authors performed a previous study on keratopathy in 213 NPC patients who received first stage radiation and had at least 10 months of follow-up. These patients were categorized into three groups depending on NPC clinic stages. Rates and proportions of keratopathy occurring in these groups were compared and analyzed with Chi-square Test and Spearman rank correlation coefficient.RESULTS: Radiation keratopathy developed in 19 patients, about 8.9% (19/213). The latency value was 3 to 30days. The effect of NPC clinic stages and radiation did on the development of keratopathy was not statistically significant (P＞0.05).CONCLUSION: The NPC clinic stages and radiation doses plays few effects on the development of keratopathy. It may play a key role that corneal nerves damage induced ocular surface diseases. It can not be excluded that individuals have different sensitivities to radiation.