Female ; Gastroscopy ; Humans ; Infant ; Intestinal Obstruction ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo estimate the impact of copying on the indoor air quality, and to investigate whether ozone emitted during such a process induces pathological oxidative stress and potential oxidative damage in the bodies of operators.

METHODS67 copying operators (CO) and 67 healthy volunteers (HV) were enrolled in a random control study, in which levels of lipoperoxide (LPO) in plasma and erythrocytes, and levels of vitamin C (VC), vitamin E (VE) and beta-carotene (beta-CAR) in plasma as well as activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) in erythrocytes were determined by spectrophotometric methods.

RESULTSCompared with the HV group, the average values of LPO in plasma and erythrocytes in the CO group were significantly increased (P<0.0001), while those of VC, VE and beta-CAR in plasma as well as those of SOD, CAT and GPX in erythrocytes in the CO group were significantly decreased (P<0.0001). Pearson product-moment correlation analysis showed that with increase of ozone level in copying sites and duration of exposure to ozone, the values of LPO in plasma and erythrocytes in the bodies of operators were gradually increased,while those of VC, VE, beta-CAR, SOD, CAT and GPX were decreased in the same manner. Odds ratio (OR) of risk of biochemical parameters reflecting potential oxidative damage of the copying operators ranged from 4.440 to 13.516, and 95% CI of OR was from 2.113 to 34.061. Reliability coefficient (alpha) of the biochemical parameters used to reflect the potential oxidative damage of the operators was 0.8156, standardized item alpha=0.9929, P<0.0001.

CONCLUSIONFindings in the present study suggest that there exist a series of free radical chain reactions and pathological oxidative stress induced by high dose ozone in the operators, thereby causing potential oxidative and lipoperoxidative damages in their bodies.

Adult ; Copying Processes ; Erythrocytes ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Occupational Exposure ; Odds Ratio ; Oxidants, Photochemical ; analysis ; toxicity ; Oxidative Stress ; Ozone ; analysis ; toxicity ; Risk Assessment

OBJECTIVETo investigate the prognostic value of some clinicopathologic indexes and biologic tumor markers in predicting recurrence in T1 transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder.

METHODSThe expressions of p53, E-cadherin and VEGF of 75 patients with T1 primary bladder TCC were detected by streptabitin peroxidase (SP) immunohistochemical methods. The effects of clinicopathologic indexes and biologic tumor markers on recurrence were assessed by Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards model.

RESULTSThe 1-, 3-, and 5-year recurrence- free survival rates were 68.0%, 45.3% and 20.9%. In Kaplan-Meier analysis, tumor mutifocality and the expression of p53, E-cadherin and VEGF were associated with recurrence. In multivariate analysis, the independent recurrence variables were tumor mutifocality, the expression of p53 and E-cadherin.

CONCLUSIONTumor mutifocality and the abnormal expression of p53 and E-cadherin are the variables that independently predict recurrence in T1 transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cadherins ; analysis ; Carcinoma, Transitional Cell ; etiology ; mortality ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; etiology ; mortality ; Neoplasm Staging ; Survival Rate ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; analysis ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms ; etiology ; mortality ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether photochemical smog emitted during the process of electric arc welding might cause oxidative stress and potential oxidative damage in the bodies of welding operators.

METHODSSeventy electric arc welding operators (WOs) and 70 healthy volunteers (HVs) were enrolled in a randomized controlled study design, in which the levels of vitamin C (VC) and vitamin E (VE) in plasma as well as the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and the level of lipoperoxide (LPO) in erythrocytes were determined by spectrophotometry.

RESULTSCompared with the average values of the above experimental parameters in the HVs group, the average values of VC and VE in plasma as well as those of SOD, CAT and GPX in erythrocytes in the WOs group were significantly decreased (P < 0.005-0.0001), while the average value of LPO in erythrocytes in the WOs group was significantly increased (P < 0.0001). The findings from the partial correlation analysis on the controlling of age suggested that with a prolonged duration of exposure to photochemical smog the values of VC, VE, SOD, and GPX, except for CAT, in the WOs were decreased gradually (P < 0.05-0.005), the value of LPO in the WOs was increased gradually (P < 0.001), and that with the ozone dose increased in the air in each worksite VC, VE, SOD, CAT and GPX decreased (P < 0.005-0.001), but LPO increased (P < 0.001). The findings from the reliability analysis for the VC, VE, SOD, CAT, GPX, and LPO values which were used to reflect oxidative stress and potential oxidative damage in the WOs showed that the reliability coefficients' alpha (6 items) was 0.8021, P < 0.0001, and that the standardized item alpha was 0.9577, P < 0.0001.

CONCLUSIONFindings in the present study suggest that there exists an oxidative stress induced by long-term exposure to photochemical smog in the bodies of WOs, thereby causing potential oxidative and lipoperoxidative damages in their bodies.

Adult ; Antioxidants ; metabolism ; Ascorbic Acid ; blood ; Catalase ; blood ; Erythrocytes ; metabolism ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; blood ; Humans ; Lipid Peroxides ; blood ; Middle Aged ; Nitric Oxide ; blood ; Oxidants, Photochemical ; adverse effects ; analysis ; Oxidative Stress ; Ozone ; analysis ; toxicity ; Risk Assessment ; Smog ; Superoxide Dismutase ; blood ; Vitamin E ; blood ; Welding

Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Penile Diseases ; pathology ; Xanthomatosis ; pathology

AIM To investigate the preventive effects of herbal pair,Scutellariae Radix and Coptidis Rhizoma (SC),on Alzheimer's disease (AD),and its mechanism of action.METHODS Dementia mice induced by 8-week s.i.d subcutaneous injection of D-galactose (100 mg/kg),were simultaneously given respective,intragastric administration of SC crude drug at doses of 5,10,20 g/kg,or piracetam support at 0.75 g/kg,and isometrical distilled water was applied to the mice of normal control group.The mice had their learning and memory abilities checked by Morris water maze at intervals of four weeks and eight weeks since the start of the trial,and their blood and brain tissue biochemical indices measured at the end of the test.RESULTS Significantly shortened latent period in place navigation test and the time of enter into the original platform in the space exploration test were observed in the mice treated with 4-week D-galactose and SC (P ＜0.05 或 P ＜0.01).The 8-week intervention demonstrated SC capacity in the significant promotion of T-SOD activity,decreased blood MDA levels (P ＜ 0.01)and the brain AchE levels,and increased brain GSH-Px activity (P ＜ 0.01).CONCLUSION SC increases the concentration of acetylcholine in brain tissue and protects the central nervous tissue under oxidative stress,highlighting its therapeutic effect on AD.

OBJECTIVETo explore prognostic factors in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

METHODSTwo hundred and three CLL patients in our hospital between 2000 to 2007 were retrospectively reviewed for prognostic factor analysis. Survival was analysed by Kaplan-Meier analysis, univariate analysis by Log-rank test and multivariate analysis by COX regression model.

RESULTSWith a median follow-up time of 48.0 (3.0-156.0) months, the 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was (87.3 +/- 2.4)% and 10-year OS rate was (77.4 +/- 3.3)%. Forty-eight (23.6%) patients died. Univariate analysis indicated that advanced clinical stage, B symptoms, extranodal involvement, number of lymph node regions involved > or = 3, enlarged liver, Hb < 100 g/L, BPC < 100 x 10(9)/L, absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) > 50 x 10(9)/L, atypical cell morphology, progression to stage, non-response to treatment, complicating infections and secondary cancer or disease transformation were associated with poor prognosis. And on multivariate analysis, lymph node region involved > or = 3 and atypical cell morphology were independent poor prognostic factors. Based on the two independent poor prognostic factors, three risk groups were defined: low--(0 factor), intermediate--(one factor) and high--(two factors) groups. The 5 year OS rates were (89.8 +/- 3.5)%, (66.4 +/- 7.2)% and (15.0 +/- 13.8)%, respectively, and the difference between them was statistically.

CONCLUSIONThe number of lymph node region involved and cell morphology are useful for assessing CLL patients prognosis.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell ; pathology ; Lymph Nodes ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo investigate the efficacy and adverse reaction of bortezomib plus chemotherapy with or without stem cell transplantation (SCT) for treatment of multiple myeloma (MM).

METHODSThirty-one MM patients were treated with bortezomib plus dexamethasone or thalidomide or DTPACE, followed by SCT. Response to bortezomib was evaluated according to the European Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) criteria. Adverse events were graded according to the WHO criteria.

RESULTS1) 5 discontinued the bortezomib therapy because of acute renal failure or acute tumor lysis syndrome and 3 died. In 26 evaluable patients received 99 courses of therapy. The overall response rate (ORR) to bortezomib was 80.8%, and was 100.0% in 15 newly diagnosed patients and 54.6% in 11 relapsed/refractory patients. All of the 6 newly diagnosed patients treated with bortezomib plus DTPACE followed by SCT achieved CR. 2) In 7 newly diagnosed patients completed 8 cycles bortezomib treatment, the diseases were improved more and more with the courses of treatment. Chromosome 13 deletion did not exert a negative impact on response. 3) 6 of 7 patients completed 8 cycles treatment without SCT relapsed in 1-3 month after discontinued therapy; only 1 of 6 such patients received SCT relapsed with the rest keeping on CR at 6-11 month follow-up. 4) The most common adverse events were 1-2 grade and tolerable 3 patients had to reduce the bortezomib dosage because of peripheral neuropathy or sinus bradycardia.

CONCLUSIONBortezomib in combination with chemotherapy with or without SCT is an effective therapy with manageable toxicities for MM patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Boronic Acids ; administration & dosage ; Bortezomib ; Dexamethasone ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multiple Myeloma ; drug therapy ; surgery ; therapy ; Pyrazines ; administration & dosage ; Thalidomide ; administration & dosage ; Transplantation, Autologous ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo analyze the clinical and laboratory features of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

METHODSRetrospective investigation of 263 patients with CLL in our hospital between Feb. 2000 and Jan. 2007.

RESULTSThe median age was 60 years with male/female ratio of 2.17 : 1. Patients who were asymptomatic at diagnosis (35.4%) had low Rai grades. Fatigue and lymphadenopathy (54.8%) were the most common features at presentation. Infections, connective tissue diseases and secondary tumors frequently occurred in CLL. WBC counts were between (10 - 100) x 10(9)/L, with lymphocytes percentages more than 0.50 in 97.1% patients. Bone marrow was normal- to hyper-cellularity with lymphocytes percentages more than 0.300 in 99.4% patients. Diffuse infiltrations in bone marrow section were found in 72.2% patients. There were lower CD5 (85.1%) and higher CD25 (78.9%) positivities in the present series as compared with that in other reports. Hypogammaglobulinemia, especially hypo-IgM, usually occurred. Chromosome abnormality were rarely found by routine chromosome examination.

CONCLUSIONSThere were some clinical and laboratory characteristics different from that of abroad data. Further exploration of new markers is required for prognosis prediction and treatment choice.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell ; genetics ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies

Solid organ transplant recipients are at increased risk for Aspergillus infections. However, the cases of Aspergillus spondylodiscitis are rare and mostly resulted from the hematogenous spread of invasive pulmonary Aspergillosis. Here, we report a case of primary spondylodiscitis in a liver transplant recipient. Six months after transplantation, a chronic and progressive lumbar back pain was presented. The patient had no fever and the white blood cell count was normal. High plasma (1→3)-beta-d-glucan (BDG) level was detected at the time of back pain. The pathogen was Aspergillus flavus. Clinical and radiological healing was achieved through posterior only debridement and voriconazole therapy.
Adult ; Aspergillosis ; blood ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Discitis ; blood ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Humans ; Liver Transplantation ; adverse effects ; Male