Cardiomyopathies ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Echocardiography ; Heart Ventricles ; pathology ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Ningdong Granule (NG) on serum levels of interleukin-12 (IL-12) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) of children patients with Tourette's syndrome (TS).

METHODSTotally 90 TS children patients were randomly assigned to the NG group, the NG + Tiapride group (abbreviated as the combined treatment group), and the Tiapride group, 30 in each group. Besides,another 30 healthy children were recruited as the healthy control group. Patients in the NG group were treated with NG (consisting of all gastrodia rhizome, Codonopsis pilosula, Ophiopogon japonicus, white peony root, Rhinocerotidae, oyster, earthworm, licorice root, etc.), one dose daily, administered by dissolving it in boiled water, taken in two portions in the morning and in the evening respectively. Patients in the Tiapride group took Tiapride Tablet, 50 -100 mg each time, twice daily. The dosage was adjusted according to individual difference and changes of pathogenic conditions. The maximal dosage was 300 mg per day. Those in the combined treatment group were treated with equal dose of NG and Tiapride Tablet in combination. The treatment course was 3 months for all. Changes of pathogenic condition before and after treatment were assessed by Yale global tic severity scale (YGTSS). Serum levels of IL-12 and TNF-alpha were detected by enzyme-labeled immunosorbent assay (ELISA) before and after treatment.

RESULTS(1) The total effective rate of the NG group, the combined treatment group, and the Tiapride group was 79.3%, 83.3%, and 67.9%, respectively. It was the lowest in the Tiapride group (P < 0.05). It was significantly higher in the combined treatment group than in the NG group (P < 0.05). (2) The post-treatment YGTSS score was obviously lower in each group after treatment than before treatment (P < 0.05). The posttreatment YGTSS score was obviously lower in the NG group and the combined treatment group than in the Tiapride group (P < 0.05), but with no statistical difference between the fromer two groups (P > 0.05).(3) Compared with the healthy control group before treatment, serum levels of IL-12 and TNF-alpha (pg/mL) were 124.95 +/- 22.78 and 209.52 +/- 21.69 in the NG group, 126.14 +/- 25.65 and 208.97 +/- 22.46 in the combined treatment group, 123.00 +/- 24.26 and 205.10 +/- 26.16 in the Tiapride group, being higher than those in the healthy control group (64.56 +/- 27.59 and 78.13 +/- 33.42; P < 0.05). After treatment, serum levels of of IL-12 and TNF-alpha were 104.67 +/- 16.84 and 183.01 +/- 24.95 in the NG group, 109.04 +/- 16.81 and 179.87 +/- 23.45 in the combined treatment group, significantly lower than before treatment (P < 0.05). But there was no statistical difference in serum levels of IL-12 or TNF-alpha in the Tiapride group between before treatment (123.00 +/- 24.26 and 205.10 +/- 26.16) and after treatment (117.75 +/- 16.79 and 199.76 +/- 33.21; P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONNG could modulate abnormal serum levels of IL-12 and TNF-alpha in TS children patients, which might be one of its pharmacodynamic mechanisms for treating TS.

Adolescent ; Child ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-12 ; blood ; Male ; Phytotherapy ; Tourette Syndrome ; blood ; drug therapy ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood

Objective To analyze and compare the imaging features of chromophobe cell renal carcinoma(CCRC)with pathologic findings in order to improve the diagnostic accuracy.Methods The data of CT and MRI of 12 patients with CCRC were reviewed retrospectively.Ten patients underwent CT examination,including precontrast scan,the contrast eortieomedullary phase scan and the parenchymal phase scan(one patient without corticomedullary phase scan).Two patients underwent MR examination including precontrast T_1WI,T_2WI and enhanced T_1WI of the corticomedullary phase and the parenchymal phase.Results Four lesions located in left kidney and eight in right kidney.Maximum diameter of lesions ranged from 24 mm to 125 mm,average 56.7 ram.Homogenous density was observed in six lesions of ten on unenhanced CT scan and five lesions had homogenous enhancement on enhanced CT scan,which was due to the less incidence of necrosis,liquefaction and hemorrhage on pathologic findings.Nine Lesions showed hyperdense compared with renal medulla but the density was lower than renal cortex on the corticomedullary phase.The enhanced degree was positively correlated with microvessel density(MVD).All ten lesions became hypodense compared with renal medulla on the parenchymal phase scan.Central stellate scar was found in two big lesions and psudocapsula were observed in four lesions confirmed by pathology.Two patients underwent MRI examination.Compared with medulla,the two lesions showed hyperintense on unenhanced T_1WI and obviously hypointense on unenhaneed T_2WI.The enhancement pattern of them was similar to CT. Conclusion The imaging features of CCRC,such as homogeneity,special enhancement pattern and distinct hypointensity on T_2WI,help to differentiate CCRC from other renal tumors.

Objective To assess the continent diversion results of sigma rectum pouch after radical cystectomy. Methods The reconstruction of bladder with sigmoid was modified for treatment of 18 cases of bladder tumor.The intestine was incised over a length of 20～24 cm with the junction of sigmoid colon and rectum as the midpoint so as to create a low pressure reservoir for urine and side-to-side anastomosis was performed on the posterior borders of the rectosigmoid wall.Submucosal tunnel modified technique was em- ployed in antireflux urethral implantation,Urination has been controlled by anal sphincter.Results About 80 minutes was spent to finish a new low pressure pouch after radical cystectomy.Among 18 patients with this op- eration,the controlled emiction were good after pull out the anal duct and"J"stent in 1 week to 2 months.Af- ter 2 months,the times of urination is stable,4～5 times in daytime and 1～3 times during nighttime.Two pa- tients had nocturnal enuresis and the symptom vanished after 2 months. One patient had adhesive ileus, two patients had hyperchloremia acidosis and kaliopenia,one patient had urethral stump cancer.There is no com- plication as anastomotic block,renal function lesion and severe upper urinary tract infection. Conclusion This operative method was easy,emiction control was well,and with higher quality of life for patients.It is al- so a better alternative diversion procedure that would be easily accepted.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the late results of using posterior restoration and three-column fixation to treat lumbar spondylolisthesis.

METHODSOne hundred and eighty-four patients with lumbar spondylolisthesis were collected from March 1999 to May 2007, they were treated by posterior restoration and fixation with single nail-grooved tail steel plate and fixed with cage (WDFC). Among these cases, 87 cases were fixed with one WDFC, 97 cases were used two WDFCs.

RESULTSAll patients were followed up for 8 to 69 months(averaged 23 months). According to Nakai standard, the results was excellent in 142 cases, good in 34, fair in 8, the excellent and good rates were 95.6%. Seventy-nine vertebraes with I degree spondylolisthesis were reduced after surgery. Eighty-seven vertebraes with II degree spondylolisthesis were reduced except 9 with I degree spondylolisthesis left. Twenty-one with III degree spondylolisthesis were reduced except 5 with I degree spondylolisthesis left; In 2 with IV degree spondylolisthesis, one with I degree spondylolisthesis left and the other with II degree spondylolisthesis left. The follow-up results showed that there was no statistical significance in the height of intervertebral space between preoperation and post-operation, and no recurrence was observed and no single nail-grooved tail steel plate and WDFC were loose or crashed.

CONCLUSIONPosterior restoration and three-column fixation is a positive modus operandi to treat lumbar spondylolisthesis,which can reduce excellently,keep the height of intervertebral space and stabilization of segment, obtain high rate of fusion, and cut down complication.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Bone Plates ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; methods ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Spinal Fusion ; instrumentation ; Spondylolisthesis ; surgery

OBJECTIVESTo study the expression of nicotinamide phosphoribosyl transferase (Nampt) and vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) in gastric carcinoma and investigate their correlations to clinicopathologic features and prognostic significance.

METHODSThe proteins of Nampt and VEGF-A in 68 specimens of gastric carcinoma and 59 specimens normal gastric tissue were detected by immunohistochemistry during January 2000 to December 2004, and the 68 patients were followed up.

RESULTSNampt protein was detected in the cytoplasm of both tissues, and Nampt in gastric carcinoma (13 ± 5) were significantly higher than that in normal gastric tissue (6 ± 3) (t = 7.46, P < 0.01). The expression of Nampt was correlated to invasive depth (F = 4.693, P = 0.034), lymph node metastasis (F = 4.027, P = 0.049), clinical TNM stage (F = 9.979, P = 0.002), but not to gender, age, tumor location, tumor size, differentiation (P > 0.05). The expression of Nampt is correlated with survival of patients that underwent surgical resection for gastric cancer. The survival rate of patients in negative of Nampt was very higher than that of the positive patients, and its co-expression with VEGF-A showed a trend towards poorer survival. The positive correlation was found between the expression of Nampt and VEGF-A in gastric carcinoma (r = 0.293, P = 0.015).

CONCLUSIONSThe expression of Nampt is positively correlated to that of VEGF-A in gastric carcinoma. The correlation between the expression of Nampt and VEGF-A in gastric carcinoma plays an important role cooperatively in carcinogenesis, development and metastasis of gastric carcinoma.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cytokines ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase ; metabolism ; Prognosis ; Stomach Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Survival Rate ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism

Objective To explore the effect of transplantation of neural stem cells(NSCs)pretreated with brain-derived neurotrophic fac-tor(BDNF)on acute ischemic stroke in mice.Methods NSCs from a newborn(one day)C57BL/6 mouse were isolated and cultured in vi-tro.A total of 150 healthy C57BL/6 mice,ten-week-old,were randomly divided into five groups,that group A accepted sham operation,and groups B,C,D and E were subjected to focal ischemia by photothrombosis.Group D was transplanted NSCs 24 hours after ischemia,while group E transplanted NSCs pretreated with BDNF and group C accepted same volume of medium.All the groups were tested with rotarod test and grip strength one day before transplantation and three,seven,14,21 and 28 days after transplantation.The differentiation of NSCs in groups D and E were observed immunofluorescence staining of microtubule-associated protein-2(MAP-2)and glial fibrillary acidic pro-tein(GFAP).Results The time on rotarod arranged from more to less was groups E,D and B(P<0.05)three,seven,14,21 and 28 days after transplantation,as well as grip strength 14,21 and 28 days after transplantation(P<0.05).The Edu/GFAP positive cells and Edu/MAP-2 pos-itive cells were found in both groups D and E.Conclusion Transplanting NSCs can promote the behavioral recovery after ischemic stroke, and it is more effective as pretreated with BDNF.

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of internal fixation with absorbable pins on treatment of displaced radial head fractures.

METHODSFrom May 1999 to May 2004, 16 patients with displaced radial head fractures (Mason types II and III) were treated with internal fixation by absorbable pins. The duration of follow-up averaged 22.6 months (12-58 months). The outcome was assessed on the basis of elbow motion, radiographic findings and the functional rating score delineated by Broberg and Morrey.

RESULTSAll fractures healed within 10 months without avascular necrosis of radial head. The mean elbow flexion loss was 15 degrees (0 degrees-35 degrees), and pronation and supination decreased by 10 degrees (0 degrees-30 degrees) on average compared with those of the contralateral elbow. Five patients had an excellent result, 6 a good result, and 3 a fair result according to the criteria of Borberg and Morrey.

CONCLUSIONSInternal fixation with absorbable pins is an effective method in treating displaced radial head fractures. It can maintain the biomechanical stability of forearm, improve the elbow function and avoid second operation.

Adult ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prostheses and Implants ; Prosthesis Design ; Radius ; surgery ; Radius Fractures ; physiopathology ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical significance of serum free light chain (sFLC) levels in nonsecretory multiple myeloma (NSMM).

METHODSNine NSMM patients were hospitalized in our department from Feb 2002 to Sep 2006 and no M-components was found in their serum and urine by immunofixation electrophoresis (IFE). sFLC was assayed by immuno-nephelometry. The clonality of sFLC was estimated by serum kappa:lambda sFLC ratio. Meanwhile, serum immunoglobulin, total kappa and lambda light chain level were also determined in these patients.

RESULTSIncreased serum concentrations of either kappa or lambda sFLC (and abnormal kappa/lambda ratios) were detected in 6 of 9 patients with NSMM although their serum immunoglobulin levels were not elevated and total kappa:lambda light chain ratios (1.32 - 2.20) were in the reference range. All the 9 patients had clonal IgH gene rearrangements.

CONCLUSIONQuantification of sFLC by immuno-nephelometry is more sensitive than that of serum total light chain measurement and is helpful in estimating the clonality of the light chain in patients with NSMM.

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin Light Chains ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multiple Myeloma ; blood ; Nephelometry and Turbidimetry ; Sensitivity and Specificity