No abstract available.
Mycobacterium avium Complex* ; Mycobacterium avium* ; Mycobacterium*

Background and purpose: Brain metastases are common occurrences in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Gefitinib is a specific inhibitor of epidermal growth factor receptor-associated tyrosine kinase, which has been commonly used in the treatment for advanced NSCLC. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antitumor efficacy of gefitinib in NSCLC patients with brain metastases. Methods: Fifty NSCLC patients with brain metastases were reviewed retrospectively. All of them were treated with gefitinib, given orally at a daily dose of 250 mg. These patients discontinued administration of gefitinib when disease progression, death or intolerable side effects appeared. X~2 test was applied in response analysis. Survival analysis was compared with Kaplan-Meier method and Log-rank test respectively. The multivariate analysis was perfonned with Cox's proportion risk model. Statistical significance was defined as P<0.05. Results: In terms of intracranial lesions, partial response (PR) was observed in 5 patients (10%), stable disease (SD) in 37 patients (74%) and progressive disease (PD) in 8 patients (16%), objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) were 10% and 84%, respectively. As for systemic disease, PR was observed in 5 patients (10%), SD in 30 patients (60%) and PD in 15 patients (30%), overall ORR and DCR were 10% and 70%, respectively. Overall DCR was related to the patients' PS score and the number of brain metastases (P=0.004, P=0.022), but there was no statistical difference in overall DCR among different subtypes of age, gender, smoking history, histology, the onset of brain metastases, chemotherapy, brain radiotherapy and side effects (P>0.05). The median time to disease progression (MTTP) was 7.0 months, which was related to the patients' PS score and smoking history (P=0.000, P=0.045). The median survival time (MST) was 10.8 months, and 1-and 2-year survival rates were 44% and 6% respectively. The univariate analysis showed that the survival time was related to the patients' PS score. smoking history and the number of brain metastases (P=0.011, P=0.028, P=0.044). The multivariate analysis indicated that both the patients' PS score and smoking history were two independent prognostic factors (P=0.005, P=0.006) and the relationship of the survival time and the number of brain metastases was near to statistical significance (P=0.075). Conclusion: The patients with non-smoking history and favorable performance status(PS 0-1) may have better survival benefit and those with single brain metastasis have a trend to survive longer. Gefitinib may be effective on brain metastases in NSCLC patients and appears to be a possible new treatment option.

OBJECTIVE:To improve the method for the determination of content and related substances of Molsidomine tablet. METHODS:HPLC was adopted to determine the content and related substances,HPLC-MS was adopted for the qualitative degra-dation impurities in destruction test. The column was Waters Symmetry-C18 with mobile phase of 0.05% formic acid- methanol (gradient elution) at a flow rate 1.0 ml/min and 0.2 ml/min (respectively for content and related substances determination,mass spectrometry),the detection wavelength was 210 nm,column temperature was 30℃,the injection volume was 20μl and 5μl(re-spectively for content and related substances determination,mass spectrometry). RESULTS:Each component was well separated un-der chromatographic conditions;degradation impurities were confirmed;the linear range of molsidomine was 4. 0-28.0 μg/ml(r=0.9997);RSDs of precision,stability and reproducibility tests were lower than 1%;recovery was 97.74%-100.70%(RSD=0.49%,n=9). CONCLUSIONS:The method is simple,accurate with good specific and high precision,and can improve the quali-ty control of Molsidomine tablet.

Objective To analyze the treatment and prognosis of lung cancer patients with brain metastases.Methods The clinical data of 352 lung cancer patients with brain metastases were retrospectively reviewed.According to the treatment modalities,patients were divided into palliative therapy group(n=28),simple whole brain radiotherapy(WBRT)or chemotherapy group(n=49)and comprehensive treatment group(n=275).Comprehensive treatment group was subdivided into WBRT plus chemotherapy group(n=192),stereotactic radiosurgery(?knife)plus chemotherapy/WBRT group(n=72,n=16 for?knife plus chemotherapy and n=56 for?knife plus WBRT and chemotherapy)and neurosurgical resection plus chemotherapy/WBRT group(n=11).In comprehensive treatment group,111 patients received chemotherapy≤3 cycles,and the other 164≥4 cycles.Survival curves of each group were drawn respectively,and both survival time and survival rates were compared among groups.Results The median survival time of palliative therapy group,simple WBRT or chemotherapy group,WBRT plus chemotherapy group,?knife plus chemotherapy/WBRT group and neurosurgical resection plus chemotherapy/WBRT group was 1.7,3.2,9.0,11.6 and 17.1 months,respectively.It was revealed by survival analysis that WBRT plus chemotherapy group was better than simple WBRT or chemotherapy group (P=0.0000),?knife plus chemotherapy/WBRT group was better than simple WBRT or chemotherapy group(P=0.0000),and neurosurgical resection plus chemotherapy/WBRT group was better than simple WBRT or chemotherapy group and WBRT plus chemotherapy group(P=0.0001,P=0.0229).There was no significant difference in survival rates between neurosurgical resection plus chemotherapy/WBRT group and?knife plus chemotherapy/WBRT group(P=0.2543),and there was no significant difference in survival rates between those with?knife plus chemotherapy and those with?knife plus WBRT and chemotherapy(P=0.3804).In comprehensive treatment group,the survival rates of those with chemotherapy≥4 cycles was significantly higher than that of those with chemotherapy≤3 cycles(P=0.0000). Conclusion Both WBRT plus chemotherapy and?knife plus chemotherapy and WBRT are effective modalities for the treatment of lung cancer patients with brain metastases,and the latter has the tendency to gain more survival benefit.There is no significant difference in the survival time between patients receiving?knife with WBRT and those without.It is proper for the patients to have no less than 4 cycles of chemotherapy.

AIM:The objective of the study was to explore whether intestinal endotoxemia participate in the development of Alzheimer disease.METHODS:Adult Wistar rats were subjected to 90 days intraperitoneal injection with D-galactose and aluminum trichloride(AlCl3) to establish the model of Alzheimer disease.After the administration,the study and memory ability in the rats were observed by Morris water maze.The level of lipopolysaccharide(LPS) in the sera of Alzheimer disease's rats was determined by tachypleus amebocyte lysate method.The level of tumor necrosis factor-?(TNF-?) and interleukin-1(IL-1) in the sera were determined by radioimmunoassay.The expressions of amyloid ?-protein precursor(APP),presenilin 1(PS1) and ?-site APP-cleaving enzyme(BACE) in hippocampus were detected by RT-PCR.RESULTS:Compared with the normal control,the level of LPS in the sera and the expressions of APP,PSI,BACE mRNA in the hippocampus were markedly increased(P

Objectives To inspect the levels of peripheral blood leukocyte and lymphocyte functionassociated antigen-1(LFA-1)expression in renaI allograft recipients before and after renal transplantation.Methods Using monoclonal antibody-flow cytometer fluorescence technique,the expression of LFA-1 in lymphocytes of 33 patients with renal transplantation was detected at 1 day before operation and 3,6,9,15 days after operation by flow cytometric immunological technique,Results The level of LFA-1 expression after transplantation was significantly decreased and maintained at a low level.and ascended suddenly during the course of graft rejection.The level of LFA-1 expression in rejection was obviously higher than in non-rejection and after the eontrollring of rejection.Conclusions LFA-1 might Dlay an important role in graft rejection.Monitoring of the expression of LFA-1 is helpful for the diagnosis of the graft rejection.

Background and purpose:Brain is one of the most common sites for distant metastasis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer,and the prognosis of patients with brain metastasis is usually dismal.The purpose of this retrospective study is to document the relationship between the prognosis of lung cancer patients with brain metastasis and the expressions of p53,nm23 and VEGF in resected lung cancer tissues.Methods:Ninety-two patients who were definitively treated with surgery for non-small cell lung cancer but lately developed brain metastasis between 1997 and 2005 were identified in our institution.Their clinical data were retrieved and retrospectively reviewed.All pathological specimens of their resected lung cancer were examined for the expressions of p53,nm23 and VEGF by immunohistochemical staining.The association between the treatment outcome and the expression of the above mentioned biomarkers were analyzed.Results:The median survival time(MST) of patients with p53(+) versus p53(-) was 11.0 versus 11.9 month,respectively.The 1,2,and 3-year overall survival rates were 45.71%,22.86%,and 18.29% respectively for p53(+) patients,and 49.55%,16.12%,and 8.89% respectively for p53(-) patients(P=0.5179);The MST of patients with nm23(+) versus nm23(-) was 13.0 versus 10.1 month,respectively.The 1,2,and 3-year overall survival rates were 54.20%,21.51%,and 16.45% respectively for nm23(+) patients,and 32.0%,12.0%,and 4.0% respectively for nm23(-) patients(P=0.1075);The MST of patients with VEGF(+) versus VEGF(-) was 10.5 versus 12.2 months,respectively.The 1,2,and 3 year overall survival rates were 42.20%,0,and 0 respectively for VEGF(+) patients,and 50.0%,25.41%,and 16.57% respectively for VEGF(-) patients(P=0.0231).Conclusions:VEGF was a significant adverse prognostic factor for patients with non-small cell lung cancer who developed brain metastasis.Lung cancer patients whose tumor tissue demonstrated positive VEGF expression had reduced overall survival rates at 1,2,and 3 years after surgery.The expression of p53 and nm23 are not significantly associated to the prognosis of this group of patients.

Objective To investigate the MRI features of urethral sphincter in female with stress urinary incontinence(SUI) by the study of the indexes of the thickness of middle urethral sphincter, the function urethral length and bladder neck funnel . Methods Forty patients of female patients diagnosed as SUI by clinical were retrospectively as SUI group, and 40 asymptomatic female volunteers were recruited as reference group. All of the subjects were tested by pelvic MRI scanning both in static status and in the condition of Valsalva. The thickness of middle urinary sphincter was measured in the horizontal axis plane. In the midsagittal plane, the function urethral length was measured from the internal orifice to perineal fascia. The bladder neck funnel whether exist was observed from the midsagittal plane. For the comparison of the urinary sphincter thickness and urethral length of the two groups, independent sample t test was adopted. For urethral length in static status and under the condition of Valsalva, paired t test was done. For comparison of positive rate of the bladder neck funnel, Chi?squared test has been done. Results The value of the middle urinary sphincter thickness in the groups of SUI and reference were (2.23±0.68) mm and (2.69± 0.75) mm, respectively. Thus the differences of the two groups had statistical significance (t=-2.839, P<0.01 ). In the static status, the urethral length in SUI and reference group were (2.72±0.51) cm and (2.94± 0.34) cm respectively, wheras in Valsalva condition, the value were (2.33 ± 0.49) cm and (2.43 ± 0.43) cm respectively. The differences of the two groups had statistical significance in static status (t=-2.322, P=0.023), wheras there had no statistical significance in the two groups in Valsalva condition (t=-1.049,P=0.297). For SUI and reference group, both in static status and Valsalva condition, the difference of function urethral length had statistical significance (P< 0.01). The positive rate of bladder neck funnel for SUI was 72.5% (29/40), and for reference was 22.5% (9/40), the difference of the two groups had statistical significance(χ2=20.050, P<0.01). Conclusion For female SUI patients, urinary sphincter muscle is much thinner, function urethral length is much shorter and has higher positive rate of bladder neck funnel.

Objective To investigate the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the IL2RA-RBM17 region and vitiligo in the Chinese Mongolian population.Methods Five milliliters of venous blood samples were collected from 425 patients with vitiligo (patient group) and 503 healthy human controls (control group) of Mongolian nationality after informed consent,and genomic DNA was extracted with the AxyPrep DNA extraction kit (AP-MX-BL-GDNA-25).Nine SNPs were selected across the IL2RA-RBM17 region,including rs706779,rs3134883,rs7090530,rs12251307,rs4750005,rs3920615,rs4747887,rs4750012 and rs7099083.Ligase detection reaction (LDR) was performed for SNP genotyping.With the PLINK 1.07 and SPSS 11.0 packages,statistical analysis was carried out by the chi-square test for comparisons of allele and genotype frequencies between the patient group and control group.Linkage disequilibrium analysis was performed for 5 SNPs by calculating the r2 and D' values.Haplotype analysis of 5 related SNPs was conducted to investigate differences in haplotype frequencies between the patient group and control group.Results There were significant differences in allele frequencies of 5 SNPs,including rs4750005,rs3920615,rs4747887,rs4750012 and rs7099083,between the patient group and control group (all P ＜ 0.05).Under a dominant mode of inheritance,a significant decrease was observed in the frequencies of GG/GC genotypes of rs3920615,CT/CC genotypes of rs4747887,CT/CC genotypes of rs4750005,TC/TT genotypes of rs4750012 and AG/AA genotypes of rs7099083 in the patient group compared with the control group (all P ＜ 0.005 6).Moderate to strong linkage disequilibrium was observed between the 5 SNPs (D' =0.424-1,r2=0.137-0.985).Haplotype analysis showed that the frequency of a haplotype (H2:CGCTA) was significantly lower in the patient group than in the control group,and the difference reached statistical significance after Bonferroni adjustment (P=0.001 6,OR =0.674).Conclusion SNPs in the IL2RA-RBM17 region are associated with vitiligo in the Chinese Mongolian population.

Objective To investigate the dynamic changes in each radical line of pelvic floor levator hiatus in female with stress urinary incontinence(SUI). Methods A retrospective analysis of MR images was performed in 30 female patients with clinically diagnosed SUI and 30 asymptomatic female volunteers recruited as reference group. All of the subjects underwent pelvic MRI scanning both in static statusand Valsalva maneuver, respectively, Valsalva was performed by attempt to forcibly urinate while holding her breath, respectively. Area of pelvic diaphragm hiatus (LHA), ntero-posterior length (LHL) and tmixmum width (LHW) were measured in horizontal axis plane of the obtained images.H line distance was measured in the midsagittal plane. Independent sample t test was performed to compare the difference in LHA, LHL and LHW between two groups. Paired t test was used to compare difference in LHA, LHL and LHW between two groups in static status and Valsalva maneuver, respectively. Results In static status, the values in LHA, LHL, LHW and H line distance for SUI groups were(28.7±19.3) cm2, (7.1±2.2) cm, (4.7± 1.6 ) cm and (5.7±1.1) cm, respectively. The parameters for the reference group were(13.1±3.7)cm2, (5.3± 0.8) cm, (3.4 ± 0.5) cm and (5.7 ± 0.9) cm, respectively. The difference in LHA, LHL, LHW between two groups was statistically significant (t=4.33, 4.36, 4.23, and P<0.01 for all indexes), whereas the difference in H line distance between two groups was no statistically significanct because of P> 0.05. In Valsalva
maneuver, LHA, LHL, LHW and H line distance were (40.0±26.0) cm2, (8.0±2.3) cm, (6.0±2.5) cm and (6.1± 1.5)cm for SUI group, and were (16.2±6.2) cm2,(5.5±1.0) cm, (3.6±0.8) cm and (6.0±1.0) cm for the reference group, respectively. The difference in LHA, LHL and LHW between two groups was statistically significant, (t=4.88, 5.36, 4.91 respectively, and P<0.01), whereas the differencein H value between two groups was no statistically significant (P< 0.05). For SUI group , the difference of LHA, LHL and LHW between static status and Valsalva maneuver had statistically significant with P<0.01. For reference group, the difference of LHA and LHL between static status and Valsalva maneuver had statistically significant(P<0.05). Conclusion Dynamic and static pelvic MRI can evaluate the morphology and variation of pelvic floor levator hiatus much intuitively and accurately. pelvic floor levator hiatus becomes enlarged in female with SUI.