Biopsy ; Histological Techniques ; instrumentation ; methods ; Humans ; Indicators and Reagents ; Paraffin Embedding ; Ultrasonics

Objective To investigate the application value of breast scale membrane marking method to locate breast tumor lesion in neoadjuvant chemotherapy.Methods Before neoadjuvant chemotherapy for 120 cases of breast cancer,adopt scale membrane marking method was used to mark the position and boundaries of breast tumor lesion in the mean time.For non-protuberant breast tumor lesion,scale membrane was adhered directly to the breast and positive mark was made.For tumor lesion with vague boundaries,its boundaries was defined under the direction of ultrasound.For protuberant breast tumor lesion,scale membrane was only adhered to normal mammary skin beyond the tumor lesion and reverse mark was made.After two courses of treatment of TEC scheme,mark was made again and combined with ultrasound,molybdenum target and MRI results to comprehensive judgment of clinical curative efficacy so as to decide whether operation or change to TP scheme for continuous chemotherapy.Before operation,the first marking results were reset and then operation was conducted according to the position and boundaries of the marked tumor lesion.Results There were 26 cases of complete remission,76 cases of partial remission,10 cases of stabile disease and 8 cases of progressive desease.According to mark by scale membrane,breast conserving operations were conducted in 24 cases of complete remission and in 18 cases of partial remission according to position+ boundaries of the tumor lesion and tumor lesion position+ 1.5-2.0 cm beyond the original boundaries of tumor lesion marked by scale membrane,respectively.The simplified radical mastectomy was conducted in other 78 cases according to boundaries of the tumor lesion marked by scale membrane,in which 13 cases had insufficient locally advanced skin edges and adopted abdominal full-thickness free skin flap to cover the wound.Conclusion Tumor lesion location in neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer and scale membrane positioning method have the advantage of precision and non-invasion,which effectively save normal breat tissues and skin around tumor lesion with high patient compliance and tremendously outmatches traditional coordinate method,body surface tattoo method and mental marker method.Scale membrane marking method is easy to be operated with low cost,which is convenient for popularization and generalization.

OBJECTIVETo study the expression of Wnt5a gene mRNA and Wnt5a, APC, β-catenin proteins in human colorectal adenocarcinoma (CRC) and explore its clinical significance.

METHODSWnt5a mRNA level was measured in 30 patients with CRC and paired non-tumor tissues by real-time PCR. Immunohistochemical staining of Wnt5a, APC, β-catenin was performed in samples of 62 patients with CRC using SP system.

RESULTSThe relative expression level of Wnt5a mRNA in fresh CRC is 0.1232 ± 0.0140, which is significantly higher than that in adjacent colorectal mucosa (0.0497 ± 0.0074, P = 0.02). A low expression of Wnt5a protein was observed in 38 of 62 CRC. Wnt5a protein expression was closely correlated with the tumor types and the degree of tumor differentiation (P < 0.05). There was no apparent relationship with lymph node metastasis, depth of myometrial invasion and TNM stages (P > 0.05). APC protein was decreased in 38 of 62 CRC. The expression of APC was closely correlated with the tumor types (P < 0.05). There was no apparent relationship with the degree of tumor differentiation, lymph node metastasis, depth of myometrial invasion and TNM stages (P > 0.05). The expression of β-catenin was observed in cytoplasm and/or cell nuclei in 50 of 62 CRC. The positive rate of β-catenin expression was closely correlated with the degree of tumor differentiation, lymph node metastasis, depth of myometrial invasion and TNM stages (P < 0.05). There was no apparent relationship with the tumor types (P > 0.05). The expressions of Wnt5a (r = 0.271, P = 0.027) and APC (r = 0.343, P = 0.004) were correlated with that of β-catenin in CRC, respectively, but there was no correlation between the expressions of Wnt5a and APC protein (r = 0.218, P = 0.078) in the tumors.

CONCLUSIONSWnt5a, APC and β-catenin genes might be involved in the carcinogenesis and development of CRC. It is hypothesized that down-regulation of APC and Wnt5a proteins may be one of causes of ectopic expression of β-catenin in CRC.

Adenocarcinoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous ; metabolism ; pathology ; Adenomatous Polyposis Coli Protein ; metabolism ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Differentiation ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Down-Regulation ; Female ; Genes, APC ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Neoplasm Staging ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Wnt Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Wnt-5a Protein ; beta Catenin ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo assess the clinical therapeutic effects of elastic intramedullary nail on extremity fractures in children.

METHODSFrom June 2005 to March 2008, 40 children with extremity fractures were treated by elastic intramedullary nail, in whom femoral shaft fractures occurred in 26 cases, tibiofibular fractures in 8 cases, radial capitular fractures in 4 cases, ulnoradial fractures in 2 cases. All patients were treated by closed reduction and elastic intramedullary nail fixation.

RESULTSAll the fractures gained satisfactory reduction and healing. The average duration needed for fracture healing was 1-2 months. Postoperative follow-up confirmed a sound functional recovery.

CONCLUSIONSThe elastic intramedullary nail is a minimally invasive and effective surgical approach for treatment of extremity fractures in children. It allows early functional exercises after operation and secures a satisfactory bone union and functional recovery.

Adolescent ; Bone Nails ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Extremities ; diagnostic imaging ; injuries ; surgery ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary ; instrumentation ; Fracture Healing ; Fractures, Bone ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures ; Postoperative Complications ; Radiography ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUNDNeuropathic pain is induced by injury or disease of the nervous system. Most studies have so far focused only on a few known molecules and signaling pathways among neurons. However, all signal transmissions involved in neuropathic pain appear to be an integral system at different molecular levels. This study was designed to screen the differentially expressed genes of the hypothalamus in chronic constriction injury (CCI) rats and analyze their functions in developing neuropathic pain.

METHODSTen adult female Sprague-Dawley rats ((200 +/- 10) g) were used in experimental group and sham group (n = 5 in each group). Mechanical allodynia tests were performed to ensure that the CCI rat model was constructed successfully. Total hypothalamus RNAs were isolated from each group. Forward suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) library of rat hypothalamus was constructed and up-regulated cDNA clones at neuropathic pain states were obtained via suppressed subtractive hybridization technique and the functions of these genes were analyzed bioinformatically.

RESULTSMechanical allodynia tests showed that the experimental rats had a significantly reduced mechanical allodynia threshold 3 to 13 days after CCI vs sham surgery rats (P < 0.01), indicating that the model was successful. Forward SSH library of the rat hypothalamus was constructed successfully and 26 over-expressed expression sequence tags (ESTs) were obtained from these up-regulated cDNA clones.

CONCLUSIONTwenty-six up-regulated genes, involved in the regulation of cell cycle and apoptosis, signal transduction, and neuroprotection, may play key roles in decreasing mechanical withdraw thresholds in CCI rats, which implicates a multidimensional and integrated molecular mechanism at gene level in developing neuropathic pain with the supraspinal contributions.

Animals ; Computational Biology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Hypothalamus ; metabolism ; Nitric Oxide ; physiology ; Nucleic Acid Hybridization ; Pain ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sciatic Neuropathy ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the distribution characteristics of the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the promoter region of the toll-like receptor 9 gene (TLR9) in Chinese Han children from Zhejiang province, and their associations with asthma susceptibility and phenotypes.

METHODSA case-control study was conducted. A total of 312 asthmatic children aged between 1.9 and 11.6 and 339 age matched healthy controls were enrolled in this study from April 2007 to November 2008. The -1486 C/T in rs187084 and -1237 C/T in rs5743836 loci of the TLR9 gene were genotyped by direct DNA sequencing of the PCR products. Serum levels of IFN gamma, IL-12 and IL-4 were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.Serum levels of total IgE were detected by chemiluminescence, and serum levels of antigen specific IgE antibodies were detected by fluoroenzymeimmunoassay.

RESULTS(1) The -1486 C/T polymorphism was identified in both groups. The genotype frequencies of TT, TC and CC at -1486 C/T were 41.0%, 44.3%, 14.7% in the healthy controls, and 38.8%, 48.4%, 12.8% in the asthmatic children. The -1237 C/T polymorphism was not detected in the population. (2) There were no statistically significant differences in the allele and genotype frequencies at the -1486 C/T locus between the two groups (P;>0.05). (3) Serum levels of IFN gamma and IL-4 differed significantly among the three genotypes at the -1486 C/T locus in asthmatic children (P<0.01). The CC genotype had the lowest levels of serum IFN gamma and the highest levels of serum IL-4 among the three genotypes. There were no significant differences in these cytokines among the healthy controls (P>0.05). No statistical differences of serum IL-12 were found among the three genotypes in the two groups (P>0.05). (4) There were no significant differences of total IgE (log-transformed) among the three genotypes in the asthmatic children (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe -1237 C/T polymorphism of TLR9 gene was not detected in Chinese Han children in this study. The -1486 C/T polymorphism was associated with the levels of serum IFN gamma and IL-4 in children with asthma. However, there were no correlations between the -1486C/T polymorphism and serum IL-12 levels, total IgE levels or asthmatic susceptibility.

Asthma ; blood ; genetics ; Case-Control Studies ; Child ; China ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Humans ; Male ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Toll-Like Receptor 9 ; genetics

Objective: To investigate the effect of cartilage tissue engineering scaffold PVA/ι-CA on the biological behavior of the ATDC-5 cells,and to evaluate its feasibility on constructing tissue engineering cartilage. Methods:The polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)and carrageenan were used to make the composite scaffold material PVA/ι-CA according to a certain proportion by physical blending technology and repeated freezing thawing method,and the porosity and pore size of PVA/ι-CA were detected.The ATDC-5 cells were seeded into the composite scaffold and its growth was observed; the expressions of collagen type Ⅱ in the ATDC-5 cells were tested by immunohistochemical staining and immunofluorescence staining; the morphology of the ATDC-5 cells was confirmed by Toluidine blue staining.The growth and secretion of extracellular matrix of the ATDC-5 cells were observed under scanning electron microscope (SEM);the proliferative rates of ATDC-5 cells in composite scaffold materials in negative control group (added with DMEM culture media)and experimental group (added with DMEM contain scaffold)were determined by MTT assay.The composite scaffolds were implanted subcutaneously in the SD rats.The histocompatibility and vascularization in vivo of the composite scaffolds were evaluated.Results:The average porosity of cartilage tissue engineering scaffold PVA/ι-CA was (86.88±3.88)%,and the average pore size was 20-40 μm.The HE staining results showed that the ATDC-5 cells grew well with the polygon and plumpness morphology. All the samples were stained positive for collagen type Ⅱ by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence staining,which verified the normal phenotype of chondrocytes on the scaffolds. All the sample were stained positive for toluidine blue staining,which verified ECM deposition of the ATDC-5 cells on the scaffolds.The number of the positive cells was significantly increased with the prolongation of time.After cultured for 7 d,few of the ATDC-5 cells presented polygonal;after cultured for 14 d,the ATDC-5 cells distributed more densely,and contacted with each other on the scaffold;after cultured for 21 - 28 d,the ATDC-5 cells filled the interconnected pores of the scaffolds,synthesizing a significant amount of neo-formed ECM.The proliferation of ATDC-5 cells in PVA/ι-CA grew fast during 7-14 d,and it became slow during 21-28 d;the difference was not statistically significant compared with control group (P >0.05).The subcutaneous implantation results showed the inflammatory reactions were slight at the early stage and eviated gradually,there was an increasing angiogenesis at the late stage,and the degradation and absorption of the meterial were slight.Conclusion:PVA/ι-CA composite material will be an ideal material for the cartilage tissue engineering.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy of BCH-03 and CCLG-08 protocols in treating E2A-PBX1 pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

METHODFrom January 2003 to January 2011, 59 ALL patients identified as E2A-PBX1 were analyzed in a retrospective study. There were 37 and 22 patients treated with Protocol BCH-03 and CCLG-08, respectively. The clinical characteristics at diagnosis, response to early treatment, the time of relapse, relapse-free survival (RFS) and event-free survival (EFS) in the two groups were analyzed.

RESULTThere were no significant differences in gender, age, initial white blood cell count, the central nervous system involvement, immunophenotype, prednisone response, the rate of complete remission, and the time of relapse between the two groups (P > 0.05). The only difference in induction therapy of the two protocols existed in the glucocorticoids used, that is, BCH-03 used 60 mg/m(2) prednisolone and CCLG-08 used 6 mg/m(2) dexamethasone. The doses of vincristine, daunorubicin and L-asparaginase were the same in the two groups. At the end of induction therapy, the MRD negativity rate in BCH-03 group was significantly higher than that in CCLG-08 group (84.2% vs. 47.1%, P = 0.018). The incidences of severe infection of the two groups during induction of remission were similar (P = 0.135). The EFS of BCH-03 group was significantly superior to that of CCLG-08 group (94.5% vs. 71.5%, P = 0.010), and the RFS of BCH-03 group tended to be better than that of CCLG-08 group (94.5% vs. 78.6%, P = 0.059).

CONCLUSIONCompared to Protocol CCLG-08, Protocol BCH-03 was more effective for pediatric E2A-PBX1 ALL, and 60 mg/m(2) prednisolone was more suitable for the induction therapy of this subtype of pediatric ALL.

Adolescent ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Daunorubicin ; administration & dosage ; Dexamethasone ; administration & dosage ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Homeodomain Proteins ; genetics ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Neoplasm, Residual ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Oncogene Proteins, Fusion ; genetics ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; drug therapy ; genetics ; mortality ; pathology ; Prednisolone ; administration & dosage ; Prognosis ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Remission Induction ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUNDRecombinant human parathyroid hormone (1-34) (rhPTH (1-34)) given by injection is a new seventh class drug of biological products, which is prepared by adopting gene recombination technique. rhPTH (1-34) is mainly used to treat osteoporosis, especially for postmenopausal women. This study compared the clinical efficacy and safety of rhPTH (1-34) with elcatonin for treating postmenopausal women with osteoporosis in 11 urban areas of China.

METHODSTwo hundred and five women with osteoporosis were enrolled in a 6-month, multicenter, randomized, controlled study. They were randomized to receive either rhPTH (1-34) 20 microg (200 U) daily or elcatonin 20 U weekly. Lumbar spine (L1-4) and femoral neck bone mineral density (BMD), as well as biochemical markers of bone turnover were measured. Adverse events were recorded.

RESULTSrhPTH (1-34) increased lumbar BMD significantly more than did elcatonin at 3 months and 6 months (2.38% vs 0.59%, P < 0.05; 5.51% vs 1.55%, P < 0.01), but there were no significant increases of BMD in these two groups at femoral neck. There were larger mean increases in bone markers in the rhPTH (1-34) group than in the elcatonin group at 3 months and 6 months (serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BSAP) 36.79% vs 0.31%; 92.42% vs -0.17%; urinary N-telopeptide/creatinine (NTX/Cr) 48.91% vs -5.32%; 68.82% vs -10.86%). Both treatments were well tolerated and there were no significant differences detected between the two groups in the proportion of any adverse events and any serious adverse events (67.0% vs 59.0%; 0 vs 0).

CONCLUSIONSrhPTH (1-34) has more positive effects on bone formation, as shown by the larger increments of lumbar BMD and bone formation markers, than elcatonin, with only mild adverse events and no significant change in the liver, kidney or hematological indices.

Aged ; Calcitonin ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Osteogenesis ; drug effects ; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal ; drug therapy ; Parathyroid Hormone ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Recombinant Proteins ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the safety of a group A + C meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine as part of a phase IV clinical trial.

METHODSThe study area was divided into 108 clusters according to the principle of cluster randomization, stratified and paired sampling methods. 54 out of 108 clusters served as observation groups were administered A + C vaccine, while the rest 54 groups were administered Vi polysaccharide vaccine. An adverse event surveillance system was established to monitor the adverse events following the vaccination campaign. Identical form and methods were used for data collection to investigate the adverse events following the vaccination of both A+ C vaccine and Vi vaccine.

RESULTS34,543 people were vaccinated, including 18,167 of whom received A + C vaccine, while the other 16,376 received Vi vaccine. The rates of immediate injection reaction and unsolicited non-serious adverse events from A + C vaccine group were 0.44% and 0.38% while of Vi vaccine group were 0.79% and 0.73% respectively. At the solicited adverse event survey on 3-day-post-vaccination, 1239 vaccinees were followed-up including 771 received A + C vaccine and 468 received Vi vaccine. The local injection reaction rate of A + C vaccine group on the 1st day was significantly higher (X2 = 13.98, P = 0.0002) than that of Vi vaccine group. Neither the local injection reaction rate nor the system reaction rate between both groups was significantly different on 2nd and 3rd day, post vaccination. It was not statistically different when comparing fever onset rate between those who received vaccine and those who did not, in each vaccine group. There were no serious adverse events observed.

CONCLUSIONResults showed that the side effects of A + C vaccine and the Vi vaccine were mild and safe for vaccination campaigns targeting on populations at different age.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Distribution ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Meningococcal Vaccines ; adverse effects ; immunology ; Middle Aged ; Polysaccharides, Bacterial ; immunology ; Sex Distribution ; Young Adult