Adult ; Aged ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Radiographic Image Enhancement ; Silicosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; methods

Objective To compare three kinds of irradiation treatment plans for cervical and upper thoracic esophageal cancer,in order to arrived at proper decision for the patient.Methods From February 2001 to June 2004,43 such patients were studied with three different simulated treatment plans made including conformal plan,conventional four-field plan and conventional two-field plan for every one.All plans were evaluated with iso- dose curve and dose-volume histogram.Results GTV on 95% isodose curve was 99.5%,98.2% and 87.4% in conforaml plan,conventional four-field plan and conventional two-field plan,respectively;PTV_1 and PTV_2 on 95% isodose with 97.8%,97.2%,94.8% and 95.8%,86.6%,73.7%.The volume of＞20 Gy dose of left lung accepted was 18.6%,17.2% and 32.3%,in conformal plan,conventional four-field plan and conventional two-field plan,respectively;the right lung received 20.5%,19.9% and 35.5%.Conclusions Conformal plan is the best in radiotherapy,as it can provide ideal dose distribution of irradiated target with adequate protection of the normal tissues.Conventional four-field plan,being easy to carry out,can replace the conformal plan in most situations.Conventional two-field has the most uneven dose distribution and largest lung volume irradiated.

The cupping spot is considered as one kind of skin change due to cupping treatment. With literature regarding cupping spot, the influencing factors and value of cupping spot in clinical diagnosis and treatment were analyzed, which could make a further exploration on the action mechanism of cupping treatment. The literature showed that the formation of cupping spot was related with cupping temperature, pressure, cup-retaining time, cupping area, individual difference and health condition, etc; cupping spot had the ability to assist diagnosis, prevent disease, cure disease and evaluate clinical efficacy. Previous studies on cupping spot have already made some progress, and played a positive significance on finding cupping rule and studying its mechanism. However, the research for this area is still in the primary stage, which needed deeper study to reveal scientific connotations of cupping spot.
Acupuncture Therapy ; instrumentation ; Humans ; Skin ; anatomy & histology ; blood supply

OBJECTIVESTo investigate prostatic histomorphological changes of rat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) models.

METHODSAfter castrated, SD rats were injected subcutaneously testosterone propionate to induce the BPH. Water substitution method was used to measure prostatic volumes. Prostatic tissue were stained by hemoloxylin and eosin, the morphometric changes of glandular and interstitial tissues were semi-quantified by image analysis system. Multiple linear regression was adopted to analyze the results.

RESULTSIn comparison with normal group, prostatic volumes were significantly enlarged (P < 0.01) with glands expanded and interstitial tissues increased in BPH model. Glandular average diameters, volumes and surface areas in unit volume, as well as glandular circumferences and glandular relative total volumes were all significantly increased (P < 0.01). Glandular counts, density, ratio of glandular surface area to volume. And glandular average curvature were all declined (P < 0.05-0.01), so was interstitial circumference (P < 0.01). But volume density had no changes, and relative total interstitial volumes were obviously increased. Prostatic volume was significantly correlated with glandular relative total volume (r = 0.989, P < 0.001) and interstitial relative total volume(r = 0.789, P < 0.001). Prostatic volume was also correlated significantly with glandular average volume(r = 0.789, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONSAction of androgen on rat prostate may mainly lie in glandular epithelial hyperplasia, which manifests enlargement of glandular lumen accompanied by hyperplasia of interstitial tissues.

Animals ; Castration ; Gonadal Steroid Hormones ; adverse effects ; Male ; Models, Animal ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; chemically induced ; pathology ; Rats ; Testosterone ; adverse effects

OBJECTIVETo construct two recombinant plasmids of mdr1 and mcl1 shRNA, and to investigate their reversal effect on drug resistance in K562 adriamycin resistant cell lines (K562/A02).

METHODSTwo oligonucleotides of mdr1 and mcl1 gene were designed referring to that of GenBank, double-stranded DNA was derived through annealing, and cloned into pRNAT vector digested by two restricted endoenzymes. K562/A02 cells were transfected with the recombinant plasmids. The mdr1 mRNA expression and its protein product P-glycoprotein (P-gp) were detected by RT-PCR and flow cytometry. The expression of mcl1 gene was detected by RT-PCR. 50% inhibition concentration (IC50) of adriamycin (ADM) on K562/A02 cells was determined by MTT method. Cells apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry.

RESULTSComparing with K562/A02 cells, the shRNA of mdrl or mcl1 gene in vitro can remarkably increase the sensitivity of K562/A02 to adriamycin, down-regulate mdr1 or mcl1 gene expression, increase the K562/A02 cells apoptosis rates induced by adriamycin. Cotransfection of mdrl and mcl1 genes shRNA can also down-regulate the expression of their gene, more remarkably increase the sensitivity and apoptosis of K562/ A02 to adriamycin.

CONCLUSIONTransfection of mdrl or mcl1 gene shRNA can promote the sensitivity of K562/A02 to adriamycin and cotransfection of the two shRNA can more remarkably do so. The mel1 gene might be involved in adriamycin resistant in K562/A02 cells.

ATP-Binding Cassette, Sub-Family B, Member 1 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Apoptosis ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; genetics ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; genetics ; Flow Cytometry ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; Myeloid Cell Leukemia Sequence 1 Protein ; Neoplasm Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; RNA Interference ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Transfection

Androgens ; metabolism ; Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Integrative Medicine ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology

Objective To compare the incidence of metabolic disorders(MS)in patients with primary aldosteronism(PA)and essential hypertension(EH).Methods MS prevalence was observed in 200 EH patients(male 104)and 220 PA patients(male 117)hospitalized to our hospital from August 2005 to March 2007.Results (1)The prevalence of MS in PA group was significantly higher than that of EH group(47.3％vs.31.5％,P=0.009).(2)Blood pressure was significantly higher in PA group than that of EH[SBP:(150.67±15.45)mm Hg vs.(145.69±17.13)mm Hg,P=0.042;DBP:(93.03±10.51)mm Hg vs.(85.83±14.44)mm Hg,P=0.037].(3)Incidences of abdominal obesity(86.8％vs.78.5％,P=0.024)and insulin resistance(insulin sensitivity index:42.42±16.11 vs.49.58±22.43,P=0.008)were significantly higher in PA group than in EH group.Conclusion The prevalence of MS in hospitalized PA patients was significantly higher than that of EH patients characterized by prevalent abdominal obesity,insulin resistant and severe hypertension.

Animals ; Liver ; metabolism ; Liver Cirrhosis ; metabolism ; Male ; Oligonucleotides, Antisense ; pharmacology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myb ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo characterize the meningococcal strains isolated from cases and close contacts with meningococcal disease associated with an outbreak in a jail in May 2010 by investigating the national distribution of hyperinvasive ST-4821 serogroup C clone associated with this outbreak.

METHODSThe cases were described based on the clinical symptoms and laboratory results. Pharyngeal swabs were cultured for N. meningitidis from men in the jail. Meningococcal isolates were identified by serogrouping, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST), respectively. Four hundred and sixteen serogroup C N. meningitidis strains were collected from 27 provinces between 2003 and 2010 for a nationwide survey and analyzed by PFGE and MLST.

RESULTSThree persons in a jail system were infected with invasive N. meningitidis serogroup C. All isolates tested had matching PFGE patterns and belonged to the multilocus sequence type (ST) 4821 clonal complex. All 47 N. meningitidis strains were identified from the pharyngeal swabs of 166 peoples in the jail, and 26 of them belonged to ST-4821 serogroup C clone, and 90.14% (375/416) serogroup C strains identified in the nationwide survey belonged to the ST-4821 complex. The ST-4821 serogroup C clone was spread nationwide, distributed in 24 provinces, especially in eastern provinces between 2003 and 2010.

CONCLUSIONEndemic transmission and carriage rate of ST-4821 serogroup C clone are high in this jail system. The ST-4821 serogroup C clone is spreading in China and nationwide distributed despite the existence of some effective vaccines.

Carrier State ; China ; epidemiology ; Disease Outbreaks ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field ; Humans ; Meningitis, Meningococcal ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; Neisseria meningitidis ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Pharynx ; microbiology ; Prisons

AIMTo study the relaxation mechanisms of tetrandrine (Tet) on the corpus cavernosum smooth muscle.

METHODSThe corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells from New Zealand white rabbits were cultured in vitro. [Ca(2+)](i) was measured by Fluorescence Ion Digital Imaging System, using Fluo-2/AM as a Ca(2+)-sensitive fluorescent indicator.

RESULTSTet (1, 10 and 100 micromol/L) had no effect on the resting [Ca(2+)](i) (P>0.05). In the presence of extracellular Ca(2+) (2.5 mmol/L), Tet (1, 10 and 100 micromol/L) inhibited [Ca(2+)](i) elevation induced by high K(+) and phenylephrine (PE) in a concentration-dependent manner (P>0.05). In calcium free solution containing egtaic acid, Tet (1 and 10 micromol/L) had no inhibitory effects on [Ca(2+)](i) elevation induced by PE (P>0.05). However, Tet (100 micromol/L) inhibited [Ca(2+)](i) elevation induced by PE (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONTet inhibited the Ca(2+) influx from the extracellular site via voltage-activated Ca(2+) channel and alpha(2)-adrenoceptor-operated Ca(2+) channel. At a high concentration, Tet might inhibit the cytosolic calcium pool release in cultured corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells. This inhibitory action on [Ca(2+)](i) might be one of the relaxation mechanisms of Tet on the corpus cavernosum smooth muscle.

Alkaloids ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Benzylisoquinolines ; pharmacology ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Cytosol ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Muscle Relaxation ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; cytology ; metabolism ; Penis ; cytology ; metabolism ; Phenylephrine ; pharmacology ; Potassium Chloride ; pharmacology ; Rabbits