According to the points and difficulties of aminophylline monitoring experiments, oriented by problems, specific teaching case was designed to practice case teaching. The analysis of the results of classroom performance, teaching effect evaluation, peer evaluation and students' feedback showed that case teaching promoted the initiatives of students' learning as well as improved the teaching effect compared with the traditional teaching method. Furthermore, it improved their clinical thinking ability through theory and practical cases and helped the teachers to learn while teaching.

OBJECTIVETo retrospectively analyze the effects of different chemotherapy regimens for concurrent chemoradiation on locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODSThe data from 106 patients diagnosed as locally advanced NSCLC (IIIa: 29, IIIb: 77), who received various chemotherapy regimens for concurrent chemoradiotherapy, were retrospectively analyzed. Paclitaxel-based chemotherapy regimen was administered in 55 patients, topotecan regimen in 21 patients, PE (cisplatin and etopside) regimen in 26 patients, and other regimens in the remaining 4 patients. The effect of different chemotherapy regimens on overall survival and toxicity was analyzed.

RESULTSThe median survival time was 18.6 months, and the overall 1- and 3-year survival rates were 72.2% and 27.5%, respectively. The median survival time of 102 patients treated with paclitaxel-containing, topotecan-containing or PE regimens was 16.3, 27.3 and 29.1 months, respectively. The overall survival times of topotecan and PE groups were superior to that of paclitaxol-based group, but not significantly different (P = 0.32). Both univariate and multivariate analysis showed that paclitaxol-based chemotherapy regimen was significantly associated with a poorer survival (P < 0.05). N stage was another significant prognostic factor determined by COX multivariate regression model. Compared with the other regimens (10.6%), paclitaxel-based regimen (27.3%) had more acute radiation pneumonitis (grade >or= 2, P = 0.03), but no significant differences were observed in blood toxicity and esophagitis.

CONCLUSIONThere is a correlation between different chemotherapy regimens for concurrent chemoradiotherapy and the overall survival and acute radiation pneumonitis in patients with locally advanced NSCLC.

Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; therapeutic use ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; drug therapy ; pathology ; radiotherapy ; Cisplatin ; therapeutic use ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Etoposide ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; radiotherapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Neoplasm Staging ; Paclitaxel ; therapeutic use ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Radiation Pneumonitis ; etiology ; Radiotherapy, Conformal ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Topotecan ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo explore the mechanism of fine particulate matter (PM(2.5)) induced endothelial injury and the efficacy and mechanism of ginsenoside Rg1 on the inhibition of endothelium injuries in human endothelial cells exposure to PM(2.5).

METHODSHuman umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were stimulated with various concentrations PM(2.5) (0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.8 mg/ml) and PM(2.5) at concentration 0.8 mg/ml induced significant endothelial injury and was chosen for the main study in the presence or absence of Rg1 (0.04 mg/ml). After 24 h treatment, cell growth A value was detected through MTT, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level through fluorescence labeling probe method and HO-1, Nrf2 mRNA expression was detected by RT-PCR.

RESULTSThe cell A value was significantly lower while the ROS fluorescence gray value and the average optical density ratio of HO-1 were significantly higher in PM(2.5) group than in the control group (all P < 0.05). The average optical density ratio of Nrf2 was similar between PM(2.5) group and control group (P > 0.05). The A value and the average optical density ratio of HO-1 were significantly higher while the ROS fluorescence gray value was significantly lower in co-treated PM(2.5) (0.8 mg/ml) + Rg1 (0.04 mg/ml) group than in the PM(2.5) (0.8 mg/ml) group (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONPM(2.5) could induce human endothelial cells injury by increasing oxidative stress which could be attenuated by ginsenoside Rg1.

Cells, Cultured ; Ginsenosides ; pharmacology ; Heme Oxygenase-1 ; metabolism ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2 ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Particulate Matter ; toxicity

Objective: To investigate the surgical methods and outcomes of the enlarged translabyrinthine approach in the removal of large acoustic neuromas. Methods: A large mastoidectomy involved complete exposure of the sigmoid sinus, the dura behind the sinus for at least 1 cm, the superior petrosal sinus and the middle fossa dura. The jugular bulb was exposed and pressed downwards if necessary. The internal auditory meatus was skeletonized and uncovered for at least 270°.The debulking of the tumor began inside the anterior and inferior poles in order to find the brainstem and the facial nerve root as early as possible, and then the dissection of the nerve was done medially to laterally. Intraoperative facial nerve monitoring and postoperative CT and MRI were done in all cases. Results: Total removal was achieved in all 18 patients with tumors larger than 3 cm (mean size: 4.2 cm). There were no deaths or other complications such as intracranial infection and persistent cerebrospinal fluid leakage. There were no obvious cerebral sequelae. The facial nerve was preserved both anatomically and functionally in 14 cases, with Grade Ⅰ or Ⅱ in 8 cases, Grade Ⅲ or Ⅳ in 6 cases. Nerve interruption occurred in 4 patients who all had severe facial palsy or nerve interruption before operation. Sixteen patients resumed work within 1-3 months. Conclusion: Total removal of large acoustic neuroma could be acomplished via the translabyrinthine approach, with good preservation of facial nerve function and minimum incidence of morbidity.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association between survival and postoperative three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) in patients with resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODSEighty-four patients were treated with surgery and postoperative 3DCRT for NSCLC. Sixty-five (77.4%) patients received lobectomy, and 19 (22.6%) received pneumonectomy. Fifty-four (64.3%) patients achieved R0 resection and 30 cases (35.8%) received R1/R2 resection. Fifty-two patients were of stage IIIA and 24 patients were of stage IIIB. Photon energy of 6 MV was used for all the patients. The median 3DCRT dose was 60 Gy (40 - 70 Gy) with a fraction size of 2 Gy. Thirty-seven patients received median 3 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy. The median follow-up was 35.5 months for survivors.

RESULTSThe overall 3-year survival rate was 58.6%, and the 4-year overall survival rate was 43.9%. Of the 43 patients who had treatment failure, only 8 (9.9%) patients showed intrathoracic recurrence, but 38 (46.9%) patients had distant metastasis. The univariate analysis for all patients showed that sex, age, weight loss, tumor size, pathology and stage were not correlated with prognosis. R1/R2 resection was associated with a significantly worse survival. Toxicities were acceptable, with 9 (11.1%) patients appeared higher than NCI CTC grade 2 radiation pneumonitis.

CONCLUSIONIn a population-based cohort, postoperative 3DCRT for NSCLC provides a good prognosis, and the radiation-related pneumonitis is acceptable.

Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; drug therapy ; pathology ; radiotherapy ; surgery ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Lung Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; radiotherapy ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Neoplasm Staging ; Pneumonectomy ; methods ; Radiation Pneumonitis ; etiology ; Radiotherapy Dosage ; Radiotherapy, Conformal ; adverse effects ; methods ; Radiotherapy, High-Energy ; adverse effects ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVETo investigate the mechanisms of PTEN gene inactivation starting from DNA, mRNA and protein levels in ovarian cancers.

METHODSTumor tissue samples were obtained from 48 patients with epithelial ovarian cancers. Using four polymorphic markers (D10s541, D10s583, D10s1687 and D10s2491) within and flanking the PTEN gene located in chromosome 10q 23.3, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and loss of heterozygosity (LOH) were introduced to examine LOH of PTEN gene; PCR-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) was introduced to examine mutations of the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth exons of PTEN. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry (SP method) were applied to detect PTEN mRNA and PTEN protein expressions, respectively.

RESULTSLOH of PTEN gene was observed in 19 of 48 (39.6%) ovarian cancers. PTEN mutations were found only in 2 (4.2%) of the cases. Absence of PTEN mRNA expression was 18.8% (9 of 48). Immunostaining of 48 cancer samples revealed that 13 (27.1%) were PTEN immunostain negative. Of these 13 samples, only 2 (15.4%) had structural, biallelic inactivation by intragenic PTEN mutations and loss of the remaining wild-type allele; 7 (53.8%) showed evidence of LOH, 5 of these 7 samples showed deletion of PTEN mRNA expression, another 2 samples showed positive expression of PTEN mRNA; 4 (30.8%) tumors had neither PTEN gene mutation nor LOH but exhibited no PTEN protein expression, 2 of these 4 cases showed deletion of PTEN mRNA expression, another 2 showed positive expression of PTEN mRNA. For the cases of PTEN protein absent staining, the rate of LOH was 69.2% (9 of 13), higher than 28.6% (10 of 35) for the positive staining (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSPTEN gene inactivation may contribute to epithelial ovarian carcinogenesis. There may be several mechanisms of PTEN gene inactivation in ovarian cancers. Protein expression deletions may be a significant mechanism.

Adult ; Aged ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 10 ; Exons ; Female ; Gene Deletion ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Humans ; Loss of Heterozygosity ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; PTEN Phosphohydrolase ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) UL144 sequence variability and clinical disease.

METHODSHCMV UL144 open reading frame (ORF) was amplified by PCR assay in 72 low-passage isolates [65 congenitally infective children and 7 healthy children who were HCMV-DNA positive by quantitative PCR (qPCR)]. All positive PCR products were analyzed by heteroduplex mobility assay and single-stranded conformation polymorphism (HMA-SSCP) and 32 of them were sequenced.

RESULTSFifty-five patient isolates and five healthy children isolates were HCMV-UL144 positive by PCR. Sequencing and HMA-SSCP analysis showed that significant strain-specific variability was present in the UL144 ORF. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the nucleotide sequences could be separated into 3 major genotypes. Comparing between UL144 sequences and the corresponding symptoms showed that genotype 2 did not exist in megacolon isolates. And genotype 1 and 3 were the major types among microcephaly and jaundice isolates respectively.

CONCLUSIONSHCMV-UL144 existed in most of low passage isolates and sequences were hypervariable. The UL144 ORF and its predicted product with the high level of sequence variability in different kinds of isolates suggest that UL144 ORF might play a role in HCMV infectivity and subsequent diseases.

Amino Acid Sequence ; Base Sequence ; Cytomegalovirus ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Cytomegalovirus Infections ; genetics ; virology ; DNA, Viral ; genetics ; Genetic Variation ; Genotype ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Jaundice ; genetics ; virology ; Megacolon ; genetics ; virology ; Microcephaly ; genetics ; virology ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Open Reading Frames ; genetics ; Phylogeny ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational ; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid

OBJECTIVETo investigate the prognostic factors and the principles of treatment of primary esophageal small cell carcinoma (SCEC) retrospectively.

METHODSThe data of 126 patients with histologically confirmed SCEC treated in our department between May 1985 and June 2005 were retrospectively analyzed. 85 patients were in limited disease stage (LD) and 41 patients as extensive disease stage (ED) according to the Veterans Administration Lung Study Group staging system. Among the 84 patients treated with esophagectomy, 8 cases were in stage I, 16 in stage IIa, 10 in stage IIb, 40 in stage III, 4 in stage IVa and 6 in stage IVb, according to the TNM system (6(th) edition, AJCC). Cox's hazard regression model was used to identify the prognostic factors, and Chi-square test to detect the difference of frequencies among different groups. Kaplan-Meier and log-rank methods were used to estimate and compare the survival rates.

RESULTSThe median follow-up duration of this series was 13 months. One hundred and eight patients died of the disease during the follow-up, 10 were still alive and 8 were lost to follow-up. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates (OS) were 52.2%, 15.9%, and 12.2%, respectively, with a median survival time (MST) of 12.5 months. The 1-, 2-, and 3-year OS were 62.1%, 30.8%, and 22.4% with a MST of 14.0 months for LD, and 29.3%, 13.6% and 2.7% with a MST of 7.0 months for ED, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference in OS between LD and ED (P = 0.0001). The MST of the patients treated with chemotherapy was 14.5 months, significantly longer than the 5.2 months of the patients without (P = 0.0001). Multivariate analysis showed that stage (HR 1.91, 95% CI 1.26 approximately 2.91, P = 0.002), length of the primary lesion (HR 1.75, 95% CI 1.17 approximately 2.63, P = 0.007), and chemotherapy (HR 0.42, 95% CI 0.28 approximately 0.65, P = 0.000) were independent prognostic factors.

CONCLUSIONEsophageal small cell carcinoma is a systemic disease. The tumor stage (LD or ED), length of the primary lesion and chemotherapy are independent prognostic factors. Therefore, a systemic therapy based on chemotherapy should be recommended.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Carcinoma, Small Cell ; pathology ; therapy ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; pathology ; therapy ; Esophagectomy ; methods ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Radiotherapy, High-Energy ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the feasibility, therapeutic effects and normal tissue complications of three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) for locoregionally recurrent non-small cell lung cancer after initial radiotherapy.

METHODSBetween August 1999 and August 2003, 27 such patients were treated with 3DCRT after initial radiotherapy. This series consisted of 25 men and 2 women with a median age of 64 years. Radiotherapy was delivered at 2 Gy per fraction, 5 fractions per week, to a median dose of 50 Gy. Treatment results and normal tissue complications were assessed with WHO and RTOG/EORTC criteria.

RESULTSBased upon a median follow-up time of 20.6 months, 25 patients (92.6%) completed the planned 3DCRT treatment. Their clinical symptom relief rate was 79.1%, and the response rate was 59.3% with a complete remission rate of 14.8% (4/27), partial remission rate of 44.4% (12/27). The overall 1- and 2-year survival (OS) rates were 73.8% and 25.4% with a median survival time (MST) of 20 months. The 1- and 2-year local progression free survival (LPFS) rates were both 88.8%. Grade 2 and grade 3 acute radiation pneumonitis developed in 7.4% (2/27) and 11.1% (3/27). Grade 2 late radiation pneumonitis developed in 11.1% (3/27).

CONCLUSION3DCRT is feasible and advisable for locoregionally recurrent non-small-cell lung cancer, giving a good immediate tumor response and acceptable normal tissue complications.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; pathology ; radiotherapy ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; pathology ; radiotherapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; radiotherapy ; Neoplasm Staging ; Radiation Pneumonitis ; etiology ; Radiotherapy Dosage ; Radiotherapy, Conformal ; adverse effects ; methods ; Remission Induction ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVETo compare the treatment results of three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) and conventional radiotherapy (2D) for patients with locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODSFive hundred and twenty seven patients with stage III NSCLC treated between Jan 2000 and Dec 2006 were included in this study. Among them, 253 cases were treated with 3D-CRT, and 274 with conventional radiotherapy. In the 3D group, 159 (62.8%) patients received chemoradiotherapy, 77 with total radiotherapy dose of > 60 Gy, 49 with 50 - 60 Gy. In the 2D group, 127 (46.4%) patients received chemoradiotherapy, 48 with total radiotherapy dose of > 60 Gy, 75 with 50 - 60 Gy.

RESULTSThe 1-, 3-, 5-year overall survival rates (OS) and median survival time for patients treated with 3D-CRT were 73.3%, 26.1%, 14.4% and 20.1 months, respectively, and that of patients treated with 2D radiotherapy were 61.0%, 13.8%, 8.0% and 15.6 months, respectively (P = 0.002). The 1-, 3-, 5-year cause-specific survival rates (CSS) were 79.0%, 33.3%, and 20.8% for the 3D group and 65.1%, 16.7%, 11.2%, respectively, for the 2D group (P = 0.000). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year locoregional control rates were 71.6%, 34.3% and 31.0% for patients treated with 3D radiotherapy and 57.3%, 22.1% and 19.2%, respectively, for patients treated with 2D treatment (P = 0.002). The results of multivariate analysis showed that 3D-CRT, KPS, clinical tumor response and pretreatment hemoglobin level were independently associated with increased OS and CSS. No statistically significant differences were found between the radiation complications in the two groups.

CONCLUSIONSThe results of our study demonstrate that 3D-conformal radiotherapy improves the survival rate in patients with stage III NSCLC compared with that of 2D radiation therapy.

Aged ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; drug therapy ; pathology ; radiotherapy ; Chemoradiotherapy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemoglobins ; metabolism ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; radiotherapy ; Male ; Neoplasm Staging ; Radiation Pneumonitis ; etiology ; Radiotherapy Dosage ; Radiotherapy, Conformal ; adverse effects ; methods ; Survival Rate