Objective To preliminarily evaluate the value of color power doppler ultrasonography in the diagnosis of sacroiliitis in ankylosing spondylitis(AS). Methods Fifty-seven sacroiliac joints in 31 patients with active AS and 40 sacroiliac joints in 20 volunteers were detected by color power doppler ultrasonography.The color flow signs inside the sacroiliac joints were observed,and the resistance index(RI) was measured. Results In active AS,color flow signs were seen in 55 joints,and the mean RI value was 0.53?0.08 in 45 joints,while the other 10 color flow signs represented reversed phase in diastolic phase on pulse doppler ultrasonography.In the volunteers,color flow signs were seen in 16 joints,and the mean RI value was 0.97?0.01 in 6 joints,while the other 10 color flow signs represented reversed phase in diastolic phase on pulse doppler ultrasonography. Conclusion The abnormal flow signs at the sacroiliac joints can be detected by color power doppler ultrasonography.Low RI values provide diagnosis evidence for active AS.

Antigens, Surface ; blood ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Glutamate Carboxypeptidase II ; blood ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; blood ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; pathology ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; etiology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Racemases and Epimerases ; analysis

Objective To apply continuous subcutaneous pulse infusion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) to treat patients with central secondary amenorrhea,and to observe the induction of spontaneous ovulation and natural fertilization.Methods Using micro-pulse infusion pumps with each 90-minute infusion of LHRH 10 μg daily,the serum LH,FSH,estrogen,and progesterone levels ; and change in endometrium and ovarian size before and after treatment were monitored.The end point is natural pregnancy.Results The levels of serum LH,FSH,and estrogen were obviously increased after 4 weeks of treatment.The natural menstrual cycle was rebuilt after 8 weeks of treatment.The patient was pregnant and the treatment was stopped by 16 weeks.The experience of pregnancy was favourable.40 weeks later,the patient delivered a healthy female infant via caesarean section.Conclusions It was the first time in China that the technology of micro GnRH pump was applied in patients with secondary central amenorrhea.The result demonstrates that this technology can perfectly simulate the physiology of hypothalamic GnRH secretion.At present,more patients are included in this research to confirm the effectiveness.

Objective:To make an assessment on the genotoxicity caused by black carbon ( BC ) and ozonized black carbon (O3-BC).Methods: In this study, 74 healthy male ICR mice [weighed (28 ± 1.5) g] were randomly divided into 7 groups, including one phosphate buffer solution ( PBS) control group and six particles exposed groups by intratracheal instillation with either BC or O 3-BC at the doses of 50, 100, 200 μg/mouse, respectively.There were 12 mice in the groups of 200μg/mouse and 10 mice in others.The mice were sacrificed 24 h after four intratrachealinstillations .The activities of catalase ( CAT) in serum and the levels of malondialdehyde ( MDA) in lung tissue homogenate were measured . As the DNA damage mark , 8-hydroxyguanosine ( 8-OHdG ) in urine and serum were quantified with ELISA method.Micronucleus test was used for potential genotoxicity of BC and O 3-BC.Hematoxylin and eosin staining was used to stain lung paraffin section .Results:The mice were in good condition during instillation , and the liver coefficient of the test groups was significantly lower than that of the control group (P<0.05).The activities of CAT in serum significantly increased in the 100 μg/mouse and 200μg/mouse groups after being exposed to these two kinds of particles .The micronucleus rate in allthe BC and O3-BC exposed groups increased ( P <0.05), but there was no statistically significant difference among the groups in the levels of 8-OHdG in serum and urine and MDA in lung tissue homogenate .In-flammatory response was found in the lung tissue under the microscope after exposure to BC and O 3-BC. Conclusion:Intratracheal instillation of BC and O 3-BC induced increasing of oxidative stress and genetic damage in mice .But there was no significant difference between these two particles in toxicity .Whether the genotoxicity of O 3-BC is higher than that of BC or not is uncertain .Further research is needed .

OBJECTIVETo compare the effect of transurethral resection of the prostate combined with endocrine therapy (TURP + ET) with that of αlA-blockers combined with ET ((αlA-b + ET) in the treatment of bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) in patients with advanced prostate cancer (PCa), and to investigate the safety of the TURP + ET for the treatment of PCa with BOO.

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed 63 cases of PCa with BOO, 28 treated by αlA-b + ET and the other 35 by TURP + ET. We obtained the residual urine volume (RV), maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax), International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), and quality of life score (QoL) before and after treatment along with the overall survival rate of the patients, followed by comparison of the parameters between the two methods.

RESULTSAt 3 months after treatment, RV, IPSS, and QoL in the TURP + ET group were significantly decreased from (137.8 ± 27.6) ml, (22.3 ± 3.6), and (4.2 ± 0.8) to (29 ± 13.6) ml, (7.8 ± 2.1), and (1.6 ± 0.5) respectively (P < 0.05), while Qmax increased from (5.6 ± 2.1) ml/s to (17.6 ± 2.7) ml/s (P < 0.05); the former three parameters in the αlA-b + ET group decreased from (133.6 ± 24.9) ml, (21.5 ± 3.2), and (4.7 ± 1.1) to (42 ± 18.3) ml, (12.8 ± 2.6), and (2.5 ± 0.7) respectively (P < 0.05), while the latter one increased from (6.3 ± 2.4) ml/s to (11.7 ± 2.3) ml/s (P < 0.05), all with statistically significant differences between the two groups (P < 0.05). The overall survival rate of the TURP + ET group was not significantly different from that of the αlA-b + ET group (51.4% vs 46.4% , P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONTURP + ET is preferable to αlA-b + ET for its advantage of relieving BOO symptoms in advanced PCa without affecting the overall survival rate of the patients.

Adrenergic alpha-1 Receptor Antagonists ; therapeutic use ; Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal ; therapeutic use ; Combined Modality Therapy ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; complications ; drug therapy ; pathology ; surgery ; Quality of Life ; Retrospective Studies ; Transurethral Resection of Prostate ; Treatment Outcome ; Urinary Bladder Neck Obstruction ; drug therapy ; etiology ; surgery

BACKGROUNDAlthough noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV) has been successfully used for various kinds of acute respiratory failure, the data are limited regarding its application in postoperative respiratory failure after cardiac surgery. Therefore, we conducted a prospective randomized control study in a university surgical intensive care unit to evaluate the efficacy and safety of NPPV in the treatment of acute respiratory failure after cardiac surgery, and explore the predicting factors of NPPV failure.

METHODSFrom September 2011 to November 2012 patients with acute respiratory failure after cardiac surgery who had indication for the use of NPPV were randomly divided into a NPPV treatment group (NPPV group) and the conventional treatment group (control group). The between-group differences in the patients' baseline characteristics, re-intubation rate, tracheotomy rate, ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) incidence, in-hospital mortality, mechanical ventilation time after enrollment (MV time), intensive care unit (ICU) and postoperative hospital stays were compared. The factors that predict NPPV failure were analyzed.

RESULTSDuring the study period, a total of 139 patients who had acute respiratory failure after cardiac surgery were recorded, and 95 of them met the inclusion criteria, which included 59 males and 36 females with a mean age of (61.5 ± 11.2) years. Forty-three patients underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), 23 underwent valve surgery, 13 underwent CABG+valve surgery, 13 underwent major vascular surgery, and three underwent other surgeries. The NPPV group had 48 patients and the control group had 47 patients. In the NPPV group, the re-intubation rate was 18.8%, tracheotomy rate was 12.5%, VAP incidence was 0, and the in-hospital mortality was 18.8%, significantly lower than in the control group 80.9%, 29.8%, 17.0% and 38.3% respectively, P < 0.05 or P < 0.01. The MV time and ICU stay (expressed as the median (P25, P75)) were 18.0 (9.2, 35.0) hours and 4.0 (2.0, 5.0) days, which were significantly shorter than in the control group, 96.0 (26.0, 240.0) hours and 6.0 (4.0, 9.0) days respectively, P < 0.05 or P < 0.01. The postoperative hospital stays of the two groups were similar. The univariate analysis showed that the NPPV success subgroup had more patients with acute lung injury (ALI) (17 vs. 0, P = 0.038), fewer patients with pneumonia (2 vs. 7, P < 0.001) and lower acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) scores (16.1 ± 2.8 vs. 21.8 ± 3.2, P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that pneumonia (P = 0.027) and a high APACHE II score >20 (P = 0.002) were the independent risk factors of NPPV failure.

CONCLUSIONSWe conclude that NPPV can be applied in selected patients with acute respiratory failure after cardiac surgery to reduce the need of re-intubation and improve clinical outcome as compared with conventional treatment. Pneumonia and a high APACHE II score >20 might be the independent risk factors of NPPV failure in this group of patients.

Aged ; Cardiac Surgical Procedures ; adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; therapy ; Prospective Studies ; Respiration, Artificial ; adverse effects ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; etiology ; therapy ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo study the correlation of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) expression with Gleason score of prostate carcinoma.

METHODSMonoclonal antibodies against epitopes of PSMA extracellular domain were prepared, with which the expression of PSMA of prostate carcinoma (PC) was determined by immunohistochemical staining. Correlation of its expression with Gleason score of PC was statistically analyzed, and compared with that of PSA.

RESULTSEight hybridoma cell lines secreting monoclonal antibodies specific for PSMA were prepared. PSMA expression level was positively correlated with Gleason score. In poorly differentiated prostate carcinoma, the expression intensity of PSMA was higher than that of medium-and well-differentiated prostate carcinoma (P < 0.01). However, there was no correlation between level of PSA expression and Gleason score (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONPSMA expression level may be used as a useful surrogate marker in Gleason grading of prostate carcinoma. It may be a more suitable target than PSA in antibody mediated immunotherapy against poorly differentiated prostate carcinoma which is usually not sensitive to hormonal therapy.

Antigens, Surface ; metabolism ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; metabolism ; Glutamate Carboxypeptidase II ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; metabolism ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of HER2/neu overexpression on the wild p53 gene expression, cell proliferation and sensitivity to gamma-irradiation via phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway in human breast cancer cell MCF7.

METHODSLipofectin-mediated gene transfection method was used to transfer HER2/neu into MCF7 cells. Expression of HER2/neu, p53, Akt and p-Akt protein after PI3K pathway inhibitor LY294002 treatment was determined by Western blot. Cell proliferation and cell surviving fraction after gamma-irradiation treatment were assayed by MTT.

RESULTSEighteen of HER2/neu stably transfected MCF7 cell clones were established, one of them was HER2/neu overexpressing. HER2/neu overexpressing MCF7 cells showed higher p-Akt expression and lower p53 expression than those of parental MCF7 cells, which could be abrogated by LY294002. HER2/neu overexpressing MCF7 cells had higher proliferation rate and lower sensitivity to gamma-irradiation than those of parental MCF7 cells, which could be opposed by LY294002.

CONCLUSIONOverexpression of HER2/neu induces reduced expression of wild-type p53 protein, relatively high cell proliferation and low sensitivity to gamma-irradiation in breast cancer cell MCF7 by activating PI3K/Akt pathway, which may contribute to therapeutic resistance in some breast cancer patients with wild-type p53 gene status.

Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cesium Radioisotopes ; Chromones ; pharmacology ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Genes, erbB-2 ; Humans ; Morpholines ; pharmacology ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; metabolism ; Radiation Tolerance ; Receptor, ErbB-2 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Signal Transduction ; Transfection ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; metabolism

AIMTo investigate the changes of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in rat brain regions with chronic immobilization stress and the influence of Chinese herbs.

METHODSWe copied the rat model of chronic immobilization stress (180 min daily, repeated 7 days or 21 days), and characterized the changes of GR in hippocampus CA1, cortex, dentate gyrus via immunohistochemistry integrated image analysis.

RESULTSThe contents of glucocorticoid receptors in hippocampus CA1 , cortex, dentate gyrus were increased and the intensity of immunity reaction was significantly stronger in the model group of 7 days than that in the normal control group (P < 0.05). The contents of GR were significantly decreased and the intensity of immunity reaction was weaken in the model group of 21 days (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONCompared with the model group of 21 days, the contents of GR were significantly increased and immunity reaction was intensified in three groups of treatment with Chinese herbs (P < 0.05), in which the group treated with soothing-liver herbs Xiaoyaopowder was the best.

Animals ; Brain ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Glucocorticoid ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Restraint, Physical ; Stress, Physiological

OBJECTIVESTo establish the animal model of acute rotator cuff tear in rabbits, and study the effect of timing of surgical repair on healing of tendon-bone interface, formation and distribution of collagens in the supraspinatus tendon insertion and biomechanical properties of supraspinatus.

METHODSSupraspinatus tenotomy was performed in the right shoulder of 90 skeletally matured male New Zealand white rabbits to establish the animal model of acute rotator cuff tear. The rabbits were randomly divided into 3 groups : group of early repair, repaired at 1 week after tenotomy; group of late repair, repaired at 4 weeks after tenotomy; and group without repair, used as control. At 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 8 weeks after repair, healing of tendon-bone interface was observed by HE staining. Collagens were observed by Sirius Red F 3B (SR) in saturated carbazotic acid staining. The areas of type I and III collagens were measured by using imaging analysis software and the ratio of type I and III collagens were calculated. Failure loads of supraspinatus on both sides were measured. The percentage of failure loads of the surgical side was calculated and contralateral supraspinatus were uninjured.

RESULTSThere was no obvious fatty infiltration and muscle atrophy in supraspinatus in all groups. At 8 weeks, the formation of a new enthesis of supraspinatus in groups of early and late repair were observed. In groups of early and late repair, the ratio of areas of type I and III collagens at 8 weeks (2.02 ± 0.77 and 2.06 ± 0.58) was larger than that at 2 weeks (1.10 ± 0.24 and 1.14 ± 0.50, t = 3.082, 3.655, P < 0.01). At 2, 4 and 8 weeks, the percentages of failure loads of the surgical side and uninjured contralateral supraspinatus in group of early repair(38% ± 11%, 66% ± 7%, 89% ± 4%) and group of late repair (41% ± 16%, 63% ± 7%, 89% ± 9%) were both higher than that in group without repair (14% ± 6%, 32% ± 4%, 56% ± 12%); the differences were all statistically significant (group of early repair: t = 3.311, 8.549, 5.719; group of late repair: t = 3.713, 8.063, 6.044; P < 0.01). The percentage of failure loads of the surgical side and uninjured contralateral supraspinatus at 8 weeks was higher than those at 4 weeks (t = 3.878 - 4.613, P < 0.01) and 2 weeks (t = 7.158 - 10.024, P < 0.01) in all groups.

CONCLUSIONSSurgical repair within 4 weeks of acute rotator cuff tear lead to formation of a new enthesis of supraspinatus, improvement of both ratio of type I collagen in the supraspinatus tendon insertion and biomechanical properties of supraspinatus.

Animals ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Collagen Type I ; metabolism ; Collagen Type III ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Male ; Rabbits ; Rotator Cuff ; pathology ; surgery ; Rotator Cuff Injuries ; Time Factors