Objective: To investigate the diagnostic value of flexirigid thoracoscopy in patients with malignant pleural effusion. Methods: From October 2007 to June 2010, 32 patients with malignant pleural effusion were retrospectively reviewed. In these patients, the routine, biochemistry, microbiology and cytology laboratory tests all failed to make the diagnosis. Then these patients received flexirigid thoracoscopy and the diagnosis of cause was identified. Results: In thirty-two patients with malignant pleural effusion, twenty-eight were diagnosed as having lung cancer (twenty-two had adenocarcinoma and six had poorly differentiated carcinoma), two were diagnosed as having lymphoma, and two were diagnosed as having malignant pleuralmesothelioma. No other serious adverse events occurred except for one case with postoperative fever. Conclusion: Flexirigid thoracoscopy is a simple, safe and effective clinical technique in the diagnosis of malignant pleural effusion. When the routine examinations can not identify the pathogenesis of malignant pleural effusion, the thoracoscopy should be applied.

The diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer are being improved due to the popularized screening of prostate specific antigen. Advanced prostate cancer, in spite of its response to androgen deprivation therapy, may finally develop into castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) and shorten the overall survival of the patients. Many efforts have been made by worldwide researchers for new approaches to the management of CRPC, including new hormonal therapy, cytotoxic chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and bone metastasis-targeted therapy. This paper reviews the emerging agents undergoing clinical evaluation and drugs that have received approval for the treatment of CRPC in order to provide doctors and patients with more treatment options for CRPC and improve the overall survival rate and quality of life of the patients.
Androgen Antagonists ; Bone Neoplasms ; prevention & control ; Humans ; Immunotherapy ; Male ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; blood ; Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant ; therapy ; Quality of Life

AIM:To report the safty and efficiency of intravitreal injection of bevacizumab (Avastin) in patients with macular edema (ME) due to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO).METHODS: A consecutive series of patients with ME due to BRVO who were treated with intravitreal bevacizumab injection (2.5g/0.1L) were retrospectively studied. Patients underwent complete ophthalmoscopic examination, including Snellen visual acuity testing, optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging, and/or flurescence angiographic testing at baseline and follow-up visits.RESULTS: There were 32 eyes of 32 consecutive patients who received at least one intravitreal bevacizumab injections (range from 1 to 3). The mean length of follow-up was 4.7 (range from 3 to 8) months. The mean visual acuity improved from 20/200- at baseline to 20/100- at 1 month and 20/100+ at 3 months and last follow-up (P＜0.01). The mean central 1mm macular thickness was 483μm at baseline and decreased to 275, 314,and 301μm at 1 month,3 months, and last follow-up (P＜0.01)respectively.No adverse side effects were observed following injections in any eyes.CONCLUSION: Intravitreal bevacizumab (Avastin) showed a marked decrease in ME secondary to BRVO, improvement in visual acuity and lack of adverse side effects.

Objective To explore clinical value of intraoperative extra strong electrical stimulation in the treatment of birth brachial plexus palsy. MethodsFrom July 2008 to September 2011,intraoperative extra strong electrical stimulation was applied in 9 cases of incomplete birth brachial plexus palsy after neurolysis.The latency and amplitude of compound muscle action potentials before and after electrical stimulation were recorded and the extent of improvement was compare.ResultsThe latency was improved in 7 cases with 8.02％ in average,amplitude in 8 cases with 185.97％ in average.The related nerve recover partial motor function in 8 cases in 2 weeks after operation.ConclusionIntraoperative extra strong electrical stimulation is a effective assistant technique to promote motor functional recovery of birth brachial plexus palsy.

Inoculant the examine-needed germ on a flat panel of synthetic medium, and placed paper slices, which had being saturated by different kinds of sugar, on the medium to carry out the experiment of microorganic auxanography. Its result was compared with that of the traditional method, the sugar-grain method. The comparison showed that the former was better than the latter for its more definite result and more convenient operation.

Objective To investigate the influence of uremic serum on the monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) expression of human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) in vitro and the effect of up-regulation of berne oxygenase 1 (HO-1) on the synthesis of MCP-1 of HUVECs in uremic milieu. Methods HUVECs were incubated to confluence and then preineubated with heroin and/or protoporphyrin zinc IX (ZnPP)for 6 hours.The cultures were subsequently incubated with M199 cell medium containing 10% serum of healthy people or with medium containing 10% serum of maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients.HO-1 protein and mRNA expression was detected by immunohistochemistry and semi-quantitative RT-PCR.MCP-1 mRNA expression was measured by semi-quantitative RT-PCR,and MCP-1 protein was quantified by ELISA. Results Up-regulated expression of MCP-1 mRNA and protein was detected in HUVECs incubated with medium containing 10% serum of MHD patients.The protein synthesis was 2.95 folds of the control.Heroin induced expression of HO-1 mRNA and protein,and concurrently inhibited the up-regulated MCP-1 expression induced by uremic serum.Such effects of heroin could be blocked by ZnPP. Conclusions Uremic serum induces the expression of MCP-1 in HUVECs.Up-regulated expresson of endothelial HO-1 induced by heroin inhibits the enhancement of MCP-1 synthesis.HO-1 may be beneficial to the alleviation of endothelial cell injury in uremic milieu.

Objective To explore the impact of metabolic syndrome (MS)in bone mineral density (BMD) in elderly male type 2 diabetics (T2DM). Methods One hundred and fourty cases were divided into MS group and non-MS(NMS)group according to with or without MS. Height,weight were measured, body mass index(BMI) were calculated and the total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c)were tested. The bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). The differences among these groups were compared and the risk factors for MS were analyzed. Results The MD, BMI, TC,TG in MS group was higher than that in NMS group (P < 0.05 vs. P < 0.01),and HDL-C was lower than NMS group (P < 0.05). Correlation analysis showed that BMD was negatively correlated with age , TG , HDL-C , and was positively correlated with BMI.The results of multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that age ,HDL-C,BMI were independent risk factors for BMD. Conclusion The BMD significantly increases in T2DM with MS.Obesity and low HDL-C have positive effects in bone mass.

Objective To study sleeping conditions and relevant factors for insomnia in the elderly people aged 60 years and over in the community of Shanghai,China.Methods A cross-sectional study on sleeping condition by questionnaire was conducted among 2789 elderly people aged 60 years and over during July to October 2005 in seven neighborhood committees of Jing'an District,Shanghai,China,with cluster sampling.Results Totally,2304 elderly people completed the study questionnaire with a response rate of 82.61%.Prevalence of insomnia was 14.84% (342/2304) in the elderly.Logistic regression analysis showed that age increasing (OR=1.02),female (OR=2.20),drinking before sleeping (OR=2.98), room light (OR=3.89),noise (OR=1.95),diabetes (OR=1.82),hypertension (OR=1.49),stroke (OR=1.65),osteoporosis (OR=1.76) and number of afflicted chronic diseases (OR=1.43) all were risk factors for insomnia in the elderly (P

Objective Previous study showed that the signaling pathway of dual-specificity tyrosinephosphorylated and regulated kinase 1 A (Dyrk1 A)-alternative splicing factor (ASF)-alternative splicing of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase Ⅱ δ (CaMK Ⅱ δ) is related to myocardial hypertrophy.The aim of present study was to determine the effect and related mechamism of metoprolol on pressure overload induced myocardial hypertrophy.Methods Pressure overload-induced hypertension was induced by coarctation of suprarenal abdominal aorta in rats.Rats were randomly divided into sham-operated control,hypertension and hypertension plus metoprolol (30 mg · kg-1 · d-1) groups (n =10 each).Blood pressure,the left ventricular weight to body weight ratio and cardiomyocytes area were measured,the protein expression of Dyrk1 A and ASF were determined by Western blot and mRNA expression of alternative splicing of CaMK Ⅱ δ was detected by RT-PCR.Results Four weeks after coarctation,cardiac hypertrophy was evidenced in rats of hypertensive group,and the protein expression of Dyrk1 A was significantly upregulated,while the expression of ASF was significantly downregulated,the mRNA expression of CaMK Ⅱ δ A and B were significantly upregulated and mRNA expression of CaMK Ⅱ δ C was significantly downregulated compared to those in sham-operated control rats (all P ＜ 0.05).Treatment with metoprolol effectively attenuated cardiac hypertrophy and reversed pressure overload induced changes on Dyrk1A and ASF,and alternative splicing of CaMK Ⅱ δ (all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Metoprolol attenuates pressure overloadinduced cardiac hypertrophy possibly through modulating Dryk1 A-ASF-CaMK Ⅱ δ signaling pathways.

Objective To understand the situation of iodized salt consumption at the household level and non-iodized salt distribution in those areas with low iodized salt coverage.Methods In 2010,iodized salt was monitored in 31 provinces and Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps in accordance with the Monitoring Program of the National Iodine Deficiency Disorders (Trial) (hereinafter referred to as the Program) requirements.Under the jurisdiction of counties (cities,districts,banners) with more than 9 townships (towns,street offices),based on the location of east,west,south,north and center,9 townships (town,district offices) were selected using simple random sampling method; 4 administrative villages (neighborhoods) were selected in each township (town,district office); and 8 residents in each administrative village (neighborhood) were selected.Under the jurisdiction of counties (cities,districts,banners) with less than 9 townships (towns,street offices),based on the location of east,west,south,north and center,1 township(town,district office) was selected using simple random sampling method; 4 administrative villages(neighborhoods) were selected in each township(town,district office);and 15 residents in each administrative village(neighborhood) were selected.Iodized salt coverage rate,qualification rate of iodized salt and consumption rate of qualified iodized salt were calculated in various provinces.The salt samples were tested by semi-quantitative method on the spot and then tested with quantitative method in laboratories.The standard of qualified iodized salt was set as 20-50 mg/kg and that of non-iodized salt was set as ＜ 5 mg/kg (GB/T 13025.7-1999).Results In 2010,a total of 2862 counties(districts,cities and banners) and 14 divisions of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps,reported the monitoring results,and the monitoring coverage rate was 99.79％(2876/2882).A total of 826 696 copies of edible salt samples were tested,the coverage rate of iodized salt was 98.63％,the consumption rate of qualified iodized salt was 97.95％,and the coverage rate of qualified iodized salt was 96.63％.At province level,only in Tibet iodized salt coverage rate was ＜ 90％.At county level,2755 counties qualified iodized salt coverage rate was ≥90％,and 33 counties iodized salt coverage rate was ＜ 80％.The counties with qualified iodized salt coverage rate of 90％ or more accounted for 96.63％(2785/2882) of the total counties.Conclusions The counties where non-iodized salt coverage is higher than 20％ mainly distributed in the western or coastal areas and adjacent areas with higher iodine.These areas need policy and funding support from governments at all levels to reducc the gap between these areas and other areas.