Adult ; Aged ; Atrial Fibrillation ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

Adult ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage ; methods ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pneumoconiosis ; therapy

Objective To report our surgical experience in treating 19 cases of solitary iliac aneurysms (SIA). Methods The clinical data of 19 consecutive patients with SIA between January 1985 and January 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. There were 18 men and 1 woman, aging from 39 to 77 years ( mean 62 ± 7 years). Results There were 30 SIAs in the 19 patients, including 25 ( 83.3% ) common iliac aneurysms, 4 (13.3%) internal ihac aneurysms and 1 (3. 3% ) external iliac aneurysm. Eleven patients ( 57.9% ) had multiple ancurysms, with 9 patients ( 47.4% ) having bilateral SIA. Two patients had coexistent peripheral vascular occlusive disease. There were 2 patients suffering form ruptured SIA, one was saved by emergency operation and one died before an surgery could be attempted. Seventeen patients underwent successful open aneurysmectomy and artificial graft implantation leaving no ischemic complications of the pelvic organs. One patient with right common iliac aneurysm underwent endovascular repair without endoleak. There was no operative death during porioperative period. The surviving patients remained stable and had good patency of grafts during the follow-up period. Conclusions Early management of SIA is important, CT angiogarphy (CTA) is necessary not only to evaluate the SIAs, but also to detect multiple aneurysms or arterial occlusive disease. Close and long-term follow-up is mandatory for the early detection of the formation of new anearysms.

Objective To explore the predictive value of combined ABCD2 scores and tracheal constriction resulted from internal carotid atherosclerosis (ICAS) in cerebral infarction within 7 d of onset of a transient ischemic attack (TIA). Methods The clinical data of 171 patients with TIA,admitted to our hospital from September 2008 to March 2011, were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were evaluated with ABCD2 scale and degrees of tracheal constriction resulted from ICAS were examined by Color Doppler ultrasound.And 7-d follow-up of patients was performed to select those patients appearing cerebral infarction; and then, the relationships between risk of post-TIA cerebral infarction and both ABCD2 scores and degrees of tracheal constriction were analyzed using chi-square test. Results Among 171 TIA patients,39 (22.8％) suffered cerebral infarction within 7 d of onset of TIA.Significant difference of risk of post-TIA cerebral infarction was noted in patients with different ABCD2 scores and degree of tracheal constriction (P＜0.05): the higher the ABCD2 scores/ the degrees of tracheal constriction, the higher incidence of cerebral infarction in TIA patients. Conclusion A rather high accuracy may be achieved with ABCD2 scale in the prediction of short-term risk of cerebral infarction after onset of TIA,and a higher accuracy may be expected by combination of ABCD2 scale with carotid atherosclerosis findings.

The importance and feasibility was analyzed of the teaching BBS for aiding classroom teaching based on campus network. The design, technique, content, advantages and deficiencies were presented of agricultural microbiology teaching BBS. The prospect also was discussed of teaching BBS based on campus network in this paper.

BACKGROUNDTakayasu's arteritis (TA) is a chronic idiopathic inflammatory disease that affects large and medium size arteries. The brachiocephalic trunk is the most frequently involved site in TA, and multi-vessel lesions are common. Surgical treatment includes vessel reconstruction surgery and percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA). Herein, we report our preliminary experience with surgical treatment of cerebral ischemia caused by cervical arterial lesions due to TA.

METHODSFrom January 2000 to December 2007, 38 patients with cerebral ischemia caused by cervical arterial occlusive lesions due to TA were treated surgically. There were three males and 35 females, with an age range of 15 - 42 years (mean 26.5 years). All patients had operative repairs undertaken. Twenty eight patients received bypass operation and 10 patients received percutaneous transluminal angioplasty. One case with coronary stenosis received coronary artery bypass simultaneously. Patients were followed up for 11 months to eight years.

RESULTSThere were no peri-operative deaths in cerebrovascular reconstruction patients. Symptoms of cerebral ischemia were improved or cured in 25 of 38 patients. There was a low incidence of cerebral reperfusion syndrome. Two patients died at five and seven years after surgery due to heart failure. Another 8 patients (20%) required further surgery for stenosis (5 patients) or anastomotic aneurysms (3 patients). Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty was performed successfully for treatment of aortic and renal lesions. Repeated angioplasty for revascularization was performed in six PTA cases with restenosis after 5 - 24 months.

CONCLUSIONSWhen cerebral perfusion has potential to be affected by TA, a definitive corrective procedure is advised when the patient is relatively stable. Although the recurrence rate is very high, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty is the first choice procedure. Bypass operation is optimal for brachiocephalic-vessel involvement in TA. Cerebral reperfusion syndrome can be avoided by careful selection of the operation method and improved post-operative treatment.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Arteritis ; drug therapy ; Brachiocephalic Trunk ; pathology ; surgery ; Brain Ischemia ; etiology ; pathology ; surgery ; Cerebral Revascularization ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Methylprednisolone ; therapeutic use ; Takayasu Arteritis ; complications ; pathology ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

Objective:To explore the clinical value of detecting serum 14-3-3η and auto-antibodies in rheumatoid arthritis (RA),and compare their performance in RA diagnosis.Methods: Serum samples of 134 RA patients,90 non-RA inflammatory arthropathy patients,70 of whom with osteoarthritis(OA)and 20 with ankylosing spondylitis(AS),and 40 healthy controls from the second affiliated hospital of Nanchang University were collected.Concentrations of 14-3-3η,anti-CCP,anti-RA33,anti-Sa were detected with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA),with RF detected by immunonephelometry.Diagnostic utilities of them for RA were evaluated and compared then.Results:① Serum levels of 14-3-3η,anti-CCP,anti-RA33,anti-Sa and RF were significantly higher in patients with RA than non-RA inflammatory arthropathy patients and healthy controls,the differences between groups were statistically significant;② ROC curves were conducted according to the serum levels detected.The AUC of 14-3-3η,anti-CCP,anti-RA33,anti-Sa and RF were 0.831(95% CI:0.782-0.881),0.852(95% CI:0.802-0.901),0.615(95% CI:0.546-0.684),0.706(95% CI:0.643-0.770)and 0.739(95% CI:0.676-0.802)respectively,with P values<0.01.Among all index,only anti-CCP and 14-3-3η were of moderate diagnostic value,at the threshold of 24.10 U/ml and 2.59 ng/ml individually;③anti-Sa was of highest specificity and RF was of highest sensitivity among all indexes detected;the specificity of 14-3-3η was merely moderately inferior to anti-Sa and anti-RA33,but its sensitivity was superior to them both.Conclusion:Serume14-3-3η,anti-CCP,anti-RA33,anti-Sa and RF levels increased remarkably in patients with RA,and contributed to RA diagnosis.Meanwhile,14-3-3η was advantageous,to some extent,in the sensitivity and specificity over auto-antibodies,and can be utilized as a reference index in diagnosing RA.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes of ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) phosphorylation in HepG(2) cells in relation to HepG(2) cell survival under continuous low dose-rate irradiation.

METHODSHepG(2) cells were exposed to equivalent irradiation doses delivered at either a continuous low dose-rate (7.76 cGy/h) or a high dose-rate (4500 cGy/h), and the phosphorylated ATM proteins and surviving fraction of HepG(2) cells after the exposures were compared.

RESULTSThe phosphorylation of ATM protein was maximal at 0.5 Gy irradiation delivered at either a high doserate or a continuous low doserate. As the radiation dose increased, ATM protein phosphorylation decreased under continuous low dose-rate irradiation, but remained stable under high dose-rate irradiation. With comparable ATM protein phosphorylation induced by continuous low dose-rate irradiation and high dose-rate irradiation, there was no significant difference in the surviving fraction of HepG(2) cells (P>0.05), but at a significantly lower ATM protein phosphorylation level than that induced by high dose-rate irradiation, continuous low dose-rate irradiation resulted in increased cell killing (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONContinuous low dose-rate irradiation increases HepG(2) cells radiosensitivity as compared with high dose-rate irradiation. Increased cell killing following continuous low dose-rate irradiation is associated with reduced phosphorylated ATM protein, and inhibition of ATM phosphorylation may increase the radiosensitivity of HepG(2) cells.

Animals ; Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins ; Cell Cycle Proteins ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Survival ; radiation effects ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; metabolism ; Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation ; Humans ; Mice ; Phosphorylation ; radiation effects ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases ; metabolism ; Radiation Tolerance ; radiation effects ; Time Factors ; Tumor Suppressor Proteins ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and safety of high-dose dexamethasone-based regiments in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients with renal impairment.

METHODSThe clinical data of 22 patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients with renal impairment who received high-dose dexamethasone-based regiments from August 2006 to August 2008 in Peking Union Medical College Hospital were retrospectively reviewed.

RESULTSAfter receiving a median 4 cycles of high-dose dexamethasone-based regiments, renal impairment was reversed in 7 patients (31.8%) with a median time to reversal of 31 days. Sixteen patients (72.7%) achieved overall response, including 7 patients (31.8%) had complete remission / near complete remission. The grade 3 or 4 adverse events included neutropenia (13.6%), infections (22.7%), peripheral neuropathy (9.1%), and ileus (4.5%).

CONCLUSIONThe high-dose dexamethasone-based regiments are safe and effective for newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients with renal impairment.

Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Dexamethasone ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multiple Myeloma ; complications ; drug therapy ; Prognosis ; Renal Insufficiency ; complications ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo detect gene mutations of p53 gene (exon 4-6) in fibroblasts.

METHODSSamples of keloids were taken from 15 patients. The mutations of p53 gene were detected using polymerase chain reaction, the single-strand conformational polymorphism(SSCP) analysis and DNA sequencing.

RESULTSGene mutations in p53 gene exon 4, 5, and 6 were identified in all the patients with keloids.

CONCLUSIONGene mutations resulted in keloid p53 protein losing its functions of suppressing cell processes and conducting apoptosis.

Apoptosis ; Base Sequence ; Exons ; genetics ; Fibroblasts ; Genes, p53 ; Humans ; Keloid ; genetics ; Mutation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; genetics