Abnormalities, Multiple ; diagnosis ; Child ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; complications ; Female ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; complications ; Humans ; Obesity ; complications ; Prognosis ; Retinitis Pigmentosa ; complications ; Skin ; pathology ; Syndrome

Obesity has become a major health problem worldwide. The prevalence and morbidity of obesity-related diseases including diabetes, hypertension, cerebro-cardiovascular diseases, and tumors also have remarkably increased. Treatment of obesity poses a challenge for clinicians. Anti-obesity treatment is helpful to improve and even reverse obesity-related complications. Diet control and physical exercises remain the predominant interventions for obese patients. Anti-obesity drugs can be considered in those who respond poorly to behavioral intervention or those who have developed obesity-related complications. The commonly used anti-obesity drugs include gastrointestinal lipase inhibitors and appetite suppressants. Glucagon-like peptide 1 has also been found to be effective in reducing body weight. Some more drugs are under development, which include selective 5-HT 2c agonist, β3 receptor agonist, and melanocortin receptor 4 agonist, may also be promising.
Anti-Obesity Agents ; therapeutic use ; Appetite Depressants ; therapeutic use ; Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Obesity ; drug therapy

The purpose of this study was to investigate how Zuogui pills from the Kidney-tonifying and Nourishing Yin formula, in combination with the gonadotrophin-releasing hormone antagonist cetrorelix, affected the ovarian local oxidative stress response in decreasing ovarian reserve (DOR) mice. All animal experiments were carried out in accordance with the guidelines and standards established by Jinan University's Experimental Animal Management Committee. Cyclophosphamide (CTX)-treated DOR mice were given Zuogui pills, cetrorelix, or a combination of the two drugs intragastrically. After treatment, there were changes in the estrous cycle, serum sex hormone levels, oxidative stress-related indexes, growth biochemical factor levels, and SIRT1/P53/P21 expression. In comparison to the model group, the Zuogui pills and the cetrorelix+Zuogui pills group had significantly prolonged estrous periods and shortened interestrous periods, and the cetrorelix+Zuogui pills group had a significantly shortened cycle length. Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) decreased and estradiol (E₂) increased in all treatment groups compared to the model group, oxidative stress indexes nitric oxide synthase (NOS), nitric oxide (NO), and reactive oxygen species (ROS) decreased, growth biochemical factors brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF-9) concentrations increased significantly, and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) showed no significant change. SIRT1/P53/P21 immunohistochemical results revealed that, when compared to the model group, the expression of SIRT1 increased while the expression of P53 and P21 proteins decreased in all treatment groups, with the cetrorelix+Zuogui pills group having the largest decrease, with significant differences in all indicators. We conclude that cetrorelix combined with Zuogui pills for kidney nourishing and Yin recipe improved the oxidative stress response in the follicle by regulating the SIRT1/P53/P21 pathway, reducing peroxide product production, protecting ovarian function, and regulating ovarian hormone secretion, and its efficacy is superior to that of cetrorelix or Zuogui pills alone.

MiRNAs have a close relation with the development of malignancy. As a new type of regulatory factor, miRNA plays an important role in the development and progression of tumors, and plays the role of oncogene or tumor suppressor gene. Abnormal expression of miRNA is found in tumors. Most of the abnormal expression of miRNA are related to tumor staging, malignancy, treatment and prognosis, which provides a new strategy for the evaluation of early diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of tumors. The miRNA-183 family is composed of three types of miRNAs including miRNA-96, miRNA-182 and miRNA-183. They present abnormal expressions in tumors of digestive system, urogenital system and respiratory system. More and more researches have been done on the relationship between miRNA-183 family and tumor, and the mechanism has been deeply studied.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the role of brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and tumor markers in the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) and serum in the diagnosis and treatment of intracranial germinoma in children.

METHODSTotally 5 children (3 girls and 2 boys) who were treated in our hospital between January 2009 and December 2010 due to central diabetes insipidus. All patients received contrast-enhanced brain MRI at presentation and during each follow-up: meanwhile, their anterior pituitary hormones and tumor markers including human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and alpha fetoprotein (AFP) were also determined.

RESULTSThree patients presented without prior evaluation, and two patients were referred to our hospital due to exaggerated disease of unknown cause. Their ages at presentation ranged from 8 years to 12 years 1 month, and the duration of symptoms at presentation was between 1 month to 78 months. All of them had polyuria and polydipsia at presentation. Except one child, the other 4 patients had growth retardation and failure in initiation of puberty. Although the growth rate and puberty development were normal during the 2-year follow-up for the excepted child, all child experienced anterior pituitary hypofunction and an increased concentration of plasma prolactin after the lesion became enlarged. Three patients had cerebral hernia, which presented in 18, 24, and 78 months, respectively. In three patients, brain MRI at presentation showed isolated pituitary stalk thickening, which further developed into massive tumor in the hypothalamus pituitary region 18-22 months later; in the remaining two patients, large brain tumor was found via MRI at their first presentations. In all five patients, the posterior pituitary gland (bright spot) disappeared on T1-weighted MRI images. CSF hCG elevated in all five patients, and serum hCG increased in four patients; the level of hCG varied with the mass size of tumor. Serum and CSF AFP increased in only one patient.

CONCLUSIONSPatients with idiopathic central diabetes insipidus must be closely followed to identify the etiology, especially when anterior pituitary hormone deficiencies are detected. For patients with normal brain MRI results or simply isolated pituitary stalk thickening at presentation, the changes of serial contrast-enhanced brain MRI should be observed during follow-up to ensure the early detection of an evolving occult hypothalamic-stalk lesion. Determination of CSF hCG at the first presentation may be useful, because an increased CSF level of hCG precedes MRI abnormalities.

Biomarkers, Tumor ; analysis ; blood ; cerebrospinal fluid ; Brain Neoplasms ; blood ; cerebrospinal fluid ; diagnosis ; Child ; Female ; Germinoma ; blood ; cerebrospinal fluid ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUNDThe results of clinical trials of rapamycin-eluting stents reduce restenosis have been quite promising. The main purpose of this study was to characterize the in vivo pharmacokinetics of high dose rapamycin (Rapa)-eluting stents in a miniswine coronary model.

METHODSTen miniswines underwent placement of 18 high dose Rapa-eluting stents in the left anterior descending and right coronary arteries. At the planned times of the 1.5th, 12th, 24th hour, 3th, 7th and 28th day, the animals (n = 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, and 2, respectively) were euthanized after completion of coronary angiography. Blood samples were obtained at 0, 10, 20, 30 minutes; 1, 2, 6, 24 hours; and 3, 7, 28 days to determine systemic Rapa levels. Rapa levels in whole blood, arterial wall, heart, renal and liver tissues were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectroscopy.

RESULTSPeak whole blood concentration (Cmax), time to peak concentration (tmax), elimination half-life (t1/2beta), area under the curve (AUC), and apparent systemic clearance (Cl/F) were (10.91 +/- 1.28) ng/ml, (2.0 +/- 0.2) hours, (7.25 +/- 0.63) hours, (1.15 +/- 0.11) ng x h x ml(-1), and (180 +/- 12) ml x h(-1) x kg(-1), respectively. More than 95% Rapa detected is localized in the coronary artery surrounding the stent and heart.

CONCLUSIONStent-based delivery of Rapa via a copolymer stent is feasible and safe. This strategy holds promise for the prevention of stent restenosis.

Animals ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Coronary Restenosis ; prevention & control ; Male ; Mass Spectrometry ; Sirolimus ; administration & dosage ; pharmacokinetics ; Stents ; Swine ; Swine, Miniature ; Tissue Distribution

Breast Neoplasms/surgery* ; Carcinoma in Situ ; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast ; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating/surgery* ; China ; Female ; Humans ; Mastectomy

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinicopathological features of non-familial colorectal cancer with high-frequency microsatellite instability (MSI-H).

METHODSOne hundred and fifty patients with colorectal cancer who had no family history were enrolled in this study from June 2006 to June 2008. Five standard microsatellite loci including BAT25, BAT26, D2S123, D5S346, and D17S250 were amplified with immunofluorescent polymerase chain reaction. The patient information including age, sex, and tumor location was recorded. Pathological features including differentiation, mucinous differentiation, histological heterogeneity, and Crohn's-like reaction were observed under light microscope. The presence of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TLs, CD4+ and CD8+) was detected by means of immunohistochemistry. A regression equation was obtained by stepwise logistic regression analysis to evaluate the relationship between MSI-H phenotype in colorectal cancer and pathological features.

RESULTSMSI-H phenotype occurred in 13.33% of the 150 patients with non-familial colorectal cancer. Poor differentiation, histological heterogeneity, Crohn's-like reaction, and presence of TLs were found to be independent factors to identify MSI-H non-familial colorectal cancer. Logistic regression equation showed an overall sensitivity of 70.0%, specificity of 99.2%, and accuracy of 95.3% in identifying MSI-H non-familial colorectal cancer.

CONCLUSIONMSI-H non-familial colorectal cancer manifests specific pathological features, which may be relied upon for effective identification of that disease.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Base Sequence ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; genetics ; DNA Primers ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Microsatellite Repeats ; genetics ; Middle Aged ; Phenotype ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVETo study the expression of CD138 and heparinase in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its relationship with tumor development, progression, metastasis and recurrence.

METHODSTissue microarray and immunohistochemical study (EnVision method) for CD138 and heparinase was performed on tissue microarray which consisted of 197 cases of HCC, including adjacent non-neoplastic liver tissues, and 66 cases of HCC metastases.

RESULTSThe rates of CD138 expression in HCC and adjacent non-neoplastic liver tissues were 48.7% (96/197) and 65.0% (128/197, P < 0.05) respectively. In early-stage and late-stage tumors, the expression rates were 61.7% (29/47) and 44.7% (67/150, P < 0.05) respectively. The rate in patients with metastasis was 33.3% (22/66), as compared with 53.6% (45/84, P < 0.05) in patients without metastasis. In patients with tumor recurrence occurring within or after 1 post-operative year, the expression rates were 23.3% (7/30) and 61.1% (11/18, P < 0.05) respectively. On the other hand, the rates of expression of heparinase in HCC and adjacent non-neoplastic liver tissues were 35.5% (70/197) and 12.7% (25/197, P < 0.05) respectively. In early-stage and late-stage tumors, the expression rates were 29.8% (14/47) and 37.3% (56/150, P > 0.05) respectively. The rate in patients with metastasis was 48.5% (32/66), as compared with 28.6% (24/84, P < 0.05) in patients without metastasis. In patients with tumor recurrence occurring within or after 1 post-operative year, the expression rates were 50.0% (15/30) and 44.4% (8/18, P > 0.05) respectively. In the 66 cases of metastatic HCC studied, the expression rate of CD138 was lower in the heparinase-positive subgroup (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSLoss of CD138 expression is related to HCC development, progression, metastasis and recurrence. Overexpression of heparinase, when coupled with loss of CD138 expression, may take part in tumor metastasis of HCC.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; metabolism ; secondary ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heparin Lyase ; metabolism ; Humans ; Liver ; metabolism ; Liver Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Neoplasm Staging ; Neoplastic Cells, Circulating ; metabolism ; Peritoneal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; secondary ; Portal Vein ; Syndecan-1 ; metabolism ; Tissue Array Analysis

OBJECTIVETo analyse the outcome of newly diagnosed adult acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients treated with HAA (homoharringtonine, cytarabine and aclarubicin) regimen and explore the efficacy and safety of this regimen.

METHODSEighty patients were treated with HAA regimen. The complete remission (CR) rate was observed. Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate relapse free survival (RFS) rate and the differences were compared with 2-sided log-rank test.

RESULTSOf the 80 patients, 65 (81%) attained CR and the CR rate after the first course of induction was 75%. For the CR patients, the median follow-up was 26 (2 -69) months, and the estimated 3-year overall survival (OS) rate was 51% and the estimated 3-year RFS was 53%. For the AML-M5 and AML-M /M2 patients the CR rate was 74% and 87% and 3 year RFS of CR patients was 75% and 37%, respectively. The CR rate of 100%, 83% and 20% was achieved in patients with favorable, intermediate and unfavorable cytogenetics, respectively. The 3 year OS for favorable and intermediate group was 76% and 50% respectively. The median survival time of unfavorable group was only 6 months.

CONCLUSIONHAA regimen is a safe, efficacious, and well-tolerable induction therapy for newly diagnosed AML.

Aclarubicin ; administration & dosage ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Cytarabine ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Harringtonines ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; drug therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult