Objective To study the effect of different dialysis modalities on pruritus in elderly maintenance hemodialysis patients.Methods Totally 51 patients were randomly divided into hemoperfusion combined with hemodialysis group (HD+ HP),hemodiafiltration group (HDF) and hemodialysis group (HD).Plasma β2-microglobulin(β2-MG) and intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) were measured by means of radio immunoassay at pre and post dialysis,4 weeks and 8 weeks after dialysis,cutaneous pruritus was scored.The remission rate of itching was calculated at 8 weeks after dialysis.The parameters were compared among different groups.Results The level of plasma β2-MG was lower in HD+HP group after dialysis than pre dialysis [(13.48±3.05)mg/L vs.(16.27±4.73) mg/L,t＝2.044,P＜0.05],at 4 weeks and 8 weeks after dialysis,its levels were decreased to (10.97±3.25)mg/L(t＝3.808,P＝0.002)and (6.47±2.35)mg/L(t＝7.650,P＝0.000),respectively.The levels of iPTH were also found decrease from(887.5 ± 242.7)ng/L to (688.3 ±223.4)ng/L(t＝3.384,P＝0.004)at 4 weeks and (467.2±102.5) ng/L(t＝6.578,P＝0.000) at 8weeks after dialysis in HD+HP group (all P＜0.01).There were differences of the levels of plasma β2-MG and iPTH at 4 weeks and 8 weeks after dialysis in HDF group (all P＜ 0.05),but no differences of the levels of plasma β2-MG and iPTH during every period were found in HD group(all P＞0.05).The scores of cutaneous pruritus were decreased from (21.17± 5.01) scores to (13.37±2.85) scores(t＝ 5.580,P＝0.000)at 4 weeks and (8.52±4.38) scores(t＝7.838,P＝0.000)at 8 weeks after dialysis in HD+ HP group,and also the scores at 4 and 8 weeks after dialysis in HDF group (all P＜0.01),but there were no significant differences of the scores during every period in HD group (all P＞0.05).The remission rate of itching was better in HD+ HP group than in HDF group [88.24％ (15/17 cases) vs.58.82％ (10/17 cases),x2＝14.44,P＝0.000],better in HDF group than in HD group 23.53％ (4/17 cases) (x2 ＝4.37,P＝0.037).Conclusions HD+HP is superior to HDF in efficiently clear β2-MG and iPTH,and relief cutaneous pruritus,but HD can poorly clear β2-MG and iPTH or relief itching.

Objective To analyze the therapeutic effect and prognosis of peritoneal dialysis in patients with end-stage polycystic kidney disease.Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on patients with polycystic kidney disease who were treated with peritoneal dialysis for more than 3 months between July 2007 and September 2016 in the Second Hospital Affiliated to Soochow University.A total of 45 patients were enrolled in this study.Another 45 patients of non-diabetic nephropathy were selected as the control group matched by gender,age,and time of PD initiation.The information of the two groups such as general data,dialysis related complications,incidence of peritonitis,prognosis was recorded.Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method and Log-rank test.The risk factors affecting patients' survival were analyzed with Cox regression model.Results There were no significant difference in pre-dialysis age,sex ratio,blood pressure,urine volume,body weight,eGFR,biochemical data,and the proportion of hypertension and diabetes mellitus in the polycystic kidney group and control group.24 h ultra-filtration volume,4 h D/Pcr,Kt/V and Ccr between the two groups showed no significant difference (all P ＞ 0.05).The incidence of peritonitis and the time of the first peritonitis in the two groups respectively as one episode per 82.4 months vs one episode per 81.5 months,(35.8±22.8) months vs (34.5±20.9) months had no statistical difference.The ratio of hernia (6.6％ vs 2.2％),thoracic and abdominal leakage (4.4％ vs 2.2％),dialysate leakage (0 vs 0),catheter dysfunction (4.4％ vs 6.6％),exit-site infections (11.1％ vs 6.6％),tunnel infections (4.4％ vs 2.2％) and non PD related infections (11.1％ vs 13.3％) had no significant difference.The 1-year,3-year,5-year patient survival of two groups respectively were 95.2％ vs 93.3％,78.9％ vs 75.0％,67.6％ vs 64.9％ (P=0.475),and 5-year technique survival was 78.7％ vs 76.7％ (P=0.623),demonstrating no obvious difference.Cox regression analysis showed that age and serum albumin were risk factors for the survival of patients.Conclusions The effect and prognosis of peritoneal dialysis in patients with polyeystic kidney and non polyeystic kidney were similar.Peritoneal dialysis is not the contraindication of polycystic kidney.Peritoneal dialysis can be used as a routine renal replacement therapy in patients with polycystic kidney disease.

OBJECTIVETo study lysosomes involvement in the degradation of ricin A chain.

METHODSA lysosome-targeted singal KFERQ was added to the C terminus of rRTA by DNA recombinant technology. A pKK223.3 expression system in E. coli was used to produce recombinant ricine A chain (rRTA) and rRTA-KFERQ. Recombinant proteins were purified by affinity chromatography using Blue-Sepharose 6B. The cytotoxicity of recombinant proteins was measured by the MTT method.

RESULTSRecombinant RTA-KFERQ was 49.87%, 54.18% and 88.68% less cytotoxic than RTA itself on the three cell lines HEPG2, Hela and A549, respectively.

CONCLUSIONLysosomes can degrade, but not completely inactivate RTA in different cells, suggesting cells may have other degradation pathways for RTA.

Chromatography, Affinity ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; HeLa Cells ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; pathology ; Lysosomes ; metabolism ; Recombinant Proteins ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Ricin ; genetics ; metabolism ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

OBJECTIVESome research has shown that androgen has a neuroprotection against hypoxia-ischemia brain damage (HIBD). However, the relevant mechanism has not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to explore the neuroprotection of androgen against HIBD in neonatal rats and the possible mechanism.

METHODSSixty-four seven-day-old Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly assigned into three groups: Sham-operation, HIBD and Androgen. The HIBD model was induced by ligation of the left carotid common artery along with hypoxia exposure in neonatal rats from the latter two groups. The Sham-operation group was not subjected to hypoxia-ischemia (HI). The Androgen intervention group received an injection of testosterone propionate (25 mg/kg) immediately after HIBD. Bcl-2 and Bax protein expressions in the cortex and hippocampal CA region were detected by immunohistochemical method at 6, 24 and 72 hrs and at 7 days after HI. The contents of SOD and MDA in the brain tissue homogenate were measured by the thiobarbituric acid (TBA) method and the xanthine oxidase luminescence method respectively at 6, 24 and 48 hrs after HI.

RESULTSThere were few Bcl-2 and Bax immune positive cells in the cortex or hippocampus in the left hemisphere in the Sham-operation group at 6 hrs after operation. This was significantly different from the HIBD control and Androgen intervention groups (P < 0.01). The expression of Bcl-2 protein in the cortex and hippocampus of the Androgen intervention group was significantly higher than that of the HIBD control group at 6, 24 and 72 hrs after HI (P < 0.05 or 0.01). The expression of Bax protein in the cortex and hippocampus of the Androgen intervention group was significantly lower than that of the HIBD control group at 24 hrs after HI (P < 0.05). The SOD content in the brain tissue homogenate of the HIBD control group was significantly reduced, in contrast, the MDA content in the brain tissue homogenate of the HIBD control group increased significantly at 6 hrs after HI compared with the Sham-operation group (P < 0.05). The SOD content was reduced to a nadir and the MDA content increased to a peak at 24 hrs after HI in the HIBD control group. Androgen intervention increased significantly the SOD activity at 6,24 and 48 hrs after HI and decreased significantly the MDA content at 6 and 24 hrs after HI as compared with the HIBD control group (P < 0.05 or 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe neuroprotection of androgen against neonatal HIBD is produced possibly through an increase of Bcl-2 protein expression and a reduction in Bax protein expression, thus decreasing neuronal apoptosis after HI. There may also be a reduction in the consumption of antioxidant and an inhibition of the formation of oxidant free radicals to alleviate neuronal damage following HI.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Brain Chemistry ; drug effects ; Female ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain ; drug therapy ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; analysis ; Neuroprotective Agents ; therapeutic use ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Testosterone Propionate ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; analysis

BACKGROUNDThe optimal surgical management of nonfunctional pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (NF-PNETs) is still controversial. Here, we evaluated the impact of lymph node status on postoperative recurrence in patients with NF-PNET and the potential of preoperative variables for predicting lymph node metastasis (LNM).

METHODSIn this mono-institutional retrospective cohort study conducted in 100 consecutive patients who underwent NF-PNET resection between January 2004 and December 2014, we evaluated risk factors for survival using the Kaplan-Meier method and the Cox regression model. Predictors of LNM were evaluated using the logistic regression model, and the power of predictive models was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis.

RESULTSFive-year disease-free survival of resected NF-PNET was 64.1%. LNM was independently associated with postoperative recurrence (hazard ratio = 3.995, P = 0.003). Multivariate analysis revealed tumor grade as an independent factor associated with LNM (G2 vs. G1: odds ratio [OR] =6.287, P = 0.008; G3 vs. G1: OR = 12.407, P = 0.001). When tumor grade was excluded, radiological tumor diameter >2.5 cm (OR = 5.430, P = 0.013) and presence of symptoms (OR = 3.366, P = 0.039) were significantly associated with LNM. Compared to neoplasms with radiological diameter >2.5 cm (32.1%), tumors ≤2.5 cm had an obviously lower risk of LNM (7.7%), indicating the reliability of this parameter in predicting LNM (area under the curve, 0.693). Incidentally discovered NF-PNETs ≤2.5 cm were associated with a low-risk of LNM and excellent survival.

CONCLUSIONSLNM is significantly associated with postoperative recurrence. Radiological tumor diameter is a reliable predictor of LNM in NF-PNETs. Our results indicate that lymphadenectomy in small (≤2.5 cm) NF-PNETs is not routinely necessary.

Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Logistic Models ; Lymph Node Excision ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; complications ; pathology ; surgery ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo analyze the mutational features of adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene and to explore the effect of mismatch repair (MMR) deficiency on its mutations in hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancers (HNPCC).

METHODSPCR-based in vitro synthesized protein test (IVSP) assay and sequencing analysis were used to confirm somatic mutations of whole APC gene in 19 HNPCC patients.

RESULTSEleven cases with thirteen mutations were determined. The frequency of APC mutation was 58%(11/19). The exhibiting mutations consisted of 9 frameshift mutations and 4 nonsense ones, indicating the existence of more frameshift mutations (69%). All of frameshift mutations were deletion or insertion of 1-2 bp and most of them (7/9) happened at simple nucleotide repeat sequences, particularly within (A) n tracts (5/9). All of four nonsense mutations resulted from C to T transitions at CpG sites.

CONCLUSIONMutational inactivations of APC gene were detected in more than half of HNPCC patients in this study, indicating that APC mutation is a common molecular event in the tumorigenesis of HNPCC. According to the location of frameshift mutations at simple nucleotide repeat sequences and point mutations at CpG sites, it was suggested that endogenous mechanisms like MMR deficiency might exert an effect on the nature of APC mutations in most HNPCC.

Adenomatous Polyposis Coli ; genetics ; Adenomatous Polyposis Coli Protein ; genetics ; metabolism ; Carcinoma ; genetics ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; Colorectal Neoplasms, Hereditary Nonpolyposis ; genetics ; Genes, APC ; physiology ; Humans

OBJECTIVETo study the ultrastructural changes of the rat convoluted seminiferous tubule after alcohol consumption.

METHODSForty-eight Wistar mature male rats were divided into two groups randomly: control group (A) and experimental one (B). 6 ml/(kg x d) of 50 degrees alcohol was perfused through the gastric tube for 39 days in Group B; and 6 ml/(kg x d) of normal saline was supplemented in Group A. The ultrastructure of the rat convoluted seminiferous tubule was observed by transmission electron microscope at day 14, 27 and 40.

RESULTSIn Group A, the pykno-basement membrane was unstriated and uniform, Sertoli cells showed cytoplasmic profusion, with big nucleus, well-distributed nucleoplasm, distinct nucleolus, more mitochondria and plain hierarchical tight-junction. And the ultrastructure of the rat convoluted seminiferous tubule in Group B began to change at the end of the first spermatogenic cycle (D 14) and changed more and more evidently with the ethanol administration, mainly as follows: (1) more lysosomes and vacuolisation found in Sertoli cells, and organelles decreased and blurry; (2) more and bigger vacuoles among the spermatogonia, Sertoli cells and basement membrane; (3) obvious apoptosis of spermatogonia and apoptotic bodies aggregated near the membrane; (4) more cytoplasm and vacuolisation in the sperm of the convoluted seminiferous tubule, and disarranged, deleted or clustered mitochondria in the sperm tail; (5) blurry and rigid tight-junction; (6) thickened, wrinkled or broken basement membrane and under-basement

CONCLUSIONAlcohol can cause ultrastructural changes of the basement membrane, tight-junction and Sertoli cells of the membrane. rat convoluted seminiferous tubule and apoptosis of spermatogonia.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Basement Membrane ; drug effects ; pathology ; Ethanol ; toxicity ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Seminiferous Tubules ; drug effects ; ultrastructure ; Sertoli Cells ; drug effects ; pathology

BACKGROUNDAccurate evaluation of response following chemotherapy treatment is essential for surgical decision making in patients with breast cancer. Modalities that have been used to monitor response to neo-adjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) include physical examination (PE), ultrasound (US), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of PE, US, and MRI in predicting the response to NAC in patients with breast cancer.

METHODSAccording to the response evaluation criteria in solid tumors guidelines, the largest unidimensional measurement of the tumor diameter evaluated by PE, US, and MRI before and after NAC was classified into four grades, including clinical complete response, clinical partial response, clinical progressive disease, clinical stable disease, and compared with the final histopathological examination.

RESULTSOf the 64 patients who received NAC, the pathologic complete response (pCR) was shown in 13 of 64 patients (20%). The sensitivity of PE, US, and MRI in predicting the major pathologic response was 73%, 75%, and 80%, respectively, and the specificity was 45%, 50%, and 50% respectively. For predicting a pCR, the sensitivity of PE, US, and MRI was 46%, 46%, and 39%, respectively, and the specificity was 65%, 98%, and 92% respectively.

CONCLUSIONSCompared with final pathologic findings, all these three clinical and imaging modalities tended to obviously underestimate the pCR rate. A more appropriate, universal, and practical standard by clinical and imaging modalities in predicting the response to neo-adjuvant chemotherapy in vivo is essential.

Adult ; Aged ; Breast Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Aged ; Physical Examination ; Ultrasonography

Renal angiomyolipoma is a type of benign tumor that occurs sporadically in addition to being associated with tuberous sclerosis. Preoperative embolization of large tumors is important to avoid excessive blood loss during surgery. We reported a patient with a 5505-g giant renal angiomyolipoma in a solitary kidney. The patient was treated with preoperative embolization and radical nephrectomy without complications. This type of treatment for an enormous angiomyolipoma can reduce the risk of uncontrolled hemorrhage caused by rupture of the tumor during the operation and should be considered for the treatment of similar tumors.
Adult ; Angiomyolipoma ; surgery ; Arteries ; surgery ; Embolization, Therapeutic ; methods ; Humans ; Kidney Neoplasms ; surgery ; Male

OBJECTIVETo investigate the safety and efficacy of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) for the treatment of obesity and related diseases.

METHODSClinical data of 67 patients who underwent LSG between December 2006 and July 2011 were analyzed retrospectively. Improvements in body mass index(BMI), percentage of excess weight loss(EWL), type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension and other comorbidities were observed at one year postoperatively.

RESULTSLaparoscopic procedures were completed in 67 patients without conversion. The operative time was(78±17) min. The postoperative hospital stay was(5.0±1.7) d. The postoperative recovery was uneventful and there were no perioperative death or severe postoperative complication. Sixty-four patients(95.5%) had a postoperative follow up of 1 year. One year after LSG, BMI decreased by(10.4±3.7) kg/m(2) from (37.7±4.1) kg/m(2) preoperatively and EWL was(80.2±27.7)%. In 13 cases of type 2 diabetes mellitus, 7 patients (53.8%, 7/13) were weaned off hypoglycemic agents or insulin. In 11 cases of hypertension, 5 required no medications(45.5%, 5/11). The remission rate was both 100%. There was significant resolution or improvement of other obesity-related comorbidiities, including hyper-triglyceridemia(n=51), hyperuricemia(n=42), sleep apnea syndrome (n=2), osteoarticular disease (n=9), and acanthosis (n=8).

CONCLUSIONSLSG is safe and feasible for the treatment of obesity and can cure or improve type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension and other obesity related comorbidities.

Adult ; Comorbidity ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; complications ; Female ; Gastrectomy ; methods ; Humans ; Hypertension ; complications ; Laparoscopy ; methods ; Male ; Obesity ; complications ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome