Objective　To evaluate the effect of palliative resection of advanced primary hepatocellular carcinoma (PHCC). Methods　98 patients with advanced PHCC were divided randomly into two groups in our hospital from March 1996 to Jan. 2000:(1) Therapy group (49 cases), dealt with palliative resection of liver cancer and implanted with a drug delivery system (DDS). (2) Control group (49 cases), only implanted with DDS. Results　In therapy group and control group, The decline rate of AFP was 60.0% and 31.7% respectively (P<0.05); and the survival rates of 0.5, 1, 3 　years after operation were 85.7% 　(42/49), 60.5%(23/38), 45.4%(10/22) and 　67.3%(33/49), 32.5%(13/40), 　10%(2/20) (P<0.05). Conclusions　Palliative resection of liver cancer can improve survival duration and life quality of patients with advanced HCC.

Objective To investigate autoantibody against endothelin receptor type A (ENRA-Ab) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus associated pulmonary arterial hypertension (SLE-PAH).The possibility of autoantibody-mediated pathogenesis in the development of SLE-PAH has also been explored.Methods ENRA-Ab in the serum of SLE-PAH and controls were detected by using a human ETRA epitope peptide-based ELISA.The clinical relevance of ENRA-Ab in SLE-PAH was analyzed.Proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and permeability of endothelial cells in vitro under the stimulation of polyclonal ENRA-Ab IgG were assessed.The expressions of PAH-related markers, i.e., 5-HTT, PDGFR-b, VEGF-A and PDGF-B were measured by qPCR.The effect of ENRA-Ab in vivo was also determined in a suboptimaldose monocrotaline-induced model with the assessment of right ventricle hypertrophy index and pathology parameters.Independent t-test, Tukey-Kramer test of variance analysis and Pearson' s correlation analysis were used for statistical analysis.Results ENRA-Abs was presented in a higher occurrence in SLE-PAH (35/85,41％) compared with controls (0/60;0, 13/80, 16％).There was a significant correlation between ENRA-Ab and echocardiograph estimated pulmonary arterial systolic pressure (r=0.392, P=0.002) in SLE-PAH.ENRA-Ab could promote SMCs proliferation, disrupt endothelial barrier and up-regulate PAH-related markers expression,which could be blocked in the presence of ETR antagonist.ENRA-Ab aggravated right ventricle hypertrophy and vascular remodeling in vivo.Conclusion ENRA-Ab is a new biomarker, in SLE-PAH, which may mediate PAH development in SLE.

Objective To analyze the 5-year survival rate,causes of death and prognostic indicators of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on 243 newly diagnosed SLE patients who Were admitted into our hospital from 1998 to 2005.The clinical features and serologic data were studied.Survival rate of SLE patients over time was studied by the Kaplan-Meier method,and prognostic indicators of mortality were studied by Cox proportional hazards models.Results The 1-,3- and 5-yr survival rate was 96%,94% and 91%,respectively.Renal failure and infection were the main causes of death,followed by lupus encephalotmthy and pulmonary hypertension.Cox regression analysis revealed that lupus nephritis and lupus encephalopathy at the diagnosis were independent risk determinants for mortality.However,age,sex,low C3 level,positive anti-dsDNA antibody,hematological abnormalities,lupus lung involvement and heart damages at diagnosis and immunosuppressant treatment had no strong association with survival.Conclusion Early diagnosis,control of SLE organ damage and infection prevention are critical to improve survival of SLE patients.

Objective To study the expressions of Hepcidin,bone morphogenetic protein 6 (BMP6) and hemojuvelin (HJV) in gastric cancer,and to explore their relationships with clinical pathological characteristics.Methods Hepcidin,BMP6 and HJV were detected by immunohistochemistry in 62 cases of gastric cancer patients,and the relationships among them and clinical pathological features were analyzed.Results Compared with normal gastric mucosa tissues,Hepcidin was highly expressed in gastric cancer tissues (13.3％ vs.56.5％,x2 =8.99,P ＜ 0.01),while the differences of the expression of BMP6 and HJV in the two groups were not statistically significant (60.0％ vs.40.3 ％,x2 =1.89,P ＞ 0.05;93.3％ vs.83.9％,x2 =0.88,P ＞ 0.05).The expression of Hepcidin was related to T stage (x2 =6.98,P =0.02),but it was not related to age,sex,lymph node metastasis,distant metastasis and anemia.The expressions of BMP6 and HJV were not related to T stage,age,sex,lymph node metastasis,distant metastasis and anemia.Hepcidin was not related to the expressions of BMP6 and HJV (r=0.13,P＞0.05;r=0.15,P＞0.05).Conclusion Hepcidin is highly expressed in gastric cancer tissues,which is related to the T staging of gastric cancer,and can be used as an objective indicator of the biological behavior of gastric cancer.There were no differences in the expression of BMP6 and HJV between normal gastric mucosa and gastric cancer tissues.

To meet the challenges of the current evaluation system for the residents , the department of internal medicine of Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) developed a new on-line system.This new system, not only solved the problems of the current system , but also had several advantages as manpower saving , real-time update , back-to-back evaluation , convenience in comparison .This promising system is a possible solution to simi-lar problems in other institutions .

OBJECTIVETo analyse the relationship between the electrical activity changes of nucleus accumbens (NAc) shell and the drug-seeking behavior by recording NAc shell electrical activity in conditioned place preference (CPP) rats induced by morphine.

METHODSForty SD rats were randomly divided into operation-only control group and the morphine-induced CPP group after stereotaxic electrode was buried on rats NAc shell and the latter group was used to establish the morphine CPP model(n = 20). A CPP video system combining with the technique of electrical activity wireless telemetry was used in the study. The NAc electrical activity from each group of rats was recorded by wireless telemetry respectively, which included staying in black or white chamber of video box, shuttling between black-white chambers and between white-black chambers. The electrical activity differences were analyzed by the percentage of each wave.

RESULTSWhen the morphine-induced rats staying in black chamber, compared with the operation-only control group, the NAc shell electrical activity showed that the percentage of 0 - 10 Hz was increased(P < 0.05), meanwhile, those of 10 - 20 Hz and 30 - 40 Hz were reduced(P < 0.05, P < 0.01); when the morphine-induced rats staying in white chamber, the NAc shell electrical activity showed that the percentage of 0 - 10 Hz and 30 - 40 Hz were increased(P < 0.05 , P < 0.01) , that of 10 - 20 Hz was reduced(P < 0.05 , P < 0. 01); when the morphine-induced rats in black- white shuttling status, the NAc shell electrical activity showed that the percentage of 0 - 10 Hz was increased(P <0.05, P <0.01), that of 10- 30 Hz was reduced( P <0.05); and in the white-black shuttling status, the electrical activity showed that the percentage of 0 - 10 Hz was reduced(P <0.05), that of 10 - 30 Hz was increased(P < 0.05) ; the electrical activity was further compared between staying status and shuttling status in the morphine-induced CPP group. There was no significant difference of electrical activity between the rats in white-black shuttling status and staying in white chamber. However, when rats in black-white shuttling status, compared with staying in black chamber, the electrical activity showed that the percentage of 0 - 10 Hz and 40 - 50 Hz were increased(P < 0.05), meanwhile, those of 10 - 20 Hz and 30 - 40 Hz were reduced(P <0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe electrical activity changes of NAc shell in morphine-induced CPP rats were different from those of the operation-only control group, and these changes might be associated to the rat's drug-seeking behavior.

Animals ; Conditioning (Psychology) ; Drug-Seeking Behavior ; Morphine ; pharmacology ; Nucleus Accumbens ; drug effects ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Telemetry

OBJECTIVETo study the correlation between EEG characteristics of medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and drug-seeking behavior of rats with morphine dependent place preference under shuttling condition.

METHODSForty rats were randomly divided into four groups (n = 10): morphine PL group, NS PL group, morphine IL group and NS IL group. After embeding the electrode in prelimbic (PL) or infralimbic (IL) cortex of each group by brain stereotaxic operation, the model of morphine dependent conditioned place preference (CPP) in rats was established. The differences of EEG wave percentage in mPFC were telemetered and analyzed when rats shuttled before and after the model.

RESULTSAfter the model, the withdrawal symptoms were evident in morphine PL and IL group, and the activity time and distance in white box were increased obviously. Compared with control group, after the model, the EEG in morphine PL group showed that: when the rats shuttled to white box, 8 wave decreased obviously, P wave increased obviously. When the rats shuttled to black box, brain waves showed opposite changes. The EEG in morphine IL group showed that: when the rats shuttled to white box, a wave increased obviously, P and a wave decreased obviously. When the rats shuttled to black box, the brain wave had no significant differences compared with control group.

CONCLUSIONThe EEG changes are different in PL and IL cortex of morphine CPP rats under shuttling condition, and the EEG changes are also different when rats shuttling to white or black box. There is possibly different mechanism, when different drug-seeking environmental cues caused EEG changes in different regions of mPFC.

Animals ; Conditioning (Psychology) ; Cues ; Drug-Seeking Behavior ; Electroencephalography ; Morphine Dependence ; physiopathology ; Prefrontal Cortex ; physiopathology ; Rats ; Telemetry

Objective Combination of nanoparticle with p53 and Rb gene therapy by gene targeting was applied to investigate its curative effect and safety evaluation on colorectal rabbit hepatic VX2 metastasis for tumor eradication and survival enhancement. Methods Recombinant expressing plasmids harboring wild type p53 and Rb were cotransferred or transferred separately to the rabbit hepatic VX2 metastasis by the emulsion of PLL-nHAP nanoplex and lipodiol through the hepatic artery in a tumor target manner. Subsequent co-expressions of p53 and Rb protein within the treated tumors were detected by Western blot and in situ analysis of confocal laser scanning microscope. The therapeutic effect was evaluated by the tumor growth velocity and the survival time of animals. Eventually, investigations of liver function were applied to evaluate the safety of the process. Results With safe procedure for the rabbits liver function, both p53 and Rb local nano-therapy showed favorable anti-tumor effects and increased animal survival time. p53+Rb local nano-therapy could significantly inhibit hepatic VX2 metastasis and enhance the animal survival time compared with p53 local nano-therapy or Rb local nano-therapy. Local nano-therapy showed no significant influence to animal liver function. Conclusions Rb can work synergistically with p53 in the combined therapy mediated by PLL-nHAP nanoplex to augment the anti-tumor effect. The local nano-therapy with p53 and Rb is likely to be an effective and safe anti-tumor therapy for hepatic colorectal metastasis.

Objeetive To explore the differentiation of B lymphocytes and expression of B7-related protein-1 (B7RP-1)on B lymphocytes in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE).Methods Three-color immunofluorescent staining and flow cytometric assay were used to analyze the frequency of three types of B lymphocytes,I.e.,plasma cells,memory B lyphocytes and naive B lymphocytes,as well as the expression of B7RP-1 on these cells in peripheral blood from 23 patients with SLE and 16 normal human controls.Clinical data of these patients with SLE were collected.and SLE disease activi index(SLEDAI)was also evaluated.The relationship was assessed between the expression of B7RP-1 and SLEDAI.Results The frequency of plasma cells was highest in patients with active SLE.followed by patients with inactive SLE and normal human controls(P＜0.01).A significant decrease was observed in the frequency of memory B lymphocytes in patients with active SLE compared with normal controls (P＜0.01),but no significant difference was found between patients with inactive SLE and those with active SLE(P＞0.05).Regarding the frequency of naive B lymphocytes,there was no significant difierence among the three groups.Increased frequency of plasma cells was also noted in patients with lupus nephritis(LN)compared with those without LN [(6.15±3.12)%vs(3.31±1.41)%,P＜0.05 ],but no significant difierence was found with regard to the frequency of memory or naive B lymphocytes between these two groups.The expression rate Of B7RP-1 was significantly lower on total lymphocytes from patients with SLE than from normal human controls (46.51%vs 63.75%,P＜0.05),which was the case with B7RP-1 on plasma cells,memory B lyphocytes and naive B lymphocytes (all P＜0.01),whereas no significant difierence was found between patients with inactive SLE and active SLE or between patients with and without LN.In addition.no correlation was found between the expression of B7RP-1 and SLEDAI(r=0.035,P＞0.05).Conclusions In peripheral blood of patients with SLE,the frequency of plasma cells is increased,while the expression of B7RP-1 on lymphocytes is decreased,which may be relevant to the pathogenesis of SLE.

Objective To evaluate superselective transcatheter arterial chemoembolization ( TACE) plus selective portal vein embolization (SPVE) and large dose of lipiodol on advanced primary liver carcinoma (PHC).Methods Two hundred and three cases of advanced PHC were randomly divided into group treated with ordinary TACE, and that with TACE +SPVE. Results The response rate (CR+PR) was 38% in TACE group and 59% in TACE+SPVE group (P