OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of Telbivudine (LDT) Tablet combined with Jianpi Bushen Recipe (JBR) on serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) and HBeAg seroconversion in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients.

METHODSTotally 90 HBeAg-positive and human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A2 positive CHB patients were randomly assigned to the treatment group and the control group, 45 cases in each group. Patients in the treatment group took LDT Tablet (600 mg, once per day) combined with JBR granule (twice per day), while those in the control group took LDT Tablet alone. The therapeutic course for all was one year. HBV DNA negative conversion rate, HBeAg seroconversion rate, and level of HBV specific CTL were compared after 1 year treatment; liver function, drug resistance mutations, and adverse reactions were also compared between the two groups.

RESULTSAfter 1 year treatment, HBV DNA negative conversion rate and HBeAg seroconversion rate were 88.89% (40/45) and 40.00% (18/45) in the treatment group, higher than those of the control group [68.89% (31/45) and 20.00% (9/45)], with statistical difference (P < 0.05). Level of HBV specific CTL in the treatment group was 0.78% +/- 0.09% after treatment, higher than that of the control group after 1 year treatment (0.54% +/- 0.11%) and that before treatment (0.36% +/- 0.07%), with statistical difference (P < 0.01). Level of HBV specific CTL in 27 patients with HBeAg seroconversion was 0.81% 0.10%, higher than that of 63 patients without HBeAg seroconversion (0.60% +/- 0.09%), with statistical difference (P < 0.01). ALT returned to normal in 44 cases of the treatment group (97.78%), while it was 42 cases (93.33%) of the control group, with no statistical difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). Total bilirubin (TBil) in the two groups all turned to normal. rtM204I variation occurred in 1 case (2.22%) of the treatment group and 2 cases (4.44%) in the control group. No obvious adverse reaction occurred in the two groups.

CONCLUSIONLDT Tablet combined with JBR could elevate levels of HBV specific CTL and HBeAg seroconversion in CHB patients.

Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B virus ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Seroconversion ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic ; immunology ; Tablets ; Thymidine ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo study the differential gene expression profiles related to toxic effects in rats exposed to silica.

METHODSWistar rats exposed to SiO2 (50 mg/ml) and 1 ml normal saline by intratracheal injection served as the exposure and control groups, on the 14th day after exposure all rats were executed and the rat lung tissues were obtained. The differential gene expression profiles in the lung tissues of rats exposed to silica were detected using confocal fiber beads gene chip technique, and the differential expression profiling data were analyzed using the database for annotation, visualization and integrated discovery (DAVID) bioinformation analysis tool.

RESULTSThe results of present study indicated that 1567 genes with differential expression were identified in 22107 genes of rat lung tissues in exposure group, including 765 up-regulated genes and 802 down-regulated genes as compared to control group. In the 461 genes related to toxic effects, 285 genes were up-regulated and 176 genes were down-regulated in exposure group. The trends of up-regulation of HMOX1 and SOD2 genes in RT-PCR assay were similar to those in gene chip technique.

CONCLUSIONA large number of genes related to toxic effects in the rats with silica-induced pulmonary fibrosis appeared up-regulation or down-regulation. There may be a complex gene regulation network in the pulmonary fibrosis induced by SiO2, and the toxicological mechanism is an important part in the development of pulmonary fibrosis.

Animals ; Lung ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Pulmonary Fibrosis ; chemically induced ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Silicon Dioxide ; toxicity ; Transcriptome

OBJECTIVEChronic airway inflammation is associated with the polarization of TH2 cells in asthma. Prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) plays an important role in the polarization of TH2 cells. This study aimed to investigate the changes of PGD2 receptors (DP1/CRTH2) on T lymphocytes and their significance in asthma.

METHODSSeventy-two children with asthma were assigned to two groups: acute attack (n=42) and remission (n=30). Thirty-five healthy children were used as the control group. Plasma levels of TH2 cytokines IL-4 and IL-5, and TH1 cytokine INF-gamma were detected using ELISA. Radiological binding assay (RBA) was used to measure the contents of DP1/CRTH2 receptors on T cells in peripheral blood (PPB).

RESULTSThe total combining contents of DP and CRTH2 on T cells in PPB in the acute attack and the remission groups were significantly higher than those in the control group (p<0.01). There was no significant difference in the DP1 content among the three groups. Serum levels of IL-4 and IL-5 significantly increased (p<0.01), in contrast, serum levels of TH1 cytokine IFN-gamma were significantly reduced in the acute attack and the remission groups compared with those in the control group (p<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe total combining contents of DP and CRTH2 on T cells increased, serum levels of TH2 cytokines also increased, but serum levels of TH1 cytokine decreased significantly in the acute attack and the remission phases in children with asthma. This showed that a polarization of TH2 cells occurred in children with asthma and suggested that CRTH2 antagonism may be a new target for the treatment of asthma.

Asthma ; etiology ; immunology ; therapy ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Chromosome Mapping ; Cytokines ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Receptors, Immunologic ; blood ; Receptors, Prostaglandin ; blood ; T-Lymphocytes ; chemistry ; Th2 Cells ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo explore changes of Clara cell protein (CC16) and surfactant protein-D (SP-D) in the serum of patients with silicosis.

METHODThe concentrations of CC16 and SP-D were measured in the serum by sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The subjects consisted of 30 healthy volunteers and 90 silica-exposed workers including silica-exposed group, the silicosis of suspects group (0(+)) and the silicosis phase I group, 30 subjects each groups.

RESULTSThe concentrations of CC16 in the serum was significantly decreased in silica-exposed workers compared to controls (P < 0.01); The concentrations of CC16 in the serum were higher in lifelong nonsmokers than the current smokers in control subjects (P < 0.05), but they were no differences between lifelong nonsmokers and current smokers of 90 silica-exposed workers. Compared with control subjects, the levels of SP-D in the serum of silicosis suspects (0(+)) and silicosis phase I groups were significantly elevated (P < 0.01, respectively), which were also higher than silica-exposed group (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively), Discriminant equations set by CC16 and SP-D were used in diagnosis of silicosis, and the rate of accuracy in healthy volunteers, the silica-exposed group and the silicosis phase I group were 86.7%, 86.7% and 76.7%, respectively, The total rate of correct classification hit 84.2%.

CONCLUSIONThe serum CC16 of long-term silica-exposed workers is decreased, and SP-D is increased gradually.

Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Epithelial Cells ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein D ; blood ; Silicosis ; blood ; Uteroglobin ; blood

OBJECTIVETo observe the neurologic damage in rat hippocampus after electromagnetic field (EMF) acute or chronic irradiation and research the protective effects of Chinese medicine diet (CMD) which comprised ferulic acid, ginsenoside, astragalus polysaccharide and rhodiola sachalinensis.

METHODSEighty rats were divided into ten groups (n = 8): normal diet with shame irradiation group (NS), normal diet with chronic irradiation group (NCI), three groups of normal diet with acute irradiation after 3 h, 24 h, 72 h (NAI), Chinese medicine diet with shame irradiation group (CS), Chinese medicine diet with chronic irradiation group (CCI), three groups of Chinese medicine diet with acute irradiation after 3 h, 24 h, 72 h (CAI). The chronic EMF irradiation were performed by electromagnetic wave at 15 W/cm2 for 20 min everyday for 8 weeks continuously. The acute EMF irradiation were performed by electromagnetic wave at 65 W/cm2 for 20 min after feeding with CMD for 8 weeks. The learning and memory were evaluated by Morris water maze before/after electromagnetic wave irradiation. The apoptotic cells in hippocampus was detected by Tunel staining. The peroxidation damage of EMF and the protective effect of CMD intervention were assayed by measuring superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and reactive oxygen species (ROS).

RESULTSThe acute and chronic EMF irradiation disturbed the ability of learning and memory significantly (P < 0.05), CMD intervention markedly antagonized this effect. The apoptotic cells in hippocampus increased evidently after EMF irradiation (P < 0.05), but CMD intervention reduced the apoptotic cells. The acute and chronic EMF irradiation induced the oxidative stress by down-regulating SOD activity, GSH-Px activity, ROS inhibiting and up-regulating the content of MDA obviously (P < 0.05), and CMD intervention reduced peroxidation damage significantly (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe acute and chronic EMF irradiation could initiate neurologic damage in hippocampus. CMD intervention has protective effect on the impaired learning and memory, the neuron apoptosis, the peroxidation damage induced by EMF irradiation. CMD intervention plays a significant protective role in antagonizing neurologic damage in the later stage of acute irradiation and chronic irradiation.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Electromagnetic Fields ; adverse effects ; Female ; Hippocampus ; radiation effects ; Male ; Oxidation-Reduction ; Oxidative Stress ; Phytotherapy ; Radiation Injuries, Experimental ; drug therapy ; Rats ; Reactive Oxygen Species

PURPOSE: G-protein coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER) probably play important roles in the progression of breast cancer including endocrine therapeutic resistance. We evaluated GPER in primary breast cancers. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry was used to detect GPER in paraffin-embedded tissues of primary breast cancers from 423 patients and GPER expression was correlated with clinicopathological factors. RESULTS: GPER was expressed in 63.8% of specimens, coexpressed with estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) in 36.6% of tumors and was positive in 62.5% of the ERalpha-negative tumors. The expression of GPER had no relationship with the status of ERalpha, progesterone receptor and HER2. Although the expression of GPER was significantly inversely related with nodal status (p=0.045), no correlation between GPER expression and other clinicopathological variables (age, menstruation status, tumor size, stage, histologic grade, Nottingham Prognostic Index or pathological type) was found. CONCLUSION: GPER and ERalpha exhibited independent expression pattern of distribution in primary breast cancers. A long-term follow-up and a more definite molecular phenotype for ER are necessary in confirming studies.
Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Estrogen Receptor alpha ; Estrogens ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; GTP-Binding Proteins ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Menstruation ; Phenotype ; Receptors, Progesterone

OBJECTIVETo study the etiology and preventive measures of the long-term postoperative complication after esophageal replacement with colon for esophageal benign disease.

METHODSTo review the clinical data of 577 patients with esophageal replacement with colon our department, including 123 cases of esophageal benign disease. Of all, there were 25 cases-time for 11 cases following with severe complication: redundancy and dilated colon 12 cases-time, severe stricture of stoma 4, macrocyst esophagus 2, colon-stomach stoma expansion 4, mechanical obstruction of colon 3. The etiology included iatrogenic and functionality. The therapy included stricture form or resection, redundancy segment resection, obstructed segment solution and stoma resection and form.

RESULTSEight cases underwent once operation, 2 case twice, 1 case three times. After operation, 9 cases took food normally, 2 improved symptoms obviously.

CONCLUSIONSThe iatrogenic and functionality factor contributed to severe complication after esophageal replacement with colon for esophageal benign disease. The preventive measure is followed during operation: cervical esophageal-colon anastomosis exceed 2.5 centimeter, abdominal colon-stomach anastomosis reflux, channel width of colon passage, intestinal canal lay up straight. Re-operation is best choice to for local stricture, colon expansion, redundancy and dilated colon.

Adult ; Colon ; surgery ; Esophageal Diseases ; surgery ; Esophagoplasty ; adverse effects ; methods ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology ; prevention & control ; surgery ; Reoperation ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the feasibility, safety and short-term outcomes of laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy for advanced gastric cancer.

METHODSFrom January 2007 to June 2008, 135 patients with advanced gastric cancer in the lower or middle stomach were operated, of whom 66 underwent laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy(LADG) with D2 dissection of lymph nodes and 69 received conventional open D2 distal gastrectomy(ODG). Clinical data were recorded and compared between the two groups.

RESULTSThere were no significant differences in age, gender, and TNM staging between LADG and ODG(all P>0.05). All the patients in the LADG group underwent gastrectomy and lymph nodes dissection successfully without conversion to open surgery and no operative deaths occurred. The operative time was significantly longer for the LADG group than for the ODG group[(266.1±55.1) min vs. (223.8±26.8) min)]. The patients in the laparoscopic surgery group had less blood loss[(131.9±88.7) ml vs.(342.3±178.7) ml], earlier recovery of bowel activity[(3.18±1.22) d vs.(4.50±1.59) d], and shorter hospitalization time[(9.20±3.39) d vs. (11.35±4.61) d]. No significant differences were found in the total number of retrieved lymph nodes(25.81±12.53 vs. 27.47±10.28). The morbidity of complications was comparable between two groups(6.1% vs. 15.94%). No mortality and recurrence were observed during a follow-up period of 1-19 months.

CONCLUSIONSLADG with D2 lymph node dissection is a safe and feasible procedure with adequate lymphadenectomy for advanced gastric cancer.

Female ; Gastrectomy ; methods ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Laparotomy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo study the differential gene expression profiling of rats exposed to silica using the normal rats as control.

METHODSAnimal models were established using intratracheal injection of the lung and 22 107 genes were screened in the differential expression profiling of silicosis by using oligonucleotide bead array. Differential expression profiling data were analyzed by using DAVID bioinformation software.

RESULTSTotally 1567 differentially expressed genes were identified in lungs of silica exposed rats including 765 up-regulated genes and 802 down-regulated genes as compared to the normal controls. Among 406 annotated genes in KEGG pathways, 204 genes and 11 pathways were up-regulated as well as 202 genes and 3 pathways were down-regulated in silica exposed rats.

CONCLUSIONAll 1567 genes are involved in the formation of silicosis. The differential gene expression profile of silicosis describes the general changes in the gene expressions in silicosis at transcriptional level. Further analysis of the identified genes might help reveal the molecular mechanism of pulmonary fibrosis induced by silica.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Lung ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Pulmonary Fibrosis ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Silicosis ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology

OBJECTIVEVulvar epithelioid sarcoma is a rare, undifferentiated soft-tissue sarcoma, with a high rate of local relapse, regional nodal spread and distant metastases. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical features, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of this malignancy.

METHODSWe studied the clinicopathologic features of 20 cases of vulvar epithelioid sarcoma, of which 4 cases were admitted to our hospital from 1999 to 2009. All of the patients received radical local excision with inguinofemoral lymphadenectomy. Seven patients were treated without adjuvant therapy. Seven patients received postoperative radiotherapy only and three underwent chemotherapy. Chemotherapy plus radiotherapy were given postoperatively in three.

RESULTSThe patients ranged in age from 23 to 80 years (median: 36 y). The tumors ranged from 1 to 10 cm in their greatest diameter (median: 5.1 cm). All cases showed immunoreactivity for both vimentin and cytokeratin. Follow-up information on all 20 patients was available, and covered periods ranging from 3 to 104 months.11 patients were alive with no evidence of disease. 2 patients developed lymph node metastases but alive. 7 patients had died of the disease. Survival of the early stage (I-II) patients was significantly longer than those in the advanced stage (III-IV) (median, 21 vs. 6 months, P < 0.01). There was no significant difference between survival of patients with or without inguinofemoral lymphadenectomy (median, 11.5 vs. 6 months, P = 0.086).

CONCLUSIONSBecause of the relatively frequent misdiagnosis, a differential diagnosis combined with immunohistochemistry is needed to determine an early and accurate diagnosis. The tumor markers exhibiting immunoreactivity includ vimentin, epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) and cytokeratin (CK). Radical local excision with adequate margin (at least 2 cm) and bilateral inguinofemoral lymphadenectomy is effective for the treatment of vulvar epithelioid sarcoma. The role of adjuvant therapy, chemotherapy and radiation remains unclear but merits consideration.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Keratins ; metabolism ; Lymph Node Excision ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Middle Aged ; Mucin-1 ; metabolism ; Neoplasm Staging ; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant ; Retrospective Studies ; Sarcoma ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; radiotherapy ; surgery ; Soft Tissue Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; radiotherapy ; surgery ; Survival Rate ; Vimentin ; metabolism ; Vulva ; surgery ; Vulvar Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; radiotherapy ; surgery ; Young Adult