Objective To investigate the etiology, clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of regional portal hypertension (RPH).Methods The clinical data of 26 patients with RPH treated in Beijing Chaoyang Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University between January 2005 and June 2010 were analyzed with retrospective analysis.The first symptom, routine analysis of blood, liver function test, hepatitis B and C markers, tumor markers, abdominal ultrasound, abdominal enhanced CT, endoscopy findings of 26 patients and the results of abdominal CT angiography (CTA) of 16cases were analyzed.Results Pancreatic disease (18 cases) was the leading cause of RPH.The main clinical manifestations of splenomegaly in 26 cases, irregularly abdominal pain in 14 cases, and upper gastrointestinal bleeding in 10 cases.Isolated gastric varices were revealed by endoscopy in 25 cases,complicated with lower esophageal varices in 1 case.4 cases with endoscopic tissue glue injection in gastric variceal bleeding, splenectomy in 4 cases, 2 cases with splenectomy and pericardialdevascularization, 2 cases with splenectomy, pancreatic tail resection and spleno-renal shunt, 3 cases with splenic embolization treatment.Conclusions RPH often accompanied by pancreatic disease,manifested as splenomegaly, hypersplenism, but normal liver function, absence of liver cirrhosis.Isolated gastric varices is the characteristic features of RPH.RPH caused by benign diseases is curable.Splenectomy is more effective than simple endoscopic hemostasis in RPH associated with gastrointestinal bleeding.

Objective To investigate the factors affecting health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD).Methods HRQOL was measured with SF-36v2 Chinese version.All patients with CLD diagnosed between December 2009 and May 2011 in Liver Research Center,Beijing Friendship Hospital and Digestive Department,Beijing Chaoyang Hospital were enrolled in this study.Patients with CLD were divided into 4 groups according to their Child-Turcotte-Pugh scores:no cirrhosis,Child's classes A,B,and C.Demographic and clinical data were collected in each group.Results A total of 392 patients with CLD and 91 healthy controls were included.HRQOL in patients with CLD was lower than that in healthy controls.Physical component score (PCS) in healthy controls was 54.6 ± 5.5,and in CLD was 47.8 ± 8.8 (t =9.343,P ＜ 0.01).Mental component score (MCS) in healthy controls was 56.4 ± 8.1,and in CLD was 51.7 ± 7.4 (t =5.302,P ＜ 0.01).Increasing severity of CLD from no cirrhosis to advanced cirrhosis was associated with a decrease on HRQOL,PCS scores were 53.1 ± 5.9,48.7 ± 6.6,42.4 ± 7.1 and 37.2 ± 8.9 (F =93.353,P ＜ 0.01) ; MCS scores were 53.2 ± 4.8,52.7 ±6.5,51.8 ±7.5,and 46.8 ± 7.5 (F =11.325,P ＜0.01),for no patients with cirrhosis,Child's classes A,B and C respectively.Stepwise linear regression analysis showed that severity of disease,age,present ascites,present varices,and prothrombin time had significant effects on physical health area (F =100.893,P ＜ 0.010).Severity of disease,female gender,present varices,total bilirubin,prothrombin time and hemoglobin had significant effects on mental health area (F =19.237,P ＜ 0.010).Conclusions Patients with CLD have reduced HRQOL.Increasing severity of CLD is associated with a decreasing HRQOL.Old age,female gender,advanced stage of CLD,present ascites,hyperbilirubinemia and prolonging prothrombin time are risk factors for reducing HRQOL.

Objective To evaluate the feasibility of using comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) in estimating if standard dose treatment is fit for the elderly patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma.Methods.Comprehensive geriatric assessments including three assessments of activity of daily living,instrumental activity of daily living and comorbidity scoring according to Cumulative Illness Rating Score for Geriatrics were adopted to assess if standard dose treatment is fit for the elderly patients in our prospective study.Thirty seven patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma,aged ＞70 years were enrolled in the study,and grouped into fit,unfit and frail groups according to comprehensive geriatric assessment scoring and their age.The treatment protocolswere not determined by comprehensive geriatric assessment scores,but by clinical judgments made by clinicians based on their clinical experience and disease features.The clinically effective response and overall survival (OS) were analyzed in the three groups.Results According to CGA scores,patients were grouped into fit [21 cases (56.8％)],unfit [7 (18.9％)] and frail [9 (24.3％)].37 cases received 213 courses of treatment at average 5.76 courses per case.The overall response (complete / partial remission) rates were [85.7％(18/21) vs.28.6％ (2/7) vs.44.4％ (4/9),x2=9.69,P=0.008] and median survival times were (44 months vs.10 months vs.9 months;x2 =7.03,P=0.03) among fit,unfit and frail groups with statistically significant differences.Total effective rate (achieving all clinical targets) in fit group of 21 cases were 100 ％ (12/12)with receiving standard dose therapy,and 66.7％ of(6/9)with low dose therapy(P=0.06).Overall response rate(total/partial remission) [85.7％(18/21) vs.28.6％(2/7) vs.44.4％(4/9),x2=9.69,P=0.008] and median survival (44 months vs.10 months vs.9 months;x2 =7.03,P=0.03) amongfit,unfit and frail groups.In fit group,the two-year overall survival was higher in patients receiving standard dose treatment than receivingpalliativetreatment,with statistical significance [83.3 ％ (10/12) vs.33.3 ％ (3/9),P =0.032],without significant hematologic toxicity observed between the subgroups.Conclusions Comprehensive geriatric assessment can identify if elderly patients diffuse large B cell lymphoma can acquire a satisfactory curative effect from a standard dose treatment ofimmunochemotherapy.

Objective To investigate the relationship between expression of DAS-1 in gastric cardia intestinal metaplasia(CIM)and gastric cardia adenocarcinoma (GCA). Methods The cancerous tissues and CIM tissues (2 cm apart from caneer) obtained from 65 patients with GCA were examined for the expression of DAS-1 protein using immunohistoehemistry. The CIM tissues (<2 cm below Z line) obtained from 15 outpatients and inflammatory mucosa from 25 outpatients were also examined for expression of DAS-1 protein. Results The type Ⅲ IM was accounted for 55.4% (36/65) in GCA patients, which was significantly higher than that in outpatients [13.3% (2/15), P<0.01]. The positive rate of DAS-1 expression in cancerous tissues [78.5 % (51/65)] was also significantly higher than that in CIM tissues [38.8 %(30/80), P<0.01]. The expression of DAS-1 protein in IM tissues was gradually increased from type Ⅰ (0%) to type Ⅲ (71.1%) with positive correlation (P<0.01). Conclusions The type Ⅲ IM with over-expression of DAS-1 is closely related to GCA, which might be one of important precancerous lesions for GCA.

The continuous cultivation of Rehmannia glutinosa causes the accumulation of phenolic acids in soil. It is supposed to be the reason of the so called "continuously cropping obstacle". In this study, phenolic acids (hydroxybenzoic acid, vanillic acid, eugenol, vanillin and ferulic acid) were degraded by the extracta of all the tested spent mushroom substrate (SMS) and the maximal degradation rate was 75.3%, contributed by extraction of SMS of Pleurotus eryngii. Pot experiment indicated that hydroxybenzoic acid and vanillin in soil were also degraded effectively by SMS of P. eryngii. The employment of SMS enhanced ecophysiology index to near the normal levels, such as crown width, leaves number, leaf length, leaf width and height. At the same time, the fresh and dry weight and total catalpol concentration of tuberous root weight of R. glutinosa was increased to 2.70, 3.66, 2.25 times by employment of SMS, respectively. The increase of bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes numbers in rhizosphere soil were observed after the employment of SMS by microbial counts. The employment of SMS also enhanced the enzyme activity in soils, such as sucrase, cellulase, phosphalase, urease and catelase. These results indicated that the employment of SMS alleviated the continuously cropping obstacle of R. glutinosa in some extent.
Agaricales ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Agriculture ; methods ; Biodegradation, Environmental ; Hydroxybenzoates ; analysis ; metabolism ; Rehmannia ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Soil ; chemistry ; Soil Microbiology

Objective To study the value of fast dynamic contrast enhanced MRI in the diagnosis of orbital occupying lesions. Design Retrospective ease series.Participants 21 patients with orbital occupying lesions.Methods All the 21 patients were performed on fast dynamic contrast enhanced MRI and were verified by pathology.The raw datum were processed by the software of GE Functool. Parameters such as time-intensity curve(TIC),time to peak(Tpeak),1 minute enhancement ratio(ERlmin)and maximum enhancement ratio(ERmax)were analyzed to study the characteristics of orbital diseases on fast dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI.Main Outcome Measures TIC,ERlmin,and ERmax.Results The characteristics of TIC between benign diseases and malignant tumors were different. Of the 16 cases of benign lesions,12 demonstrated as continuous increasing type,and of 5 cases of malignant lesions,3 cases of lym- phoma were all platform type.The ER1min of the malignant tumors(150.47?42.18)was higher than that of the benign lesions (101.37?43.02)(P=0.021).Cavernous hemangiomas had special progressing enhancing model.Conclusions Fast dynamic contrast enhanced MRI is valuable to distinguish malignant tumors from benign occupying lesions.(Ophthalmol CHN,2007,16:305-308)

Our previous results have demonstrated that insulin reduces myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (MI/R) injury and increases the postischemic myocardial functions via activating the cellular survival signaling, i.e., phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K)-Akt-endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS)-nitric oxide (NO) cascade. However, it remains largely controversial whether c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) is involved in the effects of insulin on MI/R injury. Therefore, the aims of the present study were to investigate the role of JNK, especially the cross-talk between JNK and previously expatiated Akt signaling, in the protective effect of insulin on I/R myocardium. Isolated hearts from adult Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to 30 min of regional ischemia and followed by 2 or 4 h of reperfusion (n=6). The hearts were pretreated with PI3-K inhibitor LY294002, or phosphorylated-JNK inhibitor SP600125, respectively, then perfused retrogradely with insulin, and the mechanical functions of hearts, including the heart rate (HR), left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP) and instantaneous first derivation of left ventricular pressure (+/-LVdp/dt(max)) were measured. At the end of reperfusion, the infarct size (IS) and apoptotic index (AI) were examined. MI/R caused significant cardiac dysfunction and myocardial apoptosis (strong TUNEL-positive staining). Compared with the control group, insulin treatment in MI/R rats exerted protective effects as evidenced by reduced myocardial IS [(28.9 +/- 2.0)% vs (45.0 +/- 4.0) %, n=6, P<0.01], inhibited cardiomyocyte apoptosis [decreased AI: (16.0 +/- 0.7) % vs (27.6 +/- 1.3) %, n=6, P<0.01] and improved recovery of cardiac systolic/diastolic function (including LVDP and +/-LVdp/dt(max)) at the end of reperfusion. Moreover, insulin resulted in 1.7-fold and 1.5-fold increases in Akt and JNK phosphorylation in I/R myocardium, respectively (n=6, P<0.05). Inhibition of Akt activation with LY294002 abolished, and inhibition of JNK activation with SP600125 enhanced the cardioprotection by insulin, respectively. And the abolishment by LY294002 could be partly converted by SP600125 pretreatment. In addition, SP600125 also decreased the Akt phosphorylation (n=6, P<0.05). These results demonstrate that insulin simultaneously activates both Akt and JNK, and the latter further increases the phosphorylation of Akt which attenuates MI/R injury and improves heart function; this cross-talk between Akt and JNK in the insulin signaling is involved in insulin-induced cardioprotective effect.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Heart ; Insulin ; metabolism ; JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; Myocardial Infarction ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury ; Myocardium ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase ; metabolism ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases ; metabolism ; Phosphorylation ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury ; Signal Transduction

Aim To evaluate the effects of salvianolic acid B ( Sal B ) on bone metabolism and its potential mechanism in high fat diet ( HFD) mice.Methods Thirty C57BL/6J male mice were divided into three groups with 10 mice each, namely normal , HFD and HFD+Sal B.HFD and HFD+Sal B mice were treated with HFD, and HFD+Sal B group mice were also with Sal B (125 mg· kg -1· d-1).After 12 weeks' treat-ment, femurs were harvested .The effects of Sal B on biomechanical strength were evaluated by biomechani-cal tests, and the effects of Sal B on bone microstruc-ture were evaluated by Safranin O/fast green staining and hematoxylin and eosin staining .The expression of nuclear factor-kappa B ( NF-κB)-p65 and NADPH ox-idase 4 ( Nox4 ) and cathepsin K in femurs was deter-mined by immunohistochemical staining . Results Maximum load and elastic load significantly decreased ,and the trabeculae became thinner and irregular in the femurs of HFD mice , while Sal B treatment could re-verse the descending biomechanical strength and the disorganized femurs bone micro-structures in HFD mice.In addition, the expressions of Nox4, NF-κB-p65 and cathepsin Kmarkedly increased in HFD mice , and Sal B possessed the ability to down-regulate the ex-pression of Nox4, NF-κB-p65, and cathepsin K in the femurs triggered by HFD .Conclusions Sal B treat-ment improves bone metabolism via regulating Nox 4/NF-κB/cathepsin K signaling pathway in HFD mice . The findings contribute to the understanding and exten-sion of the applications of Salvia miltiorrhiza and its constituents on osteoporosis .

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stomach Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; methods

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the expression of N-cadherin and β-catenin protein and their relationship with clinicopathological characteristics of osteosarcoma.

METHODSThe expressions of N-cadherin and β-catenin at protein level were detected by immunohistochemical staining in 54 cases of osteosarcoma, 11 cases of osteoid osteoma, 7 cases of osteoblastoma and 8 cases of newly formed bone in nonmalignant bone diseases. The relationship between the two indexes and clinicopathological characteristics of osteosarcoma was analyzed.

RESULTSIn newly formed bone, osteoblastoma, osteoid osteoma and osteosarcoma, the positive expression rate of N-cadherin protein was 75.0%, 71.4%, 63.6% and 35.2%, respectively. The positive expression rate of N-cadherin protein in osteosarcoma was significantly lower than that in osteoid osteoma, osteoblastoma and newly formed bone in nonmalignant bone diseases (P = 0.035). The positive expression rate of N-cadherin protein in osteosarcoma cases with pulmonary metastasis was lower than that in cases without (21.7% vs. 56.3%, P = 0.027). The positive expression rate of N-cadherin protein in osteosarcoma cases died in two years was lower than that in cases lived for more than two years (18.2% vs. 50.0%, P = 0.024). In newly formed bone, osteoblastoma, osteoid osteoma and osteosarcoma, the aberrant expression rate of β-catenin protein was 12.5%, 28.6%, 27.3% and 66.7%, respectively. The aberrant expression rate of β-catenin protein in osteosarcoma was significantly higher than that in osteoid osteoma, osteoblastoma and newly formed bone (P = 0.002). Aberrant expression rate of β-catenin in osteosarcoma cases with pulmonary metastasis was higher than that without (82.6% vs. 43.8%, P = 0.011). An inverse correlation was found between the aberrant expression of β-catenin and N-cadherin expression in osteosarcoma(r = -0.302, P = 0.027).

CONCLUSIONThe positive expression rate of N-cadherin is decreased in osteosarcoma while aberrant expression rate of β-catenin increased. The expression of N-cadherin protein is closely correlated with the metastasis and prognosis of osteosarcoma, but the expression of β-catenin protein is merely correlated with the metastasis of osteosarcoma.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Bone Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Cadherins ; metabolism ; Child ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; metabolism ; secondary ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteoblastoma ; metabolism ; Osteoma, Osteoid ; metabolism ; Osteosarcoma ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; secondary ; surgery ; Survival Rate ; Young Adult ; beta Catenin ; metabolism