Objective To evaluate the diagnostic value and safety of endobronchial ultrasoundguided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) in elderly patients with bronchogenic carcinoma.Methods From August,2013 and July,2014,31 patients aged 65 years and over with space-occupying mass and enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes detected by CT or positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) underwent EBUS-TBNA.Rapid onsite cytology evaluation was not performed.Results There were 26 males and 5 females in this study,aged 65-77 years (70.1 years old on average).In 31 patients,70 samples were obtained from lymph nodes (LNs) and 4 samples were obtained from intrapulmonary lesions.29 cases were diagnosed as lung cancer,and 2 cases had false-negative diagnoses.The sensitivity and specificity rates of EBUS-guided TBNA method were 93.6％ and 100.0％,respectively.No major complications were observed in this series.Conclusions EBUS-TBNA is an safe and effective method in diagnosing bronchogenic carcinoma in elderly patients.

Allergic reactions caused by traditional Chinese medicine injections (TCMIs) become a greatest concern in the clinic application safety. The integral animal evaluation method commonly used in the preclinical evaluation for allergic reactions of TCMIs was not sensitive, specific, quick and objective in observation indexes. Therefore, more researchers have paid attention to the in vitro test method for evaluating allergic reactions induced by TCMIs. Currently, the methods for evaluating allergic reactions induced by TCMIs are mainly targeted at type I allergic reaction and anaphylactic reaction, with only a few in vitro methods for evaluating type II allergic reaction. In this paper, researchers summarized relevant literatures published about evaluation methods for allergic reactions induced by TCMIs in recent years.
Animals ; Complement Activation ; Drug Hypersensitivity ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Humans ; Injections ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; adverse effects

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 6 ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Loss of Heterozygosity ; Male ; Microsatellite Repeats ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; genetics

Objective To investigate the effect of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein 2 (rhBMP-2) on the osteogenic activities of human osteosarcoma cell line SaOS-2. Methods SaOS-2 cells were exposed to rhBMP-2 for 12,24,48 h at 0(control) ,2,20,200 μg/L, respectively. The mRNA expression of alkaline phosphatase(ALP) and bone gla(BCP) were detected by real time polymerase chain reaction. Results The mRNA expression of ALP and BGP of SaOS-2 cells increased gradually with rhBMP-2. The mRNA expression of ALP of the 20 μg/L group exposed for 48 h(1.60 ± 0.64), and the 200 μg/L group exposed for 12,48 h(1.70 ± 0.41, 1.80±0.19) were significantly higher than those of control (12 h: 0.80±0.25, 48 h: 0.74±0.21, allP<0.05). The mRNA expression of BGP of the 2 μg/L group exposed for 24 h(1.67 ± 0.33), the 20 μg/L group exposed for 12,24 h(2.42 ± 0.13,1.82 ± 0.14) and the 200 μg/L group exposed for 12,24 h(1.46 ± 0.11,1.24 ± 0.07) were significantly higher than those of control( 12 h: 1.01 ± 0.14, 24 h: 0.84 ± 0.12, all P< 0.05). Conclusions rhBMP-2 can promote the mRNA expression of ALP and BGP of SaOS-2 cells. They have a dose-response relationship, but represent a different dose-response effect.

Objective To observe the effects of recombinant human parathyroid hormone 1 to 34(referred to as hPTH) on the expression level of alkaline phosphatase(ALP) and bone gla protein(BCP) in human osteosarcoma cell line SaOS-2(referred to as SaOS-2 cells). Methods SaOS-2 cells were subcultured and treated with 1, 10 and 100 nmol/L hPTH for 12, 24 and 48 h. Total cellular RNA was extracted, cDNA was synthesized by reverse doses of hPTH, different duration of action, and their interaction on the expression level of ALP mRNA of SaOS-2 cells was significantly different(F = 29.32, 2.92, 7.64, all P < 0.05). The expression level of ALP mRNA(0.78 ± 0.43, 0.71 ± 0.05, 0.75 ± 0.19, 0.76 ± 0.14) of SaOS-2 cells after treatment with 0, 1, 10 and 100 nmol/L hPTH for 48 h was lower than those of treated for 12 h(1.01 ± 0.16, 1.37 ± 0.38, 1.49 ± 0.16, 2.52 ± 0.70, all P< 0.05) and 24 h (1.80 ± 0.47, 1.30 ± 0.36, 1.27 ± 0.17, 1.17 ± 0.11, all P< 0.05). The expression level of ALP mRNA of SaOS-2 cells after treatment with 100 nmol/L hPTH for 12 hours was higher than that of the control(P < 0.05); the expression level of ALP mRNA of SaOS-2 cells after treatment with 1, 10 and 100 nmol/L hPTH for 24 h interaction on the expression level of BGP mRNA of SaOS-2 were significantly different (F = 8.26, 10.33, 5.51, all P< 0.05). The expression level of BGP mRNA(1.17 ± 0.28, 0.98 ± 0.08, 0.92 ± 0.17 and 0.84 ± 0.59) of SaOS2 cells after treatment with 0, 1, 10 and 100 nmol/L hPTH for 48 h was lower than those of treated for 12 h( 1.01 ± 0.14, 1.21 ± 0.18, 1.34 ± 0.30, 1.68 ± 0.62, all P< 0.05), and 24 h(1.71 ± 0.35, 1.41 ± 0.47, 1.28 ± 0.31 and 1.01 ± 0.18, all P < 0.05). The expression level of BGP mRNA of SaOS-2 cells after treatment with 100 nmol/L hPTH for 12 h was higher than that of those groups treated with 0 and 1 nmol/L hPTH(all P< 0.05). The expression level of BGP mRNA of SaOS-2 cells after treatment with 10 and 100 nmol/L hPTH for 24 h and 48 h was lower than those of the control(all P < 0.05). The expression level of BGP mRNA of SaOS-2 cells after treatment with 100 nmol/L hPTH for 24 hours was lower than that the group treated with 1 nmol/L hPTH(P < 0.05). Conclusions In vitro, hPTH significantly enhances osteogenic activities of human osteoblast in a short time, however, with prolonged stimulation time, osteogenic activity can show a downward trend.

OBJECTIVEThis study analyzed the clinical data of newly diagnosed childhood leukemia from various hospitals in the cities or counties of Hunan Province between 2002 and 2005 in order to provide references for further epidemiologic survey of childhood leukemia.

METHODSThe clinical data of children with newly diagnosed leukemia from hospitals of various cities or counties of Hunan Province between 2002 and 2005 were collected and reviewed.

RESULTSThere were 803 children with leukemia during 2002-2005. Acute lymphoid leukemia was most commonly seen (597/803, 74.35%), followed by acute non-lymphoid leukemia (192/803, 23.91%) and chronic myelocytic leukemia (14/803, 1.74%). There were no significant differences in the clinical type and the prevalence of leukemia between males and females. The prevalence of newly diagnosed childhood leukemia in the urban area was noticeably higher than that in the rural area (2.02/10(5) vs 1.50/10(5), P < 0.05). 41.79% of children with newly diagnosed leukemia from the urban area received treatments but only 22.80% of patients from the rural area received treatments (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThis study of patients-based hospitals showed some features of the morbidity of childhood leukemia in Hunan Province. It provides references for further epidemiologic investigation of this disease in Hunan Province.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Leukemia ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; therapy ; Male ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo profile the methylation alterations of CpG islands in hetpatocellular carcinoma cell lines.

METHODSA global analysis of DNA methylation using the Human CpG-island 12K Array (HCGI12K) from Canada University Health Network was performed on nine human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines (Hep3B, HepG2, PLC/RPF/5/RPF/5, SMMC-7721, BEL-7402, MHCC97-H, MHCC97-L, HCCLM3, HCCLM6) and a control cell line Chang's liver. Metastatic potential related alterations were also screened in MHCC97 series cell lines (MHCC97-H, MHCC97-L, HCCLM3, HCCLM6), using MHCC97-L, a cell line with low metastatic potential, as control. To screen the key genes which are hypermethylation or hypomethylation in the HCC cell lines compared with the normal liver cell line by normalization processing and cluster analysis of microarray data. Two randomly selected genes was analyzed by methylation specific PCR to verify the chip results.

RESULTSBy a standard of methylation alteration ratio > or = 2 or < or = 0.5, fifty-eight CpG island cloning sites and sixty-six upstream or downstream tumor-related genes were identified. The genes were oncogenes, tumour suppressor genes and their ligand genes, apoptosis-related genes, cell proliferation and differentiation genes, cell cycle-related gene and cell signaling pathway key genes such as Wnt, ras, and FGF pathway-related genes. The methylation specific PCR results were consistent with those obtained by chips.

CONCLUSIONThe results of this study demonstrate that there are a series of CpG island methylation alterations in HCC cell lines. The expression of many oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes and other key genes may be up- or down-regulated, respectively, because of their CpG island hypomethylation or hypermethylation accordingly. It may provide a basis for screening HCC biological markers by CpG island methylation profilling.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; genetics ; pathology ; Cell Line ; Cell Line, Tumor ; CpG Islands ; genetics ; DNA Methylation ; Gene Expression Profiling ; methods ; Genes, Neoplasm ; Humans ; Liver ; cytology ; Liver Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis

OBJECTIVETo analyze the expression of genes in the Slit/Robo signaling pathway, and the methylation status of their promoters in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines.

METHODSGenomic DNA and total RNA were isolated from 9 HCC cell lines of different metastatic ability (Hep3B, HepG2, PLC/PRF/5, SMMC-7721, BEL-7402, MHCC97-H, MHCC97-L, LM3, LM6) and a control cell line L-02. The expression profiles of Slit1, Slit2, Slit3, Robo1, and Robo3 were analyzed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The methylation status of the promoters was detected by methylation specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP).

RESULTSThe promoters of Slit1, Slit2 and Slit3 genes were almost methylated in all the HCC cell lines. The Slit1 and Slit3 RNAs were not detected in most of the cell lines. Furthermore, the mRNA Slit2 was decreased gradually as the metastatic potential of the cell lines increased. As the candidate ligand of the Slit2 gene, Robo1 was frequently methylated in HCC cell lines whereas its mRNA was detected in all of these cells except SMMC-7721, BEL-7402 and L-02. Robo3 was unmethylated in HCC cell lines while its mRNA was not detected in these HCC cell lines.

CONCLUSIONThe hypermethylation status of Slit/Robo signaling pathway related genes is a universal event in the HCC. The hypermethylation status of Slit1, Slit2, Slit3 genes associated with the loss of expression or reduced expression. Those data suggest that Slit/Robo pathway may play a significant role in the progress or metastasis of HCC.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; CpG Islands ; genetics ; DNA Methylation ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Liver Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Nerve Tissue Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Receptors, Immunologic ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Signal Transduction

OBJECTIVETo locate the cluster region of loss of heterozygosity (LOH) in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and explore the new tumor suppressor gene.

METHODSAllelic loss was analyzed by PCR with 15 microsatellite markers mapping on 6q16.3. The LOH was analyzed by bioinformatics. The relationship between LOH and clinical factors was further analyzed.

RESULTSThe frequency of LOH at least at one loci on 6q16.3 was 32.7%. The LOH in relapsed patients was higher than those in not relapsed. The higher frequency of LOH was observed in two regions of D6S1709-D6S1028 and D6S2160-D6S1580 at 6q16.3. GRIK2 may be a candidate of tumor suppressor gene. There are 12 ESTs may carry out new anti-oncogene. Patients with 6q LOH had higher WBC counts (P < 0.01), blast cells percentage (P < 0.01), relapse rate (P < 0.05) and chromosomal aberration (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIOND6S1709-D6S1028 and D6S2160-D6S1580 are two regions of minimus deletion on 6q16.3 in which tumor suppressor gene may exist. The LOH on 6q16.3 may be a prognostic index of children with ALL.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 6 ; genetics ; Computational Biology ; Humans ; Infant ; Loss of Heterozygosity ; Microsatellite Repeats ; genetics ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of pentoxifylline on rats and mice with learning and memory dysfunctions.

METHODSMorris water maze test was used to observe the effects of pentoxifylline on learning and memory of naturally aging rats, and jumping stand test was performed to examine its effects in promoting the learning and memory functions in mice with scopolamine- and ethanol-induced memory dysfunctions.

RESULTSIn aging rats, pentoxifylline at high, moderate and low doses all significantly reduced the latency of platform finding in the place navigation test (P<0.01 or P<0.05 ), and increased the quadrant searching frequency in the spatial probe test (P<0.05). Pentoxifylline at the 3 doses significantly increased the latency of electrification (P<0.01 or P<0.05) and decreased the times of error (P<0.05) of the mice as compared with scopolamine- treated group. Pentoxifylline also improved ethanol-induced memory dysfunction in the mice, but the changes in the performance of the mice were not statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONPentoxifylline can improve the learning and memory abilities of rats and mice.

Aging ; Animals ; Behavior, Animal ; drug effects ; Ethanol ; Maze Learning ; drug effects ; Memory ; drug effects ; Memory Disorders ; chemically induced ; Mice ; Pentoxifylline ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Scopolamine Hydrobromide