Surgery is now still the first choice for treatment of thyroid cancer.Long-term post-operative follow-up and thyroid hormone treatment are of great importance in reducing recurrence,early detection of metastases or recurrence,and improving patients' quality of life.This article reviews the recent advancement in post-operative follow-up and hormone treatment in thyroid cancer patients.

ObjectiveTo summarize the recent therapeutic effects of mesh-plug tension-free hernioplasty in elderly inguinal hernia. MethodsAll cases were performed with mesh-plug case-hardened products, which are manufactured by American Bard Company. ResultsAll the operative procedures were performed smoothly. Postoperative complications were:6 cases of urinary retention,4 scrotal hydroceles,2 persistent wound pain,2 local lightly projections with foreign body sensation,2 hypoincisional haematoma. 1～24 months of follow-up were taken,2 recent recurrences were reported. ConclusionMesh-plug tension-free hernioplasty is a perfect surgical operation. Its main characteristics are:simple performance, less trauma, tension-free, time-saving, good recent therapeutic effect, and fewer recent recurrence. It is especially suitable to the elderly patients and/or Patients with other diseases.

Objective To investigate the value of MRI for the preoperative diagnosis of breast cancer.Method 45 patients with breast mass were evaluated by MRI preoperatively, 17 cases were further inspected by dynamic MRI, and the time intensity curves were analyzed.Results Postoperative pathology revealed carcinoma in 24 cases, and benign lesions in 21. The correct preoperative diagnosis rate of MRI for breast cancer was 96%(23/24), and its false-positive rate was 2%(1/45).Conclusions MR imaging of breast has practical value in preoperative diagnosis for breast cancer.

Objective To discuss the technical skills and the contraindication of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt stent (TIPSS) in portal vein cancercous thrombosis (PVCT) complicated with portal hypertension. Methods There were 16 cases of PVCT with portal hypertension, and average age of 53.6 yr. There were 9 cases with complete occlusion of portal vein trunk and 7 cases with incomplete thrombosis. There were 5 cases with cavernous transformation of the portal vein(CTPV). 1 case of simple upper gastro intestinal tract (GIT) massive bleeding, 4 with refractory ascites and 11 with upper GIT massive bleeding and refractory ascites. Results The procedure of TIPS was successful in 11 cases, the successful rate reached about 68.8%. The mean portal vein pressure was reduced from 4.9kPa to 2.4kPa with average 2.5kPa reduction. Ascites decreased, bleeding stopped and the clinical symptoms disappeared. The average survival period was 136 days. The procedure failed in 5 cases. Conclusions TIPSS is an effective method to control the bleeding and ascites caused by PVCT. The PV cavernous transformation was the contraindication of TIPSS.

Objective To assess the prevalence,development and prognosis of thyroid disorders in adult healthy subjects aged over 60 years.Methods We performed a cross-sectional study in 1999 and a 5-year follow-up study in 2004.A total of 102 men and 147 women aged 60 to 88 years from rural communities in north China were studied.Serum thyrotropin(TSH),thyroid peroxidase antibody(TPOAb)and thyroglobulin antibody(TgAb)were determined by an immunochemiluminometry assay in all participants.Free triiodothyronine(FT_3)and free thyroxine(FT_4)were determined in subjects with abnormal TSH results.Results We dropped the reference range for TSH into 0.28~4.75 mU/L.The prevalence of thyroid dysfunction,positive TPOAb and TgAb was 10.84%,12.85%and 11.65%,respectively.six newly diagnosed patients were found in the follow-up study,3 cases(all women)with hypothyroidism and 3(all men)with hyperthyroidism.Conclusion The high prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in the elderly indicates screening is necessary.Most elderly patients with subclinical dysfunction can recover spontaneously.The strategy should be focused on whether we monitor these patients.

Objective:To explore strategies of improving patients' stereotyping of nurses, by analyzing patients′ stereotypes of nurses.Methods:The phenomenological analysis method in qualitative research was used to conduct semi-structured interviews with 12 inpatients by objective sampling method.Results:The patients′ stereotype of nurses could be summarized into three topics, it mainly consisted of three aspects: patients′ cognition of the role of nurses, patients′ stereotype of nurse-patient relationship and factors affecting nurse-patient relationship from patients′ perspective, among which factors affecting nurse-patient relationship included doctors′ attitude towards nurses, public opinion effect of media reports and patients′ negative psychological experience.Conclusions:The prejudice of patients to the relationship between nurses and patients is not optimistic, it is suggested to improve patients′ stereotyping of nurses by reconstructing the ideal role of nurses, building harmonious trusting relationships and providing friendly support from the "others".

Nitrites play multiple characteristic functions in invasion and metastasis of hepatic cancer cells, but the exact mechanism is not yet known. Cancer cells can maintain the malignant characteristics via clearance of excess mitochondria by mitophagy. The purpose of this article was to determine the roles of nitrite, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and hypoxia inducing factor 1 alpha (HIF-1 α) in mitophagy of hepatic cancer cells. After exposure of human hepatocellular carcinoma SMMC-7721 cells to a serial concentrations of sodium nitrite for 24 h under normal oxygen, the maximal cell vitality was increased by 16 mg x (-1) sodium nitrite. In addition, the potentials of migration and invasion for SMMC-7721 cells were increased significantly at the same time. Furthermore, sodium nitrite exposure displayed an increase of stress fibers, lamellipodum and perinuclear mitochondrial distribution by cell staining with Actin-Tracker Green and Mito-Tracker Red, which was reversed by N-acetylcysteine (NAC, a reactive oxygen scavenger). DCFH-DA staining with fluorescent microscopy showed that the intracellular level of ROS concentration was increased by the sodium nitrite treatment. LC3 immunostaining and Western blot results showed that sodium nitrite enhanced cell autophagy flux. Under the transmission electron microscopy (TEM), more autolysosomes formed after sodium nitrite treatment and NAC could prevent autophagosome degradation. RT-PCR results indicated that the expression levels of COX I and COXIV mRNA were decreased significantly after sodium nitrite treatment. Meanwhile, laser scanning confocal microscopy showed that sodium nitrite significantly reduced mitochondrial mass detected by Mito-Tracker Green staining. The expression levels of HIF-1α, Beclin-1 and Bnip3 (mitophagy marker molecular) increased remarkably after sodium nitrite treatment, which were reversed by NAC. Our results demonstrated that sodium nitrite (16 mg x L(-1)) increased the potentials of invasion and migration of hepatic cancer SMMC-7721 cells through induction of ROS and HIF-1α mediated mitophagy.
Acetylcysteine ; pharmacology ; Autophagy ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Movement ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; metabolism ; Liver Neoplasms ; pathology ; Mitochondrial Degradation ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Nitrites ; metabolism ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; Sodium Nitrite ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the possible mechanism of the electroacupuncture for improvement of learning and memory in rats of Alzheimer's disease (AD).

METHODSSixty Wistar rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a normal saline group, a model group, a western medication group and an electroacupuncture group, 12 rats in each group. The AD rat model was established by injecting Streptozocin (STZ) into lateral cerebral ventricle, except the rats in the normal saline group injecting Normal Saline with the same dose and in normal group with no injection. The western medication group was treated with intragastric administration of Memantine, and in the electroacupuncture group, the electroacupuncture was given at "Baihui" (GV 20), "Dazhui" (CV 14), "Taixi" (KI 3), "Shenshu" (BL 23), "Zusanli" (ST 36), once each day, 7 days for a course, and lasted for 4 courses. The other three groups were fed in routine way and without any treatment. The learning and memory ability was assessed by Morris water maze and the expression of Abeta positive cells of the hippocampus and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were determined by immunohistochemistry and visible spectrophotometer colorimetry.

RESULTSCompared with the normal group and the normal saline group, the Abeta protein expression was significantly increased in the model group (both P < 0.01), and the SOD activity was obviously decreased (both P < 0.01). After treatment, as compared with the model group, the Abeta protein expression was significantly decreased (both P < 0.01), and the SOD activity was obviously increased (both P < 0.01) in the electroacupuncture group and western medication group.

CONCLUSIONElectroacupuncture treatment can reduce the Abeta protein expression and increase the SOD activity of the hippocampus so as to improve learning and memory ability in the AD rats.

Alzheimer Disease ; chemically induced ; enzymology ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Amyloid beta-Peptides ; metabolism ; Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Electroacupuncture ; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic ; Hippocampus ; enzymology ; metabolism ; Humans ; Learning ; Male ; Memory ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Streptozocin ; adverse effects ; Superoxide Dismutase ; genetics ; metabolism

Parkinson's disease(PD) is the most common neurodegenerative movement disorder and ?-synuclein plays an important role in its development.Using the genetically tractable Saccharomyces cere-visiae as a model system,the phenotypic repercussions and potential mechanisms of ?-synuclein-induced cytotoxicity are characterized through modulating its expression level and other cellular factors.Aggrega-tion-induced toxicity is more dramatic upon elevated expression of ?-synuclein than that induced at moder-ate levels of expression.The induced toxicity is also enhanced by reagents such as dimethyl sulfoxide,which increase intracellular levels of phospholipid and membrane,as well as ferrous ions and hydrogen peroxide,both of which cause oxidative stresses in yeast cells.In contrast,over-expression of yeast homologue of hu-man chaperone DJ-1,YDR533C,markedly alleviate the inhibition of growth afflicted by exogenous expres-sion of ?-synuclein.Taken together,the data presented suggest a role for protein folding machinery together with quality control system in dealing with the aggregation of ?-synuclein.

Objective To evaluate the application of totally implantable central venous access ports. Methods A retrospective a-nalysis of 217 cases was made on the application and complication of totally implantable central venous access ports from October 2003 to May 2008. Results Venous access ports, which were connected to central venous system via subclavian vein in 199 cases and jugularis interna vein in 17 cases, were implanted into subcutaneous of chest wall. The success rate of implantation was 99.6% (216/217). The ports worked well in 207 cases (95.8%), and 9 ports (4.2%) were removed due to complications. Associated complications included subclavi-ana arterial puncture in 3 cases (1.4%) and local hematoma in one patient. Ventricular tachycardia occurred in one patient due to catheter was inserted into the right ventricle (0.4%). Five patients had soft tissue infections around ports (2.3%) and the ports were removed in 2 eases due to anti-infections therapy failure. Catheter dislocation happened in 2 cases (0.9%). The catheter obstruction was observed as a complication, which comprised three instances of catheter distortion and three of catheter-associated venous thrombosis, the ports in these six patients were removed (2.8%). The overall complication was 7.8%. Conclusions Totally implantable central venous access ports can provide a long-term and safe intravenous access to patients who need long-term intravenous infusion, especially for cancer patients received chemotherapy. Although the operation is simple, there are some complications and need to be carefully monitored.