Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Bifidobacterium ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; microbiology ; Liver Function Tests ; Parenteral Nutrition ; methods ; Rabbits

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of the combined therapy with oxaliplatin and capecitabine (XELOX) in patients with advanced or recurrent gastric cancer.

METHODSForty-one patients with previously untreated advanced or recurrent gastric cancer received intravenous infusion of oxaliplatin at the dose of 130 mg/m(2) on day 1 and oral administration of capecitabine at 1000 mg/m(2) twice a day on days 1-14. The chemotherapy was repeated every 2 weeks for a median of 4 cycles.

RESULTSTwo of 41 patients achieved a complete response, and 15 had partial responses, with an overall response rate of 41.5%. Stable disease was observed in 11 patients and progressive disease in 9. The median time to progression and overall survival was 6.2 months and 11.8 months. All the 41 patients were evaluated for toxicity according to NCI criteria, 4 showed grade 3-4 neural toxicity, 4 had hematological toxicity and 3 had hand-foot syndrome.

CONCLUSIONThe XELOX regimen shows good efficacy with an acceptable toxicity profile in advanced or recurrent gastric cancer patient.

Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Deoxycytidine ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Fluorouracil ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; drug therapy ; Stomach Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology

Objective To analyze the safety and effectiveness of photoselective green-light laser vaporization of the prostate(PVP)in treatment of large prostate with volume more than 80 ml. Methods Retrospective analysis was performed in 25 benign prostatic hypertrophy patients undergoing the PVP treatment,whose prostate volume was more than 80 ml.Results Twenty-five patients with prostate mean volume of 151.8(84.0-270.0)ml were treated by PVP and 23 cases were finished successfully.One operation was suspended because of bleeding and the other because of damaging orifice.No blood transfusion was needed and no“transurethral resection(TUR)syndrome”happened.Five cases had acute retention and 2 of them needed second PVP.In a mean of 7.9(3.0- 12.0)months follow-up,maximal urinary flow rate(Qmax),international prostate symptom score (IPSS),quality of life score(QOL),and prostate-specific antigen(PSA)level were improved significantly.The volume of prostate reduced after PVP than before PVP but no significant difference was found.Conclusions PVP is feasible in treating large prostate even the volume is more than 80 ml,although it needs better skill.Catheterization for some time is helpful in reducing the incidence of early postoperative acute urinary retention.

OBJECTIVESlow transit constipation (STC) is a colonic motor disorder whose etiology remains unclear. Recent studies have demonstrated a crucial role for interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) in regulation of intestinal motility. The aim of this study was to examine the distribution of ICC within the normal sigmoid colon and STC patients.

METHODSTwelve patients with STC and eight age-matched controls were studied. ICC were identified with a monoclonal antibody to c-kit by an indirect immunofluorescence method. Immunostained tissues were examined with a laser scanning confocal microscope and the area occupied by ICC was calculated with image analysis software.

RESULTSICC were located in the external muscle layers including longitudinal muscle (LM), myenteric plexus (MP), circular muscle (CM) and submucosal border (SMB). Two types of Kit-positive ICC were observed: bipolar cells characterized by one or two long processes, and multipolar cells with long stellate processes extending in various directions. A higher percentage of ICC was present in the MP regions and CM layers compared with the SMB and LM layers. Tissues from STC patients showed considerably decreased in number of ICC located in the four regions (ICC-LM, ICC-MP, ICC-CM, ICC-SMP), especially for ICC-SMP, almost completely disappeared.

CONCLUSIONDecreased c-kit + ICC in number may play an important role in the pathophysiology of STC. It remains to be determined whether loss of ICC is primary or secondary to another lesion.

Adult ; Aged ; Case-Control Studies ; Colon, Sigmoid ; pathology ; Constipation ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Female ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect ; Gastrointestinal Transit ; physiology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo investigate the efficiency and safety of transperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy for the treatment of adrenal tumors and to describe surgical technique and management of intraoperative complications.

METHODSFrom February 2002 to April 2008, 24 male and 44 female consecutive patients with average age (53.4 +/- 12.1) years old were treated with transperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy because of adrenal tumors. Of the patients, 27 cases had right adrenal tumors, 39 cases had left adrenal tumors and 2 cases had bilateral adrenal tumors. The average tumor size was (2.9 +/- 2.0) cm with the maximal diameter of 10 cm. We evaluated this technique in respect of operating time, estimated blood loss, complications during surgery, postoperative complications, duration of hospital stay and pathological results.

RESULTSAll the surgeries had been completed successfully without conversion to open surgery. The average operating time was (157.7 +/- 51.5) min, the average estimated blood loss was (68.1 +/- 54.2) ml. No major complication happened during operation. The average drainage time was (2.6 +/- 1.5) days. The average post-operative hospital stay was (8.7 +/- 4.3) days. Four cases (6.0%) developed surgical field liquefaction and 2 cases (2.9%) experienced delayed closure of the drainage wound.

CONCLUSIONSTransperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy is feasible and safe in the treatment of adrenal tumor with low risk of intra-operative and post-operative complication.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms ; surgery ; Adrenalectomy ; methods ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the inhibitory effect of recombinant adenovirus carrying human endostatin gene (Ad-endo) on the growth of human pancreatic carcinoma xenograft in nude mice.

METHODSThe expression of endostatin in human pancreatic carcinoma Capan-2 cells was examined by RT-PCR after infection with Ad-endo. The supernatants of Capan-2 cells were collected after 48 h of infection with Ad-endo as the conditioned medium for human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), whose proliferation in vitro was assayed. Capan-2 cell xenografts were established to determine the antitumoral effects of Ad-endo in vivo. The intratumoral microvessel density (MVD) was evaluated using CD31 staining.

RESULTSThe expression of endostatin gene was detected by PT-PCR in infected Capan-2 cells. The conditioned medium from Ad-endo-infected cells significantly inhibited HUVEC proliferation (P<0.05). Ad-endo significantly suppressed the growth of Capan-2 tumor xenografts in nude mice (P<0.05), and the MVD decreased significantly in the treated tumor (P<0.05) as compared with that in the control group.

CONCLUSIONAdenovirus carrying human endostatin gene produces inhibitory effects on the growth of human pancreatic carcinoma tumors in nude mice.

Adenoviridae ; genetics ; metabolism ; Angiogenesis Inhibitors ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Endostatins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Humans ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; genetics ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; blood supply ; pathology ; therapy ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo explore the survey methods for the cultivated medicinal plant resources such as Panax notogingseng based on remote sensing.

METHODThrough the preliminary study by remote sensing technique and field survey in the study area, the optimal methods in the procedure were chosen for the survey.

RESULTIn this study,a set of survey method for P. notogingseng based on remote sensing technique was founded, which included the remotely sensed data-source selecting, the remote sensing image processing, interpretation and validation etc.

CONCLUSIONWith different resolution remotely-sensing data at the study area, the area, the natural storage and the yield of P. notoginseng were calculated. For Maguan county, with SPOT5 (5 m), the relative right rate of judgement, the relative precision of area and the relative precision of yield with statistics was 92.7%, 94.4% and 78.2% separately, and with TM (30 m), the relative right rate of judgement, the relative precision of area was only 71.4% and 58.8%, though, for Qiubei county, with TM (30 m), the relative precision of area with statistics could reach 74.7%, which showed that choosing appropriate remotely-sensing data and processing methods for different area, the remote sensing technique is feasible for resource survey of cultivated medicinal plants such as P. notoginseng.

China ; Conservation of Natural Resources ; Ecosystem ; Geographic Information Systems ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Panax ; Plants, Medicinal ; Satellite Communications

Objective To investigate the status of Cryptosporidium infection in the population in Nanjing City so as to pro-vide the evidence for the prevention and control of cryptosporidiosis. Methods A total of 100 fecal samples were collected from each of three districts(Liuhe,Qixia and Gaochun)and one hospital(Nanjing Zhongda Hospital)in 2015 and 2016 respective-ly. The fecal samples were detected for Cryptosporidium with microscopy(by using the gold amine phenol-modified acid-fast staining)and the positive samples were detected again for the molecular biology confirming by using the fluorescence quantita-tive PCR. Results During the two years,581 cases of normal population who lived in the city were surveyed and no Cryptospo-ridium infection was found. Among 202 cases of outpatients with chronic diarrhea,there were 9 Cryptosporidium positive cases with the microscope scanning method (4.46％),and among the 9 cases,7 cases showed obvious logarithmic amplification curves showing positive Cryptosporidium nucleic acid,but 2 cases without the obvious logarithmic amplification curves,and the Cryptosporidium nucleic acid positive rate was 3.47％. Conclusions Cryptosporidium infection is not found in the normal popu-lation of Nanjing City,but the Cryptosporidium infection is found in the chronic diarrhea patients. The results imply that we should strengthen the detection of Cryptosporidium in the chronic diarrhea patients,so as to provide the evidence for improving the diagnosis and treatment of cryptosporidiosis.

Objective Previously we have reported the early and midterm benifit of autologous pulmonary patch in repairing aortic coarctation of hypoplastic aortic arch.This study aimed to assess its reliability and midterm and longterm outcomes.Methods We retrospectivly analyzed 42 pediatric patients with coarctation of the aorta (CoA) with hypoplastic aortic arch undergoing surgical repair with autologous pulmonary patch from May 2009 to May 2017 in General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command of PLA.All the patients were allocated into either senior group (＞ 1 years) or junior group (≤1 years) according to the age of operation.The trans-coarctation gradient,pulmonary pressure and aortic Z value change were compared between two groups before and after the repair.Results There were 8 cases had early postoperative complications.However,no death had been reported during the postoperative time and the followed up period ranged from 4 months to 106 months (40.0± 15.5) months).The average pressure gradient of coarctation segment for all the patients was (11.9±6.4) mmHg,including 5 cases more than 25 mmHg.The pressure gradient and mean pulmonary arterial pressure after operation were significantly lower than those before operation (P＜0.05),The postoperative aortic arch Z value was greater than the preoperative value (P＜0.05).Compared with the preoperative period,the Z value of proximal transverse arch increased significantly(-0.64±0.44) vs (1.27±0.66),P＜0.05.Compared with junior group,the senior group had higher preoperative and postoperative pulmonary artery pressure (P＜0.05),and longer CPB time,aortic block time,ventilation time,ICU time and hospital stay time (P＜0.05).However,patients in the junior group had a higher pressure gradient through the aorta arch(P＜0.05) and a smaller Z value transverse arch aortic proximal and isthmus(P＜0.05) during the long-term period.The time of selective cerebral perfusion had no statistical difference between the two groups (P＞ 0.05).Conclusion Early surgery for coarctation of aorta with hypoplastic aortic arch,autologous pulmonary patch aortoplasty is a relatively ideal option with better midterm and longterm outcomes.

BACKGROUNDFunctional neuroimaging has been used in neurolinguistic research on normal subjects and on patients with brain damage. This study was designed to investigate the differences of the neural basis underlying language processing between normal subjects and aphasics.

METHODSFunctional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to map the language network in 6 normal subjects and 3 patients with aphasia who were in the stage of recovery from acute stroke. The participants performed a word generation task during multi-slice functional scanning for the measurement of signal change associated with regional neural activity induced by the task.

RESULTSIn normal subjects, a distributed language network was activated. Activations were present in the frontal, temporal, parietal and occipital regions. In the patient group, however, no activation was detected in the left inferior frontal gyrus whether the patient had a lesion in the left frontal lobe or not. Two patients showed activations in some right hemisphere regions where no activation appeared in normal subjects.

CONCLUSIONSfMRI with word generation task is feasible for evaluating language function in aphasic patients. Remote effect of focal lesion and functional redistribution or reorganisation can be found in aphasic patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Aphasia ; physiopathology ; Brain Mapping ; Cerebral Cortex ; physiology ; Humans ; Language ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged