Cutaneous Fistula ; Digestive System Abnormalities ; therapy ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether resveratrol (RES) plays a protective role in hypothermic preserved isolated rat hearts and whether it is mediated by regulation of silent information regulator protein-1 (Sirt-1) expression.

METHODSThe Langendorff model of isolated rat heart was used. After stored in different Celsior solution at 4 degrees C for 9 h, SD rat hearts were randomly divided into 7 groups: blank control group;9 h group (soley hypothermic preservation for 9 h); RES group (3, 10, 30 micromol/L RES treatment plus hypothermic preservation for 9 h ), niacinamide (NAM) group (40 micromol/L NAM added in Celsior solution plus hypothermic preservation for 9 h), RES + NAM group (30 micromol/L RES and 40 micromol/L NAM were added in Celsior solution plus hypothermic preservation for 9 h). The morphological changes of cardiomyocytes were detected by the HE staining with the light microscope. The mRNA and protein expression levels of Sirt-1 were detected by Real-Time PCR and Western blot respectively.

RESULTS(1) Compared with the blank control group, myocardiocytes were injured remarkably in the 9 h group and the Sirt-1 mRNA and protein expression levels were decreased significantly (P < 0.01); (2) Compared with the 9 h group, rat myocardial injury was alleviated gradually in 3, 10, 30 micromol/L RES group and the Sirt-1 mRNA and protein expression levels were increased in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05); (3) The above protective effects of RES were attenuated by Sirt-1 inhibitor NAM.

CONCLUSIONRES can protect myocardiocytes from injury caused by long range hypothermic preservation and this protective effect maybe mediated by upregulation of Sirt-1 expression.

Animals ; Cryopreservation ; Heart ; drug effects ; Male ; Organ Preservation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sirtuin 1 ; metabolism ; Stilbenes ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo assess the feasibility, the risks and the advantages of endoscope-assisted submandibular gland resection using a retroauricular hairline incision (RAHI) by comparing it with the conventional submandibular gland resection.

METHODSTwenty eight patients with benign lesions of the submandibular gland were included in the prospective clinically controlled study. Thirteen patients had endoscope-assisted resection using the RAHI approach and 15 cases had conventional transcervical approach resection. The size, location and adjacency of all lesions were evaluated by CT or MRI before surgery. The pathologic diagnoses of all cases were identified as benign diseases using fine needle aspiration biopsy. The two groups were compared for incision length, operation time, bleeding, incision cosmetic result, and complications.

RESULTSAll 28 operations were successfully performed. Incision length in the endoscopic group was significantly longer than that in the transcervical group (Z = -4.516, P < 0.01), and the surgical time was longer in the endoscopic group (Z = -3.263, P < 0.01). After three months the mean subjective satisfaction score for the incision scar in the endoscopic group was significantly higher than that in the transcervical group (Z = -4.472, P < 0.01). In the endoscopic group, 2 cases (15.4%) with temporary numbness of the earlobe and 1 case (7.7%) with a temporary marginal mandibular nerve paralysis were found postoperatively. However, they recovered within 1 month. All 28 patients were disease free with a follow-up of 10 to 24 months (median of 18 months).

CONCLUSIONSEndoscope-assisted submandibular gland resection via RAHI is feasible and safe for the treatment of benign submandibular gland lesions. In comparison with the transcervical approach, this method can provide better cosmetic results without significant complications.

Adult ; Endoscopy ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Oral Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Prospective Studies ; Submandibular Gland ; surgery ; Submandibular Gland Diseases ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

This study was purposed to analyze the clinical features and evaluate the efficacy of thalidomide combined with VAD regimen for treatment of osteosclerotic myeloma (POEMS syndrome). The data of 27 patients with POEMS syndrome in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University were analyzed retrospectively, including clinical manifestations, laboratory tests, treatments and prognosis. The results showed that the polyneuropathy was observed in 27 patients (27/27), hepato-spleno-lymphadenectasis was found in 15 patients (15/27), endocrinopathy was found in 24 patients (24/27), skin changes was observed in 22 patients (22/27). M protein was found in 23 patients (23/27); in addition to these clinical manifestations, the papilledema serous cavity effusion and sclerotic bone lesion were also frequently observed in patients with POEMS syndrome. The remission rates of treatment of POEMS syndrome with thalidomide combined with VAD regimen for organomegaly, edema, skin changes, and endocrinopathy were 60, 58.3, 41 and 45.8 respectively. The level of serum M protein and the nervous system ODSS value decreased greatly after treatment (P < 0.01). It is concluded that the clinical characteristics of POEMS syndrome are complicated and easy to be misdiagnosed, and the evidence of monoclonal plasma cell hyperplasia should be actively searched for those patients whose serum M protein is negative. Thalidomide combined with VAD regimen for treatment of patients with POEMS syndrome has advantages such as significant curative effects, less side-effects, good tolerance, and higher safety and can be chosen as a preferred approach.
Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; Cytarabine ; Dexamethasone ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; POEMS Syndrome ; drug therapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Thalidomide ; therapeutic use ; Vincristine

OBJECTIVETo study the validity of criteria currently used in China for the classification of symmetric small for gestational age infants (SGA) as compared with its definition.

METHODSThis study included 417 inpatients diagnosed as SGA in authors' hospital from January 1998 to June 2002. Symmetric SGA was diagnosed by the following three criteria: (1) the Ponderal Index (PI), (2) the crown-heel length-to-head circumference ratio (BL/HC) issued in Chin J Pediatr (1988;26:164 - 165), as well as (3) the SGA definition. The definition criterion was considered as the "gold standard". The sensitivity, specificity, false positive and negative values, positive and negative predictive values, exact agreement ratio, diagnosis index, and Cohen's Kappa value were used to evaluate the validity and agreement of the methods of PI and BL/HC. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to evaluate the validity of the diagnosis.

RESULTSOf 417 SGA infants, 376 (90.17%), 376 (90.17%) and 187 (44.84%) subjects were diagnosed as symmetric type with PI, BL/HC and the definition criteria, respectively. (2) The agreement rate and Kappa value between PI and BL/HC was 80.82% and -0.093 (SEM 0.026), respectively. And the agreement rates between PI or BL/HC and the definition criterion were 49.88% and 50.84%, respectively. As compared with the definition criterion, the PI and BL/HC methods had sensitivities of 91.8% - 96.4%, specificities of 9.3% - 25.9%, positive predictive values of 45.8% - 51.1%, negative predictive values of 72.7% - 82.8%, diagnosis indices of 4.9% - 17.7% and Kappa values of 0.070 - 0.167. (3) The areas under the ROC curves in full-term and preterm infants by PI method were 0.635 (95% CI, 0.573 - 0.697) and 0.698 (95% CI, 0.622 - 0.725), respectively. PI cutoffs at 2.47 in full-term SGA, at 2.43 in preterm SGA, and BL/HC cutoff at 1.43 produced the maximum diagnosis indices that were 24.7%, 39.6% and 33.7%, respectively. When the PI at 2.50 (full-term), PI at 2.31 (preterm) and BL/HC values at 1.46, the sensitivity closed mostly to the specificity. The sensitivities and specificities in full-term and preterm infants were 59.4% and 59.3%, 65.3% and 65.5%, and 66.3% and 65.5%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONIn the classification of SGA, the results showed a poor agreement between PI or BL/HC and the definition criterion. The results suggested that the current cutoffs of PI and BL/HC might not be appropriate for the diagnosis of symmetric SGA. Low AUC suggested that PI and BL/HC could not give a valid diagnosis at any cutoffs.

Anthropometry ; methods ; Birth Weight ; Body Height ; China ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Male ; Reproducibility of Results ; Sex Factors

OBJECTIVETo study the antibiotic- and disinfectant-resistance features of and disinfectant-resistant gene distribution in Staphylococcus aureus (Sa) isolated from the urogenital tract of male patients with urogenital tract infection (UTI). total of 152 Sa isolates were collected from the urethral discharge specimens from male UTI patients. The minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) of antimicrobial agents and disinfectants commonly used against Sa were tested by standard ager dilution; the methicillin-resistant Sa (MRSA) isolates detected by cefoxitin disk diffusion and mecA gene amplification; Staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) genotyping performed by multiplex PCR; the disinfectants gene qac (quaternary ammonium compound) amplified by PCR; and the clonal relatedness of qacA/B-positive MRSA isolates investigated by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE).

RESULTSOut of the 152 Sa isolates, 91 (59.9%) were found to be MRSA. SCCmec genotyping showed SCCmec V to be the main type, accounting for 63.7% (58/91), with 8 (8.8%) isolates of SCCmec I, 2 (2.2%) isolates of SCCmec II, 19 (20.9%) isolates of SCCmec III, and 4 (4. 4%) isolates of SCCmec IV. The Sa isolates exhibited high rates of non-susceptibility to penicillin (95.4%) , erythromycin (72.4% ) , ciprofloxacin (42. 8%), and levofloxacin (44.7%), and a fairly high sensitivity to nitrofurantoin, teicoplanin, linezolid, and vancomycin. The MIC in the Sa isolates was 0. 25 -16 microg/ml for chlorhexidine; MIC50 and MIC90 were 2.0 and 4.0 microg/ml respectively for MRSA strains and both 1.0 microg/ml for MSSA strains. Out of the 152 Sa isolates, 72 (47.4%) harbored the qacA/B gene, 6 (3.9%) the smar (qacC + qacD) gene, 9 (5.9%) the qacE delta 1 gene, and 2 (1.3%) the qacH gene, but no qacG and qacJ genes were detected. PFGE analysis showed that the qacA/B-positive MRSA isolates were distributed

CONCLUSIONClinical Sa isolates exhibited varied degrees of resistance to commonly used antibiotics, and in a polyclonal manner. some showed a robust tolerance to chlorhexidine. The main disinfectant-resistant gene is qacA/B. Antimicrobial agents and disinfectants should be used rationally according to clinicians.

Disinfectants ; pharmacology ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; genetics ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Staphylococcus aureus ; drug effects ; genetics ; Urinary Tract Infections ; microbiology

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of Hath1 gene transfer on the proliferation of colonic cancer cells in vitro.

METHODSThe recombinant plasmid pcDNA3.1(+)-Hath1 was transfected into HT29 colonic cancer cells, and 3 positive cell clones were randomly selected to test the levels of Hath1 mRNA, Muc2 mRNA, Hath1, Muc2, cyclin D1 and p27 by quantitative real-time RT-PCR and Western blotting. The proliferation of the transfected HT29 cells was observed by means of colony formation assay and xenograft growth in nude mice.

RESULTSHath1 significantly down-regulated of cyclin D1 and up-regulate of p27 expressions and inhibited the proliferation of HT29 cells.

CONCLUSIONHath1 gene may be an anti-oncogene in colon carcinogenesis.

Animals ; Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Colonic Neoplasms ; pathology ; Cyclin D1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Transfer Techniques ; Humans ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Mucin-2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between CD8+ T-cell CD28 molecular expression in peripheral blood and TCM type in patients with chronic aplastic anemia (CAA).

METHODSUsing flow cytometry to detect the CD28 expression in 45 in-patients or out-patients and 24 healthy subjects for control. And the relation with TCM type was analyzed from the immunological aspect.

RESULTS(1) The levels of CD8, CD28, CD8+ CD28+ expression and CD8+ CD28+/CD8+ CD28- were all higher in the CAA patients than those in the healthy subjects (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). (2) The levels of CD28, CD8+ CD28+ expression and CD8+ CD28+/CD8+ CD28- were all higher in the CAA patients of Shen-Yin deficiency type than those in the CAA patients of Shen-Yang deficiency type (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION(1) The abnormal high expression of peripheral blood co-stimulatory molecules CD28 suggested CD28 disorder may play an important role in immuno-pathogenesis of CAA. (2) The levels of peripheral CD28, CD8+ CD28+ expression and CD8+ CD28+/CD8+ CD28- can be taken as an objective indexes for TCM typing of CAA, which was disordered more severe in patients of Shen-Yin deficiency type than in those of Shen-Yang deficiency type.

Adult ; Anemia, Aplastic ; classification ; diagnosis ; immunology ; CD28 Antigens ; biosynthesis ; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; immunology ; Chronic Disease ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Kidney Diseases ; immunology ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Yang Deficiency ; immunology ; Yin Deficiency ; immunology

Evidence-Based Medicine ; Humans ; Nutrition Therapy

The transcriptional coactivator MN1 has been identified as a gene overexpressed in certain types of human acute myeloid leukemia. Overexpression of this gene is associated with all inv (16) AML, retinoic acid-resistance, a worse prognosis as well as a shorter survival in AML patients with a normal karyotype. This article reviews the role of MN1 in acute myeloid leukemia including MN1 gene structure and action mechanism, MN1-TEL and AML with normal karyotype, MN1 and inv (16) AML, MN1 and retinoic ocid-resistance, and so on.
Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; genetics ; Oncogene Proteins, Fusion ; genetics ; Transcription Factors ; genetics ; Tumor Suppressor Proteins ; genetics