Primary neuroendocrine small cell carcinoma of the parotid gland is a rare malignant tumor, the clinical diagnosis is difficult. This article report a primary parotid neuroendocrine small cell carcinoma which was initially diagnosed of adenoid cystic carcinoma of the parotid gland and was operated, but recurred 2 years later. The artide discuss about the characteristic of this disease and review the relevant literatures.

To investigate the prognostic effects of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine therapy without antibiotics in treatment of patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP).

Objective To evaluate the correlation between left ventricular function and arterial stiffness of left femoral artery in patients with lower extremity atherosclerotic disease (LEAD).Methods Thirty-three patients with LEAD and 37 healthy subjects (control group) were enrolled in this study.The intima-media thickness (IMT),diameter and parameters of arterial stiffness [dispensability coefficient (DC),compliance coefficient (CC),stiffness α,stiffness β,pulse wave velocity (PWVβ) ]were measured by ultrasonography with the technology of QIMT and QAS.The thickness of the interventricular septum (IVSd),end-diastolic left ventricular diameter (LVDd) and left ventricular mass (LVM),and parameters of the left ventriculsr function (EF,E/A,E'/A',E/E' and Tei index) were measured by echocardiography.These parameters were compared between two groups.Correlations between the parameters of the arterial stiffness and those of the cardiac function were evaluated by Pearson correlative analysis.Results ①The IVSd,LVM and E/E' ratio were significantly higher in LEAD group than those in control group ( P ＜0.05).There were no significant differences in EF,E/A,E'/A',and Tei index between two groups ( P ＞0.05).②The IMT,α,β,PWVβ of left femoral artery were significantly higher in LEAD group than those in control group,while DC and CC were significantly lower in LEAD group than those in control group ( P ＜0.05).③The E/E' ratio,one of the parameters representing the left ventricular diastolic function,was correlated negatively with CC and positively with α,β,and PWVβ ( P ＜0.05 or P ＜0.01 ).The E'/A' ratio was correlated positively with DC and CC,and negatively with α,β,and PWVβ ( P ＜0.05 or P ＜0.01 ).Both EF and Tei index were not significantly correlated with the above parameters of arterial stiffness ( P ＞0.05).Conclusions Patients with LEAD have thickened femoral IMT,higher arterial stiffness of left femoral artery,as well as impaired left ventricular function.There is a close correlation between the atherosclerosis of the femoral artery and the early left vcntricular dysfunction.

Objective To evaluate the association between the left carotid arterial stiffness and left ventricular diastolic function in patients with lower extremity atherosclerosis (AS).Methods ①A total of 32 patients with AS and 34 control objects were enrolled.The carotid arterial stiffness parameters:compliance coefficient (CC),distensibility coefficient (DC),stiffness parameter (α,β),pulse wave velocity β (PWVβ) were measured by using quality arterial stiffness(QAS) technology.And the values were compared between the two groups.②The parameters of left ventricular (LV) structure and function:LV end-diastolic interventricular septal thickness (IVSd),LV end-diastolic diameter (LVDd),LV end-diastolic wall thickness (PWd),LV ejection fraction (EF),systolic velocity (s'),early-diastolic velocity (e'),Tei index and E/e' ratio were measured by using two-dimensional echocardiography and tissue Doppler.These parameters were compared between the two groups.The association between the carotid arterial stiffness parameters and LV function parameters were analyzed by correlative analysis.Results ①Compared with the control group,the DC and CC were lower,and α,β,PWVβ,IMT were higer than the control group,with statistically significant differences(P ＜0.05).②The IVSd,Tei index and E/e'was significantly higher in the AS group than those in the control group.And the PWd,s',e' were lower than those in the control group (P ＜ 0.05).There was no significant difference in EF between the two groups (P ＞0.05).③The e' was correlated positively with DC and CC (r =0.39,0.36,P ＜0.01),and negatively with α,β,and PWVβ (r =-0.42,-0.42,-0.49,P ＜0.01).Tei index was correlated negatively with DC and CC (r =-0.50,-0.52,P ＜0.01),and positively with α,β,and PWVβ (r =0.58,0.58,0.62,P ＜0.01).The E/e' was correlated regatively with CC (r =-0.27,P ＜0.05),and positively with PWVβ (r =0.28,P ＜0.05).There were no significant correlation between s',EF and the stiffness parameters of carotid artery (P＞0.05).Conclusions In patients with AS,the left carotid artery stiffness increases and left ventricular systolic and diastolic function are impaired.The carotid artery stiffness and left ventricular diastolic function is correlated.Changes in carotid artery stiffness reflect the change in left ventricular diastolic function.

Animals ; Anticholesteremic Agents ; pharmacology ; Cholesterol ; blood ; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical ; methods ; Male ; Rats

Humans ; Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit ; immunology ; Interleukin-7 Receptor alpha Subunit ; immunology ; Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary ; immunology ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory ; immunology

OBJECTIVE:To establish an optimal therapeutic window concentration of CsA trough levels in renal transplant recipients on triple immunosuppressants regimen METHODS:A total 1 874 samples from 268 renal transplant recipients were measured by fluorescence polarization immunoassay(FPIA) According to the duration after operation and clinical diagnoses ,the whole blood CsA trough levels were compared among subgroups RESULTS:The optimal therapeutic window concentration of CsA was 300～400?g/L(within 1 month after operation),250～350?g/L(2nd～3rd month),150～250?g/L(4th～6th month),100～200?g/L(7th～12th month)and 100～150?g/L(more than 12 months) CONCLUSION:The above mentioned therapeutic window concentratin of CsA trough levels was ideal for renal transplant recipients with no marked acute toxic effects and rejection reaction

AIMTo investigate the roles of alpha1 and alpha2 receptors in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) in the carotid baroreflex (CBR) resetting induced by the intracerebroventricular injection (ICV) of histamine (HA).

METHODSThe left and right carotid sinus regions were isolated from the systemic circulation in 25 Sprague-Dawley rats anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium. The intracarotid sinus pressure (ISP) was altered in a stepwise manner. ISP-mean arterial pressure (MAP) relationship curve and its characteristic parameters were constructed by fitting to the logistic function with five parameters. The changes in CBR performance induced by ICV HA and the effects of pretreatment with alpha1 or alpha2 receptor antagonist into the NTS on the responses of CBR to HA were examined.

RESULTSICV HA (60 micromol x L(-1) in 5 microl) significantly shifted the ISP-MAP relationship curve upwards (P < 0.05) and moved the middle part of ISP-Gain relationship curve downwards (P < 0.05), and reduced the MAP range and maximum gain (P < 0.05). The pretreatment with phenoxybenzamine (PBZ, a selective antagonist of alpha1 receptor, 3 micromol x L(-1) in 500 nl) or yohimbine (YOH, a selective antagonist of alpha2 receptor, 2.5 micromol x L(-1) in 500 nl) into the NTS could obviously intensify the above-mentioned changes in CBR performance induced by HA, but the intensive effect of PBZ was less remarkable than that of YOH (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe intracerebroventricular administration of HA results in a rapid resetting of CBR and a decrease in reflex sensitivity, and the functions of alpha1 and alpha2 receptors in the NTS might weaken CBR resetting induced by ICV HA. Furthermore, alpha2 receptor in the NTS might play an more important role in modulating the responses of CHR to HA.

Animals ; Baroreflex ; drug effects ; Blood Pressure ; Carotid Sinus ; drug effects ; Histamine ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Injections, Intraventricular ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Solitary Nucleus ; drug effects ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) on graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (allo-BMT) and related mechanism in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) mice.

METHODSTwenty nude mice were randomly divided into control (group A) and test (group B) groups for monitoring relapse, and 20 BALB/c mice into control (group C) and test (group D) groups for GVHD. HGF as injected from day 0 to day 7 after BMT for groups B and D, while PBS for A and C. CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cell were evaluated by flow cytometry. The survival of mice after BMT was recorded. The level of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) was evaluated by ELISA.

RESULTSThe median past-BMT survival were 7.00 +/- 1.58, 9.00 +/- 1.58, 11.00 +/- 3.95 and 24.00 +/- 13.44 days for groups A, B, C, D, respectively, being prolonged in group D. HGF could decrease the quantity of CD4(+) T cells [group D (10.39 +/- 1.15)% vs group C (13.50 +/- 1.80)%, P < 0.01] and increase CD8(+) T cell [group D (12.25 +/- 2.85)% vs group C (6.12 +/- 1.99)%, P < 0.01], decrease the level of TNF-alpha in transplanted ALL mice [group D (112.10 +/- 18.99) pg/ml vs group C (143.90 +/- 25.35) pg/ml, P < 0.01] and reduce the degree of GVHD.

CONCLUSIONHGF could alleviate post-allo-BMT GVHD but retain GVL effect.

Animals ; Bone Marrow Transplantation ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Graft vs Host Disease ; prevention & control ; Graft vs Leukemia Effect ; drug effects ; Hepatocyte Growth Factor ; pharmacology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; immunology ; surgery ; Random Allocation ; Transplantation, Homologous

OBJECTIVETo screen anti-c-Met Fab from a phage antibody library and identify its binding activity.

METHODSThe expression of c-Met of HCC lines was identified by Western blot and immunofluorescence. Antibodies against c-Met were screened with immobilized antigen. After five rounds of panning, 30 randomly selected clones were identified by phage ELISA to select specific clones with high affinity. The positive clones were selected for Fab soluble expression in TOP10F and the binding activities were analysed in HCC lines.

RESULTSc-Met expressed in HCC membrane was confirmed by Western blot and immunofluorescence. A Fab fragment named AM2-26 with fine activity to c-Met was selected. AM2-26 binding specificity was confirmed by IP, FACS and immunofluorescence.

CONCLUSIONThe anti-c-Met Fab binding to c-Met in HCC provides a promising candidate for the biotherapy of hepatoma.

Antibodies ; immunology ; isolation & purification ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cloning, Molecular ; Gene Library ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments ; immunology ; Immunoglobulin Variable Region ; immunology ; Peptide Library ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met ; immunology ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; immunology