Objective To study the pathological and immunohistochemical features of alimentary tract mesenchymal tumors and compare with computed tomographic virtue endoscopy (CTVE) imaging technology to evaluate the diagnostic value of CTVE in alimentary tract mesenchymal tumors. Methods Seventy-four pathological specimens of alimentary tract mesenchymal tumors were collected. The pathological features and the expression of CD117, CD34, SMA and S-100 were observed by immunohistochemical method with light microscope. The pathological types and characteristics were determined by pathologists and compared with CTVE imaging technology. Results In the 74 cases of alimentary tract mesenchymal tumors,40 cases were diagnosed as stromal tumor with pathological and immunohistochemical methods (54. 1%).Sixteen of them were malignant, accounting for 40% of the stromal tumor while 33 cases were diagnosed as leiomyoma(44. 6%)and 1 case as schwannoma(1.4%) . In the 74 GIMTs cases ,33 were jejunum GIMTs,21 were ileum GIMTs and 20 were large intestine GIMTs. Immunohistochemistry assay in the 74 GIMTs cases showed that 51.4% GIMTs were positive for CD117, approximately 36. 5% were positive for CD34 , 62.2% were positive for smooth-muscle actin (SMA) and 1. 4% were positive for S-100 protein. In the 74 GIMTs cases,69 cases were diagnosed right in the accuracy for location with CTVE(93. 2%) with 51 cases in small intestinal (94. 4%) and 18 cases in large intestinal (90. 0%). The sensitivity and the specificity of CTVE to distinguish benign from malignant stromal tumors by CTVE characteristics were 84. 2% and 85. 7%respectively. Conclusions GIST is common in GIMTs and is often originated from the small intestinal. The immunohistochemistry has great value in diagnosing alimentary tract mesenchymal tumors. The CTVE imaging technology also has great value in diagnosing alimentary tract mesenchymal tumors which can show the localization, shape size and artery of the tumor clearly. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of CTVE are high to distinguish benign from malignant alimentary tract GISTs. CTVE plays an important role in guiding the clinical management of GISTs.

ObjectiveTo study the effect of enriched rehabilitative training on the functional recovery and neuronal dentritic growth following cerebral ischemia/reperfusion.Methods32 male Wistar rats,weighting 180～200 g,were randomly divided into a ischemic group(n=16) and a sham-operation group(n=16) after beforehand trainings.Rats were subjected to 2 h of right middle cerebral artery occlusion before reperfusion.After surgery,the ischemic group were randomly divided into a ischemia + enrichment(IE) group and a ischemia + standard housing(IS) group;the sham-operation group were randomly divided into a sham + enrichment(SE) group and a sham + standard housing(SS) group.After 24 h reperfusion,IE and SE groups were housed in enriched cages,and given enriched rehabilitative training according to the scheme.At the same time,IS and SS groups were housed in standard cages without any training.The functions of 4 groups were evaluated at 24 h,1 week,2 weeks,3 weeks and 4 week after operation.Dentritic growth of layer V pyramidal cells of the undamaged forelimb motor cortex was examined using Golgi-Cox procedure.ResultsIE group showed better function than IS group in all behavioral test.There was no significant difference in limb-placement test at 3 weeks(P>0.05) and in footfault test at 4 weeks(P>0.05) after operation between IE and SE group.The mean of basilar dentrite branching points in IE group was significantly greater than that of other groups(P<0.01).ConclusionEnriched rehabilitative training can promote functional recovery and enhance neural plasticity after cerebral ischemia/ reperfusion in rats.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the feasibility and clinical effect of the extended reverse digital artery island flap including dorsal digital nerve.

METHODSSince 2001, 7 cases of pulp and digital palm defects were repaired by the extended reverse digital artery island flap including dorsal digital nerve.

RESULTSAll the flaps survived. Follow-up showed satisfactory results functionally and cosmetically with 2-PD of 6-9 mm.

CONCLUSIONSThe extended reverse digital artery island flap is a safe and feasible and an effective method for repair of finger pulp defects.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Finger Injuries ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Skin Transplantation ; methods ; Surgery, Plastic ; methods ; Surgical Flaps ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To compare treatment response according to the PERCIST1.0,RECIST1.1,EORTC,and WHO criteria in patients with colorectal liver metastases (CLM) who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy.Methods A total of 41 CLM patients (27 males,average age 68.48 years;14 females,average age 62.43 years) from January 2010 to September 2013 were included in this retrospective study.PET/CT scan was performed before chemotherapy and after 4-6 cycles′ chemotherapy.The baseline and the sequential follow-up 18F-FDG PET/CT of each patient were evaluated according to the PERCIST1.0,RECIST1.1,EORTC,and WHO criteria.The response was categorized into 4 levels including CR,PR,SD,PD.PET/CT images were used for both metabolic and anatomic evaluation.The concurrent diagnostic CT or MRI images (performed within 1 week of PET/CT) were also utilized when needed.The agreements of criteria were analyzed using Kappa test.The response rate (RR) and disease control rate (DCR) were compared using χ2 test.Results The RR and DCR according to the PERCIST1.0,EORTC and RECIST1.1 criteria were 31.71％(13/41) and 63.41％(26/41),31.71％(13/41) and 60.98％(25/41),17.07％(7/41) and 68.29％(28/41),respectively.The general comparison of PERCIST1.0 and RECIST1.1,EORTC and RECIST1.1 criteria showed good agreements (κ values: 0.711,0.689).Significant difference was not found in the DCR(χ2=2.000,P>0.05) but found in the RR(χ2=6.000,P<0.05) between PERCIST1.0 and RECIST1.1.Difference of DCR between EORTC and RECIST1.1 was not significant(χ2=3.000,P>0.05),while the RR had significant difference(χ2=6.000,P<0.05).The RR and DCR according to WHO criterion were 12.20％(5/41) and 70.73％(29/41),which had a good consistency with those according to PERCIST1.0 criteria (κ=0.629).Significant statistical difference was not found in the DCR(χ2=3.000,P>0.05) but found in the RR(χ2=8.000,P<0.05) between PERCIST1.0 and WHO criteria.Conclusions In evaluating CLM treatment response,anatomical criteria and metabolic criteria have a good consistency.But metabolic criteria are more sensitive for RR evaluating.

OBJECTIVETo construct a subtracted cDNA library of differentially expressed genes in eosinophils from asthma patients.

METHODSSuppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) was used to isolate the cDNA fragments of differentially expressed genes in the eosinophils of asthma patients before and after treatment. The cDNA fragments were directly inserted into T/A cloning vector to establish the subtractive library, followed by amplification of the library through E. coli transformation with calcium chloride and screening of blue and white clones of the transformants. One hundred positive bacterial clones were randomly picked and identified by colony PCR.

RESULTSThe amplified library contained more than 3,000 positive bacterial clones. Analysis of the randomly selected 100 white clones by PCR showed that 90% of the clones contained 100-500 bp inserts, which might be the cDNA fragments of differentially expressed genes in eosinophils of asthma patients before treatment.

CONCLUSIONA subtracted cDNA library of differentially expressed genes in the eosinophils of asthma patients before and after treatment is constructed successfully by SSH and T/A cloning techniques, which lays a solid foundation for screening and cloning new specific differentially.expressed genes in the eosinophils of asthma patients.

Asthma ; blood ; genetics ; DNA, Complementary ; genetics ; Eosinophils ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Gene Expression Regulation ; genetics ; Gene Library ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nucleic Acid Hybridization

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) and angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT-1 receptor) blocker on the progression of rat pulmonary fibrosis induced by bleomycin A5.

METHODSTwenty-four male Wistar rats were randomized into pulmonary fibrosis model, perindopril treatment, losartan treatment and control groups. In the former 3 groups, pulmonary fibrosis was induced via intratracheal injection of bleomycin A5 (5 mg/kg), after which the rats in the perindopril and losartan groups received intragastric administration of the corresponding agents at the daily dose of 2 mg/kg and 10 m/kg, respectively. The rats in the control group had intratracheal injection of normal saline only. In the 4th week, the histological changes of the lung tissues were examined microscopically with Masson staining. Hydroxyproline content in the lungs was measured, and the protein expressions of AT-1 receptor, TGF-beta1 and IkappaBalpha were examined using Western blotting. DNA binding activity of NF-kappaB was analyzed with electrophoretic gel mobility shift assay (EMSA), and zymography was used to assess the activity of matrix metalloproteinase-2 and 9 (MMP-2, 9).

RESULTSBoth perindopril and losartan treatment significantly reduced the pulmonary fibrosis score, content of hydroxyproline, protein expression of TGF-beta1, DNA binding activity of NF-kappaB and MMP-2, 9 activity, and increased cytoplasmic protein expression of IkappaBalpha. Perindopril treatment lowered the protein level of AT-1 receptor.

CONCLUSIONPerindopril and losartan may inhibit bleomycin A5-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats by reducing the protein expression of TGF-beta1 and suppressing the DNA binding activity of NF-kappaB and MMP-2, 9 activity.

Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers ; therapeutic use ; Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors ; therapeutic use ; Animals ; Bleomycin ; analogs & derivatives ; Blotting, Western ; Losartan ; therapeutic use ; Male ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; Perindopril ; therapeutic use ; Pulmonary Fibrosis ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1 ; metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of toluene diisocyanate (TDI) on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells.

METHODSTDI-human serum albumin (TDI- HSA) conjugate was prepared using a modified Son's method. MTT assay was used to examine the viability of HBE135-E6E7 cells cultured in serum-free medium after treatment with HSA or TDI-HSA at different concentrations. VEGF mRNA expression of the HBE cells treated with HSA or TDI-HSA at 10, 20, 30 and 40 microg/ ml, respectively, was detected using semi-quantitative RT-PCR.

RESULTSTreatment with 40 microg/ml HSA and 40 microg/ml TDI-HSA did not result in significant changes in the viability of HBE135-E6E7 cells. RT-PCR revealed the constitutive expression of two VEGF isoforms, namely VEGF189 and VEGF165, in cultured HBE135-E6E7 cells. After exposure to TDI-HSA at the different concentrations (except for 10 microg/ml), a significant increase occurred in both VEGF189 and VEGF165 mRNA expressions in HBE135-E6E7 cells as compared with the expressions in the control group and the HSA-treated cells (P<0.05), and significant dose dependence was noted in the effect of TDI-HSA (P<0.05). No significant difference was found in the expressions between the control cells and the HAS-treated cells (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONTDI induces significant increase in VEGF expression in HBE cells, and VEGF overexpression may play an important role in the pathogenesis of TDI-induced asthma.

Bronchi ; cytology ; Cell Line ; Cell Survival ; Epithelial Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; Protein Isoforms ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Toluene 2,4-Diisocyanate ; pharmacology ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the risk factors for pulmonary Candida infection in association with mechanical ventilation and analyze the drug resistance profile of the Candida species that cause the infection.

METHODSA retrospective analysis was conducted 114 patients receiving mechanical ventilation for over 48 h. According to the presence of pulmonary Candida infections, these patients were divided into infected group (n=50, 43.9%) and non-infected group (64 cases). Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed to identify the risk factors for the infection, and drug sensitivity test was carried out to evaluate the drug resistance of the Candida species.

RESULTSUnivariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression showed that the presence of at least two underlying diseases (OR=4.758, P=0.009), frequent changes of antibiotics (OR=6.128, P=0.001), and blood albumin below 25 g (OR=15.829, P=0.011) were the independent risk factors for pulmonary Candida infection associated with mechanical ventilation, and prophylactic antifungal treatment (OR=0.062, P=0.012) was a protective factor. Drug sensitivity test showed that Candida albicans was sensitive to most of the antifungal agents (100.0%), but the non-albicans Candida species were resistant to fluconazol (50.0%) and Itraconazole (38.5%).

CONCLUSIONPoor general conditions and frequent changes of antibiotics are the major risk factors for pulmonary Candida infection in patients receiving mechanical ventilation. Drug resistant analysis is helpful in the treatment of the infections.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Candidiasis ; etiology ; China ; epidemiology ; Drug Resistance, Fungal ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Diseases, Fungal ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; Respiration, Artificial ; adverse effects ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo establish a more stable method to isolate osteocytes in vitro, and then to find the differences with osteoblast biological characteristics.

METHODSOsteocytes and osteoblasts were isolated from the bone tissue of 3-day-old rats using sequential collagenase digestion. The cells were identified through cell morphology after 24 hours later. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) kit was used to stain the first generation cells by Kaplow-way, the bone gla protein (BGP) of the cells were stained by immunocytochemitry. Measured ALP and computed its activity.

RESULTSOsteocytes and osteoblasts showed obviously differences in cell morphology. Osteocytes were star-shaped or dendrite-shaped within more dendrites, while osteoblasts were spindle-shaped with short dendrites. Osteocytes were negative for ALP, but osteoblasts were positive; Osteocytes were more positive for BGP, and osteoblasts were less positive. The secretion of ALP in osteocytes was lower than that of osteoblasts.

CONCLUSIONOsteocytes can be isolated and cultured in vitro. These characteristics of osteocytes are apparently difference with those of osteoblasts.

Alkaline Phosphatase ; analysis ; Animals ; Cell Separation ; methods ; Osteoblasts ; chemistry ; cytology ; Osteocalcin ; analysis ; Osteocytes ; chemistry ; cytology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of education on self-evaluation and control level in patients with bronchial asthma.

METHODSSeventy-five asthmatic patients with the initial diagnosis in line with the American Thoracic Society criteria, including 46 with junior high school education or below (group A) and 29 with senior high school education or above (group B), were asked to complete a survey to assess their symptoms and asthma attacks. Asthma control test (ACT) and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) evaluation were performed 8, 12 and 24 weeks after salmeterol/fluticasone therapy. Step-down treatment was administered according to GINA guidelines. The self-evaluation of the patients was assessed according to ACT score, physical signs and pulmonary function. An ACT score over 19 indicate well controlled condition. The effect of education on the self-evaluation and control level of bronchial asthma was assessed.

RESULTSThe two groups had similar basal level of pulmonary function (FEV1). Eight weeks after the therapy, 29 patients in group A had ACT score over 19, including 11 with high control level; in group B, 17 had ACT score over 19, of whom 4 showed high control level. There was no significant difference between the two groups in control levels and self-evaluation (P>0.05). At 12 weeks, 37 patients in group A had ACT score over 19, with 17 having high control level; 22 patients in group B had ACT score over 19, 4 showing high control level; the two groups were similar in the control levels (P>0.05) but showed significant difference in self-evaluation (P<0.05). At the time of 24 weeks, 42 and 26 patients had ACT score over 19 in the two groups, with 19 and 5 having high control level, respectively. The two groups differed significantly in the control levels (P<0.05) and self-evaluation (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe patients' education level may play a role in self-evaluation and control level of bronchial asthma, but its impact differs in the course of the treatment.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Albuterol ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Androstadienes ; therapeutic use ; Anti-Asthmatic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Asthma ; therapy ; Educational Status ; Female ; Fluticasone ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Patient Education as Topic ; methods ; standards ; Salmeterol Xinafoate ; Self Care ; methods ; Young Adult