OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical application of free superficial iliac circumflex artery skin flaps, as well as the management of donor site defects.

METHODS17 free superficial iliac circumflex artery skin flaps were applied for the traumatic defects or deformities on face, neck, foot, hand, ankle and lower leg, respectively. The donor site defects were closed directly or covered by paraumbilical island flaps.

RESULTSThe 17 flap size ranged from 5 cm x 3 cm to 19 cm x 14 cm. 16 flaps survived completely except 1 flap with partial necrosis, which was closed by free skin graft. The donor site defects were closed directly in 10 cases, and covered by paraumbilical island flaps in 7 flaps without no flap necrosis. The abdomen had a good appearance.

CONCLUSIONSGood appearance can be achieved with free superficial iliac circumflex artery skin flaps for the defects on face, neck, foot, hand, ankle and lower leg. Paraumbilical island flap can be used for the donor site defects.

Arteries ; Foot ; Free Tissue Flaps ; blood supply ; transplantation ; Humans ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; Skin ; Skin Transplantation ; Transplant Donor Site ; surgery ; Wounds and Injuries ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo observe the efficacy and side effect of the all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and arsenic trioxide (As(2)O(3)) combination in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL).

METHODSTwenty APL patients were treated with the ATRA and As(2)O(3) combination, and 18 of them could be evaluated. The treatment protocol was as following: 10 mg As(2)O(3) (0.1% solution) in 500 ml 50 g/L glucose solution for intravenous drip over 4 to 6 hours once a day, ATRA was given 25 mg/m(2) every day.

RESULTSSeventeen of the 18 patients achieved complete remission (CR), the CR rate was 94.4%. All 14 newly diagnosed patients and 3 of 4 relapsed patients achieved CR. No significant side effect was observed.

CONCLUSIONThe As(2)O(3) and ATRA in the treatment of APL can obtain a higher CR rate and a shorter duration for achieving CR.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Arsenicals ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Child ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute ; drug therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Oxides ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Remission Induction ; Treatment Outcome ; Tretinoin ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects

OBJECTIVETo identify clinical features and diagnostic tests that would alert the otolaryngologist to consider myasthenia gravis (MG) in the differential diagnosis of dysphonia, we reviewed the clinical characteristics of MG whose initial symptom is dysphonia.

METHODS31 patients who presented with dysphonia as their initial and primary complaint are reported, their symptoms and signs are observed and analyzed.

RESULTSPatients with dysphonia as their initial symptom of MG may complain of vocal fatigue, difficulty sustaining or projecting their voices, breathy voice or intermittent hoarseness. These symptoms are characterized by fluctuating weakness and abnormal fatigability. Flexible fibroendoscopic examination revealed that patients had incomplete adduction of the vocal folds, fatigue of the tensors of the vocal fold, incomplete glottic closure, vocal cord paralysis, saliva pooling over the bilateral or unilateral pyriform sinus. Neostigmine test revealed dramatic improvement in all patients. Serum levels of anti-Ach-R antibodies were tested in 19 cases, only 5 cases were abnormality. All patients had improved after treatment

CONCLUSIONSVoice changes can be the first sign of early MG. Based on fluctuating weakness or weak voice at the end of the day, a positive neostigmine test, significantly higher circulating antibody to acetylcholine receptor, a diagnosis of MG could definitively be made.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Distribution ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Dysphonia ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myasthenia Gravis ; complications ; diagnosis ; Sex Distribution ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the role of SHP-1 promoter methylation on the pathogenesis and progression in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and its related mechanism.

METHODS63 MDS patients were divided into low-grade (LG) group and high-grade (HG) group according to IPSS score system. Bone marrow samples were collected. Methylation specific-PCR (MSP) were used to detect the status of SHP-1 promoter methylation in bone marrow (BM) samples from different risk MDS patients and MDS cell line, SKK-1. Western blot was used to detect signal transduction and activator of transcription (STAT3) activation in SKK-1 cell line and MDS patients.

RESULTSNo SHP-1 promoter methylation could be detected in healthy controls BM. Partially methylation was found in SKK-1 cell line. Methylation rate of SHP-1 gene promoter was found in BM of 24.2% of low-grade MDS patients and 63.3% of high-grade MDS patients, the difference between these two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05); Patients were divided into different groups according to WHO subtype, chromosomal karyotype and blast cells in bone marrow, methylation rates of SHP-1 were significantly higher in RAEB-II, poor karyotype group and samples with 0.11-0.19 blast cells (P < 0.05); The phosphorylation protein of STAT3 was detected in SKK-1 cell line. The expression of phosphorylation STAT3 was significantly higher in HG group than in LG group (66.7% vs 18.2%) (P < 0.05). There was a significant correlation between SHP-1 promoter methylation and STAT3 phosphorylation.

CONCLUSIONAbnormal methylation of SHP-1 gene promoter might have tentative role in the pathogenesis and progression of MDS, which may be involved in STAT3 activation. Detection of SHP-1 promoter methylation may be helpful to evaluate the prognosis of MDS.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Case-Control Studies ; Child ; DNA Methylation ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes ; genetics ; metabolism ; Prognosis ; Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase, Non-Receptor Type 6 ; genetics ; metabolism ; STAT3 Transcription Factor ; metabolism ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo prepare and characterize the monoclonal antibody (mAb) against human SOCS3.

METHODSBALB/c mice were immunized with recombinant GST-SOCS3 protein, from which the spleen cells were isolated and fused with Sp2/0 cells. After several rounds of screening and cloning, the hybridoma cell strain secreting anti-SOCS3 mAb was obtained, whose specificity was evaluated using ELISA and Western blotting, and the titer, immunoglobulin subtype and affinity of the mAb were also measured.

RESULTSThe hybridoma cell strain secreting anti-SOCS3 mAb was identified to belong to IgG2a subtype. The mAb titers in cultural supernatant and acetic fluid were 1:640 and 1:25600, respectively, as determined by ELISA with affinity reaching 4.84x10(6) L/mol.

CONCLUSIONThe success in anti-SOCS3 mAb preparation provides the basis for further study of the negative regulation of cytokine signal transduction and the immunoregulation in microorganism infections.

Animals ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; biosynthesis ; Humans ; Hybridomas ; secretion ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 3 Protein ; Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling Proteins ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Trichinella spiralis and its worm-derived proteins on cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced sepsis in mice.

METHODSEighty male BALB/c mice were randomly divided into sham-operated group, CLP group, Trichinella spiralis muscle larvae (ML) pre-infection group (ML+CLP group), soluble muscle larvae proteins (SMP) treatment group (SMP+CLP group) and excretory-secretory proteins (MES) treatment group (MES+CLP group). In ML+CLP group, the mice were orally infected with 300 Trichinella spiralis muscle larvae at 28 days before CLP and those in the other groups were intraperitioneally injected with PBS or SMP (25 µg/mice) or MES (25µg/mice) 30 min after CLP. The general condition and 72-h survival after CLP of the mice were observed. The levels of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (Cr), TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, IL-10 and TGF-β were measured at 12 h after the operation, and the pathological changes of the liver and kidney were observed.

RESULTSs Compared with the sham-operated mice, the mice in CLP group showed decreased 72-h survival, obviously increased ALT, AST, BUN, Cr, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, IL-10, and TGF-β with hepatic cords disorder, hepatocytes swelling, glomerulus shrinkage, and renal tubular cell edema. Compared with CLP group, the mice in ML+CLP group showed lowered levels of ALT, AST, Cr, TNF-α and IL-1β and increased levels of IL-10 and TGF-β; in SMP+CLP group, the levels of ALT, AST, Cr, TNF-α and IL-1β were decreased and TGF-β increased. In MES+CLP group, the mice showed obviously increased 72-h survival with lowered levels of ALT, AST, BUN, Cr, TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β, increased levels of IL-10 and TGF-β, and alleviated liver and kidney damages.

CONCLUSIONTrichinella spiralis and its worm-derived proteins can decrease the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and increase immunomodulatory cytokines, and MES has more potent effect to reduce structural and functional damages of the liver and kidney.

Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Animals ; Antigens, Helminth ; pharmacology ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; blood ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Cecum ; Creatinine ; blood ; Cytokines ; blood ; Helminth Proteins ; pharmacology ; Kidney ; physiopathology ; Kidney Diseases ; therapy ; Ligation ; Liver ; physiopathology ; Liver Diseases ; therapy ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Sepsis ; therapy ; Trichinella spiralis

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and safety of postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy with imatinib in gastrointestinal stromal tumor(GIST) patients who had high risk of recurrence.

METHODSA prospective, open-label, multi-center trial conducted in sixteen teaching hospitals in China was carried out. The criteria of the enrolled patients included age more than 18 years old, CD117 positive GIST, tumor size more than 5 cm, pathological mitosis counts more than 5/50 HPF, and treatment beginning within 4 weeks after complete resection and with imatinib (400 mg, once a day) for at least 12 months. The 1, 3 year recurrence rates, disease free survival, overall survival rate and quality of life were evaluated.

RESULTSFrom Aug. 16th 2004 to Sep. 13th 2005, there were totally 74 patients screened and 57 patients (34 men, 23 women) enrolled in the imatinib treatment group. The primary tumors were located in the stomach in 50.9%, the small intestine in 38.6% and the colorectum in 10.5% of the cases. All the patients received radical resection. Until the cut-off date of interim analysis, there was no evidence of tumor relapse or metastasis in all patients and no death was reported either. Among the 57 enrolled patients with intention to treat(ITT), twelve patients finished the protocol (per protocol, PP). The disease free survival was (268.3 +/-120.2) d in ITT analysis, and (396.7+/-38.2) d in the PP analysis. The incidence of adverse effect was 44.4% . The score in quality of life showed no statistically significant difference between the baseline visit and the follow-up visits.

CONCLUSIONImatinib is a promising postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy in GISTs patients with high risk of recurrence, and the adverse effects are receivable.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Benzamides ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Imatinib Mesylate ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Piperazines ; therapeutic use ; Postoperative Period ; Prospective Studies ; Pyrimidines ; therapeutic use ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE To improve the poor water solubility and evaluating poor acitivity of etoposide (VP-16) by preparing VP-16 nanoparticle suspension (VP-16 NP) and its penetration through the blood-brain barrier (BBB).METHODS VP-16 NP was prepared with the anti-solution exchange method.The shape structure and diameter were observed with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS), respectively. The drug release profiles of the VP-16 powder and VP-16 NP were measured.The effect of VP-16 NP on the growth of KB cells was observed via MTT assay. In addition, primary brain microvascular endothelial cells from 1stto 2nd generation of SD rats at two weeks of age were used to construct an in vitro BBB model.The classic 4 h leak test,trans-epithelial electrical resistance (TEER) test and fluorescein disodium salt(FLU)perme?ability test were conducted to verify whether the in vitro BBB model was successfully established.RESULTS VP-16 NP was a solid sphere with a size of 140 nm detected by TEM,SEM and DLS.The cumulative release rate of VP-16 NP was 3 times that of VP-16 powder. The results of MTT colorimetric assay showed that VP-16 powder had no inhibitory effect on KB cells,while VP-16 NP could effectively inhibit KB cells. In the 4 h leakage experiment, the top and bottom chambers of the Transwell cell model could maintain a liquid surface distance of >0.5 cm,indicating that the in vitro BBB model was initially formed.The effective resistance value of the TEER experiment was 223 Ω·cm2,indicating that the in vitro BBB model was basically established. In FLU permeability experiments, the permeability coefficients were respectively (0.33±0.04)×10-3,(0.42±0.07)×10-3,and (0.52±0.06)×10-3cm·min-1at 15,30 and 60 min, indicating that the model had low permeability.The above three experiments suggested that the BBB in vitro model was successfully constructed. On this basis, the in vitro BBB model was used to evaluate the penetration of VP-16 NP at a permeability coefficient of (1.87±0.03)×10-3cm·min-1at 30 min,showing high permeability.VP-16 NP showed better penetration of BBB.CONCLUSION VP-16 NP is success?fully prepared,which increases the release rate of the drug,enhances the killing effect of the cells,and shows good penetration through the in vitro BBB model evaluation.

Objective The prognostic expression level and prognostic significance of CX3CL1 in patients with non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC) need further investigation. The purpose of this paper was to investigate the effects of various CX3CL1 mRNA expression levels on patients with NSCLC.Methods By retrieving lung-cancer related gene expression profile data in NCBI GEO database and TCGA of UCSC Cancer Browser, 8 datasets were included based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. All the datasets were collated and standardized through R statistical software. Univariate and multivariate Cox models were conducted for prognosis analysis of CX3CL1 in each dataset. HR values of all the datasets were pooled by meta algorithm.Results High-expression of CX3CL1 mRNA in tumor tissues of lung adenocarcinoma was a positive prognostic factor for overall survival(pooled HR=0.53; 95% CI=0.43-0.65 in univariate analysis; pooled HR=0.52; 95% CI=0.42-0.64 in multivariate analysis). However, in lung squamous cell carcinoma, there was no significant association between CX3CL1 expression and overall survival (pooled HR=1.09; 95% CI=0.82-1.45 in univariate analysis; pooled HR=1.18; 95% CI=0.88-1.58 in multivariate analysis).Conclusion The mRNA level of CX3CL1 in lung adenocarcinoma was positively correlated with better prognosis, but there was no correlation between CX3CL1 mRNA level and prognosis in patients with lung squamous cell carcinoma. CX3CL1 may be used as a potential prognostic marker for patients with lung adenocarcinoma.

Objective:To explore the material basis and mechanism of Sangjiang Ganmao injection （SG） in the treatment of common cold by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/electrostatic field orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry （UPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS） and network pharmacology. Method:UPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS was used to identify the chemical components of SG with mobile phase of acetonitrile （A）-0.1% formic acid aqueous solution （B） for gradient elution （0-10 min， 4%-15%A； 10-35 min， 15%-30%A； 35-45 min， 30%-33%A； 45-55 min， 33%-60%A； 55-58 min， 60%A）， flow rate of 0.2 mL·min^-1， electrospray ionization （ESI） and scanning range of m/z 100-1 500 under positive and negative ion modes. Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform （TCMSP） and GeneCards 5.0 database were used to screen and predict the potential targets of chemical components in SG， STRING 11.0 database and Cytoscape 3.7.2 software were used to construct protein-protein interaction （PPI） network model， gene ontology （GO） analysis and pathway analysis were performed on potential targets by Metascape 3.5， Reactome database and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG）， Cytoscape 3.7.2 software was used to build the network of "herbs-ingredients-key targets". Result:A total of 54 components in SG were identified， and 80 potential targets of SG for treatment of common cold were predicted and screened based on this. SG exerted therapeutic effects by acting on targets such as interleukin （IL）-6， tumor necrosis factor （TNF） and IL-10， and signaling pathways such as IL-17 signaling pathway， TNF signaling pathway and interaction of cytokine receptors. Conclusion:SG may interfere with the expression of inflammatory cytokines by acting on related targets and pathways such as inflammation and immune system， and regulate the immune function of the body as a whole， thereby exerting a therapeutic effect.