Objective To explore the potential role of activation of the colonic mucosal mast cells in the pathogenesis of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Methods The activation of colonic mucosal mast cells was evaluated by double immunohistochemical staining with c-Fos and tryptase in restraining stress and conditioned restraining stress rats and in 56 refractory IBS patients(by Rome Ⅱ criteria), 2 free-symptom more than 6 months patients and 20 healthy controls. It was also evaluated that the effect of mast cell stabilizer sodium cromoglycate 20 mg/kg given intraperitoneally (i.p.) 30 min before stress or conditioned stress on electromyographic activity (EMG) in abdominal striated muscle as the marker of visceral sensitization. The relationship between the severity index of symptom and the percentage of activation of sigmoid-rectal mucosal mast cells in IBS was analyzed by Spearman rank correlation. Results The percentage of activating mast cells instead of the total number increased significantly in stress (2.5 ?0.8 vs. 8.0?0.9) and conditioned stress (2.5? 0.8 vs. 7.8?0.8) rats compared with that in controls ( P

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of laryngoscopic surgery combined with nasal endoscopic system for the treatment of vocal cords benign lesions. METHOD: Fifty-two patients admitted to our department with vocal cords benign lesions (including vocal polyps, vocal nodules, vocal cord cyst) underwent laryngoscopic surgery combined with nasal endoscopic system. RESULT: All patients were treated successfully once and for all without any significant postoperative complication. CONCLUSION The laryngoscopic surgery combined with nasal endoscopic system is a safe, minimally invasive and simple method for the treatment of benign lesions of vocal cords.
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Laryngeal Diseases ; surgery ; Laryngoscopy ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Vocal Cords ; pathology

Objective To investigate the coping characters in patients with irritable bowel syndrome(IBS) by measuring the scores of life events, characteristic copings and coping styles. Methods Compared with those in health controls and peptic ulcer(PU) patients, Life Event Scale and Coping Style Questionnaire were used to evaluate 41 consecutive patients with IBS. Results IBS had a higher score of negative life events (43.92? 5.75 )than health controls (23.45?2.73, P =0.025) and PU(25.43?2.98, P =0.035). IBS also had a higher score of negative coping styles(40.79?8.01) than health controls (35.52?7.60, P =0.010) and PU(36.41?8.41, P =0.045). There was significant difference between IBS and health controls in the coping styles for fancying and withdrawal( P

Objective To observe the influences of different anesthesia methods or adjuvant chemotherapy on hemorheological parameters in patients with cervical cancer.Methods Sixty pa-tients with cervical cancer were equally randomized into two groups.Patients in group A received three courses of chemotherapy preoperatively while those in group B did not.The patients of group A and B were divided respectively into two subgroups,combined epidural general anesthesia group (groups A1 and B1),general anesthesia group (group A2 and B2).Blood samples were taken for the hemorheological measurement at 5 min before induction of anesthesia,60 min after induction of anes-thesia and at the end of surgery.Results Red cell deformability index (EDI)was significantly lower in group A than that in group B;Erythrocyte rigidity index (ERI)and blood viscosity were higher in group A compared with those in group B (P <0.05).In groups A1 and B1,EDI,plasmic viscosity packed ERI,and ERI were all lower than those before anesthesia induction (P < 0.01 );while in groups A2 and B2 Hct decreased.Conclusion The patients of cervical cancer after chemotherapy showed some hemorheological changes characterized by a lowered EDI.Combined general and epidural anesthesia can significantly improve the above parameters.

Objective To compare the efficiency of 18F-FDG PET/CT and contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in detection of HCC recurrence after surgery or radiofrequency ablation (RFA).Methods Twenty-seven HCC patients (22 males,5 females; average age:47 years) were included in this study,of which 15 patients underwent surgery and 12 patients underwent RFA therapy.18F-FDG PET/CT and CEUS were performed within 2 weeks in all patients to detect recurrence.Final diagnosis was made by pathology or clinical follow-up (＞6 months),and the sensitivity,specificity and accuracy of 18F-FDG PET/CT and CEUS were calculated and compared.McNemar test was used for data analysis.Results Twenty-five patients were diagnosed with HCC recurrence,including 11 cases with extrahepatic metastases.Another 2 patients had extrahepatic metastases without HCC recurrences.The sensitivity,specificity and accuracy in detection of liver lesion with 18F-FDG PET/CT were 92.0％ (23/25),2/2 and 92.6％ (25/27),respectively.While with CEUS,the corresponding values were 60.0％ (15/25),2/2 and 63.0％ (17/27),respectively.In CEUS positive group,the sensitivity and accuracy were 100％(15/15) for both methods.In CEUS negative group,the sensitivity,specificity and accuracy of 18 F-FDG PET/CT in detection of liver lesion were 8/10,2/2 and 83.3％(10/12),respectively.The sensitivity and accuracy of 18F-FDG PET/CT were significantly higher than those of CEUS (0,16.7％(2/12) ; x2 =5.373,5.250,both P＜0.05).Moreover,the sensitivity of 18 F-FDG PET/CT in detecting extrahepatic metastasis was 100％ (13/13).Conclusions 18 F-FDG PET/CT is more sensitive and accurate than CEUS (especially in CEUS negative cases) in detecting recurrence of HCC after surgery or RFA.18F-FDG PET/CT also could be useful for detection of extrahepatic metastasis.

Objective To evaluate the safety and efficacy of Stretta procedure for gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) based on changes of symptoms, medication and esophagitis grade. Methods A total of 90 patients with GERD who underwent Stretta procedure from June 2007 to March 2010 were followed up for 6 to 32 months. The health related quality of life of GERD ( GERD-HRQL), symptoms, medication and grade of esophagitis were evaluated at baseline, 6 and 12 months after the procedure, respectively. Results GERD symptoms were significantly relieved after the treatment, with 63 patients (70. 0% ) showing obvious improvement in 2 months, 15( 16. 7% ) being improved in 2 to 6 months, 8(8. 9% ) being relieved after 6 months, and 4(4. 4% ) showing no changes. The mean GERD-HRQL scores was 25.6 at baseline,and decreased to 7. 3 ( P ＜ 0. 01 ) at 6 months) and 8. 1 ( P ＜ 0. 01 ) at 12 months. The mean heartburn scores was 3.3 at baseline and decreased to 1.2 at 12 months ( P ＜ 0. 05 ). Before Stretta procedure, only 31.1% of the patients were satisfied with symptom control by medication, which was increased to 86. 7% after treatment. The score of overall satisfaction with treatment imoroved from 1.4 at baseline to 4. 0 at 12 months after the procedure (P ＜0. 01 ). All patients needed proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) to control symptoms before the treatment, including 67.8% of patients who needed PP1 combined with 2 other medicines or above, while at 6 months after the procedure, 76. 7% of patients were independent of PPI, or only accepted antacids or H2-receptor antagonists on demand. Out of 41 patients with erosive esophagitis before the procedure, 33(80. 5% ) showed normal esophagus at 6 months after the procedure, with 8 patients (19. 5% )having reflux esophagitis of Grade A. Conclusion Stretta procedure can achieve significant improvements in symptom control and degree of esophagitis, it also can decrease the use of medicine. It is well tolerated,safe, effective and endurable for GERD patients.

Objective To investigate the usefulness of 13N-NH3 PET in detecting brain lesions which show hypometabolism on 18F-FDG PET.Methods 13N-NH3 PET imaging was performed for a prospective study in 18 patients with brain lesions that showed hypometabolism compared with normal brain tissue on 18F-FDG PET scans.Fourteen patients underwent 18 F-FDG PET imaging for initial diagnosis and 4 patients for detection of astrocytoma recurrence (13 males,5 females,age 20-68 (42.4 ± 12.6) years).Ten gliomas,1 metastatic tumor,1 dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor (DNT) and 6 non-neoplastic lesions (including 3 cases of radiation necrosis,2 cases of encephalitic foci,and 1 case of ischemic lesion)were verified by histopathological examination (n =13) or clinical follow-up (n =5).The tumor-to-contralateral brain tissue ratios (T/C) were calculated by the ROI method.The diagnostic efficacy of 13N-NH3 PET was evaluated.Paired t test and two-sample t test were performed to analyze the differences of T/C between different groups.Results Seven (5 astrocytomas and 2 glioblastomas) of 12 brain tumors (sensitivity:58％,7/12) showed increased 13N-NH3 uptake (higher uptake than the contralateral brain tissue),while 3 low-grade gliomas,1 metastatic tumor,and 1 DNT showed decreased 13N-NH3 uptake (no uptake or lower uptake than the contralateral brain tissue).The uptake ratio of 13N-NH3 was significantly higher than that of 18 F-FDG (1.24 ± 0.66 vs 0.67 ± 0.24,t =-3.740,P ＜ 0.05) in the tumors.All six non-neoplastic lesions showed decreased 13N-NH3 uptake (specificity:6/6).The T/C ratios of 18F-FDG and 13N-NH3 in the non-neoplastic lesions were 0.68 ±0.15 and 0.70 ±0.19,respectively,and there was no significant difference between them (t =-0.246,P ＞ 0.05).The T/C ratio of 13N-NH3 in the tumors was significantly higher than that in the non-neoplastic lesions (1.24 ± 0.53 vs 0.70 ± 0.19,t =2.624,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion 13N-NH3 PET imaging may be helpful to detect and differentiate brain tumors with hypometabolism as detected by 18 F-FDG PET imaging from non-neoplastic lesions with high specificity,especially for cerebral astrocytomas,but the sensitivity is relatively limited.

Objective To investigate the effect of propofol on the function of gap junction (GJ) in HeLa cells transfected with Cx32/Cx26 plasmid. Methods Cervical cancer HeLa cells transfected with Cx32/Cx26 was given as present by professor Andrew L. Harris from New Jersey Dental Medical School, department of pharmacology and physiology. The transfected cells were selected by G-418. The effective GJ channels were identified by "Parachute Assay". The cells were randomly divided into 6 groups: Ⅰ control group (group C); Ⅱ fat emulsion group was exposed to fat emulsion 10 μg/ml (group E); Ⅲ 18-α-GA group was exposed 18-α-GA (gap junction blocker) 1.0 μg/ml (18-α-GA); Ⅳ, Ⅴ, Ⅵ propofol groups were exposed to propofol 1.3, 2.2 and 3.2μg/ml respectively (group P1, P2, P3). The transfected HeLa cells were incubated at 37 ℃ for 4 h. Gap junction function was assessed using fluorescent indicators Calcine-AM which emits green fluorescence and CM-Dil which emits red fluorescence. The small molecular Calcine-AM can pass through gap junction and enters HeLa cells while the large molecular CM-Dil cannot pass through gap junction and stays in the loading cells. Fluorescent indicator transmissibility and inhibition rate were calculated. Results The fluorescent indicator transmissibility was significantly lower and inhibition rate higher in group 18-α-GA, P1, P2 and P3 than in control group. There was nosignificant difference in the fluorescent indicator transmissibility and inhibition rate between group C and E. The inhibition of GJ function by propofol was dose-dependent. Conclusion Propofol can inhibit the function of GJ in HeLa cells transfected by Cx32/Cx26 in a dose-dependent manner.

Biodegradable four-arm star-shaped poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(L-lactic acid) copolymer (sPEG-b-PLLA), four-arm star-shaped poly(L-lactic acid) (sPLLA), linearly poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(L-lactic acid) copolymer (PEG-b-PLLA) and linearly poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) were synthesized from L-lactice acid, pentaerythritol, poly(ethylene glycol) and star-shaped poly(ethylene glycol), using the method of melt polycondensation, and the products were characterized and confirmed by 1H NMR spectroscopy, FT-IR and GPC. Four types of ibuprofen loaded microspheres based on the above four types of polymers, i.e., IBU/PLLA, IBU/sPLLA, IBU/PEG-b-PLLA, and IBU/sPEG-b-PLLA microspheres were prepared using the method of solvent evaporation, and the optimized preparation technology was obtained via orthogonal experiments, and the drug-encapsulating properties and in vitro drug-releasing properties were studied. The results showed that compared with IBU/PLLA and IBU/PEG-b-PLLA microspheres, the drug encapsulate efficiency of IBU/sPLLA and IBU/sPEG-b-PLLA microspheres were higher and the in vitro drug releasing rate slowed down, which mainly due to the faster degradation of sPLLA and sPEG-b-PLLA for the star-shaped structure and the block copolymerization of sPEG. The drug releasing curves of these three types of microspheres could be fit by first-order equation, and the releasing mechanism was non-Fickian diffusing, i.e., the synergetic effect of polymer degradation and drug diffusion.

BACKGROUNDTo study the relationship between the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and the clinicopathological characteristics of the patients with pulmonary bronchoalveolar carcinoma, and to research the possible role of VEGF in the malignant growth of pulmonary bronchoalveolar carcinoma.

METHODSThe expression of VEGF and MVD were detected in 38 pulmonary bronchoalveolar carcinoma and 20 normal lung tissues by immunohistochemical method.

RESULTSThe positive rate of VEGF expression (73.68%,28/38) and MVD (63.81±19.26) in pulmonary bronchoalveolar carcinoma tissues were both remarkably higher than those in normal lung tissues (0, 18.44±6.53)( P < 0.005,P < 0.001). The positive rate of VEGF expression was significantly related to the size of tumor ( P < 0.05), lymphatic metastasis ( P < 0.025) and TNM stage ( P < 0.05), and so did the MVD ( P < 0.05, P < 0.05, P < 0.05). MVD was remarkably higher in VEGF (+) carcinoma tissues than that in VEGF (-) carcinoma tissues ( P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSVEGF correlates with the clinicopathological characteristics of pulmonary bronchoalveolar carcinoma. It may play an important role in the development of pulmonary bronchoalveolar carcinoma.