Objective To study the efficacy and security of postoperative radiotherapy alone and post-operative radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy in patients with high-grade cerebral glioma.Methods Fifty-nine patients with high-grade cerebral glioma confirmed by pathology, including 35 with grade Ⅲ and 24 with grade Ⅳ, admitted to our hospital from June 2004 to June 2008, were chosen in our study; these patients were randomly divided into 3 groups (A, B and C). All the patients underwent three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT) with a dose of 54-66Gy/27-33f/5-7w by 6/10MV-X ray; and the median total dose was 60 Gy; group A (n=21, including 13 with grade Ⅲ and 8with grade Ⅳ) received chemotherapy with termozolomide (TMZ) at a dosage of 75 mg/m2·d during radiotherapy, following by 150-200 mg/ (m2·d) for 5 d, and enjoying 28 d per cycle for a total of 3-5cycles; group B (n=26, including 14 with grade Ⅲ and 12 with grade Ⅳ) received chemotherapy with the regimen of nimustine (ACNU) with a dosage of 90 mg/m2 on the 1st d and teniposide (VM-26) at a dosage of 60 mg/m2 on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd d, enjoying 6-8 weeks per cycle for a total of 4-6 cycles; group C (n=12,including 8 with grade Ⅲ and 4 with grade Ⅳ) received radiotherapy alone. Clinical evaluations of tumor response and adverse effects were performed periodically. The primary end points were disease progression-flee survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) Results The effective rate in the group A, B and C was 81.0％, 71.4％ and 33.3％, respectively, indicating that significant differences exited between group C and both group A and B (P＜0.05). The incidence of gastrointestinal side effects and toxic response in the group B was obviously higher than that in the group A (P＜0.05). The 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates in group A were 66.7％, 19.0％ and 9.5％, respectively, which were the highest among the 3groups; those in group B were 53.8％, 15.4％ and 3.8％, respectively; those in group C were 25％, 8％ and 0％, respectively. The PFS in all the patients was 8 months and OS was 15 months; log-rank test indicated that significant differences of PFS and OS existed between patients received concomitant chemoradiotherapy and radiotherapy (X2=10.710, P=0.005; X2=7.185, P=0.028); the incidence of PFS and OS in group A and B was significantly higher than that in group C (P＜0.05). Conclusion To post-operative patients with high-grade cerebral glioma, concomitant chemoradiotherapy can improve the effective rate and extend the PFS and OS. TMZ is recommended as the concomitant chemotherapy regimen, having similar therapy effect with ACNU plus VM-26, but enjoying less adverse effects.

OBJECTIVETo develop a novel scaffolding method for the copolymers poly lactide-co-glycolide acid (PLGA) to construct a three-dimensional (3-D) scaffold and explore its biocompatibility through culturing Schwann cells (SCs) on it.

METHODSThe 3-D scaffolds were made by means of melt spinning, extension and weaving. The queueing discipline of the micro-channels were observed under a scanning electronic microscope (SEM).The sizes of the micropores and the factors of porosity were also measured. Sciatic nerves were harvested from 3-day-old Sprague Dawley (SD) rats for culture of SCs. SCs were separated, purified, and then implanted on PLGA scaffolds, gelatin sponge and poly-L-lysine (PLL)-coated tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS) were used as biomaterial and cell-supportive controls, respectively. The effect of PLGA on the adherence, proliferation and apoptosis of SCs were examined in vitro in comparison with gelatin sponge and TCPS.

RESULTSThe micro-channels arrayed in parallel manners, and the pore sizes of the channels were uniform. No significant difference was found in the activity of Schwann cells cultured on PLGA and those on TCPS (P larger than 0.05), and the DNA of PLGA scaffolds was not damaged.

CONCLUSIONThe 3-D scaffolds developed in this study have excellent structure and biocompatibility, which may be taken as a novel scaffold candidate for nerve-tissue engineering.

Animals ; Biocompatible Materials ; Cell Adhesion ; Cell Proliferation ; Cell Separation ; Cells, Cultured ; Lactic Acid ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Polyglycolic Acid ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Schwann Cells ; cytology ; Tissue Engineering ; methods ; Tissue Scaffolds

Objective To determine whether an increased number of transrectal biopsy cores improves the accuracy of biopsy Gleason score. Methods This study reviewed a total of 86 patients who were diagnosed as prostate cancer by transrectal needle biopsy and subsequently underwent radical prostatectomy (RP) without neoadjuvant therapy.The rate of grading concordance between biopsy and RP specimens was analyzed by dividing these patients into 2 groups according to the biopsy cores:group A,46 patients who underwent transrectai biopsy sampling of 6 cores,and group B,40 patients who underwent biopsy sampling of 13 cores. Results The concordance between prostate biopsy and radical prostatectomy Gleason score was 65.0%and 34.8% for 13 core and 6 core biopsy,respectirely (P＜0.05).Furthermore,these findings tended to be more prominent as the biopsy Gleason score was lower.Multivariate analysis identified the number of biopsy cores and percent of positive biopsy cores as independent predictors of accurate Gleason grading regardless of other parameters examined in this study. Conclusion Extended needle biopsy may increases the accuracy of biopsy Gleason score for assessing final prostate cancer grade.

This study was purposed to construct the recombinant hF9 minigene and its stable nonsense mutant cell lines, and to investigate its significance. Minigene hF9 was cloned into the mammalian expression vector pCMV-Tag3B; a nonsense mutant containing a premature termination codon (PTC) in the 121(st) amino acid residue was obtained by PCR site-directed mutagenesis; minigene hF9 and nonsense mutant were respectively transfected into HepG2 cells with G418 treatment to get stable HepG2-WT and HepG2-N cell lines. The results confirmed that the minigene hF9 and nonsense mutant were constructed successfully. The gene of interest was amplified by RT-PCR from the stable cell lines, and the minigene hF9 was expressed in the stable cell lines. It is concluded that the recombinant hF9 minigene and its stable nonsense mutant cell lines are constructed successfully. The cell lines can be used to screen the drugs treating the nonsense mutation-caused hemophilia according to PTC read-through approaches.
Cell Line, Tumor ; Codon, Nonsense ; Factor IX ; genetics ; Genetic Vectors ; Hemophilia B ; genetics ; Humans ; Recombinant Proteins ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo establish hepatic metastasis models of two colorectal carcinoma cell lines in mice for studying mechanism involved in colorectal carcinoma metastasis and its potential countermeasures.

METHODSMurine and human colorectal carcinoma CT26 and LoVo cells were inoculated into the spleen of Balb/c mice and Balb/c nude mice, respectively. The conditions of all the mice were observed, and the survival time and liver metastases were recorded.

RESULTSAll mice inoculated with CT26 cells and a few with LoVo cells developed liver metastases without metastases in any other organs. Pathological examination identified the liver metastatic foci as poorly differentiated colonic adenocarcinoma. Compared with the mice inoculated with LoVo cells, those with CT26 cells had a higher rate of liver metastasis and a shorter survival time.

CONCLUSIONThe mouse model has been established successfully, which well mimics the pathological process of liver metastasis of colorectal cancer.

Animals ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; pathology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical ; Female ; Humans ; Liver ; pathology ; Liver Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; secondary ; Mice ; Spleen ; pathology

Objective To investigate effects of different times and procedures of postoperative radiation and chemotherapy on treatment efficacy of high-grade gliomas.Methods A prospective clinical trial was conducted in 71 patients with high-grade gliomas (HGG); they were separated randomly into two groups:one group including 39 patients received chemo-radiotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy sequentially (RC+C) and the other group including 32 patients received neo-adjuvant chemotherapy and chemo-radiotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy sequentially (C+RC+C).The clinical benefit rate (CBP),progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were followed up after the treatment.Results No significant difference on CBP 5 months after treatment was noted between the two groups (P＞0.05),but the CBP in the C+RC+C group (87.5％) was significantly higher than that in the RC+C group (66.7％)8 months after treatment (P＜0.05).No significant difference on OS was noted between the two groups.The median PFS of patients in C+RC+C group was 11.5 months while that in the RC+C group was 8.6 months; the PFS of patients in C+RC+C group was significantly longer that in the RC+C group (P＜0.05).Conclusion Procedure of C+RC+C can prolong the PFS of patients with HGG.

Objective Pericardial effusion (PE) is a major complieation of atrial fibriuation ablation(AFB).We analyzed the incidence,risk factors and managements of PE post AFB(radiofrequency catheter ablation).Methods A total of 156 consecutive patients with AF [ male 108,paroxysmal AF 114, (57.6±11.3)years],who underwent AFB guided by a three-dimensional mapping system (CARTO or CARTO-Merge,Biosense-Webster Inc.Diamond Bar,California) and a circular mapping catheter(Lasso, Biosense-Webster Inc.Diamond Bar.California),were included in this study.The ablation strategy included Circumferential pulmonary veins isolation (CPVI).linear ablation and/or complex fraetionated atrial electrograms (CFAEs) ablation.Electrophysiologieal data and vital signs of patients were recorded by a multiple physiological recorder (Prueka,GE Medical System) during ablation.Ablation process,sites,duration and other related factors wen als0 recorded. Eehocardiography and other examinations were performed for diagnosing and monitoring PE.Results CPVl were achieved in all 156 patients.Incidenee of PE Was 10.3%(16/156)post AFB.One patient developed acute cardiac tamponade and emergency drainage of the perieardial effusion was performed through a median stemotomy and patient recovered without eomplieations during the 18 months f0U0w-up.The rest 15 PE patients with small PE received outpatient care and no invaBive treatment wag needed and PE disappeared after 3 months in 6 patients and after 6 months in 9 patients.Univariate analysis showed that the composition of gender(P<0.01).ablation in coronary sinus (CS,P=0=026),ablation of CFAEs(P=0.037) and superior vena cava(SVC,P=0.041)were risk factors for PE.Logistic regression analysis showed that hmMe gender [β=3.594,exp(b)=36.4,95% confidence interval(Cl):4.2-312.1,P=0.001] and ablation in CS [β=2.419,exp(b)=11.2, 95%cl:1.0-124.6,P=0.049] were independent risk factors for PE post AFB.Conclusions PE iS a common complication of AFB,female gender and ablation in CS were independent risk factors for PE.Most PE patients experienced spontaneous recovery but emergency treatment Wag needed for patient with cardiac tamponade.

BACKGROUNDPulmonary-vein isolation (PVI) is currently used for the treatment of chronic and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and a major risk of PVI is thromboembolism. The purpose of this study was to observe embolic event rate in patients with persistent or paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) undergone PVI.

METHODSCircumferential PVI (CPVI) was performed in 64 consecutive patients with persistent AF (42 men, aged (60.0 +/- 9.1) years) and in 84 consecutive patients with paroxysmal AF (53 men, aged (61.4 +/- 9.3) years). Warfarin was administrated in all patients before ablation for at least 3 weeks ((5.2 +/- 2.6) weeks) and continued for at least 3 months post ablation with international normalized ratio (INR) of 2.0 - 3.0. During CPVI, intravenous heparin was given at a dose of 5000 - 8000 U or 75 - 100 U/kg, followed by 1000 U or 12 U/kg per hour.

RESULTSIn patients with persistent AF, 1 patient developed embolic event during ablation and 3 patients developed embolic events after ablation. In contrast, no thromboembolic event was observed in patients with paroxysmal AF (4/64 vs 0/84, P = 0. 033).

CONCLUSIONThromboembolic event rate related to CPVI is significantly higher in patients with persistent AF than that in patients with paroxysmal AF.

Adult ; Aged ; Atrial Fibrillation ; surgery ; Catheter Ablation ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology ; Pulmonary Veins ; surgery ; Thromboembolism ; etiology

Codon bias is an important factor which influences heterologous gene expression. Optimizing codon sequence could improve expression level of heterologous gene. In order to improve the expression level of BmK AngM1 gene encoding the analgesic peptide from Buthus martensii Karsch in Pichia pastoris, the codon-optimized BmK AngM1 gene according to its cDNA sequence and the preference codon usage of P. pastoris were cloned into expression vector pPIC9K and then transformed into P. pastoris. The expersion of recombinant BmK AngM1 (rBmK AngM1) was inducced by methanol in the medium, and the expression level of the optimized BmK AngM1 gene was 3.7 times of the native one. These results suggested that the expression of BmK AngM1 in P. pastoris could be successfully improved by codon optimization.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Codon ; genetics ; Gene Expression ; Pichia ; genetics ; metabolism ; Plasmids ; Recombinant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Scorpion Venoms ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; Scorpions ; chemistry ; Transformation, Genetic

Objective To analyze the effect of antibiotic treatment on prostate specific antigen (PSA) derivations in patients with and without prostate cancer and to further determine if the changes of PSA values after antibiotic treatment could help to exclude inflammation in the differential diagnosis of an abnormal PSA.MethodsA total of 100 patients with lower urinary tract symptoms,a PSA level of 4 to 10 μg/L,free PSA/total PSA (fPSA/tPSA) ratio ＜ 0.25,and a negative digital rectal examination and transrectal ultrasonography were enrolled in this study.All patients received 500 mg of ciprofloxacin twice a day for 3 weeks.Free and total PSA values were measured before and after antibiotic treatment.All the patients were then scheduled for 12-core prostate biopsy.Results The mean tPSA value was (6.5 ± 1.2) and (5.1 ± 1.2) μg/L respectively before and after antibiotic treatment ( P ＜ 0.01 ).Ninety-one patients (91.0％) showed tPSA reduction after antibiotic therapy,of which 13 ( 14.3％ ) had prostate cancer on biopsy.In 17 cases (18.7％) post-treatment tPSA was less than 4 μg/L.Three of the 17 cases (17.6％)had prostate cancer on biopsy.In 6 of the 100 men post-treatment tPSA was between 4 and 10 μg/L and the fPSA/tPSA ratio was above 0.25.One of these cases had prostate cancer on biopsy.Seven cases had a ＞50％ reduction in PSA levels with no positive biopsy results.Although mean total PSA and PSAD decreased after treatment in both groups,the reductions within these parameters were not significantly different between patients with and without prostate cancer (P ＞ 0.05).Furthermore,no differences emerged in terms of the changes of other PSA derivations including fPSA and fPSA/tPSA ( P ＞ 0.05 ).ConclusionsThe PSA levels may change with long-term antibiotic treatment in patients with elevated PSA values.A decrease in PSA after antibiotic treatment does not rule out the presence of prostate cancer even if PSA decreases to a normal level.But a ＞ 50％ reduction in PSA levels may be associated with a decreasing risk of prostate cancer,which may allow a postponement of prostate biopsy in selected patients.