OBJECTIVETo investigate general and clinicopathological characteristics of male breast cancer and analyzed the factors affecting the outcomes of the patients based on the data from a single institution.

METHODSTwenty-five male breast cancer patients treated at Sun Yet-sen University Cancer Center between January 1, 2000 and April 30, 2011 were included into the study. The patients were followed up for 1 to 90 months with a median follow-up of 51 months. The general and clinicopathological characteristics including family history, age, smoking, alcohol drinking, site of tumor, location of tumor, histological type, estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2), Ki-67, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), P53 expression, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, adjuvant radiotherapy, adjuvant endocrine therapy, tumor size, lymph node status, distant metastasis and TNM stage were investigated by univariate analysis to evaluate the impact of these factors on patient survival.

RESULTSThe 5-year survival rate was 66.5% in these patients. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy, tumor size, lymph node status, distant metastasis and TNM stage were significant predictors for the overall survival. Patients receiving adjuvant endocrine therapy tended to have a better overall survival, though this was not supported statistically (P=0.086). However, patients with neoadjuvant chemotherapy had a poorer overall survival than those without it (P=0.000). Patients in stages I and II had better overall survival than those in stages III and IV (P=0.000).

CONCLUSIONThe 5-year survival rate was 66.5% in these male breast cancer patients. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy, tumor size, lymph node status, distant metastasis and TNM stage are significant predictors of the overall patient survival.

Breast Neoplasms, Male ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prognosis ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVETo identify predictors of treatment retention problems at the two initial methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) clinics in Guangdong province, and to provide reference in reducing the rate of drop-outs.

METHODSAll of the patients were investigated at baseline and followed during the treatment period. Kaplan-Meier method on Survival Analysis was used to analyze retention related factors and predictors.

RESULTS509 subjects were recruited in this study with median of retention time as 108 days (95%CI: 74 - 142 days). The retention rate at 1-, 3-, 6-, 12-months were 75.9%, 52.7%, 41.6%, 30.1%, respectively. Data from Multivariate Cox Proportional Hazard Model analysis showed predictors of retention would involve factors as HIV infection state at baseline (HR = 1.241, P = 0.047), daily methadone dose (HR = 0.633, P = 0.004) and secretly using drugs during treatment period (HR = 5.345, P = 0.000).

CONCLUSIONThe retention rates at the two initial MMT clinics in Guangdong province were low. Patients who were HIV negative at baseline but still secretly using heroine during treatment or accepted low daily average dosage of methadone, had the tendency to drop out. The results implied that retention time could be prolonged by increasing daily methadone dosage.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; mortality ; Adult ; China ; Female ; Heroin Dependence ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Methadone ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Opiate Substitution Treatment ; Patient Compliance ; statistics & numerical data ; Patient Dropouts ; statistics & numerical data ; Substance Abuse Treatment Centers ; Substance Abuse, Intravenous ; drug therapy ; Survival Rate

Objective To discuss a real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (FQ-PCR) wether if can be used to detect Brucella. Methods According to the BCSP31 gene sequences specific for Brucella, one pair of primers and one TaqMan probe were designed. A real-time PCR was developed with the BCSP31 fragments cloned into PMD18-T vector. The standard cure was established and the sensitivity, the species specificity and the stability of the assay were evaluated. The clinical blood specimens were detected by QT-PCR and compared with clinical diagnosis. Results The standard curve was established with the standard template and the relationship between the Ct and the DNA copy number was linear(r=0.999). The sensitivity of the real-time PCR was 5 copies/μl. The sensitivity of the common PCR was 5×102 copies/μl. The sensitivity was about 100 times higher than common PCR. Species specificity of this FQ-PCR assay evaluated using genomic DNA from 6 Bmcella strains and 5 non-Brucella strains and strong fluorescence was detected in all Brucella strains. The CV of intra-assay and inter-assay reproducibility were 0.71%,7.23%, reprectively. Twenty-four specimens from clinical brucellosis cases, 19 showed positive, the positive coincident rate was 79%(19/24). The negative results were obtained for all 31 negative control, and the negative coincident rate was 100%(31/31). Two were positive from all 30 specimens clinically suspected. Conclusions Highly specific, sensitive, repeatable and coincidental with clinic, this FQ-PCR is quite useful for rapid detection of tiny DNA of Brucella in various samples and laboratory diagnosis.

BACKGROUNDEstrogen might play an important role in type 2 diabetes mellitus pathogenesis. A number of polymorphisms have been reported in the estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) gene (also named ESR1), including the XbaI and PvuII restriction enzyme polymorphisms of ESR1, which may be involved in disease pathogenesis. The aim of this study was to determine whether ERX gene polymorphisms are associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus and serum lipid level.

METHODSTwo hundred and ninety-nine patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were compared with three hundred and forty-one health controls of Guangzhou in China, both were male and postmenopausal female residents at 51 - 70 years. ESR1 genotyping was performed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and PvuII and XbaI restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis.

RESULTSESR1 allelic frequencies of P, p and X, x alleles were 0.408, 0.592; 0.360, 0.640 in the type 2 diabetes mellitus group and 0.318, 0.682; 0.328, 0.672 in the control group, respectively. In case-control study, there was significant difference in PvuII, but not XbaI, allele frequency between the type 2 diabetes mellitus and control groups (P = 0.001 and P = 0.122). When the group was separated into men and women, the difference was significant in women (P < 0.001) but not in men (P = 0.854) with the PvuII genotype, and the effect of PvuII variant on the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus was improved with aging. In addition, PvuII genotype was associated with blood glucose [fasting blood glucose (FBG), postprandial blood glucose (PBG)] and serum lipid [total cholesterol (TC) and low density lipoprotein (LDL)-c] concentration in healthy women.

CONCLUSIONSPvuII polymorphism of ESR1 increases susceptibility to type 2 diabetes mellitus in Chinese Guangzhou women. ESR1 variants may also impact serum lipid metabolism, which might provide a mechanism connecting ESR1 to type 2 diabetes.

Aged ; Blood Glucose ; analysis ; Cholesterol, LDL ; blood ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; blood ; genetics ; Estrogen Receptor alpha ; genetics ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Lipids ; blood ; Logistic Models ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Genetic

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of oral intake of glucose solution before surgery on the pH at the lower esophagus, perioperative blood glucose level, and plasmic protein in patients undergoing radical resection for colorectal cancer.

METHODSBetween January 2008 and December 2008, 60 patients undergoing radical surgery for colorectal cancer were enrolled and randomized into three groups using the table of random digits. Four patients were withdrawn from the study. Patients in group A (n=19) were given 800 ml of 12.5% glucose solution for oral intake the night before surgery, and 200 ml two hours before surgery. Patients in group B (n=19) were given distilled water instead of glucose. Patients in group C (n=18) were asked to fast for 8-12 hours before operation. Combined general and epidural anesthesia was used. pH at the lower esophagus was monitored during intubation and extubation. Albumin, transferrin, prealbumin, insulin, and fasting blood glucose were measured before surgery and at postoperative day 1, 3, and 7.

RESULTSpH at the lower esophagus was 8.05±0.43 in group A, 7.98±0.41 in group B, and 7.94±0.41 in group C. There were no perioperative acid regurgitations (P>0.05). Serum insulin in group A at postoperative day 1 was (16.32±16.11) μU/L, which was significantly lower than that in group B (30.65±41.74) μU/L and group C (34.01±52.91) μU/L. Log HOMA-IR in group A at postoperative day 1 was significantly lower than that in group B and group C (0.49±0.35 vs. 0.59±0.56 and 0.60±0.63, P<0.05). Transferrin in group C at postoperative day 3 and 7 was significantly lower than that in the other two groups, as was albumin at postoperative day 3 (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONOral liquid intake 2 hours before surgery is not associated with increased risk of regurgitation or aspiration during intubation and extubation, and may glucose solution intake reduce insulin resistance and protein degradation after colorectal surgery.

Administration, Oral ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Blood Proteins ; metabolism ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; surgery ; Female ; Glucose ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; drug effects ; Insulin Resistance ; Intraoperative Period ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Preoperative Care ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor 1 (LOX-1) on secretion of adhesive molecules mediated by ox-LDL in human umbilical endothelial cells (HUVECs).

METHODSHUVECs with different concentration of ox-LDL (0, 10, 20, 50, 100 microg/ml) were incubated for 24 h, or HUVECs were pretreated with 250 microg/ml poly (I) or 250 microg/ml carrageenan for 2 h and then incubated with 50 microg/ml ox-LDL for another 24 h. Expression of LOX-1 was determined by realtime RT-PCR and Western blot. mRNA and protein of ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and E-selectin were examined by RT-PCR and Western blot respectively.

RESULTSIncubation of HUVECs with ox-LDL (10-100 microg/ml) enhanced the expressions of LOX-1, ICAM-1 and E-selectin in a concentration-dependent manner (P < 0.01). On the contrary, ox-LDL did not affect the expression of VCAM-1 by HUVECs. The expression of LOX-1, ICAM-1 and E-selectin induced by ox-LDL were reduced in HUVECs pretreated with 250 microg/ml poly (I) or 250 microg/ml carrageenan for 2 h and then incubated with 50 microg/ml ox-LDL for 24 h. This showed that both poly (I) and carrageenan obviously decreased the expression of LOX-1, ICAM-1 and E-selectin induced by ox-LDL.

CONCLUSIONox-LDL may upregulate the expression of LOX-1, ICAM-1 and E-selectin, and LOX-1 blocker may partly inhibit this upregulation. The results suggest that the expression of inflammatory molecules induced by ox-LDL in HUVECs is mediated by LOX-1.

Cell Adhesion ; Cell Adhesion Molecules ; Cells, Cultured ; E-Selectin ; metabolism ; Endothelial Cells ; metabolism ; Endothelium, Vascular ; metabolism ; Humans ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; metabolism ; Lipoproteins, LDL ; biosynthesis ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Receptors, Oxidized LDL ; metabolism ; Scavenger Receptors, Class E ; metabolism ; Umbilical Veins ; cytology ; Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between wedge-shaped defects and occlusal interference.

METHODSFollowing examination from 46 patients, a total of 157 teeth were identified to have the criteria set for wedge-shaped defects and regarded as the experiment group. Also, 157 adjacent teeth exhibiting no such noncarious cervical lesions were randomly selected from the same group of patients and regarded as the control group. The distribution of occlusal force and time were examined with T-Scan II system in 46 patients with wedge-shaped defects in intercuspal occlusion position, protrusive movement and lateral movement. Occlusal interference and premature contact were evaluated and compared between the two groups.

RESULTSThe proportion of the teeth with premature contact in experiment group was 6.37%, while the control group was 2.55%, there was no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). The total proportion with occlusal interferences in experiment group was 23.57%, which was significantly higher than that of the control group (10.19%, P < 0.05), in experiment group the proportion with working side interferences was 15.92%, and in control group, the proportion was 3.82%, there was significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.01). At the same time, the teeth with occlusal interferences had more serious degree of the wedge-shape defects than those with no occlusal interference.

CONCLUSIONThe increased occlusal force has relation to the formation as well as severity of wedge-shaped defects.

Bicuspid ; Bite Force ; Dental Occlusion ; Humans ; Male ; Tooth Abrasion

OBJECTIVETo evaluate mechanical properties of zirconia toughened composite alumina (ZTCA) ceramic used for dental application, characterize the effect of different zirconia contents on mechanical properties of ZTCA.

METHODSDental alumina ceramic powder was prepared by sol-gel method, and four groups of ZTCA powders with different zirconia contents were prepared via surface-induced precipitation method. All five groups of powders were dry-pressed and then sintered to make standard specimens for mechanical tests. The flexural strength and fracture toughness of these specimens were evaluated, and the fractography was characterized by scanning electronic microscope (SEM). Phases of ZTCA were also determined using X-ray diffraction (XRD).

RESULTSIt was found that the flexural strength of ZTCA ceramics increases with ZrO2 content up to 30%, and decreases thereafter. ZTCA specimens containing 30% ZrO2 show the highest flexural strength, and the corresponding fracture toughness was 1.85 MPa x m(1/2). The XRD results of ZTCA ceramics showed the phase constituents of alpha-Al2O3, t-ZrO2 and a small amount of m-ZrO2.

CONCLUSIONThe strengthening and toughening mechanisms of ZTCA depend on ZrO2 content. In the range of 15%-30% ZrO2, the stress-induced phase transformation toughening mechanism is dominant, while microcrack and deflection exist as the additional toughening mechanism when ZrO2 addition amount is above 30%.

Aluminum Oxide ; Ceramics ; Dental Porcelain ; Materials Testing ; Zirconium

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of B cell specific MLV integration site-1 (Bmi-1) in colorectal cancer (CRC) and its correlation to the clinicopathological features and prognosis of CRC.

METHODSSixty CRC, 30 adenomas and 20 normal colorectal mucosal tissues were collected to detect the expression of Bmi-1 protein using immunohistochemistry, and the results were analyzed in comparison with the clinicopathological features and survival rate of patients.

RESULTSThe positivity rate of Bmi-1 expression in CRC tissue was 51.7%. In CRC, the rate of Bmi-1 overexpression was 25.0%, significantly higher than that in the adenomas and normal colorectal mucosal tissues (6.67% and 0%, respectively, P<0.05). The overexpression of Bmi-1 protein in CRC was obviously associated with distant metastasis and the TNM stage (P<0.05), but not with gender, age, tumor size, tumor site, histological type, differentiation degree and lymph node metastasis (P>0.05). But logistic regression analysis showed that Bmi-1 protein overexpression in CRC was associated only with distant metastasis (P<0.01,OR>1); Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the survival rate of the patients with high Bmi-1 expression was significantly lower than that in patients with low expression (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe overexpression of Bmi-1 protein was significantly correlated to the tumorigenesis, metastasis and prognosis of CRC, and may serve as an indicator for evaluating the prognosis of CRC.

Adult ; Aged ; Case-Control Studies ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Nuclear Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Polycomb Repressive Complex 1 ; Prognosis ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Repressor Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the biological and clinicopathological characteristics of neuroendocrine tumors of the kidney (KNETs) for improving the diagnosis and treatment of this diseases.

METHODSThe pathological and clinical features of 3 KNET cases treated in Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center between 1999 and 2010 were summarized, and the the histogenesis, pathological and immunohistochemical characteristics, diagnosis and prognosis of KNETs were analyzed with review of all reported cases worldwide.

RESULTSAll the 3 patients had waist masses but without clinical manifestations of carcinoid syndrome, and underwent resection of the tumors. The postoperative pathological diagnosis was carcinoid carcinoma in 2 patients and Wilms tumor with neuroendocrine differentiation in 1 patient. Immunohistochemical examination showed that the tumors were positively stained for cytokeratin and vimentin; positivity for neuron-specific enolase and synaptophysin was found in 2 cases, and chromogranin positivity in 1 case. After the operation, 1 patient received chemotherapy, 1 had biotherapy and radiotherapy, and 1 received no further treatment. During the follow-up from 6 months to 6 years, 1 patient died of tumor metastasis, 1 was lost to follow-up, and 1 showed no recurrence until now.

CONCLUSIONSKNETs has specific pathological characteristics. Abdominal masses, acute loin pain and hematuria are the most common symptoms. A definite diagnosis relies on pathology and immunohistochemistry. For early carcinoid carcinoma, surgical resection is curable, but in advanced cases, the prognosis is poor and comprehensive therapy is recommended.

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney Neoplasms ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neuroendocrine Tumors