0.05).The expression of NF-?Bp65 protein in epithelial ovarian cancer was significantly correlated with FIGO stage(P0.05).There was obviously negative correlation between KISS- 1 and MMP-9 expression in ovarian cancer(rs=-0.547,P

OBJECTIVETo study the evidence-based therapy of edema in nephrotic syndrome by analyzing the literatures systematically.

METHODSThe literatures related to the treatment of nephrotic edema were retrieved from the following: Chinese Biological Medicine Database (CBM-disk), Chinese Journals Full-text Database (CNKI, 1994-2006), Chinese Technological Periodicals Database (VIP, 1989-2006), Chinese Evidence Biological Medicine/Cochrane Central Database (CEBM/CCD), Cochrane Library Database, MEDLINE (1966-2006), EMBASE (1975-2006), MEDLARS, SCI (1985-2006) and OVID by electron and craft search with the following key words: nephrotic syndrome, edema, recalcitrant edema, refractory edema or resistant nephrotic edema, and treatment, diuretic therapy or human albumin treatment. The relevant literatures on randomized controlled trials (RCT) that met the criteria were statistically analyzed by the Coorporative network software RevMan 4.2.

RESULTSA total of 113 articles were searched (60 in Chinese and 53 in English), of which 12 were RCT. Three of the 12 articles were included for Meta analysis. Meta analysis showed that dextran-40 together with furosemide was effective for nephrotic edema. Human albumin solution could be used in nephrotic edema patients with coexistent severe hypoalbuminemia. A combination of diuretics by intravenous drip infusion was effective for diuretic-resistant nephrotic edema.

CONCLUSIONSThe treatment for nephrotic edema should be individualized. The evidence of treatment of nephrotic edema has not been fully elucidated. Further multicentre, large sample, and randomized controlled trials are needed.

Edema ; therapy ; Evidence-Based Medicine ; Humans ; Meta-Analysis as Topic ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; therapy ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic

OBJECTIVETo study the flavanoids extracted from onion on the blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeation, and their effects on primary cultured neuron cell proliferation and apoptosis of SD rats using ethanol reflux method.

METHODSThe brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMVECs) were first successfully primary cultured. Then rats BMVECs and astrocytes (ACs) were co-cultured to establish the in vitro BBB model. The flavanoids were extracted from onion using ethanol reflux method. The model was verified by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and trans-epithelial electric resistance (TEER). The flavanoids permeability was tested using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Meanwhile, rat neuron cells were cultured and exposed to H2O2 and flavanoids. Their effects on the cell proliferation and apoptosis were observed using MTT assay. The injury of neuron DNA was analyzed using single-cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE) and immunofluorescent assay.

RESULTSThe in vitro BBB model was successfully established by TEM and TEER. Results of HPLC proved flavanoids extracts could effectively permeate the BBB with the permeability of 60.58%. The extractive at 10 - 20 microg/mL showed obvious inhibition on the apoptosis of neuron cells induced by H2O2, and attenuated the injury of neuron DNA.

CONCLUSIONSThe flavanoids extracted from onion ethanol reflux method could effectively penetrate the BBB. They also showed obvious inhibition on the H2O2 induced neuron cell apoptosis and DNA injury.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Apoptosis ; Astrocytes ; cytology ; drug effects ; Blood-Brain Barrier ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; DNA Damage ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; Neurons ; cytology ; drug effects ; Neuroprotective Agents ; pharmacology ; Onions ; chemistry ; Rats

Adult ; Antiviral Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; DNA, Viral ; Female ; Genotype ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; virology ; Humans ; Lamivudine ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo examine the genetic polymorphisms in the promoter region of cyclooxygenase-2 ( COX-2) and evaluate their association with the risk of gastric cancer.

METHODSSingle-strand conformational polymorphism and DNA sequencing were used to screen the genetic variants of the COX-2 promoter region. Total 323 patients with gastric cancer and 646 frequency-matched controls were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated by logistic regression. Haplotype frequency was estimated using Haplo. stat software.

RESULTSThree single nucleotide polymorphisms, including - 1290A > G, -1195G > A, and -765G > C were identified in the promoter of COX- 2. Case-control analysis showed an increased risk of developing gastric cancer for the -1290AG (OR 1.64; 95% CI 1.03-2.61), -1195AA (OR 2.68; 95% CI 1.65-4.33), and -765CG (OR 2.66; 95% CI 1.53-4.64) genotype carriers, respectively, compared with noncarriers. A greater risk of developing gastric cancer was observed for the A(-1290) -A(-1195) -C(-765) haplotype compared with the A(-1290) -G(-1195) -G(-765) haplotypes (OR 11.80; 95% CI 2.43-57.25).

CONCLUSIONGenetic polymorphisms in COX-2 promoter region may play a role in gastric carcinogenesis.

Adult ; Aged ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; genetics ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Haplotypes ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; genetics ; Risk ; Stomach Neoplasms ; enzymology ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the perfusion characteristics of normal pancreas and insulinoma on multi-slice spiral CT (MSCT).

METHODSTotally 21 subjects with suspected insulinoma were enrolled. Sixteen-slice spiral CT was used for perfusion scan following a standard contrast-enhanced scan. The surgical and pathological outcomes were collected for comparison. Perfusion characteristics, including blood flow (BF), patlak blood volume (pBV), time to peak (TTP), permeability, and peak enhancement (PE) of insulinomas and normal pancreas parenchyma were analyzed based on the MSCT data sets subsequently.

RESULTSBenign insulinoma was pathologically confirmed in 12 out of the 21 subjects, while the remaining 9 subjects were normal. Technical failures were experienced in 2 (9.5%) subjects. In both normal and tumor-suffered subjects (n = 19), perfusion parameters of normal pancreatic parachyma were measured as follows: BF (p) = 104. 9 +/- 28.9, pBV (p) = 166.4 +/- 41.8, TrP (p) = 133.3 +/- 24.4, Permeability (p) = 81.3 +/- 24.4, and peak enhancement (p) = 121.3 +/- 31.1. In subjects with insulinoma (n = 11), perfusion parameters of tumor tissue were measured as follows: F (i) = 206.5 +/- 42.2, BV (i) = 315.9 +/- 79.0, TFP (i) = 123.2 +/- 18.8, Permeability (i) = 102.5 +/- 54. 8, and peak enhancement (i) = 221.3 +/- 48.5. Results of F, BV, and peak enhancement in these two kinds of tissue showed significant differences (P < 0.01), while there were no significant difference (P > 0.05) in TTP and permeability between normal pancreatic parenchyma and insulinoma.

CONCLUSIONSBenign insulinoma has perfusion characteristics of increased blood flow and blood volume, but its TTP is consistent with normal pancreas and has normal permeability. MSCT allows further understanding of the blood flow of the normal pancreas and its benign tumor insulinoma.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Insulinoma ; blood supply ; diagnostic imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreas ; blood supply ; diagnostic imaging ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; blood supply ; diagnostic imaging ; Perfusion ; Regional Blood Flow ; Tomography, Spiral Computed ; methods

OBJECTIVETo investigate the perfusion characteristics of renal mass parenchyma on 64-slice spiral computed tomography (CT).

METHODSTotally 91 patients with renal mass were enrolled. Sixty-four slice spiral CT was used for renal perfusion scan that began with a contrast bolus injection of 50 ml (370 mgI/ml) at a rate of 5 ml/s. Perfusion characteristics, including blood flow (BF), blood volume (BV), and permeability (PM) of renal mass parenchyma and renal cortex in affected and normal kidneys were calculated from Siemens Body PCT (VB20B) software, and the perfusion characteristics among renal mass parenchyma and renal cortex in affected and normal kidneys were compared.

RESULTSRenal clear cell carcinoma (RC-CC), renal pelvic transitional cell carcinoma (RPTCC), and renal angiomyolipoma (RAML) was pathologically confirmed in 40, 21, and 16 patients, respectively, while the remaining 14 patients were diagnosed as with renal simple cyst (RSC). Technical failure was experienced in 1 (1.1% ) patient. Perfusion parameters of tumor parenchyma were measured as follow: RCCC, BF (93.7 +/- 20.2) ml x (100 ml)(-1) x min(-1), BV (182.0 +/- 46.6) 1000:1, PM (115.7 +/-30.2) 0.5 ml x (100 ml)(01) x min(-1); RPTCC, BF (48.0 +/- 21.2) ml x (100 ml)(-1) x min(-1), BV (82.4 +/- 29.7) 1000:1, PM (65.7 +/- 17.2) 0.5 ml (100 ml)(-1) x min(-1); RAML, BF (52.6 +/- 18.5) ml x (100 ml)(-1) x min(-1), BV (110.1 +/- 45.9) 1000:1, PM (60.1 +/- 23.0) 0.5 ml x (100 ml)(-1) x min-1; RSC, BF (7.0 +/- 6.5) ml x (100 ml)(-1) min(-1), BV (16.2 +/- 9.7) 1000:1, PM (12.0 +/- 7.2) 0.5 ml x (100 ml) (-1) x min(-1). In all pathological groups, perfusion pa- rameters showed significant differences (P <0 . 1) between mass parenchyma and renal cortex in affected kidney, while there were no significant differences (P > 0. 5) in perfusion characteristics between renal cortex in affected and normal kidneys. Aslo, the perfusion characteristics were significantly different between parenchyma D in any two kinds of renal masses (P <0 . 5) except for RPTCC and RAML (P > 0. 5). C ONCLUSIONS: fDif-rent pathological types of renal mass have different perfusion characteristics. Perfusion imaging with multislice CT is potentially useful in the differential diagnosis of renal mass.

Adult ; Aged ; Blood Volume ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Perfusion Imaging ; Regional Blood Flow ; Tomography, Spiral Computed ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the efficacy and safety of peginterferon alfa-2a (Peg-IFNa-2a) therapy for treating chronic hepatitis B (CHB) in patients who failed to achieve a satisfactory end point with entecavir (ETV) treatment.

METHODSFifty-seven CHB patients with positivity for hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) who had completed a standard ETV monotherapy course, of at least 96 weeks, and who had achieved a virological response (defined as HBV DNA less than 500 copies/ml) but without HBeAg seroconversion (defined as 0.227 PEI U/ml less than HBeAg less than or equal to 50 PEI U/ml) were enrolled in the study. The patients were randomly assigned to receive a 48-week treatment with Peg -IFNa-2a (experimental group, n = 27) or continued ETV therapy (control group, n = 30). Serum samples were collected from all patients for assessment of biochemical, virological and serological responses to treatment. Inter-group differences were statistically evaluated by t-test or Chi-squared test.

RESULTSThe baseline levels of alanine aminotransferase, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), and HBeAg were similar between the patients comprising the experimental and controls groups. At treatment week 48, the experimental group showed significantly higher rates of HBeAg clearance (Peg-IFNa-2a: 40.7% vs. ETV: 16.7%, x2 = 4.079, P less than 0.05) and seroconversion (37.0% vs. 13.3%, x2 = 5.110, P less than 0.05). The experimental group also showed higher rates of HBsAg clearance (7.4% vs. 0%) and HBV DNA relapse (11.1% vs. 0%), but the differences did not reach statistical significance (x2 = 2.307 and 3.519, both P more than 0.05). However, the level of HBsAg was significantly lower in the experimental group (2866.0+2580.4 vs. 4335.8+2650.0 IU/ml, t = 5.11, P less than 0.05).

CONCLUSIONHBeAg-positive CHB patients with unsatisfactory response to initial ETV monotherapy achieved HBeAg seroconversion and clearance following sequential Peg-IFN a-2a treatment.

Adult ; Antiviral Agents ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Guanine ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polyethylene Glycols ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Prospective Studies ; Recombinant Proteins ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo evaluate perfusion characteristics of normal renal cortex with 64-slice spiral CT and to investigate the correlation between perfusion parameters and gender, age, and serum creatinine (Scr).

METHODSIn total 71 healthy subjects, the kidney non-enhanced imaging and perfusion imaging with 64-slice spiral CT were performed. Perfusion parameters of renal cortex including blood flow (BF), blood volume (BV), and permeability (PM) were calculated with Siemens Body PCT (VB20B) software. The differences of BF, BV and PM in different age and gender people were compared by one-way ANOVA. The correlation between age and perfusion parameters, Scr, and PM were analyzed.

RESULTSTechnical failures were experienced in 3 (3/71, 4.2%) subjects. Perfusion values of normal renal cortex in male, female, and all subjects were obtained separately. Male subjects (n = 56): BF = (229.8 +/- 49.9) ml/(100 ml x min), BV = (398.2 +/- 59.5) 1000:1, PM = (213.5 +/- 54.0) 0.5 ml/(100 ml x min); female subjects (n = 52): BF = (230.0 +/- 56.1) ml/(100 ml x min) BV = (358.1 +/- 49.7) 1000:1, PM = (186.2 +/- 32.1) 0.5 ml/(100 ml x min); all subjects (n = 108): BF = (229.9 +/- 52.7) ml/(100 ml x min), BV = (378.9 +/- 58.4) 1000:1, PM = (200.4 +/- 46.7) 0.5 ml/(100 ml x min). There was no significant difference in BF (F = 0.367, P = 0.547), BV (F = 3.088, P = 2.762), and PM (F = 3.308, P = 0.074) between male and female. In male, female, and all subjects, BF were all negatively correlated with age (r = -0.484, r = -0.429, r = -0.425; P < 0.01), while there was no correlation between BV (r = -0.152, r = -0.243, r = -0.043, P > 0.05) and PM (r = 0.053, r = 0.123, r = 0.172, P > 0.05) and age. There was no correlation between PM and Scr (r = 0.064, P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe measurement of normal renal cortical perfusion characteristics with 64-slice spiral CT is feasible and can be used for the quantitative evaluation of the physiological functions of normal renal cortex.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney Cortex ; blood supply ; diagnostic imaging ; physiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Perfusion Imaging ; methods ; Reference Values ; Tomography, Spiral Computed ; methods ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the perfusion characteristics and compare the volume of normal kidney and serum creatinine (Scr) before and after arterial embolization on 64-slice spiral CT.

METHODSTotally 21 patients with renal tumor were enrolled. Sixty-four slice spiral CT was used for renal perfusion scan before and after patients underwent tumor arterial embolization. Perfusion characteristics, including blood flow, blood volume, and permeability of renal mass parenchyma and renal cortex in normal kidneys were calculated and the volume of normal kidneys was measured. The values of Scr in all patients were recorded. The perfusion characteristics, the volume of normal kidneys and the level of Scr before and after embolization were compared.

RESULTSRenal clear cell carcinoma was pathologically confirmed in all patients. After having supply blood arterial embolization of renal tumor, perfusion characteristics of tumor parenchyma significantly decreased, perfusion characteristics of renal cortex in normal kidney significantly increased, and the volume of normal kidneys was significantly enlarged (P < 0.01); however, the values of Scr in all patients were not significantly different (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe perfusion characteristics and volume of kidney may reflect the effects of renal arterial embolization on renal function. Perfusion imaging with multi-slice spiral CT is potentially useful in the evaluation of renal pathophysiological characteristics.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; blood supply ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Creatinine ; blood ; Embolization, Therapeutic ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney Neoplasms ; blood supply ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Perfusion Imaging ; methods ; Regional Blood Flow ; Tomography, Spiral Computed ; methods