OBJECTIVETo analyze the prognosis of rectal gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST).

METHODSRecords of 40 patients diagnosed as rectal GIST at the Affiliated Chinese Traditional Medical Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University and the People's Hospital of Tianjin City between June 1979 and June 2010 were reviewed. Clinical features, treatment modalities and outcomes were analyzed.

RESULTSThere were 23 males and 17 females with a median age of 54.5 years old (range, 28-81 years old). During the follow-up(median 52.5 months, range 1-300 months), 18 patients developed recurrence including 7 local recurrence, 6 metastasis and 5 local recurrence complicated with metastasis. The overall survival rates at 1, 3 and 5 years were 82.5%, 60.0%, and 42.5% respectively. On univariate analysis, tumor size(P<0.01), Fletcher classification(P<0.01), mitotic index(P<0.01), and post-operative distant metastasis were associated with survival. Multivariate analysis showed that tumor size(P<0.05), mitotic rate (P<0.01), and postoperative distant metastasis(P<0.01) were independent prognostic factors associated with survival.

CONCLUSIONSSurgery is the main treatment for rectal GIST. Tumor size, mitotic rate and metastasis are independent prognostic factors in patients with rectal GIST.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Rectal Neoplasms ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies

To explore a simple and sensitive method to detect minimal residual disease (MRD) in Ph(+)/bcr-abl(+) ALL patients, the bone marrow samples from 84 de novo ALL patients were detected by cytogenetic analysis, nested-PCR and flow cytometry (FCM). Cytogenetic analysis method is used to detect Ph chromosome, nested-PCR and FCM are used to detect bcr/abl mRNA and an abnormal B-cell differentiation pattern in de novo and complete remission (CR) patients, respectively. The results showed that Ph chromosome has not been found in 14 cases of CR; bcr/abl fusion gene was detected in 11 of 14 CR patients by nested-PCR (78.57%) and bcr/abl fusion gene was positive in 5 of 14 in CR patients (35.71%) by FCM. The sensitivity of nested-PCR was 10(-6)-10(-7), and that of FCM was 10(-4)- 10(-5). It is concluded that the cytogenetic analysis is not sensitive for MRD detection, and the sensitivity of nested-PCR is higher than that of FCM in detecting MRD.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; methods ; Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl ; analysis ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm, Residual ; Philadelphia Chromosome ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Recurrence ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Sensitivity and Specificity

The aim was to construct a prokaryotic expression plasmid encoding the fusion gene of single-chain variable fragment and monocyte chemotactic protein-3 (MCP-3). The cDNAs of immunoglobulin (Ig) VH and Ig VL were amplified by RT-PCR and assembled into the single-chain variable fragment (scFv) by recombinant PCR method. The cDNAs of Ig VH and Ig VL were connected by a (Gly4Ser)3 linker. Then, the fragments of scFv and MCP-3 were connected with a NDAQAPKS spacer, using recombinant PCR method again. The results indicated that the fusion gene of scFv-MCP-3 were constructed correctly and cloned into the prokaryotic expression plasmid successfully identified by sequencing and restriction endonucleases examination. Finally, the fusion protein was expressed in E coli DH5alpha under induction by arabinose. And the fusion protein was 65 kD and account for 30% of the total protein of the bacteria. In conclusion, a prokaryotic plasmid, encoding the fusion gene of single-chain variable fragment with MCP-3 and expressing idiotype protein vaccination against B cell lymphoma, was constructed correctly.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Cancer Vaccines ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology ; Chemokine CCL7 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology ; Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin Idiotypes ; immunology ; Immunoglobulin Variable Region ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology ; Lymphoma, B-Cell ; immunology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Plasmids ; genetics ; Prokaryotic Cells ; metabolism ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology ; Vaccines, DNA ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical and pathologic characteristics of anti-glomerular basement membrane(GBM) disease with normal renal function.

METHODSThe clinical and pathologic data of 6 patients with anti-GBM disease and normal renal function in Peking Union Medical College Hospital were reviewed retrospectively. Furthermore, 29 patients with anti-GBM disease and impaired renal function in the same period in the same hospital were enrolled as the control group. Factors that may influence the prognosis were analyzed.

RESULTSSix (17.1%) of all 35 patients maintained normal renal function for 12-133 months during follow-up. Five patients had microhematuria and proteinuria, one had pulmonary hemorrhage only, and three manifested as Goodpasture syndrome. Renal biopsies from 4 patients revealed linear deposition of IgG 2+-3+ along the glomerular capillary walls by immunofluorescence. As shown by normal light microscopy, mild mesangial proliferation and crescentic glomerulonephritis with a large amount of fibrinoid necrosis of glomerular capillary walls were observed in different patients; however, most pathological changes were mild. Five of these six patients were treated with immunosuppressive drugs and/or plasma exchange. Compared with the control group, the 6 patients with normal renal function had significantly higher hemoglobin[(77.97±20.62 vs.(99.67±19.80 g/L P=0.024], lower titers of anti-GBM antibody[(224.34 ± 145.79 vs.(80.23 ± 85.73 EU/ml P=0.027], and lower ratio of glomeruli with crescents[(0.58±0.29 vs.(0.17±0.27 ,P=0.005]. These 6 patients with normal renal function were followed up for 12-133 months, among whom 4 patients achieved complete remission and 2 had mild proteinuria and microhematuria.

CONCLUSIONAnti-GBM disease with normal renal function is not uncommon. Most patients have mild pathologic changes and good prognosis.

Adult ; Anti-Glomerular Basement Membrane Disease ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Kidney ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo assess the application of ultrathin transnasal gastroscopy in transnasal percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (nPEG) in patients with trimus and/or pharyngeal narrowing.

METHODSNine consecutive patients underwent PEG with the Introducer method using conventional gastroscopy (5 cases) or ultrathin transnasal gastroscopy (4 cases). Among the 4 patients undergoing nPEG, 3 received radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal cancer, including two with trimus and one with trimus and pharyngeal narrowing. The procedure time, safety, discomfort and complications in these cases were compared and evaluated.

RESULTSThe average procedure time of PEG was 17+/-3.5 min in conventional gastroscopy group and 17+/-3.1 min in nPEG group. No complications were observed in these patients, but the patients in nPEG group reported less discomfort associated with the procedure.

CONCLUSIONSUltrathin transnasal gastroscopy reduces the discomfort of the procedure and is safer than conventional gastroscopy for PEG, especially in patients with trimus and/or pharyngeal narrowing.

Aged ; Enteral Nutrition ; Female ; Gastroscopes ; Gastroscopy ; methods ; Gastrostomy ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

Chuangxinmycin (CM) from Actinoplanes tsinanensis was an antibiotic discovered by Chinese scientists about 40 years ago. It contains a new heterocyclic system of indole fused with dihydrothiopyran, whose biosynthetic mechanism remains unclear. CM is used as an oral medicine in the treatment of bacterial infections in China. The simple structure makes CM as an attractive candidate of structure modification for improvement of antibacterial activity. Recently, we analyzed the secondary metabolites of Actinoplanes tsinanensis CPCC 200056, a CM producing strain, as a natural CM analogue. We discovered the first natural CM analogue 3-demethylchuangxinmycin (DCM) as a new natural product. Compared to CM, DCM exhibited a much weaker activity in the inhibition of the bacterial strains tested. The finding provides valuable information for the structure-activity relationship in the biosynthesis of CM.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; China ; Indoles ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Micromonosporaceae ; chemistry ; Structure-Activity Relationship

Animals ; Borrelia burgdorferi ; genetics ; China ; DNA, Bacterial ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Rodentia ; microbiology ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

OBJECTIVETo determine the effect of albumin administration on lung injury in traumatic/hemorrhagic shock (T/HS) rats.

METHODSForty-eight adult Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups randomly (n=16 in each group): Group A, Group B, Group C. In Group A, rats underwent laparotomy without shock. In Group B, rats undergoing T/HS were resuscitated with their blood plus lactated Ringer's (twice the volume of shed blood). In Group C, rats undergoing T/HS were resuscitated with their shed blood plus additional 3 ml of 5% human albumin. The expression of polymorphonuclear neutrophils CD18/CD11b in jugular vein blood was evaluated. The main lung injury indexes (the activity of myeloperoxidase and lung injury score) were measured.

RESULTSSignificant differences of the expression of CD18/11b and the severity degree of lung injury were founded between the three groups. (P<0.05). The expression of CD18/CD11b and the main lung injury indexes in Group B and Group C increased significantly compared with those in Group A (P<0.05). At the same time, the expression of CD18/CD11b and the main lung injury indexes in Group C decreased dramatically, compared those in Group B (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe infusion of albumin during resuscitation period can protect lungs from injury and decrease the expression of CD18/CD11b in T/HS rats.

Albumins ; therapeutic use ; Animals ; CD11b Antigen ; metabolism ; CD18 Antigens ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Neutrophils ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; drug therapy ; etiology ; metabolism ; Shock, Hemorrhagic ; complications ; metabolism ; Treatment Outcome ; Wounds and Injuries ; complications ; metabolism

The idiotypic determinant of surface immunoglobulin of B-cell lymphoma, as a tumor-specific antigen, has proved to be able to induce immune responses. To analyze whether an idiotypic vaccine fused with cytokine can elicit more effectively protective antitumor immunity, an eukaryotic expression plasmid was constructed, which encoded the fusion gene of single-chain variable fragment as a tumor specific antigen against B-cell lymphoma with monocyte chemotactic protein-3 (MCP3) as immunogen to elicit T-cell-dependent protective antitumor immunity, and EGFP (Enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein) gene as a marker to trace the survival, growth, differentiation and expression of the former exogenetic genes. The cDNAs for immunoglobulin (Ig) VH and IgVL were amplified by RT-PCR and assembled into the single-chain variable fragment (scFv) connected with a (Gly(4)Ser)(3) linker by recombinant PCR method. Then, the fragments of scFv and MCP3 were ligated with a NDAQAPKS spacer by the same method. The results showed that the fusion genes of scFv and MCP3-scFv were inserted into an eukaryotic expression vector pTARGET, and EGFP was cloned into the downstream of scFv and MCP3-scFv respectively. Finally the constructed plasmids were confirmed by sequencing and restriction analysis. In conclusion, a tumor-derived idiotypic DNA vaccine, encoding the fusion gene of single-chain variable fragment and monocyte chemotactic protein-3 (MCP3) to elicit a T-cell dependent, antitumor immunity, and the EGFP gene was inserted correctly. The DNA vaccine could be used for further study of DNA vaccine against B cell lymphoma in vivo.
Animals ; Cancer Vaccines ; genetics ; immunology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Chemokine CCL7 ; immunology ; Genetic Vectors ; Immunoglobulin Variable Region ; immunology ; Lymphoma, B-Cell ; genetics ; immunology ; prevention & control ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Plasmids ; Single-Chain Antibodies ; immunology ; Vaccines, DNA ; genetics ; immunology

Objective To monitor the co-infection status of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (R.b.s.1) and spotted fever group Rickettsia (SFGR) in tourist areas of Heilongjiang province.Methods Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect the 5S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer of B.b.s.1 and ompA of SFGR in ticks,dynamically collected from tourist areas of Heilongjiang province in 2010.Amplification products from positive ticks were sequenced,and phylogenetic analysis was conducted by Mega 5.0 software package.Results 849 ticks were collected from two tourist points,with the dominant ticks in Tiger Mountain and Jingpo Lake were Ixodes persulcatus and Haemaphysalis concinna.Regarding the Ixodes persulcatus from Tiger Mountain,the infection rates of B.b.s.1 and SFGR were 26.15％ and 10.05％.The infection rate of SFGR was 13.33％ in Haemaphysalis concinna and the B.b.s.1 was tndiscovered in the same ticks from Jingpo Lake.However,the co-infection could only be detected in Ixodes persulcatus of both tourist areas.Surveillance data showed that the major ticks were more likely to be appeared in July at Tiger Mountain and in June at Jingpo Lake.Data from the sequence analysis on B.b.s.1 showed that the B.b.s.1 in tourist areas could be classified into three different genotypes,other than B.garinii and B.afzelii.We first detected B.valaisiana-like group genotype in northeast of China.Results from the sequence analysis of SFGR positive products showed that the two DNA sequences of newly detected agents were completely the same as Rickettsia sp.HL-93 which was detected in Hulin and Rickettsia sp.H820 found in northeast,China.Conclusion The co-infection of B.b.s.1 and SFGR was detected in ticks from the tourist areas of Heilongjiang province,and data from the sequencing of specific fragment showed that various kinds of genotypes existed in this area.However; the rates of co-infectionitis-different according to environment,time and population that contributed to the kinds of and the index of ticks existed in the surveys points,also the infection rate of the ticks was studied.