Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of 125I seed implantation combined with chemotherapy in the treatment of non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) and its complications. Methods: Combined treatment group (n = 42) received CT-guided interstitial 125I seed implantation (PD = 8-10 Gy/h), and three days later they were given TAX + DDP intravenous chemotherapy. Control group (n = 46) only received TAX + DDP chemotherapy. The dosage was selected based on the same reference standard as the treatment group. The therapeutic efficacy was observed two months later. The life quality of patients was evaluated by using EORTC QLQ-C30 table. Results: Both the technical success rate and follow-up rate were all 100%. In combined treatment group 4 patients achieved complete response (CR, 9.5%), 14 patients had partial response (PR, 33.3%), 20 patients with stable disease (SD, 47.6%) and 4 patients with progressed disease (PD, 9.5%). The total response rate (CR + PR) was 42.9%. In control group 1 patient achieved complete response (2.2%), 8 patients had partial response (17.4%), 22 patients with stable disease (47.8%) and 15 patients with progressed disease (32.6%). The total response rate (CR + PR) was 19.6%. The total response rate of the treatment group was significantly higher than control group. Conclusion: 125I seed implantation is synergistic with chemotherapy which is beneficial in reducing tumor load in a short period and increased the short β2-MG term therapeutic efficacy for NSCLC.

Acetates ; blood ; Adult ; Aged ; Chromatography, Gas ; methods ; Female ; Humans

Altitude ; Animals ; Arvicolinae ; Gene Expression ; Hypoxia ; Rats ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; genetics

Objective To investigate the changes of early and delayed washout rates of 99Tcm-methoxyisobutylisonitrile (MIBI) in ischemic heart disease (IHD), and to explore the value of 99Tcm-MIBI SPECT in evaluating impairment of ischemic myocardial cells. Methods Patients diagnosed of IHD with three-vessel stenosis ( ≥50% ) without myocardial infarction based on angiography (CAG) underwent 99Tcm-MIBI static planar and gated SPECT imaging. The early (90 min after the intravenous injection) and delayed (4 h after the intravenous injection) washout rates of 99Tcm-MIBI and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of IHD patients and normal subjects were compared using t-test. Linear correlation analysis was performed between the early, delayed washout rates and LVEF measured by gated SPECT. Results Statistically significant lower early washout rate of 99Tcm-MIBI was observed in IHD group than control group: (13.44 ± 2.87 )%vs ( 17.32 ± 4.92) %, t = 2.384, P ＜ 0.05, but higher delayed washout rate of 99Tcm-MIBI was observed in IHD group than control group: (19.24 ±4.71)% vs (15.23 ±3.81)%, t= -2.246, P＜0.05. LVEF in IHD group was significantly lower than that in control group: (55.71 ±7.97)% vs (67.75 ±5.43)%, t =-4.418, P ＜0.01. There were no correlations between the early/delayed washout rates and LVEF, respectively in IHD patients (r = -0.212, P ＞ 0.05; r =0.352, P ＞ 0.05, respectively). Conclusion 99Tcm-MIBI washout rate may reflect myocardial cell impairment due to IHD.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of DADLE, a δ-opioid receptor agonist, on the proliferation of human liver cancer HepG2 cells and explore the mechanism involving PKC pathway.

METHODSHepG2 cells were treated with DADLE at different doses (0.01, 0.1, 1.0 and 10 µmol/L). Cell viability was determined using methyl thiazolyl terazolium (MTT) assay. The expression of PKC mRNA and p-PKC protein were examined by RT-PCR and Western blot assay. After treated separately with DADLE plusing NAL or PMA, the cell cycle of HepG2 cells was analyzed by flow cytometer. MTT was used to detect their proliferation capacity and Western blot was used to examine the p-PKC expression. The growth inhibitory rate of HepG2 cells treated with DADLE and cis-diammine dichloridoplatinum (CDDP) was analyzed.

RESULTSDADLE at different concentrations showed an inhibitory effect on the proliferation of HepG2 cells though inhibiting the expression of PKC mRNA and p-PKC protein. The results of flow cytometry showed that compared with the control group, the percentage of S + G(2)/M cells in DADLE-treated group was lowered by 3.94% (P < 0.01). Meanwhile, after treated with NAL and PMA, the percentage was elevated by 3.22% and 3.63%, respectively (P < 0.01). The MTT and Western blot assays showed that compared with the control group, the values of A570 and p-PKC protein levels in the HepG2 cells of DADLE-treated group were significantly decreased (P < 0.01). After treatment with NAL and PMA, the values of A570 and p-PKC protein levels were elevated significantly (P < 0.01). The growth inhibitory rate of DADLE + CDDP group was 79.9%, significantly lower than 25.2% and 43.2% of the DADLE and CDDP groups, respectively.

CONCLUSIONSActivation of δ-opioid receptor by DADLE inhibits the apoptosis of human liver cancer HepG2 cells. The underlying mechanism may be correlated with PKC pathway. DADLE can enhance the chemosensitivity of HepG2 cells to CDDP.

Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cisplatin ; pharmacology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; Enkephalin, Leucine-2-Alanine ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Hep G2 Cells ; Humans ; Naltrexone ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Phosphorylation ; Protein Kinase C ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Receptors, Opioid, delta ; agonists ; Signal Transduction ; Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology

BACKGROUNDRapid reexpansion of collapsed lungs leads to reexpansion pulmonary edema (RPE). We aimed to investigate the effect of melatonin in the prevention of RPE formation.

METHODSWe used a Wistar rat model in which the left lung was collapsed by ligating the left bronchus for 48 hours and then reexpanded and ventilated for an additional 2 hours. Thirty minutes before reexpansion, we injected melatonin (10 mg/kg) or vehicle intraperitoneally. We compared the wet/dry ratio, oxygenation index, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA) and interleukin 8 (IL-8) levels in the reexpanded lungs between untreated and treated animals.

RESULTSWe found that the wet/dry ratio of the melatonin group was significantly lower than that of the vehicle group, and the oxygenation index was higher in the melatonin group. Compared with the control, melatonin pretreatment significantly decreased the activities of IL-8, NO, MDA levels and MPO in lung tissues. Histopathology of reexpanded lungs showed that the melatonin pretreatment group had less pulmonary edema and less inflammatory cell infiltration.

CONCLUSIONMelatonin decreases pulmonary edema and improves oxygenation after reexpansion by attenuating oxidative stress and inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Animals ; Cytokines ; metabolism ; Interleukin-8 ; metabolism ; Lung ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Melatonin ; therapeutic use ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Peroxidase ; metabolism ; Pulmonary Edema ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between blood pressure variability (BPV) and combined cardiovascular events in 5-10 years in patients with hypertension.

METHODSA total of 367 hypertensive patients treated in our hospital from January, 2000 to January, 2005 were analyzed, and their BPV was assessed in comparison with 145 normotensive individuals. The hypertensive patients were classified into high BPV group and low BPV group, and the general clinical data and biochemical profiles were compared. The relationship between BPV and combined cardiovascular events of the patients within 5-10 years were explored.

RESULTSCompared with the normotensive individuals, the hypertensive patients showed significantly increased standard deviation and coefficient of variation of 24-h systolic blood pressure (SBP), 24-h diastolic blood pressrue (DBP), daytime SBP, daytime DBP, night-time SBP and night-time DBP (P<0.01). The percentages of drinking, smoking, diabetes and coronary heart disease were significantly higher in patients with high BPV than those with lower BPV (P<0.01 or 0.05); uric acid, homocysteine, urinary protein/creatinine ratio and urinary microalbumin increased more significantly in patients with high BPV (P<0.01 or 0.05). In addition, the combined cardiovascular events in 5-10 years were significantly higher in the patients with higher BPV than those with lower BPV (P<0.01 or 0.05). Logistic multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that alcohol, diabetes, coronary heart disease, uric acid and homocysteine were independent risk factors for cardiovascular events in hypertensive patients (P<0.01 or 0.05).

CONCLUSIONIn hypertensive patients, BPV is closely correlated with the long-term combined cardiovascular events, and a high BPV is associated with a greater likeliness of combined cardiovascular events.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the academic level and influence of "Chinese Journal of Applied Physiology" through statistical analysis for the fund sponsored articles published in the recent ten years.

METHODSThe articles of "Chinese Journal of Applied Physiology" from 1999 to 2008 were investigated. The number and the percentage of the fund sponsored articles, the fund organization and the author region were quantitatively analyzed by using the literature metrology method.

RESULTSThe number of the fund sponsored articles increased unceasingly. The ratio of the fund from local government significantly enhanced in the latter five years. Most of the articles were from institutes located at Beijing, Zhejiang and Tianjin.

CONCLUSION"Chinese Journal of Applied Physiology" has a fine academic level and social influence.

Bibliometrics ; China ; Periodicals as Topic ; statistics & numerical data ; Physiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the significance of Rac subfamily members in the gastrointestinal carcinogenesis and progression.

METHODSThe mRNA expression of Rac1, Rac2 and Rac3 in 12 kinds of gastrointestinal cancer cell lines was examined by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. The activities of Rac1 protein in 5 kinds of gastric cancer cell lines were tested by pull-down assay.

RESULTSCompared with the normal gastric mucosa and intestinal epithelial cell line, the mRNA expression of Rac1 and Rac3 was up-regulated in most of gastrointestinal cancer cell lines. The activities of Rac1 protein increased markedly in gastric cancer cell lines.

CONCLUSIONThe increased mRNA expression of Rac1 and Rac3 in gastrointestinal cancer cell lines and the abnormal activation of Rac1 protein in gastric cancer cell lines might be correlated with the carcinogenesis of gastrointestinal cancer.

Cell Line, Tumor ; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Humans ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; rac GTP-Binding Proteins ; genetics ; rac1 GTP-Binding Protein ; analysis ; genetics

Objective MR microscopy technique was used to study the visualization of senile plaque deposition in brains of the Alzheimer disease(AD)transgenic mice.Methods Two transgenic mice and 2 wild type mice at the age of 17 months were scanned in vivo using T_2 weighted image.After MR imaging,the brains were cut serially and immunostained according to the orthogonal pilot images.MR T_2 weighted images and immunohistological images of the senile plaque were observed and matched.Results The MR images showed that some black spots were visible in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex of the AD transgenic mice and some spots were consistent with the senile plaques on immunohistological sections.There were no spots in the MR images and the immunohistological sections of the wild type mice.Conclusion It is possible that MR microscopy can be used to detect the deposition of the senile plaque and diagnose AD specifically.