Objective To investigate the effects of arginine combined with leptin in treatment of rats with a-cute pancreatitis. Methods Sixty Wister rats were randomly divided into sham operation group (group A), acute pancreatitis group (group B),arginine group (group C),leptin group (group D),arginine plus leptin group (group E),with 12 rats in each group. Acute panereatitis model was developed by retrograde injection of 5% sodium tauro-cholate into cholangiopancreatography in rats. After 6 hours, medicine were given by intraperitoneal injection, ab-dominal aortic blood and pancreatic specimens were taken for measurement of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), ser-um amylase,nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activity of pancreatic tissue, and pathological damage score of pancreatic tissue. Results TNF-α,Amylase,NF-κB activity, pathologic scores were(1.206±0.446)μg/L, (1617.2±18.8) U/L,0.174±0.013,0.6±0. 2 in group A;(3.201±0.321) μg/L, (4643.8±303.4) U/L,0.397±0. 025,7.8±1.3 in group B;(1.845±0.404) μg/L,(3370.9±173.2)U/L,0.255±0.026,3.9±1.1 in group C;(1.996±0.374) μg/L, (3693.7±208.0)U/L,0.274±0.062,4.2±1.2 in group D;(1.440±0.287)μg/L, (2501.0±771.4)U/L,0.211±0.027,2.3±1.0 in group E. Compared with group A, the indicators were significantly in-creased in group B (P < 0.05). Compared with group B, these indicators were reduced in group C and D (P <0.05). There was no significant difference between group C and group D. These indicators in group E were signifi-cantly lower than those in group C and D (P < 0.05). NF-κB in pancreatic tissue were positively correlated with other indicators(P <0.01). Conclusions In treatment of acme pancreatitis in rats, arginine combined with leptin has idenditfied effect, and the effect of combination therapy is better than that of separate medicine.

Objective To study the CT characteristics of coexisting pulmonary tuberculosis and lung cancer.Methods One hundred and four patients of coexisting pulmonary tuberculosis and lung cancer proved by histology,cytology or clinical underwent CT examination.All patients were divided into two groups,group Ⅰ were the patients with the lung cancer after tuberculosis or both found simultaneously (group Ⅰ a with peripheral lung cancer and group Ⅰ b with central lung cancer),group Ⅱ with tuberculosis during lung cancer chemotherapy (group Ⅱ a with peripheral lung cancer and group Ⅱ b with central lung cancer).Imaging characteristics of tuberculosis and lung cancer were compared.x2 test and t test were used for the statistical analysis.Results Of 104 patients,there were 92 patients (88.5％) in group Ⅰ and 12 patients (11.5％)in group Ⅱ.Seventy patients (76.1％) of lung cancer and tuberculosis were located in the same lobe and 22 patients (23.9％) in the different lobes in group Ⅰ.There was no significant difference in distribution of tuberculosis between group Ⅰ and group Ⅱ (x2 =4.302,P =0.507).The fibrous stripes,nodules of calcification and pleural adhesion of tuberculosis were statistically significant between the two groups (x2 =22.737,15.193,27.792,P ＜0.05).There were 33 central lung cancers and 71 peripheral lung cancers.In group Ⅰ a (64 patients of peripheral lung cancers),39 patients (60.9％) had typical manifestations and most of the lesions were ≥ 3 cm(n =49,76.6％),solid lesions showed variable enhancement.Conclusions Secondary tuberculosis during lung cancer chemotherapy has the same CT characteristics with the common active tuberculosis.The morphology,enhancement pattern of lesion and follow-up are helpful for the diagnosis of lung cancer after tuberculosis.

Objective To investigate the correlation between survival motor neuron (SMN) gene deletion and Chinese patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (SALS).Methods A total of 141SALS patients and 134 unrelated controls were recruited from the Chinese population.Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphisro (RFLP) analysis were performed to screen SMN gene deletion.Frequencies of deletion were coropared by Chi-square test.Results Four patients and 3 controls were detected to have horoozygous SMN2 deletion.The frequencies of SMN2 deletion were 2.84%(4/141) and 2.24% (3/134), respectively, which was not significantly different (χ2= 0.0001, P =1.000).No subjects were found to have homozygous SMN1 deletion.Condusion There is no correlation between SMN gene deletion and Chinese patients with SALS.

Objective To evaluate the feasibility of real-time quantitative PCR (RtPCR) with small volume regarding the stability, efficiency and reliability of amplification, and determine the optimal quantity of cDNA template suitable for small PCR volume. Methods The experiment was carried out in 3 groups with 10, 15 and 20μL reaction volume, respectively. In each group, rat β-actin mRNA was detected by RtPCR with 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 or 0.4μL rat cDNA as template, respectively. The amplification curve and melting curve were used to evaluate the reaction stability. The fitting of a curve of gradient templates against threshold cycle numbers was to show the reaction efficiency and the linear correlativity was to estimate the suitability of the template quantity. In addition, in order to estimate reliability, pristane-induced arthritis (PIA) rat model was established, and spleen TNF-α mRNA expression was detected by RtPCR with the selected reaction volumes. Results The amplification of rat β-actin mRNA was specific and stable in 10μL, 15μL and 20μL PCR volume, and had a high efficiency. Furthermore, the standard curves fitted by 0.1-0.4μL gradient templates showed a significant linear correlation in each volume group. When the 10μL and 20μL PCR volumes, and 0.2μL cDNA templates were chosen, the TNF-α mRNA expression in PIA rat spleen showed significant upregulation in both two volume groups as anticipated. Conclusion The experiment shows that it is feasible in the RtPCR amplification to use the small reaction volume of 10μL and 15μL, which has good stability and reliability. And 0.1-0.4μL templates are all suitable for the reaction system. PCR with small volume can not only save the reagents and template, especially rare clinical specimens, but also is helpful for the realization of high-throughput reaction.

Biopsy ; methods ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Esophagoscopy ; Esophagus ; pathology ; Humans ; Mucous Membrane ; pathology ; Precancerous Conditions ; pathology ; surgery

ObjectiveTo evaluate the safety and efficacy of 30 mg pioglitazone hydrochloride combined with sulphonyurea in the treatment of type 2 diabetic patients.MethodsA randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group, multicenter study was performed.A total of 236 patients, who had fasting plasma glucose(FPG) 7.5-13.0 mmol/L and glycosylated hemoglobin A1c(HbA1 c) 7.0％ -12.0％,treated with stable dosage of a sulphonyurea for at least 30 days previously, were randomized to receive placebo or pioglitazone 30 mg once daily for 16 weeks.The sulphonyurea and dosage remained unchanged.ResultsThe patients who had been treated with pioglitazone 30 mg showed significant decrease than that in the placebo group on the average from baseline in FPG [(1.48 ±2.08) mmol/L vs (-0.17 ± 1.92)mmol/L, P＜0.05], and in HbAlc [(0.92 ±0.10)％ vs (0.28 ±0.11)％, P＜0.05].Since fasting plasma insulin (Flns) levels decreased (0.24 ±0.04) mU/L and (0.09 ±0.04) mU/L in the two groups.The homeostatic model assessment insulin resistant (HOMA-IR) decreased 1.42 ± 2.90 and 0.46 ± 3.53 in two groups.The triglyceride level was decreased 0.36 mmol/L and 0.14 mmol/L, and the HDL-C level increased 0.17 mmol/L and 0.05 mmol/L in two groups.There were significant differences in two groups (all P ＜ 0.05).ConclusionsThe 16-week clinical study demonstrated that pioglitazone hydrochloride with a dosage of 30mg daily, could significantly improve the blood glucose control and enhance the insulin sensitivity, lower triglyceride and raise HDL-C level as an additional therapy to a stable-dose sulphonyurea in Chinese type 2 diabetic patients previously poorly controlled by single sulphonyurea therapy, and furthermore had good safety and compliance.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes in rat cardiac function and myocardium ultrastructure in response to ouabain treatment.

METHODSTwenty-four male SD rats were randomized into two equal groups to receive daily intraperitoneal injection of ouabain or saline for 4 consecutive weeks, and their systolic blood pressure (SBP) was recorded weekly. After 4 weeks of injection, echocardiography was performed and the hemodynamic parameters were measured by invasive cardiac catheterization, and the changes in myocardium ultrastructure observed using transmission electron microscopy.

RESULTSAfter 4 weeks of ouabain injection, no significant changes in the mean SBP occurred in comparison with the saline group, but echocardiographic examination showed significant increases in the left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic diameters, septum thickness, posterior wall thickness, left ventricular mass and isovolumetric relaxation time but significantly lowered E/A ratio, ejection fraction and fractional shortening after ouabain treatment (P<0.05). Invasive monitoring revealed significant attenuation of the left ventricular developed pressure, rate of pressure development (+dp/dt) and rate of pressure decay (-dp/dt), and increment of the left ventricular end diastolic pressure. Myofibrillar fragmentation, swelling of the cardiac myocytes, absence of the Z line, increases of the mitochondria and collagen fibers were found in ouabain group by transmission electron microscopy.

CONCLUSIONOuabain can induce left ventricular enlargement, cardiac wall thickening, myocardial ultrastructural alterations, systolic and diastolic dysfunction in rats before blood pressure elevation is detected, indicating that ouabain can directly cause cardiac damage in rats.

Animals ; Echocardiography ; Heart ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Myocardium ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Ouabain ; pharmacology ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo summarize the new knowledge of the anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC).

METHODSThe clinical data of 58 patients (35 men, 23 women, aged 28 to 79 years) with ATC that were treated with various therapeutic modalities from 1981 to 2005 were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 25 patients received surgery alone (SA group) and 33 received surgery plus radiation (S + R group). The dosage of postoperative radiotherapy was 40-70 Gy. Four patients received biopsy, 24 received palliative surgery, and 30 received radical surgery. Only 2 patients received complete chemotherapy.

RESULTSATC invaded trachea in 40 patients (69.0%), esophagus in 32 patients (55.2%), and carotid in 17 patients (29.3%). The cervical lymph node metastases occurred in 19 patients (32.8%). The overall 1-year survival rate was 37.8%, 3-year survival rate 31.2%, and 5-year survival rate 25.9%. The 5-year survival rate was 37.8% in S + R group but was only 9.9% in SA group (P = 0.0000). The 5-year survival rate was 41.4% in radical surgery subgroup but was only 12.4% in palliative surgery subgroup (P = 0.0023). In < or = 45-year-old subgroup (n = 4), the 5-year survival rate was 50.0%; however, in > 45-year-old subgroup, it was only 21.3%. In postoperative radiation < 60 Gy subgroup , the 5-year survival rate was 19.3%; however, in > or = 60 Gy group, it was 53.7% (P = 0.0000). Among all the 58 patients, some patients received palliative surgery because of tumor invasion in trachea (n = 16, 27.6%), esophagus (n = 8, 13.8%), carotid (n = 8, 13.8%), and other sites (n = 13, 22.4%). Twenty-four patients (61.5%) died of localrelapse, 2 (5.1%) of cervical lymphnode failure, 9 (23.1%) of metastasis, and 4 (10.3%) of other reasons.

CONCLUSIONSThe prognosis of ATC is poor. Radical surgery and postoperative radiation > or = 60 Gy can improve the survival rate. Tumor invasion in trachea, esophagus, and carotid are the main reasons of palliative surgery. Local relapse is lethal.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma ; pathology ; surgery ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Retrospective Studies ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo explore the value of flow cytometric immunophenotyping (FCI) in the diagnosis and differentiated diagnosis of lymphoma and explain the immunophenotypic features and differences of malignant lymphoma.

METHODSSeventy four fresh samples of suspicious lymphoma were collected from Nov. 2004 to Aug. 2006. Each sample was individually evaluated by FCI. The results were analyzed and compared with the histopathological diagnosis.

RESULTSAmong the 74 cases, the FCI data consisted with the final morphological diagnosis in 61 cases (82.4%). For the diagnosis of B and T non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), thymoma, carcinoma and benign lesions of lymph node, the concordance between FCI data and morphological diagnosis were 93.5%, 100%, 100%, 100% and 81.3%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONMulti-parameter FCI analysis can provide important information and help for diagnosis of lymphoma. It is an assistant but necessary approach for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of lymphoma.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Immunophenotyping ; methods ; Lymphoma ; diagnosis ; immunology ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged

Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; diagnosis ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; methods ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Lung Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; genetics ; metabolism ; Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction