Objective To study the changes of endothelin-1(ET-1) and calcitonin gene-related peptide(CGRP) in plasma of cerebral vasospasm(CVS) after resection of skull base tumors and the effect of the two factors on cerebral vasospasm. Methods Totally 34 cases were divided into symptomatic cerebral vasospasm group,asymptomatic cerebral vasospasm group and nonvasospasm group after resection of skull base tumors.The blood specimens were obtained from the 34 patients on days 1,3,5,7 and 14 after the resection.The concentration of ET-1 and CGRP was detected by radioimmunoassay;meanwhile,transcranial doppler was recorded.Another 10 normal adult served as control group. Results ① Concentration of ET-1 in plasma elevated from the 1st day after resection of skull base tumors,reaching peak levels on day 5 to day 7,then decreased gradually and nearly recoverd on day 14.Concentration of CGRP in plasma decreased from day 3 after resection of skull base tumors,with the lowest concentration on day 7,then increased gradually and recoverd on day 14.② Concentration of ET-1 in plasma of the three groups was higher than that of normal adult group,while concentration of CGRP of the three groups was lower than that of normal adult group.③ Concentration of ET-1 in plasma in vasospasm groups was higher than that in nonvasospasm group(P

Objective:To investigate the differences in efficacy, survival outcomes, and acute and late toxicities for patients with local/regional advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treated by intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) in combination with che-motherapy (CT) and by IMRT alone. Methods:A total of 72 newly diagnosed local/regional advanced NPC patients were randomly subjected to IMRT/RT+adjuvant CT (after radiotherapy, RT) (n=42) or IMRT+adjuvant CT (after RT) (n=30). The Kaplan-Meier meth-od was used to analyze the two-year local/regional control rates, distant metastasis-free survivals, and overall survivals. The acute and late radiation toxicities were evaluated based on the toxicity criteria of the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group and European Organiza-tion for Research and Treatment of Cancer. Results:A median follow up period of 13.5 months was included in the study. The one-year and two-year local/regional control rates, distant metastasis-free survivals, and overall survival in the IMRT group were 95.0%, 80.0%, and 95.0%, and 80%, 60.0%, and 75.0%, respectively. For the IMRT+CT group, such rates were 100%, 96.4%, and 96.4%, and 100%, 92.9%, and 92.9%, respectively. The two-year local/regional control rate and distant metastasis-free survivals in the IMRT+CT group were higher than those in the IMRT group (P<0.05). Most patients had grade 1 to grade 2 acute radiation toxicities and grade 0 to grade 1 late radiation toxicities (P>0.05). No patient showed a grade 4 acute or late toxicity. The blood and gastrointestinal toxicity rates were high in the IMRT+CT group (P<0.05). Conclusion:The IMRT+CT treatment has potential advantages over the IMRT in the treatment of local/regional advanced NPC patients in terms of local/regional control and overall survival. The blood and gastrointestinal toxicity rates in the IMRT+CT group were higher than in the IMRT group but still within a tolerable range.

ObjectiveTo determine the prevalence of nutritional risk and application of nutrition support in hospitalized patients in the department of general surgey,and to evaluate the relationship between nutrition support and clinical outcome as well as between nutritional risk and clinical outcome.MethodsHospitalized patients in the department of general surgery were enrolled from September 2009 to April 2010.The patients were screened using Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 ( NRS 2002) on admission.Data were collected on the application of nutrition support within 2 weeks,complication rate,length of stay,and hospital charges.ResultsAltogether 3000 patients were included in the present study.The overall prevalence of nutritional risk was 18.5％,in which gastric cancer patients showed the highest prevalence (48.3％ ).The proportion of patients receiving nutrition support was 44.1％ in those with nutritional risk and 14.3％ in those without nutritional risk.The ratio of parenteral nutrition to enteral nutrition was 1.2:1.The patients with nutritional risk had higher complication rate,longer length of stay,and higher hospital charge [24.1％ vs.14.2％,(11.1 ±4.8) daysvs.(9.6±3.7) days,(12891.5±4831.2) yuan vs.(9982.7 ±3996.4) yuan,all P=0.0000].Among the gastric cancer,colorectal cancer,and hepato-biliopancreatic cancer patients with nutritional risk,the complication rate,length of stay,and hospital charge were significantly lower in the patients receiving nutrition support than those in the patients receiving no nutrition support ( all P ＜ 0.05 ).ConclusionsA number of inpatients in general surgery department are at nutritional risk.The prevalence of nutritional risk is considerably high in gastric cancer patients.Nutritional risk is correlated with the clinical outcome of the patients.Nutrition support may improve the clinical outcome of gastric cancer,colorectal cancer,and hepato-bilio-pancreatic cancer patients.

OBJECTIVETo study the expression of OCT4 protein in bladder cancer and its correlation to the clinicopathologic features and prognosis of bladder cancer.

METHODSOCT4 mRNA and protein expression was detected in 5 bladder cancer cell lines (RT-4, Tcc-Sup, KK47, T24, and 5637) and 1 normal bladder cell lines by real-time PCR and Western blotting, respectively. Immunohistochemical analysis was used to detect the expression of OCT4 protein in 46 bladder cancer samples.

RESULTSAll the 5 bladder cancer cell lines expressed detectable levels of OCT4 mRNA and proteins, whereas the normal bladder cell line SV-HUC-1 was negative for OCT4 expression. The clinical bladder cancer tissues showed a high positivity rate of OCT4 expression (76.1%), which was not detected in normal bladder tissues. Specific OCT-4 signals were localized mainly in the nuclei of the cancer cells. The expression rate of OCT4 protein was significantly higher in bladder cancer tissue than in normal bladder epithelium (P<0.05), and showed a positive correlation to the grade of tumor differentiation and metastasis (P<0.05) but not to the patients' age, gender or TNM stage.

CONCLUSIONOCT4 protein expression is associated with tumor differentiation and metastasis in bladder cancer and may play an important role in the early diagnosis and prognostic evaluation of bladder cancer.

Cell Line, Tumor ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasm Staging ; Octamer Transcription Factor-3 ; metabolism ; Prognosis ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo assess the association of a disintegrin and metallo-proteinase with thrombospondin type 1 motifs (ADAMTS-1) gene polymorphism and ischemic stroke caused by large artery atherosclerosis (LAA).

METHODSIn total 767 patients and 506 controls were recruited. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs416905 (T/C) and rs402007 (G/C) of the ADAMTS-1 gene were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing.

RESULTSFrequencies of the rs402007 GC+CC genotype and the C allele were significantly different between the two groups (68.84% vs. 60.67%, χ2=9.012, P=0.003, OR=1.432; 45.24% vs. 38.54%, χ2=11.208, P=0.001, OR=1.318). Binary logistic regression has confirmed that the above difference was significant (P=0.001, OR=1.521, 95%CI: 1.183-1.955). The frequencies of TC+CC and GC+CC genotypes were similar between the two groups, and so was it with the C allele. The two SNPs had been in complete linkage disequilibrium (D'=1.0, r2=1.0).

CONCLUSIONThe rs416905 and rs402007 polymorphisms of the ADAMTS-1 gene may be associated with ischemic stroke caused by LAA. The C allele of the rs402007 locus may be a susceptibility factor for this subtype of stroke.

ADAM Proteins ; genetics ; ADAMTS1 Protein ; Aged ; Alleles ; Atherosclerosis ; complications ; Base Sequence ; Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; Brain Ischemia ; complications ; Fasting ; blood ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; genetics ; Genotype ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Risk Factors ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Smoking ; Stroke ; blood ; etiology ; genetics

Objective:To determine the serum levels of chemokine CCL27 and its clinical relevancein patients with dermatomyositis (DM).Methods:The serum CCL27 levels of 58 DM patients, 21 polymyositis (PM) patients, 20 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and 31 healthy controls were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The score of disease activity was measured by two physicians-based on the myositis disease activity assessment tool (MDAAT). Its correlation with serum levels of CCL27 was analyzed. The difference between multiple groups were compared using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and t test, and the relevance was analyzed using Spearman correlation analysis and generalized method of moments (GEE) model. Results:Theserum level of CCL27 in DM patients (178±49) pg/ml was significantly higher than PM (110±40) pg/ml, SLE (141±46) pg/ml and healthy controls (137±38) pg/ml ( F=14.192, P<0.01). Crosssectional analysis showed that the serum CCL27 levelwaspositively correlated with global disease activity ( r=0.301, P=0.022) andskin disease activity ( r=0.493, P<0.01). Patients with V sign had higher serum CCL27 levels (191±52) pg/ml than the patients without (153±33) pg/ml ( t=2.839, P<0.01). Patients with holster sign had higher serum CCL27 levels (196±58) pg/ml than the patients without (168±41) pg/ml ( t=2.176, P=0.034). Follow-up study also found that CCL27l evels were positively correlated with global disease activity ( β=0.031, P=0.042) and skin disease activity ( β=0.032, P<0.01). Conclusion:The serum CCL27 levels are increased in patients with DM and can reflect the skin disease activity. The results of this study suggest that CCL27 may be a marker for cutaneous damage and monitoring of therapeutic effect.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the genetic etiology of recurrent hydatidiform mole (RHM) and provide accurate guidance for reproduction. METHODS: Peripheral venous blood samples of the probands with RHM and members from 5 unrelated pedigrees were collected. Genomic DNA was extracted by using routine method, and whole exome sequencing was carried out to detect variants of RHM-associated genes including NLRP7 and KHDC3L. Sanger sequencing and real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) were used to validate the candidate variants and delineate their parental origin. RESULTS: Homozygous or compound heterozygous variants of the NLRP7 gene were identified in four patients from three pedigrees, which included a homozygous deletion of exon 1 to 4 of NLRP7 in patient P1 and her elder sister, compound heterozygous variants of NLRP7 c.939delG (p.Q314Sfs*6) pat and c.1533delG (p.N512Tfs*4) mat in patient P2, and compound heterozygous variants of NLRP7 c.2389_2390delTC (p.A798Qfs*6) pat and c.2165A>G (p.D722G) mat in patient P4. All variants were interpreted as pathogenic or likely pathogenic according to the American College of Medical and Genomics (ACMG) guidelines. Among these, NLRP7 exons 1 to 4 deletion, c.939delG (p.Q314Sfs*6), c.1533delG (p.N512Tfs*4) and c.2389_2390delTC (p.A798Qfs*6) were unreported previously. CONCLUSION Variants of the NLRP7 gene probably underlay autosomal recessive RHM in the three pedigrees, and definitive molecular diagnosis is beneficial for accurate genetic counseling. Above finding has also enriched the spectrum of the NLRP7 variants underlying RHM.
Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing/genetics* ; Aged ; China ; Female ; Homozygote ; Humans ; Hydatidiform Mole/pathology* ; Mutation ; Pedigree ; Pregnancy ; Sequence Deletion

Abdomen/diagnostic imaging* ; Artificial Intelligence ; Body Composition ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Practice Guidelines as Topic