Cardiomyopathies ; classification ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Cardiomyopathy, Dilated ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Child ; Humans ; Pediatrics ; Suggestion

Cardiomyopathies ; chemically induced ; classification ; Child ; Humans

Objective To investigate the clinical value of 125I particle implantation brachytherapy combined with intermittent hormonal therapy for treating clinical moderate and high risk non-metastatic prostate cancer.Methods A prospective study was proceeded and 100 cases with moderate and high risk (cT≥T2b,Gleason score ≥ 7,pre-biopsy PSA ≥ 10 ng/ml)non-metastatic prostate cancer were included.The selected patients were divided into two group.In the study group,patients were treated with 125I particle implantation combined with intermittent hormonal therapy.In the control group,patients were treated with only intermittent hormonal therapy.Hormonal therapy was maximal androgen blockage for two groups,including bicalutamide 50 mg oral every day and Leuprorelin 3.75 mg subcutaneous injection every 28 days.There were 50 cases in each group and clinical trial agreements were signed.During follow-up,PSA were tested every month.Chest X-ray and whole-body hone scanning were checked every 6 months.Hormonal therapy was stopped when patient's PSA level fell to 0.2 ng/ml,and keep stabilized for 3 months.When PSA level elevated for 3 times continuously and over 1 ng/ml,hormonal therapy was initiated again.The IPSS scores were documented before treatment and every 3 months after treatment.Adverse reactions of urinary tract and rectum were assessed every 3 months after 125I particle implantation in study group.The ratio of the first time to stop hormonal therapy,the time duration of first hormonal therapy and stable phase,re-hormonal therapy free survival rate,bone metastasis free survival rate,castration resistance prostate cancer(CRPC) free survival rate,cancer-specific free survival rate and overall survival rate were compared.Results The 100 cases in this study were followed up for 24-40 months,with an average time of 31.6 months.In study group,the PSA level in all cases descended to the level of stopping hormonal therapy.The time duration of hormone therapy ranged from 4 to 12 months,with an average time of 6.3 months.21 (42％) cases had a PSA elevation again to restart hormonal therapy.In control group,the PSA level in 47 cases descended to the level of stopping hormonal therapy.The time duration of hormone therapy ranged from 5 to 15 months,with an average time of 7.2 months.34 (68％) cases had a PSA elevation again to restart hormonal therapy.There was no significant difference in percentage of cases of stopping hormone therapy and in time duration of hormonal therapy for the first cycle.Instead,there were significant differences in stable phase after first cycle hormonal therapy between two groups (27.2 months vs.17.7 months;P ＜ 0.001).When analyzed by Kaplan-Meier survival curve,there was no significant difference in cancer-specific survival rate and overall survival rate.There were significant differences in Re-hormonal therapy free survival (P =0.002),bone metastasis free survival (P =0.04) and CRPC free survival(P =0.005).Conclusions Compared with intermittent hormonal therapy alone,125I particle implantation brachytherapy combined with intermittent hormonal therapy could prolong the hormonal sensitive time in moderate and high risk nonmetastatic prostate cancer patients and control the progress of the prostate cancer.

Animals ; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic ; administration & dosage ; toxicity ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Daunorubicin ; administration & dosage ; toxicity ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Male ; Myocardium ; cytology ; metabolism ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Neuregulins ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Receptor, ErbB-2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

Objective To evaluate the expressions of estrogen receptor (ER) α and β in human prostate cancer and adjacent non-cancerous tissues,and to evaluate the correlation between the expression and the clinicopathological features and prognosis.Methods Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect ERα and ERβ in 85 prostate adenocarcinoma tissues,adjacent non-cancerous tissues,and 29 benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) tissues.The correlation between the expression and the clinicopathological features was analyzed by Spearman's coefficient.Cox's proportional hazards regression model was used to identify the risk factors for biological recurrence.Results There were significant differences between the expression of ERα in prostate cancer,adjacent non-cancerous tissues,and BPH [epithelial cell 0 (0/85),11.8％ (10/85) and 24.1％ (7/29),P=0.000; and in stromal cell 52.9％ (45/85),67.1％ (57/85),31.0％ (9/29),P =0.003].There were significant differences between the expression of ERβ in these groups [epithelial cell 36.5％ (31/85),61.2％ (52/85),100.0％ (29/29),P =0.000; and in stromal cell 49.4％ (42/85),72.9％ (62/85),79.3％ (23/29),P =0.001].The ERα expression in cancerous stromal cells was positively correlated with the PSA level (r =0.296,P =0.006) and Gleason score (r =0.404,P =0.000).The ERβ expression was negatively correlated with Gleason score in cancerous epithelial cells (r =-0.254,P =0.019) and stromal cells (r =-0.315,P =0.003).Multivariate analysis revealed that negative expression was an independent poor prognostic factor for the biological recurrence free survival after radical prostatectomy (HR =0.107,95.0％ CI 0.019-0.592,P =0.010).Conclusions There were significant differences between the expression of ERα and ERβ in prostate cancer,adjacent non-cancerous tissues,and BPH.ERα in cancerous stromal cells,ERβ in cancerous epithelial and stromal cells were related to the differentiation of prostate adenocarcinoma.ERβ in cancerous epithelial cells can be used as an independent prognostic factor for biological recurrence after radical surgery.

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is an autoimmune liver disorder characterized by chronic inflammation of liver. Although the etiology of AIH remains obscure, genetic and environmental factors may contribute to the development of AIH. In the past years, investigators have attempted to uncover the genetic architecture of AIH. Multiple genetic loci have been reported to be associated with AIH, in which human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles were strongly associated with disease onset and clinical manifestations for decades. A recent genome wide association study identified that two loci (SH2B3 and CARD10) increased susceptibility of AIH, in addition to the HLA loci. The genetic study is aiming to help to elucidate the genetic pathogenesis for AIH.

This study purposed to investigate the effects of different oxygen concentrations and reactive oxygen species (ROS) on the biological characteristics of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) and their possible mechanisms through simulating oxygen environment to which the peripheral blood HSC are subjected in peripheral blood HSCT. The proliferation ability, cell cycle, directed differentiation ability, ROS level and hematopoietic reconstitution ability of Lin(-)c-kit(+)Sca-1(+) BMHSC were detected by using in vitro amplification test, directional differentiation test, cell cycle analysis, ROS assay and transplantation of Lin(-)c-kit(+)Sca-1(+) HSC from sublethally irradiated mice respectively. The results showed that oxygen concentrations lower than normal oxygen concentration, especially in hypoxic oxygen environment, could reduce ROS generation and amplify more primitive CD34(+)AC133(+) HSC and active CD34(+) HSC, and maintain more stem cells in the G(0)/G(1) phase, which is more helpful to the growth of CFU-S and viability of mice. At the same time, BMHSC exposed to normal oxygen level or inconstant and greatly changed oxygen concentrations could produce a high level of ROS, and the above-mentioned features and functional indicators are relatively low. It is concluded that ROS levels of HSC in BMHSCT are closely related with the oxygen concentration surrounding the cells and its stability. Low oxygen concentration and antioxidant intervention are helpful to transplantation of BMHSC.
Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Cell Differentiation ; Cells, Cultured ; Female ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Oxygen ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism

Atrioventricular Block ; etiology ; Cardiac Catheterization ; adverse effects ; Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular ; therapy ; Hematologic Diseases ; etiology ; Hemolysis ; Humans

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical efficacy and the toxicity of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with paclitaxel and FOLFOX4 (5-fluorouracil/leucovorin combined and oxaliplatin) regimen for advanced gastric cancer.

METHODSSeventy-eight patients with cTNM stage III or IV (M0) gastric cancer were enrolled and 39 were randomized into the treatment arm (n=39, paclitaxel combined with FOLFOX4 regimen neoadjuvant chemotherapy every two weeks in each cycle) and control group (n=39). Clinical response was evaluated with RECIST criteria after 3 cycles. Patients in experimental group received surgery after 2-4 weeks and postoperative chemotherapy of 3 cycles of the original regimen. When disease progressed, postoperative chemotherapy regimen was changed into ECF regimen. The control group of 39 patients received surgery within 2 weeks and postoperative chemotherapy of 6 cycles of paclitaxel combined with FOLFOX4 regimen.

RESULTSThe clinical response rate was 66.7% in the treatment arm. The R0 resection rate (59.0%) was significantly higher than that in the control group (P=0.025) and the number of lymph node metastasis in the treatment arm(3.23±2.80) was significantly lower than that in the control group (5.79±2.69, P=0.001). There were no significant differences in postoperative complication rate (5.1% vs. 2.6%) and the number of lymph node dissection (19.69±2.95 vs. 20.59±3.22) between the two groups (P>0.05). The median survival time and 2-year survival rate in the treatment arm [(27.10±2.32) months and 59.0%] was significantly higher than that in the control group[(18.20±1.30) months and 28.2%] (P=0.001, P=0.006). Cox regression multivariable analysis showed that tumor differentiation, R0 resection, lymph node metastasis were independent prognostic factors. Adverse reaction of chemotherapy, mainly hematological adverse reactions, and peripheral nerve toxicity, were tolerable. No significant differences were noted between the two groups in adverse reactions (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe efficacy of paclitaxel combined with FOLFOX4 as neoadjuvant chemotherapy is high. Patients tolerance and compliance are satisfactory. It can improve in patients with advanced gastric cancer the R0 resection rate, reduce lymph node metastasis and improve survival.

Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; Female ; Fluorouracil ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Leucovorin ; administration & dosage ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Neoplasm Staging ; Organoplatinum Compounds ; administration & dosage ; Paclitaxel ; administration & dosage ; Stomach Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology

A quick HPLC-ESI-MS/MS method was established for simultaneous determination of three chemical compositions in Usnea, including usnic acid, diffractaic acid, and ramalic acid. The separation was performed on a chromatographic column of Agilent ZORBAX SB-C, (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 µm), and the mobile phase was methanol (0.05% formic acid)-0.05% formic acid solution (4 mmol ammonium acetate), with an isocratic elution at a flow rate of 0.8 ml · min⁻¹. Multiple reaction monitoring scanning mode (MRM) was performed combined with the ion switching technology in positive and negative ion switching mode to apply for the quantitative determination. The calibration curves for the above three compounds were linear in corresponding injection amount. Their average recoveries were 95.0%-105.1%, with RSDs of 1.1%-5.2%. The method was simple, rapid, accurate with high repeatability, which could provide a reference for overcalling evaluation the quality of Usnea.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Hydroxybenzoates ; analysis ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization ; methods ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; methods ; Usnea ; chemistry