Humans ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; surgery ; therapy

Objective To evaluate the effect of sildenafil on the expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in lung tissues of rats with pulmonary hypertension.Methods Twenty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats,aged 8 weeks,weighing 180-220 g,were randomly divided into 3 groups (n =8 each) using a random number table:control group (group C),pulmonary hypertension group (group PH),and sildenafil group (group S).Sildenafil 50 mg/kg was injected through a gastric tube into stomach once a day for 35 consecutive days starting from 1 day after lelf pneumonectomy in group S.Pulmonary hypertension was induced by left pneumonectomy and subcutaneous monocrotaline injected at 7 days after operation in PH and S groups.At 35 days after operation,mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP),relative medial thickness of pulmonary artery (RMT),right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP),and muscularization of small pulmonary arteries were measured in the lung.The ratio of the right ventricular weight to the sum of the weights of the left ventricle and septum (RV/(LV + S)) was calculated.The expression of TNF-α mRNA and protein was determined using RT-PCR and Western blot analysis,respectively.Results Compared with group C,mPAP,RVSP,muscularization of small pulmonary arteries,RMT and RV/(LV + S) ratio were significantly increased,and the expression of TNF-α mRNA and protein was upregulated in group PH,and RVSP,muscularization of small pulmonary arteries and RV/(LV + S) ratio were increased in group S.Compared with group PH,mPAP,RVSP,muscularization of small pulmonary arteries,RMT and RV/(LV + S) ratio were significantly decreased,and the expression of TNF-α mRNA and protein was downregulated in group S.Conclusion Sildenafil can down-regulate the expression of TNF-α in lung tissues of rats with pulmonary hypertension,inhibit reconstruction of pulmonary artery,and decrease the pulmonary arterial pressure.

Adenocarcinoma ; surgery ; therapy ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Humans ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; surgery ; therapy ; Practice Guidelines as Topic ; Prognosis

Objective To explore the clinical characteristics and influencing factors of primary nephrotic syndrome (PNS) combined with hypercoagulability in children. Methods The clinical data of 57 children with primary PNS were analyzed retrospectively. The clinical features and treatment were compared among high coagulation state group, non high coagulation state group and control group (20 children). At the same time, the differences between the simple nephrotic syndrome group (SNS) and nephritic syndrome group (NNS) in hypercoagulable state were analyzed. In addition, the correlation analysis was performed. Results Among 57 patients, there were 50 patients in high coagulation state group and 7 in non high coagulation state group. There was no significant difference in gender, age and clinical manifestations between two groups (P>0.05). The platelet (PLT) count, platelet aggregation (PCT), albumin (Alb), fibrinogen (Fib), D-dimer (D2) were significantly higher than those in the control group, and there were statistically significant differences (P all<0.01). There were significant differences in the levels of PLT, Fib, D2 and complement C4 between hypercoagulable state group and non hypercoagulable state group (P all<0.05). There were significant differences in HCT, TC, LDL, PT and complement C3 levels between SNS group (n = 32) and NNS group (n =18) in 50 patients with high coagulation state (P<0.05). There was positive correlation between HCT and complement C3 (r=0.30, P<0.05), while there was no correlation between PLT and other indices (P>0.05). All of the 57 patients were improved and has no thrombosis after the treatment. Conclusion Children with primary PNS were usually associated with different degrees of hypercoagulable state, and PLT, Fib, D2 could be used as reference indices for the severity of hypercoagulable state, and the activation of complement system might be related to the occurrence and development of hypercoagulable state.

To explore the relationship and possible mechanism of reproductive function of bisphenol A (BPA) with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).Serum specimens were collected from 43 PCOS patients and 37 healthy women.And the level of BPA was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).The serum level of BPA in PCOS were significantly higher than that in the control group.And the inter-group difference was significant (P ＜ 0.05).The patient level of BPA was positively related with obesity and basic luteinizing hormone (LH) (P ＜ 0.05).In the PCOS group,no significant correlation existed between hyperandrogenemia and non-hyperandrogenemia (P ＞ 0.05).Although no difference existed between insulin and non-insulin resistance,the level of BPA in insulin resistance group was lower than in non-insulin resistance group.A higher level of BPA may be associated with obesity and basic LH in PCOS.

The enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol is an evidence-based perioperative care pathway, which is to reduce the perioperative stress and metabolic variation, with the ultimate goal of improving patient recovery and outcomes. This article reviews some hot issues in the clinical practice of ERAS in China. Currently, the concept and pathways of ERAS are very consistent with China's medical reform, and the basic principle of "safety first, efficiency second" should be adhered to. In specific clinical practice, multidisciplinary cooperation, the improvement of surgical quality and the implementation of prehabilitation pathway should be advocated. In addition, the ERAS approaches should be implemented individually to avoid mechanical understanding and dogmatic implementation. The implementation of ERAS and its clinical outcome should be audited to accumulate experience, and a feedback mechanism should be established to improve the outcome continuously. In clinical practice, "fast recovery" should not be the sole purpose. For patients, the decrease in the risk of readmission rate is more important as compared to discharge rate. Additionally, the disparities between the development of ERAS clinical research in China and that in the world are also analyzed in this review. A national ERAS database should be established on the basic platform of academic groups to ensure the development of high-quality clinical research in China.
Critical Pathways ; Enhanced Recovery After Surgery ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Perioperative Care/methods* ; Postoperative Complications

Adolescent ; Brain Diseases ; diagnostic imaging ; Brain Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Hematoma, Epidural, Cranial ; diagnostic imaging ; Hernia ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Male ; Plasmacytoma ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

INTRODUCTIONThe level of participation is an important factor influencing rehabilitation outcome. However, few studies have evaluated rehabilitation participation and its clinical predictors in patients with stroke. This study aimed to establish the level of participation in patients with stroke undergoing inpatient rehabilitation, and define the clinical predictors for participation.

METHODSThis was a prospective observational study of first-time patients with stroke admitted to a rehabilitation centre over a 12-month period. The primary outcome measure was the level of rehabilitation participation as measured on the Pittsburgh Rehabilitation Participation Scale (PRPS). PRPS measurements were made one week after admission and one week before planned discharge from inpatient rehabilitation. Other outcome measures evaluated were the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale, Functional Independence Measure (FIM), Elderly Cognitive Assessment Questionnaire (ECAQ), Centre for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale, Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), Lubben Social Network Scale-Revised, and Multidimensional Health Questionnaire.

RESULTSA total of 122 patients with stroke were studied. The mean PRPS score on admission was relatively high at 4.30 ± 0.90, and this improved to 4.65 ± 0.79 before planned discharge (p < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, the mean PRPS score on admission was predicted by FIM, EACQ and FSS scores on admission, but not by variables such as age, gender, depression, social support, or health attitudes and beliefs.

CONCLUSIONPatients with lower levels of participation were more likely to be functionally dependent, cognitively impaired and have more fatigue. We suggest that in addition to cognition, fatigue should be routinely screened in patients with stroke undergoing rehabilitation.

Cognition ; physiology ; Disability Evaluation ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Inpatients ; Length of Stay ; trends ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; methods ; Patient Compliance ; statistics & numerical data ; Prospective Studies ; Recovery of Function ; physiology ; Rehabilitation Centers ; statistics & numerical data ; Singapore ; epidemiology ; Stroke ; epidemiology ; physiopathology ; Stroke Rehabilitation ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo study the principle and surgical managements for the patients with anatomic variants of hepatic artery in the procedure of pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD).

METHODSOne hundred and seventy-six patients who underwent PD between January 2000 and July 2007 were investigated retrospectively. Hepatic arterial variants were analyzed according to the intraoperative finding and CT imaging were reviewed postoperatively.

RESULTSHepatic arterial variants were found intraoperatively in 20 cases of all 176 patients. Accessory right heptic artery, replaced right heptic artery and common heptic artery arising from the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) were present in 9 (5.1%), 5 (2.8%), 4 (2.3%) cases respectively,and replaced right heptic artery coming from the gastroduodenal artery was present in 2 cases (2.9%). All the variants of hepatic arteries arising from the superior mesenteric artery could be observed in spiral CT imaging. Most of the variant arteries were dissected intact intraoperatively except 2 cases with accessory right heptic artery arising from SMA.

CONCLUSIONSPerforming CT scan preoperatively, especially CTA,is effective to diagnose these disorders. Skillful surgical techniques can manage the anatomic variants safely.

Female ; Hepatic Artery ; abnormalities ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreaticoduodenectomy ; Radiography ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUNDTissue factor (TF) is overexpressed in many malignant tumours and is linked to the pathogenesis and prognosis of such malignancies. In vitro studies have proved that reduced expression of TF has inhibitory effect on the angiogenesis and cell proliferation of the malignant tumour. Therefore, TF suppression has been raised as a possible treatment for malignant tumours. Here we investigated the effect of celecoxib on TF expression induced by tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) in PANC-1 cells and a possible molecular mechanism underlying the celecoxib effect.

METHODSVarious doses of celecoxib solution were added to standard cell numbers of PANC-1 cells mixed with equal dose of TNFalpha for 6 hours. The expression of tissue factor was detected quantitatively by Western blot, whilst the activation of nuclear factor kappaB was tested by electromobility shift assay.

RESULTSAs the doses of celecoxib increased, the tissue factor expression was decreased in PANC-1 cells and so was the activation of nuclear factor kappaB.

CONCLUSIONSCelecoxib can downregulate the expression of tissue factor induced by TNFalpha in PANC-1 cells. This antitumour effect of celecoxib can be explained indirectly via its suppressive role in activation of nuclear factor kappaB.

Celecoxib ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Gene Expression Regulation ; drug effects ; Humans ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Pyrazoles ; pharmacology ; Sulfonamides ; pharmacology ; Thromboplastin ; genetics ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; antagonists & inhibitors