Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)plays an important role in the degradation of extracellular matrix components,which is crucial for tumor growth,invasion and metastasis.As one with the largest relative molecular mass in MMP family,MMP-9 takes part in the generation and progression of colorectal cancer. Research shows that MMP-9 can be used for the early diagnosis of colorectal cancer.The expression levels of MMP-9 in tissue and plasma are negatively correlated with prognosis of the postoperative patients with colorectal cancer.In addition,targeted therapy drugs will be designed on the basis of MMP-9 expression increased in colorectal cancer.

Objective To analyze the efficacy and safety of different chemotherapy regimens for treatment of progressive patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) brain metastasis after radiotherapy. Methods 96 SCLC brain metastasis patients with progressive intracranial lesions after radiotherapy were divided into four groups: carmustine group (Group A, 28 cases), temozolomide group (Group B, 19 cases), topotecan group (Group C, 24 cases) and no chemotherapy group (Group D, 25 cases). Results In terms of brain metastases, there were no complete response cases in the whole groups. The rates of partial remission (PR), stable disease (SD) and progression of disease (PD) in Group A were 17.8%(5/28), 53.6%(15/28) and 28.6 % (8/28), respectively, the response rate (RR) of intracranial lesions was 17.9 % (5/28), and disease control (CR+PR+SD) rate was 71.4%(20/28). The rates of PR, SD and PD in Group B were 15.8%(3/19), 63.2 % (12/19) and 21.1 % (4/19), respectively, the RR of intracranial lesions was 15.8 % (3/19), and disease control rate was 78.9 % (15/19). The rates of PR, SD and PD in Group D were 8.3 % (2/24), 54.2 %(13/24) and 37.5 % (9/24), respectively, the RR rate of intracranial lesions was 8.3 % (2/24), and disease control rate was 62.5 % (15/24). In Group D, there was no response case, and 20 patients with PD (80.0 %) were found. The median progression-free survivals (PFSs) were (3.64 ±0.43) months, (4.68 ±0.49) months,(3.58 ±0.50) months, (2.60 ±0.31) months in Group A, B, C and D, respectively, and the median overall survivals (OSs) were (18.80±1.74) months, (18.76±1.85) months, (19.10±1.64) months and (9.64±0.84) months, respectively. The median OS of Group A, B or C was longer than that of Group D (P=0.002). The differences of grade Ⅲ-Ⅳhematologic toxicities among the four subgroups were not statistically different. Patients in Group B had better tolerance to nausea and vomit. In Group D, the central nervous system symptoms such as fatigue and headache occurred frequently. Conclusions The response rate and OS of SCLC brain metastasis patients with progressive intracranial lesions after radiotherapy are improved after chemotherapy, however, PFS is not significantly prolonged. The efficacies of carmustine, temozolomide and topotecan are similar in short and long term, besides, temozolomide shows less adverse events and a higher disease control rate. The application of chemotherapy that could penetrate the blood-brain barrier can improve the efficacy on SCLC brain metastasis patients with progressive intracranial lesions after radiotherapy with well tolerance.

In this article we report the results on the synthesis and accumulation of PHAs by Rhodocista pekingensis (strain 3-p), a phototroph that was isolated from wastewater treatment plant. Our results showed that the optimal conditions for PHAs accumulation with strain 3-p were as following: 0.01% Yeast Extract, 0.01% NH 4Cl, Acetate 5 g/L, and medium pH of 7.0～7.2.Under optimized conditions, strain 3-p accumulated PHAs up to 60% of its cellular dry weight. Enzymatic activities of ?-ketothiolase, acetoacetyl-CoA reductase, and PHA polymerase were detected and their activities increased as PHA synthesis initialized. Based on these study, we proposed the metabolic pathway of this strain should be:Acetate (or other fatty acids) - Acetyl-CoA --- thiolase Acetoacetyl-CoA --- reductase D (-)-?-Hydroxybutyryl-CoA ----- PHA polymerase PHAs.

Objective To study the microsurgical and anatomic structures of brachial plexus roots and vertebral canal to find the best approaches for reimplantation of avulsed brachial plexus ventral roots into the spinal cord.Methods On nineteen cervicothoracic spine specimens,the brachial plexus nerves were exposed along to intervertebral foramen,and the spinal cord and brachial plexus roots were exposed by excising the vertebral arch and sectioning the spinal dura mater.The anatomy of brachial plexus roots and vertebrae,and the relative positions of spinal cord segments to vertebral discs were measured and observed.Results The relative positions of spinal cord segments to vertebral discs are:C5-7 spinal cord segments face C3,4,C4,5 and C5,6 vertebral discs;and C8 and T1 spinal cord segments face C6 and C7 vertebrae.Based on the anatomic finding,four approaches were found out: the lateroventral approach,the lateral approach by enlarging intervertebral foramen,the laterodorsal approach and the lateral and dorsal combined approach.Conclusions The brachial plexus ventral roots can be best reimplanted into the spinal cord by the lateroventral approach and the lateral approach.Although the laterodorsal approach and the lateral and dorsal combined approach are not the best,they are less difficuh and dangerous.

Objective To investigate work stress state of nursing home staff and to analyze the influential factors affecting work stress.Methods Stratified random sampling method was adopted to investigate 180 nursing assistants by self-designed questionnaire,Work Stress Scale(WSS),Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire and internal-external locus of control scale investigation.Results Totally 174 valid questionnaires were collected.Variance analysis revealed there were significant differences of age and other factors.Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed five variables entered the equation,including workexpenence education level number of the cared ages work scheduline coping stule and explain 56.7％ of the total variable.Conclusion Nurse managers should pay attention to and improve achievement sense and mental adjustment ability of nursing assistants,to build a well-organized support system to reduce the workload.

Objective To know about the influence of quality control based on Gantt chart on work quality and stress,so as to explore effective method of management suitable for them.Methods 52 nurses from the eastern zone of a three A-level hospital in Jiujiang City were randomly selected as the experimental group,they were implemented with Gantt chart management.Another 52 nurses from the western zone of the same hospital were selected as the control group,they were executed traditional experience-based management.The scores of quality of care and nurses stress were compared between the two groups.Results For the score of the quality of care,the experimental group was higher;,for the score of the nurses stress,the experimental group was lower in the overall sides,and the differences were significant except those of the working environment and equipment,which showed no significant difference between two groups.Conclusions Gantt management method can significantly improve the quality of care,moreover,effectively alleviate the nurses'stress.

The paper reported an investigation of the pharmacokinetics of SN-38 (7-ethyl-10-hydroxy-camptothecin) in rats and the tissue distribution in mice after injection of irinotecan hydrochloride nanoparticles (CPT-11) via tail veins. An LC-MS/MS method was established to determine the concentrations of SN-38 in whole blood of rats and in different tissues of mice. The pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of SN-38 were compared after the intravenous injection of CPT-11 NPs and CPT-11 solution. Compared with irinotecan solution, the elimination half-life of SN-38 was prolonged from 2.17 h to 2.67 h after the intravenous injection of CPT-11 NPs, but its AUC had little change. After the injection of CPT-11 NPs in mice, over time, the concentrations of CPT-11-metabolized SN-38 in CPT-11 NPs were significantly higher in the whole blood, colon and lungs than those in CPT-11 solution, followed by in the spleen and liver, but those in the heart and brain had no change. However, the amount of SN-38 in the kidneys was reduced with time. CPT-11 NPs could prolong SN-38's (one of its metabolites) blood circulation time in rats and significantly increased the concentration of CPT-11-metabolized SN-38 in the whole blood, colon and lungs of mice. CPT-11 NPs made SN-38 efficiently target-bind to the colon and lungs of mice.
Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacokinetics ; Camptothecin ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacokinetics ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Colon ; metabolism ; Half-Life ; Injections, Intravenous ; Lung ; metabolism ; Mice ; Nanoparticles ; administration & dosage ; Rats ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; Tissue Distribution

OBJECTIVETo investigate the factors influencing the pregnancy outcomes of artificial insemination with donor sperm (AID), improve the pregnancy rate, and evaluate the safety of the offspring.

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed 7,761 cycles of AID for 5,109 infertile couples performed between July 1, 2005 and June 30, 2013 in the Center of Reproductive Medicine of Shenyang No 204 Hospital, the outcomes of pregnancy, and the incidence of birth defects.

RESULTSTotally, 2 252 clinical pregnancies were achieved by AID, in which the pregnancy rate per cycle was 29. 02% and the cumulative pregnancy rate was 44. 08%. The clinical pregnancy rate was remarkably higher in the females of ≤ 35 years than in those of > 35 years old (30.31% vs 20.18%, P < 0.01), in the women with < 5-year infertility than in those with > 5-year infertility (30.83% vs 28.16%, P < 0.01), and in the patients of the ovarian stimulation group than in those of the natural cycle group (33.22% vs 28.68%, P < 0.01) The clinical pregnancy rate was the highest in the first treatment cycle (29.87%), with statistically significant difference from the fourth cycle (23.61%) (P < 0.05), but not between the other cycles (P > 0.05). There were 28 cases of birth defects in the offspring (1.40%), including 6 cases (21.43%) involving the cardiovascular system, 4 (14.29%) involving the musculoskeletal system, 3 (10.71%) involving the urogenital system, 3 (10.71%) involving the central nervous system, 2 cases (7.14%) of cleft lip and palate, 2 (7.14%) involving the respiratory system, 2 (7.14%) involving the gastrointestinal digestive system, and other anomalies.

CONCLUSIONFemale age, infertility duration, and ovarian stimulation treatment are important factors influencing the clinical pregnancy rate of AID. Artificial insemination with cryopreserved donor sperm does not increase the incidence of birth defects, which is considered as a relatively safe technique of assisted reproduction.

Adult ; Cryopreservation ; Female ; Humans ; Infertility ; Insemination, Artificial, Heterologous ; methods ; Male ; Maternal Age ; Ovulation Induction ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Pregnancy Rate ; Retrospective Studies ; Semen Preservation ; methods ; Spermatozoa ; Time Factors

Positron emission tomography (PET) and PET/CT are playing increasingly important roles in the clinical evaluation and treatment of tumors. As neuroendocrine tissues, the hypothalamus and pituitary gland have their unique features, and PET can be valuable in evaluating hypothalamic-pituitary diseases lesions. This article reviews the application of PET in the clinical evaluation and treatment of hypothalamic-pituitary diseases.
Humans ; Hypothalamic Diseases ; diagnostic imaging ; Pituitary Diseases ; diagnostic imaging ; Positron-Emission Tomography

Child, Preschool ; Female ; Gastritis, Hypertrophic ; complications ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Hypoproteinemia ; etiology ; Protein-Losing Enteropathies ; etiology ; Radionuclide Imaging