Two groups with each of 15 subjects were studied. In Group A arginine and clonidine were administered in one day, and in Group B in two successive days. The serum growth hormone levels were determined with radioimmunoassay. The results showed that the amplitude of the growth hormone peaks was significantly different between normal children, those with short stature of non-pituitary origin and primary pituitary dwarfism. We suggested that the revised method of growth hormone provoking test, i.e. performing the two tests in one day, injecting arginine intravenously and sampling from intravenous catheter is simple, rapid and accurate for the differentiation of short stature due to various causes.

With the development of the neonatal intensive care technology,the livability of premature infants arises greatly.But the evidently increased handicap and unknowable prognosis have brought series of social problems.The author assumed that!abandoning or ending treatment of premature infants who have no social value after cure and who are about to die soon after born correspond to ethics principle.Hospital ethics committee should play role in the decision making of cure.

Objective To study the clinical feature, diagnosis and surgical treatment of mixed hepatocellular and cholangiocellular carcinoma(MHC).Methods The clinical materials of 14 surgically treated patients with MHC were retrospectively analyzed.Results There were nine males and five females, with age ranging from 33 to 62 years (mean 50 years). Some patients had a history of hepatitis B(71%), and cirrhosis(64%). Elevation of serum alpha-fetaprotein(AFP) was observed in nine patients(64%). The resection rate was 86%(12/14), and postoperative overall 1-, 3-, 5-year survival rates were 71%(10/14)?43%(6/14)?and 29%(4/14), respectively. In the tumor-resected patients, the 1-, 3-, 5-year survival rates were 83%(10/12)?50%(6/12)?and 33%(4/12),respectively. Conclusions MHC patients lack typical clinical manifestations. Radical surgery is an effective treatment for this disease. The cholangiocellular carcinoma component appears to determine the prognosis.

ObjectiveTo study the clinical feature, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of hepatic angiomyolipoma.Methods The clinical materials of eight surgically treated patients with hepatic AML were retrospectively analyzed.ResultsThere were five females and three males, with age ranging from 25 to 59 years (mean 39 6 years). Tumors were located in the right lobe of the liver in 5 cases, and in the left lobe in 3 cases. Ultrasonography and computed tomography were performed in all cases. Magnetic resonance imaging and angiography were done in two each cases. The myoid cells in all tumors showed over expression of HMB 45. One patient died of postoperative heart failure, seven were followed up for 9 mos to 12 years without tumor recurrence. Conclusions Comprehensive imaging features can reveal the characteristic components of hepatic angiomyolipoma. HMB 45 immunostaining can be used to confirm the diagnosis. Surgical resection is an effective treatment of hepatic AML.

Objective To detect the expressions of interleukin-17(IL-17) and interleukin-23(IL-23) in esophageal tissues of rats with reflux esophagitis(RE) and explore the role of IL-23/IL-17 axis in the pathogenesis of RE.Methods Thirty SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups,namely,control group,sham-operated group and model group.RE was induced by adopting partial pyloric ligation plus cardiomyotomy.Then rats in each group were fasted for 24 h but had free access to water.They were fed 24 h after operation.Four weeks later,rats were killed and pathological changes of esophagus mucous membrane were observed by HE staining in each group.The expressions of IL-23p19 and IL-17 mRNA in esophageal tissues were examined by real-time fluorescent quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction(RT-FQ-PCR).IL-17 protein content in esophageal tissues was measured by ELISA.Results After four weeks,compared with control group,model group had significant pathological changes of esophagus mucous membrane.Expressions of IL-23p19 and IL-17 mRNA in the esophageal tissues of model group were significantly higher than those of the other two groups;the content of IL-17 protein was significant higher in model group than in the other two groups.There were no significant differences between control group and sham-operated group.Conclusion IL-23/IL-17 axis is an important cellular factor involved in the pathogenesis of RE and may be involved in the chronic inflammation of RE.

Objective To summarize the diagnosis and therapeutic experience of insulinoma in order to improve the surgical success rate and prognosis. Methods The clinical data of 138 patients with insulinoma from 1966 to 2007 were retrospectively analyzed. Results In this group of patients, hypoglycemia of different levels and Whipple triad were detected. 64 patients expressed different psychic symptom, 12 patients' psychic symptom were still present after blood glucose normalized after operation. Fasting serum insulin values in 88 patients were measured, and the insulin release index was higher than 0. 3. Before operation, tumor was detected in 8 of 75 patients by B-ultrasound scan, and in 17 of 68 patients by CT, and in 5 of 10 patients by MRI. The intra-operative B-ultrasound (IOUS) examination was applied in 44 cases, and 43 cases were successfully detected. The operations included enucleation of insulinoma (n=88) , resection of the body and tail of pancreass (n = 44) , pancreaticoduodenectomy (n=2) , and biopsy (n=1). The blood glucose symptoms normalized postoperatively in 132 patients. The blood glucose rebound in 110 patients, but blood glucose normalized within 2 weeks. After operation, 20 patients developed pancreatic fistula, 32 patients developed acute pancreatitis. Conclusions Insulinoma could be qualitatively diagnosed according to Whipple triad and the insulin release index. Operations with IOUS were simple and effective methods to localize the tumors. The only way to cure insulinoma was operation, and IOUS guided operation could avoid main pancreatic duct and vessel injury, decrease post-operative complications.

Some questions like the hardship of treatment and lacking of standard on diagnosis are existing in steroid-resistant nephritic syndrome(SRNS).This article make an ethical analysis on these questions and assumes that we should persist in treating the patients carefully with humanism,carry on informed consent principle,implement the optimal treatment and perfect the standard of diagnosis and treatment,carry on clinical ethics education and promote the judgment level of clinical ethics.

Objective To investigate the treatment of severe Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) . Methods The clinical data of 95 patients with severe BCS from November 1994 to June 1999 were retrospectively analyzed . Results Mesocaval C shunt with artificial graft was performed in 51 cases , splenojugular shunt with artificial graft in 23 cases ,mesojuglar shunt with artificial graft in l case , percutaneous transhepatic recanalization and dilation and/or stent placement of main hepatic vein (MHV) in 10 case, and combined PTA and stent placement of inferior vena cava (IVC) and mesocaval shunt in 10 cases . 5～60 months follow-up showed excellent result in 65 patients , good results in 25 and 5 cases dead. Conclusions Good results could be obtained by most of the severe BCS patients treated by different procedures according to the pathological changes of IVC and main hepatic vein.

Objective To investigate the expression of human leukocyte antigen F (HLA-F) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues and to evaluate its relation to clinicopathological features and prognosis of HCC.Methods HLA-F expression of tumor lesions and their adjacent normal liver tissues from 115 HCC patients were analyzed by immunohistochemistry,and its relationship between HLA-F expression and the clinicopathological features and prognosis of HCC patients was also analyzed.Results HLA-F expression was positive in 47.0％ (54/115) of the HCC lesions and in 10.6％ (7/66) of the normal liver tissues (x2 =24.799,P ＜ 0.05).HLA-F expression in HCC lesions was significantly correlated with portal vein invasions (x2 =7.644,P =0.006),tumor number (x2 =4.210,P =0.040) and patient sex (x2 =6.759,P =0.009).The mean survival time of the HLA-F positive HCC patients was 34.0 months(95％ CI:27.5-40.5 months),which was significantly shorter than that of HLA-F negative HCC patients(44.6 months,95％ CI:38.3-50.9months) (x2 =5.148,P =0.023).HLA-F expression was an independent predictor of overall survival of HCC patients.Conclusions Positive HLA-F expression is negatively correlated with the prognosis of HCC patients.

Objective To identify the association strength of the prevalence of HBeAg, cccDNA with the occurrence of HBV related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in high risk male cohort in Qidong area in China. Methods A cohort of 377 middle aged HBV infected men in Qidong was followed from 1989 for 13. 25 years. HCC cases were registered. A matched case-controlled study was conducted on 32 pairs of inherent HCC cases with non-HCC controls. Serum HBeAg was measured by ELISA. cccDNA was detected by semi-nested PCR and verified by DNA sequencing. Standard statistical comparison between the prevalence of each HBV marker in HCC versus control group provided the odds ratio and P-value was used to evaluate its association strength with HCC occurrence. Results Serum HBeAg prevalence was 53. 1% (17/32) in HCC group versus 15. 6% (5/32) in controls, odds ratio (OR) =6. 12, P