OBJECTIVETo explore the action of pingxiao capsules (PXC) and its significance in the treatment of late stage mammary cancer (LSMC).

METHODSOne hundred and forty-two LSMC patients were randomized into four groups: the two single treated groups treated by endocrinotherapy (ET) alone (n = 27) and by chemotherapy alone (n=44) respectively, and the two PXC combined treated groups treated with PXC plus endocrinotherapy (n=27) or chemotherapy (n=44). The remission rate and progression time (TTP) of disease, the survival time and quality of life (QOL) of patients, and the adverse reaction were compared between the single treated groups and the combined treated groups.

RESULTSThe median progression time was obviously prolonged, and QOL improved in the combined treated groups than those in the single treated groups (P < 0.05), but no significant difference was found in the remission rate or adverse reaction between them.

CONCLUSIONPXC can improve QOL, prolong the progression time in patients of LSMC, and with less adverse reaction. It is worth spreading combination of PXC with chemo- or endocrino-therapy in clinical application for treatment of LSMC patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal ; therapeutic use ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Breast Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Paclitaxel ; administration & dosage ; Phytotherapy ; Sepharose ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives ; Tamoxifen ; therapeutic use

AIMTo observe the effects of Ca2+ -activated K+ channel of primary cultured fetal SD rat cortex neurons in the veratridine triggered neuronal damage.

METHODSThe patch clamp technique of cell-attach and inside-out mode for these two kinds of single channel recordings were used.

RESULTSExtracellular veratridine activated the Kca. In Ca2+ bath solution of cell-attach mode, Vp + 30 mV, when the concentration (micromol/L) of veratridine were 15,25,50 and 75, the open probabilities of the channel were 0.014 +/- 0.003, 0.085 +/- 0.010, 0.132 +/- 0.016 and 0.059 +/- 0.006 (P < 0.01) respectively. It appeared concentration-dependent within 50 micromol/L veratridine. In Ca2+ free bath solution of cell-attach mode, Vp = +50 mV, when the concentration (micromol/L) of veratridine were 15, 40,60 and 100, the open probabilities of the channel were 0.014 +/- 0.010, 0.113 +/- 0.006, 0.141 +/- 0.004 and 0.295 +/- 0.009 (P < 0.05) respectively. In the 6 cases of inside-out mode patch clamp, Vp = +40 mV, when the concentration of veratridine were 0, 25 micromol/L and 50 micromol/L, the open probabilities of the channel were 0.011 +/- 0.008, 0.010 +/- 0.010 and 0.012 +/- 0.007 (P > 0.05) respectively. There were no significant difference on open probabilities, average open/close times and amplitudes at different intracellular veratridine concentration.

CONCLUSIONVeratridine can affect the activation of the Kca channel through regulating the concentration of cytoplasmic free Ca2+. The opening of Kca activated by increase of intracellular Ca2+ during the early stage of anoxia may be a protection reaction of ischemic neurons.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Neurons ; cytology ; drug effects ; physiology ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Potassium Channels, Calcium-Activated ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Veratridine ; pharmacology

BACKGROUNDLaparoscopic liver resection (LLR) has been considered to be safe and feasible. However, few studies focused on the comparison between the anatomic and nonanatomic LLR. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the perioperative factors and outcomes of the anatomic and nonanatomic LLR, especially the area of liver parenchymal transection and blood loss per unit area.

METHODSIn this study, surgical and oncological data of patients underwent pure LLR procedures for malignant liver tumor were prospectively collected. Blood loss per unit area of liver parenchymal transection was measured and considered as an important parameter. All procedures were conducted by a single surgeon.

RESULTSDuring nearly 5 years, 84 patients with malignant liver tumor received a pure LLR procedure were included. Among them, 34 patients received anatomic LLR and 50 received nonanatomic LLR, respectively. Patients of the two groups were similar in terms of demographic features and tumor characteristics, despite the tumor size was significantly larger in the anatomic LLR group than that in the nonanatomic LLR group (4.77 ± 2.57 vs. 2.87 ± 2.10 cm, P = 0.001). Patients who underwent anatomic resection had longer operation time (364.09 ± 131.22 vs. 252.00 ± 135.21 min, P < 0.001) but less blood loss per unit area (7.85 ± 7.17 vs. 14.17 ± 10.43 ml/cm 2 , P = 0.018). Nonanatomic LLR was associated with more blood loss when the area of parenchymal transection was equal to the anatomic LLR. No mortality occurred during the hospital stay and 30 days after the operation. Moreover, there was no difference in the incidence of postoperative complications. The disease-free and overall survival rates showed no significant differences between the anatomic LLR and nonanatomic LLR groups.

CONCLUSIONSBoth anatomic and nonanatomic pure LLR are safe and feasible. Measuring the area of parenchymal transection is a simple and effective method to estimate the outcomes of the liver resection surgery. Blood loss per unit area is an important parameter which is comparable between the anatomic LLR and nonanatomic LLR groups.

Aged ; Blood Loss, Surgical ; Female ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; methods ; Length of Stay ; Liver ; pathology ; surgery ; Liver Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Operative Time ; Postoperative Complications ; Prospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo assess the clinical manifestation, management and outcome in patients with medullary carcinoma of the breast (MBC).

METHODSRetrospective analysis was carried out on patients with MBC who were admitted from January 1995 to December 1999.

RESULTSA total of 616 female patients treated for breast carcinoma, 26 cases (4.2%) were histopathologically confirmed MBC. The mean age was (45.8 +/- 10.6) years. The tumor size was among 1-5 cm and axillary lymph node involvement was 23.1%; there was no statistically significant correlation between tumor size and metastatic axillary lymph node. Estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and HER-2/neu assay were performed immunohistochemically, and the overexpression was 26.3%, 21.1% and 5.3% respectively. All patients underwent operation and polychemotherapy (5-fluorouracil, methotrexate, cyclophosphamide), hormone therapy with Tamoxifen was applied in five patients, and three cases received postoperative irradiation. The follow-up period ranged from 5 to 9 years. Overall five-year survival was 88.4%.

CONCLUSIONSMBC is a favorable histological type of breast carcinoma with good prognosis. Operation and chemotherapy are main procedures for MBC. The significance of molecular biologic parameters in the prognosis of MBC should not be overlooked.

Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Breast Neoplasms ; mortality ; therapy ; Carcinoma, Medullary ; mortality ; therapy ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Mastectomy, Radical ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Analysis

Objective To observe the therapeutic effect of Lai's acupuncture therapy combined with Chinese herbal decoction for the treatment of infertility with ovulatory dysfunction, and to summarize the experience of Professor Lai Xin-Sheng in treating infertility. Methods Ninety-six infertility patients with ovulatory dysfunction were randomized into treatment group and control group, 48 cases in each group. The treatment group was treated with Lai's Tongyuan acupuncture therapy for regulating Governor Vessel to tranquilize mind, inducing meridian Qi to original Qi, and was also given oral use of Chinese herbal decoction of Lai's Yiyun Recipe for promoting gestation. The control group was treated with Chinese herbal decoction alone. The treatment began exactly after the completion of menstruation period and lasted 15 days for one treatment course, covering 3 courses. And then the patients of the two groups were followed-up for 3 months. Therapeutic effect and pregnancy rate were evaluated after treatment, serum levels of estradiol and progesterone were examined, and abdominal ultrasonography was used for monitoring the maximum diameter of the dominant follicles and endometrial thickness before and after treatment. Results (1) Three cases from the treatment group and 5 cases from the control group were dropped out, and the final case number in the treatment group and control group was 45, 43 respectively. (2) The total efficiency of the treatment group was 88.9％, and that of the control group was 81.4％. The effect of the treatment group was better than that of the control group (P < 0.05). (3) The pregnancy rate of the treatment group was 73.3％, higher than that of the control group (51.2％), the difference being significant (P < 0.05). (4) After treatment, the maximum diameter of the dominant follicles and endometrial thickness in the two groups were obviously improved(P < 0.05 compared with those before treatment), and the improvement in the treatment group was superior to that in the control group (P < 0.05). (5) After treatment, the serum levels of estradiol and progesterone in the two groups were obviously improved(P < 0.05 compared with those before treatment) , and the improvement in the treatment group was superior to that in the control group(P < 0.05). Conclusion The therapeutic effect of Lai's acupuncture therapy combined with Chinese herbal decoction is superior to that of Chinese herbal decoction alone, showing an obvious synergistic effect by shortening the course of treatment and enhancing pregnancy rate.

Objective To discuss the clinical effect of the ramified musculocutaneous flap pedicled with the descending branch of lateral circumflex femoral artery treatment of bones and arthrsis of extremity in- fections with soft tissue defects.Methods The muscle flap blooded with the muscular branch of lateral fem- oral muscle and musculocutaneous flap blooded with the musculocutaneous branch were designed,all of which were pedicled with the descending branch of lateral circumflex femoral arteryIn clinic24 cases of bones and arthrosis of extremity infections with soft tissue defects were treated with this kind of ramified musculocutaneous flap.Results Of the 24 cases23 cases were survived while 1 case was lost16 cases were healed at stageⅠ8 cases were healed at stageⅡSinus has formated in 3 casesone of which twicebut they were healed in one year with the treatment of debridmentsFour cases with osteomvelitis and bone defect were treated with bone grafting in the later 6～8 months after the wound has healedTwenty-two cases were followed-up for 6～20 monthsinfcetiou didn't recur.Conclusion This kind of ramified musculocutaneous flap has such ad- vantages as longer blood vessel pediclefilling the defects completely flexible application and stronger anti-in- fectionthat it may be an effective way in treating bones and arthrosises of extremity infections with soft tissue defects.

Objective To identify risk factors for a human orf disease outbreak in a village in Chongqing city. Methods Standardized case-definition was set and a case-finding program was conducted among all the residents of the village. All the patients were interviewed using a standardized questionnaire and collected fluids in the skin rash for laboratory testing. A retrospective cohort investigation was conducted among all the village residents who introduced the black goats to analyze the risk of orf infection, in relation to the mode and frequency of contacts to the infected goats. Results We found 18 cases (including 16 suspected cases and 2 confirmed cases) among the members of 10 families that introduced the black goats. Village residents who had ever used their legs to grip the goats were nearly five times as likely to develop orf disease as those who did not (RR=4.98, 95％CI: 1.34-75.27). Village residents who had ever washed and wiped the goats were three times as likely to develop orf disease as those who had not (RR = 3.09,95％CI: 0.98-45.38). The frequency of contacts with the infected goats was associated with the risk of developing orf disease in a dose-response fashion (x2 test for trends: P= 0.006).Frequently wearing long trousers when dealing with the goats appeared as a protective factor (RR=0.30,95％CI: 0.15-0.78). Conclusion This outbreak was caused by the introduced black goats which carried and infected by the orf virus. Direct physical contact with infected goats but without wearing protective clothing were risk factors for the development of human orf disease.

OBJECTIVE: To increase the death rate of fatal anaphylaxis in guinea pigs and the detectahie level of the tryptase of mast cell in hlood serum. METHODS: Seventy-four guinea pigs were randomly divided into five groups: original model group, original model control group, improved model group, improved model control group, improved model with non-anaphylaxis group. Using mixed human serum as the allergen, the way of injection, sensitization and induction were improved. ELISA was used to detect the serum mast cell tryptase and total IgE in guinea pigs of each group. RESULTS: The death rate of fatal anaphylaxis in original model group was 54.2% with the different degree of hemopericardium. The severe pericardial tamponade appeared in 9 guinea pigs in original model group and original model control group. The death rate of fatal anaphylaxis in improved model group was 75% without pericardial tamponade. The concentration of the serum total IgE showed no statistically difference hetween original model group and original model control group (P > 0.05), hut the serum mast cell tryptase level was higher in the original model group than that in the original model control group (P > 0.05). The concentration of the serum total IgE and the serum mast cell tryptase level were significantly higher in improved model group than that in the improved model control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION The death rate of the improved model significantly increases, which can provide effective animal model for the study of serum total IgE and mast cell tryptase.
Allergens/immunology* ; Anaphylaxis/pathology* ; Animals ; Cause of Death ; Disease Models, Animal ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Forensic Pathology ; Guinea Pigs ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E/blood* ; Larynx/pathology* ; Lung/pathology* ; Male ; Mast Cells/immunology* ; Serum/immunology* ; Tryptases/blood*

OBJECTIVE: To find the mutation of disease-causing genes of sudden unexplained death syndrome (SUDS) in the young by whole exome sequencing in one case. METHODS: One SUDS case was found no obvious fatal pathological changes after conventional autopsy and pathological examination. The whole exome sequencing was performed with the Ion Torrent PGM™ System with hg19 as reference sequence for sequencing data. The functions of mutations were analyzed by PhyloP, PolyPhen2 and SIFT. A three-step bioinformatics filtering procedure was carried out to identify possible significative single nucleotide variation (SNV), which was missense mutation with allele frequency < 1% of myocardial cell. RESULTS: Four rare suspicious pathogenic SNV were identified. Combined with the analysis of conventional autopsy and pathological examination, the mutation MYOM2 (8_2054058_G/A) was assessed as high-risk deleterious mutation by PolyPhen2 and SIFT, respectively. CONCLUSION Based on the second generation sequencing technology, analysis of whole exome sequencing can be a new method for the death cause investigation of SUDS. The gene MYOM2 is a new candidate SUDS pathogenic gene for mechanism research.
Autopsy ; Brugada Syndrome/genetics* ; Cause of Death ; DNA Mutational Analysis/methods* ; Death, Sudden/etiology* ; Exome ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Testing/methods* ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing/methods* ; Humans ; Molecular Biology ; Molecular Diagnostic Techniques/methods* ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mutation

BACKGROUNDNeural stem cells (NSCs) transplantation and gene therapy have been widely investigated for treating the cerebullar and myelonic injuries, however, studies on the ophthalmology are rare. The aim of this study was to investigate the migration and differentiation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene transgenic NSCs transplanted into the normal rat retinas.

METHODSNSCs were cultured and purified in vitro and infected with recombinant retrovirus pLXSN-BDNF and pLXSN respectively, to obtain the BDNF overexpressed NSCs (BDNF-NSCs) and control cells (p-NSCs). The expression of BDNF genes in two transgenic NSCs and untreated NSCs were measured by fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (FQ-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). BDNF-NSCs and NSCs were infected with adeno-associated viruses-enhanced green fluorescent protein (AAV-EGFP) to track them in vivo and served as donor cells for transplantation into the subretinal space of normal rat retinas, phosphated buffer solution (PBS) served as pseudo transplantation for a negative control. Survival, migration, and differentiation of donor cells in host retinas were observed and analyzed with Heidelberg retina angiograph (HRA) and immunohistochemistry, respectively.

RESULTSNSCs were purified successfully by limiting dilution assay. The expression of BDNF gene in BDNF-NSCs was the highest among three groups both at mRNA level tested by FQ-PCR (P < 0.05) and at protein level measured by ELISA (P < 0.05), which showed that BDNF was overexpressed in BDNF-NSCs. The results of HRA demonstrated that graft cells could survive well and migrate into the host retinas, while the immunohistochemical analysis revealed that transplanted BDNF-NSCs differentiated into neuron more efficiently compared with the control NSCs 2 months after transplantation.

CONCLUSIONSThe seed cells of NSCs highly secreting BDNF were established. BDNF can promote NSCs to migrate and differentiate into neural cells in the normal host retinas.

Animals ; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cell Differentiation ; physiology ; Cell Movement ; physiology ; Cells, Cultured ; Embryo, Mammalian ; cytology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Immunohistochemistry ; Neurons ; cytology ; Rats ; Retina ; cytology ; metabolism ; Stem Cell Transplantation