Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Facial Nerve ; anatomy & histology ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Microsurgery ; Middle Aged ; Parotid Neoplasms ; surgery ; Young Adult

Objective To investigate the prenatal ultrasonographic features of absent pulmonary valve syndrome APVS Methods The ultrasonographic images follow-up results and the other clinical data of 1 7 fetuses suffering from APVS were retrospectively analyzed According to the difference of the pulmonary artery diameter subjects were divided into pulmonary artery PA dilated group 14 cases and non-dilated group 3 cases The sonographic features of the two groups were analyzed and compared Results All 1 7 fetuses had rudimentary or absent pulmonary valves and stenosis of the pulmonary annulus Moderate or severe regurgitation flowed through pulmonary artery and right ventricular outflow in diastole PA dilated group might be combined with Tetralogy of Fallot double outlet of right ventricle or right ventricular aneurysm there were 85 7% 12 14 with absent ductus arteriosus The forward flow velocity during systole through pulmonary annulus was significantly fast PA non-dilated group could be accompanied by Ebstein's anomaly or tricuspid atresia Ductus arch was always present The forward flow velocity during systole through pulmonary annulus was slow Conclusions The fetal pulmonary artery diameter with APVS can dilate or not Reverse flow during diastolic period which rushes from arteriosus ductus to the right ventricular outflow tract contributes to the prenatal diagnosis of non-dilated PA.

Objective To evaluate the feasibility of using comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) in estimating if standard dose treatment is fit for the elderly patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma.Methods.Comprehensive geriatric assessments including three assessments of activity of daily living,instrumental activity of daily living and comorbidity scoring according to Cumulative Illness Rating Score for Geriatrics were adopted to assess if standard dose treatment is fit for the elderly patients in our prospective study.Thirty seven patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma,aged ＞70 years were enrolled in the study,and grouped into fit,unfit and frail groups according to comprehensive geriatric assessment scoring and their age.The treatment protocolswere not determined by comprehensive geriatric assessment scores,but by clinical judgments made by clinicians based on their clinical experience and disease features.The clinically effective response and overall survival (OS) were analyzed in the three groups.Results According to CGA scores,patients were grouped into fit [21 cases (56.8％)],unfit [7 (18.9％)] and frail [9 (24.3％)].37 cases received 213 courses of treatment at average 5.76 courses per case.The overall response (complete / partial remission) rates were [85.7％(18/21) vs.28.6％ (2/7) vs.44.4％ (4/9),x2=9.69,P=0.008] and median survival times were (44 months vs.10 months vs.9 months;x2 =7.03,P=0.03) among fit,unfit and frail groups with statistically significant differences.Total effective rate (achieving all clinical targets) in fit group of 21 cases were 100 ％ (12/12)with receiving standard dose therapy,and 66.7％ of(6/9)with low dose therapy(P=0.06).Overall response rate(total/partial remission) [85.7％(18/21) vs.28.6％(2/7) vs.44.4％(4/9),x2=9.69,P=0.008] and median survival (44 months vs.10 months vs.9 months;x2 =7.03,P=0.03) amongfit,unfit and frail groups.In fit group,the two-year overall survival was higher in patients receiving standard dose treatment than receivingpalliativetreatment,with statistical significance [83.3 ％ (10/12) vs.33.3 ％ (3/9),P =0.032],without significant hematologic toxicity observed between the subgroups.Conclusions Comprehensive geriatric assessment can identify if elderly patients diffuse large B cell lymphoma can acquire a satisfactory curative effect from a standard dose treatment ofimmunochemotherapy.

Objective To investigate the immunoregulatory effect and compare the different regula- tions of bone marrow mescnchymal stem cells(MSCs)derived from both lupus(NZBWF1/J)and normal(BALB/ c)mice on T lymphocytes in vitro.Methods MSCs from NZBWF1/J and BALB/c mice bone marrow were iso- lated and expanded,and identified by the surface phenotypes.CD3~+ T lymphocytes isolated by nylon wool columns were stimulated by phorbol myristate acetate(PMA)and co-cultured with or without the two strains of MSCs for 24 h.Intracellular eytokines of T cell,such as interferon(IFN)-?,interleukin(IL)-4,IL-12,IL-6, were analyzed by flow cytometry and quantification of transcription factors T-box expressed in T cells(T-bet) and GATA-binding protein 3(GATA-3)were detected by reverse transcriptase PCR(RT-PCR).T cell apop- tosis was assessed by flow cytometry using rhodamine123.Results The results showed that a decrease of CD3~+ T cell apoptosis was seen when NZBWF1/J MSCs or BALB/c MSCs were added to T cells stimulated by PMA(P＜0.05),and an increase of TH2 cytokines by NZBWF1/J MSCs and TH1 eytokines by BALB/c MSCs were observed in the CD3~+ T cells eo-cuhured with MSCs(P＜0.05).Conclusion It is suggested that the al- teration of T subsets caused by MSCs may interfere with the systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE)development and normal MSCs may be effective in the improvement of SLE.NZBWF1/J MSCs have defective immunoregula- tory function when compared with MSCs from healthy mouse strains.

Objective To discuss the short-term clinical effect including functional change of lipiodol- arsenic trioxide emulsion on the primary hepatic carcinoma.Methods Fifty-two patients undergone arterial chemoemblization were selected and then randomly divided into two groups:treatment group(n=27)and control group(n=25).Patients in treatment group were treated with lipiodol-arsenic trioxide,while those in control group treated with mitomycin,epirubicin,cisplatin or lipiodol.Clinical symptoms and six liver function parameters were observed and analized.Results The clinical symptoms of patients in treatment group improved much better than those in control group,and the liver function impairment of patients in treatment group also decreased more than those in control group.Conclusions Lipiodol-arsenic trioxide is an effective and safe intervention-therapeutic embolization material for primary hepatic carcinoma.

OBJECTIVETo test the effects of autologous skeletal myoblast transplantation on the hemodynamics in dogs with coronary microembolization-induced chronic heart failure (CHF).

METHODSCHF models were successfully induced in 19 dogs and divided into ASMT group (n=9) and control group (n=10). The myoblasts were injected into the embolized region in the 9 dogs of the ASMT group, and saline was injected in the control dogs, and the hemodynamics of the dogs were evaluated 5 weeks after the injections.

RESULTCompared with saline injection, ASMT significantly increased dP/dtmax, MAP and LVSP (P<0.05) and decreased LVEDP (P<0.05) 5 weeks after myoblast transplantation. Desmin and Brd-U immunofluorescent staining showed myoblast survival at the injected sites in the dogs.

CONCLUSIONASMT provides mild improvements in the hemodynamics of dogs with CHF.

Animals ; Chronic Disease ; Dogs ; Female ; Heart Failure ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Hemodynamics ; Male ; Myoblasts, Skeletal ; transplantation ; Transplantation, Autologous

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the virological response of managing chronic hepatitis C (CHC) with peg-interferon alpha-2b (PEG-IFN alpha-2b) and ribavirin.

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed the virological response of 40 patients with different genotypes of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection after anti-HCV management. Patients were given different dosages of PEG-IFN alpha-2b and ribavirin based on their weights. The duration of treatment was 48 weeks for patients infected by HCV genotype 1, and was 24 weeks for the others. HCV RNA was tested before treatment, 12 weeks post management, end of treatment, and 24 weeks after treatment stopped.

RESULTSData from 40 patients were collected. Among them, 24 cases experienced HCV genotype 1 infection, and 16 cases were infected with other genotypes. Between these two groups, the early virological responses were 75.0% (18/24) and 87.5% (14/16), the end-of-treatment virological responses were 80.0% (16/20) and 85.7% (12/14), and the sustained virological responses were 56.2% (9/16) and 78.5% (11/14), respectively.

CONCLUSIONBody weight-based customized PEG-IFN alpha-2b in combination with ribavirin can effectively treat patients with different genotypes of CHC.

Adult ; Antiviral Agents ; administration & dosage ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Genotype ; Hepacivirus ; genetics ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; drug therapy ; virology ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; administration & dosage ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polyethylene Glycols ; RNA, Viral ; blood ; Recombinant Proteins ; Retrospective Studies ; Ribavirin ; administration & dosage ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUNDThe first case of pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus infection in Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China was documented on June 18, 2009. Subsequently, persons with suspected infection or of contact with suspected cases received screening. All the confirmed cases were hospitalized and treated with oseltamivir. Their clinical features were observed. This may help for better management for later patients and be of benefit to the government of Macau SAR to adjust its strategy to combat the pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus infection more efficiently.

METHODSFrom June to July 2009, the initial 72 cases of influenza A (H1N1) in Macau were hospitalized in Common Hospital Centre S. Januario (CHCSJ). The infection was confirmed by real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The clinical features of the disease were closely observed and documented. Oseltamivir was given to all patients within 48 hours after the onset of disease and maintained for 5 days.

RESULTSThe mean age of the 72 patients was 21 years old. Forty of them were men and 32 were women. The median incubation of the virus was 2 days (1 to 7 days). The most common symptoms were fever (97.2%) and cough (77.8%). The rate of gastrointestinal symptoms including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea was 2.8%. Fever typically lasted for 3 days (1 to 9 days). The median time from the onset to positive results of real-time RT-PCR was 6 days (3 to 13 days). After treatment with oseltamivir, most patients became afebrile within 48 hours. Only one aged patient with a history of glaucoma and hypothyroidism was found to have lung infiltration on chest X-ray.

CONCLUSIONSThe initial cases of pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus infection in Macau SAR showed that most of the infected persons had a mild course. The virus could be detected by real-time RT-PCR within a median of 6 days from the onset. Oseltamivir was effective.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; Female ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype ; drug effects ; genetics ; pathogenicity ; Influenza, Human ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Macau ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Oseltamivir ; therapeutic use ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the effectiveness of a combined therapy using two types of peginterferon (PEG-IFN) and ribavirin in treating chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes 1b/6a infections.

METHODSThe clinical data of 171 patients with chronic HCV genotypes 1b/6a infection in Common Hospital Centre S. Januario, Macau SAR, China, were retrospectively analyzed. Of these patients, 145 (84.8%) were infected with HCV genotype 1b and 26 (15.2%) with HCV genotype 6a. Patients were divided into two groups based on drug therapies: PEG-IFN-2b group (n=140), in which patients were treated with PEG-IFN-2b 1.5 g/kg QW plus ribavirin 800-1 200 mg/d and PEG-IFN-2a group (n=31), in which patients were treated with PEG-IFN-2a 180g QW plus ribavirin 800-1 200 mg/d. Patients was treated for 48 weeks and then followed up for 24 weeks.

RESULTSAll patients completed their therapies. The rates of early viral response (EVR) and sustained virologic response (SVR) were 78.95% and 69.59%, respectively . The two groups were not significantly different in terms of EVR P=0.091 end of treatment virological response (ETVR) (P=0.542), SVR P=0.079, relapse (P=0.497). And the two HCV genotypes patients were not significantly different in terms of EVR (P=0.268), ETVR (P=0.276), SVR (P=0.479), and relapse (P=1.000).

CONCLUSIONSPEG-IFN combined with ribavirin can achieve high viral response in treating chronic hepatitis C. PEG-IFN-2a and PEG-IFN-2b basically are similarly effective in treating HCV genotype 1b or 6a infections.

Adult ; Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Interferon-gamma ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polyethylene Glycols ; therapeutic use ; Retrospective Studies ; Ribavirin ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult