OBJECTIVETo evaluate the serum concentrations of E- selectin, integrinbeta(1) subunit and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in gastric cancer patients and their clinicopathological significance.

METHODSThe serum levels of adhesion molecules E- selectin,intercellular adhesion molecule- 1 (ICAM- 1), and integrinbeta(1) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 47 health subjects (control group) and in 57 patients with gastric cancer (gastric cancer group) before operation and 7 days after operation. Serum levels of above three factors were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSThe serum concentrations of E- selectin, integrinbeta(1) subunit and ICAM- 1 were higher in gastric cancer group with positive rate of 24.6% ,33.3% ,28.1% respectively. ICAM- 1 and integrinbeta(1) were significant higher in gastric cancer group than that in the control group (P< 0.01),but there was no significant difference in E- selectin between two groups (P=0.64). Serum concentrations of E-selectin, ICAM-1,and integrinbeta(1) were significantly correlated with clinicopathological features as following: clinicopathological stage,invasion depth,lymph node involvement,and presence of distant metastases(P< 0.05,P< 0.01). The serum levels of E- selectin, ICAM- 1, and integrinbeta(1) were decreased significantly after radical resection of gastric cancer,but not in patients with unresectable tumor. Elevated levels of three molecules were significant prognostic factors for patients with gastric cancer,but it could not independently be used to evaluate tumor stage.

CONCLUSIONSSerum concentrations of E- selectin, ICAM- 1,and integrinbeta(1) may reflect tumor progression and metastasis.

Adult ; Aged ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; blood ; E-Selectin ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Integrin beta1 ; blood ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; blood ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prognosis ; Serum ; metabolism ; Stomach Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology

This paper introduces the significance, the present development situation and some suggestions of the medical measurements.
Diagnostic Equipment ; standards ; Equipment and Supplies ; standards ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; instrumentation ; standards ; Medical Staff ; education ; Research Design ; standards ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; standards

OBJECTIVETo study the relationship between Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection and histopathological features of nodular gastritis (NG) in children.

METHODSA total of 213 children who had undergone gastroscopy due to upper gastrointestinal symptoms were enrolled and were divided into NG and non-NG groups according to endoscopic appearance. The histopathological features of gastric mucosa were evaluated using the updated Sydney System. The rates of Hp infection, moderate to severe inflammation and lymphoid follicles formation of gastric mucosa were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSThirty-eight (17.8%) of the subjects were diagnosed with NG. The NG group had significantly increased rates of Hp infection (86.8% vs 14.3%; P<0.01), moderate to severe inflammation (81.6% vs 15.4%; P<0.01) and lymphoid follicles formation of gastric mucosa (52.6% vs 10.3%; P<0.01) compared with the non-NG group. NG had a high specificity (96.8%) and a positive predictive value (86.8%) for the diagnosis of Hp infection. NG was observed in 33 (56.9%) of 58 Hp-positive children and in 5 (3.2%) of 155 Hp-negative children (P<0.01). Hp-positive children had higher rates of moderate to severe inflammation (86.2% vs 5.2%, P<0.01) and lymphoid follicles formation of gastric mucosa (84.2% vs 14.9% P<0.01) compared with Hp-negative children. There were significant differences in Hp colonization, degree of inflammation and inflammation activity in gastric tissues between the NG and non-NG groups (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSNG is a special sign of Hp infection in children, which mostly shows moderate to severe inflammation of gastric mucosa, and can be used as an endoscopic indicator of Hp infection. Hp eradication therapy should be considered in the treatment of NG.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Gastric Mucosa ; pathology ; Gastritis ; pathology ; Helicobacter Infections ; pathology ; Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Male

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of 90Y-DOTATOC and 131I-MIBG in treatment of metastatic medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC).

METHODSTwelve histologically confirmed patients with metastatic MTC were included. All patients underwent both 111In-DTPA-octreotide imaging and 131I/ 123I-meta-iodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) imaging. According to the results of the combined imaging, positive patients were selected to be treated with 90Y-DOTA-D-Phe1-Tyr3-octreotide (90Y-DOTATOC) or 131I-MIBG, respectively. The therapeutic procedures of targeted internal radiation were performed with 3.33 GBq 90Y-DOTATOC at 6-week intervals, or 11.1 GBq 131I-MIBG with a minimum interval of three months.

RESULTSThe imaging procedure was positive in all 12 patients: 111In-DTPA-octreotide imaging in eight patients, 131I/ 123I-MIBG imaging in six patients. According to the results of combined imaging, we identified four patients to be treated with 90Y-DOTATOC, and five patients with 131 I-MIBG. After three to five sessions of treatment, three patients with partial remission and six with stable disease were observed. The effective rate was 3/9 (33.3%) and the overall tumor response rate was 9/9 (100%). No relevant toxicity was observed.

CONCLUSIONThe combined imaging technique can be used to identify patients for effective radionuclide treatment. The treatment with 90Y-DOTATOC or 131I-MIBG is well tolerated and may improve the fate of patients with metastatic MTC.

3-Iodobenzylguanidine ; therapeutic use ; Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Carcinoma, Medullary ; metabolism ; radiotherapy ; secondary ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Indium Radioisotopes ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Octreotide ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Pentetic Acid ; analogs & derivatives ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Remission Induction ; Thyroid Gland ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; radiation effects ; Thyroid Hormones ; metabolism ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; radiotherapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Yttrium Radioisotopes ; therapeutic use

Background There is a growing interest in studying the relationship between intrinsic resistance and biofilms resistance to drugs. However, the relationship still remains unclear in the macroscopic bacterial growth. Our study is to illuminate the change of bacterial drug resistance of gyrA mutant and active efflux pump during the development of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) biofilms. Methods The strains of type Ⅱ topoisomerase gene mutant (gyrA mutant) and multidrug resistance (MDR) efflux pump were clinical isolates and detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The process of bacterial biofilms development was observed by scanning electron microscope. Triparental mating experiments were performed to transfer report gene of green fluorescent protein (GFP) into P. aeruginosa biofilms strains and followed by analysis of bacterial survival rate between intrinsic resistance and biofilms resistance.Results The fluorescent strains with pGFPuv could develop mature biofilms on Teflon surface. Before a period of 72 hours, the survival rate of biofilms bacteria and intrinsic resistance strains in ciprofloxacin solution was significantly different (P<0.05). The survival number of intrinsic resistance strains (gyrA mutation and active efflux pump) was illustriously higher than biofilm strain in the initial stage of biofilms development. After 72 hours incubation, there was no clearly difference between mutants and biofilms strains in the survival rate (P>0.05). The carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone and azithromycin could significantly reduce the drug resistance of biofilm strains and efflux pump strains.Conclusions In the development of P. aeruginosa biofilms, the strains of gyrA mutation and MDR efflux could be conferred with new level of drug resistance. When co-cultured mutated strains with biofilm strains, biofilms may play a major role in bacterial resistance. But after 72 hours incubation (a mature biofilms had been developed), there was no clearly difference between the number of mutant strains and biofilm strains.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the method and effectiveness of rigid-bronchoscopic cryosurgery for advanced central lung cancer.

METHODSForty-eight patients were enrolled in this study from June 2002 to December 2008, including 33 male and 15 female. The average age was 70 years (ranged from 45 to 83 years old). For the 48 patients, 38 cases were patients with advanced central lung cancer who were not suitable for surgery, and the remaining 10 cases were patients with local recurrence in trachea or main bronchus postoperatively. Cryosurgery was performed 120 times for all patients, 2.5 times per patient on average. The trachea or bronchus station, symptom such as dyspnea, hemoptysis, respiratory function and quality of life were observed.

RESULTSThe unblocked ratio of trachea and bronchi was 97%. All patients got satisfied improvement ratio of symptoms, 87.5% for dyspnea, 72.9% for cough, 93.8% for hemoptysis and 62.5% for chest pain. Respiratory function tests showed that both the mean forced expiratory volume in first second and forced vital capacity got an improvement from (1.03+/-0.05) L to (1.85+/-0.13) L and from (1.69+/-0.18) L to (2.96+/-0.14) L respectively (P<0.01). Karnofsky score also got no less than 20 scores improvement. The Follow-up time was 6 to 62 months. The longest survival was 62 months. The median survival time was 20 months. There was no severe perioperative complications and mortality except for 3 cases of moderate exeduation.

CONCLUSIONSCryosurgery is easy to perform with minimal complications. Not only could it provide an effective and rapid control of symptoms caused by central lung cancer, it could also unobstructed bronchus promptly and improve patients' quality of life.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bronchoscopy ; Cryosurgery ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of different methods of scrotal reconstruction on the apoptosis of spermatogenic cells and expression of the bcl-2 protein in patients with third-degree scrotal burns.

METHODSForty male and 24 female 2-month-old Guizhou mini-pigs were used in this study, the former equally randomized to groups I (normal control), II (natural healing), III (skin grafting) and IV (skin flap grafting). Ten months after the establishment of the model of third-degree burns, 6 male pigs from each group were paired with the female pigs and fed for 3 weeks. Then the female pigs were fed for another 4 months, followed by observation of their reproductivity. At 12 months, the bilateral testes were taken from the male pigs for detection of the apoptosis index of spermatogenic cells by TUNEL and determination of the expression of the bcl-2 protein by immunohistochemistry. The data obtained were subjected to single factor analysis of variance.

RESULTSThe apoptosis indexes of spermatogenic cells were (7.07 +/- 3.5), (40.34 +/- 4.85), (15.14 +/- 1.36) and (39.29 +/- 5.73)% in groups I , II, III and IV, respectively, significantly higher in groups II , III and IV than in I (P<0.05), with statistically significant differences between group III and groups II and IV (P<0.05) but not between II and IV (P>0.05). The expression rates of the bcl-2 protein were (75.07 +/- 3.74), (54.93 +/- 4.03), (66.85 +/- 3.06) and (53.33 +/- 5.22)% in groups I, II, III, and IV, respectively, remarkably higher in I than in the other three (P<0.05), with significant differences between group III and groups II and IV (P<0.05) but not between II and IV (P>0.05). Pregnancies were found in all the female pigs of group I with 10.0 +/- 1.18 newborns and in 4 of group III with 9.92 +/- 1.31 newborns, but in none of groups II and IV, with significant differences between group I and the other three (P<0.05) as well as between group III and groups II and IV (P<0.05), but not between II and IV (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONAll the three methods of reconstruction for the scrotum with third-degree burns can suppress spermatogenic function, increase the apoptosis of spermatogenic cells and decrease the expression of the bcl-2 protein, among which, skin grafting least affects spermatogenic function.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Burns ; surgery ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Male ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Scrotum ; injuries ; metabolism ; surgery ; Seminiferous Epithelium ; cytology ; metabolism ; Skin Transplantation ; methods ; Spermatogenesis ; Swine ; Swine, Miniature

OBJECTIVETo evaluate if 99mTc-HYNIC-annexin V may be used to detect the early chemotherapeutic effect and to determine the best timing for detecting apoptosis in vivo.

METHODSAnnexin V was labeled with 99mTc using HYNIC as a bifunctional agent. Normal Kunming mice received inoculation of Ehrlich ascites cells into the right upper limb. After the tumor reached 1 cm in diameter, the mice were randomly divided into saline treatment group as control and cyclophosphamide (150 mg/kg injected intraperitoneally) treatment group. 99mTc-HYNIC-annexin V was injected intravenously at 1 h and 24 h after treatment. Region of interest technique (ROI) from the SPECT images taken at different time was used to get the ratio of tumor/limb in each group. TUNEL staining was used to detect apoptotic cells and the rates of positive stained cells were calculated.

RESULTSAfter treatment with saline, only little amount of the radiolabeled tracer could be seen in the tumor and showed weak image of the tumor. But after 24 h of treatment with cyclophosphamide, clear image on the tumor could be seen. 24 h after the treatment of cyclophosphamide, the ratio of tumor/limb was (6.27 +/- 0.24) which was much higher than that at 24 h after treatment with saline (2.36 +/- 0.18) and that at 1 h after cyclophosphamide treatment (4.00 +/- 0.38). At 24 h after cyclophosphamide treatment, TUNEL staining showed a significantly higher rate of apoptotic cells in the mice.

CONCLUSION99mTc-HYNIC-annexin V can be used as an apoptosis-imaging agent to detect and evaluate the early curative effect after chemotherapy. The effective detection of apoptotic response in tumor with 99mTc-HYNIC-annexin V requires a 24 h interval after chemotherapy. SPECT images can be obtained at 60 min after injection of the imaging agent. It suggests that 99mTc-HYNIC-annexin V may become a promising agent for apoptosis-imaging in clinical application.

Animals ; Annexin A5 ; pharmacokinetics ; Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating ; therapeutic use ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Carcinoma, Ehrlich Tumor ; diagnostic imaging ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Cyclophosphamide ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Mice ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Organotechnetium Compounds ; pharmacokinetics ; Radiopharmaceuticals ; pharmacokinetics ; Random Allocation ; Tissue Distribution ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

BACKGROUNDThere is a growing interest in studying the relationship between intrinsic resistance and biofilms resistance to drugs. However, the relationship still remains unclear in the macroscopic bacterial growth. Our study is to illuminate the change of bacterial drug resistance of gyrA mutant and active efflux pump during the development of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) biofilms.

METHODSThe strains of type II topoisomerase gene mutant (gyrA mutant) and multidrug resistance (MDR) efflux pump were clinical isolates and detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The process of bacterial biofilms development was observed by scanning electron microscope. Triparental mating experiments were performed to transfer report gene of green fluorescent protein (GFP) into P. aeruginosa biofilms strains and followed by analysis of bacterial survival rate between intrinsic resistance and biofilms resistance.

RESULTSThe fluorescent strains with pGFPuv could develop mature biofilms on Teflon surface. Before a period of 72 hours, the survival rate of biofilms bacteria and intrinsic resistance strains in ciprofloxacin solution was significantly different (P < 0.05). The survival number of intrinsic resistance strains (gyrA mutation and active efflux pump) was illustriously higher than biofilm strain in the initial stage of biofilms development. After 72 hours incubation, there was no clearly difference between mutants and biofilms strains in the survival rate (P > 0.05). The carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone and azithromycin could significantly reduce the drug resistance of biofilm strains and efflux pump strains.

CONCLUSIONSIn the development of P. aeruginosa biofilms, the strains of gyrA mutation and MDR efflux could be conferred with new level of drug resistance. When co-cultured mutated strains with biofilm strains, biofilms may play a major role in bacterial resistance. But after 72 hours incubation (a mature biofilms had been developed), there was no clearly difference between the number of mutant strains and biofilm strains.

Biofilms ; drug effects ; Carbonyl Cyanide m-Chlorophenyl Hydrazone ; pharmacology ; Ciprofloxacin ; pharmacology ; DNA Gyrase ; genetics ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; Mutation ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; drug effects ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo study the antiviral effect and mechanisms of the liquid extract from Ceratostigma willmattianum against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) in vitro.

METHODC. willmattianum in various concentration was applied to different steps of HSV-1 replication cycle. 50% Tissue culture infective dose (TCID50), cytopathic effect (CPE), MTT staining method, dot blotting and Northern blotting analysis were used to estimate index of antiviral activity.

RESULT50% Toxic concentration (TC50) was 1077 mg x L(-1), IC50 29.46 mg x L(-1) and therapeutic index (TI) 36.56 in C. willmattianum. TC50 330 mg x L(-1), 50% Inhibiting concentration (IC50) 9.12 mg x L(-1) and TI 36.18 in ACV by MTT staining method. The liquid extract from C. willmattianum had remarkable effect on inhibiting HSV-1 in vitro. Ceratostigma could interfere absorption of HSV-1 to Vero cells to prevent HSV-1 infectivity, inhibit HSV-1 gD DNA replication and HSV-1 gD mRNA expression.

CONCLUSIONC. willmattianum possesses strong anti-HSV-1 activity in vitro. The antiviral mechanisms are related to inhibiting virus absorption, HSV-1 gD gene replication and HSV-1 gD gene transcription.

Animals ; Antiviral Agents ; pharmacology ; Cell Adhesion ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; DNA Replication ; drug effects ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Glycoproteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Herpesvirus 1, Human ; drug effects ; physiology ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Primulaceae ; chemistry ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Vero Cells ; drug effects ; virology ; Virus Replication ; drug effects