Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Coal Mining ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Morbidity ; Pneumoconiosis ; epidemiology

Objective To study the characteristics of dynamic susceptibility-contrast(DSC)MR perfusion curves,color images and perfusion values in pre-operative brain metastasis.Methods Twenty- eight brain metastases underwent DSC MR perfusion imaging by using a first-pass T_2~* echo-planar sequence. The patients' data were transferred to on-line workstation.Time-signal intensity curves,color perfusion maps and rCBV,rMTT values in both tumor parenchyma and peri-tumor edema were analyzed,and independent t- test was used and P0.05).Conclusion Different originated brain metastases have nearly same characteristics in DSC MR perfusion imaging.

The use of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for cancer therapy has achieved considerable success in recent years. Approximate 17 monoclonal antibodies have been approved as cancer therapeutics since 1997. Antibody-drug conjugates (ADC) are powerful new treatment options for cancer, and naked antibodies have recently achieved remarkable success. The safety and effectiveness of therapeutic mAbs in oncology vary depending on the nature of the target antigen and the mechanisms of tumor cell killing. This review provides a summary of the current state of antibody-based cancer therapy, including the mechanisms of tumor cell killing by antibodies, tumor antigens as antibody targets, clinical effectiveness of antibodies in cancer patients and nanoparticles-based ADCs.
Antibodies, Monoclonal ; immunology ; therapeutic use ; Antigens, Neoplasm ; immunology ; Antineoplastic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Immunoconjugates ; therapeutic use ; Nanoparticles ; Neoplasms ; immunology ; therapy

To apply chitooligosaccharide in the preparation of baicalin compound, in order to increase the drug dissolution in vitro, and investigate the basic property of the compound. Baicalin-chitooligosaccharide compound was prepared by using the solvent method. The structure and physicochemical properties of compound were analyzed by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and infrared vibrational spectrum (IR), and its dissolution behavior was also investigated. The results showed that the compound prepared at baicalin-chitooligosaccharide molar ratio of 1 : 1 could significantly improve the dissolution of baicalin. The results of DSC and XRD analysis suggested that baicalin may exist in an amorphous state. IR results indicated the interaction between baicalin and chitooligosaccharide. The baicalin-chitooligosaccharide compound could significantly improve dissolution in vitro of drug.
Calorimetry, Differential Scanning ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; Drug Carriers ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Flavonoids ; chemistry ; Oligosaccharides ; chemistry ; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared

OBJECTIVETo assess the contribution of vitamin K epoxide reductase complex 1 (VKORC1) and cytochrome P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) genotype, age, body size, height, and weight to warfarin dose requirement.

METHODSBlood samples were collected from 191 patients receiving warfarin therapy. Patients's age, gender, height, and weight were registered. PCR-RFLP method was used for the detection of VKORC1-1639G > A and CYP2C9 genotype.

RESULTSVKORC1-1639G > A genotyping showed that 159 patients were homozygous AA, 31 were heterozygous GA, and 1 was homozygous GG genotype. CYP2C9 genotyping showed that 176 patients were *1/*1, 15 patients were heterozygous *1/*3. Patients with VKORC1-1639 (G > A) GG + GA genotype required a significantly higher warfarin dose than those with AA genotype [(3.36 +/- 0.97) mg/d vs. (1.75 +/- 0.56) mg/d, P < 0.01], and patients with CYP2C9*1/*1 genotype also required a higher warfarin dose than those with CYP2C9*1/*3 genotype [(2.06 +/- 0.83) mg/d vs. (1.55 +/- 1.32) mg/d, P < 0.05]. The multiple linear regression model for warfarin dose indicated age, weight and VKORC1 genotype could explain the inter-individual variation in dose requirement of 9.3%, 7.4%, 51.9% patients, respectively; age, weight, CYP2C9 and VKORC1 genotype together could explain the inter-individual variation in dose requirement of 64.1% patients.

CONCLUSIONThis study showed that age, weight and VKORC1 and CYP2C9 polymorphism had significant influences on warfarin dose requirements and should be considered on dosing regimens modification to improve the safety of warfarin therapy.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Anticoagulants ; therapeutic use ; Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases ; genetics ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP2C9 ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mixed Function Oxygenases ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Treatment Outcome ; Vitamin K Epoxide Reductases ; Warfarin ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo study the characteristics of the phenylalanine hydroxylase gene (PAH) mutations in patients with phenylketonuria (PKU) in Henan province, in order to provide basic information for genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis.

METHODSMutations of the PAH gene were detected in exons 1-13 with flanking introns of PAH gene by PCR and DNA sequencing in 47 families with PKU.

RESULTSA total of 25 different mutations were detected in 83 out of 94 PAH alleles (88.3%). Among them, E79fX13, H271R and D415Y have not been reported previously. It was the first time that IVS10-14C to G mutation was reported in Chinese PKU population. The mutations p.R243Q, EX6-96A to G, p.Y356X, IVS401G to A, p.R111X, p.V399V and p.R413P, were the prevalent mutations with relative frequencies of 20.5%, 12.0%, 9.6%, 9.6%, 8.4%, 8.4% and 7.2% respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe mutations of the PAH gene in patients with classical phenylketonuria in Henan province were similar to that in other areas of China. Prenatal gene diagnosis for PKU by PAH gene sequencing is efficient for most PKU families.

Base Sequence ; Child, Preschool ; China ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; methods ; Female ; Genetic Counseling ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phenylalanine Hydroxylase ; genetics ; Phenylketonurias ; diagnosis ; enzymology ; genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; methods ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; methods

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association between the number of lymph nodes retrieval and the incidence of postoperative complications in patients with esophageal carcinoma.

METHODFrom January 2008 to December 2009, 794 patients with esophageal carcinoma underwent esophagectomy and lymphadenectomy in the Department of Thoracic Surgery at the West China Hospital of Sichuan University. The clinical data, surgeons, the extent of lymphadenectomy and its association with operative morbidity were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTSThere was no operative death. A total of 84 patients with complication(10.6%) were documented. There were 11,770 lymph nodes harvested in total with an average of 14.8. Multivariate logistic regression showed that gender, number of metastatic lymph nodes, level of anastomosis, and surgeons' experience were risk factors associated with postoperative complications (all P<0.05), while the number and group of lymph node resection were not(all P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONWithin a rational range of lymphadenectomy(<50) following esophagectomy, the postoperative complications are significantly associated with the gender, extent of regional lymph nodes metastasis, site of anastomosis and the expertise of the surgeons, but not associated with the number and group of lymph nodes resection.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

One common feature of glaucoma, optic neuritis and some other optic nerve diseases is sustained and irreversible apoptosis of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Ginkgolide B is believed to protect neurons in brain and contribute to neurite outgrowth and synapse formation. The aim of the present study was to explore the effects of Ginkgo biloba extract (EGB761) and ginkgolide B on axonal growth of RCGs. Retina explants were cultured in three-dimensional tissue culture system, and the number and length of neurites were analyzed. Immunohistochemistry staining was performed to confirm that the neurite observed was axon of RGCs. TUNEL and activated caspase-3 staining were also applied to observe RGCs apoptosis. The result shows that neurites of RGCs treated with EGB761 or ginkgolide B were more and longer than those in control. The neurite is proved to be the axon of RGCs by immunostaining. Furthermore, compared with control group, RGCs treated with ginkgolide B showed decreased cellular apoptosis and inhibited caspase-3 activation. These results suggest ginkgolide B can promote RGCs axon growth by protecting RGCs against apoptosis.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Axons ; drug effects ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Ginkgolides ; pharmacology ; Lactones ; pharmacology ; Neurites ; drug effects ; Organ Culture Techniques ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Retina ; Retinal Ganglion Cells ; cytology ; drug effects

Danshen,an efficacious agent for cardiovascular diseases,has been found to play an essential role in kidney injury.In the present study,the effect of Danshen on cisplatin-induced renal dysfunction was investigated in a mouse model.Danshen was administered to mice at a dose of 3 g/kg 4 days before and 3 days after cisplatin treatment.A single intraperitoneal injection of 20 mg/kg cisplatin was used to induce nephrotoxicity.The mice were sacrificed 72 h after cisplatin intoxication.Biochemical parameters including serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen were analyzed.Histopathological changes of kidney tissues were detected using HE staining.Antioxidant enzymes (GSH-Px and SOD) and peroxidative product (MDA) were detected.Protein expressions of Nrf2 and its target genes including HO-1 and NQO1 were measured by Western blotting.The results showed that pretreatment with Danshen significantly reduced serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen in the cisplatin-treated mice.Histopathological examination showed that Danshen mitigated the renal damage induced by cisplatin.Moreover,Danshen restored the activities of antioxidant enzymes (GSH-Px and SOD) and normalized the MDA contents in renal tissues.Western blotting revealed that Danshen enhanced the expressions of Nrf2 and its target genes in cisplatin-exposed mice.It was suggested that Danshen protects against the cisplatin-induced renal impairment in the mice,which is potentially associated with the upregulation of Nrf2-mediated signaling pathway.

BACKGROUNDCD4(+) T cells play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of aplastic anaemia. However, the mechanisms of over-proliferation, activation, infiltration of bone marrow and damage to haematopoietic cells of CD4(+) T cells in aplastic anaemia are unclear. Therefore, we screened differentially expressed genes of bone marrow CD4(+) T cells of aplastic anaemia patients and normal donors by suppressive subtractive hybridization to investigate the pathogenesis of aplastic anaemia.

METHODSThe bone marrow mononuclear cells of a first visit aplastic anaemia patient and a healthy donor of the same age and sex were isolated using lymphocyte separating medium by density gradient centrifugation. With the patients as "tester" and donor as "driver", their CD4(+) T cells were separated with magnetic bead sorting and a cDNA library established by suppressive subtractive hybridization. Then 15 of the resulting subtracted cDNA clones were randomly selected for DNA sequencing and homological analysis. With semiquantitative RT-PCR, bone marrow samples from 20 patients with aplastic anaemia and 20 healthy donors assessed the expression levels of differentially expressed genes from SSH library.

RESULTSPCR detected 89 clones in the library containing an inserted fragment of 100 bp to 700 bp. Among 15 sequenced clones, 12 were known genes including 3 repeated genes. Compared with normal donors, there were 9/12 genes over-expressed in bone marrow CD4(+) T cells of patients with aplastic anaemia. The effects of these genes included protein synthesis, biology oxidation, signal transduction, proliferative regulation and cell migration. Not all these genes had been reported in the mechanisms of haematopoietic damage mediated by CD4(+) T cells in aplastic anaemia.

CONCLUSIONSScreening and cloning genes, which regulate functions of CD4(+) T cells, are helpful in elucidating the mechanisms of over proliferation, activation, infiltrating bone marrow and damaging haematopoietic cells of CD4(+) T cells in aplastic anaemia.

Adult ; Anemia, Aplastic ; genetics ; Bone Marrow Cells ; metabolism ; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; metabolism ; CREB-Binding Protein ; genetics ; Gene Library ; Humans ; Male ; Nucleic Acid Hybridization ; methods ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; T Cell Transcription Factor 1 ; genetics