Bacterial resistance has always been a challenge in the field of antibacterials research. As one of the most problematic pathogens causing nosocomial infections, Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) was a severe threaten to public health. In recent years, as the rate of multidrug-resistant, extensively drug-resistant, and even pan drug-resistant A. baumannii has been increasing, there is an urgent need to develop new strategies to combat this pathogen. Iron is an essential element for the survival and the infection process of A. baumannii. Bacteria have developed a series of iron uptake strategies to survive in conditions of the host iron starvation, including the secretion of siderophore for iron chelation, the uptake of ferroheme, and the transport of ferrous by Feo system. Developing antibacterial strategies to inhibit the iron uptake is an effective way to deal with A. baumannii infection. This article will review the mechanisms of iron uptake by A. baumannii and the antimicrobial strategies developed based on them.

BACKGROUNDMatrix-induced autologous chondrocyte implantation (MACI) is the third generation tissue-engineering technique for the treatment of full-thickness articular cartilage defects. The aim of this study was to describe this new technique and the postoperative findings in adolescent knee with focal chondral defect.

METHODSThe MACI consists of diagnostic arthroscopy and cartilage harvest, chondrocyte culture and seeding in tissue-engineering collagenous membrane, and implantation of the scaffold. Clinical outcome at minimum 1-year follow-up was assessed in seven patients (mean age (16.6 ± 1.5) years; 14 - 19 years) with full-thickness cartilage defects, with International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score, the International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) score and the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS). Besides, MR imaging was performed with T1 and T2-weighted imaging and three-dimensional spoiled gradient-recalled (3D-SPGR) MR imaging.

RESULTSClinical evaluation showed significant improvement and MRI analysis showed that the structure was homogeneous and the implant surface was regular and intact in six patients, but irregular in one. Of all the seven patients, the cartilage defect site was nearly totally covered by the implanted scaffold.

CONCLUSIONSThese results indicated that MACI technique is an option for cartilage defect in adolescent knee joint, especially large defect of over 2 cm(2). Long-term assessment is necessary to determine the true value of this technique.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Cartilage, Articular ; injuries ; surgery ; Cells, Cultured ; Chondrocytes ; cytology ; physiology ; Female ; Humans ; Knee Joint ; cytology ; surgery ; Male ; Tissue Engineering ; methods ; Transplantation, Autologous ; methods ; Young Adult

Adenocarcinoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Chromogranin A ; metabolism ; Colonic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; methods ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; metabolism ; Staining and Labeling ; methods ; Vimentin ; metabolism

Objective To study the clinicopathologieal features and expression of cyclin D1 and p53 in epithelial ovarian tumors,and to investigate the correlation between pathogenesis of ovarian cancer and epithelial borderline tumors.Methods Fifty four cases of ovarian borderline tumors and 45 cases of ovarian carcinomas from the People's Hospital,Peking University were reviewed retrospectively.The clinical data and pathological findings were analyzed.Immunohistochemical study of cyclin D1 and p53 was performed in all 99 cases.Results(1)In borderline tumors,the age of patients ranged from 14-82 (mean age=42.5)years.International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics(FIGO)stage of borderline tumors was stage Ⅰ in 48 cases,stage Ⅱ in 3 cases,and stage Ⅲ in 3 cases.In ovarian carcinomas,the age of patients ranged from 26-80(mean age=53.5)years.FIGO stage of carcinoma was stage Ⅰ in 6 cases, stage Ⅱ in 8 cases,stage Ⅲ in 26 cases,and stage Ⅳ in 5 cases.In follow-up of 54 cases with borderline tumors the 5-year survival rate was 98% and of 45 cases with carcinomas a 5-year survival rate of 51% was noted.(2)In 54 cases of borderline tumors,mucinous types accounted for 56%(30/54)and serous types accounted for 30%(16/54).There were 5 cases with micropapillary pattern,3 cases with peritoneal implants,3 cases with lymph node involvement,6 cases with microinvasion,one case with intraepithelial carcinoma,and one case with mural nodules.In 45 cases of carcinomas,serous carcinoma was the most (49%,22/45).The remainder included 3 cases of mucinous types,8 cases of endometrioid types,6 cases of transitional cell types,3 cases of mixed phenotype and 3 cases of undifferentiated types.(3) Overexpression of cyclin D1 and p53 was observed in 31%(14/45)and 56%(25/45)of ovarian carcinomas, respectively.There was a significant association between p53 overexpression and tumor grade.In the borderline tumor group,69%(37/54)had overexpression of cyelin D1 and 6%(3/54)had overexpression of p53.There were significant differences in expression of cyclin D1 and p53 between conventional serous borderline tumors and high-grade serous carcinomas(cyclin D1:91% vs 26%;p53:0 vs 58%).However, micropapillary serous borderline tumors and low-grade serous carcinomas showed remarkably similar expression of cyelin D1 and p53.Conclusions Epithelial ovarian borderline tumors are distinct from ovarian cancer in clinical progress and prognosis,and histological types.Overexpression of cyclin D1 is common in ovarian borderline tumors and low grade carcinomas.And overexpression of p53 is more common in high grade ovarian carcinomas.Conventional serous borderline tumors are distinct from high-grade serous carcinomas in pathogenesis.Micropapillary serous borderline ovarian tumors may be closely related to low grade serous carcinomas.

OBJECTIVETo summarize the clinical experience and the role of hepatectomy with portal vein resection and reconstruction hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

METHODSFrom 1998 to 2003, the clinical records of 118 cases with hilar cholangiocarcinoma were reviewed.

RESULTSOf the 118 patients, 66 were performed palliative treatment; and 52 patients underwent radical resection, of which 47 patients, including 11 cases combined with portal vein resection and reconstruction, underwent hepatectomy. The rate of postoperation complication was 22.9% and 27.3% in hepatectomy with or without portal vein resection and reconstruction respectively. The 1, 3-year survival rate were 85.7%, 31.4% and 81.8%, 27.8% in hepatectomy with or without portal vein resection and reconstruction respectively (P > 0.05). Only 5 patients were alive more than 3 years (7.58%), and no patient with palliative treatment lived over 5 years.

CONCLUSIONSPortal vain invasion is not the contraindication of resection for hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Hepatectomy with portal vein resection and reconstruction may raise the radical resection rate of hilar cholangiocarcinoma and improve the results of prognosis.

Adult ; Aged ; Bile Duct Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic ; Cholangiocarcinoma ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hepatectomy ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Portal Vein ; pathology ; surgery ; Prognosis ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

Thrombospondin-1,an important extracellular matrix glycoprotein,is recognized as an effective endogenous angiogenesis inhibitor and can affect and regulate the adhesion,motility and proliferation of endothelial cells,as well as closely correlated with the development and progress of tumor and neovascular diseases.In recent years,it has been found that Tsp-1 is associated with many pathologic changes in diabetic retinopathy and is critical for the maintenance of retinal vascular balance.And the mechanism of action of TSP-1 and its role in the development of DR will be reviewed in this paper.

To investigate the possible mechanisms underlying the difference of NMDA and non-NMDA receptors in spinal nociception originating in skin and muscle, release of aspartate (Asp) and glutamate (Glu) in the spinal dorsal horn was detected by stimulation of cutaneous and muscular nerves in cats using microdialysis technique. Asp and Glu were increased respectively by (323±55)% and (169±16)% following stimulation of cutaneous nerve, but by (150±16)% and (218±42)% respectively following stimulation of muscular nerve. Asp increase was approximately three times higher than that of Glu following cutaneous nerve-stimulation (P<0.01), while Glu increase was approximately twice as high as that of Asp following muscular nerve-stimulation (P<0.05). It is likely that nociceptive cutaneous and muscular inputs preferentially elicite release of Asp and Glu respectively, resulting in a functional differentiation of NMDA and non-NMDA receptor in the mediation of different nociceptive information.

OBJECTIVETo clarify drug properties of components in Euodiae Fructus.

METHODThe rat cold syndrome model was induced by cold water stress method. The content of neurotransmitters sand hormones such as DA, 5-HT, NE, AChE and 17-OHCS in serum of model rats were taken as the indexes to evaluate drug properties of components in Euodiae Fructus.

RESULTEuodiae Fructus and its components could correct or relief the content of energy metabolism and substance metabolism-related neurotransmitters sand hormones in serum of model rats with water-stressed cold syndrome.

CONCLUSIONEuodiae Fructus and its components are proved to show hot property.

Animals ; Cold Temperature ; adverse effects ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Gastric Mucosa ; drug effects ; pathology ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Neurotransmitter Agents ; blood ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Stomach Ulcer ; blood ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Stress, Physiological

In this paper, duloxetine was chosen as the lead compound. The pharmacophores with 5-HT(1A) antagonism activity were used to replace the naphthyl of duloxetine. A series of duloxetine derivatives had been designed and synthesized and whose structures were confirmed with elemental analysis, MS and H NMR. All synthesized compounds were tested by tail suspension test and forced swimming test in vivo. The test results revealed that most of the compounds have shown better activity than duloxetine at the same dosage. Some of them are worth to be studied further.
Animals ; Antidepressive Agents ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Duloxetine Hydrochloride ; Hindlimb Suspension ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Molecular Structure ; Serotonin 5-HT1 Receptor Antagonists ; pharmacology ; Structure-Activity Relationship ; Swimming ; Thiophenes ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology

BACKGROUNDThymectomy is considered the most effective treatment in patients with myasthenia gravis. This study aimed to explore the predictors of postoperative myasthenic crisis in patients with myasthenia gravis after thymectomy.

METHODSClinical records of 243 patients with myasthenia gravis who underwent thymectomy were reviewed retrospectively. The following factors were analyzed in relation to the occurrence of myasthenic crisis after thymectomy: gender, age, duration of symptoms, Osserman stage, history of myasthenic crisis, concomitant diseases, preoperative pyridostigmine dose, preoperative steroid therapy, operation approach, operation time, presence of thymoma, major postoperative complications.

RESULTSForty-four patients experienced postoperative myasthenic crisis during the first month after thymectomy. Univariate analysis revealed that Osserman stage (RR = 0.0976, P = 0.000), history of myasthenic crisis (RR = 0.2309, P = 0.012), preoperative pyridostigmine dose (RR = 0.4349, P = 0.016), thymoma (RR = 0.0606, P = 0.000), and major postoperative complications (RR = 0.1094, P = 0.000) were significantly related to postoperative myasthenic crisis. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that Osserman stage (IIb + III + IV) (RR = 0.0953, P = 0.000), thymoma (RR = 0.0294, P = 0.000), and major postoperative complications (RR = 0.0424, P = 0.000) independently predict postoperative myasthenic crisis.

CONCLUSIONOsserman stage (IIb + IIIb + IV), thymoma and major postoperative complications are independent predictors of postoperative myasthenic crisis in patients with myasthenia gravis who underwent thymectomy.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myasthenia Gravis ; surgery ; Postoperative Complications ; Thymectomy ; adverse effects ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult