Objective To evaluate the clinical application and safety of CT-guided pereutaneous transthoracic biopsy in the diagnosis of mediastinal masses.Methods Thirty three cases were undertaken CT- guided percutaneous transthoraeie biopsy with automatic biopsy gun and then the sampling specimens were undergone histological examination.The accuracy of puncture,diagnostic correctness and complications were analyzed.Results The operations were performed successfully in all 33 cases(100%),the definite pathologic diagnosis were made in 28 out of 33 cases(85%)and no complications occurred.Conclusion As for midiastinal masses,CT-guided percutaneous transthoracic biopsy is a feasible,successful,efficient interventional diagnostic method with high accuracy in localization,puncture,diagnosis and few complications, which should he recommended in clinical use more widely.(J Intervent Radiol,2007,16:852-854)

For the establishment of chemical library of protoberberines provided for the bio-activity screening, the target compounds were synthesized by thermal degradation and nucleophilic substitution reactions with the bio-active alkaloid, palmatine (1), as the raw material, and their structures were identified and conformed by 1H-NMR and MS spectra. Among them, 13 compounds were new.
Berberine Alkaloids ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; Molecular Structure

Recently, the immunotherapy has been highlighted among cancer treatments. Cancer-testis antigen (CTA) has been studied in a variety of solid tumors because of its specific expression in tumors, and testis, ovary and placenta tissues, but not in other normal tissues. In order to provide a new approach for multiple myeloma (MM) immunotherapy, we examined the CTA expression in MM cell lines, and primary myeloma cells in patients with MM. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect the mRNA expression of MAGE-C1/CT7, SSX1, SSX2 and SSX4 in MM cell lines of RPMI-8226 and U266, and bone marrow (BM) cells of 25 MM patients and 18 healthy volunteers. The results showed that the 4 CTAs were expressed in RPMI-8226 and U266 cell lines. The positive expression rate of MAGE-C1/CT7, SSX1, SSX2 and SSX4 in the BM cells of 25 MM patients was 28% (7/25), 80% (20/25), 40% (10/25) and 68% (17/25), respectively. In contrast, the expression of any member of the CTAs was not detected in BM cells of 18 healthy volunteers. The expression of two or more CTAs was detected in 80% (20/25) MM patients, and that of at least one CTA in 88% (22/25). The mRNA expression levels of SSX1 and SSX4 were significantly higher in patients with MM at stage III than in those at stage I and II (P<0.05). No statistically significant differences were observed in the mRNA expression levels of MAGE-C1/CT7 and SSX2 in further stratified analyses by age, gender, MM types and percentage of MM cells in BM (P>0.05). In conclusion, our present study showed that MAGE-C1/CT7, SSX1, SSX2 and SSX4 were co-expressed in MM cell lines and the primary myeloma cells in MM patients, but not expressed in BM cells of healthy subjects. The mRNA levels of SSX1 and SSX4 are associated with MM clinical stage. This work may provide a new insight into MM immunotherapy in the future.

Objective The 4-and 16-hydroxylated metabolites of estrogens have been implicated in carcinogenesis,whereas its 2-hydroxylated metabolites have been shown to have antiangiogenic effects.We aimed to examine whether the polymorphisms of catechol-O-methyltransferase(COMT)involved in the estrogen metabolism are associated with endometrial cancer risk.Methods Polymerase chain reaction- restrictive fragment length polymorphism(PCR-RFLP)analysis was used to study the variant allele frequency distributions of COMT Val158Met genetic polymorphism in a population based case-control study with 132 endometrial cancer cases and 110 controls.Odds ratios(OR)and 95% confidence intervals(CI) were estimated by unconditional logistic regression after adjustment for known or suspected risk factors for endometrial cancer.Results The most frequent genotype was COMT~(Val/Val)(47.2%,52/110)in control group and COMT~(Mal/Met)(58.3%,77/132)in endometrial cancer group.The difference between the two groups was of statistical significance(P

Objective To evaluate tension-free hernia Onlay repair with premuscular positioning of the prosthesis for the treatment of ineisional henia of the abdominal wall.Methods In this study 126 patients with incisional henia were treated with a tension-free manner of hernia repair by using synthetic material ONLAY between September 1999 and June 2007.Results All operations were successful.There was no hospital death or severe postoperative complications.The average age was 58.5 years old ranging from 28 to 89.There were 67 patients in which the abdominal defect ranged from 5～10 cm,and 59 patients with abdominal defect≥10 cm.The mean operating time was 95(70～120)min,and the average intraoperative blood loss was 80 ml(60～250 ml).The mean postoperative hospitalization was 14.5 days(10～28 d). Patients were followed-up from 3 to 96 months,and 3 patients suffered from hernia recurrence(2.38%). Conclusions The ONLAY repair of ineisional hernia of the abdominal wall with synthetic material mesh was a safe procedure,especially for those with large abdominal wall defects.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of sodium cromoglycate in brain protection and its effects on brain tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) expressions after global cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury in gerbils.

METHODSTwenty-four healthy male gerbils were randomized into 3 equal groups, namely the sham-operated group with isolation of the bilateral carotid arteries but without occlusion, IR injury model group with bilateral carotid artery occlusion, and sodium cromoglycate treatment group with bilateral carotid artery occlusion and sodium cromoglycate administration at 25 mg/kg via the lingual vein as soon as the reperfusion start with another dose 1 h later. The animals were then sacrificed and the thalamus were removed, fixed in 10% formaldehyde and sliced for observation under light microscope with HE staining. The rest brain tissues were prepared into homogenate to determine the content of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta. The right hemispheres of the gerbils were measured for wet weight and dry weight to calculate the water content in the brain.

RESULTSThe water content in the brain of the gerbils in the model group was the highest among the groups, and that in sodium cromoglycate treatment group was significantly less than that of the model group (P<0.05). Microscopic examination showed the most severe brain tissue damage in the model group with also the highest TNF-alpha and IL-1beta levels in the brain. The brain TNF-alpha and IL-1beta levels in sodium cromoglycate group were significantly decreased as compared with those in the model group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSodium cromoglycate can alleviate brain IR injury possibly by lowering the TNF-alpha and IL-1beta levels in the brain tissues.

Animals ; Brain Ischemia ; metabolism ; Cromolyn Sodium ; pharmacology ; Gerbillinae ; Interleukin-1beta ; metabolism ; Male ; Neuroprotective Agents ; pharmacology ; Random Allocation ; Reperfusion Injury ; prevention & control ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

AIMTo explore the changes of rat platelet phospholipase A2 (PLA2) mRNA content in bacteria infected rat and study the cDNA and amino acid sequences of the PLA2 structure to lay a good foundation for the development of new antibiotics.

METHODSThe PLA2 mRNA level in blood was determined by RT-PCR. The DNA sequence was cloned and analyzed.

RESULTSAfter injection of bacteria in rats, the mRNA level of PLA2 in blood increased markedly. The cDNA and amino acid sequence were highly homologous to other PLA2 cDNA from different tissues of the rat.

CONCLUSIONPlatelet PLA2 in blood responded quickly to bacteria infection in gene level. Therefore, the PLA2 protein was produced increasingly which was shown to control the infection with bacteria. Although there are little difference between PLA2 cDNA cloned from blood and other sources in DNA and amino acid sequences, the catalytic site for enzymatic activity and basic structure are identical.

Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Base Sequence ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA, Complementary ; metabolism ; Male ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phospholipases A ; blood ; genetics ; metabolism ; Phospholipases A2 ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Staphylococcal Infections ; blood ; Staphylococcus aureus

OBJECTIVETo explore the characteristics of morphology, immunophenotype and cytogenetics (MIC) of myeloid surface antigen-expressing acute lymphoblastic leukemia (My+ ALL).

METHODSOne hundred and twenty untreated acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients were diagnosed by standard bone marrow smear morphologic analysis and peroxidase staining. Flow cytometry and myeloid monoclonal antibodies (McAb) were used to analyze immunophenotype. Chromosome karyotypes were analyzed by R-band technique.

RESULTSOf 120 cases, 66 (55%) were My+ ALL, including 50 cases of My+ B-ALL (56.8% of B-ALL ), 14 cases of My T-ALL (50% of T-ALL) and 2 cases of My+ T and B-ALL (50% of T and BALL). Of 66 My+ ALL, 10 cases (15.1%) were misdiagnosed as acute non-lymphoblastic leukemia (ANLL), the other 54 My- ALL cases were correctly diagnosed. The inconsistent rate between morphological and immunophenotype classifications was higher in My+ ALL than in My- ALL , and there were more atypical morphology cases in My+ ALL than in My- ALL (P < 0.01). In My+ ALL cases 95.5% expressed CD13, 81.8% CD33, 77.3% CD13 and CD33 simultaneously, and 1.5% CD117, but none CD14, CD15 and MPO. CD34 expression rate in My+ ALL cases was significantly higher than that in My- ALL (P < 0.01 ). Cytogenetic abnormalities rates in My+ ALL and My- ALL were 72.3% and 66.7% (P > 0.05) respectively. t(9;22) and t(9;22) plus other cytogenetic abnormalities were detected more frequently in My+ LL cases than in My- B-ALL (P < 0. 01), and not in My+ T-ALL and My- T-ALL cases. The complete remission (CR) rates was 83.9% in My+ ALL and 79% in My- ALL(P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONMy+ ALL had a specific characteristics in morphology, immunophenotype and cytogenetics. Some cases have a myeloid morphologic appearance and might be misdiagnosed as acute myeloid leukemia (AML). My+ ALL have a higher CD34 expression rate than My- ALL. t(9;22) abnormality was more frequently observed in My B-ALL than in My- B-ALL. There was no significant difference in CR rate between My+ ALL and My- ALL.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Immunophenotyping ; Karyotyping ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; classification ; genetics ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of astragalus membranacaus injection on the activity of the intestinal mucosal mast cells (IMMC) and inflammatory response after hemorrahagic shock-reperfusion in rats.

METHODThirty-two Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: normal group, model group, low dosage group, (treated with astragalus membranacaus 10 g kg(-1)) and high dosage group (treated with astragalus membranacaus 20 g kg(-1)). Models of hemorrhage shock for 60 minutes and reperfusion for 90 minutes were created. The animals were administrated 3 mL therapeutic solution before reperfusion. At the end of study, intestinal pathology, ultrastructure of IMMC, and expression of tryptase were observed. The levels of MDA, TNF-a, histamine, and SOD activity of intestinal were detected, and the number of IMMC was counted.

RESULTThe degranulation of IMMC was seen in model group and was attenuated by astragalus membranacaus treatment. Chiu's score of model group was higher than that of the other groups. Astragalus membranacaus could attenuate the up-regulation of the Chiu' s score, the levels of MDA and TNF-alpha, expression of tryptase, and the down-regulation of SOD activity and histamine concentration. The Chiu's score and MDA content were negatively, while SOD activity was positively correlated to the histamine concentration respectively in the four groups.

CONCLUSIONAstragalus membranacaus can reduce small intestine mucosal damage by inhibiting the activity of IMMC after hemorrhage shock reperfusion.

Animals ; Astragalus membranaceus ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Female ; Injections, Intravenous ; Intestinal Mucosa ; metabolism ; pathology ; Intestine, Small ; metabolism ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Mast Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; ultrastructure ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reperfusion Injury ; metabolism ; pathology ; Shock, Hemorrhagic ; metabolism ; pathology ; Tryptases ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

Animals ; Cromolyn Sodium ; administration & dosage ; Disease Models, Animal ; Intestines ; blood supply ; Mast Cells ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury ; mortality ; pathology ; p-Methoxy-N-methylphenethylamine ; administration & dosage