OBJECTIVETo investigate the prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) in men with high-normal blood pressure (HNBP).

METHODSThis study included 120 men with HNBP and another 120 with normal blood pressure (NBP) as controls. We analyzed the scores of the two groups on the International Index of Erectile Dysfunction 5 (IIEF-5).

RESULTSThe ED prevalence in the men with HNBP was 25.8%. After controlling for age, nationality, occupation, education, income, smoking, alcohol consumption, exercise, obesity, fatty liver, blood lipids, blood glucose, and blood uric acid, the incidence of ED was 25.8% in the HNBP group, significantly higher than 14.2% in the NBP group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe prevalence of ED is higher in men with HNBP than in those with NBP.

Adult ; Blood Pressure ; Erectile Dysfunction ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Adult ; Aged ; Alleles ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; HLA-DQ Antigens ; genetics ; HLA-DQ beta-Chains ; HLA-DR Antigens ; genetics ; HLA-DRB1 Chains ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary ; genetics ; immunology ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo study the clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical features of mesenchymal chondrosarcoma.

METHODSThe clinical and histologic features of 23 cases of mesenchymal chondrosarcoma were analyzed. Immunohistochemical study was also performed in 14 of the cases.

RESULTSThe age of patients ranged from 12 to 47 years. Fourteen of them occurred in males. Thirteen cases involved the bony skeleton and 5 cases affected the soft tissue. The patients presented with pain and/or swelling. Histologically, the tumor consisted of a mixture of undifferentiated small round cells and hyaline cartilage. Transition between the two components was demonstrated and growth plate-like cartilage was observed. Immunohistochemical study showed that the small round cells were positive for Sox9 (14/14), CD99 (12/14), vimentin (6/14), CD56 (4/14), CD57 (4/14), neuron-specific enolase (3/14) and desmin(1/14). They were negative for Coll-II, S-100 protein, epithelial membrane antigen, pan-cytokeratin, synaptophysin, chromogranin A, CD34 and c-erbB2.

CONCLUSIONSMesenchymal chondrosarcoma is a rare malignant tumor. Thorough histologic examination, when coupled with immunohistochemical findings, is helpful in arriving at a correct diagnosis.

12E7 Antigen ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Antigens, CD ; metabolism ; Bone Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Cell Adhesion Molecules ; metabolism ; Child ; Chondrosarcoma, Mesenchymal ; diagnostic imaging ; metabolism ; pathology ; secondary ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lung Neoplasms ; secondary ; Male ; Mediastinal Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Orbital Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Radiography ; SOX9 Transcription Factor ; metabolism ; Vimentin ; metabolism ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the impact of cement distribution index on the occurrence of refracture in the adjacent segments after percutaneous vertebroplasty.

METHODSThis retrospective analysis was conducted among 143 patients who received percutaneous vertebroplasty for osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture between April, 2011 and April, 2014. Of the 134 patients with complete follow-up data, 18 had adjacent segment fracture within 1 year following the surgeries (re-fracture group), and 116 patients without new fracture served as the control group. All the patients underwent X-ray examinations after the surgery and according to the position and shape, the cement in the vertebrae were classified into 5 types (I to V), and the volume-cubage index was computed based on the cement volume and vertebral cubage. Age, gender, bone mineral density (BMD), cement distribution index, volume-cubage index, and cement leakage were evaluated in the 2 groups, and the variables with significant differences between the 2 groups were analyzed in Logistic regression analysis.

RESULTSBMD was significantly lower and the rate of cement leakage was significantly higher in the re-fracture group than in the control group (P<0.05). Significant difference was found in cement distribution index between the 2 groups (P<0.05) but not in age, gender, cement volume or volume-cubage index (P>0.05). Logistic regression analysis indicated that BMD, cement leakage and cement distribution index all significantly affected the occurrence of adjacent vertebral fractures following percutaneous vertebroplasty.

CONCLUSIONA low BMD, cement leakage and a low cement distribution index are all risks factor of adjacent vertebral fracture after percutaneous vertebroplasty.

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) may suppress the expression and secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) from tumor cells in vitro and inhibit the VEGF-induced proliferation of human tumor vascular endothelial cells.

METHODSHuman lung cancer cell line A549, human liver cancer cell line HepG2, human colon carcinoma cell lines HCT116 and HCT8 were used in this study. The expression levels of VEGF and TNF-alpha (tumor necrosis factor-alpha) in the tumor cells with or without pretreatment of LMWH/heparin were measured by standard sandwich ELISA technique. The VEGF mRNA level of HepG2 cells cultured with or without LMWH/heparin was determined by RT-PCR and real time PCR. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were cultured in tissue culture medium (TCM) with or without LMWH/heparin for 3 days. Then non-radioactive cell proliferation assay (MTS) kit and cell cycle assay by flow cytometry were performed to measure the proliferation of HUVEC.

RESULTSThe VEGF levels in the control, LMWH, and heparin groups of the pulmonary adenocarcinoma cell line A549 were (1045.89 +/- 165.30) pg/ml, (782.45 +/- 67.17) pg/ml and (916.54 +/- 71.25) pg/ml, respectively. The VEGF levels in the control, LMWH, and heparin groups of the colon adenocarcinoma cell line HCT116 were (955.76 +/- 51.14) pg/ml, (822.89 +/- 142.39) pg/ml and (951.77 +/- 188.22) pg/ml, respectively. The VEGF levels in the control, LMWH, and heparin groups in the colon adenocarcinoma cell line HCT8 were (1290.62 +/- 41.23) pg/ml, (1063.34 +/- 63.82) pg/ml and (1257.14 +/- 11.40) pg/ml, respectively. The VEGF levels in the control, LMWH, and heparin groups in the liver cancer cell line HepG2 were (1083.00 +/- 134.35) pg/ml, (758.00 +/- 84.85) pg/ml and (874.00 +/- 22.62) pg/ml, respectively. The VEGF expression levels in the above mentioned cell lines cultured in TCM were significantly reduced in the LMWH-treated groups compared with that of the control group (P < 0.05). But the level of TNF-alpha in TCM-cultured cells was unaffected by LMWH. The VEGF mRNA was reduced in the LMWH-treated HepG2 cell line. Moreover, TCM exhibited stimulating effect on proliferation of HUVEC and the effect was significantly impaired by LMWH treatment. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that LMWH treatment arrested HUVECs at the G1 phase of cell cycle.

CONCLUSIONLMWH can suppress the expression and secretion of VEGF by tumor cell lines and therefore have a potential inhibiting effect on angiogenesis induced by VEGF.

Adenocarcinoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Culture Media, Conditioned ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; HCT116 Cells ; Hep G2 Cells ; Heparin ; pharmacology ; Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism ; Umbilical Veins ; cytology ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; genetics ; metabolism ; secretion

This study was aimed to investigate the effect of homoharringtonine (HHT) on K562 cell proliferation, apoptosis and expression of BCL-2 and NF-κB proteins. The cells proliferation was assayed with MTT method, the cell apoptosis, cell cycle and BCL-2 expression were analyzed with flow cytometry, NF-κB protein expression was detected with Western blot. The results showed that HHT concentration-dependently inhibited proliferation of K562 cells, the IC50 at 48 h was 43.89 ng/ml. Treated with HHT 10 ng/ml for 48 h, K562 cell apoptosis significantly increased, cell cycle was blocked at G0/G1, the expression level of BCL-2 and NF-κB proteins was lower than that in control group (P < 0.05). It is concluded that HHT may inhibit the proliferation of K562 cells, and down-regulating expression levels of BCL-2 and NF-κB may be one of its anti-CML mechanisms.
Flow Cytometry ; Harringtonines ; pharmacology ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms of tumor suppressor gene PTEN and nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Jiamusi Han population. Methods The blood samples of 132 patients with naso-pharyngeal carcinoma(nasopharyngeal carcinoma group)and 73 healthy people(control group)were selected from September 2008 to January 2018 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Jiamusi University. The whole genome DNA was extracted,and the pol-ymorphisms of rs532678 and rs701848 were detected by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. The relationship be-tween the polymorphism of PTEN gene and nasopharyngeal carcinoma was analyzed. Results The genotype and allele frequen-cy distributions of rs532678 and rs701848 loci were in line with the Hardy-Weinberg genetic balance law in the two groups (P > 0. 05). The genotypic frequency of CC,CT and TT at the rs532678 locus of PTEN gene in the control group was 0. 630, 0. 342 and 0. 027 respectively;and the allele frequency of C and T was 0. 801 and 0. 198 respectively. The genotypic frequency of CC,CT and TT at the rs532678 locus of PTEN gene in the nasopharyngeal carcinoma group was 0. 716,0. 265 and 0. 015 re-spectively;and the allele frequency of C and T was 0. 852 and 0. 147 respectively. There was no significant difference in geno-type distribution and allele frequency distribution at the rs532678 locus of PTEN gene between the two groups(P > 0. 05). The genotypic frequency of CC,CT and TT at the rs701848 locus of the PTEN gene in the control group was 0. 657,0. 342 and 0. 000 respectively;and the allele frequency of C and T was 0. 828 and 0. 171 respectively. The genotypic frequency of CC,CT and TT at the rs701848 locus of PTEN gene in the nasopharyngeal carcinoma group was 0. 424,0. 500 and 0. 075 respectively;and the allele frequency of C and T was 0. 674 and 0. 325 respectively. The frequencies of CT,TT genotype and T allele of rs701848 locus in the nasopharyngeal carcinoma group were significantly higher than those in the control group(P < 0. 05). The frequencies of CC genotype and C allele in the nasopharyngeal carcinoma group were significantly lower than those in the control group(P < 0. 05). The individual with CT + TT genotype at the rs701848 locus of PTEN gene had higher risk for naso-pharyngeal carcinoma(P < 0. 05,OR = 2. 606,95％ confidence interval:1. 439 - 4. 720). The risk for nasopharyngeal carcino-ma in the individual with CT + TT genotype was 2. 606 times as much as the individual carrying CC genotype. Conclusion The rs532678 polymorphism of PTEN gene is not associated with the susceptibility to nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The polymor-phism of rs701848 locus is associated with the susceptibility to nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The individual carrying CT + TT genotype has higher risk for nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Obiective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of microsurgical resection of third ventricle tumors involving the lateral ventricle through the transcallosal interfomiceai approach. Methods From October 2005 to April 2009, 12 patients with third ventricle tumors involving the lateral ventricle received microsurgical resection of the tumors through the transcollasal interfomiceal approach. Results The tumors were totally removed in 4 cases, subtotally in 3 cases and partially in 5 cases without any fatal consequences. Conclusion This approach is safe and effective for removing third ventricle tumors involving the lateral ventricle by accessing the tumor through the anatomical space in the brain, and allows clear exposure of the operative field and causes minimal invasiveness of the surrounding structure with reduced complications.

Purpose To investigate the value of application of D2-40/CD34-CK cocktail antibodies by double immunohistochemical staining for assessment of lymphovascular invasion (LVI) and to determine its prognostic significance in colorectal cancer with insufficient lymph node harvest. Methods Specimens from 133 cases of colorectal cancer with less than 12 lymph nodes were selected. HE staining and double immunohistochemical staining of the cocktail antibodies were performed to compare the difference of the two methods in screening for LVI. The The relationship between LVI confirmed by cocktail antibody immunohistochemical staining and clinicopathological characteristics and overall survival (OS) of patients was analyzed. Results (1) The detection rates of cocktail antibody double immunohistochemical staining and HE staining for LVI were 42.9％ (57/133) and 21.8％ (29/133) with statistically significant difference (P < 0.001). (2) The presence of LVI confirmed by double staining was significantly associated with Dukes staging, depth of invasion, clinical stages, lymph node metastasis and tumor budding (P < 0.05). (3) The presence of LVI, the location and extent of LVI, and the number of tumor cells in thrombus ≥5.5 for cases with LVI ≤2 clusters, were significantly associated with OS (P < 0.05). Conclusion D2-40/CD34-CK cocktail antibodies double staining is superior to routine HE staining in assessing LVI. LVI is intimately associated with tumor stage, lymph nodes metastasis and tumor budding, and it is an independent prognostic factor for CRC patients. It should be a supplementary examination for these patients with insufficient lymph node harvest.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary vein (PV) occlusion generally depends on repetitive contrast agent injection when cryoballoon ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF). The present study was to compare the effect of cryoballoon ablation for AF guided by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) vs. contrast agent injection. METHODS: Eighty patients with paroxysmal AF (PAF) were enrolled in the study. About 40 patients underwent cryoballoon ablation without TEE (non-TEE group) and the other 40 underwent cryoballoon ablation with TEE for PV occlusion (TEE group). In the TEE group during the procedure, PVs were displayed in 3-dimensional images to guide the balloon to achieve PV occlusion. The patients were followed up at regularly scheduled visits every 2 months. RESULTS: No differences were identified between the groups in regard to the procedure time and cryoablation time for each PV. The fluoroscopy time (6.7 ± 4.2 min vs. 17.9 ± 5.9 min, P < 0.05) and the amount of contrast agent (3.0 ± 5.1 mL vs.18.1 ± 3.4 mL, P < 0.05) in the TEE group were both less than the non-TEE group. At a mean of 13.0 ± 3.3 mon follow-up, success rates were similar between the TEE group and non-TEE group (77.5% vs. 80.0%, P = 0.88). CONCLUSIONS Cryoballoon ablation with TEE for occlusion of the PV is both safe and effective. Less fluoroscopy time and a lower contrast agent load can be achieved with the help of TEE for PV occlusion during procedure.
Aged ; Atrial Fibrillation ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Contrast Media ; Cryosurgery ; methods ; Echocardiography, Three-Dimensional ; methods ; Echocardiography, Transesophageal ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pulmonary Veins ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome