Objective To study the ultrasonographic characteristics of Wilms′tumor (WT), aims at elevating the diagnostic level.Methods We retrospectively studied sonographic features in 30 cases of WT proved by operation and pathology.Results The tumors with heterogeneous pattern of solid and cystic tissue were shown in 22 cases.Seven cases demonstrate predominantly echogenic tumor. A huge cystic mass with numerous septas was shown in 1 case. The tumor extended into renal pelvis in 4, into renal vine in 1.The tumor metastasized to lymphnod in 1, to bilateral lungs in 1. Among 30 cases, the tumor was huge and grew beyond the renal profile in 26 cases, in 3 cases the tumors took up the renal sinus and made its structure turbulence, the renal shape was approximately normal.One case was extrarenal WT,the tumor located in retroperitonemu.Conclusions Sonographically, typical WT is a large heterogeneous mass within or without cystic areas, it also can be a pure cyst. It is easy to diagnose. When the tumor is limited to renal outline, it is easy to confusion with renal cancer. In addition, there are bilateral WT and extrarenal WT. The sonographic characteristics is similar among WT, clear cell sarcoma of kidney, malignant rhabdoid tumor and congenital mesoblastic nephroma. It is difficult to distinguish them from ultrasonography.

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of Jianpi Qinghua Recipe (JQR) on renal functions of adriamycin-induced focal segmental glomerular sclerosis (FSGS) rats from the angle of activating fibroblasts to myofibroblast (MyoF).

METHODSTotally 56 rats were randomly divided into the normal control group (n=8), the sham-operation group (n =8), and the model group (n=40). The FSGS rat model was induced by nephrectomy of left kidney plus intravenous injection of adriamycin. Successfully modeled rats were further divided into 5 groups, i.e., the model group, the JQR group, the JPR (Jianpi Recipe) group, the QHR (Qinghua Recipe) group, and the NDQ (Niaoduqing) group, 8 in each group. Corresponding drugs were administered to rats in all groups, 2 mL each time, for 56 days. The effect of JQR on serum creatinine (SCr), urea nitrogen, 24-h urinary protein excretion, a-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) mRNA, collagen type III (Col III) mRNA, fibronectin (FN) mRNA, and collagen type IV (Col IV) mRNA were observed.

RESULTSJQR could significantly lower SCr, urea nitrogen, and 24-h urinary protein excretion levels (P < 0.01), and significantly decrease mRNA levels of alpha-SMA, Col III, FN, and Col IV (P < 0.01). It was advantageous over the NDQ group. Compared with JPR, the relative expression levels of Col III mRNA and FN mRNA of JQR and QHR were significantly lower (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSJQR could improve the renal function and renal fibrosis in the adriamycin-induced nephropathic model rats. Its efficacy was superior to that of NDQ. Its mechanisms might be linked with inhibiting activation of fibroblasts.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Doxorubicin ; toxicity ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Fibrosis ; Kidney ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Kidney Diseases ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis ; drug therapy ; Phytotherapy ; methods

Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetic Neuropathies ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Inventions

Agriculture ; Humans ; Occupational Exposure ; adverse effects ; analysis ; Radiation Dosage ; Radon ; adverse effects ; analysis ; Seasons

OBJECTIVETo study the anti-immune inflammation efficacy and toxicity of Tripterygium wilfordii decoction, in order to provide experimental basis for studies on its "efficacy-toxicity" correlation.

METHODThe delayed hypersensitivity model was established by dinitrofluorobenzene in mice. Different doses of T. wilfordii decoction was administered for 5 consecutive days. The ear swelling inhibition ratio and the toxic action were observed. After the final administration, the biochemical indexes of PGE2, TNF-α, IL-2, ALT, AST, PA, TBA, TBIL in serum were detected, and the visceral indexes of heart, liver, spleen and kidney were measured.

RESULTThe DNFB-induced ear swelling could be notably inhibited by multiple oral administration of T. wilfordii decoction, with the ED50 and its 95% confidence limit of 0.34 (0.21-0.42) g x kg(-1). The contents of PGE2, TNF-α, IL-2 in serum decreased in a dose-dependent manner. The activities of serum AST, ALT, TBA, TBIL and the PA content reduced.

CONCLUSIONT. wilfordii decoction shows a significant anti-immune inflammation efficacy within the dosage range between 0.59 and 2.34 g x kg(-1) in a dose-dependent manner. With a certain hepatotoxicity, high dose (2.34-4.68 g x kg(-1)) of T. wilfordii decoction can cause substantial liver injury, with a dose dependence in liver function index. Therefore, the efficacy and toxicity of T. wilfordii is dose dependent, which provides reference for preventing adverse drug reactions in clinic and developing early-warning schemes and ensure the clinical medication safety of T. wilfordii.

Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Drug Dosage Calculations ; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Edema ; drug therapy ; genetics ; immunology ; Humans ; Interleukin-2 ; genetics ; immunology ; Male ; Mice ; Tripterygium ; chemistry ; toxicity ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; genetics ; immunology

PcoI-PcoR is a quorum-sensing (QS) system influencing the biofilm formation and rhizosphere colonization in Pseudomonas fluorescens 2P24. The expression of the pcoI, a N-acyl-homoserne lactone (AHL) biosynthase gene, is under the regulation of a number of chromosomal factors, such as the GacS-GacA two-component system. In this paper, we investigated the upstream regulators that influence the transcription of pcoI gene using a chromosomal pcoI-lacZ fusion reporter strain PM203. Cosmids containing genomic DNA of the wild-type strain 2P24 were introduced into the reporter strain PM203 (gacA—, pcoI-lacZ) to screen positive transcriptional regulators of pcoI gene. One of them named pP32-24, which contained a 5-kb Pst I functional fragment was selected. Further analysis identified that the pcoI was the gene responsible for the increase of the pcoI-lacZ expression. The expression of pcoI-lacZ reporter was alsoimproved in both PM101 (pcoI-lacZ) and its gacAmutant PM203 after addition of exogenous AHL, indicating that the expression of pcoI is positively regulated by AHL (autoinduction) in strain 2P24. In addition, deletion mutagenesis and complementation experiments demonstrated that the transcriptional regulator PcoR positively controlled the expression of pcoI and the formation of biofilm. These results suggest that, in strain 2P24, the expression of PcoI-PcoR QS system is auto-inducted, and the transcriptional factor PcoR is involved in the regulation of pcoI transcription and the biofilm formation.

Objective To summarize the sonographic characteristics of Peutz-Jeghers syndrome in children and investigate the diagnostic value of ultrasound.Methods Retrospective analysis of sonographic characteristics of 19 cases with pathologically-confirmed Peutz-Jeghers syndrome were conducted.ResultsExcept for one child,other 18 patients all had more than one polyp with the maximum of sixteen.The polyp with the smallest size of 0.8 cm×0.5 cm×0.8 cm was found in left colic flexure,while the largest one was found in superior rectal with a measurement of 7.6 cm×2.7 cm×3.6 cm.The polyps showed radiatiform echotexture.And hypoechoic and hyperechoic components were present alternately.Blood flow was easily identified within these polyps by color Doppler sonography.Intussusceptions were observed in 11/19 patients.Among them,10 cases were located at small intestine.The sonographic finding was a concentric structure with a polyp at the top.Conclusions The sonographic appearence of Peutz-Jeghers syndrome is characteristic.Before surgery,ultrasonographic examination could achieve a accurate diagnosis for Peutz-Jeghers syndrome.

Objective To describe the sonographic appearance of mesenchymal hamartoma of the liver(MHL)and to analyze the diagnostic value of ultrasound.Methods Eleven surgically and pathologically confirmed cases of MHL from January 2005 to May 2011 in the Beijing Children′s Hospital were retrospectively reviewed.Results Ultrasound examinations showed 9 cystic hamartomas,including 7 multiseptate cystic and 2 monocystic lesions.Of the 7 multiseptate cystic hamartomas,4 had a honeycomb appearance and 3 had irregularly-distributed multiple cysts with varied septations.Of the 2 monocystic hamartomas,1 had a large cystic portion while the other was mainly solid with approximately 4% cystic portion of the tumor.Two cases in this group were solid,presenting with a well-defined homogenous mass.Conclusions Ultrasonography is an effective imaging modality for the diagnosis for MHL.A mixed or a mainly-cystic liver mass found in a child less than 2 years old should be suspicious for MHL.

Objective To explore effect of probiotics on improving the feeding intolerance in very low birth weight infants(VLBWI). Methods Sixty cases of VLBWI were randomly divided into two groups, 30 infants as therapy group,another 30 infants as control group.All infants in two groups were given aggressive intravenous nutrition and enteral feeding with preterm formulars. At the same time, probiotics were administered combined with preterm formulars to infants in therapy group. Milk amount, gastric residual, initial time of enteral feeding, time required for full enteral feeding and body weight on day 21 after birth were all recorded.Results Rate of no gastric residual increased significantly in therapy group compared with that of control group(t=6.24 P