Objective To evaluate the clinical effect of splenic internal jugular shunt for Budd Chiari Syndrome (BCS). Methods A retrospective analysis was made on the clinical data of 21 patients of BCS who underwent this operation. Results There was no death in 21 patients receiving this operation, The average post operative reduction of FPP was 0.97Kpa.2 suffered postoperative lung infection . Abdominal incision infection occurred in one patient. Tweenty cases were followed up for one month to forty five months. Lower extremity varicose veins and abdomen wall varicose veins basically disappeared a month postoperatively; ascites vanished completely 3 months postoperatively,and lower limb ulcer healed 6 months postoperatively. Seventeen patients followed by CDFI showed that no thrombus was found in their artificial vessel. Barium meal studies in 12 cases displayed that oesophageal varicose veins had basically disappeared during the follow up period. Conclusions Splenic jugular shunt bridged by artifical vessel is safe,effective and less traumatic for patients with type III and some patients with type II Budd Chiari syndrome. It is currently the best choice for treatment of BCS.

BACKGROUNDGrowing preclinical evidence shows that zoledronic acid (ZOL) exhibits direct antitumor activity in various cancer cell lines. However, the cytotoxic effects of ZOL on human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells have not been established. In the present study, we investigated the effect of ZOL on HCC both in vitro and in vivo.

METHODSCytotoxicity and cell cycles were assessed with Sulforhodamine B colorimetric assay and flow cytometry. Expression levels of cell cycle phase-linked proteins were examined. The effect of ZOL on HCC in vivo was explored based on H22-subcutaneous injection (s.c.) and H22-intraperitoneal injection (i.p.) mice model.

RESULTSZOL inhibited the growth of SK-HEP-1 and H22 cells and induced S-phase arrest through downregulating cdc2 protein and upregulating cyclin A. It inhibited the growth of s.c tumors, and increased the survival of both H22-s.c. and H22-i.p. mice in vivo.

CONCLUSIONZOL inhibits growth of HCC cells in vitro and in vivo.

Animals ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Diphosphonates ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Imidazoles ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Liver Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Mice ; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

OBJECTIVETo investigate the characteristic findings of autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) to increase the recognition of AIP.

METHODSFrom February 2002 to April 2008, a total of 14 cases of AIP were reviewed by clinical, imaging, serologic, histopathologic features and treatment response. There were 13 male and 1 female, with a mean age of 53 years. The main clinical manifestations included progressive obstructive jaundice in 11 cases, upper abdomen pain in 3 cases.

RESULTSDiffuse enlargement of pancreas and diffuse narrowing of the main pancreatic duct (MPD) were observed in 11 cases, while 3 patients showed localized pancreatic head enlargement and focal narrowing of the MPD. Distal common bile duct stenosis was found in all cases. Increased expression of serum immunoglobulin G was found in 7 patients. Autoantibody test was positive in 5 of 12 patients. Nine of 14 patients with AIP had extrapancreatic organ involvement. Massive lymphocytes and plasma cells infiltration in pancreatic tissues were showed on pathology, as well as parenchymal fibrosis. Seven earlier patients were treated initially with surgical laparotomy or resection for suspected malignancy. Steroid therapy was given to the other patients and was responsive. There were 4 recurrences after initial treatment.

CONCLUSIONAIP should be a differential diagnosis in pancreatic head mass in order to avoid unnecessary resection.

Adult ; Aged ; Autoimmune Diseases ; diagnosis ; pathology ; therapy ; Constriction, Pathologic ; pathology ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreas ; pathology ; Pancreatic Ducts ; pathology ; Pancreatitis ; diagnosis ; pathology ; therapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

Objective · To explore the prognostic factors for postoperative radiotherapy for patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and the effects of lymph nodes metastasis status on the survival of patients and failure modes of treatment. Methods · Data of 121 patients with locally advanced ESCC who underwent radical resection and postoperative radiotherapy from 2006 to 2013 were collected. The overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were calculated using Kaplan-Meier. Univariate analysis and multivariate analysis were performed to investigate prognostic factors with the log-rank test and the Cox regression model. The differences in OS and recurrence patterns between patients with different lymph node metastasis status were compared. Results · The median DFS of all patients was 22.57 months and median OS was 32.90 months.Multivariate analysis showed that KPS score, length of lesion, and positive lymph nodes ratio (pLNR) were independent prognostic factors for DFS and OS. For patients with positive lymph nodes, the median DFS of patients with pLNR ≤ 0.15 and pLNR>0.15 were 33.43 and 19.20 months (P=0.04).Patients without nodal skip metastasis (NSM) had better median OS than patients with NSM, but the difference was not statistically significant. OS was significantly worse in patients with pLNR>0.15 and NSM than in other patients with positive lymph nodes (median OS of 14.33 vs 32.50 months, P=0.02).pLNR had a better prognostic value for OS than the number of positive lymph nodes (AUC=0.673, P=0.04). Analysis of the failure patterns showed that more distant metastases were observed in patients with pLNR>0.15, while more local and regional recurrences were observed in patients with pLNR ≤ 0. 15. Conclusion · The status of lymph nodes metastasis is associated with the prognosis of postoperative radiotherapy for patients with locally advanced ESCC. pLNR has a better prognostic value for OS for patients with positive lymph nodes. The recurrence pattern varies in patients with different pLNR after postoperative radiotherapy. The patients with high pLNR and NSM have poor prognosis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of reinioside C (RC) on the expression of lectin-like oxidized low density lipoprotein receptor (LOX)-1 mRNA and LOX-1 protein induced by oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). METHODS: HUVECs were cultured with ox-LDL (50 mg/L) for 24 h in the absence or presence of RC (1, 3, and 10 micromol/L). The expressions of LOX-1 mRNA and LOX-1 protein were examined by RT-PCR and Western-blot. RESULTS: Incubation with ox-LDL (50 mg/L) significantly raised the expression of LOX-1 mRNA and LOX-1 protein,which was concentration-dependent. CONCLUSION RC can inhibit the increased expression of LOX-1 mRNA and LOX-1 protein induced by ox-LDL in HUVECs.
Cells, Cultured ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Endothelium, Vascular ; Humans ; Lipoproteins, LDL ; pharmacology ; Polygala ; chemistry ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Receptors, LDL ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Saponins ; pharmacology ; Umbilical Veins ; cytology ; metabolism

OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship between the nitroglycerin tolerance and the stimulation of radical oxygen species (ROS) production, and the therapeutical effect of 3,4,5,6-tetrahydroxyxanthone. METHODS: Vasodilator responses to nitroglycerin were examined in the isolated thoracic aorta. The contents of ROS,and cGMP were determined in the cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells. RESULTS: 3,4,5,6-tetrahydroxyxanthone could significantly reduce the inhibition of relaxation by nitroglycerin. 3,4,5,6-tetrahydroxyxanthone could significantly inhibit the ROS increase and increase the cGMP level. CONCLUSION Nitroglycerin tolerance is associated with the stimulation of ROS production,and the reversal of nitroglycerin tolerance with 3,4,5,6-tetrahydroxyxanthone is related to the reduction of ROS.
Animals ; Antioxidants ; pharmacology ; Aorta, Thoracic ; cytology ; Cells, Cultured ; Drug Tolerance ; Endothelium, Vascular ; cytology ; Humans ; Male ; Nitroglycerin ; pharmacology ; Oxidative Stress ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism ; Umbilical Veins ; cytology ; Xanthones ; pharmacology

Abstract: Objective To investigate the current status of streptomycin resistance of Yersinia pestis caused by point mutations of rpsL gene in Qinghai, so as to provide theoretical basis for precise clinical medication and prevention of drug resistance of human plague outbreak in South area of Qinghai Province in the future. Methods A total of 104 representative strains of Yersinia pestis collected from plague patients, vector insects and intermediate hosts in South area of Qinghai Province from 1957 to 2009 were screened, isolated and cultured by Hiss agar plates. The DNA of representative Yersinia pestis was extracted by sodium dodecyl sulfate lysis and phenol-chloroform method. The primers forward primer and reverse primer and TaqMan-MGB probes probe1 [FAM] and probe2 [VIC] were designed for the rpsL gene of streptomycin resistance gene in China. Real-time PCR with TaqMan-MGB fluorescent probe was used to detect the mutations of rpsL gene in streptomycin resistance locus of 104 strains of Yersinia pestis in South area of Qinghai Province. Results The FAM test results of 104 strains in South area of Qinghai Province were positive, corresponding to the detection of rpsL (128 : A ), RFU peak >1 000,negative <200. VIC test results of all tested strains were negative, corresponding to the detection of rpsL (128:G), RFU peak <200, positive >1 000. That is, no strains with rpsL gene mutation related to streptomycin resistance were found in the 104 strains of Yersinia pestis in Qingnan Province. Conclusion This study provides basic data on the distribution of streptomycin resistance of Yersinia pestis in South area of Qinghai Province, and lays a foundation for preventing the occurrence of drug resistance and clinical treatment of Yersinia pestis in South area of Qinghai Province.

Objective To establish a sensitive and specific RP-HPLC method for determination caderofloxacin concentration in healthy human plasma. Methods Human plasma with internal standard was precipitated by perchloric acid. The separation was analyzed in gradient elution system and the detection wave was 286 nm. Results The linear range of pseudoephedrine was 0.1 ～ 10. 0 mg · L-1. The relative re-covery were within 96.41% ～ 109.52%. The within - day and the be-tween day RSD were all less than 15%. After single infusion cadero-floxacin of 400 mg/3 h in two healthy volunteers. It was found to be fit-ted to a two - compartment open model and its pharmacokinetic param-eters were as follows: Cmaxwas, 3.39, 4.04 mg·L-1, AUC0-t was 32.35,28.26 mg · h·L-1, t1/2β was 7.74,6.73 h, respectively.Conclusion The method is accurate, convenient, sensitive, specific,and was suitable for the study of clinical pharmacokinetics.

Pharmaco-metabonomics can predict the outcome of a drug or xenobiotic intervention in an individual based on a mathematical model of pre-intervention metabolite signatures.Its main objective is to find disease-related biomarkers or biomarkers group with individual differ-ences and on behalf of individual metabolism.Pharmaco-metabonomics will play an important role in drug safety evaluation and individualized therapy.

AIMTo develop a method for assessing sperm function by measuring released acrosin activity during the acrosome reaction (AR).

METHODSHuman semen samples were obtained from 24 healthy donors with proven fertility after 3-7 days of sexual abstinence. After collection, samples were liquefied for 30 min at room temperature. Standard semen parameters were evaluated according to World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. Calcium ionophore A23187 and progesterone (P4) were used to stimulate the sperm to undergo AR. After treatment, sperm were incubated with the supravital dye Hoechst33258, fixed in a glutaraldehyde-phosphate-buffered saline solution, and the acrosomal status was determined by fluorescence microscopy with fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled Pisum sativum agglutinin (FITC-PSA). The percentage of sperm undergoing AR (AR%) was compared to sperm acrosin activities as assessed by spectrocolorimetry. The correlation between AR% and acrosin activity was determined by statistical analysis.

RESULTSThe AR% and released acrosin activity were both markedly increased with A23187 and P4 stimulation. Sperm motility and viability were significantly higher after stimulation with P4 versus stimulation with A23187 (P < 0.001). There was a significant positive correlation between released acrosin activity and AR% determined by FITC-PSA staining (r=0.916, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONSpectrocolorimetric measurement of released acrosin activity might serve as a reasonable alternative method to evaluate AR.

Acrosin ; physiology ; Acrosome Reaction ; Adult ; China ; Humans ; Male ; Progesterone ; pharmacology ; Semen ; drug effects ; physiology ; Sperm Motility ; drug effects ; physiology