Objective To evaluate the reliability and validity and perform cost-consequence analysis of the brief version of the Montreal cognitive assessment(MoCA)for identifying cognitive impairment in a community-based population ≥50 years of age.Methods The internal consistency and retest reliability of the brief version of the MoCA were analyzed,and the area under the curve(AUC),sensitivity,and specificity were determined to discriminate mild cognitive impairment(MCI)and dementia with the clinical dementia rating(CDR)as the diagnostic criterion.The consistency between the brief version and the full version was analyzed by the Kappa test and the Bland-Altman method,and the number of individuals entering the diagnostic assessment and the overall assessment time were estimated and compared between the two versions.Results A total of 303 individuals were included in this study,of whom 192,94,and 17 had normal cognitive function,MCI,and dementia,respectively.The Cronbach's α and re-test coefficients of the brief version of MoCA were 0.754 and 0.711(P<0.001),respectively.The brief version showed the AUC,sensitivity,and specificity of 0.889,74.5%,and 93.8% for identifying MCI,and 0.994,100%,and 93.8% for identifying dementia,respectively.When the brief version of MoCA was used to identify 94 patients with MCI in 303 individuals,107 individuals required additional diagnostic assessment,with an overall assessment time of 142.4 h,which represented decreases of 21.3% and 32.7%,respectively,compared with those of the full version.When the brief version of MoCA was used to identify 17 patients with dementia in 303 individuals,35 individuals required additional diagnostic assessment,with an overall assessment time of 70.4 h,a decrease of 29.5% in the time cost compared with the full version.Conclusions The brief version of MoCA can identify cognitively impaired individuals in a community-based middle-aged and elderly population,with diagnostic validity comparable to that of the full version but less time cost and fewer individuals needing additional diagnostic assessment to detect true-positive cases.It could be expanded for use in the community-based primary screening setting.
Humans ; Aged ; Middle Aged ; Cognitive Dysfunction/diagnosis* ; Male ; Female ; Mental Status and Dementia Tests ; Reproducibility of Results ; Dementia/diagnosis* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cost-Benefit Analysis

OBJECTIVE: To clone the promoter sequence of acute monocytic leukemia new antigen gene.MLAA-34 and identify its promoter core region. METHODS: The full-length fragment of MLAA-34 gene promoter region was amplified by PCR, then was ligated into pGL3-Basic vector, and the recombinant plasmid was cloned. Constructed a series of MLAA-34 gene promoter 5' flanking region truncated plasmid. These recombinant plasmids were transfected into U937 and HEK293 cells, and the dual luciferase reporter gene was used to detect the promoter activity of each fragment to determine the minimum active region. Transcription factor binding sites were analyzed by bioinformatics methods. RESULTS: The recombinant plasmid containing MLAA-34 promoter sequence and its truncated plasmid were successfully constructed, and the promoter activity was significantly increased as compared with the empty vector (P＜0.001). The minimal active region of MLAA-34 located between 402 bp and 200 bp. It contained multiple transcription factor binding sites such as E2F1, MZF-1, SP1, USF2 and STAT3. CONCLUSION The promoter of luciferase reporter gene has been successfully constructed with different deletion fragments of MLAA-34, and its core promoter region may contain multiple transcription factor sequence.
Adult ; Antigens, Neoplasm ; genetics ; Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins ; genetics ; Cloning, Molecular ; Genes, Reporter ; HEK293 Cells ; Humans ; Leukemia, Monocytic, Acute ; genetics ; Luciferases ; Promoter Regions, Genetic

OBJECTIVETo explore the effectiveness and safety of combined chemotherapy with pegasparaginase (PEG-Asp) for treatment of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and T cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (T-NHL) patients.

METHODSA total of 62 ALL or T-NHL patients were diagnosed and treated in our department and were enrolled in this study. Among them, 22 patients received the combined chemotherapy with PEG-Asp, while the other 40 patients received the standard chemotherapy with L-asparaginase (L-Asp) as the control. Therapeutic effectiveness, adverse effects, duration and expense of hospitalization, treatment-related mortality and survival were evaluated and compared in 2 different groups.

RESULTSIn group of combined chemotherapy with PEG-Asp, the overall response rate was 90.91% (20 cases), among them CR rate and PR rate are 77.27% (17 cases) and 13.64% (3 cases), respectively. In the group of standard chemotherapy with L-Asp, the overall response rate was 87.5% (35 cases), among them CR rate and PR rate were 72.5% (29 cases) and 15% (6 cases), respectively. The difference neither between PEG-Asp and L-Asp chemotherapy groups nor between ALL and T-NHL subgroups was significant (P > 0.05). The 6-month and 12-month overall survival rates were not significantly different between the PEG-Asp and L-Asp chemotherapy groups, respectively (P > 0.05). The adverse effects were identified as degree 1-2 according to the WHO criteria of drug toxicity. Neither the adverse effects identified as degree 3-4 nor the treatment-related death were observed. Expect for allergy and hyperglycaemia, the difference of side-effect incidence between the two groups were not significant (P > 0.05). The treatment for all the patients in PEG-Asp chemotherapy group was completed, while the treatment with L-Asp was completed only in 29 cases. Moreover, both average duration and expense of hospitalization after the combined chemotherapy were less than the control.

CONCLUSIONWith higher response rate, lower drug toxicity and allergy incidence, the combined chemotherapy with PEG-Asp can replace the standard chemotherapy with L-Asp in the treatment of ALL and T-NHL. The optimization of the combined chemotheropeutic protocols for more cases and long-term survival rates need to further and deeply explorate.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Asparaginase ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Lymphoma, T-Cell ; drug therapy ; Polyethylene Glycols ; therapeutic use ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; drug therapy ; Survival Rate

Clinical breakpoints are used in phaseⅡorⅢclinical trials to categorize microorganisms if susceptibility to new tested antibacterial agents that means the patient infected by the pathogen will be enrolled the study or not.The role of this consensus is to define procedure and required data to setting breakpoints and how to revaluate it in clinical trials.

Adult ; Aged ; B-Lymphocytes ; pathology ; Female ; Gastric Mucosa ; pathology ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; complications ; epidemiology ; virology ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; complications ; epidemiology ; virology ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Liver ; pathology ; Lymphoma ; etiology ; pathology ; virology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Staining and Labeling

Objective To describe the single needle running suture method for the urethrovesi-cal anastomosis during laparoscopic radical prostatectomy(LRP). Methods Forty-five patients of prostate cancer underwent LRP with the single needle running suture method. The technique was initi-ated by performing a fixing suture at the posterior lip of bladder neck at 4 o' clock and tying the first knot. Another suture at the nearby position of the first suture was performed to leave the first knot outside. From 5 o' clock to 8 o' clock, sutures were performed every one o' clock to secure posterior approximation, then every two o'clock a suture. To avoid a loose anastomosis, lock sutures were per-formed every 3 sutures. After completing the full circumference, the needle was drawn at the 2 o' clock for the second knot. The needle was always driven full-thickness outside-in in the bladder neck and inside-out on the urethra. Any remaining leakage could be closed with additional interrupted su-tures. Results All urethrovesical anastomosis were completed successfully. The mean anastomosis time was 16 rain(from 12 to 25 min), and mean operative time was 132 rain (112 to 185 rain). The mean catheterization time was 9 d(7 to 14 d). Three temporal urinary leaks requiring prolonged cathe-terization were identified. Forty-four patients had total urinary control in 1 year postoperatively and no other short-term or persistent complication was found with a mean follow-up of 21 months. Conclu- sion The single needle running suture method could be a simple and safe method for urethrovesical anastomosis during LRP.

BACKGROUNDDetection of coronary microembolization is of clinical importance for patient management and prediction of long-term outcome. However, there are few studies of the changes of magnetic resonance imaging after coronary microembolization. This study was designed to investigate the imaging of the left ventricle using delayed contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging as well as the left ventricular ejection fraction after coronary microembolization in animal models.

METHODSEight miniswine, of either sex (body weight 21-25 kg), were used to make the coronary microembolization model. After coronary angiography, a 2.8F infusion catheter was placed in the left anterior descending artery with the tip located between the second and third diagonal branches. Microspheres with the diameter of 42 microm and mean dosage of 1.2 x 10(5) were selectively infused into the left anterior descending artery. First pass and stressed first pass perfusion scan were performed after cine images were acquired. Then a second bolus of 0.15 mmol/kg gadolinium DTPA was given at a rate of 2 ml/s. Ten minutes later, delayed contrast enhanced magnetic resonance images of the left ventricular wall were evaluated. Serum changes of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTSHypoenhancement was not observed at first pass perfusion at the anterior wall of the left ventricle. Hyperenhancements of the anterior-septal and anterior wall of the left ventricle was in evidence on delayed enhancement images 6 hours after microembolization and disappeared one week later. The characteristic change of coronary microembolization on delayed contrast enhanced magnetic imaging was non-enhanced regions within the hyperenhancement zone. Left ventricular ejection fraction measured by magnetic resonance imaging decreased significantly from 0.451 +/- 0.063 at baseline to 0.362 +/- 0.070 at the sixth hour (P < 0.01), and recovered to 0.431 +/- 0.053 one week later (P < 0.01 vs 6th hour). Compared with baseline values, the left ventricular end systolic volume enlarged significantly at 6th hour and at one week after microembolization (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01 respectively). Serum TNF-alpha increased significantly at 6th hour (22.62 +/- 6.96) pg/ml compared with baseline (16.83 +/- 3.45) pg/ml (P < 0.05) and it further increased to (27.44 +/- 3.97) pg/ml at one week after coronary microembolization and was significantly higher than that at baseline (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSOn delayed contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging, hyperenhancement of the anterior-septal and anterior wall of the left ventricle show at 6th hour but not at one week after coronary microembolization. This might represent the characteristic imaging after coronary microembolization. The left ventricular ejection fraction decreased at 6th hour and recovered one week later after coronary microembolization. Although impairment of left ventricular function could be recovered at 1 week after coronary microembolization, the left ventricular remodeling process still continued in concert with continuously elevation of serum TNF-alpha.

Animals ; Contrast Media ; Coronary Angiography ; Embolization, Therapeutic ; methods ; Female ; Hemodynamics ; Image Enhancement ; methods ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Male ; Swine ; Ventricular Function, Left

The single needle method for urethrovesical anastomosis with strengthened posterior fixation during laparoscopic radical prostatectomy was explored. The method was initiated by performing a fixing suture with a knot at 4 o'clock of the posterior lip of bladder neck,and another suture at nearby position was performed to leave the knot outside. From 5 o'clock to 8 o'clock,sutures were performed every one o'clock to secure posterior approximation,then every two o'clock a suture.To avoid a loose anastomosis,lock sutures were performed every 3 sutures. The needle was always driven full-thickness outside-in in the bladder neck and inside-out on the urethra. After completing the full circumference,the needle was drawn near the 4 o'clock and tied at the tail end. Any leakage could be closed with additional interrupted sutures. The clinical data of 89 patients who underwent this method were retrospectively compared with those of 23 patients who underwent the single knot method. The results showed that the anastomosis,operative and catheterization time was 17.6±4.7min,134.0±10.7 min and 6.5±1.6 days respectively. There were 3 temporal urinary leakages identified in 89 cases requiring prolonged catheterization. No urinary leak and anastomotic stricture was confirmed,and 95.2% patients had total urinary control. It was concluded that this method was simple and safe for urethrovesical anastomosis.

The single needle method for urethrovesical anastomosis with strengthened posterior fixation during laparoscopic radical prostatectomy was explored. The method was initiated by performing a fixing suture with a knot at 4 o'clock of the posterior lip of bladder neck, and another suture at nearby position was performed to leave the knot outside. From 5 o'clock to 8 o'clock, sutures were performed every one o'clock to secure posterior approximation, then every two o'clock a suture. To avoid a loose anastomosis, lock sutures were performed every 3 sutures. The needle was always driven full-thickness outside-in in the bladder neck and inside-out on the urethra. After completing the full circumference, the needle was drawn near the 4 o'clock and tied at the tail end. Any leakage could be closed with additional interrupted sutures. The clinical data of 89 patients who underwent this method were retrospectively compared with those of 23 patients who underwent the single knot method. The results showed that the anastomosis, operative and catheterization time was 17.6+/-4.7 min, 134.0+/-10.7 min and 6.5+1.6 days respectively. There were 3 temporal urinary leakages identified in 89 cases requiring prolonged catheterization. No urinary leak and anastomotic stricture was confirmed, and 95.2% patients had total urinary control. It was concluded that this method was simple and safe for urethrovesical anastomosis.

Objective To study the endoscopic anatomical structures in retroperitoneal space and to share experiences of retroperitoneoscopic radical nephrectomy. Methods Between January 2006 and March 2008, a total of 85 patients underwent retroperitoneoscopic radical nephrectomy. Thirty-eight tumors were on the left kidney and 47 on the right side. The mean tumor size was 5.5± 1.7 cm in diameter (2.5 to 10.5 cm). There were 74 cases in clinical stage T1N0M0 and 11 cases in T2N0M0. Following the principle of radical nephrectomy outside the renal fascia, the whole surgical procedure was performed along "2 spaces" and "2 poles". The ventral attachment of the kidney was dissected in anterior pararenal space between peritoneum and anterior renal fascia. The dorsal attachment was dissected in anterior psoas space between posterior renal fascia and psoas fascia. The cepha-lic attachment was dissected up to the subdiaphragmatic and down to iliac fosse. During the proce-dure, important anatomic structures such as parietal peritoneum and its reflexion, anterior renal fasci-a, lateroeonal fascia, posterior renal fascia, psoas muscles, greatvessels and their branches were care-fully identified. Results One case was converted to open surgery because of severe and extensive ad-hesion of the right kidney to the adjacent tissues. The other 84 procedures were successfully comple-ted. The median operative time was 65 rain (range 50 to 165 min) and median estimated blood loss was 58 ml (range 25 to 600 ml). Of all operations, peritoneum perforation occurred in 5 cases and small vessel injuries around renal pedicles were observed in 6 cases. Major complication such as great vessel injury was not observed. Mean follow-up of all 85 patients was 10 months (range 2 to 25 months). No local recurrence and port site tumor seeding was found. Conclusion During retrope-ritoneoscopic radical nephrectomy, studying anatomical features of renal area and recognizing impor-tant anatomic structures will help to improve the safety of the surgery and reduce morbidities.