ObjectiveTo analyze the difference in esophageal microbiome between the patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma （ESCC group） and the healthy controls （HC group）， and to screen out the characteristic bacteria in tumor tissues of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. MethodsEsophageal tissues were collected from 105 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and 54 healthy controls. The total DNA of the samples was extracted， and the 16S rDNA V4 region was amplified by PCR， followed by high-throughput sequencing. The data were subjected to OTU clustering and diversity analysis to screen the characteristic bacteria in the ESCC group. Finally， the screening results were to be verified by Q-PCR amplification. ResultsDiversity analysis showed that there were differences in diversity and composition between the ESCC group and the HC group. Species analysis showed that the main components of microbiome in the ESCC group were Fusobacterium， Gemella， Neisseria， Porphyromonas and Streptococcus. While in the HC group the main components of microbiome were Fusobacterium， Actinobacillus， Streptococcus and Prevotella. The LEfSe analysis showed that the expression of porphyrin and Fusobacteria in the ESCC group increased and the difference is statistically significant （P<0.05）. The results of Q-PCR showed that the presence of Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum in the ESCC group significantly increased. ConclusionsEsophageal cancer has its characteristic flora composition. Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma tumor tissue are the characteristic bacteria.

ObjectiveTo investigate the therapeutic effect of Xuebijing injection （XBJ） on sodium taurocholate （Na-Tc）-induced severe acute pancreatitis （SAP） in rats. MethodForty rats were randomly assigned into 5 groups： sham operation group， SAP model group， and low-， medium-， and high-dose （4， 8， 12 mL·kg·d^-1， respectively） XBJ groups. SAP model was established by retrograde injection of Na-Tc （1 mL·kg^-1） into the biliary and pancreatic ducts. XBJ was injected intraperitoneally 3 days before and 0.5 h after modeling. The ascitic fluid volume and the pancreas weight-to-body weight ratio were measured. The pathological changes of pancreatic tissue were observed via hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining. The protein levels of formyl peptide receptor 1 （FPR1） and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor 3 （NLRP3） in pancreatic tissue were detected by immunohistochemistry. Western blot was employed to determine the expression levels of NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase chains 1-6 （MT-ND1， MT-ND2， MT-ND3， MT-ND4， MT-ND5， and MT-ND6） in rat plasma. ResultCompared with sham operation group， the SAP model group showcased increased ascitic fluid volume and pancreas weight-to-body weight ratio （P<0.05）， serious lesions in pancreatic tissue， increased total pathological score （P<0.05）， and up-regulated protein levels of FPR1 and NLRP3 in pancreatic tissue （P<0.05）. The model group had lower MT-ND2 level （P<0.05） and higher MT-ND1， MT-ND3， and MT-ND6 levels in plasma （P<0.05） than the sham operation group， while MT-ND4 and MT-ND5 had no significant differences between the two groups. Compared with SAP model group， the XBJ treatment decreased ascitic fluid volume and pancreas weight-to-body weight ratio （P<0.01）， ameliorated pancreatic lesions， and down-regulated the protein levels of FPR1 and NLRP3 in pancreatic tissue （P<0.01）. The treatments， especially high-dose XBJ （P<0.01）， down-regulated the expression of MT-ND1 （P<0.01）， MT-ND3 （P<0.01）， MT-ND6 （P<0.01）， and MT-ND4 and did not change that of MT-ND5. ConclusionXBJ may antagonize partial mitochondrial N-formyl peptides and excessive inflammatory response mediated by FPR1/NLRP3 to treat SAP in rats.

Esophageal cancer is the most common malignant tumor of the digestive tract in China. At present, surgical resection is the main method to cure esophageal cancer. With the population and implementation of the enhanced recovery after surgery, perioperative physical therapy plays a more and more important role. This review discussed the necessity of preoperative cardiopulmonary function assessment in patients with esophageal cancer, the effects of preoperative respiratory training and aerobic exercise on optimizing physical fitness and reducing postoperative complications, and the content of early postoperative physical therapy. Preoperative cardiopulmonary function of esophageal cancer patients is not strongly related with the outcome, which may be related to the complexity of esophageal cancer surgery and the high incidence of postoperative complications. Preoperative inspiratory muscle exercise can improve the pulmonary function of patients to some extent, but still lack of large sample size research. Preoperative aerobic exercise for esophageal cancer can improve the patient's physical reserve and should be valued. Postoperative physiotherapy priorities includes pain management, chest physical therapy and early mobilization. Exercise prescriptions such as intensity and time for early mobilization are yet to be further studied.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effects of hand-transmitted vibration exposure on the finger vibratory and pain perception thresholds among drill workers in a gold mine. METHODS: By the judgement sampling method,134 male drill workers from a gold mine in the northern area of China were selected as the hand-transmitted vibration exposure group and102 fit-up workers without vibration exposure in the same mine were chosen as the control group. The finger vibratory perception thresholds,the pain perception thresholds and the occupational health examination were conducted and analyzed in these two groups. Based on the self-report with vibration-induced white finger( VWF),the workers of hand-transmitted vibration exposure group were divided into non-VWF subgroup( 105 workers) and VWF subgroup( 29 workers). RESULTS: The incidence of finger numbness,pain and self-reported white finger in the exposure group were significantly higher than those in the control group( P < 0. 05). Compared with the control group,the vibratory perception thresholds of the index finger,middle finger and ring finger of the right hand among the vibration exposure group workers were significantly higher( P < 0. 05),but there was no significant difference in the vibratory perception thresholds of the left ring finger between the two groups( P > 0. 05). The vibratory perception thresholds of both ring fingers,right index finger and right middle-finger in VWF subgroup were higher than those in control group( P < 0. 05). But no significant differences was found in the above 4 indexes in these two groups after compared to those of control group,respectively( P > 0. 05). The vibratory perception thresholds of left ring finger,right ring finger and right index finger in VWF subgroup were all higher than those in non-VWF subgroup( P < 0. 05),but the vibratory perception thresholds of right middle finger in these two groups showed no significant difference( P > 0. 05). The pain perception thresholds of index finger,middle finger and ring finger in both hands of the vibration exposure group workers were all higher than those in control group( P < 0. 05). The pain perception thresholds of middle finger and ring finger in both hands of the VWF subgroup and non-VWF subgroup were higher than those of control group( P < 0. 05). CONCLUSION: The hand-transmitted vibration can increase the thresholds of finger vibratory and pain perception in drill workers. The finger sensory perception examination could be used to assist the early detection of peripheral nerve damage induced by hand-transmitted vibration.

Hot-melt extrusion was applied to prepare mesoporous silica/ethylcellulose mini-matrix for sustained release, and fenofibrate was used as a model drug, ethylcellulose and xanthan gum were chosen as sustained-release agent and releasing moderator, respectively. This novel matrix obtained the controlled release ability by combining mesoporous silica drug delivery system and hot-melt extrusion technology. And mesoporous silica particle (SBA-15) was chosen as drug carrier to increase the dissolution rate of fenofibrate in this martix. Scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, small angle X-ray powder diffraction and N2 adsorption-desorption were introduced to determine the particle morphology, particle size and pore structure of the synthesized SBA-15. The results showed that SBA-15 had a very high Brunauer-Emmett-Teller specific surface area, a narrow pore size distribution, large pore volume and a ordered two-dimensional hexagonal structure of p6mm symmetry. Differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray powder diffraction results demonstrated that fenofibrate dispersed in an amorphous state inside the pores of the mesoporous silica which contributed to the improvement in the dissolution rate. The drug release of mini-matrices was influenced by ethylcellulose viscosity grades and xanthan gum concentration, which increased with the increasing of xanthan gum concentration and decreasing of ethylcellulose viscosity. Mini-matrix containing 22% xanthan gum exhibited a good sustained release performance, and the drug release behavior followed the first-order kinetics.
Adsorption ; Calorimetry, Differential Scanning ; Cellulose ; analogs & derivatives ; Delayed-Action Preparations ; Drug Carriers ; chemistry ; Particle Size ; Porosity ; Powder Diffraction ; Powders ; Silicon Dioxide ; Solubility ; X-Ray Diffraction

OBJECTIVETo compare the difference of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) levels in the urban air and the scores of Neonatal Behavioral Neurological Assessment (NBNA) between Taiyuan and Changzhi cities and to explore the effects of PAHs in the urban air during pregnancy on neonatal behavioral neurological development.

METHODSHigh-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with subsequent fluorescence detection was used to determine the PAHs levels in the cooperational hospitals in Changzhi and Taiyuan cities and the urinary 1-hydroxypyrene levels of the 297 pregnant women living Changzhi and Taiyuan cities during Nov. 2009 to May 2010. NBNA was used to determine the development of neonatal neural behavior. The differences of PAHs levels in the urban air, the pregnant women urinary 1-hydroxypyrene levels and NBNA scores between Taiyuan and Changzhi were compared.

RESULTSThere are significant differences of levels of pyrene, benz [a] anthracene, Chrysene, benz [a] pyrene, dibenz [a, h] anthracene in the urban air between Taiyuan and Changzhi (P < 0.10). The median of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene levels in pregnant women of Taiyuan was 1.140 microg/mmolCr, (P25 was 0.457 microg/mmolCr, P75 was 2.678 microg/mmolCr), the median of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene levels in pregnant women of Changzhi was 0.761 microg/mmolCr, (P25 was 0.133 microg/mmolCr, P75 was 2.095 microg/mmolCr). There are significant differences of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene levels in pregnant women between Taiyuan and Changzhi (t = -3.140, P = 0.002). There are significant differences of the NBNA scores, capacity scores, passive muscle tension scores, active muscle tension scores and general assessment scores between Taiyuan and Changzhi (P < 0.10). There was correlation between NBNA scores and urinary 1-hydroxypyrene level in pregnant women.

CONCLUSIONThe PAHs in the urban air during pregnancy may adversely affect the neonatal neurobehavioral development.

Air Pollutants ; adverse effects ; analysis ; urine ; Breast Feeding ; Child Development ; drug effects ; China ; Cities ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Maternal Exposure ; adverse effects ; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons ; adverse effects ; analysis ; urine ; Pregnancy

Adolescent ; Catecholamines ; secretion ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; Paraganglioma, Extra-Adrenal ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; Stomach Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the value of positron emission tomographic-computed tomographic scanning (PET/CT) in the diagnosis of mediastinal lymph node metastasis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer and the application of PET/CT in the clinical staging of NSCLC.

METHODSA hundred and fifty-eight patients with NSCLC undergoing surgical resection and mediastinoscopy received preoperative examinations with PET/CT. All the patients underwent mediastinal lymph node dissection or sampling, and the pathological results were compared with the imaging findings. The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and accuracy of CT and PET/CT were compared.

RESULTSFinal histology was available for 937 lymph node samples (N1, N2, and N3) from 158 patients during mediastinoscopy or surgical resection. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of CT for identifying mediastinal lymph node involvement were 51.0%, 76.1%, 49.0%, and 77.6%, respectively, with an diagnostic accuracy of 68.4%. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of PET/CT were 83.7%, 89.0%, 77.4%, and 92.4%, respectively, with a diagnostic accuracy of 87.3%.

CONCLUSIONMediastinoscopy is essential for patients with positive findings of mediastinal lymph node involvement by PET/CT, but might not be necessary in negative patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Male ; Mediastinoscopy ; Mediastinum ; diagnostic imaging ; Middle Aged ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVETo study the value of immunomarkers CXCL13, CD10, bcl-6 in pathologic diagnosis of angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL).

METHODSOne hundred and fifteen cases of AITL, 30 cases of peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified (PTCL, NOS) and 30 cases of reactive lymph nodes with paracortical hyperplasia (RH) encountered during the period from January, 1990 to January, 2008 were retrieved from the archival files of the Department of Pathology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, China. The morphologic features were reviewed and compared. Immunohistochemical study was performed by SP method for CXCL13, CD10, bcl-6, CD21, CD3epsilon, CD3, CD45RO, CD20 and Ki-67. TCR-gamma gene rearrangement study was also carried out.

RESULTSRegressed follicles were evident in 7.8% (9/115) of AITL cases, 6.7% (2/30) of PTCL, NOS cases and 83.3% (25/30) of RH cases, respectively. A marked increase of number of arborizing venules was shown in 98.3% (113/115) of AITL cases, 63.3% (19/30) of PTCL, NOS cases and 76.7% (23/30) of RH cases, respectively. In lymph nodes with paracortical hyperplasia, the expression of CXCL13, CD10 and bcl-6 were restricted to the germinal centers. In AITL, 96.5% (111/115) of cases showed CXCL13 expression, in contrast to 26.7% (8/30) of PTCL, NOS. Expression of CD10 and bcl-6 were found in the neoplastic cells in 50.4% (58/115) and 78.3% (90/115) of AITL, and 3.3% (1/30) and 3.3% (1/30) of PTCL, NOS, respectively. Irregular meshworks of CD21-positive follicular dendritic cells were found in all the AITL cases. Clonal TCR-gamma rearrangement was detected in 83% (83/100) of the AITL cases.

CONCLUSIONSAITL is a type of lymphoma originated from the follicular helper T cells. Detailed morphologic assessment and use of immunohistochemical markers are essential for accurate diagnosis.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Chemokine CXCL13 ; metabolism ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Gene Rearrangement, gamma-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor ; Humans ; Immunoblastic Lymphadenopathy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Lymph Nodes ; metabolism ; pathology ; Lymphoma, T-Cell, Peripheral ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neprilysin ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-6 ; metabolism ; Pseudolymphoma ; metabolism ; pathology

OBJECTIVESThe staging and treatment of multi-focal non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are controversial. This study evaluated the effectiveness of surgical treatment for the ipsilateral multi-focal NSCLC.

METHODSSixty-eight patients with multi-focal NSCLC underwent complete resection from December 1999 to December 2006. This series included 44 males and 24 females, with a mean age of 60.3 years old (range from 33 to 81 years old). Fifty-four patients had multiple nodules in primary lobe (T4) and 13 patients had additional nodules in non-primary lobe (M1), and a patient was proved to have synchronous primary NSCLC lesions. Surgical treatments included lobectomy in 53 cases, bilobectomy in 4 cases, pneumonectomy in 2 cases, and lobectomy combined with wedge resection in 9 cases.

RESULTSThe median overall survival time of this series was 30 months. Prognostic study demonstrated that mediastinal lymph node metastasis and bronchioloalveolar carcinoma histology had significant impact on overall survival. The median survival times were 39 months for patients with N0 and N1, and 14 months for patients with N2, respectively, and there was significant difference between the groups (P < 0.01). The difference in survival was significant between patients with bronchioloalveolar carcinoma components and other NSCLC histologic types (P < 0.01), and the median survival times were 46 months and 20 months, respectively.

CONCLUSIONSurgery could provide choice for multi-focal NSCLC patients (T4 and M1), especially for patients with bronchioloalveolar carcinoma components and without mediastinal lymph node metastasis.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; surgery ; Lymph Node Excision ; Male ; Mediastinum ; Middle Aged ; Pneumonectomy ; Survival Analysis ; Treatment Outcome