Objective To explore the clinical and imaging features of phosphaturic mesenchymal tumor(PMT).Methods The clinical presentations,laboratory examinations,and imaging manifestations of seven patients with PMT diagnosed by surgery and pathology were analyzed retrospectively.Results Among the 7 patients,four patients had clinical presentations of long-term fatigue and bone pain.All patients showed preoperative blood phosphorus reduction in varying degrees.X-ray examination showed systemic osteomalacia and osteoporosis,accompanied by multiple pathological fractures.On CT,the primary tumor appeared as a soft tissue density mass or a ground glass high-density nodule with irregular calcification and local bone destruction.MRI showed long T1,long T2 signal intensity,and irregular low signal foci were scattered in the T2WI fat-suppressed sequence.The enhanced scans showed moderate to significant inhomogeneous enhancement.One patient who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT and two patients who underwent 18F-ALF-NOTA-Octreotide(18F-OC)PET/CT examinations showed varying degrees of radioactive concentration in the lesions.Conclusion The clinical presentations and laboratory examinations of patients with PMT have certain characteristics.Systemic osteomalacia with pseudofracture line,calcification matrix within the tumor,and significant inhomogeneous enhancement of the lesion are the key imaging features for diagnosing PMT.18F-OC PET/CT examination plays a crucial role in the systemic localization diagnosis of tumors.

OBJECTIVE: The study explores the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) at the governing vessel (GV) on proteomic changes in the hippocampus of rats with cognitive impairment. METHODS: Healthy male rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: sham, model and EA. Cognitive impairment was induced by left middle cerebral artery occlusion in the model and EA groups. Rats in the EA group were treated with EA at Shenting (GV24) and Baihui (GV20) for 7 d. Neurological deficit was scored using the Longa scale, the learning and memory ability was detected using the Morris water maze (MWM) test, and the proteomic profiling in the hippocampus was analyzed using protein-labeling technology based on the isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ). The Western blot (WB) analysis was used to detect the proteins and validate the results of iTRAQ. RESULTS: Compared with the model group, the neurological deficit score was significantly reduced, and the escape latency in the MWM test was significantly shortened, while the number of platform crossings increased in the EA group. A total of 2872 proteins were identified by iTRAQ. Differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified between different groups: 92 proteins were upregulated and 103 were downregulated in the model group compared with the sham group, while 142 proteins were upregulated and 126 were downregulated in the EA group compared with the model group. Most of the DEPs were involved in oxidative phosphorylation, glycolipid metabolism and synaptic transmission. Furthermore, we also verified 4 DEPs using WB technology. Although the WB results were not exactly the same as the iTRAQ results, the expression trends of the DEPs were consistent. The upregulation of heat-shock protein β1 (Hspb1) was the highest in the EA group compared to the model group. CONCLUSION EA can effect proteomic changes in the hippocampus of rats with cognitive impairment. Hspb1 may be involved in the molecular mechanism by which acupuncture improves cognitive impairment.
Rats ; Male ; Animals ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Electroacupuncture ; Proteomics ; Cognitive Dysfunction/therapy* ; Hippocampus

Background/Aims: Accumulating evidence indicates that L-carnitine (LC) protects against multiorgan damage through its antioxidant properties and preservation of the mitochondria. Little information is available about the effects of LC on renal fibrosis. This study examined whether LC treatment would provide renoprotection in a rat model of unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) and in vitro. Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats that underwent UUO were treated daily with LC for 7 or 14 days. The influence of LC on renal injury caused by UUO was evaluated by histopathology, and analysis of gene expression, oxidative stress, mitochondrial function, programmed cell death, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/ AKT/forkhead box protein O 1a (FoxO1a) signaling. In addition, H2O2-exposed human kidney cells (HK-2) were treated with LC. Results: LC treatment inhibited expression of proinflammatory and profibrotic cytokines, and was followed by a significant attenuation of tubulointerstitial inflammation and fibrosis. The increased oxidative stress caused by UUO was associated with mitochondrial dysfunction and excessive apoptosis and autophagy via PI3K/AKT/FoxO1a-dependent signaling, and this was abrogated by administration of LC. In H2O2-exposed HK-2 cells, LC decreased intracellular production of reactive oxygen species, and suppressed expression of profibrotic cytokines and reduced the number of apoptotic cells. Conclusions LC protects against the progression of tubulointerstitial fibrosis in an obstructed kidney.

Background/Aims: Cigarette smoking is an important modifiable risk factor in kidney disease progression. However, the underlying mechanisms for this are lacking. This study aimed to assess whether nicotine (NIC), a major toxic component of cigarette smoking, would exacerbates tacrolimus (TAC)-induced renal injury. Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were treated daily with NIC, TAC, or both drugs for 4 weeks. The influence of NIC on TAC-caused renal injury was examined via renal function, histopathology, oxidative stress, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and programmed cell death (apoptosis and autophagy). Results: Both NIC and TAC significantly impaired renal function and histopathology, while combined NIC and TAC treatment aggravated these parameters beyond the effects of either alone. Increased oxidative stress, ER stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, proinf lammatory and profibrotic cytokine expressions, and programmed cell death from either NIC or TAC were also aggravated by the two combined. Conclusions Our observations suggest that NIC exacerbates chronic TAC nephrotoxicity, implying that smoking cessation may be beneficial for transplant smokers taking TAC.

Tetanus consists of neonatal tetanus and non-neonatal tetanus. Non-neonatal tetanus remains a serious public health problem, although neonatal tetanus has been eliminated in China since 2012. Non-neonatal tetanus is a potential fatal disease. In the absence of medical intervention, the mortality rate of severe cases is almost 100%. Even with vigorous treatment, the mortality rate remains 30%-50% globally. These specifications aim to regulate non-neonatal tetanus diagnosis and treatment in China, in order to improve medical quality and safety. These specifications introduce the etiology, epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations and laboratory tests, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, grading and treatment of non-neonatal tetanus.

Tetanus consists of neonatal tetanus and non-neonatal tetanus.Non-neonatal tetanus remains a serious public health problem,although neonatal tetanus has been eliminated in China since 2012.Non-neonatal tetanus is a potential fatal disease.In the absence of medical intervention,the mortality rate of severe cases is almost 100％.Even with vigorous treatment,the mortality rate is still 30％-50％ globally.These specifications aim to regulate non-neonatal tetanus diagnosis and treatment in China,in order to improve medical quality and safety.These specifications introduce the etiology,epidemiology,pathogenesis,clinical manifestations and laboratory tests,diagnosis,differential diagnosis,grading and treatment of non-neonatal tetanus.

Tetanus consists of neonatal tetanus and non-neonatal tetanus. Although neonatal tetanus in China has been eliminated since 2012, non-neonatal tetanus remains a serious public health problem. Non-neonatal tetanus is a potential fatal disease, and the mortality rate of severe cases is almost 100% in the absence of medical intervention. Even with vigorous treatment, the mortality rate is still 30~50% globally. In order to standardize the diagnosis and treatment of non-neonatal tetanus in China, this specification is hereby formulated. This standard includes etiology, epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, laboratory tests, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, classification, grading and treatment of non-neonatal tetanus.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Evidence suggests that Shen-Kang (SK), a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, protects against various types of renal injury. In this study, we evaluated whether SK treatment confers renoprotection in a rat model of chronic tacrolimus (TAC) nephropathy. METHODS: Rats were treated daily with TAC (1.5mg/kg, subcutaneously) and SK (450 mg/kg, intravenously) for 4 weeks. The effects of SK on TAC-induced renal injury were assessed by measuring renal function, urine albumin excretion, histopathology, inflammatory cell infiltration, expression of profibrotic (transforming growth factor β1 [TGF-β1] and TGF-β inducible gene-h3 [βig-h3]) and proinflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress, and apoptotic cell death. RESULTS: Administration of SK preserved glomerular integrity (fractional mesangial area and Wilms tumor 1-positive glomeruli), attenuated tubulointerstitial fibrosis, and reduced the number of ectodermal dysplasia 1-positive cells, and this was paralleled by improved urine albumin excretion and renal dysfunction. At the molecular level, SK treatment suppressed expression of TGF-β1/Smad2/3, βig-h3, and proinflammatory cytokines. Oxidative stress and apoptotic cell death were significantly decreased with SK treatment, and apoptosis-related genes were regulated toward cell survival (active caspase-3 and the B-cell lymphoma-2/Bcl2-associated X [Bcl-2/Bax] ratio). CONCLUSIONS SK protects against TAC-induced renal injury.

BackgroundSeveral studies have investigated the association between smoking and anal abscess and anal fistula (AA/F) diseases. However, the relationship between cigarette smoking and AA/F remains unclear. This study sought to assess the role of smoking in anorectal male patients in a Chinese population.

MethodsIn this retrospective study, a questionnaire, including smoking history, was completed over a 3-month period by male inpatients in the Proctology Department of China-Japan Friendship Hospital. "Cases" were patients who had AA/F, and "controls" were patients with other anorectal complaints. Mann-Whitney U-test and Chi-square test were carried out to examine differences in baseline characteristics between groups. Subsequently, multivariate logistic regression was used to explore any related factors.

ResultsA total of 977 patients aged from 18 to 80 years were included, excluding those diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease or diabetes mellitus. Out of this total, 805 patients (82.4%) completed the entire questionnaire. Among the 805 patients, 334 (41.5%) were cases and 471 (58.5%) were controls. Results showed significant differences between cases and controls (χ = 205.2, P < 0.001), with smoking found to be associated with the development of AA/F diseases (odds ratio: 12.331, 95% confidence interval: 8.364-18.179, P < 0.001).

ConclusionsThis study suggested smoking to be a potential risk factor for the development of AA/F diseases in a Chinese population. Consequently, current smoking patients should be informed of this relationship, and further research should be conducted to explore and investigate this further.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Anus Diseases ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Odds Ratio ; Rectal Fistula ; epidemiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Smoking ; adverse effects ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult

Objective:To investigate the anti-proliferation effect of 4-(N)-stearoyl gemcitabine-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid nanoparticles(GemC18-PLGA-NPs) on Lewis lung cancer cells(LLC) in vitro.Methods: Lewis cells were incubated with GemC18-PLGA-NPs,free GemC18,gemcitabine HCl(GemHCl) or GemC18-free blank nanoparticles(PLGA-NPs) respectively and cell viability was determined using an MTT assay after 24,48 or 72 h of incubation.The apoptosis rate after 48 and 72 h of incubation were measured by flow cytometry.Results:GemC18-PLGA-NPs,GemC18,and GemHCl all significantly inhibited the growth of LLC cells, and the survival rate of GemHCl group was lowest,GemC18-PLGA-NPs group had the highest survival rate.The cell survival rate of GemC18-PLGA-NPs after 72 h was significantly higher than that of GemHCl (P<0.05) at the concentration of 1 μmol/L,indicating that it had a significant drug release effect.PLGA-NPs group produced trifle inhibition on the Lewis cells without correlation to time or concentration.Conclusion:GemC18-PLGA-NPs have significant anti-proliferation effect on mouse Lewis lung cancer cells in vitro.