Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis of chromosome 12p in paraffin-embedded tissue is useful for establishing germ cell origin of metastatic tumors.

The over-representation of chromosome 12p sequences is crucial for the development of invasive testicular germ cell tumors. Testicular cancer patients may have metastatic tumors of diverse histologic types, including adenocarcinoma, undifferentiated carcinoma, sarcoma, or other malignancies that lack features of germ cell tumors. We sought to investigate the possible germ cell origin of such tumors using interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization. In all, 10 metastatic malignant somatic-type tumors from patients with histories of testicular cancer, as well as one malignant somatic-type tumor from a patient with primary mediastinal germ cell tumor were studied and included: adenocarcinoma (five cases), poorly differentiated carcinoma (one), sarcoma (four), and neuroendocrine carcinoma (one). The tumors were analyzed using fluorescence in situ hybridization using 12p spectrum green and 12 centromeric spectrum orange probes in paraffin sections. The patients ranged in age from 27 to 55 years (mean, 43). Colon and lung cancers from patients without germ cell tumors were used as controls. Adequate signals were observed in all tumors. Gain of chromosome 12p was seen in six tumors. None of the control tumors showed 12p amplification. Fluorescence in situ hybridization for 12p amplification in routinely processed surgical specimens is a useful adjuvant diagnostic tool in confirming the germ cell origin of metastatic tumors having the histologic appearance of somatic-type neoplasms.     

Septal-lateral annnular cinching perturbs basal left ventricular transmural strains.

OBJECTIVE: Septal-lateral annular cinching ('SLAC') corrects both acute and chronic ischemic mitral regurgitation in animal experiments, which has led to the development of therapeutic surgical and interventional strategies incorporating this concept (e.g., Edwards GeoForm ring, Myocor Coapsys, Ample Medical PS3). Changes in left ventricular (LV) transmural cardiac and fiber-sheet strains after SLAC, however, remain unknown. METHODS: Eight normal sheep hearts had two triads of transmural radiopaque bead columns inserted adjacent to (anterobasal) and remote from (midlateral equatorial) the mitral annulus. Under acute, open chest conditions, 4D bead coordinates were obtained using videofluoroscopy before and after SLAC. Transmural systolic strains were calculated from bead displacements relative to local circumferential, longitudinal, and radial cardiac axes. Transmural cardiac strains were transformed into fiber-sheet coordinates (X(f), X(s), X(n)) oriented along the fiber (f), sheet (s), and sheet-normal (n) axes using fiber (alpha) and sheet (beta) angle measurements. Results: SLAC markedly reduced (approximately 60%) septal-lateral annular diameter at both end-diastole (ED) (2.5+/-0.3 to 1.0+/-0.3 cm, p=0.001) and end-systole (ES) (2.4+/-0.4 to 1.0+/-0.3 cm, p=0.001). In the LV wall remote from the mitral annulus, transmural systolic strains did not change. In the anterobasal region adjacent to the mitral annulus, ED wall thickness increased (p=0.01) and systolic wall thickening was less in the epicardial (0.28+/-0.12 vs 0.20+/-0.06, p=0.05) and midwall (0.36+/-0.24 vs 0.19+/-0.11, p=0.04) LV layers. This impaired wall thickening was due to decreased systolic sheet thickening (0.20+/-0.8 to 0.12+/-0.07, p=0.01) and sheet shear (-0.15+/-0.07 to -0.11+/-0.04, p=0.02) in the epicardium and sheet extension (0.21+/-0.11 to 0.10+/-0.04, p=0.03) in the midwall. Transmural systolic and remodeling strains in the lateral midwall (remote from the annulus) were unaffected. CONCLUSIONS: Although SLAC is an alluring concept to correct ischemic mitral regurgitation, these data suggest that extreme SLAC adversely effects systolic wall thickening adjacent to the mitral annulus by inhibiting systolic sheet thickening, sheet shear, and sheet extension. Such alterations in LV strains could result in unanticipated deleterious remodeling and warrant further investigation.     

The adverse effect of treatment prolongation in cervical cancer by high-dose-rate intracavitary brachytherapy.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The potential risk of prolongation of treatment time in cervical cancer has been reported for many low-dose rate (LDR) studies, with an estimated loss of local control ranging from 0.3 to 1.6% per day of treatment prolongation. Since the treatment schedule for fractionated high-dose rate intracavitary brachytherapy (HDRICB) is not directly comparable with that for low-dose rate studies, this report aims to evaluate the adverse effect of treatment prolongation specifically for cervical cancer treated with HDRICB. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From September 1992 to December 1997, 257 patients diagnosed with uterine cervical cancer (35 Ib, 26 IIa, 122 IIb, 10 IIIa, 57 IIIb, 7 IVa), who underwent external radiotherapy combined with between two and four courses of HDRICB and a minimum of 3 years of follow-up (median 57 months), were analyzed. Treatment consisted of irradiation of the whole pelvis with 44-45 Gy consisting of 22-25 fractions by 5 weeks, with the dose boosted to 54-58 Gy (with central shielding) for patients diagnosed as FIGO stage IIb-IVa bilateral parametrial disease. HDRICB was performed using an Ir-192 remote afterloading technique at 1-week intervals. The standard prescribed dose for each course of HDRICB was 7.2 Gy to point A for three insertions (before July 1995), or 6.0 Gy to point A for four insertions (after July 1995). Total prescribed point A doses (external beam radiotherapy+HDRICB) ranged from 58 to 71.6 Gy (median, 65.6 Gy) for stage IB-IIA, while analogous dosage for larger lesions (stage IIb-IVa) ranged from 59 to 75.6 Gy (median, 65.6 Gy). Kaplan-Meier and multivariate analyses were used to test the effect of treatment time on pelvic control rate (PCR) and cause-specific survival (CSS) at 5 years. RESULTS: Median treatment time was 63 days. For all stages of disease, the 5-year CSS and PCR were significantly different comparing treatment times of less than and greater than or equal to 63 days [83% and 65% (P=0.004], 93% and 83% (P=0.02), respectively]. These associations were also significant for stage Ib/IIa [97% and 79% (P=0.01), and 100% and 87% (P=0.02), respectively), but not for stage IIb [75% and 72% (P=0.79), and 93% and 87% (P=0.83), respectively] or stage III [66% and 49% (P=0.2), and 83% and 72% (P=0.21), respectively]. Multivariate analysis identified three prognostic factors for CSS, stage (P<0.001), tumor response to external RT (P=0.001), and overall treatment time (OTT; P=0.006). Prognostic factors for pelvic failure were stage (P<0.001), tumor response to external RT (P=0.001), and OTT (P=0.03). Prolongation of treatment time resulted in a daily decrease in pelvic control rate of 0.67% overall, and 0.43% for stage Ib-IIa, 0.57% for stage IIb, and 0.73% for stage III patients. CONCLUSION: Analysis of the data from the current study demonstrates that the adverse effect of treatment prolongation was observed later in the treatment course for the high-dose rate (HDR) series compared to the LDR analog, however, treatment-time prolongation still negatively influenced the cause-specific survival and pelvic control rate for both dosage groups.     

河北磁县食管癌胃癌高发人群口腔真菌分布的调查

应用常规方法随机研究食管癌、胃癌高发的磁县人群５４７例的口腔真菌。结果：１．口腔真菌阳性率为６８．４％，食管真菌阳性率为４７．３％，前者显著高于后者（Ｐ＜０．００１）。２．口腔真菌以念珠菌、曲霉菌和青霉菌为主，食管真菌以曲霉菌、青霉菌和念珠菌占多数。３．口腔与食管内的产毒真菌差异无显著性意义（Ｐ＞０．０５）。本结果为进一步研究口腔真菌与上消化道癌及肿瘤的一级预防提供了依据。     

发色三肽底物测定血浆蛋白C活性及临床应用

建立了血浆蛋白Ｃ活性水平测定的发色三肽底物法，并对临床５６例病例进行了检测。以正常人血浆蛋白Ｃ活性平均值为１００％作对照，３０例肝硬化病人血浆蛋白Ｃ活性平均为（６１．４±２７．３）％；７例慢性肾功能不全病人血浆蛋白Ｃ活性平均为（５１．２±２５．７）％，１８例正常晚期妊娠妇女血浆蛋白Ｃ活性平均为（１３８．０±２３．５）％。与正常对照组比较，结果差异均有显著性。在的１例血栓性血小板减少性紫癜（ＴＴＰ）     

女性不孕与生殖道沙眼衣原体感染的关系初探

为探讨女性不孕与其生殖道沙眼衣原体感染的关系，从１４７例不孕妇女输卵管及宫颈内取样，用聚合酶链反应（ＰＣＲ）检测，并以６０例正常妊娠妇女输卵管内取样作为对照组。结果显示：不孕组输卵管和宫颈的沙眼衣原体感率分别为１５．６６％和２２．４５％，对照组输卵管沙眼衣原体感染率仅为３．３３％，两组比较差异显著（ｐ〈０．０５）；同时显示年轻妇女与工人是感染的高危人群。由此表明不孕妇女生殖道沙衣原体感染是引起不孕     

已婚育龄妇女避孕措施变化趋势分析

目的:了解已婚育龄妇女避孕措施的变化趋势,为指导计划生育服务工作提供科学依据。方法:收集1983~2005年苏州市已婚育龄妇女避孕方法的资料,并用统计软件对其变化趋势进行了分析。结果:已婚育龄妇女节育率在88.38%~92.94%范围波动,长效避孕措施现用率从75.19%下降至71.27%,而短效避孕措施从12.86%上升至17.11%。宫内节育器的现用率从50.09%上升到66.50%;避孕套从1.94%上升到14.21%;其他避孕方法的现用率均呈下降趋势,其中女性绝育现用率从24.42%下降到4.50%。结论:节育率维持在较高水平;长效避孕措施现用率下降而短效避孕措施现用率上升;避孕方法使用趋于多样化,需要提供满足个性化需求的指导和服务。     

等容血液稀释治疗高血压病75例疗效观察

本文报告等容血液稀释（简称ＤＨ）治疗高血压病７５例，总有效率为９０．２％，４８例随访２年血压下降稳定持久，血液流变学改善，总有效率为８７．５％。结果表明：ＨＤ治疗高血压病可以改善血流高粘滞状态，降低血液粘度，增强血液流动性，减少血流阻力，改善微循环灌流，从而达到降低血压和改善器官血流，达到持久降压及减少器官合并症。一次ＨＤ与降压药适量配伍，疗效更显著而持久，可维持数月至２年以上。     

荔枝果实发育期间内源激素含量动态

本研究测定了荔枝果实发育期间内源激素含量的动态。结果表明果实发育前期细胞分裂素(CTK),生长素(IAA)含量较高;中期乙烯(Eth),赤霉素(GA),的含量较高,这与果实的生长发育及落果有密切相关。同时,果实发育前期应用外源CTK、中期应用GA、处理果穗可显著提高产果率。