Preparation and characterization of intelligent core-shell nanoparticles based on poly(D,L-lactide)-g-poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide-co-methacrylic acid).

New thermo-responsive, pH-responsive, and biodegradable nanoparticles comprised of poly(D,L-lactide)-graft-poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide-co-methacrylic acid) (PLA-g-P(NIPAm-co-MAA)) were developed by grafting biodegradable poly(D,L-lactide) onto N-isopropyl acrylamide and methacrylic acid. A core-shell type nano-structure was formed with a hydrophilic outer shell and a hydrophobic inner core, which exhibited a phase transition temperature above 37 degrees C suitable for biomedical application. Upon heating above the phase transition temperature, PLA-g-P(NIPAm-co-MAA) nanoparticle showed a polarity increase of pyrene in either buffer solution or intra-hepato-carcinoma cells as determined by fluorescence measurement, indicating that the structure of nanoparticles caused leakages from outer shell copolymers aggregation and collapsed. The drug loading level of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) encapsulated in the PLA-g-P(NIPAm-co-MAA) nanoparticles can be as high as 20%. The release of 5-FU from nanoparticles was strongly controlled by the pH in the aqueous solution. Based on these results, PLA-g-P(NIPAm-co-MAA) nanoparticles can be used as a drug carrier for intracellular delivery of anti-cancer drug.     

Laparoscopic Local Resection Based on Sentinel Node Evaluation for Early Gastric Cancer: A Preliminary Report

We previously reported that lymphatic mapping using isosulfan blue can be used to identify sentinel nodes (SNs). This study was undertaken to evaluate the feasibility of using the SN technique in treating early gastric cancer and to explore its usefulness for minimal invasive surgery. Twenty-three patients with early gastric cancer who underwent SN biopsy were retrospectively evaluated. Based on SN evaluation, individualized surgery was performed in five patients with T1N0M0 gastric cancer. When pathological examination of frozen sections revealed metastasis in SNs, we performed a standard D2 gastrectomy. Laparoscopic local resection was applied when the SN biopsy was negative. Our results showed that the success rate with SN biopsy in early gastric cancer was 100%, as were the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity. All five patients with early gastric cancer had SNs negative for metastases both by frozen section and by postoperative pathology. Thus, all these patients underwent laparoscopic local resection without extended lymphadenectomy. We conclude that SN biopsy is a useful tool to individualize the operative procedure, and laparoscopic local resection can be safely performed using SN guidance in selected patients with early gastric cancer.     

血清高水平甲状旁腺激素-非透析慢性肾脏疾病患者的隐形杀手

维持性血液透析患者血清甲状旁腺激素(Parathyroid hormone,PTH)水平显著增高,PTH与患者心功能下降、营养状态恶化以及死亡率的增加密切相关.然而,临床实践发现,部分慢性肾脏疾病(Chronic kidney disease,CKD)3-4期、甚至CKD1期的患者血清PTH水平也增高,PTH对此类患者的影响如何,目前报道较为少见.本文结合文献就FTH对非透析CKD患者的心血管系统、骨代谢、营养状况及预后的影响作一综述.     

肥胖类型与脑卒中亚型的相关性研究

目的探讨肥胖类型与脑卒中亚型的相关性。方法将573例急性脑卒中患者分为脑出血组126例,脑梗死组447例,脑梗死组再分为脑血栓形成组(215例)和腔隙性脑梗死组(232例),另外选择277例无脑卒中者为对照组。测量腰围、臀围和体重,计算体重指数和腰臀比(WHR),分析肥胖参数与脑卒中各亚组的关系。结果脑卒中各亚组与对照组肥胖发生率差异无显著性意义(P>0.05);各组WHR明显大于对照组(P<0.05)。WHR增大明显增加脑卒中各亚组的危险性(P<0.05);女性腹围增大患腔隙性脑梗死危险性升高(P<0.05);男性体重增加患脑出血的危险性升高(P<0.01)。结论腹型肥胖是脑出血、脑血栓形成和腔隙性脑梗死的危险因素之一。     

The role of neck dissection in the eradication of salivary carcinomas]

From 1955 to 1984, radical neck dissection (RND) had been done in 300 salivary carcinoma patients, 114 of which had regional lymph node metastasis, with a 38% metastatic rate. Respective 3, 5, 10, 15, 20 year survival rates were 76, 64, 47, 35, 35% in a 3 to 20 years follow-up study in 283 patients (94.33%). The following four points are concluded: 1. The metastatic rate is determined not only on tumor staging, but more to its typing (pathologic behaviour). 2. Elective RND gave a better prognosis than therapeutic and negative metastasis has a better survival chance than positive where the low level metastasis is the worst. 3. According to pathologic typing, Elective RND is indicated for undifferentiated adenocarcinoma, high malignant mucoepidermoid carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma and papillary cystic adenocarcinoma, therapeutic RND for malignant pleomorphic adenoma, acinic cell carcinoma and mucoepidermoid carcinoma. 4. Unilateral RND is indicated for all but sublingual and buccal tumors.     

Successful balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty for congenital valvular pulmonary stenosis in an octogenarian.

While balloon valvuloplasty has been widely used for the treatment of congenital valvular pulmonary stenosis (PS) in children and adults, its use in elderly patients is less common. An 80-year-old woman with congenital valvular PS received valvuloplasty with double-balloon technique. Right ventricle systolic pressure and pulmonary valve systolic pressure gradient decreased from 95 to 44 mm Hg and from 75 to 35 mm Hg, respectively. Follow-up Doppler echocardiography 2 months later showed further decrease in the transvalvular systolic pressure gradient to 29 mm Hg. The patient had symptomatic relief, and no major complication was noted. Balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty can be an effective treatment for elderly patients with congenital valvular PS.     

Recurrent acalculous cholecystitis and sclerosing cholangitis in a patient with X-linked hyper-immunoglobulin M syndrome.

X-linked hyper-immunoglobulin M (IgM) syndrome (XHIGM) is a rare genetic primary immunodeficiency disease caused by mutations of the CD40 ligand (CD40L) gene with normal or elevated levels of IgM and markedly decreased serum IgG, IgA, and IgE. Liver disease may occur as a clinical manifestation in XHIGM. This complication appears to increase with age. We report an 18-year-old male patient who had recurrent episodes of acalculous cholecystitis (AC) and sclerosing cholangitis (SC). The diagnosis of XHIGM was confirmed by the finding of CD40L expression < 1% of normal and a tyrosine 169 asparaginase (t526a) mutation in exon 5 (the tumor necrosis factor domain) of the CD40L gene. The patient had direct hyperbilirubinemia (direct bilirubin 5.5 mg/dL, total bilirubin 8.7 mg/dL), cholestasis (alkaline phosphatase 1133 U/L, gamma-glutamyl transferase 1019 U/L) and elevated transaminases (aspartate aminotransferase 70 U/L, alanine aminotransferase 101 U/L). Findings on abdominal ultrasound and abdominal computed tomography were compatible with AC. After the fourth episode of cholecystitis, cholecystectomy and liver biopsy were performed. Operative cholangiography revealed poor opacification of the hepatic duct and proximal common bile duct; the upstream intrahepatic bile ducts were not visualized. The biopsy specimen showed marked fibrosis of the portal areas. Enterococcus species was cultured from the bile. Children or adolescents with recurrent AC and SC should be evaluated for an underlying immunodeficiency syndrome such as XHIGM.     

Matched-unrelated-donor bone marrow transplantation for children with leukemia.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: This report describes the results of matched-unrelated-donor transplant for leukemia or myelodysplasia in the first 23 recipient children at a single medical center in Taiwan. METHODS: Between August 1994 and February 2003, 23 consecutive children with leukemia or myelodysplasia underwent matched-unrelated-donor bone marrow transplantation (BMT). The preparative regimen consisted of fractionated total body irradiation and cyclophosphamide in 6 patients; busulfan in combination with etoposide and cyclophosphamide in 4 patients who received cranial irradiation before transplantation; and busulfan and cyclophosphamide in 13 patients. RESULTS: Engraftment was achieved in 91.3% of cases. Acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) occurred in 18 of 21 patients who engrafted (85.7%). Event-free survival for all patients was 24.46 +/- 9.24%. The 12 children with standard-risk disease had better event-free survival than the 11 children with high-risk disease (46.88 +/- 15.03% vs 0%, p < or = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The major obstacles to successful matched-unrelated-donor BMT are acute GVHD, relapse and infection. Early transplantation and patient selection, prophylactic and therapeutic maneuvers for GVHD, as well as appropriate donor selection and virus prophylaxis may improve the results.     

Morphology of corticotectal cells in the primary visual cortex of hooded rats

In primary visual cortex of hooded rats, pyramidal cells in layer V may be classified as long, medium, or short, on the basis of the layer in which the apical dendrite terminates. The present study determines which of these types of pyramidal cells project to the superior colliculus. Two different strategies were used to label corticotectal cells with horseradish peroxidase (HRP). In the first set of experiments, a large number of corticotectal cells were labeled by retrograde transport following injection of HRP into the superior colliculus. In the second set of experiments, single unit recording was used to identify corticotectal cells physiologically by antidromic activation from the superior colliculus. These cells were then impaled and labeled by intracellular iontophoresis of HRP. The results from both techniques suggest that only long pyramidal cells send an axon to the superior colliculus. These cells are distinguished by an apical dendrite that extends into layer I. We conclude that in hooded rats corticotectal cells in primary visual cortex are the long pyramids in layer V.