The high prognostic value of the histologic grade at the deep invasive front of tongue squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Although many histopathologic factors in squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue predict the prognosis, the major predictive factors have not been identified clearly. This study analyzed the prognostic value of the histologic grade at the deep invasive front of tongue squamous cell carcinoma. METHODS: The clinicopathologic features of 124 consecutive patients seen between January 1985 and December 1999 with previously untreated squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue were reviewed. Their mean age was 58.5 years (range: 23-90) and the male-female ratio was 1.8: 1 (79 men and 45 women). There were 41, 40, 30, and 13 cases at stage I to stage IV, respectively. The clinicopathologic factors, especially the histologic grade at the deep invasive front (invasive front grade, IFG), were analyzed to determine factors predicting prognosis. RESULTS: The 5-year disease-free survival rate of the patients treated with curative aim only was 66.7%. Clinicopathologic factors significantly associated with the prognosis were T classification, tumor size, stage classification, tumor depth, macroscopic appearance, cervical lymph node metastasis (nodal metastasis), microvascular invasion, and IFG. In a multivariate analysis, patients with tumor depth >/=4 mm, IFG >/=8 points, and nodal metastasis had a reduced disease-free survival and IFG >/=11 points had a predictive value for nodal metastasis (odds ratio: 7.34; P = 0.0019). CONCLUSION: This study found that a high IFG malignancy score had a high prognostic value for squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue.     

Performance and comparison of the Cockcroft-Gault and simplified Modification of Diet in Renal Disease formulae in estimating glomerular filtration rate in a Chinese Type 2 diabetic population.

AIMS: Our aim was to assess performances of the Cockcroft-Gault and simplified Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) formulae in estimating glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in Chinese diabetic populations and their association with vascular risks. METHODS: A total of 1009 patients with Type 2 diabetes were categorized into low estimated GFR groups (GFR < 60 ml/min/1.73 m(2)) and control groups by the two equations. The performances of these formulae were assessed at different stages of kidney function. Carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) and the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy or albuminuria were compared among the groups. The ability of these formulae to identify established vascular risk markers using sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were also compared. RESULTS: The prevalence of low estimated GFR was 32.7% with the Cockcroft-Gault formula and 5.2% with the MDRD formula, respectively. In low estimated GFR subjects by the MDRD formula, IMT was significantly thicker than those by the Cockcroft-Gault formula (1.2 mm vs. 1.0 mm; P < 0.05), with a higher prevalence of albuminuria (78.4 vs. 52.8%, P < 0.05) and diabetic retinopathy (46.5 vs. 30.5%; P < 0.05). The Cockcroft-Gault formula gave a specificity of 71.7% and a sensitivity of 37.0%, and the MDRD formula gave a specificity of 96.6% and a sensitivity of 7.9% in estimating low GFR relevant for established vascular risks. CONCLUSIONS: These formulae performed differently in Chinese diabetic populations. The simplified MDRD formula is minimally superior to the Cockcroft-Gault formula for its high specificity and positive predictive values in estimating low GFR relevant for vascular risks.     

放疗科病人医院感染原因分析与控制

医院感染是指病人在入院时不存在,也不处于潜伏期,而是在医院内发生的感染,也包括在医院里获得治疗,出院后发病的病人感染[1].癌症病人是一个特殊的群体,是医院感染的易感和高危人群,由于疾病本身引起消瘦无力、营养不良、甚至恶病质,免疫力低下、再加上接受放射线治疗后引起骨髓功能抑制、消化道功能障碍、皮肤反应及其他副反应等危险因素,医院感染发生率高,因此放疗科的医院感染控制是非常重要的工作.本文通过对我院放疗科病房2003年8月-2004年4月住院病人137例中发生医院感染病例12例进行分析,总结出一些控制医院感染的方法,现将其介绍如下.……     

Feasibility of treating hyperfibrinogenemia with intermittently administered batroxobin in patients with ischemic stroke/transient ischemic attack for secondary prevention.

This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of batroxobin in treating hyperfibrinogenemia for secondary stroke prevention. Patients with ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) were measured for plasma fibrinogen levels. Selected participants had concomitant hyperfibrinogenemia (plasma fibrinogen > or = 3.0 g/l). Patients enrolled between 1 July 2003 and 31 December 2004 were treated with batroxobin; patients enrolled between 1 January 2002 and 30 June 2003 were treated without batroxobin. Batroxobin was administered intermittently via intravenous injection at 3-monthly intervals. Patients in both groups were followed for 1 year. Any cerebrovascular events and suspected adverse events were recorded. In total, 112 ischemic stroke/TIA patients with concomitant hyperfibrinogenemia were enrolled, 52 being treated with batroxobin and 60 without batroxobin. Six patients (11.5%) with batroxobin and 16 patients (26.7%) without batroxobin had recurrent cerebral ischemic events during follow-up. Stroke/TIA recurrence in patients without batroxobin was higher than that in patients with batroxobin (P < 0.05). Two patients with batroxobin and two patients without batroxobin developed hemorrhagic stroke during follow-up. There were five deaths (9.6%) in the batroxobin group, and seven deaths (11.7%) in the nonbatroxobin group during follow-up (P > 0.05). Intermittent intravenous injection of batroxobin can efficiently reduce the risk for stroke/TIA recurrence in patients with concomitant hyperfibrinogenemia.     

Minocycline attenuates hyperlocomotion and prepulse inhibition deficits in mice after administration of the NMDA receptor antagonist dizocilpine.

The present study was undertaken to examine whether the second generation antibiotic drug minocycline attenuates behavioral changes (eg, acute hyperlocomotion and prepulse inhibition (PPI) deficits) in mice after the administration of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist (+)-MK-801 (dizocilpine). Dizocilpine (0.1 mg/kg)-induced hyperlocomotion was significantly attenuated by pretreatment with minocycline (40 mg/kg). Furthermore, the PPI deficits after a single administration of dizocilpine (0.1 mg/kg) were attenuated by pretreatment with minocycline (10, 20, or 40 mg/kg), in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, in vivo microdialysis study in the free-moving mice revealed that pretreatment with minocycline (40 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly attenuated the increase of extracellular dopamine (DA) levels in the frontal cortex and striatum after administration of dizocilpine (0.1 mg/kg), suggesting that the inhibition of dizocilpine-induced DA release by minocycline may, at least in part, be implicated in the mechanism of action of minocycline with respect to dizocilpine-induced behavioral changes in mice. These findings suggest that minocycline could attenuate behavioral changes in mice after the administration of the NMDA receptor antagonist dizocilpine. Therefore, it is possible that minocycline would be a potential therapeutic drug for schizophrenia.     

Anteversion angle of the femoral neck in congenital dislocation of the hip

The anteversion angle of femoral neck in 40 children, aged 18 months to 14 years (4.6 years on average), with congenital dislocation of hip was measured pre-operatively on X-ray films according to the way of Dr. Hu's method, and from the proximal femur exposed during operation. The mean value of them was 64.6 degrees and 44 degrees respectively, being statistically significant (P less than 0.01). The method of direct measurement of the anteversion angle during operation was described. The factors affecting the diversity of the measured angle value with different methods were discussed. It seems that the calculation formula used in Hu's method should somehow be corrected and a revision is put forward.