Probable veno-occlusive disease after treatment with gemtuzumab ozogamicin in a patient with acute myeloid leukemia and a history of liver transplantation for familial hemochromatosis

A 69-yr-old male with a history of familial hemochromatosis and status after liver transplantation was found to have severe thrombocytopenia (platelet count of 8000/μL). He was also anemic and was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) after a bone marrow biopsy. He was started on gemtuzumab ozogamicin (Mylotarg?) and developed hepatic and multiorgan failure consistent with veno-occlusive disease within 2 wk. He did not have a history of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, which is usually the case in AML patients who develop veno-occlusive disease of the liver after treatment with Mylotarg.     

A gastrointestinal stromal tumor in the stomach: usefulness of computed tomographic volumetry

We report herein the case of a 70-year-old man who was found to have a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) in the stomach following sigmoid colon resection. Preoperative gastroscopic and barium examinations revealed a submucosal tumor, measuring 10cm, on the upper part of the stomach. Using computed tomography (CT) images (i.e., computed tomographic volumetry) the doubling time of this tumor was calculated, accurately, as 3.3 months, which suggested a high growth rate and malignancy. A laparotomy and partial gastric resection were performed. Histologically, the tumor consisted of spindle-shaped cells with oval nuclei. In immunohistochemical studies, the tumor cells were positive with respect to c-kit, CD34, and vimentin, but negative with respect to smooth muscle actin and S-100 protein. There were 15–16 mitoses per 50 high-power fields (HPFs), and the Ki-67 antigen (MIB-1) index was 25.5% in the most active areas, which also indicated malignancy. The final pathological diagnosis of this tumor was malignant GIST. The patient was found to have hepatic metastasis 27 months after the surgery, and he subsequently received a hepatic subsegmentectomy. To our knowledge, there are very few reports concerning the growth rate of GISTs. Computed tomographic volumetry is useful for the follow-up of small or irregularly shaped gastric submucosal tumors, and for making decisions regarding surgical intervention.     

抑癌基因PTEN依赖其磷酸活性诱导人膀胱癌细胞BIU-87失巢凋亡机制

Objective： To investigate the effects and mechanisms of tumor suppressor gene PTEN on the induction of anoikis of human bladder transitional carcinoma cells BIU-87. Methods： BIU-87 cells were transfected with GFP plasmids containing wild-type PTEN or phosphatase inactivating mutant PTEN （C124A-PTEN） in vitro. The PTEN expression and the phosphorylation levels of focal adhesion kinase （FAK） and protein kinase B （PKB/Akt） were detected by Western blotting. Flow cytometry assay and laser scanning confocal microscopy were used to analyze apoptosis in adherent and non-adherent cells. Results： Compared with the control group; PTEN expression in the cells transfected with wild-type PTEN increased to 210%-260%, while the phosphorylation level of FAK and Akt decreased 59% （ P 〈 0.01） and 89% （ P 〈 0.01）, respectively. And the anoikis percentage increased from 8,32 ± 0.57% to 37.62 ± 2.12%, In the cells transfected with C124A-PTEN, neither the phosphorylation of FAK and Akt nor the anoikis percentage had obviously changed, although the PTEN expression enhanced remarkably in comparison with the control. Conclusion： Through its phosphatase activity, tumor suppressor gene PTEN can suppress the phosphorylation of FAK and Akt, and induce anoikis in human bladder transitional carcinoma cells BIU-87.     

Correlation between the gene expression profiles of adenocarcinoma of esophagus and Barrett＇s esophagus

Objective  

The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of gene changes from Barrett’s esophagus (BE) to esophageal adenocarcinoma by cDNA microarray.     

Afatinib as First-line Treatment of Older Patients With EGFR Mutation-Positive Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: Subgroup Analyses of the LUX-Lung 3, LUX-Lung 6, and LUX-Lung 7 Trials

Background

Afatinib is approved in the US, Europe, and several other regions for first-line treatment for epidermal growth factor receptor mutation-positive (EGFRm⁺) non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in the elderly. Age is not always an adverse prognostic factor

A retrospective study analyzing non-Hodgkin's lym-phoma (NHL) diagnosed in patients in our center above 65 years of age between the years 1977–1991 is reported. Histological classification has been completed following the criteria of the Working Formulation. Of 521 patients, 427 were candidates for evaluation. Those above 65 years of age comprised the subject of our study, with a total of 95 cases. Population: 43/52 male/female, 47 intermediate-grade NHL, 38 low-grade NHL, Ann Arbor stages I–II/III–IV 36/59, performance status (PS) 0-1/2-3 39/56, B symptoms yes/no 47/48, lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) normal/high 33/62, albumin normal/low 75/20, Cu normal/high 44/37 (the rest not available), B2 microglobuline normal/high 17/11 (the rest not available), tumor burden (MD Anderson) high/intermediate/low 41/28/26. The median range of cause specific survival was 30 months (50 for the low-grade NHL, 17 for the intermediate-grade). Significant prognostic factors: Histological grade (low versus high and intermediate), PS 0/1 versus 2/3, presence versus absence of B symptoms, normal versus high LDH, tumor burden (low versus high and intermediate). There is no significant statistical difference between elderly patients and young patients with a poor PS, phases I and IV, low albumin level and high and low tumor burden. Age as an adverse prognostic factor is evident in patients with a strong PS, phases II and III, normal albumin and intermediate tumor burden. The characteristics and prognostic factors of elderly patients with NHL are similar to those of the young. Age does not always function as an independent prognostic factor; age has no effect on groups with favorable or unfavorable prognostic factors and it is in the intermediate prognostic groups in which age plays a part in survival.     

基于网络药理学探讨青蒿治疗人急性髓系白血病作用机制

目的探究青蒿治疗人急性髓系白血病(acute myeloid leukemia,AML)的作用机制。方法根据口服生物利用度(OB)和类药性(DL)从中药系统药理学技术平台(TCMSP)中筛选出青蒿的活性成分、作用靶点,在GeneCards数据库中寻找急性髓系白血病相关靶点,将青蒿作用靶点与AML相关靶点取交集,筛选出青蒿治疗AML的活性成分及作用靶点。借助Cytoscape 3.7.2软件,构建青蒿活性成分-作用靶点网络,选出关键化合物。通过String平台构建靶蛋白相互作用网络(PPI),选出关键靶点。通过DAVID在线分析平台,对靶点基因进行GO富集分析和KEGG代谢通路分析。结果从青蒿中筛选获得22个有效活性成分,104个作用靶点,与AML有关的作用靶点94个,关键靶点14个,通路涉及免疫调节、细胞凋亡、氧化应激等,这些作用通路可能是青蒿防治AML的活性途径。结论初步研究了青蒿治疗AML的作用机制,青蒿具有多成分、多靶点的特点,可以通过多个靶点、多条通路来发挥治疗AML的作用。     

Applying tuina to exterior-interiorly connected meridians for post-stroke upper limb spasticity

Objective

To observe the effect of applying tuina to exterior-interiorly connected meridians for post-stroke upper limb spasticity.

Methods

A total of 150 patients with post-stroke upper limb spasticity were randomly allocated into a treatment group (n=75) and a control group (n=75) by the random number table. Patients in the treatment group received tuina on exterior-interiorly connected meridians, whereas patients in the control group received standard rehabilitation therapy. The therapeutic efficacies in both groups were observed after 3 weeks of treatment.

Results

The total effective rate in the treatment group was 89.3%, versus 61.3% in the control group, showing a statistically significant difference (P<0.05). After the treatment, the muscle tones by the modified Ashworth scale (MAS) were significantly improved in both groups (both P<0.05); and the improvement of muscle tone was more significant in the treatment group than that in the control group (P<0.05).

Conclusion

Applying tuina to exterior-interiorly connected meridians can obtain an exact efficacy for post-stroke upper limb spasticity.

     

Effects of point application on celiac mast cell degranulation in mice with allergic rhinitis: An experimental study

目的：研究不同处理方法对卵白蛋白（Ovum Albumin,OVA）变应性鼻炎小鼠模型腹腔肥大细胞脱颗粒的影响。方法：将60只雌性小鼠随机分为5组,每组12只,分别按不同方法处理后分离各组小鼠的腹腔肥大细胞,中性红染色后计算腹腔肥大细胞脱颗粒率。结果：正常对照组、OVA变应性鼻炎组、穴位敷贴组、激素对照组、磷酸盐缓冲液（Phosphate Buffer Saline,PBS）阴性对照组小鼠腹腔肥大细胞脱颗粒率分别为（15±6）％、（53±11）％、（37±13）％、（31±15）％、（47±14）％。OVA变应性鼻炎小鼠的腹腔肥大细胞有明显的脱颗粒现象：与OVA变应性鼻炎小鼠相比,穴位敷贴组及激素对照组小鼠的腹腔肥大细胞脱颗粒现象显著减轻;PBS对照组小鼠的腹腔肥大细胞脱颗粒现象没有明显变化。结论：推测穴位敷贴抗过敏机制为稳定肥大细胞膜,抑制肥大细胞脱颗粒,减少致炎介质产生。