耐药相关蛋白P-gp、GST-π、TopoⅡ在原发性肝癌中的表达及其临床意义

目的探讨原发性肝癌组织中的P-糖蛋白（P—glycoprotein，P—gP）、谷胱甘肽-S转移酶-π（glutahione-S—transferase-π，GST-π）、DNA拓扑异构酶Ⅱ（DNA—topoismerase，TopoⅡ）耐药基因的表达及其临床意义。方法采用免疫组化方法检测35例肝癌组织、20例癌旁和10例肝硬化组织中P—gP、GST-π、TopoⅡ的表达，并对其组织病理指标及3年生存率进行综合分析。结果①35例肝癌中的P—gp、GST-π、TopoⅡ的阳性表达率分别为85．7％、71．4％、31．4％。②肝癌组织中P—gp、GST-π表达显著高于癌旁组织及肝硬化组织。③P—gp＋GST-π＋TopoⅡ阳性表达率为17．1％，P—gp＋GST-π、P—gp＋TopoⅡ和GST-π＋TopoⅡ阳性率分别为60％、14．3％、2．8％，其中P—gP＋GST-π和GST-π＋TopoⅡ的阳性表达具有相关性（P〈0．01）。④TopoⅡ表达阳性者的3年生存率低于阴性者。结论①原发性肝癌多药耐药与其P—gp、GST-π、TopoⅡ表达有关。②对肝癌患者化疗前进行耐药基因检测，对患者化疗用药具有指导意义，有助于联合用药的合理选择，提高疗效及延长患者生存期。     

分子吸附循环系统联合肝移植治疗急性肝功能衰竭

目的　探讨应用分子吸附循环系统结合肝移植治疗急性肝功能衰竭的效果。方法　 8例急性肝功能衰竭患者 (7例原发病为乙型肝炎后肝硬化 ,1例为Wilson病 )在等待肝移植期间经分子吸附循环系统治疗 3～ 7次 ,所有患者均接受同种异体改良背驮式肝移植术。结果　患者等待供肝时间 8～ 30d ,平均 13d ,所有患者均顺利渡过围手术期 ,痊愈出院。应用分子吸附循环系统治疗后 ,患者的血清丙氨酸转氨酶、天冬氨酸转氨酶及总胆红素水平明显下降 (P <0 .0 1) ,但凝血功能的改善不明显。结论　分子吸附循环系统可暂时替代肝脏的部分功能 ,帮助急性肝功能衰竭患者顺利渡过肝移植等待期。     

特发性脊柱侧凸患者椎旁肌中神经营养素3的表达及意义

目的:研究特发性脊柱侧凸(IS)患者椎旁肌组织中神经营养素3(Neurotrophin-3,NT-3)在核酸水平(mRNA)的表达情况。方法:随机选择19例IS患者,年龄12～19岁,平均14.3岁,Cobb角42°～80°(平均54°)。手术中取顶椎(T7～T10)凸侧、凹侧椎旁肌肉组织,采用半定量RT-PCR法检测NT-3 mRNA表达水平。取4例相同年龄段的椎间盘突出患者手术切口头端非病变部位椎旁肌肉组织作为对照。结果:对照组椎旁肌中NT-3的mRNA表达阳性率50%,相对表达量为0.0237±0.0158,IS组患者椎旁肌中表达阳性率63.16%,相对表达量为0.1213±0.0939,较对照组表达量增加(P=0.051)。9例Cobb角>50°的IS患者表达阳性率为44.44%,相对表达量0.0431±0.0359,和对照组无明显差异;10例Cobb角≤50°的IS患者中表达阳性率为80%,相对表达量为0.1604±0.0895,与对照组和Cobb角>50°的IS患者比较有明显增加(P<0.01)。结论:正常椎旁肌组织中NT-3在核酸水平微量表达,特发性脊柱侧凸患者椎旁肌组织中NT-3 mRNA表达增加,尤其在小角度IS患者中增加明显,提示IS患者中存在神经营养因子表达异常。     

Nutritional supplementation, psychosocial stimulation, and growth of stunted children: the Jamaican study

The benefits of nutritional supplementation, with or without psychosocial stimulation, on the growth of stunted children were evaluated. Children aged 9-24 mo with lengths less than -2 SD of the National Center for Health Statistics references (n = 129) were randomly assigned to four groups: control, nutritional supplementation, stimulation, and both interventions. A fifth group with lengths greater than -1 SD was also enrolled. Length, weight, head and arm circumferences, and triceps and subscapular skinfold thicknesses were measured on enrollment and 6 and 12 mo later. Multiple-regression analysis was used to determine the effects of the interventions in which age, sex, initial status, initial dietary intake, and several socioeconomic variables were controlled for. Stimulation had no effect on growth and there was no interaction between the interventions. After 12 mo supplemented children had significantly increased length, weight, and head circumference (all P less than 0.01). The effects of supplementation were not cumulative but occurred in the first 6 mo.     

Randomized trial of bilateral oophorectomy versus tamoxifen in premenopausal women with metastatic breast cancer

A randomized clinical trial was performed to compare the efficacy of bilateral oophorectomy with that of tamoxifen at a dose of 10 mg twice daily in premenopausal women with metastatic breast cancer, and to examine the efficacy of each as a crossover treatment. Initial treatment responses were seen in ten of 27 patients (37%) treated with oophorectomy and seven of 26 patients (27%) treated with tamoxifen. The difference was not statistically significant. Crossover responses were seen in five of 15 patients (33%) treated with oophorectomy, including three responses in ten prior tamoxifen nonresponders; and two of 18 patients (11%) treated with tamoxifen. Time to progression distributions were not significantly different during initial treatment, and no significant differences in survival were noted. Thus, there was no overall disadvantage to the use of tamoxifen as opposed to oophorectomy as initial hormonal therapy, and a failure to respond to tamoxifen did not preclude a response to subsequent oophorectomy. Exploratory data analysis within subsets indicated consistent differential treatment effects in the visceral dominant patients. Of the 16 such patients treated with oophorectomy, eight (50%) experienced objective responses but there were no responses in the 14 patients treated with tamoxifen. In the nine visceral dominant crossover patients who had not responded to initial tamoxifen, three (33%) subsequently responded to oophorectomy. Time to progression distributions within the visceral dominant subset appeared to be better for the patients treated initially with oophorectomy. However, one must be very cautious in drawing conclusions from exploratory subset analyses, especially with the small sample size. Further studies would be required to test any hypothesis of differential organ site responsiveness.     

循环内皮细胞水平与糖尿病肾病的相关性及银杏达莫的干预作用

目的:探讨外周血循环内皮细胞(CEC)和糖尿病肾病(DN)的相关性,以及银杏达莫注射液在DN防治中的可能作用。方法:检测65例2型糖尿病患者24h尿白蛋白排泄率(UAER)及CEC数,分析两者的相关性。将UAER为30~300mg·d-1的45例患者随机分为两组,常规治疗组22例,进行常规降血糖、控制血压等治疗;银杏达莫治疗组23例,在常规治疗基础上静脉滴注银杏达莫注射液2周。比较两组治疗前后血糖、血压、UAER及CEC水平的变化。结果:单纯糖尿病(SDM)组和早期糖尿病肾病(EDN)组的外周血CEC水平比对照组(NC)显著性升高,并呈逐渐增高的趋势(P<0.01)。UAER与收缩压(SBP)、外周血CEC水平呈正相关(P<0.01)。EDN组中,银杏达莫治疗后UAER及CEC明显降低(P<0.01);而常规治疗组无明显变化。线性多元逐步回归分析表明,银杏达莫治疗后UAER的改变与CEC数的变化成正相关(P<0.01)。结论:血管内皮细胞(VEC)损伤在DN发生发展中起重要作用,银杏达莫对VEC的保护作用可能是其延缓DN发展的重要机制。     

Merkel Cell Carcinoma Arising from the Subcutaneous Fat of the Arm with Intact Skin

BACKGROUND: Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare malignant neuroendocrine neoplasm characteristically arising from the dermis of sunlight-exposed skin. It rarely arises outside the skin. OBJECTIVE: We present a patient with primary Merkel cell carcinoma arising from subcutaneous fat, with no involvement of the overlying skin. We describe the clinical manifestations and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings. METHODS: We report a 63-year-old woman with a primary lesion of Merkel cell carcinoma that arose from the subcutaneous fat layer of the left arm. The lesion presented as a subcutaneous nodule with intact overlying skin. MRI showed that the nodular lesion was located entirely in the subcutaneous fat layer, with no involvement of the dermis. Peritumoral infiltration around the lesion and enlarged lymph nodes deep to the lesion were noted. The patient received wide excision of the lesion with dissection of the regional lymph nodes and adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy. RESULTS: Histopathologic examination confirmed the diagnosis of Merkel cell carcinoma with local lymphatic metastasis, and the lesion was completely located in the subcutaneous fat, with no involvement of the dermis. These findings were well correlated with MRI findings. CONCLUSION: Primary Merkel cell carcinoma may arise from the subcutaneous fat and present as an entirely subcutaneous lesion with intact skin. MRI is helpful to evaluate the local extension of the lesion and regional lymphatic metastasis.     

Precipitation casting of drug-loaded microporous PCL matrices: incorporation of progesterone by co-dissolution.

Microporous, poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) matrices were loaded with progesterone by precipitation casting using co-solutions of PCL and progesterone in acetone. Progesterone loadings up to 32% w/w were readily achieved by increasing the drug content of the starting PCL solution. The kinetics of steroid release in PBS at 37 degrees C over 10 days could be described effectively by a diffusional release model although the Korsmeyer-Peppas model indicated the involvement of multiple release phenomena. The diffusion rate constant (D) increased from 8 to 24 microg/mg matrix/day0.5 as the drug loading increased from 3.6 to 12.4% w/w. A total cumulative release of 75%-95% indicates the high efficiency of steroid delivery. Increasing the matrix density from 0.22 to 0.39 g/cm3, by increasing the starting PCL solution concentration, was less effective in changing drug release kinetics. Retention of anti-proliferative activity of released steroid was confirmed using cultures of breast cancer epithelial (MCF-7) cells. Progesterone released from PCL matrices into PBS at 37 degrees C over 14 days retarded the growth of MCF-7 cells by a factor of at least 3.5 compared with progesterone-free controls. These findings recommend further investigation of precipitation-cast PCL matrices for delivery of bioactive molecules such as anti-proliferative agents from implanted, inserted or topical devices.