18F-FDG PET can replace conventional work-up in primary M staging of nonkeratinizing nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Conventional work-up (CWU) with chest radiography, abdominal ultrasonography, and skeletal scintigraphy has limited value in M staging of nonkeratinizing nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Our aim was to evaluate whether (18)F-FDG PET could replace CWU by comparing their diagnostic efficacies. METHODS: Patients with histologically proven nonkeratinizing NPC and no prior treatment were prospectively enrolled. All study participants underwent CWU and (18)F-FDG PET for primary M staging. Distant metastasis was considered to be present if there was any reliable evidence identified within 1 y after diagnosis. The comparative diagnostic efficacies of (18)F-FDG PET, CWU, and the combination of (18)F-FDG PET and CWU (PET+CWU) were evaluated using the areas under the receiver-operating-characteristic (ROC) curves. RESULTS: Sixty-one (20.3%) of 300 eligible patients were found to have distant metastases. On a patient-based analysis, (18)F-FDG PET was found to be more effective than CWU (P < 0.001), whereas it was equally effective with PET+CWU (P = 0.130). On region-based analyses, (18)F-FDG PET was more effective than skeletal scintigraphy and chest radiography for detecting bone metastases (P < 0.001) and chest metastases (P < 0.001), respectively. (18)F-FDG PET and abdominal ultrasound were equally effective for detecting hepatic metastases (P = 0.127). On region-based analyses, the combination of (18)F-FDG PET and CWU did not yield any noticeable increase in diagnostic efficacy. CONCLUSION: (18)F-FDG PET can replace CWU in primary M staging of nonkeratinizing NPC.     

Quantitative three-dimensional power Doppler ultrasound predicts the outcome of placental chorioangioma.

The relationship of large and vascularized chorioangiomas to adverse pregnancy outcome is well recognized. We present a patient with a large placental tumor and signs of impending fetal cardiac failure. The angioarchitecture of the tumor depicted by three-dimensional (3D) power Doppler ultrasound enabled us to accurately diagnose a placental chorioangioma. During the follow-up period, quantitative flow data obtained using 3D power Doppler indicated altered hemodynamics in the tumor and concomitant improvement in the condition of the fetus, enabling us to manage the mother conservatively. Spontaneous delivery occurred at 38 weeks without any complications. This report demonstrates the potential value of 3D power Doppler in prenatal diagnosis and monitoring of pregnancies complicated by large, vascularized chorioangioma.     

危重新生儿应激性高血糖及其预后分析

目的探讨危重新生儿预后与应激性高血糖之间的关系。方法对85例危重新生儿入院后即采静脉血用葡萄糖氧化酶法测血糖,血糖>7mmol/L诊断为高血糖,此后应用微量血糖仪进行动态监测。结果入院时高血糖者56例,占65.9%,治愈组与死亡组的血糖值分别为7.38±2.70、17.8±8.50mmol/L(P<0.01);无脏器功能衰竭、单器官及多器功能衰竭患儿的血糖分别为6.02±2.82、10.8±3.85、14.1±4.80mmol/L(P<0.01)。高血糖与器官功能衰竭关系密切,血糖越高,病情越严重,预后越差。结论危重新生儿血糖水平可作为预后判断的一项依据。     

Proposal of a modified Child-Turcotte-Pugh scoring system and comparison with the model for end-stage liver disease for outcome prediction in patients with cirrhosis.

The model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) has a better predictive accuracy for survival than the Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) system and has been the primary reference for organ allocation in liver transplantation. The CTP system, with a score range of 5-15, has a ceiling effect that may compromise its predictive power. In this study, we proposed a refined CTP scoring method and investigated its predictive ability. An additional point was given to patients with serum albumin < 2.3 g/dL, bilirubin > 8 mg/dL or prothrombin time prolongation > 11 seconds. The modified CTP system, containing class D, was compared to the MELD and original CTP system in 436 patients. There was a significant correlation between the MELD and modified CTP score (rho = 0.59, P< 0.001). Using mortality as the endpoint, the area under receiver operating characteristic curve for modified CTP system was 0.895 compared with 0.872 for MELD (P = 0.450) and 0.809 for original CTP system (P < 0.001) at 3 months; the area was 0.890, 0.837 and 0.756, respectively (P = 0.051 and < 0.001, respectively) at 6 months. The risk ratio per unit increase for the modified CTP score was 2.7 and 3.08 at 3 and 6 months respectively (P < 0.001). In conclusion, the modified CTP system can be proposed as an alternative prognostic model for cirrhotic patients. By extending the score range according to the influence of the laboratory-derived variables, the modified CTP system has a better performance than the original system and is as efficient as the MELD for outcome prediction.     

The outcome of ganglion clipping in hyperhidrosis and blushing

A total of 114 patients with various sympathetic disorders underwent endoscopic sympathetic block over different thoracic ganglions by the clipping method. The advantages of this method include the recognition of the clipped level, changeability, and reversibility. However, 4.4% of patients were unilaterally clipped at the wrong level.     

Proteasome Inhibitors Sensitize Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells to TRAIL

A poptosis, an evolutionarily conserved form of cell suicide, oc- curs in two physiological stages: commitment and execution.[1] It has been found that several Bcl-2 family proteins are located in the outer mitochondrial membrane, where they control relea…     

Cigarette smoke toxicants alter growth and survival of cultured mammalian cells.

Our purpose was to determine the effects of six cigarette toxicants (pyridine, nicotine, 2-ethylpyridine, 3-ethylpyridine, p-cresol, and pyrazine) on three types of cultured mammalian cells (human umbilical vein endothelial cells [HUVECs], human microvascular endothelial cells [HMVECs], and NIH 3T3 cells) using a cell proliferation/survival assay. Synchronized cells were cultured in proliferation or survival medium containing various doses (10(-18)M-10(-2)M) of the tested chemicals. After 48 h, cells were counted using a hemacytometer. The no observable adverse effect level (NOAEL), lowest observable adverse effect level (LOAEL), and the efficacy were determined for each compound in the cell proliferation and survival assays. Pyridine and p-cresol did not show significant effects with any cell types, except at high doses. Derivitization of the pyridine ring altered its potency, especially when an ethyl group or nitrogen was added. In survival medium, nicotine stimulated proliferation of all three cell types at doses found in smoker's serum (10(-8)M-10(-7)M). For HUVEC and HMVEC, 2-ethylpyridine, 3-ethylpyridine, and pyrazine inhibited proliferation in proliferation medium and induced cell death in survival medium at attomolar and femtomolar doses. All chemicals, except pyridine and pyrazine, stimulated NIH 3T3 cell proliferation at low doses and induced cell death at high doses. LOAELs and efficacies revealed that endothelial cells from a developing organ (umbilical cord) were more sensitive to these chemicals than endothelial cells from an adult organ (lung). 3-Ethylpyridine and pyrazine, which induced cell death at low doses, are added to consumer products and should be subjected to further toxicological testing.     

快速眼动睡眠剥夺后大鼠脑内神经元骨架蛋白及超微结构的变化

目的探讨经历不同时间快速眼动（REM）睡眠剥夺对大鼠皮质及海马各区神经元形态结构的影响。方法选择微管相关蛋白（MAP2）和神经丝（NF）作为正常神经元结构的标识物，利用免疫组织化学法和Western blot技术观察REM睡眠剥夺1、3、5、7 d4个时间点大鼠皮质及海马MAP2和NF表达的时空变化规律。同时运用电镜技术观察睡眠剥夺后神经元超微结构的变化。我们的实验是用改良的多平台睡眠剥夺模型进行REM睡眠剥夺，结合免疫组织化学染色技术和蛋白质电泳以及电镜超微结构分析。结果REM睡眠剥夺后5d大鼠皮质、海马CA1及齿状回神经元结构蛋白MAP2和NF表达较对照组明显减少（P〈0．05）；电镜神经元核仁偏位，胞质中出现少量肿胀的线粒体和内质网；部分神经轴突的髓鞘溶解与浓集。环境对照组、REM睡眠剥夺5d和7d组，皮质中超微结构改变的神经元所占比例分别为1．2％、3．6％和5．8％。结论REM睡眠剥夺能够导致大鼠脑内神经元的超微结构发生异常变化。