Interleukin-8, Cyclo-oxygenase-2, and Trefoil Factor Family 1 Gene Expression and Their Association with Helicobacter pylori Infection in the Remnant Stomach

Purpose The risk factors for secondary stomach carcinogenesis after distal gastrectomy have not been evaluated in detail. Methods Using gastrointestinal endoscopy, we examined 112 patients who had undergone gastrectomy. Biopsy specimens were taken from the stoma and the upper corpus mucosa in the remnant stomach to examine the associations among Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori) infection, bile reflux, and the expressions of interleukin-8 (IL-8), cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2), and trefoil factor family 1 (TFF1) genes in the stomach mucosa. Results The IL-8 levels in the corpus mucosa were significantly higher in the H.pylori-positive patients than in the H.pylori-negative patients (P = 0.015). The IL-8 levels were significantly higher in the stomal mucosa than in the corpus mucosa in the H.pylori-positive patients (P = 0.047). The COX-2 levels in the corpus mucosa tended to be higher in the H.pylori-positive patients, but these levels were not significantly different in the stoma mucosa. The COX-2 levels in the corpus were significantly higher after Billroth II (BII) anastomosis than after Billroth I (BI) anastomosis (P = 0.041). TFF1 expression in the stoma was higher in the H.pylori-positive patients than in the H.pylori-negative patients, but the difference was not significant. Conclusions Both H.pylori infection and bile reflux increased IL-8 levels after BI anastomosis. Furthermore, COX-2 levels were higher after BII than after BI anastomosis. These indicators will become useful not only as biomarkers to predict the degree of inflammation in the stomach mucosa, but also as surrogate biomarkers to predict the risk of secondary stomach carcinogenesis in the remnant stomach mucosa.     

The superiorities of invasive procedures in nodal staging of non-small cell lung cancers

The staging of non-small cell lung cancer is the most important factor that affects the treatment form and prognosis. The management strategy includes serious variations according to clinical condition of the patient, preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative pathologic staging outcomes. Today, obtaining the histopathological diagnosis preoperatively became mandatory. Reaching the definite tissue diagnosis requires the using of invasive technics. Nowadays; there is a widespread use of invasive staging and diagnostic procedures in order to show the evidence of disease presence and determine the probability of contralateral metastasis in a patient who will undergo a possible thoracotomy. In the preoperative period, benefiting from the invasive staging methods that will reveal occult N2 disease totally, would be more useful for the patients.     

Apoptosis and proliferation kinetics of T cells in patients having experienced antiretroviral treatment interruptions

Multiple failures of antiretroviral treatments, as a result of multidrug-resistant virus, have led to a proposal for structured therapeutic interruptions (STI). However, a significant decrease in CD4+ T cells may occur. The aim of our study was to determine the kinetics of T cell subpopulation changes, T cell apoptosis and peripheral blood mononuclear cell proliferation after STI. The impact of resistance mutation disappearance on T cell apoptosis was also studied. Ten patients were enrolled prospectively, and blood sampling was performed at weeks 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 12. The mean increase in viral load was 1.3 log(10) copies/ml, ranging from 0.1 to 3.2. CD4+ T cell count decreased to a mean of 80 cells/mm(3) from baseline to week 12. In the same period, CD8+ T cells decreased to a mean of 139 cells/mm(3). A significant increase in both T cell apoptosis and proliferation of mononuclear cells was observed. However, proliferation was an early and brief event. The increase in CD4+ T cell apoptosis was obvious in patients exhibiting complete reversion of resistance mutations to antiviral drugs. Our results suggest that during STI, apoptosis is an overwhelming phenomenon compared with proliferation, and may explain the limited immunological impact of this therapeutic option.     

Burn prevention: perception of the patients and their relative

This study aimed at investigating the ways to prevent burns identified by burned patients and their relatives. Data were collected at the Burns Unit of the Ribeir?o Preto Medical School Clinical Hospital, University of S?o Paulo--Brazil by means of interviews with burned patients and their relatives. Four referees categorized data. In order to verify the existence of agreement among the referees with regard to categorization, the non-parametric correlation measure was used--Contingency Coefficient. Fifty-seven people were interviewed: 24 relatives and 33 burned patients. Of the 33 interviewed patients, 18 had suffered accidents at home. Of the 57 interviewees, 11 stated that they could not have avoided the accident causing the burn. Twenty patients and 12 relatives identified risk situations at home or at work and 13 patients and 12 relatives did not identify any types of risk situations. The relatives and patients referred to the following preventive measures for burning accidents: to be attentive to the activities that they perform and to be more careful while handling flammable products.     

髁突骨软骨瘤及其继发牙颌面畸形的治疗

骨软骨瘤属于良性肿瘤,髁突是颌面部骨软骨瘤易受累的部位.髁突骨软骨瘤主要表现为关节区肿块、关节功能异常,常继发不对称性牙颌面畸形.手术仍是治疗的主要方法.手术应彻底切除肿瘤、重建关节功能、纠正错畸形以获得稳定良好的口颌系统功能.同时应矫正其异常和畸形容貌,以达到功能与形态俱佳的效果,常需以多种手术结合为主的综合治疗方案.本文从髁突骨软骨瘤的病因、临床特点、影像学特点、治疗目标和手术方式等方面对该病的诊治作一系统论述.     

Treatment of chronic liver diseases with traditional Chinese medicine

Traditional Chinese medicine is still being extensively used for treatment of liver disease in China. The anti‐viral herbs, Phyllanthus amarus, P. niruri and P. urninaria, and Oxymatrine extracted from Sophora flavecientis and S. subprostratae, have been shown to have a remarkable HBV suppressing effect with a serum conversion rate for HBeAg and HBV DNA around 45%, similar to that of IFN‐α. The anti‐inflammatory compound, Stronger NeoMinophagen C (SNMC), is a Japanese preparation of glycerrhizin, extracted from Glyceriza glabra, which has shown an effective rate of ALT and AST normalization and reduction to < 60 U/L in 65.6% and 73.5% of patients. Compound 861, made of 10 herbs with Salvia miltiorrhiza as its chief component, has been shown experimentally to be effective in suppressing fibrogenesis, enhancing collagen degradation, and inhibiting TIMP expression. Clinically, an open trial of 2000 patients showed improvement of symptoms in 83% and normalization of serum ALT in 82%. In a controlled study of 107 patients with HBV‐related diseases, double liver biopsies showed that the fibrosis reversal rate after 6 months treatment with Cpd 861 was 78% in S2, 82% in S3 (precirrhotic stage) and 75% in S4 (early cirrhosis), as assessed by Scheuer’s and Chevallier’s criterion. In conclusion, traditional Chinese medicine has great potential in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B.     

补肾方药归经与实验性骨质疏松骨组织转化生长因子βmRNA的表达

背景：祖国医学中“肾主骨”的理论符合现代医学骨代谢调节机制，依此理论研制的补肾复方中药在骨质疏松症的治疗中虽取得较好的效果，但其归经作用途径需进行相关分子生物学方面的深入探讨。 目的：观察补肾方药归经与实验性骨质疏松骨组织转化生长因子β1 mRNA表达的关系。 设计、时间及地点：随机对照动物实验，于2004-01/2007-12在河北医科大学中西医结合基础实验室完成。 材料：清洁级3个月龄健康雌性SD大鼠(未曾交配)70只，体质量（300±20）g，喂食低钙饲料，肌肉注射地塞米松建立骨质疏松模型。补肾方药由地黄、淫羊藿、山药、丹参、骨碎补、独活等药物组成。 方法：将SD大鼠随机分成7组：正常对照组、病理模型组、补肾方药口服组、肾经外贴组、膀胱经外贴组、依普拉封口服组、非经非穴位外贴组，每组10只。正常对照组不造模，补肾方药口服组造模大鼠按8 g/kg补肾方药灌胃给药；依普拉封口服组造模大鼠按10 mg/kg灌胃给药；正常对照组及模型组大鼠每天灌胃等体积的生理盐水；膀胱经外贴组造模大鼠取肾俞、飞扬穴，肾经外贴组选太溪、大钟穴，非经非穴位外贴组选非经非穴位，于脱毛区贴上相应的膏剂，左右交替进行，1次/d。 主要观察指标：检测连续给药16周后，造模各组和不造模正常对照组大鼠血清卵泡刺激素、黄体生成激素、促甲状腺素、孕酮水平，以双能X线骨密度仪检测腰椎骨密度，以反转录-聚合酶链反应检测骨组织转化生长因子β1 mRNA的表达。 结果：70只大鼠均进入结果分析。给药16周后，与模型组比较，补肾方药口服组、肾经外贴组、膀胱经外贴组、依普拉封口服组的血清卵泡刺激素、黄体生成激素、促甲状腺素、孕酮、骨密度明显增加（P均< 0.01），转化生长因子β1 mRNA的表达明显上调（P均< 0.01）。 结论：①补肾方药通过口服和外贴穴位两种不同途径给药均有效改善骨密度，发挥“归经”作用，该作用可能与靶器官骨组织上调转化生长因子β1 mRNA的表达有关。     

双侧耳郭软骨骨化1例并文献复习

目的 探讨耳郭软骨骨化的发病机制、临床表现、诊断依据、鉴别诊断、治疗方法。方法 回顾性分析1例耳郭软骨骨化患者的临床资料并复习相关文献进行总结。结果 耳郭软骨骨化的发病机制暂不明确,通常无明显不适症状,少数患者可伴有局部疼痛、听力下降等症状。颞骨CT可辅助诊断,最终确诊依赖于组织病理检查。症状不明显时可暂予观察,若症状严重影响了生活和工作,可予手术治疗。结论 耳郭软骨骨化在临床上较为少见,目前尚无有效逆转耳郭骨化的办法。积极寻找病因,及早干预,有利于避免病情进一步发展。