Classification based on the combination of molecular and pathologic predictors is superior to molecular classification on prognosis in colorectal carcinoma.

PURPOSE: Classification based on a combination of molecular and pathologic predictors had never been done using hierarchical cluster analysis. For this purpose, we identified prognostic classification based on molecular predictors, pathologic and molecular predictors, and compared their respective prognostic efficacy together with that of tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage. Moreover, we investigated the prognostic significance of molecular classification in different TNM stage. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Six pathologic predictors (p) and 13 immunohistochemical predictors (m) were investigated in 221 colorectal carcinomas. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering analysis was done to group the data. Survival analysis was done by Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test, and by multivariate COX proportional hazard model. RESULTS: Six pathologic predictors and four molecular predictors were of significant prognostic value (P 相似文献   

生脉注射液在气管插管后血压降低中的运用

生脉注射液具有益气养阴、复脉固脱之功效,广泛用于严重感染、血容量不足引起的血压降低.在气管插管后血压降低时,应用生脉注射液也取得了较好的临床疗效.本文对气管插管后血压降低应用生脉注射液的用法用量、注意事项等进行了归纳.     

Expression of ErbB receptors during pancreatic islet development and regrowth

We have characterized expression of the ErbB receptor family and one of its ligands, heregulin, in an effort to identify molecules associated with pancreatic development and regeneration. In addition to studying expression during fetal pancreatic development, we have also studied expression during pancreatic regeneration in the interferon-gamma (IFNgamma)-transgenic mouse, which exhibits significant duct cell proliferation and new islet formation. These studies demonstrate significant expression of the ErbB2, ErbB3, and ErbB4 receptors, in addition to heregulin isoforms, in the developing murine fetal pancreas. We also report significant ductal expression of these proteins during IFNgamma-mediated pancreatic regeneration. This striking expression was absent in 1-week-old neonates, but was clearly visible in pups by 5 weeks of age. These data therefore indicate that ErbB receptor and ligand expression decline by birth in both the IFNbeta-transgenic and non-transgenic mice, and that expression resumes early in postnatal life in the IFNbeta-transgenic mice. The expression of ErbB receptor family members at sites of islet development and regrowth suggests that these molecules might be relevant to these processes.     

Expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen in luminal epithelium during the growth and regression of rat uterus

Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), a processivity factor of DNA synthesis, has often been used as a marker that reveals proliferating cells. However, it also plays a role other than in DNA replication. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the expression of PCNA and cell proliferation, and also its relation to cell death in the uterine epithelium under various hormonal conditions. Rats with regular estrous cycles were killed at various stages of the cycle, and their uteri were removed for the detection of PCNA and apoptosis by immunohistochemical and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated nick end-label staining respectively. There was an inverse relationship between the expression of PCNA and apoptosis in the uterine epithelium during the estrous cycle. From diestrus to proestrus, the expression of PCNA increased, and few apoptotic cells were detected in the luminal epithelium. However, at estrus, apoptosis occurred markedly, and the expression of PCNA disappeared. To study further the effects of estrogen on PCNA expression and cell growth in the uterus, rats were ovariectomized and then implanted s.c. with estrogen capsules 2 weeks later. In ovariectomized rats, only a few PCNA-positive cells were observed in the uterine epithelium. After estrogen treatment, PCNA was expressed strongly in the luminal and glandular epithelia. In these rats, the removal of estrogen capsules resulted in apoptotic death and surprisingly strong PCNA expression in the cells of luminal epithelium. Our results demonstrate that PCNA is expressed not only in the estrogen-stimulated uterine growth, but also in the processes of regression induced by the withdrawal of estrogen. Although the expression of PCNA has been reported to represent cell proliferation, our results implicate functions other than cell replication for PCNA in the uterus.     

Gastric and Colo-rectal Cancer Mortality in Viet Nam in the Years 2005-2006

Background: The International Collaborative Epidemiological Study of Host and Environmental Factors for Stomach and Colorectal Cancers in Southeast Asian Countries (SEACs) has been conducted in Viet Nam from 2003 to 2008 on a case-control basis. For further effective primary prevention, we examined gastric and colorectal cancer mortality nationwide in eight regions of Viet Nam in 2005-06. Methods: Both demographic data and lists of all deaths in 2005-06 were obtained from all 10,769 commune health stations in Viet Nam. Five indicators included name, age, sex, date of death and cause of death was collected for each case. We selected only communes having the list of deaths with clear cause for each case and crude mortality rate for all causes from 300-600/100,000 as published by the Ministry of Health for a reasonable accuracy and completeness. Obtained data for all causes, all cancers, stomach and colorectal cancer deaths as well as demographic information were processed using Excel software and exported to STATA 8.0 for estimation of world age-standardized cancer mortality rates per 100,000. Results: Data were available for 1,246 gastric cases, (819 male and 427 female) with age-standardized mortality rates from 12.7 to 31.3 per 100,000 in males and from 5.9 to 10.3 per 100,000 in females in the 8 regions of the country. For colorectal cancers, 542 cases (268 male and 274 female) gave mortality rates from 4.0 to 11.3 per 100,000 in males and from 3.0 to 7.8 per 100,000 in females. Discussion: Stomach cancer mortality in males in the region of North East in the North Viet Nam (2005-06) was higher than that in Japan (2002) (31.3 versus 28.7 per 100,000) while colorectal cancer in Viet Nam was lower. While prevalence of Hp infection in Viet Nam was from 70-75% in both males and females, the stomach cancer rate in males was significantly higher than in females, 31.3 versus 6.8 per 100,000, suggesting an influence of other environmental risk factors. Whether protective factors are operating against colorectal cancer in Viet Nam now needs to be explored.     

Reactive oxygen species enhances endothelin-1 production of diabetic rat glomeruli in vitro and in vivo

Both reactive oxygen species (ROS) and endothelin-1 (ET- 1) have been implicated in the pathophysiology of diabetic nephropathy. The interrelationship between them, however, has not been documented in this disease. To determine whether ROS regulates ET-1 production in diabetic kidneys, we examined the in vitro and in vivo effects of ROS donors and scavengers on ET-1 production of diabetic rat glomeruli. For in vitro study, the glomeruli were isolated with a sieving method from streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats and killed at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months, respectively. Superoxide was measured by a spectrophotometer, and ET-1 was measured by radioimmunoassay. The results demonstrated that the basal production levels of superoxide and ET-1 were higher in diabetic glomeruli than in normal glomeruli in vitro. There was a positive correlation between the production of superoxide and ET-1 in diabetic glomeruli. The basal ET-1 production was markedly attenuated by ROS scavengers including superoxide dismutase, catalase, dimethyl sulfoxide, and deferoxamine in diabetic glomeruli. Exogenous ROS generated by xanthine/xanthine oxidase significantly enhanced ET-1 generation by both diabetic and normal glomeruli. A high glucose concentration (500 mg/dL) in vitro increased ET-1 production by normal glomeruli but not diabetic glomeruli, and insulin partly suppressed ET- 1 production by diabetic glomeruli. The in vivo study demonstrated that when diabetic rats were injected daily with superoxide dismutase or catalase after diabetes was induced, the basal production of ET-1 was markedly attenuated after 1 week and 1 month, respectively. These results indicate that exogenously or endogenously derived ROS can enhance ET-1 production by diabetic rat glomeruli and that ROS scavengers suppress ET- 1 production both in vitro and in vivo. The effects of ROS on ET-1 production of diabetic glomeruli may be partly caused by the effect of hyperglycemia or insulin deficiency.     

A novel HLA-A24 (A*2420) allele identified in the Atayal tribe of Taiwan

The Taiwan indigenous population groups are classified into different tribes according their linguistic classification and cultural anthropology. One of the tribes, the Atayal, showed a high frequency of A24 alleles by SSOP analysis. High-resolution sequencing based typing identified a A*2402 variant "A*2420" which was found in 6 unrelated individuals. High-resolution typing is required to identify HLA polymorphism in the Taiwanese minority groups.     

Atonia-related regions in the rodent pons and medulla

Electrical stimulation of circumscribed areas of the pontine and medullary reticular formation inhibits muscle tone in cats. In this report, we present an analysis of the anatomical distribution of atonia-inducing stimulation sites in the brain stem of the rat. Muscle atonia could be elicited by electrical stimulation of the nuclei reticularis pontis oralis and caudalis in the pons as well as the nuclei gigantocellularis, gigantocellularis alpha, gigantocellularis ventralis, and paragigantocellularis dorsalis in the medulla of decerebrate rats. This inhibitory effect on muscle tone was a function of the intensity and frequency of the electrical stimulation. Average latencies of muscle-tone suppressions elicited by electrical stimulation of the pontine reticular formation were 11.02 +/- 2.54 and 20.49 +/- 3.39 (SD) ms in the neck and in the hindlimb muscles, respectively. Following medullary stimulation, these latencies were 11.29 +/- 2.44 ms in the neck and 18.87 +/- 2. 64 ms in the hindlimb muscles. Microinjection of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA, 7 mM/0.1 microliter) agonists into the pontine and medullary inhibitory sites produced muscle-tone facilitation, whereas quisqualate (10 mM/0.1 microliter) injection induced an inhibition of muscle tone. NMDA-induced muscle tone change had a latency of 31.8 +/- 35.3 s from the pons and 10.5 +/- 0. 7 s from the medulla and a duration of 146.7 +/- 95.2 s from the pons and 55.5 +/- 40.4 s from the medulla. The latency of quisqualate (QU)-induced reduction of neck muscle tone was 30.1 +/- 37.9 s after pontine and 39.5 +/- 21.8 s after medullary injection. The duration of muscle-tone suppression induced by QU injection into the pons and medulla was 111.5 +/- 119.2 and 169.2 +/- 145.3 s. Smaller rats (8 wk old) had a higher percentage of sites producing muscle-tone inhibition than larger rats (16 wk old), indicating an age-related change in the function of brain stem inhibitory systems. The anatomical distribution of atonia-related sites in the rat has both similarities and differences with the distribution found in the cat, which can be explained by the distinct anatomical organization of the brain stem in these two species.     

Corticosteroid production by fetal rat hippocampal neurons

11beta-hydroxylase and aldosterone synthase catalyse the final stages of corticosterone and aldosterone synthesis respectively. Previously, we established that they are expressed in the rat brain, particularly the cerebellum and the hippocampus. Primary cultures of fetal rat neurons were studied. RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry established that neurons express 11beta-hydroxylase and aldosterone synthase mRNAs and protein. After incubating the cells with 10microM DOC for 24 hours, medium was analysed for aldosterone and corticosterone. Median % conversion of DOC to corticosterone was 7.6% compared to 0.4% in controls. Median % conversion of DOC to aldosterone was 6.2% compared to 0.06% in controls. Corticosteroids mediate a number of functions of mammalian brain, including blood pressure homeostasis, salt appetite and neuronal excitability. Local production of these steroids could have significant effects on these processes.