Study of poly-ɛ-caprolactone membranes for pleurodesis.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Pleurodesis with biomaterial membrane is an emerging treatment method for pneumothorax. However, the ideal one for the common disease is still under debate. METHODS: We investigate the Poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) membrane pleurodesis by using New Zealand White rabbits, which was sacrificed for examination one month later. Moreover, inflammation and fibrosis scoring were done under microscopic evaluation, as well as Western blot analysis in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS: Gross evaluation of pleurodesis score revealed that dense PCL membrane produced moderate pleural adhesion, while porous PCL membrane exhibited significantly higher pleurodesis scores. CONCLUSION: PCL membrane induced significant degree of adhesion, both within the abdomen and chest of the rabbits. The porous PCL membrane produces more intensive adhesion than dense one. Fibronectin plays an important role in the process of pleurodesis. Further study is required for the clinical application of the promising material.

Effect of hepatitis B vaccination in hepatitis B surface antibody-negative pregnant mothers on the vertical transmission of hepatitis B virus from father to infant.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of vaccination with the hepatitis B vaccine (HBVac) in HB surface antibody (HBsAb)-negative pregnant mothers on the vertical transmission of HB virus (HBV) from father to infant. All the fathers tested positive for the serum HBV DNA and HB surface antigen (HBsAg) markers. The pregnant females were divided into an observation group or a control group depending on whether their serum was HBsAb-negative or positive. A total of 93 healthy individuals without HBV infection were included in a blank group, while 96 females who were serum HBV marker-negative or HB core antibody (HBcAb)-positive/(HBsAb)-negative were included in the observation group. The control group comprised 89 females who all tested positive for serum HBsAb, HB envelope antibodies and HBcAb. In the observation group, the positive rate of HBV DNA in the newborns was 7.29% (7/96), the positive rate of HBsAg was 3.13% (3/96) and the positive rate of HBsAb was 81.3% (78/96). In the control group, the positive rates of HBV DNA, HBsAg and HBsAb in the newborns were 4.49% (4/89), 2.25% (2/89) and 89.9% (80/89), respectively. No statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups. Therefore, the results of the present study indicate that HBVac treatment for HBsAb-negative pregnant females may have a positive role in blocking the vertical transmission of HBV from father to infant, as long as the vaccination is able to induce the production of a sufficient quantity of HBsAb. The HBVac exhibited no difference compared with pre-pregnancy HBsAb in blocking the vertical transmission of HBV from father to infant.

[Study of clinical character and medicinal therapy of viral hepatitis in hospital based on real world].

Viral hepatitis was the most common infectious disease in china. But the diagnosis and treatment were varied because the viral hepatitis patients were hospitalized in different kinds of hospital such as infectious disease hospital, general hospital and Chinese medical hospital. It was necessary to know clinical characters and information of viral hepatitis patients in different hospitals. The general information, subtype distribution, prognosis, complication, medication and relations of onset with solar term from 41 180 viral hepatitis patients based on HIS data were analyzed. It was found that the age of patients between 18 to 59 years old was most; most patients were males. The national basic medical insurance was the most type of payment. The outcome of viral hepatitis in the youth and female were better than that in the old and male. Acute hepatitis was easer to restore than chronic hepatitis. Liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma were the two most complications. The peak of onset was during summer solstice, slight heat and great heat. The most common Chinese medicine was Diammonium glycyrrhizinate and the most common western medicine was reduced glutathione. The combination of D. glycyrrhizinate with reduced glutathione, polyene phosphatidylcholine and thymosin was the main pattern. But It was not knew if the combination of western and Chinese medicine was the most effective therapy to protect liver function. It was necessary to take deeply research of the relationship between the combination therapy and their effectiveness.

Primary hepatic malignant fibrous histiocytoma: clinicopathologic characteristics and prognostic value of ezrin expression.

Primary hepatic malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) is a rare entity with ill-defined clinicopathologic characteristics. We present the largest series to date (7 cases) of primary hepatic MFH, a systematic review of 27 cases published in the English literature, and an analysis of prognostic factors including ezrin expression. The 2 men and 5 women in our series were 34 to 80 years old (average 61 y) and presented with abdominal pain (6/7), systemic symptoms of low-grade fever, malaise, anorexia and weight loss (4/7), and spiking fever (1/7). One case was an incidental finding. Computed tomography and ultrasound revealed a well-demarcated solitary heterogeneous low-density mass ranging from 5.5 to 20 cm (average 12 cm) in largest dimension (5/7), or multiple small nodules up to 2 cm in diameter (1/7) or a 10 cm multiloculated cystic lesion owing to extensive necrosis (1/7). Histologically, a storiform-pleomorphic pattern with variable degrees of necrosis predominated (6/7). A myxoid pattern was seen in only 1 case and this case lacked necrosis. Lymphoplasmacytic infiltration was seen in 3/7 of the cases. Tumors were grade I (1/7), grade II (2/7), grade III (4/7), stage pT1 (4/7), pT2 (1/7), pT4 (1/7), and pT4, cM1 (1/7) at diagnosis. Three patients with tumor cell ezrin immunoreactivity score >or=1 died of tumor within 1 year. Two patients with tumor cell ezrin immunoreactivity score <1 survived >4 years after surgery. Combined analysis of our series and previously reported cases suggest that primary hepatic MFH possess certain characteristic clinicopathologic features that may help in making the diagnosis and in differentiating it from other more common neoplasms in the liver. The prognosis of hepatic MFH depends primarily on tumor size and stage at the time of diagnosis. Ezrin expression in tumor cells can provide additional prognostic information and may be a potential target for new adjuvant therapies.

[Clinical experience from treatment of seven SARS patients].

OBJECTIVE: To summarize the clinical experience from treatment of patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). METHODS: Retrospective analysis of seven patients with SARS in Ditan hospital treated since April 22 in 2004 was performed. RESULTS: In the 7 patients, 2 were male, 5 were female, and the average age was (35.3 plus/minus 11.3) years. The main clinical manifestations were fever, cough, minor or serious dyspnea, nausea, signs of injury to other organs, and so on. The treatment regiments included oxygen, small dosage and short period of methylprednisolone (1 to 2 mg/kg), use of ventilator, psychological intervention, and treatment of underlying diseases, after which, all the 7 patients recovered. CONCLUSION: Rational use of methylprednisolone and timely use of ventilator were the key steps of treatment.