Endoscopic diagnosis of early-stage primary esophageal small cell carcinoma: Report of two cases.

BACKGROUND: Primary esophageal small cell carcinoma (PESCC) is a highly aggressive malignancy, and its detailed clinical behaviors have remained virtually unknown. Because of the rapid tumor progression, the diagnosis of esophageal small cell carcinoma at early stage is extremely difficult in clinical practice. Currently, only a handful of PESCC cases have been reported. CASE SUMMARY: Case 1: A 62-year-old man was diagnosed with an esophageal submucosal tumor by endoscopy. Endoscopic ultrasonography showed a 0.8 cm low echo nodule in the muscularis mucosa. As the patient refused to undergo endoscopic resection, neoplasia was detected by endoscopy 1 year later. Case 2: A 68-year-old woman was diagnosed as having an esophageal submucosal tumor by endoscopy at a local hospital. About 2 wk later, we performed endoscopic ultrasonography and found a 1 cm low echo nodule in the muscularis mucosa; the submucosal was thinner than normal but still continuous; mucosal hyperemia and erosion were found on the surface of the tumor. Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) was performed and the histopathological finding showed a small cell carcinoma invading the submucosal layer. CONCLUSION: Early esophageal small cell carcinoma shows submucosal infiltrating growth with a hypoechoic mass in the muscularis mucosa as diagnosed by endoscopic ultrasonography. It is easily misdiagnosed as submucosal masses. Endoscopic manifestations should be identified and pathological biopsies should be employed. ESD may be performed to provide an opportunity for early treatment of PESCC.

Exogenous Local Hyperthermia at 41o C Is Effective to Eliminate Mouse Model of Sporotrichosis, Independent of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps Formation

Background@#Local hyperthermia is recommended for the treatment of patients with fixed cutaneous sporotrichosis, though the effectiveness and mechanisms of action remain elusive. While neutrophils represent the main inflammatory cells associated with sporotrichosis lesions, the issue of whether hyperthermia is involved with interactions between neutrophils and Sporothrix globosa remains unclear. @*Objective@#To evaluate the effect of local hyperthermia on sporotrichosis and determine whether local hyperthermia involves effects of neutrophils against Sporothrix. @*Methods@#For the in vivo study, mice were infected with yeast cells of S. globosa followed by treatment with local hyperthermia. In vitro, an isolated S. globosa strain was co-cultured with or without neutrophils and subjected under different temperatures. Immunofluorescence was used to assess the formation of neutrophil extracellular trap (NETs) were formed under these different culture conditions and the number of fungi colony forming units were compared. Results: Hyperthermia was significantly more effective in clearing the lesions in the mouse model, as compared to sham treatment. Neutrophils failed to exert any fungicidal effects against S. globosa in response to hyperthermia. Moreover, NETs were formed after interactionwith S. globosa, and the percentage of NETs formed was not significantly different at 41o C or 37o C. @*Conclusion@#While hyperthermia could serve as an effective therapy for fixed cutaneous sporotrichosis, this ability does not involve the formation of NETs.

A switchable [2]rotaxane with two active alkenyl groups.

A novel functional [2]rotaxane containing two alkenyl bonds was designed, synthesized and characterized by 1H, 13C NMR spectroscopy and HRESI mass spectrometry. The introduction of alkenyl bonds endowed the [2]rotaxane a fascinating ability to react with versatile functional groups such as alkenyl and thiol functional groups. The reversible shuttling movement of the macrocycle between two different recognition sites on the molecular thread can be driven by external acid and base. This kind of rotaxane bearing functional groups provides a powerful platform for preparing stimuli-responsive polymers.

Associations between Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in the Mitochondrial DNA D-Loop Region and Outcome of Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasm.

Accumulation of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the displacement loop (D-loop) of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) may be associated with cancer risk and disease outcome. We evaluated the predictive value of these SNPs for GEP-NEN outcome. Three SNP sites of nucleotides 16257C/A, 150C/T and 151C/Tdel were identified for statistically significant prediction of postoperative survival in GEP-NEN by univariate analysis with log-rank test. In addition, the minor haplotype of nucleotides 16257A in the hypervariable segment 1(HV1) region of the D-loop was identified for their association with lower survival rate of GEP-NEN (relative risk, 3.390; 95% CI, 1.071~10.729; p=0.038) by multivariate analysis with COX hazards model. The analysis of genetic polymorphisms in the mitochondrial D-loop can help identify patient subgroups with a high risk of GEP-NEN outcome.

Synchronous dynamic research on respiratory and intestinal microflora of chronic bronchitis rat model.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the mechanism of the Chinese medicine theory that Fei (Lung) and Dachang (Large Intestine) are exteriorly and interiorly related via synchronous observation on the dynamic changes of the respiratory and intestinal microflora. METHODS: Forty specific pathogen free Sprague-Dawley rats were selected and randomly divided into blank (10 rats) and chronic bronchitis model groups (30 rats). The blank group rats were put into the smoke-free environment and the model group rats were put into the smoke environment in order to establish pulmonary disease (chronic bronchitis) model. Then the corresponding changes of the respiratory and intestinal microflflora of the model on 20th, 50th and 70th days were synchronously observed. RESULTS: The respiratory tract microflflora showed an increase in the total aerobic and Staphylococcus aureus and reduced anaerobic amount signifificantly on 20th day in the respiratory tract microflflora (P<0.05 or 0.01). On 50th day, total aerobic, total anaerobic amount and bififidobacterium signifificantly increased (P<0.05). On 70th day, Staphylococcus aureus reduced and lactobacillus increased signifificantly (P<0.01). The intestinal microflflora showed an increase in the total aerobic, Clostridium perfringens, enterobacter and enterococcus significantly increased on 20th day (P<0.05 or 0.01). Staphylococcus aureus on 50th day increased significantly (P<0.05). Total aerobic and enterococcus increased, total anaerobic and Clostridium perfringens reduced signifificantly on 70th day (P<0.05 or 0.01). CONCLUSION: The microecosystem of respiratory tract and intestine of rat model during the pathological process showed a dynamic disorder, indicating an interaction between the lung and large intestine which may be one of the connotations as they exteriorly and interiorly related.

[Changes of CCK-8, CGRP, SP, and VIP in the colon and the lung tissue of allergic asthma model rats: an experimental observation].

OBJECTIVE: To observe changes of cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8), calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP), substance P (SP), and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in each tissue of the digestive system of allergic asthma (AA) model rats. METHODS: The pulmonary disease (AA) rat model was duplicated by 1% ovalbumin. Its effect on the pathological morphology of the six main parts of the digestive system (stomach, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, colon and rectum) and related regulating factors such as CCK8, CGRP, SP, and VIP were observed. RESULTS: The pathological morphology of the lung was synchronously changed as that of the colon of model rats. But there was no obvious change in the stomach, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, or rectum. Significant changes occurred in CCK8 (79 961.4 +/- 12 577.9, 48 519.5 +/- 12 240.7), CGRP (41 950.1 +/- 12 600.1, 38 059.8 +/- 11 942.4), and SP (88 243.9 +/- 32 177.2, 47 417.8 +/- 16 462.4), and VIP (20 711.4 +/- 7 334.6, 43 208.1 +/- 13 433.8) of the lung tissue and the colon tissue of model rats (P < 0. 05, P < 0.01). But there was no significant change in the aforesaid substances of the stomach, duodenum, jejunum, ileum and rectum (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Pulmonary disease might affect the colon, inducing pathological changes of the colon tissue and changes of related regulating factors such as CCK8, CGRP, SP, and VIP. It showed no significant effect on the stomach, duodenum, jejunum, ileum and rectum.

(S,R,Rp)-N,N-Dimethyl-1-{2-[(1-phenyl-ethyl)amino-meth-yl]ferrocen-yl}ethanamine.

The title chiral ferrocene compound, [Fe(C(5)H(5))(C(18)H(25)N(2))], contains one planar and two central chiral centers. It is of inter-est with respect to asymmetric catalysis. The absolute configuration of the planar chirality is Rp at the ferrocene group and those of the two C chiral centers are R at the CH carbon of the ethanamine unit and S at the CH carbon of the phenyl-ethyl-amino substituent. In the ferrocenyl unit, the cyclo-penta-dienyl (Cp) rings are planar, with maximum deviations of 0.002 (2) Šfor the substituted and 0.008 (3) Šfor the unsubstituted Cp ring. The dihedral angle between the ring planes is 2.12 (15)° and the rings are twisted slightly from an eclipsed conformation by 7.06-7.60°.

[Observation on therapeutic effect of multiple cupping at back-shu points on chronic fatigue syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To observe therapeutic effect of multiple cupping at back-shu points of zang-and fu-organs on chronic fatigue syndrome. METHODS: One hundred and ninety-one cases were randomly divided into 2 groups. The multiple cupping group (n = 142) were treated with multiple cupping along both sides of the spinal cord, and the acupuncture group (n = 49) were treated with acupuncture at acupoints selected according to TCM syndrome differentiation. Their therapeutic effects were assessed by clinical symptoms and Fatigue Assessment Indexes (FAI). RESULTS: The total effective rate was 97.9% in the multiple cupping group and 79.6% in the acupuncture group with a very significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.01), and after treatment, there was a very significant difference between the two groups in FAI score (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Multiple cupping at back-shu points of zang-and fu-organs is an effective method for chronic fatigue syndrome.

[Study on identification, colonization and reorganization of rice endophytic bacteria].

Endophytic SR-15, SR-25 and SL-37 strains screened from rice hybrid D you 527 in Sichuan were analyzed. Through penetration and microscopic test, the strains were found be mainly located in the cell gap, vacuole and cytoplasm. PUC18 transferring and ERIC-PCR showed that the recombination strain SR-15 could grow in the plant stably. The strain was identified as Bacillus halmapalus based on its chemical components of cell wall, physiological and biochemical characters. It was also shown that the strain was not injurious to rice plant, instead, it promoted rice plant growth by penetration. The Cry1Ac gene was transferred into the stain and verified by Southern analysis. Cry1Ac-transferred SR-15 was toxic to the Chilo suppressalis, brought about death ratio as high as 84.2%.