Comparison of endoscope-assisted versus conventional resection of parotid tumors.

Endoscopically-assisted partial parotidectomy for benign tumours has been reported, but we have evaluated its feasibility through different concealed incisions compared with conventional parotidectomy. A total of 124 patients with parotid tumours were enrolled in this retrospective study: an endoscopically-assisted group (n=37) compared with a group operated on conventionally (n=87). The incision for endoscopically-assisted partial, total parotidectomy and selective neck dissection was based on location and pathological characters of the parotid tumour. The sex and age of the patients, diameter of the tumour, and histopathological features were comparable between the two groups. The mean length of the incision in the endoscopic group was significantly shorter than that in the conventional group. However, intraoperative blood loss, operating time, and duration of hospital stay were significantly reduced, and postoperative secretion of saliva was significantly improved in the endoscopic group, among whom there were no recurrences of tumour. More importantly, all patients who had endoscopically-assisted operations were satisfied with the cosmetic result. Endoscopically-assisted parotidectomy is superior to conventional resection as judged by postoperative cosmetic and functional outcomes. It is noteworthy that the site of incision depends mainly on location, and on the suspected low grade of malignancy of the parotid tumour seen on preoperative computed tomography and magnetic resonance images.

Optimal expression and purification of sapelovirus A structural protein VP1, and its immunogenicity in mice.

Sapelovirus A (SV-A) is a positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus which is associated with acute diarrhea, pneumonia and reproductive disorders. The virus capsid is composed of four proteins, and the functions of the structural proteins are unclear. In this study, we expressed SV-A structural protein VP1 and studied its antigenicity and immunogenicity. SDS-PAGE analysis revealed that the target gene was expressed at high levels at 0.6 mM concentration of IPTG for 24 h. The mouse polyclonal antibody against SV-A VP1 protein was produced and reached a high antiserum titer (1: 2,048,000). Immunized mice sera with the recombinant SV-A VP1 protein showed specific recognition of purified VP1 protein by western blot assay and could recognize native SV-A VP1 protein in PK-15 cells infected with SV-A by indirect immunofluorescence assay. The successfully purified recombinant protein was able to preserve its antigenic determinants and the generated mouse anti-SV-A VP1 antibodies could recognize native SV-A, which may have the potential to be used to detect SV-A infection in pigs.

[Clinical observation of flupentixol and melitracen combined with specific immunotherapy for treatment of allergic rhinitis patients with anxiety and depression].

Objective:To explore the clinical effects of Flupentixol/Melitracencombined with specific immunotherapy in allergic rhinitis patients with anxiety and depression. Method:Totally ninetynine moderate to severe persistent allergic rhinitis patients with anxiety and depression from October 2014 to Sepetember 2015 were randomly divided into two groups: 45 patients in experimental group (Flupentixol/Melitracen 10.5 mg，QD,treatment last 4 months)and 44 patients in control group.All patients were treated with specific immunotherapy for 1 years. The nasal symptoms score, mini Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of life questionnaire(MiniRQLQ), Medication score, SAS and SDS score and the clinical curative effect were observed before treatment, after 4 months or one year treatment. The drug reactions were also recorded. Result:The VAS scores, MiniRQLQ scores, medication scores, SAS and SDS scores of patients in two groups who were treated after 4 months and 1 year were significantly reduced than that of patients before treatment.The differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).Compared with the control group, nasal symptom scores, MiniRQLQ scores, medication scores, SAS and SDS scores in experimental group were decreased after 4 month or 1 year treatment(P<0.05).After 4 months of treatment, the total effective rate of the experimental group was 84.4%, while the control group was 56.8%.After 1 years of treatment, the experimental group excellence rate was 57.8%, while the control group was 22.7%.The differences were statistically significant(P<0.05). During the course of treatment, there were thirteen cases of mild adverse reactionsin experimental group (17.7%) and control group(11.4%). There was no significant differences(P>0.05). Conclusion:Flupentixol and melitracen combined with specific immunotherapy could sifnificantlly relieve clinical symptom, quality of life and mental depression.is a safe and reliable therapeutic regimen for further improving clinical symptoms,quality of life,mental statusand the clinical efficacy in moderate to severe persistent with anxiety anddepression.

Efficacy of intensified chemotherapy with hematopoietic progenitors in small-cell lung cancer: A meta-analysis of the published literature.

OBJECTIVE: It remains controversial whether intensified chemotherapy with hematopoietic progenitors (ICHP) is effective for small-cell lung cancer. This meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ICHP in patients with small-cell lung cancer. METHODS: MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched for English-language studies published through October 12, 2008. Randomized phase II and III clinical trials comparing ICHP with control therapy. Response rates, overall survival, and toxicity were analyzed. RESULTS: Five assessable trials were identified including 641 patients. No significant increase in the odds ratio for response was attributable to ICHP (odds ratio, 1.29; 95% confidence interval, 0.87-1.93; p=0.206). No statistically significant increase in overall survival was found when ICHP were compared to control regimens (hazard ratio, 0.94; 95% confidence interval, 0.80-1.10; p=0.432). The toxicity of ICHP was significantly higher for hematologic toxicity, including hemoglobin nadir and platelet nadir. CONCLUSIONS: ICHP was not superior to control chemotherapy in terms of both objective response and overall survival, and was related to more significant hemoglobin nadir and platelet nadir.

Epithelial neutrophil-activating peptide-78 recruits neutrophils into pleural effusion.

The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of epithelial neutrophil-activating peptide (ENA)-78 in pleural effusions, as well as the chemoattractant activity of pleural ENA-78 on neutrophils. Pleural effusion and serum samples were collected from 75 patients who presented to the respiratory institute (19 with malignant pleural effusion, 21 with tuberculous pleural effusion, 18 with infectious pleural effusion and 17 with transudative pleural effusion). The concentrations of ENA-78, myeloperoxidase and neutrophil elastase were determined, and the chemoattractant activity of ENA-78 for neutrophils both in vitro and in vivo was also observed. The concentrations of ENA-78, myeloperoxidase and neutrophil elastase in infectious pleural effusion were significantly higher than those in malignant, tuberculous and transudative groups, respectively (all p<0.01). Infectious pleural fluid was chemotactic for neutrophils in vitro and anti-ENA-78 antibody could partly inhibit these chemotactic effects. Intrapleural administration of ENA-78 produced a marked progressive influx of neutrophils into pleural space. Compared with noninfectious pleural effusion, ENA-78 appeared to be increased in infectious pleural effusion. Our data suggested that ENA-78 was able to induce neutrophil infiltration into pleural space and might be responsible for pleural neutrophil degranulation.

Prognostic significance of pleural lavage cytology in patients with lung cancer: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Cytologic approaches such as pleural lavage cytology (PLC) are considered as possible aids to assessing prognosis of lung cancer patients. We aimed to comprehensively review the evidence for use of PLC to predict prognosis of lung cancer. METHODS: Fifteen studies, including 6391 patients, were found to be eligible for the present meta-analysis. A meta-analysis was done on the log hazard ratios and their variances in these studies. RESULTS: Four studies dealt with pleural lavage before lung resection, six studies dealt with pleural lavage after lung resection, and five studies had PLC data from both before and after lung resection examination. For before lung resection studies, combined hazard ratios showed that positive PLC results had an unfavorable impact on survival: 3.96 (95% confidence interval 2.48-6.33), 4.55 (2.95-7.04), 5.00 (3.39-7.36), 5.67 (3.81-8.43), and 7.06 (5.04-9.90), for 1-, 2-, 3-, 4- and 5-year, respectively. For after lung resection studies, combined hazard ratios showed that positive PLC results had an unfavorable impact on survival: 6.02 (3.74-9.71), 6.64 (4.53-9.72), 7.06 (4.93-10.12), 7.29 (5.18-10.25), and 8.47 (6.12-11.73), for 1-, 2-, 3-, 4- and 5-year, respectively. Totally, the combined hazard ratio was 5.61 (3.98-7.90), showing a worse survival when PLC was positive. These findings could be overestimated because of publication and reporting bias. CONCLUSIONS: PLC is a strong prognostic factor for survival in patients with lung cancer.

Diagnostic accuracy of tumour markers for malignant pleural effusion: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The role of tumour markers such as carbohydrate antigen (CA) 125, CA 15-3, CA 19-9 and CYFRA 21-1 (a fragment of cytokeratin 19) in differentiating malignant pleural effusions (MPE) from benign effusions is not yet clear. METHODS: After a systematic review of English language studies, sensitivity, specificity and other measures of accuracy of pleural concentrations of CA 125, CA 15-3, CA 19-9 and CYFRA 21-1 or their combinations in the diagnosis of MPE were pooled using random effects models. Summary receiver operating characteristic curves were used to summarise overall test performance. RESULTS: Twenty-nine studies met the inclusion criteria for the analysis. The summary estimates of the sensitivity and specificity of these tumour markers were as follows: CA 125, 0.48/0.85; CA 15-3, 0.51/0.96; CA 19-9, 0.25/0.96; CYFRA 21-1, 0.55/0.91 for diagnosing MPE. The estimated summary receiver operating characteristic curves showed that the performance of pleural CA 125 and CA 19-9 measurement in the diagnosis of MPE was limited, whereas that of CA 15-3 and CYFRA 21-1 was better. When two or more of the above four tumour markers were combined, or combined with carcinoembryonic antigen, the sensitivity and specificity were all increased to different extents. CONCLUSIONS: The current evidence does not recommend using one tumour marker alone for the diagnosis of MPE, but the combination of two or more tumour markers seems to be more sensitive. The results of tumour marker assays should be interpreted in parallel with clinical findings and the results of conventional tests.

Dietary calcium supplementation increases apoptosis in the distal murine colonic epithelium.

BACKGROUND: Increased dietary calcium might reduce colorectal cancer risk, possibly by reduction of colonic epithelial hyperproliferation, but not all studies have demonstrated this. Little is known about the effects of calcium on colonic apoptosis. AIM: To quantify the effects of increasing calcium on apoptosis and cell proliferation in normal murine colonic crypt epithelium. METHODS: Twenty one day old male C57B1/6 mice were fed either control AIN-76 diet (0.5% calcium wt/wt; n = 10) or the same supplemented with calcium carbonate (1.0% calcium; n = 10) for 12 weeks. Apoptotic cells in proximal and distal segments were counted and expressed as an apoptotic index (AI: frequency of apoptosis/100 longitudinal crypts). The bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) labelling index was also determined. Differences were analysed by the student's t test. RESULTS: In control animals, the AI was significantly higher in the caecum/proximal colon (mean, 28.6; SEM, 2.0) compared with the distal colon (mean, 19.9; SEM, 1.8; p = 0.004). In the calcium treated group, the AI in the caecum/proximal colon (mean, 30.6; SEM, 1.7) was similar to controls (p = 0.71) but the AI in the distal colon was significantly greater (mean, 32.6; SEM, 1.8; p = 0.001) than in control mice and was raised to values similar to those in the proximal colon. Calcium was also associated with reduced crypt cellularity and, in the proximal colon, a downward shift in the crypt position at which apoptosis occurred. There were no significant differences in the BrdU labelling index between groups or between proximal and distal colonic segments in each group. CONCLUSIONS: Increased dietary calcium is associated with the induction of apoptosis in normal mouse distal colonic epithelium without affecting cell proliferation. This might contribute to its putative chemopreventive role in colorectal carcinogenesis. Whether this effect is direct or indirect requires further study.

[Study on flavonoids in seeds of Hovenia dulcis].

Four flavanoids were isolated from the seed of Hovenia dulcis Thunb. On the basis of physicochemical properties and spectroscopic analysis, their structures were identified as dihydrokaempferol (I), quercetin (II), (+)-3,3',5',5,7-pentahydroflavanone (III) and (+)-dihydromyricetin (IV). Among them, III was a new compound; I and IV were first isolated from genus Hovenis.