A Human Case of Lumbosacral Canal Sparganosis in China

In this study, we intended to describe a human case of lumbosacral canal sparganosis in People’s Republic of China (China). A 56-year-old man was admitted to Xiangya Hospital Central South University in Changsha, Hunan province, China after having an experience of perianal pain for a week. An enhancing mass, a tumor clinically suggested, was showed at the S1-S2 level of the lumbosacral spine by the examination of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with gadolinium contrast. The patient was received the laminectomy from S1 to S2, and an ivory-white living worm was detected in inferior margin of L5. In ELISA-test with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum samples, anti-sparganum antibodies were detected. He had a ingesting history of undercooked frog meat in his youth. By the present study, a human case of spinal sparganosis invaded in lumbosacral canal at the S1-S2 level was diagnosed in China. Although the surgical removal of larvae is known to be the best way of treatment for sparganosis, we administered the high-dosage of praziquantel, albendazole and dexamethasone to prevent the occurrence of another remain worms in this study.

Clinical characteristics and prognosis of congenital solitary kidney combined with renal damage in children / 中华实用儿科临床杂志

Objective To analyze the clinical characteristics and the prognosis of congenital solitary kidney in 9 children and to find the causes of renal impairment and factors associated with the prognosis.Methods The clinical data of 9 children with congenital solitary kidney in Beijing Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University were analyzed,retrospectively.Data of long-term prognosis were collected through follow-up study.Results Five girls and 4 boys were involved in the analysis,ranging from 3.9 to 16.0 years old.The mean inpatient age was 9.9 yearsold.The patients showed different symptoms in renal impairment of solitary kidney:9 patients with proteinuria,and 3 of them had manifestation of asymptomatic proteinuria,in the early stage,3 with abnormalities of renal functions,3 diagnosed as nephrotic syndrome,and 2 with purpuric nephropathy.In the ultrasound examination of renal morphology,4 cases had normal echo image,5 cases had enhanced echo image and 2 patients had developmental malformation of the solitary kidney.The patients received follow-up visits within 1.5 to 7.0 years.The disease deteriorated into chronic kidney disease (stage 4-5) in 3 patients,1 patient underwent dialysis treatment,1 patient developed consistent and progressive proteinuria;whereas proteinuria disappeared in 4 patients and renal functions remained normal.Conclusions The renal impairment of congenital solitary kidney is mainly manifested as proteinuria,without symptoms in the early stage.In some patients,renal impairment can deteriorate into abnormalities of renal function or renal failure.The early ultrasound screening of the urinary system is recommended.Long-term follow-up should be conducted in children of solitary kidney to find early renal impairment and take appropriate treatment for them,thus to delay the occurrence and deterioration of renal impairment.

Inhibitory Effect of Melanoma Differentiation Associated Gene-7/Interleukin-24 on Invasion In Vitro of Human Melanoma Cancer Cells

The acquisition of metastasis potential is a critical point for malignant tumors. Melanoma differentiation associated gene-7/interleukin-24 (mda-7/IL-24) is a potential tumor suppress gene and frequently down-regulated in malignant tumors. It has been implicated that overexpression of MDA-7 led to proliferation inhibition in many types of human tumor. Invasion is an important process which is potential to promote tumor metastasis. However, the role and potential molecular mechanism of mda-7/IL-24 to inhibit the invasion of human melanoma cancer is not fully clear. In this report, we identified a solid role for mda-7/IL-24 in invasion inhibition of human melanoma cancer LiBr cells, including decreasing of adhesion and invasion in vitro, blocking cell cycle, down-regulating the expression of ICAM-1, MMP-2/9, CDK1, the phosphorylation of ERK and Akt, NF-kappaB and AP-1 transcription activity. Meanwhile, there was an increased expression of PTEN in mda-7/IL-24 over-expression LiBr cells. Our results demonstrated that mda-7/IL-24 is a potential invasion suppress gene, which inhibits the invasion of LiBr cells by the down-regulation of ICAM-1, MMP-2/9, PTEN, and CDK1 expression. The molecular pathways involved were the MAPK/ERK, PI3K-Akt, NF-kappaB, and AP-1. These findings suggest that mda-7/IL-24 may be used as a possible therapeutic strategy for human melanoma cancer.

Correlation between serum thyroid hormone and dopamine levels and Chinese medicine syndrome types / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the correlation between changes of thyroid hormone (TH), dopamine (DA) and Chinese medicine syndrome types by detecting contents of serum TH and DA in insomnia, thus to explore objective indices of Chinese medicine syndrome types.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Insomnia patients were assigned to four Chinese medicine syndrome types groups, covering depressed Gan transforming into fire, internal disturbance by phlegm-heat, excessive fire due to yin deficiency, and Xin-Pi deficiency. One healthy control group was set up. Each group consisted of 30 patients or subjects. Serum DA content was determined using spectrophotofluorometry. Serum levels of 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3) and tetraiodothyronine (T4) were detected using radioimmunoassay (RIA).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The serum levels of DA and TH showed difference among groups at various levels. The serum DA level was sequenced from high to low as the control group > the depressed Gan transforming into fire group > the excessive fire due to yin deficiency group > the internal disturbance by phlegm-heat group > the Xin-Pi deficiency group. The serum TH level was sequenced from high to low as the excessive fire due to yin deficiency group > the depressed Gan transforming into fire group > the internal disturbance by phlegm-heat group > the control group > the Xin-Pi deficiency group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Serum DA levels in insomnia patients were in line with the disease course and the dynamic change from sthenia to asthenia in Chinese syndrome types. Serum DA levels, as one of pathological factors constituting the sthenia syndrome or the asthenia syndrome, may be taken as an objective indicator in Chinese medicine syndrome typing.</p>

Diagnosis and treatment of melamine-associated urinary calculus complicated with acute renal failure in infants and young children / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Infants in some areas of China developed urinary lithiasis after being fed with powdered milk that was tainted with melamine in 2008 and very small proportion of the infants developed acute renal failure caused by urinary tract calculus obstruction. The aim of this article was to summarize clinical characteristics, diagnosis and treatment of infants with urinary calculus and acute renal failure developed after being fed with melamine tainted formula milk.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Data of infant patients with urinary calculus and acute renal failure due to melamine tainted formula milk admitted to the Beijing Children's Hospital Affiliated to the Capital Medical University and the Xuzhou Children's Hospital in 2008 were used to analyze the epidemiological characteristics, clinical manifestations, imaging features as well as effects of 4 types of therapies.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All the 34 infants with urinary calculus were complicated with acute renal failure, their blood urea nitrogen (BUN) was (24.1+/-8.2) mmol/L and creatinine (Cr) was (384.2+/-201.2) micromol/L. The chemical analysis on the urinary calculus sampled from 15 of the infants showed that the calculus contained melamine and acidum uricum. The time needed for the four types of therapies for returning Cr to normal was (3.5+/-1.9) days for cystoscopy group, (2.7+/-1.1) days for lithotomy group, (3.8+/-2.3) days for dialysis group, and (2.7+/-1.6) days for medical treatment group, which had no statistically significant difference (P=0.508). Renal failure of all the 34 infants was relieved within 1 to 7 days, averaging (3.00+/-1.78) days.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Melamine tainted formula milk may cause urinary calculus and obstructive acute renal failure. It is suggested that firstly the patients with urinary calculus complicated with acute renal failure should be treated with dialysis or medication to correct electrolyte disturbance, in particular hyperkalemia, and then relieve the obstruction with available medical and surgical methods as soon as possible. It was observed that the short-term prognosis was satisfactory.</p>

Melamine related urinary calculus and acute renal failure in infants / 中华儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To summarize clinical characteristics, diagnosis and treatment of infants with urinary calculus and acute renal failure developed after being fed with melamine tainted formula milk.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Data of infant patients with urinary calculus and acute renal failure due to melamine tainted formula milk admitted to the Beijing Children's Hospital affiliated to the Capital Medical University and the Xuzhou Children's Hospital in 2008 were used to analyze the epidemiological characteristics, clinical manifestations, image features as well as effects of 4 types of therapies.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All the 34 infants with urinary calculus were complicated with acute renal failure, their blood urea nitrogen (BUN) was (24.1 +/- 8.2) mmol/L and creatinine (Cr) was (384.2 +/- 201.2) micromol/L. The chemical analysis on the urinary calculus sampled from 14 of the infants showed that the calculus contained melamine and acidum uricum. The time needed for the four types of therapies for returning Cr to normal was (3.5 +/- 1.9) d for cystoscopy group, (2.7 +/- 1.1) d for lithotomy group, (3.8 +/- 2.3) d for dialysis group, and (2.7 +/- 1.6) d for medical treatment group, which had no statistically significant difference (P = 0.508). Renal failure of all the 34 infants was relieved within 1 to 7 days, averaging (3.0 +/- 1.8) d.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Melamine tainted formula milk may cause urinary calculus and obstructive acute renal failure. It is suggested that firstly the patients with urinary calculus complicated with acute renal failure should be treated with dialysis or medication to correct electrolyte disturbances, in particular hyperkalemia, and then relieve the obstruction with available medical and surgical methods as soon as possible. It is observed that the short term prognosis is satisfactory.</p>

Determination of Aluminum in Floured Food by Tetra Component Complex System / 环境与健康杂志

Objective To develop a spectrophotometry in tetra component complex system of A1-CAS-CTMAB-OP for the determination of aluminum in floured food.Methods The sample was processed by combustion and the content of aluminum in foods was determined by spectrophotometry with Al-CAS-CTMAB-OP as color system.Results A linear relationship between the aluminum content and absorbency was in the range of 0.04～0.32 ?g/ml with the regression equation equating to A =3.551 2x-0.005 34,the correlation coefficient was 0.997 6,the detection limit was 0.001 4 ?g/ml and the recovery rate was in the rang of 98.6%～ 103.2%.Conclusion This method has been applied successfully to determine the aluminum in floured food for its special features, such as simple,rapid and accuracy.

Clinical and Pathological Analysis of 116 Children with Lupus Nephritis / 实用儿科临床杂志

Objective To analyze the clinical and pathological characteristics of children with lupus nephritis(LN).Methods The data of 116 inpatients from Mar.2000 to Nov.2008 with LN were retrospectively analyzed.The clinical,immunochemical and pathological data were recorded.Renal tissue was observed by light microscopy and electron microscopy after HE,PAS,Masson and PASM staining according to WHO standards.Follow-up results showed complete remission,partial remission,disease activity,renal insufficiency and death.Results Of the 116 cases of LN,there were 27 male and 89 female with a ratio of male to female 1.03.3,and the mean age was(12.0?2.2) years.The incidence of nephrotic syndrome was 63.8 %(74 cases),and acute nephritis was 21.5%(25 cases).Class Ⅳ LN was the most frequent type(14 cases,50%) and classⅢ was next(25 cases,21.5%).In view of the outcome,rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis and class Ⅳ LN were the worst.LN was initially controlled in 96.5% of the patients.Relapses of LN were most caused by the intermittent treatment.Totally 32 cases showed different renal injury,and 6 cases progressed to death.Conclusions Renal biopsy is important to diagnosis,treatment and prognosis evaluation of LN.Long and regular treatment is important for children with LN.