Survey and Establishment of the Hematological Parameter Reference Intervals for Adult in Xuzhou Area of China / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To establish the reference intervals of the hematological parameters in normal adult people of Xuzhou erea.@*METHODS@#The red blood cells (RBC), platelets, white blood cells (WBC) and related parameters were detected by hematoanalyzers in 82514 healthy people including 41257 males and 41257 females in the Medical Center of the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University.@*RESULTS@#The range of RBC count: (4.33-5.51) ×10/L in male and（3.82-4.85）×10/L in female, the range of Hb level: (132-172) g/L in male and（107-145）g/L in female, the range of HCT: 40 %-50 % in male and 34 %-44 % in female, the range of platelet count: (113-268) ×10/L in male and (126-289) ×10/L in female, the range of WBC count: (4.00-9.40) ×10/L in male and （3.54-9.30）×10/L in female, the range of NEUT count: (1.91-5.76) ×10/L in male and（1.67-5.30）×10/L in female, the range of MONO count: (0.18-0.58) ×10/L in male and（0.16-0.52）×10/L in female, the range of LYM is（1.3-3.4）×10/L in male and（1.2-3.1）×10/L in female, etc.Conclusion: There is significant difference in the blood cell parameters between Xuzhou and other areas. Among them, the lower limit of Hb reference interval for adult women in Xuzhou area is obviously lower, and the upper and lower limits of adult Plt reference interval are significantly lower than other areas in China and abroad. The upper and lower limits of the WBC reference interval are close to the domestic areas, but lower than that in some foreign regions. Through this survey, the reference intervals of different hematologic parameters of healthy people in Xuzhou area primarily has been established, Some of the indexes, such as RBC, Hb, HCT, and Plt have significant sex differences. The reference intervals for them have been estublisted respectively.

Consideration of anticancer therapeutic agents in early gastric cancer / 中国实用外科杂志

Early gastric cancer is mainly treated withradical resection by either endoscopic resection or radical surgery. but there arestill patients finally developrecurrence and metastasis. There are arguments on how to identify these patients with poor prognosis,and how to manage the treatment,and the value and timing ofanticancer therapeutic agents. Because of low level of evidence, the current clinical guidelines are relatively vague on these questions, and oncologists differ in treatment optionin real world. The role of anticancer therapeutic agents in early gastric cancer needs to be re-examined given the advances in molecular biology,bioinformatics and new drugs.

Nomogram: an effective prognostic model for esophageal cancer with lung metastasis / 中国实用内科杂志

OBJECTIVE: To establish a prediction model for the prognosis of patients with esophageal cancer lung metastasis.METHODS: Data from 194 patients with esophageal cancer lung metastasis from 2010 to 2015 was collected from the National Cancer Institute Surveillance, Epidemiology and End RESULTS:(SEER) database. The best cutoff value for age was determined by X-tile software.Prognostic factors were analyzed by SPSS(v25.0) with the log-rank method and the Cox proportional hazard model. Risk factors from univariate analysis were used to construct prediction nomogram with R studio software(version 3.5.1). RESULTS: The median survival time of 194 patients with esophageal cancer lung metastasis was 7.0 months, the 3-month survival rate was 69.9%, and the 1-year survival rate was 27.7%. Age(HR=1.51, 95% CI: 1.066-2.140) and pathological type(HR=0.736, 95% CI: 0.543-0.998) were independent prognostic factors for patients with esophageal cancer lung metastasis. The value of C-index was 0.634(95% CI=0.585-0.683). CONCLUSION: For patients with esophageal cancer lung metastasis, being young and adenocarcinoma are associated with a better prognosis. The prediction of the nomogram is good.

Effect of combined treatment of small doses simvastatin and irbesartan on carotid intima-media thickness in patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension and normal serum lipid level / 上海预防医学

Objective] To observe the effect of combined treatment of small doses simvastatin and irbesartan for carotid intima-media thickness ( IMT ) in patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension and normal serum lipid level. [ Methods] A total of 124 patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension and normal serum lipid level were randomly divided into the observation group ( simvastatin combined with irbesartan) of 64 cases and the irbesartan group of 60 cases.Three months were as a course of treatment, and each patient in both groups received two courses;IMT,blood pressure and blood lipids were compared in the two groups before and after treatment. [ Results] After treatment of six months,systolic and diastolic blood pressure, IMT in both groups were significantly decreased, and IMT in the observation group was low-er than that in the control group ( all P<0.05) .In observation group, TC and LDL-C levels were signifi-cantly decreased, and HDL-C level was significantly increased (all P<0.01). [Conclusion] Besides lowering blood pressure and blood lipids levels, combined treatment of small doses simvastatin and irbesar-tan has good reverse effect on increased IMT and improves carotid atherosclerosis in patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension and normal serum lipid level.

Influence of metabolic syndrome on carotid intima-media thickness in young and middle-aged pa- tients with essential hypertension / 上海预防医学

Objective] To evaluate the influence of metabolic syndrome ( MS) on carotid intima-media thickness ( IMT) in essential hypertension ( EH) . [ Methods] A total of 168 young and middle-aged EH patients were divided into MS group (88 cases) and non-MS group (80 cases).Between the two groups were measured and compared IMT , body mass index ( BMI ) , waist circumference ( WC ) , systolic blood pressure ( SBP ) , diastolic blood pressure ( DBP ) , fasting plasma glucose ( FPG ) , total cholesterol (TC),triglyceride (TG),high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C),low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) and others. [ Results] Comparison between MS group and non-MS group showed that the level of BMI , FPG, WC, TC, TG, LDL-C and IMT were higher in MS group,P all <0.05.Multiple Logistic regression analysis showed that age,SBP,FPG and LDL-C were the related factors for carotid IMT. [Conclusion] MS is associated with carotid IMT in young and middle-aged patients with EH .MS and EH may jointly participate in the process of atherosclerosis .Apart from control of blood pressure , correction of metabolic disorders is also necessary in order to prevent complication of atherosclerosis .

Current status of clinical research on gastric cancer in China / 中华胃肠外科杂志

Gastric cancer remains the most lethal disease in China. Although great progress has been made in the treatment, intractable problems in clinical practice are yet to be answered by clinical research. After development during decades, clinical research on gastric cancer in China has stepped from simple following to independent initiation. In this paper, we will review the development history of clinical research in China, and compare with that of developed countries in order to elucidate the advantage and future prospect.

Cetuximab in combination with chemotherapy for patients with gastrointestinal cancer / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the efficacy and safety of cetuximab in combination with chemotherapy for gastrointestinal cancers.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The data of 35 colorectal cancers (CRC), 11 advanced gastric cancers (AGC) and 3 other gastrointestinal cancers treated with cetuximab in combination with chemotherapy were retrospectively reviewed, and the efficacy and adverse events were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Of the 49 patients, 37 were evaluable. Twenty-nine CRC were evaluated by RECIST criteria with a PR rate of 24.1%, SD rate of 51.8% and disease control rate (DC) of 75.9%. Subgroup analysis showed that the response rate (RR) and DC rate were 36.4% and 90.9% for the first-line therapy, 20.0% and 70.0% for the second-line therapy, 12.5% and 62.5% in the heavily pre-treated cases, respectively. Six patients with AGC were assessed for efficacy, including 2 PR for first-line therapy, 1 CR and 1 SD for second-line therapy, and 2 with progressive disease in the heavily pre-treated cases. Rash was observed in 79.6% of the patients with a grade 3 rate of 8.2%, and the severity was relevant to the DC. Grade 3 or 4 neutropenia was observed in 16.3%, and grade 3 infusion related reaction (IRR) happened in 4.1% (2 cases).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Cetuximab combined with chemotherapy is safe and effective for patients with gastrointestinal cancer. In colorectal cancers, the combination therapy shows a high disease control rate, especially in first-line therapy. The severity of rash may be parallel with efficacy. The combination therapy is also promising in the treatment of AGC.</p>

Effect of a new arginine analog on isoproterenal-induced Ca2+ transients in cultured rat cardiac myocytes / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of a novel tripeptide analog of arginine on isoproterenol (ISO), a beta-adrenergic receptor agonist, induced the change in concentration transient cytosolic free calcium in cultured neonatal rat cardiac myocytes (CMs).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) was induced in cultured neonatal rat CMs by stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) for 24 h, and quantitatively measured using Western blotting. The CMs were incubated in the presence of the new arginine analog for 6 h and the changes of fluorescence signal of free calcium in response to isoproterenol (ISO) treatment were measured under laser scanning confocal microscope.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Incubation of the CMs for 24 h in the presence of IL-6 and LPS resulted in significantly increased nitric oxide (NO) production, and also in increased iNOS protein accumulation in the cells. Specific inhibition of iNOS by the new arginine analog substantially inhibited NO production and increased the peak value of ISO-induced Ca2+ transient.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The new arginine analog strongly inhibits IL-6 and LPS-induced NO production and increases beta-adrenergic responsiveness in cultured neonatal rat CMs.</p>

Prospective non-randomized study of chemotherapy combined with radiotherapy versus chemotherapy alone in patients with metastatic or relapsed esophageal squamous cell carcinoma / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the time to progression (TTP) and overall survival in patients with previously untreated metastatic or relapsed esophageal squamous cell carcinoma treated with chemotherapy (paclitaxel plus cisplatin) combined with radiotherapy versus chemotherapy alone, and also to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of the regimen.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>In this prospective and non-randomized study, 47 patients with definite measurable lesion and having no previous chemotherapy were enrolled. All patients were treated with paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 by 2-hour iv infusion on d1 and cisplatin 75 mg/m2 by iv infusion on d1, which were repeated every 21 days. After 2-6 cycles of chemotherapy, those who gained CR, PR or SD were non-randomly assinged into radiotherapy group (group A) or non-radiotherapy group (group B).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Totally, 47 patients were enrolled into this study, and all of them were valuable for response. One patient achieved complete response (CR), 19 partial response (PR), 24 stable disease (SD), and 3 were found to have disease progression (PD). The overall response rate of chemotherapy was 42.6% (95% CI, 0.28-0.58). Twenty-one of these 47 patients were sequentially treated with radiotherapy. The median survival and TTP was 13 months and 10 months in the group A , versus 11 months and 5 months in the group B (P < 0.024, P < 0.015), respectively. The most common toxicities were neutropenia and alopecia. There were no grade 4 clinical toxicity and treatment-related death in this series. Systemic adverse effects frequently occurred during radiotherapy were esophagitis and fatigue, which were tolerable.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The combined therapy using chemotherapy (paclitaxel + cisplatin) followed by radiotherapy is effective, tolerable, and statistically superior to chemotherapy alone in patients with metastatic or relapsed esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.</p>

Highly selective inhibition of inducible nitric oxide synthase in vitro by a tripeptide as a new arginine analog / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the inhibitory effect of a tripeptide, a new arginine analog, on nitric oxide (NO) production and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Macrophages challenged with lipopolysaccharide were cultured to test the inhibitory effect of the arginine analog of different concentrations on iNOS. Primarily cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) treated with insulin were used to test the effect of the analog on endothelial NOS (eNOS).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The new arginine analog significantly inhibited NO production in the macrophages in a dose-dependent manner, but had little effect on insulin-stimulated NO production in HUVECs. The new analog could significantly suppress iNOS activity, but had no significant inhibitory effect on constitutive NOS activity or eNOS activity. Western blot analysis showed that the new analog did not significantly affect the protein expression of iNOS.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The new analog is a NOS inhibitor with high selectivity on iNOS.</p>