Prognostic value of Her-2/neu and clinicopathologic factors for evaluating progression and disease-specific death in Chinese men with prostate cancer / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Her-2/neu gene overexpression has been found in several malignancies, and is associated with poor prognosis; while its role in the tumorigenesis and progression of prostate cancer (PCa) is still controversial. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of Her-2/neu protein expression and clinicopathologic factors in antiandrogen-treated Chinese men with PCa for disease progression and PCa-specific death.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Her-2/neu protein expression was determined using immunohistochemistry (IHC) in specimens collected from 124 prostate biopsies and transurethral resection of prostate (TURP) from seven prostate cancer patients.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Her-2/neu protein expression was 0, 1+, 2+, and 3+ in 40 (30.5%), 8 (6.1%), 67 (51.1%), and 16 (12.2%) cases, respectively. Her-2/neu protein expression showed significant correlation as judged by Gleason score (P = 0.049), clinical tumor-node-metastases (cTNM) stage (P = 0.018) and disease progression (P = 0.001), but did not correlate with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) (P = 0.126) or PCa-specific death (P = 0.585). PSA (P = 0.001), Gleason score (P = 0.017), cTNM (P = 0.000) and Her-2/neu protein expression (P = 0.001) had prognostic value for evaluating the progression of PCa in univariate analysis. In Kaplan-Meier plots, both Gleason score (P = 0.035) and cTNM (P = 0.013) correlated with PCa-specific death. In multivariate analysis, only cTNM was significant for both disease progression (P = 0.001) and PCa-specific death (P = 0.031).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Her-2/neu protein expression is significantly correlated with Gleason score, cTNM and disease progression, although it is not an independent predictor of disease progression and PCa-specific death. cTNM staging serves as an independent prognostic factor for disease progression and PCa-specific death.</p>

The treatment of cicatricial alopecia after burn with the technique of synchronously perforating and transplanting hair follicular-units / 中华烧伤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of the technique of synchronously perforating and transplanting hair follicular-units in the treatment of cicatricial alopecia after burn.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and sixty-six patients with 217 bald scar areas after burn were treated with above-mentioned technique from January 2002 to April 2008. Scalp strips, with conforming the necessity for grafting, were harvested from the occipital or temporal region. A series of follicular-units, each composing 1 - 3 hairs, were dissected from the strips under microscope or magnifying glass. Size-matching micro-slots were made in the scarred recipient area with 16 - 20 G needles to accept the grafts. The prepared follicular-unit was synchronously implanted into the bottom of the micro-slot as the needle being withdrawn. Patients who were not satisfactory with the density of hairs after I stage surgery underwent II stage surgery a half year later. Ten recipient areas with clear boundary in 10 patients were optionally chosen to observe the density of follicular-units and hair amount with naked eyes after I stage surgery. Survived transplanted hairs in above-mentioned 10 areas were counted to calculate hair survival rate at follow-up. Patients' postoperative satisfaction ratings were surveyed with questionnaire.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In one half of the patients, treatment was finished after I stage surgery, the other one half received 2 stages of surgery. The follicular-unit density reached 15 - 25 grafts/cm(2) with 40 - 70 hairs/cm(2) after I stage surgery. All patients were followed up for over 8 months. Grafted hairs grew well in a natural way. 96.5% mean hair survival rate was observed in the 10 recipient areas. From patients who received only I stage surgery, 61 patients (73.5%) were very satisfactory and 22 patients (26.5%) satisfactory with the results. From the other half of patients, 76 patients (91.6%) were very satisfactory and 7 patients (8.4%) satisfactory with the results.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The technique of perforating and transplanting follicular-unit hair synchronously is safe and effective with less surgery-induced injury and less bleeding. Hairs transplanted on cicatricial alopecia area with this technique grow well with high survival rate.</p>

Operative treatment and curative effects of the deltoid ligament injuries of the ankle joint / 中国骨伤

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the operative methods and curative effects of the deltoid ligament injuries.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From 2002 to 2008, all 61 patients with ankle fractures complicated with deltoid ligament injuries were treated with open reduction and firm internal fixation. Among the patients, 39 patients were male and 22 patients were female, ranging in age from 14 to 71 years, with an average of 41 years. During the operation, the deltoid ligament was reconstructed to restore the medial and lateral stability of ankle joint.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All the patients were followed up ranged from 5 to 30 months, with an average of 17 months. Fifty-nine patients had incision healed at the first stage; 2 patients had superficial infections at lateral malleolus, and healed at the 3rd week after changing dressings. The incisions at the internal medial malleolus were all healed at the first stage. According to Qi evaluation criteria, 35 patients got an excellent result, 13 good and 13 fair.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The deltoid ligament should be treated properly in the treatment of ankle joint fractures when open reduction and firm internal fixation were emphasized.</p>

Effects of Rho/ROCK signal pathway on AGEs-induced morphological and functional changes in human dermal microvascular endothelial cells / 生理学报

The present study aimed to determine the role of Rho/Rho kinase (Rho/ROCK) phosphorylation on advanced glycation end products (AGEs)-induced morphological and functional changes in human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (HMVECs). HMVECs were respectively incubated with different concentrations of AGEs-modified human serum albumin (AGEs-HSA) for different time. In some other cases, HMVECs were pretreated with ROCK inhibitors (H-1152 or Y-27632). The morphological changes of F-actin cytoskeleton were visualized by rhodamine-phalloidin staining and the phosphorylation of Rho and ROCK were determined by Western blot. Endothelial monolayer permeability was assessed by measuring the flux of FITC-albumin across the endothelial cells. The results showed that the distribution of F-actin was significantly altered by AGEs-HSA in time and dose-dependent patterns. These effects were inhibited by ROCK inhibitors. The phosphorylation of Rho and RCOK was remarkably increased by AGEs-HSA treatment while total Rho and ROCK protein levels were not affected. The permeability of endothelial monolayer was dramatically increased by AGEs-HSA, and both ROCK inhibitors (H-1152 or Y-27632) attenuated these hyperpermeability responses. The results obtained suggest that the phosphorylation of Rho/ROCK plays an important role in AGEs-induced morphological and functional alterations in HMVECs.

A "silicone suture" technique aided to scalp reduction for the treatment of scarring alopecia / 中华整形外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate a "silicone suture" technique for enhancing the effect of scalp reduction.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Under the local anesthesia, when an incision was made in the midline of the lesion, the dissection was carried out underlying the sub-galea on both sides of the lesion, as far as the width of the lesion. A 3 mm silicone suture in diameter was placed in the galea beyond the lesion. After the first suture bite was anchored in the tissue at one end, the suture device was continued across the midline in such a way as a running, buried, horizontal mattress suture and it was brought out to the skin surface through the deep tissue at the another end of the lesion with a locker. The extra-tissue of the lesion was then excised and the wound was directly closed in layers. After one week of the operation, the silicone suture was gradually tightened in 2-3 times a week for about 3-5 weeks, until both sides of the lesion were approximately closed. The device was there after removed and the wound was directly closed in layers after the scar was excised.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Between October of 1999 and March of 2006, 12 scarring-scalp patients, 7 males and 5 females, were treated by using the silicone suture device without complications. The excised defects were 5-10.5 cm in width. The stretching period was 26.4 days in mean. With the following-ups over 3 months, no hypertrophic scar and widening scar cases appeared.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The silicone suture as an alternative device for tissue extension could be a safe, simple, effective and economical device. It could significantly enhance the efficiency of scalp reduction.</p>

5-HT(3) receptors in the central amygdala mediate the modulation of thymus function in rats / 生理学报

The aim of the present study was to investigate the modulatory role of activated 5-HT(3) receptors in the central amygdala (CeA) on mitogen concanavalin A (ConA)-stimulated proliferative response of thymocytes in rats and the underlying neuroendocrine regulation circuits. 1-phenylbiguanide (PBG), a putative selective 5-HT(3) receptor agonist, was administered by intraperitoneal (i.p.), bilateral intracerebroventriclular (i.c.v.), and bilateral intracentral amygdala (i.c.a.) injection. In addition, thymocytes isolated from untreated rats were incubated with PBG (at a range of concentrations of 1x10(-8)-1x10(-5) mol/L) in vitro in the presence and absence of ConA, in order to investigate any direct effect of PBG on the proliferation in vitro. MTT method was applied to demonstrate the effect of PBG on the proliferative response of thymocytes. An immunohistochemical SABC assay was used to describe the expression profiles of c-Fos-positive cells in different brain regions including the CeA, hippocampus, cortex, hypothalamus and periaqueductal gray (PAG) at 1, 2, 4 and 8 h after bilateral single-administration of PBG by i.c.a. (1.0 microg/side). Results showed that PBG (1x10(-8)-1x10(-5) mol/L) had no significant influence on the proliferative responses of the isolated thymocytes in vitro, no matter ConA was present or not. The proliferation of thymocytes stimulated by ConA was not significantly changed when PBG was administered by i.p. (0.5 mg/kg per day, for consecutive 5 d), whereas it was remarkably enhanced after bilateral i.c.v. injection of PBG (10 microg/side per day, for consecutive 5 d). Similarly, when PBG was injected bilaterally by i.c.a. (1.0 microg/side per day, for 1 d or consecutive 3, 5 and 7 d), a significantly enhanced proliferation occurred on the 1st day and continued until reaching its peak on the 5th day before decreasing on the 7th day. All of the promoting effects of PBG on the ConA-stimulated proliferation of thymocytes were reversed by pretreatment with the 5-HT(3) receptor antagonist tropisetron (TRP) 5 min prior to the administration of PBG. Interestingly, compared to the treatment with normal saline or TRP + PBG, after a bilateral single-administration of PBG (1.0 microg/side) by i.c.a., the number of c-Fos-positive cells in different brain regions significantly increased at 1 h in the CeA, 1-2 h in the hippocampus, 1-2 h in the cortex, 4 h in the hypothalamus and 8 h in the PAG, respectively, with each maximum response at 1 h in the CeA, 2 h in the hippocampus and cortex, and 4 h in the hypothalamus. Subsequently, the number of cells expressing c-Fos gradually reduced to the minimum at 4 h in the CeA, and at 8 h in the hippocampus, cortex and hypothalamus. In conclusion, the 5-HT(3) receptors in the CeA of rats mediate the modulation of thymus function, at least partly, through the neuroendocrine circuit of the limbic system-cortex-hypothalamus-PAG.