Clinical analysis and review of literature on pilomatrixoma in pediatric patients

Background@#Pilomatrixoma is a benign tumor that originates from the hair follicle matrix. It usually presents as a hard, slow growing, solitary mass that can be easily misdiagnosed as other skin masses. The aim of this study was to clinically analyze a case series of pilomatrixoma in pediatric patients from Korea. @*Methods@#A total of 165 pediatric patients from 2011 to 2018 with a histological diagnosis of pilomatrixoma were included. A retrospective review was performed using the electronic medical records, including patient demographics, number and location of the mass, clinical and imaging presentation, and postoperative outcomes. @*Results@#There were 61 male and 104 female patients with 152 solitary and 13 multiple pilomatrixomas. Among solitary pilomatrixomas, the lesion commonly occurred in the head and neck (84.2%), followed by upper limbs (11.2%), lower limbs (3.3%), and trunk (1.3%). The pilomatrixoma lesion presented as the following types based on our clinical classification: mass (56.02%), pigmentation (25.31%), mixed (12.65%), ulceration (4.82%), and keloid-like (1.2%). Ultrasonography showed a high positive predictive value (95.56%). There were no specific complications observed except for two cases of recurrence. @*Conclusion@#Pilomatrixoma has various clinical feature presentations and commonly occurs in the head and neck. Ultrasonography is a helpful diagnostic tool. Surgical removal of the lesion is the main treatment method with a low recurrence rate.

Determination of Tetrodotoxin in Marine Organisms by High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry and Cleaned up by Immunoaffinity Column / 分析化学

A method was developed for the determination of tetrodotoxin in marine organisms by high perfor-mance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry with immunoaffinity column. The samples were extracted with 1% acetic acid methanol solution and diluted with phosphate buffer at pH 7-8. After cleaned up by immuno-affinity column, the samples were analyzed by LC-MS/MS and quantitatively determined by external standard method. The chromatographic separation was performed on an ACQUITY UPLC BEH Amide column with gradient elution by using acetonitrile and 5 mol/L ammonium acetate solution containing 0. 1% formic acid as mobile phase. Detection was carried out by electrospray positive ionization mass spectrometry in the multiple reaction monitoring mode. Linear ranges of TTX was in the range of 0. 3 -20. 0 μg/L with correlation coeffi-cient more than 0. 997. The quantification limit of the method was 0. 3 μg/kg. The recoveries of standard addition for tetrodotoxin were 88. 7%-102. 3%, and the relative standard deviation was 2. 0%-6. 4%. The method could be used to identify and quantify tetrodotoxin in marine organisms with satisfactory reproducibility and sensitivity.

Correlation of FOXA1 with the malignancy and progression of prostate cancer / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the relationship of the expression of FOXA1 in the prostate cancer (PCa) tissue with the Gleason score and clinical staging of PCa and with castration-resistant PCa (CRPC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Using the immunohistochemical method, we detected the expressions of FOXA1 and Ki-67 in the pathological sections of 35 cases of PCa and 21 cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Then we analyzed their correlation with the Gleason score and TNM staging of PCa and that with CRPC.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The positive expression of FOXA1 was significantly higher in the PCa than in the BPH tissue (P < 0.001) and was positively correlated with that of Ki-67 (P < 0.001) as well as with the Gleason score (P = 0.027) and clinical staging of PCa (P = 0.002), but showed no correlation with CRPC (P = 0.391).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The positive expression of FOXA1 is increased in PCa, most significantly in the advanced stage of the tumor.</p>

The cellular and molecular mechanism of inhibitory effect of asiaticoside on capsular contracture following breast augmentation / 中华整形外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the cellular and molecular mechanism of the inhibitory effect of asiaticoside on capsular contracture following breast augmentation.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Contracture capsule derived fibroblasts were cultured in medium with different concentration of asiaticoside. The cell proliferation, collage synthesis and alpha-SMA expression were detected by means of 3H-thymidine incorporation, 3H-proline incorporation, and Western-blot. The results were analyzed by SPSS 11.0 with t test.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>DNA and collagen synthesis of fibroblasts were dramatically inhibited when the asiaticoside reached the concentration of 50 mg/L. The inhibitory rate was 34.7% and 30.1% respectively, showing a significant difference from that in control group (P < 0.05). The inhibitory effect increased with the rise of the asiaticoside concentration in a dose-dependent manner. When the concentration of asiaticoside reached 25 mg/L, the expression of alpha-SMA was down-regulated with an activation index of 1.673, showing a significant difference when compared with that in control group (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>asiaticoside can effectively inhibit the DNA and collagen synthesis of capsule-derived fibroblasts. The trans-differentiation of fibroblast to myo-fibroblasts is also prevented by it.</p>

Significance of the secreted frizzled-related protein 2 expression in earlobe keloid / 中华整形外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the expression and the role of secreted frizzled-related protein 2 (SFRP2) in the earlobe keloid and find a valid way to treat the keloid with gene therapy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The expression of SFRP2 mRNA and protein was tested with in situ hybridization and Western Blot Analysis method in the different period of earlobe keloid.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The SFRP2 mRNA and protein expression at the keloid edge was significantly high in 12 month group than in 3 or 6 month groups (P < 0.01), but not than in 24 month group. The SFRP2 expression started to decrease in the keloid center 12 month later (P < 0.01). The SFRP2 expression was always higher in edge than in center during all the period (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The results suggest that SFRP2 may play an important role in the development of keloid, especially at the keloid edge. The high SFRP2 expression in endothelial cells and surrounding tissue is also important. It may be a new way for gene therapy of keloid by decreasing the SFRP2 expression.</p>

Analysis of the adult penis 3D digitized image / 中华整形外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze 3D digitized image of the adult penis, providing morphological data for plastic plerosis of the adult penis diagnosis and the surgery planning.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>200 adult penis were measured at the length and perimeter of the resting state and erection, and the relation among the erectile angle and length, perimeter were analyzed by the Angel Digital Image Studio software.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Penis increase with the age and stature growing. But the length increases in not the same ratio with the stature . With the erectile angle increasing, penile hardness is becoming strong, but penile volume do not marked change.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The digitized model of the penis and adjacent structure offer unique insights into the complex penis anatomy, providing morphological data for preoperative design and postoperative effective evaluation of the penile plastic plerosis.</p>

Construction of cancer-specific replication-competent adenovirus vector expressing IL-18 gene and its cytotoxic effect on hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro / 肿瘤

Objective: To construct conditional replication adenovirus vector CNHK600-IL-18, in which the IL-18 expression was driven by hypoxia promoter and adenovirus replication was regulated by human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) promoter. Specific replication ability and the killing effect of CNHK600-IL-18 on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells were investigated. Methods: Viral replication experiments (TCID50 method) were performed to evaluate the selective replication ability of pSG600 and CNHK600-IL-18 during 96 h in three different hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines. MTT assay was applied to evaluate the killing efficacy of pSG600 and CNHK600-IL-18 on the three HCC cell lines at different MOI. BJ cells were infected with CNHK600-IL-18. The supernatant was collected and the level of IFN-γ secreted by T cells was measured. Results: Western blot showed that IL-18 was detected in SMMC-7721 cells after CNHK600-IL-18 infection. The supernatant of CNHK600-IL-18 -infected BJ cells induced T cells to secret IFN-γ. CNHK600-IL-18 replications in HCC cell lines BEL-7404 and SMMC-7721 were 31 658 and 125 396 after 96-h incubation, respectively, which were 400 and 1587 folds as much as in BJ cell line. Conclusion: CNHK600-IL-18 selectively replicates in HCC cells and generated bioactive IL-18 with high efficacy. CNHK600-IL-18 has an obvious tumor-killing effect against HCC.

Influence of substance P on the release of histamine in the human hypertrophic scar tissue / 中华烧伤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the influence of substance P (SP) on the release of histamine in the human hypertrophic scar tissue, and to explore the prerequisite of their interaction.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Tissue specimens of normal skin and hypertrophic scar from eight hospitalized patients were excised and cut into 0.5 to 1.0 mm3 pieces, and the histamine release by mast cell (MC) under the stimulation of different concentration of SP and calcium, as well as the different affect time of SP, were determined with fluorescence spectrometer. Then the histamine release rate was calculated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There was obvious release of histamine when SP concentration was 1 x 10(-6) mol/L , and the release rate was (50.0 +/- 3.6) %, which was significantly higher than that by SP in the concentration of 0 mol/L [(44.0 +/- 3.2) %, P < 0.01]. Therefore it seemed to be dose-dependent. About 90% of histamine was released within 15 minutes of 5 x 10(-1) mol/L Substance P stimulation, and it was also time-dependent. The histamine release reached the peak when calcium concentration was 5 x 10(-3) mol/L, which seemed to be dose-dependent, but it decreased transiently when calcium concentration was 1 x 10(-3) mol/L. In all occasions, the influence of SP on the histamine release by MC in hypertrophic scar (HS) was markedly higher than that in normal skin (NS) (P < 0.01). Conclusion The influence of SP on the histamine release by MC in HS was markedly higher than that in NS, and it might be closely related to itching sensation and the formation of hypertrophic scar.</p>

Establishment of an animal model of human hyperplastic scar in nude mice / 中华烧伤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To establish an ideal model of human hyperplastic scar (HS) in nude mice, so as to provide us a new model to carry out further studies on the mechanism of HS development.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Full skin defect sized 2.0 cm x 1.5 cm was created on the back of 100 nude mice. The defect was thereafter covered with full thickness human skin. After the grafted skin survived, the nude mice were subjected to deep partial thickness burn of the grafted skin with heated copper rod. The development of the hyperplasia of the scar after wound healing was observed histologically and grossly.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Grafted full-thickness human skin took and survived well in 86 out of 100 nude mice. There was obvious and continuous hyperplasia of scar in 67 mice (78%). The external appearance and histological features of the HS appeared similar to those in human HS. The average thickness of the scar was 0.34 cm, with the thickest part measuring 0.6 cm. In addition, the time of hyperplastic change lasted for 63 - 217 days in average of 128 days.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Obvious and continuous scar hyperplasia could be found in this model, and the whole process beginning from wound healing to the formation of HS could be easily observed. The model was therefore suitable and ideal for the study of HS.</p>