[Analysis of the clinical features of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma of the parotid gland].

Objective:To investigate clinical features of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma(MALT) of the parotid gland. Method:Retrospective analysis was made in 10 patients who were dignosed as MALT of the parotid gland. Clinical symptoms, CT scanning and pathologic immunohistochemistry data, surgery procedure and prognosis were collected for analysis. Result:The main complain of patients was slow growing masses under the earlobes without pain. The lesion location was found at the superficial lobe of the parotid gland in 8 cases and deep lobe in 2 cases, respectively．CT scanning exhibited density isodense or hyperdense nodules, with occasional calcification and necrosis in these patients. Enhancement CT scanning exhibited lower or moderate enhancement, circumambient enhancement or delayed enhancement. Pathological examinations showed that the gland was heavily infiltrated by lymphoid cells and epimyoepithelial island were frequently observed. B-lymphocyte was found positive in these patients by histopathological examination. All patients underwent surgical treatment. According to the tumor sites, patient received the superficial parotidectomy or total parotidectomy. The postoperative follow-up period was 1 to 7 years. No tumor recurrence occurred in any patients during the follow-up time. Conclusion:The diagnosis of MALT lymphoma of the parotid gland should combined with clinical manifestation, imaging examination and pathology.symptoms,CT scanning and pathologic immunohistochemistry data. Surgery was the major treatment, combined with postoperative radiation and chemotherapy, the prognosis is good, However, long-term efficacy need further observation．.

Effects of Forage:Concentrate Ratio on Growth Performance, Ruminal Fermentation and Blood Metabolites in Housing-feeding Yaks.

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of forage: concentrate ratio (F:C) on growth performance, ruminal fermentation and blood metabolites of housing-feeding yaks. Thirty-two Maiwa male yaks (initial body weight = 207.99±3.31 kg) were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments (8 yaks per treatment). Experimental diets were: A, B, C, D which contained 70:30, 60:40, 50:50 and 40:60 F:C ratios, respectively. Dry matter intake and average daily gain in yaks fed the C and D diets were greater (p<0.05) than yaks fed the A and B diets. No differences were found in ruminal NH3-N, total volatile fatty acids, acetate, butyrate, valerate, and isovalerate concentrations. The propionate concentration was increased (p<0.05) in the C and D groups compared with the A and B diets. In contrast, the acetate to propionate ratio was decreased and was lowest (p<0.05) in the C group relative to the A and B diets, but was similar with the D group. For blood metabolites, no differences were found in serum concentrations of urea-N, albumin, triglyceride, cholesterol, low density lipoprotein, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase (p>0.05) among treatments. Treatment C had a higher concentration of total protein and high density lipoprotein (p<0.05) than A and B groups. In addition, there was a trend that the globulin concentration of A group was lower than other treatments (p = 0.079). Results from this study suggest that increasing the level of concentrate from 30% to 50% exerted a positive effect on growth performance, rumen fermentation and blood metabolites in yaks.

Effects of surface wettability on gecko adhesion underwater.

Recent experiments have shown that gecko adhesion underwater depends significantly on surface wettability. Theoretical models of a gecko seta adhering on different substrates are firstly established in order to disclose such an adhesion mechanism. The results show that the capillary force induced by nano-bubbles between gecko seta and the substrate is the mainly influencing factor. The capillary force exhibits an attractive feature between gecko setae and hydrophobic surfaces underwater. However, it is extremely weak or even repulsive on hydrophilic surfaces underwater. A self-similarly splitting model is further considered to simulate multiple gecko setae on substrates underwater. It is interesting to find that the total capillary force depends significantly on the number of nano-bubble bridges and wettability of substrates. The total force is attractive and increases monotonically with the increase of the splitting number on hydrophobic substrates underwater. However, it decreases drastically or even becomes repulsive on hydrophilic substrates underwater. The present result can not only give a reasonable explanation on the existing experimental observations but also be helpful for the design of novel biomimetic adhesives.

Effects of surface roughness and film thickness on the adhesion of a bioinspired nanofilm.

Inspired by the gecko's climbing ability, adhesion between an elastic nanofilm with finite length and a rough substrate with sinusoidal roughness is studied in the present paper, considering the effects of substrate roughness and film thickness. It demonstrates that the normal adhesion force of the nanofilm on a rough substrate depends significantly on the geometrical parameters of the substrate. When the film length is larger than the wavelength of the sinusoidal roughness of the substrate, the normal adhesion force decreases with increasing surface roughness, while the normal adhesion force initially decreases then increases if the wavelength of roughness is larger than the film length. This finding is qualitatively consistent with a previously interesting experimental observation in which the adhesion force of the gecko spatula is found to reduce significantly at an intermediate roughness. Furthermore, it is inferred that the gecko may achieve an optimal spatula thickness not only to follow rough surfaces, but also to saturate the adhesion force. The results in this paper may be helpful for understanding how geckos overcome the influence of natural surface roughness and possess such adhesion to support their weights.

Programmed cell death and cancer.

Programmed cell death (PCD) is an important terminal pathway for cells of multicellular organisms, and is involved in a variety of biological events that include morphogenesis, maintenance of tissue homeostasis, and elimination of harmful cells. Dysfunction of PCD leads to various diseases in humans, especially various cancers. Accumulating evidence indicates that PCD is closely related to anti-cancer therapy. Recently, many studies have subdivided PCD into the three categories: apoptosis, autophagy, and programmed necrosis, based on criteria such as morphological alterations, initiating death signal, and the activation of caspases. In this article, we will review the main features and functions of all three types of programmed cell death, focusing on their roles in tumour cells and the relationship of the three types of cell death in anti-cancer therapy.

The effect of timing of application of positive end-expiratory pressure on oxygenation during one-lung ventilation.

Many studies have confirmed that applying positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) to the dependent lung during one-lung ventilation (OLV) improves oxygenation. Our purpose was to investigate the best time and level of PEEP application. Thirty patients undergoing thoracic surgery were randomised into three groups. After 20 minutes of two-lung ventilation (TLV) in the lateral position, all patients received OLV for one hour During OLV, 0, 5, 10 cmH2O PEEP were applied in order in group A, with each level sustained for 20 minutes. Group B had 5 cmH2O PEEP applied and maintained for one hour Patients in group C received PEEP with levels set in the opposite order to that of group A. The ventilation model was then converted to TLV. PaO2, PaCO2 and respiratory mechanical variables were compared at five different time points among groups, 20 minutes after TLV (T1), 20 (T2), 40 (T3) and 60 minutes (T4) after OLV and 20 minutes after conversion to TLV (T5). We found that PaO2 was lower in group A than the other two groups at T2 (P <0.05). PaO2 decreased significantly at T5 compared with T1 (P <0.05) in group A only. When PEEP was set to 10 cmH2O, the airway pressure increased significantly (P <0.05). These findings indicate that PEEP applied at the initial time of OLV improves oxygenation most beneficially. Five cmH2O PEEP may produce this beneficial effect without the increase in airway pressure associated with 10 cmH2O PEEP.

Inhibition of HPV 16 E6 oncogene expression by RNA interference in vitro and in vivo.

Substantial studies have demonstrated that the initiation and progression of cervical cancer were closely associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) E6 and E7 oncogenes. The therapeutic strategy with ribozyme or antisense oligonucleotides to inhibit the expression of HPV E6 or E7 oncogenes showed effect to some degree, but problems such as low efficiency, short-period maintenance, and high cost still remain. The aim of this study was to investigate in vitro and in vivo the effect of HPV 16 E6 small interfering RNA (HPV 16 E6 siRNA) on cervical cancer cell line CaSki cells. The specific siRNA of HPV 16 E6 was synthesized and transfected into CaSki cells by liposome. The number of apoptotic cells, HPV 16 E6 messenger RNA (mRNA) level, and E6 protein expression were measured before and after the transfection by flow cytometry, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, and Western blot, respectively. Cervical cancer in nude mice was established, and siRNA was injected directly into the nude mice peritoneal cavity or subcutaneous tumor. The efficiency of siRNA was evaluated by tumor volume change, HPV 16 E6 protein expression, and apoptosis of tumor cells. Apoptosis rate of CaSki cells at days 1, 2, 5, and 9 after siRNA transfection were 7.7%, 11.8%, 37.4%, and 12.6%, respectively. The mRNA level of HPV 16 E6 at the same time points were reduced by 77%, 83%, 59%, and 41%, respectively. But the mRNA level of beta-actin, as an internal control, showed no significant change. The inhibition rates of E6 protein synthesis at days 1, 2, 5, and 9 after the transfection were 79.7%, 80.4%, 71.3%, and 57.4%, respectively, whereas the protein levels of Lamin A/C, as internal control, had no change. In vivo, E6 siRNA administration groups showed a dramatic effect in inhibiting tumor growth, suppressing expression of E6 protein, and inducing tumor necrosis and apoptosis as compared with the control group. Direct injection of siRNA into subcutaneous tumor resulted in tumor suppression effect similar to that via the peritoneal cavity, and with additional injection better results could be achieved in cervical cancer CaSki cells. RNA interference exists, and the interference to HPV 16 E6 is specific and highly efficient both in vitro and in vivo.

Induction of T cell responses against autologous ovarian tumors with whole tumor cell lysate-pulsed dendritic cells.

The loading of dendritic cells (DCs) with whole tumor cell lysates may circumvent the facts that few tumor-specific antigens have been identified in human solid tumors. The present study was designed to investigate whether ovarian cancer cells lysate-pulsed DCs activate T cell responses against autologous ovarian tumors. Incubation of T cells with autologous tumor cell lysate-pulsed DCs stimulated proliferation of autologous T cells. T cells primed by autologous tumor cell lysate-pulsed DCs showed significant killing activity against autologous tumor cells, which could be blocked by anti-MHC-class-I and anti-CD8 mAb. By contrast, T cells primed by autologous unpulsed DCs alone or tumor lysates alone failed to exhibit significant killing activity. In addition, T cells primed by DCs pulsed with allogeneic tumor cell lysates or with autologous normal cell lysate or by these cell lysates alone did not induce the increase in the autologous tumor killing activity. As additional controls, T cells stimulated with autologous tumor lysate-pulsed DCs express no increase in the lysis of autologous monocytes, allogeneic ovarian tumor cells and other cell lines including K562, Daudi and Molt-4. Furthermore, T cells stimulated with autologous tumor lysate-pulsed DCs could produce the considerable amounts of cytokines such as GM-CSF, TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma. The data in the present study suggest that whole tumor cell lysates-pulsed DCs could activate T cell responses against autologous ovarian tumor cells, and that these pulsed DCs may be used as a new approach for the specific immunotherapy of ovarian cancer patients.

[Vulvar reconstruction using gracilis myocutaneous flaps after radical vulvectomy].

OBJECTIVE: To introduce the method using the gracilis myocutaneous flaps to repair of vulvar defect after radical vulvectomy. METHODS: The gracilis myocutaneous flaps were applied in 4 cases with vulvar carcinoma which located vestibule of vulva and bulk, and the carcinoma was large after radical resection to repair vulvar defect simultaneously. RESULTS: The incision of 3 cases was healing by first intention, and 1 case with type II diabetes mellitus was healing by second intention. After followed up 3-6 years, 1 case was recurrent in 2 years after operation, 3 cases were survival without complication. CONCLUSION: Vulvar reconstruction with the use of gracilis myocutaneous flaps in radical vulvectomy could markedly decrease the rate of complication.

[Expression and significance of basic fibroblast growth factor in ovarian epithelial neoplasm].

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on the biological behaviour of ovarian epithelial neoplasm. METHODS: Ten cases of normal ovarian tissues and eighty cases of ovarian epithelial tumor tissues were detected by immunohistochemical methods. Mias-2000 Picture Analysis System was used to study the relationship of bFGF expression intensity and microvessel count, FIGO stage, pathological grade and classification of ovarian epithelial neoplasm. RESULTS: 1. Expression of bFGF was mainly in cytoplasm and nucleus in several cells of borderline and malignant tumor. 2. The expression intensity of bFGF was closely related to the malignant degree of ovarian epithelial neoplasm. The density of bFGF expression was (3.35 +/- 3.52)% in normal ovarian epithelium, (19.25 +/- 21.73)% in benign tumor, (33.78 +/- 10.86)% in borderline tumor and (48.18 +/- 12.93)% in malignant tumor. The results indicated that bFGF might play an important role in carcinogenesis of ovarian epithelial neoplasm. 3. The expression intensity of bFGF was increased with the FIGO stage of ovarian tumor. 4. The expression intensity of bFGF was increased accompanying with the decrease of differentiation degree in ovian neoplasm. 5. In borderline tumor, expression intensity of bFGF in serous cystadenoma was significantly higher than in mucinous cystadenoma, which indicated bFGF might be an important factor in canceration of ovarian epithelial neoplasm. CONCLUSION: bFGF may play important roles in carcinogenesis, development, invasion and metastasis of ovarian epithelial neoplasm.

[The values of urine cysteine protein activity in the diagnosis of ovarian cancer].

The levels of urine cysteine protease (UCP) were detected in the urines of 70 gynecological cancers, 50 gynecological benign tumors and 50 normal women. The values of UCP assay of gynecological cancers were much higher than those of benign and normal samples (P < 0.01). Best cut off point for diagnosis of gynecological cancers was P95 and UCP cut off value was 0.24 pmol.min-1/L by using percentile and ROC curve. The sensitivity of UCP assay was 90%, specificity 80% and accuracy 86%. The sensitivity for ovarian cancers was 95%, but 77% and 85% for corpus and cervical cancers respectively. There were no differences between UCP and CA125 (sensitivity 85%, specificity 87%, accuracy 84%) in the diagnosis of ovarian cancers. In 7 cases of 8 cases of stage I ovarian cancers, UCP were abnormal. In 6 cases of the same group, CA125 were normal (< 35,000 U/L). So UCP may be better than CA125 in the diagnosis of early ovarian cancer. The sensitivity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) isoenzyme was 75% in ovarian cancer which was lower than UCP and CA125, but the specificity 85%. LDH isoenzyme still was one of important tumor markers for diagnosis. Combined assays with UCP, CA125 and LDH isoenzyme may reach the sensitivity 96% and specificity 100% evidently. These data implied that UCP may be a good tumor marker in gynecological cancers especially for ovarian cancers in future.

[Stage Ia cervical cancer].

One hundred and fifteen patients with stage I cervical cancer were operated and studied retrospectively. By comparing the original standard of stage Ia (stromal invasion less than 3mm) and the new FIGO definition and analysing the relationship among stage of the cancer, lymphatic metastasis and prognosis, no lymphatic metastasis was found in 25 cases of original stage Ia, and no recurrence during the five year's follow up. There were five cases with lymphatic, metastasis in 42 cases of new FIGO definition and 3 cases recurred and died during the five year's follow up. It is pointed out that the new FIGO definition of stage Ia fails to provide guidelines for choice of treatment and can not differentiate the stage I a1 and stage I a2. If 3mm stromal invasion can be used as a criteria to differentiate stage I a1 and I a2, then we may have a clear and acceptable standard which may be helpful for the choice of treatment.

[Assay of urine cysteine proteinase in diagnosing gynecological malignant tumors].

Cysteine proteinases (CP) belong to the subclass of endopeptidase, and have been considered to play an important role in spreading cancer cells. Cysteine proteinases in urine (UCP) were determined in 71 healthy women, 76 patients with gynecological benign tumors and 125 cases (173 samples) with gynecological malignant tumors. Enzyme levels were assayed using the artificial substrate CSZ-Ala-Arg-AFC by detecting the release of free AFC with the aid of a fluorometer. The value ranged from upper 80% to 99% of UCP in 71 normal women and was calculated with the percentile method. The results showed that ROC curve displayed a highly sensitive character. The sensitivity and specificity for gynecological malignant tumor were 91.8%, and 71.7% respectively. The sensitivities of UCP for ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, carcinoma of endometrium and cancer of vulva were 96%, 91%, 85.7% and 72.7% respectively. Due to its high sensitivity. It was suggested that UCP assay can be a good screening test to distinguish gynecological malignancy from benign tumors. The accuracy of diagnosing gynecological malignancy may be improved if UCP assay is combined with other tests with higher specificity.

Application of an ATP-bioluminescence assay in human tumor chemosensitivity testing.

Intracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is the primary energy unit of living cells, and can be quantitated by measuring the light generated with luciferase-luciferin reagent in a luminometer. The use of an ATP-bioluminescence assay, to determine tumor cell viability after exposure to chemotherapeutic agents, has been adapted to test tumor chemosensitivity in vitro. This presentation will illustrate the method of the ATP-chemosensitivity assay (ATP-CSA) using an ovarian cancer cell line NIHL:OVCAR-3 as an example and present preliminary data on 54/56 successful in vitro ATP-CSA's from 46 patients with pelvic malignancies. Fresh human tumor specimens were generally tested for single and combined drug effects at two drug concentrations (0.2 X and 1 X peak plasma concentrations). Correlation of in vitro drug sensitivity and in vivo patient response was obtained for 23 treatment regimens in 22 patients with ovarian carcinoma. The true positive rate was 100% and the true negative rate 66.7%. Our data demonstrate (a) that the ATP-CSA, measuring total cell viability, is a feasible in vitro assay for human tumor drug testing and (b) that specific criteria of in vitro chemosensitivity for this assay need to be defined by further studies, for single and combined drug exposure at different concentrations, to permit a meaningful correlation with in vivo clinical response.

[To raise the family planning work to a new level--a comprehensive introduction to the National Family Planning Working Conference].

PIP: The National Family Planning Working Conference convened on August 10-16, 1982 in Beijing, China. Among the 250 conferees were family planning representatives from various provinces, cities, autonomous regions, the People's Liberation Armt, representatives of partial progressive areas, counties, communes, the Central Committee, State Council, All China Women's Federation, All China Federation of Trade Unions, journalists and population theorists. Topics of discussion included the current situation of family planning work, how to implement the Central Committee's directive on improving family planning work, and the relationship between population law and population development by the year 2000. On August 18 Premier Zhao Ziyang told various representatives at a meeting that population control was a longterm national policy and emphasized its importance in long-range economic and social planning. The Vice-premier of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Wang Shoudao, implored the representatives to understand the directive's contents and said family planning would serve later generations. The Chairman of the National Family Planning Commission, Quian Xinzhong, reviewed the current population situation, noting the encouraging fact that the birth rate for the first 6 months of 1982 was higher than the first 6 months in 1981 by only 1/1000. In order to raise birth control work to a new level, he suggested the following steps: strengthen family planning propaganda; strenuously follow the policy of 1 child per family; obtain permission to have a 2nd child; oppose unplanned births; establish various birth control responsibility systems; and improve contraceptive research and techniques.^ieng

[The experience of carrying out the technical responsibility system in the birth control of Peng County, Sichuan Province].

PIP: Following the establishment of the system of fixed responsibility in production in Peng County, Sichuan Province, the County's Family Planning Office and Public Health Bureau in 1980 broadened the system of technical responsibility in birth control by defining tasks and goals. The commune public health office should guide birth control technology, lower the incidence of unplanned pregnancies and the number of abortions. The number of fertile women using IUDs should be over 80%, and its failure rate should be less then 10%; the failure rate of male ligature should be less than 3%. Commune members should give 1 jiao to the public health office for expenses incurred in birth control technology. If all the goals are reached, then there would be economic rewards outside the total public support system. That is, 1 jiao is awarded for each IUD inserted, 2 jiao for male ligatures and 3 jiao for female ligatures. Infractions such as poor attitude, irresponsibility, or delaying surgery are fined from 1-20 yuan. The following situations resulted from having implemented the system of technical responsibilty for birth control: 1) medical personnel had the authority to initiate action concerning birth control technology; 2) the quality of surgery was raised, while the incidence of errors was lowered; 3) the costs of surgery were lowered; and 4) because abortions are not awarded with economic incentives, medical personnel tended to perform more preventive surgery rather than corrective surgery.^ieng