Retroperitoneoscopic distal pancreatectomy: a new surgical approach.

Introduction: The traditional laparoscopic surgery is difficult to deal with the deep lesions of the body and tail of the pancreas, which may damage the visceral organs of the abdominal cavity and cause abdominal adhesion and other related complications.

Aim: This paper introduces the operation procedure of retroperitoneoscopy in pancreatic surgery, and evaluates its feasibility in clinical application.

Material And Methods: Retrospective analysis was performed on patients with retroperitoneal pancreatectomy in our hospital.

[Establishment of Primary Adult MDS Nested Case-Control Study Cohort and Study of Risk Factors Associated with MDS Evolution to Leukemia].

Objective: To establish a nested case-control study cohort in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) patients and investigate the clinical characteristics, WHO subtype and risk factors associated with MDS evolution to leukemia of this cohort.

Methods: All patients, ≥18 years of age, provided by 24 Shanghai hospitals with initial clinical findings consistent with a hematopoietic abnormality between June 2003 and April 2007, were the candidates for inclusion in this study. The blood and bone marrow samples of every patient should be provided at baseline.

Abnormal methylation of the sex-determining region Y-box 17 (SOX17) promoter predicts poor prognosis in myelodysplastic syndrome.

Background: The sex-determining region Y-box 17 (SOX17) is a member of the high mobility group (HMG) transcription factor family, which plays critical roles in the regulation of development and stem/precursor cell function. Recent evidence demonstrated that SOX17 acts as a tumor-suppressor gene, at least partly though repression of Wnt pathway activity.

Methods: Here we report that SOX17 methylation was detected in THP-1 and SKM-I cell lines and SOX17 mRNA levels was up-regulated by 5-aza-dC.

Prognostic value of clinical characteristics and immunophenotypic biomarkers in 115 patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma.

Background: Clinical outcome in patients with primary central nervous lymphoma (PCNSL) is variable and poorly predictable. This study investigated the association of clinical features and immune markers with prognosis of patients with PCNSL.

Methods: One hundred and fifteen newly diagnosed PCNSL patients at the study institution were considered eligible for this study.

[Expression of FOXP1 and cyclinE in primary central nervous system lymphoma and its significance].

Objective: To evaluate the value of FOXP1 and Cyclin E gene in primary central nervous system lymphoma(PCNSL) of immunocompetent patients on prognostic significance.

Methods: Clinical data of 71 patients with newly diagnosed PCNSL from 2002 to 2007 was analyzed retrospectively. Immunohistochemistry method (HRP-EnVision(TM)) was performed to observe the expression of FOXP1 and Cyclin E gene in tumor tissue samples.

Methylation of Wnt antagonist genes: a useful prognostic marker for myelodysplastic syndrome.

Activation of the Wnt signaling pathway has been implicated in the pathogenesis of many tumors as well as in leukemia. However, its role in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is unknown. In this study, we employed methylation-specific PCR to examine the methylation status of six Wnt antagonist genes in 144 MDS patients and in the MDS cell line SKM-1.

Multicentre hospital-based case-control study of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in Shanghai, China.

Background: Several potential risk factors have been identified for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL); however, epidemiological studies investigating the association between these risk factors and DLBCL have yielded inconsistent results.

Objectives: To investigate potential medical, lifestyle, and environmental risk factors of DLBCL in Shanghai, China through a hospital-based case-control study.

Method: One-hundred- and-forty-seven newly diagnosed DLBCL patients and 294 sex- and age-matched controls were recruited from 11 hospitals in Shanghai between 2003 and 2007.

[Establishment of human homoharringtonine-resistant SKM-1 cell line and its biological characteristics].

Objective: To establish a homoharringtonine (HHT)-resistant SKM-1 cell line and explore its biologic characteristics and mechanisms for drug resistance.

Methods: The HHT-resistant SKM-1 cell line was established by repeatedly exposing the cells to comparatively large doses of HHT with a short-time duration, and gradually elevating the drug concentration to an endurable level. The morphology of the resistant and parental cell lines was observed through optical microscope.

Methylation of the CpG island near SOX7 gene promoter is correlated with the poor prognosis of patients with myelodysplastic syndrome.

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), characterized by the decreased production of blood cells, often progresses to acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a sign of poor prognosis of MDS. In AML, the Wnt/β-catenin pathway is aberrantly activated, suggesting that the increased pathway activity may be correlated with the development and prognosis of MDS. SOX7 protein, encoded by the sex-determining region Y-box 7 (SOX7) gene, inhibits the activity of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

Therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia in a primary pulmonary leiomyosarcoma patient with skin metastasis.

Primary pulmonary leiomyosarcoma (LMS) is a very unusual tumor. Although LMS has well-known metastatic potential, cutaneous metastasis is a remarkably uncommon. Exposure to cytotoxic agents could lead to "therapy-related myeloid neoplasm" (t-MN).

[Incidence of adult aplastic anemia in Shanghai, China].

Objective: To survey the incidence of acquired adult aplastic anemia (AA) in Shanghai, China. Meanwhile, we compared it with the previous data from China in 1986 and other countries in order to explore the trends.

Methods: Newly diagnosed AA patients were registered in 6 districts (Jingan, Xuhui, Huangpu, Changning, Putuo, Yangpu) in Shanghai from 2004 to 2006.

[The value of flow cytometry for the differential diagnosis between refractory cytopenia with multiple dysplasia and aplastic anemia].

Objective: To evaluate the value of flow cytometry (FCM) for the differential diagnosis between myelodysplasia (MDS) subtype refractory cytopenia with multiple dysplasia (RCMD) and aplastic anemia (AA).

Methods: The flow cytometric data of bone marrow samples from 168 cases of RCMD and 77 cases of AA were analyzed retrospectively in blind, and its results were compared with gold standard to evaluate its diagnosis values.

Results: The specificity of abnormal of single immunophenotype in the surface of granulocytes and myeloblasts was high (range 75.

Mean corpuscular volume predicts prognosis in MDS patients with abnormal karyotypes.

The prognostic value of karyotype in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is generally appreciated. However, the factors that are predictive of prognosis of patients with abnormal karyotypes are not known. In this study, we evaluated the prognostic value of International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) and World Health Organization classification-based prognostic scoring system (WPSS) in 164 adult MDS patients with abnormal karyotypes.

Sonochemical synthesis of silver nanorods by reduction of silver nitrate in aqueous solution.

The sonochemical synthesis of silver nanorods has been achieved by ultrasonic irradiation of the aqueous solution of silver nitrate, methenamine (HMTA) and poly (vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) for 60 min. The silver nanorods obtained have lengths of 4-7 microm and mean diameters of about 100 nm. The structures of the samples were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and the chemical composition of the sample was examined by energy-dispersive X-ray spectrum (EDS).

Cytogenetic evolution correlates with poor prognosis in myelodysplastic syndrome.

Clonal chromosomal abnormalities are observed in 30-50% of primary myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) patients. Although the prognostic relevance of cytogenetics is generally appreciated, the prognostic value of cytogenetic evolution has rarely been evaluated. In this study, we retrospectively analyzed cytogenetic features at diagnosis and during follow-up in 85 patients with primary MDS.

Cytogenetic features and prognosis analysis in Chinese patients with myelodysplastic syndrome: a multicenter study.

It has been suggested that Asian and Western myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) patients have different cytogenetic and prognostic features. In this study, we retrospectively analyzed clinical and cytogenetic data from 435 Chinese adult primary MDS patients. In addition, we evaluated the prognostic value of the World Health Organization classification as well as six prognostic scoring systems in these patients.

ID4 methylation predicts high risk of leukemic transformation in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome.

Epigenetic gene silencing due to promoter methylation is observed in human cancers like acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Little is known about aberrant methylation in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), a heterogeneous clonal stem cell disorder with a approximately 30% risk of transformation into secondary AML. Recent evidence demonstrated that ID4, a negative regulator of transcription, may act as a tumor-suppressor gene.

Bone marrow blasts level predicts prognosis in patients with refractory cytopenia with multilineage dysplasia.

Objectives: Current prognostic models for myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) do not consider the prognostic value of a bone marrow blast level that is <5%. Exploring the prognostic value of the International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) and a marrow blast level that is <5% may lead to better risk-adapted therapeutic strategies.

Methods: According to the World Health Organization classification, most of our patients (65.

Synthesis of dendritic silver nanostructures by means of ultrasonic irradiation.

In this paper, a simple and effective route for the synthesis of silver dendritic nanostructures by means of ultrasonic irradiation has been developed. Well-defined silver dendritic nanostructures were obtained by sonicating the aqueous solution of 0.04mol/L silver nitrate with 4.

Prognostic analysis of refractory anaemia in adult myelodysplastic syndromes.

Background: Patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) display a very diverse pattern. In this study, we investigated prognostic factors and survival rate in adult patients with MDS refractory anaemia (MDS-RA) diagnosed according to French-American-British classification and evaluated the International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) for Chinese patients.

Methods: A multi-center study on diagnosis of MDS-RA was conducted to characterize the clinical features of Chinese MDS patients.

[Assessment of the young rat model of visceral hypersensitivity by measuring electrical discharge of external oblique].

Objective: To study the value of measuring electrical discharge of external oblique in assessment of young rat model of visceral hypersensitivity.

Methods: Eight-day-old neonatal Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to two groups: an experimental group and a control group (n=16 each). Rats in the experimental group were subjected to mechanical colorectal irritation daily for 7 consecutive days, while the rats in the control group did not received colorectal irritation treatment.

[A case-control study of risk factors for myelodysplastic syndromes].

Objective: To determine the risk factors involved in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS).

Methods: A 1:2 case-control study was conducted in 20 Shanghai' hospitals over a 3-year period, covering 266 "de novo" MDS cases corresponded to FAB criteria, and 532 age- and gender-matched controls from same hospitals with MDS cases. Subjects were all surveyed using the same standard questionnaire including histories of medications (Chloramphenicol, Sulfonamides, Meprobamate, Phenytoin, Colchicine, Cyclophosphamide, Propylthiouracil, Anti-TB medication, Tolbutamide, Primaquine and Chinese traditional herbs such as Bezoar, Angelica, Arsenic, Thunder cloud vine) at least 5 years prior to the onset of the disease, tumors, exposure to benzene, heavy metal, organic phosphates, pesticides, petrol/diesel, organic solvents, dye and hair dye products, radiation, house decorating, alcohol and smoking.