Qiangxinyin formula protects against isoproterenol-induced cardiac hypertrophy.

Heart failure is a life-threatening cardiovascular disease and characterized by cardiac hypertrophy, inflammation and fibrosis. The traditional Chinese medicine formula Qiangxinyin (QXY) is effective for the treatment of heart failure while the underlying mechanism is not clear. This study aims to identify the active ingredients of QXY and explore its mechanisms protecting against cardiac hypertrophy.

[Radical retropubic prostatectomy for prostate cancer with pelvic lymph node metastasis].

Objective: To investigate the safety and effectiveness of radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) with adjuvant androgen deprivation or external radiotherapy in the treatment of prostate cancer (PCa) with pelvic lymph node metastasis (PLNM).

Methods: Twenty PCa patients underwent bilateral pedal lymphangiography (PLG) preoperatively, and 11 of them received lymph node aspiration for examination of the mRNA expressions of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) in the lymph fluid by real-time RT-PCR. All the patients were treated by RRP with extended dissection of pelvic lymph nodes, and 3 of them by external radiotherapy in addition after recovery from urinary incontinence because of positive surgical margins, followed by adjuvant androgen deprivation therapy.

Adrenal Ganglioneuroma: Features and Outcomes of 42 Cases in a Chinese Population.

Background: Adrenal ganglioneuromas (AGNs) are extremely rare benign neoplasms. This study is to share our experience regarding diagnostic and operative management of these tumors.

Methods: Clinical details as well as follow-up data were retrospectively analyzed in 42 primary AGN patients who received operative resection at a tertiary referral hospital in China between May 2005 and July 2016.

Disulfiram combined with copper inhibits metastasis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in hepatocellular carcinoma through the NF-κB and TGF-β pathways.

Late-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) usually has a low survival rate because of the high risk of metastases and the lack of an effective cure. Disulfiram (DSF) has copper (Cu)-dependent anticancer properties in vitro and in vivo. The present work aims to explore the anti-metastasis effects and molecular mechanisms of DSF/Cu on HCC cells both in vitro and in vivo.

Clinical characteristics of somatic mutations in Chinese patients with aldosterone-producing adenoma.

Recent studies have shown that somatic mutations in the KCNJ5, ATP1A1, ATP2B3, and CACNA1D genes are associated with the pathogenesis of aldosterone-producing adenoma. Clinical profile and biochemical characteristics of the mutations in Chinese patients with aldosterone-producing adenoma remain unclear. In this study, we performed DNA sequencing in 168 Chinese patients with aldosterone-producing adenoma and found 129 somatic mutations in KCNJ5, 4 in ATP1A1, 1 in ATP2B3, and 1 in CACNA1D.

Pathologic analysis, diagnosis and treatment of adrenal myelolipoma.

With the widespread use of non-invasive imaging modalities, the incidental detection of myelolipoma has become more common. We analyze the clinical data of 4 typical cases of unilateral adrenal myelolipomas, including 1 hormonally inactive patient and 3 hormonally active cases with hyperaldosteronemia, hypercortisolism and hyperandrogenemia. Obvious differences were found in the pathological sections.

The advantages of unilateral pedal lymphography in the diagnosis of chyluria.

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of pedal lymphography (PLG) in the localization diagnosis of chyluria.

Methods: Cystoscopy was performed in 153 patients and PLG in 121 cases. Unilateral or staged bilateral ligation and stripping of renal lymphatic vessel were performed according to the results of cystoscopy and/or PLG.

Detection of pelvic lymph node micrometastasis by real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction in prostate cancer patients after hormonal therapy.

Objective: To determine the feasibility of prostatic-specific antigen (PSA) mRNA and prostatic-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) mRNA measurement in detection of pelvic lymph node (PLN) micrometastasis for prostate cancer (PCa) after hormonal therapy (HT).

Methods: Fifty-four patients diagnosed as high risk localized PCa were given HT for 3 months before radical prostatectomy. Under bipedal lymphangiography, a needle was punctured into involved lymph nodes (LN) and aspirated lymphatic fluid was obtained preoperatively.

Classification, diagnosis and treatment of ACTH-independent macronodular adrenal hyperplasia.

ACTH-independent macronodular adrenal hyperplasia (AIMAH) is a distinctive subtype of Cushing's syndrome (CS), with different clinical manifestations according to the level of serum cortisol. Based on clinical manifestations and serum cortisol, we divide AIMAH into three types, subclinical AIMAH, clinical AIMAH and high-risk AIMAH, with varied treatment methods being adapted to different subtypes. At the same time, we describe 3 patients who represent these subtypes of this disease, and review some cases of AIMAH which have been previously reported in the English literature.

[Experience in reducing intraoperative blood loss in radical retropubic prostatectomy].

Objective: To search for an effective method of reducing intraoperative blood loss in radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP).

Methods: We performed RRP for 100 patients with prostate cancer, 50 (group A) with the Walsh or Poor method for handling the dorsal venous complex (DVC), and the other 50 (group B) through the following three additional procedures for hemostasis: first placing a #7 prophylactic suture in the distal position of DVC, then ligating the vascular bundle of the prostatic apex with continuous 4-0 Vicryl sutures, and lastly placing a 4-0 absorbable suture followed by freeing the neurovascular bundle (NVB) or freeing NVB before suturing the remained levator ani myofascia and the deep layer of Denovilliers' fascia above the rectal serosa with 4-0 Vicryl. We assessed the effects of the three hemostatic methods in RRP by comparing the volumes of intraoperative blood loss and transfusion, operation time and perioperative levels of hemoglobin.

Multi-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor sunitinib: a novel strategy for sporadic malignant pheochromocytoma.

Sporadic malignant pheochromocytoma, a rare disease with poor prognosis, is always difficult to treat due in part to lack of effective agents. We presented three patients with advanced malignant pheochromocytoma treated by sunitinib, which indicates that sunitinib is an effective agent for this malignancy.

Ureteroscopic lithotripsy using holmium laser for 187 patients with proximal ureteral stones.

Background: Improving the success rate of ureteroscopic lithotripsy for proximal ureteral stones is the hot issue in this field. Here we reported our experience on the treatment of proximal ureteral stones.

Methods: From 2005 to 2010, 187 consecutive patients with proximal ureteral stones who underwent ureteroscopic lithotripsy were enrolled.

Preoperative alpha blockade for normotensive pheochromocytoma: is it necessary?

Objective: To compare the intraoperative hemodynamics in normotensive pheochromocytoma patients undergoing tumor resection between those with α-blockade preparation, preoperatively, and those without it.

Methods: From January 2003 to July 2011, patients with adrenal incidentaloma, which was highly suspected as normotensive pheochromocytoma, were divided into two groups. Group 1 recieved α1-blockade doxazosin before adrenalectomy.

[Retropubic radical prostatectomy: 10 years' experience with 100 cases].

Objective: To summarize the experience and lessons from 100 cases retropubic radical prostatectomy performed in the past 10 years.

Methods: From July 1999 to July 2009, we performed 100 cases of retropubic radical prostatectomy, of which 84 were followed up for 3 - 120 months. We analyzed their preoperative age, PSA level, amount of intraoperative blood transfusion, operation time, urinary continence, penile erectile function, stricture of the anastomotic stoma and Qmax.

Significance of heparanase-1 and vascular endothelial growth factor in adrenocortical carcinoma angiogenesis: potential for therapy.

The purpose of this study was to determine the correlation between human adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) and the proteins involved in tumor angiogenesis, and to evaluate the angiogenic status of ACC. The expression of heparanase-1 (HPA-1), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) as well as microvessel density (MVD) were measured in a series of tissue samples from 44 human sporadic adrenocortical tumors by immunohistochemistry. These specimens were classified as adenomas (n = 20) and carcinomas (n = 24) according to the histological criteria defined by Weiss.

Studies on the active components and antioxidant activities of the extracts of Mimosa pudica Linn. from southern China.

Background: The total flavonoid (TF) and total phenolic (TP) contents of the ethanol extracts of the whole plant, stem, leaf, and seed of Mimosa pudica Linn belonging to the genus Mimosa (Family: Fabaceae alt. Leguminosae), which originates from the subtropical regions of southern China, were determined in this experiment.

Materials And Methods: The antioxidant activity of the extracts and 5 flavonoid monomers of M.

Tension-free vaginal tape retropubic sling for recurrent stress urinary incontinence after Burch colposuspension failure.

Objectives: To verify the efficacy and to clarify the mechanism of the tension-free vaginal tape retropubic sling for recurrent stress urinary incontinence after Burch colposuspension failure.

Methods: A total of 24 women having tension-free vaginal tape retropubic sling placement for recurrent stress urinary incontinence after a previous failed Burch urethropexy were enrolled in the present study. Median follow up was 57 months (range 12-96).

Predictive factors for malignant pheochromocytoma: analysis of 136 patients.

Purpose: We evaluated the clinical characteristic, tumor feature and immunohistochemistry factors predicting malignant pheochromocytoma.

Materials And Methods: Between January 1999 and December 2008 we retrospectively reviewed the records of 136 patients with pheochromocytoma at Ruijin Hospital. We compared clinical characteristics (age, gender, symptoms and biochemical analysis), tumor features (site, weight and diameter) and the expression of 3 angiogenesis/metastasis related genes (VEGF, Cox-2 and MVD) by immunohistochemical analysis of benign vs malignant pheochromocytomas.

[Study on micrometastases in pelvic lymph nodes detected by real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction with clinically localized prostate cancer before radical prostatectomy].

Objective: To clarify the significance of micrometastases in pelvic lymph nodes in patients with neoadjuvant hormonal therapy (NHT) before radical prostatectomy (RP).

Methods: Twenty-one patients with clinically localized prostate cancer who received NHT between August 2007 and March 2010 were observed. The patients were clarified into four groups: pathological examination was positive (group A), real-time PCR examination targeting prostate specific antigen (PSA) mRNA and prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) mRNA were positive (group B), pathological examination and real-time PCR examination targeting PSA mRNA and PSMA mRNA were both negative (group C), and the control group (group D).

Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, an erectile neurotransmitter, improves erectile function more significantly in castrated rats than in normal rats.

Objective: • To investigate the regulatory role of androgen in VIP-mediated erectile effect. Androgen is essential for physiological erection. Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) is an important erectile neurotransmitter.

Selective α1-adrenoceptor antagonist (controlled release tablets) in preoperative management of pheochromocytoma.

The objective of this article is to evaluate the efficacy of Doxazosin Mesylate Controlled Release Tablets for preoperative treatment of patients with pheochromocytoma. Between 2003 and 2008, 67 patients with confirmed diagnoses of pheochromocytoma were enrolled in this study. According to the drug used in preoperative management, patients were divided into two groups: Doxazosin Mesylate pretreatment group (n=36) and Phenoxybenzamine pretreatment group (n=31).

Intravesical instillation of hyaluronic acid prolonged the effect of bladder hydrodistention in patients with severe interstitial cystitis.

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy of intravesical instillation of hyaluronic acid (HA) after hydrodistention for the treatment of patients with interstitial cystitis (IC) having small bladder capacity.

Methods: A total of 47 patients with IC (aged 27-76 years) whose functional bladder capacity was less than 200 mL received bladder hydrodistention. Thereafter, 20 patients received intravesical instillation of 40 mg HA weekly in the first month and then monthly in the following 2 months.

[Clinical outcomes of sexuality preserving cystectomy and Roux-y sigmoid neobladder].

Objective: To assess the penile erectile function, urinary continence and voiding, and cancer recurrence in 18 bladder cancer patients after sexuality preserving cystectomy and Roux-y sigmoid neobladder reconstruction.

Methods: Eighteen male patients with bladder cancer underwent sexuality preserving cystectomy and Roux-y sigmoid neobladder reconstruction, and were followed up for cancer recurrence and such clinical outcomes as erectile function and urinary continence and voiding.

Results: The patients were followed up for an average of 41 months, of whom, all achieved day- and night-time urinary continence, but 2 with positive lymph nodes died of extensive metastasis at 10 and 15 months, respectively, after surgery.

Clinical experience in a modified Roux-Y-shaped sigmoid neobladder: assessment of complications and voiding patterns in 43 patients.

Objective: To evaluate the complications and urinary voiding patterns in patients with a new Roux-Y-shaped continent neobladder, using a modified sigmoid pouch.

Patients And Methods: Between June 2003 and July 2008, 43 patients (26 men and 17 women, mean age 69.5 years) underwent a modified Roux-Y-shaped sigmoid continent neobladder reconstruction after radical cystectomy.