Exp Ther Med
-
The aim of the present study was to compare pathological diagnoses, as determined by the new International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer/American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society (IASLC/ATS/ERS) classification, with conventional radiological features. In addition, the present study aimed to evaluate the correlation among clinical characteristics, computed tomography (CT) images and gene mutation status in patients with stage IA adenocarcinoma of the lung. A total of 212 patients with stage IA lung adenocarcinoma were included in the study. ⋯ Therefore, according to the IASLC/ATS/ERS classification, GGO imaging patterns were shown to correlate with subtypes of adenocarcinomas. In addition, EGFR and KRAS mutations were found to be associated with lesions with a low GGO proportion. Therefore, analysis of GGO lesions may offer useful indications of the histological subtype of an adenocarcinoma in patients with stage IA lung adenocarcinoma, and predictive value for EGFR and KRAS mutations.
-
This study aimed to investigate the association of the mRNA expression of the echinoderm microtubule-associated protein-like 4 (EML4)-anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) fusion gene with that of thymidylate synthase (TYMS) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissues. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the expression of EML4-ALK fusion gene and TYMS mRNA in 257 cases of NSCLC. ⋯ An association of the EML4-ALK fusion gene with TYMS expression was detected; a low expression level of TYMS mRNA was observed more frequently when the EML4-ALK fusion gene was present than when it was not detected (P<0.05). In conclusion, patients positive for the EML4-ALK fusion gene in NSCLC tissues are likely to have a low expression level of TYMS, and may benefit from the first-line chemotherapy drug pemetrexed.
-
Rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin (rATG) is an infusion of polyclonal rabbit-derived antibodies against human thymocyte markers, which can be used to prevent and treat acute rejection following organ transplantation. However, the product monograph issued by the manufacturer (Sanofi Canada) reports that serious immune-mediated reactions have been observed following the use of rATG, consisting of anaphylaxis or severe cytokine release syndrome (CRS), which is a form of vasoplegic syndrome (VS), in which distributive shock occurs refractory to norepinephrine (NE) and vasopressin (VP). Severe infusion-associated reactions are consistent with CRS and can cause serious cardiac or respiratory problems, or in certain cases, mortality. ⋯ The patient required high doses of VP and NE infusions. Following the protocol described for treating refractory VS in post-cardiac surgery patients, the decision was made to initiate the patient on an IV MB infusion. This treatment protocol was shown to improve the hemodynamic status of the patient, which enabled the withdrawal of vasopressors and suggests an important role for methylene blue in the management of refractory VS.
-
Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese technique, developed over >3,000 years, in which 'acupoints' are stimulated with the aim of treating various diseases. A number of previous studies have indicated that acupuncture may play a role in inducing analgesia. Acupuncture-induced analgesia has been hypothesized to act on various parts of the central nervous system, including the spinal cord, brain stem, cerebral ganglia and cerebral cortex. The mechanisms underlying the effects of acupuncture have been purported to include neurohumors and neurotransmitters, such as opioids and γ-aminobutyric acid, signaling pathways and the immune response, which are all involved in the induction of analgesia.
-
Contaminating bacteria are only found on wound surfaces in the initial stages of open fractures; therefore, effective debridement is critical for bacterial infection prevention and the reduction of inflammatory reactions. Various irrigation solutions are currently being used; however, a comprehensive study on their efficacy is lacking. In the present study, a comparison of the effects of normal saline, iodophor and hydrogen peroxide as the irrigation solutions for debridement of open femur fractures in rat models was conducted. It was revealed that all three solutions were comparably effective in bacterial removal while normal saline was superior in minimizing adverse wound inflammation; therefore, the use of normal saline for routine debridement is recommended in the early-stage treatment of open fractures in the trauma clinic and in relief fieldwork.