BACKGROUNDFenestration of the proximal anterior cerebral artery (ACA) A1 segment is a rare anatomic variation. The purpose of the this study was to report the incidence of fenestration in the proximal segment of the anterior cerebral artery and to delineate its configurations on cranial MR angiography.

METHODSMagnetic resonance angiography (MRA) was performed in 762 patients using 1.5 T imagers during the period July 2007 through September 2008. All images were obtained by the three-dimensional time-of-flight (3D TOF) technique. Volume rendering (VR) images in the horizontal rotation view were displayed stereoscopically. The presence of fenestration in the proximal segment of the anterior cerebral artery was identified and evaluated retrospectively by MRA.

RESULTSSix patients (four men and two women, 15 to 63 years of age, median age 50 years) had proximal ACA fenestration. The appearance rate of ACA fenestration was 0.8% (6/762). All 6 fenestrations were located at the A1 segment: three of them were with a slit-like shape and three were with a convex-lens-like shape, 5 of the right A1 segment, 1 of the left A1 segment.

CONCLUSIONRecognizing ACA fenestration is important to interpret cranial MR angiographys and helpful to make a plan for neurosurgical procedures or neurological intervention.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Anterior Cerebral Artery ; abnormalities ; Cerebral Angiography ; methods ; Cerebral Arterial Diseases ; diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Angiography ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

Objective To investigate the short term effect of licartin transarterial infusion in combination with chemoembolization (LTACE) and compare its effect with conventional transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Methods Seventy-two cases of advanced HCC were included in this analysis.There were 50 males and 22 females with the average age of (58±12) yrs (range 34-86 yrs).Twenty-nine patients received LTACE treatment while the other forty three patients received conventional TACE treatment.Before intervention,there was no variation (P>0.05) in gender (X2 =0.202),Child-Pugh grading for hepatic function (X2=2.428),as well as in white blood cell count (t=1.101)and platelet count (t =0.080) between the two groups except for age and portal vein thrombosis.For LTACE group,30 minutes after the infusion of licartin (27.75 MBq/kg) into proper hepatic artery,an emulsion of 40 rag pharmorubicin and 30 ml uhrafluid lipidol was infused until hemostasis within target artery.For TACE group,only an emulsion of 40 nag pharmorubicin and 30ml uhrafluid lipidol was infused until hemostasis within target artery.Following these interventions,the two groups were given the same treatment to stabilize hepatic function and relief embolization-relating symptoms; Patients' follow-up included clinical symptoms and signs,hepatic and renal function,peripheral blood test,CT and radionuclide study(ECT).All data were analyzed with SPSS 11.5.Measurement data were expressed with mean and processed by t test; numeration data were processed by Chi square test and Fisher precise test; Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank test were applied for comparing the survival rate of the two groups.P <0.05 means the exist of a statistic variation.Results After treatment,there was no variation of Albumin,GPT,serum bilirubin,white blood cell,platelet and serum creatinine level between the two groups [t=0.250,0.907,0.629,0.005,0.250,0.453 (7 days) and 0.978,1.250,1.942,0.733,0.315,1.243 (14 days); P >0.05].ECT imaging demonstrated a 55.17% (16/29) uptake ratio of licartin within tumor areas by the time of 7-days follow-up study.The lesions in both LTACE and TACE groups exhibited a decrease in their size and statistically significant difference was demonstrated before and after treatment in either group( t=7.207,8.006,P <0.01).But between the two groups,the tumor size reduction showed no statistical difference,the tumor size in LTACE and TACE groups were( 1.68±0.32),(1.74±0.31)respectively (t =0.786,P>0.05)before treatment and(1.52±0.38),(1.61±0.36) respectively(t=0.891,P>0.05) after treatment.There was no variation between the two groups comparing the 6 months cumulative survival rate(LTACE 52%,TACE 76%,log-rank test,X2=3.080,P >0.05).Conclusion There was no statistically significant differences between LTACE and TACE groups concerning the short term effect and adverse reaction for treatment of advanced HCC.The long term outcomes should be established on the basis of a large-sample,multiconter,randomized trail.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the genetic polymorphisms and mutations of 30 Y-STR loci in Chinese Han males and to evaluate its forensic application. METHODS: The DNA extracted from blood samples of 1 005 unrelated males and 1 008 father-son pairs （1 949 individuals in all） in Chinese Han population were typed using developed 30 Y-STR loci identification system. The parameters of population genetics and the mutation rates of each locus were analysed statistically. RESULTS: A total of 983 haplotypes were found in 1 005 unrelated males from Chinese Han population, of which 963 were unique. The overall haplotype diversity （HD） and discrimination capacity （DC） were 0.999 955 and 0.978 109, respectively. Totally 340 alleles were detected on 30 Y-STR loci, the value of gene diversity （GD） ranged from 0.410 3 to 0.952 3. The GD values of 24 out of the 30 loci were over 0.6. There were 30 269 allele transfers in 1 008 father-son pairs, one mutation in 68 father-son pairs, and the mutation of three father-son pairs occurred at two loci. On 26 Y-STR loci, 74 mutations were detected in 71 father-son pairs. The average mutation rates were 2.4×10⁻³ （95% CI： 1.9×10⁻³-3.1×10⁻³）. Seventy-three mutation events were one-step mutation （98.6%）, 1 mutation event was two-step mutation （1.4%）. CONCLUSIONS The multiplex PCR system with 30 Y-STR loci has high genetic polymorphism and low mutation rates in Chinese Han males. Therefore, the system shows important values in Y-STR database construction and population genetic research.
Alleles ; Asian People/genetics* ; China ; Chromosomes, Human, Y/genetics* ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Variation ; Genetics, Population ; Haplotypes ; Humans ; Male ; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Mutation/genetics* ; Mutation Rate ; Polymorphism, Genetic