Objective: To determine the cognitive function and MRI-based measurement of MTL structures in patients with Alzheimer disease (AD) and to find a sensitive cognitive marker or specific MRI-based measurements for early diagnosis of AD. Method:Fifty-two AD patients, 27 VD (vascular dementia) patients and 35 aged matched normal control were recruited. The cognitive functions were evaluated with Alzheimer disease assessment scale-Cognitive portion (ADAS-Cog), Wechsler memory scale-revised and Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE). MTL structures, including hippocampal formation, amygdala and parahippocampal gyrus, were measured by MRI volumetric measurements. Result: Compared with VD patients and healthy controls, there was more pronounced reduction of performance on the main cognitive domains in AD patients, which indicated the diffused deficits of AD, including learning and memory, comprehension, language, orientation and concentration. The atrophy of MTL structures was more prominent in AD patients. A moderate diagnostic accuracy of 83.3% was achieved by Fisher's linear discriminant model, which comprised the scores of word recall, recall of test instructions, commands, constructional praxis and orientation in ADAS-Cog, and the performance on picture recall, visual recognition visual reproduction, logic memory and touch test in Wechsler memory test and part of memory in MMSE. In diagnose of AD, MRI based volumetry of left temporal horn of lateral ventricle and amygdalohippocampal complex had the sensitivity of 78.4% and accuracy of 77.1%. When cognitive indicators were combined with MRI based measurement, the diagnostic accuracy increased to 90.5%. Conclusion: AD produces more diffused cognitive deficit and severer atrophy of MTL structure. Combination of cognitive indicator with MRI based measurement can improve accuracy in diagnosis of AD.

Objective:To investigate the possible role of NKT cells in unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion by measuring the NKT cell numbers,maturity and cytokine secretion of the placenta of mice with unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion.Methods:Normal pregnancy model in hybrid by feeding CBA / J and BABL/C in a cage,and the model of unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion was established by feeding CBA / J and DBA2/J in a cage.The number of NKT and CD3~+T cells was determined by flow-cytometry;Th1/Th2-relative cytokines were assayed by ELISA and T-bet expression was determinded by fluorescence quantitative PCR.Results:There was not significant change of CD3~+ T cells when compared between normal pregnancy and unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion group (P＞0.05).In the course of normal pregnancy,the IFN-γ secreted by placenta lymphocytes decreased gradually,accompanied by the decline of NKT cell number and the proportion of mature cells;whereas in the course of unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion,it was on the opposite.There was significant difference of T-bet mRNA expression between the two groups.T-bet mRNA expression was related to the proportion of mature NKT cells or placenta IFN-γ secretion by lymphocytes.Conclusion:Unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion may be related to NKT cells disorders,NKT cells are of low-mature proportion and inadequate secretion of IFN-γ during early pregnancy,whereas are shown high-mature proportion and excessive secretion of IFN-γ during latter pregnancy;the anomaly of T-bet mRNA expression may be one of the factors leading to NKT cells disorder.