Objective To study the advantage of magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) in diagnosis of complications following liver transplantation.Methods The MRI appearances were analyzed retrospectively in seventy-eight patients with postoperative complications after liver transplantation which was confirmed by operation,hepatic biopsy,angiography and cholangiography.Results The symptoms of skin and sclera jaundice,fever and belly pain were found in sixty-four patients.Liver function was abnormal in laboratory tests.Fourteen were non-symptom with normal liver function.By analyzing the MRI images,the results were found including hepatic portal vein anastomosis stenosis(n=21),hepatic arterial anastomosis stenosis(n=10),inferior vena cava anastomosis stenosis(n=1),bile duct anastomosis stenosis(n=15),bile duct non-anastomosis stenosis(n=5),transplant rejection(n=17),hepatic carcinoma recurrence(n=9).Conclusion MRI can be revealed hepatic vessels and bile ducts stenosis and dilations;it's the best device in diagnosis of complications after liver transplantation.

Objective To observe the effect of acupuncture and auricular application in the treatment of puerperal hypogalactia.Methods 300 patients with puerperal hypogalactia,according to the principle of random, balanced,together,were divided into 3 groups:Chinese herbal medicine group and acupuncture combined with auricular group and massage group,each group in 1 00cases.Collected patients'informed consent,and obtained the hospital ethics committee approval.The clinical curative effect was observed.Results After 3 days,in the Chinese herbal medicine group 34 cases recovered,24 cases were markedly effective,efficient in 1 5 cases,27 cases were invalid.In the massage group 7 cases recovered,1 3 cases had marked effect,1 5 cases were effective,ineffective in 65 cases.In the acupuncture combined with auricular group 73 cases cured,1 3 cases were markedly effective,effective in 9 cases, 5 cases were ineffective.The total effective rate between the acupuncture combined with auricular group and Chinese herbal medicine group had significant difference(χ2 =9.600,P <0.01 ).The total effective rate between the acupuncture combined with auricular group and the massage group had significant difference (χ2 =1 3.400,P <0.01 ).The total effective rate between Chinese herbal medicine group and massage group had significant difference (χ2 =6.400,P <0.01 ).Conclusion Acupuncture and auricular application has obvious curative effect for patients with postpartum hypogalactia.

Objective To provide the hardware system of EIT with an excellent direct current(DC) power source. Methods The spectrums of the outputs of DC power source and the driving source were analyzed by means of Spectrum Analyzer- E4408B when EIT system was respectively powered by battery, linear power source and switching power source. Based on the numbers and power levels of the spurs of the three power sources and the numbers and power levels of the interferences within the driving source, the influence of the three power sources on the error of measuring was estimated. Meanwhile the EIT system did data acquisition, the overall signal-to-noise-ratio(SNR) of the three power sources at the 18 frequencies were calculated and the influence of the three power sources on the error of measuring was judged. Results With respect to the numbers and power levels of the interferences within the driving source when EIT was powered respectively by the three power sources, the battery output 6 interferences, the highest power of which achieved -78.25 dBm; the linear power source output 6 interferences, the highest power of which achieved -67.11 dBm; the switching power source output 15 interferences, the highest power of which achieved -35.83 dBm. The overall SNRs of the battery at the 18 driving frequencies were higher than that of the linear power source, and the overall SNRs of the linear power source were higher than that of the switching power source. Conclusion The power mode of battery is the best for the hardware of EIT among the three power sources.

With the current accumulation of metagenome data, it is possible to build an integrated platform for processing of rigorously selected metagenomic samples (also referred as "metagenomic communities" here) of interests. Any metagenomic samples could then be searched against this database to find the most similar sample(s). However, on one hand, current databases with a large number of metagenomic samples mostly serve as data repositories but not well annotated database, and only offer few functions for analysis. On the other hand, the few available methods to measure the similarity of metagenomic data could only compare a few pre-defined set of metagenome. It has long been intriguing scientists to effectively calculate similarities between microbial communities in a large repository, to examine how similar these samples are and to find the correlation of the meta-information of these samples. In this work we propose a novel system, Meta-Mesh, which includes a metagenomic database and its companion analysis platform that could systematically and efficiently analyze, compare and search similar metagenomic samples. In the database part, we have collected more than 7 000 high quality and well annotated metagenomic samples from the public domain and in-house facilities. The analysis platform supplies a list of online tools which could accept metagenomic samples, build taxonomical annotations, compare sample in multiple angle, and then search for similar samples against its database by a fast indexing strategy and scoring function. We also used case studies of "database search for identification" and "samples clustering based on similarity matrix" using human-associated habitat samples to demonstrate the performance of Meta-Mesh in metagenomic analysis. Therefore, Meta-Mesh would serve as a database and data analysis system to quickly parse and identify similar
Cluster Analysis ; Computational Biology ; methods ; Databases, Genetic ; Humans ; Metagenome ; Metagenomics ; methods

Objective To explore whether dynamic contrast-enhanced MRA (DCE MRA) can provide an effective assessment of renal vascular in living donors before transplantation.Methods Thirty five healthy living renal donor candidates were scanned on MR system before transplantation.After injection of Gd-DTPA 1 ml in vein, a test-bolus scan was used to get the time delay of Gd-DTPA reaching renal artery.Then, a 3D T1-weighted fast low-angle shot sequence (3D FLASH) was performed in the coronal plane.The 3D FLASH scan would repeat four times with an inter-phase of 10 seconds.Thus, the imaging of the renal arterial, venous and collecting systems were got.Two radiologists observed renal arteries and veins on original imaging and MIP reconstructed imaging.The quality of MR angiography was evaluated on a fivepoint scale and the vascular anatomy or variations of the arterial and venous systems were recorded, using intraoperative findings as a standard of reference.Results The quality for all MRA was good or very good for the most of living renal donors.Among 70 renals, several variations of vascular were found, including 5 left accessory artery, 9 right accessory artery, 3 left proximal arterial branch and 6 right proximal arterial branch.Among 70 renal veins, 1 right accessory veins and 2 left varieocele were observed.One small accessory artery of right kidney was missed with DCE MRA, but identified by operation.Conclusion DCE MRA was noninvasive tool for evaluation of the renal vasculature and variations with high accuracy.It would be a good modality in preoperative evaluation of living renal donors.

Objective To explore the advantages of Argus method by comparing the accuracy and timeliness of Argus and artificial methods for measuring femoral head necrosis area in MRI scanning.Methods Totally 17 patients (31 hips) were measured with Argus and artificial methods respectively for the necrosis area, and then the measuring results and time were compared, and the correlation was investigated between the results and the patients' pain degree, along with that between the results and the extent of femoral head collapse.Results The necrosis area ratios determined by Argus and artificial methods were (33.5±4.08)%and (34.6±4.06)%respectively, with no statistical difference between the ratios (P>0.05). The time consumed by artificial method was (21.3 ±3.62)min, significantly longer than (7.89 ±1.03)min by Argus method, with P<0.001. Regression analysis proved that the necrosis areas were positively correlated with the patients' pain degree, and the correlation coefficient by Argus method was 0.807 8, more than 0.740 9 by artificial method. The femoral heads of 11 cases(16 hips) collapsed in the follow-up period, the necrosis areas were positively correlated with the patients collapse level, but the correlation coefficient by Argus method was 0.783 8, more than 0.726 7 by artificial method.Conclusion Argus method gains high accuracy and timeliness when used in MRI scanning of femoral head necrosis area, and thus is worth popularizing clinically.

Objective To investigate the feasibility of measuring liver volume with Argus methoct Methods Thirty-two healthy liver transplant donor candidates underwent liver MRI on a 3.0 T MR unit.Volume interpolated body examination(VIBE)was performed after the administration of gadobenate dimeglumine.The VIBE data was transferred to the diagnostic workstation,and then multiple planar reconstruction(MPR)images were acquired.Firstly.two observers manually drawn the liver shape and calculated three volumes:the whole liver volume and right lobes volumes include middle hepatic vein (MHV)and exclude MHV,respectively.Secondly,the same data was transferred to Argus software.calculated that three volumes.Each measurement time was recorded.Actual graft volume(the right lobe)wag measured during surgery.The correlation between right lobes volume of two measurements and actual graft volume was analyzed.The time needed for Argus and that needed for manual method were compared with paired t test.Results The right lobe volumes measured by Argus,manually and surgery method were (813±187),(807 ± 181)and(713 ± 137)mm3,respectively.Argus method and manual method showed good correlation with surgery method,and the correlation coefficients were 0.897(Argus method)and 0.884(manual method),respectively.The time for manual method and Argu8 method were(44.3 ±2.7)and(12.2.±1.0)min,respectively.There was significant difference between Argus and manual methods (t=76.39,P＜0.05).Conclusion Compared with manual method,use of the Liver volumetric measurement by Argus software not only correlated well with Actual graft volume,but also saves time.Argus has potential clinical value for volumetric measurement in living liver transplant donors.

To investigate the value of MRI for the diagnosis of achilles tendon closed rupture. 1.5T Maestro Class MRI scanner was used for the conventional scanning of 15 patients confirmed with achilles tendon closed ruptures by operation, and then the findings by imaging were compared with those by operation. The 15 patients proved with achilles tendon closed rupture, including 4 cases of incomplete rupture and 11 cases of complete rupture. MRI could display clearly the changes in morphology and signal of incomplete or complete closed ruptures of Achilles tendon, and the results were consistent with those by operation. MRI can make an accurate display of the lo-cation and extent of achilles tendon rupture.

BACKGROUND:Arteriovenous internal fistula is the first choice for hemodialysis. In the process of hemodialysis, many patients suffer from venous outflow stenosis. The methods including thrombolysis, intervention, surgical repair and fistula reconstruction al have their disadvantages. OBJECTIVE:To compare the midterm effects of polytetrafluoroethylene segment implantation and exclusively surgical repair in arteriovenous internal fistula with outflow tract obstruction. METHODS:Eighty patients with venous outflow stenosis, aged 22-80 years, were divided into test group (n=50;polytetrafluoroethylene segment implantation) and control group (n=30;simple surgical repair). The post-operative infection rate, postoperative time til recurrence of fistula dysfunction, and accumulate survival rate were compared between the two groups. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:During the fol ow-up period of 10-28 months in the test group, there were nine patients with vascular access dysfunction, and the accumulate survival rate was 100%for 6 postoperative months, 92%for 12 months, and 82%for 18 months. In the control group, there were seven cases of vascular access dysfunction at 8-28 months of fol ow-up, and the accumulate survival rate was 93%for 6 postoperative months, 87%for 12 months, and 77%for 18 months. No statistical y significant difference in the postoperative infection rate was observed between the two groups. The Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed that the accumulate survival rate was slightly higher in the test group than the control group, but there was no significant difference based on log-rank test (P=0.44). These findings indicate that polytetrafluoroethylene segment implantation for arteriovenous internal fistula with outflow tract obstruction has the similar effects as the surgical repair if it does not alter the autologous behavior of the initial access and maximal y reserve the vessels for puncture.

AIM:To investigate the role of minocycline on glutamate uptake in the periventricular zone and its putative mechanism after hypoxic exposure in neonatal rats.METHODS: A model of hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD) was developed by putting postnatal 1 d rat pups in 5%O2 for 3.5 h.The glutamate level in periventricular zone was measured by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry assay ( LC-MS/MS) after hypoxic exposure for 4 h and 1 d.The dynamic changes of glutamate transporters EAAT1, and EAAT2 during developmental period in periventricular zone were determined by Western blot.Moreover, the expression of EAAT1, EAAT2, Iba-1, IL-1β, TNF-αand TGF-β1 was also detected by Western blot after hypoxic exposure for 4 h and 1 d in that region.The effects of mino-cycline on all parameters mentioned above were tested after minocycline treatment at the same time points and in the same region.RESULTS:After hypoxic exposure, glutamate level was increased, but it was decreased after minocycline treat-ment.EAAT1 and EAAT2 kept a low expression level at the first postnatal week, but a predominant elevation was found at the end of the second postnatal week.The expression of EAAT1, EAAT2, Iba-1, IL-1βand TGF-β1 was increased at 1 d after hypoxic exposure.EAAT1 and TNF-αexpression was significantly up-regulated, while EAAT2 was down-regulated af-ter minocycline treatment.CONCLUSION: Minocycline inhibits the increase in the glutamate level after hypoxia in periventricular region of the neonatal rats.The mechanism may relate to the selective regulation of glutamate transporters, rather than the inhibition of neuroinflammation in periventricular zone.