Objective To analyze retrospectively the MR features of MELAS patients,in order to improve the early diagnosis of MELAS.Methods MR data of 1 6 MELAS patients confirmed by clinical diagnose and muscle biopsy were retrospectively analyzed. MR features of plain scan(n=1 6),ASL(n=3),MRA(n=1 5),DWI(n=14)and MRS(n=3)were analyzed.Results MRI data demonstrated brain lesions mainly distributed in posterior cerebral hemisphere extending to subcortical area,which was not consistent with the vascular supply territories.The lesions were observed as low signal on Spin-echo sequence of T1 WI,while high signal on T2 WI, FLAIR and DWI.The focal lesions showed increasing Lac peak on MRS.Fifteen of 16 patients underwent MRA and one showed increased arterial branches in lesion zones.Three patients had ASL scanning demonstrating high irrigation in lesion zones which would wander once relapsed.Meanwhile,old lesions showed encephalatrophy and cerebromalacia.All patients’muscle biopsy pathology showed ragged red muscle fibers.Under electron-microscopic,bioblasts were bigger and more than average level and muscle fibers atrophied.Mitochondrial DNA sequence of 3 patients showed mtDNA A3243G transgenation.Conclusion The DWI,MRS and ASL sequences show good ability in MELAS diagnosis and differential diagnosis.

Objective To detect the changes of the brain white matter microstructure at the acute stage of posttraumatic stress disorder(PTSD)resulting from a single,extreme and long-lasting trauma.Methods DTI scans were performed on 1 7 survivors of coal mine disaster(PTSD group)and 1 7 cases of normal control(control group).The differences of the mean diffusivity(MD)values measured from the whole brain DTI between the two groups were analyzed based on tract based spatial statistics (TBSS).MD data were statistically compared between the two groups based on nonparametric random permutation test(RPT),and the brain areas of significant differences between the two groups were obtained.Results Compared with the control group,MD values were increased in the bilateral rostral corpus callosum body and left precorona radiata,and decreased in the bilateral superior and posterior corona ra-diate,posterior limb of the left internal capsule,left cerebral peduncle and left thalamic.The differences were statistically significant (P <0.01 TFCE-corrected).Conclusion TBSS is a comprehensive and accurate method for evaluate the changes of brain white mat-ter in PTSD cases.TBSS can provide an objective basis of the pathological brain neural structures imaging for early diagnosis and in-tervention of PTSD.

Objective To clarify the role of the virtual reality (VR)in the training of trans-femoral cerebral angiography for novices without any experience of intravascular manipulation. Methods Twenty-four novices without experiences of intravascular manipulation were divided into 2 groups (VR group or control group)with random pair method concerning the age,gender and subjects. The par-ticipants in control group were trained in routine manners while those in VR group practiced on a simulator and subsequently participated in real angiography once as assistants. Real angiography tests were performed for all participants after the training session and additional angiography tests were per-formed for VR group just after the stimulation session on the simulator. Real angiography tests were supervised and scored according to a modified rating scale by neuroradiological experts who were blinded to the novices' training procedures. Difference between the real test performance of the two groups were compared by pared-samples t test,while the correlation between the performance of the real tests and simulator tests of VR group was proved by Pearson correlation analysis. P<0.05 was con-sidered statistically significant. Results The mean scores of VR group were (27.6±3.6)and (26.4± 3.8)in the tests on simulator and real angiography tests respectively,while score of control group was (21.2±3.4)in the real angiography tests. A positive correlation was revealed in VR group between performance on the simulator and that on real patients (r=0.825,P=0.001). Real performance of the VR group was significantly better than that of control group (P=0.010). Conclusions Virtual reality could ensure transfer of acquired endovascular skills from simulators to patients so as to become a valid tool for novices to improve the interventional techniques in tranfemoral cerebral angiography.

Objective To summarize the characteristics and associated malformation of fetal isolate cleft palate in prenatal ultrasonography, and analyze the reason of ultrasound misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis in isolate fetal cleft palate prenatally. Methods Systemic screening was performed with two-and three-dimensional ultrasonography in 3 576 cases. The fetal lip and plane were observed especially in nasolabial coronary plane, axial plane through maxilla, median sagittal plane, oblique coronal plane through oral cleft. Meanwhile the accompanied deformity were also screened. And prenatal ultrasound results were compared with postpartum ifndings. Results Eleven in 3 598 cases (0.31%, 11/3 598) were diagnosed as fetal isolate cleft palate by prenatal ultrasonography. The ultrasonic characteristics of isolate cleft palate were:(1) One case ofⅠ° cleft palate, the ultrasonic manifestations:in median sagittal plane, the hyperecho line of median palatine suture was disappeared, and the mucous membranes above and below it were complete;in oblique coronal plane of soft palate through oral cleft, the soft palate was complete and continuous;uvula couldn′t be displayed. (2) Three cases ofⅡ° cleft palate, the ultrasonic manifestations:in median sagittal plane though jaw, the hyperecho line of median palatine suture was shorter;the latter half and the midline of soft palate was disappeared;in both paramedian sagittal plane, the arc-shaped hyperecho line of median palatine suture were displayed;and longer than the hyperecho of midline of palate;in oblique coronal plane of hard palate through oral cleft, the ifrst half hyperecho line of hard palate was continuous, the middle of the latter half hyperecho line was interrupted;in oblique coronal plane of soft palate through oral cleft, the midline of soft palate was interrupted. 3D volume data analysis showed that the ifrst half hard palate was complete, the midline of the latter half hard palate and soft palate was interrupted. (3) Seven cases ofⅢ° cleft palate, the ultrasonic manifestations:in median sagittal plane, the hyperecho line of median palatine suture was disappeared;in oblique coronal plane of hard palate through oral cleft, the middle part echoes of the hard palate was interrupted;in oblique coronal plane of soft palate through oral cleft, the midline of soft palate was interrupted;oral and nasal cavity were communicated;the hyperecho of the vomer at the lower edge of the nasal septum could be displayed though oral cavity. 3D volume data analysis showed that hard palate and soft palate were interrupted. The hyperecho of the vomer at the lower edge of the nasal septum could be displayed clearly though oral cavity. Prenatal ultrasonic diagnosis was conifrmed by postpartum ifndings. And 2 cases were misdiagnosed (0.06%, 2/3 598), 1 case was missed diagnosed (8.33%, 1/12). The incidence of isolate fetal cleft palate was 0.33%(12/3 598). In 12 cases of isolate fetal cleft palate, 11 cases were accompanied with other fetal deformities, including central nervous system malformations (6/12), small jaw (6/12), urinary tract malformation (5/12), hydramnios (2/12), and absence of amniotic lfuid (1/12). Conclusions Fetal secondary palate should be routinely included in the prenatal screening. When secondary palate planes weresuccessfully demonstrated, the isolate cleft palate could be detected. Prenatal diagnosis of the isolate cleft palate is contributive to prenatal counseling and risk assessment.

Objective TostudythevalueofquantitativeparametersofDCE-MRIandthreedimensionalarterialspinlabeling(3D-ASL) inpreoperativegliomagrading.Methods 70patientsdiagnosedpathologicallywithinitialgliomawereassessedretrospectively,including 32caseswithlow-gradeglioma(LGG)and38caseswithhigh-gradeglioma(HGG).Allpatientsunderwentconventional,enhanced, DCEand3D-ASL MRIat3.0Tbeforesurgery.TheparametricvaluesofDCEsuchasvolumetransferconstant(Ktrans),extravascular extracellularspacevolumefraction(Ve),therateconstant(Kep),fractionalplasmavolume(Vp),cerebralbloodflow (CBF)andcerebral bloodvolume(CBV)wereobtainedbycorrespondingpost-processingsoftware.ThecerebralbloodflowofASL (ASL-CBF)wasalso obtained.Ttestoftwoindependentsampleswasusedtoanalyzewhetherthemaximumandaveragevaluesofeachparameterwere statisticallydifferentbetweenLGGand HGG.Thediagnosticaccuracyofdifferenttechniqueforgliomagradingwasdeterminedby ROCcurveanalysis.Results ThemaximumvaluesofDCE-Ktrans,Ve,rCBVandmaximumvalueofASL-rCBFwerestatisticallydifferent betweentheHGGandLGG (P＜0.05).AlltheparametricaveragevalueswerestatisticallydifferentbetweentheHGGandLGG (P＜0.05).ThemaximumandaveragevaluesofKtranshadarelativelyhighestdiagnosticefficiencyinallparameters,withtheAUCwere0.986 and0.971,theoptimumthresholdwere0.264and0.068,thesensitivitywere93.3%and94.1%,andthespecificitywere100%and 100%,respectively.ThemaximumvaluesofVe,rCBV,ASL-rCBFandtheaveragevaluesofallparametershadarelativelyhigher diagnosticefficiency.Conclusion ThemaximumvaluesofKtrans,VeandrCBFofDCE,themaximumvalueofASL-rCBFandtheaverage valueofeachparameterwereusefultodistinguishbetweenLGGand HGG.ThemaximumandaveragevaluesofKtransarethebest parametersforidentifyingHGGandLGG.

The present study was to investigate the role of TRPC6 in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) proliferation and apoptosis under hypoxia and hypercapnia. PASMCs were isolated from chloral hydrate-anesthetized male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Cellular purity was assessed by immunofluorescence staining for smooth muscle α-actin under fluorescence microscopy. Passage 4-6 PASMCs were starved for 24 h in serum-free DMEM and divided into 5 groups randomly: normoxia, hypoxia and hypercapnia, DMSO, TRPC6 inhibitor SKF-96365 and TRPC6 activator OAG groups. The normoxic group was incubated under normoxia (5% CO, 21% O, 37 °C) for 24 h, and the others were incubated with corresponding drugs under hypoxic and hypercapnic (6% CO, 5% O, 37 °C) atmosphere for 24 h. TRPC6 mRNA was detected by reverse transcription-PCR. TRPC6 protein was detected by Western blotting. The proliferation of PASMCs was performed by CCK-8 kit. Apoptosis of the PASMCs was detected using TUNEL assay. The [Ca]in the PASMCs was measured using Fura 2-AM fluorescence. The results showed that the expressions of TRPC6 mRNA and protein, and [Ca]were upregulated under hypoxic and hypercapnic conditions. Hypoxia and hypercapnia promoted cellular proliferation and inhibited apoptosis in the PASMCs. OAG enhanced the above-mentioned effects of hypoxia and hypercapnia, whereas SKF-96365 reversed these effects. These results suggest that TRPC6 may play a role in PASMCs proliferation and apoptosis under hypoxia and hypercapnia by regulating [Ca].
Actins ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Cell Hypoxia ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Hypercapnia ; physiopathology ; Imidazoles ; Male ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; cytology ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; metabolism ; Pulmonary Artery ; cytology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; TRPC Cation Channels ; metabolism

Humans ; Animals ; Culicidae ; Flavivirus ; Cell Line ; Spiramycin