Objective To analyze the clinical and CT manifestations of the chest and abdomen lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM). Methods The clinical and CT manifestations of 13 patients with LAM proved histopathologically were reviewed retrospectively.Results Twelve patients onset with intrapulmonary manifestations all had progressive dyspnea, other symptoms included pneumothorax of recurrent attacks, chest distress, hemoptysis, cough, chylothorax and so on. During the course of disease, 12 patients had no extrapulmonary symptoms, abdominal great goiter was found unintentionally in the rest one without any intrapulmonary symptoms. Pectoral CT manifestations included sporadic or asystematic cysts in pulmones with size of 2-20 mm, and most had thin and clear capsule wall. The lung parenchyma among cysts was mostly normal. Four patients had pneumatocele, 2 had pleural effusion. Abdominal CT was performed in 10 patients and 7 had abnormal findings: renal angiolipoleiomyoma (ALL) in 3 including one had retroperitoneal multiple lymphangiomyomas and effussion and seroperitoneum, another 2 had multiple liver ALL and spleen accretion. The rest 4 patients included retroperitoneal lymphadenectasis in 2, seroperitoneum in one, as well as retroperitoneal lump and spleen accretion in one patient.Conclusion Pectoral and abdominal symptoms in LAM are not specific, but the CT manifestations somehow specific, which are helpful to the identification and early diagnosis of LAM.

Objective To analyze the clinical and CT manifestations of lung involvement of microscopic polyangiitis (MPA). Methods The clinical manifestations,laboratory ANCA examinations and CT features of 16 patients with lung involvement of MPA were retrospectively reviewed. Results (1) Clinical manifestations: 11 cases had hemoptysis or bloody sputum. Eight cases, who first presented with lung symptoms, were misdiagnosed with other lung diseases. All cases had mulfiorgans injuries involved kidney, cardiovascular and endocrine system, etc. (2) Laboratory examinations: all cases were pANCA positive and 14 cases were MPO-ANCA positive. (3) CT examinations: all cases had interstitial changes, 15 cases were interstitial predominately and 1 case was parenchymal predominately. Eight cases had pulmonary interstitial fibrosis and 11 cases had consolidation and 6 of them had both interstitial and consolidation. Two case had accompanied multiple nodulesand one of them had multiple cavitates. Six cases had mediastinal lymphoadenopathy. Conclusions Most of MPA patients have clinical manifestations of hemoptysis and bloody sputum, the CT examination show interstitial lung disease. Middle or advanced age population presented with above-mentioned manifestations should be alert to MPA, whether or not they have kidney and other organs injury.

Objective To study the accuracy and practical value in the clinical diagnosis of Budd-Chiari syndrome by B ultrasonography and postcaval vein contrast examination.Methods 42 patients received B ultrasonographic scanning of the postcaval vein and the liver before the use of angiography.Angiography included Seldinger single-direction postcaval intubation(14 cases) and double-direction intubation(28 cases),and quick photographic observation.Results B ultrasonography showed that 18 cases had postcaval segmental or membranous obstruction 24 cases had postcaval stricture at its opening,and 20 cases complicated with single right hepatic stricture,8 cases with left vein stricture and 12 cases with central hepatic caval stricture.Communicating branched vessels were formed among 16 cases between hepatic vessels were formed among 8 cases between hepatic left-middle,and middle-right hepatic veins each.Reticular communicating vessels were formed in 8 cases between left middle and right.5 cases had slight postcaval stricture and their blood flowed non-obstructedly postcaval veinography showed 12 cases had postcaval stricture at proximal end,28 cases total segmental or membranous obstruction.There were 8 cases respectively for hepatic central vein and right hepatic vein development each.The remaining 26 cases had no hepatic venous development.There were 30 cases who had obvious branched circulaltion formation,and even their branched circular vessels had tumous-like expansion.Conclusion B ultrasonography,as a way of easy,and no-trauma examination,is the first-choice means to screen the patients.Postcaval angiography is a means to diagnose Budd-Chiari syndrome,which is neccessary for the cases with total segmental or membranous obstruction to have double-direction postcaval angiography,especially for the cases to have interventive therapy.

A Staphylococcus aureus strain, designated zfb, was isolated from a clinical bovine mastitis case of a dairy cow. Staphylococcus aureus zfb can have resistance to methicillin and no lipase contrast by ATCC 25923. The production of the capsule was assessed by the diffuse colonial morphology in serumsoft agar. A mouse infection model was used to determine the LD50 and the invasiveness of SA zfb. The LD50 of SA 25923 to experimental mice was 10-2.5/mL, and the LD50 of SA zfb to experimental mice was 10-4.33/mL. The purpose to detect characteristics of SA zfb makes it an interesting candidate for the preparation and assay of an avirulent mutants against staphylococcal infections and further investigate on pathogenic mechanism.

Objective To investigate feasibility and clinical application value of improved percutaneous transhepatic biliary internal-external drainage (PTBIED).Methods Consecutive patients from April 2007 to April 2010 with malignant obstructive jaundice were diagnosed by medical imaging or pathological confirmation whenever possible.The patients with proximal malignant biliary obstruction and intact inferior common bile ducts ＞ 3 cm in length,and a bilirubin of 70 μmol/L or higher,were included in the experimental group.The control group included patients with low malignant biliary obstruction,and those who met the criteria for the experimental group but refused to receive the altered method of PTBIED.The patients underwent traditional PTBIED in control group.The patients in the experimental group received the procedure as following:according to percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography,a biliary external drainage catheter was modified by adding side-holes.Then under fluoroscopic guidance,the loop tip of the modified biliary drainage catheter was positioned in the inferior common hepatic duct/common bile duct,while the additional side-holes were located in the expanded hepatic duct.Technical success rate,complications,hepatic function and white cell count (WBC) were recorded pre- and post-procedure.All patients were followed-up until death.A t-test was used to compare continuous variable data changes,the Chi-square test was used to compare categorical variable data in two groups,and survival time was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method.Results Forty-six patients were included in the study,with 21 in the experimental group and 25 in the control group.The procedures were successfully performed in all patients in the two groups.There was no procedure-related death in the two groups.Symptoms were improved similarly after procedures in the two groups.The mean quantity of drained bile per day [experimental group (521 +136) ml/d,control group (606 + 159 ) ml/d,t =1.930,P ＞ 0.05],decrease of the serum total bilirubin after the procedures [ experimental group (87 ± 51 ) μmol/L,control group( 105 ± 66 ) μmol/L ( t =1.061,P ＞ 0.05 ) ] and the median survival time ( experimental group 7.7 months,control group 6.9 months,x2 =0.610,P ＞0.05 ) of the patients showed no statistically significant difference between two groups.The mean WBC amount of patients was higher after the traditional procedure [ ( 10.9 ±5.2) × 109/L] than before the procedure [ (7.8 ±2.9) × 109/L] in the control group ( t =3.606,P ＜ 0.05 ),but the converse change occurred in the experimental group [ pre-procedure (8.2 ± 3.4) × 109/L ],post-procedure [ (7.4 ± 2.6) × 109/L] ( t =2.649,P ＜ 0.05 ).No reflux of duodenal juice was observed in all patients of the experimental group,and 1 patient had infection of biliary tract.The reflux was observed in 11 patients of the control group after conventional PTBIED.Of them,8 patients had infection of biliary tract.Incidence rate of infection of biliary tract in the control group was higher than that in the experimental group( x2 =5.381,P ＜ 0.05 ).Conclusions Improved PTBIED is convenient and feasible,and compared with traditional PTBIED,it can reduce the complications of infection of biliary tract.

Objective To investigate the relationship between serum progesterone level at the day with human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) administration and pregnant outcome from in in-vitro fertilization-embryo transfer(IVF-ET). Methods From Mar. 2002 to Apr. 2007, 786 cycles with serum progesterone measurement on the day of hCG administration for final oocyte maturation in IVF were analyzed retrospectively in Reproductive Medicine Center in First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University.All stimulations were down-regulated with gronadotrophin release hormone agonist (GnRH-a) in both long protocols and short protocols before gonadotrophin stimulation. When the thresholds of serum progesterone were set at 5.5, 6.0,6.5,7.0,7.5,8.0,8.5 and 9.0 nmol/L, respectively. If the level of progesterone was less than the thresholds, those patients were in lower progesterone group, on the contrary, more than the threshold value, those patients were in higher progesterone group. The laboratory results and the clinical outcomes between all patients at lower and higher progesterone group at different thresholds value were analyzed. Results The rate of normal fertilization, quality embryos, successful implantation, chemical pregnancy, clinical pregnancy and live birth did not exhibit remarkable difference between patients with higher and lower serum progesterone level at multiple thresholds on the day of hCG administration in the 786 cycles (P >0.05). However, when the thresholds of serum progesterone were at 8.5 and 9.0 nmol/L, early abortion rates of 27.3% (3/11) and 3/7 in higher progesterone group were significantly higher than 8.8% (26/297) and 8.6% (26/301) in lower progesterone group (P<0.05). And the total abortion rates of 3/7 in higher progesterone group were significantly higher than 11.0% (34/301) in lower progesterone group when the thresholds of serum progesterone were 9.0 nmol/L (P<0.05). Conclusions This study did not prove the correlationship between progesterone level at the clay with hCG administration and the probability of clinical pregnancy or live birth. However, early abortion rates or the total abortion rates were associated with higher progesterone level when the thresholds of serum progesterone were at 8.5 nmol/L or 9.0 nmoL/L.

Objective Using of cumulative live birth rate(CLBR)per oocytes retrieved cycle,to assess the clinical outcomes of in vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection(IVF/ICSI),and to explore impact factors on CLBR following utilization of all fresh and frozen embryos in one complete IVF/ICSI cycle using gonadotropin-releasing hormone(GnRH)agonist, GnRH-antagonist and clomiphene mild stimulation protocols. Methods Of the patients who underwent IVF/ICSI from January 1st, 2014 to December 31st, 2015 in the First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, a total of 6 142 oocytes retrieved cycles were included. The clinical and laboratory parameters of different ovarian stimulation protocols, and the effects of the age, number of oocytes retrieved and number of embryos available on the CLBR of each oocytes retrieved cycle were analyzed.Results The CLBR was 69.0%(2 004/2 906)in the GnRH-agonist protocol versus 67.4%(644/955)in the GnRH-antagonist protocol (P>0.05); the CLBR of clomiphene mild stimulation protocol was 53.2%(1 215/2 281),significantly lower than those of the other two protocols (all P<0.05). The CLBR significantly decreased with age increased. When divided into four groups according to the patients′ age, we found that CLBR were not statistically significant using three different protocols in the 20-25 years old group(all P>0.05).There was a strong association between the number of oocytes retrieved and embryos available on CLBR. CLBR rose significantly with an increasing number of oocytes up to 6, then the rising trend slowed down. Patients were categorized into four groups according to the number of oocytes retrieved,CLBR was significantly higher using GnRH-antagonist protocol (50.0%)than mild stimulation protocol(37.0%)in low ovarian responder(0-4 oocytes)group(P<0.05). The CLBR were no significant difference among three protocols in normal(10-15 oocytes)and high responders(≥15 oocytes)group(all P>0.05).The incidence rate of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome in GnRH-agonist protocols(5.2%,152/2 906)were significantly higher than those of GnRH-antagonist(4.4%, 42/955)and clomiphene mild stimulation protocols(1.5%,34/2 281;all P<0.05).Conclusions CLBR is an important index to assess the clinical outcomes of IVF/ICSI. Age, number of oocytes retrieved and embryos available could affect CLBR obviously. According to the different age and ovarian response of patients, we should design ovarian stimulation protocols based on target oocytes number in order to get higher CLBR and reduce complications.

Central nervous system (CNS) injuries, including stroke, traumatic brain injury, and spinal cord injury, are leading causes of long-term disability. It is estimated that more than half of the survivors of severe unilateral injury are unable to use the denervated limb. Previous studies have focused on neuroprotective interventions in the affected hemisphere to limit brain lesions and neurorepair measures to promote recovery. However, the ability to increase plasticity in the injured brain is restricted and difficult to improve. Therefore, over several decades, researchers have been prompted to enhance the compensation by the unaffected hemisphere. Animal experiments have revealed that regrowth of ipsilateral descending fibers from the unaffected hemisphere to denervated motor neurons plays a significant role in the restoration of motor function. In addition, several clinical treatments have been designed to restore ipsilateral motor control, including brain stimulation, nerve transfer surgery, and brain-computer interface systems. Here, we comprehensively review the neural mechanisms as well as translational applications of ipsilateral motor control upon rehabilitation after CNS injuries.
Animals ; Spinal Cord Injuries/therapy* ; Motor Neurons/physiology* ; Brain ; Stroke ; Recovery of Function/physiology*