Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Lung ; diagnostic imaging ; Pneumoconiosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; methods

[ ABSTRACT] Interstitial cells of Cajal ( ICC) is the pacemaker in the gastrointestinal tract , which is closely as-sociated with the formation of slow wave and the regulation of gastrointestinal motility .As the pacemaker of gastrointestinal tract, the activation of pacing signal is triggered by the local calcium oscillation in the ICC .The change of calcium concen-tration can activate many relevant ion channels , such as NSCC, ANO1, VGCC, HCN channels and potassium channels , which can generate a large number of pacing current to form the slow wave and then propagated by the gap junction between the ICC networks and smooth muscle cells to make the peristalsis of gastrointestinal tract in autonomic rhythm .However, the mechanism of these ion channels in the pacemaker activity is still unclear , so we refer to make a review about the re-search progress on these pacemaker channels in this article to illuminate the mechanism of pacemaker activity in ICC .

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of detachable balloons,detachable coils and intracranial covered stents in management of intracranial giant aneurysms.Methods From April 1998 to March 2006,20 patients with a giant or very large aneurysm were treated by parent artery occlusion(PAO), coils embolization and covered stent,in which 9 aneurysms were treated by PAO,8 by coils embolization and 3 by covered stent at initial management.Two recurrent aneurysms treated by coils embolization were performed by covered stent.Follow-up 9-83 months,mean 41.1?25.3 months.Immediate postprocedural angiographic outcomes were categorized as complete occlusion(100%),subtotal occlusion(95%-99%),and incomplete occlusion(＜95%)of the aneurysms;and follow-up angiographic outcomes were categorized as stable, thrombosis,and recanalization.Clinical outcomes were graded according to a modified Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS).Results Endovascular treatment was technically feasible in all aneurysms without procedural-related complications.Immediate postprocedural angiograms showed complete occlusion was achieved in 11 aneurysms, subtotal occlusion in 7 and incomplete occlusion in 2.One patient with incomplete occlusion died on the seventh day with a rebleeding.The final angiographic findings in nineteen survival patients confirmed a complete occlusion in 15 aneurysms,subtotal occlusion in 3 and incomplete occlusion in 1,in which 10 parent arteries were successfully preserved.No rebleeding occurred during the follow-up period.The clinical evaluation performed at final follow-up in 19 patients revealed that the symptoms disappeared in 11 patients and improved in 8 in the modified GOS.Conclusions Treatment of giant intracranial aneurysms with coiling was associated with a low complete occlusion rate and a high recanalization rate.Treatment with endovascular parent artery occlusion remains practical,but this technique may result in damage to the parent artery and cause cerebral ischemic events.The use of an intracranial covered stent proved to be a relatively simple and safe procedure and maintained the pateney of the parent artery.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate imaging of high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) for nodules of cadaveric lungs of coal workers' or coal workers with coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) and to determine types of small nodules of CWP and dust speckle based on CT-pathologic correlation.

METHODSThirty-two entire lung specimens were available from autopsy of the patients with CWP and coal workers occupationally exposed to coal dusts. They comprised 25 workers without CWP, 3 patients with 0+ stage and 4 patients with I stage. Thirty-two lung specimens were inflated and fixed by Heitzman's method, and underwent coronal single slice computed tomography (SSCT)/multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) and HRCT scans. Gross specimens section (50 approximately 100 microm of slice thickness) and histological section (5 approximately 8 microm of slice thickness) were performed on seventeen pieces of 10 mm-thickness slices of lung specimen in thirteen cases. The nodules were divided into round, ill defined and stellate-shaped, and their distributions and relationships with pulmonary lobule were analyzed.

RESULTSThe findings were as follows (1) 14 cases without CWP and 18 cases with CWP (including 5 cases with I stage 11 cases with II stage and 2 cases with III stage) were diagnosed by pathology. (2) Nodules were displayed on HRCT in 32 cases, among which 29 cases were verified by pathology. There was no significant difference between HRCT and pathology (chi2 = 0.5, 0.25 < P < 0.5). (3) Nodules of CWP on HRCT included well-defined round nodules, ill defined nodules and stellate-shape nodules. Twelve of fourteen round nodules on HRCT were pathologically typical ones. Twenty-six ill defined nodules on HRCT included 14 atypical ones, 11 dust macules and 1 typical one by pathology. Six dust macules and 3 atypical nodules were found by pathology in nine stellate-shape nodules on HRCT. (4) HRCT accurately displayed nodular distributions including nodules adjacent to small artery, thickened septa and subpleural regions.

CONCLUSIONHRCT could display typical, atypical nodules and some dust macules presenting pathologic changes, as well as relationship between nodules and structure of pulmonary lobule.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Coal Mining ; Dust ; Humans ; Lung ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Middle Aged ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; methods

AIM: To investigate the expression of tissue factor(TF) induced by oxidized high density lipoprotein(oxHDL) in human umbilical vein cell line,ECV304,and the related mechanisms.METHODS: Four main groups were designed: the negative,the positive(ECV304 with histamine),the HDL group and the oxHDL group.Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction(RQ-PCR) and Western blotting were used to detect the expression level of TF.The specific inhibitors of MAPKs,SP600125(c-jun terminal NH2 kinase,JNK),SB203580(p38 MAP kinase,p38 MAPK),PD98059(extracellular signal-regulated kinase,ERK1/2) were used to investigate the underlying mechanisms.RESULTS: The TF expression in normal ECV304 cell line was not detected.Histamine administration resulted in a significant expression of TF in ECV304 cell line,with strongest effect after 1 h co-incubation at concentration of 1?10-5 mol/L histamine(about 4.8-fold higher expression of TF compared with that of 1?10-9 mol/L histamine).Expression level of TF was detected after stimulated with oxHDL in dose-and time-dependent manners.The highest expression of TF mRNA was found at 20 mg/L oxHDL and 6 h co-incubation,with 1.8-fold and 5.3-fold increase in TF expression,respectively,compared with that at 10 mg/L oxHDL and 2 h co-incubation.20 mg/L oxHDL also caused an apparent augmentation of TF protein expression,about 1.5-fold higher compared with that stimulated by 40 mg/L oxHDL.HDL co-incubation did not cause a detectable expression of TF protein.The mRNA levels of TF in ECV304 cell line induced by oxHDL were decreased by 95.0%,81.0%,87.0%,respectively(all P

Animals ; Bacterial Vaccines ; Brucella suis ; genetics ; Brucellosis ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; veterinary ; China ; epidemiology ; DNA Fingerprinting ; DNA, Bacterial ; genetics ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field ; Humans ; Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques ; methods ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the potential usefulness of a multivariable model in predicting the response to immunosuppressive therapy (IST) in patients with aplastic anemia (AA), and its application to the clinical practice.

METHODSPB T cells subpopulation and BM T cells intracellular IFN-gamma and IL-4 were serially analyzed by flow cytometry (FCM) before and during treatment. HLA-DRB1 * 1501 phenotype was analyzed by PCR-SSP. The predictive potentials of different parameter combinations for clinical responsiveness were statistically assessed.

RESULTSIn all evaluated parameters, CD8+ cell intracellular IFN-gamma had the relatively best diagnostic value with sensitivity and specificity of 94.3% and 62.5%, and positive and negative predictive value of 84.6% and 83.3% respectively. Positive CD8+ cell intracellular IFN-gamma plus Tc1/Tc2 < 50 could increase the positive predictive value to 92.3%. A multivariable model consisting of absolute neutrophil count (ANC), BM T cell intracellular IFN-gamma, Tc1/Tc2 ratio and HLA-DRB * 1501 phenotype of the patients was finally established.

CONCLUSIONThe multivariable model is superior to each of the single parameters in terms of predictive power of IST therapeutic outcome, and its higher accuracy and the clinical application make it potentially useful in practice.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Anemia, Aplastic ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Child ; Feasibility Studies ; Female ; HLA-DR Antigens ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunosuppression ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Models, Statistical ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets ; immunology ; T-Lymphocytes ; immunology ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo explore the specialty of diagnosis and surgery of tight carotid stenosis.

METHODFrom January 2000 to December 2009, 53 patients with tight carotid stenosis (> 95%) were operated on. All 53 patients had tight carotid stenosis more than 95% on one side in whom 28 had contralateral carotid stenosis or occlusion. The clinical and imaging data as well as surgical outcomes of the patients were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTSForty-five patients had postoperatively done well without any complications. There were 3 cases of hemodynamic instability and one case of cardiac ischemia which resolved in one to two days. One patient developed mild hoarseness. One complicated with bacteremia due to deep vein catheter insertion. Two patients experienced brain hemorrhage. None of this series occurred perioperative brain ischemia.

CONCLUSIONSTight carotid stenosis indicates a need for expeditious carotid endarterectomy with very low rates of brain ischemia. Intraoperative shunting is seldom necessary. Postoperative hyperperfusion syndrome and brain hemorrhage should be worried. Micro-endarterectomy can effectively prevent from restenosis.

Adult ; Aged ; Carotid Stenosis ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Endarterectomy, Carotid ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Stents

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship of associating mitochondrial DNA 12S rRNA gene mutations with non-syndromic and aminoglycoside-induced hearing loss happening to Chinese families.

METHODSThe diagnosis was validated by hearing tests. Blood samples were collected from 20 family members (13 subjects from pedigree A and 7 from pedigree B) and 32 sporadic deafness cases. DNA was extracted from the leukocytes in blood samples. The gene fragments of mitochondrial DNA 12S rRNA, tRNA(Ser(UCN)) and GJB(2) were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). PCR products were analyzed by sequencing.

RESULTSThe target gene fragments of all individuals were successfully amplified by PCR. The mitochondrial DNA 12S rRNA 827 A to G transition was detected from all maternal members including 12 patients with hearing loss, which was the homoplasmic mutation. Non-maternal members in two pedigrees did not carry this mutation. However, the tRNA(Ser(UCN)) A7445G, 12SrRNA A1555G and GJB2 gene mutations were not found from both the family members of two pedigrees and sporadic patients. One sporadic individual (1/32) who was diagnosed as aminoglycoside-induced hearing impairment carried A827G mutation too.

CONCLUSIONIt is confirmed that the mitochondrial DNA 12S rRNA gene is a hot spot for mutations associated with non-syndromic inherited hearing loss. The 12S rRNA nt827 A to G mutation may play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of hearing impairment in two Chinese pedigrees.

Adolescent ; Base Sequence ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Connexin 26 ; Connexins ; genetics ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; chemistry ; genetics ; Deafness ; genetics ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Pedigree ; Point Mutation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Ribosomal ; genetics

BACKGROUNDChronic heart failure (CHF) is a severe clinical syndrome associated with high morbidity and mortality, and with high health care expenditures. No nationwide data are currently available regarding the quality of clinical management of CHF patients in China. The aim of this study was to assess the quality of care of CHF inpatients in China.

METHODSThe American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Clinical Performance Measures for Adults with Chronic Heart Failure (Inpatient Measurement Set) with slight modifications was used to measure the performance status in 612 CHF patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) from 65 hospitals across all regions of China.

RESULTSThe implementation rates of guideline recommended strategies for CHF management were low. Only 57.5% of the CHF patients received complete discharge instructions, 53.6% of the patients received evaluation of left ventricular systolic function, 62.8% received an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blocker at discharge, and 52.7% received a β-blocker at discharge, 56.3% of the smokers received smoking cessation counseling. The rate of warfarin utilization was only 9.7% in CHF patients with atrial fibrillation. Most patients (81.4%) did not receive all the first four treatments. There were marked differences in the quality of CHF management among patients with different characteristics.

CONCLUSIONSPerformance measures provide a standardized method of assessing quality of care, and can thus highlight problems in disease management in clinical practice. The quality of care for CHF patients with ACS in China needs to be improved.

Acute Coronary Syndrome ; therapy ; Aged ; China ; Female ; Heart Failure ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Quality of Health Care ; Secondary Prevention ; Sex Characteristics