AIM　To study the characteristic of th e rapidly activating component (Ikr) and the slowly activating compone nt (Iks) of the delayed rectifier K+ current in guinea pig hypertrop hi ed ventricular myocytes induced by thyroxine. METHOD　The whole c ell patch clamp techniques were used. RESULTS　In hypertrophied ve ntricular myocytes, the magnitude of IKr and IKs were great ly augmented with more positive depolarizations, and the degree of increase of IKr tail and IKs were greater than that of IKr an d IKs tail, respectively. By measuring the amplitude of tail currents which reflected the degree of activation, the activation curve of IKs was shifted toward more negative potential, but that of IKr was marked ly unaffected in hypertrophied myocytes. CONCLUSION　Hypertrophied ventricular myocytes induced by thyroxine obviously increased IKr and IKs.

Objective To evaluate the robustness of body mass index (BMI) adapted tube current selection method for obtaining consistent image quality in MSCT coronary artery imaging Methods Initially one hundred patients in the control group ( C group) underwent cardiac scans using GE 64-row VCT with standard scan protocol (640 mA, 120 kV, 0.35 see, body bewtie, C2 filter). Noise measurement was obtained for each patient using the average of three consecutive slices in the ascending aorta with ROI of 10 mm×10 mm to establish the relationship between BMI, desired image noise (IN) and required mA. An excel table was established to predict the required mA to achieve a desired IN for each patient with different BMI. A second group of one hundred cardiac patients (L group) was scanned with BMI-aclapted mA from the table to evaluate the practicability of this method. BMI, IN, CT dose index(CTDI),effective dose (ED) were all recorded. Results For the control group of 100 patients, the mean values and standard deviations of image quality score (IQS), BMI, IN and ED were 3.71±0.54, 25.08±2.63, 24.56±5.03 and (17.63±1.68 ) mSv (with range of 15-22 msy). Regression analysis indicated linear relationship between BMI and image noise with fixed mA. Using the relationship between tube current and image noise and noise ratio between large bowtie and cardiac bowtie, the following equation for the required tube current Xma to achieve present image noise of Ins for patient with certain BMI value when using cardiac bowtie could be then obtained: Xma = Fma×( k1 x BMI + c1 )/Ina]2, where Fma = 640 mA, k1 = 1. 033, c1 = - 3.2, Ins = 27 in the study. (2) For the patients in L group, the mean values and standard deviations of IQS, BMI, and IN were 3.69±0.53, 25.07±2.91, and 26.61±3.44, respectively. The average tube current used was (469.95±113.45) mA, depending on patient's BMI values. The average effectively dose was(9.08±2.25) mSv. There was no statistically difference between the two groups in image quality( F= 0.068,P=0.794). Conclusions In 64-MSCT cardiac imaging, the use of BMI dependent tube current selection method, in conjunction with dose reduction techniques, can provide individualized scan protocol to obtain consistent image quality across patient population and to optimize dose delivery to patients.

Objective To investigate the imaging findings of oblique vaginal septum syndrome and its diagnostic value.Methods Clinical and radiographic data of 13 patients with oblique vaginal septum syndrome were analyzed retrospectively and relevant literatures were reviewed.All 13 patients underwent ultrasonography examination preoperatively,and 8 of them underwent MRI examination,and 3 patients underwent CT examination as well.The position of the oblique septum,the size of the cavity in the rear of oblique septum, the positional relationship between the cavity in the rear of oblique septum and the cervix,and the concomitant changes of the uterine appendages and urinary system were analyzed.Results The ultrasonography and MRI examinations all manifested as uterus didelphys,cervix duplex,double vagina and obstructed hemivagina,and oblique septum originated from the middle of cervix duplex and attached to one side of the vaginal wall,shielding the ipsilateral cervix;oblique vaginal septum was on the right side in 4 cases and on the left side in 9 cases;the average volume of the cavity in the rear of oblique septum in 6 cases of type Ⅰ was 255 mL,and the average volume in 6 cases of type Ⅱ was 74 mL,and the volume in 1 case of type Ⅲ was 56 mL;2 cases were combined with ipsilateral hematosalpinx and 1 case was combined with a chocolate cyst of ipsilateral ovary;12 cases were accompanied with ipsilateral renal agenesis and 1 case was accompanied with ipsilateral renal hypoplasia.CT examinations of 3 cases all presented as uterus didelphys,a cystic hypodensity lesion under unilateral cervix and ipsilateral renal agenesis.Conclusion Imaging findings of oblique vaginal septum syndrome are quite characteristic. Ultrasonography,CT and MRI examinations have certain value for accurate diagnosis of the disease.

Objective:To evaluate the applicability of the Zhang′s diagnostic criteria for atopic dermatitis (AD) in adolescents and adults from southern Jiangsu.Methods:A total of 1 769 patients were collected, who were newly diagnosed with eczema or AD in departments of dermatology of 7 hospitals in southern Jiangsu from May 2019 to May 2021. A standardized survey interview was conducted with patients by dermatologists using a self-designed questionnaire, which included patient′s personal information, relevant medical history, clinical characteristics, laboratory tests, etc. Using Hanifin-Rajka criteria as the gold standard, the sensitivity and specificity of the Williams criteria, Zhang′s criteria and Japanese Dermatological Association (JDA) criteria were evaluated, separately.Results:Among the 1 769 patients, there were 759 (42.9%) males and 1 010 (57.1%) females, aged 32.2 ± 8.2 years (range, 12 - 79 years) . Pruritus was the most common clinical feature among the AD patients (883/913, 96.7%) . When using the Hanifin-Rajka criteria as the gold standard, 913 (51.6%) subjects were diagnosed with AD; the sensitivity of Zhang′s criteria reached 92.6% (845/913) , and its specificity was 73.2% (627/856) ; the sensitivity of Williams′ criteria was 87.8% (802/913) , and its specificity was 81.3% (696/856) ; the sensitivity of JDA criteria reached 96.9% (885/913) , and its specificity was 68.9% (590/856) . The consistency in the diagnosis of AD was moderate between the Zhang′s criteria and Williams criteria (Kappa = 0.61, P = 0.009) , was relatively high between the Zhang′s criteria and JDA criteria (Kappa = 0.85, P = 0.001) , and was moderate between the Williams criteria and JDA criteria (Kappa = 0.51, P = 0.013) . Conclusions:Compared with the Hanifin-Rajka criteria, the Zhang′s criteria exhibit good sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of AD among adolescents and adults in southern Jiangsu. However, pruritus remains important for the diagnosis of AD.

The chemical constituents of solid rice culture of the endophytic fungus Aspergillus sp.Dq-25 from barnacle were isolated and purified by silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, C18 reversed silica gel column chromatography and recrystallization.Their structures were identified by the physical and chemical properties, and by various spectroscopic methods.Six compounds were isolated and identified as: demethyldihydropenicillic acid (1), dihydropenicillic acid (2), penicillic acid (3), fortisterol (4), 22E, 24R-3P, 5a-dihydroxyerogosta-7, 22-diene-6-one (5), and (22E, 24R)-ergosterol-7, 22-diene-3β, 5α, 9α-triol-6-one (6).Compound 1 was a new butyrolactone.MTT method was used to analyze cytotoxicity, and the result showed that compound 3 exhibited inhibitory activity on five cell lines, including K562, HeLa, SGC-7901, A542 and BEL-7402, with IC50 values of 38.0 ~ 105.0 μmol/L.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of recombinant human tumor necrosis factor-α receptorⅡ: IgG Fc fusion protein (rhTNFR:Fc) in the treatment of drug-induced toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) .Methods:From 2009 to 2018, 22 patients with TEN were enrolled from 8 centers such as the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, including 10 males and 12 females, whose age ranged from 22 to 75 years. These patients were subcutaneously injected with rhTNFR:Fc at a dose of 25 mg once every 3 days for 6 - 8 consecutive sessions, and the initial dose was doubled. The drug eruption area and severity index (DASI) score and DASI improvement indices (DASI50, DASI75 and DASI90) were assessed before treatment and on days 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22 and 25 after treatment; cytometric bead array (CBA) technology was used to detect the level of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) -α in peripheral blood and blister fluid samples. During the treatment, body temperature, rash changes, liver and kidney function of patients were monitored, and adverse reactions were recorded. Statistical analysis was carried out by using repeated measures analysis of variance, paired t test and Pearson correlation analysis. Results:Of the 22 patients, the temperature stopped rising in 20 patients without infections 24 - 72 hours after the first treatment, and returned to normal after 48 - 120 hours. Among the 22 patients, new blisters stopped appearing 24 - 48 hours after the first treatment, the skin color changed from bright red to dark purple after 48 - 96 hours, and most skin lesions subsided after 2 weeks. After 2 - 4 weeks of treatment, levels of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase returned to normal in 19 patients with abnormal liver function. After 4 - 13 days of treatment, levels of creatinine and urea nitrogen stopped rising in 7 patients with abnormal renal function. During the treatment, the DASI score of the 22 patients gradually decreased ( F = 532.81, P < 0.01) , from 53.64 ± 8.67 before treatment to 2.05 ± 1.21 on day 25 after treatment ( t = 26.60, P < 0.001) . On day 10 after treatment, 22 patients (100%) achieved DASI50; on day 19, 22 (100%) achieved DASI75; on day 25, 20 (90.90%) achieved DASI90. The level of TNF-α in peripheral blood of the 22 patients gradually decreased along with the extension of treatment duration, from 33.95 ± 27.90 ng/L before treatment to 2.38 ± 0.79 ng/L on day 25. Before treatment, the level of TNF-α in blister fluid of 15 patients was 111.99 ± 99.41 ng/L, and the ratio of blister-fluid TNF-α level to peripheral blood TNF-α level was 1.83 - 28.21. Before treatment, no correlation was observed between the serum level of TNF-α and DASI score in the 22 patients ( P = 0.10) , while the blister-fluid TNF-α level was positively correlated with DASI score in the 15 patients ( r = 0.59, P = 0.02) . No acute adverse reactions were observed during the treatment. All the 22 patients completed the treatment and were discharged with complete recovery. During 6 months of follow-up after discharge, no recurrence or any complication was observed. Conclusion:rhTNFR:Fc is effective and safe for the treatment of drug-induced TEN.