Objective To study the dynamic imaging changes of the uterine leiomyomas before and after uterine arterial embolization (UAE) treatment and to discuss its therapeutic mechanism. Methods Color Doppler senography and both plain and enhanced MR[scanning were performed in 45 patients with uterine leiomyomas before and after UAE. Plain CT scan was performed in all patients after UAE. All the patients were followed up for 3-16 months (average 10±3.5 months). Results In 41 of the total 45 cases, the color Doppler senography showed rich blood flow signals in leiomyomas and myometrium before UAE and no or less blood flow signals in both leiomyomas and myometrium on the first day after UAE. On the seventh day, the blood flow signal was still absent in leiomyomas while it was restored in myometrium, and the same phenomena remained in the first, the third and the twelfth month after UAE. In the other four eases, color Doppler sonography demonstrated blood flow signals inside leiomyomas on the seventh day after UAE and it remained till twelve months after embolization. The embolic agent (Lipiodol) was found in both leiomyomas and myometrium on CT scan for 45 cases on the first day of UAE. CT scan also showed the deposit of the Lipiodol in myometrium, but Lipiodol gradually vanished in leiomyomas at one, three and the twelve months after UAE. The enhancement was apparent in leiomyomas and myometrium on MRI scan in all 45 cases before UAE. The enhancement was found in the myometrium, but not in leiomyomas, on MRI scan in 39 cases 3 months after UAE. The other six cases demonstrated different degrees of enhancement in leinmyomas after embolization. In two cases the detachment of the leiomyomas were observed after embolization and the desquamating materials were pathologicallyproved to be necrotic tissue. The difference in the measuring data about leiomyoma volume between MPI and color Doppler sonography was of no statistical significance (P > 0.05). Conclusion The therapeutic mechanism of UAE for uterine leiomyomas is selectively embolizing the vascular bed of uterus, leading to subsequent necrosis of leiomyomas. The color Doppler sonography should be the fast choice for the dynamic imaging follow-up after UAE.

Objective To discuss the clinical outcome of the modified super large dorsal metacarpal artery flap in reconstruction of circumferential fingertip avulsion. Methods Twenty-four patients with circumferential fingertip avulsion were treated by the modified super large dorsal metacarpal artery flap from January 2004 to August 2008. There were six index fingers, 11 middle fingers, five ring fingers and two little fingers with surface defects beyond the distal interphalangeal joint and the distal degloving length ranged from 0.8 cm to 3.1 cm. Emergency operation was performed on 22 fingers and stage Ⅱ surgery was done for distal skin necrosis of two fingers. Results Twenty-one patients with 21 fingers were followed up for 6-28 months, which showed that all flaps survived, with satisfactory appearance and function, and that the point discrimination of flap was for 6-9 mm ( average 7.6 mm). Conclusion Modified super large dorsal metacarpal artery flap is an ideal method for reconstruction of the circumferential fingertip avulsion with advantages of easiness, convenience and short treatment period.

[Objective]This study was designed to evaluate the effects of percutaneously puncturing vertebrate adjacent to cartilage endplate and injecting pingyangmycin on lumbar intervertebral disc and cartilage endplate in New Zealand Rabbits.[Methods]Thirty-six New Zealand white rabbits were enrolled in this study.The fifth lumbar vertebmte(L_5)was injected with pingyangrnycin as experimental group,and the fourth lumbar vertebmte(L_4)injected normal sodium as control group.Six rabbits were selected randomly,then MRI and histological observation was performed in the first,second,third,fourth,Fifth week and third month after operation respectively.Moreover,the correlation analysis was performed between MRI and histological measurements for areas of the lesion in L_5.[Results]There was no obvious changes on MRI and histological examination in control group.For experimental group,there were also no obvious changes in the first two weeks after bperation.However,in the third week,it demonstrated slightly hyperintense signal on T_2WI and fat-suppression T_2WI(FS T_2WI),while FS T_1WI was hypointense signal.The signal changed more obviously in the fourth week.Histologically,the structure of vertibrates arranged disordedy,chondrocyte of endplate decreased and architecture became disorder.Anulus fibrosus and nucleus pulposus did not change.The cartilage endplate and intervertebral disc degenerated in the fifth week.Both of them degenerated more obviously in third month.There was a strong correlation between MRI and histological measurements for areas of the lesion in the fourth week(r=0.965,P＜ 0.001).[Conclusion]Degeneration of lumbar intervertebral disc and cartilage endplate in New Zealand Rabbits can be induced by percutaneously puncturing vertebrate adjacent to cartilage endplate and injecting pingyangmycin.

Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease type 4B2 with early-onset glaucoma (CMT4B2, OMIM 604563) is a genetically-heterogeneous childhood-onset neuromuscular disorder. Here, we report the case of a 15-year-old male adolescent with lower extremity weakness, gait abnormalities, foot deformities and early-onset glaucoma. Since clinical diagnosis alone was insufficient for providing pathogenetic evidence to indicate that the condition belonged to a consanguineous family, we applied whole-exome sequencing to samples from the patient, his parents and his younger brother, assuming that the patient’s condition is transmitted in an autosomal recessive pattern. A frame-shift mutation, c.4571delG (P.Gly1524Glufs*42), was revealed in the CMT4B2-related gene SBF2 (also known as MTMR13, MIM 607697), and this mutation was found to be homozygous in the proband and heterozygous in his parents and younger brother. Together with the results of clinical diagnosis, this case was diagnosed as CMT4B2. Our finding further demonstrates the use of whole-exome sequencing in the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases.

Background and Objectives: The maternal-fetal interface is an important source of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and it is influenced by high levels of estradiol (E2) during pregnancy. It is highly important to study the role of E2 in MSCs for both clinical application and understanding of the mechanisms underlying pregnancy related diseases. Methods: and Results: In this study, differently expressed genes (DEGs) were found in the MSCs after exposure to E2. Then, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis of DEGs was performed and the integrated regulatory network of DEGs-miRNA was constructed. A total of 390 DEGs were found in the MSCs exposed to E2, including 164 upregulated DEGs (e.g. ADCY2, VEGFA and PPY) and 226 downregulated DEGs (e.g. KNG1, AGT and NPY). Additionally, 10 miRNAs (such as miR-148A/B, miR-152, miR-182) identified the integrated regulatory network of DEGs-miRNAs. Among them, the expression of ADCY2 was significantly upregulated, and this was associated with multiple changed genes. We confirmed that the expression of ADCY2 is significantly promoted by E2 and subsequently promoted the production of cAMP in MSCs. We also found that E2 promoted ADCY2 expression by inhibiting miR-152 and miR-148a. Conclusions E2 promotes the expression of cAMP through miR-148a/152-ADCY2 in MSCs. It is suggested that E2 plays a key role in the growth and function of MSCs.