Objective To investigate the mechanism of capsaicin in treating active psoriasis vulgaris. Methods A total of 42 patients with active psoriasis vulgaris diagnosed by histology and clinical features were given either placebo or 0.025% capsaicin ointment four times daily for 30 days randomly by double-blind method. Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide receptor 1(VIPR1) gene translation in active psoriatic lesions before and after treatment with capsaicin ointment was detected by in situ hybridization. Results There was positive staining of VIPR1 gene in all the layers of psoriatic epidermis (95.5%) before the treatment with capsaicin ointment, but nearly no dyeing in epidermis (18.2%) after the treatment for 30 days. There was nearly no brown staining before and after treatment in control group. Conclusion VIPR1 gene translation in psoriatic epidermis is down-regulated after capsaicin treatment for 30 days.

Objective To investigate the effect of target-controlled infusion(TCI) of propofol on global and regional eerobral glueose metabolism in humans studied with positron emission tomography(PET).Methods Five healthy right-handed male volunteers aged 22-30yrs, weighing 58-72 kg underwent PET sean to assess glucose metabolism when they were awake and unconseions. The interval between the two PET seans was longer than 1 week. The unconseious state was induced by TCI of propofol. The initial effeet-site concentration(ESC) of propofol was set at 2.5?g?ml~(-1) and was modulated in ?0.2?g?ml~(-1) increments until OAA/S score roached 1(no response to prodding). Then the ESC was maintained during PET scanning. The dynamic scans were performed at 0-4.5 min(T_1), 4.5-9.5 min(T_2), 9.5-29.5 min(T_3), 29.5-44.5 min(T_4), 44.5-59.5min(T_5) and 59.5-74.5 min(T_6) after the end of FDG 10 mci injection. After the data were reconstructed we used the stereotactic method to select the following regions of interest(ROI): the whole brain, frontal lobe, temporal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe, putamen, caudate nucleus, thalamus and cerebellum ets. The ROI data were then transformed into standard uptake value(SUV). The difference and percentage decrease in SUV of the different ROI between eonscious and unconscious state at different intervals were compared. Results The SUVs of the whole brain and all ROIs were significantly decreased in unconscious state during T_(3-6) compared with those in conscious state. In unconscious state at T_6 the percentage decrease in SUV of different ROIs was different-42.38% (occipital lobe), 35.52%(frontal lobe) and 21.40%(putamen). The percentage decrease in SUV of thalamus was similar to that of occipital lobe, temporal lobe and parietal lobe but higher than that of frontal lobe. The sequence of SUVs of cortex and subcortioal centers in conscious state during T_(4-6) and in unconscious state during T_(3-5) were the same: temporal lobe

Objective To investigate the evolution of diffusion indices in the pyramidal tract with Wallerian degeneration(WD)due to cerebral infarction using diffusion tensor imaging(DTI),and to study the relationship between early changes of diffusion indices and motor deficit.Methods Fifteen patients (13 males and 2 females)with acute cerebral infarction(within 7 days)were recruited from the Neurology Department from Mar 2006 to Jan 2007.A11 patients were assessed with DTI.National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale(NIHSS),Bathel Index(BI),modified Rankin Scale(mRS)and Motricity Index(MI)within 7 days from onset,and at the second week.DTI was performed with SIEMENS Trio 3.0 T MR scanner.The placement of region of interest(ROI),measurement of diffusion indices were performed by DTI Studio software.The mean diffusivity(MD),the fractional anisotropy(FA),the first eigenvalue (λ1),the second eigenvalue(λ2),and the third eigenvalue(λ3)were computed.Results At the second week.NIHSS was 6.93±3.39.BI 45.33±26.01,mRS 4.33±0.90.and MI 69.47± 60.71.At the second week from onset.MD of the pyramidal tract at the levels of the middle slice of pons and the superior slice of medulla oblongata showed no significant differences between both the two sides at second week from onset. Other ROI showed significant differences between both sides.MD.FA and λ1 of affected side were lower than the unaffected side.λ2 and λ3 of the affected side were higher than the unaffected side.Positive correlations were found between FA and BI(r=0.530,P=0.042),FA and MI(r=0.543,P=0.036)at the second week.Negative correlations were found between FA and NIHSS(r=-0.613,P=0.015)at the second week.Conclusions DTI can detect the changes in the pyramidal tract due to WD within 7-14 days after ischemic stroke.including a decrease of the fractional anisotropy.the first eigenvalue and increased the second and the third eigenvalues.The fractional anisotropy of the second week from onset is related to the outcome of the motor function.

Objective To investigate the value of macrophage activity imaging (MAI) in the diagnosis of brain and spinal cord lesions in rat model of multiple sclerosis(MS). Methods Twenty LEW rats were divided into 15 model rats and 5 control rats. MS animal model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) was induced by the injection of peptide 35-55 of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein ( MOG35-55 ). MRI was performed on the third day of the acute stage of disease. The brain and spinal cord of rats were scanned by 3.0 T MR scanner( Siemens Trio Tim) with quadrature wrist joint coil.The T2W and T1 W images, Gadolinium enhanced T1 W images in 3D volume were obtained respectively. The MAI were obtained at 24 hours after intravenous injection of ultra small superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) as contrast medium on T2WI. The workstation with special software was used for the reconstruction images of brain and spinal cord of rat in multiple orientations. Results Fifteen MOG35-55-EAE rats model of MS were successfully induced. The great majority lesions of central nervous system in acute stage were located in the brain( 58/63 ) and less in the spinal cord (5/63). The main manifestation of EAE lesions presented was hyperintensity on T2 WI and hypointensity on T1 WI, and some lesions had enhancement after Gd-DTPA injection. The EAE lesions presented as hypointensity on MAI images, but some of them were found to be isointensity on T2 WI. The enhancement pattern was discrepant between USPIO and Gd-DTPA.The sensitivity of depicting lesions of MOG35-55-EAE rat at acute stage were higher on T2WI ( 14/15 ) and MAI ( 13/15 ), and the detection rate was 100% ( 15/15 ) if they were combined. Gd-DTPA enhanced T1 WI had a lower sensitivity (7/15). All the MAI findings were negative in the control rats. Conclusions MAI can complement the drawback of conventional MRI techniques by continuously monitoring the inflammatory activity of EAE lesions, and it could raise the detection rate of EAE lesions by combining with T2WI. Gd-DTPA enhanced T1 WI monitors the breakdown of the blood brain barrier. MAI and Gd-DTPA enhanced MR imaging are complementary in the diagnosis and monitoring of EAE lesions.

Objective To compare magnetization transfer and diffusion characteristics of multiple sclerosis(MS)lesions,normal-appearing white matter(NAWM)from patients,and normal white matter from control subjects,and to investigate the correlation between the magnetization transfer ratio(MTR)and mean diffusivity(MD)in MS patients.Methods Conventional MRI,magnetization transfer imaging(MTI)and diffusion tensor imaging(DTI)were performed in 24 relapsing remitting MS patients and 24 healthy volunteers.Based on these images,the MTR,MD and fractional anisotropy(FA)maps were obtained.Then the MTR,MD and FA values were measured in lesions and NAWM from patients,and in the relevant white matter regions from volunteers.Results Average MTR in lesions(23.49%?5.16%)from MS patients was lower than those both in NAWM(29.49%?3.38%)and in the counterparts of the controls(32.78%?3.42%,F=101.44,P

Objective To explore the feasibility of using clinical whole body MR scanners to investigate the intravital visibility of central nervous system (CNS) lesions in rats of multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods Ten Lewis rats were injected with the peptide 35-55 of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein to make the model of MS. On a Siemens Sonata 1.5T MR scanner equipped with a flexible surface coil, rats brain and spinal cord were examined using T2-weighted and T1-weighted imaging with slice thickness of 1-2 mm. On a Siemens Trio Tim 3.0T MR-scanner equipped with a quadrature wrist coil, rats were examined using T2WI, T1WI and Gd-DTPA enhanced T1WI 3-dimensional imaging with voxel size up to 0.06-0.08 mm~3. Rat brain and spinal cord images in multiple orientations were reconstituted with special software in workstation. Results T2WI and T1WI of the lesions in MS rat brain with high spatial and contrast resolution could be obtained with clinical 3.0T MR scanner, though the image resolution of spinal cord was relatively low. The resolution of 1.5T MR was lower than that of 3.0T. Plaques in CNS of MS rats presented as hyperintense areas on T2WI and hypointense areas on T1WI. Contrast enhancement was observed as hyperintense on T1WI. Conclusion High quality images of CNS lesions canbe obtained with clinical 3.0T MR-scanner in MS rat, which offers a noninvasive access for studying CNS diseases in the rats.

Objective To observe whether repetition time (TR) and field strengths have effects on diffusion indices of brain white matter. Methods Seven rhesuses underwent diffusion tensor MR imaging (DT-MRI) with a series of TRs (from 500 to 6000 ms) at 1.5T and 3.0T MR scanners, respectively. The mean diffusivity (MD), fractional anisotropy (FA), primary (λ1) and transverse eigenvalues (λ2, 3) were measured in region of interest (ROI) at the posterior limb of internal capsule. Pearson correlation analysis and two-way ANOVA were performed. Results None of the diffusion indices was correlated with TR (P＞0.05) when SNR was high enough (SNR>35). FA was significantly higher and the MD and λ2, 3 were significantly lower at 3.0T than those at 1.5T (P＜0.001). No significant difference of λ1 was found between the two field strengths (P＞0.05). Conclusion Field strength may influence diffusion quantification, but not for TR, which should be considered in multi-center studies.

0.05). The average FA of the corticospinal tracts (0.472?0.037) of RRMS group was significantly lower than that of normal control group (0.497?0.028) (P0.05). The average FA of the corticospinal tracts correlated with EDSS (r=-0.193, P0.05). Conclusion The average FA of the corticospinal tracts of RRMS patients is significantly abnormal and this index may be suitable in evaluating the functional status of the cerebral type of RRMS patients.

Objective Using manganese enhanced MR imaging(ME-MRI)as a standard to validate the accuracy of white matter diffusion tenor tractography(DTT)with different gradients orientations in macaque monkeys.Methods Seven adult male macaque monkeys were scanned for DTY images with different number of gradients orientations.When all data were acquired.3 μl of 0.8 mol aqueous solution of MnCl2 was injected into the primary motor cortex representing forelimb for ME-MRI scanning 48 hours later.On the images of fractional anisotropy(FA),seed region for fiber tracking was chosen according to the subcortical enhanced range on ME-MRI,then the DTT fiber tracts proiecting on axial images of FA were compared with enhancement region on T1WI of ME-MRI.Results Under the calculation method for fiber tracking in the study,different motion-probing gradients orientations led to results consistent with ME-MRI for the brain above the midbrain level.All group's concordance score of fibertracking results were good.Among them,30 and 64 orientation fiber tracking results were optimal.Below the midbrain level,there was significant difference between DTT fiber tracking and ME-MRI fiber tracking. Conclusion Different motion-probing gradients orientations do not influence DTT fiber tracking.But below the midbrain level.the results of DTT fiber tracking were not reliable according to the standard results of ME-MRI fibe tracking.

Objective To investigate whether abnormalities can be detected in normal-appearing white matter(NAWM)and normal-appearing white matter(NAGM)in patients with clinically isolated syndrome(CIS)and comparing them to the abnormalities in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis(RRMS)by using diffusion tensor imaging(DTI)histogram.To detect the potential relationship between DTI indices of NAWM,NAGM and patient's clinical condition.Methods Nineteen patients with CIS,19 clinically diagnosed RRMS patients and 19 sex-and age-matched healthy volunteers were included in this study.Conventional MRI and DTI images were obtained using Siemens 1.5 T Magnetom sonata scanner.DTI histograms of NAWM and NAGM were obtained after post-processing.The mean value,peak height,peak location of the histogram were used for analysis.All data was statistically processed with SPSS for Windows.Results NAWM average MD was higher and FA was lower in RRMS[MD(0.83±0.04)×10-3mm2/s,FA 0.36±0.03]when compared to CIS[MD(0.79±0.02)×10-3mm2/s,FA 0.40±0.02]and control[MD(0.78±0.02)×10-3mm2/s,FA 0.41±0.01](P＜0.01).But no statistically significant difference was found between CIS and control.The peak height of NAWM average MD histogram was significantly lower in CIS than control(P＜0.05),while the peak location of average FA histogram shifted to the left(P＜0.01).Patients with CIS[(1.08±0.06)×10-3mm2/s]showed significantly higher NAGM average MD than control[(1.03±0.05)×10-3mm2/s](P＜0.05),but,lower than RRMS[(1.18±0.12)×10-3mm2/s](P＞0.01).There were no correlation between DTI indices and EDSS scores in patients with CIS.Moderate correlation between NAGM average MD(r=0.568,P＜0.05)and EDSS scores were found in patient with RRMS.Conclusion NAWM and NAGM abnormalities do occur in CIS which can be detected by DTI.The underlying pathological changes in NAWM and NAGM in CIS may be milder than RRMS as demonstrated by DTI histogram.