Objective To evaluate abdominal imaging in AIDS.Methods The imaging examinations(including US,CT and MR)of 6 patients with AIDS associated abdominal foci were analysed retrospectively.All the cases were performed US,and CT scan,of which 4 performed enhanced CT scan and 1 with MR.Results Abdominal tuberculosis were found in 4 patients,including abdominal lymph nodes tuberculosis(3 cases)and pancreatic tuberculosis(1 case).The imaging of lymph nodes tuberculosis typically showed enlarged peripheral rim enhancement with central low-attenuation on contrast-enhanced CT. Pancreatic tuberculosis demonstrated low-attenuation area in pancreatic head and slightly peripheral enhancement.Disseminated Kaposi's sarcoma was seen in 1 case:CT and MRI scan demonstrated tumour infiltrated along hepatic portal vein and bronchovascular bundles.Pelvic tumor was observed in 1 case:CT scan showed large mass with thick and irregular wall and central low attenuation liquefacient necrotic area in the pelvic cavity.Conclusion The imaging findings of AIDS with abdominal foci is extraordinarily helpful to the diagnosis of such disease.Tissue biopsy is needed to confirm the diagnosis.

Objective To determine the effect of iron deficiency on hemoglobin A2(HbA2) expression in patients with β-thalassemia.Methods The participants were recruited from the out-patient clinics of the Pediatrics Department and Obstetrics Department of Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical College and from some β-thalassemia major families.Blood samples from the participants were used for blood smear tests and hemoglobin electrophoresis and to analyze serum ferritin (SF),3 alpha-globin gene deletions,and 17 beta-globin point mutations.Results Of the 408 individuals,304 were assigned to group A (normal controls),26 to group B (iron deficiency),56 to group C (β-thalassemia),and 22 to group D (β-thalassemia combined with iron deficiency). The results for the comparison of the mean HbA2 values among pairs of groups were as follows: group A vs group B,q=5.074 7,P<0.05; group A vs group C,q=37.650 8,P<0.05; group A vs group D,q=16.043 0,P<0.05;group C vs group D,q=7.682 9,P<0.05; Group B vs group D,q=15.806 6,P<0.05. There were no significant correlation between SF and HbA2 in all 4 groups.Conclusions Iron deficiency decreased the HbA2 level in both controls and individuals with β-thalassemia. HbA2 levels decreased significantly in individuals with both β-thalassemia and iron deficiency as compared with β-thalassemia group alone. However,they remained significantly higher than both the control and iron-deficient groups. Therefore,the elevation of HbA2 could be used to diagnose β-thalassemia reliably even in the presence of iron deficiency.

Objective To explore the temporal and spatial expression pattern of tenascin-c(tnc) and tenascin-w(tnw) in zebrafish early development,to further explore the role of tenacsin in zebrafish embryo development,and the association between them.Methods Zebrafish embryos at 2 hours post fertilization(hpf),4 hpt,8 hpt,10 hpf,24 hpt,48 hpr,72 hpf and 7 days post fertilization(dpf) were collected to extract RNA for reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) and fix the embryos at different stages for in situ hybridization.Temporal and spatial expression pattern of tnc and tnw on different stages of zebrafish early development was observed.Results tnc and tnw all expressed in zebrafish from 24 hpf to 7 dpf,but did not expressed from 2 hpf to 10 hpf.Tnc expressed at pharyngeal arch,notochord,somite in 24 hpf,then weakly expressed at somite,but highly expressed at otic vesicle,pectoral fin and hindbrain in 48 hpf,and tnc was expressed at hindbrain,pharyngeal and notochord and disappeared at somite and pectoral.tnw expressed at hindbrain,midbrain and otic vesicle in 24 hpf,expressed at somite,notochord,hindbrain,otic vesicle and pharyngeal in 48 hpf.In 72 hpf,tnw expressed weakly at somite and notochord.Conclusions Zebrafish tnc and tnw have special temporal and spatial expression pattern,and share partial overlapping expression pattern.

Objective To explore the expression pattern of tenascin-c(tnc)gene in zebrafish embryo abnormal development which was induced by ethanol,and to further understand the function of tnc gene in embryo develepment.Methods Zebrafish were treated with ethanol at different concentration from 100 to 500 mmol/L,and embryos at 24 and 48 hours were collected and fixed,then tnc expression pattern was observed by in situ hybridization and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR).Results The result of RT-PCR showed that ethanol at 100 and 200 mmol/L could increase the expression of tnc,while the result of in situ hybridization showed that,while ethanol at 300 mmol/L and above decrease the expression of tnc in presumptive position at 24 hours,and ethanol at 100 mmol/L and above caused increase expression of tnc in zebrafish heart.Conclusions tnc is increased when treated with 100 and 200 mmol/L ethanol and is presented in the abnormal development of hearts of zebrafish,which can promote the normal development of embryos in some degrees.The expression pattern of tnc in pathologic state is highly conserved in all vertebrate,and in adult and embryos as well.

Objective To evaluate X-ray,CT and MRI findings of soft tissue infections in AIDS. Methods Three cases of soft tissue infections with AIDS were retrospectively analyzed by comparing the imaging findings with pathological results.All patients were performed MRI,X-ray was in 1 case,CT was in 1 case.Results Cellulitis was in 1 case:MRI showed extended thickening of subcutaneous tissues, ill-defined hypointense areas on T_1WI and hyperintensity on T_2WI,and reticular pattern on GRE. Necrotizing fasciitis was in 1 case:MRI showed obvious thickening of subcutaneous tissues and deep fasciae, abnormally increased signal intensity on T_1 and T_2WI.Fluid collections were within muscles and muscles interval on fat-suppressed T2 WI.Tuberculosis was in 1 case:CT demonstrated multiple low density areas in the subcutaneous tissues and clear peripheral rim enhancement.MRI appeared hypointense on T_1WI and hyperintensity on T_2WI,and peripheral rim enhancement following gadolinium injection.Conclusion Infections of soft tissue are common complication in patients with AIDS,radiology is important in early diagnosis and treatment planning in this population.

Adult ; Hepatic Encephalopathy ; therapy ; Hepatitis ; complications ; therapy ; Humans ; Liver Failure, Acute ; therapy ; Liver, Artificial ; Plasma Exchange

The expression cDNA library of A. tabescens was constructed by SMART technique, which useλTriplEx2 as a vector. The titer and the percentage of the constructed library were about 1.0 × 106pfu/mland 98.3% respectively, and the titer and the capacity of the amplified library were about 3.1 × 108pfu/mland 4.2 × 1010. The library was used to provide expressed sequence tags (ESTs). 147 Expressed SequenceTaqs (ESTs) were gained from 176 clones, which were selected randomly and sequenced at the 5'end. Thesequences were submitted to the EMBL database. Blasting the sequences in the GenBank, 43 of them werefound that they have significant similarity with data in GenBank. EST AJ620046 was has significantsimilarity with the arabinosidase of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron. Using SMART-RACE a full-length cDNA ofAJ620046 was successfully obtained. In order to initially characterize the biochemical properties ofAJ620046, the ORF of AJ620046 named AF was cloned and expressed in Pichia Pastoris yeast.Recombinant pHIL-S1-AF constructed by inserting AF into pHIL-S1 was transformed into Pichia PastorisGS115. Preliminary experiments indicated that AJ620046 was expressed as a 32 kDa protein in recombinantyeast.

Mongolian folk medicine resource is the origin of Mongolian medicine development, even more important of which is the specialized Mongolian folk medicine resources with regional and high medicine quality, it processes distinctive national characteristics with irreplaceable important position in traditional Mongolian medicine. Nevertheless, due to the serious destroy of ecological environment and sharp increase of demands, etc. A lot of specialized Mongolian folk medicine resources were endangered, and there still existed some problems in the protection and exploitation and utilization. This paper intends to provide comprehensive insight into the species protection and exploitation and utilization states of specialized Mongolian folk medicine resources. The application and protection status and the existing problems were reviewed, and the development strategies of Mongolian folk medicine resource were analyzed.
Conservation of Natural Resources ; methods ; Environment ; Medicine, Mongolian Traditional ; Mongolia ; Plants, Medicinal ; classification ; growth & development

OBJECTIVESTo investigate a new targeting mechanical arm for CT-based navigated percutaneous fixation of pelvic fractures, and to evaluate the safety and efficiency of the procedures.

METHODSUsing CT-based 3D navigation software combined with targeting mechanical arm, percutaneous insertion of pelvic models (3 dry human cadaver pelvic skeletons and 5 plastic Sybone pelvic models) were performed, 8 pelvic models allowed percutaneous cannulated screw insertion of both S-I joint (2 S-I screws placement for each side, total 32 screws in this experiment) and both superior ramus (1 ramus medullary screw placement for each side, total 16 screws in this experiment). Percutaneous insertion of pelvic models (4 dry human cadaver pelvic skeletons and 4 plastic Sybone pelvic models, 1 S-I screws and 1 ramus medullary scre placement for each side, 32 screws in this experiment) were performed using fluoro-navigation system (Stryker, USA). Time necessary for every screw insertion were recorded. Accuracy of screw placement was assessed using C-arm imaging and direct eyes inspecting. The time and accuracy of the two methods were compared.

RESULTSThe time required for the CT-based 3D navigation procedure (3.6 ± 1.2) min was significantly less than using the targeting mechanical arm compared to drilling freehand with navigation (9.1 ± 0.8) min (t = 2.50, P < 0.01). There was no significant difference in accuracy between the two methods.

CONCLUSIONCT-based 3D navigation software combined with targeting mechanical arm should be potential to apply percutaneous sacroiliac screwing for pelvic fractures with more accurate and more reliable.

Bone Screws ; Cadaver ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; methods ; Humans ; Models, Anatomic ; Pelvic Bones ; surgery ; Software ; Surgery, Computer-Assisted ; methods

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; complications ; Adult ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Male ; Mycoses ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Penicillium ; isolation & purification ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed