Purpose Dual-energy coronary artery CT angiography (CTA) is a very promising one-stop examine, but the radiation dose is too high to hinder the development of the technology. The aim of this article is to explore the feasibility of low tube current combined with sonogram-affirmed iterative reconstruction (SAFIRE) technology in dual energy coronary artery CTA scan. Materials and Methods One hundred and twenty patients were randomly divided into four groups according to the tube current of A ball:conventional group (180 mAs) and low-dose groups (150 mAs, 120 mAs, 90 mAs). The SAFIRE 3 reconstruction method was used in the low-dose groups. The differences of mean CT values, image noise, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), image quality score and effective dose (ED) of the four groups were compared. Results The coronary artery segment display and the mean CT value of the four groups showed no statistic difference (P>0.05), while the image quality score, noise, SNR, and CNR showed statistic difference (P<0.05). The image quality score, SNR, and CNR was highest in the 150 mAs group, but noise was the lowest. There were no statistic difference of the image quality score, SNR, and CNR between the 180 mAs group and 90 mAs group (P>0.05). The ED was (5.50±1.47) mSv, (4.55±1.16) mSv, (3.41±0.77) mSv and (2.44±0.67) mSv, respectively for the four groups, and there was statistical difference (P<0.05). ED of 90 mAs group decreased 55.62% than that of 180 mAs group. Conclusion Coronary artery CTA using 90 mAs combined with SAFIRE can significantly reduce the radiation dose without losing image quality, thus it has a good prospect of clinical application.

OBJECTIVETo study coronary artery stenosis, myocardial ischemia, and left ventricular dysfunction in dual source computed tomography (DSCT) coronary artery angiography.

METHODSTotally 32 patients underwent both DSCT and X-ray coronary angiography within one week to detect coronary artery stenosis separately. Meanwhile, the values of left ventricular myocardial mass (LVMM) , left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) , and left ventricular stroke volume (LVSV) were calculated using cardiac function software in DSCT. Electrocardiography was carried out to diagnose myocardial ischemia. The coronary artery stenosis, values of LVMM, LVEF, and LVSV, and myocardial ischemia were compared.

RESULTSThe results of DSCT and X-ray coronary angiography were not significantly different. LVMM, LVEF, LVSV, and myocardial ischemia were significantly different between two- or three-branch groups or between middle or severe groups (both P<0.05) . However, no such significant difference was observed between single and two branch groups and between mild and middle groups. There were no statistically different findings for LVEF and LVSV, but there was statistical deference between LVMM and myocardial ischemia (P<0.05) . For single branch and middle to severe stenosis in left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery, right coronary artery, left circumflex coronary artery, only the values of LVMM,LVEF,and LVSV in LAD group showed significant difference (P<0.05) .

CONCLUSIONSMore stenotic branches and severer stenosis in coronary artery often are associated with higher incidence of myocardial ischemia and severer left ventricular dysfunction. The stenosis of LAD coronary artery has especially severe impact on cardiac functions. LVMM is a sensitive indicator for myocardial ischemia in coronary artery stenosis.

Aged ; Coronary Angiography ; methods ; Coronary Stenosis ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Ischemia ; etiology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; methods ; Ventricular Function, Left ; physiology

Objective To explore the morphological features of temporal lobe of healthy Chinese Han adults on the high-resolution MRI and provide morphological data of temporal lobe for the construction of database for Chinese Standard Brain.Methods This is a clinical multi-center study.Three hundred healthy Chinese volunteers (male 150, and female 150) recruited from 15 hospitals were divided equally into five groups according to their age, i.e., 18-30 ( Group A ), 31-40 ( Group B ), 41-50 ( Group C ), 51-60(Group D), 61-70( Group E).All subjects were scanned using T1WI 3D MPRAGE sequence and volumes of standardized temporal lobe were collected.The bilateral volumes of standardized temporal lobe were compared by variance analysis between male and female subjects and among five age groups.Results The mean volumes of left and right temporal lobe were (97 126±15 703) mm3 and (97 015±15 545) mm3 respectively for men, and (95 123±14 564) mm3 and (96 423±13 407) mm3 for women.The difference temporal lobe volume between male and female wasn't significant on the same side (F = 1.336, 0.127 ,P =0.249, 0.722).The left temporal lobe volumes of Group A-E were (93 873±13 351 ), (95 566±11 964), (10 1890±14 511 ), (93 972±14 050) and (95 636±19 864)mm3 respectively, and those on the right side were (93 409±10 984), (98 158±16 392), (102 079±15 112), (95 448±11 123 ) and (94 658±16 928) mm3.There were significant differences among 5 groups between left and right temporal lobe volume( F = 2.940, 3.514, P = 0.021, 0.008 ).Further pairwise comparison revealed that left and right temporal lobe volume in Group C is higher than those of Group A and D(P<0.05), while there were no significant differences between the other groups ( P > 0.05 ).Conclusion High-resolution MRI could offer detailed images and precise morphological data of temporal lobe, which provides morphological data of temporal lobe for the construction of database for Chinese Standard Brain.

Objective To understand the dietary nutrients among rural stranded children.Methods 2551 children aged 2 to 7, including 1278 stranded children in the rural areas and another 1273 children served as controls were selected, using multistage stratified cluster random sampling. Dietary survey was performed with three-day weighing dietary method and questionnaire on food intake. Data on diet were analyzed and evaluated by the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) recommend by Chinese Nutrition Society, to evaluate the levels on energy and nutrient intake among stranded children in the rural areas. Results The dietary pattern among rural stranded children mainly consisted of grains and vegetables, but the intakes of animal products, fruits, and snacks were significantly less than in the control group. The intakes of three major energy-producing nutrients were below the recommend nutrient intake. Minerals as calcium, zinc, selenium, kalium and vitamins as vitamin A, B1, B2were insufficient.Most of the rural stranded children took nutrients insufficiently, with 50% lack of adequate energy and 80% of protein, 90% of minerals (calcium, zinc etc.) and vitamins (vitamin B1 and vitamin B2 etc.).Sources from high quality protein was insufficient, only consisting 35% of the total protein, but overabundant (over 64 % ) from the plants. The intake of plant-sourced iron was overabundant, accounted for 87%. Conclusion The dietary pattern was unsatisfactory with insufficient intake of energy-sourced proteins and some nutrients. The sources of energy, protein, and iron were mostly obtained from underbalaneed foods. It is necessary to improve the dietary nutrients status among rural stranded children aged 2-7 years.

Objective To investigate the effect of hydrogen-rich saline combined with mild hypothermia on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury in rats. Methods Fifty male SD rats, aged 9-10 weeks, weiging 250-300 g, were randomly divided into 5 groups (n= 10 each): sham operation group (group S), group IR, hygrogen-rich saline group (group H), mild hypothermia group (group M) and hydrogen-rich saline + mild hypothermia group (group HM). In group IR, H, M and HM cerebral IR was induced by 15 min ligation of bilateral carotid artery followed by 6 h reperfusion. In group H and HM intraperitoneal hydrogen-rich saline 5 ml/kg was injected immediately after reperfusion, while the equal volume of normal saline was injected instead of hydrogen-rich saline in the other three groups. At the same time, the rectal temperature was maintained at 37-38 ℃ in group S,IR and M, while it was reduced to 32-34 ℃ by physical method within 15 min, lasting for 6 h, in group M and HM. The animals were sacrificed after 6 h of reperfusion, and then the hippocampus was removed for microscopic examination. The expression of HO-1 and content of MDA and TNF-α were determined by Western blot. Results The cerebral IR injury was attenuated in group H, M and HM compared with group IR, with the slightest injury in group HM. The expression of HO-1 and content of MDA and TNF-α were significantly higher in group IR, H, M and HM than in group S. The expression of HO-1 was significantly higher, while the content of MDA and TNF-α were lower in group H, M and HM than in group IR, and in group HM than in group H and M. There was no significant difference in the expression of HO-1 and content of MDA and TNF-α between group H and M. Conclusion Hydrogen-rich saline combined with mild hypothermia can attenuate cerebral I/R injury in rats via up-regulating the expression of HO-1 and decreasing the content of MDA and TNF-α in hippocampus.

Objective To explore knowledge, attitude, practice (KAP) and related determinants on nutrition among caregivers of those rural stranded children under 7 years of age in China and to provide evidence for setting up relevant health education program. Methods 1691 caregivers of the stranded children randomly selected were surveyed by a standard questionnaire. Logistic regression models were used to screen the determinants on KAP regarding nutrition. Results Rates on awareness, positive attitude and approprite behavior were lower in caregivers of children whose parents both left (47.8%, 55.4%, 41.8%, respectively) the countryside, when compared with those only one parent was away from home (59.9%, 59.5%, 38.0%, respectively). Data from multivariable logistic regression models showed that caregivers' KAP on nutrition was related to age, educational background, average family income, and willingness on the job as well as the age of the child. Conclusion Improving caregivers' KAP on nutrition and setting up appropriate health education program were in urgent need.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is characterized by metabolic disorders in carbohydrates,lipids and proteins.Recently,metabolomics has been widely applied in type 2 diabetes mellitus research,achieves fruitful results and shows promising perspective.This paper provides a brief overview of the latest progress in prediction and early clinical diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus based on metabolomics.

The traditional teaching of Nutrition and Food Hygiene is faced with fragmentary and tedious knowledge points, students' lack of interest, and other problems. As informatization has been increasingly combined with education, the introduction of microlectures provides a solution to the disadvantages of the traditional teaching method for Nutrition and Food Hygiene. This new teaching mode aims to cultivate students' autonomous learning ability and systematize and diversify education resources, by exploring various aspects including teaching content selection, software application and design, and the planning and construction of teaching interaction.

This study was purposed to investigate the effect of multiple myeloma patients' sera on hepcidin mRNA expression of Hep-3b hepatoma cell line and effect of human interleukin-6 (IL-6) antibody or recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) on hepcidin mRNA expression. The clinical information and serum of multiple myeloma patients were collected. Their sera of a final concentration of 10% were added into Hep-3b cell medium. The mRNA from Hep-3b cells was extracted, and hepcidin mRNA expression was detected by semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). A final concentration of 10 ng/ml human IL-6 antibody and 2 U/ml rhEPO were added into the medium respectively. The results showed that the sera of untreated multiple myeloma patients elevated hepcidin mRNA expression of Hep-3b cells, compared with healthy controls and iron deficiency anemia patients. This effect was fully neutralized by human IL-6 antibody or rhEPO. The hemoglobin (Hb) level was stable during the follow up of regularly treated multiple myeloma patients and the effect of MM patient serum on Hep-3b cell hepcidin mRNA expression was reduced. It is concluded that the hepcidin mRNA expression of Hep-3b cell can be increased by untreated multiple myeloma patient serum. This promotive effect can be antagonised by IL-6, which suggests that IL-6 may be possible to elevate expression level of hepcidin in Hep-3b cells and results in anemia of chronic disease (ACD). The above mentioned promotive effects also can be suppressed by rhEPO, which indicates that the rhEPO may possess curative effect for ACD disease. During short-term follow-up of treated patients with multiple myeloma the Hb level is stable, the influence of patients serum on hepcidin mRNA of Hep-3b cells decreases, which shows the stabilization of disease and amelioration of ACD patient status.
Adult ; Aged ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; pharmacology ; Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides ; genetics ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Erythropoietin ; blood ; pharmacology ; Female ; Hepcidins ; Humans ; Interleukin-6 ; immunology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multiple Myeloma ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of ginger-partitioned moxibustion plus pediatric massage (tuina) in treating infantile diarrhea due to spleen deficiency. Methods: Ninety infants were randomly divided into a massage plus moxibustion group, a massage group and a drug group by the random number table method, with 30 cases in each group. The intervention was conducted for two consecutive courses. The infants in the massage plus moxibustion group were treated with pediatric massage and ginger-partitioned moxibustion at Shenque (CV 8). The infants in the massage group were treated with pediatric massage alone, while those in the drug group were treated with smecta. The primary and secondary symptom scales were assessed before and after treatment and at the follow-ups, and the total effective rate was evaluated after treatment. Results: The total effective rate in the massage plus moxibustion group was significantly different from that in the massage group and drug group (both P<0.05). After treatment, the scores of primary and secondary symptoms decreased in all three groups, with statistically significant intra-group differences (all P<0.05); the scores of primary symptoms were significantly different between the massage plus moxibustion group and the drug group (P<0.05); the scores of secondary symptoms in the massage plus moxibustion group and the massage group were significantly different from that in the drug group (both P<0.05). The differences in the time to recover normal bowel movement frequency among the three groups were not statistically significant (P>0.05). Conclusion: Ginger-partitioned moxibustion plus pediatric massage compared with pediatric massage or smecta monotherapy shows superior clinical efficacy in treating infantile diarrhea due to spleen deficiency, and has the advantages of appetite improvement, physique strengthening and short course.