Chlorides ; metabolism ; Diarrhea ; congenital ; Humans

Objective To evaluate images quality and diagnostic feasibility of low-dose CT in patients with traumatic rib fractures.Methods Twenty-five patients presented with thoracic iniury were underwent 64-slice spiral CT scanning in inspiration breath-hold technique.Two scan protocols were performed.In one scan protocol noise index(NI)is 11,and in another NI is 21,but the other scan parameters were no difference.The mean value of tube current,the volume CT dose index(CTDIvol),and effective dose(ED)were recorded.Image quality was scored by 2 experienced radiologists using the 5-points scale.The numbers and degrees of rib fractures were recorded.The data were tested by using the Wilcoxon signed rank sum test.The differences of the inter-observer were determined by Kappa statistics.Results The mean CTDIvol and ED in scan protocol with NI of 11 were(13.88±5.17)mGy and(8.14±3.21)mSv,and that with NI of 21 were(3.91±1.57)mGy and(2.31±0.97)mSv.Compared the scan with NI of 11.there was 72%intrinsie dose reduction in the scan with NI of 21.The mean value of tube current in scan with NI of 11 and 21 were(195.88±69.33)mAs and(54.56±21.54)mAs.AIl patients with 11 and Ⅲ degree and most patients with I degree rib fractures that identified by the scan with NT of 11 were detected by the scan with NI of 21.There were no statistical difference between two scaus with the Wilcoxon signed rank sum test.The diagnostic acceptability and image noise score in the scan with NI of 11 were 4.9±0.2 and 4.6±0.5.and that with NI=21 were 3.5±0.5 and 3.3±0.5.There was prefect concordante in the inter-observers in diagnostic acceptability on finding of rib fractures.diagnostic acceptability and image noise(Kappa=0.876,0.820,0.792,P<0.01)between two scan protocols.Conclusion Rib fractures can be diagnosed by the low-dose CT using the scan protocol with NI of 21.

Objective To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on intestinal vitamin D receptor (VDR) mRNA and protein expression in ovariectomized rat model,and to explore the possible mechanism of acupuncture treatment for postmenopausal osteoporosis.Methods Sixty 3-month-old female SD rats were randomly divided into operation group and sham group.3 months after osteoporosis model was successfully produced,rats in operation group were randomly divided into model group,EA sham group,EA group and drug group.12 weeks after intervention,bone mineral density (BMD) of lumbar spine and femur were detected,then rats were all sacrificed to extract the small intestinal mucosa.VDR mRNA and protein expressions were determined by real-time quantitative PCR and Western blotting.Results The model of postmenopausal osteoporosis was successfully established.The bone mineral density was significantly improved in EA group and drug group as compared with the model group at 12 weeks after intervention.Western blotting and realtime quantitative PCR showed that small intestinal VDR mRNA and protein expressions were increased in EA group and drug group,but the increment of VDR mRNA expression was less in EA group than in drug group.Conclusions One of the mechanisms of acupuncture treatment for postmenopausal osteoporosis may be related with increasing the intestinal VDR mRNA and protein expression levels and enhancing the bioactivity of vitamin D.

Objective To discuss and analyze the imaging features of extramedullary hematopoiesis (EMH).Methods Imaging data of EMH in 7 patients with 85 lesions confirmed by clinical and pathological results were retrospectively analyzed.Results CT or MRI showed thoracic paravertebral multiple tumor-like soft tissue masses in 6 patients accompanied with pleural mass in 1,with liv-er mass in 1 and spleen mass in 1,and the masses in the distal ileum and in front of the inferior vena cava in 1.Thoracic paraverte-bral and pleural masses presented isodensity on plain CT and moderate enhancement on post-contrast CT.Among the 6 liver mas-ses,CT showed uniform density in 5 and small area of necrosis in 1.The only one spleen mass also appeared inner necrosis and mul-tiple small calcifications.The mass in the ileum presented thickened bowel wall with moderate enhancement,meanwhile the mass in front of vena cava presented obvious edge enhancement.MRI in 2 patients showed the masses with low signal on T1 WI and high sig-nal on T2 WI.Conclusion EMH has certain specific imaging characteristics,which may be helpful for correct diagnosis of EMH when combined with the clinical data.

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether proteasome inhibitor MG-132 induces apoptosis of human erythroleukemia cell line K562 and possible mechanisms.

METHODSK562 cells were incubated with RPMI 1640 and exposed to 0, 1, 5, 10, 15 micromol/L of MG-132 for 24 hrs, respectively. The apoptosis of cells were detected by fluorescence microscope, DNA fragments and flow cytometry. The NF-kappaB mRNA expression was quantified by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Expression of NF-kappaB and caspase-3 was semiquantitatively analyzed with SABC techniques. Caspase-3 activities were measured with a colorimetric method.

RESULTSThe growth of K562 cells was inhibited and the apoptosis of the cells increased after MG-132 treatment in a dose-dependent manner. After 24 hrs of 15 micromol/L MG-132 treatment, the percentage of apoptotic cells (26.5+/-0.6%) increased significantly when compared with the untreated controls (1.2+/-0.1%) (P<0.01). MG-132 treatment decreased the mRNA and protein expression of NF-kappaB, and increased the protein expression of caspase-3.

CONCLUSIONSMG-132 can induce apoptosis of human erythroleukemia cell line K562 through the down-regulation of NF-kappaB expression and up-regulation of caspase-3 expression.

Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; Leupeptins ; pharmacology ; NF-kappa B ; Proteasome Inhibitors ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of cyclin A protein in childhood acute leukemia (AL) and its significance.

METHODSBy using Western blotting analysis, cyclin A protein in bone marrow mononuclear cells from 47 newly diagnosed AL children and 33 non-hematological malignancy children was detected.

RESULTSThe expression of cyclin A in AL group (0.38 +/- 0.20) was higher than that in control group (0.03 +/- 0.15) (P < 0.01). The expression of cyclin A in high risk acute lymphocyte leukemia (ALL) group (HR-ALL) (0.62 +/- 0.38) was higher than that in standard risk ALL group (SR-ALL) (0.33 +/- 0.33) (P < 0.05). The expression of cyclin A in WBC > or = 50 x 10(9)/L group and in WBC < 50 x 10(9)/L group was (0.64 +/- 0.36) and (0.39 +/- 0.38), respectively (P < 0.05). Eight (44.4%) out of 18 patients with positive cyclin A expression achieved complete remission (CR). The CR rate was lower than that of patients with negative cyclin A expression (100%) (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe higher expression of cyclin A may predict a poor prognosis for childhood ALL.

Acute Disease ; Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cyclin A ; genetics ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Leukemia ; metabolism ; Male

OBJECTIVETo investigate the correlation between moderate to severe periodontitis and coronary heart disease (CHD) and to examine the serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in subjects with CHD and/or moderate to severe periodontitis.

METHODSSerum CRP levels, serum lipids [low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG)] and clinical periodontal parameters [clinical attachment loss (CAL), probing depth (PD), and bleeding on probing (BOP)] were measured and analyzed in coexistent moderate to severe periodontitis and CHD patients (n = 47), CHD patients (n = 28), moderate to severe periodontitis patients (n = 40), and healthy subjects (n = 40).

RESULTSThe serum CRP levels in control group, moderate to severe periodontitis patients, CHD patients and patients with both diseases were (1.30 +/- 0.15), (2.44 +/- 0.18), (5.99 +/- 0.82) and (6.88 +/- 0.71) mg/L, respectively. The differences among these four groups were significant (P < 0.001). The multivariate logistic regression revealed that moderate to severe periodontitis patients exhibited markedly elevated odds of having CHD (OR = 2.417, 95% CI: 1.126 - 6.659). The total cholesterol levels were also significantly different among the four groups (P = 0.017).

CONCLUSIONSThe moderate to severe periodontitis was associated with elevated serum CRP levels which may in turn affect the initiation and progression of CHD, and may be a risk factor for CHD.

Adult ; C-Reactive Protein ; metabolism ; Case-Control Studies ; Coronary Disease ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Lipids ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Periodontitis ; blood

An introduction was first given to the advantages and application status of multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in the field of medical rescue. Then, the latest worldwide application and research status of multi-rotor UAV in this field were analyzed according to available research. On this basis, the application prospects of multi-rotor UAV in the scenarios of medical rescue field were assumed. Finally, it was pointed out that multi-rotor UAV would show more functions in medical rescue field owing to various technological development and breakthrough, signifying the bright deepening application prospect of multi-rotor UAV.

Actins ; metabolism ; Animals ; Brain ; cytology ; metabolism ; Cell Culture Techniques ; methods ; Cells, Cultured ; Immunohistochemistry ; Pericytes ; cytology ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor beta ; metabolism ; Staining and Labeling

OBJECTIVETo observe the expression of extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN) in the unstable plaque of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), and the impact of leukotriene B4 (LTB4) on the EMMPRIN expression in macrophages.

METHODSThe EMMPRIN expression was detected by immunohistochemistry in 11 unstable plaques from patients with ACS. Protein expression of EMMPRIN was evaluated by Western blot on macrophages differentiated from THP-1 which were stimulated with LTB4 in the absence or presence of LTB4 antagonist U75302. There are 8 study groups: 1-THP-1, 2-8-the macrophages derived from THP-1, 2-6-macrophages were stimulated by LTB4 (0, 10(-10), 10(-9), 10(-8) and 10(-7) mol/L) for 24 h, 7-8-the macrophages were pretreated by 10(-6) mol/L or 10(-7) mol/L U75302 2 h before the LTB4 (10(-7) mol/L) stimulation.

RESULTSAbundant EMMPRIN expression was detected in macrophages and smooth muscle cells of unstable plaques from ACS patients. As to the THP-1 derived macrophages, EMMPRIN expression was significantly upregulated in a concentration-dependent manner in LTB4 stimulated groups, which was significantly higher in group 3-6 than in the THP-1 group (group 1) and macrophages group (group 2) (all P < 0.05) and pretreatment with U75302 significantly reduced the LTB4 induced upregulation of EMMPRIN in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONEMMPRIN expression is enhanced in macrophages and smooth muscle cells on unstable coronary artery plaques from ACS patients. LTB4 could stimulate EMMPRIN expression on THP-1 derived macrophages suggesting that LTB4 and EMMPRIN might be both involved in the formation and progression of unstable plaques, future studies are warranted to explore if LTB4 and EMMPRIN antagonists are effective or not for treating patients with ACS.

Acute Coronary Syndrome ; metabolism ; pathology ; Basigin ; metabolism ; Cell Line ; Humans ; Leukotriene B4 ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Macrophages ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Plaque, Atherosclerotic ; metabolism