Objective To evaluate the role of CT and MR/in the diagnosis of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome(PRES).Methods Eight women with PRES(6 pregnant women,1 case after chemotherapy,and 1 patient with hypertension)were enrolled in our study.All of them had MR imaging (T_1WI,T_2WI,FLAIR,DWI),and five cases underwent post-contrast T_1WI and three dimensional contrast enhanced MR angiography(3D CEMRA).Two cases also had CT scan.Results MRV in all 8 patients showed no evidence of stenosis,dilation,or thrombosis in cranial veins and sinuses.MRI demonstrated multiple lesions located in bilateral parieto-occipital lobes(8 cases),bilateral basal ganglia(2 cases),and bilateral frontal lobes(4 cases).The lesions were prominent within white matter,some of them involved gray matter(3 cases).Lesions appeared as hyperintense signals on FLAIR and T_2-weighted images, isointense or mildly hypointense signals on T_1-weighted images,normal or decreased intensity on DWI,and isointensity or hyperintensity on apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC)maps.Post-contrast T_1WI showed mild reversible enhancement and 3D CEMFdisplayed numerous reversible“grape-like”enhancements in terminal arterial branches along the middle cerebral artery(MCA),anterior cerebral artery(ACA)and posterior cerebral artery(PCA).Follow-up scan showed decreased abnormal signals.Conclusion Lesions of PRES are usually located in parieto-occipital lobes,especially in white matter,but they can also be seen in frontal lobes and basal ganglia bilaterally.Post-contrast T_1WI and 3D enhanced MRA can provide useful information in the manifestation of reversible enhancement.MRI has advantages to display lesion in PRES,

Objective To investigate the differences of apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC)value in normal breasts and to evaluate the correlation between ADC value and corresponding histology.Methods Sixty-two normal breasts including 42 normal breasts of 42 patients with unilateral lesions and 20 normal breasts of 10 volunteers were studied.The ADC value of all 62 normal breasts were calculated when b value was given from 1000 to 0 s/mm~2,1000 to 500 s/mm~2and 500 to 0 s/mm~2.The MRI features of 60 normal breasts were classified into 3 types(dense,lobular-speckled,degenerative types)according to Wolf's classification and histology.Results DWI and ADC images were different in 3 types of normal breasts because of different histologic structures.The mean ADC value of the dense type breasts was(1.70? 0.37)?10~(-3)mm~2/s,the lobular-speckled type was(1.93?0.46)?10~(-3)mm~2/s and the degenerative type was(1.18?0.65)?10~(-3)mm~2/s(F=12.998,P=0.000).There were no significant differences between the dense type and the lobular-speckled type(F=2.167,P=0.147),but significant differences between the dense type and the degenerative type,the lobular-speckled type and the degenerate type(F=5.593 and 19.128;P=0.029 and 0.000).When b value decreased,the ADC value of the dense type and the lobular- speckled type increased correspondingly,but the degenerative type didn't increase apparently.Conclusion ADC value was influenced by histologic structures in normal breasts and also was influenced by b value in the dense type and lobular-speckled type breasts.

Current trends in nanotechnology and RNA interference technology have made the application of nanocarriers (NCS) as a novel gene and drug delivery systems very promising for the field of multidrug resistance (MDR) cancer treatment. Co-delivery of gene and chemotherapy drugs with NCS has a good synergistic effect compared with the traditional chemotherapy which can increase the amount of the drug distribution in target organ in order to reduce the toxic side effects thereby enhancing efficacy. Therefore, the advent of co-delivery systems with NCS especially in the clinical treatment of MDR has had a significant impact on the cancer treatment.
Antineoplastic Agents ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Drug Carriers ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; Genetic Therapy ; methods ; Humans ; Nanostructures ; chemistry ; Nanotechnology ; methods ; Neoplasms ; genetics ; therapy ; RNA Interference ; RNA, Small Interfering ; administration & dosage ; genetics

The method of multiplex PCR was set up to identify two or three transgenes in one reaction such as uidA and bar; uidA and IDx5 or uidA, bar and 1Dx5 genes. Three sets of primer pairs which was specific to each of these three genes respectively were designed and synthesized. Recombinant plasmids pAHC25 and p1Dx5 harboring uidA + bar and 1Dx5 gene separately were used as template DNA in the process of optimizing an multiplex PCR reaction. The optimal annealing temperature for uidA and bar MPCR is range from 57. 1℃-62. 3℃ , for uidA and 1Dx5 is range from 60℃ to 60. 6℃ , and for uidA、bar and 1Dx5 range from 57. 0℃-58. 4℃. The amount of template for MPCR is twice as much as that for simplex PCR, while the concentration of primers is the same with simplex one. Less than 50bp MPCR products can be separated clearly by 10% non-denaturalized polyacrylamid gel electrophoresis. Fourteen transgenic wheat lines were tested by multiplex and simplex PCR respectively, which shows the same results and hence presents that MPCR is the reliable, rapid and high-effective approach to detect foreign genes from transgenic plant.

Objective To investigate the diagnostic value of internal septation for differentiating benign from malignant breast lesions.Methods A total of 26 patients were included in the study,in which 12 patients had 20 lesions of breast carcinoma and 14 patients had 25 lesions of fibroadenoma diagnosed either pathologically or clinically.The differential diagnoistic value of the hypointensive internal septation was analyzed.Results The signal intensity of fibroadenomas and malignant lesions on T_2-weighted fat- suppressed images could be classified as iso- to hyper- intensity,hypointensity and mixed intensity. According to the signal intensity classification,there were 5,11 and 4 cases in patients with breast carcinoma respectively,while 11,10,4 cases in patients with fibroadenoma respectively.There was no statistical difference in the distribution between the two patient groups(?~2=1.764,P=0.414).The shape of fibroadenomas and malignant lesions could be classified as irregular、roundish or lobulated.According to the morphological classification,there were 12,7 and 1 case in patients with breast carcinoma respectively, while 1,7,17 cases in patients with fibroadenoma respectively.There was statistical difference in the distribution between the two patient groups(?~2=23.262,P=0.000).The typical features of fibroadenomas were as follows:lobulated shape,hypointensive internal septations on T_2-weighted or postcontrast images. The diagnostic sensitivity of the three imaging features for fibroadenoma was 68%(17/25),52%(13/25), and 72%(18/25)respectively;and the diagnostic specificity was 95%(19/20),90%(18/20),95% (19/20)respectively.Conclusion The internal septation is a rather specific sign for diagnosis of fibroadenomas.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Angiography, Digital Subtraction ; Hemangioma ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Skin Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Spinal Canal ; Spinal Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Syndrome ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Despite recent advances in conventional therapeutic approaches for cancer, the efficacy of chemotherapy for cancer is limited due to the drug resistance and toxic side effects during treatment. To overcome drug resistance, higher doses of the toxic chemotherapy drugs are frequently administered, thus leading to even severe adverse side effects, which have limited their clinical application. Cationic liposome as a novel non-viral carrier for co-delivery of gene and chemotherapy drugs in cancer gene therapy has already attracted more and more attention in recent years. Most importantly, this combined strategy can generate a significant synergistic effect, which can silence the related gene expression and increase the concentration of the intracellular chemotherapy drugs. This approach allows the use of a much lower dose of the chemotherapy drugs to achieve same therapeutic effect, which may have the potential for overcoming some major limitations of the conventional chemotherapy. In conclusion, co-delivery of gene and chemotherapy drugs with cationic liposome delivery system will play a vital role in the future and especially could be a promising clinical treatment for drug-resistant tumors.
Animals ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Cations ; Cell Line, Tumor ; DNA ; administration & dosage ; genetics ; Drug Carriers ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Gene Transfer Techniques ; Genetic Therapy ; methods ; Humans ; Liposomes ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Neoplasms ; therapy ; RNA, Small Interfering ; administration & dosage ; genetics

BACKGROUNDHIV is a neurotropic virus which can cause brain white matter demyelination, gliosis, and other pathological changes that appear as HIV encephalitis or AIDS dementia. The purpose of this study was to investigate the change of the diffused condition of water molecules in brain white matter in early acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients using MR diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).

METHODSDTI examinations were performed on a Siemens 3.0T MR scanner in 23 AIDS patients with normal brain appearance by conventional MRI and 20 healthy volunteers as the control group. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were measured in nine regions; corpus callosum (CC) knee, CC body, CC splenium, periventricular white matter, frontal lobe white matter, parietal lobe white matter, occipital lobe white matter, and the anterior and posterior limbs of the internal capsule. The mean FA and ADC values from each region were compared in three groups: the symptomatic, asymptomatic and the control.

RESULTSThe mean FA values were significantly lower and the mean ADC values were significantly higher in all nine regions in patients in the symptomatic group than in the asymptomatic and control group patients. In the asymptomatic group, the mean FA values were significantly lower and the mean ADC values were significantly higher at the CC knee, CC body, CC splenium, periventricular white matter, frontal lobe white matter and parietal lobe white matter, than in the control group. There were no significant differences at other regions between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONSThe diffused changes of water molecules in brain white matter in AIDS patients are related to brain white matter regions. DTI examination can detect the brain white matter lesions early in AIDS patients.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; pathology ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Brain ; pathology ; Diffusion Tensor Imaging ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

Objective　To explore the risk factors and causes affecting the operative mortality in esophagectomy patients with esophageal can cer. Methods　1400 cases with a curative esophagectomy for neopl asm of esophagus hospitalized from Mar,1973 to June, 2000 were reviewed. There w ere 31 died within 30 d or during hospitalization after esophagectomy as a group , and 1 369 survival cases, after operation, as another group. Sixteen factors t hat may influence the operational mortality were selected. A multi-variate anal ysis of these individual variables was performed by the computer′s logistic reg ression model. Results　The operative mortality was 2.2%(31/1400 ). The causes of death included respiratory complication 17 cases (including res piratory failure caused by pneumonia or atelectasis), 15 cases, and adult respir atory distress syndrome (ARDS) 2 cases, the mortality was 54.8% in the death gro up), anastomotic leak 11 cases (34.5%), Chylothorax 2 cases (6.5%) and postopera tive digestive tract hemorrhage 1 case (3.2%). The results showed that the major risk factors that affected operative mortality in cases with esophageal cancer were history of long-herm heavy smoking, duration of operation and the year of operational (P<0.05). Conclusion　To minimize operative mort ality of esophagectomy, some means must be noticed, including the reinforcemen t of the perioperative care, the improvement of anastomotic methods and surgical skill, reduing operative time as p ossible, disposing pulmonary complications in time and using respirator if neces sary.

Objective To evaluate the influence and significance of preoperative design of surgical approach on stem cell transplantation via stereotactic surgery. Methods Six patients with stroke in the basal ganglia region were selected. The transplantation target and transcranial approach point were designed by magnetic resonance examination before stem cell transplantation via stereotacfic surgery to guarantee that the line connecting the transplantation target and transcranial approach point could avoid the important functional areas, the ventricular system and the softening focus. Postoperative magnetic resonance examination was performed to observe whether the practical target and surgical approach coincided with the preoperative design or not. Results The practical transplantation target was coincided with the designed transplantation target, distributed around the softening focus without implanted cells in the softening focus. Surgical approach was coincided with the preoperative design and it successfully avoided the important brain functional area, ventricular system and softening focus.Conelnsion The preoperative design of surgical approach can not only ensure the cells being exactly transplanted into the reservation target and guarantee the curative effect, but also promise the surgical approach successfully avoiding the important brain functional area, ventricular system and softening focus and reduce the operative injury.