Aneurysm ; diagnosis ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; pathology ; Diagnostic Errors ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; diagnosis ; Middle Aged ; Palatine Tonsil ; pathology

Objective To explore the value of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC)in differentiating brain tuberculomas from me-tastases.Methods Conventional and enhanced MRI as well as diffusion weighted imaging (DWI)were performed in 24 cases of brain tuberculomas(immature in 18 cases and mature in 6 case)and 36 cases of metastases.The mean ADC values and relative ADC (rADC)values were calculated from the enhanced and non-enhanced regions of mass and the peripheral edema regions of brain le-sions.Results The mean ADC values and rADC values in the enhanced,non-enhanced and the peripheral edema regions were 796.90×10 -6 mm2/s and 1.1 6,864.85×10 -6 mm2/s and 1.27,1 531.60×10 -6 mm2/s and 2.24 for the immature brain tuberculo-mas;791.95×10 -6 mm2/s and 1.1 6,61 1.80×10 -6 mm2/s and 0.87,and 1 488.45×10 -6 mm2/s and 2.10 for the mature tubercu-lomas;421.95×10 -6 mm2/s and 0.61,961.00×10 -6 mm2/s and 1.36,1 545.00×10 -6 mm2/s and 2.18 for the brain metastases, respectively.There were significant differences in the mean ADC values (H =42.293,P ≤0.05)and rADC values (H =42.575, P ≤0.05)for the enhance regions in the three groups .There were also significant differences in the mean ADC values (H =33.100, P ≤0.05)and rADC values (H =1 7.867,P ≤0.05)for the non-enhance regions.No significant difference in the mean ADC values (H =1.550,P ≥0.05)and rADC values (H =5.511,P ≥0.05)were found for the peripheral edema regions.Conclusion The ADC values of DWI can help to differentiate brain tuberculomas from metastases,when combining with the conventional and enhanced MRI.

Adult ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pneumoconiosis ; therapy ; Respiration, Artificial ; methods ; Ventilators, Mechanical

Two new sesquiterpenoids, named as tyromols A and B (1 and 2), were isolated from cultures of basidiomycete Tyromyces chioneus, along with two previously reported 15-hydroxy-6 α, 12-epoxy-7β, 10αH, 11βH-spiroax-4-ene (3) and agripilol C (4). Compounds 1-4 were separated and purified by silica gel, RP-18, Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis including IR, MS, 1D and 2D NMR experiments.
Basidiomycota ; chemistry ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Sesquiterpenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Sesterterpenes

Through the suvey, we find that freshmen are generally suited for college physics studies. ln this paper, high school and college students’ interest in Learnig, their initiatives, the change of their study methods and the teachers’ teaching methods are discussed.

ObjectiveTo study the rehabilitation effect of physical therapy on patients with above knee amputation. Methods50 patients with above knee amputation were evaluated with FIM scale before and after physical therapy. ResultsThere was a significant difference before and after physical therapy(P<0.05). Conclusions Physical therapy is effective on patients with above knee amputation.

Objective To investigate the expression of parvalbumin (PV)in the cognitive im-pairment mice induced by sevoflurane anesthesia,and to explore whether enriched environment could reverse it.Methods One hundred and forty-four Six-day-old C57BL/6 male mice at postnatal day 6 were randomly divided into the following four groups (n =36):control+standard environment group (group CS),control+enriched environment group(group CE),sevoflurane anesthesia+standard en-vironment group(group SS)and sevoflurane anesthesia+enriched environment group(group SE).An-imals were exposed to 3% sevoflurane plus 30% O 2 or 30% O 2 2 h daily for 3 days from postnatal day 6 (P6)to P8.The exposed pups were randomly allocated to an enriched environment for 2 h daily between P8 and P90 or to a standard environment.Western blotting were used for determining PV ex-pression in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus at P9,P14,P42,P60 and P90.Cognitive functions were assessed by performing the open field (P41 ),and fear conditioning tests (P42-43 and P89-90, respectively).Results In the open field test,there was no significant difference in the total travel dis-tance and the time spent in the center of the arena among groups.In the contextual fear condition test, compared with group CS,the group SS only exhibited a reduced freezing response in the contextual test at P43,but not at P90.In the cued fear conditioning test,no difference was observed in the freez-ing time among the four groups.The PV expression in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of group SS were significantly lower than that of group CS at P9 and P14 (P <0.001),while recovered at P60 and P90.The PV expression in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of group SE were significantly higher than that of group SS at P42 (P <0.05).Linear regression analysis demonstrated a positive correlation between the PV expression in the prefrontal cortex and the freezing time induced by envi-ronment (r =0.670 7,P =0.000 1),and there was a positive correlation between the PV expression in hippocampus and the freezing time induced by environment (r = 0.509 6,P = 0.001 9 ). Conclusion The cognitive impairment induced by sevoflurane anesthesia may be associated with the reduction of PV in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus.Placement of the sevoflurane-exposed mice in an enriched environment prevented the development of these abnormalities.

Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (ANAMMOX), as its essential advantages of high efficiency and low cost, is a promising novel biological nitrogen elimination process with attractive application prospects. Over the past two decades, many processes based on the ANAMMOX reaction have been continuously studied and applied to practical engineering, with the perspective of reaching 100 full-scale installations in operation worldwide by 2014. Our review summarizes various forms of ANAMMOX processes, including partial nitritation-ANAMMOX, completely autotrophic nitrogen removal over nitrite, oxygen limited autotrophic nitrification and denitrification, denitrifying ammonium oxidation, aerobic deammonification, simultaneous partial nitrification, ANAMMOX and denitrification, single-stage nitrogen removal using ANAMMOX and partial nitritation. We also compare the operating conditions for one-stage and two-stage processes and summarize the obstacles and countermeasures in engineering application of ANAMMOX systems, such as moving bed biofilm reactor, sequencing batch reactor and granular sludge reactor. Finally, we discuss the future research and application direction, which should focus on the optimization of operating conditions and applicability of the process to the actual wastewater, especially on automated control and the impact of special wastewater composition on process performance.
Ammonia ; chemistry ; Bioreactors ; Denitrification ; Nitrification ; Nitrites ; chemistry ; Nitrogen ; chemistry ; Oxygen ; chemistry ; Sewage ; chemistry ; Waste Disposal, Fluid ; methods ; Waste Water ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of baicalein on the gap junction intercellular communication (GJIC) in the TM4 Sertoli cells of the mouse testis and its related mechanism.

METHODSWe measured the cytotoxicity of different concentrations of baicalein on the TM4 Sertoli cells in the mouse testis by MTT, detected the fluorescence transfer of the TM4 Sertoli cells by parachute assay, and determined the expression of the protein connexin 43 ( Cx43) in the baicalein-treated cells by Western blot and immunofluorescence assay.

RESULTSBaicalein produced no obvious cytotoxicity on the TM4 Sertoli cells at the concentration below 60 µmol/L but significantly increased their GJIC at 0-20 µmol/L (P < 0.01). Western blot and immunofluorescence assay showed that 0-20 µmol/L baicalein remarkably elevated the expression of Cx43 in the TM4 cells (P < 0.01) and on the membrane of the TM4 cells.

CONCLUSIONBaicalein at the concentration of 0-20 µmol/L can significantly enhance GJIC in mouse TM4 Sertoli cells by increasing the expression of the Cx43 protein.

Animals ; Cell Communication ; drug effects ; Connexin 43 ; metabolism ; Flavanones ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Gap Junctions ; drug effects ; Male ; Mice ; Sertoli Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; ultrastructure

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of sodium ferulate (SF) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced preterm delivery and intra-uterine fetal death (IUFD). METHODS Pregnant Kunming mice were subcutaneously pretreated with SF (25 or 50 mg · kg-1) from gestational day (GD) 10 to GD 15 and with the single injection of LPS (150μg·kg-1, ip) on GD15.5. The incidence of preterm delivery and IUFD was observed. HE staining was used for uterine and placental histological evaluation. The levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and reduced glutathione (GSH) as well as the activities of glutathione S-transferase (GST) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were detected in the maternal liver, placenta, and fetal liver using commercial kits. Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels in amniotic fluid were evaluated by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS For LPS group, the incidence of preterm was 47.8%, delivery time was (17.5 ± 1.3) d, and the pups′survival rate was only 42.6%. Compared with LPS-treated group, SF 50 mg · kg-1 group showed a lower incidence of preterm (14.3%, P<0.01), longer gestational days (18.4 ± 0.5, P<0.05), and a higher pups′survival rate (75.6%, P<0.01). SF 50 mg · kg-1 restored the LPS-induced GSH both in the maternal and fatal liver (a tendency without statistical significance), GST activity〔(163±82) kU·g-1 protein vs (95±90) kU·g-1 protein, P<0.01)〕in the placenta, TBARS content〔(2.5±0.4)μmol·g-1 protein vs (3.1±0.6)μmol·g-1 protein, P<0.01〕in the fetal liver, and TNF-αlevel〔(11±8) ng·L-1 vs (20±8) ng·L-1, P<0.01〕in the amniotic fluid. SF also attenuated LPS-induced placental congestion and neutrophil infiltra?tion in the uterus. CONCLUSION SF may protect against LPS-induced preterm delivery and IUFD, and anti-oxidation as well as anti-inflammation may contribute to these effects.