The CT images of 42 pathologically confirmed cases of gastrointestinal stromal tumors were reviewed, and compared with pathological results. In 20 cases, the lesions were located in stomach, 21 in small intestine, 1 in mesentery. In 18 cases pathologically confirmed as benign tumors, 16 were positive on CT scan, which presented round solid mass with homogeneous density, mean diameter of 3.8 cm (2 -6 cm), homogeneous enhancement on post-contrast scan. In 21 malignant cases all were on CT scan, which presented irregular or lobulated solid mass with heterogeneous density and cystic change inside, mean diameter of 10. 1 cm (4 - 30 cm) , heterogeneous enhancement with no enhancement in cystic part. In 3 potentially malignant cases, CT images showed irregular solid mass with homogeneous density, diameter of 4 - 8 cm, homogeneous enhancement in post-contrast scan. CT scan can accurately show the location and size of gastrointestinal stromal tumors, and is of important diagnostic value.

The imaging of X-ray, CT and MRI of 25 cases of limb bone contusion were analyzed retrospectively. Twenty five cases of limb bone confusion were diagnosed by MRI imaging, including 18 cases(72% ) in knee joint,4 cases(16%) in anklebone,2 cases(8%) in wrist and 1 case(4%) in elbow joint. But only 3 cases (12%)presented partial positive results in CT imaging and there was no bone contusion diagnosed. No abnormal manifestation in X-ray imaging for all 25 cases. The results suggest that MRI examination is valuable for diagnose of limb bone contusion.

BACKGROUND:Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel transplantation is a hot spot in the treatment of ischemic cerebrovascular diseases, and CT brain perfusion scan is mostly used to observe the improvement in the blood flow in the ischemic region. However, X-ray irradiation during CT brain perfusion may affect the viability of transplanted bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel s, and then influence the therapeutic efficacy. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of CT brain perfusion dose on the viability of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel s. METHODS:Passage 5 bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel s from Sprague-Dawley rats were selected and randomized into three groups, with 6 tubes in each group. One of the six tubes in each group was randomly selected with no irradiation, and the remaining five tubes in each group were subjected to CT brain perfusion scans 1-5 times, respectively. After scanning, the cel number was counted after 10-day continuous culture and cel growth curve of each tube was drawn. Cel cycle was detected by flow cytometry, and cel viability was measured by MTT method. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:After 10 days of continuous counting, the number of cel s per tube showed no difference (P>0.05), and cel growth curves were basical y coincided. Moreover, there was no significant difference in the cel cycle and cel viability (P>0.05). Experimental findings show that the CT brain perfusion scan has no effect on the viability of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel s.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of total flavonoids of propolis (TFP) on apoptosis of myocardial cells of chronic heart failure and its possible mechanism in rats.

METHODSSix male SD rats were randomly selected as normal control group, the remaining rats were made as chronic heart failure (CHF) model by intraperitoneal injection of adriamycin. The rats in the successful model were randomly divided into five groups (n = 6): CHF group, total flavonoids of propolis low dose group (LD group), total flavonoids of propolis middle dose group (MD group), total flavonoids of propolis high dose group (HD group), digoxin group (DIG group). After six week treatment, cardiac function indexes of rats were recorded by signal acquisition system; brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), cardiac troponin I (cTnI), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) content in plasma were detected; Myocardial morphological changes and collagen fiber hyperplasia by HE and Masson staining were observed; Myocardial apoptosis was detected with TUNEL method and protein connexin 43(P-Cx43) expression was detected by Western blot method.

RESULTSCompared with NC group, left ventricular systolic pressure(LVSP) and maximal rise/fall velocity of left ventriculad pressure (± dP/dt(max)) absolute value in CHF group were significantly lowered (P < 0.01) while left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP) was increased significantly (P < 0.01); Contents of plasma BNP, cTnI, TNF-α and IL-6 in the CHF group were significantly improved (P < 0.01). Compared with CHF group, LVSP, ± dP/dt(max) absolute value in MD and HD groups were increased (P < 0.05), and LVEDP was significantly lowered (P < 0.01); LVEDP in LD group was significantly lowered (P < 0.01), changes in LVSP and ± dp/dt(max) absolue value were not obvious (P > 0.05). BNP, cTnI, TNF-α and IL-6 contents in MD and HD groups were significantly reduced (P < 0.01), but those plasma indicator changes were not obvious in LD group (P > 0.05). Western blot showed that P-Cx43 expression in CHF group was significantly higher than that in NC group (P < 0.01) and that in all TFP treatment groups it was decreased compared with CHF group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), among which pairwise comparisons also showed differences (P < 0.05), myocardial apoptosis index (%)(22.62 ± 3.39) in CHF group was higher than that in NC group( 1.12 ± 0.24) (P < 0.01); compared with CHF group, the apoptosis index of myocardial cells (%) in LD,MD and HD groups, (15.79 + 2.8), (9.28 + 2.1) and (4.73 + 1.14) respectively, were significantly lower than those in the CHF group( P < 0.01). The expression level of P-Cx43 positively correlated with the apoptotic index (r = 0. 861, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONTotal flavonaids of propolis have inhibitory effect on apoptosis of myocardial cells of chronic heart failure induced by adriamycin in rats, and the mechanism may be closely related to the regulation of Cx43 expression, especially the regulatory phosphorylation status.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Chronic Disease ; Connexin 43 ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Doxorubicin ; adverse effects ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; Heart Failure ; drug therapy ; Interleukin-6 ; blood ; Male ; Myocardium ; pathology ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; drug effects ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain ; blood ; Phosphorylation ; Propolis ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Troponin I ; blood ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood

This paper presents a unit free-form deformation (FFD) method applied to rapid three-dimensioanl (3D) bone reconstruction, which was based on traditional FFD. With the femur as an example, we reconstructed a 3D model of femur from two X-ray images and a standardized model by taking advantage of unit FFD algorithm. The X-ray images and its parameters were taken by C-arm device. Those parameters and X-ray contour are contributed to 3D reconstruction. The out contours of X-ray image and standard model were connected by point matching algorithm. The unit-FFD lattice was built to reconstruct standard model and finally made the contour of X-ray image and standard model exactly the same. Experiments on shape accuracy, robustness and time consuming, carried out by 35 specimen from cadaver, showed that mean error of shape (0. 52 mm) and mean construction time (112 s) were lower than those using traditional method (0.7-2.6 mm, 8-20 min). The method proposed in this paper shows a good prospect in clinical application and related research.
Algorithms ; Femur ; anatomy & histology ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Models, Anatomic ; Radiography

BACKGROUND: The commonly used culture methods for primary intervertebral disc cells are type Ⅱcol agenase alone digestion method, and type Ⅱ col agenase combined trypin digestion method. However, the acquired cells are few. OBJECTIVE: To acquire nucleus pulposus cells from human degenerative intervertebral disc using a systemic and simplified method. METHODS: Nucleus pulposus cells were isolated and cultured. The morphology of nucleus pulposus cells was observed under inverted phase contrast microscope every day. Primary and subcultured cellsuspension was applied for the determination of cel viability using trypan blue staining. The cel growth was detected with MTT assay. The cel morphology was observed under laser confocal microscopy. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Nucleus pulposus cells were successful y isolated from from human degenerative intervertebral disc using the improved method, and cells were subcultured to passage 3. Primary cells were fusiform shaped, while cells at passage 1 and 2 were triangle or polygonal, which were similar to fibroblasts. When cells almost reached the confluence, the cells showed slabstone-like appearance. Trypan blue staining showed that, the primary cel viability was 99%, and passage 3 cells had 93%-95% viability. The proliferation of nucleus pulposus cells gradual y decreased as the generation increased. Compared with passage 1 cells, passage 2 and 3 cells at logarithmic phase trended to be smoother. The cel morphology observed under laser confocal microscopy was similar to the results under phase contrast microscope. The improved simple method can successful y acquire a variety of cells from human degenerative intervertebral disc, and these cells show fine biological properties.

Adult ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; injuries ; Male ; Spinal Fractures ; surgery ; Surgical Wound Infection ; therapy

BACKGROUND: The application of mesenchymal stem cells derived from umbilical cord cultured in serum-containing medium has some obstacles. OBJECTIVE: To establish serum free medium system for primary culture of umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells. METHODS: Wharton’s Jel y was isolated from umbilical cord, minced, 1-3 mm3, and subsequently incubated in either serum containing medium or serum free medium. Some cells were harvested on days 11, 14 and 17 for some detection. Based on the minimal criteria established by the International Society for Cel ular Therapy in 2006, mesenchymal stem cells were assayed with colony forming unit-fibroblast. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The mesenchymal stem cells grew rapidly in serum free medium condition compared with serum containing medium. On day 11, the number of colonies was larger in serum free medium condition than that in serum containing medium. Thus, serum free medium could maintain properties of mesenchymal stem cells and provide possibility a credible alternative to serum containing medium for primary culture of umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Fructose ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Tourette Syndrome ; drug therapy

Objective To study the MRI findings and di agnostic value as well as pathological base of the knee iniury.Methods MRI features of knee injuries in 31 cases were r etrospectively analysed compared with the findings of operations and clinical ma nifestations.Results MRI findings were :(1)para-knee articular soft tissue swelling in 23 cases(74%);(2)MRI detected ligaments injury in 18 cas es (58%),dislocation of articular in 2 cases(6%);(3)bone contusions in 4 c ases(13%);occult fractures in 1 case(3%),disruption of articular cartilage 1 case(3%),fractures in 12 cases(39%);(4)meniscal injury in 15 cases(48% ),meniscal cyst in 2 cases(6%);(5)quadriceps femoris and kneecap tendon inj ury in 1 case(3%)respectively;(6)joint hydrocele in 29 cases(93%).Conclusion MRI can find a variety of pathological changes of knee injury and plays an important role in clinical treatment and predicting prognosis.