Objective To evaluate different measurement methods in histogram for the diffusion and perfusion parameters from intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) MR imaging of different types of uterine fibroids.Methods 63 patients with confirmed uterine fibroids (80 in total) were examined with MR imaging.3D T2WI and IVIM imaging were performed for those patients.The fibroids were classified into three types (type 1, 2, 3) on the basis of different signal intensities on T2WI according to Funaki's theory.Real diffusion coefficient (D), pseudodiffusion coefficient (D*) and perfusion fraction (f) were calculated using IVIM analysis.25%,50% and 75% of those parameters (D25,D50,D75,D*25,D*50,D*75,f25,f50 and f75) as well as mean values (Dmean,D*mean and fmean) were calculated using histogram method.ANOVA was used to compare the IVIM parameters among the three types of fibroids.Results There were 44 type 1,24 type 2 and 12 type 3 fibroids in the total of 80 fibroids.There was significant difference among all the diffusion parameters from histogram and mean values of different types of fibroids, and only one perfusion parameter D*75 value showed significant difference (P<0.05).There was no significant difference among all the f values from histogram and mean values.Conclusion Different measurements of parameters from IVIM histogram showed no added value for diffusion features in different types of fibroids compared to mean value.While the perfusion parameter D*75 value from histogram can distinguish the features of perfusion within different types of fibroids compared to mean value.

OBJECTIVETo compare the efficacy difference in treatment of myofasical pain syndrome between sparrow-pecking moxibustion and acupuncture at trigger points so as to provide the reference of the effective therapeutic method for myofascial pain syndrome.

METHODSNinety patients were randomized into a sparrow-pecking moxibustion group and an acupuncture group, 45 cases in each one. The trigger points were selected in pain areas in the two groups. In the sparrow-pecking moxibustion group, the sparrow-pecking moxibustion was applied, 30 min in each time. In the acupuncture group, the filiform needles were inserted obliquely at 45 degrees and retained for 40 min in each treatment. The treatment was given once a day and 10 treatments made one session in the two groups. The short-form McGill pain questionnaire was used as the observation index, and the changes in pain rating index (PRI), present pain intensity (PPI) and visual analogue scale (VAS) before and after treatment were used for efficacy assessment.

RESULTSThe results of PRI, PPI and VAS after treatment were reduced apparently as compared with those before treatment in the sparrow-pecking moxibustion group and the acupuncture group (all P<0.001). The differences in PRI, PPI and VAS after treatment were not significant in comparison of the two groups (both P>0.05). The curative and remarkably effective rate was 80.0% (36/45) in the sparrow-pecking moxibustion group, which was better than 40.0% (18/45, P<0.001) in the acupuncture group.

CONCLUSIONSparrow-pecking moxibustion at trigger points achieves the superior efficacy on myofascial pain syndrome as compared with acupuncture at trigger points. This therapy is simpler in operation additionally.

Acupuncture Points ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Moxibustion ; Myofascial Pain Syndromes ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Trigger Points ; physiopathology ; Young Adult

Objective To investigate the association between bone mineral density (BMD) and left ventricular mass index (LVMI) in elderly men in Beijing.Methods Totally 370 elderly men with an average age of (76.6±9.3) years from the departments of gerontology were included.BMD,echocardiography measurements as well as blood chemistry were analyzed.LVMI was obtained by echocardiography.All the subjects were divided into two groups:non-LVH group (n=231) and LVH group (n =139).Differences in quantitative variables were tested by independent-sample t test.Multiple stepwise linear regression analysis were performed to identify determinants of LVMI.Results The serum creatinine concentration was significantly higher in LVH group than in non-LVH group [(97.1±43.0) μmol/L,(88.2±21.1) μmol/L (P＜0.05)].Compared with non-LVH group,LVH group showed that the lumbar spine BMD (L1-L4) were significantly lower[L1:(0.90±0.16) g/cm2 vs.(0.95±0.21) g/cm2,P=0.05; L2:(0.95±0.17) g/cm2 vs.(1.01±0.20) g/cm2,P＜0.01 ; L3:(0.99±0.19) g/cm2 vs.(1.06±0.28) g/cm2,P＜0.01] as well as the lumbar spine totalBMD [(0.97±0.18) g/cm2 vs.(1.03-1-0.26) g/cm2,P＜0.05].The femur BMD was lower in theLVH group than in non-LVH group [trochiter:(0.64±0.11) g/cm2 vs.(0.67±0.17) g/cm2,P＜0.05; inter area:(1.00±0.17) g/cm2 vs.(1.05±0.22) g/cm2,P＜0.05].Multiple stepwise linear regression analysis demonstrated that BMI (r=0.27,P＜0.01),the lumbar spine BMD (r=-0.20,P＜0.01),age (r=0.16,P＜0.05),serum creatinine (r=0.15,P＜0.05) were independently correlated with LVMI.Conclusions In elderly men in Beijing,the lumbar spine BMD is an independent correlative factor for LVMI.

To study the cost-effectiveness of temozolomide combined with radiotherapy in the treatment of glioblasto-ma. Methods:According to the clinical trial data, cost-effectiveness and sensitivity of the results was analyzed based on the domestic cost and consumption level. Results:Temozolomide combined with radiotherapy could prolong one month of overall survival with the additional cost of RMB 58 959. 7 yuan in each case when compared with radiotherapy alone. Conclusion:Temozolomide combined with radiotherapy has no advantage on cost-effectiveness when compared with radiotherapy alone.

Objective To investigate the effect of PTEN gene in the mouse uterus during embryo implantation.Methods Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR(FQ-PCR) was used to detect PTEN mRNA expressed in the endometria of the nonpregnant mice and the late pregnant mice(day 1,day 3,day 4,day 5 and day 7),with 20 mice sacrificed at each fixed day.Out of another 20 3-day pregnant mice,ten received PTEN antisense oligonucleotide at the horn of uterus and ten received normal saline to count the blastocysts at pregnant day 8.Results The PTEN mRNA/?-actin mRNA in pregnant mice was higher than that of nonpregnant mice,gradually hoisted as days passed by,and reached the highest at pregnant day 5.The number of blastocysts in the mice that received PTEN antisense oligonucleotide was fewer than that received normal saline.Conclusion PTEN persistently expresses in mouse endometria during the early pregnancy and maybe participate in the regulation process of mouse blastodyst implantation.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Brain ; metabolism ; pathology ; Caspase 3 ; Caspases ; metabolism ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; genetics ; Gene Expression ; Hypoxia, Brain ; genetics ; physiopathology ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1 ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; Immunohistochemistry ; Ischemic Preconditioning ; Nuclear Proteins ; genetics ; RNA ; genetics ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Transcription Factors

Objective To explore the changes in inflammatory reactions in tail-suspension mice infected by Klebsiella pneumoniae from spaceflight.Methods Tail suspension was used to simulate the physiological effects of microgravity.C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into control (Con),control+K.pneumoniae T16-169 (Con+T16-169),tail suspension (TS) and tail suspension+K.pneumoniae T16-169 (TS+T16-169) groups.The level of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α,IL-6 and IL-1β mRNA in lung tissue and the plasma cytokine concentration were detected by RT-qPCR and xMAP technology,and HE staining was used to represent the morphological changes in lung tissue.Results Compared with the control group,the expression of inflammatory cytokines in lung tissue and plasma concentrations of all experimental groups were increased,and the difference in TS+T16-169 group was the most significant (P<0.01 or P<0.001).HE staining showed that the lung tissues in Con+T16-169 and TS+T16-169 groups were damaged in different degrees,and the damage of TS+T16-169 group was the most serious.Conclusion The K.pneumoniae from spaceflight significantly increases the expression of inflammatory cytokines in lung tissue and plasma concentrations after infecting tail-suspension mice,and induces more serious damages to the lung tissue,which suggests that inflammatory reactions can be increased in tail suspension mice infected by K.pneumoniae from spaceflight.

Vascular-resided bacterial and fungal diseases have caused a great deal of yield loss and quality reduction in crop production world-wide. For genetic engineering of crops resistant to these diseases, it is disirable to have a strong and vascular-specific promoter. This article reviews the progress in identification of vascular-specific promoters and its function. To date, roughly twenty vascular-specific promoters have been documented. The cis-elements and motifs have been studied in detail for the promoters of bean phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL2), bean glycine-rich protein (grp 1.8) and Arabidopsis profilin2 (pfn2) in particular.The motif of vs-1 (CATGCTCCGTTGGATGTGGAAGACAGCA) found in grp 1.8 promoter was a cis-element that specificically bind to a transcription activation factor VSF-1 protein (one of the bZIP proteins). Mutation of vs-1 prevented it from binding to VSF-1 that resulted in abolishing the vascular-specific expresson of gus gene. Motifs of AC-I and AC-II found in PAL2 promoter were also found to be essential for vascular-specific expression. In our laboratory we have dissected pfn2 promoter into three domains (A, B, C) through 5'-deletion analysis. In this promoter we have identified two core sequences of ACGT that is commonly found in the binding sites of bZIP protein, the most abundent transcription factor existed in plants. In additon, the pfn2 promoter also contains an AC- I like sequence (CCACCTAC) that is similar to the AC- I motif (CCCACCTACC) found in PAL2 promoter. These promoters and cis-elements may have a wide range of potential applications to the genetic improvement of crops resistant to vascular diseases.
Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; genetics ; physiology ; Phenylalanine Ammonia-Lyase ; genetics ; Plant Proteins ; genetics ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; genetics ; Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid ; genetics

[Objective] To assess the changes in bone marrow microenvironment in patients with psoriasis by determining the level of transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1),stem cell factor (SCF),keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) secreted by bone marrow stromal cells(BMSCs).[Methods] This study recruited 20 healthy controls with normal bone marrow picture and 20 patients with psoriasis vulgaris,including 10 at progressive stage and 10 at resting stage.The psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) score varied from 0.6 to 22.8 and averaged 10.97 in these patients.Bone marrow mononuclear cells were isolated by density-gradient centrifugation from bone marrow of these subjects,and BMSCs were cultured with adherent method.After three passages,the BMSCs were subjected to a 72-hour culture followed by the identification of cell phenotypes via flow cytometry and determination of TGF-β1,SCF,KGF and TNF-α levels in the culture supernatant via enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).The parameters were compared by two independent samples t test between the two groups,and the correlation of eytokines with PASI was assessed by Pearson correlation analysis.[Results] Inverted microscopy revealed no obvious difference in the morphology of BMSCs between the patients and controls.CD29 was expressed by more than 90％ of the BMSCs,but no expression of CD45,CD34 or HLA-DR was observed in them.The BMSCs from patients showed a significantly lower level of supematant TNF-α ((22.93 ± 10.1 1 ) μg/L vs.(35.73 ± 15.15) μg/L,t =3.14,P ＜ 0.05),a higher level of supernatant SCF ((76.80 + 16.19) μg/L vs.(59.86 + 22.41) μg/L,t =2.74,P＜ 0.05),and asimilar level of supernatant KGF and TGF-β1 (both P＞ 0.05) compared with those from the controls.The PASI score was uncorrelated with the levels of SCF,TNF-α,KGF or TGF-β1 secreted by BMSCs in patients with psoriasis (all P＞ 0.05).[Conclusion]s The levels of SCF and TNF-α secreted by BMSCs are aberrant in patients with psoriasis,hinting an abnormal bone marrow microenvironment in these patients.

BACKGROUND: As a primary clinical predictor of fracture risk, bone mineral density (BMD) is partly genetically determined. Osteoprotegerin (OPG) is one important candidate gene in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between T245G polymorphisms in the OPG gene and BMD. METHODS: A total of 281 elderly men and postmenopausal women, 182 males and 99 females, who received routine examinations at Peking University People's Hospital between September 2008 and April 2010 were included in this study. T245G polymorphisms in the OPG gene was detected by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism together with DNA sequencing. The BMD of the lumbar spine, Ward's triangle, and forearrm was determined by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Clinical variables and biochemical measurements were collected simultaneously. The association between T245G polymorphisms and each detection index was analyzed using analysis of variance. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The distribution of T245G genotype (alleles T, G) had no difference in elderly men or postmenopausal women (P > 0.05). The GG genotype and TG genotype had higher lumbar spine BMD and TT genotype had lower lumbar spine BMD (P < 0.05). There was no difference in BMD of the Ward's triangle or forearm among different genotypes (P > 0.05). Association between T245G polymorphism and BMD was not found in postmenopausal women. These findings indicate that OPG gene is related to lumbar spine BMD in elderly men.