Objective To investigate the diagnostic value of texture analysis derived from conventional MR imaging in differentiating benign and malignant breast lesions. Methods Thirty-six patients with malignant breast lesion and 33 patients with benign breast lesion were retrospectively analyzed in our study. All patients underwent conventional MR imaging including axial T1WI, T2WI, and contrast-enhanced T1WI before surgery. Texture features were calculated from manually drawn ROIs by using MaZda software. The feature selection methods included mutual information (MI), Fishers coefficient, classification error probability combined with average correlation coefficients (POE + ACC) and the combination of the above three methods(FPM). These methods were used to identify the most significant texture features in discriminating benign breast lesion from malignant breast lesion. The statistical methods including raw data analysis (RDA), principal component analysis (PCA), linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and nonlinear discriminant analysis (NDA) were used to distinguish malignant breast lesion from benign breast lesion. The results were shown by misclassification rate. Results In the three kinds of sequences, the texture features for differentiating malignant breast lesion and benign breast lesion were mainly from T2WI which had the lowest misclassification rate 4.35%(3/69). The misclassification rates of the feature selection methods were similar in MI, Fisher coefficient and POE+ACC (15.94%to 56.52%for MI;17.39%to 56.52%for Fisher coefficient and 17.39%to 56.52%for POE+ACC). However, the misclassification rate of the combination of the three methods (4.35%to 53.62%for FPM) was lower than that of any other kind of method. In the statistical methods, NDA (4.35% to 27.54%) had lower misclassification rate than RDA (33.33% to 56.52%), PCA (33.33% to 53.62%) and LDA (15.94% to 44.93%). Conclusion Texture analysis of conventional MR imaging can provide reliably objective basis for differentiating benign from malignant breast lesions.

Objective To investigate CT and MRI features of abdominal huge liposarcoma,and improve the preoperative diagnostic accuracy. Methods The CT and MRI findings of 1 7 cases with abdominal huge liposarcoma proved by operation and pathology were analyzed and correlated with pathologic subtypes retrospectively.Results In 17 cases,16 cases were located in retroperitoneal,1 case was located in the abdominal cavity.The average maximal diameter of the lesions was 17 cm.In all cases,main components of well differentiated liposarcomata (n=7) were fat density on CT and MRI,and enhanced slightly,3 cases were multiple lesions,1 case of sclerosing liposarcoma contained massive patchy calcification,1 case was fatless.Myxoid liposarcoma (n=5)were similar to cystic on CT and MRI features,enhanced with latticed or cloudy components slightly to moderately .Dedifferentiated liposarcoma (n=2)has both fat and soft tissue inside and the dividing line was clear.The soft tissue mass unevenly obviously enhanced.Mixed liposarcoma (n=3)had the imaging characteristics above different types,2 cases contained no fat composition.Conclusion Liposarcoma pathological subtype has diversity,and various subtypes have certain characteristic on CT and MRI imaging features.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect and complication of surgical treatment for Pilon fracture using the posterolateral approach.

METHODSFrom August 2009 to March 2011, 15 patients with Pilon fractures (2 in B3,13 in C) and with a separate displaced posterior malleolar fragment was treated in two-stage: the first stage management was on stabiliztion of the soft tissue envelope with temporary external fixator of spanning arthritis, and the second stage management was open reduction and internal fixation with posterolateral approach and anteromedial or anteralateral approach.

RESULTSAll patients were followed-up for 12 to 17 months (14.2 months in average). Thirteen of the 15 fractures healed, but 2 fractures needed autologous bone graft procedure duo to nonuion. There was no wound complication related to poterolateral incion. Fourteen fractures had less than 2 mm of incongruity of distal tibia joint. According to Baired-Jackson criteria, the results were excellent in 2 cases, good in 7, fair in 4, and poor in 2.

CONCLUSIONThe posterolateral approach offers direct visualization for the reduction and fixation of the fibula and posterior distal fragment of the tibia Pilon fractures, faciliate the management of this difficult fracture pattern.

Adult ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Tibial Fractures ; surgery

BACKGROUNDThe relationship between apoptosis and tumors is a major focus in cancer research. RNA interference (RNAi) technology has emerged as a very potent tool to generate cellular knockdown phenotypes of a desired gene. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of siRNA specific to the protein casein kinase 2α (CK2α) on apoptosis of laryngeal carcinoma cells and to explore possible mechanisms.

METHODSAn siRNA expression plasmid specific to CK2α, psiRNA-hH1neo-CK2α, and a non-specific siRNA expression plasmid, psiRNA-hH1neo-cont, were constructed and transfected into Hep-2 cells by a lipofectamine method. The mRNA and protein levels of CK2α in transfected cells were determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting analysis. Apoptosis was measured by Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)/propidium iodide (PI) double-staining methods. The morphological changes to Hep-2 cells were observed under transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The levels of Bcl-2 and Bax proteins were measured by Western blotting analysis.

RESULTSLevels of CK2α mRNA and protein were significantly decreased in the psiRNA-hH1neo-CK2α group compared to the other groups (P < 0.05). The apoptotic rate of the psiRNA-hH1neo-CK2α transfected group was significantly higher compared to that in the untransfected group and the siRNA-hH1neo-cont transfected group (25.66% ± 0.83%, 3.66% ± 0.43%, and 5.18% ± 0.22%) (P < 0.05). Compared with the untransfected group and the siRNA-hH1neo-cont transfected group, the psiRNA-hH1neo-CK2α transfected group presented with classical ultrastructural features of apoptosis, such as karyopyknosis, chromatic agglutination adjacent to the nuclear membrane, and apoptotic bodies. Compared with the other two groups, the level of Bcl-2 protein in the psiRNA-hH1neo-CK2α transfected group was decreased (0.20 ± 0.09 vs. 0.72 ± 0.16, 0.56 ± 0.11, P < 0.01), while the Bax protein level was increased (0.81 ± 0.17 vs. 0.26 ± 0.12, 0.33 ± 0.17, P < 0.01) and the ratio of Bcl-2 to Bax was decreased (0.25 ± 0.05 vs. 2.76 ± 0.21, 1.70 ± 0.22, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe siRNA expression plasmid specific to CK2α could suppress CK2α expression and induce the apoptosis of laryngeal carcinoma cells. This is possibly by decreasing the Bcl-2/Bax ratio. CK2α may provide a potential therapeutic target against human laryngeal carcinoma.

Apoptosis ; genetics ; physiology ; Blotting, Western ; Casein Kinase II ; genetics ; Hep G2 Cells ; Humans ; Laryngeal Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics ; physiology ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo assess the effect of small interfering RNA (siRNA) specific to protein kinase CK2a on proliferation and apoptosis of Hep-2 cell line.

METHODSsiRNA expression plasmid psiRNA-hH1neo-CK2 specific to protein kinase CK2a and non-specific siRNA expression plasmid psiRNA-hH1neo-cont were constructed respectively, and then were transfected into Hep-2 cells by lipofectamine methods. Protein kinase CK2a mRNA and protein of the transfected cells were detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western Blot, respectively. Proliferation and apoptosis of the transfected cells were observed by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) method and flow cytometry (FCM), respectively.

RESULTSProtein kinase CK2a mRNA and protein expressions were significantly decreased in the cells transfected with psiRNA-hH1neo-CK2 (P < 0.05). The Hep-2 cells grew slowly after transfected with psiRNA-hH1neo-CK2(P < 0.05). Obvious subdiploid peaks were found in the cells transfected with psiRNA-hH1neo-CK2 (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSsiRNA expression plasmid specific to protein kinase CK2a suppressed the protein kinase CK2a expression and the proliferation of Hep-2, and induced apoptosis of Hep-2 cells.

Carcinoma ; genetics ; pathology ; Casein Kinase II ; genetics ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Humans ; Laryngeal Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; Plasmids ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; RNA, Small Interfering ; Transfection

Objective To investigate the need and utilization for health services in patients with allergic rhinitis in Qingdao area.Methods An investigation was conducted by the method of combining multi-stage sampling and cluster sampling.SPSS 13.0 software was used to analyse the data.Results Among Two thousand and four hundred questionnaires,two thousand and fifty-two questionnaires were available.The effective rate was 85.5％.The total two-week prevalence in male was 6.5％,while that in female was 6.2％.There was no significant difference between male and female( x2 =0.103,P ＞ 0.05 ).The total ratio of those who visited doctors was 1.7％.The ratio of those who visited doctors in the first two weeks was 26.7％ ( 35/131 ).49.0％ of non-users of health service thought it was unnecessary to consult a doctor because of mild symptoms.In the investigation about the allergic rhinitis,60.2％ patients (1235/2052) confessed that they heard of allergic rhinitis,30.0％ patients (616/2052) thought of allergic rhinitis was common cold.Conclusions The number of patients treated for allergic rhinitis was less than its prevalence.The primary reason for low attendance was that the majority of patients with mild symptoms thought it was no need to see a doctor.In order to improve the residents' health services utilization,medical education for allergic rhinitis is necessary.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the transduction efficiency of a recombinant adenovirus carrying the gene for green fluorescent protein (Ad-GFP) into the primary cultures of fetal neural stem cells (NSCs) by the expression of GFP.

METHODSThe Ad-GFP was constructed by homologous recombination in bacteria with the AdEasy system; NSCs were isolated from rat fetal hippocampus and cultured as neurosphere suspensions. After infection with the recombinant Ad-GFP, NSCs were examined with a fluorescent microscopy and a flow cytometry for their expression of GFP.

RESULTSAfter the viral infection, flow cytometry analysis revealed that the percentage of GFP-positive cells was as high as 97.05%. The infected NSCs sustained the GFP expression for above 4 weeks. After differentiated into astrocytes or neurons, they continued to express GFP efficiently.

CONCLUSIONWe have successfully constructed a viral vector Ad-GFP that can efficiently infect the primary NSCs. The reporter gene was showed fully and sustained expression in the infected cells as well as their differentiated progenies.

Adenoviridae ; metabolism ; Animals ; Electrophoresis, Agar Gel ; Escherichia coli ; metabolism ; Gene Transfer Techniques ; Genetic Vectors ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; metabolism ; Hippocampus ; cytology ; Humans ; Models, Biological ; Models, Genetic ; Neurons ; cytology ; Rats ; Recombinant Proteins ; chemistry ; Stem Cells ; cytology

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of the mitochondrial 12S rRNA mutations on aminoglycoside-induced and nonsyndromic hearing loss, to carry out the clinical and molecular characterization of five Han Chinese pedigrees with maternally transmitted aminoglycoside-induced and nonsyndromic hearing loss.

METHODSFive pedigrees of maternally transmitted aminoglycoside-induced and nonsyndromic hearing loss were collected, genomic DNA was extracted, and complete mitochondrial genomes and the gap junction protein beta 2 (GJB2) gene were amplified and sequenced.

RESULTSClinical evaluation revealed a wide range of severity, age-at-onset and audiometric configuration of hearing impairment in the matrilineal relatives in these families. The penetrance rates of hearing loss in these pedigrees were 17.6%, 50.0%, 66.7%, 31.3% and 23.1%, with an average of 37.7%, when aminoglycoside-induced deafness was included. Sequence analysis of the complete mitochondrial genomes in these pedigrees identified the known 1555A>G mutation and distinct sets of mitochondrial DNA(mtDNA) polymorphisms belonging to Eastern Asian haplogroups D4b2b, B4c1b1, F3, C1 and D5a, respectively. Of these variants, ND1 L89T and CO3 A200T mutations resided at the highly conservative regions. However, there were no functionally significant mutations in tRNAs and rRNAs or secondary known mutations. No hearing loss related GJB2 gene mutation was observed.

CONCLUSIONThe lack of significant mutation in the ruled out the possible involvement of GJB2 in the phenotypic expression of the 1555A>G mutation in those affected subjects. However, aminoglycosides, mtDNA variations and other nuclear modifier genes may play an important role in the phenotypic manifestation of the 1555A>G mutation in these Chinese families.

Adult ; Amino Acid Sequence ; Aminoglycosides ; adverse effects ; Animals ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; ethnology ; Connexin 26 ; Connexins ; chemistry ; genetics ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Ethnic Groups ; genetics ; Female ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; chemically induced ; genetics ; Humans ; Inheritance Patterns ; genetics ; Male ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mothers ; Pedigree ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the relationship between the deformation of penile artery and the primary artery erectile dysfunction, and to improve the treatment and diagnosis of primary artery erectile dysfunction.

METHODSOne case of primary artery erectile dysfunction was presented with its primary clinic data.

RESULTSThe dorsal artery of the penis was thin and the bilateral penile arteries were lacking by arteriography. The implantation of a penile prosthesis significantly improved the patient's erectile function.

CONCLUSIONThe primary artery erectile dysfunction is a relatively rare disease. The possibility of primary artery erectile dysfunction should be kept in mind. Penile prosthesis implantation is an effective means for the treatment of primary artery erectile dysfunction.

Adult ; Arteries ; abnormalities ; Humans ; Impotence, Vasculogenic ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Male ; Penile Implantation ; Penis ; blood supply ; diagnostic imaging ; Radiography

OBJECTIVESTo discuss the diagnosis and differential diagnosis, and to establish an effective protocol to treat the posterior Monteggia fracture-dislocations of proximal ulna in adult according to our experience.

METHODSBetween April 2004 and December 2007, 16 patients with posterior Monteggia fracture-dislocations were treated surgically, 13 were followed up at a mean of 28 months (range, 12 - 58 months). All the operations were through the posterior midline approach. The fractures of radial head and coronoid process were reduced and fixed, if possible. The proximal ulna fractures were fixed with a single plate in 7 cases, plate combined with K-wires in 2, plate combined with K-wires tension band in 3, and K-wires tension band combined with screws in 1.

RESULTSNo elbow was painful or unstable at the last follow up examination. They had an average of 100 degrees (range, 0 degrees to 145 degrees ) of flexion-extension of elbow. The average motion of forearm rotation was 119 degrees (range, 0 degrees to 170 degrees ). The mean Mayo Elbow Performance Score (MEPS) was 93.1 points (67 - 100 points), excellent and good results were achieved in 92.3%. The mean system of Broberg and Morrey score was 88.8 points (53 - 100 points), excellent and good results were achieved in 76.9%.

CONCLUSIONSAttention should be paid to the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of the posterior Monteggia fracture-dislocation of proximal ulna. Anatomically reduction and stable fixation of proximal ulna is the keystone for the surgical treatment.

Adult ; Bone Plates ; Bone Screws ; Bone Wires ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Elbow Joint ; surgery ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Monteggia's Fracture ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome