Objective:To observe the level of endogenous cortisol in patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer, and to evaluate the effect of exogenous glucocorticoids treatment on patient's malignant symptoms and serum cortisol level. Methods:Thirty-one patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer who were given 40 mg/d methylprednisolone for continuous 5 days. The patients included 8 patients with esophageal and cardial cancer, 12 patients with gastric cancer, and 11 patients with colorectal cancer. At the same time, 30 healthy adults were selected as control group. The cortisol radioactive immunoassay kit was used to determine the level of serum cortisol in the gastrointestinal cancer patients and controls. The life quality changes of gastrointestinal cancer patients were evaluated. Results:The serum cortisol level of 31 advanced gastrointestinal cancer patients was higher than that of healthy volunteers [(312.39±57.64)vs(144.64±52.20) μg/L,P<0.01]. The average serum cortisol levels in the patients with esophageal cancer, gastric cancer and colorectal cancer were higher than healthy controls (P<0.05). The serum cortisol level in gastric cancer patients was the highest among the three types of gastrointestinal cancers (P<0.01). After being treated with exogenous glucocorticoids, the five parameters such as appetite, spirit, sleeping, fatigue and pain in gastrointestinal cancer patients were improved significantly. During the course of exogenous glucocorticoid treatment, there were no serious complications. The serum cortisol levels after exogenous glucocorticoid treatment did not change significantly in the patients with esophageal cancer, gastric cancer and colorectal cancer (P>0.05). Conclusion:Endogenous serum cortisol levels of gastrointestinal cancer patients were significantly higher than those of healthy adults. Short-term treatment with medium dosage of exogenous glucocorticoids had little effect on the endogenous serum cortisol level.

Objective To compare the success rate, time of tumor formation and number of tumors in three methods of tumor transplantation, in order to seek an ideal animal model for molecular imaging study. Methods Forty-eight BALB/C-nu/nu nude mice were randomly divided into three groups (each n=16). Tumor tissue mass of 2 mm3 was injected into subcutaneous of nude mice in experiment group. Tumor tissue mass of 1 mm3 was applied in control group 1. Tumor cells suspension liquid was injected into subcutaneous of nude mice in control group 2. The tumor formation rate, the time of tumor formation and the number of tumors were observed. MRI scanning were performed 3-6 weeks after implantation. Results The rate of tumor formation of three groups was 93.75%, 75.00% and 43.75%, respectively. The time of tumor formation was (21.7±2.4), (29.8±2.9) and (34.6±3.9) days, respectively. The rate of solitary nodule implanted tumor was 93.33% in experiment group, higher than that in control group 1 (75.00%) and control group 2 (14.29%). The tumors were hypointense on T1WI and hyperintense on T2WI. Conclusion Transplantation 2 mm3 tumor tissue mass is effective to set up the subcutaneous implanted tumor models with a high success rate of tumor formation, a short time of tumor formation and high rate of solitary tumors, being suitable for the study of molecular imaging. The models can undertake conventional T1WI, T2WI and T2-mapping imaging, and the imaging qualities are good.

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic values of diffusion tensor imaging(DTI)in early radiation-induced brain injury of the temporal lobes.Methods Conventional and MR diffusion tensor imaging examinations were performed in 23 patients following radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC)and in 28 age-matched healthy controls.Isotropic apparent diffusion coefficient(ADCiso)and anisotropic index were measured in the white matter on both of the temporal lobes.Results The value of ADCiso,fractional anisotropy(FA),relative anisotropy(RA)and 1 minus volume ratio(1-VR)were(644.08?56.80)?10-6 mm2/s,0.394?0.074,0.344?0.075 and 0.182?0.072 respectively.In comparison with control group,these values were significant decreased(P

Objective To investigate levels of IL-17 and IL-22 mRNA in the blood of type 2 diabetes(T2DM)patients with the different stages of kidney injury and explore the relationship between the gene expression levels of IL-17,IL-22 and renal lesions in patients with diabetic nephropathy(DM).Methods Subjects included 60 T2DM patients with or without kidney injury and 20 normal controls(NC,n=20).Diabetes patients were divided into 3 groups by level of urinary albumin to creati-nine ratio (ACR):no proteinuria group (NA,ACR<30 mg/g,n=22),microalb uminuria group (MA,30 mg/g>ACR>300 mg/g,n=18)and diabetic nephropathy group (DN,ACR>300 mg/g,n=20).Quantitative Real-Time RT-PCR was used to detect IL-17 and IL-22 mRNA levels.Analysis differences of IL-17 and IL-22 mRNA levels among NA,MA,DN and NC groups.Results The levels of IL-17 and IL-22 mRNA were significantly higher in DN group than that in MA,NA and NC group (P <0.01,respectively),However,there were not significant difference among MA,NA and NC group (P >0.05,re-spectively).Conclusion Levels IL-17 and IL-22 mRNA were increased in blood of T2DM patients with nephropathy.IL-17 and IL-22 may play role in the pathogenicity of diabetic nephropathy.

Objective To discuss the value of MR T2 mapping in the research of the biomechanics and function of cartilage of knee joint.Methods Knees of 20 healthy adults before and after jogging and 19 osteoarthritis patients were examined with sagittal 8-echo SE sequence.The T2 value of cartilage was selected and calculated.The T2 values in the superficial and deep cartilage of femoral and tibial joint before and after jogging were compared,so did between the osteoarthritis patients and healthy adults.The source images were sent to the workstation to get T2 mappings.The T2 value of cartilage between before and after jogging was compared with paired-samples t test.The T2 value between superficial and deep cartilage before jogging was compared with independent-samples t test,so did between the osteoarthritis patients and healthy adults.Results The T2 values in the superficial and the deep tibial cartilage were(48.8±6.3)ms,(44.3±5.7)ms before jogging and(43.4±5.0)ms,(40.3±6.1)ms after jogging.The T2 values were significantly different between before and after jogging(t=6.004 and t=5.037,P＜0.05).There was a significant difference between superficial and deep tibial cartilage before jogging(t=3.148,P＜0.01).The T2 Values in the superficial and deep femoral cartilage were(52.1±5.7)ms,(47.7±5.3)ms before jogging and(47.2±4.5)ms,(43.6±4.1)ms after jogging.The T2 values were significantly different between before and after jogging(t=6.169 and t=5.957,P＜0.05).There was a significant difference between superficial and deep femoral cartilage before jogging(t=3.384,P＜0.01).The T2 mapping showed those changes.The mean T2 value in the tibial cartilage of osteoarthritis patients was(56.0±9.1)ms and was higher than that of healthy adults.There was a significent difference between osteoarthritis patients and healthy adults(t=-3.446,P＜0.01).Conclusion T2 mapping can be used in the research of biomechanics and function of cartilage and has a prelimilary value in the diagnosis of cartilage degeneration.

This paper analyses the defects of bubble oxygen inhalators currently used, and investigates into their solutions for improvement.
Oxygen Inhalation Therapy ; instrumentation ; methods ; Oxygenators ; standards

Objective To study osteoporosis in patients receiving androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) with prostate cancer, and determine whether once-weekly oral alendronate can prevent bone loss in men receiving ADT. Methods One hundred and twelve men with nonmetastatic prostate cancer receiving ADT were divided into two groups from April 2007 to April 2008, 56 cases in each group. Group A took alendronate (70 rng once-weekly orally) and calcium supplement, group B received calcium supplement only. Bone mineral density (BMD) were measured both before and 6 months, 12 months after treatment for both groups. Results There were no statistically differences in age, persistence time of castration, prostate specific antigen level and adverse effect between two groups(P＞ 0.05). At baseline, 39.3%(44/112) of men had osteoporosis and 51.8%(58/112) had low bone mass. After 12 months treatment, in group A, BMD increased 3.7% (95% CI 2.80% to 4.60% ,P＜0.01 ) at the spine,0.7%(95% CI 0.10% to 1.40% ,P=0.031)at the total hip and 1.6% (95% CI0.40% to 2.80%,P =0.008) at the femoral neck. In group B decreased 1.4% (95% CI-2.70% to -0.03%, P = 0.045 ) at the spine, 0.7% (95% CI - 1.50% to -0.01%,P = 0.052) at the total hip and 0.7% (95% CI -1.50% to 0.10%, P = 0.081 ) at the femoral neck. The estimated changes in BMD were significantly different between two groups (P ＜ 0.01 ). Conclusions It suggests that ADT induce bone loss which should be treated in early stage. Bone loss that occurred with ADT is prevented and improved with once-weekly oral alendronate.

Assessment mode is a bottleneck in medical education reform nowadays.Although traditional assessment tools,such as written examination,are still widely used in medical education assessments,they have obvious limitations.With the enhancement of requirements in physicians' abilities,assessments on some basic abilities of physicians are still insufficient.The United States and Europe not only focus on the curriculum reform but also the development of appropriate assessment tools,therefore,some new assessment tools are invented.These assessment tools are applicable to the formative assessment and are student-centered,being able to promote the development of education and provide new options for medical education assessments.

Objective To evaluate the tumor targeting characteristic of the Folate-SPIO-DOX-Micelles by in vitro studies,and to test the feasibility of monitor tumor targeting using it and clinical MRI.Methods The polymeric micelles,Folate-SPIO-DOXO-Micelles were prepared.The in vitro tumor cell targeting efficacy of these folate modified and DOX or SPIO-loaded micelles (Folate-SPIO-DOX-Micelles)was evaluated by observing the cellular uptake of micelles by human hepatic carcinoma cells(Bel 7402 cells) which overexpressed folate surface receptors. Cell suspensions were incubated with Folate-SPIO-DOXO-Micelles for 1 h.Prussian blue staining was performed to show intracellular irons.Flow cytometry was used to further quantify the cellular uptake of the nanoparticles into Bel 7402 cells.MRl was performed to show the signal intensity changes by using T2 WI sequences at a clinical 1.5 T MR system.Results Prussian blue staining showed much more intracellular iron in cells incubated with Folate-SPIO-DOX-Micelles than the cells incubated with the non-targeting SPIO-DOX-Micelles.As revealed by flow cytometry,the mean fluorescence intensity of cells in the folate group and the non-folate group were 117.88 and 46.33,respectively.The T2 signal intensity in MRI of cells treated with the folate targeting micelles decreased significantly (when the concentration of SPIO in cell culture medium was 5,10,20,40,and 80 μg/ml,respectively,T2 signal intensity decreased by -5.02%,-23.58%,-45.89%,-70.34%,and -92.41%,respectively).In contrast,T2 signal intensity did not show obvious decrease for cells treated with the folate-free micelles (when the concentration of SPIO in cell culture medium was at 5,10,20,40,and 80 μg/ml,respectively,T2 signal intensity decreased by -3.77%,-2.16%,-2.18%,-2.74% and -19.77%,respectively).Conclusion The polymeric micelles,Folate-SPIO-DOX-Micelles has good targeting ability to the hepatic carcinoma cells in vitro,and the cell targeting events of the micelles can be monitored by using a clinical MR scanner.

Objective To discuss the clinical effect of Sky bone expander percutaneous ky-pbeplasty (Sky-PKP) in treatment of old osteoperotic vertebral compression fractures. Methods The study involved 27 patients (27 vertebrae) with old osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures treated by Sky-PKP from March 2005 to June 2007. Normotopia, lateral and dynamia radiographs, CT scanning and MRI were performed preoperatively to verify fluid collection in the vertebral body, vacuum phenomenon and open-close phenomenon. Visual analog scale (VAS), Oswestry disability index (ODI), anterior body height, middle line body height, posterior body height and kyphotic angle changes were measured on a lateral radiograph before and after treatment. Results All patients were followed up for mean 6.2 months, which showed no severe complications. VAS score was decresed from preoperative 7.8 to postop-erative 3.1 and ODI from 65% to 37%. However, The anterior vertebral height and middle line vertebral height were recovered for 4.6 nun and 5.7 mm respectively compared with preoperation. Correction of ky-photic angle was mean 5.6°postoperatively. There was no sitatistical changes in regard to posterior body height before and after operation. Conclusions Sky-PKP is a reasonable procedure for treatment of old osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures under strict control of indications, especially with vacuum phenomenon, open-close phenomenon and fluid collection. While high degree of difficulty in puncturation results in insignificant correction of kyphotic angle and body height.