Objective To analyze the clinical and CT manifestations of the chest and abdomen lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM). Methods The clinical and CT manifestations of 13 patients with LAM proved histopathologically were reviewed retrospectively.Results Twelve patients onset with intrapulmonary manifestations all had progressive dyspnea, other symptoms included pneumothorax of recurrent attacks, chest distress, hemoptysis, cough, chylothorax and so on. During the course of disease, 12 patients had no extrapulmonary symptoms, abdominal great goiter was found unintentionally in the rest one without any intrapulmonary symptoms. Pectoral CT manifestations included sporadic or asystematic cysts in pulmones with size of 2-20 mm, and most had thin and clear capsule wall. The lung parenchyma among cysts was mostly normal. Four patients had pneumatocele, 2 had pleural effusion. Abdominal CT was performed in 10 patients and 7 had abnormal findings: renal angiolipoleiomyoma (ALL) in 3 including one had retroperitoneal multiple lymphangiomyomas and effussion and seroperitoneum, another 2 had multiple liver ALL and spleen accretion. The rest 4 patients included retroperitoneal lymphadenectasis in 2, seroperitoneum in one, as well as retroperitoneal lump and spleen accretion in one patient.Conclusion Pectoral and abdominal symptoms in LAM are not specific, but the CT manifestations somehow specific, which are helpful to the identification and early diagnosis of LAM.

Objective To analyze the clinical and CT manifestations of lung involvement of microscopic polyangiitis (MPA). Methods The clinical manifestations,laboratory ANCA examinations and CT features of 16 patients with lung involvement of MPA were retrospectively reviewed. Results (1) Clinical manifestations: 11 cases had hemoptysis or bloody sputum. Eight cases, who first presented with lung symptoms, were misdiagnosed with other lung diseases. All cases had mulfiorgans injuries involved kidney, cardiovascular and endocrine system, etc. (2) Laboratory examinations: all cases were pANCA positive and 14 cases were MPO-ANCA positive. (3) CT examinations: all cases had interstitial changes, 15 cases were interstitial predominately and 1 case was parenchymal predominately. Eight cases had pulmonary interstitial fibrosis and 11 cases had consolidation and 6 of them had both interstitial and consolidation. Two case had accompanied multiple nodulesand one of them had multiple cavitates. Six cases had mediastinal lymphoadenopathy. Conclusions Most of MPA patients have clinical manifestations of hemoptysis and bloody sputum, the CT examination show interstitial lung disease. Middle or advanced age population presented with above-mentioned manifestations should be alert to MPA, whether or not they have kidney and other organs injury.

Objective To explore the effect of reconstructing unilateral cleft lip by changing the arc-shaped incision, combined with the 3D reconstruction of upper lip muscles.Methods Twenty unilateral cleft lip patients were treated by using a new surgical operation, the 3D reconstruction of upper lip muscle, to restore normal anatomy and stress of the mucous membrane, muscle and skin.Operation scar was designed for straight line, located on the philtral ridges of the contour line;phitrum and philtral ridges were rebuilt, and postoperative scar reduced.Results A lot of 20 patients had no local infection, hemorrhage, complex crack, and were stage I incision healing.Followed up for 1-8 months postoperatively, the patient's lip bow line continuity was good, with symmetrical shape and good phitrum and philtral ridges;scar was hidden on the philtral ridges of the contour line, and no obvious upper lip scar contracture found through the follow-up period.Conclusions This improved method is simple in the incision design, and less scar hidden on the philtral ridges of the contour line after operation, which can maximize the recovery of the appearance of nose and upper lip with satisfactory effect.It is a feasible improvement method of repairing unilateral cleft lip.

Objective To analyze the CT imaging features of Castleman disease and enhance our knowledge of Castleman disease.Methods Twenty two patients with lymph node biopsy-proved or surgeryproved Castleman disease were retrospectively reviewed in this study.Of the 22 patients,18 had localized lesion and 4 patients had multicentric lesions.Correlation was made between CT and pathologic findings.Results Eighteen patients with localized Castleman disease had the hyaline-vascular type and showed well-circumscribed masses with soft-tissue density [mean CT value,(45 ± 16) HU],punctate or bifurcate calcification and linear low-density areas on non-enhanced CT images.All localized masses showed significant enhancementwith an increase of(56 ± 22)HU on arterial phase and showed residual enhancement and some low-density areas on delayed phase.Enhancing patterns were variable,including homogeneous enhancement,gradual enhancement from the edge to the center of mass and heterogeneous enhancement.Four patients with localized lesion demonstrated enhancing vessels around masses.Four patients with muhicentric CD belonged to the plasma cell type and had multiple enlarged lymph nodes.Plasma cell type masses with homogeneous density also showed enhancement after injection of contrast media but appeared to reveal a less increase of (32 ± 10) HU than the hyaline vascular type.Conclusions The localized Castleman disease showed certain characteristics on CT imaging includingcalcification and contrast enhancing patterns,which could help in the differential diagnosis of this disease.The muhicentric Castleman disease did not reveal any useful imaging features.

mRNAs of alpha-adrenoceptor (α-AR) subtypes are found in neurons in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and change after peripheral nerve injury. In this study, the distribution of α-AR subtype proteins was studied in L5 DRG of normal rats and rats with chronic constriction injury of sciatic nerve (CCI). Using immunofluorescence technique, it was found that α1A-, α1B-, and α2A-AR proteins were expressed in large, medium, and small size neurons in normal DRG, and significantly increased in all size neurons 14 days after CCI. α1D- and α2C-AR was also expressed in all size neurons in normal DRG. However, α1D-AR was significantly increased and α2C-AR was decreased in small size neurons 14 days post CCI. α2B-AR neurons were not detectable in normal and CCI DRG. Co-expression of α1A- and α2A-AR in the same neuron was observed in normal DRG and increased post CCI. Collectively, these results indicated that there is distinct distribution of α-AR subtypes in DRG neurons, and the distribution and levels of expression of α-AR subtypes change differently after CCI. The up-regulation of α-AR subtypes in DRG neurons may play an important role in the process of generating and transmitting neuropathic pain.

Objective To analyze the ophthalmologic characteristics and examinations which caused by vertebral-basilar insuffi- ciency.Design Retrospective case series.Participants 469 eases of vertebral-basilar insufficiency.Methods Retrospective analysis of 469 cases of vertebral-basilar insufficiency patients with ophthalmologic signs' features,incidence,the main cause,color Doppler flow imaging and(or)digital subtraction angiography clearly stenosis location,the degree of stenosis from July 1st 2005 to July ist 2007 in PLA General Hospital.Main Outcome Measures Ophthalmologic signs' related reasons and supplementary examination.Results 96 cases were with the corresponding eye symptoms(20.4%).Vision decreased in 83 cases,diplopia was in 56 cases,ipsilateral hemiopia quadrant blind in 12 cases and depending on deformation in 10 cases,fundus arteriosclerosis in 72 cases,nystagmus in 39 cases,the eye movement disorder in 16 cases.Among 96 patients with associated ocular symptoms,75 patients with color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI)showed unilateral vertebral artery abnormal in 66 cases(88%),among those blood flow velocity decreased in 26 cases,17 cases with vascular plaque stenosis,thinning in 20 cases,3 cases with complete occlusion;different bilateral vertebral artery abnormal in 9 cases(12%),among those velocity dropped in 4 cases,two cases with vascular plaque stenosis and thinning in 3 cases.Forty-five cases with the digital subtraction angiography(DSA),left vertebral artery was abnormal in 24 cases,18 cases with stenosis,occlusion in 5 cas- es,abnormal bending in 1 case.Right vertebral artery was abnormal in 16 cases,13 cases with stenosis,occlusion in 3 cases.Bilateral vertebral artery stenosis was found in 2 cases;vertebral artery stenosis was in 3 patients.Conclusion Vertebral-basilar insufficiency may cause eye-related symptoms,therefore,vision acuity decrease,fundus 'arteriosclerosis,diplopia and nystagmus symptoms are more likely for patients with vertebral-patients with basilar artery insufficiency performance of the eye.(Ophthalmol CHN,2002,16:406-410)

Objective To investigate the relationship between the white matter fiber connectivity of the anterior commissure (AC) and schizophrenia, and to explore the role of AC connectivity in cognitive functions in first-episode schizophrenia. Methods Twenty-four patients with first-episode schizophrenia and 29 healthy controls underwent diffu-sion tensor imaging (DTI) to measure fractional anisotropy (FA). Fiber tracking was then used to reconstruct the white matter fiber connectivity of AC to examine the white matter integrity. We also analyzed the relationship between AC integ-rity and cognitive function. Results Compared to healthy controls, patients with first-episode schizophrenia had a signifi-cant reduction in mean FA of AC tracts [(0.48±0.07) vs. (0.54±0.05),P=0.002],longer completion time in trail making test(TMT)[TMT_A: (55.19 ± 19.15) vs. (36.61 ± 11.72), P<0.001;TMT_B: (88.84 ± 38.92) vs. (53.75 ± 23.41), P<0.001] and worse performance in logical memory test [immediate logical memory score:(6.12±3.85) vs. (11.69±3.68), P<0.001;delay logical memory score:(3.33±3.16) vs. (9.83±4.15), P<0.001]. In addition, there was negatively correlation of mean FA of AC tracts with TMT_A completion time (r=-0.458, P=0.037) or TMT_B completion time (r=-0.541, P=0.011) in patients with schizophrenia, but not in controls. Conclusion This study supports the disconnection hypothesis of schizo-phrenia. The deficit of AC microstructure integrity may be partly responsible for impaired executive functions in schizo-phrenia, suggesting that the integrity of white matter fiber is an important endophenotype of schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVETo report the mid- to long-term outcome of artery bypass in chronic ischemia of lower extremities.

METHODSThe clinical data of 212 patients treated with bypass operation from January 2002 to April 2007 were retrospectively reviewed. Femoropopliteal artery bypass to above-knee popliteal (FP-ak) was carried out in 111 cases, femoropopliteal artery bypass to below-knee popliteal (FP-bk) in 59 cases, aortoiliac bypass in 25 cases and femorofemoral bypass in 17 cases.

RESULTSOne hundred and eighty-six patients (87.7%) were followed up for 6 to 68 months (median, 18 months). One-year primary patency rate of FP-ak and FP-bk was 69.7% and 53.5%, respectively. After graft revision, 1-year secondary patency rate of FP-ak and FP-bk were 81.6% and 60.5%, respectively. The 3-year patency with FP-ak (56.3%) was significantly higher than that in FP-bk (23.8%) (P < 0.05). Fifty-two cases were reoperated on during the follow-up period. Crural or femoral amputation could not avoid in 23 cases (limb salvage rate 89.2%). Ten cases died in 1 to 30 days after the operation, 20 cases died later during followup, and most of them died of cardio-cerebrovascular diseases. Artificial vessel infection occurred in 6 cases.

CONCLUSIONSThe selection of surgical treatment for chronic ischemia of lower extremities should based on the ischemic state of the limb. The mid- to long-term patency rate of FP-ak is higher than that of FP-bk.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Arterial Occlusive Diseases ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; blood supply ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Vascular Surgical Procedures ; methods

This study was purposed to detect the expression of transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) and its receptors (TGF-βR) and to investigate their roles in pathogenesis of immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). The expressions of TGF-β1 and their receptors TGF-βRI, TGF-βRII and TGF-βRIII in the peripheral blood of patients with ITP and healthy persons were detected by the real-time PCR, and differences of their expression levels were analysed. The results showed that the expression of TGF-β1 and TGF-βRII mRNA in ITP patients was significantly higher than that in the healthy controls, while the TGF-βRI mRNA expression in ITP patient was significantly lower than that in the controls. The expression of TGF-βRIII was not statistically different between the two groups. It is concluded that TGF-β1 and its receptors including TGF-βRI and TGF-βRII express abnormally in the peripheral blood of ITP patients, which suggests that the TGF-β signaling pathway probably play a vital role in the pathogenesis of the ITP.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases ; metabolism ; Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic ; metabolism ; pathology ; Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta ; metabolism ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; metabolism ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVEThis experiment is to test the survival enhance effect of leptin in grainy fat transplantation.

METHODSThe 0.6 g grainy fat was obtained from the Wistar mouse subcutaneous tissue in the abdomen. It was then mixed with 0.9% NS and 20 ng/ml leptin and transplanted in the head subcutaneously. The transplanted tissue was taken out after 10, 20 and 40 days. After being weighed, the tissue was dyed with HE staining and VEGF staining. The data was analyzed with SPSS software.

RESULTSThe fibrous membrane around the tissue in leptin group was thin and there was less fat cell necrosis, compared with the control group. The remained-weight rate was 108.3%, 83.3% and 66.3% in 10, 20 and 40 days after the surgery. The differences were statistic significant between the leptin groups and the control (P < 0.05). The examinations of the HE and VEGF stain showed that there was the rich vascularization in leptin treated tissue.

CONCLUSIONLeptin could enhance the survival of the transplanted grainy fat due to its angiogenesis effect.

Adipose Tissue ; transplantation ; Animals ; Female ; Humans ; Leptin ; pharmacology ; Male ; Models, Animal ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Survival Analysis ; Time Factors ; Transplantation, Homologous ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism