Early diagnosis of esophageal cancer is essential for improving both the effectiveness of esophageal cancer treatment and the prognosis of patients.As a new technology for esophageal cancer early diagnosis,narrow-band imaging (NBI) enables surgeon to clearly observe the mucosa and submucosal blood vessels changes in early esophageal cancer.It has initially shown excellent application value in the early diagnosis.In particular it has obvious advantages to the ordinary white light endoscopy which is currently used in esophageal cancer early diagnosis.If combined with Lugol iodine staining,magnifying endoscopy and other diagnostic methods in clinical,NBI will have a better value in early diagnosis of esophageal.

Objective To analyze clinical features and sum up experience for the treatment of ischemic bowel disease. Methods Clinical data of 73 patients with the diagnosis of ischemic bowel disease were retrospectively analyzed. ResultsTwenty-eight patients were male and 45 patients were female. The median of age was 65 years (range of 38 to 89 years). Forty-eight patients were associated with hypertension, 23%(17/73) patients had a history of coronary disease and 15% (11/73) had diabetes. Seventy patients presented symptom of abdominal pain and 93% (68/73) had hematochezia. Symptoms relieved by conservative treatment in 96% (63/66) patients. Nine patients underwent a surgery. One patient died of sepsis postoperatively. One suffered from colostomy necrosis and leakage of the rectum segment. Conclusion 1. Elder patients presenting symptoms of abdominal pain and hematochezia, especially with a history of cardio-cerebrovascular disease and diabetes should be considered for the possibility of ischemic bowel disease. 2. Most patients with ischemic bowel disease could be successfully treated by conservative therapy. 3. Surgery for patients with chronic relapsing and nonresponsible symptoms was difficult and patients often suffer from high postoperative complications.

Objective To explore the function of p53 on regulating the expression of miR-148b in lung cancer cell line PC-9 and its corresponding molecular mechanism and the impact on cell proliferation. Methods Transient transfection of p53 eukaryotic expressing plasmids into lung cancer cell line PC-9 was performed to establish a cell model over-expressing p53. RT-PCR was used to explicit the impact of p53 on the expression of miR-148b. A reporter vector containing miR-148b promoter was used to investigate the function of p53 on regulating the transcription of miR-148b. Low-expressing miR-148b by transfecting its specific inhibitors , a CCK-8 assay was performed to explore the influence of miR-148b on the lung cancer cell proliferation inhibited by p53. Results Over-expression of p53 promoted miR-148b expression in lung cancer cell line PC-9. P53 could increase the luciferase activity driven by miR-148b promoters. Knockdown of miR-148b attenuated the impact of p53 on inhibiting the proliferation of PC-9 cells. Conclusion P53 inhibits the proliferation of lung cancer cell line PC-9 partially depending on miR-148b.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the chemical constituents from the aerial parts of Breynia fruticosa.

METHODVarious chromatographic techniques were employed for isolation and purification of the constituents. The structures were elucidated by chemical evidence and spectral methods.

RESULTSeven compounds were obtained and identified by spectroscopic methods and compared with authentic samples as aviculin [(+)-isolariciresinol-9'-rhamno-pyranoside], friedelan-3beta-ol, friedelin, arborinone, isoarborinol, 5-hydroxy-7,8,4'-trimethoxy flavone, 2,4-dihydroxy-6-methoxy-3-methyl-acetophenone.

CONCLUSIONAll compounds were firstly isolated from B. genus, furthermore, aviculin was isolated from Euphorbiaceae for the first time.

Euphorbiaceae ; chemistry ; Glycosides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Plant Components, Aerial ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Triterpenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

Objective To explore a promising system for tumor CD 44 receptor-targeted imaging and to investigate their physic-chemical properties and targeting effect on CD 44 abundant cancer cells in vitro.Methods The superparamagnetic iron oxide ( SPIO) nanoparticles were prepared by a coprecipitation in alkaline media starting from a mixed of the ferrous and ferric solution.And then the surface of the SPIO nanoparticles were modified with APTMS by a reaction with the hydroxyl groups.Finally, the hyaluronan-modified SPIO ( SPIO-HA) nanoparticles were prepared.Control and experimental groups were established after adding SPIO or SPIO-HA as agents respectively.Transmission electron microscopy ( TEM) and particle size analyzer were used to measure these nanoparticle sizes and the hydrodynamic diameters.Thermogravimetric analysis ( TGA) was carried out to evaluate the HA-content on the surface of SPIO-HA.The MRI T2 ralaxivities (1/T2 ) of the two groups at different Fe concentrations (0.09, 0.18, 0.27, 0.36, 0.45 mmol/L ) were measured on a 3.0T MR system.HepG2 cells and HL7702 cells were used for assessment of cells viability by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium ( MTT ) assay.Prussian blue staining , immunoassay fluorescence image and flow cytometry were carried out to determine the targeted cellular uptake of SPIO-HA nanoparticles.MRI were performed to show the MR T 2 value changes after incubating with HepG2 cancer cells by using T 2 WI sequences at a clinical 3.0 T MR system.One-way analysis of variance was performed to determine significant changes in MR T 2 values of blank control , SPIO-HA and SPIO groups.Results The SPIO-HA and SPIO NPs were fairly homogeneous with an average core size of 18.2 and 22.4 nm, hydrodynamic diameter of 91.1 and 103.2 nm, Zeta potential of (-45.00 ±0.86) mV and (-18.50 ±0.73) mV, and magnetic relaxivity of 0.212 ×106 M-1 · s-1 and 0.191 ×106 M-1 · s-1.Based on the TGA data , HA accounted for 24%weight of each SPIO-HA.The internalization of the SPIO-HA was confirmed by prussian blue staining , while the cells showed no obvious blue stains with SPIO , incubation of SPIO-HA with tumor cells led to blue color inside the cells.After that, we examined cancer cell binding of FITC-SPIO-HA by immunoassay fluorescence image and flow cytometry.The green fluorescence resulting from FITC-SPIO-HA was observed inside the cells in both the cytoplasm and the plasmalemma.Tumor cells treated with SPIO-HA exhibited higher fluorescence signals with 7.97-fold enhancement observed for HepG 2 cells over control particles.In vitro MR, mean T2 values of blank control , SPIO and SPIO-HA groups were ( 115.20 ±0.36 ), ( 115.07 ±0.81 ) and ( 21.67 ±0.21 ) ms, respectively.There was significant difference among those three groups (F=31 703.339,P<0.01), MR T2 values of HepG2 cells treated with the SPIO-HA NPs were lower than blank and SPIO group.In comparison, SPIO did not generate any MRI signal changes compared with blank group.Conclusion The tumor CD44 receptor-targeted MR molecular probe SPIO-HA had a good physic-chemical property and well targeted HepG2 cells.

Objective To establish a method of quick three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of pubic symphysis based on magnetic resonance imaging. Methods The pelvis images of adult male were generated on a 3.0 T scanner using a T1 Gradient Echo FLASH-3D (T1- FL3D) sequence and imported the images into medical image control system. Segmentation of binaryzation threshold was conducted and pelvic soft tissue image was extracted by regional growth, 3D structure model of pubic symphysis was obtained by Boolean operation. The 3D structure model of pubic symphysis was established by the noise reduction of reverse engineering software. And compared with the 3D reconstruction model pubic bone CT scan. Results The morphological characters of the MRI pubic symphysis 3D model, such as the ridges and furrows on the symphysial surface, lower extremity, dorsal margin (beveling), margin (beveling) and pubic tubercle, were highly consistent with the morphological characters of the 3D model established by CT scan. Conclusion MRI scan can be used to reconstruct the 3D structure of pubic symphysis quickly and effectively, and it can provide a safe radiation-free 3D visualization imaging technique for forensic age estimation for the living.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the dynamic changes of type I collagen, and the activity of metalloproteinases-1 (MMP-1) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) after angioplasty.

METHODSThe restenotic model of iliac arteries of domestic microswine was established with hypercholesterol feed plus two angioplasties. Angioplastied vessels were harvested at the end of 1, 2, 3 and 6 months after the second angioplasty. Immunohistochemistry, transmission electronic microscopy and image quantitative analysis techniques were employed to study neointimal proliferation, the phenotype of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) and the expression of type I collagen, MMP-1 and TIMP-1.

RESULTSThe peak of vascular neointimal proliferation was at 3 months after angioplasty. The expression of type I collagen gradually increased from 1 to 6 months after angioplasty. For MMP-1, expression was lower in the early stage after angioplasty but increase to normal levels of control vessels at 6 months after angioplasty. Expression of TIMP-1 rapidly increased in the early phase after angioplasty, reached peak at 3 months and maintained the high level till 6 months after angioplasty. Meanwhile, the VSMC was predominantly the synthetic phenotype at the early stage and was transformed to the contractive phenotype at the late stage after angioplasty. The ratio of TIMP-1 and MMP-1 was positively related to the area of the neointima and the expression of type I collagen respectively (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONType I collagen increased gradually after angioplasty, which might be determined by the ratio of TIMP-1/MMP-1 and also related to the phenotype of VSMC.

Angioplasty ; Animals ; Arterial Occlusive Diseases ; metabolism ; surgery ; Collagen Type I ; metabolism ; Iliac Artery ; surgery ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 1 ; metabolism ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; cytology ; metabolism ; Swine, Miniature ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the influence of lead exposure in rats during the developmental stage on the expression of leptin in plasma, cerebrospinal fluid, and hippocampus, as well as investigating whether leptin is associated with the mechanism of cognitive impairment induced by lead exposure.

METHODSThe rat model of cognitive impairment after chronic lead exposure was established by adding lead acetate into drinking water. According to the concentration of lead acetate in drinking water, the rats were divided into control (0 ppm), low-lead (50 ppm), medium-lead (200 ppm), and high-lead groups (1 000 ppm), with 16 rats in each group. Atomic absorption spectrometry was used to measure the content of lead in the plasma, cerebrospinal fluid and hippocampus. ELISA was used to measure the level of leptin in the plasma and cerebrospinal fluid. Immunohistochemistry was used to observe the distribution of leptin protein in the hippocampus. Western blot was used for relative quantification of leptin proteins in the hippocampus.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, the lead exposure groups showed significant increases in the content of lead in blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and hippocampus (P<0.01), as well as significant reductions in the levels of leptin in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (P<0.05). The results of immunohistochemical staining showed that leptin was mainly distributed in the cytoplasm of pyramidal neurons in the hippocampal CA region. The results of Western blot showed that compared with the control group, the three lead exposure groups showed a slight increase in the protein expression of leptin in the hippocampus (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSLead exposure can reduce the levels of leptin in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid in rats, which may be associated with the mechanism of cognitive impairment induced by lead exposure.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cognition ; drug effects ; Female ; Hippocampus ; chemistry ; drug effects ; pathology ; Lead ; blood ; toxicity ; Leptin ; analysis ; blood ; cerebrospinal fluid ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of hepatic ultrasonography (US) for the diagnosis of hepatic steatosis in obese children, using ¹H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H MRS) as the reference standard.

METHODSA total of 162 obese children with age of 10.5 ± 2.2 years and BMI of 28 ± 4 were enrolled in this study. They accepted hepatic US and (1)H MRS examinations. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of US were calculated for the overall presence of hepatic steatosis by comparison with ¹H MRS results.

RESULTSUsing quantitative criteria of liver fat content (LFC) >5% determined by (1)H MRS, 95 children(58.6%)were diagnosed as having hepatic steatosis. The sensitivity and specificity of US in diagnosing steatosis were 91.6% (87/95) and 50.7% (34/67) respectively, with PPV of 72.5% (87/120), and NPV of 81.0% (34/42). Considerable overlap in LFC measured by ¹H MRS was observed between different grades from US findings: absent (LFC interquartile range: 1.3%-3.9%), mild (2.4%-10.7%), moderate (7.1%-20.2%) and severe (7.6%-28.8%) steatosis.

CONCLUSIONSThe US can yield a high sensitivity and low specificity in the diagnosis of hepatic steatosis in obese children, suggesting it can be used as a screening tool for hepatic steatosis. To improve diagnostics, ¹H MRS is needed to determine LFC.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Fatty Liver ; diagnostic imaging ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Male ; Obesity ; complications ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Ultrasonography

Objective To investigate the protective effect of dexamethasone on hearing loss induced by canalwall-down mastoidectomy.Methods A total of 76 patients (76 ears) were randomized to dexamethasone group and non dexamethasone group with 38 patients in each group.For dexamethasone group,gelfoam soaked with dexamethasone (5 mg/ml) was topically applied to the round window niche at the end of the surgery,and dexamethasone was administrated intravenously at the dosage of 5 mg/50 kg immediately after the surgery.While for non-dexamethasone group,dexamctbasone was not used.The pure-tone audiograms were performed before mastoidectomy and 90 days after the surgery.Absolute bearing change was defined as the difference in hearing thresholds in decibels before and after the surgery.Results The changes of bone conduction thresholds in dexamethasone group were 8.3± 3.9 dB at 6 kHz,11.3±5.2 dB at 8 kHz,and 10.1±7.2 dB for HPTA (4-6-8 kHz high tone average).As in non-dexamethasone group,the changes of bone conduction thresholds were 13.7±4.6 dB at 6 kHz,25.1±5.4 dB at 8 kHz,19.3±9.7 dB for HPTA.There were significant differences in the changes of bone conduction thresholds between dexamethasone and non dexamethasone groups at frequencies of 6 kHz (P=0.039),8 kHz (P=0.007) and HPTA (P=0.009).Conclusion The results demonstrated that application of dexamethasone significantly reduced sensorineural high frequencies (6 kHz and 8 kHz) hearing loss after canal-wall down mastoidectomy,thus the use of dexamethasone is recommended.