Objective To evaluate the value of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy(~1H-MRS))and diffusion tensor imaging(DTI)in minimal hepatic encephalopathy(MHE).Methods Twenty-nine with cirrhosis(15 cases with MHE diagnosed according to number-connection test A and digital symbol test and 14 age-matched controls underwent ~1H-MRS and DTI examinations.~1H-MRS of left basal ganglia were acquired using STEAM sequences.Peak area of each metabolite,including NAA,Cr,Cho,mIns and Glx and their ratios to Cr were measured,respectively.Fractional anisotropy(FA),mean diffusivity(MD)were calculated in deep gray matter nuclei and mainly white matter regions in both cerebral hemispheres.The MD and FA values from different regions in different groups were compared.Results NAA/Cr and Glx/Cr levels showed no significant difference among the groups(P＞0.05).Ratios of mIns/Cr and Cho/Cr showed no differences in MHE group compared to controls(P＞0.05),whereas were significantly different in MHE and cirrhosis without MHE(P＜0.05).The MD values from different regions had a significant difference among various groups(P＜0.05),and there were no significant changes in FA among the groups(P＞0.05).Significantly increased MD was found in five regions of brain in MHE and only caudate nuclei in cirrhosis without MHE compared to controls.Conclusion Patients with MHE have abnormal metabolite changes in basal ganglia;the increase in MD with no concomitant changes in FA in cirrhosis with MHE that indicates the presence of reversible interstitial brain edema.MRS and DTI may be sensitive tests for detecting MHE.

Objective To analyse the treatment,clinical features and prognosis of chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis combined with thyroid cancer.Methods Retrospectively analysed 40 cases with chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis combined with thyroid cancer,admitted to the Department of General Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University from November 2002 to April 2011.All the 40 patients were female.Results Ultrasound diagnosis or suspected diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis was made in 2 patients.Eleven patients underwent CT examination,and 2 patients were found with thyroid adenoma,1 patient found with thyroid cancer and lymph node metastasis,3 patients with chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis.Forty patients underwent surgical treatment,pathological results of 39 patients showed chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis with thyroid papillary carcinoma,1 patient was medullary thyroid carcinoma combined with chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis.Forty patients were administrated levothyroxine tablets.Thirty-six patients were followed up,4 patients were lost,1 relapsed,the others were in stable condition.Conclusions Preoperative diagnosis is difficult for chronic lymphocytic thyoiditis combined with thyroid cancer,which needs through the thyroid antibody tests,imaging examinations and intraoperative,postoperative pathologic examination and other means of comprehensive application.The method of definitive diagnosis for CLT combined with TC is intraoperative,postoperative pathologic diagnosis.The main pathological type is papillary thyroid carcinoma,which small papillary carcinoma occupies a large proportion.Surgery is the main treatment for CLT combined with TC.

Objective:To examine whether the thyroxine treatment can affect the serum lipid levels in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism by Meta analysis.Methods:Pubmed and China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI)were searched for randomized controlled trials reporting the effectiveness of thyroxine treatment on serum lipid levels in subclinical hypothyroidism patients from January 1980 to September 2006;hand-search was also performed.The included trails were analyzed by RevMan4.2 software.Results:Six studies were finally included and five of them found thyroxine to be significantly more effective than placebo in improving the serum lipid disorders;one of them found thyroxine had no obvious effect.The pooled effect sizes(95%CI)of total cholesterol(TC),triglyceride(TG),low density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C),high density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C),apoprotein A(ApoA),apoprotein B(ApoB)and lipoprotein a(Lp(a))were -0.39(-0.71, -0.07),-0.02(-0.07,0.04),-0.02(-0.06,0.03),-0.22(-0.31,-0.12),-0.08(-0.11,-0.06),-0.05(-0.08, -0.02),and -0.38(-2.41,1.64),respectively.The analysis results showed that thyroxine treatment was significantly effective on serum levels of TC,LDL-C,ApoA,and ApoB,but not on TG,HDL-C,or Lp(a).Conclusion:This Meta-analysis demonstrates that thyroxine treatment can improve thyroid function and lipid metabolism in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism,reducing the prevalence of artherosclerosis and coronary heart disease.

Objective To study the effect of calcium on human peritoneal mesothelial cells (HPMCs). Methods Proliferation abilities of HPMCs were assessed by tetrazolium salt colorimetry assay (MTT assay) and the levels of LDH in the supernatant were detected in all groups to evaluate the damage of HPMCs. The expression of TNF-α in cytoplasm was detected by immunohistochemistry. Results Calcium enhanced proliferation of HPMCs in a time-dependent manor(P＜0.01), especially calcium with 1.25 mmol/L(0.5098±0.016,0.6763±0.048) and 1.0 mmol/L(0.4853±0.016,0.6678±0.076). Calcium with different concentrations significantly increased the levels of LDH in HPMCs in a time-dependent manor, while the effect of calcium with 1.25 mmol/L was lowest(17.78±1.18,23.60±1.39,P＜0.01). Calcium with 2.0 mmol/L[(42.61±3.29)%] and 1.75 mmol/L[(33.32±1.88)%] significantly up-regulated the expression of TNF-α(P＜0.01) . Conclusions High calcium damaged HPMCs and up-regulated the expression of TNF-αby HPMCs, while physical calcium (1.25 mmol/L)can protect peritoneum and prevent peritoneal fibrosis.

Child, Preschool ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype ; Influenza, Human ; virology ; Male

Aged ; Antitubercular Agents ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Middle Lobe Syndrome ; etiology ; therapy ; Silicosis ; complications ; Treatment Outcome ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary ; complications ; therapy

Objective To study pathogenesis role of CD28:CTLA4/B7 costimulatory molecules in experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis(EAMG). Methods Female lewis rats were divided into EAMG group and control group. The rats were immunized thrice with R?97-116 peptide in EAMG group, or only with phosphate buffer saline(PBS) in control group. 5 d after the third immunization, the expressions of CD28,CTLA4,B7-1, B7-2 on the surface of peripheral blood cells, lymphocytes and monocytes were exaimed by flow cytometry. Results In EAMG group,the achievement ratio of EAMG model was 75%; the expressions of CD28,CTLA4,B7-1, B7-2 on the surface of peripheral blood cells were significantly increased than those in control group (P

0 05〕 but were significant difference in responsive congestion of the brachial artery between before and after treatment 〔(4 32?0 71)% vs (9 38?4 1)%, P

OBJECTIVE:To establish a method for the determination of4major caffeine metabolites and to discuss the significance of which in the evaluation of the activity of drug-metabolizing enzyme CYP1A2.METHODS:The caffeine metabolites in the urine like5-acetylamino-6-formamido-3-methyluric acid(AFMU),1-methyluric acid(1U),1-methylxanthine(1X)and1,7-dimethyluricacid(17U)were determined by RP-HPLC gradient elution method,the ratios of metabolins(AFMU+1X+1U)/17U was calculated,the frequency distribution histogram was drawn and the activity of CYP1A2was evaluated.RESULTS:The mean value of the ratio of the metabolins in the subjects was4.27,which was in normal distribution.CONCLUSION:The method is simple,accurate and rapid,which is suitable for the determination of caffeine metabolites in urine and the study of the activities of CYP1A2.

Objective To explore the inhibitory effect of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) on cardiomyocyte apoptosis and the underlying mechanism.Methods In cultured rat cardiomyocytes,apoptosis was induced by the incubation of isoprenaline ( 10ˉ5 mol/L) for 48 h.CGRP ( 10ˉ8 or 10ˉ7 mol/L) was administrated for 1 h before incubating isoprenaline to evaluate its effect on cardiomyocyte apoptosis.At the end of the drug treatment,the rate of apoptotic cells and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) were determined,and RNA was extracted to examine the expression of microRNA-1 and microRNA-133a.Results Isoprenaline significantly increased the rate of apoptotic cells and intracellular ROS production concomitantly with the increased microRNA-1 expression and the decreased microRNA-133a expression,which were inhibited by pretreatment with CGRP.The effects of CGRP were reversed by CGRP receptor antagonist.Conclusion CGRP can inhibit the isoprenaline-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis.The beneficial effect of CGRP is related to regulating microRNA-1 and microRNA-133a expression through the prevention of isoprenaline-induced ROS production.