Objective To explore the feasibility of in-flow inversion recovery (IFIR)sequence of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)at 1.5T in diagnosis of Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS).Methods A total of 45 patients with Budd-Chiari syndrome diagnosed by surgery or interventional surgery in our institution were enrolled.The prerequisite of the study was that all medical imaging data including MRI and digital subtraction angiography (DSA)should be integrated.Then,the diagnostic accuracy rates between IFIR sequence and DSA were analyzed and compared.Results Of all 45 patients with BCS,40 (88.9%)were diagnosed accurately by IF-IR sequence,including typeⅠa in 10,typeⅠb in 14,typeⅡ in 10 and type Ⅲ in 6.Meanwhile,41 (91.1%)were diagnosed accu-rately by DSA,including typeⅠa in 8,typeⅠb in 14,typeⅡ in 13 and type Ⅲ in 6.No significant difference was showed in diag-nostic accuracy between two imaging methods (P >0.05).Spearman rank correlation analysis revealed that the diagnostic accuracy of IFIR sequence was highly consistent with that of DSA(r =0.853,P <0.001 ).However,there existed significant difference be-tween two methods in accurate diagnosis of typeⅠa and typeⅡ BCS (P <0.05).Conclusion MRI IFIR sequence at 1.5T is highly consistent with DSA in diagnosis and classification of BCS,which can be used as a reliable method of preoperative screening for BCS diagnosis.

Objective To determine the expression of membrane-bound B lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS) protein and its mRNA in vitro of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from individuals with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE),and to investigate the role of interferon-?(IFN-?) on the expression of BLyS.Methods PBMCs were obtained from 25 SLE patients (mean age of 31+14) and 20 healthy volunteers (mean age of 28?10).They were randomized into IFN-?(5 ng/ml) group and control group.PBMCs were col- lected at 0,6,12 and 24 h for BLyS mRNA assessment using semi-quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR).PBMCs were also collected at 72 h for membrane-bound BLyS protein detection using flow cy- tometry (FACS) and direct immunofluorescence.Results①The expression of BLyS mRNA and membrane- bound protein in PBMCs was significantly higher in individuals with SLE compared with healthy controls (P＜0.05);②IFN-?enhanced BLyS mRNA expression in PBMCs in both healthy controls and SLE patients,with the greatest effect at 6 h (stimulated vs unstimulated,0.42?0.19 vs 0.25?0.14,P＜0.01;0.59?0.28 vs 0.44?0.21,P＜0.01 );③IFN-?also increased the expression of membrane-bound BLyS protein in both healthy con- trols and individuals with SLE (FACs,mean fluorescence intensity,4.5+3.0 vs 3.7~2.6,P

Objective To determine the epidemic characteristics of cholera in Chongming Island from 1962 to 2018 and provide evidence for administrative intervention. Methods Data of cholera reports were collected in Chongming Island from 1962 to 2018 and epidemiological characteristics were described. Results From 1962 to 2018, cholera cases were reported in 35 years in Chongming Island.A total of 1 812 cases of cholera were documented with average annual incidence being 5.12/100 000.In addition, there were 545 carriers identified with average annual proportion being 1.54/100 000.The dominant strain was Ogawa 1b in 1962-1978, 1984-1987 and 1994-1999, Inaba 1d in 1979-1983 and 1988-1993, and O139 in 2000-2018.The majority of the cases were young adults and occurred from May to October. Conclusion It would facilitate the prevention and control of cholera to improve cross-regional and cross-departmental cooperation, supervise foreign aquatic products, regulate catering services in rural areas, strengthen the monitoring of diarrheal diseases, and implement early detection of imported cases and tracking of carriers.

Genotoxicity research takes an important place in traditional Chinese medicine safety evaluation. Genotoxicity test on traditional Chinese medicine has been paid great attention since 1970s. Currently, the most developed genotoxicity test methods included: bacterial reverse mutation test and mouse lymphoma assay which are used to detect relevant genetic changes, micronucleus test and chromosomal analysis which are used to measure chromosomal aberration, and single cell electrophoresis assay which is used to test DNA damage. This article reviews research progress on genotoxicity of traditional Chinese medicine, evaluation methods of genotoxicity, the problems and solutions on genotoxicity evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine, and new technique used in genotoxicity test.
Animals ; Biomedical Research ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; adverse effects ; Mutagenicity Tests ; methods

Drug allergy and pseudoallergic reactions are main adverse drug reactions. Allergy is mainly induced by the immunogenicity of drug, drug metabolic products or drug additive. Pseudoallergic reactions may result from the irritation or activation of inflammatory material release. Pre-clinical evaluation of drug allergy and pseudoallergic reactions is included in immunotoxicity evaluation. Now there is no in vivo or in vitro method that could predict all kinds of allergy or pseudoallergic reactions due to the different mechanisms. In the past few years, FDA, SFDA OECD, ICH and WHO have published several guidelines on per-clinical immunotoxicity evaluation, however, no agreement has been reached on allergy and pseudoallergic reactions evaluation. This article reviews the requirements of allergy and pseudoallergic reactions in pre-clinical evaluation.
Drug Hypersensitivity ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Immune System ; drug effects ; Practice Guidelines as Topic

BACKGROUNDMuscles present different responses to muscle relaxants, a mechanism of importance in surgeries requiring facial nerve evoked electromyography under general anaesthesia. The non-depolarizing muscle relaxants have multiple reaction formats in the neuromuscular junction, in which pre-synaptic quantal release of acetylcholine was one of the important mechanisms. This study was to compare the pre-synaptic quantal release of acetylcholine from the neuromuscular junctions innervated by normal/damaged facial nerves and somatic nerve under the effect of rocuronium in rats in vitro.

METHODSAcute right-sided facial nerve injury was induced by nerve crush axotomies. Both sided facial nerve connected orbicularis oris strips and tibial nerve connected gastrocnemius strips were isolated to measure endplate potentials (EPP) and miniature endplate potentials (MEPP) using an intracellular microelectrode gauge under different rocuronium concentrations. Then, the pre-synaptic quantal releases of acetylcholine were calculated by the ratios of the EPPs and the MEPPs, and compared among the damaged or normal facial nerve innervated orbicularis oris and tibial nerve innervated gastrocnemius.

RESULTSThe EPP/MEPP ratios of the three neuromuscular junctions decreased in a dose dependent manner with the increase of the rocuronium concentration. With the concentrations of rocuronium being 5 µg/ml, 7.5 µg/ml and 10 µg/ml, the decrease of the EPP/MEPP ratio in the damaged facial nerve group was greater than that in the normal facial nerve group. The decrease in the somatic nerve group was the biggest, with significant differences.

CONCLUSIONSRocuronium presented different levels of inhibition on the pre-synaptic quantal release of acetylcholine in the three groups of neuromuscular junctions. The levels of the inhibition showed the following sequence: somatic nerve > damaged facial nerve > normal facial nerve. The difference may be one of the reasons causing the different sensitivities to rocuronium among the muscles innervated by the normal/injured facial nerves and the somatic nerve. The results may provide some information for the proper usage of muscle relaxants in surgeries requiring electromyographic monitoring for the pre-surgically impaired facial nerves.

Acetylcholine ; metabolism ; Androstanols ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Facial Nerve ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Neuromuscular Junction ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

To study the variation of six ester-type alkaloids and characteristic fingerprints in the process from Radix Aconite Lateralis to Heishunpian and lay a foundation for the study of the processing principle of Heishunpian, HPLC. analysis was performed on a Phenomenex Gemini C18 (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) with acetonitrile and 40 mmol x L(-1) ammonium acetate (adjusted to pH 10 with concentrated ammonia water) as mobile phase. The detection wavelength was set at 235 nm. The flow rate was set at 0.8 mL x min(-1) and the injection volume was 10-20 microL. Six ester-type alkaloids were determined and characteristic fingerprints of the process were established. As the process continues, the contents of diester diterpene alkaloids were decreased step by step, while the contents varia tion of monoester diterpene alkaloids were not obvious. Each sample showed significant difference in characteristic fingerprints. With the exception of 6 known monoester diterpene alkaloids and diester diterpene alkaloids, 13 peaks were marked in the characteristic fingerprints, of which the total change rule of the other 7 unknown peaks were similar with 3 diester diterpene alkaloids. The established method is accurate, reliable and repeatable, and can provide reference for revealing change rule of index components and illuminating processing principle in the process of Heishunpian.
Aconitine ; chemistry ; Aconitum ; chemistry ; Alkaloids ; chemistry ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Esters ; chemistry ; Molecular Structure

OBJECTIVETo investigate prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and risk factors for its transmission among injection drug users (IDUs) in Liangshan Yizu Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan Province, China.

METHODSA community-based survey was conducted to investigate demographic characteristics, pattern and frequency of sharing injection equipment, and sexual behaviors in IDUs. Blood samples were also collected from them to detect for antibodies against HIV and syphilis.

RESULTSA total of 379 subjects were recruited with informed consent for study through community outreach and peer recruiting methods. Their prevalence of HIV infection was 11.3% (43/379). Ethnicity, frequency of sharing syringes and cotton swab during the past three months and syphilis infection associated with HIV infection by univariate analysis using chi-square test. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed odds ratio of frequency of sharing syringes for HIV infection during the past three months was 2.28 (95% CI 1.18 - 4.43), and that for syphilis infection 3.10 (95% CI 1.48 - 6.48).

CONCLUSIONFrequency of sharing syringes during the past three months associated with syphilis and HIV infection.

Adolescent ; Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Disease Transmission, Infectious ; Female ; HIV Infections ; epidemiology ; transmission ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Needle Sharing ; adverse effects ; Prevalence ; Sexual Behavior ; Substance Abuse, Intravenous ; virology

Toxoplasma gondii is a worldwide distribution of Apicom-plexans,which are widely parasitic in human and warm-blooded animals.Due to the factors such as host and geographical distribution,the population structure has rich genetic diversity.At present,the study of the genotype of Toxoplasma gondii and summary papers are relatively few.This paper reviews the biological information that has been reported in the world regarding the toxoplasmosis of birds such as domesticated chickens,ornamental birds,pet birds and wild rare birds,and to provide basis for further research on biological information such as epidemiology of bird toxoplasmosis and population structure of insects.