Objective To evaluate the clinical value of electron beam computed tomography (EBCT)in the diagnosis of atherosclerotic aortic ulcer.Methods Sixty-eight consecutive patients(55 men and 13 women,aged 40—85 years,mean 65.12?9.55 years)with atherosclerotic aortic ulcer,who underwent EBCT scans from December 2001 to December 2004,were studied retrospectively.Contrast- enhanced continuous volume scanning(CVS)was performed by Imatron C-150XP EBCT scanner with 6 mm or 3 mm slice thickness and 100 milliseconds acquisition time.The scan was started 18—30 s after the injection of 80—100 ml contrast medium at the rate of 3.5—4.5 ml/s.Results In sixty-eight patients with atherosclerotie aortic ulcer,50 patients had acute aortic syndromes,36 had intramural hematomas,15 had atherosclerotic aortic aneurysms,3 had aortic dissections.46 patients with progresive ulcer usually had acute aortic syndrome while 22 patients with stable ulcer didn't(P

Objective To investigate the expression of sodium iodide symporter (NIS ) mRNA in differentiated thyroid Carcinoma (DTC)and further explore its value in clinical diagnosis and therapy of DTC. Methods The expression of NIS mRNA was detected and analyzed in 21 nodular goiter and 45 cases of DTC (including 35 cases of papillary thyroid carcinoma and 10 cases of follicular thyroid carcinoma)by using real-time fluorescent quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (real-time RT-PCR).Results Compared with that in nodular goiter,the mRNA expression of NIS in DTC tissue was significantly decreased (P < 0.05 ). Moreover,the mRNA expression of NIS was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis and AJCC stage, respectively.The expression of NIS mRNA in DTC with lymph node metastasis was significantly decreased compared with that in DTC without lymph node metastasis (P <0.05).In addition,the expression of NIS mRNA in Ⅱ-Ⅳstage DTC was significantly decreased compared with that in Ⅰ - Ⅱ stage DTC (P < 0.05 ).Conclusion Differential expression of NIS can provide evidence for individual 1 3 1 I therapy for DTC.

AIM: To investigate the expression of stem cell factor (SCF) in tryptase -positive mast cells ( MCs) in different types of human periapical diseases for determining the role of SCF and MCs in the pathogenesis of peria-pical diseases.METHODS: A total 50 cases of specimens were involved in this study, including healthy control (n=20), periapical cyst (n=15) and periapical granuloma (n=15).The tissue material was fixed in 10%formalin for at least 48 h, stained with hematoxylin and eosin for the observation of histopathology, stained with immunohistochemistry for identifying MCs and MCs degranulation, and stained with double immunofluorescence for identification of tryptase-SCF double positive MCs.RESULTS:Compared with healthy control, significantly higher densities of both total and degranu-lated MCs in human periapical lesions were observed.The densities of both total and degranulated MCs in the periapical cyst were significantly higher than that in the periapical granuloma.The density of tryptase-SCF double positive MCs in the periapical lesions was significantly higher than that in the healthy controls.The density oftryptase-SCF double positive MCs in the periapical cyst was significantly higher than that in periapical granuloma.No significant difference in the density of MCs between immunohistochemistry staining and double immunofluorescence staining was observed.CONCLUSION:The tryptase-SCF double positive MCs play an active role in the pathogenesis of the periapical inflammatory lesions, particularly in the formation of fibrous tissue in periapical cyst.The potential role of the tryptase-SCF double positive MCs relates with the initiation, development, and persistence of the periapical inflammatory process.

Objective To investigate the pregnancy opportunity and outcome of patients with sysmetic lupus erythematosus (SLE).Methods We carried out a retrospective analysis of the clinical information of patients who suffered from SLE complicated with pregnancy and were hospitalized to People's Hospital of Peking University from December of 1992 to February of 2012.Chi-square test were used for statistical analysis.Results Forty-nine cases of patients with SLE complicated with pregnancy had 52 pregnancies in total.In 27 cases of planned pregnancies,24 cases(89％ )resulted in live births and 5 cases( 18％ ) had flares during pregnancy.Of the 24 live births,3 cases( 12％)were premature deliveries and 4 cases(17％) had low birth weight infants.In 25 cases of unplanned pregnancies,12 cases (48％) resulted in live births and 20 cases (80％) had flares during pregnancy.Of the 12 live births,6 cases(50％ ) were premature deliveries and 6 cases (50％) were low birth weight infants.The patients in the planned pregnancy group tended to have flares during pregnancy more frequently than those in the unplanned group (P＜0.01),the former were more likely to have live births than the latter (P＜0.01) and were less likely to have premature delivery (P＜0.05).Conclusion Patients with SLE should have planned pregnancy and need collaborative supervision of both rheumatology and immunology department and obstetric department to improve live birth rate,decrease premature delivery and the activity of SLE during pregnancy.

Objective One typical case with stress cardiomyopathy was reported and the current knowledge of the syndrome was reviewed to improve relevant knowledge.Methods A 71-year-old female patient presented dyspnea and chest pain due to emotional stress.ECG,echocardiography,selective coronary artery angiography,left ventriculography,~(99)Tc~m-MIBI single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT),~(18)F-FDG SPECT and MRI were performed.Results Electrocardiogram at admission showed ST segment elevation and T wave inversion in leads V1—V4.Pathological Q wave occurred 1 week later,it disappeared 1 month later however and severe T wave inversion occurred.Normal or slightly elevated cardiac enzymes in the blood were found during the course.Left ventriculogram at admission showed left ventricular apical ballooning with LVEF of 30%.The ballooning volume was about 3/4 of left ventricular volume, without any corresponding coronary artery diseases found in coronary angiogram.The abnormal apical ballooning decreased significantly in the follow-up left ventriculogram performed one month later.The LVEF rose up to 63.6%.~(99)Tc~m-MIBI and ~(18)F-FDG SPECT showed mismatch of perfusion and metabolism in the corresponding region,indicating presence of viable myocardium.MRI showed left ventricular apical ballooning without perfusion defect and late enhancement,indicating viability of corresponding myocardium. Conclusions Emotional stress can cause transient left ventricular apical ballooning called"stress cardiomyopathy".Either ~(99)Tc~m-MIBI SPECT associated with ~(18)F-FDG SPECT or delayed enhancement MRI plays an important role in identification of myocardial viability,which can efficiently guide clinical treatment.

OBJECTIVETo explore effective therapeutic methods for sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL).

METHODSThirty-four cases of mild and moderate SNHL who were definitely diagnosed with pure tone test and by otologists, including 24 cases of insufficiency of the liver and kidney, 10 cases of excess of liver-fire. They were treated with acupuncture at main points, Ermen (TE 21) or Tinggong (SI 19) or Tinghui (GB 2), and Yifeng (TE 17), Shenting (GV 24), Baihui (GB 20), Houding (GV19), Touwei (ST 9), Conger 1-3, Congnao 1-2; and adjuvant acupoints: Huangshu (KI 16), Qihai (CV 6), Guanyuan (CV 4), Taixi (KI 3) were added for insufficiency of the liver and kidney; Zhongwan (CV 12), Tianshu (ST 25), Yanglingquan (GB 34) and Taichong (LR 3) were added for excess of liver-fire. Sequential multipoint pulse stimulation was adopted, twice each week, for 20 consecutive weeks (40 sessions) and then pure tone test was carried out repeatedly.

RESULTSOf 34 cases (58 affected ears), 13 cases were cured and 21 improved, and the various linguistic frequency hearing threshold pure hearing values before and after treatment increased significantly (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture and continuous multipoint pulse stimulation has definite therapeutic effect on linguistic frequency hearing loss in the patient of SNHL.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; therapy ; Humans ; Linguistics

Using high pressure homogenization method combined with spray-drying, budesonide-loaded chitosan microparticles were prepared and the in vitro release profile was investigated. The microparticles were then blended with lactose using a vortex mixer, influence of mixing speed, mixing time on drug recovery rate and content homogeneity were investigated. Meanwhile, influence of lactose content on drug recovery rate, content homogeneity, powder flowability and in vitro deposition were studied. It turned out that budesonide was released from the microparicles in a sustained manner, with fine particle fraction as high as 46.0%, but the powder flowability was poor. After blending with 10 times of lactose, the drug recovery rate was 96.5%, with relative standard deviation of drug content 2.5%, and fine particle fraction of the formulation increased to 59.6% with good flowability. It's demonstrated that using a vortex mixer, budesonide sustained-release dry powder for inhalation with good recovery and content homogeneity could be prepared, the formulation had good flowability and was suitable for pulmonary inhaling.
Administration, Inhalation ; Budesonide ; chemistry ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; Chitosan ; Delayed-Action Preparations ; chemistry ; Drug Carriers ; Lactose ; chemistry ; Particle Size ; Powders

Pericellular matrix (PCM) is a narrow tissue region surrounding chondrocytes, which "chondron" with its enclosed cells. A number of studies suggested that PCM is rich in proteoglycans, collagen and fibronectin, and plays an important role in regulating microenvironment of chondrocytes. Direct measures of PCM properties through micropipette aspiration technique showed that PCM was different from mechanical property of chondrocytes and nature extracellular matrix. However, the function of PCM is not clear, and need further study.
Animals ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Chondrocytes ; chemistry ; cytology ; metabolism ; Extracellular Matrix ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Humans

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes in the levels of monocarboxylate transporter-2 in spinal cord horn in a rat model of chronic inflammatory pain.

METHODSMale SD rats weighting 180 - 220 g were randomly divided into two groups(n = 48): normal saline group (NS group), complete Freund's adjuvant group (CFA group). Rats were given injections of CFA 100 µl in left hind paw in group CFA, and an equal volume of saline was given injection in group NS. Mechanical withdraw threshold(MWT) and thermal withdraw latency(TWL) were measured at before injection(T0 and 3 h, 1 d, 3 d, 7 d, 14 d, and 21 d after injection(T1-7). Four rats were chosen from each group at T0-7 and sacrificed, and L4-5 segments of the spinal cord horn were removed for measurement of the expression of monocarboxylate transporter-2 by Western blot analysis.

RESULTSIn CFA group, mechanical hyperalgesia and allodynia appeared on the 3 h after CFA injection, then until the day 14. The expression of monocarboxylate transporter-2 in the spinal dorsal horn of rats in CFA group was significantly higher than that in normal control group at T1-6(P <0.05). The protein level of monocarboxylate transporter-2 was apparently correlated with MWT and TWL(P <0.01 and P <0.05) in CFA group.

CONCLUSIONThe level of monocarboxylate transporter-2 in spinal dorsal horn is significantly increased in a rat model of chronic inflammatory pain and the change may involve in the formation and maintenance of central sensitization in spinal cord of chronic inflammatory uain.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Freund's Adjuvant ; Hyperalgesia ; chemically induced ; Inflammation ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; Male ; Monocarboxylic Acid Transporters ; metabolism ; Pain ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spinal Cord ; metabolism ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo investigate diagnosis and therapeutic effects of knee joint synovial chondromatosis with arthroscopic.

METHODSFrom March 1995 to July 2011, 28 patients with knee joint synovial chondromatosis were treated. Among them, 18 males and 10 females ranging age from 25 to 81 (mean 55.2) years,the course of disease ranged from 0.5 to 15 (mean 5.6) years. Clinical manifestation mainly included pain, swell and functional limitation of knee joint. Knee open surgery (17 cases) and laparoscopic surgery (10 cases) were respectively used. Clinical symptom,image data,pathological manifestation and effects under arthroscopy were observed, Lysholm scoring was used to evaluate effects.

RESULTSAll patients were followed up except one lost, the duration ranging from 6 to 24 months. Lysholm score in knee open surgery was increased from (41.89 +/- 6.81) preoperatively to (67.73 +/- 7.62) postoperatively;while in laparoscopic surgery it was increased from (40.78 +/- 7.54) preoperatively to (77.46 +/- 8.43) postoperatively.

CONCLUSIONArthroscopic surgery, which has no risk of rupture of incision, nonunion, earlier to exercise, is a good method to diagnosis and treat knee joint synovial chondromatosis.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Chondromatosis, Synovial ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Knee Joint ; surgery ; Laparoscopy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome