Objective To evaluate the value of dual echo technique in combination with apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC) in differentiating acute benign vertebral fracture from metastasis.Methods 43 patients (mean age, 68.2 years) with 79 metastatic vertebrae and 59 patients(mean age,60) with 68 acute vertebral fractures were included in our study.The slices of largest size of lesion on T1WI were selected to measure and calculate the signal intensity ratio(SIR) and ADC of lesions.The difference of ADC values and SIR between benign acute vertebral fractures and vertebral metastasis were compared.Parallel test,serial test and receiver operating characteristic curve(ROC) analysis of logistic model were done.Results ADC values of metastasis and acute benign fracture were (1.32±0.5)×10~（-3）mm~2/s and (2.39±0.4)×10~(-3)mm~~2/s respectively,and SIR of them were 1.00±0.01 and 0.85±0.01 respectively,there were significantly different between these two entities with the two tests(P<0.05).The area under the curve(AUC) for SIR was 0.897 and for ADC was 0.960,there is significantly different between these two tests in AUC(P=0.02).When 0.97 as cut off value for SIR,the sensitivity and specificity were 84.81% and 76.47%% respectively,when 1.87×10~(-3)mm~2/s as cutoff value for ADC , the sensitivity and specificity were 93.67% and 91.18% respectively . The sensitivity and specificity were 99.04% and 69.73% respectively in the parallel tests and 79.44%,97.92% in the serial test.A combining predictor established with logistic regression model showed a high AUC:0.985,which was higher than that of ADC and SIR alone.The AUC under ROC for ADC was significantly larger than that of SIR . When 0.55 as cut off value for this combining predictor , the sensitivity and specificity were 98.73% and 95.59% respectively.Multiple comparisons were performed with LSD-t test :combining predictor>ADC>SIR,it showed that there was significantly different between indexes(P<0.05). Conclusion ADC in combination with SIR can improve the effects in differentiating benign acute vertebral fractures and vertebral metastasis.

Objective To study the effect of annexin A1 on cardiac function,tumor necrosis factorα(TNF?α),and interleukin 1β(IL?1β)in diabetic rats. Methods Twenty?four SD rats were randomly divided into normal control and diabetic groups. The type 2 diabetes model was in?duced with a high?glucose and high?fat diet and administration of low?dose streptozotocin.Left ventricular end?diastolic volume(LVEDV),left ven?tricular end?systolic volume(LVESV),peak velocity of early diastolic mitral?to?late diastolic peak velocity(e/a)ratio,left ventricular ejection frac?tion(LVEF),and stroke volume(SV)were measured by using color Doppler ultrasonography at the end of week 8. The expression levels of TNF?αand IL?1βin blood were measured by using enzyme?linked immunosorbent assay,and the expression level of annexin A1 in blood was measured at weeks 0,4,and 8 by using real?time polymerase chain reaction. Results Compared with the normal control group,the diabetic group had de?creased LVEDV,e/a,and SV(P<0.05).The annexin A1 expression level in the diabetic group decreased significantly after 8 weeks(P<0.01). The TNF?αand IL?1βlevels in the diabetic group were significantly higher than those in the normal control group(P<0.05)and increased signifi?cantly after 8 weeks(P<0.01). Annexin A1 level correlated with the TNF?αand IL?1βlevels in the diabetic group(P<0.01). Conclusion Annexin A1 expression shows an anti?inflammatory effect that improved the cardiac function of diabetic rats.

Objective To compare the effect of levosimendan and milrinone on treatment of severe heart valve disease patients with postoperative low cardiac output syndrome. Methods Fifty-six severe heart valve disease patients with postoperative low cardiac output syndrome were selected, and the patients were divided into levosimendan group and milrinone group according to treatment method with 28 cases each. Both groups received symptom-relieved therapy, including cardiotonic, diuresis and other drugs. The patients in levosimendan group were combined with 24 h of continuous intravenous injection of levosimendan 0.05-0.20 μg/(kg·min) for 1 week, and the patients in milrinone group were combined with 24 h of continuous intravenous injection of milrinone 0.25-1.00 μg/(kg·min) for 1 week, in order to maintain mean arterial pressure ≥ 65 mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa). The cardiac output, cardiac index, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and the serum levels of lactic acid, creatinine, N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) were compared between 2 groups. Results There were no statistical differences in cardiac output, cardiac index, LVEF, and the serum levels of creatinine, lactic acid, NT-proBNP before treatment between 2 groups (P>0.05). The cardiac output, cardiac index, LVEF, and the serum levels of creatinine, lactic acid and NT-proBNP after treatment in 2 groups were significantly better than those before treatment, and there were statistical differences ( P<0.05). There were no statistical differences in cardiac output, cardiac index and LVEF after treatment between 2 groups (P>0.05). The serum levels of creatinine, lactic acid and NT-proBNP after treatment in levosimendan group were significantly lower than those in milrinone group: (102.82 ± 21.31) μmol/L vs. (115.64 ± 58.73) μmol/L, (1.7 ± 1.4) mmol/L vs. (2.2 ± 1.0) mmol/L and (1 149 ± 515) ng/L vs. (1 321 ± 472) ng/L, and there were statistical differences (P<0.05). Conclusions Both the two drugs can significantly improve cardiac function in severe heart valve diseases patients with postoperative low cardiac output syndrome, while the levosimendan has more advantages in lowering serum creatinine, lactic acid value and NT-proBNP.

Animals ; Brain ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Carbon Dioxide ; metabolism ; Chronic Disease ; Curcumin ; pharmacology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Fas Ligand Protein ; metabolism ; Hypoxia ; metabolism ; Male ; Oxygen ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; fas Receptor ; metabolism

Objective To observe the morphologic changes of peripheral blood lupus cell in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and investigate its relationship with disease activity in systemic lupus ery- thematosus.Methods Modified classical blood clotting method to observe the morphological changes of pe- ripheral blood lupus cells in 80 cases with systemic lupus erythematosus.Fifty cases were in active stage,and 30 cases were in stable stage.Comparison of serum autoantibody,complement and SLEDAI were also carried out.Results There was significant association between lupus cells in special morphous and autoantibody, such as anti-double-stranded DNA antibody,anti-nucleosome antibodies,complement C3、C4 and SLEDAI(r= 0.588,P=0.056:r=0.759,P=0.135;r=-0.648,P=0.058;r=-0.589,P=0.057,r=0.686,P

OBJECTIVETo study the genotoxicity of components of diesel engine exhausts with ethanol-diesel blending fuel. To provide scientific arguments to find more economical and less polluted fuels.

METHODSAmes test, comet assay and GC-MS technique were used to test the genotoxicity and 16 kinds of PAHs on diesel engine exhausts with different proportions of ethanol (E0, E5, E10, E20).

RESULTSBoth Ames test and comet assay were positive. It shows that diesel engine exhausts can lead to mutation and DNA damage, especially in pure diesel oil. But the content of 16 kinds of PAHs and DNA damage level decreased in exhausts of E5. With the increase of ethanol proportion in diesel oil, the content of 16 kinds of PAHs and DNA damage level increased.

CONCLUSIONCompared with pure diesel oil and high proportion of ethanol fuel, E5 can reduce the genotoxicity and the brake specific exhausts of PAHs.

Air Pollutants ; toxicity ; Air Pollution ; Carbon Monoxide ; Comet Assay ; DNA Damage ; Ethanol ; toxicity ; Gasoline ; toxicity ; Mutagenicity Tests ; Particulate Matter ; Vehicle Emissions ; toxicity

ABSTRACT:OBJECTIVE To explore the influence of acupuncture combined with rehabilitation training on neurological func-tion and athletic ability in patients with apoplexy sequela.METHODS 134 cases of apoplexy sequela were randomly divided in-to the study group and control group,with 67 cases in each group.Patients in the study group were given acupuncture com-bined with rehabilitation training,while those in the control group were given pure acupuncture,with the treatment course lasting for 8 weeks.Then changes of the neurological function,activity of daily living(ADL)and athletic ability of the affected extremity were compared between the two groups to evaluate the curative effects.RESULTS NIHSS scores of both groups went down notably,whereas Barthel index and Fugl-Meyer scores went up evidently,with a statistical significance when com-pared to the situation before treatment(P <0.05~0.01).The changes of the study group was more evident,with a statistical significance when compared to the control group(P <0.05).The total curative rate of the study group was 92.54%(62∕67), which was superior to 71.64% (48∕67) of the control group with a statistical significance(P <0.01).CONCULSION Acu-puncture combined with rehabilitation training is able to improve both neurological function and athletic ability in patients with apoplexy sequela.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the mechanism of how curcumin improves pulmonary vascular remodeling associated with chronic pulmonary arterial hypertension.

METHODSThe model of chromic hypoxia hypercapniapulmoary remodeling was made. Twenty-four male rats were randomly divided into 4 groups (n = 6): group I (normoxia control group), group II (hypxia and hypercapnia model group), group II (disodium cromoglycate control group), group IV (curcumin treated group). The last 3 group rats were put in a hypoxia cabin where the concentrate of O2 was 8% - 11% and the concentrate of CO2 was 3% - 5%, for 8 h a day and lasting 4 w in total. Group III rats were intraperitoneally injected with disodium cromoglycate (20 mg/kg) and group IV rats were administrated with curcumin by gavage (150 mg/kg). The morphological changes of pulmonary vessel walls and the ultrastructure of mast cells were observed by the optics microscope and the transmission electron microscope. Mast cells and its degranulation state were measured by toluidine blue staining and immunohistochemistry. Data were expressed as means ± SD (standard deviation) and analyzed with SPSS17.0 software.

RESULTS(1) By optics microscopy observation, the value of WA/TA was significantly higher in II group than other groups (P < 0.05). (2) Electron microscope showed that the endothelial cells of pulmonary arterioles in III and IV group were near to I group and the proliferation of pulmonary arterial media smooth cell layer and collagen fibers in adventitia was much lighter than those in II group. The membrane of mast cells was more intact in I, III, IV group than II group. (3) The number of mast cells, the degranulation rate of master cells and the number of positive tryptase stained cells in II group were significantly more than those in other groups. (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONCurcumin may inhibit the remodeling of pulmonary vessel induced by chronic hypoxia hypercapnia by mast cell regulation.

Animals ; Cell Degranulation ; Curcumin ; pharmacology ; Hypercapnia ; physiopathology ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; drug therapy ; Hypoxia ; physiopathology ; Lung ; pathology ; Male ; Mast Cells ; physiology ; ultrastructure ; Pulmonary Artery ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Vascular Remodeling ; drug effects

In order to explore the differences of chemical constituents of Paeoniae Radix Alba and Paeoniae Radix Rubra, a qualitative analytical method of liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS) was developed for identification of multi-constituents and an HPLC-DAD analytical method was developed for simultaneously determining 14 major compounds (gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, paeoniflorin sulfonate, protocatechuic aldehyde, methyl gallate, oxypaeoniflorin, catechin, albiflorin, and paeoniflorin, ethyl gallate, benzoic acid, pentagaloylglucose, benzoyl-paeoniflorin, and paeonol) in Paeoniae Radix Alba and Paeoniae Radix Rubra. Q-TOF/MS qualitative analysis was performed under negative ion mode and inferred 38 components of Paeoniae Radix Alba and 30 components of Paeoniae Radix Rubra. HPLC-DAD quantitative method result showed the contents of 8 ingredients were different between Paeoniae Radix Alba and Paeoniae Radix Rubra. The results indicated that the new approach was applicable in qualitative and quantitative quality control of Paeoniae Radix Alba and Paeoniae Radix Rubra.
Bridged-Ring Compounds ; chemistry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Glucosides ; chemistry ; Molecular Structure ; Monoterpenes ; chemistry ; Paeonia ; chemistry ; classification ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; methods

Objective To evaluate the clinical outcomes of patients with acute myocardial infarction(AMI)complicating cardiogenic shock underwent various treatments.Methods From January,2002 to May,2007,47 AMI patients with cardiogenic shock were treated in our department by optimal medication (dopamine,epinephrine,norepinephrine,etc.),intrar-aortic balloon pump(IABP),mechanical ventilation when indicated,percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)or coronary artery bypass graft (CABG).Outcome and factors related to mortality for these patients were analyzed in this retrospective study.Results Besides optimal medication and IABP in all patients,31 patients underwent PCI(66.0%),6 patients received emergency CABG(12.8%).The overall in-hospital mortality rate was 36.2%(17/47),6 patients(14.9%)died before coronary revascularization and 11 patients(21.3%)died after revascularization.Nine patients died of pump failure and 8 patients died of renal and(or)respiratory failure.Regression analysis showed that acute renal failure(r=0.734,P=0.000),acute respiratory failure (r=0.606,P=0.000)and diabetes(r=0.372,P=0.012)were positively related to in-hospital mortality.Conclusion Despite improvements in treatment options for AMI patients complicating cardiogenic shock,in-hospital mortality remained high,especially for patients complicating further with acute renal failure and acute respiratory failure.