Objective To evaluate the CT features of aorto-right atrial fistula after aortic valve replacement(AVR) or ascending aortic replacement.Methods Eighty-seven patients with aortic-right atrial fistula underwent CT after operation.The CT features were retrospectively analyzed.Fistula was measured according to maximum width of the shunt.Results Aorto-right atrial fistula was detected in 87 patients after aortic valve replacement or ascending aortic replacement by CT scan. Among them,25 patients were diagnosed as mild aorto-right atrial fistula,47 patients as moderate,and 15 patients as severe.Thirty-seven patients underwent follow-up CT.Among them,10 patients with mild to moderate aorto-right atrial fistula were considered to have complete regression,8 patients with mild aorto-right atrial fistula considered to have incomplete regression,14 patients with mild to moderate aorto-right atrial fistula considered to have stable condition,and 5 patients with moderate aorto-right atrial fistula considered to have progression at the 3-month follow-up.Conclusion CT is a useful tool for defining aorto-right atrial fistula after AVR or ascending aortic replacement and for evaluating it in follow-up.

Objective To evaluate the computed tomography (CT) characteristics of cardiovascular involvement in Beheet syndrome. Methods Eleven patients with clinically diagnosed Behcet syndrome were studied retrospectively from July 1995 to December 2007. Electron beam CT or 64-slice helical CT scanner was used and CT characteristics were reviewed. Results Eleven patients were diagnosed according to the criteria reported by the international study group for Behcet syndrome. Of them, 4 patients presented with aortic valve prolapse (2 patients with mitral valve prolapse), false aneurysm of right coronary artery was demonstrated in 2 patients, false aneurysm of left subclavian artery, aortic aneurysm and penetrating ulcers, aortic arch false aneurysm, aortic dissection, pulmonary embolism and interatrial scptum aneurysm in 1 case, respectively. Conclusion CT is a very useful method for the diagnosis and foUow-up of Behcet syndrome.

Objective:To systematically evaluate the predictive value of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in acute kidney injury (AKI).Methods:All studies about the predictive effect of NLR on AKI were searched in the National Medical Library of the United States PubMed Database, the Embase database in the Netherlands, the Chinese Biology Medicine disc (CBMdisc) and the Chinese Evidence Based Medicine Cochrane Centre Database (CEBM/CCD). The data updated by October 2020, and regardless of language, region or whether blind method was used. Two authors independently extracted data and evaluated the quality of the studies. Data extracted from the studies were analyzed with RevMan 5.3 to assess the predictive value of NLR on AKI. A subgroup Meta-analysis was conducted to assess the predictive value of NLR on AKI according to different countries, different disease types (cardiovascular surgery, infectious diseases, other diseases including burns, cirrhosis, and emergency), and different sample sizes (≤ 300 cases and > 300 cases). The publication bias of included studies about the predictive effect of NLR on AKI were assessed by funnel plots.Results:A total of 11 studies were included in this Meta-analysis, including 4 997 patients, 1 308 patients in AKI group, and 3 689 patients in non-AKI group. The Meta-analysis results showed that: increased NLR had predictive value for the occurrence of AKI [mean difference ( MD) = 2.73, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) was 1.78-3.68, P < 0.000 01]. Subgroup analysis showed that increased NLR had predictive value for the occurrence of AKI in patients from Southeast Asia ( MD = 4.04, 95% CI was 1.09-6.99, P = 0.007) and Eurasia ( MD = 2.51, 95% CI was 1.12-3.90, P = 0.000 4). Increased NLR had predictive value for the occurrence of AKI in patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery ( MD = 0.77, 95% CI was 0.34-1.20, P = 0.000 4), infectious diseases ( MD = 4.74, 95% CI was 1.51-7.96, P = 0.004) and other diseases ( MD = 8.53, 95% CI was 6.26-10.80, P<0.000 01). Increased NLR had predictive value for the occurrence of AKI in studies with a sample size of ≤ 300 cases ( MD = 6.02, 95% CI was 4.90-7.14, P <0.000 01) and > 300 cases ( MD = 1.32, 95% CI was 0.61-2.03, P = 0.000 3). There was no significant publication bias in the included studies assessed by funnel plots. Conclusion:NLR is an important predictive tool for AKI.

Objective To evaluate the feasibility of repair of full-thickness skin defects in nude mice with tissue-engineered skin which was constructed by culture of human amniotic epithelial cells (hAECs) and fibroblasts on human de-epidermized dermis (DED).Methods Healthy human amniotic tissues were treated with trypsin at a low concentration in multi-steps to prepare hAECs,and a two-step collagenase digestion was used to treat healthy children's prepuce tissues to prepare fibroblast suspensions.When fibroblasts were cultured in vitro up to passage 3-5 and hAECs up to passage 2,they were seeded on the reticular dermal surface and basement membrane surface of the DED respectively to construct the tissueengineered skin.A total of 20 heahhy male nude mice aged 3-4 weeks were enrolled into this experiment,and full-thickness skin defects were made on the middle of the back of mice.Then,these mice were randomly divided into 2 groups by using a lottery method,and reconstructed full-thickness tissueengineered skin grafts and vaseline oil gauze were used to cover the wounds in the tissue-engineered skin group and control group respectively.The whole body and transplantation sites of the nude mice were observed on day 7,14,21 and 28 after transplantation,the wound healing time and rate were compared between the above two groups,and skin tissues at the transplantation site were harvested at 4 weeks after transplantation and subjected to histological examination.Results HAECs had stem-cell characteristics and expressed octamer-binding protein-4 (OCT-4) and embryonic marker stage-specific embryonic antigen4 (SSEA-4).After 2-week organ culture,the in vitro reconstructed tissue-engineered skin showed 4-9 continuous layers of stratified epithelium,and the histological structure of the epidermis was similar to that of the normal human skin.Compared with the control group,the tissue-engineered skin group showed significantly higher wound healing rates on day 7,14 and 21 after transplantation (57.49％ ± 6.11％ vs.22.93％ ± 4.26％,92.80％ ± 3.10％ vs.54.57％ ± 7.94％,98.83％ ± 0.25％ vs.91.16％ ± 4.79％,respectively;n =10,t =27.36,32.23,11.80,respectively,all P ＜ 0.001),shorter wound healing time [(21.51 ± 1.51) d vs.(28.80 ± 1.14) d,n =10,t =42.23,P ＜ 0.001],with the color of skin grafts closer to that of autologous skin on day 28 after transplantation.Histological examination revealed distinct stratification of the epithelium,obvious keratinization and favorable growth of cells in the dermis in the tissue-engineered skin group,but thin epithelium with some defects,indistinct stratification of the dermis,and inflammatory cell infiltration in the control group.Condusion Tissue-engineered skin constructed by the culture of hAECs and fibroblasts on human DED can survive in nude mice after transplantation,resulting in a more favorable healing of wounds,and is expected to serve as a kind of ideal tissue-engineered skin.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical effectiveness of transurethral seminal vesiculoscopy (TUSV) combined with finasteride in the treatment of recurrent hemospermia.

METHODSThis study included 32 patients with recurrent hematospermia, with the disease course of 3 months to 4 years. After administration of finasteride at 5 mg/d for 2 weeks, the patients underwent TUSV for both exploration of the causes and treatment, followed by medication with finasteride at the same dose for another 2 weeks. Postoperative follow-up was conducted for observation of the outcomes and complications.

RESULTSTUSV was successfully accomplished in all the 32 cases, which revealed 16 cases of seminal vesiculitis, 10 seminal calculi, 1 seminal vesicle cyst, 2 seminal vesicle polyps, and 3 seminal vesicle abscess. The operative time was 20 to 51 (31.0 +/- 5.2) minutes. Postoperative complications included 1 case of acute epididymitis and 3 cases of breast discomfort within the first 4 weeks. No incontinence, urethral stricture, rectal injury, retrograde ejaculation, and sexual dysfunction occurred postoperatively. All the patients but 1 were followed up for 6 months to 2 years. Twenty-nine of the cases were cured, and 2 experienced recurrence.

CONCLUSIONTransurethral seminal vesiculoscopy combined with finasteride is safe and effective for the treatment of recurrent hemospermia.

Adult ; Endoscopy ; methods ; Finasteride ; therapeutic use ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemospermia ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

Animals ; Antigens, CD ; metabolism ; Apoptosis ; B7-2 Antigen ; metabolism ; CD4-CD8 Ratio ; Dendritic Cells ; metabolism ; pathology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Lectins, C-Type ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Minor Histocompatibility Antigens ; Multiple Organ Failure ; metabolism ; pathology ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; metabolism ; Spleen ; metabolism ; pathology

AIMTo investigate the relative bioavailability of pulmonary-delivered insulin lipid suspension (INS-LIP-SP) in normal Wistar rats.

METHODSINS-LIP-SP were prepared by two different methods and then delivered to the rat lung using an intratracheal instillation method. Blood glucose levels and INS concentrations in serum were determined by glucose oxidase method and radioimmunoassay method, respectively. The relative pharmacological bioavailability (f%) and relative bioavailability (F%) of INS-LIP-SP were calculated from the area above the curve (AAC) and the area under the curve (AUC) compared with subcutaneous injection of INS solution.

RESULTSThe mean particle diameter, span of dispersity and entrapment efficiency of INS-LIP-SP prepared by a membrane-formed with sonication method and a reversed phase evaporation method were 1.91 microns, 0.94 and 16.45% and 2.08 microns, 1.28 and 39.51%, respectively. The values of f% and F% of both INS-LIP-SP were up to 37% and 32%, separately, and there was a statistically significant difference between INS-LIP-SP and INS solution. However, there was no significant difference between the two INS-LIP-SP and the physical mixture of INS solution and blank liposomes.

CONCLUSIONThe results showed that INS-LIP-SP could achieve higher bioavailability following pulmonary delivery to rats.

Administration, Inhalation ; Animals ; Biological Availability ; Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; administration & dosage ; pharmacokinetics ; Injections, Subcutaneous ; Insulin ; administration & dosage ; pharmacokinetics ; Liposomes ; Male ; Particle Size ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Suspensions ; Trachea ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism and its relation to serum total cholesterol (TC),triglyceride (TG) levels and non-alcoholic fatty liver.Methods Serum levels of TC,TG, TSH,TT_3 and TT_4 were determined in 1 602 subjects which were divided into groups by sex and age (20-39,40- 59 and≥60 years).Fatty liver was diagnosed by type B ultrasonography.Restults ( 1 ) Prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism was 6.6% in this population.(2) The mean levels of serum TC and TG in subclinical hypothyroidism group and normal group showed no significant difference ( both P＞0.05 ).(3) On the whole,the prevalences of subclinical hypothyroidism in hypercholesterolemia group and normal cholesterolemia group showed significant difference (P＜0.01 ).(4) In the three age groups of male and few.ale examinees,the prevalences of subclinical hypothyroidism in hypercholesterulemla group and normal cholesterolemia group showed no significant difference ( all P＞0.05 ).In the multiple regression analysis,TSH level was not related with raised TC level.(5) In the three age groups of male,there was no significant difference between the prevalences of subclinical hypothyroidism in hypertriglyceridemla group and normal triglyceridemia group ( all P＞0.05 ).In female,expect for the elderly group (＞60 years old ),the prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism was higher in hypertriglyceridemia group than that in normal triglyceridemia.However,in the multiple regression analysis, increased TSH level was positively associated with increased serum TG level ( OR = 1.072,P=0.013 and OR = 1.102,P = 0.03 ).(6) The prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism in non-alcobolic fatty liver group and normal group showed no significant difference ( P＞0.05 ).In the multiple regression analysis,TSH level was not the independent risk factor of non-alcoholic fatty liver (P＞0.05 ).Conclusion Subclinical hypothyroidism is not asseciated with serum TC level but positively associated with serum TG level.Subclinical hypothyroidism does not apparently increase the prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver.

Arachidonic acid is an essential fatty acid in human nutrition and a biogenetic precursor of the biologically active prostaglandins and leukotrienes. ?~5 desaturase catalyzes the ?~5 dehydrogenation of di-homo-?-linolenic acid to form arachidonic acid in biosynthetic pathway of arachidonic acid. Using real time PCR technology,the transcriptional expression levels of gene encoding ?5 desaturase in three Mortierella alpina strains M10,M6 and M23,and in different growth phase of high arachidonic acid yielding strain M6,were determined. Results showed that there was a distinct corelationship between mRNA transcript level of ?~5 desaturase gene and biosynthesis of arachidonic acid. Results indicated that ?~5 desaturase plays an important role in arachidonic acid biosynthesis.

Objective To investigate the applicability of clinical grade and a non-contact measurement method in evaluation of underneath eye wrinkles and to compare two methods.Methods A lot of 46 healthy Chinese women were recruited for this study.Underneath eye wrinkles severity was evaluated using clinical grade and a non-contact measurement method.The correlations were calculated for clinical grade and non-contact measurement parameters and age.The non-contact measurement parameters were classified by factor analysis.The correlations between age,clinical grade and factors were analyzed.Results The correlation coefficient between clinical grade in comparison to subject's age was 0.818.The parameters getting from non contact measurement were obviously correlated with age and clinical grade except SEr and SEsc;the correlation coefficients between parameters and age were-0.601 to 0.605;the correlation cofficients between parameters and clinical grade were-0.630 to 0.570.The non-contact measurement parameters could be classified into two factors;one represented wrinkle depth and roughness;the other represented wrinkle width and counts.These two factors were also obviously correlated with age and clinical grade.Conclusions Clinical grade and non contact measurement methods are both applicable in evaluation of underneath eye wrinkles.The parameters getting from two methods are obviously correlated with each other.