Objective To explore the application of diffusion weighted imaging(DWI) in diagnosis of viral encephalitis in children.Methods Conventional MR imaging(T2WI and T1WI) and DWI were performed on 20 patients with viral encephalitis diagnosed clinically.Location and number of lesions demonstrated on these imagings and percents in their abnormality were compared.Results Percen-(tage of abnormality) demonstrated on DWI was significantly higher than that on T1WI(?~2=4.44 P

A simple and efficient method for fabricating a novel surface-enhanced Raman scattering ( SERS) substrate with good reproducibility and high SERS activity was reported. Cu2 O was prepared by mixing CuCl2 ·2H2 O with ascorbic acid, which was then used as the templates for depositing of gold nanoparticles ( AuNPs) on their surfaces, forming Cu2 O@ Au with heterostructures. Transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction observation revealed that Cu2 O had polyhedral structure and smooth surface, and AuNPs were closely deposited on the surface of Cu2 O. It was used as SERS substrate for detection of Rhodamine B with linear detection range of 1 × 10-2-5 × 10-6 mol/L, and detection limit of 3 ×10-7 mol/L. Cu2 O@Au showed good chemical stability, remained stable in acid, PBS and river samples, and could be used in the SERS detection of target in water sample.

OBJECTIVETo compare the features of brain injury in neonatal rats with different severities of hypoxia-ischemia (HI), and explore the role of microglial activation and cytokines.

METHODSOne hundred and twenty 7-day-old rats were randomized to three groups: sham control, mild HI, and severe HI. The rats in the HI groups were subjected to right carotid artery occlusion and 8% oxygen hypoxia exposure (40 minutes, 34.5 Celsius degree in the mild HI group; 65 minutes, 35.5 Celsius degree in the severe HI group). MRI, microtubule associated protein (MAP2) and TUNEL staining were used to confirm the severity of brain injury. Changes in expression of activated microglia (ED1) and signs of cytokine involvement or oxidative stress (TNF-alpha, nitrotyrosine) were assessed immunohistochemically.

RESULTSIn the mild HI group, MRI scans demonstrated increased T2 values in the ipsilateral subcortical white matter and a slight loss of T2 values in the cortex, corresponding to a medium loss of MAP2 in the ipsilateral cortex. There was an increase in the number of TUNEL positive cells compared to the control group within the subcortical white matter. In the severe HI group, the T2 value increased in the majority of the hemisphere, corresponding to a severe loss of staining for MAP2 in the ispilateral hemisphere. The number of TUNEL positive cells significantly increased in the ipsilateral cortex and white matter. In the mild HI group, ED1, TNF-alpha and nitrotyrosine expression increased only in the acute stage and was only observed in subcortical white matter. In contrast, after severe HI, the increase in ED1, TNF-alpha and nitrotyrosine expression was observed in the whole ipsilateral hemisphere and prolonged for weeks.

CONCLUSIONSFollowing a mild HI a relatively selective white matter injury compares to the pannecrosis in the cortex and white matter following a severe HI. Microglial activation and over-expression of cytokines might contribute to the development of hypoxic-ischemic brain damage.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Apoptosis ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain ; etiology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Microglia ; pathology ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins ; analysis ; Rats ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; analysis ; Tyrosine ; analogs & derivatives ; analysis

Objective To compare the clinical effect of three kinds of gastric canal inserted method on patients with endotracheal intubation.Methods Two hundred and sixty-one cases of patients with endotracheal intubation were divided into group A(conventional group),B(inserting gastrotuhe by a guide-wire in it),C (pulling the tracheal under calm state),with each group of eighty-seven cases.The intubation successful rate,the time of gastric canal insertion,HR and SpO2 before and after inttthation,and the choking and blcoding occurrence during intubation were observed and compared.Results The intubation successful rate showed significantly higher in the group B(83.91%)than in the group A(70.11%,P＜0.05),and significantly higher in the group C(98.85%)than in the groups A and B(all P ＜ 0.01).In the time of gastrotuhe insertion,significantly quicker in the group B(43.25±5.56s)than in the group A(55.30±6.20)s(P ＜0.01),and significantly quicker in the group C(27.75±4.16)s than in the groups A and B(all P ＜ 0.01);In the total time of whole operation,significantly quicker in the group C(103.16±5.36)s than in the groups A and B(111.45±5.85 s、115.35± 5.25 s,all P ＜0.01),and significantly slower in the group B than in the group A(P ＜0.01).Before and after gastrotube insertion,there was no significant difference on HR in groups B and C(all P＞0.05),in the group A HR was obviously increased(P ＜0.05);while SpO2 there was no significant difference in group C,and the remarkably decreased in groups A and B(P ＜ 0.01,P ＜ 0.05).During the gastrotube insertion,The choking and blcoding occurrence in the group C(2.30%、O)was significantly lower than in the groups A(13.79%、9.20%)and B(8.05%,5.75%)(P＜0.01,P ＜ 0.05),and there was no significant difference in groups B and A(all P ＞0.05).Conclusions It shows higher accurate and less side effect for the endotracbeal intubation patients undergoing gastrotuhe insertion by pulling the tracheal under calm state.

Background The incidence of brain metastases in patients with breast cancer is approximately 10％-16％,and survival after diagnosis of brain metastases is usually short.This study was designed to evaluate the risk factors associated with brain metastases in advanced breast cancer patients,with a view to help predict patient groups with high risk of brain metastases.Methods In total,295 patients with advanced breast cancer were evaluated.All patients were pathologically confirmed and metastatic lesions were confirmed pathologically or by imaging.All patients were examined at least once every 6 months with head CT or MRI.Patients showing symptoms underwent immediate inspection,and brain metastatic lesions were confirmed by head CT and/or MRI.Results At a median follow-up of 12 months from the occurrence of metastases,brain metastases had occurred in 49 patients (16.6％).In our univariate analysis,variables significantly related to increased risk of brain metastases were hormone receptor-negative tumors,epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive tumors,and multiple distant metastases.Patients with dominant tumor sites in soft tissue,or defined as Luminal A subtype,tended to have a lower risk of brain metastases than patients with visceral metastases,Luminal B subtype,triple-negative subtype or HER2-enriched subtype tumors.Conclusions Our results strongly suggest that factors such as Luminal B,triple-negative,and HER2-enriched subtypes are high risk factors for brain metastases.These data,therefore,provide pivotal clinical evidence towards a comprehensive understanding of the risk factors of brain metastases in advanced breast cancer patients.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the signal transduction mechanism underlying the effects of angiotensin II (AngII) on extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), early growth response-1 (EGR-1) and platelet-derived growth factor-B (PDGF-B) in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs).

METHODSHSC-T6 cells treated with AngII for 10 or 30 min were examined for phospho-P42/44 protein expression using Western blotting. In another experiment, the cells were preincubated for 1 h in the presence of U0126 (an inhibitor of the MAPK/ERK kinase), irbesartan (an AT-1 receptor blocker), or antioxidant-N-acetylcysteine (NAC) prior to AngII exposure, and the protein expression of phospho-P42/44 and PDGF-B were measured with Western blotting. The DNA binding activity of EGR-1 was analyzed using electrophoretic gel mobility shift assay (EMSA), and the expression of PDGF-B was detected immunohistochemically.

RESULTSAngII induced phospho-P42/44 expression in HSC-T6, which was abrogated by U0126 or irbesartan. NAC did not inhibit phospho-P42/44 expression. EMSA showed that AngII exposure of the HSC cells markedly increased EGR-1 DNA binding activity, reaching the maximum after 60 min of exposure followed by progressive declination; irbesartan and U0126 significantly suppressed AngII-induced EGR-1 activity enhancement. ACEI at 1 micromol/L and 10 nmol/L inhibited EGR-1 activity, but ACEI at the concentration of 0.1 nmol/L resulted in enhanced EGR-1 activity. NAC showed no obvious effect in suppressing EGR-1 activity. AngII increased PDGF-B protein level in the HSCs, the effect of which was inhibited by irbesartan. U0126, NAC and ACEI did not attenuate PDGF-BB protein level in the HSCs.

CONCLUSIONStimulation of the HSCs with AngII results in EGR-1 activation via the ERK1/2 pathway, leading to up-regulation of PDGF-B expression.

Angiotensin II ; pharmacology ; Blotting, Western ; Cells, Cultured ; Early Growth Response Protein 1 ; metabolism ; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases ; metabolism ; Hepatic Stellate Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Platelet-Derived Growth Factor ; biosynthesis ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo assess the association between polymorphism of interferon regulatory factor 6 (IRF6) gene rs2235371 locus and nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate in Chinese population.

METHODSBlood samples from 106 patients and their parents and 129 controls and their parents were collected. The polymorphism of IRF6 rs2235371 locus was determined with PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. Case-control analysis, transmission disequilibrium test(TDT), haplotype-based haplotype relative risk analysis (HHRR) and family-based association test (FBAT) were carried out.

RESULTSBy case-control analysis, no significant difference was found in the frequencies of GG, GA and AA genotypes of rs2235371 locus between the patient group and control group (P> 0.05), but there was a significant difference in allelic frequencies (P< 0.05). There was also a significant difference in genotype and gene frequencies of rs2235371 variant between family members from cleft lip only group and control group. However, in cleft lip with cleft palate group, no such difference was observed. TDT analysis suggested a linkage in the presence of disequilibrium (chi-square=5.56, P=0.024). Results of HHRR analysis (chi-square=5.115, P=0.024) and FBAT (Z=2.218, P=0.027) also indicated an association between IRF6 rs2235371 variant and the risk of NSCL with or without cleft palate.

CONCLUSIONGenetic polymorphism of IRF6 gene rs2235371 locus is associated with NSCL with or without cleft palate.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; Cleft Lip ; blood ; genetics ; Cleft Palate ; blood ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Interferon Regulatory Factors ; genetics ; Male ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Young Adult

To investigate the effect of peroxynitrite (ONOO(-)) on the reactivity of rabbit pulmonary artery, the responses of rabbit pulmonary artery rings (PARs) pre-incubated with ONOO(-) to endothelium-dependent and receptor-dependent relaxants ACh and ADP, endothelium-dependent and receptor-independent relaxant calcium ionophore A23187, endothelium-independent relaxant sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and alpha(1)-adrenoceptor agonist phenylephrine (PE) were observed in vitro in an accumulative manner. (1) Relaxations of PARs to ACh, calcium ionophore A23187 and ADP were markedly impaired with shift of accumulative dose-response curve of each agonist to the right. Inhibition of endothelium-dependent and receptor-dependent or independent relaxation by ONOO(-) was dose-dependent. (2) ONOO(-) incubation inhibited SNP-induced relaxation in a dose-dependent manner. (3) Contractile response of PARs to PE varied with the different doses of ONOO(-). In PARs pre-incubated with 0.5 mmol/L ONOO(-), contractile response was significantly enhanced with shift of PE accumulative dose-response curve to the left, whereas in PARs pre-incubated with 1.0 mmol/L or 2.0 mmol/L ONOO(-), it was markedly reduced with right shift of PE accumulative dose-response curve. (4) Vehicle of ONOO(-) had no effect on responses to each agonist.Decomposed ONOO(-) had minimal effect on the response to PE and ADP, in contrast, relaxation of PARs to ACh, A23187 and SNP were enhanced. These results indicate that ONOO(-) may contribute to regulatory disorder of pulmonary artery reactivity.
Animals ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; In Vitro Techniques ; Peroxynitrous Acid ; physiology ; Pulmonary Artery ; physiology ; Rabbits ; Vasodilation ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of diet-control only, diet-control with swimming training or with polysaccharide sulfate (PSS), a kind of blood lipid-lowering drug on the serum lipid level and vascular endothelial function in obese rats fed by fat-rich-diet.

METHODSForty Wistar rats were randomly divided into the following 5 groups: group F (n = 8), group N (n = 8), group A (n = 8), group B (n = 8) and group C (n = 8), where the rats were given fat-rich-diet, basic-diet, 12 weeks of diet-control after 8 weeks of fat-rich-diet, 12 weeks of diet-control with swimming training after 8 weeks of fat-rich-diet and 12 weeks of diet-control with PSS after 8 weeks of fat-rich-diet, respectively. All rats were sacrificed after 12 weeks of intervention. Then the levels of Lee index, serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), plasma endothelin (ET), nitric oxide (NO) and von Willebrand Factor (vWF) were measured. The protein expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in artery endothelium was evaluated by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and the gene expression of ICAM-1 was examined by semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

RESULTSAfter the interventions for 12 weeks, the levels of serum TC, TG and ET decreased in group A (P < 0.05). The levels of Lee index, TC, TG, ET, vWF, ICAM-1 protein and ICAM-1 mRNA decreased in group B and C (P < 0.05). Three interventions increased serum NO production (P < 0.05) in group B.

CONCLUSIONSDiet-control could a meliorate the hyperlipidemia and vascular function. Diet-control with swimming training and diet-control with PSS could result in weight loss of rats and meliorate the hyperlipidemia, vascular endothelial function, coagulatory activities and adhesive dysfunction. The effects of diet-control with swimming on vascular endothelial function were prominent.

Animals ; Cholesterol ; blood ; Combined Modality Therapy ; methods ; Diet ; Dietary Fats ; adverse effects ; Disease Models, Animal ; Endothelins ; blood ; Endothelium, Vascular ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Immunohistochemistry ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; metabolism ; Male ; Nitric Oxide ; blood ; Obesity ; diet therapy ; metabolism ; therapy ; Polysaccharides ; pharmacology ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Swimming ; Treatment Outcome ; Triglycerides ; blood ; von Willebrand Factor ; analysis

This paper is to report the study of the metabolism of lidamycin in vitro including in plasma and microsomes to guide clinical therapy. Lidamycin was quantified by detecting its active ingredient using HPLC-MS/MS. The metabolic stability of lidamycin in rat, Beagle dog, monkey and human plasma and liver microsomes, and its inhibition to cytochrome P450 isoforms in human liver microsomes were studied. Results showed that lidamycin was metabolized in the four species of plasma, and the sequence of metabolic rates in plasma were in rat > in dog > in human > in monkey. But among the four species of liver microsomes, lidamycin was metabolized only in monkey liver microsomes. There was almost no inhibition to cytochrome P450 isoforms at the concentrations of between 0.0005 and 10 ng x mL(-1). Therefore, the property of lidamycin metabolism in human is similar with that in dog, and metabolism of other drugs would not be decreased by cytochrome P450 as used along with lidamycin in clinic.
Aminoglycosides ; blood ; metabolism ; Animals ; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic ; blood ; metabolism ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A2 ; metabolism ; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System ; metabolism ; Dogs ; Enediynes ; blood ; metabolism ; Enzyme Activation ; Humans ; Macaca ; Microsomes, Liver ; metabolism ; Rats ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry