Objective To explore the value of MRI on fetal autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD).Methods Sixteen pregnant women,aged from 28 to 38 years (average 30 years) and with gestation age from 22 to 36 weeks (average 25 weeks) underwent MR scanning with a 1.5 T MR unit within 24 to 48 hours after ultrasound examinations.The imaging sequences included steady-state free-precession (SSFP) sequence,single-shot turbo spin echo (SSTSE) sequence and T1-weighted fast imaging sequence.Prenatal US and MR imaging findings were compared with autopsy or pathological results.Results A total of 16 cases of ARPKD showed bilateral markedly enlarged kidneys and diffuse high signal small cysts in renal medulla on SSTSE sequence.Among the 16 cases,11 cases were with oligohydramnios,1 1 cases were with pulmonary hypoplasia,and 6 cases were with hepatic fibrosis.Eleven cases of pulmonary hypoplasia and 6 cases of hepatic fibrosis were all missed by US.For the diagnosis of the renal anomalies,US missed one case.MRI diagnosis was correct in all these cases.Conclusions MRI shows great advantages on the diagnosis of fetal ARPKD,and it is not affected by the amount of amniotic fluid.It can be used to evaluate kidney and lung abnormalities accurately.

Objective To explore the diagnostic value of MRI on fetal neural tube defects.Methods Ten pregnant women,aged from 25 to 35 years(average 28 years)and with gestation from 20-39 weeks(average 33 weeks)were studied with a 1.5 T superconductive MR unit within 24 to 48 hours after ultrasound(US)studies.The imaging protocol included fast-imaging employing steady-state acquisition,single-shot FSE and T_1-weighted fast inversion recovery motion insensitive sequences in the axial,frontal,and sagittal planes relative to the fetal brain,thorax,abdomen,and spines.Prenatal US and MRI findings were compared with postnatal MRI diagnoses(3 fetuses)or autopsy(7 fetuses).Results Ten pregnant women(9 with a single fetus and 1 with twin fetuses)were examined.For all cases,the diagnoses established by MRI were correct when compared with postnatal diagnosis or autopsy.In 7 cases,US and MRI findings were in complete agreement with postnatal diagnoses.US missed the diagnosis in 1 case and misdiagnosed in 2 cases.Ten neural tube defects in this study included anencephaly(1 case),exencephaly (1 case),meningoencephalocele associated with amniotic band sequence(1 case),meningocele(1 case),thoracic myelomeningocele(1 case),lumbar spinal bifida(1 case),sacroiliac myelomeningocele(2 cases),sacroiliac large cystic spinal meningocele(1 case),sacroiliac spinal bifida(1 case).Conclusions Prenatal MRI is effective in the assessment of fetal neural tube defects.It can exactly discriminate herniated contents and locate the spinal lesion level.

Objective To detect the expression and correlated significance of inducible nitric oxide synthase and p53,Bax in benign and malignant diseases of gallbladder. Methods In 16 cases of chronic cholecystitis,11cases of chronic cholecystitis with adenomyoma and 24 cases of gallbladder adenocarcinoma,the expression of iNOS,p53 and Bax in gallbladder's wall was detected by SP immunohistochemistry. Results 1^Inducible NOS and Bax expressed in both benign and maligmant diseased gallbladders' wall,compared with benign diseased gallbladders,the expression of iNOS and Bax in adenocarcinoma was decreased(P

Objective To assess the val ue of 18-fluorodeoxy glucose (~18F-FDG) positron emission tomography( PE T)-CT in the detection of malignant bone metastases. Methods Thirty-five out of 332 patients, 89 lesions were detected on ~18 F-FDG PET-CT and were interpreted separately on PET, combined CT, and fused PE T-CT images. Results Of the 89 lesions detected on PET- CT images, 68 were malignant and 21 were benign lesions. PET alone identified 62 malignant lesions and 17 benign lesions. The diagnostic sensitivity, specificit y, and accuracy of PET alone for diagnosis of bone metastases were 91.2% (62/68) , 81.0% (17/21), and 88.8% (79/89), respectively. The combined CT alone identifi ed 55 malignant lesions and 16 benign lesions. The diagnostic sensitivity, s pecificity, and accuracy of combined CT alone were 80.9% (55/68), 76.2% (16/21), and 79.8% (71/89), respectively. The fused PET-CT images identified 64 maligna nt and 19 benign lesions. The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the fused PET-CT were 94.1% (64/68), 90.5% (19/21), and 93.2% (83/89), respe ctively. Conclusion In the diagnosis of bone metastases, ~18F-FDG PET-CT imaging reduces the false positive rate and increases the specificity. ~18F-FDG PET-CT imaging is helpful in the differentiation o f bone metastases from benign lesions.

Tetradrine-tashionone II(A)-PLGA composite microspheres were prepared by the SPG membrane emulsification method, and the characterization of tetradrine-tashionone II(A) -PLGA composite microspheres were studied in this experiment. The results of IR, DSC and XRD showed that teradrine and tashionone II(A) in composite microspheres were highly dispersed in the PLGA with amorphous form. The results of tetradrine-tashionone II(A) -PLGA composite microspheres in vitro release experiment showed that the cumulative release amounts of tetradrine and tashionone II(A) were 6.44% and 3.60% in 24 h, and the cumulative release amounts of tetradrine and tashionone II(A) were 89.02% and 21.24% in 17 d. The process of drug in vitro release accorded with the model of Riger-Peppas. Tetradrine-tashionone II(A) -PLGA composite microspheres had slow-release effect, and it could significantly reduce the burst release, prolong the therapeutic time, decrease the dosage of drugs and provide a new idea and method to prepare traditional Chinese medicine compound.
Benzofurans ; chemistry ; Benzylisoquinolines ; chemistry ; Drug Carriers ; chemistry ; Drug Compounding ; instrumentation ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Kinetics ; Lactic Acid ; chemistry ; Microspheres ; Particle Size ; Polyglycolic Acid ; chemistry

Objective To improve the understanding,the incidence and imaging findings of tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) combined with cardiac rhabdomyomas (CRs) in fetuses and infants.Methods The imaging findings of 9 infants with TSC combined with CRs and 4 fetuses with TSC combined with CRs from our hospital between June,2006 and November,2013 were retrospectively reviewed.Results The brain MRI of 9 with TSC combined with CRs showed bilateral subependy-mal nodules,subcortical white matter and cortical tubers.Subependymal nodules were isointense or hypointense on spin-echo T1WI and hypointense or hyperintense on spin-echo T2WI.Subcortical white matter and cortical tubers were hypointense or hyperintense on T1WI and hypointense or hyperintense on T2WI.There was varying contrast enhancement.Three of 9 infants presented single cardiac tumor and 6 of 9 infants presented multiply cardiac lesions.CRs on contrast cardiac MRI showed round solid masses in ventricular septums,ventricular outflow tract,ventricle or atrial free walls.The masses were isointense relative to the cardiac muscles on T1WI,T2WI and B-TFE sequence.There was varying contrast enhancement.Four fetuses with TSC on ultrafast MRI showed bilateral multiply subependymal nodules,the nodules were isointense or hyperintense on TFE T1WI and isointense or hypointense signals on SSTSE or B-FFE sequence,Four fetuses with CRs showed isointense to hyperintense solid masses in ventricular septums on ultrafast MRI,ventricle or atrial free walls on B-FFE sequence and SSTSE sequence images.Conclusions TSC in infant and fetus is a kind of neurocutaneous syndrome,usually combines with CRs.Fetal ultrafast and routine MRI is a useful method to make a definite diagnosis for cranial and cardiac lesions.The development of MRI might improve the timeliness and accuracy of the assessment for this disease.

Objective To observe the effect of atorvastatin on mixed dyslipidemia in type 2 diabetic patients. Methods 39 patients of type 2 diabetic with mixed dyslipidemia were taken with atorvastatin for 6 months,and the change of total cholesterel(TC),triglyceride(TG),low-debsity-lipoprotein-cholesteral(LDL-C),high-debsity-lipopro- tein-cholesteral(HDL-C)were observed.The incidence of side-effect was recorded.Results TC,TG,LDL-C were obviously reduced and their extent of reduction were 26.17 %,54.97 %,38.92 %.HDL-C was obviously increased and it's extent of increase was 14.81%(P

ObjectiveAnalyze preoperative clinical relevanted factors of acute type A aortic dissection with hypoxemia according to a group clinical data.MethodsFrom January 2011 to June 2011,we have collected 54 preoperative cases of acute type A aortic dissection,including 42 males,12 females,aged 28-73 years old,onset to treatment time is 0.4-14.0 days.General information:age,gender,time of onset,body mass index,hypertension,diabetes mellitus,smoking,drinking,heart ejection fraction,prothrombin time,quantitative fibrinogen,fibrinogen degradation products,D-dimer,C-reactive protein,procalcitonin,ICU time,length of hospital stay.According to the blood gas analysis of quiet state case without oxygen,with PaO2 ＜ ( 100-age ×0.33 ±5) mm Hg is for the hypoxemia group,equal or higher than this is no-hypoxemia group.ResultsNo-hypoxemia group has 14 cases,11 males,3 females,average aged (51.14 ± 14.24) years old,including 12 operation patients ( no death) and 2 no-operation patients(2 cases death).Hypoxemia group has 40 cases,31 males,9 females,average aged (50.53 ± 9.73 ) years old,including 33 operation patients(2 cases death) and 7 no-operation patients(7 cases death).There is no significant difference in age,gender,time of onset,hypertension,diabetes mellitus,smoking,drinking,cardiac ejection fraction,prothrombin time and fibrinogen.There is statistically significant on body mass index,fibrinogen degradation products,D-dimer,C-reactive protein,procalcitonin,ICU time and length of hospital stay time ( P ＜ 0.05 ).ConclusionPreoperative hypoxemia with acute type A aortic dissection is associated with obesity,excessive inflammation and activation of coagulation and fibrinclytic system,and hypoxemia may prolong the time of operative patients with acute type A aortic dissection in ICU and hospital.

OBJECTIVETo analyze the electrical activity property changes in nucleus accumbens (NAc) of heroin-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) rats during different stages of heroin dependence and to explore NAc's roles in the formation of drug dependence.

METHODSRecording electrodes were bilaterally embedded into the NAcs of rats with the aid of stereotaxic apparatus, followed by establishment of heroin-dependent rat model. The NAc electrical activity during 3 different stages of heroin dependence, including heroin pre-exposure, immediate post-exposure and heroin withdrawal, were respectively recorded using EEG wireless telemetry techniques. The frequency distribution (ranging from 0.5 to 30 Hz) and the amplitude of NAc electrical activity were analyzed and measured.

RESULTSHeroin-dependent rat models were successfully established and their withdrawal symptoms were evident. All rats showed a conditioned place preference (CPP) for the white box after 5-10 days of heroin-exposure, and displayed a maximum withdrawal symptoms on 2d after heroin- withdrawal. During all statges of heroin-dependence, the NAc electrical activity contained the highest proportion of delta rhythm and the lowest proportion of alpha2 rhythm. The discharge frequence band was similar across different stages. There was a significantly increased ratio of low-frequency discharges (delta rhythm) and decreased ratio of high-frequency discharges (beta rhythm) in NAc of rats during the immediate post- heroin exposure stage when compared with that during pre-exposure and heroin withdrawal stages. During the withdrawal stage, the ratio of at rhythm was significantly lower than during pre- and post-heroin exposure stages (P < 0.01). Further, the mean discharge amplitude in NAcs during immediate post-exposure and withdrawal stages was significantly increased relative to pre-exposure stage. However, the mean discharge amplitude during heroin withdrawal stage was significantly lower than during immediate post-exposure stage.

CONCLUSIONThe electrical activity properties in rat NAcs showed a significant change during different stages of heroin-dependence, which suggested that neuronal activities in NAcs might contribute to the modulation of drug-dependence.

Animals ; Conditioning, Operant ; Heroin ; pharmacology ; Heroin Dependence ; physiopathology ; Male ; Nucleus Accumbens ; physiopathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Telemetry

This study is to explore whether the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway is involved in the process of tripchlorolide (T4) protecting against oligomeric Abeta(1-42)-induced neuronal apoptosis. Primary cultured cortical neurons were used for the experiments on day 6 or 7. The oligomeric Abeta(1-42) (5 micromol x L(-1) for 24 h) was applied to induce neuronal apoptosis. Prior to treatment with Abeta(1-42) for 24 h, the cultured neurons were pre-incubated with T4 (2.5, 10, and 40 nmol x L(-1)), Wnt3a (Wnt signaling agonists) and Dkk1 (inhibitors) for indicated time. Then the cell viability, neuronal apoptosis, and protein levels of Wnt, glycogen synthase kinase 3beta (GSK3beta), beta-catenin and phospho-beta-catenin were measured by MTT assay, TUNEL staining and Western blotting, respectively. The result demonstrated that oligomeric Abeta(1-42) induced apoptotic neuronal cell death in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Pretreatment with T4 significantly increased the neuronal cell survival and attenuated neuronal apoptosis. Moreover, oligomeric Abeta(1-42)-induced phosphorylation of beta-catenin and GSK3beta was markedly inhibited by T4. Additionally, T4 stabilized cytoplasmic beta-catenin. These results indicate that tripchlorolide protects against the neurotoxicity of Abeta by regulating Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway. This may provide insight into the clinical application of tripchlorolide to Alzheimer's disease.