Objective To investigate the value of magnetic resonance (MR)diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI)in diagnostic classi-fication of astrocytic tumors.Methods 31 patients with astrocytic tumors confirmed by operation and pathology were collected,in-cluding low-grade tumors (WHO gradeⅠ and Ⅱ)in 14 and high-grade ones (WHO grade Ⅲ and Ⅳ)in 1 7.Routine MRI and DKI scan were preoperatively conducted using Siemens 3.0T MR scanner.Mean kurtosis (MK),radial kurtosis (RK)and axial kurtosis (AK)values were calculated in the solid portion of the tumors and the contralateral normal white matter.Results The MK,RK and AK values in tumors were lower than those in contralateral normal white matter,and were significantly higher in high-grade tumors than those in low-grade ones (P <0.05).Conclusion The MK,RK and AK values obtained by DKI reflect the histological structure changes of the astrocytic tumors.DKI is helpful for the diagnostic classification of astrocytic tumors,exhibiting more value in optimi-zing the treatment.

Objective To investigate the value of intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) based on ISHIM sequence in the grading of astrocytic tumor.Methods We collected excised tumors confirmed by histological diagnosis from 42 patients including high-grade astrocytic tumors (10 WHO grade Ⅲ,18 WHO grade Ⅳ),and 14 low-grade astrocytic tumors (1 WHO grade Ⅰ and 13 WHO grade Ⅱ).All patients underwent conventional MR imaging,ISHIM IVIM-DWI,and contrast-enhanced MR imaging.Parameters of tumor parenchyma region,peripheral edema regions and the contralateral normal brain white matter sites were measured,and the statistical analysis was conducted.Results The D value in tumor parenchyma region was significantly lower,but the D* and f values were higher in high-grade astrocytic tumor when compared with lowgrade one and all had statistical significance;in tumor peripheral edema region,D value was lower in high-grade astrocytic tumor than that in low-grade one,and the difference had statistical significance but there was no significant difference in terms of the D* and f values.There was no significant difference of the D,D* and f values in contralateral normal brain white matter sites in both high-and low-grade astrocytic tumor.Conclusion The D,D* and f values measured by ISHIM IVIM-DWI are helpful to the judgment of tumor grade and it has greatapplication value in the differential diagnosis of high-and low-grade astrocytic tumor.

Objective To evaluate the accuracy of measurements of atherosclerotic middle cerebral artery (MCA) stenosis with 3.0 T high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HR-MRI).Methods Forty patients with symptomatic atherosclerotic stenosis of middle cerebral artery (MCA) confirmed by digital subtraction angiography (DSA) in the Affiliated Hospital of Binzhou Medical College from September 2017 to May 2018 were enrolled in the study.Patients were scanned by HR-MRI sequence (including T1WI,T2WI,PDWI).The MCA M1 stenosis rate on HR-MR images was assessed by warfarin-aspirin symptomatic intracranial artery disease (WASID) method and area measurement algorithm,respectively,and based on the stenosis rate the degree of stenosis (semi-quantitative measurement) was determined.The accuracy of the two measurement methods was evaluated with DSA results as the gold standard.Results The HR-MRI images showed the structure of the vessel wall clearly in 30 patients meeting the measurement requirements.The inner edge of the vessel was clearly distinguishable and smooth,showing eccentric stenosis.The stenosis rate of MCA measured by DSA,WASID method and area measurement algorithm were (82± 17)％,(70± 12)％,(81 ± 16)％,respectively (P＞0.05).The result of area measurement algorithm was better correlated with DSA (r=0.893);and the coincidence of the stenosis degree rate of two measurement method was 90％(27/30).Conclusion The area measurement algorithm based on the HS-MRI has high accuracy in measuring the degree of MCA stenosis,which is of high clinical application value.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the molecular pathological mechanism of liver metabolic disorder in severe spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). METHODS: The transgenic mice with type Ⅰ SMA (Smn^-/- SMN2^0tg/2tg) and littermate control mice (Smn^+/- SMN2^0tg/2tg) were observed for milk suckling behavior and body weight changes after birth. The mice with type Ⅰ SMA mice were given an intraperitoneal injection of 20% glucose solution or saline (15 μL/12 h), and their survival time was recorded. GO enrichment analysis was performed using the RNA-Seq data of the liver of type Ⅰ SMA and littermate control mice, and the results were verified using quantitative real-time PCR. Bisulfite sequencing was performed to examine CpG island methylation level in Fasn gene promoter region in the liver of the neonatal mice. RESULTS: The neonatal mice with type Ⅰ SMA showed normal milk suckling behavior but had lower body weight than the littermate control mice on the second day after birth. Intraperitoneal injection of glucose solution every 12 h significantly improved the median survival time of type Ⅰ SMA mice from 9±1.3 to 11± 1.5 days (P < 0.05). Analysis of the RNA-Seq data of the liver showed that the expression of the target genes of PPARα related to lipid metabolism and mitochondrial β oxidation were down-regulated in the liver of type Ⅰ SMA mice. Type Ⅰ SMA mice had higher methylation level of the Fasn promoter region in the liver than the littermate control mice (76.44% vs 58.67%). In primary cultures of hepatocytes from type Ⅰ SMA mice, treatment with 5-AzaC significantly up-regulated the expressions of the genes related to lipid metabolism by over 1 fold (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION Type Ⅰ SMA mice have liver metabolic disorder, and the down-regulation of the target genes of PPARα related to lipid and glucose metabolism due to persistent DNA methylation contributes to the progression of SMA.
Mice ; Animals ; PPAR alpha ; Liver Diseases ; Muscular Atrophy, Spinal/genetics* ; Mice, Transgenic ; Body Weight ; Glucose

ObjectiveTo compare the differences in resistance and structure of skin between acupoints and non-acupoints， and to study the difference in skin permeability characteristics of Corydalis Rhizoma total alkaloid patches （CTTP） after administration at Shenque acupoint and non-acupoint， so as to provide experimental support for its clinical acupoint application to prevent and treat chronic pain. MethodTaking corydaline （CD）， tetrahydropalmatine （THP） and corydalis L （CDL） as evaluation indexes， and the quantitative analysis was carried out by high performance liquid chromatography （HPLC）. The mobile phase was methanol-0.04 mol·L^-1 phosphoric acid aqueous solution （70∶30， pH 6.0 adjusted with triethylamine）， the detection wavelength was 281 nm. In vitro transdermal test in Franz diffusion cell and in vivo transdermal test were used to study the skin permeability characteristics of CTTP through Shenque acupoint and non-acupoint administration. At the same time， the skin resistance between Shenque acupoint and non-acupoint was measured before and after the administration， and the distribution of the drug in each layer of the skin was compared by freezing sectioning， and visual verification was performed with fluorescence inverted microscope. ResultAfter 24 h of administration， the results of in vivo and in vitro experiments showed that the cumulative permeation and retention of CD， THP and CDL at Shenque acupoint skin were higher than those at non-acupoint skin （P<0.05， P<0.01）， the skin resistance of Shenque acupoint was lower than that of non-acupoint at all time points. The fluorescence microscopic observation results showed that the drug content of each layer of the skin was all Shenque acupoint>non-acupoint， indicating that the skin of Shenque acupoint had better effect on drug penetration and storage than non-acupoint. ConclusionThe 24 h cumulative permeation and retention of CTTP in Shenque acupoint skin are higher than those in non-acupoint skin， and the mechanism may be related to the thin skin， low electrical resistance and large number of hair follicle bodies at Shenque acupoint.