Objective To investigate the clinical value of 99Tcm-MIBI gated G-MPI in detecting the myocardial damage in sarcoglycanopathy.Methods 99 Tcm - MIBI G - MPI was performed in 8 patients (3 males,5 females,age ranged from 10 to 30 y) with sarcoglycanopathy confirmed by clinical results and molecular pathology and 4 healthy persons as control group.Quantitative gated SPECT (QGS) software was used for processing and interpretation.Myocardium of left ventricle was divided into 7 segments and 20 subsegments.A five-point scoring system was used to evaluate the myocardial damage.Results Seven patients showed positive results in G-MPI (7/8).Fifty-nine sub-segments of injured myocardium were detected in the 140 sub-segments of 7 abnormal patients.One abnormal segment was observed in 1 patient,two abnormal segments were detected in 2 patients,and ≥3 abnormal segments were observed in 4 patients.Enlarged left ventricles were detected in 5 patients (5/8),and the LVEF of 3 patients among them decreased to (43.1 ±2.8)％.Conclusion 99Tcm-MIBI G-MPI can detect myocardial damage in sarcoglycanopathy as a direct and non-invasive method,and can be used in the early diagnosis and long-term follow-up in sarcoglycanopathy.

China ; epidemiology ; Deficiency Diseases ; epidemiology ; Health Status ; Humans ; Iodine ; deficiency

Objective To investigate the control status of iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) in the highrisk areas of Gansu province,and to provide a scientific basis for development of effective preventive measures.Methods Twelve counties with high-risk areas of IDD in Gansu province were selected into the survey in 2007 -2009.All patients with suspected cretinism born after the first of January,1997 were enrolled in the study from the 12 counties.Meanwhile,three townships were chosen in each of the 12 counties,two villages were taken in each township,40 children aged 8 to 10 in each village primary school were selected to carry out thyroid examination by B-ultrasonography and palpation,urinary iodine(UI) test,and intelligence quotient(IQ) test; 30 women of childbearing age were selected in each village to fill in the questionnaire,and to test their urinary and salt iodine,and the local salt-related situation was investigated.Results In the 12 high-risk counties,7 were diagnosed as new cretinism cases from a total of 120 suspected cases of cretinism.The goiter rate of children aged 8 - 10 by Bultrasound was 6.8％(290/4281 ),5 counties had goiter rates higher than 5％,of which 3 counties had goiter rates higher than 10％.The average IQ of children was 82.38.The median urinary iodine(MUI) of children was 180.34 μg/L,the ratio of UI ＜ 50 μg/L was 11.0％(482/4383).The MUI of women of childbearing age was 175.91 μg/L,the ratio of UI ＜ 50 μg/L was 16.5％(126/762).MUI of women of childbearing age was less than 100.0 μg/L in Xiahe and Dongxiang counties,which were 95.24 μg/L and 66.30 μg/L,respectively.The coverage rate of iodized salt in 8 of the 12 counties was more than 95％,and that of the remaining four counties was ＜ 85％,of which the coverage rates of iodized salt were only 39.2％ (47/120)and 66.7％ (120/180),respectively,in Guanghe and Dongxiang counties.Fourteen point nine percent (206/1380) of the residents complained that iodized salt was not convenient to buy and 87.7％ (1210/1380) complained that the current price of these salts exceeded the accepted range.Only 29.9％(413/1380)of the housewives knew how to prevent IDD.Conclusions Impact factors of IDD in high-risk areas are widespread.The monitoring of IDD in high-risk areas should be strengthened.Effective measures should be taken to ensure adequate iodine nutrition of people at risk.At the same time,iodized salt-based comprehensive prevention measures should be strengthen and a long-term effective control strategy of IDD should be established.

Objective To evaluate the accuracy of renal scintigraphy for the estimation of glomerular filtration rates (dGFR) in patients with diabetic nephropathy as compared to the conventional dual-plasma sample clearance method (pscGFR). Methods Forty-six patients with diabetic nephropathy underwent both dynamic renal scintigraphy and dual-plasma sample measurement after 99Tcm-DTPA injection. Paired student t-test and correlation analysis were performed to compare dGFR and pscGFR (normalized to body surface area,1.73 m-2). Results The mean dGFR was higher than mean pscGFR ((51.08±26.78)ml·min-1vs (44.06±29.43)ml·min-1,t=4.209,P=0.000). The dGFR correlated with pscGFR ( r=0.923,P=0.000) linearly (regression equation:pscGFR=1.015×dGFR-7.773,F=254. 656,P=0.000).Conclusions dGFR correlated well with pscGFR. Although it could not absolutely replace the latter in patients with diabetic nephropathy,dGFR could reasonably evaluate the filtration function for these patients.

Objective To evaluate the effect of iodine supplementation on improvement of developmental quotient (DQ) at the critical period of infant brain development.Methods Pregnant,lactating women and infants less than 3 years old were supplemented with iodized oil in Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture(Linxia Prefecture) Gansu Province in 2006-2010.Before and after the intervention(2006,2007-2010),five townships were randomly selected in the north,the south,the east,the west and the center of eight counties(cities) of Linxia.One village was chosen from each of those townships and 20 infants,20 pregnant women and 20 lactating women were randomly selected in each village(insufficient was made up from the neighboring villages).Urinary iodine(UI) level of the infants,pregnant and lactating women were determined by arsenic cerium catalytic spectrophotometry.DQ value of infants was measured before and after supplementation of iodized oil in 2006 and 2010.UI value of pregnant,lactating women and infants was monitored every year after iodine supplementation.Results Before iodine supplementation(2006),the median UI level of pregnant,lactating women and infants was 89.28,84.85,107.3 μg/L,respectively.After iodine supplementation,the medians UI level in 2007,2008,2009 and 2010 were,respectively,pregnant women:136.0,187.8,118.2,175.8 μg/L; lactating women:135.2,159.8,187.5,163.5 μ g/L; infants:139.6,174.7,190.7,168.4 μg/L.Before iodine supplementation,the DQ value of infants was 92.8 ± 16.3,and the average score of gross motor,fine motor,adaptive capacity,language and social behavior was 93.7 ± 20.0,91.4 ± 20.0,92.4 ± 19.0,90.3 ± 20.0,96.4 ± 22.1,respectively.After iodine supplementation,the DQ value of infants was 104.3 ± 13.8,and the average score of gross motor,fine motor,adaptive capacity,language and social behavior was 104.8 ± 21.5,104.1 ± 17.2,104.8 ± 16.1,99.9 ± 19.1,108.0 ± 22.7,respectively,which were higher than that before iodine supplementation (t =-10.43,-10.77,-13.78,-14.28,-9.96,-15.33,all P ＜ 0.01).Conclusions Iodine deficiency at the critical period of brain development can affect the intellectual development of infants and young children at all functional areas of intelligence.Iodine supplementation at the critical period of brain development can prevent mental retardation caused by iodine deficiency disorders.

Objective To master the status in control of iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) in Gansu province and to provide the basis for development of control strategies. Methods One county which reached the national standardization of IDD elimination was selected randomly from each of 14 cities of Gansu province in 2009, then one town was selected respectively from five directions (east, south, west, north, and central) of the above selected counties. One village was chosen from every town which was selected for investigating household iodized salt and iodized salt sales network. At the same time the thyroid of children was examined, their urinary iodine (UI) was determined, the intelligence quotient(IQ) values of children were measured and health education was surveyed in one primary school which was chosen in each of the selected town. Results A total of 1420 edible salt samples were tested;the weighted iodized salt coverage rate and the weighted qualified iodized salt rate were 99.53% and 98.15 respectively. Urine samples were collected from 1761 children included in the study. The urinary iodine median was 225.87 μg/L. The urinary iodine medians were at optimal levels in five counties, over the optimal levels in seven counties and at excessive levels in two counties. A total of 3051 children aged 8 - 10 were randomly selected for thyroid examination. The weighted thyroid goiter rate(TGR) of children was 1.9%, and TGR was higher than 5% only in Hoaggu county. IQ of 2815 children was tested and the mean IQ was 105.3, except for the country of Zhuoni and Kangle, the mean IQ of other counties were over 100. The average score of health education was 3.2.Children of 57.08% (1229/2153) knew that iodine deficiency could lead to mental retardation, 71.76% (1544/2153) knew that iodine deficiency could cause thyroid goiter, 68.04%( 1465/2153 ) knew that eating iodized salt was the best method for IDD prevention and control and 61.82%(1331/2153) informed their families of the benefits of eating iodized salt. Each town had one agency selling iodized salt and each village had one more retail store with iodized salt, but 73.5%(75/102) of the stores without license for the sales. Conclusions Great progress has been made on the prevention and control of IDD in Gansu province. The qualified iodized salt consumption rate has reached the national standard for IDD elimination, TGR has decreased markedly, the urinary iodine levels in more counties are over the optimal levels and iodized salt distribution network is basically sound. But progress in health education is uneven.

Through analysis of the basic mechanism and principle of moxibustion, it is found that the most basic characteristic of moxibustion on acupoints of human body rests with its warm stimulation. The multi-effect of the warm stimulation of moxibustion can be generalized into the following 2 aspects: 1) warming-dredging: to dredge meridians with warming through regulation of qi and blood circulation, and removing stagnation in meridians and collaterals. 2) warming-reinforcing: to reinforce with warming through strengthening of yang qi as well as tonifying yin through reinforcing of yang. The two effects are inter-depending and inter-acting on each other. The mechanism of warming-dredging and warming-reinforcing is different from that of the materia medica, and it has its own specific connotation.
Acupuncture Points ; Body Temperature Regulation ; Humans ; Moxibustion ; instrumentation ; methods

OBJECTIVENeurogenesis in the dentate gyrus of hippocampus persists in brain of the immature and adult mammalian including human and it can be regulated by physiological and pathological events including nutritional status and seizures. The present study was designed to investigate the potential effects of malnutrition followed by status epileptics on hippocampal neurogenesis in the immature rat.

METHODSRat pups were divided into 4 groups: malnourished (M), nourished (N), malnourished plus seizures (MS) and nourished plus seizures (NS). The rat pups of group M and group MS were maintained on a starvation regimen from postnatal day 2 (P2) to P18. The status epilepticus of the rat pups in group MS and group NS was elicited by unilateral microinfusion of kainic acid (KA) into the amygdula at P15. Rat pups of the 4 groups were given bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) intraperitoneally twice daily for 2 days beginning at P17. At P19, the rat pups were killed and the brains were processed for BrdU mitotic labeling combined with double-label immunohistochemistry using early neuron- or glia-specific markers TuJ1 (beta III tubulin) or GFAP (glial fibrillary acidic protein).

RESULTSThere were no significant differences in the latent time of seizure between group M and group N [(12.4 +/- 2.6) min vs. (12.1 +/- 2.9) min, P < 0.05]. Histological assessment did not reveal any evidence of hippocampal cell loss after status epilepticus in either group. BrdU-labeled cells were significantly higher in the rats of group MS (374 +/- 18) than group M (303 +/- 20), group NS (312 +/- 24) than group N (269 +/- 18), respectively (P < 0.01). There was also significant difference between group M and group N, group MS and group NS, respectively (P < 0.01). No significant difference was seen between the rats of group NS and group M (P > 0.05). Approximately 60% of BrdU-labeled cells coexpressed TuJ1, and 5% approximately 10% of those co-expressed GFAP.

CONCLUSIONEarly malnutrition do not alter KA seizure susceptibility and the behavioral manifestations of seizures at P15. Although malnutrition and status epilepticus can increase the proliferation of newly developed cells in the immature rat respectively, malnutrition followed by status epilepticus further increases this proliferation. Furthermore, most of newly developed cells differentiate into early neurons.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Body Weight ; Bromodeoxyuridine ; metabolism ; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein ; analysis ; Hippocampus ; chemistry ; pathology ; Immunohistochemistry ; Malnutrition ; pathology ; Neurons ; chemistry ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Status Epilepticus ; chemically induced ; pathology ; Tubulin ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo assess the iodine status of pregnant women, lactating women and babies and to understand if iodized salt as the main iodine source had met the need of people's demand in regions where iodized salt coverage rate had been over 90%, for the last five years.

METHODSPregnant and lactating women, newborns and babies were selected randomly in region where iodized salt coverage rate had been more than 90%, for the five years. Urine iodine levels of pregnant and lactating women, newborns and babies, milk iodine of lactating women and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) of newborns were measured.

RESULTSThe median urinary iodine (MUI) of people other than those recently pregnant women, had reached the MUI criterion recommended by WHO with the results as 174.18, 180.37, 147.42, 126.27, 145.26 microg/L, respectively. The percentage of TSH>5 pIU/ml of newborns was 14.5%. The median milk iodine of lactating women were in the range of 100-200 microg/L. The percentage of milk iodine < 150 microg/L of early lactating women was less than that of late lactating women (P < 0.01). There was a good correlation between urine iodine of babies and milk iodine of lactating women. The abnormal TSH of women was 15.4%. The abnormal TSH mainly existed in women whose urinary iodine level were lower than 150 microg/L.

CONCLUSIONIodized salt as the main iodine source could basically meet the need of pregnant women, lactating women and babies whose diet structure was simple in the region. However, some people in the area were still under the status of iodine deficiency suggesting that surveillance should be enhanced in people who need more iodine and efficient measures, should be taken.

Adult ; China ; Female ; Goiter ; prevention & control ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Iodides ; analysis ; urine ; Iodine ; administration & dosage ; Milk, Human ; chemistry ; Nutritional Status ; Population Surveillance ; methods ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimesters ; Sodium Chloride, Dietary ; administration & dosage ; Thyrotropin ; analysis

OBJECTIVEData accumulated over the past years have led to widespread recognition that neurogenesis, the emergence of new neurons, persists in the hippocampal dentate gyrus of the adult mammalian brain, and can be increased by seizures in multiple models. Also, aberrant reorganization of dentate granule cell axons, the mossy fiber sprouting, occurs in human temporal lobe epilepsy and rodent epilepsy models. However a number of studies suggest that the immature brain is less vulnerable to the morphologic alteration of hippocampus after seizures. The goal of this study was to determine whether the seizures can induce dentate granule cell neurogenesis and mossy fiber sprouting in the immature rat.

METHODSSeizures was elicited by unilateral microinfusion of kainic acid (KA, 1 micro g) into the amygdula at postnatal day 15 (P15). Rat pups were given bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) intraperitoneally on day 5 after KA administration and killed 7 d or 21 d later. The brains were processed for BrdU mitotic labeling combined with double-label immunohistochemistry using neuron-specific, early differentiation marker TuJ1 (betaIII tubulin) or granule-specific marker CaBP (calcium-binding protein calbindin D28k) as well as glia-specific marker GFAP (glial fibrillary acidic protein). Mossy fiber sprouting in intermolecular layer and CA3 subfield was assessed in Timm-stained sections both 1 month and 3 months after KA administration by using a rating scale and density measurement.

RESULTSThe dentate BrdU-immunoreactive cells of the KA-treated rats increased significantly compared with those of control rats on day 7 and 21 after BrdU administration (7 d: 244 +/- 15 vs. 190 +/- 10; 21 d: 218 +/- 19 vs. 133 +/- 12, P < 0.05). Approximately 80.2% and 78.7% of BrdU-labeled cells coexpressed TuJ1 in KA-treated rats and control rats on day 7 after BrdU respectively (P > 0.05). On 21 d after BrdU, 60.2% and 58.2% of dentate BrdU-labeled cells coexpressed GaBP in KA-treated rats and control rats respectively (P > 0.05). GFAP colocalized with 3%-5% dentate BrdU-labeled cells in the rats of both groups on day 7 and 21 after BrdU. It was also demonstrated that status epilepticus at P15 did not result in any detectable mossy fiber sprouting within the hippocampus both 1 month and 3 months after KA administration.

CONCLUSIONSKA induced seizures can increase granule cell neurogenesis in the immature rat. Most of newly appeared cells migrate from subgranular proliferation zone (SGZ) into granule cell layer, the hilus as well as the molecular layer, and there they can differentiate into granule neurons. These observations also indicate that there is an early developmental resistance to seizure-induced mossy fiber sprouting in the immature brain.

Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Proliferation ; Dentate Gyrus ; cytology ; physiopathology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists ; adverse effects ; Kainic Acid ; adverse effects ; Mossy Fibers, Hippocampal ; physiopathology ; Neurogenesis ; physiology ; Rats ; Seizures ; chemically induced ; physiopathology