Objective To investigate the lowest concentration of iodine contast medium which can ensure CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) imaging quality at tube voltage of 80 kVp.Methods Ten New Zealand rabbits underwent CTPA four times every three days with the iodine concentrations of contrast medium at each time were 350,300,270 and 250 mg I/mL respectively.The attenuation values of trunk pulmonary artery and air around the body on the same level,as well as right and left pulmonary arteries,and the pulmonary artery branches were compared among different groups.Meanwhile,image noise (N),contrasvto-noise ratio (CNR) and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) were calculated.All those data were analyzed with One way classification ANOVA test.When multiple samples compared,Dunnett-t test was employed.The pulmonary arteries were divided into large and small arteries and assessed by multiple sample Kruskal-Wallis H test and analyzed with LSD-t test when multiple samples compared.When the attenuation of trunk pulmonary artery of different viewers or the different times of the same viewer compared,paired t test was employed.Wilcoxon signed rank testing was employed for comparing the scores of pulmonary arteries among different groups.Results All the images of CTPA could demonstrate sixthorder branches of pulmonary artery.The attenuation of pulmonary arteries of the 300-group was the highest,however no statistical difference was found between 270 and 300-group [major pulmonary arteries:(687.17±167.83) HU,(848.68±185.03) HU,t=-161.52,P =0.097].The CNR (6.3±1.30) and SNR (10.9±2.01) of the 270-group were the highest (t=-45.99,P=0.008;t=3.73,P=0.088),and N (62.84±6.05) was the lowest (t=-11.09,P=0.016).No statistical difference was found between 270-group and other 3 groups.And for the subjective scores of large arteries,no statistical differences (from 350-group to 250 group,3.91±0.35,3.90±0.38,3.90±0.42 and 3.86±0.42,H=6.588,P=0.086) were found.The scores of small arteries of 270-group were lower than those of 350 and 300 group,but the image quality of 270-group (3.34±0.51) met the diagnostic requirements.Conclusion When the tube voltage being 80 kVp,the contrast medium of 270 mg I/mL is more suitable for rabbits' CTPA.Thus,the iodine dose per unit can decrease effectively.

OBJECTIVETo explore the effectiveness of absorbable hemostatic fluid gelatin in preventing postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leakage.

METHODSThe clinical data of 17 patients with dura mater tear were retrospectively analyzed from March to September in 2003. There were 16 males and 1 female, aged from 16 to 67 years old with an average of (39.6 ± 15.4) years. The injury site was at cervical vertebrae in 1 case, thoracic vertebrae in 9 cases, thoracolumbar junction in 4 cases, lumbar vertebrae in 3 cases. There were burst fracture in 4 cases and fracture-dislocation in 13 cases. According to ASIA grade, 12 cases were grade A, 2 cases were grade B, 2 cases were grade D, 1 case were grade E. Two cases caused by traffic accident, 10 by high falling, 4 by heavy parts crash, 1 by stairs fell during the earthquake. Absorbable hemostatic fluid gelatins were used to plug the dura mater tear,in order to prevent postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leakage. Postoperative drainage were recorded every day.

RESULTSOf 17 patients, 15 cases did not develop with cerebrospinal fluid leakage. Two cases develop with cerebrospinal fluid leakage after operation and their drainage were removed at 6 to 7 days after operation. In all cases, no complications related with cerebrospinal fluid leakage occurred, such as headache, dizzy, fever,neck resistance, rash, incision disunion, incision infection, hematoma, neurologic symptoms aggravation. No abnormal phenomena was found on incision surrounding at follow-up of 9 months.

CONCLUSIONUsing absorbable hemostatic fluid gelatin to plug the dura mater tear during operation is an effective method in preventing postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leakage.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak ; prevention & control ; Female ; Gelatin ; administration & dosage ; Hemostatics ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; prevention & control

Objective To build experimental animal model of cerebral alveolar echinococcosis disease of sheep,in order to study of human alveolar hydatid disease of the brain.Methods Experiment animal models of ten Xinjiang big-tail sheep were performed by, direct skull puncture,intracerebral inoculation of echinococcus multilocularis.MRI was used to observe the growth status of cerebral alveolar echinococcosis disease of sheep after 8 months,and morphological and pathological characteristics after autopsy were ana-lysed.Results 4 sheep models (40%)were successful built which were confirmed by pathology and MRI.On MRI,4 cases all were single lesion,on T2 WI there was multiple follicles bubbles under the background of low signal in one case,and low signal in other three cases.Under the microscope,a large number of lymphocytes,eosinophils and plasma cells infiltrated the lesion area,around which small blood vessels were blocked and had inflammatory reaction were showed.Conclusion The method using artificial inocula-tion rat alveolar echinococcosis to establish experimental model of cerebral alveolar echinococcosis disease of sheep has the character-istic of feasibility,simplicity and repeatability.

Objective To analyze the relationship of the lateral angulation with the incision level after anterior approach operation for thoracolumbar fractures by evaluating the Cobb' s angle at different approach levels.Methods A retrospective study was done on 154 patients with thoracolumbar fractures treated consecutively with anterior operation from May 2004 to January 2008.The preoperative,postoperative and follow-up angle of coronal Cobb and the postoperative angle between screws and endplates on the anteroposterior radiograph were measured.According to the relationship between the injury vertebrae and the incision level,the patients were divided into two groups,ie,incision level ≥2 vertebrae group and incision level ≤ 1 vertebra group.Results All patients were followed up for 6-47 months(mean 37 months),which showed significant postoperative lateral angulation(P ＜ 0.01)especially at follow-up (P ＞ 0.05).The coronal Cobb' s angle showed insignificant difference before operation between two groups but it was increased after operation and during the follow-up(P ＜0.01).The screws A or B were more parallel to the endplate in two groups(P ＜ 0.01),while the parallel of the screws C or D to the endplate showed no statistical difference(P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions Compared with the operation with incision level ≥2 vertebrae,the operation with incision level ≤ 1 vertebra can more easily induce postoperative lateral angulation and exert a significant impact on implantation orientation of the vertebral screws A and B,which may indirectly lead to postoperative lateral angulation.

OBJECTIVETo investigate cell apoptosis, mitochondrial membrane potential, cytochrome C and mechanisms of mitochondria in lymphocyte apoptosis of sepsis.

METHODSIn the research, female C57BL/6 mice whose body weight ranged from 17 to 25 grams were utilized and assigned randomly to two groups: sham operated group (Control), cecal ligation and puncture group (CLP). The present study was undertaken by using the mice splenic lymphocyte to investigate cell apoptosis, mitochondrial membrane potential, cytochrome C. The apoptosis alteration was evaluated by Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining with flow cytometry. The alteration of mitochondrial membrane potential was investigated by Rhodamine-123 staining of cells. Cytochrome C of mitochondria and cytosol was investigated by Western blot methods. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 11.5 for Windows software. Experiment data was indicated with mean ± standard.

RESULTSThe splenic lymphocyte apoptosis was significantly accelerated in the CLP group when compared with that in control group (17.3% ± 2.2% vs. 3.5% ± 0.5%, P < 0.05). The Rhodamine-123 fluorescent intensity in splenic lymphocyte apoptosis was reduced in CLP group (76.2% ± 1.6%). Comparison between sham group (99.6% ± 0.4%) and CLP group had statistical significance (P < 0.05). Apoptosis could induce mitochondrial cytochrome C release into cytoplasm. In the CLP group, elevation of cytochrome C in cytosol was concurrently in accordance with decline in mitochondrial cytochrome C content.

CONCLUSIONThese data suggest that mitochondria and mitochondria signal pathway play an important role in lymphocyte apoptosis of sepsis.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Cells, Cultured ; Cytochromes c ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Lymphocytes ; metabolism ; pathology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mitochondria ; metabolism ; physiology ; Sepsis ; metabolism ; pathology

A fused functional gene of human OPG and Mhsp65 was amplified by PCR,and cloned into the prokaryotic expression vector pET-28a.The BL21(DE3) strain of E.coli was transformed using the recombinant plasmid pET-28a-OPG-HSP65 and the expected protein was expressed by induction with IPTG.Result of SDS-PAGE indicated that the expected recombinant protein of 23 kDa was expressed with high yield as inclusion body.The fusion protein could be specifically recognized by both the anti-His antibody and anti-human OPG monoclonal antibody in Western blot analysis.The purified and refolded fusion protein could inhibit osteoclast proliferation and bone absorption in vitro.The results of mouse ear swelling assay and expressions of TNF-?,IFN-? and IL-17 mRNAs detected by real-time quantitative PCR demonstrated that the fusion protein had an anti-inflammation activity.The results suggest that the fusion protein of human OPG and Mhsp65 may act as a potential therapeutics for rheumatoid arthritis.

BACKGROUNDIt is important to identify the multiple sites of leptin activity in obese women with breast cancer. In this study, we examined the effect of exogenous human leptin on heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) expression in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells and in a breast carcinoma xenograft model of nude mice.

METHODSWe cultured MCF-7 human breast cancer cells and established nude mice bearing xenografts of these cells, and randomly divided them into experimental and control groups. The experimental group was treated with human leptin, while the control group was treated with the same volume of normal saline. A real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay was developed to quantify the mRNA expression of HSP70 in the MCF-7 human breast cancer cells and in tumor tissues. Western blotting analysis was applied to quantify the protein expression of HSP70 in the MCF-7 cells. Immunohistochemical staining was done to assess the positive rate of HSP70 expression in the tumor tissues.

RESULTSLeptin activated HSP70 in a dose-dependent manner in vitro: leptin upregulated significantly the expression of HSP70 at mRNA and protein levels in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in expression of HSP70 mRNA in the implanted tumors between the leptin-treated group and the control group (P > 0.05). Immunohistochemical staining revealed no significant difference in tumor HSP70 expression between the leptin-treated group and the control group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSA nude mouse xenograft model can be safely and efficiently treated with human leptin by subcutaneous injections around the tumor. HSP70 may be target of leptin in breast cancer. Leptin can significantly upregulate the expression of HSP70 in a dose-dependent manner in vitro.

Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Breast Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Female ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Leptin ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of COX inhibitors on pain threshold and spinal N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor subunit 2B (NR2B) expression in a rat model of neuropathic pain.

METHODSThirty-six male SD rats were randomly divided into sham-operated group, chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve group, indomethacin+CCI group, and parecoxib+CCI group with corresponding treatments. All the rats were tested for mechanical withdrawal threshold, and at day 13 after the surgery, the rats were decapitated for detection of NR2B expression in the spinal cord at the L4-6 levels.

RESULTSThe mechanical withdrawal threshold were lowered significantly after the operation in CCI, indomethacin+CCI and parecoxib+CCI groups (P<0.05). Parecoxib alleviated the hypersensitivity of CCI model rats but not affected spinal NR2B expressions (P>0.05). No significant differences were found in the mechanical withdrawal threshold or spinal NR2B expression between CCI group and indomethacin+CCI group (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONParecoxib can alleviate neuropathic hypersensitivity in rats, but this effect may not be associated with NR2B expression in the spinal cord.

Analgesics ; therapeutic use ; Animals ; Constriction ; Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors ; therapeutic use ; Isoxazoles ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Neuralgia ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate ; metabolism ; Sciatic Nerve ; injuries ; Spinal Cord ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on pain threshold and spinal NR2B subunit expression in a rat model of neuropathic pain due to chronic compression injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve and explore the analgesic mechanism of EA.

METHODSMale SD rats weighing 200-280 g were randomly divided into 4 groups (n=10), namely the sham-operated group, CCI group, EA+CCI group, and sham EA+CCI group. All the rats underwent tests of the mechanical withdrawal threshold and thermal threshold. On day 13 after the surgery, all the rats were decapitated to collect the L4-6 segments of the spinal cord to examine NR2B expression using Western blotting.

RESULTSThe postoperative mechanical withdrawal threshold and thermal threshold were significantly lowered in CCI, EA+CCI and sham EA+CCI groups as compared to those before the surgery (P<0.05). EA obviously alleviated the hypersensitivity in the rats with CCI and inhibited spinal NR2B expressions (P<0.05). No significant differences were found in the mechanical withdrawal threshold, thermal threshold or spinal NR2B subunit expression between CCI group and sham EA+CCI group (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONEA may alleviate neuropathic hypersensitivity partially by inhibiting NR2B expression in the spinal cord of rats with neuropathic pain resulting from CCI of the sciatic nerve.

Animals ; Electroacupuncture ; Male ; Neuralgia ; metabolism ; pathology ; therapy ; Pain Threshold ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate ; metabolism ; Spinal Cord ; metabolism

Background Little information is available regarding the effect of angiotensin Ⅱ (Ang Ⅱ) on the bumetanide-sensitive sodium-potassium-2 chloride cotransporter (NKCC2), the thiazide-sensitive sodium-chloride cotransporter (NCC), and the Cl- channel (CLC)-K2 at both mRNA and protein expression level in Ang Ⅱ-induced hypertensive rats. This study was conducted to investigate the influence of Ang Ⅱ with chronic subpressor infusion on nephron-specific gene expression of NKCC2, NCC and CLC-K2. Results Ang Ⅱ significantly increased blood pressure and up-regulated NKCC2 mRNA and protein expression in the kidney. Expression of CLC-K2 mRNA in the kidney increased 1.6 fold (P<0.05).There were no changes in NCC mRNA or protein expression in AngII-treated rats versus control. Conclusions Chronic subpressor Ang Ⅱ infusion can significantly alter NKCC2 and CLC-K2 mRNA expression in the kidney, and protein abundance of NKCC2 in kidney is positively regulated by Ang Ⅱ. These effects may contribute to enhanced renal Na+ and Cl- reabsorption in response to Ang Ⅱ.