Objective To explore the diagnostic value of DWI after secretin stimulation for the diagnosis of mild chronic pancreatitis (CP). Methods This was a prospective study. Ninety-nine consecutive individuals including 23 healthy volunteers, 11 risk volunteers, 15 mild CP patients, 14 moderate CP patients and 36 severe CP patients underwent secretin DWI and faecal elastase 1(FE-1) testing. The subjects were grouped by Cambridge classification about endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERCP), CT and ultrasonography. Secretin stimulated diffusion weighted imaging(S-DWI), the ADCs, time to peak ADCs and FE-1 were performed on all subjects. The changes of pancreatic ADC values were observed before and after the injection of secretin. All ADCs and FE-1 were compared between groups with single factor analysis of variance, and the correlation between ADCs and FE-1 was determined with Pearson analysis. ROC curves were performed to identify the diagnostic efficacy of DWI related measures. Results Eight patients with severe CP were excluded because the significant atrophy of the pancreatic parenchyma prohibited the evaluation of ADC measurement. Ninety-one individuals were divided into five groups including 23 healthy volunteers, 11 risk volunteers, 15 mild CP patients, 14 moderate CP patients and 28 severe CP patients. The mean baseline and peak ADCs were higher in the healthy volunteers than in other groups, with significant differences (P<0.05). There was no ADC peak in severe CP patients. There were significant differences between the mean baseline ADCs and the peak ADCs in the other groups (P<0.05). The mild and moderate CP groups showed a delayed peak. The area under curve (AUC) of the mean baseline and peak ADCs, time to peak ADCs for differentiating mild CP was 0.818, 0.912 and 0.965, respectively. Using 4.67 min as the cutoff value, time to peak ADCs were most accurate for differentiating healthy from risk patients and those with evident pancreatitis, yielding a sensitivity of 80.0%and a specificity of 100.0%. Good correlations between baseline and peak ADCs, time to peak ADCs, and FE-1 were shown(r=0.57, 0.72 and-0.84, P<0.01). Conclusions Using the peak and time to peak ADCs may improve the detection of risk and mild CP. Secretin-enhanced DWI is a noninvasive, convenient and accurate method.

We report here on a rare case of an ectopic pancreatic tissue in the anterior mediastinum. A 32-year-old woman without any symptoms was transferred to our hospital because of an abnormal large mediastinal shadow on her chest radiograph during a checkup. The computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a giant cystic-solid mass that measured 16 x 13 x 8 cm and it was located in the center of the anterior mediastinum and it symmetrically grew to two sides. On enhanced CT scans, the solid component of the mass showed marked enhancement. We performed total surgical resection of the mass and complete pancreatic tissues were verified on the pathological examination.
Adult ; Choristoma/*radiography/surgery ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Mediastinal Diseases/*radiography/surgery ; *Pancreas ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Pulmonary vascular remodeling is one of the major characteristics of hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension, mainly represented by over-proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs). Hypoxia inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) is a transcription factor which is produced by the cells exposed to hypoxia. HIF-1alpha up-regulates the expression of many hypoxia response genes (HRGs) for the body to adapt to hypoxia and maintain homeostasis. The expression of HIF-1alpha in the PASMCs is remarkably elevated under hypoxic condition and it stimulates the proliferation of PASMCs. In this experiment, we used gene clone technology to design and synthesize two siRNAs based on the sequence of HIF-1alpha mRNA. They were separately subcloned into the plasmid of pGenesil-1 containing U6 promoter. The pGenesil-1 vector of the RNA interference eukaryotic expression vector specific to HIF-1alpha gene was constructed. DNA sequencing of the plasmid verified the successful construction of the HIF-1alpha RNAi. We isolated and cultured the PASMCs of rat. The pGenesil-1 vector was transferred into the PASMCs with METAFECTENE in vitro. The positive cell clones transfected with pGenesil-1 were obtained after being screened with 400 mug/ml G418. These PASMCs were cultured in normoxia and hypoxia. After 48 h, the effects of RNAi on the expression of HIF-1alpha mRNA were detected by RT-PCR. The cellular growth activities were assayed by MTT colorimetry and flow cytometry in vitro. The results showed that for the PASMCs cultured in hypoxia for 48 h, the cell proliferation of blank group and control group were remarkably increased and the HIF-1alpha mRNA expressions were up-regulated, while the cell proliferation of the treatment groups did not increase and the HIF-1alpha mRNA expressions were not up-regulated. In conclusion, we successfully constructed the recombinant plasmid of RNAi and transfected them into the PASMCs in vitro. The RNAi inhibited the expression of HIF-1alpha mRNA in the PASMCs, and subsequently it remarkably suppressed the proliferation of PASMCs in hypoxia. These results indicate that HIF-1alpha plays a pivotal role in PASMC proliferation.
Animals ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Cloning, Molecular ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; physiopathology ; Hypoxia ; physiopathology ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; genetics ; metabolism ; Male ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; pathology ; Pulmonary Artery ; pathology ; RNA Interference ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics ; Rats ; Transfection

To synthesize salbutamol immunogen and develop an enzyme immunoassay (ELISA), a new salbutamol immunogen was synthesized using 4-aminobenzoic acid as a linker to connect hapten with carrier protein. An enzyme immunoassay based on the antibody prepared was developed and applied to detect salbutamol residue spiked in swine liver. An unusual coating antigen, clenbuterol-ovalbumin (OVA) conjugate instead of salbutamol-OVA conjugate, was used in the immunoassay and the results were discussed based on the structures of related compounds. The antibodies showed high sensitivity in the heterologous assay when using clenbuterol-OVA as a coating antigen, with an IC50 value of 8.97 ng mL(-1) toward salbutamol. The antibodies prepared showed high cross-reactivity with clenbuterol (107%) and were promising for the simultaneous determination of salbutamol and clenbuterol residues in food and food products. Recovery rates from the salbutamol-spiked swine liver samples were in the range of 70%-99%, while the intra-assay and inter-assay coefficients of variation were <13.3% and <14.3%, respectively. In summary, the antibodies of salbutamol have been successfully prepared. Sensitive and stable analysis for the detection of salbutamol residues in swine liver was obtained based on the competitive ELISA methods developed in this study.
4-Aminobenzoic Acid ; chemistry ; Adrenergic beta-Agonists ; analysis ; immunology ; Albuterol ; analysis ; immunology ; Animals ; Antibodies ; immunology ; Antibody Specificity ; Clenbuterol ; analysis ; immunology ; Drug Residues ; analysis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; methods ; Food Contamination ; Haptens ; immunology ; Immunization ; Liver ; chemistry ; Male ; Ovalbumin ; chemistry ; immunology ; Rabbits ; Serum Albumin, Bovine ; chemistry ; immunology ; Swine

OBJECTIVETo investigate the biochemical metabolic changes detected by phosphorus-31 MR spectroscopy ((31)P MRS) with pathologic changes in the liver of fasting rabbits.

METHODSA total of 22 rabbits were under the starvation up to death to establish animal models. Hepatic (31)P MRS was performed in different period of 10 rabbits including normal condition, over-starvation, agonal condition and death after 30 min. Other 9 rabbits were divided into three type including over-starvation, agonal condition and death group with 3 rabbits in each group, and 3 healthy rabbits served as controls. All the 12 rabbits were sacrificed for the hepatic pathological examination. The MR examination was performed on a 1.5 T imager using a 1H/31P surface coil by the 2D chemical shift imaging technique. The relative quantities of phosphomonoesters (PME), phosphodiesters (PDE), inorganic phosphate (Pi) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) were measured.

RESULTSAll the relative quantification of phosphorus metabolites were changed significantly from starvation to death (X(2)=23.13-35.41, P<0.01). The relative quantifications of ATP of normal condition, over-starvation, agonal condition and death were 2.54 +/-0.53, 1.73 +/-0.14, 0.88 +/-0.23 and 0.05 +/-0.08, respectively (rs=1.0, P<0.01). The relative quantifications of PDE from normal to death were 1.25 +/-0.54, 2.76 +/-0.23, 3.33 +/-0.49 and 3.87 +/-0.43, respectively, and those of Pi were 0.42 +/-0.02, 0.65 +/-0.05, 0.89 +/-0.15 and 0.99 +/-0.08, respectively (rs=1.0, P <0.01). The relative quantifications of PME were also significantly changed (rs=0.4, P=0.6). The pathologic changes of normal condition, over-starvation, agonal condition and death: decreased size of hepatocytes, loss of cell number, cellular swelling, degeneration and cell necrosis or hepatic hemorrhage became more and more pronounced.

CONCLUSION(31)P MRS can monitor dynamic changes of relative quantification of phosphorus metabolites, which are correlated with the pathological severity of acute hepatic injury by fasting.

Animals ; Death ; Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation ; Female ; Liver ; metabolism ; pathology ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; methods ; Male ; Phosphorus ; metabolism ; Phosphorus Isotopes ; metabolism ; Rabbits ; Random Allocation ; Starvation

Objective To establish Ad-hLIF transgenic feeder cells for the expansion of umbilical cord blood CD34+ HSPC in vitro and study the SCID mice model of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell (HSPC) transplantation. Methods The expression of objective gene in Ad-hLIF transgenic feeder cells was detected by RT-PCR and ELISA. The purity of umbilical cord blood CD34+ HSPC separated by magnetic-activated cell sorting(MACS) was detected by the flow cytometry. After expanded with various combinant of cytokines and transgenic feeder layer cells for 28 d, the quantity of mono-nuclear cell (MNC) and CD34+ cells rate was detected in different time. MNC after expansion stained by CFDA SE was injected to the sublethally irradiated SCID mice. Humanize gene Alu was detected by RT-PCR and fluorescence microscope. Results The green fluorescence was observed in the transgenic cells infected with 50MOI( multiplicity of infection) Ad-hLIF, and the objective gene was confirmed by RT-PCR and ELISA. The purity of umbilical cord blood CD34+ HSPC separated by MACS could reach 95.60% ±2.58%, Ad-hLIF transgenic feeder cells and various cytokines system increased MNC by 356.95±0.87 fold, and maximal expansion of CD34+ cells was observed during 0-14 d of culture, then down-expansion gradually. Four weeks after transplanted in SCID mice, fluorescently-labeled humanize cells still can be observed. The existence of the humanized gene Alu was confirmed by RT-PCR. Conclusion Ad-hLIF transgenic feeder cells can effectively proliferate umbilical cord blood CD34+ HSPC in vitro and delay it differentiate, what's more, it has high transplant efficacy and haematogenesis activity.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; diagnostic imaging ; Lymphoma ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVETo describe the characteristics of magnetic resonance (MR) signals generated by lipiodol and to assess the influence on MR imaging of hepatoma nodule.

METHODSPure lipiodol and lipiodol emulsions mixed with 76% urografin in different ratio were imaged by both CT and MR; quantitative T(1) and T(2) measurements of lipiodol were performed. Fourty-one SD rats with transplanted walker-256 sarcoma in liver were randomly divided into six groups: 0.4-0.6 ml lipiodol emulsion was infused via hepatic artery in experimental groups by means of laparotomy under celiac anesthesia. The changes in MRI signal of hepatoma nodule were observed.

RESULTIn vitro, iodized oil demonstrated high signal on T(1)-weighted images when performed at 37 degree, but all could be suppressed by the fat saturation sequence, and showed very low signal on T(2)-weighted images. The characteristic of MR signal with ultra fluid lipiodol was different from that of iodized oil (P<0.01), showing short T(1) and long T(2) signal; the high signal on T(1)-weighted images was only partially suppressed by the fat saturation sequence. With descending ratio of lipiodol in emulsion, the signal behavior was gradually similar to urografin (r -0.958, P<0.01). When rats were transarterially infused with emulsion, the intensity of the signal on MRI was nearly the same as that in the control rats, but when lipiodol was injected out of the hepatic artery and accumulated in lymphadenopathy, it demonstrated a signal similar to fat; the high intensity signal was maintained on T(1)-weighted images and T(2)-weighted images.

CONCLUSIONThere are little changes in MR signal intensity when the lipiodol is accumulated in the tumor nodules. MR behavior of lipiodol is determined by its deposit area.

Animals ; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic ; Iodized Oil ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Liver Neoplasms ; pathology ; therapy ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

The Tibetan antelope, a prototype mammal, has developed a unique adaptation to extreme high altitude-associated hypoxia. To investigate the role of the endocrine system in adaptation to high altitude in the Tibetan antelope, comparisons of endocrine hormones levels between Tibetan antelope (n = 9) and Tibetan sheep (n = 10) were performed. Both two kinds of animals were captured at an altitude of 4 300 m and then transported to experimental base at 2 800 m altitude. The blood samples were drawn from right external jugular vein in the next morning, and the 20 hormones in hypothalamus-adenohypophysis-peripheral hormonal axis were measured with radioimmunoassay or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) were recorded using catheterization. Moreover, hemoglobin (Hb) content was measured by blood analyser. The results showed that, the levels of FT(3), FT(4) and Ang II in Tibetan antelope were significantly lower than those in Tibetan sheep, whereas TRH, CRH, GHRH, F, E(2), Ald, ACTH and CGRP levels were significantly greater in Tibetan antelope than those in the Tibetan sheep. Compared with Tibetan sheep, Tibetan antelope showed lower HR, mPAP, SBP, DBP and Hb content. In Tibetan antelope and Tibetan sheep, both Hb and Ang II were correlated positively with respective mPAP. In Tibetan antelope, FT(3) level was correlated positively with GH and negatively with ACTH. These results suggest that the endocrine system of Tibetan antelope is characterized by low energy expenditure and high stress, which may be one of the mechanisms underlying the Tibetan antelope adaptation to chronic hypoxia.
Adaptation, Physiological ; physiology ; Altitude ; Animals ; Antelopes ; blood ; Hormones ; blood ; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System ; metabolism ; physiology ; Male ; Sheep ; blood ; Tibet

OBJECTIVETo investigate the distribution of antimicrobial agent STR-1 of nanometer level which was incorporated with ball-grinding method in the polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) denture base, and to study the release mode of silver ions from the base.

METHODSThe distribution of the antimicrobial agent in the PMMA denture base containing STR-1 at concentrations of 0 g/L, 5 g/L, and 10 g/L was examined with scanning electronic microscopy. Then, PMMA resin bases containing STR-1 at the three concentrations were respectively immersed in artificial saliva at 37 degrees C for 54 days. The release of silver ions from the resin bases was surveyed with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) every 24 hours.

RESULTSThe antimicrobial agent incorporated by ball-grinding method was even-distributed with individual particles of nanometer level in the PMMA resin base. The release of silver ions from the PMMA resin with antimicrobial agent was extremely slow during the test, a very small fraction of the silver ions released. At the beginning of the test, the release speed was extremely slow, the speed increased rapidly in the middle of the test, and at the end of the test, the speed returned to slow and steady. The cumulative release curve of silver ions was of "S" type.

CONCLUSIONSSTR-1 can be even-distributed in the denture base, and the silver ions release from the base with extremely slow speed. It also indicates that biological safety and long-term antimicrobial efficacy of denture base containing silver-supported antimicrobial agents of nanometer level are possibly obtained based on their slow release of silver ions.

Anti-Infective Agents ; pharmacokinetics ; Dental Materials ; chemistry ; Denture Bases ; Denture, Partial ; Ions ; pharmacokinetics ; Materials Testing ; Nanostructures ; Polymethyl Methacrylate ; chemistry ; Silver ; pharmacokinetics