Objective To analyse the CT features of pulmonary echinococcosis and to assess CT value in diagnosing this disease.Methods CT fingings of pulmonary echinococcosis in 35 cases proved pathologically were analyzed retrospectively.Results Pulmonary granulosus echinococcosis was 33 cases including simple hydatid cyst (11 lesions),datugter cyst hydatid (3 lesions),with calcification (1 lesion) ,rupture (11 lesions),merging infection (4 lesions) and rupture into thorax (3 lesions).Pulmonary alveolar echinococcosis was 2 lesions,CT findings apperared as irregular,peripherally scattered more nodules with small vacuoles or calcification and in combination with hepatic alveolar echinococcosis.Conclusion Pulmonary echinococcosis had characteristic features on CT,CT examination can provide more imaging informations for the treatment of pulmonary echinococcosis

Alzheimer' s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia in the elderly. AD is an invariably fatal neurodegenerative disorder with no effective treatment. Senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8) is a model for studying age-related cognitive impairments and also is a good model to study brain aging and one of mouse model of AD. The technique of cDNA microarray can monitor the expression levels of thousands of genes simultaneously and can be used to study AD with the character of multi-mechanism, multi-targets and multi-pathway. In order to disclose the mechanism of AD and find the drug targets of AD, cDNA microarray containing 3136 cDNAs amplified from the suppression subtracted cDNA library of hippocampus of SAMP8 and SAMR1 was prepared with 16 blocks and 14 x 14 pins, the housekeeping gene beta-actin and G3PDH as inner conference. The background of this microarray was low and unanimous, and dots divided evenly. The conditions of hybridization and washing were optimized during the hybridization of probe and target molecule. After the data of hybridization analysis, the differential expressed cDNAs were sequenced and analyzed by the bioinformatics, and some of genes were quantified by the real time RT-PCR and the reliability of this cDNA microarray were validated. This cDNA microarray may be the good means to select the differential expressed genes and disclose the molecular mechanism of SAMP8's brain aging and AD.
Aging ; genetics ; metabolism ; Alzheimer Disease ; genetics ; metabolism ; Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Gene Expression ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Hippocampus ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Models, Animal ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

Objective To observe the value of ultrasonography, MR and MSCT in diagnosing intravitreous autologous eyelashes. Methods Thirty-two New Zealand rabbits were averagely divided into 4 groups (A, B, C and D) randomly, and 1, 5, 10 eyelashes were implanted into vitreous body of rabbits respectively in group A, B, and C, whereas rabbits in group D (the control group) were only exposed to sham operation without implanting any eyelashes. After one week, all rabbits underwent ultrasound, MR and MSCT examination, then the specimens of vitreous bodies were obtained and observed pathologically. Results All the implanted intravitreous eyelashes were displayed with ultrasound. Intravitreous eyelashes in group A were not detected with MRI, whereas in 3 rabbits of group B and all of group C were displayed on T2WI, T2*WI and SWI sequences. MSCT detected intravitreous eyelashes in only 6 experimental animals. Conclusion Ultrasonography should be considered as the first choice for diagnosis of intravitreous autologous eyelashes. Different sequences of MRI have various advantages in diagnosing intravitreous autologous eyelashes, whereas the diagnostic value of MSCT is limited.

Objective To explore a new method of functional reconstruction of hand digits and joints with free transfer of foot tissues so as to increase the success rate of the operation.Methods After micro-anatomic study of the plantar and dorsal metatarsal arteries,retrograde and free grafts of foot tissues pedicled with plantar metatarsal arteries were designed and applied in transplantation to treat 76 cases of hand digital or joint defects.The surgeries included 58 cases of transfer of the second toe,four cases of transfer of composite tissues of the second toe, eight cases of transfer of proximal interphalangeal joint,and six cases of nail flap transfer.Results The mi- cro-anatomic study found that the first plantar metatarsal artery was anatomically constant and the diameter of its branch to the second toe was larger than that of the first dorsal metatarsal artery.Flaps survived in 75 of the 76 patients(98.7%),with fine appearance and significantly improved function.One patient who had received free transfer of the second toe to reconstruct the thumb function had to undergo a second repair with infraclavicula skin tube because of refractory arteriospasm of anastomosed vessels.Conclusion Transfer with free retrograde grafts of foot tissues pedicled with plantar metatarsal artery to reconstruct hand functions can effectively improve the success rate of the operation,because it is free of the shortcomings of great anatomic variation of blood vessels and time-consuming and complex procedures in conventional transfer.

Reverse transcriptase-PCR experiments suggest that the two clusters of genes potentially involved in the oxidation of reduced sulfur compounds are organized as operons in strain of the acidophilic, chemolithoautotrophic bacterium Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans ATCC 23270, the two clusters of genes including such the ORF of putative sulfate-thiosulfate-molybdate binding proteins, the ORF of putative thiosulfate: quinone oxidoreductase and the ORF of the rhodanese-like protein (P21). Bioinformatic analyses have predicted the possible promoters sequences and the possible +1 start site of transcription for the doxDA operons.

The purpose of the study was to observe the effect of rapamycin (RAPA) on the differentiation and maturation of rat bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) in vitro. BMDCs from Wistar rats were cultured with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor plus interleukin-4 in the presence or absence of RAPA (20 ng/mL), and stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for 24 h before cells and supernatants were collected. Surface phenotype of BMDCs was flow-cytometrically detected to determine the expression of maturation markers, MHC class II and CD86. Supernatants were analyzed for the production of IL-12 and IFN-gamma cytokines by using ELISA. BMDCs were co-cultured with T cells from Lewis rats and mixed lymphocyte reaction was assessed by MTT method. The morphology of BMDCs stimulated with LPS remained immature after RAPA pretreatment. RAPA significantly decreased the CD86 expression, impaired the IL-12 and IFN-gamma production of BMDCs stimulated with LPS, and inhibited the proliferation of allogeneic T cells. In conclusion, RAPA can inhibit the maturation of BMDCs stimulated with LPS in terms of the morphology, surface phenotype, cytokine production, and ability of BMDCs to stimulate the proliferation of allogeneic T cells in vitro.

To explore the role of the Chk2 protein expression and DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) repair in low dose hyper-radiosensitivity (HRS)/increased radioresistance (IRR) of non-small cell lung cancer, A549 cells were subjected to irradiation at the dosage ranging from 0.05-2 Gy. Clonogenic survival was measured by using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) plating technique. Percentage of cells in M-phase after low doses of X-irradiation was evaluated by phospho-histone H3-FITC/PI and Western blotting was used to detect protein expression of Chk2 and phospo-Chk2. DNA DSBs repair efficiency was also measured by induction and persistence of γ-H2AX. The results showed that the killing ability of irradiation with A549 cells increased at low conditioning dose below 0.3 Gy. Within the dose of 0.3 to 0.5 Gy, A549 cells showed a certain extent of radiation resistance. And when the dose was more than 0.5 Gy, survival fraction exhibited a negative correlation with the dosage. There was no difference between the 0.1 or 0.2 Gy dosage groups and the un-irradiated group in terms of the percentage of cells in M phase. But in the high dosage group (0.3-1.0 Gy), the percentage of cells in M phase was decreased markedly. In addition, the percentage of cells in M phase began to decrease two hours after irradiation. One hour after irradiation, there was no conspicuous activation of Chk2 kinase in 0.1 or 0.2 Gy group, but when the irradiation dose reached 0.3 Gy or higher, Chk2 kinase started to be activated and the activation level showed no significant difference among high dosage groups (0.4, 0.5, 1.0 Gy). Within 1 to 6 h, the DNA DSBs repair efficiency was decreased at 0.2 Gy but increased at 0.5 Gy and 1.0 Gy, which was in line with Chk2 activation. We are led to conclude that the mechanism of HRS/IRR in A549 cell line was probably due to early G(2)/M checkpoint arrest and enhanced DNA DSBs repair. In this regard, Chk2 activation plays a key role in G(2)/M checkpoint activation.

OBJECTIVETo observe the impacts on the muscle strength in the patients of stroke-induced acroparalysis treated with Xunjingcuiqi needling technique.

METHODSOne hundred patients were randomized into a Xunjingcuiqi group and a routine acupuncture group, 50 cases in each group. In the routine acupuncture group, the routine acupuncture technique was adopted at the main acupoints, such as Shangxing (GV 23), Baihui (GV 20), Dicang (ST 4), Quchi (LI 11), Huantiao (GB 30) and Zusanli (ST 36), etc. In Xunjingcuiqi group, on the basis of the routine acupuncture technique, Xunjingcuiqi needling technique (pricking technique was quickly applied with the filiform needle along the running course of meridian to promote the conduction of meridian qi) was added. For the patients being hard to feel the needling sensation and with the muscle strength of 0 to 1 degree, Dongzhencuiqi technique was supplemented at shu-stream points of yang meridians (after qi arrival, the needling manipulation with limb movement was given to promote the conduction of meridian qi). The treatment was given once every day in the two groups. Ten treatments made one session. Three sessions of treatment were required. At the end of each session treatment, the muscle strength and clinical efficacy were assessed.

RESULTSIn the 1st, 2nd and 3rd sessions of treatment, 20, 24 and 36 cases achieved the 3 to 5 degrees muscle strength in Xunjingcuiqi group, respectively; and 6, 10 and 15 cases achieved the 3 to 5 degrees muscle strength in the routine acupuncture group. The differences were significant statistically in comparison of the two groups (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). The markably effective rates were 60.0% (30/50), 64.0% (32/50) and 70.0% (35/50) after the 1st, 2nd and 3rd sessions of treatment in Xunjingcuiqi group, respectively; and those were 38.0% (19/50), 44.0% (22/50) and 46.0% (23/50) in the routine acupuncture group, respectively. The differences were significant in the 1st and 3rd sessions of treatment between the two groups (both P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONXunjingcuiqi needling technique combined with routine acupuncture achieves the apparent superior efficacy on acroparalysis induced by ischemic stroke as compared with the simple routine acupuncture. Xunjingcuiqi needling technique obviously improves muscle strength and shortens the duration of sickness.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; instrumentation ; methods ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Paralysis ; etiology ; therapy ; Qi ; Stroke ; complications ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo investigate the levels of secretions from the prostate and seminal vesicles and their association with the expressions of aquaporins (AQP) in the prostatic tissue and seminal vesicles of castrated rats.

METHODSWe randomly divided 18 eight-week-old male SD rats into a control, a castration, and a testosterone (T) replacement group. Four weeks after surgical castration, we detected the plasma T level and measured the volumes of the secretions and the expressions of AQPs 3, 7, and 10 - 12 in the prostate and seminal vesicles of the rats.

RESULTSThe plasma T level was significantly lower in the castrated models ([30. 98 ± 28. 84] ng/dl) than in the rats of the control ([700.78 ± 123.8] ng/dl) and T replacement groups ([688.08 ± 132. 47] ng/dl) (P <0. 05). The castration group, in comparison with the control and T replacement groups, showed remarkably reduced ratios of prostatic secretion volume / prostate weight ([11.1 ± 0.30] vs [2.32 ± 0.61] and [2.13 ± 0.56] %, P <0. 05) and seminal vesicle secretion volume / seminal vesicle weight ( [4. 78 ± 1. 97 ] vs [57. 36 ± 11. 86] and [55. 74 ± 7. 21] %, P < 0. 05). Immunohistochemistry revealed the expressions of AQPs 3 and 7 in the epithelial envelop and cytoplasm and that of AQP 11 the in endothelial envelop and cytoplasm of the prostate and seminal vesicles. Western blot exhibited significantly lower expressions of AQPs 3, 7, and 10 - 12 in the prostate and seminal vesicles of the castrated rats than in the animals of the control and T replacement groups (P <0. 05).

CONCLUSIONSignificant decreases of the secretions from the prostate and seminal vesicles may be related to the reduced expressions of AQPs 3, 7, and 10 - 12 in the prostatic tissue and seminal vesicles in castrated rats.

Animals ; Aquaporins ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Orchiectomy ; Prostate ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Seminal Vesicles ; metabolism ; Testosterone ; blood

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect and mechanisms of Liuwei Dihuang Decoction (LW)on cognition in PrP-hAβPPswe/PS1ΔE9(APP/PS1)transgenic mice.METHODS LW was adminis-trated with oral for 3 months.The locomotor activity test was performed to investigate the spontaneous motor activity of mice. The Morris water maze test and shuttle box test were performed to investigate the spatial learning and memory and active avoidance response respectively.The Αβ deposits and neuron loss in the hippocampus was detected by immunofluorescence staining and nissl staining respectively. The flow cytometry was employed to investigate the lymphocyte subsets of the mice.The 3H-thymidine incorporation was performed to investigate the splenocytes proliferation. RESULTS The treatment of LW ameliorated the impairments of spatial learning and memory and active and passive avoidance in APP/PS1 mice. The administration of LW alleviated neuron loss in the brain, suppressed amyloid-β (Αβ) deposits in the hippocampus of APP/PS1 mice. The treatment of LW significantly increased ConA-and LPS-induced proliferation of splenocytes,increased CD3+T cells and CD19+B cells in the spleen lymphocytes and reduced Gr1+cells in APP/PS1 mice.CONCLUSION This data indicated the adminis-tration of LW ameliorated behavioral and pathological deterioration via regulating immune function.