Objective To assess the value of multi-slice spiral CT angiography (MSCTA) in diagnosis of posterior nutcracker syndrome (NCS). Methods MSCTA of 15 patients clinically diagnosed as posterior NCS (patient group) and 50 subjects with normal renal vessels (control group) were retrospectively analyzed. The anatomy, course and relationship to the adjacent structure of left renal vein (LRV) and its branches were observed. The anteroposterior diameter (d1) and cross areas (s1) of the angle of control group and posterior abdominal artery (AA), the anteroposterior diameter (d2) and cross areas (s2) at the largest lumen near the renal hilar were measured and the ratio of s2/s1 and d2/ d1 were calculated.Results All LRVs posterior AA of patient group were compressed and narrowing with dilating apparently near the renal hilar. The difference of d2 was not significant (P＞0.05), but of other values were significant (P＜0.05).Conclusion MSCTA can show anatomy and three-dimentional trend clearly of LRV for posterior NCS, and evaluate the extent of narrow and dilating lumen accurately with cross areas measuring.

Objective:To investigate the cognitive characteristics,dangerous factors and the syndromes in mild cognitive impairment(MCI).Methods: Memory and cognitive function were assessed with Mini-Mental State Examination(MMSE).The MCI cases and normal controls were assessed by the Delayed Paragraph Story Recall Examination(DPR).A syndrome scale was used to diagnose the syndromes of subjects.The diagnosis of MCI,AD was made according to Petersen’s criteria,NINCDS-ADRDA,respectively.Results: MMSE scores of MCI cases were higher than that of normal controls,a signifi cantly difference was found.Average education level of normal controls was higher than that of MCI cases,but average contractive pressure was lower.Defi ciency of kidney,defi ciency of qi and phlegm syndromes were popular in both MCI cases aormal controls,and MCI cases had increased percentage of combined syndromes.Conclusion:The cognition function of MCI cases was decreased.Cognitive impairment was related to hypertensive disease and low education.As the development of cognitive impairment,complex Chinese medical syndromes appeared.

Objective To investigate the clinical implication of Neoral C 2 in evaluating drug hepatic toxicity following renal transplantation in hepatitis patients. Methods 162 cases receving renal transplantation were divided into two groups: positive group with positive hepatitis B and(or) C viral antigens or de finite hepatitis history before renal transplantation ( n =51) and the remaining 111 cases served as normal control group. One week posttransplantation, the blood concentrations of cyclosporins at 0 (C 0) and 2 (C 2) h after administration were determined. Results In the positive group, C 2, not C 0 one week postoperation was higher than normal control group ( P

Objective:To investigate the effect of 3 HLA matching measures on preventing hyperacute rejection(HAR). Methods:Among 1 152 cases,550 cases received anti donor lymphocytotoxic crossmatch(LXM),335 cases received LXM and HLA serological test,267 cases of the latter again received panel reaction antibody(PRA)test, the change of the HAR rate with different HLA matching measures were analyzed. Results:If LXM value ≤10% or HLA matched loci ≥3,the rate of HAR was unrelated to LXM value or HLA matched loci. HAR rate decreased significantly in patients with LXM and HLA serological test, and decreased more markedly in those with additional PRA test compared with those only with LXM test. Conclusion:HLA test and PRA are necessary and effective to avoid HAR.

Objective To explore the effects of piperine on cell proliferation and migration in angiotensin Ⅱ (Ang Ⅱ)-treated rat airway smooth muscle cells (ASMCs).Methods The primary ASMCs of rats were cultured by improved tissue-piece digestion inoculation and trypsin digestion.MTT assay was used to detect the effects of Ang Ⅱ and Ang Ⅱ receptor antagonist losartan on cell proliferation activity.After treatment with Ang Ⅱ and piperine, the cell proliferation activity, the cell cycle distribution and the cell migration were detected by MTT, flow cytometry and Transwell assay respectively.ERK1/2 inhibitor PD98059 and losartan were then applied to determine the expression of cyclin D1, MMP-9, p-ERK1/2, ERK1/2, and β-actin proteins by Western blot assay.Results After 24 h culture, Ang Ⅱ treatment promoted the cell proliferative activity in rat ASMCs (P<0.05), and the promotive effect of 10-7 mol/L Ang Ⅱ was the most significant.Additionally, losartan blocked the Ang Ⅱ-induced cell proliferative activity in rat ASMCs (P<0.05).10-7 mol/L Ang Ⅱ treatment resulted in the elevated cell proliferative activity, higher S phase fraction, increased migrated cell number, and enhanced expression of cyclin D1, MMP-9and p-ERK1/2 proteins (P<0.05);these effects were dose-dependently reversed by piperine.Both PD98059 and losartan blocked Ang Ⅱ-induced expression of p-ERK1/2, cyclin D1 and MMP-9 proteins in rat ASMCs.Conclusions Piperine may inhibit Ang Ⅱ-induced cell proliferation and cell migration via ERK1/2 signaling pathway in rat ASMCs.

Objective To observe the effect of adenovirus- receptor activity modifying protein-1 (RAMP1) on nuclear factor(NF κB) and myocardial fibrosis in heart of rabbit with myocardial infarction. Methods Myocardial infarction (MI) models were developed in 54 rabbits and they were randomly divided into RAMP1 group,EGFP group and control group according to whether pAd2-EGFP-RAMP1,pAd2-EGFP or PBS was injected into infarction region and its border.At 7 d,14 d and 28 d after injection,Left ventricular function indices such as LVEF,LVSd,LVDd and LVFS were estimated by echocardiogram,the expression of NF-κB in myocardium was detected by Western blot,the plasma level of TNF-α was measured by ELISA,and fibrosis and collagen content was measured by Masson stain. Results At 7 d after adenovirus injection,the expression of RAMP1was significantly increased in RAMP1 group (67.33 ± 3.97)％ as compared to EGFP group(20.59 ±3.26) ％ and PBS group ( 23.80 ± 5.08) ％ ( P ＜ 0.05 ).The expression of NF κB was decreased in RAMP1 group ( 26.54 ± 5.13 ) ％ versus EGFP group (62.60 ± 6.18) ％ and PBS group (62.95 ±5.17)％ (P＜0.05).The plasma level of TNF-α was lower in RAMP1 group than in EGFP group and in PBS group at different time[7 d:( 136.74 ± 5.42) μg/L vs.( 196.97 ± 14.17) μg/L,(203.67 ±13.90)μg/L; 14 d:( 154.51 ± 13.61 )]μg/L vs.( 112.22±6.74 )μg/L,(160.46± 14.27)μg/L ;28 d;(51.10± 5.62)μg/L vs.( 95.55 ± 9.94 )μg/L,( 98.96 ± 12.68) μg/L,all P＜ 0.05].The collagen content was reduced in RAMP1 group as compared with EGFP group and PBS group at 14 d and 28 d [14 d:(7.10±0.98)％ vs.(19.52±2.32)％,(17.91±0.96)％ ;28 d:(17.04±2.44)vs,(34.10±5.59) ％,(33.98±4.33)％,all P＜0.01].At 28 d after infarction,the infarct size was decreased in RAMP1 group (26.54 ± 5.13) ％ compared with EGFP group (32.20 ± 3.73) ％ and control group (35.58±2.65) ％ (P＜0.01),and better heart function appeared in RAMP1 group. Conclusions The high-expression of RAMP1 could decrease the collagen deposition and fibrosis in the border of infarction and improve heart function through lower expression of NF-κB and decreasing the plasma level of TNF-α.

AIM:Toinvestigatetheeffectsofcalcitoningene-relatedpeptide(CGRP)onmyocardinexpres-sion and phenotypic switch in vascular smooth muscle cells ( VSMCs) .METHODS:VSMCs were obtained by aortic tissue adherent culture and treated with angiotensin Ⅱ( AngⅡ) , AngⅡ+CGRP or AngⅡ+CGRP +CGRP8-37 .The protein expression of myocardin and the phenotypic proteins of the VSMCs was detected by Western blot .RESULTS:The expres-sion of myocardin in cultured VSMCs showed downregulation along with time expansion .The protein level of myocardin was higher at 48 h and 72 h than that at baseline in the cultured VSMCs (P<0.05).However, the myocardin was lower at 48 h and 72 h than that at baseline after treatment with CGRP in cultured VSMCs (P<0.05).Furthermore, at 48 h in cul-tured VSMCs, the myocardin decreased along with α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) (P<0.05), and osteopontin (OPN) increased (P<0.05) in AngⅡ group compared with control group .After treatment with CGRP, the levels of myocardin andα-SMA become higher ( P <0.05 ) but OPN was lower ( P <0.05 ) in CGRP group than those in AngⅡ group. CGRP8-37 abrogated CGRP-induced increase in myocardin and α-SMA and decrease in OPN in CGRP 8-37 group compared with CGRP group .CONCLUSION: CGRP may regulate the phenotypic switch of the VSMCs and maintain the cells in contractile phenotype through the upregulation of myocardin protein , which may be accomplished by the combination of CGRP and its receptor .

Environmental Pollution ; prevention & control ; Health Education ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Iatrogenic Disease ; prevention & control ; Medical Laboratory Personnel ; psychology

Objective To analyze the ophthalmologic characteristics and examinations which caused by vertebral-basilar insuffi- ciency.Design Retrospective case series.Participants 469 eases of vertebral-basilar insufficiency.Methods Retrospective analysis of 469 cases of vertebral-basilar insufficiency patients with ophthalmologic signs' features,incidence,the main cause,color Doppler flow imaging and(or)digital subtraction angiography clearly stenosis location,the degree of stenosis from July 1st 2005 to July ist 2007 in PLA General Hospital.Main Outcome Measures Ophthalmologic signs' related reasons and supplementary examination.Results 96 cases were with the corresponding eye symptoms(20.4%).Vision decreased in 83 cases,diplopia was in 56 cases,ipsilateral hemiopia quadrant blind in 12 cases and depending on deformation in 10 cases,fundus arteriosclerosis in 72 cases,nystagmus in 39 cases,the eye movement disorder in 16 cases.Among 96 patients with associated ocular symptoms,75 patients with color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI)showed unilateral vertebral artery abnormal in 66 cases(88%),among those blood flow velocity decreased in 26 cases,17 cases with vascular plaque stenosis,thinning in 20 cases,3 cases with complete occlusion;different bilateral vertebral artery abnormal in 9 cases(12%),among those velocity dropped in 4 cases,two cases with vascular plaque stenosis and thinning in 3 cases.Forty-five cases with the digital subtraction angiography(DSA),left vertebral artery was abnormal in 24 cases,18 cases with stenosis,occlusion in 5 cas- es,abnormal bending in 1 case.Right vertebral artery was abnormal in 16 cases,13 cases with stenosis,occlusion in 3 cases.Bilateral vertebral artery stenosis was found in 2 cases;vertebral artery stenosis was in 3 patients.Conclusion Vertebral-basilar insufficiency may cause eye-related symptoms,therefore,vision acuity decrease,fundus 'arteriosclerosis,diplopia and nystagmus symptoms are more likely for patients with vertebral-patients with basilar artery insufficiency performance of the eye.(Ophthalmol CHN,2002,16:406-410)