Objective To investigate the diagnostic value of twinkling artifact in urinary calcium stones.Methods Calcium oxalate monohydrate,hydroxyapatite and whitlockite stone phantoms were prepared and embedded in porcine kidneys for ultrasound scanning.The length and width of twinkling artifact were measured.The intensity of twinkling artifact and the contrast-to-noise ratio (C/N ratio) of acoustic shadowing were recorded and all the data was analyzed statistically.Results All the stone phantoms generated twinkling artifact and acoustic shadowing.The difference of the intensity,length and width of twinkling artifact and the C/N ratio of acoustic shadowing had statistically significant each composition (P ＜0.01).There was no overlap between 95％ confidence interval of the intensity of twinkling artifact for any two compositions,and any two compositions of stones could be differentiated by the intensity of twinkling artifact (P ＜0.05).The C/N ratio of acoustic shadowing of calcium oxalate monohydrate and whitlockite stone phantoms were higher than those of hydroxyapatite ones (P ＜0.05).The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve displayed that the cutoff value of 1 127 of the intensity of twinkling artifact could be used to diagnose hydroxyapatite stones.The sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value (PPV),negative predictive value (NPV) and area under the curve (AUC) were 74 ％,68 ％,69.8％,72.3％ and 0.743 respectively.Conclusions Twinkling artifact could be used to differentiate the calcium stones,which will be helpful for clinical treatment.

Objective To quantitatively analyze the value of color Doppler twinkling artifact and CT in distinguishing urinary stone composition of uric acid from that of cystine,and to assess the ability of color Doppler twinkling artifact and CT to diagnose urinary stone composition of uric acid.Methods Artificial stones made of uric acid and cystihe were inserted in porcine kidneys respectively.Color Doppler ultrasound and CT scanning were performed in vitro and twinkling artifact videos were recorded.The CT attenuation value,the width and length of twinkling artifact (TAW,TAL) were measured.The color pixels representing twinkling artifact intensity (TAI) were calculated.The differences between artificial cystine and artificial uric acid stones in TAW,TAL,TAI and CT attenuation value were compared.The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to assess the ability of TAW,TAL,TAI and CT attenuation value to diagnose urinary stone composition of uric acid.Results The TAW [(4.16 ± 1.54)mm vs (4.97 ± 1.93)mm],TAL[(3.75 ± 1.05)mm vs (5.12 ± 2.51)mm] and TAI [(3 005.50 ± 812.33) vs (5 433.86±2 505.81)] of artificial cystine stones were less than those of artificial uric acid stones while the CT attenuation value of artificial cystine stones [(573.75 ± 110.10)HU vs (364.09 ± 67.28)HU] were greater (P ＜0.05).The ROC curve was displayed to diagnose urinary stone composition of uric acid,and the area under curve of CT attenuation value was bigger than that of TAI (0.936 vs 0.817,Z =2.308,P =0.021).Combination of color Doppler twinkling artifact and CT value would dramatically increase the diagnostic accuracy to 98％.Conclusions Both color Doppler ultrasound and CT were reliable examinations for distinguishing urinary stone composition of cystine from that of uric acid.Combination of color Doppler ultrasound and CT would be good references to diagnose urinary stone composition of uric acid.

Objective To study the interaction of BDNF gene C270T polymorphism and estrogen receptor alpha (ERα)gene Xba Ⅰ loci and Pvu Ⅱ loci polymorphism in late-onset Alzheimer's disease(LOAD)pathogenesis in southern Chinese Han population.Methods BNDF gene C270T locus,ERα gene Xba Ⅰ site and Pvu Ⅱ site polymorphisms were examined in 203 LOAD patients and normal controls using PCR-RFLP technique.Results There was an interaction be-tween BDNF gene and ERα gene,and BDNF gene C270T locus CC genotype and the ERa gene Xba Ⅰ locus xx genotype increased the LOAD incidance risk(OR=2.38,95%CI:1.02～5.53).Conclusions BDNF gene and ERα gene are in-teracted each other in the pathogenesis of LOAD.Patients carrying both BDNF gene C270T locus CC genotype and the ERα gene Xba Ⅰ locus xx genotypes might have an increased risk for LOAD.

BACKGROUD: It is not consistent on whether melatonin correlates with the adolescent idiopathic scoliosis(AIS) demonstrated by the domestic and foreign scholars.OBJECTIVE: To study the pathogenesis of AIS and its correlation with melatonin.DESIGN: A nonrandomized age-matched controlled study screened with two tests.SETTING: The Second Department of Orthopaedics, Haikou People' s Hospital.PARTICIPANTS: The experiment was completed in the Second Department of Orthopaedics, Haikou People' s Hospital. Totally 8 198 in-school students.from over 10 schools of towns in Haifu District, 4 423 males and 3 775 females, aged 7 to 16 years were surveyed.METHODS: Forty-two adolescents who have been diagnosed with AIS were selected and 50 healthy age-matched adolescents were selected as controls. Melatonin was assayed with the radioimmunology and the data were processed statistically.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The levels of serum melatonin in the two groups.RESULTS: The serum melatonin of the preadolescents below 10 years old in AIS group, especially of females, was less than that of adolescents in the control group, with significant differencein statistics.CONCLUSION: The serum melatonin correlates with pathogenesis of AIS.

Objective To investigate predisposing factors for early infection in patients with severe acute pancreatitis.Methods The clinical and laboratory data including age、gender、APACHE Ⅱscore on admission、hemodiastase、mechanical ventilation、blood calcium、mean arterial blood pressure、blood glucose、 alanine aminotransferase、aspartate aminotransferase、total bilirubin、necrosis of the pancreas、hypoxemia、 entero-functional disturbance、etiological factor、serum albumin、serum creatinine、urea nitrogen and haematocrit were analyzed by multiple linear regression in relation with the infection incidence in the 86 SAP patients hospitalized from Jan 2002 to Mar 2007.Results The fasting time、hiliary panereatitis、 hypoxemia、necrosis of pancreas、entero-functional disturbance、serum creatinine、urea nitrogen and haematocrit were positively correlated with the incidence of pancreatic infection(all P

Background Retinal development continues during the early postnatal period in mammals.Correct arrangement of layers and precise location of various cells in the retina are vital for forming normal visual function during critical period plasticity.Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography(SD-OCT)provides highquality in vivo retinal imaging and the possibility to measure retinal thickness longitudinally. Objective The present study was to investigate the changes of retinal thickness during critical period plasticity in rats. Methods In vivo consecutive scanning of retinal image was performed in 10 SPF Sprague-Dawley rats at postnatal day 14(P14),P18,P21,P24 and P42 with SD-OCT,and retinal histopathological examination was used to detect retinal morphologic changes at the same postnatal ages in 20 matched rats.The whole retinal thickness,the thickness from inner limiting membrane(ILM)to inner plexiform layer(IPL),the thickness of inner nuclear layer(INL)and the thickness from outer nuclear layer(ONL)to retinal pigment epithelium(RPE)were measured using Cirrus HD-OCT system and HMIAS-2000 Imaging System in retinal sections.The measurement parameters by Cirrus HD-OCT and those by hematoxylin-eosin staining were compared.The use of animals followed the Statement of National Institute of Health (USA). Results In vivo high-resolution images of rat retinas with SD-OCT compared well with histology,which enabled quantitative comparison of the SD-OCT and histological data during critical period plasticity in rats.From P14 to P42,the retinal thickness gradually decreased with the increase of rat ages(F=15.425,P=0.000),and so were the thickness from ILM to IPL,the thickness of INL and the thickness from ONL to RPE(F=3.973,P=0.007;F=17.529,P=0.000;F=7.038,P=0.000).The retinal thickness,thickness of INL.thickness from ONL to RPE measured by Cirrus HD-OCT were significantly correlated with those measured by retinal sections among P14,P18,P21,P24 and P42 rats(r=0.794,P=0.000;r=0.784,P=0.000;r=0.681,P=0.000). Conclusion SD-OCT is a demonstratably valuable technology to study the structure of retinas in rats.The retinal thickness is shown to reduce in thickness throughout the development of the retina during critical period plasticity due to the decrease in thickness of INL and the distance from the ONL to RPE,as illustrated by OCT scanning.

ObjectiveTo explore the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphism analysis of a novel tryptophanhydroxylase isoform(TPH2)gene rs11178997and depression,and suicidal behavior.MethodsThe specimens of peripheral blood were collected from Chinese Northern 300 depression and 300 controis.The amplification of TPH2 gene rs11178997 was executed by realtime-polymerase chain reaction (realtime-PCR),and analyzed by directed sequencing.And the association between the polymorphisms of TPH2 gene and depression and suicidal behavior was analyzed with SPSS 17.0.ResultsThe genotypic frequencies of the SNPs did not deviate from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium both in patient and control groups (P ＞ 0.05 ).Compared with control group,significant difference of genotypes and alleles of TPH2 gene rs1 1178997 single nucleotide polymorphism had been found in patient group (75.7％ vs 39.7％,6.0％ vs 1.3％,18.3％ vs 1.3％ ; P＜ 0.05 for all),and the AA genotype frequency of rsl 1178997 was significantly higher in patients.Meanwhile there were not significant differences between genotypes of TPH2 gene rs11178997 and suicide behavior in patient group.Suicidal behavior of depression patients in allele genotypes was higher than nonsuicide behavior of depression patients (P ＞0.05).ConclusionTPH2 gene rs4570625 single nucleotide polymorphisms have association with the susceptibility of depression.

OBJECTIVETo prepare colon target pellets of Pulsatilla total saponins.

METHODPulsatilla total saponins-hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin inclusion was prepared by the water solution-mixing method. Then plain pills of inclusion were prepared by the granulation-spheronization method, and coated by Glatt fluid bed.

RESULTThe dissolution of plain pills of Pulsatilla total saponins at 2 h was 16.0%, while that of plain pills of inclusion at 0.5 h was 91.9%. With Eudragit S100 as the coating material, TEC as the plasticizer and talcum power as the anti-adherent, when the coating weight was 12%, the coating efficiency was high, with almost no bonding and drug release of coated pellets in artificial gastric juice for 2 h. The accumulated drug release in artificial intestinal fluid for 4 h was less than 15%, and that in artificial colon fluid for 4 h was more than 90%.

CONCLUSIONCoated pellets of Pulsatilla total saponins-hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin inclusion showed a good colon targeted drug release in vitro, thus could be further developed to be oral colon targeted preparations.

2-Hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin ; Absorption ; Biomimetic Materials ; metabolism ; Colon ; metabolism ; Drug Compounding ; methods ; Drug Implants ; Gastric Juice ; metabolism ; Humans ; Pulsatilla ; chemistry ; Saponins ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Surface Properties ; beta-Cyclodextrins ; chemistry

Objective:To investigate the characteristics of gene mutations in colorectal cancer(CRC)patients by using next-generation generation sequencing(NGS).Methods:Blood and tissue samples were collected from 90 CRC patients admitted to Beijing Hospital between August 5, 2016 and December 29, 2020.Analysis of driver gene mutations was performed by using a 1021-gene NGS panel.Results:There were 43 tissue samples and 83 blood samples.Also, 36 patients had both tissue and blood samples.The frequency rates of KRAS and BRAF mutations were 51.2%(22/43)and 20.9%(9/43)in tissue samples, and 3 rare concomitant KRAS/ BRAF mutations were detected.The frequency rates of KRAS and BRAF mutations were 26.5%(22/83)and 10.8%(9/83)in blood samples.In patients with tissue and blood samples, the rates of KRAS and BRAF mutations were 52.8%(19/36)and 10.8%(8/36). Conclusions:The rate of KRAS mutations in tissue samples from colorectal cancer patients is similar to rates reported in the literature, but the rate of BRAF mutation and the rate of rare KRAS and BRAF co-mutations are higher than those reported from other countries.

Objective To investigate the frequency of CD4~+CD25~+FOXP3~+Treg cells in the peripheral blood of systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE)patients and its association with disease activity.Methods Pe- ripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMC)from 28 patients(including 18 active SLE)and 22 healthy controls were counted and stained for CD4,CD25 and intracellular FOXP3.Cells were examined by 3-color staining on the Epics XL-MC and data were analyzed using EXPO32 software.Disease activity was assessed by systemic lupus erythematousus activity index(SLEDAI).Results The frequency of CD4~+CD25~+FOXP3~+Treg cells was significantly decreased in patients with active SLE compared with patients with inactive SEE and controls [(1.08?0.43)%,(1.58?0.45)% and(1.66?0.34)%,P