Objective To review the study of noninvasive imaging methods for evaluating liver fibrosis.Meth- ods The current literatures on the use of the ultrasonography,CT and MRI for the evaluation of liver fibrosis were reviewed.The principles,applications and advancement of each imaging methods were described and summarized re- spectively.The features of the newly developed imaging techniques were also discussed.Results In addition to the morphologic information,the imaging examinations can also provide functional information about the circulation sta- tus,diffusion and metabolism features of liver.The potential diagnostic value of MR elastography for liver fibrosis has been addressed.Conclusion The imaging examinations,especially the functional MRI techniques,are reliable noninvasive alternatives for the evaluation of hepatic fibrosis,with bright potentiality for clinical application.

Objective To determine plasma resistin level in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and evaluate its correlations with outcome and inflammatory reaction. Methods Fiftyfour patients with moderate TBI, 71 patients with severe TBI and 40 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Plasma samples were obtained from the healthy controls on physical examination and from the TBI patients on admission. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ( ELISA) was used to determine the plasma resistin concentrations. Results Twenty patients (37.0% ) and 53 patients (74.6% ) with moderate and severe TBI suffered from an unfavorable outcome (defined as GOS score for 1-3 points) three months after TBI respectively. Plasma resistin levels in the patients with moderate and severe TBI were substantially higher than that in the healthy controls ((21. 9 ± 8. 4) ng/ml and (29. 2 ± 9. 6) ng/ml vs (9. 3 ± 2.6) ng/ml, both P ＜0. 01] by using covariance analysis. By using the multivariate linear regression analysis, plasma C-reactive protein level (t =2.212,P =0.035; t =2. 274,P =0. 014) and GCS scores (t =3. 120,P =0.007; t=3.986,P=0.003) were associated with the plasma resistin levels. Logistic regression analysis selected plasma resistin level as an independent predictor for 3-month unfavorable outcome of the patients with moderate and severe TBI (odds ratio = 1. 124, 95% CI = 1. 040-1. 221, P = 0.011; odds ratio = 1. 145, 95% CI = 1. 044-1. 232, P = 0. 009). A receiver operating characteristic curve identified cutoff levels of plasma resistin (22.4 ng/ml and 30.5 ng/ml) that predicted 3-month unfavorable outcome of moderate and severe TBI patients with the high sensitivity (70. 0% and 79. 2% ) and specificity (70.6% and 72.2% ) ( area under curve = 0.719, 95% CI = 0.642-0.829, P = 0.000;area under curve =0.735, 95% CI =0. 671-0. 893, P = 0.000). Conclusions Plasma resistin level is increased after TBI and may be involved in inflammatory response of brain injury. Clinical detection of this indicator can help early determine the prognosis of the TBI patients.

BACKGROUND: Limb allograft is a sort of composite tissues allotrans plantation(CTA), some researches showed that the apoptosis of target cell is one of the main mechanism of the dysfunction of allograft.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the characteristic of cell apoptosis in acute rejection of limb allograft in rats based on limb allograft model.DESIGN: A randomized controlled trial using the experimental animals as the objects.SETTING: Experimental animal center Laboratory of a hospital of a medical university MATERIALS: The experiment was done in the Experimental Animal Central Laboratory of the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University from November 2003 to May 2004. Totally 56 healthy and male SD rats and 28 Wister rats were involved with body mass of 200 to 250 g. The rats were provided by the Experimental Animal Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University. They were randomly divided into two groups:transplantation group with 28 Wistar rats and 28 SD rats and control group with 28 SD rats.INTERVENTIONS: The transplantation group of SD rats underwent limb allotransplantation from allogenetic Wistar. The control group of SD rats underwent limb replantation. The expression of acute rejected in limb allografts was observed. The limb grafts were harvested atday 1, 3, 5 or 7 after transplantation. Histopathological rejection grade of each tissue rejection was performed with hematoxylin-eosin staining. Apoptotic cells were detected by TUNEL (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labeling) and apoptotic index(AI) was calculated.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary results: ① istopathological grade of acute rejection in limb allografts ② The relationship between apoptosis and acute rejection in limb allograft in rats; Secondary results:General condition of rats in each group.RESULTS: The limb grafts showed edema and erythema and the skin became red at day(3.43 ±0.79) after transplantation. The average survival time was(7.42 ± 1.72) days. The acute rejection in skin was the strongest. On the day 3, 5 and 7 after operation, the histopathological rejection grades of skins in the transplantation group were(1.14±0.38) ,(2.28 ±0.48) and(2.86 ±0.38) grades respectively. They were significantly different from that of muscle and nerve( P ＜ 0.05 ) . The apoptotic cells in allografts were mainly infiltrating lymphocytes in subcutaneous tissues and then the muscle cells. All was positively correlated with acute rejection grade in limb allograft .CONCLUSION: Apoptosis was involved in acute rejection of limb allograft in rat. The apoptotic index can be used as a quantitative index to estimate the injury of grafts.

AIM: To observe the effect of cornus of ficinalis glycosides(COG) ophthalmic solution on the corneal allograft rejection by topical instillation. METHODS: The corneal transplantation model on the closed colony rats was established. The rejection time of all animals was recorded and compared by slit-lamp microscope. The pathologic changes were measured by immunohistochemistry and scanning electron microscope.RESULTS: The histopathological and immunohistochemistry findings showed that the lymphocytes, neovascularity and the expression of ICAM-1 in COG-treated group were significantly fewer than that in control group at 15 d after operation.CONCLUSION: COG ophthalmic solution prevents and suppresses the corneal allograft rejection.