OBJECTIVE:To explore the clinical related factors of leucopenia induced by azathioprine in the treatment of inflam-matory bowel disease (IBD). METHODS:Clinical information of 114 IBD patients were collected from our hospital during Jan. 2013-Mar. 2015. Steady concentration of AZA metabolite 6-thioguanine(6-TGNs)in red blood cell was determined by HPLC. The correlation of patient’s gender,age,diseases,AZA daily dose and blood concentration of 6-TGNs with leucopenia induced by AZA were investigated. The optimal critical value of leucopenia could be predicted with ROC curves. RESULTS:Among 114 IBD patients,40 patients suffered from leucopenia(35.1%). There was no statistical significance in the proportion of leucopenia among patients with different age,gender,diseases and AZA daily dose(P>0.05). There was statistical significance in the proportion of leucopenia among patients with different concentrations of 6-TGNs(P<0.05). Mean blood concentration of 6-TGNs in leukopenia patients [(407.82±262.88)pmol/(8×108)RBC] was higher than patients with normal leukocyte level [(275.85±118.37)pmol/(8× 108)RBC],with statistical significance(P<0.05). ROC curve predicted that the optimal critical value of leucopenia was blood con-centration of 6-TGNs>291.04 pmol/(8 × 108)RBC. CONCLUSIONS:AZA induced leucopenia may be related to the concentration of 6-TGNs in red blood cell of IBD patients,and high concentration of 6-TGNs is risk factors of leucopenia. Clinicians can provide AZA individual treatment for IBD patient to reduce the occurrence of leucopenia according to routine blood test and the concentra-tion of 6-TGNs.

Objective To examine how stroke affects muscle coordination and whether muscle function will be improved after rehabilitation.Methods Ten stroke patients with mild hemiparesis and six age-and sex-matched controls were investigated at baseline.Velocity-encoded phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (VE-PC MRI) and surface eleetromyography (sEMG) were performed to evaluate muscle coordination of thigh muscles during knee extension and flexion and the effect of rehabilitation. Results Using VE-PC MRI,we found that the peak velocity of rectus femoris was lower in the affected limb (P

Gentiana is an important but complicated group in Gentianaceae. The genus covers numerous medicinal plants which are difficult to be identified. In the present study, several medicinal species in Gentiana from Yunnan province, including G. rigescens, G.rhodantha, and G. delavayi, were sequenced using the Illumina HiSeq 2500 system. Three complete chloroplast genome sequences were obtained after assembly and annotation. According to several published genome sequences of G. crassicaulis, the DNA super-barcoding of species in Gentiana was preliminarily carried out. The results revealed that chloroplast genomes of the three species were conservative with short lengths(146 944, 148 992, and 148 796 bp, respectively). The genomes encoded 114 genes, including 78 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNA genes, 4 rRNA genes, and 2 pseudogenes. Furthermore, these medicinal species in Yunnan province were identified using DNA super-barcoding based on chloroplast genomes. The results showed that the Gentiana species could be gathered into monophyletic branches with a high support value(100%). It indicated that DNA super-barcoding possessed obvious advantages in discriminating species in complicated genera. This study is expected to provide a scientific basis for the identification, utilization, and conservation of Gentiana species.
China ; DNA ; Genome, Chloroplast/genetics* ; Gentiana/genetics* ; Phylogeny

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the differences in the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) measurements based on three different region of interest (ROI) selection methods, and compare their diagnostic performance in differentiating benign from malignant orbital tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Diffusion-weighted imaging data of sixty-four patients with orbital tumors (33 benign and 31 malignant) were retrospectively analyzed. Two readers independently measured the ADC values using three different ROIs selection methods including whole-tumor (WT), single-slice (SS), and reader-defined small sample (RDSS). The differences of ADC values (ADC-ROI(WT), ADC-ROI(SS), and ADC-ROI(RDSS)) between benign and malignant group were compared using unpaired t test. Receiver operating characteristic curve was used to determine and compare their diagnostic ability. The ADC measurement time was compared using ANOVA analysis and the measurement reproducibility was assessed using Bland-Altman method and intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). RESULTS: Malignant group showed significantly lower ADC-ROI(WT), ADC-ROI(SS), and ADC-ROI(RDSS) than benign group (all p < 0.05). The areas under the curve showed no significant difference when using ADC-ROI(WT), ADC-ROI(SS), and ADC-ROI(RDSS) as differentiating index, respectively (all p > 0.05). The ROI(SS) and ROI(RDSS) required comparable measurement time (p > 0.05), while significantly shorter than ROIWT (p < 0.05). The ROI(SS) showed the best reproducibility (mean difference ± limits of agreement between two readers were 0.022 [-0.080-0.123] × 10(-3) mm2/s; ICC, 0.997) among three ROI methods. CONCLUSION: Apparent diffusion coefficient values based on the three different ROI selection methods can help to differentiate benign from malignant orbital tumors. The results of measurement time, reproducibility and diagnostic ability suggest that the ROI(SS) method are potentially useful for clinical practice.
Diffusion* ; Humans ; Methods* ; Orbit* ; Retrospective Studies ; ROC Curve

BACKGROUNDCandida albicans (C. albicans) strains can spontaneously switch at a very low frequency from white to opaque phase. The ability to switch reversibly between white and opaque phenotype and contributes to the pathogenicity of C. albicans. White and opaque switching can be induced by various environmental signals. Previous study showed that opaque cells switch en masse to white when transferred in vitro to 37°C, the temperature of their animal host. The objective of the present study was to determine the effect of different concentration of carbon dioxide and temperature on white-opaque switching, and to determine the different anti-candida killing activity of white and opaque form by human monocyte-macrophage cell line THP-1.

METHODSWhite-opaque switching and opaque-white switching were assayed. Modified Lee's medium supplemented with phloxine B was used to detect white and opaque forms of C. albicans under 0.03% CO2 at 25°C, 0.03% CO2 at 37°C and 5% CO2 at 37°C. Growth curve of C. albicans was monitored using OD value at 630 nm simultaneously. White and opaque forms of C. albicans and THP-1 cells were cocultured at ratio of 1:10. Colony serial dilutions were used to assay for intracellular candidacidal activity. MTT assay was used to measure the extracellular candidacidal activity.

RESULTSPhenotype switching was successfully induced in vitro in all three strains of C. albicans. When evaluating white to opaque switching, opaque colony proportion of all colonies was 0.572 ± 0.087, 0.920 ± 0.030 and 0.985 ± 0.026 exposure of white cells to 0.03% CO2 at 25°C, 0.03% CO2 at 37°C and 5% CO2 at 37°C. When evaluating opaque to white switching, opaque colony proportion of all colonies was 0.600 ± 0.114, 0.983 ± 0.003 and 0.998 ± 0.003 exposure of white cells to 0.03% CO2 at 25°C, 0.03% CO2 at 37°C and 5% CO2 at 37°C. No significant difference of white or opaque form growth rate was found among three conditions (P > 0.05). THP-1 mediated extracellular anti-candida activity in white form was (79.80 ± 3.71)% and (56.28 ± 19.12)% at different dilution ratio, which were significantly lower than that in opaque form (100%, P < 0.01). THP-1 mediated intracellular anti-candida activity in white form ((62.98 ± 5.02)%) was significantly lower than that in opaque form ((87.07 ± 1.80)%, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSOur results showed that opaque form is more vulnerable and less virulent than that in white form. It suggested that higher concentration of CO2 and 37°C in host niches stabilize the less virulent opaque cell of C. albicans, which might have implications for pathogenesis, commensalism and mating.

Candida albicans ; pathogenicity ; Carbon Dioxide ; pharmacology ; Macrophages ; immunology ; Phagocytosis ; Phenotype ; Temperature ; Virulence

Objective To evaluate the imaging study of two positron emission computed tomography (PET) tracers of 18 F-fluoroethyl (FEA)-Erlotinib and 11C-Erlotinib in HCC827 tumor-bearing nude mice.Methods The 18F-FEA-Erlotinib and 11C-Erlotinib were synthesized by nucleophile substitution reactions.The dynamic micro-PET/CT imaging of 18F-FEA-Erlotinib for 1 h was performed in HCC827 tumor -bearing mice to evaluate the in vivo biological distribution and determine the best imaging time.Static scan of 18 F-FEA-Erlotinib and 11C-Erlotinib were performed after 1 h injection.The regions of interest (ROIs) were sketched and the semi-quantitative analysis was conducted by the percentage activity of injection dose per gram of tissue (％ ID/g).Results Dynamic micro-PET/CT imaging analysis revealed that the best static imaging time was 1 h.The resolution and contrast were good and the tumor boundaries were clear in the 18F-FEA-Erlotinib static images.In the semi-quantitative analysis,the ratios of tumor/brain,tumor/lung,tumor/bone and tumor/muscle ratios were 5.87 ± 1.21,2.97 ± 0.58,3.33 ± 0.60 and 3.80 ± 0.72 respectively for 18F-FEA-Erlotinib.Meanwhile,the ratios of the same tissues were 5.48 ± 1.45,1.10 ± 0.34,2.63 ± 0.54 and 2.10 ± 0.63respectively for 11C-Erlotinib.The resolution of 18F-FEA-Erlotinib imaging was better than 11C-Erlotinib images.Conclusion The uptake of 18F-FEA-Erlotinib in HCC827 tumor was visual obviously.The image resolution and the target/non-target ratio of 18F-FEA-Erlotinib was higher than 11C-Erlotinib.

OBJECTIVEThe growth and metastasis of solid tumors are dependent on angiogenesis. Endostatin, the C-terminal proteolytic fragment of collagen XVIII, is a potent endogenous angiogenesis inhibitor. The authors designed a topical antiangiogenic gene therapy with recombinant human endostatin adenovirus (Ad-hEndo) and assessed its effects on the inhibition of angiogenesis in vitro, and tumor growth and metastasis in vivo.

METHODSMalignant cells (A549) were infected with Ad-hEndo. The expression of recombinant protein and the inhibition of cultured human umbilical vein endothelial were investigated. Immunodeficient A549 nude mice were treated with intratumoral injection of Ad-hEndo, the empty vector Ad-control or saline (NS). The dose-response, side effects, and serum concentration of endostatin were observed.

RESULTSRecombinant endostatin protein was detected in the infected tumor cells with different MOI Ad-hEndo and its inhibitory effect on endothelial cells growth was shown. In animal study, the volume of tumor and the number of pulmonary metastatic lesions in the Ad-hEndo treatment group were significantly smaller than those in the control groups (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe present findings provide evidence of the anti-tumor effects of the endostatin and may be important for the further use of it in topical antiangiogenic gene therapy of cancer.

Adenoviridae ; genetics ; Animals ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Disease Models, Animal ; Endostatins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; therapeutic use ; Endothelial Cells ; Genetic Therapy ; Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; Kidney ; cytology ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Neoplasms, Experimental ; prevention & control ; Random Allocation ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; therapeutic use ; Transfection ; Umbilical Veins ; cytology ; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

OBJECTIVE: To compare the diagnostic performance of readout-segmented echo-planar imaging (RS-EPI)-based diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) and that of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) for differentiating malignant from benign masses in head and neck region. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between December 2014 and April 2016, we retrospectively enrolled 72 consecutive patients with head and neck masses who had undergone RS-EPI-based DKI scan (b value of 0, 500, 1000, and 1500 s/mm2) for pretreatment evaluation. Imaging data were post-processed by using monoexponential and diffusion kurtosis (DK) model for quantitation of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), apparent diffusion for Gaussian distribution (Dapp), and apparent kurtosis coefficient (Kapp). Unpaired t test and Mann-Whitney U test were used to compare differences of quantitative parameters between malignant and benign groups. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were performed to determine and compare the diagnostic ability of quantitative parameters in predicting malignancy. RESULTS: Malignant group demonstrated significantly lower ADC (0.754 ± 0.167 vs. 1.222 ± 0.420, p < 0.001) and Dapp (1.029 ± 0.226 vs. 1.640 ± 0.445, p < 0.001) while higher Kapp (1.344 ± 0.309 vs. 0.715 ± 0.249, p < 0.001) than benign group. Using a combination of Dapp and Kapp as diagnostic index, significantly better differentiating performance was achieved than using ADC alone (area under curve: 0.956 vs. 0.876, p = 0.042). CONCLUSION: Compared to DWI, DKI could provide additional data related to tumor heterogeneity with significantly better differentiating performance. Its derived quantitative metrics could serve as a promising imaging biomarker for differentiating malignant from benign masses in head and neck region.
Diffusion* ; Echo-Planar Imaging ; Head* ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neck* ; Population Characteristics ; Retrospective Studies ; ROC Curve

Objective: To compare and correlate the findings of intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and arterial spin labeling (ASL) imaging in characterizing parotid gland tumors. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 56 patients with parotid gland tumors evaluated by MR imaging. The true diffusion coefficient (D), pseudo-diffusion coefficient (D*), and fraction of perfusion (f) values of IVIM imaging and tumor-to-parotid gland signal intensity ratio (SIR) on ASL imaging were calculated. Spearman rank correlation coefficient, chi-squared, Mann-Whitney U, and Kruskal-Wallis tests with the post-hoc Dunn-Bonferroni method and receiver operating characteristic curve assessments were used for statistical analysis. Results: Malignant parotid gland tumors showed significantly lower D than benign tumors (p = 0.019). Within subgroup analyses, pleomorphic adenomas (PAs) showed significantly higher D than malignant tumors (MTs) and Warthin’s tumors (WTs) (p < 0.001). The D* of WTs was significantly higher than that of PAs (p = 0.031). The f and SIR on ASL imaging of WTs were significantly higher than those of MTs and PAs (p < 0.05). Significantly positive correlation was found between SIR on ASL imaging and f (r = 0.446, p = 0.001). In comparison with f, SIR on ASL imaging showed a higher area under curve (0.853 vs. 0.891) in discriminating MTs from WTs, although the difference was not significant (p = 0.720). Conclusion IVIM and ASL imaging could help differentiate parotid gland tumors. SIR on ASL imaging showed a significantly positive correlation with f. ASL imaging might hold potential to improve the ability to discriminate MTs from WTs.

Objective: To discuss the diagnosis, preoperative imaging and surgical technique of patients who underwent reoperation for persistent hyperparathyroidism. Methods: A prospective database about primary hyperparathyroidism in Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital was searched for the patients who underwent reoperation for persistent hyperparathyroidism from January 2009 to December 2016. The information about the initial operation, preoperative imaging study and result of reoperations were collected and reviewed. A total of 58 patients underwent reoperation for hyperparathyroidism. Eleven of these patients were referred to this institute for reoperation after missing single parathyroid lesion in the initial parathyroidectomy. Nine patients were female, and the mean patient age at reoperation was 54.9 years. Results: For this group, the accuracy of ultrasound neck scan and sestamibi scintigraphy was 10/11 in identifying diseased parathyroid gland before reoperation. Combined with enhanced CT and SPECT, all parathyroid lesions were localized before reoperations. With general anesthesia or cervical plexus block, all diseased parathyroid glands were removed in the reoperations. No signs of hyperparathyroidism appeared during follow-up. Conclusions The initial surgery for primary hyperparathyroidism should be performed in experienced center to avoid reoperations. Combining preoperative localization and cervical exploration will help to increase the success rate of reoperation.