ObjectiveTo assess the performance of dual-source CT (DSCT) for left atrial volume and function evaluation and compare this performance to that of cardiac cine MR ( CMR ),which was considered as the standard reference technique.Methods Forty-nine patients referred for CT coronary angiography were enrolled in this study.DSCT data sets and FIESTA cines of the vertical long axis covering the left atrium and the short axis covering the left ventricle were obtained on the same day without additional medicine.All images were analyzed to obtain left atrial volume at different time and its function values.All the parameters were corrected by body surface area.Inter-modality agreement was tested through linear regression and Bland-Altman analyses.Repeated measurements were performed to determine inter-observer variation.ResultsThe indexed measurements of DSCT and CMR were (47.4 ± 11.1 ) and (46.2 ± 9.7 )ml/m2 for LAVmax,( 22.2 ± 6.9) and ( 21.3 ± 5.8 ) ml/m2 for LAVmin,( 34.8 ± 8.8 ) and ( 33.6 ± 7.8 )ml/m2 for LAVp,(24.0 ±5.7)and(21.5 ±5.0) ml/m2 for LARV,(11.6 ±3.9)and(10.9 ±3.9) ml/m2 for LAPV,(12.4 ±3.9)and(10.7 ±3.6) ml/m2 for LAAV,(22.6 ±8.4)and(21.0 ±6.4) ml/m2 for LACV,(52.8 ± 7.4) ％ and ( 54.5 ± 6.3 ) ％ for LAEF,respectively.The correlation coefficients between DSCT and CMR measurements for LAVmax,LAVmin,LAVp,LARV,LAPV,LAAV,LACV and LAEF were 0.89,0.90,0.90,0.80,0.82,0.80,0.76 and 0.78,respectively.However,DSCT slightly overestimated LAVmax,LAVmin,LAVp,LARV,LAPV,LAAV and LACV,and the deviation was 1.2,0.9,1.1,0.3,0.1,0.2 and 0.4 ml/m2,respectively.Compared with CMR,DSCT slightly underestimated LAEF of about 0.6％.Interobserver variation was lower in DSCT examination than CMR for the measurements of left atrial function.ConclusionDSCT provided accurateand reproducible measurements of left atrial volume and function.

Oroxylum indicum was a traditional Chinese medicine. In order to study the chemical constituents from the seed of O. indicum, the chemical constituents of 80% methanol extract of seeds of O. indicum were subjected to chromatography on silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, and preparative HPLC, leading to the isolation of eleven compounds. The structures were identified by various spectroscopic data including ESI-MS, 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR data as oroxin B (1), chrysin (2), baicalein (3), neglectein (4), quercetin-3-O-β-D-galactopy ranoside (5), quercetin-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (6), 2α,3β-dihydroxylluPeol (7), lupeol (8), rengyol (9), β-sitostero (10), and stigmasterol (11). Among them, compound 5 were firstly obtained from O. indicum.
Bignoniaceae ; chemistry ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Seeds ; chemistry

Objective To investigate the danger of iodine excess for people in the downstream area of Yellow River in Shandong Province by describing the distribution of iodine excess water and the gorer of children Methods Water samples were collected from 5 villages of every town of Yuncheng,Jiaxiang and Dongchangfu Counties to determine the iodine of the water using arsenic cerium oxidation reduction method.In the 5 towns having water iodine in the range of 150～300μg/L,200 students aged from 8～10 years received the paJpation of thyroid,half of them were also measured of urinary iodine with As3+-Ce4+ catalytic spectrophotometry using ammonium persulfate digestion method,and 50 of the 100 students further underwent thyroid B-ultrasound.Results Three counties all have high iodine towns.The medium of urinary iodine of 30 town8 in 56 towns was higher than 150μg/L Urinary iodine and sign detection were performed in 13 towns,where water iodine was between 150～ 300μg/L;the medium ofurinary iodine of 11 towns were higherthan 400μg/L,and 3 of the 11 towns were higher than 800μg/L.In all 13 towns,the goiter rate of the students aged 8 to 10 years exceeded 5%by palpation in 11 towns:exceeded 5% by B-ultrasound method in 9 towns.Conclusions There are areas of iodine excess in drinking water and iodine-excess endemic goiter prevails in downstream area of the Yellow River in Shandong Province.It indicates that iodine excess in drinking water has done severe harm in these areas. Active management should be taken to control this endemic disease.

Objective:To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on the expressions of acetylcholine (ACh) and mucin 5AC (MUC5AC) in the lungs of rats with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD),and explore the mechanism of EA in treating COPD.Methods:Thirty Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into a control group,a COPD group,and an EA group,with 10 rats in each group.The control group was a group of normal rats.The COPD rat model was induced by cigarette smoke combined with lipopolysaccharide (LPS).The COPD rats were treated with EA at bilateral Feishu (BL 13) and Zusanli (ST 36) in the EA group,30 min each time,once a day,successively for 14 d.The lung function was tested.The contents of ACh and MUC5AC in lungs and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).Pearson method was used to analyze the correlation between pulmonary function and the content of MUC5AC in lungs.The mRNA and protein expressions of MUC5AC in lung tissues were detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot (WB),respectively.The immune response of MUC5AC was observed by immunohistochemistry.Results:Eight rats were left in each group,and the other two died.Compared with the control group,the total airway resistance (Raw) increased significantly and dynamic compliance (Cdyn) decreased significantly in the COPD group (P＜0.01);compared with the COPD group,the Raw level declined significantly and Cdyn increased significantly in the EA group (P＜0.01).The contents of ACh and MUC5AC in the lungs and BALF were remarkably higher in the COPD group compared with those in the control group (P＜0.01,P＜0.001);compared with the COPD group,the contents of ACh and MUC5AC were significantly lower in the EA group (P＜0.05,P＜0.001).There was a negative correlation between MUC5AC content and lung function (P＜0.001).The mRNA and protein expressions of MUC5AC in the lungs were significantly higher in the COPD group than in the control group (P＜0.001);compared with the COPD group,the expressions were significantly lower in the EA group (P＜0.01).Compared with the control group,the immune response of MUC5AC in the airway epithelium significantly increased in the COPD group (P＜0.001);the immune response of MUC5AC was significantly lower in the EA group compared with that in the COPD group (P＜0.001).Conclusion:EA treatment can improve the lung function of COPD rats,which may be related to its effect in the down-regulation of ACh and MUC5AC contents in the lungs as well as the inhibition of mucus hypersecretion.

OBJECTIVETo understand the receiving sensibility of the points on the hand's six channels for music sound wave in the healthy persons, so as to provide experimental basis for exploring the mechanism of music treatment.

METHODSBy the radiating and receiving sound wave system, the total receiving music sound (RMS) power of the music sound wave were measured at the points of the hand's six channels and non-acupuncture in 34 healthy undergraduates.

RESULTSThere was the specific receiving sensibility at Taiyuan (LU 9). The total RMS power of the music sound wave at Daling (PC 7) and Shaohai (HT 3) in the female was stronger than that in the male.

CONCLUSIONThere is the difference in the receiving sensibility of the music sound wave at the different acupoints of different channels.

Acupuncture Points ; Female ; Hand ; Humans ; Male ; Meridians ; Music Therapy ; Vibration

OBJECTIVETo study the conduction of Gong tonality vibromusic sound wave along meridians in healthy human body, and investigate differences of the sensitivity of different meridians and genders to this vibromusic message.

METHODSEmit the Gong tonality music signal under the water and then investigate the responses of different acupoints and control points at the tissue of the same level to the vibromusic sound wave.

RESULTSThere were differences of sensitivity to music waves at source acupoints on the foot, sensitivity of Zusanli (ST 36) was significantly higher than its control point (P < 0.05), and there was difference between genders in the sensitivity of Sanyinjiao (SP 6) and Yinlingquan (SP 9) to music sound wave.

CONCLUSIONGong tonality vibromusic sound wave can conduct along meridians in healthy human body, and there are differences between different meridians and different genders in the sensitivity to the music sound wave.

Acupuncture Points ; Human Body ; Humans ; Meridians

OBJECTIVETo compare the therapeutic effects of aspiration via a directional soft tube and conservative treatment in patients with mild hemorrhage in the basal ganglion.

METHODSSeventy-five patients with mild cerebral hemorrhage (10~30 ml) were randomly divided into two groups for aspiration treatment with minimally invasive directional soft tube placement (minimally invasive group, n=36) and conservative treatment (medication group, n=39). The patients in the two groups had comparable mean GCS scores of 11-15 on admission. The clinical outcomes of the patients were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSIn the minimally invasive group, complete removal or absorption of the hematoma occurred within an average of 3.8 days, significantly shortened in comparison with the 24 days in the medication group. The short-term (1 month) follow-up of the patients showed good neurological recovery in 58% of the patients in the minimally invasive group, significantly greater than the rate of 29% in the medication group; 6 months after the treatment, good neurological recovery was achieved in 50% of the patients in the minimally invasive group, but only 16% in the medication. No death occurred in the minimally invasive group, and 2 patients died in the medication group. The cost of hospitalization averaged 5136.3 Yuan in the minimally invasive group and 11843.6 Yuan in the medication group.

CONCLUSIONCompared with conservative treatment, the minimally invasive treatment with soft tube placement can significantly shorten the hospital stay, promote neurological function recovery, lower the mortality rate, and reduce the cost of hospitalization.

Adult ; Aged ; Basal Ganglia Hemorrhage ; etiology ; surgery ; Catheters, Indwelling ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; complications ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Suction ; economics ; methods ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUNDFor muscle invasive bladder cancer, radical cystectomy is the most effective treatment now and urinary diversion is often necessary. The use of intestinal tissue for urinary diversion is frequently associated with complications. In this study, we aimed to make a tissue-engineered conduit (TEC) using bladder epithelial cells and bladder acellular matrix (BAM) for urinary diversion in rabbits.

METHODSBladder epithelial cells of rabbit were cultivated and expanded in vitro, then seeded on BAM, and cultured for 7 days. Then cell-seeded graft was used to make TEC. In the experimental group, most of bladder of the rabbit was removed while bladder trigone was retained. The proximal end of TEC was anastomosed with bladder trigone and the distal end was anastomosed with the abdominal stoma. In the control group, TEC was made using unseeded BAM. Haematoxylin and eosin staining was conducted, respectively, at 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks postoperatively. Immunohistochemistry was performed 8 weeks postoperatively. Intravenous urography, retrograde pyelography, and cystoscopy of TEC were made at 12 weeks postoperatively.

RESULTSAll animals were alive in the experimental group. Haematoxylin and eosin staining showed epithelial coverage in TEC. Immunohistochemistry showed anti-cytokeratin AE(1)/AE(3) antibody and anti-ZO1 antibody positive, confirming there were mature and functional epithelial cells on the lumen of TEC. Retrograde pyelography and intravenous urography showed that TEC developed well and that there was no obstruction. In the control group, four rabbits were dead within 2 weeks and scar formation, atresia, and severe hydronephrosis were found.

CONCLUSIONSWe successfully made TEC using BAM and bladder epithelial cells for urinary diversion in rabbits. The lumen of this new TEC covered mature epithelial cells and could prevent urinary extravasation.

Animals ; Epithelial Cells ; cytology ; Male ; Rabbits ; Tissue Engineering ; methods ; Urinary Bladder ; cytology ; Urinary Diversion ; methods

AIMTo study the chemical constituents from Hedysarum multijugum.

METHODSThe compounds were separated by chromatography methods, their structures were identified by spectral analysis.

RESULTSSix compounds were isolated and identified as beta-sitosterol (1), 7-hydroxy-4'-methoxy isoflavone (2), betulic acid (3), 1,7-dihydroxy-3, 9-dimethoxy pterocarpene (4), 5, 7-dihydroxy-8-C-prenyl-4'-methoxy isoflavone (5) and 5, 7-dihydroxy-4'-methoxy isoflavone (6).

CONCLUSIONCompound 4 is a new compound and the others were obtained from the plant for the first time.

Benzofurans ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Benzopyrans ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Fabaceae ; chemistry ; Molecular Structure ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Sitosterols ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Triterpenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVETo investigate the diagnosis and treatment of the coronal fracture of the femoral condyle.

METHODSSeven patients with Hoffa fracture treated in our hospital in recent 7 years were enrolled in this study. Six patients were treated with surgical treatment, while one non-displaced fracture received conservative treatment. Fractures were reduced under direct vision and fixed with hollow lag screws. The knees were immobilized in extension with cast after operation, and flexion exercise was commenced 3 weeks later.

RESULTSAll the patients were followed up. According to Kumar functional assessment system,5 patients got excellent results, 1 good, and 1 fair.

CONCLUSIONRigid internal fixation with hollow lag screw and extension plaster fixation is the excellent way to treat the coronal fracture of the femoral condyle.

Adult ; Female ; Femoral Fractures ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; therapy ; Femur ; diagnostic imaging ; injuries ; surgery ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Radiography