Objective To study the imaging manifestations and clinical significance of simple cochlear nerve canal(CNC)stenosis. Methods The HRCT findings of 14 patients(1 7 ears)with simple CNC stenosis diagnosed sensorineural hearing loss(SNHL)were retrospectively analyzed.The width of CNC and internal auditory canal was measured and compared with the normal ears,the data were statisti-cally analyzed by SPSS1 6.0.Thin-sliced MRI of internal auditory canal (axial and oblique sagittal position)was performed in 8 cases. Results HRCT displayed obvious CNC stenosis in all 14 patients(1 7 ears),2 ears with cochlear nerve canal atresia.Width of CNC and internal auditory canal was (0.5±0.3)mm and (4.6±1.0)mm,it was (2.1±0.2)mm and (5.1 ±1.3)mm in normal ears (1 1 ears),the width of CNC was of significant difference between normal ears and ears with SNHL,and there was no statistical sig-nificant difference in width of internal auditory canal.12 ears(from 1 7 ears with simple CNC stenosis)were lacking of fissure in the cribriform area,1 1 ears(normal ear)were existence of fissure in the cribriform area;cochlear nerves were not shown in 8 patients with MRI examination.Conclusion CNC stenosis can be isolated from internal auditory canal stenosis,MRI could display cochlear nerve dysplasia(CND).

Objective To explore the application value of monoexponential, biexponential models multiple b values diffusion weighted imaging(DWI) in distinguishing pancreatic cancer from non-tumorous pancreas.Methods Subjects comprised 37 pancreatic cancers confirmed by clinical or surgery.Pancreas multiple b values DWI was performed using 3.0T scanner.Standard apparent diffusion coefficient (ADCstandard) was calculated using monoexponential diffusion model.Pure diffusion coefficient (ADCslow), pseudodiffusion coefficient (ADCfast) and perfusion fraction (f) were calculated using intravoxel incoherent motion(IVIM) diffusion model.Parameters of pancreatic cancers and non-tumorous pancreas were compared using independent samples t test.Results Mean ADCslow value of pancreatic cancer was higher than that of non-tumorous pancreas (0.611×10-3 mm2/s vs 0.521×10-3 mm2/s,P=0.037).Mean ADCfast and f values of pancreatic cancer were lower than that of non-tumorous pancreas (5.066×10-3 mm2/s vs 7.188×10-3 mm2/s,P=0.035;55.8% vs 64.0%,P=0.016;respectively).ADCslow of pancreatic cancer was positively correlated to ADCstandard (r=0.824,P=0.000).ADCfast of pancreatic cancer was negatively correlated to f(r=-0.558,P=0.000).Conclusion ADCslow, ADCfast and f derived from IVIM-DWI model can distinguish pancreatic cancer from non-tumorous pancreas.IVIM-DWI may be a promising and non-invasive tool for early diagnosing and differentiating pancreatic carcinoma from non-tumorous pancreas.

OBJECTIVETo provide new germplasm materials for breeding new varieties of Pseudostellaria heterophylla.

METHODThe method of single plant selection was adopted, with the comparative experiments being carried out under the same conditions in Shibing county. The 8 plants of Shibing SB-4 were compared respectively with factor analysis for 27 phenotypic traits and 8 yield traits, and single factor variance analysis for the contents of polysaccharides.

RESULTUsing factor analysis, 27 phenotypic traits were classified into 7 principal divisors and 8 yield traits were simplified into 3 principal divisors. The 4 strains of P. heterophylla, ZT-01, ZT-02, ZT-06 and ZT-07, performed better than others in the phenotypic traits, and ZT-01, ZT-02, ZT-03 and ZT-07 in the yield traits. The contents of polysaccharides of ZT-01, ZT-02, ZT-05 and ZT-08 showed significantly higher value.

CONCLUSIONThere is significant difference among the 8 strains of P. heterophylla in phenotypic traits, yield traits and quality traits, making it possible to select certain strains for different purposes. ZT-01 and ZT-02 can be breaded further. ZT-06 and ZT-07 were used as ornamental cultivars for its great phenotypic traits. ZT-03 with good resistance and high yield was taken as resistant variety, and ZT-05 would face next selection on the basis of its high content of polysaccharide.

Breeding ; Caryophyllaceae ; chemistry ; growth & development ; China ; Phenotype ; Polysaccharides ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo observe the physiological and psychological effects of Chinese traditional healthcare exercises (CTHE) on the adolescents.

METHODSA total of 136 healthy students of junior school were recruited and randomly divided into the test group (68 cases) and the control group (68 cases). The subjects in the test group practiced CTHE, while those in the control group did "the 8th radio calisthenics", an official recommended calisthenics for promoting healthcare in China, 3 times a week, and 7 weeks practicing overall. The general body function examination and the meridian energy detection system were used to determine the effects of the two groups.

RESULTS(1) After exercise, the chest circumference and heart rate were increased significantly (P<0.01), and both the systolic pressure (SP) and diastolic pressure (DP) were decreased significantly (P<0.01), while the weight had no significant change (P>0.05) in the test group. In the control group, the chest circumference, the SP and DP had no significant improvement (P>0.05), while the heart rate was significantly increased and the weight was significantly decreased (P<0.01). (2) The test group achieved significant positive changes in the performance status, state of mind and fatigue index (P<0.01 or P<0.05), while the control group only achieved a significant positive change in performance status (P<0.01), and a negative significant decrease in the autonomic nerve function (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONJunior school students would get physiological and psychological benefit from practicing CTHE, and which is suitable for them to practice.

Adolescent ; Blood Pressure ; physiology ; China ; Exercise ; Female ; Health ; Heart Rate ; physiology ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Schools

Objective To explore the value of intra-voxel incoherent motion diffusion weighted imaging(IVIM-DWI)in brain perfusion of early hypertensive patients. Methods Totally 36 hypertensive patients and 14 volunteers were recruited and scanned using routine MRI sequences including axial T2WI, T1WI, T2FLAIR, TOF-MRA and IVIM-DWI sequence. Perfusion-related diffusion coefficient (D*) values and perfusion fraction (f) values in various regions were measured separately.The independent sample t test was used to analyze the data.Results Compared with the volunteers,both D*values and f values in lenticular nucleus,thalamus,superior frontal gyrus,occipital lobe,genu of corpus callosum(CC)and posterior horns of periventricular WM, were found to be lower (P<0.05) in hypertensive patients. For other regions, there were no significant difference(P>0.05).Conclusion IVIM-DWI has the ability to detect subtle brain perfusion abnormalities at early stages of hypertension.It has an important value to the prevention and treatment of hypertensive encephalopathy.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Currently, there exists no biomarker for visceral hypersensitivity in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Piezo proteins have been proven to play an important role in the mechanical stimulation to induce visceral pain in other tissues and may also be a biomarker candidate. The aim of this study was to test the expressions of Piezo1 and Piezo2 proteins in the intestinal epithelial cells from different intestinal segments and to explore the correlation between Piezo proteins expression and visceral pain threshold. METHODS: Post-infectious IBS was induced in mice via a Trichinella spiralis infection. Visceral sensitivity was measured with abdominal withdrawal reflex to colorectal distention. Inflammation in the small intestine and colon was scored with H&E staining. Expression location of Piezo proteins was confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Abundance of Piezo proteins were measured with real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Piezo1 and Piezo2 proteins were expressed in the intestinal epithelial cells. The expression levels of Piezo1 and Piezo2 were abundant in the colon than the small intestine (P < 0.001 for Piezo1, P = 0.003 for Piezo2). Expression of Piezo2 in the colon significantly correlated to the visceral sensitivity (r = −0.718, P = 0.001) rather than the mucosal inflammation. CONCLUSION: Piezo2 is a candidate biomarker for visceral hypersensitivity in IBS.
Animals ; Colon ; Epithelial Cells ; Humans ; Hyperalgesia ; Hypersensitivity* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Inflammation ; Intestine, Small ; Ion Channels ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome* ; Mice ; Reflex ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Trichinella spiralis ; Visceral Pain

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the structural characteristics of the cerebral small vessels with an unknown type of pathological lesion (UTPL). METHODS: Contents of beta-amyloid, alpha-actin and collagen IV in cerebral small vessels with UTPL were studied by Congo red staining, immunohistochemical staining and computer image analysis. RESULTS: The low expression levels of alpha-actin and collagen IV (P<0.05) were observed in tunica media of the vessels with UTPL, and no positive expression of beta-amyloid (P>0.05) was observed in these vessel walls. The expressions of proteins mentioned above in UTPL were different from those of cerebral amyloid angiopathy(CAA) and hyaline arteriolosclerosis. CONCLUSION UTPL was different from CAA or hyaline arteriolosclerosis in pathologic feature.
Actins/metabolism* ; Amyloid beta-Peptides/metabolism* ; Autopsy ; Blood Vessels/ultrastructure* ; Brain/pathology* ; Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy/pathology* ; Collagen Type IV/metabolism* ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Immunohistochemistry ; Staining and Labeling ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage/pathology*

BACKGROUNDPlatinum-based chemotherapy has been proved effective in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study evaluated the effectiveness and safety of first-line chemotherapy with gemcitabine plus cisplatin (GEM-Cis) 3-week regimen in routine care of Chinese patients with advanced NSCLC.

METHODSTwo hundred and twenty-one patients with NSCLC stage IIIb or IV were enrolled and 209 were eligible for effectiveness and safety analysis. The median age was 58 (range 29 to 79) years. The percents of cases in stage IV and stage IIIb were 52.2% and 47.8%; of Karnofsky performance score (KPS) less than 80 and 80 - 100 were 37.3% and 62.7% and of adeno-cancer and non-adeno-cancer were 59.8% and 40.2%. The average number of completed chemotherapy cycles was three. Measures of effectiveness included clinical benefit, significant clinical response (SCR) and adverse effects of GEM-Cis in the treatment of NSCLC at stages IIIb/IV.

RESULTSKPS increased from 79 +/- 9 at baseline to 86 +/- 10 after chemotherapy (P < 0.01). Lung cancer symptom scale (LCSS) score of pain, dyspnea and cough increased from 77 +/- 24, 74 +/- 22 and 63 +/- 19 to 92 +/- 15, 90 +/- 14 and 86 +/- 15, respectively (P < 0.01). The clinical benefit rate was 85.2% [95% confidence interval (CI) 80.3% - 90.0%]. The SCR was 89.5% (95% CI 85.3% - 93.7%). Median survival time was 7.8 months (95% CI 7.1 months-9.1 months). Sixty-four patients (30.6%) experienced an adverse effect that was deemed clinically significant. Only one patient (0.5%) was hospitalized due to chemotherapy related adverse effects. Life-threatening toxicity was observed in two patients (1.0%).

CONCLUSIONFirst-line chemotherapy with GEM-Cis in the routine care of Chinese patients with advanced NSCLC is effective and safe.

Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; drug therapy ; mortality ; pathology ; Cisplatin ; administration & dosage ; Deoxycytidine ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; mortality ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prospective Studies

Objective To investigate the improvement of symptoms of the patients after treatment in patients with Rome Ⅳ or non-Rome Ⅳ irritable bowel syndrome (IBS),and to explore the influence of IBS diagnosed by different criteria on the patients.Methods From June 2nd to 8th in 2016,at Outpatients Department of Gastroenterology,Union Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College,Huazhong Uiversity of Science and Technology in Wuhan,1 500 outpatients aged over 18 years old and with intestinal symptom were selected for questionnaire.After treatment for six months,IBS patients,non-IBS patients,patients with Rome Ⅳ IBS and patients with non-Rome Ⅳ IBS were followed up by phone calls.After treatment,the improvement of symptoms of the patients was evaluated by irritable bowel syndrome symptom severity scale (IBS-SSS).The degree of influence of IBS diagnosed with different criteria on patients was evaluated by the patient's daily work whether to choose colonoscopy examination,whether to choose medication,and the efficacy of medicine.Student's t test,Mann-Whitney U test and chi-square test were performed for statistical analysis.Results A total of 352 patients with intestinal symptoms were followed-up,including 175 patients with IBS (84 patients with Rome Ⅳ IBS and 91 patients with non-Rome Ⅳ IBS) and 177 non-IBS patients,and 142 patients responded.There were no statistically significant differences in response rate between non-IBS patients and IBS patients (37.3％,66/177 vs.43.4％,76/175),and between patients with Rome Ⅳ IBS and patients with non-Rome Ⅳ IBS (40.5％,34/84 vs.46.2％,42/91) (x2 =1.379 and 0.573,P =0.240 and 0.449).Compared with the non-IBS patients,the degree of satisfaction of medicine was lower in IBS patients (71.4％,30/42 vs.47.5％,19/40).Compared with non-Rome Ⅳ IBS patients,Rome type Ⅳ IBS patients were more likely to receive colonoscopy (35.7％,15/42 vs.58.8％,20/34),and the differences were statistically significant (x2 =4.878 and 4.039,P =0.027 and 0.044).After six months of treatment,symptoms improved in both Rome Ⅳ IBS patients and non-Rome Ⅳ IBS patients (both P ＜ 0.05),however,the symptoms improved more significantly in Rome Ⅳ IBS patients and the total score of IBS-SSS was lower than that of non-Rome Ⅳ IBS patients (-130,-185 to 60 vs.-70,-100 to 28),and the difference was statistically significant (Z =-3.065,P =0.002).The difference was mainly showed the symptom of abdominal pain,and the IBS-SSS abdominal pain score of Rome Ⅳ IBS patients was lower than that of non-Rome Ⅳ IBS patients (-80,-100 to-40 vs.0,-40 to 0),and the difference was statistically significant (Z =-4.631,P ＜ 0.01).Conclusions IBS symptoms influence a lot on the satisfaction degree of treatment in outpatients.Even with similar good therapeutic effects,the Rome Ⅳ IBS symptoms have a more severe impact on patients than non-Rome Ⅳ IBS symptoms.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The role of psychosocial factors on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in adolescents is incompletely understood. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between the psychosocial factors and the risk of developing IBS in college freshmen. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in a randomly selected freshmen population in Wuhan China (n = 2449). Questionnaire evaluated demographics and psychosocial risks. The population was divided into 3 groups: non-discomfort, chronic abdominal discomfort and IBS. The association between the development of IBS and psychosocial factors was analyzed by ordinal and multiple logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 2053 (83.8%) completed this survey (mean age, 18.2 ± 0.9 years; female, 35.6%). Among them, 82 (4.0%) fulfilled the Rome III criteria for IBS. Female (odds ratio [OR], 3.31; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.47–4.45), experience of abuse (OR, 2.44; 95% CI, 1.10–5.56), and suicidal intention (OR, 2.17; 95% CI, 1.15–4.17) were more likely to have IBS. Compared with chronic abdominal discomfort, however, depression (OR, 5.55; 95% CI, 1.36–22.71) was the only dependent risk factor for IBS. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of IBS in college freshmen is 4.0%, and to the freshmen, psychosocial factors such as experience of abuse, depression, and suicidal intention were associated with high risk of developing IBS.
Adolescent ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Child ; Child Abuse ; China ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Demography ; Depression ; Female ; Humans ; Intention ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome ; Logistic Models ; Prevalence ; Psychology ; Risk Factors ; Suicide