Objective To investigate the appropriate reconstruction techniques of multi-detector-row spiral CT angiography (MDCTA) to depict the collateral vessels in cavernous transformation of the portal vein (CTPV) caused by tumor thrombosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods MDCTA scanning was performed during the portal venous phase after intravenous contrast materials in 18 HCC patients with CTPV induced by tumor thrombosis. Raw data were reconstructed with thin slice thickness followed by 2D and 3D angiographic reconstruction methods, including maximum intensity projection(MIP), shade surface display (SSD) and volume rendering technique(VRT). Results MDCTA with MIP reconstruction accurately depicted both the tumor thrombus within the portal vein and the collateral vessels of CTPV including the biliary (cystic vein and pericholedochal veinous plexus) and the gastric (left and right gastric veins) branches. However, VRT and SSD methods did poorly in showing the tumor thrombus and the collateral vessels. Conclusion MDCTA with MIP reconstruction is the method of choice to evaluate the collateral vessels of CTPV.

Objective To investigate the imaging features of malignant invasion of major intrahepatic ductal structures (the portal and hepatic venous vasculature, the bilie duct) by primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using multi-detector-row spiral CT (MDCT). Methods We retrospectively analyzed 68 documented HCC patients with tumorous invasion of the major intrahepatic ductal structures who had undergone contrast-enhanced dual-phase MDCT scanning of the upper abdomen.The morphological changes of the portal and hepatic venous vasculature, the bile duct, and the liver parenchyma at both the hepatic arterial phase and portal venous phase images were carefully observed and recorded. Results Among the 68 patients, 47 patients had malignant invasion of the intrahepatic portal venous vessels with secondary tumor thrombus formation; 12 patients had tumor involvement of the hepatic veins and intraheptic segment of the inferior vena cava; Tumor invasion of the bile duct was seen in 9 patents. The direct CT signs of tumor invasion of intrahepatic venous vessels included: ①dilatation or enlargement of the involved vein with intraluminal soft-tissue “filling defect”; ②enhancement of the tumor thrombus at hepatic arterial phase, the so-called “venous arterialization” phenomenon. The indirect CT signs included: ①arterial-venous shunt, ②early and heterogeneous enhancement of the hepatic parenchyma adjacent to HCC focus, ③cavernous transformation of the portal vein. The CT signs suggesting tumor invasion of the bile duct included: ①dilation of the bile ducts near or proximal to HCC lesion, ②soft-tissue nodule or mass inside the bile ducts. Conclusion Invasion of major intrahepatic ductal structures by HCC will present corresponding CT imaging features. Contrast-enhanced MDCT dual-phase scanning combined with appropriate image post-processing techniques can better evaluate the malignant invasion of major intrahepatic ductal structures.

Objective To investigate the CT manifestations of chronic virus hepatitis Methods According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the clinical data and laboratory information of 120 patients with chronic virus hepatitis B were reviewed retrospectively. All patients underwent standardized contrast enhanced spiral CT dual phase scanning of the upper abdomen. The changes of the liver, bile duct, spleen, portal venous system, lymph node of the upper abdomen, peritoneal cavity and pleural cavity were observed and noted. Results CT manifestations of chronic virus hepatitis B were as follows: ①changes of the configuration and shape of the liver, ② changes of the density of the liver, ③intrahepatic perivascular lucency, ④thickening of gallbladder wall and edema of the gallbladder fossa, ⑤splenomegaly, ⑥enlargement of abdominal lymph nodes, ⑦ascites, ⑧abnormalities related to portal hypertension (collateral circulation), and ⑨secondary thoracic changes (pleural and pericardial effusion). ]Conclusion Chronic virus hepatitis B can demonstrate several abnormal findings involving the liver, gallbladder, lymph nodes, spleen, etc on contrast enhanced CT scanning.

Objective To investigate the mechanism of chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH)-induced renal injury and the protection of metallothionein (MT).Methods 8-10 weeks old male MT-1 transgenic (MT-TG) mice (n=12) and the wide type (WT) mice (n=12) were randomly divided into two groups respectively,Air mimic control(Ctrl) group (n=6) and CIH group (n=6).The period of chronic intermittent hypoxia was continued for 8 weeks.The CIH paradigm consisted of 20.9％ O2 and 8％ O2 fraction of inspiration O2 (FiO2) alternation cycles (30 episodes per hour) with 20 seconds at the nadir FiO2 for 12 hours/day during daylight.The nadir hemoglobin oxygen saturations mainly ranged from 60％ to 70％.Urine,blood,kidney were collected at the end of study respectively.Histopathology,Western blotting and colorimetric method for related target were performed respectively.Results In WT mice,renal fibrosis,the expression of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF),type-1 plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1),hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α),transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1),phosphorylated Smad2 and the MDA content were significantly increased by CIH (P ＜ 0.01).In WT mice,the expression of MT detected by using Western blotting was significantly decreased by CIH (P ＜ 0.01).However,in MT-TG mice,above-mentioned indicators showed no significant difference between CIH and Ctrl group.Conclusions Oxidative stresses is the main mechanism of CIH-induced renal injury.The possible molecular mechanism of CIH-induced renal injury is that CIH increases the expression of HIF-1α in kidney tissue,then activate the TGF-β1-Smad2 signaling pathway and lead to the renal fibrosis.The protection of MT on CIH-induced renal injury may be via its antioxidant effect.

BACKGROUND: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), with low immunogenicity, can regulate cellular immunity and mitigate graft rejection, which has a good prospect in tissue engineering. However, it is rarely present in bone marrow. OBJECTIVE: To explore an isolation and culture method of the rabbit bone marrow-derived MSCs, to observe the biological characteristics and differentiation potential of bone marrow-derived MSCs.METHODS: MSCs were isolated from rabbit tibia bone marrow by combination of gradient centrifugation and different adherent method, then proliferation in vitro. Morphology was examined by phase contrast microscopy, and the growth curve of cultured MSCs was drawn via MTT results. MSCs were treated with osteogenetic inductor (L-DMEM/F12, 10% fetal bovine serum, 0.1 μmol/L dexamethasone, 200 μmol/L vitamin C, 10 mmol/L β-phosphoglycerol), adipose inductor (L-DMEM/F12, 10% FBS, 1 μmol/L dexamethasone, 200 μmol/L antifani, 0.5 mmol/L IBMX, 10 μg/mL insulin), and chondrocytes inductor (L-DMEM/F12, 10% FBS, 10 μg/L TGF-β1, 0.1 μmol/L dexamethasone, 50 μmol/L vitamin C, 6.25 mg/L insulin) to differentiated into osteoblast, dipocytes and chondrocytes. And the differentiated cells were identified by alkaline phosphatase staining, oil red O staining, and toluidine blue staining, respectively.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Bone marrow-derived MSCs can be isolated and cultured by the combination of gradient centrifugation and different adherent method in vitro, which have the better potentiality of proliferation and multi-directional differentiation. Mostly of the primary and passaged cells were spindle-shaped. After osteogenetic induction, cells were positive to alkaline phosphatase staining. Oil red O staining showed that red lipid droplet existed in adipose cells, and toluidine blue staining showed that toluidine blue was positive after chondrocytes induction.

Objective To investigate the basic data of risk estimation of lung cancer among non-uranium miners in China.Methods 2836 workers from 24 mines in 9 provinces/regions were face-to-face interviewed to collect information including age at exposure,exposure duration,cigarette smoking among others.Results Age of the investigated non-uranium miners ranged from 17 to 72(36.9±8.0)years.The miners received low and poor education,3% of them were illiterate,58% with primary and middle school education,only 7% with junior college and higher education.Seventy-five percent of the uranium miners are migrant rural workers.Ethnic minority miners accoungted for 16% of all the investigated miners.Among the migrant rural workers age at initial exposure was estimated to be 29.6±8.0 years.By the time of the investigation,46.7% of the miners had worked in the mine for five years and longer,working years in the mine was 6.7±6.8 years with a median of 4.1years.3.4% of the non-uranium miners began the initial radon exposure in mines before their 18 years of old.17.5% of the investigated miners reported working more than 8 h every working day.Among the males,58.0% were current smokers with a median of 16 cigarettes per day.Age to begin the cigarette smoking was 20 years on average.Current smoking rate was age-dependent,the rate as high as 69.2% for the males aged 15-19 years.Current smoking rate was significantly statistically lower in coal mines than that in other mines,49.0% vs 62.5%.Compared with other miners,more frequent mechanical ventilations were reported by coal miners,Conclusions In China non-uranium mines,75% were migrant rural workers,by the time of the investigation about half of them had worked in the mines for at least five years.Non-uranium miners began their mining at 30 years on average,with a very small percentage of 3%,exposed to the mining radon before their 18 years.Current cigarette smoking rate in non-uranium male miners was the same as the general male population in China.

Objective To investigate the effects of 12-lipoxygenase (12-LO) and angiotensin Ⅱ (Ang Ⅱ) on the CIP/KIP family of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (CKIs) p21,p27 and p57 related to cell hypertrophy.Methods Mesangial cells were treated with high glucose for 24 hours and 48 hours respectively.12(S)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid [12(S)-HETE] and Ang Ⅱ were infused to rats by osmotic mini-pump for 1 week and 2 weeks respectively.Rats fed high fat diet were received low dose streptozotocin (STZ) to make type 2 diabetes (DN).The rats were divided into normal control group,DN group,DN+Ang Ⅱ type 1 receptor blocker (ARB) group or 12-LO inhibitor (CDC) group.DN+ARB rats were treated by losartan for 6 weeks,and DN+CDC rats were treated for 8 weeks.Urine albumin and protein expressions of p21,p27 and p57 were detected by ELISA and Western blotting respectively.Glomeruli injury and expressions of p21 and p27 were detected by PAS staining and immunohistochemistry respectively.Results High glucose increased p21 and p27 protein expression in mesangial cells significantly compared with the relative control (all P ＜ 0.05),but had no effect on p57.Ang Ⅱ increased p27 protein expression in gloneruli significantly (P ＜ 0.05),but had no effect on p21 and p57 protein expression.12(S)-HETE increased both p21 and p27 protein expression in glomeruli significantly (all P ＜ 0.05),but had no effect on p57 protein expression.Blood glucose,kidney/body weight,urinary protein,and glomerular p21 and p27 protein expressions were increased in DN group (all P ＜ 0.05) compared with those in control group,with little change of p57 protein expression (P ＜ 0.05).Moreover,glomerular hypertrophy and extra cellular matrix accumulation were observed in DN group.However,urine protein,kidney/body weight,renal injury,but not blood glucose,were decreased in DN+ARB group and DN+CDC group compared with DN group respectively (P＜ 0.05).Further DN+CDC rats had decreased both p21 and p27 protein expressions in glomeruli,but DN+ ARB rats only had decreased p27 protein expression (all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions 12-LO may induce both p21 and p27 protein expression in DN glomeruli,but Ang Ⅱ may induce only p27 expression.

Objective To fully grasp the epidemic situation of drinking water type of endemic fluorosis in Jiaozuo City of Henan Province,evaluate the efficacy of the prevention and control measures,and to provide a basis for prevention and control of the disease.Methods According to "The Measures for Control and Elimination of Key Endemic Diseases",all the diseased villages in Jiaozuo City were investigated.For all diseased villages in accordance with the improved water or no improved water,drinking water samples were collected,the fluorine content in water samples was determined based on the standard testing method for drinking water (GB/T 5750.5-2006);all children aged 8 to 12 years old of the surveyed villages were examined and determined dental fluorosis using "Diagnostic of Dental Fluorosis" (WS/T 208-2011);all evaluations were based on the criteria for drinking water-based fluorosis control (National Health Control [2014] No.79).Results Totally 7 counties (cities) 59 townships 589 diseased villages were surveyed in the city,586 diseased villages had improved the water quality,the rate was 99.49％,the number of villages that used the water facility normally was 571,the normal utilization rate was 97.44％,and there were 15 villages with excessive fluoride in water.A total of 35 057 children aged 8 to 12 years old in the diseased villages of the city were examined and 13 846 cases were detected dental fluorosis,the detection rate of dental fluorosis was 39.50％,the index of dental fluorosis was 0.65,which was a moderate epidemic;147 villages reached the control of standard among the 586 diseased villages with improved water,and the compliance rate was 25.09％,and the 7 drinking water type local fluoride poisoning epidemic counties (cities) in the area all did not reached the control standards.Conclusion Totally 439 diseased villages in the city have not meet the control standard,we should strengthen the monitoring,implement measures to improve water quality,strengthen the management and maintenance of water projects to ensure that the disease affected population to have qualified drinking water in a long-term,and gradually achieve the target to control and eliminate city's drinking water type of endemic fluorosis.

Objective To evaluate the role of multi-slice CT (MSCT) perfusion in early diagnosis of liver fibrosis. Methods Thirty-three subjects underwent CT perfusion of the liver. Among whom, 11 subjects were volunteers without hepatic disease and the other 22 subjects were pathologically confirmed with liver fibrosis who were further divided into slight (n= 10) and severe (n=12)liver fibrosis according to the lshak system. Parameters of CT perfusion were measured and compared among three groups. Results The mean hepatic arterial fraction in controls, light and severe fibrosis tended to increase with the severity of liver fibrosis[(18. 49 ± 9. 69) %, (19. 92 ± 6.01) % and (21.31±7.47)% ,respectively], and the mean mean transit time tended to decrease with the severity of liver fibrosis [(13.80 ± 2. 60) s, (12.35 ± 1.31) s and (12.19 ± 3.33) s, there was no significant difference in all parameters between any two groups (P>0.05). Conclusions Quantitative measurement of hepatic blood supply can be obtained by CT perfusion. Some parameters will be helpful in staging fibrosis to a certain extent. But its clinical usefulness for the evaluation of the early diagnosis may not be affirmed yet.

Objective To explore the biological function of rhoptry protein 38(ROP38)of Toxoplasma gondii,and to iden?tify the reactogenicity of the recombinant protein(rROP38). Methods The ROP38 was amplified by RT?PCR from T. gondii RH strain,and was cloned into prokaryotic expression vector pET?28a(+). The recombinant plasmid was transformed into E. co?li BL21(DE3)competent cells. Then the rROP38 was analyzed by SDS?PAGE and identified by Western blot. Results SDS?PAGE showed that rROP38 was efficient expression with a molecular weight of about 43 kD. Western blot showed that rROP38 reacted with antibody of His tag or human positive antibody,which indicated that ROP38 had good reactogenicity and could be a serological diagnostic antigen. Conclusion The study successfully obtains the rROP38 of T. gondii with good reactogenicity.