AIM:To investigate the correlation between matrix metalloproteinase-9(MMP-9),tissue metalloproteinase inhibitor-1(TIMP-1),MMP-9/TIMP-1 and carotid atheromatous plaque stability in cerebral infarction patients.METHODS:80 patients with cerebral infarction were categorized as microemboli-negative group(n=70)and microemboli-positive group(n=10),20 normal human were served as control group.The MMP-9 and TIMP-1 levels in plasma were determined by mean of ELISA in 3 groups.RESULTS:The levels of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 in plasma were significantly higher in cerebral infarction patients than those in control group(P

Objective To investigate the effect of manganese-enhanced MRI (MEMRI) at 7.0T for tracing nerve tracts in rat brain in vivo. Methods With brain stereotactic apparatus, 0.4 μl Mncl_2 with aqueous solution of 1 mol/L was injected into the right somatosensory cortex of 9 SD rats. MR scan was performed for tracing corticospinal tracts and other coherent nerve tracts pre-, and 24, 48, 72 h, 7 days post-injection with 7.0T micro-MRI system, respectively. Results Corticospinal tracts were showed in intact after Mn~(2+) administration from somatosensory cortex, thalamus, cerebral peduncle to pons at the time point of 24, 48, 72 h and 7 days, while the best tdisplaying was achieved at 24-48 h after Mn~(2+) administration. Simultaneously a small quantity of Mn~(2+) reached the opposite somatosensory cortex through the corpus callosum. Conclusion MEMRI for tracing rat nerve tracts can be showed clearly with 7.0T MRI. The location of manganese-enhanced corticospinal tracts in agreement with the rat brain atlas in stereotaxic is in agreement with that Paxinos' published. MEMRI can display the relationship between the two sides of hemisphere, and may play an important role in investigating the brain function and nerve plasticity after nerve injury in vivo.

Objective To assess the value of whole cerebral perfusion weighted map (PWM) and whole cerebral perfusion blood volume (PBV) integrating in scan protocol about CT perfusion (CTP) combined with CT angiography (CTA) in acute cerebral infarction. Methods Twenty-three patients with acute cerebral infarction proved clinically underwent CTP examination combined with CTA. The color-coded images of PWM and PBV were attained using workstation, and the raw data of contract CTA images and subtractive images between contract CTA and non-contract CTA were processed. The diagnostic sensitivity and the value of CTP and PWM, PBV integrating CTP in acute cerebral infraction were evaluated. Results Seven of 9 patients with negative results on CTP images had positive expressions on PWM and PBV images. The sensitivity of CTP was 60.87% and the sensitivity of PWM and PBV integrating CTP was 91.30%. Conclusion The scan protocol of PWM, PBV integrating CTP not only increases detection rate of acute cerebral infraction, but also has ability to predict the clinical prognosis of patients with cerebral infraction.

Objective This study is undertaken to evaluate the changes of serum cytokine levels in different stages of collagen induced arthritis(CIA)rats,to search for the specific proteins related with rheuma- toid arthritis(RA)pathogenesis and inflammation,and to explore the mechanism of RA pathogenesis.Methods Rat cytokine antibody array coated with 19 specific cytokine antibodies was used to examine serum samples at peak and late stage of CIA rats,and were compared to normal cytokine levels.At the same time,ELISA assay for serum TNF-?production was used to verify the array results.Results Among the target cytokines,10 up- regulating cytokines were kept in high expression in different phases of disease,while 1 showed significant change only at the peak of disease.There was no downregnlating cytokines in the results.Serum TNF-?assay results were consistent to the array results.Conclusion Cytokines show different expression in CIA at differ- ent stages,and specific cytokines can be used as the candidates to further study of the RA pathogenesis.This study also provides molecular makers for early diagnosis.

Animals ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins ; metabolism ; Male ; Physical Conditioning, Animal ; Physical Endurance ; physiology ; Quadriceps Muscle ; metabolism ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical application of mandibular-driven simultaneous maxillo-mandihular distraction to correct hemifacial microsomia with rapid prototyping technology.

METHODSThe patient' s skull resin model was manufactured with rapid prototyping technology. The osteotomy was designed on skull resin model. According to the preoperative design, the patients underwent Le Fort I osteotomy and mandibular ramus osteotomy. The internal mandible distractor was embedded onto the osteotomy position. The occlusal titanium pin was implanted. Distraction were carried out by mandibular-driven simultaneous maxillo-mandihular distraction 5 days after operation.

RESULTSThe distraction in five patients was complete as designed. No infection and dysosteogenesis happened. The longest distance of distraction was 28 mm, and the shortest distance was 16 mm. The facial asymmetry deformity was significantly improved at the end of distraction. The ocelusal plane of patients obviously improved.

CONCLUSIONSRapid prototyping technology is helpful to design precisely osteotomy before operation. Mandibular-driven simultaneous maxillo-mandibular distraction can correct hemifacial microsomia. It is worth to clinical application.

Face ; abnormalities ; surgery ; Facial Asymmetry ; congenital ; surgery ; Goldenhar Syndrome ; surgery ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; surgery ; Mandible ; surgery ; Maxilla ; surgery ; Osteogenesis, Distraction ; methods ; Osteotomy ; methods ; Osteotomy, Le Fort

Objective To investigate CT findings of hepatic necrosis and regeneration after liver failure.Methods Five patients with liver failure underwent CT scan before orthotopic liver transplantation.These findings were retrospectively reviewed and correlated with gross specimen and pathologic findings obtained after transplantation.Results Among 5 cases,the CT appearances of liver failure can be divided into 3 types.(1)Massive confluent aggregate foci in 2 patients demonstrated low attenuation and high attenuation as geographical patlerns on CT scans before contrast enhancement.respectively.The histopathological liver changes showed massive necrosis and regencratinn. Regions of necrosis enhanced to attenuation greater than that of normal liver parenchyma in portal-venous phase,the regions of regeneration enhanced to attenuation greater than that of normal liver parenchyma in arterial phase on postcontrast CT images.(2)In 2 patients,diffuse nodules of liver demonstrated high attenuation on plain CT scans,which was nodular necrosis and nodular regeneration pathologically.All enhanced to attenuation greater than that of normal liver parenchyma in arterial phase.The former showed hypointensity in portal-venous phase and equilibrium phase.The latter enhanced to attenuation equal to that of normal liver parenchyma in portalvenous phase and equilibrium phase on postcontrast CT images.(3)Multiple small foci in 1 case demonstrated low attenuatiun on precontrast CT images and enhanced to hyperintensity in portal-venous phase and isointensity in arterial phase and equilibrium phase on postcontrast CT images.The histopathological liver changes showed multiple necrosis.Conclusion Liver failure may reveal characteristic imaging patterns at CT.

Objective To evaluate the screening effect of osteoporosis self-assessment tool for Asians (OSTA) in middle aged and elderly healthy men in Chengdu.Methods A total of 4042 healthy men aged 40 to 106 years received dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) assay,and OSTA index evaluation.Measurement sites included lumbar spine (L1-4),left femoral neck,trochanter,Ward's area,total hip and femoral shaft.All persons were classified into highosteoporosis-group (OSTA≤-4),mediumosteoporosis-group (-4 ＜ OSTA≤≤-1),low osteoporosis-group (OSTA＞-1),or the low risk-group (OSTA＞-1) and high risk-group (OSTA≤-1) by OSTA scores.T-scores were compared between different measurement sites detected by DXA.The sensitivity,specificity,Kappa value and the area under receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) of OSTA in screening osteoporosis were evaluated.Results The prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis in lumbar spine,proximal femur were gradually increased along with aging.The detection rate of osteoporosis in lumbar spine and proximal femur were 16.2％ and 24.0％ respectively in subjects aged over 80 years.OSTA index in low-risk,medium-risk group,high-risk group were 85.0％,11.0％,4.0％ respectively.The detection rate of osteoporosis in lumbar spine and proximal femur were 2.6％ and 1.6％ in low-risk group,10.4％ and 10.4％ in medium-risk group,and 29.3％ and 30.5％ in high-risk group,respectively.Taking OSTA ≤-1 as the cut-off value,the sensitivity and specificity of OSTA in screening osteoporosis in lumbar spine and femur by T-score＜-1 were 28.1％,28.7 ％,89.0％ and 92.4％ respectively,and by T-score≤-2.5 were 51.6％,63.2％,86.7％ and 86.8％ respectively.The consistency of diagnosis result between T-score and OSTA index according to the three versus two risk levels was 0.153 and 0.197 versus 0.195 and 0.243 Kappa value,respectively.The AUC of OSTA index for lumbar spine and femur by T-score＜-1 and T-score≤-2.5 were 0.689 and 0.823,and for different age groups and different measurement sites were 0.639 and 0.899 (all P＜0.001).Conclusions OSTA index has a certain ability in screening osteoporosis in men aged over 50 years.There are different screening results on osteoporosis among the different age groups.

Objective To investigate the short-term efficacy of pelvic floor electrical stimulation (PFES) and pelvic floor training (PFT) for female with idiopathic detrusor overactivity (IDO) and stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Methods PFES and PFT were performed on 70 women (average age 40±7 years old) with IDO and SUI for twelve weeks. Urinary diary, International Continence In-quiring Committee's Questionnaire (ICI-Q-SF) scores were recorded and urodynamic study was per-formed before and after the treatment. Results Fifty women (71%) finally completed treatment for twelve weeks. Urinary incontinence disappeared in 8 (16%), detrusor overactivity disappeared in 10 (20 %). The leakage was not found in 6 (12 %) in leakage point pressure measurement. Moreover, the frequency of voiding (28±5 times/72 h), frequency of leakage (10±5 times/72 h), total scores of ICI-Q-SF(10±3), max detrusor uninhibited contraction pressure (18±8 cmH20) and detrusor unin-hibited contraction duration (8±3 s) were significantly lower than those before treatment (43±8 times/72 h, 20±6 times/72 h, 17±3, 27±9 cm H2O and 13±6s,P<0.01). Maximal voided vol-ume(225±48 ml), normal desired cystometric capacity (210±48 ml), maximal cystometric capacity (247±48 ml), Valsalva leak point pressure (94±11 cm H2O) and maximal urethral closure pressure (59±8 cm H2O) were significantly higher than those before treatment (159±37 ml, 141±39ml, 178±36ml, 81±15 cm H2O and 55±8 cm H2O, P<0.01). The effective rate during three months follow up was 60%, similar to time after treatment (P>0.05). Conclusions Pelvic floor electrical stimulation and pelvic floor training could be a useful therapy to treat women with IDO and SUI. It is both convenient and economical.

The paper is aimed to study the difference in yield and quality at different harvest time and determine the optimum harvest of planting Gentiana in Ludian traditional harvest period. The authors analyzed the variation in fresh weight, dry weight, dry discount rate, length, diameter, volume and the content of gentiopicroside, loganin acid, alcohol-soluble extract and total ash and made a comprehensive appraisal of yield, appearance quality and intrinsic quality by gray relational distance ideal Comprehensive Evaluation method. The results showed that there is a big difference in yield and quality both 2-year-old and 3-year-old Gentiana harvested in traditional harvest period and the comprehensive evaluation more better when harvested more later. It can be seen, Gentiana harvested the later had a better yield and quality in Ludian traditional harvest period. The harvest of Gentiana can be appropriate delayed depending on the particular circumstances of production.
Agriculture ; methods ; China ; Gentiana ; anatomy & histology ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Iridoid Glucosides ; metabolism ; Organ Size ; Quality Control ; Time Factors