OBJECTIVETo evaluate variations of pulmonary venous drainage and venous ostium index (VOI) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) prior to radio-frequency catheter ablation (RFCA) by MDCT pulmonary venography.

METHODS16-detector row CT pulmonary venography was performed in 64 AF patients referred to RFCA from June, 2005 to May, 2006. Variations in pulmonary venous drainage were observed in volume render imagines. Anterior-posterior and superior-inferior diameters of pulmonary venous ostium were measured on maximum intensity projection images. VOI derived from left superior, left inferior, right superior, right inferior pulmonary veins and variations in pulmonary venous drainage were calculated.

RESULTSClassic pulmonary veins anatomy was found in 11 patients (17.18%), early branching veins in 45 patients (70.31%), left common ostium in 5 patients (7.81%), right common ostia in 1 patient, right accessory (middle) pulmonary vein in 5 patients (7.81%) and left accessory (middle) pulmonary vein in 1 patient (1.56%). VOI of homolateral pulmonary veins and bilateral superior pulmonary veins were similar (P > 0.05) while there was a significant difference on VOIs derived from left superior and right inferior; two inferior, left inferior versus right superior veins (P < 0.05). Right inferior pulmonary venous ostium was most rounded and had the highest index (0.88) and left inferior pulmonary venous ostium was most oval and had the lowest index (0.72).

CONCLUSIONMultidetector row CT pulmonary venography (MDCT-PV) could provide valuable informations on pulmonary venous anatomy in AF patients referred to RFCA and should be used as a routine examination prior to the operation.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Atrial Fibrillation ; diagnostic imaging ; therapy ; Catheter Ablation ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pulmonary Veins ; abnormalities ; diagnostic imaging ; Tomography, Spiral Computed ; methods ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVEN-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) and cytochrome P450 2EI (CYP2E1) play a crucial role in the drug metabolic process. The aim of this study was to understand the genotype and phenotype polymorphisms of NAT2 and CYP2E1 in the Han Chinese pediatric population in order to provide a theoretical basis for individualized drug treatment.

METHODSA total of 341 (211 males and 130 females) randomly sampled Han Chinese children, aged from 2 months to 14 years, were enrolled in this study. Genotyping was carried out by PCR method, and metabolic phenotypes were identified.

RESULTSIn this study population, wild genotype was found as a major genotype in seven SNPs of NAT2, rs1801279, rs1041983, rs1801280, rs1799929, rs1799930, rs1208 and rs1799931. The frequency of NAT2 fast metabolism was highest (61.3%), followed by middle to slow metabolism (34.1%). Wild genotype also predominated in the four SNPs of CYP2E1 (rs2031920, rs3813867, rs6413432 and rs72559720) named as CYP2E1*5, *6 and *2, with a frequency of 61.3%, 60.1% and 99.4% respectively. As the relationship between CYP2E1 genotype and phenotype was unknown, phenotyping of CYP2E1 was not done.

CONCLUSIONSThe important SNPs of NAT2 and CYP2E1 are predominantly wild genotype in the Han Chinese pediatric population. Fast metabolic phenotype predominates in important SNPs of NAT2.

Adolescent ; Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase ; genetics ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; ethnology ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1 ; genetics ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Phenotype ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

Objective:To investigate the application value of TRIANGLE operation in radical resection of pancreatic cancer.Methods:The retrospective and descriptive study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 30 patients with pancreatic cancer who underwent TRIANGLE operation in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from March 2020 to July 2020 were collected. There were 18 females and 12 males, aged from 41 to 79 years, with a median age of 65 years. After assessment of the resectability and dissection of the hepatoduodenal ligament, the superior mesenteric artery, celiac axis, common hepatic artery, portal vein and superior mesenteric vein of patients were exposed. According to the location of tumor, patients were performed pancreaticoduodenectomy, distal pancreatectomy or total pancreatectomy combined with dissection of putatively tumor-infiltrated lymphatic and neural tissue from the triangular space. During the TRIANGLE operation, it required to at least finish the skeletonization of right semi-circumference of the superior mesenteric artery and celiac axis in cases of pancreatico-duodenectomy, whereas the left semi-circumference in cases of distal pancreatectomy. In principle, both of the superior mesenteric artery and celiac axis were circumferentially skeletonized for cases of total pancreatectomy. Lymphatic, neural and fibrous tissues between the superior mesenteric artery and the celiac artery were completely dissected in all patients. Observation indicators: (1) surgical conditions and postoperative histopathological examination; (2) postoperative recovery situations; (3) follow-up. Regular follow-up was conducted by telephone interview or outpatient examinations to understand tumor recurrence and metastasis of patients up to January 2021. Measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M (range). Count data were described as absolute numbers or percentages, Fisher exact probability method was used for comparison between groups. Results:(1) Surgical conditions and postoperative histopathological examination: all patients underwent open operation, including 21 cases of pancreaticoduodenec-tomy, 6 cases of distal pancreatectomy, 2 cases of total pancreatectomy, 1 case of mid-segment preserving pancreatectomy. There were 16 cases combined with portal vein-superior mesenteric vein resection and 3 cases combined with left adrenal resection. For the dissection area of superior mesenteric artery-celiac axis, one cycle was conducted in 5 of 30 patients, one and a quarter cycle in 8 patients, one and a half cycle in 8 patients, one and three quarters?two cycles in 9 patients. There were 16 cases with left gastric vein dissection and 14 cases with left gastric vein preservation. The operative time of 30 patients was 287 minutes (range, 165?495 minutes) and the volume of intraoperative blood loss was 275 mL(range, 50?800 mL). Nine patients received intraoperative transfusion of red blood cells or frozen plasma. Postoperative histopathological examination showed that the tumor diameter was 3.4 cm (range, 1.2?7.3 cm), the number of harvested lymph nodes was 20 (range, 9?35), the number of positive lymph nodes was 2 (0?19). Of the 30 patients,20 cases had moderately differentiated tumor and 10 cases had poorly differentiated tumor. R 0 resection was achieved in 9 patients, 1 mm R 1 resection in 17 patients, and R 1 resection in 4 patients. Postoperative pathological T stages: 3 of 30 patents were in stage T1, 18 cases were in stage T2, 5 cases were in stage T3, and 4 cases were in stage T4. Postoperative pathological N stages: 9 of 30 patents were in stage N0, 13 cases were in stage N1, and 8 cases were in stage N2. Postoperative pathological TNM stages: 2 of 30 patents were in stage Ⅰa, 2 cases were in stage Ⅰb, 3 case were in stage Ⅱa, 11 cases were in stage Ⅱb, 12 cases were in stage Ⅲ. (2) Postoperative recovery situations: 20 of 30 patients had postoperative complications, including 6 cases of Clavien-Dindo grade I complications, 9 cases of grade Ⅱ complications, 3 cases of grade Ⅲa complications, 2 cases of grade V complications. The incidence of postoperative diarrhea was 0 in cases with one cycle dissection of tissues around superior mesenteric artery-celiac axis, 1/8 in cases with one and a quarter cycle dissection, 4/8 in cases with one and a half cycle dissection, 9/9 in cases in with one and three quarters-two cycles dissection, showing a significant difference between the four groups ( P<0.05). The incidence of delayed gastric emptying was 5/16 in patients with left gastric vein dissection, versus 1/14 in patients with left gastric vein preservation, showing no significant difference between the two groups ( P>0.05). Nineteen of 30 patients received adjuvant chemotherapy.Twenty-eight of 30 patients were successfully discharged from hospital, with the duration of postoperative hospital stay of 15 days(range, 8?68 days) and the rest of 2 patients died. Three patients had unplanned readmission within postoperative 90 days. (3) Follow-up: all the 28 patients discharged from hospital were followed up for 1.0?9.0 months, with the median follow-up time of 6.5 months. During the follow-up, one patient with locally advanced pancreatic cancer had local recurrence, 9 patients had liver metastasis (including 4 cases with resectable pancreatic cancer, 4 cases with borderline resectable pancreatic cancer, 1 case with borderline resectable pancreatic cancer), and 1 patient with borderline resectable pancreatic cancer had peritoneal metastasis. The rest of 17 patients survived without tumor recurrence. Conclusions:TRIANGLE operation in the radical resection of pancreatic cancer has high radicality and low postoperative local recurrence, but a slightly high morbidity and mortality rate. Its long-term efficacy needs to be further evaluated. It is recommend that this procedure should be performed for selected patients after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in high-volume pancreatic surgery centers.

Objective To investigate the neuroprotective effect of [Gly14]-humanin (HNG) in rats with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Methods Thirty healthy male SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups, namely the sham operated group (10 rats) with needle insertion only, ICH model group (10 rats) with injection of autologous whole blood into the right caudate nucleus, and HNG treatment group (10 rats) with HNG injection into the lateral cerebral ventricle after simulated ICH as in the model group. The changes in the glial cells and cell apoptosis around the hematoma were detected 72 h after the operation. Results The astrocytes and microglial cells in rats receiving HNG injection into the cerebral ventricles showed smaller cell size and shorter and thinner cell processes than those in ICH model group. The numbers of cells positive for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and OX42 and the apoptotic cells (as found by TUNEL assay) around the hematoma were significantly reduced in comparison with those in the ICH model group (P<0.05), but still remained significantly higher than those in the sham-operated group (P<0.05). Conclusion HNG can ameliorate the inflammatory response occurring in and around the hematoma and provide some neuroprotection in rats with ICH.

Objective:To retrospectively analyze the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signal differences between prostate cancer,benign prostatic hyperplasia,and normal prostate,and to explore the value of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) in prostate cancer grading.Methods:Forty cases of prostate cancer and eleven cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia in Zhongshan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University between January 2013 to March 2014 were enrolled,which were all confirmed by surgery or biopsy.At the same time,20 normal cases were arranged as the control group,which were healthy volunteers.All the patients and volunteers were obtained informed consent.The T2WI signal intensity,T1 WI signal intensity (including unenhanced,arterial and venous phase) and ADC value of the three groups were compared after MRI and magnetic resonance diffusion weighted imaging (DWI).Then the correlation between ADC value of prostate cancer and Gleason score was analyzed to determine the critical value of ADC in the identification of high-risk and low-risk prostate cancer.Results:In terms of T2WI signal intensity and ADC values,there were significant differences among the three groups (P＜0.05).In terms of T1 WI signal intensity,only the difference of dynamic and venous phase in central gland of normal prostate was significantly different from that in prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia (P＜0.05),with the former higher than the latter two.The ADC value of prostate cancer was negatively correlated with Gleason score (r=-0.401,P=0.010).The higher the Gleason score,the smaller the ADC value.When the critical value of ADC was 0.70 × 10-3 rm2/s,the sensitivity of identifying low/intermediate-risk group and high-risk group for prostate cancer was 96.4％,and the specificity was 58.3％.Conclusions:T2WI signal intensity and ADC value can be used to identify prostate cancer,benign prostatic hyperplasia,and normal prostate.T2WI signal differences of dynamic and venous phase also have a certain reference value.The ADC value of prostate cancer is related to Gleason score,suggesting that it may be used for grading the clinical risk of prostate cancer.

Inflammation-to-tumor transition is one of the important mechanisms by which the cervical high-risk human papillomavirus(HR-HPV)infection develops into cervical cancer.Persistent cervical HR-HPV infection is an important cause of cervical cancer,and the focal uncontrolled inflammatory microenvironment caused by persistent cervical HR-HPV infection is the underlying mechanism of cervical cancer.The macroscopic and microscopic pathological process of inflammation-to-tumor transition is consistent with the pathogenesis evolution of damp-heat accumulation resulting into toxin in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM):the accumulation of damp-heat is the driving factor of inflammation-to-tumor transition,long-term retention of damp-heat leading to spleen deficiency and liver depression contributes to the characteristics of pathogenesis evolution,and long-term retention of damp-heat toxin causes the disorder of liver and spleen and then blood stasis accumulates in the cervical orifice,which eventually becomes cancer toxin.The process of inflammation-to-tumor transition caused by persistent cervical HR-HPV infection is due to the pathological factors of damp,heat,deficiency and toxin in TCM.Therefore,the regulation of inflammatory microenvironment caused by persistent cervical HR-HPV infection is the key approach to the prevention and treatment of cervical cancer.For the treatment of cervical cancer,methods of clearing heat and drying dampness,strengthening the spleen and soothing the liver are the key therapies.By intervention with the proper pathogen-eliminating methods and with simultaneous regulation of the interior and exterior,the process of inflammation-to-tumor transition can be interrupted.The exploration of inflammation-to-tumor transition caused by persistent cervical HR-HPV infection from the perspective of damp-heat accumulation resulting into toxin will provide thoughts for the prevention and treatment of cervical cancer with TCM and for Chinese medicine in intervening inflammation-to-tumor transition.

OBJECTIVEPhosphorylation of myosin light chain (MLC) is one of the most important steps for vascular smooth muscle contraction and Rho-kinase is involved in this process. We investigated the role of Rho-kinase in a porcine coronary artery spasm model with interleukin-1beta.

METHODSSegments of left coronary artery adventitia were surrounded by normal saline (n = 8) or IL-1beta agarose microne (n = 8) for 2 weeks. Vasospastic responses to intracoronary serotonin or histamine then studied at the saline or IL-1beta-treated site. The Rho-kinase mRNA expression in the treated site was measured by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis (RT-PCR). The extent of phosphorylation of myosin-binding subunit of myosin phosphates (MBS, one of the major substrates of Rho-kinase) were quantified by Western blot analysis.

RESULTSIntracoronary serotonin or histamine repeatedly induced coronary artery spasm and coronary arterial stenosis was evidenced at IL-1beta-treated site. Expression of Rho-kinase mRNA in IL-1beta-treated site was significantly increased compared to saline treated site (98.20% +/- 7.66% vs. 63.70% +/- 4.26%, P < 0.05). Western blot analysis showed that during the serotonin-induced contractions the extent of phosphorylation of MBS was also significantly increased in the spastic site (25,485 +/- 4745 vs. 6510 +/- 779, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONRho-kinase upregulation at the spastic site and increased phosphorylation of myosin-binding subunit of myosin phosphates are key players in inducing vascular smooth muscle hypercontraction in this porcine model.

Animals ; Coronary Vasospasm ; metabolism ; pathology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Interleukin-1beta ; adverse effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Myosin Light Chains ; metabolism ; Phosphorylation ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Swine ; rho-Associated Kinases ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of rapamycin on the expressions of Rho-kinase and p27 mRNA during vascular intimal proliferation in a porcine model of coronary stenosis induced by interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta).

METHODSThe proximal segments of LAD and LCX were wrapped with cotton mesh that had absorbed sepharose bead solution with or without IL-1beta. Selective coronary angiography was performed two weeks later and the animals were killed for collecting the samples for histopathology and RT-PCR analyzing of Rho-kinase and p27 mRNA.

RESULTSThe expressions of Rho-kinase and p27 mRNA could be visualized in normal coronary wall. The expression of Rho-kinase mRNA was significantly enhanced and the expression of p27 mRNA was significantly decreased during the process of intimal proliferation induced by IL-1beta. Rapamycin significantly inhibited the intimal proliferation, reduced the infiltration of inflammatory cells, reduced the expression of Rho-kinase mRNA and increased the expression of p27 mRNA.

CONCLUSIONSThe expression of Rho-kinase mRNA is upregulated and p27 mRNA downregulated in coronary artery stenosis induced by IL-1beta and these effects could be abolished by cotreatment with rapamycin.

Animals ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Vessels ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Interleukin-1beta ; pharmacology ; Male ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Sirolimus ; pharmacology ; Swine ; Tunica Intima ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; rho-Associated Kinases ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the ability of multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) in differentiating ovarian tumors from non-ovarian masses.

METHODSForty-two cases with pelvic masses were examined with 16-row MDCT. All source image of each case was put into workstation for multi-planar reconstruction (MPR) and curved planar reconstruction(CPR). Axial image combined with 2D image was used for determining the relationship of the mass to ovarian vascular pedicle and identifying the normal ovary, which was compared with postoperative pathologic result and the finding during operation. All the data was compared using Fisher's exact test.

RESULTSThere were 28 ovarian tumors and 14 non-ovarian tumors in this series. If the ovarian vascular pedicle sign was used for determining whether the tumor was from the ovary or not, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy was 89.3%, 85.7%, 92.6%, 80.0% and 88.1%, respectively, with a significant difference in differentiating the tumor from the ovary or non-ovarian organs (P <0.05). If the identification of full normal ovary was used to determine non-ovarian origin of the tumor, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy was 50.0%, 100.0%, 100.0%, 80.0% and 83.3%, respectively, also with a significant difference in differentiating the tumors from the ovary or non-ovarian organs (P <0.05).

CONCLUSIONMDCT can clearly show the relationship of the tumor to the normal ovary and its vascular pedicle, which is very helpful in differentiating the ovarian tumors from a non-ovarian masses.

Adult ; Aged ; Cystadenocarcinoma, Mucinous ; diagnostic imaging ; Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous ; diagnostic imaging ; Cystadenoma, Mucinous ; diagnostic imaging ; Cystadenoma, Serous ; diagnostic imaging ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Leiomyoma ; diagnostic imaging ; Middle Aged ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; Ovary ; blood supply ; diagnostic imaging ; Retroperitoneal Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; Teratoma ; diagnostic imaging ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; methods ; Uterine Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; Young Adult

BACKGROUNDCoronary artery in-stent restenosis (ISR) and late stent thrombosis remain as important complications of stenting. The inflammation reactions to sirolimus and paclitaxel-eluting stents were investigated in a swine stenosis model induced by interleukin (IL)-1β.

METHODSMini pigs (n = 12; 2-3 months old and weighing 25-30 kg) were subjected to thoracotomy. Segments (10 mm) of the mid left anterior descending coronary artery and left circumflex coronary artery were exposed and aseptically wrapped with a cotton mesh soaked with IL-1β (5 µg). After 2 weeks, the animals were anesthetized and quantitative coronary arteriography (QCA) was performed. The stenosis sites were randomized into three groups for stent insertion: a sirolimus-eluting stent (SES) group (Firebird(TM), n = 7), a paclitaxel-eluting stent (PES) group (TAXUS(TM), n = 9), and a bare-metal stent (BMS) group (YINYITM, Dalian Yinyi Biomaterials Development Co., Ltd, China, n = 8). The three different stents were randomly implanted into stenosis segments. Expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), P-selectin and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) was determined by reverse transcription-coupled polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

RESULTSQCA showed severe stenosis in IL-1β treated segments. The SES and PES groups showed lower 1-month angiographic late lumen loss (LLL) within the stent and the lesion compared with BMS (P < 0.05) by follow-up QCA. The SES showed lower LLL than that of PES in reducing 1-month inflammation lesions in pigs by follow-up QCA ((0.15 ± 0.06) mm vs. (0.33 ± 0.01) mm, P < 0.0001). The neointimal hyperplasia areas in SES and PES showed lower than those of BMS (SES (11.6 ± 1.7) mm(2), PES (27.2 ± 1.6) mm(2) vs. BMS (76.2 ± 1.3) mm(2), P < 0.0001). The mRNA expression of MCP-1 by RT-PCR in SES and PES showed lower than that of BMS at 30 days after stenting (SES 0.20 ± 0.03, PES 0.48 ± 0.49 vs. BMS 0.58 ± 0.07, P < 0.05). Levels of VCAM-1 in SES were significantly lower than those of PES and BMS (SES 0.35 ± 0.08 vs. PES 0.65 ± 0.13, BMS 0.70 ± 0.06, P < 0.05). Histochemical immunostaining of vessel walls showed lower inflammatory chemokine MCP-1 expression in the SES and PES groups compared with BMS.

CONCLUSIONSESs were superior in reducing 1-month angiographic LLL in inflammation lesions in pigs, strongly suggesting that SESs can suppress inflammatory reactions in ISR at multiple points.

Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary ; adverse effects ; Animals ; Coronary Restenosis ; prevention & control ; Drug-Eluting Stents ; adverse effects ; Inflammation ; prevention & control ; Interleukin-1beta ; pharmacology ; Male ; Paclitaxel ; administration & dosage ; Sirolimus ; administration & dosage ; Swine