Objective To investigate CT examination in the evaluation of the percutaneous radio frequency ablation (RFA) in the treatment of hepatic carcinoma.Methods 50 cases of hepatic carcinoma (including primary hepatic cancer 36 and hepatic metastases 14) with 76 lesions treated by RFA associated with pre and post procedure data of CT follow up were analyzed retrospectively. CT examinations including plain and contrast enhanced CT scanning were carried out at 1 week and 3 weeks after the RFA, but sometimes with furthermore intermittent scanning at 3～6 months. Results Complete ablation of the tumors occurred in 49 lesions (64.5%) of 35 cases and incomplete ablation of tumors happened in 27 lesions (35.5%) of 18 cases. Among RFA treated 76 lesions, there were 9 with internal hemorrhage, 1 with abscess formation. 3 cases showed intraperitoneal bleeding; 6 cases demonstrated reactive pleural effusion and 1 case revealed with small amount of pneumothorx.Conclusions The contrast enhanced CT scanning provides a great diagnostic value for evaluation of the efficacy of hepatic tumor treated by RFA and also the local recurrence and complications.

Objective To investigate the consistency of M RI detecting posterior ligamentous complex (PLC) injury associated with thoracolumbar factures.Methods MRI data of 170 cases of thoracolumbar fractures were reviewed retrospectively.Each case underwent MRI around one week postinjury.MRI data were analyzed and compared by three physicians respectively to discuss the consistency in MRI detection of PLC injury and the severity of PLC injury.Results Kappa coefficient was 0.846 between observer 1 and 2,0.768 between observer 1 and 3,and 0.793 between observer 2 and 3.Interobserver reliability was high and overall Kappa coefficient was 0.803.Severity of PLC injury was interrelated with spinal cord nerve injury (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions Accurate detection of PLC injury in thoracolumbar fractures is beneficial to clear the mechanical stability of the spine.MRI detection of PLC injury is of high consistency and hence deserves wide use.

Objective To investigate the effects of the interaction between environmental factors and monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene polymorphism in Han and Uygur on alcoholics in Xinjiang. Methods The data of childhood abuse and domestic aggressive behaviors were collected from 284 patients with alcohol dependence from Xinjiang using self-made questionnaires, Modified Overt Aggression Scale (MOAS) and Barratt Impulsivity Scale-11 (BIS-11). The meth?ods of PCR and DNA sequencing technique were conducted to detect rs1137070 single nucleotide polymorphism loci of MAOA gene. Logistic regression analysis was performed to adjust for interaction effects of gene and childhood abuse on domestic violence. Results The scale evaluation identified 143 patients with and 138 patients without domestic violence. Childhood abuse and gene were both risk factors in domestic violence. The interaction effect of childhood abuse with rs1137070 was significant. the relative excess risk, the interaction attribution ratio and the interaction index were 1.00,0.14 and 1.20, respectively. Conclusions The interactions between genes and environmental risk factors may contribute to the domestic violence in Han and Uygur on alcoholics in Xinjiang.

AIM: The auxology-related indexes are important for tissue construction. In this article, we investigated the incidence of overweight and obesity and their effects on physical functions and qualities of Guangzhou adults in 2005. METHODS: 2 056 adults including 1 027 males and 1 029 females were randomly selected from Guangzhou in 2005 for physical examination. The anthropometric data such as body mass and height were collected to calculate body mass index (BMI). The subjects were divided according to the BMI criteria recommend by Group of China Obesity Task Force, and their physical functions and qualities were analyzed. RESULTS: In 2005, the detection rate of overweight and obesity in adult males were 28.7% and 5.2%, and in females were 18.6% and 5.3%. The values of diastole pressure and systolic pressure were increased with BMI, but the change tendency of step index and vital capacity/body mass was decreased with BMI. The rate of hypertension was increased with BMI, and male subjects had higher rate of hypertension than that of female subjects in all groups. Obese adult had the poorest values in vertical jump and sit-and-reach test. Those people with normal BMI had better balance ability than that of overweight and obese people. CONCLUSION: The rates of overweight and obesity in Guangzhou adult show a high level. The physical functions and qualities may be improved when the body mass increases or decreases in a certain range, but obesity has impact to those values.

To improve human cognition of sub-health condition by analyzing current situation of sub-health researches,the authors of this article reviewed the concept of sub-health,etiological factor,epidemiology,diagnostic code and other sides.

OBJECTIVE: Mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid (mtDNA) 8344 A>G (m.8344A>G) mutation is the common mutation associated with mitochondrial myoclonus epilepsy with ragged-red fibers (MERRF) syndrome. Herein we report a rare case with mitochondrial encephalopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes/MERRF/Leigh (MELAS/MERRF/Leigh) overlap syndrome caused by m.8344A>G mutation. METHODS: The clinical and imaging data of the patient were collected and an open muscle biopsy was carried out. We further employed molecular genetic analyses to detect mtDNA mutation in the proband and his mother. And then a clinical and neuroimaging follow-up was performed. RESULTS: This patient was a 25-year-old male, who developed exercise intolerance since the age of 6. At age 10, he suffered from acute episodes of hemianopia, and cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed occipital stroke-like lesions and cranial magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) revealed a lactate peak corresponding to the lesion. After that the patient presented slowly progressive psychomotor decline. He had myoclonic seizures and cerebellar ataxia since the age of 12. At age 21, he was admitted to our hospital because of confusion and cranial MRI revealed symmetrical lesions in bilateral posterior putamen, thalami and midbrain. Then repeated MRI showed progression of original lesions and new frontal multiple stroke-like lesions. Symptomatic and rehabilitation treatment relieved his condition. Follow-up cranial MRI at age 24 showed the lesions in basal ganglia and thalami diminished, and the midbrain lesions even completely vanished. Muscle pathology indicated the presence of numerous scattered ragged-red fibers (RRF), suggestive of a mitochondrial disorder. Polymerase chain reaction-restricted fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) detected the m.8344A>G mutation of the MT-TK gene encoding mitochondrial transfer RNA for lysine in the patient's blood. Next generation sequencing (NGS) of the whole mitochondrial genome identified that the proportion of m.8344A>G was 90%, and no other mtDNA mutation was detected. Sanger sequencing further identified this mutation both in the proband and his mother's blood, although the mutation load was much lower in his mother's blood with approximately 10% heteroplasmy. CONCLUSION The present study is the first to describe a patient with m.8344A>G mutation in association with the MELAS/MERRF/Leigh overlap syndrome, which expands the phenotypic spectrum of the m.8344A>G mutation.
Acidosis, Lactic ; Adult ; Child ; DNA, Mitochondrial/genetics* ; Humans ; Male ; Mitochondrial Encephalomyopathies ; Mutation ; Stroke ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore methods of treating middle and distal tibia nonunion with the treatment of advanced bone graft combined with locking compression plate.

METHODSFrom January 2011 to December 2012, 12 patients with middle and distal tibia nonunion were treated with advanced bone graft combined with locking compression plate. Among patients, there were 8 males and 4 females aged from 20 to 69 with an average of 47 years old. The time from first injuries to bone nonunion was from 9 months to 5 years, avergaed 19 months. Four cases were treated with external fixation, 6 cases were treated with plate fixation, 2 cases of 12 patients occurred broken of plate and nail. Eleven patients were non-infective bone nonunion and 1 patient was infective bone nonunion. Preoperative X-ray and CT showed all patients had sequestration and formation of ossified bone with different degrees. Operative time, blood loss, wound healing were observed, fracture healing time was evaluated by postoperative X-ray. Johner-Wruhs scoring standards was used to evaluate ankle joint function after operation at 10 months.

RESULTSOperative time ranged from 90 to 185 min with an average of (125.00±20.15) min; blood loss ranged from 225 to 750 ml with an average of (415.00±120.00) ml. All patients were followed up from 10 months to 2.5 years with an average of 1.5 years. Postoperative X-ray showed bone union was formed around fracture after operation at 4 months in all patients, 3 cases obtained bone healing within 6 months after operation, 9 cases obtained from 8 to 12 months. No infection, injury of nerve and vessles, and broken of plate and nail were ocurred. According to Johner-Wruhs scoring at 10 months after operation, 10 cases obtained excellent results, 1 good and 1 moderate.

CONCLUSIONAdvanced bone graft combined with locking compression plate, which can build fracture multi-point supporting based on full compression of bone nonunion to get effective fixation, is an effective method in treating middle and distal tibia nonunion.

Adult ; Aged ; Bone Plates ; Bone Transplantation ; Female ; Fracture Healing ; Fractures, Ununited ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tibial Fractures ; surgery

A virtual eversion method for human blood vessels is proposed in this paper, based on the virtual eversion methodology along electric field lines, and featured with a reference surface optimization using non-rigid registration. This method has the benefits of easy access with a larger view, and the ability to preserve the vessel's global anatomy and its local spatial relationship with other organs. A CT image dataset of arterial stenosis of lower extremities is tested to implement the virtual eversion experiment, and the results reveal the stenosis of artery clearly, which demonstrates the feasibility of this technique.
Angiography, Digital Subtraction ; methods ; Constriction, Pathologic ; diagnosis ; Humans

Objective To analyze the X-ray,CT and MRI findings of giant cell tumor in the thoracic vertebrae,in order to improve its diagnostic accuracy.Methods X-ray,CT and MRI findings of 9 cases of pathologically proved giant cell tumor were analyzed retrospectively. X-ray examination was performed in 7 cases,CT in 6 cases,and MRI in 7 cases.Results Of the 9 cases with thoracic vertebrae giant cell tumors,8 involved a single vertebra while 1 case involved the left ninth posterior segment of rib simultaneously.On X-rays studies, 6 cases of bone destruction were dispensability,and 1 case was osteolysis.Three cases of vertebral destructive margin were clear. The body of vertebra was flattened in 3 cases.Pore-vertebral soft tissue masses were found in 4 cases.On CT examinations,5 cases of bone destruction were dispensability,and 1 case was osteolysis.3 cases of vertebral margin were clear with partial sclerotic rim. 4 cases of vertebral body had shade of bone-cristae.There were soft tissue masses around vertebrae in 5 cases,with vertebrae accessory,dural sac and the spinal cord involved to varying degrees.On MRI studies,hypointense were showed in 5 cases while isointense in 2 cases on T1 WI;On T2 WI,isointense was showed in 1 case,hyperintense in 4 cases,and mixed-intense in 2 cases.Conclusion Giant cell tumor in the thoracic vertebrae is uncommon.Full understanding X-ray,CT,MRI characteristics is useful to improve the diagnosis, guide clinical surgical treatment and forecast prognosis.

Objective To evaluate the dosage regimen of sulfasalzine combined with recombinant human tumor necrosis factor receptor-Fc fusion protein (rhTNFR) in the induction and maintenance of remission in active ankylosing spondylitis.Methods This study enrolled 100 ankylosing spondylitis patients with disease duration for less than five years who were treated with sulfasalzine and rhTNFR combination therapy.Patients were randomly assigned to three groups six weeks later:patients in the G1 group received sulfasalzine combined with rhTNFR at a 25 mg dosage twice each week.Patients shifted to monotherapy with sulfasalzine six weeks later:patients in G2 group received sulfasalzine combined with rhTNFR at 25 mg dosage per week.Patients were switched to monotherapy of sulfasalzine twelve weeks later:patients in G3 group received sulfasalzine combined with rhTNFR at 25 mg dosage once every ten days.Patients were changed to monotherapy of sulfasalzine seventeen weeks later.The whole treatment lasted for 24 weeks.All participants were followed up at week 0,6,12,18,24 respectively and were evaluated by BASDAI 50.The primary end-point of this study was the percentage of patients achieved BASDAI 50 remission.Data were analyzed with SPSS version 17.0.Independent t-test and x2 test were adopted to analyze data.Results 90％ of patients treated with combination therapy reached BASDAI50 at the 6th week.All patients in the G1 group achieved BASDAI 50 remission at 12th week,but the percentage dropped to 68.7％ at 18th week,which gradually decreased to 37.5％ at the 24th week.In G2 group,93.9％ patients reached BASDAI50,which declined to 81.8％ at the 18th week.The whole number accounted for 60％ at the end point of 24th week.In G3 group,85.7％ patients achieved BASDAI50 at the 12th week,accounted for 74.3％ at 18th week,and declined to 68.6％ at the 24th week.G3 group of patients presented a significantly higher rate than other groups(P＜0.05).Conclusion Sulfasalzine and rhTNFR combination therapy can gain remission in active AS patients after treated for six weeks.Doctors may extend TNF antagonist treatment in order to achieve long-term remission.