Objective To investigate the value of selective water excitation technique for the assessment of articular cartilage.Methods MR sagittal scanning of knee joints was performed in the fifteen healthy volunteers.MR scan sequences were 3D-FFE-SPIR and 3D-FFE-WATS.The signal noise ratio (SNR)of the cartilage,the contrast noise ratio(CNR)between cartilage and adjacent tissue and their efficiency were calculated and analyzed statistically.Tweenty-nine patients who were suspected having cartilage injury were performed MR examination anti the image characteristics and the detecting ability of each sequence on cartilage lesions were analyzed.Results In the healthy volunteers,the cartilage SNR was 3D-FFE-SPIR:197.93?18.58,3D-FFE-WATS:187.32?21.50(P=0.159).CNR(cartilage/bone)was 3D-FFE-SPIR:185.50?18.34,3D-FFE-WATS:169.55?24.57(P=0.054).CNR(cartilage/muscle)was 3D-FFE-SPIR:61.40?19.04,3D-FFE-WATS:47.27?21.05(P=0.064).The cartilage SNR and CNR between cartilage and bone,muscle of 3D-FFE-SPIR weren't significantly higher than that of 3D-FFE- WATS.CNR(cartilage/liquid)was 3D-FFE-SPIR:91.53?14.46,3D-FFE-WATS:149.28?32.30(P= 0.000).CNR(cartilage/marrow)was 3D-FFE-SPIR:159.26?18.83,3D-FFE-WATS:176.87? 22.50(P=0.028).CNR(cartilage/fat)was 3 D-FFE-SPIR:134.56?15.80,3D-FFE-WATS:154.01? 22.42(P =0.010).The CNR between cartilage and liquid,marrow,fat were higher in 3D-FFE-WATS and significantly different than that of 3D-FFE-SPIR.Thirty detected cartilage injuries of patients were 3D-FFE- WATS:39,3D-FFE-SPIR:45 and there was no statistical difference between them(P=0.37). Conclusion 3D-FFE-WATS can show the articular cartilage clearly.It has high scan speed and suppress the fat signal evenly.Its ability for finding cartilage damage is equal to that of 3D-FFE-SPIR.So WATS can be used in the routine clinical cartilage examination.

[ABSTRACT]AIM:ToinvestigatetheroleoftinyantisensenucleicacidagainstmiR-155(tinyantimiR-155, t-antimiR-155) in multiple myeloma cells .METHODS:According to the seed sequence of miR-155, t-antimiR-155 was designed and synthesized .t-antimiR-155 was transfected by Lipofectamine TM 2000 into RPMI-8266 cells.The cells were di-vided into t-antimiR-155 group, scrambled control (SCR) group and blank control group .The growth-inhibitory potencies were measured by MTT assay .The ability of cell colony formation was detected by cell colony formation assay .The cell ap-optosis was assessed by flow cytometry with annexin V /PI double staining .RESULTS: The best concentration and time were 0.4 μmol/L and 48 h, respectively.The cell colony forming experiment showed that the circumstances of forming cell community in t-antimiR-155 group was weaker than that in SCR group , and the colony formation inhibitory rate of former was significant higher than the latter .Compared with SCR group , the cell apoptosis in t-antimiR-155 group significantly in-creased.CONCLUSION: The t-antimiR-155 inhibits the progression of multiple myeloma cells by interfering with miR-155.miR-155 may serve as a potential target in gene therapy for treating multiple myeloma .

OBJECTIVE:To provide reference for rational use of Chinese patent medicine. METHODS:The influencing fac-tors of rational use of Chinese patent medicine was investigated in respects of the selection of Chinese patent medicine,drug combi-nation,usage and dosage,clinical evaluation,pharmacoeconomic evaluation. RESULTS&CONCLUSIONS:Chinese patent medi-cine is a characteristic product of traditional Chinese medicine. It is a complex and important issue to use Chinese patent medicine rationally. It should be considered in many ways,not only pay attention to the principle of clinical use of Chinese patent medicine, but also need to carry out clinical evaluation of Chinese patent medicine;at the same time,the economics of Chinese patent medi-cine should be focused on.

Objective To study positron yield quantitatively in different phantoms by means of PET imaging after high energy photon irradiation,and to investigate the feasibility of bio-dose verification by PET in high energy photon radiotherapy.Methods The phantoms (hydrogel,HDPE,inhomogeneous phantom) were scanned with PET 1 min later after exposure to 2,4,6,8 Gy dose with/using 25 and 50 MV photon irradiation.The positron account rates were recorded every minute in PET scanning process and then fitted to get the half-lives of yielded nuclides.Positron distribution in each phantom was compared with dose distribution to investigate the relationship between positron activity and dose delivered.Results The half-lives of nuclides yielded in hydrogel and HDPE were supposed to be 2.23 and 19.47 min,respectively by fitting results,which had negligible difference with half-lives of 11C (20.2 min) and 15O (2.08 min).The positron amounts induced by 50 MV photon in hydrogel and HDPE were 3.88 and 3.86 times that of 25 MV photon,and increased in proportion to dose delivered.Except for build-up region and cavity,activity distributions in depth and off-axis were similar to dose distribution.Conclusions The amount and distribution of positron induced by high energy photon are related to dose delivered,and it is feasible to do dose verification with PET imaging in high energy photon radiotherapy.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate a new type of diatomite-based machinable ceramic biocompatibility by studying its induced apoptosis on L929 cell in contrasted with other prosthodontics materials.

METHODSCell line was treated with extracting liquid containing different concentrations of diatomite-based machinable ceramic and other materials. Flow cytometry tested cell cycle progression and induced cell apoptosis. Annexin V-FITC/PI apoptosis staining kit quantitative detected cell death patterns. The expression of Bcl-2 and Bax mRNA were determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTSThe experimental groups had no special influence on cell cycle. Apoptosis rates of the new ceramic closed to the negative group (P > 0.05). The apoptosis rate of resin was the highest, and the cell necrosis level of resin was increased, which had significant difference to the new ceramic (P < 0.05). The Bcl-2 and Bax mRNA levels of the new ceramic and the negative group were closed to each other, which had no statistical significance (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe new diatomite-based machinable ceramic has no apparent cytotoxicity, which is consistent with the clinical application of the basic requirements of biocompatibility.

Animals ; Annexin A5 ; Apoptosis ; Cell Line ; Dental Materials ; Flow Cytometry ; Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate ; analogs & derivatives ; Mice ; Necrosis

OBJECTIVETo analyze retrospectively the clinical symptoms, signs, radiological findings and results of treatment of posttraumatic syringomyelia.

METHODSThe data of 7 patients with posttraumatic syringomyelia confirmed by computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in our hospital between 1999 and 2004 were reviewed retrospectively. The patients underwent decompressive laminectomy or syringo-subarachnoid (S-S) shunting with microsurgery. Long-term follow-up was available (range: 13-65 months).

RESULTSThe major clinical manifestations of posttraumatic syringomyelia usually included the onset of increasing signs and the development of new symptoms after an apparently stable period. The clinical symptoms included pain, sensory disturbance, weakness, and problems in autonomic nerves. Syrinx existed merely at the cervical level in 4 cases and extended downward to the thoracic levels in the other 3 cases. One case underwent decompressive laminectomy, 6 cases were treated by S-S shunting. During the early postoperative period, all the patients showed an improvement of symptoms of syrinx without major complication or death. The decreased size or collapse of the syrinx was demonstrated by postoperative MRI.

CONCLUSIONSPosttraumatic syringomyelia is a disabling sequela of spinal cord injury, developing months to years after spinal injury. MRI is the standard diagnostic technique for syringomyelia. The patients with posttraumatic syringomyelia combined with progressive neurological deterioration should be treated with operations. S-S shunting procedure is effective in some patients with posttraumatic syringomyelia. Decompressive procedure may be an alternative primary surgical treatment for patients with kyphosis and cord compression.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Decompression, Surgical ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Laminectomy ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; complications ; Syringomyelia ; etiology ; surgery ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

The in-depth improvement of medical treatment is particularly important for the integrity, systema-ticity and synergy of the reform. Through the theoretical analysis of physician's incentive expectation, it was found that the doctor's behavior is continuously affected by the three pairs of motivational relationships, and the interrupted or distorted incentive relationship is not conducive to guiding the reasonable service delivery from physicians. In these three pairs of incentive relationship, the two reforms of medical insurance payment system and physician's salary system occupy an important position, and their degree of correlation is extremely high. Only when the two are effectively synergistic can the incentive compatibility" of public medical institutions and physicians be realized to achieve the expected results. The goal of is to make a change in the physician's behavior as expected by the health system in the reform.

In recent years, the incidence of high myopia complicated with cataract shows a gradual upward trend. Due to the special anatomical structure and lesion nature of high myopia, the difficulty and various complications of such patients are much higher than those of ordinary cataract surgery. With the continuous advancement of design and materials, the indications for capsular tension ring(CTR)have gradually expanded. Especially for patients with high myopia,it can maintain the stability of intraocular lens position, assist the relaxation of the suspensory ligament, inhibit the migration and proliferation of residual lens epithelial cells after surgery, improve the visual quality of patients and reduce the incidence of retinal detachment. This paper reviewed the history of CTR, its clinical application, and the effect of CTR on high myopia complicated with cataract.

OBJECTIVETo explore relationship between HBeAg seroconversion with HBV genotypes and HBV specific CTL in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) treated with Adefovir dipivoxil.

METHODSSeventy CHB patients had positive HBV DNA (HBV DNA > or = 1 x 10(4) copy/ml), 45 cases had positive HBeAg, of whom 23 cases (51. 11%) had genotype B, 22 cases (48.89%) had genotype C. ALT > 2 x upper limit of normal value (ULN), human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A(n) positive, patients were treated with Adefovir dipivoxil (commercial name is Mingzheng, Zhengda Tianjing Pharmaceutical Company), 10 mg, orally, once a day. After treatment for 12 months, observe relationship between HBeAg seroconversion with HBV genotypes and HBV specific CTL.

RESULTSAfter treatment with Adefovir dipivoxil for 12 months, HBV specific CTL (0.68% +/- 0.11%) was higher than that before treatment (0.33% +/- 0.11%), t = 8.36 P < 0.001, HBV DNA (3.01 +/- 0.2) log10 copy/ml was lower than that before treatment (6.27 +/- 0.70) log10 copy/ml, t = 12.63 P < 0.001, HBV DNA turned negative (< 500 copy/ml) 43 cases (61.43%), in 45 cases with positive HBeAg, HBeAg turned negative in 13 cases (28.89%), 8 cases had HBeAg seroconversion (17.78%), HBV specific CTL (0.86% +/- 0.05%) of patients with HBeAg seroconversion is higher than (0.61% +/- 0.07%) of patients without HBeAg seroconversion (37 cases, 82.22%) t = 7.88, P < 0.001. In 8 cases with HBeAg seroconversion, 7 cases had genotype B (30.43% of genotype B), 1 cases had genotype C (4.55% of genotype C), chi2 = 5.15, P < 0.05.

CONCLUSIONAdefovir dipivoxil can enhance HBV specific cellular immunity of CHB patients. After treatment, occurrence of HBeAg seroconversion is related to increase of HBV specific CTL level and may be related to genotypes.

Adenine ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Adult ; Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; immunology ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; drug therapy ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunity, Cellular ; drug effects ; Male ; Organophosphonates ; therapeutic use ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo study the impact of an agonist anti-CD(40) monoclonal antibody 5C11 on the induction and biological characteristics of leukemic dendritic cells.

METHODSCombinations of 5C11 and different cytokines were used to induce differentiation of leukemic blasts into dendritic cells. Morphology was observed by light microscopy. Surface antigens of the induced cells were analyzed by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS), the yields of dendritic cell by cell counting, the levels of IL-6 and IL-12 by ELISA, T cell proliferating activity by allo-mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) in vitro. Allogeneic T cells were stimulated with leukemic dendritic cells and T-cell cytotoxicity was measured by MTT assay.

RESULTSWhen cultured with combinations of 5C11 and different cytokines, the leukemic cells isolated from the patients could differentiate into dendritic cells. The morphology showed typical features of dendritic cells, which expressed high levels of CD(40), CD(80) and CD(86). In comparison with the original leukemia cells, the leukemic dendritic cells secreted less IL-6 but more IL-12 (P < 0.05). The leukemic dendritic cells were potent to stimulate the proliferation of allogeneic T cells, and the latter was able to lyse the original leukemia cells.

CONCLUSIONLeukemic blasts could be induced to differentiate into functional dendritic cells. It may be of great value in the adoptive immunologic therapy of leukemia.

Antibodies, Monoclonal ; immunology ; CD40 Antigens ; physiology ; Cell Differentiation ; Dendritic Cells ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunophenotyping ; Immunotherapy ; Interleukin-12 ; biosynthesis ; Interleukin-6 ; biosynthesis ; Leukemia ; immunology ; pathology ; therapy