AIM To observe the effect of deprot einised calf blood extract(DCBE) on experimental gastric ulcer in rats. METHODS Ulcer model of SD rats induced by acetic acid, half male and female, were divided into three group s randomly, the control group and the two treatment group DCBE (30 mg?kg -1 or 60 mg?kg -1 ). Following the two and four weeks of experiment, the gastric acid degr ee, activity of pepsin, area of ulcer, the number of tela leukocyte and activity of myeloperoxidase (MPO) were observed. RESULTS Gastric acid deg ree and activity of pepsin showed no significant difference between treatment gr oup and control group, either in DCBE 30 mg?kg -1 or in 60 mg?kg -1 , but area of ulcer, the number of tela leukocyte and the activity of myeloperoxi dase (MPO) showed a significant difference between treatment group and control group and the e ffects of 60 mg?kg -1 group were significantly decreased as compared with that of 30 mg?kg -1 group. CONCLUSION DCBE can significantl y promote tissue healing of gastric ulcer induced by acetic acid in SD rats.

Objective To study the clinical and pathological features in the elderly patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP). Methods The features of the clinical manifestation, cerebrospinal fluid, electromyogram(EMG) and the biopsy results of sural nerve were presented and analyzed in 11 elderly patients with CIDP. Results Two cases had history of upper respiratory tract infection before the onset. As the initial symptoms , there were three cases with distal limb numbness, five cases with both distal lower extremities numbness, two cases with both distal upper extremities numbness and one case with difficulties to raise his head. Motor disorder was common to all the patients. There were eight patients with sensory dysfunction, three with limb muscle atrophy, one with muscle tenderness, eight with tendon reflexes weakened or disappeared, five with cranial nerve damaged, three with the autonomic nerve lesion, one with respiratory muscle involved, three with relapse. The score of the peak incidence as Modified Rankin was 3.02 points on average. Five cases had obvious albuminocytolgoic dissociation by the examination of cerebrospinal fluid, ten cases had neurogenic damage and one case had a combined myogenic and neurogenic damage by the EMG. The biopsy showed that six cases were with amyelination,six cases with inflammatory cell infiltrated, two cases with obvious remyelination, two cases with auxiliary fibers degeneration.And the methylprednisolone therapy was effective for eight cases. Conclusions The numbness of the distal limb is the initial symptom of the elderly patients with CIDP,most of whom are with sensory dysfunction ,and some with cranial nerves and autonomic nerve damage. The sural nerve biopsy has an important value for the diagnosis of the elderly with CIDP. The methylprednisolone therapy is proved to be effective for most patients.

ObjectivesTo investigate the clinical value of the melting curve analysis-based PCR assay for the clinical genetic diagnosis and prenatal diagnosis of β-thalassemia.Methods A total of 451 peripheral blood samples,including 372 cases with β-thalassemia phenotypes and 79 cases without β-thalassemia phenotypes,were collected by Liuzhou Municipal Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital between January 2011 and August 2011.Moreover,another 84 cases,including 16 fetal villi samples (10 - 13 weeks),64 amniotic fluid samples (16 -24 weeks ) and 4 umbilical cord blood samples (above 17 weeks),whose parents were β-thalassemia carriers,were also collected for this assay between June 2011 and September 2011.A double-blind test was done to compare the detection reliability of the melting curve analysis-based assay (24 β-thalassemia mutations can be detected) with PCR-RDB probe assay (17 β-thalassemia mutations can be detected ) and DNA sequencing using these samples.The wildtype,mutant and total concordance rates of the genotyping results were calculated separately among the melting curve analysis based assay,PCR-RDB probe assay and DNA sequencing.Results Among the 451 peripheral blood samples,thirteen mutations and nineteen genotypes were obtained by using melting curve analysis-based assay.447 samples had the same detection results and 4 samples had different detection results by comparing melting curve analysis-based assay with PCR-RDB probe assay,thus,the concordance rate of the sample detection result was 99.1％ (447/451),and the concordance rate of the allele detection result was 99.6％ (898/902).DNA sequencing results of the 4 samples showed that 3 samples had the same genotyping result with melting curve analysis-based assay,and 1 sample had the same genotyping result with PCR-RDB probe assay.A rare β-globin mutation which was not included by melting curve analysis-based assay was not detected.Thus,the genotypes of 450 samples were detected accurately by melting curve analysis-based assay,and the concordance rate of the sample detection between the melting curve assay and DNA sequencing assay was 99.8％ (450/451).Among 84 fetal villi,amniotic fluid,and umbilical cord blood samples,8 mutation types and 18 genotypes were obtained by using melting curve analysis-based assay.All the samples have the same detection results by comparing melting curve analysis-based assay with PCR-RDB probe assay and DNA sequencing,so the concordance rate of the genotyping results was 100％ among the melting curve analysis-based assay,PCR-RDB probe assay and DNA sequencing.Conclusions The melting curve analysis-based PCR assay can detect multiple unknown samples simultaneously,and detect multiple mutations accurately.It is very useful for the genetic diagnosis and prenatal diagnosis of β-thalassemia.

Objective To study the effect of Rho-kinase inhibitor on experimental allergic neuritis. Methods 54 female Lewis rats were divided into three groups; EAN group, EAN + Rho-kinase inhibitor group, and CFA group. The rats were sacrificed on the 9th day, 17th day, and 26th day after immunized. The changes of weight, EAN incidence, and mean day of onset, mean maximum clinical score, and histopa-thology were observed. Results The clinical course in EAN group reached peak on the 17th day. Compared with EAN group, the weights of Rho - kinase inhibitor group were increased, while EAN incidence, mean day of onset delay, and the clinical scores in Rho-kinase inhibitor group were significantly decreased, ( P < 0.01) , and the demyelization and inflammation cells infiltrating was ameliorated in spinal nerve. CFA group didnt show any clinical manifestation. Conclusions Rho - kinase inhibitor may ameliorate the development of EAN through inhabiting the Rho/ROK signal pathway.

Objective To study the expression of mRNA of OX40 and OX40L in the sciatic nerve,spleen,peripheral blood mononuclear cells and lymph nodes of EAN under the influence of Rho-kinase inhibitor.Methods All 54 female Lewis rats were divided into 3 groups:the EAN group,the EAN+ Rho-kinase inhibitor group and the complete Freund's adjuvant(CFA)group.The rats were sacrificed at 9,17 and 26 days after immunized.Ox40 and OX40L mRNA were detected by RT-PCR which came from spleens,sciatic nerves,peripheral blood mononuclear cells and lymphonodes.Results In EAN+ Rho-kinase inhibitor group,the mRNA expression of OX40 were 0.266±0.031,0.298±0.024 and 0.113±0.018 at 9.17 and 26 days in the sciatic nerve,the expression were 0.453±0.030,0.496±0.100 and 0.220±0.016 in the lymph nodes.The mRNA expression of OX40L were 0.247±0.018.0.298±0.026 and 0.165±0.013 in the sciatic nerve,the expression were 0.283±0.027,0.306±0.011 and 0.161±0.012 in the lymph nodes.The mRNA expression of OX40 and OX40L in EAN+Rho-kinase inhibitor group was lower than EAN group at the three time points(t=2.24-4.89,P＜0.05),and the demyelination and inflammation cells infiltrating were ameliorated in spinal nerve.CFA group didn't show any clinical manifestation.Conclusion Rho-kinase inhibitor may ameliorate tlIe development of EAN through inhabiting the OX40 and OX40L activation.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical values of spiral CT imaging postprocessing techniques.

METHODSTotally 167 patients with known or suspected abnormalities of thorax (including small pulmonary emboli, primary and metastatic tumours, diffuse lung diseases, bronchiectasis and emphysema) underwent spiral CT of their thorax. We reconstructed images by using different postprocessing techniques (MPR, MIP, SSD, VR, STS and VE). Images after postprocessing were reviewed in conjunction with axial CT scans by three readers with specific focus on their diagnostic and therapeutic efficiency. Judgement was reached by consensus.

RESULTSCompared with axial CT scans, image presentation after postprocessing (a) corrected interpretive errors in 15 cases; (b) raised diagnostic confidence by providing supplemental diagnostic and/or morphologic information in 57 cases; (c) assisted the accurate location of complicated sites in 9 cases; (d) played a major role in therapy planning in 75 cases; and (e) was not associated with diagnostic superiority in 11 cases.

CONCLUSIONPostprocessing of spiral CT data can represent a useful complement to axial CT in most patients with thoracic diseases and should be a routine part of radiological practice.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Lung Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; secondary ; Male ; Mediastinal Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; Middle Aged ; Radiographic Image Enhancement ; Tomography, Spiral Computed ; methods

BACKGROUNDThe difference between renal oncocytomas (RO) and renal clear cell carcinomas (RCCs) presents the greatest diagnostic challenge. The aim of this study was to retrospectively determine if RO and RCCs could be differentiated on computed tomography (CT) images on the basis of their enhancement patterns with a new enhancement correcting method.

METHODSForty-six patients with a solitary renal mass who underwent total or partial nephrectomy were included in this study. Fourteen of those were RO and 32 were RCCs. All patients were examined with contrast-enhanced CT. The pattern and degree of enhancement were evaluated. We selected the area that demonstrated the greatest degree of enhancement of the renal lesion in the corticomedullary nephrographic and excretory phase images. Regions of interest (ROI) were also placed in adjacent normal renal cortex for normalization. We used the values of the normal renal cortex that were measured at the same time as divisors. The ratios of lesion-to-renal cortex enhancement were calculated for all three phases. The Student's t-test and Pearson's Chi-square test were used for statistical analyses.

RESULTSAll RCCs masses showed contrast that appeared to be better enhanced than RO on all contrast-enhanced phases of CT imaging, but there was no significant difference in absolute attenuation values between these two diseases (P > 0.05). The ratio of lesion-to-cortex attenuation in the corticomedullary phase showed significantly different values between RO and RCCs. The degree of contrast enhancement in RCCs was equal to or greater than that of the normal renal cortex, but it was less than that of the normal cortex in RO in the corticomedullary phase. The ratio of lesion-to-cortex attenuation in the corticomedullary phase was higher than the cut off value of 1.0 in most RCCs (84%, 27/32) and lower than 1.0 in most RO (93%, 13/14) (P < 0.05). In the nephrographic phase, the ratio of lesion-to-cortex attenuation was higher than that in the corticomedullary phase in most RO (71%, 10/14), showing a prolonged enhancement pattern; and was lower than that in most RCCs (97%, 31/32), showing an early washout pattern (P < 0.05). In the differentiation of RO from RCCs, the sensitivity was 93%, specificity 84%, positive predictive value 72%, negative predictive value 84%, and accuracy for RO was 87, if the ratio of lesion-to-cortex attenuation in a cortex phase was lower than the cutoff value of 1.0. The sensitivity was 71%, specificity was 97%, positive predictive value was 91%, negative predictive value was 91%, and accuracy for RO was 89%, if the ratio of lesion-to-cortex attenuation in nephrographic phase was higher than that in the corticomedullary phase.

CONCLUSIONSThe ratios of renal lesion-to-cortex attenuation ratios may be helpful in differentiating RO from RCCs.

Adenoma, Oxyphilic ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Abstract: Objective To investigate the epidemiological characteristics of pathogens causing bloodstream infection in hematology patients during treatment and to compare the effects of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) on them, so as to provide evidence for the diagnosis and treatment of bloodstream infection. Methods A total of 292 cases with bloodstream infection in hematology wards of the PLA General Hospital were collected from 2017 to 2021, which were divided into HSCT group and N-HSCT group according to whether performed HSCT or not. The epidemiological characteristics and influence of pathogenic bacteria in blood stream infection were analyzed and compared between the two groups. Results A total of 362 strains of pathogenic bacteria were collected from 292 cases, including 106 strains in HSCT group (84 cases) and 256 strains in N-HSCT group (208 cases). Bloodstream infections were more common in acute myeloid leukemia (130/392, 44.52%), followed by non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (74/292, 25.34%). The rate of once bloodstream infection in HSCT group was higher than that in N-HSCT Group, but the rate of twice bloodstream infections in N-HSCT group was higher. Gram-negative Bacilli were the most common pathogens (56.08%), with Escherichia coli being absolutely dominant (109/362, 30.11%), followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (39/362, 10.77%). Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) (107/362, 29.56%) were the most common Gram-positive cocci. The detection rate of fungi in HSCT group (10/106, 9.43%) was significantly higher than that in N-HSCT Group (3.52%). The drug resistance rate of the common pathogenic bacteria was at a high level, and there was a certain proportion of multi-drug resistant strains (except for Pseudomonas aeruginosa). The resistance rates of CoNS to penicillin, gentamicin, moxifloxacin, clindamycin and rifampicin in HSCT group were higher than those in N-HSCT Group. The resistance rate of Escherichia coli to piperacillin/tazobactam, cephalosporins and etapenem in HSCT group was significantly higher than that in N-HSCT group. Conclusions The pathogens of blood stream infection in hematology patients are complicated and various. It is difficult for clinical diagnosis and treatment to detect multiple infections and multiple pathogens. HSCT patients have a higher risk of fungal bloodstream infection and more multi-drug resistant strains detected. Therefore, the identification of bloodstream infection and multi-drug resistant strains associated with HSCT patients should prompt surveillance.

BACKGROUNDMinimally invasive flexible ureteroscopy techniques have widely adopted in the management of patients with renal stones. We performed this study to investigate the value of virtual reality simulator training in retrograde flexible ureteroscopy renal stone treatment for catechumen.

METHODSThirty catechumen, included 17 attending physicians and 13 associate chief physicians, were selected for study. The trainees first underwent 1-hour basic training to get familiar with the instrument and basic procedures, then followed by 4-hour practice on virtual reality simulators. Before and after the 4-hour training, all trainees undertake an assessment with task 7 program (right low pole calyces stone management). We documented for each trainee the total time of procedure, time of progressing from the orifice to stone, stone translocation and fragmentation time, laser operate proficiency scale, total laser energy, maximal size of residual stone fragments, number of trauma from the scopes and tools, damage to the scope and global rating scale (GRS). The proficiency of this training program was analyzed by the comparison of the first and second assessment outcomes.

RESULTSSignificant improvement was observed in retrograde flexible ureteroscopy management of renal stone on virtual reality simulators after finishing the 4 hour special-purpose training. This was demonstrated by improvement in total procedure time ((18.37±2.59) minutes vs. (38.67±1.94) minutes), progressing time from the orifice to stone ((4.00±1.08) minutes vs. (13.80±2.01) minutes), time of stone translocation ((1.80±0.71) minutes vs. (6.57±1.01) minutes), fragmentation time ((4.43±1.25) minutes vs. (13.53±1.46) minutes), laser operate proficiency scale (8.47±0.73 vs. 3.77±0.77), total laser energy ((3231.6±401.4) W vs. (5329.8±448.9) W), maximal size of residual stone fragments ((2.66±0.39) mm vs. (5.77±0.63) mm), number of trauma from the scopes and tools (3.27±1.01 vs. 10.37±3.02), damage to the scope (0 vs. 0.97±0.76) and GRS (29.27±2.95 vs. 9.87±2.21). The differences between the first and the second assessment were all statistically significant (all P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe virtual reality simulator training program can help the trainees to rapidly improve their retrograde flexible ureteroscopy skill in renal stone treatment.

Adult ; Computer Simulation ; Humans ; Kidney Calculi ; Male ; Ureteroscopy ; education ; Urology ; education

OBJECTIVETo investigate the molecular mechanism of sex reversal in a 46,XY female patient.

METHODSClinical data was collected. Peripheral blood lymphocytes were cultured for G-banding chromosomal analysis and DNA extraction. Sex-determining region of Y-chromosome (SRY) gene was analyzed with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing .

RESULTSAlthough the patient has a female appearance, he has a karyotype of 46,XY. The SRY gene can be detected in all samples. The 6th base of SRY gene coding region was deleted, resulting in a frameshifting mutation and premature termination of protein translation.

CONCLUSIONThe sex reversal of the patient is probably due to abnormal embryonic development caused by the SRY gene mutation.

Adolescent ; Amino Acid Sequence ; Disorders of Sex Development ; genetics ; Female ; Genes, sry ; Humans ; Molecular Sequence Data