Cardiac enlargement is an important symptom of vascular and heart disease. The cardiothoracic ratio (CTR) is an important index used to measure the size of heart. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between aging and cardiothoracic ratio. This paper also presents an improved C-V level set method to segment lung tissue based on X-ray image, which used to automatically compute CTR. In the investigation carried out in our school, we got more than 3 120 chest radiographs from medical examination of the working population in Beijing, and we systematically studied the effects of age and gender on the CTR to obtain reference values for each group. The reference values established in this study can be useful for recording and quantifying the cardiac enlargement, so that it may be useful for calling attention to the cardiovascular diseases and the heart diseases.
Aging ; Algorithms ; Cardiomegaly ; pathology ; Heart ; diagnostic imaging ; Heart Diseases ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Lung ; diagnostic imaging ; Myocardium ; pathology ; Radiography, Thoracic ; methods ; Reference Values

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of PTCRA+ PTCA in patients with complicated coronary disease Methods PTCRA+PTCA were performed on 16 lesions in 14 patients in our hospital Results In 14 lesions, PTCA was performed after direct PTCRA in order to achieve opital angigraphic result; PTCRA was performed in 5 coronary artery lesions after failed PTCA 14 patients (100%) had successful result Conclusion The combined use of PTCRA+PTCA can improve the success rate during revasculrization for patients with complicated coronary artery disease

Objective To evaluate if the assay of platelet-associated immunoglobulin G (PAIgG) can improve the sensitivity of monoclonal antibody immobilization of platelet antigens assay (MAIPA) in immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP).Methods Anti-GP Ⅱb/Ⅲa and anti-GP Ⅰb/Ⅸ autoantibodies were detected by a modified MAIPA;PAIgG was detected by competitive ELISA.MAIPA and PAIgG were done simultaneously in 190 patients with thrombocytopenia,in which 132 were diagnosed as ITP according to the diagnostic criteria Kappa test was used to analyze the concordance between MAIPA and PAIgG.Results The sensitivities of PAIgG alone or in parallel with MAIPA to ITP were 32.6% and 37.2% higher than MAIPA alone respectively,while their specifieities were 51.7% and 56.9% lower respectively.The sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value,negative predictive value of PAIgG in series with MAIPA were all not superior to MAIPA alone.The kappa values between MAIPA and PAIgG in ITP and non-immune thrombocytopenia were 0.129 and 0.012 respectively,which meant the concordance between them was poor.Conclusion The detection of PAIgG should not be used as screening before MAIPA in distinguishing immune from non-immune thrombocytopenia.

ObjectiveTo observe the effect of reduced glutathione(GSH) on expression of malondialdehyde(MDA),glutathione peroxidase(GSH-PX) and superoxide dismutase(SOD) after focal cerebral infarction in rats.MethodsRat models of middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO) were estabilished with thread after 2-hour ischemia and 6-hour reperfusion.Rats were divided at random into three groups,i.e.,sham-operated,control and treatment group(with GSH 1200 mg/kg) respectively.After the rats model was performed,neurology deficit score,the size of brain infarct region and the change of brain tissue pathologic were evaluated.Contents of MDA and activity of SOD and GSH-PX were detected with spectrophotometer.ResultsCompared with the control group,GSH can ameliorate neurological deficit score and decrease infarct volume induced by MCAO.GSH may reduce contents of MDA and improve activity of SOD and GSH-PX in brain tissue.ConclusionGSH may reduce contents of MDA and improve activity of SOD and GSH-PX so as to enhance capability of eliminating oxygen free radical,and play a neuroprotective effect after cerebral focal ischemia reperfusion.

Silkworm is a holometabolous insect of Lepidoptera. During metamorphosis, significant morphological changes happen including the dissociation of old tissues and remodeling of new tissues. It has been reported that cathepsins are involved in these processes. Cathepsin is a kind of intracellular proteinase that exists in many species. It includes some subfamilies like cathepsin B, H and L. The studies on cathepsin are useful for clarifying the details of silkworm metamorphosis process. In total, 13 cathepsins were identified by screening the silkworm genome database. The basic information and the expression patterns about these genes were analyzed. Interestingly, an ovary-specific cathepsin L gene (Gene ID: BGIBMGAOO4622) was investigated by the data of silkworm microarray and real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). The full-length cDNA is 1,209 bp, encoding a protein with 402 amino acids. Sequences alignment revealed that it has a high sequence similarity with cathepsin L of other species, and it is highly conserved in the active-site of the enzyme. The phylogenetic analysis showed that ovary-specific cathepsin L is clustered with other lepidopterous insects. Furthermore, this gene was cloned and prokaryotic expressed. Recombinant protein was present in inclusion body. Importantly, the qPCR result showed that the expression level of this gene is increasing during the early stage of pupal development and reaches the highest value at the 3rd day of pupal stage, which suggests that this gene may be involved in the process of development of the ovary and oocyte.
Animals ; Bombyx ; genetics ; Cathepsins ; genetics ; Insect Proteins ; genetics ; Phylogeny

OBJECTIVETo compare therapeutic effects between arthroscopic medial retinaculum plication and plaster external fixation for the treatment of acute patellar dislocation.

METHODSFrom February 2006 to October 2012,29 patients with acute patellar dislocation were divided into two groups: operation group and non-operation group. The patellar dislocation duration was 2 weeks. In operation group, there were 7 males and 10 females, with an average age of (16.2 ± 6.2) years old, and the patients were treated with arthroscopic medial retinaculum plication. In non-operation group, there were 5 males and 7 females,with an average age of (16.3 ± 5.0) years old,and the patients were treated with plaster external fixation. The Kujala scores, patellar tilt angle measured on CT film, apprehension test and recurrence rate of patellar instability were observed before and 1 year after treatment.

RESULTSIn operation group, the pre-treatment and post-treatment patellar tilt angles had no statistical difference, but the post-treatment Kujala score was lower than that of pre-treatment; while in non-operation group, the post-treatment patellar tilt angle was larger than that of pre-treatment, and the post-treatment Kujala score was lower than that of pre-treatment. At 1 year after treatment, the patellar tilt angle (21.2 ± 5.3) of patients in non-operation group was larger than (13.5 ± 3.5) of operation group, and the Kujala score 73.3 ± 10.5 of patient in non-operation group was lower than 84.1 ± 5.6 of operation group.

CONCLUSIONDuring 1 year after operation, arthroscopic medical retinaculum plication is a more effective treatment for acute patellar dislocation compared with plaster external fixation.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Arthroscopy ; Case-Control Studies ; Casts, Surgical ; Child ; Female ; Fracture Fixation ; Humans ; Male ; Patellar Dislocation ; surgery ; therapy ; Patellar Ligament ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

Genetic analysis from forensic microsamples is a urgent, difficult task in forensic science, because it is frequently limited by the amount of specimen available in forensic practice, much effort has been carried out to resolve this difficulty. Whole genome amplification (WGA) technology, which was developing quickly in these years, has been thought to be a powerful, reliable and efficient strategy in analysis of minute amount DNA on many fields. In this review, we discuss its application in forensic science.
DNA/isolation & purification* ; DNA Primers ; Forensic Medicine/methods* ; Genome, Human ; Humans ; Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods* ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

MicroRNA (miRNA) belongs to a class of small, non-coding RNA molecules that contains 18-25 nucleotides and regulates gene expression at post-transcriptional level. Many miRNAs are highly conserved and display timing- and tissue-specific expression. With the advance of the miRNA detection technologies, miRNA has been introduced to forensic science as a potentially novel set of genetic markers of forensic body fluid identification, species identification and PMI estimation. In this article, the detection methodologies of miRNA are reviewed, and their potential applications in forensic practice and research future are also discussed.
Body Fluids ; Forensic Medicine ; Genetic Markers ; Humans ; MicroRNAs

OBJECTIVE: To explore the applicability of integration between three-dimensional (3D) facial and dental data to evaluate the nasolabial morphology variation before and after the cross-arch fixed restoration of the maxillary implant-supported prostheses. METHODS: Twelve patients (4 women and 8 men), mean age (54.82±5.50) years (from 45 to 62 years) referred to the Department of Oral Implan-tology, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, were selected and diagnosed with edentulous maxilla. For all the patients, 4 to 6 implants were inserted into the maxilla. Six months later, the final cross-arch fixed prostheses were delivered. The 3D facial images were collected before and after the final restoration. The 3D data of prostheses were also captured. All the 3D data were registered and measured in the same coordinate system. Then the displacement of all the landmarks [cheilion left (CHL), cheilion right (CHR), crista philtri left (CPHL), crista philtri right (CPHR), labrale supe-rius (LS), subnasale (SN), stomion (STO), upper incisor (UI), upper flange border of the prostheses (F-point, F)], and the variation of the distances between these landmarks (SN-LS, CPHR-CPHL, CHR-CHL, LS-STO) were analyzed and compared. RESULTS: The consistency test among three measurements of the length of F-SN indicated that the integration method of the dental prostheses and soft tissue had the good repetitiveness, ICC=0.983 (95%CI: 0.957-0.995). After wearing the final cross-arch maxillary implant-supported prostheses, all the landmarks on the soft tissue moved forward. The nasal base area changed minimally, and the shift of SN in the sagittal direction was only (0.61±0.44) mm. But the sagittal shift of LS was (3.12±1.38) mm. In the vertical direction, SN, LS, CPHL, and CPHR moved upward. But STO, CHL, and CHR moved downward a little. Except for the slight decrease of the length of philtrum (SN-LS), the length of CHL-CHR, CPHL-CPHR, and the height of upper lip were increased together (P < 0.01). In the direction of Z axis, the strong correlations were found not only between the movements of SN and F (r=0.904 3) but also between the movements of LS and UI (r=0.958 4). CONCLUSION The integration method of 3D facial and dental data showed good repetitiveness. And the strong correlations between the landmarks of prostheses and nasolabial soft tissue in the sagittal direction were found by this new method.
Female ; Humans ; Incisor ; Lip ; Male ; Maxilla/surgery* ; Middle Aged ; Mouth, Edentulous ; Prostheses and Implants

Aneuploidy is an important point at issue in human reproductive biology, accounting for both a major proportion of miscarriages and various congenital malformation syndromes among newborns. Despite its high incidence and severe clinical consequences, very little is known about how aneuploidy originates in human. On the other hand, remarkable progress has been made in the research of meiosis. The failure of any process in meiosis can result in chromosome mal-disjunction. The alteration in recombination and the premature separation of sister chromatids are two important processes on which more intensive researches have been done. In addition, mtDNA mutation and sexual dimorphism in aneuploidy genesis have also attracted more and more researchers' attention.
Aneuploidy ; Animals ; Chromatids ; metabolism ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; genetics ; Humans ; Recombination, Genetic ; Sex Characteristics