Objective: To explore the value of dual energy CT lung perfusion imaging (DEPI) for diagnosing pulmonary embolism (PE) in comparison with CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA). Methods: There were 49 patients with suspected PE received DEPI scanning and 19 with CTPA conifrmed diagnosis were enrolled in this study. CTPA image was obtained by 80 kv data, and DEPI image was obtained by PBV software. The location, type of PE in CTPA image, and the location, shape of perfusion defect in DEPI were observed and compared by segment basis. The correlation and agreement of CTPA and DEPI for diagnosing PE were calculated and the un-agreement was analyzed. Results: A total of 380 segments were included for analysis. CTPA detected 162 segments of PE and DEPI detected 155 segments of perfusion defect or reduction, partial PE were mainly presented by perfusion defects as speckles, patches or without perfusion defect, and complete PE were mainly showed segmental or sub-segmental perfusion defects. CTPA and DEPI were correlated for PE diagnosis (χ2=305.5,P=0.000), the diagnostic agreement was 83.42% and KAPPA value was 0.659. Conclusion: The perfusion defect in DEPI is related to the degree and type of PE presented in CTPA, their combination is helpful for diagnosing PE.

PurposeTo optimize the imaging parameters of clinical MRI scanner in rat pancreas imaging to improve the image quality and to provide better MRI image quality and more economical research method for imaging study of rat pancreas. Materials and Methods Twenty-four healthy male Wistar rats were randomly divided into the conventional sequence (CS) group, the adjustment sequence (AS) group and the optimization sequence (OS) group, with 8 rats in each group. The rats in the CS group were scanned with conventional parameters using a clinical MRI scanner. The principle of parameter adjustment was: parameters associated with T1WI or T2WI imaging quality (TR, TE, slice thickness, NEX, FOV and matrix) was set with four changes, and only one of the six parameters was changed in each scan, image quality was evaluated by two senior radiologists, the parameter corresponded the best image quality evaluated consistently by two radiologists were selected as the optimal imaging parameter, all the optimized parameters were set up step by step in this way which formed the imaging parameters in OS group. The pancreatic signal intensity and signal to noise ratio was compared between CS group and OS group after imaging.Results The optimized sequence parameters in clinical MRI scanner were listed below: T1WI sequence (M3D/FSPGR/15): TR 6 ms, TE 2.5 ms, slice thickness 2.0 mm, NEX 8, FOV 7 cm×7 cm, Matrix 120×120; T2WI sequence (FSE-XL/90): TR 4000 ms, TE 71 ms, slice thickness 2.0 mm, NEX 1, FOV 8 cm×8 cm, Matrix 192×160. The pancreatic SI in T1WI and T2WI sequence of the OS group were significantly higher than those in the CS group (t=5.16 and 3.80,P<0.01), while the pancreatic SNR in T1WI and T2WI sequence of the OS group were significantly higher than those in the CS group (t=5.65 and 3.26,P<0.01).Conclusion The optimized parameters can improve the imaging quality of rat pancreas MRI significantly, thus provide a reference for the related experimental study.

OBJECTIVETo explore the inhibitory effects of rapamycin on proliferation of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) cells and its possible mechanism.

METHODSThe effects of rapamycin at various concentrations on cell proliferation of CML cell line K562 cells were analyzed by MTT. The expressions of mTOR, 4E-BP1 and p70S6K at protein and mRNA level in K562 cells with rapamycin treatment were detected by Western blot and RT-PCR. The protein expressions and phosphorylation of mTOR, 4E-BP1 and p70S6K in primary bone marrow cells from CML patients at chronic phase (CP) were also investigated by Western blot, bone marrow cells from healthy people were used as control. Data were analyzed by the χ(2) test, Fisher's exact test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA).

RESULTSThe phosphorylation of mTOR, 4E-BP1 and p70S6K were significantly increased in CML bone marrow cells compared with that of normal control (70.6% vs 30.0%, 76.5% vs 40.0%, 73.5% vs 20.0%, respectively, P < 0.05). The proliferation of K562 cells was significantly inhibited with 20 nmol/L and more rapamycin treatment. The phosphorylation of mTOR was decreased after rapamycin treatment, as well as the expressions of 4E-BP1 and p70S6K at protein and mRNA level (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONmTOR signaling played an important role in CML pathogenesis, and rapamycin could decrease CML cells proliferation by inhibiting the activity of mTOR signaling in vitro.

Case-Control Studies ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive ; metabolism ; pathology ; Phosphorylation ; drug effects ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; Sirolimus ; pharmacology ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of Oncomelania hupensis hupensis of niclosamide, and exploring the main influencing factors.

METHODSThe samples of Oncomelania hupensis hupensis were collected from 37 sampling sites in 33 counties of 10 provinces by means of stratified random sampling methods in accordance with the categories of Oncomelania hupensis hupensis habitats. Samples were randomly located into study group and control group. Oncomelania hupensis hupensis of the study group was marinated in different concentration liquor of niclosamide which was confected with water for 24 hours or 48 hours, then LC50 of niclosamide by which Oncomelania hupensis hupensis was killed and amount calculated. The influencing factors of the mortality of Oncomelania hupensis hupensis in the study group was statistically analyzed by 2 test and by multiple logistic regression using SPSS 13.0 statistical software.

RESULTSThe mortality of Oncomelania hupensis hupensis of the two test groups which were marinated in 0.5 mg/L liquor for 48 hours and 1.0 mg/L liquor for 24 hours was 100%. The effect of Oncomelania hupensis hupensis killed by niclosamide was markedly reduced along with the reduction of drug concentration. The average LC50 rates of niclosamide liquor by which Oncomelania hupensis hupensis killed for the 24 hours and 48 hours in the study group, were 0.0939 mg/L and 0.0625 mg/L, respectively. There was significant difference between the two test groups (chi(2) = 5.001, P <0.01) . In determinate range of concentration, the mortality of Oncomelania hupensis hupensis showed significant difference among the geographic types of habitat ( chi(2) = 4.264, P < 0.05). By means of multiple logistic regression using SPSS 13.0 statistical software, the estimate value of coefficient of regression on the influence factors, drug concentration, test time and the geographic types of habitat were 2. 047 ( OR = 5. 573), 0.263 ( OR = 2.924) and 0. 187- 0.210 ( OR = 1.969- 2. 560), respectively.

CONCLUSIONNiclosamide could kill Oncomelania hupensis hupensis effectively. The main influencing factors on the efficacy of niclosamide by which Oncomelania hupensis hupensis was killed, appeared to be drug concentration, time of testing and the geographic types of habitat.

Animals ; China ; Ecosystem ; Molluscacides ; toxicity ; Niclosamide ; toxicity ; Snails ; drug effects

Adult ; Blood Coagulation ; Emergency Treatment ; Female ; Humans ; Intraoperative Period ; Liver Transplantation ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo study the distribution of aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 (ALDH2) polymorphisms between healthy Zhuang and Han ethnic individuals in Guangxi Autonomous Region and its influence to the behaviors of alcohol consumption.

METHODSPolymerase chain reaction with confronting two-pair primers (PCR-CTPP) and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) techniques were used to genotype ALDH2, respectively, and alcohol consumption was recorded in a constructed questionnaire.

RESULTSThe frequencies of ALDH2 alleles (ALDH2(1)/ALDH2(2)) among Zhuang and Han ethnics were 0.511, 0.489 and 0.508, 0.492 respectively (chi2 = 0.001, P > 0.05). The ALDH2 genotypes were verified with PCR-RFLP method. The frequencies of ALDH2(1) genotype in alcoholics (> or = 3 times drinking per week) were 35.59% and 15.67% in Zhuang and Han groups respectively (chi2 = 5.800, P = 0.016).

CONCLUSIONThere was no significant different distribution of ALDH2 genotype among healthy Zhuang and Han ethnic people. The genotype of ALDH2 in different ethnicity might influence individual behavior of alcohol consumption.

Adult ; Aldehyde Dehydrogenase ; genetics ; Aldehyde Dehydrogenase, Mitochondrial ; Alleles ; China ; DNA Primers ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinicopathological features, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of primary clear cell carcinoma of the liver (PCCCL).

METHODSThe clinicopathological data of 24 cases with pathologically proven PCCCL in the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University from May 1996 to December 2003 were collected and analyzed.

RESULTSThere were 21 males and 3 females in this group, with an average age of 46 years (range: 30 approximately 78 years). HBV infection was detected in 83.3%, and AFP expression was found in 75.0% of them. Of the 24 cases, 28 tumors were found with an average size of (6.64 +/- 5.54) cm. Liver cirrhosis was found in 75.0% of the patients. Macroscopic and microscopic tumor thrombi were found in 20.8% and 29.2%, respectively. Lymph node metastasis was found in 4.2% of the patents. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates of the 24 cases were 75.0%, 41.7% and 27.8%, respectively, with a median survival time of 29 months.

CONCLUSIONThe clinical characteristics of primary clear cell carcinoma of the liver are similar to that of common hepatocellular carcinoma. It is difficult to be diagnosed preoperatively and final diagnosis depends on pathological examination. Surgical resection is an effective way to achieve favorable treatment outcome and even long-term survival.

Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell ; blood ; pathology ; surgery ; virology ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hepatectomy ; methods ; Hepatitis B ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; blood ; pathology ; surgery ; virology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Survival Rate ; alpha-Fetoproteins ; analysis

By RACE, 2 overlapping cDNA fragments (3'PCR and 5'PCR fragments) covering the full genome of swine vesicular disease virus strain HK'1/70 were amplified from total RNA extracted from experimentally infected suckling mice. These fragments were cloned into pGEM-T Easy vector, respectively. 5'PCR fragment was digested by enzymes of Aat II and BssH II, and the Aat II-BssH II-digested 5'PCR fragment was obtained and cloned into the recombinant pGEM-T Easy vector containing 3'PCR fragment,the recombinant plasmid encoding full-length cDNA of SVDV HK'I/70 strain was then obtained and sequenced. The results showed that the complete genome of HK'1/70 was 7401 nucleotides (nts) long (excluding the poly (A) tract) which encodes a single polyprotein of 2185 amino acids, a 5'u ntranslating region (UTR) of 743 nts, a 3'UTR of 102 nts and a poly (A) tail at least 74 adenines. T' promoter was added at the 5'e nd of the full-length cDNA and an additional Pspl406I restriction site was added at the 3'e nd of poly (A) tail. The nucleotide and amino acid sequences were compared and phylogenetic analysis was used to examine the evolutionary relationships. The results showed that HK'1 /70 belonged to the second antigenic group. SVD virus was antigenically closely related to Coxsackie B5 virus, and located on the branches of CB5 evolutionary tree. Successful construction of full-length cDNA clone of SVDV HK'1/70 strain lays foundation for rescuing SVDV effectively and enables further research of SVDV on molecular level.
Animals ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA, Complementary ; chemistry ; genetics ; Enterovirus B, Human ; classification ; genetics ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Swine

OBJECTIVETo evaluate Candesartan therapeutic effect against atherosclerotic plaque rupture and to explore the related mechanisms.

METHODSThirty-four New Zealand White male rabbits were randomly divided into three groups: the control group, the model control group and the Candesartan intervention group. The control group rabbits were fed with a normal diet. Rabbits of the latter two groups were fed with a 1% high-cholesterol diet and received a balloon catheter injury respectively one week after the cholesterol feeding. Candesartan (0.5 mgⁱkg⁻¹ⁱd⁻¹) was given to the Candesartan group rabbits 2 days before the performance of the balloon catheter injury. By the end of 12(th) week of the experiment, Russell's viper venom was used for rabbits of both the model control and the Candesartan groups in order to induce rupture of the plaques developed and followed by sacrifice of all the rabbits of the 3 groups. The aortas were removed and fixed for histological evaluation. Immunohistochemistry of MMP-9, macrophage markers and collagen were performed. The protein expression of MMP-9 was determined using Western blot analysis.

RESULTSIn the model control group, 7 of 9 rabbits with a total of 12 plaques developed rupture and thrombosis of the plaques after the induction. In contrast, only 2 of 10 rabbits with a total of 3 plaques demonstrated rupture and thrombosis in the Candesartan group (P < 0.05). The control group rabbits did not have plaque rupture and thrombosis. Compared with the model group, both the percentage area of MMP-9 and macrophages in the plaques were significantly decreased in the Candesartan group (12.35% ± 4.28% vs 32.58% ± 9.16%, P < 0.05; 13.87% ± 4.91% vs 23.8% ± 7.45%, P < 0.05). There was an increased percentage of collagen content in total plaques of the Candesartan group (30.27% ± 11.36% vs 4.18% ± 1.28%, P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, the protein expression of MMP-9 was significantly decreased in the Candesartan group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONCandesartan has a preventive value against atherosclerotic plaque rupture in hypercholesterolemic rabbits, likely through its reduction of MMP-9 expression, inhibition of macrophage accumulation and increase of collagen content within the plaques.

Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers ; therapeutic use ; Animals ; Antihypertensive Agents ; therapeutic use ; Aorta, Abdominal ; injuries ; Benzimidazoles ; therapeutic use ; Collagen ; metabolism ; Macrophages ; pathology ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; metabolism ; Plaque, Atherosclerotic ; metabolism ; pathology ; Rabbits ; Random Allocation ; Rupture, Spontaneous ; prevention & control ; Tetrazoles ; therapeutic use ; Thrombosis ; etiology ; metabolism ; prevention & control

To make transcription of the target gene be driven by T7 RNA polymerase (T7 RNAP) in the eukaryotic cells, and the transcripts be CAP-independent translated. Firstly, the T7 RNAP was introduced into eukaryotic cells by two methods: (1) the BHK-21 cells were contransfected by the plasmid expressing T7 RNAP and pIERS-EGFP-ET vector; (2) by transfection of the cell line stably expressing T7 RNAP. The internal ribosome entry site (IRES) element from FMDV was cloned into the downstream of the T7 promoter sequence of the prokaryotic expressing vector pET-40a-c (+), resulted in the plasmid would express the transcripts carrying the IERS element at its 5' end. The enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) gene was cloned into the downstream of the IERS element, resulted in plasmid pIERS-EGFP-ET. Then, the two kinds of cells expressing T7 RANP were transfected by pIERS-EGFP-ET. The green fluorescence in the transfected cells was observed under a fluorescence microscope equipped with a video documentation system. And the expressional efficiency was analyzed with flow cytometry (FCM). The results show that the IRES element from FMDV has the role of initiating CAP-independent translation, and lay foundation for researching function of the element and interrelated proteins. It would be potential for expressing target gene by the T7 RNAP couple expression system.
Bacteriophage T7 ; enzymology ; genetics ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus ; genetics ; Genes, Viral ; Genetic Vectors ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; genetics ; Transfection ; Viral Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics