Objective To study the phase correlation of cutaneous multichannel impedance measurements and the contractions, peristalsis of stomach and the conduction properties in space.Methods A spiral gastric body model was rotated to simulate shrinkage and creep of the stomach.In order to verify the feasibility and validity of the multichannel impedance gastric dynamic measurement, experiments with emulation of multichannel impedance gastric motility measuring principle were conducted through three-dimensional simulation on the electrical characteristics of gastric body model in saline tank simulator.Results The emulation results showed that the change of epigastric current density and potential distribution is consistent with the course of moving from top to bottom when lateral edge of model (namely the intumescent location when the stomach is full) after detecting electrodes in sequence.Meanwhile, the measurement voltage wave forms clearly showed the contraction location of stomach after the model rotating for three cycles in a row, and the phase relationship between adjacent measurement channels was also measured.The sixty seconds data acquired by the experiment device proved that voltage wave form of three measurement channels corresponded to the phase relationship of movement status of the gastric body model.Conclusions Cutaneous multichannel wave forms prove a cyclical movement of stomach, and phase difference among the multichannel signals relating to speed of peristaltic wave, position of the measuring electrodes and channel spacing, etc.This study provides simulation and experimental basis for explanation of quantitative study of conduction properties in space and phase relationship between the results of surface multichannel impedance measurements and the contractions, peristalsis of stomach.

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) assisted with magnifying chromoendoscopy in treatment of colorectal neoplasms. Methods Patients who met criteria for EMR including appropriate flat or depressed type and sessile lesions were enrolled. The association of morphology of colorectal lesions with histopathology was observed and the accuracy of estimation of invasive depth by magnifying chromoendoscopy was evaluated. Results Ninety lesions of 81 patients were reseeted by EMR (25 being sessile and 65 being flat or depressed). The histological results revealed low-grade dysplasia (LGD) in 58 lesions, high-grade dysplasia (HGD) in 20 lesions, and adenocarcinoma in 12 lesions. The average size of lesions was (1.4±0.5) cm in HGD, (1.6±0.5) cm in cancer and (1.0±0.4) cm in LGD with no significant difference (P> 0.05). It was shown that the flat and depressed lesions were more likely to be HGD or cancer as compared to sessile lesions, but with no statistical difference [41.5 % (27/65)vs. 20.0% (5/25), P= 0.084]. Moreover, the lesion with central depression was more likely to be HGD or cancer as compared to those without depressed surface [51.0% (25/49) vs. 17.1 % (7/41), P<0.01)]. The accuracy of estimating invasive depth by magnifying chromoendoscopy was 97.8% (86/90). Complete resection was confirmed histologically in 95.8% (88/90) of all lesions. Conclusions Colorectal lesions of depressed and flat types with central depression are more likely to be malignant. Estimation of invasive depth of colorectal neoplasia by magnifying chromoendoscopy in EMR treatment makes it more effective and safer.

Objective To evaluate the accuracy of preoperative three-dimensional endoscopic ultra-sonography (3D-EUS) in tumor invasion depth (T-staging) of rectal cancer. Methods From May 2007 to November 2007, 21 patients with rectal cancer diagnosed by eolonoscopy and biopsy, underwent 3D-EUS, 2D-EUS and MRI before surgery to predict T-staging. The results were assessed according to post-surgical pathological findings. Results The accuracy of 3D-EUS in T-staging was 85.71%, which was significantly higher than that of MRI (57.14%, P<0.05), and similar with that of 2D-EUS (76.19%, P>0.05). Conclusion More accurate T-staging could be achieved by 3D-EUS, which could be combined with MRI to detect lymph node metastasis, and provide more information for therapy decision in rectal cancer.

Interleukin-8 (IL-8) is an inflammatory cytokine with chemotaxis and there is a significant increase in the expression of IL-8 in autoimmune liver diseases. It participates in disease progression by binding to its receptors CXCR1 and CXCR2, promoting chemotaxis of inflammatory cells, angiogenesis, and fibrosis, and inducing cell proliferation. This article reviews the research advances in the association between IL-8 and autoimmune liver diseases.

Objective To evaluate the metabolite pattern and the severity in patients with spinocerebellar ataxia type 3/ Machado-Joseph disease (SCA3/MJD) by 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) on different cerebellar regions, including cerebellar vermis, cerebellar peduncles, cerebellar cortex, and dentatum. Methods Thirty-six SCA3/MJD patients, and 27 sex, age-matched healthy controls were scanned with 1H-MRS for N-acetylaspartate (NAA), choline (Cho) and creatine (Cr). We made cerebellar vermis, cerebellar peduncles, cerebellar cortex, and dentatum as the region of interests (ROI), and finally got access to NAA/Cr, Cho/Cr, and NAA/Cho ratios. We also examined the CAG repeat numbers of MJD1 gene, scored the 36 patients by the scale for the assessment and rating of ataxia (SARA), analyzed the differences in ratios between SCA3/MJD patients and the control group, and explored whether relevance existed between these ratios and duration of the disease, age of onset, CAG repeat times, and SARA scores respectively. Results The ratio of NAA/Cr in SCA3/MJD patients showed a significant reduction in the cerebellar cortex, dentatum, cerebellar vermis and medipeduncle (P<0.01) compared with the controls. The ratio of NAA/Cho also showed significant reduction in the dentatum and cerebellar vermis (P<0.01). A number of correlations were found between the metabolite ratios of 1H-MRS and duration of the disease, age of onset, expanded CAG and SARA score in SCA3/MJD patients. Conclusion 1H-MRS, which shows the neural metabolic changes in the cerebella of SCA3/MJD patients, provides useful information about the severity of SCA3/MJD.

Many efforts have been made to understand excitotoxicity and develop neuroprotectants for the therapy of ischemic stroke. The narrow treatment time window is still to be solved. Given that the ischemic core expanded over days, treatment with an extended time window is anticipated. Bestrophin 1 (BEST1) belongs to a bestrophin family of calcium-activated chloride channels. We revealed an increase in neuronal BEST1 expression and function within the peri-infarct from 8 to 48 h after ischemic stroke in mice. Interfering the protein expression or inhibiting the channel function of BEST1 by genetic manipulation displayed neuroprotective effects and improved motor functional deficits. Using electrophysiological recordings, we demonstrated that extrasynaptic glutamate release through BEST1 channel resulted in delayed excitotoxicity. Finally, we confirmed the therapeutic efficacy of pharmacological inhibition of BEST1 during 6-72 h post-ischemia in rodents. This delayed treatment prevented the expansion of infarct volume and the exacerbation of neurological functions. Our study identifies the glutamate-releasing BEST1 channel as a potential therapeutic target against ischemic stroke with a wide time window.