Abdominal aortic aneurysm is a common vascular disease that affects elderly population.Open surgical repair is regarded as the gold standard technique for treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysm,however,endovaseular aneurysm repair has rapidly expanded since its first introduction in 1990s.As a less invasive technique,endovascular aneurysm repair has been confirmed to be an effective alternative to open surgical repair,especially in patients with co-morbid conditions.Computed tomography (CT) angiography is currently the preferred imaging modality for both preoperative planning and post-operative follow-up.2D CT images are complemented by a number of 3D reconstructions which enhance the diagnostic applications of CT angiography in both planning and follow-up of endovascular repair.CT has the disadvantage of high cummulative radiation dose,of particular concern in younger patients,since patients require regular imaging follow-ups after endovascular repair,thus,exposing patients to repeated radiation exposure for life.There is a trend to change from CT to ultrasound surveillance of endovascular aneurysm repair.Medical image visualizations demonstrate excellent morphological assessment of aneurysm and stent-grafts,but fail to provide hemodynamic changes caused by the complex stent-graft device that is implanted into the aorta.This article reviews the treatment options of abdominal aortic aneurysm,various image visualization tools,and follow-up procedures with use of different modalities including both imaging and computational fluid dynamics methods.Future directions to improve treatment outcomes in the follow-up of endovascular aneurysm repair are outlined.

Multislice Cr angiography represents one of the most exciting technological revolutions in cardiac imaging and it has been increasingly used in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease.Rapid improvements in multislice CT scanners over the last decade have allowed this technique to become a potentially effective alternative to invasive coronary angiography in patients with suspected coronary artery disease.High diagnostic value has been achieved with multisfice CT angiography with use of 64-and more slice CT scanners.In addition,multislice CT angiography shows accurate detection and analysis of coronary calcium,characterization of coronary plaques,as well as prediction of the disease progression and major cardiac events.Thus,patients can benefit from multislice CT angiography that provides a rapid and accurate diagnosis while avoiding unnecessary invasive coronary angiography procedures.The aim of this article is present an overview of the clinical applications of multislice CT angiography in coronary artery disease with a focus on the diagnostic accuracy of coronary artery disease;prognostic value of coronary artery disease with regard to the prediction of major cardiac events; detection and quantification of coronary calcium and characterization of coronary plaques.Limitations of multislice Cr angiography in coronary artery disease are also briefly discussed,and future directions are highlighted.

Coronary artery disease remains a major cause of mortality. Presence of atherosclerotic plaques in the coronary artery is responsible for lu-men stenosis which is often used as an indicator for determining the severity of coronary artery disease. However, the degree of coronary lumen stenosis is not often related to compromising myocardial blood flow, as most of the cardiac events that are caused by atherosclerotic plaques are the result of vulnerable plaques which are prone to rupture. Thus, identification of vulnerable plaques in coronary arteries has become increas-ingly important to assist identify patients with high cardiovascular risks. Molecular imaging with use of positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) has fulfilled this goal by providing functional information about plaque activity which enables accurate assessment of plaque stability. This review article provides an overview of diagnostic applications of molecular imaging tech-niques in the detection of plaques in coronary arteries with PET and SPECT. New radiopharmaceuticals used in the molecular imaging of coro-nary plaques and diagnostic applications of integrated PET/CT and PET/MRI in coronary plaques are also discussed.

objective To assess the effect of aldosterone on the production of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9)and collagen Ⅳ in culture supematants of podocytes and the possible molecular mechanisms involved in the influence of aldosterone on the synthesis and degradation of extracellular matrix produced by podocytes. Methods Podecytes were treated with aldosterone at the concentration of 10-11, 10-9, 10-7 mol/L respectively. Cultured podocytes were examined at 24, 48 and 72 hours respectively. Spironolactone, a receptor antagonist of aldosterone, was added to observe the blocking effect on aldosterone. An inhibitor of TGF-β1 receptor was used to determine whether the effect of aldosterone on podocytes were mediated through TGF-β1 system. The enzymatic activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were assayed by gehtin zymography. Collagen Ⅳ 0.5 chain and TGF-β1 proteins released into culture supematants were assessed by Western blot and ELISA analysis. The adhesion rate of podocytes was monitored by flow cytometry. Results Aldosterone increased the activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in a dose- and time-dependent manner (P<0.05). Aldosterone decreased the level of collagen Ⅳ or5 chain protein in culture supernatants (P<0.05). Meanwhile, the expression of TGF-β1 was also increased (P<0.05). Spironolactone completely abolished the above-mentioned changes(P< 0.05). Blockage of TGF-β1 signaling with SB431542 prevented the aldosterone-induced upregulation of MMP-2 and MMP-9 as well as the downregulation of the collagen Ⅳ α5 chain protein and the adhesion rate of podocytes (P<0.05). Conclusions Aldosterone increases the activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9 but decreases the expression of collagen Ⅳ α5 chain and the adhension rate of podocytes possibly via TGF-β1 signaling pathway. Such alterations may contribute to glomerular podocyte injury associated with the GBM abnormality caused by the imbalance between matrix synthesis and degradation.

Preoperative portal vein embolization(PVE)has become an important tool in the management of selected patients with hepatic cancer before the major hepatic resection is carried out.PVE can redirect the portal flow to the intended future remnant liver tissue in order to induce the hypertrophy of the non-diseased portion of the liver and thereby may reduce the occurrence of complications and shorten the hospitalization days after surgery.This article aims to review the technical and clinical considerations in performing PVE and to discuss the PVE-related practical points,including the relevant anatomy,the access approach,the choosing of embolic agents and the pathophysioiogy of PVE.In addition,the indications and contraindications for performing PVE,the use of combination therapies and the concern for tumor growth after PVE are also discussed.

BACKGROUND: A few mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can be found in peripheral blood.OBJECTIVE: To isolate rabbit peripheral blood MSCs and induce its differentiation into osteoblasts.DESIGN, TIME AND SE'I-I'ING: The cytological in vitro study was performed at the Central Laboratory of Shangdong Provincial Hospital from June to December 2008.MATERIALS: A total of 6 New Zealand rabbits were purchased from Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences. α-MEM and L-DiEM were bought from Hyclone.METHODS: Full-thickness skin (3 cm×3 cm) (dorsal muscular layer was left) was incised at various sites of rabbit back, every 3days. Incised skin was dressed following orthotopic transplantation. Each rabbit received four consecutive wounds. Peripheral blood was collected from femoral vein before injury and 1 week after injury. MSCs were harvested from peripheral blood by density gradient cantrifugation. MSCs were divided into 2 groups, which were respectively incubated in α-MEM supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum and L-DiEM. Cells at passage 2 and 1 ×105/cm2 were incubated in a 12-well plate and induced with H-DiEM containing osteogenic inductor.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The following parameters were measured: cell morphology before and after injury; colony forming efficiency of MSCs; outcome of osteogenic induction.RESULTS: Following primary medium change and before injury, obtained cells were normal. Twenty-four hours following incubation and after injury, MSCs were spindle or polygonal, and adhered to the wall. 5-6 days later, cell colonies appeared.Compared with the L-DiEM group, the number of primary culture colony formation in α-MEM group was significantly greater (P < 0.05). Peripheral blood MSCs were spindle, tdangle or polygonal, with the presence of processes, 2-3 nuclei and cell division phase, and slowly proliferated following osteogenic induction. At day 7 after differentiation of MSCs into osteoblasts, positive rate of alkaline phosphates was above 80%. At day 21, calcium deposition was detected by Alizarin Red S (positive staining).CONCLUSION: MSCs could be harvested from peripheral blood of wounded rabbits, with characteristics of osteogenic differentiation, α -MEM was more suitable than L-DiEM for peripheral blood MSCs to growin vitro.

Objective Clinical data of patients who received rotational atherectomy (RA) combined with drug-eluting stent implantation (DES) in TEDA International Cardiovascular Hospital were retrospectively analyzed to evaluate it's safety,short-term and long-term prognosis.Methods A total of 60 patients who underwent RA were consecutively enrolled in the study in TEDA International Cardiovascular Hospital from September 2012 to September 2015.Pre and post procedure coronary angiography and clinical information were collected.Long term outcomes were obtained by outpatient clinical follow-up or telephone interview.We analysed angiographic data.Results Among 60 patients with 65 lesions,RA combined with drug-eluting stent implantation was successful performed in 62(95.3%) lesions and postoperative stenosis degree drop from (90.7±6.2)% to (19.5±6.6)%.4 cases(6.7%)developed complications and were treated accordingly during procedure with satisfactory results.Overall incidence of in-hospital MACCE was 1.7% with one case (1.7%) of myocardial infarction.The mean follow-up time was (23.3±10.6) months.In stent restenosis occurred in 1 case(1.7%) 10 months after operation.Stent thrombosis occurred in 1 case(1.7%) 16 months after operation and myocardial infarction (MI) occurred in 1 case(1.7%) 7 months after operation.One patient died 14 months after operation and another patient died 17 months after operation.Both of them were considered as cardiac death.There was no mortality of other causes recorded.Long-term MACCE was 9.5% and TLR is 5.1%.Conclusions Rotational atherectomy combined with DES implantation in the treatment of severe coronary artery calcification lesions has high success rate, good safety profile and good short and long-term prognosis.

Objective To examine the expression of angiopoietin-like protein(ANGPTL)3 in kidneys from children with primary nephrotic syndrome. Methods Immunohistochemistry for ANGPTL3 was performed in kidney biopsies from patients with nephrotic syndrome or hematuria, including MCD (n=31), MN(n=6), FSGS (n=6), TBMN (n=10), IgA nephropathy (IgAN) with mesangial proliferation (n=16). Normal renal tissue of 2 cases with nephrectomy for tumor were used as control. According to the episode, four groups were divided ("12 months"). The expression was quantitatively examined with IMS color image analysis system, using positive index (PI) as sediment degree of ANGPTL3 in glomeruli or tubules. Immunofluorescence for ANGPTL3 co-labeling with WT1 and perlecan was applied to show the distribution of ANGPTL3. Results (1) The PI levels of ANGPTL3 in glomeruli of MCD(7.49?1.96) and MN (6.27?0.98) were significantly higher than those of TBMN (0.02?0.001), FSGS (3.14?0.49) or normal control(0.02?0.001) respectively (all P

Objective:To explore the application of standardized treatment process for early enteral nutrition combined with gastric retention after operation in patients with esophageal cancer.Methods:Using convenience sampling, 84 patients with gastric retention complicated by early enteral nutrition support after esophagectomy in Department of Thoracic Surgery, Third People′s Hospital of Dalian from July 2015 to June 2020 were selected as the subjects. They were divided into control group and experimental group according to admission time with 42 cases in each group. The control group received routine nursing, while the experimental group received early enteral nutrition and gastric retention standardized treatment process nursing. The differences between the two groups in nutritional status and immune indexes before and 7 days after operation, the standard feeding rate within 7 days after operation, incidence of postoperative complications and enteral nutrition-related complications, length of hospitalization time and hospitalization expenses were compared.Results:In the control group, 2 cases were lost to follow-up. There was no statistically significant difference in preoperative nutritional status and immune indexes between the two groups ( P<0.05); 7 days after operation, the body mass index, serum total protein, prealbumin, nitrogen balance, IgM, CD3, CD4, and CD4/CD8 of the experimental group were all higher than those of the control group, and the differences between the two groups were statistically significant ( t values were 2.228-5.332, P<0.05 or 0.01).The standard feeding rate within 7 days was (68.93±8.12)% in the experimental group and (51.19±6.96)% in the control group, respectively, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant ( t value was -4.38, P<0.01). The incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting, Ⅱ B healing, anastomotic fistula and aspiration was 2.38% (1/42), 2.38% (1/42) and 0 (0/42), 2.38% (1/42) in the experimental group and 15.00%(6/40), 7.50% (3/40) and 5.00% (2/40) and 10.00% (4/40) in the control group, respectively, and the differences were statistically significant ( χ2 values were 5.99 - 9.88, P< 0.05 or 0.01). The length of hospitalization time in the experimental group was (10.18±1.69) d, and the hospitalization cost was (53 268.46 ±3 651.56) yuan, both lower than (13.66 ± 2.18) d and (64 972.39 ± 4 029.81) yuan in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant ( t values were 2.14, 2.89, P< 0.05). Conclusions:The standardized treatment process of enteral nutrition combined with gastric retention can improve the feeding rate, nutritional index and immune index within 7 days after operation, reduce postoperative complications and incidence of enteral nutrition related complications, reduce the hospitalization time and reduce hospitalization expenses.

Objective To evaluate the therapeutic effect of early fluid resuscitation under the guidance of pulse indicator continuous cardiac output (PiCCO) on patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP).Methods Clinical data of 18 SAP patients (research group),who had undergone fluid resuscitation under the guidance of PiCCO in the Department of Critical Care Medicine of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University from October 2011 to October 2013,were analyzed prospectively.At the same time,clinical data of 25 cases (control group) that had undergone fluid resuscitation without the guidance of PiCCO from January 2009 to September 2011 were collected retrospectively.The volume of fluid and clinical data were compared between two groups.Results During the first 6 hours,0-24 hours,24-48 hours,and 0-72 hours after intensive care unit (ICU) admission,the research group received larger volume of fluid than that of the control group (mL:2 133 ± 1 593 vs.1 024 ± 421,t=3.337,P=0.002; 5 960 ±2 951 vs.3 767 ± 854,t=3.531,P=0.001; 4 709 ± 1 508 vs.3 863 ± 1 122,t=2.112,P=0.031 ; 14 601 ± 5 095 vs.11 409 ± 2 667,t=2.673,P=0.007).Compared with the control group,the incidence of application of blood purification was lowered [5.56％ (1/18) vs.44.00％ (11/25),x2=7.688,P=0.006],the duration of the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) was shortened (days:3.54 ± 2.44 vs.5.62 ± 3.62,t=2.113,P=0.041),acute physiology and chronic health Ⅱ (APACHE Ⅱ) score was significantly declined at 24 hours after admission (11±4 vs.14 ± 5,t=2.104,P=0.042),the blood lactic acid was decreased more significantly after 72 hours (mmol/L:3.10 ±0.55 vs.2.40 ± 1.12,t=2.442,P=0.019),and the length of ICU stay was shortened (days:10 ±9 vs.20 ± 10,t=3.371,P=0.002) in research group.But there was no significant difference in the percentage of the use of vasoactive drugs [16.67％ (3/18) vs.24.00％ (6/25),x2 =0.340,P=0.560],the incidence of invasive mechanical ventilation [50.00％ (9/18) vs.52.00％ (13/25),x2 =0.017,P=0.897],72-hour urea nitrogen changes (mmol/L:-0.33 ± 4.71 vs.-0.09 ± 5.37,t=0.152,P=0.880),and the percentage of abdominal infection [16.67％ (3/18) vs.16.00％ (4/25),x2=0.003,P=0.953] between research group and control group.The mortality in research group was lower than that in control group [5.56％ (1/18) vs.20.00％ (5/25)] without statistical difference (x2=1.819,P=0.178).According to the 2012 Atlanta classification,patients were re-evaluated after 48 hours fluid resuscitation.Six patients in research group developed moderately severe acute pancreatitis,and the incidence was significantly higher than that in control group [33.33％ (6/18) vs.8.00％ (2/25),x2=4.435,P=0.034].The time of mean PiCCO installation was 4.5 days in 18 cases of the research group,and no related complications occurred.Conclusions The PiCCO device may be a useful adjunct for fluid resuscitation monitoring in patients with SAP within 72 hours.Early fluid resuscitation under the guidance of PiCCO may be helpful in improving tissue perfusion,reducing the application of blood purification,as well as shortening length of ICU stay.This program did not increase the risk of invasive mechanical ventilation,and no obvious change in mortality rate was observed.