2000 fold). In bystander effect experiment, the death rate of mixed cells was still over 50% even when they contained only 20% TK+ target cells. Fourteen days after nude mice bearing tumors were treated i.p. with GCV, the mean weight and volume of transfected tumors were less than those of untransfected tumors (P

Objective To investigate the changes and significances of the level of serum Fibulin-3 and correlation between Fibulin-3 and branchial-ankle Pulse Wave Velocity (baPWV) in patients with hypertension. Methods A total of 50 patients with hypertension and 38 healthy people were enrolled finally, whose fasting blood were collected. The levels of Fibulin-3、MMP-9 were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The baPWV was detected by pulse wave velocity automatic analyzer. Results The level of serum Fibulin-3 in hypertension was lower than the control group significantly (P < 0.001). There was no significance of serum MMP-9 in the two groups. The baPWV in hypertension was higher than the control group.Correlations between the level of Fibulin-3 and baPWV were significant (r = -0.324,P = 0.006). While correlations between the level of MMP-9 and baPWV had no significance (r=0.003,P=0.968). Conclusion The level of serum Fibulin-3 and baPWV can be used as index of functional changes in the early stage of hypertensive vascular remodeling, and may be applied for forecasting the organ damage in hypertension.

Objective To explore the CT features of renal epithelioid angiomyolipoma (EAML), and to improve the diagnosis of this disease.Methods The clinical materials and image findings of 15 cases (8 female, 7 male) with renal EAML proved by pathologies were retrospectively studied.Plain and enhancement CT scan were performed in all 15 patients.Nine of the 15 cases were correctly diagnosed and the other were misdiagnosed as renal cell carcinoma (RCC) (n=5), renal oncocytoma (n=1).Results There were some distinctive findings of EAML: (1) Little hypodense or iso-high-density, well defined, round lesion with diameter of 2 to 5 cm.(2) The tumor may involve the medulla of kidney or grow out without haematuria.(3) Most lesions showed obviously uniformity enhancement at artery phase, with a few of them showed inhomogeneous enhancement There were thickening and circuitous vessels in a few lesions.(4) Enhancement mode was quick-in and quick-out.Conclusions CT findings combined with clinical materials have important value in making a correct diagnosis of EAML preoperatively.

Objective To explore the diagnostic value of magnetization transfer imaging (MTI) and DWI for detecting intestinal wall property of crohn's disease (CD). Methods Forty four patients with CD were prospectively enrolled in the study, and MR enterography (MRE), MTI and DWI were performed. According to MRE findings, patients were divided into three subgroups:acute inflammatory group, chronic fibrotic group and combined inflammatory with fibrotic group. Intestinal wall T2WI signal, magnetization transmisson rate (MTR) and ADC value were measured on MRE, MRI and DWI imagings, respectively. The differences of MTR and ADC among the three groups were analyzed by one-way ANOVA;the differences of T2WI scores were analysed by Kruskal Wallis;the differences of MTR and ADC values between normal and pathological intestinal wall were analyzed by paired t test;ROC curve were used to evaluate the CD fibrosis and inflammation diagnostic efficiency of MTI ana DWI based on MRE signs. Results Among the 44 cases, 11 cases were in the acute inflammatory group, 18 cases were in the chronic fibrotic group and other 15 cases were in the combination group. The T2WI score, MTR and ADC among the three groups showed significant differences (all P<0.01).The mean MTR and ADC of pathological intestinal wall of the 44 cases were (40.77±6.05)%and (1.04±0.18)× 10-3mm2/s, and the adjacent normal bowel were (21.75±4.17)%and (1.97 ± 0.23) × 10- 3mm2/s, respectively. Moreover, the difference of the above values showed significant differences (t=19.12,-21.80 respectively, all P<0.01). There was a negative correlation between MTR and T2WI score (r=-0.71,P<0.01). While ADC value was positively correlated with T2WI score (r=0.80, P<0.01). Using ROC curve analysis to differentiate the CD fibrosis from acute inflammation, the area under the curve (AUC) of MTR and ADC were 0.97 and 0.96 ,respectively. Conclusions Both MTI and DWI can be used to assess the properties of intestinal wall, which has the same diagnostic efficacy to identify the acute inflammation and fibrosis.

Objective To explore the correlation between thyroid nodules and uric acid levels and to find their gender differences.Methods A total of 68 056 subjects in a regional medical physical examination center of Shanxi Province from January 2013 to June 2015 were enrolled in this study.All the participants′ general information and parameters were recorded.Thyroid nodules were detected by color Doppler ultrasonography.Results The total prevalence of thyroid nodule was 35.5%, 30.7% in males and 40.0% in females.The prevalence of single nodule was 50.1%, and multiple 49.9%.Compared with no nodule group, thyroid nodule group tended to be older, with higher BMI, and with a worse metabolic status(all P<0.01).The uric acid levels were lower[(352.37±78.14 vs 357.70±77.51) μmol/L, P<0.01] in thyroid nodule group in male and higher[(260.22±61.91 vs 253.91±59.18) μmol/L, P<0.01] in female.Conclusion Thyroid nodules may be associated with metabolism and inflammation.In males, hyperuricemia group had lower, while in females, hyperuricemia ones were with a higher prevalence of thyroid nodules.

OBJECTIVEBy means of observing the clinical development of asymptomatic chronic HBsAg carriers (AsC) to explore the clinical rule of development of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) to liver cirrhosis (LC) to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to seek effective method for blocking the procedure.

METHODSAsCs were selected from health examination according to the diagnostic standard from the National Program for Prevention and Treatment of Viral Hepatitis, by periodical or non-periodical conventional examination of liver diseases, mixed infection of HCV was excluded. A 16-year systematic observation on clinical process of HBV infection series was completed.

RESULTSIn the 217 AsCs observed, 21 cases (9.68%) with the HBsAg negatively converted, the average year negative conversion rate being 0.58%, among them, 13/21 cases (61.9%) had production of anti-HBs antigen; 20 cases were clinically cured; 1 case transferred to HCC; 124 cases (57.14%) remained asymptomatic carriers; 73 transferred to chronic liver disease, showing a tendency of gradually developing from CHB to LC to HCC, the year transferring rate from AsC to LC and HCC being 1.04% and 0.40%, respectively. Fifteen patients died of liver diseases, in which one died of severe CHB, 3 of LC and 11 of HCC.

CONCLUSIONDifferent clinical end-results may reveal in AsCs according to their age and regulation on immune response to HBV. Few of the HCC and LC patients were HBeAg (e+) positive, they often reveal HBeAg (e-) negative or anti-HBe positive. HCC always develops on the basis of liver fibrosis or cirrhosis, which are the prophase of HCC, and patients with liver fibrosis or cirrhosis are the high risk group of developing HCC. HCC is not only the terminal pathologic stage of hepatopathy, but also one of the most important factors that causes death of chronic hepatopathy. From the viewpoint of integrative medicine in typing hepatopathy to observe the clinical speciality of AsC developing to CHB, LC and HCC, it is considered that the degree of blood stasis is in accordance with the development of hepatopathy.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; virology ; Carrier State ; virology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; complications ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; virology ; Liver Neoplasms ; virology ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

Hospitalization ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal ; Reproductive Techniques, Assisted ; Retrospective Studies

Objective: To evaluate the association between the ratio of early diastolic transmitral velocity to early diastolic mitral annular velocity (E/E') and left atrial pressure (LAP) estimated from invasive catheter measurements in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods: A total of 46 consecutive patients with non-valvular AF and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) admitted in our department to receive the first radiofrequency ablation from May to July 2017 were included. All patients underwent echocardiography at 24-48 hours before radiofrequency ablation, and LAP was invasively measured during the ablation procedure. According to mean LAP, patients were divided into 2 groups of normal LAP (LAP≤12 mmHg(1 mmHg=0.133 kPa, n=31) and elevated LAP (LAP>12 mmHg, n=15). Linear correlation analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between E/E' and LAP. Results: E/E' correlated well with LAP (septal E/E' (E/E'_sep), r= 0.397, P=0.006; lateral E/E' (E/E'_lat), r=0.433, P=0.003; mean E/E' (E/E'_mean), r=0.431, P=0.003). Using receiver operating characteristic analysis, the optimal cut-off for E/E'_sep was 12.5 (sensitivity 73.3%, specificity 67.7%), E/E'_lat was 10.8 (sensitivity 80.0%, specificity 77.4%), E/E'_mean was 11.0 (sensitivity 86.7%, specificity 64.5%) to predict mean LAP>12 mmHg. Conclusion E/E', especially the E/E'_lat, is positively correlated with LAP in patients with AF and preserved LVEF, and may be used to estimate the diastolic function in AF patients with preserved LVEF.

Objective:To compare the diagnostic value of three quantitative evaluation methods based on three-dimensional rapid fluid attenuation inversion recovery sequence (3D-FLAIR) vein-enhanced labyrinth images in endolymphatic hydrops.Methods:From October 2017 to April 2019, a retrospective study was conducted on 86 patients with unilateral otogenic vertigo who were admitted to Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University. MRI was performed 8 h after the single-dose Gd-DTPA intravenously injection in all patients. Three evaluation methods were used to calculate the ratio of the endolymphatic area to the total lymphatic area, the ratio of the saccule to utricle area, and the ratio of the endolymphatic volume to the total lymphatic volume, respectively. The paired t test was used to compare the three ratios between the affected and healthy ears. With clinical diagnosis as the gold standard, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to analyze the efficacy of three methods in diagnosing endolymphatic hydrops. Results:Totally 65 cases were finally diagnosed endolymphatic hydrops clinically. There were statistically significant differences of all the 3 ratios between the affected and healthy ears ( t=9.93, 7.22, 8.20, all P<0.001). The ROC curve showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of endolymph/total lymph area ratio, saccule/utricle area ratio, endolymph/total lymph volume ratio for diagnosis of endolymphatic hydrops were 0.882, 0.768, 0.884 (all P<0.001). And there were no significant differences between each paired AUCs (all P>0.05). Conclusions:All three methods of endolymph/total lymph area ratio, saccule/utricle area ratio, endolymph/total lymph volume ratio can quantitatively evaluate endolymphatic hydrops. The endolymphatic/total lymphatic area ratio method is still the most convenient method at present.

In the guidance of
Acupuncture ; Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Humans ; Meridians ; Moxibustion ; Spasm