Objective To evaluate the value of diffusion weighted imaging (DWI)in distinguishing the solid solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN).Methods 42 patients with SPN (malignant in 25 and benign in 1 7)who were confirmed by operation,biopsy or follow up after treatment underwent routine chest T1 WI,T2 WI and DWI.The b values were chosen as 300,500,800 and 1 000 s/mm2 ,and the corresponding apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC)values and the signal intensity (SI)were respectively measured.Results The ADC values and SI of benign and malignant SPNs were gradually reduced with increasing b value.The ADC value between benign and malignant SPNs was statistically significant with b value of 500 s/mm2 (P 500 =0.03 <0.05 ),meanwhile the SI was statistically significant with b values from 300 to 1000 s/mm2 (P 300 <0.001,P 500 =0.03 <0.05,P 800 =0.01 <0.05, P 1 000 =0.02<0.05).Conclusion Both SI and ADC value of DWI play important role in distinguishing benign and malignant SPNs, and the diagnostic efficiency of SI is superior to ADC value.

Objective To build the cohort of drug resistance and analyze treatment efficiency of AIDS patients and situation of drug resistant mutations among HIV-1 infected individuals.Methods A cohort of 116 HIV-1 infected patients was built and their treatment progress were acquired once every 6 months.At the sanle time CD4+ T cell counts and HIV-1 viral load were measured and genotyping for drug resistance was determined by a home brew nested PCR.Results The CD4+ T cell count(470±251/ml)was higher than that before treatment in patients who were treated by AZT/DDI/NVP or D4T/DDL/NVP.The viral load was lower than that before treatmenL The drug resistant mutation frequency increased gradually along with treatment.The CD4+ T cell count was decreased and viral load was increased and the prevalence of drug resistant mutation was increased in the patients who changed regimens to AZT/3TC/NVP or D41/3TC/NVP.Only one primary mutation that was resistant to non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs)was detected in the naive patients.The cross-resistant mutation was detected in two patients after 6 months treatment. The intermediate resistance to lopinavir(LPV) was detected after 12 months treatment.The prevalence of high-grade resistances to NNRTIs was increased obviously,and the prevalence of multi-resistance and cross-resistance was detected in 5 patients after 36 months treatment.Conclusions The prevalence of primary mutation was rare in naive HIV-1 infected patients.The prevalence of drug resistant mutation was inereased gradually along with treatment.Ahhough few regimens were available,the treatment effect could last relatively long period of time if patients keep taking medicine stably.The regimens could be changed according to the results of drug resistant test.

Objective To report 6 cases of hydroa vacciniforme-like cutaneous lymphoma,and to inves- tigate the relationship between this disorder and Epstein-Barr virus(EBV)infection.Methods Pathological and immunohistochemical examinations were performed in the biopsy specimens obtained from all 6 patients. Skin lesions were subjected to EBV encoded RNA(EBER)detection by in situ hybridization.Serological assay and quantification of EBV DNA were performed.Results All the 6 patients had recurrent papules, papulovesicles,necrosis and variola-like scar with chronic intermittent fever;four of the patients also presented with edema of the face,hands and feet.Pathologically,there were multilocular vesicles in the epidermis,and large numbers of infiltrating lymphocytes through the dermis.The cells were atypical with mitotic figures. Immunohistochemical staining of the lesions of 4 patients showed large quantities of cells expressing CD56, scattered cells expressing CD3 and CD45RO,and cells expressing grazyme B and T cell intracellular antigen-1 (TIA-1);a diagnosis of hydroa vacciniforme-like cutaneous NK/T lymphoma was made in these 4 cases. In the lesions of another 2 patients,the cells expressing CD3 and CD45RO,but not CD56,were observed; the diagnosis of hydroa vacciniforme-like cutaneous T-cell lymphoma was made in them.EBER was detected in the tumor cells of all the 6 patients.The IgG titers of anti-Epstein-Barr viral capsid antigen increased in all patients(1:5120 in 2 cases,1:2560 in 2 cases,1:1280 in 2 cases).The copies of EBV DNA were increased in the peripheral blood of both the two detected cases.A chronic active EBV infection was confirmed in all patients.Conclusions Hydroa vacciniforme-like cutaneous lymphoma is clinically characterized by edema of face,hands and feet,vesicular eruptions and variola like scars;histologically,it is characterized by infiltrates of atypical cells consistent with lymphoma,and necrosis in the center of vessels.NK/T is the primary immunophenotype of this disease.There is a close association between chronic active EBV infection and hydroa vacciniforme-like cutaneous lymphoma.

Human violent behavior is a complex behavior which is influenced by genetic and environmental factors. There is a trend in investigating the mechanism of violent behavior by using the genetic methods. This article reviews several candidate genes and advances in epigenetics which are associated with violent behavior. The prospects and significance of violent behavior research from the view of gene polymorphism and epigenetics are also discussed.
Aggression ; Epigenesis, Genetic ; Forensic Genetics ; Humans ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Violence

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the polymorphism of rs220030, a SNP which is located in the promoter region of small nuclear ribonucleoprotein polypeptide N (SNRPN) gene in the Chinese Han population and to obtain the data of population genetics. METHODS: The denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) method was applied to detect the polymorphism of rs220030 in 100 unrelated and healthy individuals from the Shanghai Han population. The genotyping result of this SNP was confirmed by TaqMan assay in some typical samples. RESULTS: DGGE results showed 4 bands for CT heterozygote, and 1 band for CC or TT homozygote, and those results were confirmed by The TaqMan SNP genotyping assays. Genotyping results showed 34 individuals with CC, 41 with CT and 25 with TT of rs220030. The allele frequencies for C and T were 0.545 and 0.455, respectively. H was 0.500, PIC was 0.373, DP was 0.654, and PE was 0.186. The distribution of genotype frequencies were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. CONCLUSION DGGE is a quick and effective method in the analysis of SNP polymorphism in small population. Statistical parameters of rs220030 for forensic evaluation meet the requirements for forensic identification and paternity testing.
Alleles ; Asian People/genetics* ; China/ethnology* ; DNA Primers ; Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis/methods* ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Markers ; Genetics, Population ; Genotype ; Heterozygote ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide/genetics* ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; snRNP Core Proteins/genetics*

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical application of intraoperative electrophysiological monitoring in lumbosacral selective posterior rhizotomy for spastic cerebral palsy.

METHODSTotal 372 dorsal roots of 89 patients underwent selective posterior rhizotomy at a single medical center. The dorsal roots from L3 to S1 were divided into rootlets and stimulated with a 1-second 50 Hz train. Motor responses were recorded by electromyography. Rootlets were assigned according to the extent of abnormal electrophysiological propagation, and grades of 3+ to 4+ were cut. If no electrical response was observed, the second criterion is the behavioral response (that is, muscle contraction in the legs or toes) assessed by the physical therapist, when rootlets were stimulated at the lowest threshold with a 1-second 50 Hz train.

RESULTSThe rootlets of 340 dorsal roots were assigned according to the extent of abnormal electrophysiological propagation, 324 (83.5%) roots were assigned the maximally abnormal response of grade 3+ (76, 22.4%) or 4+ (248, 72.9%) in EMG monitoring and were cut. For no electrical response was observed, according to the second criterion, 48 roots were partially cut. It was also be found that free running EMG occurred earlier than stimulus triggered EMG, and identified "abnormal" rootlets on free running EMG monitoring was more easily and quickly than on stimulus triggered EMG. During the postoperative 2 weeks in hospital, there was a significant decrease in lower-limb spasticity and an increase in range of movement in all patients, and no one case occurred obvious loss of muscle strength, abnormity of sensory, or deterioration of bladder/bowel control.

CONCLUSIONSThe spread of electromyography response to the contra lateral limb and/or upper extremity remains a valid criterion to define a "abnormal" posterior nerve rootlet that feeds into a disinhibited spinal circuit involved in uncontrolled spasticity. Intraoperative electrophysiological monitoring is reproducible and reliable for selection of "abnormal" rootlets.

Adolescent ; Cerebral Palsy ; surgery ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Electromyography ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Monitoring, Intraoperative ; Rhizotomy ; Spinal Nerve Roots ; surgery

In this study, a novel resequencing pathogen microarray (RPM)-based multi-pathogen detection assay was developed to simultaneously detect 14 rotaviruses, 7 caliciviruses, 8 astroviruses, 28 enteroviruses, and 16 rare diarrhea viruses in patients with diarrhea syndrome. The specificity of the assay was examined using confirmed virus-positive specimens, and the sensitivity was evaluated by serial ten-fold dilutions of in vitro transcribed RNA. RPM assay could detect and differentiate virus types/subtypes at 20-2000 copies/microL. The detection threshold of RPM was determined by adjusting the reference concentration, and the detection steps were optimized to type Enterovirus. The nucleic acids of 10 stool samples from patients with unexplained diarrhea were screened, and 6 of them showed positive results. The RPM results were further verified by singleplex PCR followed by sequencing, and no difference was found between the two assays. In conclusion, we have established a high-throughput RPM assay with high specificity and sensitivity, which demonstrates a great potential for the identification of pathogens in patients with unexplained diarrhea and the management of emerging epidemic.
DNA Primers ; genetics ; Diarrhea ; virology ; Feces ; virology ; High-Throughput Screening Assays ; methods ; Humans ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; methods ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Viruses ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification

AIM To establish an HPLC method for the simultaneous content determination of echinacoside,verbascoside,aucubin,pinoresinol diglucoside,epimedin A,epimedin B,epimedin C,icariin and baohuoside Ⅰ in Jingang Tablets (Cistanches Herba,Eucommiae Cortex,Epimedii Folium,etc.).METHODS The analysis of 50％ methanol extract of this drug was performed on a 30 ℃ thermostatic Agilent TC-C18 column (250 mm × 4.6 mm,5 μm),with the mobile phase comprising of (methanol-acetonitrile)-0.2％ phosphoric acid flowing at 1.0 mL/min in a gradient elution manner,and the detection wavelengths were set at 330,208 and 270 nm.RESULTS Nine constituents showed good linear relationships within their own ranges (r ＞ 0.999 0),whose average recoveries were 96.64％-100.08％ with the RSDs of 0.71％-1.76％.CONCLUSION This sensitive and accurate method can be used for the quality control of Jingang Tablets.

OBJECTIVETo construct and identification of a lentiviral vector for RNA interference (RNAi) targeting STUB1 gene.

METHODSA pair of complementary small hairpin RNA (shRNA) oligonucleotides targeting STUB1 gene was designed, synthesized and inserted into linearized pMagic 4.0 vector. The recombinant plasmid was identified by double restriction digestion with Age I/EcoR I and DNA sequencing.

RESULTPCR and DNA sequencing showed that the shRNA sequence was successfully inserted into pMagic 4.0 vector. The pMagic 4.0 vector was successfully packaged into lentivirus particles.

CONCLUSIONA lentiviral shRNA expression vector and particles targeting STUB1 gene has been successfully constructed for the further study of the STUB1 gene.

Gene Targeting ; Genetic Vectors ; Lentivirus ; genetics ; RNA Interference ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics ; Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases ; genetics

Animals ; Female ; Guinea Pigs ; Kidney ; microbiology ; pathology ; Leptospira interrogans ; isolation & purification ; pathogenicity ; Leptospirosis ; microbiology ; pathology ; Liver ; microbiology ; pathology ; Lung ; microbiology ; pathology ; Male ; Time Factors