Light-Chain Cardiac Amyloidosis: Cardiac Magnetic Resonance for Assessing Response to Chemotherapy

Objective@#Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is a diagnostic tool that provides precise and reproducible information about cardiac structure, function, and tissue characterization, aiding in the monitoring of chemotherapy response in patients with lightchain cardiac amyloidosis (AL-CA). This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of CMR in monitoring responses to chemotherapy in patients with AL-CA. @*Materials and Methods@#In this prospective study, we enrolled 111 patients with AL-CA (50.5% male; median age, 54 [interquartile range, 49–63] years). Patients underwent longitudinal monitoring using biomarkers and CMR imaging. At followup after chemotherapy, patients were categorized into superior and inferior response groups based on their hematological and cardiac laboratory responses to chemotherapy. Changes in CMR findings across therapies and differences between response groups were analyzed. @*Results@#Following chemotherapy (before vs. after), there were significant increases in myocardial T2 (43.6 ± 3.5 ms vs. 44.6 ± 4.1 ms; P = 0.008), recovery in right ventricular (RV) longitudinal strain (median of -9.6% vs. -11.7%; P = 0.031), and decrease in RV extracellular volume fraction (ECV) (median of 53.9% vs. 51.6%; P = 0.048). These changes were more pronounced in the superior-response group. Patients with superior cardiac laboratory response showed significantly greater reductions in RV ECV (-2.9% [interquartile range, -8.7%–1.1%] vs. 1.7% [-5.5%–7.1%]; P = 0.017) and left ventricular ECV (-2.0% [-6.0%–1.3%] vs. 2.0% [-3.0%–5.0%]; P = 0.01) compared with those with inferior response. @*Conclusion@#Cardiac amyloid deposition can regress following chemotherapy in patients with AL-CA, particularly showing more prominent regression, possibly earlier, in the RV. CMR emerges as an effective tool for monitoring associated tissue characteristics and ventricular functional recovery in patients with AL-CA undergoing chemotherapy, thereby supporting its utility in treatment response assessment.

Clinical analysis of contrast-enhanced ultrasound combined with serum SMURF1 detection in the diagnosis of thyroid cancer / 局解手术学杂志

Objective To investigate the diagnostic value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound(CEUS)combined with serum Smad ubiquitin regulatory factor 1(SMURF1)detection for thyroid cancer.Methods A total of 144 suspected thyroid cancer patients admitted to Lishui branch of Zhongda Hospital Affiliated to Southeast University from February 2019 to February 2020 were selected as the study subjects.Based on the histopathological results,they were divided into the thyroid cancer group(76 cases)and the benign group(68 cases).All patients underwent contrast-enhanced ultrasound examination and serum SMURF1 level detection;the diagnostic value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound parameters,serum SMURF1 detection alone,and the combination of the two methods for thyroid cancer were analyzed.Results Contrast-enhanced ultrasound parameters peak intensity(PI),mean perfusion intensity(SImean)and maximum perfusion intensity(SImax)in the thyroid cancer group were lower than those in the benign group,and the level of SMURF1 mRNA was higher than that in the benign group(P<0.05).The sensitivity of contrast-enhanced ultrasound parameter SImax in the diagnosis of thyroid cancer was 82.89%,the specificity was 72.06%,the accuracy was 77.78%,and the Kappa value was 0.552.The sensitivity of serum SMURF1 in the diagnosis of thyroid cancer was 65.79%,the specificity was 94.12%,the accuracy was 79.17%,and the Kappa value was 0.589.The sensitivity,specificity,accuracy and Kappa value of SImax combined with serum SMURF1 in the diagnosis of thyroid cancer were 97.37%,85.29%,91.67%and 0.832,respectively,which were higher than those of SImax and SMURF1 alone(P<0.05),the AUC of the combination of the two methods was 0.927,which was significantly higher than that of the two methods alone(Zcombined vs.SImax=3.999,P<0.001;Zcombined vs.SMURF1=3.270,P=0.001).Conclusion Contrast-enhanced ultrasound combined with serum SMURF1 detection can improve the diagnostic efficiency of thyroid cancer,which may avoid the over-diagnosis on the premise of ensuring the effective diagnosis of thyroid cancer patients.

Differences of resting-state brain functional connectivity in patients with early-onset and late-onset obsessive compulsive disorder and their correlation with cognitive flexibility / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective:To explore the differences of the resting-state functional connectivity(FC) between goal-directed network and habituation networks in patients with early- and late-onset obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and the correlation between the strength of FC in the differential brain regions and cognitive flexibility.Methods:From October 2019 to April 2021, 40 patients with OCD were included in this study, including 22 patients with early-onset OCD and 18 patients with late-onset OCD.The cognitive flexibility of all subjects was assessed using the Wisconsin card sorting test (WCST), the Stroop task and the trail making test (TMT). The brain regions which were associated with goal-directed network(caudate, orbitofrontal cortex, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and anterior cingulate cortex) and the brain regions which were associated with habituation network(putamen, supplementary motor area and insula) were selected as FC regions of interest (ROI). The DPABI and SPM12 plug-ins in the matlab2011a platform were used for whole brain FC analysis to compare the difference of FC between patients with early-onset OCD and patients with late-onset OCD on the two networks.The data were analyzed by SPSS 25.0 with χ2 test, independent samples t-test, and Pearson correlation analysis. Results:Compared with patients with early-onset OCD, patients with late-onset OCD had significantly enhanced FC of the left supplementary motor area with the left putamen and left insula.The total number of persistent errors of WCST in patients with late-onset OCD was greater than that in patients with early-onset OCD ((20.61±11.30), (14.95±8.94), P<0.05). The FC of the left putamen-left supplementary motor area was significantly and positively correlated with the total number of sustained responses ( r=0.678, P=0.003) and the total number of incorrect responses ( r=0.590, P=0.013) in patients with late-onset OCD.The FC of the left supplementary motor area-left insula was significantly positively correlated with the number of responses required to complete the first classification in patients with late-onset OCD ( r=0.485, P=0.049). Conclusion:Patients with late-onset OCD have stronger habituation network FC than patients with early-onset OCD, and the enhanced FC correlates with patients' cognitive flexibility performance, while late-onset OCD has more impaired cognitive flexibility than early-onset OCD.

Changes in Plasma Amyloid-β Level and Their Relationship With White Matter Microstructure in Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment / 中国医学科学院学报

Objective To investigate the changes in plasma amyloid-β (Aβ) level and their relationship with white matter microstructure in the patients with amnesic mild cognitive impairment(aMCI) and vascular mild cognitive impairment (vMCI).Methods A total of 36 aMCI patients,20 vMCI patients,and 34 sex and age matched healthy controls (HC) in the outpatient and inpatient departments of the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University were enrolled in this study.Neuropsychological scales,including the Mini-Mental State Examination,the Montreal Cognitive Assessment,and the Activity of Daily Living Scale,were employed to assess the participants.Plasma samples of all the participants were collected for the measurement of Aβ42 and Aβ40 levels.All the participants underwent magnetic resonance scanning to obtain diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data.The DTI indexes of 48 white matter regions of each individual were measured (based on the ICBM-DTI-81 white-matter labels atlas developed by Johns Hopkins University),including fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD).The cognitive function,plasma Aβ42,Aβ40,and Aβ42/40 levels,and DTI index were compared among the three groups.The correlations between the plasma Aβ42/40 levels and DTI index of aMCI and vMCI patients were analyzed.Results The Mini-Mental State Examination and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores of aMCI and vMCI groups were lower than those of the HC group (all P<0.001).There was no significant difference in the Activity of Daily Living Scale score among the three groups (P=0.654).The plasma Aβ42 level showed no significant difference among the three groups (P=0.227).The plasma Aβ40 level in the vMCI group was higher than that in the HC group (P=0.014),while it showed no significant difference between aMCI and HC groups (P=1.000).The plasma Aβ42/40 levels in aMCI and vMCI groups showed no significant differences from that in the HC group (P=1.000,P=0.105),while the plasma Aβ42/40 level was lower in the vMCI group than in the aMCI group (P=0.016).The FA value of the left anterior limb of internal capsule in the vMCI group was lower than those in HC and aMCI groups (all P=0.001).The MD values of the left superior corona radiata,left external capsule,left cingulum (cingulate gyrus),and left superior fronto-occipital fasciculus in the vMCI group were higher than those in HC (P=0.024,P=0.001,P=0.003,P<0.001) and aMCI (P=0.015,P=0.004,P=0.019,P=0.001) groups,while the MD values of the right posterior limb of internal capsule (P=0.005,P=0.001) and left cingulum (hippocampus) (P=0.017,P=0.031) in the aMCI and vMCI groups were higher than those in the HC group.In the aMCI group,plasma Aβ42/40 level was positively correlated with FA of left posterior limb of internal capsule (r=0.403,P=0.015) and negatively correlated with MD of the right fonix (r=-0.395,P=0.017).In the vMCI group,plasma Aβ42/40 level was positively correlated with FA of the right superior cerebellar peduncle and the right anterior limb of internal capsule (r=0.575,P=0.008;r=0.639,P=0.002),while it was negatively correlated with MD of the right superior cerebellar peduncle and the right anterior limb of internal capsule (r=-0.558,P=0.011;r=-0.626,P=0.003).Conclusions Plasma Aβ levels vary differently in the patients with aMCI and vMCI.The white matter regions of impaired microstructural integrity differ in the patients with different dementia types in the early stage.The plasma Aβ levels in the patients with aMCI and vMCI are associated with the structural integrity of white matter,and there is regional specificity between them.

Changes and health equity of low vision among children and adolescents in Chongqing during 2018 to 2021 / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To understand changes and health equity of low vision in children and adolescents in Chongqing, and to provide reference for student myopia prevention and control.@*Methods@#Using longitudinal studies, all school students in grades 1 to grade 12 in Chongqing were examined for visual acuity during 2018 to 2021, and the prevalence as well as changes of low vision were analyzed. In 2021, stratified random sampling was used to evaluate the health equity of uncorrected visual acuity and diopter(spherical equivalent, SE).@*Results@#The prevalence of low vision for children and adolescents in Chongqing from 2018 to 2021 was 54.12%, 58.17%, 60.03% and 58.20% respectively. Low vision showed an increasing trend in the first three years and decreased by 1.83% in 2021 as compared with 2020( χ 2 trend =13 870.45, P <0.01). The difference in the detection rate of poor vision among students in different grades was statistically significant( χ 2=17 396.36, 2 093.95, 771.87, P <0.01). From 2018 to 2021, the detection rate of low vision in girls was higher than that of boys( P <0.01). The Gini coefficient was 0.054 57 for uncorrected visual acuity in urban area, higher than in rural areas (0.035 94). Meanwhile, the Gini coefficient of urban and rural SE was 0.065 82, higher than the country (0.049 30). The results showed that myopia in children and adolescents was more uneven in urban areas.@*Conclusion@#The adjustment of myopia prevention and control strategies in the late stage of the novel coronavirus pneumonia epidemic is related to the reduction of the detection rate of poor vision in children and adolescents in Chongqing. Low vision varied by grade and gender, suggesting tailored myopia prevention and control strategy. The detection rate of poor vision in cities is more uneven than in rural areas, and different myopia prevention and control measures need to be implemented according to regional characteristics.

Clinical and genetic characteristics of frontotemporal dementia with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis:one case report and literature review / 中华神经科杂志

Objective To report a case of frontotemporal dementia with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (FTD-ALS),review the relevant literature and then summarize the clinical and genetic characteristics of FTD-ALS patients.Methods A FTD-ALS patient admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital,Anhui Medical University in May 2017.After diagnosis,genetic analyses were performed on DNA extracted from peripheral blood of the patient and his first-degree relatives.Chinese FTD-ALS patients reported in detail were reviewed and the clinical and genetic characteristics of the disease were summarized.Results The patient,a 49-year-old man,responded slowly with impaired confrontation naming and impaired single-word comprehension.Magnetic resonance imaging showed temporal lobe atrophy.Besides,the patient gradually developed atrophy in limbs and bulbar muscles as well as spasticity of arms and legs,with positive pathological and primitive reflexes.Electromyography suggested a wide range of neurogenic changes,which were consistent with the FTD-ALS diagnostic criteria.A new heterozygous mutation (c.1335G＞A chr12:64879792 p.W445X) was found in the TBK1 gene.The reference to the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics guidelines suggested that this mutation type is likely pathogenic,which has not been reported by the Human Gene Mutation Database.There were a total of 21 Chinese FTD-ALS patients (including this case) reported in detail,including 13 males and eight females.The age of onset was (59.01±8.58) (44-73) years.Most of them had typical manifestations of FTD as the first symptom,followed by ALS.Among these patients,seven had genetic data analyses,five of which had positive results.The mutations occurred in TBK1 (two cases),C9onf72 (one case),DCTN1 (one case) and TARDBP (one case)genes,respectively.Most FTD-ALS cases were sporadic (including this case),and only two cases were familial.Conclusions FTD-ALS is a relatively rare disease,mostly sporadic,with a younger onset age,in which behavioral variant FTD is the main manifestation of dementia in the context of ALS,and cognitive impairment is occurred earlier than ALS.In addition to C9orf72 gene,TBK1 gene is an important pathogenic gene of FTD-ALS.Genetic analysis is of great value in the early diagnosis of FTD-ALS.

Correlation between apolipoprotein E gene polymorphism and the urine level of Alzheimer-associated neuronal thread protein in patients with Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment / 中华神经科杂志

Objective To explore the correlation between apolipoprotein E (ApoE) gene polymorphism and urine Alzheimer-associated neuronal thread protein (AD7c-NTP) level in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI).Methods The cognitive function of 30 AD patients (AD group),30 MCI patients (MCI group) and 30 normal controls (NC group) was evaluated by neuropsychological batteries like MMSE,the Cambridge Cognitive Examination-Chinese Version (CAMCOG-C),etc.ELISA was used to test the urine level of AD7c-NTP.The genotypes of ApoE were analyzed by the high-resolution melting assay in blood samples.Results Compared with the NC group (0.59 (0.40,0.66) ng/ml),the urine level of AD7c-NTP in the AD group (1.03(0.80,1.41) ng/ml) and the MCI group (0.69(0.53,0.91) ng/ml) was increased (Z =33.727,P ＜0.01).The urine level of AD7c-NTP in the AD group was higher than that in the MCI group (Z =8.232,P ＜ 0.05).The level of AD7c-NTP in urine was negatively correlated with MMSE and CAMCOG-C scores (rMMSE =-0.604,P ＜ 0.01;rCAMCOG-C =-0.486,P ＜ 0.01).According to receiver operating characteristic curve,the optimal cutoff point of AD7c-NTP in urine for diagnosis of patients including AD and MCI was 0.70 ng/ml,with sensitivity of 71.7％ and specificity of 83.3％,and area under the curve of 0.82 (95％ CI 0.73-0.90,P ＜0.05).There were four genotypes comprising ε2/3,ε3/3,ε3/4 and ε4/4 for ApoE gene.The frequencies of ε4 carriers were 46.7％ (14/30),23.3％ (7/30) and 23.3％ (7/30) in the AD,MCI and NC groups,respectively.There was a notable increase in urine AD7c-NTP and a significant decrease in CAMCOG-C scores in MCI patients who harbored the ApoE ε4 allele (ZAD7c-NTP =4.857,P ＜ 0.05;ZCAMCOG-C =4.284,P ＜0.05).Conclusions The urine level of AD7c-NTP was significantly increased in AD and MCI patients,the higher the level of AD7c-NTP,the more serious the cognitive impairment.The ε4 carriers exhibited higher urine level of AD7c-NTP,but worse cognitive function compared to ε4 non-carriers in the MCI group.

Effects of Quercetin on Human Lung Cancer NCI-H1395 Cell Apoptosis / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effects of quercetin on human lung cancer NCI-H1395 cell apoptosis. METHODS:CCK-8 was used to detect the effects of 0-200 μmol/L quercetin on human lung cancer NCI-H1395 cell proliferation after treated for 12,24 and 48 h. Hochest33258 staining and flow cytometry were used to detect the effects of 0,20,50,100 μmol/L quercetin on NCI-H1395 cell apoptosis after treated for 24 h. The effects of 100 μmol/L quercetin on NCI-H1395 cell apoptosis was investi-gated after treated with Caspase-8,Caspase-9,Caspase-3 inhibitor. RESULTS:Quercetin could inhibit NCI-H1395 cell prolifera-tion in dose and time-dependent manner. 20,50,100 μmol/L quercetin could induce the apoptosis of NCI-H1395 cell,and apoptot-ic rates were (18.6 ± 4.1)%,(39.1 ± 4.5)% and (58.2 ± 3.5)%. Caspase-8 and Caspase-3 activation inhibition could obviously weaken the inhibitory effects of quercetin on cell(P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS:Quercetin can inhibit NCI-H1395 cell proliferation and induce cell apoptosis,which is related to the external way of cell apoptosis through activating Caspase-8 and Caspase-3.

Protective function of nimodipine on facial nerve injury and its effect on expression of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor / 中华神经医学杂志

Objective To study the protective function of nimodipine on facial nerve injury and its effect on the expression of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF). Methods Ninety-six SD rats were randomly divided into sham-operated group, facial nerve injury group, nimodipine pretreatment group, and nimodipine post-treatment group. Rat models of facial nerve injury in thc later 3groups were established. The dynamic changes of expression of GDNF were observed by HE staining and Western blotting in different treatment groups and at different time points (1, 3 and 6 months after the injury). Restdts Compared with the facial nerve injury group, the nimodipine pretreatment and post-treatment groups had significantly less severe nerve damage and significantly up-rcgulated expression of GDNF (P＜0.05). The expression of GDNF in the nimodipine pretreatment group was statistically higher than that in the nimodipine post-treatment group (P＜0.05). However, the expression of GDNF in the nimodipine post-treatment group was not statistically different from that in the facial nerve injury group 3 and 6 months after the injury (P＞0.05). Conclusion Nimodipine has significant facial nerve protective effect, and one of the mechanisms of nimodipine to protect the facial nerve is to regulate the GDNF expression.

Optimization of primary culture of neural stem cells / 中华神经医学杂志

Objective To study the influence of digestion times of low concentration trypsin on the proliferation and apoptosis of neural stem cells (NSCs) in the hippocampus of neonate rats.Methods Hippocampus of neonatal rats (within 24 h) were taken out, and treated with trypsin at 1.25g/L concentration and 37 ℃ for 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 minutes; unicellular suspension was then successfully got and primary culture and subculture were performed. Effects of trypsinization on cell viability and growth of NSCs were compared by observing the cell morphology and Trypan blue staining.The 5-bromodeoxyuridine labeling was performed to assess the self-renewing and proliferative activities of NSCs. Fluorescence immunocytochemistry was carried out to examine the expressions of BrdU and nestin. Apoptosis was measured by Annexin V-FITC/PI assay and flow cytometry. Results Primary and passage culture of NSCs enjoyed rapid proliferation and formation of neurospheres. The neurosphere cells expressed NSCs specific marker nestin by immunofluorescence; all the neurosphere cells could incorporate BrdU into the nucleus; of the neurospheres obtained from the 3rd, 5th and 7th d, those digested for 15 rain enjoyed the highest level of NSCs neurospheres, the highest BrdU labeled clone and the lowest cell apoptosis as compared with those digested for 5, 10, 20 and 25 min (P<0.05). Conclusion The NSCs isolated from the hippocampus of neonatal rats have the ability of proliferation in vitro. And 1.25 g/L concentration of trypsin with digestion times could positively change the proliferative and apoptosis capacity of NSCs: too short or long digestion times can inhibit the proliferation of NSCs and induce the apoptosis of NSCs; the longer the digestion time, the higher the apoptosis of NSCs.

Effect of imatinib at different concentrations on rat C6 glioma cell apoptosis and cell cycle / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of imatinib on rat C6 glioma cell apoptosis and cell cycle.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>MTT assay was used to determine the OD value of C6 glioma cells following treatment with imatinib at different concentrations (0.156, 10 and 15 micromo/L) for 24, 48 and 72 h. The cell apoptosis was assayed by Hochest/PI staining and the cell cycle changes were analyzed by flow cytometry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Imatinib treatment resulted in increased number of apoptotic cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. A 72-h treatment of the cells with imatinib at 10 and 15 micromo/L caused increased cell percentage in G(0)/G(1) phase to (68.53-/+0.83)% and (70.41-/+0.62)%, (P<0.01), decreased the percentage of G(2) phase cells to (14.48-/+0.12)% and (13.84-/+2.86)% (P<0.01), and decreased the percentage of S phase cells to (16.98-/+0.72)% and (15.78-/+2.28)%, respectively (P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Imatinib can induce apoptosis and affect the distribution of the cell cycle of C6 cells in vitro.</p>

Expression of cathepsin D in the central, peripheral and edematous areas of human astrocytomas / 中华神经医学杂志

Objective To study the expression of cathepsin D (CathD) in the central, peripheral and edematous areas of human astrocytomas and its clinical implications. Methods Forty-one patients with astrocytomas showing clear boundaries between the tumor area and the edematous area but without tumor necrosis or cystic degeneration as shown by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were divided into recurrent group (13 patients) and non-recurrent group (28 patients). Surgical specimens of the tissues in the central, peripheral and edematous areas of the tumor were obtained according to MR images using FLAIR sequence for detecting CathD expression with immunohistochemistry Results Normal brain tissues had virtually no or low CathD expression. Positive CathD expression was found in the central, peripheral and edematous areas of the astrocytomas, and the expression was significantly higher in the peripheral area (2.610±0.945) than in the central area (10.780±1.557) of the tumor (P<0.05). Patients in the recurrent group had more intense CathD expression in the peripheral area of the tumor than those in the non-recurrent group (11.539±1.127 vs 10.429±1.620, P<0.05), but in the central area of the tumor, the expression was comparable between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusion Obvious CathD expression in the peripheral and edematous areas of the astrocytomas may suggest the likeliness of potential astrocytoma infiltration in these areas. The relative low CathD expression of CathD in the central area of the tumor indicates almost total degradation of the extracellular matrix as a result of early tumor invasion. CathD expression in the peripheral and edematous areas of the astrocytomas may serve as an indicator of tumor recurrence.

Expression and localization of α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptors on rat hippocampal microglial cells / 中华神经医学杂志

Objective To investigate the expression and distribution of α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7-nAChR) on rat hippocampal microglial cells. Mehtods Mixed primary glial cells obtained from the cerebral cortex of 1-day-old rats were cultured for 7-9 days, and the microglial cells were purified. The expression of α7-nAChR at the protein and mRNA levels on the microglia cells was detected using double immunolabeling with anti-CD11b/c antibody and RT-PCR. respectively. Results The resting microglial cells harvested from mixed primary glial culture presented with ramified surface covered with spines, which may serve as a unique feature for identifying microglial cells. A band of 450-bp corresponding to α7-nAChR was specifically amplified by RT-PCR.Double immunolabeling showed colocalization of α7-nAChR and CD11b/c on the cultured hippocampal mcrioglial cells. Conclusion α7-nAChR can be normally expressed in rat hippocampal microgiial cells in in vitro culture.

Histomorphology of angiogenesis patterns in different areas of human astrocytomas / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study angiogenesis patterns in the edematous area and the center of human astrocytomas by histological observation, and to reveal histological basis of vasculogenic mimicry.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Tissue samples were drawn from the tumor center and the edematous area in 51 patients with human astrocytomas during operation MR and were examined by CD34 endothelial marker periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) dual staining.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Vessels or capillaries stained by both PAS and CD34 were found in edematous areas of human astrocytomas. Besides vessels or capillaries stained by both PAS and CD34, vasculogenic mimicries (PAS-positive and CD34-negative tubes containing red blood cells and lined by neoplastic cells), PAS-positive and CD34-negative tubes containing red blood cells and without cells around, PAS-positive and partial CD34-positive vessels or capillaries, and PAS-positive and CD34-negtive vessels or capillaries were detected in the center of tumor of 4 human glioblastomas.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Vasculogenic mimicries in the center of some high-grade astrocytomas may be caused by blood capillary dysplasia, while angiogenesis patterns are vessels or capillaries in the edematus area and the center of most human astrocytomas.</p>

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging of the hippocampus in schizophrenia patients before and after surgery / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the features of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) of the hippocampus in schizophrenia patients before and after stereotactic neurosurgery.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>1H-MRS was performed to determine NAA/Cr and CHO/Cr ratios on the bilateral hippocampal regions before and after stereotactic neurosurgery in 20 schizophrenia patients, with 20 healthy individuals as the controls.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The NAA/Cr ratio in the hippocampal regions was significantly lower and the CHO/Cr ratio significantly higher in schizophrenia patients before the surgery than in the healthy controls (P<0.01). The NAA/Cr and CHO/Cr ratios in the hippocampal regions underwent no significant changes in the patients after the surgeries (P>0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Neuronal and cell membrane metabolism impairment is present in the hippocampus of schizophrenia patients, and stereotactic neurosurgery does not produce obvious adverse effects on the cell membrane metabolism in the hippocampus of the patients.</p>

Effects of fluoxetine and amitriptyline on rat behaviors in forced swimming test and phosphorylated ERK1/2 level in rat brain / 中华神经医学杂志

Objective To investigate the effects of fluoxctine and amitriptyline on rat behaviors in the forced swimming test(FST)and phosphoryhted ERK1/2 level in the rat brain.Methods Thirty male SD rats were randomly divided into three groups(n=10):ftuoxefine(FLX),amitriptyline(AMT) and control(CON) groups.Treated groups were injected with 20 mg/kg fluoxetine and 20 mg/kgamitriptyline,respectively,23 h after the 15-rain pie-test of FST.The animals in CON group were injected with the same volume of distilled water.Thell a 5-min FST was conducted 1 h later.The 5-min test sessions were videotaped and the time span for each behavior(latency of immobility.immobility,swimming and climbing)was recorded.All rats were sacrificed with a perfusion of 4% paraformaldehyde immediately after the termination of the test.Immunohistochernical ABC staining was used to observe the distribution of pERK1/2-like immunoreactive(LI)neurons in the brain. Results(1)The latency of immobility in AMT group was significantly longer than that of CON group during the 5 min FST (P<0.05),and the climbing time in AMT group was longer than that of CON group and FLX group(P<0.05),while the duration of immobility in AMT group was obviously shorter in comparison with CON group (P<0.05).The duration of swimming behavior in FLX group was longer than that of CON group as well as AMT group(p<0.05).(2)Numbers of pERK1/2-LIneurons in FLX group were greatly reduced in prefrontal codex(PFC),cingulate gyms(Cg)and prelimbic cortex(Prl) in comparison with that of CON and AMT group(P<0.05),while the expressed pERK1/2 in AMT group was significantly decreased in the neurons of ventrolateral septum(LSV)in comparison with that of CON group(P<0.05).And compared with CON group,the numbers of pERKl/2-LI neurons in both drug treated groups were greatly reduced in hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and more significantly in AMT group(P<0.01).Conclusion Administration of fluoxetine and amitriptyline have different effects on rat behaviorals in the FST.Both of them may be have some effects on anti-negative psychological stress.The ERKI/2 pathway possibly plays a role in this process.

Glycocorticosteroid administration prevents fulminant hepatic failure occurrence in patients with chronic hepatitis B of severe degree / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To prevent chronic severe hepatitis, even more fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) occurrence in patients with chronic hepatitis B of severe degree using steroid.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>120 patients were randomized into conventional supporting treatment and steroid treatment groups. The latter, 62 patients were given intravenously hydrocortisone sodium succinate at the dose of 150 mg to approximately 200 mg everyday plus support care.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The rate of deteriorating to chronic severe hepatitis in steroid treatment group was significantly lower than that of conventional group (22% vs 48%, x(2) =7.60, P<0.01). 53.6% (15/28) patients with chronic severe hepatitis in conventional group died, while only 28.6% (4/14) in steroid treatment group succumbed to terminal liver disease (x(2)=0.02, P>0.05). There was no difference between the two groups regarding to complications incidence: gastrointestinal bleeding and infections except for some controllable serious reverse events, such as candidiasis, diabetes, herpes zoster and pulmonary tuberculosis found in some patients in steroid-treated group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>These results suggest that steroid administration with improved support care not only is likely to prevent chronic severe hepatitis occurrence in patients with chronic viral hepatitis of severe degree, but also shows some efficacy for FHF, which warrant further investigation.</p>