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CCAAT enhancer binding protein β (C/EBPβ), as a nuclear transcription factor necessary for the development of liver, airway epithelium, and adipose tissue, plays a vital role in physiological processes related to cell proliferation, apoptosis, and differentiation. However, the up-regulation of C/EBPβ activates signal pathways related to inflammatory response, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, cell proliferation and invasion, immune response, and angiogenesis by regulating a series of downstream genes transcription promotes the development of lung diseases. Therefore, targeting C/EBPβ may be a potential treatment strategy for lung diseases. This paper summarizes the regulatory effects of C/EBPβ and related signaling pathways in lung infection, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung injury, pulmonary fibrosis, and lung cancer to provide a theoretical basis for the precision medicine of lung diseases.
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Objective:To explore the value of bedside chest radiograph in the diagnosis and follow-up of severe and critical COVID-19.Methods:Twenty-nine patients with severe or critical COVID-19 were collected from January 23 to February 23, 2020，from four COVID-19 designated hospitals in Guangdong Province. Bedside radiography was taken in all the 29 patients, ranged from 1 to 16 times for each patient. Twenty-seven patients underwent follow-up, and the number of re-examination ranged 1 to 15 times, and the interval of review is 1 to 8 days.The imaging findings of bedside chest radiography and the imaging changes on follow-up chest radiography were analyzed retrospectively.Results:Twenty-nine patients were collected. The radiography showed the lesions involved all more than 3 lung fields. The films showed consolidation shadow in 19 cases, multiple patches of shadow in 23 cases, reticular pattern in 12 cases, strips shadow in 14 cases, interlobar fissure thickening in 18 cases, and "white lung" in 4 cases.The complications included pleural effusion in 4 cases, pneumothorax in 2 cases, mediastinal and subcutaneous emphysema in 1 case. The radiography showed the lesions progressed in 15 cases, with expanded involvement of the lung.The increase of lesion density was found in 6 cases, new lesions were noted in 5 cases, while both of them were found in 4 cases. Nine cases showed improvement, with reduced range and decreased density. Patchy or consolidation shadow turned to strips shadow or articular pattern shadow in 8 cases.There was no significant change in 3 cases with large consolidation shadow.Conclusions:Bedside chest radiography has a good value in the follow-up of severely and critically ill patients with COVID-19, and can provide great help for clinicians to evaluate their condition.
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Objective To investigate the application value of intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) MRI for evaluating the sensitivity of chemoradiotherapy on nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Methods Sixty eight consecutive patients newly diagnosed with NPC in the stage of T3 (30 patients) or T4 (38 patients) were retrospectively enrolled. They were divided into effective group (45 patients) and poor?effective group (23 patients) clinically after a standard chemoradiotherapy according to the RECIST criteria. IVIM with 13 b?values (range,0 to 800 s/mm2) and general MRI were performed at 3.0 T MR scanner before and after chemoradiotherapy. Two radiologists major in MRI diagnose analyzed all images independently and placed regions of interest (ROIs). Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to evaluate intra?observer and inter?observer agreement. And Mann?Whitney test was used to assess the differences between the two groups. Results The reproducibility between intra?observer and inter?observer was relatively good. Statistically,D [(0.69±0.06)×10?3 mm2/s vs. (0.52±0.10)×10?3 mm2/s; U=51.5,P<0.01)] and D* [(161.33 ± 11.50)×10-3 mm2/s vs. (126.96 ± 10.27)×10-3 mm2/s; U=18.0, P<0.01] were significantly higher in effective group than those in poor?effective group, whereas the difference of f (16.68 ± 1.94% vs. 16.40±1.11%, U=434.5, P=0.282) and ADC (1.23±0.11)×10?3 mm2/s vs. (1.25±0.10)×10?3 mm2/s,U=427.0,P=0.240) could not reach statistical significance between the 2 groups (P>0.05). Conclusions IVIM may be potentially useful in assessing the chemoradiotherapy on NPC. The higher D value combined with higher D*value might indicate the chemoradiotherapy on NPC is more sensitive,and the higher D*value might reflect increased blood vessel generation and parenchymal perfusion in NPC.
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Objective To investigate the correlation between eigenvalues(λ∥ andλ⊥)of sciatic nerve and limb function in a rabbit model of acute nerve traction inj ury for finding the role ofλ∥ andλ⊥ on diagnosis of nerve inj uries.Methods The right sciatic nerves of 32 Newland rabbits were selected to be performed as traction injury,and then left sciatic nerves were treated as control for the sham operation side.MRI DTI scan was performed before and after the operation on 1 day ,3 day,and 1 week,2,3,4,6 and 8 weeks respectively.Theλ∥ andλ⊥ of inj ured sciatic nerves and sham operated nerves were measured,meanwhile functional exami-nations were evaluated,and then analyzing the correlation betweenλ⊥ of inj ured sciatic nerves and the score of inj ured limb function in the periods of 3 days to 8 weeks;finally different portions of sciatic nerve were removed for histological examinations.Results Theλ⊥ of inj ured sciatic nerves in the proximal portion was slightly increased at 3 days and recovered to the normal at 2 weeks.Theλ⊥ of inj ured sciatic nerves in the traction portion and distal portion were slightly raised at 1 day,reached to its maximum value at 3 days,and then decreased gradually after 1 week and dropped to the pre-operation level after 4 weeks.Theλ⊥ of inj ured sciatic nerves in the proximal portions was significantly higher than that of the sham-operated nerves from 1 day to 1 week(F=7.275,P=0.000). Theλ⊥ of inj ured sciatic nerves in the traction portion and distal portion were significantly higher than that of the sham-operated nerves from 1 day to 3 weeks(F=5.851,F=3.794,P=0.001,P=0.000).However,there was no significantly difference between theλ∥ of inj ured nerves in each portion and sham-operated nerves .The negative correlation between theλ⊥ of inj ured sciatic nerves in the distal portion and the score of the nerve function in the injured limb was found (r=-0.938,r=-0.897,P<0.01).Conclu-sion Theλ⊥ of inj ured nerves in the traction portion and distal portion could monitor the process of degeneration and regeneration of sciatic nerve in traction inj ury,while theλ∥ plays no obvious role in diagnosis of nerve inj uries.
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Objective To explore the metabolite profiles of mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs)underwent death using 9.4 T high resolution MR spectroscopy.Methods MSCs were cultured and treated for 6,12 and 24 hours in a stimulated condition which included hypoxia,serum deprivation and changes of microenvironment.Cell death and the mortality was detected by light microscopy,Hocchst staining and flow cytometry analyses.The morality of stem cells was analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA).Cell metabolite extraction was prepared by methanol-chloroform(M/C) method and analyzed on a 9.4 T MR device.1H-MR spectroscopy was obtained and the metabolite concentration of each time point was calculated and compared using one way ANOVA,the difference between two groups was analyzed by SNK test.Results Necrosis was the major form of cell death in the built model.The morality of every time sets was 16±4(0 h),658±61 (6 h),1 571 ± 154(12 h) and 2 816± 178(24 h) respectively,and the difference between each groups were statistically significant (F=298.96,P＜0.01).After induced stem cells death for 6,12 and 24 h,the metabolite concentrations at 0.89 ppm was (1.48±0.69),(2.32±0.63)and (2.15±0.45)nmol/mg respectively,and increased compared to thc control[(1.41 ±0.25)nmol/mg]with statistical significance (F=329.57,P＜0.01).The metabolite concentrations at 1.28 ppm was (6.42±0.31),(7.26±0.32)and (7.01 ±0.61)nmol/mg,respectively,and increased compared to the control[(5.76 ±0.74)nmol/mg]with statistical significance (F=19.56,P＜0.01).The metabolite concentrations at 1.60 ppm was (2.36±0.31),(2.29±0.16)and (2.31 ± 0.24) nmol/mg respectively,and increased compared to the control[(1.96 ± 0.27)nmol/mg]with statistical significance (F=4.35,P＜0.05).After induced stem cells death for 12 hours,the metabolite concentrations at 0.89 ppm was increased compared to 6 hours with statistical significance (P＜0.05).The metabolite concentrations at 1.28 ppm was increased compared to 6 hours with statistical significance (P＜0.05).After induced stem cells death for 24 hours,the metabolite concentrations at 0.89 ppm was decreased compared to 12 hours with statistical significance (P＜0.05).Conclusions There are some specific characteristics on MRS of MSCs underwent death,and the fatty acid peak may serve as a biomarker for cell death.
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Objective To assess the value of the clinical application of two dimensions reconstruction and surface shaded display (SSD) with multiple slices spiral CT in diagnosis of peripheral pulmonary carcinoma .Methods Peripheral pulmonary carcinomas in 35 cases were scanned by multiple slices spiral CT. The source images of CT were reconstructed by two dimensions reconstruction and surface shaded display (SSD) techniques.Results The images of two dimensions reconstruction could show the internal structure of lesions,lobulated sign burr sign,the vessels surrounding the focus,and the relation between focus and pleural as well as mediastina,but the relation of tumor and the organs surrounding the tumor could be showed not stereoscopically and directly.The images of SSD could not only reveal the relation between focus and surrounding organs in different dirctions but also revealed the features of pulmonary carcinoma stereoscopically and directly.Conclusion It is valuable for diagnosis of peripheral pulmonary carcinoma that application of SSD based on the images of two dimensions reconstruction.
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Objective To evaluate the clinical application of two dimensions reconstruction(TDR) and multiple planes reconstruction(MPR) technique with multiple slices spiral CT in diagnosis for peripheral pulmonary carcinoma(PPC).Methods 17 cases of peripheral pulmonary carcinoma were examined with the multiple slices spiral CT scan and MPR.Results The imaging of TDR revealed the internal structure ,burr sign and petaline sign of PPC and the surrounding vessels of focus. It also showed the spatial structure between focus and pleural , mediastine. But the area and the features of the imaging of TDR were limited. The MPR could reveal the spatial structure between focus and pleural , mediastine in many aspects .It also revealed the features of pulmonary carcinoma and the spatial structure between focus and surrounding tissue.Conclusion It is valuable for diagnosis of peripheral pulmonary carcinoma that application of MPR based on the imaging of two dimensions reconstruction.
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Objective To study CT findings, diagnosis and differential diagnosis for prostate cancer. Methods 28 cases with prostate cancer confirmed by surgery and pathology, of them 4 cases were recurrence after operation. Results In 24 cases confirmed by surgery 21 (87.5%) were diagnosed by CT. Their CT appearances were : (1) Focus: in non enhanced scanning the prostate was enlarged unevenly in 18 cases. The density of the mass was slightly lower than the normal prostate in 17 cases, and equal to normal in 11 cases. Patchy calcification was seen in 2 cases moderate. In enhanced scanning, 22 cases showed nodular enhancement but slightly less than normal, 6 cases were equal to normal. (2) Metastastic lesions: 8 cases had local thickened bladder wall, 4 cases had enlarged seminal vesicle with unneven density, 2 cases with thickened anterior wall of rectum.And pelvis mass, enlarged lymph nodes, bony destruction of pelvis and pulmonary metastasses 1 case for each respectively. Conclusion (1) It is emphasized enhanced CT study should be a routine examination in the diagnosis of prostate cancer by CT; (2)CT can define the extent of the lesion and metastases thereby helpful to predict the prognosis and evaluate the effect of treatment.