Ultrasonographic Characteristics of Cortical Sulcus Development in the Human Fetus between 18 and 41 Weeks of Gestation / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Fetal brain development is a complicated process that continues throughout pregnancy. Fetal sulcus development has typical morphological features. Assessment of fetal sulcus development to understand the cortical maturation and development by prenatal ultrasound has become widespread. This study aimed to explore a reliable method to assess cortical sulcus and to describe the normal sonographic features of cortical sulcus development in the human fetus between 18 and 41 weeks of gestation.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A cross-sectional study was designed to examine the fetal cortical sulcus development at 18-41 weeks of gestation. Ultrasound was used to examine the insula, sylvian fissure (SF), parieto-occipital fissure (POF), and calcarine fissure (CF). Bland-Altman plots were used for assessing the concordance, and the intraclass correlation coefficient was used for assessing the reliability.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>SF images were successfully obtained in 100% of participants at 22 weeks of gestation, while the POF images and CF images could be obtained in 100% at 23 weeks of gestation and 24 weeks of gestation, respectively. The SF width, temporal lobe depth, POF depth, and the CF depth increased with the developed gestation. The width of uncovered insula and the POF angle decreased with the developed gestation. By 23 weeks of gestation, the insula was beginning to be covered. Moreover, it completed at 35 weeks of gestation. The intra- and inter-observer agreements showed consistent reproducibility.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>This study defined standard views of the fetal sulcus as well as the normal reference ranges of these sulcus measurements between 18 and 41 weeks of gestation. Such ultrasonographic measurements could be used to identify fetuses at risk of fetal neurological structural disorders.</p>

Combination therapy of FK228 with rapamycin synergistically promotes human breast cancer cell apoptosis by DNA damage and cell cycle arrest / 中国病理生理杂志

[ ABSTRACT] AIM:To investigate the depressant effect of FK228 combined with rapamycin on the human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 and MDA-MB-435.METHODS:FK228, a new histone deacetylase inhibitor, and rapamycin, the specific inhibitor of the mammalian target of rapamycin ( mTOR) protein, were used in the study.MCF-7 cells and MDA-MB-435 cells were exposed to different concentrations of FK228 and rapamycin.The inhibitory rate of cell growth was de-termined by SRB assay.Combination index ( CI) was used to evaluate the interaction between FK228 and rapamycin.The expression of the apoptotic proteins, cycle proteins and nucleic acid proteins were detected by Western blotting.The cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry.RESULTS: Both FK228 and rapamycin showed growth inhibitory effects on the breast cancer cell lines in a time-and dose-dependent manner.CI of the 2 drugs was less than 1 when the inhibitory rate of the cell growth was 50%effective dose (ED50)~ED70, indicating a synergistic effect.The combination therapy of FK228 with rapamycin increased the apoptotic proteins, and induced the down-regulation of phosphorylated Akt and over-expres-sion of caspase-3 compared with a single use of the drugs.The combination therapy of FK228 with rapamycin reduced the cycle proteins, and the cell cycle was arrested in G2/M.The levels of phosphorylated H2AX and acetylated H3 were ob-viously increased after combination therapy.CONCLUSION:The combination therapy of FK228 with rapamycin inhibits the cell proliferation and increases apoptosis with a synergistic effect, which may become a new trend for treating endometri-al cancer.

Treatment of two chronic myeloid leukemia patients with V299L mutation by using nilotinib / 中国实验血液学杂志

This study was aimed to enhance clinical understanding the effect of nilotinib on CML patients with V299L mutation who were resistant to imatinib. Bone marrow specimens from 2 cases of CML with V299L mutation were collected before and after the treatment with nilotinib. ABL mutation was detected by nested reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by direct sequencing. The clinical characteristics of the two cases were analyzed. The results showed that both cases were resistant to imatinib presented V299L mutation. Out of them 1 case achieved complete haematological response (CHR) after treatment with nilotinib for 6 months and another case abstained obvious molecular response after using nilotinib for 7 month. V299L mutation of both cases was turned into negative after the treatment with nilotinib. It is concluded that the nilotinib can safely and effectively override tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) resistance mediated by the V299L mutation. The safety and efficacy of nilotinib for treatment of CML patients with TKI resistance and V299L mutation are satisfactory.

Prenatal diagnosis of dural sinus malformation by ultrasound / 中华医学超声杂志（电子版）

Objective To assess the prenatal features of dural sinus malformation (DSM) by ultrasound. Methods The prenatal ultrasonography and MRI examination were applied in three fetuses who were suspected as brain abnormalities and transferred to Shenzhen Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital for detailed antenatal ultrasound examination. Comparative analysis was performed on MRI, autopsy and prenatal ultrasonography. The prenatal characteristics were summarized. Results In the sonograms of all three cases, the torcular Herophili and superior sagittal sinus were dilated. No blood lfow was detected within or around lesions by color Doppler imaging. Posterior intracranial dual sinus thrombosis was detected in one case. MRI examinations were applied in two fetuses. The results of prenatal ultrasonography were consisted with those of MRI, MRI imaging showed dilated torcular Herophili and superior sagittal sinus with short T1 and short T2 signal. The thrombosis was presented as iso-hypointense with focal eccentric hyperintense. One case was undertook autopsy and the result was consisted with the prenatal sonographic findings. Conclusions The typical sonographic features of DSM is dilated torcular Herophili and superior sagittal sinus with no blood lfow in color Doppler imaging. DSM should be excluded when anechoic area was detected at the rear part of midline.

Effect of magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate on PLA2 during liver tissue injury following limb ischemia/reperfusion in rats / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate (MI) on the changes of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) induced during liver tissue injury following limb ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) in rats.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Twenty-four healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing (230+/-30) g were randomly divided into three groups (n = 8 each) as follows: control (Group C: anesthetization without any ischemia); I/R injury (Group I/R: 4 h ischemia induced by rubber band ligation of the left hind limb around the roots of the hind limb, followed by 6 h of reperfusion, with 1 mL normal saline given via tail vein prior to reperfusion); MI-treated group (Group MI: underwent ischemia and reperfusion, with 1 mL MI (30 mg/kg) infused prior to reperfusion). Levels of TNFa and PLA2 in plasma and liver tissue were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Levels of plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK), myeloperoxidase (MPO), and malondialdehyde (MDA), and activities of MPO and MDA in liver tissue were measured by colorimetry. Ultrastructural changes of liver tissue were observed by electron microscopy.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The MI group had significantly lower PLA2 and TNFa in liver homogenates and serum than the I/R group (both P less than 0.05). Serum ALT, AST, LDH, and CK were significantly lower in the MI group than in the I/R group (all P less than 0.05), as were the levels of MPO and MDA in liver homogenates and serum (all P less than 0.05). The I/R group showed significantly more liver tissue damage, which appeared to be attenuated in the MI group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>MI treatment can inhibit the I/R-induced TNFa, PLA2, and MDA in plasma and liver tissue, as well as decrease the I/R-induced MPO activity in rats. Thus, MI may have protective effects against liver tissue injury following limb ischemia/reperfusion.</p>

Clinical and genetic analysis of a pedigree of Kennedy disease / 浙江大学学报·医学版

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To review the clinical and genetic features of a pedigree of Kennedy disease in China.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The clinical data of patients from a Kennedy disease family were collected. The numbers of trinucleotide CAG repeats in exon 1 of the androgen receptor gene were determined by DNA sequencing and repeat fragment analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the pedigree, 4 patients were identified as Kennedy disease. Clinical manifested with adult-onset, progressive proximal limb muscle weakness and atrophy, gynecomastia, oligospermia were also presented. The number of trinucleotide CAG repeats in exon 1 of the androgen receptor gene was 51 in the proband. The electrophysiological study showed sensory and motor involvement and their serum triglycerides values were elevated significantly.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Androgen receptors gene testing is the most reliable diagnosing method, the patients suspected as Kennedy disease should have a gene testing of androgen receptors.</p>

Analysis of 993 cases of fetal malformations from 1999 to 2006 / 中国医学科学院学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the value of prenatal ultrasound in the diagnosis of fetal malformations.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 993 cases of neonates and induced babies with malformations who were labored in our hospital from January 1999 to October 2006.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The incidence rate of fetal malformation was 22.5 per thousand in our study group. The detection rate of prenatal ultrasound was 79.02% (1 062/1 344), among which the detection rate of the severe malformations (87.58%, 860/982) were significantly higher than that of the minor malformations (55.80%, 202/362) (P < 0.005). The false negative rate was high for the extremity malformations (39.46%) and facial malformations (31.91%), especially the acrosclerodermas, simple cleft palates, and ear deformities.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Prenatal ultrasound is sensitive for fetal severe malformations, while the detection rate is low for fetal minor malformations.</p>

Ultrasonographic evaluation of fetal facial anatomy (I): ultrasonographic features of normal fetal face in vitro study / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Because of lacking skills in scanning the normal fetal facial structures and their corresponding ultrasonic features, misdiagnoses frequently occur. Therefore, we studied the appearance features and improved displaying skills of fetal facial anatomy in order to provide basis for prenatal diagnosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty fetuses with normal facial anatomy from induced labor because of other malformations except facial anomalies were immersed in a water bath and then scanned ultrasonographically on coronal, sagittal and transverse planes to define the ultrasonic image features of normal anatomy. The coronal and sagittal planes obtained from the submandibular triangle were used for displaying the soft and hard palate in particular.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Facial anatomic structures of the fetus can be clearly displayed through the three routine orthogonal planes. However, the soft and hard palate can be displayed on the planes obtained from the submandibular triangle only.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The superficial soft tissues and deep bony structures of the fetal face can be recognized and evaluated by routine ultrasonographic images, which is a reliable prenatal diagnostic technique to evaluate the fetal facial anatomy. The soft and hard palate can be well demonstrated by the submandibular triangle approach.</p>