Evaluation of renal tissue ischemia-reperfusion injury with ultrasound radiation force and targeted microbubbles / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the sensitivity and feasibility of detecting microvascular inflammation in renal ischemia- reperfusion injury using microbubbles (MB) targeted to the intercellular adhesion molecule ICAM-1 and ultrasound radiation force (USRF).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Mouse models of kidney ischemia-reperfusion were randomized into 5 groups with reperfusion time of 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 h (IRlh, IR3h, IR6h, IR12h, and IR24h group, respectively). Each group was subdivided into targeted MB group (MBgroup) and targeted MB +USRF group (MBgroup). Kidney enhancement and the video intensity (VI) of the kidneys were compared among the groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In normal mice in either Mor MBgroup, no obvious enhancement of the kidney or significant increase in VI of the kidneys was observed (P=0.923). The kidneys were enhanced in all the mice with renal ischemia-reperfusion injury, and with the passage of time, the enhancement increased progressively. VI in the kidneys of mice with renal ischemia-reperfusion injury in MBgroup increased more significantly compared with the MBgroup. Significant difference in the VI was noted among the groups with different perfusion time but not between IR12h and IR24h groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Microbubbles targeted to ICAM-1 combined with USRF can effectively evaluate renal ischemia-reperfusion injury in mice and can be used for early evaluation of microvascular inflammation and other endothelial responses.</p>

Association of RNASET2 gene polymorphisms and haplotypes with Graves disease in Han Chinese population from coastal regions of Shandong / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the association of RNASET2 gene polymorphisms and haplotypes with Graves disease (GD) in Han Chinese population from coastal regions of Shandong Province.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 471 GD patients and 472 controls were enrolled. Genotypes of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in RNASET2 gene were determined with a Taqman probe on a Fluidigm EPl platform. Haplotypes and their frequencies were analyzed with a SHEsis online software.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There was a significant difference in allele frequencies of rs3777722, rs3777723 and rs9355610 between the GD patients and the controls (P=0.018; P=0.028; P=0.021).Allele frequencies of rs3777722 and rs9355610 were significantly lower in GD than in the controls (P=0.018, P=0.021). Haplotypes A-A-C-A and A-A-T-A were significantly more common in the control group compared with the GD group (P=0.046, OR=0.448, 95%CI:0.200-1.006; P=0.049, OR=0.823, 95%CI:0.678-0.999). The frequency of C-G-C-G haplotype was significantly higher in GD patient group than the control group (P=0.018).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>RNASET2 gene polymorphisms and haplotypes are associated with GD in Han population from coastal areas of Shandong Province. rs3777722 and rs9355610 may contribute to the risk for GD.</p>

Preliminary study of an intracavitary convex array probe for detecting distal extracranial internal carotid artery by transoral carotid ultrasonography / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the feasibility of using an intracavitary convex array probe for detecting the distal extracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) by transoral carotid ultrasonography (TOCU).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty patients underwent examinations with bilateral ICA inspected with an intracavitary convex array probe by TOCU to observe the internal diameter, visible length, peak systolic velocity (PSV), end-diastolic velocity (EDV) and resistance index (RI).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Eight of the 40 patients were excluded from the observation for the presence of carotid plaques. The examination was terminated in two patients due to sensitive throat and severe pharyngeal reflex. The rest of the patients completed the examination of the internal diameter, visible length, PSV, EDV and RI, which showed no statistically significant differences among them (P>0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Using intracavitary convex array probe, the distal extracranial ICA disease can be diagnosed with higher accuracy.</p>

Effect and risk analysis of misoprostol in stimulating cervical maturity for post-term pregnancy / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the effect and risk of misoprostol for stimulating cervical maturity in women with post-term pregnancy negative for insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) in cervical secretion with modified Bishop score less than 3.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Seventy-one women with post-term pregnancy randomized into misoprostol group (n=37) and control group (n=34) received misoprostol placement at the posterior vaginal fornix and routine intravenous oxytocin infusion, respectively, to stimulate cervical maturity. Failure to respond to the treatment within the initial 24 h necessitated a repeated administration for no more than 3 times in all. Modified Bishop score was recorded and fetal heart monitored once every 24 h, and IGFBP-1 in the cervical secretion was detected at 24 and 48 h after drug administration.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The misoprostol group showed better effect of cervical maturity stimulation than the control group (P<0.001), and the positivity rates of IGFBP-1 24 and 48 h after drug administration were significantly higher than that of the control group (P<0.01 and 0.001). The number of cases with indication for cesarean section was significant higher in the control group (P<0.001). There were no significant differences in postpartum hemorrhage, excessive uterine contraction, incidence of fecal contamination of the amniotic fluid or Apgar score of the newborn between the two groups (P>0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Misoprostol is safe and effective for stimulating cervical maturity in women with post-term pregnancy who have modified Bishop score lower than 3 and are negative for IGPBF-1 in cervical secretion. Oxytocin is not advised for use in such gravida for stimulating cervical maturity. IGFBP-1 in cervical secretion may serve as an important index for evaluating the cervical maturity.</p>

Effects of insulin treatment on intracellular lipid content in livers and insulin resistance in type 2 diabetic rats / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study effects of insulin treatment on intracellular lipid content in livers and insulin resistance of type 2 diabetic rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Type 2 diabetic rats were induced by injecting streptozotocin (25 mg/kg) and fat rich food. Then according to the results of the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and glucose-induced insulin secretion test (IST), the rats were divided into two groups: control group (DC) and insulin treated group (DI). Normal rats (NC) served as controls. The treatment of each group with either NPH insulin (4 approximately 6 U . kg-1. d-1), or saline continued for 4 weeks. Body weight, OGTT, IST, blood lipids, intracellular lipids in liver and liver histology were studied. The insulin sensitivity index (ISI) was applied to assess the status of insulin resistance.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Blood lipid and intracellular lipids in livers in the DC were higher than those in NC (t = 2.59 approximately 15.77, P < 0.05) and the ISI was lower (t = 3.16, P < 0.05), with many fatty droplets appearing in the livers. In comparison to DC, DI showed that blood lipids were decreased, but lipids in livers were markedly increased (TG, TC, FFA increased 55.7%, 19.87%, 22.2%, respectively), and fatty droplets in hepatocytes were larger, but the ISI did not change significantly.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Insulin treatment can make blood glucose normal, increase the intracellular lipid content in the liver, and not increase the insulin resistance significantly.</p>