OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the incidence, characteristics, and variations of the falcine sinus with contrast-enhanced three-dimentional (3D) thin-section magnetic resonance (MR) images. MATERIALS AND METHODS: retrospective review identified 1531 patients (745 males and 786 females, 2 months to 85 years) who underwent cranial MR imaging including T1-weighted imaging, T2-weighted imaging, T2-weighted fluid-attenuated inversion recovery, contrast-enhanced 3D thin-section sagittal scans, and MR venography, from June 2014 to January 2016. The incidence, characteristics of the falcine sinus, and coexisted intracranial lesions were confirmed by two neuroradiologists. RESULTS: Falcine sinuses were identified in 81 (38 males and 43 females) cases (5.3%, 81/1531, 5 months to 76 years of age) with calibers ranging from 2.3 mm to 17.0 mm. Three major forms of falcine sinuses were defined: arch-like (n = 47), stick-like (n = 22), and bifurcated (n = 12). Persistent falcine sinuses were found in 57 cases, among which 3 cases showed complicated cerebral anomalies, and 2 cases showed smaller straight sinuses. Recanalization of falcine sinuses were found in 24 cases, including 17 cases with tumor compression, 6 cases with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, and one case with hypertrophic meningitis. CONCLUSION: Falcine sinus is not as rare as has been reported previously. Most falcine sinuses are not associated with congenital cerebral abnormalities. Diseases that cause increased pressure in the venous sinus may lead to recanalization of falcine sinus. Illustrating the characteristics of falcine sinus may prompt a more comprehensive understanding and diagnosis of associated diseases, and avoid potential surgical damage in the future.
Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Male ; Meningitis ; Phlebography ; Retrospective Studies ; Sinus Thrombosis, Intracranial

The activities on the inhibition of NO on LPS-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages were investigated in this work. A simple and sensitive method has been developed and validated for fingerprinting analysis of leaves of Acanthopanax gracilistylus W.W. Smith (AGS). The cytotoxicity and inhibition of NO on LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells of the extract and triterpenoids were determined. Optimal conditions of HPLC analysis were established as follows. The separation was performed with an ODS-C18 column at 30 degrees C, the detected wavelength was 210 nm, the flow rate was 1 mL/min, and the mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile (0.05% phosphoric acid)
Eleutherococcus ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; Chromatography ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Dermatoglyphics ; Herbal Medicine ; Macrophages ; Methanol ; Plants

PURPOSE: Increased lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) activity and Rho kinase activity may be associated with atherosclerosis. The principal aim of this study was to examine whether darapladib (a selective Lp-PLA2 inhibitor) could reduce the elevated Lp-PLA2 and Rho kinase activity in atherosclerosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Studies were performed in male Sprague-Dawley rats. The atherosclerosis rats were prepared by feeding them with a high-cholesterol diet for 10 weeks. Low-dose darapladib (25 mg.kg-1.d-1) and high-dose darapladib (50 mg.kg-1.d-1) interventions were then administered over the course of 2 weeks. RESULTS: The serum levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and Lp-PLA2, significantly increased in atherosclerosis model groups, as did Rho kinase activity and cardiomyocyte apoptosis (p<0.05 vs. sham group), whereas nitric oxide (NO) production was reduced. Levels of TC, LDL-C, CRP, Lp-PLA2, and Rho kinase activity were respectively reduced in darapladib groups, whereas NO production was enhanced. When compared to the low-dose darapladib group, the reduction of the levels of TC, LDL-C, CRP, and Lp-PLA2 was more prominent in the high-dose darapladib group (p<0.05), and the increase of NO production was more prominent (p<0.05). Cardiomyocyte apoptosis of the high-dose darapladib group was also significantly reduced compared to the low-dose darapladib group (p<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in Rho kinase activity between the low-dose darapladib group and the high-dose darapladib group (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Darapladib, a Lp-PLA2 inhibitor, leads to cardiovascular protection that might be mediated by its inhibition of both Rho kinase and Lp-PLA2 in atherosclerosis.
1-Alkyl-2-acetylglycerophosphocholine Esterase/*antagonists & inhibitors/blood/drug effects ; Animals ; Atherosclerosis/blood/*drug therapy/*enzymology ; *Benzaldehydes ; C-Reactive Protein/metabolism ; Cholesterol/blood ; Cholesterol, HDL/blood ; Cholesterol, LDL/blood ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Male ; *Oximes ; Phospholipase A2 Inhibitors/*administration & dosage/adverse effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Triglycerides/blood ; rho-Associated Kinases/*metabolism

To determine heat-shock protein (Hsp)90 expression is connected with cellular apoptotic response to heat stress and its mechanism, chicken (Gallus gallus) primary myocardial cells were treated with the Hsp90 promoter, aspirin, and its inhibitor, geldanamycin (GA), before heat stress. Cellular viability, heat-stressed apoptosis and reactive oxygen species level under different treatments were measured, and the expression of key proteins of the signaling pathway related to Hsp90 and their colocalization with Hsp90 were detected. The results showed that aspirin treatment increased the expression of protein kinase B (Akt), the signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)-3 and p-IKKα/β and the colocalization of Akt and STAT-3 with Hsp90 during heat stress, which was accompanied by improved viability and low apoptosis. GA significantly inhibited Akt expression and p-IKKα/β level, but not STAT-3 quantity, while the colocalization of Akt and STAT-3 with Hsp90 was weakened, followed by lower cell viability and higher apoptosis. Aspirin after GA treatment partially improved the stress response and apoptosis rate of tested cells caused by the recovery of Akt expression and colocalization, rather than the level of STAT-3 (including its co-localization with Hsp90) and p-IKKα/β. Therefore, Hsp90 expression has a positive effect on cellular capacity to resist heat-stressed injury and apoptosis. Moreover, inhibition of Hsp90 before stress partially attenuated its positive effects.
Animals ; Apoptosis/physiology ; Aspirin/pharmacology ; Benzoquinones/pharmacology ; Blotting, Western/veterinary ; Chick Embryo/cytology ; Flow Cytometry/veterinary ; HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins/agonists ; HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins/antagonists & inhibitors ; HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins/metabolism ; HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins/physiology ; Heat-Shock Response/physiology ; In Vitro Techniques ; Lactams, Macrocyclic/pharmacology ; Myocardium/cytology ; Myocardium/metabolism ; Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Upregulated CD64 expression on neutrophils is the most useful marker for acute bacterial infections and systemic inflammation. However, it is unknown whether CD64 is involved in the pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis (AP). This study was designed to determine whether CD64 is implicated in severe acute pancreatitis (SAP), and thus, is a suitable marker for SAP. METHODS: SAP was induced in rats with an intraperitoneal injection of L-arginine. CD64 expression in the rat pancreas was determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry. Additionally, the CD64 mRNA expression in peripheral blood leukocytes from 21 patients with mild acute pancreatitis (MAP) and 10 patients with SAP was investigated at the time of admission and during remission by qRT-PCR. RESULTS: CD64 mRNA and protein expression in the pancreas was significantly higher in rats with SAP, compared to the controls. The CD64 expression was higher in the patients with SAP than in the patients with MAP. During remission, CD64 mRNA decreased in both the MAP and SAP patients. The area under the curve of CD64 expression for the detection of SAP was superior to both the Ranson and the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores. CONCLUSIONS: The CD64 level was significantly increased in correlation with the disease severity in SAP and may act as a useful marker for predicting the development of SAP.
Acute Disease ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Animals ; Arginine/toxicity ; Female ; History, Ancient ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatitis/*metabolism ; RNA, Messenger/metabolism ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, IgG/*metabolism ; Up-Regulation ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To assess the performance of a whole-tumor histogram analysis of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps in differentiating thymic carcinoma from lymphoma, and compare it with that of a commonly used hot-spot region-of-interest (ROI)-based ADC measurement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Diffusion weighted imaging data of 15 patients with thymic carcinoma and 13 patients with lymphoma were retrospectively collected and processed with a mono-exponential model. ADC measurements were performed by using a histogram-based and hot-spot-ROI-based approach. In the histogram-based approach, the following parameters were generated: mean ADC (ADCmean), median ADC (ADCmedian), 10th and 90th percentile of ADC (ADC10 and ADC90), kurtosis, and skewness. The difference in ADCs between thymic carcinoma and lymphoma was compared using a t test. Receiver operating characteristic analyses were conducted to determine and compare the differentiating performance of ADCs. RESULTS: Lymphoma demonstrated significantly lower ADCmean, ADCmedian, ADC10, ADC90, and hot-spot-ROI-based mean ADC than those found in thymic carcinoma (all p values < 0.05). There were no differences found in the kurtosis (p = 0.412) and skewness (p = 0.273). The ADC10 demonstrated optimal differentiating performance (cut-off value, 0.403 × 10−3 mm2/s; area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC], 0.977; sensitivity, 92.3%; specificity, 93.3%), followed by the ADCmean, ADCmedian, ADC90, and hot-spot-ROI-based mean ADC. The AUC of ADC10 was significantly higher than that of the hot spot ROI based ADC (0.977 vs. 0.797, p = 0.036). CONCLUSION: Compared with the commonly used hot spot ROI based ADC measurement, a histogram analysis of ADC maps can improve the differentiating performance between thymic carcinoma and lymphoma.
Area Under Curve ; Diffusion* ; Humans ; Lymphoma* ; Retrospective Studies ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Thymoma*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlation between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and visceral adipose tissue in non-obese Chinese adults using computed tomography (CT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 454 subjects undergoing abdominal CT scan. Degree of CT attenuation in liver and spleen, and the degree of fat infiltration in liver were evaluated according to three indices: the attenuation value of liver parenchyma (CTLP), the attenuation ratio of liver and spleen (LSratio) and the attenuation difference between liver and spleen (LSdif). Visceral fat area (VFA) and total fat area (TFA) at L2/3 and L4/5 levels were measured, and the abdominal subcutaneous fat area (SFA) was calculated. Bivariate correlation analysis was carried out to determine the correlation among these factors. RESULTS: In men, VFA, SFA and TFA at L2/3 and L4/5 levels showed significant differences in terms of the three indices to distinguish fatty liver from non-fatty liver (all, p < 0.001). In men, all the three indices showed negative correlation with TFA, SFA and VFA (all, p < 0.001). The negative correlation between the three indices and VFA at the L2/3 level was higher than at L4/5 level (r = −0.476 vs. r = −0.340 for CTLP, r = −0.502 vs. r = −0.413 for LSratio, r = −0.543 vs. r = −0.422 for LSdif, p < 0.001, respectively). The negative correlation between LSratio, LSdif and VFA at L2/3 and L4/5 levels was higher than SFA at the corresponding level. In women, all the three indices showed negative correlation with VFA and TFA at L2/3 and L4/5 levels, and the negative correlation between CTLP and VFA was higher at L2/3 level than at L4/5 level (r = −0.294 vs. r = −0.254, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In non-obese Chinese adults, the degree of hepatic fatty infiltration showed a strong correlation with abdominal fat on CT. VFA at L2/3 level was more closely related to fatty liver compared with VFA at L4/5 level.
Abdominal Fat ; Adult* ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Fatty Liver ; Female ; Humans ; Intra-Abdominal Fat* ; Liver ; Male ; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease* ; Spleen ; Subcutaneous Fat, Abdominal ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

In this study, we used next-generation sequencing methods to screen 300 individuals for BRCA1 and BRCA2. A novel mutation (c.849dupT) in BRCA2 was identified in a female patient and her unaffected brothers. This mutation leads to the truncation of BRCA2 functional domains. Moreover, BRCA2 mRNA expression levels in mutation carriers are significantly reduced compared to noncarriers. Immunofluorescence and western blot assays showed that this mutation resulted in reduced BRCA2 protein expression. Thus, we identified a novel mutation that damaged the function and expression of BRCA2 in a family with breast cancer history. The pedigree analysis suggested that this mutation is strongly associated with familial breast cancer. Genetic counsellors suggest that mutation carriers in this family undergo routine screening for breast cancer, as well as other malignancies, such as prostate and ovarian cancer. The effects of this BRCA2 mutation on drug resistance should be taken into consideration during treatment.
Blotting, Western ; BRCA2 Protein ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Drug Resistance ; Female ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Genes, BRCA2 ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Nonsense Mediated mRNA Decay* ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Pedigree ; Prostate ; RNA, Messenger ; Siblings

No abstract available.
Humans ; Interferon-gamma* ; Pityriasis Rosea*

PURPOSE: We investigated whether recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) could promote the development of preinvasive and invasive breast cancer in mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV-erbB2) mice with estrogen receptor-positive tumors. METHODS: MMTV-erbB2 mice were randomly divided into three experimental groups with 20 mice in each group. MMTV-erbB2 mice were treated with daily subcutaneous injections of vehicle or rhG-CSF (low-rhG-CSF group, rhG-CSF 0.125 microg; vehicle-rhG-CSF group, normal saline 0.25 microg; and high-rhG-CSF group, rhG-CSF 0.25 microg) at 3 months of age. Cellular and molecular mechanisms of G-CSF action in mammary glands were investigated via immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Low, but not high, rhG-CSF doses significantly accelerated mammary tumorigenesis in MMTV-erbB2 mice. Short-term treatment with rhG-CSF could significantly promote the development of preinvasive mammary lesions. The cancer prevention effect was associated with reduced expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen, cluster of differentiation 34, and signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 in mammary glands by >80%. CONCLUSION: We found that G-CSF was regulated by rhG-CSF both in vitro and in vivo. Identification of G-CSF genes helped us further understand the mechanism by which G-CSF promotes cancer. Low doses of rhG-CSF could significantly increase tumor latency and increase tumor multiplicity and burden. Moreover, rhG-CSF effectively promotes development of both malignant and premalignant mammary lesions in MMTV-erbB2 mice.
Animals ; Breast Neoplasms ; Carcinogenesis ; Cell Proliferation ; Estrogens* ; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor* ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Injections, Subcutaneous ; Mammary Glands, Human ; Mammary Tumor Virus, Mouse ; Mice* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; Reverse Transcription ; Transducers