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Xylose is one of the most abundant carbohydrates in nature, and widely used to produce bioethanol via fermentation in industry. Xylulose can produce two key enzymes: xylose reductase and xylitol dehydrogenase. Owing to the disparate cofactor specificities of xylose reductase and xylitol dehydrogenase, intracellular redox imbalance is detected during the xylose fermentation, resulting in low ethanol yields. To overcome this barrier, a common strategy is applied to artificially modify the cofactor specificity of xylose reductase. In this study, we utilized molecular simulation approaches to construct a 3D (three-dimensional) structural model for the NADP-dependent Pichia stipitis xylose reductase (PsXR). Based on the 3D model, the favourable binding modes for both cofactors NAD and NADP were obtained using the flexible docking procedure and molecular dynamics simulation. Structural analysis of the favourable binding modes showed that the cofactor binding site of PsXR was composed of 3 major components: a hydrophilic pocket, a hydrophobic pocket as well as a linker channel between the aforementioned two pockets. The hydrophilic pocket could recognize the nicotinamide moiety of the cofactors by hydrogen bonding networks, while the hydrophobic pocket functioned to position the adenine moiety of the cofactors by hydrophobic and Π-Π stacking interactions. The linker channel contained some key residues for ligand-binding; their mutation could have impact to the specificity of PsXR. Finally, it was found that any of the two single mutations, K21A and K270N, might reverse the cofactor specificity of PsXR from major NADP- to NADdependent, which was further confirmed by the additional experiments. Our findings may provide useful insights into the cofactor specificity of PsXR, stimulating new strategies for better designing xylose reductase and improving ethanol production in industry.

Background: Statins are widely prescribed to reduce cholesterol levels in the prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. However, the debate about the effect of statins on cancer risk remains unsettled. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of utilization of statins with the risk of gastric cancer by carrying out a meta-analysis., Methods: A literature search was performed on PubMed and EMBASE up to March 2013 to identify the cohort or case-control studies or randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that examined the relationship between statins use and the risk of gastric cancer. The bibliographies of the retrieved articles were also reviewed to identify additional studies. A random-effects model was used to calculate the summary relative risks (RRs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs)., Results: Three post-hoc analyses of 26 RCTs involving 290 gastric cancers and eight observational studies totaling 7,321 gastric cancers were included. Statins use was shown to be significantly associated with a 27 % reduction in the risk of gastric cancer (RR = 0.73, 95 % CI = 0.58-0.93), with considerable heterogeneity among studies (I (2) = 88.9 %). Excluding one study in which all subjects are diabetic patients obtained an attenuated, but homogeneous result (RR = 0.85, 95 % CI = 0.80-0.91, I (2) = 0.0 %). These findings were consistent in the subgroup analysis., Conclusion: A meta-analysis of existing evidence, primarily from observational studies, indicates that use of statins reduces the risk of gastric cancer.

Despite the success of genome-wide association studies (GWASs) in detecting common variants (minor allele frequency ≥0.05) many suggested that rare variants also contribute to the genetic architecture of diseases. Recently, researchers demonstrated that rare variants can show a strong stratification which may not be corrected by using existing methods. In this paper, we focus on a case-parents study and consider methods for testing group-wise association between multiple rare (and common) variants in a gene region and a disease. All tests depend on the numbers of transmitted mutant alleles from parents to their diseased children across variants and hence they are robust to the effect of population stratification. We use extensive simulation studies to compare the performance of four competing tests: the largest single-variant transmission disequilibrium test (TDT), multivariable test, combined TDT, and a likelihood ratio test based on a random-effects model. We find that the likelihood ratio test is most powerful in a wide range of settings and there is no negative impact to its power performance when common variants are also included in the analysis. If deleterious and protective variants are simultaneously analyzed, the likelihood ratio test was generally insensitive to the effect directionality, unless the effects are extremely inconsistent in one direction.

Unlabelled: The present study assessed the diagnostic performances of (18)F-FDG PET or PET/CT in detecting peritoneal carcinomatosis in patients with cancer., Methods: Through a search of MEDLINE (January 1998 to September 2012), an overall weighted average for sensitivity and specificity was calculated using the weighted averages of the sample sizes in each relevant study. Pooled estimates of positive and negative likelihood ratios were calculated using fixed and random effects models, respectively, according to the heterogeneity among studies. A summary receiver operating characteristics (sROC) curve was constructed and the area under the sROC curve (AUC) was calculated. To explore heterogeneity, due to sources other than threshold effects, I-square was calculated., Results: The present study included analyses of patients (n = 513) from 7 studies. Results indicated a significant heterogeneity for sensitivity and specificity (I(2) > 50% and P < 0.05). The overall pooled estimates for sensitivity and specificity of FDG PET or PET/CT scans in the detection of peritoneal carcinomatosis were 72.4% (95% CI, 64.4%-79.5%) and 96.7% (95% CI, 94.4%-98.3%), respectively. The positive likelihood ratio was 10.414 (95% CI, 6.195-17.506) and the negative likelihood ratio 0.312 (95% CI, 0.159-0.612). The AUC was 0.9404. The overall diagnostic accuracy (Q* index) was 87.8%., Conclusion: The high specificity may provide the reliability of a positive FDG PET or PET/CT to detect peritoneal carcinomatosis in patients with cancer. FDG PET or PET/CT has only weak power to exclude the presence of peritoneal carcinomatosis. By a good overall diagnostic accuracy, FDG PET or PET/CT may prove beneficial to surgeons when selecting appropriate patients on whom to perform laparoscopy or laparotomy.

Aim: The purpose of the present study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the published literature to assess the diagnostic performance of FDG-PET or PET/CT in the detection of recurrent colorectal cancer (CRC) rising in patients with elevated CEA., Materials and Methods: The authors conducted a systematic MEDLINE search of published articles. Two reviewers independently assessed the methodological quality of each study. We estimated pooled sensitivity and specificity and positive and negative likelihood ratios, and summary receiver-operating characteristic curves in the detection of recurrent CRC in patients with elevated CEA., Results: Eleven studies with a total of 510 patients met the inclusion criteria. One hundred and six patients (106/510 = 20.8%) had true-negative FDG-PET (PET/CT) results in detection of recurrent CRC when rising CEA. The pooled estimates of sensitivity and specificity and positive and negative likelihood ratios of FDG-PET in the detection of tumor recurrence in CRC patients with elevated CEA were 90.3% (95% CI, 85.5-94.0%), 80.0% (95% CI, 67.0-89.6%), 2.88 (95% CI, 1.37-6.07), and 0.12 (95% CI, 0.07-0.20), respectively. The pooled estimates of sensitivity and specificity and positive and negative likelihood ratios of FDG-PET/CT in the detection of tumor recurrence in CRC patients with elevated CEA were 94.1% (95% CI, 89.4-97.1%), 77.2% (95% CI, 66.4-85.9%), 4.70 (95% CI, 0.82-12.13), and 0.06 (95% CI, 0.03-0.13), respectively., Conclusions: Whole-body FDG-PET and PET/CT are valuable imaging tools for the assessment of patients with suspected CRC tumor recurrence based on the increase of CEA.

Patients demonstrate notable variations in disease progression following human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. We aimed to identify ZNRD1 and RNF39 genetic variants linked to AIDS progression. We conducted a genetic association study in HIV-1-infected Han Chinese patients residing in Taiwan. The clinical characteristics of 143 HIV-1-infected patients were measured, and patients were split into 2 groups: AIDS progression and AIDS non-progression. Genotyping of ZNRD1 and RNF39 was performed in all participants. We found that patients in the AIDS progression group had higher HIV-1 viral loads and lower CD4 cell counts than did patients in the AIDS non-progression group. The frequency of the AA genotype of ZNRD1 (rs16896970) was lower in the AIDS progression group than in the AIDS non-progression group. Patients with AA genotypes had lower levels of HIV-1 viral loads and higher levels of CD4 cell counts than did patients with AG+GG genotypes. AIDS progression in patients with the AA group is significantly different from that in patients with the AG and GG groups by using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. The hazard ratio for progression was lower in the AA group than in the AG and GG groups. We identified a SNP that contributes to AIDS progression in HIV-1-infected patients in this population. This SNP had a significant protective influence on AIDS progression, and polymorphisms of the ZNRD1 gene may play a role in the pathogenesis of HIV-1 infection.

We report a case of pulmonary adenofibroma, a rare benign soft-tissue tumor characterized by a combination of glandular and spindle stromal elements, in a 55-year-old man. This case is interesting because of the unusual X-ray and computed tomography (CT) imaging findings of a well-defined, subpleural soft-tissue nodule in the inferior lobe of the left lung, which showed no enhancement after contrast scan. The tumor was resected completely via video-assisted thoracoscopy. Microscopic and immunohistochemical examinations supported the diagnosis of a benign pulmonary adenofibroma. The patient remains well with no evidence of recurrence 16 months after surgery. Although the imaging findings were nonspecific, adenofibroma may be one of diagnostic inclusions of soft-tissue nodules of the lung in middle-aged patients.

This study investigated the in vitro and in vivo antitumor effects of 5-[2,3-Dichloro-4-(2-methylene-1-oxobutyl) phenoxymethyl]-3-methyl-1,2,4- oxadiazole (6r), a novel ethacrynic acid (EA) derivative. The in vitro effect of 6r on cell proliferation of human colon, leukemia, prostate, lung, breast, ovarian and cervical tumor cell lines was assessed using MTT assay and the in vivo effect was determined with an SW620 xenografts nude mice model. The effect of 6r on expressions of GST P1-1 and apoptosis-related proteins were measured by western blotting and the effect on cell apoptosis was analysed by Hoechst 33258 nuclear staining as well as by cell surface staining of annexin V/propidium iodide. The effect on cell cycle was assessed by flow cytometry. Results showed that 6r inhibit proliferation of a range of human cancer cells in vitro and growth of SW620 tumor xenografts in vivo. The anti-proliferative effect of 6r is associated with cell apoptosis as a result of increased ratio of cellular Bax/bcl-2 expression and subsequent cytochrome-c and caspase-3 activation. Unlike EA, 6r did not show any influence on cellular GST P1-1 expression and its anti-proliferative action was associated with cell cycle arrest in G1/S-phase. In conclusion, 6r has the potential to be developed as a chemotherapeutic agent by induction of cell apoptosis but not regulating GST P1-1., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: A meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the accuracy of whole-body positron emission tomography (PET) or PET/CT in M staging of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC)., Methods: Through a search of relevant English language studies from October 1996 to September 2011, pooled estimated sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratios, negative likelihood ratios, and summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curves of whole-body PET or PET/CT in M staging of NPC were calculated., Results: Three PET and 5 PET/CT studies were identified. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, and negative likelihood ratio of FDG-PET or PET/CT were 0.83 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.77-0.88), 0.97 (95% CI, 0.95-0.98), 23.38 (95% CI, 16.22-33.69), and 0.19 (95% CI, 0.13-0.25), respectively. The area under curve was 0.9764 and Q* index estimate was 0.9307 for FDG-PET or PET/CT., Conclusion: Current evidence confirms the good diagnostic performance of the whole-body FDG-PET or PET/CT in M staging of NPC., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Unlabelled: The present study assessed the diagnostic performances of 18F-FDG PET or PET/CT in detecting pelvic and/or paraaortic lymph node metastasis in patients with endometrial cancer., Methods: Through a search of MEDLINE (January 1998 to March 2011), an overall weighted average for sensitivity and specificity as well as pooled estimates of positive and negative likelihood ratios were calculated. A summary receiver-operating-characteristics (sROC) curve was constructed and the area under the sROC curve (AUC) was calculated. I-square was calculated to explore heterogeneity., Results: The present study included 243 patients from seven studies. Results indicated a lack of significant heterogeneity for sensitivity and specificity (I2<50% and p>0.05). The overall pooled estimates for sensitivity and specificity of FDG-PET or PET/CT scans in the detection of pelvic and/or paraaortic metastasis were 63.0% (95% CI, 48.7-75.7%) and 94.7% (95% CI, 90.4-97.4%), respectively. The positive likelihood ratio was 10.465 (95% CI, 5.646-19.396) and the negative likelihood ratio 0.399 (95% CI, 0.284-0.560). The AUC was 0.9533. The overall diagnostic accuracy (Q* index) was 89.5%. Conclusion The high positive likelihood value confirms the reliability of a positive FDG-PET or PET/CT to detect pelvic and/or paraaortic lymph nodes metastasis in patients with untreated endometrial cancer. FDG-PET or PET/CT may prove beneficial to surgeons when selecting appropriate patients on whom to perform lymphadenectomy., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Unlabelled: Lymph node staging in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is challenging and important for deciding treatment policy. The role of PET/CT scans in lymph node staging of NSCLC remains controversial when comparing TB and non-TB endemic regions. This study systematically reviews the literature regarding the diagnostic performance of PET/CT in lymph node staging of patients with NSCLC, and determines its pooled sensitivity and specificity., Methods: The databases of PubMed, Medline, and Cochrane library were searched for relevant studies. Two reviewers independently assessed the methodological quality of each study. A meta-analysis of the reported sensitivity and specificity of each study was performed., Results: Seven of 86 studies were included. These studies had moderate to good methodological quality. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, and negative likelihood ratio for patient-based analyses (five studies) were 66%, 92.7%, 5.86%, and 0.41%, respectively, and those for lesion-based analyses (six studies) were 59.4%, 96.5%, 9.37%, and 0.31%, respectively. Subanalysis of endemic regions of tuberculosis (TB) showed that these regions had lower sensitivity and similar specificity to non-TB endemic regions., Conclusion: PET/CT showed high specificity in the lymph node staging of NSCLC and lower sensitivity in TB endemic regions., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The purpose of the present study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the published literature to evaluate the diagnostic performance of fluorine-18 2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (18F-FDG) PET in the pretherapeutic assessment of nodal staging in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). We conducted a systematic MEDLINE search of articles in the published literature (last update, February 2012). Two reviewers independently assessed the methodological quality of each study. We estimated pooled sensitivity, specificity, summary receiver operating characteristic curves, and summary likelihood ratios. A total of 409 patients from 10 studies were analyzed. The pooled estimates of sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, and negative likelihood ratio of 18F-FDG PET [PET/computed tomography (CT)] in the detection of pretherapeutic lymph node involvement in patients with CRC were 42.9% [95% confidence interval (CI): 36.0-50.0%], 87.9% (95% CI: 82.6-92.0%), 2.82 (95% CI: 1.96-4.07), and 0.69 (95% CI: 0.62-0.78), respectively. There is no solid evidence to support the routine clinical application of 18F-FDG PET (PET/CT) in the pretherapeutic evaluation of lymph node status in patients with CRC. However, 18F-FDG PET (PET/CT) could be used to strengthen the possibility of suspected metastatic lymph nodes detected by other imaging modalities.

Objectives: Positron emission tomography (PET) using fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) is useful for restaging renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and detecting metastatic diseases but is less satisfactory for detecting primary disease. We evaluated whether the integration of computed tomography (CT) scans with the PET system could increase the applicability of FDG-PET for RCC., Methods: The MEDLINE databases were searched for relevant studies published since 2001. Two reviewers independently assessed the methodological quality of each study identified. We then performed a meta-analysis of the sensitivity and specificity of FDG-PET findings as reported in all the selected studies., Results: Fourteen studies were eligible for inclusion. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of FDG-PET were 62% and 88% respectively, for renal lesions. For detecting extra-renal lesions, the pooled sensitivity and specificity of FDG-PET were 79% and 90%, respectively, based on the scans, and 84% and 91% based on the lesions. The use of a hybrid FDG-PET/CT to detect extra-renal lesions increased the pooled sensitivity and specificity to 91% and 88%, respectively, with good consistency., Conclusions: For RCC, combining the FDG-PET and CT systems is helpful for detecting extra-renal metastasis rather than renal lesions. The hybrid PET/CT system has comparable sensitivity and specificity with PET in detecting extra-renal lesions of RCC., Advances in Knowledge: The FDG-PET and PET/CT systems are both useful for detecting extra-renal metastasis in renal cell carcinoma.

We performed a meta-analysis to assess the potential value of dual-time-point (DTP) imaging as compared with initial single-time-point (STP) scanning with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) PET in differentiating malignant from benign single pulmonary nodules. Data on the performance of DTP 18F-FDG PET imaging in assessing lung nodules were extracted from articles of prospective or retrospective original research published between January 2001 and April 2010. The Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS) tool was used to assess the quality of study methodology. Heterogeneity in the results of the studies was assessed, and summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curves were constructed. Eleven studies comprising a total of 788 patients who underwent initial scanning, 778 of whom also underwent DTP imaging, were included in the final analysis. The quality of study methodology was judged to be moderate. Substantial heterogeneity in the results of the studies, with inconsistency (I2) index values above 85%, reflected important differences in study methods and populations, including varying lesion sizes, 18F-FDG avidity, uptake interval for delayed imaging, and threshold for positive result on DTP imaging. SROC curve analysis revealed a statistically nonsignificant trend toward higher sensitivity with DTP imaging, at moderate levels of specificity, when compared with initial STP scanning. The area under the curve (SE) values for DTP and initial STP imaging were 0.839 (0.079) and 0.757 (0.074), respectively. Although the results of our analysis do not support the routine use of DTP imaging with 18F-FDG PET in the differential diagnosis of pulmonary nodules, this technique may provide additional information in selected cases with equivocal results from initial scanning. Further prospective research is required to better define the potential benefits of DTP 18F-FDG PET imaging.

Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) is a tumor suppressor gene of phosphatased activity. Its low or lacking expression closely relates with tumor progress and poor prognosis. The regulation and function ascribed to PTEN have become more diverse since its discovery as a putative phosphatase mutated in many human tumors. PTEN function is positively and negatively regulated at the transcriptional level, as well as post-translationally by phosphorylation, oxidation and acetylation. Deregulation of PTEN is implicated in other human diseases in addition to cancers, including diabetes and obesity, modulation of PTEN level has widespread therapeutic applications to those tumorigenesis and non-tumor diseases. This review will summarize the new points on the regulation of PTEN and briefly discuss the potential therapeutic role of PTEN in some diseases., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: Stroke is one of the most prevalent causes of adult disability and handicap. Informal caregivers play an important role in poststroke care. However, informal caregivers may experience strain, which threatens the recovery of stroke subjects. This study aimed to describe changes in strain experienced by informal caregivers from 3 to 6 months after the stroke, and identify the predicting factors., Methods: We recruited pairs of inpatients with ischemic stroke and informal caregivers from a tertiary referral hospital and interviewed them at 3 and 6 months after the stroke. Caregiver strain was evaluated using the Caregiver Strain Index (CSI), with a CSI ≥ 7 indicating considerable caregiver strain. Various factors associated with caregiver strain were analyzed using generalized estimating equations., Results: Eighty-nine stroke patients and caregivers completed the study. Considerable strain was reported in 46% and 43% of the caregivers at the 3rd and 6th month, respectively. Patient factors such as severe disabilities (Barthel Index ≤ 60), poor cognition (Mini-Mental State Examination ≤ 23), depression (Beck Depression Inventory [BDI] ≥ 10), and recurrent stroke were predictors for caregiver strain. Caregiver factors, such as changed employment status, help from formal caregivers, and depression (BDI ≥ 10) were also associated with considerable caregiver strain., Conclusions: Nearly 50% of caregivers experienced considerable strain. Interventions aimed at reducing the caregivers' strain should focus on enhancing the functional and emotional status of stroke subjects, prevention of recurrent stroke, and efficient management of depression symptoms in caregivers.

Aim: The purpose of the current study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the published literature to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of FDG PET or PET/CT for intramedullary and extramedullary lesions in multiple myeloma., Methods: The authors conducted a systematic MEDLINE search of published articles. Two reviewers independently assessed the methodological quality of each study. We estimated pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratios (LR+ and LR-), and summary receiver operating characteristic curves in the detection of intramedullary and extramedullary lesions in multiple myeloma., Results: Fourteen studies with a total of 395 patients met the inclusion criteria. The pooled estimates of sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, and negative likelihood ratio of FDG PET or PET/CT for the detection of extramedullary lesions in multiple myeloma were 96.0% [95% confidence interval (CI), 79.6%-99.9%], 77.8% (95% CI, 40.0%-97.2%), 3.28 (95% CI, 1.29-8.32), and 0.12 (95% CI, 0.03-0.42), respectively. The pooled estimates of sensitivity, specificity, LR+, and LR- of FDG PET or PET/CT for the detection of intramedullary lesions in multiple myeloma were 61.1% (95% CI, 43.5%-76.9%), 94.1% (95% CI, 71.3%-99.9%), 5.73 (95% CI, 1.53-21.40), and 0.43 (95% CI, 0.28-0.65), respectively., Conclusions: Whole-body FDG PET or PET/CT is a valuable imaging tool for the assessment of patients with multiple myeloma, especially for the appraisal of extramedullary involvement.

Aim: Positron emission tomography (PET) using F18-flurodeoxy-glucose (FDG) has been widely used for reflecting cellular metabolism. However, the feasibility of FDG PET in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is limited. The aim of the study was to assess the ability of FDG PET (PET/CT) in the detection of extrahepatic metastases or recurrent HCC., Materials and Methods: We conducted MEDLINE, EMBASE and COCHRANE searches (last update, April 2011). Eight eligible articles were identified evaluating F18-FDG PET (PET/CT) in extrahepatic metastases or recurrent HCC. Two authors independently evaluated the methodological quality of each study. We estimated pooled sensitivities, specificities, summary receiver-operating-characteristic (SROC) curves, and summary likelihood ratios., Results: Eight eligible studies were enrolled in this study. The pooled estimates of sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, and negative likelihood ratio of FDG PET (PET/CT) in the detection of metastatic HCC were 76.6%, 98.0%, 14.68, and 0.28, respectively. The pooled estimates of sensitivity, specificity, LR+ and LR- of FDG PET (PET/CT) in the detection of recurrent HCC were 81.7%, 88.9%, 4.72, and 0.19, respectively., Conclusion: Based on the results of this systematic review, F-18 FDG PET (PET/CT) was useful in ruling in extrahepatic metastases of HCC and valuable for ruling out the recurrent HCC., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Aim: The purpose of the current study was to conduct a systemic review and meta-analysis of the published literature to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of FDG PET or PET/CT in urinary bladder cancer., Materials and Methods: The authors conducted a systematic MEDLINE search of articles published between January 2000 and December 2010. Two reviewers independently assessed the methodological quality of each study. We conducted a meta-analysis of pooled sensitivity and specificity in detecting primary and metastatic lesions of bladder cancer., Results: Six studies met the inclusion criteria. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of PET/CT for primary lesion detection of bladder cancer were 0.90 (95% CI: 0.70-0.99) and 1.00 (95% CI: 0.74-1.00), respectively. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of FDG PET or PET/CT for staging or restaging (metastatic lesions) of bladder cancer were 0.82 (95% CI: 0.72-0.89) and 0.89 (95% CI: 0.81-0.95), respectively., Conclusion: The diagnostic accuracy of FDG PET or PET/CT is good in metastatic lesions of urinary bladder cancer. Due to the small number of patients and limited number of studies analyzed, the diagnostic capability of FDG PET or PET/CT in detection of primary bladder wall lesions could not be assessed., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: We conducted this study to investigate the value of the dual-time 2-[(18)F]fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (FDG) positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) in assessment of the primary tumor, loco-regional lymph node and distant metastasis in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma., Methods: Twenty-six patients with histologically proved esophageal squamous cell carcinoma underwent dual-time FDG PET-CT before radical surgery. The standardized uptake values (SUV(max)) were obtained including early SUV(max) and delayed SUV(max), respectively. The retention index (RI) was also calculated. The results were evaluated retrospectively according to the final pathologic findings. Four diagnostic criteria including (1) early SUV(max)≧ 2.5 alone, (2) RI ≧ 10% alone, (3) a combination of early SUV(max)≧ 2.5 and RI ≧ 10%, and (4) a combination of early SUV(max)≧ 2.5 or RI ≧ 10% were used for differentiating malignancy from a benign lesion, respectively., Results: The sensitivity of FDG PET-CT in detecting the primary tumor with combination of early SUV(max)≧ 2.5 or RI ≧ 10% was 96.2%. It was statistically significantly higher than the results using the other three criteria (p<0.0001). For loco-regional lymph node detection, there was no significant difference among the 4 criteria. For distal metastases, the significantly higher specificity (100%) was found when using combination of early SUV(max)≧ 2.5 and RI ≧ 10% or using early SUV(max)≧ 2.5 alone than using the other two criteria (p=0.0058). With regard to accuracy, no significant correlations were observed among primary tumor, loco-regional lymph nodes and distant metastasis (p>0.05)., Conclusion: The preliminary result of this study demonstrated that dual-time point FDG PET-CT had limited value in detection of primary tumor and loco-regional lymph nodes metastasis. For the distant metastasis, the sensitivity and specificity would be improved if RI ≧ 10% is used as a supplemental criterion. Efforts should be made to improve the ability of the dual-time FDG PET-CT technique to assess primary tumor and loco-regional lymph nodes metastasis., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study aims to evaluate the inclinations of right and left sides the mandibular fossa in Asian population using computed tomography (CT) images and determine its effects according to the parameters of gender, age, and asymmetry. CT images of the heads of 198 Asian subjects [95 females aged 44.2 ± 20.7 years, range 11-88 years; and 103 males aged 44.5 ± 19.7 years, range 15-98 years] were selected. The following eight parameters characterizing the inclinations of the mandibular fossa were measured by medical imaging software: anterior and posterior inclinations on the left and right sides on a sagittal view, and medial and lateral inclinations on the left and right sides on a coronal view. The anterior inclination was significant steeper in males than in females on both the left and right sides. A moderate positive correlation was found between age and anterior inclinations on the left and right sides. None of the other parameters were significantly affected by age or gender. None of the parameters differed significantly between the right and left sides of the mandibular fossa in males, females, or all subjects. The anterior inclination of the mandibular fossa was affected by aging and gender becoming steeper in Asians males than females. Besides, there were no asymmetry in the right and left side inclinations of the mandibular fossa.

Rationale and Objectives: The aim of this review was to evaluate the diagnostic properties of (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) or PET/computed tomography (CT) and bone scintigraphy in the detection of osseous metastases in patients with lung cancer., Materials and Methods: MEDLINE was searched for relevant original articles published between January 1995 and August 2010. Inclusion criteria were as follows: FDG-PET or PET/CT and bone scintigraphy was carried out to detect bone metastases in patients with lung cancer, sufficient data were presented to construct a 2 × 2 contingency table, and histopathologic analysis and/or close clinical and imaging follow-up and/or radiographic confirmation by multiple imaging modalities was used as the reference standard. Two reviewers independently extracted data related to research design, sample size, imaging techniques, technical characteristics, reference standards, methods of imaging interpretation, and totals of true-positives, false-positives, true-negatives, and false-negatives. Stata was used to obtain per patient and per lesion pooled estimates of sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative likelihood ratios, and areas under summary receiver-operating characteristic curves (AUCs) were calculated., Results: The pooled patient-based sensitivity of FDG-PET or PET/CT was 0.93 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.88-0.96), specificity was 0.95 (95% CI, 0.91-0.98), and the AUC was 0.94. The pooled sensitivity of bone scans was 0.87 (95% CI, 0.79-0.93), specificity was 0.82 (95% CI, 0.62-0.92), and the AUC was 0.91. The pooled lesion-based sensitivity of FDG-PET or PET/CT was 0.93 (95% CI, 0.84-0.97), specificity was 0.91 (95% CI, 0.80-0.96), and the AUC was 0.97. The pooled sensitivity of bone scans was 0.92 (95% CI, 0.87-0.95), specificity was 0.57 (95% CI, 0.09-0.95), and the AUC was 0.92., Conclusions: Although FDG-PET or PET/CT has higher sensitivity and specificity than bone scintigraphy, further research with a less biased design is needed to determine the most efficacious imaging modality for the detection of metastatic lung cancer., (Copyright © 2012 AUR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To analyze the incidence rates and risk factors for bacteremia in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD)., Methods: The records of 898 consecutive patients undergoing dialysis from January 2003 to December 2008 were reviewed retrospectively. Episodes of bacteremia were recorded. China Medical University (Taichung, Taiwan)., Results: The overall incidence rate of bacteremia was 7.63 per 100 patient-years in HD patients and 3.56 per 100 patient-years in PD patients and it was higher in HD patients each year from 2003 to 2008. S. aureus (27.53%) was the most common pathogen in HD patients, whereas Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (21.3%) was the most common pathogen in PD patients. Vascular access infection was the most common etiology in HD patients, whereas peritonitis was the most common etiology in PD patients. Older age, shorter dialysis vintage, use of HD rather than PD, current smoker, use of a venous dialysis catheter, presence of diabetes mellitus, higher comorbidity score, and lower serum albumin were significant risk factors for bacteremia. Diabetes mellitus and lower serum albumin were significant risk factors for bacteremia-associated mortality., Conclusion: Placement of a permanent access (fistula, graft, or PD catheter) prior to initiation of dialysis, smoking cessation, and better nutritional status (i.e. higher serum albumin) were associated with a reduced risk of bacteremia in dialysis patients. Higher serum albumin was also associated with a reduced bacteremia-associated mortality.

Background: In order to compare the transmissibility of the 2009 pH1N1 pandemic during successive waves of infections in summer and fall/winter in the Northern Hemisphere, and to assess the temporal changes during the course of the outbreak in relation to the intervention measures implemented, we analyze the epidemiological patterns of the epidemic in Taiwan during July 2009-March 2010., Methods: We utilize the multi-phase Richards model to fit the weekly cumulative pH1N1 epidemiological data (numbers of confirmed cases and hospitalizations) as well as the daily number of classes suspended under a unique "325" partial school closing policy in Taiwan, in order to pinpoint the turning points of the summer and fall/winter waves, and to estimate the reproduction numbers R for each wave., Results: Our analysis indicates that the summer wave had slowed down by early September when schools reopened for fall. However, a second fall/winter wave began in late September, approximately 4 weeks after the school reopened, peaking at about 2-3 weeks after the start of the mass immunization campaign in November. R is estimated to be in the range of 1.04-1.27 for the first wave, and between 1.01-1.05 for the second wave., Conclusions: Transmissibility of the summer wave in Taiwan during July-early September, as measured by R, was lower than that of the earlier spring outbreak in North America and Europe, as well as that of the winter outbreak in Southern Hemisphere. Furthermore, transmissibility during fall/winter in Taiwan was noticeably lower than that of the summer, which is attributable to population-level immunity acquired from the earlier summer wave and also to the intervention measures that were implemented prior to and during the fall/winter wave.

Objective: The focus of this study was to ascertain the factors associated with 2009 pandemic influenza H1N1 (pH1N1) infection during different phases of the epidemic., Methods: In central Taiwan, 306 persons from households with schoolchildren were followed sequentially and serum samples were taken at three sampling time-points starting in the fall of 2008, shortly after influenza vaccination. Participants who seroconverted between two consecutive blood samplings were considered as having serological evidence of infection. A generalized estimation equation (GEE) with a logistic link to account for household correlations was applied to identify factors associated with pH1N1 infections during the pre-epidemic (April-June) and epidemic (September-October) periods., Results: The results showed that receiving an inactivated seasonal influenza vaccine (ISIV) and having a hemagglutination inhibition assay (HI) titer of 40 or higher resulted in a significantly lower likelihood of pH1N1 infection during the pre-epidemic period only, for both children and adults (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 0.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.12-0.9). Having a previous infection by pH1N1 with a baseline titer of 20 or higher resulted in a significantly lower likelihood of infection by pH1N1 during the epidemic period (adjusted OR 0.06, 95% CI 0.02-0.16)., Conclusions: Our results provide the first serological evidence to suggest a protection effect from receiving an ISIV against pH1N1 infection only when the HI titer reaches 40 or higher during the pre-epidemic period. This study gives an important insight into the control and intervention measures required for preventing infections during future influenza epidemics., (Copyright © 2011 International Society for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Hemorrhoids are very common in adults. The data regarding the incidence of high 2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D: -glucose (FDG) uptake in hemorrhoids is incomplete. In this study, we evaluated FDG uptake in hemorrhoids and calculated the rate of high FDG uptake in these lesions., Methods: One hundred and seventy six subjects who undertook whole body FDG-PET for health screening examination were investigated retrospectively. All patients had colonoscopy and 156 subjects were found to have hemorrhoids and 20 had no hemorrhoids. Quantitative analysis of FDG uptake in the anal region was performed by calculating the maximum standard uptake value (SUV(max))., Results: The SUV(max) ranged from 1.8 to 4.1 (2.8 ± 0.6) for normal subjects and ranged from 1.4 to 8.3 (2.9 ± 0.8) for patients with hemorrhoids. No statistical difference was noted between these two groups using a Student's t-tests. If the highest SUV(max), which was 4.1 in normal subjects, was used as a cutoff, 5.1% (8/156) hemorrhoid patients had a SUV(max) greater than 4.1., Conclusion: Hemorrhoids can be one possible cause of focal high FDG uptake in the rectum.

Background: In recent years, the use of F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) has become widespread for the staging of lymphoma. In non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), the bone marrow (BM) involvement is a sign of extensive disease, and the iliac crest BM biopsy (BMB) is the established method for the detection of BM infiltration. However, iliac crest BMB is associated with a high rate of false-negative results. We assess the ability of FDG PET or PET/CT scan to ascertain the presence of BM involvement in aggressive and indolent NHL., Methods: The authors conducted a systematic MEDLINE search of articles published (last update, May 2010). Two reviewers independently assessed the methodological quality of each study. A meta-analysis of the reported sensitivity and specificity of each study was performed., Results: Eight studies met the inclusion criteria. The studies had several design deficiencies. Pooled sensitivity and specificity for the detection of non-Hodgkin aggressive lymphoma were 0.74 (95% CI, 0.65-0.83) and 0.84 (95% CI, 0.80-0.89), respectively. Pooled sensitivity and specificity for the detection of non-Hodgkin indolent lymphoma were 0.46 (95% CI, 0.33-0.59) and 0.93 (95% CI, 0.88-0.98), respectively., Conclusions: The diagnostic accuracy of FDG PET or PET/CT scans was slightly higher but without significant statistical difference (P = 0.1507) in patients with non-Hodgkin aggressive lymphoma as compared with those with non-Hodgkin indolent lymphoma. The sensitivity to detect indolent lymphoma BM infiltration was low for FDG PET or PET/CT.

Background: To explore the value of quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (i.e., T2 map technique) in the diagnosis of crush injury in rabbit hind limb muscles., Materials and Methods: We established a rabbit hind limb crush injury model and performed examinations on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (T1WI, T2WI, and T2 map), muscle pathology, serum level of muscular troponin (sTnI), and urine myoglobin (Myo) at 1, 3, 7, 14, and 30 d after injury to investigate the correlation of MRI, library examination, and histopathology., Results: T2WI of the injured muscle showed high signal intensity at 1, 3, and 7 d after crush injury and the T2 value continued to rise. The pathologic findings of the muscle included swollen and ruptured cells, expanded extra-cellular space, inflammatory reactions, and fine muscle fiber regeneration. The serum sTnI and urine Myo were high. At 14 d, these indices returned to normal gradually. The T2WI changes and T2 value were positively associated with the pathological changes of the muscles, serum sTnI and urine Myo. However, the signal intensity of T1WI did not vary significantly at different time points., Conclusion: T2WI and T2 value from T2 mapping are very useful methods of choice to evaluate the distribution and extension of the affected muscles. The high signal intensity on T2WI of the affected muscles after crush injury may be due to an increased extracellular space, local inflammation, and incomplete muscle fiber regeneration., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A novel Gram-negative, catalase- and oxidase-positive, strictly aerobic, non spore-forming, rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain JSM 083058(T), was isolated from non-saline forest soil in Hunan Province, China. Growth occurred with 0-8% (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 0.5-3%) at pH 6.0-10.0 (optimum, pH 7.0) and at 5-35°C (optimum, 25-30°C). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain JSM 083058(T) fell within the cluster comprising species of the genus Sphingomonas, clustering with Sphingomonas aestuarii K4(T), with which it shared highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity (99.2%). The chemotaxonomic properties of strain JSM 083058(T) were consistent with those of the genus Sphingomonas. The predominant respiratory quinone was ubiquinone Q-10, and the major cellular fatty acids were summed feature 8 (C18:1ω7c/C18:1ω6c), C16:0, summed feature 3 (C16:1ω7c/C16:1ω6c) and C17:1ω6c. The polar lipids consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and sphingoglycolipid. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain JSM 083058(T) was 65.5 mol%. The combination of phylogenetic analysis, DNA-DNA relatedness, phenotypic characteristics and chemotaxonomic data supported the view that strain JSM 083058(T) represents a novel species of the genus Sphingomonas, for which the name Sphingomonas hunanensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is JSM 083058(T) (=CCTCC AA 209011(T) = DSM 22213(T)).

Background: Relying on surveillance of clinical cases limits the ability to understand the full impact and severity of an epidemic, especially when subclinical cases are more likely to be present in the early stages. Little is known of the infection and transmissibility of the 2009 H1N1 pandemic influenza (pH1N1) virus outside of Mexico prior to clinical cases being reported, and of the knowledge pertaining to immunity and incidence of infection during April-June, which is essential for understanding the nature of viral transmissibility as well as for planning surveillance and intervention of future pandemics., Methodology/principal Findings: Starting in the fall of 2008, 306 persons from households with schoolchildren in central Taiwan were followed sequentially and serum samples were taken in three sampling periods for haemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay. Age-specific incidence rates were calculated based on seroconversion of antibodies to the pH1N1 virus with an HI titre of 1:40 or more during two periods: April-June and September-October in 2009. The earliest time period with HI titer greater than 40, as well as a four-fold increase of the neutralization titer, was during April 26-May 3. The incidence rates during the pre-epidemic phase (April-June) and the first wave (July-October) of the pandemic were 14.1% and 29.7%, respectively. The transmissibility of the pH1N1 virus during the early phase of the epidemic, as measured by the effective reproductive number R(0), was 1.16 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.98-1.34)., Conclusions: Approximately one in every ten persons was infected with the 2009 pH1N1 virus during the pre-epidemic phase in April-June. The lack of age-pattern in seropositivity is unexpected, perhaps highlighting the importance of children as asymptomatic transmitters of influenza in households. Although without virological confirmation, our data raise the question of whether there was substantial pH1N1 transmission in Taiwan before June, when clinical cases were first detected by the surveillance network.

Aim: To investigate the feasibility of noncontrast computed tomography (NcCT) and perfusion CT (PCT) in the assessment of head deceleration injury (HDI)., Material and Methods: A small animal HDI device was developed. A total of 20 healthy adult rabbits with frontal impacts resulting from a 3.5 m drop were included in this study. All subjects underwent NcCT and PCT scans 12 hours before injury and three to four hours after head injury. Brain injuries were evaluated by traditional macroscopic and microscopic examination after CT scans., Results: Microscopic examination revealed hemorrhagic cerebral contusions in 14 subjects and cerebral parenchyma hyperemia in 6 subjects. Contrecoup injuries were more severe than the coup injuries in this study. As verified by pathoanatomical observations, NcCT effectively revealed all of the calvarial fractures and basal skull fractures in 12 subjects. Furthermore, most rabbits suffered acute scalp contusions, subarachnoid hemorrhages and cerebral contusions. PCT analysis revealed much larger and more severe contusions when compared to those observed via NcCT., Conclusion: The combination of NcCT and PCT could be an effective approach for detection of acute cerebral contusions, which can provide sufficient experimental evidence for accurate clinical diagnosis and prognosis of HDI.

In the title complex, [Pr(C(9)H(4)N(2)O(4))(C(2)H(3)O(2))(H(2)O)](n), the Pr(III) ion is coordinated by five O atoms and one N atom from four benzimidazole-5,6-dicarboxyl-ate ligands, two O atoms from an acetate ligand and one water mol-ecule, giving a tricapped trigonal-prismatic geometry. The benzimidazole-5,6-dicarboxyl-ate and acetate ligands connect the Pr(III) ions, forming a layer in the ac plane; the layers are further linked by N-H⋯O and O-H⋯O hydrogen bonding and π-π stacking inter-actions between neighboring pyridine rings [the centroid-centroid distance is 3.467 (1) Å], assembling a three-dimensional supra-molecular network. The acetate methyl group is disordered over two positions with site-occupancy factors of 0.75 and 0.25.

This report describes a rare case of a common celiomesenteric anomaly with a concurrent aneurysm demonstrated by contrast-enhanced multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) angiography. The patient, a 53-year-old man, had no abdominal pain or discomfort. Abdominal CT scanning was performed because of hypoglycemia. Celiac digital subtraction angiography (DSA) was carried out 10 days after CT angiography. The CT angiographic images clearly showed a saccular aneurysm originating from the bifurcation of a common celiomesenteric trunk. The origin and course of the hepatic, splenic, and superior mesenteric arteries were also visualized. These findings were confirmed by intraarterial DSA. The lesion was resected surgically because of the risk of a rupture of the aneurysm, and the superior mesenteric artery was replanted into the celiomesenteric trunk.

Pre-transplant sera of 586 renal graft recipients were tested to investigate whether soluble CD30 (sCD30) is a useful predictor of some severe clinical episodes post-transplant. Correlation analysis showed sCD30 level was significantly correlated with acute rejection (AR) (r=0.242, P<0.001), graft loss (r=0.162, P<0.001), and pneumonia (r=-0.147, P<0.001). Higher sCD30 levels were observed in patients with AR than the others (180.0+/-89.1 vs. 135.3+/-72.7U/ml, P<0.001). And patients with pneumonia had significantly lower pre-transplant sCD30 level than the others (123.2+/-75.5 vs. 150.7+/-79.6U/ml, P=0.003). Based on statistical results, 120 and 240U/ml were selected as the optimal couple of cut-off value to divide patients into three groups: Group High (H), Group Intermedial (I) and Group Low (L). The lowest AR rate of 17.4% was observed in Group L (P<0.001). Significant difference of AR rate was also observed between Group I (29.2%) and H (42.9%) (P<0.001). There were much more patients suffering pneumonia in Group L (P=0.001). Significantly lower 5-year patient survival rate (79.4%) was observed in Group H (P=0.016). These data showed that elevated pre-transplant sCD30 level of renal allograft recipients may reflect an immune state detrimental for renal allograft survival. But sCD30 level lower than <120U/ml may be associated with a high risk of pneumonia. Pre-transplant sCD30 level is an independent predictor of acute rejection, lung infection, even graft survival. Suitable immunosuppression protocol should be selected according to pre-transplant sCD30 level in an attempt to promote patient and graft survival., (Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

We describe a rare case of ectopic liver tissue in the right thoracic cavity. A 39-year-old man with a suspected lung tumor underwent thoracotomy. The intraoperative finding revealed an accessory liver lobe connected to the right lobe of the liver by a small pedicle that pierced the diaphragm. A pathologic evaluation confirmed the specimen to be hepatic tissues. In retrospect, the correct diagnosis of accessory liver could have been achieved using appropriate radiologic investigations if this possibility had been considered., (2010 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Second renal transplants are historically associated with a poor prognosis. The aim of the present study was to assess long-term survival of second renal grafts from deceased donors performed at our center and to analyze risk factors associated with long-term graft outcome. Sixty-five second renal grafts were enrolled into this study, and compared to primary ones performed during the same period. Kaplan-Meier curve showed a graft survival rate of 89.2% at 1 year, 80% at 3 years, and 63.1% at 5 years, which were similar to that of primary graft. Univariate analysis showed that time to first graft loss, cold ischaemia time, HLA mismatch, primary maintenance immunosuppressant, acute rejection episodes, and serum creatinine at 1 year were significantly associated with regraft survival. Cox regression demonstrated the dominant effect of acute rejection episodes, primary maintenance immunosuppressant, serum creatinine at 1 year, and time to first graft loss as predictor of second graft outcome. However, when long-term survival of second graft was examined on the basis of Kaplan-Meier estimates, HLA mismatch was found to be significant. The second graft had more benefits of improved pre-transplant screening and post-transplant management, and its survival rate was satisfactory and similar to that of primary one. Immunologic factors such as acute rejection and primary immunosuppressant are the main determinants of long-term renal transplantation outcome.

This paper gives a brief description of the over quick urbanization sinceChongqing, one of the biggest cities in China, has been a municipality directly under theCentral Government in 1997, excessive development and exceeding increase of high-risebuildings because of its special geographical position which finally leads to the worseningof the urban outdoor thermal environment. Then, this paper makes a bright balance to thefield measurement and simulated results of the wind speed field, temperature field of onemultifunctional high-rise building in Chongqing university located in the city center, andthe contrasted results validate the correctness of CFD in the outdoor thermal environmentalsimulation, expose the disadvantages of high-rise buildings on the aspects of blocking thewind field, decreasing wind speed which results in accumulation of the air-conditioningheat revolving around and periscian region where sunshine can not rip into. Finally, inorder to improve the urban outdoor thermal environment near the high-rise buildingsespecially for the angle of natural ventilation, this paper simulates the wind environment indifferent architectural compositions and architectural layouts by CFD, and the simulatedresults show that freestyle and tower buildings which can guarantee the wind speed andtake the air-conditioning heat away are much suitable and reasonable for the specialChongqing geography. These conclusions can also be used as a reference in othermountain cities, especially for the one with a great number of populations.

Identification of renal graft candidates at high risk of impending acute rejection (AR) and graft loss may be helpful for patient-tailored immunosuppressive regimens and renal graft survival. To investigate the feasibility with soluble CD30 (sCD30) as predictor of AR, sCD30 levels of 70 patients were detected on day 0 pre-transplant and day 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 14, 21, and 30 post-transplant. AR episodes in 6 months were recorded and then patients were divided into Group AR (n=11) and Group UC (n=59). Results showed that the patients had higher pre-transplant sCD30 levels than healthy people. A significant decrease of sCD30 was observed on the first day post-transplant and continued until day 14 post-transplant. Soluble CD30 presented a stable level from day 14 to 30 post-transplant. Pre-transplant sCD30 levels of Group AR were much higher than those of Group UC (P<0.001). Patients of Group AR also had higher sCD30 levels than those of Group UC on day 1, 3, 5, 7, 10 and 14 (P<0.001). The sCD30 level presented a significantly delayed decrease in the patients of Group AR. Statistical results showed that the highest value of area under ROC curve (0.95) was obtained on day 5 post-transplant, suggesting that sCD30 levels on day 5 are of high predictive value. Therefore, sCD30 level may be a good marker of increased alloreactivity and of significant predictive value. It's necessary to monitor the variation of sCD30 in the early period post-transplant.

The present paper reports the establishment of an electrochemi-luminescence (ECL) sensor by using screen-printed electrodes(SPE) which contain Ru(bpy)3(2+). The method of making the SPE and the fix of Ru(bpy)3(2+) were studiedin detail. The characters of the sensor were studied. The sensor has been applied to detect C2O4(2-) in solution. Under optimised conditions, at 1.55 V vs. Ag/AgCl, in 0.2 mol x L(-1) phosphate buffer solution (pH 6.0), the linger range extends from 3.0 x 10(-7) mol x L(-1) to 1.0 x 10(-5) mol x L(-1), the detection limit is 1.2 x 10(-7) mol x L(-1) (S/N=3). The sensors have good stability and reproductivity. It should be noted that based on the same principle, the sensors can be applied to detect many other compounds, such as amino acids, TprA and NAD. If the screen machine is used to make the SPE, the reproductivity and stability of the SPEs can be improved further.

Background: Immunological sensitization remains a major problem following renal transplantation. There is no consensus for the management of sensitized renal allograft recipients. The patients become tethered to dialysis while waiting for compatible donors. This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of preoperative single-bolus high-dose antithymocyte globulin (ATG) as induction therapy in sensitized renal transplant recipients., Methods: A total of 56 patients were divided into two groups according to the level of panel reactive antibody (PRA): non-sensitized group (PRA < 10%, n = 30) and sensitized group (PRA > or = 10%, n = 26). The characteristics of the recipients and donors were comparable between the two groups. Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF, 1 g) or ATG (iv. 9 mg/kg) were given preoperatively in the two groups as induction therapy. After the transplantation, the patients were treated with standard triple therapy regimen consisting of tacrolimus (FK-506) or cyclosporine A, MMF, and prednisolone. Acute rejection (AR) and infection episodes were recorded and renal function was monitored during a 12-month follow-up. Chi(2) test and t test were used to analyze the data., Results: During the follow-up, 6 patients (20.0%) suffered AR episodes in the non-sensitized group and 4 (15.4%) in the sensitized group (P = 0.737); 8 patients (26.7%) experienced 11 infection episodes (average, 1.4 episodes per infected patient) in the non-sensitized group, and 6 (23.1%) experienced 10 infection episodes (average, 1.7 episodes per infected patient) in the sensitized group (P = 0.757, 0.890). The safety of the drugs, which was assessed by the occurrence of side effects, was comparable between the two groups. The hospital stay was 13 - 25 days (mean, 16.7 +/- 3.3) in the non-sensitized group and 14 - 29 days (mean, 16.2 +/- 3.1) in the sensitized group, respectively (P = 0.563). No delayed graft function (DGF) was observed in all the patients. Both the 12-month actuarial patient and graft survival rates were 100% in the two groups., Conclusion: Preoperative single-bolus high-dose ATG is an effective and safe induction therapy yielding acceptable acute rejection rate in sensitized renal transplant recipients.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the visceral adipose (VA) accumulation and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) in patients with MS, and hypertension and/or diabetes., Methods: VA area was measured by computed tomography (CT) in 564 patients with with MS, and hypertension and/or diabetes, 308 males and 256 females. Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were assessed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used as index for analysis., Results: (1) The VA of the patients with MS was 116 cm(2) +/- 38 cm(2), significantly higher than those of the patients with hypertension and diabetes (72 cm(2) +/- 34 cm(2) and 64 cm(2) +/- 34 cm(2) respectively, both P < 0.01). ROC curve analysis showed that the optimal cut-off points of VA for hypertriglyceridemia, hypo-high density lipoproteinemia, abdominal obesity and MS was 91 - 107 cm(2) for men; and 70 - 72 cm(2) for women. (2) The anthropometric parameters to the corresponding optimal cut-off points of VA were as follow: BMI, WC, and WHP were 25 kg/m(2), 89 cm, and 0.95 - 0.96 for men; and 24 - 25 kg/m(2), 82 - 84 cm, and 0.91 for women. Both the cut-off points of VA in assessing hyperglycemia and in assessing hypertension could not be found out. (3) The prevalence of MS was significantly increased when VA >or= 55 cm(2) in women and when VA >or= 70 cm(2) in men respectively., Conclusion: There is a gender difference in the accumulation of the VA tissue. Even in the subjects with overweight, abdominal obesity and dyesmetabolism have appeared in patients. The prevalence of MS is significantly increased with the intra-abdominal fat accumulation.

Aim: CT virtual endoscopy has been used in the study of various organs of body including the biliary tract, however, CT virtual endoscopy in diagnosis of gallbladder polyps has not yet been reported. This study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of CT virtual endoscopy in polyps of the gallbladder., Methods: Thirty-two cases of gallbladder polyps were examined by CT virtual endoscopy, ultrasound, CT scan with oral biliary contrast separately and confirmed by operation and pathology. CT biliary cystoscopic findings were analyzed and compared with those of ultrasound and CT scan with oral biliary contrast, and evaluated in comparison with operative and pathologic findings in all cases., Results: The detection rate of gallbladder polyps was 93.8%(90/96), 96.9%(93/96) and 79.2%(76/96) for CT cystoscopy, ultrasound and CT scan with oral contrast, respectively. CT biliary cystoscopy corresponded well with ultrasound as well as pathology in demonstrating the location, size and configuration of polyps. CT endoscopy was superior to ultrasound in viewing the polyps in a more precise way, 3 dimensionally from any angle in space, and showing the surface in details. CT biliary cystoscopy was also superior to CT scan with oral biliary contrast in terms of observation of the base of polyps for the presence of a pedicle, detection rates as well as image quality. The smallest polyp detected by CT biliary cystoscopy was measured 1.5 mm x 2.2 mm x 2.5 mm., Conclusion: CT biliary cystoscopy is a non-invasive and accurate technique for diagnosis and management of gallbladder polyps.

We report the availability of a digitized Chinese male and a digitzed Chinese female typical of the population and with no obvious abnormalities. The embalming and milling procedures incorporate three technical improvements over earlier digitized cadavers. Vascular perfusion with coloured gelatin was performed to facilitate blood vessel identification. Embalmed cadavers were embedded in gelatin and cryosectioned whole so as to avoid section loss resulting from cutting the body into smaller pieces. Milling performed at -25 degrees C prevented small structures (e.g. teeth, concha nasalis and articular cartilage) from falling off from the milling surface. The male image set (.tiff images each of 36 Mb) has a section resolution of 3072 x 2048 pixels ( approximately 170 micro m, the accompanying magnetic resonance imaging and computer tomography data have a resolution of 512 x 512, i.e. approximately 440 micro m). The Chinese Visible Human male and female datasets are available at http://www.chinesevisiblehuman.com. (The male is 90.65 Gb and female 131.04 Gb). MPEG videos of direct records of real-time volume rendering are at: http://www.cse.cuhk.edu.hk/~crc

The United States Visible Human Project (VHP) created a digital image data set of complete human male (data acquisition finished in November 1994) and female (data acquisition finished in December 1995) cadavers in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), and anatomical (anatomic serial section) modes. VHP aroused worldwide enthusiasm for Visible Human Research (VHR), and the data set is being used in a variety of research and educational domains. The Visible Korean Human (VKH) male was produced in March 2001. To accelerate worldwide VHR and to promote virtual anatomy as a revolutionary break with conventional anatomy, more visible human data sets representative of different populations of the world are in demand. The Chinese Visible Human (CVH) male (created in October 2002) and female (created in February 2003) project achieved greater integrity of images, easier blood vessel identification, and were free of organic lesion (unlike the other visible human projects). We performed data acquisition, three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction, and visualization with improved technology to create CVH male and female. CVH is the first volumetric data representing a complete normal adult human male and female of an Asian population. This article presents the history of Chinese Visible Human cadavers and the methods and technology used to produce the data set., (Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)