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To investigate the renal microstructure changes and hypoxia changes in type 2 diabetic patients and the relationship between them and glucose using both diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and blood oxygenation level-dependent magnetic resonance imaging (BOLD MRI). After measuring morning fasting blood glucose, DWI and BOLD MRI were performed in 57 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM group) and 14 healthy volunteers (NC group). According to the fasting blood glucose levels, diabetic patients were divided into a normoglycemic diabetes group (group A), a less hyperglycemic diabetes group (group B) and a more hyperglycemic diabetes group (group C). The renal parenchymal apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), renal cortical R2* (CR2*), and medullary R2* (MR2*) were measured, and the R2* ratio between the medulla and cortex (MCR) was calculated. To test for differences in ADC, R2*, and MCR among the four groups, the data were analyzed by separate one-way ANOVAs. The correlations between ADC, R2*, and MCR and the clinical index of renal function were analyzed. Groups B and C had significantly lower ADC values in the renal parenchyma (P = 0.048, 0.002) and significantly higher MR2* and MCR values (P

Endothelial inflammation is recognized as the initial stage of a multistep process leading to coronary heart disease (CHD). Recently, the different effects of industrial trans fatty acids (elaidic acid, 9t18:1) and ruminant trans fatty acids (vaccenic acid, 11t18:1) on CHD have been reported in epidemiological and animal studies, however, the mechanism was not fully studied. Therefore, the objective of this study was to explore the underlying mechanism by which 9t18:1 and 11t18:1 affect human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) inflammation. We found that 9c11t-CLA modulated the inflammation of HUVECs induced by 9t18:1 and 11t18:1. Fatty acid composition, pro-inflammatory factors, phosphorylation of MAPKs, and the TLR4 level in HUVECs altered by 11t18:1 induction, collectively suggest that the bio-conversion of 11t18:1 to 9c11tCLA might be the cause why 11t18:1 and 9t18:1 have distinct influences on endothelial injuries. It was concluded that it is biosynthesis of 9c11t CLA from11t18:1, and the modulation of TLR4-MAPK pathway by 9c11t CLA, which at least partially account for the slight effect of 11t18:1 on endothelial inflammation.

AIM: To investigate the damaging effect of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) on cancer cells and the inhibitory effect on tumor growth. METHODS: Murine H22 hepatic cancer cells were treated with HIFU at the same intensity for different lengths of time and at different intensities for the same length of time in vitro, the dead cancer cells were determined by trypan blue staining. Two groups of cancer cells treated with HIFU at the lowest and highest intensity were inoculated into mice. Tumor masses were removed and weighed after 2 wk, tumor growth in each group was confirmed pathologically. RESULTS: The death rate of cancer cells treated with HIFU at 1 000 W/cm2 for 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12s was 3.11±1.21%, 13.37±2.56%, 38.84±3.68%, 47.22±5.76%, 87.55±7.32%, and 94.33±8.11%, respectively. A positive relationship between the death rates of cancer cells and the length of HIFU treatment time was found (r = 0.96, P

AIM: To investigate the prevention and therapy of fungal infection in patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). METHODS: Seventy patients with SAP admitted from Jan. 1998 to Dec. 2002 were randomly divided into garlicin prevention group, fluconazole (low dosage) prevention group and control group. The incidence of fungal infection, the fungal clearance and mortality after treatment were compared. RESULTS: The incidence of fungal infection in garlicin group and fluconazole group was lower than that in control group (16% vs 30%, P < 0.05 and 9% vs 30%, P < 0.01, respectively). Amphotericin B or therapy-dose fluconazole had effects on patients with fungal infection in garlicin group and control group, but had no effects on patients with fungal infection in fluconzole group. CONCLUSION: Prophylactic dosage of antifungal agents (garlicin or low dosage fluconazole) can reduce the incidence of fungal infection in patients with SAP. But once fungal infection occurs, amphotericin B should be used as early as possible if fluconazole is not effective.