Bronchiolar expression of aquaporin-3 (AQP3) in rat lung and its dynamics in pulmonary oedema

Aquaporins (AQPs) are water channel proteins that permit osmotically driven water movement. To determine their dynamics in pulmonary oedema, we examined the expression of mRNA and protein for AQP1, AQP3, AQP4, and AQP5 in the lungs of normal and thiourea-treated rats. In the thiourea group, lung water content increased significantly (vs. controls) with the peak at around 4 h. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR showed that AQP3 mRNA in the thiourea group rose significantly, peaking at around 4–8 h. The expression of AQP1, AQP4, AQP5, ENaC and CFTR mRNA each decreased significantly some time after the peak in lung water content. Immunoblot analysis showed that glycosylated AQP3 protein was increased 4–10 h after treatment. Expression of the other AQP proteins was not significantly altered, except for that of AQP4. Immunohistochemical examination revealed that AQP1 was expressed in endothelia, AQP3 in the basal cells of the large airways and in cuboidal cells in the bronchioles, AQP4 in the basolateral membrane of airway cells and AQP5 in type-I pneumocytes. Our results suggest that AQP3 is expressed not only in large airways, but also in bronchioles, and is related to water movement in pulmonary oedema.     

荧光定量PCR与半定量PCR检测猕猴不同器官组织中黄嘌呤脱氢酶/氧化酶基因的mRNA表达差异的比对

目的 分析荧光定量PCR 与半定量PCR 检测猕猴体内肝脏组织、上皮组织、睾丸组织、心肌组织,肾脏组织中黄嘌呤氧化脱氢酶（XDH/XO）的mRNA的相对表达量的差异,其结果具有一定的参考价值。方法 提取健康猕猴新鲜肝脏组织、上皮组织、睾丸组织、心肌组织,肾脏组织中总RNA,使用相同的引物序列及内参基因,分别用荧光定量PCR 与半定量PCR 进行相对定量检测,结果做比对分析。结果 两种检测方法的特异性没有差异,荧光定量PCR较半定量PCR灵敏性高,均显示猕猴不同组织XDH/XO的mRNA表达在肝脏组织中表达水平最高,对于表达量较低的其他组织,荧光定量PCR 与半定量PCR检测结果有一定差异。结论: 荧光实时定量PCR优于半定量PCR 法。     

Automated 3D Ιnterstitial Lung Disease Εxtent Quantification: Performance Evaluation and Correlation to PFTs

In this study, the performance of a recently proposed computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) scheme in detection and 3D quantification of reticular and ground glass pattern extent in chest computed tomography of interstitial lung disease (ILD) patients is evaluated. CAD scheme performance was evaluated on a dataset of 37 volumetric chest scans, considering five representative axial anatomical levels per scan. CAD scheme reliability analysis was performed by estimating agreement (intraclass correlation coefficient, ICC) of automatically derived ILD pattern extent to semi-quantitative disease extent assessment in terms of 29-point rating scale provided by two expert radiologists. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was employed to assess CAD scheme accuracy in ILD pattern detection in terms of area under ROC curve (A_z). Correlation of reticular and ground glass volumetric pattern extent to pulmonary function tests (PFTs) was also investigated. CAD scheme reliability was substantial for ILD extent (ICC = 0.809) and distinct reticular pattern extent (0.806) and moderate for distinct ground glass pattern extent (0.543), performing within inter-observer agreement. CAD scheme demonstrated high accuracy in detecting total ILD (A_z = 0.950 ± 0.018), while accuracy in detecting distinct reticular and ground glass patterns was 0.920 ± 0.023 and 0.883 ± 0.024, respectively. Moderate and statistically significant negative correlation was found between reticular volumetric pattern extent and diffusing capacity, forced expiratory volume in 1 s, forced vital capacity, and total lung capacity (R = −0.581, −0.513, −0.494, and −0.446, respectively), similar to correlations found between radiologists’ semi-quantitative ratings with PFTs. CAD-based quantification of disease extent is in agreement with radiologists’ semi-quantitative assessment and correlates to specific PFTs, suggesting a potential imaging biomarker for ILD staging and management.     

快速检测尿微量白蛋白的半定量金免疫渗滤法的研究

目的　建立一种伴有质控点的金免疫渗滤法 ,用于半定量检测人尿中的微量白蛋白。方法　应用自制的 2株抗人白蛋白单克隆抗体 ,其中一株包被在固相膜上 ,另一株与胶体金结合 ,组成金免疫渗滤试剂。膜上另包被 2种浓度的人白蛋白 ,用于测定时的定量质控。结果　本法经人白蛋白标准液测定 ,结果判定可分为 <30、30～ 10 0、10 0～ 2 0 0、>2 0 0mg/L 4个半定量区 ;12 6例经散射免疫浊度定量测定白蛋白浓度的临床尿标本用于本法的对比测定 ,结果符合性良好。结论　本法具有半定量和质控的特点 ,结果可靠 ,适用于糖尿病、高血压等并发肾病的早期诊断 ,方法简便、快速 ,特别适合中、小医院和门诊部使用。     

超声半定量评分在小儿肌性斜颈诊治中的应用

评价超声对先天肌性斜颈半定量分级评分诊断的价值。对SCM依据声像图特征进行分型及半定量分级评分。（1）Ⅰ型弥漫型4例;Ⅱ型结节型7例;Ⅲ型瘤样团块型27例。（2）三型在SCM粗细及血流方面存在显著差异。（3）随访观察,血流信号评分显著下降。超声对先天肌性斜颈分型诊断并半定量分级评分诊断,有利于临床有针对性设计治疗方案及客观评价疗效。     

降钙素原半定量和定量法检测的比较研究

目的比较半定量和定量法检测血清降钙素原水平的差异。方法选取2011年6月至2012年6月中国人民解放军第三○二医院送检的全身性炎症反应患者的血液样本100份,分别采用半定量和定量法进行检测,比较两种方法所得结果的差异。结果定量检测法与半定量检测法比较,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论两种检测方法对临床诊断均具有积极意义,对于结果准确度要求不高的样本可采用半定量检测方法。     

Molecular detection and quantification of pertussis and correlation with clinical outcomes in children

Pertussis is an under-recognized serious infection. Conventional cultures are insensitive and of limited utility after antibiotic exposure. We corroborated the utility of real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as a diagnostic tool in pertussis and investigated its role as a prognostic tool by evaluating its benefit in the quantification of pertussis bacterial load. All pertussis-positive PCR tests (n = 104) submitted over 5 years were collected for retrospective study. PCR cycle threshold was compared to quantitative culture in 43. Compared to PCR, the sensitivity of culture was 41%. Our PCR assay reliably quantified bacterial load and was quantitatively reproducible. Higher bacterial load correlated with longer duration of hospitalization (P = 0.0003), and multivariate logistic regression models demonstrated this association to be independent. The study confirmed PCR as a superior diagnostic tool in pertussis. PCR quantification of bacterial load at initial diagnosis predicts later clinical disease severity, suggesting a potential benefit of PCR as a prognostic tool in pertussis.     

Role of semi–quantitative dynamic contrast–enhanced MR imaging in characterization and grading of prostate cancer

ObjectiveThe study retrospectively assessed the diagnostic value of semi-quantitative dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in characterization and grading of prostate cancer, with correlation to histopathological analysis.Materials and methods161 consecutive patients with prostate cancer underwent DCE MRI. 430 lesions, including 200 cancers with Gleason grade (GG) of 6 (n = 25), 7 (n = 112) and 8 or higher (n = 63); 80 benign hyperplasia; and 150 healthy tissues were assessed using a histology–MRI correlation. Time–intensity curve types between two radiologists and kinetic parameters (C_peak, time to peak, wash-in and wash-out) were compared in the different tissue types and GGs. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to assess for each parameter to differentiate cancer from benign hyperplasia or healthy tissue, and GG 8 or higher from GG 6 or 7.ResultsType 2 was the prevalent assigned curve type. Inter-radiologist agreement for the curve types was excellent. Cancer and GG 8 or higher significantly showed a higher C_peak and faster wash-in compared to healthy tissue and GG 6. Only wash-in significantly differentiated cancer from healthy tissue, and GG 8 or higher from GG 6, having an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.755 and 0.815 respectively. Wash-in for the combined parameters revealed AUCs of 0.791 and 0.839 in two (C_peak) parameters, and AUCs of 0.862 and 0.891 in three (C_peak and wash-out) parameters.ConclusionSemi-quantitative parameters can differentiate cancer from benign hyperplasia and healthy tissue. Wash-in is the most accurate differentiation parameter of cancer foci and GG 8 or higher.