Value of 3.0T magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of retroperitoneal tumors.

Background: To evaluate the diagnostic value of 3.0T MR for differentiating benign from malignant primary retroperitoneal tumors (RPTs).

Methods: A total of 81 patients (44 males and 37 females; 31 benign and 50 malignant lesions) who underwent surgical resection for RPT were evaluated retrospectively.

[CT and MR findings of retroperitoneal ectopic pheochromocytoma].

Objective: To evaluate the CT and MR findings of retroperitoneal ectopic pheochromocytoma.

Methods: To analyze retrospectively the CT and MR images of 32 patients with retroperitoneal ectopic pheochromocytoma proved by pathology.

Results: The lesions (benign=28, malignant=4) were located in the anterior pararenal space (ARS) (n=12), the perirenal space (PS) (n=13) and the posterior pararenal space (PRS) (n=7).

Comparison of contrast-enhanced sonography with MRI in the diagnosis of complex cystic renal masses.

Purpose: To compare the diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) with MRI for complex cystic renal masses.

Methods: The study received approval from our Ethics Committee, and all subjects provided informed consent. Seventy-one complex cystic renal masses were assessed using CEUS and MRI in 59 patients (44 men and 15 women; age range, 21-78 years; mean age, 49.

Evaluation of CT findings for the differentiation of benign from malignant primary retroperitoneal tumors.

Background: Benign and malignant primary retroperitoneal tumors (RT) have different pathological manifestations, and overlapping imaging characteristics. This study aimed to evaluate the value of computed tomography (CT) for differentiating benign from malignant RT.

Methods: One hundred and ninety-four patients with clinical and radiographic data were evaluated retrospectively following surgical resection of primary RT.

[Differentiation of subtypes of renal cell carcinoma by double-phase helical computed tomography].

Objective: To evaluate the imaging features of different subtypes of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) by double-phase helical computed tomography (CT) and to enhance its pre-operative diagnosis level.

Methods: A total of 460 RCC were reviewed retrospectively. Tumor size, enhancement degree, enhancement drop between corticomedullary (CMP), nephrographic (NP), enhancement pattern, and tumor density (homogeneity, degeneration or necrosis, calcification) were observed respectively.

Genome-wide patterns of genetic variation among elite maize inbred lines.

We have resequenced a group of six elite maize inbred lines, including the parents of the most productive commercial hybrid in China. This effort uncovered more than 1,000,000 SNPs, 30,000 indel polymorphisms and 101 low-sequence-diversity chromosomal intervals in the maize genome. We also identified several hundred complete genes that show presence/absence variation among these resequenced lines.

[CT features of ovarian Brenner tumor and a report of 9 cases].

Objective: In order to improve the preoperative diagnostic accuracy, the computed tomographic (CT) features of ovarian Brenner tumor were described and analyzed.

Methods: CT image and clinical data of nine patients with pathologically confirmed Brenner tumor were collected and analyzed retrospectively. There were 8 benign lesions and 1 borderline lesion.

Relationship, evolutionary fate and function of two maize co-orthologs of rice GW2 associated with kernel size and weight.

Background: In rice, the GW2 gene, found on chromosome 2, controls grain width and weight. Two homologs of this gene, ZmGW2-CHR4 and ZmGW2-CHR5, have been found in maize. In this study, we investigated the relationship, evolutionary fate and putative function of these two maize genes.

[Evaluation of CT scanning in detecting pelvic lymph node metastasis in uterine cervix carcinoma].

Objective: To estimate the sensitivity and specificity of dynamic helical CT scanning for detecting pelvic lymph node metastasis in patients with uterine cervix carcinoma.

Methods: Totally 275 patients with pathologically confirmed uterine cervix carcinoma from Jun 2005 to Jul 2007 included bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy were eligible. CT was performed within 30 days of surgery.

Dissection of the genetic basis of heterosis in an elite maize hybrid by QTL mapping in an immortalized F2 population.

The genetic basis of heterosis for grain yield and its components was investigated at the single- and two-locus levels using molecular markers with an immortalized F(2) (IF(2)) population, which was developed by pair crosses among recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from the elite maize hybrid Yuyu22. Mid-parent heterosis of each cross in the IF(2) population was used to map heterotic quantitative trait loci. A total of 13 heterotic loci (HL) were detected.

Cloning and characterization of a putative GS3 ortholog involved in maize kernel development.

The GS3 gene was the first identified gene controlling the grain size in rice. It has been proven to be involved in the evolution of grain size during domestication. We isolated the maize ortholog, ZmGS3 and investigated its role in the evolution of maize grain size.

[Imaging features of nonepithelial tumors of the bladder].

Objective: To summarize the imaging features of nonepithelial tumors of the bladder.

Methods: The Imaging findings in 20 surgically treated patients with pathologically proved nonepithelial tumors of the bladder were retrospectively analyzed. The tumors included leiomyoma (n = 9), pheochromocytoma (n = 6), leiomyosarcoma (n = 2), rhabdomyosarcoma (n = 1), carcinosarcoma (n = 1), inflammatory myofibroblastoma (n = 1).

Angiogenesis of renal cell carcinoma: perfusion CT findings.

Objective: To observe the perfusion CT findings of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and prospectively correlate perfusion CT parameters with tumor MVD and VEGF expression.

Methods: Dynamic contrast-enhanced multislice spiral CT was performed prospectively in 73 cases with histologically proven RCC (65 clear cell, 3 papillary, and 5 chromophobe). Blood flow (BF), blood volume (BV), mean transit time (MTT), and permeability surface-area product (PS) of RCC and normal renal cortex were measured, respectively.

[Prediction of IVDMD with near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) in maize stalk].

The in vitro dry matter digestion (IVDMD) in maize stalk was analyzed with 161 samples selected from 600 samples of different eco-environments, hybrids and inbred lines, development stages, and various parts of the plants in two years. The technique of near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) and partial least square regression (PLS) were used to establish the models by comparing several preprocessing procedures and wavelength ranges. The optimal models could be obtained in the range of 6 101.

Cloning, chromosome mapping and expression analysis of an R2R3-MYB gene under-expressed in maize hybrid.

R2R3-MYB transcription factors play important role in transcriptional controls during higher plant metabolism and development. In this study, an R2R3-MYB gene was isolated from maize according to an EST, which expressed differentially between a hybrid and the two parents on a cDNA chip. The full-length cDNA, designated by ZmMYBL1 (GenBank accession no.

[Value of CT scanning in the diagnosis of early cervical carcinoma].

Objective: To investigate the value of CT scanning in preoperative diagnosis of early cervical carcinoma.

Methods: Abdominal and pelvic CT scans (MPR pictures for 50 patients) in 102 cervical carcinoma patients proven by biopsy pathology were retrospectively analyzed and compared with surgical pathologic findings. The pathological stages included > or = Ia in 39 patients, Ib 1 in 35, Ib 2 in 21, IIa in 6, IIb in 1.

Genome-wide isolation of resistance gene analogs in maize (Zea mays L.).

Conserved domains or motifs shared by most known resistance (R) genes have been extensively exploited to identify unknown R-gene analogs (RGAs). In an attempt to isolate all potential RGAs from the maize genome, we adopted the following three methods: modified amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), modified rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE), and data mining. The first two methods involved PCR-based isolations of RGAs with degenerate primers designed based on the conserved NBS domain; while the third method involved mining of RGAs from the maize EST database using full-length R-gene sequences.

[Predicting the chemical composition of intact kernels in maize hybrids by near infrared reflectance spectroscopy].

Intact-kernel samples of normal maize inbred lines and hybrids were collected from field experiments of three locations. Calibration equations were developed by partial least square regression (PLS) of chemical values of near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) data and tested through both cross and external validation. In addition, 40 progenies of F1 and F2 generation not included in calibration and validation sets were verified to further evaluate the reliability of three calibration equations.

[Prediction of NDF and ADF concentrations with near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS)].

The NDF (Neutral Detergent Fiber) and ADF (Acid Detergent Fiber) concentrations in maize stalk were analyzed with 147 samples selected from 600 samples of different eco-environments, hybrids and inbred lines, development stages, and various parts of the plants in two years. The technique of near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) and partial least square (PLS) regression were used to establish the models. The results showed that the calibration models developed by the spectral data pretreatment of the first derivative + vector normalization, and the first derivative + multivariate scattering correction were the best for NDF and ADF with the same spectral regions (7501.

[Genetic diversity analysis of maize recurrent selection populations by SSR marker].

Two cycles of mass (MS) and half-sib (HS) recurrent selection and one cycle of marker-assisted selection (MAS) for yield were carried out in two synthetic maize populations DC0 and XFC0, respectively. The genetic diversity of five maize (Zea mays L.) populations, including basic population DC0 and its developed populations HSC2, MSC2, and basic population XFC0 and its developed populations XFC1, were evaluated by 49 SSR primers, which are averagely distributed on 10 maize chromosomes.

[Peritoneal tuberculosis mimicking advanced ovarian carcinoma: distinction based on CT findings].

Objective: To evaluate the computed tomography (CT) findings of peritoneal tuberculosis mimicking advanced ovarian carcinoma for better understanding of the CT manifestations and accurate preoperative diagnosis.

Methods: CT findings of 18 cases with tuberculous peritonitis clinically simulating advanced ovarian cancer but pathologically proved otherwise were retrospectively reviewed.

Results: 1.

[Studies of genetic analysis and SSR linked marker location of gene resistance to southern rust in inbred line P25 of maize].

Using P25 (immune inbred line), F349 (susceptible inbred line) and the derived population F1, F2, B1 and B2 as materials, we investigated the heredity the of disease resistance gene to maize southern rust (Puccinia polysora Underw.) through the major-gene and polygene inheritance model. The results indicate that a major resistance gene exists in the inbred line P25 and expresses with additive effect.

Relationship between differential gene expression patterns in functional leaves of maize inbreds & hybrids at spikelet differentiation stage and heterosis.

To understand the molecular mechanism of maize heterosis, differential gene expression patterns in functional leaves between 10 maize inbreds and 38 hybrids at spikelet differentiation stage were analyzed by using cDNA-AFLP. The correlation analysis of various differential gene expression patterns with the performance and heterosis of main maize agronomic traits was carried out. The main results are as follows: (1) There are differential gene expression patterns in quality and quantity between hybrids and their parents.

[Construction the RFLP linkage map and location the NCBL QTL of maize].

There exists the race differential phenomenon in Exserohilum turcicum (namely NCBL). At present, there are 5 identified races of NCBL and some un-known races in China. For improvement of maize resistance to NCBL, a basic method is to improve maize quantitative resistance.

Diagnostic significance of ultrasonography and CT for large upper abdominal mass.

Objective: To assess the effect of ultrasonography and computerized tomography (CT) in the diagnosis of large upper abdominal mass.

Methods: Data from 43 cases that were clinically and pathologically confirmed were retrospectively analyzed and the effect of their preoperative ultrasonography and CT was compared.

Results: Four of 10 (40 percent) cases of liver mass were diagnosed correctly using ultrasonic device, nineteen of 25 (76 percent) cases of adrenal gland mass and 2 of 4 cases of kidney mass.