Objective:To observe the effect of dexmedetomidine on sleep and anxiety in cancer patients who received chemothera-py. Methods: Sixty cancer patients suffering from sleep disorders or anxiety symptoms and receiving chemotherapy between March and June 2014 were randomly divided into treatment and control groups. The patients in the treatment group were treated with intrave-nous drip of 1.0μg/kg dexmedetomidine for more than 30 min, once a day for three days. The patients in the control group were given the same dose and drip time of normal saline. Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS) was used to assess the sleep quality of patients before and the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd days after the administration of dexmedetomidine. Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) was employed to assess anxi-ety before and the 3rd day after the administration of dexmedetomidine. Results:Compared with the control group and status before ad-ministration of dexmedetomidine, the AIS scores were significantly lower in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd days after administration (P<0.01), and the SAS scores were also significantly lower in the 3rd day after administration (P<0.01). Conclusion:Dexmedetomidine may im-prove sleep quality and alleviate anxiety symptoms in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Spinocerebel ar ataxia is a common neurodegenerative disease characterized by slowly progressive movement incoordination of the limbs. It responds badly to common medication. OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical effect of autologous bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and al ogeneic umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells tranfusion in the treatment of spinocerebel ar ataxia. METHODS: A total of 27 spinocerebel ar ataxia patients treated with mesenchymal stem cells treatment were included for comprehensive statistical analysis. Among these patients, six patients received autologous bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells lumbar puncture treatment and 21 patients received al ogeneic umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells lumbar puncture treatment combined with intravenous infusion. The neurologic function of the patients in the two groups was evaluated with International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale before and after treatment. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: There was no obvious adverse effect in the 27 spinocerebel ar ataxia patients during, before or after mesenchymal stem cells treatment. The effect of autologous bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in six patents was not significant; for the other 21 patients treated with al ogeneic umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells transfusion, the subjective symptoms of the patients were improved, and the International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale scores were decreased significantly at 3 months after treatment when compared with those before treatment (P < 0.05). The results suggest that umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells treatment is safe and able to ameliorate the clinical symptoms and improve life quality of spinocerebel ar ataxia patients to some extent.

OBJECTIVETo explore effects and potential mechanisms of high insulin environment on high density lipoprotein (HDL) generation-related functional protein ABCA1.

METHODS[(3)H] labeled cholesterol efflux from mature 3T3-L1 adipocytes was detected by liquid scintillation counting. ABCA1 mRNA and protein expression in mature 3T3-L1 adipocytes post stimulation with various concentrations of insulin was detected by real-time fluorescence-based quantitative techniques and Western blot, respectively, in the absence and presence of CHX (cycloheximide, CHX), calpeptin (calpain pathway inhibitor) or MG-132 (proteasome pathway inhibitor).

RESULTSCholesterol efflux rates were reduced post insulin stimulation in a dose-dependent manner ((7.06 ± 0.27)%, (6.59 ± 0.30)%, (6.34 ± 0.24)%, (5.07 ± 0.40)%, and (4.71 ± 0.40)% at 0, 1, 10, 10², and 10³ nmol/L of insulin, P < 0.05). Cholesterol efflux rates decreased in a time-dependent manner post 10³ nmol/L insulin stimulation (6.52 ± 0.30)%, (5.59 ± 0.71)%, (5.44 ± 0.37)%, (4.52 ± 0.32)%, and (4.38 ± 0.33)% at 0, 2, 4, 6, 12 h, respectively). ABCA1mRNA levels were not affected by insulin (P > 0.05). ABCA1 protein level was significantly downregulated in 10³ nmol/L insulin group compared to 0 nmol/L insulin group (P < 0.01). Compared with the 0 h group, ABCA1 protein level was significantly reduced in 6 h group (P < 0.05) and further reduced in 12 h group (P < 0.01). Both calpeptin and MG-132 could partly reduce insulin-induced degradation of ABCA1. Compared with the negative control group, ABCA1 protein levels were significantly upregulated by cotreatment with calpeptin and MG-132, respectively (both P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONOur data suggest that high insulin level could promote the ABCA1 protein degradation and reduce cholesterol efflux from mature 3T3-L1 adipocytes through calpain and proteasome pathway, thus, produce a circumference not suitable for nascent HDL formation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

3T3-L1 Cells ; ATP Binding Cassette Transporter 1 ; Adipocytes ; Animals ; Calpain ; Insulin ; Leupeptins ; Lipoproteins, HDL ; Mice ; Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex ; RNA, Messenger

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on the gene expression of decorin by periodontal ligament fibroblasts (PLFs) in culture, and discuss the effect of bFGF in periodontal regeneration.

METHODSHuman PLFs were cultured and stimulated by exogenous bFGF. Gene expression of decorin was assessed by semi-quantitive RT-PCR.

RESULTSThe mRNA expression of decorin was suppressed by bFGF and the effect was dose-dependent. When the dose of bFGF increased, the inhibitive effect decreased.

CONCLUSIONDecorin has many biological effects. The inhibitive effect may be one of important factors which participate in the healing process of periodontitis, and provide partly theoretical basis of bFGF in periodontal regeneration.

Decorin ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 ; Fibroblasts ; Humans ; Periodontal Ligament ; RNA, Messenger ; Regeneration

BACKGROUNDBecause of lacking skills in scanning the normal fetal facial structures and their corresponding ultrasonic features, misdiagnoses frequently occur. Therefore, we studied the appearance features and improved displaying skills of fetal facial anatomy in order to provide basis for prenatal diagnosis.

METHODSTwenty fetuses with normal facial anatomy from induced labor because of other malformations except facial anomalies were immersed in a water bath and then scanned ultrasonographically on coronal, sagittal and transverse planes to define the ultrasonic image features of normal anatomy. The coronal and sagittal planes obtained from the submandibular triangle were used for displaying the soft and hard palate in particular.

RESULTSFacial anatomic structures of the fetus can be clearly displayed through the three routine orthogonal planes. However, the soft and hard palate can be displayed on the planes obtained from the submandibular triangle only.

CONCLUSIONSThe superficial soft tissues and deep bony structures of the fetal face can be recognized and evaluated by routine ultrasonographic images, which is a reliable prenatal diagnostic technique to evaluate the fetal facial anatomy. The soft and hard palate can be well demonstrated by the submandibular triangle approach.

Face ; diagnostic imaging ; embryology ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVETo evaluate methods and clinical performance of crown lengthening surgery for aesthetic restoration improvement of short anterior teeth. Various surgery methods, proper restoration time after surgery, and indications for crown lengthening surgery were discussed.

METHODSCrown lengthening surgery and prosthetic treatment were applied to 148 short anterior teeth of 22 cases. Modified Ryge criteria were used to assess the gingival health after treatment. Restoration results before and after treatment were evaluated by use of Kay's altered dental esthetics classification.

RESULTSWhen patients were re-examined after restoration of two weeks, obvious inflammation was found in 7.4% teeth. After providing the treatment and instruction on oral hygiene, 98.6% gingival health was significantly improved during the follow-up period. Two cases were examined during more than 4-year period and no obvious gingival inflammation and change in dental crown ratio were found. After treatment, all of 22 cases met Kay dental esthetics classification Class II-I (cosmetic) or Class II-I criteria.

CONCLUSIONSRight selection of indications, accurate restoration design, delicate surgery operation, enough recover period for the gingival after surgery, and proper oral hygiene training method, all contribute to the satisfactory aesthetic restoration of anterior teeth.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Crown Lengthening ; Esthetics, Dental ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

Objective To investigate regional spontaneous brain activity in mild cognition impairment (MCI) patients with amnesic (aMCI) and non-amnesic (naMCI).Methods Twenty-five aMCI patients,21 naMCI patients and 15 normal controls (NC) underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging.The regional homogeneity (ReHo) map of the whole brain was obtained by calculating the similarity of each voxel with its nearest 26 voxel time series.The differences of ReHo map across the whole brain among three groups were compared.Results In aMCI group,ReHo values were lower in right frontal lobe and higher in left middle temporal gyrus and left cerebellum compared with NC (P＜0.05,Alphasim correction).In naMCI group,ReHo values were higher in anterior cingulate cortex and right middle frontal gyrus and lower in right parahippocampa gyrus,right middle temporal gyrus as well as right precuneus compared with NC (P＜0.05,Alphasim correction).Compared with naMCI,the ReHo values were significantly higher in left prefrontal gyrus,left middle temporal gyrus and lower in right cerebellum (P＜0.05,Alphasim correction).Conclusion There are differences in spontaneous brain activity of left prefrontal gyrus,left middle temporal gyrus and right cerebellum between aMCI and naMCI,which may be used to differentiate brain function between aMCI and naMCI patients.

BACKGROUNDThe NASG gene has been confirmed as a tumor-suppressor gene candidate related to nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) by previous studies. We further investigated the expression and the role of NASG in the homogeneous tissue cells by microdissecting the samples of tissue from human NPC, and introduced a new way to study the expression of specific genes in tumor tissue.

METHODSThe RNAlater reagent was used to preserve the samples of tissue from the nasopharynx of NPC patients. The samples were microdissected to harvest the homogeneous tissue cells and then total RNA was isolated from them. The antisense RNA (aRNA) was amplified from the total RNA by "in vitro transcription (IVT)". We investigated NASG expression in the homogeneous tumor cells of NPC (22 samples) and compared it with that in the pure epithelial pillar cells of normal nasopharyngeal (10 samples) by semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (sqRT-PCR).

RESULTSThe high quality total RNA could be harvested from the microdissected homogeneous tissue cells of the nasopharynx, then sufficient aRNA was derived from it. NASG gene expression was identified using aRNA by sqRT-PCR and showed that there was significant difference between the average value of case groups and that of control group (t = -5.275, df = 30, P < 0.001). The NASG gene in the subgroups WHOII tended to express lower levels than those in the subgroup WHOIII although this difference was not statistically significant (t = -1.584, df = 20, P = 0.129 > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSMicrodissection was an effective method to obtain the homogeneous tissue cells of nasopharyngeal tissue (including the samples of NPC and non-NPC) in our study. Sufficient aRNA from amplifying total RNA could be used in sqRT-PCR to analyse the expression of NASG in the pure tissue cells. NASG should be a tumor-suppression gene candidate regarding to NPC.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Humans ; Male ; Microdissection ; Middle Aged ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; genetics ; Nasopharynx ; metabolism ; RNA ; analysis ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

Objective:This study is aimed to investigate the value of absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) in predicting the clinical prognosis of patients with myelodyplastic syndrome(MDS).Methods:245 patients with MDS who diagnosed in our hospital from 2009 to 2019 were analyzed retrospectively, re-diagnosed according to WHO 2016 standard, and 208 patients with intact IPSS-R were risk-stratified, all of the patients′ peripheral blood ALC were collected and analyzed, through the time dependent receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis in Survival ROC package of R language, the optimal threshold value of ALC was 1.0×10 9/L. The patients of MDS were divided into normal ALC group (ALC ≥1.0×10 9/L) and low ALC group (ALC<1.0×10 9/L). Pearson χ 2 test and Mann-Whitney U test was used to analyze the differences in general data between the two groups. The overall survival (OS) curve and leukemia-free survival (LFS) were plotted by Kaplan-Meier method and compared by Long-rank test. Factors influencing the prognosis of MDS were analyzed by Cox Regression Model. Results:There were 97 cases in low ALC group and 148 cases in normal ALC group. The low ALC group had lower OS (15 months vs 60 months, P<0.000 1) and higher IPSS-R score (5.0 vs 3.75, P = 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that ALC (<1.0×10 9/L) (HR:0.374,95% CI:0.153-0.917, P = 0.032) was independent risk factor of OS in IPSS-R-intermediate-risk MDS patients. Conclusion:This study shows that ALC in peripheral blood is an independent risk factor in IPSS-R-intermediate-risk MDS patients, which provides clinical evidence for the influence of body immunity on the development of MDS.

OBJECTIVETo study the value of prenatal ultrasound in the diagnosis of fetal malformations.

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 993 cases of neonates and induced babies with malformations who were labored in our hospital from January 1999 to October 2006.

RESULTSThe incidence rate of fetal malformation was 22.5 per thousand in our study group. The detection rate of prenatal ultrasound was 79.02% (1 062/1 344), among which the detection rate of the severe malformations (87.58%, 860/982) were significantly higher than that of the minor malformations (55.80%, 202/362) (P < 0.005). The false negative rate was high for the extremity malformations (39.46%) and facial malformations (31.91%), especially the acrosclerodermas, simple cleft palates, and ear deformities.

CONCLUSIONPrenatal ultrasound is sensitive for fetal severe malformations, while the detection rate is low for fetal minor malformations.

Congenital Abnormalities ; diagnostic imaging ; False Negative Reactions ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography, Prenatal