Salivary gland damage with subsequent xerostomia has been an unavoidable complication in most head and neck cancer patients after radiotherapy.However,there were many shortcomings of each current detecting technique.Magnetic resonance sialography(MRS) and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging(DW MRI) ,as two of the most important progresses in the latest MRI techniques,with the virtue of non-invasion and non-ionizing radiation,has been rapidly developed in salivary function assessment in recent years,and it has kept on improving technically.This article mainly reviewed the clinical applications and research advances of these two MRI technologies in post-radiotherapy salivary function assessment in patients with head and neck cancers,so as to provide reference for further study.

BACKGROUND: Mitochondria are not only the important place for consuming oxygen and producing free radical, but also an aggressive target place by endogenous free radical. The changes of structure and function of mitochondria will be take place with aging. Portulaca (Portulaca oleracea L.) is usually called as the macrobiotic vegetable. Portulaca is eutrophic and anti-free radical. It is worth exploring whether the anti-aging action of Portulaca is correlated with its protection on myocardial mitochondria.OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of the Portulaca water extract on the lipid peroxidation myocardial mitochondrial phospholipid and the activity of respiratory chain enzymes in aging model mice, and analyze the pathway of protective effect on myocardial mitochondria.DESIGN: A completely randomized design and controlled animal experiments.SETTING: Department of Biochemistry, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Jiamusi University.MATERIALS: ①The animals were raised and the experiments were completed in the Experimental Animal Center of Jiamusi University from March 2003 to August 2004. The animals were killed, hearts were removed and mitochondria were harvested in the Department of Biochemistry; The indexes were determined in the Department of Biochemistry,experimental center and the College of Chemistry and Pharmacology. ② Thirty healthy adult Kunming mice (either male or female) were divided into 3 groups by random feeling ball method: young control group (n =8), aging model group (n =11) and Portulaca treated group (n =11). ③ Portulaca was offered by Jiamusi Institute of Chinese Herbs, and appraisement by the Department of Crude Drug of Jiamusi University. Portulacas were made into water extract (crud drug 1 kg/L). Standard cardiolipin was offered by Sigma Company (USA), kits for malonaldehyde (MDA) and the activity of Ca2+-adenosine triphosphatase (Ca2+-ATPase) were provided by Nanjing Jiancheng Bioengineering Institute.METHODS: ①The aging model mice were daily given subcutaneous injection of D-galactose on the nape back (100 mg/kg);Besides, mice in the Portulaca treated group were perfused with the Portulaca water extract (13 g/kg per day) for 30 days continuously, and those in the young control group were daily given subcutaneous injection of saline of the same volume for 30 days continuously. All the mice were killed on the next day after the last administration, and then hearts were quickly removed and reserved. ② Mitochondria were prepared according to the method provided by Nanjing Jiancheng Bioengineering Institute. The MDA content and the activities of Ca2+-ATPase were determined following the illustration of the kit. The relative amount of cardiolipin in phospholipid on the mitochondrial membrane was determined with the high-performance liquid chromatography. The activities of Complex Ⅰ and Complex Ⅱ +Ⅲ were measured by Wu's method. ③ The differences of measurement data were compared with the analysis of variance and t test.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ① Composition of phospholipid on myocardial mitochondrial membrane of mice; MDA content, activities of Complex Ⅰ, Complex Ⅱ +Ⅲ and Ca2+-ATPase in mitochondria.RESULTS: All the 30 mice were involved in the final analysis of results. ① MDA contents in myocardial mitochondria: It was significantly higher in the aging model group [(8.827±0.873) μ mol/g] than in the young control group and Portulaca treated group [(5.194±0.674), (5.901±0.743) μmol/g, t =7.48, 7.22, P ＜ 0.01]. ② Relative amounts of cardiolipin and the activities of Ca2+-ATPase in myocardial mitochondria: Those were obviously lower in the aging model group [cardiolipin:(0.156±0.012) mg/g, (1.267±0.167) μkat/g] than in the young control group and Portulaca treated group [(0.190±0.022),(0.184±0.021) mg/g; Ca2+-ATPase: (1.870±0.254), (1.780±0.237) μ kat/g, t =3.23,5.61, P ＜ 0.05-0.01]. ③ Activities of Complex Ⅰ and Complex Ⅱ + Ⅲ in myocardial mitochondria: Those were significantly lower in the aging model group [(3.517±0.383), (20.217±2.200) μkat/g] than in the young control group and Protulaca treated group [Complex Ⅰ:(6.817±0.600), (6.067±0.750) μ kat/g; Complex Ⅱ + Ⅲ: (56.400±4.933), (51.800±4.217) μkat/g, t =5.74,9.86, P ＜ 0.01].CONCLUSION: The Portulaca water extract has the protective effect on myocardial mitochondria by inhibiting the lipid peroxidation in myocardial mitochondria and enhancing the activities of respiratory chain enzymes.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of gemcitabine plus cisplatin (GP)chemotherapy combined with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)in locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).Methods71 patients (Stage Ⅲ:41,Stage ⅣA:30) with locoregionally advanced NPC were entered this study.Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was consisted of cisplatin 25 mg/m2 intravenously on d1-3 and gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 in 30 minutes intravenous infusion on days 1 and 8,every 3 weeks for 2 cycles.Adjuvant chemotherapy consisted of 2 cycles of the same GP regimen was given at 28 days after the end of radiotherapy.The prescription doses was 66.0-70.4 Gy to the gross tumor volume,66 Gy to positive neck nodes,60 Gy to the high-risk clinical target volume,54 Gy to the low-risk clinical target volume.ResultsThe overall response rate to neoadjuvant chemotherapy was 91.2％,acute toxicity was mainly grade 1-2 myleosuppression.All patients completed IMRT.The median follow-up duration was 38 months.The 3-year nasopharyngeal local control,regional control,distant metastasis-free survival rate and overall survival rate were 93％,99％,91％,90％,respectively.Severe late toxicities included grade 3 trismus in 1 patient,grade 3 hearing impairment in 2 patients and cranial nerve palsy in 2 patients,respectively.No grade 4 late toxicities were observed.Conclusions The combination of GP chemotherapy and IMRT for locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma is well-tolerated,convenient,effective,and warrants further studies of more proper cycles of GP regimen.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical effect of nasal packing of pulmicort respules combined withnasopore after endoscopic sinus surgery. METHOD: A total of 30 CRSwNP and CRSsNP patients with bilateral functional endoscopic sinus surgery and finished following up visit were randomly choosed, conventionally select the left nasal cavity as the experimental group, the right nasal cavity as the control group. Experimental group to pack the nasal cavity with pulmicort respules union nasopore after surgery and control group to pack the nasal cavity with only nasopore after surgery. The differences were observed in patients with subjective symptoms and recovery of mucosa of operative cavity between the two groups after two weeks, one month and three months. RESULT: (1) The postoperative VAS symptoms score about nasal obstruction, nasal secretion, headache, dizziness and distending pain after two weeks,one month and three months in the experiment group were significantly better than those in the control group(P<0.05). (2) The postoperative Lund-Kennedy endoscopic mucosa morphology score after two weeks, one month and three months in the experiment group were significantly better than those in the control group(P<0.05); (3) After three months, the experiment group had 28 cases with clinic symptoms cured(93. 3%), Total effective rate was 96. 6%; The control group had 22 cases with clinic symptoms cured (73. 3%), total effective rate was 93. 3%. The cure rate of the experiment group was significantly higher than the control group(P<0.05), but there was no statistic difference between the two groups in the total effective rate (P>0.05). CONCLUSION The application of nasal packing of pulmicort respules combined with nasopore after functional endoscopic sinus surgery can effectively relieve postoperative uncomfortable symptoms, promote recovery of mucosa of perative cavity, which deserves clinical promotion.
Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; administration & dosage ; Bandages ; Budesonide ; administration & dosage ; Endoscopy ; Epistaxis ; Humans ; Nasal Cavity ; Nasal Obstruction ; Paranasal Sinuses ; surgery ; Postoperative Period

Objective To investigate the effects of mirror visual feedback (MVF) and electromyographic biofeedback (EMGBF) on upper extremity function in hemiplegic patients after stroke based on task-oriented training. Methods 90 patients with hempiplegia after stroke were randomly divided into control group (n=30), EMGBF group (n=30) and MVF group (n=30). All patients accepted routine rehabilitation and task-oriented training once a day for 8 weeks. The EMGBF group also accepted EMGBF, and the MVF group accepted MVF in addition. They were assessed with Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) and the Upper Extremity Function Test (UEFT), and their integrated electromyogram (iEMG) of affected upper extremities were recorded before and after treatment. Results All the groups improved in scores of FMA and UEFT, as well as the iEMG after treatment (P<0.05), and ranked as the MVF group, the EMGBF group and the control group from improving more to less (P<0.05). Conclusion Mirror visual feedback combined with electromyographic biofeedback may further promote the recovery of upper limb function in patients with hemiplegia after stroke based on task-oriented training.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the function of the salivary glands with gustatory stimulation by using MR DWI.MethodsA prospective study was conducted in 30 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma who had normal salivary function.A DWI sequence was performed on the salivary glands at resting state,and continually repeated on the parotid immediately after oral ascorbic acid stimulation over a period of 21 minutes (once every 18 seconds).The multiple b-values (0,400,600,800,1000 s/mm2) were used.ADC maps were evaluated with a manually placed region of interest including the entire salivary gland.The ADC of each gland was obtained by taking the mean of values on three contiguous sections containing the largest areas of the gland.The paired two-tailed Student t test was used to compare the ADC values of the parotid and the submandibular glands at rest,and of the parotid before and after stimulation.ResultsThe mean ADC value at rest was significantly lower in the parotid [ (1.23 ±0.12) × 10-3 mm2/s] than in the submandibular glands [(1.34 ± 0.07 ) × 10 -3 mm2/s,t =4.545,P ＜ 0.01 ].After acid stimulation,the ADC value increased from the baseline to (1.41 ±0.19) × 10-3 mm2/s firstly and then fluctuated at the following time,with a peak value of ( 1.49 ± 0.20 )× 10 -3 mm2/s and the average value of ( 1.36 ±0.17) × 10-3 mm2/s.The average value was significantly different from the baseline value (t =15.127,t =11.905,P ＜ 0.01 ).The minimum value [ ( 1.24 ± 0.14) × 10-3 mm2/s] was not significantly different compared to the baseline value (t =1.329,P ＞ 0.05 ).ConclusionMR DW1 can noninvasively evaluate the physiologic changes of salivary glands before and after acid stimulation.

Objective To investigate the expressions of NBS1 mRNA and protein in the salivary gland of irradiated rats and explore the role of NBS1 in the repair of radiation injury of salivary gland epithelial cells.Methods Eighty rats were randomly divided into two groups for radiation and control (n =40 each).The rats were fractionally exposed to 3 Gy of 60Co γ-rays once in two days,leading to an accumulation dose of 3,6,9,12,15 Gy.The sham-irradiated controls were anesthetized in parallel but without irradiation.After 2-4 h of irradiation,the rats were sacrificed,IHC and RT-PCR were used to detect the expressions of NBS1 protein and mRNA in parotid and submandibular glands,and the ultra-structural changes in the glands were observed by a transmission electron microscopy.Results After irradiation,the salivary glands became atrophy and the parotid gland cells were damaged more serious than the submandibular gland cells.Compared with the controls,with the groups of dose,at 9,12,15 Gy in parotid gland (t =7.10,17.93,20.86,P ＜ 0.05),at 12,15 Gy in the submandibular gland (t =3.13,7.53,P ＜0.05),the expression of NBS1 mRNA was reduced.With the groups of dose at 9,12,15 Gy in paretid gland (t =4.29,17.91,91.29,P ＜ 0.05 ),the dose at 12,15 Gy in submandibular gland ( t =4.61,11.84,P＜0.05),the expression of NBS1 protein in serous cells,and the dose at 12,15 Gy in parotid gland ductal epithelial cell ( t =3.09,5.62,P ＜ 0.05) were reduced.But in the ductal epithelial cells as well as muoass cells in the submandibualr gland were steadily.Conclusions After irradiation,NBS1 at both protein and mRNA levels was dropped in the salivary gland of rats,which might contribute to the repair of radiation injury of salivary gland.

Objective To find a proper way for accurate results on completing blood counts.Methods Based on the results from automatic hematology analyzer XE-2100,set up the criteria for blood cell microscopic examination.1368 blood specimen were detected and the results were analyzed according to the criteria.Statistics on the data were made to evaluate the accordance between warnings of analyzer and manual examination,likewise the reliability of the criteria.Results Comparing with microscopic examination,analyzer warning on low PLT has good accordance,Kappa value was 0.95,U value was 35.19,P

The Sanger sequencing techniques, also known as the first-generation sequencing techniques and the gold standard of sequencing, have promoted the completion of "working draft" of the human genome, but the disadvantages of low throughput and high cost limit its large-scale application. The second-generation sequencing techniques, also known as the next-generation sequencing techniques, have widely used in basic research and clinical application because of its high throughput and low cost, but the short reads has always been an unavoidable shortcoming. Then, the emergence of the third-generation sequencing techniques, with the long reads, provides new technology selection for the analysis of complex repetitive regions on genome sequences and the assembly of high-quality genomes. In recent years, the third-generation sequencing techniques have been further developed, and have gradually demonstrated the clinical application value. This article reviewed the research progress and clinical application of the third-generation sequencing techniques.
Genome ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing/methods* ; Humans ; Sequence Analysis, DNA/methods*

In near-infrared (NIR) analysis of plant extracts, excessive background often exists in near-infrared spectra. The detection of active constituents is difficult because of excessive background, and correction of this problem remains difficult. In this work, the orthogonal signal correction (OSC) method was used to correct excessive background. The method was also compared with several classical background correction methods, such as offset correction, multiplicative scatter correction (MSC), standard normal variate (SNV) transformation, de-trending (DT), first derivative, second derivative and wavelet methods. A simulated dataset and a real NIR spectral dataset were used to test the efficiency of different background correction methods. The results showed that OSC is the only effective method for correcting excessive background.
Algorithms ; Artifacts ; Computer Simulation ; Coptis ; chemistry ; Models, Chemical ; Models, Statistical ; Multivariate Analysis ; Plant Extracts ; analysis ; chemistry ; Principal Component Analysis ; Spectrophotometry, Infrared ; methods