Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia and a neurodegenerative disease with progressive cognitive dysfunction as the main feature. How to identify the early changes of cognitive dysfunction and give appropriate treatments is of great significance to delay the onset of dementia. Some other researches have shown that AD is associated with abnormal changes of brain networks. To study human brain functional connectivity characteristics in AD, 16 channels electroencephalogram (EEG) were recorded under resting and eyes-closed condition in 15 AD patients and 15 subjects in the control group. The synchronization likelihood of the full-band and alpha-band (8-13 Hz) data were evaluated, which resulted in the synchronization likelihood coefficient matrices. Considering a threshold T, the matrices were converted into binary graphs. Then the graphs of two groups were measured by topological parameters including the clustering coefficient and global efficiency. The results showed that the global efficiency of the network in full-band EEG was significantly smaller in AD group for the values of T = 0.06 and T = 0.07, but there was no statistically significant difference in the clustering coefficients between the two groups for the values of T (0.05-0.07). However, the clustering coefficient and global efficiency were significantly lower in AD patients at alpha-band for the same threshold range than those of subjects in the control group. It suggests that there may be decreases of the brain connectivity strength in AD patients at alpha-band of the resting-state EEG. This study provides a support for quantifying functional brain state of AD from the brain network perspective.
Alzheimer Disease ; physiopathology ; Brain ; physiopathology ; Brain Mapping ; Case-Control Studies ; Cluster Analysis ; Cognition Disorders ; physiopathology ; Electroencephalography ; Humans ; Probability ; Rest

Objective To study the synchronization of electroencephalogram (EEG) in the patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods Sixteen-channel EEG was recorded under resting, eyes-closed condition in 8 AD patients and 8 control subjects. After data preprocessing, the synchronization likelihood was measured between pairs of EEG channels for the full band,δband (0.5-4 Hz),θband (4-8 Hz),αband (8-13 Hz) andβband (13-30 Hz) in the AD and control groups. Mean synchronization likelihood values of each frequency band were compared between the two groups. Results At the full band,θband andαband, the mean synchronization likelihood values of the AD group were lower than that of the control group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the two groups at theδandβbands (P>0.05). Conclusions The EEG synchronization of AD patients decreases at the full band,θandαbands, suggesting that collaborative information processing ability atθandαbands reduces between different brain regions in the AD patients. The research provides support for further study of the brain functional connectivity characteristics in the AD patients.

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of topical corticosteroids combined with fusidic acid cream in treating infantile eczema.Methods Four hundreds cases of infantile eczema in the outpatient department of our hospital from March 2012 to January 2015 were collected and divided into observation group (220 cases) and control group (180 cases).The observation group received topical corticosteroids combined with fusidic acid cream,while the control group was treated only by topical corticosteroid.The medication time reaching to clinical cure,effect maintenance time during 30 d observation period and recurrence rate were recorded in the two groups.Results During the 30 days of observation, 50 cases of infantile eczema withdrew from the study,17 cases in the observation group and 33 cases in the control group.The average medication time in the observation group was (2.2±0.9)d,which was shorter than (3.2±1.1)d in the control group.The effect maintenance time during observation period in the observation group was (11.7±5.4) d,which was longer than (7.2±4.0)d in the control group,the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05);74.0% of recurrent cases during the observation period in the observation group manifested by mild eczema,while 57.8% in the control group manifested by mild eczema and had no need to use corticosteroid,the improvement of symptoms during recurrent period for the patients in the observation group was better than that for the patients in the control group,the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05).Conclusion Topical corticosteroids combined with fusidic acid cream for treating infantile eczema can reduce the medication time,prolong the effect maintenance time,and alleviate the recurrent symptoms.

Objective To investigate the management of research instruments.Methods Scientific and effectual device management and technical training were established.Results The instruments availability and intact conditions including economic efficacy were greatly improved via scientific and effectual management in our neurosurgical institute.Conclusion Scientific standard and systematic management can not only ensure the optimal working conditions of research instruments for research work,but promote the equipment efficacy and increase economic returns.

Objective To investigate the synergistic effect of retinol and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) on maintaining pluripotency of murine embryonic stem cells (mESCs). Methods The mESCs were randomly divided into two groups, and they were all cultured with the same LIF concentration (100U/ml). Retinol was added into mESCs medium in experimental group, and retinol was not added in control group. 14 days after culturing, the changes in cell morphology were observed under an inverted microscope with alkaline phosphatase staining. The mRNA expression of Oct4 and Nanog was analyzed by RT-PCR, and the proteins for Oct4 and Nanog were determined by Western-blot for the assessment of the pluripotency of mESCs. Results 14 days after culturing, 78% of mESCs in the experimental group formed good cell colonies with good stereoscopic appearance, and they showed strong alkaline phosphatase (AKP) staining. While in the control group, only 35% of mESCs were in undifferentiated mode, and the cells were weakly positive with AKP staining. The quantity of undifferentiated mESCs in experimental group (7.02?0.34) was higher than that in control group (4.28?0.37, P

ObjectiveTo investigate the clinicopathological features,immunohistochemical phenotype of pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma.MethodsEight cases of pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma admitted to our hospital from January 2001to January 2011were retrospectively analyzed. The clinicopathological characteristics,and immunohistochemical staining for phenotype were analyzed,then the follow-up data were summarized.ResultsAll 8 patients with pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma was male,with a median age of 47 years old.Tumors were located in the pancreatic head in 4 patients,pancreatic body and tail in 4 patients.The average tumor size was 4.5 cm × 4.0 cm × 3.2 cm,the section appeared as gray or gray-red and presented as solid or cystic lesions.Larger tumors were often accompanied by hemorrhage and necrosis.Microscopically,the tumor cells arranged in acinic,cord,trabecular or solid nests.The cytoplasm was abundant and eosinophilic.The nuclear was round,oval,slightly atypia.lmmunohistochemical staining showed diffusely positive for CAM5.2,α-AT,α-ACT and focally positive for CA19-9,CEA,E-cad,β-cat and MUC-1 and only occasionally positive for AFP,NSE,Syn and CgA.Follow-up data showed there was one case of postoperative death due to postoperative pancreatic leakage with abdominal infection.Liver metastasis occurred in 4 cases,among whom,2 cases died.ConclusionsPancreatic acinar cell carcinoma is a rare epithelial malignant tumor of pancreas,with distinct phenotype characteristics.

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of conventional treatment combined with flupentixol and melitracen in patients with reflux esophagitis (RE).Methods From June 2012 to March 2015, a total of 182 patients were selected as study subjects from newly diagnosed RE patients.The anxiety and depression scores were evaluated according to Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA) and Hamilton depression scale (HAMD).And then patients were divided into HAMA and HAMD negative conventional treatment group and combined treatment group, HAMA and HAMD positive conventional treatment group and combined treatment group.Rabeprazole and mosapride were administrated in conventional treatment group.For patients in combined treatment group, on the base of conventional treatment flupentixol and melitracen were added.The treatment course was eight weeks.The degree of anxiety and depression, RE symptoms and mucosal healing under gastroscope were evaluated before and after treatment.Adverse drug reaction was observed.Chi square test or t test was performed for statistical analysis.Results Eight weeks after treatment, the scores of HAMA and HAMD in HAMA and HAMD positive combined treatment group were 7.930 ±3.832 and 9.630 ± 3.650, which were both lower than those of conventional treatment group (11.660 ± 4.108 and 12.170 ± 4.459), and the differences were statistically significant (t=3.683 and 2.233;both P＜0.05).The symptom scores of heartburn, regurgitation, chest pain of HAMA and HAMD positive combined treatment group were 0.700±0.591,0.780± 0.629 and 0.720±0.621, respectively, which were lower than those of conventional treatment group (1.280 ± 0.502, 1.370 ± 0.610 and 1.040 ± 0.842), and the differences were statistically significant (t =5.133, 4.413 and 2.114, all P＜0.05).There were no statistical significance in symptoms scores between HAMA and HAMD negative combined treatment group and conventional treatment group (all P＞0.05).After treatment, the mucosal healing rate of HAMA and HAMD positive combined treatment group was 91.3％ (42/46), which was higher than that of conventional treatment group (71.7 ％, 33/46), and the difference was statistically significant (x2 =5.845, P =0.016).The incidence of adverse events of HAMA and HAMD negative combined treatment group was 4.8％ (2/42), and that of HAMA and HAMD positive combined treatment group was 2.2％(1/46).Conclusions The conventional treatment combined with flupentixol and melitracen in RE patients accompanied with anxiety and depression was remarkable and safe.RE patients without obvious anxiety or depression, preventive use of antianxiety and antidepressant medicine can not improve the efficacy.

Objective To explore the impact of atrial fibrillation (AF) recognized at primary diagnosis on clinical features and outcomes of patients with AF in emergency service.Methods Data were collected from consecutive patients admitted in resuscitation room in the Department of Emergency (ED) of a major comprehensive teaching hospital,from January 1,2011 through December 31,2015.Patients were checked by electrocardiogram examination and / or monitored in resuscitation room after admission,and were divided into patients with AF recognized at a primary diagnosis and those with AF judged by alternative primary diagnoses in ED.The main criteria of prognosis were the length of resuscitation room stay,number of repeated ED visits,and outcome scale (such as death,transferred to intensive units,transferred to general wards,or direct discharge).Non-paired student t test,x2,and circular distribution analysis were performed using SPSS 10.0 and EXCEL 2007 software.Results A total of 929 patients with mean age of (70.3 ± 12.7) years,and 502 (54.0％) female were enrolled.There were 122 cases with AF not recognized at primary diagnosis but by an alternative primary diagnosis (non-primary group,NPG),and 807 cases with AF recognized at primary diagnosis (primary group,PG).Compared with the PG,the patients were older [(76.9 ±9.3) vs.(68.7 ± 14.4),P ＜0.01],had more comorbidities [(1.75 ± 1.26) vs.(0.08±0.39),P＜0.01],higher APACHE Ⅱ scores [(17.89±8.19) vs.(8.64±4.15),P＜ 0.01],longer resuscitation room stay (P ＜ 0.01),higher mortality (11.5％ vs.0.2％,OR =52.176,95％ CI:11.698-232.710,x2 =78.928,P ＜ 0.01) and a higher percentage of transferring to intensive careunit (14.8％ vs.5.1％,OR=3.234,95％CI:1.791-5.838,x2 =16.674,P＜0.01) in NPG.There were no significant difference in number of repeated-visits in ED between the PG and the NPG.Conclusion Patients with AF in the ED judged by alternative primary diagnosis are older and have more comorbidities,higher mortality and higher probability to be transferred to intensive care unit than patients with AF directly recognized by a primary diagnosis.This cohort of patients with special characteristics should be meticulously cared for and be distinguished from the patients with AF crystal clear at a primary diagnosis.Future studies are needed to examine the specific impact of AF on outcomes in the setting of primarydiagnoses in ED.

Objective To investigate the correlation and significance of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)and the breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) expressions in non-Hodgkin lymphoma(NHL). Methods Ten patients with reactive lymph nodes (RLN) were considered as a control group. Compared with β-actin as internal control, the BCRP mRNA expressions of 61 NHL samples and 10 lymph tissues in control group were detected by semi-quantitative revere transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay, while the expressions of COX-2 protein of the above specimens were detected by SP immunohistochemistry. Results The positive rates of COX-2 and BCRP in NHL were 50.8 %(31/61) and 45.8 % (28/61), respectively , and were higher than those in the control group (P ＜0.05). The expression of COX-2 was statistically positive correlated to that of BCRP (X2 =8.795, r=0.355, P＜0.05). The expressions of COX-2 and BCRP were not correlated to clinical and pathological factors, such as age, sex, IPI, LDH, β2-microglobulin level and Ann Arbor stage, however, the expression of BCRP was statistically correlated to chemotherapy efficacy.Conclusion BCRP may be involved in multi-drug resistance (MDR) of NHL, so it may contribute to the assessment of chemotherapy and prediction of NHL. Since there is a strong correlation between COX-2 expression and MDR in NHL, the application of COX-2 inhibitors may enhance sensitivity of chemotherapy.

Objective To investigate the expression of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and CD80 in unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion and their relationship,discuss its possible roles in guiding eugenics,and provide a new idea for clinical diagnosis and prevention.Methods The study group were 60 cases with unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion patients.The control group included 30 cases of normal early pregnancy without previous history of adverse pregnancy.The expressions of TLR4 and CD80 were detected with immunohistochemistry in the peripheral blood,chorion,and decidua from each case.Results TLR4 had higher expression in the peripheral blood,the chorion and decidua from the recurrent spontaneous abortion women than that from normal pregnancy women (P ＜ 0.05).Levels of CD80 were significantly higher in recurrent spontaneous abortion group than in normal pregnancy group (P ＜ 0.05).There was a positive correlation between TLR4 and CD80 (r =0.982,0.986,and 0.776,P ＜0.01).Conclusions The study shows that TLR4 and CD80 were expressed in peripheral blood lymphocytes and villi and decidua of early pregnancy (normal pregnancy or abnormal pregnancy).Higher expressions of TLR4 and CD80 might play an important role in the occurrence of recurrent spontaneous abortion.