The currently used heart valve prosthesis are still far from the ideal one in anticoagulation and longevity. The construction of tissue engineering heart valve leaflets are carried out recently. This article reviews the progress of tissue engineering heart valve leaflets in implanting materials, seeded cells, animal experiment and basic research. It also discusses the benefits and feasibility of tissue engineering heart valve leaflets.

Objective:To study the clinical effect of corticosteroids (C S) with small dosage in the recurrence control of pemphigus. Methods: 25 cases of pemphigus were diagnosed by clinical and pathological examinati on.They were treated with CS at 60-80 mg/d in acute stage for symptom control.Th en,the dosage of CS was decreased by 5 mg in each following 2 weeks untill it re ached 2.5 mg/2 d. The treatment of 2.5 mg/2 d was continued for 1 year and was a ssisted with tripterygium polyglycoside, compound thalidomide, compound cyclopho sphamide (compounded with total saponins of ginseng), dapsone, and/or some kidne y-supplementing herbs. The patients were followed-up for 9~16 years.Re sults:No recurrence was observed in 16 cases(64%).Recurrence was found i n 9 cases(36%),among them 7(28%) were with light symptom and 2(8%) severe. Sever e side-effect was not found in all cases. Conclusion:The recurr ence of pemphigus may be controlled without severe side-effect by long-term us e of small dosage of CS assisted with proper immuno-inhibitors, immuno-regulat ors and/or some kidney-supplementing herbs.

Enamel pearl is an ectopic enamel, which usually occurs in the root bifurcate or approaching enamel-cementum site of the first maxillary molar. A case of multiple enamel pearls on the left maxillary third molar is reported in this paper, and relevant literature was reviewed.
Dental Cementum ; Dental Enamel ; abnormalities ; Humans ; Molar ; Molar, Third ; Tooth Root

Forms and Records Control ; methods ; Humans ; Pathology, Clinical ; methods

Objective To compare the biomechanical properties between the two-level fixation by im- plantation of pedicle-screws into the adjacent upper and lower vertebrae of the fractured vertebra and the three-level fixation by implantation of pedicle screws into the fractured vertebra and its adjacent upper and lower vertebrae in the treatment of thoracolumbar burst fractures.Methods Eight fresh frozen calf spines were used in this study.Each specimen was tested in four models:intact model as the control,L1 burst fracture model,two-level fixation model, and three-level fixation model.The L1 burst fracture model was created on a biaxial material testing machine (MTS858 Bionix test system,America).During the experiment,the flexion,extension,bilateral bending and axial rotation loadings were applied to the specimens and the range of motion(ROM)was measured with a three-dimensional laser analysis apparatus and the stiffness was calculated subsequently.One-way statistical analysis was used.Results The ROMs under six different loadings in the fracture model became larger obviously(P＜0.05)and the stiffness decreased(P＜0.05).The ROMs in both fixation models were smaller than those in the other models(P＜0.01)and the stiffness increased distinctly(P＜0.05).There were no significant differences in ROMs and stiffness between the two-level fixation and three-level fixation models(P＞0.05).Conclusion Two-level fixation provides similar biomechanical stability as three-level fixation does in the reconstruction of unstable thoracolumbar fractures.

Objective To compare the dosimetric difference between the two beams formed by low melting-point lead (LML) and multileaf collimator (MLC) in orbit radiotherapy, so as to select the one with a lower lens dose for treatment of Graves' ophthalmopathy. Methods Patients with unilateral and bilateral Graves' ophthalmopathy (10 cases each) suitable for radiotherapy were selected for dosimetric comparison. The identical sketching principle of target volume was employed, and the prescribed dose of planning target volume (PTV) was 2000 cGy/10 times. The distribution of radiation field in unilateral group was 3 fields (2 X-ray fields + 1 electron field), and in bilateral group was 4 fields (2 X-ray fields + 2 electron fields), and LML and MLC were employed to form the radiation field. The conformity index (CI) and dose volume histogram (DVH) were compared between the two formation methods of radiation field; the effective penumbra area of the half radiation field formed by the two methods and its influence on the lens dose were analyzed with flushing-free film and dose analysis software. Results The average dose of the affected side lens in MLC unilateral group was 582 ± 34cGy, and of the lens of uninjured side was 160 ± 22cGy, the CI of target volume was 0.69; the average dose of the left and right lens in MLC bilateral group was 591 ± 47cGy and 585 ± 52cGy, respectively, and the CI was 0.67. The average dose of the affected side lens in LML unilateral group was 252 ± 45cGy, and that of the uninjured side lens was 148 ± 19cGy, and the CI was 0.71; the average dose of the left and right lens in LML bilateral group was 247 ± 44cGy and 256 ± 42cGy, respectively, and the CI was 0.68. When the X-ray energy was setup at 4MV and 8MV, the half radiation field was 5cm X 5cm with a depth of 4cm, and the effective penumbra area of LML was 3mm smaller than that of MLC. Conclusion A small radiation area formed by LML may be more appropriate, and it may not only diminish the penumbra of radiation field, also it significantly reduce the irradiation dose imparted to patients' affected side lens.

Objective:To understand the Penn Acoustic Neuroma Quality of Life (PANQOL) Scale, and to promote the consistency of Chinese-English scale language expression.Methods:By objective sampling method, 30 patients who met the inclusion criteria were used as the subjects to conduct one-to-one cognitive interviews to explore the understanding of the contents of the PANQOL scale. The consistency of the items of the scale and its response scale, as well as the possible problems of the scale. According to the interview results, the Chinese version of the PANQOL scale was established by optimizing the items, expressions and words used.Results:Two rounds of cognitive interviews were conducted in this study. The results of the first round showed that the items of the scale were not set properly and the 8 items appeared "understanding difference, non-verbal expression" and so on. The second round of interviews showed that the revised scale items were more similar to the original scale.Conclusions:Cognitive interview is helpful for researchers to find out the problems of the Chinese version PANQOL scale in the process of filling out the target population, and to guide the group to revise the items in doubt, so that the language of the scale after cultural adjustment is easy to understand, the expression is more local, and finally the quality of the scale is improved.

AIM:To compare the two techniques of pre-chop and non-pre-chop, and discuss the technical advantages of the capsulorhexis forceps assisted pre-chop.METHODS:Totally 149 cases of age-related cataract were randomly divided into using pre-chop (Group A) and non-pre-chop (Group B) techniques groups, for Group A patients received phacoemulsification after pre-chop by using capsulorhexis forceps.The ultrasonic energy, average phacoemulsification time, intraoperative complications, 1d, 1wk uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) and 1d, 3d,1wk postoperative corneal edema were recorded and compared.RESULTS:The subgroups of the same group of nuclei were compared in the two groups.The ultrasonic time in Group A was lower than that of Group B, and the difference was significant(P<0.01).Also the corneal edema in the former was lighter than that of the latter(P<0.05).There was difference in uncorrected visual acuity(UCVA) between groups(P<0.05).CONCLUSION:Compared with non-pre-chop, the time of ultrasound in pre-chop group was shorter, the degree of corneal edema was lighter and early postoperative UCVA was better.

Objective To investigate the correlation between executive function(EF) and characteristic of symptom in children with Tourette′s syndrome(TS).Methods EF were measured with Wisconsin Card Sorting Test(WCST) in 53 patients with TS,and symptom characteristics were evaluated with Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist(CBCL) and Yale Global Tic Severity Scale(YGTSS).Results Compared with healthy control,TS had poor executive performances significantly in WCST(all P

Objective To study the characteristics of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of insulin dry powder inhalation and its relative bioavailability as compared with subcutaneous injection of regular insulin. Methods In this open,single-center,randomized,two-period,cross-over,euglycemic glucose clamp study,18 healthy volunteers(14 men and 4 women),aged(24.9?1.7)years,with body mass index(20.6?1.2)kg/m~2, received the insulin dry powder inhalatin(80 U)or regular insulin(15 U)subcutaneous administration.The blood samples of this study at 0,20,30,40,50,60,70,80,90,100,110,120,135,150,165,180,195, 210,225,240,270,300,330,360,390,420,450 and 480 rain were taken for serum insulin measurement, meanwhile,glucose infusion rates(GIR)were determined per 5 minutes over a period of 8 hours.Results The C_(max)were(57.9?17.8 vs 114.5?29.7)mU/L(tested vs reference preparation),T_(max)were(46.7?45.6 vs 107.8?33.7)min,GIR_(max)were(3.35?0.98 vs 5.17?1.75)mg?kg~(-1)?min~(-1)and T_(GIRmax)were(88.3?17.0 vs 151.9?34.6)min.The relative bioavailability was(10.26?2.25)%,and the relative bioefficacy was(14.33?7.26)%.Conclusion The study shows that insulin dry powder inhalation is absorbed via lungs and its action sets in earlier than that of the regular insulin injected subcutaneously.These pharmacokinetie and pharmacodynamic data may provide a reliabe guide for further clinical trial.