OBJECTIVETo investigate the relation between different extents of cleft malformation with the speech characteristics in patients with cleft palate.

METHODSThe formant frequency of vowel [i] of 46 incomplete cleft palate patients (ICCP group) and 56 complete cleft palate patients (CCP group) before and after cleft palate repair, as well as 30 normal people (C group), were measured and analyzed on spectrogram.

RESULTSThe comparison of F1 between C group and CCP, ICCP before surgery showed no difference. So did the comparison of F1 between C group and CCP, ICCP after surgery. The comparison of F2 between C group and CCP, ICCP before surgery showed significant difference. The value of the C group was the highest. The value of the ICCP was higher than that of CCP. So did the comparison of F2 between C group and CCP, ICCP after surgery. The comparison of F3 between C group and CCP, ICCP(including before and after surgery) was similar to the results of F2 between the three groups. The comparison of F1 between before and after surgery in ICCP group showed no difference. However, the same kind of comparison of F2 and F3 showed significant differences: Both the values after surgery were higher than those before surgery. The comparison of Fl, F2 and F3 between before and after surgery in CCP group was similar to that in ICCP group.

CONCLUSIONThe extent of the cleft malformation is closely related to the status of the speech in patients with cleft palate. With the malformation more severe, the tongue will move backward more obviously, the elevation of the soft palate after cleft palate repair will be less active. Two ways are recommended for those patients with CCP: (1) Early interceptive orthodontic treatment to reduce the extent of palate malformation; (2) The hard palate repair can be performed prior to the soft palate repair. Patients with severe cleft lip and palate can have hard palate repaired while accepting the early cleft lip repair.

Cleft Lip ; Cleft Palate ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Palate, Hard ; Speech

OBJECTIVETo compare craniofacial structural characteristic of syndromic and non-syndromic patients with cleft palate and to probe into the reason of their maxillary hypoplasia and to lay a foundation for better treatment protocol for syndromic patients with cleft palate.

METHODSThe sample consisted of 8 individuals with Treacher Collin syndrome, 9 patients with Pierre Robin syndrome, and 40 patients with non-syndromic cleft palate which met certain criterions. Lateral cephalometric radiographs were obtained from each study subject. A total of 18 variables, comprising 9 angular, 7 linear, and 2 ratio measurements, were studied. SPSS 12.0 software was used to describe the statistics data, consisting of means, SD, and t test.

RESULTSThe tendency for smaller value in SNB and larger value in ANB indicate a severer anteroposterior mandibular hypoplasia in the syndromic type cleft. There was no difference between syndromic and non-syndromic cleft palate patients with regards to maxillary anteroposterior development. No significant difference on the development in cranial base area was found either.

CONCLUSIONThis interplay of cranio-facial bones is very important in the development of this complex, which will not only affect the growth but also the defect development. In this study, the patients with the two syndromes showed the similar growth potential of maxilla with the non-syndromic cleft patients.

Cephalometry ; Cleft Lip ; Cleft Palate ; Humans ; Male ; Malocclusion ; Maxilla

3D Scaffolds with controlled porous structure were designed and fabricated by utilizing CAD and rapid prototyping techniques. A flow perfusion bioreactor, which allowed exposure of the culture cells to low levels of mechanical stimulation by fluid flow-induced shear stress, was developed in our lab. The scaffolds were pre-designed and the negative images of the designs were used to build the molds on a stereolithography (SL) apparatus with epoxy resins. Calcium phosphate cement paste was cast into the molds. And after pyrolysis, the 3D scaffolds with controlled internal pore architectures were obtained. Rabbit osteoblasts were seeded in 3D porous scaffolds, cultured in the flow perfusion bioreactor with media flow rate set at 2 mL/min and 6-well plates. At 3, 7, and 14 days, scanning microscopic evaluation showed excellent growth on the surface of scaffolds and poor viability of cells within microchannels in static cultures. In flow perfusion bioreactor, there was greater cellularity throughout the scaffolds and abundant deposition of extracellular matrix. Cells were also seen throughout the internal microchannels of scaffolds. These results represent that better mass transport of oxygen and nutrient occurred in the flow perfusion bioreactor and cells distribution in 3D porous scaffolds was improved.
Animals ; Bioreactors ; Cell Culture Techniques ; instrumentation ; methods ; Cell Division ; Cells, Cultured ; Osteoblasts ; cytology ; Porosity ; Rabbits ; Skull ; cytology ; Tissue Engineering ; methods ; Tissue Scaffolds

Objective To explore the value of retrograde recanalization technique in treatment of TASCⅡ C/D femoropopliteal arteriosclerosis obliterans.Methods Totally 36 patients with TASCⅡ C/D femoropopliteal arteriosclerosis obliterans were retrospectively analyzed.Preoperative and postoperative ankle brachial index (ABI) and intermittent claudication were compared,as well as postoperative vascular patency rate and complications were analyzed.Results The retrograde recanalization technique were successfully performed in all 36 patients.The walking distance and ABI of 7 days,and 3,6,12 months postoperation were increased significantly compared with preoperation (all P＜0.05).The postoperative vascular patency rate of 3,6 and 12 months was 97.22％,91.67％ and 72.22％,respectively.There was no death nor amputation during the follow-up period,and the incidence of perioperative complications was 11.11 ％ (4/36).Conclusion Retrograde recanalization technique can be used to treat TASC Ⅱ C/D femoropopliteal arteriosclerosis obliterans when anterograde access failed.

AIMTo investigate the preventive effects of Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) and Ginkgo biloba extracts (GbE) on acute oxygen toxicity and the possible mechanisms.

METHODSMice were injected intraperitoneally with PNS and GbE for 5 days, then were exposed to 500 kPa hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) for 60 min, the convulsion latency, times and interval were observed. Moreover, reactive oxygen (RO) unit, MDA, NO, GSH levels and GSH-Px, CAT, MAO activities of mice brain were determined after they were exposed to HBO for 15 min.

RESULTSPNS and GbE could markedly prolong the convulsion latency and interval, reduce convulsion times, decrease contents of MDA and NO in mice brain, keep RO unit, GSH and GSH-Px at higher levels, but had no effects on CAT and MAO activities.

CONCLUSIONPNS and GbE could effectively prevent acute oxygen toxicity, which were related to their antioxidant activities.

Animals ; Antioxidants ; pharmacology ; Diving ; adverse effects ; Ginkgo biloba ; Hyperbaric Oxygenation ; adverse effects ; Male ; Mice ; Oxygen ; poisoning ; Panax notoginseng ; Phytotherapy ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Saponins ; pharmacology

Objective To compare the hemostatic safety and efficacy of a new butterfly femoral artery compression device (FACD) with those of manual compression (MC) in patients undergoing percutaneous peripheral endovascular interventions via femoral artery. Methods A total of 283 patients, who received percutaneous endovascular interventions via femoral artery during the period from September 2016 to December 2017, were enrolled in this study. After endovascular intervention, 167 patients received FACD to make hemostasis (FACD group), and 116 patients received MC hemostasis (MC group) . The patient's comfortableness, time used for hemostasis (min), limb immobilization time (h), and the incidence of vascular complications in both groups were analyzed. Results All 283 patients were included in analysis, the results indicated that the hemostatic success rates in FACD group and MC group were 96.4％ (161/167) and 94.0％ (109/116) respectively, the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant (P>0.05) . The postoperative Kolcaba Comfort Scale score of FACD group was (85.0 ±11.2) points, which was remarkably higher than (58.4±11.7) points of MC group (P<0.05), the time used for hemostasis in FACD group was (9.2 ±2.2) min, which was strikingly shorter than (18.5 ±2.9) min in MC group (P <0.05) . The limb immobilization time in FACD group was (10.4±2.4) hours, which was obviously shorter than (23.1±4.1) hours in MC group (P <0.05) . The incidence of vascular complications in FACD group was 3.6％, which was dramatically lower than 9.5％ in MC group (χ2=4.206, P=0.04) . Conclusion The use of the new butterfly FACD can promptly, safely and effectively stop bleeding of femoral artery puncture site. The new butterfly FACD is superior to MC in shortening hemostatic time and limb immobilization time, in reducing incidence of vascular complications, as well as in improving patient's comfortableness degree.

OBJECTIVETo explore dysfunction mechanism of rat alveolar type II (AT-II) injured by bleomycin (BLM).

METHODSSD rats were injected with a single intratracheal dose of bleomycin or control saline. On day 7, 14, and 28 following intratracheal bleomycin or saline instillation, animals were killed under overdose of 1.5% sodium pentobarbital (0.25 ml/100 g, i.p.) and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from the lung was tested for the activity of pulmonary surfactant (PS) by the Whihelmy Film Balance. Several concentrations of bleomycin stimulated the culture of rat AT-II cells, and surfactant protein (SP) A, B, and aquaporin-1 (AQP) mRNA were analyzed by fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (FQ-PCR).

RESULTSThe activity of PS and hypoxemia significantly decreased on day 7 and improved on day 14 and completely recovered to normal status on day 28. SP-A, B, and AQP-1 mRNA expression in BLM-stimulated group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONBLM-injured AT-II cells decrease the levels of SP-A, B, and AQP-1 mRNA and cause PS dysfunction, resulting in hypoxemia and pneumonedema.

Animals ; Aquaporin 1 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Bleomycin ; administration & dosage ; toxicity ; Cells, Cultured ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Epithelial Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Hypoxia ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Pulmonary Alveoli ; cytology ; drug effects ; Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein A ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein B ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo observe the expressions of the substance P (SP) mRNA and neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1R) in the posterior horn of the L5 - S2 spinal cord in the rat model of chronic prostatitis pain, and to investigate the changes in the activation of astrocytes and influence of SP on this activation in rat spinal cord astrocytes cultured in vitro.

METHODSThe rat model of chronic prostatitis pain was established by injection of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) and assessed by the tail flick threshold test, the control rats injected with sodium chloride and all observed at 0, 14 and 28 days. Changes in the expressions of SP mRNA, NK-1R, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the posterior horn of the L5 - S2 spinal cord were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot. Rat spinal cord astrocytes were cultured in vitro and divided into a control group, cultured with ITS cell culture fluid, and two experiment groups, with Group 1 stimulated with SP at the concentration of 10(-9) - 10(-6) mol/L for 12 hours followed by determination of the expressions of TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, NO and NOS by ELISA and nitrate reductase and colorimetric methods, and Group 2 at 10(-7) mol/L for 0, 24, 48 and 72 hours followed by detection of the GFAP expression by Western blot.

RESULTSThe expressions of SP mRNA, NK-1 R, GFAP, TNF-alpha and iNOS in the posterior horn of the L5 - S2 spinal cord were obviously higher in the rat prostatitis pain models than in the controls, successively higher at 28 than at 14 and 0 d (P < 0.01), and so was the expression of GFAP at 28 than at 14 d in the experiment groups (P < 0.05). SP induced a gradual increase at 10(-7) mol/L in the expression of GFAP in the spinal cord astrocytes at 0 -72 h, significantly different from that of the control group (P < 0.01), and it promoted the excretion of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta and the activity of NO and NOS at 10(-9) - 10(-6) mol/L at 12 h in a concentration-dependent manner, with marked differences between the experiment and control groups (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). But a decreased excretion of IL-1 beta was observed in the 10(-6) mol/L group, though with no significant difference from the control (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONChronic prostatitis pain could upregulate the expressions of the excitatory transmitter SP and receptor in the L5 - S2 spinal cord, and result in the activation of astrocytes and increased excretion of proinflammatory cytokines, which may be associated with the persistence and generalization of prostatitis pain.

Animals ; Astrocytes ; metabolism ; Chronic Disease ; Male ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II ; metabolism ; Pain ; metabolism ; Prostatitis ; metabolism ; Rats ; Receptors, Neurokinin-1 ; metabolism ; Spinal Cord ; cytology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Substance P ; metabolism

Background::The heavy metals cadmium (Cd) and mercury (Hg) are known to be widespread environmental contaminants and high occupational exposure adversely affects the risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, evidence from epidemiological studies linking low Cd and Hg exposure (or non-industrial) to the risk of progression to CKD are conflicting. This study aimed to explore the association of low Cd and Hg exposure with the risk of CKD in Chinese adults aged ≥80 years.Methods::The participants were recruited for the Healthy Aging and Biomarkers Cohort Study in 2017, an ongoing perspective survey conducted in longevity areas in China initially involving 3016 older adults. We used logistic regression models to estimate odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals of CKD setting Cd and Hg as categorical variables. Logistic regression with restricted cubic spline was used to characterize a dose-response relationships between Cd or Hg concentrations and the risk of CKD in the study population.Results::The ORs for the risk of CKD comparing the fourth to the first quartile of blood Cd, blood Hg, urine Cd, and urine Hg were 1.77, 1.57, 2.03, and 1.50, respectively. Restricted cubic spline models showed that blood Cd and urine Hg were significantly linearly correlated with the risk of CKD, while blood Hg and urine Cd were non-linearly correlated with the risk of CKD with a steeper slope at concentrations <2.30 μg/L and 3.30 μg/g creatinine.Conclusions::Our findings suggest that even low Cd and Hg exposure (or non-industrial) were associated with increased risk of CKD in Chinese oldest old, although we did not find a significant multiplicative and additive interaction between Cd and Hg levels in relation to the risk of CKD.

Objective:To investigate the association of blood oxidative stress level with hypertriglyceridemia in the elderly aged 65 years and older in China.Methods:A total of 2 393 participants aged 65 years and older were recruited in 9 longevity areas from Heathy Aging and Biomarkers Cohort Study, during 2017 to 2018. Information on demographics characteristic, life style and health status were collected by questionnaire and physical examination, and venous blood was collected to detect the levels of blood oxidative stress and hypertriglyceridemia. The linear or non-linear association between oxidative stress and hypertriglyceridemia was described by restrictive cubic splines (RCS) fitting multiple linear regression model. The generalized linear mixed effect model was conducted to assess the association between oxidative stress and hypertriglyceridemia.Results:A total of 2 393 participants, mean age was 84.6 years, the youngest was 65 and the oldest was 112, the male was 47.9%(1 145/2 393), the triglyceride level was (1.4±0.8) mmol/L. The hypertriglyceridemia detection rate was 9.99%(239/2 393). The results of multiple linear regression model with restrictive cubic spline fitting showed that MDA level was linear association with triglyceride level; SOD level was nonlinear association with triglyceride level. MDA level had significantly association with hypertriglyceridemia, and the corresponding OR value was 1.063 (95% CI: 1.046,1.081) with 1 nmol/ml increment of blood MDA; SOD level had significantly association with hypertriglyceridemia, and the corresponding OR value was 0.986(95% CI: 0.983,0.989) with 1 U/ml increment of blood SOD. Conclusion:Among the elderly aged 65 and older in 9 longevity areas in China, MDA and SOD levels were associated with the risk of hypertriglyceridemia.