Objective To study the diagnostic and prognostic values by magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) and computed tomography(CT) for investigation of infantile spasms(IS).Methods Fourty-two patients with IS were retrospectively reviewed by CT scan and MRI T1W,T2W and inversion recovery (IR) and MRA techniques.Results Fourteen cases were found abnormal in CT,including encephalatrophy,hemorrhage,gross malformation and lesions with underlying calcification;MRI studies of 24/28 cases showed that MRI was the most appropriate imaging technique in diagnosis of the underlying substrate of patients with IS and other epilepsies,particularly in periventricular leuko malacia(PL),delayedmyelination(DM),hypxic-ischemic encephalopathy(HIE),kernicterus,tuberous sclerosis(TS),hippocampal sclerosis(HS),brainstematrophy,heterotopia,corpus callosum and vascular malformation,et al.MRI was also valuable for determining the prognoses of IS,but it should be combined with the clinical symptom and ages. Conclusions MRI and CT are highly important for the investigation and treatment of patients with IS; MRI is much more sensitive to exploration of neuropathology of infatile spasms,such as PL,DM,HIE,kernicteus,HS,heterotopias and focally cortical dysplasia.

Objective To study P300 of the first episode depression and mismatch negativity(MMN) changes after antidepressant treatment. Methods Sixty-four patients with first episode depression were evaluated by HAMD 17, and P300 and MMN tests were performed at the baseline and week 12. The cognitive potentials were compared with those of control group(N=36). Results Compared with the control group, depressive patients had longer latency of P300 and MMN,lower amplitude of P300 and MMN before treatment (P

OBJECTIVETo study the inhibition effect of CyclinD1 specific small interfering RNA(siRNA) on CyclinD1 gene expression in human keloid fibroblast, investigating the effect of CyclinD1 specific siRNA (siRNA-CyclinD1) on the cell cycle, multiplication and apoptosis.

METHODSAccording to the principle of siRNA design, siRNA-CyclinD1 was designed and the keloid fibroblast were transfected. RT-PCR was used to examine CyclinD1 mRNA expression. Flow cytometry was used to examine cell cycle. The apoptotic rate was analyzed by using Annexin V-FITC/PI kit. The DNA gragmentation were measured by DNA ladder analysis.

RESULTSAfter transfection, the expression of CyclinD1 mRNA decreased remarkably. Twenty-four, forty-eight and seventy-two hours after transfection, the radio of G1 stage cell was (59.80 +/- 3.06)%, (66.01 +/- 4.03)% and (67.43 +/- 5.35)%, all significantly higher than in the control group (54.50 +/- 5.35)%; the radio of S stage cell was (18.40 +/- 1.42)%, (17.21 +/- 1.76)% and (11.07 +/- 1.00)%, significantly lower than in the control group (22.33 +/- 1.49)%; the proportion of the cells in G1 stage increased and those in the S stage decreased in the keloid fibroblast transfected with siRNA-CyclinD1. The apoptotic rate of the siRNA-CyclinD1 group was (7.82 +/- 0.45)%, (15.71 +/- 1.06)%, (18.32 +/- 1.08)%, all significantly higher than in the control group (0.68 +/- 0.12)%, and the DNA gragmentation can be seen remarkably.

CONCLUSIONSChemically synthesized siRNA- CyclinD1 effectively inhibits. The expression of CyclinD1 in keloid fibroblast thus arresting the cell cycle at G1 stage and enhancing cell apoptosis. Our study provided a preliminary results in seaching of a RNAi therapy of keloid.

Apoptosis ; genetics ; Cells, Cultured ; Cyclin D1 ; genetics ; Fibroblasts ; cytology ; metabolism ; Flow Cytometry ; Gene Silencing ; Humans ; Keloid ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; RNA, Small Interfering ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical effect of combined application of magnetic attachments and extracoronal attachments in prosthodontics.

METHODSTwenty-two cases of dentition defect with isolated residual root or residual crown were selected. All the cases accepted the restorative treatment combined magnetic attachments with extracoronal attachments. The clinical effect of dentures and the condition of abutment teeth were evaluated by chief complaint of patients and clinical examination. The follow-up time ranged from 2 years to 4 years.

RESULTSSatisfactory functional, stable and esthetic results of dentures were achieved for all the cases. And there was no abutment loosening and no secondary caries. Alveolar bone loss around abutment occurred in 1 case, gingivitis of abutments appeared in 5 cases. Chewing pain occurred in 1 case and unstable state of dentures appeared in 5 cases after the use of denture for 2 years. The dentures of above-mentioned cases were used normally after symptomatic treatment.

CONCLUSIONThe combined application of magnetic attachments and extracoronal attachments in prosthodontics is an effective treatment option for cases of dentition defect with isolated residual root or residual crown.

Crowns ; Dental Abutments ; Dental Caries ; Denture Design ; Denture Retention ; Denture, Partial, Removable ; Humans ; Magnetic Phenomena

Objective Canine model established for tracheal defect reconstruction,to investigate the outcome of tracheal reconstruction with combination of polypropynene and flap.Methods About 3.5 to 4 centimeter cervical trachea was resected and replaced with artificial trachea made from monofilament knitted polypropylene and surgical flap.Covered stent Was implanted postoperatively.Survival period and quality of life were recorded,brunchofibroscopy,X-ray films and HE sections were perfomed.Results Six dogs survived well and another two died.The causes of death were respiratory failure in 1 and infection in another.Stenosis of anastomosis in 1 Was recorded during survival period.The dogs started drinking and eating on the second postoperative day,no dyspnea Was found.The animals were sacrificed at 2,4,8 weeks and 6 months after surgery.Soft tissue growth Was found in polypropynene net 2 weeks after surgery and more at 4 weeks.The polypropynene net was covered completely with soft tissue at 8 weeks and 6 months postoperatively.the hardness and sustentation degree were enhanced following the growth and fibrosis of soft tissue.The squamous epithelium and columnar epithelium were ohserved healing well by HE staining method.Conclusions One-stage operative artificial trachea made from monofilament knitted polypropylene which has good histocompatibility and surgical flap is the closer artificial trachea to native trachea.It has a promising prospect in clinical use.

The study aims to screen the ability of the bacteria to metabolize ononin and assess the effect of ononin on the intestinal bacteria. Fresh human fecal sample was obtained from a healthy volunteer, diluted serially in sterile water and sixty-nine different bacterial colonies were picked out ultimately. UPLC-Q-TOF/MS with automated data analysis software (MetaboLynx) was applied to fast analysis of ononin metabolites. Furthermore, an E(max) precision microplate reader was employed to determine the growth situation of Enterococcous sp., Enterobacter sp., Lactobacilli sp., and Bifidobacteria sp. Results indicated that hydrogenation, demethylation, hydroxylation and deglycosylation were the major metabolic pathways of ononin by human intestinal bacteria in vitro. Ononin can inhibit the growth of pathogen such as Enterococcus sp., Enterobacter sp. and can promote the growth of probiotics such as Bifidobacteria sp. and Lactobacilli sp. This study suggested that intestinal bacteria have the metabolic effects of ononin and the biotransformation was completed by different bacteria. And ononin can affect the balance of intestinal flora and the degree of influence varies depending on the bacterial species and the concentration of ononin.
Bacteria ; metabolism ; Biotransformation ; Feces ; microbiology ; Glucosides ; metabolism ; Humans ; Intestines ; microbiology ; Isoflavones ; metabolism ; Metabolic Networks and Pathways

OBJECTIVEBrugada syndrome is an inherited channelopathy that characterized by ST-segment elevation in the right precordial lead (V(1)-V(3)) on the electrocardiogram with or without right bundle branch block and related with high risk of sudden cardiac death and structurally normal hearts. The first and only gene linked to this disease is SCN5A, a gene encodes for alpha subunit of the cardiac sodium channel. The objective of this study is to explore SCN5A gene mutations in Chinese patients with Brugada syndrome.

METHODSFour patients diagnosed as Brugada syndrome and nine patients with suspected Brugada syndrome were chosen for the study. The exons in the functional regions of SCN5A gene were amplified with polymerase chain reaction and the amplified products were sequenced with Sanger method. If a mutation was identified, patient's family members were also screened.

RESULTSTwo heterozygous mutations were found in one family diagnosed as Brugada syndrome. One missense mutation was a G-->A transition in the first nucleotide of codon 95 in SCN5A gene exon 3, which was predicted to result in substitution of Valine with Isoleucine (V95I). The other missense mutation was a C-->T transition in the second nucleotide of codon 1649 in SCN5A gene exon 28, which was predicted to result in substitution of Alanine with Valine (A1649V). A heterozygous mutation was identified in one family suspected to have the disease. The mutation was a three nucleotides (TCT) deletion that caused Phenylalanine deletion in codon 1617 in SCN5A gene exon 28. The three mutations were not detected in 100 control chromosomes.

CONCLUSIONSMutation in SCN5A gene is one of the causes of Brugada syndrome in Chinese. Three novel SCN5A gene mutations were identified in Chinese with Brugada syndrome, which expands the spectrum of SCN5A mutations associated with the disease.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Brugada Syndrome ; genetics ; Case-Control Studies ; Exons ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Muscle Proteins ; genetics ; Mutation ; NAV1.5 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel ; Sodium Channels ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the influence of temperature on the expressions of c-kit and PI3K in spermatogonia cultured in vitro at 32 degrees C and 37 degrees C, and provide basic scientific data for the mechanism of spermatogenic impairment due to body temperature (37 degrees C).

METHODSIsolated spermatogenic cells were cultured in vitro at 32 degrees C and 37 degrees C, and their adherence, proliferation and morphologic changes were observed and recorded under the inverted phase contrast microscope. At 8 days, the spermatogonia were separated by Percoll density gradient centrifugation and the differential adhesion method. The expressions of c-kit and PI3K mRNA and proteins in the separated cells were detected by real time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot, respectively. The c-kit gene was sequenced to identify the occurrence of mutations.

RESULTSAdherence, division and proliferation of the cells were observed in both the 32 degrees C and 37 degrees C groups. The expressions of c-kit and PI3K mRNA and proteins in the spermatogonia were significantly higher in the 32 degrees C group than in the 37 degrees C group (P < 0.05). The 32 degrees C group showed no mutation of c-kit in exon 9, 11 and 13; the 37 degrees C group exhibited no mutation in exon 11 and 13, but possible insertion or deletion mutations in exon 9.

CONCLUSIONCulturing in vitro at 37 degrees C could inhibit the expression of proliferation- and differentiation-related genes in spermatogenic cells and lead to the mutation of the c-kit gene.

Base Sequence ; Cells, Cultured ; Exons ; Humans ; Male ; Mutation ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase ; genetics ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit ; genetics ; Spermatogenesis ; genetics ; Spermatogonia ; cytology ; Temperature

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of pressure changes on the experimental articular cartilage by utilizing Ilizarov distraction technique.

METHODSThe Ilizarov external fixators were fixed at the left ankle joints of 18 experimental dogs, and the fixators were stretched with a speed of 1 mm/d to create a varus deformity. After three weeks, the ankle varus was 15 degree; when the degree was confirmed by X-ray film, the same traction was retained for 3 weeks. Then the traction decreased at the same speed of 1 mm/d to correct the deformity for 3 weeks. At the 3rd, 7th and 9th weeks, articular cartilages were separated from medial foot of the experimental and normal side to do morphology observation after HE stain, which were group A, group B, group C and group D respectively separately. The gray scale values were obtained using Image-Pro Plus 6.0 software and compared among the 4 groups using SPSS 13.0. The microstructure of cartilage was observed through transmission electron microscopy.

RESULTS(1) The Mankin scores: there was significant difference between group A and group B (P=0.043<0.05); and significant difference between group B and group C (P=0.038<0.05). (2) The values of gray scale: there was significant difference between group A and group B (P=0.047<0.05); significant difference between group B and group C (P=0.045<0.05); significant difference between group A and group D (P=0.039<0.05); no significant difference between group C and group D (P=1.23>0.05).

CONCLUSIONUsing Ilizarov technique, when the pressure between the cartilage surface of the ankle joint increases, the necrosis of articular cartilage occurred; and when the stress between the articular cartilage surface decreases, the damaged articular cartilage can be restored.

Animals ; Ankle Joint ; surgery ; Bone Regeneration ; Cartilage, Articular ; surgery ; Dogs ; Female ; Ilizarov Technique ; Male ; Random Allocation

OBJECTIVETo investigate the method and effect of axial pattern myocutaneous flap in reconstructing breast by using color doppler flow imaging (CDFI) technique.

METHODSSuitable axial myocutaneous flaps were selected according to the character of the focus in 26 cases of breast cancer after operation and radiotherapy. All the axial pattern myocutaneous flaps were designed on the basis of traditional design method before operation; then, CDFI with high resolution was used to examine the starting spot, exterior diameter, trail and length of the myocutaneous flaps' major artery. The myocutaneous flaps were redesigned according to the results of CDFI and transferred to reconstruct the breasts. The results of operation and examination were investigated.

RESULTSAccording to the CDFI, only one thoracodorsal artery's blood current was slow, its wall was rough and presented with arteriosclerosis. The blood flow was fluent and the vessel wall was smooth with other supplying arteries in the flaps. And no embolism, sclerosis or absence of blood vessel was found. The starting spots, exterior diameters, trails and anatomic layers of the major supplying arteries of the flaps were displayed clearly with CDFI, in accordance with the results of operation. Twenty-one cases of latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap, 4 cases of the contralateral transverse abdominis myocutaneous flap and 1 cases of the bilateral transverse abdominis myocutaneous flap were used in this group. The flaps survived and healed well, the breasts were reconstructed well with perfect appearance, shape and sensation.

CONCLUSIONSCDFI is a simple, visualized and noninvasive method for designing the axial pattern myocutaneous flap in breast reconstruction, it can provide more scientific and accurate evidence for preoperative determination of myocutaneous flap transplantation.

Adult ; Breast Neoplasms ; radiotherapy ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Mammaplasty ; methods ; Mastectomy ; Middle Aged ; Surgical Flaps ; Treatment Outcome ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color ; Ultrasonography, Mammary ; methods