Objective To investigate the application of ultrasound and blood indicators in diagnosis of early liver cirrhosis (S4) for patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB).Methods Data of blood and ultrasound examinations of 631 patients with CHB who received liver biopsy in the Sixth People' s Hospital of Shenyang during April 2002 and March 2011 were collected.Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the factors independently correlated with early liver cirrhosis,and the diagnostic model was established using these indicators.The diagnostic value of the established model was assessed by using area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) and compared with FIB-4 index,aspartate aminotransferase (AST)/platelet (PLT) ratio index (APRI) and S index.Results Logistic regression analysis indicated that age,PLT,albumin globulin ratio (A/G) and splenic square area (SPS) in ultrasound findings were independently correlated to early liver cirrhosis (Wald =10056,46.236,3.751 and 10.669,P ＜0.01).AUROC of the model based on the above factors in diagnosing early liver cirrhosis was 0.908,which was higher than those of FIB-1 index,APRI index and S index (Z =8.322,4.334 and 4.087,P ＜ 0.05).Taking 0.063 as cut-off value,the sensitivity,specificity,positive predict value and negative predict value of the established model in diagnosis of early liver cirrhosis were 90.1％,77.8％,50.0％ and 97.1％,respectively.Taking ＜0.060 and ≥0.110 as the cut-off values to exclude,and diagnose early liver cirrhosis,69.7％ (440/631) patients could avoid liver biopsy.Conclusion The model based on age,PLT,A/G and SPS can effectively predict early liver cirrhosis,and can reduce liver biopsy.

Background The advantages of endothelium keratoplasty(EK)include without corneal surface incision and sutures,remaining normal corneal topography,minimizing astigmatism and providing a healthy donor endothelial cell count and function.Using anterior segment optical coherence tomography(AS-OCT) to examine the morphology of the corneal graft after EK is helpful for the evaluation of the outcome of EK.ObjectiveThis study applies AS-OCT to observe the relationship of recipient cornea and donor graft and offer a basis for the evaluation of operative outcome.MethodsThe clinical data from 44 eyes of 42 patient who received DSAEK in Peking University Eye Center from September 2007 through April 2009 was reviewed retrospectively.These patients included 30 male and 12 female with the age from 15 to 83 years.Structure of cornea and relationship between recipient cornea and graft disc after surgery were clinically examined and recorded by slit-lamp digital camera and AS-OCT.This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Peking University.Written informed consent was obtained from all of the patients before the operation.ResultsThe donor graft attached to posterior central surface of recipient in 28 eyes under the slit-lamp microscopy and AS-OCT.The thickness of donor graft was decreased,and graft sticked more closely to recipient cornea and was more transparent with the lapse of time.Complete dislocation of the donor graft in early stage was found in 5 eyes(11.36%) and partial dislocation in 2 eyes(4.55%).Curliness of graft edge occurred in 1 eye(2.27%) and eccentricity of donor graft in 8 eyes(18.18%).ConclusionAS-OCT can display the morphology and structure of cornea as well as the relationship between donor graft and recipient after DSAEK.It is helpful for evaluating the clinical effectiveness of DSAEK.

AIM:To explore whether YAP protein is important in induced pluripotent stem cell ( iPSC)-induced cardiovascular progenitor cell and/or vascular smooth muscle differentiation .METHODS:Using episomal vector based reprogramming , we generated human iPSCs from donor fibroblasts .We used both this iPSCs and human H 1 embryonic stem cells to differentiate into vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) through cardiovascular progenitor cells (CVPC).Western blotting, qPCR and immunofluorescence microscopy were used to check the expression of YAP and related genes during this differentiation process .RESULTS:The results showed that iPSCs expressed pluripotent stem cell markers, such as Oct4, Nanog, Sox2, TRA-1-60 and SSEA3, and could form teratoma in SCID mice.YAP was highly expressed in pluripotent stem cells , but dramatically decreased when CVPC differentiation started .YAP gradually increased dur-ing CVPC three-day differentiation.The TAZ and YAP binding partner TEAD1, but not TEAD2 and TEAD4, have similar expression pattern in CVPC differentiation .Immunofluorescence result confirmed that YAP was activated and accumulated in nucleus .Interesting-ly, both YAP and phosphorylated YAP expression decreased to very low level after CVPC differentiated into VSMCs in 7 days.TEAD4 and TAZ also decreased, while TEAD1, TEAD2 and TEAD3 expression did not change during VSMC differentiation .CONCLU-SION:YAP and TEAD1 expression increased during CVPC differentiation , while YAP and TEAD4 expression decreased from CVPC to VSMCs differentiation , which suggested YAP might have different function during diverse cell differentiation .

Objective To investigate the effect of kinesio taping on upper crossed syndrome (UCS). Methods From December, 2016 to March, 2017, 52 patients with UCS were randomly divided into control group (n=26) and observation group (n=26). The control group re-ceived exercise therapy, and the observation group received kinesio taping in addition, for four weeks. They were assessed with Visual Ana-logue Scale (VAS), forward head angle (FHA) and forward shoulder angle (FSA). Results There was no significant difference in the score of VAS, FHA and FSA between two groups before treatment (P>0.05). After treatment, the scores of VAS, FHA and FSA significantly de-creased (t>2.804, P<0.05), and they were less in the observation group than in the control group (t>2.632, P<0.05). Conclusion Exercise therapy could relieve pain and correct abnormal posture of UCS, which is more effective combined with kinesio taping.

OBJECTIVETo select and identify ssDNA aptamers specific to Streptococcus mutans strains with different cariogenicity isolated from clinical specimens.

METHODSSubtractive SELEX technology targeting the whole intact cells was used to screen for ssDNA aptamers specific to the clinical isolates Streptococcus mutans strains with different cariogenicity. Radioactive isotope, flow cytometry, gene cloning and sequencing, MEME online software and RNA structure analysis software were employed to analyze the first and secondary structures of the aptamers and identify the screened aptamers.

RESULTSDetection by radioactive isotope showed sufficient pool enrichment after 9 rounds of subtractive SELEX. Flow cytometry showed that the selected aptamers H1, H16, H4, L1, L10 and H19 were capable of binding specifically with highly cariogenic Streptococcus mutans strains but not with strains with a low cariogenicity. The aptamer H19 had the strongest binding capacity to highly cariogenic Streptococcus mutans strains, with a dissociation constant of 69.45∓38.53 nmol/L.

CONCLUSIONWe have obtained the ssDNA aptamers specific to the clinical isolates of highly cariogenic Streptococcus mutans strains.

Aptamers, Nucleotide ; genetics ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA Primers ; Dental Caries ; microbiology ; Gene Library ; Humans ; Nucleic Acid Conformation ; SELEX Aptamer Technique ; Species Specificity ; Streptococcus mutans ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification

The clinical,molecular and pathological features of pediatric differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC),and the advances in its surgery,postoperative staging,risk stratification,131I treatment were summarized based on the management Guidelines for children with thyroid nodules and DTC from the American Thyroid Association (ATA)

Objective: To study the effect of nonthermal argon atmospheric pressure plasma (NTAPP) treatment on the bonding strength between dentine and self-etch adhesive and the wettability of dentine surfaces under different treatment times. Methods: The plasma jet was operated at an input power of 9 W. Argon was used as the operating gas at a flow rate of 5 L/min. The dentin surface was exposed to the plasma jet (n=6) for various times (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 s). After a one-step self-etch adhesive (S3 Bond) was applied to the treated dentine surface, microtensile bonding specimens were made, and the microtensile bonding strength was tested. Then, the dentine surface contact angles were measured after NTAPP treatment for 5, 10, 15, and 20 s with the same gas flow rate and input power described above. Results: Along with the NTAPP treatment time, the dentin immediate bonding strength was significantly increased. The 15 s group showed significantly elevated bonding strength (31.82±2.80 MPa) in contrast to the other groups. The contact angles of each experimental group significantly decreased compared with the contact angles of the negative control group (75.57°±1.45°). The contact angles decreased the most to 33.56°±2.14° with NTAPP treatment for 15 s, and its wettability was the highest. Conclusion NTAPP treatment can significantly increase the wettability of the dentin surface and improve the adhesive strength of the adhesive interface with self-etching adhesive, which is also related to the treatment time.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is still a public problem that seriously threatens human health. Evaluation of liver fibrosis progression with an efficient noninvasive model is of great significance for condition assessment, disease management, and prognostic evaluation in patients with chronic HBV infection. This article reviews the noninvasive models commonly used in the diagnosis of liver fibrosis in recent years, summarizes the research background, methods, related studies, and advantages and disadvantages of these models, and analyzes the current research status and possible development trends of liver fibrosis assessment models. Recent studies have shown that although current models are not perfect for Chinese patients with chronic HBV infection as the main predisposing factor for liver fibrosis, the excellent performance of noninvasive models in liver fibrosis assessment provides a reference for the assessment of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic HBV infection and can replace liver biopsy to a certain extent.