Objective To analyze the features of normal high-frequency ultrasonography of tarsal tunnel. Methods Forty volunteers (20 males and 20 females) were examined with high-frequency ultrasound (12 MHz). The tendons,nerve and blood vessels in tarsal tunnel were observed from short-axis and long-axis views dynamically. The areas of tarsal tunnel and posterior tibial nerve were measured and com-pared between the males and females. Results High-frequency ultrasonography depicted the anatomical structure of tarsal tunnel,and the tendons,nerve and blood vessels presented different sonographic features that were easy to differentiate. The area of tarsal tunnel: male (7.61 ±1.00) cm2,female (6. 61 ± 1. 07) cm2 (P <0. 01). The area of posterior tibial nerve: male (9. 59 ± 0. 75) mm2,female (8.91 ±0.74) mm2(P<0.01). Conclusion High-frequency ultrasonography can clearly show and accurately measure the tarsal tunnel structure. To be familiar with the normal ultrasonographic anatomy of tarsal tunnel will help to improve the efficacy of ultrasound diagnosis of tarsal tunnel abnormalities.

BACKGROUND:Nano-hydroxyapatite/polyamide artificial bone has good biocompatibility and strong tissue binding force, which exerts a significant role in the recovery of neurological function. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical effect of nano-hydroxyapatite/polyamide artificial bone in anterior cervical fusion. METHODS: Ninety patients with cervical spondylosis and traumatic dislocation of the cervical spine were randomized into observation group and control group. Patients in the two groups underwent nano-hydroxyapatite/polyamide artificial bone and autologous iliac bone implantation, respectively. Surgical condition, Japanese Orthopaedic Association score, vertebral height loss and bone fusion rate were compared and analyzed at different time after implantation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:There were no significant differences in surgical time, out of bed time, postoperative hospitalization time between the two groups (P > 0.05), but the intraoperative blood loss was significantly lower in the observation group than the control group (P < 0.05). Japanese Orthopaedic Association scores were significantly increased in the two groups at 3 and 6 months after operation and at last folow-up than before (P < 0.05), but there was no difference in the Japanese Orthopaedic Association score between the two groups (P> 0.05). The vertebral height loss and bone fusion rate had no difference between the two groups at 6 months after operation and at the last folow-up (P > 0.05). No adverse effects occurred in the two groups. These findings indicate that nano-hydroxyapatite/polyamide artificial bone has good clinical effects in anterior cervical fusion, and the treatment effect is equivalent to autologous iliac bone graft.

The leading cause of drug withdrawal from market and clinical trials failure is drug-induced liver injury (DILI). Varying clinical, histological and laboratory features of DILI, as well as undefined underlying mechanisms, hinder patients to be diagnosed in the early-stage of the disease and receive effective treatments. Conventional indicators, like serum transaminases and bilirubin, have inevitable limitations referring to sensitive prediction and specific detection of DILI. In order to reduce the occurrence of DILI, researchers have attempted to discover potential biomarkers with higher specificity and sensitivity from blood and urine in recent years. This article aims to review recent advances in biomarkers of DILI.
Biomarkers ; blood ; urine ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Sensitivity and Specificity

· AIM: To explore the dynamic expression and correlation among telomerase catalytic subunit (TERT), proliferating cell nuclear antigen ( PCNA) and antiapoptosis protein Bd-2 which relate to cell proliferation in epiretinal membrane of rat traumatic proliferative vitreoretinopathy(PVR).· METHODS: S-P technique was applied for immunohistochemical staining of epiretinal membrane of traumatic PVR with TERT, PCNA and Bcl-2 antibody. HE staining was also carried out. The staining results were analyzed with image analysis system.· RESULTS: The positive rate and average A of PCNA protein were upregulated at first and then down-regulated, with the peak value in 14d Group, which was significantly different from those in 7d Group and 28d Group.The positive rate and average A of TERT and Bcl-2 were also upregulated at first and then down-regulated, with the peak value in 14d Group and 21d Group, which were significantly different from those in 7d Group. There was significant correlation among PCNA, Bcl-2 and TERT protein expression (P≤0.01).· CONCLUSTON: TERT and Bcl-2 take part in the regulation of proliferative cells in epiretinal membrane of traumatic proliferative PVR, with high correlation with the dynamic changes of cell proliferation.

OBJECTIVETo study the rehabilitation effects ergometry on COPD patients.

METHODSThirty COPD out-patients in our Hospital were randomly divided into 2 groups. Rehabilitation group, 15 patients, performed leg ergometry exercise of 80% peak Watt x 30min/d x 3d/w x 12w. Another 15 patients were control group without exercise. All patients received conventional therapy. Pulmonary function testing (PFT), cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET), arterial blood gas analysis (ABG), Borg and CAT sores were done at both baseline and 12 w.

RESULTSThere was no statistically difference in lung function testing, blood gas analysis and cardiopulmonary exercise test when pre- exercises between 2 sub-groups. The IC, peak VO2 and peak, W of rehabilitation group significantly increased (P < 0.05); and Borg and CAT.scores significantly decreased (P < 0.05) from baseline; and other PFT and ABG did not change (P > 0.05). While there was no difference in control group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONLeg submaximal ergometry rehabilitation improves health condition and ameliorate dyspnea symptoms in COPD patients.

Blood Gas Analysis ; Dyspnea ; therapy ; Exercise Test ; Exercise Therapy ; Humans ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; therapy ; Respiratory Function Tests

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of glutamine enriched enteral feeding on immunoregulation in burn patients.

METHODSTwenty burn patients were randomly divided into enteral nutrition (EN) group and enteral immune nutrition (EIN) group, with 12 patients in each group. Patients in EN group received a standard enteral formula, while those in EIN group received an enteral formula enriched with glutamine after hospital admission. Nutritional support was continued for 10 days. Blood samples were obtained to determine plasma level of total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), prealbumin (PAB) and transferrin (TF) at 1, 4, 7, 10 post-burn days (PBD). At the same time the concentration of immunoglobulin (IgA, IgG and IgM) were determined, the percentage of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ subpopulations of T lymphocytes, and the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ were determined by FCM.

RESULTS(1) There were no obvious difference of the plasma level of TP, ALB, TF, CD3+, IgM between the two groups at each time-point (P > 0.05). (2) The plasma PAB contents in EIN group were significant higher than that in EN group on 4 PBD [(90 +/- 14 vs 60 +/- 15) mg/L, P < 0.05], 7 PBD [(92 +/- 16 vs 64 +/- 13) mg/L, P < 0.05] and 10 PBD [(106 +/- 21 vs 72 +/-16) mg/L, P < 0.05]. (3) The percentage of CD4+ subpopulation and ratio of CD4+/CD8+ in EIN group were obviously higher than those in EN group on 7 PBD [CD4+ (55 +/- 5 vs 45 +/- 5)%, CD4+/CD8+ (1.92 +/- 0.31 vs 1.53 +/- 0.27)%, P < 0.05] and 10 PBD [CD4+ (56 +/- 5 vs 49 +/- 5)%, CD4+/CD8+ (2.36 +/- 0.36 vs 1.72 +/- 0.42), P < 0.05]. (4) The concentration of IgA and IgG in EIN group were markedly higher than that in EN group on 7 PBD [IgA (2.8 +/- 0.6 vs 2.2 +/- 0.5) g/L, IgG (12.1 +/- 1.3 vs 9.8 +/- 1.2) g/L, P < 0.05] and 10 PBD [IgA (3.1 +/- 0.6 vs 2.5 +/- 0.5) g/L, IgG (14.2 +/- 1.3 vs 10.4 +/- 1.3) g/L, P < 0.05].

CONCLUSIONThese findings suggest that glutamine enriched enteral feeding can improve nutritional status by promoting the synthesis of IgA, IgG, and increasing the PAB concentration, and corrected immunologic dysfunction in burn patients.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Burns ; blood ; immunology ; therapy ; Enteral Nutrition ; Female ; Glutamine ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A ; biosynthesis ; Immunoglobulin G ; biosynthesis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prealbumin ; metabolism ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets ; immunology ; Young Adult

A strain of grass carp reovirus was isolated from sick grass carp with symptoms of haemorrhage in Guangdong province in 2009. The strain was tentatively named as GCRV-GD108 because it was isolated from grass carp and possessed 11 segments of dsRNA. Complete genome sequence analysis showed that significant differences existed between GCRV-GD108 and GCRV, as well as other known species of aquareovirus. In this study, molecular characteristics of diseased grass carp collected from different farms in Guangdong, Fujian and Hunan provinces were assayed. Based on the sequences of the 11 segments of GCRV-GD108, PCR primers corresponding to each of the segments were designed and synthesized. Total RNA of the diseased fish was extracted and used as templates of RT-PCR reaction. Specific amplification bands were obtained from all of the samples whereas no band was produced from GCRV standard strain. While using the primers specific to GCRV produced specific band in GCRV standard strain rather than in these collected samples. Sequencing of the amplification products showed that these samples displayed high similarities with each other (95.2%-99.4%), and they also shared high sequence similarities with that of GCRV-GD108 (95.0%-99.8%), suggesting that these samples shared similar molecular characteristics with those of GCRV-GD108, and were quite different from GCRV as well as the known species of genus aquareovirus. The results indicated that there are different molecular types of reovirus existed in the pond-cultured grass carp in China, and GCRV-GD108 is a representative strain in southern China, therefore great attention should be paid in order to control the disease efficiently, especially in vaccine preparation. Two pairs of primers were chosen to establish a duplex PCR assay method by combining each pair of the primers specific to GCRV-GD108 with the GCRV primer pair respectively. The duplex PCR assay method will enable the identification of GCRV-GD108 or GCRV by only a single PCR reaction.
Animals ; Carps ; virology ; China ; Fish Diseases ; diagnosis ; virology ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Reoviridae ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Reoviridae Infections ; veterinary ; virology

Aortic Valve ; surgery ; Endocarditis ; surgery ; Humans

BACKGROUNDPax-6 gene plays an important role in the process of eye development. This study was to determine the role of pax-6 in the axial myopia produced by hyperopic optical defocus and form deprivation in infant monkeys.

METHODSAmong seven normal infant rhesus monkeys (aged 1 to 1.5 months), five wore -3.00 D spectacle lenses over their right eyes and zero-powered lenses over their left eyes. Monocular form deprivation was produced by eyelid fusion in two monkeys. Ten weeks later, the monkeys were sacrificed by an overdose of barbiturates and their eyes were removed immediately. A 5 mm x 5 mm button of retina and sclera was taken from the posterior poles along with a 4-mm optic nerve. RNA was isolated separately from each of these three types of tissues. After that, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used for determining gene expression in the retina, sclera and optic nerve. Semi-quantitative analyses were performed on the PCR products.

RESULTSAs expected, the optically induced hyperopic defocus and the form deprivation produced myopic growth. For the lens-treatment monkeys, pax-6 gene expression in the retinas of the defocused eyes was significantly higher than in the retinas of the left eyes (t = 5.703, P = 0.005). However, there were no analogous significant differences between pax-6 expression in the scleras or the optic nerves. For the two form-deprived monkeys, there were no obvious differences in pax-6 gene expression in the retinas or the optic nerves.

CONCLUSIONThe result that the expression of pax-6 was enhanced by hyperopic defocus in the infant monkey retina suggests that pax-6 may be involved in vision-dependent eye growth and emmetropization.

Animals ; Eye Proteins ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Homeodomain Proteins ; genetics ; Macaca mulatta ; Myopia ; metabolism ; Optic Nerve ; metabolism ; PAX6 Transcription Factor ; Paired Box Transcription Factors ; Repressor Proteins ; Retina ; metabolism ; pathology ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sclera ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo detect gene mutation in proband and his mother from a family with piebaldism.

METHODSDiagnosis of a patient with piebaldism was validated by pathology, ultrastructural examination and the typical clinical manifestation. PCR and DNA sequencing were carried out to detect gene mutation of a family with piebaldism.

RESULTSG1833A transition in the KIT gene was found in the proband of the family with piebaldism. This mutation resulted in V604I substitution in KIT gene. No mutation was found in 100 normal individuals and other family members.

CONCLUSIONThe mutation of V604I is the cause of clinical phenotype of the family with piebaldism.

Base Sequence ; Child ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mutation ; Piebaldism ; genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit ; genetics