Cochlear Implants ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Positron-Emission Tomography

Objective To determine pharmacokinetics profiles of sodium alginate dexamethasone in perilymph after trans-round window administration of the sodium alginate dexamethasone gel in vivo.Methods 30 healthy guinea pig were randomly divided into 6 groups.Alg-Dex gel was placed into the niche of the round window of the guinea pig on the right ear.The perilymphetic samples were harvested on day 1,2,3,4 and 5 after administration of Alg-Dex gel respectively.The concentrations of dexamethasone in perilymph were assayed with high performance liquid chromatograph(HPLC).Results Concentrations of dexamethasone in perilymph on day 1,2,3,4 and 5 after administration of Alg-Dex gel were 0.49?0.06,1.32?0.28,0.65?0.08,0.66?0.05,0.53?0.17 mg/L respectively.Concentrations of dexamethasone in perilymph reached a peak on the second day and maintained 0.61?0.07 mg/L steadily on following days after administration.Conclusion Dexamethasone can be released from the sodium alginate dexamethasone gel persisitently and steadily in vivo.

Congenital malformations of the external and middle ear is the common reason of pediatric hearing impairment and cosmic problem. The treatment composes of auricular plastic surgery and auditory reconstruction surgery. The use of BAHA, vibrant sound-bridge and tissue engineering materials can significantly improve the treatment outcomes.
Contraindications ; Ear, External ; abnormalities ; surgery ; Ear, Middle ; abnormalities ; surgery ; Hearing Aids ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; Treatment Outcome

Background: There are obvious changes in neuropeptides from plasma and cerebrospinal fluid in patients with vascular dementia (VaD), and regulating the levels of neuropeptides is a key for prevention and treatment of VaD. Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of moxibustion at head-points in treatment of vascular dementia (VaD), and assess its effects on memory-related neuropeptides. Design, setting, participants and interventions: A total of 65 VaD patients from Acupuncture Hospital, Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, were randomly divided into moxibustion group (33 cases) and Western medicine group (32 cases). Patients in the moxibustion group were treated with indirect moxibustion with common monkshood cake for 20 min. Patients in the Western medicine group were orally administered piracetam tablets, 0.8 g for three times a day. One treatment course was 4 weeks, and they were treated for 4 treatment courses. Main outcome measures: The scores of Hasegawa's Dementia Scale (HDS), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and Activity of Daily Living Scale (ADL), as well as the levels of learning and memory-related neuropeptides from cerebrospinal fluid such as somatostatin (SS) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) were measured before and after treatment in the two groups. Results: Total response rate was significantly higher in the moxibustion group than in the Western medicine group (P<0.01). There were significant differences in scores of HDS, MMSE and ADL between before and after treatment in the two groups(P<0.05 or P<0.01). After treatment, the scores of HDS, MMSE and ADL in the moxibustion group were more improved as compared with those in the Western medicine group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The levels of SS and AVP after treatment were higher than those before treatment in the two groups(P<0.01). After treatment, the increased levels of SS and AVP were higher in the moxibustion group than in the Western medicine group (P<0.01). Conclusion: Moxibustion is effective in improving the clinical symptom scores and regulating the levels of neuropeptides associated with learning and memory in VaD patients.

Objective:To study the diagnostic value of MR diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) and CT and MR perfusion imaging in patients with different degrees of liver cirrhosis.Methods:A total of 60 patients with liver cirrhosis,who were treated in Ziyang Hospital of West China Hospital of Sichuan University from August 2015 to February 2017 were selected.According to the Child-Pugh classification,32 cases of grade A were mild cirrhosis (denoted as group A),16 cases of grade B and 12 cases of grade C were moderate to severe cirrhosis (denoted as group B),30 healthy volunteers were selected as group C in the same period.All the subjects in the three groups were examined by DWI,CT and MR perfusion imaging.The ADC value,hepatic portal perfusion ratio [SSr (CT) and SSr (MR)] were compared among the three groups,and Spearman correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between the indexes.Results:There was no significant difference in ADC values among the three groups (P＞0.05),and the ADC values of group A and B were lower than those of group C,but the difference was not statistically significant (P＞0.05).There was no significant difference in ADC values between group A and B (P＞0.05).The levels of SSr (CT) and SSr (MR) in the three groups were compared,the difference was statistically significant (P＜0.05);the levels of SSr (CT) and SSr (MR) in group B were significantly higher than those in group A and C,the difference was statistically significant (P＜0.05).There was no significant difference in the levels of SSr (CT) and SSr (MR) in group A and C (P＞0.05).Spearman correlation analysis showed that SSr (CT) was positively correlated with SSr (MR) in the patients with liver cirrhosis (r=0.687,P=0.000).Conclusion:CT and MR perfusion imaging can reflect the lesion degree of liver cirrhosis,and diagnostic effects of the two are better than DWI imaging,which is worthy of clinical promotion.

Purpose To investigate effect of valsartan on expression of Notch pathway and production of extracellular matrix. Methods Urine protein and production of extracellular matrix were measured after diabetic mice were treated with valsartan. The levels of Jag-ged1, Notch1, Notch intracellular domain 1 (NICD1), transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), TypeⅣcollagen and Laminin were determinated by immunohistochemistry, Western blot and real-time PCR. Results Valsartan suppressed urine protein and production of extracellular matrix in diabetic mice (P<0. 05). Valsartan also inhibits overexpression of Jagged1, Notch1, NICD1, TGF-β1, Type Ⅳ collagen and Laminin in glomerular tissues of diabetic mice (P<0. 05 or P<0. 01). Conclusion Valsartan inhibits activa-tion of Notch pathway in glomerular tissues of diabetic mice, inhibits production of extracellular matrix in glomerulus and delays glomer-ulosclerosis.

OBJECTIVE To design and construct eukaryocyte expression vector of SV40 virus large T antigen and induce its targeted expression in eukaryocyte.METHODS SV40 large T gene which excised intron was cloned by SOE(splicing by overlapping extension) and digested with restricted enzymes EcoR Ⅰ and BamH Ⅰ.By the same methods,we got the digested product of pEGFP-N1.After that,the two fragments were ligated to form SV40(TEGFP) by Ligation Kit,and sequenced by TaKaRa ABI Prism Terminator Cycle Sequence Kit.The reconstructed vector was transfected into primary cultured human fibroblast using a Lipofectin transfection method.At 48 h(after) transfection,the expression of SV40T was detected with PCR and RT-PCR using specific primer of T gene.(RESULTS) The restricted enzymes digested and sequencing results showed that SV40 large T gene had cloned into pEGFP-N1 vector successfully.The genome DNA and total RNA were isolated from the positive cells.With these samples,the specific 288 bp fragment was amplified using PCR and RT-PCR.CONCLUSIONS The recombinant plasmid SV40TEGFP will be a stable and valuable molecular tool for human eukaryocyte study.

Objective To isolate melanocytes from epidermis and identify their biological characters. Methods Taking TPA/bFGF/IBMX as basic supplements in medium DMEM/F12(1∶1), the cultured cells from the resected foreskin were purified with trypsin digestion and G418 selection, and the cellular structure and function were observed by Dopa-staining, melanin content assay, tyrosinase activity assay and immunohistochemical staining. Results Dopa-staining showed that the cultured melanocytes had melanin synthesis, melanin content assay and tyrosinase activity assay showed the tyrosinase function of the cells was normal, immunohistochemical staining demonstrated the cell differentiation was normal. Conclusion Melanocytes could be cultured by TPA/bFGF/IBMX and would maintain normal structure and biological function under such conditions.

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of different treatments on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with brain metastases and to explore the influential factors of the prognosis.Methods The NSCLC patients with brain metastases treated from Jan.2010 to Dec.2011 were follow-up.The survival time and influences resulted from the treatments were analyzed.Results The average survive time of these patients was (11.93±5.53) months,and the median survive time was 11 months.The 6-month,1-year and 2-year overall survival rates were 90.7 ％,41.1％ and 6.4 ％,respectively.Multivariate analysis showed that control of extracranial lesions,Kamofsky score,target therapy and age were independent predictive factors of survival,and the OR value were 0.358 (95 ％ CI0.217-0.593),0.302 (95 ％ CI 0.182-0.502),0.170 (95 ％ CI 0.098-0.296) and 1.635 (95 ％ CI 1.010-2.647),respectively (all P ＜ 0.01).Conclusions Radiation therapy is an effective treatment on non-small cell lung cancer with brain metastases.Biological target therapy can effectively improve survival.The survival time also is correlated with age,Karnofsky score and control of extracranial lesions.

Objective To investigate effects of different doses of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in fetal mouse osteoblasts.Methods Calvaria osteoblasts of fetal mice of 19 days were cultured.The effects of rhBMP-2 at different doses and different action times on VEGF expression patterns in fetal mouse osteoblasts were observed with reverse transcrip- tion-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot staining.Results In the present study,RT-PCR detected a steady expression of VEGF mRNA in the control fetal mouse osteoblasts.The levels of VEGF mRNA increased in an apparent biphasic manner with a maximum stimulation (about 2-fold above the control,P＜0.05 ) in both VEGF mRNA species observed at 300 ng/mL of rbBMP-2.After 48 h of rhBMP-2 treatment,the VEGF mRNA levels approached those in the control.The VEGF mRNA levels appeared to be biphasic in rhBMP-2-treated cultures,showing peak induction at 3 and 24 h and remaining elevated at 48 b.Compared with the individual control value at each time point,an apparent maximum increase (about 2.5-fold above the control,P＜0.05) occurred at 6 h.The second peak induction,about 2-fold above that in the control,occurred at about 36 h.Conclusions The expression of VEGF mRNA is steady in the control fetal mouse osteoblasts.RhBMP-2 can promote the expression of VEGF in dose-dependent and time-dependent manners.