OBJECTIVETo investigate the correlation between articulation, velopharyngeal function, and surgical age by comparing the changes in articulation after velopharyngeal closure is performed. This study is also conducted to investigate the influencing factors of omission change between pre- and post-operation.

METHODSA total of 48 patients, including 18 males and 30 females, mean age (13.3 ± 5.8) years, with non-syndromic cleft lips and palates were selected from January 2011 to December 2011. Their speech data and articulation between pre- and post-operation were retrospectively analyzed using non-parametric tests. Correlation study was performed to analyze the influencing factors of the changes in articulation. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTSThe difference in articulation after velopharyngeal closure occurred was significant (Z = -3.796, P = 0.000). A negative correlation between the ratio of post-operative normal articulation and surgical age (R = -0.487, P = 0.000) was observed. The change in omission was positively correlated with surgical age (R = 0.589, P = 0.000) and gender (R = 0.404, P = 0.047). By comparison, the change in omission was negatively correlated with follow-up time (R = -0.235, P = 0.040).

CONCLUSIONArticulation and intelligibility are significantly improved after velopharyngeal closure is performed. These parameters are negatively correlated with surgical age to some extent. In addition, the change in omission is positively correlated with surgical age and gender, whereas the change in omission is negatively correlated with follow-up time.

Adolescent ; Articulation Disorders ; Child ; Cleft Lip ; Cleft Palate ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Velopharyngeal Insufficiency ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo determine the factors affecting post-operative velopharyngeal function of cleft palate patients aged over two years old.

METHODSThe data on 245 patients, including first visit case records and those in the database, were searched and recorded. Post-operative velopharyngeal function and clinical features, such as cleft ratio, adequate ratio, diagnosis, operative age and method, were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTSCleft ratio and adequate ratio in the velopharyngeal competence (VPC) group were not statistically different from those in the velopharyngeal incompetence (VPI) group. The difference in VPC rate in different age groups and diagnosis was not significant. The post-operative VPC rates under different methods were significantly different.

CONCLUSIONThe current therapeutic schedule for patients younger than two years old is inappropriate for patients older than two years old. Cleft ratio is not the main factor affecting postoperative velopharygeal function. Sommerlad-Levator Veli Palatini reconstructional operation combined with sphincter pharyngoplasty can obviously improve the velopharyngeal function of patients aged 2 years old and up. This method should be applied in primary palatoplasty.

Child, Preschool ; Cleft Palate ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Palatal Muscles ; Pharynx ; Postoperative Period ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; Retrospective Studies ; Velopharyngeal Insufficiency

Objective To explore the value of the determination of the devitalized tissue area of bullet wounds in the pig extremities by contrast-enhanced ultrasound(CEUS).Methods A model of bullet wounds to the pig limb soft tissue was constructed with a model 53 smoothbore.The sonographic features of the soft tissue of and around the primary traumatic channel of the pig extremities were observed by routine ultrasound and CEUS and compared with the pathological findings.Results The primary traumatic channel of bullet wounds to the pig extremities produced clearer tubular echoes under routine ultrasonic imaging.The echoes from inside the traumatic channel changed with time.Part of tissue close to the periphery of the traumatic channel presented with a filling defect area except the primary traumatic channel after ultrasonic contrast of the traumatogenic area.The pathological examination revealed devitalized necrotic tissues in the filling defect area while the heterogeneous low potentiation of the tissue around and the most peripheral circular high potentiation of the traumatic channel indicated a degenerative tissue change and a small angiectatic change after CEUS.Conclusions Routine ultrasound may determine the run of the primary traumatic channel in the traumatogenic area of bullet wounds to the pig extremities while CEUS may accurately distinguish the devitalized tissue in the traumtogenic area.The combination of both is bound to raise greatly the level of the treatment and cure of bullet wounds.

Aim To observe the expression of epider-mal growth factor receptor ( EGFR) in cerebral tissues around hematomas after intracerebral hemorrhage, and explore the effects of EGFR on activation of astrocytes derived from rats and the involved mechanisms. Meth-ods The specimens of cerebral tissues around hemo-tomas after intracerebral hemorrhage undergoing hemo-tomas removal operation were collected and then divid-ed into 4 groups according to the time of intracerebral hemorrhage: <1 d, 1 ~5 d, 6 ~10 d and >10 d groups. Each group included 20 cases. At the same time, 20 dropped brain tissues distant to hemorrhage in the operative process were collected as control group. Immunohistostaining and Western blot were used to measure the expression of EGFR. After isolation and culturing, the astrocytes of rat cortex were treated with culture solution ( control group) , CNTF that was used to activate astrocytes, scramble siRNA + CNTF and EGFR siRNA +CNTF for 24h, respectively. The ex-pression of glial fibrillary acidic protein ( GFAP) mR-NA was detected through fluorescence real-time quanti-tative PCR. In addition, the protein levels of GFAP, signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 ( STAT3 ) and phosphorylated STAT3 ( p-STAT3 ) were examined using Western blot. Results With the ex-tension of intracerebral hemorrhage time, positive sig-nal index and protein expression levels of EGFR gradu-ally elevated, reached the peak on 6 ~10d, and then decreased after 10 d. There was statistical difference ( P<0. 01 ) . The expression levels of GFAP mRNA and protein as well as p-STAT3 were significantly in-creased in cells treated with CNTF alone as compared to control group ( P <0. 01 ) , whereas these effects were almost completely reversed by EGFR siRNA transfection ( P <0. 01 ) . Additionally, there was no statistical difference in STAT3 protein levels among groups ( P >0. 05 ) . Conclusions EGFR expression is upregulated in the cerebral tissues around hemotomas after intracerebral hemorrhage. Gene silence of EGFR contributes to suppressing the activation of astrocytes derived from rats, which may be involved in the block-ade of STAT3 phosphorylation.

Objective:To evaluate the application high-resolution 3.0-T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in diagnosis of ligament and tendon injuries of the forefeet.Methods:From September 2014 to August 2020, 40 patients with forefeet injury (40 forefoot) and 20 healthy subjects (40 forefoot) meeting the including and excluding criteria were enrolled into this retrospective study. All subjects underwent MRI T1-weighted image (T1WI) and fat suppression proton density-weighted imaging (PD-FS) scan on coronal planes, sagittal planes and axial planes, respectively. Then the MRI characteristics of tendons in forefoot of healthy subjects and patients with forefoot injuries were compared. In patients the MR features of ligament and tendons injury were compared with the surgical findings or follow-up results.Results:In 20 normal subjects the tendons and ligament of the forefoot showed homogeneous low-signal-intensity on T1WI and PD-FS images. In the 40 patients with forefoot injuries, 22 cases were confirmed by surgical findings and 18 cases were confirmed by follow-up results. There were 8 cases of collateral ligament injuries, including 2 cases with complete tear, 3 cases with partial tear and 3 cases with sprain; 2 cases of extensor tendon with partial tear; 8 cases of flexor tendon injuries, including 3 cases with complete tear, 3 cases with partial tear and 2 cases with sprain; 3 cases of abductor tendon with partial tear; 13 cases of plantar plate injuries; and 6 cases of Lisfranc ligament injuries including 5 cases with complete tear and 1 case with partial tear. The injured ligament and tendons presented thicker and discontinuity in T1WI; and demonstrated heterogeneously increased signal intensity with edema in the surrounding soft tissues in PD-FS. The partially torn ligament and tendons showed discontinuity and thickening; and the completely torn ligament and tendons showed that they were interrupted and retracted, fiber structure disappeared and was filled with liquid, and edema in the surrounding soft tissue.Conclusion:High resolution magnetic resonance imaging of the forefoot can demonstrate the anatomy and features of ligament and tendon injuries in forefoot accurately, which has clinical application value for the early diagnosis and accurate treatment of the injury.

Objective To Screen serum protein markers related to CRF and establish a diagnosis model,exploring and discussing its significance in serodiagnosis by comparing differences of serum protein spectrum expression between patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) and control group.Methods The trial included 62 CRF patients and 28 control ones.Serum samples were tested by surface enhanced laser desorption/ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF-MS).The data were analyzed to screen serum proteomic biomarkers.By bioinformatics analysis,decision classification tree models were to be established and tested.Results A total of 19 effective protein peaks were significantly different between CRF and normal control (P＜0.001) at m/z range of 1 500 to 30 000,among which 18 showed low expression and 1 showed high expression in CRF.CRF and normal control were obviously different in the clustering;By bioinformatics analysis,a CRF-normal controls of the diagnostic decision tree model was developed,which was 87.8% in with prediction accuracy rate of 87.8% sensitivity of 87.1% and a specificity of 89.3%.Condusion Diagnostic decision tree model provides a more accurate prediction and solid experimental evidence for early clinical diagnosis.

Objective To investigate the association of interferon (IFN) γ gene polymorphisms and risk and prognosis of HPV cervical infection.Methods PCR-ASP was used for detectiug IFN-γ rs2430561 polymorphism in 179 HPV positive patients and 328 HPV negative normal controls.Results The frequency of A allele of 63.7％ (228/358) was significantly higher than the frequency of T allele of 36.3％ (130/358) in HPV positive group (P =0.045).The frequencies were 41.3％ (74/179) in AA genotype and 14.0％ (25/179) in TT genotype,women carrying AA genotype increased the risk of HPV infection compare with those with TT genotype (OR =1.784,95％ CI:1.031-3.088,P =0.039).During follow-up,the rate of HPV positive again in AA genotype was 83.8％ (62/74),while TT genotype was 20.0％ (5/25).In the analysis of Kaplan-Meier,the cumulative HPV negative rates of AA,TA and TT genotype exhibited significantly different (P =0.008).The cumulative HPV negative rate of AA genotype was the lowest (1.1％-5.9％).Conclusions IFN-γ rs2430561 polymorphisms confer the susceptibility to HPV infection.Women with AA genotype exhibited higher risk of infection and inclined to be continuous status and recurrence after HPV infection.

Objective: To study the MRI manifestations of foot injuries in amateur marathoners and the diagnostic value of MRI for foot injuries. Methods: Forty-eight amateur marathoners were prospectively recruited from October 2018 to March 2019. Participants were grouped according to the FASS criteria. All participants underwent bilateral foot MRI examinations. The MRI features of foot in amateur marathoners with and without foot pain were analyzed.The association with gender, age, time to participate in marathon, amount of running per week, number of times to complete the whole marathon and the symptoms of foot pain was studied. Results: There were 28 sides in FASS in grade 0, including 8 males and 20 females, 8 hydrocele of the first metatarsophalangeal joint, 6 edema of bone marrow, 4 edema of soft tissue, 4 hydrocele of tendon sheath, and 6 without abnormal manifestations of MRI. There were 68 sides in FASS grade 1, including 42 males and 26 females, 38 Achilles tendinitis, 14 plantar fasciitis, 12 Achilles tendon bursitis and 4 posterior ankle impingement syndrome. The incidence of foot pain in amateur marathoners was related to gender (OR=1.060, P=0.043), unrelated to age (OR=0.248, P=0.078), number of marathons completed (OR=1.006, P=0.956), time to participate in marathon (OR=1.008, P=0.944), amount of running per week (OR=0.971, P=0.407). Conclusion Among amateur marathon runners, the foot pain is mainly caused by Achilles tendon and plantar fascia, while those without foot pain are mainly characterized by joint effusion, tendon sheath effusion and bone marrow edema. Gender is the only factor affecting the incidence of foot pain in amateur marathoners. MRI examination is an effective method to determine foot injury and has important clinical application value in the diagnosis and treatment of foot injury.

AIM To compare the effects of sealed moistening with brine,simple stir-frying and stir-frying with brine on the contents of psoralen,psoralen,psoralen and psoralen in Psoraleae Fructus aqueous extract.METHODS The HPLC analysis of aqueous extract was performed on a 30 ℃ thermostatic Hibar C1s column (250 mm × 4.6 mm,5 μm),with the mobile phase comprising of 0.1％ formic acid-methanol flowing at 1.0 mL/min in a gradient elution manner,and the detection wavelength was set at 246 nm.RESULTS Compared with the raw product,the contents of glycosides and total components in the product processed with sealed moistening with brine were significantly decreased.Stir-frying with brine could significantly promote the dissolution of glycosides (psoralen and psoralen),but had no significant effect on that of aglycones (psoralen and isopsoralen).Simple stirfrying markedly increased the contents of various constituents.CONCLUSION Both simple stir-frying and stir-frying with brine can significantly increase the total content of four constituents in Psoraleae Fructus aqueous extract.

The aim of this study was to investigate the genetic polymorphism of Y-chromosome specific short tandem repeat (Y-STR) loci in Zhuang ethnic group of China. Nine Y-STR loci were amplified by single multiplex and the PCR products were detected by using ABI Prism(TM) 3100 DNA Sequencer. The allele frequencies and haplotype frequencies at 9 Y-STR loci were determined in a total of 85 unrelated male individuals from Zhuang ethnic group of China. The results indicated that in the 85 unrelated male individuals, except for the DYS426 locus with a low GD value, the GD values for other 8 Y-STR loci ranged from 0.4387 to 0.8129. A total of 70 haplotypes at 9 Y-STR loci were found, the haplotype diversity was 0.9926. It is concluded that the haplotype polymorphism of 9 Y-STR loci are highly polymorphic in Zhuang ethnic group and also significantly different from our previous reported data of unrelated male individnals in southern Chinese Han population.
Alleles ; China ; ethnology ; Chromosomes, Human, Y ; genetics ; Genetic Loci ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Microsatellite Repeats ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Genetic