Objective To explore the role of somatosensory evoked potentials elicited by paraspinal stimulation in the detection of spinal cord lesions.Methods Patients with clinically suspected spinal cord lesions underwent somatosensory evoked potentials(SEPs)and spinal cord conduction velocity(SCCV)test using paraspinal stimulating method.96 patients aged 15 to 75 years old with suspected spinal cord lesions of various aetiologies were tested.36 patients had demyelinating disease of the spinal cord,26 had sub-acute combined degeneration of the spinal cord,19 had myelopathy,10 had acute myelitis,5 had spinal cord corhpression.Results Paraspinal stimulation elicited somatosensory evoked potentials were Performed on all 96 patients,68 of whom underwent spinal MRI as well.SEPs and SCCV were found abnormal in a high ratio in all kinds of spinal cord lesions ; in general,78 among the 96 patients had abnormal SEPs with a sensitivity of 81.25%.27 out of 36 with demyelinating disease of the spine had abnormal SEPs with a sensitivity of 75.00%,23 out of 26 with subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord had abnormal SEPs with a sensitivity of 88.46%,8 out of 10 with acute myelitis had abnormal SEPs,15 patients with myelopathy having abnormal findings,all 5 patients with spinal cord compression had abnormal SEPs.42 of 68 patients undergoing MRI revealed to be abnormal,in which 35 patients also had abnormal SEPs.The other 26 patients had normal spinal MRI,in which 21 patients had abnormal SEPs.Conclusions Paraspinal stimulation somatosensory evoked potentials and spinal cord conduction velocity may objectively document the abnormalities of electrophysiology,which occurs earlier than those of anatomy and radiological finds, therefore it may detect the dysfunction of spinal cord at an early stage.It is even more useful in the detecting of the metabolic myelopathy,which can hardly be detected by MRI.This technique is simple,inexpensive, and maybe useful in the diagnosis for patients with suspected spinal cord lesions.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of laryngeal mask airway (LMA) Guardian for airway management in the patients requiring insertion of nasogastric tube before laparoscopic cholecystectomy.Methods Sixty patients of both sexes,aged 26-64 yr,weighing 48-95 kg,of American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status Ⅰ-Ⅲ,with Mallampati grade Ⅰ-Ⅲ,scheduled for elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy under general anesthesia,were divided into group Ⅰ and group Ⅱ (n =30 each) using a random number table.In group Ⅰ,the nasogastric tube was inserted through the drain tube of LMA Guardian.In group],the nasogastric tube was inserted through the nostril before operation,and after successful LMA Guardian placement,another nasogastric tube was inserted through the drain tube of LMA Guardian.The hemodynamic parameters,SpO2,end-tidal pressure of carbon dioxide and peak airway pressure (Ppeak) were monitored during operation.The fiberoptic laryngoscopy scores were assessed after successful LMA placement,and the nasogastric tube displacement was recorded.The LMA placement time,success rate of LMA placement at first attempt,airway sealing pressure,occurrence of air leakage of LMA and nasogastric tube drainage were recorded.The bloodstains and gastroesophageal reflux were observed after removal of the LMA.The pH values were tested at the tip of LMA and on the dorsal and ventral sides of the body of LMA using pH test papers.The development of adverse reactions in the oropharynx was recorded within 24 h after operation.Results The hemodynamics was stable,the SpO2 and Ppeak were within the normal range during operation,and Ppeak was lower than airway sealing pressure in the two groups (P＞0.05),and there was no significant difference between the two groups.There was no significant difference between the two groups in the LMA placement time,success rate of LMA placement at first attempt,airway sealing pressure,score for exposure of oropharynx,development of adverse reactions in the oropharynx,consumption of anesthetics,development of bloodstains within the body of LMA and gastroesophageal reflux,and pH values at the tip of LMA and on the dorsal and ventral sides of the body of LMA (P＞0.05).Nasogastric tube drainage:the rate of nasogastric tube drainage through the LMA Guardian was 67％ in group Ⅰ;the rate of nasogastric tube drainage through the nostril was 40％,and the rate of nasogastric tube drainage though the LMA Guardian was 50％ in group Ⅱ.No nasogastric tube displacement was found after operation in group Ⅱ.Conclusion For the patients requiring insertion of nasogastric tube before laparoscopic cholecystectomy,insertion of LMA Guardian is easy,and LMA Guardian can assure good airway sealing and adequate ventilation and can be safely and effectively used for airway management in this type of patients.

AIM:To determine the effects of glutamine ( Gln) pretreatment on occludin protein in the rats with intestinal ischemia-reperfusion ( I/R ) injury.METHODS: Male Wistar rats ( n =30 ) were randomly divided into 3 groups (n=10):sham group, I/R group and Gln pretreatment group.The rats in Gln pretreatment group were pretreated with Gln at dose of 1 g? kg-1? d-1 by orogastric route for 7 d, and those in the other 2 groups were pretreated with the same volume of normal saline .Intestinal I/R was induced by 30-min occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery followed by 24 h of reperfusion.After the operation, the levels of IL-10, IL-2, TNF-α, SOD and MDA were measured.The occludin protein was determined by the methods of immunohistochemistry and Western blotting .RESULTS: The occludin protein level in I/R group was significantly lower than that in sham group and Gln group (P<0.05).The levels of MDA and TNF-αin I/R group were significantly higher than those in sham group and Gln group ( P<0.05 ) .The levels of SOD , IL-10 and IL-2 in I/R group were significantly lower than those in sham group and Gln group ( P<0.05 ) .CONCLUSION:Glutamine has a protective effect on occludin protein in intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury .The mechanism may be rela-ted to oxidative stress response and inflammatory inhibition .

Background Retinal development continues during the early postnatal period in mammals.Correct arrangement of layers and precise location of various cells in the retina are vital for forming normal visual function during critical period plasticity.Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography(SD-OCT)provides highquality in vivo retinal imaging and the possibility to measure retinal thickness longitudinally. Objective The present study was to investigate the changes of retinal thickness during critical period plasticity in rats. Methods In vivo consecutive scanning of retinal image was performed in 10 SPF Sprague-Dawley rats at postnatal day 14(P14),P18,P21,P24 and P42 with SD-OCT,and retinal histopathological examination was used to detect retinal morphologic changes at the same postnatal ages in 20 matched rats.The whole retinal thickness,the thickness from inner limiting membrane(ILM)to inner plexiform layer(IPL),the thickness of inner nuclear layer(INL)and the thickness from outer nuclear layer(ONL)to retinal pigment epithelium(RPE)were measured using Cirrus HD-OCT system and HMIAS-2000 Imaging System in retinal sections.The measurement parameters by Cirrus HD-OCT and those by hematoxylin-eosin staining were compared.The use of animals followed the Statement of National Institute of Health (USA). Results In vivo high-resolution images of rat retinas with SD-OCT compared well with histology,which enabled quantitative comparison of the SD-OCT and histological data during critical period plasticity in rats.From P14 to P42,the retinal thickness gradually decreased with the increase of rat ages(F=15.425,P=0.000),and so were the thickness from ILM to IPL,the thickness of INL and the thickness from ONL to RPE(F=3.973,P=0.007;F=17.529,P=0.000;F=7.038,P=0.000).The retinal thickness,thickness of INL.thickness from ONL to RPE measured by Cirrus HD-OCT were significantly correlated with those measured by retinal sections among P14,P18,P21,P24 and P42 rats(r=0.794,P=0.000;r=0.784,P=0.000;r=0.681,P=0.000). Conclusion SD-OCT is a demonstratably valuable technology to study the structure of retinas in rats.The retinal thickness is shown to reduce in thickness throughout the development of the retina during critical period plasticity due to the decrease in thickness of INL and the distance from the ONL to RPE,as illustrated by OCT scanning.

The growth changes of glutathione (GSH) and ergosterol in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (CICC1447 and CICC1339) were detected under 0.5Mpa pressure with compressed high-pure air (O-2∶N-2=21∶79). The results showed that logarithmic phases of the two strains were delayed; their biomass and special growth rate were lower than those of control sample (0.1MPa) and the double time were prolonged under 0.5MPa. High-pressure could increase the content of GSH obviously, compared to ambient atmosphere control samples. When the holding time was 3h, the content of GSH and ergosterol in CICC1447 increased 42.6% and 20.1%, respectively. However, the content of GSH in CICC1339 increased 58.7% when the holding time was 6h, while ergosterol content reduced. The results indicated that different yeast strains have different stress-response mechanism to copy with high-pressure shock.

Objective To investigate the effects of hypoxia on the expression of Stat3 and p-Stat3 ,and assessed the apoptosis ability of JAR cells in vitro .Methods JAR cells were cultured under hypoxic conditions .Western blot were used to determine the protein expression of Stat3 and p-Stat3 .Cellular apoptosis was monitored by flow cytometry analysis .Results Abnormal morpholo-gy changes in trophoblast cells under low oxygen conditions .After 48 h hypoxic treatment ,the protein of Stat3 and p-Stat3 were significantly decreased(P< 0 .05) ;however ,the level of apoptosis was significantly increased (P < 0 .05) .Conclusion Stat3 and p-Stat3 protein levels were decreased under hypoxia circumstance ,while the cell apoptosis ability was increased in JAR cells .

Objective To compare the saccharometabolism with the pancreatic islets functions and insulin resistance index in children with severe stress. Methods Thirty children with severe stress and 30 healthy children in control group were tested. The levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG), fasting insulin (FINS) and fasting C - peptide (FCP) were detected by radioimmunoassay respectively and insulin sensitivity index (ISI), insulin resistance index (IR) and fasting blood cell function index (FBCI) were calculated statistically. Results There were significant differences between the children with severe stress and the normal controls in the levels of FINS, FCP and FBG,(all P0.05). Conclusion There is insulin resistance with the significant decrease in the insulin sensitivity index and significant increase in insulin resistance index in the children with severe stress, which may cause the disorder in glucose metabolism in children with severe stress.

Background The integration of segregated pathways from the two eyes first appears in V1 neurons,where it not only plays a critical role in the generation of a three-dimensional visual representation.Abnormal visual experiences in critical period usually lead to amblyopia and binocular integration defects.Objective Present study was to investigate how neurons of kitten coordinate their activity patterns in response to synchronous dichoptic stimulus inputs in striate cortex.Methods Spike rate and local field potential(LFP) gamma band(20-90Hz) power of three kitten(1-1.2Kg,8-10 weeks old) to monocular and synchronous dichoptic presented gratings were assessed for 28 binocular neurons in V1 of kitten by in vivo extracellular record method under anaesthesia and paralysis.Ocular dominance index(ODI) and binocular integration index(BII) were assessed and the correlation between these two indexes were analyzed.Results In 28 cells with binocular characteristic,the absolute value of spike-ODI was significant larger than that of LFP-ODI(t=2.606,P=0.021).A positive linear correlation between the ocular preferences of spike and LFP was found(R2=0.513,F=27.423,P=0.003).In dichotic trails,binocular facilitation with BII for spike was 2.348±0.996,showing a significant reduce in comparison with BII for LFP(3.678±1.974)(t=2.671,P=0.019).Binocular integration index for two signals were greater when monocular responses of both eyes were similar(P=0.035 and P=0.124,respectively).Conclusion Both spike rate and gamma band power of LFP exhibited binocular facilitation to synchronous presented dichotic stimuli with significant facilitation induced by balanced monocular responses.Spiking activity and LFP reflect neural activities of different spatial scales and source components.

Objective:To investigate the characteristics of gene mutations in colorectal cancer(CRC)patients by using next-generation generation sequencing(NGS).Methods:Blood and tissue samples were collected from 90 CRC patients admitted to Beijing Hospital between August 5, 2016 and December 29, 2020.Analysis of driver gene mutations was performed by using a 1021-gene NGS panel.Results:There were 43 tissue samples and 83 blood samples.Also, 36 patients had both tissue and blood samples.The frequency rates of KRAS and BRAF mutations were 51.2%(22/43)and 20.9%(9/43)in tissue samples, and 3 rare concomitant KRAS/ BRAF mutations were detected.The frequency rates of KRAS and BRAF mutations were 26.5%(22/83)and 10.8%(9/83)in blood samples.In patients with tissue and blood samples, the rates of KRAS and BRAF mutations were 52.8%(19/36)and 10.8%(8/36). Conclusions:The rate of KRAS mutations in tissue samples from colorectal cancer patients is similar to rates reported in the literature, but the rate of BRAF mutation and the rate of rare KRAS and BRAF co-mutations are higher than those reported from other countries.

INTRODUCTIONProblem-based learning (PBL), a pedagogic concept using a student-centred approach and problem-solving through small group discussions, has been adopted in varying degrees for years at all 11 medical institutes in Taiwan. Much evidence has shown that a number of factors can seriously affect student performance in PBL courses, such as the design of PBL scenarios, the tutors' character and students' attitudes and efforts.

MATERIALS AND METHODSThe aim of this study was to examine how the personal characters or knowledge base of Taiwanese medical students influence their performance in a hybrid-PBL curriculum. A total of 309 (234 male, 75 female) high-school entry undergraduate medical students participated in this survey. Self-assessed personal traits were presented in a 44-item questionnaire with a Big Five factor structure. Knowledge base was assessed by students' score point average (SPA) based on their previous 4-year education in medical school. Peer-assessed performance of students in the PBL curriculum was carried out using a well-developed, reliable and validated evaluation form.

RESULTSEach student's peer-evaluated PBL performance can be divided into 5 principal components, which included control-lead, assist-coordinate, written organisation and compromise- comply (Eigen value >1). The consistency and reliability of the Big Five questionnaire on personal traits was analysed and discordant items were deleted (Cronbach's alpha = 0.72 to 0.86 after deletion). The relationship between the personal traits, knowledge base and PBL performance, as analysed by simple regression, showed that "extraversion" and "openness to experience" were positively related to the "assist-coordinate" characteristic in PBL performance, and "conscientiousness" was positively related to the "control-lead" characteristic in PBL performance. The SPA was positively related to the "assist-coordinate" or "control-lead" characteristic in PBL performance. The "agreeableness" was negatively correlated with the "control-lead" characteristic in PBL performance. After stepwise regression between the Big Five and each component of PBL performance, only the correlation between conscientiousness and control/lead, and between extraversion and assist/coordinate remained significant.

CONCLUSIONKnowledge and personality characteristics appear to be associated with student performance in a hybrid-PBL curriculum. The implications of this study on the future development and application of this assessment tool in medical schools are presented.

Educational Measurement ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mental Competency ; psychology ; Problem-Based Learning ; methods ; Retrospective Studies ; Students, Medical ; psychology ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Taiwan