Adult ; Extracorporeal Circulation ; Female ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular ; surgery ; Pregnancy Trimesters ; Thoracotomy ; methods

Digital polymerase chain reaction ( PCR) has been experiencing a rapid development during the past few years. Comparing with the traditional real-time quantitative PCR ( RT-qPCR) , using the same primer and probe, the accuracy for the absolute quantification of target gene is significantly improved. The development of digital PCR is directly related to the development of microfluidics. The integrated fluid circuit is an early combination of the microfluidics and digital PCR, which has a complicated fabrication process with high cost. Recently, researchers are trying to apply the droplet microfluidics in digital PCR, and the droplet microfluidic chip is able to generate millions of droplets within a short time. Each of these droplets containing no more than one target gene is a reaction chamber during the amplification process. After amplification, each droplet is tested to achieve the absolute quantification of the target gene. This paper reviews the recent progresses of droplet digital PCR, and the applications of droplet digital PCR in biological, medical and environmental fields.

wearable microfluidics have wide applications in medical, sports and military field. with the help of wearable microfluidics, through the direct physical contact between the chip and skin, the pH, glucose, lactate, sodium/potassium, calcium and heavy metal in the body fluid can be detected from sweat, tear and saliva without puncture for blood. And these information are of great importance for the monitoring of vital signs and disease diagnosis. This paper introduced the most recent development and applications of the wearable microfluidics in the body fluid testing and drug delivery. The up-to-date research development for the drug delivery using wearable microfluidics was also briefly introduced in this article. The forecast of the emerging trend for wearable microfluidics and discussion of potential technique barriers was also provided at the end of this article.

Objective To investigate the clinical effect of a new type of disposable heparin freedialysis tube in uremic patients without heparin dialysis. Methods A total of 110 patients withoutheparin dialysis were divided into control group and observation group by random digits table method with55 cases each. Based on the same pre dialysis and dialysis for heparin saline flushing of discontinuoussaline on the control group using the traditional dialysis pipe for hemodialysis without heparin, theobservation group used disposable non heparin dialysis pipe for hemodialysis without heparin. The numberof patients with venous catheter blockage, blood loss and completion of dialysis time in two groups wasrecorded. Results The number of patients with venous catheter blockage, blood loss and completion ofdialysis time was 6, 6, 47 cases in control group and 0, 0, 54 cases in observation group. The differences were statistically significant (χ2=4.407, 4.407, 4.356, P<0.05). Conclusions The new disposableheparin free dialysis tube can reduce the loss of blood and prolong the treatment time, and the operation issimple, safe and effective, and has good application value and application prospect.

Objective To investigate the effect of the nuclear factor (NF)-κBp65 antisense oligonucleotide (ASODN) on NF-κB activity and expression of interleukin(IL)-6 in hepatic stellate cells (HSC). Methods The HSC were separated from rats and cultured. The toxicity of NF-κBp65 ASODN on HSC were detected by Trypan blue exclusion staining and the NF-κB activity was determined by EMSA. The expressions of IL-6 mRNA and protein were meaured by RT-PCR and ELISA, respectively. Results In vitro, no toxicity of ASODN on HSC was observed at the concentrations of 0. 001 to 1.0 μmol/L. NF-κB activity was increased after stimulating HSC with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)α, whereas it was weakened in a dose dependent manner when HSC were cultured with ASODN (concentration from 0. 001 to 1.0 μmol/L). At the same time, the expressions of IL-6 mRNA and protein induced by TNFα were decreased after transfected with ASODN at concentrations of 0.001- 1. 0 μmol/L in a dose dependent manner. Conclusion ASODN may specifically inhibit either the activiy of NF-κB or expression of IL-6, which provides the theoretical basis that ASODN may use to treat fibrosis of the liver.

With the improvement of people's living standard and the change of dietary structure, the prevalence of gout has increased gradually with the increased intake of protein, sugar and fat. There has been a positive correlation between gout and age, and the age of onset decreased gradually. The inflammation induced by sodium urate crystal is the pathological basis of gout, which activates innate immunity, releases many kinds of inflammatory mediators, such as interleukin(IL)-1β, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α, and then causes inflammatory cascade reaction and acute attacks, such as joint redness, swelling and heat pain. There is a spontaneous remission mechanism in gout. For one thing, macrophages reduce the stimulation of monosodium urate(MSU) through phagocytosis of MSU crystals as foreign bodies, for another, differentiated and mature macrophages secrete anti-inflammatory factor transforming growth factor(TGF)-β₁, inhibit the expression of inflammatory factors and promote spontaneous relief of acute gout attack. In addition to the activation mechanism of intracellular signaling molecules associated with inflammatory response, the inflammatory mechanism of gout also involves complement activation, cell activation and other pathways. The complications caused by gout, such as cardiovascular system damage and joint destruction, are seriously harmful to human health. At present, western drugs, such as allopurinol and febuxostat, exert an effect in inhibiting xanthine oxidase. Benzimarone has effect in reducing renal absorption of uric acid and promoting uric acid excretion by inhibiting uric acid transporter 1(URAT1) and glucose transporter 9(GLUT9). Even Lesinurad and other medicines in current studies are based on the inhibition of uric acid re-absorption, but with adverse reactions that limit the clinical application. The treatment of gout with traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) has multi-target characteristics, with advantages in reducing uric acid, resisting inflammation and improving joint function and a high safety. It has been gradually popularized and applied in clinical treatment of gout. Therefore, it is a promising research direction to treat gout with TCM and western medicine based on the pathomechanism of gout.

OBJECTIVETo explore an ideal method for repairing the skin-soft tissue defects according to the different anatomical units of cheek, and find reasonable design principles to transfer the expanded flaps.

METHODSAccording to the location of the defect, we placed 1-3 appropriate expanders nearby, when the flap expanded enough we adopted advanced skin flaps, rotation-advanced skin flaps or transposition skin flaps to repair the defect. In this group of 269 cases, the defects were secondary to hemangioma, various scars, nevus or nevus excision.

RESULTSIn all 269 cheek defects, 305 expanded flaps were developed which included 145 rotation-advanced flaps, 121 advanced skin flaps and 39 transposition skin flaps. 52 of them generated complications, including blood circulation disorder of the distal part of flaps, hematoma, infection, injection, lower eyelid ectropion, expander extrusion and capsule contracture. Mostly, these complications didn't affect the final results.

CONCLUSIONSThe principles presented in this article are the guidelines to treat the skin-soft tissue defect of check with tissue expansion. The satisfied results come from the reasonable flap designs.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Cheek ; surgery ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Skin Transplantation ; methods ; Surgical Flaps ; Tissue Expansion ; methods ; Young Adult

This study was purpose to investigate the clinical characteristics of B-cell chronic lymphoproliferative disorders (B-CLPD) complicated by autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) so as to improve the understanding of this disease. The clinical characteristics, laboratory data, therapy and outcome of 14 patients suffering from B-CLPD complicated by AIHA were retrospectively analyzed in Wuxi People Hospital and the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from 2000 to 2012. The results showed that 9 cases of the 14 patients were patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), 5 cases were patients with lymphoma, at time of hemolysis the median level of hemoglobin was 61 (33 - 84)g/L, the median ratio of reticulocytes was 12.0 (3.1 - 35.0)%, the positive rate of Coombs test was 100%. 1 case received corticosteroid alone, 5 cases were treated with chemotherapy combined with corticosteroid, 8 cases were treated with immunochemotherapy rituximab combined with corticosteroid. Overall response rate was 100%, in which CR was 78.6% (11/14), PR was 21.4% (3/14). The follow-up for these patients were performed to now, 35.7% (5/14) patients relapsed with hemolysis again, but they showed therapeutic response to treatment with above-mentioned therapy. From patients treated with rituximab alone, only 1 patient relapsed. Among 14 patients, 6 cases died, 1 case was lost, the other cases are still alive. It is concluded that the AIHA is the commonest complication of B-CLPD, it can be observed at different stages of B-CLPD, the treatment with corticosteroids can give well therapeutic effect for these patients, but the long time CR is lower, the rituximab has been confirmed to be effective for B-CLPD complicated by AIHA.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; therapeutic use ; Adult ; Aged ; Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune ; complications ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell ; complications ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Rituximab ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the importance of TLICS classification to surgical options of thoracolumbar fractures by analyzing the cause of intravertebral vacuum sign, vertebral collapse and vertebral pseudarthrosis.

METHODSFrom January 2006 to December 2010, the clinical data about 15 patients with postoperative complications by thoracolumbar fracture after posterior internal fixation were retrospectively analyzed. There were 9 males and 6 females, ranging in age from 18 to 75 years, with an average of 54.6 years. Of them, fracture site in T12 was 7 cases, L1 was 5 cases, L2 was 3 cases; compression fractures was in 12 cases and burst fracture was in 3 cases; according to classification of TLICS, 12 cases were of type I ,3 cases of type III. And the causes of complications after posterior fixation were analyzed according clinical manifestation and imaging finding combined with review literatures.

RESULTSAfter 10 to 20 months following-up (with average of 15 months), loss of vertebral height found in 9 cases (4 cases existed vertebral collapse, as well as 3 cases occurred screw loosening) and Intravertebral Vacuum Sign appeared in 6 cases.

CONCLUSIONIn order to avoid the vertebral vacuum and fixation failure, the clinical data of patients should be roundly and carefully evaluated, surgical indications should be strictly controlled and the surgical approach should be selected according to correct classification. Particularly, the reconstruction of the stability of former spinal column shoud be paid more attention.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; diagnostic imaging ; injuries ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; diagnostic imaging ; etiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Fractures ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Thoracic Injuries ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Young Adult

Objective To establish a method performance verification project and experimental method for the clinical chemiluminescence immunoassay.Methods Referring to CLSI evaluation protocols and pertinent literature,and by combining our actual works,we designed a verification procedure and experimental method.By Using these above,the precision,accuracy,analytical sensitivity,analytical measurement range,clinical reportable range and biotic interval of AFP on the Bayer Centaur 240 chemiluminescence immunoassay system were verificated.Results would be compared with the declaration of the manufacturer or desirable specifications derived from biologic variation.Results The results showed that the between-day inaccuracy on AFP levels at 77.4 ng/ml and 168.0 ng/ml was 5.70% and 4.84% respectively,these were consistent with manufacturer's inaccuracy claimed.The relative bias between the results measured for calibrator at four levels and target value was less 5.0%,and the relative bias between the results measured for EQA control sample at five levels and target value was-3.4% to 11.9%.Lower limit of detection was 1.04 ng/ml,lower slightly manufacturer's analytical sensitivity claimed.Biologic limit of detection was 2.65 ng/ml-3.53 ng/ml,functional sensitivity was 3.53 ng/ml.Analytical measurement range was 3.53-912.00 ng/ml,within manufacturer's liner range claimed.Clinical reportable range was 3.53-182 400.00 ng/ml.Reference interval was 0.6-7.7 ng/ml,within manufacturer' s claimed.Conclusions The main performances of the detection system are accorded with the declaration of the manufacturer.The performance verification procedure and experimental method of our research ars simple and practical,which has important significations for building medical laboratory and laboratory accreditation, improving quality of the chemiluminescence immunoassay.