Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)+SpyGlass system versus percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage (PTGD)+ERCP in the treatment of acute cholecystitis secondary to choledocholithiasis. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of the patients with acute cholecystitis secondary to choledocholithiasis who were treated in Department of Gastroenterology, Jilin City People's Hospital, from December 2019 to September 2021, among whom there were 23 patients in the ERCP+SpyGlass group and 19 patients in the PTGD+ERCP group. The two groups were compared in terms of the indicators such as surgical technical success, surgical operation time, surgical clinical success, postoperative recovery, length of hospital stay, and complications. The two-independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between groups, and the Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between groups; the chi- square test or the Fisher's exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups. Results Compared with the PTGD+ERCP group, the ERCP+SpyGlass group had a significant reduction in C-reactive protein after surgery ( Z =2.999, P =0.003). There were no significant differences between the two groups in technical success rate ( χ 2 =1.735, P =0.188), clinical success rate ( χ 2 =0.846, P =0.358), total time of operation ( t =1.667, P = 0.113), white blood cell count on day 1 after surgery ( t =1.075, P = 0.289), length of postoperative hospital stay ( t =1.560, P =0.127), and incidence rate of complications (all P > 0.05). Conclusion In the treatment of acute cholecystitis secondary to choledocholithiasis, the ERCP+SpyGlass system has a comparable clinical effect to PTGD+ERCP and is safe and effective, without increasing surgery-related adverse events and risks, and it can also solve the problems of the biliary tract and the gallbladder at one time through natural orifices, with no scars on body surface and convenient postoperative nursing. Therefore, it holds promise for clinical application.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of Sophoral flavones on proliferation of cardiac fibroblasts (CFb) induced by high glucose and its underlying mechanism. Cardiac fibroblasts were exposed to different concentration of D-glucose (15, 25 and 35 mmol·L^-1) at different time point (24, 48 and 72 h) in order to determine cell proliferation, and the model group was established by culturing CFb with 25 mmol·L^-1D-glucose for 48 h. Sophoral flavones (12.5, 25 and 50 mg·L^-1) were employed for intervention. The cell viability was measured by MTT assay, and the levels of transforming growth factor-β₁ (TGF-β₁), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), collagen Ⅰ and collagen Ⅲ were measured by ELISA. In addition, flow cytometry was employed to detect the cell cycle; while the protein expression of prohibitin (PHB) was observed via immunocytochemistry and Western blot. This animal experiment had been approved by Jilin Medical University Experiment Animal Ethics Review Committee. The results showed that 25 mmol·L^-1 glucose could promote the proliferation of CFb; and the contents of TGF-β₁, MMP-2, collagen Ⅰ and collagen Ⅲ in the model group were higher than that of control (P<0.05). The number of cells in S and G₂ phase increased under high glucose condition. In the model group, PHB translocation occurred at 6 h and protein expression decreased at 48 h (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, 12.5-50 mg·L^-1 Sophoral flavones reduced the contents of TGF-β₁, MMP-2, collagen Ⅰ and collagen Ⅲ, increased the number of G₁ phase cells, and increased the expression of PHB protein at 48 h (P<0.05), with no effect on the nuclear translocation of PHB. These results indicated that Sophoral flavones could prevent the proliferation of CFb induced by high glucose, the mechanism of which may be related to increasing the expression of PHB protein.

BackgroundAsthma is a common chronic respiratory disease and is related to air pollution exposure. However, only a few studies have concentrated on the association between air pollution and adult asthma. Moreover, the results of these studies are controversial. Therefore, the present study aimed to analyze the influence of various pollutants on hospitalization due to asthma in adults.

MethodsA total of 1019 unrelated hospitalized adult asthma patients from Northeast China were recruited from 2014 to 2016. Daily average concentrations of air pollutants (particulate matter <2.5 μm [PM], particulate matter <10 μm [PM], sulfur dioxide [SO], nitrogen dioxide [NO], and carbon monoxide [CO]) were obtained from the China National Environmental Monitoring Centre website from 2014 to 2016. Cox logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the relationship between air pollutants and hospital admissions in adult asthma.

ResultsThe maximum odds ratio (OR) value for most air pollutants occurred on lag day 1. Lag day 1 was chosen as the exposure period, and 8 days before onset was chosen as the control period. Three pollutants (PM, CO, and SO) were entered into the regression equation, and the corresponding OR (95% confidence interval) was 0.995 (0.991-0.999), 3.107 (1.607-6.010), and 0.979 (0.968-0.990), respectively.

ConclusionsA positive association between hospital admissions and the daily average concentration of CO was observed. CO is likely to be a risk factor for hospital admissions in adults with asthma.

Air Pollutants ; toxicity ; Air Pollution ; adverse effects ; Asthma ; epidemiology ; Carbon Monoxide ; toxicity ; China ; Environmental Monitoring ; statistics & numerical data ; Female ; Hospitalization ; statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; Male ; Odds Ratio ; Particulate Matter ; toxicity ; Risk Factors ; Sulfur Dioxide ; toxicity

OBJECTIVE: To explore 3.0T MRI accurate measurement of knee cartilage thickness in healthy youth provides reliable anatomical parameters for quantitative diagnosis of osteoarthritis and accurate osteotomy of joint replacement. METHODS: From January 2013 to December 2013, 30 healthy young volunteers including 14 males and 16 females with an average age of (25.8±2.4) years old ranging from 22 to 33 years were recruited in Changchun, Jilin Province, and a 3.0T MRI scan was performed on the bilateral knee joints of each volunteer. The cartilage thickness was measured on the lateral femoral condyle (LFC), medial femoral condyle (MFC), lateral tibial plateau (LTP) and medial tibial plateau (MTP). RESULTS: In four regions of the knee joint:LFC, MFC, LTP and MTP, whether young men or women, there was no significant difference in cartilage thickness between the left and right knee joints (P>0.05). There were significant differences in knee cartilage thickness between healthy young men and women (P<0.05). In the same sex group, LFC cartilage thickness was thinner in the middle, thicker in front and rear;MFC cartilage thickness was the thinnest in front and gradually thickening from the front to the rear; LTP cartilage thickness was thickest in the middle, second in the rear and thinnest in the front;MTP cartilage thickness was the thinnest in the front, was relatively uniform in the middle and rear and thicker than that in the front. CONCLUSION In Northeast China, among healthy adults aged 22 to 33, gender difference may be an important factor in the difference of cartilage thickness in various regions of the knee joint. Regardless of whether male or female healthy young people, the cartilage thickness of the entire knee joint is unevenly distributed, but there is no significant difference in cartilage thickness in the same area between the left and right knee joints.
Adult ; Adolescent ; Humans ; Male ; Female ; Young Adult ; Cartilage, Articular/diagnostic imaging* ; Knee Joint/surgery* ; Osteoarthritis ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Femur

BACKGROUND: Much attention has been focused on mandibular condyle fracture, which has long been considered as a severe injury to the temporomandibular joint(TMJ). Restricted by diagnostic methods, many studies have been conducted on transverse fracture whereas little attention has been paid to longitudinal fracture of the mandibular condyle. Even less is known about longitudinal fracture in young children.OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of childhood longitudinal fracture of the mandibular condyle on secondary ankylosis of TMJ.DESIGN: A randomized controlled study.SETTING: Department of Stomatology, General Hospital of Chinese PLA.MATERIALS: The experiment was completed in the Center for Experimental Animals, General Hospital of Chinese PLA. Twelve young Chinese experimental miniature pigs bred by the Institute of Experimental Animals, Beijing Agriculture University, aged 2 -3 months and weighing(5 -5.5) kg, were used and raised with mixed feed, and then divided into 3 groups randomly.METHODS: Food and water was forbidden for the miniature pigs 12 hours before operation. Under anesthesia with(5.0 - 15.0) mg/kg ketamine/xylazine abdominally injected, conventional disinfection was performed in the right lateral decubitus position and layer-by-layer preauricular incisions were made on the left side of the miniature pigs. The joint cyst was incised transversely and the lower cavity of TMJ was exposed and dragged downwards. The mandibular condyle was cleaved into two vertically along the inner 1/3 part of it with a 5.0 mm-wide bone chisel to cause inferior and posterior sagittal fractures. The miniature pigs were executed 3 months and 6 months after operation, and their condyles were cut for observation.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:①The morphological changes of mandibular condyle specimens in the three groups observed with the naked eyes.②The pathological changes of mandibular condyle specimens under light microscope.RESULTS: The articular disc was adhered to the mandibular condyle after 3months. Temporal fossa adhered to the articular disc and mandibular condyle could still be observed in one specimen. Bifid condylar deformity was found in two specimens and no disc perforation was found. The adhesions became more severe after 6 months and bifid condylar deformity was formed in all the 3 specimens, with distinctly thickened discs. Light microscope observation:Three months after fracture, the adhesion between disc and condyle was obvious. There was no clear boundary between the surrounding tissues. The adhesion was composed of fibro-connective tissues, with a large number of chondrocytes in it. Fibro-connective tissues tightly adhered to the trabeculae were found in some adhesions. The fiber of disc became deranged and blood vessels and fatty cells were seen. Six months after fracture, blood vessels, a large number of fibroblasts and sparse chondrocytes were seen in the adhesions. The collagen fibers of the discs were arranged in whirlpool shape. There were a large number of fatty cells and blood vessels within it. The fiber-cartilage of the condylar surface was found thickened and the fiber deranged in the unadhered tissues. Proliferative changes were seen on disc surfaces.CONCLUSION: Childhood longitudinal fracture of the mandibular condyle causes severe secondary injury to TMJ, suggesting a close correlation between longitudinal fracture of the mandibular condyle and TMJ ankylosis.

Objective: To induce the differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs)by three culture methods in vitro, and to explore the best method of inducing the BMSCs to differentiate into the cardiomyocytes in vitro. Methods: The rat BMSCs were separated and cultured with density gradient centrifugation combined with adherence culture method. The rat BMSCs were cultured with 5-azacytidine (5-aza), the myocardial cell cleavage of the dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) model rats and the serum of DCM model rats + 5-aza in vitro, respectively; control group was set up at the same time (The BMSCs were cultured in the L-DMEM medium containing 10% FBS under the same condition). The morphology of BMSCs were observed and the expression of troponin T (cTnT) was detected by RT-PCR, Western blotting method and immunohistochemical staining. Results: The rat BMSCs were obtained by d ensity gradient centrifugation combined with adherence culture method. The BMSCs highly expressed the characteristic surface marker CD44, CD29 and CD105 of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and did not express the characteristic surface marker of hematopoietic stem cells CD34. Under the specific induction conditions, the BMSCs were differentiated into the osteoblasts and the aliphatic cells. Ire vitro, three culture methods could induce the BMSCs to express cTnT and differentiate into the cardiomyoid cells. In 5-aza group, the cell growth status was poor, and the cells in the other two groups had better growth status. The positive expression rate of cTnT was the highest in DCM model rat serum + 5-aza group. Conclusion: The effect of DCM model rat serum combined with 5-aza to induce the BMSCs to differentiation into the myocardial cells is the best.

Objective: To establish the glioma-bearing nude mouse models, and to investigate the effect of HOXA4 on the growth of glioma U251 cells in vivo and its regulatory effect on the Wnt/β-catenin sgnal pathway and its mechanism Methods: The glioma U251 cell line stably transfected with HOXA4 siRNA (si-HOXA4) and the U251 cell line stably transfected with blank vector (si-NC) were established by lentivirus transfection The U251, si-NC, and si-HOXA4 cells were respectively inoculated under the skin of the neck and back of the BALB/c nude mice to establish the glioma-bearing nude mouse models named as control group, si-NC group, and si-HOXA4 group. The tumorigenesis of nude mice in various groups were observed and the tumor growth curve was drawn. The tumor tssue was stripped after the mice were sacrificed on the 21 th day, and the volume and wght of tumor were measured; the relative mRNA expresson amounts of HOXA4, CTNNB1, and Gsk3fS in tumor tssue of the nude mice in various groups were detected by qRT-PCR method; the expresson levels of HOXA4, β-catenin, Gsk3β, CyclinD1, and P53 proteins in tumor tissue of the nude mice in various groups were detected by immunohistochemstry (IHC) method. Results: Compared with si-NC group and control group, the volume and wght of tumor of the nude mice in si-HOXA4 group were gnificantly decreased (P<0. 05). The relative expresson amount of HOXA4 mRNA and the expresson level of HOXA4 protein in si-HOXA4 group were gnificantly lower than those in the other groups (P<0. 05). Compared with si-NC group and control group, the relative expresson amount of CTNNB1 mRNA and the expresson levels of β-catenin and CyclinDl proteins in si-HOXA4 group were significantly decreased (P<0. 05), and the expresson levels of Gsk3β and P53 proteins were gnificantly increased (P<0. 05). Conclusion: Inhibition of HOXA4 expresson in human glioma U251 cells can regulate the expressons of CyclinDl and P53 through Wnt/-catenin gnal pathway in vivo, thus inhibiting the tumor growth of glioma-bearing nude mice.

Objective: To explore the differences of wear resistance of three kinds of glass ceramics and Wieland Zenostar zircona (Zenostar). and to clarify their influencing factors. Methods: Zenostar were made into flat-shaped specimens (zirconia base sample group) and hemisphere-shaped specimens (zirconia pair grinding group). There kinds of glass ceramics IPS Empress (Empress). IPS e. max CAD (e. max). VITA Suprinity (Suprinty) were used as base specimens. Each group was exposed to UMT-2 testing machine to simulate the clinical service. The wear depthes of base specimens were detected by laser confocal scanning. Scanning electron microscope (SEND was used to evaluate the wear surfaces. Results: In zirconia base sample group, there were no significant differences in the maximum wear depthes to Zenostar between the three kinds of glass ceramics ( P>0. 05). In zirconia pair grinding group, the maximum wear depthes ranked as follows: Zenostar group0. 05). but there were significant differences between other groups ( P