Background and purpose:The E-cadherin as a pivotal structural protein is important for cellular polarity and maintainance of normal tissue morphology and cellular differentiation. Recently some study investigated the impact of the C/A genetic polymorphism at-160 from the site of the E-cadherin gene promoter on susceptibility in NPC. To evaluate the association of the E-cadherin gene promoter-160 C/A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and nasopharyngeal carcinoma risk in a Chinese population, we designed a hospital-based case-control study. Methods:Subjects included in this study were 303 patients deifnitely diagnosed with NPC, and 318 matched healthy controls. We used TaqMan Probe method for analyzing polymorphism. Results:The A/A genotype was associated with increased risk of NPC after being adjusted for age and gender (adjusted OR=2.09, 95%CI:1.03-4.22, P=0.04). When 2 gender groups were analysed respectively, female group with A/A genotypes showed a higher risk (OR=7.57, 95%CI:1.57-36.47, P=0.012). Besides, among NPC patients compared with males A/A genotype, females with A/A genotype had a signiifcant risk(OR=2.66, 95%CI:1.14-6.20, P=0.024). Conclusion:The A/A genotype of E-cadherin promoter-160 C/A might be genetic risk factor for NPC, especially female patients.

Objective Deletion detection and annotation of 18 lines from the population of specific chromosome 1 substitution strains ( PCSSs) derived from Chinese wild mice based on whole genome re-sequencing data. Methods Whole genome re?sequencing of the 18 lines were performed on the Illumina Hiseq platform. SpeedSeq software was used to detect the deletion after read alignment. Further annotation was obtained using SnpEff software. Results 13803 dele?tions were identified among the 18 lines, the length of deletion was ranged from 51bp to 70 kb, among them nearly 50%were less than 500 bp. Through functional annotation,we found most of the variants were located in intronic (50. 361%) and intergenic (28. 745%) regions. However, we also identified 31 protein coding genes harboring loss?of?function dele?tions. Among them, 3 genes were associated with human diseases, 7 genes were participated in 11 KEGG pathways. Conclusion The chromosome 1 of PCSSs harbors abundant deletion mutations which can be used as genetic markers in genetic studies.

OBJECTIVETo establish a new method on stratification analysis when the stratification limits of confounding factors was not clear or contradictory.

METHODData on a study of diabetes mellitus in Guangdong province collected in the year of 1997 and 1998 was analyzed using cluster-stratification analysis.

RESULTSThe efficiency of stratification analysis was improved and the confounding bias was effectively controlled with information bias avoided when the clusters-stratification analysis was applied.

CONCLUSIONThe problem was logically solved using cluster analysis as an assistant stratification means.

Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Bias ; China ; epidemiology ; Cluster Analysis ; Confounding Factors (Epidemiology) ; Data Interpretation, Statistical ; Diabetes Mellitus ; epidemiology ; Epidemiologic Methods ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Reproducibility of Results ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical outcomes of anterior corpectomy combined with anterior intervertebral decompression and fusion for multilevel cervical spondylotic myelopathy.

METHODSThe clinical data of 28 patients with multilevel cervical spondylotic myelopathy who underwent surgery from October 2012 to June 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 18 males and 10 females, aged from 45 to 77 years old with an average of (60.11±9.37) years. Three levels were involved in 27 cases, while four levels were involved in 1 case. The preoperative JOA score was 8.89±1.87; the fusion segments angles was (4.87±4.56)°; and the cervical curvature was (11.68±1.25)°. Anterior hybrid decompression and fusion were performed in 28 patients. The fusion segments angles and the cervical curvature were assessed by X-rays at 1, 12 months after operation, respectively. JOA score was used to evaluate the clinical effect.

RESULTSThe operative time was 163 min on average (ranged from 120 to 205 min), and intraoperative bleeding was 198 ml on average(ranged from 100 to 300 ml). Hoarseness occurred in 1 case and got recovery at 3 weeks after operation and choke cough occurred in 1 case, and got improvement at 1 week after operation. All the patients were regularly followed for 12-24 months with an average of(18.46±3.20) months. Graft bone obtained fusion at 12 months after operation and the position of internal fixation was good. The fusion segments angles, the cervical curvature and JOA scores were significantly improved at 1, 12 months after operation(<0.05). The improvement rate of JOA score was(46.46±20.26)% at 12 months after operation, 12 cases got excellent results, 14 good and 2 fair.

CONCLUSIONSAnterior corpectomy combined with anterior intervertebral decompression and fusion is safe and effective and can get satisfactory effects for multilevel cervical spondylotic myelopathy.

BACKGROUNDRecent clinical and preclinical studies have suggested that deep brain stimulation (DBS) can be used as a tool to enhance cognitive functions. The aim of the present study was to investigate the impact of DBS at three separate targets in the Papez circuit, including the anterior nucleus of thalamus (ANT), the entorhinal cortex (EC), and the fornix (FX), on cognitive behaviors in an Alzheimer's disease (AD) rat model.

METHODSForty-eight rats were subjected to an intrahippocampal injection of amyloid peptides 1-42 to induce an AD model. Rats were divided into six groups: DBS and sham DBS groups of ANT, EC, and FX. Spatial learning and memory were assessed by the Morris water maze (MWM). Recognition memory was investigated by the novel object recognition memory test (NORM). Locomotor and anxiety-related behaviors were detected by the open field test (OF). By using two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), behavior differences between the six groups were analyzed.

RESULTSIn the MWM, the ANT, EC, and FX DBS groups performed differently in terms of the time spent in the platform zone (F(2,23) = 6.04, P < 0.01), the frequency of platform crossing (F(2,23) = 11.53, P < 0.001), and the percent time spent within the platform quadrant (F(2,23) = 6.29, P < 0.01). In the NORM, the EC and FX DBS groups spent more time with the novel object, although the ANT DBS group did not (F(2,23) = 10.03, P < 0.001). In the OF, all of the groups showed a similar total distance moved (F (1,42) = 1.14, P = 0.29) and relative time spent in the center (F(2,42) = 0.56, P = 0.58).

CONCLUSIONSOur results demonstrated that DBS of the EC and FX facilitated hippocampus-dependent spatial memory more prominently than ANT DBS. In addition, hippocampus-independent recognition memory was enhanced by EC and FX DBS. None of the targets showed side-effects of anxiety or locomotor behaviors.

Alzheimer Disease ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Animals ; Anterior Thalamic Nuclei ; physiology ; Deep Brain Stimulation ; methods ; Entorhinal Cortex ; physiology ; Fornix, Brain ; physiology ; Male ; Memory ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spatial Learning ; physiology

Objective To explore the clinical effect of the transurethral ureteroscopic holmiumlaser lithotripsy in the treatment of ureteral calculi.Methods This study conducted a retrospective analysis of 205 patients with ureteral calculi from September 2015 to June 2017 in the affiliated hospital of Panzhihua university.According to the surgical method,all the patients were divided into control group (102 cases) who were treated with conventional pneumatic lithotripsy and observation group(103cases) who received transurethral ureteroscopic holmiumlaser lithotripsy.The surgical efficacy,renal function indexes and surgical indexes of the two groups were compared and analyzed respectively.Results The total effective rate of observation group was 97.06％,the control group was 85.00％,the difference between two groups was significantly(P ＜ 0.05).There was no significant difference in Cr and BUN level before surgery between two groups (P ＞ 0.05);after treatment,the Cr and BUN levels of two groups were improved significantly (P ＜ 0.05);while the renal function improved index of observation group was significantly better than that of control group,the difference was significant(P ＜ 0.05).The intraoperative blood loss,operative time and postoperative hospital stay of the observation group were significantly lower than those of control group (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion The transurethral ureteroscopic holmiumlaser lithotripsy and normal air pressure ballistic were both well treatment for ureteral calculi,but patients with the holmium laser lithotripsy have better renal function indexes and operation index.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the influence of the amount of portal blood stasis removal on endotoxemia and liver function after liver transplantation.

METHODSForty-seven patients who received liver transplantation from February 2006 to November 2007 were divided into 2 groups according to the amount of portal blood stasis removal during operation: group A (n = 26) 50 ml and group B (n = 21) 200 ml of portal blood stasis removal respectively. The levels of plasma endotoxin, D-lactate, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-6, liver function and blood coagulation were examined and analyzed.

RESULTSUnder the condition of no significant difference in sex, age, primary liver diseases and Child-pugh's classification, cold ischemic time, total operation and anhepatic time, operation methods, volume of blood loss and transfusion, and all preoperative observations. Most of observations showed the restoration of the patients in group B was better than that in group A. The plasma levels of endotoxin, D-lactate, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-6, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time in group B were significantly lower than those in group A (P < 0.05). The level of plasma prealbumin in group B was significantly higher than that in group A (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe removal of 200 ml portal blood stasis leads to a better results than that of 50 ml, and it can help alleviate endotoxemia and facilitate the restoration of the liver function after liver transplantation.

Adult ; Aged ; Bloodletting ; methods ; Endotoxemia ; prevention & control ; Female ; Humans ; Liver ; physiopathology ; Liver Transplantation ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Portal Vein ; surgery ; Postoperative Complications ; prevention & control ; Reperfusion Injury ; prevention & control

Objective To find out the status of brick-tea type fluorosis in the epidemic areas.Methods Based on "Scheme for Epidemiological Brick-tea Type Fluorosis in Sichuan Province",ten counties were selected in Sichuan brick-tea areas and ten towns were selected in every county,then the epidemicologic survey was performed in children of 8～12 year-old and adults aged above 20 years old.Results 5044 children and 4053 adults were selected from brick-tea areas.The rates of dental fluorosis in children and adults were 55.69%(2809/5044)and 60.41%(4053/6709)respectively.The dental fluorosis was mainly of mild damage.The skeletal fluorosis found in X-ray film was 44.64%(167/1241)and in clinical examination,38.94%(3883/9973).The levels of urine fluoride in children and adults were 1.88 and 2.78 mg/L.The level of urine fluoride was not differenet among children of different age,but in adults it was higher in the elder than the younger.The level of fluoride in urine was related to the severeness of skeletal fluorosis(r=0.74).The detective rates of skeletal fluorosis in agricuIture,pasturing,and agriculture-pasturing areaswere 31.70%(1369/4318),50.04%(1228/2454),and 40.17%(1286/3201),respectively.The X-ray detecting rates of skeletal fluorosis in men and wonlen were 49.57%(229/462)and 41.72%(325/779) respectively(χ2=11.72,P＜0.05).Conclusion The prevalence of brick-tea type fluorosis is very serious in the regions studied.

Objective To assess the dosimetric impact on the target volumes and organs at risk ( OARs) using simultaneous integrated boost ( SIB ) for the hypoxic regions of the pancreatic cancer patients treated with stereotactic body radiotherapy ( SBRT ) , and to predict an optimal way of SIB. Methods The setup corrections guided by 100 sets of CBCT scans of 10 patients previously treated with SBRT were imported to the treatment planning system ( TPS ) to recalculate the dose to the target and OARs. Two tumor control probability ( TCP ) models were applied to calculate the TCP under various hypoxic situations. The correlations between the TCP and target dose were analyzed. Results Without setup corrections, the PTV and ITV were underdosed by 8. 9％ and 9. 2％ on average respectively relative to planed dose. With setup corrections, the mean dose to PTV and ITV coverage were 1. 6％ and 1. 3％lower than planned respectively. The mean deviations of OAR dose were between -0. 11 Gy and 0. 26 Gy for all plans. The predictive values of Dmean on hypoxic regions were 31. 4, 34. 0 and 37. 2 Gy (Niemierko model) or 31. 6, 33. 9 and 37. 2 Gy (Poisson model) when the oxygen enhancement ratios (OERs) were 1, 1. 5 and 3 respectively. Conclusions With CBCT setup corrections, the dosimetric impacts of setup errors on the target and OARs can be neglected. Significant deviations of TCP calculation were observed without accounting for tumor hypoxia. To counteract the impacts of hypoxia, the mean dose to the hypoxic regions should be at least 1. 24 times of prescribed dose.

BACKGROUNDThe use of traditional techniques (such as landmark techniques, paresthesia and peripheral nerve stimulator) for upper-limb anesthesia has often been restricted to the expert or enthusiast, which was blind. Recently, ultrasound (US) has been applied to differ blood vessel, pleura and nerve, thus may reduce the risk of complications while have a high rate of success. The aim of this study was to determine if the use of ultrasound guidance (vs. peripheral nerve stimulator, (PNS)) decreases risk of vascular puncture, risk of hemi-diaphragmatic paresis and risk of Horner syndrome and improves the success rate of nerve block.

METHODSA search strategy was developed to identify randomized control trials (RCTs) reporting on complications of US and PNS guidance for upper-extremity peripheral nerve blocks (brachial plexus) in adults available through PubMed databases, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase databases, SinoMed databases and Wanfang data (date up to 2011-12-20). Two independent reviewers appraised eligible studies and extracted data. Risk ratios (OR) were calculated for each outcome and presented with 95% confidence intervals (CI) with the software of Review Manager 5.1.0 System (Cochrane Library).

RESULTSSixteen trials involving 1321 adults met our criteria were included for analysis. Blocks performed using US guidance were more likely to be successful (risk ratio (RR) for block success 0.36, 95%CI 0.23 - 0.56, P < 0.00001), decreased incidence of vascular puncture during block performance (RR 0.13, 95%CI 0.06 - 0.27, P < 0.00001), decreased the risk of complete hemi-diaphragmatic paresis (RR 0.09, 95%CI 0.03 - 0.52, P = 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONSUS decreases risks of complete hemi-diaphragmatic paresis or vascular puncture and improves success rate of brachial plexus nerve block compared with techniques that utilize PNS for nerve localization. Larger studies are needed to determine whether or not the use of US can decrease risk of neurologic complications.

Brachial Plexus ; Humans ; Nerve Block ; methods ; Peripheral Nerves ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Ultrasonography, Interventional ; methods