Animals ; Caspase 1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Flurothyl ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Hippocampus ; metabolism ; pathology ; Interleukin-18 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Interleukin-1beta ; genetics ; metabolism ; Male ; RNA, Messenger ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Seizures ; metabolism ; pathology ; Time Factors ; Up-Regulation

Objective To investigate the clinical presentation,laboratory features,imaging findings and CYP27A1 gene mutations of cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis (CTX) for improving the recognition and the early diagnosis and treatment of the disease.Methods Medical records and 8 months follow-up data of one patient who had been clinical diagnosed as CTX were collected and the pedigree and gene mutation analysis of the patient were carried out.Meanwhile,the clinical characters of CTX were analyzed according to the data from our patient and the review of the literature. Results Patient was a 36 years old male manifested with mental retardation, bilateral corticospinal tract and corticonuclear tract impairment,cerebellar lesions and peripheral neuropathy; head MRI indicated symmetric abnormal signals of bilateral basal ganglia,cerebellar dentate nucleus softening and calcification lesions; Achilles tendon MRI indicated markedly thickened Achilles tendon; gene mutation analysis showed sterol-27-hydroxylase gene( CPY27A1 )C→T homozygous mutation in 1016 nucleotide of exon 5.Ursodesoxycholic acid was given as treatment.In 8 months of follow up,for the first 6 months,the patient took medicine regularly and the illness condition was stable.But for the nearly 2 months,the patient voluntarily stopped medicine and the illness condition was worse.Conclusions CPY27A1 gene C→T homozygous mutation in 1016 nucleotide of exon 5 leads to CTX in the patient, which conforms to the characteristic of autosomal recessive disorder. CTX has some characteristic clinical manifestations,such as Achilles tendon thickening,intelligent declining and so on.But lack of specificity of early radiographic examination makes CTX easy to be delayed diagnosis and treatment.CYP27A1 gene mutation analysis has an important significance for early diagnosis of CTX,which should be paid more attention,while the early application of chenodeoxycholicacid treatment can delay the progression of the disease.

Objective To analyze the risk of smoking on early diabetic foot patients.Methods One hundred and four early diabetic foot patients were involved in the study.According to cigarette smoking,patients were divided into the smoking group(n=45) and the no-smoking group(n=59).FBG,PBG2h,HbA_1c,TC,TG,HDL,LDL, BUN,Cr,CRP,ABI(ankle-branchial index)were examined.T-test and chi-square test were used to assess the risk of smoking on early diabetic foot patients.Results Compared with the no-smoking group,the smoking group were as- sociated with HDL and CRP.Chi-square-test demonstrated a statistically significant difference between the groups with smoking and no smoking on peripheral vascular disease in early diabetic foot patients.Conclusion Smoking re- mains significantly an independent risk of early diabetic foot patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Ankle ; blood supply ; Arteries ; Diabetic Foot ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Elbow ; blood supply ; Female ; Foot ; blood supply ; Humans ; Laser-Doppler Flowmetry ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of antibiotic-PMMA (polymethyl-methacrylate) beads combined with external fixator in treatment of infected fracture nonunion.

METHODSTwenty-two cases of infected fracture-nonunions were reviewed involving 20 male and 2 female with an average age of 34.68 years (ranging 21 to 74 years). The data consisted of 9 cases of tibial fractures, 2 distal fractures of the femur, 6 femoral shaft fractures, 3 intertrochanteric fracture of the femur and 2 humeral shaft fractures. The procedure included thorough debridement to wipe out dead bone and granulation tissue, then antibiotic-PMMA bead chains imbedded into the dead space. One week later, secondary debridement was performed, antibiotic-PMMA bead chains were changed according to result of bacterial culture and susceptibility test, and fractures were stabilized with external fixator. Three months after debridement, antibiotic-PMMA bead chains were taken out and bone graft with autogenous iliac cancellous bone chips was performed.

RESULTSThe mean follow-up period was 19.98 months (ranging 15 to 28 months). Infection was controlled in 20 cases. One tibial fracture and 1 intertrochanteric fracture of the femur needed repeated debridement 2 and 3 months after bone grafting respectively,because of infection recurrence and sinus formation. All 22 cases achieved bony union averaged 15.09 weeks after bone grafting with a range of 8 to 24 weeks.

CONCLUSIONThorough debridement, imbedding antibiotic-PMMA bead chains combined with external fixator and staged bone grafting has proven to be effective and simple for treatment of infected fracture nonunion. The antibiotic bead delivers high tissue levels,obliterates dead space, aids bone repair.

Adult ; Aged ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; therapeutic use ; Bone Diseases, Infectious ; drug therapy ; microbiology ; surgery ; Bone Transplantation ; External Fixators ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fractures, Bone ; complications ; drug therapy ; surgery ; Fractures, Ununited ; complications ; drug therapy ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymethyl Methacrylate ; chemistry ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effets of flurothyl-induced neonatal recurrent seizures on glucocorticoid receptor (GR) expression in the rat brain.

METHODSForty-eight seven-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into two groups: control and seizure. Seizures were induced by inhalant flurothyl daily for six consecutive days. Brains were sampled on postnatal days 13, 15 and 19. The expression of GR protein in the cerebral cortex was detected by Western blot and immunohistochemical method.

RESULTSThe expression of GR in the cerebral cortical plasma protein was significantly lower in the seizure group than in the control group on postnatal day 15. The expression of GR protein in the cerebral cortical nuclear protein decreased significantly in the seizure group compared with that in the control group on postnatal days 15 and 19 (p<0.05). Compared to the control group, the accumulated optical density (AOD) of GR immunoreactivity (IR) decreased significantly in the parietal cortex on postnatal day 13 (p<0.05), the AOD of GR IR decreased significantly in the parietal cortex and the temporal cortex on postnatal day 15 (p<0.05), and the AOD of GR IR decreased significantly in the parietal cortex, temporal cortex and the frontal cortex in the seizure group on postnatal day 19 (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSRecurrent seizures in neonatal rats result in abnormal GR expression in the cerebral cortex which might play an important role in short-term brain injury induced by early recurrent seizures.

Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Cerebral Cortex ; chemistry ; Female ; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System ; physiology ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Pituitary-Adrenal System ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Glucocorticoid ; analysis ; physiology ; Recurrence ; Seizures ; metabolism

OBJECTIVESTo study presurgical evaluation and surgical treatment of medically refractory epilepsy.

METHODSOne hundred and sixty-two cases of refractory epilepsy were analysed by their clinical manifestation, neuroradiology and neuroelectrophysiology. Different operative techniques were performed to all the 162 cases according to those analyses.

RESULTSTotal effective rate of the surgical treatment was 87.7% and most patients have better life than preoperation.

CONCLUSIONSurgical treatment with accurate preoperative location of the epileptogenic zone and suitable operative techniques is an effective method in the treatment of refractory epilepsy.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Epilepsy ; diagnosis ; etiology ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neurosurgical Procedures ; methods ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo study the changes of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) expression in embryonic rat cortical neurons exposed to transient Mg(2+)-free treatment.

METHODSSix days after rat cortical neuronal cultures, two groups were created based on the medium to which were transiently exposed. The control group was exposed to a physiological solution (PS), and the Mg(2+)-free group was exposed to the same medium as the control group except for the removal of magnesium. The expression of GR mRNA and protein was determined by real-time PCR and immunocytochemistry staining 1, 7 and 12 days after transient Mg(2+)-free treatment.

RESULTSCompared to the control group, the Mg(2+)-free group displayed the significantly less accumulated optical density (AOD) of GR immunoreactivity 12 days after transient Mg(2+)-free treatment (p<0.05). On the contrary, GR mRNA expression increased significantly 1 and 7 days after transient Mg(2+)-free treatment in the Mg(2+)-free group (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSGR expression is modified following Mg-free-induced injury in cultured developing neurons in rats.

Animals ; Cell Survival ; Cells, Cultured ; Cerebral Cortex ; metabolism ; Fetus ; metabolism ; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System ; physiology ; Magnesium ; physiology ; Neurons ; metabolism ; Pituitary-Adrenal System ; physiology ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Receptors, Glucocorticoid ; analysis ; genetics

OBJECTIVEThe expressions of caspase-1 and cytokines activated by caspase-1 are associated with the pathophysiology of many diseases for its proinflammatory and proapototic peculiarity. However its relationship to brain injury of developing rats following recurrent seizures has not yet been identified. This study aimed to investigate the role of caspase-1 and cytokines activated by caspase-1 in brain injury of developing rats following recurrent seizures.

METHODSA total of 96 postnatal 20 day Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned into Control and Seizure groups. Seizures were induced in the Seizure group by flurothyl inhalation daily for six days. Brain tissues were sampled at 6 hrs, and at 1, 3, and 7 days after last seizure. The expressions of caspase-1, interleukin (IL)-18 and IL-1beta mRNA in the cerebral cortex were detected by RT-PCR. The water content of the brain and the pathological changes of cortex nerve cells were observed. Brain injury was evaluated using a semiquantitative neuropathological scoring system.

RESULTSThe levels of caspase-1 and IL-18 mRNA in the cerebral cortex of the Seizure group were obviously higher than those in the Control group at 6 hrs, and at 1, 3, and 7 days after seizure (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The expression of IL-1beta mRNA in the Seizure group exhibited a biphasic pattern: increased significantly at 6 hrs, and at 1 and 7 days post-seizure (P < 0.01), but was not significantly different from the Control group at 3 days post-seizure. Edema, degeneration and necrosis of nerve cells in cerebral cortex, accompanying by inflammatory cell infiltration and apoptosis of nerve cells, were observed under a light microscope in the Seizure group after recurrent seizures. The water content of the brain in the Seizure group increased significantly compared with that in the Control group at 6 hrs, and at 1 and 3 days after recurrent seizures (P < 0.01). The Seizure group had significantly higher neuropathological scores than the Control group at each time point (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSCaspase-1 and cytokines activated by caspase-1 play an important role in the developing brain injury after recurrent seizures.

Animals ; Brain ; pathology ; Caspase 1 ; genetics ; physiology ; Female ; Interleukin-1 ; genetics ; physiology ; Interleukin-18 ; genetics ; physiology ; Male ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Recurrence ; Seizures ; pathology

On the basis of the chromogenic reaction between Hg and CuI, a semi-quantitative solid sampling Hg analyzer comprising the catalytic furance, Hg testing tube, air pump and smart cellphone was developed. White carrier 101 was chosen as the adsorbent for CuI to react with Hg from the catalytic furnace. The established Hg analyzer can not only visually recognize the coloration when Hg exceeding the limit standard, but also semi-quantitatively detect the Hg content in cosmetics fast using a smart cellphone and RGB analysis software, after direct solid sampling introduction of cosmetics sample. The instrumental detection limit ( LOD) of mercury was 50 ng, the linearity ranged from 50 ng to 2500 ng, the linear regression coefficient ( R2) was higher than 0. 97, and the RSD of the corresponding RGB values was 6% ( n=11 ) . Nine real cosmetics samples were measured by the established method, whose relative differences of Hg contents with that by the standard method (Safety Technical Specification for Cosmetics, 2015 edition) were less than 10% . The whole analytical time can be controlled within 5 min. The established instrumental method is simple, fast, accurate and visual, and extremely suitable to fast and on-site monitoring of Hg in cosmetics samples.