Objective: To improve the understanding of the clinical feature and early diagnosis of relapsing polychondritis(RP). Method: Eleven patients with RP were analyzed retrospectively and the reported literatures were reviewed. Result: Nine cases had initial involvement of auricular cartilage while two polyarthritis. The treatment of 2RP patients with respiralory tract involvement was invalid and 1 patient died. Nine cases were initially misdiagnosed, with a misdiagnosis rate of 81.82%. Conclusion: RP involves cartilage and connective tissue. The prognosis with respiralory tract involvement is poor. RP is a sort of paroxysmal and progressive inflammation involving cartilages all over the body with a variety of clinical manifestations. Early diagnosis of RP is based on full understanding of its clinical features.

AIM:To explore the clinical value of combined detection of C-reactive protein ( CRP ) , erythrocyte sedimentation rate ( ESR) and white blood cell ( WBC) count in patients with ocular syphilis.
METHODS:Dates of CRP, ESR, WBC, TPPA and RPR of 51 ophthalmopathy patients caused by syphilis and 50 normal control from Jan. 2012 to Dec. 2015 in eye hospital were recruited and analyzed statistically.
RESULTS:The positive rates of CRP, ESR and WBC of oculopathy patients were 16%, 18% and 39%, respectively, which were higher than those in the control group. In patients group, the positive rate of ESR was higher than CRP and WBC. There were no obvious relationships between RPR titers and positive ratios of CRP, WBC and ESR.
CONCLUSION: The blood level of CRP, WBC and ESR may have certain help in estimating and monitoring condition of patients with ocular syphilis.

Objective To compare the differences between state-owned hospitals and private-funded hospitals in Shanghai on the introduction and application of hospital marketing conception. Methods Questionnaire and interviews were conducted to reflect understandings in marketing conception,advertisements,hospital brand,customers' sense of satisfaction,etc. Results State-owned hospitals were less concerned in marketing conception compared with their private counterparts,even less sufficient in marketing input or management. Conclusion The state-owned hospitals should update their conception and enhance their ability of marketing management.While the private hospitals need to maintain the moderation of marketing and deal with the relationship among marketing,profit and development properly.

Objective To explore the values of diffusion-weighted imaging(DWI)and apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC)measurements in various lesions of multiple sclerosis(MS).Methods Sixty patients with clinically diagnosed remitting-relapsing MS(RRMS)were included to undergo conventional brain MRI and DWI scans.the lesions were included when the diameter was more than 5 mm.mean ADC values were measured for various lesions of MS.The statistical analyses were performed to determine the differences of mean ADC values among various lesions of MS.and to compare the correlation between ADC values of lesions and Expanded Disability Status Scale(EDSS)scores.Results (1)The ADC value of hypointense lesions was significantly higher than that of isointense lesions(F=55.90,P<0.05),the ADC values were(127.5 ±9.3)×10-5mm2/s and(95.7 ±6.3)×10-5mm/s respectively.The nodular enhancing lesions had a significantly lower ADC value than the ring-enhancing lesions(F=64.18,P<0.01).the ADC values were(114.7 ±12.3)×10-5mm2/s and(140.7 ±11.0)×10-5mm2/s respectively.The ADC value of confluent lesions was substantially higher that of discrete lesions(t=9.04,P<0.01).the ADC values were(141.4±6.5)×10-5mm2/s and(105.4±13.9)×10-5mm2/s respectively.(2)No correlation between ADC of lesions and EDSS scores was found(r=0.35,P>0.05).Conclusion DWI and quantitative ADC are useful to explain the pathological changes in different lesions and to monitor the disease duration of MS.

Objective To investigate the brain magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)findings in 33 patients with neuromyelitis optica(NMO).Methods Patients who fulfilled the latest diagnostic criteria of NMO and whose brain MRI did not satisfied with diagnostic criteria of multiple sclerosis(MS)were enrolled.All the patients underwent brain MRI and spinal cord scannings and subsequent images analysis.Results Thirty-three patients with NMO were included to study.Five out of 33(15.2%)patients did not have brain parenchymal abnormalities,28 out of 33 patients(84.8%)were detected to have brain abnormal findings.Brain parenchymal lesions were well-defined in 22 patients(66.7%),no non-specific or atypical brain parenchymal lesions were found in the supratentorium or infratentorium in the other 6 cases(18.2%).However,brain MRI disclosed macroscopic,symmetrical diffuse FLAIR and T2-visible hyperintensity in deep white matter.Fifteen cases had more than one lesion(≥2 lesions),and the other 7 cases had single lesion.Supratentorial lesions were mostly punctate or small dots in nonspecific hyperintensity in juxtacortical,subcortical and deep white matter regions,a few were atypical patches.In the infratentorium,brainstem was an easily involved region(14/33,42.4%),especially in medulla(7/33,21.2%).Conclusions Brain MRI abnormalities are common in Chinese NMO,and brain lesions do not exclude the diagnosis of NMO.The observations of brain lesions are helpful to improve and revise diagnostic criteria of NMO.

Objective To investigate quantitatively the thermal sensation characteristics of the patients with facial palsy and the value of quantitative thermal test (QTT) in prognostication.Methods The QTT threshold of the fore ear and cheek of 30 patients with peripheral facial palsy was tested,their facial nerve conduction velocity was measured,and House-Brackmann facial nerve grading system was used to estimate facial nerve function at 2～3 weeks,a month,two months and half a year post onset.Results It was found that 12 out of 30 patients had abnor- mal QTT threshold value;the majority of them suffered from herpes virus and diabetes.In those with abnormal QTT, 8 were with diabetes mellitus (account for 66.7%),3 with partial shingles (account for 25%),and 1 with positive serum virus infection (account for 8.3%).Those with normal QTT were significantly different from those with abnor- mal QTT,with regard to the House-Brackmann rating scores after 2 and 6 months post onset (P

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the therapeutic effect on pain in the dressing change after perianal abscess surgery treated with warm suspending moxibustion at Changqiang (GV 1).

METHODSOne hundred and sixty patients were randomized into a moxibustion group and a far-infrared therapy group, 80 cases in each one. In the moxibustion group, the warm suspending moxibustion at Changqiang (GV 1) was applied. In the far-infrared therapy group, the infrared ray was radiated at Changqiang (GV 1). The treatment started in 10 min after dressing change in the two groups. Totally, 8 treatments were required. The time requirement being equal to or less than 2 score in the assessment face scale (AFS), the case number of pain relief in 10 min after treatment and the intention of the two therapies after everyday dressing change were observed in the patients of the two groups.

RESULTSIn the moxibustion group, the time of pain relief was shorter than that of the far-infrared therapy group [(11.5 +/- 3.9) min vs (17.8 +/- 3.8) min on the 1st day; (9.4 +/- 3.6) min vs (15.2 +/- 4.3) min on the 2nd day; (7.8 +/- 2.7) min vs (14.3 +/- 3.2) min on the 3rd day; (6.4 +/- 3.3) min vs (10.5 +/- 2.9) min on the 4th day; (5.9 +/- 2.9) min vs (11.2 +/- 1.9) min on the 5th day; (5.3 +/- 2.2) min vs (8.8 +/- 2.3) min on the 6th day; (5.4 +/- 1.8) min vs (9.2 +/- 2.1) min on the 7th day; (5.1 +/- 1.4) min vs (9.5 +/- 2.6) min on the 8th day, all P < 0.05]. The case numbers of pain relief in 10 min after treatment were 74 cases, 75 cases, 77 cases and 78 cases from the 1st to the 4th day separately in the moxibustion group, which were much more than 63 cases, 65 cases, 68 cases and 69 cases in the far-infrared therapy group (all P < 0.05). The treatment intention scores in the moxibustion group were better than those in the far-infrared therapy group (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe warm suspending moxibustion at Changqiang (GV 1) relieves pain rapidly in the dressing change of much more patients after perianal abscess surgery in much shorter time as compared with the far-infrared therapy. Moreover, the patients have more expectation to be treated with moxibustion therapy.

Abscess ; surgery ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Anus Diseases ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Moxibustion ; Pain, Postoperative ; therapy ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of Bushen Huoxue Compound (BHC) on lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage, expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and VEGF mRNA in retinal Muller cells under high glucose condition or advanced glycosylation end products (AGEs) condition by using serum pharmacological method.

METHODSThe retinal Müller cells of 5-7 days post-natal Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were cultured with modified enzyme-digestion method. Purified retinal Muller cells were cultured in normal conditions, high glucose condition (50 mmol/L) or AGEs (50 mg/L and 100 mg/L) conditions, and BHC-containing serum was added to culture medium. The LDH leakage and VEGF expressions were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In addition, the relative expression of VEGF mRNA was tested by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

RESULTSCompared with the normal control group, expressions of VEGF and VEGF mRNA were significantly increased in the high glucose group, the low dose AGEs group and the high dose AGEs group (all P < 0.01). The LDH leakage was obviously increased in the high dose AGEs group, when compared with the normal control group and the high glucose group (P < 0.01). The LDH leakage, expressions of VEGF and VEGF mRNA were obviously decreased by BHC-containing serum both in high glucose and AGEs conditions (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). BHC-containing serum had no significant effect on the LDH leakage and expressions of VEGF and VEGF mRNA in normal conditions (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSAGEs intervention could obviously lower the stability of Müller cell membrane. Up-regulated expressions of VEGF and VEGF mRNA in cultured Müller cells could be induced by AGEs or high glucose. BHC-containing serum could stabilize the stability of Müller cell membrane, inhibit the transcription of VEGF mRNA and decrease the protein expression of VEGF, which might be one of important mechanisms for preventing and treating diabetic retinopathy.

Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Diabetic Retinopathy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Ependymoglial Cells ; Glucose ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; RNA, Messenger ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

Objective To investigate the phenotypes and percentages of B 10 cells in different tis-sues from wild-type mice and to identify their biological functions .Methods The percentages of B10 cells derived from different tissues of mice and their responses to lipopolysaccharide ( LPS) stimulation were ana-lyzed by flow cytometry .Magnetic-activated cell sorting ( MACS ) and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) were used to purify B10 cells, CD4+CD25-T cells and Treg cells.CD4+CD25-T cells and Treg cells labeled by CFSE were co-cultured with or without B10 cells, and then their proliferation were evaluated after 72 h.Results (1) A subset of CD19+CD5+CD1dhigh regulatory B cells was identified in spleen , pe-ripheral blood and lymph nodes from wild-type mice , of which the highest frequency was detected in spleen (3.95%±0.79%, P<0.05).The isolated B cells from different tissues were stimulated by LPS , PMA, ionomycin and monensin (L+PIM) in vitro to express IL-10.Among them, splenic CD19+IL-10+B cells showed the highest expression of IL-10 (P<0.05).(2) Prolonged LPS stimulation (48 h) to CD5+CD1dhigh B cells enhanced the expressions of IL-10 (P<0.01).(3) CD19+CD5+CD1dhigh B cells inhibited the prolif-eration of CD4+CD25-T cells in vitro in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.01), but increased the secretion of IL-10 by CD4+T cells (P<0.01) and the proliferation of Treg cells in vitro (P<0.01).Conclusion Com-pared with other tissues , the percentage of B10 cell subset in spleen is the highest in wild-type mouse , and B10 cells subset can be activated through Toll-like receptor ( TLR ) signaling pathway .The responses of CD4+CD25-T cells and Treg cells in co-culture with B10 cells are regulated by B 10 cell subset through an increased IL-10 production .B10 cells might be a useful cell population for the treatment of inflammatory au-toimmune diseases.

Objective To investigate the role of stromal cell derived factor-1α (SDF-1α)-laminin (LN) crosstalk in migration and differentiation of neural stem cells (NSCs).Methods Original generation of NSCs collected from 14-day pregnant fetal rats were separated and cultivated, and the phenotype characteristics were identified with immunofluorescence. The third generation of NSCs were collected, and they were divided into four groups: poly-L-lysine (PLL) group, PLL+SDF-1α group, LN group and LN+SDF-1α group. The NSCs in PLL and LN groups were inoculated into plates coated with 0.1 mg/mL PLL or 1 mg/mL LN, and the NSCs in PLL+SDF-1α and LN+SDF-1αgroups were inoculated into plates coated with PLL or LN and 1 mg/mL SDF-1α containing medium. The effect of SDF-1α-LN crosstalk on NSCs migrated numbers was determined by using Transwell cell migration test, and the differentiation of NSCs was determined by immunofluorescence staining.Results Primary NSCs were successfully isolated and cultivated, neurospheres formed at 3-5 days with typical NSCs morphology positively expressing Nestin which was the specific antigen of NSCs. Compared with PLL group, the number of NSCs migration in PLL+SDF-1α group showed no significant change (cells: 3.00±0.99 vs. 2.3±0.67,P > 0.05). Compared with LN group, the number of NSCs migration in LN+SDF-1α group was significantly increased (cells: 85.33±9.61 vs. 31.67±5.86,P < 0.05). Immunofluorescence staining showed that the differentiation rates of PLL and PLL+SDF-1α groups were almost zero, and some early differentiation neurons were detected in LN group with the differentiation rates of (12.50±2.56)%. The differentiation of early neuronal cells was significantly increased after SDF-1α-LN crosstalk, the neuronal differentiation rate was (21.40±3.41)%, and it was significantly higher than that of LN group (P < 0.05).Conclusion SDF-1α crosstalk with LN in extracellular matrix can significantly and synergistically enhance the migration and differentiation of NSCs in vitro.