Animals ; Cardiomegaly ; Constriction ; Heart ; Mice

Objective To build predictive model of secondary mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in patients with painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN), and analyze its apply. Methods The patients with PDN were consecutively selected from March 2013 to March 2016. The relevant clinical data were recorded, and the patients were followed up for 1 year. According to the results of follow-up, secondary MCI risk indicators were predicted, and the time window of adverse outcomes event was validated. Results A total of 82 PDN patients completed the study, and secondary MCI occurred in 16 cases. Sixty-six cases had not secondary MCI. The Cox regression model multivariate analysis results showed that the independent influencing factors of secondary MCI was course of PDN, brief pain inventory (BPI) score and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) in patients with PDN (HR = 1.238, 1.336 and 1.450; P<0.05). The secondary time window of the MCI in PDN patients with the course of PDN ≥3.367 years, BPI score≥4.704 scores and NSE ≥ 7.420 μg/L was shorter, in whom BPI score and NSE had a higher evaluation ability. Conclusions The courses of PDN, BPI score and NSE are independent influencing factors of secondary MCI in PDN patients, and the BPI score≥4.704 scores and NSE≥7.420μg/L have a higher evaluation ability.

Objective:To explore a rapid and cost-effective method for identification of Candida gla-brata through the comparison of two different methods , using molecular methods of sequencing as gold standard.Methods:From our clinic, 200 strains of suspected Candida glabrata were collected during the last 3 years and selected after incubation in CHROMagar Candida medium for 48 h.By comparing the results of the CHROMagar Candida medium, the identification of the rapid trehalose test for different kinds of strains were analyzed under incubation in the tubes for 3 h, 6 h, and 24 h at 37 ℃and 42 ℃, respectively .All the strains were identified to species level by methods of sequencing .The optimal time and temperature of the trehalose test for the identification of Candida glabrata were assessed .Two different methods, CHROMagar Candida medium and the rapid trehalose test , in identification of Candi-da glabrata were compared.Results:In all the 200 strains, Candida glabrata ferment trehalose with 3 h incubation under 42 ℃ were the optimal time and temperature for fermenting trehalose .The accuracy , sensitivity, and specificity of the rapid trehalose test were 99.00% (198/200), 98.66% (147/149) and 100.00%(51/51).The accuracy rate of CHROMagar Candida medium was 79.50%(159/200), the sensitivity and specificity were only 89.93%(134/149) and 49.02%(25/51), however, compared with the domestic current popular methods , the rapid trehalose test had better time efficiency ratio .Con-clusion:The evaluation results suggest that the rapid trehalose test has advantages in terms of operational convenience and low cost , and the results can be obtained in 3 h.Therefore, it has application value in clinical laboratory .

Objective To investigate the prevalence of low T3 syndrome in patients with acute myocardial infarction(AMI) and explore the effect of low T3 syndrome on outcome of AMI.MethodsThree hundred and thirty-eight patients with AMI admitted to cardiac care unit(CCU) underwent examinations of thyroid function and cardial ultrasound,and were further categorized according to thyroid hormone profile.The records of noninvasive bi-level positive airway pressure(BiPAP)ventilation utilization,length of hospital stay,mortality during hospitalization were evaluated,and the related factors were analysed.ResultsOne hundred and thirty-nine of the 338 patients(41.12%) with AMI complicated with low T3 syndrome.Free triiodothyronine(FT3) was the independent influential factor for length of hospital stay.Low FT3 was significantly correlated with noninvasive BiPAP ventilation utilization and mortality during hospitalization.The average time of follow-up was(21.4?8.1) months.It was revealed by multivariate Cox regression analysis that FT3 was the chief predictor for cumulative death(risk ratio,4.25;95% confidential interval,2.30-7.87),followed by age and left ventricular ejection fraction.ConclusionThe recognition of AMI complicated with low T3 syndrome plays an important role in predicting the disease severity and outcome.

Head and Neck Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Humans ; Neck ; Paraganglioma ; diagnosis ; therapy

Craniofacial Dysostosis ; Humans ; Receptors, Fibroblast Growth Factor

To investigate the characteristics of the allele distribution of HLA-B*15 gene family in Chinese Han population and to study its influence on the selection of clinical transplantation donor, population of a 815 Han in north China from Shaanxi sub-registry of Chinese National Marrow Donor Project was randomly selected and out of them 206 HLA-B*15 positive samples according to the previous known low-resolution typing results were acquired. HLA-B*15 gene polymorphisms of above-mentioned samples and other 17 individuals were analyzed for the first time by polymerase chain reaction sequence-based typing (PCR-SBT) at high-resolution level. The structure differentiation of all HLA-B*15 alleles were analyzed by HLA three-dimensional structure modeling and software Swiss-PdbViewer. The results showed that the distribution of HLA-A, -B, -DRB1 gene of randomly selected 815 samples accorded with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and the gene frequency of HLA-B*15 was 0.1379. There were a total of 16 kinds of alleles of HLA-B*15 gene family to be obtained, which belonged to 7 kinds of serologic specificities. HLA-B*1501, B*1511, B*1502 and B*1518 were the major alleles with a frequency of 0.0485, 0.0215, 0.0178 and 0.0160 respectively, and the constituent ratio of their accumulated frequencies was 75.11%. The each frequency of the other 12 kinds of B*15 alleles was lower than 0.0100. Among the homozygote of 10 samples at low/medial-resolution level, there were only 4 samples to be pur sang homozygote of HLA-B*15xx, --at high-resolution level, and all the homozygote were constituted by respective dominating alleles. HLA three-dimensional structure modeling demonstrated that within the same specificity, gentle structure differentiation not only existed, such as B*1501, 1505, 1507, 1525, 1527, 1532 (each RMSD Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; China ; ethnology ; HLA-B Antigens ; genetics ; HLA-B15 Antigen ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Tissue Donors

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of glial cell derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) on regeneration of facial nerve defects by autogenous facial vein conduit.

METHODSThirty-six rabbits were used in this study and 10 mm-length facial nerve defects were made on both sides of all animals. The nerve gaps were bridged using autogenous posterior facial vein graft of the same side. The animals received injection of either saline (group A, n=16) or GDNF (group B, n=16) into the veins. Nerve function was evaluated by evoking nerve action potential immediately after operation and 4, 8 and 16 weeks after operation. Regenerated nerve samples were harvested at 4, 8, and 16 weeks after operation and processed for histology and transmitting electron microscopic examination (TEM).

RESULTSAction potential did not exist immediately after operation but it was evoked at 4, 8, and 16 weeks in both groups. At 4 and 8 weeks after operation, the amplitude and width of action potential were significantly higher in group B than group A (P < 0.01), except wave width at 4 weeks, which showed no significant differences, while the latency period was significantly shorter in group B than that in group A (P < 0.01). At 16 weeks, action potential was similar between two groups, except wave amptitude, which was higher in group B than group A (P < 0.01). Morphologic and TEM examinations showed more matured myelinated nerve fibers and active Schwann's cells in group B when compared group A during the whole regeneration process.

CONCLUSIONGDNF can promote nerve regeneraat early stage during reconstruction of facial nerve defects by autogenous facial vein conduit and combination of GDNF and autogenous vein graft provides a valuable method for clinical reconstruction of facial nerve defects.

Animals ; Facial Nerve ; Nerve Growth Factors ; Nerve Regeneration ; Neuroglia ; Rabbits ; Regeneration

OBJECTIVETo investigate the influences of experimental osteoporosis (OP) on bone healing of autologous iliac crest graft around dental implants in rabbits.

METHODSTwenty Japanese rabbits were randomly divided into two groups. Bilaterally ovariectomy was performed on experimental group and control group received sham-operation. Twelve weeks later, femoral bones were examined for bone mineral density (BMD) to verify OP status. Then bone defects were made in the proximal metaphysis of the tibiae and autologous iliac crest grafts with simultaneous implant placement were performed. The animals were killed at 8 and 12 weeks after bone graft surgery. Undecalcified sections were prepared and examined histologically and histomorphometrically.

RESULTSOsteoporotic status caused by ovariectomy was verified by significantly decreased BMD in experimental group (P < 0.001). At 8 and 12 weeks after bone graft surgery, osseointegration was observed in both groups. However, thickness of cortical bone (TCB), bone volume in cancellous area (BVC), implant-bone contact rate (IBCR) at bone graft area all significantly decreased in experimental group when compared with control group (P < 0.01). Newly formed bone was also less in experimental group than that in control group.

CONCLUSIONAlthough experimental OP may not delay osseointegration of dental implants in autologous iliac crest graft, it certainly promotes resorption of bone grafts, decreases cancellous bone volume and implant-bone contact rate. Therefore it may be an important risk factor for patients receiving autologous bone graft with simultaneous implant placement.

Animals ; Bone Transplantation ; Dental Implants ; Female ; Ilium ; transplantation ; Osseointegration ; Osteoporosis ; pathology ; Ovariectomy ; Rabbits

OBJECTIVETo evaluate autogenous vein grafts and inside-out vein grafts as conduits for the defects repair in the rabbit facial nerves.

METHODSThe 10 mm segments of buccal division of facial nerve were transected for 48 rabbits in this study. Then the gaps were immediately repaired by autogenous vein grafts or inside-out vein grafts in different groups. All the animals underwent the whisker movement test and electrophysiologic test during the following 16 weeks at different time points postoperatively. Subsequently, the histological examination was performed to observe the facial nerve regeneration morphologically.

RESULTSAt 8 weeks after operation, the facial nerve regeneration has significant difference between the experimental group and the control group in electrophysiologic test and histological observation. However, at the end of this study, 16 weeks after operation, there was no significant difference between inside-out vein grafts and standard vein grafts in enhancing peripheral nerve regeneration.

CONCLUSIONThis study suggest that both kinds of vein grafts play positive roles in facial nerve regeneration after being repaired immediately, but the autogenous inside-out vein grafts might accelerate and facilitate axonal regeneration as compared with control.

Animals ; Axons ; physiology ; Facial Nerve ; physiology ; surgery ; Facial Nerve Injuries ; surgery ; Male ; Nerve Regeneration ; physiology ; Rabbits ; Transplantation, Autologous ; methods ; Veins ; transplantation