Bacteria species belonging to the genus Leptospirillum are of great importance in bioleaching industry. This paper introduces the varieties and characteristics of Leptospirillum, its isolation and cultivation methods, as well as the advance of molecular biology and bioleaching mechanism researchs about Leptospirillum.

AIM: To determine the association between subfoveal choroidal thickness before therapy and therapeutic activity in diabetic macular edema.
METHODS: The current study was a retrospective study, which included 32 patients ( 32 eyes ) diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy and macular edema. All the patients were firstly treated with intravitreal injections of ranibizumab. Main outcome measures were included the subfoveal choroidal thickness, central macular thickness and best-corrected visual acuity ( BCVA) at preoperation and postoperative visit at 3mo.
RESULTS: After 3 monthly intravitreal injections of ranibizumab, the BCVA was significantly higher than that before therapy and accompanied with significantly reduced thickness of subfoveal choroid and central fovea of macula. Spearman analysis was revealed that a greater baseline subfoveal choroidal thickness was associated with a better BCVA (rs=0. 544, P=0. 036).
CONCLUSION:In the therapy of intravitreal injections of ranibizumab on diabetic macular edema, there seems to be a better BCVA in the patients with a greater baseline subfoveal choroidal thickness. Therefore, baseline subfoveal choroidal thickness may be a useful predictor for the therapy of diabetic macular edema.

Objective To understand demonstration methods and ultrasonographic features of left and right atrial appendages in normal fetuses.Methods 200 consecutive normal fetuses during gestation age 19-28 weeks from November 2011 through April 2012 entered the study.Ultrasonographic features and the demonstrated rates of atrial appendages at different incidence angle of ultrasonography and different gestational weeks were recorded and calculated,respectively.Results Atrial appendages of normal fetuses can be demonstrated on atrial appendages plane,which was little lower the view of parasternal great artery short axis.The display rate of left,right and left-right atrial appendages was 92％,68％,65.5％,respectively.When ultrasound beam entranced into chest from the right side,the display rate of left-right atrial appendages was highest(94.3％).The best time to observe atrial appendages was 22 to 24 week of pregnancy.The majority of left atrial appendages were fingerlike hook shapes,with narrower bases and longer bodys,and the endocardial surfaces were relatively smooth.Sometimes with incisures on external edges.Whereas the majority of right atrial appendages were obtuse-angled triangle shapes,with broad bases and shallower bodys.On endocardial surface the pectinate muscles were often seen,which looked like serrated echoes,sometimes prominent taenia sagittalis were noted in right atrial appendages.Conclusions Atrial appendages of normal fetuses can be demonstrated using two-dimensional ultrasonography on atrial appendages plane.The demonstrated rates of atrial appendages were different according to different incidence angle of ultrasonography and gestational weeks.There were some differences in ultrasonographic features between left and right atrial appendages,which is very helpful in determinating atrial situs.

Adult ; Albuminuria ; urine ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Organophosphate Poisoning ; Pesticides ; poisoning ; Young Adult

Child ; Ectodermal Dysplasia ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Family Health ; Genes, Recessive ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Sex Factors

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of excessive fluoride on calcium overload and apoptosis in cultured rat ameloblasts in vitro.

METHODSLogarithmic-phase ameloblasts (HAT-7) were treated with 0, 0.4, 0.8, 1.6, 3.2, and 6.4 mmol · L(-1) sodium fluoride (NaF) solution. Cell activities were detected by using a Cell Counting Kit 8 (CCK-8) assay after 48 h of treatment. The effect of fluoride on cell apoptosis was analyzed by using flow cytometry. Excessive fluoride-induced calcium concentration and calreticulin expression changes in ameloblasts were detected by using laser scanning confocal microscopy, Western blot analysis, and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTSNaF inhibited ameloblast activity at 1.6, 3.2, and 6.4 mmol · L(-1) (dose-dependent) after 48 h of induction. The Ca2+ fluorescence intensity of HAT-7 cells incubated with 1.6 and 3.2 mmol · L(-1) NaF was higher than that in the control group. The fluoride-induced early-stage apoptosis of ameloblasts after 48 h of induction and the early-stage apoptosis rate was positively correlated with fluoride concentration. Calreticulin mRNA expression in HAT-7 cells was higher than that in the control group after 48 h of incubation with 0.8, 1.2, and 1.6 mmol · L(-1) NaF.

CONCLUSIONExcessive fluoride-induced calcium overload in ameloblasts and further caused endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated apoptosis.

Objective To explore the clinical effect of modified frontalis muscle suspension for severe blepharoptosis correction. Design Retrospective case series. Participants Fifty-six cases (101 eyes) with severe blepharoptosis. Methods Modified frontalis mus- cle suspension was adopted. The technique included single blepharoplasty-type incision, dissecting the posterior gaps of frontalis muscu- lar fasciae ahead,then euthyphoria isolating anterior gaps of rontalis muscular fasciae, using frontalis muscle transfer without vertical incision. Main Outcome Measure The positon chang of the upper eyelid in the primary position gaze. Results The follow-up period ranged from 8 to 20 months (mean, 13.6 months). All the patients were deemed to have a good surgical outcome. Complications such as ectropion and corneal exposure were avoided. But ten eyes required reoperation for undercorrection, six eyes for overcorrection and two eyes for entropion. Conclusion This surgical technique is a useful procedure that results in substantial cosmetic and functional im- provement with few complications.

Objective To explore the relationship of catheter-directed thrombolysis and deep venous thrombosis.Methods We analyzed 2267 consecutive central venous catheter attempts from January to December in2006.Results 18 patients had deep venous thrombosis,and several studies have identified factors associated with mechanical complications of central venous catheter.These factors include illness,the use of drug,mobility.Conclusion It is very important to prevent and cure deep venous thrombosis and decrease incidence of death of knowing many risk factors and clinical symptoms of catheter-directed thrombolysis.

Objective To improve the understanding,the incidence and imaging findings of tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) combined with cardiac rhabdomyomas (CRs) in fetuses and infants.Methods The imaging findings of 9 infants with TSC combined with CRs and 4 fetuses with TSC combined with CRs from our hospital between June,2006 and November,2013 were retrospectively reviewed.Results The brain MRI of 9 with TSC combined with CRs showed bilateral subependy-mal nodules,subcortical white matter and cortical tubers.Subependymal nodules were isointense or hypointense on spin-echo T1WI and hypointense or hyperintense on spin-echo T2WI.Subcortical white matter and cortical tubers were hypointense or hyperintense on T1WI and hypointense or hyperintense on T2WI.There was varying contrast enhancement.Three of 9 infants presented single cardiac tumor and 6 of 9 infants presented multiply cardiac lesions.CRs on contrast cardiac MRI showed round solid masses in ventricular septums,ventricular outflow tract,ventricle or atrial free walls.The masses were isointense relative to the cardiac muscles on T1WI,T2WI and B-TFE sequence.There was varying contrast enhancement.Four fetuses with TSC on ultrafast MRI showed bilateral multiply subependymal nodules,the nodules were isointense or hyperintense on TFE T1WI and isointense or hypointense signals on SSTSE or B-FFE sequence,Four fetuses with CRs showed isointense to hyperintense solid masses in ventricular septums on ultrafast MRI,ventricle or atrial free walls on B-FFE sequence and SSTSE sequence images.Conclusions TSC in infant and fetus is a kind of neurocutaneous syndrome,usually combines with CRs.Fetal ultrafast and routine MRI is a useful method to make a definite diagnosis for cranial and cardiac lesions.The development of MRI might improve the timeliness and accuracy of the assessment for this disease.

Viral myocarditis (VM) refers to human infections thermophilic myocardium virus that causes the circumscribed or diffuse myocardium-inflammatory lesion.Myocarditis can be caused by a variety of microbial infections,and VM is the most common one.In order to make the medical staff in clinical work have a more in-depth understanding of VM,this paper describes the common rviruses related,VM and its pathogenesis,process.At present,there is no effective drug and treatment method for VM.It is particularly important to further study the pathogenesis of VM on the role of the virus in,and inhibit its role in the further exploration of clinical therapeutic targets,to improve the quality of life of patients with VM and prolong the survival time is of great significance.Studying in-depth virus in the pathogenesis of VM and restraining its function are particularly important for the further exploration of clinical therapeutic targets.It is significant to improve the life quality and prolong the survival time for VM patients.