Alcohol Drinking ; adverse effects ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Risk Assessment

OBJECTIVETo study the feasibility to repair the peripheral nerve gap with tissue engineering scaffold complex that is composed of medical biodegradable material agarose hydrogel and nerve growth factor (NGF).

METHODSChitosan tube containing agarose hydrogel and NGF was transplanted to bridge a 10 mm gap of injured sciatic nerve in rat. Chitosan duct without agarose hydrogel and NGF was used as negative control, while autograft nerve as positive control. Sixteen weeks after operation, the regeneration of nerve fiber was observed with morphological and immunohistochemistrical methods.

RESULTThe number and diameter of regenerating nerve fibers bridged by the scaffold complex of agarose hydrogel and NGF were better than negative control group (P < 0.01) and reached the level of autograft nerve group.

CONCLUSIONSThe new type of tissue engineering scaffold complex of agarose hydrogel and NGF may provide a microenvironment, as well as autograft nerve, to promote nerve regeneration. This technique may benefit patients with nerve injury in the future.

Absorbable Implants ; Animals ; Biocompatible Materials ; Chitosan ; Disease Models, Animal ; Feasibility Studies ; Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate ; Male ; Nerve Growth Factors ; pharmacology ; Nerve Regeneration ; drug effects ; Peripheral Nerve Injuries ; Peripheral Nerves ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Prosthesis Implantation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sepharose ; Stents ; Tissue Engineering ; methods

Aged ; Anaphylaxis ; etiology ; Animals ; Female ; Humans ; Insect Bites and Stings ; complications ; Myocardial Infarction ; etiology ; Wasps

OBJECTIVETo explore the pathogenesis of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) and improve the differential diagnosis from myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS).

METHODSPolymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) was performed to detect the point mutation of codon 12,13 in N-ras gene and codon 301, 969 in fms gene in adult and aged ITP and MDS patients.

RESULTSIn 25 ITP patients, N-ras mutation and fms mutation were detected in one each (4%). Mutations were found in 3 of 8 MDS patients: two (25%) with N-ras mutation and one (12.5%) with fms mutation.

CONCLUSIONSPatients with N-ras or fms gene mutation diagnosed as MDS rather than ITP.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Genes, fms ; genetics ; Genes, ras ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes ; genetics ; Point Mutation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational ; Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic ; genetics

OBJECTIVE: To assess the labial and lingual alveolar bone thickness in adults with maxillary central incisors of different inclination by cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). METHODS: Ninety maxillary central incisors from 45 patients were divided into three groups based on the maxillary central incisors to palatal plane angle; lingual-inclined, normal, and labial-inclined. Reformatted CBCT images were used to measure the labial and lingual alveolar bone thickness (ABT) at intervals corresponding to every 1/10 of the root length. The sum of labial ABT and lingual ABT at the level of the root apex was used to calculate the total ABT (TABT). The number of teeth exhibiting alveolar fenestration and dehiscence in each group was also tallied. One-way analysis of variance and Tukey's honestly significant difference test were applied for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The labial ABT and TABT values at the root apex in the lingual-inclined group were significantly lower than in the other groups (p < 0.05). Lingual and labial ABT values were very low at the cervical level in the lingual-inclined and normal groups. There was a higher prevalence of alveolar fenestration in the lingual-inclined group. CONCLUSIONS: Lingual-inclined maxillary central incisors have less bone support at the level of the root apex and a greater frequency of alveolar bone defects than normal maxillary central incisors. The bone plate at the marginal level is also very thin.
Adult ; Bone Plates ; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography* ; Humans ; Incisor* ; Prevalence ; Tooth

Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of staged bilateral thalamus and globus pallidus stereotactic lesioning in patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD). Methods Nineteen PD patients,admitted to our hospital from February 1998 to May 2008 and received staged bilateral thalamus and globus pallidus stereotactic lesioning under the stereotactic microelectrode-guidance,were chosen in our study; 16 of them had a primary operation with ventral intermediate (Vim) stereotactic lesioning,and other 3 had globus pallidus-intemal segment (Gpi)stereotactic lesioning; second-staged operation with contralateral Gpi and small focal of Vim nucleus stereotactic lesioning was performed on all patients.The unified Parkinson disease rating scale (UPDRS)was used to estimate the "switch-on" and "switch-off" states of each patient before operation and 1 week after operation.The improvement of symptoms and the happening of complications after the operation were analyzed. Results Improvements were observed in all the 19 patients postoperatively in terms of stiffness and tremor.Stiffness was significantly alleviated after lesioning of Gpi,and tremor was markedly relieved after the Vim nucleus small focal lesioning.Two patients had dysarthria postoperatively,and 1 of them had dysphagia; the symptoms were alleviated 3 months after the operation. Conclusion Staged bilateral thalamus and globus pallidus stereotactic lesioning is a safe and effective surgical treatment for PD patients with bilateral severe symptoms.Controlling the indications and the size of lesioning strictly,and selecting the targets appropriately are of vital importance to the operation.

Objective To evaluate the effect of surgical excision of the anterior temporal lobe and hippocampus on the cognitive function of patients with refractory temporal lobe epilepsy. Methods Nineteen patients with refractory temporal epilepsy received surgical excision of the anterior temporal lobe and hippocampus, and cognitive neuropsychologieal assessments were conducted, 3 and 6 months after the surgery, to evaluate the changes in the patinets' cognitive functions. Results Satisfactory effects were achieved in these patients after the operations. One patient showed temporary speech disorder, and two exhibited temporary euphoria. Patients with refractory temporal lobe epilepsy had severe cognitive dysfunctions involving especially in the intelligence, attention and memory, which were not aggravated after the operation, Conversely, the operation resulted in gradual improvement of some of the cognitive functions in these patients. Conclusion Patients with refractory temporal lobe epilepsy have cognitive dysfunction, and surgical excision of the anterior temporal lobe and hippocampus can cure or reduce seizure of temporal lobe epilepsy and improve the cognitive dysfunctions to some extent.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical value of radial endorectal ultrasound (ERUS) in the assessment of preoperative staging of rectal carcinoma.

METHODSOne hundred and ten patients with rectal cancer underwent preoperative endorectal ultrasound (ERUS) examination in our hospital from February 2010 to September 2011. ERUS was performed using a Hitachi 900, Hitachi HI Vision Preirus US scanner, with a 5 - 10 MHz rigid rotating radial transducer and a focal length of 2 - 5 cm. The size, shape, echo pattern, infiltration depth, degree of circumferential involvement, extra-rectal invasion of the lesions and lymph node involvement were observed. The results of ERUS staging were compared with histopathological findings of the surgical specimens.

RESULTSThe accuracy of ERUS for T staging was 91.4%. The accuracy of ERUS in diagnosing stage T1, T2, T3, T4 cancers was 92.7%, 88.2%, 88.2% and 96.4%, respectively. The sensitivity of ERUS in diagnosing stage T1, T2, T3, T4 cancers was 92.3%, 72.7%, 85.4% and 71.4%, respectively. The specificity of ERUS in diagnosing stage T1, T2, T3, T4 cancer was 92.9%, 92.0%, 90.3% and 100.0%, respectively. Comparing the consistency of preoperative T-staging and postoperative pathological results, the Kappa value was 0.75, with a considerable consistency. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of ERUS in the assessment of lymph node metastasis were 74.2%, 89.9% and 85.5%, respectively. Comparing the consistency of preoperative N-staging and postoperative pathological results, the Kappa value was 0.64, with a considerable consistency.

CONCLUSIONSERUS is a practical and accurate tool in assessment of preoperative staging of rectal tumors in regard to tumor invasion depth (T) and regional lymph node status (N), with advantages of simple operation, less pain, and high accuracy.

Adult ; Aged ; Endosonography ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Preoperative Period ; Rectal Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; surgery ; Rectum ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo compare plasma concentrations of biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction between patients with primary aldosteronism (PA) and essential hypertension (EH), and to determine whether elevated levels of these biomarkers could predict development of early organ damage.

METHODSThirty-six PA patients and 39 EH patients matched for age, sex, blood pressure and duration of hypertension were included in this study. Plasma levels of biomarkers reflecting endothelial dysfunction (von Willebrand factor, vWF; soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1, sICAM-1; and oxidized low density lipoprotein, ox-LDL) were detected and compared between PA and EH patients. Left ventricular mass index (LVMI) determined by echocardiography, 24-hour urinary protein quantitative determination and urinary albumin excretion rate (UAER) were analyzed to evaluate early organ damage. Left ventricular hypertrophy was defined as LVMI > 125 g/m(2) in men and > 120 g/m(2) in women, and UAER between 20 µg/min and 200 µg/min was defined as microalbuminuria.

RESULTSvWF [(122.3 ± 53.8)% vs. (113.1 ± 68.3)%], sICAM-1 [(401.0 ± 74.1) µg/L vs. (300.9 ± 87.0) µg/L], ox-LDL [(13.6 ± 10.0) U/L vs. (8.1 ± 5.9) U/L], LVMI [(124.7 ± 33.6) g/m(2) vs. (109.1 ± 25.7) g/m(2)], 24-hour urinary protein quantitation [24 h UPQ, (0.17 ± 0.10) g vs. (0.09 ± 0.04) g] and UAER [(25.9 ± 7.7) µg/min vs. (9.7 ± 5.9) µg/min] were significantly higher in PA group than in EH group (all P < 0.05). Elevated plasma vWF, sICAM-1 levels and plasma aldosterone concentration independently predicted microalbuminuria. Whereas, elevated plasma vWF and ox-LDL levels, plasma aldosterone concentration and systolic blood pressure independently predicted left ventricular hypertrophy.

CONCLUSIONPatients with PA have severer endothelial dysfunction reflected by multiple biomarkers and earlier organ damage than patients with EH, and plasma aldosterone concentration and multiple endothelial dysfunction biomarkers could independently predict early organ damage.

Albuminuria ; Biomarkers ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperaldosteronism ; metabolism ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Hypertension ; metabolism ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Lipoproteins, LDL ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; von Willebrand Factor ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo explore the diagnostic value of dual-time-point 18F-FDG PET-CT imaging in detecting hilar and mediastinal lymph node metastasis in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODSForty-six patients with NSCLC underwent standard whole body single-time 18F-FDG PET-CT scans and a delayed imaging for the thorax alone before surgery, meanwhile, the standard uptake value (SUV) and retention index (RI) were calculated.

RESULTSA total number of 584 lymph nodes were excised in the 46 patients. Of these, 134 metastatic lymph nodes were pathologically confirmed in 31 patients. There were 189 lymph nodes detected and suspected to be metastatic by standard single-time 18 F-FDG PET-CT imaging, and 161 by dual-time-point imaging. Therefore, the sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic accuracy, positive predictive value and negative predictive value in the detection of hilar and mediastinal lymph node metastasis were 87.3%, 84.0%, 84.8%, 61.9% and 95.7% by standard single-time 18F-FDG PET-CT imaging, versus 94.8%, 92.2%, 92.8%, 78.9% and 98.1%, respectively, by dual-time-point imaging. There was a statistically significant difference in the detection of lymph node metastasis between the standard single-time imaging and dual-time-point 18F-FDG PET-CT imaging.

CONCLUSIONDual-time-point 18F-FDG PET-CT imaging is more sensitive, specific and accurate than standard single-time 18F-FDG PET-CT imaging in the detection of hilar and mediastinal lymph node metastasis, and may provide more information for diagnosis, staging and treatment of non-small cell lung cancer.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; False Negative Reactions ; False Positive Reactions ; Female ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Lymph Nodes ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; diagnostic imaging ; Male ; Mediastinum ; pathology ; Middle Aged ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; methods ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Time Factors