This paper presents the recent progress of the study of human brain soft-tissue deformations based on finite element method. Some possible problems and issues about the implementation of the methods are also discussed.
Algorithms ; Computer Simulation ; Connective Tissue ; physiology ; Elasticity ; Finite Element Analysis ; Humans ; Models, Biological ; Nonlinear Dynamics ; Stress, Mechanical

Erchen Decoction is widely used to dampness-phlegm syndrome and it can be flexibly used in clinical application by my supervisor Professor OU Zheng-wu, especially in cough, pneumonia, asthma and influenza, which has obvious efficacy in treatment. This article reviewed five medical cases during the follow-up process with Professor OU in application of Erchen Decoction, with a purpose to share experience of famous doctors and improve TCM diagnosis and treatment level together.

Objective:To evaluate the safety and feasibility of the in-situ needle fenestration combined with the in vitro physician modified fenestration technique to reconstruct supra-aortic branches during thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for aortic arch lesions requiring landing at Z0 and Z1.Methods:From Nov 2017 to Dec 2019, eighteen patients who underwent both the in-situ needle fenestration and the in vitro physician modified fenestration techniques to extend the proximal landing zone to Z0 and Z1 during TEVAR were included in our study.Results:Sixteen patients underwent in vitro physician modified fenestration ,two patients underwent in vitro physician modified fenestration to reconstruct both the left common carotid artery and the innominate artery. All eighteen patients received in-situ needle fenestration to preserve the left subclavian artery. Supra aortic branches were preserved in all patients (38/38, 100%). There was no Type Ⅰ endoleak. Type Ⅱ endoleak was found in four paitnets (4/18). Type Ⅲ endoleak occurred in one patient (1/18). Type Ⅳ endoleak in four patients (4/18). Type Ⅲ endoleak needed open aortic arch repair 6 months later. The median follow-up time was 12 months. One (1/18) died in 12 months and the other patients were doing well.Conclusions:The joint application of the in-situ needle fenestration and the in vitro physician modified fenestration to reconstruct supra-aortic branches during TEVAR for aortic arch pathologies requiring landing at Z0 and Z1 was satisfactory.

BACKGROUND: Greatly importance has been attached to ceramic-on-ceramic bearing surface due to its excel ent wear resistance. But the risks of squeaking and ceramic fracture also go with it. Up til now, the choice between ceramic-on-ceramic and ceramic-on-polyethylene bearing surfaces in primary total hip arthroplasty remains controversial. OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical outcomes and safety between ceramic-on-ceramic versus ceramic-on-polyethylene bearing surfaces in total hip arthroplasty based on meta analysis. METHODS: We electronical y searched databases including PubMed/Medline, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Col aboration database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBMdisc) and China National Knowledge Internet for randomized control ed trials on the comparison between ceramic-on-ceramic versus ceramic-on-polyethylene bearing surfaces in total hip arthroplasty from inception to January 2015. References of the included studies were also retrieved. Investigators severely selected the studies, extracted data and assessed the quality according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Then, meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.2 software. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Nine randomized control ed trials were included, involving 1 231 hips with ceramic-on-ceramic prosthesis and 932 hips with ceramic-on-polyethylene prosthesis. Meta analysis showed that both bearing surfaces achieved satisfied function recovery. But ceramic-on-ceramic had significantly increased risks of squeaking and ceramic fracture, meanwhile ceramic-on-polyethylene showed significantly higher wear rate. There were no significant differences in intra- or post-operative dislocation, osteolysis and other complications and prosthesis failure with any reason between two bearing surfaces. These results suggest that during the short- to mid-term fol ow-up period, no sufficient evidence can tel that ceramic-on-ceramic was obviously super than ceramic-on-polyethylene. Long-term fol ow-up is required for further evaluation.

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of intestinal microflora alteration on specific and nonspecific immune function and hematopoietic function of mice.

METHODSSixty BALB/C mice were divided at random into two groups, experimental group and control group, with 30 mice in each. The mice in the experimental group were given kanamycin 50 mg while those in the control group were given distilled water intragastrically everyday for consecutive 10 days. After the 10 day treatment all the mice were sacrificed, and the cecal contents were collected for quantitative analysis of the intestinal bacterial flora. Certain indexes of immune function, including phagocytosis rate of macrophages, number of T lymphocytes positively stained by esterase and serum interleukin 2 (IL-2) content, and the weight of the spleen, granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor etc. as indexes of hematopoietic function were determined.

RESULTSIn the group, the quantity of Enterobacteriaceae, Enterococcus, Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus were significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.01). The number of PFC (plaque forming cells), the phagocytosis rate of macrophage, the number of T lymphocytes with positive NANE staining, the level of IL-2 significantly decreased when compared with that in the control group (P < 0.01). The weight of the spleen in the experimental group decreased when compared with that in the control group (P < 0.01). Levels of IL-3, GM-CSF, the total number of WBC and the proportion of neutrophil remarkably decreased as compared to that in the control group (P < 0.01). Analysis of the correlations between normal microflora, immunologic and hematopoietic indexes showed that marked positive correlations between the quantity of Bifidobacteria and each immune index including the levels of IL-3 and GM-CSF. There was a positive correlation between IL-2 and IL-3, IL-2 and GM-CSF as well.

CONCLUSIONThe application of antibiotics may cause changes in the structure and quantity of intestinal microflora. The dysbacteriosis may decrease the immune function of organism. The dysbacteriosis may decrease the hemopoietic function. The dysbacteriosis, the decrease in immune and hematopoietic function may affect one another. The balance in microecosystem should be emphasized and antibiotics should be applied rationally to reduce the side effects such as dysbacteriosis.

Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; pharmacology ; Esterases ; biosynthesis ; Feces ; microbiology ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; analysis ; Interleukin-2 ; blood ; Intestines ; drug effects ; microbiology ; Kanamycin ; pharmacology ; Macrophages ; drug effects ; physiology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Models, Animal ; Organ Size ; Phagocytosis ; drug effects ; Spleen ; drug effects ; pathology ; T-Lymphocytes ; drug effects ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo construct the adenoviral vector containing human Bcl-2 gene and to study the expression of the gene in the spiral ganglion cells (SGC) in vitro.

METHODSHuman Bcl-2 cDNA obtained from the plasmid pUC-CAGGS/Bcl-2 was cloned into the plasmid pAdTrack-CMV. Then, pAdTrack/Bcl-2 was cotransferred with adenoviral backbone vector into E. coli strain BJ5183. The recombinant adenoviral plasmid was identified by restriction analysis with Pac I and transfected into HEK293 cells to package and amplify recombinant adenovirus particles which would be identified by Electron microscope. After the adenovirus infected the rat spiral ganglion cells, the expression of Bcl-2 gene was detected by Western Blot and RT-PCR.

RESULTSThe recombinant AdEGFP/Bcl-2 plasmid was correctly constructed and confirmed by restriction endonuclease analysis. The viral particles in HEK293 cells were identified by Electron microscope. RT-PCR and Western blot showed that Bcl-2 gene was exactly transcripted and expressed in transgene SGC.

CONCLUSIONSThe method based on homologous recombination in bacteria is simple and high efficient. The recombinant adenoviral vector containing human Bcl-2 cDNA was constructed and the transgene SGC expressed human Bcl-2 gene in vitro successfully. It provided foundation for the further study of protection for the impaired SGC by hBcl-2 gene.

Adenoviruses, Human ; genetics ; Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Genes, Homeobox ; Genes, bcl-2 ; Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Recombination, Genetic ; Spiral Ganglion ; metabolism ; Transfection ; Transgenes

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the current status of penis and testicular development in boys and the effects of overweight/obesity on their development in the Zhengzhou area of Henan Province.

METHODSHeight, weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, penis length and testicular volume were measured in 3 546 4 to 12-year-old boys. The penis length and testicular volume were compared between the overweight/obesity and normal weight groups.

RESULTSBefore 9 years of age, the testicular volume was progressively smaller, and after 9 years old, it gradually increased. By the age of 11, it increased rapidly. The penis length increased gradually between 4 and 11 years of age, and after the age of 11 it increased rapidly. Phimosis was found in 144 cases (4.01%) and cryptorchidism was found in 18 cases (0.51%). A total of 639 (18.02%) boys were overweight or obese among 3 546 boys. At the ages of 6 and 7 years, the testicular volume in the overweight/obesity group was greater than in the normal control group (P<0.05). The penis length in the overweight/obesity group was significantly shorter than in the normal control group (P<0.05) by the age of 11 years. The correlation analysis showed that the testicular volume at the ages of 4 and 5 years was positively correlated with height, weight, BMI, waist circumference and hip circumference in overweight/obese boys. The penis length at the ages of 7 and 8 years was negatively correlated with weight, waist circumference and hip circumference. By the age of 12 years, the penis length was positively correlated with the height.

CONCLUSIONSThe development of penis and testicles in boys in the Zhengzhou area is in line with the level of sex development of Chinese boys. Overweight/obesity adversely affects the development of penis and testicles.

Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; Humans ; Male ; Obesity ; epidemiology ; physiopathology ; Overweight ; epidemiology ; physiopathology ; Penis ; growth & development ; Testis ; growth & development

Objective To adopt the expression profile chip to investigate the effect of Rabdosia serra (Maxim.) hara water extract on related gene of human hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) HepG2 cells for researching the possible mechanism of its water extract on HCC.Methods The human HCC HepG2 cells were cultured in vitro.After adding Rabdosia serra (Maxim.) hara water extract (9.54 mg/mL) for 24 h action,the expression profile chip was adopted to detect the HepG2 gene change after Rabdosia serra (Maxim.) hara action and then the chip results were verified by using RT-PCR and Western blot.Results The phase contrast microscope observation found that compared with the negative control group,the number of HepG2 cells was significantly reduced after Rabdosia serra (Maxim.) hara water extract action.The expression profile results showed that after Rabdosia serra (Maxim.)hara water extract action for 24 h,264 genes were risen to over twice folds compared with the negative control group and 194 genes were decreased by over twice folds compared with the negative control group.The gene ontology(GO) and KEGG analysis indicated that Rabdosia serra (Maxim.) hara could up-regulate multiple genes in DUSPs and IGFBPs family and down-regulate multiple genes in MCMs family.The RT-PCR detection found that compared with the negative control group,DUSP1 and IGFBP1 in the Rabdosia serra (Maxim.) hara treatment group were increased,while FXR and ALDH8A1 were decreased (P＜0.01),which were consistent with the results of expression profile chip.The Western blot results found that the protein expression level of DUSP1 in the Rabdosia serra (Maxim.) hara treatment group was also significantly higher than that in the negative control group (P＜ 0.01).Conclusion The expression profile chip shows that Rabdosia serra (Maxim.) hara can inhibit the proliferation of HCC cells by regulating multiple genes.

The standardized training is an indispensible stage for the improvement of residents' comprehensive quality and for the training of high-qualified talents.The article preliminarily explored the standardized training model for residents,which was in accordance with the characteristics of the department of cardiology mainly from four aspects:the set-up of reasonable training program,the training of practical skills,the training of humanistic quality and the training of life-long learning ability.

Objective: To systemically evaluate clinical efficacy of ivabradine (IVA) treating the patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). Methods: We searched PubMed, Conchrane Library, EMbase, CBM, CNKI and Wanfang database to enroll the random control trials of IVA treating CHF up to 2016-10. Meta-analysis was performed by RevMan 5.2 software. Results: A total of 12 English literature were finally enrolled which including 2 groups: IVA group, n=807 and Control group, n=800. Meta-analysis showed that compared with Control group, IVA group had increased LVEF (MD=2.68, 95％CI 1.85-3.50, P<0.00001), decreased left ventricular end-diastolic volume (MD=-5.78, 95％ CI -9.79 to -1.76, P=0.005), decreased left ventricular end-systolic volume (MD=-8.91, 95％ CI -11.23 to -6.59, P<0.00001) and reduced N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (MD=-109.22, 95％ CI -126.42 to -92.01, P<0.00001); while systolic blood pressure (MD=6.02, 95％CI -0.80 to 12.84, P=0.08) and diastolic blood pressure (MD=3.6495％ CI -0.48 to 7.77, P=0.08) were similar between 2 groups. Conclusion: IVA improved ventricular remodeling in CHF patients and had no obvious effect on blood pressure. The long-term effect and safety of IVA should be further confirmed by high quality random control trial and the result from evidence-based medicine.