Objective To evaluate the application of the polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) artificial eye in acquired ophthalmostewesis. Methods We summarized the experience in the application of PMMA in prosthesis for 8 years. 1155 patients were involved in the artificial eye custom-made program. The artificial eye was individually prepared based on the patient's condition and characters of the healthy eye.Results PMMA artificial eye associated with hydroxyl apatite implantation gave good cosmetic results with good motility, and there was no rejective reaction. The artificial eye was almost same to the real one in color and transparency. Conclusion It is suggested that PMMA is one of the best materials for manufacture of artificial eye at present.

Objective To evaluate the blood supply features and effectiveness of arterial chemoembolization for pedunculated hepatocellular carcinoma.Methods Angiography and chemoembolization via supplying blood arteries of tumor were performed in five patients with pedunculated hepatocellular carcinoma.Interventional procedure was carried out with tumor vascular infusion of 350 mg hot elemene emulsion and tumor embolization by cisplantin-lipidol emulsion(cisplantin 60-80 mg+lipidol 8-15 ml)and glutin.Results Ten interventional procedures(TACE)were undertaken in 5 patients.Angiography showed that tumor blood supply mainly coming from collateral circulation adjacent to the tumors,but partially from hepatic artery.Tumor sizes decreased from 30% to 50% in 5 cases,and AFP declined in 4 cases after the treatment. Conclusion Pedunculated hepatocellular carcinoma possessing different blood supply features from intrahepatocellular carcinomas.But transarterial ehemoembolization is still an effective method of choice for this treatment.

Objective To investigate the perfusion characteristics of intraductal breast lesion by real-time gray-scale contrast ultrasound and to determine the value of real contrast ultrasound in the diagnosis of breast masses.Methods A total of 30 breast lumps by ultrasound contrast enhancement were observed from the enhanced level.An enhanced mode and enhanced border were observed when the lesion was clear.The perfusion characteristics were compared between the benign and malignant lesions.Results Thirty breast lumps include 17 benign lumps and 13 benign lumps by pathological operation.After injected with the microbubble contrast medium,all breast lumps enhanced to varied extent.And malignant lesions showed significant enhancement for more than 3 grade(69.2%,9/13).The radial enhancement around lesion were mainly observed in the malignant lesions (P＜0.05).Conclusion The microvascular perfusion of breast intraductal lesions can be clearly displayed by real-time gray-scale contrast-enhanced ultrasound.The feasibility of differentiation between benign and malignant lesions according to their perfusion characteristics appears to be promising.

·Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and retinitis pigmentosa (RP) are common outer retinal degenerative problems, which are also the predominant causes of most blinding retinal diseases. Retinal prosthesis is a promising solution for such photoreceptor degeneration diseases.Most of current concepts for a retinal prosthesis are based on neuronal electrical stimulation. In the past twenty years, retinal prosthesis has been developed in two different directions: epiretinal prosthesis and subretinal prosthesis. Each prosthesis technique has its advantages and disadvantages. For epiretinal prosthesis, it is easier to be implanted and has the advantage of keeping most of the electronics in the vitreous cavity, off the retinal surface, which greatly helps in dissipating the heat generated by the implant device. In this paper, a brief overview of retinal prostheses concepts is introduced. After that, several important aspects of epiretinal electrical stimulation will be discussed. Moreover, some practical epiretinal prosthesis devices developed by researchers in United States, Germany and Japan in the past have been reviewed. We hope that the devices will be used widely in the near future.

Objective To investigate the current condition of Keshan disease(KD), and inner and outer environmental selenium (Se) levels in Shandong Province, in order to provide scientific evidence for the research, prevention and control work. Methods Inhabitants from 20 villages of 8 counties in KD endemic areas were selected as subjects undergoing general physical examination and electrocardiogram (ECG). Suspicious cases were followed up by chest X-ray radiographs. Meanwhile the Se contents in hair, wheat, corn and sweet potato were measured. Results Ninety one patients with KD, including 82 with latent KD and 9 with chronic KD, were screened out of 2613 inhabitants. The total incidence of KD was 3.48% (91/2613), while the incidence of latent and chronic KD was 3.14%(82/2613) and 0.34%(9/2613) respectively. No new cases of acute or sub-acute KD were found. A total of 368 abnormal ECCs were discovered and the rate of abnormal ECG detected among surveyed population was 14.08% (368/2613). Out of 113 suspects who took X-ray, 57 cases had cardiomagaly. In 217 samples of hair, 228 samples of wheat, 214 samples of corn and 190 samples of sweet potato that were collected, the Se contents were determined by fluorescence. The average Se content in hair, wheat,corn and sweet potato were (0.406±0.090), (0.026±0.009), (0.023±0.010), (0.024±0.006)mg/kg respectively. Conclusions Current condition of KD in Shandong Province remains relatively stable. Se content was increased in the hair, nearly achieving the level in normal areas, but remains low in food.

OBJECTIVEThis study was aimed at evaluating and comparing the quality of life in patients who underwent laparoscopic and open cholecystectomy for chronic cholecystolithiasis.

METHODSThe study included 25 patients with laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC group) and 26 with open cholecystectomy (OC group). The quality of life was measured with the Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index (GLQI) preoperatively, thereafter regularly at 2, 5, 10 and 16 weeks after the operation.

RESULTSThe mean preoperative overall GLQI scores were 112.5 and 110.3 in LC and OC group respectively (P>0.05). In the LC group, the mean overall GLQI score reduced slightly to 110.0 two weeks after the operation (P>0.05). The LC group showed significant improvement in overall score and in the aspects of symptomatology, emotional and physiological status from 5 to 16 weeks postoperatively. In the OC group, the GLQI score reduced to 102.0 two weeks after surgery (P<0.05). Significant reductions were shown in the aspects of symptomatology, physiological and social status. The GLQI scores returned to the preoperative level of 115.6 ten weeks after the operation (P>0.05). The patients experienced significant improvements of GLQI sixteen weeks after OC operation (P<0.01~0.05). Within the 10 postoperative weeks, the LC group had significantly higher GLQI scores than the OC group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSLC can improve the quality of life postoperatively better and more rapidly than OC. The assessment of quality of life assessment is a valid method for measuring the effects of surgical treatment.

Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Cholecystectomy ; statistics & numerical data ; Cholecystolithiasis ; epidemiology ; surgery ; Comorbidity ; Female ; Health Status ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; statistics & numerical data ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pain, Postoperative ; epidemiology ; Patient Satisfaction ; Postcholecystectomy Syndrome ; epidemiology ; Quality Assurance, Health Care ; methods ; Quality of Life ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo explore the influence of verbal working memory load on associative neural networks.

METHODSTwenty-one subjects were required to complete a verbal delayed matching-to-sample task under the condition of low (3 items) or high (5 items) working memory load (WML). The 19-channels event-related potentials (ERP) were analyzed with statistical parametric mapping.

RESULTSA significant difference in working memory capacity (WMC) was found between low WML and high WML groups [2.48∓0.30 vs 3.30∓0.76; t(20)=5.950, P=0.000]. Statistical parametric mapping revealed that during the encoding stage, the effects of WML appeared in succession in the right ventral attention network (rVAN), the dorsal attention network, and the language areas in the left hemisprere. During the maintenance stage, the effects WML occured in the rVAN acompanied by either DAN or left frontal-temporal regions. CONCLUSIONS;onclusions When the WML is beyond the WMC, the rVAN may participate in the prevention of interference among items and in the activation of long-term memory.

Attention ; Evoked Potentials ; Frontal Lobe ; physiology ; Humans ; Memory, Short-Term ; Spatio-Temporal Analysis

OBJECTIVETo investigate the contribution of latent membrane protein (LMP)1 to nasopharyngeal carcinogenesis via Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway.

METHODSThe recombinant plasmid pHA2-LMP1 was constructed; immunofluorescence staining, Dual-Luciferase Reporter Assay, Western blot and immunohistochemistry staining were used to study the effect of LMP1 on the transcriptional activity and expression of β-catenin.

RESULTS(1) Abnormal expression of β-catenin was obtained in 38 cases (50.7%, 38/75), LMP1 expression was obtained in 38 cases (50.7%, 38/75). There was significantly positive correlation between LMP1 expression and abnormal expression of β-catenin in nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissue (P = 0.008). (2) The expression of β-catenin in nuclei of NPC cell line CNE1 and CNE2 transfected with pHA2-LMP1 plasmid dramatically increased, and the expression was remarkable in poorly-differentiated NPC cell line CNE2 than that of well-differentiated CNE1 cells. (3) LMP1 expression dramatically increased the transcriptional activity of β-catenin in CNE1 and CNE2 cells transfected with pHA2-LMP1 and was in a time-dependent. The transcriptional activity of β-catenin was higher in poorly-defferentiated cell line CNE2 than that of well-differentiated NPC cell line CNE1. (4) LMP1 expression did not affect the total protein expression level of β-catenin in both CNE1 and CNE2 cell lines.

CONCLUSIONEB virus-encoded LMP1 may be involved in the pathogenesis of NPC via β-catenin signal pathway.

Adult ; Aged ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Plasmids ; Recombinant Proteins ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; Transcriptional Activation ; Transfection ; Viral Matrix Proteins ; metabolism ; Wnt Proteins ; metabolism ; Young Adult ; beta Catenin ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo explore the neural dynamics during alternating task switching.

METHODSIn an alternating-runs paradigm, 23 healthy volunteers were asked to categorize Arabic numerals displayed on the screen into either even or odd numbers or judge if the number was greater than 5 according its color cues. The color of the numerals were regularly switched every three trials (switch, nested and pre-switch trials). ANOVA of repeated-measure and paired t-test were used for analysis of the behavioral performance and event-related potential (ERP) data of 19 channels, and statistical parametric mapping of F and t values was used to reveal the spatiotemporal patterns of ERP.

RESULTSSignificant switch costs (switch versus nested trial) were found in the mean reaction time (123.61∓83.84 ms, P<0.05) and the mean accuracy [(1.24∓3.30)%, P<0.05]. Statistical parametric mapping of t value of ERP suggested that the switch effects appeared in the right frontal-parietal network and then in the left one. The preparation effects appeared in the right frontal pole followed by the left one, both accompanied by the activation of the posterior regions.

CONCLUSIONSCognitive flexibility depends on the dynamic activation of the fronto-parietal network. The frontal poles are involved in the pre-switch preparatory process, the dorsal frontal areas are related with the actual switch process, and the left and right frontal regions play different roles.

Objective: This study was aimed at evaluating and comparing the quality of life in patients who underwent laparoscopic and open cholecystectomy for chronic cholecystolithiasis. Methods: The study included 25 patients with laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC group) and 26 with open cholecystectomy (OC group). The quality of life was measured with the Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index (GLQI) preoperatively, thereafter regularly at 2, 5, 10 and 16 weeks after the operation. Results:The mean preoperative overall GLQI scores were 112.5 and 110.3 in LC and OC group respectively (P>0.05). In the LC group, the mean overall GLQI score reduced slightly to 110.0 two weeks after the operation (P>0.05). The LC group showed significant improvement in overall score and in the aspects of symptomatology, emotional and physiological status from 5 to 16 weeks postoperatively. In the OC group, the GLQI score reduced to 102.0 two weeks after surgery (P<0.05). Significant reductions were shown in the aspects of symptomatology, physiological and social starus. The GLQI scores returned to the preoperative level of 115.6 ten weeks after the operation (P>0.05). The patients experienced significant improvements of GLQI sixteen weeks after OC operation (P<0.01～0.05). Within the 10 postoperative weeks, the LC group had significantly higher GLQI scores than the OC group (P<0.05). Conclusions: LC can improve the quality of life postoperatively better and more rapidly than OC. The assessment of quality of life assessment is a valid method for measuring the effects of surgical treatment.