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 determine the ability of adhering and invading to host cells and the related pathologic changes of Leptospira spp. with different virulence.

METHODSA special Fontana silver staining method was developed to observe the ability of L.interrogans serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae serovar lai strain 56601 and serogroup Pomona serovar pomona strain 56608, and L.biflexa serogroup Samaranga serovar patoc strain Patoc I to adhere Vero and J774A.1 cells. Ultrastructural lesions of the infected cells were examined by electron microscopy. By using flow cytometry with fluorescein labeling of FITC-Annexin V/PI,apoptosis and necrosis of the Vero and J774A.1 cells induced by the leptospiral strains before and after inactivation with ultraviolet treatment were detected, respectively.

RESULTSThe adhering rates of L.interrogans strains 56601 and 56608 to the Vero cells were 24.2% and 22.9% (P>0.05), while to the J774A.1 cells were 49.0% and 46.9% (P>0.05), respectively. L.biflexa strain Patoc I did not adhere to these two host cells. After the two strains of L.interrogans invaded two different cell lines, the special phagosomes containing the Leptospira were formed and similar cell ultrastructural lesions, such as chromatilysis and chromatin condensation, vacuolar degeneration, mitochondrion swelling and mitochondrial crista disappearance, and endoplasmic reticulum swelling and paramembranous ribosome disappearance, were observed. The apoptosis rates in the Vero cells caused by the L.interrogans strains 56601 and 56608 before and after ultraviolet inactivation were 84.4%, 82.8% and 77.9%, 86.1%, respectively. The L.interrogans strain 56601 mainly induced the terminal apoptosis in Vero cells with the rates of 68.0% and 52.9% before or after inactivation, while the L.interrogans strain 56608 mainly induced the early apoptosis in Vero cells with apoptosis rates of 64.1% and 50.1% before or after inactivation. In the J774A.1 cells, the L.interrogans strain 56608 caused cell necrosis (before and after inactivation) and apoptosis that was dominated by terminal apoptosis.

CONCLUSIONThe established Fontana silver staining method can be used to observe adhesion of L.interrogans.L.interrogans can invade host cells through endocytosis which causes untrastructural lesions. The necrosis or apoptosis induced by L.interrogans are affected by different host cell lines but not the virulence of L.interrogans strains.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; physiology ; Cell Adhesion ; Cells, Cultured ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; Endocytosis ; Humans ; Leptospira interrogans ; classification ; pathogenicity ; Macrophages ; microbiology ; ultrastructure ; Serotyping ; Vero Cells ; Virulence

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the association of cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) + 49A/G polymorphism with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in children.

METHODSPapers about the association of CTLA4+49A/G polymorphism with T1DM in children were collected by searching PubMed, EBSCO, CBM, CNKI, and Wanfang Data. A meta-analysis was performed to examine differences in the genotypes (AG, GG, and GG+AG) and G allele at position 49 of the CTLA-4 gene between a childhood T1DM group and a control group.

RESULTSA total of 10 papers involving 1084 T1DM children and 1338 healthy children were included. The Meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the association of the genotypes (AG, GG, and GG+AG) and the G allele at position 49 of the CTLA-4 gene with T1DM using a fixed effect model according to the heterogeneity test results of all studies. The pooled OR values (95% CI) were 1.13 (0.97-1.33), 1.42 (1.16-1.75), 1.20 (1.03-1.40), and 1.21 (1.09-1.33), suggesting a significant difference in genotypes (AG, GG, and GG+AG) and the G allele at position 49 of the CTLA-4 gene between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONSCTLA-4 +49A/G polymorphism is associated with T1DM in children.

CTLA-4 Antigen ; genetics ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 ; genetics ; Genotype ; Humans ; Polymorphism, Genetic

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 investigate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics of ovarian carcinosarcoma and the diagnostic value of MRI.

METHODSThe MRI features of ovarian carcinosarcoma and clinical data of 5 patients with ovarian carcinosarcoma were reviewed. All the lesions were confirmed by surgery and pathological examination.

RESULTSMRI of ovarian carcinosarcoma in the 5 cases all showed large tumor mass and heterogeneous high-intensity on T2-weighted images and low-intensity on T1-weighted images, with laminar or stripe-like enhancement. Hemorrhage and necrosis were also displayed in some lesions. In two cases, the tumors invaded the greater omentum, sigmoid colon and the body of the uterus, with regional lymph node involvement. Pelvic effusion was observed in all the cases with pelvic hematocele in 1 case.

CONCLUSIONMRI is useful in the detection and staging of ovarian carcinosarcoma.

Aged ; Carcinosarcoma ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Aged ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between the stages of calcification of the third molar and age among children in Chengdu.

METHODSThe study subjects consisted of children between 2009 and 2011 at the Department of Orthodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University. Panoramic radiographs were obtained. The stages of calcification of the third molar were analyzed by Demirjian's method. The development of the third molar between the male and female was evaluated by independent samples t-test analysis. The Spearman rank correlation was applied to analyze the stages of calcification of the third molar and chronological age.

RESULTSThe development of the third molar of the male was different from that of the female at stage A of calcification of the third molar(P=0.026). The Spearman rank correlation coefficient revealed highly significant relationships between the stages of calcification of the third molar and chronological age of the three groups (male, r=0.808, P=0.000; female, r= 0.729, P=0.000; all, r=0.760, P=0.000). Furthermore, the linear regression equations were established as follows: Yall= 4.898+2.036X: Ymale=4.987+2.046X; Yfemale=4.819+2.036X.

CONCLUSIONThe stages of calcification of the third molar may be an available indicator in judging chronological age of teenager.

Adolescent ; Age Determination by Teeth ; China ; Female ; Hospitals ; Humans ; Male ; Molar, Third ; Oral Medicine ; Radiography, Panoramic ; Universities

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.