Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Leg ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Magnetic Field Therapy ; methods ; Male ; Myositis Ossificans ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; therapy ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Acupuncture Therapy ; Endophthalmitis ; etiology ; therapy ; Facial Paralysis ; complications ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

Antibacterial therapy is a global health issue. The antibiotic resistance is becoming an increasingly serious threat, which caused by misuse and overuse of antibacterial agents combined with the emergence of new resistance mechanism. The resulting infection treatment risk and incidence of the spread of disease, severe cases and deaths are increased in different degrees. With the extensive application of biomaterials and nanotechnology to biomedicine, extensive research has been conducted on antibacterial infection. With the specific physicochemical properties like optical, electric and magnetic and high penetration, inorganic nanomaterials can produce natural antibacterial effect. Nanomedicine can be designed to allow controlled drug release and targeting effect, thus demonstrated better antibacterial efficiency. In this review, the mechanism of antibacterial resistance is described, and the antibacterial infection research on inorganic nanomaterials, as well as nano-drug delivery system including liposomes, nanoparticles, dendrimers and biomimetic nanocarriers are summarized. Nanomaterials and nanotechnology offer promising strategies for the development of new agents that can improve efficacy on antibacterial infections and overcome antibiotic resistance potentially.

?AIM:To compare the changes of the contrast sensitivity after LASIK with femtosecond laser and microkeratome and to explore the influence of different methods making corneal flap on visual quality.? METHODS: There were 212 eyes in 106 myopes underwent excimer operation . According to the different methods of operation, they were divided into two groups:microkeratome group ( SBK group ) and femtosecond laser group ( FS group) . FS group: a total of 112 eyes in 56 patients received LASIK with femtosecond laser. SBK group: a total of 100 eyes in 50 patients received LASIK with microkeratome. Contrast sensitivity was detected preoperatively, and 1wk, 3mo postoperatively and compared between the two groups.? RESULTS: At 1wk after operation, the contrast sensitivity under photopic environment decreased in the two groups, compared with those before operation ( P<0. 05). The differences of contrast sensitivity before and 3mo after operation were not significant (P>0. 05). No statistical significant difference was found in contrast sensitivity under photopic environment at 1wk, 3mo between the two groups ( P>0. 05 ). At 1wk after the operation, the contrast sensitivity under scotopic environment decreased in both groups compared with those before operation ( P< 0. 05 ). In SBK group, it decreased more than in FS group (P<0. 05). After 3mo, the decline of 14. 2c/d spatial frequency contrast sensitivity under scotopic environment in the SBK group was more than other frequency. No statistical significant difference was found in the rest frequency contrast sensitivity under scotopic environment before and after operation (P>0. 05). After 1wk, contrast sensitivity with glare stimulation in both groups decreased, compared with those before operation ( P< 0. 05 ), while in SBK group, it decreased more than in FS group (P<0. 05). After 3mo, except that the decline of 14. 2c/d spatial frequency contrast sensitivity with glare stimulation in the SBK group was significant compared with those before operation, the contrast sensitivity under glare stimulation in both groups had no significant differences compared with before operation(P>0. 05).?CONCLUSION:LASIK with femtosecond laser can get a better visual quality than LASIK with microkeratome.

Content-based medical image retrieval has become a hot research topic due to the rapid increase of image database. In this paper, we present a method of medical images retrieval, based on texture analysis with Haar wavelet transform. Meanwhile, its effectiveness is compared with the method of retrieval based on co-occurrence matrix. A prototype system is implemented and the experiments show that the method has a much better effect.
Algorithms ; Computer Simulation ; Database Management Systems ; Image Enhancement ; methods ; Information Storage and Retrieval ; methods ; Numerical Analysis, Computer-Assisted ; Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted ; methods ; Radiology Information Systems

OBJECTIVETo explore the association of T1270533G polymorphism in the glutathione S-transferase M1 (GSTM1) gene with the susceptibility to nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and clinical phenotype of NPC in Chinese population. METHDOS: The genomic DNAs were obtained from 27 Chinese subjects, and the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in all the exons and relevant intron-exon boundaries of GSTM1 were determined by PCR and direct sequencing. A case-control study was performed to analyze the SNP site T1270533G (the rare allele frequency is 22.2% in Chinese population) in the coding region by means of tetra-primer amplification refractory mutation system-polymerase chain reaction (ARMS-PCR) and sequencing.

RESULTSequence analysis identified 29 SNPs in GSTM1 gene, among which 13 SNPs presented high linkage disequilibrium with each other. No obvious relations were found between the variation in the coding region T1270533G and the clinical phenotype of NPC (RR=0.170, 95% CI =0.95-0.306 for TT homozygotes).

CONCLUSIONThe missense mutation in the coding region T1270533G of GSTM1 gene that causes an amino acid change does not affect the detoxification function of GSTM1, and the T1270533G polymorphism does not have apparent relations to NPC susceptibility in Chinese subjects in Guangdong Province.

Adult ; Aged ; Base Sequence ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; genetics ; China ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; genetics ; Glutathione Transferase ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the dynamic distribution of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBM-MSCs) in mdx mice.

METHODSTwenty-four 8-10-week-old immunocompromised mdx mice were transplanted with 1 x 10(7) passage 5 hBM-MSCs labeled with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) by means of injection into the tail vein. The mice were euthanized 48 hours and 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24 weeks after transplantation. BrdU-positive cells in tissue and organs of the mice were detected by immunofluorescence analysis. Skeletal muscle was stained for anti-human nuclei mouse monoclonal antibody (anti-Hu) and analyzed for human dystrophin (Dys) expression by immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTSAfter transplantation, BrdU-positive cells were found in most organs (especially in bone marrow, liver, and lung) within 4 weeks, and these cells in liver and lung decreased gradually after 4 weeks. At 48 hours after transplantation, BrdU-positive cells were found in bone marrow, which reached a peak level after 2 weeks and were still detectable after 16 weeks. BrdU-positive cells in skeletal muscle increased gradually over time of transplantation. A small number of anti-Hu positive cells were detected in skeletal muscle 2 weeks after transplantation. A small number of Dys positive cell were seldom found at 4 weeks and small Dys mRNA expression detected 4 weeks after transplantation. The proportion of anti-Hu in parallel with Dys positive cells and Dys mRNA in skeletal muscle of mdx mice increased gradually over time of transplantation.

CONCLUSIONAfter being transplanted into mdx mice, hBM-MSCs are mainly distributed in bone marrow, liver, and lung during the early time (2-4 weeks) , and then in bone marrow and skeletal muscle (after 4 weeks).

Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; Dystrophin ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Immunocompromised Host ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation ; methods ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred mdx ; Muscle, Skeletal ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVETo investigate serum level and gene polymorphisms of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9), and platelet glycoprotein VI (GPVI) in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

METHODSIn a prospective study of 179 patients with documented ACS and 164 controls, we measured baseline serum MMP-9 levels using ELISA and determined the MMP-9/C-1562T and MMP-9/G5564A genotypes using PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Fib serum level was measured by Clauss assay. We also analyzed the Fib/Bbeta-148C/T and GPVI/T13254C polymorphisms.

RESULTSSerum levels of MMP-9 and Fib in ACS patients were significantly higher than in controls (P < 0.001), and serum level of Fib in the acute myocardial infarction group was higher than in patients with unstable angina (P < 0.05). No significant difference between ACS patients and controls was found in frequencies of MMP-9/C-1562T, MMP-9/G5564A, Fib/Bbeta-148C/T, and GPVI/T13254C genotypes and alleles (P > 0.05). The T allele of the Fib/Bbeta-148T polymorphism was associated with increased plasma Fib level (P < 0.05). There was a strong positive correlation between serum level of MMP-9 and Fib (r = 0.289, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSerum levels of MMP-9 and Fib were independent risk factors of ACS. There was an obvious relationship between the Bbeta-148C/T mutation and high Fib level. No significant difference between controls and ACS patients was found in the frequencies of MMP-9 C-1562T and G5564A, Fib Bbeta-148C/T and GPVI T13254C genotypes and alleles (P > 0.05).

Acute Coronary Syndrome ; genetics ; Adult ; Aged ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; blood ; genetics ; Middle Aged ; Platelet Membrane Glycoproteins ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

Objective To study the proliferation of in vitro cultured mouse chondrocytes exposed to different doses of fluoride.Methods The third generation of primary cultured chondrocytes were exposed to the concentrations of 0,5,10,20,40 mg/L fluoride for 10 days to observe the morphological changes under light microscope and electron microscope to counter the numbers of ehondrocytes and proliferating rote with the growth curve and MTT.Results After exposed to fluoride for 10 days,the proliferation was present in the chondrocytes of the 5,10,20 mg/L groups,and shrinked chromatine and apoptosed ehondrocytes were seen in 40 mg/L group.The absorbance was not significantly different between all groups(F=2.313,P＞0.05);after exposed to fluoride for 48 and 72 hours,there was a significant difference of proliferating ability among 0 mg/L(the contr01)group[(23.5±4.6)%,(29.9±1.7)%],5 mg/L group[(34.6±4.7)%,(45.3±5.9)%],10 mg/L group[(39.9±4.8)%.(56.8±5.5)%],20 mg/L group[(31.8±4.1)%,(38.3±6.5)%]and 40 mg/L group[(28.3±4.3)%,(33.4±4.8)%](F=11.401,25.671,P＜0.05).There wss a significant difference compared with the control group(P＜0.05)with that of 5 and 10 mg/L groups higher than that of 40 mg/L groups(P＜0.05).Conclusions Lower doses of fluoride improve the proliferation of in vitro mouse chondrocyte in a short exposing time,higher doses result in the opposite.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVEAt present, although appropriate radiotherapy and combined treatments are widely used for the patients with primary nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), local or regional recurrence rates are still high. According to clinical performance, pathology, and diagnostic imaging of the patients with the first recurrence of NPC, this study analyzed the clinical features of recurrent NPC to provide a reference for tracking the rules of recurrence after the treatment of patients with NPC.

METHODSClinical data of 337 patients diagnosed with recurrent NPC for the first time were collected. The diagnoses were based on pathology and/or imaging and the patients were treated at the Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center between January 1999 and December 2004. Data used for statistical analysis included clinical performance during the patient visit, the extension of the invasion as shown on imaging, pathologic features, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) serology, restaging, etc.

RESULTSPatients were staged according to the system developed by the International Union Against Cancer (UICC) and the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) in 2002. Patients with diseases at stages I/II accounted for 25.2%, while those with stage III/IV accounted for 74.8%. The median interval of relapse was 25 months. Patients had local recurrence (69.4%), regional recurrence (4.5%), or both (26.1%). Epistaxis and headache were the most common symptoms. Abduct dysfunction and facial numbness induced by cranial nerve damage were the most common signs. The probability of invasion of structures adjacent to the nasopharynx, such as the oropharynx, the prestyloid space, and the carotid sheath area, was low in patients with recurrent NPC. By contrast, the probability of invasion of structures far from the nasopharynx, such as the base of the skull, the paranasal sinuses, cranial nerves, the cavernous sinus, the brain, the pterygopalatine fossa, the infratemporal fossa, the orbital apex, and the soft palate, was higher in recurrent NPC.

CONCLUSIONSThe most common interval of relapse is about 2 years. The relapsed disease is usually more widespread and located deeper. Most recurrent NPC is advanced disease.

Adult ; Aged ; Antigens, Viral ; blood ; Bone Neoplasms ; secondary ; Capsid Proteins ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A ; blood ; Lung Neoplasms ; secondary ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; blood ; pathology ; virology ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; pathology ; Neoplasm Staging ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult