OBJECTIVETo develop a novel scaffolding method for the copolymers poly lactide-co-glycolide acid (PLGA) to construct a three-dimensional (3-D) scaffold and explore its biocompatibility through culturing Schwann cells (SCs) on it.

METHODSThe 3-D scaffolds were made by means of melt spinning, extension and weaving. The queueing discipline of the micro-channels were observed under a scanning electronic microscope (SEM).The sizes of the micropores and the factors of porosity were also measured. Sciatic nerves were harvested from 3-day-old Sprague Dawley (SD) rats for culture of SCs. SCs were separated, purified, and then implanted on PLGA scaffolds, gelatin sponge and poly-L-lysine (PLL)-coated tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS) were used as biomaterial and cell-supportive controls, respectively. The effect of PLGA on the adherence, proliferation and apoptosis of SCs were examined in vitro in comparison with gelatin sponge and TCPS.

RESULTSThe micro-channels arrayed in parallel manners, and the pore sizes of the channels were uniform. No significant difference was found in the activity of Schwann cells cultured on PLGA and those on TCPS (P larger than 0.05), and the DNA of PLGA scaffolds was not damaged.

CONCLUSIONThe 3-D scaffolds developed in this study have excellent structure and biocompatibility, which may be taken as a novel scaffold candidate for nerve-tissue engineering.

Animals ; Biocompatible Materials ; Cell Adhesion ; Cell Proliferation ; Cell Separation ; Cells, Cultured ; Lactic Acid ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Polyglycolic Acid ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Schwann Cells ; cytology ; Tissue Engineering ; methods ; Tissue Scaffolds

OBJECTIVETo investigate the prognostic value of a modified WPSS based on routine laboratory parameters in Chinese patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS).

METHODSOne hundred and sixty four adult MDS patients were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTSThe median follow-up time was 19 (1-138) months and the median survival (MS) was 36 months. 2-year prospective survival (PS) was 60% and 5-year PS was 42%. In patients with very low-risk, low-risk, intermediate-risk, high-risk and very high-risk stratified by WPSS, 2-year PS was 100%, 96%, 81%, 38% and 14%, and 5-year PS was 100%, 83%, 54%, 20% and 0, respectively (P<0.01). Among parameters of laboratory routine examination, elevated mean cell volume (MCV), mean cell hemoglobin (MCH), neutrophil alkaline phosphatase (N-ALP) index and nucleated RBC PAS negative were good prognostic factors, while reduced Hb, BPC and bone marrow elevated blasts, dysplasia more than 1 lineage, and lymphocyte-like micromegakaryocyte (MEGly) as well as elevated serum LDH were poor prognostic factors in uni-variable analysis. Among them, MCV, MEGly and blast had independent prognostic significance in multi-variable analysis (P = 0.011, 0.013 and 0.016, respectively). WPSS was modified by omitting chromosomal karyotype and transfusion dependence and adding MCV and MEGly. In patients with low-risk, intermediate-risk and high-risk stratified by modified WPSS, 2-year PS was 94%, 68% and 49%, respectively; and 5-year PS was 86%, 53% and 14%, respectively (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe modified WPSS worked well for prognostic prediction in Chinese patients with MDS.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes ; diagnosis ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the features and prognostic significance of chromosomal karyotype in patients with primary myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS).

METHODSResults of chromosomal karyotypes of 351 adult patients with primary MDS were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTSTwo hundred and thirty-seven cases (67.5%) had karyotypic abnormalities. Of them, 99 (41.7%) were numerical, 70 (29.5%) were structural, and 68 (28.8%) were complex abnormalities. In addition, among the 237 patients with chromosomal abnormalities, 130 (54.8%) showed single abnormality, 54 (22.8%) double abnormalities and 53 (22.4%) complex abnormalities (> or = 3 two independent aberrations). Four cases (1.7%) were multiploid. Aneuploidy or of chromosomal arm anomaly were detected all of the 46 chromosomes and the aberrations in frequent order were +8, -20/20q-, -7/7q-, -5/5q-, -18, -11/11q-/, +21, -Y, -21, -10, -16, -22, +9, del(12)(p12). The incidence of -5/5q- (5.1%) was lower in our series than in western countries (8.7% -23.4%) and 5q- syndrome was even less (0.3%). The incidences of +8 (19.1%) and -20/20q- (9.4%) were higher in our series than in western countries (1.2% -7.0%, 2.0% -3.5%, respectively). Chromosome translocations were detected in 31 cases (13.1%), including 12 novel translocations that have not been reported in MDS patients before. In addition, i(17)(q10) was detected in 9 cases (3.8%) of which 6 were simplex abnormality. Chromosomal duplication presented in 7 cases (3.0%) with 4 cases involved chromosome 1. According to IPSS chromosomal prognostic classification, the incidence of poor-risk karyotypes was increased in the advanced WHO subtypes (P < 0.001). The follow-up data were available in 177 patients with a median follow-up duration of 14.5 (1-131) months. The median OS was 36 [95% confident interval (CI) 25-46] months. According to IPSS chromosomal prognostic classification, the median OS of patients with good, intermediate and poor-risk cytogenetic subgroup were 51 (95% CI 25-77), 35 (95% CI 5-65) and 13 (95% CI 9-17) months, respectively (P = 0.004) and for NN-AN-AA karyotype classification, the median OS of NN, AN and AA were 51 (95% CI 24-78), 36 (95% CI 0.3-71) and 23 (95% CI 10-35) months, respectively (P = 0.039).

CONCLUSIONThe features of chromosomal abnormalities in Chinese patients with primary MDS shows some difference from that in western countries. Karyotype analysis is of great importance to predict prognosis and to tailor individualized therapy for MDS.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Karyotyping ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes ; genetics ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Analysis ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo apply the WHO criteria and the minimal diagnostic criteria to the classification of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) with low percentage (< 0.050) bone marrow (BM) blasts.

METHODSTwo hundred and ten MDS patients with less than 0.050 BM blasts diagnosed between 1988 and 2005 according to FAB criteria were retrospectively reclassified with WHO criteria (2001) and minimal diagnostic criteria.

RESULTSAccording to the WHO criteria, 5 patients were diagnosed as refractory anemia (RA), 7 as refractory anemia with ringed sideroblasts (RARS), 76 as refractory cytopenia with multilineage dysplasia (RCMD), 9 as RCMD-RS, 35 as MDS-unclassified (MDS-U), 3 as 5q - syndromes, and the rest 75 patients could not be classified suitably. Among the latter 75 patients 16 BM smears showed dysplasia in more than 2 cell lineage but only unilineage cytopenia in peripheral blood (PB). Nine of them were reclassified as RCMD after followed up for more than half a year. Forty-four BM smears showed erythroid dysplasia only, but bicytopenia or pancytopenia in PB. Twenty-seven of them were classified as RCMD after follow-up. Fifteen BM smears not showed dysplasia in any myeloid lineage were reclassified as MDS (5 patients), HS-MDS (5 patients) and idiopathic cytopenia of uncertain significance (ICUS) (5 patients) according to the MDS minimal diagnostic criteria.

CONCLUSIONAccording to WHO criteria (2001), RA is the least diagnosis in MDS. The minimal diagnostic criteria for MDS classification of patients not fulfilled the standard criteria of MDS.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Anemia, Refractory ; etiology ; Bone Marrow ; pathology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes ; classification ; complications ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the clinical characteristics of pediatric hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), and to improve its understanding so as to reduce the misdiagnosis.

METHODSA retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 26 children with HFRS between January 2009 and December 2012.

RESULTSThe age of disease onset was mainly distributed between 7 and 14 years (23 cases, 88%), and the male-to-female ratio was 1.89:l. The clinical manifestations of pediatric HFRS varied. The early symptoms resembled those of a cold, and in the course of HFRS, most patients developed digestive symptoms such as vomiting and abdominal pain. The laboratory examinations usually implicated platelet changes, and the imaging examinations revealed polyserous effusions. The prominent complication was myocardial injury.

CONCLUSIONSPediatric HFRS mainly occurs in school-age children, more commonly in males. HFRS does not have typical clinical manifestations or symptoms, so it should be distinguished from cold or appendicitis at the early stage. When applying the fluid replacement therapy, the cardiac function should be carefully monitored in case of heart failure.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Fluid Therapy ; Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo describe the clinical and genetic characteristics of a Chinese family affected with optic atrophy 1 (OPA1).

METHODSLinkage analysis and DNA sequencing as well as PCR/restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis were performed to identify the disease-causing mutation.

RESULTSA missense mutation, G401D in the OPA1 gene was identified, and the patients demonstrate inherited syndrome of optic atrophy and hearing loss.

CONCLUSIONThe present study demonstrates that a mutation in the OPA1 gene can cause optic atrophy in Chinese patients, and supports the notion that OPA1 mutation may lead to OPA1 combined with hearing loss.

Adult ; Base Sequence ; Child ; China ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 3 ; genetics ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Family Health ; Female ; GTP Phosphohydrolases ; genetics ; Hearing Loss ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Optic Atrophy, Autosomal Dominant ; genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length