OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical efficacy of mouse nerve growth factor (NGF) in the treatment of sudden deafness. METHOD: A retrospective analysis was performed on 115 cases of hospitalized patients who were suffered from sudden deafness. Patients were divided into two groups according to treatment medicine. Control group: patients were treated with intravenous vasodilators, energy mixture, steroid pulse therapy, and methylcobalamin neurotrophic therapy. NGF group: intramuscular NGF treatment was added on the basis of conventional therapy mentioned above. Both treatments lasted 14 days, the total efficiency were compared. Patients were further divided into sub-groups according to age, duration and the level of pre-treatment PTA, and the treatment efficiency was further compared. By SPSS 11.0 statistical analysis, a P < 0.05 was considered as statistical significant difference. RESULT: (1) The total efficiency of NGF group was significantly higher than control group. (2) Regard of age, the efficiency of NGF treatment group was significantly higher than control group. (3) For the patients whose duration were less than 7 d, or the PTA < or = 60 dBHL, the efficiency of NGF group were significantly higher. For the patients whose duration were more than 7 d, or the PTA>60 dBHL, the efficiency of NGF therapy was not superior to the traditional treatment. CONCLUSION NGF can significantly improve the symptom of patients with short duration or low PTA. For this kind of patients, NGF adjuvant therapy should be recommended. For the patients with longer duration and higher level of PTA, NGF therapy is not advocated. NGF treatment should not be in consideration of the age.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nerve Growth Factor ; therapeutic use ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

Background Animal model of fungal keratitis is an available tool to the experimental study of the pathogenesis mechanism of fungal keratitis. Current modeling methods of fungal keratitis include corneal scratching, corneal stroma injection and corneal surface lens methods. But these methods still have their own shortages. Objective This experiment was to create a fungal keratitis animal model by modifying corneal surface lens method. Methods Modified animal models of fungal keratitis were created by modified corneal surface lens method in 12 general adult New Zealand white rabbits. The filter papers soaked 108 spores / ml or A106spores / ml of spergillus fumigatus suspension were attached on the de-epithelial cornea surface and fixed with contact lens and tarsorrhaphy for 2 days, and the filter paper with physiological saline was used as control group. The symptoms of anterior segment were examined under the slit lamp in 3 ,7 and 14 days after surgery and scored based on the criteria of Dong. Corneal scraping was stained with 10% potassium hydroxide and calcofluor white stain to observed mycelium under the fluorescence microscope. Corneal tissue sections were examined by hematoxylin-eosin staining and periodic acid Schiff staining under the light microscope. The use of animal followed the Standard of Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology. Results Fungal keratitis models were successfully established in 6 eyes and 4 eyes in 108 spores/ml group (6/6) and 106 spores/ml group respectively. The symptom was more severer and score was higher in the eyes of 108 spores/ml group than that in 106 spores/ml group. At 3 and 7 days after surgery,the symptom scores of fungal keratitis models were higher than those of control group from 3 through 7 days with the statistically significant difference (P<0. 01) and the symptom scores of 108 spores/ml group were significantly higher than those of 106 spores/ml group (P<0. 01). At 14 days after surgery, the symptom scores of 108 spores/ml group were still higher than those of control group (P<0. 05). Fungal hyphae was seen in the corneal scrapes in 108 spores/ml group and 106 spores/ml group respectively from 3 through 7 days after surgery. Inflammatory cell infiltration, stroma cells necrosis and fungal hyphae were presented in 108 spores/ml group, and the corneal neovascularization could be observed in 108 spores / ml group 14 days later. Fungal culture revealed the positive outcome in both 3 and 7 days after surgery in 108 spores/ml group,but in 106 spores/ml group,the positive result was only in the 3rd day. Conclusion Modified corneal surface lens method is more feasible and sample in the model of Aspergillus keratitis. This animal model of Aspergillus keratitis is practical for the further study of fungal keratitis.

Objective To retrospectively analyze the clinical features of elderly-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).Methods A total of 916 patients were enrolled in this retrospective study,and their clinical data were collected by the same methods in the past ten years (1999 2009) in fifteen hospitals in Jiangsu Province.Patients were divided into two groups based on the age of onset disease:control group and elderly group.The relationships between clinical features,immunology index and disease activity were analyzed in different age group.Results Among 916 SLE patients,24 patients were selected in the elderly onset SLE group,and 892 patients were considered as the control group.The ratio of male/female,mortality rate,the number of complications were higher in elderly onset SLE group than those in the control group (all P ＜ 0.05),and discoid rash,thrombocytopenia,elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) level,abnormality of serum albumin were found more common in elderly onset SLE group than in control group (all P＜0.05).The incidences of Malar rash and photosensitivity,antinuclear antibodies (ANA) positivity rate,anti-Sm antibodies positivity rate were lower in elderly onset SLE group than in control group (all P＜0.05).The time of final diagnosis,mean time of onset to death,positive family history,oral ulcers,arthritis,serositis,nervous involvement,musculoskeletal disorder,renal involvement,elevated serum creatinine (Scr) level,leucopenia,hemolytic anemia,elevated proteinurine,Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) levels,anti-dsDNA antibodies positivity rate,decreased complement C3 level,SLEDAl score had no significant differences between the two groups.Conclusions There were many differences in the clinical features between the elderly onset SLE patients and the controls,and the mortality rate is higher in the elderly onset SLE patients,which should be pay more attention to in clinical medcine.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical value of sentinel lymph node (SLN) detection in laryngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinoma patients with clinically negative neck (cN0) by methylene blue method, radiolabeled tracer method and combination of these two methods. METHOD: Thirty-three patients with cN0 laryngeal carcinoma and six patients with cN0 hypopharyngeal carcinoma underwent SLN detection using both of methylene blue and radiolabeled tracer method. All these patients were accepted received the injection of radioactive isotope 99 Tc(m)-sulfur colloid (SC) and methylene blue into the carcinoma before surgery, then all these patients underwent intraopertive lymphatic mapping with a handheld gamma-detecting probe and blue-dyed SLN. After the mapping of SLN, selected neck dissections and tumor resections were peformed. The results of SLN detection by radiolabeled tracer, dye and combination of both methods were compared. RESULT: The detection rate of SLN by radiolabeled tracer, methylene blue and combined method were 89.7%, 79.5%, 92.3% respectively. The number of detected SLN was significantly different between radiolabeled tracer method and combined method, and also between methylene blue method and combined method. The detection rate of methylene blue and radiolabeled tracer method were significantly different from combined method (P < 0.05). Nine patients were found to have lymph node metastasis by final pathological examination. The accuracy and negative rate of SLN detection of the combined method were 97.2% and 11.1%. CONCLUSION The combined method using radiolabeled tracer and methylene blue can improve the detection rate and accuracy of sentinel lymph node detection. Furthermore, sentinel lymph node detection can accurately represent the cervical lymph node status in cN0 laryngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinoma.
Carcinoma ; pathology ; secondary ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; pathology ; secondary ; Female ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; pathology ; secondary ; Humans ; Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms ; pathology ; Laryngeal Neoplasms ; Larynx ; Lymph Nodes ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Methylene Blue ; Neck Dissection ; Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck ; Staining and Labeling

Aim To study the effects of total saponins of Panax japonicus(TSPJ) on liver inflammation of natural aging rats.Methods The experimental rats were allocated into seven groups (twelve rats in each group): three months group, nine months group, fifteen months group, twenty-four months group, and TSPJ low-, mid-and high-dose groups(10, 30, 60 mg·kg-1).When the rats were eighteen months old, the TSPJ low-, mid-and high-dose groups of rats were given lavage treatments with TSPJ 10,30, 60 mg·kg-1 respectively until twenty-four months.During lavage, we stopped a day every week for six consecutive months.HE staining was used to observe the pathological morphological changes.Western blot was utilized to test IL-1β and TNF-α protein expressions.RT-PCR method was adopted to test IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12, IL-17α, TNF-α, IFN-γ mRNA expressions.Results HE staining observation showed that as the rats grew older the hepatic cord and sinusoid were arranged in more severe disorder, and the fat vacuole and inflammatory cells were increased significantly.While every dose group of TSPJ could improve these pathological changes distinctly.The IL-1β, TNF-α protein and IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12, IL-17α, TNF-α, IFN-γ mRNA expressions were increased gradually as the rats grew older, and every dose group of TSPJ could reduce their expressions to some extent.Conclusion TSPJ could protect the aging rat liver to some extent by inhibiting the liver inflammation.

The mammalian cell nucleus is highly structured and organized into various membrane-less nuclear compartments called nuclear bodies. Nuclear bodies are highly dynamic structures, with a variety of substances gathered inside to promote the more efficient conduct of certain biological reactions. It dynamically produces responses under different biological processes and stress conditions such as tumorigenesis, apoptosis, antiviral defense, and plays an important role in regulating cell homeostasis. Tumor is a major public health problem, and finding new targets is the key to tumor therapy. How the nuclear bodies are involved in the development of tumor has not been reported. This review aims to provide a new understanding of how the nuclear bodies regulates tumor progression and provide a new effective strategy for tumor prevention and treatment.

Phytoestrogens, which can bind with estrogen receptor and produce estrogen-like effects, are a kind of nonsteroidal compound in plant. Phytoestrogens chemically include isoflavones, coumarins, lignans and other compounds. Phytoestrogens are selective estrogen receptor modulator, and have therapeutical effects on breast cancer, prostate cancer, cardiovascular disease, menopausal symptoms, osteoporosis and other disease, however, do not produce stimulatory hyperplasia effects on uterus, mammary glands and other tissues and organs with positive estrogen receptor. Long-term exposure or excessive use of phytoestrogens maybe affects male reproductive system and hematopoietic function of fetus. Some questions need to be further studied, such as evaluation criteria on biological activity, adverse effects, and action mechanism of phytoestrogen. This review covers plant sources, chemical structure, pharmacological activity and safety of phytoestrogens. It will provide a useful reference for intensive research and rational utilization the phytoestrogens.
Animals ; Humans ; Phytoestrogens ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Phytotherapy ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry

ObjectiveTo evaluate the relationship between waist to stature ratio (WSR) and hypertension,diabetes,dyslipidemia in Qingdao. MethodsData were collected from a 2001 - 2007 Qingdao area diabetes survey,population-based cross-sectional study,and 30 712 Chinese adults aged ＞ 18 years old were enrolled.Correlation analysis of BMI,WSR,hip circumference,waist circumference,waist to hip ratio (WHR) with blood glucose,blood pressure,blood lipid were conducted.ROC curve analysis in diabetes,bypertension,dyslipidemia and multivariate logistic regression analysis were also conducted.ResultsAnthropometric indicators were related with hypertension,diabetes and dyslipidemia in both men and women.Comparing with other anthropometric indicators,WSR was found to have the largest area under the ROC curve and the best cut-off point of WSR was 0.52.Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that, after controlling age, disease history, physicalactivity, sex, thediabeteshypertension and dyslipidemia risk OR of WSR≥0.52 were largest.ConclusionsAnthropometric indicators intimately related with cardiovascular risk factors in Qingdao region,and may predict and evaluate the risk of cardiovascular disease.WSR may be the best index for predicting cardiovascular risk factors in Qingdao area.The optimal WSR cut off point for identifying cardiovascular risk factors clustering is 0.52.

Objective To investigate the prevalence of genes conferring aminoglycoside resistance in multidrug-resistant strains of Acinetobacter baumannii (MDR-ABA).Methods Multidrug-resistant A.baumannii strains were isolated during the period from August to November 2012 from patients in the affiliated hospital of Jiangsu University and the First Hospital of Zhen-jiang.Kirby-Bauer diffusion method was used to determine the susceptibility of these strains to antimicrobial agents.PCR was performed to detect the aminoglycoside resistance genes.Results The 36 MDR-ABA strains showed high resistance rates to most antimicrobial agents except cefoperazone-sulbactam.The prevalence of the genes conferring aminoglycoside resistance, aac (3)-I,aac (6’)-Ib,aph (3’)-I and armA,was 72.2% (26/36),72.2% (26/36),80.6% (29/36)and 80.6% (29/36), respectively.Conclusions The MDR-ABA strains in this study are highly resistant to antimicrobial agents,which is closely as-sociated with the genes conferring aminoglycoside resistance.

Objective: To explore the distribution features of microvolt T-wave alternation(MTWA) through exercise stress test (EST) in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients with MTWA changes after revascularization. Methods: MTWA was measured in pre-cordial ECG leads in 326 patients with suspected CAD. Based on coronary angiography and coronary CTA, the patients were divided into 4 groups: ① Control group, patients without coronary stenosis, n=101, ② Coronary stenosis<50％ group, n=99, ③ 50％ ≤ Coronary stenosis<70％ group, n=53 and ④ Coronary stenosis ≥ 70％ group, n=73; MTWA was compared among different groups. 95 patients with coronary stenosis ≥ 50％were further divided into 2 subgroups: R (right coronary)stenosis ≥ 50％ subgroup, n=23 and LAD (left anterior descending branch) stenosis ≥ 50％ subgroup, n=72; MTWA was respectively compared to Control group. In addition, MTWA was collected from 103 patients with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) as PCI group, MTWA was compared to Coronary stenosis ≥ 70％ group. Results: MTWA was obviously higher in Coronary stenosis ≥ 70％ group than the other 3 groups, all P<0.01. Compared with Control group, Rstenosis ≥ 50％ subgroup had increased MTWA in V4-V6 pre-cordial leads, P<0.05; LAD stenosis≥50％ subgroup had increased MTWA in V1-V2 pre-cordial leads, P<0.01. Compared with Coronary stenosis ≥ 70％group, PCI group showed reduced MTWA, P<0.01. Conclusion: CAD patients with severe coronary stenosis (≥70％) had increased MTWA; MTWA distribution in body surface was approximately corresponding to coronary stenosis site and PCI may decrease MTWA in CAD patients.