Objective To investigate incidence and related factors of dysphagia after fusion with an anterior cervical plate plus cage or a stand-alone cage (Zero-p cage) following anterior cervical discectomy procedure for treating multilevel cervical spondylotic myelopathy (MCSM).Methods From September 2008to September 2011,226 patients with MCSM underwent anterior cervical discectomy and fusion using an anterior cervical plate plus cage (118 patients,P&C group) or a stand-alone cage (108 patients,Zero-p group).Neurological function was evaluated by Japan orthopedic association (JOA) scores before and after operation.Cervical X-rays were taken to assess the graft fusion,internal fixation related complications and the thickness of the prevertebral soft tissue.The Bazaz dysphagia score and Swallowing Quality of Life questionnaire were used to assess the incidence and degree of dysphagia.Results The average follow-up time was 2.4years (range,1.0 to 3.5 years).The incidence of dysphagia was 41.53％ in P&C group,while 33.33％ in Zero-p group at 2 days after operation.The thickness of the prevertebral soft tissue in P&C group was significantly thicker than that in Zero-p group at 2 days and 2 months after surgery.In Zero-p group,the incidence of dysphagia was 43.1％ in patients who underwent operation from C3 to C6,while 22％ in patients who underwent operation from C4 to C7.Conclusion Dysphagia is common after multilevel anterior cervical discectomy and fusion.The choice of implants and the extent of operation are important influencing factors of postoperative dysphagia.The use of stand-alone cage can decrease the incidence of dysphagia.The operation at higher levels has a higher incidence of dysphagia.

Objective To increase externally-assigned response, improve energy response of CR39 and develop positive fast/thermal neutron personal dosimeter applicable for occupational exposure in oil and gas field logging by using pre-recoil layer.Methods The externally-assigned response of CR39 detector was improved through increasing the track density by using the α particle induced by the reaction of 10B(n,α) 7Li with the BN as pre-recoil layer, and the increase was vilified by using both Monte-Carlo simulation and experiment exposed by standard neutron source.Results Fast/thermal neutron personal dosimeter's neutron flux sensitivity and neutron dose equivalent sensitivity were 3.46 × 10-4 track per 0.013 and 52.8 mSv.According to theoretical derivation and experiment of standard 241 Am-Be neutron source, detecting efficiency and energy response of CR39 were effectively improved, and quantitative measurement of dose contributed by thermal neutron was realized.Conclusions CR39 fast/thermal neutron personal dosimeter of high sensitivity is applicable to oil and gas field logging environment and of potential development.

Bioimprinting is a new developed technique to improve the characteristics of enzymes.Bioimprinting by lauric acid was conducted to improve the esterification activity of lipase PS in sol-gel immobilization process with methyltrimethoxysila(MTMS) and tetramethoxysila(TMOS) as the precursors.Results generated by checking the esterification activity and scanning electron microscope showed that bioimprinting can enhance the specific activity and thermal stability of lipase PS.The bioimprinting system was optimized by orthogonal experiment,and the optimal condition for lipase bioimprinting is water/silane molar ration(R) 12,polyethylene glycol(PEG) 120?l,and lauric acid 0.15 mmol.Compared with the free enzyme and the non-imprinted enzymes,the specific activity of imprinted enzymes has been improved 44.3 fold and 2.4 fold,respectively.Imprinted lipase show better thermal stability,and the relative activity is 58% after incubated in 80 ℃ for 0.5 h,while no activity was detected for the free enzyme.

Objective To explore the feasibility of constructing tissue engineered porcine corneal stroma with skin fibroblasts in vivo.Methods Skin fibroblasts were isolated from embryonic porcine,cultured and expanded in vitro.Cells were labeled with green fluorescence protein(GFP) gene by retro-viral infection.Cells at passage 3 were seeded on polyglycolic acid(PGA) non-woven fibers to form a cell-scaffold complex.The complexes were then implanted into porcines' corneal stroma after culturing in vitro for 1 week.Engineered stroma was observed continuously and harvested after 8 weeks for gross and histological evaluation.PGA with corneal stromal cells was served as control. Results The engineered tissue in the stroma gradually became transparent over a period of 8 weeks,showing no difference with the control group.Histologically,the engineered stromal lamellar was relatively regular and similar to the control.The implanted cells were confirmed by GFP expression under fluorescent microscope.By transmission electron microscopy examination, no significant difference in the diameter of collagen fiber was observed between the engineered stroma and normal stroma. Conclusion Tissue engineered corneal stroma may be formed with skin fibroblasts in porcine corneal microenvironment.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Xinfeng Capsule (XFC) on ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients' symptoms and signs, serum immunoglobulin levels, peripheral blood lymphocyte autophagy protein, autophagy gene, and to explore its mechanism.

METHODSTotally 59 AS patients were assigned to the treatment group (39 cases) and the control group (20 cases) according to random digit table. Patients in the treatment group received XFC, 0.5 g each pill, three pills each time, 3 times per day, while those in the control group received sulfasalazine (SASP), 0.25 g per tablet, 4 tablets each time, twice per day. Three months consisted of one therapeutic course. Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) and Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI) were statistically calculated. Serum immunoglobulins (IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, IgG4, IgA , SIgA, and IgM) were detected using ELISA. Changes of Beclin1, LC3-II, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), Akt, the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) were detected using Western blot. Serum autophagy related genes such as Atg1, Atg5, Atg12, Atg13, and Atg17 were detected using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The correlation between immunoglobulin subtypes and autophagy gene in AS patients using Spearman correlation.

RESULTSCompared with before treatment, BASDAI, IgG1, lgG3, and IgA decreased (P < 0.01); PI3K, Akt, and mTOR protein expressions decreased (P < 0.01); ATG1, ATG12, ATG13, and ATG17 mRNA expressions decreased, ATG5 mRNA expression increased (P < 0.01) in the treatment group. But BASDAI, IgG1, and IgA levels decreased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01); PI3K, Akt, and mTOR protein expressions decreased (P < 0.05); ATG1 and ATG13 mRNA expressions decreased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) in the control group. Compared with the control group, BASDAI, IgG1, and IgA levels decreased (P < 0.05); PI3K, Akt, mTOR protein expressions decreased (P < 0.01); ATG12 and ATG17 mRNA expression decreased, ATG5 mRNA expression increased (P < 0.01) in the XFC group. Correlation analysis showed AS patients' IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, IgA, SIgA, IgM had negative correlation with ATG17; IgG4 and ATG17 were positively correlated (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONXFC could elevate clinical efficacy of AS patients and enhance their autophagy, which might be achieved by acting on PI3K/Akt/mTOR signal, affecting autophagy gene and autophagy protein expression, taking part in the regulation of proliferation and differentiation of lymphocyte B, and strengthen humoral immunity.

Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins ; metabolism ; Autophagy ; drug effects ; Beclin-1 ; Capsules ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A ; blood ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; Immunoglobulin M ; blood ; Lymphocytes ; drug effects ; Membrane Proteins ; metabolism ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases ; metabolism ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing ; drug therapy ; Sulfasalazine ; therapeutic use ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases ; metabolism

Aged ; Carcinoma, Small Cell ; genetics ; Case-Control Studies ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1 ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

The aim of semen cryopreservation research is to elevate the proportion of competent spermatozoa after thawing. By means of molecular biology, the research of spermatozoa injury during cryopreservation reaches molecular level. In each stage of cryopreservation, there exists its own optimal condition for cooling. Cryopreservation medium still need to be improved. Men should pay more attention to the field of spermatozoa function. Assisted reproductive technology (ART) has a close relationship with the technology of semen cryopreservation. The latter's development will improve the former.
Animals ; Cryopreservation ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Reproductive Techniques, Assisted ; Semen Preservation ; methods

Recently, novel Psidium meroterpenoids were reported in the guava leaves. According to careful analysis of the spectral data of literatures, the spectroscopic characteristics and biosynthetic pathway of Psidium meroterpenoids were summarized in this paper. The results showed that Psidium meroterpenoids had distinct spectroscopic features and reasonable biosynthetic routines, however the number order of carbon atoms was not consistent in the reported literatures. It was concluded that Psidium meroterpenoids were the characteristic chemical constituents of Psidium guajava Linn.
Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Psidium ; chemistry ; Spectrum Analysis ; Terpenes ; chemistry

Objective To investigate the value of three-dimensional speckle tracking imaging (3D-STI) in assessment of left ventricular (LV) strains. Methods Thirty healthy young adults examined by two-dimensional speckle tracking imaging (2D-STI) and 3D-STI. And the results of LV measurements were compared, which included mean peak systolic longitudinal strains, radial strains and circumferential strains. Also, the time consumption of these two methods was compared. Results The time needed for 3D-STI in acquisition and analysis of the images were (309.3±23.4)s, (305.5±11.2)s, while the time for 2D-STI were (490.6±14.4)s, (1261.4±39.9)s. The differences were signiifcant(t=-21.81, 69.94, both P<0.01). The global mean peak systolic radial strains was (48.59±7.68)%by 3D-STI and (33.25±7.27)%by 2D-STI. The difference was signiifcant(t=9.16, P<0.01). The global mean peak systolic longitudinal and circumferential strains were (-17.66±3.14)%, (-17.13±2.29)% by 3D-STI and (-21.35±2.46)%, (-21.97±3.84)% by 2D-STI. The differences were signiifcant(t=5.33, 5.99, both P < 0.01). The 3D-STI strains were different at different levels of LV. The longitudinal, circumferential and radial 3D-STI strains were largest at middle levels. However, 2D-STI strains didn′ t show such trend. Peak strains measured by 3D-STI and 2D-STI showed high inter-observer and intra-observer agreement in Bland-Altman chart. Conclusion 3D-STI is a novel, convenient and reproducible method to evaluate the strains of LV.

Objective:To evaluate the application value of small IT knife pre-cut in assistance to duodenal papillary cannulation compared with conventional guidewire cannulation.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed on the data of 90 patients with choledocholithiasis including 52 patients with small IT knife pre-cut assisted intubation (small IT knife group) and 38 patients with conventional guidewire intubation (conventional group) in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) from May 2016 to July 2019 in the digestive endoscopy center of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital. The basic data, curative effect and complications of the two groups were collected and compared.Results:There was statistically significant difference in gender composition between the small IT knife group and the conventional group ( χ2=5.679, P=0.017), but no significant difference in other baseline data between the two groups (all P>0.05). The median intubation time of the small IT knife group was significantly shorter than that of the conventional group (141.5 s VS 270.0 s, Z=1 268.0, P=0.022). There were no significant differences in the success rate of intubation [98.1% (51/52) VS 94.7% (36/38), χ2=0.760, P=0.571], the incidence of intraoperative bleeding [15.4% (8/52) VS 7.9% (3/38), χ2=1.148, P=0.345], postoperative pancreatitis [5.8% (3/52) VS 7.9% (3/38), χ2=0.159, P=0.694], and postoperative cholangitis [1.9% (1/52) VS 5.3% (2/38), χ2=0.760, P=0.571] between the two groups. No perforation occurred in the two groups. After stratifying according to the operator′s proficiency, the median intubation time was significantly different between the small IT knife expert group and the conventional expert group (116.0 s VS 258.0 s, Z=276.0, P=0.038), while there was no significant difference in the intubation time among other groups (all P>0.05). Conclusion:The small IT knife is safe and effective to pre-cut and assist intubation in ERCP, and it may shorten the intubation time.