BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that amniotic epithelial cells (AECs) express almost all of the markers of neural cell and secret a lot of neurotrophic factors and neurotransmitters. If AECs could substitute neural cells, its neurotrophic effect will bring promising prospect in treating neuron injuries and degenerative neural disease.OBJECTIVE: To detect specific proteins of neural cells in rat's cultured AECs.DESIGN: Repeated measurement design.SETTING: Second Clinical Medical College , Jilin University; Department of Histology & Embryology, School of Basic Medical Science, Jilin University.MATERIALS: This experiment was conducted at the Department of Histology & Embryology, School of Basic Medical Science, Jilin University from October 2004 to October 2005. The rat amniotic epithelial tissue was mechanically peeled from an embryonic 12 to 14days Wistar rats. Mouse anti Nestin was purchased from Chemicon Co.,and anti-ChAT rabbit anti-NSE and anti-NT-3 antibodies from Wuhan Boshide Company. Mouse anti-Musashi antibody was donated by Pro.Okano.METHODS: AECs were dissociated and purified from the amnion of pregnancy 12-14 day rats. AECs were treated with trypsin for 5 minutes,then cultured in DMEM/F12 medium at a humidified atmosphere of 0.05 volume fraction of CO2 in air at 37 ℃. Cells were inoculated at a concentration of 5×109 cells/L in culture flask. After 3 days, cells were inoculated onto poly-lysine-treated 35 mm culture Petri dish at a density of 1 × 108 cells/L for immunocytochemically staining. The cells were fixed with 40 g/L paraformaldehyde for 20 minutes. Immunocytochemical staining method was used to detect the expression of microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP-2),neuron specific enolase(NSE), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and choline acetyl transferase(ChAT).MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ① Morphological observation of rat'AECs at different culture time. ② Expression of specific protein of neural cells in rat' cultured AECs.RESULTS: ① After cultured for 24 hours, the AECs were flat and presented fibroblast-like morphology. 3 to 5 days later, cell bodies were well stacked; AECs had a big and round nucleus and were connected with each other by flourishing dendrites. ② Immunocytochemical staining results after culture for 4 days showed that AECs expressed Nestin, ChAT,NSE, Musashi, MAP-2, GFAP.CONCLUSION: AECs are homologous to neural cells in morphology, and it may be a new cell source to treat nervous system disease.

Objective To explore the relationship and clinical significance between the serum levels of oxidized low density lipoprotein (Ox-LDL) and soluble P-selectin (SP-S),and carotid atherosclerosis (CA) in metabolic syndrome (MS) patients.Methods In 103 cases of MS patients and 44 healthy subjects (control group),in MS patients with 3 MS diagnostic criteria for the low risk group (51 cases),with ≥ 4 MS diagnostic criteria for high risk group (52 cases).Carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaque was measured by color Doppler ultrasound,serum Ox-LDL,SP-S was determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay,and pearson regression analysis of linear correlation and classification of two non condition Logistic was performed.Results The serum levels of Ox-LDL,SP-S,carotid artery IMT in low risk group and high risk group were higher than those in control group [(36.42 ±7.17) μg/L and (54.44± 8.10) μg/Lvs.(30.08±7.15) μg/L,(71.46± 12.52) μ g/Land (89.33±20.28) μg/Lvs.(49.95 ± 12.49) μ g/L,(0.86 ± 0.11) mm and (1.00 ± 0.10) mm vs.(0.69 ± 0.11) mm],the difference was statistically significant (P ＜ 0.01).The incidence of plaque in high-risk group and low-risk group was significantly higher than that in control group [55.8％ (29/52) and 45.1％ (23/51) vs.15.9％ (7/44)],the difference was statistically significant (P ＜ 0.01).Linear correlation analysis results of Pearson display,Ox-LDL was positively correlated with SP-S (P ＜0.01).Conclusion Serum Ox-LDL and SP-S are independent risk factor for carotid atherosclerosis in MS patients,they can evaluate progression of carotid atherosclerosis in patients with MS.

Brucella ; isolation & purification ; Brucellosis ; epidemiology ; China ; epidemiology ; Humans

BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that amniotic epithelial cells (AECs) express almost all the markers of neural cell and secrete biologically active neurotrophins such as brain derived neurotrophin factor (BDNF) and neurotrophin-3 (NT3).If AECs can substitute neural cells, its neurotrophic effect will bring expansive prospect in treating spinal cord injuries and degenerative neural disease.OBJECTIVE: To observe the survival, migration and secretory function of AECs after transplanted into the injured spinal cord.DESIGN: An observational experiment.SETTING: Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Science, Jilin University.MATERIALS: Embryonic rat of 12-14 days (n =1) and adult Wistar rats (n =18, 300-350 g) were provided by the Experimental Animal Center of Jilin University. Immunohistochemical reagents: Mouse anti-rat BrdU monoclonal antibody was bought from Sigma Company. Rabbit anti-rat NT3 polyclonal antibody and rabbit anti-rat BDNF polyclonal antibody were bought from Boster Company. SP immunohistochemistry reagents were purchased from Maixin Company.METHODS: The experiment was made in the Department of Histology and Embryology, Basic Medical Science of Jilin University from July to October 2005. ① Wistar rats were anesthetized by intraperitoneal injection of chloral hydrate, subcutaneous tissue and muscle were separated, spinous process and lamina of vertebra were removed by bone ribbing rongeur. to expose the spinal cord. The spinal cords were clamped at the twelfth thoracic vertebra (T12) for 3 minutes.After surgery, the wounds were smeared with penicillin G, then muscle and skin were sutured. The rats were anesthetized by inhaling ether if necessary. ② Obtaining and culture of AECs: Amniotic membrane was peeled from the placenta of a pregnant Wistar rat of 12-14 days. The amnictic membrane was dissected into small pieces of 1 mm×1 mm×1 mm, then digested and cultured, and mechanically made into single cell suspension, finally plated in bottles. ③ Transplantation of AECs into injured spinal cord: The initial wound was slit and injected with 5 μL Brdu labeled AECs (1×1012 L-1) to the exposed injured spinal cord at 3.0 mm anterior to the injured site. The injections were made at a rate of 5 μL per 3 minutes with a microsyringe. The syringe was slowly pulled out after 5 minutes, then muscle and skin were sutured. ④ Sampling and immunohistochemical analysis: Three animals were sacrificed at 1 week and the other three at 2 weeks postoperatively. The sections were fixed with 40 g/L paraformaldehyde in phosphate buffer solution (PBS) for 20 minutes at room temperature, followed by incubation with primary antibodies at 4 ℃ overnight. The samples were treated with secondary antibodies, biotinylated anti-mouse or rabbit immunoglobulin (IgG) at 37 ℃ for 20 minutes; Followed by incubation of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) labeled third antibodies at 37 ℃ for 20 minutes, then stained with 0.2 g/L diaminobenzidine (DAB) or AEC.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Survival, migration and expression of AECs after transplanted into the injured spinal cord. RESULTS: After transplantation, most of the AECs gather beneath the pia mater of injured spinal cord at 1 week. But they migrated more extensively and many positive nuclear cells (brown) were observed in the center cannel and surrounding gray mater. Meantime, it was also detected that the transplanted AECs could express NT3 (positive cells stained as red) and BDNF in the injured spinal cord.CONCLUSION: AECs could survive for at least 3W after transplanted into the injured spinal cord of adult rats and could migrate widely; Furthermore, they could secrete neurotrophic factors such as NT-3 and BDNF.

Objective: To study the different ischemic characteristics of cerebral gray matter and deep white matter in patients with chronic cerebral artery severe stenosis or occlusion. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 30 patients with chronic unilateral cerebral artery severe stenosis or occlusion from April 2014 to April 2018 in our hospital. Cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral blood volume (CBV), mean transit time (MTT), time of peak time (TTP) and time to delay(TTD) of cerebral cortex gray matter and deep white matter in the blood supply area of the responsible artery (the affected side) and the contralateral hemisphere (the healthy side) were measured. Statistical analysis of the perfusion parameters of cerebral cortex gray matter and deep white matter in the affected side and contralateral side were performed using SPSS13.0 software package. T test was used for variance homogeneity, and t′ test was used for variance discrepancy, and P<0.05 was statistically significant. Results: The average values of CBF and CBV of the ipsilateral and contralateral cerebral cortex were increased than those of ipsilateral and contralateral cerebral deep white matter respectively(P<0.01). MTT, TTP and TTD of the ipsilateral and contralateral cerebral cortex were decreased than that of ipsilateral and contralateral cerebral deep white matter (P<0.01); CBF of ipsilateral cerebral cortex and CBV of ipsilateral cerebral deep white matter were not different from those of the contralateral cerebral cortex and deep white matter respectively, but CBF of ipsilateral cerebral deep white matter is decreased than that of the contralateral deep white matter (P<0.01). CBV of ipsilateral cerebral cortex is increased than that of the contralateral cerebral cortex (P<0.01). MTT, TTP and TTD of ipsilateral cerebral cortex and deep white matter were increased than those of contralateral cerebral cortex and deep white matter respectively(P<0.01). Conclusion Deep cerebral white matter perfusion decreased more significantly than cortical gray matter in the supply region of chronic cerebral artery severe stenosis or occlusion. CT perfusion imaging can quantify the degree of chronic cerebral ischemia and can provide quantitative diagnostic information for clinical treatment and efficacy evaluation.

Objective:To explore the evaluation value of serum levels of positive pentameric protein 3 (PTX3) and creatine kinase isoenzyme MB (CK-MB) on volume load in patients with chronic decompensated heart failure (CDHF).Methods:A total of 300 CDHF patients who visited the Xingtai Central Hospital from July 2019 to July 2022 were selected and divided into a capacity overload group ( n=182) and a non capacity overload group ( n=118) based on their capacity balance level. Two clinical data sets were compared and analyzed. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the evaluation value of serum PTX3 and CK-MB levels on the volume load of CDHF patients. The clinical disease characteristics of the two groups of patients were analyzed using univariate analysis, and the influencing factors of volume load of CDHF patients were analyzed using logistic regression. A column chart model was constructed and validated. Results:The body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose (FBG), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA 1c), C-reactive protein (CRP), uric acid (UA), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) of patients in the capacity overload group were higher than those in the non-capacity overload group, and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). The PTX3, CK-MB, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP), and CVP levels of patients in the capacity overload group were higher than those in the non-capacity overload group, while albumin, hemoglobin, and hematocrit were lower than those in the non-capacity overload group, and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). The ROC curve showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of PTX3 and CK-MB for predicting capacity overload in CDHF patients are 0.795 and 0.718, with sensitivity of 86.2% and 83.7%, specificity of 65.4% and 68.6%, respectively, indicating high predictive accuracy; The AUC of the two joint predictions is 0.817, the sensitivity was 92.5%, and the specificity was 70.6%. The prediction accuracy was higher than PTX3 ( Z=3.812, P<0.05) and CK-MB ( Z=3.365, P<0.05). PTX3, CK-MB, albumin, hemoglobin, hematocrit, PCWP, and central venous pressure (CVP) were all influencing factors of volume load status in CDHF patients (all P<0.05). The column chart risk prediction model established based on these factors had high accuracy and strong applicability in clinical treatment. Conclusions:Serum PTX3 and CK-MB levels are influencing factors for volume overload in CDHF patients. A column chart model constructed in combination with indicators such as albumin, hemoglobin, hematocrit, PCWP, and CVP has high predictive value for the volume overload status of CDHF.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility, safety and effectiveness of malleostapedotomy based on malleus-oval window technique in otosclerosis with malleus/incus mobility disorder. METHOD: Six cases with malleostapedotomy on stapes footplate fixation accompanied by malleus/incus movements disorder from March 2005 to March 2007 were analyzed retrospectively, when totally 78 cases of conventional stapes surgeries were performed on isolated otosclerosis . The surgical procedures, intraoperative findings and postoperative vertigo as well as pure tone gain were discussed. RESULT: All of the 6 cases showed stapes footplate fixation. Both abnormal incudomalleolar joint and incudostapedial joint were found in 2 cases. It was suspected that previous inflammation resulted in yellowish mucosa, ossicular malformation and stiffness. The third one showed local tympanosclerosis in the attic. In another 2 cases, idiopathic malleus head fixation related to the anterior and superior mallear ligament abnormal were presented while a surgical incudomalleolar joint dislocation prior to the observation happened in the last one. Among these 6 cases, there was no 4.0 Hz notch and postoperative vertigo which needs a further care. Postoperative air-bone gap on 0.5 kHz, 1.0 kHz, 2.0 kHz, 4.0 kHz averaged less than 10 dB. All the patients had been followed up for 3 months. CONCLUSION Malleostapedotomy based on malleus-oval window technique is a safe and effective procedure available for otosclerosis with malleus/incus movement disorder from different origins.
Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Incus ; surgery ; Male ; Malleus ; surgery ; Middle Aged ; Otosclerosis ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Stapes Surgery ; methods ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To study the different ischemic characteristics of cerebral gray matter and deep white matter in patients with chronic cerebral artery severe stenosis or occlusion. Methods A retrospective study was conducted on 30 patients with chronic unilateral cerebral artery severe stenosis or occlusion from April 2014 to April 2018 in our hospital. Cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral blood volume (CBV), mean transit time (MTT), time of peak time (TTP) and time to delay(TTD) of cerebral cortex gray matter and deep white matter in the blood supply area of the responsible artery (the affected side) and the contralateral hemisphere (the healthy side) were measured. Statistical analysis of the perfusion parameters of cerebral cortex gray matter and deep white matter in the affected side and contralateral side were performed using SPSS13.0 software package. T test was used for variance homogeneity, and t′test was used for variance discrepancy, and P<0.05 was statistically significant. Results The average values of CBF and CBV of the ipsilateral and contralateral cerebral cortex were increased than those of ipsilateral and contralateral cerebral deep white matter respectively(P<0.01). MTT, TTP and TTD of the ipsilateral and contralateral cerebral cortex were decreased than that of ipsilateral and contralateral cerebral deep white matter (P<0.01); CBF of ipsilateral cerebral cortex and CBV of ipsilateral cerebral deep white matter were not different from those of the contralateral cerebral cortex and deep white matter respectively, but CBF of ipsilateral cerebral deep white matter is decreased than that of the contralateral deep white matter (P<0.01). CBV of ipsilateral cerebral cortex is increased than that of the contralateral cerebral cortex (P<0.01). MTT, TTP and TTD of ipsilateral cerebral cortex and deep white matter were increased than those of contralateral cerebral cortex and deep white matter respectively(P<0.01). Conclusion Deep cerebral white matter perfusion decreased more significantly than cortical gray matter in the supply region of chronic cerebral artery severe stenosis or occlusion. CT perfusion imaging can quantify the degree of chronic cerebral ischemia and can provide quantitative diagnostic information for clinical treatment and efficacy evaluation.

Objective To explore the effect of noninvasive ventilation (NIV) with helmet or facial mask on clinical efficacy, tolerability, and prognosis in patients with acute respiratory failure. Methods Fifty patients with acute respiratory failure according to the inclusion criteria were recruited from January 2018 to July 2018 in Emergency Intensive Care Unit of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University. Included patients were randomly allocated into the helmet group or facial mask group. Based on conventional drug therapy, pressure support mode was performed with the interface of the helmet or facial mask. Oxygenation index, arterial carbon dioxide partial pressure, and respiratory rates were measured before and after the treatment, and the data were compared and analyzed by the repeated measures ANOVA. Tolerance score, complication rate, tracheal intubation rate, and mortality rate were recorded at each observation time point of the two groups. Results The oxygenation index before NIV, at 4 h and at the end of NIV treatment of the helmet group were significantly increased from (160.29±50.32) mmHg to (249.29±83.47) mmHg and (259.24±87.09) mmHg; the oxygenation index of the facial mask group were increased from (168.63±38.63) mmHg to (225.00±74.96) mmHg and (217.69±77.80) mmHg, and there was no significant difference within the two groups (P <0.05). The respiratory rates before NIV, at 4 h and at the end of NIV treatment of the helmet group were obviously decreased from (27.60±7.64) breaths/min to (17.92±4.55) breaths/min and (16.88±3.90) breaths/min; the respiratory rates of the facial mask group were decreased from (24.68±6.14) breaths/min to (20.36±4.25) breaths/min and (19.68±3.34) breaths/min, and the differences within the two groups were statistically significant (P <0.05). However, there were no significant differences on oxygenation index and respiratory rates between the helmet group and facial mask group (P >0.05). Patients in the helmet was better tolerated than those in the facial mask group [ratio of good tolerance 96％ (24/25) vs 56％ (14/25) (P = 0.001) and fully tolerance 80％ (20/25) vs 36％ (9/25) (P =0.002)] and had less complications (1/25 vs 10/25, P = 0.002). 84％ patients in the helmet group and 76％ patients in the facial mask group were successfully weaned and discharged after NIV treatment (P =0.480). Conclusions Similar clinical efficacy in improving blood gas exchange and relieving dyspnea were observed in the helmet group and the facial mask group in patients with acute respiratory failure. However, the helmet is better tolerant, and had lower complication rate, which is especially suitable for patients with chest trauma combined with facial injuries.

Background/Aims: Existing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) prediction models are derived mainly from pretreatment or early on-treatment parameters. We reassessed the dynamic changes in the performance of 17 HCC models in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) during long-term antiviral therapy (AVT). Methods: Among 987 CHB patients administered long-term entecavir therapy, 660 patients had 8 years of follow-up data. Model scores were calculated using on-treatment values at 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5, and 5 years of AVT to predict threeyear HCC occurrence. Model performance was assessed with the area under the receiver operating curve (AUROC). The original model cutoffs to distinguish different levels of HCC risk were evaluated by the log-rank test. Results: The AUROCs of the 17 HCC models varied from 0.51 to 0.78 when using on-treatment scores from years 2.5 to 5. Models with a cirrhosis variable showed numerically higher AUROCs (pooled at 0.65–0.73 for treated, untreated, or mixed treatment models) than models without (treated or mixed models: 0.61–0.68; untreated models: 0.51–0.59). Stratification into low, intermediate, and high-risk levels using the original cutoff values could no longer reflect the true HCC incidence using scores after 3.5 years of AVT for models without cirrhosis and after 4 years of AVT for models with cirrhosis. Conclusions The performance of existing HCC prediction models, especially models without the cirrhosis variable, decreased in CHB patients on long-term AVT. The optimization of existing models or the development of novel models for better HCC prediction during long-term AVT is warranted.