Objective：To explore the difference in creative thinking and the related factors between deaf children and normal children.Methods：Observation group(n=122)with the hearing disability students were selected from 4 special education schools.Control group(n=122)was come from 2 ordinary primary schools and 2 ordinary middle schools.The two groups were given both the New Creativity Test and the Combined Raven's Test.Results：(1)Deaf children got lower scores than normal children in verbal fluency[(7.76±0.75)vs.(12.98±0.59),P<0.001],verbal flexibility[(4.28±0.33)vs.(7.87±0.28),P<0.001],verbal originality [(7.16±0.89)vs.(11.35±0.72),P<0.001],figural flexibility[(9.69±0.35)vs.(11.10±0.31),P=0.003]and IQ[(101.05±1.196)vs.(105.01±1.102),P=0.030].Deaf children got higher scores than normal children in figural elaboration[(3.24±0.40)vs.(1.96±0.22),P=0.006].There was no significant difference in fluency and originality of figural task between the two groups.(2)Deaf children's scores of verbal fluency and verbal originality were positively correlated with their age(β=0.310,0.301;Ps<0.01).Deaf children's scores of verbal flexibility were positively correlated with length of bilingual education(β=0.308,P<0.001).Deaf children's scores of figural fluency,figural flexibility,figural originalityand figural elaboration were correlated positively with their age of sign language(β=0.321,0.308,0.228,0.456;Ps<0.05).Conclusions:(1)Deaf children are lower than normal children in verbal fluency,verbal flexibility,verbal originality,figural flexibility,and are higher in figural elaboration.There is no difference in figural fluency and originality between them.(2)Sign language is a major related factor to deaf children's figural creative thinking.

Objective To observe whether the expression of interferon-regulatory factor genes are re- lated to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).Methods The clinical data of 45 SLE patients and 37 normal controls were collected.Total RNA of peripheral blood was extracted and transcripted into cDNA.Sybr green dye based real-time quantitative PCR method was used to compare the expression (indicated as-??Ct value) of IRFI,IRF4,IRF8 in patients with SLE and those in the controls.Results The levels of IRF1,IRF4 and IRF8 mRNA were-3.90?0.19,-8.04?0.25 and 3.60?0.15 respectively in normal controls.In SLE patients, IRF4 mRNA expression was -8.82?0.18,higher than that in normal (P=0.011).But IRF8 mRNA expression was 3.09?0.13,lower than that in normal (P=0.012).Conclusion Abnormal IRF mRNA expression is found in the peripheral blood of SLE patients.IRFs may play roles in the pathogenesis of SLE by affecting the differen- tiation of Th cells.

OBJECTIVETo establish a guinea pig model of tympanosclerosis and investigate the development and progression of tympanosclerosis in the tympanic membranes and middle ear mucosa.

METHODSTwenty-one healthy guinea pigs were subjected inoculation of 1x10(8)/L Staphylococcus aureus into the left middle ear cavities under general anaesthesia, with the right ears as the control, to establish models of chronic purulent otitis media. The animals were sacrificed by decapitation after 1, 3 and 6 months after model establishment for histological examination of the middle ear mucosa.

RESULTSThe histological changes of tympanosclerosis occurred in some of the animals 3 months after model establishment, and the extent of calcium deposition and fibrosis across the mucosa were positively correlated with the duration of chronic purulent otitis media.

CONCLUSIONTympanosclerosis may occur in some guinea pigs after inoculation of Staphylococcus aureus into the middle ear cavity, and this model can be useful for study of tympanosclerosis.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Ear, Middle ; microbiology ; pathology ; Guinea Pigs ; Otitis Media with Effusion ; microbiology ; pathology ; Sclerosis ; microbiology ; pathology ; Staphylococcal Infections ; pathology ; Tympanic Membrane ; microbiology ; pathology

Adenoids ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Radiographic Image Enhancement ; methods ; Tomography, Spiral Computed ; methods

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of ossicular reconstruction with partial ossicular replacement prosthesis (PORP) in patients with tympanosclerosis.

METHODSThe data of 28 cases of tympanosclerosis treated between 1992 and 2006 were reviewed. Of the 28 patients, 14 (14 ears) underwent ossicular reconstruction with PORP and 14 (14 ears) had ossicular mobilization, and all the patients were followed-up for 3-24 months.

RESULTSSignificant improvement was found in postoperative speech frequency (500, 1000, 2000 Hz) pure tone average (PTA) and air-bone gap (ABG) closure after in the operation the two groups. Ossicular reconstruction using PORP resulted in statistically better ABG closure and PTA (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONIn ossicular attic fixation, ossicular reconstruction using PORP can yield better results than mobilization of the major ossicles in patients with tympanosclerosis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Ceramics ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ossicular Prosthesis ; Otosclerosis ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Stapes Mobilization ; Tympanic Membrane ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo conduct audiological assessment in patients with tympanosclerosis.

METHODSA retrospective review was conducted in 79 patients with tympanosclerosis (involving 79 ears) with complete records, including 30 patients (30 ears) with fixed Malleus-incus complex, 29 (29 ears) with fixed stapes, and 20 (20 ears) with fixations of both the stapes footplate and the Malleus-incus complex. Audiometry was performed for all the patients one or two days before operation, and the audiological features of the patients were compared between the 3 groups.

RESULTSMost of the patients (65.8%) suffered conductive hearing loss, 32.9% had mixed deafness, and one patient had sensorineural hearing loss. No statistically significant differences was noted in the speech frequency (0.5, 1, and 2 kHz) air conduction pure tone average (PTA) or the air-bone gap (ABG) in the 3 groups (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONMost of the patients with tympanosclerosis suffer conductive hearing loss, and the severity of hearing loss is not associated with the site of tympanosclerosis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Audiometry ; methods ; Deafness ; physiopathology ; Ear Diseases ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Female ; Hearing Loss, Conductive ; physiopathology ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Sclerosis ; Tympanic Membrane ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of electro-acupuncture (EA) on the expression of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cell (TREM)l in ankle joint synovial tissue of acute gouty arthritis (AGA) rats.

METHODSForty male SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: normal, AGA, medication and EA group, 10 rats in each group. AGA model was established by induced monosodium urate (MSU) method, except the normal group. Tow days before AGA model was established, normal and AGA groups were lavaged with normal saline (20 ml/kg), medication group was lavaged with colchicine solution (20 ml/kg), EA(1.5-2 Hz, D.-D.wave, 9v; 1-3 rnA) was applied to "Sanyinjiao" (SP6), "jiexi" (ST41) and "Kunlun" (BL60) for 20 min, once daily;continuously for 9 days. Then observed the changes in dysfunction, and the content of TNF-α and IL-lβ detected by ELISA, the expression of TREM-l detected by immunohistochemistry and western blot.

RESULTSCompared to the normal group, the AGA group of the dysfunction index increased significantly (P<0.01), the content of TNF-α and IL-lβ increased significantly (P<0.05), the expression of TREM-l in synovial tissue increased significantly (P<0.05); the medication and EA groups compared to the AGA group, the dysfunction index decreased significantly (P<0.01), the content of TNF-α and IL-lβ decreased significantly (P<0.05), the expression of TREM-l in synovial tissue decreased significantly (P<0.05); there were not statistically significant between the medication and EA group (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONEA treating AGA may be through down-regulating the expression of TREM -1 in synovial tissue.

Animals ; Ankle Joint ; metabolism ; pathology ; Arthritis, Gouty ; metabolism ; therapy ; Electroacupuncture ; Interleukin-1beta ; metabolism ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Immunologic ; metabolism ; Synovial Membrane ; metabolism ; Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cells-1 ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo compare the effects of small fenestra stapedotomy with semiconductor diode laser and microdrill in patients with otosclerosis.

METHODSTwenty-six patients (29 ears) undergoing stapedotomy with semiconductor diode laser and 19 patients (21 ears) with microdrill were compared for the hearing results and complication rates.

RESULTSNo statistically significant differences were found in postoperative speech frequency and high frequency pure tone average in closing the air-bone gap between the two groups. The ears treated by stapedotomy with semiconductor diode laser showed significantly better preoperative minus the postoperative air-bone gap and milder dizziness.

CONCLUSIONIn spite of the good hearing outcomes in both groups, small fenestra stapedotomy with semiconductor diodelaser can achieve better results and reduce the incidence of complications.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Fenestration, Labyrinth ; methods ; Hearing Tests ; Humans ; Lasers, Semiconductor ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Otosclerosis ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Stapes Surgery ; instrumentation ; methods ; Young Adult

Objective:To prepare,purify the recombinant proteins of HSP70-like protein 1 (HSPTOL1) with a large fragment of chicken ovalbumin (OVA),and to investigate the bio-function of the fusion protein,providing a basis for fur- ther study of the effect and the mechanism of HSPTOL1 as an adjuvant.Methods:The vector containing HSP70L1 cDNA and large fragment of OVA was constructed.The expression of OVA-HSP70L1 fusion protein was induced and the products were purified from inclusion bodies by His-Trap metal chelation chromatography and DEAE ion-exchange chromatography. The bio-activity of the fusion protein was examined by detecting its ability to activate dendritic ceils and to promote the se- cretion of cytokines.Results:The vector was successfully constructed and the molecular weight of the fused OVA- HSPTOL1 protein (with a purity of over 95%) was 68 000.The fusion protein effectively promoted the maturation of den- dritic cells and the production of cytokines such as interleukin-12 and tumor necrosis factor-?.Conclusion:HSPTOL1 may be an effective adjuvant in the fusion protein and it may also promote antigen specific Thl type i mmol/Luno-respon- ses.

Flavonol synthase (FLS) is one of the key enzymes in flavonoids metabolic pathways. In this study, middle sequence was obtained from Carthamus tinctorius transcriptome sequencing results. Full-length cDNAs of FLS was cloned from petals of C. tinctorius to FLS by using RT-PCR and RACE technology. Its full-length cDNA was 1,201 bp, with an open reading frame of 1,101 bp and 336 encoded amino acids. The phylogenetic analysis showed that, FLS gene encoded amino acids in C. tinctorius were highly homologous with amino acids in congeneric Compositae species, especially Rudbeckia laciniata. The pBASTA-FLS plant expression vector was successfully built by the molecular biology method, which lays a foundation for further studying biology functions of the gene and biosynthesis mechanism of flavonoids.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Base Sequence ; Carthamus tinctorius ; classification ; enzymology ; genetics ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA, Complementary ; genetics ; metabolism ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Open Reading Frames ; Oxidoreductases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Phylogeny ; Plant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism