[ABSTRACT]OBJECTIVETo investigate the efficacy and the related complications of combinedpostauricular methylprednisolone injection and systemic therapy for profound idiopathic sudden hearing loss (ISSNHL). METHODSTotal of 60 patients with ISSNHLwho had received therapy from June 2014 to May 2015 in Beijing Anzhen Hospital affiliated to Capital University of Medical Science,were randomly divided into 2 groups,the systemic application group (30 patients): dexamethasone (DEX) was applied intravenously in dose of 10 mg×5 d, and the postauricular injection group (30 patients): methylprednisolone sodium suecinate was injected subperiosteally near the upper one-thirds of postauricular sulcus every day, 40 mg×5 d.All 60 patients received the same medications for 2 weeks to improve the hearing. Hearing and tympanic membrane were monitered before the injections and two weeks after the termination of injections. SPSS 16.0 software was used to analyze the data.RESULTSThe postauricular injection group: 23 of 30 ears had improvement of hearing. No related complications were reported. The systemic application group: 23 of 31 ears had improvement of hearing (P>0.05) No related complications were reported.CONCLUSIONCombined postauricular methylprednisolone injection and systemic medications therapy can be considered as is an effective therapy for profound idiopathic sudden hearing loss. It can avoid the side-effects of high dose systemic corticostemid treatment. For ISSNHL patients, postauricular methylprednisolone injection may be an appropriate treatment.

BACKGROUND:The residual alveolar ridge in edentulous patients with osteoporosis always presents with a poor shape,which increases the difficulty in complete denture restoration.Until now,there are no predictors for residual alveolar ridge resorption or guidelines on the frequency of denture relines.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the correlation between the frequency of complete denture relines and serum bone turnover markers,osteocalcin (OC) and cross-linked carboxy-terminal telopeptide of type Ⅰ collagen (CTX),in elderly edentulous patients with osteoporosis,in order to provide reference for complete denture repair.METHODS:According to inclusion criteria,50 elderly edentulous patients with osteoporosis who had complete dentures were recruited in the study randomly.The frequency of complete denture relines was surveyed by related questionnaire and medical record,and the serum OC and CTX levels were detected by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay.Related data were analyzed statistically via Pearson correlation analysis.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:It showed a strong positive correlation between the frequency of complete denture relines and the serum OC level (r=0.517,P ＜ 0.01).No significant correlation between relines frequency and the serum CTX level was observed (r=0.278,P=0.051 ＞ 0.05),but it showed a similar tendency between them.These findings indicate that to detect the levels of serum bone turnover markers may be conducive to evaluating curative effect of complete dentures in elderly edentulous patients with osteoporosis as well as to making subsequent diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

ObjectiveTo explore the efficacy and safety of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSC)in treatment of aplastic anemia(AA). MethodsTwenty-two patients with aplastic anemia were enrolled with median age of 31 (12-70) years old,including 11 severe aplastic anemia (SAA),and 3 of whom were cyclosporine and anti-thymocyte globulin-resistant. BMSC were isolated from bone marrow of healthy donors and cultured.The third to fifth generation cells were administered intravenously in 1×106/kg to patients once or twice a week.After infusion,complete blood count,bone marrow aspiration,bone marrow biopsy,flow cytometry analysis of lymphocyte subsets of CD3+ CD4+ and CD3+ CD8+ and clinical symptoms were involved in outcome measurement.ResultsAll patients finished 16-time median (5-83 times) infusions of BMSC with 13-month median (2-33 months) treatment course and 23-month median (2-34 months) follow-up.The total response rate was 72.7 ％(16/22), including one patient with essential cure, 9 with remission, 3 with remarkably improvement and 3 with transfusion interval extension.Two of three front-line immunosuppressiveresistant SAA patients achieved remission. Ten of 14 patients recovered from inverted ratio of CD4+/C8+ cells after BMSC treatment. There were no treatment-related side effects observed in the course of treatment.ConclusionBMSC are effective and safe for the treatment of AA in our preliminary study and they deserve further research with larger-scale and long-term clinical trials.

Membrane proteins are the main undertakers of biofilm function, and also the most important target group for innovative drug discovery and research. About 60% of drugs targets are membrane proteins. Due to the obvious aggregation and denaturation tendency of membrane proteins in aqueous solution, it is difficult to simulate the membrane like environment to maintain the correct conformation of membrane proteins in vitro, which results in the slower-growing research on the structure and function of membrane proteins and related ligand drugs than that of water-soluble proteins. Membrane protein stabilization technology is the premise of establishing high specificity, high sensitivity and high throughput drug screening methods for membrane protein ligands, which is of great significance. In this paper, some techniques for stable separation and purification of membrane proteins are reviewed, including detergents, artificial membranes, polymers, lentiviral particles and so on, as well as their specific applications in drug screening.

Brain Abscess ; surgery ; Epilepsy ; etiology ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; complications ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Recurrence

AIM:To investigate the effect of rhein on bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis and the expression of microRNA-21 (miR-21) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)/Smad signaling molecules in rats.METHODS:A single dose of bleomycin was intratracheal injected into the SD rats to induce pulmonary fibrosis .After injection of bleo-mycin, the rats were randomly divided into low-, medium-and high-dose rhein treatment groups and model group .The rats that were instilled with normal saline intratracheally served as control group .After the treatment for 28 d, the pulmonary pathologic changes were observed under microscope with hematoxylin-eosin staining .The lung coefficient and hydroxypro-line content were also measured .The expression of miR-21 and the mRNA levels of TGF-β1 and Smad7 in the lung tissues were detected by real-time PCR.The protein levels of TGF-β1 and Smad7 were determined by Western blot .RESULTS:Rhein significantly attenuated the experimental alveolitis , pulmonary fibrosis , lung coefficient and hydroxyproline contents in the rats.Rhein obviously decreased the expression of miR-21,and the mRNA and protein levels of TGF-β1, but signifi-cantly increased the mRNA and protein levels of Smad 7 in the lung tissues .CONCLUSION: Rhein effectively prevents bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis by inhibiting the expression of miR-21 and promoting the expression of Smad 7, thus regulating the TGF/Smad signaling pathway to decrease extracellular matrix deposition .

Objective To investigate the effects of hypoxia on the expression of Stat3 and p-Stat3 ,and assessed the apoptosis ability of JAR cells in vitro .Methods JAR cells were cultured under hypoxic conditions .Western blot were used to determine the protein expression of Stat3 and p-Stat3 .Cellular apoptosis was monitored by flow cytometry analysis .Results Abnormal morpholo-gy changes in trophoblast cells under low oxygen conditions .After 48 h hypoxic treatment ,the protein of Stat3 and p-Stat3 were significantly decreased(P< 0 .05) ;however ,the level of apoptosis was significantly increased (P < 0 .05) .Conclusion Stat3 and p-Stat3 protein levels were decreased under hypoxia circumstance ,while the cell apoptosis ability was increased in JAR cells .

Objective To investigate the efficacy of medial plantar flaps with cutaneous nerves on fixing palm skin defects for patients injured while working.Methods All cases with palm skin defects who received medial plantar flaps grafting from June 2003 to January 2013,were analyzed retrospectively.The data included 13 males and 10 females,with the mean age of 36 years old (range,18-61 years old).There were 16 cases with right hand injury and 7 cases with left,whose skin defects ranged from 3.6 cm×2.8 cm to 7.0 cru×5.5 cm.All cases had skin and soft tissue injury while 5 cases with vascular and nerve injury,3 cases with tendon involvement and being exposed,6 cases with open metacarpal fractures.15 patients were treated with emergency surgery within 8 hours after injury,while 8 patients were treated 10 days after debridement surgery.Results Altogether,23 patients who received medial plantar flaps grafting operations,with palm skin defects,were included in this study.All cases were followed up for 3 to 36 months with a average period of 18 month.The grafted flaps range from 4.6 cm×3.8 cm to 8.0 cm×6.5 cm.Among the patients,19 of them recovered excellently with healing by first intention,with 7-14 d healing time,fully-retained hand functions and palm appearance,and 4-8 mm for between two points distinguish test.Flaps survived fairly well in 3 patients because partial necrosis happened at plantar skin graft donor site.After being debrided and dressed,the wound healed at second phase with a healing time of 12-21 d and 5-9 mm for between two points distinguish test.The operated hands could flex and extend functionally in the follow-up period.Only one patient did not recovered from medial plantar flap grafting and the flap did not survive operationally.The patient recovered after another operation with groin skin grafting later.According to Gu Yudong et al' evaluation criteria,such as improved hand function,19 cases were scored as excellent recovery,3 cases as good,and 1 as poor.The excellent rate was 95.7％ (22/23).Conclusion Medial plantar flaps with cutaneous nerves are ideal flaps for palm skin defects restoration,which characterized by the advantages of fixed anatomical position,high survival rate and being good to the functional recovery and palm appearance.

Objective To investigate the changes in cytotoxicity of DC-CIK cells to human multiple myeloma RPMI 8226 cells before and after treatment with oridonin. Methods Normal human peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated and induced to obtain DC-CIK cells. Cytotoxicity of DC-CIK cells against RPMI 8226 cells which were treated by oridonin was analyzed by LDH releasing assay. The variation for expression of NKG2D ligands on RPMI 8226 cells were measured by flow cytometry. Results DC-CIK cells were successfully induced from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells. At the same effector to target ratio, oridonin obviously enhanced the cytotocixity of DC-CIK cells against RPMI 8226 cells (P<0.01). Flow cytometry showed the expression of NKG2D ligands ULBP1 of RPMI8226 cells was most significantly increased as the cells were treated by oridonin [(9.19 ± 1.85) vs. (15.47 ± 0.67), P<0.01]. Correlation analysis indicated that cytotocixity was positively correlated with changes in ULBP1. Conclusions Oridonin can improve the cytotoxicity of DC-CIK cells against RPMI 8226 cells, which may be related with the increased expressions of NKG2D ligands on the tumor cell surface.

OBJECTIVE: to investigate the origin characters of snore in simple snorers and provide the basis for its treatment. METHOD: Thirty-two simple snorers diagnosed by polysomnography were induced to sleep by propofol and dexmedetomidine, then we observed the vibration sites, pattern and concomitant collapse of soft tissue in pharyngeal cavity by nasendoscopy. RESULT: Thirteen cases showed palatal fluttering only, and 1 case showed vibration of epiglottis only. Six cases showed palatal fluttering with vibration of epiglottis, and 2 cases showed palatal fluttering with vibration of epiglottis and tongue base. Five cases showed palatal fluttering with vibration of pharyngeal lateral wall, and 5 cases showed palatal fluttering with vibration of lateral wall, epiglottis and tongue base together. Palate and pharyngeal lateral wall vibrated strongly and always collapsed with vibrating, but epiglottis and tongue base usually vibrated slightly and seldom collapsed. CONCLUSION The palatal fluttering is the main source of snoring sounds for most simple snorers, then followed by vibration of palatal and pharyngeal lateral wall together. The site of collapse in pharyngeal cavity is consistent with the main site of vibration.
Endoscopy ; Epiglottis ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Palate ; physiopathology ; Pharynx ; physiopathology ; Polysomnography ; Propofol ; Sleep ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; Snoring ; diagnosis ; Tongue ; physiopathology