BACKGROUND: Thrombus formation and neointimal hyperplasia limit its use for revascularization of small-caliber vessels (<6mm diameter) in the coronary or peripheral circulation.OBJECTIVE: To improve hemocompatibility, the luminal surface of a small diameter expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (Eptfe) vascular prosthesis was modified with alginate and recombinant hirudin.DESIGN: Observational experiment.SETTING: This study was performed in Nanomedicine and Biosensor Laboratory, Bio-X Center, Harbin Institute of Technology from Marcy 2006 to June 2007.MATERIALS: The GORE-TEX Epife vascular grafts (W. L Gore & Associates, Inc., Flagstaff, AZ) used in this study were 4mm in internal diameter. rHir was obtained from Calbiochem, Germany. Sodium alginate (also called alginic acid sodium salt; medium viscosity) was purchased from Sigma.METHODS: A p-diazonium diphenyl amine polymer (PA) was used as an interlayer between alginate and recombinant hirudin (rHir). The diazonium moieties were capable of covalently coupling with electron-rich aromatic systems such as histidine and tyrosine residues of hirudin. No need for chemical pretreatment took all advantage by preserving the bulk properties with almost no effect on stability and elasticity of the Eptfe vascular graft. rHir amount on Epife surface Was determined by the Micro BCA (Bicinchoninic acid) Protein Assay kit.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ① Determination rHir amount on Eptfe surface; ② Static water contact angles; ③ Attenuated total reflectance fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) was employed to confirm the change taking place in the Eptfe graft surface modification process; ④ Characterization of the surface morphology and platelet adhesion by SEM; ⑤ APTT and PT; ⑥ Percent hemolysis.RESULTS: ① The amount of rHir adsorbed onto the Eptfe vascular was deduced to be 16.35 μg/cm2. ② Surface analysis ATR-FTTR revealed the presence of new functional groups on the modified graft surfaces. ③ The water contact angle of the modified graft surface decreased. ④ The longer APTT and PT value lower than 5% hemolysis level and dramatically decrease of platelet adhesion assay showed that rHir modified graft had great improved blood compatibility.CONCLUS10N: Cross-linked Alg/rHir onto Eptfe can improve luminal surface and hemocompatibility.

Objective:To investigate roles of autophagy in ameliorating sepsis-induced acute lung injury by allicinin in mice.Methods:A total of 152 male Balb/c mice (8-week old) were randomly divided into a sham group,a septic model group,an allicin treatment group,and an autophagy inhibition group.Septic mouse model was established by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP).Mice in the allicin treatment group were given allicin (30 mg/kg,intra-peritoneal injection) at 6 and 12 h,while those in the autophagy inhibition group were given autophagy inhibitor 3-MA (15 mg/kg,intra-peritoneal injection) at half an hour after allicin administration.Mice in the model and sham group were administered with the same amount of saline.Twenty mice in each group were randomly chosen to observe the 7 d survival rate.The other 12 mice were killed at 24 h,and the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) (n=6) and lung tissues (n=6) were collected.ELISA was used to detect the tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the BALF.Hematoxylin-eosin staining was preformed to show the morphological changes in the lung tissues.Malondialdehyde (MDA) content and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the lung tissues were examined.The expression of LC3B and Beclin-1 was determined by immunohistochemical analysis.Results:Compared with the sham group,the 7 d survival rate and lung SOD activity were decreased in the CLP group (P<0.05);the lung morphological damage score,the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in the BALF,MDA content in the lung,and expression of LC3B and Beclin-1 were increased greatly in the CLP group (P<0.05).Compared with the CLP group,the 7 d survival rate,lung SOD activity and the expressions of LC3B and Beclin-1 were increased significantly in the allicin treatment group (P<0.05);the lung morphological damage scores,the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in the BALF and MDA content in the lung were decreased obviously in the allicin treatment group (P<0.05).Compared with the allicin treatment group,the 7 d survival rate,lung SOD activity,and the expressions of LC3B and Beclin-1 were decreased in the 3-MA group (P<0.05);the lung morphological damage scores,the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in the BALF,and MDA content in the lung were increased significantly in the 3-MA group (P<0.05).Conclusion:Allicin may ameliorate sepsis-induced acute lung injury in mice by enhancing the level of autophagy.

Objective To observe the changes of neural blood flow when oppressed with different pressures and at different sites in rat's sciatic nerve.MethodsThe sciatic nerve compression model of rat with pressure and time controlled simultaneously was established.The changes of neural blood flow were observed by oppressing the sciatic nerve with five grades pressures using Gasbag.The rats were randomly divided into the distal compression group and proximal compression group,and the changes of neural blood flow were observed in each group.ResultsThe neural blood flow changed significantly(P<0.05) when the sciatic nerve was oppressed with different pressures and it had the decreasing tendency with the pressures increasing.The neural blood flow of each group decreased obviously(P<0.01).The effect of oppressing distal nerve on neural blood flow was more obvious than that of oppressing proximal nerve(P<0.01).ConclusionMechanical compression can influence the neural blood flow obviously.The distal vessels of sciatic nerve are the major sources of nerve blood supply.

Objective To explore the incidence and clinical characteristics of Han and Uygur pa- tients with ulcerative colitis(UC)in xinjiang.Methods Six hundred and ninty nine patients with UC from 2000 to 2006 were retrospectively reviewed.Patients were divided into 2 groups according to ethnic back- ground,including 522 Han patients and 177 Uygur patients.General data,age,clinical manifestation,le- sion range,lesion degree and complications were recorded in the 2 groups respectively.Results The detec- tion rate of UC by endoscopy in Urgur group was higher than that in Han group(P

0.05).However,A-waves were recorded in 7 patients who were with normal F-waves.Conclusion The occur- rence of A-waves,especially of multiple type,in the ulnar and median nerves might be helpful for the early diagnosis of Guillain-Barr?Syndrome.

OBJECTIVETo compare the short-term clinical outcome between unilateral fixation fusion (ULF) and minimally invasive spine transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS-TLIF) in treating lumbar disc herniation (LDH).

METHODSThe clinical data of 39 patients with LDH were retrospectively analyzed from June 2008 to March 2013. There was 22 males and 17 females, aged from 45 to 75 years old with an average of 56.9 years. Therer were 3 cases in L3,4, 15 cases in L4,5, 21 cases in L5S1. Among them, 21 patients underwent unilateral fixation fusion (ULF group) and 18 underwent minimally invasive spine transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS-TLIF group). Operation time, blood loss, the times of radiographic exposure and hospital stay were noted and compared between two groups. Radiograph informations were regularily accessed and VAS, ODI scores were recorded at 3 days and 3, 6, 12 months after operation, respectively. According to modified Macnab criteria, the clinical effects were evaluated at final follow-up.

RESULTSAll operations were successful without severe complications. The averaged operative time and the times of radiographic exposure in ULF group [(95 ± 25) min and (4.2 ± 0.4) times] were less than that of MIS-TLIF group [(120 ± 35) min and (10.1 ± 3.9) times] (P < 0.05). But, the mean blood loss and hospital stay in MIS-TLIF group [(75 ± 45) ml and (7.2 ± 2.2)d ]were less than that of ULF group [(165 ± 60) ml and (11.0 ± 3.7) d] (P < 0.01). All patients were followed up from 12 to 45 months with an average of 29.5 months. The VAS and ODI score had significantly improved during the follow-up and no significant differences were found between two groups at the same time point (P > 0.05). The postoperative radiographs showed internal fixation position was good. And all patients obtained bone fusion by CT scan at 1 year after operation. There was no significant differences in modified Macnab criteria between two groups at the latest follow-up (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONFavorable short-term clinical effects can be achieved in suitable LDH patients with ULF or MIS-TLIF surgical procedures.

Aged ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; surgery ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; surgery ; Middle Aged ; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Spinal Fusion ; methods

The epieardial adipose tissue in 210 subjects with or without metabolic syndrome (MS) was measured by echocardiography.The thickness of epicardial adipose tissue in male with MS group was significantly greater than that in men without MS [(9.10?3.59) mm vs (6.82?3.00) mm,P

OBJECTIVETo analyze the sectional anatomical features of auricular and middle ear malformation in patients with microtia so as to improve the clinical classification and the instruction of surgery.

METHODSFrom Jun. to Dec. 2009, 36 cases with microtia were selected in the center of auricular reconstruction in Plastic Surgery Hospital, including 22 cases of unilateral microtia and 14 cases of bilateral microtia. 22 patients with unilateral microtia were studied with the contralateral healthy ears as controls. Spiral CT was performed for high-resolution scan of the temporal bone. The coronal, sagittal and 3D reconstruction images were created with Mimic software. Several distances and degrees were measured.

RESULTSThe patients were classified by Max classification. The anteroposterior diameter and the vertical diameter of tympanic cavity were (7.75 +/- 1.92) mm and (14.66 +/- 4.75) mm for type I; (6.17 +/- 2.56) mm and(14.35 +/- 5.12) mm for type II; (6.31 +/- 3.40) mm and (9.97 +/- 4.36) mm for type III (P = 0.001). The mastoid pneumatization degree for type I, II, III were 13.33%, 13.64%, 30.77% in sclerotic type, 13.33%, 18.18%, 7.69% in diploe type, 0, 9.09%, 38.46% in composite type, 73.33%, 59.09%, 23.08% in pneumatic type (chi2 = 24.11, P = 0.002). The cover of fenestra vestibuli by facial nerve was 21.43%, 47.62%, 54.55% (chi2 = 23.44, P = 0.002) for type I, II, III. There was a statistical difference between the microtia group and the control group.

CONCLUSIONSAccording to the Max classification, the middle ear malformation changed along the auricular malformation. The anatomical variations was complicated in type II microtia, which should be sub-classified.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Anatomy, Cross-Sectional ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Ear ; abnormalities ; diagnostic imaging ; Ear, External ; abnormalities ; diagnostic imaging ; Ear, Middle ; abnormalities ; diagnostic imaging ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Tomography, Spiral Computed ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the role of N-methyl-D-aspartate-receptor (NMDAR) expression in the development of hearing damage in neonatal rats with hyperbilirubinemia.

METHODSSixty seven-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly injected with bilirubin of 100 microg/g (low-dose treatment group) or 200 microg/g (high-dose treatment group) or normal saline (control group). Auditory brainstem response (ABR) was examined. The concentrations of bilirubin in blood and brain were measured. NMDAR expression in the cochlear nucleus slices was examined by immunohistochemistry assay.

RESULTSABR reflecting threshold obviously increased, and I, II and III wave latency as well as I-II, II-III and I-III interval were more prolonged in the two bilirubin treatment groups when compared with the control group. The NMDAR expression in the cochlear nucleuse in the two bilirubin treatment groups was obviously lower than that in the control group. The NMDAR expression in the cochlear nucleuse was negatively correlated with the brain bilirubin content and the ABR reflecting threshold in the two bilirubin treatment groups.

CONCLUSIONSAn increased NMDAR activity may play an important role in hearing damage following hyperbilirubinemia.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Bilirubin ; analysis ; Cochlear Nucleus ; chemistry ; Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem ; Female ; Hearing Disorders ; etiology ; Hyperbilirubinemia ; complications ; metabolism ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo study the psychologic status and their influencing factors in congenital microtia patients and their families.

METHODSTotally one hundred and two congenital microtia patients (79 men, 23 women, mean age 13.62 +/- 7.2 years) were enrolled. The patients and their families answered the questionnaire written by ourselves to identify the psychosocial problems.

RESULTS(1) 23.5% patients were found to have severe psychosocial problems, such as lack of self-confidence, close and fear and so on. (2) With the growth of age, psychosocial problems of the patients were rated high (P < 0.05). (3) For patients who found their deformations early, psychosocial problems also were rated low. (4) For patients who found their deformations by themselves, psychosocial problems also were rated low. (5) The education and psychosocial impact for parents all affected patients deeply.

CONCLUSIONSTo prevent psychosocial problems, we should operate for patients as early as possible. And correct guidance is very important for youngsters.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Congenital Abnormalities ; epidemiology ; psychology ; Ear ; abnormalities ; Family ; psychology ; Female ; Humans ; Inpatients ; statistics & numerical data ; Male ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult