OBJECTIVEWe aim to explore the central auditory nervous system (CANS) functioning in children with nonsyndromic cleft palates by analyzing the auditory evoked potentials and event-related potentials (ERP).

METHODSA total of 34 children with nonsyndromic cleft palates were recruited as subjects, and 27 normally developed children were selected as the normal controls. Auditory brainstem response (ABR), middle latency response (MLR), and mismatch negativity (MMN) of ERP were selected as indices to observe the function of CANS in children in both groups.

RESULTSAstatistically significant difference between the groups was obtainedin the MMN recording (F = 227.69, P < 0.01), whereas no significant group differences were obtained in the ABR and MLR results (P > 0.05). Children with nonsyndromic cleft palates showed diminished MMN responses compared with the normal controls, whereas ABR and MLR were within the normal range.

CONCLUSIONChildren with nonsyndromic cleft palates are at risk of central auditory discrimination dysfunction. The significant abnormal event-related potentials recorded in children with cleft palates suggest that the dysfunction of CANS maybe located at the cortical level and normal function of CANS was located at the brain stem and sub-cortical level.

Objective:To study the masseter motor evoked potential(MEP)in patients with sleep bruxism(SB)and in healthy con-trols.Methods:30 subjects with SB and 30 healthy controls were included.MEPs were obtained by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).Tests were done during daytime when the subjects were awake.The data were statistically analysed.Results:In the patients AMT was 55(52,55)%,latency of c-MEP (6.7 ±1.3)ms,the amplitude of c-MEP 0.19(0.15,0.29)mV,latency of r-MEP (2.3 ±0.4)ms,the central conduction time(CCT)4.4(3.3,5.2)ms.In the control subjects AMT was 52(52,55)%,latency of c-MEP (6.4 ±0.7)ms,the amplitude of c-MEP 0.23(0.17,0.28)mV,latency of r-MEP (2.4 ±0.4)ms,CCT 4.0 (3.4,4.4) ms.No significant difference was found between the 2 groups in the measurements evoked by TMS.Conclusion:The MEP after TMS in patients with SB is similar to that of healthy subjects,indicating that the excitability of the cortical motor system is not changed in bruxism subjects,at least when evaluated by TMS.

Objective To study a nucleic acid extraction method suitable for detecting methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) by PCR method .Methods Under different incubation conditions ,MRSA was cracked by lysozyme ,lysostaphin or chel‐ex100R resin for obtaining DNA ,then the target gene was detected by using the PCR method .Results DNA was obtained by sim‐ultaneously using lysozyme ,lysostaphin and chelex100R resin solution ,the obtained Ct value was significantly lower than that of the other components of schizolysis solutions when PCR was used to detect mecA gene of obtained DNA .There was no statistically sig‐nificant difference between adopting the 56 ℃ one‐step method and the 37 ℃ and 56 ℃ two‐step method for conducting MRSA schizolysis(P> 0 .05) ,but the steps were simplified .Conclusion Incubating MRSA in solution containing lysozyme ,lysostaphin , chelex100R resin for 30 min at 56 ℃ is the convenient and efficient schizolysis method to extract DNA ,which can be used immedi‐ately for the next step of PCR and lays the foundation for PCR rapid detection of clinical MRSA infection .

Objective To explore the effect of let-7c-1 on the learning and memory of PTZ-induced epileptic rats and its relevant mechanism.Methods A model of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) was induced via PTZ kindling in SD male rats.The epileptic rats were divided into epilepsy group,agomir-control group,let-7c-1 agomir group (12 rats for each).Twelve rats were served as a negative control group.The behavior and the expression levesl of let-7c-1,Bcl-2 protein and Caspase3 were evaluated at 28 days following PTZ.Results Compared to the negative group,the escape latency of epilepsy group was prolonged and the crossing times as well as the quadrant total distance in the target were reduced (P＜0.05).However,those parameters were not significantly different between the epilepsy group and the agmoir-control group (P＞0.05).Compared to the agmoir-control group,the escape latency of let-7c-1 agomir group was prolonged and the crossing times as well as the quadrant total distance in the target were reduced (P＜ 0.05).The expression levels of let-7c-1 and let-7c-1 were 1.35±0.32 in agmoir-control group and 62.53±21.01 in agomir group (F=50.97,P＜0.05).The expression levels of let-7c-1 were higher in let-7c-1 agomir group than in other groups (P＜0.05).Compared to the negative group,the expressions of Bcl-2 protein in other groups were decreased (P＜0.05) and the Caspase3 protein were increased (P＜0.05).Compared to the agomir-control group,the expression of Bcl-2 protein was significantly decreased and the expression of Caspase3 protein was significantly increased in let-7c-1 agomir group (P＜0.05).Conclusions The present study shows that let-7c-1 may impair the learning and memory of PTZ-induced epileptic rats through decreasing the Bcl-2 protein and increasing Caspase3 protein in the hippocampus.

Objective To evaluate the features of carotid atherosclerotic plaques on ultrasonographic elastography. Methods A total of 45 atherosclerotie plaques of the carotid artery in 33 patients were found with routine ultrasonography, all the 45 atherosclerotic plaques were divided into soft plaque, fibrous plaque, mixed plaque and calcified plaque. The elastograms of the plaques were oberseved and the strain contrast(stiffness ratio) of blood tissue in common carotid artery to plaques were calculated. Results Seventeen soft plaques, 15 mixed plaques and 13 calcified plaques were founded using routine ultrasonography, but 0 fibrous plaques were founded. The soft plaques were shown in green, the mixed plaques were showen as mosaic of green and blue and the calcified plaques were showen in blue by ultrasonographic elastography. The strain contrast in patients with calcified plaques and mixed plaques were significantly higher when compared with the soft plaques group(P 0. 001, P <0.05). The strain contrast in patients with calcified plaques was significantly higher than the mixed plaques group (P < 0.001). Conclusions Ultrasonographie elastography could be used in carotid arteries atherosclerotic plaques. Various of acoustic characteristics plaques has different elastography and strain contrast.

Objective To evaluate the dyssynchrony of left ventricle in patients with coronary artery disease(CAD) by two-dimensional strain echocardiography (2-DS). Methods The myocardium of left ventricle of 33 patients with CAD and 30 nomal controls were detected by 2-DS. The time from onset QRS complexes to peak systolic longitudinal strain(Ts) and the standard deviation of Ts of 18 left ventricular segments (Ts-SD)were measured. Results There were 168 segments whose flow was provided by coronary artery with stenosis≤75% ,210 segments whose flow was provided by coronary artery with stenosis 75 %. ①Ts was delayed significantly and Ts-SD was obviously higher in patients with stenosis≥75% when compared with the control group. ②Ts was delayed and Ts-SD was higher in patients with stenosis≥75% compared with those whose stenosis was ≤75%. ③There were no statistical differences in Ts and Ts-SD between the patients with stenosis ≤75% and the control group. ④When left ventricular systolic dyssynchrony was defined as Ts-SD≥33.0 ms, there were 22 patients with systolic dyssynchrony of all 26 patients whose coronary artery stenosis≥75%, there were no patient with systolic dyssynchrony of all 7 patients whose stenosis ≤75%. Conclusions Although there are no evident regional wall motion abnormalities by routine echocardiography,in patients with severe coronary artery stenosis,2-DS can detect exactly the dyssynchrony of left ventricle.

Objective To assess the myocardial strain in patients with coronary artery disease by two dimensional strain echocardiography.Methods Forty-three patients with coronary artery disease and thirty five healthy subjects were included.High frame rate two-dimensional images were recorded from the left ventricular short-axis views at the levels of mitral annulus,papillary muscle and apex,and the apical four chamber view,two-chamber view and long-axis view of the left ventricle respectively.The longitudinal strain was measured in the apical views,radial strain and circumferential strain were measured in the left ventricular short-axis views using two-dimensional strain software.Results There were 96 segments whose flow was provided by coronary artery with stenosis＜75%,147 segments whose flow was provided by coronary artery with stenosis≥75%.The peak systolic longitudinal strain of different segments in patients with stenosis≥75% significantly reduced when compared with the control group(P＜0.05).The peak systolic radial strain and circumferential strain of different segments in patients with stenosis≥75% had no statistical difference compared with the control group(P＞0.05).When taking peak systolic longitudinal strain≥-16.1% as cut-off value for coronary artery stenosis of≥75%,the sensitivity and specificity were 78.7% and 76.4% respectively.There was no significant difference in systolic longitudinal strain,radial strain and circumferential strain between normal myocardium and stenosis＜75%(P＞0.05).Conclusions Although there are no evident regional wall motion abnormalities by two dimensional echocardiography,in patients with severe coronary artery stenosis,the longitudinal strain which can reflect the subendocardial myocardial function significantly reduced.

Objective:To explore the risk factors of bacterial infections in patients with decompensated hepatitis B cirrhosis and to construct a risk prediction model.Methods:The clinical data of 198 patients with decompensated hepatitis B cirrhosis admitted in Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital from January 2014 to April 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 86 patients with bacterial infection (infection group) and 112 patients without bacterial infections (non-infection group). The risk factors of bacterial infections were analyzed by multivariate Logistic regression. R language was used to establish a nomogram model to predict the risk of bacterial infection in patients with decompensated hepatitis B cirrhosis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to explore the prediction efficiency of the nomogram model for bacterial infection.Results:Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that previous smoking history, prothrombin time, neutrophil count and hypersensitive C protein were independent risk factors for bacterial infection in patients with decompensated hepatitis B cirrhosis ( P<0.05 or <0.01), while regular antiviral treatment and high-density lipoprotein were protective factors ( P<0.05 or <0.01). ROC curve showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of risk prediction model for bacterial infections was 0.872 (95% CI 0.820-0.924, P<0.01), and AUC of MELD score for predicting bacterial infections was 0.670 (95% CI 0.599-0.735, P<0.01); the risk prediction model was superior to MELD score in prediction ( Z=4.89, P<0.01). Conclusions:The established risk prediction model in this study can more accurately predict the occurrence of bacterial infections in patients with decompensated hepatitis B cirrhosis.

Objective:To explore the protective effect of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) on the prognosis of rats suffering from cardiac arrest/cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CA/CPR) under different treatment timings.Methods:The method of percutaneous epicardial electrical stimulation was used to establish CA model of rat. Fifty-three male SD rats were randomly (random number) divided into the sham group ( n=5), CPR group ( n=12), PRE group ( n=12), POST5 group ( n=12) and POST30 group ( n=12). The sham group did not experience CA/CPR. VNS treatment was started at 30 min before CA (PRE group, n=12), 5 min after recovery of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) (POST5 group, n=12), and 30 min after ROSC (POST30 group, n=12) in different VNS-treated group, respectively. The electrical stimulation was applied to the vagus nerve for 30 min with a unified parameter. The neurological deficit scores at 24, 48, and 72 h after ROSC were recorded, and the survival rate in each group was observed. TUNEL staining was used to detect the apoptosis of cortical area and the expression of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) in brain tissue was measured by immunofluorescence at 72 h after ROSC. Variables were compared with one-way analysis of variance, and survival for Kaplan-Meier curves were tested with the log-rank test. A P value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results:Compared with the CPR group (survival rate 33.33%), both pre-treatment (survival rate 75%) and post-treatment of VNS (POST5 group survival rate 75% and POST30 group survival rate 83.33%) significantly improved the 72 h survival rate after CPR ( P<0.05), mitigated neurological deficits after ROSC, reduced the positive rate of apoptosis neurons, and up-regulated the expression of α7nAChR in cerebral cortex. There was no significant difference among the VNS-treated groups (all P>0.05). Conclusions:Both pre-treatment and post-treatment of VNS can play a protective role in rats after CA/CPR, which may be related to the activation of α7nAChR-mediated anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptosis effects.

The myocardial viability after myocardial infarction was evaluated by intravenous myocardial contrast echocardiography. Intravenous real-time myocardial contrast echocardiography was performed on 18 patients with myocardial infarction before coronary revascularization. Follow-up echocardiography was performed 3 months after coronary revascularization. Segmental wall motion was assessed using 18-segment LV model and classified as normal, hypokinesis, akinesis and dyskinesis. Viable myocardium was defined by evident improvement of segmental wall motion 3 months after coronary revascularization. Myocardial perfusion was assessed by visual interpretation and divided into 3 conditions: homogeneous opacification; partial or reduced opaciflcation or subendocardial contrast defect; contrast defect. The former two conditions were used as the standard to define the viable myocardium. The results showed that 109 abnormal wall motion segments were detected among 18 patients with myocardial infarction, including 47 segments of hypokinesis, 56 segments of akinesis and 6 segments of dyskinesis. The wall motion of 2 segments with hypokinesis before coronary revascularization which showed homogeneous opacification, 14 of 24 segments with hypokinese and 20 of 24 segments with akinese before coronary revascularization which showed partial or reduced opaciflcation or subendocardial contrast defect was improved 3 months after coronary revascularization. In our study, the sensitivity and specificity of evaluation of myocardial viability after myocardial infarction by intravenous real-time myocardial contrast echocardiography were 94.7% and 78.9%, respectively. It was concluded that intravenous real-time myocardial contrast echocardiography could accurately evaluate myocardial viability after myocardial infarction.
Angioplasty, Transluminal, Percutaneous Coronary ; Cell Survival ; Coronary Artery Bypass ; Echocardiography/*methods ; Models, Statistical ; Myocardial Infarction/*pathology ; Myocardial Infarction/*ultrasonography ; Myocardial Revascularization ; Myocardium/*pathology ; Perfusion ; Time Factors