OBJECTIVE: To explore the value of high-resolution temporal bone CT (HRCT) multi-planar reconstruction (MPR) technique for measuring cochlear morpholog in the preoperative evaluation of cochlear implant. METHOD: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 80 cochlear implant recipients. The groups were investigated in our research according to the patient's sex, age and whether the inner ear is malformed or not. Temporal bone HRCT MPR was applied to analyze the measurement parameter in the standard orientation of the cochlea image: the largest distance from the round window to the lateral wall (distance A), the perpendicular distance (B) and angle of the basal turn of the cochlea relative to the midsagittal plane (γ). Reproducibility of the measured data was evaluated and the results between the different groups were compared. RESULT: Measurement of parameter values between the intraobserver and interobserver showed good reproducibility. In normal group, distance A [(8.79±0.34) mm] and perpendicular distance B [(6.58±0.28) mm] of males' cochleae were significantly larger than A [(8.53±0.47) mm] and B [(6.22±0.43) mm] of females' (P<0.05), but the angle γ was not significantly different between the two groups (P>0.05). The A and B values didn't change with age (P>0.05), but the angle γ tended to decrease with increasing age (r=-0.25, P<0.05). In the malformation group, the value B was significantly smaller than that of the normal group (P<0.01), but for value A and angle γ, there was no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSION HRCT MPR technique is simple and reliable in measurement of cochlear morphology. It can be used to guide the surgery and provide an objective basis for designing the personalized electrode. More clinical application of this technology is recommended.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cochlea ; diagnostic imaging ; Cochlear Implantation ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Temporal Bone ; diagnostic imaging ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Young Adult

Objective To study the probability of applying mesenchymal stem cells isolated from human umbilical cord blood (hUCB MSCs) to repair mouse skin wound in vivo. Methods hUCB MSCs isolated from full term delivery human umbilical cord blood were cultured and amplified in vitro.hUCB MSCs at passage 9 were labeled with BrdU (5-bromodeoxy-uridine) and grafted on the full-thickness skin loss wound created on the back of the severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mouse (treatment group), when a PBS control group was set. The wound healing rate was surveyed and compared at days 7 and 14 postoperatively. Meanwhile, the wound was biopsied at days 7, 14 and 28 after operation,and the expressions of BrdU antibody and K19 antibody were checked pathologically and immunohistochemically by HE staining, respectively. Results The wound in treatment group was healed more rapidly than that in control group (P ＜ 0.01 ). The pathological check of the biopsy sample showed that the epidermis was thicker, with more epidermal ridges in the treatment group, compared with control group.It was found that some BrdU positive cells were distributed successively on the hair follicle, the stratum basal and the spinosum layers, a few of which even expressed K19. Conclusion hUCB MSCs can be differentiated into skin tissue and cells and is possible to repair skin wound.

Objective To investigate the xenotransplantation model of fetal pig skin precursor tissue and its development after transplantaion. Methods Porcine skin precursor tissue was obtained from the embryo of gestation day 56 (E56), and made into microskin or stamp skin graft. The microskin was transplanted to the dorsal wound in BALB/c nude mice, then covered with human corpse skin. The stamp skin graft was imbedded subcutaneously into the back of nude mice, and microskin was injected subcutaneously into the auricles of nude mice. Their growth and development were observed and they were examined by HE staining at 6th and 12th week after transplantation respectively. Two-sample t test was used to analyze the size of newly grown skin tissue. Results Porcine skin precursor tissue graft in three models above survived and continued growth after transplantation, and growth ability of the dorsal wound transplantation model was significantly stronger than that of the auricle model. Epidermis and hypodermis were detected in newly grown skin tissues. Hair follicles, a few of sebaceous glands, but no sweat glands were observed in auricle model, while many sebaceous glands and sweat glands were observed in the dorsal wound model. Conclusion Transplantation of microskin to dorsal wound is the optimal model of investigating the xenotransplantation of fetal pig skin precursor tissue and its development after transplantion.

Objective Non-invasive detection is the focus of intense research in diagnosis of acute renal allograft rejection currently. Urine protein is considered the cue to reflect the pathological changes in kidney disease. In this study, we explored the urine markers for early acute renal allograft rejection. Methods The urine protein of two patients with acute renal allograft rejection were examined by 2D gel electrophoresis and bioinformatics. We adopted pH 4-7 ready strip IPG and stained the gel with Sypro-Ruby. The digitized 2D maps of urine protein were quantitatively analyzed using 2D-analysis software packages. By analyzing the differential expressions of proteome between different time points (1, 2, 3 days before acute rejection and 7, 14, 21 days after acute rejection), 30 protein spots were selected and analyzed by MALDI-TOF-MS/MS. Results We obtained 2D gel electrophoresis maps of urine protein of the patients with acute renal allograft rejection, which are of good reproducibility and resolution. Sixteen protein spots were identified, resulting in thirteen corresponding proteins. Out of these proteins, we screened three proteins (alpha-1-antichymotrypsin, tumor rejection antigen gp96, Zn-Alpha-2-Glycoprotein) closely related to acute rejection. Conclusion The urine protein spots on 2D gel electrophoresis maps for the patients with acute renal allograft rejection were of obvious difference when detected at different time points of acute rejection. Alpha-1-antichymotrypsin, tumor rejection antigen gp96 and Zn-Alpha-2-Glycoprotein might be the candidate protein markers to diagnose acute renal allograft rejection after renal transplantation.

Objective:To investigate the association of ocular dominance with the severity of chronic primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG).Methods:Ocular dominance was assessed via the " hole in card" method.The anatomical symmetry (including anterior chamber depth, lens thickness and axial length) in both eyes was analyzed via A scan ultrasound.The severely glaucomatous eye was determined by the mean defect of visual field.The association of ocular dominance with the severity of chronic PACG was then analyzed.This study followed the Declaration of Helsinki, and the study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of Shantou International Eye Center of Shantou University and the Chinese University of Hong Kong.Written informed consent was obtained from all subjects prior to their entering the study cohort.Results:Visual acuity (LogMAR) was 0.39±0.24 in the dominant eye group, and 0.43±0.29 in the non-dominant eye group.Anterior chamber depth was (2.53±0.26)mm in the dominant eye group, and (2.54±0.29)mm in the non-dominant eye group.Lens thickness was (4.96±0.31)mm in the dominant eye group, and (4.92±0.33)mm in the non-dominant eye group.Axial length was (22.58±0.61)mm in the dominant eye group, and (22.73±1.11)mm in the non-dominant eye group.No significant difference was found in visual acuity, anterior chamber depth, lens thickness or axial length between the dominant and non-dominant eye groups ( t=-1.643, -0.797, 1.867, -1.345; all at P>0.05). The vertical cup-disc ratio of the dominant eye group was lower than that of the non-dominant eye group (0.55 [0.40, 0.80] vs. 0.80 [0.63, 0.90]). The mean defect in the visual field of the dominant eye group was lower than that in the non-dominant eye group (-6.54 [-16.70, -3.85]dB vs.-18.77 [-28.19, -8.55]dB), and the intraocular pressure in the dominant eye group was lower than that in the non-dominant eye group (21.00 [17.00, 27.75]mmHg vs. 24.50 [19.00, 36.25]mmHg) (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa). Significant differences were found in mean defect, vertical cup-disc ratio and intraocular pressure between the two groups ( Z=-3.781, -3.528, -2.126; all at P<0.05). The ratio of the severely glaucomatous eye being the non-dominant eye was 84.09%, which was much higher than that of the severely glaucomatous eye being the dominant eye (15.91%). The non-dominant eye was related to the severity of chronic PACG ( χ2=40.909, P<0.001, Pearson contingency coefficient r=0.563). Conclusions:The non-dominant eye is associated with the severity of chronic PACG.