Left atrial appendage ( LAA) arises from the left atrial free wall. It is the remnant of the original embryonic LA, distinct from the rest of the left atrium. It has a unique anatomical structure, physiological function, hemodynamic characteristics. LAA has complex surrounding structures, great variability, and close relation with thrombosis. This paper reviews the morphological and functional characteristics of LAA. Familiar with adjacent relationship of LAA and correlation between LAA and thrombus formation has important clinical significance that can reduce the risk of postoperative complications in interventional procedures, the incidence of car?dioembolic stroke, the clinical misdiagnosis on LAA thrombosis.

OBJECTIVETo analyze the energy relieving effect of different thickness of mucosa beneath mandibular complete denture and try to analyze clinical question of prosthodontics using energy analysis methods.

METHODSA 3-DFE model of the mandibular complete denture and its supporting tissue were set up. Their elastic deformed energy and the percentage in the whole system were respectively calculated when mucosal thickness was different.

RESULTSThe percentage of mucosal elastic deformed energy grew from 44.53% to 52.91% and 57.91% with its different thickness under static loads.

CONCLUSIONSThe energy relieving effect of mucosa grows with its thickness and the approach of energy analysis is one of effective method on oral biomechanics questions.

Biomechanical Phenomena ; Dental Stress Analysis ; Denture, Complete, Lower ; Elasticity ; Finite Element Analysis ; Humans ; Mouth Mucosa ; anatomy & histology

Objective To explore the application of medical bottle opener box (authorized patent for utility model) in nurses dispensing operations of opening the plastic bottle cap. Methods Put five self-made medical bottle opener box sample into the hospital emergency department for use. The nurses were divided into control group and experimental group according to the different way of open bottle caps; both groups were 33 nurses who did not turn out of emergency department 2 years nurses for a common object of study. The control group was the 33 nurses adopting the method of unarmed open medicine plastic bottle cap from April 2013 to March 2014. The experimental group was the 33 nurses with medical bottle opener box to open medicine plastic bottle caps from March 2014 to March 2015. The method of comparing two groups was to compare the nurse hands skin wear parts and wear symptoms for opening bottle caps, and make the nurses′satisfaction survey. Results For two groups, the nurse hands skin wear parts were in right hand, index finger and thumb;the number of nurses with finger thick skin in experimental group was lower than that in control group [21.2%(7/33) vs. 78.8%(26/33)], and there was significant difference,χ2=21.87, P<0.05.The number of pain [12.1%(4/33) vs. 54.5%(18/33)] and peeling [15.2%(5/33) vs.69.7%(23/33)] in experimental group were lower than those in control group, and there were significant differences, χ2=13.36, 20.09, P < 0.05. The experimental group eliminated the blisters and scratches, avoided hand bleeding trauma. The nurses′overall satisfaction in experimental group was 93.9% (31/33), and 63.6% (21/33) in control group,and there was significant difference, χ2=9.06, P<0.05. Conclusions Nurses using medical bottle opener box when opening the medicine bottle cap can relieve and reduce occupational injury on the finger skin of nurses, improve the nurse hand skin comfort, provide convenient operation safety, it is worth promoting.

Aflatoxins produced primarily by two closely related fungi, Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus, are mutagenic and carcinogenic in animals and humans. Of many approaches investigated to manage aflatoxin contamination, biological control method has shown great promise. Numerous organisms, including bacteria, yeasts and nontoxigenic fungal strains of A. flavus and A. parasiticus, have been tested for their ability in controlling aflatoxin contamination. Great successes in reducing aflatoxin contamination have been achieved by application of nontoxigenic strains of A. flavus and A. parasiticus in fields of cotton, peanut, maize and pistachio. The nontoxigenic strains applied to soil occupy the same niches as the natural occurring toxigenic strains. They, therefore, are capable of competing and displacing toxigenic strains. In this paper, we review recent development in biological control of aflatoxin contamination.
Aflatoxins ; biosynthesis ; toxicity ; Animals ; Aspergillus ; growth & development ; pathogenicity ; physiology ; Aspergillus flavus ; growth & development ; pathogenicity ; physiology ; Food Contamination ; prevention & control ; Herbicides ; Humans ; Pest Control, Biological ; methods ; Soil Microbiology ; Species Specificity

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and safety of etanercept plus Tripterygium wilfordii polyglycoside (TWP) in elderly patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

METHODSTotally 46 elderly patients with active RA were randomly assigned to the treatment group (22 cases) and the control group (24 cases). All patients received subcutaneous injection of etanercept, 25 mg each time, twice per week. The dosage was reduced to once per week 3 months later. Patients in the treatment group took TWP Tablet (10 mg each time, three times per day), while those in the control group took methotrexate (MTX), 10 mg each time, once per week. The whole course lasted for 24 weeks. Patients' rest pain, tender joint number, swollen joint number, health assessment questionnaire (HAQ), patients' global assessment, physicians' global assessment, erythrocyte sediment rate (ESR), C reactive protein (CRP), rheumatic factor were assessed at week 0, 4, 8, 12, and 24. The curative effect was statistically evaluated by the United States Institute of Rheumatology ACR20, ACR50, and ACR70 improvement criteria. Meanwhile, any adverse event was recorded and evaluated.

RESULTSTotally 41 completed the trial, and 5 dropped off (3 in the treatment group and 2 in the control group). Compared with the control group, there was no statistical difference in ACR20, ACR50, or ACR70 in the treatment group (P > 0.05). Compared with before treatment in the same group, there was some improvement in tender joint number, swollen joint number, visual analogue scale (VAS) for patients' global assessment, VAS for physicians' global assessment, ESR, CRP, and HAQ between the two groups, showing statistical difference (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group in the same phase, there was no statistical difference in the treatment group (P > 0.05). There was no statistical difference in the occurrence of adverse events between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONSEtanercept plus TWP could achieve equivalent therapeutic effect to that of Etanercept plus MTX. The two regimens could improve clinical signs, symptoms, and QOL related to RA. They were well tolerated in the treatment of elderly patients with active RA.

Aged ; Antirheumatic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; drug therapy ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Etanercept ; Female ; Glycosides ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome ; Tripterygium ; chemistry

OBJECTIVEThe present study is concerning qualitative and quantitative detection of Poria cocos quality based on FT-near infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy combined with chemometrics.

METHODThe Poria cocos polysaccharides contents were determined by UV. Transmission mode was used in the collection of NIR spectral samples. The pretreatment method was first derivation and vector normalization. Then principal component analysis (PCA) was used to build classification model and partial least square (PLS) to build the calibration model.

RESULTThe results showed that conventional criteria such as the R, root mean square error of calibration (RMSEC), and the root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) are 0.944 0, 0.072 1 and 0.076 2, respectively. The misclassified sample is 0 using the qualitative model built by PCA.

CONCLUSIONThe prediction models based on NIR have a better performance with high precision, good stability and adaptability and can be used to predict the polysaccharose content of Poria cocos rapidly, which can provide a fast approach to discriminate the different parts of Poria cocos.

Fungal Polysaccharides ; analysis ; Least-Squares Analysis ; Poria ; chemistry ; Principal Component Analysis ; Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared ; methods

Objective To investigate the incidences, risk factors, genotypes and epidemiology of community-acquired blood stream infection caused by extended spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs)-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumonia strains and to analyze the sensitivity of those ESBLs producing strains to commonly used antibiotics. Methods Forty-two patients who were diagnosed with community-ac-quired blood stream infection caused by Escherichia coli or Klebsiella pneumonia strains in Sichuan Provincial People′s Hospital were recruited in this study. Disc diffusion method was used for the phenotypic confirmato-ry test of ESBLs. Agar dilution method was performed to measure the antimicrobial susceptibility of the ESBLs-producing strains to 13 clinically commonly used antibiotics. Genotypes of the ESBLs-producing strains were identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was used to analyze the epidemiology of ESBLs-producing strains. Logistic regression analysis was performed to analyze the risk factors for community-acquired blood stream infection. Results The ESBLs-producing Escherichia coli strains accounted for 56. 3% (18 / 32) and the ESBLs-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae strains accounted for 20% (2 / 10). All of the 20 ESBLs-producing strains were sensitive to imipenem, meropenem, ertapen-em, nitrofurantoin and moxalactam. The ESBLs-producing strains sensitive to amikacin, piperacillin-tazobactam and fosfomycin accounted for 95% , 90% and 85% , respectively. Drug resistance rates of the 20 strains to cefotaxime, levofloxacin, ciprofloxacin and cefepime were relatively high accounting for 100% , 80% , 80% and 75% , respectively. Among the 20 ESBLs-producing strains, 7 strains only carried the CTM gene, while the other 13 strains were all positive for two genotypes of ESBLs, mainly identified as TEM+CTM-M-14 and TEM+CTM-15 genotypes. The 18 Escherichia coli strains were classified into 10 ST types, most of which were ST131 type, followed by ST10 and ST38 types. This study indicated that malignant tumor might be a possible risk factor. Conclusion The prevalence of community-acquired blood stream infection caused by ESBLs-producing Escherichia coli strains was becoming increasingly serious. Malignant tumor might be the risk factor associated with the producing of ESBLs in Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumonia strains. TEM+CTX-M-14 was the predominant genotype of ESBLs-producing strains and the prevalent clone was ST131 type. Carbapenems and enzyme inhibitor compounds were ideal drugs for the treatment of commu-nity-acquired blood stream infection caused by ESBLs-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumonia strains. This study was limited by the small sample size. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct further resear-ches based on a large number of samples.

AlM: To investigate the association between the degree of anterioruveitis and related factors including inflammatory markers as well as sacroiliac joint imaging in patients with ankylosing spondylitis ( AS) .
METHODS: Anterior changes evaluated by slit lamp, erythrocyte sedimentation rate ( ESR ) , C - reactive protein ( CRP ) and magnetic resonance imaging of 55 cases with AS associateduveitis were retrospectively analyzed. A modified endotoxin-induced uveitis ( ElU ) clinical standard was used for uveitis grading. SPARCC sacroiliac scoring was used to evaluate bone edema of sacroiliac joint. The correlation between the degree of uveitis and sacroiliitis was assessed.
RESULTS: ln the 55 patients with AS, ElU grading scored 2-10, and SPARCC index scored 0-22. Further analysis showed that the severity of uveitis was significantly correlated with ESR (r=0. 869, P<0. 001) and CRP (r=0. 485, P<0. 001). The degree of anterior uveitis in AS patients was not correlated with inflammation of sacroiliac joint (r=0. 237, P=0. 081).
CONCLUSlON: Local autoimmunity of uveitis and sacroiliac joint inflammation with subsequent bone formation in AS might be mutually independent processes.

Objective To evaluate the feasibility of 3-(4-~(18)F-fluorobenzyl)-8,9-dimethoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydrochromeno [3,4-c]pyridin-5-one ( is F-FDTP) as a potential dopamine D4 receptor PET imaging agent.Methods ~(18)F-FDTP solution in ethanol-physiological saline was incubated with calf serum to test its in vitro stability through the determination of radiochemical purity.Normal rats were injected intravenously with ~(18)F-FDTP and then sacrificed at 2,5,10,15,30,60 and 120 min after anesthesia.Blood,organs and brain tissue samples were collected.All samples were weighed and measured for radioactivity.The uptake of samples was expressed as percentage activity of injection dose per gram of tissue ( % ID/g).Results The stability of ~(18)F-FDTP was satisfactory and its radiochemical purity was above 95% after incubation 120 min at 37℃ in calf serum.The biodistribution showed that ~(18)F-FDTP could penetrate through the blood-brain barrier and selectively accumulate in striatum,hypothalamus,frontal certex,hippocampus,cerebellum,where the D_4 receptor was reportedly located.The radioactivities in hippocampus,hypothalamus,striatum,frontal cortex,cerebellum,pons were (0.42±0.03),(0.46±0.05),(0.54±0.04),(0.39±0.04),(0.45±0.06),(0.35±0.04) %ID/g,respectively,2 min post injection.And there was difference between the normal biodistribution results and the blocking experimental results:(0.36 ±0.05),( 0.33±0.05 ),(0.55±0.05 ),(0.30±0.07 ),(0.34±0.07 ) and (0.32±0.04) % ID/g in hippocampus,hypothalamus,striatum,frontal cortex,cerebellum and pons,respectively.Conclusions ~(18)F-FDTP can penetrate through the blood-brain barrier and selectively accumulate in striatum,hypothalamus,frontal cortex,hippocampus,cerebellum,where the D_4 receptor was known to concentrate.These preliminary results suggest that ~(18)F-FDTP is a potential dopamine D_4 receptor imaging agent and further studies are needed.

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of Tongluo Xingnao effervescent tablets on learning and memory capacity and expression of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase in hippocampus of rats with chronic cerebral ischemia-induced learning and memory dysfunction model.

METHODThe 2-VO method was used to establish sd rat model learning and memory dysfunction induced by chronic cerebral ischemia. The 50 rats in the successfully established model were randomly divided into the model control group, the Dihydroergotoxine Mesylate tablets group (0.7 mg x kg(-1), Tongluo Xingnao effervescent tablets high dose (7.56 g x kg(-1)), middle dose (3.78 g x kg(-1)) and low dose (1.59 g x kg(-1)) groups and the sham operation group (n = 10) as the control group. The groups were orally given 10 ml x kg(-1) x d(-1) drugs for consecutively 90 days. On the 86th day, Morris water maze was adopted for them. On the 90th day, a leaning and memory capacity test was held. The brain tissues were fixed with 10% formaldehyde and observed for pathomorphism after routine slide preparation and staining. The expression of hippocampal Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase was detected with immunohistochemistry and image quantitative analysis.

RESULTCompared with the model group, all of Tongluo Xingnao effervescent tablets groups showed significant decrease in the escape latency at the 5th day in the Morris water maze, and notable increase in the frequency of the first quadrant dwell, the frequency passing the escape platform and the frequency entering effective area (p < 0.05). According to the pathomorphological detection, the control group showed a significantly higher pathological score than the sham operation group (p < 0.01), the middle dose group showed a significantly lower pathological score than the model group (p < 0.05). According to the immunohistochemistical detection, the model control group showed a remarkably lower mean OD value of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase than the sham operation group (p < 0.05), high and middle dose groups showed a significantly higher mean od value than the model control group (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONTongluo Xingnao effervescent tablets can improve the learning and memory capacity, reduce pathological changes of hippocampal tissues of rats with chronic cerebral ischemia-induced learning and memory dysfunction model, and promote the expression of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase in hippocampus.

Animals ; Brain Ischemia ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; genetics ; psychology ; Chronic Disease ; drug therapy ; psychology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Hippocampus ; drug effects ; enzymology ; Humans ; Learning ; drug effects ; Male ; Memory ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Tablets ; administration & dosage