Objective To investigate the dynamic changes of signal transducer and activator of transcription 6(STAT6)and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha(PPARα)in peripheral blood of patients with acute cerebral in-farction(ACI)and their association with disease severity and prognosis.Methods A total of 86 ACI patients who were hospi-talized in our hospital from January 2021 to June 2022 were enrolled as ACI group,and according to the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale(NIHSS)score,they were divided into mild group with 33 patients,moderate group with 35 patients,and severe group with 18 patients;a total of 85 individuals who underwent physical examination were enrolled as control group.ELISA was used to measure the level of STAT6 in peripheral blood;quantitative real-time PCR was used to measure the mRNA level of PPARα in peripheral blood;an automatic biochemical analyzer was used to measure blood-related biochemical param-eters,and an automatic blood pressure instrument was used to measure blood pressure parameters;a Pearson correlation analy-sis was used to investigate the correlation of STAT6 and PPARα levels with NIHSS score on admission.Results There were significant differences between the control group and the ACI group in triglycerides,low-density lipoprotein cholesterol,lipo-protein,diastolic pressure,and systolic pressure(P<0.05).The ACI group showed gradual reductions in the levels of STAT6 and PPARα in peripheral blood on days 1,3,and 7 of stroke,with the lowest levels observed on day 7 of stroke,and there were increases in the levels of STAT6 and PPARα on day 14 of stroke,which was still lower than the levels in the control group(P<0.05).For the ACI patients,the expression levels of STAT6 and PPARα in peripheral blood tended to decrease gradually with the aggravation of disease conditions at different time points of stroke.The Pearson correlation analysis showed that the levels of STAT6 and PPARα in peripheral blood of ACI patients on day 1 of stroke were negatively correlated with NIHSS scores(P<0.05).The good prognosis group had significantly higher levels of STAT6 and PPARα than the poor progno-sis group at different time points of stroke(P<0.05).Conclusion There are reductions in the levels of STAT6 and PPARα in peripheral blood of ACI patients after the onset of ACI,which tend to first decrease and then increase over the time of stroke,and the changes in the levels of STAT6 and PPARα are associated with the severity and prognosis of ACI patients.

Objective:To explore the application of nasal aesthetic polygon theory in the reconstruction of new domes on nasal tip with autogenous costal cartilage.Methods:From June 2019 to June 2021, 116 patients (26 males and 90 females) received rhinoplasty, CT-assisted examination of the costal cartilage, nasal bone and nasal cartilage was performed, and the autogenous costal cartilaginous cortex was used to make dome reconstruction grafts that were transplanted to the original alar cartilage and partially fixed to the original nasal septum cartilage to form a satisfactory and natural nasal shape.Results:All the patients were followed up for 6-24 months. No cartilaginous, overrotated or underrotated appearance was found in nasal tip. The shape of nasal tip was clear and good, with an obvious performance point and full lower lobule. The nose was tall and straight, and looked natural and beautiful in three dimensions.Conclusions:The nasal aesthetic polygon theory is used to guide the reconstruction of new domes with autogenous costal cartilage in nasal tip surgery. Compared to the cap and shield grafts, the nasal tip is more close to the normal anatomical structure, the shape and texture are more similiar to the natural state and the nasal tip is softer by using autogenous costal cartilage, and so it is an ideal surgical procedure for nasal tip reconstruction.

Objective:To investigate the effect of autologous costal cartilage cortex as nasal tip support and modified graft for nasal tip contour improvement.Methods:From June 2020 to June 2021, 116 patients (male 26, female 90, aged 20-45 years) who received rhinoplasty in the cosmetic surgery department of Myoung Beaucare Clinic of Beijing, were examined the costal cartilage by CT, and the costal cartilage was cut. The costal cartilage cortex was made into " strip" and " cap" grafts to shape the nasal tip, and the nasal dorsum was raised by polytetrafluoroethylene or silicone prosthesis for comprehensive rhinoplasty.Results:A total of 116 patients were followed up for an average of 11.7 months. After the operation, there was no space occupying in the nasal cavity, no graft protrusion, no obvious foreign body feeling in the nasal valve, and the nasal tip could swing left and right. At the same time, the nasal tip showed obvious signs, the lower lobule was full, and there were no complications such as cartilage appearance, exposure, infection, etc. Due to the untreated deviation of nasal septum, 3 cases had deviation of nasal columella and asymmetric nostrils. The shape of nasal tip was stable in the remaining 113 cases, and satisfactory results were obtained.Conclusions:By using autologous costal cartilage cortex as nasal tip support and modification graft for nasal tip contour improvement, the shaped nasal tip is soft and movable, and does not affect the airway. It is a good surgical technique in nasal tip plastic surgery, which is worthy of clinical application.

Objective:To measure and analyze the morphological parameters of nasal septal cartilage obtained by rhinoplasty in Chinese, so as to provide theoretical guidance for clinical acquisition and application of nasal septal cartilage.Methods:From March 2014 to June 2021, 732 patients were received rhinoplasty in Myoung Beaucare Clinic of Beijing-Cosmetic Surgery. During the operation, 12 mm L-shaped nasal septal cartilage scaffold was obtained from nasal septal cartilage for transplantation. Measurement of the length, width, area, maximum thickness and minimum thickness of nasal septal cartilage was performed for further analysis.Results:For nasal septal cartilage obtained from comprehensive rhinoplasty, its length was 1.2 to 3.5 cm, with an average of 2.16 cm; the width was 1 to 3 cm, with an average of 1.84 cm; the area was 1.43 to 10.5 cm 2, with an average of 4.04 cm 2, with a maximum thickness of 0.5 to 3 mm, with an average of 1.92 mm and a minimum thickness of 0.2 to 0.5 mm, with an average of 0.92 mm. Conclusions:In the comprehensive rhinoplasty of nasal septal cartilage for Chinese, the 12 mm L-shaped nasal septal cartilage scaffold is retained, and the average length, width and area of nasal septal cartilage for transplantation are 2.16 cm, 1.84 cm, 4.04 cm 2, 1.92 mm and 0.92 mm respectively.

Objective:To investigate the surgical method and clinical outcome of using nasal septal cartilage combined with auricular cartilage for management of nasal tip shape.Methods:A clinical study was conducted from April 2014 to June 2019, in which we managed nasal tip shape with nasal septal cartilage and auricular cartilage, and these materials were used as septal extension graft, spreader graft and cap graft. In total, 622 patients (28 males, 594 females; age from 18 to 42 years, mean age 27.47 years) were assessed for eligibility.Results:The follow-up period was from 6 months to 6 years. Nasal shape of all 622 patients was improved significantly after the operation. The nasal tip was natural and round, and there were no complications such as damage of nasal septum mucosa, exposure of prosthesis and infection of surgical site. Only 12 patients were found downward rotation of nasal tip, and 610 patients achieved satisfactory aesthetic results.Conclusions:Using septal cartilage combined with auricular cartilage is a safe, effective and suitable method for management of nasal tip shape.

Objective:To investigate and compare the therapeutic effect of Foley catheter balloon dilation and the traditional open reduction in the treatment of intussusception in children.Methods:A total of 68 children with intussusception treated by Foley catheter balloon dilatation by laparoscopic surgery or traditional open reduction in Department of Pediatric Surgery, the Second Hospital of Lanzhou University from August 2015 to July 2019 were retrospectively analyzed.Among them, there were 32 cases in the Foley catheter group and 36 cases in the traditional laparotomy group.Foley catheter group were treated with laparoscopic Foley catheter balloon dilatation, while the traditional open group were treated with traditional open surgery which was performed with finger dilatation.The results of surgical treatment, postoperative recovery, short-term complications, patient satisfaction and long-term complications were compared between the two groups.Results:Among the indexes of surgical treatment effect, the operation time[(0.4±1.1) h], intraoperative bleeding volume[(10.2±3.4) mL], incision size[(0.5±0.4) cm] and incidence of the rupture of intestine[6.3%(2/32 cases)] in the Foley catheter group were significantly lower than those in the traditional open group[(1.3±2.9) h, (40.5±2.1) mL, (5.1±0.7) cm, 30.6%(11/36 cases)], and the differences were statistically significant (all P< 0.05). Among the indexes of postoperative recovery and short-term complications, recovery time of gastrointestinal function[(1.2±3.1) d], length of hospital stay[(6.7±1.8) d], incidence of incision infection[9.4%(3/32 cases)]and incidence of incisional hernia(0) in the Foley catheter group were significantly lower than those in the traditional open group[(3.3±6.4) d, (7.3±0.9) d, 36.1%(13/36 cases), 16.7%(6/36 cases)], and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). Among the indexes of family satisfaction and long-term complications, the score of family satisfaction in the Foley catheter group [(8.7±1.2) scores]was significantly higher than that in the traditional open group[(6.6±3.1) scores], and the incidence of adhesive intestinal obst-ructionin the Foley catheter group (0)was significantly lower than that in the traditional open group[0 vs.19.4%(7/36例)], and the differences were statistically significant(all P<0.05). Conclusions:Compared with traditional open reduction in the treatment of intussusception in children, Foley catheter balloon dilation has the advantages of short operation time, safe operation, low incidence of intestinal injury, less bleeding, and so on, and also has the advantages of small incision, fast recovery, short hospitalization time, high satisfaction of parents.In addition, the Foley catheter balloon dilation has a lower incidence of incisional infection, incisional hernia, postoperative intestinal adhesion and other complications.

Objective To analyze the relationship between the least diameter of autogenous arteriovenous fistula and other parameters like flow rate and artery diameter. To identify an appropriate way in defining fistula stenosis. Methods Physical examination and Doppler ultrasound were used to examine the autogenous arteriovenous fistula of maintenance hemodialysis patients. Well?used wrist arteriovenous fistula was included. The least diameter of the fistula vein was found and marked by ultrasound, and the diameter and the distance between the point and the anastomotic stoma were measured. Diameters of different places along the cephalic vein of the fistula, including the forearm place, the place close to elbow and the upper arm place were measured by ultrasound. Meanwhile, diameter as well as flow velocity and flow rate of brachial artery, radial artery and ulnar artery were also measured. Result Sixty?eight patients were enrolled in the study. The average age of those patients was 52.56 ± 2.00 years old. Thirty?one patients were female. Forty?nine fistula were located on the left arm. The average diameter and flow rate of brachial artery were 5.72(5.34, 6.33) mm and 821.50 (540.50, 1075.00) ml/min, respectively. The average diameters of radial artery and ulnar artery were 3.95 ± 0.10mm and 3.17(2.73,3.75) mm, respectively. The least diameter of cephalic vein was 3.34 ± 0.11mm in average. The distance between the least place to the anastomotic stoma was 3.76±0.14cm in average. The diameter of forearm cephalic vein was averaged 5.36(4.52, 6.45) mm. Diameter of place close to elbow and the upper arm place in the cephalic vein were (5.57±0.12) mm and (5.80±0.14) mm, respectively. The least diameter of cephalic vein was positively and statistically associated with the diameter and flow rate of brachial artery as well as radial artery. The least diameter was also positively and statistically associated with the diameter of each place in the cephalic vein. Statistical inter?group difference was found when the division was based on the value of the least diameter. Conclusion sThe least diameter of the wrist autogenous arteriovenous fistula vein will indeed affect the whole diameter and flow rate of the fistula. The value of the least diameter is more closely associated with the fistula function rather than narrow rate.

INTRODUCTIONAnti-BP180 IgG titres were observed to parallel disease activity in case series of bullous pemphigoid (BP). This study aimed to examine whether anti-BP180 titres are an indicator of disease severity, clinical course and outcome in Asian patients with BP.

MATERIALS AND METHODSThis was a prospective observational study conducted between March 2005 and March 2008 in the Immunodermatology Clinic at the National Skin Centre, Singapore. Disease activity and anti-BP180 IgG titres were measured 4-weekly for 12 weeks and during disease flares and clinical remission. Associations between anti-BP180 titres and disease activity, disease flare, clinical remission and cumulative prednisolone dose were examined.

RESULTSThirty-four patients with newly diagnosed BP were recruited. Median follow-up duration was 3 years. Notable correlations between disease activity and anti-BP180 titres were at baseline (r = 0.51, P = 0.002), and disease flare (r = 0.85, P <0.001). Lower titres at Week 12 were associated with greater likelihood of clinical remission (P = 0.036). Post hoc, patients with anti-BP180 titres above 87.5 U/mL at time of diagnosis who reached remission within 2 years of diagnosis received significantly higher cumulative doses (mg/kg) of prednisolone (median, 72.8; range, 56.5 to 127.1) than those with titres <87.5 U/mL (median, 44.6; range, 32.5 to 80.8); P = 0.025).

CONCLUSIONAnti-BP180 titres may be a useful indicator of disease activity at time of diagnosis and at disease flare. Lower titres at Week 12 may predict greater likelihood of clinical remission. Titres above 87.5 U/mL at time of diagnosis may suggest the need for higher cumulative doses of prednisolone to achieve remission within 2 years.

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