Clinical Application of Long-Pulsed 800-Nm Diode Laser Depilation Technology on Microtia Reconstruction in 965 Patients.

BACKGROUND: The issue of hair growth on reconstructed ears has been a matter of concern for both patients and surgeons, despite the notable progress made in microtia reconstruction technology in recent times. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to present the practical implementation of long-pulsed 800-nm diode laser depilation technology in the field of auricular reconstruction. Furthermore, it seeks to establish a comprehensive and standardized protocol for utilizing lasers in the reconstruction of microtia ears. METHODS: A total of 965 patients (comprising 1021 ears) diagnosed with congenital microtia underwent treatment using 800-nm long-pulsed diode laser depilation. The participants received 1-3 treatment sessions with intervals of 25-30 days. To assess the effectiveness of the treatment, two independent observers compared photographs and measured the reduction in terminal hair count before and after the final session. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using VAS questionnaires, and any adverse events were diligently recorded. RESULTS: The findings indicated that the utilization of the long-pulsed 800-nm diode laser was both safe and efficient in achieving hair removal during microtia ear reconstruction. As additional sessions were conducted, pain scores demonstrated a decline, while adverse reactions remained minimal. LIMITATIONS: This is a retrospective single-institution study. CONCLUSION: The application of a long-pulsed 800-nm diode laser has been proved to be a safe and effective method for removing hair during the process of microtia ear reconstruction, involving the use of a tissue expander and autologous costal cartilage. To achieve satisfactory results in hair removal, it was found necessary to repeat the shots procedure two to three times. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

[Analysis of the characteristics of primary acute myeloid leukemia with 11q23/KMT2A rearrangements in ninety patients].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical and prognostic characteristics of primary acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with 11q23/KMT2A rearrangements. METHODS: Clinical data of 90 patients with primary AML and 11q23/KMT2A rearrangements were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: By karyotyping analysis, 80 of the 90 patients had translocations involving 11q23/KMT2A, with t(9;11)(p22;q23), t(6;11)(q27;q23), t(10;11)(p12;q23) and t(11;19)(q23;p13) being the most common ones, while 10 cases were found to have non-translocation abnormalities. The overall complete remission (CR) rate was 75.6%, and patients with t(6;11) had lower CR rate compared with non-t(6;11) patients (47.1% vs. 82.2%, P = 0.005). After a median follow-up of 24.5 months, the patients receiving allo-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) had significantly higher 3-year overall survival (OS) (80.3% vs. 16.6%, P < 0.001) and 3-year event-free survival (EFS) (73.5% vs. 16.3%, P < 0.001) compared with non-transplant patients. Patients with t(6;11) had the lowest 3-year OS (11.8% vs. 56.0%, P < 0.001) and 3-year EFS (5.9% vs. 53.8%, P < 0.001) compared with other type of abnormalities. No significant difference was noted in the survival between patients with t(9;11) and non-t(9;11) regardless whether they had received HSCT. CONCLUSION: The clinical characteristics of primary AML with 11q23/KMT2A rearrangements are heterogeneous. Patients did not receive HSCT had poorer survival, particularly with the presence of t(6;11). Allo-HSCT could significantly improve the survival of such patients.

Lasers treatment for traumatic facial tattoo.

Effective treatment for traumatic tattoo is lacking. We aimed to compare the effectiveness and safety between Q-1064 nm laser as monotherapy and alternating Q-1064 nm laser with CO2 AFL in treating traumatic facial tattoo (black or blue color) and accompanied scars. Clinical data of 98 patients were grouped and analyzed based on the different treatment lasers. Tattoo clearance was evaluated with a 4-point scale, and scar improvement was analyzed with modified VOSAS scores. Patient satisfaction of the tattoo clearance and scar improvement, and treatment-related complications were analyzed. Significant increased clinical effects with patient satisfaction and decreased worsened scar were confirmed with the two alternated lasers, relative to those with Q-1064 nm laser alone (P < 0.05). Consequently, alternating Q-1064 nm laser and CO2 AFL treatment could be used for traumatic facial tattoo with black or blue color removal safely and effectively.

Sustained latanoprost release from PEGylated solid lipid nanoparticle-laden soft contact lens to treat glaucoma.

Contact lens have been proposed as a mean of ocular drug delivery, but the conventional soaking method to load hydrophobic drugs, such as latanoprost shows low drug loading and high burst release with alteration in the critical lens properties. In this paper, a novel latanoprost-loaded PEGylated solid lipid nanoparticles (LP-pSLNs) were developed to increase the latanoprost loading capacity of contact lenses (LP-pSLN-L), while also sustaining ocular drug delivery. The pSLNs were spherical in shape with an average size of 105‒132 nm (nanometer) and a zeta potential ranging from ‒29.1 to ‒26.7 mV (millivolt). The LP-pSLNs led to improved swelling, transmittance, and protein adherence of the lens compared to the non-pegylated SLNs congeners (LP-SLN-L) and conventional soaked lens (LP-SM-L). The LP-SM-L lens showed low drug loading, high burst release, and a short release duration of 24 h. The LP-SLN-L and LP-pSLN-L lenses showed high drug uptake and sustained drug release up to 120 h and 96 h, respectively. The pegylation reduced the size of nanoparticles and improved the drug loading capacity, while the release rate was high in the initial hours. The LP-pSLN-L lens was found to be safe based in histopathological studies. In animal studies, the LP-pSLN-10-L batch showed high drug concentration at all-time points up to 96 h compared to the LP-SM-L and eye drop solution. In conclusion, pSLNs improved the latanoprost loading in the contact lens and showed sustained drug release, and thus can be used as a substitute to eye drop therapy.

A coordinate positioning puncture method under robot-assisted CT-guidance: phantom and animal experiments.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the accuracy of the robot-assisted computed tomography (CT)-guided coordinate positioning puncture method by phantom and animal experiments. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In the phantom experiment, seven robot-assisted punctures were made to evaluate the accuracy of the method. In the animal experiment, 18 punctures (nine robotic and nine manual) were made in the livers of nine rabbits. The indicators, such as needle-tract length, angle deviation, puncture accuracy, number of scans required, and radiation exposure dose were compared between manual and robotic punctures. The paired-samples t-test was used for analysis. RESULTS: In the phantom experiment, the mean accuracy of seven punctures was 2.67 mm. In the animal experiment, there was no significant difference in needle-tract length (32.58 mm vs. 34.04 mm, p = .606), angle deviation (17.21° vs. 21.23° p = .557) and puncture accuracy (8.42 vs. 8.77 mm, p = .851) between the two groups. However, the number CT scans required (2.44 vs. 3.33, p = .002), and the radiation exposure dose (772.98 vs. 1077.89 mGy/cm, p = .003) were lower in the robot group than in the manual group. CONCLUSIONS: The coordinate positioning puncture method under robot-assisted CT-guidance can reach an accuracy that is comparable to that of the traditional manual CT-guided puncture method and with fewer CT scanning times accompanied with a lower radiation dosage.

Half-dose ticagrelor versus high-dose clopidogrel in reducing platelet reactivity in acute coronary syndrome patients with high on-clopidogrel platelet reactivity (divide study).

PURPOSE: High on-treatment platelet reactivity (HTPR) after clopidogrel administration in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) has been associated with an increased risk of adverse events. Our previous studies reported that half-dose ticagrelor provides a similar inhibitory effect on adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-induced platelet aggregation as standard-dose ticagrelor, but half-dose of ticagrelor has not been studied in Chinese ACS patients with HTPR. This study aimed to compare the antiplatelet action of half-dose ticagrelor with high-dose clopidogrel in ACS patients with HTPR. METHODS: In this single-center randomized controlled trial, 80 (of 418 screened, 19.13%) ACS patients with HTPR while on clopidogrel were randomized to either half-dose ticagrelor (90 mg LD, then 45 mg twice daily) or high-dose clopidogrel (150 mg once daily). Platelet function was assessed by thromboelastography (TEG) and light transmission aggregometry (LTA), and adverse events were monitored throughout the study for 30 days. RESULTS: The ADP-induced platelet inhibition rate (IR) as measured by TEG was significantly higher for half-dose ticagrelor compared with high-dose clopidogrel (70.40% [61.10%-91.70%] vs. 44.25% [34.67%-79.07%], p = 0.001). The repeated HTPR rate was dramatically higher for high-dose clopidogrel compared with half-dose ticagrelor (6 of 32, 18.75% vs. 1 of 35, 2.85%; p = 0.04). No patients in either treatment group exhibited a major bleeding event or other adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: In ACS patients with HTPR, half-dose ticagrelor is more effective than high-dose clopidogrel in reducing platelet reactivity (NCT03062462).

The Correlation between Atrial Fibrillation and Prognosis and Hemorrhagic Transformation.

OBJECTIVE: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the recognized risk factor for hemorrhagic transformation (HT) in thrombolysis patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). But the impact of AF on prognosis is still controversial. In our study, we aimed to assess the relationship between AF and HT and prognosis. METHODS: We assessed 184 patients diagnosed with AIS and received thrombolysis from January 2016 to October 2017. Based on the imaging results during hospitalization, the patients were divided into HT and non-HT groups in which the HT was containing 40 patients. According to the modified Rankin Scale (mRS), we divided the patients into favorable prognosis (mRS score of 0-2) and the poor (mRS score >2) after 3 and 6 months of follow-up. Our analysis included demographics, onset to treatment time, initial blood pressure, baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, HT, anticoagulants, AF, smoking, and other past history. RESULTS: At baseline, there was a significant difference (p < 0.05) between the HT and non-HT groups in the level of age, hyperlipidemia, AF, NIHSS, and the application of anticoagulants. After 3 and 6 months of follow-up, we found that only NIHSS (OR3 month 1.421, 95% CI 1.280-1.578, p < 0.001, and OR6 month 1.326, 95% CI 1.217-1.445, p < 0.001) was associated with prognosis instead of AF, HT, and anticoagulants. Meanwhile, patients with AF tended to be older, higher NIHSS score and less hyperlipidemia (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The present study indicated that there is no significant correlation between AF and prognosis, although there is some indeed related with HT. That was, the prognosis with AF had a similar response trend compared with the non-AF.

pXST, a novel vector for TA cloning and blunt-end cloning.

BACKGROUND: With the rapid development of sequencing technologies, increasing amount of genomic information has been accumulated. To clone genes for further functional studies in large scale, a cheap, fast and efficient cloning vector is desired. RESULTS: A bifunctional vector pXST has been constructed. The pXST vector harbors a XcmI-ccdB-XcmI cassette and restriction site SmaI. Digestion the vector with XcmI generates a single thymidine (T) overhang at 3' end which facilitates TA cloning, and SmaI gives blunt end that enables the blunt-end ligation. Multiple products with various sizes were amplified from cassava genome by PCR and each PCR fragment was separately cloned into a pXST using TA cloning and blunt-end ligation methods. In general, the TA cloning gave higher transformation efficiency than blunt-end ligation for inserts with all different sizes, and the transformation efficiency significantly decreased with increasing size of inserts. The highest transformation efficiency (8.6 × 106 transformants/µg) was achieved when cloning 517 bp DNA fragment using TA cloning. No significant difference observed in the positive cloning efficiency between two ligation methods and the positive cloning efficiency could reach as high as 100% especially for small inserts (e.g. 517 and 957 base pairs). CONCLUSIONS: We describe a simple and general method to construct a novel pXST vector. We confirm the feasibility of using pXST vector to clone PCR products amplified from cassava genome with both TA cloning and blunt-end ligation methods. The pXST plasmid has several advantages over many currently available vectors in that (1) it possesses XcmI-ccdB-XcmI cassette and restriction site SmaI, enabling both TA cloning and blunt-end ligation. (2) it allows direct selection of positive recombinant plasmids in Escherichia coli through disruption of the ccdB gene. (3) it improves positive cloning efficiency by introducing the ccdB gene, reducing the possibility of self-ligation from insufficient digested plasmids. (4) it could be used by high performance and cost-effective cloning methods. Therefore, this dual function vector would offer flexible alternatives for gene cloning experiments to researchers.

[Transformation from promyelocytic leukemia with t (15; 17) ( q22; q21) to acute monocytic leukemia with t (11; 17) (q23; q21) in a case].

OBJECTIVE: To report on a case of therapy-related acute monocytic leukemia(t-AML) with t(11;17) (q23;q21)/MLL-AF17q after successful treatment for acute promyelocytic leukemia(APL) with t(15;17) (q22;q21)/PML-RARα. METHODS: A MICM method (bone marrow morphology(M), immunophenotype(I), cytogenetics(C), and molecular biology(M)) was used for the diagnosis and classification of the disease at the time of onset and transformation. RESULTS: The patient was initially identified with typical morphology and immunophenotype of APL. She has carried t(15;17)(q22;q21) and PML-RARα fusion gene but was without t(11;17)(q23;q21) or MLL gene abnormalities. After 13 months of successful treatment, she has transformed to AML with typical morphology and immunophenotype. t(11;17)(q23;q21) and MLL-AF17q fusion gene were detected in her bone marrow sample, while no PLZF-RARα fusion gene was detected by real-time quantitative reverse-transcription PCR(RQ-PCR) and fluorescence in situ hybridization(FISH). CONCLUSION: t-AML is a serious complication after successful treatment of APL. t(11;17)(q23;q21) is not specific for the diagnosis of variant APL and can also be detected in t-AML. RQ-PCR and FISH are essential for the diagnosis of such patients.

[Neuroprotective effect of curcumin to Aß of double transgenic mice with Alzheimer's disease].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the changes in Aß40, Aß42 and ADDLs in brains of 3 month-old APPswe/PS1dE9 double transgenic mice after six-month intervention with curcumin, in order to discuss the neuroprotective effect of curcumin. METHOD: APPswe/PS1dE9dtg mice were randomly divided into the model group, the Rosiglitazone group (10 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) and curcumin high (400 mg x kg9-1) x d(-1)), medium (200 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) and low (100 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) dosage groups, with C57/BL6J mice of the same age and the same background in the normal control group. After 6 months, the immunohistochemical staining (IHC) and the Western blot method were used to observe the changes in positive cell of Aß40, Aß42 and ADDLs in hippocampal CA1 area, their distribution and protein expressions. RESULT: Both of the immunohistochemical staining and the Western blot method showed more positive cell of Aß40, Aß42 and ADDLs in hippocampal CA1 area and higher protein expressions in the model group than the normal group (P < 0.01). IHC showed a lower result in the Rosiglitazone group than the model group (P < 0.05), while Western blot showed a much lower result (P < 0.01). The number of Aß40, Aß42 and ADDLs positive cells and the protein expressions decreased in the curcumin high group, the medium group showed a significant decrease (P < 0.01), and the low dose group also showed reductions in the protein expressions of Aß40 and Aß42. CONCLUSION: The six-month intervention with curcumin can significantly reduce the expressions of hippocampal Aß40, Aß42 and ADDLs in brains of APPswe/PS1dE9 double transgenic mice. Whether curcumin can impact Aß cascade reaction by down-regulating expressions of Aß40, Aß42 and ADDLs and show the neuroprotective effect needs further studies.

[Assessment on the effect of joint effort for schistosomiasis control in Hubei Province].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the progress of implementation of integrated strategy with emphasis on the control of infectious sources and effectiveness for joint-project of schistosomiasis control in Hubei province. METHODS: Data on the endemic status and implementation of each integrated intervention in 6 collaborated counties including Gongan, Hanchuan, Honghu, Jiangling, Xiantao and Yangxin during 2009-2013 were collected and analyzed. 18 administrative villages with a history of endemic schistosomisis from 6 counties were selected for field survey. Individuals aged 6-65 years received screening test by IHA, and feces of antibody positive inhabitants were collected and tested by miracidia hatching technique. Hatching technique was conducted to determine the infection rate of schistosomiasis in cattle if there was any cattle existed. RESULTS: Various interventions were conducted with adaption to the local situation by the Departments of Agriculture, Water Conservancy, Forestry, and Health. The total number of cattle decreased from 75 388 at the beginning of 2009 to 1 805 at the end of 2013 in 6 counties with a reduction rate of 97.5%, while the prevalence in cattle reduced to 0-0.3% in 2013. Snail-infested areas were stable but areas with infected snails decreased significantly, and no infected snails were found in 2012-2013. Meanwhile, the infection rate of human beings on county level were less than 1%. No infected snails and cattle were found in 18 selected villages and the prevalence in inhabitants was in the range of 0-0.8%. CONCLUSION: Cooperation between provincial government and the Ministries of Health and Agruiculture accelerates the process to reach the criteria of transmission control of schistosomiasis in Hubei Province. However, sustainable effort in needed as the current endemic situation of schistosomiasis is stillunstable.

Interactions between circulating inflammatory factors and autism spectrum disorder: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study in European population.

Background: Extensive observational studies have reported an association between inflammatory factors and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but their causal relationships remain unclear. This study aims to offer deeper insight into causal relationships between circulating inflammatory factors and ASD. Methods: Two-sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis method was used in this study. The genetic variation of 91 circulating inflammatory factors was obtained from the genome-wide association study (GWAS) database of European ancestry. The germline GWAS summary data for ASD were also obtained (18,381 ASD cases and 27,969 controls). Single nucleotide polymorphisms robustly associated with the 91 inflammatory factors were used as instrumental variables. The random-effects inverse-variance weighted method was used as the primary analysis, and the Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons was applied. Sensitivity tests were carried out to assess the validity of the causal relationship. Results: The forward MR analysis results suggest that levels of sulfotransferase 1A1, natural killer cell receptor 2B4, T-cell surface glycoprotein CD5, Fms-related tyrosine kinase 3 ligand, and tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand are positively associated with the occurrence of ASD, while levels of interleukin-7, interleukin-2 receptor subunit beta, and interleukin-2 are inversely associated with the occurrence of ASD. In addition, matrix metalloproteinase-10, caspase 8, tumor necrosis factor-related activation-induced cytokine, and C-C motif chemokine 19 were considered downstream consequences of ASD. Conclusion: This MR study identified additional inflammatory factors in patients with ASD relative to previous studies, and raised a possibility of ASD-caused immune abnormalities. These identified inflammatory factors may be potential biomarkers of immunologic dysfunction in ASD.

Effects of the plastic additive 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol on intestinal microbiota of zebrafish.

Plastic additives such as the antioxidant 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol (2,4-DTBP) have been widely detected in aquatic environments, over a wide range of concentrations reaching 300 µg/L in surface water, potentially threatening the health of aquatic organisms and ecosystems. However, knowledge of the specific effects of 2,4-DTBP on aquatic vertebrates is still limited. In this study, adult zebrafish were exposed to different concentrations of 2,4-DTBP (0, 0.01, 0.1 and 1.0 mg/L) for 21 days in the laboratory. The amplicon sequencing results indicated that the diversity and composition of the zebrafish gut microbiota were significantly changed by 2,4-DTBP, with a shift in the dominant flora to more pathogenic genera. Exposure to 2,4-DTBP at 0.1 and 1.0 mg/L significantly increased the body weight and length of zebrafish, suggesting a biological stress response. Structural assembly defects were also observed in the intestinal tissues of zebrafish exposed to 2,4-DTBP, including autolysis of intestinal villi, adhesions and epithelial detachment of intestinal villi, as well as inflammation. The transcriptional expression of some genes showed that 2,4-DTBP adversely affected protein digestion and absorption, glucose metabolism and lipid metabolism. These results are consistent with the PICRUSt2 functional prediction analysis of intestinal microbiota of zebrafish exposed to 2,4-DTBP. This study improves our understanding of the effects of 2,4-DTBP on the health of aquatic vertebrates and ecosystems.

Responses of the intestinal microbiota to exposure of okadaic acid in marine medaka Oryzias melastigma.

It is still limited that how the microalgal toxin okadaic acid (OA) affects the intestinal microbiota in marine fishes. In the present study, adult marine medaka Oryzias melastigma was exposed to the environmentally relevant concentration of OA (5 µg/L) for 10 days, and then recovered in fresh seawater for 10-days depuration. Analysis of taxonomic composition and diversity of the intestinal microbiota, as well as function prediction analysis and histology observation were carried out in this study. Functional prediction analysis indicated that OA potentially affected the development of colorectal cancer, protein and carbohydrate digestion and absorption functions, and development of neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's disease, which may be associated with changes in Proteobacteria and Firmicutes in marine medaka. Significant increases of C-reactive protein (CRP) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) levels, as well as the changes of histology of intestinal tissue demonstrated that an intestinal inflammation was induced by OA exposure in marine medaka. This study showed that the environmental concentrations of OA could harm to the intestinal microbiota thus threatening the health of marine medaka, which hints that the chemical ecology of microalgal toxins should be paid attention to in future studies.

Predictors of Cognitive Functions After Stroke Assessed Using the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale: A Retrospective Study.

Background: The mechanism(s) of cognitive impairment remains complex, making it difficult to confirm the factors influencing poststroke cognitive impairment (PSCI). Objective: This study quantitatively investigated the degree of influence and interactions of clinical indicators of PSCI. Methods: Information from 270 patients with PSCI and their Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-RC) scores, totaling 18 indicators, were retrospectively collected. Correlations between the indicators and WAIS scores were calculated. Multiple linear regression model(MLR), genetic algorithm modified Back-Propagation neural network(GA-BP), logistic regression model (LR), XGBoost model (XGB), and structural equation model were used to analyze the degree of influence of factors on the WAIS and their mediating effects. Results: Seven indicators were significantly correlated with the WAIS scores: education, lesion side, aphasia, frontal lobe, temporal lobe, diffuse lesions, and disease course. The MLR showed significant effect of education, lesion side, aphasia, diffuse lesions, and frontal lobe on the WAIS. The GA-BP included five factors: education, aphasia, frontal lobe, temporal lobe, and diffuse lesions. LR predicted that the lesion side contributed more to mild cognitive impairment, while education, lesion side, aphasia, and course of the disease contributed more to severe cognitive impairment. XGB showed that education, side of the lesion, aphasia, and diffuse lesions contributed the most to PSCI. Aphasia plays a significant mediating role in patients with severe PSCI. Conclusions: Education, lesion side, aphasia, frontal lobe, and diffuse lesions significantly affected PSCI. Aphasia is a mediating variable between clinical information and the WAIS in patients with severe PSCI.

A nitrous oxide/oxygen fixed mixture to reduce pain induced by the hypodermic injection: study protocol for a randomized, controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Patients with hematological malignancies received multiple hypodermic injections of recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. Procedural pain is one of the most common iatrogenic causes of pain in patients with hematological malignancies. It is also identified as the most commonly occurring problem in clinical care in the Department of Hematology and Oncology at Shenzhen University General Hospital. However, providing immediate relief from pain induced by hypodermic injection of recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor remains a major challenge. This trial aims to evaluate the safety and analgesic efficacy of a fixed nitrous oxide/oxygen mixture for patients with hematological malignancies and experiencing procedural pain caused by hypodermic injection of recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in the department. METHODS: The nitrous oxide/oxygen study is a single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving patients with hematological malignancies who require hypodermic injections of recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor for treatment. This trial was conducted in the Hematology and Oncology Department of Shenzhen University General Hospital. A total of 54 eligible patients were randomly allocated to either the fixed nitrous oxide/oxygen mixture group (n = 36) or the oxygen group (n = 18). Neither the investigators nor the patients known about the randomization list and the nature of the gas mixture in each cylinder. Outcomes were monitored at the baseline (T0), immediately after hypodermic injection of recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (T1), and 5 min after hypodermic injection of recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (T2) for each group. The primary outcome measure was the score in the numerical rating scale corresponding to the highest level of pain experienced during hypodermic injection of recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. Secondary outcomes included the fear of pain, anxiety score, four physiological parameters, adverse effects, total time of gas administration, satisfaction from both patients and nurses, and the acceptance of the patients. DISCUSSION: This study focused on the safety and analgesic efficacy during hypodermic injection of recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor procedure. Data on the feasibility and safety of nitrous oxide/oxygen therapy was provided if proven beneficial to patients with hematological malignancies during hypodermic injection of recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and widely administered to patients with procedural pain in the department. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Register, ChiCTR2200061507. Registered on June 27, 2022. http://www.chictr.org.cn/edit.aspx?pid=170573&htm=4.

Noninvasive Stereotactic Radiotherapy for PADN in an Acute Canine Model of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.

This study assesses the feasibility, safety, and effectiveness of noninvasive stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) as an approach for pulmonary artery denervation in canine models. SBRT with CyberKnife resulted in reduced mean pulmonary artery pressure, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, and pulmonary vascular resistance, and insignificantly increased cardiac output. In comparison to the control group, serum norepinephrine levels at 1 month and 6 months were significantly lower in the CyberKnife group. Computed tomography, pulmonary angiography, and histology analysis revealed that SBRT was associated with minimal collateral damage.

A novel donor splice-site mutation of major intrinsic protein gene associated with congenital cataract in a Chinese family.

PURPOSE: To identify the disease-causing gene in a Chinese family with autosomal dominant congenital cataract. METHODS: Clinical and ophthalmologic examinations were performed on all members of a Chinese family with congenital cataract. Nine genes associated with congenital cataract were screened using direct DNA sequencing. Mutations were confirmed using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. The mutated multi-intronic plasmid (MIP) minigene, which carries the disease-causing splice-site mutation, and the wild-type (WT) MIP minigene were constructed using the pcDNA3.1 expression vector. Wild-type and mutant MIP minigene constructs were transiently transfected into HeLa cells. After 48 h of incubation at 37 °C, total RNA isolation and reverse transcription (RT)-PCR analysis were performed, and PCR products were separated and confirmed with sequencing. RESULTS: Direct DNA sequence analysis identified a novel splice-site mutation in intron 3 (c.606+1 G>A) of the MIP gene. To investigate the manner in which the splice donor mutation could affect mRNA splicing, WT and mutant MIP minigenes were inserted in the pcDNA3.1 (+) vector. Constructs were transfected into HeLa cells. RT-PCR analysis showed that the donor splice site mutation led to deletion of exon 3 in the mRNA encoded by the MIP gene. CONCLUSIONS: The present study identified a novel donor splice-site mutation (c.606+1G>A) in the MIP gene in a Chinese family with congenital cataract. In vitro RT-PCR analysis showed that this splice-site mutation resulted in the deletion of exon 3 from mRNA encoded by the MIP gene. This is the first report to show that donor splice-site mutation in MIP genes can cause autosomal dominant congenital cataract.

[A comparative study of fluorescence in situ hybridization versus conventional cytogenetics in the detection of clonal aberrations in myelodysplastic syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the results of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) versus conventional cytogenetics (CC) in the detection of common chromosomal abnormalities and evaluate the significance of FISH in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) . METHODS: A total of 344 patients with de novo MDS from June 2008 to October 2012 were detected by 6 pairs of probes, including CSF1R/D5S23-D5S721 (5q33) , EGR1/ D5S23-D5S721 (5q31) , D7S486 (7q31) /CSP7, D7S522 (7q31) /CSP7, D20S108/CSP8 (20q12/CSP8) and CSPX/CSPY. The results were compared with those of CC. RESULTS: CC revealed cytogenetic abnormalities in 168/344 cases (48.8%) and the frequency of common aberrations such as +8, 20q-, -7/7q-, -5/5q- and -Y were 18.9% (65/344) , 9.3% (32/344), 8.4% (29/344), 8.4% (29/344) and 2.4% (5/206) respectively. While FISH revealed chromosome abnormalities in 147/344 patients (42.7%) and the frequency of +8, 20q-, -7/7q-, -5/5q- and -Y were 20.9% (72/344), 11.6% (40/344), 11.6% (40/344), 10.2% (35/344) and 2.9% (6/206) respectively. Overall 187/344 patients (54.4%) carried clonal aberrations by a combination of CC and FISH. Among 158 patients with normal karyotype by CC, 14 cases (8.9%) were detected to have clonal aberrations by FISH. FISH also confirmed 4 carriers of clonal aberrations out of 9 patients with non clonal abnormalities by CC. CONCLUSIONS: FISH is effective for improving the probability of detecting chromosome abnormalities in MDS cases with normal karyotypes and karyotype failure. FISH may provide rationales for clonal abnormalities in patients with non clonal aberrations by CC. A combination of FISH and CC shows complementary advantages.