Armor-Structured Interconnected-Porous Membranes for Corrosion-Resistant and Highly Permeable Waste Ammonium Resource Recycling.

Ammonium recovery from wastewater by gas-permeable membranes is promising but suffers from the tradeoff between membrane stability and permeability under harsh operating conditions. Chemical-resistant membranes display modest permeability due to the poor solubility and processibility; chemically active membranes are easier to be endowed with better permeability however hinder by instability. To resolve such a problem, we cleverly design a novel membrane configuration via one-step solution-electrospinning, with the chemical-active component (low-strength fluorine polymer) as the inner skeleton to construct interconnected porous structures and the chemical-resistant component (high-strength fluorine polymer) as the outer armor to serve as a protective layer. Due to the significantly enhanced mass transfer coefficient, the interconnected-porous armor-structured membrane exhibited much higher permeability for NH4+-N recovery, which was 1.4 and 5 times that of the traditional PTFE membrane and PP membrane, respectively. Through long-term intermittent and consecutive experiments, the reusability and durability of the armor-structured nanofibrous membrane were verified. When treating actual hoggery wastewater with complicated water quality, the armor-structured nanofibrous membrane also displayed robust stable performance with excellent antiwettability. The mechanisms of membrane formation, corrosion resistance, and mass transfer were discussed in detail.

In Situ Three-Dimensional Welded Nanofibrous Membranes for Robust Membrane Distillation of Concentrated Seawater.

Membrane distillation (MD) is a promising technology for treating the concentrated seawater discharged from the desalination process. Interconnected porous membranes, fabricated by additive manufacturing, have received significant attention for MD technology because of their excellent permeability. However, their poor hydrophobic durability induced by the deformation of pores constrains their water desalination performance. Herein, an in situ three-dimensional (3D) welding approach involving emulsion electrospinning is reported for fabricating robust nanofibrous membranes. The reported method is simple and effective for welding nanofibers at their intersections, and the reinforced membrane pores are uniform in the 3D space. The results show that the in situ 3D welded nanofibrous membrane, with a stability of 170 h and water recovery of 76.9%, exhibits better desalination performance than the nonwelded (superhydrophobic) nanofibrous membrane and the postwelded (superhydrophobic) nanofibrous membrane. Furthermore, the stability mechanism of the in situ 3D welded nanofibrous membrane and the two different wetting mechanisms of the nonwelded and postwelded nanofibrous membranes were investigated in the current work. More significantly, the in situ 3D welded nanofibrous membrane can further concentrate the actual concentrated seawater (121°E, 37°N) to crystallization, demonstrating its potential applications for the desalination of challenging concentrated seawater.

Cerebral vasomotor reactivity predicts the development of acute stroke in patients with internal carotid artery stenosis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between cerebral vasomotor reactivity (VMR) and acute stroke in patients with internal carotid artery stenosis. METHODS: 54 patients with internal carotid artery stenosis were enrolled. VMR was calculated by transcranial Doppler monitoring of the velocity of blood flow. 3-Dimensional dynamic contrast enhanced magnetic resonance angiography was used to detect stenosis, and diffusion weighted imaging was used to detect infarction. RESULTS: VMR value was significantly lower in patients with carotid artery stenosis than in control group (T=3.112, P=0.002), and significantly lower in patients with aortic atherosclerotic stroke than in non-infarct group (T=10.930, P=0.000). However, VMR value was significantly higher in patients with new-onset small-artery occlusion stroke than in non-infarction group (T=-2.538, P=0.013). Scatter plots showed that aortic atherosclerotic stroke occurred mainly in patients with severe internal carotid artery stenosis, and VMR value in cerebral artery significantly decreased. CONCLUSION: Decreased VMR value is an important prognostic factor for the occurrence of aortic atherosclerotic stroke, and can be used as a reference for preoperative hemodynamic evaluation in patients with internal carotid artery stenosis.

Inhibitory effect of hydrogen sulfide on platelet aggregation and the underlying mechanisms.

H2S (hydrogen sulfide) possesses anti-inflammatory and antioxidant capabilities and offers cardiovascular protection. The effect of H2S on platelet function, however, has been less clear. Platelet activation is a key step in the initiation and development of atherothrombotic diseases. This study explored the effects and mechanisms of H2S on human platelet in vitro and under dyslipidemia conditions. This study indicated that the collagen-induced aggregation of washed human platelets, adenosine triphosphate release, and TXA2 formation were inhibited by NaHS incubation. Furthermore, NaHS significantly decreased intracellular calcium concentration in washed human platelets stimulated with collagen and inhibited collagen-induced c-PLA2, p38 MAPK, ERK, JNK, PLC-γ2, and Akt phosphorylation. Finally, NaHS inhibited the aggregation of washed human platelets induced by oxidized low-density lipoprotein plus collagen. The level of plasma lipids and the collagen-induced rapid platelet aggregation in ApoE knockout mice were also significantly decreased by NaHS treatment. Our study shows that NaHS is able to inhibit platelet aggregation induced by collagen. The underlying mechanisms are related to NaHS-induced changes in various signaling pathways and [Ca]i in the platelets. The interaction of NaHS and platelets is also affected by lipid metabolism.

Quasi-critical condition to balance the scaling and membrane lifespan tradeoff in hypersaline water concentration.

Mineral scaling is an inconvenient obstacle for membrane distillation in hypersaline wastewater concentration applications, compromising membrane lifespan to maintain high water recovery. Although various measures are devoted to alleviating mineral scaling, the uncertainty and complexity of scale characteristics make it difficult to accurately identify and effectively prevent. Herein, we systematically elucidate a practically applicable principle to balance the trade-off between mineral scaling and membrane lifespan. Through experimental demonstration and mechanism analysis, we find a consistent concentration phenomenon of hypersaline concentration in different situations. Based on the characteristics of the binding force between the primary scale crystal and the membrane, the quasi-critical concentration condition is sought to prevent the accumulation and intrusion of mineral scale. The quasi-critical condition achieves the maximum water flux on the premise of guaranteeing the membrane tolerance, and the membrane performance can be restored by undamaged physical cleaning. This report opens up an informative horizon for circumventing the inexplicable scaling explorations and develops a universal evaluation strategy to provide technical support for membrane desalination.

Short- and long-term toxicities of multi-walled carbon nanotubes in vivo and in vitro.

As nanomaterials are developed and applied, their potential for health hazards needs to be determined. In the present study, we used commercial nude multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) trimmed to a short length (50-200 nm; s-MWCNTs) and synthesized functionalized MWCNTs with polyethylene glycol (PEG) (s-MWCNTs-PEG). We then studied the toxic effects of s-MWCNTs and s-MWCNTs-PEG on cultured cells and in a mouse model. Peripheral haemograms and various biochemical markers of the heart, liver and kidney were measured. We found no toxicity of either type of nanotube on the viability of human SKBR-3 breast carcinoma cells or control cells. There were no differences in vivo on inflammatory responses, the coagulation system, haemograms or vital organ functions between the test and control groups. Additionally, we found no toxicity of these nanotubes on male mouse sperm production or mutagenesis in the long term. In conclusion, both s-MWCNTs and s-MWCNTs-PEG displayed good in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility, making future applications in biology and clinical therapy as a carrier for drug delivery feasible.

Synergy of feed-side aeration and super slippery interface in membrane distillation for enhanced water flux and scaling mitigation.

Membrane distillation (MD) is an acknowledged promising technology for desalinating hypersaline brine, and as such can be a suitable candidate to further concentrate the seawater discharged from reverse osmosis process. Mineral scaling represents a major constraint against the application of MD for further desalination of concentrated seawater, especially when considering CaSO4 (gypsum) and NaCl. Up until now, it has been difficult to rely solely on membrane modification to mitigate CaSO4 scaling. Permeate-side aeration can lessen CaSO4 scaling, but does not permit to increase the water flux. Herein, we proposed the synergy of feed-side aeration and super slippery interface to perform concentrated seawater desalination via direct contact membrane distillation. The results of this study show that this synergistic effect could significantly increase the water flux, which was approximately 1.5 times higher in comparison to the membrane without aeration. Moreover, the synergistic effect effectively alleviates the complex scaling of concentrated seawater, achieving 90 wt% water recovery rate. Based on the observed results, we elucidated the mechanisms governing the enhanced water flux and scaling mitigation driven by the synergistic effect. In addition, we studied the optimal working condition for this system, unveiling that low-intensity large bubbles are more suitable as they lead to a better equilibrium between the economics and functionality of the process.

[Diagnosis and treatment of orbital complications of acute sinusitis in 51 children].

Objective:To analyze the clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of acute sinusitis related orbital cellulitis in children. Methods:The data of 51 cases with acute sinusitis comorbid with orbital cellulitis in Tianjin Children's Hospital from April 2016 to March 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. According to the extent of infection, the patients were divided into two groups:pre-septal orbital cellulitis（7 cases） and post-septal orbital cellulitis（44 cases）. The general clinical characteristics, clinical manifestations, laboratory examination and treatment were compared between the two groups. Among them, 23 cases（6 in pre-septal orbital cellulitis group and 17 in post-septal orbital cellulitis group） were cured by medicine treatment; 28 cases were cured by surgical treatment after failure of medicine treatment. Results:There was no significant difference in age, gender and medical history between the two groups. Redness, swelling, heat and pain in eyelid was the most common clinical manifestations of orbital cellulitis in children, followed by fever, headache, runny nose, eye fixation, and vision loss. WBC count and neutrophils percentage were significantly higher in post-septal orbital cellulitis group. All children were followed up for 3 months to 3 years， 1 case was lost to follow-up， 50 cases had no recurrence and recovered well. Conclusion:Orbital cellulitis is a common and rapid developing complication of sinusitis in children. Early diagnosis and effective anti-infection treatment are very important for prognosis. Orbital CT plays an important role in the determination and evaluation of this complication. When conservative treatment is ineffective, surgical drainage in time can reduce the occurrence of serious ocular sequelae.

IL-32 exacerbates adenoid hypertrophy via activating NLRP3-mediated cell pyroptosis, which promotes inflammation.

Adenoid hypertrophy (AH) is a common pediatric disease caused by inflammatory stimulation. The pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-32 has been reported to promote airway inflammation and also be involved in the pyroptosis pathway. However, whether IL-32 can contribute to AH by mediating pyroptosis remains to be elucidated. The present study aimed to investigate the role of IL-32 in AH and determine the potential underlying mechanisms. Adenoid tissues were collected from healthy children and children with AH, and the expression of IL-32, NACHT LRR and PYD domains-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) and IL-1ß in normal and hypertrophic tissues were measured. Human nasal epithelial cells (HNEpCs) were exposed to a series of IL-32 concentrations. HNEpCs with or without IL-32 silencing were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and cell proliferation, cell apoptosis, gasdermin D (GSDMD) activation, production of inflammatory cytokines and the expression levels of proteins related to the potential mechanisms were evaluated by Cell Counting Kit-8, flow cytometry, immunofluorescence staining, ELISA and western blot assays, respectively. The results showed that IL-32, NLRP3 and IL-1ß exhibited higher expression in adenoid tissues with AH compared with normal tissues. In HNEpC cells, treatment with IL-32 (2 and 10 ng/ml) promoted cell proliferation, while 50 ng/ml IL-32 inhibited cell proliferation at 12, 24 and 48 h post-treatment. IL-32 (2, 10 and 50 ng/ml) also resulted in differing degrees of apoptosis, GSDMD activation, release of IL-1ß, IL-6 and TNF-α, and increased protein expression levels of NLRP3, cleaved-caspase-1, activated GSDMD, nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein (NOD) 1/2 and Toll-like receptor (TLR)4 in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, compared with the LPS group, IL-32 knockdown significantly inhibited LPS-induced enhancement of cell proliferation, cell apoptosis, GSDMD activation and production of inflammatory cytokines, and reversed the increased protein expression of NLRP3, cleaved-caspase-1, activated GSDMD, NOD1/2 and TLR4. In conclusion, IL-32 may play a role in the progression of AH via promoting inflammation, and the potential mechanism may involve the activation of NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis.

Circulating CircRNAs Panel Acts as a Biomarker for the Early Diagnosis and Severity of Parkinson's Disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic and progressive degenerative disease of the central nervous system. Degenerative neuropathy can occur in patients with PD even before typical clinical symptoms appear in the preclinical stage. Therefore, if the early diagnosis of degenerative diseases can be timely and the correlation with the disease progression can be explored, the disease progression will be slowed down and the quality of life of patients will be improved. In this study, the circRNA microarray was employed to screen the dysregulated circRNA in plasma samples of PD. Four circRNAs (circ_0085869, circ_0004381, circ_0017204, and circ_0090668) were obtained with increased levels in PD patients by cross comparison and preliminary verification in PD comparing with healthy controls. Further validation found the circRNA panel was consistent with the training set. The ROC curve also revealed a high diagnostic ability of circ_0004381 and circ_0017204 in predicting the early stage of PD from healthy controls. circ_0085869, circ_0004381, circ_0017204, and circ_0090668 also presented a high ability to distinguish the late stage of PD from early stage. In conclusion, circulating circRNA panel might be a potential fingerprint for predicting the early diagnosis of PD and may act as a biomarker for disease progression.

Bioinformatics Analysis of a Functional ANGPT1 Variant That Interferes with miR-607 and Its Association with Susceptibility and Outcome of Ischemic Stroke in a Han Population.

PURPOSE: Ischemic stroke (IS) is a major cause of disability and death. We used bioinformatics approaches to investigate a functional ANGPT1 variant that interferes with miR-607 and explored its association with IS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An IS expression microarray (GSE16561) was downloaded from the GEO and used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and functional enrichment pathways. Analyses showed that ANGPT1 participated in six key pathways and was susceptible to a key functional polymorphism rs2507799. We genotyped 567 IS patients and 500 controls for ANGPT1 rs2507799. Luciferase assays were also conducted to investigate the binding between miR-607 and ANGPT1 rs2507799. RESULTS: In total, we identified 458 DEGs between IS patients and healthy controls in the GSE16561 dataset. GO functional enrichment analysis showed that these DEGs were mainly enriched in cell-substrate junctions, the regulation of peptide secretion, and the regulation of cytokine secretion involved in immune response. ANGPT1 rs2507799 T-carriers had a significantly higher risk of IS (Dominant model: OR = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.01-2.17, P = 0.044). IS patients harboring the TC/TT genotype experienced significantly more severe injuries in terms of neurological function (Dominant model: OR = 2.06, 95% CI = 1.28-3.31, P = 0.003). Analysis also showed that IS patients harboring the TC/TT genotype had a significantly worse outcome (Dominant model: OR = 2.22, 95% CI = 1.35-3.67, P = 0.002). Luciferase assays indicated that miR-607 could affect luciferase activity by binding to the ANGPT1 mutant type. CONCLUSION: In this study, we used bioinformatical methods to investigate a key IS-related gene ANGPT1 and its functional polymorphism rs2507799. rs2507799 was found to be associated with a significantly increased risk for IS, a significantly more severe initial stroke severity, and a worse outcome. These results may help to improve the future management of ischemic stroke.

Electrocardiogram Characteristics of Different Motor Types of Parkinson's Disease.

AIM: This study aims to investigate the electrocardiogram characteristics of the different motor types of Parkinson's disease. METHODS: The data on 118 patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), who were initially diagnosed in the Outpatient and Inpatient Department, was collected. Among these 118 PD patients, 74 patients were assigned to the PIGD group, while 44 patients were assigned to the TD group, and their clinical features were analyzed, which included age, course, disease classification, and electrocardiogram parameters (PR, QRS, QT interval, and QTC). RESULTS: The QT interval in PD patients was positively correlated with the course of the disease and Hoehn-Yahr stage, and the QT interval in the PIGD group was longer than that in the TD group. CONCLUSION: A prolonged QT interval may indicate a longer disease period and a more severe disease condition.

[The role of rigid bronchoscope combined with high frequency ventilation in the diagnosis and treatment of infantile acute fibrinous laryngotracheobronchitis].

Objective:To explore the role of rigid bronchoscope combined with high frequency ventilation in the diagnosis and treatment of infantile acute fibrinous laryngotracheobronchitis. Method:The clinical data of 7 children with acute fibrinous laryngotracheobronchitis were analyzed retrospectively. Laryngology and bronchoscopy were conducted by hard tube bronchoscopy combined with high frequency ventilation in all cases. During the operation, a large quantity of membranous scabs was removed from subglottic area, trachea and bronchus. Result:Six cases were treated by emergency operation and cured. One patient was treated with mechanical ventilation for 48 hours because of respiratory failure. Then the operation was performed to remove the endogenous foreign body since no improvement was observed after prolonged ventilation. This patient died of multiple organ failure. The histopathological examination of these 7 cases of endogenous foreign bodies showed fibrinous exudation and necrosis, accompanied by a large quantity of inflammatory cells infiltration. Conclusion:Removal of the plastic endogenous foreign bodies which block the respiratory tract by rigid bronchoscope and high frequency ventilation under general anesthesia facilitates the diagnosis and treatment of acute fibrinous laryngotracheobronchitis in pediatric patients. Prompt surgical intervention could relieve the obstruction of respiratory tract, which is crucial to reduce mortality.

Plasmatic circRNA Predicting the Occurrence of Human Glioblastoma.

BACKGROUND: Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary malignant tumor in adult central nervous system and results in disappointing survival outcomes. Although the diagnosis and therapy approach have been developed recently, the prognosis of GBM remains poor. A novel, minimally invasive biomarker for GBM is necessary for early diagnosis or prognosis prediction. METHODS: All circRNAs were detected by qRT-PCR in GBM samples including training and validation sets. We used the risk score analysis to assume the diagnosis ability for GBM. The receiver operating characteristic curve was also employed. RESULTS: Among the 14 candidates, circRNA, circNT5E, circFOXO3, circ_0001946, circ_0029426, circ-SHPRH, and circMMP9 were detected with increased levels in the training set. Further investigation in the validation set indicated that circFOXO3, circ_0029426, and circ-SHPRH might be the fingerprints for GBM compared with controls. The risk score analysis revealed that the combination of three circRNAs could distinguish the GBM from healthy control with the area under curve value of 0.980 and 0.906, respectively. CONCLUSION: The three circRNAs might be novel fingerprints for predicting the occurrence of GBM.

FOXL1 overexpression is associated with poor outcome in patients with glioma.

Gliomas are the most common primary tumors in adult central nervous system and result in disappointing survival outcomes. FOXL1, as a transcription factor, plays an important role in regulating the expression of genes involved in cell metabolism, proliferation and differentiation. In this study, we investigated the relationship between FOXL1 expression and prognosis of patients with glioma. We selected 611 glioma patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and 132 glioma patients from Huai'an First People's Hospital (PFHH). The prognostic values of FOXL1 in glioma were analyzed in both cohorts. In TCGA cohort, the median (10.2389) was used as the cut-off value of FOXL1 mRNA levels in tumor tissue. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that higher WHO glioma grade (P<0.001) and expression of FOXL1 (P<0.001) were associated with worse overall survival (OS). The univariate Cox regression model revealed that age (P<0.001), WHO grade (P<0.001), histological type (P<0.001) and FOXL1 expression (P<0.001) were associated with prognosis of glioma patients. In PFHH cohort, expression of FOXL1 in tumor cells was detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining based on a tissue microarray (TMA) sample. Kaplan-Meier analysis also showed that WHO glioma grade (P<0.001) and expression of FOXL1 (P=0.012) were associated with OS in glioma patients. The univariate Cox regression showed that WHO grade (P=0.001), histological type (P<0.001) and FOXL1 expression (P=0.013) were associated with prognosis of glioma patients. In both cohorts Kaplan-Meier subgroup analyses showed FOXL expression correlated with OS in high WHO grade subgroup, while low grade subgroup showed no such correlation. This study showed that higher expression of FOXL1 is associated with poor OS of glioma patients in TCGA and PFHH cohorts. Especially, FOXL1 overexpression is associated with worse outcomes in high WHO grade subgroup. Our findings suggest that FOXL1 expression is a candidate predictor of clinical outcome in glioma patients and may act as an effective molecular marker for immunotherapeutic strategies of glioma patients in clinical practice.

Primary malignant gastrointestinal neuroectodermal tumor occurring in the ileum with intra-abdominal granulomatous nodules: A case report and review of the literature.

Malignant gastrointestinal neuroectodermal tumors (GNETs) are rare aggressive malignant neoplasms that exclusively occur within the wall of the gastrointestinal tract. The GNET was first described as an 'osteoclast-rich tumor of the gastrointestinal tract with features resembling clear cell sarcoma (CCS) of soft parts' in 2003. Although the GNET shares certain histological features with CCS, it is characterized by a lack of melanocytic differentiation and the presence of non-tumoral osteoclast-like giant cells (OLGCs). The present study reports a case of a GNET of the ileum with intra-abdominal granulomatous nodules, an uncommon accompanying finding, and summarizes the current literature. A 30-year-old woman presented with the symptoms of intestinal obstruction, and a mass was found within the ileum wall. Multiple grey-white nodules were found adhering to the omentum and serosa of the ileum. Histologically, the tumor was located in the muscularis propria and infiltrated the mucosa and the serosa. Tumor cells presented with oval or polygonal nuclei and prominent nucleoli, and were predominantly arranged in nested and pseudopapillary patterns, with the presence of cluster of differentiation (CD)68-positive, scattered OLGC. Immunohistochemically, it was determined that the tumor cells expressed Vimentin, CD56, S-100 and transcription factor SOX-10, while being negative for pan-cytokeratin, cytokeratin (CK)7, CK20, synaptophysin, chromogranin-A, CD117, anoctamin-1, CD34, human melanoma black-45, Melan-A, smooth muscle actin, CD3 and CD20 expression. Ewing sarcoma breakpoint region 1 gene rearrangement was identified by fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis. Ultrastructurally, no typical melanosomes were identified. In addition, the intra-abdominal grey-white nodules were microscopically identified as chronic granulomatous inflammation. The patient received four cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy following routine tumor resection. Due to its rarity and histological similarity with other neoplasms, unfamiliarity with the features of GNETs by surgical pathologists can easily lead to a misdiagnosis. Therefore, comprehensive assessments, including morphology and ancillary studies, are required for an accurate diagnosis of GNET.

NOX4 rs11018628 polymorphism associates with a decreased risk and better short-term recovery of ischemic stroke.

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) play an important role in our susceptibility to disease, the severity of illness and the way our body responds to treatment. This study evaluated the impact of three polymorphisms on the susceptibility and functional outcome of ischemic stroke (IS). Three hundred and eight patients and 300 healthy volunteers were enrolled. Polymorphisms of NOX4 rs11018628, MTHFR rs1801133 and NEIL3 rs12645561 were detected in both groups. Smoking (P<0.001), drinking (P<0.001), hypertension (P<0.001) and diabetes (P=0.006), as traditional vascular risk factors for IS, were confirmed in our study. Logistic regression analyses with adjustment for age, sex, smoking, drinking, diabetes, hypertension and total cholesterol showed that the variant genotypes of NOX4 rs11018628 were associated with a significantly decreased risk (Dominant model: OR=0.32, 95% CI=0.22-0.48, P<0.001) and a better short-term recovery of IS (Dominant model: OR=0.57, 95% CI=0.35-0.95, P=0.029). This study demonstrates that the NOX4 rs11018628 SNP is associated with decreased risk in developing IS and better short-term recovery of patients. This suggests that the genetic variant of NOX4 rs11018628 may contribute to the etiology of IS.

Polymorphism of PARP-1 indicates an increased risk and a worse initial severity of ischemic stroke.

AIM: Polymorphisms of DNA repair enzyme gene may alter the ability to repair damage and in turn may contribute to ischemic stroke susceptibility and outcome. METHODS: We selected 316 ischemic stroke patients and 302 healthy controls. Then we genotyped SNPs of PARP-1 rs3219119, rs2271347 and APE1 rs1130409 in patient and control groups. RESULTS: Polymorphism in PARP-1 rs2271347 was significantly associated with increased ischemic stroke risk (additive model: OR: 1.74; 95% CI: 1.03-2.93; p = 0.037). Patients harboring the PARP-1 rs2271347 GA/AA genotype had a worse initial stroke (additive model: OR: 1.85; 95% CI: 1.10-3.11; p = 0.021). CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that genetic variant of rs2271347 may contribute to the etiology of ischemic stroke.

Level of uric acid and uric acid/creatinine ratios in correlation with stage of Parkinson disease.

This study aims to investigate relationship between the level of uric acid (UA) and UA/creatinine ratios (UA/Cr) to the stage of Parkinson disease (PD).A total of 120 cases of PD patients who were admitted in our hospital between 2013 and 2015 were enrolled into this study; these 120 cases of PD patients were divided into 3 groups, according to Hoehn-Yahr (H-Y) classification: early stage (1-2 classification), medium stage (2.5-3 classification), and advanced stage (4-5 classification); UA and UA/Cr level in each group was compared. Then, factors including age, gender, dopamine dosage, UA, and UA/Cr levels were analyzed to find the independent predictive factors of PD by logistic regression.UA and UA/Cr levels in the early and medium stage PD patients were significantly higher than in the advanced stage ones. UA and UA/Cr levels in patients with good prognosis were significantly higher than in the poor ones.UA and UA/Cr levels are negatively correlated with the stages of PD and are independent negatively predicting biological indexes of PD incidence and progression.

Inner ear structure of miniature pigs measured by multi-planar reconstruction techniques.

To study the structures of the scala vestibuli and tympani of miniature pigs in order to evaluate the feasibility of using miniature pigs as the animal model for cochlear implant. The temporal bones of three miniature pigs with normal hearing were scanned by micro-CT. With the aid of the Mimics software, we reconstructed the 3D structure of inner ear basing on the serial images of the miniature pig, and obtained dimensions of the scala vestibuli and tympani with multi-planar reconstruction (MPR) technique. The constructed slicing images displayed the fine structures of the cochlea. The results of our study showed that the cross-sectional areas of the scala tympani were greatest at 2.67 ± 0.90 mm2 when the circumferential length from the starting point of basal turn of the cochlea reached to 1.16 mm. The scala vestibuli has a largest width and height at the starting point of basal turn. The width and the height were 2.65 ± 0.45 mm and 2.43 ± 0.2 mm respectively. The largest width and height of the scala tympani were 2.17 ± 0.30 mm and 1.83 ± 0.42 mm. The result of our study suggests that the cochlea of miniature pigs is highly consistent with human's. Miniature pigs may be used as a new model for cochlear implant. MPR technique may be used as a new approach to obtain further information of patient's cochlea in surgeons which is helpful to select suitable cochlear implant devices and surgery approach.