Effective Management of Acute Oral Chemical Burns After NaOH Ingestion: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND Chemical burns in the oral cavity, although rare, cause more severe tissue damage than thermal burns, continuing tissue destruction even after removing the causative substance. Prompt identification of the substance, exposure extent, time from injury to treatment, and the injured area are imperative for effective management. This report details severe oral burns in an elderly woman from accidental NaOH ingestion. CASE REPORT A 70-year-old female patient was presented to our hospital approximately 15 h after inadvertent consumption of approximately 20 ml of NaOH (sodium hydroxide) solution. This incident led to oral discomfort and restricted mouth opening. The ingested solution, erroneously assumed to be a beverage, was later identified as a potent alkaline substance typically employed in grease removal. Initial manifestations included intense burning sensation, oral edema, and heightened salivation, which exacerbated on the following day, adversely impacting her alimentation and verbal communication. Clinical examination disclosed extensive damage to the oral mucosa. The diagnosis encompassed a chemical burn in the oral cavity coupled with chronic gastritis. The treatment regimen comprised dietary limitations, administration of famotidine for gastric acid suppression, intravenous hydration, nutritional support, oral care with Kangfuxin liquid, and nebulization therapy. Six months after therapy, she exhibited complete recovery, with the absence of discomfort and restored normal oral functions. CONCLUSIONS Timely and targeted treatment strategies, particularly nebulization medication and Kangfuxin liquid, are effective in managing chemical burns in the oral cavity, promoting wound healing, and preventing complications.

Rapid time-lapse 3D oxygen tension measurements within hydrogels using widefield frequency-domain fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FD-FLIM) and image segmentation.

Understanding the influence of oxygen tension on cellular functions and behaviors is crucial for investigating various physiological and pathological conditions. In vitro cell culture models, particularly those based on hydrogel extracellular matrices, have been developed to study cellular responses in specific oxygen microenvironments. However, accurately characterizing oxygen tension variations with great spatiotemporal resolutions, especially in three dimensions, remains challenging. This paper presents an approach for rapid time-lapse 3D oxygen tension measurements in hydrogels using a widely available inverted fluorescence microscope. Oxygen-sensitive fluorescent microbeads and widefield frequency-domain fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FD-FLIM) are utilized for oxygen tension estimation. To incorporate the third dimension, a motorized sample stage is implanted that enables automated image acquisition in the vertical direction. A machine learning algorithm based on K-means clustering is employed for microbead position identification. Using an upside-down microfluidic device, 3D oxygen gradients are generated within a hydrogel sample, and z-stack images are acquired using the FD-FLIM system. Analyses of the acquired images, involving microbead position identification, lifetime calculation, and oxygen tension conversion, are then performed offline. The results demonstrate the functionality of the developed approach for rapid time-lapse 3D oxygen tension measurements in hydrogels. Furthermore, the 3D oxygen tension adjacent to a tumor spheroid within a hydrogel during media exchange is characterized. The results further confirm that the 3D spatiotemporal oxygen tension profiles can be successfully measured quantitatively using the established setup and analysis process and that the approach may have great potential for investigating cellular activities within oxygen microenvironments.

Dual elastography to discriminate adjacent stages of fibrosis and inflammation in chronic hepatitis B: A prospective multicenter study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of dual elastography (dual-elasto) in continuous differentiation of liver fibrosis and inflammation in a large prospective cohort of patients with chronic HBV. APPROACH AND RESULTS: Adults with positive HBsAg for at least 6 months were recruited from 12 medical centers. Participants underwent dual-elasto evaluations. Biopsy was performed 3 days after dual-elasto examination. Four logistic regression models were trained and strung together into series models. Decision trees based on the series models were performed to achieve continuous differentiation of liver fibrosis and inflammation. The influence of inflammation on the fibrosis stage was also evaluated. A total of 560 patients were included in the training set and 240 in the validation set. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the series model were 0.82, 0.86, 0.93, and 0.96 to predict ≥F1, ≥F2, ≥F3, and F4 in the validation set, which were significantly higher than those of serum markers and shear wave elastography (all p < 0.05), except for the ≥ F1 levels ( p = 0.09). The AUCs of the series model were 0.93, 0.86, 0.95, and 0.84 to predict inflammation stages ≥G1, ≥G2, ≥G3, and G4, respectively. Decision trees realized 5 continuous classifications of fibrosis and inflammation. Inflammation could enhance the mild fibrosis stage classification while showing limited influences on severe fibrosis or cirrhosis diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Dual-elasto demonstrated high performance in the continuous discrimination of fibrosis and inflammation in patients with HBV and could be used to diagnose mild fibrosis without the influence of inflammation.

Role of antibiotics in Milligan-Morgan hemorrhoidectomy for Grade III to IV Hemorrhoids: A randomized clinical trial.

PURPOSE: This study was mainly to compare the safety and long-term clinical efficacy of using intravenous antibiotics in Milligan Morgan hemorrhoidectomy for Grade III to IV Prolapsing Hemorrhoids. METHODS: This was a parallel group, 3-arm, randomized clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of intravenous prophylactic antibiotics. A total of 150 consecutive patients undergoing Milligan Morgan hemorrhoidectomy (MMH) in a tertiary hospital for grade III/IV hemorrhoids from January 2020 to August 2022 were enrolled. Patients were randomly assigned to three groups using a computer-generated table. Group A did not receive any prophylactic antibiotic, group B received 2 g I/V Cefoxitin Sodium before the induction of anesthesia, and group C received 2 g I/V Cefoxitin Sodium before the induction of anesthesia and 6 h after operation. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in measured VAS values on the 1st day,3rd day and 7th day after surgery (p> 0.05). Compared with VAS values on the 1st day postoperatively, these values got decreased on the 3rd day and 7th day after surgery (p< 0.05). In addition, there was no significant difference among the first defecation time, wound edema, bleeding, urinary retention after surgery (p> 0.05). There was no significant difference in the outcome comparison between all 3 groups' basal and the 3rd day postoperatively no matter in WBC, NUET% or CRP (p> 0.05). However, compared with basal, the WBC, NUET%,CRP(p< 0.05) of group A and group B on the 3rd day postoperatively got rised, the rate of recurrence of hemorrhoids follow-up for 1 year was 1.4%. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that there is no efficacy on intravenous prophylactic antibiotics in Milligan Morgan hemorrhoidectomy.

Analysis of the efficacy and safety of percutaneous microwave ablation in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients over 60 years old with comorbidities / 中华超声影像学杂志

Objective:To explore the survival prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma patients over 60 years old with comorbidities treated with microwave ablation.Methods:A retrospective analysis of 267 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma aged 60 years or older admitted to the PLA General Hospital from April 2012 to September 2022 were analyzed, including 179 patients with preoperative comorbidities and 88 patients without comorbidities. The overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of the two groups were compared by the Log-rank test, and the Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to evaluate ablation-related risk factors.Results:A total of 267 patients were included (comorbidity group, n=179; no comorbidity group, n=88). There were no statistical differences in OS and PFS between the two groups (all P>0.05). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that comorbidities were not risk factors that affected the survival prognosis (OS and PFS) of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after microwave ablation ( P>0.05). Total bilirubin (hazard ratio 0.356, 95% CI=0.174-0.731, P=0.005) was a risk factor affecting OS; tumor number (hazard ratio 0.538, 95% CI=0.365-0.793, P=0.002) and international coagulation normalized ratio (hazard ratio 1.022, 95% CI=1.001-1.043, P=0.040) were risk factors affecting PFS. Subgroup analysis showed that patients with a maximum diameter of >3 cm and female patients, the OS of the comorbidity group was significantly lower than that of the non-comorbidity group( P<0.05). Conclusions:Microwave ablation therapy remains an effective treatment modality in hepatocellular carcinoma patients over 60 years of age with comorbidities, and its survival prognosis is not inferior to patients with hepatocellular carcinoma without comorbidities.

Efficient single-cell oxygen consumption rate characterization based on frequency domain fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy measurement and microfluidic platform.

Cell metabolism is critical in regulating normal cell functions to maintain energy homeostasis. In order to monitor cell metabolism, the oxygen consumption rate (OCR) of cells has been characterized as an important factor. In conventional cell analysis, the cells are characterized in bulk due to technical limitations. However, the heterogeneity between the cells cannot be identified. Therefore, single-cell analysis has been proposed to reveal cellular functions and their heterogeneity. In this research, an approach integrating a microfluidic device and widefield frequency domain fluorescence imaging lifetime microscopy (FD-FLIM) for single-cell OCR characterization in an efficient manner is developed. The microfluidic device provides an efficient platform to trap and isolate single cells in microwells with the buffer saline containing an oxygen-sensitive phosphorescent dye. The oxygen tension variation within the microwells can be efficiently estimated by measuring the fluorescence lifetime change using the FD-FLIM, and the OCR values of the single cells can then be calculated. In the experiments, breast cancer (MCF-7) cells are exploited for the OCR measurement. The results demonstrate the functionality of the developed approach and show the heterogeneity among the cells. The developed approach possesses great potential to advance cellular metabolism studies with single-cell resolution.

Studying sprouting angiogenesis under combination of oxygen gradients and co-culture of fibroblasts using microfluidic cell culture model.

Sprouting angiogenesis is an essential process for expanding vascular systems under various physiological and pathological conditions. In this paper, a microfluidic device capable of integrating a hydrogel matrix for cell culture and generating stable oxygen gradients is developed to study the sprouting angiogenesis of endothelial cells under combinations of oxygen gradients and co-culture of fibroblast cells. The endothelial cells can be cultured as a monolayer endothelium inside the device to mimic an existing blood vessel, and the hydrogel without or with fibroblast cells cultured in it provides a matrix next to the formed endothelium for three-dimensional sprouting of the endothelial cells. Oxygen gradients can be stably established inside the device for cell culture using the spatially-confined chemical reaction method. Using the device, the sprouting angiogenesis under combinations of oxygen gradients and co-culture of fibroblast cells is systematically studied. The results show that the oxygen gradient and the co-culture of fibroblast cells in the hydrogel can promote sprouting of the endothelial cells into the hydrogel matrix by altering cytokines in the culture medium and the physical properties of the hydrogel. The developed device provides a powerful in vitro model to investigate sprouting angiogenesis under various in vivo-like microenvironments.

Exploration and practice of hierarchical training model for improving professional ability of primary pediatricians / 中华医学教育探索杂志

At present, the routine specialized training for primary pediatricians (focusing on theoretical learning of public subjects) cannot meet the needs of primary pediatricians. In order to promote the development of children's medical care at the grassroots level and improve the quality, medical and clinical research abilities of regional pediatric medical personnel, the Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University has designed and built a "hierarchical training model for improving the professional ability of pediatricians" from the aspects of training objectives, training contents, training methods, construction and evaluation of training programs, and quality control. In addition, the 8-month "Pediatric Professional Basic Training" and the 9-month "Pediatric Professional Ability Improvement Training" were respectively carried out in Xianyang Children's Hospital. In the "Professional Basic Training", 88 trainees were comprehensively evaluated after training, 53 of whom were qualified or above. In the "Ability Improvement Training", 26 of the 29 students actually participated in the evaluation and reached the qualified level or above. Learners provided feedbacks that they have effectively improved their own knowledge structure, expanded their clinical diagnosis and treatment thinking and clinical research ideas, and provided some guidance for clinical work.

Correlation analysis of contrast-enhanced ultrasound Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System classification with hepatocellular carcinoma differentiation and Ki-67 index / 中华超声影像学杂志

Objective:To investigate the correlation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) classified by contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) Liver Imaging Data and Report System (LI-RADS) with differentiation degree and Ki-67 index.Methods:A multicenter, retrospective study was conducted.The clinical and CEUS imaging data of 208 patients with 208 HCC lesions from December 2017 to December 2020 in China CEUS database were included and analyzed. According to the CEUS LI-RADS version 2017 proposed by the American College of Radiology, the HCC was classified. The diagnosis and pathological information of all lesions were confirmed by pathology. The differentiation degree of HCC and the distribution of Ki-67 index in different LI-RADS categories were evaluated, and their correlation was analyzed.Results:The degree of differentiation and Ki-67 index among HCC of different CEUS LI-RADS were statistically significant ( P<0.001, P=0.009). LI-RADS M HCC was more likely to be poorly differentiated and showed a higher Ki-67 index. The category of LI-RADS was positively correlated with the degree of tumor differentiation (tau-b=-0.250, P<0.001) and the Ki-67 index (tau-b=0.178, P=0.002), that is, the higher the category of LI-RADS, the lower differentiation degree and the higher the Ki-67. Conclusions:The CEUS LI-RADS classification of HCC is correlating with the degree of differentiation and Ki-67 index.

Risk Prediction Model for Pulmonary Fungal Infections in Patients with Lung Cancer / 中山大学学报(医学科学版)

ObjectiveTo investigate the risk factors for pulmonary fungal infection in lung cancer patients， construct and validate a risk prediction model using available clinical data to predict the risk of pulmonary fungal infections in patients with lung cancer. MethodsWe conducted a retrospective study and collected information of 390 lung cancer patients treated at Zhongshan People's Hospital from January 2021 to March 2023. Demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients with and without pulmonary fungal infections were used to construct column line graphs to predict the occurrence of pulmonary fungal infections. All enrolled patients were randomly assigned to training set and internal validation set in the ratio of 7：3. For the modelling group， LASSO regression was applied to screen variables and select predictors， and multivariate logistic regression with a training set was used to construct the Noe column line graph model. The judgment ability of the model was determined by calculating the area under the curve （AUC）， and in addition， calibration analysis and decision curve analysis （DCA） were performed on the model. ResultsLASSO regression identified 14 potential predictive factors， and further logistic regression analysis showed that hepatic injury， surgery， anemia， hypoalbuminemia， illness course， invasive operation， hospital stay at least 2 weeks and glucocorticoid used for at least 2 weeks were independent predictors for the occurrence of pulmonary fungal infection in lung cancer patients. A predictive model was established based on these variables， with an AUC95%CI of 0.980 （0.973， 0.896） for the training set and an AUC95%CI of 0.956 （0.795， 1.000） for internal validation， indicating high discriminative ability. The calibration curves for both the training set and validation set were distributed along the 45°line， and the decision curve analysis （DCA） showed net benefit for threshold probabilities greater than 0.03. ConclusionsThe construction and validation of a predictive model for the risk of lung fungal infections in lung cancer patients will help clinical practitioners to identify high-risk groups and give timely intervention or adjust treatment decisions.

Role of mitochondrial dynamic-related protein 1 on inflammation after intracerebral hemorrhage in mice / 中国免疫学杂志

Objective:To investigate the effect and mechanisms of mitochondrial dynamic-related protein 1(Drp1)on the in-flammatory response after intracerebral hemorrhage(ICH)in mice.Methods:Western blot was used to detect the expressions of Drp1 and phosphorylated Drp1(p-Drp1)in brain tissues after ICH,and the optimal concentration of selective Drp1 inhibitor(Mdivi-1)were screened.The mice were randomly divided into sham group,ICH group,ICH+solvent control group(ICH+Vehicle group)and ICH+Mdivi-1 group.The neurological function was evaluated by mNSS,the content of brain water was measured by wet-dry weight method,HE and Nissl staining were used to observe the morphological changes of brain tissues,neutrophil infiltration were observed by MPO staining,and the expression of inflammatory cytokines(IL-6,TNF-α)and mitochondrial membrane marker proteins TOM20,COX4Ⅰ1 were detected by Western blot.Results:Compared with sham group,the expression of p-Drp1 was significantly increased at 12 h after ICH(P<0.01).Compared with ICH+Vehicle group,the neurological function score(P<0.01)and brain water content(P<0.05)of ICH+Mdivi-1 group were increased,the protein expressions of IL-6 and TNF-α and the number of MPO positive cells around hematoma in ICH+Mdivi-1 group were significantly increased(P<0.05),and the expressions of mitochondrial membrane proteins TOM20 and COX4Ⅰ1 in ICH+Mdivi-1 group were significantly elevated(P<0.01).Conclusion:Inhibition of Drp1 can inhibit mito-chondrial division and aggravate inflammatory injury after ICH in mice.Therefore,Drp1 may reduce the inflammation after ICH.

The research progress on atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor of the central nervous system in children / 中国神经精神疾病杂志

Atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor(AT/RT)is a rare and highly malignant embryonal tumor of the central nervous system in children,characterized by diverse histological morphology,high malignancy,rapid clinical progression,and poor prognosis for affected children.The pathogenesis of AT/RT involves mutations in chromosomes and genes,particularly the loss of function of the SMARCB1 gene.The diagnosis of AT/RT primarily relies on histological and immunohistochemical analysis.Currently,there is no standardized treatment protocol for AT/RT.The main treatment modalities include surgery,chemotherapy,radiotherapy,as well as emerging targeted therapy and immunotherapy.Despite progress in research and clinical trials on AT/RT in recent years,the prognosis for affected children remains poor,necessitating further research to develop more effective treatment strategies to improve patient outcomes.

Effect of thioridazine on the proliferation,migration and invasion of liver cancer Huh-7 cells by regulating miR-3174 expression / 中国药师

Objective To study the effect and possible mechanism of thioridazine on the biological behavior of liver cancer Huh-7 cells.Methods Hepatocellular carcinoma Huh-7 cells were randomly divided into a control group and low,medium,and high concentration groups of thiazidine.The miR-3174 mimics and its negative control,miR-3174 inhibitor and its negative control were transfectel to Huh-7 cells,and the miR-3174 mimics and its negative control were treated with thiolidazine.Effect of thioridazine on the proliferation of Huh-7 cells was assessed by CCK-8 method and plate cloning experiment;effect of thioridazine on the migration and invasion of Huh-7 cells was calculated using scratch healing test and Transwell experiment;effect of thioridazine on the expression of miR-3174 in Huh-7 cells was detected by RT-qPCR;E-cadherin and N-cadherin proteins expression was analyzed using Western blotting.The effects of interference with miR-3174 or miR-3174 up-regulation combined with thioridazine on the biological behavior of Huh-7 cells were detected by the above methods.Results After thiolidazine treatment and interference with miR-3174 expression,miR-3174 expression in Huh-7 cells was decreased,proliferation,migration and invasion ability,N-cadherin protein expression were decreased,and E-cadherin protein expression was increased(P＜0.05).Up-regulating the expression of miR-3174 attenuated the effect of thiolidazine treatment on the malignant biological behavior of Huh-7 cells.Conclusion Thioridazine inhibits the proliferation,migration and invasion of liver cancer Huh-7 cells by down-regulating miR-3174 expression.

Effects of Shugan Jiangzhi decoction combined with L-ornithine-L-aspartate in fatty liver after viral hepatitis / 中国药师

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy and application value of traditional Chinese medicine Shugan Jiangzhi decoction combined with L-ornithine-L-aspartate(LOLA)in the treatment of fatty liver after viral hepatitis.Methods Patients with fatty liver after viral hepatitis who were diagnosed and treated in Hebei Chest Hospital from October 2018 to October 2020 were enrolled and randomly divided into control group and test group.The control group was treated with LOLA,and the test group was treated with Shugan Jiangzhi decoction on the basis of the treatment of the control group,and the changes of liver function,blood lipids and immune function before and after treatment in the two groups were observed and compared.Results A total of 144 patients were included in the study,including 72 patients in the control group and 72 cases in the test group.After treatment,the total effective rate of the test group was 93.06% ,which was higher than that of the control group(79.17% )(P<0.05).After treatment,the serum levels of ALT,AST,TBIL,DBIL,GGT,TC,LDL-C and TG in the two groups were significantly decreased(P<0.05),and the test group was lower than that in the control group(P<0.05).The ratio of HDL-C value to CD4+ T lymphocytes in the two groups was higher than that before treatment(P<0.05),and the test group was higher than that in the control group(P<0.05),but there was no significant change in the proportion of CD8+T lymphocytes(P>0.05).The ultrasound grade of fatty liver in the test group was better than that in the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion Shugan Jiangzhi decoction combined with LOLA can improve the immune function and the liver function,balance the blood lipid level,and continuously improve the prognosis of patients with fatty liver after viral hepatitis.

Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis Induced by Sintilimab: A Case Report

Sintilimab is an anti-programmed cell death receptor-1 antibody. The phase III clinical trial ORIENT-12 confirmed the safety of sintilimab combined with pemetrexed/platinum in the treatment of advanced squamous non-small cell lung cancer. Skin reactions are the most commonly reported adverse events of immune checkpoint inhibitors and are rarely severe.We describe a case of toxic epidermal necrolysis related to sintilimab in an elderly oncologic patient. 3 weeks after immunotherapy, the patient developed an extensive rash and diffuse itching, rapidly evolving into macules, blisters, bullae and erosions. Causal evaluation was performed based on the algorithm of drug causality for epidermal necrolysis and national Food and Drug Administration qualitative analysis. The patient responded to high-dose glucocorticosteroid and supportive therapy, alongside with local wound care. If immune checkpoint inhibitors need to be extrapolated clinically, strictly following evidence-based research, promptly detecting and treating adverse reactions is crucial.

Association between early-life factors and pubertal timing in girls / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To study the association between early-life factors (including birth weight, method of birth, gestational age, and history of gestational metabolic disorders) and pubertal timing in girls.@*METHODS@#The stratified cluster sampling method was used to select the girls in grades 2-3 and 7-8 from three primary schools and three middle schools in Guangzhou, China from March to December, 2019, and breast development was examined for all girls. A questionnaire survey was performed to collect the information on early-life factors. The multivariate logistic regression model was used to evaluate the association of gestational metabolic disorders, birth weight, method of birth, and gestational age with pubertal timing in girls. The Bootstrap method was used to assess the mediation effect of body mass index (BMI) (Z score) between high birth weight (≥4 000 g) and pubertal timing.@*RESULTS@#A total of 1 665 girls were enrolled, among whom 280 (16.82%) were judged to have early pubertal timing. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that high birth weight was associated with the increased risk of early pubertal timing (OR=2.12, 95%CI: 1.19-3.66, P=0.008). Nevertheless, no significant association was observed between other early-life factors and pubertal timing (P>0.05). The OR for the mediation effect of BMI (Z score) between high birth weight and early pubertal timing was 1.25 (95%CI: 1.09-1.47), accounting for 29.33% of the total effect of high birth weight on early pubertal timing.@*CONCLUSIONS@#High birth weight is associated with the increased risk of early pubertal timing in girls, and overweight/obesity may play a partial mediating role in the association between high birth weight and early pubertal timing in girls.

The value of ultrasound guided laser ablation in papillary thyroid recurrence carcinoma: A retrospective, single center study from China.

Objective: The efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided percutaneous laser ablation (PLA) for treating recurrent papillary thyroid cancer nodules (RPTCNs). Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in 43 patients with single recurrent thyroid cancer which was diagnosed by fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB). The extent of ablation was assessed by contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) 24h after PLA. At baseline (before ablation), 6, and 12 months, and every 6 months thereafter, the following were recorded: nodule maximum diameter, volume reduction rate (VRR), complications, and side effects. Result: All 43 patients were successfully treated with PLA without serious complications. All patients underwent CEUS 24 hours after PLA treatment, and all achieved complete ablation. The success rate of single ablation was 100%. The average follow-up time was 23.47 ± 6.50 months, 12 ~ 36 months. At the last follow-up, 32 (74.4%) ablation lesions disappeared completely and 11 (25.6%) ablation lesions showed scar-like changes. No lymph node metastasis was found during follow-up. The maximum diameter and volume of nodules decreased from 5.1 ± 1.4 mm, 86.22 ± 20.46 mm3 before operation to 0.73 ± 1.1 mm, 1.02 ± 1.92 mm3 at the end of observation (P < 0.01). The average volume reduction rates (VRR) at 6, 12, 18, 24, 30 and 36 months after ablation were 11.92%, 60.64%, 82.26%, 90.96%, 93.7% and 97.79% respectively. No regrowth of treated nodule and distant metastases were detected. One patient (2.3%) had local recurrence and was treated with PLA again. Conclusion: Ultrasound-guided PLA appears to be effective and safe for treating unifocal RPTCNs in selected patients who are ineligible for surgery, which is suitable for clinical application and promotion.

Rectal mature teratoma: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Rectal mature teratoma is rare and has been reported as a case report in this study. Herein, clinical presentation, magnetic resonance imaging findings, and immunohistochemistry showed a pelvic rectal mature teratoma. The case report and the surgical treatment procedure have been discussed below. CASE SUMMARY: A 29-year-old Chinese female showed up with over a 1-mo history of perianal mass that emerged after defecation. Physical examination indicated that the mass was 4 cm × 3 cm × 3 cm. The intraoperative procedure involved ligation of the sigmoid colon 10 cm above the upper edge of the tumor, followed by ligation of the rectum 3.5 cm above the upper edge of the tumor, and subsequent complete removal of the mass. The histopathology confirmed the mature teratoma. CONCLUSION: The tumor can be completely removed using surgery to prevent its recurrence.

Revealing anisotropic elasticity of endothelium under fluid shear stress.

Endothelium lining interior surface of blood vessels experiences various physical stimulations in vivo. Its physical properties, especially elasticity, play important roles in regulating the physiological functions of vascular systems. In this paper, an integrated approach is developed to characterize the anisotropic elasticity of the endothelium under physiological-level fluid shear stress. A pressure sensor-embedded microfluidic device is developed to provide fluid shear stress on the perfusion-cultured endothelium and to measure transverse in-plane elasticities in the directions parallel and perpendicular to the flow direction. Biological atomic force microscopy (Bio-AFM) is further exploited to measure the vertical elasticity of the endothelium in its out-of-plane direction. The results show that the transverse elasticity of the endothelium in the direction parallel to the perfusion culture flow direction is about 70% higher than that in the direction perpendicular to the flow direction. Moreover, the transverse elasticities of the endothelium are estimated to be approximately 120 times larger than the vertical one. The results indicate the effects of fluid shear stress on the transverse elasticity anisotropy of the endothelium, and the difference between the elasticities in transverse and vertical directions. The quantitative measurement of the endothelium anisotropic elasticity in different directions at the tissue level under the fluid shear stress provides biologists insightful information for the advanced vascular system studies from biophysical and biomaterial viewpoints. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: In this paper, we take advantage an integrated approach combining microfluidic devices and biological atomic force microscopy (Bio-AFM) to characterize anisotropic elasticities of endothelia with and without fluidic shear stress application. The microfluidic devices are exploited to conduct perfusion cell culture of the endothelial cells, and to estimate the in-plane elasticities of the endothelium in the direction parallel and perpendicular to the shear stress. In addition, the Bio-AFM is utilized for characterization of the endothelium morphology and vertical elasticity. The measurement results demonstrate the very first anisotropic elasticity quantification of the endothelia. Furthermore, the study provides insightful information bridging the microscopic sing cell and macroscopic organ level studies, which can greatly help to advance vascular system research from material perspective.

Overview of technical advances in the diagnosis of pulp and periapical diseases / 中华口腔医学杂志

Pulp and periapical diseases are common and frequently occurring diseases of which diagnosis and treatment must be dealt with by the dental clinicians. The diagnostic techniques of these diseases include evaluation of pulp vitality, measurement of pulp blood circulation and analysis and judgment of root canal anatomy. With the continuous emergence of digital and imaging technologies, the correct application of these technologies in clinic will help clinicians improve their abilities in diagnosis and treatment of related diseases. The present article summarizes and reviews the progress of assistant technology for diagnosing dental pulp and periapical diseases in recent years and puts forward some suggestions for its application.