[The ineffective or short-term recurrence of trigeminal neuralgia after microballoon compression:different causes and management strategies].

Objectives: To explore the causes of ineffective or short-term recurrence (within 3 months)of trigeminal neuralgia treated by percutaneous microballoon compression(PBC), and to examine the reoperative strategies and clincal outcomes of modified PBC. Methods: The clinical data of 21 patients with ineffective or short-term recurrence after PBC treatment (5.7% of 369 patient received PBC) admitted to the Department of Neurosurgery,Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University from June 2018 to June 2020 were retrospectively analyzed.There were 8 males and 13 females, mean aged 66.6 years (range:51 to 79 years).Among them,2 patients was ineffective after PBC and 19 patients relapsed within 3 months.The distribution of pain was along V2 branches in 2 cases,V3 branches in 3 cases,V1+V2 branches in 1 case,and V2+V3 branches in 15 cases.The mean time of recurrence was 46.8 days (range:23 to 76 days) among the 19 patients with short-term recurrence.The patients were divided into 4 types based on the causes of postoperative ineffectiveness or short-term recurrence.TypeⅠ:extracapsular false pear (1 case);Type Ⅱ:invalid true pear(2 cases);Type Ⅲ:capsular rupture (6 cases);Type Ⅳ:compression blind area (12 cases).The individualized modified PBC operation plans were used according to the types of the patients and the clinical effect and complications of the patients were observed. Results: The pain symptoms of the patients disappeared after the second operation with immediate effective rate of 100%. All patients had mild facial numbness after surgery.Five patients(23.8%,5/21) had masseter muscle weakness, 3 (14.3%,3/21) had peristomatous herpes, 1(4.8%, 1/21) had diplopia.No bleeding or other complications occurred.All patients were followed up for at least 12 months (range:13 to 28 months). One patient (4.8%,1/21) (compression blind area type) had pain recurrence 9 months after surgery, and cured by receiving the original modified PBC surgery again with no recurrence after another 13 months' follow-up. None of the other patients relapsed during the follow-up period.Up to the last follow-up,19 cases(90.5%,19/21) were cured,and 2 cases (9.5%,2/21) were relieved. Conclusions: The main reason for ineffective or short-term recurrence of PBC in trigeminal neuralgia patients is the ineffectively compressed of trigeminal ganglion.According to the different types of patients,the use of individualized modified surgical scheme can improve the efficacy of PBC surgery.

Research Progress on Computer-Aided Skeleton-Based Individual Identification in Forensic Radiology.

ABSTRACT: Individual identification based on imaging data of the skeleton of a corpse is a key technique for forensic identification. To reduce the influence of artificial factors, computer-aided semi-automatic or automatic individual identification has become one of the research directions of skeleton-based individual identification in forensic radiology. Therefore, this paper reviews and summarizes literatures related to estimation of anthropological information such as, age and sex by computer-aided forensic radiology bone characteristics and individual identification based on bone imaging characteristics, in order to provide reference on skeleton-based individual identification in forensic radiology.

Forensic Application of Plant Evidence.

ABSTRACT: With the increasingly obvious role of plant evidence in case detection, forensic botany, which provides clues and evidence in crime scene investigation by using botanical research method has attracted growing attention. The common experimental techniques used in forensic botany are morphological examination, physical and chemical examination, molecular genetic examination, and so on. This paper briefly expounds the advantages and disadvantages of different test methods, summarizes the problems that need to be paid attention to in the application of forensic botany by arranging the related literatures and cases of forensic botanical research, in order to provide reference for scene investigation of cases.

The experimental research on neuroplasticity in rats' hippocampus subjected to chronic cerebral hypoperfusion and interfered by Modified Dioscorea Pills.

BACKGROUND: Chronic Cerebral Hypoperfusion (CCH) is a common, crucial and tough problem for old people. It easily leads to Lacunar Infarction and even Vascular Dementia (VD). Western medicine has the advantage to relieve some VD symptoms but fails to cure it. Some classic Chinese medicines have good efficacies to treat and delay the cerebral functional decline resulted from CCH. Among them Modified Dioscorea Pills (MDP) has been proven to have a convincing effect in curing VD. So far the knowledge about neuroplasticity in CCH is little known and the underlying interfered mechanism by MDP on neuroplasticity has not yet been explored. This study explores the changes of neuroplasticity involving neurogenesis, angiogenesis and synaptogenesis in CCH and interfered by MDP. METHODS: 40 male SD rats were divided into the Sham operated Group, the Model Group and the MDP Group according to a Random Number Table. Bilateral Common Carotid Arteries Occlusion (BCCAO) was adopted to prepare CCH models. MDP condense decoction had been administered by gavage to rats in the MDP Group (10g·Kg-1·d-1) for 45 days; Rats in the other two groups were accepted normal salts as substitution with same dosage and course. Through Morris Water Maze (MWM) test, pathological observation of hippocampus, ultrastructural study on synapse, Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry detection, the capacities of intelligence of rats, the morphological character of hippocampus CA1 zone and the synapse associated protein and gene such as Growth Associated Protein (GAP-43) mRNA, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) mRNA, Microtubule-associated Protein (MAP)-2, Synaptophysin (SYP), Postsynaptic Density protein (PSD)-95 and Micro Vessel Density (MVD) were determined. Through one-way ANOVA the data was analyzed and when P＜0.05 the result was considered significant. RESULTS: Compared to the Model Group, rats in the MDP Group achieved much better behavioral performance (P＜0.05); more neurons and more synapses regenerated; the expression of SYP, PSD-95and MAP-2 up-regulated (P＜0.05); The expressions of GAP-43 mRNA and VEGF mRNA in the Model Group were higher than those in the Sham operated Group (P＜0.05), but they reached the highest in the MDP Group (P＜0.05); The count of MVD in the Sham operated Group is the lowest, it is higher in the MDP Group and it reaches highest in the Model Group (P＜0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Some key genes promoting neuroplasticity such as GAP-43 mRNA and VEGF mRNA remarkably up-regulated in CCH, they only boost angiogenesis but fail to facilitate neurogenesis and synaptogenesis in CCH. However, accompanied by furtherly up-regulation of these two key genes, MDP obviously improves neurogenesis, synaptogenesis and temperate angiogenesis in CCH which may be underlying its good efficacy.

MicroRNA-375 regulates proliferation and apoptosis of glioma cancer cells by inhibiting CTGF-EGFR signaling pathway.

AIM: To evaluate the correlation between miRNA-375 and cell proliferation and apoptosis in glioma cancer cell. METHODS: Collecting 30 cases of glioma cancer patients and 30 cases of cerebral infarction patients. The miRNA-375 and CTGF protein expressions were evaluated by ISH and IHC methods. In the cell experiment, the U87 cells were divided into 3 groups: NC group (the cells were treated with normal method); BL group (the cells were transfected with empty vector) and miRNA group (the cells were transfected with miRNA-375). The U87 cell proliferation and apoptosis rates and cell cycle of the different groups were measured by MTT and flow cytometry. The relative proteins (CTGF, EGFR, AKT, Erk and P21) expressions were measured by WB assay. RESULTS: The miRNA-375 and CTGF expressions of glioma cancer tissues were significantly different compared with those of no-cancer tissues (p < 0.05, respectively). In the cell experiments, the cell proliferation of miRNA group was significantly decreased compared with that of NC group (p < 0.05); the cell apoptosis and G1 phase rate of miRNA group was significantly decreased compared with NC group (p < 0.05, respectively). Depending on the WB assay, the CTGF, EGFR, AKT, Erk and P21 proteins expressions of miRNA group were significantly different compared with proteins expressions of NC group (p < 0.05, respectively). CONCLUSION: miRNA-375 over-expression suppresses glioma cancer cells development via CTGF-EGFR pathway (Fig. 3, Ref. 30).

Analysis of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome and its pathogenic gene sequence based on geographic information system.

This study analyzed the temporal-spatial distribution characteristics, epidemiological characteristics and gene sequences of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in Guangxi, with the intention of providing a theoretical and technical support for the prevention of HFRS. A map of the incidence of HFRS of different cities in Guangxi was drawn up using the Geographic Information System (GIS) to investigate the epidemiological characteristics and infection source of HFRS between 2013 and 2016. Guangxi has a low incidence of HFRS, and autumn and winter are the main high-incidence seasons. Cases of HFRS were reported in all regions in Guangxi except Laibin city between 2013 and 2016. The distribution of cases in the four years suggested that Guilin, Nanning, Hechi and Wuzhou were the main infected regions, especially the local areas in the north of Guilin. The nucleotide and amino acid of S fragment and M fragment of Hantaviruses (HV) detected were highly homologous, and no obvious variation was found. Through analyzing the space-time characteristics, epidemiological characteristics and gene sequence of HFRS in Guangxi, it was found that areas rich in water, grass and moisture, such as paddy fields, are the main active areas for the host of HFRS.

Combination of LINE-1 hypomethylation and RASSF1A promoter hypermethylation in serum DNA is a non-invasion prognostic biomarker for early recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after curative resection.

Hepatocarcinogenesis, a multistep process, involves not only genetic mutations but also epigenetic alterations. Widespread of global DNA hypomethylation is accompanied with specific regional hypermethylation especially at tumor suppressor genes' promoters. The aim of this study is to determine the efficacy of combined DNA methylation analysis of a global DNA methylation marker - LINE-1 and a tumor suppressor gene highly associated with the malignancy of HCC- RASSF1A in serum as a novel prognostic marker for diagnosis of early recurrence after curative resection.LINE-1 was hypomethylated in 66.7% (70/105) and RASSF1A promoter was hypermethylated in 73.3% (77/105) of HCC serum DNA samples by methylation specific PCR, but in none of the healthy controls: LINE-1 hypometylation (0/50) and RASSF1A hypermethylation (0/50). A significant association was found between LINE-1 hypomethylation and clinical pathologic features including HBsAg positivity (p=0.009), tumor size (p=0.001) and AFP levels (p<0.001). Besides, significant correlation was detected between RASSF1A promoter hypermethylation and lymph nodes metastasis (p=0.045).The results of Kaplan-Meier estimates of survival suggested that LINE-1 hypomethylation was highly associated with poor survival of patients (disease-free survival p=0.002, overall survival p=0.0123). More importantly, co-evaluation of LINE-1 hypomethylation and RASSF1A promoter hypermethylation was found to be significantly correlated to early recurrence and poor prognosis (disease-free survival p=0.0001, overall survival p=0.05) in patients after curative resection.In conclusion, our study showed that the combined examination of LINE-1 hypomethylation and RASSF1A promoter hypermethylation was effective in predicting early recurrence of HCC after curative resection. Patients with dual positivity of LINE-1 hypomethylation and RASSF1A promoter hypermethylation should be supplied with more intensive care and close follow-up after they undergo tumor resection.

Interleukin-10 gene promoter polymorphisms and the risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Genetic factors are known to be important in the development of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is an immunosuppressive cytokine which may facilitate development of cancer by supporting tumor escape from the immune response. Interindividual variations in IL-10 production were genetically contributed to polymorphisms within IL-10 promoter region. The aim of this study was to determine whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at positions -1082 (A/G), -819 (T/C) and -592 (A/C) in the IL-10 gene promoter were involved in predisposing an individual to NPC. One hundred and ninety-eight patients with NPC and 210 age- and sex-matched controls, genotypes were determined using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. There were significantly differences in the genotype and allele distribution of -1082 A/G polymorphism of the IL-10 gene among cases and controls. The -1082 AG and GG genotypes were associated with a significantly increased risk of NPC as compared with the -1082 AA genotypes. Haplotype analysis showed that the homozygosity of the GCC haplotype (defined by SNPs at positions -1082, -819 and -592) of IL-10 gene conveys the highest risk for NPC compared with the homozygosity for the ATA haplotype. This study shows for the first time an association between IL-10 gene promoter -1082 A/G polymorphism and its haplotype may contribute to genetic susceptibility to NPC in a Chinese population.

[Effects of vitamin K on bone metabolism in tail-suspended rats].

Objective. To study the effects of vitamin K on bone metabolize in simulated weightlessness rats. Method. Male SD rats were divided into three groups (n = 9): the free active control (FAC), the tail-suspended control (SC), and the tail-suspended group treated with vitamin K (SVK) (50 mg/kg weight/d). The experiment lasted for 3 weeks. Bone biomechanical properties, bone mineral contents (BMC) and bone biochemical markers of bone metabolism were determined. Result. Compared with SC, total and bound bone gla protein (BGP) of serum, BMC of the femur and tibia, femoral mechanical properties, ALP activity of tibia all increased significantly; while NO content of femoral trunk decreased significantly. Conclusion. Vitamin K improved the bone metabolism and bone structure, decreased bone loss, increased bone biomechanical properties, decreased catagmatic fatalness. It proved that vitamin K prevented bone loss of simulated weightlessness rats.