The change index of quantitative electroencephalography for evaluating the prognosis of large hemispheric infarction.

A growing number of studies have demonstrated the role of quantitative electroencephalography in assessing brain function in neuro-intensive care units. Still, few studies have examined patients with large hemisphere infarction. Thirty patients with large hemisphere infarction were included in this preliminary study, and the patients were divided into the death group (twelve patients) and survival group (eighteen patients). Electroencephalography monitored the patients, and a computerized tomography inspection was performed. The quantitative electroencephalography of the alpha-beta/delta-theta ratio change index was calculated and used to predict the prognosis of early large hemisphere infarction patients. The relationship between three months modified Rankin Scale, and alpha-beta/delta-theta ratio change index was analyzed. The death group had negative changes for alpha-beta/delta-theta ratio change index (-0.0140 ± 0.0193), while there was an opposite trend in the survival group, the median is 0.004 (-0.0067, 0.0137). The death group's brain function decreased more severely and rapidly than the survival group (P = 0.004). The highest diagnostic value (AUC value 0.815, P < 0.001) was observed when the alpha-beta/delta-theta ratio change index dropped and exceeded -0.008. The area under the GCS curve was 0.674, but its predictive ability was low (P = 0.094). The correlation analysis result showed that the 3-month modified Rankin Scale was negatively correlated with the alpha-beta/delta-theta ratio change index (r = -0.489, P = 0.006). The alpha-beta/delta-theta ratio change index is considered an indicator for predicting the prognosis of large hemisphere infarction. Therefore, the alpha-beta/delta-theta ratio change index may be a reliable quantitative EEG parameter that predicts the early prognosis of patients with acute large hemispheric infarction.

Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide-Induced Calcium Alginate Gel Combined with Adipose-Derived Stem Cells Differentiating to Osteoblasts.

Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) has been confirmed with induction osteoblastic differentiation, but if it can make the three-dimensional culture of adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) to the osteoblastic differentiation, thus constructing tissue-engineered bone rare reports. To investigate the feasibility of exogenous CGRP-induced calcium alginate gel combined with ADSCs from rabbits in three-dimensional condition to construct tissue-engineered bone. ADSCs were obtained by collagenase I digestion of the subcutaneous adipose tissue of inguinal region of New Zealand rabbits. At the third passage, cells were mixed with sodium alginate to prepare calcium alginate gel, and the cells were assigned into two-group cultivates in 24 orifice plates. ADSCs in the control group were treated with DMEM/F-12 medium supplemented with 10(-2) mol/L ß-glycerophosphate sodium, 10(-7)mol/L dexamethasone, 50 mg/L ascorbic acid, 0.1 % volume fraction of fetal bovine serum. ADSCs in the experimental group were incubated with the same medium as above, and in addition 1.5 µg/L CGRP was added. The cells proliferation and the mRNA expressions of collagen I and osteocalcin were detected by MTT and RT-PCR assays, respectively and alkaline phosphatase(ALP)and calcium concentration at different induction time were detected. The cell proliferation curves were S shaped. The OD values of experimental group were higher than those of control group at 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, and 21 days after osteogenic induction (P < 0.05). ALP and alizarin red stains of ADSCs were all positive, but golden round nodes became bigger and more in the experimental group compared with the control group after 2 weeks. At 7 and 14 days, collagen I and osteocalcin mRNA expression were greater in the experimental group than the control group. ALP and calcium concentration of experimental group were higher than that of control group at 1, 2, 3, 4 weeks after osteogenic induction (P < 0.05). Thus, these results show that the CGRP-induced ADSCs combined with calcium alginate gel to osteoblasts differentiation.

[Over-articular external fixator combined with limited internal fixation for the treatment of high-energy Pilon fractures].

OBJECTIVE: To study clinical effects of the over-articular external fixator combined with limited internal fixation for the treatment of Pilon fractures caused by high energy. METHODS: From September 2003 to April 2011, 36 patients with Pilon fractures caused by high energy were treated with the over-articular external fixator combined with limited internal fixator. There were 25 males and 11 females, ranging in age from 16 to 72 years old,with an average of 38 years old. The diagnoses of all patients were determined by conventional X-ray examination or three-dimensional spiral CT examination. The AOFAS scoring criteria was used to evaluate the therapeutic effects. The patients with comminuted fractures were treated with screw or Kirschner wire fixation without uncovering periost so as to enhance stability between fracture end and bone blocks,followed by the fixation with over-articular external fixators. RESULTS: All the patients were followed up, and the duration ranged from 4 to 27 months, with an average of 13 months. Thirty-two patients got wound healing at the first stage. And the bone union duration ranged from 2 to 6 months, with a mean of 3 months. According to the AOFAS ankle-hindfoot subjective scoring standard, 13 patients got an excellent result, 20 good and 3 fair, with an score of 88.2 +/- 3.6. Twelve patients had infections at pinhole, 5 patients had pinhole pain. One patient had the fixator broken induced by over loading, who was cured after treatment. There were no complications such as nerve or vascular injuries, or osteomyelitis. CONCLUSION: The over-articular external fixation combined with limited internal fixation for the treatment of Pilon fractures caused by high energy is an ideal method, which has such advantages as reliable fixation, simple operation, coincidence with principles of biomechanical fixation, and benefit for fracture healing.

[Cloning and phylogenetic analysis of the entire gene of an H1N1 subtype swine influenza virus isolated from Guangdong Province].

To study the genetic variation and evolutionary characteristics of H1N1 swine influenza virus, all the eight genes of LM were amplified by RT- PCR, cloned into pMD18-T vector and sequenced respectively. The results showed that neither insertion nor deletion was observed in nucleotides of LM. The amino acids sequence of cleavage site of HA is IPSIQSR decrease G, suggesting that LM did not have the molecular characteristics of high pathogen. HA had highly conservative N-glycosylation site at position 11, 23, 87 and 276 sites of HA1, and two more at position 154 and 213 sites of HA2. NA had highly conservative N-glycosylation site at position 58, 63, 68, 88, 146, and two more at position 44 and 235 sites, which might be one molecular characteristics of H1N1 subtype of SIV. The results of Bast showed HA gene had high homology to the strain of 'human-like' SIV (99%), while others had high homology to the 'classical' SIV. So it is inferred that HA of LM might originate from human-like linage swine influenza virus, while others might originate from 'classical' swine influenza virus.

Penile length of normal boys in Taiwan.

OBJECTIVE: Micropenis is usually defined as a penis that has a stretched length less than 2.5 standard deviations below the mean value. The purpose of this study was to establish a database and set referable standards of penile length for Taiwanese boys. METHODS: A total number of 2126 boys (156 male newborns, 1198 male infants under 2 years old, and 772 boys older than 2 years old) were included in this study. We excluded those boys with congenital anomaly, frankly genital anomaly and congenital heart disease. Both stretched and flaccid penile lengths were measured for comparison. RESULTS: Our data revealed that the average penile length increased with chronologic age (about 3 cm in neonates, 4 cm when 1 year old, and near 5 cm when 5 years old). But it also revealed that Taiwanese boys have slightly shorter stretched penile length after newborn period till 5 years old when compared with Caucasian boys (all P values < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Normal stretched penile length varied between different ethic groups, and maybe body size contribute more or less to smaller penile size in Taiwanese boys compared to Caucasian boys in light of general knowledge that Caucasian is taller than Chinese (including Taiwanese) in average.