Preoperative diffusion tensor imaging: Fiber-trajectory-distribution-based tractography to identify facial nerve in vestibular schwannoma.

Purpose: Tractography of the facial nerve based on diffusion MRI is instrumental before surgery for the resection of vestibular schwannoma, but no excellent methods usable for the suppression of motion and image noise have been proposed. The aim of this study was to effectively suppress noise and provide accurate facial nerve reconstruction by extend a fiber trajectory distribution function based on the fourth-order streamline differential equations.

Methods: Preoperative MRI from 33 patients with vestibular schwannoma who underwent surgical resection were utilized in this study.

Strength Degradation and Fracture Propagation of Repeatedly Immersed Artificial Dam Samples under Uniaxial Cyclic Loading-Unloading.

The use of underground reservoirs is a critical technique for achieving sustainable coal and water resources in many ecologically fragile mines in western China. Concrete samples subject to repeated water immersion and cyclic loading-unloading (CLU) operations were obtained from an underground artificial reservoir dam in Chahasu Colliery to study their strength damage and fracture propagation behavior. The variation in water content of the samples according to immersion times were divided into the rapid growth stage (0-10 h), slow growth stage (10-60 h), and stable stage (>60 h).

Safety and efficacy assessment of allogeneic human dental pulp stem cells to treat patients with severe COVID-19: structured summary of a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial (Phase I / II).

Objectives: To assess the safety and therapeutic effects of allogeneic human dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) in treating severe pneumonia caused by COVID-19.

Trial Design: This is a single centre, two arm ratio 1:1, triple blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel group, clinical trial.

Participants: Twenty serious COVID-19 cases will be enrolled in the trial from April 6th to December 31st 2020.

[Uremic Toxins in Cognitive Impairment].

Patients with uremia can suffer from decreased renal function and endocrine and metabolism disorders,which can lead to the accumulation of toxins in the body.Accumulation of uremic toxins is a major cause of cognitive dysfunction in uremic patients.This article summarizes some of the cognitive dysfunction-related uremic toxins and their possible mechanisms.

Real spinal cord injury without radiologic abnormality in pediatric patient with tight filum terminale following minor trauma: a case report.

Background: Spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality (SCIWORA) is defined as having "clinical symptoms of traumatic myelopathy with no radiographic or computed tomographic features of spinal fracture or instability". The mechanism of pediatric SCIWORA following minor trauma is still unclear. Tight filum terminale (TFT) has been studied in the literature, but the information regarding the predisposing factor for SCIWORA is still being defined.

3,3'-Diindolylmethane ameliorates renal fibrosis through the inhibition of renal fibroblast activation in vivo and in vitro.

3,3'-Diindolylmethane (DIM), a natural acid condensation extracted from cruciferous plants, exhibits anti-fibrotic effects in hepatic and cardiac fibrosis models. The effects of DIM on renal fibrosis, however, are unclear. This study aimed to explore the protective effects of DIM on renal fibrosis.

The CD40 gene polymorphism rs1883832 is associated with risk of acute coronary syndrome in a Chinese case-control study.

Numerous reports in the past few years have demonstrated that atherosclerosis is a lipid-driven, chronic inflammatory disease of the vessel. Recent studies have indicated that the immune mediator CD40-CD40L (CD40 ligand), which is expressed on several inflammatory cells within human atherosclerotic lesions, has roles in atherogenesis. A functional polymorphism (-1C>T, rs1883832) in the 5' untranslated region of TNFRSF5 gene has been reported to affect CD40 expression and be associated with several chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

[Inhibition of CD40L induced E-selectin expression in endothelial cells through extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling pathway].

Objective: To investigate the regulatory effects of atorvastatin on CD40L induced E-selectin expression in endothelial cells and the association thereof with signal pathway.

Methods: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were obtained from umbilical cord newly delivered and incubated with CD40L for 24 hours with or without pretreated by atorvastatin of the concentrations of 0.1, 1, or 10 micromol/L.

[Association between inflammatory cytokine CD40 gene polymorphism and risk of acute coronary syndrome].

Objective: To investigate the expression levels of CD40, sCD40L, hs-CRP, WBC in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients and the association between CD40-1C/T single nucleotide polymorphism and risk of ACS in Han Chinese, moreover, the regulatory effects of IFN-gamma and fluvastatin on the expression of CD40 in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMNC) were also observed.

Methods: (1) 160 ACS patients and 92 control patients diagnosed by coronary angiography were recruited. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, particle enhanced immunoturbidimetric assay, flow cytometry were used to detect the levels of soluble CD40L, hs-CRP, and WBC count.

[Correlation of CD40 gene polymorphisms with acute coronary syndrome, hypertension and diabetes].

Objective: To investigate the correlation of CD40-E1SNP (-1C/T) and CD40-E4SNP with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), hypertension and diabetes in Chinese Han population.

Methods: The allele frequencies of CD40-E1SNP (-1C/T) and CD40-E4SNP were assayed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism and DNA sequence technology in 160 definite ACS patients and 92 controls with negatively coronary arteriography. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to analyzed the interaction between the CD40 gene polymorphisms and hypertension and diabetes.

[Association of L-selectin gene polymorphism with susceptibility to coronary heart disease].

Objective: To investigate the possible association between L-selectin gene P213S polymorphism and coronary heart disease (CHD) in Chinese population.

Methods: In total 212 CHD patients diagnosed by angiography and 230 healthy controls were studied. The genotype and allele frequencies of L-selectin gene polymorphism were assayed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP).