Superior Mesenteric Artery (SMA) syndrome is a well-known but rare complication following corrective surgery for scoliosis. It can be easily missed if not thought of in patients presenting with abdominal pain and vomiting post-scoliosis surgery. SMA syndrome is most commonly associated with conditions resulting in significant weight loss but can also occur as a result of biomechanical changes following scoliosis surgery. We present a case of a 13 year-old girl who developed SMA syndrome following scoliosis surgery. A high index of suspicion and early surgical referral are paramount for the successful management of SMA syndrome.

Cerebral infarction is not only a focal damage,but also causes secondary damage in areas remote from the ischemic territory,which will retard the recovery of neurological function.Ephrin receptor B2 (EphB2) plays an important role in the development and repair mechanism of central nervous system.Blocking the effect of EphB2 in brain by using a specific inhibitor may enhance proliferation and migration of endogeneous neuronal stem cells after experimental cerebral infarc- tion,improve neurological function and influence angiogenesis and neuroplasticity in remote sites.It is expected to become a new approach for decreasing damages in areas remote from the cerebral infarction and promoting the recovery of neurological function.

Objective:To compare the differences between Workshop teaching and PowerPoint teaching being used in resident doctor/advanced doctor training,and to investigate effectiveness of Workshop teaching.Method:Over the limit of teacher on the stage and students off the stage,teacher demonstrated to students hand by hand during Workshop teaching;Over the limit of the students being accepted knowledge passively,teacher encouraged them to take part in mutually;Over the limit of theories lesson separating with practical one,teacher supply more opportunity to operate for students practically.Results:The effectiveness of Workshop teaching mode in practicability and performance ability was better than PowerPoint teaching mode'(P

Interleukin-24 (IL-24) is a member of IL-10 family, which was cloned from human melanoma cells by the method of subtractive hybridization. IL-24 can inhibit the growth of tumor cells and angiogenesis and enhance radiation sensitivity and immune adjustment with non-toxic effects on normal cells.As a kind of cytokine with multiple anti-tumor functions, IL-24 will become a new weapon of gene therapy against cancer. The application and mechanism of IL-24 in the treatment of cancer will be discussed in this paper.

Objective To investigate the management and outcome of cerebrospinal fluid leakage(CSFL)complicating anterior cervical surgery.Methods1052patients were performed anterior cervical surgery between October1997and October2002.Of 1052cases,926cases were of cervical spondylotic myelopathy(CSM),and126of ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL).11patients suffered from cerebrospinal fluid leakage during operation.There were8males and3females aging from46to72years(average,58years).In the group of CSM,there were2cases of CSFL(0.22%)occurred in resection of osteophyte of the posterior vertebral edge,who were serious CSM of C 4,5 and C 5,6 with severe anterior compression by osseous mass to spinal cord showed on MRI.In the group of OPLL,there were9cases of CSFL(7.14%)occurred in resection of the ossified posterior longitudinal ligament accompanied with severe spinal canal stenosis and anterior compression to spinal cord on radiological imagings,4of them were con-tinuous OPLL from C 2 to C 6 combined with herniation of cervical disc,3segmental,and2mixed.Results The defect area of spinal dura were(0.6～2.0)cm?(1.0～1.5)cm.The cerebrospinal fluid was blocked with fascia and absorbable gelatin sponge during the operation.If CSFL was persistent more than3days after oper-ation,expectant treatment was performed.After the operation,no CSFL occurred in8of 11patients,and the other3cases with postoperative CSFL were cured5,14and17days by dressing change,blocking the wound with gelatin sponge,and suturing of the wound respectively.All patients were followed up for 10to62months(mean,26months).No cerebrospinal fluid cyst and infection occurred.There were no significant negative effects of CSFL on the recovery of neuromuscular function.Conclusion CSFL following cervical anterior surgery can be cured by blocking up leakage of spinal dura during operation,however,conventional conservative treatment including of dressing change,antibiotics administration,horizontal position with low pillow are necessary after operation.

Objective:A patient with L3-5 lumbar disc herniations and right spinal recess stenosis at L4-5 level associated with type IIB lumbosacral nerve anomaly(LSNA) at right side according to Neidre and Macnab classification system missed preoperatively and initially misdiagnosed as type IIA intraoperatively was reported. The reasons leading to missed diagnosis preoperatively and misdiagnoses intraoperatively were analyzed. Methods: A 62-year-old female was admitted to our hospital for intermittent radiating pain and claudication to the right lower extremity for about 20 years, radiating pain to the left lower extremity for 2 weeks. Physical examination found the left L5 nerve and right L4 and L5 nerves were impinged. CT and MR scannings revealed L3-4 disc herniation at right side, L4-5 disc herniation at central and left side with severe lateral recess stenosis at right L4-5 level. Image examinations failed to find a nerve root anomaly preoperatively. Following failed conservative treatment, the patient accepted decompression operation initially at left side. Left L5 nerve compressed by the herniated L4-5 disc was found firstly, which was liberated by discectomy. When doing decompression exploration at right side, it was found that two lumbar nerve roots exited L4-5 intervertebral foramen while the upper one was compressed by the herniated L3-4 disc which was liberated by discectomy and the lower one was free of compression. With exposing the right side and partly unroofing of stenosed right L4-5 lateral recess, no typical L5 nerve root was found passing over the posterior surface of the herniated L4-5 disc except that there was a slim membrane-like structure covering it. The patient was initially considered as type IIA LSNA skeptical according to Neidre and Macnad Classification. But detailed observation of the axial CT and MR sequences at L4-5 lateral recess space and sagittal CT and MR sequences at L5S1 intervertebral foramen found there was nerve-like structure, which was further confirmed to be the L5 nerve root by total unroofing of stenosed lateral recess. The membrane-like structure covering the L4-5 disc was confirmed to be the flattened right L5 nerve root compressed by herniated L4-5 disc and stenosed lateral recess, which emerged from the dura’s ventral-lateral side just above the L4-5 disc, the L5 nerve was stripped and pushed medially from its lateral boundary meticulously, L4-5 discectomy was done at right side. Intervertebral cages were inserted after L3-4 and L4-5 disc spaces preparation, following pedicle screw system fusion. Results: No nerve damage occurred intraoperatively. The patient was free of radiating pain to the left lower extremity the day after operation, two weeks later the radiating pain to the right lower extremity alleviated after temporary aggravating. Conclusion: type II lumbar nerve anomalies were not easily to be detected by CT or MR images preoperatively, that closer distance between the conjoined nerves existing the L4-5 foramen and careless observation was responsible for missed diagnosis preoperatively. That the flattened right L5 nerve covering the L4-5 disc was difficult to be recognized intraoperatively for losing its typical contour and color was responsible for misdiagnosing type-IIB anomaly as IIA LSNA.. The operators should be alert and observed carefully in case of misdiagnosing.

Objective To measure the circumferential cortical thickness of anterior entrance and anterior half of lower cervical pedicles on computed tomography (CT) images, providing a reference for accurate anterior cervical pedicle screws. Methods CT scanning was performed in 10 normal lower cervical vertebrae from fresh cadavers, and the coronal and sagittal reconstructed images were obtained. The images were then opened in AutoCAD-2007 software to perform quantitative measurement (accuracy was 0. 1 mm) using the “dimaligned function” of dimension menu, and measurement parameters included the thicknesses of superior, medial, inferior and lateral cortex of anterior entrance of pedicle (SAE. MAE. IAE and LAE. respectively), and thicknesses of superior, medial, inferior and lateral cortex of anterior half of pedicle (SPA, MPA, IPA and LPA, respectively). Results Average thicknesses of SAE. MAE. IAE. LAE, SPA, MPA. IPA, and LPA at left and right side from Q to C7 were (1. 9 + 0. 6) and (1. 9 + 0. 5) mm, (1. 9 + 0. 7) and (1.9+0. 4) mm. (2.4 + 0. 6) and (2. 4 + 0. 5) mm, (0. 9 + 0. 5) and (0. 9 + 0. 6) mm, (2. 3 + 0. 9) and (2. 3 +0. 7) mm, (2. 1 + 0. 5) and (2. 1 + 0. 6) mm, (2. 2+0. 8) and (2. 2+0. 7) mm, and (1. 0 + 0. 7) and (1. 0 + 0. 6) mm, respectively. There was no significant difference in same measurement parameter between left and right sides at same cervical level (P>0. 05). Single factor random block analysis of variance found LAE and LPA were significantly thinner than the other 6 parameters of the same side of same cervical vertebra (all P0. 05). Conclusion LAE and LPA are the thinnest among the 8 measurement parameters from C3 to C7, which suggests LAE and LPA have the weakest resistance to exotic force if resistance strength to exotic force is parallel to cortex thickness. We should avoid locating close to LAE when finding anterior entrance or close to LPA when inserting anterior cervical pedicle screws.

Objective To investigate the association between arsenic(+3 oxidation state) methyltransferase (AS3MT) genetic polymorphism and susceptibility to endemic arsenism.Methods Polymerase chain reactionrestriction fragment length polymorphism-single strand conformation polymorphism(PCR-RFLP-SSCP) technology was performed to detect mutations of AS3MT gene intron 8 and exon 9 in genome DNA of the 79 cases and 110 controls.PCR products with abnormal band forms were further sequenced to find the types and sites of mutation.Chi-square test and multivariate Logistic analyses were conducted.Results The incidence of the 9149 base mutation(A→C) in AS3MT gene intron 8(AS3MT-9149) in case group(19.0％,15/79) was lower than that in control group (23.6％,26/110).The incidence of the codon 287 mutation(ATG→AT/CG) in AS3MT gene exon 9(AS3MT-287)in case group(10.1％,8/79) was lower than that in control group (11.8％,13/110).However,statistical analysis indicated no significant difference in both mutations between two groups[AS3MT-9149:odds ratio(OR) =0.59,95％ confidence interval(CI):0.26-1.31,P =0.195; AS3MT-287:OR =0.85,95％ CI:0.32-230,P =0.751].Conclusions There are no significant association between the genetic polymorphisms of AS3MT-9149,AS3MT-287 and the susceptibility to endemic arsenism.Similarly,due to small sample amount,we can not exclude the possibility that these gene polymorphisms are related to susceptibility to endemic arsenism.

Objective:To investigate the clinical, pathological, and prognostic characteristics of luminal B breast cancer patients with diabetes. Methods:A total of 479 luminal B breast cancer patients with diabetes and 3 392 luminal B breast cancer patients without diabetes who were treated between January 2002 and December 2006 were enrolled in this study. The luminal B breast cancer patients were further divided into the luminal B (high ki67) and luminal B (Her-2/neu+) subgroups. Each subgroup was further grouped into metformin-treated, non-metformin-treated, and non-diabetic groups. The indicators included cancer-specific mortality, clinical, pathological stage, lymph node status, chemotherapy, and endocrine therapy. The survival analysis of each group was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method, and the significance was determined using the logrank test. Cox proportional hazard model was used to examine the correlation between each factor and the prognosis. Results:The Kaplan-Meier analysis results revealed that the breast cancer mortality rates in the metformin-treated, non-metformin-treated, and non-diabetic groups were significantly different in both luminal B (high ki67) and luminal B (Her-2/neu+) subgroups (logrank test:P<0.001, P=0.035), and the respective five-year survival rates were 93.5%, 81%, and 89%for the luminal B (high ki67) subgroup and 84%, 77%, and 83%for the luminal B (Her-2/neu+) subgroup. The Cox multifactorial regression analysis results showed that compared with the metformin-treated group, the non-metformin-treated group was associated with a significantly increased risk of mortality (P<0.001, P=0.044) in the two subgroups. Meanwhile, the non-diabetic group was associated with an increased risk of mortality (P=0.038) in the luminal B (high ki67) subgroup only. The percentage of elderly (P<0.001), menopausal (P<0.001), obese (P<0.001), and patients with cardio-cerebrovascular complications (P<0.001) tended to be higher in the metformin-treated and non-metformin-treated groups than in the diabetic group. Moreover, the metformin-and non-metformin-treated groups in the luminal B (high ki67) subgroup were associated with high percentages of T3/4 pathological stage (P<0.001), lymph node metastasis (P=0.001). The non-metformin-treated group was associated with a lower percentage of invasive ductal carcinoma (P=0.001) compared with the other two groups. Conclusion:The non-metformin-treated group resulted in worse clinical outcomes in both subgroups compared with the metformin-treated group. Meanwhile, the non-diabetic group resulted in the worst prognosis among the three groups in the luminal B (high ki67) subgroup. These findings suggest that the choice of different anti-diabetic drugs may influence the prognosis of luminal B breast cancer patients with diabetes.

To observe the changes in content of monoamine neurotransmitters in the serum of rhesus macaques, and explore the role of serum monoamine neurotransmitters in premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and liver-qi depression induced by anger-in emotion.