BACKGROUND:Flexible intramedulary nailing and external fixation for pediatric femoral shaft fractures are two common methods in the clinic. It remains controversial which fixation methods are better. OBJECTIVE:To systematicaly evaluate the therapeutic effects of flexible intramedulary nailing and external fixation for pediatric femoral shaft fractures. METHODS: A computer-based search was performed on PubMed, Embase, Medline, and Cochrane library for literatures on clinical controled trials of flexible intramedulary nailing and external fixation for pediatric femoral shaft fractures published before November 25, 2014. Literature language was not limited. The age of subjects was from 3 to 15 years. Modified Jadad was utilized to assess methodological quality of the included studies. Meta-analysis was carried out using Stata 12.0 software. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Six papers involving 237 patients were included. Meta-analysis results showed that compared with external fixation, a low incidence of overal complications [relative risk (RR)=0.30, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.19-0.46;P < 0.001] and pin-hole infection (RR=0.286, 95%CI: 0.13-0.61;P= 0.001), but a high risk of needle tail irritation (RR=1.86, 95%CI: 1.35-2.56;P < 0.001) were found folowing flexible intramedulary nailing. No significant differences in other complications were found between the two groups. These results confirm that compared with external fixation, elastic intramedulary nail has fewer complications and faster fracture healing. Elastic intramedulary nail is recommended for single pediatric femoral shaft fractures. However, external fixation is a better option for high energy injury of lower limbs, multiple trauma or severely soft tissue injury.

Objective To explore the dietary intakes of carotenoids in Chinese adults.Method One hundred and eighty four 30-60 year-old adults(84 males and 100 females) from three different communities were recruited in the investigation.The dietary samples were collected by double-servings in every season of the year respectively.The double sample comprised all the foods of continuous 3 d at equal variety and quantity,and were analyzed by HPLC for the contents of ?-carotene,?-carotene,?-cryptoxanthin,lycopene,and lutein/zeaxanthin.Results The dietary samples were collected and analyzed from 184,184,169,and 161 subjects in summer,autumn,winter and spring respectively.The dietary intakes of ?-carotene,?-carotene,?-cryptoxanthin,lycopene,and lutein+zeaxanthin in the investigated subjects in summer were 2.48?2.71mg,276.6?469.4 ?g,86.9?241.4 ?g,2.16?3.38 mg,and 1.48?1.65 mg respectively.Those in autumn were 3.39?4.10 mg,271.7?462.8 ?g,339.9?1016.8 ?g,0.25?1.34 mg and 2.07?3.00 mg respectively.Those in winter were 2.85?3.76 mg,302.7?622.6 ?g,108.8?142.3 ?g,0.36?1.46 mg and 1.97?3.00 mg.and those in spring were 3.76?3.35 mg,162.4?413.9 ?g,42.1?93.8 ?g,0.86?1.39 mg and 6.10?6.26 mg respecfively.The lycopene intakes were relatively higher in summer,?-cryptoxanthin higher in autumn,and lutein/ zeaxanthin higher in spring.The intakes of ?-and ?-carotene were relatively less fluctuated by seasons.Generally,the subjects from the central urban community consumed more carotenoids than those from the outskirt community and the rural village,with the only exception of lutein/zeaxanthin intake in spring.Conclusion The dietary carotenoids intakes in Chinese adults were studied,and the data would be helpful for further researches about carotenoids nutrition among Chinese population.