Through mechanical analisis,it is discovered that the twined structure decides the amplification coefficient of the catgut tension.Many troubles of production can be explained with this mechanics model,and it could be used as a reference for medical sulures. 　　The paper gives an accurate calculating formular for catgut design and its direct tensile strength through improving mechanics model. It can raise the material strength from 10 to over 31% depending on its twined structure.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of unilateral pedicle screw fixation in treating thoracolumbar fractures through paraspinal approach.

METHODSFrom January 2006 to January 2009,21 patients with single level thoracolumbar fracture without neurological symptoms were treated with unilateral pedicle screw fixation through paraspinal approach. There were 14 males and 7 females,aged from 21 to 65 years old with a mean of 36.4 years. The duration from injury to operation ranged from 6 h to 5 d with an average of 3 d. According to the classification of Denis fracture, compression fractures happedned in 12 cases and burst fractures happened in 9 cases,including 1 case with T5 fracture, 2 cases with T7 fracture, 2 cases with T10 fracture, 3 cases with T11 fracture, 8 cases with T12 fracture, and 5 cases with L1 fracture. Based on the Flankel grade, all patients were classified as grade E. Anterior vertebral body height ratio, sagittal Cobb angle, condition of internal fixation failure, visual analogue score (VAS) were evaluated.

RESULTSAll patients were followed up from 12 to 36 months with an average of 20.5 months. No internal fixation failure was found. Anterior vertebral body height ratios at preoperative 3 days after operation and last follow-up were 54.3 +/- 2.8, 92.9 +/- 1.5, 93.8 +/- 1.7, respectively;sagittal Cobb angle at the three timepoints were (27.8 +/- 2.5) degrees, (5.3 +/- 0.8) degrees, (6.3 +/- 1.4) degrees, respectively; the difference was statistical significant (P < 0.05). VAS was (1.2 +/- 0.4) points at last follow-up and had obviously improved (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONTreatment of thoracolumbar fractures with unilateral pedicle screw fixation through paraspinal approach is safe with the advantages of micro-trauma and less blood loss,which can not only completely retain the posterior spinal complex structure, reinforce the spinal stability, raise the reductional quality, but also improve the strength of fixation and the distribution of stress force.

Adult ; Bone Screws ; Feasibility Studies ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; instrumentation ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Spinal Fractures ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; diagnostic imaging ; injuries ; surgery ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Young Adult

Adult ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; metabolism ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Cyclophosphamide ; therapeutic use ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Doxorubicin ; therapeutic use ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Leukocyte Common Antigens ; metabolism ; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Mucin-1 ; metabolism ; Prednisone ; therapeutic use ; Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; metabolism ; Vincristine ; therapeutic use

Objective: To investigate the effects of psycholog ical factors on treatment and outcome of patients with high altitude pulmonary e dema(HAPE). Methods: In the present study, one hundred and fifty -two patients with HAPE were tested by hospital anxiety and depression scale. Results: The results showed that there were 61 patients (40.13%) with anxiety and 29 patients (19.08%) with depression. The important factors on mental state of patients were preventive education, the first time suffering HA PE, characters of patients, degree of the disease and the medical fee, the less w ere age, sex, occupation and education of patients. Duration of rales of lung an d course of illness were significantly prolonged in HAPE patients with mental di sorders compared to the patients without mental disorder. Conclusion:The study suggests that anxiety and depression might aggravate the state of HAPE.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Breast ; pathology ; Breast Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Cyclophosphamide ; therapeutic use ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Doxorubicin ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lymphoma, B-Cell ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prednisone ; therapeutic use ; Sarcoma ; pathology ; Spleen ; pathology ; Splenic Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Vincristine ; therapeutic use

Adult ; Epilepsy ; chemically induced ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Nitrobenzenes ; poisoning ; Occupational Exposure ; Poisoning ; complications ; therapy

Objective:To investigate the influence of sCD80-Linker-sCD40L fusion protein on the unspecific anti- tumor immunity in vitro.Methods:Ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells were separately transfected with recombinant adenoviral vectors containing sCD80-Linker-sCD40L fusion gene,sCD80 gene,sCD40L gene or with control adenovirus.The expres- sion of the sCD80-Linker-sCD40L fusion protein,sCD80 protein and sCD40L protein in the supernatants of SKOV3 cells was determined by ELISA.Dendritic cells(DCs)were cultured with peripheral blood mononuclear cells from a patient with ovarian carcinoma.DCs and autologous T cells were co-cuhured and were exposed to different supernatants for 48 h. The allostimulatory effects of DCs on T cells were determined by mixed lymphocyte reaction(MLR).The unspecific kill- ing activities of induced T cells against SKOV3/K562 cells were measured by LDH-releasing assay.Results:ELISA assay showed that levels of the sCD80-Linker-sCD40L fusion protein,sCD80 protein and sCD40L protein in the supernatants of transfeced SKOV3 cells were 2.791 ng/ml,1.956 ng/ml and 1.407 ng/ml,respectively.The fusion protein-exposed DCs ([0.382?0.053]vs[0.167?0.028],P

OBJECTIVETo study mRNA expression of VEGF-(A, C, D) genes in breast carcinoma and its effect on prognosis.

METHODSThe mRNA expression of VEGF-(A, C, D) genes in 61 cases of primary breast carcinoma and 29 cases of benign mammary lesions was detected by TaqMan real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (real-time RT-PCR) technology. The correlation between mRNA expression and various clinicopathologic parameters and survival data was analyzed.

RESULTSThe level of mRNA expression of VEGF-(A, C) genes was significantly higher in primary breast carcinomas (2.79 +/- 1.31 and 3.33 +/- 0.88 respectively) than in benign mammary lesions (1.59 +/- 1.35 and 2.76 +/- 0.55 respectively, P = 0.000 and 0.002 respectively). The percentage of VEGF-D mRNA expression was 73.77% in breast carcinomas, as compared to 51.72% in benign mammary lesions (P = 0.038). However, there was no statistically significant difference in the mRNA expression levels of VEGF-D gene between primary breast carcinomas and benign mammary lesions (P = 0.683). On the other hand, the ratio of VEGF-D mRNA expression to VEGF-C mRNA expression was lower in lymph node-positive than in lymph node-negative cases. This also correlated with the occurrence of nodal metastasis by uni- and multivariate analysis (P(uni) = 0.046 and P(mult) = 0.062). High mRNA expression of VEGF-(A, C) genes was associated with poor disease-free survival (P = 0.030 and 0.044 respectively).

CONCLUSIONSThe expression of VEGF-(A, C, D) genes may play a role in the disease progression of breast carcinoma. The ratio of VEGF-D mRNA expression to VEGF-C mRNA expression correlates with the occurrence of lymph node metastasis in breast carcinoma. The mRNA expression of VEGF-(A, C) genes may serve as a useful prognostic indicator in breast cancer.

Adult ; Aged ; Breast Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; genetics ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C ; genetics ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor D ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo describe the clinicopathologic features and immunophenotypes of carcinoid tumorlets in the lung with bronchiectasis, and to study the morphogenesis of these tiny tumors.

METHODSThe histopathologic characteristics of 3 bronchiectasis cases with carcinoid tumorlets, 11 bronchiectasis and 2 normal lungs were studied. Specific markers of the tiny tumors and the number of neuroendocrine cells (NECs) in the airway mucosa were immunohistochemically detected by EnVision method.

RESULTSThe tumorlets in the lungs presented as multi-focal nodules and most were displayed only under microscopy. These cells were arranged in clusters and foci of fascicles which were situated in the surrounding bronchial wall and bronchioles adjacent to bronchiectatic lesion, or in the scar tissues. The tiny tumors were consisted of short fusiform cells and small ovoid cells. Their nuclei were circular, oval or long fusiform and the cells were strongly argyrophilic on Grimelius staining. Intensive positive immunostaining for calcitonin, chromogranin A, NSE and gastrin were detected. Weak positive for CK, EMA, S-100 and focal positive for HC, ACTH, 5-HT were also observed. Proliferative NECs in airway mucosa adjacent to the tiny tumors increased significantly in number, compared with those in the airway mucosa of bronchiectasis without tumorlets and normal lungs (P < 0.001, respectively).

CONCLUSIONSThe clinicopathologic features and immunophenotypes of carcinoid tumorlets resemble carcinoid tumors. They are the early stage of carcinoid development. Their development may be related to the chronic pulmonary damage resulting in hypoxia and stimulating the proliferation of NECs. These pulmonary carcinoid tumorlets can be used as a model to study the tumorigenesis of carcinoid carcinoma of the lung.

Adult ; Aged ; Bronchiectasis ; pathology ; Carcinoid Tumor ; chemistry ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lung Neoplasms ; chemistry ; pathology ; Middle Aged ; Morphogenesis ; Neurosecretory Systems ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo identify hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) families based on the germline mutations of MLH1 and MSH2 mRNA.

METHODSRNA was extracted from the peripheral blood of the 14 members from 12 different families fulfilling Amsterdam Criteria II. The germline mutations of MLH1 and MSH2 mRNA were detected by cDNA sequencing analysis following reverse transcription-PCR(RT-PCR) with special primers, heat-resistance reverse transcriptase, and expand long template PCR. DNA was extracted from the peripheral blood of the 14 members, the corresponding exons, in which mutations were found using the above method, were amplified with Taq enzyme, sequencing analysis was followed.

RESULTSSix germline mutations were detected and identified from the 6 different families based on mRNA, 4 of them to be in MLH1, the other 2 in MSH2. The MLH1 mutations distribute in the exon 8, 12, 16, and 19. The MSH2 mutations distribute in exons 1 and 2. The 6 mutations were identified from the corresponding exons respectively in genomic DNA sequencing analysis. The mutation types involve in 4 missense, 1 silent, and 1 non-coding area mutations. Five out of the 6 mutations have not been reported previously. Five out of the 6 mutations were pathological, involving in 5 different families. The five families were identified to HNPCC families.

CONCLUSIONHNPCC family can be identified with RNA-based sequencing of MLH1 and MSH2 from peripheral blood, which has the advantages of both cost, time saving and high sensitivity.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; genetics ; Carrier Proteins ; genetics ; Colorectal Neoplasms, Hereditary Nonpolyposis ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Female ; Germ-Line Mutation ; Humans ; Male ; MutL Protein Homolog 1 ; MutS Homolog 2 Protein ; genetics ; Mutation ; Neoplasm Proteins ; genetics ; Nuclear Proteins ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis