Objective The present paper makes attempt to study the enrichment features of mercury in freshwater fishes and to evaluate the mercury contamination in environment with the fishes.Methods The fish samples of silver carp,common carp,johnny carp,shorthead catfish and catfish were collected from Songhua River and Heilongjiang River.The content of mercury in freshwater fishes,water and sediment was determined,the biological characteristic of mercury contamination in aquatic animal and the applicability of mercury contamination in aquatic amimal and its estimation were analyzed in Sep.,2007.Results The levels of mercury in river water and sediment were 0.053 ?g/L and 0.27 mg/kg for samples collected from Jiamusi section of Songhua River,and 0.034 ?g/L and 0.16 mg/kg for samples collected from Fuyuan section of Heilongjiang River.The concentrations of total mercury in the muscles of Songhua River’s silver carp,common carp,johnny carp,shorthead catfish and catfish was(0.070 ? 0.036),(0.120?0.071),(0.113?0.067),(0.152?0.107) and(0.196?0.095) mg/kg respectively.The concentrations of total mercury in the muscles of Heilongjiang River ’s silver carp,common carp,johnny carp,shorthead catfish and catfish was(0.042 ? 0.034),(0.103?0.077),(0.095?0.072),(0.157?0.118),(0.174?0.101) mg/kg respectively.The mercury content in fish in the same water environment was significantly positive correlated with its weight(P

[A BSTR ACT] OB J ECTI V E To i mprove the recognization of clinical, imaging and pathological characteristics of angioleiomyoma (ALM) in the head and neck region. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the data of 20 patients with ALM in the head and neck region between 2000 and 2012. RESULTS Seven male and 13 female patients were included in this study. The average age was 52.5 (from 28 to 74 years). The symptom in most cases (n=14) was the painless mass, 4 tumors originating in the nasal cavity presented with nasal obstruction or (and) epistaxis, and the other 3 cases were accidentally found by physical examination. The results of B-ultrasonography in 10 ALM cases of subcutaneous or deep space were homogeneously hypoechoic echo texture, straight and linear vessels in the tumor with convergence to one point with a circumscribed margin. MRI in 5 cases demonstrated typically a well-defined mass, which showed hypointensity or isointensity to muscle on T1WI, and heterogeneous hyperintensity on T2WI. All lesions showed obviously delayed enhancement on contrast MRI. HE stain showed that the tumors were formed by bundles of spindle-shape smooth muscle cells circumscribing numerous slit-like blood vessels in most cases. Immunoperoxidase staining revealed that the tumor cells were strongly positive for calponin, desmin and smooth muscle actin (SMA) in the cytoplasm of the smooth muscle cells. The positive expression of progestogen receptor and estrogen receptor was seen in 7 cases and 4 cases respectively among 10 cases. All patients underwent surgery, and recovered well postoperatively without recurrence or malignancy. CONCLUSION The clinical manifestations of ALM are nonspecific. ALM has distinctive imaging features in B-ultrasonic and MRI examination. Histological examination and immunoperoxidase staining can make a definite diagnosis of the disease. Progestogen receptor and estrogen receptor can be expressed in ALM. The postoperative prognosis is good.

A case of a 67-years-old female with well-differentiated chondrosarcoma of the left lamina of the thyroid cartilage, cricoid cartilage and arytenoid cartilage is reported, in which a total arytenoidectomy and partial resection of the left thyroid cartilage and cricoid cartilage were performed. The postoperative course has been successful except for the existence of a tracheal stoma and slight hoarseness. There has been no evidence of recurrence or metastasis in 6 years of follow-up.
Aged ; Chondrosarcoma ; Female ; Humans ; Laryngeal Neoplasms

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics of postoperative spondylodiscitis after lumbar intervertebral disc herniation.Methods 9 cases with spondylodiscitis were reviewed,about their clinical symptoms,laboratory tests,bacteria culture,CT and MRI finging,etc.Results and Conclusion The clinical symptoms occurred 8~24 d after operation.Laboratory test and MRI were helpful for the early diagnosis.The outcome of both surgical and non-surgical treatment was satisfactory.

Objective To explore the strategy and outcomes of surgical treatment of thoracic ossification of ligamentum flavum(OLF),especially combined with ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament,thoracic kyphosis and epidural adhesion.Methods Fifty-three cases of thoracic OLF from January 2003 to December 2009 were reviewed retrospectively.All patients were treated by the methods of en bloc resection of semi-facet and lamina.All patients were followed up for more than half an year,including 32 males and 21 females,aged from 43 to 73 years(average 54.7 years).The lesions located in upper thoracic for 18 patients,and in thoracolumbar for 35 patients.For multi-level or jumping OLF patients,the responsible levels were determined by combination of images and clinical symptoms.For multi-level OLF with ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament(OPLL)or thoracic kyphosis(＞50°),multi-level pedicle screw fixation and correction of kyphosis were performed.For dural adhesion patients,part of cerebrospinal fluid was released with a caudal incision of dural sac resulting in collapse and epidural arachnoid separation.Ossific and adhesion dura mater were removed with integrity of arachnoid.The surgical outcomes were evaluated with preoperative and postoperative thoracic Japanese Orthopaedic Association(JOA)score,Nurick grade and neurologic functional recovery ratio.Results Fifty-three cases were followed up for 6 months to 6 years,with an average of 18 months.The average preoperative JOA score was 4.3±2.3,which significantly increased to 8.3±1.8 after operation.Postoperative neurologic functional recovery rates were 11% to 80%(average 65.8%),including excellent in 18 cases,good in 20,fair in 10,and poor in 5.The excellent or good rate was 71.7%.The mean preoperative Nurick grade was 3.7(2-5 grade)and decreased to 2.3 grade after operation.Conclusion En bloc resection of semi-facet and lamina is a safe and effective method for treatment of thoracic OLF.For the patients with OPLL or kyphosis,pedicle screws fixation and kyphosis correction was beneficial for recovery of neurologic function of thoracic OLF patients.

Objective To investigate the osteogenic potential for size-critical bone defect of fibrin sealant combined with recombined human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) grafting and varied autologous bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) implanting in vivo. Methods BMSCs were cultured and induced with osteogenic supplement (OS) medium. BMSCs with and without OS induction were collected and percutaneously autologous injected respectively into the 15 mm bone defect of experimental rabbit model. The grafts were BMSCs, osteo-induced BMSCs, BMSCs and osteo-induced BMSCs, BMP combined with fibrin sealant, 0.9% NaCl solution. Osteogenesis at the defect area was assessed with regular radiography, histology and biomechanics. Results The FS/BMP group and the BMSCs+osteo-induced BMSCs group achieved complete bone healing with medullary cavity united, with the most new bone formation and the maximal load among those groups. Conclusion The osteogenic potential of both osteo-induced BMSCs combined with BMSCs and FS/BMP are similar, which are superior to that of BMSCs or osteo-induced BMSCs along.

ObjectiveTo analysis the clinical features of thoracic spine and spinal cord injury (SCI) and summarize the inclusive standard of cellular transplant clinical trial for SCI.MethodsThe data of 72 cases with thoracic spine and spinal cord injury from 1990 to 2005 were analyzed retrospectively.ResultsMean follow-up period was 20 months (6～48 months). There was no recovery in 12 spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality (SCIWORA) patients, but improvement of urine function in 4 cases. 5 cases of 52 fracture-dislocation complete injury were improved to grade B (sense recovery), rate of recovery was 9.6%; recovery rate was 62.5% in incomplete injury. Sense recovery of all cases was better than motor recovery. Partial cases appeared spasm paralysis relief.ConclusionIncidence rate of complete injury is high and recovery is bad in thoracic spine and spinal cord injury. The inclusive standard of cellular transplant clinical trial for SCI is old complete thoracic spinal cord injury without residual compression.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy to different degrees of hearing loss and different types of threshold curve in sudden deafness patients, and establish a personalized therapy, so as to promote clinical effect to sudden deafness. METHOD: One hundred and twenty cases were divided into two groups respectively (each group 60 cases). Drug treatment had been used in group A for two weeks. The patients in group B received drug treatment combined with hyperbaric oxygen therapy for two weeks. According to the different degrees of hearing loss and the types of audiogram in two groups, the statistical analysis to the difference of hyperbaric oxygen therapeutic effect was done. RESULT: The effective rates was statistically different (chi2 = 8.044, P < 0.01) between group A (60.00%, 36/60) and group B (83.33%, 50/60). There was no statistical difference between two treatment program in mild and the profound deafness patients. The statistical difference could been found between moderate and the severe deafness, the value of chi2 and p were 4.969, 5.560 and 0.040, 0.035, respectively. In group A, the statistical difference could only been found between mild and the profound deafness patients (chi2 = 6.739, P < 0.05). In group B, the statistical difference could been found in mild and the profound deafness, the moderate and the profound deafness, the severe and the profound deafness patients. The value of chi2 were 11.500, 15.058,10.221 and P < 0.01 respectively. The effective rates was no statistical difference in two treatment programs in the upsloping audiogram and the profound deafness. The statistical difference could been found between the downsloping and the flat audiogram, with the value of chi2 and p were 5.144 and 5.969, P < 0.05, respectively. In group A, the statistical difference could been found between the ascending and descending audiogram, the ascending and the flat audiogram,the ascending type and the profound deafness. The value of chi2 were 6.188, 7.247, 8.082 and P < 0.05, respectively. No statistical difference could been found among the other types of audiogram. In group B, no statistical difference could been found among all types of audiogram. CONCLUSION The effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy varies with degree of hearing loss and audiogram type. Drug treatment combined with HBOT can promote clinical effect for patients in moderate deafness and severe deafness, the descending and flat type of audiogram.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Hearing Loss ; classification ; therapy ; Hearing Tests ; Humans ; Hyperbaric Oxygenation ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Oxygen ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVEThe aim of this study is to evaluate diagnostic yield and the safety of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) in the diagnosis ofbronchogenic carcinoma.

METHODSBetween July, 2009 and February, 2010, 95 patients with mediastinal/hilar lymphadenopathy and/or intrathoracic peritracheal or peribronchial masses previously detected with CT scan underwent EBUS-TBNA. No rapid onsite cytology was performed.

RESULTSIn all 95 patients, 60 cases were newly diagnosed lung cancer through the pathological examination and clinical follow-up certification. In 60 lung cancer cases, 112 samples were obtained from lymph nodes (LNs) and 11 samples were obtained from intrapulmonary lesions. Fifty-eight cases of patients were diagnosed, false negative in 2 cases. Sensitivity and specificity of EBUS-guided TBNA method in distinguishing benign from malignant LNs or thoracic masses were 96.67% and 100%, respectively. There was any major complication in this series, the procedure was uneventful.

CONCLUSIONEBUSTBNA seemed a safe and effective technique in making bronchogenic carcinoma diagnosis for mediastinal/hilar LNs and intra-pulmonary masses.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; methods ; Bronchi ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Bronchogenic ; diagnosis ; Endosonography ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Male ; Middle Aged

The discovery of induced pluripotent stem cells(iPSCs) is a promising advancement in the field of regenerative medicine. Previous studies have indicated that the teratoma-forming propensity of iPSCs is variable; however, the relationship between tumorigenic potential and genomic instability in human iPSCs (HiPSCs) remains to be fully elucidated. Here, we evaluated the malignant potential of HiPSCs by using both colony formation assays and tumorigenicity tests. We demonstrated that HiPSCs formed tumorigenic colonies when grown in cancer cell culture medium and produced malignancies in immunodeficient mice. Furthermore, we analyzed genomic instability in HiPSCs using whole-genome copy number variation analysis and determined that the extent of genomic instability was related with both the cells' propensity to form colonies and their potential for tumorigenesis. These findings indicate a risk for potential malignancy of HiPSCs derived from genomic instability and suggest that quality control tests, including comprehensive tumorigenicity assays and genomic integrity validation, should be rigorously executed before the clinical application of HiPSCs. In addition, HiPSCs should be generated through the use of combined factors or other approaches that decrease the likelihood of genomic instability.
Animals ; Carcinogenesis ; Cells, Cultured ; DNA Copy Number Variations ; Genomic Instability ; Humans ; Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; transplantation ; Mice ; Mice, SCID ; NIH 3T3 Cells ; Octamer Transcription Factor-3 ; metabolism ; Teratocarcinoma ; etiology ; Teratoma ; etiology ; Tumor Stem Cell Assay