Objective To evaluate the clinical effect of minimally invasive treatment of clavicle fracture with a hollow screw.Methods Data of 65 patients,who had undergone minimally invasive treatment with a hollow screw for clavicle fracture from April 2009 to October 2010,were retrospectively analyzed.There were 41 males and 24 females,aged from 19 to 67 years (average,35.8 years).According to the Craig's classification,there were 29 of group I and 36 of group Ⅱ-Ⅱ.A 4-5 cm transverse incision was made to expose the clavicle fracture.A guide pin was inserted into the marrow cavity,and then moved towards the acromion,after the fracture was reduced the pin was moved back to the proximal clavicle,finally a hollow screw was implanted to fix the fracture.The Neer score was used to evaluate the function of the shoulder.Radiographs were taken to observe the condition of the fracture union.The operative duration,intra-operative blood loss,fracture healing time,Neer score,and complications were compared with those of 65 patients with clavicle fracture who were treated by the same surgeons with plates.Results The incision length was 4-5 cm in hollow screw group and 10-11 cm in plate group.X-rays showed bone union was achieved in both groups,and the average bone healing time was 13.2±6.9 weeks in hollow screw group and 16.3±8.7 weeks in plate group.All patients were followed up for 6 to 20 months (average,10.6 months).The average Neer score was 96.6±3.4 in hollow screw group and 94.2±5.8 in plate group.There was no infection,local skin necrosis and fracture nonunion in both groups.In hollow screw group,screw loosing occurred in 5,and fracture displacement in 3,fortunately,the fracture healed by controlling activities.There was a significant difference in fracture healing time between two groups.However,no significant difference was observed between two groups in Neer score.Conclusion Minimally invasive treatment of clavicle fracture with a hollow screw has several advantages,such as mini-invasion,short bone healing time,good clinical outcomes,and lower expense.

Objective To investigate the effect of stellate ganglion block (SGB) on the postoperative cognitive function in aged rats.Methods Sixty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats,aged 18-20 months,weighing 500-700 g,were randomly divided into 4 groups (n =16 each):control group (group C),operation group (group O),normal saline + operation group (group NS) and SGB + operation group (group SGB).Group SGB received right SGB with 0.25％ bupivacaine 0.15 ml,while the equal volume of normal saline was given in group NS.Groups O,SGB and NS underwent 30 min of exploratory laparetomy starting from 15 min after the end of administration.Morris water-maze test was performed at days 1-6 after operation in 10 rats chosen from each group.The escape latency and frequency of crossing the original platform were recorded.Two rats were chosen from each group at 1,2 and 3 d after operation and sacrificed and the hippocampi were removed for microscopic examination.Results Compared with group C,the escape latency wag significantly prolonged on 1-5 days after operation in groups O and NS,the escape latency wag significantly prolonged on 1 and 2 days after operation in group SGB,and the frequency of crossing the original platform was decreased in groups O,NS and SGB (P ＜ 0.05).Compared with group NS,the escape latency wag significantly shortened,and the frequency of crossing the original platform was increased on 1-5 days after operation in group SGB (P ＜ 0.05).The number of hippocampal neurons was significantly larger at 2 and 3 d after operation in group SGB than in group NS.Conclusion SGB can improve the postoperative cognitive function in aged rats.

AIM: To investigate p16 gene alterations in gastric carcinoma. METHODS: 36 fresh tumor specimens taken from gastric cancer patients were analyzed for p16 gene deletion and mutation by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing. RESULTS: Homozygous deletion of exon 1 and exon 3 was observed in 2 cases and 3 cases of diffuse carcinoma, respectively. The frequency of homozygous deletion was 13.89%. No p16 gene point mutation was detected. CONCLUSION: The deletion of p16 genes may be related to gastric carcinogenesis.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the impact of androgen receptor splice variant 7 (AR-V7) expression on overall survival for patients with metastatic prostate cancer.

METHODSThe data of 113 diagnosed metastatic prostate cancer patients from January 2002 to June 2010 were collected retrospectively, including patient's age at diagnosis, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level at diagnosis,Gleason score, clinical stage, PSA nadir during hormonal therapy, the time to PSA nadir, vital status, survival time and cause of death. The expression of AR-V7 in prostate cancer tissue was detected by using immunohistochemical staining. The correlation of AR-V7 expression and patient clinicopathological characteristics in all patients were analysed using Student t-test or Chi-square test. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to evaluate the predictive role of AR-V7 expression and patient characteristics for overall survival.

RESULTSThe median PSA nadir was 0.7 µg/L (ranged from 0.0 to 143.0 µg/L). The median time to PSA nadir was 8.1 months (ranged from 0.9 to 71.0 months). The follow-up was performed until March 12, 2014. During the follow-up period, 67 of 113 metastatic prostate cancer patients (59.3%) died and the median overall survival was 96 months (ranged from 5 to 135 months). The AR-V7 detection rate was 20.4% (23/113). The serum PSA level in patients with positively expression of AR-V7 was significantly higher than that without AR-V7 expression (t = 2.521, P = 0.013). Multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that the expression of AR-V7 (HR = 2.421, P = 0.002) and time to PSA nadir (HR = 1.019, P = 0.022) were independent prognostic factors of overall survival for metastatic prostate cancer patients.

CONCLUSIONSThe expression of AR-V7 in prostate cancer tissues and time to PSA nadir during hormonal therapy are independent prognostic factors of overall survival for metastatic prostate cancer patients. Therapy targeting AR-V7 may improve prognosis of metastatic prostate cancer patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; blood ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; Protein Isoforms ; metabolism ; Receptors, Androgen ; metabolism ; Retrospective Studies

Objective To compare seminal carnitine levels between normal males and asthenozoospermic patients,evaluate its correla-tion with progressive motility(PR)of sperm,and observe the effects of exogenous carnitine supplementation on asthenozoospermic pa-tients.Methods Semen samples were collected from 511 normal fertile males and asthenozoospermic patients.Seminal was measured using a fixed-time assay kit and the levels of carnitine were compared between the two groups.The consistency between seminal carni-tine and PR was assessed.Additionally,77 asthenozoospermic patients received L-carnitine(1 g/time,3 times/day,30 days/course).The levels of seminal carnitine and PR alteration pre-and post-treatment were monitored.Results The seminal L-carnitine level in the patients with asthenospermia([194.34±65.41]μmol/L)was significantly lower than that in normal fertile males([405.43±72.12]μmol/L)(P＜0.01).When the seminal L-carnitine level ≥325 μmol/L was set as the threshold,the statistical results showed that Kappa value was 0.81,with a diagnostic coincidence rate of 93.74％.After one course of administration of L-carnitine,the concentra-tion of seminal L-carnitine([356.03±84.87]μmol/L)and PR([32.69±8.35]％)were significantly higher those that before treat-ment([183.61±79.54]μmol/L and[16.56±7.74]％,P＜0.01).Conclusion The seminal carnitine assay kit could be used for ac-curate and high-throughput quantification of clinical samples,facilitating asthenozoospermia diagnosis and therapeutic efficacy evalua-tion.Exogenous carnitine supplementation may elevate seminal carnitine levels and sperm motility in asthenozoospermic patients and po-tentially improve their fertility.

【Objective】 To investigate the efficacy of low intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) in the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED). 【Methods】 A total of 121 ED patients treated during June 2020 and June 2022 were selected as the research objects. According to the International Erectile Index Score (IIEF-EF), the patients were divided into three subgroups:mild (17-25 points), moderate (11-16 points), and severe (0-10 points). The total effective rate, erectile hardness scale (EHS), sex life log questions (SEP), general assessment questionnaire (GAQ), peak systolic velocity (PSV), end diastolic velocity (EDV), and adverse reactions of the three groups before treatment, 4 weeks and 12 weeks after treatment were analyzed. 【Results】 A total of 119 patients completed the follow-up. There were significant increases in IIEF-EF and EHS at week 4 and 12 (P<0.05), and the total effective rate was 69.75% and 76.47%, respectively. The total effective rate was significantly higher in the mild and moderate groups than in the severe group at week 4 and 12 (P<0.05). The patients who answered "yes" to SEP2 and SEP3 accounted for 91.60% and 71.43%, respectively at week 4, and 92.44% and 78.15% at week 12, both significantly higher than the rates before treatment (52.10% and 27.73%, P<0.05). The proportion of patients who answered "yes" to GAQl and GAQ2 at week 4 were 84.87% and 71.43%, respectively, and were 82.35% and 70.59% respectively at week 12, with no significant difference. The PSV level significantly increased at week 12 compared to that before treatment [(48.85±14.11) cm/s vs. (41.42±14.90) cm/s] (P<0.05), while the EDV level significantly decreased [(-0.57±7.01) cm/s vs. (2.25± 5.68)cm/s] (P<0.05). 【Conclusion】 LIPUS can improve erectile function in ED patients without obvious adverse reactions.