BACKGROUND:Studies have found that after stimulation, chemerin can further amplify the inflammatory signal, resulting in the release of inflammatory factors and matrix metaloproteinases. It indicates that chemerin may serve as an important regulator of cartilage metabolism, and plays an important role in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis. OBJECTIVE: To explore the correlation between level of chemerin in synovia and serum and severity of knee osteoarthritis. METHODS: Eighty patients with knee osteoarthritis were enroled in the study. Knee osteoarthritis grading was evaluated according to the Kelgren-Lawrence classification. Chemerin levels in synovia and serum were examined with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The level of chemerin in synovia and serum in patients with knee osteoarthritis were positively correlated with the Kelgren-Lawrence classification (r=0.981,P< 0.001;r=0.901,P < 0.001). And there was a positive correlation between the level of chemerin in synovia and in serum (r=0.596,P < 0.01). Experimental findings suggest that the levels of chemerin in synovial fluid and serum that are positively correlated with the Kelgren-Lawrence classification can be used as a reference biomarker of severity of knee osteoarthritis.

[Objective]To study the accuracy of Helfet test in the diagnosis of the knee meniscus tear.[Method]From Apr.2007 to Oct.2007,52 cases of the lateral meniscus tear and 23 cases of the medial meniscus tear were checked-up with Helfet test,McMurray test ,KS test,and arthroscope comparatively.[Result]The Helfet Test was positive in most of the lateral meniscus tear cases.The consistency with McMurray test and arthroscope was lateral meniscus tear,especially to bucket-handle and Horizontal tear high respectively.The rate of accuracy to lateral menicus was 81.4%.The rate of accuracy to bucket-handle and Horizontal tear were 89.6% and 87.2% respectively.[Conclusion]The "Helfet" test is sensitive to the knee lateral meniscus tear.It is fast,simple,reliable,reproducible,positive for diagnose of lateral meniscus tear,and is worth of being used widely.

Objective: To explore influence of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK) inhibitor on myocardial cell apoptosis and expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in rats with ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. Methods: According to number table method, a total of 30 SD rats were randomly and equally divided into blank control group, I/R group and inhibitor group. p38MAPK mRNA expression, TNF-α level and myocardial cell apoptotic rate were measured, compared and analyzed among three groups. Results: Compared with blank control group, there were significant increase in TNF-α level [(3.68±0.16) μg/L vs. (5.02±0.09) μg/L], p38MAPK mRNA expression [(1.76±0.46) vs. (2.35±0.02)] and myocardial cell apoptotic rate [-(3.51±0.40) % vs. - (1.8±0.23) %] in I/R group, P=0.001 all. Compared with I/R group, there were significant decrease in p38MAPK mRNA expression (2.09±0.16), TNF-α level [(4.15±0.11) μg/L] and myocardial cell apoptotic rate [-(2.9±0.50) %] in inhibitor group, P=0.001 all. Conclusion: Inhibition of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase expression in myocardium of rats can decrease production of tumor necrosis factor-α and myocardial cell apoptosis, then relieve ischemia/ reperfusion injury of myocardial cells.

[Objective]To evaluate outcome of the treatment of unstable distal radius fractures in the elderly patient using a volar T-shape plate.[Method]From January 2001 to April 2003,42 cases with unstable distal radius fractures older than 60 years(range 60～75 years;mean age 65.1 years) were treated with a T-shape plate fixation.The fractures were classified according to the AO classification of distal radius fracture: 4 A2,7 A3,5 B1,3 B3,9 C l,11 C2,3 C3.Artificial bone graft substitutes were used in 28 cases with severe cortex destruction and insufficient buttress.[Result]All patients were followed up(mean 18.2months,range 12～24months).Final volar tilt was averaged 3.66? and radial tilt 20.1?,and radial shortening averaged 1.59 mm in 6 cases.Step-off or gap of the articular surface was found in 6 cases(mean

Objective To explore the application of integrating 64-slice CT image with three-dimensional electroanatomic mapping(Carto-Merge) in guiding catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation(AF).Methods Fifteen patients with drug-refractory AF received catheter ablation of AF.64-slice CT scan was performee 1-3 days prior to the ablation procedures.Using a novel software package,the left atrium(LA)with PVs was segmented and extracted for image registration with a combination of landmark registration and surface registration.Results The integration of the CT image into the electroanatomic mapping system was performed successfully in all patients with an error of 2.11?0.82 mm.Thirty pairs of PVs were electrically isolated after circumferential rediogrequency pulmorary rein ablation.The mean procedure time was 170.51?38.47 minutes.Cardiac tamponade occurred in one patient.All the fifteen patients were free of AF recurrence after 3 months of follow up including the 2 cases of persistent AF who required antiarrhythmic drugs.No thromboembolic events or stenosis were observed.Conclusion Integration of 64-slice CT image into the CARTO system successfully performed in patients undergoing catheter ablation of AF and enhance the ablation success rate.

BACKGROUND:Total knee arthroplasty had been generaly accepted as the final treatment plan, relieving pain and reconstructing function of knee joint. However, whether drainage tube can be used after replacement is stil controversial.
OBJECTIVE:To compare the clinical effects of drainageversusnondrainage after primary unilateral total knee arthroplasty.
METHODS:Total 102 patients undergoing primary unilateral total knee arthroplasty were randomly divided into 2 groups. In the drainagegroiup, a drainage tube was used. In the nondrainage group,
drainage tube was not used. Total blood loss was calculated by recording the hemoglobin and hematocrit before operation and that after 1, 3, 7 days of operation. The pain visual analogue scale scores, arthrocele, ecchymosis, infection rate, and deep venous thrombosis of lower extremity were examined and analyzed postoperatively. Knee Society Scores were recorded at 1 year postoperatively. Above indexes were compared between the two groups.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1) Total blood loss and blood transfusion rate were significantly higher in the drainage group than in the nondrainage group (P< 0.05). (2) There was no statisticaly significant difference in the pain visual analogue scale scores, arthrocele, ecchymosis, infection rate, and deep venous thrombosis of lower extremity between the two groups after replacement (P> 0.05). (3) No significant difference in Knee Society Scores was detected between the two groups (P> 0.05). (4) Results indicated that the total blood loss and blood transfusion rate may decrease significantly in patients without wound drainage after total knee arthroplasty. Limb sweling and ecchymosis area were not increased. No significant difference in infection, deep venousthrombosis of lower extremity and knee function was detectable between the two groups. Thus, total knee arthroplasty without wound drainage is safe and does not have obvious adverse consequences.

Objective To explore the differential diagnostic value of speckle-tracking imaging (STI) between dilated cardiomyopathy(DCM) and ischemic cardiomyopathy(ICM).Methods 40 DCM patients,32 ICM patients and 30 normal controls were enrolled for this study.Different views of high frame images of left ventricle were recorded.The time to peak radial strain,circumferential strain and longitudinal strain of 18 myocardial segments were measured by STI,and the maximum differential (Ts-dif) and the standard deviation(Ts-SD) of time to the peak strain were calculated.The left ventricular parameters measured by STI were compared between DCM and ICM,and the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were investigated by the areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.Results Parameters of different segments of ICM were obviously higher than those of DCM (P ＜ 0.05),and there were significant differences between ICM and DCM.The areas under the ROC curves of Ts-dif and Ts-SD to radial strain were 0.920 and 0.946 respectively.At the cut off of 170 ms and 53 ms for diagnosing DCM and ICM,the sensitivity,specificity and accuracy were 87.5％,87.5％,87.5％ and 90.6％,90％,90.2％ respectively.Conclusions These strain parameters by STI,especially Ts-SD to peak strain can offer a new quantitative diagnostic method in distinguishing DCM from ICM.

AIM: To observe the protein expression of vascular endothelial growth factor 1 (VEGF-1) in pulmonary arterial endothelial cells and VEGF-1 gene expression in lung tissue in rats with hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension and treated with heparin. METHODS: Twenty four male adult SD rats were randomly divided into three groups (8 rats each): a control group (group A), a group with hypoxia for 4 weeks (group B) and a group with hypoxia for 4 weeks and injected with heparin to abdominal cavity simultaneously (group C). Mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP), right ventricle hypertrophy index (RVHI) and vessel morphometry were measured. The morphology of pulmonary artery was observed by HE staining. The expression of VEGF-1 protein in pulmonary arterial endothelial cells was determined by immunohistochemistry. The level of VEGF-1 mRNA in lung tissue was measured by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: mPAP, RVHI, pulmonary artery remodeling parameters, VEGF-1 protein expression in pulmonary arterial endothelial cells and VEGF-1 gene expression in lung tissue of the three groups from high to low were group B, group C and group A. It was statistically significant when compared between either two groups of the three (P<0.01). Linear correlation analysis showed that VEGF-1 protein was positively correlated with pulmonary artery remodeling parameters (r=0.974, P<0.01), and VEGF-1 mRNA was positively correlated with VEGF-1 protein (VEGF 120 mRNA, r=0.919, P<0.01; VEGF164 mRNA, r=0.896, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Heparin may down-regulate the expression of VEGF-1 at the levels of transcription and translation, resulting in the inhibitory effect on rats with hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension.

Objective To explore the correlation between axon guidance factor Semaphorin 5A and clinicopathological features and its role in the invasion and metastasis of gastric cancer.Methods The expression of Semaphorin 5A in gastric cancer tissues of 171 patients with different gender,age,histological type and TNM stage was detected with immunohistochemistry assay.The expression of Semaphorin 5A was determined by Western blotting assay in gastric cancer cell lines SGC7901 and MKN-45 with metastatic ability and gastric cancer cell lines SNU-1 and AGS without metastatic ability.With RNA interfere technique(RNAi),Semaphorin 5A siRNA expression vector was constructed and transfected into gastric cancer cell line SGC7901.The stable gastric cancer cell line down-expressing Semaphorin 5A was established.The effect of Semaphorin 5A gene silencing on the adhesion,migration and invasion of gastric cancer cell was examined by cell adhesion test,wound healing test and transwell chamber assays.Results The expression level of Semaphorin 5A was correlated with the differentiation degree of gastric cancer(x2 =6.32,P =0.01),lymphnode metastasis(x2 =7.68,P=0.01)and distant metastasis of gastric cancer(x2 =13.67,P =0.00),not correlated with age(x2 =0.21,P=0.79),gender(x2=1.79,P=0.15)and the depth of gastric cancer invasion(x2=1.34,P=0.55).The expression of Semaphorin 5A in cell lines SGC7901 and MKN-45 was significantly higher than that of cell lines SNU-1 and AGS(P＜0.01).Semaphorin 5A gene silencing significantly suppressed the adhesion,migration and invasion abilities of gastric cancer cells.Conclusion Semaphorin 5A may play a catalytic role in the invasion and metastasis of gastric cancer through increasing the adhesion,migration and invasion abilities of gastric cancer cell.

ObjectiveTo evaluate regional and global systolic function of left ventricle (LV) after mitral valve replacement(MVR) of different methods by 2-dimensional strain (2DS).MethodsAccording to the operational method whether preserve the posterior leaflet and its subvalvular apparatus,48 patients who underwent MVR were divided into two groups,the preservation group (group A) and the resection group (group B).Echocardiography was examinated before and after MVR and the apical four-chamber view,two-chamber view and long-axis view of LV were acquired.Regional peak strain (Sp) and global strain (GS) of LV longitudinal movement were analysed by 2DS software.Results①Compared to preoperation,the Sp in basal segment of posterior septum and inferior wall and middle segment of lateral wall in group A increased significantly ( P ＜0.01 or P ＜0.05).The Sp of group B were improved in both basal and middle segments of posterior septum ( P ＜0.05),while declined in middle segment of lateral wall and anterior wall,basal segment of lateral wall and apical segment of anterior wall significantly (P ＜0.01 or P ＜0.05).②Compared with group A,subtractions between preoperative and postoperative Sp of group B decreased in middle segment and apical segment of anterior wall,middle segment of lateral wall and middle segment of inferior wall significantly ( P ＜0.01 or P ＜0.05).③The GS of group A increased significantly ( P ＜0.05),while that in group B tended to reduce with no statistical significance ( P ＞0.05).Compared with group A,subtractions between preoperative and postoperative GS of group B droped significantly (P ＜ 0.05).ConclusionsAppropriate preservation of the posterior leaflet and its subvalvular apparatus has morebeneficial effect in improving the early regional and global function of LV after surgery,which would be recommended in MVR.Early regional and global systolic function of LV after MVR could be accurately evaluated by 2DS relatively,which has the application value of guiding clinical treatment and estimating prognosis.