Scoliosis surgery includes fusion and non-fusion techniques.Fusion technique includes posterior fusion technique and video-assisted anterior thoracoscopic fusion.Non-fusion technique is suitable for children patients with growing potential of the spine.It includes growing rod,vertical expandable prosthetic titanium rib(VEPTR),U-shape screw,and multi-vertebral wedged osteotomy(for severely rigid scoliosis).Short term outcome from these techniques has been encouraging,but medium and long term outcomes are still need investigation.

The metabolic syndrome is a complex disorder of several metabolic abnormalities,which represents a risk factor of type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases.Insulin resistance seems to play a significant role in pathoyenesis of metabolic syndrome.Many issues concerning definition,pathophysiology and optimal treatment of metabolic syndrome are reviewed in this article.

Nucleotide binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor protein 3, NLRP3) inflammasomes regulate the secretion of caspase-1, interleukin-18 (IL-18), IL-1β, and other cytokines, and participates in aging. In recent years, it has been found that NLRP3 inflammasomes are abnormally activated in aging heart and vessels, and inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasomes can alleviate heart aging and vascular aging. This review summarizes the research of NLRP3 inflammasome in heart and vascular aging, and the related drugs to promote the discovery of the mechanism of NLRP3 inflammasome in heart and vascular aging and the development of related drugs.

Objective: To prepare exenatide-loaded poly (lactic-co-glycolicacid)(PLGA) microspheres and to evaluate their release behavior in vitro. Methods: Exenatide-loaded PLGA microspheres were prepared by W/O/O method using PLGA as vectors. An HPLC approach was established to determine the content and in vitro cumulative release. The physicochemical characteristics of microspheres, including the mean diameter, morphology, drug entrapment efficiency and loading efficiency, were evaluated. Results: The prepared microspheres were well-shaped, with a mean diameter of (51.2±1.97) μm. The drug loading was (4.50±0.13)% and the encapsulation efficiency was (96.5±2.68)%. The first day burst release was (13.19 ± 1.39)% and the in vitro 28-day-cumulative-release was (88.6 ± 0.73)%. Conclusion: The W/O/O method is stable, controllable, and repeatable for preparing exenatide-loaded microspheres using biodegradable polymers PLGA as the vector; the microspheres yield a one-month continuous release and have a bright future in treatment of diabetes mellitus.

E2F transcription factor 1 (E2F1) is a major member of the E2F transcription factor family and participates in a wide range of physiological regulatory processes, such as cell cycle, survival, apoptosis, and metabolism. It is proved that the activity of E2F1 is related to the G1/S phase regulation of the cell cycle dependent on tumor suppressor retinoblastoma protein (RB). Recent studies have shown that E2F1 is highly expressed in prostate cancer cells, manifested as an oncogene, and its expression level is closely related to the occurrence, development, and poor clinical prognosis of prostate cancer. Androgen receptor (AR) is the main driving factor for the growth and progression of prostate cancer, and the changes of AR pathway play a key role in the pathological progression of prostate cancer. This article provide a systematic and comprehensive summary on recently published articles to review the role of the E2F1 pathway in prostate cancer.

Objective: To observe the clinical therapeutic effects of acupuncture at the bony clefts in combination with tuina therapy in the treatment of sprains and strains of minor joints at the four extremities. Methods: Ninety cases of sprains and strains of minor joints at four extremities [including metacarpophalangeal (metatarsophalangeal)joints] were divided randomly into three groups by the consulting order. Acupuncture group, in which 30 cases were treated by acupuncture at the bony clefts; tuina group, in which 30 cases were treated by tuina therapy; and observation group, in which 30 cases were treated by acupuncture at the bony clefts and tuina therapy. The treatment was given 6 times a week as one course of treatments, and the therapeutic effects were observed after 2 courses of treatments. Results: The cure rates of the observation group, the acupuncture group and the tuina group reached 50.0%, 20.0% and 16.7% respectively, and the total effective rates reached 93.4%, 70.0% and 73.3% respectively. There were statistical significance between the observation group and the acupuncture and tuina groups (P<0.05); while there was not a statistical difference between the acupuncture group and the tuina group. It was indicated that the therapeutic effect of the observation group was better than that of the acupuncture group and the tuina group. Conclusion: Acupuncture at the bony clefts in combination with tuina therapy is quite effective in the treatment of sprains and strains of metacarpophalangeal (metatarsophalangeal) joints.

Objective:To enhance the teaching quality of the Tuina Manual Techniques in the high occupational sports colleges.Methods:Performed by multiple educational reforms,including rearrangement of the teaching contents based upon the cognition rules,PBL teaching ideas are involved to improve the teaching condition,increase the multimedia and practical teaching,enrich the teaching resources,and revise the examination and evaluation protocol,etc.Results and Conclusion:By various reforms,the students can not only leam the professional skills,and also elevate their abilities in analyzing and solving their problems.

Objective To explore the value of high-field-strength MRCP in diagnosing of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs)of pancreas.Methods Fifteen cases with IPMNs confirmed surgically and pathologically were recruited.The magnetic res-onance imaging (MRI)and MRCP findings were retrospectively analyzed.Results All cases were benign,including main pancreatic duct type (MPD)in 1,branch pancreatic duct type(BPD)in 8,and the combined type in 6.The MPD type showed diffuse dilation of main pancreatic duct which is about 14.5 mm with no enhancement.The BPD type displayed unilocular or multilocular cystic le-sions which showed communication with main pancreatic duct .The combined type demonstrated dilation of main pancreatic duct and branch pancreatic duct.The septa and mural nodule in the BPD type and the combined type were moderately enhanced.Conclusion MRCP is superior with regard to the diagnosis and classification of IPMN type and is helpful to differentiate malignant tumors from benign ones combined with routine contrast-enhanced.

Objective To study the MR imaging appearances in a series of patients with stages T1N0M0 and T2N0M0 peripheral cholangiocarcinoma of the liver and to differentiate these tumors from hepatic metastases and from other solitary necrotic nodules.Methods A retrospective analysis was carried out on MR examinations of 26 patients with histologically confirmed choangiocarcinoma.The imaging findings were compared with those of 2 non-choangiocarcinoma groups including 23 patients with metastasis and 29 patients with solitary necrotic nodules confirmed with surgery,biopsy or follow-up imagings.Statistical analysis included Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test and the use of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.Results Peripheral choangiocarcinomas in stages T1N0M0 and T2N0M0 were less than or equal to 3 cm in diameter (10 patients,≤2 cm and 16 patients,2 cm).Common findings for cholangiocarcinoma were defined margins (n =22,85％),slightly high signal on T2W1 (n =23,88％),patchy enhancement (n =20,77％),“fill-in” enhancement from periphery toward the center (n =21,81％) and diffuse hypointensity at the periphery and center of tumor (n =9,35％).There were significant differences (P ＜ 0.05) between the choangiocarcinoma group and the non-cholangiocarcinoma group in the above imaging findings.The area under the curve (Az) for differentiating peripheral cholangiocarcinoma was 0.896 ± 0.037,sensitivity was 84.6％,and specificity was 86.5％.Conclusions Our data indicated that MRI features of peripheral cholangiocarcinoma in stages T1N0M0 and T2N0M0 could be determined.MR imaging,when combined with clinical and biochemical data,provided reliable information to diagnose peripheral cholangiocarcinoma.

Objective To evaluate the magnetic resonance angiography(MRA) in senile lower extremity arterial disease and to compare the diagnostic value of two dimensional time of flight(2D TOF) with three dimensional contrast enhancement(3D CE) technique. Methods Seventy patients with a mean age of 75 years underwent MRA for suspected acute or chronic lower extremity arterial disease. MRA was performed with a 1 5 T MR scanner and Gd DTPA was used by manual injection in 3D CE MRA. Among 52 patients examined with 2D TOF MRA, 18 of them underwent an additional 3D CE MRA, 32 patients took Doppler ultrasound examination, and 4 patients received emergency operation. Results In all 70 patients, 52 showed atherosclerotic stenosis disease, 17 atherosclerotic occlusive disease (4 of them were verified by emergency operation) and one patient atherosclerosis with aneurysmal dilatation. A total of 997 vessel segments were shown on MRA images and 600 of them were abnormal including 486(81%) mild to moderate stenoses, 114(19%) severe stenoses and 451 curved arterial segments. In 32 patients who underwent Doppler ultrasound, the diagnosis and its grading based on MRA was well correlated with that from Doppler ultrasound (coincidence rate was 91% and 96% respectively). A total of 764 suprapopliteal and 125 infrapopliteal arteries were depicted by 2D TOF MRA (visibility was 99% and 40% respectively). In 18 patients who received additional 3D CE MRA, totally 306 arteries were depicted on MRA (visibility 100%). Doppler ultrasound showed 40 segments with arterial calcification and 32 atherosclerotic plaques. Conclusions MRA is quite useful in detecting lower extremity arterial disease because of its noninvasion and convenience. The results derived from MRA are well correlated with that of Doppler ultrasound and clinical outcome. 3D MRA is superior to 2D TOF MRA in image quality, accuracy and time efficiency and is best for emergency case. Pitfalls of MRA such as overestimation in the severity of the disease and the long scanning time of 2D TOF must be taken into consideration .