OBJECTIVETo investigate the applications of percutaneous screw fixation for the treatment of pelvic fractures and its related surgical considerations.

METHODSFrom June 2010 to June 2012,19 patients with pelvic fractures were treated with percutaneous hollow screws. There were 13 males and 6 females, with an average age of 41 years (ranged from 22 to 58 years). Fractures were caused by traffic accidents in 11 cases, by falling down from high place in 8 cases. Based on the Tile classification, there were 15 cases of Tile C type and 4 case of Tile B type. The indexes such as screw inserting time, intraoperative blood loss, complications, functional recovery and reduction conditions were observed. Fixation methods included sacroiliac screws, cannulated screw fixation of the pubic ramus and cannulated screw fixation of the pubic symphysis separation.

RESULTSAnatomical reduction achieved in 7 cases, satisfactory reduction 11 cases, and unsatisfactory reduction 1 case. Union time of fracture union ranged from 8 to 12 weeks (mean 10 weeks). Wound infection,ununion of fracture and nerve injuries were not found. According to the Majeed standards, 12 patients obtained an excellent results, 6 good and 1 fair.

CONCLUSIONPercutaneous screw fixation for the treatment of pelvic fractures under fluoroscopy has several advantages such as less trauma, less blood loss, fewer rates of complications, reliable fixation and no blood transfusion, which can reconstruct the stability of the pelvic ring, but it needs adequate preoperative preparation and high requirements for the surgeon.

Adult ; Bone Screws ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; Fractures, Bone ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pelvic Bones ; diagnostic imaging ; injuries ; surgery ; Radiography ; Young Adult

To remedy the limitations of traditional numerical classification softwares,a new application,X-Cluster,was developed by using various design patterns.X-Cluster had powerful functions to support the researching of numerical classification,and testified by some classify studying about Bacillus spp..

Cancer, also known as malignant tumor, is the second largest disease after heart disease, which is characterized by genomic instability and mutagenicity. Ataxia telangiectasia and RAD3-related kinase (ATR) are members of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PIKK) family, belonging to serine/threonine kinase, one of the key kinases in DNA damage response (DDR) and DNA repair pathway. This paper reviews the latest progress in the ATR inhibitor field including mechanism of action (MOA), therapeutic applications, and the combination therapy from the perspective of medicinal chemistry. It also discusses the possible challenges and future directions of developing ATR inhibitor antitumor drugs, which could provide the scientists in this field the convenience for access the information and application guidance for clinical studies.

Adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) induce therapeutic angiogenesis due to pro-angiogenic cytokines secretion.Superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles are critical for magnetic resonance (MR) tracking of implanted cells.Hypoxia is a powerful stimulus for angiogenic activity of ASCs.In this study,we investigated whether therapeutic potency could be enhanced by implantation of hypoxia-preconditioned SPIO-labeled ASCs (SPIOASCs) into the infarcted myocardium.ASCs and SPIOASCs were cultured under 2％ O2 (hypoxia) or 95％ air (normoxia).Cells were intramyocardially injected into the infarcted myocardium after 48-h culture.We found that hypoxia culture increased the mRNA expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-lαt) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in ASCs and SPIOASCs.The VEGF protein in the conditioned medium was significantly higher in hypoxic ASCs and SPIOASCs than in normoxic ASCs and SPIOASCs.The capillary density and left ventricular contractile function in the infarcted myocardium were significantly higher 4 weeks after implantation with hypoxic ASCs and SPIOASCs than with normoxic ASCs and SPIOASCs.Improvement in the capillary density and left ventricle function didn't differ between hypoxic ASCs-transplanted rats and hypoxic SPIOASCs-transplanted rats.Hypoxic culture enhanced the angiogenic efficiency of ASCs.It was concluded that implantation of hypoxic ASCs or SPIOASCs promotes therapeutic angiogenesis and cardiac function recovery in the infarcted myocardium.SPIO labeling does not impact the beneficial effect of hypoxic ASCs.

OBJECTIVETo investigate whether the major histocompatibility complex class I chain-related gene A gene (MICA) polymorphism and serum soluble MICA level were associated with the occurrence and development of colorectal cancer.

METHODSDNA samples from 117 colorectal cancer patients and 113 healthy individuals from Yangzhou in Jiangsu province were genotyped by using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequence-specific primer (SSP) method and PCR based sequencing. In addition, polymorphism at position 129 was also analyzed by PCR-SSP. Serum levels of soluble MICA were measured by a sandwich ELISA method.

RESULTSNeither the extracellular nor the transmembrane region polymorphisms of MICA gene were associated with the occurrence and the different stages of colorectal cancer. In contrast, the frequency of the methionine residue at position 129 was significantly decreased in the patient group. Soluble MICA levels in sera were increased in the late stages of colorectal cancer.

CONCLUSIONAlthough there was no genetic susceptibility attributed to MICA gene polymorphism with regard to development of colorectal cancer, serum levels of soluble MICA may be a diagnostic marker of advanced stages.

Colorectal Neoplasms ; blood ; genetics ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Genotype ; Histocompatibility Antigens Class I ; blood ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of ginsenoside-Rg3 on lung metastasis of ribonuclease inhibitor (RI) gene-transfected mouse B16 melanoma.

METHODSC57BL/6 mice were iv injected with parental or RI-transfected B16 melanoma cells. Lung metastasis was assessed by the number of surface tumor nodules. Mice were divided into 6 groups. Group I, II and III of mice were given parental, mock-transfected and RI-transfected B16 melanoma cells, respectively while in group IV, V and VI, Rg3 (1.5 mg/kg, iv q.o.d. x 10) was given to mice bearing parental, mock-transfected and RI-transfected B16 melanoma, respectively. Micovessel density (MVD) of the lung metastatic tumor was assessed by immunohistochemical staining of factor VIII-R expression.

RESULTSThe number of tumor nodules was significantly decreased in mice injected with RI-transfected B16 melanoma (Gp III, compared to Gp I and II). Rg3 treatment per se could also decrease the number of lung tumor nodules but to a lesser extent (Gp IV and V compared to Gp III). However, Rg3 synergized with RI transfection resulting in most significant inhibition of lung metastasis (Gp VI). Mice in Gp I and II died within 26 days of the experiment, whereas all the mice in Gp VI were alive during the observation period of one and one half month. MVD was significantly decreased in the lung tumor nodules in mice injected with RI-transfected B16 melanoma. It was further decreased when additional Rg3 was given (Gp VI).

CONCLUSIONTransfection of ribonuclease inhibitor gene significantly reduces the metastatic potential of B16 melanoma. Ginsenoside-Rg3 has a synergistic effect.

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Ginsenosides ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Lung Neoplasms ; pathology ; secondary ; Male ; Melanoma, Experimental ; genetics ; pathology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Panax ; chemistry ; Placental Hormones ; genetics ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo explore biological exposure markers, we investigated the chromium content in peripheral erythrocytes from occupational population with broad ranges of soluble chromate exposure, as the candidate biomarker may provide the scientific evidence for health risk assessment in occupational chromate-exposed population.

METHODSA cross-sectional study was conducted in chromate exposed workers employed at a chromate factory in a district of Jinan city, Shandong Province. The studied population contained 114 workers from different processes of the chromate plants, which included 74 males and 40 females, with an age range from 25 to 52 years old, averaging at (35.83 +/- 6.14) years old; the length of service was ranging from 1 year to 37 years, an average of (14.20 +/- 6.77) years. In addition, 30 farmers in the countryside one hundred kilometers away from the factory, without exposure to chromate matched with exposed subjects by age, gender and smoking status were identified as a control group, which included 22 men and 8 women, with age ranging from 25 years old to 47 years old, having an average age of (36.13 +/- 6.17) years old. Personal information on age, chromate exposure, medical history, smoking habit and alcohol consumption was obtained at an interview. The air concentration of personal exposure was determined by individual sampling for 8 hours per day as shift work, and chromium was assayed by atomic absorption spectrometry. The chromium content in the erythrocytes from peripheral blood was determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. The potential plasma reduction capacity was determined by dibenzene anthracoamid dihydrazide spectrophotometry. The content of total vitamin C and reductive ascorbic acid were determined by 2, 4-dinitrobenzene hydrazine. The data were analyzed by SPSS10.0 software for statistical significance.

RESULTS(1) The results showed that the chromium levels in erythrocytes in the exposed group [(15.79 +/- 31.01) microg/L] were significantly higher than those in the control group [(3.21 +/- 2.20) microg/L] (P < 0.01). (2) There existed a dose-response relationship between the personal airborne chromate concentration and the chromium content in erythrocytes. As airborne chromate concentration lowered to 106.00 microg/m(3), the chromium content in erythrocytes increased, depending on the air concentration of chromate. (3) Correlation analysis showed that there was a significant positive correlation between airborne chromate concentration and the chromium content in erythrocytes (P < 0.01). (4) In multiple regression analysis, it was found that the potential plasma reduction capacity and reductive ascorbic acid may be a good indicator for oxidative stress produced by chromate exposure and be used to evaluate the effects on intracellular uptake of chromium (VI).

CONCLUSIONOur findings suggested that the chromium content in erythrocytes should be used as an effective exposed biomarker in the risk assessment for occupational chromate-exposure.

Adult ; Air Pollutants, Occupational ; analysis ; Biomarkers ; blood ; Chromates ; analysis ; Chromium ; blood ; Erythrocytes ; chemistry ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Exposure ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo investigate the influence of high oxygen exposure on signaling pathway of the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE)-NF-κB of lung in newborn rats and the mechanisms of protecting lung injury for human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC).

METHODSTwenty-four newborn Sprague-Dawley rats from three litters were randomly divided into three groups, as hyperoxia exposed + hMSC group (group A), hyperoxia exposed group (group B), and air-exposed group (group C). The rats from the group A and B were placed in a sealed Plexiglas chamber with a minimal in-and outflow, providing six to seven exchanges per hour of the chamber volume and maintaining O(2) levels above 95%, while rats in the group C only exposed to air simultaneously. Seven days later, rats in the group A were injected intravenously with hMSC (5×10(4)) after hyperoxia exposure, but rats in group B and C received subcutaneous injection with PBS alone at the same time point. Then all the rats were exposed to air, and were sacrificed three days later. Immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate the expression of RAGE in lung tissue. The levels of TNF-α and sRAGE in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and in serum were detected by ELASA, RAGE mRNA and NF-κB mRNA in tissue homogenates were detected by RT-PCR, RAGE and NF-κB by Western blotting; also the value of lung damage score were calculated with histology under light microscope.

RESULTSThere were significant differences among three groups in the fields of lung damage score (F = 51.59, P = 0.000), mRNA and protein of RAGE (F = 37.21, P = 0.000; F = 15.88, P = 0.000) and NF-κB (F = 5.695, P = 0.011; F = 4.223, P = 0.0288) in lung tissue homogenates, and the level of TNF-α (F = 38.29, P = 0.000) in BALF, all these parameters in group A and group B were higher than that in group C. While sRAGE in BALF in group A and group B were less than that in group C (F = 4.804, P = 0.0191). There were also significant differences between group A and group B in these parameters (P < 0.05). There were also no significant differences neither in TNF-α nor in sRAGE in serum among three groups.

CONCLUSIONShMSC protects hyperoxia-induced lung injury via downregulating the signaling pathway of RAGE-NF-κB.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Glycation End Products, Advanced ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Hyperoxia ; metabolism ; Lung ; metabolism ; pathology ; Lung Injury ; etiology ; metabolism ; Male ; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation ; NF-kappa B ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Signal Transduction ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo introduce statistical methods of time trend analysis on cancer rates.

METHODSCancer incidence data collected by the Shanghai Cancer Registry during 1991 to 1999 was used in the analysis to calculate the crude and age-adjusted rates, percent changes (PCs) and annual percent changes (APCs). APCs were estimated by a linear regression of the logarithm on the incidence rates during the nine years. It also introduced a method for partitioning a linear trend in age-adjusted rates into site-specific contributions to the overall floating trend. 95% confidence intervals for the APCs and contributions were described in the paper.

RESULTSA decreasing rates were observed for cancers of stomach and esophagus among both men and women in urban Shanghai from 1991 to 1999. The increasing rates among men would include cancers of colon, rectum, gall bladder, pancreas, prostate, urinary bladder, kidney and leukemia. The rates of cancers among women increased for colon, rectum, lung, breast, gall bladder, endometrium, ovary, urinary bladder and kidney. The changes of above cancers over time were statistically significant (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), but rates for other cancer sites changed little. The APCs (weighted method) and contributions for the cancers of stomach, esophagus, colon, rectum and prostate were -2.99% and -65.72%, -2.90% and -17.07%, 12.30% and 21.46%, 2.94% and 18.62%, and 3.11% and 15.09% among men, and -6.05% and -39.55%, -1.08% and -35.19%, 2.81% and 28.64%, and 3.69% and 15.70% for the cancers of stomach, esophagus, breast and colon in women, respectively.

CONCLUSIONAPC, and related statistics could be used to describe and analyze the time trend of cancer rates rather than PC or/and graphical method alone.

Algorithms ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Linear Models ; Male ; Neoplasms ; epidemiology ; Time Factors

Background Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON)is a common inherited eye disease,which generally affects young adults with bilateral loss of central vision.Mutation frequency of Leber hereditary has not been fully clarified. Objective This study was to investigate the mutation frequency of mitochondrial NDI gene associated with LHON in Chinese population. Methods The proposal of the study was approved by Ethic Committee of Wenzhou Medical College.Written informed consent was obtained from each subject initial of this trial.Eight hundred and ninety-four LHON patients and 134 normal subjects were collected.Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes of the all participants.Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to amplify and sequence analysis of the mitochondrial ND1 gene was performed and aligned with revised Cambridge Reference Sequence(rCRS) of mitochondrial DNA.Then mutated gene frequency was screened and analyzed. Results Mutational analysis of mitochondrial ND1 gene in 894 LHON patients revealed the presence of G3316A,T3394C,G3460A,C3497T,G3635A,G3733A,and T4216C.11.19％ LHON patients (100/894 ) were found to be associated with the gene mutations mentioned above,and 3.24％ patients (29/894) showed the co-occurrence of three primary mutations.Mutation frequencies in LHON patients were 2.57％,2.23％,1.45％,3.80％,0.67％,0.11％,0.34％,respectively,and G3316A,T3394C,C3497T and T4216C also were detected in 134 normal controls with the mutation frequencies of 4.48％,2.99％,4.48％ and 1.49％,respectively.Mutation frequency analysis showed an insignificant difference in the mutations of G3316A,T3394C,C3497T and T4216C between LHON patients and normal controls (x2 =0.926,P=0.336;x2 =0.052,P=0.820; x2 =0.142,P=0.707;P=0.129).G3376A,G3496T,G3700A,A4136G,T4160C and C4171A were absent in Chinese LHON patients. Conclusions Mitoehondrial ND1 gene in LHON is a mutational hotspot in Chinese population,11.19％ (100/894)associated with LHON was caused by ND1 gene mutation.G3635A,G3733A may be rare pathological mutation in Chinese population.However,G3316A,T3394C,C3497T and T4216C are insufficient to produce the clinical phenotype,but they may play a synergic role for penetrance and phenotypic manifestation in LHON.