OBJECTIVESTo introduce a classification system of upper sacral segment and its significance based on the continuous pelvic axial computed tomography scan.

METHODSThe whole pelvis 2.0 mm thick axial scan images of 127 cases were observed, the sacroiliac screw channel of S1 were measured, according to the size of the transverse screw channel the upper sacral segment were classified. Such as transverse screw channel existed and in at least 4 layer scan images its width was > 7.3 mm, it was defined as sacral segment of the normal type. Such as transverse screw channel existed and its maximum width was 7.3 mm or less on scanning level, it was defined as a transitional. Such as transverse channel did not exist, or its width on all scanning level was 0 mm or less, it was defined as dysplastic. Various cases,percentage, and the average of the transverse screw channel were calculated.

RESULTSThere were 58 normal (45.7%),42 transitional (33.1%), and 27 dysplastic (21.2%) upper sacral segments with an averaged width of the tansverse screw channel of 13.9 mm, 5.2 mm, and 0.9 mm, respectively. Each specimen could be defined as one of the three types of upper sacral segment without exceptions.

CONCLUSIONIt is possible to insert a transverse iliosacral screw into a normal upper sacral segment when indicated because of the capacious transverse screw channel. The transverse iliosacral screw placement into the transitional and dysplastic upper sacral segments was contraindicated because of the limited or none transverse screw channel. The transitional upper sacral segment was superior to the dysplastic segment due to its starting point location restriction on the true lateral sacral view.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bone Density ; Bone Screws ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pelvic Bones ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Sacrum ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo analyze the influence of included angle between the anterior aspects of S2 and S vertebral bodies on pelvic inlet imaging in the pelvic midline sagittal plane.

METHODSTotally 58 axial pelvic CT scans were chosen as study objects including 43 males and 15 females,with an average age of 40.7 years old (ranged,18 to 68 years old). The angles between the anterior aspects of S2 and S1, vertebral bodies and the horizontal plane on midline sagittal CT reconstruction were measured to simulate the optimal S2 and S1 inlet angles. The included angle between the anterior aspects of S2 and S1 vertebral bodies was calculated by subtrocting the S1,inlet angle from the S2 inlet angle defined as a base number. Then, the impact of the calculated included angles on the pelvic inlet imaging was analyzed. Results:The S2 inlet angles averaged (30.5±6.5) degrees; the S inlet angles averaged (25.7±5.9) degrees. The difference between them was significant (t=3.35, P=0.001). Ten patients had zero angle between the anterior aspects of S2 and S1 vertebral bodies; 14 patients had negative angle, averaged-(8.9±8.1) degrees; 34 patients had positive angle,averaged (11.8+6.4) degrees.

CONCLUSIONThe difference of included angle between the anterior aspects of S2 and S1 vertebral bodies leads to the difference between S1 inlet view and S2 inlet view in most cases, complicating the pelvic inlet imaging,and affecting the reliability of the application of pelvic inlet view. Utilizing the angles measured on the preoperative midlihe sagittal CT reconstruction to obatin the patient-customized S1 and S2 inlet views could accurately guide the S1 and S2 iliosacral screw insertion.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Animals ; Bone Screws ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; methods ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pelvis ; anatomy & histology ; injuries ; Spine ; anatomy & histology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Young Adult

This study was designed to explore the RNA interference technique in inhibition of the expression of the mouse fibrinogen like protein 2 (mfgl2), which has been reported to be involved in the development a variety of diseases including fulminant viral hepatitis. A plasmid named p-mfgl2shRNA,complementary to the sequence of mfgl2 was constructed, while another short hairpin RNA (shRNA)which was a mutated form of the mfgl2shRNA sequences was used as a control. A plasmid named pEGFP-mfgl2 expressing the mfgl2-EGFP fusion protein was also constructed for the screening of the effect of p-mfgl2shRNA on mfgl2 expression. By cotransfection of p-mfgl2shRNA and pEGFP-mfgl2 or pcDNA3.1-mfgl2 expression construct into CHO cells or HeLa cells, the inhibition of mfgl2 expression by mfgl2shRNA was analyzed by direct observation through fluorescent microscopy, FACS, RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry staining. The experiments showed the significant inhibitory effect of p-mfgl2shRNA on mfgl2 expression at 48h post-transfection in both CHO and Hela cell lines with the inhibitory efficiency as high as 80.1%. The study demonstrated that the construct of p-mfgl2shRNA successfully interfered with the mfgl2 expression in vitro.

OBJECTIVETo study the possible relationship between genetic polymorphism of N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) and susceptibility to hepatocellular carcinoma.

METHODSGenetic polymorphisms of the four NAT2 genes in 78 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and 112 healthy controls were analyzed by means of real-time fluorescence light-Cycler. The difference in frequencies between the hepatocellular carcinoma patients and the controls were compared.

RESULTSThe significant difference in slow acetylation genotype frequency was found between the controls and the hepatocellular carcinoma patients who were smokers (17.9% vs 37.5%, x(2)= 4.67, P<0.05) resulting in increased by 2.76 times the risk for hepatocellular carcinoma, but no evident difference between the controls and hepatocellular carcinoma patients who were non-smokers.

CONCLUSIONThe smokers with slow acetylation genotype of N-acetyltransferase 2 may be the population with high risk for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Acetylation ; Adult ; Aged ; Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase ; genetics ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; genetics ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Smoking ; genetics

Ductus Arteriosus ; abnormalities ; Fatal Outcome ; Female ; Heart Septal Defects, Atrial ; etiology ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Rubella Syndrome, Congenital ; complications

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effectiveness of endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL) in patients with different grades of liver function.

METHODSMELD scores were determined for 156 patients before their EVL operations. After the EVL these patients were followed-up and their survival rates were analyzed.

RESULTSFifty percent of the patients whose MELDs were less than or equal to 7 survived longer than 45 months after the EVL; in those with MELDs between 7 and 9, 50% of the patients survived 47.34 months; however, the figure for those whose MELD were more than 9 survived only 24.89 months. In the first two groups, 50% of the patient' survival duration was significantly longer than that of the third group. The difference was statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONEVL becomes an effective clinical way to treat hemorrhage of esophagus varicose veins. The survival rate for this procedure is directly correlated with the liver function of the patient before the EVL.

Adult ; Aged ; Esophageal and Gastric Varices ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Diseases ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVEChronic prostatitis (CP) is a common disease in adult males. Oxidative stress injury has been found to play a significant role in the pathogenesis of CP in recent studies. This study aimed to determine the contents of CuZn-super oxide dismutase (CuZn-SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the serum and EPS in CP patients and healthy men, and investigate their significance in the diagnosis and treatment of the CP.

METHODSA total of 120 out-patients with confirmed CP were equally divided into a type II, a type IIIA and a type IIIB group, and another 40 healthy males were included as controls. We determined the contents of CuZn-SOD and MDA in the serum and EPS of each group and compared their differences.

RESULTSNo significant differences were found in the serum CuZn-SOD content among the four groups (P > 0.05). The MDA contents were markedly higher in the CP groups than in the control (P < 0.01), but with no significant differences among the three CP groups (P > 0.05). The CuZn-SOD contents in EPS were remarkably lower in the type II and type III A than in the type III B and control groups (P < 0.01), but with no significant differences between the type II and type III A as well as between the type III B and control groups (P > 0.05). The MDA contents in EPS were markedly higher in the type II and type III A than in the type III B and control groups (P < 0.01), but with no significant differences between the type II and type III A as well as the type III B and control groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONOxidative stress is stronger in type II and type III A CP patients than in healthy men, but has no significant difference between type III B patients and non-CP males. Determining the contents of CuZn-SOD and MDA in the serum and EPS could be very valuable for the diagnosis and assessment of chronic prostatitis.

Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Chronic Disease ; Humans ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; blood ; metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; Prostatitis ; blood ; metabolism ; Superoxide Dismutase ; blood ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the feasibility of using adipose tissue derived stem cells (ASCs) to promote neovascularization and survival rate of free fat transplantation.

METHODSASCs were isolated from aspirates from human liposuction and cultured in vitro. The cells were incubated in adipogenic, osteogenic, and chondrogenic medium for 2-4 weeks to induce adipogenesis, osteogenesis and chondrogenesis, respectively. ASCs were labelled by DiI. ASCs (A group), Insulin (B group), Medium (C group) were respectively mixed with free fat graft from aspirates. The mixtures were injected subcutaneously at the three random points on the back of eighteen 4- 6-week-old nude mice. Transplanted fat tissue was harvested after 6 months. The grafts were assessed by morphological observation, HE staining and immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSASCs can be easily harvested from liposuction aspirates and differentiate into adipogenic, osteogenic, chondrogenic lineages. The wet weight of transplanted fat tissue in ASCs group was (165.97 +/- 5.51) mg, significantly higher than that in the insulin group (93.42 +/- 5.12) mg and control group (67.64 +/- 5.09) mg (P = 0.000). The rate of fibrosis and steatonecrosis in ASCs group was( 152.2 +/- 9.8)/10HF, significantly lower than that in the Insulin group (743.9 +/- 20.4)/10HF and control group (892.2 +/- 16.5)/10HF (P = 0.000). DiI labelled ASCs were found between adipocytes and in the connective tissue in free transplanted fat tissue, and some of these cells were immunopositive for antihuman CD31 and FITC, suggesting differentiation into vascular endothelial cells.

CONCLUSIONSASCs can differentiate into vascular endothelial cells and contribute to angiogenesis in free transplanted fat tissue. ASCs can increase the survival rate and decrease the rate of fibrosis and steatonecrosis of free transplanted fat tissue. These findings suggest that ASCs-assisted transplantation may be an ideal cell therapy.

Adipocytes ; cytology ; Adipose Tissue ; cytology ; transplantation ; Adult ; Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; Cells, Cultured ; Feasibility Studies ; Female ; Graft Survival ; Humans ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; Stem Cells ; cytology ; Tissue Scaffolds

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of early escharectomy on resting energy expenditure (REE) in severely burned patients dynamically with the metabolic monitoring and diagnostic system.

METHODSFifty-six adult male patients with severe burns were divided into early escharectomy (group A, n = 39, escharectomy within 5 PBDs) and non-early escharectomy (group B, n = 17, escharectomy after 5 PBDs) groups. The wounds of full thickness and deep partial thickness burn in the two groups were all excised and covered with allogeneic skin and autologous micro-skin in the first operation. The changes in REE were observed dynamically at the bedside of the patients with the metabolic monitoring and diagnostic system. The plasma contents of IL-6, IL-8, TNF-alpha and LPS from 9 patients in group A and 7 in group B were also determined dynamically.

RESULTSAll patients survived. The REE in both groups was elevated markedly, but REE in group A was lower compared with group B before and after escharectomy within 14 days. (P < 0.05). The plasma level of IL-6, IL-8, TNF-alpha and LPS in group A were obviously lower than those in group B (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe hypermetabolic response of burn patients with severe burns could be lowered by early escharectomy, and it seemed to be related to the decrease of the release of proinflammatory mediators.

Adult ; Basal Metabolism ; Burns ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Interleukin-6 ; blood ; Interleukin-8 ; blood ; Lipopolysaccharides ; blood ; Male ; Postoperative Care ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo assess the effect of local and intravenous transplantation of adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ADSCs) in promoting soft tissue wound healing in rats.

METHODSADSCs isolated from the adipose tissues of SD rats were cultured in vitro, and the third-passage cells were identified for their capacity of multipotent differentiation. Eighteen SD rats with 1.8 cm² dorsal full-thickness soft tissue defects (0.5 cm deep) were randomized into 3 groups to receive injection of 3.0×10⁶ DiI-labeled ADSCs via the tail vein, local injection of the cells at the wound site, or injection of saline (control). The wound healing was evaluated on days 3, 7, 11, and 14 postoperatively. On day 24 after the injury, tissue samples at the wound site were collected for fluorescent microscopy and HE staining.

RESULTSThe ADSCs obtained were capable of adipogenic, osteogenic, and neurogenic differentiation in vitro. ADSCs transplantation significantly promoted wound healing as compared to the control group. Obvious wound contracture was observed in the local injection group on day 3 and in the intravenous injection group on day 7. Fluorescence microscopy revealed DiI-positive cells in the healing wound, and HE staining showed a greater tissue thickness at the wound in the two ADSCs transplantation groups. Compared to the control group, the two ADSCs transplantation groups showed more gland-like structures and better neovascularization at the wound.

CONCLUSIONADSCs can significantly promote wound healing in rats, and local injection of ADSCs allows more rapid and obvious wound healing than tail veil injection of the stem cells.

Adipocytes ; cytology ; transplantation ; Adipose Tissue ; cytology ; Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; Cells, Cultured ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Stem Cell Transplantation ; methods ; Stem Cells ; cytology ; Wound Healing