OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical results of pedicle-screw placement and reduction on the level of injured vertebrae in treating thoracolumbar fractures.

METHODSFrom March 2006 to May 2009, 27 patients with thoracolumbar fractures were treated with short-segment fixation system and pedicle-screw placement on injured vertebrae through posterior approach. There were 19 males and 8 females with an average age of 36 years old ranging from 24 to 68 years. Eleven patients were injuried by traffic accident, 9 patients were injuried by falling from high, 5 patients were injuried by crush from weighty object, 2 patients were others injuries. Thoracolumbar fractures were classified according to Gertibein classification: 2 cases were of type A1, 3 cases A2, 12 cases A3, 5 cases B1, 5 cases B2. Among them, 14 cases were accompanied with spinal cord injuries,functional assessment of nerves was assessed according to Frankel criteria: 5 cases were of grade B, 3 cases C, 6 cases D. Lumbago according to Denis standard, grade P5 was in all cases. The injured level of 5 cases was in T11, 11 cases in T12, 8 cases in L1, 3 cases in L2. From injury to operation it was 2-15 days with an average of 4 days. The ratio of vertebral height between anterior and posterior border, anteroposterior Cobb angle were compared before and after operation. Function of nerves and index of lumbago were evaluated by Frankel and Denis classification.

RESULTSAll patients were followed up from 14 to 17 months with the mean of 15.5 months. At final follow-up,according to Frankel score system to evaluate function of nerve,2 cases were of grade B, 4 case grade C, 3 cases grade D, 5 cases grade E; according to Denis score system to evaluate index of lumbago, there was P1 (without pain) in 17 cases, P2 (between whiles minute pain, need not treatment) in 8 cases, P3 (moderate pain, between whiles need medication) in 2 cases. The ratio of vertebral height between anterior and posterior border from preoperatively 0.32 +/- 0.14 to postoperatively 0.85 +/- 0.03 (P<0.01); anteroposterior Cobb angle from preoperatively (25.3 +/- 7.8) degrees to postoperatively (11.1 +/- 1.5) degrees (P<0.01). At final follow-up, the ratio of vertebral height between anterior and posterior border, anteroposterior Cobb angle were respectively 0.81 +/- 0.06 and (11.8 +/- 1.9) degrees, there was no significant difference between postoperative and at final follow-up (P>0.05). No complications such as infection, internal fixation failure,nerve injuries were found during follow-up.

CONCLUSIONPosterior short-segment fixation system and pedicle-screw placement on level of injured vertebrae is one kind of effective method in treating thoracolumbar fracture, which can maintain corrective effect and obtain better clinical outcomes.

Adult ; Aged ; Bone Screws ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; injuries ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Spinal Fractures ; surgery ; Thoracic Injuries ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical efficacy of domestic sevoflurane by comparing the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics of domestic sevoflurane and an imported product.

METHODSEighty patients undergoing general anesthesia for transabdominal hysterectomy were equally randomized into domestic sevoflurane group and imported sevoflurane group. The following data were recorded and compared: vital signs; change of sevoflurane concentrations in the induction period and recovery period; the time when inhaled sevoflurane concentration reached half of the pre-set concentration of the vaporizer; the time when the end-tidal sevoflurane concentration reached half of the pre-set concentration of the vaporizer; the time when the end-tidal sevoflurane concentration reached half of inhaled sevoflurane concentration; the time of the end-tidal sevoflurane concentration reached 0. 8 MAC in the induction period; the recovery time; the extubation time; and time to recovery of consciousness.

RESULTSThe general conditions of the two groups were not significantly different. The pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic parameters at the intra-operative time points as well as the minimal alveolar concentration, the inspired and end-tidal sevoflurane concentrations, and the time to recovery of consciousness also showed no significant differences between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONThe domestic sevoflurane has similar pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics as the imported products. It can serve as a cost-effective product for transabdominal hysterectomy.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Anesthesia, Inhalation ; Anesthetics, Inhalation ; pharmacokinetics ; Double-Blind Method ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Methyl Ethers ; pharmacokinetics ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the surgical outcomes after transumbilical single-port access laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer.

METHODSPatients undergoing transumbilical single-port access laparoscopic radical resection for colorectal cancer at the Zhongshan Hospital of Xiamen University were included.

RESULTSThree patients underwent transumbilical single-port access laparoscopic radical resection for sigmoid colon cancer and 1 for rectal cancer between August 2010 and September 2010. There were no intraoperative or postoperative complications. No conversion was required. The mean operative time was 206 min and the mean estimated blood loss was 75 ml. The mean number of harvested lymph nodes was 21. Patients were ambulatory in the same day of surgery or postoperative day 1. Length of hospital stay ranged from 7 to 10 days.

CONCLUSIONSTransumbilical single-port access laparoscopic surgery is safe for colorectal cancer. Long-term outcomes warrant further investigation.

Adult ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Umbilicus ; surgery

To know the prevalence of Enterobius vermicularis infection and what are the most important risk factors, we evaluated the incidence and risk factors of enterobiasis among children attended in kindergartens in Busan metropolitan city, Republic of Korea. A total of 1,674 children from 21 kindergartens in 11 of 16 autonomous districts of Busan were evaluated for E. vermicularis infection by the cellotape anal swab technique. The overall egg-positive rate for E. vermicularis was 10.7% (179/1,674), and the prevalence of enterobiasis in each kindergarten ranged between 0% and 32.4%. There was an increasing tendency of the egg positive rate according to the population density; the higher the population density communities had, the higher egg-positive rate for E. vermicularis was detected (P = 0.001). Among personal hygiene factors involving children, thumb-sucking (P = 0.036) and fingernail-trimming (P = 0.024) were highly associated with enterobiasis. In addition, taking anthelmintic medications against E. vermicularis infection was strongly associated with enterobiasis (P = 0.014). Moreover, parents' knowledge of enterobiasis was correlated significantly with the incidence of enterobiasis of their children (P = 0.006). In conclusion, we need to consider not only personal hygiene but also parents' knowledge about enterobiasis as a factor in order to develop new strategies for elimination or to complete reduction of enterobiasis in Korea.

In order to investigate the expression of heavy chain of HLA-B * 2705 in prokaryotic system and identify its activity, the extra-membrane gene fragment of HLA-B * 2705 was amplified from full-length HLA-B*2705 cDNA by PCR and cloned into pGEM-T vector. After identification by sequencing, the prokaryotic expressing vector pET32a (+)-B * 2705 was constructed. The antigenic activity of expressed protein was identified by Western blot and antibody blocking reaction. The results indicated that the fused HLA-B * 2705 protein expression with high efficiency was obtained. The expressed product was more than 50% of the total bacteria protein. The antigenic activity of expressed protein was confirmed by Western blot and antibody blocking reaction. It is concluded that HLA-B * 2705 fusion protein are obtained as basis for the further studies.
Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; HLA-B27 Antigen ; classification ; genetics ; immunology ; metabolism ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains ; genetics ; immunology ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDStudies have suggested that use of prolonged dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) following new generation drug-eluting stent implantation may increase costs and potential bleeding events. This study aimed to investigate the association of DAPT status with clinical safety in patients undergoing everolimus-eluting stent (EES) implantation in the SEEDS study (A Registry to Evaluate Safety and Effectiveness of Everolimus Drug-eluting Stent for Coronary Revascularization) at 2-year follow-up.

METHODSThe SEEDS study is a prospective, multicenter study, where patients (n = 1900) with small vessel, long lesion, or multi-vessel diseases underwent EES implantation. Detailed DAPT status was collected at baseline, 6-month, 1- and 2-year. DAPT interruption was defined as any interruption of aspirin and/or clopidogrel more than 14 days. The net adverse clinical events (NACE, a composite endpoint of all-cause death, all myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, definite/probable stent thrombosis (ST), and major bleeding (Bleeding Academic Research Consortium II-V)) were investigated according to the DAPT status at 2-year follow-up.

RESULTSDAPT was used in 97.8% of patients at 6 months, 69.5% at 12 months and 35.4% at 2 years. It was observed that the incidence of NACE was low (8.1%) at 2 years follow-up, especially its components of all-cause death (0.9%), stroke (1.1%), and definite/probable ST (0.7%). DAPT was not an independent predictor of composite endpoint of all-cause death/MI/stroke (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.693, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.096-4.980, P = 0.715) and NACE (HR: 1.041, 95% CI: 0.145-7.454, P = 0.968). Of 73 patients who had DAPT interruption, no patient had ST at 12-month, and only 1 patient experienced ST between 1- and 2-year (1.4%). There was a high frequency of major bleeding events (53/65, 82.5%) occurred in patients receiving DAPT treatment.

CONCLUSIONSProlonged DAPT use was not associated with improved clinical safety. The study emphasized that duration of DAPT needs to be shortened in Chinese patients following EES implantation (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT 01157455).

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aspirin ; therapeutic use ; Drug-Eluting Stents ; Everolimus ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors ; therapeutic use ; Prospective Studies ; Sirolimus ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Thrombosis ; drug therapy ; Ticlopidine ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo apply recombinant rubella virus envelope protein-1 (E1) to detect human rubella virus IgG antibody.

METHODSRubella virus E1 protein was expressed in E. coli, purified E1 protein was used as the antigen for the detecting of anti rubella in human sera in the way of enzyme linked Immunosorbant assay (ELISA).

RESULTSThe antigenicity of the recombinant protein was checked by WHO rubella sera panel. We detected 200 sera samples, which came from Guangxi Guilin. 93% of these samples were positive.

CONCLUSIONThe antigenicity of recombinant E1 is a satisfied candidate antigen for the detecting of human rubella virus antibody. The prevalence of anti rubella virus IgG in Guangxi is 93%. It is at the some level compared with other provinces in China.

Animals ; Antibodies, Viral ; analysis ; immunology ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; China ; Cloning, Molecular ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; Gene Expression ; Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; Recombinant Proteins ; genetics ; immunology ; Rubella virus ; genetics ; immunology ; Vero Cells ; virology ; Viral Envelope Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the incidence of wheezing and chronic cough in children aged 3-14 years in different living areas of Zhongshan, China.

METHODSAccording to the unified program of the 2010 national epidemiological survey of asthmatic children aged 0-14 years, a questionnaire survey of the children aged 3-14 years in rural and urban areas of Zhongshan was conducted.

RESULTSA total of 15 763 children were included in the survey. Among all participants, 8 248 were from the urban area, and 7 515 from the rual area; 8 306 were boys, and 7 457 were girls. The percentage of children with a history of wheezing was significantly higher in the urban group than in the rural group (6.6% vs 3.2%; P<0.05), and it was significantly higher in boys than in girls for each group (P<0.05). The urban group had a significantly higher percentage of individuals who had wheezing in the past one year than the rural group (2.8% vs 1.5%; P<0.05), and this percentage was significantly higher in boys than in girls for each group (P<0.05). Compared with the rural group, the urban group had a significantly higher percentage of individuals who had chronic cough (duration 1 year) (7.9% vs 3.1%; P<0.05). The above indices were relatively high in children under 6 years of age, and all but the percentage of girls who had wheezing in the past one year in both rural and urban areas showed significant differences between all age groups.

CONCLUSIONSThe incidence of wheezing and chronic cough varies with age, sex, and living area for children aged 3-14 years in Zhongshan, and it is relatively high under 6 years of age, in the urban area, and among boys.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Chronic Disease ; Cough ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Respiratory Sounds ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVETo investigate the prevalence, current treatment, and clinical characteristics of asthma, as well as the risk factors for this disease, among children aged 0-14 years in 2010 in urban Zhongshan, China.

METHODSA total of 10 336 children aged 0-14 years were selected from urban Zhongshan by cluster random sampling. The Third National Childhood Asthma Epidemiological Questionnaire 2010 was used to analyze the prevalence, current treatment, and clinical characteristics of childhood asthma, as well as the risk factors for this disease.

RESULTSAsthma was diagnosed in 179 cases (1.73%). The prevalence of asthma in male children was significantly higher than that in female children (2.25% vs 1.16%; P<0.01). Of the 179 patients, severe attacks were common in 104 cases (58.1%), 110 cases (61.5%) had slow onset, 102 cases (57.0%) had gradually relieved conditions, 61 cases (34.1%) suffered from asthma during seasonal transition, and 150 cases (83.8%) developed asthma due to respiratory tract infection. Among all asthmatic children, 71.5% had been treated with inhaled corticosteroids, and 71.5% had been treated with bronchodilator. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that a history of penicillin allergy, a family history of allergy, food allergy, eczema, allergic rhinitis, cesarean delivery, family mould, and perinatal passive smoking were independent risk factors for childhood asthma.

CONCLUSIONSThe prevalence of childhood asthma in urban Zhongshan is on a high level, and is associated with gender. The treatment of asthma has been standardized, but still needs further improvement. The onset of asthma attack is influenced by various factors.

Adolescent ; Asthma ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Risk Factors ; Seasons ; Time Factors

STUDY DESIGN: A noninterventional, multicenter, cross-sectional study. PURPOSE: We investigated the prevalence of neuropathic pain (NP) and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) of the quality of life (QoL) and functional disability in Korean adults with chronic low back pain (CLBP). OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: Among patients with CLBP, 20%–55% had NP. METHODS: Patients older than 20 years with CLBP lasting for longer than three months, with a visual analog scale (VAS) pain score higher than four, and with pain medications being used for at least four weeks before enrollment were recruited from 27 general hospitals between December 2014 and May 2015. Medical chart reviews were performed to collect demographic/clinical features and diagnosis of NP (douleur neuropathique 4, DN4). The QoL (EuroQoL 5-dimension, EQ-5D; EQ-VAS) and functional disability (Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale, QBPDS) were determined through patient surveys. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to compare PROs between the NP (DN4≥4) and non-NP (DN4 < 4) groups. RESULTS: A total of 1,200 patients (females: 65.7%; mean age: 63.4±13.0 years) were enrolled. The mean scores of EQ-5D, EQ-VAS, and QBPDS were 0.5±0.3, 55.7±19.4, and 40.4±21.1, respectively. Among all patients, 492 (41.0%; 95% confidence interval, 38.2%–43.8%) suffered from NP. The prevalence of NP was higher in male patients (46.8%; p < 0.01), in patients who had pain based on radiological and neurological findings (59.0%; p < 0.01), and in patients who had severe pain (49.0%; p < 0.01). There were significant mean differences in EQ-5D (NP group vs. non-NP group: 0.4±0.3 vs. 0.5±0.3; p < 0.01) and QBPDS (NP group vs. non-NP group: 45.8±21.2 vs. 36.3±20.2; p < 0.01) scores. In the multiple linear regression, patients with NP showed lower EQ-5D (β=−0.1; p < 0.01) and higher QBPDS (β=7.0; p < 0.01) scores than those without NP. CONCLUSIONS: NP was highly prevalent in Korean patients with CLBP. Patients with CLBP having NP had a lower QoL and more severe dysfunction than those without NP. To enhance the QoL and functional status of patients with CLBP, this study highlights the importance of appropriately diagnosing and treating NP.
Adult* ; Back Pain ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Diagnosis ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Low Back Pain* ; Male ; Neuralgia* ; Prevalence* ; Quality of Life ; Visual Analog Scale