BACKGROUND: At present, studies concerning human umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells (UCB-MSCs) transplantation for repair of rat spinal cord injury, brain tumor, and myocardial infarction have been reported, and studies that human UCB-MSCs were induced differentiation into osteogenic cells under certain conditions have also been reported at home and abroad. But application of UCB-MSCs transplantation in the treatment of osteonecrosis of animals has not yet been reported. OBJECTIVE: To observe the repair results of recombinant lentivirus vector tracing enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)-transfected UCB-MSCs transplantation in treatment of ischemic necrosis of the femoral head in rabbits. METHODS: Bone morphogenetic protein-2 gene plasmid, recombinant lentivirus vector carrying EGFP and UCB-MSCs were co-cultured. Rabbit models of femoral head defects were made and randomly divided into 3 groups. There was no treatment in the normal group, control group with bone defects and experimental bone defects filled with UCB-MSCs tracing transfected by recombinant lentivirus vector carrying EGFP. At 4 and 8 weeks after treatment, the imaging and histological of the femoral head were observed.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Imaging and histology results showed that there were osteogenic response and new bone formation in the experimental group at 4 weeks, and the bone defects were basically repaired at 8 weeks after treatment. In the control group, the bone defects filled with fibrous connective tissue fiber connective tissues at 4 weeks, and the osteosclerosis could be found surrounding femoral head, bone defects filled with fibrous connective tissue fibers and bone trabecula distributed disorderly. The recombinant lentivirus vector tracing EGFP-transfected into UCB-MSCs has strong effects bone conduction and can repair ischemic necrosis of the femoral head.

Objective To observe the effect of atropine in the treatment of bromiderosis with anhydrous alcohol injection. Methods Patients were randomly divided into two groups (A and B): the patients in Group A was injected with both anhydrous alcohol and atropine, and that in Group B was only injected with anhydrous alcohol. The effect of the operation was evaluated at 1, 3 and 6 months after the treatment. Results From August 2004 to January 2008, 72 patients were involved in this study. 37 cases were included in Group A, and 35 patients were included in Group B. The effective rate in the Group A was 83.78 %, and that in the Group B was 82.86 %. There was no statistical difference between these two groups. Conclusion Atropine has no effect on the treatment of axillary bromidrosis with anhydrous alcohol injection and it is, therefore, not necessarily included in the treatment.

OBJECTIVE:To systematically evaluate therapeutic efficacy of thalidomide in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis,and to provide evidence-based reference for clinic.METHODS:Retrieved from Chinese Journal Full-text Database,China Science and Technology Journal Database,China Biology Medicine disc,Wanfang database,Medline,PubMed,Elsevier database and Cochrane library,the references of the included literatures were also reviewed,randomized controlled trials (RCTs) about thalidomide alone or combined with other routine drug (trial group) versus routine treatment or other drug (control group) in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis were collected.After data extraction,quality evaluation of included studies by modified Jadad scale,Meta-analysis of response rate,bath ankylosing spondylitis disease activity index (BASDAI) score,erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR),C-reaction protein (CRP) level,thoracic mobility,pillow wall distance,Schober trial result,morning stiffness time and the number of peripheral joints with swelling and pain were conducted by using Rev Man 5.1 statistical software.RESULTS:A total of 10 RCTs were included,involving 636 patients.Results of Meta-analysis showed that response rate [OR=2.50,95％CI(1.36,4.62),P=0.003],thoracic mobility [MD=0.22,95％ CI (0.01,0.42),P=0.04],occipital wall distance [MD=-0.82,95％ CI (-1.32,-0.32),P=0.001],Schober trial result [MD=0.64,95％CI(0.28,0.99),P=0.000 4] and morning stiffness time [MD=-2.33,95 ％ CI (-3.92,-0.73),P=0.004] of trial group were significantly better than those control group,with statistical significance.There were no statistical significance in BASDAI score [MD=-4.40,95％CI(-8.96,0.16),P=0.06],ESR [MD=-3.51,95％CI(-7.76,0.74),P=0.11],CRP level [MD=-1.60,95％CI(-3.22,0.03),P=0.05] or the number of peripheral joints with swelling and pain [MD=-0.06,95％CI(-0.29,0.17),P=0.60] between 2 groups.CONCLUSIONS:Thalidomide shows significant improve effect on ankylosing spondylitis.Thalidomide is more effective than conventional drugs in the improvement of peripheral joint function and the control of inflammatory indicators.

Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is a mild impairment of thyroid function. Several existing studies suggest that SCH is associated with an increased risk of depression, but some studies have also found no correlation between SCH and depression. Therefore, whether there is an association between SCH and depression and the mechanism of interaction between the two remains controversial. Growing evidence suggested that SCH patients should not be routinely treated with levothyroxine, and the effect of the treatment of thyroid disease on various clinical psychiatric outcomes is also controversial. This article reviews the current research on the correlation between SCH and depression risk and whether drug intervention is needed.

Background: and Purpose X-linked Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1 (CMTX1) is characterized by peripheral neuropathy with or without episodic neurological dysfunction. We performed clinical, neuropathological, and genetic investigations of a series of patients with mutations of the gap-junction beta-1 gene (GJB1) to extend the phenotypic and genetic description of CMTX1. Methods: Detailed clinical evaluations, sural nerve biopsy, and genetic analysis were applied to patients with CMTX1. Results: We collected 27 patients with CMTX1 with GJB1 mutations from 14 unrelated families. The age at onset (AAO) was 20.9±12.2 years (mean±standard deviation; range, 2–45 years). Walking difficulties, weakness in the legs, and pes cavus were common initial symptoms. Compared with female patients, males tended to have a younger AAO (males vs. females=15.4±9.6 vs. 32.0±8.8 years, p=0.002), a longer disease course (16.8±16.1 vs. 5.5±3.8 years, p=0.034), and more-severe electrophysiological results. Besides peripheral neuropathy, six of the patients had special episodic central nervous system (CNS) evidence from symptoms, signs, and/or reversible white-matter lesions. Neuropathology revealed the loss of large myelinated fibers, increased number of regenerated axon clusters with abnormally thin myelin sheaths, and excessively folded myelin. Genetic analysis identified 14 GJB1 variants, 6 of which were novel. Conclusions These findings expand the phenotypic and genetic spectrum of CMTX1. Although CMTX1 was found to have high phenotypic and CNS involvement variabilities, detailed neurological examinations and nerve conduction studies will provide critical clues for accurate diagnoses. Further exploration of the underlying mechanisms of connexin 32 involvement in neuropathy or CNS dysfunction is warranted to develop promising therapies.

Objective:To explore the efficacy and safety of adalimumab (ADA) in Chinese Takayasu arteritis (TAK) patients.Methods:This study prospectively included ten refractory active TAK patients. The clinical, laboratory and imaging data of these patients before and after ADA treatment were collected and compared. Statistical analysis was carried out with the statistical product and service solutions (SPSS) program V.24.0. We performed univariate analysis by Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test for numerical data according to normality. The P value <0.05 was interpreted as statistically significant. Results:Ten TAK patients recruited in this study were all female, with a median age of 27.5 [25.0, 36.0] years. Fever or fatigue (6/10, 60%), neck pain (6/10, 60%), and limb claudication (4/10, 40%) were the most common clinical manifestations. The most common pattern of vascular involvement was Numano type V (7/10, 70%). The serum erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) [22.0(4.5, 37.5) mm/1 h vs 7.0(4.5, 31.0) mm/1 h, Z=-2.04, P=0.042] and IL-6 level [12.3(3.6, 57.7) ng/L vs 2.8(2.0, 24.0) ng/L, Z=-2.19, P=0.028] reduced significantly after ADA treatment. The thickness of the common carotid artery intima decreased from 2.7(2.2, 4.0) mm to 2.3(1.6, 3.4) mm after ADA treatment ( Z=-1.99, P=0.046). The lumen diameter of the common carotid artery increased from 0.31(0.20, 0.42) cm to 0.37(0.29, 0.43) cm ( Z=-2.02, P=0.043). The glucocorticoid dosage was reduced from [11.2(6.9, 15.0) mg to 10.0(5.0, 13.1) mg, Z=-1.89, P=0.059]. In the 10 patients, 6 patients (60%) reached complete response, 2 patients (20%) reached the partial response, and the total effective rate was 80%(8/10). Pneumonia in one TAK patient was recorded. Conclusion:The results of this study suggest, that ADA can be used for refractory active TAK patients, and is safe.

The original version of this article unfortunately contained some mistakes.