Objective To explore the quality of life (QOL) and its influential factors among patients with 3 major rheumatic diseases. Methods A total of 216 patients with rheumatic diseases (84 patients with systemic lu- pus erythematosus, SLE, 83 with rheumatoid arthritis, RA, and 49 with ankylosing spondylitis, AS) were recruited. The information with regard to their quality of life, sociopsychological factors and the evaluation of disease activity were obtained by using the medical outcomes study short form-36 (SF-36) and clinic documents. Results Patients with rheumatic diseases scored significantly lower with each subscale of SF-36 as compared to those of a healthy popu- lation in China (P

Adult ; Dizziness ; prevention & control ; Humans ; Hypnotics and Sedatives ; pharmacology ; Male ; Midazolam ; pharmacology ; Naval Medicine ; Young Adult

Objective To explore the clinical,radiological findings and pathogenic factor of spondylometaphyseal dysplasia.Methods Five cases were reported and the relevant documents were studied retrospectively.Plain X-ray film was performed in all patients.Results There were 4 male and 1 female,age ranged from 4 to 15 years with average of 9 years.The main features of 5 cases included delayed bone age,stature short,short trunk,waddling gait noted,scoliosis in 2 cases,kyphoscoliosis in 1 case,severe genu valgum in 2 cases.The main X-ray appearance of 5 cases is multiple irregularities of long bones metaphyses associated with platyspondylia,epiphysis is normal.Type Ⅰ SMD in 2 cases,Type Ⅱ SMD in 1 case,Type Ⅲ SMD in 2 cases.Conclusion When we meet children with delayed bone age and stature short,and muhiple irregularities of long bones metaphyses associated with platyspondylia were seen in X-ray plain film.we should think about spondylometaphyseal dysplasia.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the application of temporal fascia flaps in the correction of severe depression deformities at lower eyelids.

METHODSSevere depression deformities at lower eyelid were corrected with temporal fascia flaps pedicled with superficial temporal artery in 9 cases.

RESULTSAll flaps survived with good appearance. All patients were followed up for 6-12 months with good long-term results. The donor sites had no obvious scalp scar.

CONCLUSIONSTemporal fascia flap is an optimal choice for correction of the severe depression deformities at lower eyelid. It is easily performed with good result and less donor site morbidity.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Blepharoplasty ; methods ; Eyelids ; abnormalities ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Skin Transplantation ; Surgical Flaps ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo introduce a new method for reconstruction of the whole ear lobe defect.

METHODSThe free island skin flap supplied by superficial temporal vessel which was designed at the area anterior and superior to crus helicis. The flap was transferred through subcutaneous tunnel and self-folded to reconstruct the whole ear lobe defect.

RESULTSSince 1999, 6 cases were treated with no complication. The ear lobe shape and skin colour were very natural.

CONCLUSIONSThe island skin flap supplied by superficial temporal vessel is very suitable for the whole ear lobe defect with good cosmetic results.

Adult ; Ear, External ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Skin Transplantation ; Surgical Flaps ; blood supply ; Temporal Arteries ; transplantation

OBJECTIVETo study the expression of P57(kip2) and Maspin in the pathological scar and their possible role in the pathogenesis of abnormal scars.

METHODSImmunohistochemistry integrated image analysis and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-RCR) were performed to detect the expression of P57(kip2) and Maspin in hypertrophic scar, keloid, mature scar and normal skin. Statistics was used to analyze the datas.

RESULTSThe expression of P57(kip2) protein was fixed to fibroblast intranuclear in abnormal scar, and the expression of P57(kip2) protein and P57(kip2) mRNA decreased (P < 0.05). The expression of Maspin protein was fixed to fibroblast cytoplasm and intranuclear in abnormal scar, and the expression of Maspin protein and Maspin mRNA decrease, compared with that in normal group (P < 0.05). There was positive correlation between P57(kip2) protein and Maspin protein expression (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe decreased expression of P57(kip2) and Maspin in abnormal scar shows that they are cicatrix-related genes. There is a positive relationship between the two genes. It may be one of the mechanisms of pathogenesis of abnormal scar. It makes effect through fibroblasts.

Cicatrix ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p57 ; metabolism ; Fibroblasts ; metabolism ; Humans ; Serpins ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the expression of eIF4E, p-eIF4E (Ser 209) and Mcl-1 gene in the pathological scars and to investigate its role and its probable mechanism in the pathogenesis of abnormal scar.

METHODSQuantitative real-time PCR and Western Blot was performed to detect the expression and distribution of mRNA and protein of eIF4E and Mcl-1 in hypertrophic scar (10 cases), keloid (10 cases), normal scar (10 cases), and normal skin (10 cases). Western Blot was performed to detect the expression and distribution of protein of p-eIF4E in hypertrophic scar (10 cases), keloid (10 cases), normal scar (10 cases), and normal skin (10 cases).

RESULTSThe expression of eIF4E mRNA and protein were 1.38 +/- 0.45, 1.23 +/- 0.23 in the normal skin (10 cases); 5.400 +/- 0.450, 5.460 +/- 0.460 in normal scar (10 cases); 0.597 +/- 0.060, 0.590 +/- 0.040 in hypertrophic scar (10 cases) and 0.694 +/- 0.066, 0.697 +/- 0.022 in keloid (10 cases). The expression of p-eIF4E protein in the normal skin (10 cases), normal scar (10 cases), hypertrophic scar (10 cases), and keloid (10 cases) were 0.202 +/- 0.037, 0.216 +/- 0.019, 0.426 +/- 0.026, 0.433 +/- 0.027. The expression of Mcl-1 mRNA and protein were 1.510 +/- 0.660, 1.400 +/- 0.530 in the normal skin (10 cases); 6.65 +/- 0.85, 7.23 +/- 1.53 in normal scar (10 cases); 0.589 +/- 0.059, 0.660 +/- 0.063 in hypertrophic scar (10 cases) and 0.870 +/- 0.118, 0.914 +/- 0.064 in the keloid (10 cases). The positive rate of mRNA and protein of eIF4E and Mcl-1 was not statistically different between the hypertrophic scar and keloid (P > 0.05), while they were all remarkably significant between normal scar and abnormal scar (P < 0.05). The phosphorylation of eIF4E in pathological scar was higher than that in control group. In pathological scar, mRNA and protein of eIF4E and Mcl-1 showed a strong positive correlation.

CONCLUSIONSThe result indicates that the expression of eIF4E, p-eIF4E and Mcl-1 is increased in pathological scar. eIF4E plays an important role in pathological scar. Its activity is regulated by its phosphorylation. Therefore, eIF4E, p-eIF4E and Mcl-1 overexpression may play an important role in the proliferation of fibroblasts and in the pathogenesis of pathological scar.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Cicatrix ; metabolism ; Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-4E ; genetics ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Keloid ; metabolism ; Male ; Myeloid Cell Leukemia Sequence 1 Protein ; genetics ; metabolism ; Phosphorylation ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Young Adult

AIMClinical studies stated that low molecular weight compounds (< 1.0 kd) extracted from the new born calf liver could effectively inhibit the proliferation of tumor cells. In this report, we observed inhibition effects and their regulative mechanisms of taurine, ornithine, carnosine on the proliferation of HL-60 cells.

METHODSThree active ingredients, i.e., taurine, ornithine and carnosine were separated by ion-exchange chromatographic column and identified from the low molecular weight filtrate of new born calf liver. MTT assay was used to test the survival rate of HL-60 cells and normal lymphocytes treated by the three ingredients. The various effects of the three compounds on HL-60 cells were respectively evaluated by agarose gel electrophoresis, ESR and immunohistochemical methods.

RESULTSThese compounds effectively inhibited the proliferation of HL-60 cells and induced apoptosis which was determined by apoptotic changes in morphology and nuclear DNA degradation. Whereas no inhibition effects on normal lymphocytes were observed. In addition, the results of ESR showed that the activity of oxygen radical within HL-60 cells treated with there compounds decreased to trace level. Furthermore, in the immunohistochemical experiments, we found that the level of p45/skp2 in HL-60 cells decreased while the level of p27/kip increased.

CONCLUSIONThe taurine, ornithine and carnosine compounds can selectively suppress tumor cells proliferation by regulating the level of cell cycle proteins.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Carnosine ; pharmacology ; Cattle ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans ; Liver ; chemistry ; Ornithine ; pharmacology ; Taurine ; pharmacology

Carnosic acid (CA) is the main phenolic diterpenoid active ingredient in plants such as rosemary and sage, and has antiviral, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory effects and so on, however, its antiviral activity against influenza virus infections was not reported. In this study, antiviral activities against influenza A virus infections of three main bioactive ingredients from rosemary, including rosmarinic acid, CA and ursolic acid, were evaluated using virus titer titration assay, and CA showed remarkable inhibition on influenza H5N1 replication in A549 cells. The antiviral activity of CA was further confirmed and its mechanism of action was investigated using the indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA), Western blot and real-time fluorescence quantification polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The results showed that the 50% effective concentration (EC₅₀) of CA against influenza H5N1 in A549 cells and MDCK cells were 4.30 and 3.64 μmol·L^-1, respectively. Meanwhile, CA also showed inhibition on influenza virus 2009panH1N1 (EC₅₀: 10.1 μmol·L^-1) and H3N2 (EC₅₀: 12.8 μmol·L^-1) replications in A549 cells. Mechanistic studies showed that antiviral activity of CA is related to its induction of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in A549 cells and suppression on production of reactive oxygen in H5N1-infected cells.

BACKGROUND: Proximal femoral nail anti-rotation is widely used to treat various intertrochanteric fractures. Although its operation trauma is small, and the blood loss of perioperative period is still large. Tranexamic acid has been gradually used to reduce the bleeding of intertrochanteric fracture. The effectiveness and safety of reducing blood loss during perioperative period were not reported. OBJECTIVE: To explore the safety and efficacy of tranexamic acid on perioperative blood loss in patients with intertrochanteric fracture undergoing proximal femoral nail anti-rotation. METHODS: One hundred and eight patients with intertrochanteric fracture undergoing proximal femoral nail anti-rotation were selected from First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine between January 2015 and January 2017. Among all the subjects, 52 patients who received the operation before January 2016 served as the control group and 56 patients who received the operation after January 2016 were selected as the treatment group. Half an hour before operation, patients in the treatment group received 1 g tranexamic acid dissolved in 250 mL normal saline by intravenous dropping; patients in the control group just received 250 mL normal saline by intravenous dropping. The bleeding volume, blood transfusion volume, hemoglobin, hematocrit, coagulation index, D-dimer levels and complications were compared between the two groups. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) During perioperative period, actual blood loss, intraoperative blood loss, dominant blood loss, recessive blood loss, volume of drainage, blood transfusion volume and blood transfusion rate were lower in the treatment group than in the control group (P < 0.05). (2) There was no statistically significant difference in the hemoglobin and hematocrit between the two groups before operation (P > 0.05). The hemoglobin and hematocrit of the two groups gradually decreased after the operation, and there was a slight improvement in the fifth day after surgery. At postoperative 2 hours, 1, 3 and 5 days, the hemoglobin and hematocrit of the treatment group were higher than in the control group (P < 0.05). At preoperation and each time point postoperation, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, and fibrinogen levels were not statistically significant between the two groups (P > 0.05). Postoperative D-dimer levels in the two groups were significantly higher than preoperation, and there was a return on the fifth day. There was no statistically significant difference between groups at preoperation and each time point of postoperation (P > 0.05). (3) The results suggest that the tranexamic acid can effectively reduce the dominant and recessive blood loss in patients with the intertrochanteric fracture, and it is safe and effective.