Objective To study the biological exposure limit in bone metabolism damage caused by coexposure to fluorine and arsenic from coal burning in exposed population.Methods One hundred and ninety-eight cases of fluoride and arsenic co-exposed people from Liuchang village,Qinzhen city,Guizhou province were enrolled in the study.Urinary fluorine (UF),urinary arsenic (UAs),urinary hydroxyproline (UHYP),ross-linked Ntelopeptides of type Ⅰ collagen(UNTX) and bone strength index(STI) were detected.BMDS Version 2.1 software was used to calculate UF,UAs benchmark dose (BMD) and its lower confidence limit (BMDL) on the damage of bone metabolism caused by co-exposure to fluorine and arsenic from coal burning.Results The BMD and BMDL range of UF caused by co-exposure to fluorine and arsenic from coal burning were 0.68-1.35 mg/g Cr,0.57-1.11 mg/g Cr.The BMD and BMDL range of UAs caused by co-exposure to fluorine and arsenic from coal burning were 8.36-18.77 μg/g Cr,7.12-15.40 μg/g Cr.Conclusion The biological exposure limits of UF and UAs for bone metabolism toxicity are proposed as 0.57 mg/g Cr and 7.12 μg/g Cr in co-exposure to fluoride and arsenic from coal burning,respectively.

Objective To explore the effect of fluoride and arsenic pollution on bone metabolism in exposed population. Methods One hundred and fifty-two fluoride and arsenic exposed people were selected from Jiaole village, Yuzhang town, Xingron county, Guizhou province in 2006, and 59 not exposed people from Daguoduo village 13 km away from Jiaole village were selected as control. Urinary fluorine(UF), urinary arsenic (UAs), urinary hydroxyproline (UHYP), cross-linked N-telopeptides of type I collagen (UNTX) and bone strength index(STI) were detected. Results The main effect of fluoride on UHYP and UNTX were statistically significant (F = 9.785, 4.225, P < 0.01 ), but was not significant on STI(F = 0.183, P > 0.05). The main effect of arsenic on UNTX was statistically significant (F = 2.660, P < 0.05 ), but was not significant on UHYP and STI(F = 2.012, 0.183,all P > 0.05). The interaction between fluoride and arsenic on UNTX was statistically significant (F= 2.429, P <0.01), but was not significant on UHYP and STI(F= 1.218, 1.001, all P> 0.05). Conclusions Fluoride exposure can affect the metabolism of collagen and bone resorption, and Arsenic exposure main affect bone resorption, fluoride and arsenic co-exposure have more significant effect on bone resorption. UNTX may be used as biological biomarker of bone metabolism for population co-exposed to fluoride and arsenic in health monitoring.

OBJECTIVETo analyze the complications of percutaneous kyphoplasty except bone leakge for the treatment of osteoporotic thoracolumbar vertebral compression fractures.

METHODSFrom October 2008 to October 2012,178 patients with 224 osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures were treated with percutaneous kyphoplasty under local anethsia. There were 72 males and 106 females,ranging in age from 58 to 92 years old,with an average of 75.3 years,including 93 thoracic vertebrae and 131 lumbar vertebrae. The complications except bone cement leakage were analyzed during operation and after operation.

RESULTSAll operations were successful and all patients were followed up from 12 to 60 months with an average of 26.2 months. No death was found. Bone cement leakage occurred in 27 cases, about 15.1% in 178 cases; and complications except bone cement leakage occurred in 15 cases. There was 1 case with cardiac arrest,was completely recovery by cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) immediately; and 1 case with temporary absence of breathing,was recovery after treatment. There were 3 cases with fall of blood pressure and slower of heart rate; 1 case with intestinal obstruction; 2 cases with local hematoma and 1 case with intercostal neuralgia. Vertebral body fractures of 2 cases were split by bone cement and the fractures of adjacent body occurred in 4 cases.

CONCLUSIONIt's uncommon complication except bone cement leakge in treatment of osteoporotic thoracolumbar vertebral compression fractures with percutaneous kyphoplasty. The complication of cardiopulmonary system is a high risk in surgery; and cytotoxicity of bone cement,nervous reflex,fat embolism and alteration of intravertebral pressure may be main reasons.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Fractures, Compression ; surgery ; Humans ; Kyphoplasty ; adverse effects ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; injuries ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteoporotic Fractures ; surgery ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology ; Spinal Fractures ; surgery ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; injuries ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo investigate the multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) technology in the detection of gene deletion and prenatal diagnosis of α-thalassaemia.

METHODSPhenotypes were analyzed by whole blood cell counting and hemoglobin component detection of peripheral blood samples from the subjects. The gene deletions and point mutations of α- thalassaemia were detected with regular gap-PCR and reverse dot blot (RDB) method. At last, the MLPA method was applied for detection of α-globin gene deletion. All the prenatal diagnosis samples were detected with both gap-PCR and MLPA method.

RESULTSα-thalassaemia phenotype was found in 75 samples from 1256 (628 couples) peripheral blood samples for pre-pregnancy or prenatal thalassemia gene screening. Among them, 71 samples carrying α-gene mutations and consistent with phenotypes were detected by routine methods. In the other 3 samples with no α-gene mutations detected and 1 sample with HbH phenotype but genotype of ﹣α(4.2)/αα were analyzed by MLPA and found each one samples of whole α-globin gene cluster deletion, respectively. Seventeen high risk couples were screened. Among the 17 prenatal diagnosis samples, 2 villus samples contaminated by exogenous DNA were confirmed by MLPA method.

CONCLUSIONMLPA is an effective complement for α-thalassaemia gene deletion detection. The molecular diagnosis strategy and process of gap-PCR combined with MLPA for α- thalassaemia gene deletion detection can prevent the missing of gene deletion, and false-positive or false-negative misdiagnosis of α-thalassaemia in prenatal diagnosis.

DNA Mutational Analysis ; Female ; Gene Deletion ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Multigene Family ; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Phenotype ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; methods ; alpha-Thalassemia ; diagnosis ; genetics

AIMTo discuss the effect of Pitavastatin on angiogenesis in vivo and its mechanism in Klotho heterozygous deficient mice.

METHODSThe heterozygous deficient Klotho mice (kl +/-) and wild mice (kl +/+) from the same litter were used to establish the animal model of hind-limb ischemia and grouped into control and Pitavastatin group, respectively. Hind-limb blood flow was evaluated using Laser Doppler perfusion imager (LDPI) before treatment and after operation of hind-limbs. The capillaries in muscle of limbs were counted by means of CD-31 labeled immuno-fluorescence. The phosphorylation of Akt (Protein kinase B) in cells was measured by direct immunohistochemical technique. The expression of vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) in muscle of limbs was assessed using Western blotting.

RESULTSAfter treatment of Pitavastatin, the blood flow in ischemic limbs of the Kl +/- and wild mice improved obviously, the ratio of blood flow area in ischemic limb to that in non-ischemic limb increased and the density of capillaries increased in ischemic limbs of the Kl +/- and wild mice. Pitavastatin enhanced the phosphorylation of Akt and the expression of VEGF in ischemic limbs of the Kl +/- and wild mice.

CONCLUSIONPitavastatin has the pro-angiogenesis effect in vivo and the VEGF-p-Akt-NO pathway may be involved in the mechanism of the effect of Pitavastatin.

Angiogenesis Inducing Agents ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Heterozygote ; Ischemia ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Knockout ; Quinolines ; pharmacology ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDTotal hip arthroplasty (THA) is widely applied for the treatment of end-stage painful hip arthrosis. Traditional THA needed a long incision and caused significant soft tissue trauma. Patients usually required long recovery time after the operation. In this research we aimed to study the feasibility and clinical outcomes of minimally invasive two-incision THA.

METHODSFrom February 2004 to March 2005, 27 patients, 12 males and 15 females with a mean age of 71 years (55 - 76), underwent minimally invasive two-incision THA in our department. The patients included 9 cases of osteoarthritis, 10 cases of osteonecrosis, and 8 cases of femoral neck fracture. The operations were done with VerSys cementless prosthesis and minimally invasive instruments from Zimmer China. Operation time, blood loss, length of incision, postoperative hospital stay, and complications were observed.

RESULTSThe mean operation time was 90 minutes (80 - 170 min). The mean blood loss was 260 ml (170 - 450 ml) and blood transfusion was carried out in 4 cases of femoral neck fracture (average 400 ml). The average length of the anterior incision was 5.0 cm (4.6 - 6.5 cm) and of the posterior incision 3.7 cm (3.0 - 4.2 cm). All of the patients were ambulant the day after surgery. Nineteen patients were discharged 5 days post-operatively and 8 patients 7 days post-operatively. The patients were followed for 18 months (13 - 25 months). One patient was complicated by a proximal femoral fracture intraoperatively. No other complications, including infections, dislocations, and vascular injuries, occurred. The mean Harris score was 94.5 (92 - 96).

CONCLUSIONSTwo-incision THA has the advantage of being muscle sparing and minimally invasive with less blood loss and rapid recovery. However, this technique is time consuming, technically demanding, and requires fluoroscopy.

Aged ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip ; methods ; Female ; Fluoroscopy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Retrospective Studies

Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Bartter Syndrome ; genetics ; Child ; Chloride Channels ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Mutation

OBJECTIVEWe investigated the effects of pitavastatin on angiogenesis and perfusion in C3H/He mice with unilateral hind limb ischemia.

METHODSC3H/He mice treated with saline (n = 15) or pitavastatin (1 mg.kg(-1).d(-1), n = 15) per gavage for 1 week underwent unilateral hind limb ischemia surgery and were treated for another 5 weeks. Hind-limb blood flow was measured by Laser Doppler perfusion imager (LDPI, ischemic/nonischemic limb, %) at baseline, immediately after ischemia and weekly thereafter for 5 weeks. Endpoints included local vessel counts by immunofluorescence, phospho-Akt positive cell counts by immunoenzyme histochemical technique, vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) expression in ischemic limbs by Western blot and serum nitric oxide metabolite (NOx) by chrome dioxide Griess method.

RESULTSLower extremity perfusion was significantly improved in pitavastatin treated mice vs. controls as measured by LDPI% at 1 week post ischemia and thereafter (P < 0.05). Pitavastatin treatment was associated with significantly increased capillary count [(47 +/- 11) vs. (26 +/- 14)/per high-power field (x 200), P < 0.05] and greater percentage of phospho-Akt positive cells [(6 +/- 1) vs. (2 +/- 0)/per high-power field (x 200), P < 0.05] in ischemic limbs. Serum NOx [(77.3 +/- 21.8) vs. (52.1 +/- 11.2) mol/L, P < 0.05) and VEGF protein expression in ischemic limbs were also significantly increased in pitavastatin group than those in control group.

CONCLUSIONSPitavastatin enhances angiogenesis and perfusion in CsH/He mice with limb ischemia.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Ischemia ; physiopathology ; Lower Extremity ; blood supply ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C3H ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; drug effects ; Nitric Oxide ; blood ; Quinolines ; pharmacology ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors ; metabolism

Leaf senescence is often caused by water deficit and the chimeric gene P(SAG12)-IPT is an auto-regulated gene delaying leaf senescence. Using in vitro leaf discs culture system, the changes of contents of chlorophylls, carotenoids, soluble protein and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) and antioxidant enzymes activities were investigated during leaf senescence of P(SAGl2)-IPT modified gerbera induced by osmotic stress compared with the control plant (wild type). Leaf discs were incubated in 20%, 40% (w/v) polyethylene glycol (PEG) 6000 nutrient solution for 20 h under continuous light [130 micromol/(m(2) x s)]. The results showed that the contents of chlorophylls, carotenoids and soluble protein were decreased by osmotic stress with the decrease being more pronounced at 40% PEG, but that, at the same PEG concentration the decrease in the transgenic plants was significantly lower than that in the control plant. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalases (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), guaiacol peroxidase (GPX) and dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR) were stimulated by PEG treatment. However, the increases were higher in P(SAG12)-IPT transgenic plants than in the control plants, particularly at 40% PEG treatment. Lipid peroxidation (TBARS content) was increased by PEG treatment with the increase being much lower in transgenic plant than in the control plant. It could be concluded that the increases in the activities of antioxidant enzymes including SOD, CAT, APX, GPX and DHAR were responsible for the delay of leaf senescence induced by osmotic stress.
Alkyl and Aryl Transferases ; genetics ; Antioxidants ; metabolism ; Arabidopsis Proteins ; genetics ; Ascorbate Peroxidases ; Asteraceae ; genetics ; metabolism ; Carotenoids ; metabolism ; Catalase ; metabolism ; Chlorophyll ; metabolism ; Cysteine Endopeptidases ; genetics ; Genes, Bacterial ; Genes, Plant ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Osmotic Pressure ; Oxidoreductases ; metabolism ; Peroxidase ; metabolism ; Peroxidases ; metabolism ; Plant Leaves ; metabolism ; Plant Proteins ; metabolism ; Plants, Genetically Modified ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Solubility ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo report the clinical outcome of minimally invasive total hip arthroplasty with anterior incision.

METHODSOne hundred and twenty cases were randomly divided into two groups. Sixty cases (group 1) who had undergone a mini-invasive THA were compared with 60 cases (group 2) who had undergone THA with standard posterolateral incision. The operation time, length of incision, blood loss, anteversion angle of acetabulum cup, Harris score and complications were observed.

RESULTThe average operation time was almost the same; The average length of incision for group 1 was 7.9 cm (7.4 - 9.0 cm) and 16.3 cm (14 - 22 cm) for group 2 (P < 0.01). The average blood loss for group 1 was 350 ml (250 - 530 ml) and 650 ml (400 - 1200 ml) for group 2, there was significant difference between two groups (P < 0.05). According to the postoperative X-ray, the mean anteversion angles of cup were 24 degrees (19 degrees - 27 degrees) for group 1 and 19 degrees (15 degrees - 22 degrees) for group 2. The average length of post-operative hospital stay was 7 days (5 - 8 days) in group 1 and 13.5 days (12 - 16 days) in group 2 (P < 0.05). The Harris score of group 1 was 91.4 (67 - 94) and 78.5 (67 - 91) for group 2 at the 3 month follow-up (P < 0.05). At the last follow up, there were no significant difference (P > 0.05), but the average ROM of group 1 were definitely more greater than that of group 2 (110.0 degrees +/- 3.2 degrees vs. 90.0 degrees +/- 2.9 degrees P < 0.05). There was 1 case of cup reinsertion in group 1 because of large anteversion angle; 2 cases of symptomatic DVT and 1 case of lethargy because of cerebral infarction happened in group 2.

CONCLUSIONSMinimally invasive total hip arthroplasty using anterior approach is a safe and effective technique with the advantages of less soft tissue damage and less blood loss.

Aged ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip ; methods ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures