Adult ; Dimethylformamide ; adverse effects ; Glutathione ; blood ; Humans ; Male ; Methanol ; adverse effects ; Nitric Oxide ; blood ; Occupational Exposure ; Oxygen ; metabolism ; Superoxide Dismutase ; blood ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Toluene ; adverse effects

Objective To study the clinical characteristics, diagnosis, and treatment of patients with persistent low levels of β-hCG. Methods To analyze the clinical data of 6 patients with persistent low level of β-hCG retrospectively and review the relevant literature. Results The periods of low levels of β-hCG in the 6 patients were 10-53 months. The range of β-hCG was 3～637 U/L. The last pregnancy were hydatidiform mole in 5 cases and abortion in 1 case. After hydatidiform mole 5 cases were received multi-chemotherapy. Normal level of β-hCG maintained 1-12 months after chemotherapy, then β-hCG titer has gone up again, One patient developed lung metastases after 30 months and then cured by surgery and chemotherapy. There were no clinical evidence of malignancy in the other 4 cases, and 1 case received no therapy after abortion during course of therapy and following up. Conclusion Persistent low level of hCG was a special kind of disease with poor response to chemotherapy, but the majority were with stable status. Therapy should be restrained if there was no evidence of malignancy.

Objective To compare the clinical results of open reduction and plate internal fixation and percutaneous kirschner-wire fixation in the management of distal radius fractures. Methods A retrospective comparison was done on clinical data of 110 patients with distal radius fractures who were treated by plate internal fixation and that of 107 by pereutaneous kirschner-wire fixation from January 2002 to June 2007. Results All patients were followed up for 5-12 months. According to Gartland and Werley scoring system, the excellent rate was 86.4% in plate internal fixation group, which was significantly higher than 74.8% in percutaneous kirschner-wire fixation group (P <0.05). As for type C3 fractures, the excellent rate of the two groups were 76.9% and 70.0%, with no statistical difference (P >0.05). Conclusions Compared with percutaneous kirschner-wire fixation, plate internal fixation is better in treatment of distal radius fractures, but has poor results in management of type C3 fractures.

A female patient with hair cell leukaemia was treated with human leukocyte interferon at a daily dose of 1.5 ? 104 for 27 days. The bone marrow cells were studied with electron microsepy. The follow up investigation of the bone marrow hair cells revealed that there were widening of the perinuclear space, disintegration of nuclear membrane, vaeuolization as well as expansion of the rough endoplasmic retieulum

Objective To identify the imaging characteristics of calcifying pseudoneoplasms of the neuraxis (CAPNON) and do literature review.Methods Five patients of pathologically-proved CAPNON underwent preoperative MR examination,among which 4 underwent CT scan,2 underwent DSA examination and 1 underwent SPECT. All imaging data were retrospectively analyzed with the emphasis on imaging characteristics.Results Five patients of CAPNON with the diameter of 1.5 to 5.0 cm were found in five patients ( Male 4 ; Female 1 ; age 25 to 60 years old ).Three lesions were located in the skull base,one was located in the cervical spine and one in the foramen magnum and upper cervical segment. All patients underwent MRI examination and 4 of them also took CT scanning.On plain CT,all lesions showed obvious calcification.On T1WI all masses showed hypointensity,and on T2WI 4 of the lesions showed iso- or hypointensity and 1 heterogeneous signal intensity. On contrast-enhanced MR images, peripheral enhancement was demonstrated in 3 lesions,homogeneous enhancement was found in case and one lesion showed no enhancement. The pathologic analysis indicated that inside the lesions were abundant calcification,fibroepithelial tissue and mucoid matrix and no edema was detected around the lesions.Conclusions CAPNON displayed the predilection to male adults and the neuraxis was the predilection site.Calcification on CT images,hypointensity on MR images and peripheral enhancement will be helpful for the diagnosis of CAPNON,but the final confirmation still needs the pathologic results.

Xenopus Paraxial Protocadherin (PAPC), which was initially identified in a screen for genes present in the Spemann organizer of Xenopus embryos, is required for gastrulation, somitogenesis and otic vesicle formation. In order to investigate its function in various developmental events, an antibody was prepared which could specifically recognize Xenopus PAPC. Glutathione S transferase (GST) expression system was used to express the fusion protein GST-PAPC. Rabbits were immunized with GST-PAPC Western blotting analysis of FL-PAPC transfected HEK 293T cells lysates, which could be specifically blocked by pre-adsorption of prokaryotic expressed GST-PAPC fusion protein. Furthermore, by using immunofluorescence analysis the polyclonal antibody recognized membrane-bound PAPC in FL-PAPC transfected 293T cells and Xenopus animal cap cells. By Western blotting analysis,the endogenous 150 ku PAPC protein was detected in Xenopus embryos using the anti-PAPC antibody. Take together it could be concluded that a polyclonal antibody specifically against Xenopus PAPC was developed.

AIM: To investigate the anti - tumor effect of Weimaining (WMN) on a murine Lewis lung carcinoma (3LL) and the influence on the cell cycle. METHODS: The inhibitory rate of WMN in 3LL growth was detected by replicating the model of 3LL. The effect of the drug on 3LL cell cycle and the influence of the drug on the expression of cy clin D1 protein were investigated by flow cytometry and immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS: The results showed that the inhibitory rate of drug in 3LL is 19. 14%, 33.59%, 40. 63% and 51.56% respectively at dosage ranging from 100,cells in G0 -G1 phase and decreases the expression of cyclin D1 protein. CONCLUSION: WMN inhibits the growth of 3LL cells in vivo by decreasing the expression of cyclin D1, blocking the cells in G0 - G1 phase and preventing the cells transition from G1 to S phase while DNA is replicated.

Objective To investigate the changes of brain volumes in neuromyelitis optica (NMO)patients using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) method, and preliminarily explore the pattern of cerebral anatomical impairment. Methods Twenty-three clinically defined NMO patients and 15 gender and age matched healthy volunteers underwent 3-dimensional (3D) fast spoiled gradient echo (FSPGR) sequence scanning on 3.0 Tesla MR systen. Raw data was processed and analyzed using statistical parametric mapping (SPM) 5. Whole brain volumes included grey matter volume (GMV), white matter volume (WMV), total intracranial volume (TIV), grey matter fraction (GMF), white matter fraction (WMF),brain tissue fraction (BTF) and regional brain volumes between the two groups were compared by independent samples t-test and an Pearson were performed to compare the regional brain volumes and the ages. Results GMV of NMO group[(610. 2 ± 55.0) ml] was significantly decreased comparing to healthy control group[(657. 2 ± 36. 3) ml] (t = - 2. 915, P ＜ 0. 05). The age of NMO patients [(40 ± 9) years old] showed negative correlation with GMF [(42. 5 ± 2. 6) %] (r = - 0. 673, P ＜ 0. 05). Regional brain volume analysis showed decreased GMV in left insula and bilateral posterior cingutates in NMO patients,while decreased WMV was found in left frontal and left parietal white matter. Conclusion VBM could detect brain volume changes sensitively. Total grey matter volume in NMO patients was decreased comparing to HC group. Regional grey matter atrophy in NMO patients occurred in left insular and bilateral posterior cingutates, regional white matter atrophy occurred in left frontal and left parietal lobe.

Objective To compare clinical outcomes of clavicular hook plate and coracoclavicu-lar screw fixation in treatment of acrmioclavicular dislocation (Tossy Ⅲ). Methods From August 2003 to January 2008,38 patients with acromioclavicular dislocation (Tossy Ⅲ) were randomly divided into two groups that were treated with coracoclavicular screw and clavicular hook plate fixation respective-ly. The range of shoulder movement was restricted after operation until the fixation was removed three months later. The shoulder function was evaluated by using Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) sco-ring system. The functional scores were compared before and after removal of the internal fixation in two groups. Results All patients were followed up, which showed no statistical difference upon final shoulder function of two groups. There was no loosening or migration of internal fixators. No redislocation occurred after removal of internal fixations. Seven patients complained shoulder pain and three had severe shoulder pain affecting sleep quality in coracoclavicular screw group. The pain was alleviated after remov-al of fixation. Conclusions Coraeeclavicular screw and clavicular hook plate fixation have similar clinical effect in treatment of acromioclavicular dislocation (Tossy Ⅲ), with satisfactory recovery of shoul-der function. Many complications of acromioclavicular fixations can be avoided by restriction of shoulder movement after operation and early functional exercise after removal of fixation.

Objective To evaluate gray matter volume,white matter volume and FA value changes in amyatrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS)patients by voxel-based morphometry(VBM)and voxel-based diffusion tensor analysis(VBDTA).Methods Thirty-nine definite or probable ALS patients diagnosed by El Escorial standard and 39 healthy controls were recruited and underwent conventional MR scans and the neuropsychological evaluation.The 3D FSPGR T_1WI and DTI data were collected on GE Medical 3.0 T MRI system.The 3D T_1 structural images were normalized,segmented and smoothed,and then VBM analysis was performed.DTI data were acquired from 76 healthy controls,and FA map template was made.FA maps generated from the DTI data of ALS patients and healthy controls were normalized to the FA map template for voxel-based analysis.ANCOVA was applied,controlling with age and total intracranial volume for VBM and age for VBDTA.A statistical threshold of P＜0.01(uncorrected)and cluster level of more than continuous 20 voxels determined significance.Results Statistical results showed no significant difference in the global volumes of gray matter and white matter,total intracranial volumes and gray matter fraction between ALS patients and healthy controls,but the white matter fraction of ALS patients(0.29±0.02)was significantly less than that of healthy controls(0.30±0.02)statistically(P=0.003).There was significant reduction of gray matter volumes in bilateral superior frontal gyri and precentral gyri,right middle frontal gyrus,right middle and inferior temporal gyrus,left superior occipital gyms and cuneus and left insula in ALS patients when compared with healthy controls;and the regional reduction of white matter volumes in ALS patients mainly located in genu of corpus callosum,bilateral medial frontal gyri,paracentral lobule and insula,right superior and middle frontal gyrus and left postcentral gyrus.VBDTA showed decrease in FA values in bilateral parahipocampal gyri and cingulate gyri in ALS patients compared with healthy controls.Conclusions VBM and VBDTA analysis results suggest that ALS is not simply a motor neuron disease but a multisystem disorder;and VBDTA has a potential value for the detection of FA value changes of cingulate and parahippocampal gyral white matter in suspected cognitive impairment of ALS patients.