Acupuncture Points ; Head ; anatomy & histology ; Humans

Objective To analyze effects of thoracoscopy in the diagnosis and treatment of suspected diaphragmatic injury after thoracoabdominal stab wound.Methods Sixty-eight patients who received thoracoscopic diagnosis and management of diaphragmatic injuries due to thoracoabdominal stab wounds from April 2000 to October 2011 were retrospectively analyzed.Results Occult diaphragmatic injuries were found in 11 patients.Seven patients underwent thoracoscopic suture,of which five had synchronous laparotomy for inspected abdominal organ injuries.Pulmonary parenchymal lacerations occurred in 15 patients who received thoracoscopic repair or resection.Coagulated hemothorax in 13 patients were removed.Postoperative complications included pleural effusion in one patient,pneumonia in two and pulmonary atelectasis in one.Hospital stay was(7.9±13.5)days,without ICU stay.The length of drainage,operation time and intraoperative blood loss were(3.3±1.5)days,(45.6±78.1)minutes and(57.8±24.3)ml respectively.There was no conversion to thoracotomy.Thoracic CT scan was performed six months postoperatively,without hernias.The accuracy of thoracoscopy in diagnosing diaphragmatic injury was 100％.Conclusion Thoracoscopy should be performed for the thoracoabdominal stab wounds with stable hemodynamics,with definite significance especially for the diagnosis and treatment of wounds at the 7-9th intercostal spaces.

Banana bunchy top virus (BBTV) is the pathogen of banana bunchy top disease (BBTD); it seriously disserves the banana production. This paper reviewed the separation and purification methods, classifying and taxonomy status of BBTV; the genome structure and function of each encode protein of the virus; and the present problems that should be further clarified.

OBJECTIVETo discuss the effective operative approach for the treatment of distal radius fractures.

METHODSFrom March 2003 to April 2010,107 patients with distal radius fractures suffered internal fixation with locking compression plate (LCP). There were 48 males and 59 females with an average age of 51.27 years (ranged, 23 to 79). Of them, with directed volar approach was in 55 cases and Henry approach was in 52 cases. Surgical feature, fractured exposure time, operative time, median nerve complication, repair rate of the musculus pronator quadratus were compared between the two groups. Gartland-Werley wrist score (GW score), range of motion of wrist joint, grasp force and imageology score were observed in two groups at the first year after operation.

RESULTSThe average fractured exposure time in directed volar approach group and Henry approach group was (21.18 +/- 1.69) min and (12.56 +/- 1.35) min,operative time was (89.90 +/- 4.86) min and (61.58 +/- 4.37) min, postoperative median nerve irritation rate was 34.55% and 5.77%, and repair rate of the musculus pronator quadratus was 52.73% and 100%,respectively;there was statistical difference between two groups (P < 0.01). At the one-year after operation, GW score was 3.25 +/- 2.29,and with rate of excellent and good of 90.91% in directed volar approach group;in Henry approach group that was 2.92 +/- 2.13 and 92.31%, respectively; there was no statistical difference between two groups (P > 0.05). There was no statistical difference in range of motion of wrist joint, grasp force and imageology score between two groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONHenry approach can obtain the same operative result compared with directed volar approach in treating distal radius fractures. Henry approach has advantage of simple anatomy,easy operation,better repair rate of the the musculus pronator quadratus and lower postoperative median nerve complication,which should be used preferentially to treat distal radius fractures.

Adult ; Aged ; Bone Plates ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; methods ; Fracture Healing ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Radius Fractures ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Range of Motion, Articular

OBJECTIVETo discuss effective operative method for posterior edge separation of lumbar vertebral body.

METHODSTwelve cases of posterior edge separation of lumbar vertebral body were categorized as lateral type and central type, and were operated upon with limited-incision using lamina retractor. All patients were male and with an average age of 30 years (range, 23 to 40 years). The average history of disease was 17.9 months. In lateral type cases, separation bone was in the posterolateral lower edge of L4 vertebral body in 1 case, in the posterolateral upper edge of L5 vertebral body in 3 cases and in the posterolateral upper border of S1 vertebral body in 6 cases, all with ipsilateral disc herniation. Lateral type cases were treated with unilateral fenestration and removal of disc nucleus and posterior bony edge. Separation bone was in the central upper edge of S1 vertebral body with central disc herniation in 2 central type cases. Two central type cases were treated with bilateral fenestration and removal of disc nucleus and posterior bony edge.

RESULTSAll patients were followed up for 12 to 36 months, and the average follow-up was 22.5 months. According to Macnab postoperative evaluation criterion, the results were excellent in 10 cases, good in 2 cases.

CONCLUSIONLimited-incision for posterior edge separation of lumbar vertebral body has characteristic of less trauma and convenience. It is an effective method for removal posterior bony edge.

Adult ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; surgery ; Male ; Postoperative Period ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between two exonic polymorphisms of DNA repair gene XPC and the susceptibility to lung cancer.

METHODSGenotypes were determined by the primer introduced restriction analysis-PCR(PIRA-PCR) and the PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism(PCR-RFLP) approaches, respectively, in 320 histologically-confirmed lung cancer cases and 322 age and sex frequency-matched cancer-free controls.

RESULTSMultivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that individuals carrying at least one 499Val variant allele (Ala/Val + Val/Val genotypes) had a significantly increased risk for lung cancer (adjusted OR=1.54; 95%CI: 1.11-2.14), compared with the wild-type genotype (499Ala/Ala). Furthermore, individuals with both putative risk genotypes had a significantly higher risk (adjusted OR=2.55; 95%CI: 1.45-4.52), compared with those with both wild-genotypes. In addition, a potential super multiplicative gene-environment interaction between Ala499Val genotypes and smoking on lung cancer risk was unveiled. The odds ratios of lung cancer for individuals with both putative risk genotypes were 2.63 (95%CI=1.23-5.62) in nonsmokers and 7.36 (95%CI=3.19-17.0) in smokers, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThese findings support the hypothesis that these two XPC variants may contribute to the risk of developing lung cancer.

Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; China ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; genetics ; Exons ; genetics ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; genetics ; Genotype ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; ethnology ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVETo explore the roles of intracellular cholesterol metabolism in neuroendocrine (NE) differentiation of prostate cancer based on an androgen-independent prostate cancer NE cell model induced by androgen deprivation.

METHODSLNCaP cells were cultured in androgen-depleted medium, and NE phenotypes were identified by observing the changes in cell morphology, molecular markers (SgIII, NSE and CgA) and cell proliferation. The expression and distribution of cholesterol and Sg III were determined by immunofluorescence staining. The expressions of the key genes LDL-R, SREBP-1 and SREBP-2 involved in cholesterol synthesis and uptake were detected by semi-quantitative RT-PCR.

RESULTSThe LNCaP cells showed shrinking bodies and extending axons after androgen deprivation, and all the molecular markers, such as Sg III, NSE and CgA, significantly increased in a time-dependent manner, while the cell proliferation was obviously inhibited (P < 0.05). The cholesterol distribution in the LNCaP cells after NE differentiation presented remarkable aggregation at the axon terminals. However, there were no significant differences in the expression of cholesterol between the two types of cells, nor in the changes of the expressions of key genes LDL-R, SREBP-1 and SREBP-2 involved in cholesterol synthesis and uptake (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONTransient androgen depletion could successfully induce NE differentiation of LNCaP cells, and the intracellular cholesterol could re-distribute into axon terminals to enhance the formation of neurosecretory granules.

Androgens ; pharmacology ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Cholesterol ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Neurosecretory Systems ; metabolism ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Receptors, LDL ; metabolism ; Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1 ; metabolism ; Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 2 ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDThe signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6) expression in lung epithelial cells plays a pivotal role in asthma pathogenesis. Activation of STAT6 expression results in T helper cell type 2 (Th2) cell differentiation leading to Th2-mediated IgE production, development of allergic airway inflammation and hyperreactivity. Therefore, antagonizing the expression and/or the function of STAT6 could be used as a mode of therapy for allergic airway inflammation.

METHODSIn this study, we synthesized a 20-mer phosphorothioate antisense oligonucleotide (ASODN) overlapping the translation starting site of STAT6 and constructed STAT6 antisense RNA (pANTI-STAT6), then transfected them into murine spleen lymphocytes and analyzed the effects of antagonizing STAT6 function in vitro and in a murine model of asthma.

RESULTSIn vitro, we showed suppression of STAT6 expression and interleukin (IL)-4 production of lymphocytes by STAT6 ASODN. This effect was more prominent when cells were cultured with pANTI-STAT6. In a murine model of asthma associated with allergic pulmonary inflammation in ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized mice, local intranasal administration of fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled STAT6 ASODN to DNA uptake in lung cells was accompanied by a reduction of intracellular STAT6 expression. Such intrapulmonary blockade of STAT6 expression abrogated signs of lung inflammation, infiltration of eosinophils and Th2 cytokine production.

CONCLUSIONThese data suggest a critical role of STAT6 in the pathogenesis of asthma and the use of local delivery of STAT6 ASODN as a novel approach for the treatment of allergic airway inflammation such as in asthma.

Animals ; Asthma ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Female ; Interleukin-4 ; metabolism ; Lymphocytes ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Oligonucleotides, Antisense ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Phosphates ; pharmacology ; RNA, Antisense ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; STAT6 Transcription Factor ; genetics ; metabolism ; Th2 Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDThe morbidity and mortality of prostate cancer have been increasing rapidly in recent China. There were few studies investigating prostate-specific antigen (PSA) values ranges in the healthy Chinese population. We performed this study to determine the distribution of serum PSA in a large healthy Chinese population.

METHODSFrom January 2001 to May 2008, 11 150 healthy Chinese men aged 30 - 79 years came to our hospital for routine health check-up. All subjects without a previous diagnosis of prostate cancer, a history of prostate surgery, or urogenital tract infection were proposed to undergo systematic serum PSA measurement and digital rectal examination (DRE). Men with normal DRE and PSA ≤ 4.0 ng/ml and those PSA > 4.0 ng/ml or abnormal DRE but without adverse findings on prostate biopsy were included (n = 9358). Age and serum PSA concentration were recorded and correlated through Logistic regression analysis.

RESULTSThe 95th percentile serum PSA concentration was 1.89 ng/ml for men aged 30 to 39 years, 2.19 ng/ml for men aged 40 to 49 years, 2.88 ng/ml for men aged 50 to 59 years, 4.42 ng/ml for men aged 60 to 69 years, and 6.52 ng/ml for men aged 70 to 79 years. The serum PSA concentration correlated with age (P < 0.0001) with an annual increase of 0.97% for men in 40 years, 1.58% for men in 50 years, 3.04% for men in 60 years, and 3.99% for men in 70 years.

CONCLUSIONSThe serum PSA level correlates directly with age in Chinese men older than 40 years, not in Chinese men younger than 40 years old. Chinese men have lower PSA level compared with white men above 60 years of age, not in those under 60 years of age.

Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; blood ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; blood ; epidemiology

OBJECTIVETo observe the changes of blood viscosity and erythrocyte rheology in mice after acute hypoxic hypoxia (AHH).

METHODSThirty-two Kui-ming mice were randomly divided into control group, AHH group (duplicating AHH model, and divided into 5 min, 8 min, 11 min subgroups), the blood sample was taken out from heart after neck dislocation at corresponding times, for detecting the blood viscosity and erythrocyte rheology indices.

RESULTSCompared with control group, the whole blood viscosity at different shears, whole blood reduced viscosity, whole blood relative viscosity were lower and the erythrocytes aggregation index was higher in AHH 5 min group; the electrophoresis time was longer and the electrophoresis length, migration of erythrocyte were lower in AHH 8 min and AHH 11 min groups. The whole blood reduced viscosity, whole blood relative viscosity, erythrocytes aggregation index in AHH 8 min group were higher, and the erythrocyte deformability index was lower significantly than that of AHH 5 min group, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThese data suggested that the AHH could induce the blood viscosity and electrophoresis ability.

Animals ; Blood Viscosity ; Erythrocyte Aggregation ; Erythrocyte Deformability ; Erythrocyte Indices ; Erythrocytes ; physiology ; Hypoxia ; blood ; etiology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains