Administration, Rectal ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Chronic Disease ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Prostatitis ; drug therapy ; Suppositories

OBJECTIVETo analyze the reason and strategy for failure of posterior pedicle screw short-segment internal fixation on thoracolumbar fractures.

METHODSFrom March 2008 to December 2010,the clinical data of 18 patients with thoracolumbar fracture failed in posterior pedicle screw short-segment internal fixation were retrospectively analyzed. There were 11 males and 7 females with an average age of 37.2 years (ranged, 19 to 63). The time from the first operation to complication occurrence was from 6 to 44 months with an average of 14.3 months. Of them,fusion failure was in 7 cases (combined with screw breakage in 4 cases), the progressive neuro-dysfunction was in 5 cases,the progressive lumbodorsal pain was in 6 cases. All 18 patients with kyphosis were treated with anterior internal fixation remaining posterior fixation (9 cases) and anterior internal fixation after posterior fixation removal (9 cases).

RESULTSAll the patients were followed up from 18 to 50 months with an average of 30.5 months. No intetnal fixation loosening and breakage were found, moreover, X-ray and lamellar CT showed bone healing well. Preoperative, postoperative at 3 months and at final follow-up, ODI score was respectively 31.6+/-5.1, 8.6+/-5.7, 8.3+/-3.2; VAS score was respectively 7.2+/-2.3, 2.3+/-0.7, 2.1+/-1.1; kyphosis angle was respectively (-21.2/-+7.8 degreeso, (-5.3+/-6.8 degrees ), (-5.8+/-7.8 )degrees. Compared with preoperative data ,above-listed items had obviously ameliorated(P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONTreatment of thoracolumbar fracture with posterior pedicle screw short-segment internal fixation may result in the complications such as bone nonunion ,internal fixation breakage and progressive kyphosis. Anterior reconstruction may be a good strategy for the failure of posterior operation.

Adult ; Bone Screws ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; adverse effects ; methods ; Humans ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; injuries ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Fractures ; surgery ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; injuries ; surgery

BACKGROUND:Hereditary factor occupies a certain position in suicidal behavior of depression. The researches in the past are focused on the hereditary effect on bipolar depression suicide.How do hereditary patterns and effects work in suicidal behavior in unipolar depression?OBJECTIVE: To probe into hereditary patterns and effects on suicidal behavior in unipolar depression.DESIGN:Retrospective investigation.SETTING:A municipal psychiatric hygienic centerPARTICIPANTS:Unipolar depression group included 115 outpatients and inpatients diagnosed in Wuxi Psychiatric Hygienic Center from June 1st 1983 to May 31st 2002.The diagnosis tallied with Standards on Depression Onset in Categories and Diagnostic Standards on Psychiatric Disturbance in China of 3rd Edition and with Standards on Severe Depression Onset in Manual of Diagnosis and Statistics of Psychiatric Disturbance in America of 4th Edition.The attack frequency of all the cases ≥ 3 times or the cases had been relieved ≥8 years after a couple of attacks.METHODS:The patients who tallied with the standards on unipolar depression received the investigation in every family tree under the instruction of 2 physicians-in-charge and more than 2 physicians and filled up the self-made investigation form of psychiatric family tree,including mainly the data of social demography of patients and their first grade relatives,characters of disease onset,frequency of attack,history of treatment and suicide. After re-diagnosed by 2 physicians-incharge and more than 2 physicians and checked by one physician-incharge,the cases were collected in patient group. The interview was carried on for the patients with suicidal behavior among all of the survived patients (107 cases) and first grade relatives (14 cases).The interview (337 cases) and investigation with letter (380 cases) were carried on for the first grade relatives without suicidal behavior. The investigation forms of 13 dead cases (8 cases of patients, 5 cases of first-grade relatives) were provided and filled-up by one or two first grade relatives. Two researchers interviewed the cases in the control,inquired the first grade relatives and filled up the investigation form of family tree.Single factor analysis was used for all the data and Falconer pattern of polygenetic threshold-value theory was used to estimate hereditary rate and standard error in suicidal behavior.Separation analysis in medical hereditary mathematic method and polygenetic threshold-value theory were applied to discuss the hereditary patterns.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:Hereditary effects and patterns of suicidal behavior in unipolar depressed patients.RESULTS:Suicidal risk of unipolar depressed patients(51.30%,59/115)was higher than their first grade relatives (2.58%,19/736) (x2=283.16,P ＜ 0.01).Suicidal risk of the first grade relatives (2.58%,19/736) of unipolar depressed patients was higher than the control (0.12%,3/2469)(x2=50.36,P ＜ 0.01).Suicidal risk of the first grade relatives of the patients with suicidal behavior (3.8%,14/372) was higher than that of the first grade relatives of the patients without suicidal behavior (1.4%,5/363)(x2=4.14,P＜ 0.05).The weighted average hereditary rate and standard error was (70.16±0.79)% for suicidal behavior in unipolar depression.The predictive morbidity of suicidal behavior in the first grade relatives was 3.1% and the real morbidity was 2.6%,which did not indicate significant difference (u =0.766, P ＞ 0.05).CONCLUSION:Suicidal behavior of unipolar depression presents obvious hereditary effects and its hereditary patterns tally with polygenetic inheritance.

BACKGROUNDAn increasing incidence of Crohn's disease has been found in China in recent years. Our study has been focused on evaluating the diversity of the clinical manifestations of Crohn's disease in order to improve early diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic efficacy.

METHODSThirty patients with active Crohn's disease were enrolled and their clinical data, including diagnostic and therapeutic results, were analyzed. Endoscopy combined with histological examination of biopsy specimens provided characteristic features of the disease. Transabdominal bowel sonography (TABS) was used for detecting intestinal complications. Nutritional supportive therapy was given to 20 subjects with active cases of the disease.

RESULTSMost patients were young adults with a higher proportion of females to males (ratio: 1.14:1). The disease affects any segment or a combination of segments along with the alimentary tract (from the mouth to the anus). In this study, the colon and small bowel were the major sites involved. Recurrent episodes of abdominal pain in the right lower quadrant and watery diarrhea were the most common symptoms. Granulomas were identifiable in nearly one-third (30.8%) of all biopsy specimens. In moderate cases of the disease, remission was achieved more quickly through the use of oral prednisone therapy than with SASP or 5-ASA. Beneficial effects on the host's nutritional status were observed. Immunosuppressives were used on an individual basis and showed variable therapeutic effects. Sixteen patients had surgery due to intestinal obstruction or failure to respond to drug therapies. Rapid improvement after surgery was reported.

CONCLUSIONEndoscopy (with biopsy) and TABS were both crucial procedures for diagnosis. SASP (or 5-ASA) and prednisone were effective as inductive therapies. Azathioprine has demonstrable benefits after induction therapy with prednisone. Surgery, as an alternative treatment, provided another effective choice in selected patients.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Azathioprine ; therapeutic use ; Biopsy ; Child ; Crohn Disease ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; therapy ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mesalamine ; administration & dosage ; Middle Aged ; Prednisone ; administration & dosage ; Sulfasalazine ; administration & dosage ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical effects of bone setting manipulation on simplified operation and swelling reduction in treating calcaneal fractures.

METHODSFrom December 2005 to November 2010, 42 patients with calcaneal were reviewed, including 25 males and 17 females, ranging in age from 18 to 74 years, with an average of 41.4 years. Twenty patients had fractures in the left and 22 in the right. Twenty-three patients were treated with anatomical plate fixation, 19 patients were treated with Kirchners wires or cannulated screws fixation. The average period of swelling in soft tissue, joint function and complications were evaluated.

RESULTSForty-two patients were followed up, and the duration ranged from 3 to 18 months, with a mean of 8.3 months. The pain was markedly relieved at the next day after reduction, and the swelling was relieved in 3 to 5 days. The operative was simplified and the average operative time was 90 minutes. The swelling was relieved in 4 to 7 days after the operation, and the necrosis of skin was not found. The average postoperatively Böhler angle was (31 +/- 3.2) degrees. Gissane angle was (112 +/- 5.3) degrees. Calcaneal width was (30.2 +/- 0.89) mm. According to Maryland foot function score system, 16 patients got an excellent result, 18 good, 6 fair and 2 bad.

CONCLUSIONThe operation is simplified, and skin complications decrease, as well as the detumescence period is shortened.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Calcaneus ; surgery ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; Fractures, Bone ; surgery ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Musculoskeletal Manipulations ; Young Adult

Adolescent ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Humeral Fractures ; surgery ; Humerus ; surgery ; Male ; Traction

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and its catalyst carbon monoxide (CO) in the development of myocardial damage and the effects of zinc protoporphyrin IX (ZnPPIX), an inhibitor of HO-1 on myocardium of mice with acute viral myocarditis.

METHODSA total of 112 inbred male Balb/C mice 4 - 6 weeks of age were divided randomly into 3 groups: the control group (C group, n = 32), the viral myocarditis group (V group, n = 40) and ZnPPIX group (Z group, n = 40). The Z and V groups were inoculated intraperitoneally (i.p.) with 0.1 ml of 10(-4.36) tissue culture infectious dose 50% (TCID(50))/ml Coxsackie virus B3 (CVB(3)) to produce viral myocarditis model on day 0, C group was injected i.p. with virus-free 1640 culture culture medium 0.1 ml at the same time, then operation was done as follows: the mice of group C and group V were injected i.p. with 0.1 ml NS each day. The mice of group Z were injected i.p. with 40 micromol per kilogram of body weight ZnPPIX (HO-1 inhibitor) qod. Eight mice of each group were sacrificed on days 4, 8, 15 and 21, respectively. The blood specimens were collected by taking out the eyeballs to test for the content of carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) using spectrophotometry and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) using chemiluminescent immunoassay. The hearts tissue slides were also stained by immunohistochemistry (IHC) for HO-1 and in situ hybridization (ISH) for HO-1 mRNA. The histological and ultrastructural changes were observed under light and electron microscopes.

RESULTS(1) The histopathological changes of myocardial cells: in the V and Z groups myocardial inflammatory cells infiltration reached the peak on day 8, the Z group histopathological scores were significantly lower than those in V group on day 8 (2.40 +/- 0.31 vs. 1.73 +/- 0.24, P < 0.01) and on day 15 (1.78 +/- 0.29 vs. 1.43 +/- 0.23, P < 0.05). No inflammation was present in group C. (2) The changes of serum cTnI level in both V and Z groups were significantly higher than those in C group on day 4, 8 and 15 (P < 0.01). The level in Z group was significantly lower than that in V group on day 4 [(6.074 +/- 1.475) ng/ml vs (7.911 +/- 1.225) ng/ml, P < 0.05] and day 8 [(0.821 +/- 0.294) ng/ml vs (1.480 +/- 0.454) ng/ml, P < 0.05]. (3) The changes of blood COHb level: compared with V group, in Z group the COHb level was lower on day 4 (P < 0.05) and day 15 (P < 0.01) after CVB(3) inoculation. Surprisingly, in Z group COHb level elevated suddenly on day 8 and showed conspicuously higher than that of V group (P < 0.01). (4) The result of HO-1 IHC staining: in both V and Z group myocardial cells had positive expression, while C group did not. (5) The results of HO-1 ISH were similar to those of HO-1 IHC, the A values of group Z was significantly lower than that of group V on day 4, 15 and 21(P < 0.01), but on day 8 it was higher than that of group C (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONHO-1 inhibitor, ZnPP not only could inhibit HO-1 overexpression but also could induce HO-1 expression temporarily and protect against myocardial injury at the early stage of acute viral myocarditis.

Animals ; Heme Oxygenase-1 ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Myocarditis ; enzymology ; metabolism ; pathology ; virology ; Myocardium ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Protoporphyrins ; pharmacology ; Virus Diseases ; metabolism ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the mRNA and protein expression levels of cysteine-rich secretory protein 2 (CRISP2) in the sperm of asthenospermia patients, and explore their relationship with sperm motility and related molecular mechanism.

METHODSWe collected 78 semen samples from adult male patients with asthenospermia and another 70 from healthy volunteers as controls. We extracted total RNA and total protein from the sperm following purification of the sperm by Percoll gradient centrifugation, and detected the relative expressions of CRISP2 mRNA and protein in the two groups by RT-PCR, SYBR Green real-time PCR and Western blot.

RESULTSThe expression of CRISP2 mRNA was down-regulated by 4.3 times and that of the CRISP2 protein by 1.71 times in the asthenospermia patients, significantly lower than in the normal control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe down-regulation of CRISP2 mRNA and protein expressions in the sperm of asthenospermia patients may be closely related with decreased sperm motility, which suggests that CRISP2 may serve as a potential molecular target for the research of asthenospermia.

Adult ; Asthenozoospermia ; genetics ; metabolism ; Case-Control Studies ; Glycoproteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Sperm Motility ; Spermatozoa ; metabolism ; physiology

BACKGROUNDTransforming growth factor β (TGFβ) is one of the most important growth factors in the development of fibrosis and scarring on cornea. Smad7, an inhibitory Smad, can inhibit TGFβ signal transduction. In recent years, effects of lentiviral-mediated Smad7 on inhibition of fibrosis on some organs have been studied, while little is known about the effects on cornea. This study aimed to determine the effects of lentiviral-mediated Smad7 gene expression on keratocyte proliferation and fibrosis induced by TGF β2 in vitro.

METHODSKeratocytes were cultured from corneal tissue isolated from Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats and transfected with Smad7 expressing lentiviral vector (Lv-Smad7) or non-functioning control vector (Lv-blank). Following the exposure to TGFβ2, keratocytes were processed for immunoblotting to assess the phosphorylation of Smad2 as down-stream event of TGFβ/Smad signaling. Expression of fibrotic markers α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), type III collagen (collagen III) were measured by Western blotting and quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Overall cell proliferation was determined by 3-(4,5-dimethyl-thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and the expression of cell cycle-related marker Ki67 at both mRNA and protein levels.

RESULTSThe Smad7 gene transfer suppressed TGFβ/Smad signaling in keratocytes by down-regulating phosphorylation of Smad2. Markers of cell proliferation and fibrosis including Ki67, α-SMA, collagen III were inhibited by introduction of Smad 7 into TGFβ exposed keratocytes. Consequently, the rate of cell proliferation was attenuated.

CONCLUSIONSmad7 gene transfer inhibited fibrogenic responses of keratocytes to TGFβ2.

Actins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Collagen Type III ; genetics ; metabolism ; Corneal Keratocytes ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; Ki-67 Antigen ; genetics ; metabolism ; Lentivirus ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; genetics ; Smad7 Protein ; genetics ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Transforming Growth Factor beta2 ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo study the differentially expressed genes in asthenospermia to gain a deeper insight into the molecular mechanisms of the disease.

METHODSWe analyzed the differentially expressed genes in asthenospermia using GATHER, PANTHER and ToppGene online bioinformatics tools.

RESULTSOur bioinformatics mining and analyses revealed that the differentially expressed genes in asthenospermia played important roles in the cellular protein and macromolecular metabolism, protein modification, cell death, cell apoptosis and apoptosis induction.

CONCLUSIONAsthenospermia patients experience a decline in sperm activity and the basic life activities of sperm simultaneously, and are also prone to cell apoptosis or death. Such differentially expressed genes as KIF3B, MYO15A, KIF6, KIF26B, KIF3A, DNHD2, DMN, DYNC2H1, STARD9, MYOHD1, and TPM1, which are involved in cytoskeletal structure, microtubule movement and cell movement, may be associated with asthenospermia, and therefore deserve further studies.

Asthenozoospermia ; genetics ; metabolism ; Computational Biology ; Databases, Genetic ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Humans ; Male ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Spermatozoa ; metabolism