Objective To explore the value of CT diagnosis of high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE). Methods The CT findings in 16 patients unfit to high altitude were analyzed. Results The findings on CT were as follows: (1) The early stage of HAPE showed ground glass opacity, most of which located at the superior segment and posterior basis segment of inferior lobes, with the right lung to occur earlier than that of the left lung. (2)The advanced stage showed shaggy opacity. (3) The late stage lesions developed to posterior and apical segment of the superior lobes, air bronchus sign could be seen on involved segments. (4)Right lung was more serious than left lung. Conclusion CT was an ideal method to find HAPE. The accuracy of CT diagnosis in HAPE was 100%.

Objective To evaluate the value of CT guided percutaneous lumbar diskectomy (CT PLD) at plateau area. Methods Sixty eight cases of lumbar disc herniation was reated with CT PLD. (1)Before operation, diseased intervertebral disc was scanned, cases were selected, and operation plan was plotted . (2)The best puncture arrangement was chosen on the current video CT picture by designing the puncture path, noting down the puncture parameter, and marking the puncture spot on patient′s body surface. (3)Puncture was performed according to fixed parameter. (4)Operation was performed after the puncture needle was put into the disc ascertained by scan.(5)CT scan was done again after operation to observe if the puncture path had bleeding and intervertebral disc recovery. Results After 3 to 18 months′ follow up, 28 cases were prominent effective and 36 cases effective. The lumbar disc backed 1 to 4 mm. The total effective rate was 94.12%. Conclusion CT PLD is an ideal therapeutic method for lumbar disc herniation at plateau area because it is safe and effective and with less complications.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of K(Ca)3.1 channel in the proliferation and migration of rat vascular smooth muscle cells of the proliferative phenotype.

METHODSRat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) were cultured with tissue adhesion method. The morphological characteristics of the fist and ninth passages of VSMCs were observed with light and electron microscopy and immunocytochemistry. The expressions of K(Ca)3.1 channel mRNA and protein in the cells were detected using RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry, respectively. MTT and transwell assay were employed to assess the effect of the K(Ca)3.1 channel blocker TRAM-34 on the proliferation and migration of VSMCs.

RESULTSThe first and ninth passages of VSMCs showed morphological characteristics of contractile and proliferative phenotypes, respectively. Compared with the first- passage cells, the ninth-passage VSMCs exhibited significantly increased K(Ca)3.1 channel mRNA and protein expressions with enhanced cell proliferation and migration (P<0.01), which was inhibited by the application of TRAM-34 (P<0.01). TRAM-34 produced no obvious effect on the first-passage VSMCs.

CONCLUSIONUpregulated expression of K(Ca)3.1 channel can promote the proliferation and migration of rat VSMCs of the proliferative phenotype.

Animals ; Cell Movement ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Large-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels ; metabolism ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; cytology ; metabolism ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; cytology ; metabolism ; Potassium Channel Blockers ; pharmacology ; Pyrazoles ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Objective:To characterize tibial plateau fractures using a computed-tomography-based "four-column and nine-segment" classification.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted of the 698 adult patients with tibial plateau fracture (704 knees) who had been admitted to Department of Orthopedics, The Affiliated People's Hospital of Jiangsu University from December 2007 to May 2018. They were 377 males and 321 females with an average age of 51.6 years. The left knee was affected in 371 cases (53.2%), the right knee in 321 cases (46.0%) and bilateral knees in 6 cases (0.9%). According to the differentiated morphological characteristics, the tibial plateau and proximal fibula were divided into 4 columns, which were subdivided into 9 segments. Tibial plateau injury index (TPII) was innovatively introduced to represent the extent of injury. Fracture mapping was retrospectively analyzed according to the "four-column and nine-segment" classification based on the CT imaging.Results:The rates of one-column, two-column, three-column and four-column injuries were 30.5% (215/704), 31.5% (222/704), 28.0% (197/704), and 9.9% (70/704), respectively. On average, 2.2 columns ± 1.0 columns and 3.6 segments ± 2.1 segments were affected in each case. The mean TPII was 5.7±3.0. The rates of mild, moderate and severe comminuted fractures were 50.0% (352/704), 37.5% (264/704), and 12.5% (88/704). The columns most frequently affected were the lateral column (572, 81.3%) and the intermedial column (524, 74.4%) while the less frequently involved ones the medial column (219, 31.1%) and the fibular column (218, 31.0%). The sequence of the segments affected was the posterolateral segment (465, 66.1%), the anterolateral segment (453, 64.3%), the posteromedian segment (379, 53.8%) and the tubercle segment (85, 12.1%).Conclusions:The novel "four-column and nine-segment" classification may be a beneficial system for clinical diagnosis, statistical analysis and prognostic judgment of tibial plateau fractures.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the modified docetaxel plus prednisone scheme for the metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer patients who got poor tolerance to chemotherapy.Method The clinical data of 50 metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer who received docetaxel + prednisone chemotherapy from March 2010 to October 2015 were analyzed retrospectively.23 cases received the modified DP regimen (modified group),27 cases received the standard DP regimen (standard group).The median age of the modified group and the standard group were 69 years (47-80 years) and 63 years (52-77 years) (P =0.005).There were 19 and 24 cases with pain in modified group and standard group respectively;10 and 19 cases with lymph node metastasis respectively;3 and 4 cases of visceral metastasis respectively;all of the 50 patients were complicated with bone metastasis.For the pathological Gleason score,there were 7 cases scored ≤7 points,13 cases scored ≥ 8 points and 3 cases unscored in the modified group;7 cases scored ≤7 points,15 cases scored ≥8 points and 5 cases unscored in standard group.There was no significant difference of the pain,metastasis,and Gleason score between the two groups (P ＞ 0.05).Progression free survival (PFS),overall survival (OS)and adverse events were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier curves,and the differences were assessed using the log-rank test.Results In the modified group and standard group,the median follow-up times were 11.0 months and 14.0 months respectively,the median chemotherapy cycles were 4.5 cycles and 5.0 cycles respectively;OS were 18.0 months and 27.5 months respectively (P =0.746).The PFS of the two groups were 6.0 months and 5.2 months,respectively (P =0.822).The PSA response were 13 cases and 17 cases in the modified group and standard group respectively (P =0.615),and the pain response were 8 cases and 7 cases (P =0.927),grade 3 to 4 adverse events were 3 cases and 14 cases (P =0.003).The main adverse events were blood toxicity,neutrophils,gastrointestinal reaction,edema,fatigue and oral mucositis etc.Conclusions Compared with the standard DP scheme,the modified DP scheme had no significant difference in OS,PFS,pain response rate and PSA response rate,while the incidence of grade 3 to 4 adverse events was significantly reduced.Modified DP scheme may be a better choice for patients with metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer who get poor tolerance to chemotherapy.

Objective To investigate the dose of docetaxel appropriate for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer and its affects to the prognosis.Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 75 patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer admitted from March 2010 to July 2016 who received docetaxel combined with prednisone chemotherapy.The patients were divided into the low-dose group (n =43,docetaxel ＜ 65 mg/m2),the middle-dose group (n =21,docetaxel 65-70 mg/m2) and the high-dose group (n =11,docetaxel ＞ 70 mg/m2).The median age in the low-dose group,middle-dose group and high-dose group was 67 (53-80),66 (56-78) and 61 (47-76) years old,respectively.Among 75 patients with bone metastasis,2 patients had no evidence of bone metastasis in the low-dose group.The lymph node metastasis was found in 26,13 and 6 cases in each group,respectively.And visceral and other metastasis were founded in 11,4 and 2 cases,respectively.The Gleason score in the low-dose group was≤7 points in 15 cases,≥8 points in 22 cases and no score in 6 cases.The Gleason score inthe middle-dose group was ≤7 points in 4 cases,≥8 points in 13 cases and no score in 4 cases.The Gleason score in the high-dose group was ≤7 points in 3 cases,≥8 points in 5 cases and no score in 3 cases.The number of patients with pain in the low-dose group,middle-dose group and high-dose group was 36,12 and 9,respectively,there were no significant differences in the above indicators (P ＞ 0.05),except age,which showed relatively more aged patients in the low-dose group,(P =0.045).Kaplan-Meier method was used to compare the overall survival (OS),progression-free survival (PFS) and the incidence of ≥CTCAE-4 grade 3 adverse reactions between the two groups.The Cox regression model was adopted to analyzed the factors that might affect patient prognosis,including the effective time of first-line endocrine therapy,hemoglobin level,ECOG score,pain score,number of cycles of chemotherapy,age,dose of docetaxel and alkaline phosphatase (ALP).Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze the effect of dose of docetaxel on the prognosis,and log-rank method was used to test the significance of the results.Results The median OS was respectively 24.1,18.5 and 23.5 months in the low-dose group,middle-dose group and high-dose group,respectively.The median PFS was 5.3 months in all three groups,which didn't show statistically significant differences.The incidence of grade 3/4 adverse reactions in the low-dose group,middle-dose group and high-dose group was 15 cases (34.9％),8 cases (38.1％) and 5 cases (45.5％) respectively.It showed an increasing trend,but no statistically significant difference.The single factors related to OS mainly include the effective time of first-line endocrine therapy,hemoglobin level,ECOG score,pain score,number of cycles of chemotherapy,there was no significant correlation with age,docetaxel dose,ALP and PSA value.Conclusions It is common to receive lower doses of docetaxel in clinical practice for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer in China.The efficacy of low-dose docetaxel is similar to that of high doses (standard dosage).There was no significant correlation between the OS and the actual dose of docetaxel in the tolerable range.