OBJECTIVETo discuss the therapeutic effect of thenar perforator flaps for the narrow cicatricial contracture at thumb and the first web.

METHODSFrom Aug. 2010 to Jan. 2012, 9 cases with narrow cicatricial contracture at thumb and the first web, were treated. The defect size after releasing the contracture ranged from 8 mm x 20 mm to 15 cm x 30 mm. The bilateral thenar perforator flaps beside the wound were designed which size was 10 mm x 25 mm to 15 mm x 35 mm. The wounds at donor sites were closed directly.

RESULTSAll the 9 flaps survived completely with primary healing. The patients were followed up for 6-18 months. The flaps had soft texture and good appearance. The shape of flaps and function of the fingers were satisfied after 6-18 months of follow-up. There was no scar contracture at incisions in thenar. The thumb motion was really normal. The abduction of first web was 70 degrees - 90 degrees degrees.

CONCLUSIONSThe thenar perforator flaps is one of the ideal methods for the treatment of narrow cicatricial contracture at thumb and the first web. The main artery is not sacrified.

Arteries ; Cicatrix ; surgery ; Contracture ; surgery ; Fingers ; Humans ; Perforator Flap ; transplantation ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Skin Transplantation ; Thumb ; surgery ; Wound Healing

Animals ; Fatigue ; prevention & control ; Female ; Gardenia ; chemistry ; Hypoxia ; prevention & control ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Thuja ; chemistry ; Ziziphus ; chemistry

Objective To investigate the rat bone structural changes of lower limb following lumbar nerve dorsal roots section.Methods Forty-eight mature female Wistar rats were divided into posterior radi- cotomy(PR)and comtrol groups randomly.The bilateral femoral bone mineral density(BMD)and biome- chanics characteristics were analyzed 2,4 and 8 weeks after the radicotomy.The same operation except the radicotomy was done in the sham group.Results In PR group,2,4,and 8 weeks after the radicotomy,the BMD of femur was(0.221?0.008)g/cm~3,(0.213?0.015)g/cm~3 ,and(0.216?0.105)g/cm~3 ,respective- ly;while that was(0.223?0.005)g/cm~3,(0.218?0.014)g/cm~3 ,and(0.208?0.111)g/cm~3 in control group.No significant difference was observed between the two groups(P＞0.05).In PR group,2,4,and 8 weeks after the operation,the mean maximum load in three-point bending test of femun midshaft was(93.64?8.76)N,(89.77?11.18)N and(93.21?8.74)N,respectively,and was lower than the values of the con- trol group at the same time point(95.94?6.29)N,(91.63?9.43)N,(95.57?8.64)N,However,there was no significant difference between the two groups(P＞0.05).Accordingly,there was no significant difference in the energy absorption in femun midshaft between the two groups(P＞0.05).Conclusion The selective rhizotomies of part lumbar never dorsal roots might not cause the loss of the femur BMD and the change of bio- mechanics property significantly in short period.

Sorption of carbon tetrachloride (CT) by zero-valent iron (ZVI) is the rate-limiting step in the degradation of CT, so the sorption capacity of ZVI is of great importance. This experiment was aimed at enhancing the sorption of CT by ZVI and the degradation rate of CT by modification of surfactants. This study showed that ZVI modified by cationic surfactants has favorable synergistic effect on the degradation of CT. The CT degradation rate of ZVI modified by cetyl pyridinium bromide (CPB) was higher than that of the unmodified ZVI by 130%, and the CT degradation rate of ZVI modified by cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) was higher than that of the unmodified ZVI by 81%. This study also showed that the best degradation effect is obtained at the near critical micelle concentrations (CMC) and that high loaded cationic surfactant does not have good synergistic effect on the degradation due to its hydrophilicity and the block in surface reduction sites. Furthermore degradation of CT by ZVI modified by nonionic surfactant has not positive effect on the degradation as the ionic surfactant and the ZVI modified by anionic surfactant has hardly any obvious effects on the degradation.
Carbon Tetrachloride ; chemistry ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Iron ; chemistry ; Surface-Active Agents ; chemistry ; Water Pollution ; prevention & control

Acetylcholine ; metabolism ; Animals ; Brain ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Female ; Gardenia ; chemistry ; Maze Learning ; drug effects ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Ovariectomy ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Thuja ; chemistry ; Ziziphus ; chemistry

Objective To evaluate the changes in the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of cervical cancer over the past 50 years, and explore appropriate treatment corresponding to these changes. Methods The clinical and pathological data of 1557 patients with invasive cervical cancer treated between January, 1955 and December, 2004 were retrospectively analyzed.Results and Conclusions The average age of cervical cancer onset gradually decreased over the past 50 years, from 56.27±8.45 in 1955-1964 to 43.81±8.9 years in 1995-2004, whereas the ratio of young (≤35 years old) patients rose from 3.42% to 24.91%. The ratio of early clinical stage (stages Ⅰ - Ⅱ ) and non-squamous cancer also steadily increased (P＜0.05,respectively). The tumor stage, pathological type and rate of lymph node metastasis were all significantly different among different age groups (P＜0.05). In particular, the young (≤ 35 years old) group had evidently higher ratios ofnon-squamous and advanced stage (Ⅲ- Ⅳ) cancers with a higher rate of lymphatic metastasis in comparison with other age groups (P＜0.01,respectively). Because of the changes in epidemiology and clinical characteristics of cervical cancer, it is necessary to modify the conventional treatment regimens and explore reasonable therapy corresponding to these changes. Preservation of reproductive endocrine function ought to be fully considered in cervical cancer treatment in women at childbearing age.Neoadjuvant intraarterial chemotherapy is an useful method for cervical cancer treatment at present.

Objective To evaluate the changes in the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of cervical cancer over the past 50 years, and explore appropriate treatment corresponding to these changes. Methods The clinical and pathological data of 1557 patients with invasive cervical cancer treated between January, 1955 and December, 2004 were retrospectively analyzed.Results and Conclusions The average age of cervical cancer onset gradually decreased over the past 50 years, from 56.27±8.45 in 1955-1964 to 43.81±8.9 years in 1995-2004, whereas the ratio of young (≤35 years old) patients rose from 3.42% to 24.91%. The ratio of early clinical stage (stages Ⅰ - Ⅱ ) and non-squamous cancer also steadily increased (P＜0.05,respectively). The tumor stage, pathological type and rate of lymph node metastasis were all significantly different among different age groups (P＜0.05). In particular, the young (≤ 35 years old) group had evidently higher ratios ofnon-squamous and advanced stage (Ⅲ- Ⅳ) cancers with a higher rate of lymphatic metastasis in comparison with other age groups (P＜0.01,respectively). Because of the changes in epidemiology and clinical characteristics of cervical cancer, it is necessary to modify the conventional treatment regimens and explore reasonable therapy corresponding to these changes. Preservation of reproductive endocrine function ought to be fully considered in cervical cancer treatment in women at childbearing age.Neoadjuvant intraarterial chemotherapy is an useful method for cervical cancer treatment at present.

In order to explored the change of PML/PML-RARalpha protein during tetraarsenic tetrasulfide (As4S4) treatment, acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) cells from a group of newly diagnosed APL patients were examined by indirect immunofluorescence staining with anit-PML monoclonal antibody. The results showed that all samples typically presented many microspeckle signals throughout the nucleus before treatment. The redistribution occurred as early as on the second day after As4S4 treatment, which revealed loss of microspeckles with the presentation of a few large speckles. Anti-PML staining also emerged in the perinuclear cytoplasm. At last, microspeckles and large speckles all disappeared. When the therapy was combining all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) with As4S4, similar results were obtained. However, APL cells from patients treated with ATRA alone performed totally different appearance, presenting microspeckles and large speckles at the same time, followed with entirely large speckles. The conclusion is that As4S4 makes redistribution of PML/PML-RARalpha protein in leukemic cells from APL patients during the treatment, which is quite different from that during the treatment of ATRA.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Arsenicals ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect ; Humans ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Proteins ; analysis ; Nuclear Proteins ; Oncogene Proteins, Fusion ; analysis ; Promyelocytic Leukemia Protein ; Transcription Factors ; analysis ; Tretinoin ; therapeutic use ; Tumor Suppressor Proteins

BACKGROUNDThe tendency of tumor cells to disperse throughout the liver is a distinct feature of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Nck family adaptor proteins function to regulate actin cytoskeletal reorganization that leads to cell motility. We previously found that Max binding protein (MNT) was differentially expressed in HCC, and interacted with Nck1 by 2-DE. MNT is a protein member of the Myc/Max/Mad network which plays roles in cell proliferation, differentiation, and death. We investigated the effects of MNT on migration of human liver cancer SK-HEP-1 cells to study the migration regulatory role of MNT in HCC cells.

METHODSInteraction between MNT and Nck1 was further validated in hepatoma cells by GST-pull down assay and immunoprecipitation. siRNAs specific to MNT (MNT siRNA) were used to knockdown MNT expression. Western blotting, transwell assay were used to determine the migration potential of cells.

RESULTSInteraction between MNT and Nck1 was validated in hepatoma cells. MNT knockdown promoted the migration of human liver cancer SK-HEP-1 cells (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe results suggest that MNT, via interaction with Nck1, inhibits hepatoma cell migration.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing ; genetics ; metabolism ; Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors ; genetics ; metabolism ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Differentiation ; genetics ; physiology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Movement ; genetics ; physiology ; Humans ; Immunoprecipitation ; Liver Neoplasms ; Oncogene Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Protein Binding ; genetics ; physiology ; Repressor Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

BACKGROUNDPostural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a common clinical problem in children and adolescents. The previous diagnostic approach to POTS of children and adolescents is based on a series of tests to exclude all other causes, which is time and medical resource consuming. Recently, a new diagnostic approach has been developed. The present study was designed to statistically analyze the results of clinical investigation items and the cost for the diagnosis of POTS in children patients, and evaluate cost changes in the diagnosis of POTS.

METHODSA total of 315 children patients were divided into two groups according to diagnosis period, including group I diagnosed in 2002 - 2006 (100 cases) and group II in 2007 - 2010 (215 cases) and the diagnostic item-based distribution of the cost was analyzed. The diagnostic costs were compared between two groups using SPSS17.0.

RESULTSThe per-capita cost of diagnosis in group I was (621.95 ± 21.10) Yuan, costs of diagnostic tests (head-up tilt test, standing test, etc) accounted for 8.68% and the exclusive tests for 91.32%. The per-capita cost of diagnosis in group II was (542.69 ± 23.14) Yuan, diagnostic tests accounted for 10.50% and exclusive tests for 89.50%. Comparison of the total cost of diagnostic tests between the two groups showed significant differences (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe cost of POTS diagnosis has been declined in recent years, but the cost of exclusive diagnosis is still its major part.

Adolescent ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Diagnostic Tests, Routine ; economics ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome ; diagnosis ; economics ; Public Health ; economics