Objective To investigate the effect of indomethacin on prevention of heterotopic ossification (HO)after operative treatment of acetabular fractures.Methods Fifty patients with acetabular fractures received in our department operative treatment through Kocher-langenbeck(K-L)approach and oral administration of in- domethacin afer operation from February 2001 to August 2003.Forty-eight of them were successfully followed up for incidence of HO and their clinical functions were assessed.The results were compared with those of 40 patients who had been treated with the same operative procedures but without oral administration of indomethacin in our depart- ment from March 1993 to May 1998.The patients who could not tolerate the drug were not included.Results The follow-ups averaged 22.8 months(range,6 to 39 months).HO occurred in eight cases.The incidence of HO was 16.7%(8/48).According to Brooker evaluation of HO,five cases were rated as degreeⅠ,three as degreeⅡ, and none as degreeⅢorⅣ.The incidence of severe HO was 0.In the control group,the incidence of HO was 35.0%(14/40)and the incidence of severe HO was 10.0%(4/40).The differences were statistically significant (P＜0.05).Conclusion Oral administration of indomethacin after operative treatment of acetabular fractures can inhibit HO.

Humans ; Myocardial Infarction ; physiopathology ; Ventricular Function, Left ; immunology ; Ventricular Remodeling ; immunology

Objective To investigate the clinical, pathology, diagnosis and treatment of the lower urinary system dysfunction among chronic recreational ketamine abusers. Methods From 2000-2008, 20 ketamine abusers(14 men and 6 women; mean age, 22.3 years), from 3 hospitals in Guangzhou and Hongkong, and suffering from lower urinary tract dysfunction was reported. All of them had abused ketamine for 1 to 4 years, and presented with severe lower urinary tract symptoms. Complaint of severe frequency, urgency, urge incontinence, and painful haematuria was common. Urine cultures were negative. Six men suffered from severe dysuria. B ultrasound examination of 16 cases demonstrated the presence of bilateral hydronephrosis. Fourteen IVU and 10 CT investigations demonstrated the presence of bilateral hydronephrosis, bladder contraction, and 1 case showed papillary necrosis of the kidney. Different levels of abnormal liver function and chronic/acute renal failure were observed. All of the patients were required to withdraw the narcotics and the experimental medicine were given. Results The biopsies of 6 cases demonstrated the cystitis. Twelve cases' symptoms were reversible after these patients stopped or reduced the frequency and amount of ketamine abuse. Pentosan polysulfate sodium and sodium hyaluronate solution relieved the symptoms of 6 patients. Conclusions "Street ketamine" associated urinary system dysfunction might be a kind of in flammatory process involving the upper and lower urinary tract. Underlying aetiology and treatment methods necessitate further study.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction (XFZYD) on the angiogenesis and injury repair in the ischemic region.

METHODSThe ischemic hind limb rat model was established using Bletilla embolization. Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) were labeled with DAPI and injected into the model rats from the vena caudalis. Then rats were treated with different doses of XFZYD by gastrogavage. Blood was withdrawn. The granulation tissue and the muscle tissues from ischemic and necrotic portion were taken on the 3rd and 7th day of the medication. The samples were frozen and sliced to analyze the fluorescent expressions. The necrosis of each sample was observed by routine pathological section. The vessels number was counted. The serum NO levels were detected using nitrate reductase method. The macro-morphological observation of ischemic lower limbs were lasted for 30 days.

RESULTSAfter 3 and 7 days of medication, the fluorescence intensity of ischemic area and the number of granulation vessels were significantly more in the high dose XFZYD group than in the routine treatment group and the normal saline treatment groups. The aforesaid indices were significantly higher in the routine treatment group than in the normal saline treatment group after 7 days of medication. The serum NO concentrations were significantly lower in the normal saline group at other time points. On the 30th day of medication, the muscular atrophy of the ischemic hind limbs was the least significant in the high dose XFZYD group.

CONCLUSIONXFZYD could improve the ischemic necrosis by improving the NO level, inducing the EPCs' migration to the ischemic region, and promoting the angiogenesis.

Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; Female ; Ischemia ; pathology ; Male ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Stem Cells ; cytology ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo study aberrant DNA methylation potentially resulting in changes in the expression of cancer-related genes as a possible epigenetic mechanism for cadmium carcinogenesis.

METHODSGenomic DNA isolated from CdCl(2)-transformed BALB/c-3T3 cells was digested with Mse1 (methylation non-sensitive) alone or with Mse1 and BstU1 (methylation sensitive). The resulting DNA was analyzed for aberrant methylation using PCR-based technique-Methylation-Sensitive Restriction Fingerprinting (MSRF). Several DNA fragments differentially methylated in the transformed cells identified by MSRF were confirmed by Southern hybridization analysis using the aberrantly methylated DNA fragments as the probes.

RESULTSAberrant DNA methylation was identified in the transformed cells. DNA sequencing and sequence similarity analysis identified one of the aberrantly methylated DNA fragments as the p16 tumor suppressor gene.

CONCLUSIONDNA hypermethylation is known to result in gene silencing, it appears that hypermethylation of p16 gene may represent a possible epigenetic mechanism for Cd-induced cell transformation and carcinogenesis.

Animals ; BALB 3T3 Cells ; Blotting, Southern ; Cadmium ; toxicity ; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic ; CpG Islands ; DNA Methylation ; Genes, p16 ; Mice ; Restriction Mapping

With the development of drug discovery, more and more candidate compounds need to be studied. Methods that can screen compound rapidly received significant attention. Parallel artificial membrane permeability assay (PAMPA) as a powerful tool has been applied to drug studies. It uses an artificial lipid membrane to mimic the barrier for drug permeability studies. This article introduces the establishment and characteristics of PAMPA, as well as its applications in screening compounds. It can be used as models (e.g. predicting the ability of compound in gastro-intestinal absorption, blood-brain barrier transportation and skin penetration) by changing the component of artificial lipid membrane. PAMPA has advantages in high throughput selection of valuable compound with low cost, versatile, low dose, and good reproducibility.
Absorption ; Animals ; Blood-Brain Barrier ; Cell Membrane Permeability ; Humans ; Intestinal Absorption ; Membranes, Artificial ; Permeability ; Pharmaceutical Preparations ; metabolism ; Skin Absorption ; Stomach ; metabolism

A large amount of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) is required for fatty acid synthesis and maintenance of the redox state in cancer cells. Malic enzyme 1(ME1)-dependent NADPH production is one of the three pathways that contribute to the formation of the cytosolic NADPH pool. ME1 is generally considered to be overexpressed in cancer cells to meet the high demand for increased de novo fatty acid synthesis. In the present study, we found that glucose induced higher ME1 activity and that repressing ME1 had a profound impact on glucose metabolism of nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC) cells. High incorporation of glucose and an enhancement of the pentose phosphate pathway were observed in ME1-repressed cells. However, there were no obvious changes in the other two pathways for glucose metabolism: glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation. Interestingly, NADPH was decreased under low-glucose condition in ME1-repressed cells relative to wild-type cells, whereas no significant difference was observed under high-glucose condition. ME1-repressed cells had significantly decreased tolerance to low-glucose condition. Moreover, NADPH produced by ME1 was not only important for fatty acid synthesis but also essential for maintenance of the intracellular redox state and the protection of cells from oxidative stress. Furthermore, diminished migration and invasion were observed in ME1-repressed cells due to a reduced level of Snail protein. Collectively, these results suggest an essential role for ME1 in the production of cytosolic NADPH and maintenance of migratory and invasive abilities of NPC cells.
Carcinoma ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Movement ; Cell Survival ; Glucose ; metabolism ; Glycolysis ; Humans ; Malate Dehydrogenase ; metabolism ; NADP ; metabolism ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Oxidation-Reduction ; Oxidative Phosphorylation ; Pentose Phosphate Pathway ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo improve the effect of operative management of acetabular fractures.

METHODSOne hundred and seventy eight acetabular fractures were treated operatively from August 1993 to December 2000. Their functional results and complications were analyzed.

RESULTSOne hundred and twelve hips were followed up for an average of 45.7 months. Heterotopic ossification was noted in 26 hips, post-operative osteoarthritis in 22 hips, avascular necrosis of the femoral head in 8 hips, and sciatic nerve injury in 7 hips after operations. No death and infection were found in this series.

CONCLUSIONSEctopic bone formation develops at extended ilio-femoral and Kocher-Langeneck approaches. Cartilaginous injury of the femoral head is contributable to post-operative osteoarthritis, and imperfect reduction is an important factor in the genesis of osteoarthritis.

Acetabulum ; injuries ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Femur Head Necrosis ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fractures, Bone ; surgery ; Humans ; Intraoperative Complications ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ossification, Heterotopic ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Osteoarthritis, Hip ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Retrospective Studies ; Sciatic Nerve ; injuries ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo understand the diagnosis and treatment of marginal impaction of acetabular fractures.

METHODEighteen of 26 patients with marginal impaction of acetabular fractures were retrospectively reviewed. Marginal impactions was confirmed in 15 patients by CT scan before operation, and in 3 during operation. All patients were treated by ORIF, and the impacted bones were elevated with bone grafts (Bone graft was not used in one patient). All fractures were fixed with a reconstruction plate.

RESULTSThe mean follow up was 36.7 months (5 - 71 months). The modified D'Aubingne and Postel score system showed excellent results in 6 patients, good 7, fair 2, and poor 3.

CONCLUSIONPosterior fractures and dislocations of acetabular fractures are easily combined with marginal impaction, and can diagnosed by CT scan. Cortical impaction should be recognized as a special type. The impacted bone should be elevated for bone grafting.

Acetabulum ; injuries ; Adult ; Bone Plates ; Bone Transplantation ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; Fractures, Bone ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Radiography ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography Scanners, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVETo assess the operative methods of delayed acetabular fractures and the operative results.

METHODSThe operative approaches, procedures, results and complications of the delayed acetabular fractures between August 1993 and August 2001 in Jishuitan Hospital were evaluated retrospectively.

RESULTSThirty-two patients were followed up 49.6 months on average. Sciatic nerve palsy was found in 1 patient. Excellent functional results of hip joints were found in 3 patients, good in 16, fair in 10, and poor in 3. Ectopic bone formation was observed in 6 patients and necrosis of the femoral head in 3.

CONCLUSIONCareful selection of operative indications of delayed acetabular fractures in combination with proper operative approach and appropriate reduction and fixation, good results can be obtained.

Acetabulum ; injuries ; surgery ; Adult ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; methods ; Fractures, Bone ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome