BACKGROUND:Techniques of antedor cervical discectomy and interbody fusion have achieved good clinical outcomes since Robinson and Smith first introduced it in 1955.Currently,microendoscopic approaches have resulted in good clinical effectiveness in treating cervical spondylosis.Cage has also been used widely in the clinic.OBJECTIVE:To find a minimally invasive method that uses microendoscopic technique and Cages to treat cervical spondylosis by anterior approach.DESIGN,TIME AND SETTING:A retrospective case analysis was performed at the Department of Spinal Surgery,First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China between January 2003 and July 2008.PARTICIPANTS:A total of 25 patients with cervical spondylosis,15 males and 10 females,averaging 39 years of age (range,33-58 years old),who received treatments at the Department of Spinal Surgery,First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China were included in this study.Each of them had unilateral limb pain,numbness or weakness in varying degrees.MRI image showed one-level cervical disc degeneration in 20 patients and two levels in 5 patients.METHODS:Twenty-five patients underwent anterior cervical microendoscopic discectomy and interbody fusion using carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) Cage.Surgical techniques,neurological outcomes and complications were retrospectively analyzed.The postoperative treatments were just like the conventional approaches.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:Improvements in neurological symptoms were assessed using the Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) grading system.Postoperative imaging data including lordosis and fusion condition were examined.RESULTS:All patients received treatments successfully.The mean surgical time was 140 minutes (range,80 to 225 minutes).The hospital stay averaged 7 days (range,6 to 10 days).Patients' neurological statuses improved to varying degrees according to the JOA grading system:7.5 pre-operative (range,4 to 9 points) to 12 post-operative (range,8 to 16 points),with the mean improvement rate of 45.6%.All cases were followed up and the mean follow-up period was 18 months (range,6 to 27 months).Postoperative images showed solid bone fusion without implant migration.No vascular injury and infection occurred.Graft collapse was found in 2 patients,and transient hoarse voice in 1 patient.No other complications were found.CONCLUSION:Anterior microendoscopic cervical discectomy and interbody fusion with CFRP Cage in treatment of cervical spondylosis have the advantages of minimal invasion,sufficient decompression,and satisfactory bone fusion,resulting in a significant relief of patients' preoperative clinical symptoms.

Objective To introduce and evaluate the dosimetric characteristics of a GyroKnife cobalt-60 system for radiosurgery.Methods0.015 cm3 and 0.600 cm3 ionization chamber,EDR2 film and semiconductor dosimeter were used to measure the dose rate of center point for the four collimators.The diameter of the four collimators were 5 mm,12 mm,30 mm and 50 mm,respectively.0.015 cm3 ionization chamber was used to test the dose-time linear relationship and dose stability.0.015 cm3 ionization chamber and semiconductor was used to measure the dose error of phantom between treatment planning system (TPS)calculation and measurement.The film was used to measure the error of TPS calculation isodose lines width.ResultsThe results from the four measurement methods have no significant difference for the collimator 50 mm.But for collimator 5 mm great discrepancy appeared.The error between calculation by TPS and the measurement by semiconductor was biggest and the value was 4.8％.Most of the error was within 3.0％.The error of the 50％ isodose line along x-axis was biggest and the value was 4.9 mm,others are all within 2.0 mm.ConclusionThe dosimetric character of this system is suitable for stereotactic radiotherapy.

Objective To introduce and evaluate the characteristics of a GyroKnife Digital Cobalt-60 System for stereotactic radiotherapy and radiosurgery in mechanical aspect.Methods To test the radiation safety,the dose rate required for radiation protection was measured by using an ionization survey meter ( Inovision Model 451 B,Cleveland,OH ).Micrometer was used to verify the accuracy of the table in movement and protractor to verify the rotation movement range.The 160 mm diameter polystyrene spherical phantom and film were used in measurement of the radiation Full Width at Half Maximum.And the difference between radiation isocenter and mechanical isocenter was also verified.Results Clinical requirement in radiation protection was met.The maximum error of table movement accuracy was 0.2 cm at Z axis; the maximum error of gantry movement accuracy was 0.1°.For all the collimators,radiation Full Width at Half Maximum ( FWHM ) was 2.55,5.40,10.50,and 18.55 mm and average penumbra was 5.0,12.4,30.1,and 51.5 mm,respectively.The maximum difference between mechanical center and radiation center was 1.41 mm.Conclusions Stereotactic radiotherapy and radiosurgery has good mechanical characteristics and is suitable clinic applications.

Objective To investigate the therapeutic effect of cholesterol sulfate(CS)on the Hashimoto's thyroiditis mouse model.Methods Female NOD.H-2h4 mice were fed with 0.05％NaI in different periods and treated with CS by intraperitoneal injection for two consecutive weeks.HE staining was used to visualize and score the degree of lymphocyte infiltration in the thyroid;serum levels of thyroglobulin antibody(TgAb),thyroid peroxidase antibody(TPOAb),thyroxine(T4),and thyroid stimulating hormone(TSH)were detected by ELISA.The proportions of B cells and Treg,Th17,Th1,and Th2 cells were analyzed by immunofluorescence staining flow cytometry.Results HE staining showed that the inflammatory score of thyroid tissue in mice after intraperitoneal injection of CS in the 8-week group and the 16-week group decreased significantly(P＜0.05).In the 64-week group,there was no significant difference between the treatment group and the induction group(P=0.31).Serological analysis showed that after CS intervention,the levels of TgAb and TPOAb in mice induced by 0.05％NaI significantly lowered(P＜0.05)in the 8-week group and the 16-week group,while thyroid function(TSH and T4 levels)of the mice changed significantly only in the 16-week group.Flow cytometry analysis showed that in the 8-week group,after CS intervention the proportions of B lymphocytes and Th1,Th2,Th17 and Treg cells in mice were significantly changed(P＜0.05).Conclusion CS has significant therapeutic and remission effects on the early and middle stages of Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

A change in the metabolic flux of glucose from mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) to aerobic glycolysis is regarded as one hallmark of cancer. However, the mechanisms underlying the metabolic switch between aerobic glycolysis and OXPHOS are unclear. Here we show that the M2 isoform of pyruvate kinase (PKM2), one of the rate-limiting enzymes in glycolysis, interacts with mitofusin 2 (MFN2), a key regulator of mitochondrial fusion, to promote mitochondrial fusion and OXPHOS, and attenuate glycolysis. mTOR increases the PKM2:MFN2 interaction by phosphorylating MFN2 and thereby modulates the effect of PKM2:MFN2 on glycolysis, mitochondrial fusion and OXPHOS. Thus, an mTOR-MFN2-PKM2 signaling axis couples glycolysis and OXPHOS to modulate cancer cell growth.