Benzene ; toxicity ; Carcinogens ; toxicity ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Humans ; Leukemia ; chemically induced ; genetics

AlM: To investigate the association between the degree of anterioruveitis and related factors including inflammatory markers as well as sacroiliac joint imaging in patients with ankylosing spondylitis ( AS) .
METHODS: Anterior changes evaluated by slit lamp, erythrocyte sedimentation rate ( ESR ) , C - reactive protein ( CRP ) and magnetic resonance imaging of 55 cases with AS associateduveitis were retrospectively analyzed. A modified endotoxin-induced uveitis ( ElU ) clinical standard was used for uveitis grading. SPARCC sacroiliac scoring was used to evaluate bone edema of sacroiliac joint. The correlation between the degree of uveitis and sacroiliitis was assessed.
RESULTS: ln the 55 patients with AS, ElU grading scored 2-10, and SPARCC index scored 0-22. Further analysis showed that the severity of uveitis was significantly correlated with ESR (r=0. 869, P<0. 001) and CRP (r=0. 485, P<0. 001). The degree of anterior uveitis in AS patients was not correlated with inflammation of sacroiliac joint (r=0. 237, P=0. 081).
CONCLUSlON: Local autoimmunity of uveitis and sacroiliac joint inflammation with subsequent bone formation in AS might be mutually independent processes.

BACKGROUND:Many studies have demonstrated that restoration of femoral offset in revision total hip arthroplasty would contribute to the recovery of joint function.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the importance of restoration of femoral offset in revision total hip arthreplasty on the recovery of joint function.METHODS:An observational study was performed at the Department of Orthopedics,Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University between February 2004 and May 2007.A total of 15 patients with the revision total hip arthroplasty,including 12 males and 3 females,aging 62 75 years,averaging 67 years old,were recruited into this study.Harris evaluation system was used to evaluate joint function.The femoral neck anteversion and the femoral offset were measured by the method of Sakai.The vertical distance from the teardrop line to the most prominent point of the lesser trochanter was measured from each radiograph.References were combined to investigate the effect of restoration of femoral offset in revision total hip arthroplasty on joint function.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:All the 15 patients were recruited into this study.The duration of follow-up ranged from 24 months to 5 years.We measured the femoral offset on pre- and post-operative radiographs,and the results indicated that the femoral offset of 4 patients were above 4 mm.The femoral offset of 11 patients was restored.The femoral offset were 22-48 (32.21±0.64) mm pre- and 22-57 (36.13±0.82) mm post-operative radiographs,respectively.The mean difference in femoral offset post-operatively was significant (t=0.424,P=0.01 ).Harris scores were good in 4 cases,passable in 2 cases,and poor in 9 cases pre-operatively,and the scores were excellent in 8 cases,good in 4 cases,passable in 2 cases,and poor in 1 case post-operatively.The score of Harris evaluation system in the patient of restoration group and failed restoration group were 88.72±5.3 (80%) and 72.32±6.5 (27%) post-operative at 1 month respectively.The mean difference of the score was significant (χ~2=1.245,P<0.05).The 3 patients had complication,one was the dislocation of hip,and two had the pain of hip.All the patients with complication were in failed restoration of femoral offset,which was above 4 mm.The restoration of femoral offset contributes to the recovery of joint function and reduce complication occurrence after total hip arthroplasty revision.

OBJECTIVETo analyze the energy relieving effect of different thickness of mucosa beneath mandibular complete denture and try to analyze clinical question of prosthodontics using energy analysis methods.

METHODSA 3-DFE model of the mandibular complete denture and its supporting tissue were set up. Their elastic deformed energy and the percentage in the whole system were respectively calculated when mucosal thickness was different.

RESULTSThe percentage of mucosal elastic deformed energy grew from 44.53% to 52.91% and 57.91% with its different thickness under static loads.

CONCLUSIONSThe energy relieving effect of mucosa grows with its thickness and the approach of energy analysis is one of effective method on oral biomechanics questions.

Objective To explore the feasibility of culturing dermal papillae cells (DPC) of hu- man hair in a serum-flee medium,and to observe the growth characteristics of these cells.Methods Cell culture flasks (plates) were pretreated with fibronectin,and DPC (2nd passage) were incubated with Williams E serum-flee medium supplemented with insulin-transferrin-selenite (ITS).Cells were observed by an inverted phase-contrast microscope.Proliferation of DPC was evaluated with 3-(4,5-dimethylthia- zol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and by their growth curve.Results In a serum-free medium,2nd passage DPC adhered to the flask surface within two to four hours of incubation; two to three days later,confluence,of the cells was observed,without noticeable proliferation.Four days later,cell connection was interrupted,isolated cells or cell clusters were seen,and detachment of some cells from the flask surface was observed.One to two weeks later,most cells had died.After incubation with 4% bovine serum for ten hours,cell proliferation was observed surrounding the remaining viable cell colonies. DPC growth curve showed stagnant phase and slow growth phase;however,log growth phase was not ob- served.Conclusion DPC could be successfully cultured in serum-free medium.However,the culture con- dition needs to be further optimized.

BACKGROUND:With the deepening of bone tissue engineering research and bone metabolism understanding, it is a hotspot to analyze the blood supply and nutritional status of tissue-engineered bone.
OBJECTIVE:To compare different methods for evaluating smal vascular network distribution around the knee joint in rats in order to provide a guideline for the study of microvascular network in tissue-engineered bone.
METHODS:Eighteen Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups, with six rats in each group. Three commonly methods were used to evaluate the smal vascular network around the knee joint in rats:immunohistochemistry analysis, angiography analysis, and CT scans and reconstruction analysis.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The microstructure of vascular network could be observed by immunohistochemistry, but the spatial distribution of vessels could not be evaluated. The spatial distribution of vessels could be showed by angiography and CT scans. However, some of micro vessels were showed unclearly by CT scans. The number of blood vessels detected by immunohistochemistry was (26.50±3.02) vessels, significantly higher than those detected by angiography and CT scans that were (14.12±1.47) and (9.00±1.79) vessels, respectively. Combination of immunohistochemistry and angiography can evaluate the microvascular network at microscopic and macroscopic levels, which can provide the whole information of the vascular network.

Objective To survey the arsenic content of drinking water in Jingzhou City, to provide basis for prevention and control of endemic arsenic disease. Methods According to historical data, the .arsenic content of water was detected in 357 villages from 6 counties of Jianglin, Songzi, Gongan, Shishou, Jianli, Honghushi in Jinzhou City in 2007 and 2008, The past have been found to have high arsenic water villages, villages known to have high concentration of arsenic were put into census. Villages not found to have high-arsenic wells were sampled 10 percent of the whole water resources at five directions of east, west, south, north and the center. Using sampling investigation, water arsenic was determined by half -quantitative fast reagent kit. All samples of water with arsenic exceeding the standard were re-determined using silver diethyl dithiocarbamate using silver diethyl dithiocarbamate colorimetric mothod. Survey on the disease was carried out in the villages with arsenic exeeeding the standard. Results All 6074 water samples was inspected. Arsenic in 210 samples outnumbered 0.05 mg/L, 51 natural villages were high arsenic areas;The maximum level of arsenic content in drinking water was 0.7 mg/L 3.2% (152/4784) of the wells no deeper that 30 meters and 4.9%(58/1184) between 30 to 100 m had arsenic exceeding the standard The water arsenic content was normal when the wells was deeper that 100 m. The abnormal percentages of water arsenic was related with the depth of wells with a significant difference(χ2 = 12.29,P < 0.01). Medical examination 84 064 residents in 51 villages having high arsenic water 31 neighboring villages was made, No Patients was found suffering from endemic arsenic poisoning. Conclusions High arsenic source has been found in Jingzhou City ,but no endemic arsenic poisoning patient in Jingzhou City. It is suggested that necessary preventive measures should be taken in high arsenic area, low-arsenic water should be spotted or high arsenic water improved. Moreover, wells should be drilled for more than 100 meters or more in depth.

Bone Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Langerhans Cell Sarcoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Middle Aged ; S100 Proteins ; metabolism ; Talus ; Vimentin ; metabolism

BACKGROUND: The association of genetic variation in the IRAK-1 gene with sepsis outcome has been proved. However, few studies have addressed the impact of the IRAK-4 gene variants on sepsis risk. This study aimed to determine whether the polymorphisms in the IRAK-4 gene are associated with susceptibility to and prognosis of severe sepsis in the Chinese Han ethnic population.METHODS: In this case-control study, 192 patients with severe sepsis hospitalized in the emergency department of Zhongshan Hospital from February 2006 to December 2009 and 192 healthy volunteers were enrolled. Exclusion criteria included metastatic tumors, autoimmune diseases, AIDS or treatment with immunosuppressive drugs. This study was approved by the ethical committee of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University. Sepsis patients were divided into a survival group (n=124) and a non-survival group (n=68) according to the 30-day mortality. Primer 3 software was used to design PCR and sequencing primers. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Seven tagSNPs in IRAK-4 were selected according to the data of the Chinese Han population in Beijing from the Hapmap project and genotyped by direct sequencing. The chi-square test was used to evaluate the differences in genotype and allele frequencies between the two groups.RESULTS: The distributions of all tagSNPs were consistent with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The allele and genotype frequencies of rs4251545 (G/A) were significantly different between the severe sepsis and healthy control groups (P=0.015, P=0.035, respectively). Carriers of the rs4251545A had a higher risk for severe sepsis compared with carriers of the rs4251545G (OR=1.69, 95％ CI: 1.10-2.58). The allele and genotype frequencies of all SNPs were not significantly different between the survival group and non-survival group.CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that the variants in IRAK-4 are significantly associated with susceptibility to severe sepsis in the Chinese Han ethnic population.