Adult ; Bone Transplantation ; Fibula ; transplantation ; Humans ; Male ; Maxilla ; surgery ; Osteogenesis, Distraction ; methods ; Surgical Flaps ; Zygoma ; transplantation

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics of acute inhalational metallic nickel poisoning and its treatment effect.Methods Data including epidemiology,clinical features,laboratory tests,imaging examinations,therapy protocol as well as prognosis were collected and analyzed.Results Thoracic CT scan of all patients demonstrated as bilateral diffuse infiltration.Nickel concentration in both blood and urine were high in all patients and the concentration was positively associated with poisoning severity.All 4 patients received glucocorticoid treatment,2 of whom with acute respiratory distress syndrome were admitted to ICU to initiate mechanical ventilation and were given sodium dimercaptopropanesulfonate.All patients survived to hospital discharge.Conclusions Acute inhalational metallic nickel poisoning is uncommon and early symptoms are inconclusive.The blood and urine nickel concentration is helpful to judge the severity of the disease.Pulmonary diffuse infiltration is the main clinical feature.Glucocorticoid,chelation therapy as well as symptomatic treatment are effective therapies to relief disease severity.

OBJECTIVETo detect the concentration of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) in the serum of patients with incomplete spinal cord injury and evaluate its relation with the pathologic classification of the spinal cord injury.

METHODSMCP-1 concentration in the serum of patients with incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI), single spine compression and healthy subjects were detected by ELISA, respectively in the present study and the magnetic resonance imaging data of these patients were studied at the same time on a blind base.

RESULTSSerum level of MCP-1 in iSCI patients was 428 pg/ml +/- 11 pg/ml by ELISA, which was higher than both that of the patients with single spine compression and of controls, with the concentration of 184 pg/ml +/- 21 pg/ml and 124 pg/ml +/- 15 pg/ml, respectively. There was significant difference between any two groups (P < 0.01). iSCI patients with normal MRI showed a lower serum level of MCP-1 as 312 pg/ml+/- 30 pg/ml. Pathological classification of spinal cord edema and hematoma corresponded to 390 pg/ml +/- 16 pg/ml and 508 pg/ml+/- 24 pg/ml in the concentration of MCP-1.

CONCLUSIONSMCP-1 may induce secondary inflammatory response by recruiting inflammatory cells to the injury site and thus affect the prognosis of spinal cord injury.

Acute Disease ; Adult ; Aged ; Chemokine CCL2 ; blood ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Aged ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; blood ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate and summarize the possibility and experience of reconstructive vascular operation for kinking of internal carotid artery.

METHODSReconstructive vascular operation was performed on 5 patients with symptomatic kinking of internal carotid artery between July 2008 and June 2009. There were 2 male and 3 female patients, age ranged from 53 to 68 years (mean 62 years). Cutting the internal carotid artery at the bifurcation, mobilizing and stretching the internal carotid artery, then anastomosing the internal and common carotid artery. Two of them underwent endarterectomy simultaneously.

RESULTSFor the 5 patients, postoperative recovery went smoothly and symptoms were well improved. Except that mild high perfusion syndrome happened in 1 patient, no other obvious complications. Kinking of internal carotid artery had been stretched in the postoperative CT angiography. In the 5-16-month follow-up, no transient ischemic attack or cerebral infarction happened, and no restenosis appeared.

CONCLUSIONSReconstructive vascular operation is an effective surgical approach to kinking and coiling of the internal carotid artery. For some risk exists, all-round evaluation should be performed before operation, and operative indication should be strictly controlled.

Aged ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Carotid Stenosis ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Vascular Surgical Procedures ; adverse effects ; methods

A novel peptide, named BF2-X, was designed based on the structure-activity analysis of an analogue of Buforin II, named BF2-A. The BF2-X was a hybrid peptide containing the N-terminal residues 5 to 13 of BF2-A and three repeats of the C-terminal regular alpha-helical motif RLLR, and the residues 8 valine were replaced by leucine. The results of bioinformatics analysis had showed that compared with BF2-A, the helicity, positive charge, hydrophobicity rate and C-terminal amphipathy of BF2-X had remarkably enhanced. Both peptides showed a random coil structure in an aqueous solution, while displaying a typical alpha-helical structure in 50% trifluoroethanol solution (a membrane mimic condition). BF2-X exhibited higher alpha-helical contents than BF2-A in hydrophobic environment. BF2-X displayed potent antimicrobial activities against a broad spectrum of microorganisms. And BF2-X showed stronger antimicrobial activities against bacteria tested than parent peptide BF2-A. These results suggest that the alpha-helical content was directly correlated with the enhanced antibacterial activity. Both peptides had no hemolytic action on mouse erythrocyte.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Bacteria ; drug effects ; Circular Dichroism ; Hemolysis ; drug effects ; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions ; Mice ; Protein Structure, Secondary ; Proteins ; chemical synthesis ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Structure-Activity Relationship

OBJECTIVETo develop the method and investigate the value of the application of multislice helical computed tomography (CT) in the maxillofacial distraction osteogenesis.

METHODSTwelve cases of maxillofacial distraction osteogenesis (3 in zygoma, 2 in maxilla, and 7 in mandible) were scanned by the multislice helical CT, then the reconstruction of three dimensional and fault image and the relative measurement were carried out to study the effect of distraction and osteogenesis.

RESULTSThe three dimensional image provided clear and high resolution stereoscopic view that the effect of distraction osteogenesis could be evaluated easily and exactly. The fault image could be set up in private computer by Mimics and the measurements, such as distance, thickness and density, could be performed as expected. The effect of 12 cases was satisfied, and the average distracted distance was 16.73 mm.

CONCLUSIONBasing on multislice helical CT scanning, the high resolution image reconstruction and relative measurement data could be obtained which could meet the need of clear and direct observation. Its application in the maxillofacial distraction osteogenesis is expecting and promising.

Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Mandible ; Maxilla ; Osteogenesis, Distraction ; Tomography, Spiral Computed ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Adult ; Chorea ; etiology ; Circulatory Arrest, Deep Hypothermia Induced ; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Endarterectomy ; adverse effects ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Pulmonary Embolism ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo study changes in the radiographic appearance during weight-bearing and non-weigh-bearing in hallux valgus, and to analyse the correlation between the elasticity of plantar soft tissue of hallux valgus and the pain under the metatarsal head.

METHODSFrom May 2012 to October 2012, 240 feet of 120 patients with hallux valgus were enrolled in the study. The degrees of the pian under the metatarsal head of all the patients were observed. AP and lateral X-ray films of feet were taken on the condition of weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing. So the hallux valgus angle (HVA), the inter-metatarsal angle between the first and second metatarsals (IM1-2), the inter-metatarsal angle between the first and fifth metatarsals (IM1-5), top angle of the medial longitudinal arch (TAOTMLA),and anterior angle of the medial longitudinal arch (AAOTMLA) were measured on the X-ray films. The differences of HVA, IM1-2, IM1-5, TAOTMLA and AAOTMLA between two groups were compared, and the correlation between the changes of IM1-2, IM 1-5, TAOTMLA, AAOTMLA and the degree of the pain under the metatarsal head were analysed.

RESULTSOne hundred and forty-eight feet had the pain under the metatarsal head. The IM1-2, IM1-5 and TAOTMLA increased on weight-bearing position compared with those on non-weight-bearing position, but the HVA and AAOTMLA decreased on weight-bearing position compared with those on non-weight-bearing position. There was a moderate relationship between the changes of IM 1-2,IM1-5 and the degree of the hallux valgus deformity, as well as the relationship between the different of IM1-5 and the degree of the pian under the metatarsal head.

CONCLUSIONThe degree of the collapse of the arch of foot with hallux valgus becomes serious with its deformity increasing. The pain under the metatarsal head of hallux valgus increases with the increased changes of IM 1-2,IM 1-5 and TAOTMLA. Analysis of the X-ray observation indexes of hallux valgus on weight-bearing position and non-weight-bearing position has important significance in evaluating the degree of the collapse of the arch of foot with hallux valgus,preventing and curing the the pain under the metatarsal head.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Hallux ; anatomy & histology ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; Hallux Valgus ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Metatarsalgia ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; Middle Aged ; Radiography ; Weight-Bearing ; Young Adult

AIMTo investigate the hypersensitization of alpha-adrenoreceptor of artery smooth muscle in hypertensive patients and rats and the mechanisms concerned.

METHODSIsometric tension of artery ring segments was recorded by a sensitive myograph system in vitro and the relative amount of alpha-adrenoreceptor mRNA was quantified by a real-time PCR.

RESULTSNoradrenaline (NA)-induced concentration-contraction curve of mesenteric artery segments in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) was more potent than that in Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. The E(max) of NA in SHR was 1.82 times of that of WKY. The concentration-contractile curve induced by NA in great omental arteries of hypertensives significantly shifted toward left and the pD2 value of NA was larger than that of normotensives. After organ culture, the concentration-contractile curves of SD rat mesenteric artery induced by NA shifted toward left with significantly increased E(max). The relative amounts of mRNA for alpha1-adrenoreceptor was increased, but mRNA level for alpha2-adrenoreceptor did not change.

CONCLUSIONThe sensitivity of alpha1-adrenoreceptor of artery smooth muscle in hypertensive man and rat is enhanced, suggesting alpha1-adrenoreceptor is upregulated.

Adrenergic alpha-Agonists ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Humans ; Hypertension ; physiopathology ; In Vitro Techniques ; Mesenteric Arteries ; drug effects ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Muscle Contraction ; drug effects ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; drug effects ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Norepinephrine ; pharmacology ; Omentum ; blood supply ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred SHR ; Rats, Inbred WKY ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Species Specificity ; Vasoconstriction ; drug effects