Adolescent ; Adult ; Anemia, Aplastic ; etiology ; therapy ; Benzene ; poisoning ; Bone Marrow Cells ; drug effects ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Occupational Diseases ; etiology ; therapy ; Occupational Exposure ; adverse effects

Objective To evaluate the changes of left ventricular (LV) bulk rotation and untwisting in transplanted hearts using 2-dimensional speckle tracking imaging(STI).Methods Basal and apical LV short-axis images were acquired in 15 heart transplant recipients 3 months post surgery(HT group) and 56 healthy control subjects.Basal and apical rotation versus time profiles were drawn using 2-dimensional STI software.Appropriate values were chosen from the dataset obtained and compared between two groups.Results ①Compared with the control group,the heart rate,anterior-posterior diameter of left atrium,enddiastolic interventricular septum thickness,left ventricular posterior wall thickness,isovolumic relaxation time and E/e ratio were significantly increased,e and a values were decreased significantly in HT group (P ＜ 0.05).② No significant difference was noticed in the peak degrees of LV bulk rotation,the degrees of LV bulk rotation at the time of aortic valve closure and mitral valve opening (P =0.700,0.984,0.495,respectively) between 2 groups.In both groups,systolic rotation reached its maximum at end-systole [(96.1 ± 8.4) ％ in HT group vs (100.5 ± 6.3) ％ in control group,P =0.065].③Significant decreases in untwisting rate and trend untwisting variables were observed in the HT group(P ＜0.001).Conclusions 3 months after transplanted,left ventricular bulk rotation of cardiac allografts remained normal,and significant decreases in both untwisting rate and trend untwisting variables showed that the diastolic function of cardiac allografts was impaired.

BACKGROUND:Percutaneous pedicle screw fixation has been applied in the treatment of thoracolumbar fracture,and has achieved satisfactory clinical efficacy.Injectable calcium sulfate holds good biocompatibility,degradability and fast curing.OBJECTIVE:To explore the clinical efficacy of percutaneous pedicle screw fixation combined with calcium sulfate cement for single-level thoracolumbar fracture.METHODS:Clinical data of 40 patients with single-level thoracolumbar fracture without nerve injury were analyzed retrospectively.All fractured vertebrae were compressed more than 30％ and at least one pedicle was complete.All patients were treated with percutaneous pedicle screw fixation combined with calcium sulfate cement.The Visual Analog Scale and Oswestry Disability Index scores were recorded at baseline,3 months postoperatively and last follow-up;the height of the fractured vertebra body and sagittal Cobb angle were measured on X-ray;the patient's satisfaction and healing rate were recorded.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1) The Oswestry Disability Index at 3 months postoperatively and last follow-up was 16.3％ and 4.4％,respectively.Compared with baseline,the Cobb angle and Visual Analog Scale scores were significantly reduced,and height of the fractured vertebra body was significantly increased after surgery (P ＜ 0.01).(3) The healing rate at last follow-up was 95％,nonunion was not found,and the patients' satisfaction reached 95％.(4) The loss of vertebral height and Cobb angle was found at last follow-up compared with 3 months postoperatively,but had no significant difference (P ＞ 0.05).(5) These results indicate that percutaneous pedicle screw fixation combined with calcium sulfate cement is safe and reliable for single-level thoraclumbar fracture,which not only restores the vertebral height and relieves pain,but also has satisfactory long-term curative efficacy and high healing rate.

BACKGROUND: Thoracolumbar fracture is most common seen in spinal fractures. The paraspinal muscle is subjected to extensive detachment and traction in traditional posterior approach, so the muscular ischemia and denervation lead to muscle atrophy further inducing intractable low back pain. Thereafter, minimally invasive spinal surgery becomes more and more popular.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical efficacy of pedicle screw fixation through Wiltse approach combined with injectable calcium sulfate bone cement for single-level thoracolumbar fracture.METHODS: Clinical data of 52 patients with single-level thoracolumbar fracture without nerve injury were analyzed retrospectively, and were then assigned to observation (n=28) and control groups (n=24) according to the treatment method. The patients in the observation group were treated with pedicle screw fixation through Wiltse approach plus implanted with injectable calcium sulfate bone cement, and those in the control group were subjected to pedicle screw fixation through posterior approach plus implanted with injectable calcium sulfate bone cement. The operation time, blood loss and hospitalization time were compared between two groups. The low back pain was observed at baseline, 1 week and 3 months postoperatively, and the percentage of anterior vertebral height revealed on X-ray was observed at baseline, before ambulation, and during last follow-up. Moreover, the complications, loosening and rupture of the screws were recorded.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) All patients were followed up, and the follow-up time was 16-24 months. (2) The operation time, blood loss and hospitalization time in the observation group were significantly less than those in the control group (P < 0.05). (3) The postoperative visual analogue scale scores in the two groups were significantly lower than those before surgery, and the scores showed significant differences between two groups (P < 0.05). (4) The percentage of anterior vertebral height before ambulation and during last follow-up in the two groups was significantly improved, and the percentage showed significant difference between two groups at each time point (P < 0.05). (5) These findings suggest that based on strict indications, the pedicle screw fixation through Wiltse approach combined with injectable calcium sulfate bone cement is safe for single-level thoracolumbar fracture, which restores the anterior vertebral height rapidly, alleviates pain and exhibits satisfactory long-term efficacy. Furthermore, it holds shorter operation time and less blood loss than the traditional approach.

Aged ; Coal Mining ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pneumoconiosis ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; Pulmonary Heart Disease ; diagnostic imaging ; etiology ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tomography, Spiral Computed ; methods

Objective To investigate the clinical effects of minimally invasive vitrectomy combined with cataract surgery for myopic foveoschisis in young and middle-aged. Methods Sixty myopic eyes with myopic fo-veoschisis diagnosed from September 2013 to October 2015 in our hospital were included in the study. According to different surgical methods ,patients were divided into two groups:combined operation group(vitrectomy combined with lens replacement surgery,30 eyes)and staged operation group(simple vitrectomy group,30 eyes). Cataract surgery were performed according to the opacity of lens. All the patients were followed up for 6~12 months. Reop-eration rate of staged operation group ,the best corrected visual acuity(BCVA),the distant and near visual acuity and retinal reattachment rate of each group were observed. Every patient was interviewed with a questionnaire about visual quality at 6th month after surgery. Results 27 eyes developed lens opacity after operation(90%)in staged operation group,among them,21 eyes underwent secondary cataract surgery(70%). The BCVA recovery,postop-erative distant vision,and preoperative and postoperative distant vision difference in the combined operation group were significantly higher than those in the staged group(P<0.05). There were no significant differences in macu-lar retinal condition and retinal reattachment rate between the two groups(P > 0.05). Six months after operation, the visual quality of the combined operation group was significantly better than that of the staged group(t=-3.95, P = 0.00). In the combined surgery group,the scores of distant vision,stereopsis and visual fatigue were higher than those of staged operation group. The score of dry eye and night glare in staged operation group was higher than that in combined operation group(all P<0.05). Conclusions Vitrectomy combined with intraocular lens replace-ment for myopic foveoschisis in young and middle-aged people can avoid second operations and improves the visual function,proving to be a feasible operation in clinic.

Objective To measure the concentration of intracellular free Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) in neuron-like cells resulted from rat bone mesenchymal stem cell (BMSCs) differentiation induced by salvia miltiorrhiza injection and provide some theoretical basis for the BMSCs transplantation. Methods The rat BMSCs were separated from rat bone marrow and cultured in vitro. After induced by basic fibroblast growth factor and 10mL/L salvia miltiorrhiza injection, the cells were identified with immunofluorescence staining against NeuN. The same procedure was performed on primarily cultured hippocampal neurons. Then, the [Ca2+]i of the differentiated neuron-like cells was determined and compared with primarily cultured hippocampal neurons. Results The BMSCs after induced by basic fibroblast growth factor and salvia miltiorrhiza injection expressed neuronal phenotypes similar to the cell appearance of neurons with NeuN. The average fluorescence intensity of the neuron-like cells derived from BMSCs was 984.75±79.51, while the average fluorescence intensity of the primarily cultured hippocampal neurons was 769.42±60.93. No significant difference was found between them (P>0.05). Conclusion The neuron-like cells from rat BMSCs differentiation induced by salvia miltiorrhiza injection possess certain neuronal properties.

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of melatonin on proliferation and apoptosis of fibroblasts in human hypertrophic scar and its mechanism.

METHODSFibroblasts from human hypertrophic scar were isolated and cultured with DMEM medium containing 10% FBS, and then they were divided into control (C, added with ethanol), low concentration (LC, added with 1 × 10(-5) mmol/L melatonin), middle concentration (MC, added with 1 × 10(-3) mmol/L melatonin), and high concentration (HC, added with 1 mmol/L melatonin) groups according to the random number table. After being cultured for 24 hours, cell morphologic change was observed under microscope; XTT-PMS assay was used to examine cell proliferative activity; cell cycle and apoptosis were assessed with flow cytometry after double staining of FITC and PI, and the levels of cyclin E, p53, and Fas mRNA were determined with fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR. Data were processed with analysis of variance and LSD test.

RESULTS(1) Fibroblasts in C group were spindle-shaped with growth in colonies. Along with the increase in melatonin concentration, fibroblasts in LC, MC, and HC groups gradually dispersed, deformed and atrophied, with shrunk cellular membrane, and decrease in ratio of nucleus and cytoplasm. (2) Proliferative activity of fibroblasts in LC, MC, and HC groups decreased along with an increase in melatonin concentration (1.49 ± 0.15, 1.24 ± 0.20, and 0.92 ± 0.09), which were lower that in C group (1.79 ± 0.10, F = 67.61, P < 0.05). Cell ratios of S and G2/M phases in LC, MC, and HC groups decreased along with an increase in melatonin concentration, which were all lower than those in C group [(10.6 ± 1.1)%, (6.1 ± 1.2)%, (3.2 ± 0.8)% vs.(16.9 ± 1.3)%, F = 286.10, P < 0.05; (13.5 ± 1.1)%, (9.8 ± 1.0)%, (6.0 ± 0.7)% vs. (16.7 ± 1.6)%, F = 162.69, P < 0.05]. Apoptotic rates in early and late stages of LC, MC, and HC groups increased along with an increase in melatonin concentration, all higher than those in C group (with F value respectively 424.05, 236.44, P values all below 0.05). The expressions of cyclin E mRNA in LC, MC, and HC groups decreased along with an increase in melatonin concentration, which were lower than that in C group (1.58 ± 0.21, 0.90 ± 0.20, and 0.24 ± 0.12 vs. 2.90 ± 0.30, F = 266.79, P < 0.05), while the expressions of p53 mRNA and Fas mRNA showed opposite tendency (with F value respectively 10.11, 12.03, P values all below 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSMelatonin can inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis of fibroblasts in hypertrophic scar through regulating the gene expressions of cyclin E, p53, and Fas.

Adult ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cyclin E ; metabolism ; Female ; Fibroblasts ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Melatonin ; pharmacology ; Oncogene Proteins ; metabolism ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; metabolism ; fas Receptor ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo observe dystrophin and utrophin expression in muscle tissues of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) mouse model (dko mouse) after having been treated with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) transplantation.

METHODSThe fifth generation of MSCs, cultured in vitro, was transplanted into dko mice by tail vein. The fluorescent expression of dystrophin and utrophin in gastrocnemius muscle tissue of dko mouse was detected and the average optical density of positive fibers was calculated.

RESULTSMSCs that had been cultured for three generations had good homogeneousness and the immunological reaction after vein transplantation was low. There was an increasing tendency of dystrophin and utrophin fluorescent expression in sarcolemma of dko mouse within 5-20 weeks. Significant difference existed in fluorescent average optical density of positive fibers fifteen weeks before and after cell transplantation.

CONCLUSIONSMSC has strong plasticity both in vitro and in vivo. MSC has a trend to reach the injured muscle tissues and turn into muscle fibers, which express dystrophin and utrophin. There is some plerosis function for myatrophy of dko mouse by MSC transplantation.

Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; Cytoskeletal Proteins ; biosynthesis ; Dystrophin ; biosynthesis ; Female ; Male ; Membrane Proteins ; biosynthesis ; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice, Knockout ; Muscle, Skeletal ; metabolism ; Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne ; metabolism ; surgery ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Utrophin

OBJECTIVETo detect the level and dynamic change of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-coronavirus-specific IgG antibody in conavalescent SARS patients, and to provide information for prevention and vaccine development.

METHODSIgG antibody against coronavirus was detected by ELISA in the blood of 311 convalescent SARS patients for every 2 - 4 weeks. Stata 7.0 statistics software was used to analyse the results.

RESULTSIgG antibody was detected positive on each testing of all the convalescent patients and its peak appeared 35 days after recovery. IgG antibody level showed a 35.8% decrease within one year.

CONCLUSIONData showed that all the SARS convalescent patients had generated high level of specific IgG antibody against coronavirus in the early stage of recovery, but the antibody level declined along with the progress of convalescence, suggesting that the detection of the IgG antibody should go on until it disappeared.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; Convalescence ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; SARS Virus ; immunology ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; immunology