Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo radiographically analyze the osseous fixation zone for the iliac crest external fixation with Schanz screws and in order to guide their placement.

METHODSNine adults with 2.0-mm-slice continuous pelvic axial CT scans were selected as research subjects. Each CT scan data was imported into MIMICS 10.0. The osseous fixation zone the upper portion of the anterior column of the acetabulum which is located between the anterior superior iliac spine and the gluteal medius pillar and between the iliac crest and the acetabulum-for the iliac crest external fixation with Schanz screws was reconstructed into true sagittal and true coronal planes by using the software. Then the measurements were taken on the reconstructed planes with measuring tools. Finally, the measured data was analyzed.

RESULTSThe palpable iliac crest segment, which was of 49.6 mm width and located 16.5 mm posterior to the anterior superior iliac spine could be used to locate the start points of the Schanz screws. Under the above-mentioned iliac crest segment, the osseous zone was deep, got ample bony materials and could intraosseously contain Schanz screws with 5.0 mm diameter. The screws could be safely inserted to a minimal depth of 71.7 mm towards the acetabular dome and to a maximal depth of 143.5 mm posterior to the acetabulum.

CONCLUSIONThe study can guide the effective insertion of the iliac crest Schanz screws. By setting a suitable start point in the above-mentioned iliac crest region and angling correctly relative to the acetabulum,the Schanz screw can be inserted into the relative strong cancellous bone above or posterior to the acetabulum with a considerable depth, to getting more bone engagement.

Adult ; Aged ; Bone Screws ; Female ; Fracture Fixation ; Fractures, Bone ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Humans ; Ilium ; diagnostic imaging ; injuries ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Orthopedic Procedures ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Cardiovascular diseases are characterized by cardiac and vascular dysfunction. Prokineticin 2 ( PK2 ) is a newly found secretory peptide which plays a key role in the physiology homeostasis via prokineticin receptor 1 and 2 ( PKR1 and 2). Furthermore, PK2/PKR1 signaling pathway plays an important role in protecting cardiovascular diseases. Here we discuss the effect of PK2/PKR1 signaling in myocardial infarction, conges-tive heart failure and vascular endothelial dysfunction.

OBJECTIVETo introduce a technique pertaining to S2 iliosacral screw insertion.

METHODSThe screw pathway was first measured on the preoperative pelvic CT scan or the standard sacral lateral radiograph to make sure the existence of the "safe zone" in the S2 segment for screw insertion. Under general anesthesia, patients were positioned supine or prone, depending on the injury pattern of pelvic ring or associated injuries requiring concomitant operation. The operation field was routinely sterilized using iodine and subsequent alcohol solution and draped. The tip of a guide wire was inserted through a stab wound to the posterior outer iliac table, manipulated in the "safe zone" being enclosed by the anterior aspect of the S2 nerve root tunnel, the anterior aspect of the sacral vertebrae, and the inferior aspect of the S1 foramen under the guidance of the standard sacral lateral fluoroscopy, and then the tip was hammered one to two millimeters into the iliac cortex. The guide wire progressed along the trajectory between the inferior aspect of the S1 foramen and the superior aspect of the S2 foramen on the pelvic outlet fluoroscopic view, and then along the posterior to the anterior aspect of the S2 sacral vertebrae and alae on the pelvic inlet fluoroscopic view with a predetermined length. At that moment, in order to ensure the safety, another standard sacral lateral view was imaged to detect the guide wire's tip which should locate posterior to the anterior aspect of the sacral vertebrae and anterior to the anterior aspect of the S2 nerve root tunnel. Subsequently, the depth was measured, the trajectory was drilled and tapped, and the screw was inserted. Following the removal of the guide wire, the wound was irrigated and sutured.

RESULTSUtilizing this insertion technique, there were 30 S2 iliosacral screws in total being placed to stabilize the injured and unstable posterior pelvic ring in 27 patients. Each S2 screw was accompanied by an ipsilateral S1 screw. The S2 screw location was completely intraosseous in all patients, which was verified by postoperative pelvic outlet and inlet radiographs and CT scans. The insertion accuracy was 100 percent in the present series.

CONCLUSIONThe S2 iliosacral screw insertion technique is safe and reproducible to guide the placement of the S2 screw, enhancing the stability for the compromised posterior pelvic ring.

Adult ; Bone Screws ; Female ; Fractures, Bone ; surgery ; Humans ; Ilium ; injuries ; surgery ; Male ; Sacrum ; injuries ; surgery

Adolescent ; Adult ; Biomarkers ; Female ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; metabolism ; Humans ; Liver ; chemistry ; Liver Cirrhosis ; blood ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Platelet-Derived Growth Factor ; analysis ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis

OBJECTIVETo investigate the administration of far-lateral approach in lesions located anterior or anterolateral to brain stem and upper cervical spinal cord.

METHODSTwenty-three patients underwent far lateral approach, including 12 retrocondylar approach, 5 partial transcondylar approach, 3 transfacetal and partial transcondylar approach, 2 transtubercular approach and 1 complete transcondylar approach.

RESULTSTotal tumor removal was achieved in 15 patients, subtotal removal in 5 patients, 3 vertibral artery aneurysms were clipped successfully, 3 patients were given occipitalcervical fusion. There was no operative mortality. The most frequent complications were lower cranial nerve deficit, CSF leakage, injury to vertibral artery, and ischemia of brain stem, cerebellum or spinal cord. No patient presented clinical instability of the occipitocervical junction after surgery.

CONCLUSIONSThe far-lateral approach is an ideal approach to structures located ventral to cranial-cervicle junction. But some of the surgical steps are technically difficult and carry some degree of risk. The choice of approach depends on the pathological feature and degree of exposure required for effective surgical treatment. Bone removal should be quantified for individual lesion. The approach may be limited to less aggressive steps, while still achieving significant exposure and surgical space.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aneurysm ; surgery ; Basilar Artery ; surgery ; Brain Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Microsurgery ; Middle Aged ; Neurosurgical Procedures ; methods ; Treatment Outcome ; Vertebral Artery ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of compound Salvia injection (CSI) on blood coagulatory function in patients with traumatic cerebral infarction (TCI).

METHODSSixty-four patients with TCI were randomly divided into two groups, 32 in each group. The treated group were treated with CSI plus conventional treatment of western medicine, and the control group treated with conventional treatment alone. Changes of symptoms, levels of plasma P-selectin (P-S), von Willebrand's factor (vWf) and D-dimer were observed with ELISA.

RESULTSThe treated group was superior to the control group in Glasgow outcome scale (P < 0.01). Before treatment, the levels of plasma P-S, vWf and D-dimer in the TCI patients were higher than those in healthy people. After treatment, all the parameters lowered in both groups, but the effect of lowering was greater in the treated group than that in the control group.

CONCLUSIONBlood coagulation disorder exists in patients with TCI, CSI could improve it, and might alleviate the cerebral damage to a certain extent.

Blood Coagulation ; drug effects ; Brain Injuries ; complications ; Cerebral Infarction ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Free Radical Scavengers ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Injections, Intravenous ; Male ; P-Selectin ; blood ; Phytotherapy ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; chemistry ; Superoxide Dismutase ; blood ; von Willebrand Factor ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo seek a safe, efficient, and cost-effective technique for local thermo-ablation of hepatic cancer.

METHODSThe livers from 16 healthy rabbits were thermocoagulated by diode-laser with scanner fiber tip, 6 w for 10 mins. At the same time, the temperatures were measured at 0, 5 and 10 mm from laser tip. The pre-thermocoagulative liver function was compared with that of 7 days post-thermocoagulation. The pathologic changes were also observed 1 month after laser thermocoagulation.

RESULTSAll the rabbits survived and hepatic tissue temperatures at 0, 5, 10 mm from laser tip reached 96.39 degrees C +/- 3.97 degrees C, 60.79 degrees C +/- 6.21 degrees C, 46.10 degrees C +/- 4.58 degrees C respectively after 10 minutes of thermocoagulation. There were no significant differences in liver function parameters between rabbits of pre-laser thermocoagulation and of post-laser thermocoagulation. Thermocoagulated necrosis of liver tissue with surrounding fibrosis in a diameter of 26.0 mm was formed. Light microscopy revealed coagulative necrosis in the center of the coagulated area without surviving hepatic cells.

CONCLUSIONThe hepatic tissue can be coagulated safely and effectively by diode-laser with scanner fibertip, and such a technique may provide a new method for the treatment of hepatic carcinoma.

Animals ; Female ; Laser Coagulation ; methods ; Liver Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Male ; Rabbits

To observe a PPAR-alpha agonist effect of N-oleoylethanolamine (OEA) on CB2 (cannabinoid receptor 2), an anti-inflammatory receptor in vascular endothelial cell, healthy HUVECs and TNF-alpha induced HUVECs were used to establish a human vascular endothelial cell inflammatory model. Different doses of OEA (10, 50 and 100 micromol x L(-1)) had been given to HUVECs, cultured at 37 degrees C for 7 h and then collected the total protein and total mRNA. CB2 protein expression was detected by Western blotting and CB2 mRNA expression was assayed by real-time PCR. As the results shown, OEA (10 and 50 micromol x L(-1)) could induce the CB2 protein and mRNA expression, but not 100 micromol x L(-1). To detect if anti-inflammation effect of OEA is partly through CB2, CB2 inhibitor AM630 was used to inhibit HUVEC CB2 expression, then the VCAM-1 expression induced by TNF-alpha was detected, or THP-1 adhere to TNF-alpha induced HUVECs was examined. OEA (50 micromol x L(-1)) could inhibit TNF-alpha induced VCAM-1 expression and THP-1 adhere to HUVECs, these effects could be partly inhibited by a CB2 inhibitor AM630. The anti-inflammation effect of OEA is induced by PPAR-alpha and CB2, suggesting that CB2 signaling could be a target for anti-atherosclerosis, OEA have wide effect in anti-inflammation, it may have better therapeutic potential in anti-inflammation in HUVECs, thus achieving anti-atherosclerosis effect.
Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; pharmacology ; Atherosclerosis ; pathology ; Cell Adhesion ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Endocannabinoids ; pharmacology ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Ethanolamines ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Indoles ; pharmacology ; Monocytes ; drug effects ; Oleic Acids ; pharmacology ; PPAR alpha ; antagonists & inhibitors ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2 ; antagonists & inhibitors ; genetics ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; pharmacology ; Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the effects of physical exercises on cardiac function and plasma N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels in hypertensive patients combined with diastolic cardiac dysfunction.MethodsA total of 66 essential hypertension patients who had abnormal left ventricular relaxation and normal systolic function were assigned to the intervention group ( n =33 ; doing physical exercises once a day,5 days a week) or control group (n =33 ).All the patients received standard treatment.At 6 months,body weight,blood pressure,heart rate,NT-proBNP,and echocardiography were measured.ResultsAt 6 months,body weight [ (68 ± 7 ) kg vs (72 ± 8 ) kg ],systolic blood pressure [ (135.4 ±5.1) mm Hg (1 mm Hg =0.133 kPa) vs (141.9 ±5.2) mm Hg ],diastolic blood pressure [ (81.1 ±4.0) mm Hg vs (84.7 ±4.6) mm Hg],New York Heart Association class (1.4 ±0.3 vs 1.8 ±0.4),NT-proBNP level [ (526 ± 126 ) ng/L vs (741 ± 189 ) ng/L] were significantly decreased in the intervention group when compared with the control group ( all P ＜ 0.05 ) although left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (62.9 ±6.7 vs 59.0 ±5.6) and E/A ratio ( 1.1 ±0.3 vs 0.9 ±0.3) were significantly increased ( both P ＜ 0.05).ConclusionPhysical exercises could play a role in reduced blood pressure and body weight and improved cardiac function in hypertensive patients with diastolic cardiac dysfunction.