BACKGROUND:Studies have shown that percutaneous pedicle screw internal fixation in repair of single segment of thoracolumbar fracture can overcome quadrilateral effect, get better biomechanical properties, meanwhile, it also can provide three-point fixation, reduce suspension effect, and reduce the formation of kyphosis. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical efficacy and incidence of complications of the percutaneous pedicle screw internal fixation for treatment of single segment thoracolumbar fractures. METHODS:Totaly 36 patients with single segment thoracolumbar fractures treated by percutaneous pedicle screw internal fixation were enroled. A total of 36 vertebral bodies were treated: T11=5, T12=8, L1=17, L2=6. The visual analog scale scores before treatment and at 3, 6 and 12 months after treatment, the Oswestry disability indexes before treatment, at the first week and at the 12th month after treatment, the Cobb angle before treatment, the first day and at the 12th month after treatment were compared and observed. The incidence of complications was recorded. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The visual analog scale scores at 3, 6 and 12 months after treatment was significantly lower than those before treatment (P < 0.001). The Oswestry disability indexes before treatment, at the first week and at the 12th month after treatment were significantly lower those that before treatment (P < 0.001).The Cobb angle before treatment, at the first day and at the 12th month after treatment was significantly smaler than that before treatment (P < 0.001). Only three (8%) patients had complications, including pedicle screw penetrating pedicle into the spinal canal, pedicle screws loosing and the infection in puncture site. These results suggest that percutaneous pedicle screw internal fixation for treatment of single segment thoracolumbar fractures can correct kyphosis, improve the thoracolumbar motion, quickly relieve patient’s back pain, and the incidence of complications is low.

BACKGROUND: It is stil controversial about whether percutaneous vertebroplasty can be as an option for treatment of non-osteoporotic single-segmental vertebral traumatic compression fractures. OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of percutaneous vertebroplasty in repair of non-osteoporotic single-segmental vertebral traumatic compression fractures. METHODS: Total y 20 patients who underwent percutaneous vertebroplasty in repair of non-osteoporotic single-segmental vertebral traumatic compression fractures between March 2010 and January 2013 were col ected. The variation of visual analog scale scores and the Oswestry disability index scores of patients was observed before and after the repair. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) The visual analog scale scores and the Oswestry disability index scores of patients were significantly reduced after repair compared with those before repair, moreover, the visual analog scale scores and the Oswestry disability index scores of patients at the 3, 6, 12 and 18 months after repair were similar. (2) Al patients had no adverse effects and complications. (3) These results suggest that percutaneous vertebroplasty in repair of non-osteoporotic single-segmental vertebral traumatic compression fractures quickly relieves back pain and improves the actives of thoracolumbar segments.

Objective:To investigate the role of Caveolin (Cav-3)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway in reduction of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury by morphine preconditioning in rats with chronic heart failure.Methods:Clean-grade healthy adult male Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 200-250 g, were used in this study.Chronic heart failure was induced by ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery for 6 weeks.Thirty-six Langendorff-perfused hearts with chronic heart failure were divided into 4 groups ( n=9 each) by a random number table method: myocardial I/R group (group IR), morphine preconditioning group (group MP), morphine preconditioning plus methyl-β-cyclodextrin group (group MP+ MβCD), and methyl-β-cyclodextrin group (group MβCD). Global myocardial I/R was induced by 30 min ischemia followed by 120 min reperfusion.In group MP, after 15 min of equilibration, hearts were subjected to 3 cycles of 5 min perfusion with K-H solution containing 1 μmol/L morphine for preconditioning followed by 5 min perfusion with K-H solution, 30 min in total, and after the end of treatment, hearts were subjected to 30 min ischemia followed by 120 min reperfusion.In group MP+ MβCD, hearts were perfused with K-H solution containing 200 μmol/L methyl-β-cyclodextrin at 10 min before preconditioning with morphine, and the other treatments were similar to those previously described in group MP.In group MβCD, hearts were perfused with K-H solution containing 200 μmol/L methyl-β-cyclodextrin at 40 min before ischemia, and the other treatments were similar to those previously described in group IR.At the end of 15 min of equilibration (T 0) and 5 and 10 min of reperfusion (T 1, 2), coronary outflow was collected for determination of actate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity by chemical colorimetry.Myocardial infarct size (IS) and area at risk (AAR) were measured, and IS/AAR was calculated at the end of 120 min reperfusion.Myocardial tissues of left ventricle were taken to detect the expression of Cav-3, ERK1/2 and phosphorylated ERK1/2 (p-ERK1/2) by Western blot, and p-ERK1/2/ERK1/2 ratio was calculated. Results:Compared with group IR, IS, IS/AAR and LDH activity in coronary outflow were significantly decreased, the expression of Cav-3 was up-regulated, and p-ERK1/2/ERK1/2 ratio was increased in group MP ( P<0.05). Compared with group MP, IS, IS/AAR and LDH activity in coronary outflow were significantly increased, the expression of Cav-3 was down-regulated, and p-ERK1/2/ERK1/2 ratio was decreased in group MP+ MβCD ( P<0.05). Conclusions:The mechanism by which morphine preconditioning reduces I/R injury may be related to activation of Cav-3/ERK signaling pathway in rats with chronic heart failure.

Due to the insufficient long-term protection and significant efficacy reduction to new variants of current COVID-19 vaccines, the epidemic prevention and control are still challenging. Here, we employ a capsid and antigen structure engineering (CASE) strategy to manufacture an adeno-associated viral serotype 6-based vaccine (S663V-RBD), which expresses trimeric receptor binding domain (RBD) of spike protein fused with a biological adjuvant RS09. Impressively, the engineered S663V-RBD could rapidly induce a satisfactory RBD-specific IgG titer within 2 weeks and maintain the titer for more than 4 months. Compared to the licensed BBIBP-CorV (Sinopharm, China), a single-dose S663V-RBD induced more endurable and robust immune responses in mice and elicited superior neutralizing antibodies against three typical SARS-CoV-2 pseudoviruses including wild type, C.37 (Lambda) and B.1.617.2 (Delta). More interestingly, the intramuscular injection of S663V-RBD could overcome pre-existing immunity against the capsid. Given its effectiveness, the CASE-based S663V-RBD may provide a new solution for the current and next pandemic.