OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical results after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair using a suture-bridge technique in late middle-aged adults.

METHODSA retrospective analysis of 30 patients with rotator cuff tears, who were treated consecutively between December 2012 and December 2013 at our clinic, was carried out to evaluate the outcome of arthroscopic suture-bridge technique. The visual analogue scale (VAS), the range of motion (ROM), the rating scale of the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), and the shoulder index of the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) were determined as the evaluation criteria.

RESULTSThe mean follow-up period was 13 months. The follow-up rate was 100%. The study included 0 small, 16 medium, 12 large and 2 massive rotator cuff tears. At the latest follow-up, the VAS score decreased significantly from preoperative 6.3±3.2 to 0.8±1.4 at rest,and from preoperative 7.7±2.1 to 1.7±1.6 during motion. The UCLA score improved significantly from 15.1±4.6 preoperatively to 31.2±5.0 at follow-up. The ASES shoulder index improved significantly from 30.2±16.0 preoperatively to 80.4±13.0 at follow-up. The ROM improved significantly. The satisfactory rate was 94%. There were no complications.

CONCLUSIONThe results of this study indicate that the arthroscopic suture-bridge technique is an effective and reliable treatment for patients with rotator cuff tear in late middle-aged adults.

Age Factors ; Aged ; Arthroscopy ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Rotator Cuff ; surgery ; Suture Techniques

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of EPHA2 in regulating apoptosis, proliferation and vasculogenic mimicry of osteosarcoma cells, by gene silencing through RNA interference.

METHODSEPHA2-siRNA plasmids were achieved by gene cloning. The plasmids were transfected into human osteosarcoma cells (MG63). The expression level of EPHA2 protein was measured by Western blotting. The proliferation, apoptosis and vasculogenic mimicry features of osteosarcoma MG63cells were assessed by light microscopy, MTIP assay, flow cytometry, annexin V-FITC/PI and HE staining, respectively.

RESULTSThe EPHA2-siRNA plasmid was confirmed by DNA sequencing. After treatment with Sequence-specific siRNA targeted EPHA2, the protein level of the transfected group decreased significantly. As compared to non-siRNA transfected cells, the transfected group showed lower proliferation, higher and earlier apoptosis and less osteosarcoma-generated vasculogenic mimicry.

CONCLUSIONEPHA2 gene may be involoved in apoptosis and proliferation of osteosarcoma cells, and may be necessary for vasculogenic mimicry. Down-regulation of EPHA2 expression by sequence-specific siRNA may be considered as a new option in the treatment of EPHA2 over-expressing cancer including osteosarcoma in future.

Apoptosis ; Bone Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Humans ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; pathology ; Osteosarcoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Plasmids ; RNA Interference ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics ; Receptor, EphA2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo explore the role of monitoring sex chromosome chimeric status by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in the identification of leukemic extramedullary relapse and post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) in acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT).

METHODSSix ALL patients who received sex-mismatched allo-HSCT and manifested extravisceral lymphadenectasis or local lump were investigated. The sex chromosome chimeric status in tumor tissues and bone marrows (BM) were monitored by FISH, and EBV-RNA in the tumor tissues were detected by in situ hybridization (ISH).

RESULTSThe sex chromosomes in BM of all 6 patients were 100% donor-derived. Among the sex chromosome chimeric status of tumor tissues, three patients were mainly recipient-derived, and the percentage of sex chromosomes derived from recipients were 100%, 100% and 98.0%, respectively, and then they were diagnosed leukemic extramedullary relapse. The other 3 patients were donor-derived, the percentage was 98.5%, 96.0% and 91.5%, respectively, and were diagnosed PTLD. EBV-RNA and latent membrane protein (LMP-1) were positive in 2 patients with PTLD and negative in the other 4 patients. One patient with extramedullary relapse obtained partial remission, one with PTLD gained complete remission, and the others died eventually after therapy.

CONCLUSIONMonitoring the sex chromosome chimeric status by FISH is an effective method to distinguish leukemic extramedullary relapse from PTLD in ALL received sex-mismatched donor HSCT.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; methods ; Lymphoproliferative Disorders ; pathology ; surgery ; Male ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; pathology ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Recurrence ; Sex Chromosomes ; genetics ; physiology ; Transplantation Conditioning ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVEThis review discusses the experimental and clinical studies those show the expression of connexin 36 in the central nervous system and the possible role of connexin 36 in epileptic seizure.

DATA SOURCESAll articles used in this review were mainly searched from PubMed published in English from 1996 to 2012.

STUDY SELECTIONOriginal articles and reviews were selected if they were related to the expression of connexin 36 in the central nervous system and its role in epilepsy.

RESULTSThe distribution of connexin 36 is developmentally regulated, cell-specific and region-specific. Connexin 36 is involved in some neuronal functions and epileptic synchronization. Changes in the connexin 36 gene and protein were accompanied by seizures. Selective gap junction blockers have exerted anticonvulsant actions in a variety of experiments examined in both humans and experimental animals.

CONCLUSIONSConnexin 36 plays an important role in both physiological and pathological conditions in the central nervous system. A better understanding of the role of connexin 36 in seizure activity may contribute to the development of new therapeutic approaches to treating epilepsy.

Animals ; Central Nervous System ; metabolism ; Connexins ; metabolism ; Gap Junctions ; metabolism ; Humans ; Seizures ; metabolism

Electroencephalography ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperbilirubinemia, Neonatal ; physiopathology ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain ; physiopathology ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Newborn, Diseases ; physiopathology ; Male ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of a new biomaterial in promoting the bone regeneration for repairing critical-size cranial defects in SD rats.

METHODSCritical-size cranial defects were induced in 3-month-old male Sprague-Dawley rats and repaired with the implants of calcium phosphate from growth factor enhanced matrix 21 (CaPfromGEM21, control), CaPfromGEM21 preloaded with 10 ng bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2), CaPfromGEM21 preloaded with 100 ng BMP-2, CaPfromGEM21 preloaded with 0.3 µg platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB), or CaPfromGEM21 preloaded with 3 µg PDGF-BB. The defects were examined 6 weeks after the surgery with X-ray, micro-CT, HE staining and quantitative assessments.

RESULTSX-ray showed defect repair in all the groups. The fracture line became obscure, and the defects were almost fully repaired by the regenerated bone tissues in PDGF-BB group. Micro-CT demonstarted new bone formation in the defects. The new bone volume was significantly greater in PDGF-BB groups than in BMP-2 groups (P<0.05). HE staining revealed the presence of new bones in the defects and new vessels in and around the new bones without inflammatory cells. The new bone area fraction was significantly greater in 10 ng BMP-2 group and 0.3 µg PDGF-BB group than in the control group (P<0.05), and the new vessel density was similar in the all the 4 cytokine-preloaded groups and all significantly greater than that in the blank and CaPfromGEM21 control group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONCaPfromGem21 combined with BMP-2 or PDGF-BB has good biocompatibility and can better promote bone regeneration for repairing bone defects.

Animals ; Biocompatible Materials ; Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 ; pharmacology ; Bone Regeneration ; drug effects ; Calcium Phosphates ; pharmacology ; Male ; Prostheses and Implants ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Skull ; pathology ; Wound Healing

Objective To study midterm curative effect of domestic drug eluting coronary stent in treatment of left main (LM) lesion.Method From April 2004 to September 2005,totally 32 patients with LM lesion received percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) without protection.Thirty-nine coronary stents (Firebird, Microport,Shanghai) were implanted.One stent was used when the lesion only involved the opening or the middle portion of the LM branch.If the bifurcation was involved,the stenosis was treated considering the following factors: the diameter of left main,left anterior descending (LAD) and the left circumflex branch (LCX);whether there was stenosis of the opening of circumflex branch.Methods included"T"stent,stent pass though the opening of circumflex branch and kissing stents.All patients were followed at 1,6 and 12 months after discharge.Coronary angiography of patients was performd at 5 months after discharge.Central necrosis,restenosis,target vessel reconstructive rate (TVR) and target lesion reconstructive rate (TLR) were analyzed.Results Most LM lesion involved bifurcation (53.1%).Treatment for bifurcation included"T"stent in 47% patients,stent passing through the opening of LCX in 35.3 %.No restenosis occurred in lesion involving the opening or middle portion of the LM during follow-up.The 62.3% patients received coronary angiography.Angiography showed 5% of restenosis rate,5% TLR,10% TVR and 6.3% central necrosis rate.Conclusions Drug eluting stent implantation in low risk unprotective left main lesion may achieve satisfactory clinical results.

AIM: To observe thickness and morphological changes of bulbar conjunctiva pre- and post epidemic hemorrhagic conjunctivitis ( EHC ) therapy by optical coherence tomography ( OCT) .
METHODS: Observed morphological changes and measured the bulbar conjunctiva thicknesses of 29 cases (36 eyes) of incipient (1-2d) EHC patients, who were received and treated by department of ophthalmology, the Putuo Affiliated Hospital of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from May 2013 to December 2013, by OCT. Then measured the thickness again on 7, 14d after the therapy.
RESULTS: Among 29 patients (36 eyes), 7d after the EHC therapy, in 27 cured eyes, the full-thickness ( before 344. 00±59. 91μm, after 230. 19±22. 16μm, t=11. 75, P<0-01); epithelial thickness ( before 56. 52±6. 19μm, after 51. 37±5. 53μm, t=4. 61, P<0. 01); and stromal thickness (before 287. 11±60. 56μm, after 178. 81±20. 20μm, t=10. 69, P<0. 01) of patients' bulbar conjunctiva were thicker than values measured after therapy with significant difference. Significant difference was also found for full-thickness ( before 361. 39±65. 56μm, after 233. 44±22. 57μm, the difference was statistically significant, t=14. 45, P<0. 01);epithelial thickness ( before 55. 50±6. 72μm, after 46. 67±5-24μm, t=10. 06, P<0. 01) and stromal thickness ( before 305. 61±66. 02μm, after 186. 78±21. 82μm, t=13. 11, P<0-01 ) of patients' bulbar conjunctiva between values measured before and 14d after therapy.
CONCLUSION: The OCT is able to measure the thickness of bulbar conjunctiva in EHC patients. An significant increase was found in full, epithelial and stromal thickness of EHC patients' bulbar conjunctiva. With recovery from the disease, subepithelial fluid, interlaminar fluid and edema of the bulbar conjunctival stroma faded away firstly, which provide references for clinical therapies of the EHC.

Objective To investigate the clinical factors influencing survival prognosis in patients with supratentorial malignant glioma (MG). Methods A total of 194 patients with MG,admitted to our hospital from January 2004 to December 2009, were chosen in our study; anaplastic astrocytoma (AA) was noted in 120 patients and glioblastoma multiforme (GB) was noted in 74 patients.Their survival status was followed-up.Survival related statistics were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method,and differences between survival curves were analyzed by the log-rank test.The interaction of each prognostic factor and their effect on overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were analyzed with the Cox proportional hazards model. Results The median PFS and OS in AA patients were 18 and 21 months,and those in GB patients were 10 and 12 months.When PFS and OS were used as endpoints,AA patients lived longer than GB ones, while patients ≤ 40 years old lived longer than those ＞40 years old; patients with Karnofsky performance status (KPS) scored 80-100 had longer survival than those with KPS scored 60-70; patients with preoperative seizure enjoyed the same situation as compared with those without preoperative seizure. Both univariate and multivariate Cox analyses confirmed that independent influencing factors were age,KPS scores,grade of pathology and appearance of preoperative seizure; patients with young age, high KPS scores, low grade of pathology and preoperative seizure had longer PFS and OS than those without. Conclusion Young age,high KPS scores,low grade of pathology and preoperative seizure are protective prognostic factors in patients with MG,while gender,tumor size,tumor location,and extent of resection have no prognostic significance; the prognostic significance of contrast - enhancing is uncertain.

Adult ; Aged ; Anthracosis ; diagnostic imaging ; therapy ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage ; Humans ; Lung ; diagnostic imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Radiography