OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of cyclopamine on the proliferation and apoptosis of LNCaP cells and the expression of the PCA3 gene in human prostate cancer in vitro.

METHODSLNCaP cells were treated with cyclopamine at the concentrations of 1, 5, 10 and 15 micromol/L for 24, 48 and 72 hours. The inhibitory effects of cyclopamine on the proliferation and apoptosis of the LNCaP cells were detected by MTT and flow cytometry respectively, the morphological changes of the cells observed by Hoechst 33258 staining, and the expression of the PCA3 gene determined by real-time fluorescence quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (FQ-RT-PCR).

RESULTSCompared with the blank control group, cyclopamine significantly inhibited the proliferation of the LNCaP cells at 5, 10 and 15 micromol/L (P <0.01), reaching IC50 at 10 micro mol/L at 48 hours. The apoptosis rates of the LNCaP cells at 24, 48 and 72 hours were 37.21%, 57.38% and 57.98% in the 10 micromol/L group and 21. 16% , 71.31% and 72.90% in the 15 micro.mol/L group, significantly different from those in the control (P <0. 01). The cell apoptosis showed a rising trend with the increase of cyclopamine concentration and acting-time, while the expression of the PCA3 gene was decreasing with the increased concentration of cyclopamine, significantly lower than that of the blank control group (P <0.01) , and extremely low in the 10 micromo/L group

CONCLUSIONCyclopamine intervention at 10 and 15 micromol/L for 48 and 72 hours could significantly inhibit the at all time points. Proliferation and induce the apoptosis of LNCaP cells and reduce the expression level of PCA3.

Antigens, Neoplasm ; genetics ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Humans ; Male ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; Veratrum Alkaloids ; pharmacology

Objective:To observe the clinical effects of acupuncture plus external medicine application for cervical radiculopathy.Methods:A total of 98 patients with cervical radiculopathy were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group based on the random digital table.The observation group (50 cases) was treated by acupuncture plus external medicine application and the control group (48 cases) was treated by acupuncture alone.The patients received the treatment every day.Ten sessions made a course.Cervical spondylosis symptom scale was used to assess the cases before and after the treatment.The clinical efficacy was compared between the two groups after the treatment.Results:The total effective rate was 98.1％ in the observation group versus 87.6％ in the control group with a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P＜0.05).The cure rate was 52.0％ in the observation group versus 18.8％ in the control group with a significant difference between the two groups (P＜0.05).There was no significant difference in the score of cervical spondylosis symptom scale between the two groups before the treatment (P＞0.05).It increased with a significant difference in both groups after the treatment (both P＜0.05),while a significant difference was found in the results between the two groups after the treatment (P＜0.05).Conclusion:Acupuncture plus external medicine application is more effective than acupuncture alone for treating cervical radiculopathy.The method also effectively improves the clinical symptoms.

OBJECTIVETo solve the problem of screw penetrating the joint surface easily by determining the angle of inclination and the mean longth screw plated on the posterior column.

METHODSTen specimens of adult male cadavers, aged 20 to 74 years old, averaged 54.5 years old, were collected. After removal of the bilateral femurs from the hip joints, and sawing through the sacral and pubic symphysis in the median sagittal plane, 20 semi pelvic specimens were used for this study when the osseous abnormalities were excluded. The specimens were air dried naturelly after the soft tissue attaching to the pelvis had been eliminated. The margin of superior acetabular and inferior acetabular were determined, and the serial cross-sections of the acetabular posterior column were made. The width of posterior column,the width of acetabulum,the width ratio of acetabulum to posterior column, the angle of inclination and the mean length of screw on all entry points were measured. Defined the level parallel to 1/2 section of superior acetabulum was cross-section B; 1/2 section of acetabulum was C; 1/2 section of inferior acettabulum was D. At the different levels, defined the entry point on the outer edge of posterior column of the acetabulum or the trailing edge of acetabulum was B0, C0 or D0; lateral 1/2 of posterior column of the acetabulum was B1, C1 or D1; 1/2 of posterior column of the acetabulum was B2, C2 or D2; medial 1/2 of posterior column of the acetabulum was B3, C3 or D3; the inner edge of posterior column of the acetabulum was B4,C4 or D4.

RESULTSOn cross-section B, the angle of inclination and the mean length of screw at B0 was 41 degrees and 44.0 mm; at B1 was 66 degrees and 42.2 mm; at B2 was 91 degrees and 59.5 mm; at B3 was 107 degrees and 64.0 mm; the maximum angle and the mean length at point B4 was 123 degrees and 65.5 mm; the minimum angle and the mean length at point B4 was 109 degrees and 59.0 mm. On cross-section C,the angle and the mean length at point CO was 39 degrees and 39.0 mm; at C1 was 57 degrees and 36.0 mm; at C2 was 74 degrees and 36.0 mm;at C3 was 90 degrees and 36.0 mm; at C4 was 106 degrees and 76.0 mm. On cross-section D,the angle and the mean length at DO was 42 degrees and 35.5 mm; at D1 was 61 degrees and 33.0 mm; at D2 was 81 degrees and 32.0 mm; at D3 was 100 degrees and 31.0 mm; at D4 was 120 degrees and 74.0 mm.

CONCLUSIONWhen using the fixation technique of acetabular posterior column plate, the angles of screw-posterior column are 40 degrees to 60 degrees, 60 degrees to 75 degrees, 75 degrees to 90 degrees and 90 degrees to the angle of parallel to the square area respectively on the region of outer 1/4,outer-middle 1/4,inner-middle 1/4 and inner 1/4 of the acetabulum region, and the screw length is 30 mm.

Acetabulum ; anatomy & histology ; injuries ; surgery ; Adult ; Aged ; Bone Plates ; Bone Screws ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; instrumentation ; Fractures, Bone ; surgery ; Humans ; Internal Fixators ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the causes and the prophylactic measures for the complications following correction of mandibular angle prominence.

METHODSFrom 1996 to 2001, a total of 203 patients with mandibular angle prominence underwent mandibular angle osteotomy.

RESULTSOf them, 9 patients had postoperative complications, which included bleeding, hematoma, infection, mental nerve injury, labia scar, asymmetry, and steep mandibular angle.

CONCLUSIONThe correction of mandibular angle prominence should be designed and performed precisely. Care must be taken to avoid severe complications like condyle fracture.

Cicatrix ; Facial Nerve Injuries ; etiology ; Female ; Hematoma ; etiology ; Humans ; Male ; Mandible ; surgery ; Osteotomy ; adverse effects ; Postoperative Complications ; Surgery, Plastic ; adverse effects ; Treatment Outcome

Fractional Flow Reserve, Myocardial ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; methods

OBJECTIVETo have a retrospective review of the patients undergoing anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) with clinical and radiological assessment, and observe changing of graft after procedure and assess correlation between graft collapse and recurrence of radiculopathy.

METHODSSixty-seven consecutive patients undergoing ALIF only at L(4 - 5) with autologous iliac crest graft for intervertebral disc prolapse were followed-up for an average of 14 (2.5 - 32) years. The effect of the fusion was examined by the existence of radiolucent lines and bony continuity on plain radiographs and tomographs, or mobility on flexion-extension radiographs. The disc height was also measured. Lower limb radiculopathy was assessed based on the symptom and examination. Paired samples t-test was used for statistical analysis.

RESULTSSixty-four patients with successful fusion were analyzed (fusion rate: 96%). All measurements in this study were completed by the same author, and the measurement error of more than 2 mm was statistically significant. According to this, graft collapse occurred in 55 patients (86%) and 9 patients (14%) had no graft collapse. In these 55 cases, the original disc height was (12.1 +/- 2.9) mm, increased immediately after the surgery to (16.2 +/- 1.9) mm, however re-narrowed to (12.9 +/- 2.7) mm at the first observation of solid fusion (a mean of 9 months, ranging from 5 to 14 months), which was not significant different compared to the original. There was no significant change in disc height after solid fusion and the disc space at the final follow-up was (12.6 +/- 2.3) mm. There was no radiculopathy observed in 52 cases (95%) during the follow-up.

CONCLUSIONDisc space re-narrowing was observed in most cases after single level ALIF of L(4 - 5), however it was rarely less than the initial and unlikely to result in recurrence of radiculopathy.

Adult ; Equipment and Supplies ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Low Back Pain ; surgery ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; surgery ; Lumbosacral Region ; diagnostic imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Radiography ; Recurrence ; Spinal Fusion ; methods ; Spinal Osteophytosis ; surgery ; Time Factors ; Transplantation, Autologous ; methods ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo explore the possibility of using distraction osteogenesis to repair skull defect.

METHODS17 goats with one year age were chosen randomly. The animals were divided to 3 groups. Group A includes 7 goats, a 3.0 cm x 2.2 cm rectangle skull defect is created on both sides of parietal area. Group B includes 5 goats, a 2.2 cm x 2.2 cm square skull defect was created on right side of parietal area. Group C includes 5 goats, a 3 cm x 1 cm rectangle skull defect was created on both sides of parietal area. Accordingly, different size of transport discs were created on right side of skull and the distraction apparatus is implanted. 3-D CT was done to measure the skull defect on group A. Biomechanical test was done on group B. Process of bone formation illustrated by histological stain, scan and transparent electric microscope was observed on group C.

RESULTSGroup A measured by 3-D CT showed that skull defect of experimental side have been repaired by distraction osteogenesis. There was definitely difference between experimental and control side (P < 0.01). Group B measured by biomechanical test showed no definitely difference between experimental and normal side (maximum load P = 0.235 > 0.05, rigidity P = 0.213 > 0.05). Group C showed that the process of bone formation was typical intramembranous.

CONCLUSIONSThe evidence showed that skull defect of goat can be repaired by distraction osteogenesis.

Animals ; Goats ; Osteogenesis, Distraction ; Skull ; pathology ; surgery

This study is to investigate the effect of emodin on inducing human myeloid leukemia cell line HL-60 apoptosis and the role of Akt signal pathway in the apoptosis. HL-60 cells were exposed to various dosages of emodin. MTT assay was used to detect HL-60 cell proliferation. Distribution of HL-60 cells in cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry and cell apoptosis was observed by MitoCapture apoptosis detection. The protein expressions of Akt signal pathway were detected by Western blotting. The result showed that emodin remarkably inhibited the cell proliferation. The IC50 value for 48 h treatment was about 20 micromol x L(-1). Apoptosis in HL-60 cells could be efficiently induced by emodin in a dose dependent manner and cells were arrested at G0/G1. The expressions of Akt, p-Akt, IkappaB-alpha, p-IkappaB-alpha, p65, p-p65, mTOR and p-mTOR in Akt signal pathway were downregulated after emodin treatment. It can be concluded that emodin could efficiently induce growth inhibition and apoptosis in HL-60 cells. Akt signal pathway may be involved in this process.
Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Emodin ; pharmacology ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans ; I-kappa B Proteins ; metabolism ; NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha ; Protein Kinases ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases ; Transcription Factor RelA ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo discuss feasibility of minimal-invasive surgical treatment of the pelvis fractures.

METHODSTwenty-six patients with pelvis fractures were treated by micro-surgical treatment. There were 15 male and 11 female with an average age of 40 years ranging from 20 to 62 years. All patients were closed fractures, 17 patients were hemi-pelvis fractures, 9 patients were bilateral-pelvis fractures. The fracture type of posterior ring of pelvis as follows:8 patients were sacro-iliac joint dislocation, 12 patients were vertical section fractures in the outboard of the sacrum. The fracture type of anterior ring of pelvis as follows: 9 patients were hemi-fracture of rami ossis pubisi or hemi-fracture of rami ischi, 7 patients were bilateral-fracture of rami ossis pubisi or bilateral-fracture of rami ischii, 6 patients were separation of symphysis pubis. Six patients accompanied with shock. Anterior ring of pelvis was fixation by lag screw via superior ramus of pubis and pubic symphysis; Posterior ring of pelvis was fixation by lag screw via sacroiliac joint or intrasacral rod via ilium. X-ray films and multi-slice spiral CT of pelvis was obtained in order to understand exterior and inner details about pelvis fractures. Adopt orientation in body and inducted by C-arm digital subtracting X-ray system when operating.

RESULTSBlood loss was about 10 to 50 ml (mean 30 ml). Operation time was 30 to 50 minutes. Time of fracture union was 8 to 12 weeks (mean 11 weeks). Wound infection, ununion of fracture and nerve injuries had not been found.

CONCLUSIONMinimally invasive operation has the merit of short operation time, fine effect, soon recovering and few complication.

Adult ; Bone Screws ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; Fractures, Bone ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Fractures, Closed ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Pelvic Bones ; diagnostic imaging ; injuries ; surgery ; Radiography

OBJECTIVETo access left ventricular global deformation abnormalities during low-dose dobutamine stress test (DSE) by three-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography(3D-STE)in patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS), and explore the diagnostic value of 3D-STE combined with DES for NSTE-ACS.

METHODSForty-nine patients with suspected NSTE-ACS underwent DSE and coronary angiography with an initial dobutamine dose of 5 µg·kg(-1)·min(-1), which was doubled at 3-min intervals to the peak dose of 20 µg·kg(-1)·min(-1). The global longitudinal strain (GLS), global circumferential strain (GCS), territory longitudinal strain (TLS), and territory circumferential strain (TCS) of the left ventricular subendocardial myocardium were measured with 3D-STE at rest and at the peak-dose stage. Conventional echocardiography and 3D-STE parameters and their changes during DSE were evaluated, and their diagnostic values were analyzed according to the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves.

RESULTSAll the patients completed DSE uneventfully and 3D-STE showed a good reproducibility of the results. Compared with patients with non-NSTE-ACS, NSTE-ACS patients showed obviously reduced resting left ventricular global deformation function especially in terms of circumferential deformation (P<0.05); the ROC curves for the parameters were similar between the two groups (P>0.05). During DSE, the global deformation differences between the two groups further increased (P<0.01), and the diagnostic values of the peak-dose stage parameters were significantly greater than those of the resting parameters. ROC curves analysis showed that TLS and TCS at peak-dose stage had the highest diagnostic value for NSTE-ACS.

CONCLUSION3D-STE combined with low-dose DSE is a safe and effective noninvasive technique for accessing and identifying NSTE-ACS, and DSE can significantly enhance the diagnostic value of 3D-STE.

Acute Coronary Syndrome ; diagnosis ; Coronary Angiography ; Echocardiography, Stress ; Echocardiography, Three-Dimensional ; Heart Ventricles ; pathology ; Humans ; Myocardium ; pathology ; ROC Curve ; Reproducibility of Results