OBJECTIVETo analysis the early complications of tibial fracture and its related factors, and propose a solution.

METHODSFrom December 2003 to December 2013,38 patients with early complications of tibial plateau fracture after operation were retrospectively analyzed. There were 35 males and 3 females, aged from 37 to 69 years old (averaged 42.3 years). According to Schatzker classification, 3 cases were classified as type II, 2 cases as type III, 2 cases as type IV, 19 cases as type V, 12 cases as type VI. The intervals between injury and operation ranged from 9 hours to 9 days, 26 cases within 3 days. Fifteen cases were treated with internal fixation of plates and 23 were treated by plate fixation and bone transplantation. Early complications included skin necrosis in 15 cases, infection in 6 cases, osteofascial compartment syndrome in 3 cases, common peroneal nerve injury in 2 cases, the superficial peroneal nerve injury in 3 cases, popliteal artery injury in 2 cases, loss of reduction in 7 cases.

RESULTSThe wound of 14 cases healed at the first stage and 24 cases healed delay. Hospitalization days ranged from 7 to 67 days (averaged 25.6 days). All patients were followed up for 12 to 36 months with an average of 16.4 months. The fracture healing time ranged from 3 to 9 months (averaged 6.9 months). According to Merchant knee function evaluation criteria, the results were excellent in 19 cases, good in 12, fair in 5 and poor in 2.

CONCLUSIONEarly complications of tibial fracture after operation is closely associated with the severe fracture complexity and related with preoperative preparation, surgical timing, operation incision selection and surgical technique. Early detection and timely processing reduce damage.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; therapy ; Tibial Fractures ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo clone a novel human testis-specific gene TDRG1.

METHODSA new contig of expression sequence tags (ESTs) Hs.180197 was identified from the testis libraries using digital differential display (DDD) to screen the novel human testis-specific gene. To validate the use of bioinformatics approaches in gene discovery, the ESTs Hs.180197, which was predicted to be testis specific, was chosen for further study. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed on different normal tissues to identify the expression of Hs.180197 in human testis. Using bioinformatics methods and IMAGE cloning of this contig, the full-length cDNA sequence of the noval human gene was cloned.

RESULTSThis novel gene was 1197 bp in length, located in chromosome 6p21.1-p21.2. The sequence of the open reading frame was 504-806 bp, as confirmed by RT-PCR and sequencing in human testis. The cDNA encodes a novel protein of 100 amino acids with a theoretical molecular weight of 10 000 and isoelectric point of 6.81. The sequence shares no significant homology with any known protein in the databases. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis of multiple tissues further showed that the novel gene was expressed specifically in adult human testis. Considering a possible relation of this novel gene with the function of human testis, we named this new gene TDRG1 (testis development related gene 1, GenBank accession number: DQ168992).

CONCLUSIONDDD combined with laboratory validation is an efficient method for identifying new human functional genes.

Adult ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA, Complementary ; genetics ; Databases, Genetic ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Homeodomain Proteins ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Organ Specificity ; Proteins ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sequence Alignment ; Testis ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo explore the mutation and amplification of RIT1 gene and their correlation with carcinogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODSThe polymerase chain reactioindirect sequencing method was used for detecting the mutations in the sequence of all 6 exons in the RIT1 gene of 50 HCC tissues and paratumor tissues. And the amplification of RIT1 gene was examined by fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction method.

RESULTSA nucleotide 241 G --> C substitution in exon 5 of RIT1 gene was detected in one patient's HCC tissue, but not in paratumor tissue; this 241 G --> C substitution leads to Glu81Gln amino acid alteration in the conservative domain binding GTP. A nucleotide G --> C substitution in 5'-UTR (-21 bp from initial codon) was detected in all of the 50 HCC tissues and paratumor tissues, and 2- to 297-fold amplification of RIT1 gene was detected in 11 of 43 qualified cases, the amplification frequency being 25.6%.

CONCLUSIONGene amplification is one of the main activating ways of RIT1 gene in HCC, and its amplification might be correlated with HCC carcinogenesis, while point mutation might be not.

Adult ; Aged ; Base Sequence ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; genetics ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; DNA, Neoplasm ; chemistry ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Amplification ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; genetics ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Point Mutation ; ras Proteins ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association of the NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) C609T polymorphism with susceptibility to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in a northern Chinese population.

METHODSThe NQO1 C609T genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphisms (PCR-RFLP) analysis in 193 patients with ESCC and 141 unrelated healthy controls.

RESULTSThe frequency of the T allele (null) among ESCC patients was significantly higher than that among healthy controls (Chi-square=4.86, P=0.028). The NQO1 C/C and C/T genotype distribution among ESCC patients was not significantly different from that among healthy controls (Chi-square= 2.27 and 0.127; P=0.132 and 0.721, respectively). However, the T/T genotype frequency among ESCC patients was significantly higher than that among healthy controls (Chi-square=4.39, P=0.036). The NQO1 T/T genotype significantly increased the risk for developing ESCC, compared to the combination of C/C and C/T genotypes, with the adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 1.81 (95%CI: 1.04-3.15). This increased susceptibility exhibited pronouncedly in patients with family history of upper gastrointestinal cancers (adjusted OR=2.22, 95%CI 1.18-4.17).

CONCLUSIONDetermination of the NQO1 C609T genotype may be used as a stratification marker to predicate high-risk individuals for ESCC.

Esophageal Neoplasms ; genetics ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Humans ; NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone) ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Genetic

The genus Ephedra of the Ephedraceae family contains more than 60 species of nonflowering seed plants distributed throughout Asia, America, Europe, and North Africa. These Ephedra species have medicinal, ecological, and economic value. This review aims to summarize the chemical constituents and pharmacological activities of the Ephedra species to unveil opportunities for future research. Comprehensive information on the Ephedra species was collected by electronic search (e.g., GoogleScholar, Pubmed, SciFinder, and Web of Science) and phytochemical books. The chemical compounds isolated from the Ephedra species include alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, polysaccharides, and others. The in vitro and in vivo pharmacological studies on the crude extracts, fractions and few isolated compounds of Ephedra species showed anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antibacterial, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, anti-obesity, antiviral, and diuretic activities. After chemical and pharmacological profiling, current research is focused on the antibacterial and antifungal effects of the phenolic acid compounds, the immunosuppressive activity of the polysaccharides, and the antitumor activity of flavonoids.
Animals ; Anti-Infective Agents ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Antioxidants ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Antiviral Agents ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Ephedra ; chemistry ; Humans

OBJECTIVE: To understand and analyze the rules of endurance exercise on the cerebral cortex adaptive mechanism in aged rats. METHODS: In this study, 3-month-old (n=20), 13-month-old (n=24) and 23-month-old (n=24) specific-pathogen free (SPF) male Sprague-Dawley Rat (SD) rats were divided into young (Y-SED), middle-aged (M-SED) and old-aged (O-SED) sedentary control group, and the corresponding Y-EX, M-EX and O-EX in the endurance exercise runner group. The 10-weeks of regular moderate-intensity aerobic exercise intervention were carried out in the endurance exercise runner group. The exercise mode is treadmill exercise (slope 0), and the exercise intensity gradually increases from 60%～65% of the maximum oxygen consumption (V·O) to 70%～75%, and the exercise time is 10 weeks. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining was used to detect age-related morphological changes. The expressions of superoxide dismutase(SOD) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and the expressions of synapsin 1 (SYN1) and Ca/calmodulin- dependent protein kinases IIα (CaMK IIα) / AMP-activated protein kinase α1(AMPKα1) / mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway -related genes were detected. RESULTS: The cerebral cortex structure of the rats in each group showed age-related aging changes, the expression of SOD in the cortex showed a gradual decline, the expression of BDNF showed an age-increasing trend, and the expression levels of SYN1 and CaMK IIα were increased with age. The changes in AMPKα1 and SirT2 and IP3R, AKT1 and mTOR mRNA levels were increased slightly in middle-aged rats and decreased in aged rats. Compared with the rats in each sedentary control group, the nucleus of the cerebral cortex was tightly arranged and the number of nuclei observed under the microscope was increased significantly in each exercise group. Exercise promoted the expressions of SOD, BDNF and synaptophysin SYN1 in the cortex of rats, and the expression levels of SOD and BDNF in aged rats were up-regulated significantly (P＜ 0.01). The expression level of SYN1 in rats was up-regulated significantly (P＜0.05) in the young and aged rats. The expression of CaMK IIα in the cortex of middle-aged and aged rats was up-regulated (P＜0.01), while the expression level of CaMK IIα in young rats was down-regulated (P＜0.01). Exercise could up-regulate the expression level of AMPKα1 in the cortex of young rats (P＜ 0.05), but not in middle-aged and old-age rats. Exercise could up-regulate the expression of SirT2 in the cortex of rats in all age groups (P＜0.05). Exercise up-regulated the expression of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (IP3R)/ protein kinase B 1(AKT1) /mTOR in the cortex of rats, among which young IP3R was significantly up-regulated (P＜0.01) in the young group, mTOR was significantly up-regulated in young and middle-aged group (P＜0.01), and mTOR was also significantly up-regulated in the aged group (P＜0.05). CONCLUSION Endurance exercise up-regulates BDNF expression, regulates CaMKIIα signaling, activates AMPK signaling pathway and IP3R / AKT1 / mTOR signaling pathway, and improves synaptic plasticity in the cortex.
Age Factors ; Animals ; Cerebral Cortex ; physiology ; Male ; Neuronal Plasticity ; Physical Conditioning, Animal ; Physical Endurance ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Signal Transduction

This study investigated the effects of Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction on myocardial metabolites in a rat model of coronary heart disease with heart blood stasis syndrome and explored the therapeutic mechanism of blood circulation-promoting and blood stasis-removing therapy. SD rats were randomly divided into a sham operation group, a model group, a Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction group(14.04 g·kg~(-1)), and a trimetazidine group(5.4 mg·kg~(-1)). The sham operation group underwent thread insertion without ligation, while the other groups underwent coronary artery left anterior descending branch ligation to induce a model of coronary heart disease with heart blood stasis syndrome. Three days after modeling, drug intervention was performed, and samples were taken after 14 days of intervention. General conditions were observed, and electrocardiogram and cardiac ultrasound indices were measured. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining and Masson staining were used to observe tissue pathological morphology. The enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was used to measure the levels of triglyceride(TG) and total cholesterol(TC) in the serum. Ultra high performance liquid chromatography-quantitative exactive-mass spectrometry(UHPLC-QE-MS) technology was used to screen differential metabolites in myocardial tissue and conduct metabolic pathway enrichment analysis. The results showed that Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction significantly improved the general condition of the model rats, reduced heart rate and ST segment elevation in the electrocardiogram, increased left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF) and left ventricular fractional shortening(LVFS), and decreased left ventricular internal diameter in diastole(LVIDd) and left ventricular internal diameter in systole(LVIDs). HE staining and Masson staining showed that Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction effectively alleviated myocardial tissue structural disorders, inflammatory cell infiltration, and collagen fiber deposition in the model rats. ELISA results showed that Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction effectively regulated serum TG and TC levels in the model rats. There were significant differences in the metabolic phenotypes of myocardial samples in each group. Fourteen differential metabolites were identified in the Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction group, involving five metabolic pathways, including arginine and proline metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, ether lipid metabolism, and alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism. Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction improved cardiac function and myocardial structural damage in the rat model of coronary heart disease with heart blood stasis syndrome, and its biological mechanism involved the regulation of lipid metabolism, choline metabolism, amino acid metabolism, energy metabolism, and protein synthesis pathways.
Rats ; Animals ; Stroke Volume ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Ventricular Function, Left ; Coronary Disease/drug therapy* ; Metabolomics

There is no doubt that the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) is effective, practical and scientific after it was used for thousands of years. However, the mechanisms of action of many TCM are still unclear because of their multi-component, multi-target and multi-level features, which hinder the modernization and internationalization of the TCM. Proteomics is to analyze the composition and activity of intracellular proteins which are changing dynamically from a holistic perspective. It is consistent with the holistic and dynamic views of the TCM and brings about the hope of clarifying the mechanism of action of the TCM. In recent years, great progress has been made in the application of proteomics to determine the mechanism of the TCM. This article introduced the core technologies of proteomics and systematically summarized the applications of proteomics in the study of the mechanism of the Chinese medicinal formulae, single Chinese medicine and monomeric compounds from the TCM to provide innovative ideas and methods for reference.