Objective To investigate the efficacy of the clinical pathway in geriatric orthope-dics clinical teaching. Methods From March 2010 to December 2011, 80 clinical undergraduates, who practiced in the Department of Orthopedics in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medi-cal University, were equally randomized divided into two groups. One group was taught by the con-ventional methods and the other group was taught by the clinical pathway teaching. After the teaching, the theoretical exam and operational skill test were performed among students in both groups. SPSS 17.0 software was employed and the scores before and after the teaching and scores between two groups was analyzed by paired t-test(inspection level α=0.05). Results There was no significant difference in average scores between two groups before teaching(theoretical exam: P=0.81, operating skill test:P=0.65) while significant increases were observed in scores of theoretical exam and operational skill test after teaching (theoretical exam and operating skill test: P<0.05) and clinical pathway teaching group had higher scores than conventional teaching group (theoretical exam and operating skill test:P=0.02 and P=0.01). Conclusions Better effects can be achieved by clinical pathway approach re-garding geriatric orthopedics teaching.

Objective To study the expression and its clinical significance of Oct4 in prostate cancer.Methods The Oct4 mRNA expression levels in 2 normal prostate (NP) samples and 8 prostate cancer (Pca) samples were determined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis.The Oct4 protein expression levels in 10 NP samples,10 benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) samples and 45 Pca samples were detected by immunohisochemical analysis.Results The relative expression levels of Oct4 mRNA were 0.91,0.76,0.66,0.63,0.55,0.50,0.48,0.42 in 8 Pca samples and 0 in 2 NP samples,respectively.The positive rates of Oct4 protein expression was higher in Pca tissues than in NP and BPH tissues (91.1％ vs.0.0％,91.1％ vs.0.0％,both P＜0.05).The level of Oct4 protein was increased with higher hostologic grade and clinical stage of prostate cancer.The strong positive rates of Oct4 expression were 72.7％ and 30.0％ in Pca tissues with and without lymph node metastasis respectively,and there was a significant difference in the strong positive rate between them (P＜0.05).Conclusions The Oct4 expression is closely related to the differentiation and invasion of tumor.Oct4 might be an important index for the prognosis of prostate cancer.

Objective To compare the impacts of sustained and intermittent gradient pressure on perfusion disorders and myofiber injuries and to explore the mechanism by which intermittent gradient pressure helps treat deep tissue injury (DTI). MethodsTwenty Sprague-Dawley rats 10-12 weeks old were randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group.The tibialis anterior muscles of the experimental group received intermittent fluctuating pressure at 8.0-21.3 kPa while the control group received sustained pressure at 13.3 kPa.The contralateral notpressed muscles served as healthy controls.The experiment was terminated after 3 cycles of compression where each cycle involved 2 h of compression and 30 min of conpression release.The general condition of the rats'skin and muscles in the compressed region were observed and laser doppler perfusion imaging was used to detect blood perfusion of the skin of the compressed leg after 3 cycles of compression.Any pathomorphological changes in the tibialis anterior muscles of the compressed region were observed by phosphotungstic acid hematoxylin (PTAH) staining. Results Blood perfusion of the skin and muscle in the control group was significantly less than in the experimental group after compression,and blood flow velocity increased with time in both groups.However,perfusion was significantly more extensive in the experimental group.PTAH staining showed that muscle injury in the experimental group was significantly less severe than in the control group. ConclusionCompared to the sustained pressure,intermittent pressure cause significantly less severe DTI by reducing compression-induced ischemia and hypoxia.

Objective To evaluate the feasibility, safety and efficacy of percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) for osteoporotic compression fracture of the upper thoracic spine.Methods The study enrolled 20 patients with osteoporotic compression fracture in 25 upper thoracic segments.The subjects (5 males and 15 females) aged at (71.0 ± 10.8) years (range, 57-89 years).Fracture occurred in 2 T1, 3 T2,5 T3 and 15 T4 segments.The subjects were submitted to puncture process via unilateral extrapedicular approach.Operation time, volume of infused bone cement, X-ray images and CT scan were recorded after operation.Visual analogue score (VAS), mobility score and Oswestry disability index (ODI) were assessed after operation.Results The procedure was successfully accomplished in all patients.Mean operation time was (39.7 ± 10.6)min.Infusion volume of bone cement was 2.0-6.0 ml [(3.3 ± 1.5)ml].Eighteen patients were available to the follow-up of 5.5-18 months [(7.6 ± 2.7) months].Three patients (15％) were associated with cement leakage into the epidural (n =1), paravertebral soft tissues (n =1) and disc (n =1) but remained asymptomatic.One patient (5％) had new fracture at the non-adjacent and non-operative segments within 15 days, and had no recurrence after PVP.No other serious complications such as rib fracture, pneumothorax, pulmonary embolism, vascular injury, spinal injury and infection were found.VAS, mobility score and ODI improved at 3 d, 1 month, 3 months and final follow-up compared to those at 1 d pre-operation (P ＜0.O1).Conclusions PVP is a safe and effective treatment for upper thoracic osteoporotic compression fracture, which is associated with few complications,reduced pain and improved mobility as well as quality of life.Rational surgical position and puncture approach are beneficial to a successful surgery.

Objective To evaluate the feasibility, safety, and clinical outcome in patients with cervical spondylotic radiculopathy underwent cervical nerve root decompression using the anterior percutaneous endoscopic surgery.Methods Eleven subjects consisting of 6 men and 5 women treated from July 2012 to December 2013 were enrolled in the study.Mean age was 42.1 years (range, 27 to 63 years).All were diagnosed to be unilateral single-segment injury involving C3/4 in 1 case, C4/5 in 2 cases, C5/6 in 6 cases and C6/7 in 2 cases.Because of unsatisfactory results 6 week following the non-operative treatment, the patients were operated on using the anterior percutaneous endoscopic osteophyte removal and nerve root decompression.Operation time, postoperative complications, visual analogue scale (VAS) and modified Macnab scale were recorded.Results Operation time was (102.5 ± 21.3) min (range, 80-140 min).Nine patients were followed up for 12 months and no complications were noted.VAS improved significantly at postoperative 3 days and 1, 3, 6, as well as 12 months compared to the preoperative value (P ＜ 0.01).Modified Macnab scale presented great improvement at postoperative 3 and 12 months compared to the preoperative value (P ＜ 0.01).Conclusion The technique is reliable and effective in treatment of cervical spondylotic radiculopathy.

Objective To evaluate the safety,feasibility,and clinical outcome of anterior percutaneous endoscopic cervical discectomy (PECD).Methods The study involved 28 patients undergone PECD.Visual analogue scale (VAS) and MacNab scale were recorded before operation and at 3 days,1,3,6,12 and 18 months after operation.In addition,MRI examination was conducted at postoperative l month,3 months and 12 months.After data collection,single-factor T test with SAS software was performed.Results Follow-up (range,18-24 months,mean 19 months) was achieved in 25 patients.When compared to the preoperative score,VAS and MacNab scale presented improvement at postoperative 3 days (P ＞ 0.05) and great improvement at postoperative 1,3,6,12,18 and 24 months (P ＜ 0.01).VAS and MacNab scale at postoperative 3 days presented statistical differences as compared to those at postoperative 3,6,12 and 18 months (P ＜0.05),but the differences were not statistically insignificant at postoperative 3,6,12,and 18 months (P ＞ 0.05).Moreover,VAS and MacNab scale showed significant improvement at postoperative 24 months as compared to those before operation (P ＜0.01) and those at postoperative day 3 (P ＜ 0.01).Conclusion Anterior PECD is effective in treatment of cervical soft or partial hard disc herniation.

BACKGROUND:Traditionally, forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) was used to evaluate exercise response of patients with asthma; however, patients obviously had panting after exercise, so FEV1 was affected commonly. Impulse oscillometry (IOS) is a new technique for measuring respiratory impedance that do not require maximal inspiration and forced expiration.OBJECTIVE: To study airway resistance with IOS before and after exercise in healthy and asthmatic patients and investigate the significance of exercise excitation and IOS assessment.DESIGN: Synchronically non-randomized case contrast study.SETTING: Department of Respiratory Medicine, East Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University.PARTICIPANTS: A total of 14 male patients with bronchial asthma who were regarded as the asthmatic group were selected from Department of Respiratory Medicine of Shanghai East Hospital from January to October 2006. They were in a clinical stationary phase. Another 14 male healthy subjects were selected as the control group and ages of all subjects ranged from 29 to 50 years. All subjects provided the confirmed consent.METHODS: IOS was used to measure basic value of respiratory resistance, and then subjects underwent exercise challenge. Nose of subjects was clipped breathing through mouth. Within 3-4 minutes, heart rate was increased to 90% and maintained for 6 minutes during challenge. Respiratory resistance was repeatedly measured at 1, 5, 10, 15 and 20 minutes after exercise, including airway hyperresponse (AHR), total respiratory resistance, central resistance, peripheral resistance and resonance frequency at 5, 20 and 35 Hz of pulse frequency, elasrtic resistance and inertia resistance (X5 and X35) at 5 and 10 Hz of pulse frequency. In addition, difference of AHR at 5 and 35 Hz was calculated, and change ratios of both Rcentral and Rperipheral were calculated as (highest value after exercise-baseline value)/baseline value × 100%.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Basic value of respiratory resistance by using IOS and exercise challenge test.RESULTS: All 14 patients with bronchial asthma and 14 healthy subjects were involved in the final analysis. Peripheral resistance (Rperiphera) was significantly higher than central resistance (Rcentral) in asthmatic patients (P ＜ 0.01). The maximal increase of respiratory impedance occurred from 5 minutes to 10 minutes after exercise in asthmatics. Resonance frequency (Fres) of asthmatics before and after exercise was significantly increased than that of controls (P ＜ 0.01).Change ratios of Fres from asthmatics were higher than that from control group (P ＜ 0.01). After challenge, R5, R5-R20,Zrespir and X5 from asthmatics changed significantly than that from controls (P ＜ 0.01). The increment change value of After exercise Zrespir increased significantly, because obstruction of small bronchi during expiration and impedance increased abruptly. Air trapping was expressed in VT-Zrespir graph in 57.1% patients. There was no difference in the VT-Zrespir graph of controls before and after exercise.CONCLUSION: The main site of airflow obstruction was in small airways in asthmatics after exercise challenge. The general acceptance of IOS method was good among the asthmatic patients. The airway response of exercise challenge may be assessed more accurately with IOS that do not require a maximal inspiration and forced expiration.

Purpose A RP-HPLC method was used to determine genioside and breviscapine in plasma and to study its pharmacokinetics in rat, respectively.Methods Rat plasma samples were collected after a single dose of Zhideng injection and pharmacokinetic parameters of genioside and breviscapine were estimated,respectively.Results A good linear relationship was obtained between 0.2-40.0 μg/mL for breviscapine, and 0.5-200.0 μg/mL for genioside.The recoveries from plasma were larger than 85%,and RSDs of inter-day asaay and intra-day assay were below 10%. The pharmacokinetic results showed that genioside and breviscapine were rapidly eliminated from plasma after iv administration of three doses of Zhideng injection.The mean half-life was 72.6 min and 21.6 min,respectively.Conclusion The established HPLC method was suitable for the pharmacokinetic study of genioside and breviscapine.

Objective To evaluate the effects of continuous intra-tracheal gas insufflation (TGI) during mechanical ventilation for protecting the juvenile piglets with acute lung injury (ALI) induced by endotoxin. Method Twelve healthy juvenile piglets were anesthetized and mechanically ventilated at 2 cmH2O PEEP with 10 cmH2O peak inspiration pressure. The piglets were challenged with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and randomly (random number) assigned to two groups (n = 6 each): (1) piglets treated with mechanical ventilation alone (group MV) and (2) piglets treated with TGI by continuous airway flow of 2 L/min (group TGI). FiO2 was set at 0.4 to avoid oxygen toxicity, and the piglets were continuously monitored with an oxygen analyzer. Results Tidal volume, ventilation efficacy index and mean airway pressure were significantly improved in piglets of TGI group (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). Four hours after ALI, pH decreased to below 7.20 in piglets of MV group, and was higher in piglets of TGI group (P < 0.01). Similarly, PaCO2 was stable and was significantly lower in piglets of TGI group than that in piglets of MV group (P < 0.01). PaO2 and PaO2/FiO2 increased in piglets of TGI group (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in heart rate, respiraaatory rate, mean arterial pressure, central venous pressure, dynamic lung compliance and mean resistance of airway between two groups. Lung histopathological changes showed severe inflammation,and intra-alveolar hemorrhage and interstitial patchy hemorrhage were ameliorated and the lungs were more homogenously expanded in piglets of TGI group. Conclusions Continuous TGI during MV can significantly improve gas exchange and ventilation efficacy, and may provide a better treatment for acute lung injury.

Objective To investigate the effect of nerve growth factor (NGF) on osteogenesis induced by bone morphogenetic protein-9 (BMP-9) in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs).Methods MEFs were respectively transfected with adenovirus-mediated NGF (NGF group), BMP-9 (BMP-9 group) and NGF + BMP-9 (combined group) and green fluorescence protein (GFP) (control group).Cytochemical staining was used to test the activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) 3 d and 5 d after treatment.Level of osteopontin (OPN) mRNA was detected by RT-PCR 9 d after treatment.Level of OPN protein was assayed by Western blot and immunocytochemistry 9 d after treatment.Mineralization was detected by Alizarin red staining 14 d after treatment.Results ALP activity in MEFs was elevated in BMP-9 group rather than in NGF group, but a significant increase in ALP activity was noted in combined group.In control group, BMP-9 group, NGF group and combined group, level of OPN mRNA was 0.92 ± 0.03, 1.28 ± 0.04, 0.94 ± 0.03 and 1.62 ± 0.04 respectively (F =214.60, P ＜ 0.01);level of OPN protein was 0.60 ± 0.05, 0.84 ± 0.03, 0.53 ± 0.05 and 1.27 ± 0.05 respectively (F =162.5, P ＜ 0.01).In comparison, OPN mRNA and protein were significantly up-regulated in combined group than in BMP-9 group (t =10.569 and 11.778,P ＜ 0.05).In control group, BMP-9 group, NGF group and combined group, relative density of OPN protein was 3.63 ±0.17, 6.27 ±0.30, 3.86 ±0.18 and 10.16 ±0.18respectively (F =602.6, P ＜ 0.01), with a significant higher level in combined group than in BMP-9 group (t =22.280, P ＜ 0.05).Level of mineralization was significantly higher in combined group than in BMP-9 or NGF group.Conclusion NGF can potentiate the osteogenesis induced by BMP-9 in MEFs.