OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and safety of three different spinal rotation manipulations for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation.

METHODSFrom September 2011 to April 2013,180 patients diagnosed as lumbar disc herniation were randomly divided into seat fixed rotation group (A), lateral position rotation group (B) and supine position rotation group (C) by using a digital table. Finally 10 patients were excluded and dropped, 170 patients were included in the study. There were 57 patients in group A, 57 patients in group B and 56 patients in group C. Baseline demographic characteristics of patients, clinical findings and indexes of health status had no statistically differences among three groups (P > 0.05). The manipulation was performed every other day, and the treatment duration for all patients was 3 weeks. Body pain (BP), Physical function (PF) in SF-36, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and adverse reactions were observed statistically 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, one year and two years after finishing treatment.

RESULTSBP, PF scores in 3 groups were significantly improved and ODI scores were significantly lower than those before treatment and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05); However, there was no significant difference among three groups in the BP, PF and ODI scores (P > 0.05). There were no obvious and serious adverse reactions among these groups.

CONCLUSIONBased on the theory of dislocation of bone joints in TCM, three kinds of spinal rotation manipulations can be used safely for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation, and the efficacy was similar.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Male ; Manipulation, Spinal ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Rotation ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

[Summary]_ This is a pedigree of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1(MEN1). The proband pursuit medical assistance because of hypertension and weakness. Adrenal cortical carcinoma with possible Cushing's syndrome was diagnosed after a series of tests. During this process, the proband was found to have hypercalcemia, and he was diagnosed as primary hyperparathyroidism. Adrenal carcinoma plus primary hyperparathyroidism suggested MEN1, which was confirmed by MEN1 gene 400_401insC mutation. Pedigree investigation found six additional patients, including one with high parathyroid hormone level and two without clinical evidence of any MEN1 diseases. The proband died of metastatic malignancy 7 months after diagnosis while the other 3 patients with clinically confirmed MEN1 tumor responded well to surgery, including one with adrenal cortical carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Three-dimensional (3D) printing has been widely applied in pelvic fracture and joint surgeries, but its feasibility in atlantoaxial pedicle screw placement needs to be studied further.OBJECTIVE: To explore the feasibility and accuracy of 3D printing-assisted atlantoaxial pedicle screw placement in the treatment of type II C odontoid fracture.METHODS: Clinical data of 20 patients with type II C odontoid fracture admitted in the Ganzhou Hospital Affiliated to Nanchang University from June 2014 to December 2015 were analyzed retrospectively. The patients were randomized into two groups, and then received 3D printing-assisted atlantoaxial pedicle screw placement (experimental group), or conventional atlantoaxial pedicle screw placemen (control group). The placement was observed through X-ray and CT scanning. All patients were followed up for 12 months, and the clinical efficacy was assessed by Visual Analogue Scale and cervical Japanese Orthopaedic Association scores.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) The operation time, blood loss and radiation exposure time in the experimental group were significantly less than in the control group (P < 0.05). (2) The accuracy of placement in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). No spinal cord, vertebral artery or nerve injuries occurred in the two groups. (3) The postoperative clinical efficacy was assessed by Visual Analogue Scale and cervical Japanese Orthopaedic Association scores in the two groups were significantly improved (P < 0.05). (4) These findings manifest that 3D printing-assisted trans-atlantoaxial pediele screw placement is a safe and effective method for type Ⅱ C odontoid fracture.

OBJECTIVETo investigate reason and the management of portal vein thrombosis in patients with portal hypertension postoperatively.

METHODS329 patients with portal hypertension in liver cirrhosis who had splenectomy was reviewed from 1992 to 2001. In whom 43 (13.1%) patients with portal vein thrombosis postoperative were analyzed.

RESULTSIn these patients, except 1 died for portal vein phlebitis, all patients were recovered. There are 138 patients who underwent splenectomy or splenectomy and devascularization, 26 (18.8%) of them had thrombosis. 191 patients underwent splenectomy and portacaval or portasplenic shut, 17 (8.9%) of them had thrombosis. The data of these two groups have significant difference (chi(2) = 8.44, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThrombocytosis postsplenectomy as well as the changes of portal hemodynamics is the main reason of portal vein thrombosis. Portal vein thrombosis is also in association with the operative ways. Operation standardization, dynamic examining platelet count, routine color ultrasonography examining and early anticoagulation therapy are the effective methods in preventing and managing portal thrombosis postoperation for portal hypertension.

Adult ; Budd-Chiari Syndrome ; etiology ; prevention & control ; therapy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypertension, Portal ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Portal Vein ; pathology ; Postoperative Complications ; Vascular Surgical Procedures ; adverse effects ; methods

OBJECTIVEStatins are still underused for the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in China. Hence, we conducted a systemic review on the pharmacology, clinical efficacy, and adverse events of atorvastatin, as well as on patient adherence.

DATA SOURCESWe conducted a systemic search in PubMed with the following keywords: "atorvastatin" (Supplementary concept) or "atorvastatin" (All field) and ("China" [AD] or "China" [all field] or "Chinese" [All field]).

STUDY SELECTIONClinical or basic research articles on atorvastatin were included.

RESULTSAtorvastatin is a reversible and competitive inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase, decreasing the de novo cholesterol synthesis. The pharmacokinetics of atorvastatin among Chinese is similar to those in Caucasians, and several gene polymorphisms have proved to be associated with the metabolism of atorvastatin in the Chinese population. Several international multiple-center randomized control trials have demonstrated the benefit of atorvastatin for primary and secondary prevention of CVD. None of them, however, included the Chinese, and current evidence in the population is still inadequate, due to the small sample size, low study quality, short study duration, and the use of surrogate endpoints instead of clinical endpoints. The overall incidence of adverse events observed with atorvastatin did not increase in the 10-80 mg dose range, and was similar to that observed with placebo and in patients treated with other statins, which makes atorvastatin well-tolerated in the Chinese population. Moreover, high patient adherence was observed in clinical studies.

CONCLUSIONSBased on the current available evidence, there is no significant difference between Chinese and non-Chinese population in term of pharmacology and clinical efficacy/safety. High-quality evidence is still needed to support the use of atorvastatin in high-risk Chinese population.

Atorvastatin Calcium ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; drug therapy ; China ; Heptanoic Acids ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors ; therapeutic use ; Pyrroles ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo construct a yeast expression vector of hepatitis B virus (HBV) PreS1 gene using the Sos-recruitment system (SRS), and evaluate the effect of the expression product on the growth of the yeast cells and activation of the reporter gene.

METHODSThe coding sequence of HBV preS1 was amplified by PCR and cloned into the yeast expression plasmid pSos. The recombinant bait plasmid pSos- PreS1 was verified by sequencing before transformation into competent yeast cells. The effects of the expression product on the yeast cell growth and activation of the reporter gene were evaluated.

RESULTSThe yeast expression vector of HBV PreS1 gene was constructed successfully. The recombinant bait plasmid showed no toxic effect on yeast cdc25H cells without a self-activation of the reporter gene.

CONCLUSIONThe SRS can be used to study the proteins interacting with HBV PreS1 protein and provides a means for obtaining insight into the pathogenic mechanism of HBV.

Cloning, Molecular ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Humans ; Plasmids ; genetics ; Protein Precursors ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Receptors, Virus ; metabolism ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Two-Hybrid System Techniques ; Yeasts ; genetics ; metabolism

To determine cancer pathway activities in nine types of primary tumors and NCI60 cell lines, we applied an in silico approach by examining gene signatures reflective of consequent pathway activation using gene expression data. Supervised learning approaches predicted that the Ras pathway is active in ～70% of lung adenocarcinomas but inactive in most squamous cell carcinomas, pulmonary carcinoids, and small cell lung carcinomas. In contrast, the TGF-β, TNF-α, Src, Myc, E2F3, and β-catenin pathways are inactive in lung adenocarcinomas. We predicted an active Ras, Myc, Src, and/or E2F3 pathway in significant percentages of breast cancer, colorectal carcinoma, and gliomas. Our results also suggest that Ras may be the most prevailing oncogenic pathway. Additionally, many NCI60 cell lines exhibited a gene signature indicative of an active Ras, Myc, and/or Src, but not E2F3, β-catenin, TNF-α, or TGF-β pathway. To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive survey of cancer pathway activities in nine major tumor types and the most widely used NCI60 cell lines. The "gene expression pathway signatures" we have defined could facilitate the understanding of molecular mechanisms in cancer development and provide guidance to the selection of appropriate cell lines for cancer research and pharmaceutical compound screening.

OBJECTIVETo analyze the causes of the complications associated with the pedicle screw fixation during and after operation, as well as the methods for prevention and treatment.

METHODSFrom January 1988 to December 1999, 475 patients who underwent pedicle screw fixation for various spinal disorders were reviewed retrospectively with statistical analysis.

RESULTSFour hundred and twenty-eight patients (90.1% of all) were followed up for (6.0 +/- 3.7) years. Complications of CD, DRFS, Dick, RF and steffee among 72 cases (80% of all) occurred during the operation of pedical screw fixation in 26 cases with the incidence of 5.5% and after the operation in 64 cases with the incidence of 15%. The incidence of operative/postoperative complications were 0-12.9% in CD, 6.8%-11.9% in DRFS, 7.3%-12.7% in Dick, 2.4%-19.5% in RF, and 10.1%-21.5% in Steffee respectively. The main complications included pseudoarthrosis, pedicle screw broken, pedicle screw malposition and so on. The complications were mainly due to unskilled technique of pedicle screw fixation, implant defect in design and so on.

CONCLUSIONSThe complications associated with the technique of pedicle screw fixation must not be neglected. The main causes are laid on unskilled technique of pedicle screw fixation and implant defect in design.

Equipment Failure ; statistics & numerical data ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Internal Fixators ; Male ; Postoperative Complications ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Pseudarthrosis ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Diseases ; surgery ; Spinal Fusion ; methods

OBJECTIVESTo investigate Bsm I single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of vitamin D receptor gene (VDRG) in low-risk Chinese Han population and its relationship to the susceptibility to prostate cancer (PCa), and to discuss the possible reason for the racial difference of PCa.

METHODSOne hundred and three patients with PCa and 106 normal controls, mainly from Northern Chinese Han population, were enrolled in this study. Their blood samples were obtained, all of which were genotyped for Bsm I SNP by denaturing high performance liquid chromatography(DHPLC) methods using case-control study.

RESULTSThe distribution of genotype and allele had no significant difference between PCa patients and normal controls (P > 0.05). The frequencies for the bb, Bb and BB genotypes in PCa patients and normal controls were 92.23%/94.34%, 7.77%/5.66%, and 0/0, respectively. The frequencies for B and b allele were 3.88%, 96.12% and 2.91%, 97.09%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONSThe results indicate no significant relationship between the VDRG polymorphisms and PCa in Northern Chinese Han population. The distribution of VDRG Bsm I SNP varies in different ethnic populations, which may be one reason for the racial difference of PCa.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Case-Control Studies ; China ; ethnology ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; genetics ; Receptors, Calcitriol ; genetics

Adolescent ; Adult ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; surgery ; therapy ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; pathology ; Male ; Manipulation, Orthopedic ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Recovery of Function ; Treatment Outcome