Objective:To understand the clinical features and computed tomography (CT) imaging performance of mediastinal giant malignant synovial sarcoma (SS) and to improve the clinicians′ diagnosis and treatment of this disease.Methods:We report the clinical data of 2 cases of primary mediastinal giant malignant SS, and reviews the literature for CT presentation and differential diagnosis.Results:Primary giant malignant SS of mediastinum is rare in clinic. CT showed irregular cystic and solid mass with mural nodules, adjacent osteolytic destruction, unclear boundary with adjacent tissues. The enhancement showed that the solid components of the tumor and mural nodules were enhanced, while the cystic necrosis area had no enhanced uneven enhancement. The two cases in this paper showed " borehole-like" growth above the clavicle and growth into the left thoracic cavity, with pulmonary metastasis and lymphatic metastasis respectively.Conclusions:Mediastinal malignant SS is a rare disease with high malignancy and easy to metastasize, which emphasizes " early detection, early diagnosis and early treatment" . It should be taken into account in the differential diagnosis of mediastinal tumors, but the confirmation of diagnosis needs to be combined with pathological and immunohistochemical findings. Clinicians need to take advantage of imaging examinations to provide auxiliary guidance on the diagnosis, metastasis assessment and surgical treatment options of SS.

Objective To observe the incidence of spontaneous clearance of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients ,and to investigate the related factors of the spontaneous clearance of HBV DNA and to determine the time to start antiviral therapy .Methods Patients who met the inclusion criteria were recruited from the follow-up cohort of chronic HBV infection from January 2008 to August 2017 for observation .The liver function including alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels ,HBV DNA load and serum markers of HBV were measured at baseline ,month 1 ,month 3 and month 6 of follow-up . Evaluation index included cumulative HBV DNA negative conversion rate and cumulative HBeAg negative conversion rate .Multivariable analysis was used to analyze the factors associated with the spontaneous clearance of HBV DNA .Results A total of 116 patients were recruited in this study .All the patients showed ALT level elevation at baseline .Without antiviral treatment ,the cumulative HBV DNA negative conversion rate was 12 .9％ after 6-month observation .HBeAg negative conversion rate was 22 .5％ .Multivariable analysis showed that patients without a family history of HBV infection ,baseline ALT level >3 times the upper limit of normal (ULN) and HBV DNA level <6 lg copies/mL had higher cumulative HBV DNA spontaneous clearance rate .HBV DNA negative conversion rate in patients whomet all the above three conditions was up to 75％ .Conclusions In CHB patients and ALT level elevation for the first time , some patients could achieve spontaneous clearance of HBV DNA without antiviral therapy .Patients without a family history of HBV infection ,baseline ALT level >3 ULN and HBV DNA level <6 lg copies/mL have higher rate of cumulative HBV DNA spontaneous clearance .

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of universal self-locking anatomical plate for acetabulum and pelvis (USAPAP) in the treatment of posterior acetabular fractures.Methods Data of 55 patients with posterior acetabular fractures who were treated with the USAPAP from January 2014 to January 2016 were retrospectively analyzed.There were 39 males and 16 females with an average age of 38.5 years old (range,17-82 years).There were 35 fractures on the left side while the other 20 fractures were on the right side,including 52 fresh cases and 3 old cases.According to Letournel-Judet classification,there were 32 cases of posterior wall,9 cases of transverse and posterior wall,5 cases of anterior column and posterior wall,2 cases of posterior column,2 cases of transverse,2 cases of two columns,1 case of anterior column and posterior hemitransverse,2 cases of Pipkin type Ⅳ.All patients were managed operatively by the USAPAP,which allows simultaneous fixation for two columns and quadrilateral surface fractures through a single Kocher-Langenback approach.The quality of reduction was assessed by Matta's score system.The mean follow-up period was 18.5 months (range,12-24 months).Average operation time was 95 min,and average blood loss was 350 ml.Average operation time of plate and screws fixation was 19 min,and average fluoroscopy times in the surgery was 2 times.The mean time of bony union was 4.3 months.According to the criteria described by Matta,the excellent and good rate of radiological score was 92.7％ (51/55),including 39 cases excellent,12 cases good and 4 cases poor.The excellent and good rate of Merle d'Aubigne-Postel score was 87.3％ (48/55),including 35 cases of excellent,13 cases of good,5 cases of fair,and 2 cases of poor.Heterotopic ossification occurred in 1 patient (Brooker type Ⅱ) at three months postoperatively.One case with Pipkin type Ⅳ fracture underwent total hip arthroplasty due to femoral head necrosis at seven months postoperatively.Complications including wound infection,sciatic nerve injury,screw invade joint,redisplacement of the fracture,avascular necrosis of bone fragment,hardware failure,nonunion or malunion was not found in any case at the latest follow-up.Conclusion The USAPAP through the single posterior Kocher-Langenback approach provides strong and stable fixation for complex acetabular fractures associated with posterior region including posterior wall,both columns and quadrilateral surface.Satisfactory clinical results can be achieved by the use of this method.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the biomechanical effects of the anterior cervical transpedicular-screw system (ACTPS), compared to the anterior cervical screw plate system (ACLP), in the subaxial cervical spine after 2-level corpectomy.

METHODSA verified intact finite element subaxial cervical (C3-C7) model was established and analyzed by Mimics 10.0, Rapidform XOR3, Hypermesh 10.0, CATIA5V19, ANSYS 14.0 softwares based on the CT data (C1-T1) was collected from a 28 years old male volunteer. The axial force of 75 N and moment couple of 1N·m was loaded on the upper surface of C3, which made the model movement in flexion extension, lateral bending, rotating direction, respectively. Then, recorded the range of motion, and compared the results with the in vitro biomechanical experimental data to verify the effectiveness of the model. The ACTPS model and the ACLP model were analyzed using the finite element method. The range of motion at the operation segments (C4-C7), the range of motion at the adjacent segment (C3-C4) and stress distribution under flexion, extension, lateral bending, and axial rotation were calculated, and compared the range of motion with intact model.

RESULTSThere were 85,832 elements and 23,612 nodes in the intact model of subaxial cervical spine (C3-C7) in this experiment,and the range of motion of intact model validated with the reported cadaveric experimental data. In ACTPS group the stress was been well-distributed, but the stress concentrated on the interface between screw and the titanium plate in ACLP group. There were obvious differences of the maximum stress value between the two groups. The range of motion of fixed segments in ACTPS group was smaller than ACLP group, however adjacent segment range of motion showed no significant difference. Compared with the intact group, the range of motion in flexion extension, lateral flexion, rotation direction was decreased respectively about 25°, 20° and 8°, the range of motion at adjacent segment (C3-C4) was correspondingly compensated about 0.3°, 3° and 0.1°.

CONCLUSIONSACTPS is better than ACLP in terms of biomechanical properties. It offers rigid stability, and may be more suitable for reconstruction stability of 2-level and more than 2 levels corpectomy in the subaxial cervical spine. Meanwhile, the risk of fracture of ACTPS system is lower than that of the ACLP system.

Adult ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Bone Screws ; Cervical Vertebrae ; surgery ; Finite Element Analysis ; Humans ; Male ; Models, Anatomic ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Rotation

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes in serum protease and cytokine in patients with silicosis, tuberculosis, and lung cancer.

METHODSSerum samples of patients with silicosis, tuberculosis, and lung cancer were collected. The variation trends of the expression of granzyme A, cathepsin G, apolipoprotein A, and interferon-β (IFN-β) were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTSThe concentration of apolipoprotein A of the silicosis group was 200 µg/ml, significantly higher than those of the tuberculosis and lung cancer groups (P < 0.05), and the lung cancer group had a significantly higher concentration of apolipoprotein A compared with the tuberculosis group (P < 0.05). The silicosis group had significantly higher expression of cathepsin G compared with the tuberculosis and lung cancer groups (P < 0.05), and the tuberculosis group and lung cancer group showed no significant difference in the concentration of cathepsin G (P > 0.05). The tuberculosis group had a significantly higher concentration of granzyme A than the silicosis and lung cancer groups (P < 0.05), and the silicosis group and lung cancer group had similar protein concentration trends (P > 0.05). The tuberculosis group and lung cancer group had significantly higher concentration of IFN-β compared with the silicosis group (P < 0.05), and the tuberculosis group and lung cancer group showed no significant difference in IFN-β concentration (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThis study may offer diagnostic markers for the clinical diagnosis of silicosis, tuberculosis, and lung cancer, and could provide a basis for the research, as well as potential molecular targets for the diagnosis and treatment of these diseases.

Biomarkers ; Cathepsin G ; metabolism ; Cytokines ; blood ; Endopeptidases ; blood ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Granzymes ; metabolism ; Humans ; Interferon-beta ; metabolism ; Lung Neoplasms ; enzymology ; Silicosis ; enzymology ; Tuberculosis ; enzymology

OBJECTIVETo analyze the differences in serum proteomic profiles between patients with silicosis and chronic bronchitis and to investigate the pathogenesis, clinical diagnosis, and treatment of these two disease.

METHODSSerum samples from patients with stage I silicosis and chronic bronchitis were collected. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis was performed and protein plots with expression differences higher than 2-fold were identified and further analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

RESULTSCompared with the silicosis group, the chronic bronchitis group had 11 up-regulated proteins and 23 down-regulated proteins. The chronic bronchitis group had high expression of proteins such as interferon beta precursor, apolipoprotein precursor, and transforming growth factor beta1 precursor. The silicosis group had high expression of proteins such as interleukin-6, granzyme A, cathepsin G, and glycoprotein precursor.

CONCLUSIONThe differentially expressed proteins are mainly involved in the activity of serine enzymes, cytotoxicity, inflammation response, and apolipoprotein transfer and play different roles in silicosis and chronic bronchitis.

Bronchitis, Chronic ; pathology ; Cathepsin G ; Down-Regulation ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional ; Glycoproteins ; Granzymes ; Humans ; Interleukin-6 ; Mass Spectrometry ; Proteomics ; methods ; Serum ; chemistry ; Silicosis ; pathology ; Up-Regulation

Chromatography, Gas ; Humans ; Hydrocarbons, Brominated ; urine

Objective To investigate the optimal trajectory of posterior occipital condyle screw fixation via radiological and anatomical study.Methods Twelve adult craniocervical junction complete specimens were selected.The length,width and height of occipital condyle and the inclination angle of the longest axis were measured by CT scanning and reconstruction.Subsequently,occipital condyle screws were inserted with reference to CT measurements.After screw fixation,accuracy and safety of the placement of occipital condyle screw were verified by gross observation and CT scanning.Results Preoperative measurements of height and width of the occipital condyles indicated the placement of 4.0 mm bicortical screws was secure.Left vertebral artery horizontal sections of 2 specimens were slightly pressed without damage.CT scanning identified no damage to the inner or outer wall of the occipital condyle and the hypoglossal canal.Trajectory parameters between the right and left sides were slightly different,but no significant difference was observed (P ＞ 0.05).Average screw channel length and inclination angle were (20.8 ±2.6)mm and (37.1 ± 4.7)°respectively.Angle between screw and skull base tangent was observed as (8.5 ± 1.7) °.Distance between screw axis and hypoglossal canal was observed as (3.1 ± 1.1) mm.And the distance averaged (4.6 ± 1.4) mm between occipital condyle screw entry point and skull base and (6.1 ± 1.5) mm between entry point and inside edge of the occipital condyle.Conclusion Occipital condyle can be used as a new alternative fixed point in occipitocervical fusion.

Objective To study the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia(VAP)and antimicrobial resistance of pathogens in an intensive care unit(ICU).Methods The occurrence of VAP in hospitalized patients with mechan-ical ventilation>48 hours between January 2011 and December 2012 were investigated,species and antimicrobial re-sistance of pathogens causing early onset-VAP (E-VAP,mechanical ventilation≤4 d)and late-onset VAP(L-VAP, mechanical ventilation>4 d)were compared.Results A total of 1 76 patients were investigated,incidence of VAP was 44.32% (78 cases);With the prolongation of mechical ventilation,incidence of VAP increased gradually (χ2=52.561,P<0.001).The incidence of L-VAP was significantly higher than E-VAP (58.33% [70/120]vs 14.29%[8/56])(χ2= 30.02,P<0.001).A total of 178 pathogens were isolated,gram-negative bacteria,gram-positive bac-teria and fungi were 104(58.43% ),46(25.84% ),and 28(15.73% )isolates respectively;97(54.49% )multidrug-resistance/pandrug resistance organisms (MDRO)were isolated. MDRO isolation rate in L-VAP patients was high-er than E-VAP patients([58.86% ,n= 93]vs [20.00% ,n= 4]),resistance rate of major pathogens causing L-VAP was significantly higher than E-VAP patients(allP<0.05).Fungi infection only occurred in L-VAP patients,the total antimicrobial resistance rate was 12.14% .Conclusion The prolongation of mechanical ventilation can increase the incidence of VAP,and resistance rate of pathogen in L-VAP is high.

OBJECTIVE: To study a surgical and repairing method for defects after the resection of basal cell carcinoma of external nose. METHOD: There are 26 cases of basal cell carcinoma that tumors have been resected completely after operation. For defect repairing in those 26 cases, 2 cases adopt direct suture method; 2 cases use skin graft repairing methods; 18 cases employ naselabial skin flap repairing method; 4 cases choose forehead pedicle skin flap repairing methods. RESULT: the wound of all the 26 cases was primary healed. Additionally, skin flap and skin graft were all survived. Follow-up studied in patients 1 to 3 years after the surgery showed that the local scar was not obvious and no tumor recurred or transferred. CONCLUSION Different surgical and repairing methods are performed to obtain a satisfactory results based on the area of defect and its location in nose. Naselabial skin flap is especially an ideal method to repair defects.
Carcinoma, Basal Cell ; surgery ; Cicatrix ; Forehead ; Humans ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Nose ; Nose Neoplasms ; surgery ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; Skin ; Skin Neoplasms ; surgery ; Skin Transplantation ; Surgical Flaps ; Wound Healing