OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical effects of bone graft from the mandible in repairing orbital floor defects.

METHODSBone grafts from the mandible were used to treat 11 cases of orbital floor defects and followed up for 6-12 months.

RESULTSThe surgical incisions healed primarily in all 11 patients. The orbital floor structure was restored. No vision loss, limited eye movement, implant infection, or resorption were observed postoperatively, and no complications occurred in the supply area.

CONCLUSIONSBone grafts from the mandible were an ideal material to repair orbital floor defects.

OBJECTIVETo compare mid-term results of surgical treatment with aortoiliac stenting (AIS) in patients with chronic aortoiliac occlusion.

METHODSA retrospective review of 68 patients treated between January 2005 and December 2010 was performed. Thirty-three patients underwent surgical revascularization (surgical group) and 35 patients underwent AIS (AIS group). Preoperative clinical factors and outcome data including complications, ankle-brachial index and mortality were collected. Kaplan-Meier estimates for survival, limb salvage and patency were analyzed.

RESULTSPreoperative risk factors were similar between the two groups. Surgical group were younger than AIS group ((56±11) years vs. (65±10) years, t=-2.789, P=0.008) with more patients manifesting rest pain (23/33 vs.15/35, χ2=4.963, P=0.026) and relative higher perioperative mortality (3/33 vs. 0/35, P=0.109). Mean ankle-brachial index increased significantly in both groups after operation (Surgical group 0.90±0.15 vs. 0.43±0.20, t=-7.849, P=0.000; AIS group 0.85±0.20 vs. 0.41±0.25, t=-5.379, P=0.000). Postoperative complications occurred, with statistically higher rates of respiratory failure, transient renal dysfunction and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome in surgical group (χ2=6.98, P=0.010; χ2=9.62, P=0.000; P=0.023). The 5-year primary patency in surgical group was 90.2%, compared with 64.2% in AIS group (χ2=3.717, P=0.054). No difference was observed in survival rate, limb salvage and secondary patency between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONSFive-year primary patency of endovascular reconstruction for chronic aortoiliac occlusion is lower than that for traditional open surgery. Open surgery is still the first choice for the patients who can endure the surgery. Endovascular treatment is an option for patients with high risk. However, additional interventional treatment is needed in some cases.

Adult ; Aged ; Arterial Occlusive Diseases ; surgery ; Humans ; Limb Salvage ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Assessment ; Risk Factors ; Stents ; Survival Rate ; Treatment Outcome ; Vascular Patency ; Vascular Surgical Procedures

We studied the ability of lpdA gene knockout Escherichia coli to ferment different sugars in mineral salts medium for the production of pyruvate. The sugars studied were glucose, fructose, xylose and mannose at a concentration of 10 g/L. At the same time, effect of inoculum size on lpdA fermentation with glucose was studied. The strain was able to use all sugars for biomass generation and pyruvate production. The lpdA knockout mutant converted glucose, fructose, xylose and mannose to pyruvate with yields of 0.884 g/g, 0.802 g/g, 0.817 g/g and 0.808 g/L, respectively. The pyruvate accumulation curve coupled with cell growth except for mannose as carbon source. When the inoculation size increased, the rate of glucose consumption, pyruvate accumulation and cell growth increased but lower pyruvate concentration. This study demonstrates that E. coli lpdA mutant has the potential to produce pyruvic acid from xylose and mannose.
Carbon ; metabolism ; Dihydrolipoamide Dehydrogenase ; genetics ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Escherichia coli Proteins ; genetics ; Fermentation ; Fructose ; metabolism ; Gene Knockout Techniques ; Glucose ; metabolism ; Mannose ; metabolism ; Pyruvic Acid ; metabolism ; Xylose ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDImage guided radiotherapy (IGRT) is a new precise radiotherapy applied in clinic. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of using active breath control (ABC) and stereotactic body frame on reducing the positioning error and increasing treatment precision during radiotherapy for pulmonary cancer.

METHODSSeven patients with pulmonary recurrences or metastasis after prior treatment were enrolled. A total number of 13 tumor targets received irradiation, with a fraction dose of 7Gy treated every other day to a total of 7 fractions. X-ray beam volume CT was done at every fraction for correction of positioning error at 3 dimensions.

RESULTSThe errors between pre-treatment positioning and treatment planning at left-right, anterior-posterior and cephalic-caudal directions were 0.30cm±0.14cm, 0.22cm±0.15cm and 0.28cm ±0.21cm, respectively. The positioning error was reduced after correction by volume CT and after treatment but the errors between pre-correction, post-correction and post-treatment had no statistical significance at all 3 directions. Eight targets had complete response, 4 targets had partial response, and 1 had no change.

CONCLUSIONSImage guided hypofractionation radiotherapy with ABC and stereotactic body frame has the advantage of increasing radiation dose and reducing overall treatment time and radiation toxicity.