Achilles tendon thickening does not affect elasticity and functional outcome after surgical repair of Achilles rupture: A retrospective study / 中华创伤杂志(英文版)

PURPOSE@#Previous studies have confirmed that Achilles tendon occurs Achilles thickening after repair surgery of the rupture. Although this mechanism has been elucidated in the laboratory, there are few reports on its impact on clinical function. We designed a retrospective study to investigate the Achilles thickening after Achilles tendon rupture repair and its correlation between the elasticity and postoperative function.@*METHODS@#In this retrospective analysis, patients who underwent surgical treatment for acute Achilles tendon rupture from April 2016 to April 2020 were included. All the patients were regularly followed up at 3 months, 1 year, and 2 years after surgery. American Orthopaedic Foot Ankle Surgeon (AOFAS) scale and Leppilahti score were used to evaluate functional outcomes. Achilles elasticity was measured by ultrasound shear wave of elasticity. Achilles thickening was calculated as maximal transverse and longitudinal diameter in cross-sectional plane of magnetic resonance scan. Sample t-tests was used for different follow-up periods. Correlation between Achilles thickening and other factors were analyzed using Pearson's method. p < 0.05 indicates a statistically significant difference.@*RESULTS@#AOFAS scale and Leppilahti score at 1 year were significantly higher than at 3 months postoperatively (both p < 0.001). These functional scales were also improved at 2-year follow-up significantly (both p < 0.001). The dorsiflexion difference showed gradually recovery in each follow-up period (t = -17.907, p < 0.001). The elasticity of the Achilles appeared to continuously decreases during the postoperative follow-up period in all position sets (p < 0.001). In thickening evaluation, the cross-sectional area of the thickest plane of Achilles was significantly higher at 1 year postoperatively (310.5 ± 25.2) mm2 than that at 3 months postoperatively ((278.0 ± 26.2) mm2, t = -8.219, p < 0.001) and became thinner in 2-year magnetic resonance scan ((256.1 ± 15.1) mm2, t = 16.769, p < 0.001). The correlations between Achilles thickening, elasticity, and functional outcome did not show statistical significance (p > 0.05) in every follow-up period.@*CONCLUSION@#Achilles tendon thickens after surgery in the 1st year, but begins to gradually return to thinning about 2 years after surgery. There was no significant correlation between the increase and decrease of thickening and the patients' clinical function scores, Achilles elasticity, and bilateral ankle dorsiflexion difference.

Mechanism of valproic acid-induced dendritic spine and synaptic impairment in the prefrontal cortex for causing core autistic symptoms in mice / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the mechanism of valproic acid (VPA) -induced impairment of the dendritic spines and synapses in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) for causing core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in mice.@*METHODS@#Female C57 mice were subjected to injections of saline or VPA on gestational days 10 and 12, and the male offspring mice in the two groups were used as the normal control group and ASD model group (n=10), respectively. Another 20 male mice with fetal exposure to VPA were randomized into two groups for stereotactic injection of DMSO or Wortmannin into the PFC (n=10). Open field test, juvenile play test and 3-chamber test were used to evaluate autistic behaviors of the mice. The density of dendrite spines in the PFC was observed with Golgi staining. Western blotting and immunofluorescence staining were used to detect the expressions of p-PI3K, PI3K, p-AKT, AKT, p-mTOR, mTOR and the synaptic proteins PSD95, p-Syn, and Syn in the PFC of the mice.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the normal control mice, the mice with fetal exposure to VPA exhibited obvious autism-like behaviors with significantly decreased density of total, mushroom and stubby dendritic spines (P < 0.05) and increased filopodia dendritic spines (P < 0.05) in the PFC. The VPA-exposed mice also showed significantly increased expressions of p-PI3K/PI3K, p-AKT/AKT, and p-mTOR/mTOR (P < 0.01) and lowered expressions of PSD95 and p-Syn/Syn in the PFC (P < 0.05 or 0.001). Wortmannin injection into the PFC obviously improved the ASD-like phenotype and dendritic spine development, down-regulated PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway and up-regulated the synaptic proteins in VPA-exposed mice.@*CONCLUSION@#In male mice with fetal exposure to VPA, excessive activation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway and decreased expressions of the synaptic proteins PSD95 and p-Syn cause dendritic spine damage and synaptic development disturbance in the PFC, which eventually leads to ASD-like phenotype.

Tumor-derived neomorphic mutations in ASXL1 impairs the BAP1-ASXL1-FOXK1/K2 transcription network

Additional sex combs-like 1 (ASXL1) interacts with BRCA1-associated protein 1 (BAP1) deubiquitinase to oppose the polycomb repressive complex 1 (PRC1)-mediated histone H2A ubiquitylation. Germline BAP1 mutations are found in a spectrum of human malignancies, while ASXL1 mutations recurrently occur in myeloid neoplasm and are associated with poor prognosis. Nearly all ASXL1 mutations are heterozygous frameshift or nonsense mutations in the middle or to a less extent the C-terminal region, resulting in the production of C-terminally truncated mutant ASXL1 proteins. How ASXL1 regulates specific target genes and how the C-terminal truncation of ASXL1 promotes leukemogenesis are unclear. Here, we report that ASXL1 interacts with forkhead transcription factors FOXK1 and FOXK2 to regulate a subset of FOXK1/K2 target genes. We show that the C-terminally truncated mutant ASXL1 proteins are expressed at much higher levels than the wild-type protein in ASXL1 heterozygous leukemia cells, and lose the ability to interact with FOXK1/K2. Specific deletion of the mutant allele eliminates the expression of C-terminally truncated ASXL1 and increases the association of wild-type ASXL1 with BAP1, thereby restoring the expression of BAP1-ASXL1-FOXK1/K2 target genes, particularly those involved in glucose metabolism, oxygen sensing, and JAK-STAT3 signaling pathways. In addition to FOXK1/K2, we also identify other DNA-binding transcription regulators including transcription factors (TFs) which interact with wild-type ASXL1, but not C-terminally truncated mutant. Our results suggest that ASXL1 mutations result in neomorphic alleles that contribute to leukemogenesis at least in part through dominantly inhibiting the wild-type ASXL1 from interacting with BAP1 and thereby impairing the function of ASXL1-BAP1-TF in regulating target genes and leukemia cell growth.

Identification of Potential Biomarkers for Urine Metabolomics of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Based on Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>Background</b>Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex endocrine and metabolic disorder, and it's diagnosis is difficult. The aim of this study was to investigate the metabolic profiles of PCOS patients by analyzing urine samples and identify useful biomarkers for diagnosis of PCOS.</p><p><b>Methods</b>This study was carried out in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Hunan Province from December 2014 to July 2016. In this study, the urine samples of 21 women with PCOS and 16 healthy controls were assessed through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to investigate the urine metabolite characteristics of PCOS and identify useful biomarkers for the diagnosis of this disorder. The Student's t-test and rank sum test were applied to validate the statistical significance of the between the two groups.</p><p><b>Results</b>In total, 35 urine metabolites were found to be significantly different between the PCOS patients and the controls. In particular, a significant increase in the levels of lactose (10.01 [0,13.99] mmol/mol creatinine vs. 2.35 [0.16, 3.26] mmol/mol creatinine, P = 0.042), stearic acid (2.35 [1.47, 3.14] mmol/mol creatinine vs. 0.05 [0, 0.14] mmol/mol creatinine, P < 0.001), and palmitic acid (2.13 [1.07, 2.79] mmol/mol creatinine vs. 0 [0, 0] mmol/mol creatinine, P < 0.001) and a decrease in the levels of succinic acid (0 [0, 0] mmol/mol creatinine vs. 38.94 [4.16, 51.30] mmol/mol creatinine, P < 0.001) were found in the PCOS patients compared with the controls. It was possible to cluster the PCOS patients and the healthy controls into two distinct regions based on a principal component analysis model. Of the differentially expressed metabolites, four compounds, including stearic acid, palmitic acid, benzoylglycine, and threonine, were selected as potential biomarkers.</p><p><b>Conclusions</b>This study offers new insight into the pathogenesis of PCOS, and the discriminating urine metabolites may provide a prospect for the diagnosis of PCOS.</p>

Correlation study of MRI intracranial hyperintense vessel sign and internal carotid artery stenosis / 中华放射学杂志

Objective To evaluate the correlation between intracranial hyperintense vessel sign (HVS) on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery(FLAIR) and the degree of the stenosis of internal carotid artery (ICA).The effect of carotid endarterectomy(CEA) on HVS was assessed.Methods A retrospective analysis of MR FLAIR sequence and cerebral-cervical computed tomography angiography(CTA) was performed in 1 total of 491 patients.Of the 491 patients,41 treated with CEA were evaluated using their pre-and post-operative image data.Patients were divided into ICA stenosis group and non-stenosis group according to the CTA imaging findings.The ICA stenosis group was subdivided into unilateral group and bilateral stenosis group.Furthermore,we measured and graded the ICA of the unilateral stenosis group into seven stenotic degrees,they were＜50％(n=40),50％-＜60％(n=15),60％-＜70％(n=17),70％-＜80％ (n=6),80％-＜90％ (n=7),90％-＜100％ (n=23),100％ (n=24),respectively.Chi square test was used to analyze the occurrence rates of HVS between ICA stenosis and non-stenosis group,and between ICA unilateral and bilateral stenosis group,respectively.Spearman rank correlation was performed to evaluate the correlation between the presence of HVS and stenotic degrees of the ICA.For the 41 patients who underwent CEA,pre-and post-operative image data were compared,focusing on the presence or disappearance of the HVS on MR FLAIR imaging.Results HVS on FLAIR images were observed in 81 of 177 patients(45.76％) with ICA stenosis,and in 59 of 314 patients(18.79％) without ICA stenosis.The occurrence rate of HVS was significantly higher in patients with ICA stenosis than those without ICA stenosis (x2=40.40,P＜0.01).There was no statistical significance in the occurrence rates of HVS between ICA unilateral stenosis group and bilateral stenosis group(x2=0.24,P＞0.05).The occurrence rates of HVS of ICA graded as the seven stenotic degrees were 22.00％(8/40),26.67％(4/15),35.29％(6/17),33.33％ (2/6),42.86％ (3/7),69.57％ (16/23),83.33％ (20/24),respectively.There was a significant positive correlation between the occurrence rates of HVS and the degrees of ICA stenosis(r=0.964,P＜0.01).HVS disappeared in 19(86.36％) out of 22 patients with HVS on pre-operative MR images after CEA in The remaining HVS in 3(13.64％) patients was attributed to the failure of completely recanalization of ICA.Conclusions A close relationship exists between HVS and ICA stenosis.The presence of HVS indicates a high probability of the existence of severe ICA stenosis.A further assessment for ICA stenosis is warranted.HVS disappearance after successful CEA indicates that HVS can be a useful marker for the the evaluation of consequence associated with CEA.

Treatment of medial malleolus fractures with closed reduction and percutaneous internal fixation / 中国骨伤

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study clinical effects of minimally invasive, effective and economic operational method for the treatment of medial malleolus fractures.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From March 2008 to August 2010, 19 patients (12 males and 7 females, ranging in age from 17 to 42 years, averaged 31.7 years) with medial malleolus fractures were reviewed. Closed reduction and percutaneous internal fixation were applied, with a hollow compression screw inserted at the centre and perpendicularly to the fracture surface. A Kirschner wire was inserted through the cortical bone of opposite side and in accordance with the axis of inner malleolus. Postoperative therapeutic effect was evaluated by Kaikkonen sprained ankle scoring system and imageology examination.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All the patients got primary healing of incisions and were followed up, the duration ranged from 6 to 30 months, with an average of 18.7 months. All the patients obtained bone union. Clinical healing time ranged from 2.6 to 3.8 months, averaged 3.2 months. According to Kaikkonen scoring system, the results were rated as excellent in 5 cases, good in 10 cases, moderate in 3 cases, and poor in 1 case.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>It is a minimally invasive, effective and economic method to treat medial malleolus fractures by closed reduction and percutaneous internal fixation with hollow compression screw and Kirschner wire.</p>

Determination of Alum Residual Amount in Rhizoma Pinelliae Preparata / 中国中医药信息杂志

Objective To establish a method for the determination of alum residual amount in Rhizoma Pinelliae Preparata from different companies,and to provide a scientific evidence for quality evaluation of Rhizoma Pinelliae Preparata.Methods Na2EDTA titration method was applied for the quantitative analysis.Results There were obvious differences in residual quantity of alum in Rhizoma Pinelliae Preparata from different companies.Conclusion The method is simple,reproducible and accurate,it can be used for the determination of alum residual amount in Rhizoma Pinelliae Preparata.