Digital measurement of anatomical parameters associated with vertebral units fixed by ribs and pedicle fixation of T4-T10 / 中华创伤骨科杂志

Objective To perform digital 3D measurement of anatomic parameters associated with vertebral units fixed by ribs and pedicle fixation of T4-T10,providing evidence for clinical application.Methods Spiral CT scan of T4-T10 vertebrae was conducted in 15 normal adults without spinal disorder.The data were imported into computer to establish units and disc models of thoracic and rib vertebrae T4-T10 using Mimics 16.0 software and Ansys 11.0 finite element software.The following data were measured in the vertebral pedicle-rib unit fixation group (group A) by software:transverse diameter of vertebral pedicle-rib unit,length of the outside pedicle screw,inclination angle of pedicle screw,and maximum and minimum inclination angles of pedicle screw;the following data were also measured in the pedicle fixation group (group B) by software:pedicle transverse diameter,length of pedicle screw,inclination angle of pedicle screw,and maximum and minimum inclination angles of pedicle screw.The corresponding parameters were compared between groups A and B.Results In both groups,the transverse diameters and screw lengths gradually increased with the increase in the vertebral sequence while the inclination angle of pedicle screw,and maximum and minimum inclination angles of pedicle screw decreased with the increase in the vertebral sequence.All the parameters in groups A were significantly larger than the corresponding ones in group B (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions Of the spinal segment of T4-T10,the rib vertebral unit fixation can provide greater safe screw angles and screw diameters for clinical surgery.This is of vital significance for reducing the surgical complexity and improving screw prehension.

Prostate volume growth rate changes over time: Results from men 18 to 92 years old in a longitudinal community-based study / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

Previous investigations have shown that changes in total prostate volume (TPV) are highly variable among aging men, and a considerable proportion of aging men have a stable or decreasing prostate size. Although there is an abundance of literature describing prostatic enlargement in association with benign prostatic hyperplasia, less is known about the appropriate age cut-off points for TPV growth rate. In this community-based cohort study, TPV was examined once a year in men who had consecutive health checkup, during a follow-up of 4 years. A total of 5058 men (age 18-92 years old) were included. We applied multiple regression analyses to estimate the correlation between TPV growth rate and age. Overall, 3232 (63.9%) men had prostate growth, and 1826 (36.1%) had a stable or decreased TPV during the study period. The TPV growth rate was correlated negatively with baseline TPV (r=-0.32, P<0.001). Among 2620 men with baseline TPV <15 cm, the TPV growth rate increased with age (β=0.98, 95% CI: 0.77%-1.18%) only up to 53 years old. Among 2188 men with baseline TPV of 15-33.6 cm, the TPV growth rate increased with age (β=0.84, 95% CI, 0.66%-1.01%) only up to 61 years old after adjusting for factors of hypertension, obesity, baseline TPV, diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia. In this longitudinal study, the TPV growth rate increased negatively with baseline TPV, only extending to a certain age and not beyond. Further research is needed to identify the mechanism underlying such differences in prostate growth.

Three-dimensional finite element analysis on stress changes after rib-vertebral unit fixation for tuberculosis of thoracic spine (T6-8) / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND:At present,there is lack of relevant biomechanical model for the T6-T7-T8 rib-vertebral fix unit.In addition,there is no support of parameters of basic studies on reasons and reasonable explanation of screw breakage,poor quality of bone fusion and adjacent segment degeneration.OBJECTIVE:To develop a three-dimensional finite element model of bone graft with vertebral tuberculosis debridement and posterior rib-vertebral unit fixed system through tuberculosis of thoracic spine (T6-8),and to analyze the stress so as to improve it.METHODS:Spiral CT data of one male patient (172 cm,71 kg,39-year-old) with T7 vertebral tuberculosis were imported into computer to develop a three-dimensional finite element model of bone graft with vertebral debridement and posterior vertebral unit fixed system through tuberculosis of T6-8 by Mimics 13.0 and Ansys 11.0 finite element software.500 N pressure and 10 N?m torque were loaded to the vertebral body by 3 kinds of physiological loads which simulated flexion,extension and lateral bending.The stress distribution of fixation devices under different loads was compared.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: At the positions of anteflexion and extension,the stress mainly concentrated to screw tail,and the stress of upper screw was greater than the middle and lower screws.For connecting rods,the stress of the middle was always less than the lower middle and the middle stress was zero.At lateral bending position,the stresses of upper and middle screw tail were quite,and the unilateral stress of connecting rod was also equivalent.For three different dynamics at the same point,the stress of middle connecting rod increased in the lateral bending motion,and the stress of lower screw tail was equivalent.These data suggested that it is prone to fatigue fracture at upper screw tail by bone graft with vertebral tuberculosis debridement and posterior rib-vertebral unit fixed system through tuberculosis of thoracic spine (T6-8) at the three positions of anteflexion,extension and lateral bending.The lower connecting rod at the positions of anteflexion and extension and the middle connecting rod at the position of lateral bending easily cause fatigue fracture.

Optimization of pre-coated multi-probe fluorescence in situ hybridization for cytogenetic detection of acute leukemia / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To optimize pre-coated multiple-probe fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to improve its efficiency in cytogenetic diagnosis of acute leukemia.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The original multiple-probe FISH techniques were optimized by adjusting the cell density and adding a process of protease digestion. Cytogenetic anomalies were detected in 141 patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) or acute myeloid leukemia/ myelodysplastic syndromes (AML/MDS) using the modified technique, and 35 of the patients were also examined using the original technique. The successful detection rate and positive site detection rate were compared between the modified and original techniques.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Modification of the pre-coated multiple-probe FISH technique resulted in an significant increase of the successful detection rate (from 85.3% to 100%) and the positive site detection rate (from 5.1% to 8.6%) in ALL patients; in AML/MDS patients, the successful detection rate was significantly improved from 67.4% to 99.8% and the positive site detection rate from 3.5% to 6.0% (P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The modified pre-coated multiple-probe FISH technique can significantly increase the diagnostic efficiency of cytogenetic abnormalities in leukemic patients.</p>

Cytogenetic differences between adults and children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia: eight-probe fluorescence in situ hybridization and karyotype analyses / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the cytogenetic differences between children and adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) using eight-probe fluorescence in situ hybridization and karyotype analysis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Eight-probe (MYC, P16, E2A, TEL/AML1, BCR/ABL , MLL , IGH, and hyperdiploidy) fluorescence in situ hybridization and karyotype analysis were performed for 86 adults and 39 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Eight-probe fluorescence in situ hybridization showed significant differences in the positivity rate of TEL/AML1, BCR/ABL, and hyperdiploidy between adult patients and children with ALL. By karyotype analysis, the positivity rate of t(9;22) and hyperdiploidy differed significantly between the children and adult patients (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Adults and children with ALL have different expression profiles of the fusion genes. Eight-probe fluorescence in situ hybridization is time-saving, accurate and efficient in detecting common genetic abnormalities in ALL patients, and can be well complementary to karyotype analysis in clinical diagnosis of ALL.</p>

Dietary calcium decreases plasma cholesterol level only in female but not in male hamster fed a high cholesterol diet / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of dietary calcium on plasma lipoprotein profile in castrated and ovariectomized hamsters.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Male, castrated, female and ovariectomized hamsters (n=36 each group) were randomly divided into three sub-groups (n=12) and fed one of the three diets containing 0, 2, and 8 g calcium per kg diet for a period of six weeks. Changes in plasma lipoprotein profile were monitored at the end of week 0, 3 and 6.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Plasma total cholesterol (TC), non-high density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C), triacylglycerols (TG) and TC/HDL-C were decreased only in intact female and ovariectomized hamsters. In contrast, three levels of dietary calcium had no effect on lipoprotein profiles in both intact male and castrated hamsters.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Beneficial modification of lipoprotein profile by dietary calcium was gender-dependent at least in hamsters.</p>

The inhibitory effect of pluronic on P-glycoprotein drug pump / 药学学报

To investigate the inhibitory effect of Pluronic on P-glycoprotein (P-gp) drug efflux pump, Caco-2 cells and animal models were established to study the influence of Pluronic on celiprolol transport across Caco-2 cell monolayer and intestinal mucous membrane with verapamil set as a positive control. Drug concentration was measured by HPLC and the apparent permeability coefficient (P(app)), absorption rate constant (k(a)) and the effective permeability coefficient (P(eff)) were calculated. P(app) of basolateral to apical side and apical to basolateral side was (2.10 +/- 0.13) x 10(-6) and (0.333 +/- 0.018) x 10(-6) cm x s(-1), respectively. Transports of celiprolol across Caco-2 cell monolayer were influenced by both verapamil and Pluronic. The absorption constants (k(a)) of celiprolol at duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and colon were (0.09 +/- 0.03), (0.14 +/- 0.04), (0.11 +/- 0.03) and (0.05 +/- 0.02) h(-1), k(a) of celiprolol in verapamil group were (0.14 +/- 0.03), (0.24 +/- 0.02), (0.25 +/- 0.03) and (0.23 +/- 0.02) h(-1), and k(a) of celiprolol in Pluronic group were (0.13 +/- 0.02), (0.22 +/- 0.02), (0.22 +/- 0.03) and (0.20 +/- 0.03) h(-1), respectively. Pluronic showed significant effect on inhibiting P-gp of Caco-2 cell and intestinal mucosa in rats.

Diagnostic significance of plasma prolidase activity in chronic liver diseases / 第三军医大学学报

The activity of plasma prolidase(PLD)was determined in patients with various chronic liver diseases.It was found that the activity of plasma PLD was increased significantly in 45 patients with cirrhosis and 31 patients with chronic active hepatitis.The plasma level of PLD was not correlated with the serum level of ALP.Plasma PLD was negatively correlated with serum albumin and positively correlated with serum gammablobulin.These findings suggest that the determination of the activity of plasma prolidase may be helpful in the diagnosis of chronic liver diseases.