Percutaneous Vertebroplasty of the Entire Thoracic and Lumbar Vertebrae for Vertebral Compression Fractures Related to Chronic Glucocorticosteriod Use: Case Report and Review of Literature

Glucocorticosteroid-induced osteoporosis is the most frequent of all secondary types of osteoporosis, and can increase the risk of vertebral compression fractures (VCFs). There are promising additions to current medical treatment for appropriately selected osteoporotic patients. Few studies have reported on the efficiency of percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) or kyphoplasty for whole thoracic and lumbar glucocorticosteroid-induced osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures. We report a case of a 67-year-old man with intractable pain caused by successional VCFs treated by PVP.

Percutaneous Osteoplasty for the Management of a Femoral Head Metastasis: a Case Report

Percutaneous osteoplasty (POP) as a technical extension of percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) has been used to treat malignant disease that affects the skeletal system. POP has demonstrated good outcome for pain relief and functional improvement. Few studies have reported on the efficiency of POP to treat malignancies located in the femoral head. We designed a pilot study with the use of POP to treat intractable pain caused by a femoral head metastatic tumor in a 43-year-old man. During the follow-up period, the patient experienced sustained pain relief and improvement of quality of life that persisted for more than three months.

Percutaneous Sacroplasty for Sacral Metastatic Tumors Under Fluoroscopic Guidance Only

Percutaneous sacroplasty is a safe and effective procedure for sacral insufficient fractures under CT or fluoroscopic guidance; although, few reports exist about sacral metastatic tumors. We designed a pilot study to treat intractable pain caused by a sacral metastatic tumor with sacroplasty. A 62-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman with medically intractable pain due to metastatic tumors of S1 from lymphoma and lung cancer, respectively, underwent percutaneous sacroplasty. Over the course of the follow-up period, the two patients experienced substantial and immediate pain relief that persisted over a 3-month and beyond. The woman had deposition of PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) in the needle track, but did not experience significant symptoms. No other peri-procedural complications were observed for either patient.

Significance of CT in diagnosis of chronic suppurative otitis media / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the methods of preoperative diagnosis and differentiation of different pathological tissue in middle ear and mastoid.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The temporal bone lamellar CT findings in 106 patients with chronic suppurative otitis media (including cholesteatoma) were retrospectively analyzed. The CT value of pathological tissue were measured for 183 times and were compared with the surgical findings and postoperative pathological findings to definitude the CT value range of different pathological tissue. Sixty patients taken from 106 patients at random were analyzed and made the diagnosis again by the same doctor team according to the CT value of the different pathological tissue and surrounding histoclasia resulted by pathological tissue. The diagnose accordance rate was compared with the routine diagnose report from radiology department. The predetective diagnosis was made in 10 patients with chronic suppurative otitis media according to clinical manifestation (pathological changes of tympanic membrane, nature of otorrhea, character of hearing), temporal bone lamellar CT finding (CT value of pathological tissue, surrounding histoclasia) to validate the value of this study for preoperative diagnosis and differentiation of different pathological tissue in middle ear and mastoid.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The CT value of cholesteatoma, granulation tissue, cholesteatoma combined with granulation tissue, effusion, calcified tissue, thickened and polypoid membrane was respectively (46.6 +/- 10.3) Hu, (26.6 +/-7.4) Hu, (42.1 +/- 11.4) Hu, (- 24.6 +/- 9.2) Hu, (223.6 +/- 63.7) Hu, (23.8 +/- 8.5) Hu. The diagnose accordance rate in 60 patients who were analyzed and made diagnosis again according to the CT value of the different pathological tissue and surrounding histoclasia resulted by pathological tissue raised from 68. 3% to 81.7% ( P < 0.05) . The predetective diagnose accordance rate reached at 90% according to clinical manifestation, temporal bone lamellar CT.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>It was not reliable to diagnose and differentially diagnose different pathological tissue in middle ear and mastoid only by the CT value, however, the CT value could still be considered to be a very significant information. The accurate rates of diagnosis and differentiation of different pathological tissue in middle ear and mastoid obviously raised by synthetically analyzing various kinds of pathological tissues in middle ear and mastoid according to clinical manifestation, temporal bone lamellar CT finding.</p>

Periradicular compound betamethasone injection therapy for lumbar radicular pain performed under CT guidance / 介入放射学杂志

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of periradicular compound betamethasone injections into the periganglionic space in the treatment of radicular pain.Methods Periganglionic compound betamethasone infiltrations were performed in 76 patients with lumbar radicular pain under MSCT guidance.All patients were divided into two groups including group 1(31 cases of lumbar disc herniation)and group 2(45 cases of lumbar degenerative disorders).The total and two groups scores of VAS were compared after the therapeutic procedure with evaluation of the efficacy.Results 88%(69/76)of patients showed significant pain reduction,with the score of VAS 6.5?2.0(before therapy)dropping to 3.4?1.8(after 1 week)and 3.8?1.9(after 3 month).Differences in improvements before and after the therapy were statistically significant.Differences between one-week and three-month follow-up were not statistically significant.Differences between the two groups demonstrated no statistical significance.Conclusion Periradicular compound betamethasone injection under CT guidance is safe and useful in the treatment of lumbar radicular pain.

Effect of biminne on vascular permeability of nasal mucosa in allergic rhinitis rats / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate whether the effect of Biminne on allergic rhinitis (AR) was through improving vascular permeability of nasal mucosa.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Rat's model in Biminne-treated group and model group was induced by intraperitoneal injection of ovalbumin (OVA) and aluminum hydroxide gel suspension Biminne-treated rats were orally given Biminne suspension from the 8th day to the 17th day. On the 18th day, Evan's blue dye (EBD) in the nasal perfusate was detected to assess the vascular permeability.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>EBD concentration was higher in the model rats than that in the normal rats, and lower in the Biminne-treated rats than that in the model rats (both P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Biminne could improve vascular permeability of nasal mucosa in sensitized rats, which may be the mechanism of its clinical effect on AR.</p>

Study on the differentially expressed genes in bone tissue of ovariectomized rats after intervention with Chinese herbs / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the therapeutic effect and mechanism of jiangu granule (JGG) on postmenopausal osteoporosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Differential display reverse transcription PCR (DDRT-PCR) was used to detect the differentially expressed genes in bone tissues associated with therapeutic effect of JGG.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Ten differentially expressed gene fragments were found, 9 of them, after cloning, sequencing and BLAST searching, were proved to be matched with highly homologous sequences in Genebank. Among them, two were known proteins: hyaluronan-mediated motility receptor (RHAMM) and ATPase, Na+, K+ transporting beta 3 polypeptide (ATP1b3). It was confirmed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR that these two gene fragments could be down- and up-regulated by JGG respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The therapeutic effect of JGG in treating postmenopausal osteoporosis might be related with its regulation on the two kinds of protein, RHAMM and ATP1b3.</p>

LC-ESI/MS identification and reduction of impurities in spiramycin fermentation / 生物工程学报

There are several impurities in the spiramycin fermentation broth which leads to a lower yield and lower quality of the product. Four impurities in spiramycin broth have been simultaneously separated and identified by LC-ESI/MS. The generation of these impurities was attributed to the fluctuation of glucosylation in spiramycin biosynthesis. Nitrogen sources, ammonium in particular, were found to play an important role at the glucosylation. Aided with the information of LC-ESI/MS analysis and subsequent optimization of the culture medium, better culture medium of shake flask was designed, which leads to reduction of impurities by 22% - 88%.