Effects of the acetabular fracture index and other factors of posterior wall acetabular fracture on functional outcome.

Objective To analyze the effects of the acetabular fracture index (AFI) and other factors on the functional outcome of patients with acetabular fractures involving the posterior wall. Methods Forty-eight patients who underwent surgery in our department were reviewed. According to the AFI, which indicates the percentage of remaining intact posterior acetabular arc, the patients were divided into Group A (AFI ≤ 25%, 11 patients), Group B (25% < AFI ≤ 50%, 23 patients), Group C (50% < AFI ≤ 75%, 7 patients), and Group D (75% < AFI ≤ 100%, 7 patients). The AFI was measured with a computed tomography picture archiving and communication system or calculated with the cosine theorem. A nonparametric test and ordinal regression were used to determine the role of the AFI and other factors on the functional outcome. Perioperative information, including demographic and fracture-related data, reduction quality, physical therapy duration, association with a lower limb fracture and avascular necrosis of the femoral head were prospectively gathered. Results The mean AFIs of A, B, C, and D groups were 14.3%, 35.9%, 59.5%, and 81.2%, respectively. No statistically significant differences were observed among the groups for demographic and fracture-related data. A better reduction quality (OR = 4.21, 95%CI 1.42 ∼ 12.43, χ2 = 6.781, P = 0.009) and a larger value of AFI (OR = 2.56, 95%CI 1.18 ∼ 5.55, χ2 = 5.648, P = 0.017) result in a higher functional score. The functional outcome of a physical therapy duration of more than 12 months (OR = 0.15, 95%CI 0.02 ∼ 0.90, χ2 = 4.324, P = 0.038) was better than that of less than 12 months. Lower limb fracture (OR = 0.13, 95%CI 0.02 ∼ 0.74, χ2 = 5.235, P = 0.022) and avascular necrosis of femoral head (OR = 0.02, 95%CI 0.00 ∼ 0.87, χ2 = 4.127, P = 0.042) were found to correlate with a lower functional score. Conclusion With a greater of AFI, the functional outcome score would be better. Other factors, including reduction quality, physical therapy duration, association with a lower limb fracture, and avascular necrosis of the femoral head, most likely also affect hip functional recovery.

Palmitate-induced inhibition of insulin gene expression in rat islet ß-cells involves the ceramide transport protein.

Endogenous ceramide plays an important role in the palmitate (Palm) impairment of proinsulin gene expression in pancreatic islet ß-cells. Changes in the liposoluble ceramide levels not only depend on metabolic enzymes but also on its transport to subcellular sites in response to Palm stimuli. In this study, we show that suppression of ceramide transport protein (CERT) mRNA with small interfering RNA contributed to intracellular ceramide accumulation in response to chronic Palm exposure and impairment of proinsulin gene expression, similar to the effect of inhibiting ceramide scavenging enzyme sphingomyelin synthase (SMS). High dose Palm treatment increased protein kinase D (PKD)-induced phosphorylation of CERT and its dysfunction. Intracellular accumulation of ceramide was associated with reduction of PDX-1 nuclear localization and MafA protein levels and stimulation of CCAAT/enhancer binding protein ß (C/EBP ß) expression. These conditions also corresponded with a reduction of PDX-1 and MafA and an increase of C/EBP ß binding to the insulin promoter. Furthermore, down-regulation of C/EBP ß could block ceramide impairment of proinsulin gene expression. The results reveal that Palm-mediated dysfunction of ceramide transport may contribute to intracellular ceramide accumulation and result in dysfunction of pancreatic beta cells by affecting binding of transcription factors to the insulin promoter.

[Adsorption of methylene blue onto vanadium-doped magnetite].

A series of vanadium-doped magnetite (Fe3-x VxO4, x < 0.4) synthesized by an oxidation-precipitation method, were characterized using chemical analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), as well as thermogravimetric and differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC) analyses. The obtained results show that the synthetic Fe3-x VxO4 has spinel structure while vanadium mostly replaces Fe3+ in the octahedral sites. The synthetic Fe3-x VxO4 is magnetic material, with crystal size ranging from 28 to 35 nm. The substitution of vanadium in the magnetite structure increases the amount of surface hydroxyls. The experimental adsorption results indicate that, in neutral pH condition, the maximum adsorption capacities of Fe3-x VxO4 increase obviously with the increase of vanadium concentration in magnetite while the adsorption isotherm complies well with the Langmuir model. The adsorption of methylene blue (MB) on Fe3-x VxO4 can get equilibrium in the first 25 min, supporting a pseudo-second order equation. Moreover, the rise of the solution pH value results in an increase of the adsorption capability of MB on Fe3-x VxO4.

[Sorption of phenol and nitrobenzene in water by CTMAB/CPAM organobentonites].

A series of cetyltrimethyl amonium bromide bentonite (C-Bt), cationic polyacrylamide bentonite (P-Bt) and composite organobentonite (C/P-Bt) were synthesized by modifying bentonite with cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTMAB) and/or cationic polyacrylamide (CPAM). The basal spacings of the obtained organobentonites were analyzed with XRD. The sorption capacities of phenol and nitrobenzene to these organobentonites from water were examined. The results showed that the basal spacing values of C/P-Bt were larger than those of C-Bt and P-Bt, which indicated a simultaneous intercalation of bentonite interlayers by CTMAB and CPAM. The sorption capacity of C/P-Bt was better than that of C-Bt. Under the same equilibrium concentration (7 045 mg/L for phenol and 409 mg/L for nitrobenzene) , the sorbed amounts of phenol and nitrobenzene on 60C/4% P-Bt were 150 and 69 mg/g, which enhanced 26% and 28% respectively comparing with those on 60C-Bt. Furthermore, the sorption capacity of 60C/4% P-Bt was better than the sum of 60C-Bt and 4% P-Bt, and the sorbed amounts of phenol and nitrobenzene enhanced 22% and 26% respectively, showing an obvious synergistic sorption effect. An explanation for these results was that the arrangement model of CTMAB within the C/P-Bt interlayers was affected by CPAM, which led to the formation of organic phase with better affinity to the organic compounds. This novel organobentonites may have wide applications in organic pollution control.

Mechanism of p-nitrophenol adsorption from aqueous solution by HDTMA+-pillared montmorillonite--implications for water purification.

HDTMA+-pillared montmorillonites were obtained by pillaring different amounts of the surfactant hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HDTMAB) into sodium montmorillonite (Na-Mt) in an aqueous solution. The optimum conditions and batch kinetics of sorption of p-nitrophenol from aqueous solutions are reported. The solution pH had a very important effect on the sorption of p-nitrophenol. The maximum p-nitrophenol absorption/adsorption occurs when solution pH (7.15-7.35) is approximately equal to the pKa (7.16) of the p-nitrophenol ion deprotonation reaction. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that surfactant cations had been pillared into the interlayer and the p-nitrophenol affected the arrangement of surfactant. With the increased concentration of surfactant cations, the arrangement of HDTMA+ within the clay interlayer changes and the sorption of p-nitrophenol increases. HDTMA+-pillared montmorillonites are more effective than Na-Mt for the adsorption of p-nitrophenol from aqueous solutions. The Langmuir, Freundlich and dual-mode sorption were tested to fit the sorption isotherms.

[Simultaneous sorption of aqueous phenanthrene and phosphate onto bentonites modified with AlCl3 and CTMAB].

Inorganic-organic bentonites (Al-CTMAB-Bent) were synthesized by modifying bentonites with AlCl3 and cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTMAB). Simultaneous sorption of aqueous phenanthrene and phosphate onto Al-CTMAB-Bent were examined. Removal rates of phenanthrene and phosphate from water are 96.3% and 90.2%, respectively, at their respective initial concentrations of 1 mg/L and 5 mg/L when the added amount of Al-CTMAB-Bent was 1.25 g/L. The residual turbidity of Al-CTMAB-Bent suspension decreased 81.4% comparing to that of organobentonite suspension after 1 hour settlement. Thus inorganic-organic bentonite can be used to treat wastewater containing both organic pollutants and phosphate.