Roles of oxidative DNA damage of bone marrow hematopoietic cells in steroid-induced avascular necrosis of femoral head.

An animal model of steroid-induced avascular necrosis of femoral head (SANFH) was established to investigate the role of oxidative DNA damage of bone marrow hematopoietic cells in SANFH. Forty-five-month-old Japanese white rabbits (male or female, 2.5 ± 0.5 kg) were randomly divided into groups A (methylprednisolone + Escherichia coli endotoxin), B (methylprednisolone alone), C (E. coli endotoxin alone), and D (blank control). The animals were sacrificed two and four weeks after administration of the last dose (N = 5 each group and each time). Left and right femoral heads were fixed and decalcified. Empty lacunae were counted by hematoxylin and eosin staining and oxidative DNA damage of bone marrow hematopoietic cells was detected by immunohistochemistry. At week 2, the rate of oxidative DNA damage in bone marrow hematopoietic cells was significantly higher in group A than in groups B, C, and D (P < 0.01), while there was no significant difference between groups B, C, and D. At week 4, the rate of oxidative DNA damage in bone marrow hematopoietic cells was significantly higher in group A than in groups B, C, and D (P < 0.01), while there was no significant difference among groups B, C, and D. Thus, oxidative DNA damage of bone marrow hematopoietic cells appears to play an important role in SANFH.

Effect of odanacatib on root resorption and alveolar bone metabolism during orthodontic tooth movement.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of local administration of odanacatib (ODN) on orthodontic root resorption and the status of alveolar bone metabolism in rat molars. All specimens were scanned using microcomputed tomography and then the raw images were reconstructed. The total volume of the root resorption craters of the 60 g-NS (normal saline) group was higher than in the 60 g-ODN group and the control group. In the 60 g-NS group, the bone volume fraction values of alveolar bone were significantly decreased compared with the other 2 groups. There were no significant differences in the bone volume fraction values of the tibiae among the 3 groups. The results of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-positive (TRAP+) numbers showed that there was no difference between the 60 g-NS group and the 60 g-ODN group. The expression of cathepsin K was decreased significantly in the 60 g-ODN group. These results indicate that ODN reduces orthodontics-induced external root resorption and increases alveolar bone metabolism. This may be because ODN inhibits the activity of odontoclasts, but maintains the quantity of odontoclasts and enhances bone formation. ODN promotes local alveolar bone metabolism, but does not affect systemic bone metabolism.

Prognostic relevance and therapeutic implications of centromere protein F expression in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Centromere protein F (CENP-F), a cell cycle-regulated centromere protein, has been shown to affect numerous tumorigenic processes. This study aimed to clarify the prognostic significance of CENP-F expression in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). The levels of CENP-F messenger RNA and protein were higher in ESCC cell lines than in the normal tissues. An immunohistochemical analysis of paired tissue specimens showed that the CENP-F expression was higher in tumorous tissues than in the adjacent non-tumorous tissues (P < 0.001). Moreover, there was a significant correlation between CENP-F expression and gender (P = 0.012), clinical stage (P = 0.039), and T classification (P = 0.026). Patients with higher CENP-F expression had shorter overall survival than those with lower CENP-F expression (P = 0.009). Multivariate Cox analysis indicated that CENP-F expression is an independent prognostic factor for overall survival (hazard ratio = 0.582, 95% confidence interval = 0.397-0.804, P = 0.041). Importantly, it was found that zoledronic acid (ZOL) could significantly enhance the chemotherapeutic sensitivity of ESCC cell lines with high CENP-F expression to cisplatin, although ZOL alone only exhibited a minor inhibitory effect to ESCC cells. In summary, these findings demonstrate that CENP-F may serve as a valuable molecular marker for predicting the prognosis of ESCC patients. In addition, the data indicate a potential benefit of combining ZOL with cisplatin in ESCC, suggesting that CENP-F expression may have therapeutic implications.

Prevalence of human parechovirus in Chinese children hospitalized for acute gastroenteritis.

Human parechoviruses (HPeVs) are widespread pathogens causing a wide spectrum of diseases. HPeVs belong to the family Picornaviridae, and 14 genotypes are known. We conducted a case-control study to investigate the role of HPeV in acute gastroenteritis. HPeV was detected and quantified using real-time RT-PCR, and then genotyped by sequencing of the nested RT-PCR product of the VP3/VP1 partial gene. HPeV was found in both the case and control groups (29.4% and 15.3% respectively, p 0.006). Six HPeV genotypes (HPeV1, HPeV3, HPeV4, HPeV5, HPeV6, and HPeV8) were detected. Nine positive samples could not be sequenced with negative genotyped RT-PCR. HPeV1 and HPeV3 were the most prevalent genotypes, and co-infection was common in the case group. No statistically significant differences in either viral load or the rate of HPeV1 and HPeV3 infection were found between the two groups. Additionally, no significant differences were found in fever rates, vomiting rates or mean duration and frequency of diarrhoea and vomiting between the positive and negative case groups with HPeV1 or HPeV3. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that there was no association between the HPeV1 or HPeV3 infection and acute gastroenteritis. Multiple genotypes of HPeVs were highly prevalent in Chinese children. One potential new HPeV genotype was identified, but needs to be confirmed further by the picoma study group. However, the present study does not support a causative role of HPeV1 and HPeV3 in acute gastroenteritis.

GMP implementation in China: A double-edged sword for the pharmaceutical industry.

China's Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards that mainly parallel WHO standards were made compulsory in 2004. However, GMP implementation had both positive as well as negative impacts on the pharmaceutical industry, with negatives including pharmaceutical companies suffering economic hardships, poor execution of GMP standards, and sequent health scares. This report briefly describes the problems with GMP implementation in China.

[Hypofunction of peripheral target-gland after radiotherapy of pituitary adenoma--an analysis of 140 cases].

One hundred and forty cases of pituitary adenoma, treated by surgery plus radiotherapy or radiotherapy alone from 1978 to 1985, were analysed as to the incidence of hypothalamo-pituitary and peripheral target-gland hypofunction after radiotherapy. The incidence of hypothyroidism, hypogonadism and hypoadrenalism was 51.7%, 61.4% and 17.8%, respectively. Thyroid and gonad were vulnerable following hypothalamo-pituitary hypofunction, and the incidence was 19.2% and 23.5% individually, and 27.1% simultaneously. The incidence of hypoadrenalism was 7.1%. The total incidence of target-gland hypofunction was 10.7%. Hypofunction of the posterior lobe of the pituitary often occurred after operation. For patients treated with radiotherapy alone, the incidence of hypothalamo-pituitary and target-gland hypofunction was high because of higher irradiation dose. Hormonotherapy was successful in the treatment of hypopituitarism and target-gland hypofunction. For radiotherapy of pituitary adenoma, DT 40-45 Gy and treatment field 4 x 4 cm are recommended.

[Pituitary radiotherapy of Cushing's disease (an analysis of 22 cases and literatures review)].

22 patients with Cushing's disease were treated in our hospital from 1976 to 1983. 18 patients were treated by adrenal surgery combined with pituitary irradiation, while 4 patients by radiotherapy of pituitary alone. Overall effective rate was 94%, 82% of patients were able to return to work. Adrenal resection followed by radiation of the pituitary had a relapse rate of 9.1%. The relapse rate was increased to 85.7%, if post-operative radiation was not given. The authors proposed that for young patients with mild disease, radiotherapy alone for pituitary yields good results. As post-operative radiotherapy radiation should be started 2 weeks to 2 months after adrenal operation. Two opposing lateral preauricular portals together with one prefrontal midline portal are preferable and can effectively reduce the dose to the normal brain, the recommended dose is DT 40-50 Gy.