Investigations on incidence and relevant factors of allergies in 5725 urban pregnant women: a cohort study in China.

BACKGROUND: Allergic diseases are highly prevalent in the women of childbearing age. As we know, the immune system could change when pregnancy, which may affect the course of allergic diseases. Meanwhile, they also can affect the course and outcome of pregnancy. The data on incidence of allergies during pregnancy is lacking and conducting clinical trials in pregnant women was limited, therefore, we observed a prebirth cohort to supplement the relevant data and strengthen concerned research conductions. OBJECTIVE: We aim to obtain the incidence of allergies in urban pregnancy and explore the relevant factors of allergic diseases in urban pregnancy. METHODS: We design a multicenter and prospective cohort in 20 institutions above municipal level which were eligible according to the study design from 14 provinces covering all-side of China. This cohort was conducted from 13+6 weeks of gestation to 12 months postpartum and in our study, we chose the prenatal part to analyze. The outcome was developing allergies during pregnancy, which were diagnosed by clinicians according to the uniform criterion from National Health Commission. All the data was collected by electronic questionnaires through tablet computers. RESULTS: The incidence of allergic diseases in urban pregnant women was 21.0% (95%CI 20.0% ~ 22.0%). From social demography data, the history of allergies of pregnant women and their parents had statistical significance(p < 0.01); For exposure to living or working environment, house decoration for less than half a year, exposure to plush toys, disinfectants, insecticides, antihistamines, glucocorticoids, antipyretic analgesics, tocolytic agent and probiotics had statistical significance (all p < 0.05); For psychological status, self-rated depression and anxiety had statistical significance (p = 0.026;p = 0.006). CONCLUSION: The incidence of allergic diseases in urban pregnant women was similar to the former study and kept a medium-high level. The history of allergies of pregnant women and their parents, house decoration time, exposure to plush toys, disinfectants, insecticides, antihistamines, glucocorticoids, antipyretic analgesics, tocolytic agents, probiotics, self-rated depression, and anxiety were relevant factors of allergic diseases during pregnancy.

Comparison of clinical effects between microscopic surgery and conventional surgery in children with penile hypospadias and difference analysis of postoperative urodynamics.

Objective: To compare and analyze the clinical effects of microscopic surgery and conventional surgery in children with penile hypospadias and the differences in postoperative urodynamic indexes. Methods: It was a clinical comparative study. A total of 80 children with penile hypospadias admitted to Beijing Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University Baoding Hospital from July 2018 to September 2022 were selected and randomly divided into two group. The experimental group were treated with microscopic urethroplasty, while the control group were treated with traditional urethroplasty. The operative effect, operation time, total intraoperative blood loss, postoperative hospital stay and incidence of surgical complications were compared and analyzed between the two groups. All the children were followed up for two years, and the changes in urodynamic parameters including maximum urine flow rate (Qmax), average urine flow rate (Qavc), urine flow time (FT), peak time (TQmax) and residual urine (PVR) were compared before, two weeks after, six months after and two years after surgery. Results: The efficacy of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group (p=0.013). The intraoperative blood loss and postoperative hospital stay in the experimental group were significantly better than those in the control group (p=0.000). The incidences of urinary leakage and urethral stricture in the experimental group were lower than those in the control group (p<0.05). The Qmax level in the experimental group was higher than that in the control group at six months and two years after surgery, while the FT level was lower than that of the control group (p<0.05). Conclusion: Microscopic surgery is a method with significant clinical value in the treatment of penile hypospadias.

Hospital nurses' empathy and moral sensitivity toward elderly care: A cross-sectional study.

AIM: The aim of this study is to explore factors that influence elderly caring attitudes, with a focus on empathy and moral sensitivity. BACKGROUND: Medical and nursing needs of the elderly have escalated as a consequence of changes induced by aging and the associated diseases and disabilities. METHOD: A cross-sectional study involving 229 nurses from four general hospitals in South Korea was conducted. Questionnaires assessing demographic and work experience information, empathy (Empathy Construct Rating Scale), moral sensitivity (Korean version of the Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire) and elderly caring (Elderly Caring Attitude Scale) were used. Data were analysed using multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: The factors influencing the caring attitudes of nurses were empathy, moral sensitivity, preference for geriatric nursing and experience with continuing education in geriatric nursing. The explanatory power of this regression model was 59.4%. CONCLUSIONS: Strategies to enhance empathy and moral sensitivity of nurses and education related to geriatric nursing might help improve elderly caring attitudes. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Continued education in geriatric nursing should be provided for nurses caring for the elderly. In terms of nursing management and education, it is necessary to consider and develop strategies to improve the empathy and moral sensitivity of nurses toward elderly patients.

CC Chemokine Ligand 18 Promotes Cell Proliferation and Metastasis of Urothelial Carcinoma via Activating PI3K/mTOR Signaling in Patient with Renal Transplantation.

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to investigate the role of chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 18 (CCL18) in the progression of urothelial carcinoma (UC) after renal transplants (RT). METHODS: Tissues were collected from 60 patients with UC in which 24 were after RT. The tissues were all obtained from patients after radical cystectomy. Expression levels of CCL18 were examined by immunohistochemistry, RT-polymerase chain -reaction (RT-PCR), and quantitative RT-PCR, respectively. WST-1 assay was performed to determine proliferative capacity of UC cells. Migration and invasion of UC cells were analyzed by the using of chemotaxis and Transwell system. Western blotting was applied to assess the activation of PI3K-mTOR (Mammalian Target of Rapamycin) signaling. RESULTS: Compared to normal urothelial tissues, the expression levels of CCL18 were significantly increased in tumors of UC, and even more in tumors of UC after RT. Ectopic expression of CCL18 efficiently enhanced the proliferation of UC cells and moreover, exacerbated the migration and invasion of UC cells. Furthermore, overexpressed CCL18 increased the phosphorylation of PI3K, Akt, and mTOR in UC cells, suggesting the hyperactivation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate the critical role of CCL18 in the progression of UC, especially in receipt with RT. Our study indicates that CCL18 could serve as a biomarker and therapeutic target in diagnosis of recipients with UC after RT.

Combining near-field hyperspectral imaging and far-field spectral-angular distribution to develop mid-field white LED optical models with spatial color deviation.

The integration of spatial distribution of light intensity and color in the midfield is instrumental for LED optical design. On the basis of this rationale, we proposed an accurate and convenient method for developing white LED optical models. Near-field hyperspectral images and far-field spectral-angular distributions were integrated to illustrate changes in spatial light intensity and color distribution in the mid-field, to the exclusion of the absorption, conversion, and scattering of phosphors. The corresponding optical models were developed for three LED samples under different packaging conditions. Their normalized cross-correlation values for spatial light intensity and correlated-color-temperature distribution between simulation and measurement averaged as high as 0.995 and 0.99 respectively, which validated the accuracy and feasibility of the proposed method.

The entry of cucumber mosaic virus into cucumber xylem is facilitated by co-infection with zucchini yellow mosaic virus.

We investigated the synergistic effects of co-infection by zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV) and cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) on viral distribution in the vascular tissues of cucumber. Immunohistochemical observations indicated that ZYMV was present in both the phloem and xylem tissues. ZYMV-RNA was detected in both the xylem wash and guttation fluid of ZYMV-inoculated cucumber. Steam treatment at a stem internode indicated that ZYMV enters the xylem vessels and moves through them but does not cause systemic infection in the plant. CMV distribution in singly infected cucumbers was restricted to phloem tissue. By contrast, CMV was detected in the xylem tissue of cotyledons in plants co-infected with CMV and ZYMV. Although both ZYMV-RNA and CMV-RNA were detected in the xylem wash and upper internodes of steam-treated, co-infected cucumbers grown at 24 °C, neither virus was detected in the upper leaves using an ELISA assay. Genetically modified CMV harboring the ZYMV HC-Pro gene was distributed in the xylem and phloem tissues of singly inoculated cucumber cotyledons. These results indicate that the ZYMV HC-Pro gene facilitates CMV entry into the xylem vessels of co-infected cucumbers.

Development and Application of Attenuated Plant Viruses as Biological Control Agents in Japan.

In 1929, it was reported that yellowing symptoms caused by a tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) yellow mosaic isolate were suppressed in tobacco plants that were systemically infected with a TMV light green isolate. Similar to vaccination, the phenomenon of cross-protection involves a whole plant being infected with an attenuated virus and involves the same or a closely related virus species. Therefore, attenuated viruses function as biological control agents. In Japan, many studies have been performed on cross-protection. For example, the tomato mosaic virus (ToMV)-L11A strain is an attenuated isolate developed by researchers and shows high control efficiency against wild-type ToMV in commercial tomato crops. Recently, an attenuated isolate of zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV)-2002 was developed and registered as a biological pesticide to control cucumber mosaic disease. In addition, attenuated isolates of pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV), cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), tobacco mild green mosaic virus (TMGMV), melon yellow spot virus (MYSV), and watermelon mosaic virus (WMV) have been developed in Japan. These attenuated viruses, sometimes called plant vaccines, can be used not only as single vaccines but also as multiple vaccines. In this review, we provide an overview of studies on attenuated plant viruses developed in Japan. We also discuss the application of the attenuated strains, including the production of vaccinated seedlings.

Sensitivity-based dynamic performance assessment for model predictive control with Gaussian noise.

Economic model predictive control and tracking model predictive control are two popular advanced process control strategies used in various of fields. Nevertheless, for a given process, which controller should be chosen to achieve better performance is uncertain when noise exists. To this end, a sensitivity-based performance assessment approach is proposed to pre-evaluate the dynamic economic and tracking performance of them and guide the controller selection in this work. First, their controller gains around the optimal steady state are evaluated using the sensitivities of corresponding constrained dynamic programming problems. Second, the controller gains are substituted into the control loop to derive the propagation of process and measurement noise. Subsequently, the Taylor expansion is introduced to simplify the calculation of variance and mean of each variable. Finally, the tracking and economic performance surfaces are plotted and the performance indices are precisely calculated through integrating the objective functions and the probability density functions. Moreover, boundary moving (i.e., back off) and target moving can be pre-configured to guarantee the stability of controlled processes based on the proposed approach. Extensive simulations under different cases prove that the proposed approach can provide useful guidance on performance assessment and controller design.

Effect of Preventive Nursing on Male Children with Hypospadias in Preventing Postoperative Complications.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the clinical impact of preventive nursing on children with hypospadias and the intervention effect on postoperative complications. STUDY DESIGN: Comparative study. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Urology Surgery, Beijing Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University Baoding Hospital, Hebei, China, from August 2019 to July 2021. METHODOLOGY: Children with hypospadias who received elective surgery were randomly divided into two groups of forty cases each. The control group received traditional specialised nursing care during the perioperative period, the study group administered preventive care on the control basis. The postoperative rehabilitation, VAS, anxiety and depression score, postoperative complications, and nursing satisfaction were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The time of first bowel movement, extubation, and hospitalisation in the study group were significantly shorter than in the control group, with statistically significant value (p<0.001). After intervention, the SAS and SDS in the study group were significantly lower than those in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (p<0.05). The incidence of complications in the study group was 7.50%, lower than the 25% of control group (p = 0.034). The postoperative VAS scores of the study group were significantly lower than those of control group at 6 and 24 hours (p<0.05). Besides, nursing satisfaction in the study group was 97.50%, higher than the 82.50% of the control group (p = 0.025). CONCLUSION: Preventive nursing had a reliable nursing effect on children undergoing hypospadias surgery, which can reduce postoperative complications, alleviate postoperative pain, improve postoperative anxiety and depression, enhance nursing experience, and promote postoperative recovery. KEY WORDS: Preventive care, Hypospadias in male children, Urethroplasty, Complication, Clinical effect.

[The diagnosis and treatment of rotational unstable nonunion of femoral shaft fracture after interlocking nailing].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the principle and treatment of rotational unstable nonunion of the femoral shaft fracture after interlocking nailing. METHODS: From April 2003 to June 2007, 18 cases of rotational unstable nonunion of femoral shaft fractures after interlocking nailing were treated with exchanged reamed nailing and/or LCP fixation and iliac bone graft. The average age was 40 years old (from 22 to 52). RESULTS: All patients were followed up for an average time of 28 months (from 12 to 58). All the fractures were united in an average time of 7 months (from 6 to 8). There were no perioperative complications occurred and no wound infection were observed. No loosening was found around the implant till the last follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Rotational instability is one of the reasons of nonunion of femoral shaft fracture after interlocking nailing. Reaming and nail exchanging or LCP fixation with iliac bone graft are the appropriate methods which can achieve a great clinic results.

miR-140-5p inhibits the proliferation and enhances the efficacy of doxorubicin to breast cancer stem cells by targeting Wnt1.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a group of small non-coding single-stranded RNAs molecules, the dysregulation of which plays a critical role in the initiation and biological progression of malignancies. The current study demonstrated that miR-140-5p was frequently downregulated in breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs), and miR-140-5p mimics could inhibit the proliferation of BCSCs. Moreover, Wnt1 was a direct target of miR-140-5p, as was proved by luciferase reporter assays. miR-140-5p mimics could downregulate the wnt1 mRNA and protein levels in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. Furthermore, miR-140 mimics could enhance the sensitivity of BCSCs to doxorubicin (Dox) through the Wnt1/ABCB1 pathway both in vitro and vivo. Our findings have presented a novel miRNA-mediated regulatory network for BCSCs, which may provide a potential therapeutic target for breast cancer.

Postural effect on manual laterality during grooming in northern white-cheeked gibbons (Nomascus leucogenys).

Investigations on manual laterality in non-human primates can help clarify human evolutionary origins of hand preference and cerebral cognition. Although body posture can influence primate hand preference, investigations on how posture affects hylobatid manual laterality are still in their infancy. This study focused on how spontaneous bipedal behavioral tasks affect hand preference in Hylobatidae. Ten captive northern white-cheeked gibbons (Nomascus leucogenys) were chosen as focal subjects. Unimanual grooming during sitting posture and supported bipedal posture were applied as behavioral tasks. The gibbons displayed a modest tendency on left-hand preference during sitting posture and right-hand preference during supported bipedal posture, although no group-level hand preference was detected for either posture. From the sitting to supported bipedal posture, 70% of individuals displayed different degrees of right-side deviation trends. The strength of manual laterality in the supported bipedal posture was higher than that in the sitting posture. We found significant sex differences in manual laterality during supported bipedal posture but not during sitting posture. Thus, to a certain degree, bipedal posture in N. leucogenys facilitates stronger hand preference, elicits a rightward trend in manual laterality, and produces sex-specific hand preference.

A Validated Set of Fluorescent-Protein-Based Markers for Major Organelles in Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae).

Eukaryotic cells share a basic scheme of internal organization featuring membrane-based organelles. The use of fluorescent proteins (FPs) greatly facilitated live-cell imaging of organelle dynamics and protein trafficking. One major limitation of this approach is that the fusion of an FP to a target protein can and often does compromise the function of the target protein and alter its subcellular localization. The optimization process to obtain a desirable fusion construct can be time-consuming or even unsuccessful. In this work, we set out to provide a validated set of FP-based markers for major organelles in the budding yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). Out of over 160 plasmids constructed, we present a final set of 42 plasmids, the recommendations for which are backed up by meticulous evaluations. The tool set includes three colors (green, red, and blue) and covers the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), nucleus, Golgi apparatus, endosomes, vacuoles, mitochondria, peroxisomes, and lipid droplets. The fidelity of the markers was established by systematic cross-comparison and quantification. Functional assays were performed to examine the impact of marker expression on the secretory pathway, endocytic pathway, and metabolic activities of mitochondria and peroxisomes. Concomitantly, our work constitutes a reassessment of organelle identities in this model organism. Our data support the recognition that "late Golgi" and "early endosomes," two seemingly distinct terms, denote the same compartment in yeast. Conversely, all other organelles can be visually separated from each other at the resolution of conventional light microscopy, and quantification results justify their classification as distinct entities.IMPORTANCE Cells contain elaborate internal structures. For eukaryotic cells, like those in our bodies, the internal space is compartmentalized into membrane-bound organelles, each tasked with specialized functions. Oftentimes, one needs to visualize organelles to understand a complex cellular process. Here, we provide a validated set of fluorescent protein-based markers for major organelles in budding yeast. Yeast is a commonly used model when investigating basic mechanisms shared among eukaryotes. Fluorescent proteins are produced by cells themselves, avoiding the need for expensive chemical dyes. Through extensive cross-comparison, we make sure that each of our markers labels and only labels the intended organelle. We also carefully examined if the presence of our markers has any negative impact on the functionality of the cells and found none. Our work also helps answer a related question: are the structures we see really what we think they are?

Lanthanide bimetallic helicates for in vitro imaging and sensing.

As the need for targeting luminescent biolabels increases, for mapping selected analytes, imaging of cells and organs, and tracking in cellulo processes, lanthanide bimetallic helicates are emerging as versatile bioprobes. The wrapping of three ligand strands around two metallic centers by self-assembly affords robust molecular edifices with tunable chemical and photophysical properties. In addition, heterometallic helical chelates can be assembled leading to bioprobes with inherent chiral properties. In this paper, we review the literature demonstrating that neutral [Ln(2)(L(CX))(3)] (x=1-3) helicates represent a viable alternative to existing chelating agents for bio-analyses, while featuring specific enhanced properties. These bimetallic chelates self-assemble in water, and at physiological pH the 2:3 (Ln:L(CX)) complex is by far the dominant species, conditional stability constants logbeta(23) being in the range 23-30. The metal ions are 9-coordinate and lie in sites with slightly distorted D(3) symmetry. Efficient protection from water interaction by the tightly wrapped ligand strands results in sizeable photophysical properties, with quantum yields up to 24% for Eu(III) and 11% for Tb(III), while the luminescence of several other visible and/or near-infrared emitting Ln(III) ions is also sensitized. Noncytotoxicity for all the helicates is established for several living cell lines including HeLa, HaCat, MCF-7, 5D10, and Jurkat. We present new data pertaining to the live cell imaging ability of [Eu(2)(L(C1))(3)] and compare the three systems with x=1-3 with respect to thermodynamic stability, photophysics, cell-permeation ability, and targeting capability for sensing in cellulo processes. Prospects of derivatization for characterizing specific biological interactions are discussed.

Bendable InGaN Light-Emitting Nanomembranes with Tunable Emission Wavelength.

The integration of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) into the flexible devices has exhibited a great potential in the next-generation consumer electronics. In this study, we have demonstrated an exfoliated InGaN nanomembrane LED (NM-LED) separated from a GaN/sapphire substrate through an electrochemically wet etching process. The peak wavelengths blue-shifted phenomenon of the photoluminescence (PL) and the electroluminescence spectra were observed on the free-standing NM-LED compared to the nontreated LED with the same structure, which can be ascribed to the partial strain relaxation of the LED structure confirmed by the Raman spectra and the X-ray diffraction curves. A small divergent angle of the PL emission light has also been observed on the NM-LED. Moreover, the peak emission wavelength of this NM-LED can be even modulated from a red shift (521.7 nm) to a blue shift (500.4 nm) compared with that of the flat state (509.4 nm) while being curved convexly from top p-GaN:Mg side to bottom n-GaN:Si side. Our study provides an elegant way to develop a bendable light source with variable emission wavelengths through the mechanical deformation method.

Isolation and identification of α-glucosidase inhibitory constituents from the seeds of Vigna nakashimae: Enzyme kinetic study with active phytochemical.

The α-glucosidase inhibition effects of the 80% ethanol extracts in the seeds of five Vigna species (V. nakashimae, V. nipponensis, V. umbellate, V. radiate, and V. angularis) were evaluated and their half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values showed considerable differences (p < 0.05) ranging from 7.3 to >900 µg/ml. V. nakashimae exhibited the most potent inhibition with IC50 value of 7.3 ±â€¯1.1 µg/ml, followed by V. nipponensis (184.0 ±â€¯9.5 µg/ml) and V. umbellata (520.0 ±â€¯8.1 µg/ml). Bioactivity-guided fractionation of V. nakashimae seeds yielded three phenolics by silica gel chromatography and their structures were elucidated as gambiriin D (1), luteoliflavan-7-O-glucopyranoside (2), and catechin-7-O-glucopyranoside (3) using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. In particular, gambiriin D (1) possessed strong inhibition activity with IC50 of 36.8 ±â€¯2.3 µM through simple reversible slow-binding inhibition (kinetic parameters: k4 = 0.0048  µM-1s-1; Kiapp = 48 µM). Furthermore, this compound inhibited recombinant human aldose reductase with IC50 value of 12.0 ±â€¯0.7 µM. Results suggest that V. nakashimae may be a potent α-glucosidase inhibition for health products.

Ultraviolet GaN Light-Emitting Diodes with Porous-AlGaN Reflectors.

A GaN/AlGaN ultraviolet light emitting diode (UV-LED) structure with a porous AlGaN reflector structure has been demonstrated. Inside the UV-LED, the n+-AlGaN/undoped-AlGaN stack structure was transformed into a porous-AlGaN/undoped-AlGaN stack structure through a doping-selective electrochemical etching process. The reflectivity of the porous AlGaN reflector was 93% at 374 nm with a stop-bandwidth of 35 nm. In an angle-dependent reflectance measurement, the central wavelength of the porous AlGaN reflector had blueshift phenomenon by increasing light-incident angle from 10° to 50°. A cut-off wavelength was observed at 349 nm due to the material absorption of the porous-AlGaN/u-AlGaN stack structure. In the treated UV-LED structure, the photoluminescence emission wavelength was measured at 362 nm with a 106° divergent angle covered by the porous-AlGaN reflector. The light output power of the treated UV-LED structure was higher than that of the non-treated UV-LED structure due to the high light reflectance on the embedded porous AlGaN reflector.

Effectiveness of an Attenuated Zucchini yellow mosaic virus Isolate for Cross-Protecting Cucumber.

To cross-protect cucumber plants from Zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV), we used cold treatment to obtain an attenuated isolate of ZYMV, designated ZYMV-2002. ZYMV-2002 was obtained from a virulent ZYMV isolate after repeated low temperature treatment at 12.5 to 15°C followed by five cycles of single-plant transfer. The isolate produced very mild or no symptoms on cucurbit plants. In addition, inoculated cucumber plants had very similar fruit productivity to healthy control plants under field conditions. During field experiments in 2002 and 2003, when other viruses were also present, protected plants significantly suppressed infection with ZYMV, progression of disease severity, and reduction of fruit yield and quality. These results demonstrate that ZYMV-2002 is a potentially useful attenuated ZYMV isolate for reducing the impact of ZYMV.

A New Technique to Select Mild Strains of Cucumber mosaic virus.

An efficient technique to select a good attenuated virus to control Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) disease was developed. Preliminary screenings were conducted to assess the virulence of virus recovered from dark-green islands and yellow tissues of mosaic leaves of Nicotiana rustica after co-inoculation with an attenuated mutant P2bR46C of CMV and its original severe isolate Pepo. All single-lesion isolates (SLIs) obtained from dark-green islands had the attenuated P2bR46C phenotype, but the SLIs from yellow tissue had either the virulent Pepo or the P2bR46C phenotype. When Pepo-infected N. rustica and tomato plants were grown at 15 or 36°C for 30 days, 17 of 288 SLIs obtained from the treated leaves elicited mosaic and dark-green spots without malformation. Dark-green tissue from each plant infected with 1 of these 17 SLIs then was used to inoculate one plant of N. rustica. All 17 plants had either very mild mosaic or no visible symptoms. One of these potential mild strains, 36R37, had an amino acid substitution on the 2b gene encoding the 2b protein. Isolate 36R37 also was highly cross-protective, and its symptom attenuation was stable for three serial host passages. After cold or heat treatment, the dark-green tissue proved to be a good source for isolating mild strains of the virus.

[Clinical study on the rotational deformity after interlocking nailing in femur shaft fracture].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the approach to accurately judge the degree of rotational deformity in femur shaft fracture. METHODS: 110 patients with femur shaft fracture were divided into 3 groups: Group A (n = 62) with the distal end of the fractured femur at the traumatic side at neutral position so as to fix the fracture, Group B (n = 27), with both the distal and proximal ends of the fractured femur at the neutral position so as to fix the femur at an antiversion angle of 15 degrees d, and Group C (n = 21), with the degree of antiversion angle to be controlled to that on the intact side. X ray examination and CT scanning were conducted 3 days after intramedullary nailing to measure the degree of the antiversion angle on both sides. The difference between the degrees of antiversion angle at the 2 sides was considered the rotational deformity of the femur shaft after the nailing. The antiversion angles of the femurs at both sides of 11 healthy persons were measured as controls. RESULTS: The biggest value of antiversion angle was 26 degrees , the smallest value was 8 degrees , the average value at the left side was 12.8 degrees , and the average value at the right side was 12.45, and the biggest difference between the 2 side was 7 degrees in the control group. The average antiversion angle of the femur was 14.67 degrees , the biggest value was 51 degrees , and the smallest value was -24 degrees at the traumatic side; and the average antiversion angle of the femur was 14.27 degrees , the biggest value was 40 degrees , and the smallest value was -23 degrees at the intact side in the treatment groups. 53% and 52% of the patients in Groups A and B showed a rotational deformity < 10 degrees , and 9% and 11% of them showed a rotational deformity > 20 degrees , significantly different from those in the control group (all P < 0.05). The rotational deformity was < 10 degrees in all patients of Group C, not significantly different from that of the control group (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Clinically about half of the femur shaft fractures are fixed in the position of rotational deformity > 10 degrees after nailing. The rotational deformity of femur shaft fracture should be prevented by comparing the antiversion angle on the intact side so as to achieve more reliable adequate reduction.