[Effect of treatment of infant parotid hemangioma with no response to oral propranolol].

Hemangioma is the most common vascular tumor in infantile period, and propranolol is the first choice, but there are still a few patients with poor curative effect. Seven cases of infant parotid hemangioma with no response to oral propranolol were treated with transcatheter arterial sclerosing embolization combined with cortisol and satisfactory results achievod. The treatment and efficacy are disccused in this paper.

G-quadruplex antibody attenuates human gastric cancer cell proliferation and promotes apoptosis through hTERT/telomerase pathway.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of G-quadruplex antibody BG4 in human gastric cancer AGS cells and assess its functions in attenuating proliferation and promoting apoptosis in gastric cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: BG4 high-expression gastric cancer AGS cell line was established by pEGFP-N1-BG4 transient transfection. AGS cells transfected with pEGFP-N1 plasmids were included into the pEGFP-N1 group and those not transfected with plasmids were included into the negative control group. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK8) assay was performed to examine the AGS cell proliferation ability, while flow cytometry was used to detect the cell cycle distribution and cell apoptosis. Cell migration was measured using Transwell migration and wound healing assay. Then the expression levels of cell apoptosis associated factors were determined. The mRNA and protein expressions of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2 associated X (Bax) were examined with real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Western blotting, respectively. RESULTS: The results revealed that pEGFP-N1-BG4 group exhibited reduced proliferation and migration, induction of apoptosis. hTERT and Bcl-2 mRNA and protein levels in pEGFP-N1-BG4 group were down-regulated compared with those in the pEGFP-N1 group and control group, but there were no significant differences in Bax mRNA and protein levels compared with those in the pEGFP-N1 group and control group. CONCLUSIONS: We showed that the expression of BG4 in the gastric cancer cell line AGS inhibits cell proliferation and promotes apoptosis though inducing telomere to form G-quadruplex structure and attenuating telomerase activity, thus resulting in reduced expression of hTERT and Bcl-2.

Factors associated with a failed closed reduction for supracondylar fractures in children.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: The aim of this retrospective study is to analyze the risk factors causing the failure of closed reduction of children supracondylar fracture. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The children with supracondylar humerus fractures who were treated in our hospital from February 2008 to February 2013, were recorded as well as their age, sex, BMI, injured side, mechanism of injury, associated injuries, fracture type, delay from injury to surgery. Mean comparisons or Chi(2) test were used for univariate analysis of the above factors, and then multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to analyse the possible risk factors, in order to elicit the risk factors associated with a failed closed reduction for supracondylar fractures in children. RESULTS: Univariate analysis showed that BMI, fracture type, duration from injury to surgery, and mechanism of injury had statistically significant association with the failure of closed reduction for children supracondylar fracture (*P=0.021, 0.044, 0.000 and 0.037 respectively). Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that fracture type (P=0.027, OR=1.177), time from injury to surgery (P=0.022, OR=2.003), and mechanism of injury (P=0.044, OR=4.182) were independent risk factors of a failed closed reduction for paediatric supracondylar fractures. DISCUSSIONS: Gartland type III supracondylar fractures, the peak period of soft tissue swelling and high-energy injury are significant risk factors to warrant open reduction. Treating surgeons should preoperatively carefully evaluate these risk factors and be prepared to treat these injuries accordingly. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV retrospective study.

Short communication: Characteristics of proteolytic activities of endo- and exopeptidases in alfalfa herbage and their implications for proteolysis in silage.

The pH optimum and thermostability of both exopeptidases and endopeptidases were investigated in this study to elucidate the possible role of plant proteases in proteolysis during ensiling of alfalfa herbage. Proteolytic activities of 4 classes of endopeptidases (i.e., serine, metallo, aspartic, and cysteine peptidase) and 5 classes of exopeptidases (i.e., aminopeptidase, carboxypeptidase, dipeptidase, dipeptidyl-peptidase, and tripeptidyl-peptidase) were examined within pH values of 3 to 9, and within temperatures from 20 to 90°C. Serine and metalloproteases, the principal endopeptidases that hydrolyzed most of the protein to nonprotein nitrogen in alfalfa silage, had optimum activities at pH 4. Among the major exopeptidases contributing protein degradation in ensiled alfalfa, dipeptidase and tripeptidyl-peptidase had stable activities between pH 4 and 6, and carboxypeptidase activity was optimal at pH 5. The optimum temperature for most peptidase activities was 40°C. Proteolytic activities of both endo- and exopeptidases increased with the elevation of incubating temperature from 20 to 40°C. The pH value in well-preserved alfalfa silage is often above 4.0, and the temperatures in the ensiled mass range from 25 to 40°C. Therefore, high proteolytic activities between pH 4 and 6 and the temperature range of ensiled alfalfa suggest that plant peptidases play a role in hydrolyzing protein during prolonged storage.