Etiology for Degenerative Disc Disease.

Degenerative disc disease is a multifaceted progressive irreversible condition and an inevitable part of aging, which has been found to be a contributing factor for low back pain and might cause radiculopathy, myelopathy, spinal stenosis, degenerative spondylolisthesis, and herniations. Its etiology is complex and multifactorial. Although genetics influence more dominant, the occupational and mechanical influences still persist as a major risk factor. This review emphasizes up-to-date knowledge regarding etiology of disc degeneration with special consideration on occupational, lifestyle factors, and genetic polymorphisms.

Quantitative assessment of the effect of ABCA1 gene polymorphism on the risk of Alzheimer's disease.

ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) is a membrane-associated protein which has attracted considerable attention as a candidate gene for Alzheimer's disease (AD) based on its function as a key factor in lipid metabolism by mediating cellular cholesterol efflux, the rate-limiting step in the production of nascent high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles. The relationship between ABCA1 common variations (R219 K rs2230806, I883 M rs4149313 and R1587 K rs2230808) and AD has been reported in various ethnic groups; however, these studies have yielded contradictory results. To investigate this inconsistency, we performed a meta-analysis of 13 studies involving a total of 12,248 subjects to evaluate the effect of ABCA1 on genetic susceptibility for AD. Overall, the summary OR of AD was 1.01 (95 % CI: 0.93-1.10; P = 0.77), 1.10 (95 % CI: 0.96-1.26; P = 0.16), and 1.08 (95 % CI: 0.96-1.23; P = 0.21) for R219 K, I883 M and R1587 K polymorphism, respectively. No significant results were observed in dominant and recessive when compared with wild genotype for these polymorphisms. In the stratified analyses by ethnicity and sample size, no evidence of any gene-disease association was obtained. In conclusion, the present meta-analysis does not support the notion that common SNPs on ABCA1 is a major genetic risk factor for AD.

Renal insufficiency after liver transplantation in the MELD era compared to the pre-MELD era.

Because the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) system for liver allocation gives priority to patients with a higher creatinine, and because pre-transplant renal function is one determinant of post-transplant renal function, this study compares the burden of renal insufficiency in the pre-MELD and MELD eras. Two hundred and eleven patients, at our institution, transplanted in the pre-MELD era, were compared to 143 in the MELD era. The GFR (mL/min/1.73 m2) was significantly higher in the MELD cohort than the pre-MELD cohort at time of transplant, discharge, and 12 months post-transplant (95.5 vs. 85.3, p = 0.039; 90.4 vs. 77.4, p = 0.002; 66.8 vs. 60.3, p = 0.026). There was no difference between the two groups in time to renal failure. There was a higher rate of sirolimus use in the MELD era (27% vs. 18%: p = 0.042) and a slightly higher use of kidney-liver transplant in the MELD era (p = 0.056). We did not identify greater renal insufficiency in the MELD era. There was greater renal function in the MELD era at time of transplant, discharge and month 12. Potential explanations include: absence of an increase in renal insufficiency prior to transplant in the MELD era, greater use of renal sparing immunotherapy and growing use of kidney-liver transplant.

Prolonged intrahepatic cholestasis and renal failure secondary to anabolic androgenic steroid-enriched dietary supplements.

The illegal enrichment of anabolic androgenic steroids in over-the-counter dietary supplements is well documented, but the health consequences have not been widely recognized. Three recent reports document cholestatic jaundice and nephropathy due to these compounds. We present 3 additional cases of anabolic androgenic steroid-enriched dietary supplement-induced hepatotoxicity and 1 case of renal failure, and we review the literature and the relevant features of this growing health concern. Recognition of this entity could obviate the need for invasive diagnostic testing and hospitalization and facilitate diagnosis and appropriate counseling.

Effect of transgenic expression of porcine interleukin-6 gene and CpG sequences on immune responses of newborn piglets inoculated with Pseudorabies attenuated vaccine.

Porcine interleukin-6 gene and CpG sequences were used as immunoadjuvants to enhance the immune responses of newborn piglets to Pseudorabies attenuated vaccine (PAV). The titer of specific antibodies to PAV, the proliferation of lymphocytes and induced IL-2 activities were all examined to identify the immune response of the piglets. The results showed that the immune responses with CpG ODN and porcine interleukin-6 gene were significantly stronger than routine immunities. The data suggests that porcine IL-6 and CpG motifs could be employed as effective immunoadjuvants to raise the humoral and cellular responses of newborn piglets to Pseudorabies attenuated vaccine.

Short-term outcome of bilateral decompression via a unilateral paramedian approach for transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion with unilateral pedicle screw fixation.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical and radiologic outcomes of bilateral decompression via a unilateral paramedian approach for transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion. Forty consecutive patients satisfying the inclusion criteria were divided randomly into groups 1 and 2. Patients were treated with unilateral (group 1) or bilateral (group 2) pedicle screw fixation and bilateral decompression via 1-sided (group 1) or bilateral (group 2) paramedian approach. Perioperative parameters (operation time, blood loss, hospital stay, complications, and implant cost), clinical outcome parameters (Japanese Orthopedic Association [JOA] scores, visual analog scale [VAS] scores, and Oswestry Disability Index [ODI] preoperatively and at 1 week and 3 months postoperatively), and radiologic parameters (radiograph and computed tomography [CT] scan preoperatively and at 1 week postoperatively) were compared.No differences were seen between groups 1 and 2 with respect to operation time, blood loss, or hospital stay. No complications were observed in either group. The ODI, JOA, and VAS values of both groups showed significant differences between the preoperative and 1-week or 3-month postoperative values. No significant differences were seen in the improvements of the ODI, JOA, and VAPS values between groups 1 and 2 at any postoperative time point. Postoperative CT indicated that the contralateral decompression was sufficient in both groups.The short-term results indicate that bilateral decompression via a unilateral paramedian approach for transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion with unilateral pedicle screw fixation is safe, feasible, and effective over the short-term and is more cost-efficient than a bilateral paramedian approach.

Gene Analysis of Thalassemia in Han and Dai Ethnic Childbearing-aged Population of Chinese Yunnan Province / 中国实验血液学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the common mutation spectrum of α- and β-thalassemia in Yunnan childbearing-aged population.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The common mutation types of α- or β-globin genes were detected by multiple Gap-PCR and the PCR-reversed dot blotting, and the unknown mutation types were determined by DNA sequencing in DNA samples of hypochromic microcytic anemia patients and carriers who were confirmed to be positive by serologic screaning, then the mutation types of globin in Yunnan population were analyzed statistically.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A total of 40 kinds of mutation types were detected in 685 detected persons, among them the 3 commonest mutation types of α-globin genes were --(SEA)/αα (49.09%), -α(3.7)/αα (36.67%) and α(CS)α/αα (8.79%), the 3 commonest genetypes of β-globin gene were CD26(GAG>AAG)/N (43.78%), CD41-42(-CTTT)/N (20.1%) and CD17(AAG>TAG)/N (18.9%). There were 348 Han and 212 Dai ethnic persons in 685 cases, but their mutation of globin genes were different between these 2 ethnic groups. The results also showed that the gene mutation types were mostly concentrated in Dai ethnic individuals, since 28 of 38 detected α-β-thalassemia cases were Dai ethnic individuals.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The mutation spectrums of α- and β-globin genes in Yunnan childbearing-aged population are diverse and different from that in other areas of China.</p>

Inhibition of microRNA-23a increases cisplatin sensitivity of ovarian cancer cells: the possible molecular mechanisms / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the changes in cisplatin sensitivity of resistant ovarian cancer A2780 cells after inhibition of miR-23a expression and explore the molecular mechanisms.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The drug-resistant ovarian cancer A2780 cells were exposed to cisplatin alone or in combination with antagomir-23a. The cell inhibition rates after the treatments were detected using MTT assay, cell cycle changes assessed with flow cytometry; and apoptotic cells observed using Hoechst33258 staining. The changes in glycoprotein P-gp expression in the cells were detected using Western blotting.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Inhibition of miR-23 a combined with cisplatin treatment significantly increased the cell inhibition rate (P<0.01) and lowered the IC(50) so of cisplatin by 83.76% from 110.18 μmol/L in the control group to 17.89 μmol/L (P<0.01). The combined treatments also caused cell cycle arrestin G0/G1 phase, increased the cell apoptosis rate (P<0.01) and the number of cells stained with Hoechst33258; the cellular expression of P-gp protein was significantly reduced as the cisplatin doses increased (P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Inhibition of miR-23a expression increases the sensitivity of A2780 cells to cisplatin possibly by inhibiting the negative regulation by miR-23a target genes that causes inhibition of P-gp protein expression.</p>