Modification of percutaneous vertebroplasty for painful old osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture in the elderly: preliminary report.

OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical efficacy of modified percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) in the treatment of painful old osteoporosis vertebral compression fractures (OVCF). METHODS: From April 2007 to October 2009, 16 cases (23 vertebrae) of symptomic old OVCF were treated with a modified PVP. Before operation, all the patients were examined by standing anteroposterior and lateral X-Ray and MRI. The pain level of each patient was assessed before operation and 1 week, 6, 12 months after the operation using visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI). The middle line vertebral body height and local sagittal Cobb's angle were also measured. RESULTS: Postoperative average VAS, Oswestry disability index (ODI), the local sagittal Cobb's angle decreased from 7.8, 72.3%, and 38.2° to 3.1, 26.8%, and 21.5° respectively before and after surgery (p<0.05). The mean midline vertebral height increased from 13.8mm to 26.6mm before and after surgery (p<0.05). There was no infection, nerve injury, pulmonary embolism, or death after operation. CONCLUSIONS: The modified PVP can increase the space for bone cement filling and is good for the restoration of vertebral body height. It is an optimal procedure for the treatment of painful old OVCF.

Investigation on epidemic foci of paragonimiasis in eastern part of Zhenghe County,Fujian Province / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

Objective To investigate the species and hosts of Paragonimus and its infection rate in eastern part of Zhenghe County,Fujian Province,so as to determine the local foci of Paragonimus. Methods The snails,crabs and stools of wild cats were collected for the examinations of cercariae,metacercariae and eggs of Paragonimus. The geographical and environmental conditions of the areas were also investigated. Results A total of 4 890 Pseudobythinella jianouensis snails and 1 035 Semisul?cospira liberlina snails were examined,and the cercariae of Paragonimus were only found in P. jianouensis,with an infection rate of 0.10%(5/4 890). Bottapotamon zhengheensis sp. nov. as the second intermediate host of P. skrjabini,were examined, and the infection rate was 85.29%(29/34)and the average numbers of metacercariae per crab and per gram of crab tissues were 3.85 and 0.62,respectively. Thirty?six Sinopotamun fujianensis crabs,as the second intermediate host of P. westermani,were examined,and the infection rate was 38.89%(14/36)and the average numbers of metacercariae per crab and per gram of crab tissues were 6.43 and 0.03,respectively. The eggs of Paragonimus were detected in 1 of 2 muck specimens of wild cats. Conclu?sion The data suggest that there is a focus of middle?to?high level of infection caused by P. westermani and P. skrjabini in the eastern part of Zhenghe County.

Tyrosine kinase 2 with immunoglobulin-like and epidermal growth factor homology domains RNA interference inhibit the proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells / 华西口腔医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>The purpose of this study was to investigate the regulatory role of tyrosine kinase 2 with immunoglobulin-like and epidermal growth factor homology domains (Tie2) on apoptosis and proliferation in the endothelial cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>RNA interference (RNAi) technique was used to silence Tie2 gene expression by transfecting an expression vector containing short hairpin RNA(shRNA) for Tie2 into human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Real time quantitation reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (QRT-PCR) and Western blot were used to monitor Tie2 mRNA, as well as protein expression. The proliferation of HUVECs was examined by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT), and the apoptosis was detected under microscope. HUVECs transfected with pGenesil-hk was negative control, and HUVECs transfected with nothing was empty control.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Tie2 mRNA expression was down-regulated 24 h and 48 h after transfection, and Tie2 protein expression was significantly down-regulated at 24 h and 48 h (P< 0.05), especially 48 h after transfection. The apoptosis rate was conspicuously higher in experimental group than in negative control and empty control group after 48 h (P<0.05). The growth monitoring showed that proliferation was also markedly inhibited in experimental group (P<0.05) compared with two control groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Down-regulated expression of Tie2 by RNAi can promotes apoptosis of HUVECs and has an anti-proliferation activity effect on them.</p>

Experimental study of the effects of olfactory lamina propria transplantation and ganglioside GMI treatment on spinal curd injury / 中华老年医学杂志

Objective To observe the effects of olfactory lamina propria (OLP) transplantation and ganglioside GM1 treatment on spinal cord injury (SCI) in rats.Methods Totally 50 healthy pure breed female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats after spinal cord hemiseetion were randomly divided into 5 groups and were given different treatments: (OLP + GM1) treatment group (group A), GM1 treatment group (group B), OLP treatment group (group C), spinal cord injury but without treatment group (group D) and healthy control group (group E). The recovery of neurological function was evaluated by somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) and pathological examination after surgery. Results In group A, in some rats an escaping response in right hind leg occurred, but in other groups, the motor function was not significantly improved. Histological examination showed that transplanted olfactory lamina propria survived in the transplantation area and expanded on certain routes. NF positive nerve fibers passed through the transplantation area. Compared with group B, C, D, the N1-wave latency was(4.71±0. 72)ms 4 weeks after operation(P<0. 01), and the NF density was(7. 31±0. 26) ×104/mm28 weeks after operation in group A(P<0. 05). Conclusions Olfactory lamina propria (OLP) transplantation and ganglioside GM1 treatment have a synergistic effect on SCI.