[Effects of trabecular metal augments for the reconstruction of Paprosky type â ¢ acetabulum bone defects].

Objective: To investigate the methods and short-time clinical results of reconstruction of Paprosky type Ⅲ acetabulum bone defects by using tantalum augments. Methods: A total of 17 patients (17 hips) with Paprosky type Ⅲ acetabulum bone defects, treated with tantalum augments in revision of total hip arthroplasty at Department of Orthopedics Surgery in General Hospital of Chinese People's Liberation Army were retrospectively analyzed from March 2014 to May 2016.There were 6 males and 11 females aged from 23 to 74 years with an average of (50.2±16.3) years. Tantalum augments or TM-Cup augment (the cup-on-cup technique) were used to reconstruct the defects.The TM-Cup augment was the tantalum revision cup which was removed titanium ring. The cup-on-cup technique combined TM-Cup augment and biological acetabulum cup. Augments were served as the nonresorptive structural allograft in revision of total hip arthroplasty. Harris hip score was used to evaluate clinical effects. The vertical position of the rotation center was measured and analyzed. Radiographic assessments of the acetabular components were performed by DeLee-Charnley and the Anderson criteria and recorded postoperative complications. Results: All the patients were followed up from 3 to 29 months with an average of (16.2±5.4) months, tantalum augments and biological acetabulum cup were used in 13 patients, the TM-Cup augment and biological acetabulum cup were used in 4 patients. At the time of the latest follow-up, the mean Harris hip score increased compared to preoperatively (86.8±8.3 vs. 30.0±12.0) (t=12.78, P<0.01), the average vertical location of the center of rotation was decreased ((25.3±9.8) mm vs.(47.6±10.5)) mm (t=4.95, P<0.01). All the tantalum augments and biological acetabulum cups were stable, there were no infection, dislocation and other complications. Conclusions: The use of tantalum augments could be considered as an effective management of Paprosky type Ⅲ defects providing good clinical and radiographic outcomes in the short term.The cup-on-cup technique which was used in reconstruction of severe superior-invagination acetabular bone defects and restoration relatively normal center of rotation had special application value.

Construction of a hypoxic immune microenvironment associated gene-based model for prognosis prediction of lung adenocarcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) accounts for the majority of cancer deaths worldwide, with a high incidence rate and mortality. It is highly important to develop biomarker model to accurately predict the prognosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: RNA-Seq data and clinical follow-up data of LUAD were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Hypoxia-related gene sets were collected from the Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) website. A gene signature model was established using the Limma package in the R software, univariate and multivariate survival analyses, and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) algorithms. RESULTS: Two hypoxia subtypes (C1 and C2) were classified according to the expressions of 55 prognostic hypoxic-related genes. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between two hypoxia subtypes and immune group were analyzed. Then, 390 DEGs related to hypoxic immune microenvironment were filtered. According to hypoxia type and immune type, the samples were classified into hypoxia-high & immune-low group, hypoxia-low & immune-high group. Based on these differentially expressed genes (DEGs), a 5-genes signature model, which showed a stable prediction performance on datasets of different platforms and immunotherapy datasets, was finally developed. Meanwhile, it demonstrated a better performance compared with other existing models. The AUC of the 5-gene signature was high in both the training dataset and 4 independent validation datasets and was confirmed as a clinical feature-independent prognostic model. CONCLUSIONS: This study developed a hypoxic immune microenvironment associated gene-based model for prognostic prediction of LUAD, providing clinicians with a reliable prognostic assessment tool and facilitating clinical treatment decision-making.

Protective effect of the new prepared Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz polysaccharide on fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome in laying hens.

Fatty liver hemorrhage syndrome (FLHS) is the most common noninfectious cause of death in backyard chickens worldwide, which can cause a sudden drop in egg production in the affected flocks and cause huge losses to the laying hens breeding industry. In this study, we prepared polysaccharide from Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz (PAMK) by one-step alcohol precipitation. The structural analysis found that PAMK with a molecular weight of 2.816 × 103 Da was composed of glucose and mannose, in a molar ratio of 0.582 to 0.418. Furthermore, we investigated the hepatoprotective effects of PAMK on high-energy and low-protein (HELP) diet-induced FLHS in laying hens. The results showed that the hens' livers of the HELP diet showed yellowish-brown, greasy, and soft, whereas the supplement of PAMK (200 mg/kg or 400 mg/kg) could alleviate such pathological changes. The liver index, the abdominal fat percentage, and liver injury induced by the HELP diet were reduced in PAMK (200 mg/kg or 400 mg/kg). Supplementing 200 mg/kg or 400 mg/kg PAMK showed improvements of the antioxidant capacity in laying hens. Furthermore, we found that the HELP diet increased the expression of hepatic lipogenesis genes and decreased the expression of fatty acid ß-oxidation genes, which could be reversed by 200 mg/kg or 400 mg/kg PAMK supplementation. Nevertheless, there is no difference between the addition of 40 mg/kg PAMK and the HELP group. Collectively, these results showed that PAMK supplements could ameliorate HELP diet-induced liver injury through regulating activities of antioxidant enzymes and hepatic lipid metabolism. Therefore, PAMK could be a potential feedstuff additive to alleviate FLHS in laying hens.

The clinical research of off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting by small incision at the left chest.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical value of off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting by small incision at the left chest, and develop a better surgical regimen for coronary heart disease patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 201 coronary heart disease patients who need coronary artery bypass grafting were required and randomly divided into 2 groups including a control group and an observation group. There were 107 cases in the control group who received coronary bypass grafting by extracorporeal circulation; there were 103 cases in the observation group who received off-pump coronary bypass grafting by small incision at the left chest. The duration of the mechanism ventilation, length of stay in ICU, hospitalization time, postoperative drainage volume, and the occurrence rate of complications were recorded and compared. RESULTS: The duration of mechanism ventilation, length of stay in ICU, hospitalization time and postoperative drainage volume in the control group were (19.21 ± 1.33) hours, (5.08 ± 0.57) days, (21.20 ± 2.34) days and (997.68 ± 96.35) mL, which were (7.73 ± 0.74) hours, (2.83 ± 0.16) days, (15.67 ± 1.18) days and (901.53 ± 89.32) mL in the observation group respectively, with statistical difference between the two groups (p<0.05). The occurrence rates of renal insufficiency and arrhythmia were both 6.54% and 0.97% in the control group and the observation group, respectively. The occurrence rates of postoperative renal insufficiency and arrhythmia in the observation group were both significantly lower than those in the control group, with statistical significance analysis (p < 0.05). Postoperative low cardiac output, second thoracotomy, cerebrovascular disease, pulmonary infection, perioperative cardiac infarction and mortality did not display a significant difference between the two groups (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting by small incision at the left chest is a surgical method with less injury and fast recovery, which can be used as the preferred therapeutical method for the coronary heart disease patients who need coronary artery bypass grafting.

Genomic characterization and linkage mapping of the apple allergen genes Mal d 2 (thaumatin-like protein) and Mal d 4 (profilin).

Four classes of apple allergens (Mal d 1, -2, -3 and -4) have been reported. By using PCR cloning and sequencing approaches, we obtained genomic sequences of Mal d 2 (thaumatin-like protein) and Mal d 4 (profilin) from the cvs Prima and Fiesta, the two parents of a European reference mapping population. Two copies of the Mal d 2 gene (Mal d 2.01 A and Mal d 2.01 B) were identified, which primarily differed in the length of a single intron (378 or 380 nt) and in one amino acid in the signal peptide. Both Mal d 2.01 A and Mal d 2.01 B were mapped at identical position on linkage group 9. Genomic characterization of four Mal d 4 genes (Mal d 4.01 A and B, Mal d 4.02 A and Mal d 4.03 A) revealed their complete gDNA sequences which varied among genes in length from 862 to 2,017 nt. They all contained three exons of conserved length: 123, 138, and 135 nt. Mal d 4.01 appeared to be duplicated in two copies and located on linkage group 9. Mal d 4.02 A and Mal d 4.03 A were single copy genes located on linkage group 2 and 8, respectively.

Linkage map positions and allelic diversity of two Mal d 3 (non-specific lipid transfer protein) genes in the cultivated apple (Malus domestica).

Non-specific lipid transfer proteins (nsLTPs) of Rosaceae fruits, such as peach, apricot, cherry, plum and apple, represent major allergens for Mediterranean atopic populations. As a first step in elucidating the genetics of nsLTPs, we directed the research reported here towards identifying the number and location of nsLTP (Mal d 3) genes in the apple genome and determining their allelic diversity. PCR cloning was initially performed on two cultivars, Prima and Fiesta, parents of a core apple mapping progeny in Europe, based on two Mal d 3 sequences (AF221502 and AJ277164) in the GenBank. This resulted in the identification of two distinct sequences (representing two genes) encoding the mature nsLTP proteins. One is identical to accession AF221502 and has been named Mal d 3.01, and the other is new and has been named Mal d 3.02. Subsequent genome walking in the upstream direction and DNA polymorphism analysis revealed that these two genes are intronless and that they could be mapped on two homoeologous segments of linkage groups 12 and 4, respectively. Further cloning and sequencing of the coding and upstream region of both Mal d 3 genes in eight cultivars was performed to identify allelic variation. Assessment of the deduced nsLTP amino acid sequences gave a total of two variants at the protein level for Mal d 3.01 and three for Mal d 3.02. The consequences of our results for allergen nomenclature and the breeding of low allergenic apple cultivars are discussed.

Genomic cloning and linkage mapping of the Mal d 1 (PR-10) gene family in apple (Malus domestica).

Fresh apples can cause birch pollen-related food allergy in northern and central European populations, primarily because of the presence of Mal d 1, the major apple allergen that is cross-reactive to the homologous and sensitizing allergen Bet v 1 from birch. Apple cultivars differ significantly in their allergenicity. Knowledge of the genetic basis of these differences would direct breeding for hypoallergenic cultivars. The PCR genomic cloning and sequencing were performed on two cultivars, Prima and Fiesta, which resulted in 37 different Mal d 1 gDNA sequences. Based on the mapping of sequence-specific molecular markers, these sequences appeared to represent 18 Mal d 1 genes. Sixteen genes were located in two clusters, one cluster with seven genes on linkage group (LG) 13, and the other cluster with nine genes on the homoeologous LG 16. One gene was mapped on LG 6, and one remained unmapped. According to sequence identity, these 18 genes could be subdivided into four subfamilies. Subfamilies I-III had an intron of different size that was subfamily and gene-specific. Subfamily IV consisted of 11 intronless genes. The deduced amino acid sequence identity varied from 65% to 81% among subfamilies, from 82% to 100% among genes within a subfamily, and from 97.5% to 100% among alleles of one gene. This study provides a better understanding of the genetics of Mal d 1 and the basis for further research on the occurrence of allelic diversity among cultivars in relation to allergenicity and their biological functions.

Identification of AFLP markers closely linked to the rhm gene for resistance to Southern Corn Leaf Blight in maize by using bulked segregant analysis.

Southern Corn Leaf Blight (SCLB) is an important disease in warm-temperate and tropical corn-producing areas throughout the world. We applied a combination of the amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) technique and bulked segregant analysis (BSA) to a large F2 population in order to identify molecular markers linked to the rhm gene for resistance to SCLB. One co-dominant AFLP marker, p7m36, was mapped to a position 1.0 cM from rhm, and we converted this marker to an STS (sequence-tagged site) marker. Combined with the previously identified agrP144, this new marker may be useful for map-based cloning of the rhm gene and marker-assisted selection for rhm.