Comparison between tension band and cerclage with X-Plate and lag screws in treatment of comminuted patellar fractures

BackgroundComminuted patellar fractures are not rare, and the ideal treatment method remains controversial. The present study was conducted to evaluate effects and compare complications of two different methods used to treat comminuted patellar fractures.MethodsFrom March 2010 to August 2016, 102 cases of 34-C2 or 34-C3 comminuted patellar fractures were treated at our hospital, wherein patients received two different treatments: titanium cable tension band with cerclage method (group A) and intrafragmentary screws with X-shaped plating technique (group B). At follow-ups, articular step-off, range of motion (ROM), Lysholm scores, time of union, and complications were recorded and analyzed. Radiographic and clinical data as well as rate of complications were statistically analyzed.ResultsIn total, 87 patients were included in the final analysis (n = 47 in group A and n = 40 in group B). No significant differences were noted in terms of cost of implant, age, gender, rate of 34-C3 fractures, rate of layered inferior pole fractures, postoperative articular step-off and union time. At 2-year follow-up, average Lysholm scores, ROM and rate of complications were (89.0 ± 4.5), (122°±12°) and (27.7%) in group A and (90.2 ± 3.9), (124°±11°) and (17.5%) in group B, respectively, with no significant differences (p > 0.05). The mean time of surgery in group B was shorter than that in group A with significant difference (p < 0.05).ConclusionsTreatment using the intrafragmentary screws and plate method for amenable comminuted patellar fractures achieved similar complication rate and favorable functional outcomes at the 2-year follow-up, which was comparable to the titanium cable tension band with cerclage method. Thus, the intrafragmentary screws and plate method is effective, safe and convenient for 34-C2/C3 comminuted patellar fractures, especially appropriate for patients with layered fragments.     

A Phase I Dose Escalation Study of the Safety,Tolerability, and Pharmacokinetics of Ipilimumab in Chinese Patients with Select Advanced Solid Tumors

Lessons Learned

• The overall safety profiles of ipilimumab 3 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg administered every 3 weeks, were consistent between Chinese patients with solid tumors in the current study and patients from previous U.S. ipilimumab monotherapy studies. No new safety signals were identified.
• The mean systemic exposures to ipilimumab (assessed by first dose area under the curve during the dosing interval and maximum serum concentration) were numerically lower in the Chinese patient population than in U.S. patients for both 3 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg doses; however, the range of serum concentrations in the Chinese and U.S. populations overlapped (3 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg), suggesting that ipilimumab pharmacokinetics was ethnically insensitive in this study.

BackgroundThis phase I, open‐label study assessed ipilimumab safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK), immunogenicity, and antitumor activity in Chinese patients with unresectable, metastatic, recurrent malignant melanoma (MM) or nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).MethodsOf 39 patients enrolled, 25 received ipilimumab (11 patients received 3 mg/kg, and 14 patients received 10 mg/kg). Reasons for not receiving treatment were withdrawal of consent (3 patients), no longer meeting the criteria (10 patients), and one recorded as “other.” During the induction phase, patients received ipilimumab (3 mg/kg, i.v.), on day 1 of a 3‐week cycle, to a maximum of four doses or progressive disease (PD). During the maintenance phase at week 24, patients received ipilimumab (3 mg/kg, i.v.) on day 1 of a 12‐week cycle, to a maximum of 3 years or PD. Considering the co‐primary safety and PK endpoints, the successive dosing required nine patients with two or fewer dose‐limiting toxicities during the 42‐day observation period to proceed with a new cohort of nine patients at 10 mg/kg.ResultsIpilimumab safety and PK profiles were similar in Chinese and predominantly White populations. Ipilimumab was well tolerated. Most adverse events (AEs) were grades 1–2 and experienced by 11 patients treated with 3 mg/kg and 14 patients treated with 10 mg/kg. There were no new safety concerns. Incidence of anti‐ipilimumab antibodies was low (1 of 10 in the 3 mg/kg patients and 2 of 13 in the 10 mg/kg patients) and without safety implications. In the 3 mg/kg group, 8 of 11 patients had PD. In the 10 mg/kg group (all NPC, 0 MM patients), 11 of 14 patients had PD. Three patients had stable disease (one at 3 mg/kg and two at 10 mg/kg).ConclusionIpilimumab was well tolerated in Chinese patients, showing similar safety and PK to previous studies in predominantly White populations.     

王琦教授新冠肺炎预防方预防新型冠状病毒肺炎机制的网络药理学探讨＊

目的 借助网络药理学的方法，探究两组王琦教授新冠肺炎预防方（简称预防方）预防新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19）的分子靶点和机制。方法 通过TCMSP数据库检索并筛选其活性成分及其作用靶点，通过Uniprot数据库进行蛋白标准化处理。从Genecards数据库中以“Novel coronavirus pneumonia”为关键词搜索获取COVID-19的靶标，构建相交靶点韦恩图。通过cytoscape3.7.2构建PPI蛋白互作网络，寻找富集数目最多的靶点。通过R语言对预防方治疗COVID-19的靶点进行GO和KEGG富集分析，并绘制气泡图。结果 预防方与新冠肺炎相关靶点涉IL-6、TNF、CXCL8、VEGFA、MMP9；GO功能富集分析分别获得53、57条通路；27、29条KEGG相关信号通路。结论 王琦教授新冠肺炎预防方中的主要活性成分为槲皮素、山奈酚、木犀草素、β-谷甾醇、植物甾醇等，可能通过作用于IL-6、TNF、CXCL8、VEGFA、MMP9、CXCL8、IL10、CCL2、IL1B等靶点和介导TNF信号通路、T细胞受体信号通路、Toll样受体信号通路等发挥作用，从而促进免疫反应、炎症反应及细菌防御反应，预防COVID-19。     

Collimating micro-lens fiber array for noncontact near-infrared diffuse correlation tomography

Near-infrared diffuse correlation spectroscopy/tomography (DCS/DCT) has recently emerged as a noninvasive measurement/imaging technology for tissue blood flow. In DCT studies, the high-dense collection of light temporal autocorrelation curves (g₂(τ)) via fiber array are critical for image reconstruction of blood flow. Previously, the camera-based fiber array limits the field of view (FOV), precluding its applications on large-size human tissues. The line-shape fiber probe based on lens combination, which is predominantly used in current DCT studies, requires rotated-scanning over the surface of target tissue, substantially prolonging the measurement time and increasing the system instability. In this study, we design a noncontact optical probe for DCT based on collimating micro-lens fiber array, termed as FA-nc-DCT system. For each source/detector fiber, a single optical path was collimated by coupling with one micro-lens in the fiber array that is integrated in a square-shape base. Additionally, an 8×8 optical switch is used to share the hardware laser and detectors without spatial scanning. The FA-nc approach for the precise collection of g₂(τ) curves was validated through a speed-varied phantom experiment and the human experiments of cuff occlusion, from which the expected value of the blood flow index (BFI) was obtained. Furthermore, the flow anomaly in the phantom and the ischemic muscle in human were accurately reconstructed from the FA-nc-DCT system, which is combined with the imaging framework based on the Nth-order linear algorithm that we recently created. Those outcomes demonstrated the great potential of FA-nc-DCT technology for fast and robust imaging of various diseases such as human breast cancers.     

“三全育人”视角下思政教育机制实践与探索——“杏林成长导师”计划的构建

“三全育人”是高校思政教育工作的关键一环，也是中医药高校推动思政教育的重要内容。以“三全育人”为视角对北京中医药大学思想政治教育举措“杏林成长导师”计划路径、内容深入分析，运用统计分析和文献研究方法，剖析该计划对中医学专业大学生的学业、思想和实践等多个层面的现实成效，从而为“三全育人”理念在中医药院校制度建构中的应用提供新的视角与方法。     

Role of surgical treatments in high-grade or advanced gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms

Over the last 40 years, the incidence and prevalence of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (GEP-NENs) have continued to increase. Compared to other epithelial neoplasms in the same organ, GEP-NENs exhibit indolent biological behavior, resulting in more chances to undergo surgery. However, the role of surgery in high-grade or advanced GEP-NENs is still controversial. Surgery is associated with survival improvement of well-differentiated high-grade GEP-NENs, whereas poorly differentiated GEP-NENs that may benefit from resection require careful selection based on Ki67 and other tissue biomarkers. Additionally, surgery also plays an important role in locally advanced and metastatic disease. For locally advanced GEP-NENs, isolated major vascular involvement is no longer an absolute contraindication. In the setting of metastatic GEP-NENs, radical intended surgery is recommended for patients with low-grade and resectable metastases. For unresectable metastatic disease, a variety of surgical approaches, including cytoreduction of liver metastasis, liver transplantation, and surgery after neoadjuvant treatment, show survival benefits. Primary tumor resection in GEP-NENs with unresectable metastatic disease is associated with symptom control, prolonged survival, and improved sensitivity toward systemic therapies. Although there is no established neoadjuvant or adjuvant strategy, increasing attention has been given to this emerging research area. Some studies have reported that neoadjuvant therapy effectively reduces tumor burden, improves the effectiveness of subsequent surgery, and decreases surgical complications.     

Hepatotoxicity of cantharidin is associated with the altered bile acid metabolism

Cantharidin (CTD) is an effective antitumor agent. However, it exhibits significant hepatotoxicity, the mechanism of which remains unclear. In this study, biochemical and histopathological analyses complemented with ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS)-based targeted metabolomic analysis of bile acids (BAs) were employed to investigate CTD-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Sixteen male and female Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly divided into two groups: control and CTD (1.0 mg/kg) groups. Serum and liver samples were collected after 28 days of intervention. Biochemical, histopathological, and BA metabolomic analyses were performed for all samples. Further, the key biomarkers of CTD-induced hepatotoxicity were identified via multivariate and metabolic pathway analyses. In addition, metabolite–gene–enzyme network and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analyses were used to identify the signaling pathways related to CTD-induced hepatotoxicity. The results revealed significantly increased levels of biochemical indices (alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and total bile acid). Histopathological analysis revealed that the hepatocytes were damaged. Further, 20 endogenous BAs were quantitated via UHPLC-MS/MS, and multivariate and metabolic pathway analyses of BAs revealed that hyocholic acid, cholic acid, and chenodeoxycholic acid were the key biomarkers of CTD-induced hepatotoxicity. Meanwhile, primary and secondary BA biosynthesis and taurine and hypotaurine metabolism were found to be associated with the mechanism by which CTD induced hepatotoxicity in rats. This study provides useful insights for research on the mechanism of CTD-induced hepatotoxicity.     

Experimental study on the biocompatibility and osteogenesis induction ability of PLLA/DDM scaffolds

Odontology - To investigate the characterization and function of a novel porous osteogenic material (PLLA / DDM) containing polylactic acid and demineralized dentin matrix. The surface morphology...     

A High Order Bound Preserving Finite Difference Linear Scheme for Incompressible Flows

We propose a high order finite difference linear scheme combined with a high order bound preserving maximum-principle-preserving (MPP) flux limiter to solve the incompressible flow system. For such problem with highly oscillatory structure but not strong shocks, our approach seems to be less dissipative and much less costly than a WENO type scheme, and has high resolution due to a Hermite reconstruction. Spurious numerical oscillations can be controlled by the weak MPP flux limiter. Numerical tests are performed for the Vlasov-Poisson system, the 2D guiding-center model and the incompressible Euler system. The comparison between the linear and WENO type schemes, with and without the MPP flux limiter, will demonstrate the good performance of our proposed approach.