Are radiographic indices reliable indicators for quantitative bone mineral density and vitamin D status after femoral neck fractures? A retrospective study in 112 elderly patients

Background

Radiographic parameters and indices obtained from hip x-rays are a potential tool to promptly estimate bone quality in elderly hip fracture patients. Preoperative decision in whether to use cemented or cement augmented implants might be supported by this information and thus improve patient safety. Subsequently, this study was conducted to evaluate radiographic parameters as a prescreening tool for bone quality.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of 112 elderly patients with a femoral neck fracture after low-energy trauma was performed (81 % female, 19 % male). Three radiological indices were calculated on hip x-rays: cortical index antero-posterior CTI (ap), cortical index lateral CTI (lat) and canal to calcar ratio CCR. These indices were analyzed for correlations with DXA T-Scores and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) using the Spearman test.

Results

Median age of patients was 80 (IQR 72–86) years. A linear correlation was found for CTI (lat) and T-Score at the total hip (p?<?0.001, r?=?0.589), femoral neck (p?=?0.005, r?=?0.405) and the lumbar spine (p?=?0.002, r?=?0.299). A significant correlation was also indicated between CTI (lat) and 25(OH)D (p?=?0.002, r?=?0.293). CTI (lat) at a cut-off level of 0.4 showed a sensitivity of 79 % and a specificity of 56 % in predicting a T-score?≤??2.5 at the total hip. Gender specific analysis revealed a higher sensitivity (100 %) and specificity (73 %) of CTI (lat) at a cut-off level of 0.4 for men. For severe vitamin D deficiency (<10 ng/ml) sensitivity and specificity were 75 % and 65 %.

Conclusion

Radiographic indices as the CTI (lat) exhibit a direct correlation to BMD and serum 25OH vitamin D levels. A CTI (lat) cut-off level of 0.4 is recommended for identifying patients at risk of osteoporosis expressed by T-Scores?≤??2.5 and severe vitamin D deficiency.

     

Molecular characterization of CTX‐M‐15‐producing clinical isolates of Escherichia coli reveals the spread of multidrug‐resistant ST131 (O25:H4) and ST964 (O102:H6) strains in Norway

Nationwide, CTX‐M‐producing clinical Escherichia coli isolates from the Norwegian ESBL study in 2003 (n=45) were characterized on strain and plasmid levels. Bla_CTX‐M allele typing, characterization of the genetic environment, phylogenetic groups, pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), serotyping and multilocus sequence typing were performed. Plasmid analysis included S1‐nuclease‐PFGE, polymerase chain reaction‐based replicon typing, plasmid transfer and multidrug resistance profiling. Bla_CTX‐M‐15 (n=23; 51%) and bla_CTX‐M‐14 (n=11; 24%) were the major alleles of which 18 (78%) and 6 (55%), respectively, were linked to ISEcp1. Thirty‐two isolates were of phylogenetic groups B2 and D. Isolates were of 29 different XbaI‐PFGE‐types including six regional clusters. Twenty‐three different O:H serotypes were found, dominated by O25:H4 (n=9, 20%) and O102:H6 (n=9, 20%). Nineteen different STs were identified, where ST131 (n=9, 20%) and ST964 (n=7, 16%) were dominant. Bla_CTX‐M was found on ≥100 kb plasmids (39/45) of 10 different replicons dominated by IncFII (n=39, 87%), FIB (n=20, 44%) and FIA (n=19, 42%). Thirty‐nine isolates (87%) displayed co‐resistance to other classes of antibiotics. A transferable CTX‐M phenotype was observed in 9/14 isolates. This study reveals that the majority of CTX‐M‐15‐expressing strains in Norway are part of the global spread of multidrug‐resistant ST131 and ST‐complex 405, associated with ISEcp1 on transferrable IncFII plasmids.     

Bone marrow imaging: magnetic resonance studies related to age and sex

Measurements of T1 and T2 relaxation values and spin density of the lumbar vertebral bone marrow were performed in 212 patients, and the results were correlated with the patients' age and sex. T1 and T2 relaxation times for bone marrow in the lumbar vertebral bodies showed a progressive decrease with age for both sexes (except for the T2 relaxation values in female patients). The replacement of hematopoietic marrow by fatty marrow could explain the decrease in T1 and T2. The T1 and T2 values were in the same range for the first two age groups (age 1-10 years and age 21-40 years) and became slightly greater for the older female patients (age 51 years and older) than for the older males. This could be due to the loss of bone and mineral content, which is more rapid and significant for women. These normal T1 and T2 values may provide a baseline for future evaluation of diseases involving the lumbar spine.     

右美托咪定诱导睡眠平衡术对慢性顽固性原发性失眠症患者的疗效观察

目的:探讨右美托咪定诱导睡眠平衡术(DISBT)对慢性顽固性原发性失眠症患者的临床疗效。方法:将42例慢性顽固性原发性失眠症患者随机分为DISBT组(21例)给予DISBT治疗和对照组(21例)给予常规治疗。DISBT治疗时间为3 d,共行3次治疗。于治疗前、治疗后1周分别对两组进行匹兹堡睡眠质量指数、过度觉醒量表和汉密尔顿焦虑量表评估,并检测治疗前后睡眠结构和脑电频谱差异。结果:①两组治疗后匹兹堡睡眠质量指数、汉密尔顿焦虑量表分值均较治疗前降低(P<0.05);降低程度DISBT组>对照组(P<0.05)。②DISBT组睡眠结构中2期睡眠比例、脑电频谱β、γ频段相对功率值较治疗前减少(P<0.05),对照组则较冶疗前上升(P<0.05);DISBT组冶疗后3期睡眠比例及6频段相对功率值较治疗前上升(P<0.05);对照组则较治疗前下降(P<0.05)。③两组治疗后,过度觉醒量表总分较治疗前下降(P<0.05),降低程度DISBT组>对照组(P<0.05);对照组过度觉醒量表中极限数个数总和、反应因子及自省因子评分与治疗前相比差异无统计学意义(P>0.05),DISBT组则均较治疗前下降(P<0.05)。结论:右美托咪定诱导DISBT能有效降低失眠患者的脑皮质过度觉醒水平,纠正紊乱的睡眠-觉醒通路,改善患者失眠症状,是治疗慢性顽固性原发性失眠症的有效方法。     

ATP损耗是MPP^＋引起α-synuclein转基因线虫多巴胺能神经元死亡和虫体死亡的主要原因

目的揭示环境神经毒素MPP~ 对线虫的毒性影响并探讨其毒性机理。方法以人源α-synuclein转基因线虫作为动物模型,用MPP~ 处理该线虫,观察MPP~ 对线虫多巴胺能神经元和其生存能力的影响。通过供给OP50以提高线虫体内ATP的水平,对比分析ATP水平、蛋白质异常沉积等重要指标,探讨二者在MPP~ 引起的转基因线虫的病变中所起的作用。结果MPP~ 能够引起线虫多巴胺能神经元和线虫虫体的死亡;尽管进食OP50也会引起α-synuclein的沉积,但进食OP50能够提高体内ATP的水平并缓解MPP~ 的毒性。虽无直接证据证明α-synuclein沉积对神经细胞的影响,但结果提示,在该转基因线虫中,与蛋白质的异常沉积相比,MPP~ 导致的ATP损耗是其毒性作用的最主要诱因。结论MPP~ 可以引起α-synuclein转基因线虫多巴胺能神经元的死亡和虫体的死亡,其毒性的主要原因是ATP损耗而不是α-synuclein的异常聚集(沉积)。     

1992—2010年 N-花生四烯酰乙醇胺研究文献计量分析

摘 要：通过文献计量学方法分析内源性大麻素 N-花生四烯酰乙醇胺（anandamide,AEA）的研究现状。以 anandamide 为关键词在 ISI Web of Knowledge 数据库中检索相关文献,对其发表时间、语种、作者、期刊来源、学科类别和被引用次数等进行分析。共检索相关文献3 015篇,主要作者、国家、期刊、学科类别、发表时间依次为：Di Marzo V（220篇）、美国（1 254篇）、Br J Pharmacol（189篇）、生物化学与分子生物学类（2 631篇）、2009年（318篇）。AEA 领域的研究正逐渐受到世界各国研究者的重视,但其产业化、规模化发展还需要很长的发展过程。     

乙型肝炎病毒对肝内TGF-β1/Smads信号通路的作用

 目的：探讨乙型肝炎病毒（HBV）对肝内TGF-β1蛋白表达及Smads信号通路的作用,为制定慢性乙肝肝纤维化临床治疗策略提供理论依据。方法：(1)运用免疫组化PV-6000法检测对照组和慢性乙肝组肝组织中TGF-β1、HBsAg和HBcAg的表达,并采用荧光定量PCR法测定慢性乙肝患者血清HBV DNA含量。(2)应用体外细胞培养技术培养HBV刺激的人肝星状细胞系LX-2细胞,Western blotting方法测定其细胞内TGF-β1、Smad3和Smad7的蛋白表达。结果：(1)慢性乙肝组肝组织内TGF-β1的表达高于对照组（P＜0.01）;肝内TGF-β1表达水平与血清HBV DNA含量呈正相关（P＜0.01）,且HBcAg阳性肝组织水平较高（P＜0.01）。(2)体外细胞学实验中,HBV刺激组LX-2细胞内TGF-β1和Smad3蛋白含量高于对照组和HBV+抗-TGF-β1组（P＜0.01）;Smad7蛋白表达差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。结论：(1)TGF-β1在慢性乙肝患者肝组织中的表达与血清HBV DNA含量及肝内HBcAg的表达有关。(2)在TGF-β1/Smads信号通路中,HBV致纤维化作用机制以Smad3的正性调控为主,Smad7的作用不明显。     

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration for the diagnosis of solid pancreatic masses: the impact on patient-management strategy

Background  Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) is a safe and accurate technique for diagnosing pancreatic cancer. However, its impact for management of these patients is poorly investigated.
Aims  To investigate the diagnostic yield and the therapeutic impact of EUS-FNA in the management of solid pancreatic masses.
Methods  One hundred consecutive patients who underwent EUS-FNA for a solid pancreatic mass were included. Aspirates were placed onto glass slides for cytological examination and microbiopsies were fixed in formaldehyde for histology. The impact on clinical management was analysed retrospectively according to different endpoints, such as its impact on indications for chemotherapy, surgery or appropriate follow-up modality.
Results  Eight procedures were considered failures and two patients were lost to follow-up. A final diagnosis was obtained in 90 patients. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of combined cytology and histology for the diagnosis of malignant or potentially-malignant tumours were 78%, 75%, and 78% respectively. The sensitivity and accuracy of cytology alone were significantly higher than those of histology alone ( P  = 0.0003). By intention-to-diagnose analysis, EUS-FNA directly influenced the management strategy in 62 of 100 patients.
Conclusions  In patients with pancreatic mass and suspected malignancy, EUS-FNA provides an accurate diagnosis in approximately 80% of cases. EUS-FNA directly influences the management in two-thirds of patients.     

上海市闵行区居民小区自动售水机的卫生现状

由于目前饮用水地表水水源污染较严重,自来水厂传统水处理工艺又不能彻底去除有机污染物、藻毒素和环境激素,管网污染、陈旧老化、渗漏率高,导致出厂水一用户自来水龙头,水质不合格率增加20％左右。另外,高层水箱、蓄水池清洗消毒不规范,二次供水污染,水质安全得不到保证,