Fidgetin-like 1 gene inhibited by basic fibroblast growth factor regulates the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts.

The FIGNL1 gene was proven to be a new subfamily member of ATPases associated with diverse cellular activities (AAA proteins). In this in vitro study, the AAA proteins inhibited osteoblast proliferation and stimulated osteoblast differentiation. We showed that FIGNL1 may play some regulatory role in osteoblastogenesis. INTRODUCTION: The fidgetin-like 1 (FIGNL1) gene encodes a new subfamily member of ATPases associated with diverse cellular activities (AAA proteins). Although the FIGNL1 protein localizes to both the nucleus and cytoplasm, the function of FIGNL1 remains unknown. In a previous study, we identified several genes that mediate the anabolic effects of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on bone by using microarray data. FIGNL1 was one of the genes that downregulated >2-fold in MC3T3-E1 cells after treatment with bFGF. Therefore, this study was aimed to identify and confirm the function of FIGNL1 on osteoblastogenesis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We examined the effect of the FIGNL1 gene on proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis in mouse osteoblast cells (MC3T3-E1 and mouse primary calvarial cells) using flow cytometry, RT-PCR, cell proliferation assay, and cell death assay. MC3T3-E1 cells and mouse calvarial cells were transfected with small interfering RNA (siRNA) directed against the FIGNL1 or nontargeting control siRNA and examined by cell proliferation and cell death assays. Also, FIGNL1 was fused to enhance green fluorescent protein (EGFP), and the EGFP-fused protein was transiently expressed in MC3T3-E1 cells. RESULTS: Reduced expression of FIGNL1 by bFGF and TGF-beta1 treatment was verified by RT-PCR analysis. Overexpression of FIGNL1 reduced the proliferation of MC3T3-E1 and calvarial cells, more than the mock transfected control cells did. In contrast, siFIGNL1 transfection significantly increased the proliferation of osteoblasts, whereas overexpression of FIGNL1 did not seem to alter apoptosis in osteoblasts. Meanwhile, overexpression of FIGNL1 enhanced the mRNA expression of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and osteocalcin (OCN) in osteoblasts. In contrast, siFIGNL1 decreased the expression of ALP and OCN. A pEGFP-FIGNL1 transfected into MCT3-E1 cells had an initially ubiquitous distribution and rapidly translocated to the nucleus 1 h after bFGF treatment. CONCLUSIONS: From these results, we proposed that FIGNL1, a subfamily member of the AAA family of proteins, might play some regulatory role in osteoblast proliferation and differentiation. Further analyses of FIGNL1 will be needed to better delineate the mechanisms contributing to the inhibition of proliferation and stimulation of osteoblast differentiation.     

深圳市福田区暗娼艾滋病KAP调查分析

目的：探讨暗娼艾滋病KAP的现状，为艾滋病预防控制中的咨询、外展及其它健康教育活动提供依据。方法：在“城中村”中随机抽取55位暗娼，由经过专门培训的调查员调查并采血检验。结果：暗娼艾滋病平均知晓率为73．88％；与艾滋病相关的高危行为，呈现低龄化、职业化的倾向；为了预防艾滋病，绝大部分暗娼愿意坚持使用安全套，但实际情况并不如人意；暗娼获得艾滋病知识及相关服务并不方便；梅毒检出率为9．09％。结论：打工者的性权利长期被忽视，使卖淫拥有很大的市场，这是暗娼们乃以存在并长久不衰的重要原因之一；暗娼艾滋病知晓率有了较大提高，可能与深圳市开展艾滋病防制工作较早、力度较大有关；安全套使用率还有待提高：艾滋病外展服务亟待开展与加强。     

Image features of two rare mediastinal tumors: schwannoma of intrathoracic phrenic nerve and clear cell chondrosarcoma of the rib

The current report focuses on two patients of the same age who presented similar appearances on initial anteroposterior chest images. Follow-up images showed superoanterior and superoposterior mediastinal lesions. The first patient with noninvasive cystic thymoma was suspected before surgery, while the pathologic diagnosis was intrathoracic phrenic nerve schwannoma. The second patient was with an asymmetric, dumbbell-shaped paravertebral tumor over T3 and T4 on the left side. The preoperative…     

Association of the GNAS1 gene variant with hypertension is dependent on alcohol consumption.

The beta-adrenoceptor (beta-AR)-stimulatory guanine nucleotide-binding (Gs) protein system has been shown to play important roles in the cardiovascular system. The gene encoding the alpha-subunit of Gs proteins (GNAS1) is a candidate genetic determinant for hypertension. Because alcohol consumption is known to affect blood pressure partly through the beta-AR-Gs protein system, we examined the possible interaction between GNAS1 T393C polymorphism and drinking status in the association with hypertension in the present study. As a result, a non-significant but reasonable trend supporting the presence of an interaction was shown (p = 0.076). In line with this trend, the T393C polymorphism significantly interacted with drinking status in the association with systolic blood pressure (p = 0.028). Moreover, supporting the presence of an interaction, T allele carriers consistently had a higher probability of hypertension, higher systolic blood pressure, and higher diastolic blood pressure than CC homozygotes in non-drinkers and light drinkers. In contrast, CC homozygotes consistently had a higher probability of hypertension, higher systolic blood pressure, and higher diastolic blood pressure than T allele carriers in moderate to heavy drinkers. The present study also showed a significant interaction between the T393C polymorphism and drinking status in the association with pulse pressure (p = 0.026), reflected by a significant association between the T393C polymorphism and pulse pressure in moderate to heavy drinkers (p = 0.026). These findings may be helpful in conducting further molecular and biological studies on the relationship among the effects of alcohol, the beta-AR-Gs protein system, and hypertension.     

416例甲状腺肿瘤临床病理分析

目的了解本地区甲状腺肿瘤的发病情况，探讨甲状腺肿瘤的诊断与鉴别诊断6方法对416例甲状腺肿瘤病理资料进行回顾性分析。结果甲状腺肿瘤以良性多见，良恶性之比为8．2：1。各类型肿瘤均以女性明显多于男性，男女之比为1：5．4，好发年龄为21～50岁，肿瘤发生于甲状腺右侧多见。结论本组甲状腺肿瘤的发生率、好发年龄、性别差异、良恶之比与文献报道基本一致。乳头状腺瘤与乳头状癌的鉴别有一定难度，对可疑标本要多处取材，连续切片，仔细观察，找出其特征，提高诊断的准确性。     

Microsurgical resection of ventral foramen magnum meningiomas via a far-lateral suboccipital approach

BACKGROUND: In recent years some reports have been published propagating microsurgical resection of ventral foramen magnum meningiomas (VFMMs). Operative approaches to these lesions have been studied by various authors, but remain controversial. OBJECTIVE: To discuss the operative technique and outcome in patients with VFMMs who had been treated via a far lateral suboccipital approach. DESIGN: Retrospectively clinic case investigation. SETTING: Department of Neurosurgery, the Ninth People's Hospital, Medical School of Shanghai Jiao Tong University. PARTICIPANTS: Between January 1997 and June 2003, 10 patients were treated surgically with VFMMs in Department of Neurosurgery, the Ninth People's Hospital, Medical School of Shanghai Jiao Tong University. In the series of 10 patients, ages ranged from 37 to 72 years, mean (53±10) years, were consisted of 6 males and 4 females. All the subjects were informed of the treatment plan and agreed to join the experiment. Early symptoms included headache and upper cervical pain. The time between the first occurrence of symptoms and the diagnosis ranged from 6 months to 17 months, mean (10.3±3.4) months. Main presenting symptoms were unilateral upper extremity sensory and motor deficits in 6 cases, swallowing difficulties in 2 and spastic quadriparesis in 2. VFMMs were demonstrated as round by the computed tomographic (CT) scan and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in all patients. The maximum diameter of tumors ranged from 2 to 4 cm, mean (2.55±0.57) cm, including 2 cm in one case, 2.0-3.0 cm in six and 3.0-4.0 cm in three. METHODS: ①All tumors were removed via the far lateral suboccipital approach. Resection of the posterior 5 mm of the condyle was necessary in one patient whose tumors' diameter were 2 cm. The patient was situated in the lateral decubitus position. The head was fixed in a Mayfield headrest. A C-shaped incision made behind the ear 2 cm medial to the mastoid process, turning vertically down to the level C4, to expose the extradural segment of the vertebral artery (VA). After the dura was opened longitudinally behind VA entry point, the tumor was revealed to identify the complete cranial nerves and the intracranial VA under magnification of the surgical microscope. Every attempt should be made to keep the arachnoid and the dentate ligament was sectioned. Then the tumor was debulked significantly, and dissected away from the cranial nerves and the blood vessels with microsurgical techniques. If it was risk to dissect tumor from the vertebral artery, its branches, or any cranial nerve, the progression was discontinued and portion of the tumor was left behind. After resection of the tumor, the site of its attachment was coagulated and the involved layer of dura was resected. ②The degree of tumor resection was classified based on Al-Mefty's grade into three categories: gross-total resection: excision of the dural attachment and drilling of adjacent bone; near-total resection: a few millimeters of insulated and cauterized tumor were left on the vertebral artery or other vital; subtotal resection: more than 50% of the tumor mass were removed. ③All patients underwent clinical examination for lower cranial nerves or long tract deficits on the first day postoperatively. CT or MRI and neurological examinations were performed at 3 months of follow-up. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Operative effect. RESULTS: All ten patients with VFMMs were treated via a far lateral suboccipital approach. Gross total resection was achieved in 6 patients, near-total resection was carried out in 2 and subtotal resection in 2 patients. One patients died in the postoperative period due to acute respiratory distress syndrome, five patients kept normal neurological status, whereas other four patients suffered from lower cranial nerve deficits and aspiration pneumonia was observed in two of them. The data of following up for 3 months showed that 2 patients still had lower cranial nerve deficit and others recovered from their illness. No tumor relapse or increment was found in CT or MRI scans. CONCLUSION: Most of VFMMs could be totally removed via a far lateral suboccipital approach with or without resection of the occipital condyle according to the tumor size, allowing most of these patients to achieve a good outcome in a 3 months follow-up.     

Serial CT findings of Paragonimus infested dogs and the Micro-CT findings of the worm cysts.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the serial CT findings of Paragonimus westermani infected dogs and the microscopic structures of the worm cysts using Micro-CT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was approved by the committee on animal research at our institution. Fifteen dogs infected with P. westermani underwent serial contrast-enhanced CT scans at pre-infection, after 10 days of infection, and monthly thereafter until six months for determining the radiologic-pathologic correlation. Three dogs (one dog each time) were sacrificed at 1, 3 and 6 months, respectively. After fixation of the lungs, both multi-detector CT and Micro-CT were performed for examining the worm cysts. RESULTS: The initial findings were pleural effusion and/or subpleural ground-glass opacities or linear opacities at day 10. At day 30, subpleural and peribronchial nodules appeared with hydropneumothorax and abdominal or chest wall air bubbles. Cavitary change and bronchial dilatation began to be seen on CT scan at day 30 and this was mostly seen together with mediastinal lymphadenopathy at day 60. Thereafter, subpleural ground-glass opacities and nodules with or without cavitary changes were persistently observed until day 180. After cavitary change of the nodules, the migratory features of the subpleural or peribronchial nodules were seen on all the serial CT scans. Micro-CT showed that the cyst wall contained dilated interconnected tubular structures, which had communications with the cavity and the adjacent distal bronchus. CONCLUSION: The CT findings of paragonimiasis depend on the migratory stage of the worms. The worm cyst can have numerous interconnected tubular channels within its own wall and these channels have connections with the cavity and the adjacent distal bronchus.     

胸腰椎骨折术后内固定松动、断裂的原因及预防

目的 探讨椎弓根螺钉系统用于胸腰椎骨折术后出现松动、断裂的原因，并提出相应的预防对策。方法 12例胸腰椎骨折术后内固定失效病例，采用RF系统3例，AF系统9例。均未行植骨融合，AF系统中未按要求安装横连结3例，术后伤椎前缘高度平均恢复至正常的85．2％。结果 术后8—21个月出现棒断裂4例，螺钉断裂3例，钉帽松动5例。结论 内固定物的自身问题、术者的经验欠缺及操作不规范是胸腰椎骨折术后椎弓根螺钉系统松动、断裂的原因，但伤椎骨结构未能得到良好重建及术后椎间盘退变可能是其更重要的因素。因此重视内固定物的选择、加强规范操作，强调对损伤椎体及椎间盘的全面处理是预防内固定失效的有效措施。