The potential role of heat shock proteins in acute spinal cord injury

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the differential expression proteins profile of spinal cord tissues after acute spinal cord injury (ASCI), provide preliminary results for further study and explore the secondary injury mechanisms underlying ASCI.

Methods

Using Allen’s frame to establish ASCI model of Sprague–Dawley rats, then a stable isotope-labelled strategy using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) coupled with two-dimensional (2D) liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (2D LC–MS/MS) was performed to separate and identify differentially expressed proteins.

Results

A total of 220 differentially expressed proteins were identified in the spinal cord tissues of H-8 group (acute spinal cord injury after 8 h) compared with H-0 group (acute spinal cord injury after 0 h); Up to 116 proteins were up-regulated, whereas 104 proteins were down-regulated in the spinal cord tissues. Three of the differentially expressed Heat shock proteins (HSPs) namely, Hsp90ab1, Hspa4 and Hspe1 were down-regulated.

Conclusion

The differentially expressed proteins of spinal cord tissues after ASCI will provide scientific foundation for further study to explore the secondary injury mechanism of ASCI.     

The early and mid-term results of mitral valve repair for mitral regurgitation in children

Purpose

To review the surgical techniques and mid-term results of mitral valve repair in children with moderate or severe mitral regurgitation (MR).

Methods

One hundred and seven children with moderate or severe MR, aged 19.6 ± 8.5 months, were enrolled in this study. The surgical techniques used for mitral valve repair varied according to the mitral valve morphology, and included annuloplasty, annuloplasty ring, cleft closure, reconstruction of the posterior leaflet, etc. The concomitant cardiac anomalies were treated simultaneously. The results of repair were evaluated by transesophageal echocardiography performed during the operation and by serial transthoracic echocardiography performed during the follow-up.

Results

One hundred and six cases had no more than mild regurgitation intraoperatively, whereas only one case had moderate regurgitation. This patient underwent redo repair immediately, and the subsequent regurgitation was trivial. The in-hospital mortality rate was 0.9 % (1/107). The average follow-up was 46.5 ± 8.2 months. One patient died of heart failure 10 months postoperatively. The freedom from moderate or severe regurgitation after mitral valve repair was 92.3 ± 3.3 %.

Conclusion

Pediatric patients with moderate or severe MR require early surgical treatment. The early and mid-term results of mitral valve repair in pediatric patients were satisfactory.     

胎儿小脑表面叶裂的产前超声研究

目的研究正常胎儿小脑表面叶裂随孕周的变化规律并建立孕16~32周正常胎儿小脑叶裂数目参考值。 方法选取2019年6月至2020年12月在南方医科大学附属深圳妇幼保健院行产前超声检查无结构异常的644名妊娠12~32周的单胎孕妇,按孕周分为2个时间段观察：孕12~15周为阶段1,孕16~32周为阶段2,在二维图像上观察原裂、水平裂的显示情况并计数孕16~32周小脑原裂之前、原裂与水平裂之间、水平裂之后的叶裂数目及总数目,并分析其形态变化。随机抽取40名阶段2胎儿行叶裂数目两测量者间的组内相关系数（ICC）分析;建立阶段2胎儿小脑叶裂数目的参考值范围,采用Spearman相关行叶裂数目与孕周的相关性分析并建立拟合方程。 结果叶裂数目的计数两观察者之间的重复性检验一致性较好（ICC=0.969,P＜0.001）。各散点图显示正常胎儿小脑原裂之前、原裂与水平裂之间、水平裂之后叶裂数目及总数目与孕周呈正相关（r=0.863、0.698、0.831、0.932,P均＜0.001）。建立了各区域叶裂数目及总数目与孕周的二次多项式回归方程,原裂之前、原裂与水平裂之间、水平裂之后叶裂数以及总数目与孕周的回归方程分别为：Y=0.974X-0.014X ² -12.65,Y=0.362X-0.005X ² -4.843,Y=-0.125X+0.006X ² +0.285,Y=1.800X-0.024X ² -22.904。 结论利用产前超声可以较好地观察胎儿小脑表面叶裂并对其发育情况作出初步评估。胎儿小脑表面叶裂数目的正常参考值以及形态变化规律能为产前超声评估小脑皮质发育作出参考。     

小脑血管畸形显微手术治疗的临床分析

目的探讨小脑血管畸形的临床特点及手术治疗方法与疗效。方法回顾性分析72例小脑血管畸形病人的临床资料．采用乙状窦后入路或枕下后正中入路进行手术。结果72例病人均手术全切病灶。术后病理结果：动静脉畸形（AVM）67例,海绵状血管瘤（CM）3例,静脉畸形（VM）2例。术后GOS评分：5分64例,4分4例,3分1例,2分1例,1分2例。随访4个月～13年,恢复良好64例,轻残4例,重残1例,植物生存状态1例,死亡2例。无复发病例。术前GCS评分≥8分的AVM病人,其术后GOS评分较GCS评分〈8分者高（P〈0．05）。结论小脑血管畸形应尽早行手术切除治疗,术中采用合适的手术入路、适当的手术技巧,可取得良好的手术效果。AVM病人术前GCS评分≥8分的病人恢复好,〈8分病人恢复较差。     

Efficacy and Safety of Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation after Breast‐conserving Surgery: A Meta‐analysis of Published Comparative Studies

To compare the treatment outcomes between accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) and conventional whole‐breast irradiation (WBI) and to explore the efficacy and safety of APBI as an adjuvant treatment for early‐stage breast cancer who received breast‐conserving therapy. Eligible studies were identified on Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Library updated to July 10, 2012. Comparative studies were considered for inclusion. Analyses were carried out using Stata software. Eleven comparative studies with a total of 7,097 patients were included. The meta‐analysis showed that there were no statistically significant differences between group APBI and group WBI associated with the supraclavicular failure, distant metastasis, overall survival, and disease‐free survival, while local recurrence (LR) and axillary failure (AF) increased in group APBI. The sensitivity analysis indicated that both the LR and AF were not statistically significant difference between the two groups. In the subgroup analysis, LR was statistically significantly higher in group APBI for patients with the age <60, large tumor size, and unknown margin status. APBI is a safe treatment modality and could become a potential option for the delivery of adjuvant radiation therapy in patients receiving breast‐conserving therapy, especially for the suitable group that was classified by the American Society of Radiation Oncology Consensus Panel.     

The morphology and clinical significance of the dorsal meningovertebra ligaments in the cervical epidural space

Background contextThe dural sac is anchored within the vertebral canal by connective tissue called meningovertebral ligaments in the epidural space. During flavectomy and laminectomy, inadvertent disruption of the dorsal meningovertebral ligaments may lead to dura laceration and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks. All the described dorsal meningovertebral ligaments were located in the lumbar region. A rare study is available about dorsal meningovertebral ligaments of the cervical spinal dura to the adjacent vertebrae.PurposeTo identify and describe the dorsal meningovertebral ligaments at each cervical level and discuss their clinical significance.Study designA dissection-based study of 22 embalmed cadavers.MethodsThe anatomy was studied in 22 whole cervical cadavers (11 females, 11males), prepared with formaldehyde, whose ages at the time of death ranged from 55 to 78 years. The vertebral canal was divided to expose the dural sac and the spinal nerve roots. At all levels of the cervical vertebra, the morphology, quantity, origin, insertion, and spatial orientation of the dorsal meningovertebral ligaments were determined and the length, width or diameter, and thickness of the ligaments were measured with vernier calipers.ResultsThe dorsal meningovertebral ligaments in the cervical region anchored the posterior dural sac to the ligamentum flavum or laminae. The number of attachment points on the ligamentum flavum was relatively larger than that on the lamina, and the occurrence rate of dorsal meningovertebral ligaments was 100% at C1–C2 and C4––C5. The thickest ligaments were observed at the C1 and C2 vertebrae. The length of the ligaments varied from 1.50 to 35.22 mm, and the orientation of the ligaments mostly was craniocaudal. The morphology of the dorsal meningovertebral ligaments was divided into four types: strip type, cord type, grid type, and thin slice type.ConclusionsIn the cervical spine, the dorsal meningovertebral ligaments exist between the posterior dural sac and the ligamentum flavum or lamina. The dorsal meningovertebral ligaments may be of clinical importance to surgeons. Dissecting the dorsal meningovertebral ligaments before the cervical flavectomy and laminectomy may be an important step in reducing postoperative dura laceration and CSF leaks, which may result in significant benefits for patients and health-care organizations.     

Comparison of toxicity effects of ropivacaine,bupivacaine, and lidocaine on rabbit intervertebral disc cells in vitro

Background contextIt has been shown that bupivacaine, the most commonly used local anesthetic to relieve or control pain in interventional spine procedures, is cytotoxic to intervertebral disc (IVD) cells in vitro. However, some other common local anesthetics, such as ropivacaine and lidocaine, are also frequently used in the treatment of spine-related pain, and the potential effects of these agents remain unclear.PurposeThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of various local anesthetics on rabbit IVD cells in vitro and further compare the cytotoxicity of ropivacaine, bupivacaine, lidocaine, and saline solution control.Study designControlled laboratory study.SubjectsRabbit annulus fibrosus (AF) and nucleus pulposus (NP) cells were isolated from Japanese white rabbits.MethodsBoth AF and NP cells at the second generation maintained in monolayer were exposed to various concentrations of local anesthetics (eg, bupivacaine) or different durations of exposure and evaluated for cell viability by use of cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8). In addition, to compare the cytotoxicity of ropivacaine, bupivacaine, lidocaine, and saline solution control in commercial concentration, the viability was analyzed by flow cytometry after 60-minute exposure, and the morphologic changes were observed by the phase-contrast microscopy. Apoptosis and necrosis of IVD cells were confirmed by using fluorescence microscopy with double staining of Hoechst 33342 and propidium iodide.ResultsRabbit IVD cell death demonstrated a time and dose dependence in response to bupivacaine and lidocaine. However, ropivacaine only exerted a significant time-dependent effect on IVD cells. There was no significant difference in IVD viability after treatment with different doses of ropivacaine. In addition, the results showed that lidocaine was the most toxic of the three local anesthetics and that ropivacaine presented less cytotoxicity than lidocaine and bupivacaine. Fluorescence microscopy also confirmed that the short-term toxic effect of local anesthetics on both AF and NP cells was mainly caused by necrosis rather than apoptosis.ConclusionsResults show that bupivacaine and lidocaine decrease cell viability in rabbit IVD cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. All local anesthetics should be avoided if at all possible. Ropivacaine may be a choice if necessary, but it is also toxic. The increase in cell death is more related with cell necrosis rather than cell apoptosis. If these results can be corroborated in tissue explant models or animal studies, caution regarding diagnosing, treating, and controlling spine-related pain with local anesthetics is prompted.     

重视肛门良性疾病手术治疗中的功能保护

肛门良性疾病临床常见,其中痔、肛瘘和肛裂占据结直肠外科手术前3位,术后排粪失禁或污粪尚未得到足够重视。本文从临床现状、功能评估流程和方法、功能保护策略以及治疗方法等方面做了论述。重视肛门良性疾病手术治疗中的功能保护,需要专科医生以患者为中心,关注治疗的核心目的不仅从疾病本身出发,更应重视提高患者的生活质量。