Posttraumatic osteonecrosis and nonunion of distal pole of scaphoid

Posttraumatic osteonecrosis of distal pole of scaphoid is an extremely rare with only two reported cases so far. We present a case of a 30-year-old male with a 2-year-old posttraumatic osteonecrosis and nonunion of distal pole of scaphoid left wrist. He presented with complaints of pain and restriction of movements. There was no evidence of radiocarpal arthritis. He was managed with open reduction and internal fixation with k-wires, supplemented by a pronator quadratus based muscle pedicle bone graft. The fracture union was achieved at 6 months. After 2 years, he had almost complete range of wrist motion and had returned to his preinjury level of functional activity. His MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans showed evidence of revascularization suggesting successful incorporation of bone graft.     

Deficiency of Fibroblast Growth Factor-Inducible 14 (Fn14) Preserves the Filtration Barrier and Ameliorates Lupus Nephritis

TNF ligand superfamily member 12, also known as TNF-related weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK), acts through its receptor, fibroblast growth factor-inducible 14 (Fn14), to mediate several key pathologic processes involved in tissue injury relating to lupus nephritis. To explore the potential for renal protection in lupus nephritis by targeting this pathway, we introduced the Fn14 null allele into the MRL-lpr/lpr lupus mouse strain. At 26–38 weeks of age, female Fn14-knockout MRL-lpr/lpr mice had significantly lower levels of proteinuria compared with female wild-type MRL-lpr/lpr mice. Furthermore, Fn14-knockout mice had significantly improved renal histopathology accompanied by attenuated glomerular and tubulointerstitial inflammation. There was a significant reduction in glomerular Ig deposition in Fn14-knockout mice, despite no detectable differences in either serum levels of antibodies or splenic immune cell subsets. Notably, we found that the Fn14-knockout mice displayed substantial preservation of podocytes in glomeruli and that TWEAK signaling directly damaged barrier function and increased filtration through podocyte and glomerular endothelial cell monolayers. Our results show that deficiency of the Fn14 receptor significantly improves renal disease in a spontaneous lupus nephritis model through prevention of the direct injurious effects of TWEAK on the filtration barrier and/or modulation of cytokine production by resident kidney cells. Thus, blocking the TWEAK/Fn14 axis may be a novel therapeutic intervention in immune-mediated proliferative GN.     

尿道压监测下球部尿道悬吊术治疗男性获得性尿失禁

目的探讨尿道压监测下球部尿道悬吊术治疗男性获得性尿失禁的疗效。方法2000年lO月至2004年9月收治男性获得性尿失禁25例，年龄18～81岁，平均66岁。其中后尿道狭窄行尿道成形术后6例，根治前列腺切除术后4例，良性前列腺增生（BPH）行经尿道前列腺电切术（TURP）后6例，BPH行前列腺摘除术后9例。尿失禁病程1～12年，平均4年。完全性尿失禁8例，压力性尿失禁17例，需尿垫1～5块／d，平均3块／d。术前均经盆底肌锻炼无效。尿动力学检查平均最大尿道压52cm H2O（1cm H2O=0．098kPa）。平均功能性尿道长度1．4cm。均在尿道压监测下行球部尿道悬吊术。结果手术结束时平均尿道压96cm H2O，平均功能性尿道长度3．5cm。术后完全控尿21例，尿失禁改善3例，排尿困难1例，经膀胱颈部电切后排尿通畅。术后1个月B超检查剩余尿均〈20ml；23例平均最大尿流率15ml／s。随访1年以上22例，1例于术后2年死于脑溢血，2例于术后1年和2年压力性尿失禁复发，其余19例排尿和控尿良好。结论尿道压监测下球部尿道悬吊术是治疗男性尿失禁的有效方法。     

MDR1 基因单靶点双荧光素酶报告基因系统的建立

目的通过构建以MDR1启动子为启动序列的双荧光素酶报告基因系统并进行活性分析，为MDR1基因表达的单靶点调控研究和逆转剂的筛选提供一种有效的方法。方法从HCT-8细胞中提取DNA并克隆含有MDR1基因启动子中Y—box序列。将该序列重组到萤光素酶报告基因载体pGL-3．Basic的启动区域中，从而构建报告基因载体pGL-MDR1。将pGL-MDR1和pRL-TK载体共转染到HCT-8和HCT-8／VCR细胞中。通过调节不同载体的比例来优化转染效率。利用MDRI基因激活剂（热诱导）和抑制剂（EGCG）等处理来分析其启动转录活性受外界因素的影响。结果通过直接测序法验证了pGL-MDR1含有MDR1基因启动子Y—box序列且没有出现碱基突变。在pGL-MDR1和pRL-TK的转染比例为5：5时，转染效率最高并具有最高的萤光素酶活性。通过MDR1基因激活处理后表现为时间依赖性地激活MDR1基因的表达，而MDR1基因抑制剂的作用则相反。结论MDR1启动子为启动序列的双荧光素酶报告基因系统建立成功。该系统不但可以用于研究活体生物发光成像和MDRI基因表达的机理，而且可用于单靶点的多药耐药抑制剂的筛选。     

15The effect of Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES) electrical stimulation on LES pressure

Background: Electrical stimulation (ES) of the stomach has been shown to modulate LESP. Electrical stimulation, using neural high frequency stimulation (NGES) can induce contractions of the smooth muscle of the gut. The purpose of this study was to determine if electrical stimulation of the LES can affect LESP. Methods: Four female hound dogs, weight: 20–25 kg, underwent an esophagostomy that allowed the introduction of a sleeve manometry catheter into the esophagus. They were also implanted with a pair of electrodes along the longitudinal axis of the LES. After 3 weeks of recovery, they underwent esophageal manometry recording during control and ES, performed randomly on separate days, using 4 different stimulations: 1‐Low frequency: freq: 6 cycles/min, pulse: 350 milisec, amp: 5 mAmp; 2 High‐frequency: freq: 50 Hz, pulse: 1 milisec, amp: 5 mAmp; 3‐ NGES: freq: 50 Hz, pulse:20 milisec, amp:10 volts; 4‐ High‐frequency, circular: freq: 20 Hz, pulse:1 milisec, amp:5 mAmp. All recordings were performed 1 hour after consumption of 3 ounces of canned dog food, to prevent fluctuations in LESP and under mild sedation (acepromazine 0.5 mg kg^­1). Tests consisted, during ES days, of 3 periods of 20 minutes each: control , stimulation and post stimulation. The effect of NGES was also tested under anesthesia and following administration of L‐NAME 50 mg kg^­1 IV. and also atropine 0.05 mg kg^­1 IV. Analysis: area under the curve (AUC) and pressure were compared among the 3 periods. Data shown as mean ± SD, ANOVA and t‐test, p < 0.05. Results: Sustained increase in LESP was observed during low frequency stimulation, 32.1 ± 12.8 vs. 42.4 ± 18.0 vs. 50.1 ± 23.6, control vs. stimulation vs. post stimulation respectively, p = 0.013. AUC also significantly increased during and after stimulation, 39,320.3 ± 15,722 vs. 51,294 ± 21,826 vs. 59,823.6 ± 28,198.4 mmHgxsec, control vs. stimulation vs. post stimulation respectively, p = 0.01. There was no significant change with other types of ES. NGES induced an initial rise in LESP followed within few seconds by relaxation with slow resumption of pressure over a 1 minute period. L‐NAME increased LESP and augmented the initial rise in LESP following NGES but markedly diminished or abolished the relaxation phase. Atropine lowered LESP and abolished the initial rise in LESP induced by NGES. Conclusions: Low frequency ES of the LES increases LESP in conscious dogs. NGES has dual effect on LESP: an initial stimulation, cholinergically mediated, followed by relaxation mediated by nitric oxide.     

Association between palmoplantar pustulosis and cigarette smoking in Brazil: a case–control study

Background  Palmoplantar pustulosis (PPP) discloses some differences compared to vulgar psoriasis (PV) in terms of age of onset, female predominance and low occurrence of psoriasis lesions elsewhere. Cigarette smoking has been associated to PPP in international studies; nevertheless, these studies were never performed among Brazilian.
Objectives  To compare prevalence of smoking among PPP, PV and other dermatologic patients (NPD).
Methods  Case–control study involving 25 PPP patients from a reference psoriasis centre. Two control groups were matched according to gender and age: 50 patients with PV and 50 NPD. Confounders were adjusted by conditional multiple logistic regression.
Results  Among cases, 84.0% were female and PPP age of disease onset (41.4 years) was greater than PV (34.5 years). Prevalence of ever smoking was higher among cases (92.0%) than PV (52.0%) and NPD (30.0%). Adjusted odds ratio of PPP ever smoking compared to PV and NPD was 9.5 and 36.2, respectively. All smokers reported the onset of their habit before the development of PPP.
Conclusions  There was significant association between PPP and smoking. However, the impact of giving it up in the clinical course of the disease remains to be established.     

尿道狭窄患者围手术期尿液TGF-β1变化的分析研究

目的:探讨尿道狭窄患者围手术期尿液TGF-β1浓度变化情况以及影响该浓度的相关因素.方法:使用ELISA试剂盒对29例尿道狭窄患者术前1个月及术后1个月尿液中TGF-β1进行测定及记录.同期取泌尿系统其他手术的14例患者作为对照组,测定其术后1个月尿液中TGF-β1浓度.结果:检测结果显示实验组在接受手术治疗后尿液中TGF-β1含最较对照组有显著增高(P＜0.05).同时实验组患者术前和术后尿液TGF-β1浓度也存在明显差异(P＜0.05).在相关性因素的分析中,前尿道狭窄患者术后尿液中TGF-β1含量的变化幅度较后尿道狭窄患者更为显著(P＜0.05),同时采用自体组织替代技术较传统端端吻合技术以及内镜切开技术更能引起尿液中TGF-β1的明显变化(P＜0.05).但年龄、既往手术次数均未能引起患者术后TGF-β1的变化.结论:狭窄部位、手术方式都与患者尿液中 TGF-β1的含量存在一定的联系,而年龄及既往手术史等因素未发现与患者体内TGF-β1含量有较大的联系.