Treatment of comminuted fractures of the base of the thumb metacarpal using a cemented bone-K-wire frame

We aimed to describe the treatment of comminuted fractures of the base of the thumb metacarpal using a cemented bone-K-wire frame. Between March 2010 and January 2016, 41 fractures of the base of the thumb were treated using a cemented bone-K-wire frame. The mean age of the patients was 34 years. The patients' history included a fall onto the hand in 7 cases, direct trauma in 31 cases, and polytrauma with an unclear mechanism of injury in 3 cases. At the final follow-up, hand grip and pinch strength were measured using a dynamometer. All measurements were compared with those of the opposite hand. The patients were assessed functionally using the Smith and Cooney score.All K-wires were left in place until the bone healed. Bone healing was achieved in all thumbs in an average of 5.2 weeks. Follow-up averaged 27 months. The mean hand pinch and grip strength was 8.7 kg ± 2.4 kg and 38.4 kg ± 5.9 kg, respectively. The mean measurements on the opposite side were 9.2 kg ± 2.5 kg and 40.2 kg ± 6.6 kg, respectively. Based on the Smith and Cooney score, we obtained an average score of 87 ± 9.3, with 25 excellent, 9 good, and 2 fair results. The cemented bone-K-wire frame is an external fixator alternative that can be used for treating comminuted intra-articular fractures of the base of the thumb metacarpal. The system is cheap, easy to apply, and provides rigid fixation, resulting in good functional recovery.

Extracting the surface tension of soft gels from elastocapillary wave behavior

Mechanically-excited waves appear as surface patterns on soft agarose gels. We experimentally quantify the dispersion relationship for these waves over a range of shear modulus in the transition zone where the surface energy (capillarity) is comparable to the elastic energy of the solid. Rayleigh waves and capillary-gravity waves are recovered as limiting cases. Gravitational forces appear as a pre-stress through the self-weight of the gel and are important. We show the experimental data fits well to a proposed dispersion relationship which differs from that typically used in studies of capillary to elastic wave crossover. We use this combined theoretical and experimental analysis to develop a new technique for measuring the surface tension of soft materials, which has been historically difficult to measure directly.

FAVORABLE EFFECT OF LEVOTHYROXINE ON NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF PATIENTS WITH STAGE 3-4 CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE

The aim of this study was to analyze the incidence of malnutrition in patients with stage 3-4 chronic kidney disease (CKD) and primary subclinical hypothyroidism and the effect of levothyroxine for improving nutritional status and delaying kidney disease.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In the study were included 200 patients with stage 3-4 CKD: CKD3 stage group (n=100) and CKD4 stage group (n=100). These patients were further divided into: control group (non-treatment group) group a (n=65) and experiment group (treatment group) group b (n=135) according to their levothyroxine treatment. The CKD3 stage group is divided into c3 (n=35) and e3 (n=65), and CKD4 group is divided into c4 (n=30) and e4 (n=70) groups.

RESULTS

Upon treatment of subclinical hypothyroidism with levothyroxine, nutritional indicators of patients are improved, and the weight, left and right-hand grip strength, hemoglobin (HB), serum albumin are higher compared to control. After levothyroxine treatment, eGFR in the treatment group increased with each time point, while in the control group it could be seen a significant decrease. This effect was more robust in the CKD3 group than in the CKD4 group. In conclusion, levothyroxine treatment can delay the progression of kidney diseases with more efficacy in stage 3 patients.

Interaction of diabetes and smoking on stroke: a population-based cross-sectional survey in China

OBJECTIVES

Diabetes and smoking are known independent risk factors for stroke; however, their interaction concerning stroke is less clear. We aimed to explore such interaction and its influence on stroke in Chinese adults.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Community-based investigation in Xuzhou, China.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 39 887 Chinese adults who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were included.

METHODS

Participants were selected using a multistage stratified cluster method, and completed self-reported questionnaires on stroke and smoking. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) was assessed by fasting blood glucose or use of antidiabetic medication. Interaction, relative excess risk owing to interaction (RERI), attributable proportion (AP) and synergy index (S) were evaluated using a logistic regression model.

RESULTS

After adjustment for age, sex, marital status, educational level, occupation, physical activity, body mass index, hypertension, family history of stroke, alcohol use and blood lipids, the relationships between DM2 and stroke, and between smoking and stroke, were still significant: ORs were 2.75 (95% CI 2.03 to 3.73) and 1.70 (95% CI 1.38 to 2.10), respectively. In subjects with DM2 who smoked, the RERI, AP and S values (and 95% CIs) were 1.80 (1.24 to 3.83), 0.52 (0.37 to 0.73) and 1.50 (1.18 to 1.84), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest there are additive interactions between DM2 and smoking and that these affect stroke in Chinese adults.

Abstract P2-02-11: Not presented

This abstract was not presented at the symposium.

Abstract P2-05-12: Not presented

This abstract was not presented at the symposium.

Epidemiological serosurvey of hepatitis B virus among children aged 1-14 years in Guangdong Province, China

OBJECTIVE

A cross-sectional community prevalence survey was conducted to investigate the sero-epidemiological features of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection among children aged 1-14 years in Guangdong Province in 2013, and to provide baseline data for the evaluation of HBV disease burden and the impacts of HBV control.

METHODS

A total of 2765 children aged 1-14 years from 16 villages/streets of eight cities in Guangdong Province were recruited as subjects. A blood sample was obtained from each subject. A chemiluminescence microparticle immunoassay (CMIA) was used to detect hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAb), and antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAb).

RESULTS

The prevalence rates of HBsAg, HBsAb, and HBcAb among children aged 1-14 years were 1.16%, 61.63%, and 2.35%, respectively. The prevalence of HBsAg and HBcAb increased with increasing age, and the prevalence was lowest in the 1-4 years age group (0.97% for HBsAg and 1.45% for HBcAb). In contrast, the prevalence of HBsAb decreased with increasing age; however the prevalence was also highest in the 1-4 years age group (76.48%). Eastern Guangdong had the highest prevalence of HBsAg and HBcAb, and the lowest prevalence of HBsAb. The prevalence of HBsAg was under 1% in the Pearl River Delta and western Guangdong regions. Children who had received three or more doses of vaccine had a lower prevalence of HBsAg and HBcAb and a higher prevalence of HBsAb compared to those who had received fewer than three doses of vaccine.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of HBsAg among children aged 1-14 years in Guangdong in 2013 was 1.2%, showing a dramatic decrease compared to the 1992 provincial-level cross-sectional survey (19.9%). Children aged 1-4 years and children from the Pearl River Delta had the lowest prevalence of HBsAg positivity. High vaccination coverage among children and timely vaccination of newborns has played an important role in reducing the prevalence of HBsAg.

Overcoming drug-resistant lung cancer by paclitaxel loaded tetrahedral DNA nanostructures

Drug-loaded tetrahedron DNA nanostructures and their cytotoxic effect on drug-resistant cells have been studied.

A combined experimental and theoretical investigation on cellular blebbing

Although accumulating evidence has demonstrated the important role of membrane blebbing in various cellular processes, the fundamental question of how the initiation/evolution of blebs are influenced by physical factors like membrane-cortex interactions and intracellular pressure remains unclear. Here, we report a combined modeling and experimental study to address this outstanding issue. Specifically, boundary integral method was used to track the motion of membrane (in 3D) during blebbing while possible rupture of the bilayer-cortex adhesion has also been taken into account. We showed that, for a given differential pressure across the cell membrane, the size of the weakened cortex must be over a critical value for blebbing to occur and the steady-state volume of a bleb is proportional to its initial growth rate, all in good agreement with recent experiments. The predicted shape evolution of blebs also matches well with our observations. Finally, a blebbing map, summarizing the essential physics involved, was obtained which exhibits three distinct regimes: no bleb formation corresponding to a low intracellular pressure or a small weakened cortex region; bleb formed with a fixed width when the disrupted cortex zone is very large; and a growing bleb resulted from progressive membrane-cortex detachment under intermediate weakened cortex size.

Polyphenols in Eucalyptus leaves improved the egg and meat qualities and protected against ethanol-induced oxidative damage in laying hens

Polyphenols in Eucalyptus leaves (PE) were value resources due to various pharmacological activities, but data on the effect on laying hens are very scare. This study was conducted to determine the effect of PE on the laying performance, egg traits, meat quality, antioxidant status and liver tissues of laying hens. One hundred and twenty 256-day-old Yueqinhuang laying hens were randomly assigned to four treatment groups (different levels of PE at 0, 0.5, 0.8 and 1.2 g/kg diet) for 63 days with 15 replicates per group. Addition of 0.8 g/kg PE not only improved the egg trait by increasing the eggshell thickness and decreasing MDA production and cholesterol content in the egg yolk, but also significantly enhanced meat quality of hens, as suggested by the increase pH_45 min (p < .01) and a* value, and decrease drip loss rate (p < .01). Meanwhile, under acute ethanol-induced oxidative damage condition, supplementation of 0.8 g/kg PE enhanced the serum antioxidant status by increasing enzymatic activities (GSH-PX, T-SOD, T-AOC), inhibited oxidative damage and provided protective effect to liver tissue. In conclusion, addition of 0.8 g/kg PE not only improved the egg traits and meat quality without obvious adverse effects, but also increased the serum antioxidant status of the hens and protected their liver tissue from ethanol-induced oxidative damage. This study indicated that PE could be utilized as an effective feed additive for laying hens to improve health performance and egg traits.

Body mass index and the risk of all-cause mortality among patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation: a multicenter prospective observational study in China

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

High body mass index (BMI) is associated with increased incident atrial fibrillation (AF) and mortality rate. In patients presenting with nonvalvular AF (NVAF), the prognostic relevance of BMI remains unclear.

SUBJECTS/METHODS

In this prospective observational study, a total of 1759 patients with NVAF (69.9±12.9 years old, 47.9% male) were divided into three clinical settings according to estimated stroke risks (CHADS₂ score ⩽1 (low), =2 (moderate) and ⩾3 (high)). The primary outcome was all-cause mortality, and the secondary outcomes included thromboembolism and major bleeding. Cox-proportional hazard models were used to estimate the association between BMI levels and clinical outcomes.

RESULTS

During a mean follow-up of 1 year representing 1974 patient-years at risk, 256 patients died, 142 suffered from thromboembolism and 17 developed major bleeding. Multivariate adjusted Cox analysis indicated that a BMI of 24.0-27.9 kg/m² was independently associated with improved survival among all patients (hazard ratio (HR) 0.689, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.512-0.928; P=0.018) and patients at high stroke risk (HR 0.622, 95% CI 0.410-0.943; P=0.024), but not among those at low or moderate stroke risks. No associations were observed between BMI levels and the incidence of thromboembolic events in various clinical settings.

CONCLUSIONS

A paradoxical BMI-all-cause mortality risk association was observed in Chinese patients with NVAF, and this association was pronounced among patients at high stroke risk rather than in those at low stroke risk.

The promoter polymorphisms of receptor for advanced glycation end products were associated with the susceptibility and progression of sepsis

Receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) is considered a major pattern recognition receptor, which plays an important role in the development of sepsis. Increasing evidence showed an association between RAGE polymorphisms and the susceptibility to several inflammatory-related diseases. However, little is known about the clinical relationship between RAGE polymorphisms and sepsis. In this study, we analyzed the association of sepsis with three functional RAGE gene polymorphisms (rs1800624, rs1800625 and rs2070600) in a Chinese Han population (372 sepsis cases and 400 healthy controls). Significant differences were observed in the rs1800624 and rs1800625 genotype/allele distributions between the sepsis and controls, but no significant difference was observed in the rs2070600 genotype/allele. Moreover, our results also revealed a significant difference in the genotype/allele frequencies of the rs1800624 and rs1800625 polymorphisms between the sepsis and severe sepsis subtypes, the rs1800624 TT or rs1800625 TT genotype carriers exhibited a significant increase in RAGE mRNA, sRAGE, TNF-α and IL-6 expression compared with the rs1800624 AT/AA or rs1800625 CT/CC carriers in sepsis patients. Overall, this study might provide valuable clinical evidence between the RAGE gene polymorphisms and the risk or the development of sepsis.

A Non-Radioactive Microtitre Plate Reverse Transcriptase (RT) Assay, Based on Immobilized Template, for Screening of RT Activity Inhibitors and Evaluation of their Mode of Action

A new sensitive colorimetric reverse transcriptase (RT) activity assay utilizing a 96-well microtitre plate format, with solid phase-conjugated polyadenylic acid (prA), was investigated for simple analyses of the RT inhibiting capacity and mode of action of various substances. Three different technical procedures using the assay were evaluated: (i) direct lC50 determinations with various substances, using four different combinations of primer and dNTP amounts; (ii) analyses of the capacity of the substances to interfere with the binding of RT to template or template-primer (BIC50); (iii) analyses of the capacity of the substances to destroy the template-primer in presence or absence of RT (TDC50). The assay was found to be useful for all three purposes using small amounts of recombinant RT. In the IC50 analyses, the test substances gave values similar to those reported for soluble RT assays, and the values varied in accordance with their known mode of action in relation to the combination of primer and dNTP amount used. Only one of the substances, prG, in addition to DNA and RNA gave true RT binding inhibition. The template destruction assay showed that chain terminating substances gave destruction at low inhibitor concentrations. Furthermore, this destruction was RT-dependent, in contrast to the destruction obtained with substances that can base-pair with the template or primer. For optimum information on mode of action of a given substance all three assay procedures should be used. The use of the assay in relation to the screening and analyses of new RT inhibitory substances and characterization of RT in primary isolates or plasma is discussed.

A scientist's guide for submitting data to ZFIN

The Zebrafish Model Organism Database (ZFIN; zfin.org) serves as the central repository for genetic and genomic data produced using zebrafish (Danio rerio). Data in ZFIN are either manually curated from peer-reviewed publications or submitted directly to ZFIN from various data repositories. Data types currently supported include mutants, transgenic lines, DNA constructs, gene expression, phenotypes, antibodies, morpholinos, TALENs, CRISPRs, disease models, movies, and images. The rapidly changing methods of genomic science have increased the production of data that cannot readily be represented in standard journal publications. These large data sets require web-based presentation. As the central repository for zebrafish research data, it has become increasingly important for ZFIN to provide the zebrafish research community with support for their data sets and guidance on what is required to submit these data to ZFIN. Regardless of their volume, all data that are submitted for inclusion in ZFIN must include a minimum set of information that describes the data. The aim of this chapter is to identify data types that fit into the current ZFIN database and explain how to provide those data in the optimal format for integration. We identify the required and optional data elements, define jargon, and present tools and templates that can help with the acquisition and organization of data as they are being prepared for submission to ZFIN. This information will also appear in the ZFIN wiki, where it will be updated as our services evolve over time.

Clinical Presentation and Care of Patients with Ebola Virus Disease in the China Ebola Treatment Unit, Liberia

In order to evaluate the clinical characteristics of confirmed Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) patients admitted to the China Ebola Treatment Unit (China ETU) between January 2015 and March 2015, we retrospectively analyzed clinical symptoms, treatment, and epidemiologic features of 5 patients with confirmed EVD, and reviewed the relevant medical literature. Of these, 3 patients survived, and 2 died. The time interval from the onset of symptoms to the negative PCR test for Ebola virus in the 3 survivors was 14-18 days. All survivors reported direct contact with confirmed EVD patients up to 21 days prior to admission. All patients developed a fever, fatigue, and anorexia. Fever was generally the first symptom to develop, followed by a gastrointestinal phase characterized by vomiting/nausea (3 cases, 60%), diarrhea (3 cases), and abdominal pain (4 cases, 80%). Three patients (60%) reported joint pain, muscle pain, and conjunctival hemorrhage, respectively, and 2 patients (40%) developed a headache. We concluded that strict isolation and interruption of the route of transmission were required for suspected or confirmed EVD patients. The main treatment strategies were supportive care, maintenance of blood volume and electrolyte balance, and the prevention of complications.

High consumption of coffee is associated with decreased multiple sclerosis risk; results from two independent studies

OBJECTIVE

Previous studies on consumption of caffeine and risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) have yielded inconclusive results. We aimed to investigate whether consumption of coffee is associated with risk of MS.

METHODS

Using two population-representative case-control studies (a Swedish study comprising 1620 cases and 2788 controls, and a US study comprising 1159 cases and 1172 controls), participants with different habits of coffee consumption based on retrospective data collection were compared regarding risk of MS, by calculating ORs with 95% CIs. Logistic regression models were adjusted for a broad range of potential confounding factors.

RESULTS

Compared with those who reported no coffee consumption, the risk of MS was substantially reduced among those who reported a high consumption of coffee exceeding 900 mL daily (OR 0.70 (95% CI 0.49 to 0.99) in the Swedish study, and OR 0.69 (95% CI 0.50 to 0.96) in the US study). Lower odds of MS with increasing consumption of coffee were observed, regardless of whether coffee consumption at disease onset or 5 or 10 years prior to disease onset was considered.

CONCLUSIONS

In accordance with studies in animal models of MS, high consumption of coffee may decrease the risk of developing MS. Caffeine, one component of coffee, has neuroprotective properties, and has been shown to suppress the production of proinflammatory cytokines, which may be mechanisms underlying the observed association. However, further investigations are needed to determine whether exposure to caffeine underlies the observed association and, if so, to evaluate its mechanisms of action.