In the present study, the efficacy of unilateral transverse process-pedicle and bilateral puncture techniques in percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) for Kummell disease was compared. Between March 2015 ...and June 2017, 63 patients with Kummell disease were recruited and underwent PKP with two different puncture techniques: A total of 38 patients were treated by unilateral transverse process-pedicle PKP and 25 patients were treated by bilateral PKP. The operative time, intra-operative fluoroscopy time, volume of bone cement injec tion and bone cement leakage were recorded. Prior to surgery and 1 day post-surgery, the visual analogue scale (VAS) pain score and Oswestry disability index (ODI) were determined, and the vertebral body height and Cobb angle were measured. The results indicated that the incidence of bone cement leakage in the unilateral group was similar with the bilateral group (15.79% vs. 16.00%), with no statistically significant difference between the two groups. None of the patients in the two groups had any obvious damage of the spinal cord. The operative time, intra-operative fluoroscopy time and volume of bone cement injection in the unilateral group were lower than those in the bilateral group. A chest X-ray examination at 1 day post-surgery revealed no pulmonary embolism in the two groups. The VAS score, ODI, vertebral body height and Cobb angle were significantly improved in the unilateral and bilateral groups at 1 day post-surgery and at the last follow-up (12 months post-surgery) as compared with these parameters prior to surgery. In conclusion, the unilateral transverse process-pedicle and bilateral puncture techniques in PKP exhibited good efficacy as a treatment for Kummell disease. The operative time, intra-operative fluoroscopy time and volume of bone cement injection were lower in the unilateral group. Key words: percutaneous kyphoplasty, unilateral, bilateral, Kummell disease
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive autoimmune demyelinating disorder. Recent studies suggest that a combination of genetic susceptibility and environmental insult contributes to its ...pathogenesis. Many candidate genes have been discovered to modulate susceptibility for developing MS by genome wide association studies (GWAS); these include major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes and non-MHC genes. MS cases in the context of genetic diseases may provide different approaches and clues towards identifying novel genes and pathways involved in MS pathogenesis. Here, we present a case series of two related patients with concomitant Von Hippel-Lindau disease (VHLD) and MS.
We present two patients, a mother (case 1) and daughter (case 2), who developed superimposed relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis in the background of the autosomal dominant genetic disorder VHLD. Several tumors characteristic of VHLD developed in both cases with pancreatic and renal neoplasms and cerebellar hemangioblastomas. In addition, both patients developed clinical symptoms consistent with multiple sclerosis, supported by radiologic lesions disseminating in time and space.
Though non-MHC susceptibility genes remain elusive in MS, we present the striking finding of superimposed multiple sclerosis in a mother and daughter with VHLD. The VHL gene is known to be the primary regulator of Nrf2, the well-established target of the FDA-approved therapeutic dimethyl fumarate. These cases provide support for further studies to determine whether VHLD pathway related genes represent a novel genetic link in multiple sclerosis.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Background and Purpose
Infection with Gram‐negative bacteria has been recognized as an initiator of rheumatoid arthritis, which is characterized by chronic inflammation and infiltration of immune ...cells. Carbon monoxide (CO) exhibits anti‐inflammatory properties. Here we have investigated the detailed mechanisms of vascular cell adhesion molecule‐1 (VCAM‐1) expression induced by LPS and if CO inhibited LPS‐induced leukocyte adhesion to synovial fibroblasts by suppressing VCAM‐1 expression.
Experimental Approach
Human rheumatoid arthritis synovial fibroblasts (RASFs) were incubated with LPS and/or the CO‐releasing compound CORM‐2. Effects of LPS on VCAM‐1 levels were determined by analysing mRNA expression, promoter activity, protein expression, and immunohistochemical staining. The molecular mechanisms were investigated by determining the expression, activation, and binding activity of transcriptional factors using target signal antagonists.
Key Results
CORM‐2 significantly inhibited inflammatory responses in LPS‐treated RASFs by down‐regulating the expression of adhesion molecule VCAM‐1 and leukocyte infiltration. The down‐regulation of LPS‐induced VCAM‐1 expression involved inhibition of the expression of phosphorylated‐NF‐κB p65 and AP‐1 (p‐c‐Jun, c‐Jun and c‐Fos mRNA levels). These results were confirmed by chromatin immunoprecipitation assay to detect NF‐κB and AP‐1 DNA binding activity.
Conclusions and Implications
LPS‐mediated formation of the TLR4/MyD88/TRAF6/c‐Src complex regulated NF‐κB and MAPKs/AP‐1 activation leading to VCAM‐1 expression and leukocyte adhesion. CORM‐2, which liberates CO to elicit direct biological activities, attenuated LPS‐induced VCAM‐1 expression by interfering with NF‐κB and AP‐1 activation, and significantly reduced LPS‐induced immune cell infiltration of the synovium.
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BFBNIB, DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
A new one-pot and divergent synthesis of multisubstituted quinolin-2(1H)-ones and oxireno2,3-cquinolin-2(1aH,3H,7bH)-ones via sequential Ugi/Knoevenagel condensation/hydrolysis and ...Ugi/Corey–Chaykovsky epoxidation reactions was developed. The four-component reactions of 2-acylanilines, aldehydes, (carboxymethyl)(dimethyl)sulfonium bromides and isocyanides gave Ugi adducts, which were subsequently treated with DBU to produce polysubstituted quinolin-2(1H)-ones or oxireno2,3-cquinolin-2(1aH,3H,7bH)-ones in good overall yields by intramolecular Knoevenagel condensation/hydrolysis or intramolecular Corey–Chaykovsky epoxidation reactions.
The molecule 3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-2-hydroxypropanoic acid (danshensu), a herbal preparation used in traditional Chinese medicine, has been found to possess potential antitumor and ...anti-angiogenesis effects. The aim of the present study was to investigate the efficacy of the combination of radiation therapy (RT) with danshensu in the treatment of Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) xenografts, whilst exploring and evaluating the mechanism involved. In total, 8-week old female C57BL/6J mice were randomly assigned into 3 groups to receive: RT, RT + cisplatin and RT + danshensu, respectively, when LLC reached 100-150 mm
. Each group was divided into 7 subgroups according to the different irradiation doses that were administered. Tumor growth curves were created and the sensitization enhancement ratios of the drugs were calculated. The experiment was then repeated, and the 4 groups of tumor-bearing mice were treated with natural saline, danshensu, RT + danshensu and RT, respectively. The mice were sacrificed on day 7, and tumor tissue and blood were collected to determine microvessel density, the expression of proangiogenic factors, and the levels of blood thromboxane B
and 6-keto-prostaglandin-F1α. Tumor hypoxia was also detected using
fluorescence imaging. With respect to LLC xenografts, treatment with danshensu + RT significantly enhanced the effects of tumor growth inhibition (P<0.05). Furthermore, tumor vasculature was remodeled and microcirculation was improved, which significantly reduced tumor hypoxia (P<0.05). The present study demonstrated that danshensu significantly enhanced the radioresponse of LLC xenografts in mice. The mechanism involved may be associated with the alleviation of tumor cell hypoxia following treatment with danshensu + RT, caused by the improvement of tumor microcirculation and the remodeling of tumor vasculature.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Nanohybrids were formed from 3-mercaptopropionic acid （MPA）-coated Mn-doped ZnS quantum dots （QDs） and methylene blue （MB） via electrostatic interaction, and then used in the detection of trace DNA. ...The principle of detection is as follows： MB binds with Mn-doped ZnS QDs via electrostatic interaction, and then quenches the room temperature phosphorescence （RTP） of the QDs through photoinduced electron-transfer （PIET）. After the addition of DNA, MB binds with DNA through intercalation and electrostatic interaction, and desorbs from the surfaces of Mn-doped ZnS QDs, which recovers the RTP of the QDs. On this basis, a DNA detection method based on the properties of RTP was set up. This method shows a detection range of 0.2-20 mg/L, and a detection limit of 0.113 mg/L. Since this method is based on the RTP of QDs, it is not interfered by the background fluorescence or scattering light in vivo, and thus, avoids complex sample pretreatment. Thus, this method is very feasible for detection of trace DNA in biofluids.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
The leafhopper genus Atkinsoniella was originally established by Distant (1908) for two species with A. decisa as type species. So far, 75 valid species are known worldwide and of these, 63 are from ...China (Yang et al. 2011). Because Atkinsoniella is a very large and morphologically heterogeneous genus it is desirable to recognize smaller groups of species with distinctive characteristics.
Distributed scheduling problems have been an active research topic due to their close connection with the multifactory production environment in today’s decentralized economy. In this paper, the ...distributed permutation flowshop scheduling problem with preventive maintenance is studied with the goal of minimizing the total flowtime. A mathematical model and a hash map-based algorithm are presented to tackle the problem. The Nawaz–Enscore–Ham heuristic is improved and incorporated with the distributed Liu–Reeves heuristic to provide a promising initial solution in a finite number of steps. The proposed algorithm employs the data structure of the hash map to store all the candidate solutions in the form of key–value pairs. The selection, crossover, and mutation operators are also modified to expand the scope of exploration in the discrete domain. The local search hybridizes the job insertion operator and the job swap operator to further improve the obtained offspring solutions and utilizes the characteristic of the population hash map to reduce the efforts of solution evaluations. The candidate solution obtained by the local search is hashed by a rotating hash method and then placed at the node with the corresponding hash code. A series of experiments were conducted to verify the effectiveness of the hybrid local search operators and hash map strategy. Computational results indicate that the multiple strategies not only help to escape from the local optimization but also improve the computational efficiency. When compared with 10 state-of-the-art algorithms, the proposed algorithm generates an average relative percentage deviation of 0.134%, which is significant improvement.
•We study a distributed flowshop with preventive maintenance to minimize total flowtime.•We present a mathematical model for this problem.•A memetic algorithm is improved with a hash map based population.•A hybrid local search is well designed.•Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
We study the heavy-light mesons in a relativistic model, which is derived from the Bethe-Salpeter equation by applying the Foldy-Wouthuysen transformation to the heavy quark. The kernel we choose is ...based on scalar confinement and vector Coulomb potentials. The transverse interaction of the gluon exchange is also taken into account in this model. The spectra and wave functions of D, Ds, B, Bs meson states are obtained. The spectra are calculated up to the order of 1/mQ, and wave functions are treated to leading order.
A new type of high temperature titanium alloy, BTi-6431S, has recently become the focus of attention as a potential material for aircraft engine applications, which could be used up to 700 °C. Pulsed ...laser welding was used to butt join the BTi-6431S titanium alloy in order to understand the feasibility of using fusion-based welding techniques on this material. The effect of laser energy on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the joints was investigated. The microstructural features of the joints were characterized by means of microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Tensile testing was conducted at both room temperature and high temperature to simulate potential service conditions. The results show that the microstructure of the laser welded joints consists of primary α phase and needle α’ phase, while the microstructure of the heat affected zone consists of α, β, and needle α’ phases. The tensile strength of the welded joints at room temperature was similar to that of the base material, despite a reduction in the maximum elongation was observed. This was related to the unfavorable microstructure in the welded joints. Nonetheless, based on these results, it is suggested that laser welding is a promising joining technique for the new BTi-6431S titanium alloy for aerospace applications.
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