[A multi-central, randomized, controlled clinical trial of glucosamine hydrochloride/sulfate in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis].

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of glucosamine hydrochloride (GH) in the treatment of patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) comparing with glucosamine sulfate (GS).

Methods: A multi-central, randomized, parallel-controlled clinical trial of GH vs GS was performed. 142 patients suffering from knee OA were randomized into 2 groups, treated with GH and GS for 480 mg and 500 mg one time respectively.

Inducible expression of Tau repeat domain in cell models of tauopathy: aggregation is toxic to cells but can be reversed by inhibitor drugs.

We generated several cell models of tauopathy in order to study the mechanisms of neurodegeneration in diseases involving abnormal changes of tau protein. N2a neuroblastoma cell lines were created that inducibly express different variants of the repeat domain of tau (tau(RD)) when exposed to doxycycline (Tet-On system). The following three constructs were chosen: (i) the repeat domain of tau that coincides with the core of Alzheimer paired helical filaments; (ii) the repeat domain with the deletion mutation DeltaK280 known from frontotemporal dementia and highly prone to spontaneous aggregation; and (iii) the repeat domain with DeltaK280 and two proline point mutations that inhibit aggregation.

Survey of differentially methylated promoters in prostate cancer cell lines.

DNA methylation and copy number in the genomes of three immortalized prostate epithelial and five cancer cell lines (LNCaP, PC3, PC3M, PC3M-Pro4, and PC3M-LN4) were compared using a microarray-based technique. Genomic DNA is cut with a methylation-sensitive enzyme HpaII, followed by linker ligation, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification, labeling, and hybridization to an array of promoter sequences. Only those parts of the genomic DNA that have unmethylated restriction sites within a few hundred base pairs generate PCR products detectable on an array.

Expression of transforming growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor and core protein of proteoglycan in human vertebral cartilaginous endplate of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Study Design: To compare the expression of cytokines and core protein of proteoglycan in the scoliotic concave and convex cartilaginous endplate using immunohistochemical staining.

Objectives: To define the possible role of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFbeta1), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and core protein of proteoglycan in the development of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Summary Of Background Data: Changes in the endplate composition have been implicated as possible etiologic factors in the pathogenesis of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

[Evaluation and treatment of congenital scoliosis with split cord malformation].

Objective: To discuss the diagnosis and surgical treatment of congenital scoliosis (CS) with split cord malformation (SCM).

Methods: From May 1999 to June 2004, 353 cases of CS were admitted, and 58 cases were diagnosed CS combined with SCM via myelography and (or) CTM. According to Pang's classification for SCM, patients were divided into type I SCM and type II SCM.

Surgical treatment of scoliosis caused by neurofibromatosis type 1.

Objective: To retrospectively analyze the relationship between curve types and clinical results in surgical treatment of scoliosis in patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF-1).

Methods: Forty-five patients with scoliosis resulting from NF-1 were treated surgically from 1984 to 2002. Mean age at operation was 14.

Enhanced microarray performance using low complexity representations of the transcriptome.

Low abundance mRNAs are more difficult to examine using microarrays than high abundance mRNAs due to the effect of concentration on hybridization kinetics and signal-to-noise ratios. This report describes the use of low complexity representations (LCRs) of mRNA as the targets for cDNA microarrays. Individual sequences in LCRs are more highly represented than in the mRNA populations from which they are derived, leading to favorable hybridization kinetics.

[Expression of collagen type I in the articular processes of apex from adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients].

Objective: To investigate the characteristic of the expression of collagen type I in the articular processes of apex from adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients.

Methods: The apical processes of 11 AIS patients were collected. The techniques of HE staining and In-cell Western were adopted in this research.

A new operative classification of idiopathic scoliosis: a peking union medical college method.

Study Design: A retrospective radiographic study on the type of surgically treated idiopathic scoliosis, with a prospective study on the reliability of the type-related fusion guide.

Objectives: To identify and classify surgically treated idiopathic scoliosis, and define its related fusion levels by a new classification system.

Summary Of Background Data: Some classification methods for idiopathic scoliosis have been suggested.

[The operation treatment for severe and rigid idiopathic scoliosis].

Objective: To discuss the operation treatment for the severe and rigid idiopathic scoliosis.

Methods: The clinical data of 24 patients with severe and rigid idiopathic scoliosis, 15 females and 9 males, with an average age of 17 (12 approximately 20) who had undergone operations from June 1999 to June 2003 were analyzed retrospectively. The patients were classified according to PUMC operative classification systerm, including 16 cases of type Ia, 2 cases of type Ib, 3 cases of type IIb2, and 1 case of types IIb1, IIc2, and IIc3 each.

[The expression of collagen IX in the apical disc of idiopathic scoliosis].

Objective: To study the distribution of collagen IX gene in the disc and to determine its role in the pathogeny of idiopathic scoliosis (IS).

Methods: The data included apical disc and intermediate disc from 14 cases of adolescent IS, 26 discs from 13 cases of scoliosis of confirmed pathogeny (CPS), which included 10 cases of congenital scoliosis and neurofibromatosis scoliosis. Six discs were obtained from 3 cases of normal young man served as controls.

[Comparison of instrumented posterior fusion with instrumented circumferential lumbar fusion in the treatment of lumbar stenosis with low degree lumbar spondylolisthesis].

Objective: To compare and evaluate instrumented posterior fusion with instrumented circumferential lumbar fusion in the treatment of lumbar stenosis with low degree lumbar spondylolisthesis.

Methods: From April 1998 to April 2003, 45 patients who suffered from lumbar stenosis with low degree lumbar spondylolisthesis were divided into 2 groups (A and B) at random. The patients in group A (n = 24, average age 54 years old) were performed decompressive laminectomy, intertransverse process arthrodesis with bone grafting and transpedicle instrumentation of solid connection (SOCON) system.

[Clinical study on treatment of lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis by using general spine system].

Objective: To observe early clinical efficacy of general spine system (GSS) in spondylolisthesis combined with lumbar canal stenosis, lumbar decompression, reduction and bone graft.

Methods: Sixteen patients with degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis combined with lumbar canal stenosis, 10 male, 6 female, average age 58.5 years (range 42 - 72 years) underwent lumbar decompression, bone graft and internal fixation using GSS.

[Gene expression of type X collagen in the intervertebral disc of idiopathic scoliosis patients].

Objective: To observe the characteristics of gene expression of type X collagen in the cartilage of end-plate and the fibrous annulus in the intervertebral disc of idiopathic scoliosis (IS) patients.

Method: Investigating the expression of type X collagen in the peak disc and the lower end disc of 21 IS patients, the peak disc of 16 congenital scoliosis (CS) and the lumbar disc of 3 normal people (according with the principle of medical ethnics) by reverse transcript polymerase chain reaction.

Results: The expression of type X collagen in the concave side of IS peak disc was higher than the convex side (P < 0.

[The correlation between preoperative pulmonary function and postoperative pulmonary complications in the surgical treatment of scoliosis].

Objectives: To evaluate the incidence of immediate postoperative pulmonary complications and their correlation to preoperative pulmonary function tests (PFTs), preoperative pulmonary symptoms and surgical approaches.

Methods: The case records of 298 patients, who underwent anterior or posterior fusion, were reviewed. Preoperative PFTs were recorded and abnormal PFTs were defined as forced vital capacity (FVC) is less than 80% of FVC predicted.

[Primary study on collagen X gene expression in the apical disc of idiopathic scoliosis].

Objective: To study the distribution of collagen X in the intervertebral disc and determine its role in the pathogeny of idiopathic scoliosis (IS).

Methods: The data included apical disc and intermediate disc from 14 cases of AIS, 26 discs from 13 cases of scoliosis of confirmed pathogeny which included 10 cases of congenital scoliosis and neurofibromatosis scoliosis (CS group). Six discs were obtained from 3 cases of sudden death of normal young man served as controls.

Identification of promoters bound by c-Jun/ATF2 during rapid large-scale gene activation following genotoxic stress.

The NH2-terminal Jun kinases (JNKs) function in diverse roles through phosphorylation and activation of AP-1 components including ATF2 and c-Jun. However, the genes that mediate these processes are poorly understood. A model phenotype characterized by rapid activation of Jun kinase and enhanced DNA repair following cisplatin treatment was examined using chromatin immunoprecipitation with antibodies against ATF2 and c-Jun or their phosphorylated forms and hybridization to promoter arrays.

Anthraquinones inhibit tau aggregation and dissolve Alzheimer's paired helical filaments in vitro and in cells.

The abnormal aggregation of tau protein into paired helical filaments (PHFs) is one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease. Aggregation takes place in the cytoplasm and could therefore be cytotoxic for neurons. To find inhibitors of PHF aggregation we screened a library of 200,000 compounds.

The effect of cdk-5 overexpression on tau phosphorylation and spatial memory of rat.

In Alzheimer's disease (AD), hyperphosphorylation of tau may be the underlying mechanism for the cytoskeletal abnormalities and neuronal death. It was reported that cyclin-dependent kinase5 (cdk-5) could phosphorylate tau at most AD-related epitopes in vitro. In this study, we investigated the effect of cdk-5 overexpression on tau phosphorylation and spatial memory in rat.

Posterior selective thoracic fusion in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Objective: To define the criteria of posterior selective thoracic fusion in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Methods: By reviewing the medical records and roentgenograms of 17 patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis who underwent posterior selective thoracic fusion, the curve type, Cobb angle, apical vertebral rotation and translation, trunk shift, and thoracolumbar kyphosis were measured and analyzed.

Results: There were 17 King type II patients (PUMC type: IIb, 13, IIc3 4).

High-throughput polyribosome fractionation.

Polyribosome sedimentation velocity centrifugation can be used to identify differential regulation of the translation of mRNAs. However, ultracentrifugation presents practical limitations on the number of sedimentation velocity gradients that can be run simultaneously. A method for sedimentation velocity analysis of polyribosomes is presented that is based on low-speed centrifugation of sucrose gradients prepared in deep 96-well plates, the advantage of which is that hundreds of polyribosome fractionations can be performed simultaneously in a tabletop centrifuge.

[Clinic effect of alendronate sodium treatment in osteoporosis patients with hip fracture].

Objective: To assess efficacy and safety of alendronate sodium treatment in osteoporosis patients with hip fracture.

Methods: One year randomized, double-blind clinical trial was carried out in 77 osteoporosis patients with hip fracture. The bone mineral density (BMD) in lumbar spine (L(2 - 4)), femoral neck (Neck), Wards triangle (Wards) and great trochanter (Troch) was measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometer (DEXA).

Melatonin attenuates beta-amyloid-induced inhibition of neurofilament expression.

Aim: To explore the effect of beta-amyloid (A beta) on metabolism of cytoskeletal protein neurofilament, and search for effective cure to the lesion.

Methods: Wild type murine neuroblastoma N2a (N2awt) and N2a stably transfected with wild type amyloid precursor protein (N2aAPP) were cultured. Sandwich ELISA, immunocytochemistry, and Western blot were used respectively to measure the level of A beta, the expression and phosphorylation of neurofilament proteins.

[Selective thoracic fusion in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis].

Objective: To define the criteria of selective thoracic fusion in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients.

Methods: By reviewing the roentgenograms of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients undergoing selective thoracic fusion, the curve type, Cobb angle, apical rotation and translation, trunk shift, and thoracolumbar kyphosis were measured and analyzed.

Results: There were 12 King type II patients (PUMC type: IIb1 9, IIc3 3).