Comparison of percutaneous vertebroplasty with and without interventional tumor removal for spinal metastatic tumor without epidural involvement.

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) combined with interventional tumor removal (ITR) in providing pain relief, reducing disability, and improving functional performance in patients with malignant vertebral compression fractures without epidural involvement.

Methods: Patients with malignant vertebral compression fractures (n=58) were treated with either PVP+ITR (n=31, group A) or PVP alone (n=27, group B). A 14 G needle was inserted into the vertebral body, and the tract was sequentially dilated with working cannulae.

TcOPT3, a member of oligopeptide transporters from the hyperaccumulator Thlaspi caerulescens, is a novel Fe/Zn/Cd/Cu transporter.

Background: Thlaspi caerulescens is a natural selected heavy metal hyperaccumulator that can not only tolerate but also accumulate extremely high levels of heavy metals in the shoots. Thus, to identify the transportors involved in metal long-distance transportation is very important for understanding the mechanism of heavy metal accumulation in this hyperaccumulator.

Methodology/principal Findings: We cloned and characterized a novel gene TcOPT3 of OPT family from T.