The aim of the present study was to investigate the function and mechanism of sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) in spinal cord injury (SCI). Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to measure the expression levels of microRNA (miR)-494. MTT assay, lactate dehydrogenase activity assay and flow cytometry were used to analyze the effects of miR-494 on cell growth and apoptosis in a model of SCI. The present study demonstrated that SIRT1 expression was reduced; whereas miR-494 expression was increased in a rat model of SCI. Overexpression of miR-494 suppressed the protein expression levels of SIRT1, and induced p53 protein expression. Conversely, knockdown of miR-494 induced SIRT1 protein expression in an in vitro model of SCI. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-494 promoted cell apoptosis and decreased cell growth in an in vitro model of SCI; however, miR-494 knockdown enhanced cell growth and inhibited cell apoptosis. Administration of a SIRT1 agonist reduced the effects of miR-494 overexpression on cell apoptosis in an SCI model, whereas treatment with a p53 agonist reduced the effects of miR-494 knockdown on cell apoptosis in an SCI model. Together, these findings suggested that SIRT1 may inhibit apoptosis of SCI in vivo and in vitro through the p53 signaling pathway, whereas miR-494 suppressed SIRT1 and induced apoptosis.

The aim of this study was to measure omentin-1 concentrations in serum and synovial fluid (SF) of knee osteoarthritis (OA) patients and to investigate their correlation with patient-reported symptomatic severity. We enrolled 263 knee OA patients and 62 healthy controls. We collected Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) scores from OA patients and measured omentin-1 concentrations in serum and SF by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Our results demonstrated that omentin-1 concentrations in SF but not serum were independently and negatively correlated with self-reported greater pain and physical disability in OA patients. Omentin-1 in SF might serve as a potential biomarker for reflecting the symptomatic severity of OA.

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Background:The optimal treatment of displaced intra-articular calcaneal fractures remains controversial.Conservative treatment has been proven to be ineffective for these fractures. Usually,surgical treatment methods include open reduction and internal fixation, arthroscopic-assisted reduction,balloon dilatation and plasty.However,there is no consensus on which methods are more effective.This paper reports the clinical effect of the minimally invasive treatment of calcaneal fractures by closed reduction using calcaneal plastic reduction forceps combined with threaded-pin external fixation. Method:The clinical data of 16 patients,including 14 males and 2 females,with a unilateral calcaneal fracture were analysed retrospectively.The Bohler angle,Gissane angle,and calcaneal width, height and length were measured before and after the operation.The ankle function was evaluated according to the AOFAS score at 6 and 12 months after the operation. Result:The average Bohler angle was 16.7 before the operation and 25.8 after correction; the average angle at the final follow-up was 25.2. The average Gissane angle before and after the operation was 103.6 and 120.9, respectively; the average angle measured at the final follow-up was 119.6. The average calcaneal width before and after the operation was 39.5 mm and 35.2 mm, respectively; the average width measured at the final follow-up was 36.5 mm. The average height before and after the operation was 46.9 mm and 48.5 mm; the average height measured at the final follow-up was 48.9 mm.The average length before and after the operation was 67.5 mm and 71.2 mm, respectively; the average length measured at the final follow-up was 70.9 mm. The average AOFAS score was 60.1 at 6 months after the operation and 80.6 at 12 months after the operation, which was significantly higher than the average AOFAS score at 6 months after the operation (P < 0.001).At the final follow-up, the AOFAS score was excellent, good, moderate,and poor in 11 cases, 3 cases,1 case and 1 case,respectively,with a rate of excellent and good scores of 87.5%. Conclusion:The application of closed reduction using calcaneal plastic reduction forceps combined with threaded-pin external fixation is effective for the treatment of displaced calcaneal fractures, with a simple procedure, minimal trauma, fewer skin and soft tissue complications, and satisfactory clinical results.

Objective: To compare the clinical efficacy of proximal femoral intramedullary fixation and anatomical locking compression plate in the treatment of femoral intertrochanteric fractures among the elderly. Methods: In this retrospective study, 210 surgically treated patients with intertrochanteric fractures of the femur were analyzed and divided into groups A, B and C according to the surgical approach. Group A had interlocking compression nailing (INTERTAN) done (n=69); group B had γ-III interlocking intramedullary nailing (γ-III) done (n=73); and group C had proximal femoral anatomic locking plate (PFLP) done (n=68). All patients’ data were followed up completely, and their clinical outcomes were observed. Results: Group A and B were found to perform better than group C in operation time, bleeding volume, time of leaving bed, fracture healing time and hospitalization time (P < 0.05). Their respective incidences of postoperative complications were significantly lower than that of group C (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences between group A and group B (P > 0.05). The Harris scores of groups A and B at 1, 3 and 6 months after operation were significantly higher than those of group C (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences between group A and group B (P > 0.05). Conclusions: In the treatment of femoral intertrochanteric fractures, intramedullary fixation influences little on blood circulation at the fracture end, accelerates fracture healing, and enhances hip joint function, which assists patients in recovering faster postoperatively. Moreover, it enables them to gain mobility at an early stage and reduces postoperative complications of fractures. Its short-term clinical effects are better than extramedullary fixation, which should be more widely adapted clinically.