Axial alignment of the lower extremity in Chinese adults

Background: The restoration of normal axial alignment of the lower extremity is important to surgeons who perform reconstructive surgery of the knee. However, data on the normal alignment of the lower extremity in Chinese adults are not available. Methods: The axial alignment of the lower extremity in twenty-five adult male and twenty-five adult female volunteers of southern Chinese origin was measured on weight-bearing radiographs of the entire lower limb. The mean age was twenty-four years for the male volunteers and twenty-three years for the female volunteers. The results were compared with those of two similar studies of white volunteers in the United States. Results: The medial inclination of the tibial plateau in the Chinese subjects (mean and standard deviation, 5.4 ± 2.5 degrees for women and 4.9 ± 2.3 degrees for men) was greater than the commonly reported 3 degrees. The extremities of the Chinese women were found to have a mean of 2.2 ± 2.5 degrees of varus alignment, and those of the Chinese men had a mean of 2.2 ± 2.7 degrees of varus alignment. Conclusions: Compared with the white subjects described in the studies by Moreland et al. and Hsu et al., the Chinese subjects had significantly larger medial inclination of the knee joint (knee-joint obliquity) (p < 0.005) and the female Chinese subjects had significantly more varus alignment of the lower extremity (p < 0.025). Clinical Relevance: Five degrees of external rotation of the femoral component, instead of the commonly reported 3 degrees, may be required to obtain a rectangular flexion gap in total knee arthroplasty in Chinese patients. The racial difference in the knee-joint obliquity may contribute to the racial difference in the ratio of knee osteoarthritis to hip osteoarthritis. Additional studies are necessary to confirm this relationship.published_or_final_versio

The Embryotrophic Activity of Oviductal Cell-derived Complement C3b and iC3b, a Novel Function of Complement Protein in Reproduction

The oviduct-derived embryotrophic factor, ETF-3, enhances the development of trophectoderm and the hatching process of treated embryos. Monoclonal anti-ETF-3 antibody that abolishes the embryotrophic activity of ETF-3 recognized a 115-kDa protein from the conditioned medium of immortalized human oviductal cells. Mass spectrometry analysis showed that the protein was complement C3. Western blot analysis using an antibody against C3 confirmed the cross-reactivities between anti-C3 antibody with ETF-3 and anti-ETF-3 antibody with C3 and its derivatives, C3b and iC3b. Both derivatives, but not C3, were embryotrophic. iC3b was most efficient in enhancing the development of blastocysts with larger size and higher hatching rate, consistent with the previous reported embryotrophic activity of ETF-3. Embryos treated with iC3b contained iC3b immunoreactivity. The oviductal epithelium produced C3 as evidenced by the presence of C3 immunoreactivity and mRNA in the human oviduct and cultured oviductal cells. Cyclical changes in the expression of C3 immunoreactivity and mRNA were also found in the mouse oviduct with the highest expression at the estrus stage. Molecules involving in the conversion of C3b to iC3b and binding of iC3b were present in the human oviduct (factor I) and mouse preimplantation embryo (Crry and CR3), respectively. In conclusion, the present data showed that the oviduct produced C3/C3b, which was converted to iC3b to stimulate embryo development.postprin

Association between vascular risk factors and incident significant cognitive impairment in Chinese older people in Hong Kong in a six-year study

Objective: This study aimed to examine the association between vascular risk factors, namely hypertension, diabetes mellitus and hypercholesterolemia, and incident significant cognitive impairment in community-dwelling Chinese older people in Hong Kong. Methods: Community-dwelling Chinese older people aged 65 years and above who attended Nam Shan Elderly Health Centre in 2005 with no history of dementia or stroke constituted the baseline sample. Retrospective data retrieval for the presence of vascular risk factors at baseline was conducted. Annual clinical assessment on cognition was offered in the 6-year study period. Significant cognitive impairment was defined by presence of dementia in accordance with DSM-IV-TR, scoring below the cut-off point on the Cantonese version of the Mini-Mental State Examination, and / or a global Clinical Dementia Rating score of 1-3. Results: A total of 1925 subjects were recruited into our study; 161 (8.4%) subjects developed significant cognitive impairment in the 6-year study period. Subjects with incident significant cognitive impairment was older (75 vs. 73 years; Mann-Whitney U test, p < 0.001) with lower education attainment (30.4% vs. 23.9% of illiteracy; χ2 test, p = 0.06). However, there was no statistically significant difference in the point prevalence of pre-existing hypertension (χ2 test, p = 0.68), diabetes mellitus (χ2 test, p = 0.21), and hypercholesterolemia (χ2 test, p = 0.31) between subjects who developed significant cognitive impairment and those who remained cognitively stable. Interestingly, baseline pulse pressure, but not systolic or diastolic blood pressure, was found to be higher among subjects with incident significant cognitive impairment (70 mm Hg vs. 66 mm Hg; Mann-Whitney U test, p = 0.03). Conclusions: This study did not have evidence to show that hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and hypercholesterolemia were associated with incident significant cognitive impairment in the Chinese older people in Hong Kong. Further studies are needed to examine the role of pulse pressure in contributing to cognitive decline in late life.published_or_final_versio

Physical health and lifestyle predictors for significant cognitive impairment in community-dwelling Chinese older adults in Hong Kong

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Effects of triptolide, an active ingredient of trypterygium Wilfordii Hook F (Thunder God Vine, a traditional Chinese herb), on rheumatoid synovial fibroblast function

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Widened pulse pressure is a potential risk factor for significant cognitive impairment among community-dwelling Chinese younger old people

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Moyamoya disease in Hong Kong: natural history and surgical revascularization outcome

Free Paper 3Theme: Brain Attack: A New EraOBJECTIVE: Moya-moya disease (MMD) is an occlusive cerebral vasculopathy associated with high risk of recurrent ischemic and hemorrhagic events. Surgical revascularization had proven benefits in ischemic MMD but the role in hemorrhagic presentations is less clear. We studied the natural history of symptomatic MMD patients in Hong Kong and compared the long term ...postprin

Ultra-precision machining of optical microstructures

2003-2004 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalVersion of RecordPublishe

Ultra-precision machining technique for optical free-surface and its application

2003-2004 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalVersion of RecordPublishe

STK295900, a Dual Inhibitor of Topoisomerase 1 and 2, Induces G<inf>2</inf> Arrest in the Absence of DNA Damage

STK295900, a small synthetic molecule belonging to a class of symmetric bibenzimidazoles, exhibits antiproliferative activity against various human cancer cell lines from different origins. Examining the effect of STK295900 in HeLa cells indicates that it induces G2 phase arrest without invoking DNA damage. Further analysis shows that STK295900 inhibits DNA relaxation that is mediated by topoisomerase 1 (Top 1) and topoisomerase 2 (Top 2) in vitro. In addition, STK295900 also exhibits protective effect against DNA damage induced by camptothecin. However, STK295900 does not affect etoposide-induced DNA damage. Moreover, STK295900 preferentially exerts cytotoxic effect on cancer cell lines while camptothecin, etoposide, and Hoechst 33342 affected both cancer and normal cells. Therefore, STK295900 has a potential to be developed as an anticancer chemotherapeutic agent. © 2013 Kim et al