[Neuronavigation-assisted percutaneous radiofrequency thermocoagulation of trigeminal gasserian ganglion for refractory craniofacial pain]

Objective: Percutaneous radiofrequency thermocoagulation (RFT) of the Gasserian ganglion is an effective treatment for refractory trigeminal craniofacial pain.In the present study, we assessed the feasibility of accessing the Gasserian ganglion through the foramen ovale with neuronavigation guidance in the patients of trigeminal craniofacial pain. Method: We retrospectively analyzed forty-four patients with type Ⅰ trigeminal neuralgia who had undergone percutaneous RFT treatment in our hospital from June 2014 to December 2016.The patients were divided into fluoroscopy group and navigation group according to the intraoperative guiding manners for foramen ovale cannulation.We compared groups in terms of the duration of the whole RFT procedure and times of intraoperative fluoroscopy.We also analyzed the immediate and late outcome accessing by Barrow Neurological Institute (BNI) pain scale, as well as the complication rates in groups. Result: There were 32 patients in the fluoroscopy group and 12 in the navigation group.The duration of the surgical procedure in navigation group was less than that in fluoroscopy group (46±12 min versus 67±16 min, P=0.00), and times of intraoperative fluoroscopy was reduced (6.3±2.2 versus 1.3±1.6, P=0.00). The learning curve of navigation-aid RFT was not steep in the present study overall.There was no significant difference between groups regarding pain reduction at the immediate (P=0.07) or late follow-up (P=0.400) time points.However, the rate of pain reduction to BNI-Ⅰ grade was greater in navigation group (P=0.026). No significant difference in the complication rate between both groups, and no serious complications were observed in the both groups. Conclusion: Neuronavigation may be encouraged in trigeminal Gasserian ganglion RFT with better operating efficiency and less radiation exposure.The immediate and late therapeutic effects for craniofacial pain control were positive, whereas further studies are necessary.

Clinical and X-ray features of diverticulosis of the colon: Analysis of 31 cases

AIM: To summarize the clinical and X-ray features of diverticulosis of the colon.

METHODS: Clinical and X-ray data for 31 patients with diverticulosis of the colon who were diagnosed and underwent a double-contrast barium enema at our hospital from 2000 to 2011 were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTS: Among the 31 cases, the eldest was 85 years old, and the youngest was 40 years. The average age was 63. Pathological changes in 15 cases were confined to the ascending colon, and involved the cecum and the ascending colon in 7 cases, the cecum, the ascending colon and the transverse colon in 5 cases, and the whole colon in 4 cases. Fourteen cases had diverticulitis.

CONCLUSION: The middle-aged and the elderly are prone to develop diverticulosis of the colon, mostly on the right-side, and with diverticulitis. The double contrast barium enema is a useful method for detection of diverticulosis of the colon.

Synthesis and herbicidal activity of isoindoline-1,3-dione substituted benzoxazinone derivatives containing a carboxylic ester group

A carboxylic ester group was introduced to three series of isoindolinedione substituted benzoxazinone derivatives. Some of these analogues exhibited good herbicidal activities, and the injury symptoms against weeds included leaf cupping, crinkling, bronzing, and necrosis, typical of protox inhibitor herbicides. Structurally, they were classified as Chemical Group A (4-carboxylic ester group-6-isoindolinyl-benzoxazinones), B (4-carboxylic ester group-7-isoindolinyl-benzoxazinones), and C (4-carboxylic ester group-6- tetrahydroisoindolinyl-benzoxazinones). All of the tested compounds were structurally confirmed by (1)H NMR, IR, mass spectroscopy, and elemental analysis. Preliminary bioassay data of these three classes of compounds showed that, in general, the order of the herbicidal effectiveness is C > A > B. Several of the lead compounds, for example, C10 (methyl 2-(6-(1,3-dioxo-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-1H-isoindol-2(3H)-yl)-7-fluoro-2-methyl-3-oxo-2H-benzo[b][1,4] oxazin-4(3H)-yl) propano-ate), C12 (ethyl 2-(6-(1,3-dioxo-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-1H-isoindol-2(3H)-yl)-7-fluoro-2- methyl-3-oxo-2H-benzo[b][1,4]oxazin-4(3H)-yl) propanoate), and C13 (ethyl 2-(6-(1,3-dioxo-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-1H-isoindol-2(3H)-yl)-7-fluoro-2-methyl-3-oxo-2H-benzo-[b][1,4]oxazin-4(3H)-yl) butanoate), exhibited greater than 80% control at 75 g a.i./ha in both pre- and postemergence treatments against dicotyledonous weeds, such as Abutilon theophrasti Medic, Chenopodium album L., and Amaranthus ascendens L., and monocotyledon weeds, such as Digitaria sanguinalis L., Echinochloa crus-galli L., and Setaria viridis L. On the basis of advanced screening tests and crop selectivity, compounds C10, C12, and C13 are safer to crops than flumioxazin. Compounds C10, C12, and C13 are potent to develop as pre-emergent herbicides used in peanut, soybean, maize, and cotton fields.

Development of a multifunctional and efficient conjugal plasmid for use in Streptomyces spp

A plasmid, pGB112, has recently been developed to transfer DNA from Escherichia coli to Streptomyces spp via conjugation. This technique made use of (A) E. coli replicon, (B) ampicillin (amp) resistance gene for selection in E. coli and thiostrepton (tsr) resistance gene for selection in Streptomyces, (C) a fragment of SCP2* replicon, (D) a 2.6 kb fragment of tra-cassette which consists of pIJ101 transfer gene (tra) and two ermE promoters, (E) a 0.8 kb fragment of oriT of (IncP) RK2. The results showed that this plasmid was able to transfer plasmid DNA from E. coli to Streptomyces coelicolor via conjugation, and that it could also transfer DNA between Streptomyces strains. Since this plasmid has both pBR322 and SCP2* replicons, it may provide a novel and useful method for genetic operation in E. coli and Streptomyces.

[Construction of efficient conjugal plasmids between Escherichia coli and Streptomycetes]

Conjugal plasmid pGH112 has been developed based on the replicons of Streptomyces coelicolor plasmid SCP2 and E. coli ColE. The plasmid contains ampicilin resistance gene(amp) for selection in E. coli and thiostrepton resistance gene (tsr) for selection in Streptomycetes, and a 0.76 kb oriT fragment of (IncP) RK2. Conjugal transfer of pGH112 was performed from E. coli to S. coelicolor A3(2), S. avermitilis, S. lividans TK54, S. toxytricini NNRL15443, S. venezuelae ISP5230 and Sacc. erythraea by conjugation, results show that the plasmid was able to transfer efficenctly from E. coli to Streptomycetes, was stably inherited in the recipients. pGH113 was constructed from pGH112 by combining the constitutive ermE promoter with green fluorescent protein gene(gfp).