Owing to the profound impact of spinal cord injury, extensive studies have been carried out aimed at facilitating axonal regeneration following injury. Tissue engineering, as an emerging and rapidly growing field, has received extensive attention for nervous system axonal guidance. Numerous engineered substrates including biomaterial scaffolds, cells, biomolecules, have showed potential of supporting axonal regeneration and functional recovery. This article reviews current progresses on biomaterial scaffolds, cells, biomolecules for nerve repair, as well as therapeutic approaches that are being explored for spinal cord repairing.

Objective　To investigate the expression of endometrial leukaemia inhibitory factor（LIF） gene in patients with unexplained infertility. Methods　 By a quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)，the expression of LIF gene on endometrium during mid-luteal phase was detected in 35 unexplained infertility (infertility group) cases and 20 infertile cases due to tubal obstruction or male factor (control group). Results　The level of LIF mRNA expression on endometrium during mid-luteal phase in infertility group was 0.448±0.239，significantly lower than those in the control group （1.093±0.761，P<0.01). Conclusions　Our findings suggested LIF might play an important role in the process of implantation. The decreased expression of LIF gene might be one of the major causes of unexplained infertility.

The safety of Chuangyuling (CYL) dressing-a multifunctional medicine carrying biomaterial was evaluated in order to provide foundation for the application of CYL as material used in the wound healing. The traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) extract solution was compounded with scaffolds (gelatin and Bletilla hyacinthine gum), and then frozen and dried to form spongy and porous material CYL. According to the standard of biological evaluation of medical devices that was instituted by the ministry of health of China, the biological evaluation of CYL dressing was conducted. The results showed that all the contents of biological evaluation test consisting of acute toxicity, skin irritation, sensitization and cytotoxicity met the requirement of standards. It was concluded that the biomaterial carrying TCM (CYL dressing) is safe for application of wound healing.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/*administration & dosage ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/toxicity ; Gelatin ; Occlusive Dressings ; Phytotherapy ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; Wound Healing/*drug effects

Objective To make follow-up s tudy and e valuation of benign stricture of upper gastrointestinal tract (UGIT) with interv entional procedure. Methods There were 85 cases of benign stric ture of UGIT with interventional procedu re. There were 35 cases with pneumatic dilation (group A), 25 cases with permane nt (group B) placement, and 25 cases with temporary (group C) placement of expan dable metallic stent, respectively. All cases were completed under fluoroscopy. 35 cases of group A had 67 times dilations (mean 1.9 times). Fifteen partial co vered and 10 uncovered expandable metallic stents were permanently placed in the 25 ca ses of group B. 25 partial covered expandable metallic stents were temporari ly p laced in the 25 cases of group C, and the stents were drawn out via gastroscopy 3-7 days later. All stents placement and drawing were technically successful. T he most strictured diameters of UGIT were 0.7-8.5 mm before dilations and 5.1- 200 mm after dilations. Dysphagia scores of all cases were from grade 2 to 4 b efo re dilations, and from grade 0 to 1 after dilations. Follow-up time of all case s was from 6 months to 36 months (mean 19.1 months). Results Complications in group A included chest pain (n=10), reflux (n=8), and bleeding (n =3). Seven (20%) in 35 cases of group A had dysphagia relapse during follow-up over 6 months; 32 (91%) in 35 cases of group A had dysphagia relapse during follow-up over 12 mon t hs; 19(95%) in 20 cases of group A had dysphagia relapse during follow-up over 36 months. Complications in group B included chest pain (n=10), reflux (n =15), bleeding (n=3), and stent migration (n=4). Five (20%) in 25 case s of group B had dysp hagia relapse during follow-up over 6 months; 3(25%) in 12 cases of group B had dysphagia relapse during follow-up over 12 months; 3(60%) in 5 cases of gro up B had dysphagia relapse during follow-up over 36 months. Complications in group C included chest pain (n=10), reflux (n=3), and bleeding (n=4). 3( 12%) in 25 cases of group C had dysphagia relapse during follow-up over 6 months, 2(13.3%) in 1 5 cases of group C had dysphagia relapse during follow-up over 12 months; 1(12.5 % ) in 8 cases of group C had dysphagia relapse during follow-up over 36 months. ConclusionThe effective treatment method of benign stricture of UGIT with inte rventional procedure in short-term therapeutic efficiency were graded pneumatic dilation and temporary placement of partial covered expandable metallic stent. T emporary placement of partial covered expandable metallic stent was the first me thod of choice in the treatment of benign stricture of UGIT in terms of mid and long-term therapeutic efficiency.

OBJECTIVETo explore the protective effect of electroacupuncture (EA) pretreatment on ovarian function in rats with ovulation induction.

METHODSThirty SD female rats were numbered according to random number table. According to vaginal smear method, rats of estrus were divided into a normal group (10 rats) and cohabitated with male SD rats with the proportion of 1:1. With computer-generated random number, the remaining rats were divided into a model group and an EA group, 10 rats in each one. The model of superovulation was established with pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) and human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) in the model group and EA group. Before model establishment and cohabitation, rats in the EA group were treated with EA at "Guanyuan (CV 4)" and "Sanyinjiao (SP 6)", once for 15 min, for consecutive 7 days. Rats in the normal group and model group received no further treatment. The third day 23:00 pm after cohabitation, blood samples in three groups were collected to test the level of estradiol (E₂) and progesterone (P). After the rats were sacrificed, the HE staining method was applied to observe the morphological changes of ovarian tissue; the immunohistochemical method was applied to measure the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptor VEGFR-2; the real-time quantitative PCR technique was applied to measure the gene expression of VEGF and VEGFR-2.

RESULTSThe number of ovarian follicle in the EA group was higher than that in the model group and normal group (all P < 0.05); the ratio of corpus luteum size to ovarian size in the EA group was lower than that in the model group (P < 0.01). The ratio of plasma estradiol to progesterone in the EA group tended to be normal group (P < 0.05) and lower than that in the model group (P < 0.01). The protein expression of VEGF and VEGFR-2 in lutein granulosa cell and follicular fluid in the EA group was lower than that in the model group (P < 0.05); gene level of VEGF and VEGFR-2 in ovarian tissue in the EA group was lower than that in the model group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONEA pretreatment has certain protective effect on ovarian function in rats with ovulation induction, which is likely to be related to regulation of VEGF and its receptor.

Acupuncture Points ; Animals ; Chorionic Gonadotropin ; blood ; Electroacupuncture ; Estradiol ; blood ; Female ; Male ; Ovary ; physiology ; Ovulation Induction ; Pregnancy ; Progesterone ; blood ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; genetics ; metabolism

A systematic method of isolating and culturing human bone mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs), and inducing them to differentiate into neuron-like cells in vitro was established. The hMSCs were isolated from bone marrow with the lymphocyte-separating medium, cultured and expanded in vitro, and induced after addition of compound neuro-revulsants. The morphological changes of hMSCs were observed, and the expression of surface markers in induced hMSCs was immunocytochemically identified during induction period. The hMSCs could be separated, cultured and expanded in vitro. After induction by compound neuro-revulsants for 48 h, the changes of neuron-like cells, such as cellular shrinkage and neurite growth, were observed in some cells. The immunochemical staining revealed nestin (+) or NF (+), and GFAP (-). It was concluded that hMSCs were successfully cultured and induced to differentiate into neuron-like cells.
Bone Marrow Cells/*cytology ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Cell Differentiation/*physiology ; Cells, Cultured ; Mesenchymal Stem Cells/*cytology ; Neurons/*cytology

The safety of Chuangyuling (CYL) dressing-a multifunctional medicine carrying biomaterial was evaluated in order to provide foundation for the application of CYL as material used in the wound healing. The traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) extract solution was compounded with scaffolds (gelatin and Bletilla hyacinthine gum), and then frozen and dried to form spongy and porous material CYL. According to the standard of biological evaluation of medical devices that was instituted by the ministry of health of China[1] , the biological evaluation of CYL dressing was conducted. The results showed that all the contents of biological evaluation test consisting of acute toxicity, skin irritation, sensitization and cytotoxicity met the requirement of standards. It was concluded that the biomaterial carrying TCM (CYL dressing) is safe for application of wound healing.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the significance of MR and endoscopy in the postoperative management of skull base reconstruction with a vascular pedicle nasoseptal mucoperiosteal flap. METHOD: The immediate, and delayed postoperative MR imaging scans and endoscopic data of 8 patients who underwent endonasal endoscopic reconstruction of skull base dural defects with a vascular pedicle nasoseptal mucoperiosteal flap were retrospectively studied. Among the 8 patients, 7 cases have integrated immediate, delayed postoperative MR and synchronous endoscopic data which were harvest at the first week and at a 3- to 7-month interval respectively. One case was followed up by CT and endoscopy. The intracranial parenchymal changes, local situation of skull base defect site, the septal flap, healing of flap donor site and the transition of naso sinus mucosa were fully evaluated to explore the healing process and to improve the success rate of the reconstruction. RESULT: We can obtain the key postoperative information of intracranial and the skull base reconstruction site with MR and endoscopy. The MR can exclude the intracranial complications such as postoperative intracranial hematoma, cerebral edema, or pneumocephalus, and clearly show the location and extent of skull base defects, the position of the flap, the overlapping manner between the dural defect margin and the flap and the postoperative cerebrospinal fistula. In immediate and postoperative follow-up with MR, the septal flap had homogeneous enhanced image with a roughly "C" figure under the skull base, indicating stable blood supplement. The synchronous endoscopic examination also proved the survival of the septal flaps in 7 cases , the cerebrospinal fluid leakage in 1 case. One case flap necrosis. The septal flaps presented edema and congested in the immediate postoperative endoscopy, and returned to normal in the delayed examination. The non-vascular materials such as gelatin sponge and fat tissue had the different characteristics signal. Nasal mucosal edema and sinus ventilation continually recovered during the follow up and the exposed septal cartilage on the donor site resurfaced by mucosa in 2 months. CONCLUSION MR and endoscopy could provide the critical postoperative information about the vascular pedicle septal flap reconstruction. MR combined with endoscopy not only could rule out the complications, but also could gain the information such as the position, blood supply and healing of the flap, at the same time detected the cerebrospinal fluid leakage to provide accurate information for the secondary stage reconstruction. The information got from MR and endoscopy were important for the surgeon and the radiologist to recognize the flap and to evaluate for variations that may suggest potential flap failure.
Adult ; Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea ; Endoscopy ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nasal Mucosa ; transplantation ; Nasal Septum ; Periosteum ; transplantation ; Postoperative Period ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Retrospective Studies ; Skull Base ; surgery ; Surgical Flaps ; blood supply

g revealed nestin (+) or NF (+), and GFAP (-). It was concluded that hMSCs were successfully cultured and induced to differentiate into neuron-like cells.

Objective To investigate the precision of full six-degree target shift corrections using the ArcCHECK system.Metbods Fourteen patients receiving intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in Fujian Medical University Cancer Hospital from May to September,2015 were selected.The first treatment setup errors were obtained using cone-beam computed tomography.The setup errors were simulated in ArcCHECK,and the full six-degree target shift corrections was used to correct the errors.The plans without and with setup errors and the plan with corrected setup errors were taken.The paired t-test was used to compare dose to agreement (DTA) and Gamma passing rates between the plan without setup errors and the plan with setup errors and plan with corrected setup errors.Results The DTA and Gamma passing rates were (96.76± 1.57)％ and (98.35±0.92)％ for the plan without setup errors,(59± 21.42) ％ and (62.86± 21.63) ％ for the plan with setup errors,and (91.41± 4.82) ％ and (94.11±4.33)％ for the plan with corrected setup errors.There were significant differences between the plan without setup errors and the plan with setup errors and plan with corrected setup errors in DTA passing rate (t=6.64 and 5.13,both P＜0.05) and Gamma passing rate (t=6.15 and 4.19,both P＜0.05).Conclusions The full six-degree target shift corrections can be used in IMRT for NPC,with good results in correcting setup errors and improving the precision for IMRT dose distribution.