The distal femoral epiphyses of 18 human foetus and 10 children were studied by microangiographic and histological methods. The results showed that only the articular cartilage is avascular. Characteristic of vascularity in the chondroepiphyses is that the blood vessels coming from inter-condylar fossa are distributed in the center of chondroepiphyses, those coming from medial and lateral aspects of the condyles are distributed in the outer part of the condyles and those closing to epiphyseal plate mainly come from the area superior to the patellar surface and the area superior to the inter-condylar fossa. The secondary center of ossification first takes place around cartilage canal. The increase of the ossification center is faster in the areas adjacent to blood vessels than the areas far from blood vessels. The blood vessels within cartilage canals in the chondroepiphyses transform to epiphyseal vessels which remained as the blood supply to the ossification center during ossification process. Before 2 years of age, the blood vessels supplying the ossification center are 3-5 vessels coming from inter-condylar fossa. After 2 years of age, the blood vessels coming from the area superior to the patellar surface begin to supply the ossification center. After 5 years of age, the blood vessels coming from lateral aspects of the condyles also take part in the supply of the ossification center.

The structure and the blood supply of perichondral ring of human being and rabbits in developing period were studied by microangiographic and histological methods. Perichondral ring is situated around the epiphyseal disc and metaphysis and consists of osseous ring, zone of mesenchymal cell, which contains fairly abundant blood vessels derived from the metaphyseal periosteum and perichondrium. The perichondrium is thick and also contains abundant vessels which connect epiphyseal and metaphyseal circulations in the extra-osseous and part of which passes through the zone of mesenchymal cell to supply the epiphyseal disc. Role of perichondral ring in the development period of bones were discussed.

Objective To establish an UPLC method for the determination of sinomenine in Sinomenine External Applied Powder. Methods The UPLC method was carried out on a C18 column by using acetonitrile-water-ethylene diamine (50:50:0.25) as mobile phase. The flow rate was 0.2 mL/min; the sample quantity was 2 μL; the detection wavelength was 283 nm. Results The peak time was within 1 min or so. The calibration curve of sinomenine was in the linear range of 34.2–2188.0 ng. Conclusion The method is simple, rapid, stable and reliable, which can be used for the determination of sinomenine in Sinomenine External Applied Powder.

BACKGROUND:Most of lumbar degenerative diseases, such as lumbar instability, lumbar disc herniation and discogenic lumbago, need lumbar spinal fusion for the spine stability, but the choice of internal fixation approaches is controversial.
OBJECTIVE:To compare the effectiveness between lateral lumbar interbody fusion with single cage and single cage combined with unilateral pedicle screw fixation for the 4th and 5th single-level lumbar degenerative disease.
METHODS:The clinical data of patients with single-level lumbar degenerative diseases (L4 and L5) undergoing lateral lumbar interbody fusion with single cage in 30 cases (experimental group) and single cage combined with unilateral pedicle screw fixation in 45 cases (control group) were analyzed retrospectively, and the curative effects were compared between the two groups.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Al patients in the two groups were fol owed up for 13 months on average (ranged from 10 to 37 months). The incisions in the two groups were stage I healing. One case in the experimental group occurred cage displacement, but no obvious syndromes were detected. No significant difference in the effective rate after operation, hospital stay, and volume of drainage was detected (P>0.05). The operative time and bleeding volume in experimental group were better than those in the control group (P<0.05). ODI and JOA scores were significantly improved after treatment when compared with preoperative ones in the two groups (P<0.05), but no significant difference was visible between the two groups (P>0.05). The effectiveness of lateral lumbar interbody fusion with single cage and single cage combined with unilateral pedicle screw fixation for single-level degenerative lumbar diseases was similar. However, the former has the advantages of less invasion and quick recovery.

From 1981 to 1997, 26 cases of myositis ossificans circumscripta (MOC) were diagnosed and treated in our hospital, 22 of whom, occupying 84.6%, were confirmed by pathological examination. All the clinic data are reported as follows.

This study aimed to determine whether aldosterone could induce vascular cell apoptosis in vivo. Thirty-two male rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: vehicle (control), aldosterone, aldosterone plus eplerenone or hydralazine. They were then implanted with an osmotic mini-pump that infused either aldosterone or the vehicle. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was measured weekly by the tail-cuff method. After 8 weeks, plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) and renin activity (PRA) were determined by radioimmunoassay. Aortic apoptosis was examined by TUNEL assay. The levels of cytochrome c and caspase-3 were determined by Western blotting and the expression of Bax and Bcl-2 was detected by immnuohistochemistry and Western blotting. The results showed that as compared with control group, aldosterone-infused rats exhibited: (1) an increase in SBP; (2) significantly elevated PAC with depressed PRA; (3) elevated aortic vascular cell apoptosis accompanied with higher levels of cytochrome c and activated caspase-3; and (4) significantly up-regulated Bax protein with down-regulated Bcl-2. These effects of aldosterone were significantly inhibited after co-administration with eplerenone but not with hydralazine. It was concluded that aldosterone induced vascular cell apoptosis by its direct effect on the aorta via mineralocorticoid receptors and independently of blood pressure, which may contribute to aldosterone-mediated vascular injury.

Objective To study the role of fibulin-5 in urothelial carcinoma of bladder. Methods Fibulin-5 expression was detected in bladder cancer tissues (13 cases of G_1 and G_2, 7 cases of G_3) and normal bladder mucosa samples by Western blotting assay. Fibulin-5 cDNA was amplified by PCR and cloned into pMD-19T simple vector. The pMD-19T-Fibulin-5 vector was digested by restriction endonucleases XhoI and EcoRI to generate a XhoI-Fibulin5-EcoRI fragment that was then ligated into the identical sites in p-EGFP-Nl plasmid to synthesize p-EGFP-Fibulin-5 plasmid. The p-EGFP-Fibulin-5 plasmid was finally transfected into bladder cancer cell line 5637. The migration and invasion of untransfected, vector-transfected and fibulin-5-transfected bladder cancer cells were measured by Boyden chamber assay. Results Compared to 1. 16 ±0. 28 in the normal control, the expression of fibulin-5 protein in low grade and high grade tumors were 0. 57±0. 32 and 0. 44±0. 42(P<0. 01, respectively). However, the difference between low grade and high grade tumors was not statistically significant (P>0. 05). The successfully transfected bladder cancer cells demonstrated green fluorescent light. The migrated cell number of fibulin-5-transfected cells was 127. 6 ± 3. 1 compared with 139. 3±7. 7 for vector-transfected cells and 136. 9±5. 7 for untransfected cells (P>0. 05, respectively). In contrast, the invaded cell number of fibulin-5-transfected cells was 8. 0±3. 1 compared with 31. 5±4. 8 for vector-transfected cells and 31. 7±4. 7 for untransfected cells (P<0. 01, respectively). Conclusion Fibulin-5 is down-regulated in urothelial carcinoma of bladder and acts as a tumor suppressor gene by inhibiting the invasion of bladder cancer cells.

This study aimed to determine whether aldosterone could induce vascular cell apoptosis in vivo.Thirty-two male rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: vehicle(control),aldosterone,aldosterone plus eplerenone or hydralazine.They were then implanted with an osmotic mini-pump that infused either aldosterone or the vehicle.Systolic blood pressure(SBP)was measured weekly by the tail-cuff method.After 8 weeks,plasma aldosterone concentration(PAC)and renin activity(PRA)were determined by radioimmunoassay.Aortic apoptosis was examined by TUNEL assay.The levels of cytochrome c and caspase-3 were determined by Western blotting and the expression of Bax and Bcl-2 was detected by immnuohistochemistry and Western blotting.The results showed that as compared with control group,aldosterone-infused rats exhibited:(1)an increase in SBP;(2)significantly elevated PAC with depressed PRA;(3)elevated aortic vascular cell apoptosis accompanied with higher levels ofcytochrome c and activated caspase-3; and(4)significantly up-regulated Bax protein with down-regulated Bcl-2.These effects of aldosterone were significantly inhibited after co-administration with eplerenone but not with hydralazine.It was concluded that aldosterone inducedvascular cell apoptosis by its direct effect on the aorta via mineralocorticoid receptors and independently of blood pressure,which may contribute to aldosterone-mediated vascular injury.