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 evaluate the functional recovery of unstable ankle fractures prospectively after early weight-bearing and cast immobilization. Methods From October 2003 to October 2007, 100 patients who had sought medical management in our department for unstable ankle fractures were enrolled in this prospective study. All patients were treated with open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF), according to the AO/ASIF principles. They were randomized into 2 even groups, one receiving early weight-bearing and the other cast immobilization. The functional recovery was evaluated in terms of Olernd score, Tegner score, pain intensity[merical rating scale (NRS)], full weight-bearing time, return-to-work time, and hospital stay time. Results Forty-six patients in early weight-bearing group and 45 patients in immobilization group finished follow-ups. There was no difference in Olernd score, Tegner score or NRS between the 2 groups, and all pa-tients got a good Olerud score and returned to work. Total weight-beating time in early weight-beating group was 4 weeks less than in immobilization group. Conclusion Early weight-bearing may be recommended for patients who have got a stable osteosynthesis of their fractured ankles as judged by their responsible surgeons, fine compliance, and a high motivation.

This study was aimed to observe the effect of Danzhi Jiangtang Capsule ( DJC ) on NF-κB in the peripheral blood mononuclear cell , and inflammation indices such as serum MCP-1 , TGF-β1 and urinary albu-min excretion rate ( UAER ) in early diabetic nephropathy ( EDN ) , in order to discuss the possible mechanism of DJC on anti-inflammatory and renal protection effect of EDN. A total of 72 EDN patients which met the in-clusion criteria after the start-up stage were taken as research objects . They were randomly divided into the control group and the treatment group. The western comprehensive treatment plan was given to both groups. In the treatment group, DJC was added. And the treatment course was 8 weeks. Changes of MCP-1, NF-κB, TGF-β1 and UAER were observed before and after the treatment . The results showed that MCP-1 , NF-κB and TGF-β1 had significant positive correlation with UAER ( P < 0 . 05 , or P < 0 . 01 ) . Compared to pre-treat-
ment , the levels of MCP-1 , NF-κB , TGF-β1 and UAER in the control group and treatment group after treat-ment were significantly declined ( P < 0 . 05 ) . Compared with the control group , after treatment , the levels of MCP-1 , NF-κB , TGF-β1 and UAER of the treatment group were obviously reduced ( P < 0 . 05 , or P <0 . 01 ) . It was concluded that DJC can reduce the UAER , delay the renal injury , and downregulate levels of MCP-1, NF-κB and TGF-β1, block the expression of inflammatory mediators, inhibit inflammatory reaction and improve microinflammatory state of EDN. This may be one of the important mechanisms in the protection of renal function .

Objective To promote the understanding and diagnostic acuity of Hirayama disease by studying the features of electromyogram (EMG) and nerve conduction. Methods EMG was performed in 33 patients with Hirayama disease. Surface electrode was applied to examine the median nerve, cubital nerve, musculospiral nerve and part of the popliteal nerve, and the motor nerve conduction velocity (MCV), distal motor latency (DML) and the amplitude of compound muscle action potential (CMAP) were recorded. The sensory nerve conduction velocity (SCV) was also examined in the median nerve, cubital nerve and part of the sural nerve. Results The neurogenic abnormalities were detected in extremity muscles, with exception of brachioradial muscle, of upper limbs. In all the 33 patients damage was found on the illness-side and 97.0% on the contralateral side. One patient was found to have neurogenic abnormality of brachioradial muscle and 4 of proximal muscles, including 1 in whom muscle of lower limbs was involved. EMG abnormality rate of distal muscles (89.9%) was significantly higher than that of the proximal muscles of upper limbs (6.7%) and also muscles of lower limbs (1.7%). EMG also showed that there was delayed distal motor latency (DML) and decreased wave amplitude of compound muscle action potential (CMAP) in the nerves of upper limbs. statistically significant difference was found between the CMAP amplitude of affected limb (2.52?1.83mV) and the contralateral upper limb (9.82?3.57mV) by the detection of ulnar nerve conduction, while no difference and no nerve block were found between the DML of affected limb (4.25?1.33ms) and the contralateral upper limb (3.28?0.36ms). Conclusions Electrophysiological changes may be detected in some patients with subclinical Hirayama disease, of which the electrophysiological test is valuable in establishing early diagnosis.

Objective To analyze the clinical characteristics of familial adrenocorticotropin-independent macronodular adrenal hyperplasia (AIMAH). Methods The clinical and laboratory data of 3 patients with familial AIMAH were retrospectively analyzed. Results Case 1 was the proband. The mean age of onset of familial AIMAH was 59.3 years, and mean duration of disease was 6.7 years. The plasma ACTH levels of case 1 and case 2 were below 2.2pmol/L, and the secretion rhythm of serum cortisol in them was disorderly. Low or high dose of dexamethasone failed to suppress cortisol secretion in case 1, while only low dose of dexamethasone failed to suppress cortisol secretion in case 2. In case 3, all the plasma cortisol, ACTH level and their secretion rhythm were normal, and either low or high dose of dexamethasone suppressed cortisol secretion successfully. Ultrasound examination revealed multiple hypoechoic nodules in both adrenal glands, and CT scanning showed bilateral macronodular adrenal hyperplasia in all 3 cases. Pituitary MR imaging was normal in all 3 cases. Conclusions The pathogenesis of sporadic and familial AIMAH remains unclear. Familial AIMAH provides an evidence that genetic transmission of the disease may happen. The clinical characteristics of familial AIMAH are similar to those of sporadic AIMAH. It is possible that some subclinical cases among familial AIMAH ascape the diagnosis.

OBJECTIVE:To study the absorptive effect of activated carbon and desorptive effect of organic solvent on endotoxin.METHOD:The effect of different pretreatment modes,time,temperature,amount of activated carbon as well as treatment time on the absorptive effect of activated carbon were analyzed using limulus reagent test.Different organic solvents and treatment time were used to study the desorptive effect of organic solvent on endotoxin.RESULTS:Activated carbon was treated by high temperature baking or adding 0.5 mol?L-1 NaOH represented same effect in removing endotoxin.It showed that optimal time for absorption of endotoxin was 12 min and the amount of activated carbon was at 1.5%.The absorptive effect was similar under condition of room temperature and 37 ℃.The best effect of desorption achieved by using 75% alcohol as desorption reagent after 8 minutes of shaking.CONCLUSION:The activated carbon could be used to absorb endotoxin effectively under suitable conditions and organic solvent could be used to desorb endotoxin from activated carbon.

AIM: To establish a capillary GC-FID programmed temperature method for determining eugenol in Bawei Tanxiang Pills(Lignum Santali Albi, Flos Caryophylii, etc.). METHODS: Chromatography was performed on a 25m?0.25mm(0.25?m film thickness), SE-54 fused-silica capillary column coupled with a FID-detector. The internal standard was cyclohexanone. RESULTS: A good linearity was obtained in the range of 0.25?g～8?g of Eugenol with a correlation coefficient of 0.9993. The average recovery was 96.5%, the RSD was 2.4%. CONCLUSION: The established method was provided to be a reliable quantitative method for quality control of Bawei Tanxiang Pills.

A total of 173 patients with Cushing's syndrome, including 35 patients with clinical data before and after operation, were retrospectively analyzed in this study. The results showed that patients with Cushing's syndrome had high prevalence of metabolic disorder and cardiovascular risk factors. Remission of diease and normalization of circulating cortisol level were not always followed by complete disappearance of metabolic disorder and cardiovascular risk factors.

Objective To evaluate the apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC) value of mono-exponential diffusion weighted imaging(DWI) and the true diffusion coefficient(D) value, related diffusion coefficient(D*) value, perfusion fraction (f) value of bi-exponential model DWI in reflecting the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).Methods Using immunohistochemical staining method to detect VEGF expression in the 28 cases of gastric carcinoma tissue section and the surrounding normal gastric tissue.The differences of ADC value, D value, D* value, f value in different VEGF expression grading and gastric carcinoma classification were analyzed respectively.Results The differences of ADC value, D value, f value between different VEGF grading were statically significant,as the higher VEGF grading accompanied wth the lower ADC values, D value and the higher of f value;and the differences of the parameters between high and low differentiated gastric carcinoma were also statically significant (P<0.05).Conclusion The ADC value of mono-exponential DWI and the D value,f value of bi-exponential model DWI could evaluate the expression of VEGF and reflect the gastric carcinoma angiogenesis.

BACKGROUND:At present, there stil remain controversies concerning the choice of tibial slope in unicompartmental knee arthroplasty, and the related biomechanical studies are rare. OBJECTIVE:To find the rational tibial slope in mobile-bearing unicompartmental knee arthroplasty through the results of finite element analysis. METHODS:A finite element model of normal knee was established and validated using the techniques of three-dimensional reconstruction and finite element pre-processing. Then the finite element models of unicompartmental knee arthroplasty with different tibial slopes were established based on the normal knee model. The finite element analyses were conducted after the boundary conditions and loads were unified. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The finite element models of unicompartmental knee arthroplasty with different tibial slopes were established successfuly. The results of the finite element analyses indicated that the posteromedial tibial cortical and cancelous bone stress increased gradualy as the posterior slope increasing, as wel as the load distribution and the cartilage contact pressures of lateral compartment. The anteromedial tibial cortical stress increased significantly with the anterior slope. A posterior tibial slope of 0°-7° can be recommended when implanting a mobile-bearing unicompartmental knee arthroplasty.