Chloasma is a common pigmentation on facial skin among middle-aged or young women. The characteris-tic of chloasma is acquired brown spots on exposed facial regions. Modern traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) clini-cal treatment mostly follows syndrome differentiation and treatment as well as prescriptions of TCM doctors from pre-vious dynasties. On the basis of different facial location of chloasma, the author explored the correlation between the facial lesion location and five zang-organ under the guidance of TCM holism concept. The creativeness of combining division differentiation and channel pattern differentiation, and the application of channel tropism medicine, provide new ideas for chloasma treatment.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) diagnostic methods contain inspection, auscultation-olfaction, inter-rogation and palpation. The clinical doctor collects information through the four diagnostic methods. Various symp-toms of the disease are especially used as the main evidence to determine different diseases and to identify the syndrome. Therefore, the TCM four diagnostic methods are the basic means of disease understanding in TCM. This article collected and analyzed clinical data in order to summarize the unique features and focused aspects of TCM four diagnostic methods application on TCM surgery and dermatology. This article was aimed to provide new ideas for TCM four diagnostic methods in the clinical diagnosis of dermatological diseases.

Objective To fabricate cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM) oriented scaffolds and investigate the attachment, proliferation, distribution and orientation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) cultured within the scaffolds in vitro. Methods Cartilage slices were shattered in sterile phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and the suspension were differentially centrifugated untill the micro- fiber of the cartilage extracellular matrix was disassociated from the residue cartilage fragments. At last the supernatant were centrifugated, the precipitation were collected and were made into 2%-3% suspension. Using unidirectional solidification as a freezing process and freeze-dried method, the cartilage extracellular matrix derived oriented scaffolds was fabricated. The scaffolds were then cross-linked by exposure to ultraviolet radiation and immersion in a carbodiimide solution. By light microscope and scan electron microscope (SEM) observation, histological staining, and biomechanical test, the traits of scaffolds were studied. After being labelled with PKH26 fluorescent dye, rabbit BMSCs were seeded onto the scaffolds. The attachment, proliferation and differentiation of the cells were analyzed using inverted fluorescent microscope. Results The histological staining showed that toluidine blue, safranin O, alcian blue and anti-collagen Ⅱ immunohistochemistry staining of the scaffolds were positive. A perpendicular pore-channel structures which has a diameter of 100 μm were verified by light microscope and SEM analysis. The cell-free scaffolds showed the compression moduli were (2.02±0.02) MPa in the mechanical testing. Inverted fluorescent microscope showed that most of the cells attached to the scaffold. Cells were found to be widely distributed within the scaffold, which acted as a columnar arrangement. The formation of a surface cells layer was found on the surface of the scaffolds which resembled natural cartilage. Coclusion The cartilage extracellular matrix derived oriented scaffolds have promising biological, structural, and mechanical properties.

BACKGROUND:Magnesium can be degraded voluntarily in vivo, so a second surgery is avoided. However, its aloys have not been widely used in the clinical orthopedics because there is a lack of accurate and reliable methods to assess its degradationin vivo.
OBJECTIVE:To explore the degradation of micro-arc-oxidized AZ31 magnesium aloy in the femoral condyle of rabbits based on micro-CT images and relative data.
METHODS:Forty micro-arc-oxidized AZ31 magnesium aloys were implanted into the right femoral condyle of 40 New Zealand rabbits. Then 10 right femoral condyles were removed at 5, 10, 15 and 20 weeks after surgery, respectively, to quantitatively analyze and evaluate the degradation of AZ31 magnesium aloys by micro-CT images and relative data.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The surface of AZ31 aloys was corroded progressively with dark color and distorted appearance at 5-20 weeks post implantation. Micro-CT images showed that in the first 5 weeks, the degradation was inactive, and at the 10th week, it turned active; at the 15th week, the corrosion pits were obviously increased in number, and the corrosion area and corrosion speed were enlarged and fastened, respectively. Up to the 20th week, the aloy surfaces were ful of corrosion pits besides roughness and discontinuity. Relevant data analysis showed that the volume fraction of magnesium aloy was 98.6%, 97.1% and 86.4% at the 5th, 10th and 20th weeks after implantation, respectively, and it had a significant decrease from the 10th to 15th week and from the 15th to 20th week (P < 0.05). Within 15-20 weeks, the volume fraction of magnesium aloy was decreased by 6.5% that was the maximum volume reduction per unit cycle. With the progress of corrosion, the surface continuously became rough and vague, and its surface area was enlarged; the ratio of surface area to volume continuously increased, and there was a significant difference at 15 and 20 weeks (P < 0.05). Because of the increasing number of corrosion pits, the cross-sectional radius decreased, which was reflected by the trabecular thickness decreasing from 1.00 to 0.87 mm. From the view of the slope of curve, the trabecular thickness decreased most rapidly at 10-15 weeks. The mineral density of magnesium aloy continuously decreased from 649.302 to 356.445 mg/cm3 during the whole experiment period (P< 0.05). In addition, the micro-CT image density decreased from 679.710 to 644.947 mg/cm3, but there was no significant difference. To conclude, the degradation speed is peaked at 10-20 weeks after implantation, and the content of magnesium aloys decrease with degradation, but the magnesium density has no significant change.

BACKGROUND:Cartilage tissue engineering has been widely used to achieve cartilage regeneration in vitro and repair cartilage defects. Tissue-engineered cartilage mainly consists of chondrocytes, cartilage scaffold and in vitro environment. OBJECTIVE:To mimic the environment of articular cartilage development in vivo, in order to increase the bionic features of tissue-engineered cartilage scaffold and effectiveness of cartilage repair. METHODS: Knee joint chondrocytes were isolated from New Zealand white rabbits, 2 months old, and expanded in vitro. The chondrocytes at passage 2 were seeded onto a scaffold of articular cartilage extracelular matrix in the concentration of 1×106/L to prepare cel-scaffold composites. Cel-scaffold composites were cultivated in an Instron bioreactor with mechanical compression (1 Hz, 3 hours per day, 10% compression) as experimental group for 7, 14, 24, 28 days or cultured staticaly for 1 day as control group. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Morphological observations demonstrated that the thickness, elastic modulus and maximum load of the composite in the experimental group were significantly higher than those in the control group, which were positively related to time (P < 0.05). Histological staining showed the proliferation of chondrocytes, formation of cartilage lacuna and synthesis of proteoglycan in the experimental group through hematoxylin-eosin staining and safranin-O staining, which were increased gradualy with mechanical stimulation time. These results were consistent with the findings of proteoglycan kit. Real-time quantitative PCR revealed that mRNA expressions of colagen type I and colagen type II were significantly higher in the experimental group than the control group (P < 0.05). The experimental group showed the highest mRNA expression of colagen type I and colagen type II at 21 and 28 days of mechanical stimulation, respectively (P < 0.05). With the mechanical stimulation of bioreactor, the cel-scaffold composite can produce more extracelular matrix, such as colagen and proteoglycan, strengthen the mechanical properties to be more coincident with thein vivo environment of cartilage development, and increase the bionic features. With the progress of tissue engineering, the clinical bioregeneration of damaged cartilage wil be achieved.

Objective To investigate the effects of the novel scaffold on repairing large,high-loadbearing osteochondral defects of femoral head in a canine model.Methods The biphasic scaffolds were fabricated using cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM)-derived scaffold (cartilage layer) and acellular bone matrix (bone layer) by phase separation technique.Articular high-load-bearing osteochondral defects with a diameter of 11-mm and the depth of 10-mm were created in femoral heads.The defects were treated with constructs of a biphasic scaffold seeded with chondrogenically induced bone marrow-derived mesenehymal stem cells (BMSCs).The outcomes were evaluated for gross morphology,histological,biomechanical and micro-CT analysis at the third and sixth month after implantation.Results The gross and X-ray results showed femoral head slightly collapsed at the third month and severely collapse at the sixth month.Histological analysis showed cartilage defects were repaired with fibrous tissue or fibrocartilage with severe osteoarthritis and the varied degrees of the collapse of femoral heads were presented.Micro-CT showed that the values of bone volume fraction in defect area were always lower than those of the normal area in the femoral heads.Biomechanical analysis showed rigidity of the subchondral bone in defect area was significantly lower than that in normal area in the femoral heads at the sixth month.Conclusion The ECM-derived,integrated biphasic scaffold seeded with chondrogenically induced BMSCs could not successfully repair the large high-load-bearing osteochondral defects of the femoral head.

Objective To explore the feasibility of fabricating a novel cartilage acellular matrix/chitosan hybrid scaffold for cartilage tissue engineering. Methods Human cartilage microfilaments about 100 nm-5 μm were prepared after pulverization and made into 1% suspension after decellularization. The suspension was mixed with 2% chitosan acetic acid solution, and then hybrid scaffolds were fabricated using a simple freeze-drying method. The scaffolds were cross-linked and were investigated by histological staining,SEM observation, porosity measurement, water absorption rate, biomechanical properties, and biocompatibility analysis. MTT test was also done to assess the cytotoxicity of scaffold leaching liquor. Canine chondrocytes were isolated and seeded into the scaffold. Cell proliferation and differentiation were analyzed using inverted microscope and SEM. Results The histological staining showed no chondrocyte fragments remained in the scaffolds, and anti-col Ⅱ immunohistochemistry staining were positive. SEM observation show the scaffold has good pore interconnectivity with pore diameter (136.2±34.9) μm, 81.4%±3.5% porosity and 1525.7%±129.3% water absorption rate. The longitudinal elastic modulus of the scaffold was (1.940±0.335) MPa. MTT test showed that the scaffold leaching liquor did not exert any cytotoxic effect on BMSCs. Inverted microscope and SEM micrographs indicatod that cells covered the scaffolds uniformly, and majority of the cells showed the round or elliptic morphology with much matrix secretion. Conclusion Novel cartilage acellular matrix/chitosan hybrid scaffold had similar extracellular matrix as cartilage, good pore diameter and porosity,appropriate biomechanical character, non-toxicity and good biocompatibility, which make it a suitable candidate as an alternative cell-carrier for cartilage tissue engineering.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and influential factors for 308 nm excimer laser in the treatment of stable vitiligo patients.
 METHODS: A total of 207 stable vitiligo patients with 1 763 patches were treated with 308 nm excimer laser. Open-label study was carried out to investigate the efficacy and safety regarding the treatment with 308 nm excimer laser, and to compare the response under different conditions including gender, age, duration, lesion location, and hair color.
 RESULTS: After treatment, 560 (31.8%) patches achieved 100% repigmentation, 650 (36.9%) lesions showed 75%-99% repigmentation, 189(10.7%) showed 50%-75% repigmentation, 231(13.1%) showed 25%-49% repigmentation, 108(6.1%) showed 1%-24% repigmentation, 25(1.4%) displayed no response. The rates of total excellent response (50%-100% repigmentation) in underage patients was 86.9%, much higher than that in adult patients (P<0.001). Total excellent response rates was 90.6% in disease duration <2 years, and 40.7% in disease duration ≥2 years. Lesions on the faciocervical region responded better than trunk and limbs, showing 95.4%, 70.3%, and 41.7% total excellent response, respectively. Patients with poliosis showed 54.9% in total excellent response rate, much lower than 84.5% in patients without poliosis(P<0.001). No significant response differences in gender were found.
 CONCLUSION 308 nm excimer laser is effective and safe in treatment of vitiligo. Aging, disease duration, lesion location, and hair color in lesion may be the influential factors for 308 nm excimer laser in treatment of vitiligo patients.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Extremities ; pathology ; radiation effects ; Face ; pathology ; radiation effects ; Female ; Hair Color ; Humans ; Lasers, Excimer ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Skin Pigmentation ; radiation effects ; Torso ; pathology ; radiation effects ; Treatment Outcome ; Vitiligo ; therapy