BACKGROUND:Adipose-derived stem cels under osteogenic induction can be combined with biodegradable silk fibroin/hydroxyapatite scaffold, which is expected to develop a new biocompatible and osteogenic bone fusion material. OBJECTIVE:To study the effect of silk fibroin/hydroxyapatite composite on the viability and osteogenic properties of adipose-derived stem cels after osteogenic induction. METHODS:Adipose-derived stem cels were obtained from rat’s fat tissue, then adherently cultured, proliferated and passaged in vitro. Passage 3 cels were cultured in conditioned medium for osteogenic induction, and then seeded onto silk fibroin/hydroxyapatite scaffold as experimental group. Adipose-derived stem cels cultured on the cover glasses at the same condition acted as control group. The celular morphology, proliferation and differentiation were assessed respectively by means of phase contrast microscope, MTT assay and alkaline phosphatase activity measurement. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:After osteogenic induction, adipose-derived stem cels could adhere to the scaffold material and proliferate on the surface of silk fibroin/hydroxyapatite scaffold normaly. No significant difference was found in cel proliferation and alkaline phosphatase activity between the experimental and control groups (P > 0.05), suggesting the celular activity and function were not affected by the material. These findings indicate that silk fibroin/hydroxyapatite composite material has good cytocompatibility. Subject headings: Silk; Hydroxyapatites; Stem Cels; Adipose Tissue; Biocompatible Materials; Tissue Engineering.

Objective To explore a new method of functional reconstruction of hand digits and joints with free transfer of foot tissues so as to increase the success rate of the operation.Methods After micro-anatomic study of the plantar and dorsal metatarsal arteries,retrograde and free grafts of foot tissues pedicled with plantar metatarsal arteries were designed and applied in transplantation to treat 76 cases of hand digital or joint defects.The surgeries included 58 cases of transfer of the second toe,four cases of transfer of composite tissues of the second toe, eight cases of transfer of proximal interphalangeal joint,and six cases of nail flap transfer.Results The mi- cro-anatomic study found that the first plantar metatarsal artery was anatomically constant and the diameter of its branch to the second toe was larger than that of the first dorsal metatarsal artery.Flaps survived in 75 of the 76 patients(98.7%),with fine appearance and significantly improved function.One patient who had received free transfer of the second toe to reconstruct the thumb function had to undergo a second repair with infraclavicula skin tube because of refractory arteriospasm of anastomosed vessels.Conclusion Transfer with free retrograde grafts of foot tissues pedicled with plantar metatarsal artery to reconstruct hand functions can effectively improve the success rate of the operation,because it is free of the shortcomings of great anatomic variation of blood vessels and time-consuming and complex procedures in conventional transfer.

Child, Preschool ; Humans ; Infection ; complications ; Jugular Veins ; pathology ; Male ; Pharynx ; Rupture ; etiology

To investigate the prevalence of Enterococcus faecalis in saliva and filled root canals of patients requiring endodontic retreatment for apical periodontitis. Patients with apical periodontitis who were referred for endodontic retreatment were examined. The type and quality of the restoration, symptoms, quality of obturation were recorded. During retreatment, an oral rinse sample and root canal sample were cultured using brain-heart infusion agar and bile esculinazide agar to select for E. faecalis. The 16S rRNA technique was used to identify E. faecalis. A total of 32 women and 22 men (mean age: 38 years; s.d.: 11 years) and 58 teeth were studied. The prevalence of E. faecalis was 19% in the saliva and 38% in the root canals. The odds that root canals harbored E. faecalis were increased if the saliva habored this bacterium (odds ratio=9.7; 95% confidence interval=1.8-51.6; P<0.05). Teeth with unsatisfactory root obturation had more cultivable bacterial species in root canals than teeth with satisfactory root obturation (P<0.05). E. faecalis is more common in root canals of teeth with apical periodontitis than in saliva. The prevalence of E. faecalis in root canals is associated with the presence of E. faecalis in saliva.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Chi-Square Distribution ; Colony Count, Microbial ; Dental Pulp Cavity ; microbiology ; Dental Restoration Failure ; Enterococcus faecalis ; isolation & purification ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Periapical Periodontitis ; microbiology ; therapy ; Quality of Health Care ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S ; genetics ; Retreatment ; Root Canal Obturation ; Saliva ; microbiology ; Young Adult

Adolescent ; Adult ; Antigens, Nuclear ; metabolism ; Brain Diseases ; complications ; diagnosis ; pathology ; surgery ; Brain Neoplasms ; pathology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Epilepsy ; etiology ; Female ; Ganglioglioma ; pathology ; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein ; metabolism ; Humans ; Infant ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Malformations of Cortical Development ; classification ; complications ; diagnosis ; pathology ; surgery ; Malformations of Cortical Development, Group I ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins ; metabolism ; Neoplasms, Neuroepithelial ; pathology ; Nerve Tissue Proteins ; metabolism ; Neurofilament Proteins ; metabolism ; Retrospective Studies ; Vimentin ; metabolism ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVESTo evaluate and compare thoracic vertebrae morphology between patients with idiopathic and normal adolescents through MRI.

METHODSTwo-dimensional sagittal MRI of the spine was performed in 10 normal adolescent, 10 patients with mild idiopathic thoracic scoliosis (Cobb angle 15 degrees - 39 degrees ) and 10 patients with moderate thoracic scoliosis (Cobb angle 40 degrees - 75 degrees ), all of them were female and between 13 - 14 years old. Sagittal imaging was reconstructed on image working station (Easy Vision, Philips Medical Systems, Best, Netherlands). Anterior height, posterior height and width of vertebral body as well as length between spinous process were measured on each thoracic spine.

RESULTSAnterior height, posterior height and width of vertebral body increased from T(1) to T(12) with the values from scoliotic groups larger than normal group. The anterior height/width ratio and anterior/posterior column ratio were also larger in scoliotic group especially at apical area.

CONCLUSIONThe thoracic vertebrae are higher and slimmer in scoliotic patient than in normal age-matched girls which implied that there is abnormal endochondral ossification on spine during adolescent growth spurt.

Adolescent ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Scoliosis ; pathology ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo explore the value of video-thoracoscopy in the thoracoscopic mobilization of the thoracic esophagus combined with radical lymphadenectomy.

METHODSBetween March 2002 and May 2003, thoracoscopic mobilization of the thoracic esophagus combined with radical lymphadenectomy was attempted in 25 patients (test group) and 22 cases received routine open thoracotomy (control group). Mean age was 55 years (range 34 - 73). The cancers were T(1)-T(3). Dissection of the thoracic esophagus was attempted via a right-sided approach, followed by a laparotomy and a cervical incision.

RESULTSThe thoracoscopic procedure was successful in all patients. There was no post-operative death in two groups. Mean node harvest was (7.8 +/- 1.7) nodes for test group and (7.5 +/- 1.3) nodes for control group (P > 0.05). Mean blood lo of the thoracic component was (130 +/- 83) ml for test group and (350 +/- 135) ml for control group (t = 6.83, P < 0.05). Median post-operative stay was (10.9 +/- 2.5) days for test group and (14.6 +/- 1.7) days for control group (t = 5.87, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONVideo-thoracoscopy could potentially provide an oncologically sound means for resecting the thoracic esophagus without the need for a thoracotomy. Radical thoracoscopic mobilization of the esophagus is feasible.

Adult ; Aged ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Esophagectomy ; methods ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted ; Thoracotomy ; Treatment Outcome

Fifteen patients with sinus-type pressure ulcer in ischial tuberosity were admitted to our unit from April 2013 to April 2017, including 12 patients of unilateral pressure ulcer and 3 patients of bilateral pressure ulcer. The wounds were with infection of different degrees. The outer wound area of pressure ulcer before debridement ranged from 1.5 cm×1.0 cm to 6.0 cm×5.0 cm. Fifteen patients with 15 pressure ulcers were treated with vacuum sealing drainage for 3 to 13 days after debridement and sinus wall resection. Unilateral pressure ulcer was repaired with posterior femoral bilobed flap. One side of bilateral pressure ulcer was repaired with posterior femoral bilobed flap, and the other side was repaired with gluteus maximus muscle flap combined with local flap. The size of flaps ranged from 11.0 cm×7.5 cm to 15.0 cm×10.0 cm. Epidermis of the distal part and edge of the main flap was removed to make complex dermal tissue flap to fill the deep cavity. The other part of the main flap was applied to cover wound, and another flap of the bilobed flap was applied to cover the donor site where main flap was resected. The donor sites were sutured directly. The posterior femoral bilobed flaps in 15 patients survived after operation. Pressure ulcers of 12 patients were healed well. Incision of 2 patients ruptured and healed 15 days after second sewing. One pressure ulcer with infection under the flap healed on 16 days post second completely debridement. During follow-up of 3 to 18 months, flaps were with soft texture, good appearance, and no recurrence.

Dermophytosis is a common fungal disease that affects fast-growing antlers of sika deer (Cervus nippon)and red deer (Cervus elaphus),causing the so-called 'white-skin antlers'and 'crusted antlers'.Here we described the features of dermophytosis in deer antler observed from 20 affected deer from 8 farms in Jilin and Liaoning province by clinical findings,he-matology,pathological examination and fungal species distribution.The fungal infection in the antlers as indicated by HE stai-ning,affected only epidermis and the dermis layers,with the main lesion of necrosis of the dermis tissue and inflammatory in-filtrate.Hematologic profile suggested the insignificant cell count change of lymphocyte,neutrophil,white blood cell between dermophytosis and healthy deer(n=10).A total of 68 fungi isolates were then recovered from the antlers with dermophytosis, of which 64.7% (44/68)were identified as members within Deuteromycotina,the rest 35.3% (24/68)belonged to the Saccha-romycotina.Notably,the well-known opportunistic pathogen,including species within Trichophyton,Epidermophyton as well as Candida albican,might account for the dermophytosis of deer antler.In conclusion,'white-skin antlers'and 'crusted antlers'are high likely caused by opportunistic fungi.

OBJECTIVETo construct recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vector containing angiopoietin-1 (ANG-1) gene and to express the ANG-1 in targeting cells.

METHODSANG-1 cDNA was obtained from human spleen by RT-PCR and was inserted into AAV vectors to form rAAV ANG-1, the virus stocks in high titer were harvested. The rAAVANG-1 and rAAV GFP were transferred into pig mesenchymal stem cells and the expression of ANG-1 was detected by Western blot.

RESULTSThe cloned ANG-1 cDNA was 1515bp in length which was in accordance with that reported previously. Titration of rAAVANG-1 stock was 9 X 10(11)v.g/ml. The expression of ANG-1 gene was detected in transfected cells. Forty-eight hours after rAAV GFP was transfected into mesenchymal stem cells, 55% cells expressed GFP.

CONCLUSIONThe constructed rAAV ANG-1 vector has successfully transfered and expressed in pig mesenchymal stem cells.

Angiopoietin-1 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Animals ; DNA, Complementary ; genetics ; Dependovirus ; genetics ; metabolism ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; Humans ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; metabolism ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Swine ; Transfection