The source of seed cells has always been the major problem in cartilage tissue engineering.Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) have gradually become an optimal source of seed cells for cartilage engineering due to their high proliferative potential,multi-lineage differentiation potential and easiness to be obtained with minute trauma.The great challenge is how to get abundant BMSCs with a high purity and how to induce them in vitro into chondrogenic phenotype.This review aims to discuss the various strategies that can induce BMSCs chondrogenic differentiation in vitro so as to offer beneficial reference for constructing cartilage with BMSCs as seed cells.

Articular cartilage defects are commonly found in clinics. It is always a great challenge for the repair of cartilage defects due to the limited self-regeneration after injury. Tissue engineering,a newly emerging biotechnique to regenerate cartilage with chondrogenic potential cells and biodegradable scaffolds in vivo and in vitro,provides a promising method to solve the challenge in cartilage defects repair. To regenerate cartilage with favourable structure and function,it is essential to gain a deep insight into the biochemical structure,biomechanical property and their relationship of articular cartilage. This article gives an introduction to the biochemical structure,biomechanical property and their relationship of both native and tissue-engineered cartilage.

OBJECTIVETo compare the early clinical outcomes of primary total knee arthroplasty in the valgus knee between mobile-bearing prosthesis and fixed-bearing prosthesis.

METHODSFrom January 2011 to December 2013, 17 patients (23 knees) treated by the same surgeon were selected for a retrospective study in the First Hospital of Jilin University, including 2 males and 15 females with a mean age of 61.5 years old (48 to 75 years). The pre-operative diagnosis included osteoarthritis (14 patients, 19 knees) and rheumatoid arthritis (3 patients, 4 knees). The patients with valgus deformity were divided into group A and group B. The patients in group A were treated with the fixed-bearing prosthesis (9 patients, 12 knees), and the patients in group B were treated with the mobile-bearing prosthesis (8 patients, 11 knees). The Knee Society Score (KSS), Hosptial for Special Surgery (HSS), Western Ontario MacMaster (WOMAC), the range of motion (ROM) and femorotibial angle were collected at pre-operation and post-operation follow-up for statistical analysis.

RESULTSAll the patients were followed up, and the duration ranged from 6 to 36 months (mean 25 months). The valgus deformity was corrected in all patients, and there were significant differences for all patients between pre-operation and post-operation at the latest follow-up with regard to the KSS knee score, function score, HSS score, WOMAC score, ROM and femorotibial angle (P<0.01). There were no significant differences in KSS knee score, function score, HSS score, WOMAC score, improvement in ROM and femorotibial angle between two groups at the latest follow-up. However there were significant differences in ROM (P<0.05) between fixed-bearing group (101.8±8.8)° and mobile-bearing group (108.4±7.2)° at the latest follow-up. No case with spin-out of mobile bearing was observed. There were no complications in any patient, such as infection, common peroneal nerve injury, dislocation and instability. The X-ary imaging showed no osteolysis or implant loosening.

CONCLUSIONThe early clinical outcomes of primary total knee arthroplasty by using mobile-bearing prosthesis and fixed-bearing prosthesis are satisfactory for the treatment of the valgus knee, and the short term clinical outcomes of mobile-bearing TKA and fixed-bearing TKA are similar.

Aged ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Joint Deformities, Acquired ; surgery ; Knee Joint ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteoarthritis, Knee ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Retrospective Studies

The dynamic of endophytic bacteria at different growth stage of tomato and use of these endophytic bacteria to control tomato bacterial wilt were studied. The results showed that endophytic bacteria could be found in the tomato seeds and their quantities reached the highest peak in the adult plants both in resistant and susceptible cultivars. The amount of endophytic bacteria in adult plants of resistant tomato cultivars was 2.43?10~5CFU/g FW in the root and 22.9?10~4 CFU/g FW in the stem, while the amount of endophytic bacteria in adult plants of susceptible tomato cultivars was 9.8?10~4CFU/g FW in the root and 13.4?10~4CFU/g FW in the stem respectively. Seventeen strains of endophytic bacteria from resistant cultivars and only seven strains from susceptible cultivars were found to be antagonistic to Ralstonia solanacearum. In addition, some strains of endophytic bacteria had the abilities of promoting tomato seed germination and controlling tomato bacterial wilt, among which, strain 5R and 3R had better control effect of 91.7% and 81.3% respectively.

Objective To discuss the role of therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) in pharmaceutical care by successful intervention of severe drug-drug interaction in 3 patients with hematological disease treated with voriconazole and rifampin.Methods Three patients with hematological disease were monitored for the plasma concentration of voriconazole before,during,and after the concomitant use of rifampin.The severity of this drug interaction was revealed,risks for developing invasive fungal infection and tuberculosis dissemination after chemotherapy were evaluated based on the TDM results,and alternative regimens were recommended.Results Voriconazole plasma concentration was normal at baseline but significantly depressed after combination with rifampin in all 3 cases.Concomnitant use of rifampin leads to a rapid decline in plasma concentration of voriconazole in 2-3 days,and withdraw of this enzyme induction effect takes 8-10 days after discontinuation of rifampin.Conclusion TDM is a helpful tool for providing pharmaceutical care,it helps to objectively visualize the degree of clinically important drug-drug interactions.Clinical evidence together with TDM results suggests high risk for developing invasive fungal infection and tuberculosis dissemination in hematology patients while using this combination therapy.Discontinuation of rifampin was suggested and accepted.For these patients,combination of voriconazole and rifampin should be avoided.

The chemical constituents of 95% ethanol extract of Melastoma dodecandrum were isolated and purified by chromatography on silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, and HPLC, to obtain thirteen compounds eventually. On the basis of their physico-chemical properties and spectroscopic data, these compounds were identified as quercetin (1), quercetin-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (2), quercetin-3-O-(6"-O-p-coumaroyl) -β-D-glucopyranoside (3), kaempferol (4), kaempferol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (5), kaempferol-3-O- [2",6"-di-O-(E)-coumaroyl]-β-D-glucopyra-noside (6), luteolin (7), luteolin-7-O-(6"-p-coumaroyl) -β-D-glucopyranoside (8), apigenin (9), apigenin-7-(6"-acetyl-glucopyranoside) (10) , naringenin (11), isovitexin (12), and epicatechin-[8,7-e] -4β-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-3,4-dyhydroxyl-2(3H)-pyranone (13). Eight compounds(3,5,6,8-11 and 13) were obtained from M. dodecandrum for the first time.
Apigenin ; analysis ; Chromatography ; methods ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Dextrans ; Flavanones ; analysis ; Flavonoids ; analysis ; chemistry ; Glycosides ; analysis ; chemistry ; Kaempferols ; analysis ; Luteolin ; analysis ; Magnoliopsida ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quercetin ; analysis ; Silica Gel

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics,diagnosis,treatment and prognosis of human swine streptococcosis occurred in some areas of Jiangsu Province from late summer to autumn since 1998.Methods The epidemiologic and clinical features of 42 cases were collected and analyzed.The bio- chemical features of strains isolated from patient's blood or cerebrospinal fluid(CSF) were tested,and the homogeneity were compared among 15 Streptococcus suisⅡ.Results All patients had acute infection toxe- mic symptoms such as chill,fever,headache and malaise etc.Toxic shock syndrome or meningitis syndrome were the major clinical manifestations.Forty two cases of human swine streptococosis were classified into 3 types:the rates of general,shock and meningitis type were 7.1% (3/42),38.1% (16/42) and 54.7%(23/42),respectively.Ten patients were died of shock type,32 were cured.Strain isolated from patients was identified as Streptococcus suisⅡby API-Strep,the biochemical reactional code was 0641473,and appraised result was 99.9%.There was highly homogeneity in the strains of Streptococcus suisⅡisolated from patients and sick pigs identified by genomic fingerprinting.Com- bined therapy of large doses of penicillin G and ceftriaxone was effective in these patients.Conclusions Human swine streptococosis is zoonosis caused by Streptococcus suisⅡand the clinical manifesta- tions are variable.In the cases of shock type,the onset of disease is stormy and the fatality rate is very high.While the prognosis of general and meningitis type is good and the majority of the cases are cured by effective antibiotic therapy.

Objective To investigate a shorter and safer route for contralateral C_7 nerve root transfer. Methods Eight male patients were treated from Dec2005 to Nov.2006Their range of age was from 22 to 43 years with an average of 30 yearsFive cases had total brachial plexus avulsion.The operative delay was from 2 to 6 months(mean:4 months).The sealenus anterior muscle was transected before a prespinaJ & ret- ropharyngeal tunnel was madeThe contralateral C_7 nerve root was used to repair the upper trunk or the infra- clavicular lateral cord and posterior cord of injured side via this routeusing direct anastomosis or nerve graft- ing.Results The length of the harvested contralateral C_7 nerve root was(4.67?0.52em in the early 5 casesThe nerve graft was6.25?0.35)em long for repairing supraclavicular brachial plexus and(8.56?0.45cm long for repairing infraclavicular brachial plexusThe length of the harvested contralateral C_7 nerve root averaged 6.85cm in the other 3 cases2 of which had direct anastomosis to the residual nerve C_5 and C_6 nerve roots and the other used nerve graft of 3 cm in lengthTransient contralateral sensory symptoms were re- ported in most patientsAt 3 months followups6 patients had tingling sensation on the contralateral fingers with percussion on the injured cervical areaIpsilateral SSEP could be recorded by stimulating at 2 cm above sternoclavicular joint on the injured sideAt 7 months follow ups of 5 patientsCMAP could be recorded in bi- cepsdeltoids and infraspinatus or triceps with stimulation at Erb's pointHoweverno clinical movements was noticedAt 12 months follow ups of 3 patientswe could observe early motor and sensory function recovery of those patients to different extent.Conclusion Transection of anterior scalenus muscle shortens the length of the transfer route and allows more efficient neurotizationThe procedure is convenient and safeprovided certain precautions being usedThe principal of contralateral C_7 nerve transfer are reconstruct the anterior divi- sions of upper trunkposterior divisions of upper trunk and suprascapular nerve when repairing the supraclavic- ula brachial plexusReconstruct the lateral cord and posterior cord when repairing the infraclavicula brachial plexusPostsurgical fasting for 4 days included foods and liquids will benefit of healing of anastomosed nerves and regenerationaud avoid complications.

AIMTo study the protective effect of sodium pyruvate on ischemia/reperfusion injury following hemorrhagic shock.

METHODSRat models of hemorrhagic shock were built up. When the shed blood was infused, the rats were also randomly provided by one of normal saline, glutathione and sodium pyruvate. Rats were killed 3 hours after the reperfusion, the activity of plasma lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), the level of tissue malondialdehyde (MDA) and the activity of tissue myeloperoxidase (MPO) were detected. Biopsy specimens were obtained to investigate morphological changes of the myocardial, hepatic, lung and renal tissue.

RESULTSThe activity of plasma LDH and GOT, the level of MDA of hepatic, lung and renal tissue and the activity of MPO of myocardial, lung and renal tissue decreased remarkably in group given sodium pyruvate compared with group given normal saline, and the effect of group given sodium pyruvate was more remarkable than group given glutathione.

CONCLUSIONThese data support the view that sodium pyruvate shows protective effect on ischemia/reperfusion injury following hemorrhagic shock. It is possibly relevant to scavenging of oxygen free radicals, reduction of neutrophil, and anti-inflammatory response.

Animals ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; blood ; Disease Models, Animal ; Kidney ; metabolism ; pathology ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; blood ; Liver ; metabolism ; pathology ; Lung ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; analysis ; Peroxidase ; analysis ; Protective Agents ; pharmacology ; Pyruvic Acid ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reperfusion Injury ; blood ; pathology ; prevention & control ; Shock, Hemorrhagic ; blood ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo study the role of the soluble factors secreted by tissue engineered cartilage in promoting bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) chondrogenesis as an important aspect.

METHODSPorcine BMSCs, chondrocytes and dermal fibroblasts were respectively in vitro expanded and then seeded onto the polyglycolic acid/polylactic acid (PGA/PLA) scaffold. After 3 days, they were indirectly co-cultured by transwell. BMSCs-scaffold constructs were co-cultured with chondrocytes-scaffold constructs as experiment group (Exp), while co-cultured with fibroblasts-scaffold constructs as control group. BMSCs with the same cell number were seeded onto the scaffolds as another control group. There were 3 specimens in each group. All specimens were harvested after in vitro indirect co-culture for 8 weeks. Gross observation, histology, immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR were used to evaluate the results.

RESULTSThe BMSCs-scaffold constructs co-cultured with chondrocytes-scaffold shrunk gradually during in vitro culture, but formed the mature lacuna structures and metachromatic matrices, collagen II expression could be observed by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR examination. In the control group, the constructs shrunk greatly during in vitro culture and showed mainly fibrous tissue.

CONCLUSIONSThe soluble factors secreted by chondrocytes can solely induce chondrogenic differentiation of BMSCs and thus promote the in vitro chondrogenesis of BMSCs.

Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; Cell Differentiation ; Cells, Cultured ; Chondrocytes ; cytology ; secretion ; Chondrogenesis ; Coculture Techniques ; Female ; Male ; Stromal Cells ; cytology ; Swine ; Tissue Engineering ; Tissue Scaffolds