Objective·To explore effects of pCPT-cAMP on proteinuria and dedifferentiation of podocytes in adriamycin (ADR)-induced nephropathy mice. Methods·Male BALB/c mice were divided into three groups. The control group did not make any intervention, and the other mice were administrated with ADR in a dose of 10 mg/kg by intravenous injection (ADR group). Some ADR-injected mice were treated with pCPT-cAMP [50 mg/(kg·d)] by intraperitoneal injection everyday (A+P group). Albumin urine was detected by Coomassie blue stain. Urine creatinine concentration was estimated by ELISA. The expression of WT-1 was detected by immunohistochemical staining. Immunofluorescence staining and Western blotting were used to evulate the dedifferentiation of podocytes. Results·Compared with the control group, the ratio of urinary albumin/creatinine in ADR nephropathy mice was significantly increased. WT-1 immunohistochemical staining showed that the number of podocytes was significantly decreased, while immunofluorescence double staining of podocyte-specific protein synaptopodin and podocalyxin remarkably reduced, and the expression of desmin was increased. pCPT-cAMP intervention decreased the ratio of albumin/creatinine in ADR mice, elevated the quantity of WT-1 positive cells and the expression of synaptopodin and podocalyxin, while desmin expression decreased. Conclusion·pCPT-cAMP activates the PKA signaling and protects ADR nephropathy mice by preventing the loss of podocytes and ameliorating the urine albumin/creatinine ratio, which may be mediated by pCPT-cAMP-prevented dedifferentiation of podocytes.

BACKGROUND: Rapid development in tissue engineering research and technology makes dental pulp regeneration and revascularization possible. The interactions of stem cells, scaffolds and signaling factors in tissue engineering are particularly important. Whether stem cells can proliferate, differentiate and develop dental pulp-like tissue greatly depends on the choice of scaffolds OBJECTIVE: To review the widely studied and effective scaffold materials and two methods of scaffold preparation and analyze their applications in dental pulp reconstruction and their revascularization ability. METHODS: The first author searched PubMed, Wanfang and CNKI databases using a computer for relevant articles published between January 1, 2019 and September 30, 2019 with the search terms “pulp regeneration, pulp revascularization, scaffold” in English, and “pulp regeneration, pulp revascularization, revascularization, scaffold” in Chinese. A total of 421 English articles and 181 Chinese articles were retrieved. Finally, 61 articles were reviewed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Platelet-derived scaffolds, extracellular-matrix-derived scaffolds, and self-assembling peptide take effect in pulp regeneration and revascularization. Composite materials combining natural and synthetic materials prepared by hydrogel and nanomaterial techniques exhibited advantages in cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, adherence, anti-inflammation, and factor delivery. The modified composite materials have a strong ability to promote vascularization. With the development of scaffold design and preparation technology based on hydrogels and nanomaterials, problems regarding insufficient scaffold source and unstable clinical effect will be solved in the future.

The appearance and degree of damage caused by metallic mercury injection at different sites were disparate, and different from common mercury poisoning. This study reviewed literature on poisoning caused by injection of metallic mercury in different body parts, summarized the health impairments and corresponding treatment principles. The causes of such accidents were mostly intentional injury or suicide, self-harm, with a minority due to feudal superstition, tattoos, and improper treatment. Subcutaneous or deep intramuscular injection of mercury primarily caused local inflammation reactions in the early stages. Intraocular injection might lead to inflammation, tissue necrosis, and blindness. Intravenous injection might lead to local or systemic acute reactions. The injection at local sites might cause harms to respiratory, nervous, urinary, and circulatory systems and reproductive health if individuals fail to boost mercury excretion promptly. For mercury treatment, the vacuum sealing drainage and extensive removal of deposits were preferred for mercury subcutaneous, muscular, or deep tissue injected individuals. For mercury intraocular injected individuals, the prompt surgical removal of mercury drops and, if necessary, enucleation of the eyeball were preferred. For mercury intravenous injected individuals, in addition to debridement surgery, treatment such as plasma exchange, hemoperfusion, hemodialysis, and bronchoalveolar lavage could be used. For mercury poisoning caused by injection in different body parts, mercury expulsion and symptomatic treatment are recommended, in addition to psychological therapy.

Objective:To investigate whether the Garden indexes can serve as a criterion for rotational displacement of femoral neck fracture.Methods:Ten cadaveric specimens of healthy human proximal femur were used for this study. They came from 3 males and 2 females who had died at the age from 45 to 70 years old. A Kirschner wire of 2.0 mm in diameter was implanted into the center of the femoral head. Osteotomy was conducted perpendicular to the middle line of the femoral neck. The rotational angles were marked on the distal osteotomy surface. Each cadaveric specimen was rotated sequentially at pronation and supination angles of 0°, 10°, 20°, 30°, 40°, 50°, 70° and 90°, respectively. X-ray images of anterior-posterior and lateral views were taken to record all the rotations of the specimens. Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS) were used to measure the Garden indexes and compare them among anterior-posterior and lateral X-ray films of different pronation and supination angles. Changes in the area of the femoral head fovea at different rotation angles were observed as well.Results:There were no significant differences in the auterior-posterior or latera Garden indexes from 0° to pronation or supination 30°, with all the Garden values >155° ( P>0.05); from pronation of 40° to pronation of 90°, the Garden indexes were 152.36°±1.41°, 146.04°±1.64°, 143.95°±0.60° and 141.73°±0.60° for anterior-posterior views and 172.54°±0.86°, 168.57°±0.98°, 157.18°±1.17° and 156.47°±1.63° for lateral views, showing a significant difference between rotational angles ( P<0.05); from supination of 40° to supination of 90°, the Garden indexes were 151.67°±1.06°, 147.32°±1.82°, 142.77°±0.75° and 139.88°±1.48° for anterior-posterior views and 172.28°±0.79°, 166.76°±1.02°, 155.67°±1.74° and 154.16°±1.27° for lateral views, showing a significant difference between rotational angles ( P<0.05). The area of the femoral head fovea decreased gradually with the increase in pronation angle, and increased gradually with the increase in supination angle. Conclusions:The Garden indexes cannot serve as an accurate indication of rotational displacement in reduction of femoral neck fracture when the pronation or supination angles ranges from 0° to 30°. Changes in the area of the femoral head fovea can help determine the rotational displacement of the femoral neck fracture.

Exosomes are a kind of extracellular vesicles,which directly stimulate target cells through receptor-mediated interaction,or exert their biological functions by transferring various bioactive molecules to target cells,playing a key role in intercellular communi-cation between cells and their microenvironment.From the perspective of tissue engineering,pulp regeneration refers to the combination of scaffolds,stem cells,and signaling factors implanted into a properly treated pulp cavity.Under the action of scaffolds and signaling factors,stem cells proliferate and differentiate to form pulp dentin-like complexes,restoring pulp function.In recent years,studies have found that p38MAPK,TGF-β/SMAD,Wnt/β-Catenin signaling pathway and some other signaling pathways are important for the se-cretion in regulating pulp regeneration,and play a key role in pulp regeneration.Therefore,this article reviews the mechanism and re-search progress of signaling pathways related to the regulation of pulp regeneration by exosomes.

ObjectiveTo establish a managing mode for illegal and irregular acts of occupational medical examination (OME) institutions to the requirements of the new situation. Methods The OME institutions from the “Guangdong Province Key Occupational Disease Monitoring and Management Platform” were selected as the study subjects using the judgment sampling method. The clues of suspected illegal and irregular acts of OME institutions were found and submitted to the local health commission for investigation and managed according to the case information monitoring and on-site quality assessment. The OME institutions found to have illegal and irregular acts were filed and investigated according to the national law after investigation and verification. A “follow-up inspection” was conducted on five OME institutions for closed loop management. Results A total of 12 OME institutions were found to have suspected illegal and irregular acts, including seven institutions that did not meet the filing requirements for effective personnel, five institutions that conducted projects beyond the scope without filing to the provincial health authorities within 15 work days from the start of the project, and two institutions that failed to fulfill the obligation of informing and reporting to the health authorities, employers, and workers as required. After submitting relevant clues and evidence to the local health commission for investigation and management, seven institutions were not given penalty, and five institutions were given administrative penalties including two institutions were fined and warned, and three institutions were warned. No illegal or irregular acts were found in the five institutions inspected during the “follow-up inspection”. Conclusion It is beneficial to explore the managing mode of “clue discovery, clue submission, investigation and disposal, follow-up inspection” for OME institutions suspected of illegal and irregular acts, which helps urge OME institutions to work in accordance with laws and regulations and effectively protect the legitimate rights and interests of workers' occupational health.

Objective To analyze the problems found in the on-site quality assessment of occupational medical examination (OME) institutions in Guangdong Province. Methods A total of 150 OME institutions were selected as the research subjects from Guangdong Province in 2023 using a random number table method. The on-site quality assessment was conducted by listening to reports, meeting discussion, on-site inspection, data review and human-machine assessment. The relevant assessment results were analyzed. Results Occupational disease prevention and treatment institutes (institutes, centers) and disease control and prevention centers (hereinafter referred to as "occupational prevention institutions"), public hospitals, and private institutions accounted for 8.7%, 51.3%, and 40.0% respectively. The top three categories of registered inspections were physical factors, chemical factors and dust, accounted for 98.0%, 96.7% and 96.0%, respectively, among the 150 OME institutions. A total of 1 063 rectification items were identified, and the average number of rectification items identified per occupational prevention institutions, public hospitals and private institutions was four, six and nine, respectively. The rectification rates of the four modules of quality assessment from high to low were OME work quality control, quality management system, organizational structure, and OME information reporting, accounted for 53.2%, 23.3%, 13.7% and 9.7%, respectively. The coincidence rate from high to low of occupational reporting of noise-exposure, dust-exposure, and other hazard-exposure was 92.5%, 91.1%, and 93.4%, respectively. The on-site failure rate of quality control director, technical director, chief physician, pneumoconiosis film reader, audiometry reader and pulmonary function examination operator accounted for 15.3%, 12.7%, 8.0%, 6.7%, 6.0% and 2.7%, respectively. Institutions capable of conducting registered and partially registered OME accounted for 90.7% and 6.0%, respectively. The five institutions that were unable to conduct registered OME were private institutions. A total of five private institutions were found to be suspected of illegal and irregular activities. Conclusion The problems of OME in the on-site quality assessment of OME institutions in Guangdong Province were mainly quality control. Private institutions had more prominent problems in various aspects. It is necessary to strengthen the training of key personnel such as technical directors, quality control directors, and chief physicians.

Objective:To observe the effect of mirror visual feedback (MVF) on the motor functioning and balance of stroke survivors, and to observe any morphological and structural changes in the tibialis anterior (TA) after MVF training.Methods:Thirty-six stroke survivors were divided into a mirror group ( n=18) and a control group ( n=18). Both groups received conventional drugs and routine rehabilitation treatment, while the mirror group was additionally provided with MVF training 5 days a week for 4 weeks. Before and after the treatment, both groups were evaluated using the Fugl-Meyer assessment for the lower extremities (FMA-LE) and the Berg balance scale (BBS). Moreover, the pennation angle (PA), the muscle thickness (MT) and the fascicle length (FL) of the tibialis anterior were measured at rest and in maximum isometric voluntary contraction (MVC) using ultrasonic imaging. Results:After the treatment the average PA of the affected side at rest and the MVC of the TA increased significantly in both groups compared with before the treatment, with the average improvement in the mirror group significantly greater than in the control group. The average TA thickness at rest and the MVC were both significantly greater in the mirror group than among the control group after the treatment. The average FMA-LE and BBS scores of both groups had improved significantly, but the mirror group′s average scores were significantly better than those of the control group.Conclusion:MVF can improve the motor function and balance ability of stroke survivors. Moreover, ultrasound can be used to evaluate the changes of TA morphology in such patients quantitatively, providing an objective foundation for tracking clinical efficacy.

Objective:To introduce a surgical method and clinical effect of using Masquelet technique combined with skin graft to cover chronic refractory wounds in elderly patients.Methods:From September 2020 to September 2022, 20 elderly patients with wounds of bone or tendon exposure in lower limbs were treated in the Department of Wound Repair, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University. Due to the age and poor general condition of the patients, flap transfer for wound coverage were not allowed. Masquelet technique was therefore applied in the treatment of chronic wounds of such patients. Sizes of wounds were found at 4.5 cm×3.0 cm to 15.0 cm×6.0 cm and all accompanied with tendon and bone exposure, after thorough debridement. Wounds were then sealed with antibiotic bone cement several times. After having induced formation of membrane in wounds, free mesh skin graft was used to cover the refractory wounds. The patients were entered in follow up regularly after surgery at outpatient service, and telephone or video reviews. The wound healing of patients and whether there were related complications in the skin donor area were observed. The number of operation times in the first stage was 1-4 with an average of 1.3 times ± 0.7 times. Lower Extremity Function Scale (LEFS) was used to evaluate the recovery of lower limb function.Results:All 20 wounds healed well. The follow-up time was 3-12 months, with an average of 7.6 months. The appearance and texture of the skin in the wounds area were satisfactory. The mean LEFS was 69.83 point ± 10.82 point.Conclusion:Using Masquelet technique combined with free skin grafting to treat refractory wounds in the elderly patients can achieve satisfactory clinical outcomes. It is a simple and reliable supplement to the wound repair, and can reduce the surgical risk.

BACKGROUND:Increasing autologous stem cellmobilization is conceived to achieve effectively repair of cardiac ischemic injury. Therefore, it is important to seek a specific and effective mobilization agent. OBJECTIVE:To observe the effects of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α(HIF-1α) on bone marrow mesenchymal stem cellmobilization in myocardial infarction. METHODS:Left anterior descending artery was ligated to establish a rat model of acute myocardial infarction in 90 outbreeding Sprague-Dawley rats, and then the models were randomly divided into three groups. In HIF-1α-antisense oligonucleotide (ASODN) group, HIF-1α-ASODN was infused into the tail vein to restrain the expression of HIF-1αin infarcted ischemic tissue. In HIF-1α-missense oligonucleotide (MSODN) group or control group, an equal volume of HIF-1α-MSODN or saline was injected. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:After 30 hours and 7 days of modeling, the number of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in the peripheral blood of the control group were similar to the HIF-1α-MSODN group, but significantly higher than the HIF-1α-ASODN group. After 7 days of modeling, the expressions of HIF-1αprotein, vascular endothelial growth factor protein and mRNA in the ischemic myocardial tissues of the control group were similar to the HIF-1α-MSODN group, but significantly higher than the HIF-1α-ASODN group. After 7, 14 and 28 days of modeling, the capil ary density in the ischemic myocardial tissues of the control group was similar to the HIF-1α-MSODN group, but significantly higher than the HIF-1α-ASODN group. These findings indicate that after acute myocardial infarction, high expression of HIF-1αexhibits a causal relationship with mobilization of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, initiating a series of self-healing process of myocardial tissues.