Electrospinning is a new technique used to fabricate nanofibrous scaffold for guidance of tissue repair and regeneration. Electrospun scaffold simulates the structure and biological function of native extracellular matrix (ECM) and may provide an ideal engineered microenvironment for cell growth. In this paper, the principle of electrospinning technique and important processing parameters were briefly introduced. Investigations and developments in recent years regarding to the applications of tissue repair and regeneration were reviewed, several focusing issues of electrospinning were addressed as well. The significance and problems unresolved were discussed.

Objective To observe the effects of the Ossatron high-energy shock waves on bone nonunion and delayed union.Methods Between October 2004 and October 2005,18 patients with nonunion and four patients with delayed union were treated with high-energy extracorporeal shock wave therapy(Ossatron,HMT Co., Swiss).Facture lines were located with C-arm X-ray before treatment.Parameters of shock waves were decided according to fracture sites.Patients with unstable fixation received plaster or bracing for 6 to 8 weeks after treatment. After therapy,follow-up radiography was performed at 6 and 12 weeks and monthly afterwards until the fracture united. Results The mean follow-up was 6.7 months(range,3 to 12 months).There were no complications except local petechial hemorrhage and local swelling in 10 patients.Thirteen patients(59.1%)got bony union,including 12 patients(66.7% )with stable internal fixation,and the average healing time was 4.3 months(range,6 weeks to 6 months).Nine fractures(40.9%)still suffered nonunion.Conclusion High-energy shock waves are a good alternative therapy for nonunion and delayed union,with obvious advantages of being non-invasive and safe.

An extracellar fibrinolytic strain was isolated from fermented shrimp paste. In addition to general physiological and biochemical properties, the strain was identified by 16S rDNA sequence and systematic analysis. The results showed that 16S rDNA sequence of the strain had high similarity with AY601723 and AB195282, suggesting that the strain is a subspecies of Bacillus sp. It was named as Bacillus sp. nov. SK006 by CCTCC. The medium composition and fermentation conditions for fibrinolytic enzyme production were also optimized in the research.

Objective To determine the diagnostic value and clinical significance of sonographically detected fetal dysplastic kidney with normal amniotic fluid volume. Methods At the 2nd or 3rd trimester of gestation,the fetuses with unilateral or bilateral renal anomalies (ahnormal size,echo,shape or cyst of the kidney) and normal amniotic fluid volume received systemic ultrasound examination,autopsy or follow-up until after birth. The fetus with only dilated renal pelvis was not included. Results Eleven fetuses of dysplastic renal anomalies with normal amniotic fluid volume were identified by prenatal ultrasound. Among the five fetuses affected by unilateral multicystic kidney dysplasia (MCKD),the renal anomaly was isolated in four fetuses,and the other one was complicated with absence of the ipsilateral hand. One of the two fetuses of unilateral renal agenesis had no other associated anomaly and the other one was complicated with hydrocephalus,spina bifida,ipsilateral absent radius and single umbilical artery,correspongding to the VACTERL syndrome. Two fetuses of pelvic kidney and horseshoe kidney respectively was proved by postnatal ultrasound. One fetus was diagnosed as autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease(ADPKD)on the basis of multiple renal cysts and a positive family history,the fetus also had cardiac rhabdomyoma. One fetus of bilateral normal sized hyperechoic kidneys was proved to be renal dysplasia by autopsy. Conclusions Unilateral MCKD is the most common type of fetal renal dysplasia which can be detected by prenatal ultrasound with normal amniotic fluid volume. Based on the sonographic characteristics and the family history,most of the dysplastic renal anomalies can be diagnosed prenatally and the prognosis can be predicted.

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical effect of acupuncture on acute heart failure (AHF) patients.

METHODSTotally 60 patients who were diagnosed as AHF were assigned to the acupuncture group and the control group, 30 in each group. Those in the control group received inotropic agents, preload and afterload reducing therapy, anti-infection and so on. Besides, those in the acupuncture group received needling at relative points, once daily for 5 consecutive days. The mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), cardiac index (CI), stroke volume index (SI), left ventricle working index (LCWI) were monitored by thermodilution pulse-indicated continuous cardiac output (PiCCO) technique. Changes of the aforesaid data were compared between before and after treatment. The ICU length of stay, readmission rate,and the 28-day mortality were also compared between the two groups.

RESULTSAfter 5 days of the treatment, CI, SI, and LCWI increased more obviously (P < 0.01), HR and MAP decreased significantly (P < 0.05). Of them, CI, SI, and LCWI increased more obviously in the acupuncture group (P < 0.05).There was no obvious difference in HR or MAP between the two groups (P > 0.05). Compared with the first day of admission in the same group, CI, SI, and LCWI obviously increased in the acupuncture group from the second day (P < 0.05). HR started to decrease since the fourth day (P < 0.05), and MAP began to decrease until the fifth day (P < 0.05). CI, SI, and LCWI started to increase in the control group from the third day (P < 0.05); HR and MAP both began to decrease since the fifth day (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the ICU length of stay was obviously shortened in the acupuncture group (P < 0.05). The readmission rate and the 28-day mortality rate were lower than those of the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe combination of acupuncture and Western medical therapy might strengthen acute heart failure patients' heart functions, elevate the therapeutic effect, and improve the prognosis.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Heart Failure ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stroke Volume

Tetradrine-tashionone II(A)-PLGA composite microspheres were prepared by the SPG membrane emulsification method, and the characterization of tetradrine-tashionone II(A) -PLGA composite microspheres were studied in this experiment. The results of IR, DSC and XRD showed that teradrine and tashionone II(A) in composite microspheres were highly dispersed in the PLGA with amorphous form. The results of tetradrine-tashionone II(A) -PLGA composite microspheres in vitro release experiment showed that the cumulative release amounts of tetradrine and tashionone II(A) were 6.44% and 3.60% in 24 h, and the cumulative release amounts of tetradrine and tashionone II(A) were 89.02% and 21.24% in 17 d. The process of drug in vitro release accorded with the model of Riger-Peppas. Tetradrine-tashionone II(A) -PLGA composite microspheres had slow-release effect, and it could significantly reduce the burst release, prolong the therapeutic time, decrease the dosage of drugs and provide a new idea and method to prepare traditional Chinese medicine compound.
Benzofurans ; chemistry ; Benzylisoquinolines ; chemistry ; Drug Carriers ; chemistry ; Drug Compounding ; instrumentation ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Kinetics ; Lactic Acid ; chemistry ; Microspheres ; Particle Size ; Polyglycolic Acid ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Yangfei Ziyin Decoction (YZD) on symptoms, serum levels of TNF-alpha, IL-6, and aquaporin-5 (AQP-5), and pathology of Sj6gren's syndrome (SS) model mice.

METHODSTotally 60 mice were divided into 6 groups according to random digit table, i.e., the model group, the normal control group, the high, medium, low dose YZD groups (administered with YZD at 36.7, 18.4, 9.2 g/kg, 0.2 mL/10 g), the Chinese patent medicine group [CPM, administered with total glucosides of paeony at 0.6 g/kg], 10 mice in each group. All intervention was performed for six successive days in a week, with an interval of one day, a total of 50 days. Body weight, salivary secretion, food and water intake were measured at day10, 20, 30, 40, and 50, respectively. At day 50 blood was collected. Submandibular gland, thymus, and spleen were weighed. Serum levels of TNF-alpha, IL-6, and AQP-5 were detected by ELISA. Pathological changes of submandibular gland were observed. Results Compared with the normal control group, there was no change in water intake of mice in the model group, but with reduced salivary secretion (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Thymus/spleen/submandibular gland weight and index increased in the model group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Compared with the model group at the same time point, salivary secretion increased in the CPM group and 3 YZD groups (P < 0.01 , P < 0.05). Compared with the model group, thymus/spleen/submandibular gland weight and index decreased in the CPM group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Thymus/submandibular gland weight and index decreased in the low dose YZD group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Thymus/submandibular gland weight and index, and spleen index decreased in high and medium dose YZD groups (P < 0.01 , P < 0.05). Levels of TNF-alpha and IL-6 decreased, but AQP-5 level increased in the CPM group (P < 0.05). AQP-5 level increased in high and medium dose YZD groups (P < 0.01 , P < 0.05). In the model group alveoli and duct of salivary gland were destroyed, alveoli and duct were irregular, epithelial cells were degenerated, necrotic, and desquamated. Mild-to-moderate lymphocytic infiltration occurred around submandibular gland. Pathological changes were alleviated in the CPM group and 3 YZD groups.

CONCLUSIONYZD could improve clinical symptoms, serum levels of TNF-alpha, IL-6, AQP-5, and pathological changes of SS model mice.

Animals ; Aquaporin 5 ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Glucosides ; Interleukin-6 ; Mice ; Paeonia ; Salivation ; Sjogren's Syndrome ; drug therapy ; Submandibular Gland ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Objective To evaluate the ultrasonographic (US) features and evolution of breast fat necrosis after cosmetic augmentation with autologous fat obtained by liposuction, to help distinguish fat necrosis from more ominous breast masses. Methods Breast sonography was performed on 38 patients underwent bilateral breast augmentation by autologous fat injection to evaluate the grafted fat tissues in interval of 3-6 month after the operation. Observations in follow up sonography included the sizes,positions, shape,echogenicity,margin features, calcifications and evolutions of the suspicious nodules in the breasts. Results Seventy-six nodules occurred in 25 of the 38 patients were detected after the fat graft. Among the 76 nodules,52 were cystic(68. 4%) ,8 were complex(10. 5%) and 16 were solid(21.1%). The analysis of the predominant features of the nodules sonographic appearances were as follows: all the nodules had no flow signal, 66 (86. 8%) had clear margins,54(71. 1%) had regular shapes,52 were cystic(68. 4%) ,63(82. 9% ) had no calcifications, 10(13. 2%) had egg-like calcifications,74(97. 4% ) had no halo,and the positions of the solid components in 8 complex nodules move following the change of the detected body position. There were 7 nodules with fat necrosis removed surgically and confirmed by pathology. Conclusions Breast ultrasound is an accurate and simple method to follow up the temporal changes of the fat nodules after autologous fat injection. It may help to avoid unnecessary biopsies.

[ Objective] To explore the variation features of contrast enhanced ultrasound ( CEUS) quantitative parameters and its correlation with tumor microvessel density ( MVD ) , after the treatment of living liver cancer using high intensity focused ultrasound ( HIFU ) . [ Methods ] A group of 30 New Zealand white rabbits were made into VX2 liver cancer models, that were randomly divided into control group ( n =15, not HIFU treatment) and treatment group ( n =15, HIFU treatment).CEUS was performed, then obtaining ascending slope(AS),arrival time(AT),time-to-peak(TTP),peak intensity ( PI) ,area under curve ( AUC ) .And correlation analysis was performed with MVD obtained by immune histochemical method. [ Results ] Compared with those in the control group, AS, PI, AUC were significantly decreased in treatment group (P <0.05) and so was MVD (P <0.05).AT,TTP were significantly delayed than those in the control group (P<0.05).The AS, PI, AUC of CEUS quantitative parameters were positively correlated with MVD (P<0.05).The AT, TTP respectively showed a negative correlation with MVD ( P<0.05) . [ Conclusion] CEUS quantitative parameters of liver cancer tissue have high correlation with MVD.It can reflect the microvessel structure change of the liver cancer tissue and help to judge the curative effect and prognosis of HIFU for liver cancer.

Objective To determine the effect of deferoxamine administration on autophagy in a rat model of blast-induced brain injury.Methods Thirty-nine male SD rats were allotted to shamoperated group,injury group and deferoxamine group with 13 rats in each,according to the random number table.Feeney's method was applied to establish the model.Deferoxamine group received deferoxamine of 100 mg/kg intraperitoneally.Sham-operated and injury group were injected with saline intraperitoneally.All treatments were started two hours postinjury at 12 hour interval for up to 28 days.Hemoglobin,rectal temperature,blood glucose and mortality were detected at 1,3,7,14 and 28 days.Morris water maze was conducted.Rats were killed later for detecting the brain defect volume and level of Beclin 1 at the site of injury.Results There were no significant differences among the three groups with respect to hemoglobin,rectal temperature and blood glucose (P ＞ 0.05).Mortality in injury versus deferoxamine groups did not differ significantly (P ＞ 0.05).Volume of defected brain in deferoxamine group was (115.35 ± 13.70) mm3,smaller than (209.99 ± 16.70) mm3 in injury group (P ＜ 0.05).In Morris water maze test,the time spent in the searching the platform and latency to reach the platform were improved in deferoxamine group compared to those in injury group [(3.13 ± 0.35) vs (2.13 ± 0.64);(36.15 ± 26.63) s vs (110 ± 47.34) s respectively] (P ＜ 0.05).Both immunohistochemisty and western blot showed dramatically increased level of Beclin 1 after injury,but treatment with deferoxamine significantly reduced the Beclin 1 expression.Conclusion Level of Beclin 1 is significantly upregulated after blast-induced brain injury in rats,resulting in elevated autophagy postinjury,but the treatment with deferoxamine is neuroprotective possible by lessening autophagy damage.