OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes between pressure of trochlea of talus surface and distribution of area after anterior lower tibiofibular ligament rupture, and provide basis for treating anterior lower tibiofibular ligament rupture.

METHODSSix fresh adult ankle joint specimens (4 males and 2 females, ranging age from 25 to 60 years, with an average of 44.6 years) were adopted. The specimens were removed from skin and muscles, remained ankle joint capsule, medial and lateral ligaments and anteroinferior tibiofibular ligament. The ankle joint was fixed with a special fixture in neutral position. Pressure sensitive film (700 N axial load ) was respectively used to measure mean pressure, peak pressure and stress distribution area of the upper articular facet of talar trochlea of the normal ankle joint and the ankle joint with anterioinferior tibiofibular ligament rupture.

RESULTSThe stress distribution areas of the control group and the ruptured group were respectively (367.8 +/- 54.0) mm2 and (386.0 +/- 53.7) mm2; the mean pressures were respectively (1.40 +/- 0.12) MPa and (1.70 +/- 0.35) MPa; the peak pressures were respectively (2.60 +/- 0.33) MPa and (3.20 +/- 0.32) MPa. The experimental results showed that the change in stress distribution area after anterioinferior tibiofibular ligament rupture was not significant (t = 0.021, P = -0.983). When stress distribution changed, the region of stress concentration transferred to poster lateral,and mean pressure (t = 4.140, P = 0.020) and peak pressure (t = 3.169, P = 0.010) increased significantly.

CONCLUSIONWhen anterior lower tibiofibular ligament rupture occurs, mean pressure,peak pressure and stress distribution of pressure of trochlea of talus surface is changed, which may cause traumatic arthritis, and surgical treatment is considerably used to restore normal anatomy.

Adult ; Ankle Injuries ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Female ; Fibula ; Humans ; Lateral Ligament, Ankle ; injuries ; Male ; Mechanical Phenomena ; Middle Aged ; Rupture ; Stress, Mechanical ; Tibia

BACKGROUND: This study was undertaken to determine the effect of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) engraftment on vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) in lung tissue, plasma and extravascular lung water at early stage of smoke inhalation injury. METHODS: A rabbit smoke inhalation injury model was established using a home-made smoke inhalation injury generator, and rabbits were divided into two groups randomly: a control group (S group, n=32) and a MSCs treatment group (M group,n=32). 10 ml PBS was injected via the ear marginal vein immediately at injury into the S group. Third generation MSCs with a concentration of 1×107/10 ml PBS were injected via the ear marginal vein immediately at injury into the M group. VEGF in peripheral blood and lung tissue were measured at 0 (baseline), 2, 4 and 6 hours after injection respectively and analyzed. The right lungs of rabbits were taken to measure lung water mass fraction. RESULTS: In the lung tissue, VEGF decreased gradually in the S group (P<0.05) and signifi cantly decreased in the M group (P<0.05), but it increased more signifi cantly than the values at the corresponding time points (P<0.05). In peripheral blood, VEGF increased gradually in the S group (P<0.05) and markedly increased in the M group (P<0.05), but it decreased more signifi cantly than the values at corresponding time points (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: MSCs engraftment to smoke inhalation injury could increase VEGF in lung tissue, decrease VEGF in plasma and reduce extravascular lung water, indicating its protective effect on smoke inhalation injury.

BACKGROUNDThe self-consciousness and practicality of preferentially prescribed essential medicines (EMs) are not high enough in county hospitals. The purposes of this study were to use the information-motivation-behavioral skills (IMB) model to identify the predictors of essential medicines prescribing behavior (EMPB) among doctors and to examine the association between demographic variables, IMB, and EMPB.

METHODSA cross-sectional study was carried out to assess predictive relationships among demographic variables and IMB model variables using an anonymous questionnaire administered in nine county hospitals of Anhui province. A structural equation model was constructed for the IMB model to test the instruments using analysis of moment structures 17.0.

RESULTSA total of 732 participants completed the survey. The average age of the participants was 37.7 ± 8.9 years old (range: 22-67 years old). The correct rate of information was 90.64%. The average scores of the motivation and behavioral skills were 45.46 ± 7.34 (hundred mark system: 75.77) and 19.92 ± 3.44 (hundred mark system: 79.68), respectively. Approximately half (50.8%) of respondents reported that the proportion of EM prescription was below 60%. The final revised model indicated a good fit to the data (χ2 /df = 4.146, goodness of fit index = 0.948, comparative fit index = 0.938, root mean square error of approximation = 0.066). More work experience (β = 0.153, P < 0.001) and behavioral skills (β = 0.449, P < 0.001) predicted more EMPB. Higher income predicted less information (β = -0.197, P < 0.001) and motivation (β = -0.204, P < 0.001). Behavioral skills were positively predicted by information (β = 0.135, P < 0.001) and motivation (β = 0.742, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONThe present study predicted some factors of EMPB, and specified the relationships among the model variables. The utilization rate of EM was not high enough. Motivation and behavior skills were crucial factors affecting EMPB. The influence of demographic variables, such as income and work experience, on EMPB should be fully appreciated. Comprehensive intervention measures should be implemented from multiple perspectives.

Adult ; Aged ; China ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Hospitals, County ; statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Practice Patterns, Physicians' ; statistics & numerical data

OBJECTIVETo study the anticancer activity of the extract from Citrus reticulata in vivo.

METHODAnticancer activities were tested with tumor model in vivo (Sarcoma-180 cells, Heps cells, EAC cells implanted in mice).

RESULTThe extract from Citrus reticulata showed marked anticancer activities on Sarcoma-180 cells and Heps cells implanted in mice, had no marked anticancer activities on EAC cells implanted in mice and induced apoptosis of Sarcoma-180 cell.

CONCLUSIONThe extract from Citrus reticulata will have promising prospects as an anticancer Chinese medicine, but further studies will be needed.

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Carcinoma, Ehrlich Tumor ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Citrus ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Female ; Fruit ; chemistry ; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Male ; Mice ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Sarcoma 180 ; drug therapy ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate a retro-grade auricular flap for repairing large alar defects.

METHODSTwenty-nine adult cadavers were anatomically used for vascular investigation of the frontal, nasal and temporal regions by injecting a dye into the main vessels. Based on the anatomical study in these regions, a retro-grade auricular flap was designed for repairing alar defects in 16 patients.

RESULTSThe blood supply of the auricle could be nourished by the inner carotid artery system from the supratrachlear artery and supraorbital artery through the frontal arterial anastomotical network into the frontal branch of the superficial temporal artery. It is then passing the main trunk of the superficial temporal artery into the ear area through the auricular branches of the superficial temporal artery. The retro-grade auricular island flap could be formed by basing the supratrachlear artery and the supraorbital artery through the vascular network between the superficial temporal artery and the supratrachlear artery or the supraorbital artery. Sixteen patients with large alar defects and half-sized nasal defects were successfully repaired by this technique.

CONCLUSIONSThe retro-grade auricular island flap, based on the inner carotid artery system, could be a good and safe flap for repairing a large alar defect or half-sized nasal reconstruction.

Adult ; Arteries ; Cadaver ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Ear Auricle ; blood supply ; Humans ; Nose Deformities, Acquired ; surgery ; Ophthalmic Artery ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; Surgical Flaps ; blood supply ; transplantation ; Temporal Arteries

Animals ; Humans ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Oligosaccharides ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Plants ; chemistry ; Polysaccharides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Structure-Activity Relationship

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) transplantation on the major inflammatory cytokines content in peripheral blood, lung water mass fraction, and lung tissue injury in rabbits with smoke inhalation injury.

METHODSSixteen adult New Zealand big ear rabbits were subjected to smoke inhalation injury and then were divided into pure injury group (PI, n = 8) and MSC transplantation group (MT, n = 8) according to the random number table. Via ear marginal vein, rabbits in PI group were injected with 10 mL phosphate buffered saline (PBS); rabbits in MT group were injected with 10 mL PBS containing the third passage MSC (1 x 10⁷ cell) isolated from marrow of healthy young New Zealand big ear rabbit. Another 8 rabbits were enrolled as normal control group (NC). Rabbits in NC group were injected with 10 mL PBS via ear marginal vein without smoke inhalation injury. Blood was harvested from rabbits in PI and MT groups at post injury hour (PIH) 2, 4, 6. Contents of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-10 in serum were determined with ELISA. At PIH 24, left lung was harvested for morphology and histopathology observation; the right lung tissue was obtained to measure and calculate lung water mass fraction. Blood and lung tissue of rabbits in NC group were harvested and determined in the same way. Data were processed with t test.

RESULTS(1) Serum contents of TNF-α in PI and MT groups at each time point were obviously higher than that in NC group (t = 2.43 - 9.57, P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Serum contents of IL-1β and IL-6 in PI group at each time point were obviously higher than those in NC group (t = 8.49 - 19.80, P values all below 0.01). Serum content of IL-1β in MT group at each time point was close to that in NC group (t = 0.11 - 0.92, P values all above 0.05). Serum content of IL-6 in MT group at PIH 2 was close to that in NC group (t = 2.12, P > 0.05), but that of MT group increased significantly at PIH 4 and 6 (t = 2.83, P values all below 0.05). Serum contents of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in MT group at each time point were obviously lower than those in PI group (t = 2.35 - 12.45, P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). (2) Serum content of IL-10 in MT group at PIH 2, 4, and 6 was respectively (13.0 ± 3.6), (11.6 ± 8.5), (15.2 ± 4.4) pg/mL, and they were higher than those in PI group [(5.5 ± 3.4), (5.0 ± 1.7), (7.9 ± 3.5) pg/mL, with t value respectively 4.28, 2.15, 3.67, P values all below 0.01]. Serum contents of IL-10 in PI and MT groups were obviously higher than that in NC group (t = 2.46-8.14, P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). (3) Lung tissue injury in MT group was alleviated markedly as compared with that in PI group. (4) At PIH 24, lung water mass fraction in MT group was (69 ± 7)%, which was obviously lower than that in PI group [(87 ± 6)%, t = 5.49, P < 0.01]. Compared with that in NC group [(48 ± 3)%], lung water mass fraction in PI and MT groups were increased obviously (with t value respectively 16.93 and 7.22, P values all below 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSMSC transplantation can decrease pro-inflammatory cytokines, increase anti-inflammatory cytokines, decrease lung water mass fraction, ameliorate systemic inflammatory response, and protect lung tissue in rabbits with smoke inhalation injury.

Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-10 ; blood ; Interleukin-6 ; blood ; Lung Injury ; blood ; surgery ; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation ; Rabbits ; Smoke Inhalation Injury ; blood ; surgery ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood

AIMTo study the chemical components from the bioactive extract of Herpetospermum pedunculosum, a Tibetan medicinal herb for liver diseases.

METHODSThe isolation and purification of this extract were conducted by means of silica gels column chromatography and preparative HPLC. The structures of the compounds were elucidated based on their physical and chemical features, and spectral data.

RESULTSTwo lignans were isolated from this extract. They were elucidated as herpetone (I), dehydrodiconiferyl alcohol (II).

CONCLUSIONCompound I is a new compound with the rare structure of sesqui-norlignan. Compound II is isolated from the genus of Herpetospermum for the first time.

Chromatography, Gel ; methods ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Cucurbitaceae ; chemistry ; Lignans ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Molecular Structure ; Phenols ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Seeds ; chemistry ; Silica Gel ; Silicon Dioxide

OBJECTIVETo investigate the skull characteristics of the Li people in Hainan through 3-D CT.

METHODSCT scan and 3-D reconstruction are very helpful for the cephalometry including the distance and angle measurement. The image can also be enlarged to make the measurement more precisely. 80 Li volunteers underwent the cephalometry through 3-D CT. The data were analyzed and compared with those an people.

RESULTSThe results showed difference between the genders of Li people. Compared with Han people, Li people has their own facial characteristics, such as wider face and wider orbital distance.

CONCLUSIONSCephalometry through 3-D CT can show the skull characteristics precisely. The data in this study has great significance in craniomaxillofacial surgery and ethnology.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Cephalometry ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Male ; Skull ; diagnostic imaging ; Tomography, Spiral Computed ; Young Adult