Objective:To investigate the role and mechanism of the high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) in intestinal mucosal barrier injury in rat with sepsis induced by endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS).Methods:The rats were given intraperitoneal injection of LPS to reproduce a model of sepsis. The effect of HMGB1 inhibitor EP solution (40 mg/kg) on sepsis was observed, and phosphate buffer (PBS) control group was set up. Seventy-two hours after modeling, abdominal aortic blood was obtained, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure the plasma levels of D-lactic acid and diamine oxidase (DAO) of mucosal barrier permeability. The pathological changes of the intestinal mucosal were observed with light microscope and the Chiu score was recorded. The intestinal mucosal ultrastructural changes were observed with electron microscopy. Real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and Western Blot were used to measure the mRNA and protein expressions of Occludin, inflammatory factor HMGB1 and its downstream signal molecule nuclear transcription factor-κB p65 (NF-κB p65) in the rat small intestine.Results:The results of histopathology and ultrastructure of the small intestine showed that in the LPS group, the intestinal mucosa tissue swelled obviously, part of the glands were incomplete, the infiltration of neutrophils increased, themicrovillus cells were absent, arranged indisorder, and the number of tight connections significantly reduced compared with the PBS control group. The levels of D-lactic acid and DAO indicating mucosal barrier permeability, the levels of inflammatory factor HMGB1 and its downstream signaling molecule NF-κB p65 mRNA and protein expressions in the LPS group were significantly higher than those in the PBS control group, and the mRNA and protein expression of Occludin in the small intestine was significantly lower than that in the PBS control group, suggesting that the intestinal mucosal barrier function in septic rats was damaged, permeability increased, and the structure was damaged. After the administration of the HMGB1 inhibitor EP, the intestinal mucosal barrier damage was significantly improved. The performance was as follows: the Chiu score of the small intestine tissue and the plasma D-lactic acid and DAO levels in the EP intervene group were significantly lower than those in the LPS group [Chiu score: 1.60±0.48 vs. 3.40±0.48, D-lactic acid (mmol/L): 3.30±0.22 vs. 5.30±0.16, DAO (U/L): 23.66±0.97 vs. 30.47±1.11, all P < 0.05]. Occludin mRNA and protein expression levels were significantly higher than those in the LPS group [Occludin mRNA (2 -ΔΔCt): 0.82±0.05 vs. 0.37±0.08, Occludin protein (Occludin/β-actin): 1.04±0.09 vs. 0.75±0.11, both P < 0.05], while the mRNA and protein expression levels of HMGB1 and NF-κB p65 were significantly lower than those in the LPS group [HMGB1 mRNA (2 -ΔΔCt): 1.63±0.10 vs. 3.57±0.10, HMGB1 protein (HMGB1/β-actin): 1.40±0.07 vs. 1.87±0.07; NF-κB p65 mRNA (2 -ΔΔCt): 1.47±0.09 vs. 2.62±0.13, NF-κB p65 protein (NF-κB p65/β-actin): 1.24±0.14 vs. 1.60±0.13, all P < 0.05]. Conclusions:Intestinal mucosal barrier function of septic rats was damaged, permeability increased, and structure was damaged. The mechanism may be that the expression of inflammatory factor HMGB1 was up-regulated and promoted the activation of its downstream signaling molecule NF-κB, thereby mediated the inflammatory cascade reaction and caused damage to the intestinal mucosa.

Objective:To evaluate a new type of draw-bar skin stretcher in repair of full-thickness skin defects.Methods:From May 2015 to January 2019, 52 patients with full-thickness skin defects were repaired with a new type of draw-bar skin stretcher at Daping Hospital, Army Medical University. They were 40 males and 12 females, aged from 4 to 61 years (average, 37.1 years). Their skin was stretched for primary wound closure. When primary wound closure failed, skin stretching was performed again to close the wound depending on the wound condition. When the Pinch test was negative after skin stretching, the wound was sutured directly. In cases of positive Pinch test, a skin graft or flap was used to repair the remaining wound. At 12 months after surgery, scar contracture and size of skin graft or flap were observed and wound healing after skin stretching was evaluated in comparison with the original wound.Results:After skin stretching, one-stage wound closure was achieved in 36 cases and multi-stage wound closure in 8 cases; of the remaining 8 cases, 2 were repaired by skin graft and 6 by skin flap after their wounds were reduced by skin stretching. In one-stage closed wounds, infection occurred in 3 cases and marginal necrosis in 5 cases; in the wounds repaired by skin graft or flap, no infection or necrosis was observed. The 12-month follow-up for all the patients showed fine healing of all the wounds after one-stage or multi-stage closure, linear scar, absence of scar contracture, and smaller wound sizes than the original ones after skin graft or flap repair.Conclusions:Skin stretching using our new type of draw-bar skin stretcher is an effective treatment for skin wounds. It can replace traditional skin grafting and flap surgery in some cases, but its indications should be strictly followed to avoid related complications.

Orthodontic treatment is more complicated when both soft and hard tissues must be considered because an impacted maxillary canine has important effects on function and esthetics. Compared with extraction of impacted maxillary canines, exposure followed by orthodontic traction can improve esthetics and better protect the patient's teeth and alveolar bone. Therefore, in order to achieve desirable tooth movement with minimal unexpected complications, a precise diagnosis is indispensable to establish an effective and efficient force system. In this report, we describe the case of a 31-year-old patient who had a labio-palatal horizontally impacted maxillary left canine with a severe occlusal alveolar bone defect and a missing maxillary left first premolar. Herein, with the aid of three-dimensional imaging, sequential traction was performed with a three-directional force device that finally achieved acceptable occlusion by bringing the horizontally impacted maxillary left canine into alignment. The maxillary left canine had normal gingival contours and was surrounded by a substantial amount of regenerated alveolar bone. The 1-year follow-up stability assessment demonstrated that the esthetic and functional outcomes were successful.

Bone homeostasis is a relative balance between bone formation and resorption. Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), which is closely related to bone homeostasis, takes part in multiple intracellular and extracellular signal pathways. STAT3 participates in the process of osteoblast differentiation regulated by several factors. It can also maintain bone homeostasis by regulating the recruitment, differentiation and activation of osteoclasts. In addition, STAT3 is involved in the interaction between osteoblasts and osteoclasts. Patients with STAT3 mutations can have several inherited bone metabolism diseases. Furthermore, STAT3 plays a critical role in load-driven bone remodeling. Mechanical stimulation promotes osteoblast differentiation and bone formation through activating or enhancing STAT3 expression during bone remodeling process. This review summarizes the participation of STAT3 in maintaining bone homeostasis together with its possible mechanisms and discusses the connection between STAT3 and mechanical stimulation in bone remodeling, so as to provide a potential pharmacological target for the treatment of bone diseases.

A novel coronavirus pneumonia (NCP) epidemic has occurred in Wuhan, Hubei Province since December 2019, caused by a novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) never been seen previously in human. China has imposed the strictest quarantine and closed management measures in history to control the spreading of the disease. However, severe trauma can still occur in the NCP patients. In order to standardize the emergency treatment and the infection prevention and control of severe trauma patients with hidden infection, suspected or confirmed infection of 2019-nCoV, Trauma Surgery Branch of Chinese Medical Doctors' Association organized this expert consensus. The consensus illustrated the classification of the NCP patients, severe trauma patients in need of emergency surgery, emergency surgery type, hierarchical protection for medical personnel and treatment places. Meanwhile, the consensus standardized the screening, injury severity evaluation, emergency surgical treatment strategy and postoperative management strategy of severe trauma patients during the epidemic period of NCP, providing a basis for the clinical treatment of such kind of patients.