Objective To create a model with simple expression of mechanical characteristics of the human chest for the development of a manikin. Methods A simplified Gruben-model was proposed based on the anatomical structure and physical characteristics of the materials, and perfect coefficients were computed. The model feasibility was proved by the coefficient of determination and residual analysis.Results The mathematic form of the model provided had three fewer terms than Gruben′s. The coefficient of determination approximated 1, the residue was small, and the perfect coefficients of "a typical human" were determined.Conclusion The hypothesis of the model makes the coefficients physically meaningful, which provides a new method to study the force-displacement relationship of the thorax. Also the simple form makes it easy to create the model and provide some guidance for the design of a manikin′s chest.

OBJECTIVETo explore biomechanical properties and stress-strain of mucosa scars after cleft palate surgery.

METHODSAfter the model of mucosa scars was made, the mucosa scars and normal mucosa were excised and examined immediately by tensionometry.

RESULTSThe mucosa scars after cleft palate surgery were compared with normal mucosa. The Poisson's ratio of mucosa scars and normal mucosa was 0.5 and 0.49, respectively, showing no significant difference between the two groups. The ultimate Young's modulus of mucosa scars was about 24.22 MPa, however, it declined to 3.32 Mpa in normal mucosa.

CONCLUSIONSThe mucosa scars after cleft palate surgery are biomechanically weaker than normal mucosa. It can be used for further research, such as maxillary orthognathic surgery, distraction osteogenesis, and orthodontic treatment.

Biomechanical Phenomena ; Cicatrix ; physiopathology ; Cleft Palate ; surgery ; Humans ; Mouth Mucosa ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Osteogenesis, Distraction ; Osteotomy, Le Fort

Objective To investigate the properties of proliferation and differentiation of neonatal rat retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) in vitro. Methods RPCs were isolated from neonatal SD rats neural retina and cultured in DMEM/F12+N2 with EGF and bFGF (suspension medium )or 10%FBS without EGF and bFGF (differentiation medium). The cells grew as suspended spheres or adherent monolayers, depending on different culture conditions. The neural stem cells or retinal progenitors, neurons, astrocytes, retinal ganglion cells, rod photoreceptors and the proliferating cells were evaluated with immunofluorescence analysis by Nestin or Pax6, Map2, GFAP, Thy-1, Rhodopsin and BrdU antibodies respectively. Results RPCs could propagate and differentiate in suspension or differentiation medium and express the markers of Nestin (92.86%) or Pax6 (86.75%), Map2 (38.54%), GFAP (20.93%), Thy-1 (27.66%) and Rhodopsin(13.33%)in suspension medium; however, Nestin (60.27%), Pax6 (52%), Map2 (34.94%), GFAP (38.17%), Thy-1(30.84%) and Rhodopsin (34.67%) in differentiation medium. 96.4% of the population in the neurospheres was BrdU-positive cells. The cells could spontaneously adherent forming some subspheres and retinal specific cell types. Conclusion Neonatal rat RPCs possess the high degree of proliferation and can differentiate into neurons, astrocytes, retinal ganglion cells and rod photoreceptors in vitro. There are different proportions for RPCs to differentiate into specific cell types.

Objective To detect HLA-DRB1(DR1-10) alleles in 5 families with multi-case rheumatic diseases, and to study the possible influence of DRB1 genes in the pathogenesis of rheumatic diseases.Methods Sequence-Specific Primer PCR (PCR-SSP)method was used to examine HLA-DRB1 alleles. Totally 36 members of 5 families and 166 healthy people were involved in this study. The results were assesed by Chi-square test.Results The HLA-DRB1 allele frequency in the patients and their relatives was similiar. No significant difference was found. But DR4 allele frequency in the patients (90.9%) and their relatives (68%) was much higher than that in normal controls (16.8%) and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.0001). In family 4, two RA patients have different DRB1 alleles, while in family 5, two patients have the same DRB1 alleles, one developed SLE and the other developed RA.Conclusions DR4 is closely related to rheumatoid arthritis. The nelatives of RA patients may be at greater risk to develop RA than individuals without family history. Some patients had the same DRB1 allele but developed different rheumatic diseases. This suggested that there might be some common pathways in genetic predisposing of rheumatic diseases. On the other hand, only a few patients with the same DRB1 allele developed rheumatic diseases during their life, so other factors besides DRB1 gene might also be involved in the pathogenesis of rheumatic diseases.

Objective To observe the protection and distribution of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) by distinct intravenous infusion time on renal ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI) in rats.Methods We used unilateral nephrectomy and contralateral vascular occlusion method to establish renal IRI model in rats.The experimental groups which received 2 × 106 MSCs infusion through the tail vein,were subsequently divided into 3 subgroups:2 h pre-reperfusion (PreOp,n =16),immediately after reperfusion (Op,n =16),6 h post-reperfusion (PostOp,n - 16).The control groups included sham operation group (n =16) and ischemia group (n =16).Chemotaxis of DAPI-labeled MSCs was detected 6 h after administration in the IR kidney.Renal function was detected at 6,24,and 48 h respectively after operation. Forty eight h after operation,the renal tissues were harvested to observe the pathological changes by HE staining and the tubular epithelial cell apoptosis via TUNEL assay.Results MSCs were found in the experimental groups after IR in the kidney,most in PostOp group.Twenty-four and 48 h after reperfusion,there was no significant difference in Cr and BUN between the experimental groups and sham operation group (P＞0.05),but the levels of Cr and BUN in the experimental groups were significantly lower than in the IR group (P＜ 0.05). As compared with IR group,the renal pathological injury was alleviated,the number of apoptotic cells was decreased in the experimental group,most significantly in PostOp group (P＜0.05).Conclusion MSCs can reduce the inflammatory response and inhibit renal tubular cell apoptosis in rat renal IRI.Post-reperfusion administration of MSCs leads to the best chemotaxis efficiency and protection.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the prosthesis selection, precaution and curative effect of total knee replacement in severe gonarthrosis.

METHODSFrom January 1996 to July 2009, 50 patients (58 knees) with severe gonarthrosis underwent total knee replacement, included 12 males and 38 females, aged from 46 to 80 years with an average age of 66.5 years old. Six artificial hinged knee joints, 37 general knee joints and 15 ScorpioNRG knee joints were used according to the deformity of the knees. Fifty patients (58 knees) were followed up and evaluated with the HSS (the Hospital for Special Surgery Knee Score) scoring system.

RESULTSThe duration of follow-up ranged from 6 months to 8 years (means 62 months). According to the HSS scoring system, the mean preoperative score was (38.6 +/- 8.76) points, and the postoperative score was (86.50 +/- 9.45) points. The clinical effect was excellent in 20 cases (23 knees), good in 28 cases (32 knees),and acceptable in 2 cases (3 knees).

CONCLUSIONStable and functional recovery knee joint without deformities and pains could be obtained after total knee replacement by carefully chosing of prosthetic replacements according to the different degrees of joint deformity of severe gonarthrosis.

Aged ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Joint Deformities, Acquired ; surgery ; Knee Joint ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteoarthritis, Knee ; pathology ; surgery

Scutellarin is the main effective constituent of breviscapine, a flavonoid mixture isolated from the dried whole plant of Erigeron breviscapus (Vant.) Hand-Mazz, and valsartan is used as an antihypertensive drug. These two drugs have already been clinically used together to treat diabetic nephropathy (DN) in China, and the combined medications showed some enhanced protection against DN. The aim of this study is to investigate the potential pharmacokinetic interaction between scutellarin and valsartan in rats. Breviscapine injection (20 mg x kg(-1), i.v.) and valsartan (15 mg x kg-, i.g.), either alone or together were given to 18 male Sprague-Dawley rats. Concentrations of scutellarin and valsartan were quantified by HPLC, and pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated by non-compartmental methods. We found that the pharmacokinetic parameters of scutellarin altered significantly after co-administration of oral valsartan. The plasma clearance (CL(p)) and the bile clearance (CL(b)) of scutellarin were reduced significantly in the presence of valsartan. After oral administration of valsartan with or without intravenous scutellarin, however, the pharmacokinetic parameters of valsartan were comparable. In conclusion, our data suggests that the concurrent use of valsartan reduces the biliary excretion of scutellarin, and this may be due to the inhibitory effect of valsartan on the biliary excretion of scutellarin mediated by Mrp2 (Multidrug resistance-associated protein 2).
Administration, Intravenous ; Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Antihypertensive Agents ; administration & dosage ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Apigenin ; administration & dosage ; blood ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics ; Bile ; metabolism ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drug Interactions ; Erigeron ; chemistry ; Glucuronates ; administration & dosage ; blood ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics ; Male ; Metabolic Clearance Rate ; Multidrug Resistance-Associated Proteins ; metabolism ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Valsartan ; administration & dosage ; blood ; pharmacokinetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the feasibility of real-time PCR-optimized oligonucleotide probe method for detection of KRAS mutations in lung and colorectal carcinomas, as compared with Sanger sequencing method.

METHODSGenomic DNA was extracted from formalin fixed paraffin embedded samples of 221 lung carcinomas and 131 colorectal carcinomas after tumor cell content assessment and macrodissection. Real-time PCR-optimized oligonucleotide probe method and Sanger sequencing were performed to detect KRAS gene mutations. The frequency of KRAS mutation, mutation types, and their concordance were analyzed.

RESULTSKRAS mutation was detected in 6.3% (14/221) and 4.5% (10/221) of 221 lung cancer samples by using real-time PCR-optimized oligonucleotide probe method and Sanger sequencing, respectively, while in 41.2% (54/131) and 40.5% (53/131) of 131 colorectal cancer samples, respectively. There was no significant correlation between KRAS gene mutations and patients' gender and age (P > 0.05). The positive rate of KRAS codon 12 mutation was significantly higher than that of KRAS codon 13 mutation (P < 0.05). The overall concordance between real-time PCR-optimized oligonucleotide probe method and Sanger sequencing for KRAS mutation detection was 97.4%.

CONCLUSIONReal-time PCR-optimized oligonucleotide probe method provides an alternative method with high consistency and sensitivity as compared to Sanger sequencing in gene mutation detection.

Codon ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; genetics ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Oligonucleotide Probes ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins ; genetics ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; ras Proteins ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the mutation frequencies of KRAS, BRAF, PIK3CA and EGFR genes that were effective on the targeted therapies in colorectal carcinoma.

METHODSThe tissue specimens from 331 colorectal cancer patients were collected and subject to KRAS, BRAF, PIK3CA and EGFR mutation analysis. Paraffin-embedded tissue samples were obtained and macrodissection was performed to enrich the tumor cells for DNA extraction when necessary. PCR-based direct DNA sequencing was used to investigate the codons 12 and 13 in exon 2 of KRAS gene, exons 11 and 15 of BRAF gene, exons 9 and 20 of PIK3CA gene and exons 18-21 of EGFR gene.

RESULTSActivating mutations were detected in KRAS (44.1%, 137/311), BRAF (5.8%, 9/156), PIK3CA (2.6%, 4/156) and EGFR (1.3%, 2/156) in the study cohort of colorectal carcinoma cases. Among KRAS gene mutations, 81.0% (111/137) occurred in codon 12, with p.G12D as the most common variant (45.3%, 62/137); 19.0% (26/137) occurred in codon 13, with 38G > A (G13D) as the most common variant (17.5%, 24/137).

CONCLUSIONSThe KRAS mutation frequency is the highest among the four genes (KRAS, BRAF, PIK3CA and EGFT) tested in colorectal carcinoma. The presence of these gene mutations may provide therapeutic information for targeted therapy. Mutation analyses of BRAF and PIK3CA in addition to KRAS should be a part of the standard diagnostic algorithm for colorectal carcinoma patients.

Class I Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases ; Codon ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Exons ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases ; genetics ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins ; genetics ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf ; genetics ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor ; genetics ; ras Proteins ; genetics