Objective: To explore the feasibility of repairing opposite side ventri-planta soft tissue defects with the medial plantar artery combined flaps with saphenous nerve. Methods: From Jan. 2007 to Apr. 2009, 12 patients with opposite side ventri-planta soft tissue defects were repaired using the medial plantar artery combined flaps with saphenous nerve. Five cases used cross leg flaps, and 7 cases used free skin flaps. All the cases were men, with an age range of 6-40 years (only one child case). The sizes of flaps were 12 cm X 7 cm-13 cm X 8 cm for adults and 8.5 cm X 6 cm for child. The pedicles of cross leg flaps were cut off after 3-4 weeks. Results: All the 12 flaps survived. The patients were followed up for 6 months to 1 year. The color, texture and appearance of the flaps were satisfactory. The flaps of the two point discrimination were 6-9 mm on ventriplanta of reconstruction, and the affected limb could exercise freely, without ulcer on the flap. Conclusion: The medial plantar artery combined flaps with saphenous nerve can be used to repair opposite side ventri-planta vast soft tissue defects, with large flap and good texture, appearance. It can effectively recover the two point discrimination, but it has a complicated protocal.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of reverse saphenous nerve neurocutaneous flaps for skin defects at forepart of feet.

METHODSFrom January 2004 to October 2008,15 cases of skin defects at forepart of feet were repaired with reverse saphenous nerve neurocutaneous flaps. The flap size ranged from 3.5 cm x 3.0 cm to 8 cm x 5 cm. The wounds at donor site were closed with skin graft.

RESULTSAll the flaps survived completely with no ulcer at the donor site. 10 patients were followed up for 1 to approximately 9 months. The skin color and texture were satisfactory. The patients could walk very well.

CONCLUSIONSIt is reliable to repair the skin defects at forepart of feet with reverse saphenous nerve neurocutaneous flaps. It is easily performed with less morbidity.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Female ; Foot Injuries ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Skin ; injuries ; Skin Transplantation ; Surgical Flaps ; blood supply ; innervation ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the apoptosis and the express of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in spermatogenic cells, and study generation function of the rabbit after scrotal reconstruction with flaps.

METHODSThe 48 New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into three groups as experimental group (the scrotum reconstructed with flaps, n = 48), the control group (the sham operated group, n = 24) and the blank group (n = 18). The apoptosis and the expression of PCNA in the spermatogenic cells were detected with TUNEL and the immunohistochemistry from the 3rd to the 8th week after operation. 8 weeks later, 12 animals in each group were fed respectively with one female rabbit to observe the procreation.

RESULTSThe apoptotic index of the spermatogenic cells in blank group was 7.73 +/- 4.95. 3 weeks after operation, the apoptotic index of spermatogenic cells was 22.59 +/- 3.04 in the experimental group, and 21.13 +/- 1.68 in control group, showing no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). 8 weeks after operation, the apoptotic index of spermatogenic cells was 71.85 +/- 2.69 in the experimental group, and 13.64 +/- 2.09 in control group, show a significant difference between them (P < 0.05). The apoptotic index in experimental group increased gradually from the 3rd to 8th week after scrotal reconstruction , which was markedly higher than that in the blank group (P < 0.05). The apoptotic index in control group was higher than that in the blank group at the 3rd week (P < 0.05), but not at the 8th week (P > 0.05). The proliferation index of spermatogenic cells was 9.32 +/- 9.30 and 12.52 +/- 3.87 in experimental group at the 3rd and 4th week, respectively, which was significantly lower than that in blank group (43.07 +/- 2.25) and control group (45.69 +/- 4.98) at the 3rd week (P < 0.05). The proliferation index of spermatogenic cells was 46.98 +/- 18.92 and 49.53 +/- 9.79 in experimental group at the 7th and 8th week, respectively, 39.90 +/- 5.10 in control group at the 8th week, showing no difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). The proliferation index of spermatogenic cells in control group at the 3rd and 8th week was not different from that in the blank group (P > 0.05). The female pairing rabbits in the blank and control group were all pregnant, and the average childbirths were 6.0 +/- 1.28 and 5.92 +/- 1.31 respectively, with no difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). All the female pairing rabbits in the experimental group were not pregnant, showing a significant difference from those in the blank and control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe rabbit generation functional disturbance after scrotal reconstruction with flaps is due to the excessive apoptosis of spermatogenic cell. The spermatogenic cell proliferation is affected only in the early postoperative period, but can recover later.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Cell Proliferation ; Male ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; metabolism ; Rabbits ; Scrotum ; surgery ; Seminiferous Epithelium ; cytology ; Skin Transplantation ; Surgical Flaps

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of burying testis in thigh pocket on spermatogenesis.

METHODSGuizhou miniature male pigs at child-bearing period were randomly divided to receive operation of scrotum incision and dissection with the testis burying in thigh pocket (experimental group) or without (control group). 3 months later, testis biopsy was performed on 2 pigs from each group for pathological examination. Then every male pig from both experimental (n = 6) and control group (n = 6) got a mating partner and lived together for 3 months. The fertility of the male pigs was observed. 6 months after operation, testis biopsy was performed again on all the animals from both the groups.

RESULTSBoth at 3 months and 6 months after operation, the pathological examination showed the spermatogenic cells of all stage in contorted seminiferous tubules markedly decreased with no mature sperm in experimental group, while normal spermatogenic cells with mature sperm in control group. After the male pigs lived with mating partners for 3 months, no female pigs staying with the experimental group became pregnant, but the male pigs in control group had a normal fertility.

CONCLUSIONSBurying testis in thigh pocket impedes spermatogenesis in the miniature male pig. So burying testis in thigh pocket is not recommended for patients with scrotum skin defect who wish to remain fertile.

Animals ; Female ; Fertility ; Male ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Rate ; Scrotum ; Skin ; injuries ; Spermatogenesis ; Swine ; Swine, Miniature ; Testis ; physiology ; Thigh ; surgery

This paper introduces the significance, the present development situation and some suggestions of the medical measurements.
Diagnostic Equipment ; standards ; Equipment and Supplies ; standards ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; instrumentation ; standards ; Medical Staff ; education ; Research Design ; standards ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; standards

OBJECTIVETo explore the influence of Free-skin-grafted penoscrotal avulsion injuries on spermatogenesis.

METHODSForty-two male New Zealand albino rabbits during child-bearing period were divided into the experimental group (n = 24) and the control group (n = 18) using random digits table, and 24 female rabbits with reproductive history were used for mating experiment. The experimental group animal's scrotum skin were excised, and the split skin from abdominal region was used to repair the skin defect of scrotum. The control group did not any processing. Six rabbits were randomly chosen respectively in control group and on the 3rd and 8th weekend after the model was successfully established in experimental group. The testicular surface temperature was measured in the eighteen rabbits using the method of burying thermometer, then the testicular biopsy were performed for hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. On the 8(th) weekend after the model was successfully established in experimental group, matched-pair feed was performed in the other 12 rabbits respectively in experimental group and in control group. Observation of corresponding mother rabbit fertility. Three patients of penoscrotal avulsion injuries were treated using split skin grafts, and the information of sex life and the quality of sperm were obtained by follow up.

RESULTSThe testicular surface temperature was similar on the 3rd and 8th weekend after the model was successfully established in experimental group [(36.15 ± 0.24)°C, (36.77 ± 0.42)°C] with that of the control group. Testis tissue (HE) staining showed the tier of spermatogenic cells was rule arrangement and lot of mature sperms were found in the convoluted seminiferous tubules in control group. The tier of spermatogenic cells was diminished and disposed derangement, the spermatozoa were not seen on the 3(th) weekend of the experiment group. The tier of spermatogenic cells was increased and some spermatozoa were seen on the 8th weekend of the experiment group. Male and female matched-pair feed showed the experimental group conception rate 8/12, and 4.1 ± 3.2 rabbit babies were born averagely, while that of was 12/12 and 6.0 ± 1.3 in control group (P > 0.05). The skin grafts there were some contracture in early stage (1 - 2 months) when the skin grafts applied to repair the avulsing scrotum in three patients. But the skin grafts became loose with downward sagging and there were the good cosmetic result in one year, and without any contracture. The sperm quality was normal after the skin grafts applied to repair the avulsing scrotum in the late stage.

CONCLUSIONSThe skin grafting is little arrest the testicle spermatogenesis in the three methods (skin flap reconstruction scrotum, testicle buried, split skin grafting) that have usually been used to repair scrotum skin lose. For a young male, the best treatment for penoscrotal avulsion injuries is free skin grafting, while skin flaps are not recommended for reconstructing the scrotum.

Adult ; Animals ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Rabbits ; Scrotum ; injuries ; surgery ; Skin Transplantation ; methods ; Spermatogenesis ; Surgical Flaps

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the serum concentrations of E- selectin, integrinbeta(1) subunit and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in gastric cancer patients and their clinicopathological significance.

METHODSThe serum levels of adhesion molecules E- selectin,intercellular adhesion molecule- 1 (ICAM- 1), and integrinbeta(1) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 47 health subjects (control group) and in 57 patients with gastric cancer (gastric cancer group) before operation and 7 days after operation. Serum levels of above three factors were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSThe serum concentrations of E- selectin, integrinbeta(1) subunit and ICAM- 1 were higher in gastric cancer group with positive rate of 24.6% ,33.3% ,28.1% respectively. ICAM- 1 and integrinbeta(1) were significant higher in gastric cancer group than that in the control group (P< 0.01),but there was no significant difference in E- selectin between two groups (P=0.64). Serum concentrations of E-selectin, ICAM-1,and integrinbeta(1) were significantly correlated with clinicopathological features as following: clinicopathological stage,invasion depth,lymph node involvement,and presence of distant metastases(P< 0.05,P< 0.01). The serum levels of E- selectin, ICAM- 1, and integrinbeta(1) were decreased significantly after radical resection of gastric cancer,but not in patients with unresectable tumor. Elevated levels of three molecules were significant prognostic factors for patients with gastric cancer,but it could not independently be used to evaluate tumor stage.

CONCLUSIONSSerum concentrations of E- selectin, ICAM- 1,and integrinbeta(1) may reflect tumor progression and metastasis.

Adult ; Aged ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; blood ; E-Selectin ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Integrin beta1 ; blood ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; blood ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prognosis ; Serum ; metabolism ; Stomach Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo explore the CD phenotypic, protein expression and pluripotent differentiation of human hypertrophic scar fibroblasts cultured in vitro, so as to study the mechanisms of scar formation.

METHODSFibroblasts were isolated and cultured from human hypertrophic scar of 3 cases. The cells morphology was observed by inverted microscope, and the growing state of the third passage was detected by the cell counting meter of Vi-CELL. The cell surface markers CD105, CD14, CD73, CD34, CD44, CD45 and CD90 were identified by flow cytometry. The expression of CK19, Oct-4, Nanog and vimentin was detected by immunocytochemistry, and the expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin(alpha-SMA) was tested by immunofluorescence. The differentiated potential of fibroblasts of the third passage into adipogenic, osteogenic and chondrogenic lineages was assayed.

RESULTSThe primary passage fibroblasts showed the shape of spindle shaped or irregular polygon with a radiated or circinate of growing arrangement. The growth curve showed the cells growth was slow on the first and second day, and quick during the third to fifth day, which reached platform stage on the sixth or seventh day. The fibroblasts highly expressed mesenchymal stem cell surface markers-CD73, CD105, CD44, CD90, but not expressed hematopoietic stem cell surface markers-CD14, CD34, CD45 by flow cytometry. And positive expression of vimentin, Oct-4 and negative expression of CK19 were detected by Immunocytochemistry. Positive expression of alpha-SMA was also detected by immunofluorescence. Multidirectional differentiation induction indicated that the third passage cells could differentiate into adipogenic, osteogenic and chondrogenic lineages.

CONCLUSIONSHuman hypertrophic scar-derived fibroblasts show the biologic characteristics of mesenchymal stem cells, which may play an important role in wound healing and hypertrophic scar formation.

Adolescent ; Antigens, CD ; metabolism ; Cell Differentiation ; physiology ; Cells, Cultured ; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic ; pathology ; Female ; Fibroblasts ; cytology ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Phenotype ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo observe the apoptosis of spermatogenic cells and the expressions of Bcl-2 and Bax proteins after burying the testis in the inguinal pocket, and to investigate their relationship.

METHODSWe randomly divided 36 healthy male New Zealand white rabbits into an experimental group (n = 18) and a control group (n = 18). Models were established by burying testes in the inguinal pocket in the experimental group, while the controls were left untreated. At the end of the 8th week after surgery, 6 animals were randomly taken from each group for measurement of the testis surface temperature and testicular biopsy. The apoptosis of spermatogenic cells in the testis tissues was detected by TUNEL assay, and the expressions of Bcl-2 and Bax proteins determined by immunohistochemistry and imaging analysis.

RESULTSAt 8 weeks after burying the testis in the inguinal pocket, the testicular surface temperature was significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control ([ 38.02 +/- 0.36] degrees C vs [36.15 +/- 0.64 ] degrees C, P < 0.05), and so was the apoptosis index (AI) of spermatogenic cells ([89.69 +/- 3.76] % vs [7.73 +/- 4.95 ] %, P < 0.05). The expression of the Bax protein in the testis was significantly increased, while that of the Bcl-2 protein remarkably decreased in the experimental group as compared with the control group (P < 0.05). The apoptotic cells were mostly primary spermatocytes and round spermatids.

CONCLUSIONElevated local temperature of the testis buried in the inguinal pocket increases the apoptosis of spermatogenic cells, and the spermatogenic cell apoptosis is highly correlated with the decreased expression of Bcl-2 and increased expression of Bax. The changes in the expressions of Bcl-2 and Bax proteins were a main mechanism behind the temperature elevation-induced apoptosis of spermatogenic cells.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Groin ; Male ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; Rabbits ; Spermatids ; metabolism ; Temperature ; Testis ; metabolism ; pathology ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDThere is a growing interest in studying the relationship between intrinsic resistance and biofilms resistance to drugs. However, the relationship still remains unclear in the macroscopic bacterial growth. Our study is to illuminate the change of bacterial drug resistance of gyrA mutant and active efflux pump during the development of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) biofilms.

METHODSThe strains of type II topoisomerase gene mutant (gyrA mutant) and multidrug resistance (MDR) efflux pump were clinical isolates and detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The process of bacterial biofilms development was observed by scanning electron microscope. Triparental mating experiments were performed to transfer report gene of green fluorescent protein (GFP) into P. aeruginosa biofilms strains and followed by analysis of bacterial survival rate between intrinsic resistance and biofilms resistance.

RESULTSThe fluorescent strains with pGFPuv could develop mature biofilms on Teflon surface. Before a period of 72 hours, the survival rate of biofilms bacteria and intrinsic resistance strains in ciprofloxacin solution was significantly different (P < 0.05). The survival number of intrinsic resistance strains (gyrA mutation and active efflux pump) was illustriously higher than biofilm strain in the initial stage of biofilms development. After 72 hours incubation, there was no clearly difference between mutants and biofilms strains in the survival rate (P > 0.05). The carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone and azithromycin could significantly reduce the drug resistance of biofilm strains and efflux pump strains.

CONCLUSIONSIn the development of P. aeruginosa biofilms, the strains of gyrA mutation and MDR efflux could be conferred with new level of drug resistance. When co-cultured mutated strains with biofilm strains, biofilms may play a major role in bacterial resistance. But after 72 hours incubation (a mature biofilms had been developed), there was no clearly difference between the number of mutant strains and biofilm strains.

Biofilms ; drug effects ; Carbonyl Cyanide m-Chlorophenyl Hydrazone ; pharmacology ; Ciprofloxacin ; pharmacology ; DNA Gyrase ; genetics ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; Mutation ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; drug effects ; genetics