Articular osteocartilage injury caused by trauma or bone disease is very common in clinical practices,the proportion of cartilage defects reached 40.31%. As the low self healing abilities of articular cartilage, the technology of tissue engineering becomes a new method to treat articular cartilage injuries with regenerative medicine. Scaffolds can be divided into preformed and hydrogel scaffolds according to properties. The traditional graft of pre-formed scaffold will bring the secondary injury to the cartilage around the defect, and the loose graft intergration with the defect surface is still a problem. Repairing irregular articular cartilage defects with ideal biomimic materials on the basis of avoiding secondary damage will become a main issue. The method of minimally invasive injecting, biomimics, and in situ remodeling brings hope to articular cartilage repairing. Below is a summary of the international and domestics reference data of recent years on collagen hydrogel in cartilage tissue engineering.
Collagen ; Humans ; Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate ; Tissue Engineering ; methods

Objective To measure the catalytic effect of ammonium salt solution on hydrogen production , and analyze the relationships between hydrogen concentration and oxygen concentration , oxidation-reduction potential , and pH in solution . Methods Magnesium and water reacted at different concentrations of NH4Cl, (NH4)2SO4, NH4HCO3,(NH4)2CO3, NaHCO3 and Na2SO3 in 40℃water bath for 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 hours, and above-mentioned four indicators of ammonium salt solution were measured after these reactions .Results The hydrogen concentration in the solution increased with the reaction time and the concentration of the ammonium salt solution .Oxygen concentration and oxidation-reduction potential decreased .The hydrogen concentration in the solution was significantly negatively correlated with the oxygen concentration (r=-0.984).pH increased with the hydrogen concentration in the ammonium salt solution .Conclusion The ammonium salt solution has a good catalytic effect on magnesium and water reaction .NH4Cl has the strongest catalytic effect under the same reaction conditions,followed by (NH4)2SO4, NH4HCO3 and (NH4)2CO3.Thus, this study can provide detailed data on hydrogen production in different solutions .

BACKGROUNDThe latest version of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM staging system has not comprehensively evaluated the impact of tumour length on survival in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Our study explored the relationship between tumour length and clinicopathological characteristics as well as long-term survival.

METHODSAll 202 cases of esophageal resections done from January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2008 in Huashan Hospital, Fudan University were reviewed and followed up.

RESULTSPatients with tumour length = 3 cm were related to more advanced tumour stage (χ(2) = 55.9, P < 0.001), more metastatic lymph nodes (χ(2) = 14.6, P < 0.001), increased metastatic lymph node ratio χ(2) = 16.1, P < 0.001) and worse overall TNM stage (χ(2) = 48.1, P < 0.001). Univariate and multivariate analyses indicated that tumour length was a significant prognostic risk factor (95% CI 0.235 - 0.947, P = 0.035). Subgroup analyses disclosed that tumour length was a valuable prognostic predictor in patients with lower T stage, absence of metastatic lymph nodes and lower TNM stage.

CONCLUSIONSEsophageal tumour length is a predictive factor for long-term survival especially for lower tumour stage, absence of metastatic lymph nodes and lower TNM stage patients. Tumour length should be incorporated in the staging system as an important grouping factor for better prognostic evaluation.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; mortality ; pathology ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; mortality ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis

Animals ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Dermatitis ; epidemiology ; parasitology ; Disease Outbreaks ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mites ; Schools, Nursery

Objective To explore the effect of patent foramen ovale(PFO)on white matter lesions(WMLs) in migraine without aura(MwoA).Methods Thirty-five patients with MwoA were examined by contrast transcranial Doppler(cTCD)and magnetic resonance imaging(MRI).According to the results of PFO and MRI Flair data,the patients' age,sex and headache characteristics were matched,and the WMLs were compared between the PFO positive group and negative group.Results Seven cases of WMLs were recruited in PFO positive group(19 cases)and the WMLs were distributed in the frontal lobe and/or the parietal lobe.The score ranged from 1 to 7 points.Five cases of WMLs were enrolled in PFO negative group(16 cases)and the WMLs also were distributed in the frontal lobe and/or the parietal lobe.The score ranged from 1 to 3 points.There was no significant difference in WMLs between the groups(P＞ 0.05).Conclusion White matter lesions in migraine without aura are distributed in the frontal lobe and the parietal lobe,and these findings do not support a relationship between PFO and WMLs.

BACKGROUNDPost-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis (PEP) is regarded as one of the worrisome complications of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Results of randomized controlled trials evaluating the preventive effect of ulinastatin and gabexate mesylate (GM) on PEP are contradictory. The present study was designed to evaluate the prophylactic effect of ulinastatin and GM on PEP with meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

METHODSFive electronic databases were searched for RCTs evaluating the preventive effect of ulinastatin and GM on PEP. Summary effects were assessed with the methods recommended by the Cochrane Collaboration.

RESULTSTwelve studies involving 5105 participants were included in our meta-analyses. Administration of ulinastatin decreased the incidence of PEP only at sufficient doses (OR, 0.39; 95%CI, 0.19 to 0.81; P = 0.01). Number needed to treat (NNT) was 6. And administration of ulinastatin also reduced the incidence of post-ERCP hyperamylasemia (PEHA) (OR, 0.40; 95%CI, 0.28 to 0.58; P < 0.000 01). Slow infusion of high-dose GM was effective for PEP prevention (OR, 0.44; 95%CI, 0.25 to 0.79; P = 0.006), and rapid infusion of low-dose GM also showed efficacy for PEP prophylaxis (OR, 0.37; 95%CI, 0.20 to 0.69; P = 0.002). NNT was 7 and 6 respectively. However, administration of GM at low doses and by slow infusions was ineffective (OR, 0.99; 95%CI, 0.64 to 1.55; P = 0.98). Administration of GM had the tendency to reduce PEHA rate, but not to a statistical significance (OR, 0.86; 95%CI, 0.73 to 1.01; P = 0.06). When low-quality studies were excluded, the meta-analysis with two high-quality studies indicated that ulinastatin did not reduce the rate of PEP (OR, 0.63; 95%CI, 0.32 to 1.26; P = 0.19) and PEHA incidence (OR, 0.80; 95%CI, 0.31 to 2.07; P = 0.64). The meta-analysis with six high-quality studies showed that GM administration decreased PEP incidence (OR, 0.52; 95%CI, 0.29 to 0.91; P = 0.02), while was not efficacious for PEHA prevention (OR, 0.88; 95%CI, 0.74 to 1.04; P = 0.12).

CONCLUSIONSUlinastatin and GM may be of value for the prophylaxis of PEP. GM should be administered at high doses and by rapid infusions. And the doses of ulinastatin should be sufficient. However, the conclusions are not overwhelming. More large-sample size and high-quality RCTs are still needed to elucidate whether administrations of the two drugs really have prophylactic effect on PEP.

Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; adverse effects ; Gabexate ; therapeutic use ; Glycoproteins ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Pancreatitis ; prevention & control

OBJECTIVETo summarize the resectable rate of advanced gastric cancer characterized by abdominal lymph node metastases with the arteriovenous neoadjuvant FLEOX chemotherapy plus appropriate nutritional support.

METHODSArteriovenous neoadjuvant FLEOX chemotherapy was administered to 50 patients of gastric cancer with advanced abdominal lymph node metastases. Of the 50 patients, 42 had never received any previous therapy and preoperative CT scanning revealed unresectable tumors because of advanced lymph node (station No.3, 7, 9, 12) or distant lymph node (No.14,16) metastases. The other 8 were characterized with relapse of severe lymph node metastases or with unresectable lymph node metastases demonstrated by exploratory laparotomy. Arteriovenous neoadjuvant FLEOX chemotherapy was conducted as follows: from day 1 to day 5, 5-FU 370 mg/m(2) and leukovorin 30 mg/kg intravenously, at day 6 and day 20, CDDP 70 mg/m(2) and epotoside 70 mg/m(2) intraarterially. This FLEOX regimen was repeated every five weeks for two or three courses. Out of the 50 patients,12 malnutritional cases received parenteral and/or enteral nutritional support according to the nutritional condition. Arteriovenous neoadjuvant FLEOX chemotherapy was then administered after the improvement of nutritional state. Their nutritional support methods were adapted to their chemotherapy as well.

RESULTSAll the patients' general conditions and symptoms were improved significantly. For the 50 cases, the imageological and histological response rate (CR+PR) was 84.0%, and curative resection rate was 78.0%. Thus, 39 patients underwent subtotal or total gastrectomy, even combined organ resection, with D(2)+alpha or D(3) lymphadenectomy. Despite neoadjuvant chemotherapy, all malnutritional cases had significant weight gain after nutritional support, and other nutritional indexes,such as serum albumin, also resumed to normal.

CONCLUSIONArteriovenous neoadjuvant FLEOX chemotherapy proves favorable therapeutic effect for gastric cancer with advanced abdominal lymph node metastases, and downstages inoperable metastatic lymph nodes for radical operation. This combined modality regimen and nutritional support may play an important role in the treatment of advanced gastric cancer.

Adult ; Aged ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Female ; Gastrectomy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; methods ; Nutritional Support ; Stomach Neoplasms ; surgery ; therapy

BACKGROUNDConnective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is a secreted protein containing several domains that mediate interactions with growth factors, integrins and extracellular matrix components. CTGF plays an important role in extracellular matrix production by its ability to mediate collagen deposition during wound healing. CTGF also induces neovascularization in vitro, suggesting a role in angiogenesis in vivo. We herein evaluated whether CTGF was required for extracellular matrix synthesis of meniscal fibrochondrocytes and/or angiogenesis during the repair of meniscal tears.

METHODSMeniscal fibrochondrocytes were isolated from the inner-1/2 of rabbit meniscus by trypsin collagenase treatment and further treated with 100 ng/ml CTGF in vitro. Characterization of fibrochondrocytes was identified by flow cytometry analyzing CD31, CD44, CD45 and CD105, and was further tested by type II collagen immunocytochemistry. Changes in gene expression of meniscal fibrochondrocytes were monitored by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Histological sections prepared from a 3-mm portion of a longitudinal tearing defect in the middle of the rabbit meniscus were subjected to fluorescence-immunohistochemistry analysis at 1, 4 and 10 weeks following surgical treatment with 1.5 µg of CTGF/fibrin-glue composites.

RESULTSQuantitative RT-PCR assay showed that types I and II collagen and vascular endothelial growth factor mRNA expression in the 100 ng/ml CTGF group were remarkably enhanced as compared to levels in the no-dose group at 14 days ((2.38 ± 0.63) fold, (2.96 ± 0.87) fold, (2.14 ± 0.56) fold, respectively). Likewise, fluorescence-immunohistochemical analysis revealed that in the group implanted with CTGF-fibrin glue, types I and II collagen, as well as the capillaries, completely filled the defect by 10 weeks, postoperatively. In contrast, only soft tissue repair occurred when PBS-fibrin glue was implanted.

CONCLUSIONSThese findings suggest that CTGF can significantly promote extracellular matrix deposition (types I and II collagen) within the meniscal avascular zone; CTGF can greatly heighten the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor activity simultaneously in vivo, further enhancing the repair of meniscal tears in the avascular zone.

Animals ; Cells, Cultured ; Chondrocytes ; cytology ; Collagen Type I ; metabolism ; Collagen Type II ; metabolism ; Connective Tissue Growth Factor ; pharmacology ; Flow Cytometry ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Menisci, Tibial ; cytology ; Rabbits ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tibial Meniscus Injuries ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism ; Wound Healing ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo screen efficient siRNA for inhibiting hepatitis B virus using the technique of PCR-based tRNA(val) Pol III-shRNA expression cassettes (SECs).

METHODSBased on core gene sequence of HBV, five target sites of siRNA were designed. tRNAval Pol III-shRNA expression cassettes produced by one-step overlapping extension PCR strategy were co-transfected with HBV C gene and pC-EGFP plasmid into AD293 cells respectively. Forty-eight hours after transfection, fluorescence of HBVC-GFP protein was detected by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS); HBV C mRNA was detected by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. HBV-producing HepG2. 2. 15 cells were transfected with selected SECs for 72 h, HBsAg and HBeAg in the cell culture medium were detected by radioimmunoassay assay (RIA). HBV pgRNA from cell total RNA was detected by semi-quantitative PCR.

RESULTCo-transfection with pC-GFP plasmid and SECs into AD293 cells resulted in inhibition expression of HBV C gene and decrease of EGFP fluorescence intensity. SEC-492i showed most significant inhibition effect on HBV C-EGFP expression compared with other SECs. Selected SEC-492i or SEC-282i targeting core gene could efficiently decrease expression of HBeAg and the level of HBV pgRNA in a dose-dependent manner. SEC-492i inhibited HBV replication and antigen expression in a more efficient way than SEC-282i at the same final concentration.

CONCLUSIONThe expressed shRNA, which targets sites on HBV C mRNA in 492i, is to have having most efficient RNAi effect. tRNAval Pol III-shRNA expression cassettes produced by one-step overlapping extension PCR strategy should be useful for identification of optimal siRNA.

Base Sequence ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cells, Cultured ; Embryo, Mammalian ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; genetics ; Hepatitis B Core Antigens ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; Humans ; Kidney ; cytology ; Liver Neoplasms ; pathology ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; RNA, Small Interfering ; RNA, Transfer, Val ; genetics ; RNA, Viral ; genetics ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of Al2O3 particles sandblasting on the surface roughness, element composition and resin bond durability of zirconia ceramic.

METHODSSixty 2.5 mm thick computer aided design and computer aided manufacture (CAD/CAM) zirconia ceramic (Vita Inceram YZ) plates were fired, polished and cleaned. Half of polished ceramic plates was sandblasted with 50 µm alumina particles at 0.3 MPa for 20 s. The surface roughness of polished and sandblasted ceramic surface were measured by 3D-laser scanning microscope, and the surface element weight and atom ratio of the ceramic surface were measured by energy disperse spectroscopy (EDS). Then polished and sandblasted ceramic plates were randomized into six groups. In Group 1 and 2 the polished and sandblasted ceramic plates were bonded irrespectively with conventional resin cement (DUOLINK). In Group 3 and 4 the ceramic plates were bonded with resin cement containing MDP (Panavia F), In Group 5 and 6 the specimens were pretreated with silane coupler acitivated by MDP (Clearfil Ceramic Primer), then bond with Panavia F. The specimens of each test group were then divided into two subgroups, and to received shear test after 0 and 10 000 time thermal cycle. The data was analyzed by one-way ANOVA and independent t test.

RESULTSComparing with polishing, sandblasting reduced the oxygen atom and weight ratio of zirconia ceramic surface (P < 0.001), and increased the zirconium atom and weight ratio (P < 0.001), meanwhile increased the surface roughness (P < 0.001). The bond strength between ceramic plates and resin cement in all test groups decreased after thermocycling (P < 0.001). All specimen in test group 1 and 2 lost bond, and the bond strength of test group 3 and 5 [(0.59 ± 0.17), (0.89 ± 0.84) MPa] were significantly lower than that of test group 4 and 6 [(14.63 ± 3.03), (16.64 ± 1.90) MPa], and the bond strength of test group 6 were significanlty higher than that of test group 4.

CONCLUSIONSSandblasting improves durability of bond between zirconia ceramic and resin cement containing MDP, not only by increasing the roughness and area of ceramic surface, but also by changing its surface element composition to obtain more chemical bond.

Aluminum Oxide ; chemistry ; Ceramics ; chemistry ; Dental Bonding ; Dental Stress Analysis ; Materials Testing ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Resin Cements ; chemistry ; Shear Strength ; Surface Properties ; Zirconium ; chemistry