Studying effects of 50 Hz sinusoidal electromagnetic fields (SEMFs) with different intensities on peak bone mass (PBM) of rats may provide a theoretical basis for application of electromagnetic clinical field. 30 female SD rats, 6 weeks of age, were randomly divided into three groups: the control group, 0.1 mT electromagnetic field group (EMFs) and 0.6 mT EMFs. The EMFs groups were treated for 3 h/day. After 8 weeks, we examined their bone mineral densities (BMD) , measured their bone biomechanical properties, and made serum levels of osteocalcin (OC), tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b (TRACP 5b), and histomorphometry. It was found that the BMD (P < 0.01), maximum mechanical load (P < 0.01) in the 0.1 mT group were significantly higher than those in the control group, and Yield strength (P < 0.05), the analyses of serum bone turnover markers and histomorphometric parameters were better than those in the control group (P < 0.05). However, the 0.6 mT group did not have significantly difference comparing with that in the control group. This study proved that 50 Hz 0.1 mT SEMFs can increased BMD, bone strength, and bone tissue microstructure. Therefore, 50 Hz 0.1 mT SEMFs can improve peak bone mass of rats.
Acid Phosphatase ; blood ; Animals ; Bone Density ; Bone and Bones ; physiology ; Electromagnetic Fields ; Female ; Isoenzymes ; blood ; Osteocalcin ; blood ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tartrate-Resistant Acid Phosphatase

Objective To investigate the methods and effects of different flaps for repair of high energy injury-induced soft tissue wound of the heel.Methods From January 2002 to June 2012,the patients including 12 males and 9 females aged 18-57 years (mean,32 years) underwent heel soft tissue defect reconstruction.Causes of injury were traffic injury in 11 case and mechanical injury in 10 cases.Dimension of soft tissue defect ranged from 5 cm × 3 cm to 8 cm × 6 cm.Soft-tissue defect was repaired with sural neurovascular flaps at the posterolateral heel in 9 cases (Group A),with posterior tibial artery flaps at the posterolateral heel in 5 cases (Group B),and with medial plantar flaps at the loading area of heel in 7 cases (Group C).Sensory recovery and two point discrimination motion of the ankle joint were observed and compared among groups 12 month after operation.Heel pain was observed during weight bearing and joint activity was evaluated using the visual analogue scale (VAS).Results All the flaps survived,except for one with epidermal necrosis over the distal part,which healed after partial changing medication.Duration of follow-up was 12-24 months.There were no differences in the appearance,texture and contour between the flaps and recipient sites.Flaps showed no ulcer in the weight-bearing area and recovered their protective sense.Patients could walk normally after surgery.At postoperative 1 year,sensory recovery rate of the flaps in Groups A,B and C was 0,20％ and 100％ respectively (P ＜0.01).Appearance of the heel in all groups recovered to almost normal.Cases that could start nil weight-bearing exercise without pain accounted for 8 (89％) in Group A,4 (80％) in Group B,and 6 (86％) in Group C (P ＞ 0.05).While heel pain existed in weight-bearing exercise.Difference in VAS was significant among the three groups (P ＜ 0.05),but ankle range of motion was not (P ＞0.05).Conclusion Medial plantar flaps are suitable for tissue defect of 5-8 cm in length but sural neurovascular flaps and posterior tibial artery flaps should be considered for over 8 cm defect in order to elevate survival rate of the flaps and reconstruct limb function.

Aim To compare the pharmacological ac-tivity of icariin( ICA) and genistien ( GEN) against os-teoporosis after oral administration with them to growing rats and ovariectomized rats. Methods 25 mg·kg-1 icariin and 10 mg · kg-1 genistein ( equal in molar concentration) were administered to one-month-old fe-male SD rats every day for three months. Treatments at the same dosage were administered to the 6-month-old ovariectomized SD rats every day for three months. Their effects were compared on bone mineral density and biomechanical properties of femurs and vertebrae, serum levels of osteocalcin and tartaric acid phospha-tase 5b ( TRACP 5b) and histomorphometry. Results The results showed that, in young rats, icariin treat-ment significantly increased bone mineral density, the maximum mechanical loads of femurs and vertebrae as well as the bone qualities ( serum markers and microar-chitecture ) , whereas genistein treatment had little effects compared with the non-treatment control. How-ever, genistein treatment was more efficacious than icariin in preventing bone loss and deterioration of bone microarchitecture in ovariectomized rats. Conclusion Our data suggest that, since icariin has a higher os-teogenic activity but lower estrogenic activity, it has been found to be more efficacious than genistein in peak bone mass accrual only in young rats. In the ovariectimized rats, however, as the main force to pre-vent bone loss is the estrogenic activity, genistein has been found to be more efficacious than icariin in reduc-ing bone loss.

The present research was aimed to investigate the effect of 50Hz, 1. 8mT of sinusoidal electromagnetic fields(SEMFs)on femur tissue cultivation in vitro. The rat femur tissue was isolated from SD rats by method of enzyme digestion, and randomly divided into two groups: SEMFs group and control. The femur tissue of SEMFs groups were exposured under 50Hz 1. 8mT of SEMFs for 1. 5h/time/d, but those in the control groups were without SEMFs treatment. The correlative gene was detected by the Real-time RT-PCR that after SEMFs treatment for 0 (first times treatments is 0 days), 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5d. The alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity was measured after SEMFs treatment for 3, 6, 9 and 12d respectively. The calcium content was detected after SEMFs treatment for 3, 6, 9 and 12d. The results showed that the OPG and Collagen-1 mRNA expression level was kept at a relatively stable level by SEMFs in the SEMFs group significantly. The Runx-2 mRNA expression level was significantly increased after the SEMFs treatment for 1d and 5d. The ALP activity of femur tissue was significantly increased alter SEMFs treatment for 3d and 9d. The calcium content was higher than untreated groups after SEMFs treatment for 6, 9 and 12d. The SEMFs promoted OPG, Collagen-1, Runx-2 mRNA expression level, ALP activity and calcium content. The result indicated that SEMFs increased the metabolism activity of femur tissues.
Alkaline Phosphatase ; metabolism ; Animals ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Collagen Type I ; genetics ; metabolism ; Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit ; genetics ; metabolism ; Electromagnetic Fields ; Female ; Femur ; growth & development ; Male ; Osteoprotegerin ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tissue Culture Techniques ; methods

This study is to investigate effects of genistein on rat femoral bone metabolic in vitro. Rat femoral tissues was isolated and randomly divided into two groups including control group and genistein (1 x 10(-5) mol x(-1)) group. Determinations of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, calcium content and osteoprotegerin (OPG), type I-collagen (Collagen-I), RANKL, Runx-2 and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP-2) mRNA expression were done by real-time PCR. The results showed that 1 x 10(-5) mol x L(-1) genistein could increase the activity of ALP and contents of Ca, regulate bone metabolism activity of OPG, RANKL, BMP-2, Collagen-I and Runx-2 mRNA expression level. Genistein can significantly modulate bone metabolism related gene expression level of rat femoral tissue in vitro, and can increase calcium content and the activity of ALP.

Objective To investigate outcomes of different surgical approaches for treating cases of fracture and dislocation of the lower cervical spine.Methods The study involved 26 cases of fracture and dislocation of the lower cervical spine treated surgically from December 2002 to January 2012,including 19 males and 7 females with age ranging from 27 to 62 years (average 39 years).According to the AO classification,there were 12 cases of type B3.1,three of type B3.2,two of type C2.1,three of type C3.1,and six of type C3.2.Preoperative spinal cord function graded by Frankel criteria was six cases of grade A,five of grade B,seven of grade C,six of grade D,and two of grade E.Conventional skull traction was done for all patients before operation.Vertebral cannal decompression and interbody fusion through anterior,posterior or anterior-posterior approaches were determined according to type of fracture dislocation and severity of spinal cord injury.Radiography was performed regularly after operation to review the correction of dislocation,restoration of vertebral height,and interbody fusion.Spinal cord function was also evaluated postoperatively.Results No large blood vessel injury or aggravation of spinal cord injury occurred intraoperatively.There were no complications of incision infection,leakage of cerebrospinal fluid,herniation of bone graft or implant breakage postoperatively.All cases obtained successful correction of fracture and dislocation of the lower cervical spine as well as the recovery of cervical sequence,physiological curvature,and vertebral height in the 12 to 24 months of follow-up (average 16 months).Bony fusion was obtained for all cases at postoperative 3-6 months (average 3.5 months).Spinal function evaluated by Frankel criteria at the latest follow-up showed was grade A in six cases,grade B in three,grade C in five,grade D in five and grade E in seven,with different degree of improvement for all cases.Conclusions Operative approaches should be selected according to the specific status of fracture and dislocation of the lower cervical spine.Anterior approach can be performed for vertebral or intervertebral disc injury straightly and the procedure handles cervical instability immediately.Posterior surgical approach can be used to settle dislocation and interlocking of the articular process directly,but the intervertebral disc injury should be ruled out simultaneously in order to avoid further injury of spinal cord during the reduction process.Combined anterior and posterior surgical approach can be applied to treat fracture and dislocation of lower cervical spine and intervertebral disc injury concurrently but has high risk and large operation wound.

This paper proposes a media access control (MAC) layer design for wireless body area network (WBAN) systems. WBAN is a technology that targets for wireless networking of wearable and implantable body sensors which monitor vital body signs, such as heart-rate, body temperature, blood pressure, etc. It has been receiving attentions from international organizations, e. g. the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), due to its capability of providing efficient healthcare services and clinical management. This paper reviews the standardization procedure of WBAN and summarizes the challenge of the MAC layer design. It also discusses the methods of improving power consumption performance, which is one of the major issues of WBAN systems.
Equipment Design ; Health Services Accessibility ; trends ; Healthcare Disparities ; Humans ; Monitoring, Physiologic ; instrumentation ; Telemedicine ; instrumentation ; Wireless Technology

The objective of this research was to fabricate a novel tissue inducible nerve guide conduit, and to evaluate its biologic property. The microspheres were prepared with chitosan that encapsulated ligustrazine. The drug release of the chitosan microspheres was detected with application of the controlled release method in vitro. Chitosan microspheres were mixed with collagen to fabricate the tissue inducible nerve conduit, which were crosslinked with 2% genipin for 24h. Mechanical properties of the nerve guide conduit samples, including maximum load and breaking load, were measured using an Instron Series IX Automated Materials Testing System. The flexibility of the nerve guide conduit was determined with the texture evaluation instrument. Different methods, such as scanning electron microscope (SEM), light microscope (LMS) and immunofluorescence were used to analyze the spatial structure of the nerve guide conduit, the distribution of the microspheres, the state of the nerve duct combined with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and the effect of the ligustrazine that released from chitosan microsphere on MSCs differentiation into nerve cells, respectively. The results showed that the chitosan microspheres had better releasing effect. The mechanical properties resultant nerve guide conduit were determined. The maximum load and breaking load of the genipin crosslinked samples were significantly higher than that observed with the non-crosslinkers, increasing to (0.76 +/- 0.15) N and (0.69 +/- 0.17) N from (0.23 +/- 0.09) N and (0.20 +/- 0.12) N for the non-crosslinkers (P < 0.01). The degradation rates of non-crosslinked and crosslinked by genipin were(58.62 +/- 7.59) mg and (9.23 +/- 2.47) mg, respec- tively. This had a statistical significance (P < 0.01). The average linearities in dry and hygrometric state of the nerve guide conduit were (0.597 +/- 0.012) LC and (0.333 +/- 0.015) LC, respectively, which also had statistical significance (P < 0.01). The flexibility in the hygrometric state of the nerve guide conduit was better than that of the dry. SEM analysis of the samples demonstrated that the structures of the nerve guide conduit were significantly changed in crosslinking samples, the microspheres were uniformly distributed on the surface of scaffold, the ligustrazine that released from the chitosan microspheres could promote MSCs to express NSE and MAP2 that were the relevant marker molecule of nerve cells. The nerve guide conduit is combined with MSCs, which promote MSCs proliferation and NSE expression by the ligustrazine that released from the chitosan microspheres. The conduit has better biological compatibility and tissue inducible function.
Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Chitosan ; chemistry ; Collagen ; chemistry ; Guided Tissue Regeneration ; methods ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; Microspheres ; Nerve Regeneration ; drug effects ; Pyrazines ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Tissue Engineering ; Tissue Scaffolds ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of genistein on osteoblast proliferation, cellular cycle, apoptosis and differentiation of osteoblasts cultivated under hypoxia conditions.

METHODRat osteoblasts were isolated from calvarias by enzyme digestion and a hypoxic model was established by in a triple-gas incubator. Rat osteoblasts were grouped into the normoxic control group, the hypoxia control group and the hypoxia administration group which was subdivided into Ge-6 group, Ge-5 group and Ge-4 group, to which genistein was administered at doses of 1 x 10(-6), 1 x 10(-5), 1 x 10(-4) mol x L(-1). The cell survival rate, lactic dehydrogenase leakage rate, apoptosis and differentiation of osteoblasts were observed for each group at 3 h after hypoxia, and the gene expression of HIF-1alpha, Bcl-2, Caspase-3 was detected by Real time RT-PCR. Forty-eight hours after hypoxia, osteogenic differentiation markers including alkaline phosphatase activity and nodules were detected.

RESULTCompared with the hypoxia control group, the hypoxia administration group displays a significant increase in the survival rate and a decreased in LDH leakage rate, apoptosis rate and percentage of S + G2 phases. Besides, the mRNA level of HIF-1alpha and Bcl-2 were enhanced, the mRNA level of Caspase-3 was inhibited.

CONCLUSIONGenistein has an effect on protecting osteoblasts from hypoxia.

Alkaline Phosphatase ; metabolism ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Calcification, Physiologic ; drug effects ; Caspase 3 ; genetics ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Hypoxia ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Genes, bcl-2 ; Genistein ; pharmacology ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit ; genetics ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; metabolism ; Osteoblasts ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo detect the estrogenic activity of genistein and apigenin with ER-positive cell line MCF-7 human breast cancer cells.

METHODMTT method was adopted to study the impact of genistein and apigenin on MCF-7 proliferation in vitro. Real-time RT-PCR method was used to detect their impact on ERalpha, ERbeta, PR and PS2 mRNA expression levels.

RESULTGenistein and apigenin promoted the proliferation of MCF-7. Genistein 1 x 10(-10) mol x L(-1) group showed a significant increase in the expression of ERa mRNA levels or a 17. 76 times more than the control group and a 1.75 times more than the E2 group. Apigenin notably promoted the PR mRNA expression or a 4. 57 times more than the control group and a 1.11 times more than the E2 group. Both of them had different effect in promoting ERalpha, ERbeta, PR or PS2 mRNA.

CONCLUSIONBoth genistein and apigenin have a strong estrogen-like effect. Although they have different effect in promoting estrogenic response genes (such as ERa, ERbeta, PR and PS2 mRNA), genistein shows a stronger activity than apigenin. It also suggests that the signaling pathways of phytoestrogens showing estrogen-like effect are not completely identical with estrogen pathways. The B-cycle position of flavonoids is one of the key sites to estrogen-like activity, and isoflavones (cycle B on site 3) show stronger estrogen-like activity than flavones (B-cycle lies in site 2).

Apigenin ; pharmacology ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Estrogen Receptor alpha ; genetics ; metabolism ; Estrogen Receptor beta ; genetics ; metabolism ; Female ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; Genistein ; pharmacology ; Humans ; MCF-7 Cells ; Phytoestrogens ; pharmacology ; Presenilin-2 ; genetics ; metabolism