Recovery of motor function in rats with complete spinal cord injury following implantation of collagen/silk fibroin scaffold combined with human umbilical cord-mesenchymal stem cells

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the effect of the collagen/silk fibroin scaffolds seeded with human umbilical cord-mesenchymal stem cells on functional recovery after acute complete spinal cord injury. METHODS: The fibroin and collagen were mixed (mass ratio, 3:7), and the composite scaffolds were produced. Forty rats were randomly divided into the Sham group (without spinal cord injury), spinal cord injury group (spinal cord transection without any implantation), collagen/silk fibroin scaffolds group (spinal cord transection with implantation of the collagen/silk fibroin scaffolds), and collagen/silk fibroin scaffolds + human umbilical cord-mesenchymal stem cells group (spinal cord transection with the implantation of the collagen/silk fibroin scaffolds co-cultured with human umbilical cord-mesenchymal stem cells). Motor evoked potential, Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan scale, modified Bielschowsky's silver staining, and immunofluorescence staining were performed. RESULTS: The BBB scores in the collagen/silk fibroin scaffolds + human umbilical cord-mesenchymal stem cells group were significantly higher than those in the spinal cord injury and collagen/silk fibroin scaffolds groups (p<0.05 or p<0.01). The amplitude and latency were markedly improved in the collagen/silk fibroin scaffolds + human umbilical cord-mesenchymal stem cells group compared with the spinal cord injury and collagen/silk fibroin scaffolds groups (p<0.05 or p<0.01). Meanwhile, compared to the spinal cord injury and collagen/silk fibroin scaffolds groups, more neurofilament positive nerve fiber ensheathed by myelin basic protein positive structure at the injury site were observed in the collagen/silk fibroin scaffolds + human umbilical cord-mesenchymal stem cells group (p<0.01, p<0.05). The results of Bielschowsky's silver staining indicated more nerve fibers was observed at the lesion site in the collagen/silk fibroin scaffolds + human umbilical cord-mesenchymal stem cells group compared with the spinal cord injury and collagen/silk fibroin scaffolds groups (p<0.01, p< 0.05). CONCLUSION: The results demonstrated that the transplantation of human umbilical cord-mesenchymal stem cells on a collagen/silk fibroin scaffolds could promote nerve regeneration, and recovery of neurological function after acute spinal cord injury.

CT-guided minimally-invasive penile fracture repair

ABSTRACT We present the case of a 28 year old patient with an incomplete tear of the tunica albuginea occurred after having sexual intercourse in the female superior position. The diagnostic assessment was performed first clinically, then with CT, owing to its high resolution, allowed to exactly detect the tear location leading to precise preoperative planning. After adequate diagnosis through imaging and proper planning, the patient was performed a selective minimally invasive surgical approach to repair the lesion. The patient had good erection with no angular deformity or plaque formation after a 3-month follow-up.

Effect of Huangdi Anxiao Capsules on zebrafish vascular lesions induced by high glucose and high fat / 中国中药杂志

Zebrafish of different strains with 5 dpf (5 days post-fertilization) were selected and fed with 0.2% high-fat diet for 8 h and 3% glucose solution for 16 halternatively during the day and night for 4 consecutive days. The zebrafish model was established and randomly divided into model group, Huangdi Anxiao Capsules (260 mg·L⁻¹) group and pioglitazone (32 mg·L⁻¹) group. The drug treatment groups were given the water-soluble drugs, with a volume of 25 mL, and incubated in a 28 °C incubator for 4 days. To detect the exposure to the corresponding drugs, the normal control group was set up. Thirty zebrafish were included in each group. The effect of Huangdi Anxiao Capsules on vascular wall thickness, fluorescence intensity of islet beta cells, fluorescence intensity of macrophages, and blood flow velocity of zebrafish were detected. The expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor (vegfaa) and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) were detected by RT-PCR. The results showed that compared with the model group, Huangdi Anxiao Capsules can significantly reduce the thickness of the blood vessel wall, increase the fluorescence intensity of islet β cells and macrophages, increase the blood flow velocity in vivo, and decrease the ACE and vegfaa expressions in zebrafish. It is suggested that Huangdi Anxiao Capsules may alleviate zebrafish vascular lesions by regulating the expressions of ACE and vegfaa.

The management of medical consumables in the cost control of hospital / 中国医学装备

Objective: To strengthen the management of medical consumable of hospital, and adapt the public welfare characteristic of hospital, and control the use of medical consumable, and reduce burden of patients, and decrease expenditure of medical healthcare insurance fund so as to establish economic base for realizing the redeveloping of hospital. Methods: Hospital must strengthen internal management, and improve the existed problem in the link of "receive-use-repurchase" of consumables management. Besides, hospital should especially strengthen the management of medical consumables. Results: As above measures, hospital has formulated countermeasures for fortifying the management of medical consumables, and strengthened supervision of purchasing. Besides, hospital has carried out performance assessment of cost from consciousness, and carried out informatization and intelligentialize of materials management system from details. And the management of consumables has be implemented in plan, out-put and in-put of warehouse, application and use management. Conclusion: The strengthening of medical consumable management of hospital can reduce the total cost of medical consumables of patients in treatment and its proportion in the operating cost of hospital. And it can alleviate burden of patients, and it also can reduce the expenditure of medical healthcare insurance fund and operating cost of hospital.

Determination and pharmacokinetics of main components for Psoralea corylifolia-Myristica fragrants drug pair by using UPLC-MS/MS / 中国中药杂志

To conduct multiple-reaction monitoring(MRM) quantitative analysis with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry method(UPLC-MS/MS), determine the concentrations of psoralen, isopsoralen, bakuchiol and dehydrodiisoeugenol in plasma under positive iron mode with chloramghenicol as internal standard, and investigate the pharmacokinetics process of the main components before and after oral administration of drug pair Psoralea corylifolia -Myristica fragrants. Thirty-six SD rats were randomly divided into three group(A, B, C) and received P. corylifolia extract, P. corylifolia-M. fragrants extract, and M. fragrants extract respectively by intragastric administration. The plasma samples were collected at different time points. In the plasma samples, psoralen, isopsoralen, bakuchiol and dehydrodiisoeugenol showed good linear relationship within concentration rages of 0.098 125 to 39.25, 0.084 37 to 33.75, 0.046 875 to 18.75, and 0.11 to 2.2 mg•L⁻¹ respectively. The precision and stability results showed that the determination method of plasma concentration for such compositions was stable and reliable. The pharmacokinetic parameters obtained by DAS 2.0 showed varying differences before and after compatibility. According to the experimental results, the compatibility of P. corylifolia and M. fragrants can significantly impact the pharmacokinetic process of main components, expand their distribution and accelerate their metabolism and elimination in vivo.

PPM1B and P-IKKβ expression levels correlated inversely with rat gastrocnemius atrophy after denervation

Activated inhibitor of nuclear factor-κB kinase β (IKKβ) is necessary and sufficient for denervated skeletal muscle atrophy. Although several studies have shown that Mg2+/Mn2+-dependent protein phosphatase 1B (PPM1B) inactivated IKKβ, few studies have investigated the role of PPM1B in denervated skeletal muscle. In this study, we aim to explore the expression and significance of PPM1B and phosphorylated IKKβ (P-IKKβ) during atrophy of the denervated gastrocnemius. Thirty young adult female Wistar rats were subjected to right sciatic nerve transection and were sacrificed at 0 (control), 2, 7, 14, and 28 days after denervation surgery. The gastrocnemius was removed from both the denervated and the contralateral limb. The muscle wet weight ratio was calculated as the ratio of the wet weight of the denervated gastrocnemius to that of the contralateral gastrocnemius. RT-PCR and Western blot analysis showed that mRNA and protein levels of PPM1B were significantly lower than those of the control group at different times after the initiation of denervation, while P-IKKβ showed the opposite trends. PPM1B protein expression persistently decreased while P-IKKβ expression persistently increased for 28 days after denervation. PPM1B expression correlated negatively with P-IKKβ expression by the Spearman test, whereas decreasing PPM1B expression correlated positively with the muscle wet weight ratio. The expression levels of PPM1B and P-IKKβ were closely associated with atrophy in skeletal denervated muscle. These results suggest that PPM1B and P-IKKβ could be markers in skeletal muscle atrophy.

Acupuncture therapy for apoplectic aphasia: a systematic review / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the therapeutic effect of acupuncture for apoplectic aphasia.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A systematic review of the relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture for apoplectic aphasia was performed with Cochrance system assessment methods. The quality of researches was reviewed one by one, and data was extracted by two reviewers independently. Meta-analysis was conducted with the assistance of RevMan 5.0 software.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Eleven randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 756 patients were included. Meta-analysis indicated that there was statistical difference between acupuncture and language training groups on cured rate with [RR = 1.74, 95% CI (1.10, 2.74), P = 0.02] at the end of treatment. However, acupuncture combined language training group was statistically superior to language training group on cured rate with [RR = 3.01, 95% CI (1.81, 5.01), P < 0.000 1], language function score with [WMD =10.54, 95% CI (7.86, 13.21), P < 0.000 01], oral expression with [WMD = 8.86, 95% CI (7.38, 10.35), P < 0.000 01].</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>It is approved that acupuncture (or acupuncture combined language training) is effective for apoplectic aphasia. But the quality of inclusive literature is low. Therefore, more RCTs of high methodological quality is requested to be carried out.</p>