Preliminary study of intervention in effect of Bushen Huoxue recipe on calcification of lumbar vertebra cartilage endplate of the aging gerbils / 中国骨伤

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of Bushen Huoxue decoction on calcification of cartilage endplate in lumbar vertebrae.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Six healthy male gerbils with 2-month-old were selected as normal control group, and 24 7-month-old healthy male gerbils were fed to 12-month-old to establish the aged gerbil model. Thirty gerbils were randomly divided into five groups as follow: the normal control group (=6), model group (=6, normal saline 4 ml/kg, intragastric 30 d), Bushen Huoxue low dose group(=6, 1.9× 10⁻ ³ ml/g given Bushen Huoxue recipe orally, 30 d), Bushen Huoxue middle dose group(=6, 3.8× 10⁻ ³ ml/g given Bushen Huoxue recipe orally, 30 d), Bushen Huoxue high dose group(=6, 7.6× 10⁻ ³ ml/g given Bushen Huoxue recipe orally, 30 d), the intervention group administered for 1.36 g from 7-month-old age, 30 d. The animals were sacrificed at the age of 2 months in the normal control group and 12 months of age in the other groups. The morphology of the lumbar vertebral cartilage endplate, the area of vascular bud, the ratio of non-calcified/calcified layer were analysis by HE chromosome visual method. The expression of type X collagen and BMPs in cartilage endplates were detected by rabbit monoclonal immunohistochemical staining.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The relative area of the vascular buds cartilage endplate measurements showed that compared with the model group, middle dose group and normal control group increased (<0.05), high and low dose groups all had different degrees of increase, but no statistical significance(>0.05). The ratio of cartilage endplate thickness of non-calcified/calcified showed that compared with the model group, Bushen Huoxue middle dose, normal control group increased, with statistical significance(<0.05), and high and low dose groups all had different degrees of increase, but there were no statistical significance(>0.05). Compared with the model group, the expression of type X collagen in the cartilage endplate of the normal group, the Bushen Huoxue low, middle and high dose groups decreased, and had statistical significance(<0.01); compared with the model group, the expression of BMPs in the normal group, Bushen Huoxue middle dose group increased, with statistically significant(<0.01), while the high and low dose groups increased in different degrees, but there was no statistical significance(>0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Bushen Huoxue prescription can delay the calcification of cartilage endplate in the process of aging, suggesting that it can be used as a preventive medicine for early disc degeneration.</p>

Analysis of clinical characteristics and image for sternum tumor / 中国骨伤

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the clinical characteristics and imaging features of sternum tumor, in order to improve the knowledge of the diseases.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The clinical data and imaging data of 18 patients with sternum tumor were retrospectively analyzed. There were 13 males and 5 females, aged from 24 to 73 years old with an average of 58.3 years. Eleven patients were treated by conservative treatment and 7 patients were treated by surgery. The course of disease ranged from 2 months to 6 years. One patient had no obvious symptoms and 1 patient had a history of chest trauma. Lesion location, pattern of bone destruction, cortical bone abnormality, MRI signal characteristics and contrast enhancement were observed in the patients.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Eighteen cases included malignant bone tumor in 16 cases and benign tumor in 2 cases;and 7 cases located in sternal manubrium, 9 cases located in sternal body, and 2 cases located in both. On the imaging, sternal tumor had expansively developing tendency, and the bone destruction zone boundary continuity or partial disruption occurred in 15 cases, the border of cortical bone thinning in 2 cases, the cortical bone increased thickness in 1 case. No bone marrow edema around tumor was found in 7 cases by MRI and soft tissues was encroached in 2 cases; in T1WI of MRI, 4 cases showed the hypointense signal and 3 cases showed the iso or hyper intensity signal; in T2WI of MRI, 6 cases showed the iso or hyper intensity signal and 1 case showed confounding signal. Enhancement scanning in MRI, premodinantly tumors showed obviously strengthening.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The types of the sternum tumors are various and the most tumors are malignant. The images of the mostly sternum tumor absented same charactiristic, and it must combine with clinical manifestation to analyze the X rays, CT scanning and MRI, it will conduce to improve the diagonstic accuracy of the sternum tumors.</p>

Regeneration and functional recovery of rabbit knee joint after osteotomy under control of external artificial joint / 医用生物力学

Objective To discuss the possibility for regeneration of knee joint with normal function under bionics biomechanical environment. Methods Seven normal rabbits with two metal frames respectively mounted on their femur and tibia of single (right) side leg by two threading pins of 1.5 mm diameter were used. Then the external artificial joints, containing two four-bar-linkage inside and outside of the knee to simulate motion trajectory of the joint in sagital plane were connected with the two preset fixed frames before osteotomy. The arthro-cartilage of the knee joint, crucial ligaments, semi-lunar fibro-cartilages, and partial under-cartilage-osseous intra articular capsule were cut off during osteotomy, with the patella, sesamoid bones remained intact. Insertion sites of muscle tendons were not invaded as far as possible, and capsules with ligaments outside were kept complete when the incision wound was closed by suture. The rabbits could move freely after osteotomy. The range of motion (ROM) of the knees in sagital plane and bony gap between the femur and tibia were measured by X-Ray films during the fracture healing after osteotomy. Results External artificial knee joints were successfully installed on right legs of 6 rabbits among the seven. The rabbits moved freely after osteotomy under the control of minimal invasive external artificial joint in bionics trajectory. The average angles between femoral shaft and tibial shaft at the 1st week after osteotomy were from (144.7±15.62)° in extremely flexed position to (44.2±25.77)° in extremely extended position, with ROM of (100.5±29.03)°. At the 12th week, the average angles were from (139.4 ± 12.92)° in extremely flexed position to (40.4±22.04)° in extremely extended position, with ROM of (99.0±23.39)°. No significant differences were displayed in flexed/extended position and ROM between the 1st and 12th week, with the bony gaps of the knees still existed but decreased significantly from (4.03±1.84) mm at the 1st week to (2.32±1.05) mm at the 12th week. In contrast, bony gaps of the opposite knees were not changed significantly, which were (1.27±0.22) mm on average. At the end of 16th week after osteotomy, the external artificial joints were removed. Newly born cartilage, with white color and smooth surface, were covered at lower end of the femur and upper end of the tibia. Typical trochlear surface appeared at the front side of regenerated cartilage corresponding to the posterior surface of the patella. And the regenerated fibro-bundle linkage similar with ligament, which started from bony structure of regenerated lower end of the femur and inserted into regenerated upper end of the tibia, was observed in each rabbit. At the 25th week, the average angles between femoral shaft and tibial shaft were from (148.3 ± 4.75)° in extremely flexed position to (48.30±17.57)° in extremely extended position, with ROM of (100.0±20.80)°. In the opposite (left) leg, the average angles between femoral shaft and tibial shaft were from (148.3±7.5)° in extremely flexed position to (21.6±9.09)° in extremely extended position, with ROM of (126.7±6.88)°, and the average bony gap of the knees after osteotomy was (1.4±0.59) mm, while that of the opposite (left) knees was (0.92±0.35) mm. Conclusions The external artificial joint with bionics trajectory could reserve the space for regeneration of rabbit knee joint by providing motion modeling environment, and proved the stress adaption during fracture healing. The present results indicated that regeneration of the knee joint after intra-capsular osteotomy in bionics biomechanical environment was possible.

Preliminary investigation of animal model of tibial defection fracture made by drilling hole method / 中国骨伤

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the differences in damage degree, healing time and healing process between two animal models of defection fracture and provide the research data for the establishment of a new animal model.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty male SPF Spragur-Dawley rats were divided randomly into control group, sawing group and drilling hole group, with 20 rats in each group. Animals of drilling hole group were treated with hone drill and made an 1 mm hole on tibial plateau animals of sawing group were treated with saw and made an 3 mm defection on tibial plateau; nothing to do in animals of control group. The rats were respectively killed at 2nd, 4th weeks after operation, bone density, bone ash quantity, contents of bone Ca, P were detected.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>At the 2nd week after operation, bone density, bone ash quantity, contents of bone Ca, P in drilling hole group and sawing group were significantly lower than that of the control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Two animal models of drilling hole group and sawing group were similar in X-ray films and pathology investigations. At the 4th week after operation, there were no significant defference in bone density and bone ash quantity among three groups (P > 0.05). Rats of sawing group showed more poroma and inflammatory infiltration in histological examination.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Drilling hole method and sawing method could be used to make animal model of defection fracture, two methods showed similar damage degree, healing time and healing process, hut drilling hole method have advantages of simple operation, easily control damage degree and less inflammatory infiltration and bone disunion.</p>

Influence of aqueous extract of Aralia echinocaulis Hand.-Mazz on the expression of fracture healing-related factor receptors / 中国骨伤

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the influence of aqueous extract of Aralia echinocaulis Hand.-Mazz on the expression of fracture healing-ralated factor receptors.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Single factor model was set up in SD rat. Selecting 14 and 28 days in the experiment. Immunohistochemistry was employed to determine the expression of Fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2), Fms-like tyrosine kinase (Flt-1) and Fetal licer kinase (Flk-1) at 14 and 28 days after model establishing.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The expression of Flt-1 and Flk-1 at 14 days (the latter was more remarkable) were obviously promoted in High dose group of aqueous extract of Aralia echinocaulis Hand.-Mazz, and higher than that in normal group and model group. The expression of FGFR2 in the high dose group of Aralia echinocaulis Hand -Mazz was also promoted visibility, close to that in the compare group (traditional Chinese medicine), but higher than than in the model group. There was no significant difference among them. At 28 days, the expression of FGFR2, Flt-1 and Flk-1 in all groups decreased except normal group, and got higher expression in model groups than each control groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Aqueous extract of Aralia echinocaulis Hand.-Mazz can promote angiogenesis in fracture healing, improve the activity and aggregation of fibroblasts, osteoblasts and chondrocytes. It also helps to quicken ossification in the cartilage and promote fracture healing.</p>

Using radiographs to analyze equivalent weakest transverse interface of fracture healing / 医用生物力学

Objective An effective but simple method for quantifying the fracture healing progress was provided to obtain more information on fracture healing mechanics from plain X-ray film. Method Twelve rabbits were used for experimentally osteotomy at the middle tibiae, each of which was fixed by the sliding fixator with four pins of 1.5 mm diameter, with mini transducer of displacement measuring the sliding micro movement between the fractured bone fragments, denoted as ΔL. The bending rigidity, denoted as K=P/ ΔL, of the rabbits’ tibia (with sliding fixator together) were recorded by computer data assembling system once a week, where P was the load on the fracture site from anterior of the tibia by manual operation of a loading transducer. The anterior posterior and lateral radiographs were also taken every week by digitally upgraded X-ray radioscope. The effective weakest transverse curved interfaces were found, and the equivalent bending moments of inertia were calculated from the radiographs automatically, by gray scan along the longitudinal axis of the tibia upon the image programs edited in Delphi programming environment. And they were used for quantitative description of the rigidity of the healing bone. Results The sliding fixators were removed in 29~41 days after the osteotomy. Ratios of the minimum to the maximum of equivalent bending moments of inertia for each fracture bone were calculated. And they were found to increase via the healing time. The means of the ratios of all twelve rabbits calculated from lateral radiographs were (0.31±0.17) for the first week, (0.34±0.13) for the second week，(0.43±0.20) for the third week, and (0.56±0.23) for the fourth week after the osteotomy, respectively. From anterior posterior radiographs, the means of the ratios were (0.40±0.19), (0.47±0.16)， (0.56±0.20), and (0.66±0.11), respectively. These ratios were significantly correlated with the bending rigidity K of the fracture tibia of the rabbits. The means of K value was （3.976±4.986）N•μm-1 before the operation，and （0.679±1.026）N•μm-1 for the first week，（2.115±3.233）N•μm-1 for the second week，（3.459±4.723）N•μm-1 for the third week and （4.788±4.831）N•μm-1 for the fourth week after the operation, respectively. Conclusions The growth of external callus has its own rules. It can be distinguished from plain radiographs easily, and it grows from either side of the fracture site and meets together gradually, filling up the gap at the fracture site at last. The methods described in this paper could reflect the feeling when reading the radiographs.

Application of ultrasonic microscopy in biomechanical properties measurement of cancellous bone / 中国骨伤

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Ultrasound scanning can provide the information of acoustic impedance through the ultrasonic reflection theory. This study tries to introduce the application of the ultrasonic technique in predicting biomechanical properties of cancellous bone.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The rat femoral head embedded in plexiglass was used as the bone specimens for ultrasound scanning and the gray scale images scanned by ultrasound microscope were collected and analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The value of acoustic impedance was calculated by analyzing the gray scale image.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The application of ultrasonic microscopy can show more value about the microstructure of biomechanical properties of bone tissue.</p>

In vivo effects of Qizheng-xiaotong plaster on soft tissue injury of rabbit ears / 中国骨伤

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore in vivo effects of Qizheng-xiaotong plaster on soft tissue injury in rabbit ears at different periods and to offer theoretical bases for clinical application.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The experimental models of soft tissue injury in ears were produced in 10 New Zealand white rabbits, and the ears were divided into three groups at the 1st, 2nd, 3rd week. The normal group and treatment group were given the Qizheng-xiaotong plaster extract, and the model group with normal saline. Microscopic analysis, digital collection system, infrared temperature tester and thickness tester were applied to determine the changes of soft tissue injury in local microcirculation and the temperature change after 0, 0.5, 3 and 5 hours, and swelling change at 1 to 5 days respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>At the 3rd hour, blood velocity speeded up in normal group and model group, and it lasted for two hours in model group. As compared with model group, it slowed down to original level in treatment group at the 5th hour and the soft tissue swelling decreased from the 3rd to the 5th day as well.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The application of Qizheng-xiaotong plaster is effective in preventing further soft tissue oedema and haematoma. It can make the soft tissue swelling decreased at chronic stage compared with that at acute stage.</p>