Insights into the Therapeutic Potential of Heparinized Collagen Scaffolds Loading Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Nerve Growth Factor for the Repair of Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Injury

Recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) injury can result in unilateral or bilateral vocal cords paralysis, thereby causing a series of complications, such as hoarseness and dyspnea. However, the repair of RLN remains a great challenge in current medicine. This study aimed to develop human umbilical mesenchymal stem cells (HuMSCs) and nerve growth factor (NGF)-loaded heparinized collagen scaffolds (HuMSCs/NGF HC-scaffolds) and evaluate their potential in the repair of RLN injury. HuMSCs/NGF HC-scaffolds were prepared through incorporating HuMSCs and NGF into heparinized collagen scaffolds that were prefabricated by freeze-drying in a template. The resulting scaffolds were characterized by FTIR, SEM, porosity, degradation in vitro, NGF release in vitro and bioactivity. A rabbit RLN injury model was constructed to appraise the performance of HuMSCs/NGF HC-scaffolds for nerve injury repair. Electrophysiology, histomorphology and diagnostic proteins expression for treated nerves were checked after application of various scaffolds. The results showed that the composite scaffolds with HuMSCs and NGF were rather helpful for the repair of broken RLN. The RLN treated with HuMSCs/NGF HC-scaffolds for 8 weeks produced a relatively normal electromyogram, and the levels of calcium-binding protein S100, neurofilament and AchE pertinent to nerve were found to be close to the normal ones but higher than those resulted from other scaffolds. Taken together, HuMSCs/NGF HC-scaffolds exhibited a high score on the nerve injury repair and may be valuable for the remedy of RLN injury.

Short-term therapeutic effect of Endostar combined with chemotherapy for advanced colorectal cancer: a meta-analysis / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the safety and efficacy of Endostar combined with chemotherapy in the treatment of end-stage colorectal cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>s The relevant randomized controlled trials were retrieved from the electronic databases of Cochrane library, PubMed, EMbase, CNKI, CBM, VIP and Chinese Medical Association. The retrieval time limit was from the database construction to January 2013. The data were extracted from eligible studies assessed for methodological quality according to Cochrane handbook for systematic reviews and analyzed using RevMan 5.2 software.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Five randomized controlled trials involving 220 cases were included for meta-analysis. The results showed that Endostar combined with chemotherapy had an overall advantage over chemotherapy alone in terms of complete response rate (10.91% vs 2.73% RR=4.08, 95% CI: 1.19-13.95, P=0.02), partial response rate (48.18% vs 30.91% RR=2.18, 95% CI: 1.23-3.87, P=0.007), progressive disease (15.45% vs 41.82% RR=0.25, 95% CI: 0.13-0.47, P<0.0001), and the response rate (60.00% vs 33.64% RR=3.23, 95% CI: 1.79-5.81, P<0.0001). Clinical benefit response(82.73% vs 55.45% RR=4.30,95% CI:1.19-13.95, P<0.0001). The main adverse reactions included nausea, vomiting, constipation, palpitation, and electrocardiogram changes.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Endostar combined with chemotherapy is effective for advanced colorectal cancer and can be used as a routine treatment.</p>

Efficacy of intramedullary and extramedullary decompression on cervical ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament with spinal cord signal change / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the clinical effect of different surgical approaches for treating cervical ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) with spinal cord signal change.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-eight patients with OPLL with spinal cord signal change were treated from January 2005 to January 2011. Surgical removal via an anterior approach or partial decompression was performed in 10 cases (group A), posterior approach open-door laminoplasty with decompression, bone grafting and internal fixation was performed in 12 cases (group B), and opening the cervical spinal meninges to relieve the pressure was performed in 16 cases (group C) on the basis of the procedures in group B. All the patients were followed up and the pre- and postoperative JOA scores, improvement ratio and inter-body implant fusion were evaluated. Imaging examinations including X-rays, CT and MRI were also performed pre- and postoperatively, and the surgical complications were recorded.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>At 12 months postoperatively, the mean improvement rates in groups A, B, and C were 52.39%, 55.15%, and 60.32%, respectively, with the mean JOA scores of 13.54∓0.56, 13.56∓1.26, and 14.70∓1.41, respectively. The JOA scores and improvement rates significantly increased after the surgeries. One patient in group A became paraplegic after the operation with cerebrospinal fluid leakage, and one patient in group B and one in group C reported numbness of the upper limb. Group C showed a shorter postoperative recovery time without severe complications.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Posterior open-door laminoplasty, decompression, bone grafting and internal fixation can be an effective approach for treatment of cervical OPLL with spinal cord signal change and requires shorter rehabilitation time after the operation.</p>

The diagnosis of internal disc disruption with CT discography / 介入放射学杂志

Objective To study the value of diagnosis for internal disc disruption(IDD)with CT discography(CTD).Methods 42 discs of 32 patients showing no disc herniation on CT or MRI,but suffering from chronic low back pain,were undertaken CTD to work out the types of CTD with correlation between contrast medium dosages and the induction of pain.Results CTD demonstrated 4 types of IDD which was individually correlated with the contrast dosages and induced pain.furthermore the dosages for positive and negative disc cases showed significant differece(P

Antioxidant and serum lipid lowering effects of luffa cylindrical on experimental hyperlipidemia mice / 中国病理生理杂志

AIM:To observe the antioxidation and the serum lipid lowing effects of polyphenols in luffa cylindrical on experimental hyperlipidemia mice.METHODS:Acetone was used to extract polyphenols from luffa cylindrical.The content of polyphenols was determined by Folin-ciocalteau method.The inhibitory efficacy of the extracts from luffa cylindrical to the production of OH? free radical was measured.Kunming mice were used to establish the hyperlipidemia model by feeding high fat diet.The freeze-dried fresh luffa cylindricals was added to the treated animals,xuezikang was also used as a positive control.After feeding high-fat food for 14 days,serum were collected to measure the total cholesterol(TC),triglyceride(TG),low density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C)and superoxidedismutase(SOD).The liver tissue was also collected for determining malonaldehyde(MDA)content.RESULTS:(1)Content of polyphenols in fresh luffa cylindrical was(0.3?0.1)g /kg.(2)The polyphenol extracts from fresh luffa cylindrical had a strong efficacy to inhibit the production of OH? free radicals.(3)The trend of body weight gain in groups LC1(low dosage luffa cylindrical)and LC2(high dosage luffa cylindrical)became slow down obviously,compared with that in group HPL(high-lipid model).(4)The levels of TC(4.19?0.37)mmol/L and LDL-C(2.77?0.79)mmol/L in group LC1,TC(3.56?0.55)mmol/L and LDL-C(2.34?0.41)mmol/L in group LC2,TC(4.59?0.96)mmol/L and LDL-C(3.25?0.67)mmol/L in group PC(positive control)were all lower than those in group HPL(P