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Objective To study mechanical properties of the microstructure of the articular cartilage with biological activity by nanoindentation tests under the condition of keeping the articular cartilage in water. Methods The different abilities to keep in situ mechanical properties of the articular cartilage with cold mosaic method or with moisturizing method were evaluated by experiments, and the mechanical properties of the microstructure of the articular cartilage in different kinds of solution used in moisturizing method were also obtained. Results The experiment showed that the elastic modulus on the cartilage surface layer with cold mosaic method was much higher than that with moisturizing method, and the elastic modulus on the cartilage surface and deep layer in chitosan and saline were much lower than that in distilled water. Conclusions The moisturizing method is better at preserving in situ mechanical properties and biological activity of the biological materials, and chitosan and saline are proved to have the effect of keeping mechanical properties of the cartilage used in moisturizing method.
RESUMEN
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of Chinese recipe, Wuye Decoction (WYD), on immune function in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Eighty-two patients of NSCLC with pathologically confirmed diagnosis, who had received operative treatment and completed the post-operational chemotherapy, were randomly assigned into 2 groups. Group A (42 cases) received WYD and Group B (40 cases) received no specific medicine. Positive rate of various peripheral lymphocyte subsets, including CD3, CD4, CD8, CD16, CD19 and CD25, in both groups was observed immediately after chemotherapy (T(0)) and 3 months later (T(1)), the same indexes of 20 healthy volunteers allocated in Group C were also determined at T(0) for control.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The positive rates of CD4, CD4/CD8, CD16, CD19 and CD25 were significantly lower (P < 0.05) while that of CD8 was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in Group A and B at T(0) than those in Group C; at T(1), these indexes, except CD25, got significantly restored in Group A with the level approaching normal range (P > 0.05), and showed significant difference from those in Group B (P < 0.05), since these indexes in that group remained unchanged at the corresponding period. As for CD25, it was insignificantly changed in Group A after WYD treatment, and thus, at T(1), it was still lower than that in Group C (P < 0.05) and showed insignificant difference as compared with that in Group B (P > 0.05). Comparison of CD3 among the 3 groups showed no significant difference (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>WYD could activate the immune function of NSCLC patients, and so it is recommended to be used in the treatment of NSCLC in clinical practice.</p>