Accuracy of lumbar pedicle screw implantation based on three-dimensional printing navigation modules / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND: The surgical procedure of pedicle screw placement in the lumbar spine requires a long time to confirm the insertion position of the pedicle screw by using X-ray images. The clinical application of computer-aided navigation techniques is limited, due to the high cost of auxiliary navigation system and complicated operation. OBJECTIVE: Based on three-dimensional printing navigation module of lumbar pedicle screw implantation in patients with fracture of lumbar spine, to verify the accuracy and feasibility of the navigation module into lumbar pedicle screws. METHODS: According to CT data of 50 patients with fracture of lumbar vertebra, the data were loaded into Mimics to establish a three-dimensional model of the lumbar spine. On the basis of the established model of pedicle screw navigation module, lumbar entity model and navigation module were made using three-dimensional printing technology. First of all, navigation module was preoperatively embedded in the lumbar spine specimen entity to simulate pedicle screw test. Second, screw navigation module was applied to assist lumbar pedicle screw insertion in lumbar vertebra during the operation. After operation, the effectiveness of the screw implantation was assessed using CT examination and X-ray. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) The designed navigation module with 12 pedicle screws was inserted into lumbar vertebra. CT examination showed that screw position was good on the internal side of lumbar pedicle; no screws perforated the pedicle cortex. (2) Experiments showed that the accuracy of pedicle screws inserted into lumbar vertebra was relatively high. The direction and the site of the screws were basically identical to the preoperative simulation results. (3) Based on three-dimensional printing navigation module, the accuracy of pedicle screw implantation into the vertebral vertebra was high, and could realize accurate implantation of individualized pedicle screws. The minimally invasive surgery method is relatively simple and has the very vital significance.

Shenfu injection attenuates neurotoxicity of bupivacaine in cultured mouse spinal cord neurons / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Our previous in vivo study in the rat demonstrates that Shenfu injection, a clinically used extract preparation from Chinese herbs, attenuates neural and cardiac toxicity induced by intravenous infusion of bupivacaine, a local anesthetic. This study was designed to investigate whether bupivacaine could induce a toxic effect in primary cultured mouse spinal cord neuron and if so, whether the Shenfu injection had a similar neuroprotective effect in the cell model.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The spinal cords from 11- to 14-day-old fetal mice were minced and incubated. Cytarabine was added into the medium to inhibit the proliferation of non-neuronal cells. The immunocytochemical staining of beta-tubulin was used to determine the identity of cultured cells. The cultured neurons were randomly assigned into three sets treated with various doses of bupivacaine, Shenfu and bupivacaine + Shenfu, for 48 hours respectively. Cell viability in each group was analyzed by methyl thiazoleterazolium (MTT) assay.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The viability of the cultured neurons treated with bupivacaine at concentrations of 0.01%, 0.02%, 0.04% and 0.08% was decreased in a dose-dependent manner. Although the Shenfu injection at concentrations ranging from 1/50 to 1/12.5 (V/V) had no significant influence on the viability of cultured neurons (P < 0.05 vs control), the injection significantly increased the cellular viability of cultured neurons pretreated with 0.03% bupivacaine (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Although Shenfu injection itself has no effect on spinal neurons, it was able to reduce the bupivacaine-induced neurotoxicity in vitro.</p>

FTIR spectroscopic characterization of freshly removed breast cancer tissues / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To identify the FTIR spectroscopic characterization of breast cancer and explore the possibility of application of FTIR in differentiation of malignant and benign breast lesions.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>FTIR spectra of surgically removed fresh breast tissues were measured by spectrometer equipped with mid-infrared fiber optics and an ATR probe. Peaks in the spectra were measured and relative intensity ratios were calculated and analyzed if there are significant differences between the spectra of malignant and benign breast lesions.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There were significant differences (P < 0.05) between the spectra of malignant breast cancers and benign breast tissues in the relative intensity ratios of different peaks (I1640/ I1550 and I1160/I1120 for protein structures; I1640/I1460 and I1550/I1460 for relative content of protein and lipid; I1460/I1400 for lipid structures; I1310/I1240 for nucleic acid).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>FTIR spectroscopy could be a useful tool in clinical diagnosis of breast cancer.</p>

Investigation and application of powdering technique on oily drug of the traditional Chinese medicine / 中国中药杂志

To review the development and application of powdering technique on oily drug of the traditional Chinese medicine. There have been numerous methods of powdering technique on oily drug, such as preparing complexation, microcapsule, adsorption by adsorbent, solid lipid nanoparticles, etc. And beta-Cyclodextrin complexation is the most usually operated. Powdering techniques have broad prospects in the pharmaceutical field, but more efforts should be made to improve oily drug of the traditional Chinese medicine.