Reconstruction and Quantitative Evaluation of Blunt Injury Cases by Finite Element Method / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To reconstruct the cases of acceleration craniocerebral injury caused by blunt in forensic cases by finite element method (FEM), and to study the biomechanical mechanism and quantitative evaluation method of blunt craniocerebral injury.@*METHODS@#Based on the established and validated finite element head model of Chinese people, the finite element model of common injury tool was established with reference to practical cases in the forensic identification, and the blunt craniocerebral injury cases were reconstructed by simulation software. The cases were evaluated quantitatively by analyzing the biomechanical parameters such as intracranial pressure, von Mises stress and the maximum principal strain of brain tissue.@*RESULTS@#In case 1, when the left temporal parietal was hit with a round wooden stick for the first time, the maximum intracranial pressure was 359 kPa; the maximum von Mises stress of brain tissue was 3.03 kPa at the left temporal parietal; the maximum principal strain of brain tissue was 0.016 at the left temporal parietal. When the right temporal was hit with a square wooden stick for the second time, the maximum intracranial pressure was 890 kPa; the maximum von Mises stress of brain tissue was 14.79 kPa at the bottom of right temporal lobe; the maximum principal strain of brain tissue was 0.103 at the bottom of the right temporal lobe. The linear fractures occurred at the right temporal parietal skull and the right middle cranial fossa. In case 2, when the forehead and left temporal parietal were hit with a round wooden stick, the maximum intracranial pressure was 370 kPa and 1 241 kPa respectively, the maximum von Mises stress of brain tissue was 3.66 kPa and 26.73 kPa respectively at the frontal lobe and left temporal parietal lobe, and the maximum principal strain of brain tissue was 0.021 and 0.116 respectively at the frontal lobe and left temporal parietal lobe. The linear fracture occurred at the left posterior skull of the coronary suture. The damage evaluation indicators of the simulation results of the two cases exceeded their damage threshold, and the predicted craniocerebral injury sites and fractures were basically consistent with the results of the autopsy.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The FEM can quantitatively evaluate the degree of blunt craniocerebral injury. The FEM combined with traditional method will become a powerful tool in forensic craniocerebral injury identification and will also become an effective means to realize the visualization of forensic evidence in court.

Influence of Jiangu decoction on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) in the femoral head of rabbits with steroid-induced femoral head necrosis / 中国骨伤

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>The Jiangu decoction is used in the treatment of steroid-induced femoral head necrosis in clinical experiences, which has functions of tonifying kidney and activating blood, and invigorating spleen to remove phlegm. The decoction is mainly composed of Radix Polygoni Multiflori, Rhizoma alismatis Rhizoma Drynariae, haw, medlar, Radix Astragali, radix rehmanniae, angelica, Radix Codonopsis, radix salviae miltiorrhizae, Fructus Ligustri Lucidi, licorice, pharmaceutical composition. This study was designed to investigate the influence of Jiangu decoction on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) in the femoral head of rabbits with steroid-induced femoral head necrosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Eighteen adult SPF healthy New Zealand rabbits were divided into 3 groups: control group, model group, Jiangu decoction group. The rabbits of Jiangu decoction group orally received Jiangu decoction suspension with a dose of 10 ml/kg each day and the drug content was 0.719 g/ml. The rabbits in control and model groups were given saline with a dose of 10 ml/kg. The methylprednisolone sodium succinate was injected intramuscularly into left leg with a dose of 40 mg/kg. Then the rabbits were fed continuously for 3 weeks. The glucocorticoid levels, PPARgamma and plasma glucocorticoid levels in the femoral head were measured before and after modeling.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Before model established, the plasma glucocorticoid levels had no significant difference among three groups (P=0.301). At 3 weeks after model established,the plasma glucocorticoid level of rabbits in model group increased compared to the control group (P=0.001); and the plasma glucocorticoid level of rabbits in Jiangu decoction group decreased compared with model group (P=0.001). The glucocorticoid level in the local femoral head of rabbits in model group increased compared to the control group (P=0.001); and the glucocorticoid level in the local femoral head of rabbits in Jiangu decoction group decreased compared with model group (P=0.001). The PPARgamma level in the local femoral head of rabbits in model group increased compared to the control group (P=0.018);and the PPARgamma level in the local femoral head of rabbits in Jiangu decoction group decreased compared with model group (P=0.033).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The Jiangu decoction is effective to inhibit the femoral head adipogenic differentiation by decrease the PPAR content, so as to prevent and treat steroid-induced femoral head necrosis.</p>

Evaluation of the myocardial systolic function and ventricular remodeling of rats with experimental myocardial infarction by strain/strain rate imaging and MMP-9 / 中华心血管病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the myocardial systolic function and ventricular remodeling in heart failure rat induced by myocardial infarction (MI) with S/SRI and MMP-9.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 70 male SD rats were randomly assigned to 4 groups: 4 weeks and 8 weeks MI (anterior descending branch of left coronary artery were ligated), sham operation (thoracotomy without ligation of coronary artery) and non-operated control group. The regional myocardial systolic function of rats was quantified with S/SRI. The myocardial MMP-9 expression was detected by Western blot.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the 4 weeks MI group, all segment's Ssys, SRsys, the strain of end-systole were reduced while PSI was increased compared to sham and non-operated group with the exception of the inferior wall. These changes were more significant in 8 weeks MI group compared to the 4 weeks MI group. In the 4 weeks MI group, the expression of MMP-9 was significantly upregulated than the sham operation group and this upregulation was more significant at 8 weeks post MI.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>S/SRI can quantitative evaluate the regional systolic function of heart failure rat induced by myocardial infarction. Progressive upregulation of myocardial MMP-9 expression paralleled the deterioration of regional systolic function in this heart failure rat model.</p>

Effects of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation on immune function in patient with systemic lupus erythematosus / 中国实验血液学杂志

To investigate the effects of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) on immune index in patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and evaluate its treatment outcome, the flow cytometry (FCM) and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were used to detect the leukocyte differentiation antigen, sIL-2R, IL-6, C3, C4, autoantibodies, immunoglobulin for 33 case of SLE before transplantation and at 1, 3, 6, 12 months after transplantation. The results showed that the ratio of CD4(+), CD19(+) cell, the level of sIL-2R, IL-6 and the positive rate of autoantibodies were significantly lower, CD8(+), CD16(+)CD56(+) cell and C3, C4 were higher than those before transplantation. Out of the 33 patients, 26 achieved CR, 3 reached PR and 4 relapsed at 4 - 6 months after transplantation. It is concluded that the immune indexes of patients with SLE changed significantly following AHSCT. These immune indexes may be indications to predict the status of remission in patient with SLE.