Wicking Property of Graft Material Enhanced Bone Regeneration in the Ovariectomized Rat Model

BACKGROUND: Recruitment and homing cells into graft materials from host tissue is crucial for bone regeneration. METHODS: Highly porous, multi-level structural, hydroxyapatite bone void filler (HA-BVF) have been investigated to restore critical size bone defects. The aim was to investigate a feasibility of bone regeneration of synthetic HA-BVF compared to commercial xenograft (Bio-Oss). HA-BVF of 0.7 mm in average diameter was prepared via template coating method. Groups of animals (n = 6) were divided into two with normal (Sham) or induced osteoporotic conditions (Ovx). Subsequently, subdivided into three treated with HA-BVF as an experiment or Bio-Oss as a positive control or no treatment as a negative control (defect). The new bone formation was analyzed by micro-CT and histology. RESULTS: At 4 weeks post-surgery, new bone formation was initiated from all groups. At 8 weeks post-surgery, new bone formation in the HA-BVF groups was greater than Bio-Oss groups. Extraordinarily greater bone regeneration within the Ovx-HA group than Sham-Bio-Oss or Ovx-Bio-Oss group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the immediate wicking property of HA-BVF from host tissue activates a natural healing cascade without the addition of exogeneous factors or progenitor cells. HA-BVF may be an effective alternative for repairing bone defects under both normal and osteoporotic bone conditions.

Establishment of a screening method for AZF microdeletions by capillary technology and a clinical trial / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To establish an accurate, fast and simple screening method for AZF microdeletions using capillary technology and use it for clinical testing.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>For each pair of primers, the 5' end of either forward or reverse primer was labeled with a FAM, JOE or TAMRA fluorescence dyes to establish multiplex quantitative fluorescence PCR systems for the establishment of a screening method of Y chromosome AZF microdeletions by capillary technology. The detection of Y chromosome AZF microdeletion was carried out on 725 cases of non-obstructive azoospermia, oligospermia or asthenospermia.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A screening method for Y chromosome AZF microdeletions using capillary technology was established. Thirty eight cases of AZF microdeletions were found among 725 cases of non-obstructive azoospermia, oligospermia or asthenospermia, which gave a deletion rate of 5.24%. Y chromosomal microdeletions were found in 8.62% of the azoospermia group, 6.75% of the oligozoospermic group, and 2.23% of the asthenospermia group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>An accurate, fast and simple screening method of Y chromosome AZF microdeletions by capillary technology has been established, which may have an important clinical value.</p>

Onychomycosis with Dermatophytoma Completely Cured after Treatment of Regular Subungual Application of Antifungal Solution with Systemic Antifungal Therapy and Topical Nail Laquer Application / 대한의진균학회지

Systemic antifungal therapy is essential to cure onychomycosis but when used alone, its complete cure rate is less than 50%. Therefore, combination therapy is preferred to achieve higher cure rate of onychomycosis, especially severely infected onychomycosis. For effective treatment of onychomycosis, it is important how antifungal agents reach causative fungi in the nail lesion. If there are dermatophytoma or onycholysis, biofilms and space may disturb antifungal agent to reach the fungi in the nail lesion. If direct antifungal solution is applied to the space, it can be spread with capillary action to the space and fungi. A 57-year old male patient presented onychomycosis with infected nail matrix and dermatophytoma, which had recurred after combination therapy of oral and topical antifungal agents before. He had been treated with subungual antifungal solution added to systemic terbinafine (250 mg/day) and amorolfine nail lacquer for initial 3 months, and with subungual antifungal solution and nail lacquer for the next 4 months, and nail lacquer only for the rest period. After 3 months treatment, totally involved left great toe nail showed 50% of normal healthy nail growing from the proximal nail fold. His infected nails eventually showed complete normal nails 1 year after the initial treatment.

Development of a New Blood Typing Kit Using the Microfluidics Separation Technique

BACKGROUND: Blood typing is an essential test for transfusion. Generally, blood typing is performed using a slide test, tube test or microcolumn agglutination test. The aims of this study were to develop a new blood typing kit using micromachining, microfluidics and microseparation methods, and to evaluate the clinical usefulness of the new blood typing kit. METHODS: We designed and manufactured a blood typing microchip using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), which contained a microchannel (25~200 micrometer). The blood sample and antisera to be tested were dropped on the microwell for movement and mixing by capillary action. Once agglutination occurred, the microchannel acts as a filter and the blood type was determined by observation by the naked eye. To evaluate the newtyping kit, we tested sensitivity using artificially diluted blood and compared the results of the new typing method with the slide and tube methods using 70 samples. RESULTS: The new blood typing kit could differentiate a +4~+2 agglutination reaction, but could not detect a +1 agglutination reaction as observed by the naked eye. Among 70 samples, the results of ABO and Rh typing by the new typing method (n=66, > or = +2 agglutination reaction by the column agglutination method) were in accord with the results of the tube and slide methods, but couldnot detect agglutination in all 4 clinical samples, below a +1 agglutination reaction. CONCLUSION: The new blood typing kit is inadequate for routine use in the clinical laboratory due to low sensitivity, but with further improvement, it can be used economically, conveniently and objectively for blood typing without any special equipment. Moreover, the microfludics and separation method may be broadly applicable in other tests using the hemagglutination method.

Comparacion entre la tecnica de capilaridad y la biopsia aspiracion con aguja fina (BACAF) en nodulos de tiroides / Comparison between capillary technique and fine-needle aspiration biopsy (BACAF) in thyroid nodules

La biopsia aspiración con aguja fina de tiroides es el examen de elección en los nódulos tiroideos. Se realizó un estudio en el cual se comparó la técnica de capilaridad con la biopsia por aspiración con aguja fina (BACAF) en lesiones de tiroides.Se efectuaron en total 50 biopsias de tiroides. Sc encontró que los resultados de los extendidos citológicos preparados para cada método fueron comparables en calidad, cantidad y rendimiento diagnóstico. Las dos técnicas tuvieron una adecuada eficacia diagnóstica. Se concluyó que la capilaridad es un excelente método diagnóstico y combinado con el bacaf mejora la sensibilidad diagnóstica.

The thyroid Fine-Needle Aspiration Biopsy is the test of choice for thyroid nodules. We carried out a study to compare the Capillarity technique versus Fine-Needle Aspiration Biopsy (FNAB) in thyroid lesions. We performed 50 thyroid biopsies. We found that the results of the cytology smears prepared for cach technique were comparable in qualit, amount and diagnostic reward. Both techniques had an adequate diagnostic efficacy. We concluded that capillarity, is an excellent diagnostic method and combined with FNAB improves the diagnostic sensitivity.

Efficacy of Aquacell(R) Dressing in Partial Thickness Burn Patients

In partial thickness burn injuries, silver sulfadiazine cream 1%(SSD, Silvadene(R)) is the most commonly used topical agent worldwide. But silver sulfadiazine cream 1% has no exudate absorption property. Usually after escar is removed from wound surface, Silvadene(R) is changed to saline wet gauze dressing to promote epithelization. Aquacel(R)(ConvaTec, UK) is a 100% sodium carboxymethylcellulose Hydrofiber material. It absorbs exudates directly into the hydrofibers by vertical wicking which allows rapid uptake of liquid into the fibers. The absorbed exudate fluid can be distributed to the entire dressing rather than just over the wound surface, which results in larger fluid absorption capacity. From April, 2003 to July, 2004 a study was done with 40 patients who had variable partial thickness burns. Aquacel(R) dressing was compared in 21 cases to silver sulfadiazine cream 1% and saline wet gauze dressings in 19 cases. In the Aquacel(R) cases, the average healing time on the face was 5.36+/-1.69 a day; on the hands was 8.46+/-2.15 a day; and, on the neck was 6.0+/-2.0 a day. With the Silvadene(R) and Saline wet gauze dressing, the average healing time on the face was 6.44+/-1.74 a day; on the hands was 13.79+/-5.35 a day; and, on the neck was 11.17+/-3.31 a day. As a result, the Aquacel(R) group showed a shorter healing time compared to the Silvadene(R) and saline wet gauze dressing group and patients were satisfied because of less pain and improved comfort. In conclusion, Aquacel(R) is a better choice for partial thickness burn injuries because of shorter healing time, less pain and more confortable dressing.

Evaluación de nódulos tiroídeos mediante punción aspirativa con aguja fina bajo ultrasonido: experiencia en 120 casos / Evaluation of thyroid nodules using ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration biopsy: experience in 120 cases

Los nódulos tiroideos son un problema clínico común, su prevalencia es de un 4 a 7 por ciento. La mayoría son benignos, pero alrededor de un 0,1 a 20 por ciento son malignos. La PAAF guíada por ultrasonido nos permite seleccionar aquellos nódulos que requieren cirugía con un alto grado de sensibilidad y especificidad evitando procedimientos innecesarios y costosos. El propósito del estudio es establecer la eficacia del método, determinando la incidencia de cáncer en la población estudiada y los parámetros técnicos mas adecuados que permitan una punción óptima

Detection of Mycobactrium tuberculosis by in situ hybridization / 결핵

BACKGROUND: A presumptive histopathologic diagnosis of tuberculosis is commonly based on the finding of acid- fast bacilli upon microscopic examination of a diagnostic specimens. Although this traditional histochemical staining methodis satisfactory, it is time-consuming and not species-specific. For more specific assessment, in situ hybridization assay with oligonucleotide probes is introduced. METHODS: The human surgical specimens were obtained from tuberculosis patients(,)and experimental specimens were made by injecting fresh rat liver with cultured M. tuberculosis organisms into fresh rat liver. Oligonucleotide probes complementary to ribosomal RNA portion were synthesized and labeled with multiple biotin molecules. For a rapid detection, all procedures were carried out using manual capillary action technology on the Microprobe staining system. RESULTS: The in situ hybridization assay produced a positive reaction in experimental specimens (80-90% sensitivity) after pepsin- HCl pre-treatment for a good permeabilization of probes, but reliable result was not obtained from human surgical specimens. CONCLUSION: It is, therefore, suggested that biotin- labeled oligonucleotide probes have considerable potential for identification and in situ detection of M. tuberculosis but, there are some barriers to overcome for the diagnostic use of this method.

Evaluación de una técnica capilar modificada para inmunocitoquímica en cultivos adheridos a cubreobjetos de vidrio / Evaluation of a modified capillary technique for immunocytochemistry of coverslip adhered cultures

Con el objeto de evaluar una técnica inmunocitoquímica para cultivos celulares adheridos a cubreobjetos, se ensayó una modificación de la técnica capilar comparándola con la técnica convencional (en cajas de 24 pozos). Cultivos de ganglio de raíz dorsal de raton adulto se sometieron a inmunodetección por peroxidasa e inmunofluorescencia de neurofilamento, proteína S-100 y virus de la rabia; la especificidad e intensidad de la marca con una u otra técnica no cambió. El uso de la técnica capilar modificada significó un ahorro de 92 por ciento en los volúmenes de anticuerpos y reactivos usados, sin sacrificar los patrones de marca, sin incrementar el tiempo del procedimiento y usando materiales que corrientemente se encuentran en cualquier laboratorio