Development and evaluation of an injectable ChitHCl-MgSO-DDA hydrogel for bone regeneration: In vitro and in vivo studies on cell migration and osteogenesis enhancement.

Nonunion and delayed union of the bone are situations in orthopedic surgery that can occur even if the bone alignment is correct and there is sufficient mechanical stability. Surgeons usually apply artificial bone grafts in bone fracture gaps or in bone defect sites for osteogenesis to improve bone healing; however, these bone graft materials have no osteoinductive or osteogenic properties, and fit the morphology of the fracture gap with difficulty. In this study, we developed an injectable chitosan-based hydrogel with MgSO and dextran oxidative, with the purpose to improve bone healing through introducing an engineered chitosan-based hydrogel.

Injectable ChitHCl-DDA tissue adhesive with high adhesive strength and biocompatibility for torn meniscus repair and regeneration.

Suture pull-through is a clinical problem in meniscus repair surgery due to the sharp leading edge of sutures. Several tissue adhesives have been developed as an alternative to traditional suturing; however, there is still no suitable tissue adhesive specific for meniscus repair treatment due to unsatisfactory biosafety, biodegradable, sterilizable, and tissue-bonding characteristics. In this study, we used a tissue adhesive composed of chitosan hydrochloride reacted with oxidative periodate-oxidized dextran (ChitHCl-DDA) combined with a chitosan-based hydrogel and oxidative dextran to attach to the meniscus.

Intramedullary Nail vs. Plate Fixation for Pathological Humeral Shaft Fracture: An Updated Narrative Review and Meta-Analysis of Surgery-Related Factors.

(1) Pathological humeral shaft fracture (PHSF) is a frequently observed clinical manifestation in the later stages of tumor metastasis. Surgical interventions are typically recommended to alleviate pain and restore functionality. Intramedullary nail fixation (INF) or plate fixation (PF) is currently recommended for the treatment of PHSF.

Correlation between Subchondral Insufficiency Fracture of the Knee and Osteoarthritis Progression in Patients with Medial Meniscus Posterior Root Tear.

A medial meniscus posterior root tear (MMPRT) contributes to knee joint degeneration. Arthroscopic transtibial pullout repair (ATPR) may restore biomechanical integrity for load transmission. However, degeneration persists after ATPR in certain patients, particularly those with preoperative subchondral insufficiency fracture of the knee (SIFK).

Plasma-Enabled Graphene Quantum Dot Hydrogel-Magnesium Composites as Bioactive Scaffolds for In Vivo Bone Defect Repair.

Bioactive and mechanically stable metal-based scaffolds are commonly used for bone defect repair. However, conventional metal-based scaffolds induce nonuniform cell growth, limiting damaged tissue restoration. Here, we develop a plasma nanotechnology-enhanced graphene quantum dot (GQD) hydrogel-magnesium (Mg) composite scaffold for functional bone defect repair by integrating a bioresource-derived nitrogen-doped GQD (NGQD) hydrogel into the Mg ZK60 alloy.

Platelet-Rich Fibrin-Augmented Gap-Bridging Strategy in Rabbit Anterior Cruciate Ligament Repair.

Background: We assessed the efficacy of a novel platelet-rich fibrin (PRF)-augmented repair strategy for promoting biological healing of an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) midsubstance tear in a rabbit model. The biological gap-bridging effect of a PRF scaffold alone or in combination with rabbit ligamentocytes on primary ACL healing was evaluated both in vitro and in vivo.

Hypothesis: A PRF matrix can be implanted as a provisional fibrin-platelet bridging scaffold at an ACL defect to facilitate functional healing.

Injury mechanism affects the stability of suture-button syndesmosis fixation.

Background: Ankle syndesmosis injury is a common condition, and the injury mechanism can be sorted into pure syndesmosis injury, Weber-B, and Weber-C type fractures. This study aims to evaluate the treatment outcomes and stability of suture-button fixation for syndesmosis injury with different injury mechanisms. We hypothesized that injury mechanisms would alter the stability of suture-button fixation.

Non-invasive and Time-dependent Blood-sugar Monitoring via Breath-derived CO Correlation Using Gas Chromatograph with a Milli-whistle Gas Analyzer.

A clear and positive correlation between the CO concentration and the blood-sugar level has been observed via a non-invasive and time-dependent monitoring of CO concentration from human breath, which is carried out by using a home-made gas chromatography (GC)/milli-whistle compact analyzer. The time-dependent sampling of the CO concentration correlated between 5.0 to 5.

Effect of Tumor Microenvironment on Selective Uptake of Boric Acid in HepG2 Human Hepatoma Cells.

Background: Feasibility and efficacy of boric acid (BA)-mediated boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) was first demonstrated by eliminating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in a rat model. Furthermore, selective uptake of BA by liver tumor cells was shown in a rabbit model. To gain further insight, this study aimed to investigate the mechanisms of transportation and selective uptake of BA in HepG2 liver tumor cells.

Role of β-naphthylalanine end-tags in the enhancement of antiendotoxin activities: Solution structure of the antimicrobial peptide S1-Nal-Nal in complex with lipopolysaccharide.

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS, endotoxin) is the major component of Gram-negative bacterial outer surface membrane. LPS released from bacteria into bloodstream during infection may cause serious unwanted stimulation of host's immune system and lead to septic shock of the patient. Recently, we have developed a strategy to increase salt resistance and LPS neutralization of short antimicrobial peptides by adding β-naphthylalanine end-tags to their termini.

Novel antimicrobial peptides with high anticancer activity and selectivity.

We describe a strategy to boost anticancer activity and reduce normal cell toxicity of short antimicrobial peptides by adding positive charge amino acids and non-nature bulky amino acid β-naphthylalanine residues to their termini. Among the designed peptides, K4R2-Nal2-S1 displayed better salt resistance and less toxicity to hRBCs and human fibroblast than Nal2-S1 and K6-Nal2-S1. Fluorescence microscopic studies indicated that the FITC-labeled K4R2-Nal2-S1 preferentially binds cancer cells and causes apoptotic cell death.

Treatment Results of Extracranial Malignant Germ Cell Tumor with Regimens of Cisplatin, Vinblastine, Bleomycin or Carboplatin, Etoposide, and Bleomycin with Special Emphasis on the Sites of Vagina and Testis.

Background: The survival of children with malignant germ cell tumor (GCT) increased over the past 2 decades with platinum-based chemotherapy. This report has three objectives: (1) comparison of PVB (cisplatin, vinblastine, and bleomycin) with JEB (carboplatin, etoposide, and bleomycin) regimens; (2) treatment modality of vaginal GCT; and (3) management of stage I testicular yolk sac tumor (YST) in boys under 2 years old.

Methods: From January 1, 1987 to December 31, 2010, 81 patients with malignant extracranial GCT were treated.

Triple intrathecal therapy alone with omission of cranial radiation in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Purpose: To eliminate the toxicities and sequelae of cranial irradiation (CrRT) and to minimize the adverse impact of traumatic lumbar puncture (TLP) with blasts, a prospective study of a modified CNS-directed therapy was conducted in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

Patients And Methods: Since June 1999, children with newly diagnosed ALL have been treated with triple intrathecal therapy (TIT) alone without CrRT. The first TIT was delayed until the disappearance of blasts from peripheral blood (PB) for up to 10 days of multidrug induction, and CrRT was omitted in all patients.

Minimally early morbidity in children with acute myeloid leukemia and hyperleukocytosis treated with prompt chemotherapy without leukapheresis.

Background/purpose: Patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and hyperleukocytosis, defined as an initial white blood cell (WBC) count of ≥ 100 × 10(9)/L, are often treated with leukapheresis. In this study, we have reported our experience of treating AML without leukapheresis.

Methods: From November 1, 1995, to May 31, 2012, there were 74 children (≤18 years old) with de novo AML other than acute promyelocytic leukemia.

Protein binding reaction enhanced by bi-directional flow driven by on-chip thermopneumatic actuator.

A microfluidic immunoassay system was developed for the study of the enhancement of protein binding reaction. The system mainly consisted of a thermopneumatic actuator and a reaction chamber. Reagent was pre-installed in the on-chip reservoir and manipulated by the actuator.

Severe infections in children with acute leukemia undergoing intensive chemotherapy can successfully be prevented by ciprofloxacin, voriconazole, or micafungin prophylaxis.

Background: The purpose of the current study was to prevent bloodstream infection and invasive fungal infection (IFI) by administering prophylactic antibiotic and antifungal agents during intensive chemotherapy in patients being treated for acute leukemia.

Methods: Prophylaxis treatment was administered during intensive chemotherapy in children with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2012. Oral ciprofloxacin (at a dose of 300 mg/m(2) /12 hours) was administered after chemotherapy when a patient with AML or ALL became neutropenic and > 7 days of neutropenia was expected.

Pulmonary function changes in rats with taurocholate-induced pancreatitis are attenuated by pretreatment with melatonin.

Melatonin is a free radical scavenger and broad-spectrum antioxidant with immunomodulatory effects. We studied the effects of melatonin on changes in lung function, oxidative/nitrosative stress, and inflammatory cell sequestration in an acute pancreatitis (AP)-associated lung inflammation model. Acute pancreatitis was induced by injection of 5% sodium taurocholate into the pancreatic duct of rats.

Real-time electrical impedimetric monitoring of blood coagulation process under temperature and hematocrit variations conducted in a microfluidic chip.

Blood coagulation is an extremely complicated and dynamic physiological process. Monitoring of blood coagulation is essential to predict the risk of hemorrhage and thrombosis during cardiac surgical procedures. In this study, a high throughput microfluidic chip has been developed for the investigation of the blood coagulation process under temperature and hematocrit variations.

Amelioration of superoxide dismutase on ventilator-induced lung injury by suppressing leukocyte in the lungs and systemic circulation.

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is a free radical scavenger and a broad-spectrum antioxidant. Its anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects have recently been noted. We studied the effects of this antioxidant on lung damage, oxidative stress, and inflammation in a model of ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI), using 8- to 12-wk-old Sprange-Dawley rats (n = 40).

A pyrenyl-appended triazole-based ribose as a fluorescent sensor for Hg2+ ion.

For the efficient detection of toxic trace metal ions, two pyrenyl-appended triazole-based d-ribose fluorescent chemosensors 6 and 7 were prepared and their fluoroionophoric properties toward transition metal ions were investigated. Chemosensors 6 and 7 exhibit highly selective recognition toward Hg(2+) ion among a series of tested metal ions in CH(2)Cl(2)/MeOH solution. The association constants of 6 and 7 are calculated to be 1.

Initiation of malignancy by duodenal contents reflux and the role of ezrin in developing esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Gastroesophageal reflux has recently been implicated as a causative factor in upper aerodigestive tract carcinogenesis. Esophageal squamous cell carcinomas (ESCCs) have developed in duodenal-content reflux animals without any known carcinogen present. We established a cell line, designated ESCC-DR, from a thoracic metastatic tumor in a reflux animal.