Publications by authors named "Tzong-fu Kuo"

Background/purpose: Although zirconia ceramics were highly versatile as dental implants, their long-term presence in the human body may slow down healing and impede cell growth in the past. To enhance the cytocompatibility of zirconia ceramics, surface activation modification was used to immobilize biopolymers such that a biomimetic environment was created.

Materials And Methods: Hexamethyldisilazane thin films were deposited onto the surface of inorganic zirconia through cold plasma treatment under various power and deposition time settings to form an organosilane interface layer.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The main aim of this study is to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of direct intra-articular injection of bone-marrow-derived stem/stromal cells (BMSCs) and the adjuvant role of hyaluronic acid (HA) in facilitating rabbit articular cartilage repair. First, rabbit BMSCs were treated with a medium containing different concentrations of HA. Later, HA's influence on BMSCs' CD44 expression, cell viability, extracellular glycosaminoglycan (GAG) synthesis, and chondrogenic gene expression was evaluated during seven-day cultivation.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Osteoporosis is a metabolic bone disorder characterized by deterioration in the quantity and quality of bone tissue, with a consequent increase susceptibility to fracture.

Methods: In this study, we sought to determine the efficacy of platelet-rich fibrin releasates (PRFr) in augmenting the therapeutic effects of stem cell-based therapy in treating osteoporotic bone disorder. An osteoporosis mouse model was established through bilateral ovariectomy on 12-week-old female ICR (Institute of Cancer Research) mice.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Osteoporotic fracture is the main complication of osteoporosis (OP) and accounts for millions of injuries annually. Local intervention by intra-marrow injection has been a good option for preventing osteoporotic bone loss when the osteoporotic femoral fracture has been treated. In this study, tail vein transplantations were examined to evaluate the cell-based therapeutic approach for treating OP with adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) and platelet-rich fibrin releasates (PRFr) in an ovariectomized (OVX) mice model.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Sciatic nerve injuries, not uncommon in trauma with a limited degree of functional recovery, are considered a persistent clinical, social, and economic problem worldwide. Accumulating evidence suggests that stem cells can promote the tissue regeneration through various mechanisms. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ADSCs) and combine with platelet-rich fibrin releasate (PRFr) in the regeneration of sciatic nerve injury in rats.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

One new iridoid, namely neonanin C () one monocyclic iridoid ring-opened derivative namely neonanin D , two new bis-iridoid derivatives namely reticunin A () and reticunin B () with sixteen known compounds (-) were isolated from the stems of (Havil.) Merr. These new structures were determined by the detailed analysis of spectroscopic data and comparison with the data of known analogues.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Phytochemical investigation of the whole plant of Kunth led to the isolation and characterization of a butanolide, rosmarinosin B (), that was isolated from natural sources for the first time, a new butenolide, 5--acetyl bracteanolide A (), and a new apocarotenoid, 2-hydroxyisololiolide (), together with 25 known compounds (compounds - and -). The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by analysis of their spectroscopic data, including MS, 1D, and 2D NMR experiments, and comparison with literature data of known compounds. Furthermore, four butenolides - were synthesized as novel derivatives of bracteanolide A.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs), platelet-rich fibrin releasates (PRFr), and chondrocyte transplantation in rabbit acute osteochondral defects.

Methods: Thirty rabbits were randomly assigned to five groups: untreated controls; ADSCs alone; PRFr alone; PRFr + ADSCs; and PRFr + chondrocytes. The critical size osteochondral defects in right knee femoral condyles were injected intra-articularly according to the groups, as listed.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Although platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) has been used in clinical practice for some time, to date, few studies reveal its role as a bioactive scaffold in facilitating meniscal repair. Here, the positive anabolic effects of PRF on meniscocytes harvested from the primary culture of a rabbit meniscus were revealed. The rabbit meniscocytes were cultured with different concentrations of PRF-conditioned medium, and were evaluated for their ability to stimulate cell migration, proliferation, and extracellular matrix formation.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Chitosan nanoparticles modified with 10 and 30% urocanic acid (CUA) via carbodiimide crosslinking were examined for an efficient gene delivery carrier. The CUA gene carrier was characterized by FTIR, TEM, SEM and the in vitro transfection efficiency CUA polyplex was tested with HeLa and 3T3 cells. The loading efficiency of CUA complexes with DNA was assessed at different N/P ratio of 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Tradescantia albiflora (TA) Kunth (Commelinaceae) has been used for treating gout and hyperuricemia as folklore remedies in Taiwan. Therefore, it is worthwhile to study the effect of TA extracts on lowering uric acid activity. The hypouricemic effects of TA extracts on potassium oxonate (PO)-induced acute hyperuricemia were investigated for the first time.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • - Longan, a fruit tree rich in phenolic components, may help reduce uric acid levels and protect against oxidative damage through anti-inflammatory mechanisms.
  • - A study tested longan extracts from flowers, seeds, and other parts on mice with induced hyperuricemia, revealing that flower extracts had the strongest xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibition and uric acid lowering effect.
  • - Two specific phytochemicals from longan flowers, proanthocyanidin A2 and acetonylgeraniin A, showed significant XO inhibitory activity in lab tests, suggesting their potential as new treatments for high uric acid levels.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

One of the major limitations of tissue-engineered cartilage is poor integration of chondrocytes and scaffold structures with recipient tissue. To overcome this limitation, an expandable scaffold with a honeycomb-like structure has been developed using microfluidic technology. In this study, we evaluated the performance of this expandable gelatin scaffold seeded with rabbit chondrocytes in vivo.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which can be differentiated into chondrocytes under specific conditions, has been proposed for the treatment of cartilage defects. Blood-derived platelet-rich fibrin releasate (PRFr), which is rich in growth factors and cytokines, may improve cartilage regeneration. In this study, the therapeutic effects of PRFr in combination with bone marrow-derived MSCs for articular cartilage regeneration were evaluated in a rabbit model.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to explore the possibility of regenerating whole teeth using a construct that mimics a tooth germ.
  • Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) were harvested and differentiated into necessary cell types, which were then combined using a bioactive scaffold and transplanted into miniature pigs' mandibles.
  • After 13.5 months, most pigs successfully grew teeth with full structures, although some showed issues like ankylosis, indicating that while the regeneration is promising, the implantation site may affect the final tooth shape.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Danggui Buxue Tang (DBT) is a traditional Chinese herbal remedy that promotes bone cell growth and differentiation, made from Radix Astragali and Radix Angelicae sinensis.
  • This study examined the effect of adding DBT to a bone substitute made of gelatin and calcium phosphates, called GGTDBT, on bone regeneration after injury.
  • Results showed that GGTDBT significantly enhanced bone healing, with a higher repair rate compared to the bone substitute without DBT, indicating its potential in improving bone tissue regeneration.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Danofloxacin is an antibacterial drug of the fluoroquinolone group developed for therapeutic purposes in veterinary medicine. The studies described here include investigations of the residues following a single dose or multiple doses of danofloxacin. Residue depletion studies were performed to determine residues in plasma and tissues of saltwater tilapia fish (Oreochromis mossambicus) after a single oral administration of danofloxacin at the dose of 10 mg/kg body weight and also after daily dose of 10 mg/kg body weight for five consecutive days.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The metabolic profile of the traditional Chinese medicine, Sinisan, in miniature pig urine via intragastric administration was investigated. In total, 50 compounds, including 10 unchanged parent glycosides, which were not found from Sinisan's metabolic profile in rats' urine, were identified. Among these, 36 compounds were characterized by HPLC-SPE-NMR coupled with HPLC-HRESIMS, five of which are new and nine are endogenous metabolites of miniature pig.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The purpose of this in vivo study was to evaluate the effect of human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) on various resorbable calcium sulfate/calcium phosphate bone grafts in bone regeneration. Granular particles of calcium sulfate dehydrate (CSD), α-calcium sulfate hemihydrate/amorphous calcium phosphate (α-CSH/ACP), and CSD/β-tricalcium phosphates (β-TCP) were prepared for in vitro dissolution and implantation test. The chemical compositions of specimen residues after dissolution test were characterized by XRD.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The purpose of this study was to investigate the acute and chronic toxicity of sulfamonomethoxine (SMM) to aquatic organisms to evaluate its impact at different trophic levels in the ecosystem. Regarding the growth inhibition of microalgae, SMM exhibited 72-h median effective concentration (EC50) values of 5.9mgL(-1) for freshwater Chlorella vulgaris and 9.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Large bone defects are a considerable challenge to reconstructive surgeons. Numerous traditional Chinese herbal medicines have been used to repair and regenerate bone tissue. This study investigated the bone regeneration potential of Danggui Buxue Tang (DBT), a Chinese herbal decoction prepared from Radix Astragali (RA) and Radix Angelicae Sinensis (RAS), from a molecular biology perspective.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This was a novel, prospective and interventional animal study designed to develop and evaluate a new infliction device for the experimental burn model. Four paired sets of contact burns measuring 36mm diameter were inflicted on the dorsum of an anesthetized pig using a stainless steel round bar heated up to 80-110°C. The bar was applied using a push-pull force gauge designed to control 1kgf mechanical force applied to the skin for a period of 20s.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • - Glinus oppositifolius, a herb native to southern Taiwan, is traditionally used in Chinese medicine for treating conditions like herpes zoster and herpangina.
  • - The study explores the nutritional and therapeutic benefits of this herb while reviewing current scientific research that supports its traditional uses.
  • - By analyzing literature from various online sources, the review aims to contribute to the credibility of Taiwanese medicinal plants and encourage further research in this area.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: We aimed to test our primary hypothesis that the effects of methylprednisolone on bone marrow in chickens are age-sensitive and increase with prolonged treatment and our secondary hypothesis that the effects of methylprednisolone on bone marrow can have individual effects.

Methods: Sixteen control (group A) and 29 methylprednisolone-treated (group B) chickens were categorised by age: pubertal chicks (subgroups A1, B1), young hens (A2, B2), and adult hens (A3, B3). Histologic evaluation 12 to 50 weeks after the start of methylprednisolone treatment included fat cell proliferation, trabecular bone loss, necrosis of bone and marrow, and new bone formation in the femoral head, neck, and intertrochanteric area.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF