Efficacy and Safety of Opioids for the Prevention of Etomidate-Induced Myoclonus: A Meta-Analysis.

Etomidate is a widely used hypnotic drug for induction of general anesthesia and sedation, especially in elderly patients and hemodynamically unstable patients. Myoclonus, however, is the most prominent problem during induction of anesthesia with etomidate. Many agents have been used to prevent it and opioid is one of them.

Suppression of acute morphine withdrawal syndrome by adenovirus-mediated β-endorphin in rats.

Background: Endogenous β-endorphin (β-EP) in the central nervous system (CNS) is decreased upon opioid addiction. The current study examined whether exogenous β-EP, delivered using an adenoviral vector into the CNS could attenuate morphine withdrawal syndrome in rats.

Methods: The model of opioid-dependent rats was set up by receiving subcutaneous injection of morphine using an escalating regimen for 6days (5, 10, 20, 40, 50, 60mg/kg, three times/day).

Intrathecal siRNA against Toll-like receptor 4 reduces nociception in a rat model of neuropathic pain.

Background: Neuropathic pain is characterized by hyperalgesia, allodynia and spontaneous pain. It often occurs as a result of injury to peripheral nerves, dorsal root ganglions (DRG), spinal cord, or brain. Recent studies have suggested that Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) might play a role in neuropathic pain.

Human signal peptide had advantage over mouse in secretory expression.

The signal peptide is a critical component in the secretory expression of protein in eukaryotic cells. It has been verified that the signal peptide of mouse nerve growth factor could mediate the secretory expression of beta-endorphin in cultured non-neuronal cells. Although there is a counterpart of nerve growth factor in human genome, no research about the signal sequence from human genome has been reported.

[Construction and analysis of in vitro expression of adenovirus/adeno-associated hybrid virus containing the fusion gene of human beta-endorphin].

The fusion gene of human beta-endorphin was cloned into the shuttle plasmid pDC312-AAVEE with the method of molecular bilology. The latter and genomic plasmids were cotransfected into HEK293 to package the Adenovirus/Adeno-associated hybrid virus containing fusion gene of human beta-endorphin. The hybrid virus was identified with the method of PCR.

[Experimental study of compatibility between chondrocytes and allogenic cartilage microparticle acellular tissue matris in vitro].

Objective: To construct tissue engineered cartilage using cartilage microparticle acellular tissue matrix (CMACTM) as scaffold.

Methods: To determine the content of hydroxyproline, glycosaminoglycan and DNA of CMACTM prepared from sheep's articular cartilage with multistep enzymic method, and to analyze CMACTM with gross observation, histology and scanning electron microscopy. Allogenic chondrocytes were mixed with CMACTM and cultured in vitro from 0 to 35 days.

[Transferring neurovascular rectus femoris muscle segment for treatment of facial paralysis].

Objective: To investigate a new technique for functional treatment of chronic facial paralysis.

Methods: Based on anatomy of intramuscular neurovascular structure in the rectus femoris muscle, 7 consecutive patients with facial paralysis were treated by using a technique of microsurgically free-transferring neurovascular rectus femoris muscle segment to the face in one-stage. Follow-ups were 10 to 24 months.

[The neurovascular anatomy and its clinical implication of the rectus femoris muscle].

Objective: The objective of this anatomic study was to investigate the intramuscular neurovascular configuration and to evaluate whether the muscle could be split into two functional units in transplantation.

Methods: Ten fresh cadavers and ten preserved cadavers were used in the study. A mixture of lead oxide, gelatin and water was injected to the femoral artery of the fresh cadaver.