Publications by authors named "Zhen'an Zhu"

Article Synopsis
  • Autogenous bone grafting has limitations such as limited supply, donor site complications, and challenges in treating large defects, leading to a need for effective bone substitutes.
  • Inspired by the strong structure of mollusk nacre, researchers developed a cerium-doped layered nano-hydroxyapatite/chitosan scaffold (CeHA/CS), which combines the strength of hydroxyapatite with the flexibility of chitosan, mimicking the natural resilience of nacre.
  • Both in vitro and in vivo studies show that CeHA/CS scaffolds significantly promote bone tissue growth and regeneration by enhancing osteogenic gene expression and inhibiting osteoclast formation, indicating their potential as an effective bone substitute.
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Objective: To investigate the clinical and radiological outcomes of distal radius fractures (DRFs) with displaced dorsal ulnar fragments treated with volar locking plate (VLP) and the "poking reduction" technique.

Methods: Between January 2014 and January 2019, 78 unilateral DRFs with displaced dorsal ulnar fragment (AO type C3) treated with VLP were conducted. According to the reduction technique of the dorsal ulnar fragment, the patients were divided into the conventional reduction (CRG) group (33 patients, 14 males and 19 females, mean age 57.

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Objective: To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of Qishe Pill () on neck pain in real-world clinical practice.

Methods: A multi-center, prospective, observational surveillance in 8 hospitals across Shanghai was conducted. During patients receiving 4-week Qishe Pill medication, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Neck Disability Index (NDI) assessments have been used to assess their pain and function, while safety monitoring have been observed after 2 and 4 weeks.

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Objective: To compare therapeutic effects of internal fixation with volar locking plate in treating extension and flexion type of distal radius fracture (DRF).

Methods: From January 2015 to June 2018, 103 patients with DRF were retrospectively analyzed. According to original fracture displacement direction, patients were divided into extension fracture(Colles) group and flexion fracture (Smith) group.

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Article Synopsis
  • Breast cancer bone metastasis is a significant complication leading to issues like tumor recurrence and bone defects.
  • In this study, researchers evaluated the effectiveness of a bioactive scaffold made from graphene oxide and other materials for promoting cell growth, regulating immune responses, and enhancing bone regeneration both in vitro and in vivo.
  • The findings suggest that the new CePO/CS/GO scaffold can effectively kill tumor cells, promote blood vessel formation through macrophage polarization, and aid in bone regeneration, making it a potential treatment option for breast cancer bone metastases.
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Aseptic loosening caused by wear particles is a common complication after total hip arthroplasty. We investigated the effect of the quercetin on wear particle-mediated macrophage polarization, inflammatory response and osteolysis. In vitro, we verified that Ti particles promoted the differentiation of RAW264.

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Objective: To assess the changes in alignment of ipsilateral knee joint after total hip arthroplasty (THA) for patients with developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH).

Methods: Thirty-four patients with DDH (38 hips) who underwent THA between February and December 2008 were included in the study: 4 men and 30 women with a mean age of 56.2 years.

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Bioglass scaffolds have great application potentials in orthopedics, and Ursolic acid (UA) can effectively promote in vivo new bone formation. Herein, we for the first time developed the mesoporous bioglass/chitosan porous scaffolds loaded with UA (MBG/CS/UA) for enhanced bone regeneration. The MBG microspheres with particle sizes of ~300 nm and pore sizes of ~3.

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The present study investigated the role of bidirectional ephrin‑B2/erythropoietin‑producing human hepatocellular receptor 4 (ephB4) signaling in the regulation of wear particle‑mediated osteoclastogenesis in vitro. Mouse bone marrow macrophages (BMMs) were induced into osteoclasts by receptor activator of nuclear factor‑κB ligand (RANKL, 50 ng/ml). EphB4‑Fc, an osteoblast membrane surface receptor (4 µg/ml), was used to stimulate the ephrin‑B2 ligand of osteoclasts in the presence and absence of titanium (Ti).

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Article Synopsis
  • Hydroxyapatite (HA) crystals have distinct shapes depending on their orientation on bones and enamel, with rod-like shapes aligning with c-axis and plate-like shapes aligning with a(b)-axis.
  • Researchers synthesized HA coatings featuring oriented nanorod arrays (RHACs) and nanoplate arrays (PHACs) by converting bioglass templates in simulated body fluid (SBF) at varying calcium to phosphorus ratios.
  • These HA coatings improved cell adhesion and growth of human bone marrow stromal cells compared to traditional materials, and their structure showed no significant impact on cell compatibility, highlighting their potential for orthopedic applications.
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Objective: To observe the vascularity in periprosthetic tissues of aseptic loosening after total hip arthroplasty (THA) and to explore the relationship between expression of vascularity and osteolysis.

Methods: Between October 2009 and June 2012, interface tissues were obtained from 22 patients (22 hips) who underwent revision of THA because of prosthetic aseptic loosening, including 12 males and 10 females with the age range of 53-81 years and prosthesis survival range of 6-14 years. The interface tissues were divided into osteolysis group and non-osteolysis group based on preoperative X-ray findings and intraoperative observation.

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Background: The properties of subchondral bone influence the integrity of articular cartilage in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA). However, the characteristics of subchondral bone alterations remain unresolved. The present study aimed to observe the dynamic alterations in the microarchitecture, mineralization, and mechanical properties of subchondral bone during the progression of OA.

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Hydroxyapatite (HA) is the main inorganic constituent of natural bones and teeth with c-axis orientation and a(b)-axis orientation, respectively. Designing HA coatings (HACs) with specific orientation and morphology is an important strategy to improve their biological properties. Herein, we report, for the first time, the hydrothermal synthesis of HACs with oriented nanoplate arrays according to the following steps: (i) deposition of brushite/chitosan coatings (BCCs) on Ti6Al4V substrates; and (ii) transformation of HACs with oriented nanoplate arrays from BCCs after hydrothermal treatment with alkaline solutions.

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Article Synopsis
  • An ideal bone tissue engineering scaffold should be porous, biocompatible, and mechanically similar to natural bones; collagen is essential for bone regeneration but traditional collagen scaffolds have poor mechanical stability.
  • The study presents a new hybrid scaffold made from collagen fibers and bioglass, created using a slurry-dipping method, which offers improved porosity, reduced water absorption, and enhanced structural stability compared to pure collagen scaffolds.
  • The resulting CO/BG scaffold shows favorable mechanical properties (compression strength of 5.8 MPa and elastic modulus of 0.35 GPa) and excellent biocompatibility, making it a strong candidate for applications in bone tissue engineering.
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Bone defects caused by trauma and disease have become urgent problems. Three-dimensional (3D) porous scaffolds for bone tissue engineering should ideally have an interconnected porous structure, good biocompatibility and mechanical properties similar to those of natural bones. In the present study, a chitosan/bioglass (CS/BG) 3D porous scaffold was constructed by initially preparing a CS fibre 3D porous scaffold by needle-punching, and then depositing BG on the scaffold by dip-coating.

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Postoperative implant-associated infection remains a serious complication in total joint arthroplasty (TJA) surgery. The addition of antibiotics to bone cement is used as an antimicrobial prophylaxis in cemented joint arthroplasty; however, in cementless arthroplasty, there are no comparable measures for the local delivery of antibiotics. In this study, a gentamicin-loaded Fe3O4/carbonated hydroxyapatite coating (Gent-MCHC) was fabricated according to the following steps: (i) deposition of Fe3O4/CaCO3 particles on Ti6Al4V substrates by electrophoretic deposition; (ii) conversions of MCHC from Fe3O4/CaCO3 coatings by chemical treatment; and (iii) formation of Gent-MCHC by loading gentamicin into MCHC.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the genetic cause of femoral head necrosis (ONFH) in a Chinese family by analyzing clinical data and genomic DNA.
  • The researchers identified a specific mutation (c.3665G>A) in the COL2A1 gene through PCR and sequencing, which was present in affected family members but absent in healthy controls.
  • The findings suggest that this mutation may be linked to ONFH, potentially impacting understanding and treatment within Chinese populations.
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The role of nitric oxide in the development of neurons is conflicting. In the present work, cerebellar granule neurons (CGNs) were used as a model to assess the survival role of nitric oxide and to find novel signal transduction pathways related to this role. It is reported that sustained inhibition of nitric oxide production induces apoptosis in differentiated cerebellar granule neurons.

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A multifunctional magnetic mesoporous bioactive glass (MMBG) has been widely used for a drug delivery system, but its biological properties have been rarely reported. Herein, the effects of mesopores and Fe3O4 nanoparticles on drug loading-release property, bactericidal property and biocompatibility have been investigated by using mesoporous bioactive glass (MBG) and non-mesoporous bioactive glass (NBG) as control samples. Both MMBG and MBG have better drug loading efficiency than NBG because they possess ordered mesoporous channels, big specific surface areas and high pore volumes.

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Article Synopsis
  • * The ECHCs feature a smoother and more crack-free surface, with the presence of ethyl cellulose improving the morphology and a higher contact angle (37.3°) compared to the control coatings (13.0°).
  • * Testing with human bone mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) demonstrates that ECHCs offer better cell attachment, spreadability, viability, and proliferation, making them suitable for biological implants due to their excellent biocompatibility
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Article Synopsis
  • Implant-associated infections in orthopedic surgery can be serious, highlighting the need for ideal bone filling materials that combine biocompatibility, anti-infection properties, and osteoinductivity.
  • Magnetic mesoporous carbonated hydroxyapatite microspheres (MHMs) are developed through a two-step process, resulting in a porous structure that allows for high drug loading efficiency (73-82%) and sustained release of gentamicin to prevent bacterial biofilm formation.
  • In vitro tests show that MHMs enhance the adhesion and proliferation of human bone marrow stromal cells, promote osteogenic differentiation, and exhibit excellent biocompatibility and bactericidal properties, making them promising for treating complex bone defects.
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Article Synopsis
  • Porous carbon fiber felts (PCFFs) are strong and lightweight, making them suitable for orthopedic surgery, but they lack biological properties.
  • Researchers developed hydroxyapatite/chitosan/carbon porous scaffolds (HCCPs) to enhance PCFFs' biocompatibility by coating them with HA/chitosan nanohybrid layers.
  • HCCPs show improved bioactivity, promoting bone-like formation and better cell adhesion, suggesting they are promising materials for bone tissue engineering and implantation.
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Ideal biocoatings for bone implants should be similar to the minerals of natural bones in chemical composition, crystallinity, and crystallographic texture. Herein, magnetic hydroxyapatite (HA) coatings (MHACs) with oriented nanorod arrays have been fabricated by using magnetic bioglass coatings (CaO-SiO-PO-FeO, MBGCs) as sacrificial templates. After the hydrothermal reaction for 24 h, the MBGCs are converted to MHACs in a simulated body fluid (SBF) via a dissolution-precipitation reaction.

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