The outcome of surgical treatment for recurrent giant cell tumor in the appendicular skeleton.

Background: The treatment for recurrent giant cell tumor (GCT) remains controversial. In this study, we evaluated the outcome of surgical intervention for recurrent GCT.

Method: Twenty-seven patients (14 males and 13 females) with recurrent GCT were recruited.

New bone formation in a true bone ceramic scaffold loaded with desferrioxamine in the treatment of segmental bone defect: a preliminary study.

Background: Desferrioxamine (DFO), an iron chelator, can stimulate osteogenesis and angiogenesis by stabilizing hypoxia-inducible factor 1α. We postulate that a bone graft substitute combined with DFO is beneficial to the reconstruction of bone defects.

Methods: We implanted pure true bone ceramic (TBC) and DFO-loaded TBC (DFO/TBC) scaffolds into 15-mm rabbit radial defects for 8 weeks.

Erythropoietin upregulates growth associated protein-43 expression and promotes retinal ganglion cell axonal regeneration in vivo after optic nerve crush.

In this study, we established a rat model of optic nerve crush to explore the effects of erythropoietin on retinal ganglion cell axonal regeneration. At 15 days after injury in erythropoietin treated rats, retinal ganglion cell densities in regions corresponding to the 1/6, 3/6 and 5/6 ratios of the retinal radius were significantly increased. In addition, the number of growth associated protein-43 positive axons was significantly increased at different distances (50, 250 and 500 μm) from the crush site after erythropoietin treatment.

Effects of insulin and insulin-like growth factor 1 on osteoblast proliferation and differentiation: differential signalling via Akt and ERK.

Insulin and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) are evolutionarily conserved hormonal signalling molecules, which influence a wide array of physiological functions including metabolism, growth and development. Using genetic mouse studies, both insulin and IGF-1 have been shown to be anabolic agents in osteoblasts and bone development primarily through the activation of Akt and ERK signalling pathways. In this study, we examined the temporal signalling actions of insulin and IGF-1 on primary calvarial osteoblast growth and differentiation.

Biomechanical effects of the Coflex implantation on the lumbar spine. A nonlinear finite element analysis.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of the stabilization of the Coflex device on the biomechanical behavior of the instrumented and adjacent spinal segments.

Methods: The study was carried out at the Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai, China between September 2009 and May 2010. Upon validation, a finite element model of L3-S1 segment was developed to simulate and analyze the biomechanics of the intact and Coflex implanted states subjected to simulate loading of flexion, extension, lateral bending, and axial rotation.

Inhibitory effects of pharmacological doses of dexamethasone on mineralization of mesenchymal progenitor cells in vitro.

Dexamethasone (Dex), a synthetic glucocorticoid, has a clinical adverse effect on bone acquisition and metabolism at pharmacological doses. To investigate the underlying mechanisms of Dex induced bone loss, we employed calvaria derived mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPCs) to examine the effects of Dex on their osteoblast lineage commitment and mineralization function. MPCs were cultured up to 28 days in the presence or absence of pharmacological doses of Dex.

OIC-A006 promotes osteogenesis in vitro and in vivo.

Bone morphogenesis proteins (BMPs) are one of the potent bone-forming factors. However, the safety, utility, and cost effectiveness of BMPs must be considered. Nowadays, there has been substantial interest in developing a chemical compound that safely promotes bone formation and facilitates fracture repair.

[Expression of hypoxia inducible factor-1alpha in the fetal vertebra development: experiment with mice].

Objective: To explore the expression pattern and effects of hypoxia inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) in the fetal vertebra development.

Methods: Fetuses at different developmental stages were obtained from C57BL6 mice. The vertebrae of the fetuses were isolated and the development of vertebra was observed by stereoscopic and light microscope.

[Medical value of isoflavones].

Isoflavones as a kind of phytoestrogen exist in soy plant widely. With the advantages of estrogen, they can regulate endocrine function of the human body, reduce blood cholesterol, decrease the incidence of coronary heart disease, prevent osteoporosis, inhibit tumor growth, and relieve pain. This article summarized the investigations on the medical value of isoflavones in recent years.

[Retrospective study of the relationship of height difference and bone density of postmenopausal women].

Objective: To analyze the relationship of the height difference and bone density (BD) of premenopausal and postmenopausal women.

Methods: The height values of 191 premenopausal and postmenopausal women were recorded, and the BD values of lumbar vertebrae and hip were detected by double energy X-ray BD detector.

Results: The lower the height of the postmenopausal women, the less the BD value.

[Osteoblast-like cells cultured in vitro].

Objective: To identify the relationship of osteogenesis and osteoblast-like cells from different tissues, and the shape and functional changes of these cells in their different growing stages.

Methods: Three types of osteoblast-like cells, long spindle-shaped, spherical, and squamous cells were obtained from the fetal calvaria of SD rats or Leghorn chickens cultured in vitro.

Results: The long spindle-shaped and the spherical cells developed into the squamous cells.

[Osteogenesis role played by dermal fibroblasts cultured in vitro].

Fibroblasts were harvested by in vitro culture of split-thickness skin of New-Zealand rabbit. Some opaque bone nodules were formed in the culture flasks when the fibroblasts underwent subculture for 8 days. Some of the nodules might enlarge, extend and form trabecula-like or flake-like structures, when the fibroblasts underwent subculture for 37 days.

Effects of osteogenesis on dermal fibroblasts cultured in vitro.

Fibroblast were harvested from in vitro culture of split-thickness skin of New Zealand rabbit. Some opaque bone nodules were found in the culture flasks when the fibroblasts underwent subculture for 8 days. After a 37-day subculture of fibroblasts, some of the nodules might enlarge extend and form trabecular-like or flake-like structures.

Local changes in aluminium, calcium and phosphorus content of bone caused by alumina implant.

Thirty rabbits were divided equally into 5 groups randomly. A hole, 6 mm in diameter and 2 mm deep, was bored on each iliac crest. Two pieces of alumina were implanted into the hole of one side, while the opposite side served as control.

[Relation of ultrastructural changes of articular cartilage and the arthroscopic classification in osteoarthritic knee].

This paper reported the ultrastructural changes found in the diseased articular cartilages of 43 osteoarthritic knee joints, which were assessed according to the "Arthroscopic classification of the articular cartilage". The electron microscopic findings and the arthroscopic classification of the articular lesions were correlated. The lesioned articular cartilage revealed two categories of pathological changes.

[Histochemical study on effect of radix Salviae miltiorrhizae on growth of isolated cells from embryonic chicken frontal bone cultured in vitro].

12-day embryonic chicken frontal bone digested with trypsin to prepare the suspension of isolated bone cells. 3 x 10(6) cells were harvested altogether. The cells were divided equally into five parts.

[Scanning electron microscopic study of subchondral bone tissues in osteoarthritic femoral head].

In total hip replacement for 12 aged women with advanced osteoarthritis of the hip joint, three types of lesioned articular cartilage with various degrees of severity and ivory bone were obtained together with their subchondral bone tissues. These specimens were processed and studied under scanning electron microscope and were compared with sex and age-matched non-osteoarthritic femoral head articular cartilage specimens. In osteoarthritic femoral heads, with deepening of the articular lesion, the articular cartilage gradually became thinned out and eventually lost.

Scanning electron microscopic study of subchondral bone tissues in osteoarthritic femoral head.

During total hip replacement for 12 cases of advanced osteoarthritis of the hip joint in aged women, three types of diseased or abnormal articular cartilage with different degrees of severity (white articular cartilage, white and hyperplastic articular cartilage, and yellowish articular cartilage) and ivory bone were obtained together with their subchondral bone tissues. These specimens were processed and studied under scanning electron microscope and were compared with sex- and age-matched non-osteoarthritic femoral head articular cartilage specimens. The following findings were observed: 1.

Ultrastructural investigation of granulation tissues on the osteoarthritic femoral head. A scanning electron microscopic and transmission electron microscopic study.

From the femoral heads of nine cases of advanced osteoarthritis of hip joint, three categories of granulation tissues with different colors (bright red, dark-red and white granulation tissues) and texture were obtained. After processing, the specimens were observed under scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope. With transformation of the granulation tissues from bright red to white, the collagen fibers therein contained gradually changed from fine to thick ones.