Incorporation of black phosphorus nanosheets into poly(propylene fumarate) biodegradable bone cement to enhance bioactivity and osteogenesis.

BACKGROUND: Injectable bone cement is commonly used in clinical orthopaedics to fill bone defects, treat vertebral compression fractures, and fix joint prostheses during joint replacement surgery. Poly(propylene fumarate) (PPF) has been proposed as a biodegradable and injectable alternative to polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) bone cement. Recently, there has been considerable interest in two-dimensional (2D) black phosphorus nanomaterials (BPNSs) in the biomedical field due to their excellent photothermal and osteogenic properties. In this study, we investigated the biological and physicochemical qualities of BPNSs mixed with PPF bone cement created through thermal cross-linking. METHODS: PPF was prepared through a two-step process, and BPNSs were prepared via a liquid phase stripping method. BP/PPF was subsequently prepared through thermal cross-linking, and its characteristics were thoroughly analysed. The mechanical properties, cytocompatibility, osteogenic performance, degradation performance, photothermal performance, and in vivo toxicity of BP/PPF were evaluated. RESULTS: BP/PPF exhibited low cytotoxicity levels and mechanical properties similar to that of bone, whereas the inclusion of BPNSs promoted preosteoblast adherence, proliferation, and differentiation on the surface of the bone cement. Furthermore, 200 BP/PPF demonstrated superior cytocompatibility and osteogenic effects, leading to the degradation of PPF bone cement and enabling it to possess photothermal properties. When exposed to an 808-nm laser, the temperature of the bone cement increased to 45-55 °C. Furthermore, haematoxylin and eosin-stained sections from the in vivo toxicity test did not display any anomalous tissue changes. CONCLUSION: BP/PPF exhibited mechanical properties similar to that of bone: outstanding photothermal properties, cytocompatibility, and osteoinductivity. BP/PPF serves as an effective degradable bone cement and holds great potential in the field of bone regeneration.

Efficacy of Yiqi Jianpi anti-cancer prescription combined with chemotherapy in patients with colorectal cancer after operation.

BACKGROUND: At present, colorectal cancer is routinely treated with adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy postoperatively. The adverse effects (AEs) of chemotherapy usually interrupt the treatment of chemotherapy. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has demonstrated great potential in improving patients' clinical symptoms, regulating the immune function, improving the life quality, and reducing the AEs of chemotherapy. AIM: To observe the clinical efficacy of Yiqi Jianpi anti-cancer prescription combined with chemotherapy in patients with colorectal cancer after operation. METHODS: Data from patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer between January 2019 and February 2021 were collected from Liaoning Cancer Hospital and Institute and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Patients receiving the chemotherapy regimen of capecitabine plus oxaliplatin (CAPOX) after radical resection of colorectal cancer were prospectively collected and randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group was given Yiqi Jianpi anti-cancer prescription combined with the CAPOX regimen, while the control group was given the CAPOX regimen alone. After six cycles of chemotherapy, the scores of TCM symptoms, Karnofsky performance scale (KPS) score, levels of T-cell subsets, and AEs after chemotherapy of the two groups were compared. RESULTS: A total of 70 patients were randomly divided into either an experimental group (n = 35, no dropout) or a control group (n = 33, with 2 dropouts). Compared with the control group, the experimental group improved significantly (P < 0.05) in scores of TCM symptoms, KPS score, levels of T-cell subsets, and AEs of chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: Yiqi Jianpi anti-cancer prescription can effectively improve spleen deficiency, regulate the immune function, and alleviate the AEs of chemotherapy, so as to improve the life quality of patients with good therapeutic effects and application prospect in clinical practice.