Research on a Novel Locating Method for Track Inspection Based on Onboard Sensors in Maglev Train.

Guideway inspection is of great significance to the operation safety and riding quality of a commercial high-speed maglev transportation system. When analyzing guideway inspection data, it is important to obtain the location information for each piece of raw data and convert it from the time domain to the spatial domain for the analysis afterward. Previous studies have used the method of adding additional hardware such as GPS (global positioning system) receivers, LRF (location reference flag) readers, or onboard CAN (controller area network) bus adaptors to obtain location information. This paper presents a novel method for indirectly obtaining the location information via the use of data from the levitation and guidance control sensors perpendicular to the longitudinal direction to extract the characteristic information from the track. The method can be used for a long stator linear motor-driven maglev system and similar contactless rail transit systems. The results showed that the method could accurately identify the required location information in each stator tooth during the entire operation simultaneously with the operating information such as train velocity, direction, and track ID, without additional hardware installation and vehicle network connection. Thus, it could improve the pertinence of the results of guideway inspection equipment, and at the same time, facilitate the miniaturization and independence of guideway inspection equipment.

Reusable fibrous adsorbent prepared via Co-radiation induced graft polymerization for iodine adsorption.

Volatile iodine released from nuclear power plant reactors is radiological hazard to environment and human's health because of their high fission yield and environmental mobility. The complexity of nuclear waste management motivated the development of solid-phase adsorbents. Herein, co-radiation induced graft polymerization (CRIGP) was employed in the graft polymerization of N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone (NVP) onto polyethylene-coated polypropylene skin-core (PE/PP) fibers using electron beam (EB) irradiation. This work provides a one-step green synthetic approach to prepare iodine fibrous adsorbents without any chemical initiators or large amount of organic solvent. The original and modified PE/PP fibers were characterized by fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), thermogravimetric (TG) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to demonstrate the grafting of NVP onto the PE/PP fibers. The capacity of iodine absorbed by the PE/PP-g-PNVP fibers was 1237.8 mg/g after 180 min. Meanwhile, absorbents can be regenerated efficiently by two different means of ethanol elution and heating at 120 °C, respectively. Within 10 min, 94.17% and 90.12% of the iodine can be released from the PE/PP-g-PNVP fibers with these two methods, respectively. The adsorbent exhibited a long service life of at least ten adsorption-desorption cycles, suggesting that PE/PP-g-PNVP fibers might be a promising adsorbent for volatile iodine adsorption from fission products in nuclear power plant reactors.

Relationship between traditional Chinese medicine constitutional types with chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in patients with breast cancer: an observational study.

BACKGROUND: The theory of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) constitution involves genetic characteristics, psychological factors, organ functions, and many other aspects. Studies have shown that TCM constitution is associated with HLA polymorphisms and has a genetic basis. A large number of Chinese studies have suggested that the clinical evolution of breast cancer may differ among patients with different TCM constitutions. In addition, patients with breast cancer and different TCM constitutions may have different degrees of myelosuppression after chemotherapy. Some studies have revealed that some constitutions may become predictive factors for death and morbidity of some diseases. The study was to investigate the risk factors among TCM constitutions for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) in patients with primary breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy. METHODS: From September 2008 to January 2014, 612 patients who underwent surgery and chemotherapy for breast cancer in three hospitals in Xi'an, Shanxi province, underwent TCM constitution assessment using the Nine Basic Constitutions in Chinese Medicine Questionnaire before chemotherapy. CINV was monitored during treatments. Patients were asked to complete the Functional Living Index-Emesis (FLIE) questionnaire. The most severe CINV grade during chemotherapy was recorded according to the WHO standard. The relationships between TCM constitutions, CINV, and clinical and pathological characteristics of the cancers were assessed. RESULTS: There were no differences in the incidence of CINV among breast cancer patients receiving different chemotherapy regimens, and among patients with different TCM constitutions. The wetness-heat score was an independent risk factor for severe CINV (grade III-IV) (OR = 1.012, 95 % CI: 1.007-1.021, P < 0.001). In-depth analyses of the wetness-heat constitution showed that bitter taste/smelly mouth was an independent risk factor for severe CINV (OR = 1.209, 95 % CI: 1.035-1.412, P = 0.017), as well as progesterone receptor-positive cancer (OR = 1.429, 95 % CI: 1.030-1.981, P = 0.032). Vomiting history was a protective factor against CINV (OR = 0.548, 95 % CI: 0.353-0.849, P = 0.007). CONCLUSION: Risk of grade III-IV nausea and vomiting was higher in breast cancer patients with TCM constitution of wetness-heat, especially bitter taste or smelly mouth.

Polymyxin B-targeted liposomal photosensitizer cures MDR A. baumannii burn infections and accelerates wound healing via M1/M2 macrophage polarization.

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter baumannii infections pose a significant challenge in burn wound management, necessitating the development of innovative therapeutic strategies. In this work, we introduced a novel polymyxin B (PMB)-targeted liposomal photosensitizer, HMME@Lipo-PMB, for precise and potent antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) against burn infections induced by MDR A. baumanni. HMME@Lipo-PMB-mediated aPDT exhibited enhanced antibacterial efficacy by specifically targeting and disrupting bacterial cell membranes, and generating increased intracellular ROS. Remarkably, even at low concentrations, this targeted approach significantly reduced bacterial viability in vitro and completely eradicated burn infections induced by MDR A. baumannii in vivo. Additionally, HMME@Lipo-PMB-mediated aPDT facilitated burn infection wound healing by modulating M1/M2 macrophage polarization. It also effectively promoted acute inflammation in the early stage, while attenuated chronic inflammation in the later stage of wound healing. This dynamic modulation promoted the formation of granulation tissue, angiogenesis, and collagen regeneration. These findings demonstrate the tremendous potential of HMME@Lipo-PMB-mediated aPDT as a promising alternative for the treatment of burn infections caused by MDR A. baumannii.

[Treatment of stage â ¡-â ¢ Kümmell disease with robot-assisted bone cement-augmented pedicle screw fixation].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the early clinical efficacy of robot-assisted percutaneous short-segment bone cement-augmented pedicle screw fixation in the treatment of stageⅡ-Ⅲ Kümmell disease. METHODS: The clinical data of 20 patients with stageⅡ-Ⅲ Kümmell's disease who underwent robot-assisted percutaneous bone cement-augmented pedicle screw fixation between June 2017 and January 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 4 males and 16 females, aged from 60 to 81 years old with an average age of (69.1±8.3) years. There were 9 cases of stageⅡand 11 cases of stage Ⅲ, all of which were single vertebral lesions, including 3 cases of T11, 5 cases of T12, 8 cases of L1, 3 cases of L2, and 1 case of L3. These patients did not exhibit symptoms of spinal cord injury. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, and complications were recorded. The position of pedicle screws and the filling and leakage of bone cement in gaps were observed using postoperative CT 2D reconstruction. The data of the visual analogue scale (VAS), Oswestry disability index (ODI), kyphosis Cobb angle, wedge angle of the diseased vertebra, and anterior and posterior vertebral height on lateral radiographs were statistically analyzed preoperatively, 1 week postoperatively, and at the final follow-up. RESULTS: Twenty patients were followed up for 10 to 26 months, with an average follow-up of (16.0±5.1) months. All operations were successfully completed. The surgical duration ranged from 98 to 160 minutes, with an average of (122±24) minutes. The intraoperative blood loss ranged from 25 to 95 ml, with an average of (45±20) ml. There were no intraoperative vascular nerve injuries. A total of 120 screws were inserted in this group, including 111 screws at grade A and 9 screws at grade B according to the Gertzbein and Robbins scales. Postoperative CT indicated that the bone cement was well-filled in the diseased vertebra, and cement leakage occurred in 4 cases. Preoperative VAS and ODI were (6.05±0.18) points and (71.10±5.37)%, respectively, (2.05±0.14) points and (18.57±2.77)% at 1 week after operation, and (1.35±0.11) points and (15.71±2.12) % at final follow-up. There were significant differences between postoperative 1 week and preoperative, and between final follow-up and postoperative 1 week(P<0.01). Anterior and posterior vertebral height, kyphosis Cobb angle, and wedge angle of the diseased vertebra were(45.07±1.06)%, (82.02±2.11)%, (19.49±0.77) °, and (17.56±0.94) ° preoperatively, respectively, (77.00±0.99)%, (83.04±2.02)%, (7.34±0.56) °, and (6.15±0.52) ° at 1 week postoperatively, and (75.13±0.86)%, (82.39±0.45)%, (8.38±0.63) °, and (7.09±0.59) ° at the final follow-up. CONCLUSION: Robot-assisted percutaneous short-segment bone cement-augmented pedicle screw fixation demonstrates satisfactory short-term efficacy in treating stageⅡ-Ⅲ Kümmell's disease as an effective minimally invasive alternative. However, longer operation times and strict patient selection criteria are necessary, and long-term follow-up is required to determine its lasting effectiveness.

Targeted Wolfram-Doped Polypyrrole for Photonic Hyperthermia-Synergized Radiotherapy.

Single ionizing radiation at a tolerable dose is ineffectual in eliminating malignancies but readily generates harmful effects on surrounding normal tissues. Herein, we intelligently fabricated novel wolfram-doped polypyrrole (WPPy) through a simple oxidative polymerization method with WCl6 as an oxidizing catalyst, which possessed good biocompatibility, high photothermal conversion, and intensive radiosensitivity capacities to concurrently serve as a photothermal reagent and a radiosensitizer for hyperthermia-synergized radiotherapy (RT) against a malignant tumor. In comparison with traditional polypyrrole without noble metal doping, the innovative introduction of WCl6 not only successfully launched the polymerization of a pyrrole monomer but also endowed WPPy with additional radiosensitization. More importantly, after further decoration with an active targeted component (SP94 polypeptide), the obtained WPPy@SP94 significantly increased tumor internalization and accumulation in vitro and in vivo and induced obvious DNA damage as well as robust ROS generation under X-ray irradiation, which meanwhile synergized with strong photonic hyperthermia to effectively inhibit tumor growth by single drug injection. Moreover, such biocompatible WPPy@SP94 showed negligible adverse effects on normal cells and tissues. WPPy@SP94 developed in this study not only expands the category of polypyrrole chemical syntheses but also sheds light on WPPy@SP94-based radiosensitizers for cancer RT.

Interfacing live cells with nanocarbon substrates.

Nanocarbon materials, including single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and graphene, promise various novel biomedical applications (e.g., nanoelectronic biosensing). In this Letter, we study the ability of SWCNT networks and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) films in interfacing several types of cells, such as neuroendocrine PC12 cells, oligodendroglia cells, and osteoblasts. It was found that rGO is biocompatible with all these cell types, whereas the SWCNT network is inhibitory to the proliferation, viability, and neuritegenesis of PC12 cells, and the proliferation of osteoblasts. These observations could be attributed to the distinct nanotopographic features of these two kinds of nanocarbon substrates.

Elevation of plasma membrane permeability upon laser irradiation of extracellular microbubbles.

Laser-mediated gene transfection has received much attention as a new method for targeted gene therapy because of the high controllability of laser energy and direction. In this report, we describe a combination laser-microbubble system that enables membrane-impermeable molecules to penetrate cell membranes. The main theories we apply are optical breakdown and photoacoustic generation, which are induced by laser irradiation. Firstly, different types of laser light (Ar-green, Novus Varia poly-wavelength and Nd:YAG laser) were adopted to blast liposome microbubble contrast medium; subsequently, the Nd:YAG laser (1064 nm, 4 ns), which could successfully blast microbubbles, and ultrasound were used in combination to irradiate a mixture of liposome microbubbles and retinoblastoma (Rb) cells. After irradiation, membrane permeability was evaluated by flow cytometric assay using propidium iodide (PI) and fluorescein diacetate (FDA). The proportion of permeabilized resealed cells was affected by changes in the light energy. All of the Nd:YAG laser, Nd:YAG combination laser-microbubble and combination ultrasound-microbubble systems were able to permeabilize the Rb cells. These results suggest that this combination laser-microbubble system is a new means of delivering exogenous materials into living cells.

Biomechanical and Morphometric Evaluation of a Strontium-Incorporated Implant and Four Commercially Available Implants: A Study in Rabbits.

PURPOSE: Strontium has shown a positive effect on osseointegration in experiments. This study compared surface characterization and osseointegration of a strontium-incorporated implant with four commercial implants with different surface treatments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A strontium-oxide layer was created by hydrothermal treatment on the surface of the implant (SLA-Sr). Surface characterizations were observed using a scanning electron microscope, three-dimensional (3D) optical microscope, and x-ray energy-dispersive spectrometry. Implants of different surface treatments including resorbable blasting media (RBM), sandblasting with large grit and acid etching (SLA-1, SLA-2), sandblasting and thermal acid etching (STA), and SLA-Sr were implanted into the proximal tibiae and femoral condyles of rabbits. Biologic effects were evaluated by removal torque testing and histomorphometric analysis after 3, 6, and 12 weeks of implantation. RESULTS: Nanostructures were observed on the surface of SLA-Sr and STA. Calcium (Ca) was detected on the surface of RBM. Sr was detected on the surface of SLA-Sr. SLA-1 and STA had greater surface roughness than SLA-2, SLA-Sr, and RBM (P < .05). In vivo, SLA-Sr achieved better removal torque value (RTV) than that of RBM and SLA-2 at 3 weeks (P < .05), as well as increased bone area ratio (BA%) in cortical bone compared with RBM at 3 weeks (P < .05). STA showed higher bone-to-implant contact ratio (BIC%) in cortical bone than RBM at 3 and 6 weeks (P < .05). Compared with RBM, SLA-1 had better RTV at 6 weeks and higher BIC% in cortical bone at 12 weeks (P < .05). CONCLUSION: In vivo, compared with SLA-2 and RBM, the implant with the strontium-oxide layer displayed slight advantages in new bone formation and osseointegration in the early healing stage. In the later osseointegration stage, the results of SLA-Sr were comparable with other implants.

Synergistic effects of thermal treatment and encapsulation of calcium phosphate nanoparticles on enhancing dimensional stability and osteogenic induction potential of free-standing PLGA electrospun membranes.

Limited dimensional stability and osteogenic induction property of poly (lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) electrospun membranes hampered their applications in bone tissue engineering. Thermal treatment of fixed PLGA membranes at 50 °C for 2 h and further immersion in 75% ethanol at free-standing state were adopted in order to obtain a high stability and well-maintained fiber morphology. After the process, free-standing membranes were stable during incubation in PBS at 37 °C, the volumetric ratio was 59.0%, fibers became curved, and the average diameter was 816 nm. For as-electrospun PLGA membranes, the volumetric ratio was only 35.3%, showing that thermal treatment was effective to improve the dimensional stability. The addition of calcium phosphate nanoparticles in P5-T-F further increased the volumetric ratio (64.0%) and significantly improved the mechanical properties. The mineralization capacity of PLGA membranes was enhanced because of thermal treatment. Hemolysis ratios of all samples were ∼2% indicating good hemocompatibility of PLGA electrospun membranes. Proliferation of adipose derived stem cells from rats (rADSCs) on treated PLGA membranes was significantly faster than that on untreated one, especially for sample P-T-F. In addition to thermal treatment, the addition of calcium phosphate nanoparticles showed synergistic effects on improving mineralization property and osteogenic differentiation of rADSCs. When compared with P-T-F, P5-T-F had 153.0% higher ALP activity and 518% higher calcium mineral deposition based on alizarin red assay. Thermal treatment along with encapsulation of calcium phosphate nanoparticles in PLGA electrospun membranes demonstrated a great prospect for applications in bone tissue engineering.

Kambin triangle approach in percutaneous vertebroplasty for the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) in Kambin triangle approach for the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs).Between November 2017 and September 2018, 109 patients (144 vertebral bodies) with OVCFs, with a mean age of 76.7 ±â€Š9.9 years (55-96 years), underwent PVP in Kambin triangle approach. The time of operation, the volume of bone cement, the incidence of complication, the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) score, the position of puncture needles, and the spread of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) in vertebral body (VB) were recorded.All patients had been completed the operation successfully and were followed up 9.1 ±â€Š2.9 months. The average operation time of each VB was 24.0 ±â€Š3.5 minutes. The average volume of cement was 4.8 ±â€Š0.6 ml. The mean VAS scores were 8.4 ±â€Š0.7 preoperatively, 1.6 ±â€Š0.6 at the first day postoperatively, and 1.2 ±â€Š0.6 at the last follow-up. The mean ODI scores were 70.97 ±â€Š7.73 preoperatively, 27.99 ±â€Š4.12 at the first day postoperatively, and 19.65 ±â€Š3.49 at the last follow-up. The position of puncture needles in the VB was: 119 vertebral puncture needles reached the midline, 15 were close to the midline, and 10 exceeded the midline. The spread of PMMA in the VB was: type 1 in 81 levels (56.3%), type 2 in 37 (25.7%), type 3 in 18 (12.5%), type 5 in 8 (5.5%), and no case in type 4. One case developed pneumothorax after operation. No other complications (hematoma, cement embolism, spinal cord, and nerve injury) occurred.Kambin triangle approach in PVP, which can deliver the puncture needle to the midline of VB easily and with excellent cement distribution, is a safe and effective method.

MiR-101 and doxorubicin codelivered by liposomes suppressing malignant properties of hepatocellular carcinoma.

MiR-101, an important tumor-suppressive microRNA (miRNA) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), has been affirmed significantly downregulated in HCC and participated in promoting apoptosis, decreasing proliferation and invasiveness of HCC cells, as well as increasing sensitivity of chemotherapeutic drug. However, miR-101-based combination therapies with doxorubicin (DOX) are not reported yet. Recently, nanomaterials-based approaches, especially liposome formulations, have been approved for clinical use and seem to provide a great opportunity to codeliver therapeutic agents for cancer therapy. In this study, we have successfully prepared liposome (L) nanoparticles to efficiently deliver miR-101 and DOX to HCC cells simultaneously. The effects of codelivery system miR-101/doxorubicin liposome (miR-101/DOX-L) on tumor malignant phenotypes of HCC cells were evaluated through analyzing cell proliferation, colony formation, cell migration, cell invasion, cell apoptosis assay, and the expression of related genes. In subcutaneous xenografts developed by HCC cells, the inhibition of tumor growth was analyzed through gross morphology, growth curve, proliferation marker Ki-67, apoptosis signals, and the expression of related genes. These experiments demonstrated that miR-101/DOX-L inhibited tumor properties of liver cancer cells in vitro and in vivo through targeting correlative genes by combinatory role of miR-101 and DOX. In conclusion, our results indicated that liposome nanoparticle is a reliable delivery strategy to codeliver miR-101 and DOX simultaneously, and miR-101- and DOX-based combination therapy can result in significant synergetic antitumor effects in vivo and vitro.

Intranasal infection and contact transmission of Zika virus in guinea pigs.

Zika virus (ZIKV) is primarily transmitted to humans through mosquito bites or sexual contact. The excretion and persistence of contagious ZIKV in various body fluids have been well documented in ZIKV patients; however, the risk of direct contact exposure remains unclear. Here, we show that guinea pigs are susceptible to ZIKV infection via subcutaneous inoculation route; infected guinea pigs exhibit seroconversion and significant viral secretion in sera, saliva, and tears. Notably, ZIKV is efficiently transmitted from infected guinea pigs to naïve co-caged animals. In particular, intranasal inoculation of ZIKV is fully capable of establishing infection in guinea pigs, and viral antigens are detected in multiple tissues including brain and parotid glands. Cynomolgus macaques also efficiently acquire ZIKV infection via intranasal and intragastric inoculation routes. These collective results from animal models highlight the risk of exposure to ZIKV contaminants and raise the possibility of close contact transmission of ZIKV in humans.

Osteoinduction of calcium phosphate biomaterials in small animals.

Although osteoinduction mechanism of calcium phosphate (CP) ceramics is still unclear, several essential properties have been reported, such as chemical composition, pore size and porosity, etc. In this study, calcium phosphate powder (Ca3(PO4)2, CaP, group 1), biphasic calcium phosphate ceramic powder (BCP, group 2), and intact BCP rods (group 3) were implanted into leg muscles of mice and dorsal muscles of rabbits. One month and three months after implantation, samples were harvested for biological and histological analysis. New bone tissues were observed in 10/10 samples in group 1, 3/10 samples in group 2, and 9/10 samples in group 3 at 3rd month in mice, but not in rabbits. In vitro, human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) were cultured with trace CaP and BCP powder, and osteogenic differentiation was observed at day 7. Our results suggested that chemical composition is the prerequisite in osteoinduction, and pore structure would contribute to more bone formation.

Osteoinduction by Ca-P biomaterials implanted into the muscles of mice.

The osteoinduction of porous biphasic calcium phosphate ceramics (BCP) has been widely reported and documented, but little research has been performed on rodent animals, e.g., mice. In this study, we report osteoinduction in a mouse model. Thirty mice were divided into two groups. BCP materials (Sample A) and control ceramics (Sample B) were implanted into the leg muscle, respectively. Five mice in each group were killed at 15, 30, and 45 d after surgery. Sample A and Sample B were harvested and used for hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining, and Alizarin Red S staining to check bone formation in the biomaterials. Histological analysis showed that no bone tissue was formed 15 d after implantation (0/5) in either of the two groups. Newly-formed bone tissues were observed in Sample A at 30 d (5/5) and 45 d (5/5) after implantation; the average amounts of newly-formed bone tissues were approximately 5.2% and 8.6%, respectively. However, we did not see any bone tissue in Sample B until 45 d after implantation. Bone-related molecular makers such as bone morphogenesis protein-2 (BMP-2), collagen type I, and osteopontin were detected by IHC staining in Sample A 30 d after implantation. In addition, the newly-formed bone was also confirmed by Alizarin Red S staining. Because this is the report of osteoinduction in the rodent animal on which all the biotechnologies were available, our results may contribute to further mechanism research.

Polymeric micelle-templated synthesis of hydroxyapatite hollow nanoparticles for a drug delivery system.

Hydroxyapatite (HA) hollow nanoparticles (HNPs) have great potential in nanoscaled delivery devices due to their small size, excellent biocompatibility and expected high capacity. However, the preparation of HA HNPs for their application in a drug delivery system has rarely been reported because HA has a complicated crystal structure and it is difficult to obtain stable HA HNPs with hollows that are only nanoscaled in size. In the present study, HA HNPs were successfully produced through a novel polymeric micelle-templating method. The micelles were structured with completely insoluble Pluronic P123 molecules at cloud point as the core and Tween-60 molecules as the shell by the hydrophobic interaction of the alkyl chains with the insoluble P123 core. The morphology of the HA HNPs could be transformed from nanospheres to nanotubes by adding citric acid as a cosurfactant. The prepared HA HNPs had a much higher drug payload than traditional nanoparticles, using vancomycin as the model drug. Most importantly, the HA nanotubes were coupled with a layer of citrate molecules on the HA surfaces, which could further improve the drug load efficiency and could form an excellent pH-controlled open/closed gate for drug release with the addition of cationic polyelectrolytes.

Use of intracolonic bypass secured by a biodegradable anastomotic ring to protect the low rectal anastomosis.

PURPOSE: Because of the relatively high morbidity and mortality of anastomotic leakage in patients with low rectal cancer who receive an anterior resection, many fecal diverting methods have been introduced. This study was designed to assess the efficacy and safety of the Valtrac-secured intracolonic bypass in protecting low rectal anastomosis and to compare the efficacy and complications of Valtrac-secured intracolonic bypass with those of loop ileostomy. METHODS: From January 2002 to April 2006, 83 patients with rectal cancer who underwent elective low anterior resection received intracolonic bypass or ileostomy. Demographics, clinical features, and operative data were recorded. RESULTS: Forty-four patients (53 percent) received a Valtrac-secured intracolonic bypass and 39 patients (47 percent) a loop ileostomy. The demographics and clinical features of the groups were similar. None of the patients developed clinical anastomotic leakage. Longer overall postoperative hospital stay (21.3 +/- 5.8 days) and higher costs incurred (3.1 +/- 0.9 x $1,000 U.S. dollars) were observed in the ileostomy group than in the intracolonic bypass group (12.5 +/- 6.3 days, 4.4 +/- 1.2 x $1,000 U.S. dollars; P < 0.05). Stoma-related complications in the ileostomy group included dermatitis (12.8 percent), bleeding (2.6 percent), and intestinal obstruction after stoma closure (5.1 percent). No complications were observed in the intracolonic bypass group except for the Valtrac ring discharging en bloc, which compromised fecal evacuation in two cases (4.5 percent). CONCLUSIONS: The Valtrac-secured intracolonic bypass procedure is a safe, effective, but time-limited, diverting technique to protect an elective low colorectal anastomosis. Valtrac-secured intracolonic bypass, in contrast to loop ileostomy, avoids stoma-related complications or readmission for closure and is associated with decreased hospital time and cost.

Integrin alpha IIb beta 3 in a membrane environment remains the same height after Mn2+ activation when observed by cryoelectron tomography.

Integrins perform the critical function of signalling cell attachment to the extracellular matrix or to other cells. This signalling is done through a structural change propagated bidirectionally across the plasma membrane. Integrin activation has been extensively studied with ectodomain constructs, but the structural change within intact, membrane-bound molecules remains a subject of live debate. Using cryoelectron tomography, we examined the simplest predication of the different integrin activation models, i.e., the change in height of the molecules. Analysis using techniques that compensate for the missing wedge during alignment and averaging and that search for patterns in the structure of the aligned molecular subvolumes extracted from the tomogram reveals that the vast majority of molecules show no dramatic height change upon Mn(2+)-induced activation of membrane-bound integrins when compared with an inactive integrin control group. Thus, the result is inconsistent with the switchblade activation model.

A long-term evaluation of osteoinductive HA/beta-TCP ceramics in vivo: 4.5 years study in pigs.

It has been proved that some material-dependent calcium phosphate ceramics have intrinsic potentials to induce osteogenesis. But there is little literature concerning about the tissue response in long-term. The aim of this study is to evaluate the safety of the osteoinductive biocreamics and the stability of the newly formed bone after long-term tissue response. Porous calcium phosphate ceramics rods which contain hydroxyapatite (HA) and beta-tricalcium phosphate (beta-TCP) were implanted in the dorsal muscles of Banna Minipig Inbreding Line. After 4.5 years, all the implanted rods with surrounding tissues were harvested and stained with hematoxylin and eosin for histological observation. The 7 months' rods were also harvested as short-term comparison. The histological results showed that compared with the short-term rods, amount of bone tissue formed after 4.5 years. And the newly formed bone in this bioceramics neither disappeared nor gave rise to uncontrolled growth. The bone growth in this bioceramics seemed to be self-confined. The surrounding soft tissues were normal and no tumor cell was found. We conclude that instead of disappearing or giving rise to out of control, the induced bone tissue trends to be further matured. And this bioceramics thus might have potentials in future clinical use.