High-resolution optical coherence tomography as a non-destructive monitoring tool for the engineering of skin equivalents

BACKGROUND: Three dimensional skin equivalents are widely used in dermatopharmacological and toxicological studies and as autologous transplants in wound healing. In pharmacology, there is tremendous need for monitoring the response of engineered skin equivalents to external treatment. Transplantation of skin equivalents for wound healing requires careful verification of their quality prior to transplantation. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-contact, non-destructive imaging technique for living tissues offering the potential to fulfill these needs. This work presents an analysis of OCT for high-resolution monitoring of skin equivalents at different stages during the culture process. METHODS: We developed a high-resolution OCT imaging setup based on a commercially available OCT system. A broadband femtosecond laser light source replaces the original superluminescence diode. Tomograms of living skin equivalents were recorded with an axial resolution of 3 mum and correlated with histology and immunofluorescence images. Comparison with standard low-resolution OCT is presented to emphasize the advantages of high-resolution OCT for this application. RESULTS: OCT is particularly able to distinguish between different layers of skin equivalents including stratum corneum, epidermal and dermal layer as well as the basement membrane zone. The high-resolution OCT scans correlate closely with two key benchmarks, histology and immunofluorescence imaging. CONCLUSIONS: This study clearly demonstrates the benefits of high-resolution OCT for identifying living tissue structure and morphology. Compared with the current gold standard histology, OCT offers non-destructive tissue imaging, enabling high-resolution evaluation of living tissue morphology and structure as it evolves.     

应用组织芯片技术研究光暴露皮肤与非光暴露皮肤中PCNA的表达

目的:比较光暴露与非光暴露皮肤中增殖细胞抗原的表达。方法:组织芯片按文献报道方法制备,用免疫组化链霉素亲和素-生物素法(Streptavidin-Peroxidase SP法)检测,一抗为1:100鼠抗人单克隆抗体。结果:36例光暴露皮肤组织中14例(38.9%)阳性;19例非光老化皮肤中18例(94.7%)阳性(χ2=4.2,P<0.01)。结论:光暴露部位皮肤组织PCNA蛋白表达较非光暴露部位皮肤组织表达明显减少。日光对细胞增殖因子的表达起抑制作用。推测日光对皮肤组织的增生能力有阻滞作用,加速皮肤老化。     

亚低温治疗重型颅脑损伤中脑组织氧分压的临床意义

目的观察亚低温治疗重型颅脑损伤过程中患者颅内压及脑组织氧分压的变化及临床意义。方法将80例急性重型颅脑损伤患者,随机分为亚低温治疗组(40例)和对照组(40例)。亚低温组入院后或术后立即给予亚低温治疗,保持肛温在32~34℃,持续24h~5d;对照组给予常规治疗。两组均观察颅内压(ICP)和脑组织氧分压(PbtO2)变化。结果亚低温组治疗后,ICP明显下降,PbtO2逐渐升高,与对照组相比有显著性差异。结论亚低温治疗能降低脑外伤后增高的ICP,提高PbtO2;伤后24h内持续PbtO2<5mmHg预示患者预后不良。     

Improvements in healthcare and cost benefits associated with botulinum toxin treatment of spasticity and muscle overactivity

Spasticity is a widespread, disabling form of muscle overactivity affecting patients with central nervous system damage resulting in upper motor neurone syndrome. There is a range of effective therapies for the treatment of spasticity (e.g. physical, anaesthetic, chemodenervation and neurolytic injections, systemic medication and surgery), but all therapies must be based on an individualized, multidisciplinary programme targeted to achieve patient goals. Appropriate therapy should be based on the extent and severity of spasticity, but spasticity and its consequences, regardless of presentation or cause, are commonly treated with systemic agents. This may be ill-advised as systemic treatment is associated with many undesirable effects. In particular, elderly patients with post-stroke spasticity are at risk from the central adverse effects of systemic medication (e.g. sedation and gait disturbance), which make them more susceptible to falling, with an associated increased risk of fracture. The rising costs of fracture care and its sequelae are fast becoming an international problem contributing to high healthcare expenditure. Botulinum toxin type-A (BoNT-A) treatment is highly effective for some of the more common forms of spasticity and muscle overactivity, and has a favourable profile when compared with systemic agents and other focal treatments. Therefore, the clinical benefits of BoNT-A treatment outweigh the apparent high costs of this intervention, showing it to be a cost-effective treatment.     

大鼠缺血后肢骨骼肌血管内皮生长因子及其受体的表达

目的 研究大鼠缺血后肢侧枝代偿和血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）及其受体表达的动态变化。为外源性VEGF治疗下肢缺血性疾病提供理论依据。方法 切除SD大白鼠右后肢全长股动脉，随机分为9个时间组：造模后1、3d、1、2、3、4、6、8及12周，各组5只动物。分别于造模前后和观察期末检测双后肢大、小腿肌肉Fit-1、Flk-1蛋白及mRNA表达，各组观察期末实验动物后肢动脉DSA检查。结果 （1）缺血后3d，5只大鼠右后肢出现溃疡（11．11％）；2周后，4只大鼠后肢溃疡愈合，而1只趾端坏疽（2．22％）。（2）缺血后2周，患肢侧枝形成达到高峰，12周时仍可见侧支血管显影。（3）缺血早期（3周内），VEGF及其受体的表达均较健侧显著增强（P〈0．05）；缺血中期（3～8周）。VEGF和Flt-1表达迅速下降，Flk-1仍表达；缺血后期（8周后），VEGF及其受体的表达均低至极低水平，与对侧差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。结论（1）肢体缺血后自身的血管新生不能完全满足缺血组织的需要。（2）缺血早期外源性的VEGF补充是不必要的；缺血中期补充VEGF是适宜的；缺血后期在应用VEGF治疗的同时，也需要干预受体的表达。     

肝组织HBVDNA定量检查的临床意义

由于对HBV感染的认识正在不断深入，抗病毒治疗急待寻找判定效果可靠的方法，HBVDNA检测，特别是血液和肝组织定量检测显得极春重要。不加选择对HBV感染作肝活检时留取小粒肝组织，同时采血作HBVDNA定量检查。急慢性HBV感染病例均示肝组织内HBVDNA检查明显高于血内检出率，同时肝组织HBV含量明显高于血液的含量。肝组织检测HBVDNA可以明显提高HBV感染诊断率，血内HBVDNA阴转时不能说明肝组织内亦已阴转，血内HBVDNA阴转不宜随即停止治疗。     

国产医用聚丙烯酰胺水凝胶对动物内脏器官影响的实验研究

目的对国产医用聚丙烯酰胺水凝胶(奥美定)进行动物的实验研究,以初步证明奥美定是安全的软组织填充剂。方法将56只日本大耳白兔随机分为实验组、对照组和空白组,实验组注射奥美定配制液,对照组注射生理盐水配制液,空白组不行任何注射。分别于注射后的第1、3、6、11、12个月做血常规及肝、肾功能检查,同时将兔的内脏组织行光镜和电镜观察。结果实验组:注射奥美定后1~6个月兔内脏的组织学观察有轻度改变,6个月后逐渐转为“正常”;血常规及肝、肾功能无明显影响。与对照组和空白组比较(P>0.01),差异无显著意义。结论初步认为奥美定是安全的软组织填充剂,但尚需进一步研究及长期的临床观察。     

急性脑梗死超早期重组组织型纤溶酶原激活物溶栓治疗的临床研究

目的:探讨发病6h内急性脑梗死给予重组组织型纤溶酶原激活物(rt-PA)溶栓治疗的疗效及并发症,并分析预后相关因素。方法:共收集本院2001-2005年70例溶栓治疗的急性脑梗死病例,其中52例静脉溶栓,18例动脉溶栓,分析比较两组病例溶栓前后及3个月随访的ESS评分及Barthel指数结果;同时分析与预后相关的因素。结果:静脉和动脉溶栓组溶栓前及溶栓30min后ESS评分及Barthel指数迅速增加,溶栓前后分值有显著差异。1个月内颅内出血率为5.77%(静脉组)和16.67%(动脉组)。3个月时ESS评分及Barthel指数较溶栓后30min的评分有显著改善。结论:6h内动脉、静脉溶栓治疗均安全有效。     

Hemodynamic analysis of descending versus ascending aortomyoplasty, and comparison with intra-aortic balloon pump

Objective: Descending and ascending aortomyoplasty are two surgical procedures intended to induce hemodynamic benefits similar to those of the intra-aortic-balloon-pump (IABP). To date, there have been no studies comparing the two surgical techniques. The objective of this study was to compare coronary blood flow augmentation and afterload reduction as produced by descending and ascending aortomyoplasty counterpulsation Methods: Twenty-two mongrel dogs (18–35 kg) underwent IABP application (n=7), descending (n=8), or ascending (n=7) aortomyoplasty. Left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery blood flow was measured using a Transonic Doppler flow probe. Left ventricular pressure as well as aortic pressures proximal and distal to either the aortomyoplasty site or the IABP position were monitored continuously. Results: Descending aortomyoplasty induced higher elevation in the LAD blood flow during assisted beats (27% from 10.8±4 to 13.8±6 ml/min, P<0.001) than that induced by either ascending aortomyoplasty (19% from 11.7±5 to 14±5 ml/min, P<0.001) or IABP counterpulsation (18% from 8.6±3 to 10.2±4 ml/min, P<0.001). Conversely, while ascending aortomyoplasty reduced the left ventricular end-diastolic pressure by 16% (from 60±18 to 50±22 mmHg, P<0.001), similar to the 16% after load reduction achieved by the IABP counterpulsation, descending aortomyoplasty failed to induce afterload reduction. Conclusions: Descending aortomyoplasty produces higher coronary blood flow augmentation than either ascending aortomyoplasty or IABP. However, afterload reduction comparable to that achieved by IABP was observed only with ascending aortomyoplasty and not with descending aortomyoplasty.