Effect of Yinqi Ointment on Wound Morphology and Growth Factor in Treating Diabetic Foot Ulcer

Objective: To investigate the effect of Yinqi ointment on wound morphology and growth factor in treating diabetic foot ulcer(DFU).Methods: From December 2016 to December 2017, 92 cases of DFU with deficiency of both Qi and Yin syndrome were randomly divided into treatment group and control group(44 cases in each group). The treatment group was treated with Yinqi ointment, while the control group was treated with mupirocin ointment. After 4 weeks of treatment, the ulcer healing effect, ulcer area, granulation tissue, epithelial tissue coverage,pain score, and dynamic analysis of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF), epidermis growth factor(EGF), and basic fibroblast growth factor(bFGF) in local granulation tissue were statistically analyzed before and after treatment in both groups. Results: The total effective rate was 88.37% in the treatment group and 74.42% in the control group. The wound reduction rate, epithelial tissue coverage rate, granulation tissue growth rate, and local pain relief rate in the treatment group were significantly superior to those in the control group(P 0.05). Through the local granulation detection, the treatment group and the control group have increased VEGF, EGF, and bFGF, but the treatment group increased the role of growth factor than the control group. Conclusion: Yinqi ointment can promote the healing of DFU, and its mechanism may be related to the increase of the content of growth factor in granulation tissue.     

DHS和PFNA固定治疗老年股骨粗隆间骨折的疗效

目的对比动力髋螺钉(dynamic hip screw,DHS)治疗和股骨近端抗旋髓内钉(proximal femoral nail anti-rotation,PFNA)固定治疗老年股骨粗隆间骨折疗效。方法纳入本院收治的45例采用PFNA固定治疗的老年股骨粗隆间骨折患者作为研究组,研究时间为2017年11月-2018年11月;回顾性分析2016年11月-2017年11月在我院采用DHS治疗的45例老年股骨粗隆间骨折患者的临床资料,作为对照组。记录两组的相关手术指标,观察手术并发症情况。结果研究组的手术时间和骨折愈合时间均短于对照组,术中出血量明显少于对照组,术后疼痛VAS评分均明显低于对照组(P<0.05)。对照组的并发症发生率高于研究组(P<0.05)。结论PFNA固定治疗比DHS治疗老年股骨粗隆间骨折更加安全有效,值得临床借鉴和应用。     

动物瘢痕模型的相关研究进展

皮肤损伤后的异常愈合会导致病理性瘢痕的产生。病理性瘢痕的出现不仅影响美观,严重时还会造成心理和生理功能障碍。病理性瘢痕的机制研究对于瘢痕治疗有极为重要的意义。其中,动物瘢痕模型是目前研究病理性瘢痕的重要模型手段之一。理想的动物瘢痕模型应该在组织学、细胞学等层面尽可能接近于人类的病理性瘢痕。该文分别从传统技术动物瘢痕中的啮齿类动物模型、兔耳模型和猪模型,以及新技术动物瘢痕模型这两个方面,结合近年来在瘢痕领域应用较多的研究,进行了相应系统的阐述。     

Relationships that Heal: Beyond the Patient-Healer Dyad in Mayan Therapy

Biomedicine fosters particular styles of interaction and behaviors, with the therapeutic relationship seen as occurring between a doctor and patient. In contrast, where alternative modalities of healing are practiced, relationships go beyond a dyadic interaction and include wider social networks. In this article, we propose the existence of a ‘therapeutic unit’ in Maya healing practices in Guatemala that binds healer, wellness seeker, family, and community members, along with the spiritual and natural realms, into a coherent system requiring all of these elements to achieve success. Drawing on interviews with 67 Maya healers, we describe healers’ understanding of raxnaq’il nuk’aslemal (well-being), and show how these interactions activate wider networks that play crucial roles during treatments. We highlight how holism is expressed in relationships typical of indigenous healing systems, and how an appreciation of this is important for developing culturally appropriate health care provision systems.     

Prognostic tools for hypertrophic scar formation based on fundamental differences in systemic immunity

Unpredictable hypertrophic scarring (HS) occurs after approximately 35% of all surgical procedures and causes significant physical and psychological complaints. Parallel to the need to understanding the mechanisms underlying HS formation, a prognostic tool is needed. The objective was to determine whether (systemic) immunological differences exist between patients who develop HS and those who develop normotrophic scars (NS) and to assess whether those differences can be used to identify patients prone to developing HS. A prospective cohort study with NS and HS groups in which (a) cytokine release by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and (b) the irritation threshold (IT) after an irritant (sodium lauryl sulphate) patch test was evaluated. Univariate regression analysis of PBMC cytokine secretion showed that low MCP‐1, IL‐8, IL‐18 and IL‐23 levels have a strong correlation with HS (P < .010‐0.004; AUC = 0.790‐0.883). Notably, combinations of two or three cytokines (TNF‐a, MCP‐1 and IL‐23; AUC: 0.942, Nagelkerke R²: 0.727) showed an improved AUC indicating a better correlation with HS than single cytokine analysis. These combination models produce good prognostic results over a broad probability range (sensitivity: 93.8%, specificity 86.7%, accuracy 90,25% between probability 0.3 and 0.7). Furthermore, the HS group had a lower IT than the NS group and an accuracy of 68%. In conclusion, very fundamental immunological differences exist between individuals who develop HS and those who do not, whereas the cytokine assay forms the basis of a predictive prognostic test for HS formation, the less invasive, easily performed irritant skin patch test is more accessible for daily practice.