Proanthocyanidin: a natural crosslinking reagent for stabilizing collagen matrices

While attempting to find a suitable crosslinking reagent for biopolymers, a naturally occurring proanthocyanidin (PA) obtained from grape seeds was selected to fix biological tissues. The cytotoxicity and crosslinking rate, reflected by the in vitro and in vivo degradation of fixed matrices has been studied. The shrinkage temperature of the fixed bovine pericardium increased from 66 to 86 degrees C. A cytotoxicity assay using fibroblast cultures revealed that PA is approximately 120 times less toxic than glutaraldehyde (GA), a currently used tissue stabilizer. In vitro degradation studies showed that fixed tissue was resistant to digestion by bacterial collagenase. Crosslinks between PA and tissues can be stabilized by decreasing the dielectric constant of the solution during storage. After subcutaneous implantation for periods ranging between 3 and 6 weeks, we found no apparent degradation of the GA- or PA-fixed tissues, whereas fresh tissue controls rapidly disintegrated. Beyond 6 weeks PA crosslinks began to degrade. More fibroblasts migrated and proliferated inside the PA-fixed implants compared with GA counterparts. Tissues crosslinked with PA manifested an enhanced collagen expression and deposition and did not calcify after implantation. GA, on the other hand, even after thorough rinsing continued to be cytotoxic, inhibited collagen synthesis and encouraged dystrophic calcification. Collagen matrices crosslinked with PA are expected to be of value in the design of matrices that will encourage cell ingrowth and proliferation, which are temporary in nature, and that are intended to regenerate or replace missing tissues, which can delay the biogradation of collagen. As such they should be of significant value in the emerging field of tissue engineering.     

Preparation and characterization of porous beta-tricalcium phosphate/collagen composites with an integrated structure

Porous beta-tricalcium phosphate (TCP)/collagen composites with different beta-TCP/collagen weight ratio were prepared. The influences of the preparation conditions on the microstructure of porous composite and the joint status of beta-TCP particles with collagen fibrils were characterized by X-ray diffractometer, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The results showed: (1) an acid treatment could effectively disassemble collagen fibrils; (2) in the resulting porous composites, beta-TCP particles homogenously existed on the skeleton of the collagen fibril network and bonded tightly to both the fibrils and themselves. The tight bonding formation could be due to the reaction between Ca ions in the particles and carboxyl groups in collagen polypeptide chains and due to the reprecipitation of partially dissolved beta-TCP during synthesis. The tight bonding between beta-TCP particles and collagen fibrils in the composites demonstrated an integrated structure, which was reproducible when beta-TCP/collagen ratio ranged from 2 to 4. Such integrated structure would make significant contributions in reliably tailoring properties of the porous composites by varying beta-TCP content. In addition, the porous composites had large porosity (approximately 95%) and appropriate pore size (approximately 100 microm), showed no negative impact in cytotoxicity assay and complete bone tissue regeneration after 12 weeks in animal test.     

子宫阔韧带内静脉的解剖学研究及其临床意义

子宫底和体上部的静脉汇集于子宫角处浅出,应称子宫上静脉。该静脉续为卵巢静脉。子宫上静脉1条者占30%,2条者占56.7%,3条者占13.3%。子宫上静脉与输卵管峡部中点相对处的口径是3.7±0.2mm,卵巢丛与子宫上静脉汇合后的口径为5.0±0.4mm。输卵管峡部中点与子宫上静脉的间距为6.3±0.6mm。在输卵管系膜中见有输卵管静脉汇入子宫上静脉。本文研究结果认为盆腔静脉淤血症的发生,与结扎手术中损伤子宫上静脉和输卵管静脉有关。     

Increased mast cell density during the infection with velogenic Newcastle disease virus in chickens

In addition to their well-characterized role in allergic inflammation, recent data confirm that mast cells play a more extensive role in a variety of viral infections. The contribution of mast cells to Newcastle disease pathogenesis has not been investigated. We evaluated mast cell activity after Newcastle disease virus (NDV) infection in specific pathogen free chickens using cytochemical and immunocytochemical analyses. The results were as follows. Severe tissue damage was observed in the proventriculus, duodenum, jejunum and caecal tonsil, and NDV antigens were detected and presented extensively in these tissues. Second, in the NDV-infected group, the mast cell population was increased markedly in the proventriculus, duodenum, jejunum and caecal tonsil at 24, 48, 72 and 96 h after infection (P<0.01). However, very few mast cells were observed in those same tissues in the control. More intriguingly, the greatest number of mast cells was found in the proventriculus, which also showed the greatest level of NDV antigens. Third, the content of tryptase was significantly higher (P<0.01) in the NDV-infected group compared with the control from 24 to 96 h post infection). Furthermore, as an important protease released by mast cells, tryptase had a positive correlation with mast cell distribution. These data indicated that mast cells were involved in the response to NDV. Our results also suggested that the broad range of mast cell mediators might have a role in the pathology of Newcastle disease.     

丹参对心肌缺血和再灌注损伤的保护作用

采用在家兔全麻、开胸、自主呼吸和自主心律的条件下,结扎冠脉左室支造成急性心肌缺血模型,进而松开结扎结形成再灌注损伤模型。对心肌缺血和再灌注损伤的组织脂质过氧化物含量和局部血流量变化进行测定,同时辅以心电图监护;以丹参注射液为保护剂观察其作用效果。结果表明,随着缺血时间的延续,心肌脂质过氧化物含量逐渐增加;当缺血60分钟后再灌注30分钟,脂质过氧化物含量仍继续上升,明显高于缺血60分钟组,但与缺血90分钟组比较则无显著差异;其缺血区局部组织血流量再灌注后仅恢复53.2%。给予丹参保护的再灌注组,其缺血区组织脂质过氧化物含量较再灌注损伤组下降56.0%(P<0.005),而局部组织血流量恢复则提高32.0%(P<0.001)。     

Negative conversion of antimitochondrial antibody in primary biliary cirrhosis: a case of autoimmune cholangitis

Autoimmune cholangitis is a clinical constellation of chronic cholestasis, histological changes of chronic nonsuppurative cholangitis and the presence of autoantibodies other than antimitochondrial antibody (AMA). It is uncertain whether this entity is definitely different from AMA positive primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), though it shows some differences. We report a case of autoimmune cholangitis in a 59-year-old woman, who had been previously diagnosed as AMA-positive PBC associated with rheumatoid arthritis, has been converted to an AMA-negative and anticentromere antibody-positive PBC during follow-up. The response to ursodeoxycholic acid treatment is poor except within the first few months, but prednisolone was dropping the biochemical laboratory data.