Core Decompression with Local Administration of Zoledronate and Enriched Bone Marrow Mononuclear Cells for Treatment of Non-Traumatic Osteonecrosis of Femoral Head

Objective

To investigate the efficacy and safety of core decompression (CD) with local administration of zoledronate and enriched bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMCS) for the treatment of non‐traumatic osteonecrosis of femoral head (ONFH).

Methods

A total of 17 patients (30 hips) diagnosed with stage II and III ONFH according to the 2019 revised Association for Research on Osseous Circulation (ARCO) staging criteria from 2012 to 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. The patients received the following therapy: the BMMCs and zoledronate were injected into the necrotic zone, respectively, along with CD. The mean age of the patients was 36.8 years; 14 were men and three were women. All patients included had non‐traumatic ONFH and a minimum follow‐up of 5 years, which ended when total hip arthroplasty (THA) was performed. Imaging modalities, including plain radiography, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were taken pre‐ and postoperatively. Harris hip score (HHS) was used to evaluate the functional outcomes of femoral head necrosis. Kaplan–Meier analysis was adopted to determine the probability of survivorship with THA as the end point in this series of patients. The correlation between radiological progression or THA and related risk factors were further analyzed. All complications were recorded.

Results

With THA as the follow‐up endpoint, All patients were followed up for an average of 69.1 ± 20.5 months (range, 18–95 months). Preoperative imaging found six hips (20%) at ARCO stage II, 14 hips (46.7%) at stage IIIA, 10 hips (33.3%) at stage IIIB. Fourteen hips (46.7%) shown progression radiologically, while six hips (20%) underwent TKA among these patients with hip preservation. The cumulative survival was 80% (95% CI, 0.608–905) at 5 years with THA as the end point. HHS improved from 63.3 ± 8.7 preoperatively to 74.6 ± 20.6 postoperatively (P = 0.000). Radiological progression was found to be associated with ARCO stage, Japanese Investigation Committee (JIC) type, and corticosteroid exposure (P = 0.047; P = 0.012; P = 0.031). However, no correlation was found between conversion to THA and the known risk factors. No major complication was reported, with only four patients complaining about general weakness and muscle soreness, and all disappeared within 2–3 days.

Conclusions

The novel treatment modality could relieve pain, delay the progression of collapse, which might be an effective and safe method for hip preservation of early and mid‐term ONFH. However, the effect of this method may be related to ARCO stage, JIC type, and corticosteroid exposure.

Mexicanolide-type limonoids from the seeds of Swietenia macrophylla

Three new mexicanolide-type limonoids, 3-O-propionylproceranolide (1), 6-O-acetylswietenin B (2), and 6-deoxyswietemahonin A (3), together with 15 known limonoids, were isolated from the seeds of Swietenia macrophylla (Meliaceae). The structures of those new compounds were established by extensive analysis of MS, 1D, and 2D NMR spectral data.

[Corneal biomechanical properties in keratoconic and normal eyes]

OBJECTIVE

To compare the corneal biomechanical properties of keratoconic and normal eyes, and to explore the changing characteristics in keratoconic eyes.

METHODS

Case-control study. Thirty-two keratoconic subjects(41 eyes)and 41 subjects(41 eyes)with normal corneas were enrolled in this study. Scheimpflug noncontact tonometry(Corvis ST)was performed to measure the length of Appl 1(1st A length), velocity of Appl 1(Vin), length of Appl 2(2nd A length), velocity of Appl 2(Vout), deformation amplitude(DA), peak distance, and radius. Comparison of the biomechanical property values between the keratoconic and normal eyes was performed using One-Way ANOVA. Pearson or Spearman correlations were used to evaluate the relationship between corneal biomechanical properties and corneal morphology parameters. The areas under ROC curves of the biomechanical properties of Corvis ST were calculated.

RESULTS

In the keratoconic group, the values of Vin, Vout, and DA were(0.201±0.268),(0.463±0.121), and(1.146±0.113)mm, respectively, which were obviously greater than the normal group[(0.151±0.017),(0.418±0.060), and(1.146 ± 0.113)mm, respectively; F=6.028, 20.724, 10.606, P=0.016, 0.000, 0.001]. The radius in the keratoconic eyes was(5.898 ± 0.976)mm, apparently shorter than the normal eyes[(7.012 ± 0.728)mm; F=5.277, P=0.023]. In the keratoconic eyes, there were significant correlations between the 1st A length, Vout, DA, radius and the thickness of the thinnest cornea(r=0.330,-0.490,-0.482, 0.676, P=0.035, 0.001, 0.001, 0.000). There were significant correlations between the DA, radius and the anterior surface refractive power Km(r=0.751,-0.528, P=0.044, 0.019). The Vin, Vout, DA, and radius had statistically significant correlations with the maximum posterior surface elevation(r=0.475,-0.552,-0.399, 0.273, P=0.021, 0.015, 0.001, 0.000). The areas under ROC curves of the radius, DA, Vout, and Vin were all greater than 0.9.

CONCLUSIONS

There were obvious changes of corneal biomechanical properties in keratoconic eyes compared with normal eyes. The radius showed a better sensitivity for the change of corneal biomechanical properties and a major reference value for the diagnosis of keratoconus. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2016, 52:669-673).

Ultrasensitive turn-on fluorescent detection of trace thiocyanate based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer

Thiocyanate (SCN(-)) is a small anion byproduct of cyanide metabolism. Several methods have been reported to measure SCN(-) above the micromolar level. However, SCN(-) is derived from many sources such as cigarettes, waste water, food and even car exhaust and its effect is cumulative, which makes it necessary to develop methods for the detection of trace SCN(-). In this paper, a simple and ultrasensitive turn-on fluorescence assay of trace SCN(-) is established based on the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and fluorescein. The detection limit is 0.09 nM, to the best of our knowledge, which has been the lowest detection LOD ever without the aid of costly instrumentation. The fluorescence of fluorescein is significantly quenched when it is attached to the surface of AuNPs. Upon the addition of SCN(-), the fluorescence is turned on due to the competition action between SCN(-) and fluorescein towards the surface of AuNPs. Under an optimum pH, AuNPs size and concentration, incubation time, the fluorescence enhancement efficiency [(IF-I0)/I0] displays a linear relationship with the concentration of SCN(-) in the range of 1.0 nM to 40.0 nM. The fluorescein-AuNP sensor shows absolutely high selectivity toward SCN(-) than other 16 anions. The common metal ions, amino acids and sugars have no obvious interference effects. The accuracy and precision were evaluated based on the recovery experiments. The cost effective sensing system is successfully applied for the determination of SCN(-) in milk products and saliva samples.

Thiol reactive probe based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer between fluorescein and Au nanoparticles

Sensitive and selective fluorescent probe of thiols with lower limit of detection based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between fluorescein and Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) is presented. The fluorescein-AuNPs complex emits weak fluorescence. Upon chemically binding to organosulfur compound that contains a carbon-bonded sulfhydryl (-C-SH or R-SH) thiols, a stable enhancement of fluorescence is observed due to the competitive binding on AuNPs between thiols and fluorescein. The magnitude of fluorescence enhancement is linearly proportional to the logarithm of the thiols concentration. We use cysteine as an example to show how this useful analytical assay works selectively, which is closely nonresponsive to 20 other amino acids even though they are in solution at a concentration 10 times greater than the thiols. The detection limit for cysteine is 7.27 × 10-9 mol L-1. The possible mechanism of this assay is discussed in details. The proposed method was successfully applied for the determination of Cys in urine.

Simultaneous determination of organophosphorus pesticides in Chinese herbal medicines by microwave-assisted extraction coupled with dispersive-solid phase extraction and gas chromatography

A reliable, rapid and nontoxic analytical method was proposed for the simultaneous determination of 16 organophosphorus pesticides in Chinese herbal medicines. The pesticides were extracted by ethanol and the experimental variables, such as temperature, extraction time and volume of ethanol, were optimized through orthogonal array experimental design. Cleanup of extracts was performed with dispersive-solid phase extraction using primary secondary amine as the sorbent. The determination of pesticides in the final extracts was carried out by gas chromatography-flame photometric detection. Under optimized conditions the obtained recoveries, except for isocarbophos, were in the range 73.8-123%, with relative standard deviations equal to or lower than 15.2% and limits of detection ranging from 0.001 to 0.009 mg/kg.

[Determination of 23 trace elements in wines by ICP-AES]

In the present paper, the contents of trace elements As, Ba, Co, Ni, Cu, Be, Sr, Cr, Mn, Li, P, Se, Pb, Bi, Cd, B, Zn, Mg, Fe, K, Na, Ca and Al in nineteen wines produced in Jiangxi province were determined by using inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). The differentiation in the trace elements between wines was studied in terms of different producing regions, as well as different alcoholic degrees and qualities from the same manufacturer. The experimental results indicated that with the samples cleared up completely by a small quantity of nitric acid the method could satisfy the request of ICP-AES analysis. The relative standard deviations of the method were between 0 and 5.81%, and the recovery rates were between 90.5% and 107.6%. The measuring method provided better accuracy and precision, and the trace elements showed definite differences between wines produced from different regions and with different alcoholic degrees and qualities from the same manufacturer. For instance, there is small amount of element Bi only in the wines of A factory, the content of elements Co, P and Se is higher in the wines of B factory, the content of elements Cu, Fe, K is higher in the wines of C factory, and the content of element Al in the wines of D factory is obviously higher than others. So the research results in this paper provided the theoretical basis for further study of the relationship between wine qualities and trace elements.

[Determination of the trace elements in Shengmai San decoction by ICP-AES]

The method for the determination of the trace elements in Shengmai San by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) was presented. The contents and solubility of the trace elements in Shengmai San with different ginseng were compared. The recovery rates of the procedure were between 95.2% and 112.4%, and the RSDs were between 0.70% and 5.9%. When the ginseng was western genseng in the Shengmai San, the solubility of trace elements was the highest. The couple of Shengmai San was proved reasonable. The method was simple, rapid, precise, convenient and suitable for traditional Chinese medicine.

Simultaneous determination of five synthetic antioxidants in edible vegetable oil by GC–MS

A simple, quick and nontoxic analytical method for the simultaneous determination of five synthetic antioxidants [t-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole (BHA), 2,6-di-t-butyl-hydroxytoluene (BHT), t-butyl hydroquinone (TBHQ), ethoxyquin (EQ) and 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxymethyl-phenol (Ionox 100)] in edible vegetable oil has been developed. The analytes were extracted by ethanol, then separated and detected by GC-MS. Extraction conditions such as volume of ethanol required, mixing time and number of extractions were investigated and optimized by an orthogonal array experimental design. The five compounds behaved linearly in the 0.100 approximately 20.0 mg/L concentration range, and the limits of detection (LOD) for BHA, BHT, TBHQ, EQ and Ionox-100 were 1.00, 0.92, 11.5, 0.83 and 1.39 microg/L, respectively. The recoveries at the tested concentrations of 1.00, 20.0 and 100 mg/kg were 75.6 approximately 123%, with coefficients of variation<10.0%. The proposed procedure was successfully applied to the simultaneous analysis of the five antioxidants in soybean oil, tea oil, edible blended oil, rap oil, peanut oil, peanut blended oil and sesame oil samples purchased from local supermarkets.