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Decellularization provides low immunogenicity and is only slightly subject to calcification in tissue engineering. However, the mechanical properties of the tissues are weakened after decellularization. We adopted cross-linking agent 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) to treat decellularized porcine pulmonary artery valvular leaflets to improve their mechanical properties. Twenty porcine pulmonary artery valvular leaflets were divided into three groups: the fresh control group A, group B treated with trypsin and Triton X-100 to remove cells, and group C cross-linked with EDC after decellularization. All samples were evaluated the physical and mechanical properties and were then subcutaneously embedded in rabbits. These valvular leaflets were removed after 1, 2, or 4 weeks and checked for pathological changes. The cells of the valvular leaflets were completely removed. The thickness of the valvular leaflets was thinner in group B than in group A (P<0.01). In the subcutaneous embedding of the group B samples, there was mild immunological response after 1-2 weeks, and parts of the scaffolds were degraded. After 4 weeks, fibroblasts had grown into the scaffolds. In group C, there was an increase in the tensile strength and thermal shrinkage temperature in group C compared with group B (P<0.01). In subcutaneous embedding of the group C samples, there was a mild immunological response after 1-2 weeks. The fibroblasts had grown into the samples. The EDC-based cross-linking procedure can enhance the tensile strength of decellularized pulmonary artery valvular leaflets and both decrease the valvular leaflets' rejection and promote tissue regeneration in vivo.

Aims and Objctives: To analyse the association of psychosocial adaptation with quality of life and to examine the influential factors for Chinese people with visual impairments., Background: The status of psychosocial adaptation is the main influential factor for quality of life. The correlation between psychosocial adaptation and quality of life for various diseases has been studied previously. However, there have been few reports on the impact of psychosocial adaptation on quality of life in people with visual impairments., Design: Survey., Methods: In this study, subjects with visual impairment (n = 213) were interviewed to assess their demographics, disease-related information, psychosocial adaptation status and quality of life. The psychosocial adaptation questionnaire and quality of life scale for visually impaired patients were used to survey psychosocial adaptation and quality of life. Correlation and multiple stepwise regression analyses were used to study the association of psychosocial adaptation with quality of life in visually impaired patients., Results: Psychosocial adaptation was significantly associated with quality of life, including the sense of belonging and psychological dimensions. The results also showed that there was statistical significance for the impact of occupational status, payment, monthly income (family), vision classification and psychosocial adaptation on quality of life, and the status of psychosocial adaptation was the main factor affecting the quality of life in people with visual impairments., Conclusion: It was found that the status of psychosocial adaptation was conspicuously associated with multiple dimensions of quality of life. Therefore, psychosocial adaptation status should be given close attention in clinical care., Relevance to Clinical Practice: Our results could be used to guide nurses in making a plan for health education and nursing that improves the quality of life for the visually impaired., (© 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.)

An amino acid, 3S-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-β-carboline-3-carboxylic acid, was isolated for the first time from the leaves of Cichorium endivia. The complete assignment of its (1)H and (13)C NMR spectroscopic data was carried out also for the first time based on extensive 1D and 2D NMR experiments. Cytotoxicity of this isolated compound against HCT-8 and HepG2 human cancer cell lines was evaluated for the first time, with moderate activities being found.

Cycloxygenase-2 catalyzes the synthesis of prostaglandins from arachidonic acid and this enzyme has been implicated in the metastasis of gastric cancer. In order to examine the significance of cycloxygenase-2 (Cox-2) in the survival and proliferation of gastric cancer cells, we have stably overexpressed an antisense Cox-2 in two gastric cancer cell lines, SGC7901 and AGS, in order to reduce the expression of this protein. The sense and antisense Cox-2 expression vectors were created by cloning COX-2 cDNA, in pIRES2-EGFP plasmid. Cox-2 gene expression was monitored by RT-PCR and Western blotting and the results indicated that cells with antisense Cox-2 construct had significantly reduced Cox-2 expression in comparison to the cells that received sense-Cox-2 plasmid. Reduction of Cox-2 expression in SGC7901 and AGS gastric cancer cells led to markedly decreased proliferation. The metastatic capability of the two cell lines, as assessed by in vitro colony formation assay, is also significantly compromised by lowered Cox-2 expression. Thus, this study demonstrates that Cox-2 activity is necessary for the proliferation and metastasis of gastric cancer cells.

An efficient vector, designated as pCAGX, was designed for direct cloning and enhanced expression of PCR-amplified ORFs in mammalian cells. It relied on the well-known TA-cloning principle, and utilized the CMV enhancer/chicken beta-actin/rabbit beta-globin (CAG) hybrid promoter instead of the classical CMV promoter to drive more efficient transgene expression in wider host cells. The specially designed cassette under CAG hybrid promoter contained two tandemly arrayed XcmI sites which were spaced by an additional EcoRV site. For direct cloning and expressing PCR-amplified ORFs, the T-vector was prepared by further digesting the EcoRV-linearized pCAGX with XcmI to produce T tails on both 3'-ends, which could efficiently minimize the non-recombinant background of T-vector and eliminate the necessity of selective marker genes such as LacZ that allowed blue/white screening. Various PCR fragments in length were prepared to verify the cloning efficiency by ligation with this vector, and GFP gene expression under control of the CAG hybrid promoter in different host cells was assayed by flow cytometry. The results indicated that this vector was higher efficient, especially suitable for cloning and expressing a number of interesting ORFs in parallel, and higher-level transgene expression in different mammalian cells was obtained than the reported vectors using the CMV promoter.

Background: The use of free vascularized nerve grafts requires an intimate and accurate knowledge of the blood supply of peripheral nerve. This study was designed to compare the advantages and disadvantages of three methods employed to reveal the blood supply of the peripheral nerve, and to provide morphological basis for vascularized nerve grafts., Methods: The blood supply of brachial plexus and its main branches (ulnar, median, radial, musculocutaneous and axillary nerve) were observed using three vascular injection techniques: three specimens were injected with red latex through the thoracic aorta; two side specimens were injected with a Chinese ink solution, through the subclavian artery, for diaphanization and histology; one fresh cadaver was injected with the gelatin-lead oxide mixture through the femoral artery for radiography., Results: The blood supply of the brachial plexus and its main branches was well examined using the three different vascular injection techniques. Perfusion with red latex exposed the extrinsic blood supply. Diaphanization and histology showed the intrinsic blood supply, while gelatin-lead oxide injection technique interactively displayed both the intrinsic and extrinsic blood supply to the peripheral nerve., Conclusion: The standard method for the study of the extrinsic blood supply to the peripheral nerve is the red latex perfusion; diaphanization and histology are very suitable to study the intrinsic blood supply of the peripheral nerve; while gelatin-lead oxide technique is the standard for visualization of the integral topography of the blood supply of the peripheral nerve.

Aim: To prepare diclofenac sodium liposomes and observe its ocular pharmacokinetics in rabbits., Methods: The diclofenac sodium cationic liposomes were prepared by reverse-phase evaporation methods and the formula of liposome was optimized with uniform design. HPLC method was established and validated for the determination of diclofenac sodium in precornea, cornea and aqueous humor of rabbit eye. Liposome and eyedrop solution 50 microL with total 50 microg diclofenac sodium were instilled to eyes of rabbits, separately. Samples of tear, cornea and aqueous humor were collected at different time intervals after rabbits were sacrificed. The ocular pharmacokinetics was investigated by the concentration-time data of tear, cornea and aqueous humor., Results: The mean particle size of the diclofenac sodium liposomes was 226.5 nm with zeta potential of + 18. 1 mV. The entrapment efficiency reached 63%. Compared with solution, liposome was characterized by slower clearance in precornea. The concentration of diclotenac in cornea and aqueous humor instilled with liposome were higher than that with eye-drop solution. Cmax of diclofenac sodium in aqueous humor instilled with liposome and eye-drop solution were (0.69 +/- 0.25) and (0.48 +/- 0.19) microg x mL(-1) and (36.68 +/- 11.7) and (21.82 +/- 8.6) microg x g(-1) in cornea, respectively. But no significant difference were found to Tmax in aqueous humor and cornea between liposome and eyedrop, T(1/2) of diclofenac in aqueous humor and cornea with liposoine were longer than that with eye-drop solution. The ocular bioavailability of liposome in aqueous humor was 211% compared with that of eyedrop., Conclusion: Diclofenac sodium cationic liposomes can increase the corneal contact time, enhance the corneal permeability of diclofenac sodium and improve its ocular bioavailability.

Aim: Pituitary tumor transforming gene (PTTG1) is overexpressed in a variety of tumors, including carcinomas of the lung, breast, colon, as well as in leukemia, lymphoma and pituitary adenomas. However, there is little information on its expression in gastric carcinoma. We sought to investigate the expression of PTTG1 in gastric carcinoma and to explore the relationship between its expression and clinicopathological factors., Methods: We studied 75 primary human gastric adenocarcinomas, including 17 mucosal carcinomas, 21 submucosal infiltrative carcinomas, 12 carcinomas invading proprial muscle layers, 6 carcinomas reaching the subserosa, and 19 carcinomas penetrating the serosal surface. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed using paraffin-embedded sections of gastric adenocarcinomas., Results: PTTG1 was expressed heterogeneously in carcinomas. Positive PTTG1 staining was observed in 65.3% of the carcinomas (49 of 75). Its expression did not correlate significantly with either the histological type or the depth of infiltration of the gastric carcinomas. However, a statistical analysis showed significant differences between the primary adenocarcinomas and the associated metastatic lymph nodes., Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrate that PTTG1 expression is enhanced in metastatic lymph nodes in comparison to that in primary carcinomas. We suggest that PTTG1 may contribute to lymph node metastases in gastric carcinoma.

Aim: Little has been known about the pathogenesis of non-erosive reflux disease (NERD). Recent studies have implicated interleukin 8 (IL-8) in the development and progression of gastroesophogeal reflux disease (GERD). The purpose of this study was to determine IL-8 RNA expression levels in NERD patients with or without subtle mucosal changes., Methods: We studied 26 patients with NERD and 13 asymptomatic controls. Biopsy sample was taken from the esophagus 3 cm above the gastroesophageal junction and snap frozen for measurement of IL-8 mRNA levels by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We also examined mRNA expression of IL-8 receptors, CXCR-1 and -2 by reverse transcriptase PCR. The patients were endoscopically classified into grade M (mucosal color changes without visible mucosal break) and N (neither minimal involvement nor mucosal break) of the modified Los Angeles classification., Results: The relative IL-8 mRNA expression levels were significantly higher in esophageal mucosa of NERD patients than those in esophageal mucosa of the controls. There was a significant difference in IL-8 mRNA levels between grades M and N. The CXCR-1 and -2 mRNAs were constitutively expressed in esophageal mucosa., Conclusion: Our results suggest that high IL-8 levels in esophageal mucosa may be involved in the pathogenesis of NERD through interaction with its receptors. NERD seems to be composed of a heterogeneous population in terms of not only endoscopically minimal involvement but also immune and inflammatory processes.