A microcapsule is a spherical, with a diameter that can be controlled in the range of 200 -1500 μm and biocompatible semipermeable membrane, which allows the bidirectional diffusion of nutrients,oxygen, secreted therapeutic product, and waste but prevents the penetration of high molecular weight substances from the microcapsule, such as antibodies and immunocytes. In comparison to monolayer culture and multicellular tumor spheroid model, orthotopic injection of microencapsulated tumor cells has uncomparable advantages in cell proliferation, mimicking the in vivo situation, making orthotopic tumor model and distant organ metastases model. Microencapsulated tumor assay has the potential of being widely used for in vitro anticancer drug screening and evaluation of the effects. This article mainly reviews the advantages of microencapsulated tumor assay and its application.

Pancreatic cancer is a highly malignant tumor. Animal models of pancreatic cancer included xenograft models, carcinogen induced models, genetically engineered models. Xenograft models are relatively reliable and feasible, but the growth pattern is different between serve immunodeficienct animals and human beings. Carcinogens induced models simulated the environmental factors to reconstruct the development of pancreatic cancer. But carcinogens could have other biological effects. Genetically engineered models could make the occurrence of pancreatic cancer at the molecular level. But it is difficult to control the transgenic product accurately. No model could meet all the needs of different experiments. It is important to choose a suitable animal model in different experiments.

Objective To evaluate reoperations for benign bile duct strictures after a prewousRoux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy.Methods Clinical date of 28 patients with previous reconstruction of Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy for benign bile duct strictures were retrospectively analyzed.For data staftstical analysis t-test and stepwise logistic regression analysis were used.Results Reoperative surgery was performed for residual biliary stones with bile duct stricture in 10 cases(35.7%),simple anastomotic stricture of hepaticojejunostomy in 11 cases(39.3%),remained biliary stricture after initial rear in 6 cases (21.4%).anastomotic leakage with duodenal leakage in one case(3.6%).Mode of reoperation:18 cases (64.3%)underwent hepatic lobectomy with Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy,liver splitting approach to Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy in 5 cases(17.9%),right hemihepatectomy in one case(3.6%),resection of anastomotic stenosis involved segment and Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy in one case(3.6%),abdominal drainage and duodenum fistulization and jejunum ostomy in one case(3.6%),choledocholithotomy with T-tube drainage in 2 cases(7.1%);Thirteen patients(46.4%)developed postoperative complications.Conclusion Biliary tract stenosis remains the main cause for reoperation in patients undergoing a faeled reconstruction.Wide and patent biliary tract drainage and reconstruction somenmes necessitate a hepatic lobectomy.

BACKGROUND: Contacting with blood, most of polymer materials lead to different extents of blood coagulation, which limits their clinical application. Therefore, developing polymer materials with excellent anticoagulant property has become a key to clinical study of bioartificial liver materials.OBJECTIVE: To in vitro detect the blood dompatibility of polyacrylamide grafted polypropylene (PP) membrane (PP-g-AAm), a novel artificial liver reactor material.METHODS: Prior to and after modification, hemolytic test, prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time tests of PP membrane were performed; blood platelet CD62P and CD63 expression rates were determined by flow cytometry, and platelet adhesion on PP and PP-g-AAm membranes by scanning electron microscopy.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The hemolysis ratio of PP and PP-g-AAm membranes was 1.32% and 1.46%, respectively.Compared with PP-g-AAm membrane, prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time of PP membrane weremarkedly shorter (P < 0.05). CD62P and CD63 expression rates in the PP-g-AAm membrane were significantly lower than PP membrane (P < 0.05). Scanning electron microscopy results revealed that there were obvious changes of platelets adhering to these two membranes, but platelets adhering to PP-g-AAm membrane were fewer than PP membrane. These results indicate that PP-g-AAm membrane exhibits good blood compatibility.

Objective To study the clinical characteristics and diagnosis of the solid-psendopapillary tumor of pancreas (SPT).Methods The clinical data of 40 SPT from January 1996 to January 2008 were retrospectively analyzed. The average age was (32.9 + 13.6 )years. The average clinical course was (8.6±0.1) months.Clinical symptoms usually included distensible pains and secret anguish in abdomen (60.0%).No jaundice appeared in any case.Results The surgical resection was favorable for the treatment of SPT,which had excellent prognosis.No tumor recurrence were found in those following-up patients. Grossly,the cut surface showed areas of solid and papillary tissue,cystic degeneration,hemorrhage,and necrosis.Pathological features included a combination of solid and cystic components with pseudopapillae formation and degenerative regions without glands.Conclusions SPT has its uniquely clinical and pathological characteristics.Its main diagnosed points are helpful for clinical doctors to make timely diagnosis and reduce the rate of misdiagnosis and mistreatment.

Objective To evaluate the quality of life and influencing factors in patients with breast cancer after breast-conserving surgery, so as to provide theoretical support for preoperative health education and postoperative rehabilitative intervention for these patients. Methods 120 breast conserving surgery (BSC) and 140 modified radical mastectomy (MRM) patients were assessed with Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B V4.0) one week after operation. Life quality was evaluated between the two groups, and the influencing factors were also analyzed. Results Postoperative breast cancer patients after breast conserving surgery were with good breast complementary attention, lower emotion state. The other scores of quality of life had no statistical difference. Influencing factors on the quality of life of breast cancer patients were anxiety state, relationship of family members, position of surgery and character type. Conclusions It suggests that nursing specialists should make out corresponding, scientific and reasonable nursing intervention schemes based on the characteristics of different groups of people to ease psychological burden, and elevate the quality of life effectively for postoperative breast conserving surgery patients.

With the development of cell separation technique, hepatocyte transplantation becomes a hot topic; however, the application is limited by donor deficiency and immunological rejection. Microencapsulated hepatocytes contribute to the promotion and application for liver cell transplantation, for which provide a large amount of high activity and good function of liver cells, in this paper, liver cell microencapsulation technology and its progress in applications were reviewed, providing prospective way for large-scale and high-active culture in vitro and long-term cryopreservation.

Hepatocyte transplantation may be a viable alternative treatment to liver transplantation for acute/chronic liver failure and metabolic liver disorders. Hepatocyte transplantation is an effective treatment to support liver function around liver transplantation due to its relatively easy manipulation and mild wound. In recent two decades, hepatocyte transplantation have been applied in clinical treatment and showed some effect in acute/chronic liver failure and metabolic liver disorders. Here, we sum up the status of clinical hepatocyte transplantation, discuss its value in clinical application and some challenges need to resolve.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the research literatures related to bioartificial liver, and to make a conclusion concerning the development of bio-artificial liver.DATA SOURCES: Using bioartificial liver, liver cell, hepatocyte culture and bioreactor as search terms, searching Ovid, Springer Link database, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Vip Information database and Wanfang Date (1990.09-2008.09). Literatures search was limited to English and Chinese languages.DATA SELECTION: Researches regarding liver cells of bioartificial liver, reactors and auxiliary equipment was included, and the studies about immune and animal infection studies of bioartificial liver were excluded.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ①The source, quantity and culturing of bio-artificial liver hepatocytes. ②Bioreactor type, nature and type of films. ③Composition of oxygen and temperature control devices of bioartificial liver.RESULTS: Totally 3898 documents seized initially in the searching by computer, according to inclusion and exclusion criteria, 29 were analyzed. Bioartificial liver was a hybrid device in which can culture hepatocytes in vitro, when the patient's blood flows through the device, material exchange with the cultured hepatocytes through semi-permeable membrane or direct contacting can take place, which can perform the same roles of detoxification, synthesis, biological transformation and other functions as real liver cells, so as to achieve the purpose of support and treatment. Bioartificial liver can also be involved in metabolism of the three major nutritive substances, as well as secretion of hepatocyte growth promo ting substances. So it is an effective alternative to the real liver as the function of detoxification and synthesis, and can fills the essential gap between the transplantation and acute liver failure.CONCLUSION: Although the bioartificial liver research has made significant progress, it still faces the problems such as limited liver cells sources, long-term maintenance of liver cell activity and function, and further optimization of the reactor design.

BACKGROUND: Microcarrier culture technology has become a new and large scale cell culture technology. It has been mainly used in the amplification research of tissue engineering seed cells. Microcarder possesses the advantage of larger surface area and plays an essential role in microcarrier culture technology.OBJECTIVE: To sum up the biomaterials and methods of microcarrier preparation, and provide theoretical foundation for the study of microcarrier culture technology and tissue engineering.METHODS: Articles were retrieved from PubMed, Wanfang, and VIP databases with the key words of "micrecarrier, biomaterials cell culture, tissue englneering" in both English and Chinese between 1967/2009 and 1990/2009, respectively. Inclusion criteria:study addressing microcarrier materials, preparation, and performance; study of microcerrier cell culture; animal experiments and clinical applications. A total of 34 articles were originally retrieved based on their titles and abstracts.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Although a lot of studies have reported research and preparation of microcarrier, clinical application remains still difficult. Recently, varying materials will be made into novel compound materials by new technology,which can adjust mechanics and biodegredation of microcarder via surface modification.