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.

BACKGROUND: Membrane materials of bioreactor have exchange of substance and good physiochemical characteristics as well as good biocompatibility.OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the biocompatibility of interface of human hepatocyte/microporous polypropylene, i.e. graft modified microporous polypropylene semipermeable ultrafiltration membrane (MPP).DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: Animal observation was performed at the Organ Transplantation Center, Ruijin Hospital of Shanghai Jiao Tong University Medical School and Polymers Institute of Zhejiang University between September 2005 and October 2007.MATERIALS: The microporous polypropylene ultrafiltration plane thin membranes, 0.2 μm diameter, M<,r> 50 000-100 000 molecular blockage, were used. Photochemical graft polymerization modification technique was adopted to graft hydrophilic acrylamide group through chemical bonds on MPP surface and succeeded in constructing an interface of human hepatocyte/microporous polypropylene, i.e. bioreactor membrane of bioartificial liver, graft modified MPP.METHODS: The biocompatibility of modified MPP was evaluated by hemolysis test, cytotoxicity test, acute systemic toxicity test, pyrogen test, skin sensitization and percutaneous stimulation test according to the requirements and biological evaluation criteria of medical device of ISO10993-1:1992.MAIN OUTCOME MEAURES: The experimental results of hemolysis, cytotoxicity, general acute toxicity, pyrogen, skin sensitization and percutaneous stimulation of modified MPP.RESULTS: The hemolytic rate of modified MPP was 1.90% (<5%), which showed that modified MPP did not lead to hemolysis. The extract solution of modified MPP exhibited no significant inhibition on the proliferative activity of L929 cells. At 24, 48 and 72 hours after MPP injection, no mice death, significant changes in body mass, or acute systemic toxicity were observed, such as ptosis, dyspnea, eyanosis, abdominal stimulation, diarrhea, decreased movement or tremor. In rabbit pyrogen test, the body temperature changed in a range from -0.2 to 0.4, which was consistent with the evaluation criteria of biomedical materials without pyrogen. Only one case was found with very slight erythema in skin sensitization test; its integral was 1 and primary stimulation index was 0.25 (<0.4), and the primary stimulation index of percutaneous stimulation test was 0.2; the average primary stimulation index was 0.068, indicating that modified MPP had no skin irritation.CONCLUSION: Modified MPP has no haemolytieus, cytotoxicity, pyrogenicity or skin sensitization, suggesting good biocompatibility by photochemical graft acrylamide on the surface of MPP.

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.

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.

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.

Sal-like 4 (SALL4) plays an important role in promoting the cellular proliferation and maintaining the pluripotency of embryonic stem cells and tumor cells.In fully differentiated cells,the expression of SALL4 is silenced or down-regulated.However,the expression of SALL4 is found to be restored or up-regulated in a variety of non-germ cell tumors.Besides,the expression of SALL4 is often associated with disease progression,treatment effect and prognosis.Therefore,examining the expression level of SALL4 will be of great importance in the diagnosis of disease and monitoring the disease progression for non-germ cell tumors.

AIM: To evaluate the blood compatibility of a new bioartificial reactor membranous material (propylene-acidamide grafted poly propylene membrane, PP-g-AAm) in vitro. METHODS: Contacted PP-g-AAm membrane and PP (polypropylene) memb rane with platelet-rich plasma in a swing bed, 37 ℃, to simulate the conditions in vivo, and another group of PRP without any membranes was set as control group. ELISA was used to study the expression of ?-thromboglobulin, and flow cy tometry was used to study CD62P and CD63 expressio n of the activated blood platelets after contacting the two kinds of membranes w ith PRP. Scanning electrical microscopy was used to study the configuration and numbers of platelet cells adhered on the membranes. RESULTS: After contacting with PRP 30 min, ?-TG expression show ed marked difference between the two kinds of material groups and the control gr oup (P