OBJECTIVEThrough a simulation of interstitial fluid pressure (IFP), we developed an in vitro model to explore the change law of biological characteristics of adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) under different IFP.

METHODSA pressure cooker was refitted into a controllable pressure device. Cultured ACC-2 cells were subdivided into different groups, namely, negative control (untreated ACC-2) and experimental group (stressed for 3, 6, 12, 24 h under pressure of 7.551, 7.649, 7.747 kPa). CCK-8 and immunofluorescence of Ki67 were used to reflect proliferation ability. Transwell chamber assay was performed to observe the invasion ability of cells.

RESULTSThe proliferation ability was positively correlated with treatment time, and the peak value was obtained after the cells were subjected to 7.649 kPa of stress for 24 h. The invasion ability of ACC-2 cells was upregulated under stress.

CONCLUSIONWe successfully developed an in vitro model of IFP and found that high IFP can stimulate cell proliferation ability and upregulate invasion ability.

Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic ; Cell Proliferation ; Extracellular Fluid ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Salivary Gland Neoplasms

Objective:To explore the effects of body mass index (BMI) and gender on primary lung cancer 18F-FDG uptake param-eters, standardized uptake value (SUV), and standard uptake value of lean body mass (SUL). Methods:Data of 50 patients with prima-ry lung cancer confirmed by 18F-FDG positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) were retrospectively analyzed. AW4.6 workstation was employed to measure the SUVmean and SUVmax. Meanwhile, PETVCAR (PET Volume Computed Assisted Reading, GE Healthcare) software was used to automatically measure the SULmean, SULmax, and SULpeak. The SUVmean, SUV-max, SULmean, and SULmax of the liver (central region of the right lobe) were also measured automatically by PETVCAR. Afterward, T/N ratios (lesion SUVmax/liver SUVmean, lesion SULmax/liver SULmean, and lesion SULpeak/liver SULmean) of the lung cancer lesions were calculated. Correlations of the 18F-FDG metabolic parameters with BMI and gender of the patients were analyzed. Results:Liver SUVmean and SUVmax demonstrated significant positive correlations with BMI in all the patients (γ=0.38 and 0.36, P<0.05), and the SUVmean and SUVmax were positively correlated with BMI in male and female groups (γ=0.47 and 0.44, P<0.05), respective-ly. By contrast, no correlation existed between the liver SULmean and SULmax and BMI (P>0.05). No significant correlation was not-ed between the SUVmean, SUVmax, SULmean, SULmax, and SULpeak of the lung cancer lesions and BMI (P>0.05). The correlation trend is the same as that in different gender groups. Only the SUVmax T/N ratio of the lung cancer lesions showed a significant nega-tive correlation with BMI (γ=?0.29, P<0.05). The T/N ratios did not correlate with BMI in the different gender groups (P>0.05). Con-clusion:Patient BMI and gender mainly affect SUV values, particularly SUVmax, by contrast, patient BMI and gender did not signifi-cantly influence SUL and T/N ratio (SUL). Hence, SUL can be more suitable to quantitatively analyze and assess treatment response ob-jectively. This result will be helpful to the clinical application and promotion of PERCIST, which evaluates treatment response mainly by SUL.

BACKGROUND:Shape memory polymer is a new type of functional material. The applications of shape memory polymers in the biomedical field have increasingly been paid close attention. OBJECTIVE: To summarize the characteristics and applications of shape memory polymers. METHODS: SpringerLink and China Journal Ful text Database were searched for articles related to shape memory polymers. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: As a new type of inteligence material, shape memory polymers have lots of advantages compared with shape memory aloy and shape memory ceramics, such as low density, light weight, low cost, high shape-recovery rate, easy to regulate the shape memory temperature, to dye, to shape and to be stimulated under expected switch temperature. Especialy for polyurethane, the structure-property relationships are extremely easy to control, the shape memory temperature can be set in a wide range from-30℃ to 70℃, and it has the biocompatibility. Due to these, shape memory polymers have great potentials in applications of biomedical engineering. But the comprehensive properties of the developed shape memory polymers are not satisfactory. For example, the polynorbornene has big recovery stress, fast recovery velocity and high recovery precision, but its relative molecular mass is very big, the molecularchain is long, and processing is difficult. Furthermore, most of shape memory polymers have smal recovery stress, slow recovery velocity, low recovery precision and unsatisfied repeat memory effect. The key problems for shape memory polymers include optimization of the function of shape memory and improvement of the comprehensive properties based on the technologies of molecular design and material modification.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex neurodegenerative disorder which seriously causes the dementia in elderly people and afflicts millions of people worldwide. Drug discovery for Alzheimer's disease therapy has been a hot research area and a big challenge, in which development of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors design was the most active and some AChE inhibitors are commercially available for AD medication already. However, practical using of commercial AChE inhibitors showed their limited usefulness and related adverse effects. Thus, it is extremely urgent to find novel AChE inhibitors with higher potency and less adverse effects. Based on the accurate crystallographic studies about AChE, strategies for multi-binding site AChE inhibitors have been formed, followed by design of the multi-target directed ligands. In this review, the structures and binding modes of commercial AChE inhibitors were briefly discussed, together with the development of AChE inhibitor design for AD therapy: from multi-binding site inhibitors to multi-target directed ligands.

Objective: Application of tomotherapy with megavoltage CT (MVCT)image-guided technique into craniospinal radiotherapy to analyzethe fixation effect of whole-body fixation plate.Methods: A retrospective analysis of 10 cases receiving craniospinalradiotherapy was performed. All patients were in supine position and were fixed with a whole-body fixation plate combined with thermoplastic mesh. The MVCTimages acquired before tomography were matched with the kilovoltage CT (KVCT) images, sothat the setup errors in six directions were detected. The tomography was performed if thematching result was satisfactory, otherwise the patient needed to be setup for the secondtime when the matching result was not accepted by the clinical radiation therapists.Results: A total of 159 MVCT scans was conducted in 10 patients. The average setup errorsin left-right (LR), cranial-caudal (CC), anterior-posterior (AP), pitch, roll and yaw directionswere (1.94 ± 1.44) mm, (2.98 ± 2.51) mm, (1.71 ± 1.87) mm, (0.73 ± 0.64) degrees, (0.30 ±0.26) degrees and (0.34 ± 0.31) degrees, respectively. The probability of second setup was3.14% (5/159).Conclusion: MVCT image-guided technique can significantly reduce the setup errors incraniospinal tomography. The fixation effect of the whole-body fixation plate is acceptable.

Objective To establish small-for-size (SFS) graft injury models in miniature pigs with high standardization, reproducibility and similarity to clinical situation. Methods Ba-Ma miniature pigs were introduced in this study and orthotopic liver transplantations (OLTs) were performed in 12 pigs with 30% liver volume allogeneil grafts (small portion of right paramedian lobe, right lateral lobe and caudate lobe) without veno-venous bypass. The profiles of intra-operational hemodynamics and metabolism were investigated. Animals were observed for 7 days with daily serum biochemistry and coagulation function exam. The survival rate related to operation itself and the SFS grafts were respectively calculated as well as the graft regenerative ratio at post-operational day (POD) 7. Results Graft weight as a percentage of the recipient's native liver weight (GW/RLW) and the total body weight (GW/BW) were (28. 63±4. 42)% and (0. 73±0.06)%. The mean operation time, anhepatic phase, and the time of blockage of infra-hepatic IVC were (191. 7±14. 2) min, (28. 3±3. 6) min, and (45. 0±5. 8) min. The survival rate related to the operation itself and the SFS graft were 83. 33% (10/12) and 40% (4/10), and the graft regenerative ratio at POD7 was (278. 06±42. 95) %. Contrast to the remarkable increase of heart rate and serum potassium during anhepatic phase, the mean arterial pressure, central venous pressure, rectal temperature, PH value and buffer excess had a significant decrease (P<0.01) with a gradual recovery after reperfusioa Serum ALT, AST, PT, Cr, and TB were significantly increased with a peak level at POD1 for the former 4 and POD2 for TB, and then began to decrease and favorably recovered at POD7, but TB, PT, and AST levels were still high when compared to those of prereperfusion (P<0. 05). Conclusion This model of OLT performed with 30% liver volume graft without veno-venous bypass was an ideal large animal model for series studies related to SFS graft injury.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the lead exposure, its effects, and the relationships between biomarkers of susceptibility in the workers with low-level occupational lead exposure, and to explore its sensitivity and practical value to evaluate the health hazard.

METHODSThe concentrations of lead fume and lead dust in workplaces of a lead acid storage battery enterprise in Jiangsu Province, China, were measured by occupational health monitoring method. The blood samples of 233 workers with occupational lead exposure and 76 non-occupational lead exposure were collected to measure the blood lead (Pb-B) level using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS), the zinc Protoporphyrin (ZPP) level with blood fluorescence assay, and the delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD) concentration by a spectrophotometer, and to determine the gene polymorphism of ALAD with TaqMan real-time polymerase chain reaction. At the same time, their urine samples were collected to measure urine lead (Pb-U) concentration with GFAAS and delta-aminolevulinic acid (ALA-U) concentration with a spectrophotometer. The correlations between the above indices were analyzed by multiple linear regression method.

RESULTSThe concentration of lead fume in 18 testing sites and the concentration of lead dust in 30 testing sites were 0.002-0.019 mg/m3 and 0.004-0.013 mg/m3, respectively. Pb-B level was positively correlated with Pb-U concentration (r=0.62, P<0.01) and ZPP level (r=0.47, P<0.01) and was negatively correlated with ALAD concentration (r=-0.77, P<0.01) in 233 workers with occupational lead exposure. Among 233 workers, 218 (93.6%) had ≤70 µg/L Pb-U, and 15 (6.9%) had ≥400≥g/L Pb-B. Pb-B level was not correlated with ZPP level as Pb-B level was <190 µg/L (r=0.18, P=0.068 ), while Pb-B level was positively correlated with ZPP level as Pb-B level was ≥190 µg/L (r=0.36, P<0.01). Pb-U concentration was positively correlated with ALA-U concentration (r=0.49, P<0.01) and ZPP level (r=0.47, P<0.01). ZPP level was negatively correlated with ALAD concentration (r=-0. 19, P<0.01), and was positively correlated with ALA-U concentration (r=0.27, P<0.01). ALAD concentration was not correlated with ALA-U concentration (r =-0. 11, P>0.05). And in 233 workers with occupational lead exposure, there were no significant differences in Pb-B level, ZPP level, and ALAD activity between the workers with ALAD1-2 genotype and the workers with ALAD1-1 genotype (P>0.05). In 76 workers with non-occupational lead exposure, there was no significant difference in Pb-B level between the workers with ALAD1-2 genotype and the workers with ALAD1-1 genotype (P >0.05). The workers with ALAD1-2 genotype had a significantly lower ALAD activity, and a significantly higher ZPP level compared with those ALAD1-1 genotype (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONIn the workers with low-level occupational lead exposure, ZPP level is positively correlated with Pb-B level when Pb-B level was ≥190 µ/L. ALAD could be used as an effect biomarker of low Pb-B level. ALAD gene polymorphism shows different effects on the Pb-B level and the toxic effects between the workers with occupational lead exposure and the workers with non-occupational lead exposure.

Aminolevulinic Acid ; blood ; Biomarkers ; blood ; China ; Electric Power Supplies ; Genotype ; Humans ; Lead ; blood ; Linear Models ; Occupational Exposure ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Porphobilinogen Synthase ; blood ; genetics ; Protoporphyrins ; blood

BACKGROUND: As a result of immature brain of children and their imperfect blood brain barrier, improper clinical treatment would affect growth and development of children. It is fully important to perform further investigation on immature brain injury induced neurodegeneration.OBJECTIVE: To observe the ultramicrostructure of neurons in homolateral parietal cortex and hippocampus in newborn 7-day SD rat with contusion of parietal cortex.DESIGN: Completely randomized controlled trial.SETTING: Laboratories of Nerve Morphology and Cytobiology, Medical College of Shanghai Jiaotong University; Electron Microscope Room of Institute for Physiology, Chinese Academy of Science.MATERIALS: The experiment was performed in Teaching and Research Section of Anatomy, Laboratories of Nerve Morphology and Cytobiology ofShanghai Second Medical University (Medical College of Shanghai Jiaotong University; Electron Microscope Room of Institute for Physiology of Chinese Academy of Science from October 2002 to June 2003. A total of 19newborn 7-day SD rats were randomly divided into experimental group, operation control group and normal control group with 15, 2 and 2 in each group respectively.METHODS: In experimental group, free-fall device for brain injury was used for establishing model of contusion of parietal cortex in newborn 7-day SD rat. Anesthesia and scalp incision were conducted, without using free-fall device in operation control group. But above procedures were not carried out in normal control group. The changes of ultramicrostructure were observed under transmission electron microscope after routine treatment of electron microscopic samples.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Ultramicrostructure of neurons in homolateral parietal cortex and hippocampus.RESULTS: All the 19 rats entered results analysis. ① There were two sorts of morphological changes in neurons in experimental group. One was evident swelling of dendrites and bodies of neurons, accompanied with the changes of organelles. In the early stage, expansion of endoplasmic reticulum cisterna could be observed and mitochondria became compact and concentrated. Then, vacuolization of endoplasmic reticulum, progressive swelling and vacuolization of mitochondria, dissociation of polysomes from rough endoplasmic reticulum and scattering of them in cytoplasm could be seen. Changes of nucleolus presented after significant changes of cytoplasm. Nuclear chromatin clustered together under karyotheca and arranged as clockface, which were some masses with irregular contours gathering to the center. Axons were almost normal. The other was concentration of cytoplasm and nucleolus with vacuolizations of unequal size in cytoplasm. ②There was no abnormal change in neurons in homolateral parietal cortex and hippocampus both in operation control group and normal control group.CONCLUSION: Swelling of brain cell and concentration of cytoplasm and nucleolus after brain injury play important roles in brain injury-induced neurodegeneration of immature rats.

Epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) targeted treatment has been a standard therapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but it is not tolerated well by all patients. In China, some studies have reported that traditional Chinese medicinal herbs (TCMHs) may increase efficacy and reduce toxicity when combined with EGFR-TKI, but outside of China few studies of this kind have been attempted.

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