Lower Beclin-1 mRNA Levels in Pediatric Compared With Adult Patients With Otitis Media With Effusion.

Objectives: The role of autophagy in the pathophysiology of otitis media with effusion (OME) remains unclear, particularly regarding the difference between pediatric and adult patients. The present study analyzed the expression levels of autophagy-associated mRNAs in effusion fluids obtained from pediatric and adult patients with OME.

Materials And Methods: Middle ear fluid samples were collected from 76 pediatric patients and 41 adult patients with OME, and the levels of mRNAs encoding autophagy-related genes were measured using real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.

Downregulation of type I collagen expression in silibinin-treated human skin fibroblasts by blocking the activation of Smad2/3-dependent signaling pathways: potential therapeutic use in the chemoprevention of keloids.

The inhibition of the Smad2/3 pathway is a key step involved in the downregulation of type I collagen synthesis, thus preventing keloid formation in tissue. In this study, we investigated the effect of silibinin on the proliferation of human skin fibroblasts (HSFs), as well as its effect on the expression of type I collagen, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1, Smad2 and Smad3. Our results showed that the proliferation rates of the fibroblasts were not markedly decreased in a dose- and time-dependent manner following treatment with silibinin.

Early Detection of Bronchial Lesions Using System of Autofluorescence Endoscopy (SAFE) 1000.

Recently several endoscopic fluorescence detection systems have been developed. In some of them, laser light was used for the excitation of autofluorescence, and sophisticated techniques were also necessary to amplify the fluorescence signal as well.The result of fluorescence diagnosis using a simple system with a conventional Xenon lamp excitation and an image intensifier is reported.

High-level secretory expression, purification and characterization of Ailuropoda melanoleuca growth hormone in Pichia pastoris.

Growth hormone is one of the most important hormones, which is involved in many reproductive processes of giant panda Ailuropoda melanoleuca. In this study, the mature peptide of A. melanoleuca growth hormone (AmGH) was successfully expressed and secreted in Pichia pastoris under the control of AOX1 promoter.

Simultaneous operation of off pump coronary artery bypass and abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.

Objectives: Coronary artery disease (CAD) and abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) commonly coexist. However, each disease treatment complicates the management of the other. In this study, we evaluate whether a simultaneous operation of AAA repair and off pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) would be safe and acceptable, compared with either procedure alone.