Association of ENAM, TUFT1, MMP13, IL1B, IL10 and IL1RN gene polymorphism and dental caries susceptibility in Chinese children.

Objective: To investigate the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in six candidate genes (enamelin [ ENAM]; tuftelin 1 [ TUFT1]; matrix metallopeptidase 13 [ MMP13]; interleukin 1 beta [ IL1B]; interleukin 10 [ IL10]; interleukin 1 receptor antagonist [ IL1RN]) and dental caries in children from northwest China.

Methods: This case-control study enrolled children (12-15 years) who underwent routine dental examinations. The children were divided into two groups based on the presence of dental caries.

Numerical investigation of the influence of a bearing/shaft structure in an axial blood pump on the potential for device thrombosis.

Adverse events caused by flow-induced thrombus formation around the bearing/shaft of an axial blood pump remain a serious problem for axial blood pumps. Moreover, excessive anticoagulation with thrombosis around the bearing potentially increases the risk of postoperative gastrointestinal bleeding. The purpose of this study is to analyze the influence of the bearing structure on the thrombosis potential of an axial blood pump.

Numerical Investigation of the Influence of Blade Radial Gap Flow on Axial Blood Pump Performance.

The gaps between the blades and the shroud (or hub) of an axial blood pump affect the hydraulics, efficiency, and hemolytic performance. These gaps are critical parameters when a blood pump is manufactured. To evaluate the influence of blade gaps on axial blood pump performance, the flow characteristics inside an axial blood pump with different radial blade gaps were numerically simulated and analyzed with special attention paid to the hydraulic characteristics, gap flow, hydraulic efficiency, and hemolysis index (HI).

Design and numerical evaluation of an axial partial-assist blood pump for Chinese and other heart failure patients.

A fully implantable axial left ventricular assist device LAP31 was developed for Chinese or other heart failure patients who need partial support. Based on the 5-Lpm total cardiac blood output of Chinese without heart failure disease, the design point of LAP31 was set to a flow rate of 3 Lpm with 100-mmHg pressure head. To achieve the required pressure head and good hemolytic performance, a structure that includes a spindly rotor hub and a diffuser with splitter and cantilevered main blades was developed.

[Microbial Community Structure on the Root Surface of Patients with Periodontitis.].

Objectives: To study the microbial community structure on the root surface of patients with periodontitis.

Methods: Bacterial plaque and tissues from the root neck (RN group),root middle (RM group) and root tine (RT group) of six teeth with mobility 3 in one patient with periodontitis were sampled.The V3V4 region of 16S rRNA was sequenced on the Illumina MiSeq platform.

Numerical and In Vitro Experimental Investigation of the Hemolytic Performance at the Off-Design Point of an Axial Ventricular Assist Pump.

The ventricular assist pumps do not always function at the design point; instead, these pumps may operate at unfavorable off-design points. For example, the axial ventricular assist pump FW-2, in which the design point is 5 L/min flow rate against 100 mm Hg pressure increase at 8,000 rpm, sometimes works at off-design flow rates of 1 to 4 L/min. The hemolytic performance of the FW-2 at both the design point and at off-design points was estimated numerically and tested in vitro.

A novel vascularized patch enhances cell survival and modifies ventricular remodeling in a rat myocardial infarction model.

Objective: Although stem cells hold a great therapeutic potential for injured tissues, limited survival of transplanted stem cells has hindered the clinical application of this technology. We hypothesized that an omentum-based stem cell-supporting patch could provide adequate nutrients and microenvironment to prolong cell survival. We examined this hypothesis in rats with experimental myocardial infarction.

[Effects of mobilization of bone marrow stem cells on regenerative potential of cardiac tissues after myocardial infarction].

Objective: To test the potential of bone marrow stem cells mobilized by granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) to promote regeneration of myocyte and neovascularization in a rat model of myocardial infarction.

Methods: A myocardial infarction model was created by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery in adult Sprague-Dawley rats. Then the infracted rats were randomly assigned to receive GM-CSF injection subcutaneously 50 microg x kg(-1) x day(-1) as experimental group or receive saline injection as control group.

[Effect of tannic acid treatment on the physico-chemical properties of glutaraldehyde-fixed bovine jugular vein].

Objective: To evaluate the effects of tannic acid (TA) treatment on the physico-chemical properties of glutaraldehyde (Glut)-fixed bovine jugular vein (BJV).

Methods: Fresh BJVs were treated with Glut or Glut/TA, respectively. The shrinkage temperature, resistance to collagenase or elastase digestion, bio-mechanical properties, and molecular structure of these prepared BJVs were evaluated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.

Off-pump pulmonary valve implantation of a valved stent with an anchoring mechanism.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the longitudinal performance and anti-migration effect of a bovine valved stent equipped with an anchoring mechanism implanted off-pump in the pulmonary position.

Description: Through a delivery system, the bell-shaped pulmonary valved stents were implanted off-pump in the pulmonary valve position into six sheep by the transventricular approach. Hemodynamic, angiographic, and echocardiographic evaluations were carried out before, immediately after, and 2 months after implantation.

In vivo experimental testing of the FW axial blood pump for left ventricular support in Fu Wai Hospital.

A fully implantable, axial flow blood pump has been developed in Fu Wai Hospital aiming for clinical use. This ventricular assist device (VAD), which was developed after numerous CFD analyses for the flow characteristics of the pump, is 58.5-mm long, 30-mm wide (including DC motor), and weighs 240 g.

[Hemodynamic performance of newly developed composite stentless porcine aortic valve: in vitro testing and in vivo experiment with sheep].

Objective: To investigate the effects of a newly developed composite stentless porcine aortic valve constructed from noncoronary leaflets of three porcine aortic valves.

Methods: Fresh porcine hearts with ascending aorta were obtained from a slaughterhouse. The porcine aortic roots with ascending aorta and anterior leaflet of mitral valve and partial ventricular septum were dissected out and were pressurized to maintain their natural anatomical shapes with the leaflets floating freely at zero-pressure.

Mitigated calcification of glutaraldehyde-fixed bovine pericardium by tannic acid in rats.

Background: Bioprosthetic heart valves derived from glutaraldehyde (Glut)-fixed xenografts have been widely used to replace diseased cardiac valves. However, calcification and degeneration are common following their implantation. Inflammation is closely associated with calcification of Glut-fixed xenografts via macrophage infiltration.

Design optimization of an axial blood pump with computational fluid dynamics.

A fully implantable, axial flow blood pump has been developed in our hospital. Both in vitro and in vivo tests showed that the hemolysis and thrombus characteristics of the pump were in an acceptable but not in an ideal range. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and in vitro test results showed that the pump worked at off-design point with a low hydraulic efficiency; CFD analysis also showed regions of reverse flow in the diffuser, which not only decreases the pump's hydrodynamic efficiency, but also increases its overall potential for blood trauma and thrombosis.

[Hemocompatibility of bovine pericardium with additional sodium bisulfite treatment].

Objective: To evaluate the hemocompatibility of glutaraldehyde (GA)-tanned bovine pericardium additionally treated by sodium bisulfite (SOB) solution.

Methods: The hemocompatibility of GA-tanned bovine pericardium treated by SOB solution is evaluated by using dynamic clotting time test, blood platelet adhension test, D-dimeride determination, and complement activation test. The GA-tanned bovine pericardium was used as control.

Adult endothelial progenitor cells from human peripheral blood maintain monocyte/macrophage function throughout in vitro culture.

Mononuclear cells (MNCs) isolated from peripheral blood by density gradient centrifugation were plated on human fibronectin-coated culture plates and cultured in EGM-2 medium. Attached spindle-shaped cells, reported as endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) by some investigators, had elongated from adherent round cells, but had not proliferated from a small number of cells as supposed previously. The growth curve of the primary EPCs showed that the cells had little proliferative capacity.

[Using chemical methods to crosslink xenogeneic heart valves: the progress of bioprosthetic heart valves].

Glutaraldehyde clinically is the most commonly accepted crosslinking reagent for bioprosthetic valves preparation. Glutaraldehyde-treated tissue is stable against chemical and enzymatic degradation; however, its calcification and cytotoxicity are severe. Dye-mediated photooxidation is an alternative tissue preservation method that oxidizes the protein with visible light in the presence of a suitable photosensitizer.

[Crosslinking bovine pericardial bioprosthetic heart valves by phthalocyanine sensitized photooxidation reaction].

Objective: To crosslink bovine pericardial valves by phthalocyanine sensitized photooxidation reaction.

Methods: Fresh bovine pericardial tissues were immersed in PBS solution containing 0.01% cupreous sulfonatophthalocyanine and exposed to a broad wavelength light source for 20-120 h.