Integrating melt electrospinning writing and microfluidics to engineer a human cardiac microenvironment for high-fidelity drug screening.

The preclinical evaluation of drug-induced cardiotoxicity is critical for developing novel drug, helping to avoid drug wastage and post-marketing withdrawal. Although human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs) and the engineered heart organoid have been used for drug screening and mimicking disease models, they are always limited by the immaturity and lack of functionality of the cardiomyocytes. In this study, we constructed a Cardiomyocytes-on-a-Chip (CoC) that combines micro-grooves (MGs) and circulating mechanical stimulation to recapitulate the well-organized structure and stable beating of myocardial tissue.

Novel Molecular Targets Participating in Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury and Cardioprotection.

Worldwide morbidity and mortality from acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and related heart failure remain high. While effective early reperfusion of the criminal coronary artery after a confirmed AMI is the typical treatment at present, collateral myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) and pertinent cardioprotection are still challenging to address and have inadequately understood mechanisms. Therefore, unveiling the related novel molecular targets and networks participating in triggering and resisting the pathobiology of MIRI is a promising and valuable frontier.

[Modified (Wu's) esophagectomy for a huge thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma 18.3 cm in length].

An esophageal squamous cell carcinoma measuring 18.3 cm in length and 5 cm in diameter was found in the mediastinum of a 53-year man. The patient underwent a modified 3-stage esophagectomy and an esophagogastrostomy at the cervical level (Wu's method).

High DEPTOR expression correlates with poor prognosis in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Objective: The disheveled, Egl-10, and pleckstrin (DEP) domain containing mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)-interacting protein (DEPTOR) is a binding protein containing mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1), mTOR complex 2 (mTORC2), and an endogenous mTOR inhibitor. DEPTOR shows abnormal expressions in numerous types of solid tumors. However, how DEP-TOR is expressed in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains elusive.

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase 677TT genotype may be associated with an increased lung cancer risk in North China: an updated meta-analysis.

Background: Although many epidemiology studies have investigated the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene polymorphisms and their associations with lung cancer (LC), definite conclusions cannot be drawn. To clarify the effects of MTHFR polymorphisms on the risk of LC, we performed a meta-analysis in Chinese populations.

Material/methods: Related studies were identified from PubMed, Springer Link, Ovid, Chinese Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Chinese Biology Medicine (CBM) until 16 February 2014.