Endothelialization of PTFE-covered stents for aneurysms and arteriovenous fistulas created in canine carotid arteries.

To investigate the endothelialization of covered and bare stents deployed in the canine carotid arteries and subclavian arteries for treating experimental aneurysms and arteriovenous fistulas, twenty aneurysms were created in 10 dogs, and 20 fistulas in another 10 dogs. The Willis balloon-expandable covered stent and a self-expandable covered stent were used to treat these lesions, and a self-expandable bare stent was deployed in the subclavian artery for comparison. Followed up for up to 12 months, the gross observation, pathological staining, and scanning electronic microscopic data were analyzed.

Purification optimization for a recombinant single-chain variable fragment against type 1 insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF-1R) by using design of experiment (DoE).

Design of experiment (DoE) is a statistics-based technique for experimental design that could overcome the shortcomings of traditional one-factor-at-a-time (OFAT) approach for protein purification optimization. In this study, a DoE approach was applied for optimizing purification of a recombinant single-chain variable fragment (scFv) against type 1 insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF-1R) expressed in Escherichia coli. In first capture step using Capto L, a 2-level fractional factorial analysis and successively a central composite circumscribed (CCC) design were used to identify the optimal elution conditions.

Microcatheter looping facilitates access to both the acutely angled parent artery and cerebral aneurysms for effective embolization.

Aneurysms with an acutely angled parent artery are difficult to access for coiling. This study aimed to investigate the safety and effectiveness of microcatheter looping for embolization of cerebral aneurysms with access difficulty. Ten patients (male:female=5:5) with cerebral aneurysms treated with the microcatheter looping technique were analyzed retrospectively.

The stent-assisted coil-jailing technique facilitates efficient embolization of tiny cerebral aneurysms.

Objective: Tiny cerebral aneurysms are difficult to embolize because the aneurysm's sac is too small for a single small coil, and coils within the aneurysm may escape from the confinement of a stent. This study was performed to introduce the stent-assisted coil-jailing technique and to investigate its effect on the coil embolization of tiny intracranial aneurysms.

Materials And Methods: Sixteen patients with tiny intracranial aneurysms treated with the stent-assisted coil-jailing technique between January 2011 and December 2013 were retrospectively reviewed and followed-up.

Effects of (-)doxazosin on histomorphologic and cell apoptotic changes of the hyperplastic prostate in castrated rats.

Background: (-)Doxazosin is one of the enantiomers of (+/-)doxazosin, and it was reported that (-)doxazosin possessed higher selectivity for lower urinary tract between the cardiovascular system and the urinary system in the animal experiments in comparison with that of (+/-)doxazosin and (+)doxazosin. Therefore, it is important to know whether (-)doxazosin has a therapeutic effect on the hyperplastic prostate.

Methods: (-)Doxazosin and (+/-)doxazosin were administered intragastrically to prostatic hyperplasia rats, induced by testosterone propionate for 4 weeks, and each experimental group contained 8 animals.