The effect of aromatic side chains on the dilational rheological properties of -acyltaurate amphiphiles at water-decane interfaces.

To elucidate the effect of aromatic side chains on dilational rheological properties of -acyltaurate amphiphiles at the decane-water interface, the interfacial rheological properties of sodium -2-(2-naphthoxy)-tetradecanoyltaurinate (12+N-T) and sodium -2-(-butylphenoxy)-tetradecanoyltaurinate (12+4B-T) were investigated utilizing the drop shape analysis method. The effects of adsorption time, interfacial pressure, oscillating frequency, and bulk concentration on the interfacial dilational modulus and phase angle were explored. The results show that the 12+4B-T molecule with a longer hydrophobic chain shows a higher ability for reducing the interfacial tension (IFT).

Body mass index and clinical outcomes in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction mediated by diastolic blood pressure status?

Background: The "obesity paradox" has been elucidated in patients with heart failure (HF). Current guidelines introduce a target diastolic blood pressure (DBP) < 80 mmHg but >70 mmHg in HF patients. Due to reduced coronary perfusion, low DBP has a deleterious impact on cardiovascular outcomes.

Massive true thymic hyperplasia in a 3-month-old infant: case report and literature review.

Background: True thymic hyperplasia (TTH) is characterized as a distinct increase in both size and weight of thymus, which retains normal microscopic and immunohistochemical appearances. Massive true thymic hyperplasia (MTTH) is an extremely rare but significant subtype of TTH in pediatric ages due to its potentially serious consequences. It was reported that the age of cases with MTTH was predominantly between 1 and 15 years, while those before 1 year rarely occurred.

Identification, structural characterization and expression analysis of a novel carbonic anhydrase from freshwater mussel Hyriopsis cumingii.

In this study, an α-carbonic anhydrase (α-CA), HcCA3, from Hyriopsis cumingii was characterized. The full-length cDNA of HcCA3 was 1628bp, including a CA domain and an ORF of 1053bp which encoded 350 amino acids. Its predicted molecular weight was 39.

Engineering of the human vessel wall with hair follicle stem cells in vitro.

Hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) are increasingly used as a stem cell paradigm in vascular tissue engineering due to the fact that they are a rich source of easily accessible multipotent adult stem cells. Promising results have been demonstrated with small diameter (less than 6 mm) tissue engineered blood vessels under low blood pressure, however engineering large vessels (>6 mm in diameter) remains a challenge due to the fact it demands a higher number of seed cells and higher quality biomechanical properties. The aim of the current study was to engineer a large vessel (6 mm in diameter) with differentiated smooth muscle cells (SMCs) induced from human (h)HFSCs using transforming growth factor‑β1 and platelet‑derived growth factor BB in combination with low‑serum culture medium.

Autonomous pump against concentration gradient.

Using non-equilibrium molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo methods, we have studied the molecular transport in asymmetric nanochannels. The efficiency of the molecular pump depends on the angle and apertures of the asymmetric channel, the environmental temperature and average concentration of the particles. The pumping effect can be explained as the competition between the molecular force field and the thermal disturbance.

Adsorption behaviors of novel betaines on the wettability of the quartz surface.

The contact angle measurements for the aqueous solutions of two pairs of zwitterions on quartz surfaces have been investigated by the sessile drop analysis. The different physicochemical parameters such as the critical micelle concentration (CMC), surface tension, contact angle, surface excess on air-liquid and solid-liquid interfaces and work of adhesion have been estimated. The obtained results show that the contact angle of surfactants such as alkyl carboxylbetaine (ACB) and ditolyl substituted alkyl carboxylbetaine (BCB) remains almost constant in a wide range of surfactant concentration and increases gradually above CMC, which are quite different from traditional surfactants reported in the literature.

Elastic large muscular vessel wall engineered with bone marrow‑derived cells under pulsatile stimulation in a bioreactor.

Bone marrow‑derived cells (BMCs) have demonstrated their ability to differentiate into multiple cell lineages and may be a promising cell source for vascular tissue engineering. Although much progress has been made in the engineering of small blood vessels (<6 mm in diameter) with biodegradable materials such as polyglycolic acid (PGA), it remains a challenge to engineer large vessels (>6 mm in diameter) due to unsatisfactory biomechanical properties. The present study was to engineered an elastic large vessel wall (6 mm in diameter) using a PGA unwoven fibre scaffold covered with BMCs from canine humeri.

Differentiation of human hair follicle stem cells into endothelial cells induced by vascular endothelial and basic fibroblast growth factors.

Hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) possess powerful expansion and multi‑differentiation potential, properties that place them at the forefront of the field of tissue engineering and stem cell‑based therapy. The aim of the present study was to investigate the differentiation of human HFSCs (hHFSCs) into cells of an endothelial lineage. hHFSCs were expanded to the second passage in vitro and then induced by the addition of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) to the culture medium.

Human hair follicle stem cell differentiation into contractile smooth muscle cells is induced by transforming growth factor-β1 and platelet-derived growth factor BB.

Smooth muscle cells (SMCs) are important in vascular homeostasis and disease and thus, are critical elements in vascular tissue engineering. Although adult SMCs have been used as seed cells, such mature differentiated cells suffer from limited proliferation potential and cultural senescence, particularly when originating from older donors. By comparison, human hair follicle stem cells (hHFSCs) are a reliable source of stem cells with multi-differentiation potential.

Anthropometric measurements in 126 microtia reconstructions.

Background: Due to its complex, three-dimensional morphology, auricular reconstruction remains one of the most challenging procedures in reconstructive surgery. A subject that remains controversial, however, is the question of the growth potential of the cartilaginous framework. This study explored the anthropometric changes of the reconstructed auricle and the contralateral normal ear in a series of Asian patients.

Adsorption behaviors of cationic surfactants and wettability in polytetrafluoroethylene-solution-air systems.

Measurements of the advancing contact angle (θ) and adsorption properties were carried out for aqueous solutions of four cationic surfactants, hexadecanol glycidyl ether ammonium chloride (C(16)PC), Guerbet alcohol hexadecyl glycidyl ether ammonium chloride (C(16)GPC), hexadecanol polyoxyethylene(3) glycidyl ether ammonium chloride(C(16)(EO)(3)PC), and Guerbet alcohol hexadecyl polyoxyethylene(3) glycidyl ether ammonium chloride (C(16)G(EO)(3)PC), on the polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) surface using the sessile drop analysis. The obtained results indicate that the contact angle decreases to a minimum with the increasing concentration for all cationic surfactants. Surfactants with branched chain show lower θ values.

Wettability of a quartz surface in the presence of four cationic surfactants.

Advancing contact angle (θ) measurements were carried out for aqueous solutions of four cationic surfactants, hexadecanol glycidyl ether ammonium chloride (C(16)PC), guerbet alcohol hexadecyl glycidyl ether ammonium chloride (C(16)GPC), hexadecanol polyoxyethylene(3) glycidyl ether ammonium chloride (C(16)(EO)(3)PC), and guerbet alcohol hexadecyl polyoxyethylene(3) glycidyl ether ammonium chloride (C(16)G(EO)(3)PC), on the quartz surface using the sessile drop analysis. The influences of surfactant type and bulk concentration on contact angle were expounded, and the changes in adhesional tension and adhesion work were discussed. The contact angle increases up to a maximum with the increasing concentration for all cationic surfactants.

Modifications of three-dimensional costal cartilage framework grafting in auricular reconstruction for microtia.

Background: Total auricular reconstruction of microtia with autogenous costal cartilage poses one of the most demanding challenges in plastic and reconstructive surgery because of the unique and complex three-dimensional shape of the auricle. Attaining an ideal result of the constructed ear depends primarily on the fabricated cartilaginous ear framework. In this article, the authors discuss the essential modifications of ear framework grafting.

[Constructing of smooth muscle layers of tissue engineered blood vessel in a bioreactor].

Objective: To investigate the feasibility of in vitro constructing tissue engineered blood vessels in bioreactor.

Methods: Cell-PGA (polyglycolic acid) complex was constructed by seeding smooth muscle cells isolated from canine carotid artery on PGA unwoven fibers. The cell-PGA complex was cultured in a bioreactor (pulse rate = 75/min, radical distension < 5%).

[Study on the interaction between ICT fluorescence probe and bovine serum albumins].

The present article studied the interaction between intramolecular charge transfer fluorescence probe-1-keto-2-(p-dimethylaminobenzal)-tetrohydronaphthalene (KDTN) and bovine serum albumins (BSA). With the concentration of KDTN increasing, the fluorescence of BSA rapidly quenched and the fluorescence peak gradually blue-shifted. The result indicated that they were bound mainly by hydrophobic interaction.

[Isolation, culture and characterization of endothelial cells in infantile hemangioma].

Objective: To establish a method for the reliable isolation and culture of infantile hemangioma endothelial cells (HemECs) in vitro.

Methods: Proliferative hemangioma specimens were digested by collagenase to form a single cell suspension. The HemECs were isolated using anti-CD31 coated dynabeads.

Humic substances act as electron acceptor and redox mediator for microbial dissimilatory azoreduction by Shewanella decolorationis S12.

The potential for humic substances to serve as terminal electron acceptors in microbial respiration and the effects of humic substances on microbial azoreduction were investigated. The dissimilatory azoreducing microorganism Shewanella decolorationis S12 was able to conserve energy to support growth from electron transport to humics coupled to the oxidation of various organic substances or H2. Batch experiments suggested that when the concentration of anthraquinone-2-sulfonate (AQS), a humics analog, was lower than 3 mmol/l, azoreduction of strain S12 was accelerated under anaerobic condition.

[The isolation, subculture and identification of human adipose derived endothelial progenitor cells].

Objective: To investigate the methods of isolating and identifying human adipose derived EPCs.

Methods: The cells obtained from human lipoaspirates were plated on culture dishes coated with human fibronectin and were cultured in DMEM containing 2% FBS. Cells of passage 2 cultured in EGM-2 (2% FBS) served as the induced cells (experimental group), with cells cultured in DMEM (2% FBS) as the non-induced cells (control group) .

[Anaerobic humus respiration by Shewanella cinica D14T].

Experimental results suggested Shewanella cinica D14T is capable of humus respiration utilizing various organic acids and some important environmental pollutants (e.g., toluene.

[The effects of the humic substances on Azoreduction by Shewanella spp].

Under anaerobic conditions, Shewanella cinicaD14(T), Shewanella baltica and Shewane-lla putrefaciens are capable of high-rate azoreduction and humus reduction. The results indicated that at low concentration ( <2 mmol/L) AQS was a accelerator for bacterial azoreduction. However, when the concentration of AQS was more than 5 mmol/L a strong inhibition was occurred.

Studies on the spectroscopic behavior of cryptotanshinone, tanshinone IIA, and tanshinone I.

A comparative study on the spectroscopic behavior of cryptotanshinone (CTan), tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA), and tanshinone I (Tan I) has been investigated, including UV-Vis absorption, low temperature phosphorescence (LTP), low temperature fluorescence (LTF), paper substrate-room temperature phosphorescence (PS-RTP), paper substrate-room temperature fluorescence (PS-RTF) and fluorescence in liquid (LF). The effect of pH on the luminescence intensity is discussed. Lifetime and polarization of the LTP and RTP have been examined with phosphorescence lifetime in the range of 0.

[Experimental study on constructing small-caliber artery by tissue engineering approach].

Objective: To investigate the possibility of constructing small-caliber artery by means of tissue engineering.

Methods: Cell-PGA mixtures were made by separately seeding 1 x 10(7) smooth muscle cells and 5 x 10(6) endothelial cells isolated from neonate umbilicus onto PGA scaffold, the cell-PGA constructs were wrapped around a silicone tube before its implantation subcutaneously to nude mice and the mice were sacrificed in 2 and 6 weeks. The tissue engineered artery (TEA) were examined both grossly and immunohistochemically.