Myocardial apoptosis and injury of donor hearts kept in completely beating status with normothermic blood perfusion for transplants.

Objective: Normothermic blood perfusion is the developing trend of donor heart preservation. Theoretically, donor hearts preserved in a beating status may be the perfect method to reduce time-dependent ischemic injury, resuscitate marginal hearts expanding the donor pool and potentially improve the function of isolated hearts. In this study, to investigate the protective effect of normothermic blood perfusion, we maintained the donor hearts in a beating status and compared the changes of myocardial apoptosis and injury with standard hypothermic and static storage.

Hepatitis B virus infection in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues upregulates expression of DNA methyltransferases.

Purpose: Our previous research identified that Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection results in the increased methylation of p16; however, the mechanism(s) of the methylation changes observed following HBV infection are yet to be deduced. DNA methylation is governed by the interaction of DNA methyltransferases (DNMT). To investigate the expression of DNMT in cancerous tissue, cirrhotic tissues and non-cancerous tissue, we examined the relationship between HBV infection and DNMT expression.

Cyclooxygenase-2 polymorphisms and bladder cancer risk: a meta-analysis based on case-control studies.

The current meta-analysis incorporating 15 case-control studies involving 4,138 cases and 4,269 controls was performed on the basis of a systematical search in electronic databases for a more precise estimation on the associations of three common polymorphisms -765 G>C (rs20417), -1195G>A (rs689466) and +8473 C>T (rs5275) in Cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2) gene with the susceptibility to bladder cancer. The results showed that there was a significant association between rs5275 polymorphism and bladder cancer risk (C vs. T; OR=0.

Interleukin-1β rs1143634 polymorphism and aggressive periodontitis susceptibility: a meta-analysis.

Multiple studies had focused on the association between interleukin-1 (IL-1) rs1143634 polymorphism and aggressive periodontitis (AgP) susceptibility, but the results remained inconclusive. Therefore, this meta-analysis was conducted to explore its role in the development of AgP. PubMed and Embase databases were searched up to April 15, 2014.

Can routine oral care with antiseptics prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia in patients receiving mechanical ventilation? An update meta-analysis from 17 randomized controlled trials.

Background: Whether oral antiseptics could reduce the risk of ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) in patients receiving mechanical ventilation remains controversial. We performed a meta-analysis to assess the effect of oral care with antiseptics on the prevalence of ventilator associated pneumonia in adult critically ill patients.

Methods: A comprehensive search of PubMed, Embase and Web of Science were performed to identity relevant studies.

A study of high cell density cultivation process of recombinant Helicobacter pylori multi-epitope vaccine engineering bacteria.

Objective: To establish high cell density cultivation process of recombinant Helicobacter pylori multi-epitope vaccine engineering bacteria BIB.

Methods: Based on the results of shake flask fermentation, the process was magnified into volume of a 50 L fermenter to optimize and verify the factors affecting the yield of the target protein, such as the fermentation medium, working seed inoculation amount, inducer concentration, induction starting time, induction duration, inducer adding mode and feeding strategy.

Results: After activated in modified TB medium at 37°C for 8 h, the BIB working seed was inoculated at 5% (v/v) and was induced for expression for another 11 h by the final concentration of 5 mmol/L lactose.

[The effect of curvatures on the accuracy of the electronic apex locator].

Purpose: To investigate the effect of canal curvatures on the accuracy of 3 electronic apex locators (EAL) in vitro.

Methods: Alginate and 123 canals were used to mimic the situation in vitro. Three kinds of electronic apex locators including Raypex5(®), Propex(®) and Rider(®) were applied to determine the length of the canals divided into 3 groups including straight (<5°), middle (>10°,<20°) and severe (>20 °) according to the root canal curvatures.

Associations between Cox-2 rs20417 and rs5275 polymorphisms and the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma: a meta analysis.

Genetic polymorphisms of cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2) gene have been implicated in the susceptibility to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but the findings from published studies are conflicting and inconclusive. To obtain a more precise estimate of the association of Cox-2 polymorphisms with HCC risk, we performed a meta-analysis of eight eligible case-control studies identified through an extensive online database search of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang and Chinese Biomedicine Database; after exclusion, 2324 cases and 2604 controls were included. The pooled odds ratios with corresponding 95% confidence intervals were calculated to assess associations, using fixed- or random-effect models.

Preparation of specific anti-Helicobacter pylori yolk antibodies and their antibacterial effects.

Objective: To study immunization procedures and preparation methods of specific IgY antibodies (IgY-Hp, IgY-IB) produced by hens immunized with Helicobacter pylori (Hp) bacterial antigen and recombinant Hp specific antigen IB, detect the inhibition effects on Hp growth and Hp urease activity, and study the effects of oral administration for treating Hp infection.

Methods: By using recombinant cholera toxin subunit B (rCTB) as an adjuvant, hens received intramuscular injection immunization for continuous 7 times at an interval of 14 days. Then, the eggs were collected; IgY was purified.