Initial Experience with Fibrin Glue Treatment of Anal Fistulae in Children.

Pediatric anal fistulae commonly result from recurrent perianal abscesses, of which nearly 50 per cent develop an anal fistula. The purpose of this study was to report the results of using fibrin glue to treat anal fistula in pediatric patients. Infants and children with recurrent perianal abscesses and anal fistulae were treated with either fistulectomy or fibrin glue. Demographic and clinical characteristics and outcomes were compared between the groups. A total of 34 children were included; 27 received fistulectomy (median age eight months) and seven received fibrin glue treatment (median age 14 months). No significant differences in demographic or clinical characteristics were found between the two groups (all, P > 0.05). Median follow-up duration was significantly higher in the fibrin glue group compared with that in the fistulectomy group (five months vs one month, P = 0.003). There was one recurrence in the fistulectomy group, and no recurrences in the fibrin glue group (P = 1.0). No complications occurred in either group. Fibrin glue treatment is a simple and effective treatment alternative in the management of anal fistula in children, offering the advantage of sphincter muscle-sparing and reduced risk of fecal incontinence.

Catalytic degradation of dye molecules and in situ SERS monitoring by peroxidase-like Au/CuS composite.

In this paper, Au/CuS composites were fabricated by a two-step method based on a facile solvothermal approach combined with the in situ reduction. It was demonstrated that the Au/CuS composite not only exhibited excellent peroxidase-like catalytic activity in the oxidation of the typical peroxidases (o-phenylenediamine and diaminobenzidine), but also showed promising SERS performance with remarkable sensitivity and high reproducibility. Based on these properties, the bi-functional Au/CuS composite was employed both as a catalyst for degrading a pollutant (Rhodamine 6G) and a SERS substrate for real-time monitoring of the degradation process quantitatively.

Cytotoxicity, apoptosis induction, and mitotic arrest by a novel podophyllotoxin glucoside, 4DPG, in tumor cells.

AIM: To define the in vitro cytotoxic activities of 4-demethyl-picropodophyllotoxin 7'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (4DPG), a new podophyllotoxin glucoside. METHODS: Antiproliferation activity was measured in several tumor cell lines by using the microculture tetrazolium MTT assays. Cell cycle distribution was analyzed using flow cytometry and mitosis index assays. Furthermore, transmission electron microscopy, TUNEL, DNA agarose electrophoresis, and activated caspase-3 were used to analyze the induction of apoptotic cell death. Moreover, intracellular changes in the cytoskeleton were detected using immunocytochemistry. RESULTS: 4DPG effectively inhibited the proliferation of cancer cells (HeLa, CNE, SH-SY5Y, and K562 cell lines). For the K562 cell line, the antiproliferation effect of 4DPG was much more potent than that of etoposide (IC50 value: 7.79 x 10(-9) mol/L for 4DPG vs 2.23 x 10(-5) mol/L for etoposide). Further, 4DPG blocked the cell cycle in the mitotic phase. The induction of apoptosis and elevated levels of activated caspase-3 were confirmed in cells treated with 4DPG. The microtubule skeleton of HeLa cells was disrupted immediately after treatment with 4DPG. CONCLUSION: The cytotoxicity of 4DPG is due to its inhibition of the microtubule assembly of cancer cells at a low concentration, thus inducing apoptosis. These properties qualify 4DPG to be a potential antitumor drug.