Nano-porous nitrocellulose liquid bandage modulates cell and cytokine response and accelerates cutaneous wound healing in a mouse model.

Nitrocellulose liquid bandage (L-Bandage) is extensively used in hard-to-cover cuts and wounds management, owing to its flexibility, softness, transparency, and conformability. However, evidence supporting their mechanisms of action as wound dressing is scanty. This study introduces a novel nano-porous L-Bandage, and provides results from a mouse full-thickness wound model investigating its mechanism of action on wound healing. Different characteristics, such as porosity, mechanical properties and water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) were determined. The L-Bandage formed film had a porous network structure with mean diameter of 18 nm that could effectively prevent the bacterial invasion, and favorable properties of tensile strength, elongation, and WVTR. The L-Bandage treated wound exhibited accelerated healing, with reduced inflammations, enhanced wound re-epithelialization, contraction, granulation tissue formation, and rapid angiogenesis. Our data suggested that L-Bandage could serve as a promising wound dressing, because of its desirable properties for wound healing.

[Targeting angiogenesis and vascular remodeling as a novel therapeutic approach to liver fibrosis].

Development of liver fibrosis is closely associated with angiogenesis and abnormal vascular remodeling. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of angiogenesis and vascular remodeling in fibrogenesis, the results that inhibition of angiogenesis is effective in suppression of liver fibrosis demonstrate that therapies with several molecular targets against angiogenesis, inflammation and fibrosis might be beneficial for the treatment of cirrhosis. However, there is some evidence that inhibition of angiogenesis can even worsen fibrosis. This article outlines recent advances regarding the interplay between inflammation, angiogenesis and fibrogenesis in terms of cellular and molecular mechanisms, and suggests a requirement of greater understanding to intervene in these key processes, such as liver sinusoidal endothelial cell fenestration and impact distinct chemokine actions driving monocyte migration and differentiation, for therapeutic benefit in the future.

[The effect of Connexin43 downregulation on biological functions of HUVEC].

Connexin43 has been shown to play a pivotal role in wound healing process. Wound repair is enhanced by acute downregulation of connexin43, by increasing proliferation and migration of keratinocyte and fibroblast. Angiogenesis is also a central feature of wound repair, but little is known about the effects of connexin43 modulation on functions of endothelial cells. We used connexin43 specific small interference RNA (siRNA) to reduce the expression of connexin43 in human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC), and investigated the effects of connexin43 downregulation on intercellular communication, viability, proliferation, migration and angiogenic activity of HUVEC. Treatment of siRNA markedly reduced the expression of connexin43 by -80% in HUVEC (P < 0.05), and decreased the intercellular communication by -65% (P < 0.05). The viability, proliferation, migration and angiogenic activity of HUVEC decreased significantly (P < 0.05), compared with that of the normal cells. The results suggest that temporally downregulation of connexin43 expression at early stage of wound to inhibit the abnormal angiogenesis characterized with leaky and inflamed blood vessels, maybe a prerequisite for coordinated normal healing process.

Development and validation of the general module of the system of quality of life instruments for cancer patients.

Based on World Health Organization (WHO)'s definition of Quality of Life (QOL) and programmed decision procedures, we developed a general module of the System of Quality of Life Instruments for Cancer Patients (QLICP-GM) utilizing focus group discussions, pilot tests of 448 cases and field tests of 600 cases of 5 different cancer patients. The number of items in the final version was reduced to 32 from a 78-item pool. The psychometric properties of the scale were evaluated by indicators such as validity and reliability coefficients, SRM, and statistical methods of correlational analysis, t tests, and structural equation modeling. Correlational and structural equation model analyses indicate good construct validity with RMSEA 0.086, NNFI 0.947 and CFI 0.961. Good criterion-related validity was found when FACT-G was used as the criterion. The test-retest reliability for all domains and the overall scale is above 0.85; the internal consistency alpha for each domain is higher than 0.70 except of the social function; alpha and the split-half reliability of the overall scale is 0.88 and 0.93, respectively. The pre-post changes of QOL scores are of statistical significances in 3 domains of physical function, psychological function, common symptoms and side effects, and the overall instrument, with standardized response mean ranging from 0.16 to 0.67. Equivalence tests showed nonequivalence on quality of life score changes of these domains and the overall instrument. Our study shows that the QLICP-GM has good validity, reliability, responsiveness, and can be used as the general module for cancer patients in China.

The brain-resuscitation acupuncture method for treatment of post wind-stroke mental depression--a report of 45 cases.

In order to observe the therapeutic effects of the brain-resuscitation acupuncture method for post wind-stroke mental depression, 90 such cases were randomly divided into two groups, each consisting of 45 cases. For the treatment group, the brain-resuscitation acupuncture method was adopted, with Neiguan (PC 6), Renzhong (GV 26), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Baihui (GV 20), and Shenmen (HT 7) selected as the main points. For the control group, oral medication of Fluoxetine was prescribed. Therapeutic effects and changes in the HAMD integrals of the two groups were observed. The total effective rate in the treatment group was 77.7%, and that in the control group was 75.1%, showing no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). The average effect starting time of the treatment group was 11.58 +/- 4.89 days, while that of the control group was 15.96 +/- 6.50 days, showing a significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05). It can be concluded that for the post wind-stroke mental depression, the brain-resuscitation acupuncture method may show a good and quicker therapeutic effect with no side effects as compared with pharmacotherapy.