Abstract The advancements in the cell culture studies have led to the development of regenerative medicine concept. The aim of this study is to compare the effectiveness of some washing solutions, including phosphate buffered saline (PBS), sodium chloride (NaCl), and ringer's lactate (RL) on the rate of detachment and confluency in fibroblast and osteoblast cell culture. Baby Hamster Kidney 21 clone 13 (BHK21/C13) fibroblast cells and 7F2 osteoblast were cultured on T25 flasks for 3-4 days. Three treatment groups were classified on the basis of different washing solutions used in the moment before trypsinization: PBS, 0.9% NaCl, and RL. Each group was measured for the detachment rate and cell confluence. The measurement was done in 2 passage numbers. The use of PBS, NaCl, and RL washing solution showed that detachment time was less than 5 minutes for the fibroblasts and 3 minutes for the osteoblasts. There was a significant difference in the rate of fibroblast cell detachment (p=0.006) and osteoblast (p=0.016). The capability of fibroblasts and osteoblasts to achieve a confluence of 106 cells/well on the first and second measurements was almost the same between the washing solution groups. The use of physiological 0.9% NaCl solution as a washing solution in fibroblast and osteoblast cell culture has almost the same effectiveness as PBS to help accelerate cell detachment in less than 5 minutes without influencing the capability of cells to proliferate.

Resumo Os avanços nos estudos de cultura de células levaram ao desenvolvimento do conceito de medicina regenerativa. O objetivo deste estudo é comparar a eficácia de algumas soluções de lavagem, incluindo solução salina tamponada com fosfato (PBS), cloreto de sódio (NaCl) e lactato de ringer (RL) na taxa de desprendimento e confluência em cultura de células de fibroblastos e osteoblastos. Células de fibroblastos Baby Hamster Kidney 21 clone 13 (BHK21/C13) e osteoblastos 7F2 foram cultivadas em frascos T25 por 3-4 dias. Três grupos de tratamento foram classificados com base nas diferentes soluções de lavagem utilizadas no momento anterior à tripsinização: PBS, NaCl 0,9% e RL. Cada grupo foi medido para a taxa de desprendimento e confluência celular. A medição foi feita em 2 números de passagem. O uso de solução de lavagem PBS, NaCl e RL mostrou que o tempo de descolamento foi inferior a 5 minutos para os fibroblastos e 3 minutos para os osteoblastos. Houve uma diferença significativa na taxa de desprendimento de células fibroblásticas (p=0.006) e osteoblasto (p=0.016). A capacidade de fibroblastos e osteoblastos de atingir uma confluência de 106 células/well na primeira e segunda medições foi quase a mesma entre os grupos de solução de lavagem. O uso de solução fisiológica de NaCl (0.9%) como solução de lavagem em cultura de células de fibroblastos e osteoblastos tem quase a mesma eficácia que o PBS para ajudar a acelerar o desprendimento celular em menos de 5 minutos sem influenciar a capacidade das células de proliferar.

ABSTRACT Abdominal cocoon syndrome is a rare cause of intestinal obstruction, which is difficult to diag- nose preoperatively. We here report a case of abdominal cocoon. A 47-year-old male patient was referred to the general surgery department with complaints of abdominal pain, distension, nausea and vomiting for 1 day. An abdominal computed tomography examination detected the dilated small intestinal loops clustered in the abdomen and surrounded by a sac-like membrane. During the exploratory surgery, a capsular structure was identified in the lower quadrant with a regular surface that was solid fibrous in nature. The combination of physical examination, imaging signs and medical history may be helpful in the diagnosis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the overall diagnostic performance of the p16 methylation for diagnosing malignant pleural effusion (MPE). METHODS: All published literature in English and Chinese were reviewed. Sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratio and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) were pooled by using random-effects model or fixed-effects model. Summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curve was used to evaluate the overall diagnostic value. RESULTS: Six studies were included with a total of 378 cases. The sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR) and DOR of p16 methylation in the diagnosis of MPE were 0.41 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.35, 0.48], 0.97 [95% CI 0.93, 0.99], 9.57 [95% CI 4.53, 20.20], 0.61 [95% CI 0.45, 0.82] and 19.82 [95% CI 8.35, 47.04], respectively. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.864. CONCLUSION: Pleural p16 methylation test plays a useful role in the diagnosis of MPE.

OBJETIVO: Evaluar el rendimiento diagnóstico general de la metilación p16 para el diagnóstico del derrame pleural maligno (DPM). MÉTODOS: Se revisó toda la literatura publicada en inglés y chino. La sensibilidad, especificidad, razón de verosimilitud, y el odds-ratio diagnóstico (DOR) fueron agrupados mediante el modelo de efectos aleatorios o el modelo de efectos. La curva de las características operativas de resumen del receptor (SROC) fue usada para evaluar el valor diagnóstico general. RESULTADOS: Se incluyeron seis estudios con un total de 378 casos. La sensibilidad, especificidad, razón de verosimilitud positiva (PLR), razón de verosimilitud negativa (NLR) y el DOR de la metilación p16 en el diagnóstico de DPM, fueron 0.41 [95% intervalo de confianza (IC) 0.35 0.48], 0.97 [95% IC 0.93, 0.99], 9.57 [95% IC 4.53, 20.20], [95% IC 0.45, 0.82] 0.61 y 19.82 [95% IC 8.35, 47.04], respectivamente. El área bajo la curva (AUC) fue 0.864. CONCLUSIÓN: La prueba de metilación p16 pleural desempeña un papel útil en el diagnóstico del DPM.

The effects of long term no-till and crop residue on soil microbial community catabolic function and relevant carbon cycle in the rhizosphere and bulk soils were assessed in the 10th year of a maize-winter wheat-soybean crop rotation. Conventional and zero tillage were coupled with residue removal and residue retention in a factorial design. Soil microbial community catabolic diversity was determined using Biolog-Eco plate. Average well colour development value (AWCD) of the microbial community in the rhizosphere soil was significantly higher than that in the bulk soil. Soil organic carbon (SOC) and microbial biomass carbon (MB-C) content of rhizosphere soil under both zero tillage and residue removal treatments were significantly higher than those in the bulk soil. Microbes in bulk soil presented a preferential utilization of diverse carbon sources when crop residue was retained. Zero tillage significantly increased the utilization of most carbon sources of microbial in the rhizosphere compared to conventional tillage. Principal component analysis (PCA) of the distribution of carbon substrate utilization for all treatments suggests that the microbial community catabolic diversity is different between the tillage management treatments and between soil sampling positions. Effects of zero tillage and crop residue retention were different with respect to the microbial catabolic diversity in the rhizosphere and the bulk soil.

This study was designed to investigate the effect of curcumin (diferuloylmethane) on the proliferation and apoptosis of hepatic stellate cells (HSC). The cell line HSC-T6 (1.25 x 10(5) cells/mL) was incubated with curcumin and HSC proliferation was detected by a methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium colorimetric assay. HSC apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry, transmission electron microscope and agarose gel electrophoresis. HSC proliferation was significantly inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner (10.6 to 63.5%) after incubation with 20-100 μM curcumin, compared with a control group. At 20, 40, and 60 μM, after 24 h of incubation, curcumin was associated with a significant increase in the number of HSC in the G2/M phase, and a significant decrease in cell numbers in the S phase (P < 0.05). At these concentrations, curcumin was also associated with an increase in the apoptosis index of 15.3 ± 1.9, 26.7 ± 2.8, and 37.6 ± 4.4%, respectively, compared to control (1.9 ± 0.6%, P < 0.01). At 40 μM, the curcumin-induced apoptosis index at 12, 24, 36, and 48 h of incubation was 12.0 ± 2.4, 26.7 ± 3.5, 33.8 ± 1.8, and 49.3 ± 1.6%, respectively (P < 0.01). In conclusion, curcumin inhibits the in vitro proliferation of HSCs in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle and also induces apoptosis in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. The in vivo effect of curcumin on HSCs requires further investigation.