在体微血管内测定肿瘤细胞黏附性的实验方法

目的:介绍一种用于研究在体微血管内肿瘤细胞黏附的实验原理和实现方法。方法:利用显微镜在体测量毛细管前小静脉里肿瘤细胞黏附率,每根微血管以1000μm/s的速度灌注(2～4)×109L-1的肿瘤细胞。结果:微针尖注射速度和压力差成正比,显微镜可观察肿瘤细胞在血管里黏附个数随时间的变化。结论:该方法可控制血管内压力和流速及灌注肿瘤细胞的浓度等,模拟微血管正常生理状态下不同条件下肿瘤细胞的黏附特性。     

A study of surgeons’ postural muscle activity during open, laparoscopic, and endovascular surgery

Background  

Different surgical procedures impose different physical demands on surgeons and high prevalence rates of neck and shoulder pain have been reported among general surgeons. Past research has examined electromyography in surgeons mainly during simulated conditions of laparoscopic and open surgery but not during real-time operations and not for long durations. The present study compares the neck-shoulder muscle activities in three types of surgery and between different surgeons. The relationships of postural muscle activities to musculoskeletal symptoms and personal factors also are examined.     

Novel Therapies Targeting Inner Mitochondrial Membrane—From Discovery to Clinical Development

Mitochondrial oxidative stress and dysfunction have been implicated in the aging process and in numerous chronic diseases. The need for therapies that can protect and/or improve mitochondrial function is obvious. However, the development of mitoprotective drugs has been hampered by a number of challenges, and there are at present no approved therapies for mitochondrial dysfunction. This article describes the original discovery, preclinical development, and clinical development of a novel class of small peptide molecules that selectively target the inner mitochondrial membrane and protect mitochondrial function. These compounds have the potential to be a paradigm-shifting approach to the treatment of mitochondrial dysfunction, which underlies many common diseases, including cardiorenal, neurologic, and metabolic disorders.     

Comparative in vitro activity of telavancin, vancomycin and linezolid against heterogeneously vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (hVISA)

Selective pressure from glycopeptide use has led to non-susceptible strains of Staphylococcus aureus, including heterogeneously vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus (hVISA). Treatment of hVISA infections with vancomycin has been associated with treatment failure, therefore new treatments are required. The objective of this study was to evaluate the activity of telavancin, vancomycin and linezolid against hVISA clinical strains. Twenty-five hVISA isolates were evaluated for minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) by microdilution and for bactericidal activity by time-kill analysis [starting inoculum ca. 10(6)colony-forming units (CFU)/mL and ca. 10(8)CFU/mL] against telavancin, vancomycin and linezolid. MICs for 50% and 90% of the organisms (MIC(50) and MIC(90) values, respectively) were, respectively, 0.5mg/L and 1mg/L for telavancin and 2mg/L and 2mg/L for both vancomycin and linezolid. In time-kill studies, telavancin was bactericidal against all strains at plasma peak and trough concentrations and at low and high inocula. At low inoculum, the time to bactericidal activity (defined as 99.9% kill from initial inoculum) (T(99.9)) for telavancin was 5.6 ± 3.2 h at peak concentration and 12.3 ± 5.2 h at trough concentration. This was superior to vancomycin (P<0.001), which had a T(99.9) of 18.8 ± 2.1 h at peak concentration and 19.1 ± 2.2 h at trough concentration. At high inoculum, telavancin had a T(99.9) of 16.3 ± 3.2 h at peak concentration and 21.4 ± 2.5 h at trough concentration, whilst vancomycin did not consistently achieve bactericidal activity. Linezolid was not bactericidal against any strain at either concentration or inoculum. In conclusion, the killing activity of telavancin against hVISA was found to be superior to vancomycin and linezolid.