Aqueous Ocimum gratissimum extract induces cell apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has exhibited a poor overall survival rate of only six to ten months, and the urgency of the development of more effective novel agents is ever present. In this line of research, we aimed to investigate the effects and inhibitive mechanisms of aqueous Ocimum gratissimum leaf extract (OGE), the extract of Ocimum gratissimum, which is commonly used as a therapeutic herb for its numerous pharmacological properties, on malignant HCC cells. Our results showed that OGE decreased the cell viability of HCC SK-Hep1 and HA22T cells in a dose-dependent manner (from 400 to 800 µg/mL), while there is little effect on Chang liver cells. Moreover, cell-cycle analysis shows increased Sub-G1 cell count in SK-Hep1 and HA22T cells which is not observed in Chang liver cells. These findings raise suspicion that the OGE-induced cell death may be mediated through proteins that regulate cell cycle and apoptosis in SK-Hep1 and HA22T cells, and further experimentation revealed that OGE treatment resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in caspase 3 and PARP expressions and in CDK4and p-ERK1/2expressions. Moreover, animal tests also exhibited decreased HCC tumor growth by OGE treatment. We therefore suggest that the inhibition of cell viability and tumor growth induced by OGE may be correlated to the alteration of apoptosis-related proteins.

Association of Air Pollution Exposure and Interleukin-13 Haplotype with the Risk of Aggregate Bronchitic Symptoms in Children.

Interleukin-13(IL-13) might play an important role in driving aggregate bronchitic symptoms pathogenesis. However, none of the studies assessed the interaction between air pollutants exposure and IL-13 gene on the risk of aggregate bronchitic symptoms in non-asthma children. To assess the independent and joint effects of the exposure to air pollution and IL-13 haplotypes on the risk of aggregate bronchitic symptoms, we conducted a cross-sectional study and focused on non-asthma children. The study population consisted of 2944 children. The effect of each air pollutant on the risk of aggregate bronchitic symptoms was estimated as odds ratios per interquartile range (IQR) change. In the multiple logistic regressions, adjusted for confounding factors, the risk of chronic phlegm was associated with PM2.5 exposure (aOR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.07-2.37 per 12.51µg/m3 change), O3 exposure (aOR, 1.54 95% CI, 1.05-2.27 per 8.28ppb change) and SO2 exposure (aOR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.02-1.39 per 0.98ppb change). Our study further provides the evidence that gene-environment interactions between IL-13 haplotype and O3 exposure on chronic phlegm (95% CI for interaction, 1.01-1.38). Identifying children who are more sensitive to air pollution helps us to provide them an efficient prevention to avoid aggregate bronchitic symptoms.

The Chinese family-centered care survey for adult intensive care unit: A psychometric study.

AIMS: This study aimed to develop a family-centered care survey for Chinese adult intensive care units and to establish the survey's psychometric properties. BACKGROUND: Family-centered care (FCC) is widely recognized as an ideal model of care. Few studies have explored FCC perceptions among family members of adult critical care patients in Asian countries, and no Chinese FCC measurement has been developed. METHODS: An English version of the 3-factor family-centered care survey for adult intensive care units (FCCS-AICU) was translated into Chinese using a modified back translation procedure. Based on the literature review, two additional concepts, information and empowerment, were added to the Chinese FCCS-AICU. The psychometric properties of the Chinese FCCS-AICU were determined with 249 family members from a medical center in Taiwan and were tested for construct and convergent validity, and internal consistency. RESULTS: Both the monolingual and bilingual equivalence tests of the English and Chinese versions of the 3-factor FCCS-AICU were supported. Exploratory factor analysis supported the 5-factor structure of the Chinese FCCS-AICU with a total explained variance of 58.34%. The Chinese FCCS-AICU was correlated with the Chinese Critical Care Family Needs Inventory. Internal consistency, determined by Cronbach's α, for the overall scale was .94. CONCLUSIONS: The Chinese FCCS-AICU is a valid and reliable tool for measuring perceptions of FCC by family members of adult intensive care patients within Chinese-speaking communities.

Osteoblast differentiation and phenotype expressions on chitosan-coated Ti-6Al-4V.

Chitosan (C), alginate-crosslinked chitosan (CA), and pectin-crosslinked chitosan (CP) were covalently bonded to Ti-6Al-4V surfaces and tested for their biocompatibility. Compared to the clinically treated Ti-6Al-4V surface (Ti64), C, CA, and CP, had higher contact angles and promoted higher cell proliferation, type I collagen deposition, and mineralization after two weeks (all p<0.05). Cells on C, CA, and CP expressed more alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity compared to those on Ti64 (p<0.05). The swelling ratios and drug release efficacies of CA and CP were significantly higher and lower, respectively, than those of C (both p<0.05). Only cells on CA expressed ALP activity after three weeks of culture. Generally speaking, crosslinking with alginate and pectin changed surface wettability as well as the swelling and drug release properties of the chitosan coatings. Cells on the coatings had higher proliferation, type I collagen deposition, and degree of mineralization compared to those on Ti64.