Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Bischofia javanica (Blume) Leaf Methanol Extracts through the Regulation of Nrf2 and TAK1.

Bischofia javanica (Blume) has been traditionally used to treat inflammatory diseases such as tonsillitis and ulcers throughout Asia, including China, Indonesia, and the Philippines: however, the molecular mechanisms by which B. javanica exerts its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties remain largely unknown. In this study, we analyzed the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms of methanol extracts of B. javanica leaves (MBJ) in vitro and in vivo. MBJ decreased nitric oxide (NO) production and the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α, in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated RAW 264.7 cells. The observed suppression of inflammatory responses by MBJ was correlated with an inhibition of the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways. Additionally, MBJ induced nuclear translocation of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), a transcription factor that upregulates the expression of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant genes. Furthermore, MBJ exhibited antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in an acute hepatitis mouse model. In conclusion, our results confirm the medicinal properties of B. javanica, and therefore MBJ could be applied to improve inflammatory and redox imbalances in different types of pathologies.

Three-dimensional duck's feet collagen/PLGA scaffold for chondrification: role of pore size and porosity.

An ideal tissue-engineered scaffold must provide sufficient porosity to allow free movement of cells, nutrients, and oxygen for proper cell growth and further maintenance. Owing to variation in pore sizes and shapes of as-fabricated scaffold, the amount of oxygen available for the cells attached to the scaffold and transfer of by-products and excrement will be different, which ultimately results in cell activity. Thus, optimizing pore size and porosity of a scaffold for a specific tissue regeneration are one of the key highlights, which should be considered while designing a scaffold as well as choosing a specific cell type. In this study, three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds based on blends of duck's feet collagen (DC) and poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) with different pore sizes i.e. 90-180, 180-250, 250-355 and 355-425 µm were prepared using solvent casting/salt leaching approach and examined its effects on chondrification. The morphological analysis of the as-fabricated scaffolds was performed using SEM for studying porosity and pore size. The cell proliferation and gene expression were investigated after culturing costal chondrocytes on each scaffolds using 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5 diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and qRT-PCR. Histological staining of in vivo implants was performed in nude mice as models. The biological evaluation showed a pore-size dependent chondrification at different time points. Especially, the 355-425 µm DC/PLGA scaffold showed a highest positive impact on maintenance of cell proliferation, costal chondrocyte phenotype and increased glycosaminoglycan accumulation than the other groups. These results indicated that DC/PLGA scaffolds with pore size ranging from 250 to 425 µm can be considered as highly-suitable constructs for enhanced chondrification.

Clinical prognostic factors for radical cystectomy in bladder cancer.

PURPOSE: We investigated the effects of radical cystectomy and the prognostic factors that affect the survival of bladder cancer patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 1979 to 2002, 59 patients with long-term follow up results of at least 2 years were enrolled in this study. Indications for surgery included muscle invasive bladder cancer and high-risk superficial bladder cancer. The cancer specific and recurrence free survival rates with respect to the possible prognostic factors were determined using Kaplan-Meier statistics. RESULTS: The mean patient age was 62.8 years (M: 48, F: 11), and the estimated 5- and 10-year survival rates were 62% and 39.4%, respectively. The median time to local or systemic recurrence was 16 months (range: 5 approximately 100), and the average survival durations after local and systemic recurrence were 14.4 months and 12.7 months, respectively. Pathologic stage, tumor grade, mean nuclear area, sex and lymphatic invasion were significant factors by univariate analysis (p<0.05). The disease related survival rate in patients having progression from an initial superficial tumor was lower than for those patients who displayed muscle invasive disease at the initial treatment. Multivariate analysis identified pathologic stage and lymphatic invasion as independent prognostic factors. CONCLUSIONS: Radical cystectomy for organ-confined cancer showed favorable 5- and 10-year survival rates. The survival rate for patients with progression from an initial superficial tumor was worse than for those patients with invasive tumor at the initial presentation. The most significant independent prognostic factors were the pathologic stage and the presence of lymphatic invasion, which were highly correlated with all the investigated disease endpoints.