A novel way of liver preservation improves rat liver viability upon reperfusion

Background/aim： Currently, the liver is cold-preserved at 0-4 ℃ for experimental and clinical purposes. Here, we investigated whether milder hypothermia during the initial phase of the preservation period was beneficial for liver viability upon reperfusion. Methods： In the first set of experiments, rat livers were preserved either conventionally in clinically used histidine-trypthopan-ketoglutarate （HTK） solution （Group A： 45 min and Group B： 24 h） or by slow cooling HTK solution （from 13 ℃ to 3 ℃） during the initial 45 min of preservation （Group C： 24 h）. In the second set of experiments, additional groups of livers were evaluated： Group BB-preservation according to Group B and Group CC-preservation according to Group C. Further, some livers were preserved at 13 ℃ for 24 h. Livers were then reperfused using a blood-free perfusion model. Results： Bile production was approximately 2-fold greater in Group C compared to Group B. Alanine transaminase （ALT） and aspartate transaminase （AST） release into perfusate were 2-3-fold higher in Group B compared to Group C. No significant differences were found in ALT and AST release between Group C and Group A. Livers in Group CC compared to Group BB exhibited significantly lower portal resistance, greater oxygen consumption and bromosulfophthalein excretion into bile and lower lactate dehydrogenase （LDH） release into perfusate. Histological evaluation of tissue sections in Group BB showed parenchymal dystrophy of hepatocytes, while dystrophy ofhepatocytes was absent in Group CC. Livers preserved at 13 ℃ for 24 h exhibited severe ischemic injury Conclusion： These results suggest that the conventional way of liver preservation is not suitable at least for rat livers and that slow cooling of HTK solution during the initial phase of cold storage can improve liver viability during reperfusion.     

A new local ablation for unresectable primary liver tumor： effect of electrothermal and electrochemical therapy on rat liver

Background： Electrochemical therapy （ECT） has been used to treat unresectable hepatic tumor. In order to improve its efficacy, we combined ECT with hyperthermia induced by electrothermal needle （ETN） （ETECT）. The aim of this study is to investigate the destructive effect of ETECT on normal rat liver. Methods： Twenty rats were randomized into 4 treatment groups （n=5 in each group）： control, ECT alone, hyperthermia alone and ETECT. Following the treatment, sections of the livers were histologically examined by light microscopy and the destructive volumes were measured with micrometer. Results： We found that the destructive volumes in ETECT group were the largest （P〈0.01）. In ETECT group coagulative necrosis was found in both anode and cathode areas, around which transition zones existed. The transition zones can only be seen when coulomb was increased in ECT group. Conclusion： ETECT was demonstrated to enhance the destructive effect of ECT. This study provides theoretical and experimental basis for a new local ablative treatment for unresectable primary liver tumor.     

Science Letters: A robust polysilicon-assisted SCR in ESD protection application

A novel polysilicon-assisted silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR) is presented and analyzed in this paper, which is fabricated in HHNEC's 0.18 μm EEPROM process. The polysilicon-assisted SCRs take advantage of polysilicon layer to help bypass electro-static discharge (ESD) current without occupying extra layout area. TLP current-voltage (Ⅰ-Ⅴ) measurement results show that given the same layout areas, robustness performance of polysilicon-assisted SCRs can be improved to 3 times of conventional MLSCR's. Moreover, one-finger such polysilicon-assisted SCRs, which occupy only 947 μm2 layout area, can undergo 7-kV HBM ESD stress. Results further demonstrate that the S-type Ⅰ-Ⅴcharacteristics of polysilicon-assisted SCRs are adjustable to different operating conditions by changingthe device dimensions. Compared with traditional SCRs, this new SCR can bypass more ESD currents and consumes smaller IC area.     

Science Letters:Proteomic analysis of differentially expressed proteins in mice with concanavalin A-induced hepatitis

Objective:To find new protein biomarkers for the detection and evaluation of liver injury and to analyze the relationship between such proteins and disease progression in concanavalin A (Con A)-induced hepatitis.Methods:Twenty-five mice were randomly divided into five groups:an untreated group,a control group injected with phosphate buffered saline (PBS),and groups with Con A-induced hepatitis evaluated at 1,3 and 6 h.Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and mass spectrometry (MS) were used to identif...     

Science Letters:Dechlorination mechanism of 2,4-dichlorophenol by Ni/Fe nanoparticles in the presence of humic acid

To understand the feasibility of its application to the in situ remediation of contaminated groundwater, the dechlori-nation of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) by Ni/Fe nanoparticles in the presence of humic acid (HA) was investigated. We found that, as high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used, the 2,4-DCP was first quickly reduced to o-chlorophenol (o-CP) andp-chlorophenol (p-CP), and then reduced to phenol as the final product. Our experimental results indicated that HA had an adverse effect on the dechlorination of 2,4-DCP by Ni/Fe nanoparticles, as the HA concentration increased, the removal rate decreased evidently. It also demonstrated that 2,4-DCP was reduced more easily to o-CP than to p-CP, and that the sequence of the tendency in dechlorination of intermediates was p-CP>o-CP. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) showed that HA could act as an adsorbate to compete reactive sites on the surface of Ni/Fe nanoparticles to decrease the dechlorination rate. Also we con-cluded that the dechlorination reaction of 2,4-DCP over Ni/Fe nanoparticles progressed through catalytic reductive dechlorination.