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Silencing CTGF expression with siRNA demonstrates therapeutic potential to prevent liver fibrosis by inhibiting HSC activation with consequent extracellular matrix accumulation and the upregulation of TGF-beta1 gene expression.

Microgel assembly, a macroscopic aggregate formed by bottom-up assembly of microgels, is now emerging as prospective biomaterials for applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine (TERM). This mini-review first summarizes the fabrication strategies available for microgel assembly, including chemical reaction, physical reaction, cell-cell interaction and external driving force, then highlights its unique characteristics, such as microporosity, injectability and heterogeneity, and finally itemizes its applications in the fields of cell culture, tissue regeneration and biofabrication, especially 3D printing. The problems to be addressed for further applications of microgel assembly are also discussed.

ABSTRACT. Objectives. To explore the prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and its distribution characteristics of adolescents and children in China and its contributing factors.Methods. This study was a stratified, randomized study by clustering samples, which involved 5403 students whose age range was 6 to 18 years from 9 schools, and was conducted in Heilongjiang Province and Shanghai. All students studied were requested to fill in a questionnaire. IBS was diagnosed according to Rome II criteria.Results. The prevalence of IBS according to Rome II criteria in adolescents and children in China was 13.25%. The ratio of boys to girls was 1:1.8. There was a higher prevalence (14.02%) of IBS in Heilongjiang province than that (11.72%) in Shanghai. The prevalence in children 12 years and younger was not statistically significantly higher than that of adolescents 13 years and older (11.86% and 11.44%, respectively). The prevalence of IBS in minority students (21.15%) was not statistically significantly higher than that in Han race students (16.08%). Our study indicated that psychological factors, food habit, bad exterior environment, personal habits, and family conditions might be important contributing factors, and exposure to coldness (odds ratio: 2.83) is most prominent.Conclusion. IBS was a common disorder in adolescents and children in China. The prevalence of IBS in adolescents and children was different in different geographic areas. Our study indicated that IBS in adolescents and children might have possible relations with psychological factors, food habit, bad exterior environment, and family condition. I rritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common chronic functional gastrointestinal disorder. In the world, the epidemiologic studies indicate that IBS in adults is a common disorder that deserved more attention. In Western countries, the prevalence of IBS (Rome criteria) in adults was 8% to 23%; among them, 10% to 15% in European and North American countries and 11% to 17% in Oceania. In Africa, the rate was ϳ10%. In Asia, it was ϳ5%. 1-3 In view of the common understanding about adult IBS, some scholars in Western countries had undertaken many epidemiologic studies including the prevalence of IBS and its risk factors in adolescents, suggesting that IBS in a community-based adolescent population was also common. An epidemiologic study in Italy indicated that the prevalence of IBS in children aged birth to 12 years is 13.9%. 4 In the United states, Walker et al 5 tested the hypothesis that most children with recurrent abdominal pain could be classified into 1 or more of the symptom subtypes defined by the Pediatric Rome Criteria; moreover, 44.9% of children with recurrent abdominal pain were consistent with the Pediatric Rome Criteria for IBS. In Moscow, a study by Reshetnikov in students who were 14 to 17 years of age indicated that the prevalence of IBS was 14% to 24%; among them, 21% had to see doctors in different hospitals. Consequently, the medical costs were so high that many families could not affo...

Activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), which is regulated by multiple signal transduction pathways, is the key event in liver fibrosis. Moreover, members of these pathways are important targets for microRNAs (miRNAs). To better understand the critical pathways of HSC activation, we performed comprehensive comparative bioinformatics analysis of microarrays of quiescent and activated HSCs. Changes in miRNAs associated with HSC activation status revealed that 13 pathways were upregulated and 22 pathways were downregulated by miRNA. Furthermore, mitochondrial integrity, based on highly upregulated Bcl‐2 and downregulated caspase‐9, was confirmed in HSCs and fibrotic livers by immnofluorescence assay, quantitative RT‐PCR, and western blot analysis. These findings provide in vitro and in vivo evidence that the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis plays a significant role in the progression of liver fibrogenesis via HSC activation.

: Our findings suggest that normal bowel frequency among Chinese urban adolescents may be defined as between 1 or 2 bowel movements per day and once every 2 days. IBS, functional constipation, and diarrhea are common disorders among this adolescent group.

In our previous studies, we identified miR-16 as being downregulated during activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) by microarray hybridization. However, the roles and related mechanisms of miR-16 in HSCs are not understood. In this study, The miRNA RNAi technique was used to analyze the effects of miR-16 on biological properties of HSCs in vitro. The lentiviral vector encoding miR-16 was constructed and transfected. Furthermore, the expression level of miR-16 was measured by real-time PCR. Cellular growth and proliferation capacity were assayed using the cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8). The apoptosis rate and cell-cycle distribution were measured by flow cytometry. Cell morphological characteristics were identified by phase-contrast microscopy, fluorescence microscopy and electron microscopy. The underlying mechanisms related to the changes in biological properties were assessed. The identity of the recombinant plasmid was confirmed by restriction endonuclease analysis and DNA sequencing. Virus titer was 10(8) > ifu/m. Restoring the intracellular miRNAs by miR-16 administration greatly reduced the expression levels of cyclin D1 (CD1). Cell-cycle arrest and typical features of apoptosis were detected in activated HSCs treated with pLV-miR-16. Our results indicate that transduction of miR-16 offers a feasible approach to significantly inhibit HSC proliferation and increase the apoptosis index. Thus, targeted transfer of miR-16 into HSC may be useful for the treatment of hepatic fibrosis.

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