N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate could be a useful method for sutureless colonic anastomosis based on the absence of anastomotic leakage, but it may impede healing of the colonic anastomosis. In addition, when used to seal sutured colonic anastomoses, cyanoacrylate may have a negative influence on anastomotic healing. The clinical use of N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate in colonic anastomosis does not appear to be acceptable and safer anastomotic methods or alternative forms of cyanoacrylate should be developed.

Embryonic stem (ES) cells are pluripotent cells with the capacity for unlimited self-renewal or differentiation. Inhibition of MAPK pathways enhances mouse ES cell pluripotency characteristics. Compared to wildtype ES cells, jnk2(-/-) ES cells displayed a much higher growth rate. To determine whether JNKs are required for stem cell self-renewal or differentiation, we performed a phosphorylation kinase array assay to compare mouse ES cells under LIF+ or LIF- culture conditions. The data showed that activation of JNKs was induced by LIF withdrawal. We also found that JNK1 or 2 phosphorylated Klf4 at threonines 224 and 225. Activation of JNK signaling and phosphorylation of Klf4 inhibited Klf4 transcription and transactivation activity. Importantly, jnk1(-/-) and jnk2(-/-) murine embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) exhibited a significantly greater potency in the ability to increase the number of iPS colonies compared with jnk wildtype MEFs. Overall, our results demonstrated that JNK1 and 2 play a negative role in reprogramming to pluripotent stem cells by suppressing Klf4 activity.

The modified technique for endoscopic endonasal reduction using a resorbable panel was effective for the reconstruction of orbital wall fractures, without complications. The modified technique may be expected to have advantages over the conventional endoscopic approach using a Silastic sheet and Merocel because it does not require long-term nasal packing, and the resorbable panel supports the orbital contents longer.

A human monoclonal antibody can be a good method for tumor diagnosis and treatment. This study is aimed at the generation of human antibody fragments against urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) known to be related to tumor metastasis using the naive human antibody phage display library. Three clones--A2, A8, and E4--were selected from 1 x 10(10) sized human naïve antibody phage library using BIAcore rescue and screen. Clone A8 was finally selected by flow cytometry against Hep3 and HT1080, uPA overexpressing tumor cell lines. A8 clone consisted of 324 bp lambda and 402 bp heavy chains. The affinity (K(D)) of purified A8 antibody fragments was 1.44 x 10(-8) M(-1). The antibody fragment was reacted with HT1080 in a dose-dependent manner but not reacted with LS513 normal fibroblast. In this study, uPA specific human monoclonal antibody fragment A8 was made with BIAcore selection. Selected A8 was bound specifically to uPA expressed on the tumor cell surface. Further study for the application of A8 antibody clones will be needed.