[Immediate postoperative color Doppler ultrasonography on the diagnosis of hemorrhagic complications of liver biopsy and its directed compression hemostasis]

Objective: To study the diagnostic value of immediate color Doppler ultrasonography on traumatic hepatic hemorrhage after tissue sampling with ultrasound-guided liver biopsy and the clinical effect of its-directed local compression hemostasis at puncture-site. Methods: 132 hospitalized patients with various liver diseases underwent ultrasound-guided hepatic puncture-biopsies, including 61 cases with diffuse parenchymal and 71 cases with focal liver lesions. Immediate postoperative color Doppler ultrasonography was performed following liver biopsy. Abnormal blood flow signal was observed at hepatic puncture biopsy site, and if there were hemorrhagic signals, ultrasound-directed local compression hemostasis was performed until the bleeding signal disappeared. F-test and Chi-square test were used for statistical analysis. Results: Immediate color Doppler ultrasonography showed traumatic hemorrhage in 36.1% (22/61) and 40.8% (29/71) cases of diffuse liver disease and focal liver disease group, respectively. All hemorrhagic signals were eventually disappeared after ultrasound-directed local compression hemostasis. The median hemostasis time was 2 min in both groups, and there was no statistically significant difference in bleeding rate and hemostasis time between the two groups (P>0.05). There were no serious complications and deaths. Conclusion: Traumatic hepatic hemorrhage along the needle puncture tract is a common accompanying condition during liver biopsy. Immediate postoperative color Doppler ultrasonography can trace bleeding signals in timely manner and direct effective compression hemostasis, so it should be used routinely to help avoid occurrence of severe hemorrhagic complications.

Crown ether-based anion exchange membranes with highly efficient dual ion conducting pathways

Anion exchange membranes (AEMs) are a crucial constituent for alkaline fuel cells. As the core component of fuel cells, the low performance AEMs restrict the development and application of the fuel cells. Herein, the trade-off between the OH^- conductivity and dimensional stability was solved by constructing AEMs with adequate OH^- conductivity and satisfactory alkali resistance using Tröger's base (TB) poly (crown ether)s (PCEs) as the main chain, the embedded quaternary ammonium (QA) and Na⁺-functionalized crown ether units as the cationic group. Crown ether is an electron donator, and can capture Na⁺ to form Na⁺-functionalized crown ether units to conveniently transfer OH^- and significantly promote the alkaline stability of the AEMs. The influence of the Na⁺-functionalized crown ether units on the performance of AEMs was studied in detail. The PCEs based AEMs show an obvious hydrophobic-hydrophilic microphase separation. These features make them ideal platforms for the OH^- conduction applications. As expected, the as-prepared PCEs-QA-100% (100% is the degree of cross-linking) AEM with an ionic exchange capacity (IEC) of 2.07 meq g^-1 has a high OH^- conductivity of 159 mS cm^-1 at 80 °C. Furthermore, the membrane electrode assemblies fabricated using the PCEs-QA-100% AEM possess a maximum power density of 291 mW cm^-2 under the current density of 500 mA cm^-2.

Effect of increased levels of adiponectin by administration of the adeno vector rAAV2/1-Acrp30 on glucose, lipid metabolism and ultrastructure of the aorta in Goto-Kakizaki rats with arteriosclerosis

BACKGROUND

We used recombinant adeno-associated virus vector of adiponectin (AAV2/1-Acrp30) to study the effects of increased levels of adioponectin (by the administration of rAAV2/1-Acrp30) on arteriosclerosis, glucose and lipid metabolism in Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats with arteriosclerosis.

METHODS

Thirty GK rats with arteriosclerosis were divided into 3 equal groups: control group 1, control group 2 and the rAAV2/1-Acrp30-administered group. Saline, virus vector or rAAV2/1-Acrp30 (10 12 ng/ml) vector genomes administered to the rats in the corresponding group by intramuscular injection to the posterior limb by single administration, respectively. After 8 weeks, fasting blood glucose, 2-hour postprandial blood glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin, serum insulin, serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein were measured in each group, and the ultrastructure of the aorta was seen by light and electron microscopy.

RESULTS

Compared with control groups 1 and 2, in the rAAV2/1-Acrp30 group, there was a decrease in urine volume, fasting blood glucose, 2-hour postprandial blood glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin, serum total cholesterol, triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein, and an increase in body weight and high-density lipoprotein (p< 0.05), while the level of serum insulin was not changed (p>0.05). Ultrastructure studies of the aorta showed that aortosclerosis in the rAAV2/1-Acrp30-administered group was less, and fewer lipid droplet vacuoles were seen in the vascular endothelial cytoplasm. Also various cell organelles and internal elastic lamina were seen, and there was no formation of lipid droplet and foam cells in the cytoplasm of the media of the smooth muscle.

CONCLUSION

Adiponectin could improve blood glucose and lipid parameters and decrease atherosclerosis in the aorta of GK rats.