Predictive Role of Preoperative Nutritional Status on Early Postoperative Outcomes in Different-Aged Patients Undergoing Heart Valve Surgery

OBJECTIVES

The authors sought to elucidate the role and predictive effects of preoperative nutritional status on postoperative outcomes across different age groups undergoing heart valve surgery.

DESIGN

A retrospective study with intergroup comparison, receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, and logistic regression analysis.

SETTING

A hospital affiliated with a medical university.

PARTICIPANTS

Three thousand nine hundred five patients undergoing heart valve surgery between October 2016 and December 2020.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Patients were categorized into 3 age subgroups: young (aged 18-44 years), middle-aged (aged 45-59 years), and older (aged ≥60 years) adults. The Nutritional Risk Index (NRI), Prognostic Nutritional Index, and Controlling Nutritional Status scores were evaluated. Young adults with an NRI <99 experienced a significantly higher rate of prolonged intensive care unit stay (28.3% v 4.1%, p < 0.001), with a relative risk of 4.58 (95% CI: 2.04-10.27). Similarly, young adults with an NRI <97 had a significantly increased occurrence of mortality within 30 days after surgery (6.3% v 0.2%, p < 0.001), with a relative risk of 41.11 (95% CI: 3.19-529.48).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients who undergo heart valve surgery, early postoperative outcomes can be influenced by nutritional status before the surgery. In the young-adult group, NRI <99 and NRI <97 effectively could predict prolonged intensive care unit stay and 30-day mortality, respectively.

Relationship between lipoprotein(a) and whole blood reducing viscosity: A cross-sectional study

Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] has been confirmed as a causal risk factor of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, but its role on circulation is not completely clear and is still being explored. Therefore, this study attempts to explore the relationship between Lp(a) and whole blood reducing viscosity (WBRV), to better understand the role of Lp(a) in circulatory and cardiovascular diseases. We retrospectively analyzed the data of consecutive subjects in the physical examination center of the Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University Medical College from January 2022 to May 2022. Pearson or spearman correlation analysis was used to test the statistical relationship between 2 continuous variables according to whether they are normal; 131 participants were retrospectively enrolled in this study. The low-density lipoprotein concentration was associated with whole blood viscosity at low-shear (R = 0.220, P = .012), middle-shear (R = 0.226, P = .01), and high-shear viscosity (R = 0.212, P = .015), as well as plasma viscosity (RS = 0.207, P = .018). Lp(a) was not associated with whole blood viscosity at low, middle, and high shear rates, but was associated with WBRV at low shear (RS = 0.204, P = .019) and middle shear rates (RS = 0.197, P = .024). Lp(a) is associated with high WBRV, which may impart more insights into the role of Lp(a) in cardiovascular disease.

Prevalence and influencing factors of depressive and anxiety symptoms among hospital-based healthcare workers during the surge period of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Chinese mainland: a multicenter cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

From November 2022 to February 2023, the Chinese mainland experienced a surge in COVID-19 infection and hospitalization, and the hospital-based healthcare workers (HCWs) might suffer serious psychological crisis during this period. This study aims to assess the depressive and anxiety symptoms among HCWs during the surge of COVID-19 pandemic and to provide possible reference on protecting mental health of HCWs in future infectious disease outbreaks.

METHODS

A multicenter cross-sectional study was carried out among hospital-based HCWs in the Chinese mainland from 5 January to 9 February 2023. The PHQ-9 (nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire) and GAD-7 (seven-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire) were used to measure depressive and anxiety symptoms. Ordinal logistic regression analysis was performed to identify influencing factors.

RESULTS

A total of 6522 hospital-based HCWs in the Chinse mainland were included in this survey. The prevalence of depressive symptoms among the HCWs was 70.75%, and anxiety symptoms was 47.87%. The HCWs who perceived higher risk of COVID-19 infection and those who had higher work intensity were more likely to experience depressive and anxiety symptoms. Additionally, higher levels of mindfulness, resilience and perceived social support were negatively associated with depressive and anxiety symptoms.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed that a high proportion of HCWs in the Chinese mainland suffered from mental health disturbances during the surge of the COVID-19 pandemic. Resilience, mindfulness and perceived social support are important protective factors of HCWs' mental health. Tailored interventions, such as mindfulness practice, should be implemented to alleviate psychological symptoms of HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic or other similar events in the future.

Relationships Between Inflammatory Parameters Derived From Complete Blood Count and Quantitative Flow Ratio in Patients With Stable Coronary Artery Disease

To investigate the relationships between inflammatory parameters, including neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), and quantitative flow ratio (QFR) in stable coronary artery disease (CAD) patients (n = 450) enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate the associations of NLR, PLR, MLR, and SII evaluated as continuous and binary variables with QFR ≤0.80. When treated as continuous variables, lnNLR was associated with QFR ≤0.80 with borderline significance in univariable (odds ratio (OR) = 1.60, p = .05) and multivariable analysis (OR = 1.72, p = .05), while lnMLR was associated with QFR ≤0.80 significantly in univariable analysis (OR = 1.87, p = .03) and with borderline significance in multivariable analysis (OR = 1.91, p = .05). When treated as binary variables, high levels of MLR and SII were significantly associated with QFR ≤0.80 in univariable (MLR: OR = 1.91, p = .02; SII: OR = 2.42, p = .006) and multivariable analysis (MLR: OR = 1.83, p = .04; SII: OR = 2.19, p = .02). NLR, MLR, and SII, but not PLR, were significantly associated with the severity of coronary physiology in stable CAD patients.

[Human papillomavirus vaccination for men who have sex with men in China: demand and suggestions]

MSM are a high-risk population for HPV infection and related diseases. MSM can be effectively protected by quadrivalent and nine-valent HPV vaccines. This paper outlines the significance of providing HPV vaccination to MSM, summarizes the basis of HPV vaccination in MSM, and puts forward the following recommendations. First, China should expedite the development and approval of the HPV vaccine for male use. Second, HIV-positive MSM should vaccinate against HPV as soon as possible. Third, prioritize HPV vaccination for MSM individuals aged 26 or less. Fourth, for MSM aged over 26, catch-up vaccination or opportunistic vaccination should be provided when HPV vaccine resources are sufficient. Implementing this vaccination strategy can provide protection for the MSM and control the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

Prediction of fractional flow reserve with enhanced ant lion optimized support vector machine

The evaluation of coronary morphology provides important guidance for the treatment of coronary heart disease (CHD). A chaotic Gaussian mutation antlion optimizer algorithm (CGALO) is proposed in the paper, and it is combined with SVM to construct a classification prediction model for Fractional flow reserve (FFR). To overcome the limitations of the original antlion optimizer (ALO) algorithm, the chaotic Gaussian mutation strategy is introduced, which leads to an improvement in its convergence speed and accuracy. To evaluate the proposed algorithm's performance, comparative experiments were conducted on 23 benchmark functions alongside 12 other cutting-edge optimization algorithms. The experimental outcomes demonstrate that the proposed algorithm achieves superior convergence accuracy and speed compared to the alternative comparison algorithms. Additionally, it is combined with SVM and FS to construct a hierarchical FFR classification model, which is utilized to make effective predictions for 84 patients at the affiliated hospital of medical school, Ningbo university. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed model achieves an average accuracy of 92%. Moreover, it concludes that smoking history, number of lesion vessels, lesion location, diffuse lesions and ST segment changes, and other factors are the most critical indicators for FFR. Therefore, the model that has been established is a new FFR intelligent classification prediction technology that can effectively assist doctors in making corresponding decisions and evaluation plans.

Predictive value of bone morphogenetic protein-7, thromboxane A2, and osteoprotegerin for prognosis of patients with distal radius fractures

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to investigate the predictive value of bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP-7), thromboxane A2 (TXA2), and osteoprotegerin (OPG) for the prognosis of patients with distal radius fractures.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Between January 2021 and January 2022, a total of 124 patients (71 males, 53 females; mean age: 49.8±5.1 years; range, 34 to 68 years) with distal radius fractures were included in the fracture group. Healthy volunteers receiving physical examination in our hospital in the same period were included in the control group (n=50; 29 males, 21 females; mean age: 50.1±5.4 years; range, 35 to 68 years). The expressions of BMP-7, TXA2, and OPG in the peripheral blood were detected. In the fracture group, 124 patients underwent internal fixation after inclusion and followed for six months. The prognosis was evaluated based on the Gartland & Werley scoring system for wrist joint function. The factors influencing prognosis were analyzed, and the predictive values of BMP-7, TXA2, and OPG were calculated.

RESULTS

Age, fracture classification, early loss of palmar tilt, late loss of palmar tilt, time to return to exercise after surgery, BMP-7, TXA2, and OPG were all factors influencing the prognosis (p<0.05). For predicting the prognosis, the area under the ROC curve of BMP-7 + TXA2 + OPG (0.928) was significantly larger than those of BMP-7 (0.810), TXA2 (0.856) and OPG (0.823) alone, and BMP-7 + TXA2 + OPG had the highest predictive efficiency. The BMP-7 was negatively correlated with TXA2 (r=-0.471), but positively correlated with OPG (r=0.437).

CONCLUSION

The combined detection of BMP-7, OPG, and TXA2 is highly valuable for predicting the prognosis of patients with distal radius fractures.

Anisocoria and mydriasis after scalp nerve block: a case report

Strategies for the assessment of abnormal neurological findings during general anesthesia are limited. However, pupil abnormalities may represent serious neurological complications. We herein present a case of new-onset anisocoria and mydriasis that developed after scalp nerve block. The patient's signs were possibly related to increased intracranial pressure with resulting brain shift that ultimately affected the oculomotor nerves. A 45-year-old man was scheduled for left cerebellar tumor resection and ventricular drainage surgery; however, anisocoria and left pupillary mydriasis were observed after induction of general anesthesia and performance of scalp nerve block. After reducing the intracranial pressure, the right pupil showed constriction (1 mm) but the left pupil was dilated (5 mm). The pupils were of similar size postoperatively. Although pupillary dilation during general anesthesia has been previously described, this is the first case in which the mydriasis was considered to have been caused by brain shift due to increased intracranial pressure after scalp nerve block. Thus, we propose this phenomenon as a new possible cause of pupillary changes. Actively monitoring this presentation intraoperatively could enable early detection of and intervention for complications, therefore improving the prognosis.

Exhausting circ_0136474 and Restoring miR-766-3p Attenuate Chondrocyte Oxidative Injury in IL-1β-Induced Osteoarthritis Progression Through Regulating DNMT3A

Circular RNA circ_0136474 is a new contributor of human osteoarthritis (OA) by suppressing chondrocyte proliferation. However, its role and mechanism in OA chondrocyte injury remain ill defined. Herein, we performed real-time quantitative PCR to detect RNA expression of circ_0136474, microRNA (miR)-766-3p, and DNA methyltransferase 3A (DNMT3A) and utilized Western blotting to measure protein expression of DNMT3A, matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP1), MMP13, collagen II, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and B cell lymphoma (Bcl)-2, and Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax). Direct interaction between miR-766-3p and circ_0136474 or DNMT3A was confirmed by bioinformatics algorithms, dual-luciferase reporter assay, and RNA immunoprecipitation. Functional experiments including cell counting kit-8 assay, flow cytometry, and special assay kits were employed to measure oxidative injury in interleukin (IL)-1β-induced OA-like chondrocytes. First, IL-1β administration induced cell viability inhibition, collagen II suppression, and promotion of MMP1 and MMP13 in human chondrocyte CHON-001 cells. Expression of circ_0136474 and DNMT3A was upregulated, and miR-766-3p was downregulated in human OA cartilages and IL-1β-induced CHON-001 cells. Functionally, both blocking circ_0136474 and upregulating miR-766-3p could rescue cell viability and levels of PCNA, Bcl-2, reduced glutathione (GSH), and total superoxide dismutase (SOD), and attenuate apoptosis rate and levels of Bax, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and lipid peroxidation malondialdehyde (MDA). Mechanically, circ_0136474 served as miR-766-3p sponge to govern miR-766-3p-targeted DNMT3A expression. Accidently, restoring DNMT3A counteracted the miR-766-3p upregulation role, and silencing miR-766-3p weakened circ_0136474 knockdown effect in IL-1β-induced CHON-001 cells. In conclusion, exhausting circ_0136474 could mitigate OA chondrocyte oxidative injury through regulating miR-766-3p/DNMT3A axis.

The Role of Dendritic Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles' Size for Quantum Dots Enrichment and Lateral Flow Immunoassay Performance

Using dendritic mesoporous silica nanoparticles (DMSNs) for quantum dots (QDs) enrichment and signal amplification is an emerging strategy for improving the detection sensitivity of lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA). In this study, a new and convenient approach is developed to prepare water-dispersible DMSNs-QDs. A series of DMSNs with various diameters (138, 251, 368, and 471 nm) are studied for loading QDs and LFIA applications. The resultant water-dispersible DMSNs-QDs exhibit a high fluorescence retention of 81.8%. The increase in particle size from 138 to 471 nm results in an increase in loading capacity of QDs and a decrease in binding quantity of the DMSNs-QDs in the test line of LFIA. This trade-off leads to an optimal DMSNs-QDs size of 368 nm with a limit of detection reaching 10 pg mL^-1 (equivalent to 9.0 × 10^-14 m) for the detection of C-reactive protein, which is nearly an order of magnitude more sensitive than the literature. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is the first to demonstrate the distinctive role of DMSN's size for QDs enrichment and LFIA. The strategy developed from this work is useful for the rational design of high-quality QDs-based nanoparticles for ultrasensitive detection.

Structure and properties of BPDA/PDA polyimide fibers

Polyimide/graphene (PI/G) composite fibers containing p-phenylenediamine ( p-PDA), 3,3′,4,4′-Biphenyl tetracarboxylic diandhydride (BPDA) and graphene (G) were prepared by wet spinning and thermal imidization. The mechanical properties, thermal stability, orientation factor and morphology of PI/G composite fibers were characterized and studied. Within the scope of the study, the tensile strength and tensile modulus of the fibers increased first and then decreased with the increase of the graphene content. Moreover, the glass transition temperature and thermal decomposition temperature of the PI/G composite fibers increased with the increased of the graphene content. X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed that the degree of orientation of the of prepared fibers increase firstly and then decrease with the content of graphene increasing. SEM indicated that graphene was dispersed evenly in the PI/G composite fibers and graphene had satisfactory compatibility with PI matrix.

Repeated Cesarean Delivery Predicted a Higher Risk of Inadequate Analgesia Than Primary Cesarean Delivery: A Retrospective Study with Propensity Score Match Analysis

Purpose

This study aimed to compare the analgesic outcomes between primary and repeated cesarean delivery.

Patients and Methods

We performed a retrospective analysis based on the medical records of a teaching hospital in China from January 2018 to March 2019. We collected data on demographic characteristics, perioperative complications, anesthesia, and surgical factors for cesarean delivery patients. We also recorded the postoperative analgesic strategy, pain intensity (assessed by the number rating scale) during the first 48 hrs after surgery, hospital cost, and hospital stay. Postoperative inadequate analgesia was defined by a score of ≥ 4 in the number rating scale. Analgesic outcomes after cesarean delivery between primiparas and multiparas were compared using propensity score matching analysis. Moreover, subgroup logistic analysis for different age groups (≥ 35 and < 35 years) was performed to investigate the effect of the maternal category on postoperative inadequate analgesia.

Results

A total of 1543 patients were included in the analysis and 571 pairs (1142 patients) were matched in the primiparas and multiparaparas group according to their propensity score. In both the non-matched and matched cohort, the incidence of inadequate analgesia in the primiparas group was lower than that in the multiparas group (16.7% vs. 24.0%, P < 0.001 and 16.1% vs. 23.5%, P = 0.002; respectively). The multiparas group was identified as being at risk of inadequate analgesia after cesarean delivery in both age groups (age ≥ 35 years, odds ratio: 2.18, 95% confidence interval: 1.20–3.95; age < 35 years, odds ratio: 1.43, 95% confidence interval 1.08–1.89).

Conclusion

Multiparas that undergo a repeat cesarean delivery had a significantly higher risk of inadequate postoperative pain treatment than primiparas. The maternal category should be considered when formulating the postoperative analgesia strategy after cesarean delivery.

Neonatal exposure to propofol affects interneuron development in the piriform cortex and causes neurobehavioral deficits in adult mice

RATIONALE

Animal studies have shown that early postnatal propofol administration is involved in neurobehavioral alterations in adults. However, the underlying mechanism is not clear.

METHODS

We used c-Fos immunohistochemistry to identify activated neurons in brain regions of neonatal mice under propofol exposure and performed behavioral tests to observe the long-term consequences.

RESULTS

Exposure to propofol (30g or 60 mg/kg) on P7 produced significant c-Fos expression in the deep layers of the piriform cortex on P8. Double immunofluorescence of c-Fos with interneuron markers in the piriform cortex revealed that c-Fos was specifically induced in calbindin (CB)-positive interneurons. Repeated propofol exposure from P7 to P9 induced behavioral deficits in adult mice, such as olfactory function deficit in a buried food test, decreased sociability in a three-chambered choice task, and impaired recognitive ability of learning and memory in novel object recognition tests. However, locomotor activity in the open-field test was not generally affected. Propofol treatment also significantly decreased the number of CB-positive interneurons in the piriform cortex of mice on P21 and adulthood.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that CB-positive interneurons in the piriform cortex are vulnerable to propofol exposure during the neonatal period, and these neurons are involved in the damage effects of propofol on behavior changes. These data provide a new target of propofol neurotoxicity and may elucidate the mechanism of neurobehavioral deficits in adulthood.

A meta-analysis evaluating the relationship between IL-18 gene promoter polymorphisms and an individual's susceptibility to HCV infection

BACKGROUND

Several observational studies have investigated interleukin-18 (IL-18) gene polymorphisms with regard to susceptibility to hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, but the results have been inconsistent.

AIM

To evaluate the relationships between functional polymorphisms in the IL-18 gene and an individual's susceptibility to HCV infection, a meta-analysis was performed. Methods: A literature search was conducted using the PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science and China BioMedicine databases to investigate the correlation between IL-18 gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to HCV infection. Crude odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated.

RESULTS

The polymorphisms IL-18-607 C>A and -137 G>C were correlated with susceptibility to HCV infection in Asian populations. However, there was no evidence indicating a correlation between either of these polymorphisms and susceptibility to HCV infection in Caucasian populations.

CONCLUSIONS

Our current meta-analysis suggests that the -607 C>A and -137 G>C polymorphisms in the IL-18 gene promoter play important roles in determining the response to HCV in Asian populations. More studies with larger sample sizes are needed to evaluate the associations between IL-18 genetic polymorphisms and HCV infection risk.

Propofol Exposure in Early Life Induced Developmental Impairments in the Mouse Cerebellum

Propofol is a widely used anesthetic in the clinic while several studies have demonstrated that propofol exposure may cause neurotoxicity in the developing brain. However, the effects of early propofol exposure on cerebellar development are not well understood. Propofol (30 or 60 mg/kg) was administered to mice on postnatal day (P)7; Purkinje cell dendritogenesis and Bergmann glial cell development were evaluated on P8, and granule neuron migration was analyzed on P10. The results indicated that exposure to propofol on P7 resulted in a significant reduction in calbindin-labeled Purkinje cells and their dendrite length. Furthermore, propofol induced impairments in Bergmann glia development, which might be involved in the delay of granule neuron migration from the external granular layer (EGL) to the internal granular layer (IGL) during P8 to P10 at the 60 mg/kg dosage, but not at the 30 mg/kg dosage. Several reports have suggested that the Notch signaling pathway plays instructive roles in the morphogenesis of Bergmann glia. Here, it was revealed that propofol treatment decreased Jagged1 and Notch1 protein levels in the cerebellum on P8. Taken together, exposure to propofol during the neonatal period impairs Bergmann glia development and may therefore lead to cerebellum development defects. Our results may aid in the understanding of the neurotoxic effects of propofol when administrated to infants.

Liver X Receptor β Is Involved in Formalin-Induced Spontaneous Pain

Increasing evidence indicates that the liver X receptor(LXR) β modulates inflammatory pain. However, the molecular mechanisms through which LXRβ modulates pain are unclear. Here, we found that LXRβ-null mice responded more strongly to acute noxious stimuli than wild-type (WT) littermates (in the hot plate and Hargreaves tests) and had augmented tonic inflammatory pain (in the formalin test). This increased reactivity to inflammatory pain was accompanied by enhanced formalin-evoked Fos and pERK staining of second-order nociceptive neurons. Immunohistochemistry showed that the expression of CGRP, SP, and IB4 was increased in the lamina I-II of the lumbar dorsal horns in formalin-injected LXRβ knockout (KO) mice compared with the WT controls. In addition, LXRβ deletion in the mice enhanced the formalin-induced inflammation with more activated microglia and astrocytes in the spinal cord. Furthermore, the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β ,TNF-α) as well as NFκB in the formalin-injected paw were elevated by the loss of LXRβ. Taken together, these data indicate that LXRβ is involved in acute as well as inflammatory pain, and thus, it may be considered as a new target for the development of analgesics.

Development and use of EST-SSR markers for assessing genetic diversity in the brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens Stål)

To assess genetic diversity in populations of the brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens Stål) (Homoptera: Delphacidae), we have developed and applied microsatellite, or simple sequence repeat (SSR), markers from expressed sequence tags (ESTs). We found that the brown planthopper clusters of ESTs were rich in SSRs with unique frequencies and distributions of SSR motifs. Three hundred and fifty-one EST-SSR markers were developed and yielded clear bands from samples of four brown planthopper populations. High cross-species transferability of these markers was detected in the closely related planthopper N. muiri. The newly developed EST-SSR markers provided sufficient resolution to distinguish within and among biotypes. Analyses based on SSR data revealed host resistance-based genetic differentiation among different brown planthopper populations; the genetic diversity of populations feeding on susceptible rice varieties was lower than that of populations feeding on resistant rice varieties. This is the first large-scale development of brown planthopper SSR markers, which will be useful for future molecular genetics and genomics studies of this serious agricultural pest.

RNAi-mediated inhibition of the desmosomal cadherin (desmoglein 3) impairs epithelial cell proliferation

OBJECTIVES

  Desmoglein 3 (Dsg3) is a desmosomal adhesion protein expressed in basal and immediate suprabasal layers of skin. Importance of Dsg3 in cell-cell adhesion and maintenance of tissue integrity is illustrated by findings of keratinocyte dissociation in the autoimmune disease, pemphigus vulgaris, where autoantibodies target Dsg3 on keratinocyte surfaces and cause Dsg3 depletion from desmosomes. However, recognition of possible participation of involvement of Dsg3 in cell proliferation remains controversial. Currently, available evidence suggests that Dsg3 may have both anti- and pro-proliferative roles in keratinocytes. The aim of this study was to use RNA interference (RNAi) strategy to investigate effects of silencing Dsg3 in cell-cell adhesion and cell proliferation in two cell lines, HaCaT and MDCK.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

  Cells were transfected with siRNA, and knockdown of Dsg3 was assessed by western blotting, fluorescence-activated cell sorting and confocal microscopy. Cell-cell adhesion was analysed using the hanging drop/fragmentation assay, and cell proliferation by colony forming efficiency, BrdU incorporation, cell counts and organotypic culture.

RESULTS

  Silencing Dsg3 caused defects in cell-cell adhesion and concomitant reduction in cell proliferation in both HaCaT and MDCK cells.

CONCLUSION

  These findings suggest that Dsg3 depletion by RNAi reduces cell proliferation, which is likely to be secondary to a defect in cell-cell adhesion, an essential function required for cell differentiation and morphogenesis.

[Identification of a bacterium with activities of inhibiting growth of fungi]

HB02 is characterized as a new microbiological agent that has the potential to decrease the toxicity of mildewed wheat containing Deoxynivalenol (DON). To explore whether HB02 could inhibit the growth of fungi, a spore suspension of Aspergillus flavus or Gibberellazeae was incubated with or without HB02 in PYG medium at 28 degrees C for 15d. The mycelium was weighed after 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 d of incubation, respectively. The result showed that the growth of these two important fungi was significantly inhibited by co-cultivation with HB02. Besides, HB02 was confirmed as Lactobacillus curvatus by its microbiological characters and the 16s-23s rRNA sequence. In conclusion, HB02, identified as Lactobacillus curvatus, prevent the effects of mycotoxins in contaminated feed by inhibiting the growth of fungi. Other detoxification ways of HB02 remain further study.

Isolation of Guinea pig inner hair cells using manual microsurgical dissection

Cochlear inner hair cells (IHCs) and outer hair cells (OHCs) show distinctive morphological features that are usually sufficient to distinguish these two species in vitro. However, OHCs may sometimes resemble IHCs when they are mechanically distorted or begin swelling at their basal end. As a result, accurately discriminating the cells based on morphology was thought to be problematic. An objective method that allows us to clearly and unambiguously distinguish these two cell types is therefore of continued interest. We describe a protocol in which solitary IHCs were harvested from guinea pig cochlea using a manual microsurgical dissection.

[Clinic significance of nm23, collage IV and PCNA expression in non-small cell lung cancer]

BACKGROUND

To study the significance of nm23, collagen IV and PCNA expressions in non-small cell lung cancer.

METHODS

Expressions of the nm23, collagen IV and PCNA in 84 cases of non-small cell lung cancer were examined with SP immunohistochemical technique. Of the 84 cases, there were squamous cell carcinoma 42, adenocarcinoma 42, stage I 27, stage II 24, stage III 24, and stage IV 9. Statistical analysis was performed with Chi-Square test.

RESULTS

Expressions of the nm23, collagen IV and PCNA in 84 cases of non-small cell lung cancer were 60. 7% ( 51/ 84) , 75. 0% ( 63/ 84) and 53. 6% ( 45/ 84) respectively. There was negative correlation between the lymph node metastasis and the expressions of nm23 and collagen IV in squamous cell carcinoma, and the expressions of collagen IV and PCNA were associated with tumor differentiation. No correlation was found between TNM stage and expressions of nm23, collagen IV and PCNA.

CONCLUSIONS

The results indicate that nm23, collagen IV and PCNA participate the modulation of metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer and that they may be used to evaluate the potential of metastasis.

Clinical features of diffuse axonal injury

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the mechanism of diffuse axonal injury (DAI) and study the relationship between DAI and brain concussion, brain contusion, and primary brain stem injury.

METHODS

The clinical data and iconographic characteristics of 56 patients with DAI were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTS

Traffic accidents were the main cause of DAI. Among t he 56 cases, 34 were injured for at least twice, and 71.43% of the patients were complicated with contusion.

CONCLUSIONS

It is considered that DAI is a common pattern of primary brain injury, which is often underestimated. And DAI includes cerebral concussion and primary brain injury, and is often complicated by cerebral cortex contusion. Therefore, it is very simple and practical to divide primary brain injuries into local and diffuse injuries.

Pharmaceutical significance of the cyclic imide form of recombinant human glial cell line derived neurotrophic factor

PURPOSE

The purpose of this paper is to determine the significance of cyclic imide formation of an aspartic acid residue during storage on the pharmaceutical quality of a recombinant human glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (rhGDNF) formulation.

METHODS

A combination of chromatography, peptide mapping, mass spectroscopy, and protein sequencing was used to purify and characterize the degradation product. Circular dichroism, 1,8-ANS and heparin binding, melting temperature determination, bioassays, and preclinical pharmacokinetic and toxicology testing were performed to examine its equivalence to native rhGDNF.

RESULTS

The rhGDNF with cyclic imide at aspartic acid residue 96 showed identical activity, structure, pharmacokinetic profile, and toxicity profile to the native rhGDNF.

CONCLUSIONS

Formation of cyclic imide at aspartic acid residue 96 does not affect the pharmaceutical quality of the rhGDNF formulation.

Functional abrogation of p53 is required for T-Ag induced proliferation in cardiomyocytes

Targeted expression of the SV40 large T-antigen oncoprotein (T-Ag) induces cardiomyocyte proliferation in the atria and ventricles of transgenic mice. Previous studies have identified the p53 tumor suppressor, p107 (a homologue of the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor), and p193 (a novel BH3 only proapoptosis protein) as prominent TAg binding proteins in cardiomyocyte cell lines derived from these transgenic mice. To further explore the significance of these protein-protein interactions in the regulation of cardiomyocyte proliferation, a transgene comprising the human atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) promoter and sequences encoding a mutant T-Ag lacking the p53 binding domain was generated. Repeated micro-injection of this DNA gave rise to genetically mosaic animals with minimal transgene content, suggesting that widespread cardiac expression of mutant T-Ag was deleterious. This notion was supported by the observation that the transgene was selectively lost from the cardiac myocytes (but not the cardiac fibroblasts) in the mosaic animals. Crosses between the mosaic mice and animals expressing a cardiac restricted dominant negative p53 resulted in transgene transmission with ensuing overt cardiac tumorigenesis. Transfection of the mutant T-Ag in embryonic stem (ES) cell-derived cardiomyocytes resulted in wide-spread cell death with characteristics typical of apoptosis. Co-transfection with a dominant negative p53 transgene rescued mutant TAg-induced cell death in the ES-derived cardiomyocyte cultures, resulting in a marked proliferative response similar to that seen in vivo with the rescued transgenic mouse study. These results indicate that T-Ag expression in the absence of p53 functional abrogation results in cardiomyocyte death.

The effect of vitamin A on contraction of the ductus arteriosus in fetal rat

Endogenous retinoic acid may play a role in inducing smooth muscle differentiation in the fetal ductus arteriosus. Maternal administration of retinoic acid may accelerate the process. This study was designed to investigate the effect of vitamin A on developmental changes in the contractile system of the ductus. Vitamin A was injected into pregnant rats and the ductus was isolated from the fetus at 19, 20, or 21 d of gestation. The fetus at 19 d of gestation served as a model of the preterm fetus. The force of contraction and [Ca]i were measured. Membrane depolarization caused by high KCl induced ductal contraction in all age groups studied. In the 19-d fetus, O2 did not cause significant contraction or changes in [Ca]i in the control group, but it did induce a significant contraction and increases in [Ca]i in the vitamin A-treated group. In the 20- and 21-d fetuses, 5% O2-induced contraction in the vitamin A-treated group was significantly greater than in the control group. In the 19-d fetus, noradrenaline-induced contraction and increases in [Ca]i, indicators of the size of the intracellular Ca pool, were observed and they were similar in the control group and in the vitamin A-treated group. These data suggest that 1) in the preterm fetus, the contractile system, including membrane depolarization, [Ca]i increase, and its activation of contractile proteins, is already functioning, but the O2-sensing mechanism is underdeveloped, 2) vitamin A accelerates the development of the O2-sensing mechanism of the ductus arteriosus.

[Clinical use of acellular allogenic dermis or acellular porcine dermis with split-thickness autologous skin graft in 119 cases]

OBJECTIVE

To observe the effect of acellular allogenic dermis or acellular porcine dermis together with split-thickness autologous skin graft on coverage of deep burn wound and the wound of scar excision.

METHODS

Acellular allogenic dermis or acellular porcine dermis produced by our unit, with split-thickness autologous skin graft, were used in repairing various wounds in 119 cases. The take rate of various wounds was compared, and the take rate of wounds in which autologous skin from different sites was used to cover either acellular allogenic dermis or acellular porcine dermis was also compared. Histological examination and follow-up were made in some cases.

RESULTS

After tangential excision, eschar excision and scar excision, the wounds were covered with either allogenic acellular dermis or porcine acellular dermis and autologous split-thickness skin. The take rate was found to be (93.4 +/- 3.4)%, (92.1 +/- 4.6)%, (94.5 +/- 3.5)%, respectively. There was no a significant difference in take rate (P > 0.05). No significant difference in take rate between the transplantation of allogenic acellular dermis with autologous split-thickness skin and transplantation of porcine acellular dermis with autologous split-thickness skin was found (P > 0.05). When autologous split-thickness skin harvested from the trunk or extremities was used, the take rate was (93.1 +/- 4.8)%, (89.0 +/- 6.2)%, respectively, whereas the take rate was only about 70% - 80% when skin harvested from the scalp was used. The take rate was only about 40% when acellular allogenic dermis and autologous micro-skin graft were used to cover the wound. Histological examination 19 months after the transplantation revealed normal structure. Collagenous fibers were orderly arranged. There was no apparent hyperplasia of collagenous fibers. Hair follicles, sweat glands and other skin appendages were not found in the healed area. Grossly, no obvious pigmentation was seen, the surface was smooth with slight wound contraction, and the consistency was flexible.

CONCLUSION

Acellular allogenic split-thickness dermis or acellular porcine split-thickness dermis with autologous split-thickness dermis for coverage of deep burn wound and the wound of scar excision is an ideal material.

Enhanced cardiomyocyte DNA synthesis during myocardial hypertrophy in mice expressing a modified TSC2 transgene

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by the appearance of benign tumors in multiple organs, including the heart. Disease progression is accompanied by homozygous mutation at 1 of 2 loci (designated TSC1 or TSC2), leading to the suggestion that these genes function as tumor suppressors. In this study, we generated a series of TSC2 cDNAs in which one or more structural motifs were deleted, with the hope that expression of the modified gene product would override the growth-inhibitory activity of the endogenous TSC2 gene product. Several of the modified cDNAs enhanced growth rate, increased endocytosis, and promoted aberrant protein trafficking when expressed in NIH-3T3 cells, thereby mimicking phenotypes typical of TSC2-deficient cells. Surprisingly, targeted expression of the most potent TSC2 cDNA to the heart did not perturb cardiac development. However, the level of cardiomyocyte DNA synthesis in adult transgenic mice was elevated >35-fold during isoproterenol-induced hypertrophy compared with their nontransgenic siblings. These results suggest that alteration of TSC2 gene activity in combination with beta-adrenergic stimulation can reactivate the cell cycle in a limited number of terminally differentiated adult cardiomyocytes.

Atrial but not ventricular fibrosis in mice expressing a mutant transforming growth factor-beta(1) transgene in the heart

Increased transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta(1) activity has been observed during pathologic cardiac remodeling in a variety of animal models. In an effort to establish a causal role of TGF-beta(1) in this process, transgenic mice with elevated levels of active myocardial TGF-beta(1) were generated. The cardiac-restricted alpha-myosin heavy chain promoter was used to target expression of a mutant TGF-beta(1) cDNA harboring a cysteine-to-serine substitution at amino acid residue 33. This alteration blocks covalent tethering of the TGF-beta(1) latent complex to the extracellular matrix, thereby rendering a large proportion (>60%) of the transgene-encoded TGF-beta(1) constitutively active. Although similar levels of active TGF-beta(1) were present in the transgenic atria and ventricles, overt fibrosis was observed only in the atria. Surprisingly, increased active TGF-beta(1) levels inhibited ventricular fibroblast DNA synthesis in uninjured hearts and delayed wound healing after myocardial injury. These data suggest that increased TGF-beta(1) activity by itself is insufficient to promote ventricular fibrosis in the adult mouse ventricle.

Heritable lympho-epithelial thymoma resulting from a transgene insertional mutation

Thymoma is the most common tumor of the anterior-superior mediastinum. We have identified a line of transgenic mice which spontaneously and heritably develop thymomas at a very high penetrance. The available data suggest that thymoma formation in these mice results as a consequence of transgene insertional mutagenesis. Immune histologic analyses indicate that the thymomas are of epithelial cell origin. Survival studies indicate that tumor progression is more aggressive in females as compared to males (73.9 vs 41.7% mortality at 20 weeks of age, respectively). Fluorescent in situ hybridizations have localized the transgene integration site to the F2-G region of mouse chromosome 2. Translocation encompassing the syntenic region in humans has been implicated in lympho-epithelial thymoma. These animals may constitute a useful resource for the identification of gene(s) which participate in thymoma progression, as well as a model system for screening anti-thymoma therapeutic agents.

Selective inhibition of spinal cord neurite outgrowth and cell survival by the Eph family ligand ephrin-A5

The Eph family tyrosine kinase receptors and their ligands, the ephrins, have been shown to play critical roles in cell migration, tissue morphogenesis, and axonal guidance in many different systems. However, their function in the spinal cord has not been examined carefully. We showed in this study that several Eph receptors, including EphA3, Eph A4, and Eph A5, are expressed in the ventral spinal cord in partially overlapping patterns, with EphA5 exhibiting the most widespread transcription in the entire ventral spinal cord during early development. Complementary to the receptor expression, a ligand of these receptors, ephrin-A5, is transcribed in the dorsal half of the spinal cord. Consistent with the spatial location of receptor expression, the ligand selectively inhibits neurite outgrowth and induces cell death of the ventral, but not the dorsal, spinal cord neurons. These observations suggest that interactions between the Eph family receptors and ligands exerts negative influences on ventral spinal cord neurons and thus may play important roles in regulating morphogenesis and axon guidance in the spinal cord.