Integrated Metagenomics and UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS to Explore the Mechanism of Dexamethasone on Pneumonia in Rats / 中山大学学报(医学科学版)

ObjectiveUsing multi-omics technology， we conducted the present study to determine whether dexamethasone has therapeutic effect on pneumonia rats through the regulation of intestinal flora and metabolites. MethodsTotally 18 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups （n = 6 each）： Control group， Model group and Dexamethasone （Dex） group. Lipopolysaccharide （LPS） was continuously injected intraperitoneally into rats at a dose of 4 mg/kg for 7 days to induce pneumonia except the Control group. Then the Dex group was given Dex at a dose of 2 mg/kg via oral gavage for 12 days， and both the other two groups received continuously equal volume of sterile PBS buffer for 12 days. On the 19th day， lung， plasma， feces and intestinal contents of rat were collected. Hematoxylin-eosin （H&E） staining and Bio-plex suspension chip system were applied to evaluate the effect of Dex on pneumonia. Furthermore， metagenomic sequencing and UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS technology were employed to determine the intestinal flora and metabolites of rats， respectively. ResultsH&E staining results showed that the lung tissue of the Model group was infiltrated with inflammatory cells， the alveolar septum was increased， alveolar hemorrhage， and histological lesions were less severe in Dex group than in the model group. The levels of 3 inflammatory cytokines including TNF-α （P < 0.000 1）， IL-1α （P = 0.009 6） and IL-6 （P < 0.000 1） in the Model group were increased compared with the Control group， while Dex treatment reduced the levels of the three inflammatory factors. Taken together， Dex treatment effectively reversed the features of pneumonia in rats. Metagenomic analysis revealed that the intestinal flora structure of the three groups of rats was changed. In contrast with the Model group， an increasing level of the Firmicutes and an elevated proportion of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes were observed after Dex treatment. Dex-treated rats possessed notably enrichment of Bifidobacterium， Lachnospiraceae and Lactobacillus. Multivariate statistical analysis showed a great separation between Model group and Dex group， indicating metabolic profile changes. In addition， 69 metabolites （P < 0.05） were screened， including 38 up-regulated in the Model group and 31 elevated in the Dex group， all of which were mainly involved in 3 metabolic pathways： linoleic acid metabolism， tryptophan metabolism and primary bile acid biosynthesis. ConclusionsIn summary， we demonstrate the beneficial effects of Dex on the symptoms of pneumonia. Meanwhile， integrated microbiome-metabolome analysis reveals that Dex improves LPS-induced pneumonia in rats through regulating intestinal flora and host metabolites. This study may provide new insights into the mechanism of Dex treatment of pneumonia in rats.

In situ activity analysis of two-step labeling probiotics with double fluorescent probes in intestinal tract / 药学学报

Effective supplementation of probiotics can be beneficial to intestinal health, but in situ analysis of probiotics activity has rarely been reported. In this study, by coupling fluorescein 5-isothiocyanate (FITC) and 5(6)-carboxytetramethylrhodamine N-succinimidyl ester (5(6)-TAMRA-SE) with D-lysine, two fluorescent D-amino acids (FDAAs) probes were obtained: green probe (fluorescein-D-lysine, FDL) and red probe (TAMRA-D-lysine, TDL). Then, we tried to label the three kinds of probiotics, Lactobacillus acidophilus (LA), Lactobacillus casei (LC) and Veillonella atypica (VA) in vitro. FDAAs was applied to the labeling of intestinal flora in mice, and a method was established to investigate the oral survival rate of three commonly used probiotics. All animal experiments were approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine. The results show that the two synthetic FDAAs can be non-toxic and 100% for the in vitro labeling of the three probiotics. Known by FDAAs two-step labeling of oral probiotics, the high survival rate of LA was 92.30% ± 1.67%. The survival rates of VA and LC are similar, 84.13% ± 4.06% and 82.27% ± 2.43%, respectively. This study can quickly compare the changes of colonization survival rate of different probiotics in vivo, provide theoretical support for the in situ colonization activity of probiotics in the intestine, and guide the rational drug use of clinical probiotics.

Fatigue Life Analysis of Coronary Stent / 医用生物力学

Objective After the implantation, coronary stent was expected at least to keep integrity and maintain the predicated function for over 10 years or 4e8 cycles under the pulsatile loading conditions, and the fatigue property of the stent should be evaluated. Method The finite method was used to analyze the stress distribution of different phases and evaluate the fatigue life according to Goodman criteria, meanwhile, the accelerated fatigue experiment was also performed . Results It could be concluded that the dangerous points were located in the lateral inner surface of stent curvature. Conclusion The results proved that the fatigue property could be simulated through the finite element analysis, which can provide the theoretical guidance for the stent design.

Fatigue life analysis of coronary stent by finite element analysis / 医用生物力学

Objective After the implantation,coronary stent is expected at least to keep its integrity and maintain the predicated function for over 10 years or 4e8 cycles under the pulsatile loading conditions,so the fatigue property of the stent should be evaluated.Method The finite method was used to analyze the stress distribution of different phases and evaluate the fatigue life according to Goodman criteria,meanwhile,the accelerated fatigue experiment was also performed.Results It can be concluded that the dangerous points are all but located in the lateral inner surface of stent curvature.Conclusions The results prove that the fatigue property can be simulated through the finite element analysis,which can provide the theoretical guidance for the stent design.

Fatigue life analysis of coronary stent by finite element analysis / 医用生物力学

Objective After the implantation,coronary stent is expected at least to keep its integrity and maintain the predicated function for over 10 years or 4e8 cycles under the pulsatile loading conditions,so the fatigue property of the stent should be evaluated.Method The finite method was used to analyze the stress distribution of different phases and evaluate the fatigue life according to Goodman criteria,meanwhile,the accelerated fatigue experiment was also performed.Results It can be concluded that the dangerous points are all but located in the lateral inner surface of stent curvature.Conclusions The results prove that the fatigue property can be simulated through the finite element analysis,which can provide the theoretical guidance for the stent design.

Preliminary study on a single balloon cross-midline expansion via unipedicular approach in kyphoplasty / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Recently, bilateral transpedicular kyphoplasty with a single balloon was performed for osteoporotic vertebral body compression fractures (OVCFs) to reduce the fees of the operation, but the time of operation and radiation exposure are longer. The aim of this study was to determine the safety and effectiveness of a single balloon cross-midline expansion via unipedicular approach in kyphoplasty for OVCFs.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-six patients with painful OVCFs (61 vertebrae) were enrolled in this research. Unilateral transpedicular puncture was performed under the fluoroscopy monitoring of an oblique angle down the pedicle. A single balloon was introduced through unipedicular approach. The final balloon position was in the midline of the vertebral body with the balloon cross-midline expansion and bone cement filled. Clinical outcomes were determined by comparison of the preoperative and postoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI). Radiographic assessment included restoration of vertebral height and correction of kyphosis. Follow-up was conducted for 6 - 12 months (mean 9.2 months).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Thirty-six consecutive patients with 61 vertebrae were successfully operated on with a mean operation time of 37.4 minutes per vertebra. All patients had dramatic pain relief and functional recovery within 96 hours after the procedure with no surgery or device-related complications. VAS score improved from 7.27 +/- 1.02 preoperatively to 2.71 +/- 0.75 postoperatively (P < 0.01). ODI score was decreased from (71.14 +/- 10.94)% preoperatively to (26.56 +/- 6.35)% postoperatively. The average loss of anterior body height was (14.33 +/- 2.76) mm before procedure and (10.03 +/- 1.83) mm after procedure (P < 0.01), while the average loss of middle body height was (10.15 +/- 2.70) mm before procedure and (5.89 +/- 1.83) mm after procedure (P < 0.01). The kyphotic deformity was corrected from (23.43 +/- 5.00) degree to (16.16 +/- 2.77) degree (P < 0.01). The pain relief and functional recovery were substantial and maintained to the last follow-up without any re-collapse or adjacent level fracture.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>A single-balloon cross-midline expansion via unipedicular approach in kyphoplasty for OVCFs is an effective and safe procedure with less cost, less operation time and less radiation exposure when compared with the conventional kyphoplasty technique.</p>

Analysis of the main components of coptis-evodia herb couple by HPLC-DAD-MS / 药学学报

A comprehensive HPLC-DAD-MS method was developed to study the chemical components of semi-bionic extract of Coptis-Evodia herb couple. The extract was isolated on a Hypersil BDS C18 column (4.6 mm x 200 mm, 5 microm) using acetonitrile-ammonium formic buffer as mobile phase by gradient elution. Detection was performed on DAD and MS equipped with an electrospray ionization (ESI) source by full scan and product full scan on positive mode. The chromatogram of Coptis-Evodia showed seventeen main peaks, eight of which were from Evodia while the others were from Coptis. By comparison of the retention time, the on-line UV spectra and MS spectra, four peaks were identified as jatrorrhizine, hydroxevodiamine, palmatine and berberine, and three peaks were deduced as epiberberine, columbamine and coptisine. In addition, berberine and palmatine were quantitatively determined. No new component was created in the semi-bionic extract of the herb couple, yet the solubilities of berberine and palmatine decreased.

Studies on chiral inversion of dextropantoprazole in human / 药学学报

<p><b>AIM</b>To study the chiral inversion of dextropantoprazole in human.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Three healthy Chinese male volunteers after an oral dose of 40 mg dextropantoprazole. An HPLC method was developed and used to determine the total plasma concentrations of each enantiomer. The ratios of the enantiomers in plasma samples were measured on a Chiral-AGP column. The plasma concentration of each enantiomer was then calculated using the ratios of enantiomers and total concentrations of the two enantiomers previously measured.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The AUC0-t of levopantoprazole was only 1.5% of the total AUC0-t of enantiomers.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The chiral inversion from dextropantoprazole to levopantoprazole does not occur in the three healthy Chinese male volunteers after an oral dose of 40 mg dextropantoprazol.</p>

Preliminary clinical application in the cranial internal carotid artery of covered stents specially designed for intracranial vasculature / 中华放射学杂志

Objective To investigate the flexibility of both the covered stents specially designed for use in intracranial vasculature and the delivering system in passing through the bone tube and the physiological curves of the cranial internal carotid artery(CICA)to reach the targeted area,the performance (adherence)of the covered stents in occluding vascular wall diseases and the impact on the vascular branches of the covered segment.Methods The covered stents specially designed for use in intracranial vaseulature were used to treat 13 patients with CICA diseases using endovascular techniques.There were 4 huge pseudoaneurysms,4 giant aneurysms,3 small wide-necked aneurysms,1 giant pseudoaneurysm with concurrent internal carotid cavernous fistula(CCF),and 1 CCF.Prior to the detachment of the covered stents,balloon occlusion test(BOT)of the internal carotid artery on the diseased side and whole-brain digital subtraction angiography(DSA)were performed in all the patients.Three to 16 months following procedure,DSA and clinical follow-ups were performed.Results Thirteen patients all tolerated the BOT well with the DSA demonstrating well-opened anterior and posterior communicating arteries.The covered stents and the delivering systems all successfully passed CICA to reach the targeted diseased area,with the diseased segments of the internal carotid artery including C3—C4 in 4 cases,C4—C5 in 4 and C6—C7 in 5.Immediately following the detachment of the covered stents,DSA demonstrated that 7 aneurysms were completely occluded,4 aneurysms had slight endoleak,and 1 CCF had markedly-decreased blood flow through the fistula.In the patient with concurrent pseudoaneurysm and CCF,the pseudoaneurysm disappeared and the blood flow through the fistula was markedly-reduced immediately following the stenting procedure.Apart from one patient with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage who died due to extensive vascular spasm on the 9th day following the stenting procedure,all the other 12 patients had unobstructed stented vessels on the follow-up DSA images,with 2 demonstrating slight stenosis.In the 6 patients with post-procedure endoleak,DSA showed that the endoleak in 4 patients had disappeared,one endoleak disappeared following the second stenting,and one CCF remained low-flow fistula.There was no sequela related to the occlusion of branches in the covered arterial segment.Conclusion The covered stents specially designed for use in the intracranial vasculature and the delivering system are both flexible enough to pass the tortuous CICA to reach the intracranial diseased artery,and are effective in managing CICA diseases.Further follow-up is still needed to determine the long-term effect of the covered stents,and the adherence of the covered stents needs further investigation.

Balloon kyphoplasty:a view from points of technique and technique-related issues / 中华放射学杂志

Objective To discuss the technique and technique-related issues of percutaneous kyphoplasty(PKP).Methods The study involved 69 vertebrae in 51 cases of painful osteoporotic vertebral compressive fractures.Under X-ray fluoroscopy monitoring,the fractured vertebral bodies were treated by kyphonplasty with inflatable balloon.The preoperative and postoperative vertebral height and Cobb angle in radiography were measured and analyzed.Results All patients tolerated the procedure well with dramatic pain relief within 72 hours after the procedure.No clinical complication was found.The loss heights of the anterior and mid portion of the vertebral body reduced from 15?4mm and 11?4mm preoperatively to 10? 4mm and 6?3mm postoperatively,respectively.Cobb angle corrected averagely from 22??6? preoperatively to 12??4?.There was significant difference between preoperative and postoperative measures (P