Application of computational fluid dynamics in the aortic root reconstruction / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    To investigate the application of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) in hemodynamic evaluation of aortic root reconstruction. Methods    The clinical data of 1 patient with severe aortic valve stenosis was analyzed. Enhanced CT images were used as the original data, and professional software was used to reconstruct the three-dimensional (3D) model and fluid mechanics simulation of the aorta (including preoperative, postoperative and ideal conditions). Results    The 3D reconstruction model could directly present the distribution of valve calcification and the dilatation of the ascending aorta. The remodeled sinotubular junction and sinus structure were observed in the model under postoperative and ideal conditions. The improvement of ascending aorta dilatation was evaluated statistically by the diameter distribution before and after surgery. CFD simulation showed that the area of high flow velocity, pressure intensity and wall shear stress before surgery were consistent with the expansion area of the ascending aorta, and the restricted blood flow acceleration was observed at the angle between the arch and the descending aorta. In the ideal condition, the streamline of blood at the descending aorta was more stable and flat compared with preoperative or postoperative conditions, and there was no obvious abnormal high pressure and high wall shear stress area in the ascending aorta. The cardiopulmonary bypass time was 106 min, of which the aortic cross-clamp time was 60 min. The cardiac echocardiography indicated that the aortic valve worked well, and the peak systolic blood velocity was 1.7 m/s. The length of hospital stay after surgery was 12 d, including 2 d in ICU. The ventilator use time was 11.6 h. The patient did not have any remarkable discomfort during the 1-year follow-up. Conclusion    CFD can be used to evaluate anatomic and hemodynamic abnormalities before aortic root reconstruction surgery. Postoperative reconstruction simulation can be performed again to evaluate the surgical effect, and meanwhile, virtual improvement can be tried for the unresolved problems to accumulate diagnosis and treatment experience, so as to provide patients with more accurate and personalized diagnosis and treatment procedure.

Perioperative considerations for COVID-19 patients: lessons learned from the pandemic -a case series- / 대한마취과학회지

Background@# As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic spreads globally, hospitals are rushing to adapt their facilities, which were not designed to deal with infections adequately. Here, we present the management of a suspected COVID-19 patient. Case: A 66-year-old man with a recent travel history, infective symptoms, and chest X-ray was presented to our hospital. Considering his septic condition, we decided to perform an emergency surgery. The patient was given supplemental oxygen through a face mask and transported to an operating theatre on a plastic-covered trolley. An experienced anesthetist performed rapid sequence intubation using a video laryngoscope. Due to the initial presentation of respiratory distress, the patient remained intubated after surgery to avoid re-intubation. Precautions against droplet, contact, and airborne infection were instituted. @*Conclusions@# Our objective was to facilitate surgical management of patients with known or suspected COVID-19 while minimizing the risk of nosocomial transmission to healthcare workers and other patients.

Perioperative considerations for COVID-19 patients: lessons learned from the pandemic -a case series- / 대한마취과학회지

Background@# As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic spreads globally, hospitals are rushing to adapt their facilities, which were not designed to deal with infections adequately. Here, we present the management of a suspected COVID-19 patient. Case: A 66-year-old man with a recent travel history, infective symptoms, and chest X-ray was presented to our hospital. Considering his septic condition, we decided to perform an emergency surgery. The patient was given supplemental oxygen through a face mask and transported to an operating theatre on a plastic-covered trolley. An experienced anesthetist performed rapid sequence intubation using a video laryngoscope. Due to the initial presentation of respiratory distress, the patient remained intubated after surgery to avoid re-intubation. Precautions against droplet, contact, and airborne infection were instituted. @*Conclusions@# Our objective was to facilitate surgical management of patients with known or suspected COVID-19 while minimizing the risk of nosocomial transmission to healthcare workers and other patients.

Bioequivalence of pyridostigmine bromide dispersible tablets in rabbits / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the pharmacokinetic parameters of pyridostigmine bromide dispersible tablets and common tablets in rabbits.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twelve rabbits were given an oral dose (60 mg) of pyridostigmine bromide dispersible tablets or common tablets in a randomized crossover study. The plasma concentration of pyridostigmine bromide was determined by reversed-phase ion pair chromatography. The pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated using DAS2.1.1 software.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The pharmacokinetic parameters showed no significant differences in rabbit plasma between pyridostigmine bromide dispersible tablets and common tablets. The two tablets had a C(max) of 1.83∓0.08 mg·L(-1) and 1.68∓0.03 mg·L(-1), tmax of 2.33∓0.41 h and 2.58∓0.20 h, AUC(0-24) of 15.50∓0.62 mg·h·L(-1) and 15.14∓0.30 mg·h·L(-1), AUC(0-∞) of 15.82∓0.70 mg·h·L(-1) and 15.57∓0.32 mg·h·L(-1), respectively. The relative bioavailability F(0-24) was 102.38% and F(0-∞) was 101.61% for the dispersible tablets.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The two tablets are bioequivalent in rabbits.</p>

Spaceflight alters the gene expression profile of cervical cancer cells / 癌症

Our previous study revealed that spaceflight induced biological changes in human cervical carcinoma Caski cells. Here, we report that 48A9 cells, which were subcloned from Caski cells, experienced significant growth suppression and exhibited low tumorigenic ability after spaceflight. To further understand the potential mechanism at the transcriptional level, we compared gene expression between 48A9 cells and ground control Caski cells with suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) and reverse Northern blotting methods, and analyzed the relative gene network and molecular functions with the Ingenuity Pathways Analysis (IPA) program. We found 5 genes, SUB1, SGEF, MALAT-1, MYL6, and MT-CO2, to be up-regulated and identified 3 new cDNAs, termed B4, B5, and C4, in 48A9 cells. In addition, we also identified the two most significant gene networks to indicate the function of these genes using the IPA program. To our knowledge, our results show for the first time that spaceflight can reduce the growth of tumor cells, and we also provide a new model for oncogenesis study.

Dexketoprofen trometamol in the treatment of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of dexketoprofen trometamol in the treatment of patients with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 115 patients with CP/CPPS were divided into a dexketoprofen trometamol group (n = 40), treated with dexketoprofen trometamol (25 mg, tid) and terazosin (2 mg, qn), an indometacin group (n = 40) given indometacin (25 mg, tid) and terazosin (2 mg, qn), and a terazosin group (n = 35) administered terazosin (2 mg, qn) only, all treated for 4 weeks. Scores on the NIH-chronic prostatitis symptom index (NIH-CPSI) were obtained before and after the treatment, and the efficacy and adverse events were observed and compared.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The NIH-CPSI scores were significantly improved after the treatment in all the three groups. The clinical efficacy was significantly better in the dexketoprofen trometamol and indometacin groups than in the terazosin group (P < 0.05), but with no significant difference between the former two (P > 0.05). The rates of adverse events were 10.00%, 18.57% and 27.50% in the dexketoprofen trometamol, terazosin and indometacin groups, significantly lower in the former two than in the latter one (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The combination of dexketoprofen trometamol with terazosin could effectively improve the clinical symptoms of CP/CPPS, better than terazosin in therapeutic efficacy and than indometacin in drug tolerance.</p>

Construction of eukaryotic expression vector encoding human nasopharyngeal carcinoma anti-idiotype antibody single chain fragment gene G22 and its expression / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To construct a eukaryotic expression vector encoding human nasopharyngeal carcinoma anti-idiotype antibody single chain fragment (ScFv) gene G22, and to identify its expression in rectal cancer cells (CMT-93).@*METHODS@#The G22 gene was ligated into the sites of EcoRI and NotI of eukaryotic expression vector pcDNA3.1(+). After the identification and DNA sequencing, the recombinant plasmid pc DNA3.1(+)-G22 was stably transfected into CMT-93 cells, and the expression of G22 was detected by Western blot, flow cytometry and immunofluorescence staining.@*RESULTS@#Restriction enzyme digestion and DNA sequencing showed that the recombinant plasmid contained the human nasopharyngeal carcinoma anti-idiotype antibody ScFv gene G22. Transfection experiment verified that G22 gene could be expressed in CMT-93 cells in the right way.@*CONCLUSION@#The eukaryotic expression vector containing the human nasopharyngeal carcinoma anti-idiotype antibody ScFv gene G22 is successfully constructed and expressed, which is the basis for further study of its DNA vaccine.

Detection of autoantibodies in the sera of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate whether there are autoantibodies to nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in the sera of patients and to find new NPC biomarkers.@*METHODS@#Cell plate of Epstein Barr virus negative NPC cell line CNE1 was prepared, and difference between 32 NPC patient sera and 54 normal sera was analyzed by ELISA. We extracted the total protein of CNE1, and analyzed whether there were specific proteins to react with NPC sera by Western blot.@*RESULTS@#The average absorbance values of serum antibody in NPC patients (0.904+/-0.032) were significantly higher than those of normal serum antibody absorbance values (0.736+/-0.028) (P< 0.01). The analysis with Western blot showed there were positive bands,and some of these were unanimous bands, but the intensity increased, and some of these were new bands compared with the normal sera. These positive bands may be NPC tumor-associated antigens or NPC tumor-specific antigens.@*CONCLUSION@#Autoantibodies that react with NPC exist in the sera of NPC patients, but they do not react with Epstein-Barr virus. It provides the basis to seek the tumor biomarkers in NPC sera.

Biological properties of Caski cell lines induced by exposing to the space environment / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the biological properties of Caski cell lines induced by exposing to the space environment.@*METHODS@#Caski cells were carried in "Shen Zhou IV" airship. After 7 days of spaceflight, cells survived and were monocoloned, and the experimental methods such as cell morphological observation, the cell proliferation assay, flow cytometry cell cycle analysis, the soft agar assay, and tumorigenesis assay were used to analyze cell growth characteristics and malignant phenotypes.@*RESULTS@#Altogether 1440 strains subclonal cell lines were established and 4 strains were screened. Compared with the control group, mutated cells appeared to have multiple cell morphological changes. Strains numbered 44F10 and 17E3 were screened due to their increased cell proliferation and tumorigenesis, and their cell cycles were induced to progress from G(1) to S phase, while strains 48A9 and 31F2 were opposite to 44F10 and 17E3 in cytological events. The average population double time of ground nomal control group, ground simulant control group, strains numbered 44F10, 17E3, 48A9 and 31F2 groups were 56.54, 58.44, 52.96, 51.46, 101.76 and 88.47h, respectively; compared with the control group, the average double time of strains numbered 44F10 and 17E3 was decline, but with no statistical significance. However, compared with the control groups, the average double time of 48A9 and 31F2 was significant increased (P<0.05). The colony formation rates were 9.7%, 9.3%, 14.7%, 12.1%, 0 and 0.1%, respectively, and the difference between the ground control groups and the other groups was significant (P<0.01); 6 groups of above-mentioned Caski cells were inoculated subcutaneously in Babl/c nude mice respectively. Forty-seven days later, the formed tumors in the nude mice were statistically analyzed and tested. The average weight of tumors of the above-mentioned groups was 0.066, 0.066, 0.175, 0.249, 0.011 and 0.018g. The difference between the ground control groups and other groups was significant (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Spaceflight may affect the physiological characteristics of tumor cells and the variation is complicated.

Construction of cDNA library from NPC tissue and screening of antigenic genes / 生物工程学报

To obtain the NPC-associated antigens, a powerful new method, SEREX (serological identification of antigen by recombinant cDNA expression library), was used for identifying the antigens eliciting humoral immune response. Before performing serological analysis, a high quality cDNA library derived from human nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) tissue was constructed. The primary library consisted of 3.64 x 10(6) recombinants and the recombinant rate was 94%. For better preserving the cDNA library, it was amplified. As a result, the titer of the amplified cDNA library was 3.8 x 10(9) pfu/mL. With SEREX method, immunoscreening for the detection of reactive clones in the human NPC tissue cDNA library was performed with autologous serum. As a result, 23 positive clones encoding antigenic genes were obtained after immunoscreening, and the nucleotide sequences of cDNA inserts were determined and analyzed with BLAST software in GenBank. Results showed that the 23 reactive clones were derived from 16 different genes. 10 of 16 genes had high homologous to the genes known in GenBank, such as RPL31, S100 A2, MT2A, etc. However, there were also 6 genes with low homology to the genes known in GenBank. Furthermore, 3 of 6 genes may be novel genes. The associations of these genes to NPC and the roles that they played in the occurrence and development of NPC should be revealed by further research.

Anemia in patients on combined androgen block therapy for prostate cancer / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>AIM</b>To study the effect of combined androgen block therapy on hemoglobin and hematocrit values in patients with prostate cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and thirty-six patients with adenocarcinoma of prostate were treated with combined androgen block (orchiectomy and flutamide 250 mg, tid). Complete blood counts were determined before and after 1, 2, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months of therapy.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The hemoglobin and hematocrit levels declined significantly in all patients and at all the time points after treatment (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Prostate cancer patients treated with combined androgen block would develop obvious anemia. Recombinant human erythropoietin can be used to treat patients with severe anemia.</p>

Anemia in patients on combined androgen block therapy for prostate cancer / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of combined androgen block therapy on hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit value (Ht) in patients with prostate cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and thirty-six patients with adenocarcinoma of the prostate were treated with combined androgen block (orchiectomy and flutamide 250 mg, Tid). Complete blood counts were detected before initiation and after 1, 2, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months of therapy.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Hb level declined significantly in all patients from a mean baseline of (136 +/- 14) g/L to (126 +/- 16) g/L, (121 +/- 14) g/L, (120 +/- 15) g/L, (113 +/- 12) g/L, (121 +/- 13) g/L and (123 +/- 15) g/L at 1, 2, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. Ht decreased from a mean baseline of 0.424 +/- 0.041 to 0.390 +/- 0.038, 0.381 +/- 0.042, 0.378 +/- 0.038, 0.366 +/- 0.041, 0.384 +/- 0.039 and 0.387 +/- 0.040. The differences between Hb, Ht before and after treatment were significant (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Patients with prostate cancer being treated with combined androgen block would develop a significant degree of anemia. Hemoglobin and hematocrit level should be monitored periodically. This kind of anemia can be treated by recombinant human erythropoietin.</p>

The effect of acute urinary retention on serum prostate specific antigen concentration / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVES</b>To study the effect of acute urinary retention on the serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) concentration.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Blood samples from 34 benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) patients with acute urinary retention were drawn immediately before suprapubic cystomy and 48 hours after relief of urinary retention. Serum PSA concentrations were measured with radioimmunoassay.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The mean serum PSA levels of BPH patients with acute urinary retention was (24.6 +/- 16.1) micrograms/L (range from 2.6 micrograms/L to 45.8 micrograms/L). Forty-eight hours after relief of urinary retention, the mean serum PSA levels declined to (9.4 +/- 6.3) micrograms/L (range from 1.7 micrograms/L to 16.6 micrograms/L). The difference was significant (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Acute urinary retention could dramatically increase the serum PSA value of patients with BPH. After relief of the urinary retention, the patients had a great than 50% decreased of PSA values.</p>