Effect of 1-methyltryptophan on lipopolysaccharide-induced permeability and apoptosis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells / 中华急诊医学杂志

Objective:To explore the effect of 1-methyltryptophan (1-MT) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced permeability and apoptosis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs).Methods:HUVECs were treated with phosphate buffer saline (PBS, control group), 1 μg/mL LPS (LPS group), and LPS combined with 1 mmol/L 1-MT (1-MT group). The expression levels of the p120 concatemer (p120ctn), vascular endothelial (VE) cadherin, caspase-3, and DNA repair enzyme polyadenylate ribose polymerase-1 (PARP) after incubation at 8 h were detected using Western blot. The concentrations of kynurenine (Kyn) after incubation at 2, 4, 6, and 8 h were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography, and indoleamine2, 3-dioxygenase (IDO) activity was calculated. Comparisons among groups were performed using the LSD- t test. Results:Compared with the control group, the expression of caspase-3 [(74.01±7.91)% vs (157.14±7.63)%, P<0.01] and the concentration of Kyn were significantly up-regulated, while the expression of p120ctn [(49.12±2.15)% vs (37.61±1.80)%, P<0.01], VE-cadherin [(107.70±7.01)% vs (90.66±2.58)%, P=0.027], and PARP-1 [(67.95± 3.08)% vs (57.93±5.26)%, P=0.038] were significantly down-regulated, and IDO activity was significantly increased in the LPS group ( P<0.05). Compared with the LPS group, the expression of caspase-3 [(157.14±7.63)% vs (110.74±7.89)%, P<0.01] was significantly down-regulated, while the expression of p120ctn [(37.61±1.80)% vs (47.19±0.82)%, P<0.01], VE-cadherin [(90.66±2.58)% vs (107.27±9.89)%, P=0.029], and PARP-1 [(57.93±5.26)% vs (74.12±4.90)%, P=0.005] were significantly up-regulated, and the activity of IDO was significantly decreased over time in the 1-MT group ( P<0.05). No significant differences were observed between the PBS and 1-MT groups in the protein levels of p120ctn, VE-cadherin, and PARP-1 protein as well as Kyn concentration and IDO activity ( P>0.05), while the expression of caspase-3 was increased in 1-MT group ( P=0.001). Conclusions:LPS aggravates the permeability of HUVECs, which can be reversed by 1-MT via inhibiting IDO activity and reducing Kyn concentrations. Moreover, 1-MT can also reduce apoptosis, which may be via increasing the expression of PARP-1 and reducing the expression of caspase-3, thus protecting endothelial cells.

The study on the ratio of carotid artery/vein cross-sectional area measured by ultrasound to evaluate volume responsiveness / 中华急诊医学杂志

Objective To investigate the application of the cross-sectional area ratio of internal jugular vein and common carotid artery (IJV/CCA) in the evaluating the volume responsiveness of critically ill patients. Methods The capacity of critically ill patients were prospectively assessed. The diameter and sectional area of the IJV and CCA were measured by bedside ultrasonography. The cross-sectional area ratio of IJV/CCA was calculated and compared with the variety of cardiac output (ΔCO) after passive leg raising (PLR). Then the correlation index between the cross-sectional area ratio of IJV/CCA and ΔCO was evaluated, and the sensitivity and specificity parameters of capacity status were assessed by the cross-sectional area ratio of IJV/CCA. Results Of 55 critically ill patients in this study, 34 cases had positive volume responsiveness, and 21 case negative volume responsiveness.The general clinical data of the two groups had no statistically significant difference. The cross-sectional area ratio of IJV/CCA in the positive group was significantly less than that of the negative group (1.38±0.55 vs. 2.16±0.68, P<0.01). There was a significant correlation between the IJV/CCA cross-sectional area ratio and the ΔCO value of PLR (r=-0.67, P<0.01). When the ratio of the cross-sectional area of IJV/CCA was 1.65, the sensitivity of the assessment capacity was 86.4％ and the specificity was 78.8％. Conclusions The use of portable bedside ultrasonography is a noninvasive, convenient and reliable method to evaluate the capacity state of the critically ill patients.

The relationship between ERK1/2 and p38 signaling pathway with the immune expression of diabetic based on MEBT/MEBO / 重庆医学

Objective To investigate the regulation on extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK )1/2 and p38 signaling pathways and immune expression by moist exposed burn therapy/moist exposed burn ointment(MEBT/MEBO)in diabetic foot and their relationship ,to explore the repair mechanism of MEBT/MEBO on diabetic foot ulcers .Methods Totally 40 diabetic foot pa‐tients were treated by MEBT/MEBO ,to take wound tissue before and after treatment and detect the expression of ERK 1/2 ,p38 , MAPKK6 ,c‐myc ,Akt ,ATF2 ,IgA ,IgM ,IgG ,C3c and C4c by immunohistochemistry ,to investigate their relationship .Results Af‐ter treatment with MEBT/MEBO ,the area of foot wounds in 39 patients was reduced in different degree .Only one patient had no obvious change .14 patients(35 .00% ) were markedly effective ,25 patients(62 .50% ) and 1 patient(2 .50% ) were ineffective .Before andaftertreatment,allpositiveexpression,positiveimmunoreactivity(anyindex)andpositiveexpression(specificindex)ofsignal pathway molecules were statistically significant (P<0 .05) .While the positive rate of molecular expression in wound pathway in‐creased ,the positive expression rate of immune factor increased .Before treatment ,a small amount of immune factors were found in the wound tissue .After treatment ,the immune factors IgA ,IgM ,IgG ,C3c ,C4c were distributed widely and diffusely .Before treat‐ment ,the wound tissue showed a very small number of signal molecules .After treatment ,the signal pathway molecules MEBT/MEBO and p38 ,MAPKK6 ,c‐myc ,Akt ,ATF2 showed broad and diffuse distribution .Conclusion MEBT/MEBO may promote the expression of ERK1/2 and p38 signaling molecules and immune in diabetic foot ,p38 and ERK1/2 signaling pathway may promote the healing of diabetic foot wound by increasing the expression of immune .

Ethical Reflection on Mental Problems of patients Admitted to Intensive Care Unit(ICU) / 中国医学伦理学

Patients in ICU could be complicated by some mental problems such as fear,hopeless,anxiety and depression because of the severe disease itself,invasive diagnosis and treatments,strange surroundings and equipments in the ward.As a human with rich human nature,doctors and nurses should pay attention to those mental problems in patients in order to make them recover completely both in mentality and physiology,and they should carry out a humanistic overall health idea while treating patients.

Humanistic Quality and Medical Ethics of Doctors in Critical Care Medicine / 中国医学伦理学

Doctors in critical care medicine inevitably face certain problems involved in medical ethics,medical law,human-based medicine,communication,team work,physical and mental stress,and professional tiredness.In order to cope with those problems and stresses and promote their accomplishment in medical ethics,it is of great significance for doctors in critical care medicine to assimilate the achievements of medical humanities,and raise their humanistic quality and abilities.