The effects of respiratory muscle training on respiratory function and functional capacity in patients with early stroke: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Respiratory muscle training is a continuous and standardized training of respiratory muscles, but the evidence of the effects on early stroke patients is not clear. This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the effects of respiratory muscle training on respiratory function and functional capacity in patients with early stroke. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, PEDro, ScienceDirect, AMED, CINAHL, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases were searched from inception to December 8, 2023 for articles about studies that 1) stroke patients with age ≥ 18 years old. Early stroke < 3 months at the time of diagnosis, 2) respiratory muscle training, including inspiratory and expiratory muscle training, 3) the following measurements are the outcomes: respiratory muscle strength, respiratory muscle endurance, pulmonary function testing, dyspnea fatigue score, and functional capacity, 4) randomized controlled trials. Studies that met the inclusion criteria were extracted data and appraised the methodological quality and risk of bias using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale and the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool by two independent reviewers. RevMan 5.4 with a random effect model was used for data synthesis and analysis. Mean differences (MD) or standard mean differences (SMD), and 95% confidence interval were calculated (95%CI). RESULTS: Nine studies met inclusion criteria, recruiting 526 participants (mean age 61.6 years). Respiratory muscle training produced a statistically significant effect on improving maximal inspiratory pressure (MD = 10.93, 95%CI: 8.51-13.36), maximal expiratory pressure (MD = 9.01, 95%CI: 5.34-12.69), forced vital capacity (MD = 0.82, 95%CI: 0.54-1.10), peak expiratory flow (MD = 1.28, 95%CI: 0.94-1.63), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (MD = 1.36, 95%CI: 1.13-1.59), functional capacity (SMD = 0.51, 95%CI: 0.05-0.98) in patients with early stroke. Subgroup analysis showed that inspiratory muscle training combined with expiratory muscle training was beneficial to the recovery of maximal inspiratory pressure (MD = 9.78, 95%CI: 5.96-13.60), maximal expiratory pressure (MD = 11.62, 95%CI: 3.80-19.43), forced vital capacity (MD = 0.87, 95%CI: 0.47-1.27), peak expiratory flow (MD = 1.51, 95%CI: 1.22-1.80), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (MD = 0.76, 95%CI: 0.41-1.11), functional capacity (SMD = 0.61, 95%CI: 0.08-1.13), while inspiratory muscle training could improve maximal inspiratory pressure (MD = 11.60, 95%CI: 8.15-15.05), maximal expiratory pressure (MD = 7.06, 95%CI: 3.50-10.62), forced vital capacity (MD = 0.71, 95%CI: 0.21-1.21), peak expiratory flow (MD = 0.84, 95%CI: 0.37-1.31), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (MD = 0.40, 95%CI: 0.08-0.72). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides good-quality evidence that respiratory muscle training is effective in improving respiratory muscle strength, pulmonary function, and functional capacity for patients with early stroke. Inspiratory muscle training combined with expiratory muscle training seems to promote functional recovery in patients with early stroke more than inspiratory muscle training alone. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Prospero registration number: CRD42021291918.

Moderating effect of salidroside on intestinal microbiota in mice exposed to PM2.5 / 环境与职业医学

Background Salidroside (SAL) has a protective effect on multiple organ systems. Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the atmosphere may lead to disruptions in gut microbiota and impact intestinal health. The regulatory effect of SAL on the gut microbiota of mice exposed to PM2.5 requires further investigation. Objective To evaluate gut microbiota disruption in mice after being exposed to PM2.5 and the potential effect of SAL. Methods Forty male C57BL/6 mice, aged 6 to 8 weeks, were randomly divided into four groups: a control group, an SAL group, a PM2.5 group, and an SAL+PM2.5 group, each containing 10 mice. In the SAL group and the SAL+PM2.5 group, the mice were administered SAL (60 mg·kg−1) by gavage, while in the control group and the PM2.5 group, sterile saline (10 mL·kg−1) was administered by gavage. In the PM2.5 group and the SAL+PM2.5 group, PM2.5 suspension (8 mg·kg−1) was intratracheally instilled, and in the control group and SAL group, sterile saline (1.5 mL·kg−1) was intratracheally administered. Each experiment cycle spanned 2 d, with a total of 10 cycles conducted over 20 d. Histopathological changes in the ileum tissue of the mice were observed after HE staining. Colon contents were collected for gut microbiota sequencing and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) measurements. Results The PM2.5 group showed infiltration of inflammatory cells in the ileum tissue, while the SAL+PM2.5 group exhibited only a small amount of inflammatory cell infiltration. Compared to the control group, the PM2.5 group showed decreased Shannon index (P<0.05) and increased Simpson index (P<0.05), indicating that the diversity of gut microbiota in this group was decreased; the SAL+PM2.5 group showed increased Shannon index compared to the PM2.5 group (P<0.05) and decreased Simpson index (P<0.05), indicating that the diversity of gut microbiota in mice intervened with SAL was increased. The principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) revealed a significant separation between the PM2.5 group and the control group, while the separation trend was less evident among the control group, the SAL group, and the SAL+PM2.5 group. The unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic means (UPGMA) clustering tree results showed that the control group and the SAL group clustered together first, followed by clustering with the SAL+PM2.5 group, and finally, the three groups clustered with the PM2.5 group. The PCoA and UPGMA clustering results indicated that the uniformity and similarity of the microbiota in the PM2.5 group were significantly decreased. Compared to the control group, the PM2.5 group showed decreased abundance of phylum Bacteroidetes and Candidatus_Saccharimonas (P<0.05) and increased abundance of phylum Proteobacteria, genus Escherichia, genus Bacteroides, genus Prevotella, genus Enterococcus, and genus Proteus (P<0.05). Compared to the PM2.5 group, the SAL+PM2.5 group showed decreased abundance of phylum Proteobacteria, phylum Actinobacteria, genus Prevotella, and genus Proteus (P<0.05), and increased abundance of Candidatus_Saccharimonas (P<0.05). The PM2.5 group showed reduced levels of propionic acid, valeric acid, and hexanoic acid compared to the control group (P<0.05), while the SAL+PM2.5 group showed increased levels of propionic acid, isobutyric acid, butyric acid, valeric acid, and hexanoic acid compared to the PM2.5 group (P<0.05). Conclusion Exposure to PM2.5 can cause pathological alterations, microbial dysbiosis, and disturbing production of SCFAs in intestinal tissue in mice. However, SAL can provide a certain degree of protective effect against these changes.

Fabrication of a novel antioxidant emulsifier through tuning the molecular interaction between soy protein isolates and young apple polyphenols.

Soy protein isolates (SPI) exhibit weaker emulsifying properties than those of animal proteins, thereby limiting their wide applicability. In this study, a novel plant-based antioxidant emulsifier was developed using SPI and young apple polyphenols (YAP), and its underlying interaction mechanisms were discovered using multispectral technology and molecular docking. YAP physically bound to SPI through hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions, which significantly enhanced the free radicals scavenging, reducing, and metal ion chelating abilities of SPI by introducing free hydroxyl groups. Moreover, SPI modified by YAP exerted better emulsifying performance owing to a looser protein structure, reflected by a higher random coil and a lower α-helix content. In addition, YAP may bridge adjacent SPI molecules, promoting the adsorption and anchoring of SPI at the oil-water interface. SPI-YAP complexes are promising antioxidant emulsifiers that can be used to nano-deliver functional oils and nutrients, thereby broadening SPI and YAP applications in the food industry.

Clinical study on the application of nanopore targeted sequencing technology for rapid and accurate detection of pathogens in patients with complicated urinary tract infections / 中华泌尿外科杂志

Objective:To evaluate the clinical value of nanopore targeted sequencing (NTS) in pathogens detection in urinary tract by comparing the results of different tests performed on the same urine sample.Methods:The results of NTS and urine culture test collected from 326 patients in the Department of Urology of People's Hospital of Wuhan University from July 2020 to June 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 224 males and 102 females. The average age was (56.88 ± 14.58)years old. χ 2 test and Student’s test and Wilcoxon's sign rank test were used to analyze the differences of the pathogen detection rate, pathogen types results and detection time consuming between NTS and urine culture. The clinical value of the NTS in rapid detection of urinary pathogens was evaluated. Results:Among 326 hospitalized patients, the urinary tract microbes’ detecting rate of NTS was significantly higher than that of urine culture[67.80%(221/326)vs. 23.93%(78/326), χ2=130.25, P<0.01]. The uropathogens detecting rate of NTS was significantly higher than that of urine culture[54.29%(177/326)vs. 23.31%(76/326), χ2=38.95, P<0.01]. The number of urinary tract microbes detected by NTS was significantly higher than that of urine culture ( Z=11.49, P<0.01), the number of uropathogens was significantly higher than that of urine culture ( Z=9.67, P<0.01). The detection time of NTS and urine culture positive samples was (24.29±2.65) h and (49.28±11.30) h, the difference was statistically significant ( t =39.48, P<0.01). The results obtained by using NTS and urine culture were consistent in 135 (41.41%) samples. In 150 (46.01%) samples, NTS could detect the urinary tract microbes while urine culture cannot find, of which 112 cases (34.36%) were uropathogenic. In 27 cases (8.28%), more pathogens were detected by NTS except those from urine culture. In 6 cases (1.84%) re-detecting NTS after antibiotic therapy, the number of reads of primary uropathogen decreased gradually with the growth of colonizing bacteria or opportunistic pathogens appeared in the end. Re-examinations of urine culture could verify the results of NTS detection on admission in 5 cases (1.53%). NTS in 2 cases (0.61%) could cover the uropathogens of subsequent several urine cultures. Conclusions:NTS has the advantages of rapid, sensitive and comprehensive detection of urinary tract infection pathogens. When urine culture is not yet reported or even negative, NTS already has a certain clinical reference value and can be used as an effective supplement to urine culture, which is conducive to the comprehensive judgment of the patient's condition.

Analysis on the current situation and countermeasures of job burnout among the trainees in the standardized residency training of pediatrics / 中华医学教育探索杂志

Objective:To investigate the current status of job burnout among trainees in the standardized residency training of pediatrics (short for "pediatric residents") in the hope of identifying the problems involved, and proposing corresponding countermeasures and suggestions based on these current situations and problems.Methods:This study conducted a questionnaire survey among the pediatric residents who received the standardized residency training in The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine. The questionnaire consisted of two parts: general information survey and Maslach job burnout survey. The generated data were analyzed using IBM SPSS 26.0. Chi-square test was used to determine the equilibrium of the groupings for the basic situation of the data. If the normal distribution of the data in two groups was satisfactory, the t-test was used for inter-group comparison; otherwise, the Kruskal-Wallis H test was employed. For more than two groups, if the data met the normal distribution and the variance was homogeneous, one-way analysis of variance was used for inter-group comparison; otherwise, the Kruskal-Wallis H test was used. Multiple linear regression analysis was used for multivariate analysis. Results:A total of 138 pediatric residents participated in this survey. The detection rate of job burnout was 65.2% (90/138), of which 45 (32.6%), 29 (21.0%) and 16 (11.6%) were mild, moderate and severe, respectively. In univariate analysis, there was a statistically significant difference in job burnout among pediatric residents in different grades ( H=7.22, P=0.027), and the low achievement score (27.90±8.48) of the first-year pediatric residents was higher than that of the second-year pediatric residents (23.54±6.79), and the difference was statistically significant ( t=-2.25, P=0.025). Multiple linear regression analysis regression model showed no statistically significant difference. Conclusion:The level of job burnout among pediatric residents is high, and relevant departments should pay attention to the problem of job burnout of the pediatric residents, and take various measures to prevent the occurrence of job burnout.

Perioperative efficacy analysis of robotic surgical system assisted anatomic and non-anatomic hepatectomy / 中华消化外科杂志

Objective:To investigate the perioperative efficacy of robot surgical system assisted anatomic and non-anatomic hepatectomy.Methods:The propensity score matching and retrospective cohort study was conducted. The clinical data of 103 patients who underwent robot surgical system assisted hepatectomy in Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Affiliated with the Zhejiang University School of Medicine from March 2016 to December 2021 were collected. There were 54 males and 49 females, aged 56(range, 44?64)years. Of the 103 patients, 55 cases undergoing robot surgical system assisted anatomic hepatectomy were divided into the anatomic group, and 48 cases undergoing robot surgical system assisted non-anatomic hepatectomy were divided into the non-anatomic group. Observation indicators: (1) propensity score matching and comparison of general data of patients between the two groups after matching; (2) intraoperative conditions; (3) perioperative complications. Propensity score matching was done by the 1:1 nearest neighbor matching method. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean± SD, and comparison between groups was conducted using the t test. Measurement data with skewed distribution were expressed as M(range), and comparison between groups was conducted using the Mann-Whitney U test. Count data were described as absolute numbers or percentages, and comparison between groups was conducted using the chi-square test or Fisher exact probability. Comparison of ordinal data was conducted using the rank sum test. Results:(1) Propensity score matching and compari-son of general data of patients between the two groups after matching. Of the 103 patients, 94 cases were successfully matched, including 47 cases in the anatomic group and 47 cases in the non-anatomic group. The elimination of preoperative body mass index, preoperative platelet and preoperative albumin confounding bias ensured comparability between the two groups after propensity score matching. (2) Intraoperative conditions. After propensity score matching, the operation time and volume of intraoperative blood loss were 175(range, 120?240)minutes and 50(range, 50?100)mL in patients of the anatomic group, versus 155(range, 105?190)minutes and 100(range, 50?200)mL in patients of the non-anatomic group, showing significant differences in the above indicators between the two groups ( Z=1.97, 2.49, P<0.05). (3) Perioperative complications. After propensity score matching, cases with pleural fluid and/or ascites, case with biliary fistula, case with thrombosis, case with peritoneal infection, case with incision infection were 11, 1, 2, 4, 1 in patients of the anatomic group, versus 12, 0, 4, 1, 0 in patients of the non-anatomic group, showing no significant difference in the above indicators between the two groups ( P>0.05). Cases with complications classified as grade Ⅰ, grade Ⅱ, grade Ⅲ, grade Ⅳ of the Clavien-Dindo classification were 33, 14, 0, 0 in patients of the anatomic group, versus 28, 14, 3, 2 in patients of the non-anatomic group, showing no significant difference in the above indicators between the two groups ( Z=?1.38, P>0.05). Conclusions:Robotic surgical system assisted anatomic and non-anatomic hepatectomy are safe and feasible for clinical application. Compared with robot surgical system assisted non-anatomic hepatectomy, patients under-going robot surgical system assisted anatomic hepatectomy have long operation time and less volume of intraoperative blood loss.

Effects of Apelin-13/putative receptor protein related to AT1 homodimer on behaviors of human umbilical vein endothelial cells / 中国药理学通报

Aim To explore the effects of putative receptor protein related to ATI (APJ) homodimer on the behaviors-the proliferation, migration and tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HU-VECs). Methods HUVECs at logarithmic growth stage were randomly divided into PBS, Apelin-13 + TM1 (APJ monomer group) and Apelin-13 + PBS group (APJ homodimer group). Western blot and Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time of Fligh Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) were used to detect the expression of APJ and APJ homodimer in HUVECs, respectively. Real-Time Cell Analyzers (RT-CA) was used to detect the concentration of the maximum effect of Apelin-13. Cell viability was detected by CCK-8. The cell migration ability was detected by scratch test, and the number of tubes formed on matri-gel that made artificial basement membrane was counted. Results Western blot and MALDI-TOF MS showed that APJ and APJ homodimer were expressed in HUVECs. The EC50 of Apelin-13 was 2.26 x 10

Characterization of brain deactivations elicited by transient painful and tactile stimuli using functional MRI / 生理学报

The aim of the present study was to explore the specific pattern of brain deactivation elicited by painful stimuli, in contrast with that elicited by tactile stimuli. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data were collected from 62 healthy subjects under painful and tactile stimuli with varying intensities. The brain deactivations under different conditions were identified using the general linear model. Two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to test whether there was a significant interaction between perceived stimulus intensity (factor 1: high intensity, low intensity) and stimulus modality (factor 2: pain, touch) on the brain deactivations. The results showed that there were significant interactions between stimulus intensity and stimulus modality on the deactivations of left medial superior frontal gyrus, left middle occipital gyrus, left superior frontal gyrus and right middle occipital gyrus (P < 0.05, Cluster-level FWE). The deactivations induced by painful stimuli with low perceived intensity (β = -3.38 ± 0.52) were significantly stronger than those induced by painful stimuli with high perceived intensity (β = -1.22 ± 0.54) (P < 0.001), whereas the differences between the deactivations induced by tactile stimuli with different perceived intensities were not statistically significant. In addition, there were no significant differences between the deactivations elicited by painful and tactile stimuli with the same stimulus intensities. These results suggest that there is a specific relationship between the deactivations induced by painful stimuli in multiple brain regions (such as the left medial superior frontal gyrus) and the stimulus intensity, providing evidence for a deeper understanding of the brain mechanisms underlying pain perception.

Value Pursuit in Medical Ethics Education: A Dewey Style Understanding / 中国医学伦理学

In medical ethics education, there are two different research and education paths: medical ethics and medical anthropology. The former focuses on using theories and methods such as utilitarianism and contract theory, while the latter focuses on using theories and methods such as narrative medicine and emotion theory. The two paths are not closely related, resulting in the weak ecological structure of medical ethics education. Drawing on Dewey’s value education theory and based on his theory of human nature, this paper integrated the values of life and human nature into a coordinated and consistent goal of medical ethics education, used the two paths of "medicine-life value-life value education" and "medicine-human nature value-human nature value education" to conduct detailed argumentation, further grasped the concept of value philosophy, so as to provide an opportunity for future exploration of the integration of medical moral education and medical aesthetic education.

Temporal Evolution of Low-Latitude Plasma Blobs Identified From Multiple Measurements: ICON, GOLD, and Madrigal TEC.

Low-latitude plasma blobs have been studied since their first being reported in 1986. However, investigations on temporal evolution of a blob or on continental scale (>2,000 km) ionospheric contexts around it are relatively rare. Overcoming these limitations can help elucidate the blob generation mechanisms. On 21 January 2021, the Ionospheric Connection Explorer satellite encountered a typical low-latitude blob near the northeastern coast of South America. The event was collocated with a local enhancement in 135.6 nm nightglow at the poleward edge of an equatorial plasma bubble (EPB), as observed by the Global-scale Observations of the Limb and Disk (GOLD) imager. Total electron content maps from the Global Navigation Satellite System confirm the GOLD observations. Unlike typical medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances (MSTIDs), the blob had neither well-organized wavefronts nor moved in the southwest direction. Neither was the blob a monotonically decaying equatorial ionization anomaly crest past sunset. Rather, the blob varied following latitudinal expansion/contraction of EPBs at similar magnetic longitudes. The observational results support that mechanisms other than MSTIDs, such as EPBs, can also contribute to blob generation.

The lip gene contributes to the virulence of Aeromonas veronii strain TH0426.

Aeromonas veronii (A. veronii) is a pathogen that can infect aquatic organisms and mammals and has caused irrecoverable economic losses to the aquaculture industry. The results of an epidemiological investigation showed that the number of cases of A. veronii have increased gradually in recent years, and its drug resistance and virulence has shown an upward trend. In this study, we constructed an A. veronii mutant strain Δlip, by homologous recombination and studied its function. The results showed that there was no significant difference in the biofilm formation ability between the Δlip and the wild-type strain, but the toxicity of the Δlip to EPC cells and its ability to adhere to EPC cells were significantly reduced. The LD50 value of the Δlip to zebrafish was 7.40-fold higher than that of the wild-type strain. In addition, after 24 h and 72 h, the bacterial loads of the Δlip in the organs of crucian carp were significantly lower than those in the wild-type strain. In conclusion, the mutant strain Δlip led to a decrease in the adhesion and virulence of the wild-type strain, which lays a foundation to further understand lip gene function and the pathogenic mechanism of A. veronii.

Quantitative benefit and risk assessment of arsenic and nutrient levels in cooked and raw chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) using an in vitro digestion model.

The safety and quality of aquatic foods are a public concern due to their content of pollutants, such as arsenic. A formula is derived for quantifying the benefit-risk ratio (HQ) of the essential polyunsaturated fatty acids vs. arsenic in Chinses mitten crabs. Among these arsenic species, the proportion of inorganic arsenic, which is extremely harmful to the human body, is<5%, and its level does not exceed the national standard limit. Meanwhile, comparing with the HQ from the original method, the HQs from groups 0 min, 5 min, 15 min are significantly higher(p < 0.05). This suggests the original assessment method could underestimate the risk of eating crabs. Eating steamed crabs is easier to digest essential fatty acids (EFAs) than eating raw crabs, and it also protects consumers against arsenic exposure. To achieve a good balance of dietary benefits and risks, the steaming duration of the crabs should exceed 30 min.

Strengthen the management of external provision of human genetic resource information in clinical trials / 中华医学科研管理杂志

Objective:By strengthening the management of external provision of data generated by clinical trials in medical institutions, to improve the effectiveness of supervision of human genetic resource information, and to promote the legal sharing and effective use of data.Methods:Analyzed problems identified in filing human genetic resource information in clinical trials since July 1, 2019, put forward possible solutions and suggestions.Results:Main problems were identified in external provision of human genetic resource information, including the specification and time limit of external provision of information, the information recipient, the storage location and the final disposal method of information.Conclusions:Hospital and regulatory authority need to carry out more tailored training, optimize management systems and procedures in order to strengthen the management of the external provision of human genetic resources information.

Common issues and improvements on clinical trial data inspection of medical device / 中华医学科研管理杂志

Objective:The authenticity and accuracy of medical device related clinical trial data is crucial for the efficacy and safety of tested products. This article analyzed issues identified during previous data inspections of medical device clinical trials in our hospital, summarized experiences and findings, and proposed solutions.Methods:According to the " Medical Device Clinical Trial Inspection Points and Judgment Principles" , this study retrospectively analyzed the data inspection of medical device clinical trials in our hospital since 2016, summarized and analyzed the common issues identified.Results:A total number of six data inspections on medical device clinical trials were carried out in our hospital, during which 30 findings were identified. These findings include 4 items of pre-trial preparation, 2 items of patient rights protection, 7 items of trial processes, 12 items of records and reporting, as well as 5 items of experimental medical device management.Conclusions:The completeness, accuracy and consistency of clinical trial records in clinical trials of devices in our hospital have a lot space for improvement. And there is still room for improvement in the compliance to the protocol and the management of medical devices during the trial process. Based on the common findings, our drug clinical trial center will strengthen training and quality control, improve informatization and centralized management, and emphasize the importance of records. Through that the accuracy and authenticity of trial data for medical devices, and the credibility and objectiveness of trial results would be assured.

Prevention and treatment system design and digital management practice of venous thromboembolism in hospital / 中华医院管理杂志

Venous thromboembolism(VTE)is a high mortality disease involving multiple factors, and public hospitals assume the main responsibility for the diagnosis and treatment of VTE. Based on the concept of taking patients as the center, Zhejiang Provincial People′s Hospital improved the system design and digital level, and carried out digital practices such as patient timeline management, high-risk patient management, VTE special disease bank, and auxiliary decision-making system. The hospital evaluation rate and prevention rate continued to increase, the follow-up effect was good, and the workload of medical staff was reduced and satisfaction rate was improved.

A prospective multicenter randomized controlled clinical trial study of a domestic single-use digital flexible ureteroscope versus a reusable digital flexible ureteroscope for the treatment of upper urinary tract stones / 中华泌尿外科杂志

Objective:To compare the performance and surgical outcomes of domestic single-use digital flexible ureteroscopes with reusable digital flexible ureteroscopes in treatment of upper urinary stones.Methods:A prospective, single-blind, multicenter and randomized controlled study was performed from September 2018 to June 2019. Eligible patients were randomly assigned, in a ratio of 1∶1, to either experimental group or control group. The inclusion criteria for the study were: aged 18-75 years, solitary upper urinary stone with stone size between 0.8 and 2.0 cm and CT value less than 1 400 HU, negative preoperative urine culture and normal renal function. Exclusion criteria included: patients with acute urinary tract infection, intransitable urethral strictures, impassable ureteropelvic junction obstructions, systemic hemorrhagic disease, coagulation function abnormalities or bleeding tendency, severe hypertension or cardiopulmonary insufficiency, severe hip malformation and difficulty in meeting the demand of operation position and pregnant and lactation women. The device used in the experimental group was a domestic single-use digital flexible ureteroscope, and the device used in the control group was an imported Olympus digital flexible ureteroscope. The qualified rate of clinical comprehensive evaluation (including image quality and operational performance), the rate of device failure, the stone-free rate and the occurrence rate of adverse events (including increase in urine red blood cell and white blood cell counts, postoperative hematuria, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and fever) in the two groups were recorded.Results:A total of 186 eligible study cases were collected from the People's Hospital of Wuhan University, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, and the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University. 90 cases in the final experimental group and 88 cases in the control group completed the trial and were included in the evaluation. There were no statistically significant differences among age [(48.40±11.36) vs. (47.40±12.53)years old, P=0.594], male to female ratio (62/28 vs. 56/32, P =0.874), BMI [(24.8±2.1) kg/m 2 vs. (25.1±2.0)kg/m 2,P =0.331], hydronephrosis (no/slight vs. mild/severe) (62/28 vs. 65/23, P =0.874), stone location and stone size [(12.8±4.7) mm vs. (11.9±5.2) mm, P =0.227]. There were no significant differences in terms of qualified rate of clinical comprehensive evaluation [98.9% (89/90) vs. 100.0% (88/88), P =0.991], lithotripsy success rate [84.4% (76/90) vs. 84.1% (74/88), P =0.888], device failure/defect rate (both 0%), and the incidence of adverse events [50.0% (45/90) vs. 52.0% (51/88), P =0.894]. The highest incidence of adverse events in two groups was the increase of red blood cells and white blood cells of routine urine after operation. There was no serious adverse event in the experimental group and 1 serious adverse event in the control group. Conclusions:There was no significant difference in image quality, device failure/defect rate, lithotripsy success rate, and adverse event rate between single-use digital flexible ureteroscopes and reusable digital flexible ureteroscopes for lithotripsy of upper ureteral and pelvic stones. Domestic single-use digital flexible ureteroscopes have good safety and effectiveness in the treatment and microscopy of upper urinary tract stones.

Advance in the degradation of biodegradable plastics in different environments / 生物工程学报

With the continuously increasing demands of plastic products in the current society, the challenge of disposing plastic waste is constantly increasing, leading to the urgent need of mitigating plastic pollution. As a consequence, much attention has been paid to biodegradable plastics due to their degradability in a bio-active environment under certain conditions. Biodegradable plastics herald vast development potentials and considerable market prospects. The degradation of numerous types of biodegradable plastics will be affected by many factors. A thorough understanding of degradation mechanisms as well as functional microbial strains and enzymes is the key to comprehensive utilization and efficient treatment and disposal of biodegradable plastics. The article summarized the types, properties, advantages and disadvantages, and main applications of common biodegradable plastics. The degradation mechanisms, functional microbial strains and enzymes, as well as the degradation degree and duration under different environmental conditions, were also summarized. This review may help better understand the degradation of biodegradable plastics wastes.

Construction of an adenovirus vector expressing engineered splicing factor for regulating alternative splicing of YAP1 in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To construct an adenovirus vector expressing artificial splicing factor capable of regulating alternative splicing of Yap1 in cardiomyocytes.@*METHODS@#The splicing factors with different sequences were constructed against Exon6 of YAP1 based on the sequence specificity of Pumilio1. The PCR fragment of the artificially synthesized PUF-SR or wild-type PUFSR was cloned into pAd-Track plasmid, and the recombinant plasmids were transformed into E. coli DH5α for plasmid amplification. The amplified plasmids were digested with Pac I and transfected into 293A cells for packaging to obtain the adenovirus vectors. Cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were transfected with the adenoviral vectors, and alternative splicing of YAP1 was detected using quantitative and semi-quantitative PCR; Western blotting was performed to detect the signal of the fusion protein Flag.@*RESULTS@#The transfection efficiency of the adenovirus vectors was close to 100% in rat cardiomyocytes, and no fluorescent protein was detected in the cells with plasmid transfection. The results of Western blotting showed that both the negative control and Flag-SR-NLS-PUF targeting the YAPExon6XULIE sequence were capable of detecting the expression of the protein fused to Flag. The results of reverse transcription-PCR and PCR demonstrated that the artificial splicing factor constructed based on the 4th target sequence of YAP1 effectively regulated the splicing of YAP1 Exon6 in the cardiomyocytes (P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#We successfully constructed adenovirus vectors capable of regulating YAP1 alternative splicing rat cardiomyocytes.

Study on suppressions of proliferation and invasion of osteosarcoma cells by all-trans-retinoic acid via modulating miRNA-34a-E2F1-Eag1 signaling pathway in vitro / 肿瘤研究与临床

Objective:To investigate the influence of all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) on the proliferation and invasion of osteosarcoma 143B cells and its possible regulatory mechanism.Methods:Different concentrations of ATRA were used to treat human osteosarcoma 143B cells, and the optimal concentration and treatment time those affected cell proliferation were selected. The MTS method, Transwell migration and invasion experiments were used to detect the changes in the proliferation, migration and invasion of 143B cells after ATRA treatment. The real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot were used to detect the expression changes of miRNA-34a (miR-34a), E2F1 and Eag1 in osteosarcoma 143B cells after ATRA treatment. Then miR-34a was interfered and E2F1 was overexpressed, and the abilities of cell proliferation, invasion and migration abilities as well as the expression changes of miR-34a, E2F1 and Eag1 in 143B cells were detected.Results:The proliferation inhibition of 143B cells was most obvious when 143B cells were treated with 10 μmol/L ATRA for 72 h. The cell migration and invasion numbers when 143B cells were treated with 10 μmol/L ATRA for 72 h were lower than those in the negative control group [(73±3) cells vs. (182±5) cells, t = 21.46, P<0.01; (94±3) cells vs. (203±7) cells, t = 13.70, P<0.01]. 10 μmol/L ATRA could promote the expression of miR-34a in 143B cells and inhibit the expressions of Eag1 and E2F1 (all P<0.01). Compared with ATRA group, the ability of cell proliferation in ATRA+miR-34a interference group was restored after 72 h of treatment [cell survival rate (41.0±2.2)% vs. (25.0±3.6)%, t = 108.68, P<0.01]. Compared with ATRA group, the abilities of cell migration and invasion in ATRA+miR-34a interference group were restored [(122±14) cells vs. (64±10) cells, t = 21.06, P<0.01; (103±10) cells vs. (59±8) cells, t = 24.27, P<0.01), and the mRNA and protein expressions of Eag1 and E2F1 in cells were promoted (both P<0.01). Compared with ATRA group, the ability of cell proliferation in ATRA+E2F1 overexpression group was restored [cell survival rate (40.0±3.4)% vs. (24.0±3.1)%, t = 108.74, P<0.01]; the abilities of cell migration and invasion in ATRA+E2F1 overexpression group were restored [(78±12) cells vs. (29±8) cells, t = 13.52, P<0.01; (75±12) cells vs. (49±10) cells, t = 6.28, P<0.01], and the mRNA and protein expressions of Eag1 and E2F1 in cells were promoted (both P<0.01). Conclusion:ATRA inhibits the proliferation and invasion of osteosarcoma cells via regulating miR-34a-E2F1-Eag1 signaling pathway, and it may become one of the effective treatment drugs for osteosarcoma.

Stability of anterior chamber after implantable collamer lens V4c implantation for one year in moderate and high myopic eyes / 中华实验眼科杂志

Objective:To investigate the stability of anterior chamber following implantable collamer lens (ICL) V4c implantation for one year in moderate and high myopic eyes.Methods:An observational case series study was conducted.Medical data of 19 patients (37 eyes) who received ICL V4c implantation in Xuzhou First People's Hospital from March 2016 to October 2017 were collected.The patients were 20 to 29 years old, with the preoperative spherical equivalent (SE) of -5.875 to -15.750 D, with an average of (-9.743±3.220)D.All eyes were followed up for one year, and the changes of visual acuity, SE and intraocular pressure were observed.Pentacam anterior eye segment analyzer was used to measure the anterior chamber depth (ACD), anterior chamber volume (ACV) and anterior chamber angle (ACA) before operation and at 1 month, 6 months and 1 year after operation, and to evaluate the vaults of the ICL V4c at different time points after implantation.This study protocol adhered to the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by an Ethics Committee of Xuzhou First People's Hospital (No.xxy11[2015]-XJS-004). Written informed consent was obtained from each subject.Results:There were statistically significant differences in visual acuity between before and after operation ( F=5.057, P=0.007), and the one-year postoperative uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) was significantly better than the best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) before operation ( P<0.05). There were no significant differences in SE and intraocular pressure among different time points ( F=1.294, 1.302; both at P>0.05). There were significant differences in ACD, ACV and ACA among different time points ( F=44.811, 889.971, 196.096; all at P<0.001). ACD, ACV and ACA at 1 month, 6 months and 1 year after operation were significantly lower than those before operation (all at P<0.001). There was a significant difference in the 1-month, 6-month and 1-year postoperative ICL vault ( F=7.256, P=0.001). The ICL vault at 1 year after operation was (433.784±168.550)μm, which was significantly decreased in comparison with (484.860±183.634)μm at 1 month and (464.351±170.167)μm at 6 months after operation ( P=0.006, 0.041). Conclusions:The anterior chamber is stable in one year after ICL V4c implantation, and the UCVA is better than preoperative BCVA.ICL V4c is safe and effective for moderate and high myopia.