Safe Trajectory Planning for Incremental Robots Based on a Spatiotemporal Variable-Step-Size A* Algorithm.

In this paper, a planning method based on the spatiotemporal variable-step-size A* algorithm is proposed to address the problem of safe trajectory planning for incremental, wheeled, mobile robots in complex motion scenarios with multiple robots. After constructing the known conditions, the spatiotemporal variable-step-size A* algorithm is first used to perform a collision-avoiding initial spatiotemporal trajectory search, and a variable time step is utilized to ensure that the robot completes the search at the target speed. Subsequently, the trajectory is instantiated using B-spline curves in a numerical optimization considering constraints to generate the final smooth trajectory. The results of simulation tests in a field-shaped, complex, dynamic scenario show that the proposed trajectory planning method is more applicable, and the results indicate higher efficiency compared to the traditional method in the incremental robot trajectory planning problem.

Comparison of Long-Term Clinical Outcomes and Costs Between Transesophageal Echocardiography-Guided and X-ray-Guided Percutaneous Atrial Septal Defect Closure in Children.

This study aimed to compare the long-term clinical outcomes and costs between using either transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) or X-ray fluoroscopy for Percutaneous atrial septal defect (ASD) closure in children. An analysis was conducted on clinical data from children undergoing TEE-guided (n = 168) and X-ray-guided (n = 139) percutaneous ASD closure. Demographic characteristics, technical indices, acute complications, follow-up outcomes, and costs were compared between the groups. The results are that TEE-guided closure demonstrated shorter surgical times (20.3 ± 7.6 min vs. 32.8 ± 7.9 min, P < 0.001) and lower procedural costs ($3093.3 ± 451.5 vs. $3589.1 ± 219.4, P < 0.001) compared to X-ray guidance. Initial successful closure rates were similar between the groups (TEE: 98.2%, XR: 97.1%, P = 0.691). TEE guidance also resulted in fewer acute complications and reduced radiation exposure. TEE-guided percutaneous ASD closure offers advantages in terms of shorter surgical times, lower procedural costs, and reduced radiation exposure compared to X-ray guidance. These findings support the preference for TEE guidance in pediatric ASD closure procedures, with potential implications for improving patient outcomes and reducing healthcare costs.

Association among abnormal glycolipids, reproductive hormones, and cognitive dysfunction in female patients with bipolar disorder.

BACKGROUND: Patients with bipolar disorder (BD) show abnormalities in glucolipid metabolism and reproductive hormone levels, which are of concern in women with BD. This study was dedicated to investigating the glucolipid and reproductive hormone levels of female patients, and to preliminarily investigating their relationships with cognition. METHODS: A total of 58 unmedicated female BD patients, 61 stable-medicated female BD patients, and 63 healthy controls (HC) were recruited in this study. Serum glycolipid indexes and reproductive hormones were measured. Cognitive function was assessed using the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) and the Stroop Color-Word Test (Stroop test). RESULTS: Patients with BD showed significant cognitive impairment (p < 0.05), which was not affected by medication. Triglycerides (TG), luteinizing hormone (LH), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) were altered in stable-medicated BD patients. In addition, regression analysis showed that progesterone (PRGE) and prolactin (PRL) were negatively associated with cognitive performance in stable-medicated BD patients. CONCLUSIONS: Female BD patients may have cognitive deficits and abnormal levels of glycolipids and reproductive hormones. And abnormal levels of glycolipids and reproductive hormones may be associated with cognitive dysfunction in female BD patients.

Research on the environmental stability performance of chromite ore processing residue solidified products.

Chromite ore processing residue (COPR) is a hazardous waste because of leachable chromium, especially Cr(vi). Therefore, ascorbic acid (AA) and blast furnace slag (BFS) have been used to detoxify and solidify COPR. On this basis, environmental stability experiments with high temperature and freeze-thaw cycles were carried out to explore the stability performance of a solidified body with 40% COPR. The environmental stability performance was analyzed through changes in edge length, mass loss, compressive strength development, and leaching concentration of Cr(vi). The result indicated that the high-temperature environment had much more effect on the solidified body than the freeze-thaw cycle environment in these four aspects: after being maintained at 900 °C for 2 h, the compressive strength of the solidified bodies reached its minimum value (35.76 MPa). However, in the freeze-thaw cycle experiments, the compressive strength of the solidified bodies consistently remained above 80 MPa, and the leaching of hexavalent chromium was below the limit (5 mg L-1). In addition, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) analysis verified that COPR was effectively solidified through physical and chemical means. Moreover, high temperature changes the molecular structure of the solidified body, thus reducing the compressive strength and curing ability of the solidified body, while the freeze-thaw cycle experiment has little effect on it.

Polystyrene nanoplastics-induced lung apoptosis and ferroptosis via ROS-dependent endoplasmic reticulum stress.

It has been shown that exposure to nanoplastics (MNPs) through inhalation can induce pulmonary toxicity, but the toxicological mechanism of MNPs on the respiratory system remains unclear. Therefore, we explored the toxicological mechanism of exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs) (0.05, 0.15, 0.2 mg/mL) on BEAS-2B cells. Results revealed that PS-NPs induce oxidative stress, increased apoptosis rate measured by flow cytometry, the key ferroptosis protein (GPX4 and FTH1) reduction, increased iron content, mitochondrial alterations, and increased malondialdehyde (MDA) level. Besides, consistent results were observed in mice exposed to PS-NPs (5 mg/kg/2d, 10 mg/kg/2d). Thus, we proved that PS-NPs induced cell death and lung damage through apoptosis and ferroptosis. In terms of mechanism, the elevation of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress protein expression (IRE1α, PERK, XBP1S, and CHOP) revealed that PS-NPs induce lung damage by activating the two main ER stress pathways. Furthermore, the toxicological effects of PS-NPs observed in this study are attenuated by the ROS inhibitor N-acetylcysteine (NAC). Collectively, NPs-induced apoptosis and ferroptosis are attenuated by NAC via inhibiting the ROS-dependent ER stress in vitro and in vivo. This improves our understanding of the mechanism by which PS-NPs exposure leads to pulmonary injury and the potential protective effects of NAC.

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Nepeta bracteata and comparison with congeneric species.

Nepeta bracteata (N. bracteata) is an important medicinal plant used by Chinese ethnic minorities. However, the lack of knowledge regarding the chloroplast genome of N. bracteata has imposed current limitations on our study. Here, we used Next-generation sequencing to obtain the chloroplast genome of N. bracteata. The findings suggested that the 151,588 bp cp genome of N. bracteata comprises 130 genes, including 35 tRNA genes and 87 protein-coding genes. And its chloroplast genome exhibits a typical quadripartite structure, the largest single copy (LSC; 82,819 bp) and the smallest single copy (SSC; 17,557 bp) separate a pair of inverted repeats IR regions (IRa and IRb; 25,606 bp) from one another. Interestingly, palindromic repeats are more common, as shown by the examination of repetition. In the interim, 18 SSRs were discovered in the interim, the bulk of which were Adenine-Thymine (A-T) mononucleotides. Meanwhile, we compared it with five other species from the Nepeta genus. Five hypervariable areas were found by the study, including ndhH-rps15, accD-psal, ndhG-ndhl, trnH-GUG-psbA, and rpoC1-rpoB. Furthermore, the phylogenetic study revealed that N. bracteata and Nepeta stewartiana (N. stewartiana) were linked to each other most closely. In summary, our findings enrich the resources available for chloroplast genomes in the Nepeta genus. Moreover, these hypervariable regions have the potential to be developed into molecular markers, enabling the rapid identification of species within the Nepeta genus. Comparative analysis of species within the Nepeta genus can help enhance our study of their phylogenetic relationships, potential medicinal properties and bioprospecting.

Research on an Adaptive Method for the Angle Calibration of Roadside LiDAR Point Clouds.

Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), a laser-based technology for environmental perception, finds extensive applications in intelligent transportation. Deployed on roadsides, it provides real-time global traffic data, supporting road safety and research. To overcome accuracy issues arising from sensor misalignment and to facilitate multi-sensor fusion, this paper proposes an adaptive calibration method. The method defines an ideal coordinate system with the road's forward direction as the X-axis and the intersection line between the vertical plane of the X-axis and the road surface plane as the Y-axis. This method utilizes the Kalman filter (KF) for trajectory smoothing and employs the random sample consensus (RANSAC) algorithm for ground fitting, obtaining the projection of the ideal coordinate system within the LiDAR system coordinate system. By comparing the two coordinate systems and calculating Euler angles, the point cloud is angle-calibrated using rotation matrices. Based on measured data from roadside LiDAR, this paper validates the calibration method. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves high precision, with calculated Euler angle errors consistently below 1.7%.

Cadmium-induced pyroptosis is mediated by PERK/TXNIP/NLRP3 signaling in SH-SY5Y cells.

Cadmium (Cd) is a hypertoxic heavy metal that may be exposed to environmental pollutants by humans and animals. It can lead to cognitive disfunction, and is linked to neurodegenerative diseases. Cadmium reportedly can induce endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, but few studies have concentrated on it in nerve cells, and the connection between ER stress and neuroinflammation. In this study, in vitro experiments on SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells were carried out. We aimed at exploring whether Cd attributed to the cell pyroptosis and the role of PERK in promoting this form of cell damage which can induce strong inflammatory responses. Our results demonstrated that CdCl2 treatment induced excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, caused significant modifications in the expression of PERK and increased TXNIP, NLRP3, IL-1ß, IL-18, and caspase1 in SH-SY5Y cells. In addition, scavenging ROS with N-acetylcysteine or inhibiting the expression of PERK by using GSK2606414, rescued the SH-SY5Y cells from cadmium-induced pyroptosis. In conclusion, the results suggest that Cd induces pyroptotic death of SH-SY5Y cells through ER stress, and this may be the potential mechanism of Cd incurring neurological diseases.

Global burden of rheumatic heart disease and its association with socioeconomic development status, 1990-2019.

AIMS: Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) remains an important health issue, yet global attention to RHD is diminishing. This study aimed to investigate the global burden of RHD and its relationship with socioeconomic development status. METHODS AND RESULTS: Data were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2019 database. Incidence, prevalence, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), and mortality numbers and rates for RHD were extracted and stratified by sex, level of socio-demographic index (SDI), country, and territory. In addition, the burden of RHD was compared across age groups. From 1990 to 2019, the age-standardized incidence and prevalence rates of RHD increased by 14.4% (11.2-17.0%) and 13.8% (11.0-16.0%), respectively. Incidence and prevalence rates showed an increasing trend in low SDI and low-middle SDI locations, while high-middle SDI and high SDI locations showed a decreasing trend. The age-standardized DALYs and mortality rates of RHD decreased by 53.1% (46.4-60.0) and 56.9% (49.8-64.7%), and this downward trend was more prominent in high-middle SDI and middle SDI locations. In addition, the age of incidence and prevalence rates were concentrated between 5-24 years and 15-49 years, predominantly in poor regions, and RHD appeared to be more common in women than in men. CONCLUSION: The burden of RHD is negatively correlated with socioeconomic development status. In particular, the burden of RHD among children, adolescents, and women of childbearing age in poorer regions requires more attention. Policymakers should use the 2019 GBD data to guide cost-effective interventions and resource allocation for RHD.

Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomes attenuated prostate cancer progression via the miR-99b-5p/IGF1R axis.

MicroRNA-99b-5p (miR-99b-5p) has been shown to be enriched in serum exosomes of prostate cancer (PCa) patients treated with radiotherapy, while its function in PCa progression remains unclear. The expression levels of miR-99b-5p in PCa tissues, cancer cell lines and human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (HBMSCs), as well as HBMSCs-derived exosomes were assessed by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). MiR-99b-5p mimics or inhibitor was transfected into HBMSCs, and HBMSCs-derived exosomes with abnormal expression of miR-99b-5p were used to stimulate PCa cell-line LNCaP cells. Cell proliferative rate was evaluated using Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) staining assays. Cell migration and invasion were analyzed by Transwell assay. The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) was evaluated by detecting EMT-related markers using Western blot analysis. The animal model was constructed to confirm the function of miR-99b-5p in vivo. The expression levels of MiR-99b-5p were decreased in PCa tissues and cell lines, while elevated in HBMSCs-derived exosomes. HBMSCs-derived exosomes significantly inhibited cell malignant phenotypes of PCa cells, and miR-99b-5p mimics transfected HBMSCs further enhanced the inhibitory effects of HBMSCs on PCa progression. In addition, miR-99b-5p inhibitor transfected HBMSCs-derived exosomes promoted the progression of PCa in vitro. Insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R) was identified as a downstream target of miR-99b-5p. Moreover, miR-99b-5p mimics transfected HBMSCs obviously inhibited tumor progression by downregulating IGF1R in animal model in vivo. Our results demonstrated that HBMSCs could attenuate PCa progression, and exosomal miR-99b-5p and IGF1R participated in the regulatory process, contributing to our understanding of the pathogenic mechanism of PCa.

The effectiveness of humanoid diagram teaching strategy on care capacity and retention in novice nurses.

AIM: To examine the effectiveness of a Humanoid Diagram Teaching Strategy (HDTS) on care capabilities and retention of novice nurses. BACKGROUND: Guiding novice nurses in clinical practice is a matter of concern and the use of diagrams in assisting the learning process and to promote learning efficiency has been acknowledged. DESIGN: This is a quasi-experimental study with asynchronous repeated measurements for the experimental and control groups. METHODS: The study was conducted in a medical centre in southern Taiwan with 24 novice nurses. The intervention, Humanoid Diagrams Teaching Strategy, contained three parts: the head and neck; trunk; and limbs. The HDTS was applied three time weekly. Each session lasted approximately 30 min and the training lasted 4 weeks. The effectiveness of HDTS was measured using Mini-CEX, CbD and retention rates in the 3rd and 6th months of novice nurses' experience. RESULTS: After the HDTS, although increases in mini-CEX and CbD scores in the experimental group were greater than the control group, these differences were not statistically significant after considering the time interaction. But the 3rd month and 6th month novice nurses' retention rates were statistically significantly different by comparing the differences under the time interaction effects in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: The Humanoid Diagram Teaching Strategy is an effective tool for preceptors to use in assisting novice nurses in learning, improving their nursing care knowledge and technical skills and to increase their retention rate.

Risk factors of postoperative acute kidney injury in patients with complex congenital heart disease and significance of early detection of serum transcription factor Nkx2.5.

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to investigate the risk factors of postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients with complex congenital heart disease (CHD) and the significance of early detection of serum transcription factor Nkx2.5. METHODS: A total of 121 CHD patients admitted to the Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University were selected as study participants, among whom 69 patients with AKI after cardiac surgery were set as the research group (RG), and the rest of the 52 patients without AKI were set as the control group (CG). Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) duration, aortic occlusion time, postoperative creatinine (Cr) level and mechanical ventilation (MV) time were compared between the two groups. The expression and clinical significance of Nkx2.5 in the two groups were detected. Intensive Care Unit (ICU) residence time and total hospital stay were compared, and the risk factors were analyzed. RESULTS: The RG presented remarkably longer CPB duration and aortic occlusion time, evidently higher postoperative Cr level and longer MV time, and observably lower Nkx2.5 level in comparison to the CG (all P<0.05). According to the analysis of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, Nkx2.5 displayed a favorable diagnostic value in predicting the occurrence of CHD complicated with AKI. ICU residence time and total hospital stay were longer in the RG than in the CG (P<0.05). CPB time and aortic occlusion time were independent risk factors for AKI in CHD patients, while surgical methods and Nkx2.5 detection were independent protective factors (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: CPB time, aortic occlusion time and surgical methods, as well as Nkx2.5 detection are independent factors affecting AKI in patients with CHD. Early detection of serum transcription factor Nkx2.5 is of particular importance for clinical diagnosis of CHD patients complicated with AKI.

Evaluation of resource and energy utilization, environmental and economic benefits of rice water-saving irrigation technologies in a rice-wheat rotation system.

Currently, numerous challenges such as excessive irrigation water consumption, labor shortage, lower economic and environmental benefits pose serious threats to rice cultivation systems. Therefore, more water- and labor-efficient irrigation technologies are needed in rice production for minimal environmental hazards and greater economic benefits. After the screening experiment of water-saving cultivation technologies and cultivars, a two-year field experiment was conducted to further explore the effects of efficient water-saving technologies and rice cultivars on the comprehensive benefits, global warming potential (GWP), grain yield, economic benefits, water productivity, nitrogen partial factor productivity, radiation, accumulated temperature and energy use efficiency (EUE) of a rice-wheat rotation system. Conventional flooding irrigation (F), intermittent irrigation (IR), transplanting rainfed (TR) and rice dry cultivation (D) were implemented with two rice cultivars, including Hanyou73 (HY) and Huanghuazhan (HH). After rice harvest, a winter wheat cultivar (Huamai 2566) was planted with traditional methods. The system of rice dry cultivation and wheat rotation had higher comprehensive benefits, which were attributed to greater water productivity, economic benefits and EUE and lower GWP, especially in the rice growing season. D treatment enhanced the comprehensive and economic benefits by 2.5% and 26.8%, 1.6% and 11.3%, 3.3% and 0.6%, and reduced the GWP by 3.4%, 56.7% and 30.2% compared with F, IR and TR treatments in the rotation system, respectively. During the rice season, D treatment significantly (P < 0.05) increased the economic benefits, water productivity and EUE, but slight decreased the grain yield than other treatments. Overall, rice dry cultivation (especially with the HY cultivar) can achieve higher comprehensive benefits in rice growing season as well as in the whole rotation system.

Uni-Port Total Thoracoscopic Surgery Versus Median Sternotomy for Redo Tricuspid Valve Replacement: A Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: This study compared the perioperative and follow-up period data of patients who underwent redo tricuspid valve replacements performed via thoracoscopic surgery or median sternotomy. The purpose was to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and surgical outcomes of redo tricuspid valve replacement via uni-port thoracoscopic surgery. METHODS: Forty-nine patients with severe tricuspid valve regurgitation after left-side valve replacement underwent redo tricuspid valve replacements in our hospital from April 2012 to September 2019. Twenty-six patients underwent uni-port total thoracoscopy surgery, whereas 23 patients had the surgery performed via median sternotomy. We collected perioperative and 3- to 36-month postoperative data. RESULTS: No deaths occurred in the intraoperative period. Time of cardiopulmonary bypass in the study group significantly was longer than that in the control group (P < .05), but the operative times in the study and control groups were not significantly different. Thoracic drainage, length of ICU stay, postoperative hospital stay, and complication rates in the study group were significantly different from those in the control group (P < .05). Throughout the follow-up period, uni-port total thoracoscopic TVR was not inferior to traditional surgery with respect to cardiac function and recurrence of tricuspid valve regurgitation. CONCLUSIONS: Uni-port total thoracoscopic tricuspid valve replacement is safe,  feasible and effective, and that can be considered as a primary treatment strategy for patients with severe TR after previous left-sided valve procedure.

Metabolomic analysis reveals metabolites and pathways involved in grain quality traits of high-quality rice cultivars under a dry cultivation system.

Dry cultivation of high-yielding or drought-resistant rice cultivars relieves the current pressure on rice cultivation systems. However, the metabolites and metabolic pathways that affect rice quality in high-yield or drought-resistant rice cultivars under dry cultivation have not yet been explored. A field experiment was conducted in 2017 to explore the effects of flooding irrigation (F) and dry cultivation (D) of high-yield and -quality cultivars (Huanghuazhan, HH; Yueyou9113, YY) and a drought-resistant cultivar (Hanyou73, HY) on rice quality traits using metabolomic analysis. Treatment DHH maintained higher head rice yield, amylose content, protein content, and breakdown values and a lower whiteness index and setback value than other cultivars under dry cultivation. These rice quality traits were related to 16 metabolites and 8 metabolic pathways. DHH showed decreases in stress response metabolites (m72, m98, m127, m165, m167, m213, m297, and m298) but maintained stress resistance (m29, m30, m39, m48, and m58) and sucrose (m150) accumulation in grains to support head rice yields and a low whiteness index. Raising the lactose, choline, and nicotinoylcholine levels in rice grains improved their protein content and cooking quality. DHH also adjusted the glycine, serine and threonine metabolism, galactose metabolism, and starch and sucrose metabolism of rice. This affected the biosynthesis of anthocyanin, phenylpropanoid, and flavonoid, supporting protein biosynthesis and starch accumulation in the endosperm. These findings provide further possibilities for improving rice quality traits of high-yield and -quality rice cultivars under dry cultivation.

[Ultrasound-guided suprascapular nerve block combined with acupuncture for the treatment of calcified tendinitis of rotator cuff].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the method and effect of ultrasound-guided suprascapular nerve block combined with acupuncture in the treatment of calcified tendinitis of rotator cuff. METHODS: From January 2015 to December 2017, total 30 patients with calcified tendinitis, including 23 cases of supraspinatus tendon, 5 cases of infraspinatus tendon and 2 cases of subscapular tendon, were treated with ultrasound-guided suprascapular nerve block combined with acupuncture. There were 7 males and 23 females, ranging in age from 36 to 71 years old, with an average of 51.6 years old. There were 17 cases on the right and 13 cases on the left. VAS pain score, Constant-murley score, UCLA score and X-ray examination were used to evaluate the clinical results before and after surgery. RESULTS: The mean follow-up was 14.3 months (6 to 30 months). The preoperative VAS score was 3.82±1.13, Constant-Murley score was 36.91±7.95 and UCLA score was 11.35±2.17. The final follow-up scores were 1.32±1.06, 90.61±2.89 and 33.22±1.51, respectively. The final follow-up scores were improved significantly(P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Conservative treatment of calcified rotator cuff tendinitis is ineffective. Suprascapular nerve block guided by ultrasound combined with acupuncture has a good therapeutic effect. It is a minimally invasive, economic, safe and effective method, which is worth promoting.

The Effect of Auricular Plaster Therapy on Insomnia in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Objective: This research was conducted to observe the effects of auricular plaster therapy on insomnia in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Materials and Methods: This study involved 76 patients with insomnia caused by RA, who were admitted to Foshan Chancheng Central Hospital-in Foshan, Guangdong, China-from August 2017 to August 2018. The patients were randomized, with 38 to the intervention group and another 38 to the control group. The intervention group was treated with auricular plaster therapy with beans, while the control group was treated with estazolam orally before going to bed. Curative effects were compared between the 2 groups. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scale (PSQI) and the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS) were used to assess and evaluate the sleep quality of patients. Result: Scores of the PSQI dimensions all fell in both groups after treatment. Scores for sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep efficiency, sleep disorder, and daytime dysfunction in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). AIS scores in all dimensions decreased in both groups, and, after treatment, scores and total points of sleep latency, night-time revival, overall sleep quality, and the dimensionality of daytime body function in the intervention group were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Auricular plaster therapy has a marked effect on insomnia in patients with RA, and the therapy is easy and simple to apply.

Video-assisted thoracic surgical technique versus conventional surgical technique for mitral valve replacement: A case control study / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    To compare video-assisted thoracic surgical technique (VATS) and conventional surgical technique (CSM) in mitral valve replacement (MVR). Methods    We retrospectively analyzed clinical data of 93 patients in our hospital with mitral valve replacement between January 2010 and January 2015. The patients were divided into two groups including a VATS group and a CSM group.There were 43 patients with 25 males and 18 females at age of 57.43±5.65 years in the VATS group, and 50 patients with 27 males and 23 females at age of 56.40±6.32 years in the CSM group.The clinical outcomes of the two groups were compared. Results    There was no mortality. Echocardiography was normal in both groups during 1-year follow-up. There was no significant difference between the two groups in the operative time, aortic clamping time, cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time, or ventilation time. As compared with the CSM group, the patients in the VATS group had a significantly lower complication rate, shorter chest incision length (5.23±1.36 cm vs. 18.21±3.89 cm), less blood transfusion (1.75±0.25 U vs. 3.15±1.50 U), less chest drainage (202.34±12.12 ml vs. 412.32±21.56 ml) and lower pain score (1.26±0.86 vs. 3.01±1.13), shorter time of postoperative hospital stay (8.20±2.36 d vs. 12.10±3.26 d). Conclusion    MVR under VATS is not only technically feasible, but also with excellent clinical results.

Original Research: Establishment of an early embolus-related cerebral injury model after cardiopulmonary bypass in miniature pigs.

Embolus-related cerebral injury is still a serious adverse event after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). But there is no stable animal model for basic and clinical research purposes. We chose miniature pig to establish a stable animal model of embolus-related cerebral injury after CPB and verified the validity of results by correlating the histopathological findings with those of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI). Based on different treatment regimens, 24 male miniature pigs were randomly assigned into four groups: Control, CPB, embolus, and CPB-embolus groups. DW-MRI was performed before and after surgery to diagnose and locate the brain lesions. Histopathological changes in brain tissues were examined using H&E and Nissl staining. All surgical procedures were uneventful with 100% postoperative survival of pigs. Two animals in the Embolus group and six animals in the CPB-embolus group showed signs of ischemic penumbra on DW-MRI performed 6 h after surgery. Consistent with the results of DW-MRI, histopathological examination showed necrosis and ischemic lesions. In this paper, we demonstrate the feasibility and validity of a pig model of embolus-related cerebral injury associated with CPB. This model may be used in the future for basic and translational research.

Interstitial photoacoustic sensor for the measurement of tissue temperature during interstitial laser phototherapy.

Photothermal therapy is an effective means to induce tumor cell death, since tumor tissue is more sensitive to temperature increases than normal tissue. Biological responses depend on tissue temperature; target tissue temperature needs to be precisely measured and controlled to achieve desired thermal effects. In this work, a unique photoacoustic (PA) sensor is proposed for temperature measurement during interstitial laser phototherapy. A continuous-wave laser light and a pulsed laser light, for photothermal irradiation and photoacoustic temperature measurement, respectively, were delivered to the target tissue through a fiber coupler. During laser irradiation, the PA amplitude was measured. The Grüneisen parameter and the bioheat equation were used to determine the temperature in strategic positions in the target tissue. Our results demonstrate that the interstitial PA amplitude is a linear function of temperature in the range of 22 to 55 °C, as confirmed by thermocouple measurement. Furthermore, by choosing appropriate laser parameters, the maximum temperature surrounding the active diffuse fiber tip in tissue can be controlled in the range of 41 to 55 °C. Thus, this sensor could potentially be used for fast, accurate, and convenient three-dimensional temperature measurement, and for real-time feedback and control of interstitial laser phototherapy in cancer treatment.