Objective To evaluate the skills in using inhalers among the asthmatic patients who visited the out-patient clinic and whether or not the nursing intervention could further improve the efficacy of the drug delivery device. Methods 321 asthmatic patients who had visited the clinic and prescribed inhalers from April to December 2009 were investigated of the basic status, former medication history and skills in using metered dose inhaler (MDI) and dry powder inhaler (DPI). Nursing intervention had been carried out and the results were analyzed. Results Subjects belonging to different educational level groups were significantly different in mastering skills using MDI and DPI after reading instructions. There also existed significant difference between MDI and DPI users. Among patients who had already used inhalers, there was significant difference between subjects who had received instruction from medical personnel and subjects who had only read paper directions. Nursing intervention could significantly improve the skills in handling the device. Conclusions Proper skills in using inhalers could not be possessed just by reading paper directions. Instructions or even multimedia presentation from medical personnel are vital for asthmatic patients to master the skills in using MDI and DPI.

Objective To investigate the feasibility of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography(CEUS) in quantitative assessment of angiogenesis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Methods Thirtythree patients with HCCs confirmed by pathology underwent CEUS in one week preoperatively.The presets and contrast dosage were fixed in all the studies.The new quantitative software with GAMMA fitting technique was used to analyze the dynamic images offline.The quantitative parameters such as baseline intensity,increased signal intensity(ASI),decent curvature(a2),up slope rate(a3),arrive time(AT), time to peak(TTP), accelerate time(ACT),peak intensity(PI),and area under curve(AREA) were calculated.The pathological specimen was stained with CD34 antibady and microvessel density (MVD) was calculated automatically.The correlation between parameters of CEUS and MVD was analyzed statistically.Results The parameters of ASI, a2, a3, AT, TTP, PI and ACT in the tumor were significantly different from those in liver parenehyma ( P＜0.01 ).The value of a2 in the tumor was correlated with MVD, the standardized ASI and AREA were correlated with MVD (P＜0.05).Conclusions The quantitative analysis with CEUS reflects the microvascular perfusion flow objectively.It provides a noninvasive imaging method to assess the angiogenesis in HCCs.

ular perfusion in tumors objectively, which is potential in monitoring tumor vascular response to antiangiogenic therapy.

Objective To investigate the relationship between hemodynamic parameters from quantitative analysis of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and pathological tumor differentiated grades. Methods Seventy-seven HCC lesions were examinated and off-line analyzed with dynamic images. Quantitative parameters such as slope of decrease to half of peak (SD), increased signal intensity (ISI), area under the curve (AUC) and blood flow coefficient (BF) were acquired, and the standardized values (sISI, sAUC and sBF) included the ratio of parameters from tumor to those from hepatic parenchyma. These quantitative parameters were correlated with tumor grades according to Edmonson criteria. Results There was significant difference (P＜0.05) of SD, AUC and BF, as well as standardized values (sISI, sAUC and sBF) between different grades of HCC. AUC, BF, sISI, sAUC and sBF were negative correlated with differentiated grades, respectively (P＜0.05). Well-differentiated HCC had significantly higher perfusion values than HCC of other grades (P＜0.05). Conclusion Quantitative analysis of CEUS can assess differentiation of HCC indirectly, and might reveal biological behavior of malignant tumors.

Objective To study the outcomes of selective reduction of triplet pregnancy by assisted reproductive technology. Methods The clinical data of 31 women who succeeded in conception by vitro fertilization-embryo transfer in the third affiliated hospital of Guangzhou Medical University were retrospectively investigated to analyze and compare the rates of abortion from triplet pregnancy, twin pregnancy and single pregnancy after selective reduction of triplet pregnancy, the incidence of pregnant complications, outcomes of perinatal period. Results There were no significant differences between triplet pregnancy and the twin and single pregnancy after selective reduction of triplet pregnancy in terms of pregnancy and parity time, fetal disease, premature rupture of membrane, severe eclampsism, gestational diabetes and postpartum hemorrhage (P>0.05). There were significant differences in gestational weeks, birth weight, rate of premature birth, rate of neonatal transfer to NICU and neonatal RDS: The gestational time in the triplet group longer than the groups of twin pregnancy and single pregnancy after selective reduction of triplet pregnancy (P<0.05). (37.3 ± 1.9) vs. (35.2 ± 0.9), (32.6 ± 2.3), respectively), the rate of premature birth dropped (100%vs. 100%, 33.3%, respectively), the body weight was increased (1 707 ± 360.4)g vs. (2 066.1 ± 307.5)g, (2 712.5 ± 514.1)g, respectively and the neonatal complication rate was reduced (P<0.05). Conclusion The selective reduction of multiple pregnancy may decrease the risk of premature birth and reduce the rate of lower body weight of neonates, improving the pregnancy outcomes, but the higher rate of abortion at the early or middle course of pregnancy after selective reduction is worth our attention.

BACKGROUND:Establishment of in vitro culture system of human placental microvascular endothelial cel s with high purity is very important. In recent studies, some scholars have successful y obtained a large number of placental microvascular endothelial cel s by three-stepenzyme digestion and magnetic separation method, but the procedures were extremely complex and it had great damage to the cel s. Therefore, how to separate human placental microvascular endothelial cel s easily and obtain high-purified cel s has become a research hotspot.
OBJECTIVE:To investigate an efficient method to isolate and purify human placental microvascular endothelial cel s from early vil us microvessels, observe the cel growth and identify the cel s.
METHODS:The vil i from normal early pregnancies (6-8 weeks) after artificial abortion were col ected aseptical y. Using two-step digestion procedure and discontinuous Percol density gradient centrifugation method, human placental microvascular endothelial cel s were obtained. Then the cel s were identified by trypsin digestion method and repeated adherence method.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Human placental microvascular endothelial cel s were isolated successful y from early vil i. The primary cel s adhered to the wal s after inoculated for 24 hours and entered logarithmic phase at 10 days. 80%of the cel s achieved a confluence at 12-13 days after inoculating. The subculture cel s grew swiftly with the typical cobblestone appearance. Immunofluorescence staining showed that, cultured human placental microvascular endothelial cel s demonstrated a strong positive reaction to von Wil ebrand factor antigen and CD31, accounting for 100%. MTT assay results showed that, human placental microvascular endothelial cel s at passage 5 exhibited an S-shaped growth curve. High-purity human placental microvascular endothelial cel s can be obtained by proteolytic enzymes digestion and discontinuous Percol density gradient centrifugation method, and the purity is detected by trypsin digestion method and repeated adherence method.

AIM:To investigate the expression and significance of thrombospondin-1(TSP-1)in left ventricular myocardium of type 2 diabetic cardiomyopathy(DCM).METHODS:The rat model of DCM was established by eating a high-fat diet together with injection of low dose streptozocin(30 mg/kg)intrapertoneally.After 12 weeks,the content of collagen was quantified by Masson staining.The mRNA level of TSP-1 was determined by quantification real-time RT-PCR,while the protein level of TSP-1 was analyzed by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry.RESULTS:Compared with the control group,the content of collagen in the DCM group was increased greatly(11.01?3.05 vs 16.92?3.18,P

Preterm birth is the most common maternal complication in twin pregnancies. In recent years, cervical cerclage has been of long-standing interest in the prevention of preterm birth in twin pregnancies. However, its clinical application in the treatment of cervical insufficiency of twin pregnancies remains a controversial subject. In addition, infection or inflammation conditions are considered to be closely related to the perinatal outcomes of twin pregnancies after cervical cerclage. This paper reviews the research progress on cervical cerclage in twin pregnancies, recommending cervical cerclage for twin pregnancies with cervical length≤15 mm or cervical dilatation, while it is not suggested for those with cervical length of 15-25 mm or history-indicated cervical cerclage. The clinical significance of preoperative evaluation of intraamniotic infection or inflammation of twin pregnancies needs to be further explored, but it is necessary to avoid the effect of antibiotic use on the evaluation of surgical effects.

Objective To introduce and enhance an experimental technique for intraventricular drug delivery via an implantable osmotic pump.Methods Eight-week-old male SD rats were selected and the requisite equipment and reagents were prepared.The osmotic pump was assembled and brought to operational status before conducting the implantation surgery.Following anesthesia,the rats underwent skin preparation and the upper surface of the skull was surgically exposed.A point directly above the ventricle was located using a brain stereotaxic apparatus,and a small hole was drilled at that location with a high-speed cranial drill.The pump body was then implanted subcutaneously in the neck and the needle was inserted into the drilled hole,and secured with dental cement.Once solidified,the needle base was removed,the subcutaneous soft tissue and scalp were sutured in layers,and the animal was returned to its cage for rearing in isolation.Results The osmotic pump was successfully implanted subcutaneously in the rat's neck,the needle was securely fixed to the skull,and the catheter interface remained intact.The rats were sacrificed and the brain tissue was removed.Examination of the extracted brain tissue revealed no significant hematoma around the puncture site or needle tract,and the presence of blue dye in the ventricular and adjacent tissues indicated successful drug delivery to the ventricle.Conclusions The introduction of a brain stereotaxic apparatus to aid localization,coupled with enhancements to the operational procedure,may improve the accuracy and safety of the implantation process resulting in a high success rate for intraventricular drug administration.

Objective:To clarify the clinicopathological features, prognosis, and recurrence pattern of early-onset gastric cancer (EOGC).Methods:Using data from the gastric cancer database of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, we performed a retrospective, large-scale, real-world study of 5046 patients with gastric cancer who had undergone redical or palliative gastrectomy from January 2013 to December 2018, including 425 patients with EOGC (age ≤45 years) and 4621 controls. All those patients were pathologically confirmed adenocarcinoma with complete follow-up of five years. Residue gastric cancer and patients without complete clinical or follow-up data were excluded. We used a combination of outpatient and telephone follow-up, ending in October 2022 (median duration of follow-up 60 months), and compared the clinicopathological features and prognosis of the two groups.Results:The clinicopathological features of EOGC included female predominance (61.1% [262/425 vs. 26.3% [1217/4621], χ 2=234.215, P<0.001), fewer comorbidities (31.3% [133/425] vs. 58.5% [2703/4621], χ 2=34.378, P<0.001), poorer differentiation (90.6% [385/425] vs. 78.2% [3614/4621], χ 2=30.642, P<0.001), higher proportion of diffuse type (53.9% [229/425] vs. 18.3% [846/4621], χ 2=274.474, P<0.001), higher proportion of T4 stage (44.7% [190/425] vs. 37.5% [1733/4621], χ 2=17.535, P=0.001), more lymph node metastases (60.5% [257/425] vs. 53.9% [2491/4621], χ 2=6.764, P=0.009), and higher proportion of pathological stage III/IV (47.5% [202/425] vs. 42.4% [1959/4621], χ 2=4.093, P=0.043). The 5-year overall survival rates of the EOGC and control groups were 55.1% and 49.1%, respectively. Overall survival was significantly better in the EOGC than in the control group ( P<0.001). According to subgroup analysis, the prognosis of pathological stage I/II/III EOGC was better than that of the control group. Recurrence rates were similar in the two groups, whereas patients with EOGC had a higher proportion of peritoneal recurrence (7.8% [33/425] vs. 3.2% [146/4621], χ 2=23.741, P<0.001) and a lower proportion of distant metastasis (4.9% [21/425] vs. 8.3% [385/4621], χ 2=6.247, P=0.012). Conclusion:EOGC has unique clinicopathological features and recurrence patterns and resectable EOGC has a better prognosis, suggesting that patients with EOGC should be actively treated with the focus on preventing peritoneal recurrence.