OBJECTIVETo determine the effects and related mechanism of Scutellaria baicalensis stem-leaf total flavonoid (SSTF) on vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) proliferation induced by high triglyceride blood serum (HTG).

METHODVSMCs isolated from rat aorta were cultured in vitro and proliferation was stimulated by HTG, SSTF was added to influence the proliferation of VSMCs. The proliferation and cell cycle of VSMCs were determined by MTT assay and flow cytometry, respectively. CO released into the culture media was quantitated by measuring carbon monoxide hemoglobin (COHb). The protein expressions of HO-1 and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK/p-ERK) were detected by Western blot analysis.

RESULT500 mg x L(-1) SSTF could obviously suppress the cell multiplication by HTG's induction, remarkably increase the production of COHb in VSMCs, obviously suppresse the mitotic cycle progress of VSMCs (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), in the time and dosage dependence. Furthermore, 500 mg x L(-1) SSTF remarkably declined the ERK/p-ERK protein expression (P < 0.01), but did not have the influence on the HO-1 protein's expression.

CONCLUSIONSSTF inhibited the proliferation of VSMCs directly by blocking cell cycle progression, and the ERK signal transduction way possibly participated in the cytoprotection of SSTF.

Animals ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cricetinae ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Flavonoids ; pharmacology ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; Male ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Plant Leaves ; chemistry ; Plant Stems ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Scutellaria baicalensis ; chemistry ; Triglycerides ; blood ; pharmacology

Objective To study the effects of constant and intermittent high glucose on the apoptosis of cultured bovine retinal capillary pericytes (BRPs), and to investigate the role of mitochondrial apoptotic pathway in the apoptosis of BRPs. Methods After being cultured under glucose with different concentrations tot 6 days, the change of uhrastructure of BRPs was observed under electronmieroscope, the apoptosis of pericytes was detected by TUNEL method, the mitochondrial inner transmembrane potential (△Ψm) was detected by laser scanning confocal microscopy, the change of cytochrome c (cyt-c) was assayed by spectrophotometer and the expression of apoptotic genes was detected by immunohistochemical method and RT-PCR. Results (1) BRPs showed typical changes of apoptosis in constant and intermittent high glucose concentrations. The apoptosis induced by constant high glucose concentration was more obvious than that by intermittent high glucose. (2) Constant and intermittent high glucose concentrations obviously decreased △Ψm compared with control group. The △Ψm of BRPs was correlated negatively with the apoptotie rate of BRPs (r = - 0.89, P < 0.01) ; (3) Constant and intermittent high glucose concentrations increased the release of cyt-c from mitochondria to cytoplasm, and the concentration of cyt-c in the cytoplasm was correlated positively with the apoptotic rate of BRPs (P < 0.01) ; (4) Constant and intermittent high glucose concentrations increased the expression of proapoptotie gene Bax and decreased the expression of prosurvival gene Bcl-2, resulting in increased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. Bax/Bcl-2 ratio was negative correlatied with the △Ψm of BRPs, and positively eorrclaticd with the concentration of cyt-c in cytoplasm and apoptotic rate (both P < 0.01).Conclusion Constant and intermittent high glucose concentrations could decrease △Ψm, increase the release of cyt-c and induce the apoptosis of BRPs, the effects being stronger with constant high glucose concentration. The mitochondrial apoptotic pathway plays an important role in the apoptosis of BRPs, in which Bax and Bcl-2 are involved.

From the current situations and problems on communication between doctors and patients,the paper discusses the necessity of strengthening the training of interns' communication ability between doctors and patients and explores its ways and development trend in the future.

Objective:To investigate the effect of virtual-simulation laparoscopic training system in the training of basic skills of endoscopic surgery in trainees with different clinical experience.Method:s Eight refresher physicians, eight residents who received standardized residency training, and eight undergraduate interns in five-year clinical medicine were selected. All of them received the training of endoscopic operations with the laparoscopic training box and the virtual-simulation laparoscopic training system for 30 minutes every day for 4 weeks. Data analyses were performed using SPSS 19.0 and t-test was adopted to compare the scores before and after training among the three groups.Result:s Before training, there were significant differences in endoscopic operations between the undergraduate intern group and the other two groups ( P<0.05); after 4 weeks of training, all three groups had significant increases in the scores and spent less time on training items ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in simple operations among the three groups ( P>0.05), and the undergraduate intern group had a significantly higher score of complex operations than did the standardized residency training group and the refresher physician group ( P<0.05). Conclusion:The virtual-simulation laparoscopic training system can improve the laparoscopic skills of clinical trainees at different levels, therefore, it is worth being promoted in the teaching of clinical skills.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction (CIPO) is a serious, life-threatening motility disorder that is often related to bacterial overgrowth. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) results in restoration of the normal intestinal microbial community structure. We investigated the efficacy of FMT in the treatment of CIPO patients. METHODS: Nine patients (age 18–53 years) with CIPO were enrolled in this prospective, open-label study. Patients received FMT for 6 consecutive days through nasojejunal (NJ) tubes and were followed up for 8 weeks after treatment. We evaluated the rate of clinical improvement and remission, feeding tolerance of enteral nutrition, and CT imaging scores of intestinal obstructions. Lactulose hydrogen breath tests were performed before FMT and 8 weeks after FMT to evaluate for the presence small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). RESULTS: FMT significantly alleviated bloating symptoms, and symptoms of pain were relieved 2 weeks after FMT. Enteral nutrition administered through a NJ tube after FMT was well-tolerated by 66.7% (6/9) of patients. CT scores of intestinal obstructions were significantly reduced after FMT (P = 0.014). SIBO was eliminated in 71.0% (5/7) of patients. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study demonstrated the safety of using FMT. FMT may relieve symptoms in selected patients with CIPO. FMT may also improve patient tolerance of enteral nutrition delivered via a NJ tube.
Breath Tests ; Enteral Nutrition ; Fecal Microbiota Transplantation* ; Humans ; Hydrogen ; Intestinal Obstruction ; Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction* ; Lactulose ; Pilot Projects ; Prospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and safety of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) for gastrointestinal disorders.

METHODSRetrospective analysis of the clinical data of 406 patients who underwent FMT from May 2014 to April 2016 in the Intestinal Microenvironment Treatment Centre of Nanjing General Hospital was performed, including patients with constipation(276 cases), recurrent Clostridium Difficile infection (RCDI, 61 cases), ulcerative colitis(44 cases), irritable bowel syndrome (15 cases) and Crohn's disease(10 cases). Donors were completely unrelated, 18- to 50-year-old non-pregnant healthy adult, with healthy lifestyle and habits, without taking antibiotics, probiotics and other probiotics history within 3 months. There were three routes of FMT administration: patients received 6 days of frozen FMT by nasointestinal tube placed in the proximal jejunum under gastroscope (319 cases); patients received capsules FMT per day for 6 consecutive days (46 cases) or once 600 ml of treated fecal liquid infusion into colon and terminal ileum by colonoscopy(41 cases).

RESULTSClinical cure rate and improvement rate of different diseases receiving FMT were respectively as follows: RCDI was 85.2% (52/61) and 95.1%(58/61); constipation was 40.2%(111/276) and 67.4%(186/276); ulcerative colitis was 34.1%(15/44) and 68.2% (30/44); irritable bowel syndrome was 46.7% (7/15) and 73.3% (11/15) and Crohn disease was 30.0%(3/10) and 60.0%(6/10). RCDI had the best efficacy among these diseases(P<0.01). There was no significant difference between the three routes of FMT administration(P=0.829). The clinical cure rate and improvement rate of different routes were 43.3%(138/319) and 58.6% (187/319) respectively in nasogastric transplantation group, 41.5%(17/41) and 61.0%(25/41) in colonoscopy group, 37.0%(17/46) and 63.0% (29/46) in the capsule transplantation group. There was no serious adverse event during the follow-up. The most common side effects were respiratory discomfort (27.3%, 87/319) and increased venting (51.7%, 165/319) in nasogastric transplantation group. Diarrhea was the most common complication in colonoscopy group (36.6%, 15/41). The main symptoms were increased venting (50.0%, 23/46) and nausea(34.8%, 16/46) in oral capsule group. Side effect symptoms disappeared after the withdraw of nasogastric tube, or at the end of treatment, or during hospitalization for 1-3 days.

CONCLUSIONSFMT is effective for many gastrointestinal disorders. No significant adverse event is found, while the associated mechanism should be further explored.

Adult ; Clostridium Infections ; drug therapy ; Clostridium difficile ; drug effects ; Colitis, Ulcerative ; drug therapy ; Colonoscopy ; adverse effects ; methods ; Constipation ; drug therapy ; Crohn Disease ; drug therapy ; Diarrhea ; chemically induced ; Fecal Microbiota Transplantation ; methods ; statistics & numerical data ; Female ; Flatulence ; chemically induced ; Gastrointestinal Diseases ; drug therapy ; Gastroscopy ; methods ; Humans ; Intubation, Gastrointestinal ; adverse effects ; methods ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome ; drug therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nausea ; chemically induced ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy of periodic fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) for refractory constipation.

METHODSClinical data of 49 patients with refractory constipation undergoing FMT through standard transplantation path of nasojejunal tube between April 2015 and April 2016 in Intestinal Microenvironment Treatment Centre of Nanjing General Hospital were analyzed retrospectively. Of 49 patients, 25 received single FMT for only 6 days (single group), and 24 received periodic FMT with another 6 days FMT 1 month after the first 6 days FMT (periodic group). The follow up was at 12 weeks after treatment. Autonomous defecation frequency, Wexner constipation score, gastrointestinal quality of life index and related adverse reaction were evaluated and compared at 4-, 8- and 12-week after treatment. Statistical analysis was performed on the difference after treatment at each time point, and the greater difference indicated the better improvement.

RESULTSThere were no statistically significant differences in general characteristics between the two groups (all P<0.05). Before treatment, Wexner constipation score was 17.32±2.66 and 16.25±2.47, gastrointestinal quality of life index was 81.84±8.73 and 83.25±7.87, autonomous defecation frequency was (1.64±0.57) time/week and (1.42±0.65) time/week in single group and periodic group respectively, whose differences were not significant (all P>0.05). Compared with before FMT treatment, the autonomous defecation frequency, Wexner constipation score, gastrointestinal quality of life index were obviously improved at the 4-, 8-, 12-week (all P=0.000). At the 4-week after FMT treatment, the improvement degree of autonomous defecation frequency, Wexner constipation score, gastrointestinal quality of life index was compared between two groups, and no statistically significant differences were found (all P>0.05). While at 8-week and 12-week after FMT treatment, as compared to single group, periodic group had greater Wexner constipation score (at 8-week: 7.29±2.05 vs. 5.96±2.30, t=2.135, P=0.038; at 12-week: 7.21±1.98 vs. 5.80±2.43, t=2.218, P=0.031), greater gastrointestinal quality of life index (at 8-week: 25.71±8.91 vs. 20.20±8.53, t=2.211, P=0.032; at 12-week: 24.16±8.99 vs. 18.92±8.28, t=2.127, P=0.039) and better autonomous defecation frequency [at 8-week: (2.42±0.93) time/week vs. (1.72±0.61) time/week, t=3.110, P=0.003; at 12-week: (1.37±0.88) time/week vs. (0.84±0.62) time/week, t=2.454, P=0.018].

CONCLUSIONPeriodic FMT has better efficacy than single FMT in the treatment of refractory constipation.

Objective:To investigate the effects of different chemotherapy dose intensity on the short-term efficacy and adverse reactions of patients with advanced colon cancer.Methods:A real-world database of patients with advanced colon cancer in Wangjing Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences and China-Japan Friendship Hospital from January 2017 to December 2020 was established, including 105 patients treated with the same chemotherapy regimen for two consecutive cycles. The patients were grouped according to the average relative dose intensity (ARDI) of chemotherapy, and the population differences, treatment regimens, short-term efficacy and adverse reactions of different chemotherapy dose intensities were evaluated. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the predictive value of ARDI for short-term efficacy.Results:There were 31 patients in the high dose intensity group (ARDI≥80%) , 34 patients in the medium dose intensity group (80%0.05) . ROC curve analysis found that the area under the curve predicting objective response was 0.70, the sensitivity was 92.30%, and the specificity was 52.10% when the chemotherapy ARDI threshold was 64%. Conclusion:In the real world, colon cancer patients receiving high dose intensive chemotherapy have better objective response rate, and tumor markers decreased significantly. The baseline status of colon cancer patients receiving low dose intensive chemotherapy is poor, but there is no statistically significant difference in disease control rate between patients receiving low dose intensive chemotherapy and patients receiving high dose intensive chemotherapy, and the adverse reactions are controllable.

Objective:To analyze the risk factors of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in patients with tibial plateau fracture during preoperative period.Methods:From July 2017 to October 2019, a total of 264 patients undergoing surgeries of tibial plateau fractures were enrolled. Duplex ultrasonography (DUS) during hospitalization was used to screen for DVT of the bilateral lower extremities. Patients were divided into DVT group and non-DVT group according to results of DUS. Data on demographics, comorbidities, injury-related data, fracture type, laboratory biomarkers were collected and compared between groups with and without DVT.Results:The incidence of preoperative DVT was 39.0% (103/264) among 264 patients with traumatic tibial plateau fractures, and distal thrombosis predominated in DVT group. There were 103 cases in DVT group. 55 were males and 48 were females. The average age was 54.00±11.12. According to the Schatzker classification of tibial plateau fractures, 7 cases belonged to type I, 37 to type II, 2 to type III, 11 to type IV, 29 to type V, and 17 to type VI. There were 161 cases in non-DVT group. 89 were males and 72 were females. The average age was 48.57±13.25. According to the Schatzker classification of tibial plateau fractures, 23 cases belonged to type I, 76 to type II, 2 to type III, 10 to type IV, 33 to type V, and 17 to type VI. Univariate analysis showed that age ( t=3.451, P=0.001), the type of tibial plateau fracture ( χ2=8.314, P=0.004), D-dimer ( χ2=18.552, P<0.001), APTT ( t=2.869, P=0.004), ALB ( t=2.292, P=0.023) and Hb ( t=1.983, P=0.048) were statistically different than those in non-DVT group. Multivariate analysis showed age ( OR=1.033, 95% CI: 1.009, 1.058; P=0.007), the type of tibial plateau fracture ( OR=1.829, 95% CI: 1.014, 3.299; P=0.045) and D-dimer ( OR=1.914, 95% CI: 1.057, 3.464; P=0.032) were independent risk factors. Conclusion:The incidence of DVT in patients with tibial plateau fractures during preoperative period is high, and distal thrombosis is the main part of venous thrombosis of lower extremity. The type of tibial plateau fracture, age and the level of D-dimer are independent risk factors of preoperative DVT in patients with tibial plateau fractures.

Objective:To investigate the influencing factors of textbook outcomes in liver surgery (TOLS) after radical resection of gallbladder carcinoma.Methods:The retrospective case-control study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 530 patients who underwent radical resection of gallbladder carcinoma in 15 medical centers, including the First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University et al, from January 2014 to January 2020 were collected. There were 209 males and 321 females, aged (61±10)years. Patients underwent radical resection of gallbladder carcinoma, including cholecystectomy, hepatectomy, invasive bile duct resection, and lymph node dissection. Observation indicators: (1) situations of TOLS; (2) influencing factors of TOLS. Measure-ment data with normal distribution were represented as Mean± SD, and comparison between groups was conducted using the independent sample t test. Measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M( Q1, Q3), 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. Comparison of ordinal data between groups was conducted using the Mann-Whitney U test. The univariate analysis was conducted using the corresponding statistical methods based on data type, and variables with P<0.10 were included in multivariate analysis. Multivariate analysis was conducted using the Logistic stepwise regression model. Results:(1) Situations of TOLS. All 530 patients underwent radical resection of gallbladder carcinoma, and there were 498 cases achieving R 0 resection, 508 cases without ≥grade 2 intra-operative adverse events, 456 cases without postoperative grade B and grade C biliary leakage, 513 cases without postoperative grade B and grade C liver failure, 395 cases without severe com-plications within postoperative 90 days, 501 cases did not being re-admission caused by severe com-plications within postoperative 90 days. Of the 530 patients, 54.53%(289/530) of patients achieved postoperative TOLS, while 45.47%(241/530) of patients did not achieve postoperative TOLS. (2) Influencing factors of TOLS. Results of multivariate analysis showed that American Society of Anesthesiologists classification >grade Ⅱ, preoperative jaundice, T staging as T3?T4 stage, N staging as N2 stage, liver resection as right hemi-hepatectomy, and neoadjuvant therapy were independent factors influencing TOLS in patients undergoing radical resection of gallbladder carcinoma ( odds ratio=2.65, 1.87, 5.67, 5.65, 2.55, 3.34, 95% confidence interval as 1.22?5.72, 1.18?2.95, 2.51?12.82, 2.83?11.27, 1.41?4.63, 1.88?5.92, P<0.05). Conclusion:American Society of Anesthesiologists classification >grade Ⅱ, preoperative jaundice, T staging as T3?T4 stage, N staging as N2 stage, liver resection as right hemi-hepatectomy, and neoadjuvant therapy are independent factors influencing TOLS in patients undergoing radical resection of gallbladder carcinoma.