A hydrophobic low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) adsorbent was synthesized with lauric acid and chitosan. The condition for adsorption was obtained by investigating the influence of adsorbent amount and adsorption time. The results of adsorption in vitro showed that the average adsorption rates for total cholesterol (TC), LDL-C, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and total protein (TP) were 47.7%, 84.7%, 18.1% and 5.9% respectively. The adsorbent possesses good selectivity in removing LDL-C.
Adsorption ; Blood Component Removal ; methods ; Chitosan ; chemistry ; Cholesterol, LDL ; blood ; isolation & purification ; Lauric Acids ; chemistry

Objective To investigate whether there is a correlation between cerebral microbleeds and warfarin-related intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Methods Thirty-four patients developed ICH after taking warfarin outside the hospital were used as microbleed group, and 54 patients without developing ICH after taking warfarin at the same period were used as control group. The general information, cerebrovascular risk factors, and laboratory tests, such as coagulation function and imaging findings of cerebral microbleeds between the two groups were compared. Results The detection rate of cerebral microbleeds (82.4% vs. 22.2%, P＜0.001)and the number of lesions (10.40±25.60 vs.0.60±1.09, P＜0.001) in the microbleed group were significantly higher and more than those in the control group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the international normalized ratio was too high (OR 4. 241,95% CI 1. 421-12. 198; P =0. 012), and cerebral microbleeds (OR 79. 827, 95% CI 6. 113-368. 13; P =0. 001 ) were the independent risk factor for warfarin-related ICH. Conclusions Cerebral microbleeds were the independent risk factors for warfarin-related ICH.

Objective To evaluate the clinical value of pro-gastrin-releasing peptide (ProGRP) for small cell lung cancer ( SCLC ).Methods Serum levels of ProGRP and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) were measured by both chemiluminescent immunoassay and electrochemiluminescent immunoassay in 46 patients with SCLC (26 patients with limited disease,20 patients with extensive disease ),51 patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC),45 patients with benign pulmonary diseases and 56 healthy subjects.Patients were recruited by the Affiliated Hospital of Medical College,Qingdao University,from September 2010 to April 2011.The receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) was used to set the cutoff value of ProGRP and NSE and the areas under ROC ( ROC-AUC).The sensitivity and specificity of ProGRP and NSE were analyzed for diagnosing SCLC.Results Serum levels of ProGRP in healthy subjects,benign pulmonary diseases,NSCLC and SCLC groups were 22.9 ( 19.5 - 28.7 ),23.7 ( 20.0 - 27.8 ),28.9 (23.8-34.7) and 370.9( 129.4- 1951.6) ng/L respectively; the serum levels of NSE were 14.1 (12.5- 15.7),13.3(10.3- 15.3),16.8(11.7-22.1) and 39.9(16.1-93.9) μg/L,respectively.The Kruskal-Wallis H test showed significantly difference amoun groups of ProGRP and NSE (H =92.116 and 55.481,P ＜0.001 ).The serum levels of ProGRP in limited disease SCLC (LD-SCLC) group[ 156.2(65.4-547.5 ) ng/L]were also significantly higher than those in the healthy group,benign pulmonary diseases group and NSCLC group ( U =57,70 and 144,P ＜ 0.001 ).In extensive disease SCLC (ED-SCLC) group,the ProGRP and NSE results[ 1933.1 (325.9 -4512.1) ng/L and 61.0(35.4- 115.5 ) μg/L ]were higher than those in the LD-SCLC group ProGRP,NSE [ 24.3 ( 15.1 - 16.3 ) μg/L,U =119 and 153,P ＜ 0.05 ].Using healthy subjects group as control,the largest Youden index point of ROC was used to set the cut-off value of ProGRP and NSE (34.0 ng/L and 20.2 μg/L).The ROC-AUC of ProGRP (0.96 ) was statistically higher than that of NSE ( 0.86 ) in the SCLC group ( Z =2.57,P ＜0.05).The ROC-AUC results between combining detection of ProGRP and NSE (0.96 ) and ProGRP itself (0.96) were not significant difference ( Z =0.21,P ＞ 0.05 ).The sensitivity of ProGRP ( 89.1％ ) was statistically higher than that of NSE in the SCLC group (71.7％,x2 =4.90,P ＜0.05 ) ; the specificity of ProGRP (98.2％) compared with NSE did not have statistical significance (96.4％,x2 =0.00,P ＞0.05 ).The combining detection of ProGRP and NSE had no influence on the sensitivity and specificity compared with ProGRP itself (91.3％ vs 89.1％,94.6％ vs 98.2％,x2 were all 0.00,P ＞ 0.05 ).Using benign pulmonary diseases group as control,the largest Youden index point of ROC was used to set the cutoff value of ProGRP and NSE (49.5 ng/L and 23.1 μg/L).The ROC-AUC of ProGRP (0.95) was statistically higher than that of NSE (0.87) in the SCLC group (Z =1.99,P ＜0.05 ).The ROC-AUC of combining detection of ProGRP and NSE ( 0.95 ) and ProGRP itself ( 0.95 ) were not difference significantly ( Z =0.02,P ＞ 0.05 ).The sensitivity of ProGRP (84.8％ ) was statistically higher than that of NSE in the SCLC group (69.6％,x2 =4.00,P ＜0.05);the specificity of it (97.8％) was equal to that of NSE (97.8％,x2 =0.50,P ＞0.05 ).The combining detection of ProGRP and NSE had no obviously influence on the sensitivity and specificity compared with ProGRP itself ( 87.0％ vs 84.8％,95.6％ vs 97.8％,x2 were all 0.00,P ＞0.05 ).Using NSCLC group as control,the largest Youden index point of ROC was to set the cut-off value of ProGRP and NSE (49.1 ng/L and 23.0 μg/L).The ROC-AUC of ProGRP ( 0.90) was statistically higher than that of NSE (0.76) in the SCLC group (Z=2.90,P＜0.05).The ROC-AUC of combining detection of ProGRP and NSE (0.90 ) and ProGRP itself (0.90 ) were not difference significantly ( Z =0.00,P ＞ 0.05 ).The sensitivity of ProGRP ( 84.8％ ) was higher than that of NSE in the SCLC group ( 69.6％,x2 =4.00,P ＜ 0.05 ) ; the specificity of it ( 96.1％ ) was also higher than that of NSE (80.4％,x2 =6.13,P ＜ 0.05 ).The combining detection of ProGRP and NSE had no obviously influence on the sensitivity and specificity compared with ProGRP itself ( 87.0％ vs 84.8％,95.6％ vs 96.1％,x2 were all 0.00,P ＞ 0.05 ).Conclusion ProGRP has a higher diagnostic value than NSE in SCLC.

The selective removal of low density lipoprotein (LDL) and fibrinogen (Fib) by degraded carrageenan was studied by the present authors. Degraded carrageenan was prepared by acid with carrageenan as the main material. The effects of acid conditions on the molecular weight were investigated, and the proper reaction conditions were ascertained. The results of infrared spectrometry indicated that the degraded carrageenan is a heparin-like polysaccharide. Then the selective removal of LDL/Fibrinogen by degraded carrageenan was studied. When molecular weight was about 10,000, pH was 5.10 and the concentration of degraded carrageenan was 800 mg/L, the average reduction percentages were 60.0% for total cholesterol(TC), 79.4% for LDL and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), and 93.8% for fibrinogen. There were no significant changes with relation to the level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and total protein (TP). So, degraded carrageenan was shown to be of good selectivity on plasma LDL/Fibrinogen apheresis.
Carrageenan ; chemistry ; Fibrinogen ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; blood ; Lipoproteins, LDL ; blood ; isolation & purification

Objective To prepare the vascular endothelial grow th factor receptor 2 ( VEGFR2 )/Integrinαv β3 dual‐targeted contrast ultrasound agent ,and further evaluating the physical properties ,imaging characteristics and targeted ability in v itro . Methods VEGFR2 targeted microbubble ( MBV ) ,Integrinαv β3 targeted microbubble ( MBI) and VEGFR2/Integrinαv β3 dual targeted microbubble ( MBD) were prepared by attaching VEGFR2 antibody ,Integrinαv β3 antibody and both of VEGFR2/Integrinαv β3 antibody with no targeted USphere LA respectively , using biotin‐avidin linkage method . USphere LA with no antibody attached were used as non‐targeted microbubble( MBN ) . M icrobubble′s physical properties were observed , and its stability was detected by caculating bubble′s concentration at different time points . MBD′s ultrasound imaging characteristics were evaluated by comparing its grey level of ultrasound imaging with SonoVue at the time of preparation and 3 days after preparation . To detect the targeted ability of microbubble ,different types of microbubble were added into Hepa 1‐6 and C3H10 cells ,respectively . T he above procedure was repeated using the pre‐antibody blocking test in Hepa 1‐6 cell . Results MBD had a mean size of 1 256 nm .T he concentration of microbubble in the first duration of three days was declining slowly ,and its speed was accelerated after five days of preparation . T he grey level of new prepared MBD was similar to that of SonoVue in the same concentration ( P ＝0 .113) ,while the level was higher than that of SonoVue within 3 days after preparation( P ＜0 .001) . T he number of microbubble binding to Hepea1‐6 led a tendency of MBD＞ single targeted microbubble ＞ MBN ( all P ＜0 .05 ) . T he number of C3H10 and pre‐blocked Hepa1‐6 cell attached to each group of microbubble had no statistical difference ( all P ＞0 .05) . In addition ,following the pre‐blocked precedure ,the number of Hepa 1‐6 cell attached to each group of microbubble had no statistical difference either ( all P ＞ 0 .05 ) . Conclusions VEGFR2/Integrinαv β3 dual‐targeted contrast ultrasound agent is a stable microbubble and it has excellent ultrasound imaging and targeting ability in v itro .

Objective:To evaluate the ability of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2(VEGFR2)/integrin α vβ 3 dual-targeted microubble (MBD) to target angiogenesis of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in vivo. Methods:Non-targeted microbubble (MBN) USphere LA was employed as a template to prepare single- and dual-targeted microbubbles which could bind VEGFR2 and/or integrin α vβ 3 (MBV and MBI) by the biotin-avidin bridging method. A total of 40 RCC nude mice models were established by subcutaneously injecting 786-O cells.Twenty of the models were all injected with MBN, MBV, MBI and MBD in a random order, and the other 20 models were registered for antibody blocking assays. The results of ultrasound images were used for quantitative analyses, and the following quantitative parameters were obtained: intensity increment (a 1), peak halving speed (a 2), curve rising slope (a 3), perfusion time (t 0), time to peak (TTP), peak intensity (PI), mean transit time (MTT) and area under the curve (AUC) for the first three minutes, peak intensity at 10 s before (P 1) and after (P 2) ultrasound destruction, and the differences of tissue enhancement (dTE) between P 1 and P 2 (dTE=P 1-P 2). All the quantitative parameters of four contrast agents and the antibody blocking assays were compared.Besides, the immunohistochemical assays were performed to evaluate the expression of CD31, VEGFR2 and integrin α vβ 3 in tumor tissues. Results:The differences of parameters of a 1, a 3, t 0, TTP, PI and P 2 among four different microbubbles had no statistical significances (all P>0.05), and all parameters between the two single-targeted contrast agents were not statistically different (all P>0.05). The parameters of AUC, MTT, P 1 and dTE all showed a trend that dual-targeted bubbles > single-targeted bubbles > non-targeted bubbles (all P<0.05). On the contrary, the trend of dual-targeted bubbles < single-targeted bubbles < non-targeted bubbles (all P<0.05) was observed for a 2. In the antibody blocking experiment, a 2 was faster after the antibody injection ( P<0.001), while AUC, MTT, P 1 and dTE were all lower than those before the antibody injection ( P<0.001), and the other parameters were not statistically different before and after the antibody injection (all P>0.05). Immunohistochemical analyses confirmed the high expression of CD31, VEGFR2 and integrin β 3 in tumor tissues. Conclusions:The VEGFR2 and integrin α vβ 3 dual-targeted microbubble has a good potential to target the angiogenesis of human RCC in vivo.

Objective    To summarize the clinical experience in the treatment of high-risk patients with severe aortic valve disease by transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) via heart apex approach and to evaluate the early efficacy. Method    Five patients who underwent TAVI via heart apex approach from September 2017 to February 2019 in Henan Thoracic Hospital were retrospectively analyzed, including 3 males and 2 females, aged 65-84 (74.6±4.5) years. Result    All operations were performed through a small left incision into the thoracic cavity (3-5 cm), and then through the J-Valve transport system, the aortic valve was successfully released via heart apex after precise positioning under digital subtraction angiography. One patient developed ventricular fibrillation during the operation, and the operation was completed with the assistance of emergency femoral arteriovenous catheterization cardiopulmonary bypass; one patient underwent percutaneous coronary intervention first because of severe coronary stenosis; one patient had paroxysmal atrial fibrillation during the perioperative period, and had hepatorenal insufficiency and thrombocytopenia after the operation, and was improved after medical treatment; one patient had perivalvular leak during the operation, and was improved after re-implantation of the valve; one patient was in stable condition during operation and recovered smoothly after operation. Surgery was successful in all 5 patients. The follow-up time was 2-19 months, and the early clinical effect was good. Conclusion    The short-term clinical efficacy of TAVI via heart apex approach in the treatment of high-risk severe aortic valve disease is definite and safe, but the long-term and medium-term effects need to be further evaluated.