Objective Stanford type A acute aortic dissection is a life-threatening medical condition with high rates of morbidity and mortality that requires surgical repair, on an emergency basis. The extent of aortic arch repair that should be carried out during emergency surgery of this type is controversial. This study was conducted to report clinical experience on aortic arch repair and determine surgical indication, optimal operative procedures and strategy for Stanford type A acute aortic dissection. Methods 210 consecutive patients with acute Stanford A aortic dissection who underwent aortic arch replacement combined with implantation of stented elephant trunk into the descending aorta between August 2005 and August 2010. Surgical procedures included hemi-aortic arch replacement in 92 patients, subtotal aortic arch replacement in 50 patients and total aortic arch replacement in 68 patients. All operations were performed with the aid of deep hypothermic circulatory arrest and selective antegrade cerebral perfusion (SACP). Enhanced computed tomography scanning was performed to evaluate the postoperative outcomes, particularly the fate of the false lumen remaining in the descending thoracic aorta by aortic arch replacement combined with implantation of stented elephant trunk during follow up. Results Average cardiopulmonary bypass time was (146 ±52) min. The average cross clamp time was(93 ±25)min and average selective cerebral perfusion and circulatory arrest time was(35 ±14)min. The overall in-hospital mortality was 4. 8% (10/210) and morbidity was 8. 6% ( 18/210). Postoperative complications included acute renal failure, stroke, mediastinitis and respiratory insufficiency. During the follow-up period [mean (27 ± 18) months, ranged 2 to 60 months], 1 patient underwent reoperation due to the descending thoracic and abdominal aortic aneurysm. There was no late death. Follow-up enhanced CT scanning showed about 74% false lumens obliterated at the level of the distal border of the stent graft post operation. Conclusion Open aortic arch replacement is an effective approach and provides acceptable outcomes for type A acute aortic dissection. Optimal treatment strategy is the key factor to success in emergency surgical intervention.

Objective:To explore the early warning value of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) positivity in liver transplantation recipients with rectal swabs, examine the risk factors of CRKP bloodstream infection and provide the relevant treatments.Methods:From June 2018 to December 2019 in Organ Transplantation Research Institute Affiliated Tongji Hospital Tongji Medical College Huazhong University of Science & Technology, 148 cases of liver transplantation recipients with positive CRKP rectal swabbing were recruited. Clinical data were retrospectively analyzed. And the risk factors of CRKP bloodstream infections were examined for intervention and non-intervention groups to observe the effect of interventions of CRKP bloodstream infections.Results:Among them, 23 cases (15.5%) were positive for CRKP and 5 cases (21.7%) were infected with CRKP bloodstream. Rectal swab culture was negative in 125 cases and no bloodstream infection occurred. Long-term use of broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents, severe basic diseases (severe hepatitis), postoperative delayed graft liver function recovery, acute renal failure requiring renal replacement therapy (RRT) and postoperative anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) induction were risk factors. In intervention group, there were 2 cases (11.1%) of 18 patients with positive CRKP in rectal swab culture in late stage. Among 5 CRKP-positive recipients without intervention, 3 cases (60%) developed later CRKP bloodstream infection. The incidence of bloodstream infection was significantly lower in intervention group than that in non-intervention group ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Rectal swab culture for liver transplantation recipients provides early warning for CRKP bloodstream infection. Interventions for CRKP positive high-risk recipients with rectal swab culture may reduce the occurrence of CRKP bloodstream infection and lower the risk of CRKP bloodstream infection in liver transplantation recipients.

To observe a PPAR-alpha agonist effect of N-oleoylethanolamine (OEA) on CB2 (cannabinoid receptor 2), an anti-inflammatory receptor in vascular endothelial cell, healthy HUVECs and TNF-alpha induced HUVECs were used to establish a human vascular endothelial cell inflammatory model. Different doses of OEA (10, 50 and 100 micromol x L(-1)) had been given to HUVECs, cultured at 37 degrees C for 7 h and then collected the total protein and total mRNA. CB2 protein expression was detected by Western blotting and CB2 mRNA expression was assayed by real-time PCR. As the results shown, OEA (10 and 50 micromol x L(-1)) could induce the CB2 protein and mRNA expression, but not 100 micromol x L(-1). To detect if anti-inflammation effect of OEA is partly through CB2, CB2 inhibitor AM630 was used to inhibit HUVEC CB2 expression, then the VCAM-1 expression induced by TNF-alpha was detected, or THP-1 adhere to TNF-alpha induced HUVECs was examined. OEA (50 micromol x L(-1)) could inhibit TNF-alpha induced VCAM-1 expression and THP-1 adhere to HUVECs, these effects could be partly inhibited by a CB2 inhibitor AM630. The anti-inflammation effect of OEA is induced by PPAR-alpha and CB2, suggesting that CB2 signaling could be a target for anti-atherosclerosis, OEA have wide effect in anti-inflammation, it may have better therapeutic potential in anti-inflammation in HUVECs, thus achieving anti-atherosclerosis effect.

BACKGROUND: Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (HUMSCs) can differentiate into insulin-producing cellsafter induced by chemical drugs or co-culture methods, but insulin secretion is extremely low. Therefore, to inducemature pancreatic beta cell differentiation from stem cells by adenovirus transfection of specific genes involved in thedevelopment of pancreas is a research hotspot in recent years.OBJECTIVE: To study the differentiation potential of HUMSCs into insulin-producing cells after transfection withmusculoaponeurotic fibrosarcoma oncogene homologue A (MafA).METHODS: Ad-MafA-EGFP was transferred into passage 3 HUMSCs. After 7 days of induction, changes of cellmorphology were observed by inverted phase contrast microscope. Expression of pancreatic cell-specific genes(glucagon, PDX1, Nkx2.2) was detected by PCR technique.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: After Ad-MafA-EGFP transfection, no significant morphological changes were observedin the HUMSCs under inverted phase contrast microscope. It was confirmed by fluorescence microscope thatAd-MafA-EGFP was transferred into the HUMSCs. After induction, the expression of human pancreatic precursorcell-related genes, including glucagon, PDX1 and Nkx2.2, was increased as detected by PCR. To conclude, thesefindings could provide experimental evidence for further differentiation and maturation of pancreatic β cells fromHUMSCs.

Objective To establish a mouse model of 5-fluorouracil ( 5-FU )-induced intestinal mucositis. Methods Different doses of 5-FU were intraperitonealy injected into mice for once or 5 consecutive days. The body weight and diarrhea score of the mice were recorded every day, and peripheral blood and the morphological changes of small intestine were examined at 24 h or 72 h after the last 5-FU administration. Results Compared with the control group, after administered 5-FU, the dosage groups showed various degrees of body weight loss and diarrhea, and the white blood cell and platelet counts in peripheral blood decreased significantly (P＜0. 05 or P＜0. 01). The small intestine showed evident pathological changes after the single dose 400 mg/kg and the continuous injection of 50 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg. The mortality rate was 100% in the 100 mg/kg group. Conclusions A mouse model of intestinal mucositis can be successfully established by a single injection of 5-FU or for consecutive 5 days, in a dose-dependent manner. The optimal dose for single injection is 400 mg/kg, and that of the continual injection for 5 consecutive days is 50 mg/kg.

Objective: To evaluate the impacts of an on-pump beating-heart versus an off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) technique for surgical revascularization on the early clinical outcomes in patients with a left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) of 35% or less. Methods: A total of 216 consecutive patients with an echocardiographic estimated EF of 35% or less who underwent non-emergency, primary, isolated CABG from January 2010 to December 2014 at Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University were included in this study and were divided into either an OBCAB group (patients who received on-pump beating-heart CABG surgery, n=88) or an OPCAB group (patients who received off-pump CABG surgery, n=128). The early clinical outcomes were investigated and compared. The outcomes were compared between groups by t-test, χ² test or Fisher′s exact test, when appropriate. Results: No significant differences emerged between the two groups in baseline characteristics of the entire cohort except for more patients with diabetes and a larger left ventricular endo-diastolic diameter in the OBCAB group. Patients in the OBCAB group compared to the OPCAB group had a similar in-hospital mortality (3.4% vs. 4.7%, P= 0.741). Mean EF, as measured preoperatively and early postoperatively (before discharge), significantly improved from (31.0±2.8)% to (35.6±2.9)% (t=10.61, P=0.000) in the OBCAB group and from (31.0±2.9)% to (34.8±3.3)% (t=9.68, P=0.000) in the OPCAB group, respectively. The improvement of mean LVEF in the OBCAB group was significantly higher than that in the OPCAB group ((4.7±0.2)% vs. (3.6±0.3)%, t=29.53, P=0.000). Patients in the OBCAB group compared to the OPCAB group had a significant higher early postoperative EF ((35.6±2.9)% vs.(34.8±3.3)%, t=1.892, P=0.034) but shared a similar baseline EF ((31.0±2.8)% vs. (31.0±2.9)%, t=0.012, P=0.930). Patients in the OBCAB group compared to the OPCAB group received a greater number of grafts and an increased amount of drainage during the first 24 h (3.7±0.8 vs. 2.8±0.6, t=9.442, P=0.000; (715±187) ml vs. (520±148) ml, t=8.544, P=0.000, respectively), without evidence of worse in-hospital mortality or major postoperative morbidity. Conclusion The on-pump beating-heart technique may be an acceptable alternative to the off-pump technique for surgical revascularization in patients with an estimated EF of 35% or less.