Aim To develop a new method for easy endotrache-al intubation and instillation in mice. Methods Relying on the endoscope of cold light and gel loading tips, a new method was set up for intubated operations. Under high magnification, oper-ations of endotracheal intubation and instillation were completed in mice. Twenty male CB17-SCID mice ( between 24 and 28 g) were repeatedly intubated and instilled with 80 μL suspensions of air polluted fine particulate matters in a week. Results The twenty mice were sacrificed after 24h of the last instillation. The dispersions of the air polluted fine particulate matters were found at the bottoms of tracheas and in both the left and right lungs in all mice. Conclusion Using the endoscope of cold light and gel loading tips, a new method for tracheal instillation is set up in mice, which is rapid, simple and has good repeatability. It could be widely applied for the endotracheal intubation and in-stillation in mice.

BACKGROUND:Bismth-doped iron nanoparticles modified by hyaluronic acid (HA-BiIOPs) not only act as an effective MRI contrast agent, but also as a radiotherapy sensitizer.OBJECTIVE:To fabricate the HA-BiIOPs and to observe its effect to enhance the radiosensitivity of glioblastoma cells U87MG under X-ray radiation.METHODS:HA-BiIOPs were synthesized using hydrothermal polyol method. (1) Cytotoxicity: A cytotoxicity test was carried out on U87MG cells and rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Cell proliferation rate of two kinds of cells cultured with different concentrations of HA-BiIOPs (0, 12.5, 25, 50, 100, 200, 400 mg/L) at 24 hours after culture were determined by cell counting kit-8 assay. (2) Histological analysis: ICR mice were sacrificed after intravenous injection of HA-BiIOPs, and pathological changes of mouse visceral organs were observed under an optical microscope. (3) Cellular uptake: The HA-BiIOPs after entered into the cytoplasm were observed by Prussian blue staining. (4) Radiosensitization test: U87MG cells at Logarithmic growth stage were cultured in culture medium as control group, subjected to X-ray irradiation (0, 3, 6, 9 Gy) as radiotherapy group, cultured in HA-BiIOPs (0, 12.5, 25, 50, 100, 200 and 400 mg/L) as HA-BiIOPs group or subjected to HA-BiIOPs culture plus X-ray irradiation as combined therapy group. Then, the cell proliferation rate and cloning efficiency were measured at 24 hours after treatment.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1) The HA-BiIOPs at different concentrations were non-cytotoxic for VSMC and U87MG cells. (2) After intravenous injection of HA-BiIOPs, there was no obvious toxicity to the mouse susceptible organs. (3) After 6 hours of culture, the HA-BiIOPs could be internalized by U87MG cells. (4) The proliferation rate of U87 cells was negatively correlated with the concentration of HA-BiIOPs (0-200 mg/L) and X-ray dose (0-9 Gy). Especialy, the combination of 6 Gy X-ray irradiation with 200 mg/L HA-BiIOPs dramatically decreased the cell viability that was decreased to (41±7)%. In the combined therapy group with 6 Gy X-ray and 100 mg/L HA-BiIOPs, the cells proliferation rate was significantly lower than that in the control and radiotherapy groups (P < 0.05). These results indicate that HA-BiIOPs have a radiosensitizative effect on glioblastoma cells U87MG.

Objective:To evaluate the effects of dexamethasone and etomidate on cortisol secretion in elderly patients undergoing general anesthesia.Methods:One hundred and twenty-five elderly patients of either sex, aged 66-90 yr, of American Society of Anesthesiologists physical statusⅠ-Ⅲ, undergoing minor and medium elective surgeries under general anesthesia, were allocated into 4 groups using a random number table method: propofol and normal saline group (group PN, n=31), propofol and etomidate group (group PD, n=31), etomidate and normal saline group (group EN, n=33) and etomidate and dexamethasone group (group ED, n=30). In PN and EN groups, propofol (2 mg/kg) was used to induce and maintain anesthesia, and normal saline 2 ml and dexamethasone 0.1 mg/kg were intravenously injected, respectively, at 5 min before anesthesia induction.In PD and ED groups, etomidate (0.2 mg/kg) was used to induce and maintain anesthesia, and normal saline 2 ml and dexamethasone 0.1 mg/kg were intravenously injected, respectively, at 5 min before anesthesia induction.The serum cortisol concentrations were measured at 8: 00 after entering the operating room on the morning of operation (T 1), 1 h after the start of anesthesia (T 2), 2 h after the start of anesthesia (T 3), 8: 00 on the next day ofoperation (T 4) and 8: 00 on the 2nd day of operation (T 5). Blood glucose concentrations were measured at T 1-T 3, and the hypotension during the peri-anesthesia period, nausea and vomiting in post-anesthesia care unit, and nausea and vomiting scores were recorded at 24 h after operation. Results:A total of 122 patients completed the trial.Compared with PN group, the concentration of serum cortisol was significantly decreased at T 2-T 5, blood glucose concentrations were increased at T 2 and T 3 ( P<0.05), and no significant change was found in the incidence of hypotension, nausea and vomiting and nausea and vomiting scores in PD group ( P>0.05), and the concentration of serum cortisol was significantly decreased at T 2-T 4, the incidence of hypotension was decreased ( P<0.05), and no significant change was found in the blood glucose concentrations, incidence of nausea and vomiting or nausea and vomiting scores in EN group ( P>0.05). Compared with ED group, the serum cortisol concentration was significantly increased at T 2 and T 3, the incidence of hypotension was increased, the incidence of nausea and vomiting and nausea and vomiting scores were decreased ( P<0.05), and no significant change was found in the blood glucose concentrations in PD group ( P>0.05), and the serum cortisol concentration was significantly decreased at T 2 and T 3 and increased at T 4 and T 5, the serum cortisol concentration was decreased at T 2 and T 3, and no significant change was found in the incidence of hypotension, nausea and vomiting and nausea and vomiting scores in EN group ( P>0.05). Conclusions:Combination of etomidate and dexamethasone significantly enhances the duration and degree of inhibition of cortisol secretion in elderly patients than etomidate or dexamethasone alone.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of oxycodone for improvement of general anesthesia for laparoscopic cholecystectomy in elderly patients.Methods A total of 160 patients of both sexes,aged 65-75 yr,with body mass index ＜30 kg/m2,of American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status Ⅰ-Ⅲ,scheduled for elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy,were divided into 2 groups (n =80 each) using a random number table method:general anesthesia group (group GA) and oxycodone + general anesthesia group (group OX+GA).Anesthesia induction:propofol was given by closed-loop infusion at the initial target plasma concentration of 2 μg/ml,the target bispectral index (BIS) value was set at 50,and 2 min later remifentanil was given by target-controlled infusion at the target plasma concentration of 4 ng/ml,and cisatracurium 0.2 mg/kg was intravenously injected when BIS value was decreased to 70.Laryngeal mask airways were inserted and the patients were mechanically ventilated when BIS value was decreased to 50 and TOF ratio was decreased to 25％,and end-tidal pressure of carbon dioxide was maintained at 35-45 mmHg.Anesthesia maintenance:propofol was given by closed-loop infusion,the target BIS value was set at 50,cisatracurium 0.1 mg/kg was intravenously injected when TOF ratio was increased to 10％;remifentanil was given by target-controlled infusion at the target plasma concentration of 4-6 ng/ml.Oxycodone 0.07 mg/kg was intravenously injected at 5 min before stretching internal organs.Before anesthesia,at 5 min after laryngeal mask airway placement,at skin incision and while stretching internal organs,analgesia nociception index value and perfusion index value were recorded,the development of intraoperative cardiovascular events,emergence time,time for removal of laryngeal mask airway,time of post-anesthesia care unit stay and development of nausea and vomiting and back and shoulder pain within 48 h after surgery were also recorded.Results Compared with group GA,the analgesia nociception index value and perfusion index value were significantly increased while stretching internal organs,and the incidence of intraoperative hypertension,tachycardia,and nausea and vomiting and back and shoulder pain within 48 h after surgery were decreased in group OX-GA (P＜0.05).Conclusion Oxycodone can inhibit nociceptive stimuli,is helpful in maintaining stable hemodynamics and reduces postoperative complications in elderly patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy under combined general anesthesia.

Background::Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) is an extremely lethal malignancy. Identification of the functional genes and genetic variants related to PAAD prognosis is important and challenging. Previously identified prognostic genes from several expression profile analyses were inconsistent. The regulatory genetic variants that affect PAAD prognosis were largely unknown.Methods::Firstly, a meta-analysis was performed with seven published datasets to systematically explore the candidate prognostic genes for PAAD. Next, to identify the regulatory variants for those candidate genes, expression quantitative trait loci analysis was implemented with PAAD data resources from The Cancer Genome Atlas. Then, a two-stage association study in a total of 893 PAAD patients was conducted to interrogate the regulatory variants and find the prognostic locus. Finally, a series of biochemical experiments and phenotype assays were carried out to demonstrate the biological function of variation and genes in PAAD progression process.Results::A total of 128 genes were identified associated with the PAAD prognosis in the meta-analysis. Fourteen regulatory loci in 12 of the 128 genes were discovered, among which, only rs4887783, the functional variant in the promoter of Ring Finger and WD Repeat Domain 3 ( RFWD3), presented significant association with PAAD prognosis in both stages of the population study. Dual-luciferase reporter and electrophoretic mobility shift assays demonstrated that rs4887783-G allele, which predicts the worse prognosis, enhanced the binding of transcript factor REST, thus elevating RFWD3 expression. Further phenotypic assays revealed that excess expression of RFWD3 promoted tumor cell migration without affecting their proliferation rate. RFWD3 was highly expressed in PAAD and might orchestrate the genes in the DNA repair process. Conclusions::RFWD3 and its regulatory variant are novel genetic factors for PAAD prognosis.