OBJECTIVELeft ventricular remodeling (LVR) following myocardial infarction (MI) is a key pathophysiological process in which MI develops into heart failure. The exact mechanism of LVR remains unclear. We performed differential proteomic analysis on the myocardia of rats with LVR after MI, to explore the mechanism of ventricular remodeling after MI.

METHODSIn the LVR group (n = 12), after the anterior descending coronary artery was ligated, the rats were fed for four weeks before the LVR models were established. Rats in the sham-operated group (n = 11) underwent thread-drawing without ligation. The hemodynamic parameters, pathological findings, and proteomics were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSIn the LVR group, the left ventricular end-diastolic pressure increased, the maximal left ventricular pressure increase/decrease ratio decreased significantly, and the left ventricular systolic pressure decreased. H-E staining and Masson staining of cardiac muscle tissues of the LVR group showed myocytolysis, disarray, and collagen proliferation. Twenty-one differentially expressed proteins were detected by proteomic analysis. We validated two proteins using western blot analysis. The differentially expressed proteins could be divided into six categories: energy metabolism-related proteins, cytoskeletal proteins, protein synthesis-related proteins, channel proteins, anti-oxidation- related proteins, and immune-related proteins.

CONCLUSIONThese differentially expressed proteins might play key roles in LVR following MI.

Animals ; Male ; Myocardial Infarction ; complications ; pathology ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; pathology ; Proteome ; analysis ; Proteomics ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Ventricular Remodeling

OBJECTIVETo investigate clinical efficacy and significance of gluteal muscle contracture release for the treatment of gluteal muscle contracture induced knee osteoarthritis.

METHODSFrom January 2008 to June 2010,52 patients with gluteal muscle contracture induced knee osteoarthritis were reviewed. Among the patients,15 patients were male and 37 patients were female, ranging in age from 15 to 45 years, with an average of 35 years. Eighteen patients had left knee osteoarthritis, 30 patients had right osteoarthritis, and 4 patients had double knee osteoarthritis. All the patients were treated with gluteal muscle contracture release. Lysholm knee score was used to evaluate therapeutic effects before and after operation.

RESULTSAll the patients were followed up,and the duration ranged from 12 to 37 years,with a mean of 15 months. The Lysholm knee score improved from preoperative (68.12 +/- 0.78) points to postoperative (91.23 +/- 0.47) points at the last follow-up, the difference had statistical difference (t=31.269, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONGluteal muscle contracture release is effective to relieve symptoms of gluteal muscles contracture and knee osteoarthritis. The patients with gluteal muscle contracture should be treated early so as to prevent effects of gluteal muscle contracture on knee joint, slow down degeneration of knee joint at early stage, and prevent occurrence of knee osteoarthritis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Buttocks ; Contracture ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; therapy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteoarthritis, Knee ; diagnostic imaging ; etiology ; therapy ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Young Adult

Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; chemistry ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Humans ; Molecular Structure ; Neoplasms ; pathology ; prevention & control ; Receptors, Somatostatin ; metabolism ; Somatostatin ; chemistry ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Structure-Activity Relationship

OBJECTIVETo assess the medical community's awareness and practice regarding delirium in the intensive care unit (ICU).

METHODSOne hundred and ten predesigned questionnaires were distributed to ICU practitioners in the affiliated hospitals of Zhejiang University.

RESULTSA total of 105 valid questionnaires were collected. Totally, 55.3% of the clinicians considered that delirium was common in the ICU. Delirium was believed to be a significant or serious problem by 70.5% of respondents, and under-diagnosis was acknowledged by 56.2% of the respondents. The incidence of ICU delirium is even more under-estimated by the pediatric doctors compared with their counterparts in adult ICU (P less than 0.05). Primary disease of the brain (agreed by 82.1% of the respondents) was believed to be the most common risk factor for delirium. None of the ICU professionals screened delirium or used a specific tool for delirium assessment routinely. The vast majority (92.4%) of respondents had little knowledge on the diagnosis and the standard treatment of delirium.

CONCLUSIONSAlthough delirium is considered as a serious problem by a majority of the surveyed ICU professionals, it is still under-recognized in routine critical care practice. Data from this survey show a disconnection between the perceived significance of delirium and the current practices of monitoring and treatment in ICU in China.

Attitude of Health Personnel ; Delirium ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; therapy ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intensive Care Units ; Risk Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires

In order to investigate the role of melatonin in inhibiting the proliferation of murine gastric cancer and the underlying molecular mechanism, we performed an in vivo study by inoculating murine foregastric carcinoma (MFC) cells in mice, and then tumor-bearing mice were treated with different concentrations of melatonin (i.p.). The changes of Bcl-2, Bax, p21 and p53 expressions in tumor tissue were detected by using real-time fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR and Western blot. We found that: (1) melatonin resulted in reductions of tumor's volume and weight in the gastric cancer-bearing mice and thus showed anti-cancer effect; (2) melatonin reduced Bcl-2 expression, but increased the expression of Bax, p53 and p21 in tumor tissue. Our results suggest that melatonin could inhibit the growth of tumors in gastric cancer-bearing mice through accelerating the apoptosis of tumor cells.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Melatonin ; pharmacology ; Mice ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; metabolism ; Stomach Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; metabolism ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the feasibility of identifying oral pathogenic bacteria by comparing the metabolic profiling of putative periodontal pathogens and try to find a convenient and rapid way to discriminate oral microorganisms.

METHODSSuspensions of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia and Fusobacterium nucleatum with same density were prepared and cultured respectively at liquid BHI medium. Then the growth quantity was measured periodically through turbidimetry and the growth curves of the inoculated bacteria were completed. The culture solutions of stable growth phase were sampled and characterized by 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance 1H-NMR). The data of 1H-NMR spectroscope results were analyzed by principal components analysis (PCA).

RESULTSThe PCA showed the obvious clustering phenomena and the points of three groups differentially centralized to three clusters. Therefore, the NMR-based metabonomics profiles could discriminate the three different kinds of bacteria.

CONCLUSIONThe metabonomics is a potential classable method to identify the oral pathogenic bacteria.

Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans ; Bacteria ; Fusobacterium nucleatum ; Metabolomics ; Mouth ; microbiology ; Porphyromonas gingivalis ; Prevotella intermedia

OBJECTIVETo discuss the central modulating mechanism of Sanyinjiao (SP 6) and the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) differences of the functional brain regions between SP 6 and sham acupoint.

METHODSSixteen volunteers accepted right Sanyinjiao (SP 6) (SP 6 group) or right sham (sham group) acupuncture for two times after 24 h sleep deprivation (SD), there was two weeks between two acupunctures. The needle was retained for 4 minutes and the brain fMRI scanning was performed by 3.0 TMR every time. The ALFF consequent data was processed by REST. One-sample t-test and two-pair t-test were performed by SPM5.

RESULTSSP 6 group mainly caused ALFF change in inferior parietal lobule, posterior cingulated while sham group in precuneus, posterior cingulated. SP 6 group increased ALFF in left fusiform temporal gyrus, medial frontal gyrus with no decreased regions compared with sham group.

CONCLUSIONSRetaining needle dose influence the activity of the brain region during resting-state in both group, especially the mood-related regions. And its mechanism is probably that the relevant effect is carried out by regulating function to target organs of complex brain network comprised of relevant functional center and related brain region. There are differences between SP 6 and Sham acupoint.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Brain ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Radiography ; Sleep Deprivation ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Young Adult

Objective The proportion of multiple drugs and the irrational use of drugs increased significantly in the elderly patients (over 80 years). This study aimed to investigate the occurrence of potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) and analyzed the possible reasons related to PIM in elderly patients. Methods In this study,918 cases from Cadre Ward I of Research Center for Geriatrics of Nanjing General Hospital of Nanjing Military Region were selected from January to December in 2016. According to the Beers Criteria (Version 2015),we evaluated PIM in four subtypes,type 1 that is not related to the state of disease in elderly patients, type 2 that is related to the state of disease in elderly patients,type 3 which should be used carefully,and type 4 which is the inappropriate combination of non-anti-infective Drugs. The PIM influence factors were analyzed by logistic regression analysis. Results There are 521 cases (56.75%) of type 1 PIM. The first 3 drugs are Short and medium acting benzodiazepams,PPI and long acting benzodiazepams. There are 206 cases (22.4%) of type 2 PIM. The first 2 drugs are drugs associated with insomnia (oral hyperemia, stimulants, theo-phylline and caffeine) and drugs associated with dementia or cognitive impairment (anti-cholinergic drugs and H2 receptor antago-nists). There are 834 cases (90.85%) of type 3 PIM,which should be used carefully and 45 cases(4.90%) of type 4 PIM.45 cases (4.90%) of non-anti-infective drugs should be avoid or reduced as much as possible in consideration of renal function. The number of combined drug use(OR=5.331,95% CI:3.549-8.009),the age(OR=1.171,95% CI:1.093-1.249),the Chalson's comorbidity index (OR=1.964,95% CI:1.477-2.450) are risk factors of PIM. Conclusion The incidence of potentially inappropriate use of drugs is high among the elderly patients. Reducing the number of combined drugs is an important measure to avoid the occurrence of PIM in elderly patients.

Objective To establish a 3D finite element model of an anti-shearing force Ni-Ti memory shape alloy patella claw for fixing patellar fracture, and analyze its mechanical performance. Methods The internal fixation model of transverse patellar fracture by patella claw was established by Pro/E 5.0, and then imported it into ABAQUS 10.1 for finite element analysis on its mechanical properties. The mechanical performance and deformation of the patella claw under two different patella femoral joint forces FQ at the knee flexion angle of 30°, 60°, 90° were analyzed, respectively. Results Under the same boundary condition, with the respective FQ as 367.5 N and 3 675 N, the maximum displacements of deformation were different at different flexion angles. As compared to fixation by tension band, using patella claw was preferable, with stronger resistance to tension and more stable anti-shearing force. Conclusions Deformation and displacement of the patella claw are in accordance with the biomechanical results needed in clinic, and its stability can satisfy clinical requirements for functional exercise as early as possible.

National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) has updated and released the latest content of NCCN guidelines version 1. 2023 thymomas and thymic carcinomas (known as "guidelines"). The guideline sets standards for the diagnosis and treatment of thymoma and thymic carcinoma based on high quality clinical evidence and the latest advances in research. There have been some updates and revisions in the latest two versions of the guidelines, mainly focusing on the principles of radiotherapy, the principles of systematic therapy, multidisciplinary participation and the improvement of some footnotes, compared with the first version of the guidelines in 2022. In this paper, the contents of the new guideline will be interpreted in order to provide reference for the work of thymoma and thymic carcinoma in our country at the present stage.