The purpose of this study was to investigate the cytotoxicity of the nickel ion and provide with basic data for the biological evaluation of those medical devices containing nickel. Seven cell lines were chosen. They were L929, h9c2(2-1), 293[HEK-293], hFOB1.19, THLE-3, H9 and IM-9 respectively. According to the principle of biological evaluation of medical devices, MTT method was chosen to test the cytotoxicity in different concentrations of nickel ion. For each cell line, the relative growth rate (RGR) was obtained and the cytotoxic grade was classified. Besides, IC50 values were calculated. As a result, it was found that the sensitivity was different among all cell lines. H9 was the most sensitive one, while the L929 was the most tolerant one. The concentration which is not above 1.25 mg/L was safe for all seven cell lines, because the cytotoxicity for all cells exposed in this concentration were not higher than grade 1. According to the criteria for medical devices, the concentrations not above 5 mg/L were safe for L929 cells. This result helps us to roughly assess the cytotoxicity and systematic toxicity caused by nickel contained in medical devices.
Cell Line ; Equipment and Supplies ; HEK293 Cells ; Humans ; Ions ; toxicity ; Nickel ; toxicity

Objective To study the stability of alkaline and degraded products of curcumin by high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) and HPLC-mass spectrometry (MS) for the optimization of alkaline-dissolved process parameters of the Jianghuang Qingzhi Tablets and for the quality control of the tablets.Methods HPLC was performed for the determination of the alkaline-dissolved stability of curcumin with acetonitrile-acetic acid at volume coefficient of 4％ (48 ∶ 52) as mobile phase,the detection wavelength being 430 nm.The alkalinedegraded products were tested by HPLC-MS assembling with electron spray ionization (ESI) and quadrupole timeof-flight (Q-TOF) in the scan range of 100-2 000 m/z.Results The degradation of curcumin in the alkaline solution was increased with the temperature.When the temperature was below 20 ℃,the degradation slowed down,while when the temperature reached to 80 ℃,curcumin was degraded completely within 2 h.The probable degradation products in the alkaline solution were p-hydroxy benzaldehyde,vanillin,p-coumaric acid,ferulic acid,et al.Conclusion Curcmin compounds are instable in aqueous alkali.To obtain the high-quality of Jianghuang Qingzhi Tablets with high content of curcumin and less degraded products,the alkaline-solution temperature should be controlled below 20 ℃.

Objective To investigate the role of TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway under the action of TAK-242 in the cardiomyocyte apoptosis after coronary micro-embolism (CME) in rats.Methods Fortyfive rats were randomized (random number) into three groups:sham operation,CME and CME plus TAK242 groups (n =15 per group).CME was induced by injecting polyethylene microspheres (42 μm) into the left ventricle except the sham group.CME plus TAK-242 group was treated with TAK-242 (2 mg/kg) via the tail vein of mice 30 min before CME modeling.Cardiac function was evaluated 6 h after operation.Tissue biopsy was stained with HBFP to measure the size of infarction area.TUNEL assay was used to detect cardiomyocyte apoptosis.Western blot and qPCR were used to evaluate the protein levels and mRNA expressions of TLR4,NF-κB p65 and cleaved caspase-3,respectively.Statistical analysis was performed using one-way analysis of variance followed by LSD-t test.Results Compared with the sham group,left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in the CME group was significantly decreased [(68.91 ± 4.12) ％ vs.(84.80 ± 2.51) ％,P ＜ 0.05],and the infarction area (P ＜ 0.05),the apoptosis index [(3.36 ± 0.63) ％ vs.(0.19 ± 0.08) ％,P ＜0.05],the mRNA expressions of TLR4,NF-κB p65 and cleaved caspase-3 in CME group were increased significantly (all P ＜ 0.05).Compared with CME group,LVEF in the CME plus TAK-242 group was significantly improved [(75.58 ± 5.01) ％ vs.(68.91 ± 4.12) ％,P＜0.05],and the infarction area [(8.58 ± 2.12) ％ vs.(14.65 ± 4.23) ％,P＜0.05],the apoptosis index [(1.43 ± 0.51) ％ vs.(3.36 ± 0.63) ％,P ＜ 0.05],the mRNA expressions of TLR4,NF-κB p65 and cleaved caspase-3 in CME + TAK-242 group were decreased significantly (all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions TAK-242 effectively improved CME-induced cardiac dysfunction by regulating TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway and then reducing the cardiomyocyte apoptosis.

In-stent restenosis is a main problem in the application of stents. It has been proved that rapid endothelialization of stents after implantation is the key point for solving the problem of restenosis. Recent years researchers focus on developing biodegradable magnesium aloy stents. The cytocompatibility is essential for the design of magnesium aloy stents. In this article, recent research about the endothelial cytocompatibility of magnesium aloy was reviewed, including methods, results, shortcomings and advice.

The dissolution of nickel from nitinol alloy under different extraction conditions was investigated when biological tests of nitinol medical devices were carried out. It discussed the equivalence of these extraction conditions and found the best extraction conditions. In the experiment, two brands of nitinol were chosen and extracted under different extraction conditions according to GB/T 16886-12. Plasma emission spectrometer was used to analyse the concentration of nickel in extract liquid. The results show that there is no equivalence among these extraction conditions for nitinol materials. And it is suggested that (37 +/- 1) degree C, (72 +/- 2) h could be used as normal extraction condition and (70 +/- 2) degrees C, (24 +/- 2) h as accelerated extraction condition.
Alloys ; chemistry ; Biocompatible Materials ; Materials Testing ; Nickel ; chemistry ; Temperature ; Titanium

Objective To analyze the characteristics of preoperative CTO lesions by coronary CT angiography (CCTA) and to compare the lesion characteristics and clinical data of patients with subsequent vs failed PCI.Methods A total of 113 patients were randomly selected and 116 vessels were analyzed by CCTA before PCI.The patients were further investigated as PCI success group vs PCI failure group according to their PCI result.Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the factors that affected the success of CTO intervention.The ROC curve was used to determine and evaluate the CT-CTO score and J-CTO score for diagnostic efficacy.Results The success rate of PCI was 55.2％.64 lesions were successfully opened,with the success rate of 72.4％.The prevalence of smoking in patients in the PCI failure group was significantly higher than that in PCI success group (65.4％ vs.42.2％,P ＜ 0.05).There were no significant differences between the two groups in age,gender,history of hypertension,diabetes mellitus,and myocardial infarction(P ＞ 0.05).Statistical differences were observed between the PCI success group and the PCI failure group in the presence of occlusion segment head-end bifurcation,occlusion severe incision,severe calcification (calcification ≥ 180°),occlusion segment length ≥ 20 mm,occlusion of calcification lesions,occlusion segment distal shape of the unambiguous of fiber cap shape of the distal occlusion segment under CCTA(P ＜ 0.05).In the PCI failure group,approximately 17.3％ of the patients had previous attempt to open the CTO lesions,which were higher than the PCI success group (9.4％).However,The difference was not statistically significant (P ＞ 0.05).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the unambiguous distal fibrous cap of the occlusion segment and the occlusion of the proximal branch and the occlusion length ≥20 mm were the main factors affecting the failure of CTO intervention.In terms of prediction,the predictive value 30 CT-CTO score yielded a higher area under the ROC curve than that of the J-CTO score (0.8776 vs 0.7387,P ≤ 0.05).Conclusion CT angiography can predict the success rate of intervention for CTO lesions.Compared with J-CTO score,CT-CTO score has a higher predictive value.Unambiguous fiber cap shape,occlusion segment head end bifurcation,occlusion segment length ≥20 mm were the independent risk factors that affecting the success of CTO operation.

Objective To evaluate the safety and efficiency of domestic snare applied during retrograde percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for chronic total occlusion (CTO) lesions.Methods A total of 27 patients who underwent retrograde PCI for CTO and used domestic snare during the procedure were enrolled in our study from March 2012 to November 2016.Clinical data, angiographic characteristics and PCI details were collected.Clinical data, characteristics of CTO lesion, effect of the domestic snare and snaring time were retrospectively analyzed.Special complications related to the domestic snare and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) were also documented.Results Domestic snare was used in all the procedures, which included facillitating the micro-catheter to pass through the CTO lesions in 6 patients and assisting the RG3/rotational guide-wire externalization in all the 27 patients.Mean snaring time was 3.5±5.4 minutes.Stents were successfully implanted in 26 patients except in 1 patient who failed to receive stent implantation for severe coronary calcification.No complications including coronary dissection, fracture of guide-wire and unreleased snare happened during the procedures and no MACE occurred during hospitalization.Conclusions Domestic snare facilitates retrograde micro-catheter crossing CTO lesions and retrograde guide-wire entering the guiding catheter and externalization.It is a simple, safe and efficient method.

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate clinical efficacy of Shenling baizhu powder combined with aminosalicylic acid in the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC),and to provide evidence-based reference in clinic.METHODS:Retrieved from PubMed,Cochrane library,CJFD,VIP,Wanfang database and CBM,randomized controlled trials (RCTs) about Shenling baizhu powder combined with aminosalicylic acid preparations (trial group) vs.aminosalicylic acid preparations alone (control group) in the treatment of UC were collected.Meta-analysis was performed by using Rev Man 5.2 statistical software afder data extraction and quality evaluation with Cochrane systematic evaluator manual 5.1.0.RESULTS:A total of 14 RCTs were included,involving 1 177 patients.Meta-analysis showed that total response rate of trial group was significantly higher than that of control group [OR=3.40,95％ CI (2.44,4.74),P＜0.001],while Sutherland DAI score [MD=-1.31,95％ CI (-2.07,-0.56),P＜0.001],the levels of TNF-α [SMD=-1.90,95％CI(-2.90,-0.90),P＜0.001],IL-17[MD=-85.18,95％CI(-100.51,-69.85),P＜0.001] and IL-23 [MD=-113.27,95％CI(-132.34,-94.21),P＜0.001] in trial groups were significantly lower than control group,with statistical significance.CONCLUSIONS:Therapeutic efficacy of Shenling baizhu powder combined with aminosalicylic acid preparation is better than aminosalicylic acid preparation alone in the treatment of UC,and can significantly reduce Suthedand DAI and the levels of serum cytokines.

Objective: Late gadolinium enhancement(LGE) cardiac magnetic resonance imaging(CMR) was used to evaluate the myocardial viability of chronic total occlusion(CTO) in patients with coronary heart disease and to observe the relationship between collateral circulation and myocardium viability in these patients. Methods: This retrospective study included 40 patients with CTO diagnosed by invasive coronary angiography (CAG) from September 2015 to June 2016 in our department, all patients performed CMR examination within one week after CAG.The collateral circulation of CTO was graded with Rentrop classification as follows: poor or no collateral circulation group, moderate collateral circulation group and good collateral circulation group.According to CMR images, the delayed enhancement transmural extent of myocardial segments were scored, the ventricular wall motion of the myocardial segment were graded, and the wall motion score index (WMSI) was calculated.Spearman correlation analysis was used to analyze the relationship between the delayed enhancement transmural extent of myocardial segments and WMSI. Results: In the no or poor collateral group of 6 myocardial regions, 1 myocardial region had viable myocardium and 3 myocardial regions had no viable myocardium; in the moderate collateral group of 16 myocardial regions, 11 myocardial regions had viable myocardium and 5 myocardial regions had no viable myocardium; in the good collateral group of 24 myocardial regions, 21 myocardial regions had viable myocardium and 3 myocardial regions had no viable myocardium, there was significant difference between the groups (P=0.002). The WMSI of poor or no collateral circulation group, moderate collateral circulation group and good collateral circulation group were 1.54±0.50, 1.21±0.34 and 1.26±0.40, respectively, there was no significant difference between the groups (P=0.063). Spearman correlation analysis showed that the extent of delayed enhancement transmural extent of myocardial segment was significantly associated with WMSI (r=0.638, P<0.01). Conclusion Collateral circulation in patients with chronic total occlusion can predict myocardial viability.Increase of Rentrop grade is linked with higher possibility of the presence of viable myocardium.

Objective:To analyze the correlation between the monitor units and pass rate of plan dose verification in the volumetric intensity modulated arc therapy (VMAT) plan.Methods:VMAT plans for 20 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and 30 patients with cervical cancer who underwent radiotherapy at Liuzhou Workers' Hospital from January to October 2020 were retrospectively chosen. The Detector 1500 array and Octavius 4D phantom from German PTW company were used for dose measurement. The pass rates of dose verification of relevant plans were analyzed under the conditions of 3%/2 mm and 2%/2 mm. The correlation between the monitor units and pass rate of plan dose verification in VMAT plans was assessed by Pearson's bivariate correlation analysis.Results:Under the condition of 3%/2 mm, the correlation coefficients between the monitor units and gamma pass rate were -0.873 ( P<0.001), -0.800 ( P<0.001), -0.781 ( P<0.001), -0.493 ( P=0.006) for NPC_1Arc, NPC_2Arc, NPC_1Arc+NPC_2Arc and Cervix_2Arc, respectively. Under the condition of 2%/2 mm, the correlation coefficients between the monitor units and gamma pass rate were -0.842 ( P<0.001), -0.770 ( P<0.001), -0.748 ( P<0.001) and -0.531 ( P=0.003) for NPC_1Arc, NPC_2Arc, NPC_1Arc+NPC_2Arc and Cervix_2Arc, respectively. Conclusion:Significant negative correlation can be observed between the monitor units and plan dose verification pass rate in VMAT plan.