Objective To explore the effect of chitosan on vascular smooth muscle cells inhibited proliferation from rabbit arteriovenous fistula and its mechanisms.Methods Established rabbit fistula model on carotid arteryinternal jugular vein.After 1 month cultured VSMCs with primary culture by tissue-pieces inoculation.Cultured VSMCs were divided into three groups:①normal control group.②FBS-treated group:cell were treated with 5％,10％,20％ for 48 h,respectively; established the model of rabbit VSMCs proliferation.③chitosan-treated group:VSMCs cultured with 20％ FBS were exposed to different doses of chitosan(10,100,500,1000,2000μg/ml) for 48 h.And VSMCs were treated for different time (0,12,24,48 h) with Chitosan 1000 μg/ml.Expression levels of PCNA and TLR4/ NF-κB were detected by Western blotting.RT-PCR were applied to measure the mRNA expression of PCNA and TLR4.The protein levels of TLR4 and NF-κB were detected by immunofluorescence.Results Compared with low concentration serum group,FBS-treated VSMCs exhibited a increase in mRNA and protein expression of PCNA and TLR4.FBS-induced protein expression of PCNA and TLR4/NF-κB were reduced by chitosan.Also mRNA expression of PCNA and TLR4 were reduced.They were dependent on concentration and time.In rabbit VSMCs TLR4 was mainly expressed in the cytoplasm and NF-κB expressed mainly in the nucleus.Compared with normal control group,TLR4 and NF-κB protein expression were significantly decreased by chitosan.Conclusion High concentration serum induced VSMCs proliferation.Chitosan can inhibit the proliferation of rabbit VSMCs.It is speculated that the mechanism may be related to the expression of TLR4 receptor activation,reducing expression of downstream factor MyD88 and NF-κB.It is suggest that chitosan can become potential new drugs of arteriovenous fistula prevention of intimal hyperplasia.

Background The anomalous origin of the left coronary artery (LCA) from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) and congenital left main coronary artery atresia (CLMCA-A) are two kinds of very rare coronary heart diseases which affect heart function profoundly.This study aimed to retrospectively illustrate the clinical features and therapy experience of ALCAPA and CLMCA-A patients.Methods From April 1984 to July 2012,in Beijing Anzhen Hospital,23 patients were diagnosed with ALCAPA and 4 patients with CLMCA-A.We summarized the clinical data of the 27 cases and retrospectively analyzed the clinical manifestation,diagnosis,and treatments of these two kinds of congenital coronary abnormalities.Results The 23 patients (13 males and 10 females,aged ranging from 2.5 months to 65 years) identified with ALCAPA were classified into infantile type (age of onset younger than 12 months,16 cases) and adult type (age of onset older than 12 months,7 cases).Four patients were diagnosed with CLMCA-A (three males and one female,aged ranging from 3 months to 2 years).The main clinical manifestations of infantile-type ALCAPA and CLMCA-A include repeated respiratory tract infection,heart failure,dyspnea,feeding intolerance,diaphoresis,and failure to thrive.And these two congenital coronary abnormalities might be misdiagnosed as endocardial fibroelastosis,dilated cardiomyopathy,and acute myocardial infarction.As for the adult-type ALCAPA,cardiac murmurs and discomfort of the precordial area are the most common presentations and might be misdiagnosed as coronary heart disease,myocarditis,or patent ductus arteriosus.In ECG examination:Infantile-type ALCAPA and CLMCA-A showed abnormal Q waves with T wave inversion in leads I,avL,and V4-V6,especially in lead avL.However,ECG of adult-type ALCAPA lacked distinct features.In chest radiography:pulmonary congestion and cardiomegaly were the most common findings in infantile-type ALCAPA and CLMCA-A,while pulmonary artery segment dilation was more common in adult type.In echocardiography,the common features of infantile-type ALCAPA and CLMCA-A included left ventricular enlargement,left ventricular systolic function normal or mildly reduced in CLMCA-A or significantly reduced in ALCAPA,and moderate to large mitral valve.It was performed in 9 of 23 cases of ALCAPA and showed the origin of the dilated right coronary artery (RCA) from the right sinus of the aortic root and absence of LCA origin in angiography.After opacification of RCA,reverse flow in the LCA and pulmonary artery was visualized through coronary artery collateral circulation.Angio was performed in three of the four cases of CLMCA-A and showed left main coronary artery was a blind end,with diameter of only 1.1-2.0 mm.Treatment and prognosis:21 patients with ALCAPA had cardiac surgery and 6 of them died postoperatively.Fifteen postoperative patients survived without overt symptoms within the follow-up period of 6-166 months (median 17 months).As for treatment of CLMCA-A,four patients took digoxin and diuretics without undergoing cardiac surgery.Their clinical symptoms improved during the close follow-ups.Conclusions ALCAPA and CLMCA-A are two rare coronary artery abnormalities that affect cardiac function in infants and children.In younger patients with cardiomegaly and heart dysfunction these two congenital coronary diseases should be noticed.

Neonatal chylothorax is a common cause of neonatal congenital pleural effusion and is often caused by the accumulation of chylous fluid in the thoracic cavity due to the rupture of the thoracic duct and its branched lymphatic vessels for a variety of reasons. Neonatal chylothorax caused by malignant tumors is extremely rare, and this is the first case of neonatal mediastinal neuroblastoma with chylothorax in China. The boy was found to have pleural effusion in the left thoracic cavity in the uterus, and experienced apnea at birth, as well as dyspnea and cyanosis as the main manifestations after birth. He was diagnosed with left chylothorax based on conventional biochemical analysis of pleural effusion. After the treatment including persistent chest drainage and symptomatic and supportive treatment, the drainage of the left thoracic cavity reached a volume of 90-180 mL per day. Neonatal refractory chylothorax was considered. Chest radiograph on day 13 after birth showed lesions in the upper left lung field, and contrast-enhanced plain CT scan of the chest suggested the possibility of posterior mediastinal neuroblastoma. The autopsy confirmed giant posterior mediastinal neuroblastoma (poorly differentiated), which involved the C7-T6 spinal canal and the nearby erector spinae, with a small amount of tumor tissue in the liver and both adrenal glands. Mediastinal tumor is considered the underlying cause of chylothorax in this case.
China ; Chylothorax ; Dyspnea ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Pleural Effusion ; Uterus

Objective:To develop a cultural competency assessment scale for geriatric clinical nurse specialists and test its reliability and validity.Methods:Through literature research, qualitative interviews, expert correspondence, and pretesting, the cultural competency assessment scale for geriatric clinical nurse specialists was developed. A total of 140 geriatric nurses from 8 tertiary hospitals in Beijing, Guizhou, Harbin, Shandong and Shaanxi from July to September 2021 were selected for the survey.Results:The final cultural competency assessment scale for geriatric clinical nurse specialists consisted of 4 dimensions of cultural knowledge, cultural awareness, cultural skills, and cultural interaction behaviors, with 31 entries, Cronbach α coefficient of 0.953 for the scale, Cronbach α coefficient of 0.875-0.974 for the 4 dimensions, and retest reliability of 0.925. I-CVI was 0.857-1.000, and the average S-CVI was 0.974. The cumulative contribution of the four common factors was 72.51%. Conclusions:The reliability and validity of the cultural competency assessment scale for geriatric clinical nurse specialists are good and can be used to evaluate the cultural competency of geriatric clinical nurse specialists.

Objective? To evaluate the Chinese version of Glaucoma Quality of Life 17 (Glau-QoL17) by item analysis on each item using item response theory(IRT), so as to provide tools in life quality evaluation in patients with glaucoma in China. Methods? By convenience sampling, 198 glaucoma patients admitted in the outpatient department of Opthalmic Center affiliated to Sun Yat-Sen University from May 2017 to July 2018 were selected and their life quality were evaluated by using the Chinese version of Glau-QoL17. MULTILOG 7.0 was used to analyze the collected data in IRT and calculate the discrimination and difficulty parameters of each item. Results? The Chinese version of Glau-QoL17 had good discrimination. The discrimination parameter (α) ranged from 1.50 to 5.23, and the difficulty increased monotonously. Except for the entry "Are you afraid of surgeries?", the other items ranged from-3 to 3; the coverage area under the item information curve was relatively large except for item "Currently, I am very well-informed about my visual problems." Conclusions? The Chinese version of Glau-QoL17 can be used in the evaluation of the glaucoma patients' quality of life in our country, however, it still needs further modification on its content so as to improve the accuracy of the evaluation.

BACKGROUNDAtopic dermatitis (AD) is characterized by defective skin barrier and imbalance in T helper 1/T helper 2 (Th1/Th2) cytokine expression. Filaggrin (FLG) is the key protein to maintaining skin barrier function. Recent studies indicated that Th1/Th2 cytokines influence FLG expression in keratinocytes. However, the role of Th1/Th2 cytokines on FLG processing is not substantially documented. Our aim was to investigate the impact of Th1/Th2 cytokines on FLG processing.

METHODSHaCaT cells and normal human keratinocytes were cultured in low and high calcium media and stimulated by either interleukin (IL)-4, 13 or interferon-γ (IFN-γ). FLG, its major processing proteases and key protease inhibitor lymphoepithelial Kazal-type-related inhibitor (LEKTI) were measured by both real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting. Their expression was also evaluated in acute and chronic AD lesions by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSIL-4/13 significantly reduced, while IFN-γ significantly up-regulated FLG expression. IL-4/13 significantly increased, whereas IFN-γ significantly decreased the expression of kallikreins 5 and 7, matriptase and channel-activating serine protease 1. On the contrary, IL-4/13 significantly decreased, while IFN-γ increased the expression of LEKTI and caspase-14. Similar trends were observed in AD lesions.

CONCLUSIONSOur results suggested that Th1/Th2 cytokines differentially regulated the expression of major FLG processing enzymes. The imbalance between Th1 and Th2 polarized immune response seems to extend to FLG homeostasis, through the network of FLG processing enzymes.

Caspase 14 ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cells, Cultured ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; metabolism ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Interferon-gamma ; metabolism ; Interleukin-13 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-4 ; metabolism ; Intermediate Filament Proteins ; metabolism ; Keratinocytes ; enzymology ; metabolism ; Proteinase Inhibitory Proteins, Secretory ; metabolism ; Serine Peptidase Inhibitor Kazal-Type 5 ; Th1 Cells ; metabolism ; Th2 Cells ; metabolism

This study was aimed to investigate the effects of different stimulatory factors on proliferation and function of cytokine induced killer (CIK) cells. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC) were separated by Ficoll-Hypacue gradient. According to supplement of different stimulatory factors (CD28 mAb, IL-15 and IL-21), the experiment was divided into five groups:control group (CIK), CB28+IL-15+IL-21 group, IL-15+IL-21 group, CD28+IL-15 group and CD28+IL-21 group. Effects of different stimulatory factors on the proliferation of CIK cells were assayed by an automated hematology analyzer. Changes of granzyme B,perforin and CD107a were detected by flow cytometry. IL-10, IL-12, INF-γ and TNF-α were quantified by ELISA. Cytotoxicities on lung cancer cell line A549, breast adenocarcinoma cell line MFC-7 and human melanoma cell line HME1 were examined by lactate dehydrogenase release method. The results showed that there were significant differences among different groups. The highest proliferation index on days 10 was observed in group CD28mAb, IL-15 and IL-21(255.3 ± 6.3), which was higher than control group, IL-21+IL-15 group and CD28 mAb+IL-21 group (166.6 ± 13.5, 199.4 ± 15.0 and 228.8 ± 16.6) (P < 0.05). The expression of perforin in CD28 mAb+IL-15 group was higher than the other groups. The expression of perforin,GranB and CD107a of costimulatory groups was higher than control group. The cytotoxicities of CD28 mAb+IL-15 group on A549, MFC-7 and HME1 cells (82.2%, 59.3% and 70.6%) were much higher than that of control group (60.9%, 49.6% and 48.4%) (P < 0.05). The highest IFN-γsecretion was found in CD28 mAb, IL-15 and IL-21 groups. It is concluded that there are significant difference of proliferative capacity, cytokine secretion and cytotoxicity after being activated by different stimulatory factors. Adding corresponding stimulatory factors into the culture system displays a great value for target cells culture.
Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cytokine-Induced Killer Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; Humans ; Interferon-gamma ; metabolism ; Interleukin-10 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-12 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-15 ; pharmacology ; Interleukins ; pharmacology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDUnstable pelvic fractures are complex and serious injuries. Selection of a fixation method for these fractures remains a challenging problem for orthopedic surgeons. This study aimed to compare the stability of Tile C pelvic fractures fixed with two iliosacral (IS) screws and minimally invasive adjustable plate (MIAP) combined with one IS screw.

METHODSThis study was a biomechanical experiment. Six embalmed specimens of the adult pelvis were used. The soft tissue was removed from the specimens, and the spines from the fourth lumbar vertebra to the proximal one-third of both femurs were retained. The pubic symphysis, bilateral sacroiliac joints and ligaments, bilateral hip joints, bilateral sacrotuberous ligaments, and bilateral sacrospinous ligaments were intact. Tile C pelvic fractures were made on the specimens. The symphysis pubis was fixed with a plate, and the fracture on the posterior pelvic ring was fixed with two kinds of internal fixation in turn. The specimens were placed in a biomechanical machine at a standing neutral posture. A cyclic vertical load of up to 500 N was applied, and displacement was recorded. Shifts in the fracture gap were measured by a grating displacement sensor.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USEDPaired-samples t-test.

RESULTSUnder the vertical load of 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 N, the average displacement of the specimens fixed with MIAP combined with one IS screw was 0.46, 0.735, 1.377, 1.823, and 2.215 mm, respectively, which was significantly lower than that of specimens fixed with two IS screws under corresponding load (P < 0.05). Under the vertical load of 500 N, the shift in the fracture gap of specimens fixed with MIAP combined with one IS screw was 0.261 ± 0.095 mm, and that of specimens fixed with two IS screws was 0.809 ± 0.170 mm. The difference was significant (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe stability of Tile C pelvic fractures fixed with MIAP combined with one IS screw was better than that fixed with two IS screws.

Adult ; Bone Screws ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; methods ; Fractures, Bone ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pelvic Bones ; surgery

BACKGROUNDPatent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is one of the most common congenital heart diseases and began to get treated by transcatheter occlusion since 1997 in China. Since then, several devices have been invented for occluding PDA. This study aimed to evaluate the technical feasibility, safety, and efficacy of transcatheter occlusion of PDA with different devices.

METHODSOne thousand five hundred and twenty-six patients (537 boys, 989 girls) with PDA from January 1997 to September 2014 underwent descending aortogram and transcatheter occlusion procedure. We retrospectively analyzed data of these patients, including gender, age, weight, size and morphology of PDA, and devices used in transcatheter occlusion, outcomes, and postoperational complications.

RESULTSMedian age and median weight were 4.0 years (range: 0.3-52.0 years old) and 15.3 kg (range: 4.5-91.0 kg), respectively. Mean ductal diameter, aortic ductal diameter, ductal length, and pulmonary artery pressure were 3.50 ± 2.15 mm, 10.08 ± 2.46 mm, 7.49 ± 3.02 mm, and 30.21 ± 17.28 mmHg, respectively. Morphology of PDA assessed by descending aortogram was of type A in 1428 patients, type B in 6 patients, type C in 79 patients, type D in 4 patients, and type E in 9 patients according to the classification of Krichenko. Of all the 1526 patients, 1497 patients underwent transcatheter PDA closure, among which 1492 were successful. Devices used were Amplatzer duct occluder I (ADO I, 1280, 85.8%), Cook detachable coils (116, 7.8%), ADO II (ADO II, 68, 4.6%), muscular VSD occluder (12, 0.8%), and Amplatzer vascular plug (16, 1.0%).

CONCLUSIONSExcellent occlusion rates with low complication rates were achieved with all devices regardless of PDA types. With transcatheter occlusion technique and devices developing, more patients with PDA can be treated with transcatheter closure both safely and efficiently.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Ductus Arteriosus, Patent ; surgery ; Female ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; surgery ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prosthesis Design ; Retrospective Studies ; Septal Occluder Device ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult