Objective Study the concentration of the hepatocyte growth factor(HGF) the expression product of recombinant human hepatocyte growth factor naked plasmid ,and whether the body generates immune responseafter wsing HCF. Methods Selected 21 patients with severe ischemic disease of lower extremity (Rutherford classification 4-6 class) , after signing the informed consent and divided them into four dosage groups( 4 mg, 8 mg, 12 mg and 16 mg) random.In each group the dosage was the lower limbs partly intramuscular injection following the feeding artery in experimental stage Dl and D15. The plasma samples were collected to determine the HGF concentration in Dl ( before administration), D8, D15 ( before administration) , D21, D59, and the HGF-antibody concentration in Dl, D15, D28, D59, D91. Results (1)The concentrations of HGF in the subjects ranged from 216 pg/mL to 1189.75 pg/mL.(2) HGF-antibodies were not dectected in the subjects' plasma. Conclusions After using recombinant human HGF naked plasmid through intramuscular injection, the concentration of HGF expression product in subjects' peripheral blood does not have abnormally changed and using the drug the human body immune response does not generate.

OBJECTIVETo examine whether calcineurin/NFAT signaling pathway mediates endothelin-1 (ET-1)-induced proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) by regulating phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) and the effect of the selective calcineurin inhibitor cyclosporine A and PDE5 inhibitor sildenafil on ET-1-induced PASMC proliferation.

METHODSPASMCs were treated with ET-1 to stimulate their proliferation with or without prior treatment of the cells with CsA or sildenafil. Calcineurin activity in the cells was measured using a calcineurin activity assay kit, PDE5 expression examined using immunoblotting, and cGMP level detected using a cGMP direct immunoassay kit. PASMC proliferation following the treatments was determined using [(3)H]thymidine incorporation assay.

RESULTSET-1 caused a 2.05-fold increase in the cellular calcineurin activity, a 1.80-fold increase in PDE5 expression, and a 3.20-fold increase in the DNA synthesis rate, and reduced the cGMP level by 67%. Pretreatment of the cells with Cyclosporine blocked the effects of ET-1, and PDE5 inhibition by sildenafil pretreatment also abolished ET-1-induced reduction of cGMP level in the cells. Both Cyclosporine and sildenafil suppressed ET-1-stimulated PASMC proliferation.

CONCLUSIONActivation of calcineurin/NFAT signaling pathway mediates ET-1-induced PASMC proliferation by stimulating PDE5 expression, which further degrades cGMP. Both Cyclosporine and sildenafil can suppress ET-1-stimulated PASMC proliferation in vitro.

Animals ; Calcineurin ; metabolism ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Cyclic GMP ; metabolism ; Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases, Type 5 ; metabolism ; Cyclosporine ; DNA ; biosynthesis ; Endothelin-1 ; pharmacology ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; cytology ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; cytology ; enzymology ; NFATC Transcription Factors ; metabolism ; Piperazines ; Pulmonary Artery ; cytology ; Purines ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Signal Transduction ; Sildenafil Citrate ; Sulfones

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of single-session plasmapheresis therapy alone for the treatment of toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN),and to investigate its adverse reactions.Methods Patients with TEN receiving single-session plasmapheresis therapy alone were collected from the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University between September 2010 and December 2017.Clinical data on the disease severity,clinical efficacy,hospitalization duration and adverse reactions were analyzed.Results A total of 17 patients with TEN were enrolled into this study,including 9 males and 8 female,with an average age of 36.1 ± 25.4 years.Their initial SCORTEN and STENS scores were 2.1 ± 1.24 and 29.9 ± 6.6 respectively.After treatment,the STENS score decreased to 3.5 ± 1.8.Of the 17 patients,15 were cured after single-session plasmapheresis therapy,1 showed response to the treatment,and 1 died.The duration of intensive care unit stay was 6.4 ± 1.8 days,and the total hospitalization duration was 12.1 ± 5.7 days.There was no significant difference in the STENS score among the day 1,4,7,10 and 20 after hospital admission (F =18.569,P ＜ 0.05).No severe adverse reactions were observed,except 2 cases of plasma allergy.Conclusion Single-session plasmapheresis therapy alone is effective for the treatment of TEN without obvious adverse reactions.

Objective: To investigate the effect of circadian heart rate variation on short-term and long-term mortality in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted. A total of 32 536 ICU patients were recorded from 2001 to 2008 published by Multiparameter Intelligent Monitoring in Intensive Care Ⅱ (MIMIC-Ⅱ v2.6) in April 2011. The circadian heart rate variation was defined as the ratio of mean nighttime (23:00 to 07:00) heart rate to mean daytime (07:00 to 23:00) heart rate. The 28-day mortality and 1-year mortality were defined as outcome events. The information such as age, gender, ethnicity, first sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score, first simplified acute physiology score Ⅰ (SAPSⅠ), usage of sedatives and catecholamines within 24 hours admission of ICU, clinical complications [hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes with or without complications, congestive heart failure, liver disease, renal failure, etc.], and the complete heart rate records within 24 hours after ICU admission were collected. Cox proportional risk regression models were used to investigate the association between circadian heart rate variation and 28-day mortality and 1-year mortality in ICU patients. Besides, subgroup analysis was also performed in patients with different first SOFA scores. Results: Totally 15 382 ICU patients in MIMIC-Ⅱ database were enrolled, excluding the patients without heart rate records or death records, using pacemaker with arrhythmia, without SOFA or SAPSⅠ score records. Finally, 9 439 patients were enrolled in the study cohort. ① Cox regression analysis of the whole patient showed that the higher circadian heart rate variation was correlated with the increased 28-day mortality [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.613, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) was 1.338-1.943, P < 0.001] and 1-year mortality (HR = 1.573, 95%CI was 1.296-1.908, P < 0.001). After adjustment for demographic factors (age, gender and ethnicity), severity of illness (SOFA and SAPS Ⅰ scores), clinical complications (hypertension, COPD, diabetes with or without complications, congestive heart failure, liver disease, renal failure, etc.), and influence of medications (sedatives and catecholamines), the night-day heart rate ratio was also correlated with 28-day mortality (HR = 1.256, 95%CI was 1.018-1.549, P = 0.033) and 1-year mortality (HR = 1.249, 95%CI was 1.010-1.545, P = 0.040). ② According to the SOFA score (median value of 5), the patients were divided into two subgroups, in which 5 478 patients with SOFA score ≤ 5 and 3 961 patients with SOFA score > 5. Cox regression subgroup analysis showed that circadian heart rate variation was related with higher 28-day mortality (HR = 1.430, 95%CI was 1.164-1.756, P = 0.001) and 1-year mortality (HR = 1.393, 95%CI was 1.123-1.729, P = 0.003) in patients with SOFA score > 5. After adjustment for covariates, the 28-day mortality (HR = 1.279, 95%CI was 1.032-1.584, P = 0.025) and 1-year mortality (HR = 1.255, 95%CI was 1.010-1.558, P = 0.040) also increased with the increasing of night-day heart rate ratio in patients with SOFA score > 5. However, the relationships did not exist in patients with SOFA score ≤ 5. Conclusion In ICU patients, the 28-day mortality and 1-year mortality increase with the higher circadian heart rate variation, which indicates that the circadian heart rate variation in ICU patients is positively correlated with the short-term and long-term mortality, especially in patients with relatively severe illness.

OBJECTIVETo examine the correlation of the changes in the serum markers (C-reactive protein, endothelin-1, interleukin-6, and brain natriuretic peptide) with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and pulmonary hypertension secondary to COPD.

METHODSA total of 174 COPD patients with acute exacerbation, admitted between February 2011 and February, 2013, were enrolled in this study, with 43 volunteers with normal pulmonary functions as controls. Pulmonary arterial pressure was determined by Doppler echocardiograph, and the severities (mild, moderate and severe) of PH secondary to COPD was evaluated. The levels of serum markers were determined using ELISA kits.

RESULTSThe levels of serum markers in patients with COPD was significantly elevated compared with those of the control subjects (P<0.05), and further increased in patients with pulmonary hypertension secondary to COPD (P<0.05). A positive correlation was found between these serum markers and pulmonary artery pressure in COPD patients with mild and moderate pulmonary hypertension. In patients with severe pulmonary hypertension, only the serum level of brain natriuretic peptide continued to increase with pulmonary artery pressure (P<0.05), and the other markers did not further increase.

CONCLUSIONSEarly and combined examination of these serum markers in patients with COPD can help to identify pulmonary hypertension in early stage and estimate the severity of pulmonary hypertension. Hemodynamic monitoring of the changes of these serum markers can be of important clinical value in the treatment of pulmonary hypertension secondary to COPD and in evaluation of the prognosis of COPD.

Aged ; Biomarkers ; blood ; Blood Pressure ; C-Reactive Protein ; metabolism ; Endothelin-1 ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; blood ; complications ; physiopathology ; Interleukin-6 ; blood ; Male ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain ; blood ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; blood ; complications ; physiopathology

Objective:To investigate the efficacy and safety of retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcoma resection combined with nephrectomy.Methods:The clinical data of 27 cases undergoing retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcoma resection combined with nephrectomy at the Gastrointestinal Tumor Center , Guangdong Provincial Hospital , Traditional Chinese Medicine from Jun 2017 to Aug 2022 were retrospectively analyzed for the indication of nephrectomy, postoperative progression of renal insufficiency and survival rate.Results:Twenty-six cases (96%) achieved R 0/R 1 resection and 1 case nderwent R 2 resection. Six cases underwent combined unilateral nephrectomy and 21 patients underwent combined multi-organ resection with a median number of resections of 4 (2,5). Postoperative pathology suggested that the combined resected kidney was positive for tumor infiltration in 17 cases. Five cases had Clavien-Dindo grade 3 or higher complications and no deaths occurred within 30 days after surgery. At the 90th day after surgery, 19 cases (70%) had decreased renal function ( Z=2.88, P=0.04), with a median decrease of -3.96 (-30.36, 0.31)ml·(min·1.73 m 2) -1, including 8 cases of preoperative Chronic Kidney Disease(CKD)1 stage progression (6 cases of CKD 2 stage, 2 cases of CKD 3 stage); 2 cases of CKD 2 stage progressed to CKD 3 stage; 1 case of preoperative CKD 3 stage progressed to CKD 4 stage. During the follow-up period of 3-38 months, no patient progressed to CKD 5 stage and no patient required dialysis treatment. Conclusion:Retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcoma resection combined with nephrectomy is safe and feasible while improving tumor radicality.

【Objective】 To investigate the relationship between the level of thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT)/α2-plasmin inhibitor-plasmin complex (PIC) and the utilization rate of mechanical ventilation (MV) in critically ill patients. 【Methods】 For the cross-sectional study, adult patients who had been admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) for one day or longer and had a record of the first four tests for thrombosis were enrolled. Age, gender, the results of TAT and PIC, disseminated intravascular coagulation score, treatment, and diagnostic information were retrospectively collected from the hospital information system and laboratory information system. Logistic regression model was used to explore the relationship between TAT/PIC and the MV utilization rate. Interaction analysis and subgroup analysis were conducted to explore whether there was any difference between patients with different age and gender, patients with/without DIC, and with/without infection. 【Results】 A total of 1 176 patients were enrolled in this study. The median of the first TAT/PIC was 15.84 (8.13-33.11) in all the patients. The multivariable Logistic regression model results showed that for every 5 increase in TAT/PIC, the possibility of using MV increased by 2.9% (OR=1.029, 95% CI: 1.008-1.050), and the possibility of using MV in Q3 patients was 1.566 times than that in Q1 patients (OR=1.566, 95% CI: 1.095-2.239); the possibility of using MV in Q4 patients was 2.457 times than that in Q1 patients (OR=2.457, 95% CI: 1.694-3.563). Interaction results showed that the relationship between the level of TAT/PIC and MV usage was different in patients with and without infection (Pinteraction=0.02). Further subgroup analysis showed that in the infected patients (674 cases), the possibility of using MV increased by 5.9% for every 5 increase in TAT/PIC (OR=1.059, 95% CI: 1.022-1.097, P=0.001), while there was no significant difference between different TAT/PIC and MV usage in non-infected patients (502 cases) (OR=1.012, 95% CI: 0.984-1.040, P=0.405). 【Conclusion】 There is a correlation between the level of TAT/PIC and mechanical ventilation in patients with infection in the ICU.