1.Comparison of impacts on efficiency and safety between two types of microwires during mechanical thrombectomy for stroke
Yanhui SHI ; Yisheng LIU ; Rong ZHAO ; Gefei LI ; Yilan WU ; Hui PAN ; Xuemei TANG ; Ji SUN ; Nan SHI ; Jianren LIU
Journal of Shanghai Jiaotong University(Medical Science) 2017;37(6):803-808
Objective· To compare the impacts on clinical efficiency and safety between 0.014 inch Synchro microwire and Transend microwire used during mechanical thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) caused by large artery occlusion.Methods· Forty-six patients undergoing mechanical thrombectomy with stent retrievers between October 2012 and January 2016 were included,who were classified into Synchro group (21cases) and Transend group (25 cases).The clinical outcome,procedure time,and safety were analyzed and compared between two groups.Results· The recanalization rates were similar between two groups (P=0.600),but time from puncture to vascular recanalization of Synchro group was much shorter than that of Transend goup (48.88 min vs 82.33 min,P=0.001).The rates of functional independence (modified Rankin scale score ≤ 2) were similar between two groups (P=1.000).There was no significant difference of the rates of post-procedure subarachnoid hemorrhage (PSAH) between two groups (P=1.000).However,there were two cases that had fatal subarachnoid hemorrhage with intracranial hematoma in Transend group,while there was only one case of mild subarachnoid hemorrhage who recovered well in Synchro group.Conclusion· Compared with Transend microwire,Synchro microwire can significantly shorten the procedure time of mechanical thrombectomy,and the risk of fatal subarachnoid hemorrhage is rather small.
2.Evaluation of Simulated Weightlessness Model of Hindlimb Unloading Miniature Pigs and Their Tissue Damage
Yingxin TU ; Yilan JI ; Fei WANG ; Dongming YANG ; Dongdong WANG ; Zhixin SUN ; Yuexin DAI ; Yanji WANG ; KAN GUANGHAN ; Bin WU ; Deming ZHAO ; Lifeng YANG
Laboratory Animal and Comparative Medicine 2024;44(5):475-486
Objective To establish a weightlessness simulation animal model using miniature pigs, leveraging the characteristic of multiple systems’ tissue structures and functions similar to those of humans, and to observe pathophysiological changes, providing a new method for aerospace research. Methods Nine standard-grade miniature pigs were selected and randomly divided into an experimental group (n=7) and a control group (n=2). The experimental group was fixed using customized metal cages, with canvas slings suspending their hind limbs off the ground, and the body positioned at a -20° angle relative to the ground to simulate unloading for 30 days (24 hours a day). Data on body weight, blood volume, and blood biochemistry indicators were collected at different time points for statistical analysis of basic physiological changes. After the experiment, the miniature pigs were euthanized and tissue samples were collected for histopathological observation of the cardiovascular, skeletal and muscle systems HE and Masson staining. Statistical analysis was also conducted on the thickness of arterial vessels and the diameter of skeletal muscle fibers. Additionally, western blotting was employed to detect the expression levels of skeletal muscle atrophy-related proteins, including muscle-specific RING finger protein 1 (MuRf-1) and muscle atrophy F-box (MAFbx, as known as Atrogin-1), while immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), an indicator of astrocyte activation in the brain, reflecting the pathophysiological functional changes across systems. Results After hindlimb unloading, the experimental group showed significant decreases in body weight (P<0.001) and blood volume (P<0.01). During the experiment, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and red blood cell count levels significantly decreased (P<0.05) but gradually recovered. The expression levels of alanine aminotransferase and γ-glutamyltransferase initially decreased (P<0.05) before rebounding, while albumin significantly decreased (P<0.001) and globulin significantly increased (P<0.01). Creatinine significantly decreased (P<0.05). The average diameter of gastrocnemius muscle fibers in the experimental group significantly shortened (P<0.05), with a leftward shift in the distribution of muscle fiber diameters and an increase in small-diameter muscle fibers. Simultaneously, Atrogin-1 expression in the gastrocnemius and paravertebral muscles significantly increased (P<0.05). These changes are generally consistent with the effects of weightlessness on humans and animals in space. Furthermore, degenerative changes were observed in some neurons of the cortical parietal lobe, frontal lobe, and hippocampal regions of the experimental group, with a slight reduction in the number of Purkinje cells in the cerebellar region, and a significant enhancement of GFAP-positive signals in the hippocampal area (P<0.05). Conclusion Miniature pigs subjected to a -20° angle hind limb unloading for 30 days maybe serve as a new animal model for simulating weightlessness, applicable to related aerospace research.