Objective To evaluate the safety,biocompatibility and efficacy of transcatheter closure of atrial septal defect(ASD)with no stainless-steel-screw occluder in canine model.Methods The device was constructed from superelastic Nitinol wires tightly woven into two flat disks and sewed with polyester fibers inside,with a pliable loop on the right-atrial-disk of the device,connecting to the delivery cable.ASD was created by transcatheter puncture and balloon dilatation and then closed by occluder under fluoroscopy in the catheterization laboratory.The location and the influence of the implanted device on function of tricuspid valve and mitral valve were evaluated by echocardiography.At 1,2,3 and 6 months after the operation,the animals were killed and autopsy was conducted.Results Eight dogs with puncture-produced ASD underwent ASD closing procedure successfully.The occluder showed no influence on the function of MV and AV demonstrated by echocardiogram.The two disks of the implanted device were covered with a smooth intact neogenesis layer in all dogs.Endocardial cells fully covered the surface of the two disk without inflammating reaction 3 months later. There was no evidence of corrosion on the surface of the nitinol wire removed from the dog after 6 months.Light microscopic examination of the liver,kidney,lung and spleen showed no evidence of embolization and inflammation.Conclusion Transcatheter ASD occlusion with new-type occluder is safe,feasible,effective and good biocompatibility with a good prospective clinical application.

Objective To evaluate the safety and efficacy of endoscopic implantation of self-expandable metallic stent (SEMs) for malignant colorectal obstruction. Methods A total of 108 patients who had undergone endoscopic SEMs implantation for malignant colonic obstruction from January 2011 to May 2014 were enrolled. The clinical suc-cess rates and the complications were reviewed. Results The clinical success rates were 92.59%(100/108). Abdomi-nal pain, perforation and bleeding were the most common post-procedure complications, the rates of which were 16.67% (18/108), 7.41% (8/108), 6.48% (7/108), respectively. The abdominal pain in most patients was self-reliev-ing except for 6 patients with perforation of colon. Patients with perforation were cured by emergency surgery. The 7 patients developing bleeding recovered themselves. Conclusion The success rate of endoscopic SEMs implantation is satisfactory in the study. As a bridge to surgery or a palliative care method, endoscopic SEMs implantation is effec-tive and safe for malignant colorectal obstruction.

Background and purpose:The theory of cancer stem cell offers us a new thought about tumors, more and more kinds of cancer stem cell were isolated and indentif ied from corresponding cancer tissue. Our aim was to investigate the content of side population cells in SW480 human colorectal cancer ce11 line and to enrich cancer stem- like cells in SW480 through serum-free medium (SFM) culture. Methods:The percentage of side population cells in human colorectal cancer cell line SW480 was detected with ? ow cytometry. SW480 cell line was cultivated in serum- free medium(SFM) supplemented with growth factors and the cancer stem-like cells reforming into ? oating spheres were isolated. The isolated cancer stem-like cells were identifi ed by limited-dilution assay, differentiation assay, self- renewal assay, and alternative cultivation assay. Results:The percentage of SP cells was 1.2% in SW480,In the absence of serum, a minority (0.54%-0.62%) of cancer stem-like cells in SW480 cells survived, proliferated and formed into the suspended tumor cell spheres. SW480 cancer stem-like cells possessed proliferative, self-renewal and differentiation potential, which were responsible for the ? oating tumor clone. Serum addition into SFM resulted in the proliferation of cancer stem-like cells; after several generations and alternated cultivation in SSM and SFM, cancer stem-like cells maintained their characteristics. Conclusions:SW480 cell line contains a tiny minority of SP cells with stem cell properties.The cancer stem-like cells in SW480 line can be maintained in SFM using a floating culture method.

ObjectiveTo study the relationship between Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection and endothelial function disorder and its possible role in nonspecific low back pain (NLBP).MethodsHCMV-DNA, -IgM, -IgG, HE stain, endothelin (ET) were detected in 50 patients with NLBP and 36 healthy people without NLBP(non-NLBP group).ResultsThe positive rate of HCMV-DNA,-IgM,-IgG, HE stain were higher in NLBP group than that in non-NLBP group(P<0.05), as well as the levels of ET(P<0.05).ConclusionHCMV infection may relate with NLBP, and ET may play an important role in it.

We introduce in this paper a novel design of the lithium-ion battery automatically-charging circuit used in portable wireless electronic stimulation therapeutic apparatus for urinary incontinence, including its working principles, structure and characteristic.
Electric Power Supplies ; Electric Stimulation Therapy ; instrumentation ; Equipment Design ; Urinary Incontinence ; therapy ; Wireless Technology

OBJECTIVETo study the inhibition of berberine (BBR) against ECV-304 apoptosis induced by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus).

METHODSECV-304 cells were pre-treated with 128 microg/mL BBR for 2 h and then S. aureus was added (1:100). The viability of cells was detected by MTT (3-4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. The morphological changes were observed by Hoechst 33258 staining. The protection of BBR for infected cells was detected by DNA Ladder.

RESULTSECV-304 cells' viability were not obviously affected by berberine. But S. aureus induced ECV-304 cells' viability could be significantly inhibited by pre-treatment of BBR (P < 0.05). Besides S. aureus-induced ECV-304 apoptosis could be reduced, with significantly lessened apoptotic body and unobvious DNA degradation.

CONCLUSIONBBR could significantly inhibit S. aureus induced ECV-304 apoptosis.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Berberine ; pharmacology ; Cell Line ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; drug effects ; microbiology ; pathology ; Humans ; Staphylococcus aureus

Objective To explore the clinical efficacy and complications of transoral endoscopic peroral endo﹣scopic myotomy (POEM) for achalasia (AC). Methods 38 patients with AC received POEM treatment from January 2013 to January 2013 in our digestive endoscopy center. Procedure-related complications and gastroesophageal re﹣flux were observed, and ECKARDT score and the lower esophageal sphincter pressure changes were analysed. Results All patients underwent POEM successfully. No serious POEM-related complications were observed, bleed﹣ing, gas related complications were treated successfully by conservative treatment. Postoperative follow-up time was 10.4 months (range 9 to 12 months), the symptoms of all the patients were alleviated, ECKARDT score average from preoperative 8.7 points dropped to postoperative 1.2 points (P<0.01), esophageal sphincter pressure decreased sig﹣nificantly, mean pressure dropped from preoperative (33.40 ± 11.80) mmHg to postoperative (13.50 ± 4.30) mmHg (P< 0.01) and gas related complications occurred in 6 cases (15.78 %), esophageal reflux occurred rate total was 23.68%(9/38). Conclusion POEM is safe and effective for the treatment of AC, and has better long-term effect.

Aim To explore the role of AMPK/ PGC-1α pathway in cardioprotection of hydrogen sulfide ( H2 S ) against ischemia/reperfusion ( I/R ) injury. Methods Langendorff perfusion apparatus was used to build an isolated rat myocardial I/R model. Seventy-two male SD rats were randomly divided into 6 groups (n=12):control group (Control), ischemia/reperfu-sion group ( I/R ) , DMSO group ( DMSO ) , inhibitor Compound C group ( CC) , H2 S postconditioning group ( NP) , and H2 S with Compound C group ( N +C ) . The heart rate ( HR ) , the left ventricular developed pressure ( LVDP ) , the maximum rate of increase or decrease of left ventricular pressure ( ± dp/dtmax ) and the left ventricular diastolic pressure ( LVEDP ) were registered at 20 min of baseline and 60 min of reperfu-sion separately. Triphenyl tetrazolium chloride ( TTC) staining and HE staining were used to determine the myocardial infarct size and the myocardial tissue mor-phological change of each group was observed respec-tively. Immunohistochemistry was used to determine the expression of PGC-1α. The expressions of total AMPK ( tAMPKα ) , phosphorylated AMPK ( pAMPKα) and PGC-1α were detected with Western blot anaylsis. Results There were no differences in e-quilibrium hemodyamics observed between the experi-mental groups(P>0. 05). At the end of reperfusion, compared with I/R group, NP group had obviously a-meliorated functional recovery and significantly de-creased myocardial infarct size [ ( 23. 9 ± 3. 4 )% vs (60. 9 ± 3. 8 )%, ( P <0. 05 ) ] . HE staining showed that in NP group, the myocardial injury was reduced. Meanwhile, the expression of pAMPKα and PGC-1αincreased significantly. However, Compound C re-versed the cardioprotection effects provided by hydro-gen sulfide postconditioning and reduced the expression of pAMPKαand PGC-1α. Conclusion AMPK/ PGC-1α pathway is involved in the role of hydrogen sulfide against ischemia/reperfusion injury.

[ ABSTRACT] AIM:To investigate the genetic cause of 2 Chinese families with Marfan syndrome .METHODS:The clinical and laboratory investigations were performed in the 2 unrelated Chinese families .Family 1 had 1 patient with cardiac problem.Family 2 had 2 patients:one died, and the other with respiratory and cardiac problems .Next generation sequencing and Sanger sequencing in the Marfan syndrome causal gene FBN1 were performed in the patient , his unaffected sister and the parents of family 1.Sanger sequencing covering all the exons and intron-exon boundaries were performed in the patient and the parents in family 2.Bioinformatic analysis was engaged in the variations unravelled .Fifty healthy indi-viduals were also investigated in the same manner .RESULTS:Both patients were diagnosed with Marfan syndrome .A no-vel mutation c.4685G>A (p.Cys1562Tyr) was detected in the patient of family 1 but was absent in his parents and the unaffected sister .This is a previously unreported novel mutation .In the mutation a conserved Cys was substituted by a Tyr in amino acid 1562 affecting a TGF-βbinding domain and the secondary structure in the encoded protein .We also detected the mutation c.3706T>C (p.Cys1236Arg) in the patient of family 2.It was absent in the unaffected parents , and there-fore was a de novo mutation too.This mutation has been previously reported and known to be associated with neonatal Marfan syndrome .Both mutations were absent in the 50 healthy controls .We also compared the genotype and phenotypes of the 2 families.CONCLUSION:We report 2 de novo mutations in 2 Chinese families with Marfan syndrome .One of the 2 mutations is novel.The phenotype of the mutation c.4685G>A(p.Cys1562Tyr) in family 1 is associated with classical Marfan syndrome, while that of c.3706T>C (p.Cys1236Arg) in family 2 is with neonatal type of Marfan syndrome .De novo mutations may be a cause for a proportion of mutations underlying the disease .The novel mutation also expends the mutational spectrum of the FBN1 gene.

Aim To explore the role of PI3 K/Akt/Sirt1 pathway in cardioprotection of hydrogen sulfide ( H2 S ) postconditioning against ischemia/reperfusion ( I/R) injury. Methods Langendorff perfusion appa-ratus was used to build an isolated rat myocardial I/R model. Isolated rat hearts were subjected to 30 min global ischemia followed by 60 min reperfusion after 20 min of equilibrium. 60 male SD rats were randomly di-vided into 5 groups(n=12):control group(Control), ischemia/reperfusion group( I/R) , H2 S postcondition-ing group( H2 S) , inhibitor LY294002 group( LY) and H2 S with inhibitor group( H2 S+LY) . The left ventric-ular diastolic pressure ( LVEDP ) , the left ventricular developed pressure(LVDP), the maximum rate of in-crease or decrease of left ventricular pressure ( ± dp/dtmax ) were registered at the end of 20 min equilibri-um, 30 and 60 min of reperfusion separately. Triphe-nyl tetrazolium chloride( TTC) staining was used to de-termine the myocardial infarct size. The levels of Sirt1 and PGC-1 mRNA were tested using real-time PCR. The expressions of Sirt1 and PGC-1αwere detected with Western blot analysis. Immunohistochemical method was used to determine the location of Sirt1 . Results There were no differences in equilibrium hemodynamics observed between the experimental groups(P>0. 05). At the end of reperfusion, compared with I/R group, H2 S group had obviously ameliorated functional recov-ery and significantly decreased the myocardial infarct size(26. 9 ± 4. 9)% vs(48. 9 ± 5. 6)%(P <0. 05). Meanwhile, the expression of Sirt1 and PGC-1α in-creased significantly. However,LY294002 reversed the cardioprotective effects provided by hydrogen sulfide postconditioning and reduced the level of Sirt1 and PGC-1α, the percentage of Sirt1-positive nuclei. Con-clusion PI3 K/Akt/Sirt1 signaling pathway mediates the hydrogen sulfide postconditioning-induced protec-tion against I/R injury.