PURPOSE: Hand-sewn anastomosis as the gold standard of vascular anastomosis cannot fully meet the requirements of vascular anastomosis in speed and quality. Various vascular couplers have been developed to ameliorate this situation. Most of them are mainly used for venous anastomosis rather than arterial anastomosis. Although it is generally acknowledged that in almost all operations involving vascular reconstruction, it is the arteries that need to be anastomosed faster and more accurately and not the veins. A dedicated device is needed for creating arterial anastomosis in an easy, timesaving, less damaging but reliable procedure. Therefore, we plan to develop a novel arterial coupler device and test pre-clinical safety and effectiveness. METHODS: In this cohort study, the rationality of this novel arterial coupler was preliminarily tested by finite element analysis before it was manufactured. Several factors restrict the use of vascular couplers in arterial anastomosis, such as arterial eversion, fixation, etc. The manufactured arterial couplers underwent in vitro and in vivo experiments. In vitro, isolated arteries of beagles were anastomosed with the assistance of an arterial coupler, and the anastomosed arteries were evaluated through anti-traction tests. In animal experiments, the bilateral femoral arteries of 5 beagles served as a control group. After dissection, the femoral artery on one side was randomly selected to be anastomosed with a quick arterial coupler (QAC) (QAC group), and the femoral artery on the other side was anastomosed by the same person using an end-to-end suture technique with a 6-0 Prolene suture (suture group). The bilateral femoral arteries of 5 beagles were used for coupler-assisted anastomosis and hand-sewn anastomosis in vivo, respectively. Success rate, blood loss, anastomotic time, clamp time, total operation time, and patency rate were recorded. The patency of anastomosed arteries was assessed using vascular Doppler ultrasound, electromagnetic flowmeter, and pathological examination (6 weeks after surgery). RESULTS: As a novel arterial coupler, QAC was successfully designed and manufactured by using poly lactic-co-glycolic acid raw materials and 3-dimensions printing technology. Its rationality was preliminarily tested through finite element analysis and related mechanical analysis methods. The isolated arteries were successfully anastomosed with the assistance of QAC in vitro testing, which showed good anti-traction properties. In animal studies, QAC-assisted arterial anastomosis has superior profiles compared to hand-sewn anastomosis in anastomotic time (7.80 ± 1.41 vs. 16.38 ± 1.04 min), clamp time (8.80 ± 1.41 vs. 14.14 ± 1.57 min), and total operation time (46.64 ± 2.38 vs. 51.96 ± 3.65 min). The results of electromagnetic flowmeter, vascular Doppler ultrasound, and pathological examination showed that QAC-assisted anastomotic arteries were superior to hand-sewn arteries in terms of postoperative blood flow (16.86 ± 3.93 vs. 10.36 ± 0.92 mL/min) and vascular patency in 6 weeks after surgery. CONCLUSION QAC is a well-designed and easily maneuverable device specialized for end-to-end arterial anastomosis. Application of this device may decrease thermal ischemia time and improve the patency of anastomotic arteries, thus, improving outcomes.
Animals ; Anastomosis, Surgical/instrumentation* ; Dogs ; Femoral Artery/surgery* ; Vascular Surgical Procedures/instrumentation* ; Finite Element Analysis

The cooccurrence of NPM1, FLT3-ITD, and DNMT3A mutations (i.e., triple mutation) is related to dismal prognosis in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) receiving chemotherapy alone. In this multicenter retrospective cohort study, we aimed to identify whether allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) could overcome the poor prognosis of DNMT3A^mutNPM1^mutFLT3-ITD^mut AML across four transplant centers in China. Fifty-three patients with triple-mutated AML receiving allo-HSCT in complete remission were enrolled. The 1.5-year probabilities of relapse, leukemia-free survival, and overall survival after allo-HSCT were 11.9%, 80.3%, and 81.8%, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that more than one course of induction chemotherapy and allo-HSCT beyond CR1 were associated with poor survival. To our knowledge, this work is the largest study to explore the up-to-date undefined role of allo-HSCT in patients with triple-mutated AML. Our real-world data suggest that allo-HSCT could overcome the poor prognosis of DNMT3A^mutNPM1^mutFLT3-ITD^mut in AML.
Humans ; Nucleophosmin ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/mortality* ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation/methods* ; Male ; Female ; DNA Methyltransferase 3A ; Adult ; China ; Retrospective Studies ; DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases/genetics* ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; fms-Like Tyrosine Kinase 3/genetics* ; Mutation ; Young Adult ; Transplantation, Homologous ; Nuclear Proteins/genetics* ; Adolescent ; Aged

Anomalous aortic origin of the coronary artery(AAOCA) refers to the abnormal initiation, route, or distribution of coronary arteries, which is generally believed to be caused by abnormal or incomplete development of embryonic coronary arteries, and is a rare congenital cardiovascular malformation. It can exist independently without other congenital heart disease. With the development of medical science and people's understanding of AAOCA, more and more AAOCA has been detected, and its clinical significance has attracted more and more attention. Based on abnormal coronary artery opening, malignant or potential contorts can cause long-term blood flow dynamic change, appear abnormal blood vessel hardening of the arteries, at the same time due to walk in the pulmonary artery and the ascending aorta between two vessels, vulnerable to the extrusion of large blood vessels, which caused a temporary blood flow in coronary artery interruption, can cause acute angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, arrhythmia, exercise-induced cardiac syncope. This review focuses on the anatomy, diagnosis and treatment of coronary artery abnormalities arising from aorta.

BACKGROUND: Syringomyelia is a progressive chronic disease that leads to nerve pain, sensory dissociation, and dyskinesia. Symptoms often do not improve after surgery. Stem cells have been widely explored for the treatment of nervous system diseases due to their immunoregulatory and neural replacement abilities. METHODS: In this study, we used a rat model of syringomyelia characterized by focal dilatation of the central canal to explore an effective transplantation scheme and evaluate the effect of mesenchymal stem cells and induced neural stem cells for the treatment of syringomyelia. RESULTS: The results showed that cell transplantation could not only promote syrinx shrinkage but also stimulate the proliferation of ependymal cells, and the effect of this result was related to the transplantation location. These reactions appeared only when the cells were transplanted into the cavity. Additionally, we discovered that cell transplantation transformed activated microglia into the M2 phenotype. IGF1-expressing M2 microglia may play a significant role in the repair of nerve pain. CONCLUSION Cell transplantation can promote cavity shrinkage and regulate the local inflammatory environment.Moreover, the proliferation of ependymal cells may indicate the activation of endogenous stem cells, which is important for the regeneration and repair of spinal cord injury.

Objective:To compare the aortic remodeling of the Fabulous stent system and standard thoracic aortic endovascular repair (TEVAR) on distal aorta type B aortic dissection (TBAD). Methods:The prospective data collected between Dec 2017 and Oct 2019 from 134 patients with type B aortic dissection (TBAD) who underwent treatment with the "Fabulous" stent system, and retrospective data from 159 TBAD patients receiving standard TEVAR from corresponding multicenter. By using propensity score matching analysis, we compared the prognosis and aortic remodeling outcomes in patients undergoing Fabulous and standard TEVAR treatments during a 1-year postoperative follow-up.Results:In this study, 62 patients in Fabulous group and 62 patients in standard TEVAR were included.There were no significant statistical differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups. In terms of aortic remodeling in bare stent region, Fabulous group had better change trends of diameter of true lumen [10.6 (4.4, 14.5) mm vs. 4.7 (0.9, 10.7) mm, P=0.001] and false lumen [-24.2 (-30.5, -4.9) mm vs. 0.7 (-11.8, 2.3) mm, P<0.001] than those in the standard TEVAR group. The rate of complete false lumen thrombosis was also higher in the Fabulous group (62.9% vs. 37.1%, P=0.042). Conclusion:The Fabulous stent system, when compared to standard TEVAR surgery, demonstrates good aortic remodeling outcomes in the distal aorta.

Objective To study the clinical characteristics of children with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody(ANCA)-associated vasculitis(AAV).Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 25 children diagnosed with AAV at the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from January 2010 to June 2022.Results Among the AAV children,there were 5 males and 20 females,with a median age of onset of 11.0 years.Involvement of the urinary system was seen in 18 cases(72%);respiratory system involvement in 10 cases(40%);skin involvement in 6 cases(24%);eye,ear,and nose involvement in 5 cases(20%);joint involvement in 4 cases(16%);digestive system involvement in 2 cases(8%).Eleven cases underwent kidney biopsy,with 5 cases(46%)showing focal type,2 cases(18%)showing crescentic type,2 cases(18%)showing mixed type,and 2 cases(18%)showing sclerotic type.Immune complex deposits were present in 5 cases(45%).Seven cases reached chronic kidney disease(CKD)stage Ⅴ,with 2 cases resulting in death.Two cases underwent kidney transplantation.At the end of the follow-up period,2 cases were at CKD stage Ⅱ,and 1 case was at CKD stage Ⅲ.Of the 16 cases of microscopic polyangiitis(MPA)group,13(81%)involved the urinary system.Of the 9 cases of granulomatosis with polyangiitis(GPA),6 cases(66%)had sinusitis.Serum creatinine and uric acid levels were higher in the MPA group than in the GPA group(P<0.05),while red blood cell count and glomerular filtration rate were lower in the MPA group(P<0.05).Conclusions AAV is more common in school-age female children,with MPA being the most common clinical subtype.The onset of AAV in children is mainly characterized by renal involvement,followed by respiratory system involvement.The renal pathology often presents as focal type with possible immune complex deposits.Children with MPA often have renal involvement,while those with GPA commonly have sinusitis.The prognosis of children with AAV is poor,often accompanied by renal insufficiency.

Hepatic stellate cell(HSC)activation is a key link in the development of liver fibrosis.The metabolic reprogramming of activated HSC has become a hot topic in current research,especially the change of glycolysis is an important factor in regulating HSC activation.Based on the metabolic reprogramming in the process of HSC activation,this paper expounds the mechanism of regulating HSC activation and liver fibrosis through glycolysis,and reviews the research progress of traditional Chinese medicine and its active ingredients in regulating HSC glycolysis to prevent and treat liver fibrosis.Liver fibrosis is a complex pathological process involving multiple factors and pathways.From the perspective of regulating the glycolysis of activated HSC,it can provide a new idea for the development of anti-liver fibrosis drugs.

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics of superior mediastinal lymph node metastases (sMLNM) in medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). Methods: This retrospective analysis enrolled the patients who were treated for sMLNM of MTC in our hospital from May 2012 to January 2021. All patients were suspected of sMLNM due to preoperative imaging. According to the pathological results, the patients were divided into two groups named sMLNM group and the negative superior-mediastinal-lymph-node group. We collected and analyzed the clinical features, pathological features, pre- and post-operative calcitonin (Ctn), and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels of the two groups. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze risk factors, and receiver operation characteristic (ROC) curves were drawn to determine the optimal cut-off values of preoperative Ctn and preoperative CEA for predicting sMLNM. Results: Among the 94 patients, 69 cases were in the sMLNM group and 25 cases were in the non-SMLNM group. Preoperative Ctn level (P=0.003), preoperative CEA level (P=0.010), distant metastasis (P=0.022), extracapsular lymph node invasion (P=0.013), the number of central lymph node metastases (P=0.002) were related to sMLNM, but the multivariate analysis did not find any independent risk factors. The optimal threshold for predicting sMLNM by pre-operative Ctn is 1500 pg/ml and AUC is 0.759 (95% CI: 0.646, 0.872). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of diagnosis are 61.2%, 77.3%, 89.1%, 39.5%, respectively. In patients who underwent mediastinal lymph node dissection through transsternal approach, the metastatic possibility of different levels from high to low were level 2R (82.3%, 28/34), level 2L (58.8%, 20/34), level 4R (58.8%, 20/34), level 3 (23.5%, 8/34), level 4L (11.8%, 4/34). Postoperative complications occurred in 41 cases (43.6%), and there was no perioperative death in all cases. 14.8% (12/81) of the patients achieved biochemical complete response (Ctn≤12 pg/ml) one month after surgery, 5 of these patients were in sMLNM group. Conclusions: For patients who have highly suspicious sMLNM through imaging, combining with preoperative Ctn diagnosis can improve the accuracy of diagnosis, especially for patients with preoperative Ctn over 1 500 pg/ml. The superior mediastinal lymph node dissection for the primary sternotomy should include at least the superior mediastinal levels 2-4 to avoid residual lesions. The strategy of surgery needs to be cautiously performed. Although the probability of biochemical cure in sMLNM cases is low, nearly 40% of patients can still benefit from the operation at the biochemical level.
Humans ; Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; Lymphatic Metastasis/pathology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Lymph Nodes/pathology* ; Thyroid Neoplasms/pathology* ; Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine/pathology* ; Lymph Node Excision/methods*

Objective:To analyze the medication characteristics and prescription law of Ye Tianshi and Wu Jutong in the treatment of spleen and stomach diseases based on data mining method; To provide reference for clinical treatment of spleen and stomach diseases.Methods:Records related to spleen and stomach diseases in the Lin Zheng Zhi Nan Yi An and Wu Ju Tong Yi An were collected. SPSS Statistics 26.0, SPSS Modeler 18.0 and other software were used to conduct statistical analysis on the frequency, properties and efficacy of Chinese materia medica. The association analysis and clustering analysis were carried out on high-frequency drugs. Results:A total of 423 medical records, 231 kinds of Chinese materia medica (2 752 times) were included in the Lin Zheng Zhi Nan Yi An. A total of 83 medical records, 115 kinds of Chinese materia medica (753 times) were included in Wu Ju Tong Yi An. The Chinese materia medica used by Ye Tianshi and Wu Jutong to treat spleen and stomach diseases was mainly warm, mild and cold, with pungent, sweet and bitter as the main tastes; they mainly belonged to the spleen, lung and stomach meridians, and their main functions included clearing heat, diverting water and dampness, regulating qi, resolving phlegm, relieving cough, and tonifying deficiency. 6 second-order association rule combinations and 5 effective clusters were obtained for Ye Tianshi's treatment of spleen and stomach diseases, and 15 second-order association rule combinations and 6 effective clusters for Wu Jutong's treatment. Conclusions:Ye Tianshi and Wu Jutong's medication attributes in the treatment of spleen and stomach diseases are basically similar. They often use the method of bitter catharsis to regulate the qi movement of spleen and stomach, and the products of sweet and mild infiltration are used to eliminate dampness and heat. Compared with Ye Tianshi, Wu Jutong used few tonic, heat-clearing, phlegm-resolving, cough-relieving and asthma-relieving drugs, and more diuretics and qi-regulating drugs.

Objective To explore the role and mechanism of puerarin in ameliorating acetaminophen(APAP)-induced acute liver injury in mice based on ferroptosis signaling pathway.Methods Twenty-four C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into normal group,model group,and puerarin low-and high-dose groups(50 and 200 mg·kg-1),6 mice in each group;all the administration groups were given continuous gavage(10 mL·kg-1)once a day pre-dosed for 3 days.One hour after the last dose,APAP(300 mg·kg-1)was intraperitoneally injected into the mice of the model group and the puerarin low-and high-dose groups to replicate the drug-induced liver injury(DILI)mouse model.After 24 hours,the serum levels of alanine transaminase(ALT),aspartate aminotransferase(AST),and lactate dehydrogenase(LDH)were measured by the microplate assay;HE staining was used to observe the histopathological changes in liver tissue;the apoptosis of hepatocytes was observed by the TUNEL staining assay;the levels of malondialdehyde(MDA)were measured by the TBA assay;the mRNA expression levels of reactive oxygen species(ROS),4-hydroxynonenal(4-HNE),glutathione peroxidase 4(GPX4),and solute carrier family 7 member 11(SLC7A11)were detected by immunofluorescence;qRT-PCR was performed to measure the mRNA levels of ferroptosis-related genes GPX4,transferrin receptor(TFRC),and solute carrier family 11 member 2(SLC11A2)in liver tissue.Results Compared with the normal group,the serum ALT,AST,and LDH levels of mice in the model group were significantly elevated(P＜0.01);the liver lobules showed obvious damage,with swelling and rupture of hepatocytes,cytoplasmic vacuolisation,fragmentation of nuclei,congestion of the hepatic blood sinusoids and infiltration of inflammatory cells,and an increase in apoptotic cells;the level of MDA in the hepatic tissues was significantly elevated(P＜0.05);the red fluorescence(positive expression)of ROS and 4-HNE was significantly enhanced(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),and the red fluorescence(positive expression)of GPX4 and SLC7A11 was significantly weakened in liver tissue(P＜0.01);the mRNA expressions of GPX4 and SLC11A2 in liver tissue were significantly down-regulated(P＜0.05),and there was a tendency for the down-regulation of TFRC expression but the difference was not statistically significant(P＞0.05).Compared with the model group,the serum AST and LDH levels of mice in the low-and high-dose groups of puerarin were significantly reduced(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),and there was a decrease in serum ALT,but the difference was not statistically significant(P＞0.05);the structure of the liver lobules was clearer,with radial arrangement of hepatic cords,and the area of necrotic liver tissue and apoptotic cells were significantly reduced;the level of MDA in the liver tissue was significantly reduced(P＜0.05);the red fluorescence(positive expression)of ROS and 4-HNE in liver tissue were significantly attenuated(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).The red fluorescence(positive expression)of GPX4 and SLC7A11 in liver tissue of the mice in the puerarin low-dose group were significantly enhanced(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),and there was a tendency to enhance the red fluorescence(positive expression)of GPX4 and SLC7A11 in the liver tissue of the mice in the puerarin high-dose group,but the difference was not statistically significant(P＞0.05).The mRNA expressions of GPX4 and TFRC in liver tissue of mice in low-dose puerarin group was significantly up-regulated(P＜0.05),while the mRNA expressions of GPX4 and SLC11A2 in high-dose puerarin group were significantly up-regulated(P＜0.05).Conclusion Puerarin had a significant protective effect on APAP-DILI,which may be related to its inhibition of cellular ferroptosis through the SLC7A11/GPX4 pathway.