Objective    To analyze the surgical efficacy and influencing factors of myasthenia gravis (MG) patients with thymic atrophy after thymectomy. Methods    The clinical data of MG patients with thymic atrophy undergoing thymectomy between October 2014 and May 2018 in Daping Hospital of Army Medical University and Shijiazhuang People Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Results    A total of 71 patients were collected, including 40 males and 31 females with a mean age of 45.17±12.42 years. All patients received the surgery successfully. After the surgery, 20 (28.17%) patients were stable remission, 12 (16.90%) patients were minimal manifestation status,19 (26.76%) patients were improved, 5 (7.04%) patients showed no change, 3 (4.23%) patients were worsened, 10 (14.08%) patients were exacerbated and 2 (2.82%) patients were dead. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the preoperative illness duration (OR=4.61, 95%CI 1.13-18.85, P=0.03), and postoperative pyridostigmine combined with immunosuppressive (OR=0.12, 95%CI 0.03-0.45, P=0.00) were independent risk factors for long-term efficacy of thymectomy for MG patients with thymic atrophy. Conclusion    Early surgery after diagnosis of MG and postoperative pyridostigmine combined with immunosuppressive treatment is beneficial to the prognosis of MG patients with thymic atrophy.

AIM:To investigate the effect of microRNA-214 ( miR-214) on cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and the expression of the potential target genes .METHODS:A cell model of hypertrophy was established based on angiotensin-Ⅱ( Ang-Ⅱ)-induced neonatal mouse ventricular cardiomyocytes ( NMVCs) .Dual luciferase reporter assay was performed to verify the interaction between miR-214 and the 3’ UTR of MEF2C.The expression of MEF2C and hypertrophy-related genes at mRNA and protein levels was determined by RT-qPCR and Western blot , respectively .RESULTS:The expression of ANP, ACTA1,β-MHC and miR-214 was markedly increased in Ang-Ⅱ-induced hypertrophic cardiomyocytes .Dual lu-ciferase reporter assay revealed that miR-214 interacted with the 3’ UTR of MEF2C, and miR-214 was verified to inhibit MEF2C expression at the transcriptional level .The protein expression of MEF2C was markedly increased in the hypertro-phic cardiomyocytes .Moreover, miR-214 mimic, in parallel to MEF2C siRNA, inhibited the expression of hypertrophy-re-lated genes in Ang-Ⅱ-induced NMVCs.CONCLUSION:MEF2C is a target gene of miR-214, which mediates the effect of miR-214 on attenuating cardiomyocyte hypertrophy .

Objective To design and develop an air purification system for intensive care ambulances,which can effectively purify the air in the compartment and sterilize the microbes in the air.Methods By integrating titanium dioxide photocatalysts with air filtration materials,an air purification system was designed that was capable of effective sterilization of microbes in the air via photocatalytic oxidation and decomposition,and of effective filtration of particles in the air through HEPA filters.The protection effect was evaluated by air filtration and sterilization tests in accordance with the related national standards.Results The air cleanliness could reach the 100 000 level with bacteria counts no more than 1 CFU per pan for 15 minutes in the ambulance compartment when the air purification system worked normally,which could meet the demands of environmental hygienic standards for intensive care units.Conclusion The air purification system can effectively purify and sterilize the air in the compartment of an intensive care ambulance.The effects of air purification meet the requirements of related hygienic standards,which can satisfy the demands of treatment and intensive care for the victims in the ambulance.

To assure the clinical quality and requirement of CT shelter used in field environment, the factors related with the practical application were studied. The evaluation indicators of CT equipment were investigated. Based on the technical modification of vehicle shelter CT, the scanning conditions of shelter CT were analyzed. Moreover, the comparative study was done between shelter CT and common CT in hospitals. In result, in order to meet maneuverability application in the field, vehicle shelter CT was restrictive by the field conditions, traffic impacts and running requirement. The application of vehicle shelter CT was affected by the factors, such as mechanical stabilization, moving precision, power fluctuations and variations of temperature and humidity, etc. The results were helpful to improve the clinical quality of vehicle shelter CT and made a base for the quality control study in the future.
Humidity ; Temperature ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; instrumentation

To assure the clinical quality and requirement of CT shelter used in field environment, the factorsrelated with the practical application were studied. The evaluation indicators of CT equipment were investigated. Based on the technical modification of vehicle shelter CT, the scanning conditions of shelter CT were analyzed. Moreover, the comparative study was done between shelter CT and common CT in hospitals. In result, in order to meet maneuverability application in the field, vehicle shelterCT was restrictive by the field conditions, traffic impacts and running requirement. The application of vehicle shelter CT was affected by the factors, such as mechanical stabilization, moving precision, power fluctuations and variations of temperature and humidity, etc. The results were helpful to improve the clinical quality of vehicle shelter CT and made a base for the quality control study inthe future.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association of desmoplakin with the distribution and function of Nav1.5 by RNA silencing technology in HL-1 cells.

METHODSHL-1 cells with desmoplakin expression suppression by RNA silencing were examined for desmoplakin and Nav1.5 protein expressions by Western blotting, and the distribution and co-location of desmoplakin and Nav1.5 protein were detected by immunofluorescence staining. Patch-clamp recording was applied to analyze the changes in whole-cell sodium current after desmoplakin silencing.

RESULTSCompared with the untreated group and negative control group, the cells with desmoplakin silencing showed obviously reduced expressions of desmoplakin and Nav1.5 proteins. Co-localization of desmoplakin and Nav1.5 was detected at cell-cell contact in untreated and control conditions, and desmoplakin expression silencing induced a drastic redistribution of Nav1.5 with decreased peak current density (156.3∓6.2 vs 41.8∓3.1, n=6, P<0.05), a shift in voltage dependence of steady-state inactivation (-42 mV vs -61 mV, n=5, P<0.05), and prolonged time of recovery from inactivation.

CONCLUSIONDesmoplakin silencing caused redistribution of Nav1.5 protein and also changes in its electrophysiological properties in HL-1 cells.

Animals ; Cell Line ; Desmoplakins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Silencing ; Mice ; Mutation ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; metabolism ; NAV1.5 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel ; metabolism

The research on cycle change form of the pressure and the wall shear in human upper respiratory tract can strengthen understanding of the characteristics of the airflow in the place and provide us with a scientific basis for analyzing the diffusion, transition and deposition patterns of aerosol there. In our study, we used large eddy simulation to emulate the pressure and wall shear in human upper respiratory tract in conditions of the low intensive respiratory patterns, and discussed the distributing disciplinarian of the pressure and wall shear in mouth-throat model and trachea-triple bifurcation. The results showed that the pressure gradient variation in human upper respiratory tract was mainly fastened from root of epiglottis to trachea. The minimum pressure at the interim of inspiration was a duplication of the interim of expiration, and located on the posterior wall of the glottis. The pressure gradient variation was evident on trachea and its fork. The wall shear changed with the velocity of the air flow, and its direction changed periodically with breath cycle.
Biomechanical Phenomena ; Bronchi ; physiology ; Computer Simulation ; Epiglottis ; physiology ; Humans ; Mouth ; physiology ; Nose ; physiology ; Pharynx ; physiology ; Pressure ; Pulmonary Ventilation ; physiology ; Respiratory Mechanics ; physiology ; Respiratory Physiological Phenomena ; Respiratory System ; Shear Strength ; Stress, Mechanical ; Trachea ; physiology

We have designed a mobile operating room information management system. The system is composed of a client and a server. A client, consisting of a PC, medical equipments, PLC and sensors, provides the acquisition and processing of anesthesia and micro-environment data. A server is a powerful computer that stores the data of the system. The client gathers the medical device data by using the C/S mode, and analyzes the obtained HL7 messages through the class library call. The client collects the micro-environment information with PLC, and finishes the data reading with the OPC technology. Experiment results showed that the designed system could manage the patient anesthesia and micro-environment information well, and improve the efficiency of the doctors' works and the digital level of the mobile operating room.
Anesthesia ; Anesthesiology ; instrumentation ; Humans ; Medical Records Systems, Computerized ; Mobile Health Units ; Monitoring, Intraoperative ; methods ; Operating Room Information Systems ; Operating Rooms

BACKGROUND: Previous studies demonstrated that eucommia bark can promote bone marrow stern cells (BMSCs) differentiated into osteoblasts, but relative mechanism is poorly understood. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of eucommia bark water/methanol extracts on expressions of osteopontin (OPN) and osteoprotegedn (OPG) in rat BMSCs. METHODS: Totally 2 g eucommia bark powder were added into water or methanol to 16 mL and oscillated for 1 hour at room temperature. After soaked overnight, both extracts were centrifuged at 15 000 r/min for 10 minutes. Water extract was obtained from supernatant in water soaked powder. In methanol soaked powder, methanol extracts was obtained by concentrated supernatant in vacuo and resolved using 16 mL water. Water and methanol extracts were then filtered by 0.22 μm membrane, and conserved at -20℃. Six SD rats, aged 2 months, were selected, and the 3~(rd)passage of BMSCs were induced by water or methanol extracts with dilution of 1 × 10~(-2), 1 × 10~(-3), 1 × 10~(-4) and 1 × 10~(-5), respectively. PBS was added in the negative control group. All cells were cultured for 6 days. Expressions of OPN and OPG was measured by immunocytochemistry at 6 days with induction. The expression of OPN and OPG induced by water and methanol at 1 ×10~(-3) and 1×10~(-4) dilution was detected by RT-PCR. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Immunocytochemistrical results indicated that both water and methanol extracts of eucommia bark simulated OPN and OPG expression, in particular with dilution of 1×10~(-4). The methanol extracts had a stronger effect than water extract, but the expression of OPG did not change obviously. RT-PCR demonstrated that at the 3rd day of inducement, the level of OPN expression induced by water extract was higher than that of methanol extract, and no OPG expression was detected. Osteogenic differentiation of rat MSCs induced by eucommia bark water/methanol extracts relates to stimulating expression of OPN, which has no correlation to OPG. OPN expression induced by water extract is early than that of methanol extract.

Obiective To study the compartment environmental quality of ambulance against biological contamination for safe and comfortable transportation and treatment of patients. Methods The experimental research and numerical simulation were carried to master the state of compartment environmental quality, Results Compartment environment indexes excel technology demands, such as overpressure/negative-pressure, temperature, biological contamination, vibration and shock as well as noise and luminance, Conclusion The compartment environmental quality of this ambulance is in a good state.