[Effect of fully covered self-expandable metal stents completely inserted into the common bile duct in the treatment of benign biliary stricture].

Objective: To investigate the safety and efficacy of fully covered self-expandable metal stents(FCSEMS) completely inserted into the common bile duct in the treatment of benign biliary stricture(BBS). Methods: From December 2018 to December 2020, 22 cases of BBS treated by FCSEMS completely inserted into the common bile duct were analyzed retrospectively in the cholelithic center of Shanghai East Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University, including 12 males and 10 females, with average ages of (50.9±8.6) years. Results: All 22 cases of FCSEMS insertion were successful. The average indwelling time was (221.9±19.8) d. There were no complications of enterobiliary reflux such as liver abscess, acute cholangitis, and common bile duct obstruction. FSCEMS proximal displacement occurred in 2 cases (9.1%) with the removal time of 62 min and 115 min, respectively. There was no FCSEMS proximal displacement in 20 cases (90.9), with an average removal time of (29.7±6.3) min. All the 22 cases were followed up for 16.0 (8.0, 25.3) months, and there was no recurrence of stenosis. Conclusion: FCSESM completely inserted into the common bile duct is an effective method for the treatment of BBS, which can avoid the occurrence of enterobiliary reflux.

Effects of essential oil/palygorskite composite on performance, egg quality, plasma biochemistry, oxidation status, immune response and intestinal morphology of laying hens.

The current study aimed to assess the effects of different levels of essential oil/palygorskite composite (EO-PGS) supplementation on performance, egg quality, oxidative status, immunity and intestinal morphology of laying hens. A total of 480 laying hens aged 65 wk were randomly assigned into 4 groups (6 replicates of 20 hens each). Hens were fed the basal diet supplemented with 0 (control diet), 0.5, 0.75 or 1.0 g/kg EO-PGS for 56 d. Data were analyzed by One-way ANOVA. Results showed that birds fed with diet supplemented with EO-PGS had increased the egg production (P < 0.05) more than birds fed with control diet. The yolk index and shell thickness were increased in 0.75 and 1.0 g/kg EO-PGS groups at d56 (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in plasma biochemical parameters among all groups. Compared with the control group, supplementation of EO-PGS increased the immunoglobulin-G and interleukin-2 levels in plasma (P < 0.05). The total antioxidant capacity in plasma and liver, the plasma catalase concentration, the activity of total superoxide dismutase in the liver and the activity of glutathione peroxidase in the spleen were increased in the EO-PGS groups (P < 0.05). The concentration of malondialdehyde in the liver was decreased with the increasing level of EO-PGS (P < 0.05). The crypt depth of ileum and duodenum of birds fed with EO-PGS supplemented diet had a tendency to decrease (0.05

[Effect of pancreatic stent combined with somatostatin on the prevention of acute pancreatitis after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography].

Objective: To explore whether the use of pancreatic stent combined with somatostatin can produce the synergistic effect of preventing acute pancreatitis (AP) and hyperamylasemia (HP) after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Methods: From January 2019 to December 2019, the clinical data of 325 patients with ERCP were analyzed retrospectively in cholelithic center of Shanghai East Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University. According to the different methods of AP prevention, the patients were divided into the observation group (pancreatic stent and somatostatin) and the control group (pancreatic stent) and the incidence of AP and HP were compared. Results: In the observation group, there were 5 cases of AP (3.65%) and 10 cases of HP (7.30%). In the control group, there were 7 cases of AP (3.72%) and 19 cases of HP (10.11%). The incidence of AP and HP in the observation group was lower than that in the control group, but the differences were not statistically significant (χ²=0.001, P=0.972; χ²=0.768, P=0.381). Conclusion: The use of pancreatic stent combined with somatostatin will not produce the synergistic effect of preventing AP and HP after ERCP.

The effects and combinational effects of Bacillus subtilis and montmorillonite on the intestinal health status in laying hens.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects and combinational effects of Bacillus subtilis (BS) and montmorillonite (MMT) on laying performance, gut mucosal oxidation status, and intestinal immunological and physical barrier functions of laying hens. Three hundred sixty laying hens (29-week-old) were randomly assigned to a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments (n = 6) for 10 wk as follows: (1) basal diet; (2) the basal diet plus 5 × 108 cfu BS/kg; (3) the basal diet plus 0.5 g MMT/kg; and (4) the basal diet plus 5 × 108 cfu BS/kg and 0.5 g MMT/kg. Dietary supplementation with BS increased egg production and egg mass, the activities of catalase (CAT) and total superoxide dismutase in the intestinal mucosa, and villus height and villus height-to-crypt depth ratio of the jejunum (P < 0.05) but downregulated the mRNA expression levels of toll-like receptor 4 and myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) in the duodenum and jejunum, interleukin 1 beta in the duodenum, and nuclear factor kappa B P65 (NF-κB P65) and tumor necrosis factor alpha in the jejunum (P < 0.05). Dietary supplementation with MMT increased egg production and egg mass, the concentration of secretory immunoglobulin A in the duodenum, and the occludin mRNA expression level in the jejunum (P < 0.05) but reduced feed conversion ratio, malondialdehyde concentration in the duodenum and jejunum, and the mRNA expression level of MyD88 in the jejunum (P < 0.05). In addition, there was an interaction effect between BS and MMT supplementation on the CAT activity and the MyD88 mRNA expression level in the duodenum and the mRNA expression level of occludin in the jejunum (P < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary BS and MMT and their combination may improve the intestinal health status of laying hens, which may contribute to the increase in hens' laying performance.

[Effects of human leucocyte antigen-G expression on invasion and proliferation of chorionic trophoblastic cell line JEG-3].

Objective: To investigate the effects of human leukocyte-associated antigen-G (HLA-G) expression in silencing trophoblast cell line JEG-3 under normal and hypoxic conditions on invasion and proliferation of JEG-3 cells. Methods: Inhibition of HLA-G expression in JEG-3 cells by transfection of small interfering RNA (siRNA),the transfected JEG-3 cells were divided into 4 groups: normoxia control group, hypoxia control group, normoxia inhibition group and hypoxia inhibition group. The levels of HLA-G mRNA and protein in 4 groups of cells were detected by real-time quantitive PCR and western blot. The proliferation activity and invasion ability of 4 groups of cells were determined by methylthiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay and invasion assay. Results: (1) Real-time quantitive PCR technology showed: the level of HLA-G mRNA in the hypoxic inhibition group (0.220±0.050) was significantly different (P<0.05), when compared with that in the hypoxic control group (0.630±0.030) and normoxic inhibition group (0.400±0.020). (2) Western blot analysis showed: the expression level of HLA-G protein in the hypoxic inhibition group was 0.260±0.010, statistically different from that in the hypoxic control group (0.850±0.100) and the normoxic inhibition group (0.560±0.020; P<0.05).(3) MTT showed: proliferative activity of JEG-3 cells in the normoxic inhibition group was 0.490±0.070, the ability of cell proliferation was reduced. When compared with that in the normoxic control group (0.850±0.050), the differences was statistically significant (P<0.05). The proliferative activity of JEG-3 cells in the hypoxic inhibition group (0.330±0.070) was lower than that in the normoxic inhibition group (0.490±0.070), and there was a significant difference (P<0.05). (4) Invasion assay showed: compared with the normoxic control group (98±7), the invasive ability of JEG-3 cells in the normoxic inhibition group (73±7) was weakened, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The number of transmembrane cells (52±11) of JEG-3 cells in the hypoxic inhibition group was lower than that in the hypoxic control group (72±7), and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Compared with the normoxic inhibition group, the invasion ability of JEG-3 cells in the hypoxic inhibition group decreased, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion: Under hypoxia, using siRNA technology to down-regulate the expression of HLA-G may affect the proliferation and invasion ability of trophoblast cells, which may be involved in the occurrence of hypertensive disorder of pregnancy.

Upregulation of fibroblast growth factor 1 in the synovial membranes of patients with late stage osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative disease of the systemic joint that involves multiple cytokines and growth factors. Fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF-1) is increased in patients with rheumatic arthritis. The aim of this study was to determine whether the expression and secretion of FGF-1 differed in synovial tissue from patients with late stage OA from that in normal tissues. We selected eight patients with late stage OA and eight healthy donors for this study. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine the amount of FGF-1 in the synovial fluid and in the culture medium of synovial fibroblasts. Real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis was performed to examine the expression levels of FGF-1 and FGF receptor 2 (FGFR2) in synovial and cartilage tissues. We detected FGF-1 in the synovial fluid from all eight donors, as well as in the culture medium of synovial fibroblasts. Synovial fluid from patients with OA and culture medium of OA synovial fibroblasts contained significantly more FGF-1 than those from controls. FGF-1 expression was also lower in the synovial membranes of normal donors than in those of OA patients. FGFR2 expression was also higher in OA cartilage than in normal cartilage. Overall, these results demonstrated that FGF-1 synthesis and secretion by synovial fibroblasts were significantly increased in OA. FGFR2 expression was also shown to be upregulated in patients with OA. These findings suggest that increased FGF-1 signaling correlates with an OA pathological condition.

Molecular characterization and tissue expression profile analysis of the porcine JAZF1 gene.

A recent study indicated that the JAZF1 gene was related to lipid metabolism by regulating the level of gene expression in humans and mice. In order to investigate whether JAZF1 gene expression was associated with fat deposition in pig, we cloned the full-coding region of the JAZF1 gene (GenBank accession No. KF307636) from porcine longissimus dorsi. Results showed that the open reading frame of JAZF1 covered 732 bp and encoded 243 amino acids. Multiple alignment of isoform sequences revealed that the deduced amino acid sequence of JAZF1 had a high degree of sequence similarity to other vertebrates, indicating that it was highly conserved during evolution. Bioinformatic analysis indicated that pig JAZF1 contained 23 phosphorylation sites and 19 glycosyl sites. JAZF1 was predicted to have 3 ZnF-C2H2 and 2 low-complexity domains. The JAZF1 mRNA expression pattern indicated that JAZF1 mRNA expression level in the liver was significantly different in 2 divergent breeds (P < 0.05). This article perhaps provided an important experimental basis for further research on the mechanisms of lipid metabolism and fat deposition in pigs.

Psychometric properties of dual-task balance assessments for older adults: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The ability to maintain balance while simultaneously performing a cognitive task is essential for daily living and has been implicated as a risk factor of falls in older adults. AIMS: To evaluate the evidence related to the psychometric properties of dual-task balance assessments in older adults. METHODS: An extensive literature search of electronic databases was conducted. Articles were included if they evaluated the psychometric properties of dual-task balance assessment tools in older adults. The data were extracted by two independent researchers and confirmed with the principal investigator. The methodology quality of each study was rated by using the Consensus-based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) checklist. RESULTS: Twenty-six articles were included in this systematic review. For dual-task static standing balance assessments, the center of pressure-related parameters (displacement, velocity) and reaction time measurements were reliable but not useful for prediction of falls. For walking balance assessments, the gait outcomes derived generally demonstrated good to excellent reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient >0.75), but their ability to predict falls varied. Outcomes derived from the cognitive tasks and the dual-task cost (dual-task performance minus single-task performance) mostly demonstrated low to fair reliability. The methodological quality of majority of studies was poor to fair, mainly due to small sample size. CONCLUSIONS: Among the dual-task balance assessments examined, the reliability and validity varied. The findings of this review should be useful in guiding the selection of dual-task balance measures in future research.

Characterization of porcine GAS6 cDNA gene and its expression analysis in weaned piglets.

The growth arrest-specific 6 gene (GAS6) is a member of the family of plasma vitamin K-dependent proteins, which are able to bind to phospholipids using an N-terminal gamma-carboxyglutamic acid domain. A recent report has demonstrated that the GAS6 gene can promote fat deposition and is associated with an increased number of fat cells in mice. In order to investigate whether GAS6 expression is associated with meat quality in pigs, a 2382-bp cDNA sequence of the porcine GAS6 gene (GenBank accession No. KC526197) was first obtained using rapid amplification of cDNA ends from porcine longissimus dorsi tissue. One A/G single nucleotide polymorphism anchored in exon 12 was genotyped using the marker PCR-RFLP-BglI, and the G allele was dominant in the pig breeds tested. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction showed that the porcine GAS6 gene was expressed in all tissues examined in weaned male Shaziling (SZL) and Yorkshire (YS) weanling piglets, and mRNA expression of GAS6 in the longissimus dorsi tissue of SZL piglets was significantly higher than that in YS piglets (P < 0.05). The GAS6 protein was likely to be a membrane protein and was detected in longissimus dorsi tissue from SZL and YS piglets using immunohistochemistry, with an abundant protein expression index (P > 0.05). The results imply that the GAS6 gene can be considered a potential candidate for meat quality trait selection and fat deposition in pigs.

Allelopathic effect of Acorus tatarinowii upon algae.

Besides competing with algae for light and mineral nutrients (i.e. N, P, etc.), the root system of Acorus tatarinowii excretes some chemical substances, which injure and eliminate alga cells, to inhibit the growth of the algae. When the algae cells were treated in "A. tatarinowii water", some of the chlorophyll a were destroyed and the photosynthetic rate of algae decreased markedly and the ability of alga cells to deoxidize triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) reduced greatly. Then alga cells turned from bright red to bluish green under fluorescence microscope. These showed that the allelopathic effects of A. tatarinowii on algae were obvious and planting A. tatarinowii can control some green algae. The experiment on the extractions of the secretions of the root system showed that the inhibitory effect had a concentration effect. If the concentration of the root secretion was below 30 microliters/disc, the inhibitory rate was negative; if it was over 45 microliters/disc, the inhibitory rate was positive. This proved that the influence of the root secretion on the same acceptor was a kind of concentration effect. When the concentration of the root secretion was low, it promoted the growth of algae; when the concentration reached a definite threshold value, it restrained the growth of algae. In present case, the threshold value was between 30 microliters/disc and 45 microliters/disc.

[Reconstruction of elbow flexion and shoulder abduction with transfer of pectoralis major].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical application of primary transfer of pectoralis major to reconstruct the elbow flexion and shoulder abduction. METHODS: 12 cases of old injury of branchial plexus with dysfunction of both elbow and shoulder joints were received surgical operation to reconstruct the palsy joints by primary transfer of pectoralis major, shoulder abduction was reconstructed by clavicular head and elbow flexion by sternal head respectively. All cases were followed up for 5 to 18 months. RESULTS: The function of both joints recovered obviously, the total superior rate is 91.7%. CONCLUSION: Only if the palsy joints, shoulder or elbow, remained normal or almost normal passive motion, and the muscle power of pectoralis major over 4 degrees, the primary transfer of pectoralis major should be a simple, reliable and convenient technique to reconstruct the palsy joints.

[Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of nikethamide after endotracheal administration in dogs].

Five dogs were anaesthetized by using i.v. 30 mg.kg-1 Na-pentobarbiturate. For each dog, the tracheostomy was done and a sterized rubber tube was inserted into the tracheal tract. Through the rubber tube, 10 ml sterized nikethamide (Nik) solution was rapidly injected into the tract via 10 ml syringe and 5 forceful ventilations were performed immediately with the aid of a balloon in 30 s. Following tracheal administration (ET) of Nik 8.3 or 25 mg.kg-1 in dogs the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics were studied. Blood Nik concentrations were determined by phosphorimetric method. It was shown that the absorption of Nik via tracheal tract was very quick. The blood Nik levels were 7.9 and 10.6 micrograms.ml-1 at 0.5 min and reached the maxima of 12.8 and 31.9 micrograms.ml-1, at 2.5 min, respectively, which was higher than that of i.v. Nik 8.3 mg.kg-1. Time course of Nik concentrations in plasma after ET 8.3 and 25 mg.kg-1 were fitted to a 2-compartment open model with T1/2Ka 0.48 and 0.85 min, T1/2 alpha 2.37 and 1.68 min, T 1/2 beta 114 and 130 min, AUC 1201 and 2790 micrograms.min.ml-1, bioavailability 84.7% and 65.5%, respectively. One minute after i.v. or ET Nik (8.3 or 25 mg.kg-1), respiration rate and tidal volume were increased and reached the maxima after 5 min. The recovery of respiration rate and tidal volume were proportional to the blood Nik concentration after 5-45 min with a linear regression coefficient of 0.9. The results indicated that ET Nik may be used instead of i.v. in resuscitation.

Homotransplantation of testis. A report of 11 cases.

Testis homotransplantation has been carried out in 11 patients since 1986. Of them, 8 suffered from congenital testicular dysplasia and the other 3 from orchiatrophy as a result of orchitis. Preoperatively, manifestations were a small penis, small testes, sexual dysfunction, indistinct secondary sex characteristics and low serum testosterone (1.7-7.35 mmol/L). Three cases had cadaver transplants and 8 had living relatives' transplants. The patients were followed up for 7 months to 4 years. The secondary sex characteristics and sexual function were improved remarkably after transplantation. Serum testosterone increased up to 12.8-18.2 mmol/L. All of 5 married patients resumed sexual intercourse satisfactorily. Three others got married after transplantation and have enjoyed normal sexual functions. Spermatozoa have been found in the semen in 3 of the cases.

Endotracheal administration of epinephrine during cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

A hypoxia-induced canine cardiac model was used to study the effectiveness hemodynamic response, arterial blood gas and pulmonary pathologic changes after endotracheal (ET) epinephrine administration in comparison with those from intravenous (IV) administration. The results indicated that the survival rate was the same with the drug given by either route. The increase of hemodynamic indices was lower in the group after ET administration than that after IV administration. No significant influence was exerted on the drug effects whether the drug is diluted in normal saline or in distilled water and no serious detrimental effects occurred on the lung tissues following ET epinephrine administration.