Hemodynamic shear stress regulates the transcriptional expression of heparan sulfate proteoglycans in human umbilical vein endothelial cell.

We have previously demonstrated the adaptive remodeling of endothelial glycocalyx under shear stress. However, the underlying mechanism in glycocalyx remodeling, especially the expression of the components heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) under shear stress was not completely known. In the present study, we investigated the expression of those HSPGs (syndecan family and glypican-1) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) responded to the distinct magnitude of shear stress, and performed a systematic and comprehensive analyze on the relationship between shear stress and HSPGs mRNA expression in a temporal manner. During the initial 0.5h of exposure, syndecan-1 mRNA was greatest upregulated by 4 dyn/cm2 of shear stress, and syndecan-4 mRNA was significantly upregulated by 10 dyn/cm2 and 15 dyn/cm2. After 24h of exposure, the greatest increased HSPG mRNA was syndecan-4 under 4 dyn/cm2, and was syndecan-3 under 15 dyn/cm2. The adaptive remodeling of endothelial glycocalyx may due to the change in the expression of those molecules. Furthermore, the changes of those molecules that may associate with the vascular homeostasis and endothelial dysfunction revealed the potential candidate components of the glycocalyx in response to cardiovascular diseases.

Role and diagnostic value of gene variants in assessing the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Meta-analyses have revealed many positive associations between gene variants and susceptibility to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, some of those positive results may be false positives. Therefore, we investigated the genetic polymorphisms associated with COPD risk and determined their diagnostic value. We extracted the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval for each polymorphism from published meta-analyses concerning gene variants and COPD susceptibility in October 2014, subsequently we calculated false-positive report probabilities (FPRPs) for statistically significant associations (P value < 0.05). We determined the diagnostic value of the true positive polymorphisms of COPD using the Meta-DiSc software. Twenty-five gene polymorphisms were significantly associated with COPD risk. The FPRP test results were as follows: 1) when the prior probability was 0.001 and the OR was 1.5, ADAM33 rs612709, CHRNA3/5 rs1051730, CHRNA3/5 rs8034191, CHRNA3/5 rs16969968, and TGFB1 rs1800470 were truly associated with COPD risk (FPRP < 0.2); 2) when the prior probability was 0.000001 and the OR was 1.5, all the variants except TGFB1 rs1800470 remained noteworthy; and 3) when the probability was 0.000001 and the OR was 1.2, ADAM33 rs612709 and CHRNA3/5 rs1051730 remained true positives. Unfortunately, the results of the diagnostic accuracy meta-analyses suggested that none of the variants had high value for COPD diagnosis.

Dry eye symptoms and signs in children wearing OK lenses for six months in China.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to investigate symptoms of dry eye and signs of ocular surface disease in children with myopia during OK lens wear. METHODS: A total of 68 subjects were prospectively managed with OK lens correction. These subjects were 8-14 years of age with myopia -0.50 to -5.00 dioptres of sphere and astigmatism of≤1.00 dioptres of cylinder. Patients with any ocular disease were ruled out from this study. All subjects completed a dry eye symptom questionnaire for OSDI scoring, corneal fluorescein staining, tear film break up time (TBUT) test and Schirmer's test I during the follow-up period. The follow-up period includes the primary visit (baseline), and at one day, one week, one month and six months after wearing the lens. RESULTS: In terms of dry eye symptoms, we found that OSDI scores were significantly high after one day of wearing the lens (P<0.05). Additionally, TBUT values significantly decreased after one day (P<0.01) and one week (P<0.05) of wearing the OK lens. Corneal staining grade also significantly increased after one day and one week of wearing the OK lens. Furthermore, Schirmer's Test I values slightly, but not significantly, increased after one day and one week of wearing the lens. All variables returned to pre-wear levels at one month after wearing the lens, which remained stable up to six months of wearing the OK lens. CONCLUSION: Our study is the first reveal that OK lens wear in children leads to dry eye symptoms and disturbs the tear film during the initial period of OK lens wear. However, this did not significantly interfere with tear secretion during the follow-up period.

Percutaneous transsplenic embolization of esophageal and gastrio-fundal varices in 18 patients.

AIM: Clinical application and potential complication of percutaneous transsplenic varices embolization (PTSVE) of esophageal or gastrio-fundal varices in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) complicated with portal vein cancerous thrombosis (PVCT). METHODS: 18 patients with HCC complicated with PVCT and esophageal or gastrio-fundal varices who underwent PTSVE were collected. The rate of success, complication, mortality of the procedure and postoperative complication were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS: PTSVE were successfully performed in 16 of 18 cases, and the rate of success was 89%. After therapy erythrocyte counts decreased in all of the natunts. 5 of patients needed blood transfusion, 2 patients required surgical intervention because of and 11 patients with ascites were alleviated by diuresis. Among these 18 patients, the procedure-related mortality was 11% (2/18), one died of acute hepatic failure on the forth day after procedure, another died of acute renal failure on the fifth day. The patients were follow up for 1-12 mon exceptone. 13 of them died of their tumors but none of them experienced variceal bleeding. CONCLUSION: PTSVE is a relatively safe and effective method to treat esophageal or gastrio-fundal varices in HCC patients with PVCT when percutaneous transhepatic varices embolization (PTHVE) of varices is impossible.

An experimental study and clinical pilot trials on yttrium-90 glass microspheres through the hepatic artery for treatment of primary liver cancer.

BACKGROUND: Yttrium-90 (90-Y) glass microsphere is a new kind of radiation microsphere for internal radiation therapy of primary liver cancer (PLC). The study was carried out by administration of 35 microns nondegradable 90-Y glass microsphere through the hepatic artery for treatment of PLC. METHODS: Six rabbits were injected with 185-1480 megabecquerels (MBq) of 90-Y glass microspheres, and three rabbits were injected with 35-300 mg of 89-Y glass microspheres for the toxic test. Eighteen patients received 2442-5550 MBq of 90-Y glass microspheres for the treatment of PLC. Whole blood counts, liver function, and imaging examination were performed. Pathologic examinations were performed on all rabbits. RESULTS: All rabbits were apparently well after absorbing 114.1-845.2 Gy 90-Y glass microspheres in the liver but showed transient degeneration of hepatocytes and portal fibrosis histologically. The mean absorbed dose in liver tissue of patients with PLC was 30.33 Gy, whereas that in tumor tissue was 88 Gy and the highest in tumor tissue, 186.36 Gy. The mean tumor:liver tissue ratio was 3:1; the highest, 14:1. Fourteen patients were still alive after half a year's follow-up and 6 of these 14 were still alive after 1 year. CONCLUSIONS: The rabbits could tolerate up to eight-fold of the upper limit of clinical dose (100 Gy). Good responses to the radiation therapy of 90-Y glass microspheres in patients with localized and hypervascular or vascular mass were achieved. Contraindications for the therapy were presence of massive hepatic arterioportal shunt and cancer emboli in the main portal vein. It is safe and applicable to deliver 90-Y glass microspheres in large doses through the hepatic artery for internal radiation treatment of PLC.

Yttrium-90 glass microspheres injected via the portal vein. An experimental study.

Nondegradable glass microspheres (35 mu) were injected into the portal vein for toxicity test in 15 rabbits. In 10 animals the microspheres were loaded with 90Y, giving liver absorbed doses between 24.6 and 437.4 Gy, and in 5 with 89Y (control group). The total amount of microspheres injected in each animal varied between 35 and 140 mg. The rabbits in the experimental group tolerated the effect of radioembolization in a dose 4 times higher than the upper limit of the clinical dose (100 Gy). After injection of 90Y glass microspheres into the portal vein of rats with diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced hepatic carcinoma, the microspheres, in addition to the liver parenchyma, accumulated in central and peripheral parts of the cancer nodules, causing necrosis. The internal radiation therapy of 90Y glass microspheres delivered via the portal vein may be an effective nonsurgical method for the treatment of liver cancer, especially in small nodules.