Evaluation of a novel disposable endoscope for retroflexed endoscopic rubber band ligation of internal hemorrhoids: a randomized pilot study.

PURPOSE: Retroflexed endoscopic rubber band ligation (ERBL) for treating Grade II and III internal hemorrhoids using disposable endoscopes has not been previously assessed. We therefore compared the safety and effectiveness of ERBL for internal hemorrhoids using novel disposable endoscopes versus traditional reusable endoscopes. METHODS: This prospective randomized controlled trial involved 42 patients who underwent ERBL for Grade II and III internal hemorrhoids using either a disposable endoscope (n = 21) or a reusable endoscope (n = 21). Safety was assessed by the incidence of equipment failure, device-related adverse events, and in-procedure stability of vital signs. Effectiveness was assessed by the postoperative therapeutic effect, feasibility of retroflexed ERBL, and incidence of complications. RESULTS: In terms of safety, no life-threatening events, equipment failure, or device-related adverse effects occurred during the procedures in either group. The rate of diastolic blood pressure stability was significantly different between the two groups (P = .049), but the rates of systolic blood pressure and heart rate stability were similar. In terms of effectiveness, the therapeutic effects on postoperative Day 30 were similar in both groups. Image clarity and endoscopic flexibility in the disposable endoscope group were mildly inferior to those in the reusable endoscope group, but without statistical significance. Matching between the endoscope and ligating device was 100% in both groups. The incidence of complications on postoperative Days 1 and 10 was not significantly different between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Compared with reusable endoscopes, disposable endoscopes are equally safe, feasible, and reliable in ERBL for internal hemorrhoids.

Treatment strategy for patient with non-syndromic tooth agenesis: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Non-syndromic tooth agenesis (NSTA) is a type of ectodermal dysplasia (ED) in which patients with non-syndromic oligodontia may only affect teeth. No pathological findings were found in other tissues of the ectodermal. Herein, we report a case of a NSTA patient with severe dental anxiety and poor oral health. CASE PRESENTATION: A 5-year-old boy without systemic diseases presented as a patient with oligodontia, extensive caries, and periapical periodontitis. Molecular genetic analysis found a mutation in the Ectodysplasin A (EDA) gene, confirming the diagnosis of NSTA. CONCLUSION: Tooth agenesis (TA) is the most common ectodermal developmental abnormality in humans. Non-syndromic oligodontia patients often seek treatment in the department of stomatology. Because of their complex oral conditions, these patients should be provided with a systematic and personalized treatment plan.

Analysis of Inhibitory Effect of the Double-layer Nano-infusion on Vascular Restenosis in Animal Models of Coronary Atherosclerosis.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of double-layer nano-infusion on restenosis in animal models of coronary atherosclerosis (CAD). For this purpose, forty Apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene mice (ApoE -/ -) were fed with 1.25% cholesterol, 10% fat, and 88.75% standard diet to establish CAD models. They were classified into the control group with paclitaxel nanoparticles (PTX-NPs) and the observation group with balloon infusion of PTX combined with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) double-layer nanoparticles (V-P-NPs). The vascular endothelial healing and the occurrence of vascular restenosis were assessed. Results showed no significant differences in the particle size, distribution, and Zeta-potential between PTX-NPs and V-P-NPs (P>0.05). According to the transmission electron microscope (TEM), the nanoparticles had good dispersity, and the structure of the inner and outer layers of V-P-NPs was obvious. There were insignificant differences between the entrapment efficiency of PTX in PTX-PNS and the PTX and VEGF in V-P-NPs (94.32%, 95.66%, 97.89%) and drug-loading rate (28.91%, 30.12%, 29.91%) (P>0.05). The vascular endothelial healing degree of the observation group was better than that of the control group under optical coherence tomography (OCT). The restenosis, including the stenosis (6.91±7.59)%, proliferation (0.12±0.02), and the maximum intima thickness (0.07±0.09)mm of the observation group was decreased compared with the control group ((24.01±12.78)%, (0.28±0.01), (0.19±0.08)mm) (P<0.05). Then the double-layer nano-infusion therapy was conducive to healing vascular endothelial tissue and could effectively inhibit vascular restenosis, with clinical adoption value.

A Dual pH/O2 Sensing Film Based on Functionalized Electrospun Nanofibers for Real-Time Monitoring of Cellular Metabolism.

Real-time monitoring of dissolved oxygen (DO) and pH is of great significance for understanding cellular metabolism. Herein, a dual optical pH/O2 sensing membrane was prepared by the electrospinning method. Cellulose acetate (CA) and poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) nanofiber membrane blended with platinum (II)-5,10,15,20-tetrakis-(2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorophenyl)-porphyrin (PtTFPP) was used as the DO sensing matrix, upon which electrospun nanofiber membrane of chitosan (CS) coupled with fluorescein 5-isothiocyanate (FITC) was used as the pH sensing matrix. The electrospun sensing film prepared from biocompatible biomaterials presented good response to a wide range of DO concentrations and physiological pH. We used it to monitor the exracellular acidification and oxygen consumption levels of cells and bacteria. This sensing film can provide a luminescence signal change as the DO and pH change in the growth microenvironment. Due to its advantages of good biocompatibility and high stability, we believe that the dual functional film has a high value in the field of biotechnology research.

Successful Treatment of Allopurinol-Induced Severe Skin Reactions with Double Filtration Plasmapheresis: A Case Report.

Severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCAR) are uncommon and acute and frequently represent a drug reaction. For years, allopurinol use has remained the highest risk factor for SCARs worldwide. There are multiple risk factors for allopurinol-induced SCARs, including genetic and non-genetic factors. Renal failure has been found to be an important factor resulting in allopurinol-induced SCARs with greater severity and poorer prognosis. An 80-year-old female was admitted to our hospital after administration of allopurinol in December 2018. She developed erythaematous skin of the epidermis of the hips, which rapidly extended over the trunk and limbs, resulting in itching and flaking. The presumptive diagnosis was a drug-induced SCAR. Despite treatment with glucocorticoids and kidney support therapy, the skin lesions extended over the entire body. Fortunately, the progression of pruritic erythema was stopped by double-filtration plasmapheresis (DFPP). DFPP was discontinued after the signs of skin inflammation were no longer visible. Her skin, but not kidney function, recovered after 10 days of hospitalization. She tolerated DFPP well without development of any severe complications. We present here a case of allopurinol-induced SCAR, which was successfully treated with DFPP.

Comparative metabolomics analysis of donkey colostrum and mature milk using ultra-high-performance liquid tandem chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

Donkey milk has been widely shown to be an ideal substitute for human milk because of its similar composition. However, alterations to the composition of donkey milk during lactation have not been well studied. In this study, untargeted metabolomics with ultra-high-performance liquid tandem chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry were used to analyze and compare the metabolites in donkey colostrum (DC) and mature milk (DMM). Two hundred seventy metabolites were characterized in both DC and DMM. Fifty-two of the metabolites in the DC were significantly different from those in the DMM; 8 were downregulated and 44 were upregulated. This demonstrated that the composition of the donkey milk changed with lactation. Additionally, the interactions and metabolic pathways were further analyzed to explore the mechanisms that altered the milk during lactation. Our results provide comprehensive insights into the alterations in donkey milk during lactation. The results will aid in future investigations into the nutrition of donkey milk and provide practical information for the dairy industry.

[The Correlation of Fast-track Extubation Ultrasound Score and Clinical Multi-organ Information Indicators of Postoperative of Cardiac Surgery].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the correlation of Fast-track extubation ultrasound score (FTEUS) and clinical multi-organ information indicators in post-cardiac surgery patients. METHODS: prospectively recruit post-cardiac surgery patients who were about to extubating from Febuary 2019 to September 2019. A fast-track extubation ultrasound score protocol (FTE-USP) was developed on the basis of the conventional fast-track extubation standard precisely and individualized. Cardiac, pulmonary and inferior vena cava ultrasound examinations were performed by specially trained observers, video data were saved, FTE-USP was used for scoring, Kendall consistency coefficient was used to meature the interobserver consistency. The correlation between the FTEUS and the patients' clinical indicators was evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 207 patients were recruited in the study, including 89 males and 118 females, aged (54.63±11.80) years. The FTEUS was performed at bedside with a mean time of (8.23±2.08) min, Kendall consistency coefficient is 0.941. With the increase of the total score of FTEUS, the incidence of clinical adverse events increased (especially the arrhythmia), and there were significant changes in liver, kidney, heart, lung and other organ function indicators, among which serum creatinine level, serum cystatin C level, serum NT-pro-brain natriuretic peptide, length of stay in intensive care unit, non-invasive mechanical ventilation time after extubation, and incidence of arrhythmia were positively correlated with FTEUS (P < 0.05).With FTEUS increased to 5 points, the incidence of arrhythmia (14/24, 58.3%), cardiopulmonary resuscitation (2/24, 8.3%) and weaning failure (2/24, 8.3%) increased. CONCLUSION: FTE-USP integrates multi-organ informations, can be performed quickly at the bedside and alerts adverse events. It has the potential to be applied to assist clinical decision-making in post-cardiac surgery patients before extubation.

A flexible nanofiber membrane containing dendritic oxygen probe for visual monitoring pressure distribution.

Pressure-sensitive paints (PSP) enable non-intrusive visualization of surface pressure distribution on model surface which is important for aerodynamic studies. However, conventional PSP materials suffer from photobleaching and inadequate sensitivity. In this work, we rationally designed and synthesized novel dendritic oxygen probes (PT1 and PT2) by covalently grafting fluorinated dendrons onto platinum tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrin (PT0) (a common oxygen probe). Subsequently, PT2 loaded nanofibers membranes from polycaprolactone (PCL) were fabricated by electrospinning. Fabricated membranes showed high oxygen sensitivity (I0/I100 = 35.3) with excellent flexibility, good reversibility, and outstanding photostability (merely 2.0% intensity loss after prolonged irradiation). The pressure sensitivity was found around 0.73 % per kilopascal. Furthermore, significant variation in emission intensity with respect to the variation in air pressure (1.3-101.32 kPa), facilitates the naked eye visualization of the pressure distribution on the membrane surface. Such excellent oxygen and pressure sensitivity and photostability might be due to high fluorine contents of complex dendritic structure of PT2. This flexible fluorine-functionalized dendritic oxygen probe puts forward a facile and effective strategy to develop advanced PSP materials enabling accurate pressure mapping for aerodynamic studies.

Expressions and Prognostic Values of Notch3 and DLL4 in Human Breast Cancer.

Background: Notch signaling played a critical role in promoting breast tumorigenesis and progression. However, the role and prognostic value of Notch3 combined with DLL4 expression in breast carcinoma had not been explored. Methods: The retrospective study enrolled 90 breast cancer tissues and 60 noncancerous tissues from (conceal). The expression and prognostic value of Notch3 and DLL4 in patients with breast carcinoma were investigated using Oncomine and UALCAN database. Notch3 and DLL4 expression levels were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. We analyzed the correlation between both proteins expression and clinicopathological parameters and survival data, respectively. Results: The expressions of Notch3 and DLL4 were increased, and Notch3 expression was significantly positively associated with DLL4 in breast carcinoma. The 2 proteins dramatically correlated with advanced stage, high grade and negative Her2 status. The overexpressing of single or both Notch3 and DLL4 resulted in shortened survival of breast cancer patients. And Notch3 overexpression was one of independent risk predictors to poor prognosis. Conclusion: The interaction of Notch3 receptor and DLL4 ligand accelerates oncogenesis, progression, and poor prognosis of breast cancer patients. Notch3 protein may serve as one of biomarker to independently predict prognosis of patients.

LncRNA Rian reduces cardiomyocyte pyroptosis and alleviates myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury by regulating by the miR-17-5p/CCND1 axis.

Myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) is a pathological process characterized by cardiomyocyte death. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been shown to be dysregulated in the course of MIRI. Accordingly, the current study investigated the mechanism of lncRNA Rian in MIRI-induced cardiomyocyte pyroptosis. First, a murine model of MIRI was established by using the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery ligation method. Cardiac function and myocardial histopathological changes were evaluated by echocardiography and hematoxylin and eosin staining. Then, a cell model of MIRI was established by oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R), followed by analysis of NLRP3, cleaved caspase-1, and GSDMD-N levels by western blotting. The levels of IL-1ß, IL-18, TNF-α, and IL-10 were measured using ELISA. LncRNA Rian, miR-17-5p, and CCND1 expression in myocardial tissues and OGD/R cells were examined using RT-qPCR. Finally, the binding relationships between Rian and miR-17-5p and miR-17-5p and CCND1 were validated with the help of dual-luciferase and RNA pull-down assays. Rian was poorly expressed in MIRI mice and OGD/R cells. LncRNA Rian overexpression reduced cardiomyocyte pyroptosis in vivo and in vitro, as indicated by decreased NLRP3, cleaved caspase-1, GSDMD-N, IL-1ß, IL-18, and TNF-α levels and increased IL-10 levels. Furthermore, Rian bound to miR-17-5p and promoted CCND1 transcription. Notably, miR-17-5p overexpression or CCND1 silencing reversed the inhibitory effect of Rian overexpression on cardiomyocyte pyroptosis. Collectively, our findings indicate that Rian overexpression reduces cardiomyocyte pyroptosis and alleviates MIRI through the miR-17-5p/CCND1 axis.

Influence of dexmedetomidine on postoperative cognitive dysfunction in the elderly: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

INTRODUCTION: Dexmedetomidine (Dex) is suggested to be neuroprotective. However, influence of Dex on postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) in the elderly remains unknown. METHODS: We performed a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate the effect of Dex on POCD. Relevant studies were obtained by search of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane's Library databases. A random-effect model was used to pool the results. RESULTS: Fourteen RCTs including 1626 adults of 60 years or older who received surgery with general anesthesia were included. Because methodologically diverse scales were used for POCD, eight RCTs with POCD diagnosed with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) were included in the meta-analysis, while the remaining six RCTs with POCD diagnosed with other scales were qualitative synthesized. Pooled results of RCTs with MMSE showed that Dex significantly reduced the incidence of POCD (risk ratio: 0.47, 95% confidence interval: 0.37-0.60, p < 0.001) with no significant heterogeneity (I2  = 0%) or publication bias (p for Egger's regression test = 0.579). For the remaining six RCTs with POCD diagnosed with other scales, three of them showed that Dex was associated with a significantly lower incidence of POCD, while the other three RCTs did not show a significant difference. CONCLUSIONS: Dex is associated with a reduced risk of POCD in elderly patients receiving surgeries with general anesthesia, and the results were mainly obtained in studies with POCD diagnosed with MMSE. Based on these findings, Dex may be considered as a preventative measure for POCD in elderly patients.

Diagnostic Value of VDR in Bone Metastasis and Prognosis of Patients with Breast Cancer and Expression Correlation between Vitamin D Receptor and Hairless Protein.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is more likely to metastasize to the bone. Previous researches have revealed that the vitamin D receptor (VDR) contributes to breast cancer progression and bone metastasis in mouse and human breast cells, and hairless (Hr) protein interacts with VDR in the mammalian hair cycle. This study aimed to explore the expression of VDR/Hr in breast cancer, and the correlation between VDR/Hr and prognosis, bone metastasis, and metastasis-related prognosis. METHODS: The expression of VDR and Hr was analyzed on 119 breast cancer tissues and corresponding normal breast tissue from each of the breast cancer samples by immunohistochemistry staining, and the databases were supplemented as well. RESULTS: The expression of the VDR protein was significantly decreased in breast cancer patients (p < 0.05), inversely, the UALCAN (p = 0.000) and GEPIA (p > 0.05) databases showed that the VDR mRNA expression tended to be higher in tumor tissues. The Hr protein was expressed at a low level within breast cancer specimens (p < 0.05), which was in agreement with the level of Hr mRNA in UALCAN (p = 0.005) and GEPIA (p > 0.05). The protein levels of VDR and Hr were positively correlated (p > 0.05), while the mRNA levels suggested a close relationship with GEPIA (p < 0.05). Low expression of Hr protein displayed a tendency for longer overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS), and its mRNA data also revealed the same trend in the Kaplan-Meier dataset (both p > 0.05). However, VDR protein and mRNA with low expression had markedly shorter OS and RFS (both p < 0.05). The downregulation of VDR protein was significantly associated with an advanced stage (p < 0.05). Low VDR protein was an independent risk factor for poor prognosis (p < 0.05) and was negatively correlated with bone metastasis (p < 0.05). VDR protein and mRNA levels were both downregulated in breast cancer with bone metastasis (both p < 0.05). The area under ROC curve (AUC) for VDR protein expression to identify patients with bone metastasis was 0.661 (p < 0.05) and the AUC for VDR level to predict 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year OS was 0.621, 0.664, and 0.805 in patients with bone metastasis, respectively (p < 0.05). VDR with low expression accelerated bone metastasis and metastasis-related poor survival (both p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: VDR expression is a notable prognostic factor in primary breast cancer patients for predicting bone metastases and unfavorable clinical outcome.

Rotigotine protects against oxidized low-density lipoprotein(ox-LDL)-induced damages in human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVECs).

Rotigotine is a non-ergoline dopamine agonist that has been licensed for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. Cardiovascular diseases are the world's leading cause of death. Ox-LDL- induced endothelial damages are involved in the initiation and progression of cardiovascular diseases. In this study, we assessed the beneficial properties of Rotigotine on ox-LDL-induced insults to HUVECs to highlight its potential use in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Our findings show that Rotigotine suppresses the expressions of low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDL-R), proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK-9), and sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP-2). It also inhibits ox-LDL-induced cholesterol accumulation in endothelial cells (ECs), improves U937 monocytes adhesion, and decreases the representation of NADPH oxidase (NOX-4) and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in endothelial cells (ECs). Furthermore, Rotigotine inhibited the expressions of both vascular cellular adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in HUVECs and had anti-inflammatory efficacy in ox-LDL-induced cells by inhibiting the expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Notably, Rotigotine inhibits the activation of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) by preventing nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 and reducing the luciferase activity of NF-κB reporter. We, therefore, conclude that these effects of Rotigotine on HUVECs suggest that it may play a therapeutic role in cardiovascular diseases.

Influence of Dexmedetomidine on Post-operative Atrial Fibrillation After Cardiac Surgery: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Background: Previous clinical studies and meta-analysis evaluating the influence of dexmedetomidine on postoperative atrial fibrillation showed inconsistent results. We performed an updated meta-analysis to evaluate the influence of dexmedetomidine on incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery. Methods: Randomized controlled trials that evaluated the potential influence of dexmedetomidine on the incidence of atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery were obtained by search of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane's Library databases from inception to April 12, 2021. A random-effects model incorporating the potential publication bias was used to pool the results. Influences of patient or study characteristics on the efficacy of dexmedetomidine on atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery were evaluated by meta-regression and subgroup analyses. Results: Fifteen studies with 2,733 patients were included. Pooled results showed that dexmedetomidine significantly reduced the incidence of atrial fibrillation compared to control (OR: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.55-0.94, p = 0.02) with mild heterogeneity (I 2 = 26%). Subgroup analysis showed that dexmedetomidine significantly reduced the incidence of atrial fibrillation in studies from Asian countries (OR: 0.41, 95% CI: 0.26-0.66, p < 0.001), but not in those from non-Asian countries (OR: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.71-1.10, p = 0.27; p for subgroup difference = 0.004). Meta-regression analysis showed that the mean age and proportion of male patients may modify the influence of dexmedetomidine on POAF (coefficient = 0.028 and 0.021, respectively, both p < 0.05). Subgroup analysis further showed that Dex was associated with reduced risk of atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery in studies with younger patients (mean age ≤ 61 years, OR = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.28-0.69, p = 0.004) and smaller proportion of males (≤74%, OR = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.36-0.83, p = 0.005), but not in studies with older patients or larger proportion of males (p for subgroup difference = 0.02 and 0.04). Conclusions: Current evidence supports that perioperative administration of dexmedetomidine may reduce the risk of incidental atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery, particularly in Asians.

Overexpression of Trpp5 contributes to cell proliferation and apoptosis probably through involving calcium homeostasis.

Trpp5 is one member of the polycystic kidney disease (PKD) family, which belongs to transient receptor potential (TRP) superfamily. Our previous study has shown that Trpp5 is developmentally expressed in mouse testis and overexpression of Trpp5 increases intracellular free calcium concentration in MDCK cells. However, the roles of this protein in cellular processes are largely unknown. Here, we demonstrated that Trpp5 resided in both cytoplasm and cell membrane of HEK293 cells. We found that overexpression of Trpp5 slightly increased the calcium current amplitude of HEK293 cells and shifted the reversal potential to a more negative value. Meanwhile, overexpression of Trpp5 suppressed proliferation of Hela cells via inhibiting DNA replication and induced apoptosis of Hela cells with morphological changes and accumulation of fragmented DNA. Collectively, these findings suggest that Trpp5 might involve calcium homeostasis contributing to cell proliferation and apoptosis.

Down-regulation of Pkd2 by siRNAs suppresses cell-cell adhesion in the mouse melanoma cells.

The Pkd2 gene encodes an integral protein (~130 kDa), named polycystin-2 (PC-2). PC-2 is mainly involved in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. Recently, polycystin-1/polycystin-2 complex has been shown to act as an adhesion complex mediating or regulating cell-cell or cell-matrix adhesion, suggesting that PC-2 may play a role in cell-cell/cell-matrix interactions. Here, we knocked down the expression of Pkd2 gene with small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) in the mouse melanoma cells (B16 cells), indicating that the cells transfected with the targeted siRNAs significantly suppressed cell-cell adhesion, but not cell-matrix adhesion, compared to the cells transfected with non-targeted control (NC) siRNA. This study provides the first directly functional evidence that PC-2 mediates cell-cell adhesion. Furthermore, we demonstrated that PC-2 modulated cell-cell adhesion may be, at least partially, associated with E-cadherin. Collectively, these findings for the first time showed that PC-2 may mediate cell-cell adhesion, at least partially, through E-cadherin.

[Protective effects of dexmedetomidine against pulmonary ischemia-reperfusion injury during cardiopulmonary bypass in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the signaling pathways that mediate the protective effects of dexmedetomidine on lung tissue against ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). METHODS: Forty adult SD rats were randomized into 5 groups, namely I/R group (group A), dexmedetomidine group (group B), sham-operated group (group C), oxypenicillin group (group D), and oxypenicillin + dexmedetomidine group (group E). The arterial blood gas, lung tissue apoptosis rate, protein kinase (Akt), phosphorylated Akt (p-AKT), caspase-3 and caspase-9 were compared among the 5 groups. RESULTS: In groups A, B, D and E, the heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and oxygenation index (OI) measured before CPB, at opening of the left hilar and at the end of experiment decreased gradually while the respiratory index (RI) increased at the 3 time points. At the end of experiment, HR, MAP, and OI in group B were significantly higher and RI was significantly lower than those in groups A, D and E (P < 0.05). In groups A-E, the pathological scores of the lung tissue at the end of the experiment were 4.89, 1.89, 0, 6.01 and 5.76, respectively, and the cell apoptosis rates in the lung tissue were 6.25%, 3.69%, 1.06%, 8.06% and 7.79%, respectively (P < 0.001). Western blotting showed that the expressions of Akt and p-AKT were the highest and those of caspase-3 and caspase-9 were the lowest in group B among the 5 groups (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Dexmedetomidine can effectively alleviate lung injury in rats during CPB possibly by targeting caspase-3 and caspase-9 proteins that are related to PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Carbon Nanotubes with Carbon Blacks as Cofillers to Improve Conductivity and Stability.

In this study, a simple solution-mixing method is used to develop a kind of excellent flexible, electrically conductive adhesives (ECAs). Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and carbon blacks (CBs) as cofillers were added into Ag-based pastes. The use of the two fillers is due to the consideration that these two materials may provide positive synergistic effects for improving the conductivity of ECAs. The conductivity, flexibility, cyclability, and oxidation resistance of ECAs with different contents of carbon fillers were studied. It was found that a small amount of CNTs or CBs can dramatically improve the ECAs' conductivity. Solution-mixing method brings excellent carbon nanofiller dispersion in polymer matrix. Highly dispersed CNTs and CBs among the Ag flakes formed three-dimensional conducting networks to improve the conductivity of ECAs. The conductivity of ternary hybrid ECAs (with addition of 3 wt % CNTs and 2 wt % CBs) with a low content of 55 wt % Ag flakes is higher than that of the ECAs filled with only the Ag content over 65 wt %. Meanwhile, by selecting thermoplastic polyurethane resin as the matrix, the ECAs exhibited excellent mechanical compliance. The resistivity did not change when the ECAs were bended at a 60% flexural strain or pressed under 1200 kPa. Additionally, the adhesion strength of the new composited ECAs is better than that of a commercial ECA (Abletherm 3188). Further, no obvious conductivity change was observed when the sample was stored in ambient air condition at 80 °C and 60% relative humidity (60%) for 15 days.

Easily Synthesized Polyaniline@Cellulose Nanowhiskers Better Tune Network Structures in Ag-Based Adhesives: Examining the Improvements in Conductivity, Stability, and Flexibility.

It is essential to develop a novel and versatile strategy for constructing electrically conductive adhesives (ECAs) that have superior conductivity and high mechanical properties. In this work, easily synthesized polyaniline@cellulose (PANI@CNs) nanowhiskers with a high aspect ratio and excellent solubility in 1,4-dioxane were prepared and added to conventional Ag-containing adhesives. A small amount of PANI@CNs can dramatically tune the structure of the ECAs' conductive network and significantly improve the conductivity of the ECAs. Good solubility of PANI@CNs in solvents brings excellent dispersion in the polymer matrix. Thus, a three-dimensional (3D) conducting network formed with dispersed PANI@CNs and Ag flakes can enhance the conductivity of ECAs. The conductivity of the ECAs (with 1.5 wt% PANI@CNs and 55 wt% Ag flakes) showed three orders of magnitude higher than that of the ECAs filled with 55 wt% Ag flakes and 65 wt% Ag flakes. Meanwhile, the integration of PANI@CNs with Ag flakes in polymer matrices also significantly enhanced the mechanical compliance of the resulted ECAs. The resistivity remained unchanged after rolling the PANI@CNs-containing ECAs' film into a 4 mm bending radius for over 1500 cycles. A bendable printed circuit was fabricated using the above PANI@CNs-containing ECAs, which demonstrated their future potential in the field of flexible electronics.

Resveratrol attenuates high glucose-induced cardiomyocytes injury via interfering ROS-MAPK-NF-κB signaling pathway.

Cardiomyocyte inflammatory injury is likely required for cardiomyocytes death under hyperglycemia condition. Resveratrol (Res) is famous for its anti-inflammatory effect. However, there are few reports about the anti-inflammatory effect of Res induced by high glucose in cardiomyocytes. The aim of the present study is to investigate the inflammatory effect of high glucose and the anti-inflammatory effect of Res induced by high glucose in cardiomyocytes. Primary cardiomyocytes were isolated from new born SD rats and high glucose (30 mmol/L) was used as a stimulant for cell injury. Cell viability was assayed by CCK-8 method; protein expression was identified by Western blot or ELISA, respectively. The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was observed under a fluorescence microscope. The results indicated that High glucose (30 mmol/L) significantly decreased the cell viability of cardiomyocytes after co-cultivated for 12 h and had a time-dependent manner, and increased IL-1ß, IL-6 and TNF-α secretion in cardiomyocytes. The injury effect of high glucose involved in ROS-MAPK-NF-κB signaling pathway. For the reason that antioxidant NAC, ERK1/2, p38 MAPK and NF-κB specific pathway inhibitors was able to abolish the secretion of this inflammatory factors; pretreatment with antioxidant NAC significantly decreased the level of phosphorylated ERK1/2, p38 MAPK and nuclear NF-κB; pretreatment of PD98059 and SB203580 can significantly decrease NF-κB level in nuclei. After treatment with Res 20 µmol/L for 12 h, IL-1ß, IL-6 and TNF-α secretion were markedly decreased, and the phosphorylation of ERK1/2, p38 MAPK and NF-κB level were also decreased. All the results showed that Res attenuates high glucose-induced inflammatory injury through ROS-ERK1/2/p38-NF-κB signaling pathway in cardiomyocytes.