Cobalt-Catalyzed Acceptorless Dehydrogenation of Primary Amines to Nitriles.

The direct double dehydrogenation from primary amines to nitriles without an oxidant or hydrogen acceptor is both intriguing and challenging. In this paper, we describe a non-noble metal catalyst capable of realizing such a transformation with high efficiency. A cobalt-centered N,N-bidentate complex was designed and employed as a metal-ligand cooperative dehydrogenation catalyst. Detailed kinetic studies, control experiments, and DFT calculations revealed the crucial hydride transfer, proton transfer, and hydrogen evolution processes. Finally, a tandem outer-sphere/inner-sphere mechanism was proposed for the dehydrogenation of amines to nitriles through an imine intermediate.

The role of macrophage-derived TGF-ß1 on SiO2-induced pulmonary fibrosis: A review.

Silicosis is an occupational fibrotic lung disease caused by inhaling large amounts of crystalline silica dust. Transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1), which is secreted from macrophages, has an important role in the development of this disease. Macrophages can recognize and capture silicon dust, undergo M2 polarization, synthesize TGF-ß1 precursors, and secrete them out of the cell where they are activated. Activated TGF-ß1 induces cells from different sources, transforming them into myofibroblasts through autocrine and paracrine mechanisms, ultimately causing silicosis. These processes involve complex molecular events, which are not yet fully understood. This systematic summary may further elucidate the location and development of pulmonary fibrosis in the formation of silicosis. In this review, we discussed the proposed cellular and molecular mechanisms of production, secretion, activation of TGF-ß1, as well as the mechanisms through which TGF-ß1 induces cells from three different sources into myofibroblasts during the pathogenesis of silicosis. This study furthers the medical understanding of the pathogenesis and theoretical basis for diagnosing silicosis, thereby promoting silicosis prevention and treatment.

Cobalt-catalyzed Synthesis of Alkenes and Vinyl Sulfones via Dehydrogenative Coupling of Alcohols and Sulfones.

A novel protocol to access vinyl sulfones and internal/terminal olefins via cobalt-catalyzed acceptorless dehydrogenation coupling (ADC) has been established. This system enables the divergent synthesis of three kinds of olefin compounds through the coupling of alcohols and sulfones under oxidant-free conditions. The broad applicability of this procedure is demonstrated by over forty olefin products, including pharmaceutical-related compounds and complex substrates, in a one-pot process. Preliminary mechanistic studies were conducted, and a proposed reaction pathway was presented.

Metabolite identification and excretion of pinocembrin-7-O-ß-D-glucoside in rats by UHPLC/MS.

Pinocembrin-7-O-ß-D-glucoside (PCBG) isolated from Penthorum chinense Pursh was proven to display a wide range of pharmacological effects including hepatoprotection, anti-hepatoma and antifungal activities, etc. The research aims to qualitatively analyze the metabolites of PCBG in rat plasma, urine, bile and feces, and further perform the excretion study of PCBG and its major metabolite pinocembrin (PCB). Fifteen rats were divided into three groups (n=5 for each group) for blood, bile, urine and feces collection, respectively. After PCBG suspension was intragastrically administered to rats at 50 mg/kg, biological samples were collected and processed. The metabolites in each matrix were detected by UHPLC-Q-Exactive-MS/MS. A total of 111 metabolites were observed in plasma, urine, bile and feces, which include hydroxylated, sulfated and glucuronized metabolites, etc. In addition, an UHPLC-MS/MS method was established and applied for the excretion quantification of PCBG and PCB in rat urine, bile, and feces samples. Studies on excretion have shown that PCBG is mainly excreted through feces. The cumulative excretion rates of PCBG and PCB in rat urine, bile and feces were (4.5±2.4)%, (0.2±0.1)% and (18.4±10.5)%, respectively. After hydrolysis by ß-glucuronidase/sulfatase, the excretion rates of PCB in urine and bile were (5.7±2.8)% and (8.9±4.2)%. This study contributes to preclinical research on PCBG and explains its pharmacological effects.

Sudden ventricular fibrillation due to absence of pericardium in left upper lobectomy -a case report.

BACKGROUND: Congenital absence of the pericardium (CAP) is a rare cardiac abnormality. As pericardial defects are usually asymptomatic, most cases are diagnosed during surgery or on autopsy. The patient in this case was found to have CAP during thoracoscope. CASE: We present the unusual case of a 69-year-old patient with CAP who experienced sudden ventricular arrhythmia and developed ventricular fibrillation during left upper lobectomy. Surgical operations, the lateral decubitus position, and other external stimuli may be important risk factors for ventricular fibrillation. The patient regained sinus rhythm soon after intrathoracic cardiac compression and pharmacological treatment, including lidocaine spray (2%, 10 ml) administered to the heart surface. The surgery was then completed without any additional instances of ventricular arrhythmia. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with CAP are more susceptible to cardiac-related adverse events during thoracotomy or thoracoscopy. Treatment of ventricular arrhythmias that occur during lung resection in patients with CAP should be emphasized.

Study on the pharmacokinetics, tissue distribution and excretion of Penthorum chinense Pursh in normal and acute alcoholic liver injury rats using validated UPLC-MS/MS method.

Penthorum chinense Pursh (PCP), as a traditional medicine of Miao nationality in China, is often used for the treatment of various liver diseases. At present, information regarding the in vivo process of PCP is lacking. Herein, a sensitive and robust ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem with mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) was developed and validated for the quantification of several components to study their pharmacokinetics, tissues distribution and excretion in normal and acute alcoholic liver injury (ALI) rats. Prepared samples were separated on a Thermo C18 column (4.6 mm × 50 mm, 2.4 µm) using water containing 0.1 % formic acid (A) and acetonitrile (B) as the mobile phase for gradient elution. Negative electrospray ionization was performed using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode for each component. The validated UPLC-MS/MS assay gave good linearity, accuracy, precision, recovery rate, matrix effect and stability. This method was successfully applied to the pharmacokinetics, tissue distribution and excretion in normal and acute ALI rats. There were differences in pharmacokinetic process, tissue distribution and excretion characteristics, indicating that ALI had a significant influence on the in vivo process of PCP in rats. The research provided an experimental basis for the study of PCP quality control and further application in the clinic.

A Prospective Case-Control Study Examining the Relationship Between Frailty and Serum Myostatin in Older Persons with Chronic Heart Failure.

Background: Frailty affects the prognosis and management of patients with heart failure, and is often related with sarcopenia. Also, the serum myostatin (MSTN) involved in the development of sarcopenia and frailty. This study aimed to determine the connection between MSTN level and frailty in older adults with chronic heart failure (CHF). Methods: This prospective case-control study enrolled older adult patients with CHF between May 2019 and May 2021, and analyzed their clinical data. Results: In this study 75 older adults with CHF were included, 29 of whom were frail. The B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels were significantly higher in frail older adults with CHF than in older adults with CHF who were not frail (316.82 ± 235.64 pg/mL vs 198.61 ± 112.58 pg/mL; P = 0.016). The MSTN levels were significantly higher in frail participants than in participants who were not frail (2.93 ± 1.35 ng/mL vs 2.24 ± 0.84 ng/mL; P = 0.018). Based on multivariable analysis the BNP (odds ratio [OR] = 1.004, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1 0.001-1.008; P = 0.018) and MSTN (OR = 1.772, 95% CI = 1.079-2.912; P =0 0.024) levels were independently associated with frailty in older adults with CHF. Conclusion: MSTN is a promising biomarker of frailty in elderly patients with CHF.

[Curcumin alleviates nuclear factor-κB/NOD-like receptor protein 3 mediated renal injury caused by acute respiratory distress syndrome through reducing mitochondrial oxidative stress].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of curcumin on renal mitochondrial oxidative stress, nuclear factor-κB/NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NF-κB/NLRP3) inflammatory body signaling pathway and tissue cell injury in rats with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). METHODS: A total of 24 specific pathogen free (SPF)-grade healthy male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into control group, ARDS model group, and low-dose and high-dose curcumin groups, with 6 rats in each group. The ARDS rat model was reproduced by intratracheal administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) at 4 mg/kg via aerosol inhalation. The control group was given 2 mL/kg of normal saline. The low-dose and high-dose curcumin groups were administered 100 mg/kg or 200 mg/kg curcumin by gavage 24 hours after model reproduction, once a day. The control group and ARDS model group were given an equivalent amount of normal saline. After 7 days, blood samples were collected from the inferior vena cava, and the levels of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) in serum were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The rats were sacrificed, and kidney tissues were collected. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were determined by ELISA, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was detected using the xanthine oxidase method, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were determined by colorimetric method. The protein expressions of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), caspase-3, NF-κB p65, and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) were detected by Western blotting. The mRNA expressions of HIF-1α, NLRP3, and interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) were detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Renal cell apoptosis was detected by TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL). The morphological changes in renal tubular epithelial cells and mitochondria were observed under a transmission electron microscope. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the ARDS model group exhibited kidney oxidative stress and inflammatory response, significantly elevated serum levels of kidney injury biomarker NGAL, activated NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway, increased kidney tissue cell apoptosis rate, and renal tubular epithelial cell damage and mitochondrial integrity destruction under transmission electron microscopy, indicating successful induction of kidney injury. Following curcumin intervention, the injury to renal tubular epithelial cells and mitochondria in the rats was significantly mitigated, along with a noticeable reduction in oxidative stress, inhibition of the NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway, and a significant decrease in kidney tissue cell apoptosis rate, demonstrating a certain dose-dependency. Compared with the ARDS model group, the high-dose curcumin group exhibited significantly reduced serum NGAL levels and kidney tissue MDA and ROS levels [NGAL (µg/L): 13.8±1.7 vs. 29.6±2.7, MDA (nmol/g): 115±18 vs. 300±47, ROS (kU/L): 75±19 vs. 260±15, all P < 0.05], significantly down-regulated protein expressions of HIF-1α, caspase-3, NF-κB p65, and TLR4 in the kidney tissue [HIF-1α protein (HIF-1α/ß-actin): 0.515±0.064 vs. 0.888±0.055, caspase-3 protein (caspase-3/ß-actin): 0.549±0.105 vs. 0.958±0.054, NF-κB p65 protein (NF-κB p65/ß-actin): 0.428±0.166 vs. 0.900±0.059, TLR4 protein (TLR4/ß-actin): 0.683±0.048 vs. 1.093±0.097, all P < 0.05], and significantly down-regulated mRNA expressions of HIF-1α, NLRP3, and IL-1ß [HIF-1α mRNA (2-ΔΔCt): 2.90±0.39 vs. 9.49±1.87, NLRP3 mRNA (2-ΔΔCt): 2.07±0.21 vs. 6.13±1.32, IL-1ß mRNA (2-ΔΔCt): 1.43±0.24 vs. 3.95±0.51, all P < 0.05], and significantly decreased kidney tissue cell apoptosis rate [(4.36±0.92)% vs. (27.75±8.31)%, P < 0.05], and significantly increased SOD activity (kU/g: 648±34 vs. 430±47, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Curcumin can alleviate kidney injury in ARDS rats, and its mechanism may be related to the increasing in SOD activity, reduction of oxidative stress, and inhibition of the activation of the NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway.

Comprehensive analysis of transcriptome-wide expression patterns and a circRNA/lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA network in the pathogenesis of cerebral ischemia in Rattus norvegicus.

BACKGROUND: Although ischemic stroke exhibits a high prevalence in the elderly population, the involved genes and pathways are poorly understood. In this study, we proposed to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and constructed a circular RAN (circRNA)/long noncoding RNA (lncRNA)/microRNA (miRNA)-mRNA network associated with the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke by using bioinformatics analysis. METHODS: We constructed a rat model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and conducted total RNA and microRNA sequencing in brain specimens from MCAO and normal rats. Transcriptome-wide expression patterns were analyzed and DEGs were defined by applying Ballgown and a cut of log2-transformed fold-change (log2FC) ≥ 1 (or ≤ -1) with a P value < 0.05. We exploited Pearson correlation analysis to determine the association between the circRNA/lncRNA/mRNA network and miRNAs (P < 0.05 and corr ≤ -0.6), and the competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNA) interaction network was visualized with Cytoscape software and separated into subnetworks using the Molecular Complex Detection (MCODE) algorithm. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) were implemented for the pathway analysis of DEGs. RESULTS: Upregulated DEGs were significantly enhanced in positive regulation of cell migration, response to wounding, blood vessel morphogenesis, inflammatory response, and cell activation; Downregulated DEGs were associated with control of the modulation of chemical synaptic transmission, synapse organization, regulation of membrane potential, and regulation of ion transport. KEGG-pathway analysis showed that DEG-enhanced pathways were associated with the pathways of TNF signaling pathway, Fluid shear stress and atherosclerosis, NF-kappa B signaling pathway, Lipid and atherosclerosis, Human cytomegalovirus infection, Osteoclast differentiation, Chemokine signaling pathway, IL-17 signaling pathway, Viral protein interaction with cytokine and cytokine receptor, and Cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction. We uncovered several novel lncRNAs (lnc_00231, lnc_002239, lnc_004172; and a novel_circ0001704), five miRNAs (miR-200b-3p, miR-223-3p, miR-200c-3p, miR-3084a-3p, and miR-664-2-5p), and the top-10 mRNAs (upregulated mRNAs were Pdgfa, Il1b, Gdf15, Fosl1, and Cxcl2; downregulated mRNAs were Prkar2b, Olfm3, Lrrc73, Tmem38a, and Dlgap3) that were involved in ischemic stroke. CONCLUSIONS: Through bioinformatic network analysis, we identified the underlying molecular mechanisms and key central genes that may contribute to an inflammatory response after cerebral infarction.

A Prototypical Knowledge Oriented Adaptation Framework for Semantic Segmentation.

A prevalent family of fully convolutional networks are capable of learning discriminative representations and producing structural prediction in semantic segmentation tasks. However, such supervised learning methods require a large amount of labeled data and show inability of learning cross-domain invariant representations, giving rise to overfitting performance on the source dataset. Domain adaptation, a transfer learning technique that demonstrates strength on aligning feature distributions, can improve the performance of learning methods by providing inter-domain discrepancy alleviation. Recently introduced output-space based adaptation methods provide significant advances on cross-domain semantic segmentation tasks, however, a lack of consideration for intra-domain divergence of domain discrepancy remains prone to over-adaptation results on the target domain. To address the problem, we first leverage prototypical knowledge on the target domain to relax its hard domain label to a continuous domain space, where pixel-wise domain adaptation is developed upon a soft adversarial loss. The development of prototypical knowledge allows to elaborate specific adaptation strategies on under-aligned regions and well-aligned regions of the target domain. Furthermore, aiming to achieve better adaptation performance, we employ a unilateral discriminator to alleviate implicit uncertainty on prototypical knowledge. At last, we theoretically and experimentally demonstrate that the proposed prototypical knowledge oriented adaptation approach provides effective guidance on distribution alignment and alleviation on over-adaptation. The proposed approach shows competitive performance with state-of-the-art methods on two cross-domain segmentation tasks.

Development and Validation of a Nomogram for Predicting Mortality in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation and Acute Coronary Syndrome Who Underwent Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in a Chinese Multicenter Cohort.

Background: This study is aimed at to establish an effective prognostic nomogram for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and acute coronary syndrome (ACS) underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods: The nomogram was based on a retrospective study of 977 patients with AF and ACS who underwent PCI who were admitted to any of the 11 tertiary hospitals in the Beijing area between 2009 and 2015. The predictive accuracy and discriminative ability of the nomogram were determined by a concordance index (C-index) and calibration curve and were compared using current risk scores such as GRACE, CRUSADE, CHA2DS2-VASc, and HAS-BLED. The results were validated using bootstrap resampling and a retrospective cohort study of 409 patients enrolled in Fuwai Hospital at the same institution. Results: Independent factors derived from multivariable analysis of the primary cohort to predict all-cause mortality were age, pattern of ACS, red blood cell distribution width, N-terminal proBNP, and serum creatinine, all of which were assembled into the nomogram. The calibration curve for the probability of recurrence showed that the nomogram-based predictions were in good agreement with actual observations. The C-index of the nomogram for predicting mortality was 0.764 (95% CI, 0.718-0.810), which was statistically higher than the C-index values for the current risk scores (from 0.573 to 0.681). In the validation cohort, the C-index of the nomogram for predicting all-cause death was 0.706 (95% CI 0.601-0.811), with no significant differences compared with GRACE and CRUSADE, but better than that of CHA2DS2-VASc and HAS-BLED. Conclusions: The nomogram has good prognostic prediction for patients with AF and ACS who underwent PCI.

Modified activated carbon catalytic reduction of dissolved oxygen in reclaimed water.

Dissolved oxygen (DO) is the main corrosive substance in the transport process of urban reclaimed water by pipelines, and it can be removed by catalytic reduction. Activated carbon (AC) has been conventionally used as a carrier for catalysts. This paper focuses on the effect of modification conditions of AC on the catalytic performance for DO removal by hydrazine. The catalytic performance of modified AC (MAC) samples by single and combinatory methods has been investigated. The results showed that the combinatory method was better than the single method, and the MAC by combinatory method of high-pressure hydrothermal method followed by metal salt solution impregnation method could remarkably promote the catalytic activity for DO removal. The prepared catalyst GS270-5-Ni-60-3 had the optimal catalytic activity at the conditions of reaction temperature of 30°C, pH 10 and the initial DO concentration of 5.31 mg/L, and the DO removal rate could reach 98.74%. Meanwhile, the samples of AC and MAC were characterized using BET, SEM and FTIR technologies. The experimental results showed that the high-pressure hydrothermal method could significantly improve the pore structure of AC, and the clogging of AC was not obvious by impregnation modification. Furthermore, the surface group of MAC also has a certain influence on the DO removal in reclaimed water.

Combining modern tracking data and historical records improves understanding of the summer habitats of the Eastern Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus.

The Lesser White-fronted Goose (Anser erythropus), smallest of the "gray" geese, is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and protected in all range states. There are three populations, with the least studied being the Eastern population, shared between Russia and China. The extreme remoteness of breeding enclaves makes them largely inaccessible to researchers. As a substitute for visitation, remotely tracking birds from wintering grounds allows exploration of their summer range. Over a period of three years, and using highly accurate GPS tracking devices, eleven individuals of A. erythropus were tracked from the key wintering site of China, to summering, and staging sites in northeastern Russia. Data obtained from that tracking, bolstered by ground survey and literature records, were used to model the summer distribution of A. erythropus. Although earlier literature describes a patchy summer range, the model suggests a contiguous summer habitat range is possible, although observations to date cannot confirm A. erythropus is present throughout the modeled range. The most suitable habitats are located along the coasts of the Laptev Sea, primarily the Lena Delta, in the Yana-Kolyma Lowland, and smaller lowlands of Chukotka with narrow riparian extensions upstream along major rivers such as the Lena, Indigirka, and Kolyma. The probability of A. erythropus presence is related to areas with altitude less than 500 m with abundant wetlands, especially riparian habitat, and a climate with precipitation of the warmest quarter around 55 mm and mean temperature around 14°C during June-August. Human disturbance also affects site suitability, with a gradual decrease in species presence starting around 160 km from human settlements. Remote tracking of animal species can bridge the knowledge gap required for robust estimation of species distribution patterns in remote areas. Better knowledge of species' distribution is important in understanding the large-scale ecological consequences of rapid global change and establishing conservation management strategies.

Cross-Dehydrogenative Coupling of Strong C(sp3)-H with N-Heteroarenes through Visible-Light-Induced Energy Transfer.

The sustainable cross-dehydrogenative coupling of strong C(sp3)-H with N-heteroarenes has been developed using an efficient organic photocatalyst. It features atomic- and step-economy, and acid-free conditions. Mechanism studies suggest a previous elusive energy transfer pathway from photocatalyst to N-heteroarenes and oxidants.

Effect of dexmedetomidine on brain function and hemodynamics in patients undergoing lung cancer resection.

Effect of dexmedetomidine on the brain function and hemodynamics in patients undergoing lung cancer resection were explored. Eighty-seven patients with lung cancer undergoing lung cancer resection in Weifang People's Hospital from January 2014 to June 2018 were enrolled in this study. Patients conventionally anesthetized by propofol, midazolam, sufentanil, or cisatracurium besilate (41 cases) were assigned to the control group and those anesthetized by conventional anesthetic and dexmedetomidine (46 cases) were assigned to the research group. The hemodynamic parameters, neuron-specific enolase (NSE), and astrocyte S-100p protein (S-100ß) were compared between the two groups before induction (T0), 5 min after induction (T1), at the end of surgery (T2), time of extubation (T3), and 5 min after extubation (T4). The cognitive function of patients was graded by the mini-mental state examination (MMSE) after patients recovered from anesthesia. In both the control group and the research group, the levels of mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), and central venous pressure (CVP). were statistically higher at T2 and T3 than those at T0 (all P<0.05). The levels of MAP, HR, and CVP were statistically lower in the research group than those in the control group at T2 and T3 (P<0.05). The levels of serum NSE and S100ß protein in the research group and the control group increased at T2, T3, and T4, the control group was higher than the research group at each time point, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Comparison of the MMSE score and the total case number of adverse reactions between the two groups showed no statistical difference (both P>0.05). The MMSE score was positively correlated with the serum levels of NSE and S100ß in the two groups (r-values were 0.661 and 0.585, P<0.05). Dexmedetomidine can effectively protect patients' perioperative brain function with small impacts on perioperative hemodynamics, so it is worthy of clinical application.

Lake productivity and waterbird functional diversity across geographic and environmental gradients in temperate China.

Geographical gradients in species diversity have long fascinated biogeographers and ecologists. However, the extent and generality of the effects of the important factors governing functional diversity (FD) patterns are still debated, especially for the freshwater domain. We examined the relationship between lake productivity and functional diversity of waterbirds sampled from 35 lakes and reservoirs in northern China with a geographic coverage of over 5 million km2. We used structural equation modeling (SEM) to explore the causal relationships between geographic position, climate, lake productivity, and waterbird FD. We found unambiguous altitudinal and longitudinal gradients in lake productivity and waterbird FD, which were strongly mediated by local environmental factors. Specifically, we found (a) lake productivity increased northeast and decreased with altitude. The observed geographic and altitudinal gradients were driven by climatic conditions and nutrient availability, which collectively explained 93% of the variations in lake productivity; (b) waterbird FD showed similar geographic and altitudinal gradients; the environmental factors which had direct and/or indirect effects on these gradients included climate and lake area, which collectively explained more than 39% of the variation in waterbird FD; and 3) a significant (p = .029) causality between lake productivity and waterbird FD was confirmed. Nevertheless, the causality link was relatively weak in comparison with climate and lake area (the standardized path coefficient was 0.55, 0.23, and 0.03 for climate, lake area, and productivity, respectively). Our study demonstrates how the application of multivariate technique (e.g., SEM) enables the illustration of complex causal paths in ecosystems, enhancing mechanistic explanations that underlie the observed broadscale biodiversity gradients.

The effects of one-lung ventilation mode on lung function in elderly patients undergoing esophageal cancer surgery.

The objective of the present study was to explore the effects of different one-lung ventilation (OLV) modes on lung function in elderly patients undergoing esophageal cancer surgery. A total of 180 consecutive elderly patients (ASA Grades I-II, with OLV indications) undergoing elective surgery were recruited in the study. Patients were randomly divided into 4 groups (n = 45). In Group A, patients received low tidal volume (VT < 8 mL/kg) + pressure controlled ventilation (PCV), low tidal volume (VT < 8 mL/kg) + volume-controlled ventilation (VCV) in Group B, high tidal volume (VT ≥ 8 mL/kg) + PCV in Group C and high tidal volume (VT ≥ 8 mL/kg) + VCV in Group D. Two-lung ventilation involved routine tidal volume (8-10 mL/kg) at a frequency of 12 to 18 times/min, and VCV mode. Clinical efficacy among 4 groups was compared. The partial pressure of end-tidal carbon dioxide (PetCO2) did not significantly differ among 4 groups (all P > .05), and the oxygenation index and SO2 in Group A were significantly higher than in the other groups (P < .05). The PetCO2, peak airway pressure (Ppeak), platform airway pressure (Pplat), and mean airway pressure (Pmean) in Group A were significantly lower than those in the other groups (all P < .05). However, airway resistance (Raw) among 4 groups did not significantly differ (all P > .05). The incidence of pulmonary infection, anastomotic fistula, ventilator-induced lung injury, lung dysfunction, difficulty weaning from mechanical ventilation, and multiple organ dysfunction in Groups A and B were lower than that in Groups C and D (all P < .05). The expression levels of IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and C-reactive protein in lavage fluid in Group A were significantly lower than those in the other groups (all P < .05). OLV with low tidal volume (VT < 8 mL/kg) + PCV (5 cmH2O PEEP) improved lung function and mitigated inflammatory responses in elderly patients undergoing esophageal cancer surgery.

[Autologous mononuclear bone marrow cell transplantation by intracoronary route for patients with ischemic heart disease: observation of 2-years follow-up].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the long-term effect and safety of intracoronary autologous bone marrow mononuclear cell (BMMC) transplantation in patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD). METHODS: Seventy-six patients with IHD, 26 patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and 26 patients with chronic ischemic heart failure (CIHF), underwent routine treatment plus intracoronary autologous BMMC transplantation, and 24 patients, including 10 patients with AMI and 14 patients with CIHF underwent routine treatment as controls. Autologous BMMC transplantation was performed via a balloon catheter placed into the infarct-related artery during balloon dilatation by high pressure infusion to occlude the artery, which was performed 6 - 8 times for 2 minutes each with 2-minute interval or via a balloon catheter without occluding the infarct-related artery. Follow-up was conducted for 2 years. RESULTS: The surgery was safety without major periprocedural complications. There were no other new arrhythmias found by Holter recorder during the 2-years follow-up. In the AMI patients receiving BNNC transplantation, the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) 1 and 2 years later increased by 5.79% (P < 0.05), 3.79% (P > 0.05) respectively; but there was no change in left ventricular end diastolic volume (LVEDV) and left ventricular end systolic volume (LVESV). The LVEF 1 and 2 years later of the control group increased by 8.8% and 9.2% respectively (both P < 0.01) and the LVESV 1 and 2 years later decreased by 20.4% and 27.8% respectively (both P < 0.05), the myocardium defect area 2 years later was not significantly different from that 3 months later. The heart function of the control group became markedly worse. CONCLUSION: Autologous BMMC intracoronary transplantation is safe and effective, especially in patients with CIHF.

Development and validation of an LC-MS/MS method for pharmacokinetic study of lobetyolin in rats

Abstract A simple and selective liquid chromatography tandem with mass spectrometry (LC-MS/ MS) method for quantification of lobetyolin in rat plasma was developed and validated. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a Thermo ODS C18 reversed-phase column using 0.1% aqueous formic acid-methanol (50:50, v/v) in an isocratic elution mode at a flow rate of 0.4 mL.min-1. LC/MS performance was done in a positive ion ESI mode and the MS/MS transitions were monitored at m/z 419.3 [M+Na]+ → m/z 203.1 for lobetyolin and m/z 394.9 [M+Na]+ → m/z 231.9 for IS, respectively. The assay exhibited a linear dynamic range over 1.0-500 ng.mL-1 for lobetyolin in plasma. Both the precision (%RSD) and accuracy (RE%) were within acceptable criteria (<15%). Recoveries ranged from 87.0% to 95.6%, and the matrix effects were from 91.0% to 101.3%. After oral administration, the peak plasma concentration of lobetyolin was obtained as 60.1 ng.mL-1 at 1.0 h. The proposed LC-MS/MS method could be applied to a pharmacokinetic study employing 66 samples from 6 Wistar rats

[The autologous bone marrow mononuclear cell transplantation by intracoronary route treat patients with severe heart failure after myocardial infarction].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the chronic effects of intracoronary autologous bone marrow mononuclear cell (BM-MNCs) transplantation in patients with refractory heart failure (RIHF) after myocardial infarction. METHODS: Thirty patients with RIHF (LVEF < 40%) were enrolled in this nonrandomized study, autologous BM-MNCs (5.0 +/- 0.7) x 10(7) were transplanted with via infarct-related coronary artery in 16 patients and 14 patients received standard medical therapy served as control. Baseline and follow up evaluations included complete clinical evaluations, plasma BNP, ANP, ET-1 measurements, echocardiography, PET, and Holter monitoring. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics were similar between the 2 groups. There were no major periprocedural complications. One patient developed ventricular premature contractions during cell infusion for several seconds and recovered spontaneously. Compared to pre-transplantation, plasma BNP and ET-1 significantly decreased and plasma ANP significantly increased at 7 days post transplantation; 6 minutes walking distance increased from (72.1 +/- 31.5) to (201.6 +/- 23.3) m (P < 0.01), LVEF increased 9.9% (P < 0.001) and FDG-PET revealed vital myocardium area increased (10.3 +/- 3.4)% (P < 0.01) at 3 months after BM-MNCs transplantation. At 6 months follow up, the NYHA class improved from (3.4 +/- 0.1 to 2.4 +/- 0.2, P < 0.001) and no patient died and 1 patient rehospitalized due to lower extremities edema. In control group, LVEF decreased 7.2% compared to baseline (P < 0.001) and was significantly lower than transplantation group at 3 months (P < 0.001). At 6 months follow up, the NYHA class increased from (3.5 +/- 0.1 to 3.9 +/- 0.1, P < 0.05), 2 patients died and 10 patients rehospitalized due to aggravated heart failure. CONCLUSION: Present study demonstrates that intracoronary transplantation of autologous BM-MNCs is safe and effective for treating patients with RIHF after myocardial infarction.