D-mannose alleviates intervertebral disc degeneration through glutamine metabolism.

BACKGROUND: Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is a multifaceted condition characterized by heterogeneity, wherein the balance between catabolism and anabolism in the extracellular matrix of nucleus pulposus (NP) cells plays a central role. Presently, the available treatments primarily focus on relieving symptoms associated with IVDD without offering an effective cure targeting its underlying pathophysiological processes. D-mannose (referred to as mannose) has demonstrated anti-catabolic properties in various diseases. Nevertheless, its therapeutic potential in IVDD has yet to be explored. METHODS: The study began with optimizing the mannose concentration for restoring NP cells. Transcriptomic analyses were employed to identify the mediators influenced by mannose, with the thioredoxin-interacting protein (Txnip) gene showing the most significant differences. Subsequently, small interfering RNA (siRNA) technology was used to demonstrate that Txnip is the key gene through which mannose exerts its effects. Techniques such as colocalization analysis, molecular docking, and overexpression assays further confirmed the direct regulatory relationship between mannose and TXNIP. To elucidate the mechanism of action of mannose, metabolomics techniques were employed to pinpoint glutamine as a core metabolite affected by mannose. Next, various methods, including integrated omics data and the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, were used to validate the one-way pathway through which TXNIP regulates glutamine. Finally, the therapeutic effect of mannose on IVDD was validated, elucidating the mechanistic role of TXNIP in glutamine metabolism in both intradiscal and orally treated rats. RESULTS: In both in vivo and in vitro experiments, it was discovered that mannose has potent efficacy in alleviating IVDD by inhibiting catabolism. From a mechanistic standpoint, it was shown that mannose exerts its anti-catabolic effects by directly targeting the transcription factor max-like protein X-interacting protein (MondoA), resulting in the upregulation of TXNIP. This upregulation, in turn, inhibits glutamine metabolism, ultimately accomplishing its anti-catabolic effects by suppressing the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. More importantly, in vivo experiments have further demonstrated that compared with intradiscal injections, oral administration of mannose at safe concentrations can achieve effective therapeutic outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, through integrated multiomics analysis, including both in vivo and in vitro experiments, this study demonstrated that mannose primarily exerts its anti-catabolic effects on IVDD through the TXNIP-glutamine axis. These findings provide strong evidence supporting the potential of the use of mannose in clinical applications for alleviating IVDD. Compared to existing clinically invasive or pain-relieving therapies for IVDD, the oral administration of mannose has characteristics that are more advantageous for clinical IVDD treatment.

An exploratory study of delayed flash visual evoked potential P2 wave latency in subcortical arteriosclerotic encephalopathy.

BACKGROUND: Patients with cognitive dysfunction may present with significantly prolonged the P2 wave latency of flash visual evoked potential. However, no studies have been reported on whether the P2 wave latency of flash visual evoked potential is prolonged in patients with subcortical arteriosclerotic encephalopathy (SAE). OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between flash visual evoked potential P2 wave latency (FVEP-P2 wave latency) and cognitive impairment in patients with SAE. METHODS: Overall, we recruited 38 SAE patients as the observation cohort (OC) and 34 healthy volunteers as the control cohort (CC). We measured the FVEP-P2 wave latency for both groups. The SAE patients' cognitive abilities were evaluated via mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and the association between the latency of FVEP-P2 and MMSE score was explored by Pearsons´s correlation test. RESULTS: There is no significant difference between OC (21 males and 17 females; 68.6 ± 6.7 years of age and 9.6 ± 2.8 years of education) and CC (19 males and 15 females; 65.3 ± 5.9 years of age and 10.1 ± 2.6 years of education) in gender and age composition and education level. The FVEP-P2 wave latency of the CC group was (108.80 ± 16.70) ms and the OC FVEP-P2 wave latency was (152.31 ± 20.70) ms. The OC FVEP-P2 wave latency was significantly longer than the CC (P < 0.05). In terms of MMSE scores, the MMSE scores of CC was (28.41 ± 2.34), and that of OC was (9.08 ± 4.39). Compared to the CC, the OC MMSE score was significantly lower (P < 0.05). In addition, the FVEP-P2 wave latency was inversely related to the MMSE (r = -0.4465, P < 0.05) in SAE patients. CONCLUSION: The FVEP-P2 wave latency wave latency was significantly prolonged in SAE patients and strongly associated with the degree of cognitive dysfunction.

RNA-sequencing transcriptome analysis of Avicennia marina (Forsk.) Vierh. leaf epidermis defines tissue-specific transcriptional response to salinity treatment.

Avicennia marina (Forsk.) Vierh. is a typical mangrove plant. Its epidermis contains salt glands, which can secrete excess salts onto the leaf surfaces, improving the salt tolerance of the plants. However, knowledge on the epidermis-specific transcriptional responses of A. marina to salinity treatment is lacking. Thus, physiological and transcriptomic techniques were applied to unravel the salt tolerance mechanism of A. marina. Our results showed that 400 mM NaCl significantly reduced the plant height, leaf area, leaf biomass and photosynthesis of A. marina. In addition, 1565 differentially expressed genes were identified, of which 634 and 931 were up- and down-regulated. Based on Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes metabolic pathway enrichment analysis, we demonstrated that decreased gene expression, especially that of OEE1, PQL2, FDX3, ATPC, GAPDH, PRK, FBP and RPE, could explain the inhibited photosynthesis caused by salt treatment. Furthermore, the ability of A. marina to cope with 400 mM NaCl treatment was dependent on appropriate hormone signalling and potential sulfur-containing metabolites, such as hydrogen sulfide and cysteine biosynthesis. Overall, the present study provides a theoretical basis for the adaption of A. marina to saline habitats and a reference for studying the salt tolerance mechanism of other mangrove plants.

Physiological and transcriptomic analysis dissects the molecular mechanism governing meat quality during postmortem aging in Hu sheep (Ovis aries).

Introduction: Hu sheep, known for its high quality and productivity, lack fundamental scientific research in China. Methods: This study focused on the effects of 24 h postmortem aging on the meat physiological and transcriptomic alteration in Hu sheep. Results: The results showed that the 24 h aging process exerts a substantial influence on the mutton color, texture, and water content as compared to untreated group. Transcriptomic analysis identified 1,668 differentially expressed genes. Functional enrichment analysis highlighted the importance of glycolysis metabolism, protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum, and the FcγR-mediated phagocytosis pathway in mediating meat quality modification following postmortem aging. Furthermore, protein-protein interaction analysis uncovered complex regulatory networks involving glycolysis, the MAPK signaling pathway, protein metabolism, and the immune response. Discussion: Collectively, these findings offer valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying meat quality changes during postmortem aging in Hu sheep, emphasizing the potential for improving quality control strategies in mutton production.

Paeoniflorin Regulates NEDD4L/STAT3 Pathway to Induce Ferroptosis in Human Glioma Cells.

Background: Paeoniflorin is an active component of a widely used traditional Chinese medicine with antitumor activity through ferroptosis induction. It has been reported recently that ferroptosis is emerging in certain types of cancer; however, its relevance in glioma is still not well studied. Methods: CCK8 assay was performed for cell proliferation. Expression of mRNA and protein was tested by qPCR and western blot, respectively. Clinical section samples were detected by IHC. The relationship between NEDD4L and STAT3 was validated by a coimmunoprecipitation assay. Apoptosis was identified by TUNEL assay. A xenograft mouse model was utilized to validate the potential of paeoniflorin toward glioma cancer cells. Results: The data suggested that paeoniflorin could increase NEDD4L expression in glioma cells. The NEDD4L expression level was lower in glioma cancer tissues compared to adjacent normal tissues, and it correlates with poor prognosis. Meanwhile, NEDD4L mediates the ubiquitination of STAT3. Furthermore, increased NEDD4L significantly inhibited cell viability and induced accumulation of intracellular ROS levels, accompanied by decreased expression of key ferroptosis factors Nrl2 and GPX4, while NEDD4L knockdown had a reverse effect, suggesting that ferroptosis could be involved. NEDD4L-induced ferroptosis could be rescued by forced expression of STAT3. A xenograft nude mouse model showed that paeoniflorin inhibits tumor growth and further sensitizes glioma cells to RSL3, another well-known ferroptosis inducer. Conclusions: In summary, this study demonstrated that paeoniflorin might function as an effective drug for glioma by inducing ferroptosis via upregulation of NEDD4L and repression of Nrl2, GPX4, and STAT3.

Relationships among Healthcare Providers' Job Demands, Leisure Involvement, Emotional Exhaustion, and Leave Intention under the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many medical issues. It has tested the impact of healthcare providers' job demands, emotional exhaustion, and other pressures related to the impact on organizational leave intention. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to verify the relationship between healthcare providers' job demands, leisure involvement, emotional exhaustion, and leave intention under the COVID-19 pandemic. The questionnaire survey was used to address the issue of the present study. Convenience sampling was utilized to recruit 440 healthcare providers with a validity rate of 95%. Collected data were analyzed by structural equation modelling. Results indicated that healthcare providers' job demands do not significantly influence leisure involvement. Job demands significantly influence emotional exhaustion. Job demands significantly influence leave intention. Emotional exhaustion significantly influences leave intention. Emotional exhaustion has a significant mediating effect between job demands and leave intention. Finally, relevant practical suggestions are provided based on the study results.

Agricultural land-use change exacerbates the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes via surface runoffs in Lake Tai Basin, China.

Agricultural runoff is an important antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) dissemination pathway from farmlands to water environment, however few studies have focused on the influence of agricultural land-use change on the pattern of ARGs in runoff and assess the health risk to public. Lake Tai Basin which experiences agricultural land-use change was selected to elucidate this concern. Our findings revealed that the pattern of ARGs was more diverse and the gene abundance was higher in orchard runoffs by comparison with conventional cropland runoffs. Co-occurrence network analysis between mobile genetic elements and ARGs demonstrated that after agricultural land-use change, ARG dissemination via runoffs became more threatened. In addition, this study illustrated the correlations between the antibiotic resistome and microbiome in runoffs, finding that non-dominant microbial taxa were the limiting factor which determined the pattern of ARGs in surface runoffs. In summary, the pattern and dissemination risk of ARGs in the surface runoff after agricultural land-use change in Lake Tai Basin were clarified via this study.

[Mechanism of MiR-224 Affecting DLBCL Cell Proliferation and Invasion by Targeted Inhibition of PIK3CD].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the potential mechanisms of miR-224 affecting the proliferation and invasion of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) cells. METHODS: The blood samples of 76 DLBCL patients(DLBCL group) diagnosed at the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University from June 2011 to December 2017, and 41 healthy persons of physical examination (normal control group) as well as human lymphatic endothelial cells (HELC) and DLBCL cell lines HBL1, OCI-LY10, OCI-LY8, OCI-LY19 were collected. The expression of miR-224 and PIK3CD mRNA was measured by RT-qPCR. The proliferation of HBL1 cells was detected by CCK-8 method and colony formation test. The invasion ability of HBL1 cells was detected by Transwell test. Dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was used to verify the relationship between miR-224 and PIK3CD. The expression of PIK3CD protein was measured by Western blot. RESULTS: The expression of miR-224 in blood of DLBCL patients was very significantly lower than that in normal control group (P<0.01). The overexpression of miR-224 significantly decreased proliferation and invasion of HBL1 cells (all P<0.01). PIK3CD was a target gene of miR-224. Knockdown of PIK3CD significantly suppressed the proliferation and invasion of HBL1 cells (all P<0.01). CONCLUSION: MiR-224 plays a key role in the progression of DLBCL, and the proliferation and invasion of HBL1 cells can be suppressed by targeted inhibition of PIK3CD.

The construction and application of an ultrasound and anatomical cross-sectional database of structural malformations of the fetal heart.

OBJECTIVES: Establish a fetal heart anatomical cross-sectional database that correlates with screening transverse ultrasound images suggested by international professional organizations to detect congenital heart defects. METHODS: Fetuses with suspected congenital heart defects identified using the following cardiac image sequences obtained from transverse slices beginning from the upper abdomen and ending in the upper thorax were the subjects of this study: (1) four-chamber view, (2) left ventricular outflow tract view, (3) three-vessel right ventricular outflow tract view, and (4) the three-vessel tracheal view. A database of digital two-dimensional images of the transverse sweep was created for fetuses with confirmed congenital heart defects. In addition, using four-dimensional ultrasound spatial-temporal image correlation, selected transverse ultrasound images were acquired as part of the database. Ultrasound-detected congenital heart defects were confirmed postnatally from pathological specimens of the heart and lungs using a cross-sectional technique that mirrored the ultrasound images described above. When anatomical specimens were not available, prenatal ultrasound-detected congenital heart defects were confirmed using postnatal echocardiography and/or following surgery. RESULTS: The four screening views described in the Methods section identified 160 fetuses that comprised the database. Forty-five datasets consisted of both ultrasound and anatomical cross-sectional images. Thirteen percent (6/45) only had abnormalities of the four-chamber view (eg, endocardial cushion defects). Twenty-four percent (11/45) had abnormalities of the four-chamber view as well as right and left outflow tracts (eg, complex malformations). Of these, 10 of 11 had an abnormal tracheal view. Sixteen percent (7/45) had an abnormal four-chamber view and abnormal right outflow tract (eg, pulmonary stenosis). Thirty-three percent (15/45) had a normal four-chamber view but had abnormal right and left outflow tracts as well as an abnormal tracheal view (eg, tetralogy of Fallot, D-transposition of the great arteries). CONCLUSIONS: Combining both ultrasound and anatomical imaging may be of assistance in training imagers to recognize cardiovascular pathology when performing the screening examination of the fetal heart.

Six Immune Associated Genes Construct Prognostic Model Evaluate Low-Grade Glioma.

Background: The immunotherapy of Glioma has always been a research hotspot. Although tumor associated microglia/macrophages (TAMs) proves to be important in glioma progression and drug resistance, our knowledge about how TAMs influence glioma remains unclear. The relationship between glioma and TAMs still needs further study. Methods: We collected the data of TAMs in glioma from NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) that included 20 glioma samples and 15 control samples from four datasets. Six genes were screened from the Differential Expression Gene through Gene ontology (GO) analysis, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and single-cell sequencing analysis. A risk score was then constructed based on the six genes and patients' overall survival rates of 669 patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). The efficacy of the risk score in prognosis and prediction was verified in Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA). Results: Six genes, including CD163, FPR3, LPAR5, P2ry12, PLAUR, SIGLEC1, that participate in signal transduction and plasma membrane were selected. Half of them, like CD163, FPR3, SIGLEC1, were mainly expression in M2 macrophages. FPR3 and SIGLEC1 were high expression genes in glioma associated with grades and IDH status. The overall survival rates of the high risk score group was significantly lower than that of the low risk score group, especially in LGG. Conclusion: Joint usage of the 6 candidate genes may be an effective method to diagnose and evaluate the prognosis of glioma, especially in Low-grade glioma (LGG).

Which is Better for Patients with Breast Cancer: Totally Implanted Vascular Access Devices (TIVAD) or Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC)?

BACKGROUND: Our aim was to compare the applications of totally implanted vascular access devices (TIVAD) and peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) in breast cancer patients. METHODS: We analyzed 4080 cases of TIVAD and 1433 cases of PICC at the Breast Center of the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University. The success rate, operation time, and procedures of catheterization, as well as the catheterization-related complications, catheter indwelling-related complications, and the utilization conditions were compared between these two methods. RESULTS: Our results showed that the success rate of catheterization was relatively higher in PICC group (99.5%) than the TIVAD group (99.0%)(χ2 = 3.521, P = 0.038), and the operation time and the rate of catheterization-related complications were lower in PICC (18.65 ± 4.7603 min, 0.91%) compared to TIVAD (29.55 ± 4.0843 min, 1.59%)(t = 38.000, P < 0.01, χ2 = 3.578, P = 0.035). However, the rate of catheter indwelling-related complications was lower in TIVAD group (2.47%) than the PICC group (3.62%)(χ2 = 5.227, P = 0.016), and the catheter care was also better in TIVAD. CONCLUSIONS: Based on these analyses, we recommended TIVAD for the patients who need long-term and high-dose chemotherapy and PICC for the patients who need short chemotherapy cycle and live close to the hospital.

Selected proliferation markers correlated with dynamics of growth in colorectal cancer.

For treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer, the dynamics of tumor growth is an important factor for treatment decision. However, it is difficult to evaluate the dynamics of tumor growth, especially those of synchronous metastatic diseases. This study aimed to find some indicators related to tumor proliferation to judge the dynamics of tumor progression. The pathological reports and clinical data of 1205 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer were retrospectively reviewed; 75 patients with known relapse time after radical resection were included, and the expression of proliferation-associated proteins was detected by immunohistochemistry. Relapse-free time (RFT) from radical resection to relapse was obtained to analyze the relationship with expression of these factors. Kaplan-Meier univariate analysis showed that the overexpression of cyclin D1 and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and late pathological stage after surgery indicated shorter RFT. Multivariate analysis showed that EGFR and the stage were independent predictors of RFT. Expression of EGFR and cyclin D1 and the pathological stage were included as combination risk factors for RFT analysis; more risk factors were correlated with shorter RFT. EGFR and cyclin D1 seemed to be indicators of the dynamics of tumor growth, and overexpression of those molecules may suggest rapid growth and poor prognosis.

Spartina alterniflora invasion alters soil bacterial communities and enhances soil N2O emissions by stimulating soil denitrification in mangrove wetland.

Chinese mangrove, an important ecosystem in coastal wetlands, is sensitive to the invasive alien species Spartina alterniflora. However, the effects of the S. alterniflora invasion on mangrove soil N2O emissions and the underlying mechanisms by which emissions are affected have not been well studied. In this study, the N2O emitted from soils dominated by two typical native mangroves (i.e. Kandelia obovata: KO; Avicennia marina: AM), one invaded by S. alterniflora (SA), and one bare mudflat (Mud) were monitored at Zhangjiang Mangrove Estuary (where S. alterniflora is exotic). Together with soil biogeochemical properties, the potential denitrification rate and the composition of soil bacterial communities were determined simultaneously by 15NO3- tracer and high-throughput sequencing techniques, respectively. Our results showed that S. alterniflora invasion significantly (p < 0.05) increases soil N2O emissions by 15-28-fold. In addition, isotope results revealed that the soil potential denitrification rate was significantly (p < 0.05) enhanced after S. alterniflora invasion. Moreover, the S. alterniflora invasion significantly (p < 0.05) decreased soil bacterial α-diversity and strongly modified soil bacterial communities. Indicator groups strongly associated with S. alterniflora were Chloroflexia, Alphaproteobacteria, and Bacilli, each of which was abundant and acts as connector in the co-occurrence network. FAPROTAX analysis implied that the S. alterniflora invasion stimulated soil denitrification and nitrification while depressing anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA). Redundancy analysis (RDA) found that soil organic matter (SOM) and pH were the most important environmental factors in altering soil bacterial communities. Taken together, our results imply that the S. alterniflora invasion in mangrove wetlands significantly stimulates soil denitrification and N2O emissions, thereby contributing N2O to the atmosphere and contributing to global climate change.

Continuous transverse scanning of the fetal heart using a cross-sectional image database of common fetal congenital heart deformities.

OBJECTIVE: To provide an anatomical basis for continuous transverse scanning of the fetal heart by analyzing the typical cross-sectional characteristics of different types of congenital heart deformities (CHDs) using an anatomical image database. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The database consisted of cross-sectional images obtained from 45 cases of common fetal CHDs, which were continuously displayed by the three-dimensional software Amira 5.3.1. The following anatomical parts were observed from the database of heart samples in a bottom-to-top manner: the coronary sinus, four chambers, left ventricular outflow tract, right ventricular outflow tract, and transverse ductal and aortic arches. The anatomical characteristics of these sections were analyzed and compared with the ultrasonic transverse views obtained from the same fetuses. RESULTS: During the display of the anatomical database of 45 cases of common fetal CHDs, the aforementioned typical cross sections were successively revealed, along with the corresponding pathological features. These sections also exhibited a very good correspondence with the ultrasonic transverse views of the same cases. CONCLUSION: The database of cross-sectional anatomical images of fetal CHDs provided an anatomical basis for continuous transverse scanning of the fetal heart.

Increasing sulfate concentrations result in higher sulfide production and phosphorous mobilization in a shallow eutrophic freshwater lake.

Increasing sulfate input has been seen as an issue in management of aquatic ecosystems, but its influences on eutrophic freshwater lakes is not clear. In this study, it was observed that increasing sulfate concentration without additional cyanobacterial bloom biomass (CBB) addition did not have an obvious effect on element cycling during 1-year continuous flow mesocosm experiments in which water and sediments were taken from a shallow eutrophic lake with sulfate levels near 1 mM. However, following addition of CBB to mesocosms, sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) were observed in the water column, and increasing numbers of SRB in the water column were associated with higher sulfate input. Sulfate amendment (0-70 mg L(-1)) also resulted in a larger amount of total dissolved sulfide (peak values of 5.90 ± 0.36 to 7.60 ± 0.12 mg L(-1)) in the water column and acid volatile sulfide (1081.71 ± 69.91 to 1557.98 ± 41.72 mg kg(-1)) in 0-1 cm surface sediments due to sulfate reduction. During the period of CBB decomposition, increasing sulfate levels in the water column were positively correlated with increasing diffusive phosphate fluxes of 1.23 ± 0.32 to 2.17 ± 0.01 mg m(-2) d(-1) at the water-sediment interface. As increases in sulfide and phosphate release rates deteriorated the water quality/ecosystem and even spurred the occurrence of a black water problem in lakes, the control of sulfate input level should be considered for shallow eutrophic lake management, especially during cyanobacterial bloom periods.

The Application of an Anatomical Database for Fetal Congenital Heart Disease.

BACKGROUND: Fetal congenital heart anomalies are the most common congenital anomalies in live births. Fetal echocardiography (FECG) is the only prenatal diagnostic approach used to detect fetal congenital heart disease (CHD). FECG is not widely used, and the antenatal diagnosis rate of CHD varies considerably. Thus, mastering the anatomical characteristics of different kinds of CHD is critical for ultrasound physicians to improve FECG technology. The aim of this study is to investigate the applications of a fetal CHD anatomic database in FECG teaching and training program. METHODS: We evaluated 60 transverse section databases including 27 types of fetal CHD built in the Prenatal Diagnosis Center in Peking University People's Hospital. Each original database contained 400-700 cross-sectional digital images with a resolution of 3744 pixels × 5616 pixels. We imported the database into Amira 5.3.1 (Australia Visage Imaging Company, Australia) three-dimensional (3D) software. The database functions use a series of 3D software visual operations. The features of the fetal CHD anatomical database were analyzed to determine its applications in FECG continuing education and training. RESULTS: The database was rebuilt using the 3D software. The original and rebuilt databases can be displayed dynamically, continuously, and synchronically and can be rotated at arbitrary angles. The sections from the dynamic displays and rotating angles are consistent with the sections in FECG. The database successfully reproduced the anatomic structures and spatial relationship features of different fetal CHDs. We established a fetal CHD anatomy training database and a standardized training database for FECG. Ultrasound physicians and students can learn the anatomical features of fetal CHD and FECG through either centralized training or distance education. CONCLUSIONS: The database of fetal CHD successfully reproduced the anatomic structures and spatial relationship of different kinds of fetal CHD. This database can be widely used in anatomy and FECG teaching and training.

Establishment of a database of fetal congenital heart malformations and preliminary investigation of its clinical application.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to create a database of anatomical ultrathin cross-sectional images of fetal hearts with different congenital heart diseases (CHDs) and preliminarily to investigate its clinical application. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty Chinese fetal heart samples from induced labor due to different CHDs were cut transversely at 60-µm thickness. All thoracic organs were removed from the thoracic cavity after formalin fixation, embedded in optimum cutting temperature compound, and then frozen at -25°C for 2 hours. Subsequently, macro shots of the frozen serial sections were obtained using a digital camera in order to build a database of anatomical ultrathin cross-sectional images. RESULTS: Images in the database clearly displayed the fetal heart structures. After importing the images into three-dimensional software, the following functions could be realized: (1) based on the original database of transverse sections, databases of sagittal and coronal sections could be constructed; and (2) the original and constructed databases could be displayed continuously and dynamically, and rotated in arbitrary angles. They could also be displayed synchronically. The aforementioned functions of the database allowed for the retrieval of images and three-dimensional anatomy characteristics of the different fetal CHDs, and virtualization of fetal echocardiography findings. CONCLUSION: A database of 40 different cross-sectional fetal CHDs was established. An extensive database library of fetal CHDs, from which sonographers and students can study the anatomical features of fetal CHDs and virtualize fetal echocardiography findings via either centralized training or distance education, can be established in the future by accumulating further cases.

[Research on Early Diagnosis of Gastric Cancer by the Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy of Human Hemoglobin].

Early diagnosis have great positive effect on the treatment of gastric cancer patients. Raman spectroscopy can provide a useful monitor for hemoglobin dynamics. Besides, Raman spectroscopy has notable advantages in the fields of abnormal hemoglobin diagnosis, hemoglobin oxygen saturation deter mination and blood methemoglobin analysis. In this paper, novel silver colloid was synthesized by microwave heated method. The surface enhanced Raman spectrums of hemoglobin from 11 normal persons and 20 gastric cancer patients are measured and analyzed in order to obtain spectrums which are high repeatability and characteristic peaks protruding. By analyzing the assignations of the SERS bands, it found that the content of asparagine, tyrosine and phenylalanine in the hemoglobin are significantly lower than healthy people. Discussing the structure of hemoglobin, when hemoglobin combines with oxygen, Fe²âº is in a low spin state, ionic radius shrinks and moves 0. 075 nm and fall into the pore in the middle of the heme porphyrin ring plane. This spatial variation affects F8His connected with the iron, will narrow the gap between the globin in the two strands of the helix, as a result, HC2 tyrosine pushed out of the void. Using this mechanism, the absorption peak of 1 560 cm⁻¹ confirmed that the tyrosine content in patients with gastric cancer was lower than that of normal people. Principal component analysis(PCA) is employed to get a three-dimensional scatter plot of PC scores for the health and cancer groups, and it can be learned that they are distributed in separate areas. By using the method of discriminate analysis, it is found that the diagnostic algorithm separates the two groups with sensitivity of 90.0% and diagnostic specificity of 90.9%, the overall diagnostic accuracy was 90.3%. The results from this exploratory study demonstrate that, SERS detection of oxyhemoglobin combined with multivariate analysis would be an effective method for early diagnosis of gastric cancer.

Incidence of pocket hematoma after electrophysiological device placement: dual antiplatelet therapy versus low-molecular-weight heparin regimen.

BACKGROUND: Given the increasing number of patients who require dual antiplatelet (DAP) therapy and electrophysiological device (EPD) placement, perioperative antiplatelet management is a current challenge. In this study, we investigated the incidence of pocket hematoma formation after EPD placement in patients undergoing DAP therapy or an alternative low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) regimen. METHODS: This clinical observational study was performed from July 2010 to July 2012. In total, 171 patients were enrolled in the analysis after meeting the inclusion criteria. These patients were divided into two groups: 86 patients were treated with DAP therapy at the time of device implantation, and the DAP therapy was discontinued for 5 to 7 days and replaced with enoxaparin before device implantation in the other 85 patients. Adenosine phosphate (ADP)-mediated platelet aggregation and arachidonic acid-induced platelet aggregation were tested preoperatively. We compared the incidence of pocket hematoma between the two groups and the association of pocket hematoma development with ADP-mediated platelet aggregation and arachidonic acid-induced platelet aggregation. RESULTS: The incidence of pocket hematoma in the patients who continued DAP was lower than that in the patients who replaced the dual antiplatelet regimen with LMWH (3.49% vs. 16.47%, respectively; X (2) = 6.66, P < 0.01). Among the patients who continued DAP therapies, the rate of ADP-mediated platelet aggregation inhibition in patients with pocket hematomas was higher than that in patients without pocket hematomas. None of the patients undergoing DAP or enoxaparin therapy developed pocket infection, thromboembolic events, or other serious complications. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that LMWH therapy was an independent risk factor for the development of pocket hematoma (RR = 0.054, 95%CI = 0.012-0.251). Furthermore, patients undergoing LMWH therapy were 5.1-fold more likely to develop pocket hematomas than were DAP-treated individuals. CONCLUSION: Continuance of DAP therapy does not increase the risk of pocket hematoma formation after EPD placement.

[Study on the inclusion compound of avermectin by infrared spectroscopy].

This study was designed to investigate the formation and effect of inclusion complex of Avermectin-beta-cyclodextrin based on the accommodation property of beta-cyclodextrin's molecular cavity. The inclusion complex of Averrnectin-beta-cyclodextrin was prepared using saturated solution method and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was employed to determine its entraping efficiency. The formation of Avermectin-beta-cyclodextrin inclusion complex was also demonstrated by infrared spectroscopy(IR). The change of chemical structure produced by photocatalysis of Abamectin was analyzed and the effect of inclusion complex to strengthen the photolysis stability of Abamectin's chemical structure was studied. The results show that the entraping efficiency of the inclusion complex was 40. 5%. The IR analysis presents that the intermolecular hydrogen bond was formed in the Avermectin-beta-cyclodextrin inclusion complex, indicating the composition effect was different from physical mixture. The lactones structure of Avermectin Bla can be photodecomposed and disrupted. After decomposition, the infrared stretching vibration peak of C-O-C structure disappeared and the lactone bond was significantly broken. The lactones structure of avermectin Bla was covered by the inclusion molecular loci in beta-cyclodextrin after the formation of avermectin-beta-cyclodextrin inclusion complex, providing a good photophobic protection for C-O-C structure in the macrocyclic lactone structure of avermectin Bla and improving the photostability of avermectin Bla molecule. The innovation of this study is that the structure and the characters of the prepared avermectin-beta-cyclodextrin inclusion complex were analyzed using spectrum methods. This inclusion complex is expected to be the ideal intermediate in the construction of protective controlled release formulation of avermectin.