[Association between intraoperative hypothermia and outcomes in neonatal patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery].

Objective: To investigate the impact of intraoperative hypothermia on postoperative outcome in neonatal patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery. Methods: The data of 1 008 neonates undergoing non-cardiac surgery in Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine from January 2020 to October 2022 were retrospectively collected,which included 558 males and 450 females, with a midian age [M (Q1, Q3)] of 6 (2, 14) days. Neonates were divided into 4 groups according to whether hypothermia (below 36 ℃) occurred and the lowest body temperature during the surgery: normal temperature group (n=246), mild hypothermia group (the lowest temperature ranged 35.0-35.9 ℃, n=434), moderate hypothermia group (the lowest temperature ranged 34.0-34.9 ℃, n=232) and severe hypothermia group (the lowest temperature<34 ℃, n=96). The primary outcome was the incidence of intraoperative hypothermia. The four groups' difference of postoperative hospital stay, postoperative mortality within 30 days, postoperative pulmonary complications, postoperative hemorrhage/blood transfusion and acidosis were compared. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between intraoperative hypothermia and prolonged postoperative hospital stay (>14 d), 30 d-mortality and other complications. Results: In the 1 008 neonatal patients, 762 (75.6%) cases suffered intraoperative hypothermia, among which the incidence of mild, moderate and severe hypothermia was 43.1% (434/1008), 23.0% (232/1008) and 9.5% (96/1008), respectively. The postoperative hospital stay in normal, mild, moderate and severe hypothermia groups was 9.0 (5.8, 18.0), 12.0 (7.0, 21.0), 17.0 (10.0, 34.5) and 31.5 (12.5, 55.8) days. The mortality rate with 30 days after surgery was 2.9% (7/246), 4.4% (19/434), 6.9% (16/232) and 14.7% (14/96), the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications was 31.7%(78/246), 39.9%(173/434), 44.8%(104/232) and 67.4%(64/96), the rate of postoperative hemorrhage/blood transfusion was 19.9%(49/246), 32.3%(140/434), 49.1%(114/232) and 79.0%(75/96), and the incidence of acidosis was 26.8%(66/246), 35.7%(155/434), 44.4%(103/232) and 46.3%(44/96), respectively. All differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). According to the adjusted logistic regression analysis, compared with the normal body temperature group, severe hypothermia was associated with prolonged postoperative hospital stay (OR=1.962, 95%CI: 1.063-3.619) and postoperative pulmonary complications (OR=2.020, 95%CI: 1.149-3.553). The mild, moderate and severe hypothermia group could increase the risk of postoperative blood/transfusion rate (mild: OR=1.690, 95%CI: 1.080-2.644; Moderate: OR=2.382, 95%CI: 1.444-3.927; Severe: OR=8.334, 95%CI: 3.123-8.929). The mild and moderate hypothermia could raise the risk of acidosis (mild: OR=1.458, 95%CI: 1.009-2.107; Moderate: OR=1.949, 95%CI: 1.279-2.972). Conclusion: Intraoperative hypothermia can prolong the postoperative hospital stay, and increase the risk of postoperative mortality, postoperative pulmonary complications, postoperative hemorrhage/transfusion, and acidosis.

[Association between unhealthy lifestyles and hyperuricemia in occupational population and modification effect of hypertension and dyslipidemia].

Objective: To understand the relationship between unhealthy lifestyle and hyperuricemia, as well as the modification effects of hypertension and dyslipidemia in occupational population and provide a theoretical basis for the prevention of hyperuricemia. Methods: A cross-sectional survey design was adopted, based on baseline data from the Southwest Occupational Population Cohort from China Railway Chengdu Group Co., Ltd., which included the population in 28 prefectures from Sichuan Province and Guizhou Province, and 33 districts (counties) from Chongqing Municipality between October and December 2021. This study collected the information about the demographics characteristics, lifestyles, and prevalence of chronic non-communicable diseases of the study subjects through questionnaire, physical measurement and laboratory biochemical test. The unhealthy lifestyle score was scored based on smoking, alcohol consumption, dietary patterns, physical activity, and low weight or overweight, with higher scores being associated with more unhealthy lifestyles. The multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the relationship between unhealthy lifestyle score, smoking, alcohol consumption, other factors and hyperuricemia, and the stratified analysis was used to explore the modification effect of hypertension and other diseases on the relationship between unhealthy lifestyle and hyperuricemia. Results: A total of 11 748 participants were included in this study, the prevalence of hyperuricemia was 34.4%. Multivariate logistic regression model showed that current/previous smoking, current/previous alcohol consumption and BMI abnormality were risk factors for hyperuricemia, and the unhealthy lifestyle score showed a "cumulative" effect on the risk for hyperuricemia, with higher score increasing the risk of hyperuricemia, and the OR increased from 1.64 (95%CI: 1.34-2.00) to 2.89 (95%CI: 2.39-3.50). Stratified analysis showed that unhealthy lifestyles had a greater impact on the risk for hyperuricemia in people with hypertension and dyslipidemia. Conclusions: The coexistence of multiple unhealthy lifestyles might increase the risk of hyperuricemia, and this effect was stronger in participants with hypertension and dyslipidemia. Timely correction of unhealthy lifestyles, and control of hypertension and dyslipidemia might reduce the risk for hyperuricemia.

Risk factors of common bile duct stones recurrence and nomogram for predicting recurrence after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography: a dual-center retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: Common bile duct stone (CBDS) is one of the common diseases in the digestive system, for which endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a treatment procedure. However, the risk factors for CBDS recurrence after ERCP remains unclear. This study aims to compare the risk factors of CBDS recurrence after ERCP, and to set up a nomogram model to predict the long-term risk. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 355 patients was reviewed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the risk factors for recurrence. The R packages were used for the model building. The validation set contained 100 patients. RESULTS: The patients were divided into three subgroups: treated by cholecystectomy after ERCP (11.76% recurrence rate), treated without surgery after ERCP (19.70%), and with a prior history of cholecystectomy (43.64%). Each of them has different independent risk factors, and high body mass index (BMI) is correlated with an increased risk among all the subgroups. A prior history of cholecystectomy is a candidate factor that increases the risk of CBDS recurrence in patients older than 60 years, with a greater BMI, or receiving ERCP combined with EPBD. We built a nomogram model to predict the risk of long-term CBDS recurrence based on the risk factors including age, BMI, CBD diameter, the number of CBDS, and the gallbladder- or biliary tract-related events. CONCLUSIONS: CBDS recurrence is related to congenital and anatomical factors. Cholecystectomy would not be helpful to prevent CBDS recurrence, and a prior history of cholecystectomy may indicate a high risk of recurrence.

[Real-world study evaluating the incidence of liver damage conditions in patients with primary liver cancer using immune checkpoint inhibitor-based combination therapy].

Objective: To evaluate the incidence of immune checkpoint inhibitor-based combination therapy-induced liver damage in patients with primary liver cancer. Methods: Clinical data of 65 hospitalized cases of primary liver cancer treated with programmed cell death-1 its ligand programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) antibody in the Department of Infectious Diseases of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from January 1, 2018 to March 31, 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The degree of liver injury before and after treatment was assessed according to CTCAE v5.0. Patients were grouped according to gender, age, presence or absence of cirrhosis, baseline Child-Pugh score, BCLC stage, and treatment regimen to compare the incidence of liver injury under different conditions. The χ (2) test or rank-sum test was used for comparison among multiple groups. Results: 46 cases (70.77%) had liver damage of any grade according to the CTCAE V5.0 criteria during the treatment and observation period. All 6 cases who received standardized anti-hepatitis B virus (HBV) treatment developed liver damage. 10 (15.38%), 15 (23.08%), 19 (29.23%), and 2 (3.08%) cases had grade 1, 2, 3, and 4 liver damage respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of liver damage between male and female patients (68.33% and 100%, P = 0.180). There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of liver damage among different age groups (P = 0.245). The incidence of liver damage in cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic group was 72.22%, and 63.64% (P = 0.370), respectively. The incidence of liver damage in patients with baseline Child-Pugh class A, B, and C were 71.43%, 61.11% and 100%, respectively, and the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.878). The incidence of liver damage was not statistically significantly different under different BCLC stages (P = 1.000). The incidence of liver damage in the PD-1/PD-L1 antibody monotherapy, PD-1/PD-L1 antibody combined with targeted drug therapy, and PD-1/PD-L1 antibody combined with TACE/radiofrequency ablation treatment group were 60.00%, 67.85%, and 86.67%, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of liver damage between the treatment regimen (P = 0.480). Conclusion: Immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy-induced liver damage is common in patients with primary liver cancer; however, it rarely severely endangers the patient's life. Additionally, patient's gender, age, presence or absence of cirrhosis, baseline liver function, BCLC stage and the immunotherapy regimen has no effect on the incidence of immune-related liver damage.

Supraclavicular lymph node recurrence after radical surgery: is epidermal growth factor receptor a predictive marker?

The aim of this study was to evaluate the rare postoperative supraclavicular metastasis originating from oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and to discuss epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) as a potential predictive marker. Tumour specimens of OSCC patients divided into three groups were included: supraclavicular metastasis (n = 8), conventional cervical metastasis (n = 28), no metastasis (n = 48). Basic information and EGFR expression were compared among these groups and the data were analysed to identify potentially related risk factors for supraclavicular metastasis. In the supraclavicular metastasis group (n = 8), all primary tumours were T1-T2 and located in the tongue and buccal region; five of eight cases were pathologically N0. The median interval from the primary tumour resection to the development of supraclavicular metastases was 21.5 months. All related deaths (5/8) occurred within 2 years. In the supraclavicular metastasis group, EGFR expression was highest in the supraclavicular metastases, followed by cervical lymph nodes, and was lowest in the primary tumours (P = 0.39). In contrast, in the conventional metastasis group and the N0 group, EGFR expression was higher in the primary tumours than in the lymph nodes (P < 0.01). Supraclavicular metastasis of OSCC is infrequent and associated with a poor prognosis. EGFR might predict the occurrence of supraclavicular metastasis.

[Comparison of early outcome between one-stage hybrid technique and frozen elephant thunk technique in the treatment of Stanford A aortic dissection involving the arch].

Objective: To analyze the early outcome of one-stage hybrid technique in the treatment of Stanford type-A aortic dissection involving the arch and compare its therapeutic efficacy with the classical frozen elephant trunk technique (FET). Methods: A total of 106 patients with Stanford type-A aortic dissection involving the arch in Department of Cardiac and Vascular Surgery, 1st Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from October 2015 to October 2019 was collected. All patients in this group were treated with one-stage hybrid technique (modified arch debranching technique) without deep hypothermia circulation. Meanwhile, 30 patients with Stanford type A dissection involving the arch who underwent FET from January 2014 to September 2015 were collected. The therapeutic effects of the two surgical methods were analyzed and compared. Results: The age [M (Q1, Q3)] of 106 patients in hybrid group was 49.0 (40.0, 55.0) years, including 89 males and 17 females. The age [M(Q1, Q3)] of 30 patients in FET group was 49.5 (41.5, 65.3) years, including 24 males and 6 females. The time [M(Q1, Q3)] of using ventilator in hybrid group was 56.0 (38.0, 72.0) h, which was shorter than 127.0 (92.0, 145.0) h in FET group (P<0.001). The incidence of cerebral infarction in hybrid group was 2.8% (3 cases), which was lower than 13.3% (4 cases) in FET group (P=0.042); the incidence of postoperative renal insufficiency in hybrid group was 7.5% (8 cases), which was lower than 23.3% (7 cases) in FET group (P=0.023); the ICU time [M (Q1, Q3)] in hybrid group was 8.0 (6.0, 10.0) d, which was shorter than 14.0 (8.3, 24.0) d in FET group (P<0.001). Conclusion: Compared with FET, one-stage hybrid technology is safer and more effective in the treatment of Stanford type A aortic dissection involving the arch. Its short-term therapeutic efficacy appears good.

[Expression discordances and clinical values of ER, PR, HER-2 and Ki-67 in primary and metastatic breast cancer].

Objective: To investigate the expression discordances of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), human epidermal growth factor receptor2 (HER-2) and Ki-67 in primary and metastatic breast cancer specimens and explore the clinical significances. Methods: Biopsies of metastatic lesions were performed in 203 patients with breast cancer recurrence and metastasis indicated by physical examination and/or imaging examination. We confirmed pathological properties and assessed the expressions of ER, PR, HER-2 and Ki-67 in primary and metastatic lesions, their relationships with prognosis were also analyzed. Results: Biopsy failed in 3 patients, the pathology and immunohistochemitry results of metastatic lesions were not obtained. One person was diagnosed as tuberculosis and another was primary lung cancer. Among the 198 cases of primary and metastatic lesions, the discordance rates of ER, PR, HER-2 and Ki-67 were 27.3%, 34.3%, 11.8% and 15.1%, respectively.The expressions of ER, HER-2 and Ki-67 were not significantly different between the primary and metastatic lesions, however, the expressions of PR were more likely to turn negative in the metastases (P<0.001). The disease-free survival (DFS) of patients with ER, PR positive, HER-2 negative and low expression of Ki-67 in metastatic lesion was much longer (P<0.05). Conclusions: The expressions of ER, PR, HER-2 and Ki-67 in metastatic lesions are associated with the prognosis of breast cancer patients.Their expression discordances between primary and metastatic lesions can guide the treatment and evaluate the risks of recurrence and prognosis.

How patent law reform can improve affordability and accessibility of medicines in South Africa: Four medicine case studies.

South Africa (SA) is in the process of amending its patent laws. Since its 2011 inception, Fix the Patent Laws, a coalition of 40 patient groups, has advocated for reform of SA's patent laws to improve affordability of medicines in the country. Building on two draft policies (2013, 2017) and a consultative framework (2016) for reform of SA's patent laws, Cabinet approved phase 1 of the Intellectual Property Policy of the Republic of South Africa on 23 May 2018. Fix the Patent Laws welcomed the policy, but highlighted concerns regarding the absence of important technical details, as well as the urgent need for government to develop bills, regulations and guidelines to provide technical detail and to codify and implement patent law reform in the country. In this article, we explore how reforms proposed in SA's new intellectual property policy could improve access to medicine through four medicine case studies.

Polymorphisms of the prolactin gene and their association with egg production traits in two Chinese domestic ducks.

1. Prolactin (PRL) as a polypeptide hormone which plays a crucial role in egg production traits. 2. Polymorphisms of the PRL gene were analysed with DNA sequencing and polymerase chain reaction-single-strand conformation polymorphism methods in two Chinese domestic laying duck breeds (Jinding, n = 400, Youxian, n = 400, respectively). 3. The results showed that one polymorphism was detected (A-412G) in intron 1 of the PRL gene, with three genotypes: AA, AG and GG. Association analysis showed that the ducks with the GG genotype had significantly greater egg production and egg weight than those with AG and AA genotype (p < 0.05). Hence, the 412A > G polymorphism of the PRL gene in intron 1 is a potentially valuable genetic marker for laying duck breeding programmes.

[Disparities of sex on cancer incidence and mortality in Jiashan county, Zhejiang province,1990-2014].

Objective: This study aimed to describe the sex disparities on cancer incidence and mortality in Jiashan population. Methods: All data concerning incident and death cases of cancers were gathered from the database of Cancer Registry in Jiashan county. Data from the 2010 China census was used as the standard population. Sex-specific age-standardized incidence rates (ASIRs), mortality rates (ASMRs) per 100 000 persons for all cancers and types of each cancer were calculated for the years of 1990 to 1999, 2000 to 2009, 2010 to 2014, and 1990 to 2014. In addition, the corresponding male-to-female incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and mortality rate ratios (MRRs) were also calculated. Results: The ASIR of all cancers was 226.13/10(5) for the whole period of 1990 to 2014, with 266.04/10(5) for males and 187.22/10(5) for females, respectively. The corresponding IRR was 1.42 (95%CI: 1.39-1.46), with significant difference noticed in the incidence rates between males and females (P<0.05). The ASMR of all cancers was 155.39/10(5), with 206.55/10(5) for males and 104.98/10(5) for females, respectively. The corresponding MRR was 1.97 (95% CI: 1.91-2.03), with significant difference between males and females (P<0.05). Among all the cancer types, only gallbladder cancer and thyroid cancer showed female predominance in both incidence and mortality, with male predominance in all the remaining cancers. Conclusion: Finding from our study suggested that a male predominance in both incidence and mortality for a majority of cancers in Jiashan population.

Development of stable Pickering emulsions/oil powders and Pickering HIPEs stabilized by gliadin/chitosan complex particles.

In this paper, we demonstrate the use of gliadin/chitosan complex particles (GCCPs) as particulate stabilizers of oil-in-water emulsions of natural oils and water. For this purpose, we fabricated GCCPs through a facile anti-solvent procedure and demonstrated their usage in the formation of Pickering emulsions and Pickering high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs). The GCCPs can be used to produce surfactant-free o/w Pickering emulsions and Pickering HIPEs; unfortunately these emulsions were labile to coalescence. NaCl addition and/or pH regulation, and the combination were used to modify the surface wettability of the complex particles to achieve stable emulsions. The microstructures, e.g., interfacial frameworks, GCCP partition between the continuous phase and interfacial region, and the state of the droplets, of Pickering emulsions were visualized by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), confirming that the inclusion of NaCl and slightly adjusting pH toward 4.0 and/or 5.0 benefited the adsorption and accumulation of colloid particles at the droplet surface to form an engineered interfacial structure, bridging droplets together through a percolating layer of colloidal particles at the oil/water interface. A schematic representation for the formation route of the emulsions is proposed to relate the physical performance and rheological property with the interfacial structures and aggregate behaviors in the Pickering system stabilized by the complex particles. Interestingly, direct freeze-drying of the emulsions transformed unstable Pickering emulsions into stable oil powders. This study opens a promising route based on Pickering HIPEs or oil powders to structure liquid oils into solid-like fats without artificial trans-fat, which outlines new directions for future fundamental research.

Administration of resveratrol enhances cell-cycle arrest followed by apoptosis in DMBA-induced skin carcinogenesis in male Wistar rats.

OBJECTIVE: Resveratrol (RES), present in fruits and plants, is a natural compound that has been shown various medicinal properties, including protection of cardiovascular disease and cancer risk. However, the effects of RES on skin cancer have not been investigated. The present work was designed to explore the anticancer potential of RES against chemical-induced skin carcinogenesis in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Skin carcinogenesis were induced in male Wistar rats by a single topical application of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) and 2 weeks later, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) were topically applied thrice a week to promote skin carcinogenesis. RES at a dose of 1 or 2 mg/kg body weight/week were administered to DMBA treated rats. The effects of RES on DMBA-modified cell-cycle arrest, apoptosis and protein expressions were analyzed by flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry and Western blot, respectively. RESULTS: RES treatment caused a significant reduction of DMBA-induced tumor occurrence, tumor volume and tumor weight, as compared to DMBA control group. Further, RES treatment increases G2/M arrest and apoptosis by modulating cell-cycle and apoptosis regulated genes such as p53, p21, caspase-3, bax, survivin, cyclin-B and cdc-2 when compared with DMBA control group. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, the anticancer effect of RES is associated with regulation of cell-cycle and apoptosis in skin cancer, thereby attenuating skin cancer growth. Hence, these findings suggest that RES may be a therapeutic agent for skin cancer treatment.

Effects of the balance between type 1 and type 2 T helper cells on ovarian cancer.

The balance between type 1 and type 2 T helper cells (the Th1-Th2 balance) is closely correlated with cancer, but the correlation in ovarian cancer remains unconfirmed. We investigated the Th1-Th2 balance for the diagnosis, treatment, and prognostic evaluation of ovarian cancer. Fifty healthy subjects and 50 ovarian cancer patients were recruited. The levels of various cytokines were determined in sera and ovarian cancer tissues using a Th1-Th2 human cytokine array. The usefulness of TNFα, IFNγ, TNFα/IL-4, and IFNγ/IL-4 for ovarian cancer diagnosis was assessed based on receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The relationship between the TNFα/IL-4 level and survival time was investigated based on a survival curve. In the ovarian cancer patients, the levels of Th1 factors (IL-2, IFNγ, TNFα, and IL-13) increased significantly in the sera, and IFNγ and TNFα increased significantly in the ovarian cancer tissues. The levels of Th2 factors (IL-5 and IL-6) increased in the sera, but the level of IL-6 decreased significantly in the ovarian cancer tissues. Serum TNFα/IL-4 and IFNγ/IL-4 levels increased significantly in the peripheral blood of the ovarian cancer patients. ROC curve analysis revealed that TNFα, IFNγ, TNFα/IL-4, and IFNγ/IL-4 levels are useful for ovarian cancer diagnosis, with area under the curve values of 0.831, 0.753, 0.846, and 0.803, respectively. The TNFα/IL-4 level in the ovarian cancer patients was positively correlated with survival time, and the Th1-Th2 balance shifted toward Th1 in the ovarian cancer patients. The TNFα/IL-4 ratio might be useful for the diagnosis and prognosis of ovarian cancer.

Eicosapentaenoic acid attenuates dexamethasome-induced apoptosis by inducing adaptive autophagy via GPR120 in murine bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells.

Long-term use of glucocorticoids is a widespread clinical problem, which currently has no effective solution other than discontinuing the use. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), an omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA), which is largely contained in fish or fish oil, has been reported to promote cell viability and improve bone metabolism. However, little is known about the effects of EPA on dexamethasome (Dex)-induced cell apoptosis. In this study, we showed that EPA-induced autophagy of murine bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (mBMMSCs). Meanwhile, EPA, but not arachidonic acid (AA), markedly inhibited Dex-induced apoptosis and promoted the viability of mBMMSCs. We also observed that EPA-induced autophagy was modulated by GPR120, but not GPR40. Further experiments showed that the mechanism of EPA-induced autophagy associated with GPR120 modulation involved an increase in the active form of AMP-activated protein kinase and a decrease in the activity of mammalian target of RAPA. The protective effect of EPA on Dex-induced apoptosis via GPR120-meditated induction of adaptive autophagy was supported by in vivo experiments. In summary, our findings may have important implications in developing future strategies to use EPA in the prevention and therapy of the side effects induced by long-term Dex-abuse.

Risk factors associated with aortic remodeling in patients with Stanford type B aortic dissection after thoracic endovascular aortic repair.

To determine the risk factors associated with adverse aortic remodeling after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) in patients with Stanford type B aortic dissection, we performed a retrospective analysis of 54 patients between January 2009 and June 2012 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University. All patients underwent TEVAR of the descending thoracic aorta. Multiple-logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors associated with aortic remodeling. True-lumen and false-lumen volumes were increased (P < 0.001) and decreased (P < 0.001) after surgery, respectively. Therefore, the remodeling index increased after surgery (1.04 ± 0.6 to 2.06 ± 1.12, P < 0.001). Remodeling index and true-lumen volume were higher in the favorable aortic remodeling group compared to the adverse aortic remodeling group (P < 0.001), while the false-lumen volume was lower in the favorable aortic remodeling group (P < 0.001). Multivariate analyses revealed a branch originating from the false lumen (OR = 39.9, P < 0.01) and multiple tears (OR = 27.4, P < 0.01) to be independent risk factors for adverse aortic remodeling. Therefore, a branch originating from the false lumen and multiple tears were determined to be independent risk factors for adverse aortic remodeling after TEVAR in patients with Stanford type B aortic dissection.

Selective hair analysis of nicotine by molecular imprinted solid-phase extraction: an application for evaluating tobacco smoke exposure.

A method using a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) as the selective sorbent for solid-phase extraction (SPE) has been developed. Its application to the assay of hairy nicotine level among smokers and non-smokers with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and evaluation of exposures to the environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) were validated. The MIP was synthesized using nicotine as the template molecule and methacrylic acid (MAA) as the functional monomer. This MIP-SPE method provided inherent selectivity and a sensitive response to nicotine with a detection limit of 0.2 ng/ml hair at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3:1 and the limit of quantification was 0.5 ng/ml. The linearity was assessed in the range of 0.5-80 ng/ml hair, with a coefficient (r(2)) greater than 0.987. The amounts of nicotine determined in smokers and non-smokers hair were in the range of 5.1-69.5 ng/mg hair and 0.50-9.3 ng/mg hair, respectively. The reported measures of ETS exposure were significantly associated with hairy nicotine levels. This assay of nicotine in hair using MISPE provided a very selective and reliable method for the evaluation of the exposure to tobacco smoke.

[Surgical repair of hypospadias with urethral burying and scrotal skin flap transplantation].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the surgical approach to repair hypospadias. METHODS: From 1992 to 2000, 42 cases with hypospadias accepted secondary urethroplasty after primary operation, which included urethral burying in penile skin, bladder mucosa and scrotal septal vascular pedicled flap urethroplasty, trans-scrotal skin flap covering the wounds with normal meatus urinarius. RESULTS: Only one, out of 42 cases, had early complication of urinary fistula in 7 days after urethroplasty, which was cured by scrotal septal vascular pedicled flap urethroplasty 3 months later and had no further complication. The others were all succeeded once for all, the successful rate was 97.6%. CONCLUSION: The surgical method to repair hypospadias by urethral burying and transscrotal skin flap technique is safe, reliable and recommendable for clinical use.

Apoptosis in human hepatoma cell line SMMC-7721 induced by water-soluble macromolecular components of Artemisia capillaris Thunberg.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of water-soluble macromolecular components of Artemisia capillaris Thunberg (ACT) on human hepatoma cell line SMMC-7721 (SMMC-7721). The morphological changes of SMMC-7721 were observed under a light microscope and an electron microscope. Inhibition of proliferation was measured with a colorimetric MTT assay. It was discovered that ACT extract-treated cells exhibit morphological changes typical of apoptosis, including condensed chromatin and a reduction in volume. ACT extract at 25-200 microg/ml dose-dependently inhibited the proliferation of SMMC-7721. The 50% effective dose, evaluated on day 3 of exposure to the extract, was 64.52+/-3.53 microg/ml. Upon gel electrophoresis, the fragmented DNA showed a characteristic ladder pattern. Cell cycle analyses revealed that ACT induced cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase.