Individualized positive end-expiratory pressure with and without recruitment maneuvers in obese patients during bariatric surgery.

This study aimed to determine whether regular recruitment maneuvers (RMs) are essential for obese patients (OPs) undergoing elective laparoscopic bariatric surgery (LBS) during intraoperative ventilation with individualized positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP). Patients were randomly assigned to two arms: the RM + PEEP-EIT arm consisted of individualized PEEP titrated by electrical impedance tomography (EIT) with two regular RMs and the PEEP-EIT arm consisted of individualized PEEP titrated by EIT without additional RMs. For these two arms together, EIT-guided PEEP varied among individuals. The partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood to fractional inspired oxygen (PaO2 /FiO2 ) ratio in the RM + PEEP-EIT arm was higher than that in the PEEP-EIT arm at 1 h after pneumoperitoneum (p = 0.024) and at the end of surgery (p = 0.035). There was no great difference in the PaO2 /FiO2 ratio between these two arms when measured 5 min prior to postanesthesia care unit (PACU) departure and on postoperative day 1. Compared with the PEEP-EIT arm, patients in the RM + PEEP-EIT arm had significantly higher intraoperative dynamic respiratory system compliance (p < 0.001) but consumed more vasopressors (p = 0.036). Postoperative pulmonary complications occurred in 1 of 29 patients in the RM + PEEP-EIT arm compared with 2 of 31 patients in the PEEP-EIT arm. Regular lung RMs can improve intraoperative oxygenation and respiratory system compliance among OPs undergoing LBS with EIT-guided individual PEEP. However, the improvement might disappear before leaving the PACU, and regular RMs resulted in more vasopressor consumption.

A General Strategy for Development of Activatable NIR-II Fluorescent Probes for In Vivo High-Contrast Bioimaging.

Organic dye based NIR-II fluorescent probes, owing to their high signal-to-background ratio and deeper penetration, are highly useful for deep-tissue high-contrast imaging in vivo. However, it is still a challenge to design activatable NIR-II fluorescent probes. Here, a novel class of polymethine dyes (NIRII-RTs), with bright (quantum yield up to 2.03 %), stable, and anti-solvent quenching NIR-II emission, together with large Stokes shifts, was designed. Significantly, the novel NIR-II dyes NIRII-RT3 and NIRII-RT4, equipped with a carboxylic acid group, can serve as effective NIR-II platforms for the design of activatable bioimaging probes with high contrast. As a proof of concept, a series of target-activatable NIRII-RT probes (NIRII-RT-pH, NIRII-RT-ATP and NIRII-RT-Hg) for pH, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and metal-ion detection, were synthesized. By applying the NIRII-RT probe, the real-time monitoring of drug-induced hepatotoxicity was realized.

A general strategy for development of a single benzene fluorophore with full-color-tunable, environmentally insensitive, and two-photon solid-state emission.

We report here a single-benzene based fluorescent framework, amino-terephthalonitrile, denoted SB-Fluor. This scaffold displays versatile emission wavelength tunability via structure modification, covering the full visible light spectrum, both in the solution and solid state. Moreover, one molecule, SBF3, exhibits polymorphism-dependent reversible mechanochromic luminescence.

Two new phenylpropanoids from Micromelum integerrimum.

AIM: To investigate the chemical and bioactive constituents from the stems and leaves of Micromelum integerrimum. METHOD: The chemical constituents were isolated and purified by silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, and HPLC. Their structures were mainly elucidated on the basis of extensive 1D- and 2D-NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Their cytotoxicity and antimicrobial activities were tested by the SRB and turbidimetric methods, respectively. RESULTS: Two new phenylpropanoids and two known coumarins were obtained, and their structures were identified as microintegerrin A (1), microintegerrin B (2), scopoletin (3), and scopolin (4). All of the compounds were tested for their cytotoxicity against three cancer cell lines (HeLa, A549, and BGC-823) and for antimicrobial activity against the fungus Candida albicans and the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus. CONCLUSION: Two new phenylpropanoids 1 and 2 were isolated and identified from the stems and leaves of M. intgerrimum. None of the compounds showed cytotoxic or antimicrobial activity at the tested concentration of 20 µg·mL(-1).

STAT3 inhibitor WP1066 as a novel therapeutic agent for bCCI neuropathic pain rats.

Activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT3) is suggested to be critically involved in the development of chronic pain, but the complex regulation of STAT3-dependent pathway and the functional significance of inhibiting this pathway during the development of neuropathic pain remain elusive. To evaluate the contribution of the JAK2/STAT3 pathway to neuropathic pain and the potentiality of this pathway as a novel therapeutic target, we examined the effects of the STAT3 inhibitor WP1066 by intrathecal administration in a rat model of bilateral chronic constriction injury (bCCI). The pain behavior tests were performed before the surgery and on postoperative day 3, 7, 14 and 21. L4-L6 dorsal spinal cord were harvested at each time point. Both RT-PCR and Western blot were performed to evaluate the activation of JAK2/STAT3 pathway. To observe the influence of WP1066 on neuropathic pain and its molecular mechanism, WP1066 (10 µl, 10 mmol/L in DMSO) or the same capacity of DMSO as the control were applied through the intrathecal tube on the day before bCCI surgery, and on the postoperative day 3 and 5. Behavioral tests were performed to observe the therapeutic effect on mechanical, thermal and cold hyperalgesia. L4-L6 dorsal spinal cord was harvested on postoperative day fourteen, followed by RT-PCR and Western blot evaluation of the JAK2/STAT3 pathway activation. The mechanical, thermal and cold hyperalgesia of the bCCI rats were significantly decreased when compared with the Sham or the Naïve group at each postoperative time point (P<0.05). JAK2 mRNA and STAT3 mRNA were significantly increased in the bCCI rats, accompanied by SOCS3 mRNA with a similar tendency. Western blot analysis showed that JAK2 and phosphorylated STAT3 increased significantly since 3 days after bCCI. JAK2 peaked on postoperative day 14 while phosphorylated STAT3 peaked on postoperative day 7 and gradually decreased thereafter and SOCS3׳s peak level on postoperative day 3. When WP1066 were administered intrathecally, the pain behaviors of the bCCI rats were significantly improved (P<0.05). WP1066 also inhibited the mRNA level of JAK2, STAT3 and SOCS3 in bCCI rats significantly, together with the protein level of JAK2, phosphorylated STAT3 and SOCS3 on postoperative day 14 as well. Our results found that the JAK2/STAT3 pathway in the spinal cord dorsal horn was significantly activated in the bCCI neuropathic pain rats. WP1066, which inhibited the STAT3 pathway specifically, could partially alleviate the pain behavior of the bCCI rats. So it may serve as a novel therapeutic strategy against neuropathic pain.

[Treating early-to-middle stage nontraumatic osteonecrosis of femoral head patients by jianpi huogu recipe: a retrospective study].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the efficacy and features of treating early-to-middle stage nontraumatic osteonecrosis of femoral head (NONFH) patients by Jianpi Huogu Recipe (JHR). METHODS: Using retrospective paired control method, early-to-middle stage NONFH patients treated by JHR and followed-up for 2 years were recruited as the test group (47 cases). Those accepted surgery of core decompression, focus debridement and bone graft were recruited as the control group (48 cases). Radiographic images and clinical data of patients were collected before and after treatment. The stable rate and excellent rate of Harris score were taken as efficacy evaluation indicators. RESULTS: (1) There was no statistical difference in excellent rate of Harris score between the two groups (95.74% vs. 79.17%, P > 0.05). But better effects were obtained in the test group in relieving pain, improving joint deformation, joint mobility, and total Harris score (P < 0. 05, P < 0. 01). There was no statistical difference in the stable rate of radiography between the two groups (74.47% vs. 75.00%, P > 0.05). (2) There was no statistical difference in the stable rate of radiography at phase II and Ill [staging by Association Research Circulation Osseous (ARCO)] between the two groups (82.05% vs. 80.00%, 37.50% vs. 50.00%, P > 0.05). (3) The stable rate of radiography and excellent rate of Harris score were obviously higher in ARCO phase II patients than in ARCO phase Il patients (82.05% vs. 37.50%,97.44% vs. 87.50%, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Equivalent stable rate of radiography to that of surgery could be obtained in treating early-to-middle stage NONFH patients by JHR. But it was better than surgery in relieving pain, improving joint deformation and joint mobility.

Effects of huogu I formula (I) on correlated factors of bone regeneration in chickens with steroid-induced necrosis of femoral head.

OBJECTIVE: To study the mechanism of Huogu I formula (I) in treating osteonecrosis of femoral head. METHODS: Forty-eight healthy female Leghorn chickens were randomly divided into control group, model group and Huogu I group, and each group consisted of 16 chickens. At the meantime of model establishment, chickens of the Huogu I group were administrated with decoction, while the model and control group with distilled water by gavage. At the 8th and 16th week after medication, blood samples were obtained for blood lipid detection while both sides of femoral head were harvested for the rest of examinations. Specifically, expressions of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP2), transforming growth factor beta1 (TGFß(1)), Smad4 and Smad7 were evaluated by immunohistochemistry, while expression of osteoprotegerin/receptor activator of nuclear factor kappaB ligand (OPG/RANKL) mRNA was detected by in situ hybridization. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in the model group rose significantly. Positive cell counting of BMP2, TGFß(1), Smad4 and OPG in femoral head of the model group dropped prominently. Positive cell counting of Smad7 and RANKL increased dramatically. In contrast with the model group, levels of TC, TG and LDL-C in Huogu I group reduced significantly. Positive cell counting of BMP2, TGFß(1), Smad4 and OPG in femoral head of the Huogu I group increased prominently. Indices of Smad7 and RANKL both decreased significantly. Especially at the 8th week, these variations were more significant. CONCLUSION: Huogu I formula is effective in promoting repair of necrotic femoral head by regulating the expressions of BMP2, TGFß(1), Smads and OPG/RANKL of osteoclast in femoral head.

Halomonas gudaonensis sp. nov., isolated from a saline soil contaminated by crude oil.

Two moderately halophilic strains, SL014B-69(T) and SL014B-62A2, were isolated from a saline soil contaminated with crude oil in Gudao in the coastal Shengli oilfield in China; the isolates were Gram-negative, rod-shaped and carried lateral flagella. Growth occurred at NaCl concentrations of 1-20 % (w/v), at temperatures of 10-42 degrees C and at pH 8.0-9.0. Strain SL014B-69(T) had C(18 : 1)omega7c (28.61 %), C(19 : 1) cyclo omega7c (27.97 %), C(16 : 0) (19.66 %) and C(12 : 0) 3-OH (8.87 %) as the predominant fatty acids and Q9 as the major ubiquinone, with the G+C content of genomic DNA being 64.0 mol%. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the two strains belonged to genus of Halomonas in the Gammaproteobacteria, with the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities of 96.4 % with Halomonas campisalis ATCC 700597(T) and 96.0 % with Halomonas desiderata FB2(T). DNA-DNA relatedness of strain SL014B-69(T) with strain SL014B-62A2, H. campisalis ATCC 700597(T) and H. desiderata DSM 9502(T) was 97.4, 42.9 and 36.8 %, respectively. On the basis of these data, a novel species of the genus Halomonas, Halomonas gudaonensis sp. nov., is proposed for strain SL014B-69(T) and SL014B-62A2. The type strain is SL014B-69(T) (=LMG 23610(T)=CGMCC 1.6133(T)).