Strategy for treating vascular emergencies during the COVID-19 pandemic in China.

Coronavirus-caused pneumonia (COVID-19) broke out in December 2019. The virus soon proved to be extremely contagious and caused an international pandemic. Clinicians treating COVID-19 patients face considerable danger of occupational exposure because of the highly infectious nature of the virus, and precautions must be taken to prevent medical staff infections. This article lists important measures that may save the lives of patients and medical staff during the COVID-19 pandemic and help stop the transmission of COVID-19 on hospital grounds. The suggestions include establishing detailed infection control and prevention protocols in the operating room; expediting testing procedures and patient screening for COVID-19; using case-specific treatment planning for vascular patients with COVID-19, favoring minimally invasive methods; and establishing and reinforcing protective awareness of medical personnel.

miR-96 and autophagy are involved in the beneficial effect of grape seed proanthocyanidins against high-fat-diet-induced dyslipidemia in mice.

We aimed to investigate the possible signaling pathways underlying the regulation of grape seed proanthocyanidins extracts (GSPE) on lipid metabolism. One hundred male C57BL/6 mice were divided into four groups: control group (normal diet), GSPE group (normal diet + GSPE), high-fat diet group (HFD), and high-fat diet plus GSPE (200 mg/kg/day) group (HFD + GSPE). Mice received the diets for 180 days. Body weight and serum lipid levels were measured. Autophagic flux characteristics, such as accumulation of lipids, mitochondria, and autophagosomes in the liver, were detected using transmission electron microscopy. Expression profile of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the liver was determined using RNA microarray and quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRt-PCR). GSPE significantly decreased the weight gain, serum levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol but increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in the HFD mice. Autophagic flux was significantly increased by HFD but decreased by GSPE treatment. GSPE significantly attenuated HFD-induced miR-96 upregulation, which in turn reduced the expressions of miR-96 downstream molecules, FOXO1, mTOR, p-mTOR, and LC3A/B. These results suggested that the miR-96 is involved in the protective effect of GSPE against HFD-induced dyslipidemia. Possible mechanisms might be through mTOR and FOXO1, which facilitate autophagic flux for clearance of lipid accumulation.

RING1 and YY1 binding protein suppresses breast cancer growth and metastasis.

Evidence suggests that RING1 and YY1 binding protein (RYBP) functions as a tumor suppressor. However, its role in breast cancer remains unclear. In the present study, the expression of RYBP was assessed in breast cancer patients and cell lines. Disease-free survival durations of breast cancer patients with high RYBP expression were determined based on the ATCG dataset. The effects of RYBP overexpression on cell growth, migration and invasive potency were also assessed. Nude mouse xenograft and lung metastasis models were also used to confirm the role of RYBP. The involvement of SRRM3 in RYBP-mediated breast cancer suppression was explored using SRRM3 siRNA. The potential relationship between RYBP, SRRM3, and REST-003 was examined by qPCR. The results showed that RYBP was downregulated in breast cancer patients and in several breast cancer cell lines. Breast cancer patients with high expression levels of RYBP displayed better disease-free survival. Overexpression of RYBP in MDA-MB-231 and SK-BR-3 cells significantly decreased cell proliferation, migration, and invasion ability, and increased the proportion of cells arrested in S-phase compared with the negative control cells. Additionally, upregulation of proliferation-related cell cycle proteins (cyclin A and cyclin B1) and E-cadherin, and downregulation of snail were observed in RYBP-overexpressing cells. Overexpression of RYBP reduced tumor volume and weight as well as metastatic foci in the lungs of nude mice. SRRM3 knockdown by siRNA, which is downregulated after RYBP overexpression, suppressed cell growth and metastasis in MDA-MB-231 and SK-BR-3 cells. Furthermore, qPCR analysis revealed that REST-003 ncRNA was downregulated in cells overexpressing RYBP and in SRRM3-inhibited cells. Moreover, cell invasion ability and growth were increased after SRRM3 upregulation in RYBP-overexpressing cells, but they were decreased following si-REST-003 transfection. In conclusion, overexpression of RYBP suppresses breast cancer growth and metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. SRRM3 and REST-003, which are downregulated in cells overexpressing RYBP, may be involved in RYBP-mediated breast cancer progression.

[Effect of L-arginine on diabetic rats].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of L-arginine on diabetic rats. METHODS: Forty adult male Lewis rats were randomized equally into diabetic and normal control groups, and the former rats were treated intraperitoneally with streptozotocin to induce diabetes mellitus. Seven days later, half of the diabetic and normal rats were injected intraperitoneally with L-arginine at the daily dose of 1 g/kg, while the remainder were given saline instead. All the rats were euthanized on 10 days after L-arginine or saline treatment, and their body weight, plasma protein, arginine and sugar, food and water intake were analyzed. RESULTS: Diabetic rats had obviously decreased body weight, plasma protein and arginine but increased blood sugar and food and water intakes in comparison with the control rats. L-arginine significantly increased plasma protein and arginine, decreased food and water intakes, but failed to prevent weight loss and blood sugar increment in diabetic rats as compared to their saline-treated counterparts. L-arginine supplementation did not result in any changes other than arginine elevation in the control rats. CONCLUSION: L-arginine supplementation can partially improve polydipsia and polyphagia and increase plasma protein in diabetic rats.

[The effect of pre-operative chemotherapy on calpain in cells of gastrointestinal malignant tumors].

OBJECTIVE: Primary to search the rule of pre-operative chemotherapy and suitable duration for it by investigating the changes of calpain content and activity after 5'-deoxy-5-fluorouridine (5'-DFUR) per oral administered pre-operatively in different time. Further to investigate the mechanism of chemotherapy. METHODS: Seventy-three patients with gastrointestinal malignant tumors were divided into 4 groups by the time of 5'-DFUR (600 approximately 1200 mg/d) by oral administration before operation, group A, 3 days, 27 cases; group B, 1 week, 22 cases; group C, 2 weeks, 15 cases; group D, 2 months, 9 cases. And group E, control group, had 24 patients with gastrointestinal malignant tumors at the same term. The patients above all had not received the other chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Western blot and immunoelectron microscopy were employed to detect the expressing levels and activities of calpain in tumor tissues of different groups. RESULTS: Electronic microscopic examination showed gold granula mainly on the membranes of mitochondria of tumor cells to groups after chemotherapy. And the tumor cells of group A were mildly damaged. Besides that, serious injury for tumor cells of group B could be seen, and the phenomena were common in group C. But the damages to tumor cells of group D were mainly about mildness. The results of immunoelectron microscopy revealed that the contents of calpain increased following the time of chemotherapy prolonging, and peaked in group C. Still more, there was no significant difference for the results between group C and group D. The changes of calpain activities observed by western blot had the same tendency as the results from immunoelectron microscopy (r = 0.86, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: 5'-DFUR via oral administered pre-operation could have anti-cancer effect through calpain. And the effect might be strongest in 2 weeks also after chemotherapy.

[Surgical treatment for patients with primary hyperparathyroidism].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of surgical treatment for patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT). METHODS: The studies were analyzed for 55 patients with pHPT who underwent parathyroidectomy in our hospital from 1985 to 2002. RESULTS: Eight patients were asymptomatic. The skeletal manifestations were found in 24 cases, urinary stones in 10 cases, and both skeletal manifestations and urinary stones in 13 cases. Pathological bone fractures occurred in 16 cases. Hypercalcemia was discovered in all patients with the average value of (3.1 +/- 0.4) mmol/L, ranging from 2.7 to 3.9 mmol/L and. Fifty patients showed elevated parathyroid hormone (PTH) with the average value of (489.2 +/- 69.2) pg/ml, ranging from 102 to 2,000 pg/ml. Preoperatively all patients underwent sonography, CT and/or scintigraphy. The overall preoperative image-directed localization rate was 90.9%. Follow-up was done from 6 months to 2 years after surgery. The symptoms and signs of all patients relieved postoperatively with the improving of osteoporosis and healing of bone fracture. Of all cases, 39 presented with temporary hypocalcemia, 37 showed circumoral paresthesia in whom 10 showed tetany, 15 showed eucalcemia and one had mild hypercalcemia after operation. The serum calcium was normal in all cases with hypocalcemia by Rocaltrol and calcium supplementation for 1 - 3 weeks. PTH level decreased to normal fro 2 weeks to 2 months in 47 cases and was still mildly higher than normal in 3 cases. CONCLUSIONS: Parathyroidectomy is an effective approach to patients with pHPT. With preoperative image-directed localization techniques, minimally invasive parathyroidectomy is a valid surgical strategy.