Clinical application of a body area network-based smart bracelet for pre-hospital trauma care.

Objective: This study aims to explore the efficiency and effectiveness of a body area network-based smart bracelet for trauma care prior to hospitalization. Methods: To test the efficacy of the bracelet, an observational cohort study was conducted on the clinical data of 140 trauma patients pre-admission to the hospital. This study was divided into an experimental group receiving smart bracelets and a control group receiving conventional treatment. Both groups were randomized using a random number table. The primary variables of this study were as follows: time to first administration of life-saving intervention, time to first administration of blood transfusion, time to first administration of hemostatic drugs, and mortality rates within 24 h and 28 days post-admission to the hospital. The secondary outcomes included the amount of time before trauma team activation and the overall length of patient stay in the emergency room. Results: The measurement results for both the emergency smart bracelet as well as traditional equipment showed high levels of consistency and accuracy. In terms of pre-hospital emergency life-saving intervention, there was no significant statistical difference in the mortality rates between both groups within 224 h post-admission to the hospital or after 28-days of treatment in the emergency department. Furthermore, the treatment efficiency for the group of patients wearing smart bracelets was significantly better than that of the control group with regard to both the primary and secondary outcomes of this study. These results indicate that this smart bracelet has the potential to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of trauma care and treatment. Conclusion: A body area network-based smart bracelet combined with remote 5G technology can assist the administration of emergency care to trauma patients prior to hospital admission, shorten the timeframe in which life-saving interventions are initiated, and allow for a quick trauma team response as well as increased efficiency upon administration of emergency care.

RIG-I, a novel DAMPs sensor for myoglobin activates NF-κB/caspase-3 signaling in CS-AKI model.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is the main life-threatening complication of crush syndrome (CS), and myoglobin is accepted as the main pathogenic factor. The pattern recognition receptor retinoicacid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) has been reported to exert anti-viral effects function in the innate immune response. However, it is not clear whether RIG-I plays a role in CS-AKI. The present research was carried out to explore the role of RIG-I in CS-AKI. METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into two groups: the sham and CS groups (n = 12). After administration of anesthesia, the double hind limbs of rats in the CS group were put under a pressure of 3 kg for 16 h to mimic crush conditions. The rats in both groups were denied access to food and water. Rats were sacrificed at 12 h or 36 h after pressure was relieved. The successful establishment of the CS-AKI model was confirmed by serum biochemical analysis and renal histological examination. In addition, RNA sequencing was performed on rat kidney tissue to identify molecular pathways involved in CS-AKI. Furthermore, NRK-52E cells were treated with 200 µmol/L ferrous myoglobin to mimic CS-AKI at the cellular level. The cells and cell supernatant samples were collected at 6 h or 24 h. Small interfering RNAs (siRNA) was used to knock down RIG-I expression. The relative expression levels of molecules involved in the RIG-I pathway in rat kidney or cells samples were measured by quantitative Real-time PCR (qPCR), Western blotting analysis, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) was detected by ELISA. Co-Immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) assays were used to detect the interaction between RIG-I and myoglobin. RESULTS: RNA sequencing of CS-AKI rat kidney tissue revealed that the different expression of RIG-I signaling pathway. qPCR, Western blotting, and IHC assays showed that RIG-I, nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) P65, p-P65, and the apoptotic marker caspase-3 and cleaved caspase-3 were up-regulated in the CS group (P < 0.05). However, the levels of interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3), p-IRF3 and the antiviral factor interferon-beta (IFN-ß) showed no significant changes between the sham and CS groups. Co-IP assays showed the interaction between RIG-I and myoglobin in the kidneys of the CS group. Depletion of RIG-I could alleviate the myoglobin induced expression of apoptosis-associated molecules via the NF-κB/caspase-3 axis. CONCLUSION: RIG-I is a novel damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) sensor for myoglobin and participates in the NF-κB/caspase-3 signaling pathway in CS-AKI. In the development of CS-AKI, specific intervention in the RIG-I pathway might be a potential therapeutic strategy for CS-AKI.

Mesenchymal stem cell-derived small extracellular vesicles in the treatment of human diseases: Progress and prospect.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are self-renewing, multipotent cells that could differentiate into multiple tissues. MSC-based therapy has become an attractive and promising strategy for treating human diseases through immune regulation and tissue repair. However, accumulating data have indicated that MSC-based therapeutic effects are mainly attributed to the properties of the MSC-sourced secretome, especially small extracellular vesicles (sEVs). sEVs are signaling vehicles in intercellular communication in normal or pathological conditions. sEVs contain natural contents, such as proteins, mRNA, and microRNAs, and transfer these functional contents to adjacent cells or distant cells through the circulatory system. MSC-sEVs have drawn much attention as attractive agents for treating multiple diseases. The properties of MSC-sEVs include stability in circulation, good biocompatibility, and low toxicity and immunogenicity. Moreover, emerging evidence has shown that MSC-sEVs have equal or even better treatment efficacies than MSCs in many kinds of disease. This review summarizes the current research efforts on the use of MSC-sEVs in the treatment of human diseases and the existing challenges in their application from lab to clinical practice that need to be considered.

Ulinastatin ameliorates acute kidney injury induced by crush syndrome inflammation by modulating Th17/Treg cells.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is the main complication of crush syndrome (CS), and it is also a cause of lethality in CS. However, effective treatments for AKI are still lacking. Ulinastatin (UTI) is a broad-spectrum serine protease inhibitor extracted from human urine that reportedly modulates innate immunity and pro-inflammatory responses in sepsis. Here, we explored the effect and the potential mechanism of ulinastatin on crush syndrome-induced acute kidney injury (CSAKI). METHODS: A CSAKI rat model was established by using a digital crush injury device platform. Forty-six male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups: the normal control (n = 6), CSAKI model (n = 10), CSAKI plus UTI1 (50,000 U/kg) (n = 10), CSAKI plus UTI2 (100,000 U/kg) (n = 10) and CSAKI plus UTI3 (200,000 U/kg) (n = 10) groups. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used to investigate the reliability of the CSAKI model. The percentage of Th17/Treg lymphocytes in peripheral blood was measured by flow cytometry, and the expression of transcription factors associated with Th17/Treg cells was evaluated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In addition, specific cytokines released by Th17/Treg cells in serum and kidney tissues were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: Treatment with ulinastatin could significantly decrease serum BUN, CK, Scr, Mb and K+ levels compared with CSAKI group. HE staining results showed that ulinastatin could inhibit inflammatory cells infiltration, decrease sarcomere rupture in muscle tissues induced by extrusion, and alleviate the glomerular congestion and edema, as well as decrease myoglobin cast in kidney tissues. The proportion of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T (Treg) cells and Foxp3 expression levels were decreased in the CSAKI animals, while IL-17 expression levels were significantly increased, compared with those of the normal control group. Treatment with ulinastatin upregulated the proportion of Treg cells in CD4+ T cells and downregulated the expression of IL-17 compared with those of the CSAKI group. CONCLUSION: The findings of our study indicate that UTI attenuates CS-induced AKI and alleviate the inflammatory response during the early stage. The mechanism of UTI may be due to regulating the balance between Th17/Treg cells. Our study provides a new mechanism for the beneficial effect of ulinastatin on CSAKI.

miRNA array analysis of plasma miRNA alterations in rats exposed to a high altitude hypoxic environment.

In the present study, the microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles of rats exposed to high altitude hypoxia and normal conditions were obtained from miRNA array analysis. Bioinformatics analyses, including the use of the Gene Oncology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes databases, were used to identify the genes and pathways, which were specifically associated with high altitude hypoxic environment­associated miRNAs. A total of 26 miRNAs were differentially expressed in the two groups, comprising six upregulated and 20 downregulated miRNAs. In the present study, a novel pattern of upregulated miRNAs and their associated pathways were constructed, including proteoglycans in cancer, spliceosome, gluamatergic synapse, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, Foxo, cGMP­PKG and p53 signaling pathways, which may provide novel targets for diagnosing and understanding the mechanism of high altitude hypoxia­induced disease.

Dynamic Changes in Clinical Characteristics During an Outbreak of Human Adenovirus Serotype 55 in China.

OBJECTIVE: To determine dynamic changes in clinical characteristics by examining an outbreak of adenovirus infection that occurred from December 20, 2012, to February 25, 2013, in Tianjin, China. METHODS: Active surveillance for febrile respiratory illnesses was conducted, and medical records of patients were collected. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and sequencing were used for pathogen identification and viral genome study, respectively. Student's t-test was used to compare the mean values of normally distributed continuous variables. Mann-Whitney U or Kruskal-Wallis tests were used if continuous variables were not normally distributed. Pearson's chi-square test or Fisher's exact test was used to compare categorical variables. RESULTS: The outbreak was sourced from the index case diagnosed as the common cold on December 20, 2012; a total of 856 cases were reported in the following 66 days. The pathogen was identified as human adenovirus (HAdV) 55. The symptoms manifested differently in severe and mild cases. Routine blood examinations, liver function indexes, and heart function indexes showed different dynamic patterns over time in hospitalized patients. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical characteristics and laboratory examinations may reveal unique patterns over the course of HAdV-55 infection. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018;12:464-469).

Disaster Medicine in China: Present and Future.

Disaster can strike people in any community at any time anywhere in the world. Disasters occur with high frequency, take on multiple forms, and exert wide influence, typically causing property damage, injuries, and death. As the world's largest developing country, China incurs great costs when a disaster hits. After the Wenchuan earthquake in 2008, the Chinese government focused its attention on the construction of an emergency response system, the creation of disaster prevention and mitigation systems, and the development of a disaster medicine program. Here, we describe the current status of disaster medicine in China, focusing on the following four aspects: the Emergency Management System, Education & Training, Rescue Practices, and Research. We also discuss the future of disaster medicine in China. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018;12:157-165).

Challenges of Treating Adenovirus Infection: Application of a Deployable Rapid-Assembly Shelter Hospital.

This article outlines the evolution of a rescue team in responding to adenovirus prevention with a deployable field hospital. The local governments mobilized a shelter hospital and a rescue team consisting of 59 members to assist with rescue and response efforts after an epidemic outbreak of adenovirus. We describe and evaluate the challenges of preparing for deployment, field hospital maintenance, treatment mode, and primary treatment methods. The field hospital established at the rescue scene consisted of a medical command vehicle, a computed tomography shelter, an X-ray shelter, a special laboratory shelter, an oxygen and electricity supply vehicle, and epidemic prevention and protection equipment. The rescue team comprised paramedics, physicians, X-ray technicians, respiratory therapists, and logistical personnel. In 22 days, more than 3000 patients with suspected adenovirus infection underwent initial examinations. All patients were properly treated, and no deaths occurred. After emergency measures were implemented, the spread of adenovirus was eventually controlled. An emergency involving infectious diseases in less-developed regions demands the rapid development of a field facility with specialized medical personnel when local hospital facilities are either unavailable or unusable. An appropriate and detailed prearranged action plan is important for infectious diseases prevention. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018;12:109-114).

Role of CD46 Polymorphisms in the Occurrence of Disease in Young Chinese Men With Human Adenovirus Type 55 Infection.

OBJECTIVE: Human adenovirus type 55 (HAdV-55) has recently caused multiple outbreaks. This study examined polymorphisms in CD46 to determine their involvement in HAdV-55 infection. METHODS: A total of 214 study subjects infected with HAdV-55 were included in our study. The study subjects were divided into those with silent infections (n=91), minor infections (n=85), and severe infections (n=38). Ten single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from CD46 were examined. RESULTS: Compared with the AA genotype, the TT genotype at rs2724385 (CD46, A/T) was associated with a protective effect against disease occurrence, with an odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of 0.20 (0.04-0.97) (P=0.038). There were no significant differences between the patients with minor and severe infection and those who had silent HAdV-55 infection in the other CD46 SNPs. We next compared the polymorphisms of these genes according to disease severity in HAdV-55-infected patients with clinical symptoms. The results showed that there were no significant differences between minor infections and severe infections. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggested that the CD46 SNP at rs2724385 is associated with the occurrence of disease in HAdV-55-infected patients. A much larger number of samples is required to understand the role of CD46 polymorphisms in the occurrence and progression of infection by HAdV-55. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018;12:427-430).

Photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy with the novel amino acid-porphyrin conjugate 4I: In vitro and in vivo studies.

Photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy (PACT), as a novel and effective therapeutic modality to eradicate drug resistant bacteria without provoking multidrug resistance, has attracted increasing attention. This study examined the antimicrobial efficacy of the novel cationic amino acid-porphyrin conjugate 4I with four lysine groups against two different clinical isolated strains (drug sensitive and multidrug resistant) of the Acinetobacter baumannii species and its toxicity on murine dermal fibroblasts in vitro, as well as the therapeutic effect of PACT on acute, potentially lethal multidrug resistant strain excisional wound infections in vivo. The PACT protocol exposed 4I to illumination, exhibiting high antimicrobial efficacy on two different strains due to a high yield of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and non-selectivity to microorganisms. The photoinactivation effects of 4I against two different strains were dose-dependent. At 3.9 µM and 7.8 µM, PACT induced 6 log units of inactivation of sensitive and multidrug resistant strains. In contrast, 4I alone and illumination alone treatments had no visibly antimicrobial effect. Moreover, cytotoxicity tests revealed the great safety of the photosensitizer 4I in mice. In the in vivo study, we found 4I-mediated PACT was not only able to kill bacteria but also accelerated wound recovery. Compared with non-treated mice, over 2.89 log reduction of multidrug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii strain was reached in PACT treat mice at 24 h post-treatment. These results imply that 4I-mediated PACT therapy is an effective and safe alternative to conventional antibiotic therapy and has clinical potential for superficial drug-resistant bacterial infections.

Protective effect of mild-induced hypothermia against moderate traumatic brain injury in rats involved in necroptotic and apoptotic pathways.

AIM: To investigate the protective effect of hypothermia (HT) on brain injury in moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI) rat models and the potential mechanisms, especially the involvement of RIPK1 in apoptosis and necroptosis. METHODS: Adult Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized to four groups: sham+normothermia (sham+NT), sham+hypothermia (sham+HT), moderate TBI+normothermia (TBI+NT) and moderate TBI+hypothermia (TBI+HT). The sham+HT and TBI+HT groups were submitted to 32°C for 6 hours. The regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was assessed 24 hours after TBI; 24 and 48 hours after TBI, the modified neurological severity score (mNSS) was assessed. Immediately after behavioural tests, rats were sacrificed to harvest the brain tissues. RESULTS: mNSS scores were lower in the TBI+HT group compared with the TBI+NT group (p < 0.01) and cerebral blood flow was better (p < 0.01). H&E staining of the cortex and ipsilateral hippocampus showed pyknotic and irregularly shaped neurons in TBI+NT rats, which were less frequent in TBI+HT rats. The TBI+NT and TBI+HT groups showed higher TNF-α, TRAIL, FasL, FADD, caspase-3, caspase-8, PARP-1, RIPK-1 and RIPK-3 levels than the sham+NT group (all p < 0.05), but the levels of these proteins were all lower in the TBI+HT group compared with the TBI+NT group (all p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: HT treatment significantly reduced RIPK-1 upregulation, which may inhibit necroptosis and apoptosis pathways after moderate TBI.

Infectious Disease Information Collection System at the Scene of Disaster Relief Based on a Personal Digital Assistant.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to build a database to collect infectious disease information at the scene of a disaster through the use of 128 epidemiological questionnaires and 47 types of options, with rapid acquisition of information regarding infectious disease and rapid questionnaire customization at the scene of disaster relief by use of a personal digital assistant (PDA). METHODS: SQL Server 2005 (Microsoft Corp, Redmond, WA) was used to create the option database for the infectious disease investigation, to develop a client application for the PDA, and to deploy the application on the server side. The users accessed the server for data collection and questionnaire customization with the PDA. RESULTS: A database with a set of comprehensive options was created and an application system was developed for the Android operating system (Google Inc, Mountain View, CA). On this basis, an infectious disease information collection system was built for use at the scene of disaster relief. The creation of an infectious disease information collection system and rapid questionnaire customization through the use of a PDA was achieved. CONCLUSIONS: This system integrated computer technology and mobile communication technology to develop an infectious disease information collection system and to allow for rapid questionnaire customization at the scene of disaster relief. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:668-673).

Zingerone ameliorates lipopolysaccharide-induced acute kidney injury by inhibiting Toll-like receptor 4 signaling pathway.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a serious complication of sepsis. Zingerone, a phenolic alkanone isolated from ginger, has been reported to have anti-inflammatory effect. The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effects of zingerone on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced AKI in mice. Zingerone was administrated 1h after LPS challenge. The production of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine were measured in this study. The expressions of inflammatory cytokines in serum and kidney tissues were detected by ELISA. The expressions of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), MyD88, TRIF, Nuclear factor Kappa B (NF-κB) and IκB were measured by Western blotting. The results showed that zingerone suppressed LPS-induced BUN, creatinine, and inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1ß levels in a dose-dependent manner. Zingerone also attenuated LPS-induced kidney histopathologic changes. Furthermore, zingerone was found to inhibit LPS-induced TLR4, MyD88, TRIF expression and NF-κB activation. In conclusion, the current study demonstrated that zingerone inhibited LPS-induced AKI by suppressing TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Canine model of crush syndrome established by a digital crush injury device platform.

OBJECTIVE: To establish a canine model of crush syndrome (CS). METHODS: A total of 16 healthy adult female Beagle dogs were randomly divided into the control group (n=8) and the experimental group (n=8). The crush injury was created in the left hind leg of each dog in the experimental group. RESULTS: The biochemical indexes in the experimental group changed significantly compared to the values before extrusion. And they were also significantly different from the values of the control group. The glomerular capillary dilation, renal tubular epithelial cell degeneration, and renal interstitial lymphocytic infiltration were found in the kidneys. CONCLUSION: The canine CS model established by the digital crush injury device platform was successful according with the diagnosis of CS. It is good for the investigation of the CS mechanism and treatment using this model.

The Ebola threat: China's response to the West African epidemic and national development of prevention and control policies and infrastructure.

There is growing concern in West Africa about the spread of the Ebola hemorrhagic fever virus. With the increasing global public health risk, a coordinated international response is necessary. The Chinese government is prepared to work in collaboration with West African countries to assist in the containment and control of the epidemic through the contribution of medical expertise and mobile laboratory testing teams. Nationally, China is implementing prevention programs in major cities and provinces, the distribution of Ebola test kits, and the deployment of a new national Ebola research laboratory.

A descriptive analysis of injury triage, surge of medical demand, and resource use in an university hospital after 8.12 Tianjin Port Explosion, China.

OBJECTIVE: The 8.12 Tianjin Port Explosion in 2015 caused heavy casualties. Pingjin Hospital, an affiliated college hospital in Tianjin, China participated in the rescue activities. This study aims to analyze the emergency medical response to this event and share experience with trauma physicians to optimize the use of medical resource and reduce mortality of critical patients. METHODS: As a trauma centre at the accident city, our hospital treated 298 patients. We retrospectively analyzed the data of emergency medical response, including injury triage, injury type, ICU patient flow, and medical resource use. RESULTS: There were totally 165 deaths, 8 missing, and 797 non-fatal injuries in this explosion. Our hospital treated 298 casualties in two surges of medical demand. The first one appeared at 1 h after explosion when 147 wounded were received and the second one at 4 h when 31 seriously injured patients were received, among whom 29 were transferred from Tianjin Emergency Center which was responsible for the scene injury triage. After reexamination and triage, only 11 cases were defined as critical ill patients. The over-triage rate reached as high as 62.07%. Seventeen patients underwent surgery and 17 patients were admitted to the intensive care unit. CONCLUSIONS: The present pre-hospital system is incomplete and may induce two surges of medical demand. The first one has a much larger number of casualties than predicted but the injury level is mild; while the second one has less wounded but almost all of them are critical patients. The over-triage rate is high. The hospital emergency response can be improved by an effective re-triage and implementation of a hospital-wide damage control.

MiR-15a-16 represses Cripto and inhibits NSCLC cell progression.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that have important roles in cancer. The altered expressions of miRNAs and their target genes are frequently detected in various tumors. In this study, downregulation of miR-15a-16 in nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was found to be inversely correlated with Cripto. Results from the Luciferase reporter assay and Western blot analysis also confirmed that Cripto is a direct target of miR-15a-16. In addition, transfection of miR-15a-16 expression plasmid inhibited the invasion ability and promoted the apoptosis of NCI-H23 and NCI-H358 cells. Moreover, miR-15a-16 overexpression suppressed tumor growth in vivo. These findings clearly suggest that the downregulation of miR-15a-16 with Cripto amplification may be involved in the development of NSCLC.

Post-disaster medical rescue strategy in tropical regions.

BACKGROUND: Earthquakes, floods, droughts, storms, mudslides, landslides, and forest wild fires are serious threats to human lives and properties. The present study aimed to study the environmental characteristics and pathogenic traits, recapitulate experiences, and augment applications of medical reliefs in tropical regions. METHODS: Analysis was made on work and projects of emergency medical rescue, based on information and data collected from 3 emergency medical rescue missions of China International Search and Rescue Team to overseas earthquakes and tsunamis aftermaths in tropical disaster regions - Indonesia-Aceh, Indonesia-Yogyakarta, and Haiti-Port au Prince. RESULTS: Shock, infection and heat stroke were frequently encountered in addition to outbreaks of infectious diseases, skin diseases, and diarrhea during post-disaster emergency medical rescue in tropical regions. CONCLUSIONS: High temperature, high humidity, and proliferation of microorganisms and parasites are the characteristics of tropical climate that impose strict requirements on the preparation of rescue work including selective team members suitable for a particular rescue mission and the provisioning of medical equipment and life support materials. The overseas rescue mission itself needs a scientific, efficient, simple workflow for providing efficient emergency medical assistance. Since shock and infection are major tasks in post-disaster treatment of severely injured victims in tropical regions, the prevention and diagnosis of hyperthermia, insect-borne infectious diseases, tropic skin diseases, infectious diarrhea, and pest harms of disaster victims and rescue team staff should be emphasized during the rescue operations.

[Progress in the study of the protection of α-crystallin to retinal ganglial cells].

α-crystallin is the predominant structural protein in the lens. It is a member of small heat shock proteins (sHsps) and has the common functions of sHsps. α-crystallin also plays important roles in the protection of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Studying the protection mechanism significantly contributes to the theory and therapy of optic nerve injury. This review is focused on biological characteristics and functions of α-crystallin and the protection mechanism of α-crystallin towards RGCs.