[Enodvascular treatment of isolated abdominal aortic dissection].

Objective: To examine the outcome of endovascular treatment in patients of isolated abdominal aortic dissection. Methods: From February 2012 to June 2020, 61 patients (44 males, 17 females) with an age of (60.2±11.4) years (range: 43 to 87 years) of isolated abdominal aortic dissection who underwent the endovascular treatment, including bifurcated and straight aortic stent graft, in the Department of Vascular Surgery, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University were enrolled. There were 47 patients treated with bifurcated aortic stent grafts and 14 patients with straight aortic stent grafts. Patient demographic, preoperative, intraoperative, perioperative data were collected. Clinical follow-up data, including mortality, relative complications and aortic remodeling, were obtained. Kaplan-Meier method and Log-rank test was used to calculate and compare the rates of survival and freedom from all adverse events. Results: The operative time was (142.4±47.9) minutes (range:70 to 310 minutes) and (95.7±23.7) minutes (range: 70 to 150 minutes) in bifurcated stent group and straight stent group, respectively. The perioperative mortality was 0. One patient had partial occlusion of the left renal artery, and 3 patients had type Ⅰa endoleak post-operation. The follow-up period was (37.1±22.1) months (range: 3 to 91 months). Three patents suffered from type B aortic dissection; one of them progressed into type A aortic dissection and died, another one was treated with secondary endovascular operation, and the remaining one was treated conservatively. One patient had type A aortic dissection and was treated conservatively for 57 months without any discomfort. Stent grafts in iliac artery occlusion happened in 2 patients treated with a bifurcated graft, one of them was treated with a secondary operation because of severe symptom. Aortic remodeling was well with the treatment of bifurcated and straight grafts. There was no difference in the cumulative survival (P=0.584) and freedom from all adverse events (P=0.309) between the two different endovascular treatment strategies. Conclusion: Endovascular aortic repair is an effective and safe treatment strategy for isolated abdominal aortic dissection with reliable mid-term result and excellent aortic remodeling.

Expression of Cx43 and Cx45 in Cardiomyocytes of an Overworked Rat Model.

ABSTRACT: Objective To study the effect of overwork stress response on the expression of connexin 43（Cx43） and connexin 45（Cx45） in cardiomyocytes and on cardiac function. Methods The experimental animals were divided into control group, overworked 1-month group and overworked 2-month group. A overworked rat model was established by forcing swimming of overworked group. The expressions of Cx43 and Cx45 in myocardial tissues of experimental animals were detected by Western blotting, while the corresponding myocardial tissues were stained with hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining and Masson's staining, then histologically observed. Results Western blotting results showed that, compared with the control group, Cx43 expression in myocardial tissues of overworked rats decreased while Cx45 expression increased. HE staining and Masson's staining results showed that hypertrophy, rupture and interstitial fiber tissue hyperplasia were observed in myocardial fibers of overworked rats. Conclusion Overwork stress response may affect cardiac function as an independent factor and may even cause heart failure or arrhythmias and lead to death.

The Concept, Status Quo and Forensic Pathology of Karoshi.

ABSTRACT: "Karoshi" originates from Japan's economic take-off period in the 1960s and 1970s. It is generally believed that overwork lead to the accumulation of fatigue, which triggers the outbreak of potential diseases, and results in sudden death. Karoshi causes great harm to both the community and families because it occurs primarily in 30 to 60 year old young adults. Japan put Karoshi into the category of industrial injury for the first time in 2001 and started to undertake a series of studies in the sociological and pathological fields. However, there is a tremendous gap in the forensic pathological diagnosis domain. In China, research on Karoshi started from the 1990s and is closely related to the reform and opening up policy as well as economic development. According to the incomplete statistics, 600 thousand people die from overwork each year in China, the highest in the world. Karoshi has become one of the most serious social problems in China at the present stage, thus a systematic study in the sociology and forensic pathology fields is urgently required. This paper summarizes the past and present status of Karoshi, and puts forward the problems that need attention during the judicial expertise of Karoshi from forensic pathology perspective.

Effects of Hydrogen Gas Inhalation on Endometriosis in Rats.

OBJECTIVE: Oxidative stress is generated during the pathophysiology of endometriosis (EMT). Hydrogen (H2) has been demonstrated as a gas antioxidant. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the protective effect of H2 on EMT in rats. STUDY DESIGN: Sprague Dawley rats with surgically induced EMT were randomly received the inhalation of 67% H2-33% oxygen (O2) mixture (1 h/d, 4 weeks) immediately after the EMT surgery or 4 weeks after the operation. The mixture of 67% N2-33% O2 was also used to exclude the possible influence of the increased O2. Eight weeks after the operation, the endometrial tissues were weighted and analyzed using histology, immunohistochemistry, and real-time polymerase chain reaction. Several antioxidant enzymes and malondialdehyde were also measured in serum and tissue. The estrous cycles were monitored for H2 safety. RESULTS: The results showed that both profiles of high-dose H2 breathing reduced the size of the endometrial explants, inhibited cell proliferation, improved superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, malondialdehyde, and catalase activities, and regulated the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 9 and cyclooxygenase 2. However, inhalation of the same dose of nitrogen failed to show the protection. High-dose H2 breathing did not change the normal estrous cyclicity. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that 67% H2-33% O2 breathing has a beneficial effect on EMT model rats, and inhalation of a high dose of H2 could be a potential method applied in clinical practice.

The presence of HBV mRNA in the fertilized in vitro embryo of HBV patients confirms vertical transmission of HBV via the ovum.

This study aimed to confirm that vertical transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) can occur via the infected ovum. Specimens studied were obtained from discarded test-tube embryos from mothers with chronic HBV infection who had received in vitro fertilization treatment. Single-cell reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction was used to detect HBV mRNA in the embryos. HBV mRNA was detected in the cleavage embryos of patients with chronic HBV infection, with a detection rate of 13.2% (5/38). The level of serum HBV DNA was not related to the HBV mRNA positivity rates in embryos. In this study, HBV mRNA was detected in test-tube embryos from HBV-infected mothers who had received in vitro fertilization treatment. This confirms the theory of vertical transmission of HBV via the ovum, thereby providing an important theoretical basis for further study on the mechanism of HBV vertical transmission, influencing factors and blocking measures.

OX40 ligand levels and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels in blood from local coronary plaque and the femoral artery in patients with acute coronary syndrome or stable angina.

OX40 ligand (OX40L) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) play important roles in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. In this study, consecutive patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS; n = 90) or stable angina (SA; n = 40) and healthy control subjects (n = 50) were evaluated to assess plasma OX40L and serum hs-CRP levels in local coronary plaque and the femoral artery. OX40L and hs-CRP levels in the femoral artery were significantly higher in patients with ACS compared with controls. OX40L and hsCRP levels in local coronary plaque (OX40L(c) and hs-CRP(c), respectively) were significantly higher in ACS than in SA patients. OX40L and hs-CRP levels were positively correlated with each other and were also correlated with fibrinogen levels. The number of complex lesions was correlated with OX40L(c) and hs-CRP(c) levels. It is concluded that the OX40L(c) level was highly sensitive for evaluating the inflammatory response in ACS and elevated levels of OX40L(c) may be a valuable predictive marker for increased risk of atherosclerotic progression in ACS patients.

Design of shared instruments to utilize simulated gravities generated by a large-gradient, high-field superconducting magnet.

A high-field superconducting magnet can provide both high-magnetic fields and large-field gradients, which can be used as a special environment for research or practical applications in materials processing, life science studies, physical and chemical reactions, etc. To make full use of a superconducting magnet, shared instruments (the operating platform, sample holders, temperature controller, and observation system) must be prepared as prerequisites. This paper introduces the design of a set of sample holders and a temperature controller in detail with an emphasis on validating the performance of the force and temperature sensors in the high-magnetic field.

Effect of magnesia on the degradability and bioactivity of sol-gel derived SiO2-CaO-MgO-P2O5 system glasses.

Mesoporous 58SiO(2)-(38-x)CaO-xMgO-4P(2)O(5) glasses (where x=0, 5, 10 and 20 mol%) have been prepared by the sol-gel synthesis route. The effects of the substitution of MgO for CaO on glass degradation and bioactivity were studied in tris-(hydroxymethyl)-aminomethane and hydrochloric acid buffer solution (Tris-HCl) and simulated body fluid (SBF), respectively. It is observed that the synthesized glasses with various MgO contents possess the similar textural properties. The studies of in vitro degradability and bioactivity show that the rate of glass degradation gradually decreases with the increase of MgO and the formation of apatite layer on glass surface is retarded. The influences of the composition upon glass properties are explained in terms of their internal structures.

Effect of alpha-hederin and sapindoside B on hepatic microsomal cytochrome P-450 in mice.

AIM: To study the relation between the effect of alpha-hederin (Hed) and sapindoside B (Sap B) on cytochrome P-450 and their hepatoprotection. METHODS: Mice were given sc Hed, Sap B, as well as a mixture of Hed + Sap B (1:1.5), and hepatic microsomal cytochrome P-450 was examined. RESULTS: Hed 20 mg.kg-1, Sap B 20 mg.kg-1 and Hed + Sap B 20 mg.kg-1 sc, reduced hepatic P-450 content by 40%, 55% and 50%, respectively. The effect of the saponins on P-450 was reversible, as P-450 level returned to normal after 3 d. Phenobarbital (Phe) 50 mg.kg-1 ip increased P-450 2.5-fold, the Phe-induced P-450 was inhibited 50% by Hed + Sap B. No inhibitory effect was seen when liver microsomes were incubated with Hed + Sap B in vitro. CONCLUSION: The hepatoprotective effects of Hed and Sap B were at least in part, due to its suppressive effect on liver cytochrome P-450.

[Protective effect of the fulvotomentosides on paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity in mice].

Fulvotomentoside alpha-hederin (H) and sapindoside B (S) are two components of the fulvotomentosides reported to decrease the toxicity of a number of hepatotoxins in mice. We studied the effects of the mixture of alpha-hederin and sapindoside B (HS) on paracetamol (Par)-induced liver injury. HS (20 mg.kg-1 sc twice) was shown to decrease the mortality produced by Par. The liver injury produced by Par was remarkably decreased as indicated by decrease of sGPT and by histopathological examination. Additionally, HS mitigated the hepatic GSH depletion caused by Par. Par excretion into urine was increased following HS.

Hemorrheological changes in chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis and their relations to the syndromes differentiated by traditional Chinese medicine.

Blood and plasma viscosity, hematocrit and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were examined in 146 cases of chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis. In addition, blood fibrinogen and blood flow of the tongue and skin were studied in 123 and 46 of them respectively. The same indices were observed in 39 cases before and after treatment. The results showed definite hemorrheological patterns in different syndromes and therapeutic efficacy was also correlated with the changes in the mentioned indices. Thus it is believed that these indices of hemorrheology may serve as supplementary means for the differentiation of syndromes, evaluation of therapeutic effect and prognosis in chronic liver diseases.