Modified stent for the treatment of tracheomegaly combined with a tracheoesophageal fistula: a case reportStent.

Tracheoesophageal fistulas (TEFs) are common in clinical practice and we address them in different ways according to their etiologies. Herein, we present a case of tracheomegaly combined with a TEF after long-term tracheotomy. We placed a modified silicone stent into the trachea to simultaneously cover the fistula and maintain an artificial airway for ventilation. After migration of the modified stent, we replaced it with a prolonged tracheotomy tube. This modified stent is a novel clinical attempt at addressing TEFs that should be more thoroughly explored.

Las fístulas traqueoesofágicas son frecuentes en la práctica clínica y las abordamos de diferentes formas según sus etiologías. Aquí, presentamos un caso de traqueomegalia combinada con una fístula traqueoesofágica después de una traqueotomía a largo plazo. Colocamos un stent de silicona modificado en la tráquea para cubrir simultáneamente la fístula y mantener una vía aérea artificial para la ventilación. Después de la migración del stent modificado, lo reemplazamos con un tubo de traqueotomía prolongado. Este stent modificado es un intento clínico novedoso para abordar las fístulas traqueoesofágicas que debe explorarse más a fondo.

[Microplastics in the stomach and intestine of pelagic squid: A case study of Dosidicus gigas in open sea of Peru]. / å¤§æ´‹æ€§å¤´è¶³ç±»èƒƒå’Œè‚ é“ä¸­çš„å¾®å¡‘æ–™­­ä»¥ç§˜é²å¤–海茎柔鱼为例.

Microplastic (MP) ingestion by marine animals has been well documented, but less being known about pelagic squid. Jumbo squid Dosidicus gigas supports the world's largest cephalopod fishery and plays an important ecological role in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. In this study, D. gigas taken from the open sea of the Peruvian Exclusive Economic Zone were selected as research objects. We estimated the abundance and characteristics of MPs in the stomach and intestine of D. gigas and investigated the differences between tissues and sexes. Similar abundance and characteristics of MPs were observed in the same tissue of females and males. However, the stomach had a higher abundance of MPs with larger size than the intestine, while the MP abundance by stomach wet weight was lower than that of the intestine. The MPs were predominantly fiber-shaped, with blue or black color. The most frequent polymers were high-density cellophane and polyacrylic acid. These polymers could sink into deeper sea layers and were available for D. gigas living there during the daytime. Our findings revealed the distribution pattern of MPs in the waters of the Peruvian fishing ground. This study could improve our understanding of the MP contamination level in pelagic squid, and have implications for evaluating the ecological effects of MP on cephalopods.

Characteristics of groundwater discharge to river and related heavy metal transportation in a mountain mining area of Dabaoshan, Southern China.

Groundwater discharge to river and the related heavy metal transportation were estimated for Dabaoshan, a mountain mining area where extensive mining activities had been conducted over 40 years. In the lower reach of the mining area, shallow aquifers were contaminated by varies heavy metals due to the discharge of acid mine drainage. Polluted aquifers act as long-term pollution sources to the surrounding gaining rivers, even after the mining activities were stopped. The natural tracer 222Rn was measured for river water of the Hengshi River and groundwater adjacent to the river channel in both wet and dry seasons. The total groundwater discharge rate was estimated to be 17.4-26.7 × 103 m3 day-1 in wet season and 1.9-2.1 × 103 m3 day-1 in dry season; and the river recharge was 5.6 ±â€¯1.0 × 103 m3 day-1 in wet season and 2.1 ±â€¯1.0 × 103 m3 day-1 in dry season. Compared with other mining and natural/artificial factor influenced areas, groundwater discharge rate in Dabaoshan was much lower, but the magnitudes of groundwater-borne Cu, Zn, Mn and Co fluxes were comparable or even much higher. This suggested that groundwater-derived heavy metal fluxes were significant pollution sources to river in the mountain mining area. Meanwhile, the results also suggested that concentrations of Cd, Pb, Cu, Ni, Mn, Fe, Zn and Tl in groundwater increased where the recharge of river water to groundwater occurred, suggesting the recharge of river water can affect heavy metal concentrations of the beneath aquifers, even in a gaining river.

Improved antimelanogenesis and antioxidant effects of polysaccharide from Cuscuta chinensis Lam seeds after enzymatic hydrolysis.

Cuscuta chinensis polysaccharide (CPS) was extracted using hot water and enzymatically hydrolyzed C. chinensis polysaccharide (ECPS) was produced by the mannase enzymatic hydrolysis process. The purpose of this research was to investigate the antimelanogenic activity of ECPS and CPS in B16F10 melanoma cells. The in vitro antioxidant activity was assessed by their ferric iron reducing power and DPPH free radical scavenging activities. The molecular mass distribution of polysaccharides was determined using SEC-MALLS-RI. CPS was successfully enzymatically degraded using mannase and the weighted average molecular weights of CPS and ECPS were 434.6 kDa and 211.7 kDa. The results of biological activity assays suggested that the enzymatically hydrolyzed polysaccharide had superior antimelanogenic activity and antioxidant effect than the original polysaccharide. ECPS exhibited antimelanogenic activity by down-regulating the expression of tyrosinase, MITF, and TRP-1 without cytotoxic effects in B16F10 melanoma cells. In conclusion, ECPS have the potential to become a skin whitening product.

Improved antimelanogenesis and antioxidant effects of polysaccharide from Cuscuta chinensis Lam seeds after enzymatic hydrolysis

Cuscuta chinensis polysaccharide (CPS) was extracted using hot water and enzymatically hydrolyzed C. chinensis polysaccharide (ECPS) was produced by the mannase enzymatic hydrolysis process. The purpose of this research was to investigate the antimelanogenic activity of ECPS and CPS in B16F10 melanoma cells. The in vitro antioxidant activity was assessed by their ferric iron reducing power and DPPH free radical scavenging activities. The molecular mass distribution of polysaccharides was determined using SEC-MALLS-RI. CPS was successfully enzymatically degraded using mannase and the weighted average molecular weights of CPS and ECPS were 434.6 kDa and 211.7 kDa. The results of biological activity assays suggested that the enzymatically hydrolyzed polysaccharide had superior antimelanogenic activity and antioxidant effect than the original polysaccharide. ECPS exhibited antimelanogenic activity by down-regulating the expression of tyrosinase, MITF, and TRP-1 without cytotoxic effects in B16F10 melanoma cells. In conclusion, ECPS have the potential to become a skin whitening product.

Mechanism of synergistic DNA damage induced by the hydroquinone metabolite of brominated phenolic environmental pollutants and Cu(II): Formation of DNA-Cu complex and site-specific production of hydroxyl radicals.

2,6-Dibromohydroquinone (2,6-DBrHQ) has been identified as an reactive metabolite of many brominated phenolic environmental pollutants such as tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBPA), bromoxynil and 2,4,6-tribromophenol, and was also found as one of disinfection byproducts in drinking water. In this study, we found that the combination of 2,6-DBrHQ and Cu(II) together could induce synergistic DNA damage as measured by double strand breakage in plasmid DNA and 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) formation, while either of them alone has no effect. 2,6-DBrHQ/Cu(II)-induced DNA damage could be inhibited by the Cu(I)-specific chelating agent bathocuproine disulfonate and catalase, but not by superoxide dismutase, nor by the typical hydroxyl radical (•OH) scavengers such as DMSO and mannitol. Interestingly, we found that Cu(II)/Cu(I) could be combined with DNA to form DNA-Cu(II)/Cu(I) complex by complementary application of low temperature direct ESR, circular dichroism, cyclic voltammetry and oxygen consumption methods; and the highly reactive •OH were produced synergistically by DNA-bound-Cu(I) with H2O2 produced by the redox reactions between 2,6-DBrHQ and Cu(II), which then immediately attack DNA in a site-specific manner as demonstrated by both fluorescent method and by ESR spin-trapping studies. Further DNA sequencing investigations provided more direct evidence that 2,6-DBrHQ/Cu(II) caused preferential cleavage at guanine, thymine and cytosine residues. Based on these data, we proposed that the synergistic DNA damage induced by 2,6-DBrHQ/Cu(II) might be due to the synergistic and site-specific production of •OH near the binding site of copper and DNA. Our findings may have broad biological and environmental implications for future research on the carcinogenic polyhalogenated phenolic compounds.

Bisphenol A exposure and symptoms of anxiety and depression among inner city children at 10-12 years of age.

BACKGROUND: Experimental and epidemiological studies suggest that gestational exposure to Bisphenol A (BPA), an ubiquitous endocrine disrupting chemical, may lead to neurobehavioral problems in childhood; however, not all results have been consistent. We previously reported a positive association between prenatal BPA exposure and symptoms of anxiety/depression reported by the mother at child age 7-9 years in boys, but not girls. OBJECTIVES: Here, in the same birth cohort, we investigated the association of prenatal BPA exposure with symptoms of depression and anxiety self-reported by the 10-12 year olds, hypothesizing that we would observe sex-specific differences in anxiety and depressive symptoms. METHODS: African-American and Dominican women living in Northern Manhattan and their children were followed from mother's pregnancy through children's age 10-12 years. BPA was quantified in maternal urine collected during the third trimester of pregnancy and in child urine collected at ages 3 and 5 years. Children were evaluated using the Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale (RCMAS) and Children's Depression Rating Scale (CDRS). We compared the children in the highest tertile of BPA concentration to those in the lower two tertiles. Associations between behavior and prenatal (maternal) BPA concentration or postnatal (child) BPA concentration were assessed in regression models stratified by sex. RESULTS: Significant positive associations between prenatal BPA and symptoms of depression and anxiety were observed among boys. Postnatal BPA exposure was not significantly associated with outcomes. There was substantial co-occurrence of anxiety and depressive symptoms in this sample. CONCLUSION: These results provide evidence that prenatal BPA exposure is associated with more symptoms of anxiety and depression in boys but not in girls at age 10-12 years.

Association of leptin levels with pathogenetic risk of coronary heart disease and stroke: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the association of leptin levels with pathogenetic risk of CHD and stroke. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Studies were identified in the PubMed, Embase, and Springer link database without language restriction. Odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were used as effect indexes. The association of leptin levels with pathogenetic risk of CHD and stroke, as well as the risk variation of CHD with each additional one unit of leptin level were examined via meta-analysis. The publication bias was assessed via Egger's linear regression test. RESULTS: Eight nested case-control studies consisting of 1,980 patients and 11,567 controls were included for current meta-analysis. ORs (95% CIs) of association of leptin levels with CHD and stroke was 1.90 (1.06, 3.43), and 2.14 (1.48, 3.08), respectively. In addition, significant result was obtained regarding the risk variation of CHD with each additional one unit of leptin level (OR =1.04, 95% CI =1.00-1.08, P=0.044). There was no significant publication bias as suggested by Egger test outcomes. CONCLUSION: There was a significant association of leptin with pathogenetic risk of CHD and stroke, and raised leptin levels could significantly increase the pathogenetic risk of CHD.

Association of leptin levels with pathogenetic risk of coronary heart disease and stroke: a meta-analysis / Associação entre as concentrações de leptina e o risco patogenético de doença arterial coronariana e acidente vascular cerebral: uma metanálise

Objective This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the association of leptin levels with pathogenetic risk of CHD and stroke. Materials and methods Studies were identified in the PubMed, Embase, and Springer link database without language restriction. Odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were used as effect indexes. The association of leptin levels with pathogenetic risk of CHD and stroke, as well as the risk variation of CHD with each additional one unit of leptin level were examined via meta-analysis. The publication bias was assessed via Egger’s linear regression test. Results Eight nested case-control studies consisting of 1,980 patients and 11,567 controls were included for current meta-analysis. ORs (95% CIs) of association of leptin levels with CHD and stroke was 1.90 (1.06, 3.43), and 2.14 (1.48, 3.08), respectively. In addition, significant result was obtained regarding the risk variation of CHD with each additional one unit of leptin level (OR =1.04, 95% CI =1.00‐1.08, P=0.044). There was no significant publication bias as suggested by Egger test outcomes. Conclusion There was a significant association of leptin with pathogenetic risk of CHD and stroke, and raised leptin levels could significantly increase the pathogenetic risk of CHD. .

Objetivo O objetivo desta metanálise foi investigar a associação entre os níveis de leptina e o risco patogenético de doença arterial coronariana e acidente vascular cerebral. Materiais e métodos Foram identificados estudos nas bases de dados PubMed, Embase e Springer Link sem restrição quanto à língua. A razão de chances (OR) e os intervalos de confiança de 95% correspondentes (95% CI) foram usados como índices de efeitos. A associação entre os níveis de leptina e o risco patogenético de doença arterial coronariana e acidente vascular cerebral com cada unidade adicional na concentração de leptina foi analisada por meio de metanálise. O viés da publicação foi avaliado por meio do teste de regressão linear de Egger. Resultados Oito estudos com caso controle aninhado envolvendo 1.980 pacientes e 11.567 controles foram incluídos na metanálise. As ORs (95% CIs) da associação entre as concentrações de leptina e a doença arterial coronariana e o acidente vascular cerebral foram de 1,90 (1,06; 3,43) e 2,14 (1,48; 3,08), respectivamente. Além disso, foram obtidos resultados significativos com a variação de risco para a doença arterial coronariana a cada unidade adicional na concentração de leptina (OR =1,04; 95% CI =1,00‐1,08; P=0,044). Não houve viés de publicação significativo sugerido pelos desfechos no teste de Egger. Conclusão Há associação significativa entre a leptina e o risco patogenético de doença arterial coronariana e acidente vascular cerebral, e concentrações aumentadas de leptina podem elevar significativamente o risco patogenético de doença arterial coronariana. .

Primary hepatic amyloidosis: a mini literature review and five cases report.

Primary hepatic amyloidosis (PHA) is characterized by abnormal deposition of monoclonal immunoglobulin light chains (AL) in the liver. This rare condition is frequently undiagnosed or misdiagnosed and can be associated with poor prognosis. At present, the precise pathogenesis is not fully understood. Despite that hepatomegaly and elevated alkaline phosphatase (ALP) are present in most patients with PHA, no specific clinical markers have been identified. Staining of hepatic tissues with Congo Red is often regarded as the "gold standard". Pharmacological therapy should aim to rapidly reduce the supply of misfolded amyloidogenic AL. High-dose intravenous melphalan (HDM) and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) appear to be the most appropriate therapy but controversies still exist.