Randomized trials fail to demonstrate a decrease in mortality when high Positive End-Expiratory Pressure (PEEP) is applied to patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome. Use of PEEP in all patients without taking into consideration specific lung morphology, potential for recruitment and risk of lung hyperinflation could be one of explanations. Assessment of alveolar recruitment in each individual patient appears to reach a good compromise between optimization of mechanical ventilation and reduction of lung injury due to systematic application of high PEEP. The purpose of the review was to discuss different methods to measure alveolar recruitment aimed at selecting optimal PEEP. The revision of the literature includes relevant human and animal studies published in the past ten years describing validated and promising methods. Computed tomography remains the reference method to assess regional PEEP-induced alveolar recruitment and hyperinflation. Lung ultrasound and pressure-volume (P-V) curve method are simple and repeatable at the bedside, but they can't provide information on lung hyperinflation. Electrical impedance tomography allows bedside assessment of tidal recruitment in dependent and nondependent regions. By measuring functional residual capacity, alveolar recruitment and strain can be estimated. Decremental PEEP titration preceded by recruitment maneuver has been suggested to define optimal PEEP that sustains oxygenation benefit of recruitment maneuver. Different methods are available to assess PEEP-induced alveolar recruitment. Lung ultrasound and P-V curve method can be easily used at bedside to assess lung recruitability and test optimal PEEP. Further development is required for bedside assessment combing alveolar recruitment with hyperinflation.
In the present study, two isostructural lanthanide (Ln)(III) complexes, namely Ln(HL)2(NO3)(CH3OH)2)·CH3OH, where Ln = La in complex 1 and Ce in complex 2, and hydrogen ligand (HL) = (E)-N'-[1-(2-pyridinyl)ethylidene]isonicotinohydrazone, have been isolated and characterized by elemental analysis, infrared spectra and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The results revealed that the acylhydrazone ligand HL in each complex was deprotonated as an anionic ligand and coordinated to the central La(III) ion via enolization of oxygen and nitrogen atoms. Furthermore, the antitumor effects and potential mechanisms of the two complexes were explored in the human lung cancer cell line A549 and in the human gastric cancer cell lines BGC823 and SGC7901. In the present study, the roles the two complexes on the proliferation and apoptosis of the above tumor cell lines were determined by MTT assay and Annexin V/propidium iodide flow cytometry, respectively. Furthermore, various apoptosis-associated key genes, including caspase 3, B cell lymphoma (Bcl)-2-associated X protein (Bax) and Bcl-2, were detected by western blotting to explore the possible antitumor mechanisms of the two complexes. The results revealed that the two complexes had comparable antitumor activities in terms of inhibiting proliferation and inducing apoptosis in tumor cell lines. The changes in the protein expression levels of caspase 3, Bax and Bcl-2 further verified the apoptosis-promoting mechanisms of the two complexes in tumor cell lines. These findings have a great potential in biomedical applications of novel Ln(III) complexes.
Objective
To analyze contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) evaluation on blood perfusion of intrahepatic VX2 tumors and inflammatory pseudotumor in rabbits with fatty liver and further compare the angiogenesis expression.
Methods
Intrahepatic VX2 tumors and inflammatory pseudotumor in rabbit with fatty liver models were well established. The blood perfusion of VX2 tumors and inflammatory pseudotumor in rabbit fatty liver was analyzed using QontraXt CEUS quantitative analysis software, and the microvascular density (MVD) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression were detected by immunohistochemistry, respectively.
Results
Twenty VX2 tumor models and 20 inflammatory pseudotumor in fatty liver were successfully established in rabbits. The time to peak (TP), peak intensity (PI) and the area under the curve (AUC) of VX2 tumor in rabbits with fat liver were (24.16±6.58) s, (52.29±13.24) dB, 6.09±2.61; The TP, PI and AUC of IPL in fatty liver were (29.86±6.75) s, (41.36±9.50) dB, 3.86±1.00, respectively. Compared with those for inflammatory pseudotumor lesions in fatty liver rabbits, the time to peak for VX2 tumor lesions were earlier, peak intensity was higher, and area under the curve was larger (P<0.05). The MVD count of VX2 tumor in rabbits with fatty liver was 45.21±8.80, VEGF expression of them was 4.00±0.86; MVD count and VEGF expression of IPL in fatty livers was 21.10±3.31, 2.00±0.86, respectively. Compared with those for inflammatory pseudotumor lesions in fatty liver rabbits, MVD count and VEGF protein expression for VX2 tumors were significantly higher (P<0.05).
Conclusions
The CEUS blood perfusion, MVD count, and VEGF protein expression for VX2 tumor lesions were higher than those for inflammatory pseudotumor lesions in rabbits with fatty liver. Low mechanical index contrast-enhanced ultrasound combined with QontraXt quantitative analysis software can accurately reflect blood perfusion of benign and malignant tumor as well as angiogenesis of malignancies in fatty liver.
Key words:
Fatty liver; VX2 xenograft tumor; Inflammatory pseudotumor; Contrast-enhanced ultrasound; Microvascular density; Vascular endothelial growth factor
A series of N(4)-substituted thiosemicarbazones (TSCs) bearing pyrrole unit (1a-1e) were synthesized and fully characterized by elemental analyses, infrared spectra, 1H nuclear magnetic resonance and single crystal X-ray diffraction. The compounds were assessed as potential chemotherapeutic agents. All newly synthesized compounds were screened for their anticancer activity against lung cancer PC-9, esophageal cancer Eca-109 and gastric cancer SGC-7901 cell lines. The results of MTT, Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling and fluorescence-activated cell sorting assays indicated that all the prepared compounds exhibited cytotoxicity against PC-9, Eca-109 and SGC-7901 cells in vitro. All the compounds significantly induced cancer cell apoptosis accompanied by increasing the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and activation of caspase-3. The structure-activity association was discussed and the potential pre-clinical trials may be conducted. The present findings have a great potential in biomedical applications of novel N(4)-substituted TSCs.
Objective We investigated the relationship between plasma miRNAs levels and inflammatory characteristics in asthmatic patients. Methods Eligible adults with untreated asthma (n = 35) underwent a clinical assessment, sputum induction, and assessment of pulmonary function test and Asthma Control Test (ACT) scores. Asthma phenotypes were defined using the sputum cell count. miR-199a-5p expression was measured using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation was used to detect miR-199a-5p secretion from peripheral blood-derived neutrophil, lymphocyte, macrophage and BEAS-2B cells. The correlation of miR-199a-5p expression with clinical parameters was analyzed using multiple linear regression analysis. In silico analysis predicted the target genes and signaling pathway of miR-199a-5p. Transfection of miR-199a-5p mimics in human airway smooth muscle cells (HASMCs) was performed in vitro. Results The miRNA-199a-5p levels in plasma and sputum increased significantly in patients with neutrophilic asthma compared to healthy subjects (ps = 0.014 and 0.006, respectively). Expression of miR-199a-5p in the plasma of asthmatic patients positively correlated with sputum miR-199a-5p expression (r = 0.511, p = 0.021). The miR-199a-5p level was only elevated with LPS stimulation in neutrophils but not macrophages, lymphocytes, or epithelial cells from healthy controls (p < 0.01). miR-199a-5p expression increased in response to LPS (p = 0.005) and LPS combined with IL-4 (p = 0.003), but not IL-4 alone. However, peripheral neutrophils from eosinophilic asthma patients did not respond to LPS with increased miR-199a-5p expression (n = 5, p > 0.05) in contrast to the significant response from neutrophilic patients (n = 4, p < 0.0001). miR-199a-5p negatively correlated with FEV1, FVC and PEF (r = -0.377, p = 0.026; r = -0.419, p = 0.012; and r = -0.392, p = 0.024, respectively). Multivariate correlation analysis confirmed that the plasma miR-199a-5p levels negatively correlated with FEV1 in patients with asthma (Adjusted R2 = 0.164, p = 0.015). In silico analysis suggested that the WNT signaling pathway participates in miR-199a-5p mediation of smooth muscle cell hypertrophy. In vitro experiment, miR-199a-5p mimics inhibited the protein expressions of WNT2 and WNT4, decreased the c-myc expression and dramatically increased the Sm-MHC expression in HASMCs. Conclusion Plasma miR-199a-5p was increased in neutrophilic asthma and negatively correlated with pulmonary function, which suggests that miR-199a-5p actively contributes to disease pathogenesis by modulating the inflammatory process and transferring the signal from inflammatory cells to structure cells.
This study aimed to explore the effect of resourcefulness and mindfulness training on depressive patients after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). This single-center, randomized clinical trial was conducted. From October 2020 to August 2021, 132 depressive patients after PCI were selected from 4 wards of the cardiovascular department of a Class A tertiary hospital in Tangshan, China and divided into control group (CNG), resourcefulness practice group (RPG), mindfulness training group (MTG) and resourcefulness practice combined mindfulness training group (CMG). On the basis of routine nursing, the three intervention groups received resourecfulness practice, mindfulness training, and resourcefulness practice combined with mindfulness training for 12 weeks (1–6 weeks, once a week, 30 min each time; 7–12 weeks, practice three times a week and live on WeChat once a week, 30 min each time). The control group received routine nursing. Before the intervention, at 12 weeks and 24 weeks after the intervention, the Chinese version of the Cardiac Depression Scale, the Chinese Resourcefulness Scale, and the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire were used to evaluate the depressive symptoms, the level of resourcefulness and the level of mindfulness among patients, respectively. A total of 132 patients completed the study (33 participants in each groups). After 12 weeks of intervention, the mixed effects model revealed that the level of resourcefulness and mindfulness were improved, and the depressive symptoms of patients were reduced in CMG as compared to CNG (the least square mean difference was −12.99, −37.19, 19.45, respectively, P < 0.01). Compared with the RPG, the level of mindfulness was improved, and the depressive symptoms were reduced in CMG (the least squares mean difference was −13.54, 10.99, respectively, P < 0.01). The level of resourcefulness of patients in CMG was higher than MTG (least squares mean difference was −8.37, P < 0.05). After 24 weeks of intervention, the level of mindfulness was improved, and the depressive symptoms were reduced in CMG, as compared to CNG (the least squares mean difference of the depressive symptoms and the level of mindfulness was −12.45, 13.03, respectively, P < 0.01) and RPG (the least squares mean difference was −7.79, 9.09, respectively, P < 0.05). Compared with the MTG, the depressive symptoms among patients were reduced in CMG (least squares mean difference was 7.37, P < 0.05). Resourcefulness practice combined with mindfulness training can be effective in reducing the symptoms of depression in patients after PCI, and the effects could last longer. Mindfulness training can supplement spiritual resourcefulness in resourcefulness practice.
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