No abstract

Coinfusion of hematopoietic and mesenchymal stem cells is more effective than hematopoietic stem cell transplantation alone. It is necessary to explore a safe and routine mixed stem cell intraperitoneal transplantation method. Multiplacentas pooled cells were intraperitoneally injected into a radiation- and immunity-induced mouse aplastic anemia model with single time. Then, mouse survival time, peripheral blood hemoglobin count, bone marrow architecture, and donor cell engraftment were assessed. The recipient mouse exhibited donor cell engraftment in both bone marrow and peripheral blood. Survival time and peripheral blood hemoglobin count increased in placenta pooled cells treated mice, compared with model-only controls (P = 0.048 and P = 0.000, resp.). However, placentas pooled cells failed to cause a significant decrease in bone marrow pimelosis area (P = 0.357). Intraperitoneally transplanted multiplacentas pooled cells can survive and engraft into a host body through blood circulation, which can increase the life span of an aplastic anemia model mice, and delay but not abrogate the development of aplastic anemia. Furthermore, they appear to play a role in increasing peripheral blood hemoglobin level response for increasing the life span of aplastic anemia model mice.

Tetrahydroxystilbene glucoside (TSG) is the active ingredient extracted from the traditional Chinese medicine Fallopia multiflora, which has extensive pharmacological activities. The current study aimed to observe the neuroprotective mechanism of TSG in the ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) brain injury-induced apoptosis and autophagy from the point of view of oxidative stress (OS). The middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model was prepared through the suture-occluded method, and TSG was administered through tail vein injection at the time of reperfusion at the doses of 3.0, 6.0, and 12.0 mg/kg. Compared with sham group, the neurological score in I/R mice was increased (P<0.05), along with remarkably elevated cerebral infarct volume (P<0.05); while TSG administration could reduce the neurological score and cerebral infarct volume (P<0.05) and improve the neuronal damage in ischemic cortex and hippocampus (P<0.05). The expression of NOX4, activated caspase-3(9), and Beclin 1 (P<0.05), as well as the LC3BII/I ratio, had been markedly elevated (P<0.05), while TSG administration could effectively suppress the expression of the above-mentioned proteins (P<0.05). In conclusion, TSG shows obvious protection against brain injury in I/R mice, and its mechanism may be related to suppressing the NADPH-induced OS and reducing neuronal apoptosis as well as autophagy.

Revascularization is an effective therapy for rescuing myocardial tissue after ischemic events. However, the process of reperfusion can lead to more severe cardiomyocyte damage, called myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury (MIRI). We have previously shown that vitexin (VT) (a flavonoid compound derived from natural products) protects against MIRI; however, the exact mechanisms underpinning this effect require further elucidation. This study is aimed at elucidating the protective mechanism of VT in inhibiting ischemic myocardial mitochondrial dysfunction and reducing cardiomyocyte apoptosis by regulating Epac1-Rap1 signaling. Isolated rat hearts were subjected to MIRI in a Langendorff perfusion system, and H9c2 cells were subjected to hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) in vitro. Our analyses show that during I/R, Epac1 expression was upregulated, left ventricular dysfunction deteriorated, mitochondrial dynamics were disrupted, and both myocardial cells and tissues exhibited apoptosis. Furthermore, administration of 8-CPT (an Epac agonist) exacerbated cardiomyocyte injury and mitochondrial dysfunction. Interestingly, suppressing the function of Epac1 through VT or ESI-09 (an Epac inhibitor) treatment during I/R reduced the myocardial infarct size, cardiomyocyte apoptosis, and reactive oxygen species production; alleviated mitochondrial dysfunction by increasing mitochondrial membrane potential; elevated MFN2 expression; and inhibited Drp1 expression. To our knowledge, our results reveal, for the first time, the mechanisms underlying the protective effect of VT in the myocardium of rats with MIRI. Moreover, we provide a new target and theoretical basis for VT in the treatment of ischemic heart disease.

Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH), as a critical factor of chronic cerebrovascular diseases, has greatly influenced the health of patients with vascular dementia (VD). The putative protective effects of vitexin on the CCH need further investigations. In the current study, the role of vitexin and its underlying mechanism were investigated with permanent bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (2VO) in rats as well as HT22 cells with OGD/R injury model. The results demonstrated that vitexin improved cognitive dysfunction as well as alleviated pathological neuronal damage in HE and TUNEL results. The decreased levels of Epac1, Epac2, Rap1 and p-ERK were reversed by vitexin in rats with CCH. Furthermore, this study indicated that vitexin alleviated CCH-induced inflammation injuries by reducing the expression of NLRP3, Caspase-1, IL-1β, IL-6, and cleaved Caspase-3. In vitro, vitexin increased the expression of Epac1 and Epac2, decreased the activation of the NLRP3-mediated inflammation, and improved cell viability. Taken together, our findings suggest that vitexin can reduce the degree of the progressing pathological damage in the cortex and hippocampus and inhibit further deterioration of cognitive function in rats with CCH. Epac and NLRP3 can be regulated by vitexin, which provides enlightenment for the protection of CCH injury.

The diagnosis and treatment of large fibroepithelial polyps in the proximal ureter have been the clinical challenges. This study retrospectively summarized the clinical diagnosis and treatment of fibroepithelial polyps >5 cm in length in the proximal ureter of 6 patients who received treatment in the Affiliated Renji Hospital of Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine between December 2010 and February 2017. The length of fibroepithelial polyps ranged from 5.8 to 8.2 cm. There were 4 males and 2 females with the mean age of 32.6 ± 9.8 years. Unilateral polyps were found in all patients (right: n = 4; left: n = 2). Hydronephrosis of different extents was noted in these patients, 4 complained of back pain and 2 were diagnosed with hydronephrosis by ultrasonography. 1 patient had macroscopic hematuria. All these patients received antegrade plus retrograde endoscopic laser polypectomy after admission. Symptoms were significantly improved after surgery, and ultrasonography showed hydronephrosis was attenuated to different extents 2 weeks later. Three months later, computed tomography urography revealed favorable recovery in 5 patients and deterioration of hydronephrosis due to ureteropelvic stenosis in 1 patient.

Objective: To analyze the characteristics of chest high resolution computed tomography (CT) images of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods: This is a retrospective study analyzing the clinical records and chest high-resolution CT images of 46 consecutive patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 by nucleic acid tests and treated at our hospitals between January 2020 and February 2020. Results: Abnormalities in the CT images were found in 44 patients (95.6%). The lesions were unilateral in eight patients (17.4%), bilateral in 36 patients (78.3%), single in seven patients (15.9%), and multiple in 37 patients (84.1%). The morphology of the lesions was scattered opacity in 10 patients (21.7%), patchy opacity in 38 patients (82.6%), fibrotic cord in 17 patients (37.0%), and wedge-shaped opacity in two patients (4.3%). The lesions can be classified as ground-glass opacity in eight patients (17.4%), consolidation in one patient (2.2%), and ground-glass opacity plus consolidation in 28 patients (60.9%). Conclusion: Most COVID-19 patients showed abnormalities in chest CT images and the most common findings were ground-glass opacity plus consolidation. Abbreviations:COVID-19: coronavirus disease 2019, CT: computed tomography,SARS-CoV-2: severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, RNA: ribonucleic acid. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.37.3.3504 How to cite this:Lu Y, Zhou J, Mo Y, Song S, Wei X, Ding K. Characteristics of Chest high resolution computed tomography images of COVID-19: A retrospective study of 46 patients. Pak J Med Sci. 2021;37(3):---------. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.37.3.3504 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

The aim of this study was to investigate the patterns of changes in free portal pressure (FPP) in cynomolgus monkeys with different levels of liver fibrosis and to lay a theoretical foundation for the study of FPP in patients with liver fibrosis. Liver fibrosis models were successfully established in 15 of 20 cynomolgus monkeys using carbon tetrachloride, among which 10 monkeys developed severe liver fibrosis (S4; i.e., early cirrhosis). A randomized block design was used to study FPP in the 10 cynomolgus monkeys that developed complete liver fibrosis. The FPP values and the rates of change at different stages of liver fibrosis were analyzed. The normal FPP value of cynomolgus monkeys was 25.56 ± 2.33 mmHg; the FPP value at S1 was 36.05 ± 2.91 mmHg, with an increase of 41.04 ± 3.02%; the value at S2 was 42.79 ± 2.91 mmHg, with an increase of 67.41 ± 2.98%; the value at S3 was 50.27 ± 3.44 mmHg, with an increase of 96.67 ± 5.24%; and the value at S4 was 62.47 ± 3.75 mmHg, with an increase of 144.41 ± 6.34%. FPP and its increase at S4 were significantly higher than the normal value and those at S1, S2, and S3 (P < 0.01). These results showed that FPP increases along with the severity of liver fibrosis. FPP at S4 of severe liver fibrosis were >2-fold higher compared with the normal value.