A Pilot First-in-Human Study of Embrace,a Polyethylene Glycol-Based Liquid Embolic Agent,in the Embolization of Malignant and Benign Hypervascular Tumors

PurposeTo investigate the safety and efficacy of an aqueous polyethylene glycol-based liquid embolic agent, Embrace Hydrogel Embolic System (HES), in the treatment of benign and malignant hypervascular tumors.Materials and MethodsA prospective, single-arm, multicenter study included 8 patients, 5 males and 3 females, with a median age of 58.5 years (30–85 years), who underwent embolization in 8 tumors between October 2019 and May 2020. Technical success was defined as successful delivery of HES to the index vessel, with disappearance of >90% of the targeted vascular enhancement or, for portal vein embolization, occlusion of the portal branches to the liver segments for future resection. The volume of HES administered, ease of use (5 point Likert scale), administration time, and adverse events (AEs) were recorded. Evaluation was performed at 7, 30, and 90 days via clinical assessment and blood testing, and follow-up imaging was performed at 30 days.ResultsEight patients were enrolled, and 10 embolizations were performed in 8 lesions. Tumors included hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 4), renal angiomyolipoma (n = 3), and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (n = 1). Technical success was 100%, and the average ease of use was 3.3 ± 1.0 SD. The HES delivery time was 1–28 minutes (median, 16.5 minutes), and the HES volume injected was 0.4–4.0 mL (median, 1.3 mL). All patients reached 30-day follow-up with imaging, and 6 patients reached 90-day follow-up. There were 3 serious AEs in 2 patients that were unrelated to the embolic agent.ConclusionHES resulted in a 100% embolization technical success rate. The product ease of use was acceptable, and no target vessel recanalization was noted on follow-up imaging at 30 days.     

Abnormal liver function tests associated with severe rhabdomyolysis

Rhabdomyolysis is a syndrome of skeletal muscle injury with release of cellular constituents such as potassium,phosphate,urate and intracellular proteins such as myoglobin into the circulation,which may cause complications including acute kidney injury,electrolyte disturbance and cardiac instability.Abnormal liver function tests are frequently observed in cases of severe rhabdomyolysis.Typically,there is an increase in serum aminotransferases,namely aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase.This raises the question of liver injury and often triggers a pathway of investigation which may lead to a liver biopsy.However,muscle can also be a source of the increased aminotransferase activity.This review discusses the dilemma of finding abnormal liver function tests in the setting of muscle injury and the potential implications of such an association.It delves into some of the clinical and experimental evidence for correlating muscle injury to raised aminotransferases,and discusses pathophysiological mechanisms such as oxidative stress which may cause actual liver injury.Serum aminotransferases lack tissue specificity to allow clinicians to distinguish primary liver injury from muscle injury.This review also explores potential approaches to improve the accuracy of our diagnostic tools,so that excessive or unnecessary liver investigations can be avoided.     

Cardioprotective effects of sinomenine in myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury in a rat model

BackgroundIschemia reperfusion (I/R) play an imperative role in the expansion of cardiovascular disease. Sinomenine (SM) has been exhibited to possess antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antiviral and anticarcinogenic properties. The aim of the study was scrutinized the cardioprotective effect of SM against I/R injury in rat.MethodsRat were randomly divided into normal control (NC), I/R control and I/R + SM (5, 10 and 20 mg/kg), respectively. Ventricular arrhythmias, body weight and heart weight were estimated. Antioxidant, inflammatory cytokines, inflammatory mediators and plasmin system indicator were accessed.ResultsPre-treated SM group rats exhibited the reduction in the duration and incidence of ventricular fibrillation, ventricular ectopic beat (VEB) and ventricular tachycardia along with suppression of arrhythmia score during the ischemia (30 and 120 min). SM treated rats significantly (P < 0.001) altered the level of antioxidant parameters. SM treatment significantly (P < 0.001) repressed the level of creatine kinase MB (CK-MB), creatine kinase (CK) and troponin I (Tnl). SM treated rats significantly (P < 0.001) repressed the tissue factor (TF), thromboxane B2 (TXB2), plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) and plasma fibrinogen (Fbg) and inflammatory cytokines and inflammatory mediators.ConclusionOur result clearly indicated that SM plays anti-arrhythmia effect in I/R injury in the rats via alteration of oxidative stress and inflammatory reaction.     

Aminotransferases During Treatment Predict Long-Term Survival in Patients With Autoimmune Hepatitis Type 1: A Landmark Analysis

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血清谷丙转氨酶水平与不同性别2型糖尿病患病的关系

目的 探讨血清谷丙转氨酶（ALT）与新诊2型糖尿病（T2DM）患病风险之间的关联，为T2DM的防治提供科学依据。方法 采用4阶段分层随机抽样的方法选取2006年和2009年参与青岛糖尿病预防项目的研究对象男性3 012例、女性4 422例，采用Pearson相关检验分析不同性别ALT与FPG、2 h PG的相关性，并利用多因素logistic回归分析ALT与新诊T2DM患病的关系。结果 男性中，ALT与空腹血浆血糖（FPG）、餐后2 h血浆血糖（2 h PG）的Pearson相关系数分别为0.088、0.080（均P＜0.01）；多因素logistic回归显示，在调整了年龄、BMI、糖尿病家族史、城乡、教育、婚姻、收入、吸烟及饮酒状况等混杂因素后，ALT的第4分位（Q4）组新诊T2DM患病风险是第1分位（Q1）组的1.832倍（OR = 1.832，95% CI:1.324～2.534，P＜0.01）。女性中，ALT与FPG、2h PG的Pearson相关系数分别为0.065、0.108（均P＜0.01）；多因素logistic回归显示，在调整了年龄、BMI、糖尿病家族史、城乡、教育、婚姻、收入、吸烟及饮酒状况等混杂因素后，ALT的第4分位（Q4）组新诊T2DM患病风险是第1分位（Q1）组的1.445倍（OR = 1.445，95% CI:1.087～1.919，P＜0.05）。结论 在男、女性人群中，ALT水平升高与T2DM患病相关，且这种相关性不受年龄、BMI、糖尿病家族史等的影响。     

Curcumin ameliorates hepatic chronic inflammation induced by bile duct obstruction in mice through the activation of heme oxygenase-1

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关龙胆地上部分保肝作用研究

目的通过不同毒物引起的肝损伤来研究关龙胆地上部分的保肝作用。方法选用D-半乳糖胺、硫代乙酰胺、四氯化碳等3个肝损伤毒物造肝损伤模型,通过不同机制引起的肝损伤来研究关龙胆地上部分的保肝作用。结果关龙胆地上部分有一定的保肝作用,可降低各种肝损伤模型的ALT,AST,AKP等。结论关龙胆地上部分也有一定的药用价值,用全草取代地下部分入药有一定的可行性。     

Kynurenine aminotransferase activity in human liver: identity with human hepatic C-S lyase activity and a physiological role for this enzyme

The C-S lyase enzymes are responsible for the generation of mutagenic and cytotoxic metabolites via aberrant drug-metabolising pathways in mammalian tissues. We have examined human hepatic cytosolic, mitochondrial and microsomal fractions for evidence of C-S lyase activity. The cytosolic enzyme was purified using fast protein liquid chromatography over FFQ Sepharose, Mono P and Superose 12. An homogeneous protein (monitored by SDS-PAGE) was obtained following purification, and an 11-fold increase in C-S lyase specific activity was observed. The molecular weight of the enzyme was found to be 37 kDa in denaturing conditions, 82.3 kDa in non-denaturing conditions, and the C-S lyase activity was shown to co-purify with kynurenine aminotransferase activity when the transaminase activity of the enzyme was examined with kynurenine as the substrate.     

兴奋胆碱能通路对内毒素血症和肠缺血/再灌注动物肝脏功能的保护作用

目的:观察不同方式激活胆碱能受体途径对内毒素血症和肠缺血/再灌注动物肝脏功能的保护作用.方法:静脉注射内毒素(LPS,10 mg/kg和5 mg/kg)复制大鼠内毒素血症模型(每组10只),肠系膜上动脉夹闭1 h后松夹复制肠缺血/再灌注模型(每组6只),兔肠系膜上动脉部分阻断后4 h恢复血流复制兔肠部分缺血/再灌注模型(每组5只).内毒素血症大鼠分别施与迷走神经刺激或电针副交感神经相关穴位(后三里穴),并分别设模型组、假手术组和迷走神经切断组或电针假穴组;肠缺血/再灌注动物经肠袋(距离回盲部15 cm处起始,向空肠端作一个长约10 cm肠袋,保留血液供应)给予卡巴胆碱(大鼠:0.1 mg/kg;兔:3μg/kg),并设假手术组和模型组.各组大鼠于实验结束时、各组兔于上动脉阻断0、2、4、6、8 h及1、2、3 d取股动脉血测定血浆丙氨酸转氨酶(ALT)活性.结果:与模型组、迷走神经切断组或电针假穴组比较,采用迷走神经刺激或电针刺激副交感神经相关穴位(后三里穴)明显降低内毒素血症大鼠早期血浆ALT活性(P＜0.05或P＜0.01);肠缺血及再灌注后大鼠ALT明显升高,肠袋给予卡巴胆碱后ALT水平均有明显改善.肠袋输注卡巴胆碱兔血浆ALT活性在缺血/再灌注早期较缺血前增加,再灌注后逐渐恢复,伤后3 d基本接近正常水平,而模型组则逐渐升高.结论:通过刺激副交感神经或局部给予拟胆碱药的方式激活胆碱能受体途径对内毒素血症和肠缺血/再灌注动物肝脏功能具有不同程度的保护作用.