Biomedical microelectromechanical systems (BioMEMS): Revolution in drug delivery and analytical techniques

Advancement in microelectromechanical system has facilitated the microfabrication of polymeric substrates and the development of the novel class of controlled drug delivery devices. These vehicles have specifically tailored three dimensional physical and chemical features which together, provide the capacity to target cell, stimulate unidirectional controlled release of therapeutics and augment permeation across the barriers. Apart from drug delivery devices microfabrication technology’s offer exciting prospects to generate biomimetic gastrointestinal tract models. BioMEMS are capable of analysing biochemical liquid sample like solution of metabolites, macromolecules, proteins, nucleic acid, cells and viruses. This review summarized multidisciplinary application of biomedical microelectromechanical systems in drug delivery and its potential in analytical procedures.     

八段锦治疗神经根型颈椎病的系统评价与Meta分析

[目的] 系统评价八段锦治疗神经根型颈椎病的临床疗效。[方法] 计算机检索中国知网数据库（CNKI）、维普资讯中文科技期刊数据库（VIP）、万方数据库（Wan-fang）、中国生物医学文献数据库（SinoMed）、Web of science、Clinical Trials gov、Pubmed、EMBASE、CENTRAL、Cochrane Library，查找出八段锦治疗神经根型颈椎病的随机对照试验（RCT），检索时限均从建库至2019年7月1日。两名研究者按照纳入与排除标准独立进行文献筛选、资料提取和偏倚风险评估，应用RevMan 5.3软件对最后纳入的研究进行Meta分析。[结果] 最终纳入10个RCT，共843例患者。Meta分析结果显示：八段锦+常规治疗与常规治疗比较，其临床疗效的总有效率差异具有统计学意义[OR=4.19，95% CI（2.42，7.26），P<0.000 01]；八段锦+常规治疗与常规治疗+颈部“米”字操比较，其临床疗效的总有效率差异具有统计学意义[OR=3.41，95% CI（1.56，7.46），P=0.002]；八段锦+常规治疗与常规治疗比较，其疼痛视觉模拟评分法（VAS）评分差异具有统计学意义[MD=-1.90，95% CI（-1.97，-1.83），P<0.000 01]。[结论] 基于现有的研究，该系统评价显示，与常规治疗相比，八段锦+常规治疗在临床疗效总有效率、VAS评分方面有一定的治疗优势。与常规治疗+颈部“米”字操比较，八段锦+常规治疗在临床疗效的总有效率方面有一定的治疗优势。但由于纳入研究的质量不高，仍需要大样本、多中心、随机、双盲试验及试验参照CONSORT标准和STRICTA声明进行RCT研究。     

Treatment strategies for hypertension in patients with type 1 diabetes

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is a chronic, autoimmune disease that is characterized by total absence of insulin production. Hypertension is a common comorbidity in T1DM with complex pathophysiology, while it is also a well-recognized risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD), as well as other microvascular diabetic complications.     

A modality-specific somatosensory evoked potential test protocol for clinical evaluation: A feasibility study

ObjectiveWe aimed to establish an objective neurophysiological test protocol that can be used to assess the somatosensory nervous system.MethodsIn order to assess most fiber subtypes of the somatosensory nervous system, repetitive stimuli of seven different modalities (touch, vibration, pinprick, cold, contact heat, laser, and warmth) were synchronized with the electroencephalogram (EEG) and applied on the cheek and dorsum of the hand and dorsum of the foot in 21 healthy subjects and three polyneuropathy (PNP) patients. Latencies and amplitudes of the modalities were assessed and compared. Patients received quantitative sensory testing (QST) as reference.ResultsWe found reproducible evoked potentials recordings for touch, vibration, pinprick, contact-heat, and laser stimuli. The recording of warm-evoked potentials was challenging in young healthy subjects and not applicable in patients. Latencies were shortest within Aβ-fiber-mediated signals and longest within C-fibers. The test protocol detected function loss within the Aβ-fiber and Aδ-fiber-range in PNP patients. This function loss corresponded with QST findings.ConclusionIn this pilot study, we developed a neurophysiological test protocol that can specifically assess most of the somatosensory modalities. Despite technical challenges, initial patient data appear promising regarding a possible future clinical application.SignificanceEstablished and custom-made stimulators were combined to assess different fiber subtypes of the somatosensory nervous system using modality-specific evoked potentials.     

In Vivo Kinematics of Functional Ankle Instability Patients and Lateral Ankle Sprain Copers During Stair Descent

Patients with mechanic ankle instability experience increased tibiotalar and subtalar joint laxity. However, in vivo joint kinematics in functional ankle instability (FAI) patients and lateral ankle sprain (LAS) copers, especially during dynamic activities, are poorly understood. Ten FAI patients, 10 LAS copers, and 10 healthy controls were included in this study. A dual fluoroscopic imaging system was used to analyze the tibiotalar and subtalar joint kinematics during stair descent. Five key poses of stair descent were analyzed. Kinematic data from six degrees of freedom were calculated utilizing a solid modeling software. The range of motion and joint positions in each degree of freedom were compared among the three groups. The tibiotalar joints of FAI patients and LAS copers were significantly more inverted than those of healthy controls during the foot strike (p = 0.016, = 0.264). The subtalar joints of FAI patients were significantly more anteriorly translated (pose 2, p = 0.003, = 0.352; pose 3, p < 0.001, = 0.454; pose 4, p = 0.004, = 0.334), inverted (pose 4, p = 0.027, = 0.234; pose 5,p = 0.034, = 0.221), and externally rotated (pose 4, p = 0.037, = 0.217; pose 5; p = 0.004, = 0.331) than those of healthy controls during the mid‐stance and the heel off. The FAI patients showed excessive tibiotalar inversion and subtalar joint hypermobility during stair descent. Meanwhile, the LAS copers maintained subtalar joint stability, and only showed excessive tibiotalar inversion in foot strike. These data provide insight into the mechanisms behind the development of FAI after initial LAS. © 2019 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 37:1860–1867, 2019     

Transarterial Chemoembolization vs Radioembolization for Neuroendocrine Liver Metastases: A Multi-Institutional Analysis

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Computer-generated vegan menus: The importance of food composition database choice

Precise data on food chemical composition is crucial for any quantitative nutrition research and indispensable for evaluation and planning of computer-based menus. Moreover, exact food chemical composition is of the utmost importance in composing specific diets that may be low in certain essential nutrients. Therefore, this research evaluated a weekly vegan menu using three different food composition databases (FCDB): the Croatian, the official Danish Food Composition Database and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) – National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were determined in evaluated and optimised offers for the same menu when using different FCDBs. Furthermore, in these menus quantities of some nutrients have not reached official daily recommendations needed for prevention of non-communicable diseases. In this research, new vegan menus that can provide adequate quantity of essential nutrients, regardless of FCDB utilized, were created with linear optimisation (LO). This resulted in high quality daily menu offers. However, depending on the FCDB that was used, optimal menus differed in daily meal combinations, and the effectiveness of the optimisation in the minimisation of differences caused by differences of data in FCDBs was tested. Linear optimisation has been proved to be an effective tool in planning of specific diets, such as vegan diets. Nonetheless, the quality of computer-planned menus depends heavily on the quality of FCDB used.     

国内外护理学本科生毕业考核现状与分析

教育测量与评价对实现教育目标具有重要作用。科学的教育评价既促进学生学习,又为教育决策提供依据,以实现持续质量改进。"健康中国2030"的整体目标、医学科学的发展及人民的健康需求,对新时代护理人才的培养提出了更高、更具体的要求。高等护理院校应以国家和社会对护理人才需求、院校培养目标为导向,以测量理论为基础,制定完善的学业评定标准,科学地开展毕业考核,保证人才"出口"质量。毕业考核作为终结性评价,测试内容在评价质量中起核心作用,应符合国家护理学专业培养标准,并与院校培养目标、课程目标契合。院校应关注护理本科生毕业考核质量,在保障测试信度的同时,做到实施公平、评价适当、标准一致,以确保测试的效度。教育管理部门及各院校应优化评价体系,加强对护理本科生毕业管理,在充分开展系统调查与分析的基础上,基于胜任力导向和结果导向,建立综合性评价体系,在教学过程中进行全方位反馈评价管理。文章结合国内外护理学专业本科生毕业考核的现状,从考核目的、内容、方式、评价主体、质量控制等方面进行综述与分析,为我国加强护理学本科教育,完善护理学专业本科生毕业评价体系建设提供借鉴。     

Melatonin reduces oxidative stress and improves vascular function in pulmonary hypertensive newborn sheep

Pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PHN) constitutes a critical condition with severe cardiovascular and neurological consequences. One of its main causes is hypoxia during gestation, and thus, it is a public health concern in populations living above 2500 m. Although some mechanisms are recognized, the pathophysiological facts that lead to PHN are not fully understood, which explains the lack of an effective treatment. Oxidative stress is one of the proposed mechanisms inducing pulmonary vascular dysfunction and PHN. Therefore, we assessed whether melatonin, a potent antioxidant, improves pulmonary vascular function. Twelve newborn sheep were gestated, born, and raised at 3600 meters. At 3 days old, lambs were catheterized and daily cardiovascular measurements were recorded. Lambs were divided into two groups, one received daily vehicle as control and another received daily melatonin (1 mg/kg/d), for 8 days. At 11 days old, lung tissue and small pulmonary arteries (SPA) were collected. Melatonin decreased pulmonary pressure and resistance for the first 3 days of treatment. Further, melatonin significantly improved the vasodilator function of SPA, enhancing the endothelial‐ and muscular‐dependent pathways. This was associated with an enhanced nitric oxide‐dependent and nitric oxide independent vasodilator components and with increased nitric oxide bioavailability in lung tissue. Further, melatonin reduced the pulmonary oxidative stress markers and increased enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidant capacity. Finally, these effects were associated with an increase of lumen diameter and a mild decrease in the wall of the pulmonary arteries. These outcomes support the use of melatonin as an adjuvant in the treatment for PHN.     

Reduced nontarget embolization and increased targeted delivery with a reflux-control microcatheter in a swine model

PurposeTo evaluate the potential differences in non-target embolization and vessel microsphere filling of a reflux-control microcatheter (RCM) compared to a standard end-hole microcatheter (SEHM) in a swine model.Materials and methodsRadiopaque microspheres were injected with both RCM and SEHM (2.4-Fr and 2.7-Fr) in the kidneys of a preclinical swine model. Transarterial renal embolization procedures with RCM or SEHM were performed in both kidneys of 14 pigs. Renal arteries were selectively embolized with an automated injection protocol of radio-opaque microspheres. Ex-vivo X-ray microtomography images of the kidneys were utilized to evaluate the embolization by quantification of the deposition of injected microspheres in the target vs. the non-target area of injection. X-ray microtomography images were blindly analyzed by five interventional radiologists. The degree of vessel filling and the non-target embolization were quantified using a scale from 1 to 5 for each parameter. An analysis of variance was used to compare the paired scores.ResultsTotal volumes of radio-opaque microspheres injected were similar for RCM (11.5 ± 3.6 [SD] mL; range: 6–17 mL) and SEHM (10.6 ± 5.2 [SD] mL; range: 4–19 mL) (P = 0.38). The voxels enhanced ratio in the target (T) vs. non-target (NT) areas was greater with RCM (T = 98.3% vs. NT = 1.7%) than with SEHM (T = 89% vs. NT = 11%) but the difference was not significant (P = 0.30). The total score blindly given by the five interventional radiologists was significantly different between RCM (12.3 ± 2.1 [SD]; range: 6–15) and the standard catheter (11.3 ± 2.5 [SD]; range: 4–15) (P = 0.0073), with a significant decrease of non-target embolization for RCM (3.8 ± 1.3 [SD]; range: 3.5–4.2) compared to SEHM (3.2 ± 1.5 [SD]; range: 2.9–3.5) (P = 0.014).ConclusionIn an animal model, RCM microcatheters reduce the risk of non-target embolization from 11% to 1.7%, increasing the delivery of microspheres of 98% to the target vessels, compared to SEHM microcatheters.