High-Frequency Irreversible Electroporation Using 5,000-V Waveforms to Create Reproducible 2- and 4-cm Ablation Zones—A Laboratory Investigation Using Mechanically Perfused Liver

PurposeTo investigate if high-frequency irreversible electroporation (H-FIRE) treatments can be delivered at higher voltages and with greater energy delivery rates than currently implemented in clinical irreversible electroporation protocols.Materials and MethodsTreatments using 3,000 V and 5,000 V were administered to mechanically perfused ex vivo porcine liver via a single applicator and grounding pad (A+GP) as well as a 4-applicator array (4AA). Integrated energized times (IET) 0.01–0.08 seconds and energy delivery rates 25–300 μs/s were investigated. Organs were preserved at 4°C for 10–15 hours before sectioning and gross analysis using a metabolic stain to identify the size and shape of ablation zones.ResultsA+GP ablations measured between 1.6 cm and 2.2 cm, which did not increase when IET was increased from 0.02 seconds to 0.08 seconds (P > .055; range, 1.9–2.1 cm). Changes in tissue color and texture consistent with thermal damage were observed for treatments with energy delivery rates 50–300 μs/s, but not for treatments delivered at 25 μs/s. Use of the 4AA with a 3-cm applicator spacing resulted in ablations measuring 4.4–4.9 cm with energy delivery times of 7–80 minutes.ConclusionsH-FIRE treatments can rapidly and reproducibly create 2-cm ablations using an A+GP configuration. Treatments without thermal injury were produced at the expense of extended treatment times. More rapid treatments resulted in ablations with varying degrees of thermal injury within the H-FIRE ablation zone. Production of 4-cm ablations is possible using a 4AA.     

Hepatitis A virus-associated fulminant hepatitis with human immunodeficiency virus coinfection

Hepatitis A virus (HAV) commonly causes acute hepatitis in humans and is transmitted through the fecal-oral route or by ingestion of contaminated food or water. HAV infection generally follows a self-limiting course; it can seldom cause fulminant hepatitis that increases the risk of mortality. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported fatal case of fulminant hepatitis caused by HAV in a 40-year-old male with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The HAV genotype in this case was IA, which has recently become common globally among people living with HIV (PLWHIV), intravenous drug users, and homeless people especially in developed countries. His HIV infection was stabilized by antiretroviral drugs and his CD4 values were stable. He developed acute hepatic encephalopathy, did not respond to repeated plasma exchange therapy, and died rapidly. It is known that HIV co-infection sometimes leads to fulminant non-HAV hepatitis, although evidence supporting a correlation between fulminant hepatitis A risk and HIV infection is still lacking. This case demonstrated the fatal risk of HAV infection in PLWHIV; it was suggested that education about appropriate preventive measures and vaccination are important for preventing HAV infections among PLWHIV.     

CIP2A在子宫内膜样腺癌中的表达及临床意义

目的:探究蛋白磷酸酶2A(CIP2A)在子宫内膜样腺癌中的表达情况及临床意义。方法:选取2011年1月至2014年3月行手术切除并经病理证实的50例子宫内膜样腺癌(EAC)及同期行门诊刮宫术获取的40例正常增生期子宫内膜(NE)组织标本。应用RT-PCR、Western blot法检测EAC和NE组织中CIP2A mRNA及蛋白水平，免疫组化法检测CIP2A阳性表达情况。分析CIP2A在EAC和NE组织中的表达差异及与子宫内膜样腺癌临床病理特征的关系。采用Kaplan-Meier法分析CIP2A不同表达水平对患者预后生存的影响，通过COX分析预后独立危险因素。结果:免疫组化染色显示:CIP2A在子宫内膜样腺癌中呈高表达，阳性着色定位于细胞浆和细胞核中，EAC组织中CIP2A阳性表达率显著高于NE组织(P＜0.01)。RT-PCR和Western blot检测显示EAC组织中CIP2A mRNA及蛋白表达水平高于NE组织(P＜0.01)。CIP2A表达与EAC的组织学分级、FIGO分期、宫颈管受累情况、p53表达及Ki-67增殖指数有关（P＜0.05）。Kaplan-Meier法生存分析显示EAC患者5年无病生存率为92.0%、总生存率为88.0%；CIP2A表达、组织学分级、FIGO分期、肌层浸润深度、附件转移、脉管内癌栓及Ki-67增殖指数与患者预后不良相关（P＜0.05）。多因素分析显示，组织学分级、FIGO分期及脉管内癌栓是影响子宫内膜样腺癌患者预后生存的独立危险因素（P＜0.05）。结论:CIP2A在子宫内膜样腺癌中呈高表达，与患者总生存率下降相关，并非影响患者预后的独立危险因素。     

浅低温不停循环优先重建弓部血管结合术中支架阻断技术与传统孙氏手术的对比研究

目的:采用浅低温不停循环优先重建弓部血管结合术中支架阻断技术治疗急性Stanford A型主动脉夹层,并与传统孙氏手术进行比较,评估其效果和安全性。方法:回顾性分析2017年1月至2018年12月山东省临沂市人民医院心脏血管外科手术治疗的40例急性A型主动脉夹层患者的资料,其中21例在浅低温不停循环下,采用优先重建弓部血管结合术中支架阻断技术进行改良的孙氏手术治疗,19例采用传统的孙氏手术治疗。统计分析患者术中、术后的相关指标及并发症情况。结果:与传统的孙氏手术相比,改良组在术中阻断时间[(218.63±27.86)min比(101.52±17.23)min]、停循环时间[(1174.74±183.65)s比(43.19±8.32)s]、体外循环时间[(218.63±27.86)min比(194.19±24.25)min]、术后并发症(14次比6次)、术后呼吸机辅助时间[(72.89±45.57)h比(29.86±32.3)h]及围术期输血量[(1332.63±301.55)ml比(991.90±323.23)ml]等方面存在明显优势,差异有统计学意义(P均<0.05)。手术后清醒时间方面,改良组优于传统组,但差异无统计学意义。结论:采用浅低温不停循环优先重建弓部血管结合术中支架阻断技术治疗急性A型主动脉夹层是安全、有效的,可以明显改善患者预后,减少并发症的发生。     

妊娠早期糖化血红蛋白联合PAPP-A对妊娠期糖尿病的预测意义

目的:探讨妊娠早期血清学指标糖化血红蛋白(glycohemoglobin,HbA1c)联合妊娠相关血浆蛋白A(pregnancy-associated plasma protein A,PAPP-A)对妊娠期糖尿病(gestational diabetes mellitus,GDM)的预测意义。方法:随机选取2018年12月1日-2019年7月30日孕11~13+6周于我院门诊产检的妊娠妇女,进行临床资料采集并记录妊娠早期(11~13+6周)空腹血糖(fasting plasma glucose,FPG)、HbA1c、PAPP-A中位数倍数(multiple of the median,MoM)水平,根据孕24~28周进行的75 g口服葡萄糖耐量试验(oral glucose tolerance test,OGTT)结果将研究对象分为研究组和对照组,统计分析妊娠早期血清学指标预测GDM的最佳截断值并得出最适宜的联合预测方案。结果:多因素Logistic回归分析显示,高水平FPG和HbA1c、低水平PAPP-A、受孕方式采用辅助生殖技术、有家族糖尿病史以及妊娠早期体质量指数(BMI)为超重或肥胖均是GDM发生的独立危险因素。有糖尿病家族史和使用辅助生殖技术受孕发生GDM的风险显著增高(OR分别为7.206和47.512,均P<0.001)。分析不同预测指标的受试者工作特征(receiver operating characteristic,ROC)曲线及曲线下面积(area under the curve,AUC)显示,PAPP-A MoM联合HbA1c及FPG诊断时AUC最大(0.728),其后依次为PAPPA MoM联合HbA1c(0.721)、HbA1c联合FPG(0.717),均大于HbA1c(0.707)和FPG(0.647),而PAPP-A MoM的AUC为0.380,对GDM没有诊断意义。结论:具有高风险因素的孕妇,推荐在妊娠早期联合检测HbA1c与PAPPA MoM,以早期预测GDM。     

Developmental Exposure to Tetrabromobisphenol A Has Minimal Impact on Male Rat Reproductive Health

The flame retardant and plasticizer, tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBPA) has rapidly become a common component in the manufacture of circuit boards and plastics worldwide. It is also an analog of bisphenol A (BPA), an endocrine disrupting chemical identified by the Endocrine Society. As such, TBBPA needs to be investigated for similar potential human health risks. Using rats as a model, we exposed pregnant dams and their progeny to 0, 0.1, 25, or 250 mg TBBPA/kg of body weight until the offspring reached adulthood and assessed the first generation of males for any reproductive tract abnormalities. We found no differences in the morphology of testes, sperm, prostates, or secondary sex organs from post-natal day 21 through one-year of age. A delay in the time to preputial separation was found with the 250 mg/kg treatment. Also, minor differences of sperm count at one-year old with the 25 mg/kg treatment and expression levels of two steroidogenic pathway enzymes at either post-natal day 90 or one-year old in the 250 mg/kg treatment group were detected, but spermatogenesis was not disrupted. While these results may lead to the supposition that TBBPA is less harmful than its parent compound BPA, more studies need to be conducted to assess long-term exposure effects.