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.     

Myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC) key genes analysis in rat anti-CD28-induced immune tolerance kidney transplantation

BackgroundIn the field of transplantation, inducing immune tolerance in recipients is of great importance. Blocking co-stimulatory molecule using anti-CD28 antibody could induce tolerance in a rat kidney transplantation model. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) reveals strong immune suppressive abilities in kidney transplantation. Here we analyzed key genes of MDSCs leading to transplant tolerance in this model.MethodsMicroarray data of rat gene expression profiles under accession number {"type":"entrez-geo","attrs":{"text":"GSE28545","term_id":"28545"}}GSE28545 in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database were analyzed. Running the LIMMA package in R language, the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were found. Enrichment analysis of the DEGs was conducted in the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) database to explore gene ontology (GO) annotation and their Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways. Their protein-protein interactions (PPIs) were provided by STRING database and was visualized in Cytoscape. Hub genes were carried out by CytoHubba.ResultsThree hundred and thirty-eight DEGs were exported, including 27 upregulated and 311 downregulated genes. The functions and KEGG pathways of the DEGs were assessed and the PPI network was constructed based on the string interactions of the DEGs. The network was visualized in Cytoscape; the entire PPI network consisted of 192 nodes and 469 edges. Zap70, Cdc42, Stat1, Stat4, Ccl5 and Cxcr3 were among the hub genes.ConclusionsThese key genes, corresponding proteins and their functions may provide valuable background for both basic and clinical research and could be the direction of future studies in immune tolerance, especially those examining immunocyte-induced tolerance.     

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.     

某设备所致脉冲X射线辐射场测量与防护评价

目的 了解某设备实验条件下不同位置脉冲X射线电离辐射水平，提出适当的防护建议。方法 采用热释光测量方法，分别在设备舱周围不同方向不同距离布放热释光剂量计，累积一定数量脉冲辐射后进行测量；采用电离室型X、γ剂量率仪（FJ-347A）实时测量工作状态下不同距离处电离辐射剂量率水平。依据《电离辐射防护与辐射源安全基本标准》（GB18871—2002）规定的职业照射人员和公众个人剂量限值提出不同工作位辐射防护建议。结果 热释光剂量计累计接收3 000个脉冲辐射，设备舱外壁0.01～8.98 mGy，顶部0.01～15.67 mGy，距外壁1～12 m之间0.01～2.18 mGy，工作位0 mGy。工作状态下，X射线剂量率仪测得距设备舱外侧壁1～20 m之间空气比释动能率范围0.26～16 mGy/h。结论 热释光剂量计、电离室型剂量率仪测量结果基本一致，说明两种方法均可用于脉冲X射线测量；工作状态下设备舱外近距离处辐射剂量率较高，可通过采取防护措施或者限制人员工作量以满足辐射防护要求。     

Neuroendocrine,epigenetic, and intergenerational effects of general anesthetics

The progress of modern medicine would be impossible without the use of general anesthetics (GAs). Despite advancements in refining anesthesia approaches, the effects of GAs are not fully reversible upon GA withdrawal. Neurocognitive deficiencies attributed to GA exposure may persist in neonates or endure for weeks to years in the elderly. Human studies on the mechanisms of the long-term adverse effects of GAs are needed to improve the safety of general anesthesia but they are hampered not only by ethical limitations specific to human research, but also by a lack of specific biological markers that can be used in human studies to safely and objectively study such effects. The latter can primarily be attributed to an insufficient understanding of the full range of the biological effects induced by GAs and the molecular mechanisms mediating such effects even in rodents, which are far more extensively studied than any other species. Our most recent experimental findings in rodents suggest that GAs may adversely affect many more people than is currently anticipated. Specifically, we have shown that anesthesia with the commonly used GA sevoflurane induces in exposed animals not only neuroendocrine abnormalities (somatic effects), but also epigenetic reprogramming of germ cells (germ cell effects). The latter may pass the neurobehavioral effects of parental sevoflurane exposure to the offspring, who may be affected even at levels of anesthesia that are not harmful to the exposed parents. The large number of patients who require general anesthesia, the even larger number of their future unexposed offspring whose health may be affected, and a growing number of neurodevelopmental disorders of unknown etiology underscore the translational importance of investigating the intergenerational effects of GAs. In this mini review, we discuss emerging experimental findings on neuroendocrine, epigenetic, and intergenerational effects of GAs.     

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.     

Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) and neck of femur fractures: Standardising the perioperative management and time to surgery

Demographic projections for hip fragility fractures indicate a rising annual incidence by virtue of a multimorbid, ageing population with more noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). NCDs are characterised by slow progression and long duration ranging from ischaemic cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to various cancers. Management of this disease burden often involves commencing patients on oral anticoagulants to reduce the risk of thromboembolic events. The use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in clinical practice has increased due to their rapid onset of action, short half-life and predictable anticoagulant effects, without the need for routine monitoring. Safe and timely surgical intervention relies on reversal of anticoagulants. However, the lack of specific evidence-based guidelines for the perioperative management of patients on DOACs with hip fractures has proved challenging; in particular, the accessibility of DOAC-specific assays, justification of the cost-benefit ratio of targeted reversal agents and indications for neuraxial anaesthesia. This has led to potentially avoidable delays in surgical intervention. Following a literature review of the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics of commonly used DOACs in our region including the role of surrogate markers, we propose a systematic, evidence-based guideline to the perioperative management of hip fractures DOACs. We believe this standardised protocol can be easily replicated between hospitals. We recommend that if patients are deemed suitable for a general anaesthesia, with satisfactory renal function, optimal surgical time should be 24 h following the last ingested dose of DOAC.