Atrial fibrillation(AF) is the most common disorder of cardiac rhythm. It has a high morbidity, mortality and disability, and serious impact on quality of life of patients. It is demonstrated that atrial remodeling which includes atrial electrical remodeling and structural remodeling,are the central contributors to the development and selfperpetuating of AF. However, The mechanisms that underlie the atrial remodeling process in AF have not yet been completely elucidated. New strategies for the prevention and termination of AF should build on our knowledge of the mechanisms of atrial remodeling. Medication for the reversal of atrial remodeling may be the new target for the treatment of AF. At present, drugs that target atrial remodeling have already obtained fruitful results in the experimental and clinical investigations. Now some recent advancements of this area is reviewed in this article.
ObjectiveTo review the nomenclature, functional unit construction, technical essentials, and prevention and treatment of complications of functional perforator flaps, so as to provide references for the structural and functional reconstruction of composite tissue defects. MethodsBy retrieving and analyzing domestic and foreign literature on anatomical research, technical innovation and clinical application of functional design and application of perforator flaps, combined with the clinical practice of our team, the methods for harvesting and integrating functional units of perforator flaps were summarized. ResultsFunctional perforator flap refers to a perforator flap that, on the basis of perforator blood supply, carries one or more tissue functional units (such as muscles, nerves, lymphatic vessels, lymph nodes, bones, mucous membranes, joints or articular cartilages, etc.) with sufficient blood supply located in the supra-fascia and/or sub-fascia, and is used to reconstruct one or more functions of the recipient site. The design and transfer of functional perforator flaps should not only meet the needs of precise coverage of the wound, but also reconstruct the functions of the recipient site such as muscle contraction, flap sensation, lymphatic drainage, blood flow bridging, bone growth, glandular secretion or joint movement, while avoiding iatrogenic dysfunction in the donor site. ConclusionFunctional perforator flaps have broken through the limitation of “wound coverage” and realize the integrated reconstruction of “structure-function-aesthetics”.
Abstract： Objectives To determine the atrial expression of the collagen Ⅰ, collagen Ⅲ and the transforming growth factorbeta 1 (TGF-β1) in patients with rheumatic heart disease (RHD) and permanent atrial fibrillation(PAF) and to investigate the relationship between the extent of atrial fibrosis and the effectiveness of radiofrequency maze procedure in patients with RHD and PAF. Methods A total of 40 patients with RHD and PAF (≥6 months) who underwent a radiofrequency maze procedure with concomitant valvular surgery were collected for the experimental group. We acquired 100 mg of the left auricle tissue in each patient and followed up these patients after 3, 6 months of [CM(158mm]surgery. Then we assigned these patients to nonAF group and persistent AF group according to the results of the 6month followup. Another 10 patients with RHD and sinus rhythm(SR) who underwent valvular surgery alone were assigned to SR group and their left auricle tissue was also obtained. In order to determine the extent of atrial fibrosis, we observed the amount of collagen volume fraction Ⅰ，Ⅲ(CVF-Ⅰ,CVF-Ⅲ) by semiquantitative analysis with picrosirius red staining method. Using the β actin protein as the endogenous reference gene, we detected the expressions of TGF-β1 mRNA by semiquantitative reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) technique. Results Each group has the same clinical baseline. At 6month follow-up, 28 among the 40 patients were categorized into the nonAF group and 12 into the AF group. (1) Patients in the nonAF group and the AF group had higher mRNA expressions of TGF-β1, CVF-Ⅰ and CVF-Ⅰ/CVF-Ⅲ compared with the SR group (F=6.487, P=0.003; F=3.711, P=0.032; F=3.697, P=0.032). The AF group had higher mRNA expressions of TGF-β1, CVF-Ⅰ and CVF-Ⅰ/CVF-Ⅲ than the nonAF group (t=4.372, P=0.043; t=4.603, P=0.038; t=4.776, P=0.035). But the CVFⅢ had no significant differences among the three groups (P＞0.05). (2) The patients whose left atrial function recovered after Maze procedure had lower mRNA expression than those patients whose left atrial function did not recover in the nonAF group (t=5.570, P=0.027). (3) The TGF-β1 mRNA expression has a positive correlation with both the contents of CVF-Ⅰ and left atrial diameter (r=0.786, Plt;0.05; r=0.858, Plt;0.05). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that the mRNA expression levels of TGF-β1, CVF-Ⅰ and left atrial diameter were independently associated with the postoperative persistence of atrial fibrillation. Conclusion The extent of atrial fibrosis in patients with RHD and PAF may be related to the sinus rhythm restoration and maintenance after AF surgical radiofrequency ablation and the resumption of atrial function.
Objective To systematically review the effectiveness of Yindan Xinnaotong capsule for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Methods We electronically searched databases including PubMed, MEDLINE, CBM, CNKI, VIP, WanFang Data for published articles of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of Yindan Xinnaotong capsule plus conventional drugs versus conventional drugs for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases from inception to April, 2016. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of included studies. Then, meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software. Results A total of 62 RCTs involving 6 306 patients with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases were included. The results of meta-analysis showed that the improvement of symptoms, such as the total clinical effective rate of cerebrovascular disease indications (stroke) (RR=1.25, 95% CI 1.19 to 1.31,P<0.000 01), and the total clinical effective rate of cerebrovascular disease (ischemic headache) indications (RR=1.27, 95% CI 1.17 to 1.38,P<0.000 01), and the total clinical effective rate of coronary heart disease and angina pectoris (RR=1.21, 95% CI 1.17 to 1.25,P<0.000 01), were superior in the combination arm to the conventional drugs alone arm. Conclusion The current evidence shows that the combination of Yindan Xinnaotong capsule and conventional drugs may significantly improve the effectiveness. Due to the limited quality and quantity of the included studies, the above conclusions need more high quality studies to verify.
Methylcellulose is a semi-flexible cellulose ether derivative, whose hydrogels are thermosensitive and reversible, with good biocompatibility and adjustable function, and its application has attracted much attention in the biomedical field. In this paper, the application of methylcellulose-based thermo-sensitive hydrogels in biomedical field was reviewed. Based on the mechanism of gelation and influencing factors of methylcellulose, this paper focused on the recent advances in biomedical applications of methylcellulose-based hydrogels, including drug delivery, regenerative medicine, and other related fields. The current achievements in these fields were summarized in the form of lists in this paper to provide ideas and tendencies for future research. Finally, the future development of multifunctional methylcellulose-based hydrogel materials with improved performance was also discussed.
OBJECTIVE To investigate the outcome of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) by free autograft of middle one third of bone-patellar tendon-bone complex which was formed by lower edge of patella, middle one third of patellar tendon, and tibial tubercle. METHODS From April 1994 to August 1996, ACL reconstruction by bone-patellar tendon-bone complex was performed in 8 patients with ACL injury. RESULTS All cases were followed up 5 months to 3 years, averaged 26 months, excellent results were obtained in 4 cases, better in 3 cases and moderate in 1 case. The Lanchman test and/or anterior drawer test were positive in 8 cases preoperatively and only 1 case was positive postoperatively. Instability existed in 5 cases preoperatively were disappeared after operation. All patients could basically meet the demands of daily life. CONCLUSION Reconstruction of ACL by free autograft of middle one third of bone-patellar tendon-bone complex is an effective method for the restoration of stability in knee joint.
Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a common complication of diabetes that can lead to visual impairment or even blindness. Current treatments mainly rely on invasive methods, which carry the risk of complications, making early intervention crucial. In recent years, research has revealed that the mechanical microenvironment of the retina plays a key role in the development and progression of DR, involving cell migration, functional disorders, and changes in the extracellular matrix. Mechanobiological mechanisms, such as mechanical signal transduction and the Hippo/Yes-associated protein pathway, are gradually being uncovered. Mechanical diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, including optical coherence elastography, tissue engineering, and intelligent diagnostic systems, offer new directions for DR management. In the future, further integration of biomechanics and mechanobiology research is needed to build multi-scale mechanical models and explore the synergistic regulation mechanisms between mechanical and biochemical factors, aiming to achieve precise and personalized diagnosis and treatment of DR and ultimately improve patients’ visual outcomes.