Background: Evidence about safety and efficacy of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with the Venus A-Valve system (Venus Medtech, Hangzhou, China) remains limited for patients with pure native aortic regurgitation (PNAR). Objectives: The single-center study sought to report the one-year clinical outcomes of the Venus A-Valve in the treatment of PNAR. Methods: This study was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data. Data was from all consecutive patients who had PNAR and underwent TAVR with the Venus A-Valve system at our center from July 2020 and June 2021. Procedural and clinical outcomes up to one year were analyzed using Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 criteria. Results: A total of 45 consecutive patients with PNAR underwent transfemoral TAVR with the Venus A-Valve system. The Mean age was 73.5 ± 5.5 years and 26.7% were female. All the TAVR procedures were performed via transfemoral access. Implantations were successful in 44 cases (97.8%). Only one patient was converted to surgical aortic valve replacement. No patient died intraoperatively. No second valve was implanted. In-hospital mortality rate was 2.3%. The one-year all-cause mortality rate was 4.7% without cardiovascular related death. No patient had moderate or severe paravalvular leakage during follow-up. At one year, the mean pressure gradient was 8.8 ± 0.9 mmHg, and left ventricular ejection fraction increased to 61.5 ± 3.6%. Conclusions: This single-center study demonstrated the safety and efficacy of transfemoral TAVR with the Venus A-Valve in the treatment of patients with PNAR.

A postoperative comparison of high-flow nasal cannula therapy and conventional oxygen therapy for esophageal cancer patients Mei Xia, Weina Li, Jie Yao, Ying Jin, Gaoli Du, Qianfeng Xu, Xing Yi, Xiaoxia Nv, Yi Wu, Ping He, Wei Wu

Background/Aim: Fas/FasL system is a major regulator of apoptosis. The mechanisms by which Fas mediates cisplatin resistance remain unclear. The aim of this study is to explore the effect of Fas over-expression on cisplatin resistance of small cell lung cancer cells and its possible mechanisms.Materials and methods: Fas was over-expressed in H446/CDDP cells by infection with the adenoviruses containing Fas. Sensitivity of Fas-overexpressed H446/CDDP cells to cisplatin was evaluated using MTT assay. Expressions of Fas, GST-π and ERCC1 were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. Apoptosis rate was examined by FACS.Results: Over-expression of Fas in H446/CDDP cells significantly decreased the expressions of GST-π and ERCC1 at mRNA and protein levels, and increased the cell apoptosis. Furthermore, up-regulation of Fas significantly decreased the tolerance of H446/CDDP cells to cisplatin.Conclusion: Over-expression of Fas reverses drug resistance of H446/CDDP cells, possibly due to the increased cell sensitivity to apoptosis and the decreased expressions of GST-π and ERCC1.

Background: Refractory septic shock is a serious disorder with high mortality. There is currently limited evidence to support the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in adult septic shock. We describe the outcome of patients with refractory septic shock in our hospital and try to identify prognostic factors. Methods: We studied a total of 23 (14 males and 9 females) refractory septic shock patients treated with venoarterial (VA) ECMO in our hospital. Clinical parameters of survival and death groups, laboratory parameters before and after ECMO placement were analyzed. Results: Eight patients were successfully weaned off ECMO and five patients were discharged. The sepsis-related organ failure assessment (SOFA) score and shock-to-ECMO interval before ECMO placement in the survival group were significantly lower than those in the death group (12.0 vs. 15.0, P=0.007; 23.5 vs. 42.2 h, P=0.037). The number of cases who had the normal range of ScvO₂% between the survival group and the death group at 12 h (4 vs. 4, P=0.033), 18 h (5 vs. 7, P=0.016) and 24 h (5 vs. 9, P=0.043) during ECMO was significantly different. In univariate logistic regression analysis, the case of patients with normal central venous oxygen saturation (ScvO₂) % at 12 h during ECMO [odds ratio (OR) 14.0, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.200–163.367, P=0.035] was significantly associated with risk of the prognosis of patients. Conclusions: In adult refractory septic shock patients, ScvO₂% at 12 h during ECMO may be a risk factor for patient prognosis.

We sought to elucidate the role of Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factor 5 (ARHGEF5) in tumorigenesis of lung adenocarcinoma cells. ARHGEF5 protein levels were assessed in 91 human lung adenocarcinoma specimens, and A549 and NCI-H1650 cells, by IHC and Western blotting. In addition, ARHGEF5 mRNA expression was evaluated by quantitative reverse transcriptase-PCR. Furthermore, ARHGEF5 long and short isoform coexpression was detected by immunofluorescence. Finally, flow cytometry; CCK8 and wound-healing assays; cell invasion, migration and adhesion; and xenografts were used to evaluate the biologic significance of ARHGEF5. ARHGEF5 was significantly increased in lung adenocarcinoma tissues and cell lines. Interestingly, ARHGEF5 levels were significantly associated with tumor grade and pathologic stage, but not age, gender, T stage, or lymph node metastasis status. ARHGEF5 knockdown by RNAi resulted in dramatically reduced proliferation, adhesion, invasion, and migratory capability of A549 and NCI-H1650 cells. Likewise, protein levels of p-Src, p-Akt, and NF-κB were significantly decreased after ARHGEF5 knockdown. In parallel, increased S-phase population and MMP-2/cyclin D1 expression were observed in the cancer cells, which were not apoptotic. In addition, ARHGEF5 knockdown A549 and NCI-H1650 cells injected s.c. and i.v. into nude mice exhibited decreased xenograft volume and overtly reduced metastasis. Conversely, ARHGEF5 overexpression in A549 and NCI-H1650 cells increased their tumorigenicity in vitro. ARHGEF5 acts as a proto-oncogene in human lung adenocarcinoma cell tumorigenesis. Mol Cancer Ther; 14(7); 1671–9. ©2015 AACR.

Background: To compare the application of the emerging 3D printing technology and 3D-CT in segmentectomy. And to explore the advantages of 3D printing technology in thoracoscopic segmentectomy.Methods: We collected the clinical data of 118 patients undergoing thoracoscopic segmentectomy from January 2019 to April 2021 at the Thoracic Surgery Department, the Dianjiang People's Hospital of Chongqing and Southwest Hospital. Among them, 61 patients were in the 3D printing group and 57 patients were in the 3D-CT group respectively. The perioperative data of these two groups of patients were analyzed respectively.Results: There were no significant differences between the two groups in age, gender, tumor diameter, pathology, the preoperative complications of diabetes and heart disease. However, the patients with the complications of hypertension in the 3D printing group are significantly more than the 3D-CT group (P = 0.003). Compared with the 3D-CT group, patients in the 3D printing group had significantly shorter operation time (162.7 ± 47.0 vs. 190.3 ± 56.9 min, P = 0.006), less intraoperative fluid input (1,158.5 ± 290.2 vs. 1,433.2 ± 653.3, P = 0.013), and less total intraoperative fluid output, including intraoperative blood loss, urine excretion, and other fluid loss. In addition, there were no statistically significant differences in intraoperative blood loss, 24 h pleural fluid volume, 48 h pleural fluid volume, postoperative chest tube duration, postoperative hospital stay and complications between the two groups of patients (P > 0.05).Conclusions: In thoracoscopic segmentectomy, the application of 3D printing technology shortens the operation time, reduces intraoperative fluid input and output, guides the operation more safely and effectively, and has better clinical application value.