【Abstract】ObjectiveTo investigate whether abnormal expression of β-catenin and high expression of c-myc have played a possible role in hilar cholangiocarcinoma carcinogenesis.MethodsBy using immunohitochemical staining (SP method), the authors detected the expression of β-catenin and c-myc in 42 paraffin-embedded samples of hilar cholangiocarcinoma and 10 benign bile duct disease tissue, and then analyzed the relationship of them with clinical data. Resultsβ-catenin was normally expressed in 10 benign bile duct disease tissue, while expression of c-myc was negtive. In hilar cholangiocarcinoma tissue, the positive expression rate of β-catenin （71.4%） was significantly correlated to the lymphoid node metastasis of hilar cholangiocarcinoma (χ2=4.75，P＜0.05),but was not statistically correlated to the tumor size，the extent of differentiation and infiltration (χ2=3.35，3.45，4.32，Pgt;0.05); the expression rate of c-myc (76.2%) was correlated with the extent of differentiation(χ2=4.87, P＜0.05),but not with the size, infiltration, lymphoid metastasis（χ2= 3.47，4.12，2.76， Pgt;0.05). The abnormal expression of β-catenin had relevance to the high expression of c-myc with hilar cholangiocarcinoma （r=0.324,P＜0.01）. ConclusionThe expression of beta-catenin and c-myc is significantly altered in hilar cholangiocarcinoma, and correlate with biological features of cholangiocarcinoma.The abnormal expression of beta-catenin is one of the mechanisms for the spread of hilar cholangiocarcinoma.
ObjectiveTo explore the value of transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) to monitor and evaluate aortic insufficiency (AI) within one year after the implantation of the left ventricular assist device (LVAD).MethodsWe retrospectively collected and analyzed the TTE data of 12 patients who received LVAD implantation from 2018 to 2020 in our hospital. All patients were males, with an average age of 43.3±8.6 years. We analyzed temporal changes in the aortic annulus (AA), aortic sinus (AoS), ascending aorta (AAo), the severity of AI and the opening of aortic valve before operation and 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months after LVAD implantation.ResultsAll 12 patients survived within 1 year after LVAD implantation. One patient was bridged to heart transplantation 6 months after implantation, and two patients did not receive TTE after 3 and 6 months. Compared to pre-implantation, AoS increased at 1 month after implantation (31.58±5.09 mm vs. 33.83±4.69 mm). The inner diameters of AA, AoS and AAo increased at 3, 6 and 12 months after LVAD implantation compared to pre-implantation (P<0.05), but all were within the normal range except for one patient whose AoS slightly increased before operation. After LVAD pump speed was adjusted, the opening of aortic valve improved. The severity of AI increased at 6 and 12 months after LVAD implantation compared to pre-implantation, and increased at 12 months compared to 6 months after LVAD implantation (P<0.05).ConclusionTTE can evaluate aortic regurgitation before and after LVAD implantation and monitor the optimization and adjustment of LVAD pump function, which has a positive impact on the prognosis after LVAD implantation.
An implantable axial blood pump was designed according to the circulation assist requirement of severe heart failure patients of China. The design point was chosen at 3 L/min flow rate with 100 mm Hg pressure rise when the blood pump can provide flow rates of 2-7 L/min. The blood pump with good hemolytic and anti-thrombogenic property at widely operating range was designed by developing a structure that including the spindly rotor impeller structure and the diffuser with splitter blades and cantilevered main blades. Numerical simulation and particle image velocimetry (PIV) experiment were conducted to analyze the hydraulic, flow fields and hemolytic performance of the blood pump. The results showed that the blood pump could provide flow rates of 2-7 L/min with pressure rise of 60.0-151.3 mm Hg when the blood pump rotating from 7 000 to 11 000 r/min. After adding the splitter blades, the separation flow at the suction surface of the diffuser has been reduced efficiently. The cantilever structure changed the blade gap from shroud to hub that reduced the tangential velocity from 6.2 m/s to 4.3-1.1 m/s in blade gap. Moreover, the maximum scalar shear stress of the blood pump was 897.3 Pa, and the averaged scalar shear stress was 37.7 Pa. The hemolysis index of the blood pump was 0.168% calculated with Heuser’s hemolysis model. The PIV and simulated results showed the overall agreement of flow field distribution in diffuser region. The blood damage caused by higher shear stress would be reduced by adopting the spindle rotor impeller and diffuser with splitter blades and cantilevered main blades. The blood could flow smoothly through the axial blood pump with satisfactory hydraulics performance and without separation flow.