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Abstract: A novel and efficient immobilization of β-d-galactosidase from Aspergillus oryzae has been developed by using magnetic Fe3O4–chitosan (Fe3O4–CS) nanoparticles as support. The magnetic Fe3O4–CS nanoparticles were prepared by electrostatic adsorption of chitosan onto the surface of Fe3O4 nanoparticles made through co-precipitation of Fe2+ and Fe3+. The resultant material was characterized by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry and thermogravimetric analysis. β-d-Galactosidase was covalently immobilized onto the nanocomposites using glutaraldehyde as activating agent. The immobilization process was optimized by examining immobilized time, cross-linking time, enzyme concentration, glutaraldehyde concentration, the initial pH values of glutaraldehyde and the enzyme solution. As a result, the immobilized enzyme presented a higher storage, pH and thermal stability than the soluble enzyme. Galactooligosaccharide was formed with lactose as substrate by using the immobilized enzyme as biocatalyst, and a maximum yield of 15.5% (w/v) was achieved when about 50% lactose was hydrolyzed. Hence, the magnetic Fe3O4–chitosan nanoparticles are proved to be an effective support for the immobilization of β-d-galactosidase. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In recent years, during the decannulation process for veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO), methods for suturing the femoral artery have included the pre- and post-closure techniques. The safety and efficacy of the pre-closure technique are widely recognised; however, reports on the post-closure technique are scarce. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the post-closure technique using ProGlide (Abbott Healthcare, Green Oaks, IL, USA) device during VA-ECMO decannulation.We reviewed 170 patients who underwent VA-ECMO between January 2021 and June 2023. All patients had their femoral artery puncture sites closed using the post-closure technique upon decannulation. The success rate of this technique and incidence of lower limb complications were recorded and analysed.Technical success was achieved in 157 (92.4%) patients. Sixteen patients (9.4%) experienced lower limb-related complications, including 8 (4.7%) with lower limb arterial thrombosis and 11 (6.5%) with pseudo-aneurysms. Among all lower limb-related complications, four patients (2.4%) required interventional procedures. This study included 170 patients: 80 in the ‘S’ (15–16 F) group and 90 in the ‘M’ (17–19 F) group. In the univariate analysis of different arterial cannula sizes for in-hospital lower limb-related complications, the differences were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). The multivariate logistic model indicated that, compared to the S (15–16 F) group, the M (17–19 F) group was not associated with an increased rate of in-hospital lower limb-related complications.The suture-mediated closure of the femoral artery during VA-ECMO decannulation is a promising therapeutic strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with severe acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The study analyzed data from 945 AMI patients hospitalized between January 2016 and December 2017, out of which 21 patients underwent perioperative CRRT for PCI. We assessed the baseline characteristics of severe AMI patients before and after CRRT and examined the effect of CRRT on cardiac, renal, and liver function, as well as other indicators. The heart rate of patients undergoing CRRT was significantly lower at 24 h and 48 h after CRRT than before CRRT (p=0.038). There was a moderate but not significant decrease in the mean systolic blood pressure or diastolic blood pressure (p>0.05). Importantly, we found that significantly more patients showed Killip class I-II and significantly improved cardiac function after CRRT (23.8% vs. 57.1%, p=0.001). The levels of urea nitrogen, creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase, glutamic pyruvic transaminase, and total bilirubin were significantly lowered after CRRT treatment (p<0.05). Perioperative management of CRRT was safe and effective for severe AMI patients., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (©2023 JOURNAL of MEDICINE and LIFE.)

Objective: To investigate the effect of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) on in-hospital survival and prognosis of adult patients with fulminant myocarditis., Methods: The registration materials of 21 patients with fulminant myocarditis supported by veno-arterial ECMO (VA-ECMO) from March 2019 to January 2022 in the Heart Center of the First Hospital of Lanzhou University were selected from the Chinese Society for Extracorporeal Life Support (CSECLS) Registry Database. The clinical baseline data, laboratory and echocardiographic data, VA-ECMO related parameters, complications and in-hospital outcome were recorded. The main end events of follow-up were death and readmission due to heart failure., Results: (1) The median age of 21 patients was (42.7±16.4) years, there were 12 males (57.1%) and 9 females (42.9%), and 16 patients (76.2%) survived in hospital and 5 patients (23.8%) died in hospital. (2) Compared with the survival group, patients in the death group had a higher proportion of invasive ventilator support and continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) [3/16 (18.8%) vs. 4/5 (80.0%), 3/16 (18.8%) vs. 4/5 (80.0%)], and a lower survival after VA-ECMO score (SAVE) [score: -5.0 (-5.0, -3.0) vs. 1.0 (-6.0, 5.0)], the serum creatinine (SCr) level was higher during VA-ECMO support [μmol/L: 248.0 (144.0, 447.0) vs. 83.0 (71.7, 110.9)], the platelet count (PLT) level was lower [×10 9 /L: 60.0 (31.5, 96.5) vs. 100.0 (71.0, 139.3)], and the ECMO initial support flow rate was higher (L/min: 3.2±0.7 vs. 2.6±0.4). All the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). (3) The echocardiography indexes of the survival group were significantly improved at discharge compared with those at admission [left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF, %): 54.0±6.7 vs. 30.0±7.2], left ventricular end-diastolic volume [(LVESV, mL): 55.7±27.5 vs. 85.9±28.7], cardiac index [(CI, L×min -1 ×m -2 ): 2.6±0.4 vs. 1.9±0.6], cardiac output [(CO, L/min): 4.5±0.7 vs. 3.2±0.9]. All the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). (4) The median follow-up time of the 16 survivial patients was 9 (2, 14) months. During the follow-up period, 5 patients (31.3%) were readmitted to the hospital due to heart failure (1 case of cardiogenic death). The average ECMO support duration of the 5 patients who readmitted to the hospital due to heart failure was significantly shorter than that of the 11 patients without heart failure [hours: 82.0 (47.0, 99.0) vs. 116.0 (98.0, 156.0), Z = -2.381, P = 0.017]., Conclusions: On the basis of immunomodulatory and other treatments, early application of VA-ECMO in adult patients with fulminant myocarditis can significantly improve in-hospital survival rate and cardiac function. Heart failure after discharge may be related to short VA-ECMO support time during hospitalization.

This work investigated the polyanion-initiated gelation process in fabricating chitosan-tripolyphosphate (CS-TPP) nanoparticles intended to be used as carriers for delivering tea catechins. The results demonstrated that the particle size and surface charge of CS-TPP nanoparticles could be controlled by fabrication conditions. For preparation of CS-TPP nanoparticles loaded with tea catechins, the effects of modulating conditions including contact time between CS and tea catechins, CS molecular mass, CS concentration, CS-TPP mass ratio, initial pH value of CS solution, and concentration of tea catechins on encapsulation efficiency and the release profile of tea catechins in vitro were examined systematically. The study found that the encapsulation efficiency of tea catechins in CS-TPP nanoparticles ranged from 24 to 53%. In addition, FT-IR analysis showed that the covalent bonding and hydrogen bonding between tea catechins and CS occurred during the formation of CS-TPP nanoparticles loaded with tea catechins. Furthermore, studies on the release profile of tea catechins in vitro demonstrated that the controlled release of tea catechins using CS-TPP nanoparticles was achievable.