Abstract Objective: To investigate the expression level and significance of T cell immunoglobulin and mucin-domain containing molecules-3 (Tim-3) and interleukin-7 (IL-7) in CD4+ T lymphocytes in peripheral blood of patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). Methods: 75 patients with CHD treated at our hospital were selected and classified as mild group (25 cases), moderate group (25 cases) and severe group (25 cases), according to the severity of illness. Twenty-five healthy volunteers who underwent a physical examination at our hospital during the same period were selected as the control group. The expression level of Tim-3 in CD4+ T lymphocytes in peripheral blood of patients in four groups was detected by flow cytometry and quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The expression level of IL-7 in peripheral blood serum was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Correlation analyses of Tim-3 and IL-7, Tim-3 and disease severity and IL-7 and disease severity were performed, respectively. Results: Flow cytometry and qRT-PCR demonstrated that the expression of Tim-3 in CD4+ T lymphocytes in peripheral blood of patients with CHD increased with the aggravation of the disease. ELISA showed that the tendency of IL-7 expression in peripheral blood serum was consistent with the expression of Tim-3, and the expression of Tim-3 had a positive correlation with IL-7. The expression levels of both Tim-3 and IL-7 were positively correlated with the Gensini score. Conclusion: The expression of Tim-3 and IL-7 in peripheral blood of patients with CHD was upregulated and increased with the aggravation of CHD.

Abstract Three-dimensional numerical simulations and experiments were performed to examine the formation and spatial dispersion patterns of integral multiple explosively formed penetrators (MEFP) warhead with seven hemispherical liners. Numerical results had successfully described the formation process and distribution pattern of MEFP. A group of penetrators consisting of a central penetrator surrounded by 6 penetrators is formed during the formation process of MEFP and moves in the direction of aiming position. The maximum divergence angle of the surrounding penetrator group was 7.8°, and the damage area could reach 0.16 m2 at 1.2 m. The laws of perforation dispersion patterns of MEFP were also obtained through a nonlinear fitting of the perforation information on the target at different standoffs. The terminal effects of the MEFP warhead were performed on three #45 steel targets with a dimension of 160cm ( 160cm ( 1.5cm at various standoffs (60, 80, and 120 cm). The simulation results were validated through penetration experiments at different standoffs. It has shown excellent agreement between simulation and experiment results.

OBJECTIVE: Ventricular septal defects resulting from post-traumatic cardiac injury are very rare. Percutaneous closure has emerged as a method for treating this disorder. We wish to report our experience in three patients who underwent percutaneous closure of a post-traumatic ventricular septal defect with a patent ductus arteriosus occluder. METHODS: We treated three patients with post-traumatic ventricular septal defects caused by stab wounds with knives. After the heart wound was repaired, patient examinations revealed ventricular septal defects with pulmonary/systemic flow ratios (Qp/Qs) of over 1.7. The post-traumatic ventricular septal defects were closed percutaneously with a patent ductus arteriosus occluder (Lifetech Scientific (Shenzhen) Co., LTD, Guangdong, China) utilizing standard techniques. RESULTS: Post-operative transthoracic echocardiography revealed no residual left-to-right shunt and indicated normal ventricular function. In addition, 320-slice computerized tomography showed that the occluder was well placed and exhibited normal morphology. CONCLUSION: Our experiences indicate that closure of a post-traumatic ventricular septal defect using a patent ductus arteriosus occluder is feasible, safe, and effective.

Thymosin alpha 1 (Tα1) has been shown to have beneficial effects on numerous immune system parameters, but little is known about the effects of Tα1 on patients with gastric carcinoma. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of Tα1 on subpopulations of Th1, Th2, Th17, and regulatory T cells (Tregs) in vitro, and to evaluate its efficacy as an immunoregulatory factor in patients with gastric carcinoma. We compared the effect of Tα1 on the frequency of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, especially the CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Tregs in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from gastric carcinoma patients (N = 35) and healthy donors (N = 22). We also analyzed the changes in the proliferation of PBMCs in response to treatment with Tα1, and examined the production of Th1, Th2, and Th17 cytokines by PBMCs and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. The treatment of PBMCs from gastric cancer patients, with Tα1 (50 µg/mL) alone increased the percentage of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ (suppressive antitumor-specific Tregs) from 1.68 ± 0.697 to 2.19 ± 0.795% (P < 0.05). Our results indicate that Tα1 increases the percentage of Tregs and IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6 in vitro.