[Clinical characteristics, diagnosis and treatment of nasal cartilage mesenchymal hamartoma in infants]

Objective: To explore the clinical characteristics, pathological features, and diagnosis and treatment strategies of nasal chondromesenchymal hamartoma (NCMH) in infants and young children. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on seven cases of NCMH infants and young children admitted to Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University from April 2015 to January 2022. The cohort included 5 males and 2 females, aged from 6 days to 2 years and 3 months. General information, clinical symptoms, imaging findings, treatment plans, postoperative complications, recurrence and follow-up time were collected, summarized and analyzed. Additionally, immunohistochemical characteristics of the lesion were examined. Results: The clinical symptoms of 7 children included nasal congestion, runny nose, open mouth breathing, snoring during sleep, difficulty feeding, and strabismus. All patients underwent electronic nasopharyngoscopy examination, with 5 cases of tumors located in the right nasal cavity and 2 cases in the left nasal cavity. No case of bilateral nasal cavity disease was found. All 7 patients underwent complete imaging examinations, with 5 patients underwent MRI and CT examinations, 1 patient underwent CT examination only, and 1 patient underwent MRI examination only. The CT results showed that all tumors were broad-based, with uneven density, multiple calcifications and bone remodeling, and some exhibited multiple cystic components. The MRI results showed that the tumor showed low signal on T1 weighted imaging and high or slightly high signal on T2 weighted imaging. All patients were diagnosed through histopathological examination and immunohistochemistry, including 7 cases of Ki-67 and SMA (+), 5 cases of S-100 and Vimentin (+), and all EMA and GFAP were negative. All patients underwent endoscopic resection surgery through the nasal approach, with 3 cases using navigation technology. Five cases of tumors were completely removed, and two cases of tumors were mostly removed. No nasal packing was performed after surgery, and no postoperative nasal, ocular, or intracranial complication occurred in all patients. Follow up assessments conducted 6 to 84 months post-surgery revealed no instances of tumor recurrence in any of the patients. Conclusions: The clinical symptoms of children with NCHM mainly depend on the size and location of the tumor. Nasal endoscopic surgery is the main treatment method. In cases where critical structures like the skull base or orbit are implicated, staged surgical interventions may be warranted. Long-term follow-up is strongly advised to monitor for any potential recurrence or complications.

[Prevalence of frailty and related factors in middle-aged and elderly people in island and mountainous areas of Taizhou, Zhejiang Province]

Objective: To compare the prevalence of frailty and related factors in middle-aged and elderly people aged ≥45 years in island and mountainous areas of Taizhou, Zhejiang Province. Methods: Based on cross-sectional design, stratified cluster sampling and quota sampling methods were adopted. One administrative district was randomly selected from each of six coastal and three inland administrative districts in Taizhou during July to August, representing two different geographical terrains. In the island area (Jiaojiang District), all residents aged ≥45 years were included by cluster sampling. In the mountainous area (Xianju County), participants were selected through quota sampling, with same gender and age distributions. Data about their demographic characteristics, lifestyle and health-related factors were collected through questionnaire surveys and laboratory examinations. The prevalence of frailty was assessed using the Fried frailty phenotype scale. Hierarchical analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to compare the influencing factors of frailty. Results: A total of 1 011 local residents were studied, in whom island and mountainous residents accounted for 48.1% (486/1 011) and 51.9% (525/1 011) respectively; men and women accounted for 45.9% (464/1 011) and 54.1% (547/1 011) respectively. Middle-aged (45-49 years), younger elderly (60-74 years), and older elderly (≥75 years) residents accounted for 38.6% (390/1 011), 44.6% (451/1 011), and 16.8% (170/1 011) respectively. The overall prevalence rate of frailty was 3.6% (36/1 011), the prevalence rate was 3.7% (17/464) in men and 3.5% (19/547) in women. The prevalence rates in age groups 45-59,60-74 years and ≥75 years were 0.3% (1/390), 2.2% (10/451), and 14.7% (25/170), respectively. The prevalence rates of frailty and pre-frailty in island area were 6.0% (29/486) and 39.1% (190/486), respectively, which was higher than those in mountainous area (1.3%, 7/525) and (30.9%, 162/525). After adjusting for potential confounding factors, the risk for frailty in island residents was significantly higher than that in mountainous residents (aOR=1.55,95%CI: 1.07-2.25,P=0.019). In island area, older age (60-74 years:aOR=2.52,95%CI: 1.56-4.13; ≥75 years:aOR=11.65,95%CI:5.38-26.70), being women (aOR=1.94,95%CI: 1.20-3.17), suffering from depression (aOR=1.09,95%CI:1.02-1.17) were associated with frailty symptoms. In mountainous area, older age was also associated with an increased risk of frailty symptoms, but the OR value was lower than those in island area (60-74 years: aOR=1.74,95%CI:1.04-2.94;≥75 years: aOR=4.78,95%CI:2.45-9.50). Polydrug use (aOR=2.08,95%CI: 1.14-3.80) and suffering from depression (aOR=1.10,95%CI: 1.02-1.18) had significant positive association with frailty symptoms. Higher education level had significant negative association with frailty symptoms (junior high school: aOR=0.40,95%CI: 0.21-0.75; senior high school and technical secondary school: aOR=0.29,95%CI: 0.15-0.53; college or above:aOR=0.22,95%CI: 0.11-0.42). Conclusions: The prevalence of frailty in middle-aged and elderly community residents was significantly higher in island area than in mountainous area in Taizhou. The frailty-related factors varied with area. The elderly people (≥75 years) and women in island area had higher risk for frailty. Older age and suffering from depression were the independent risk factors for frailty. It is necessary to pay attention to the health risk factors and special environment in island area, and take comprehensive intervention measures to delay the process of debilitation and improve the quality of life of middle-aged and elderly people.

[Study on the distribution pattern of allergen sIgE in patients with respiratory allergic diseases in a hospital in Shanxi Province]

To explore the allergen sensitization status of patients with respiratory allergic diseases in Shanxi Province, and to provide a basis for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of allergic diseases. It is a cross-sectional study, a total of 1 680 patients with allergic rhinitis and/or asthma diagnosed at the Department of Allergic Reaction of Shanxi Bethune Hospital from July 2021 to June 2023 who underwent allergen sIgE testing and/or skin prick test were retrospectively enrolled.There were 772 males and 908 females.The age range was 3 to 88 years. The median age was 35 years.There were 108 cases in the child group (≤12 years old), 102 cases in the adolescent group (13-17 years old), 819 cases in the youth group (18-40 years old), 498 cases in the middle-aged group (41-65 years old), and 153 cases in the elderly group (>65 years old). There were 333 cases in the allergic rhinitis group, 827 cases in the allergic asthma group, and 520 cases in the allergic rhinitis with asthma group. There were 1 254 urban patients and 426 rural patients.There were 253 cases in the northern Shanxi region, 1 195 cases in the central Shanxi region, and 232 cases in the southern Shanxi region. Statistical analyses were performed using the χ 2 test or Fisher's exact probability method to compare the differences in allergen sIgE positivity rates by sex, age, disease, living environment, and geography. The results showed that 1 027 patients (61.1%) were positive for at least one allergen sIgE, with Artemisia having the highest rate of positivity (603/1 680, 35.9%), followed by ragweed (302/1 680, 18.0%) and dust mite combinations (245/1 680, 14.6%). The number of individuals with single-allergen sIgE positivity was 357 (357/1 027, 34.8%), with the highest number of single-allergen sIgE positive results associated with Artemisia (114/357, 31.9%). The number of multiple-allergen sIgE positive results was 670 cases (670/1 027, 65.2%), with the highest number of patients having 2 allergen sIgE positive results (243/670, 36.3%). The overall positivity rate for allergen sIgE was significantly higher among males than among females (65.7% vs. 57.3%, χ2=12.405, P<0.001). Overall positivity for inhalant allergen sIgE was higher in the child and adolescent groups (88.0% vs. 88.2% vs. 59.8% vs. 40.2% vs. 19.0%, χ2=223.372, P<0.001), and food allergen sIgE positivity was highest in the child group (54.6% vs. 36.3% vs. 26.0% vs. 18.9% vs. 21.6%,χ2=66.383,P<0.001). The sIgE positivity rate of inhalant allergens was significantly higher in the allergic rhinitis group and the allergic rhinitis with asthma group than in the allergic asthma group, except for cockroaches and molds (P<0.05). The overall positive rate of allergen sIgE was significantly higher among urban patients than among rural patients (66.2% vs. 46.2%, χ2=53.230, P<0.001). The difference in the overall positive rate of allergen sIgE among patients from different regions was not statistically significant (56.1% vs. 62.0% vs. 62.1%, χ2=3.140, P=0.208). The sIgE positivity of dust mite combinations was significantly higher in the central Shanxi region and the southern Shanxi region than in the northern Shanxi region (15.5% vs. 18.1% vs. 7.1%,χ2=14.411, P=0.001). In conclusion, artemisia was the most important sensitizer for respiratory allergic diseases in Shanxi Province. The types of allergens and positivity rates were different for different sexes, ages, diseases, living environments, and regions. Therefore, patients with allergic diseases should be tested for allergens to help with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of allergic diseases.

[Outcomes after surgical repair of pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect and major aortopulmonary collateral arteries: a series of 104 cases]

Objective: To examine the early and midterm surgical outcome of pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect and major aortopulmonary collateral arteries (PA/VSD/MAPCA) using revised surgical strategies. Methods: A retrospective analysis of clinical data, surgical methods, and follow-up results was performed of 104 cases of PA/VSD/MAPCA in Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center from January 2017 to September 2022. There were 55 males and 49 females, aged (M(IQR)) 33.9(84.0) months (range: 0.5 to 209.6 months) at the first surgical procedures. The anatomical classification included 89 cases of type B and 15 cases of type C. The number of major aortopulmonary collateral arteries was 4.2 (3.0) (range: 1 to 8). The Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival estimation. Results: In the first stage of surgery, 50 patients underwent a complete primary repair, 12 patients underwent partial repair, 32 patients underwent palliative right ventricular-pulmonary artery connection, and only 10 patients chose the Blalock-Taussig shunt. There were 10 cases of early death. In the second stage, 14 patients underwent complete repair and 4 patients underwent partial repair with no early death. The interval between the two surgeries was 19 (10) months (range: 9 to 48 months). Finally, during the 40 (34) months follow-up period, a total of 64 patients were complete repair and the right/left ventricular pressure ratio after complete repair was 0.63±0.16 (range: 0.36 to 1.00). Survival analysis showed that survival rates at 1 and 5 years after first-stage surgery were both 89.4% (95%CI: 83.5% to 95.3%). At 28 (34) months (range: 1 to 67 months) of follow-up after complete repair, the survival analysis showed that the survival rates at 1 and 5 years were both 95.2% (95%CI: 89.9% to 100%). Conclusions: Using combined approaches tailored to individual patients and optimized unifocalization strategy, the complete repair rate at one stage and the cumulative complete repair rate at 5 years improved significantly with a lower right/left ventricular pressure ratio and satisfactory early and intermediate survival.

[Analysis on death causes of HIV/AIDS patients in Taizhou, Zhejiang Province, 1998-2022]

Objective: To understand the incidence and causes of HIV/AIDS death patients in Taizhou from 1998 to 2022. Methods: The data were collected from the AIDS Integrated Prevention and Control Information System of China Information System for Diseases Control and Prevention and Taizhou Chronic Disease Information Management System. By the end of 2022, a total of 5 126 HIV/AIDS patients living in Taizhou for a long time were included, SAS 9.4 was used for Kruskal-Wallis test, χ2 test and trend analysis. Results: From 1998 to 2022, a total of 796 HIV/AIDS patients died, with a fatality rate of 15.53% (796/5 126), in whom 52.26% (416/796) died within one year after confirmation. The proportion of HIV/AIDS patients who died within one year decreased (trend χ2=5.60, P<0.001). For the constituent of death causes, there were 140 (17.59%) deaths of AIDS, 237 (29.77%) deaths of malignant tumors, 99 (12.44%) deaths of cardiovascular disease, 58 (7.29%) deaths caused by injuries, 160 (20.10%) deaths due to other causes, and 102 (12.81%) deaths due to unknown causes. The constituent ratio of deaths of malignant tumor, cardiovascular disease and other causes increased over time (trend χ2=1.92, P=0.028; trend χ2=2.81, P=0.003; trend χ2=2.07, P=0.020). There were differences in the distribution of death causes in HIV/AIDS cases in terms of age, occupation, marital status, ethnic group, educational level and mode of transmission (all P<0.05). The average age of the death cases due to cardiovascular disease was higher than other death cases, the cases who died from AIDS had shorter survival time and the lower initial CD4+T cells after confirmation compared with all other death cases, and the time interval from confirmation to treatment in HIV/AIDS patients with unknown death causes was longer than those of all other death cases (all P<0.05). Conclusions: The constituent ratio of non-AIDS related deaths in HIV/AIDS patients in Taizhou was relatively high and showed an upward trend during 1998-2022. It is necessary to further strengthen the early screening, prevention and treatment of chronic non infectious diseases.

Correlation between APOE4 gene and gut microbiota in Alzheimer's disease

Gut microbiota (GM) dysbiosis has been increasingly associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the association between APOE4, the most common genetic risk factor for sporadic AD, and GM in AD remains unclear. In this study, we conducted a comparative analysis of the GM of participants from China and the USA, with and without APOE4 genes and with or without AD (67 AD cases, 67 control cases). Our results revealed that the GM alpha diversity was not different between groups (AD_APOE4, Control_APOE4, AD_non-APOE4, and Control_non-APOE4) (419.031 ± 143.631 vs 391.091 ± 126.081, 351.086 ± 169.174 and 386.089 ± 177.200, respectively. P > 0.05). Interestingly, individuals in the AD_APOE4 group had different bacterial compositions and bacterial biomarkers. The Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test indicated that the abundances of many bacterial species in the AD_APOE4 patients differed from those in control individuals, including decreases in unclassified_g__Escherichia-Shigella (1.763 ± 6.73, 4.429 ± 11.13, 8.245 ± 16.55, and 5.69 ± 13.91 in four groups, respectively; P < 0.05), and unclassified_g_Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1 (0.1519 ± 0.348, 2.502 ± 5.913, 0.5146 ± 0.9487, 1.063 ± 3.428 in four groups, respectively; P < 0.05), and increases in gut_metagenome_g_Faecalibacterium (2.885 ± 4.47, 2.174 ± 3.957, 0.5765 ± 1.784, 1.582 ± 2.92 in four groups, respectively. P < 0.01) and unclassified_g_Bacteroides (3.875 ± 3.738, 2.47 ± 2.748, 2.046 ± 3.674, 3.206 ± 3.446 in four groups, respectively; P < 0.05). In the KEGG pathway level 2 analysis, we identified three significant differences in relative abundances of predicted functions between AD_APOE4 and AD_non-APOE4_carrier groups: neurodegenerative diseases (0.0007 ± 0.0005 vs 0.0009 ± 0.0004; P < 0.01), metabolism (0.0240 ± 0.0003 vs 0.0250 ± 0.0003; P < 0.05), and biosynthesis of other secondary metabolites (0.0094 ± 0.0002 vs 0.0090 ± 0.0002; P < 0.05). Receiver operating characteristic curves further demonstrated an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.74 for the discrimination of AD_APOE4_carrier and AD_non-APOE4_carrier individuals.

[Regional analysis of high risk factors of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy with organ or system impairment]

Objective: To explore the influencing factors of pregnancy-induced hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (HDP) with organ or system impairment in pregnant women, and to analyze and compare the differences of HDP subtypes in different regions of China. Methods: A total of 27 680 pregnant women with HDP with complete data from 161 hospitals in 24 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities were retrospectively collected from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018. According to their clinical manifestations, they were divided into hypertension group [a total of 10 308 cases, including 8 250 cases of gestational hypertension (GH), 2 058 cases of chronic hypertension during pregnancy] and hypertension with organ or system impairment group [17 372 cases, including 14 590 cases of pre-eclampsia (PE), 137 cases of eclampsia, 2 645 cases of chronic hypertension with PE]. The subtype distribution of HDP in East China (6 136 cases), North China (4 821 cases), Central China (3 502 cases), South China (8 371 cases), Northeast China (1 456 cases), Southwest China (2 158 cases) and Northwest China (1 236 cases) were analyzed. By comparing the differences of HDP subtypes and related risk factors in different regions, regional analysis of the risk factors of HDP pregnant women with organ or system impairment was conducted. Results: (1) The proportions of HDP pregnant women with organ or system impairment in Northeast China (79.05%, 1 151/1 456), Central China (68.42%, 2 396/3 502) and Northwest China (69.34%, 857/1 236) were higher than the national average (62.76%, 17 372/27 680); the proportions in North China (59.18%, 2 853/4 821), East China (60.85%, 3 734/6 136) and South China (59.56%, 4 986/8 371) were lower than the national average, and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). (2) Univariate analysis showed that the proportions of primiparas, non-Han, non-urban household registration, irregular prenatal examination and PE history in the hypertension with organ or system impairment group were higher than those in the hypertension group, and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that primiparas, non-Han, non-urban household registration, irregular prenatal examination and PE history were independent risk factors for HDP pregnant women with organ or system impairment (all P<0.05). (3) Primipara: the rates of primipara in Northeast China, North China and Southwest China were higher than the national average level, while those in South China, Central China and Northwest China were lower than the national average level. Non-Han nationality: the rates of non-Han nationality in Northeast China, North China and Northwest China were higher than the national average, while those in East China, South China and Central China were lower than the national average. Non-urban household registration: the rates of non-urban household registration in Northeast China, North China, and Southwest China were lower than the national average, while those in East China, Central China were higher than the national average. Irregular prenatal examination: the rates of irregular prenatal examination in North China, South China and Southwest regions were lower than the national average level, while those in Northeast China, Central China and Northwest China were higher than the national average level. History of PE: the incidence rates of PE in Northeast China, North China, South China and Southwest China were lower than the national average level, while those in Central China and Northwest China were higher than the national average level. Conclusions: Primiparas, non-Han, non-urban household registration, irregular prenatal examination, and PE history are risk factors for HDP pregnant women with organ or system impairment. Patients in Northeast, Central and Northwest China have more risk factors, and are more likely to be accompanied by organ or system function damage. It is important to strengthen the management of pregnant women and reduce the occurrence of HDP.

[Effect of Friday surgery on clinical outcome of elderly patients with hip fracture under multidisciplinary treatment]

Objective: To assess the impact of Friday surgery on clinical outcomes in elderly patients with hip fracture under multidisciplinary treatment. Methods: A retrospective cohort study. The clinical data of 414 geriatric patients with hip fractures admitted to Zhongda Hospital Affiliated with Southeast University from January 2018 to March 2021 were analyzed retrospectively, including 126 males and 288 females with a mean age of (81.3±7.6) years. The patients were divided into two groups based on whether they underwent surgery on Friday or not. The Friday group(n=69) and the non-Friday group(n=345) were compared in terms of general information, American Society of Anesthesiologists(ASA) classification, fracture type, injury to admission time, preoperative waiting time, surgical method, anesthesia type and use of intensive care unit (ICU) fast track. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed based on age, ASA grade, time from injury to admission, preoperative waiting time, hemoglobin and albumin levels at admission. Clinical outcomes were collected and compared between the two groups, including length of hospital stay, total hospitalization cost and 30-day, 90-day and 1-year mortality rates, and postoperative complications. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify influencing factors for 1-year mortality in geriatric patients with hip fracture. Results: Baseline data showed statistically significant differences in hemoglobin, albumin and preoperative waiting time between the two groups (all P<0.05). After PSM matching, 69 patients were included in each group, and no significant differences were observed in baseline data between the two groups (all P>0.05). There was no significant differences in 30-day mortality rate (4.3% vs 0, P=0.080), 90-day mortality rate (7.2% vs 1.4%, P=0.095), length of hospital stay [(10.85±4.45)d vs (10.92±3.68)d, P=0.919], total hospitalization cost [(60.9±15.4) thousands yuan vs (59.1±15.4) thousands yuan, P=0.489], postoperative complications [pneumonia (11.6% vs 13.0%, P=0.796), cardio-cerebrovascular complications (11.6% vs 8.7%, P=0.573) and delirium (5.7% vs 2.9%, P=0.245)] between the Friday group and the non-Friday group (all P>0.05). However, the 1-year mortality rate was higher in the Friday group than that in the non-Friday group(18.8% vs 4.3%, P=0.008). Multivariate analysis revealed that surgery on Friday (OR=11.222, 95%CI: 2.198-57.291, P=0.004), low hemoglobin levels at admission (OR=0.920, 95%CI: 0.875-0.967, P=0.001), hemiarthroplasty treatment (OR=5.127, 95%CI: 1.308-20.095, P=0.019) and longer surgery duration (OR=0.958, 95%CI: 0.927-0.989, P=0.009) were influencing factors for 1-year mortality in geriatric patients with hip fracture. Conclusions: In the context of multidisciplinary treatment, Friday surgery does not increase short-term mortality, length of hospital stay, total hospitalization cost or incidence of complications in geriatric patients with hip fracture. However, it remains a influencing factor for 1-year mortality in those patients.

[Single-cell transcriptome analysis reveals development atlas of mouse molar pulp cells]

Objective: Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) was used to analyze the developing mouse molars, in order to construct a spatiotemporal development atlas of pulp cells, and further to reveal the developmental process and regulatory mechanism of tooth development. Methods: Ten mandibular first molars from C57BL/6 mice in postnatal day (PN) 0 and 3 were respectively dissected and digested to obtain single-cell suspensions. scRNA-seq was performed on 10× Genomics platform. PN 7 mouse molar scRNA-seq data were obtained from our previous study. PN 0, 3, and 7 scRNA-seq data were integrated for following analysis. The initial quality control, mapping and single cell expression matrix construction were performed by Cell Ranger. Quality control, standardization, dimensional reduction and cluster analysis were performed by using Seurat. Monocle was used to generate the pseudotime trajectory. Scillus was used to perform gene ontology analysis. In order to detect the spatiotemporal change of different population of pulp cells, the marker genes of each cluster were demonstrated by RNAscope in situ hybridization. Results: There were twenty-six cell clusters within mouse molars, which were identified as eight different cell types, including dental pulp cells, dental follicle cells, epithelial cells, immune cells, endothelial cells, perivascular cells, glial cells and erythrocytes. We further re-clustered and analyzed dental pulp cells. Cluster 0 were mature pulp cells, which located at the upper portion of crown. The main functions of cluster 0 were osteogenesis and extracellular structure organization. Cluster 1 were apical papilla cells, which located at the apical part of roots, whose main functions were extracellular structure organization and organ development. Cluster 2 were cycling cells, which were actively proliferated, resided in the lower portion of the crown. Cluster 3 and 4 were preodontoblasts and odontoblasts, respectively. Their functions were closely related to biomineralization. The proportion of mature pulp cells increased with the development process, while the proportion of cycling cells and odontoblast lineage decreased. According to the expression pattern of marker genes of each cluster, we constructed a cell atlas of dental pulp. Pseudotime trajectory analysis found there were two development trajectories within dental pulp. They both started from SPARC related modular calcium binding 2 (Smoc2)+ dental papilla cells, then went through DNA topoisomerase Ⅱ alpha (Top2a)+ cycling cells, and finally divided into coxsackie virus and adenovirus receptor (Cxadr)+ mature pulp cells or dentin sialophosphoprotein (Dspp)+ odontoblasts two lineages. Conclusions: scRNA-seq could fully discover the intercellular heterogeneity of cells on transcriptome level, which provides a powerful tool to study the process and regulatory mechanism of organ development.

[Influence factors of poor efficacy after flap repair operation in patients with pressure ulcers]

Objective: To investigate the influence factors of poor efficacy after flap repair operation in patients with pressure ulcers. Methods: The retrospective case series study was conducted. From January 2011 to June 2021, 125 patients with stage Ⅲ and Ⅳ pressure ulcers treated in Hainan General Hospital met the inclusion criteria. There were 82 males and 43 females, aged 15-90 (57±20) years. According to the postoperative effects, the patients were divided into poor efficacy group (47 cases) and good efficacy group (78 cases). The clinical data of patients in the two groups were collected, including the age, gender, location, stage, size, and bone exposure of pressure ulcers, preoperative microorganism culture results of wound exudate sample, whether combined with osteomyelitis, diabetes, lower limb paroxysmal myospasm, and gatism or not, the number of surgical debridement combined with negative-pressure wound therapy, type of surgical flap, postoperative position, and preoperative albumin, leukocyte, C-reactive protein (CRP), and hemoglobin. Data were statistically analyzed with independent sample t test, Mann-Whitney U test, and chi-square test. The binary multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to screen the independent risk factors influencing the poor efficacy after flap repair operation in 125 patients with stage Ⅲ and Ⅳ pressure ulcers. Results: The ratio of patients with lower limb paroxysmal myospasm in poor efficacy group was 22/47, which was significantly higher than 3/78 in good efficacy group (χ2=33.83, P<0.01). The preoperative hemoglobin level of patients in poor efficacy group was (102±17) g/L, which was significantly lower than (113±20) g/L in good efficacy group (t=-3.24, P<0.01). The preoperative CRP level of patients was 39.1 (14.1, 91.6) mg/L in poor efficacy group, which was significantly higher than 15.3 (6.6, 42.0) mg/L in good efficacy group (Z=-3.04, P<0.01). There were no statistically significant differences in other indexes between patients in the two groups (P>0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age, lower limb paroxysmal myospasm, and preoperative hemoglobin level were the independent risk factors for poor efficacy after flap repair operation in patients with pressure ulcers (with odds ratios of 1.03, 40.69, and 0.97, 95% confidence intervals of 1.00-1.06, 9.18-180.39, and 0.95-1.00, respectively, P<0.05 or P<0.01). Conclusions: Poor efficacy after flap repair operation in patients with pressure ulcers is affected by many factors, among which the age, lower limb paroxysmal myospasm, and preoperative hemoglobin level are the independent risk factors.

[Prognostic value of pulmonary hemodynamic parameters for predicting survival in acute coronary syndrome]

Objective: To explore the characteristics and prognostic value of pulmonary hemodynamics in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Methods: From a prospective multicenter registry study of pulmonary hypertension due to left heart disease, consecutive ACS patients who underwent coronary angiography in combination with left and right heart catheterization during hospitalization between January 2013 and November 2016 were involved. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality. The prognostic variables identified by the Lasso analysis were included in the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) score. Model performance was evaluated before and after the addition of hemodynamic parameters. Results: A total of 251 patients were enrolled, with age of (63.7±11.5) years. A total of 198 males (78.9%) and 53 females (21.1%) were recruited, and the median follow-up time was 34.7 months. Right heart catheterization-assessed mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP), systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (sPAP) and diastolic pressure gradient (DPG) were found to be significant predictors for survival in ACS. Adjusted for age and sex, the adjusted HR (95%CI) of mPAP, sPAP and DPG were 1.068 (1.015-1.123), 1.033 (1.002-1.065) and 1.094 (1.008-1.187), respectively (P<0.05). Applied to the present cohort of 251 patients, the median of the GRACE score was 123 points, with a C-index of 0.703 (95%CI: 0.615-0.791) for predicting mortality. After the addition of mPAP or DPG to the GRACE score, the C-index increased to 0.715 (95%CI: 0.629-0.801) or 0.711 (95%CI: 0.625-0.797), respectively. When comparing two models before and after the addition of mPAP or DPG, the integrated discriminatory index (IDI) was 4.3% (95%CI: 0.2%-13.5%, P=0.030) and 3.0% (95%CI: 0.2%-11.1%, P=0.020), respectively. Conclusion: Pulmonary hemodynamics can be predictive for survival in ACS patients, providing incremental prognostic value to risk assessment in ACS.

[Neurocognitive impairment and characteristics of neurocognitive performance among people with HIV on antiretroviral treatment]

Objective: Using two measuring tools to examine the prevalence and correlates of neurocognitive impairment (NCI) as well as characteristics of neurocognitive performance among people with HIV (PWH) on antiretroviral treatment (ART). Methods: A total of 2 250 treated PWH from the Comparative HIV and Aging Research in Taizhou (CHART) were recruited in Taizhou, Zhejiang province. The Chinese version of the Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE) and the International HIV Dementia Scale (IHDS) were used to evaluate their neurocognitive performance. Cluster analysis was conducted on the seven cognitive domains in the scale. Results: Among 2 250 treated PWH, 48.0% (1 080/2 250) were aged 45 to 89, 79.2% (1 782/2 250) were male, and 37.8% (852/2 250) had primary school education or below. The prevalence of neurocognitive impairment judged by MMSE and IHDS among HIV-infected people was 14.3% (321/2 250) and 31.8% (716/2 250), respectively. Aged 60 to 89 (aOR=2.63, 95%CI:1.52-4.56), depressive symptoms (aOR=5.58, 95%CI:4.20-7.40) and treatment with EFV (aOR=2.86, 95%CI:1.89-4.34) were main risk factors of NCI diagnosed by MMSE. Male (aOR=0.71, 95%CI:0.51-1.00), overweight (aOR=0.63, 95%CI:0.44-0.89), and high education level (aOR=0.11, 95%CI:0.05-0.25) were protective factors of NCI diagnosed by MMSE. Aged 60 to 89 (aOR=3.10, 95%CI:2.09-4.59), depressive symptoms (aOR=1.78, 95%CI:1.44-2.20) and treatment with EFV (aOR=1.79, 95%CI:1.41-2.29) were risk factors of NCI diagnosed by IHDS. Male (aOR=0.75, 95%CI:0.58-0.97), underweight (aOR=0.67, 95%CI:0.47-0.96), baseline CD4⁺ T lymphocyte (CD4) counts ≥350 cells/μl (aOR=0.69, 95%CI:0.53-0.91) and high education level (aOR=0.23, 95%CI:0.14-0.39) were protective factors of NCI diagnosed by IHDS. The neurocognitive performance of HIV-infected people can be divided into four main types. Among four types, age, gender, education level, alcohol drinking, depressive symptoms, waist-to-hip ratio, hypertension, diabetes, baseline CD4 counts and treatment with EFV were different statistically (all P<0.05). Conclusions: There are four main types of neurocognitive performance in treated PWH. The prevalence of NCI is high among this population, underscoring the need for tailored prevention and intervention.

Synthesis of two quasi-optical polarizers for the multi-frequency high-power millimeter wave system

Millimeter wave systems based on powerful gyrotron can deliver megawatt microwave power, which is an important auxiliary heating method for magnetic confinement fusion devices. Reflective gratings are normally used as quasi-optical polarizers for polarization control of the wave in such systems. Based on the coordinate transformation method, we developed a numerical code to study the broadband polarization strategy. By considering the synthesis of two polarizers, we designed a pair of polarizers in the W band. Calculation results indicated that almost arbitrary polarization can be achieved in a wide frequency range. To verify the design, we set up a low-power test platform and experiments were carried out. The performance of the polarizers was tested from 80 to 105 GHz with a step of 5 GHz. The test results agreed well with the numerical results, indicating that the design is reasonable. With the development of multi-frequency gyrotrons, the study in this paper can be used as a reference for the design of broadband polarizers of multi-frequency millimeter wave systems.

[Mortality level and tendency of road traffic injury in Shandong Province from 2012 to 2020]

Objective: To analyze the mortality level and tendency of road traffic injury in Shandong province from 2012 to 2020. Methods: Based on the data of road traffic deaths from the cause of death registration system in Shandong province from 2012 to 2020, the mortality rates of road traffic injury were calculated by sex, age, area, and injury type. The mortality was standardized based on the age structure of the Chinese population in the sixth Population Census in 2010. The annual percent change (APC) and average annual percent change (AAPC) of the mortalities and the standarized mortalities were calculated by using Joinpoint regression model, and the trends were also examined. Results: In 2020, the crude mortality of road traffic injury in Shandong Province was 15.58/100 000, and the standardized mortality was 12.90/100 000. From 2012 to 2020, the standardized mortality of road traffic injury in Shandong province showed a downward trend with AAPC of -5.4%. The standardized mortality of middle-south mountain areas, male and children aged 0-14 years in Shandong showed a significantly decreasing trend with AAPC of -6.8%, -6.1% and -6.0%, respectively. The standardized mortality of people aged 65 years and over did not decrease significantly, but the number of deaths increased significantly by 50.96% in 2020 (5 780 cases), compared with those in 2012 (3 829 cases). The standardized mortality of pedestrian and motorcyclists decreased significantly with AAPC of -7.5% and -6.7%, respectively. There was no significant change in the standardized mortality among people who rode motor vehicles or bicycles. Conclusion: From 2012 to 2020, the standardized mortality of road traffic injury in Shandong Province showed an obvious downward trend, but the standardized mortality of people aged 65 years and over did not decrease significantly. In the future, it is still necessary to take government-led, multi-sectoral collaboration, with a focus on comprehensive preventive measures, to further reduce road traffic injury mortality.

[Spatio-temporal trend of female breast cancer mortality in Shandong Province from 1970 to 2013]

The mortality of female breast cancer in Shandong Province has increased since the 1970. The differential decomposition analysis found that the slight decline in the crude mortality of breast cancer among women was entirely due to non-demographic factors during the 1970-1990, and the significant increase in the crude mortality was due to a combination of demographic and non-demographic factors since the 1990. The contribution rate of demographic factor has gradually increased from 53.5% in 2004-2005 to 59.5% in 2011-2013, while that of non-demographic factor has decreased from 46.5% to 40.5%. The women aged 45-64 years old were the major population of female breast cancer deaths, accounting for 40%-60% of total breast cancer deaths in different times, and then the mortality in female aged 55-64 years old increased rapidly, with increases of 52.12%, 115.19% and 29.01% in 2011-2013 over the 1970-1974, 1990-1992 and 2004-2005, respectively (Z=-7.342,P<0.001). Compared with 1970-1974, the age-standardized mortality rate of rural women increased by 41.86% in 2011-2013 (Z=-17.933, P<0.001), and that of urban women increased by 18.62% in 2011-2013 (Z=-25.642, P<0.001). The age-standardized mortality rate of breast cancer in urban women was higher than that in rural women in different times (all P<0.05). The spatial scan analysis found that eastern Shandong Province was found to be a sustained high-risk area for death, and other high-risk areas were transferred from north to southwest of Shandong between 1970 and 2013.

Dietary Protein Intake in Relation to the Risk of Osteoporosis in Middle-Aged and Older Individuals: A Cross-Sectional Study

OBJECTIVES

Dietary protein intake is of great significance for the bone health of middle-aged and elderly people. This study is aimed to explore the relationships between dietary protein intake and the risk of osteoporosis in middle-aged and older individuals among US population.

METHODS

Based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), this study includes a total of 20497 participants during 2005-2008, and identify 4707 middle-aged and older people aged 45 years or above. Demographic data and relevant dietary intake information are acquired through in-home management questionnaires. The logistic regression models are established to identify the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of OP in each quartile category of energy-adjusted dietary protein intake. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve is applied to explore the optimal cut-off value of daily dietary protein intake for predicting risk of OP.

RESULTS

442 participants with OP are identified among 4707 middle-aged and older people, and the dietary protein intake of OP group is significantly lower than that of non-OP group (P<0.001). The logistic regression analysis shows that with the increase of daily dietary protein intake, the prevalence of OP in each quartile category decreases gradually (P<0.001). This trend is not altered in univariate model (P<0.001), as well as the adjustments for the covariates of age and BMI (Model 1, P<0.001), the covariates of sex (Model 2, P=0.036), the covariates of smoking, drinking alcohol, education, ratio of family income to poverty, hypertension and diabetes (Model 3, P<0.001), and the covariates of dietary intake (Model 4, P=0.008). Moreover, we also identify that the daily dietary protein intake of 61.2g is the optimal cut-off value for predicting risk of OP.

CONCLUSION

In general, among US population, the lower daily dietary protein intake is positively related to the ascending risk of OP in middle-aged and older individuals.

[Research advances of music therapy and its application in the field of burn treatment]

Different from other trauma, the scar and pigmentation formed after healing of burn wound not only hinder beauty but also easily lead to a series of sequential psychological problems, such as depression and anxiety. Music therapy, as a supplementary treatment, is widely used in many fields including medical and health care and psychological regulation. However, affected by factors such as medical resources, the awareness and acceptance of music therapy among burn treatment workers in China are still low. Based on the clinical characteristics of burns, this paper matches the applicability of music therapy with it, summarizes the supplementary application of music therapy in the field of burn treatment, expounds this natural science with both science and aesthetics, and puts forward feasible suggestions for its future development.

[Correlation between HIV infection, club drug use and anal canal human papillomavirus infection in men who have sex with men in Taizhou]

Objective: To explore the correlation between club drug use and anal canal human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in HIV-negative and HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM) in Taizhou. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Taizhou. HIV-negative MSM were recruited by convenient sampling in voluntary counseling and testing clinics of Taizhou prefectural CDC from August 2016 to October 2017, and HIV-positive MSM were recruited through the routine follow-up and management by Taizhou prefectural CDC from August 2016 to June 2019. A face-to-face questionnaire interview was conducted to collect the information about the socio-demographic characteristics, sexual orientation, sexual behavior, club drug use and other information of the participants. Anal canal swabs were collected for HPV genotyping. The correlation between club drug use and the prevalence of HPV infection were evaluated with χ² test and logistic regression analysis. Results: A total of 69 HIV-negative and 345 HIV-infected MSM were included. The prevalence of any type of anal canal HPV infection in HIV-negative MSM (27.5%, 19/69) was lower than that in HIV-positive MSM (66.4%, 229/345) (χ²=36.114,P<0.001). The prevalence of self-reported club drug use in HIV-negative MSM was higher (17.4%, 12/69) than that in HIV-positive MSM (7.0%, 24/345) (χ²=7.886, P=0.005). For HIV-negative MSM, the prevalence of club drug use was higher in MSM who had homosexual group sex (P=0.036); the prevalence of HPV infection was 50.0% (6/12) in club drug users and 22.8% (13/57) in non-club drug users (χ²=3.674, P=0.055). For HIV-positive MSM, the prevalence of HPV infection was 70.8% (17/24) in club drug users and 66.0% (212/321) in non-club drug users (χ²=0.230, P=0.632). Multivariable logistic regression model showed that HPV infection in MSM was positively correlated with HIV infection (OR=5.42, 95%CI: 2.92-10.06), and the association between HPV infection and club drug use (OR=1.66, 95%CI: 0.75-3.71) was not significant. Conclusions: HIV infection was positively correlated with anal canal HPV infection in MSM in Taizhou. Club drug use was positively correlated with high-risk sexual behaviors, while its association with HPV infection needs further study.

[Comparative analysis of high risk factors between early-onset pre-eclampsia and late-onset pre-eclampsia]

Objective: To explore the difference of high-risk factors between early-onset and late-onset pre-eclampsia, and to further understand high-risk factors of pre-eclampsia. Methods: Clinical data of pre-eclampsia pregnant women in 160 medical institutions in China in 2018 were retrospectively analyzed, including 8 031 cases of early-onset pre-eclampsia and 12 969 cases of late-onset pre-eclampsia. The proportion of high-risk factors, different body mass index (BMI) and age stratification between early-onset group and late-onset group were compared. Results: (1) Univariate analysis of high-risk factors: the proportions of high-risk factors in early-onset group and late-onset group were compared, and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). Among them, the proportions of primipara and multiple pregnancy in early-onset group were lower than those in late-onset group, while the proportions of pregnant women with advanced age, irregular antenatal examination, obesity, family history of hypertension, pre-eclampsia, diabetes, kidney diseases, immune system diseases and assisted reproductive technology were higher than those in late-onset group. (2) Hierarchical analysis of BMI: the proportion of pregnant women with BMI≥24 kg/m² in early-onset group [48.2% (2 828/5 872) vs 45.5% (4 177/9 181), respectively; P=0.001] and the proportion of pregnant women with BMI ≥28 kg/m² in early-onset group [19.5% (1 143/5 872) vs 18.0% (1 656/9 181), respectively; P=0.028] were significantly higher than those in late-onset group. (3) Age stratification analysis: the proportion of pregnant women aged 35-39 years in the early-onset group [21.8% (1 748/8 023) vs 17.5% (2 110/12 068), respectively; P<0.01], the proportion of pregnant women 40-44 years old [6.8% (544/8 023) vs 5.4% (648/12 068), respectively; P<0.01], and the proportion of pregnant women ≥45 years old [0.7% (58/8 023) vs 0.5% (57/12 068), respectively; P=0.021] were significantly higher than those in the late-onset group. (4) Multivariate analysis: advanced age (≥35 years old), multiple pregnancy, irregular antenatal examination or transfer from other hospitals, family history of hypertension (including paternal, maternal and parental lines), previous history of pre-eclampsia, kidney diseases, immune system diseases (systemic lupus erythematosus, antiphospholipid antibody syndrome) and assisted reproductive technology pregnancy were the risk factors affecting the severity of pre-eclampsia (all P<0.05). Conclusion: Pregnant women with high risk factors such as age ≥35 years old, BMI ≥24 kg/m² before pregnancy, family history of hypertension, history of pre-eclampsia, chronic kidney diseases, immune diseases (mainly including systemic lupus erythematosus and antiphospholipid syndrome) and assisted reproductive technology are more likely to have early-onset pre-eclampsia.

LncRNA DBH-AS1 facilitates the tumorigenesis of melanoma by targeting miR-233-3p via IGF-1R/Akt signaling

OBJECTIVE

While Long Noncoding RNAs (LncRNAs) are well-known to modulate human cancer progression, the specific function of DBH-AS1 in melanoma remains to be fully established. The study will investigate the role of DBH-AS1 in melanoma cell.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The expression profiles of DBH-AS1, miR-223-3p, and IGF-1R in melanoma tissues and cell lines were determined by RT-qPCR analysis. CCK-8 assay, colony assays and transwell assay were employed to analyze the effects of DBH-AS1 on the proliferation, migration, and invasion in GC cells. Bioinformatics analysis and Dual-Luciferase reporter assay determined the direct binding relation between DBH-AS1, miR-223-3p and IGF-1R in GC.

RESULTS

Herein, we observed significant reductions in DBH-AS1 expression in melanoma tumor tissues and cell lines. Knockdown DBH-AS1 in melanoma cells impaired their proliferative, migratory, and invasive potential. We determined that DBH-AS1 was able to modulate insulin growth factor receptor (IGF-1R) expression as a competing endogenous RNA for DBH-AS1. In line with this finding, the knockdown DBH-AS1 was associated with decreases in the expression of glucose transporter (GLUT)-1 and a consequent inhibition of glucose uptake, lactate production, and ATP generation by melanoma cells.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings therefore suggest that DBH-AS1 can enhance glycolytic activity in melanoma cells, thereby disrupting melanoma progression via miR-223-3p/EGFR/AKT axis. As such this signaling axis may be a viable therapeutic target for melanoma treatment in human patients.

[HIV-1 drug resistance and subtypes in newly reported HIV/AIDS patients before antiretroviral therapy in Taizhou city, 2016-2018]

Objective: To explore the HIV-1 drug resistance and subtypes in newly reported HIV/AIDS patients before antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Taizhou city. Methods: A cross-sectional study of HIV-1 drug resistance was conducted among newly reported HIV/AIDS patients before ART in Taizhou from January 2016 to December 2018. HIV-1 pol gene sequences were obtained by RT-PCR. The sequences were submitted to the Stanford University drug resistance database. The drug resistance mutation and the sensitivity of HIV-1 strains to antiretroviral drugs were determined according to WHO Guidelines on HIV drug resistance surveillance of 2014. Results: A total of 806 HIV-1 pol gene sequences were obtained successfully. The overall HIV-1 drug resistance rate was 2.9% (23/806), 1.9% for non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), 0.6% for nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), and 0.0% for protease inhibitors (PIs), respectively. From 2016 to 2018, the HIV-1 drug resistance rate was 1.6%, 1.8%, and 4.8%, respectively. The resistance mutations of NNRTIs and NRTIs were mainly K103 N (0.7%) and M184I/V (0.5%). HIV-1 subtypes were mostly CRF01_AE (42.7%,344/806),CRF07_BC (28.9%,233/806) and CRF08_BC (11.2%,90/806).HIV-1 subtypes among homosexually transmitted infections were mostly CRF01_AE (53.3%, 136/255) and CRF07_BC (32.2%, 82/255), and HIV-1 subtypes among heterosexually transmitted infections were mainly CRF01_AE (37.7%, 203/539), CRF07_BC (27.5%, 148/539) and CRF08_BC (16.1%, 87/539). Conclusion: HIV-1 drug resistance rate among newly reported HIV/AIDS patients before ART remained low in Taizhou during 2016 to 2018, an increasing trend seemed to be notifiable and warrants continuous surveillance of HIV-1 drug resistance.

[Prevalence and correlates of plasma cytomegalovirus viremia among newly reported HIV/AIDS patients in Taizhou city, 2017-2018]

Objective: To study the prevalence and correlates of plasma cytomegalovirus (CMV) viremia among newly reported antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naive HIV/AIDS patients in Taizhou during 2017-2018. Methods: CMV DNA was measured in plasma specimens of newly reported ART-naive HIV/AIDS patients by quantitative PCR. Both univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were carried out to evaluate CMV viremia correlations among the individuals. Results: Of 612 HIV/AIDS patients, 480 (78.4%) were male, 125 (20.4%) were over 60 years old, 177 (28.9%) were infected via homosexual transmission, and 430 (70.3%) via heterosexual transmission. The prevalence of CMV viremia among HIV/AIDS patients was 13.4% (82/612). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of CMV viremia in CD₄⁺ lymphocyte cells counts (CD₄⁺) ≤200 cells/μl group was higher than CD₄ counts >500 cells/μl (OR=5.10, 95%CI:1.74-14.96, P=0.003); The median CMV DNA level (log₁₀) of 82 viremic patients was 1.57 (P₂₅,P₇₅:1.04,2.13); Viremic patients with CD₄ counts ≤200 cells/μl had the highest CMV viral load (P<0.01). Conclusions: Among ART-naive HIV/AIDS patients, the prevalence of CMV viremia was significantly associated with immunodeficiency status. Further research is needed to evaluate the association between CMV viremia and the course of HIV infection.

Overexpression of the long noncoding RNA NEAT1 protects against As2O3-induced injury of cardiomyocyte by inhibiting the miR-124/NF-κB signaling pathway

OBJECTIVE

Arsenic trioxide (As2O3) an evident effect in the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia and other malignant tumors in recent years. However, more and more studies have found that the cardiac toxicity of As2O3 was increased, limiting its wide clinical application. This study aims to explore the molecule mechanisms of As2O3 on cardiomyocyte injury.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The cardiomyocyte injury under As2O3 was detected by MTT assay. The levels of NEAT1 and miR-124 were examined by RT-PCR. The functions of NEAT1 and miR-124 at H9c2 cell injury under As2O3 were detected by cell transfection of the overexpression or repression. The expression levels of inflammation factors, apoptosis genes and NF-κB signals were measured by Western blot in H9c2 cell lines under As2O3. The luciferase assay detected the direct interaction between NEAT1 and miR-124.

RESULTS

The overexpression of NEAT1 decreased the H9c2 cells injury under As2O3. The levels of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α were upregulated after NEAT1 overexpression. Moreover, the luciferase assay results showed NEAT1 was directly interacting with miR-124. Silencing of miR-124 significantly increased the H9c2 cell survival under As2O3 by repressing NF-κB signaling pathway. Furthermore, the overexpression of NEAT1 markedly increased H9c2 cells survival under As2O3, while the miR-124 could reverse the effects. Finally, NEAT1 regulated the H9c2 cells As2O3 injury by repressing the miR-124, NF-kappa B expressions and inflammatory response.

CONCLUSIONS

According to the results, we found that long non-coding RNA NEAT1 regulated the expression of inflammatory factors to protect cardiomyocytes from As2O3 damage by inhibiting miR-124/NF-kappa B signaling pathway. It provides a novel potential treatment strategy for As2O3 cardiomyocytes injury.

The antifibrotic effect and mechanism of a novel tyrosine kinase inhibitor, ZSP1603, in preclinical models of pulmonary fibrosis

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and molecular mechanisms of ZSP1603 as a novel anti-fibrotic compound.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The unilateral left pulmonary fibrosis model was established in the Sprague Dawley (SD) rats. The bilateral pulmonary fibrosis model was established in the C57BL/6J mice. The therapeutic treatment regimen began after the induction of pulmonary fibrosis. The preventive treatment regimen began on the first day of bleomycin administration. Animals were randomly divided into the sham, model, Nintedanib, and ZSP1603 treatment groups. Haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and Masson's trichrome staining were performed to evaluate pulmonary injury, inflammation, and fibrosis. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and Western blot were used to investigate the effects and mechanisms of ZSP1603 on the proliferation of primary human pulmonary fibroblasts (pHPFs). The messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1), and collagen 1A1 (COL1A1) in pHPFs was detected by quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR).

RESULTS

ZSP1603 inhibited the proliferation of pHPFs in vitro by blocking the platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β (PDGF-Rβ) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signalling pathway. ZSP1603 also inhibited the differentiation of pHPFs by reducing the expression of TGF-β1, TIMP-1, and COL1A1. ZSP1603 significantly attenuated pulmonary injury, inflammation, and fibrosis in vivo in four independent animal studies of pulmonary fibrosis.

CONCLUSIONS

ZSP1603 is an effective anti-fibrotic compound with clear mechanisms.

[Influencing factors of antiretroviral therapy and its association with immunological effect among HIV/AIDS patients in Taizhou city, 2006-2019]

Objective: To analyze influencing factors of instant antiretroviral therapy (ART) and explore associution between strategies of ART and immunological effects among HIV/AIDS patients in Taizhou city during 2006-2019. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on HIV/AIDS patients under ART, and a logistic regression model was used to analyze factors of instant ART. The student t-test and chi-square test were used to compare immunological effect of different ART strategies while the Kaplan-Meier method was used to generate a survival curve. Results: A total of 2 971 HIV/AIDS patients were enrolled with 1 786 cases (60.1%) having instant ART strategy. The proportion of instant ART were 77.8% (1 170/1 504) during 2016 to 2019. The treatment success rate of the instant ART group (87.4%, 1 561/1 786) were higher than the delayed ART group (84.4%, 1 000/1 185). The results of multivariate logistic regression model indicated that male (aOR=1.28, 95%CI: 1.03-1.59), married (aOR=1.71, 95%CI: 1.33-2.19) and baseline CD(4)(+)T lymphocyte cells (CD(4)) counts ≤200 cells/μl (aOR=1.60, 95%CI: 1.27-2.02) were factors positively related to instant ART while 31-40 years old (aOR=0.63, 95%CI: 0.48-0.84), infected through heterosexual transmission(aOR=0.60, 95%CI: 0.49-0.74) and diagnosed before 2015 (aOR=0.20, 95%CI: 0.17-0.23) were inversely related to instant ART. The increase of the CD(4)/CD(8) ratio was greater, and the cumulative ART success rate was higher each year in the instant ART group than in the delayed ART group (P<0.05). Conclusions: The instant ART strategy has been well implemented in Taizhou city during 2006-2019, and the immunological effect was better in instant ART group. The proportion of instant ART were more than 60.0% among HIV/AIDS patients. Instant ART strategy needs to be strengthened for those who are 31-40 years old, women, unmarried, and infected through heterosexual transmission in an attempt to further increase treatment level and improve treatment effect.

[Risk analysis of immunological failure of antiretroviral therapy in HIV/AIDS patients in Taizhou prefecture, 2006-2019]

Objective: To analyze the immunological failure of antiretroviral therapy (ART), its association with baseline anemia and related factors in HIV/AIDS patients in Taizhou prefecture, during 2006-2019. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted among HIV/AIDS patients under ART. Cox regression model was used to analyze predictors of immunological failure and logistic regression model was used to analyze factors of baseline anemia. Results: A total of 2 904 HIV/AIDS patients were enrolled with a median time of 28 (P(25)-P(75):12-53) months follow-up of ART, in which 177 cases (6.1%) were identified as immunological failure with a failure rate of 2.17 per 100 person-years. The cumulative incidence rates of immunological failure in the first, third, fifth, and tenth years were 5.49%, 6.94%, 7.30% and 8.82%, respectively. Results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that for the risk of baseline anemia, ≥66 years old group had 4.17 times higher risk than 18-25 years old group (95%CI: 1.68-10.33), males had 0.67 times higher risk than females (95%CI: 0.50-0.89), and CD(4)(+)T cell counts (CD(4))<200 cells/μl group had 4.35 times higher risk than CD(4)≥350 cells/μl group (95%CI: 2.81-6.72), baseline white blood cells<4.0×10(9) cells/L group had 1.73 times higher risk than 4.0×10(9) cells/L-9.9×10(9) cells/L group (95%CI: 1.31-2.29), baseline platelet counts <100×10(9) cells/L and >300×10(9) cells/L groups had 2.02 times and 4.45 times higher risk than 100×10(9) cells/L-299×10(9) cells/L group (95%CI: 1.36-3.01, 95%CI: 3.05-6.50), respectively. WHO classified stage Ⅲ/Ⅳ group had 2.15 times higher risk than WHO classified stageⅠ/Ⅱ group (95%CI: 1.61-2.87), while heterosexual transmission group had 2.03 times higher risk than homosexual transmission group (95%CI: 1.42-2.92). Results of multivariate cox proportional risk regression showed that for the risk of immunological failure, baseline anemia group had 1.77 times higher risk than no anemia group (95%CI: 1.20-2.60), WHO classified stage Ⅲ/Ⅳ group had 1.66 times higher risk than WHO classified stage Ⅰ/Ⅱ group (95%CI: 1.10-2.48), and withdrawal of follow up and death groups had 3.18 times and 4.61 times higher risks than treatment group (95%CI: 1.96-5.19, 95%CI: 2.98-7.13), respectively. Conclusions: The immunological effect of ART among HIV/AIDS patients in Taizhou prefecture was affected by multiple factors, including anemia, clinical stage and follow-up status. Enhancing surveillance of baseline anemia and timely correction of anemia in elder group can help improve treatment outcome of HIV/AIDS patients.

[Layer-specific strain assessment on left ventricular function before and after PCI in patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction]

Objective: To evaluate the changes of left ventricular function in patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) before PCI and within 24 hours after PCI by layer-specific strain, and to explore the value of this new assessment method for quantitative monitoring on the myocardial function in STEMI patients. Methods: A total of 40 patients with acute anterior wall myocardial infarction, who underwent PCI in Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University during July 2017 to July 2018, were included in this prospective cohort study. According to the symptom to balloon time (STB), the patients were divided into STB ≤6 hours group (26 cases) and STB 6-12 hours group (14 cases). Echocardiography was performed before, immediately, 3 hours and 24 hours after PCI. Echocardiographic indexes including endocardial myocardial longitudinal strain (LS-endo), 18-segment full-thickness myocardial longitudinal strain (LS) of left ventricle and left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS) were measured. The mean LS-endo and LS values of myocardial segments in infarcted area (IALS-endo, IALS) and the mean LS-endo and LS values of myocardial segments in non-infarcted area (NIALS-endo, NIALS) were calculated. Results: There were 34 males and 6 females in this cohort and age was (62±10) years. In STB≤6 hours group, the IALS-endo value ((13.7±4.9)% vs. (10.0±2.7)%, P<0.05) and NIALS-endo value ((17.0±2.9)% vs. (14.6±2.9)%, P<0.05) were significantly higher at 24 hours after PCI than those before PCI. In the group of STB 6-12 hours, IALS-endo decreased immediately after PCI ((6.7±3.3)% vs. (11.9±6.5)%, P<0.05), and there was a rising trend at 3 hours after PCI (P>0.05). At 24 hours after PCI, the index was higher than that immediately after PCI ((13.6±8.4)% vs. (6.7±3.3)%, P<0.05). The NIALS-endo value was significantly higher at 24 hours after PCI than that before PCI ((17.1±2.1)% vs. (14.5±3.2)%, P<0.05). In the STB 6-12 hours group, the decrease rate of IALS-endo immediately after PCI was higher than that in the STB ≤6 hours group (93% (13/14) vs. 35% (9/26), P<0.001). In STB ≤6 hours group, the NIALS value at 24 hours after PCI was higher than that before PCI (P<0.05), and there was no significant difference in IALS, NIALS and GLS at other time points (P>0.05). Conclusions: Layered LS is superior to full-thickness LS and GLS in evaluating left ventricular function in STEMI patients. LS measured by echocardiography can continuously and quantitatively evaluate the changes of left ventricular myocardial function in STEMI patients before and after PCI.

[Spatial clustering analysis and trend of liver cancer death rate in Shandong province, 1970-2013]

Objective: To explore the spatial clustering and trend of liver cancer mortality in different counties of Shandong province from 1970 to 2013, and provide scientific basis for the development of liver cancer prevention and control plan. Methods: Cancer mortality data were obtained from Shandong Death Registration System and three national death cause surveys in China. Mortality rate and age adjusted mortality rate were used to describe the trend of liver cancer in different years. Difference decomposing method was applied to estimate the contribution of demographic and non-demographic factors to the change of mortality. Software ArcGIS 10.2 was used for spatial analysis, and software SaTScan 9.4 was used for spatial clustering analysis on liver cancer mortality. Results: From 2011 to 2013, the crude mortality rate of liver cancer (29.89/100 000) in Shandong increased by 208.00% and 35.37% respectively compared with that during 1970-1974 (9.72/100 000) and 1990-1992 (22.08/100 000) and was similar to that during 2004-2005 (30.44/100 000). While age standardized mortality rate (ASMR) increased first and then decreased. The ASMR during 2011-2013 (12.62/100 000) increased by 60.97% compared with that during 1970-1974 and decreased by 22.38% and 21.81% compared with that during 1990-1992 and 2004-2005, respectively. According to the difference decomposition analysis on liver cancer mortality in different years, the contribution of population factors to the liver cancer mortality rate increased from 3.38% during 1990-1992 to 29.36% during 2004-2005 and 46.16% during 2011-2013. However, the contribution of non-population factors to the increase of liver cancer mortality decreased. According to the spatial distribution of liver cancer mortality, the crude mortality rate of liver cancer in different counties were quite different, ranging from 9.33/100 000 to 65.33/100 000. Using the spatial scanning statistical software to analyze the spatial clustering of liver cancer mortality, multi areas with high mortality rate of liver cancer were found, and they were mainly distributed in Jiaodong peninsula from 2011 to 2013, covering 20 counties (cities, districts) in Qingdao, Yantai and Weihai. The risk of liver cancer mortality in this area was 1.54 times higher than that in other areas. The spatial clustering distribution of liver cancer mortality during 1970-1974 was significantly different from that during 2011-2013, the areas with high mortality rate during 1970-1974 were mainly distributed in central and western Shandong. Conclusions: There were significant temporal and spatial distribution changes in the mortality rate of liver cancer in Shandong from 1970 to 2013. According to these trends and their geographical and spatial distribution, we should further explore the risk factors of liver cancer, and formulate feasible and area specific prevention and control measures for liver cancer.

[The early results of pulmonary autograft mitral valve replacement (Ross Ⅱ) in infants]

Objective: To evaluate the early results of pulmonary autograft mitral valve replacement (Ross Ⅱ procedure) in infants with intractable congenital mitral valve lesions. Methods: Between August 2018 and September 2019, 6 infants underwent mitral valve replacement with a pulmonary autograft in Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center. There were 2 males and 4 females.The age at surgery ranged from 50 days to 1 year old.Preoperative diagnoses included severe to critic mitral valve insuffiency in all patients, moderate mitral valve stenosis in 3 patients, and mitral valve prolapse in one. When the pulmonary autograft was harvested, a cuff of bovine or autologous pericardium was sewn onto the proximal (infundibular) end of the autograft ( "top-hat" configuration). The distal (pulmonary) end of the autograft was secured to the mitral annulus.At the level of the left atrial free wall, the pericardial cuff was progressively tailored and sewn onto the atrial wall to remain away from the ostia of the pulmonary veins and to maintain normal morphology of the autograft. The bovine jugular valved conduit was used to reconstruct the right ventricular outflow tract. Results: There was one early death due to sudden cardiac arrest at the night of surgery day. The remaining 5 patients were successfully recovered and discharged. Follow-up of survivors ranged from 3 to 13 months. Echocardiographic follow-up demonstrated the flow velocity across the mitral valve position was 1.5 to 2.3 m/s, with a means gradient of 4 to 6 mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa). Four patients showed mild mitral insuffiency, normal left atrium and ventricle size and left ventricle ejection fraction.One patient had moderate mitral insuffiency, pulmonary valve endocarditis, and reduced left ventricle ejection fraction. The clinical symptoms of all survivals improved significantly and the weight gain were satisfactory. Conclusion: Pulmonary autograft mitral valve replacement may be a feasible and effective remedial surgical strategy for young infants with intractable congenital mitral valve lesions.

[Effects of alprostadil in β-aminopropanitrile induced aortic dissection in a murine model]

Objective: To investigate the protective role of alprostadil on aortic dissection. Methods: 26 C57BL6 male mice were divided into control group (normal drinking water, n=13) and model group (1 g·kg^-1·d^-1 BAPN via drinking water, n=13). On day 14, mRNA expression of inflammatory-related genes as well as EP receptor families were detected by RT-PCR (n=6 each) and EP4 protein levels were determined by Western blot (n=7 each). Another 88 mice were divided into 3 groups: control group (n=22), model group (n=33) and treatment group (n=33). The mice in model group and treatment group were applied with BAPN (1 g·kg^-1·d^-1) via drinking water. The mice in treatment group received additional intraperitoneal injection with alprostadil (80 μg·kg^-1·d^-1) for 28 days. The mice in the control and model group received equal volume intraperitoneal injection with 0.9% saline respectively. The body weight and systolic blood pressure, the mortality and morbidity were monitored from the beginning until the designed end of the study. On day 28, the mice were sacrificed and aorta were fixed, embedded and sliced, followed by staining with HE and Victoria Blue. The distribution of EP4 was determined by immunohistochemistry in control (n=6) and model group (n=6). Furthermore, the concentration of PGE1 were tested among model (n=3) and treatment group (n=4). EP4 protein expression was determined in model group (n=7) and treatment group (n=6). Results: On day 14, mRNA expression level of MCP-1 ((2.74±1.55) vs. (1.00±0.49),<0.05) and MMP2((1.38±0.42) vs. (1.00±0.27), P<0.05) was significantly upregulated in model group compared with control group. Protein expression of EP4 receptor also increased in aorta in model group compared with control group (1.48±0.51 vs. 1.00±0.19, P<0.05). In the dissection area, the EP4 expression was also enriched compared with non-dissection area, particularly in endothelial cells and inflammatory cells on day 28. BAPN applied in drinking water (model and treatment groups) successfully induced the aortic dissection in mice, some mice died of the rupture. The elastic fibers were fractured, and the infiltrated immune cells were visible in dissected tissue. False lumen was formed. There was no dissection and death in the control group. Compared with control group, the morbidity and mortality rates were significantly increased in the model group (60.6%, 20/33, 30.3%, 10/33) and the treatment group (72.7%, 24/33, 24.2%, 8/33). The mortality and morbidity rates were similar between model and treatment groups. There is no difference in terms of SBP among three groups (P>0.05). Further study showed that after alprostadil injection, the blood concentration of PGE1 was increased in treatment group ((0.540±0.041 vs. 0.436±0.012)μmol/L, P<0.05). Besides, the EP4 receptor expression was downregulated in the treatment group compared to model group (0.60±0.30 vs. 1.00±0.20, P<0.05). Conclusion: EP4 expression is upregulated in BAPN induced aortic dissection mouse model. No protective effects are observed post alprostadil treatment in this model probably due to the reduced expression of EP4.

Analysis of velopharyngeal function and speech outcomes of Sommerlad palatoplasty combined with sphincter pharyngoplasty in surgical repair of older patients with cleft palate：experience from a major craniofacial surgery centre in eastern China

We aimed to evaluate velopharyngeal function and speech outcomes of Sommerlad palatoplasty combined with sphincter pharyngoplasty in surgical repair of cleft palate in patients over five years old. Fifty-eight patients were reviewed between the years 2013 and 2017, 31 of whom were treated with Sommerlad palatoplasty combined with sphincter pharyngoplasty, (mean age 15 (range 9 - 22) years), and 27 were treated with Sommerlad palatoplasty alone (mean age 18 (range 10-25) years). Velopharyngeal function was evaluated by radiographic lateral cephalometry and nasoendoscopy. Hypernasality, nasal emissions, and intelligibility were used to assess speech. The rate of velopharyngeal competence was 20/31 in the palatoplasty plus pharyngoplasty group and 7/27 in the palatoplasty alone group after surgical treatment (p=0.003). The improvements in hypernasality (p=0.024), air emission (p=0.004), and speech intelligibility (p=0.004) in the palatoplasty plus pharyngoplasty group was better than that in the palatoplasty alone group. It has been suggested that the surgical approach with the palatoplasty together with the sphincter pharyngoplasty has a higher rate of success in surgical repair of older patients with cleft palate.

Regulation of HBV replication and gene expression by miR-501-3p via targeting ZEB2 in hepatocellular carcinoma

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[Value of contrast - enhanced ultrasonography and acoustic radiation force impulse elastography in identification of boundary range and viability of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the biologic viability and boundary range of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis (HAE) by the contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) and acoustic radiation force impulse elastography (ARFI).

METHODS

Totally 27 HAE patients confirmed by pathology underwent CEUS and ARFI examinations.

RESULTS

Gray scale sonography of HAE showed unclear boundary, inhomogeneous, and middle hyperechoic nodules, and the maximum area was (6.08 ± 4.47) cm² in 27 lesions. CEUS of HAE showed non-enhancement in three phases and black hole sign. Circumferential enhancement on the pe riphery of the lesion was synchronized with the liver parenchyma and showed "fast in and slow out". The maximum area was (8.87 ± 4.83) cm². The area of ECUS was larger than gray scale sonography in HAE (t = 2.20, P = 0.03). The mean shear wave velocities (SWVs) of the interior, the boundary range, and the surrounding liver tissues of HAE were statistically different by ARFI (F = 84.538, P < 0.001), and the interior had the highest values.

CONCLUSIONS

CEUS and ARFI examinations can detect the biologic viability and boundary range of migrating zone around HAE, which is valuable for guiding treatment, judging curative effect, and predicting prognosis.

[Cerebrospinal fluid TP53 gene mutation in patients with lung cancer associated meningitis and its clinical implications]

Objective: To observe the role of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) TP53 gene mutation in lung cancer associated meningitis. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 35 patients diagnosed with lung cancer associated meningitis at the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University from December 2015 to December 2018.All patients underwent the next-generation sequencing of CSF, and TP53 gene was found to be mutant or wild type, including 23 patients with TP53 mutant type and 12 patients with TP53 wild type. The clinical characteristics, CSF leukocyte, protein, glucose, chloride, Karnofsky performance (KPS) and overall survival were observed. Results: Headache, nausea and vomiting were the main clinical manifestations in both groups.There were no significant differences in CSF pressure, leukocyte, biochemical indicators and KPS between the two groups. The average time from diagnosis of lung cancer to diagnosis of lung cancer associated meningitis in the TP53 mutant group was significantly shorter than that in the TP53 wild type group (5.79 months vs 25.5 months).The median survival time of patients in the TP53 mutant group from lung cancer diagnosis to the observation endpoint was 19.77 months, while it was 88.73 months in the TP53 wild type group, and the difference was statistically significant (P=0.043). Conclusions: Mutation in the tumor suppressor gene TP53 can be detected in the CSF of patients with lung cancer associated meningitis. Patients with such mutation have earlier meningeal metastasis and shorter median survival time.

[Prevalence of alcohol use and related factors in HIV positive and HIV negative males]

Objective: To understand the prevalence of alcohol use and related factors in HIV positive and HIV negative males. Methods: Baseline data were from the prospective cohort study of comparative HIV and aging research in Taizhou of Zhejiang province from January to December, 2017. The information about alcohol use in the last month was collected through a face-to-face questionnaire interview. Participants were categorized into non-current drinkers, light/moderate drinkers and heavy drinkers according to the US National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse (NIAAA) standard. Results: A total of 1 367 HIV positive males and 2 418 HIV negative males were included. Current alcohol use rate (35.2%, 481/1 367) and heavy alcohol use rate (5.0%, 24/481) were significantly lower in HIV positive males than in HIV negative males (48.0%, 1 161/2 418; 23.5%, 273/1 161), but the proportion of drinking wine and yellow rice wine were significantly higher (21.8%, 105/481; 9.1%, 44/481) in HIV positive males than in HIV negative males (13.5%, 157/1 161; 5.8%, 67/1 161). The multivariate multinomial logistic regression analysis results showed that larger waist circumference, current smoking and regular physical exercise were associated with heavy alcohol use behavior in HIV positive males, and age ≥30 years, current smoking, regular physical exercise, higher score of depressive symptoms, heterosexual transmission route and baseline CD(4)(+)T cells counts of 200-499 cells/μl were significantly associated with mild/moderate alcohol use behavior in HIV positive males. Conclusions: The alcohol use rate was significantly lower in HIV positive males than in HIV negative males in Taizhou. It is important to strengthen intervention on alcohol drinking behavior and chronic disease risk factors, such as larger waist circumference, smoking and so on.

[Clinical strategy on repair of pressure injury on ischial tuberosity based on the histopathological type]

Objective: To investigate effects of clinical strategy on repair of pressure injury on ischial tuberosity based on the histopathological type. Methods: From January 2014 to January 2018, 33 patients with 33 pressure injuries on ischial tuberosity were admitted to our department. There were 25 males and 8 females aged 35 to 87 years. Pressure injuries on ischial tuberosity were repaired with different methods according to pathological types of denatured tissue on basal parts of wounds and tissue defect volumes. Areas of wounds after thorough debridement ranged from 2.0 cm×1.0 cm to 14.0 cm×12.0 cm. Pressure injuries of necrosis type with tissue defect volumes of 6.5-9.5 cm(3) were sutured directly after debridement at the first stage. Tissue defect volumes of 3 patients with pressure injuries of granulation type ranged from 56.0 to 102.5 cm(3). According to situation around wounds, the above mentioned 3 patients were respectively repaired with posterior femoral Z-shaped reconstruction, posterior femoral advanced V-Y flap, and posterior femoral propeller flap. Tissue defect volumes of 5 patients with pressure injuries of infection type ranged from 67.5 to 111.0 cm(3). Among the patients, 2 patients were repaired with posterior femoral propeller flaps, 2 patients were repaired with posterior femoral advanced V-Y flaps, and 1 patient was repaired with posterior femoral Z-shaped reconstruction. Among patients with pressure injuries of synovium type, wounds of 14 patients with tissue defect volumes 6.4-9.5 cm(3) were sutured directly after debridement, and tissue defect volumes of another 8 patients were 97.0-862.5 cm(3). Among the 8 patients, 7 patients were repaired with gluteus maximus myocutaneous flaps and continued vacuum sealing drainage was performed for 7 to 14 days according to volume of drainage, and 1 patient was repaired with posterior femoral propeller flap. Areas of flaps or myocutaneous flaps ranged from 3.5 cm× 2.5 cm to 14.0 cm×12.0 cm. The donor sites of flaps were sutured directly. Operative areas after operation and healing of wounds during follow-up were observed. Results: The sutured sites of 33 patients connected tightly, with normal skin temperature, color, and reflux. During follow-up of 12 months, wounds of 25 patients healed well with no local ulceration, and 8 patients were admitted to our department again due to recurrence of pressure injuries on or near the primary sites. Pathological types of pressure injuries of the 8 patients were synovium types. After complete debridement, the tissue defect volumes were 336.8-969.5 cm(3,) wounds with areas ranged from 8.0 cm×7.0 cm to 14.0 cm×12.0 cm were repaired with gluteus maximus myocutaneous flaps or posterior femoral propeller flaps which ranged from 8.0 cm×7.0 cm to 14.0 cm×12.0 cm. Eight patients were discharged after wound healing completely. During follow-up of 12 months, operative sites of the patients healed well, with no recurrence. Conclusions: Appropriate and targeted methods should be chosen to repair pressure injuries on ischial tuberosity based on the pathological types. Direct suture after debridement is the first choice to repair pressure injury of necrosis type. Pressure injuries of granulation type and infection type can be repaired with posterior femoral propeller flap, Z-shaped reconstruction, or advanced V-Y flap according to situation around wounds. Gluteus maximus myocutaneous flap is the first choice to repair pressure injury of synovium type. In addition, recurrence-prone characteristics of pressure injury of synovium type should be taken into consideration, plan should be made previously, and resources should be reserved.

[Effect of multistage surgery in patients with functional single ventricle and risk factors of postoperative death]

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of multistage surgery in patients with functional single ventricle (FSV) and risk factors of postoperative death. Methods: The clinical data of all consecutive patients with FSV undergoing multistage single ventricle palliation surgery in Guangzhou women and children's medical center from January 2008 to December 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. The study included 289 patients. The age was 10.0 (6.0, 35.4) months,and there were 198 male and 91 female patients. The patients were followed up at outpatient clinic. Survival rates were calculated with Kaplan-Meier. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was made to determine the risk factors of postoperative death. Results: Seventy-nine patients required the first stage palliation surgery, 232 patients received the Glenn shunt surgery, and 162 patients completed the Fontan procedure. Overall, postoperative death occurred in 39 patients including 21 after the first stage palliation surgery (early stage 13 cases, late stage 8 cases) , 10 after the Glenn shunt surgery (early stage 5 cases, late stage 5 cases) , and 8 following the Fontan procedure (early stage 6 cases, late stage 2 cases) . Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that survival rate of the entire cohort was 90.2% (95%CI 86.7%-93.7%) , 85.9% (95%CI 81.8%-90.0%) ,and 84.6% (95%CI 79.7%-89.5%) at 1 year, 5 years and 10 years post operation. Survival rate was 74.4% (95%CI 64.8%-84.0%) , 73.0% (95%CI 63.2%-82.8%) , and 73.0% (95%CI 63.2%-82.8%) at 1 year, 5 years, and 10 years post the first stage palliation surgery, 97.8% (95%CI 95.8%-99.7%) , 95.2% (95%CI 92.3%-98.1%) , and 95.2% (95%CI 92.3%-98.1%) at 1 year, 5 years, and 10 years post Glenn shunt surgery, 95.6% (95%CI 92.5%-98.7%) and 93.7% (95%CI 88.8%-98.6%) at 1 year and 5 years post Fontan surgery. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (HR=5.47, 95%CI 2.71-11.04, P<0.001), atrioventricular valve regurgitation more than moderate (HR=2.52, 95%CI 1.32-4.79, P=0.005), systemic ventricular outflow tract obstruction (HR=3.47, 95%CI 1.30-9.29, P=0.013), and required the first palliation surgery (HR=3.12, 95%CI 1.59-6.15, P=0.001) were risk factors of postoperative death. Conclusions: The multistage surgery can effectively improve the survival of patientswith functional single ventricle and is associated with satisfactory long-term prognosis. Total anomalous pulmonary venous connection, atrioventricular valve regurgitation more than moderate, systemic ventricular outflow tract obstruction, and required the first palliation surgery are risk factors of postoperative death in these patients.

[A preliminary prospective study on the efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided percutaneous lauromacrogol sclerotherapy in benign cystic or predominantly cystic thyroid nodules]

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of percutaneous lauromacrogol injection (PLI) in treatment of cystic or predominantly cystic thyroid nodules. Methods: A total of 114 cystic thyroid nodules and 61 predominantly cystic thyroid nodules with pain or uncomfort or aesthetic complaints were offered PLI. Therapeutic success rates and side effects were evaluated. From October 2012 to December 2015,114 patients with cystic thyroid nodules and 61 with predominantly cystic thyroid nodules with pain or uncomfortable or aesthetic complaints at the outpatient clinic of the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University were offered percutaneous lauromacrogol sclerotherapy. Cytological results were benign. This study was a prospective trial. Ultrasonography sound examination was performed in all patients before treatment. The baseline data of all the patients and the data of the patients examined at the follow-up of 1, 3, 6 and 12 months were analyzed. Therapeutic success rate (nodule volume reduction >50%) and safety were observed. The data of nodule volume reduction ratio and the function of thyroid were normal distribution and analyzed by Mann-Whitney test and t test. The data of nodule volume, symptoms score and cosmetic score were skewed distribution, which were indicated with median and analyzed by nonparamentic test. Results: The mean volume of the cystic thyroid nodules was reduced from 12.5 cm(3) before PLI to 0.2 cm(3) at 12 months after PLI (χ(2)=266.175, P<0.001), with a therapeutic success rate of 100%, and the mean volume of the predominantly cystic thyroid nodules was reduced from 10.5 cm(3) before PLI to 2.0 cm(3) at 12 months after PLI (χ(2)=203.122, P<0.001) with a therapeutic success rate of 93.4%(57/61). Pressure symptom score and cosmetic grade were significantly improved at 12 months after PLI in patients with cystic or predominantly cystic thyroid nodules. Pressure symptom score and cosmetic grade in patients with cystic thyroid nodules were Z=-6.126 and Z=-13.735, respectively; pressure symptom score and cosmetic grade in patients with predominantly cystic thyroid nodules were Z=-3.126 and Z=-7.212, respectively (all P<0.001) . There no significant difference in the thyroid functions before and after PLI in two groups of patients (all P>0.05) . The side effects of PLI were mild. Conclusion: PLI is a safe and effective alternative to treat benign cystic or predominantly cystic thyroid nodules.

[Application of fluoride releasing flowable resin in pit and fissure sealant of children with early enamel caries]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the clinical effect of fluoride releasing flowable resin used in treatment of early enamel caries of children compared with conventional sealant.

METHODS

Seventy-six patients, including fifty-two couples of permanent first molars and thirty couples of premolars were selected for this trial. Both sides of all the molars and premolars were diagnosed as early enamel caries based on International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) dental caries diagnostic criteria. Using the contralateral control, the teeth were randomly divided into two groups. Molars/premolars in the experimental group were sealed with a fluoride releasing flowable resin; the contralateral molars/premolars were sealed with a conventional fissure sealant as a control group. The retention rate and progress of caries were evaluated at the end of 3, 6, 12 and 24 months.

RESULTS

There was no fissure sealant loss or caries progression in both groups 3 and 6 months after sealing the premolars by fluoride releasing flowable resin or conventional fissure sealants. At the end of 12 and 24 months, only one case of fissure sealant loss was observed in conventional fissure sealant group. There was no statistical significance between the two premolar groups. In the first molar group, fluoride releasing flowable resin showed 100%, 98.08%, 90.38% and 88.46% complete retention at the end of 3, 6, 12 and 24 months, respectively. The conventional fissure sealant retention rates were 96.15%, 92.31%, 76.92% and 73.08% at the corresponding time points. The data at the end of 24 months showed that fluoride releasing flowable resin had significantly higher retention rate than the conventional fissure sealant group (P<0.05). The incidence of caries progression at the end of 6, 12 and 24 months were 1.92%, 5.77% and 7.69%, respectively, in the fluoride releasing flowable resin group. In the conventional fissure sealant group, the incidence was 5.77%, 19.23% and 25.00%, respectively. At the end of 12 and 24 months, more significant decrease of caries progress incidence was observed in the fluoride releasing flowable resin group than in the control group, and there was statistical difference between the two groups (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Compared with conventional fissure sealant, using fluoride releasing flowable resin as a fissure sealant in children enamel caries of permanent molars can improve the sealant preservation rate and effectively prevent enamel caries progress.

[Research progress of hydrogen-rich saline for eye diseases]

As an antioxidant, hydrogen-rich water has been widely studied in recent years. It is mild enough neither to disturb metabolic redox reactions nor to affect signaling reactive oxygen species. Therefore, there should be no or few adverse effects of H(2). Numerous studies in biology and medicine show that hydrogen-rich water has achieved good results in nervous system, digestive system, respiratory system, heart and kidney diseases. At present, there are few studies on the treatment of eye diseases with hydrogen-rich water. This review summarizes the research progress of hydrogen-rich water for eye diseases in the domestic and foreign literatures. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2018, 54: 631-635).

[Spatial-temporal distribution characteristics of hepatitis E in Shanghai, 2006-2016]

Objective: To understand the epidemiologic characteristics and spatial-temporal distribution of hepatitis E in Shanghai between 2006 and 2016. Methods: The reported incidence of hepatitis E and health facilities' information between 2006 and 2016 were collected from the China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention. The geographic information were from Shanghai Surveying and Mapping Institute. The map scale was 1∶750 000. Global and local autocorrelation, and spatial-temporal detection methods were applied to determine the spatial-temporal characteristics of hepatitis E. Software ArcGIS 10.1 was used to analyze global and local spatial auto correlation of hepatitis E spatial clusters. Software SaTScan 9.4.4 was used to conduct scan for exploring the areas of hepatitis E temporal spatial clusters. Results: A total of 6 048 cases of hepatitis E were reported in Shanghai during 2006-2016. The average incidence was 2.14/100 000. Spatial auto correlation analysis indicated that there was significant spatial positive correlations and spatial-temporal clustering of hepatitis E in Shanghai, and the "high-high cluster" was mainly located in the downtown of the city. Conclusion: Understanding the spatial-temporal clustering areas of hepatitis E cases in Shanghai from 2006 to 2016 is important to the reasonable allocation of public health resources and effective prevention and control of hepatitis E.

Biosorption of malachite green onto Haematococcus pluvialis observed through synchrotron Fourier-transform infrared microspectroscopy

Microalgae have emerged as promising biosorbents for the treatment of malachite green (MG) in wastewater. However, the underlying mechanism for the biosorption of MG onto microalgae is still unclear and needs further intensive study. In this work, synchrotron Fourier-transform infrared (s-FTIR) microspectroscopy in combination with biochemical assay is employed to evaluate MG removal efficiency (95·2%, 75·6% and 66·5%) by three stages of Haematococcus pluvialis. Meanwhile, the various vital changes of algal cells including lipids, proteins, polysaccharides and carotenoids is distinguished and quantified in situ. This study illustrates that s-FTIR microspectroscopy is an effective and powerful tool to scrutinize the mechanism for the interactions between the MG dye and microalgal cells, and it even provides an effective and noninvasive new approach to screen potentially proper biosorbents for the removal of dyes from wastewater.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

Microalgae have potential application for their ability to absorb dyes from industrial wastewater. In this study, we initiated the application of synchrotron Fourier-transform infrared (s-FTIR) microspectroscopy to investigate malachite green dye removal efficiency by three stages of Haematococcus pluvialis, demonstrating that s-FTIR is a very powerful tool in exploring the mechanism of the biosorption of dyes onto microalgae.

[Improving outcomes of patients with heterotaxy and functional single ventricle: a 10-year follow-up of 70 cases in a single institution]

Objective: To review current-era palliation outcomes of patients with heterotaxy and functional single ventricle in a single institution. Methods: The clinical data of 70 consecutive patients with heterotaxy undergoing multistage single ventricle palliation in Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center from January 2008 to December 2017 were retrospectively reviewed, and the prognosis factors for mortality were analyzed. There were 53 male and 17 female patients.The median age was 13.3 months (range: 6 days to 150 months). Single ventricle multistage palliation included 1(st) stage palliation surgery, 2(nd) bidirectional Glenn shunt, and 3(rd) stage modified Fontan.The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate the probability of survival. Multivariate analysis was performed by Cox regression model. Results: Sixty-two patients had right atrial isomerism while eight had left atrial isomerism. Eighteen patients (25.7%) required the first stage palliation. Fifty-five patients received the Glenn shunt, and the Fontan procedure was completed in 27 patients. Overall, mortality occurred in 17 patients (24.3%) including 9 after the first stage palliation, 6 after the Glenn shunt, and 2 following the Fontan procedure. Survival estimates for the entire cohort following surgery were 81% (95%CI: 72% to 90%), 74%(95%CI: 64% to 85%), and 74% (95%CI: 64% to 85%) at 1 year, 5 years and 10 years, respectively. Survival estimates following the first stage palliation were 56% (95%CI: 33% to 79%) and 49% (95%CI: 26% to 73%) at 1 year and 5 years, respectively. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC) (HR=6.16, 95%CI: 1.65 to 22.95, P=0.007), atrioventricular valve regurgitation more than moderate (HR=3.81, 95%CI: 1.32 to 10.94, P=0.013) and required the first palliation surgery (HR=4.58, 95%CI: 1.34 to 15.72, P=0.016) were prognosis factors for overall mortality. Conclusions: The management of heterotaxy patients with functional single ventricle remains challenging, and the outcomes are continously improving in china. TAPVC, atrioventricular valve regurgitation more than moderate and required the first palliation surgery still are prognosis factors for overall mortality in heterotaxy syndrome.

Prognostic significance of downregulated BMAL1 and upregulated Ki-67 proteins in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

This study assessed the prognostic value of BMAL1 and Ki-67 expression in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Level of BMAL1 mRNA was assessed in tissue specimens from 36 nasopharyngeal carcinomas and 20 nasopharyngeal chronic inflammations using quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Expression of BMAL1 and Ki-67 proteins was analyzed immunohistochemically in 90 paired nasopharyngeal carcinoma and distant normal tissues. The Kaplan-Meier curves and the Log-rank test were used to calculate prognostic significance stratified by BMAL1 and Ki67 protein expression and the COX regression model was to analyze the multivariate prognosis. BMAL1 mRNA was significantly reduced in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (4.67 ± 0.27 versus 6.64 ± 0.51 in chronic inflammation tissues, p = 0.002). Level of BMAL1 mRNA was associated with tumor distant metastasis (3.37 ± 0.66 versus 5.04 ± 0.27 compared with non-metastasis, p = 0.011). Level of BMAL1 protein was also reduced in tumor tissues and BMAL1 expression was associated with better 1-, 3- and 5-year overall survival (OS) of cancer patients (92.6%, 69.2% and 62.3% versus 59.1%, 40.9% and 0% in patients with low BMAL1 expressed tumors; p = 0.000). BMAL1 expression and age were independent prognostic factors for OS (p = 0.032). Furthermore, Ki-67 expression was high in tumor versus normal tissues and associated with poor OS of cancer patients (p = 0.035). The Pearson correlation analysis showed that there was an inverse association between BMAL1 and Ki-67 protein expression (p = 0.021). This study demonstrated that lost BMAL1 and Ki-67 overexpression were associated with poor OS of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients.

Arresting of miR-186 and releasing of H19 by DDX43 facilitate tumorigenesis and CML progression

Cancer-testis (CT) antigens, rarely in normal tissues except testis, are expressed in many tumor types. In recent years, DDX43 has been shown to be expressed in several malignancies. However, the role of DDX43 during tumorigenesis is not well established. In the present study, we explored the function of DDX43 in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). We found that DDX43 overexpression in CML cell lines enhanced survival and colony formation, inhibited cell apoptosis, promoted tumorigenesis, and CML progression. In contrast, silencing of DDX43 inhibited cell survival and tumorigenesis. Upregulated H19 and downregulated miR-186 were identified in DDX43-transfected cells. Furthermore, we demonstrated that miR-186 targeted DDX43, and overexpressed miR-186 increased apoptosis and decreased cell survival. We also showed that DDX43 regulated the expression of H19 through demethylation and silencing H19 inhibited cell survival. Taken together, these results indicate that DDX43 provides critical support to the progression of CML by enhancing cell survival, colony formation, and inhibiting cell apoptosis, thereby implicating DDX43 as a potential therapeutic target in CML.

[How to understand the clinical significance of autoantibodies in primary biliary cholangitis]

Autoantibodies are important indicators for the diagnosis of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). The autoantibodies in PBC patients are mainly antimitochondrial antibodies (AMAs) and antinuclear antibodies (ANAs). AMAs are one of the diagnostic indices of PBC. PBC-specific ANAs (nuclear dots or nuclear envelope, anti-sp100, and anti-gp210) have a high specificity in the diagnosis of AMA-negative PBC. This article reviews the clinical significance of these autoantibodies and analyzes some misconceptions about the clinical diagnosis of AMA-negative PBC and PBC-AIH overlap syndrome.

[Postoperative complications following dental rehabilitation under general anesthesia in children]

Objective: To assess the postoperative complications in systemically healthy children treated for dental caries under general anesthesia (GA) after discharge and analysis of the correlative factors. Methods: This prospective observational study included 124 children aged 2-8 years old who received extensive dental treatment under GA. General conditions and treatment information were obtained from questionnaires filled by the dentist and the anesthesiologist. Postoperative data were collected from a questionnaire filled by the parents in one week. Pain was assessed by using the dental discomfort questionnaire-8 (DDQ-8) pain assessment scale. Results: The mean anesthesia time for GA procedures was 102.6 min and the mean number of treated teeth was 13.5. Approximately 66.9% (83/124) of the children had one or more postoperative complaints on the first day after the treatments. The most common complaints reported were cough, hoarseness, and dental pain followed by throat discomfort, problems in eating, swelling, weakness, sleepiness, vomiting, fever and nausea. By the seventh day after the treatment, the main complications remained were dental pain and cough, while most of other symptoms disappeared. Preoperative DDQ-8 score and the number of extracted teeth were the factors that showed a significant association with postoperative dental pain on the first day. Conclusions: Dental pain and pharynx discomfort were most frequently noted postoperative symptoms. Postoperative dental discomfort on the first day might be predicted by dental pain before GA and tooth extraction under GA.