Gut microbiota induced abnormal amino acids and their correlation with diabetic retinopathy

AIM

To explore the correlation of gut microbiota and the metabolites with the progression of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and provide a novel strategy to elucidate the pathological mechanism of DR.

METHODS

The fecal samples from 32 type 2 diabetes patients with proliferative retinopathy (PDR), 23 with non-proliferative retinopathy (NPDR), 27 without retinopathy (DM), and 29 from the sex-, age- and BMI- matched healthy controls (29 HC) were analyzed by 16S rDNA gene sequencing. Sixty fecal samples from PDR, DM, and HC groups were assayed by untargeted metabolomics. Fecal metabolites were measured using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis. Associations between gut microbiota and fecal metabolites were analyzed.

RESULTS

A cluster of 2 microbiome and 12 metabolites accompanied with the severity of DR, and the close correlation of the disease progression with PDR-related microbiome and metabolites were found. To be specific, the structure of gut microbiota differed in four groups. Diversity and richness of gut microbiota were significantly lower in PDR and NPDR groups, than those in DM and HC groups. A cluster of microbiome enriched in PDR group, including Pseudomonas, Ruminococcaceae-UCG-002, Ruminococcaceae-UCG-005, Christensenellaceae-R-7, was observed. Functional analysis showed that the glucose and nicotinate degradations were significantly higher in PDR group than those in HC group. Arginine, serine, ornithine, and arachidonic acid were significantly enriched in PDR group, while proline was enriched in HC group. Functional analysis illustrated that arginine biosynthesis, lysine degradation, histidine catabolism, central carbon catabolism in cancer, D-arginine and D-ornithine catabolism were elevated in PDR group. Correlation analysis revealed that Ruminococcaceae-UCG-002 and Christensenellaceae-R-7 were positively associated with L-arginine, ornithine levels in fecal samples.

CONCLUSION

This study elaborates the different microbiota structure in the gut from four groups. The relative abundance of Ruminococcaceae-UCG-002 and Parabacteroides are associated with the severity of DR. Amino acid and fatty acid catabolism is especially disordered in PDR group. This may help provide a novel diagnostic parameter for DR, especially PDR.

Toripalimab plus axitinib versus sunitinib as first-line treatment for advanced renal cell carcinoma: RENOTORCH, a randomized, open-label, phase III study

BACKGROUND

Immune checkpoint inhibitors in combination with tyrosine kinase inhibitors are standard treatments for advanced clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC). This phase III RENOTORCH study compared the efficacy and safety of toripalimab plus axitinib versus sunitinib for the first-line treatment of patients with intermediate-/poor-risk advanced RCC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with intermediate-/poor-risk unresectable or metastatic RCC were randomized in a ratio of 1 : 1 to receive toripalimab (240 mg intravenously once every 3 weeks) plus axitinib (5 mg orally twice daily) or sunitinib [50 mg orally once daily for 4 weeks (6-week cycle) or 2 weeks (3-week cycle)]. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS) assessed by an independent review committee (IRC). The secondary endpoints were investigator-assessed PFS, overall response rate (ORR), overall survival (OS), and safety.

RESULTS

A total of 421 patients were randomized to receive toripalimab plus axitinib (n = 210) or sunitinib (n = 211). With a median follow-up of 14.6 months, toripalimab plus axitinib significantly reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 35% compared with sunitinib as assessed by an IRC [hazard ratio (HR) 0.65, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.49-0.86; P = 0.0028]. The median PFS was 18.0 months in the toripalimab-axitinib group, whereas it was 9.8 months in the sunitinib group. The IRC-assessed ORR was significantly higher in the toripalimab-axitinib group compared with the sunitinib group (56.7% versus 30.8%; P < 0.0001). An OS trend favoring toripalimab plus axitinib was also observed (HR 0.61, 95% CI 0.40-0.92). Treatment-related grade ≥3 adverse events occurred in 61.5% of patients in the toripalimab-axitinib group and 58.6% of patients in the sunitinib group.

CONCLUSION

In patients with previously untreated intermediate-/poor-risk advanced RCC, toripalimab plus axitinib provided significantly longer PFS and higher ORR than sunitinib and had a manageable safety profile TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04394975.

[Efficacy and safety analysis of an improved overlength biliary stent in the treatment of biliary stricture]

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of an improved overlength biliary stent in the treatment of bile duct stricture. Methods: Prospective randomized controlled study. Patients with bile duct stricture in Peking University International Hospital from February 2016 to June 2021 were randomly divided into the conventional plastic biliary stents (CPBS) group and the improved overlength biliary stents (IOBS) group by envelope random method. CPBS or IOBS were placed after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) breast catheterization was successfully conducted and the stenosis length was determined by angiography. The incidence of postoperative complications, median patency time of postoperative stent and reoperation rate within 6 months were compared between the two groups, Kaplan-Meier method was used to draw the survival curve, and log-rank test was conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of IOBS in the treatment of bile duct stricture. Results: A total of 90 patients were included. There were 45 patients in IOBS group, including 28 males and 17 females, aged (67.2±11.7) years. There were 45 patients in CPBS group, including 26 males and 19 females, aged (64.6±14.4) years. The patients in the both groups were balanced and comparable. There were no significant differences in success rate of operation, operation time, hospitalization time, operation cost and prospective complication rate between the two groups (all P>0.05). There were no significant differences in the changes of liver function index before and 72 hours after operation between the two groups (both P>0.05). The median patency time of stents in IOBS group was longer than that in CPBS group [M(Q1, Q3), 201(155,246) vs 109(55,167) d, P=0.002].The IOBS group had lower reoperation rate than the CPBS group within 6 months [46.2% (18/39) vs 78.9%(30/38), P=0.003]. Conclusion: IOBS has good safety in the treatment of bile duct stricture and the clinical efficacy is superior to CPBS.

[Pancreatic pseudocyst after pegaspargase treatment in six children]

Objective: To investigate the clinical characteristics and treatment of pancreatic pseudocyst after pegaspargase treatment in children. Methods: The clinical data of 6 children with pancreatic pseudocyst after pegaspargase treatment in the Department of Pediatrics in Peking University Third Hospital from July 2018 to February 2021 were analyzed retrospectively. Results: There were 4 males and 2 females, and their age of onset was 9.5 (5.8, 13.0) years. The total number of pegaspargase applications was 2.5 (2.0, 3.5) times. The course from the last dose of pegaspargase to the onset of pancreatitis was 11.0 (9.0, 17.2) days, and 42.5 (35.0, 129.5) days from the onset of pancreatitis to the diagnosis of pancreatic pseudocyst. Abdominal pain was the most prominent manifestation of pancreatitis (6/6). All of the 6 children were asymptomatic when pancreatic pseudocyst was noted, and were treated conservatively at first, but one case later developed intermittent abdominal distension or nausea after eating. All the cases had pancreatic pseudocyst enlargement during the conservative treatment. Three children were treated with endoscopic ultrasound-guided transgastric drainage, and the cyst disappeared from 10 days to 4 months after the operation. The other 3 children received endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)-guided transpapillary drainage, but one of them turned to surgery due to pancreatic duct stricture, and in the rest 2 children the cyst disappeared at 1 and 3 months after operation respectively. Regarding safety issues, 1 child who received ERCP-guided transpapillary drainage had acute postoperative pancreatitis, which were improved after treatment, and the other 5 had no complications. Conclusions: Pancreatic pseudocyst after pegaspargase chemotherapy can be asymptomatic in the early stage, and should be diagnosed with a history of pegaspargase treatment and timely imaging examination. Conservative treatment is the first choice for asymptomatic pseudocyst. When the pseudocyst enlarges, different endoscopic drainage treatments are required according to whether the pseudocyst is connected with the main pancreatic duct.

[Applied anatomical study and clinical application of the caudate lobe boundary and ductal system of the liver]

Objective: To explore the relationship between the hepatic caudate lobe boundary and the ductal system so as to guide the identification of the anatomical relationship during liver surgery. Methods: The specific parts were observed and the liver parenchyma was removed according to 41 cadaveric liver autopsy specimens. The critical relationship between the hepatic caudate lobe and other ducts was observed to explore the reticular duct structure. Results: The plane formed by the hepatic hilar plate and Arantius ligament served as the boundary between the caudate lobe and other hepatic lobes. The caudate lobe hepatic portal vein was composed of numerous small branches from its left and right branches. The portal vein adjacent to the vena cava was mainly derived from the left branch, and to a lesser extent from the right branch. Blood was drained straight from the caudate lobe vein into the inferior vena cava via the short hepatic vein. There were three or four bile duct branches in the caudate lobe. The main source of arterial blood flow were the left and right branches of the hepatic artery. An avascular zone of loose connective tissue was found between the caudate lobe and the retrohepatic inferior vena cava. Conclusion: The hepatic caudate lobe is an independent lobe. During hepatic caudate lobe surgery, the plane formed by the hepatic hilar plate and Arantius ligament can serve as the boundary between the caudate lobe and other hepatic lobes and be used for anatomical site identification. The duct system of the caudate lobe's is complicated, but it also has its own distinct regularity.

[Effects of cinepazide maleate injection on blood pressure in patients with acute ischemic stroke and hypertension]

Objective: To investigate the blood pressure change in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and hypertension treated with cinepazide maleate injection. Methods: This was a subgroup analysis of post-marketing clinical confirmation study of cinepazide maleate injection for acute ischemic stroke: a randomized, double-blinded, multicenter, placebo-parallel controlled trial, which conducted in China from August 2016 to February 2019. Eligible patients fulfilled the inclusive criteria of acute anterior circulation ischemic stroke with National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores of 7-25. The primary endpoints were mean blood pressure of AIS patients treated with cinepazide maleate or control, which were assessed during the treatment period (14 days), and the proportion of the patients with normal blood pressure was analyzed after the treatment period. Furthermore, a subgroup analysis was performed to investigate a possible effect of the history of hypertension on outcomes. Results: This analysis included 809 patients with hypertension. There was no significant difference in patients blood pressure and the proportion of patients with normal blood pressure (60.5% vs. 59.0%,P>0.05) between cinepazide maleate group and control group. Conclusion: Administration of cinepazide maleate injection does not affect the management of clinical blood pressure in patients with AIS.

Profiled polyethylene terephthalate filaments that incorporate collagen and calcium phosphate enhance ligamentisation and bone formation

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) artificial ligaments offer an unlimited source of ligaments without donor-site-related morbidity and with good mechanical properties for a rapid return to sporting activities. Developing PET artificial ligaments with excellent ligamentisation and ligament-bone healing is still a considerable challenge. This study aimed to investigate the effects of the profiled PET/collagen/calcium phosphate (PET/C/CaP) ligament upon cell growth, ligamentisation and ligament-bone healing in vitro and in vivo. Profiled PET/C/CaP filaments were made by melt-spinning process with 2 % CaP hybrid spinning and collagen coating. Rat mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were cultured on the profiled PET/C filaments for cytotoxicity, viability, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and ligament-related gene expression analysis. MSCs' osteogenic capacity on the profiled PET/CaP filaments was identified by detecting osteogenic gene expression and alizarin red S staining. For in vivo verification, an animal study was performed to evaluate the effect of the profiled PET/C/CaP ligament in a rabbit knee medial collateral ligament reinforcement reconstruction model. The graft ligamentisation and bone formation were investigated by SEM, histology, microcomputed tomography and mechanical tests. The profiled PET/C filaments enhanced MSC proliferation and ligament-related gene expression. Furthermore, they enhanced osteogenic gene expression, alkaline phosphatase activity and mineralisation of MSCs. The in vivo study indicated that the profiled PET/C/CaP ligament enhanced ligamentous matrix remodelling and bone formation. Therefore, their use is an effective strategy for promoting MSCs' ligamentous and osteogenic potential in vitro and enhancing ligamentous matrix remodelling and bone formation in vivo.

Experimental Evidence of Intrinsic Current Generation by Turbulence in Stationary Tokamak Plasmas

High-β_{θe} (a ratio of the electron thermal pressure to the poloidal magnetic pressure) steady-state long-pulse plasmas with steep central electron temperature gradient are achieved in the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak. An intrinsic current is observed to be modulated by turbulence driven by the electron temperature gradient. This turbulent current is generated in the countercurrent direction and can reach a maximum ratio of 25% of the bootstrap current. Gyrokinetic simulations and experimental observations indicate that the turbulence is the electron temperature gradient mode (ETG). The dominant mechanism for the turbulent current generation is due to the divergence of ETG-driven residual flux of current. Good agreement has been found between experiments and theory for the critical value of the electron temperature gradient triggering ETG and for the level of the turbulent current. The maximum values of turbulent current and electron temperature gradient lead to the destabilization of an m/n=1/1 kink mode, which by counteraction reduces the turbulence level (m and n are the poloidal and toroidal mode number, respectively). These observations suggest that the self-regulation system including turbulence, turbulent current, and kink mode is a contributing mechanism for sustaining the steady-state long-pulse high-β_{θe} regime.

The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on heart failure unplanned admission: a single center study

Background

Acute heart failure (AHF) is a leading cause of admissions among adults. The COVID-19 pandemic has placed a high burden on healthcare systems globally. Many countries announced lockdowns which restricted residents' movement. There is a reported reduction in AHF admissions during the pandemic in several countries, potentially leading to adverse outcomes such as increased morbidity and mortality. To date, little is known on whether similar trends are observed in Southeast Asian (SEA) countries.

Purpose

We aim to evaluate whether AHF admissions have been affected by the pandemic and the lockdown restrictions in a multi-ethnic, urban SEA country. We hypothesized that the pandemic and lockdown restrictions (called a “circuit breaker (CB)”) will influence heart failure (HF) admission rates.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients who were admitted with a principal diagnosis of HF to a tertiary hospital in a SEA country. The study period was from the first confirmed case of COVID-19 (January 23, 2020) to July 31, 2020 (n=378). This was further divided into 3 sub-periods for inter-year and intra-year subgroup analysis. Pre-CB: January 23, 2020 to April 6, 2020, CB: April 7, 2020 to June 1, 2020, and Post-CB reopening (Phase 1 & 2): June 2, 2020 to July 31, 2020. The control period was the same timeframe in the preceding year (January 23, 2019 to July 31, 2019) (n=398) and was similarly divided into 3 subgroups. The primary outcome was the overall HF admission rate. Where appropriate, Poisson regression or Negative Binomial regression was utilised to compare the incidence rate ratios of the HF admissions between the periods. Mann-Whitney test or student's t-test was used to compare the length of stay (LOS) and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) scores.

Results

Details on the study cohort can be found in Table 1. The study period's overall mean admission rate was 2.08 per day, which was not significantly different from the control (2.00 per day). Subgroup analysis showed that the CB admission rates were significantly lower compared to (i) the control (1.39 per day vs. 2.02 per day) and (ii) pre-CB period in the same year (1.39 per day vs. 2.44 per day) (Fig. 1). Phase 1 & 2 admission rates were significantly higher compared to the control (2.28 per day vs. 1.68 per day), and CB admission rates (2.28 per day vs. 1.39 per day). There were no inter-year or intra-year differences for LOS. There was a significant inter-year difference in CCI scores during the CB period (CB: 2.88 vs. control: 1.97).

Conclusions

Our study showed significant decreases in AHF admissions during the CB period, and a significant increase in AHF admissions from CB to Post-CB reopening. These suggest that the lockdown restrictions had an influence on patients' health seeking behaviour. We also recognise the need to raise public awareness to encourage HF patients to seek timely treatment, prevent complications and adverse events.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

[Epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 in Wuchang district of Wuhan]

Objective: To analyzes epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 and provide evidence for adjustment for COVID-19 prevention and control strategies. Methods: The data of COVID-19 cases in Wuchang district reported as of 19 March, 2020 were obtained from National Notifiable Disease Report System of Chinese Disease Prevention and Control Information System. The software's of Excel 2010, SPSSS 22.0, Arc GIS10.2 and Joinpoint regression program 4.8.0.0 were used for statistical analysis. Results: A total of 7547 COVID-19 cases had been reported as of 19 March, 2020 in Wuchang district, including 5 448 confirmed cases (72.19%), 2009 clinical diagnosed cases (26.62%) and 90 asymptomatic cases case (1.19%). The age of the cases was (56.65±16.25) years and age ranged from 2 days to 105 years among confirmed cases, 2634 were males (48.35%) and 2814 were females (51.65%), 2 492 were retirees (45.74%). A total of 545 health workers were infected with SARS-CoV-2 (7.22% of all cases) including 365 confirmed cases and 5 cases have died. A total of 430 cases of death were reported with case fatality rate of 7.89% (430/5 448), case fatality rate of males (10.9%, 266/2 634) was higher than that of females (5.82%, 164/2 814). The first phase of epidemic peak was from January 24 to January 26, the second phase of epidemic peak was from February 1 to February 5 and there was no one of new confirmed case in one day for the first time on March 18. The first four Streets with the highest incidence rates of confirmed cases were Huanghelou Street (1 043.77/100 000), Ziyang Street (627.97/100 000), Yangyuan Street (503.67/100 000) and Shuiguohu Street (486.02/100 000). Compared with females, aged ≤50 years and mild cases of clinical classification respectively, males (RR=0.690, 95%CI: 0.322-1.478), aged >50 years (RR=11.745, 95%CI: 6.878-20.058), severe cases (RR=2.317, 95%CI: 1.789-3.000) and critical cases of clinical classification (RR=10.794, 95%CI: 7.997-14.569), and gender time-dependent covariate (RR=1.392, 95%CI: 1.053-1.840) were major influencing factors of prognosis of COVID-19 confirmed cases. Conclusions: The gender, ages and occupation of distribution were wide among COVID-19 cases in Wuchang district. Males, aged >50 years, severe cases and critical cases of clinical classification were influencing factors of prognosis of COVID-19 confirmed cases. The standardized management of discharged cases, asymptomatic infected cases and close contact persons were main measures to reduce incidence rates of COVID-19 cases.

[Novel compound heterozygous LoF mutations in SRD5A2 may result in disorders of sex development]

Objective: To investigate the novel genetic cause associated with hypospadias and the strategy for preventing offspring genetic defects in these patients. Methods: In March 2019, a patient with gonadal dysplasia (hypospadias associated with cryptorchidism) was referred to Shanghai General Hospital. His secondary sex characters, level of sex hormones and the development of male reproductive system was assessed through physical examination, sex hormone examination, male reproductive system B-ultrasound and computed tomography (CT). Whole-exome sequencing (WES) was preformed to investigate the pathogenic genetic variations associated with hypospadias and cryptorchidism. Also, Sanger sequencing was conducted to verify the WES results in the pedigree. Semen analysis was used to assess the fertility of the proband and the SRD5A2 gene analysis of his spouse was performed to assess the risk of genetic defects in the offspring. Results: The patient suffered from gonadal dysplasia (hypospadias associated with cryptorchidism). Physical examination showed an inverted triangular distribution of pubic hair, small penis and the volume of the testis was 8 ml. Sex hormone examination revealed the level of FSH, LH, Pituitary prolactin (PRL), estrogen (E(2)), testosterone (T), and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) was 25.81 U/L, 10.84 U/L, 21.09 μg/L, 153 pmol/L, 16.95 nmol/L, and 36.15 nmol/L respectively. B-ultrasound and computed tomography (CT) showed left inguinal testis. Also, semen analysis illustrated that the volume was 0.05 ml and sperm concentration<2×10(6)/ml, suggesting oligospermia in this case. WES sequencing and Sanger sequencing showed compound heterozygous LoF mutations in SRD5A2 [NM_000348.3:C.679C>T(p.Arg227Ter) and NM_000348.3:C.16C>T(p.Gln6Ter)] in this patient. And there were no pathogenic genetic variations of SRD5A2 in the spouse. Conclusion: Novel compound heterozygous LoF mutations in SRD5A2[NM_000348.3:C.679C>T(p.Arg227Ter) and NM_000348.3:C.16C>T(p.Gln6Ter)] may be the primary cause of disorders of sex development.

[Efficacy and safety of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound at different intervals by mechanical force in treating erectile dysfunction: a preliminary study]

Objective: To study the efficacy and safety of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) at different intervals by mechanical force in treating erectile dysfunction (ED). Method: Forty patients with mild to moderate ED were randomized in a 1∶1 ratio to receive 16-treatment sessions of LIPUS in group A and group B, applied 3 times per week and 2 times per week, respectively. End-point assessments were made at 8th week after treatment. Efficacy were evaluated using International Index of Erectile Function-Erectile Function domain score (IIEF-EF), Erectile Hardness Score (EHS), Self-Esteem and Relationship Questionnaire (SEAR), Sexual Encounter Profile (SEP), Global Assessment Question (GAQ), and pain were assessed by Visual Analogue Score (VAS).Treatment response was confirmed by a minimal clinically importance difference (MCID) at 8th week. Results: Compared with baseline, IIEF-EF score [(17.1±5.48 vs 23.4±3.75, P<0.05) and (18.9±4.34 vs 24.1±4.32, P<0.05)], proportion of EHS 4 [(0 vs 40%, P<0.05) and (16.7% vs 55.6%, P<0.05)], and Overall Relationship score [(50.6 vs 67.5, P<0.05) and (44.4 vs 70.1, P<0.05)] were significantly improved at 8th week in two groups, respectively. Compared with baseline, the positive responses to SEP-3 increased significantly at 8th week in two groups (50.0% vs 80.0%,P<0.05) and (44.4% vs 88.9%, P<0.05), respectively. The positive responses to GAQ-2 were 90.0% and 88.9% at 8th week in two groups, respectively. There were no significant differences in IIEF-EF, EHS, SEAR, SEP and GAQ at 8th week between two groups. There was no significant difference in treatment response using MCID between two groups at end-point (80.5% vs 77.5%). The treatment duration for full sessions were 2.5 weeks less in group A than group B. No adverse effects were reported in all cases. Conclusion: LIPUS at two different intervals is effective and safe for mild to moderate ED, and the regimen at 3 times per week can achieve quite good effect in relatively short duration,while the long-term effects is still be clarified in further study.

[Philology research on the quoting from Compendium of Effective Prescriptions for Women in Korean Euibangyoochui]

Euibangyoochui compiled by the Korean government was finished in 1445. This book is a collection of Korean medicine. It quoted some contents from Compendium of Effective Prescriptions for Women. This paper use the photocopy of the Japanese edition of the first year of Fumihisa(1861)printed in Korea as the master copy of Euibangyoochui, the microfilm of the edition of Qin You Shu Tang in Yuan Dynasty as the master copy of Compendium of Effective Prescriptions for Women, in order to compare the content of Compendium of Effective Prescriptions for Women quoted in Euibangyoochui. There are 42 direct citations from Compendium of Effective Prescriptions for Women in Euibangyoochui, 41 of which are in gynecology, and 1 of which is in pediatrics. The indirect citations are divided into two types: single line big characters and double line small characters, no obvious rules. Meanwhile, it is found that the direct quotation is adjusted according to the style and content, and the differences between the quotation and the yuan edition are mostly small, which can be corrected and supplemented each other, it is of great reference value for collating the Compendium of Effective Prescriptions for Women.

[Clinical characteristics and analysis of prognostic factors of 222 patients diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma]

Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma(HL). Methods: The clinical data of HL patients who were newly treated in Guizhou Cancer Hospital from August 2007 to March 2019 was retrospectively collected, and the efficacy and prognostic factors were analyzed. Results: The clinical data of a total of 222 patients were analyzed in this study. The 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS)rate of them were 82.8% and 81.3%, respectively. The 5-year PFS rate and OS rate of early (stage Ⅰ-Ⅱ) HL were 87.3% and 86.1%, respectively, and the 5-year PFS rate and OS rate of progressive (stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ) HL were 77.9% and 76.3%, respectively. Among the 118 patients with early Hodgkin's lymphoma, the complete remission(CR) rate of chemotherapy alone was 55.6%(15/27), and chemotherapy plus radiotherapy was 86.8% (79/91), the difference between which was statistically significant (P<0.05). Compared with chemotherapy plus radiotherapy in early stage patients, 5-year PFS (93.0%) and 5-year OS (92.0%) rate in patients with chemotherapy plus radiotherapy were better than those with chemotherapy alone which were 63.7% and 62.1%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that age, LDH, ABVD cycle number and chemoradiotherapy were independent prognostic factors for 5-year OS and PFS rate in HL patients. The adverse reactions were increased level Ⅰ-Ⅱ aminotransferase with an incidence of 47.7% (106/222), decreased level Ⅰ-Ⅱ neutrophils with an absolute value of 54.1% (120/222), and decreased level Ⅲ-Ⅳ neutrophils with an absolute value of 45.9% (102/222). No adverse cardiac and pulmonary reactions or secondary tumors associated with chemotherapy was found in all patients. Conclusions: HL is a type of malignant tumor with good prognosis, and the short-term and long-term efficacy of chemotherapy combined with radiotherapy in early patients is better than that of chemotherapy alone. Age, LDH, ABVD cycle number and chemoradiotherapy are associated with prognosis in patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma. Adverse reactions can be tolerated.

[Correlation between multi-slice spiral CT determined epicardial adipose tissue volume and atrial fibrillation]

Objective: To determine the relationship between volume of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) and atrial fibrillation (AF) . Methods: A total of 207 patients who hospitalized in the Department of Cardiology, Nantong University Affiliated Hospital from January 2016 to June 2018 were included in this study. They were divided into two groups, including AF group (n=125) and sinus rhythm group (n=82). The AF group included 80 paroxysmal AF (PAF) and 45 persistent AF (PeAF) patients. Total EAT and left atrial EAT (LA-EAT) volume were measured using 256 rows of multi-slice spiral CT in all patients. Echocardiographic derived left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and left atrial diameter (LAD) were analyzed. Hospholipase A2 and blood lipids were examined in all patients. The baseline data and EAT volume of all groups were compared. The multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors related to the occurrence of AF. The correlation between total EAT volume and LA-EAT volume and LAD were analyzed by Pearson correlation. Result: The volume of total EAT in patients with sinus rhythm, AF, PAF and PeAF were (92.2±32.1), (136.0±46.0), (134.2±46.3) and (140.1±52.6)cm(3), respectively. The volume of LA-EAT in patients with sinus rhythm, AF, PeAF and PAF were (27.1±7.5), (39.2±19.2), (35.9± 17.0) and (45.1±21.5)cm(3), respectively. Total EAT and LA-EAT volume were significantly larger in PAF and PeAF groups than in sinus rhythm group (all P<0.01). The LA-EAT volume was larger in PeAF group than in PAF group (P<0.01), but total EAT volume was similar between two groups (P>0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that total EAT volume (OR=1.202, 95%CI 1.083-1.334, P=0.001), LA-EAT volume (OR=1.051, 95%CI 1.003-1.101, P=0.037) and LAD (OR=1.019, 95%CI 1.005-1.032, P=0.006) were the independent related factors of AF. Pearson correlation analysis showed that the total EAT volume was positively correlated with LAD (r=0.466, P<0.01) and LA-EAT volume was positively correlated with LAD (r=0.290, P<0.01). Conclusion: The volume of total EAT and LA-EAT measured by 256-row multi-slice spiral CT is significantly correlated with the incidence of AF.

[Medical historians and traditional Chinese physicians in early Chinese Society of Medical History]

In the early 20th century, the Chinese Society of Medical History was the only specialty society accepting members with traditional Chinese medicine background in the Chinese medical association. Therefore, it is of special significance to study the TCM members of the early Chinese Society of Medical History. By combing the medical journals of this period and referring to the researches today, this paper makes a comprehensive investigation on the life stories and academic works of the early 14 TCM doctors and scholars of the Chinese Society of Medical History, so as to understand their contributions to the development of Chinese medicine and the institute of medical history in this special historical period.

[Clinical analysis of FRAX in the assessment of fracture risk in patients with rheumatic disease in three medical center]

Objective: The aim is to analyze the fracture risk in rheumatic patients by fracture risk assessment tool (FRAX), which is recommended by World Health Organization (WHO), so that we can prevent the occurrence of osteoporotic fracture earlier. Methods: Totally 617 participants, 204 out-patients with rheumatism, 204 in-patients with rheumatism and 209 healthy controls, from March to October in 2018 of Fourth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Jishuitan Hospital and China-Japan Friendship Hospital, were enrolled in this study. The probability of hip fracture (PHF) and major osteoporotic fracture (PMOF) in 10 years with FRAX were compared, and the differences between taking sleroids or not and with or without bone mass density (BMD) of femoral neck were evaluated. Correlation analysis was conducted between PHF, PMOF and clinical information, including age, disease duration, gender, steroid usage, osteocalcin, P1NP and β-crosslaps. Results: There was no significant difference in PMOF within 10 years (3.455±2.690 vs 2.973±2.149 vs 3.323±1.828) among the three groups (P>0.05), but the PHF (0.986±1.619 vs 0.515±0.873 vs 0.149±0.311) was different (P<0.05). PHF and PMOF increased gradually with age. PMOF of patients without glucocorticoid therapy in 10 years was lower than that of patients with glucocorticoid (3.554±2.584 vs 2.857±2.238, P<0.05). There is no difference between the results of FRAX calculated with BMD or not (3.012±2.231 vs 3.207±2.601, P>0.05). PHF and PMOF were positively correlated with age, course of disease, glucocorticoid use and osteocalcin level, while PHF was negatively correlated with TP1NP among in-patients. Conclusion: The prevalence of 10-year hip fracture calculated by FRAX in rheumatism patients is higher than that of healthy group. FRAX can be used to calculate fracture risk without BMD. Combination of FRAX and bone turnover markers may be more effective in prediction of osteoporotic fracture in rheumatic patients.

[Comparison of endoscopic features between colorectal sessile serrated adenoma/polyp with or without cytologic dysplasia and hyperplastic polyp]

Objective: To investigate the morphological features of colorectal sessile serrated adenoma/polyp (SSA/P) and hyperplastic polyp (HP) by white light endoscope (WLE) and Image enhancement endoscope (IEE) . Methods: The data of 7 384 patients who underwent colonoscopy at the Center of Digestive Endoscopy, Peking University International Hospital from August 1, 2016 to February 29, 2018 were analyzed retrospectively. WLE and IEE[Fuji intelligent chromo endoscopy (FICE) or Blue Laser Imaging (BLI) ]were used to compare the morphological features of SSA/P with HP, SSA/P-CD(+)with SSA/P-CD(-). The diagnostic values of endoscopic features in SSA/P and SSA/P-CD(+)were analyzed. Results: A total of 3 401 polyps were detected in 7 384 patients, including 164 SSA/Ps (135 patients). During the same period, there were 270 HPs (223 patients) in accordance with the admission criteria. Compared with HP group, SSA/P group was more common in the right colon with a diameter>5 mm and more likely to be manifested as: Ⅱ-O pit pattern, surface mucus, cumulus-like surface, irregular morphology, VMV, redness, and also more likely to be associated with colon adenoma, colon cancer elsewhere in the colorectum. The differences were statistically significant (P<0.01). Compared with SSA/P-CD(-)group, SSA/P-CD(+)group was more common in the right colon with a diameter>5 mm and more likely to be manifested as: Ⅱ-O pit pattern, surface mucus, cumulus-like surface, irregular morphology, VMV. The differences were statistically significant (P<0.001). The differential diagnosis between SSA/P and HP was predicted by combining any two endoscopic morphological features (right colon, Ⅱ-O pit pattern, surface mucus, cumulus surface, irregular morphology, VMV, diameter>5 mm, at least 2 of 7 endoscopic features). The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive likelihood ratio and negative likelihood ratio were 59.15%, 95.56%, 81.80%, 13.32 and 0.43, respectively. Similarly, the differential diagnosis between SSA/P-CD(+) and HP was predicted. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive likelihood ratio and negative likelihood ratio were 92.16%, 95.56%, 95.02%, 20.76 and 0.08, respectively. Conclusion: Comprehensive analysis of the WLE and FICE/BLI morphological features of the lesions can effectively distinguish SSA/P from HP, especially SSA/P-CD(+) from HP.

A variational principle for fluid sloshing with vorticity, dynamically coupled to vessel motion

A variational principle is derived for two-dimensional incompressible rotational fluid flow with a free surface in a moving vessel when both the vessel and fluid motion are to be determined. The fluid is represented by a stream function and the vessel motion is represented by a path in the planar Euclidean group. Novelties in the formulation include how the pressure boundary condition is treated, the introduction of a stream function into the Euler–Poincaré variations, the derivation of free surface variations and how the equations for the vessel path in the Euclidean group, coupled to the fluid motion, are generated automatically.

[Efficacy and safety study of microsurgical varicocelectomy in the treatment of non-obstructive azoospermia with varicocele]

Objective: To discuss the efficacy and safety of subinguinal microsurgical varicocelectomy in the treatment of non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) with varicocele. Methods: The clinical data of 141 patients with NOA and varicocele who underwent subinguinal microsurgical varicocelectomy from March 2015 to June 2017 in Shanghai General Hospital was collected.One hundred and ten patients suffered from varicocele on the left side, 1 on the right side, and the rest (30 cases) were bilateral varicocele. Grade Ⅰ varicocele were found on 7 sides (the right and left side was count respectively), grade Ⅱ on 121 sides, and grade Ⅲ on 43 sides. Sperm analysis, pregnancy rate and complications were recorded after at least 6 months since operation. Results: Eleven cases were lost during the follow-up. Eighteen of the remaining 130 NOA patients processed successful sperm retrieval in post-operative semen analysis (18/130, 13.8%). Six couples(6/130, 4.6%) succeeded in natural pregnancy. Five couples (5/130, 3.8%)underwent successful pregnancy following with intracytoplasmic sperm injection(ICSI). Twenty-six out of the remaining 112 patients underwent the micro dissection testicular sperm extraction (micro-TESE), and 4 patients got a successful sperm retrieval (4/26, 15.4%). Among them, 2 couples had successful pregnancy with ICSI. Totally 2 cases of postoperative infection of incision were found. Conclusions: Microsurgical varicocelectomy had a beneficial effect on sperm quality of patients suffered from NOA with varicocele to some extent, even leading to unassisted pregnancy or avoiding micro-TESE before ICSI. Microsurgical varicocelectomy could be applied in the treatment of NOA with varicocele.

Expression of Wnt-1 and TSLC1 in condyloma acuminatum

BACKGROUND

Despite its high contagiousness, high recurrence rate and potential for malignant transformation, effective treatments for condyloma acuminatum (CA) have not yet been developed. Accordingly, it is necessary to clarify the mechanisms underlying CA development.

AIM

To investigate the expression and significance of the proteins Wnt-1 and TSLC1 in patients with CA and in normal foreskin controls.

METHODS

Wnt-1 and TSLC1 were assessed by immunohistochemistry in 45 patients with CA.

RESULTS

Positive expression rates of Wnt-1 and TSLC1 were 82.22% (37/45) and 37.78% (17/45), respectively, in CA tissues, and 29.17% (7/24) and 91.67% (22/24), respectively, in normal foreskin controls. Wnt-1 expression intensity in CA was markedly higher (positive to strongly positive) than that in normal controls (negative to weakly positive), whereas TSLC1 expression intensity ranged from weakly positive to positive in CA, and nearly strongly positive in the normal control group. The differences in the positive expression rate and expression intensity of Wnt-1 and TSLC1 between the two groups were statistically significant (P < 0.05). In addition, Wnt-1 and TSLC1 were negatively correlated. (r = -0.336, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Overexpression of Wnt-1 and low expression of TSLC1 may be associated with the growth of CA. These findings may provide a basis for the development of therapies to prevent recurrence or malignant transformation of CA.

[Comparative treatment analysis of upper gastroenterology submucosal tumors originating from muscularis propria layer: submucosal tunneling endoscopic resection versus endoscopic submucosal excavation]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of submucosal tunneling endoscopic resection (STER) and endoscopic submucosal excavation (ESE) for upper gastroenterology submucosal tumors (SMT) originating from the muscularis propria (MP) layer.

METHODS

Clinicopathological and endoscopic data of 42 cases with upper gastroenterology tumors originating from the MP layer who were treated with STER (n=28) or ESE (n=14) between April 2013 and December 2016 in Peking University Third Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. The treatment and complications of the two groups were compared.

RESULTS

In the study, 42 cases were all resected by therapeutic endoscopy successfully．There was no significant difference (STER vs. ESE) in gender, age, mean tumor size [1.5 (1.0-6.0) cm vs. 1.3 (0.5-2.0) cm, P=0.056]. STER was superior to ESE with reduced sutured time [3.5 (1.0-11.0) min vs. 8.0 (2.0-33.0) min, P=0.006], but more resection time [46.5 (11.0-163.0) min vs.19.5 (6.0-56.0) min, P=0.007]. There was statistical difference between the two groups in resection time or sutured time, but no significant difference (STER vs. ESE) in total operative time [52.0 (14.0-167.0) min vs. 31.5 (10.0-88.0) min, P=0.080]. En bloc resection rates (92.9% vs. 85.7%), hospital stay duration and complications (10.7 vs. 0.0) were similar in the STER and ESE groups. One case developed mediastinal emphysema and 2 pneumonia after operation in STER group, and all of them recovered uneventfully after conservative treatments; There were no complications in the ESE group. After operation, 28 cases of leiomyoma and 14 cases of stromal tumor were diagnosed by routine pathological and immunohistochemical staining. Among them, 6 cases of stromal tumors in group STER were all extremely low risk, 4 cases of stromal tumors in group ESE were extremely low risk, 4 cases of stromal tumors in group ESE were medium risk (the size of the lesion was about 1.0-2.0 cm, and mitotic figures counted (6-8)/50 high power field). The median follow-up time of all the patients was 46.5 (24-60) months, and the shortest follow-up time for medium risk stromal tumors was 32 months. No residual tumor, recurrence and implantation in the tunnel were observed.

CONCLUSION

STER or ESE can be used as an effective and safe option for treatment of submucosal tumors originating from the muscularis propria of the upper digestive tract. Compared with STER, ESE had shorter resection time but longer wound closure time. There was no significant difference in total operation time.

[A comparative study of cold snare and hot snare resection of small colorectal polyps]

Objective: To compare the effect of cold snare and hot snare on the resection of small colorectal polyps, and to explore the clinical value of cold snare technique in removing colorectal polyps. Methods: From September 1, 2017 to January 31, 2018, 206 cases of patients with colorectal polyp resection in the Department of Gastroenterology of Peking University International Hospital were studied. During this period, according to the standard, 103 cases of patients (158 polyps) were in the cold snare group, and 103 patients (180 polyps) were randomly selected as control group from patients of the hot snare group. The related clinical data were analyzed retrospectively. The location, shape, size, polypectomy time, pathological type, complete resection rate, specimen recovery rate, complications and related costs of the two groups of polyps were compared. Results: The polypectomy time of the cold snare group was shorter than that of the hot snare group.The difference was statistically significant (Z=-11.727, P<0.001). The related cost of the perioperative period of the cold snare group was lower than that of the hot snare group.The difference was statistically significant (Z=-12.680, P<0.001). There were no statistically significant differences in the number of polyps/case, size, shape, pathological classification, complete resection rate, specimen recovery rate, and perioperative complications of the patients in the two groups(P>0.05). Conclusions: The operation time of cold snare technique in colorectal polyps (6-9 mm in diameter) is shorter and the cost is lower, which is worthy of clinical promotion.

[EB virus-positive T/NK lymphoproliferative diseases: an analysis of 156 patients]

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological features of EBV-positive T/NK cell lymphoproliferative diseases (EBV(+) T/NK-LPD). Methods: The clinical characteristics of 156 cases of EBV(+) T/NK-LPD were collected from August 2002 to March 2015 at Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University. Immunohistochemical staining, EBER in situ hybridization and clonal analysis of TCR gene were performed. All patients were followed up. Results: There were 106 male and 50 female patients; patients' age ranged from 1 to 75 years (median 20 years). The course of the diseases before diagnosis ranged from 2 to 540 months (median 20 months). Fever was noted in 122 patients (78.2%), 108 patients had lymphadenopathy (69.2%), and 75 patients had hepatosplenomegaly (48.1%). Thirty-three cases were grade 1, 68 cases were grade 2, and 55 cases were grade 3. TCR gene arrangement analysis was performed in 45 cases, and 33 cases (73.3%) showed clonal rearrangement. The follow-up period ranged from 1-134 months, and 44 patients (28.2%) died. There was a trend of increased death rate associated with increasing grade (P>0.05). Conclusions: There are many types of EBV(+) T/NK-LPD, and they can be classified as systemic, relatively localized and localized. The prognosis should be based on a comprehensive analysis of pathology and clinical data. There is no significant correlation between morphological grade and mortality. An important goal of therapy is to prevent serious complications.

[Clinical observation on LOP regimen combined with IMRT treatment for early nasal NK/T cell lymphoma]

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy and safety of the LOP regimen (L-asparaginase, vincristine, dexamethasone) combined with intensity modulated radiation therapy(IMRT)in the treatment of early nasal NK/T cell lymphoma. Method: Clinical data of 65 patients with nasal NK/T cell lymphoma treated with LOP chemotherapy combined with IMRT at the Guizhou Province Tumor Hospital between March 2010 and January 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Among the 65 patients, 39 cases obtained complete remission (CR), 18 cases obtained partial remission(PR), 1 case obtained stable disease (SD), 7 cases had progressive disease(PD). The objective response rate (ORR) was 87.7%, the disease control rates (DCR) was 89.2%. The DCR was lower in the patients with B symptoms or over age of 60. Patients with super cavity obtained a worse progression-free survival(PFS). The 1-, 2-, 3-year PFS were 91.7%, 74.8% and 61.3%, the overall survival(OS) were 91.8%, 81.3% and 78.9%, respectively. Main adverse reactions were myelosuppression, gastrointestinal reaction, hepatic lesion, hypoproteinemia, percutaneous reaction and oral mucosa reaction. No severe pancreatitis, severe anaphylaxis and toxic related death were observed. Conclusion: The LOP regimen combined with IMRT treatment for nasal NK/T cell lymphoma may have a good therapeutic effect, low toxicity, and good tolerance.

[Dynamic investigation of nutritional risk in patients with malignant tumor during hospitalization]

Objective: To prospectively investigate the changes in nutritional status of patients with malignant tumors during hospitalization by using nutritional risk screening (NRS2002), and to analyze the correlation between the nutritional status and clinical outcomes . Methods: This was a prospective and parallel research done by multi-center collaboration from 34 hospitals in China from June to September 2014.Hospitalized patients with malignant tumors inthese departments (Department of Gastroenterology, respiratory medicine, oncology, general surgery, thoracic surgery and geriatrics)were investigated. Only the patients with age≥ 18 years and hospitalization time between 7-30 days were included. During hospitalization, the physical indexes of human bodywere measured, and the NRS 2002 scores, and monitored the nutritional support at the time points of admission and 24 hours before discharge were recorded.And whether there was a nutritional risk in hospitalized patients and its association with clinical outcomes were investigated. Results: A total of 2 402 patients with malignancies were enrolled in this study. Seventy fourpatients who did not complete NRS2002 were eliminated, and 2 328 patients were included. The number of the main diseases was the top five, including 587 cases of colorectal cancer, 567 cases of lung cancer, 564 cases of gastric cancer, 146 cases of esophageal cancer, and 119 cases of liver tumor. At the time of discharge, compared with admission, the BMI, body weight, grip and calf circumferences of patients with malignant tumor were significantly decreased (P<0.05). The total protein, albumin, prealbumin and hemoglobin were significantly lower than those at admission (P<0.05). In 2 328 patients who were completed nutritional risk screening, the rate of malnutrition at admission was 11.1% (BMI =18.5, 258/2 328) and the rate of malnutrition at discharge was 10.9% (BMI =18.5, 254/2 328), there were no significant differences (χ(2)=0.019 7, P=0.888). There were 1 204 patients with nutritional risk at admission (51.7%, NRS2002 score≥3)and 1 352 patients with nutritional risk at discharge (58.1%, NRS2002 score≥3), with significant differences (χ(2)=49.9, P<0.001). The incidence of nutritional risk in patients with colorectal, stomach, and lung tumors at discharge was significantly higher than that at admission (P<0.05). The infective complications and other complications of patients with nutritional risk were significantly greater than those without nutritional risk at admission and at discharge.ICU hospitalization stay of patients with nutritional risk was increased significantly than those without nutritional risk at admission(P=0.042). Hospitalization expenses of patients with nutritional risk was increased significantly than those of patients without nutritional risk at discharge(P<0.01). Conclusion: The patients with malignant tumor have a higher incidence rate of malnutrition at both admission and discharge and malnutritionhas correlation with adverse clinical outcomes.The aboveindicators did not improve significantly at discharge.Doctors should pay more attention to the nutritional status (screening and evaluation)of patients before discharge and use appropriate and adequate nutrition support in order to prevent the weight loss and improve the life quality of patients.

[Effectiveness of microsurgical crossover anastomosis in treating complicated obstructive azoospermia]

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of microsurgical crossover vasovasostomy in treating complicated obstructive azoospermia. Methods: The data of 14 patients with complicated obstructive azoospermia treated with microsurgical crossover vasovasostomy were reviewed from October 2012 to March 2016.Ten of them underwent microsurgical crossover vasovasostomy. Intraoperative exploration revealed that 2 patients had vas deferens injury and contralateral testicular atrophy or epididymal obstruction due to previous hernia repair; 7 patients had obstruction of intracorporeal vas deferens on one side and epididymal obstruction on the other side; the other 1 patient had unilateral vasal obstruction with contralateral epididymal obstruction. Furthermore, 4 patients underwent microsurgical crossover vasoepididymostomy, including 3 patients who had obstruction at caput epididymis on one side, and obstruction at cauda epididymis and distal vas deferens on the other side; the other patient had absence of vas deferens in the scrotum on one side, and testicular atrophy on the other side. Regular follow-up visits were conducted after the surgery. Results: Two patients were lost to follow-up; the other 12 patients were follow-up for an average of 11 (range: 2-23) months. In the 10 cases receiving microsurgical crossover vasovasostomy (including 2 patients lost to follow-up), 1 has not undergone semen re-analysis, 6 were confirmed patent, including 3 reporting spontaneous pregnancy. The patency rate in the 4 patients receiving microsurgical crosseover vasoepididymostomy was 2/4, with 1 patient reporting spontaneous pregnancy. There was no complaint of discomfort or complications following the surgery. Conclusions: Microsurgical crossover anastomosis may be effective and safe for patients with complicated obstructive azoospermia, according to preoperative assessment and intraoperative exploration. It allows natural conception for patients with refractory infertility. The microsurgical crossover anastomosis could be an effective therapy to achieve satisfactory patency of vas deferens.

Progress in long non-coding RNAs in animals

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are important transcripts that are more than 200 nucleotides in length, and distribute extensively in animal and plant genomes. Accumulated studies demonstrate that lncRNAs play critical roles in biological processes related to embryogenesis, muscle development, lipid deposition and immune responses. They assist protein complexes in translocating to appropriate locations and participate in regulating gene activation and inactivation. Recently, rapid progress of lncRNA research is emerging, largely due to molecular biological technologies and information developed in the human genome project and the Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) project. For example, a dwarf open reading frame (DWORF) encoded by an annotated lncRNA was reported to activate the SERCA pump. Moreover, small regulatory polypeptide of amino acid response (SPAR) encoded by lncRNA LINC00961 was found to regulate muscle regeneration. These new results have revealed a novel model that lncRNA regulates biological processes using its small peptide product. In this review, we summarize the characteristics, databases, biological functions and molecular regulatory models, as well as research interests of lncRNAs in the future.

Risks for Staphylococcus aureus colonization in patients with psoriasis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Evidence on whether patients with psoriasis have a higher risk for staphylococcal colonization than healthy controls remains controversial. To synthesize the current literature, we performed a systematic review on the prevalence and relative risk (RR) of Staphylococcus aureus colonization in patients with psoriasis. We modified the QUADAS-2 instrument to assess the reporting quality of individual studies and applied random-effects models in meta-analysis. Overall we identified 21 eligible studies, of which 15 enrolled one or more comparison groups. The pooled prevalence of staphylococcal colonization in patients with psoriasis was 35·3% [95% confidence interval (CI) 25·0-45·6] on lesional skin and 39·2% (95% CI 33·7-44·8) in the nares. Patients with psoriasis were 4·5 times more likely to be colonized by S. aureus than healthy controls were on the skin (RR 5·54, 95% CI 3·21-9·57) and 60% more in the nares (RR 1·60, 95% CI 1·11-2·32). Cutaneous and nasal colonization by meticillin-resistant S. aureus also appeared higher in patients with psoriasis (pooled prevalence 8·6%) than in healthy controls (2·6%), yet the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0·74). In contrast, despite of a similar risk for nasal staphylococcal colonization (RR 0·67, 95% CI 0·38-1·18), patients with psoriasis were less likely to carry S. aureus on lesional skin than atopic patients (RR 0·64, 95% CI 0·40-1·02). In summarizing the current literature, we found that patients with psoriasis were at an increased risk for staphylococcal colonization compared with healthy individuals. Prospective studies on how bacterial loads correlate with disease activity can guide the clinical management of bacterial colonization while preventing the emergence of drug-resistant strains.

Micro-autologous Fat Transplantation (MAFT) for Forehead Volumizing and Contouring

Background

Frontal fullness in Asians is often considered to indicate one’s public popularity and leadership skills. Numerous materials and techniques have been applied clinically to recontour or volumize the frontal area, with variable results. The micro-autologous fat transplantation (MAFT) technique proposed by Lin et al. (2nd academic congress of Taiwan Cosmetic Association Taipei, Taiwan) in 2007 has demonstrated its feasibility in facial rejuvenation. In the present study, we used an innovative instrument to apply the MAFT technique to frontal augmentation with fat grafting and reported the results.

Methods

MAFT was performed on 178 patients (167 female, 11 male) during a 5-year period starting in January 2010. Fat was harvested by liposuction, processed and refined by centrifugation at 1200×g for 3 min. The purified fat was micro-transplanted for frontal contouring with the assistance of an instrument, the MAFT-GUN. The patients were followed up regularly, and photographs were taken for comparison.

Results

On average, the MAFT procedure took 52 min to complete. The average amount of delivered fat was 10.2 mL. The follow-up period was 34 months on average. No complications, including neurovascular injury, skin necrosis, abscess, nodulation, calcification or irregularity, were noted. A patient-rated satisfaction 5-point Likert scale demonstrated that 83.1% of all patients had favorable results (48.3% were satisfied, and 34.8% were very satisfied).

Conclusion

The concept and technique of MAFT has changed fat grafting from an operation with unpredictable clinical results to an easy, reliable and consistent procedure. Furthermore, the use of a precisely controlled instrument enabled surgeons to perform highly accurate micro-fat grafting. In comparison with other strategies for volume restoration, the MAFT procedure demonstrated high patient satisfaction with the long-term results. Therefore, the use of MAFT as an alternative approach to forehead contouring and volumizing was addressed.

Level of Evidence IV

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Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00266-017-0883-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

[The understanding of Epstein-Barr virus associated lymphoproliferative disorder]

In recent years, there are increasing articles concerning Epstein-Barr virus associated lymphoproliferative disorder (EBV+ LPD), and the name of EBV+ LPD is used widely. However, the meaning of EBV+ LPD used is not the same, which triggered confusion of the understanding and obstacles of the communication. In order to solve this problem. Literature was reviewed with combination of our cases to clarify the concept of EBV+ LPD and to expound our understanding about it. In general, it is currently accepted that EBV+ LPD refers to a spectrum of lymphoid tissue diseases with EBV infection, including hyperplasia, borderline lesions, and neoplastic diseases. According to this concept, EBV+ LPD should not include infectious mononucleosis (IM) and severe acute EBV infection (EBV+ hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, fatal IM, fulminant IM, fulminant T-cell LPD), and should not include the explicitly named EBV+ lymphomas (such as extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma, aggressive NK cell leukemia, Burkitt lymphoma, and Hodgkin lymphoma, etc.) either. EBV+ LPD should currently include: (1) EBV+ B cell-LPD: lymphomatoid granulomatosis, EBV + immunodeficiency related LPD, chronic active EBV infection-B cell type, senile EBV+ LPD, etc. (2) EBV+ T/NK cell-LPD: CAEBV-T/NK cell type, hydroa vacciniforme, hypersensitivity of mosquito bite, etc. In addition, EBV+ LPD is classified, based on the disease process, pathological and molecular data, as 3 grades: grade1, hyperplasia (polymorphic lesions with polyclonal cells); grade 2, borderline (polymorphic lesions with clonality); grade 3, neoplasm (monomorphic lesions with clonality). There are overlaps between EBV+ LPD and typical hyperplasia, as well as EBV+ LPD and typical lymphomas. However, the most important tasks are clinical vigilance, early identification of potential severe complications, and treating the patients in a timely manner to avoid serious complications, as well as the active treatment to save lives when the complications happened.

[Efficacy of PVD regimen combined with IMRT for early-stage extranodal nasal NK/T-cell lymphoma]

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of PVD chemo-regimen (Pegaspargase, vincristine and dexamethasone) combined with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for patients with early-stage extranodal nasal NK/T-cell lymphoma (ENKL). Methods: Clinical data of 52 patients with early-stage ENKL were collected during May 2010 and June 2015 in Department of Lymphoma, Cancer Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, and these patients firstly received a concurrent chemoradiotherapy of two-cycle of PVD and IMRT (gross tumor volume primary: 12.6-59.4 Gy) and then 2 to 4 cycles of PVD as subsequent chemotherapy, the efficacy and adverse responses were retrospectively analyzed and observed. Results: Follow-up stopped until December 2015, complete remission was seen in 44 cases (84.6%) and partial remission 7 cases (13.5%), out of 52 cases. A total of 1 case died of progression disease during treatment and within 1 year after treatment, 1 case died of pulmonary infection within 1 week after treatment, 2 cases survived with tumor; so the objective response rate and clinical benefit rate were both 98.1%, 1-year, 2-year and 3-year overall survival rates and progression free survival rates were all 93.6%, 1-year and 2-year disease free survival rates were both 90.3%; the correlation analysis showed that the radiotherapy dose was related to the curative effect (P<0.05). Short term adverse responses were observed in 6 cases (11.5%) with grade 3 leucocytopenia, in 5 cases (9.6%) with grade 3-4 dyslipidemia and in 2 cases (3.8%) with grade 3 hypoalbuminemia during chemoradiotherapy. All the patients had different degrees of radiation oral mucositis and radiation dermatitis. Conclusion: For early-stage ENKL, a concurrent chemoradiotherapy of PVD regimen and IMRT have a good therapeutic effect and adverse response can be tolerated.

Single-photon avalanche diodes in 0.18-μm high-voltage CMOS technology

We have designed and fabricated high-performance single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) by using 0.18-µm high-voltage CMOS technology. Without any technology customization, the SPADs have low dark-count rate, high photon-detection probability, low afterpulsing probability, and acceptable timing jitter and breakdown voltage. Our design provides a low-cost and high-performance SPAD for various applications.

[Correlation between anatomical factors of spermatic vessels and varicocele]

Objective: To analyze the correlation between anatomy of spermatic vessels and varicocele, providing reference for the preoperative assessment and treatment of varicocele. Methods: A total of 156 patients who underwent microsurgical left subinguinal varicocelectomy at Shanghai General Hospital between May 2015 and July 2016 were included in this study. The severity of varicocele and number of spermatic vessels detected in operations were recorded. According to the number of internal spermatic arteries (ISAs), the patients were divided into three groups: single-ISA group (55 cases), double-ISAs group (63 cases) and multi-ISAs group (38 cases), to analyze the correlation among spermatic vessels and to compare varicocele grade, the volume of testes, the parameter of semen analysis, serum reproductive hormone, surgery time, and hospital stay among the three groups. Results: The number of ISAs was positively correlated with the ipsilateral internal spermatic veins (ISVs) (r=0.210; P=0.008)and lymphatic vessels (r=0.224; P=0.005); the number of lymphatic vessels was positively correlated with the ipsilateral gubernacular veins (r=0.172; P=0.032)and ISVs (r=0.296; P=0.000) . The number of ISVs in the multi-ISAs group (10.58±4.28) was significantly larger than that in the single-ISA group (8.22±3.10, P=0.003). The number of lymphatic vessels in the multi-ISAs group(4.11±1.90)was also significantly larger than that in the double-ISA group(3.76±1.40, P=0.020) and the single-ISA group(3.13±1.52, P=0.007). The number of ISVs in grade 2 varicocele patients (9.74±3.90) was significantly higher than that in grade 3 varicocele patients (8.33±3.10, P=0.013). No significant differences in varicocele grade, change of pre- and post-operative semen analysis, serum reproductive hormone, the volume of ipsilateral testes, surgery time, and hospital stay were observed among the three groups. Conclusions: There is a correlation among various kinds of spermatic vessels. Patients with grade 2 varicocele, especially who have multiple ISAs, are likely to have more ISVs and lymphatic vessels. For these patients, surgeons should pay more attention to protect spermatic arteries and lymphatics carefully while ligating varicose veins completely to prevent recurrence and complications.

[Epidemiological pattern of abnormal urinary fluoride rates in population with occupational fluoride exposure in Shanghai]

Objective: To investigate the epidemiological features of abnormal urinary fluoride rates in population with occupational exposure, and its relationships with age, work years and gender in Shanghai. Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted respectively in 4 999 exposed workers and 283 non-exposed people during 2012-2015. Their urine samples were collected in plastic bottles and the fluoride ion selective electrode method was used for urinary fluoride level analysis. Logistic regression model was used to estimate associations between the abnormal rates and demographic/socioeconomic status of the study subjects. Results: In the past 4 years, the abnormal urinary fluoride rates (≥1.6 mg/L) in the population with occupational exposure was about 14.38%, it was about 1.43% in the control groups without occupational exposure. Their geometric mean of urinary fluoride content was 0.95 mg/L and 0.46 mg/L, respectively. The incidences of the abnormal rates in those aged ≥50 years and 34-39 years were 19.15% and 22.39%, respectively. The abnormal rate in males was 16.87%, much higher than that in females (6.85%). The abnormal rate had an upward trend along with the increased work years, especially in those with work years of ≥20 years. The abnormal rate was 23.28% in those with work years of ≥20 years and 13.29% in those with work years of <4 years. The relative risk for abnormal urinary fluoride rates was higher in male group, older age group and longer work year group, the odds ratio was 2.28, 1.10 and 1.13, respectively. Conclusions: Serious challenges exist in occupational health supervision. The relevant national standards should be updated as soon as possible. Males, those aged >50 years, and those with longer work years are the risk groups for intervention measures. More efforts are needed, such as strengthening the innovative application of health examination data and the equalization of basic public health service with comprehensive occupational health supervision programs among off-farm workers in the new medical reform.

[Clinical research of differences of volume of pharyngeal cavity between normal healthy subjects and patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome]

Objective:To investigate the differences of volume of pharyngeal cavity between normal healthy subjects and patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome(OSAHS)before and after surgery and its application value in assessment of surgical curative effect.Method:Forty-four healthy male adults were included in normal group.Thirty-eight patients with severe OSAHS diagnosed by polysomnography were included in experimental group(OSAHS group). Volume of pharyngeal cavity, oropharynx and laryngopharynx measured by acoustic pharyngealmetry and AHI, obstructive apnea frequency and the lowest oxygen saturation recorded by PSG monitor were all obtained in normal groups and experimental groups before and 3 months after the surgery. All the data are statistically analyzed. Result:Volume of pharyngeal cavity,AHI,obstructive apnea frequency and lowest oxygen saturation of patients in experimental group were all improved after surgery compared with pre-operation(P<0.01). Conclusion: The measurement of pharyngeal cavity volume is helpful to the quantitative analysis of upper airway structure and determine the stenosis location, it is also useful to guide surgery and evaluate the curative effect of the surgery.

[Expression and significance of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase in oral lichen planus and oral squamous cell cacinoma]

OBJECTIVE

To assess the differences among the expressions of p38 mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPK), phospho-p38MAPK and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) in oral lichen planus (OLP) and oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC).

METHODS

In the study, 53 cases of OLP, 45 of OSCC, and 18 controls were obtained and 4-μm-thick histological sections were prepared from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue blocks.The expressions of p38MAPK,phospho-p38MAPK and NF-κB were detected by immunohistochemistry staining. Furthermore, the expressions of p38MAPK and phospho-p38MAPK were detected using Western blotting analyses in the fresh tissues from 11 cases of OLP, 5 cases of OSCC, and 7 cases of the controls.

RESULTS

p38MAPK was over-expressed in the lamina propria, but lowly expressed in the epithelium in OLP group. Phospho-p38MAPK was lower expressed in OLP group than in OSCC and control groups.NF-κB was found over-expressed in the lamina propria in OLP group.p38MAPK was found expressed in all the samples in the 3 groups. The expression of phospho-p38MAPK was observed in 8 (8/11) OLP samples, 5 (5/5) OSCC samples and 4 (4/7) controls by Western blotting, but no significant differences were found within the 3 groups.

CONCLUSION

p38MAPK can be detected in normal oral mucosa, OLP and OSCC. Phospho-p38MAPK may be related to the onset and progression of OSCC. The role of p38MAPK in OLP is yet to be revealed.

Process of Bipolaris sorghicola invasion of host cells

Target leaf spot is a sorghum leaf disease caused by Bipolaris sorghicola, a species of fungus with a global distribution. In this study, we investigated the process by which B. sorghicola invades cells of barley, onion, Arabidopsis thaliana species, and sorghum. The results showed that within 8 h of coming into contact with host cells, the hyphal ends of B. sorghicola expand and form a uniform infective penetration pegbolt-like structure; a primary infection mycelium can be formed inside host cells within 24 h after contact, which can infect closed cells after 48 h. A mycelium can grow within the gap between cells and form infective hyphae. The pathogen infection process was the same in different host cells. B. sorghicola can affect root cells through soil infection, indicating that it may also have characteristics of soil-borne pathogens.

A cluster of Mycobacterium massiliense keratitis in foundry workers

Three consecutive workers from the same foundry had Mycobacterium massiliense keratitis. The strains isolated from each patient were identical. This is the first report of a non-surgery-related outbreak of non-tuberculous mycobacterial ocular infection. An investigation revealed that injured cornea with exposure to aerosolized non-tuberculous mycobacteria might account for this outbreak.

Electronic transport in NbSe₂ two-dimensional nanostructures: semiconducting characteristics and photoconductivity

The electronic transport properties of two-dimensional (2D) niobium diselenide (NbSe2) layer materials with two-hexagonal single-crystalline structures grown by chemical vapor transport were investigated. Those NbSe2 nanostructures isolated simply using mechanical exfoliation were found to exhibit lower conductivity and semiconducting properties, compared with their bulk metallic counterparts. Benefiting from lower dark conductivity, NbSe2 nanoflakes exhibit a remarkable photoresponse under different wavelengths and intensity excitations. The photocurrent responsivity and photoconductive gain can reach 3.8 A W(-1) and 300, respectively; these values are higher than those of graphene and MoS2 monolayers and are comparable with those of GaS and GaSe nanosheets. The presence of electron trap states at the surface was proposed as an explanation for the reduced dark conductivity and enhanced photoconductivity in the 2D NbSe2 nanostructures. This work identifies another possibility for the application of a metallic layer material as an optoelectronic component in addition to an ultrathin transparent conducting material.

Local dynamic range compensation for scanning electron microscope imaging system

This is the extended project by introducing the modified dynamic range histogram modification (MDRHM) and is presented in this paper. This technique is used to enhance the scanning electron microscope (SEM) imaging system. By comparing with the conventional histogram modification compensators, this technique utilizes histogram profiling by extending the dynamic range of each tile of an image to the limit of 0-255 range while retains its histogram shape. The proposed technique yields better image compensation compared to conventional methods.

Suppression of lentivirus-mediated transgenic dendritic cells in graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation in mice

We determined whether genetically engineered immature dendritic cells (imDCs) mediated by lentiviral vectors alleviate acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (allo-BMT) in mice. We introduced the mouse chemokine receptor 7 (Ccr7) gene into the bone marrow-derived imDCs of C57BL/6 mice to construct genetically engineered imDCs. A 1:1 mixture of bone marrow and spleen cells from the donors was injected into the recipients, which were divided into four groups: radiation, transplantation, empty vector, and transgenic imDC groups. Symptoms, clinical scores, GVHD pathological changes, and survival times and rates of recipients were recorded; secretion of IFN-γ and IL-4, and allogeneic chimerism rates were detected. The survival time of the transgenic imDC group (27.5 ± 7.55 days) was significantly longer than in the other three groups (P < 0.01). The GVHD score of the imDC group mice was significantly lower than in the transplantation and empty vector groups (P < 0.05), which meant that mice in the transgenic imDC group had the lightest pathology damage in the target organs. In the transplantation group, IFN-γ increased while IL-4 decreased. In contrast, IFN-γ decreased and IL-4 increased in both empty vector and trans-imDC groups, and the difference was significant in the latter (P < 0.01). Thirty days or more following transplantation, the allogeneic chimerism rate was still 95-100%, suggesting complete donor type implantation. Ccr7 transfection into imDCs suppressed occurrence and severity of acute GVHD after allo-BMT in mice; the mechanism might be associated with IFN-γ decrease and IL-4 increase.