Versatility and outcomes of lateral arm free flap in head and neck reconstruction: a retrospective case series study of our experiences and innovations

Abstract Objectives: The Lateral Arm Free Flap (LAFF) offers advantageous features like variable thickness and minimal hair growth. LAFF is primarily used in orofacial and pharyngeal reconstructions, with limited reports on tracheal/esophageal applications. Also, the psychological prognosis and quality of life in patients with LAFF reconstruction are lacking. Methods: This retrospective case series presents outcomes of LAFF reconstruction for head and neck surgical defects which included 19 patients. The disease type, location of reconstruction, TNM staging, tumor size, chemoradiation status, anxiety, depression, quality of life and detailed perioperative information of the LAFF reconstruction surgery were presented in a descriptive pattern. Subgroup analysis was conducted using Mann-Whitney U and Pearson r test Conclusions: The lateral arm free flap exhibits remarkable versatility and multifunctionality, providing advantageous outcomes in head and neck reconstruction. Level of evidence: Level 4 according to OCEBM.

PD-1 inhibitor plus anlotinib for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: a real-world study / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

Management and treatment of terminal metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) remains heavily debated. We sought to investigate the efficacy of programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) inhibitor plus anlotinib as a potential solution for terminal mCRPC and further evaluate the association of genomic characteristics with efficacy outcomes. We conducted a retrospective real-world study of 25 mCRPC patients who received PD-1 inhibitor plus anlotinib after the progression to standard treatments. The clinical information was extracted from the electronic medical records and 22 patients had targeted circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) next-generation sequencing. Statistical analysis showed that 6 (24.0%) patients experienced prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response and 11 (44.0%) patients experienced PSA reduction. The relationship between ctDNA findings and outcomes was also analyzed. DNA-damage repair (DDR) pathways and homologous recombination repair (HRR) pathway defects indicated a comparatively longer PSA-progression-free survival (PSA-PFS; 2.5 months vs 1.2 months, P = 0.027; 3.3 months vs 1.2 months, P = 0.017; respectively). This study introduces the PD-1 inhibitor plus anlotinib as a late-line therapeutic strategy for terminal mCRPC. PD-1 inhibitor plus anlotinib may be a new treatment choice for terminal mCRPC patients with DDR or HRR pathway defects and requires further investigation.

Research progress of biomimetic nano drug delivery system in nervous system disease / 药学学报

Brain delivery of drugs remains challenging due to the presence of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). With advances in nanotechnology and biotechnology, new possibilities for brain-targeted drug delivery have emerged. Biomimetic nano drug delivery systems with high brain-targeting and BBB-penetrating capabilities, along with good biocompatibility and safety, can enable 'invisible' drug delivery. In this review, five different types of biomimetic strategies are presented and their research progress in central nervous system disorders is reviewed. Finally, the challenges and future prospects for biomimetic nano drug delivery systems in intracerebral drug delivery are summarized.

Research progress of anti-tumor in situ gel delivery system / 药学学报

Cancer is the most important leading cause of death worldwide, with about 10 million deaths caused by cancer in 2020. In situ gel drug delivery systems have attracted much attention in the field of pharmacy and biotechnology due to their good histo-compatibility, excellent injectability, high drug delivery capacity, slow-release drug delivery, and less influence by the in vivo environment. Meanwhile, in situ gel can be combined with chemotherapy, photo-thermal therapy, chemokinetic therapy, immunotherapy and so on to deliver drugs into the tumor site in a less invasive way without surgical operation, forming a semi-solid gel reservoir in the tumor site to realize in situ tumor combined therapy. In this paper, the author summarized the research progress of anti-tumor in situ gel delivery system in the past 10 years, introduced its commonly used polymer materials, classification principles and specific application examples, and finally summarized and discussed the key issues, in order to provide reference for the development of new anti-tumor drug delivery system in the future.

Effect of inhibition of p53 pathway by FAM84B on proliferation of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cells / 中国生物制品学杂志

@#Objective To study the expression of FAM84B in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC) and its regulatory mechanism on cell growth by p53 pathway.Methods A total of 508 ESCC tumor samples and their adjacent normal tissue samples were collected from Shanxi Cancer Hospital and Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University,which are high incidence areas of ESCC in China.Using whole genome sequencing(WGS) and whole exome sequencing(WES),FAM84B gene with significantly amplified copy number were screened.In ESCC cell line KYSE150with high expression of FAM84B,the effect of FAM84B on cell growth was detected by MTT and hard clone formation assay after interfering with FAM84B by small interfering RNA infection;In ESCC cell line KYSE450 with low expression of FAM84B,FAM84B was overexpressed with plasmid pCMV-3 ×flag-FAM84B,and the effect of FAM84B on cell growth was detected by MTT and hard clone formation assay.The effects of FAM84B knock-down on the expression of CDK4,CDK6and CCND1 were detected by Western blot.Results WGS analysis of 508 ESCC paraffin sections showed 109 cases of FAM84B copy number amplification(21.45%);FAM84B gene existed near 8q24.21 and was a significantly enlarged lesion peak.Knockdown of FAM84B inhibited the proliferation of ESCC cells,while overexpression of FAM84B promoted that.The low expression of FAM84B promoted the cell cycle progression mediated by p53.Conclusion FAM84B can promote cell proliferation by promoting the cell cycle transition from G1 phase to S phase via inhibiting the expression of p53 pathway proteins in ESCC cells.

Influencing factors of postpartum depression/anxiety in Jinping Area, Yunnan Province / 中华围产医学杂志

Objective:To investigate the positive rate of postpartum depression/anxiety screening and its associated factors in Jinping area, Yunnan Province.Methods:This cross-sectional survey involved 761 women who delivered live, singleton infants at or after 28 gestational weeks from October 2019 to February 2021 in the People's Hospital of Jinping Miao, Yao, and Dai Autonomous County, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province. A questionnaire survey on childbirth and upbringing, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (defined as positive when ≥9 score), and the Self-rating Anxiety Scale (defined as positive when ≥50 score) were conducted at postpartum day 1 to 3. General obstetric information and medical history were also retrieved from medical records. The risk factors of maternal depression and anxiety were analyzed using Chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression. Results:All 761 parturients completed the questionnaire. The total positive rate was 7.49% (57/761) for depression screening and 8.02% (61/761) for anxiety screening. Univariate analysis showed that postpartum hemorrhage, intrapartum infection and puerperal morbidity, neonates being transferred to the pediatric ward, attendance of prenatal classes during pregnancy, whether the neonatal gender was in line with the maternal and family expectations were all associated with both postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety. In addition, an association was found between gravidity, parity, delivery mode and postpartum depression, as well as accompanied delivery, breastfeeding and postpartum anxiety (all P<0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that postpartum hemorrhage ( OR=1.934, 95% CI: 1.010-3.704), neonates being transferred to the pediatric ward ( OR=1.990, 95% CI: 1.037-3.816), and not attending prenatal classes during pregnancy ( OR=3.393, 95% CI: 1.166-9.872) were the risk factors for postpartum depression; neonates being transferred to the pediatric ward ( OR=1.972, 95% CI: 1.040-3.740) and non-breastfeeding ( OR=2.174, 95% CI: 1.077-4.389) were risk factors for postpartum anxiety (all P<0.05). Conclusions:Parturients in Jinping area of Yunnan Province were at a lower risk of postpartum depression/anxiety. Active attendance at prenatal classes and breastfeeding may help reduce the risk of postpartum depression/anxiety.

Clinical significance of excessive inlet view in fluoroscopy-assisted placement of sacroiliac screws / 中华创伤骨科杂志

Objective:To investigate the clinical significance of excessive inlet view in fluoroscopy-assisted placement of sacroiliac screws.Methods:Included for this prospective study were 47 patients with unstable pelvic fracture who had been admitted to Department of Orthopaedic Trauma, Xi'an Honghui Hospital between January 2020 and January 2021. There were 30 males and 17 females, with a mean age of 39.4 years (from 25 to 66 years). By the Tile classification, 21 fractures were type B and 26 ones type C. The inlet view and the angle of excessive inlet view were measured before operation. The intraoperative placement of sacroiliac screws was assisted by C-arm fluoroscopy navigation in the excessive inlet view. The positions of sacroiliac screws were verified by CT or O-arm fluoroscopy after operation. The screw placement time, fracture reduction quality, fracture healing time, and pelvic function at the last follow-up were recorded.Results:A total of 67 screws were implanted in the 47 patients, including 56 sacroiliac screws. The insertion time for each screw averaged 19.9 min (from 9 to 31 min); the angle of excessive inlet view averaged 17.38° (from 12.1° to 24.8°). Verification by O-arm fluoroscopy or CT revealed that all sacroiliac screws were located in the sacral canal without dislocation or breaking through the cortical bone. By the postoperative Matta scoring, the reduction was excellent in 22 cases, good in 17, acceptable in 6, and poor in 2, giving an excellent to good rate of 83.0%(39/47). The average follow-up time for the 47 patients was 9.5 months (from 5 to 15 months); fracture healing time averaged 10.5 weeks (from 7 to 16 weeks). By the Mejeed scoring at the last follow-up, the pelvic function was excellent in 26 cases, good in 15 and acceptable in 6, giving an excellent to good rate of 87.2% (41/47).Conclusions:Fluoroscopy in the excessive inlet view is a simple and easy intraoperative technique. It can improve accuracy and safety of sacroiliac screw placement because it allows clear identification of the posterior border of the sacrum and effectively avoids iatrogenic injury to the sacral nerve caused by screws breaking through the bone cortex.

Epidemiological characteristics of geriatric acetabular fracture in western China during 2015-2020 / 中华创伤杂志

Objective:To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of geriatric acetabular fractures in western China.Methods:A retrospective case series study was made on data of geriatric patients with acetabular fracture hospitalized in 4 grade A hospitals in western China from 2015 to 2020. The investigation content included gender, age, incidence rate, injury mechanism, combined injuries, comorbidities, fracture types and treatment plans.Results:A total of 299 geriatric patients with acetabular fractures were included, including 203 males and 96 females, aged 60-97 years [(68.6±7.6)years]. The mean age of the patients was increased from 67.5 years to 71.1 years. The incidence rate was increased from 36 cases per year to 64 cases per year. The injury mechanism was mainly traffic accidents (42.47%), followed by falls (30.44%). Thoracic injury was the most common type of combined injuries (39.81%). Hypertension was the main comorbidity (28.76%). The most common fracture type was anterior column posterior hemitransverse fracture (31.32%). Of 299 patients, 210 received surgical treatment, with the surgery rate of 70.23%.Conclusions:Geriatric acetabular fracture is characterized by gradually increased age and incidence rate, traffic accidents as the main cause of injury, thoracic injury as the main combined injury, hypertension as the main comorbidity, anterior column posterior hemitransverse fracture as the main fracture type and surgery as the main treatment option.

TiRobot combined with O-arm assisted closed reduction and percutaneous screw fixation in unstable pelvic fracture surgery / 中华骨科杂志

Objective:To investigate the role of TiRobot combined with O-arm assisted closed reduction and percutaneous screw fixation in unstable pelvic fracture surgery.Methods:Twelve patients with unstable pelvic fractures, 7 males and 5 females, aged 39.41±12.56 years (range 25-60 years), admitted from January 2020 to January 2021, were retrospectively analyzed. The duration between injury and surgery was 9.67±5.81 d (range 4-24 d). The following are the causes of injury, namely traffic injury in 6 cases, fall from height injury in 4 cases, crush injury in 2 cases. Tile type of pelvic fractures were 3 cases of type B (2 cases of type B2, 1 case of type B3), 9 cases of type C (4 cases of type C1, 3 cases of type C2, 2 cases of type C3). Sacral fractures with Denis division were 5 cases of zone I, 7 cases of zone II. Seven patients were repositioned by intraoperative traction on the injured side of the limb and maintained by fixation with a Starr frame. Two cases were repositioned by intraoperative longitudinal bone traction on each lower limb for fracture displacement. The other 3 B-type fractures were repositioned by inserting Schanz nails into the anterior inferior iliac spine bilaterally. Then, the fractures were maintained with external pelvic fixators. The fractures were assessed by O-arm fluoroscopy. Hollow screws were placed with the aid of orthopedic robotic guidance, and the screw positions were verified by O-arm fluoroscopy again after the nail placement. The duration of each screw placement and operation were recorded. The quality of fracture repositioning, hip function and postoperative complications were observed at the follow-up.Results:All patients were followed up for 8.17±1.99 months (range, 6-12 months). There were 27 screws inserted in 12 patients, with a single screw insertion duration of 19.9±1.8 min (range, 9-31 min). In all patients, one O-arm fluoroscopy was performed in each row after closed reduction and after completion of nail placement. The operative duration was 257.78±80.63 min (range, 160-450 min). The O-arm fluoroscopy after nail placement verified that 23 screws were placed in a satisfactory position at one time, with satisfactory rate of 85% (23/27) for the first nail placement. Two patients with preoperative grade II sacral plexus nerve injury recovered to grade I in one case and grade II in one case. However, the numbness was reduced after operation. No further aggravation of nerve injury occurred after surgery. The quality of fracture repositioning was evaluated according to the Matta score, including excellent in 9 cases, good in 2 cases, and acceptable in 1 case, with an excellent rate of 92% (11/12). At the last follow-up, the Majeed pelvic fracture quantitative assessment system scored 85.75±5.82 (range, 74-96). There were 8 cases in excellent and 4 cases in good. Twelve patients had one-stage wound healing. No complications, such as incision infection, nerve injury, loosening and breaking of the internal fixation occurred during the follow-up.Conclusion:TiRobot combined with O-arm assisted closed reduction and percutaneous screw fixation for unstable pelvic fractures has some advantages, including safety, precision, convenient nail placement, and less fluoroscopic radiation.

Clinicopathological and molecular genetic features of cyclin D1-negative mantle cell lymphoma / 中华病理学杂志

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological features and molecular genetics of cyclin D1-negative mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). Methods: The clinicopathological features and molecular genetics of CyclinD1-negative MCL diagnosed between January 2016 and July 2021 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University were analyzed using immunohistochemistry and fluorescence in situ hybridization. Clinical information was collected and analyzed. Results: A total of five Cyclin D1-negative MCL cases from all 212 MCL patients (5/212, 2.4%)were included. There were three male and two female patients,age ranged from 59 to 70 years (median 64 years). All patients presented with nodal lesions. None of the patients had B symptoms but four had bone marrow involvement. Histopathologically, four cases were classic MCL and one case was pleomorphic variant type. All five cases were negative for Cyclin D1 but SOX-11 were positive in all cases. CD5 was positive in four cases and one case was weakly positive for CD23. CD10 and bcl-6 were negative in all cases. CCND1 translocation was identified in three cases and CCND2 translocation in one case by FISH analysis. However,CCND3 translocations were not found in the five cases. Conclusions: Cyclin D1-negative MCL are uncommon, its accurate diagnosis needs combined analysis with morphologic and immunophenotypic characteristics and genetic changes. It may be particularly difficult to distinguish from other small cell type B cell lymphomas. FISH analyses for CCND1/CCND2/CCND3 translocations and immunohistochemistry for SOX-11 are helpful to resolve such a difficult distinction.

Clinicopathological characteristics of natural killer cell enteropathy: report of two cases and review of literature / 中华病理学杂志

Objective: To study the clinicopathological and genetic features of natural killer (NK)-cell enteropathy for better understanding of this rare disease and prevention of its misdiagnosis. Methods: Two cases of NK-cell enteropathy were diagnosed in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, China from October 2017 to February 2021. The clinical characteristics, morphology, immunohistochemistry, Epstein-Barr virus-encoded RNA (EBER) in situ hybridization and T cell receptor gene rearrangement were analyzed. The patients were followed up by a telephone interview. Results: The patients were both male, aged 40 and 28 years, respectively. Both patients were admitted to the hospital for an annual checkup without obvious gastrointestinal symptoms. The endoscopy showed that the gastric body of case 1 had a mucosal bulge, small area of congestion and erosion, while the rectum of case 2 had congestion and erosion. Microscopically, the lesions of the 2 cases were relatively limited. Many lymphoid cells infiltrated within the lamina propria of the mucosa and into the muscularis mucosa in case 2. In case 1, the glands were reduced in the lesion, and the glandular cavity was slightly compressed and deformed. There was no infiltration or destruction of the glands in either case. Lymphoid cells were atypical, with medium-to-large cell sizes. Their cytoplasm was medium-to-slightly abundant and appeared eosinophilic or translucent. In case 2, characteristic eosinophilic granules were seen in the cytoplasm of a few cells. The nuclei in both cases were round, oval and irregular, with fine chromatin, inconspicuous nucleoli, and no mitotic figures were noted. Necrosis was seen in case 1 while both cases had no central growth or destruction of blood vessels. Immunophenotyping showed that CD56, granzyme B and TIA-1 were positive in both cases, part of the cells was CD3-positive, and some cells were weakly CD4-positive in case 2. The CD5, CD8, CD30, ALK and B-lineage markers (CD20, CD79α) were all negative. The Ki-67 proliferation index was about 60% and 30%, respectively. Both cases were EBER negative. TCR gene rearrangement was polyclonal. Follow-up showed that none of the 2 patients had any special treatments and stayed well. Conclusions: NK-cell enteropathy is rare, with biological behaviors similar to benign tumors, and occasional recurrence. Its histology and immunophenotype are easily confused with NK/T cell-derived lymphomas. Combination of its unique endoscopic features, EBER negativity, polyclonal TCR gene rearrangement and good prognosis can confirm the diagnosis and avoid misdiagnosis and overtreatment.

Acupoint application for exogenous fever: a multi-central retrospective cohort study / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the effectiveness on exogenous fever and the characteristics of effective population, as well as the specialties of prescription of acupoint application.@*METHODS@#Using the internet electronic diagnosis and treatment platform (Spring Broadcast Wanxiangyun Clinic Database, and the main TCM suitable technology promoted by this platform is acupoint application therapy), from August 24, 2020 to November 5, 2020, the patients complained with fever and diagnosed as common cold, with a record of initial visit and at least one return visit, were included as the subjects. According to whether acupoint application therapy was received or not, the subjects were divided into an exposure group (with acupoint application therapy, 26 664 cases) and a non-exposure group (without acupoint application therapy, 515 cases). Using the propensity score, the mixed factors, e.g. age and sex, were matched between the two groups. The disappearance rate of fever (within 2 days) and the time for the first fever disappearance were taken as the effect indexes. The association rules extraction was adopted to analyze the characteristics of effective population and acupoint application prescription in treatment of exogenous fever.@*RESULTS@#After propensity score matching, there were 1 229 cases in the application group and 423 cases in the non-application group. The disappearance rate of fever in the application group was 1.82 times as high as that in the non-application group (P<0.05). The time for the first fever disappearance in the application group was shorter than the non-application group (P<0.01). A total of 5 370 cases were effective with acupoint application therapy, of which, the median age was 2 years old and the proportion of children patients under 6 years old was relatively high. In the effective crowd, the most commonly-used acupoints were Shenque (CV 8), Dazhui (GV 14), Yongquan (KI 1) and Tiantu (CV 22), etc. Shenque (CV 8) and Dazhui (GV 14) were highly associated and the support was 62.57%. The most common herbal materials in the acupoint application therapy included Radix et Rhizoma Rhei, Natrii Sulfas, Radix Scutellariae, Herba Ephedrae and Radix Bupleuri, etc. Radix et Rhizoma Rhei and Natrii Sulfas were most commonly used at Shenque (CV 8) and the supports were 57.49% and 57.21% respectively. Herba Ephedrae was most commonly applied to Shenque (CV 8) and Dazhui (GV 14) and the supports were 48.21% and 43.91% respectively. Radix Bupleuri was the most common herb at Dazhui (GV 14) with the support of 46.61%. Besides, the most commonly combined western drugs included cefixime and keteling in the acupoint application therapy and the supports were 13.07% and 12.72% respectively.@*CONCLUSION@#Acupoint application is effective on exogenous fever. The common therapy refers to Radix et Rhizoma Rhei and Natrii Sulfas plaster at Shenque (CV 8), while Herba Ephedrae and Radix Bupleuri at Dazhui (GV 14).

Influence of acupoint application on clinical use of antibiotics: a real world study of 1.23 million primary clinic patients / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the influence of acupoint application on the use of antibiotics in primary clinic practice, and explore the effect of acupoint application and its influence on the use of antibiotics based on common diseases in primary clinic (fever, cough, diarrhea, sore throat).@*METHODS@#With the help of the internet electronic diagnosis and treatment platform (the main TCM suitable technology promoted by this platform is acupoint application therapy), the diagnosis and treatment data of 1.23 million patients in 2 000 primary clinics from August 24, 2020 to March 31, 2021 were collected. The patients were divided into an application group (acupoint application treatment) and a non-application group (non-acupoint application treatment), and the proportion of antibiotic use in the two groups was compared. The propensity score was used to match age, gender, concomitant symptoms, diagnosed diseases and other confounding factors of treatment, and the disappearance rate of symptoms (fever, cough, diarrhea, sore throat) and the time to first disappearance of symptoms were compared between the two groups.@*RESULTS@#A total of 1 230 923 patients were analyzed, including 1 048 382 cases in the application group, accounting for 85.2%; 182 541 cases in the non-application group, accounting for 14.8%. The most patients who used acupoint application treatment were 0-2 years old, followed by 3-6 years old, and the patients over 15 years old who did not use acupoint application treatment were the most. The proportion of antibiotic use in the application group was 2.4%, lower than that in the non-application group (44.2%, P<0.001). The proportion of antibiotic use in all ages of patients in the application group was lower than that in the non-application group (P<0.001). Among the common diseases in primary clinic (fever, cough, diarrhea and sore throat), the proportion of antibiotic use in the application group was lower than that in the non-application group (P<0.01); the disappearance rate of symptoms in the application group was higher than that in the non-application group, and the time to first disappearance of symptoms was shorter than that in the non-application group (P<0.001).@*CONCLUSION@#Acupoint application has a certain influence on the use of antibiotics in primary clinic patients. In the treatment of common diseases, patients treated with acupoint application have better curative effect and lower proportion of antibiotic use.

Analysis on tissue-related biomarkers in patients with acute aortic dissection / 中华心血管病杂志

Objective: To explore the clinical implication of tissue-related biomarkers in patients with acute aortic dissection (AAD). Methods: It was a cross-sectional study. Ten Stanford Type A AAD patients, who were diagnosed and surgically treated in the Department of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, from December 2018 to August 2019, were selected as the case group. Meanwhile, 10 patients with atherosclerotic heart disease, who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), were selected as control group. The ascending aorta tissue specimens from patients of the two groups were collected during the operation. Four-dimensional non-standard quantitative proteomics technology (4D-LFQ) was used to detect the protein profile of ascending aorta tissue specimens of the two groups and to screen out differentially expressed proteins and analyze their biological functions. Precise quantification of the selected target proteins was achieved by parallel response monitoring (PRM). Results: A total of 3 985 proteins were identified by 4D-LFQ technology, among which 3 350 proteins could be quantified. There were 39 proteins were significantly upregulated and 47 proteins were significantly downregulated in AAD group. The results of biological function analysis showed that most of the differentially expressed proteins were located in the extracellular, and their functions were mainly involved in cell migration and proliferation, inflammatory cell activation, cell contraction, and muscle organ development. The 15 selected proteins underwent precise quantification by PRM, and the results showed that integrin α-Ⅱb (ITGA2B), integrin α-M (ITGAM), integrin β-2 (ITGB2), integrin β-3 (ITGB3) were significantly upregulated in the ascending aorta tissue of AAD patients. Conclusion: ITGA2B, ITGAM, ITGB2, and ITGB3 are highly expressed in aortic tissues of patients with AAD, which may be used as biomarkers for the diagnosis of AAD patients.

Surgical left atrial appendage occlusion in patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing mechanical heart valve replacement / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

BACKGROUND@#Surgical left atrial appendage occlusion (SLAAO) may be associated with a lower risk of thromboembolism in patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing cardiac surgery. However, evidence regarding the effectiveness of SLAAO in patients undergoing mechanical heart valve replacement (MHVR) is lacking. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the association between SLAAO and the cardiovascular outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing MHVR.@*METHODS@#We retrospectively analyzed data for 497 patients with atrial fibrillation; 27.6% of the patients underwent SLAAO, and the remainder of the patients did not (No-SLAAO group). The primary outcome was a composite of ischemic stroke, systemic embolism, and all-cause mortality. Cumulative event-free survival rates were estimated using Kaplan-Meier curves, and we performed multivariate Cox analyses to evaluate the association between SLAAO and outcomes. We used one-to-one propensity score matching to balance patients' baseline characteristics, and analyzed 120 matching pairs.@*RESULTS@#Five patients died within 30 days postoperatively, and there were no significant differences between the two groups regarding in-hospital complications (all P > 0.05). After a median follow-up of 14 months, 14 primary events occurred. Kaplan-Meier curves showed no difference in the cumulative incidence of freedom from the primary outcome (log-rank P = 0.830), hemorrhagic events (log-rank P = 0.870), and the secondary outcome (log-rank P = 0.730), between the two groups. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression analysis showed no association between SLAAO and any outcome (all P > 0.05). After propensity score matching, cardiopulmonary bypass time and aortic cross-clamp time, and the postoperative length of stay were significantly longer in the SLAAO group (all P < 0.05); results were similar to the unadjusted analyses.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Concomitant SLAAO and MHVR was associated with longer length of stay, and cardiopulmonary bypass time and aortic cross-clamp time, but was not associated with additional protective effects against thromboembolic events and mortality during the 14-month follow-up.

Mis-estimation of coronary lesions and rectification by SYNTAX score feedback for coronary revascularization appropriateness / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

BACKGROUND@#Imprecise interpretation of coronary angiograms was reported and resulted in inappropriate revascularization. Synergy Between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention with Taxus and Cardiac Surgery (SYNTAX) score is a comprehensive system to evaluate the complexity of the overall lesions. We hypothesized that a real-time SYNTAX score feedback from image analysts may rectify the mis-estimation and improve revascularization appropriateness in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD).@*METHODS@#In this single-center, historical control study, patients with stable CAD with coronary lesion stenosis ≥50% were consecutively recruited. During the control period, SYNTAX scores were calculated by treating cardiologists. During the intervention period, SYNTAX scores were calculated by image analysts immediately after coronary angiography and were provided to cardiologists in real-time to aid decision-making. The primary outcome was revascularization deemed inappropriate by Chinese appropriate use criteria for coronary revascularization.@*RESULTS@#A total of 3245 patients were enrolled and assigned to the control group (08/2016-03/2017, n = 1525) or the intervention group (03/2017-09/2017, n = 1720). For SYNTAX score tertiles, 17.9% patients were overestimated and 4.3% were underestimated by cardiologists in the control group. After adjustment, inappropriate revascularization significantly decreased in the intervention group compared with the control group (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 0.83; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.73-0.95; P = 0.007). Both inappropriate percutaneous coronary intervention (adjusted OR: 0.82; 95% CI: 0.74-0.92; P < 0.001) and percutaneous coronary intervention utilization (adjusted OR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.79-0.98; P = 0.016) decreased significantly in the intervention group. There was no significant difference in 1-year adverse cardiac events between the control group and the intervention group.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Real-time SYNTAX score feedback significantly reduced inappropriate coronary revascularization in stable patients with CAD.@*CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION@#Nos. NCT03068858 and NCT02880605; https://www.clinicaltrials.gov.

Incidence and risk factors of deep venous thrombosis of lower extremity in patients with intertrochanteric fractures / 中华创伤杂志

Objective:To investigate the incidence of pre- and post-operative lower extremity deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in hospitalized patients with intertrochanteric fractures and to analyze the relevant risk factors.Methods:A retrospective case-control study was conducted to analyze the data of 218 patients with femoral intertrochanteric fractures admitted to Xi'an Honghui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University from July 2015 to October 2017, including 85 males and 133 females. There were 85 males and 133 females, aged 32-102 years [(76.0±11.9)years]. Of the patients, 213 had open reduction and internal fixation, 4 partial hip arthroplasty, and 1 external fixation. All patients underwent deep venous ultrasound of the lower extremities before and after surgery to determine the occurrence of DVT. DVT of the lower extremities was divided into distal thrombosis, proximal thrombosis and mixed thrombosis. According to the preoperative and postoperative ultrasonography results, the patients were divided into thrombosis group [82 patients (37.6%) before operation, 128 patients (58.7%) after operation] and non-thrombosis group [136 patients (62.4%) before operation, 90 patients (41.3%) after operation]. Location of DVT were recorded before and after operation and outcome was evaluated. All patients were assessed for risk factors associated with thrombosis, including general patient data, time of surgery, tourniquet time, blood transfusion, blood loss, fluid volume, drainage, and serological markers. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used for detecting the risk factors.Results:The DVT rate was 37.6% preoperatively and increased to 58.7% postoperatively. The type of thrombosis was mainly distal DVT, which accounted for 86.6% and 90.6% of DVT before and after surgery, respectively. After the operation, 2.8% of the distal DVT extended above the popliteal vein. A total of 23.4% of the patients had no thrombosis before surgery, and distal, proximal, or mixed DVT occurred after surgery (22.0%, 0.5% and 0.9%, respectively). No fatal pulmonary embolism occurred. The univariate analysis showed no statistical differences between the preoperative thrombosis group and non-thrombosis group in terms of age, gender, fracture side, combined diseases, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification, admission D-dimer, and admission C-reactive protein (CRP) ( P>0.05), but the time from fracture to hospitalization and the time from fracture to surgery were significantly different between the two groups ( P<0.05). There were no statistical differences between the postoperative thrombosis group and the postoperative non-thrombosis group in age, gender, fracture side, combined diseases, body mass index, length of stay, ASA classification, surgical method, operation time, blood transfusion, blood loss, infusion volume, drainage volume, D-dimer on admission, and CRP on admission ( P>0.05), but the time from fracture to admission, time from fracture to surgery, D-dimer before surgery, D-dimer at day 1 after surgery, D-dimer at day 5 after surgery, and CRP at day 5 after surgery showed significant differences between the two groups ( P<0.05). Multivariate analysis results showed the time from fracture to hospitalization ( OR=1.109, 95% CI 1.003-1.225, P<0.05) and the time from fracture to surgery ( OR=1.090, 95% CI 1.007-1.180, P<0.05) were independent risk factors for preoperative DVT. The time from fracture to hospital ( OR=1.137, 95% CI 1.002-1.290, P<0.05) and 1 day postoperative D-dimer ( OR=1.087, 95% CI 1.033-1.142, P<0.05) were independent risk factors for postoperative DVT. Conclusions:For intertrochanteric fractures, distal DVT is the main type of thrombosis. Time from fracture to hospitalization is an independent risk factor of DVT before and after operation, and time from fracture to operation is an independent risk factor of DVT before operation. Early intervention (early admission and early surgery) may reduce the incidence of DVT.

Prognosis related factors in breast cancer patients with bone metastasis / 中国肿瘤生物治疗杂志

乳腺癌，骨转移，预后 @#乳腺癌是世界范围内女性最常见的恶性肿瘤，高达75%的患者最终会发生骨转移。骨转移发生风险与肿瘤分子分 型、组织病理和患者生理阶段等密切相关，骨转移合并其他部位转移、发生骨相关事件、骨转移灶的特点等都可影响患者的预后。 目前临床广泛应用的骨转移治疗方法包括全身应用抗肿瘤药物和骨改良药物、局部行骨转移灶放疗和骨转移灶手术。除抗肿瘤 药物外的其他治疗手段都有望改善患者预后。近年来发展的骨转移治疗新手段，如对乳腺癌原发灶的处理、放射性物质镭、骨转 移关键信号分子抑制剂和某些新技术应用在提高患者生存方面都有良好的前景。本文就乳腺癌骨转移患者的预后相关因素作 简要综述。

Assessing the association of appropriateness of coronary revascularization and 1-year clinical outcomes for patients with stable coronary artery disease in China / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

BACKGROUND@#The Chinese appropriate use criteria (AUC) for coronary revascularization was released in 2016 to improve the use of coronary revascularization. This study aimed to evaluate the association between the appropriateness of coronary revascularization based on the Chinese AUC and 1-year outcomes in stable coronary artery disease (CAD) patients.@*METHODS@#We conducted a prospective, multi-center cohort study of stable CAD patients with coronary lesion stenosis ≥50%. After the classification of appropriateness based on Chinese AUC, patients were categorized into the coronary revascularization group or the medical therapy group based on treatment received. The primary outcome was a composite of death, myocardial infarction, stroke, repeated revascularization, and ischemic symptoms with hospital admission.@*RESULTS@#From August 2016 to August 2017, 6085 patients were consecutively enrolled. Coronary revascularization was associated with a lower adjusted hazard of 1-year major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs; hazard ratio [HR]: 0.62; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.45-0.86; P = 0.004) than medical therapy in patients with appropriate indications (n = 1617). No significant benefit in 1-year MACCEs was found after revascularization compared to after medical therapy in patients with uncertain indications (n = 2658, HR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.52-1.25; P = 0.338) and inappropriate indications (n = 1810, HR: 0.80; 95% CI: 0.51-1.23; P = 0.308).@*CONCLUSIONS@#In patients with appropriate indications according to Chinese AUC, coronary revascularization was associated with significantly lower risk of MACCEs at 1 year. No benefit was found in coronary revascularization in patients with inappropriate indications. Our findings provide evidence for using Chinese AUC to guide clinical decision-making.@*CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION@#NCT02880605. https://www.clinicaltrials.gov.

Genomics: cracking the mysteries of walnuts

The Juglans plants are economically important as they provide nuts, wood and garden trees. They also play an important ecological role by supplying food for wild insects and animals. The decoding of genome sequences has fundamental values for understanding the evolution of Juglans plants and molecules, and is also a prerequisite for molecular breeding. During the last three years, the rapid development of sequencing technology has made walnut research into the genome era. Here, we reviewed the progress of genome sequencing of six Juglans species, the resequencing of four Juglans populations as well as the genome sequencing of the closely related species Pterocarya stenoptera. The analysis of the Juglans regia genome uncovers a whole genome duplication (WGD) event. Based on the molecular dating of the divergence time of six Juglans species, we proposed this WGD event was associated with Cretaceous–Palaeogene (K-Pg) boundary occurred ∼65 million years ago. Genomic sequences also provide clear details for understanding the evolution and development of GGT and PPO genes involved in fruit development. The decoding of these genomes has made it easier for us to understand and enhance the use of walnuts. We expect that the functional genomics research of walnut will also develop rapidly in the near future.