Hepatic pathological characteristics and factors influencing alanine transaminase value below twice the upper limit of normal in patients with chronic hepatitis B / 中华肝脏病杂志

Objective: To analyze the hepatic pathological characteristics and factors influencing an alanine transaminase value below twice the upper limit of normal in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and further explore the optimal ALT threshold strategy for initiating antiviral therapy. Methods: Clinical data of treatment-naïve CHB patients who underwent liver biopsies from January 2010 to December 2019 were retrospectively collected. Multiple regression models were used to explore the ALT levels and significant risk of hepatic histological changes (≥G2/S2). Receiver operating characteristic curve was used to evaluate the value of different models in diagnosing liver tissue inflammation≥G2 or fibrosis ≥ S2. Results: A total of 447 eligible CHB patients, with a median age of 38.0 years and 72.9% males, were included. During ALT normalization, there was significant liver inflammation (≥G2) and fibrosis (≥S2) in 66.9% and 53.0% of patients, respectively. With an ALT rise of 1-2×ULN, the proportions of liver inflammation≥G2 and fibrosis≥S2 were 81.2% and 60.0%, respectively. After adjusting for confounding factors, higher ALT levels (> 29 U/L) were found to be associated with significant liver inflammation (OR: 2.30, 95% CI: 1.11 ~ 4.77) and fibrosis (OR: 1.84, 95% CI: 1.10 ~ 3.09). After the measurement of glutamyltransferase-platelet ratio (GPR), the proportion of CHB patients with≥G2/S2 was significantly reduced under different treatment thresholds of ALT standards, and in particular, the erroneous evaluation of liver fibrosis≥S2 was significantly improved (33.5% to 57.5%). Conclusion: More than half of CHB patients have a normal ALT or one within 2 × ULN, regardless of whether or not there is apparent inflammation and fibrosis. GPR can significantly improve the precise assessment of different conditions of treatment thresholds for the ALT value in CHB patients.

Pharmacological Activities， Pharmacokinetics， and Adverse Reactions of Polyphyllin Ⅱ： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

As a rare Chinese medicinal material， Paridis Rhizoma is mainly distributed in Yunnan， Guangxi， and Guizhou in southwestern China， with the effect of clearing heat and detoxifying， alleviating edema and relieving pain， cooling liver and tranquilizing mind. It is particularly effective for injuries from falls， fractures， contusions and strains， snake bites， cold wind-induced convulsion， and other diseases， which has been used for more than 2 000 years. According to modern research， polyphyllin Ⅱ， one of the main active components of Paridis Rhizoma， belongs to diosgenin in structure. It has the anti-tumor， anti-inflammatory， antiviral， antibacterial， immune-regulating， antioxidant， and multidrug resistance-reversing activities， showing good application prospect. Especially， the anti-tumor effect of polyphyllin Ⅱ has attracted wide attention， and the mechanism is inhibiting proliferation， migration， and invasion of tumor cells， inducing cell cycle arrest， apoptosis， and autophagy， suppressing angiogenesis， and modulating tumor microenvironment. However， the pharmacokinetic results show that polyphyllin Ⅱ has low bioavailability in vivo due to the low solubility， poor absorption， unsatisfactory distribution， and slow metabolism， which limit the clinical application. In recent years， there has been an explosion of research on the adverse reactions of polyphyllin Ⅱ， such as the strong hemolytic activity and obvious cytotoxicity to liver， kidney， myocardium and cardiovascular cells. Thus， papers were retrieved from "CNKI"， "VIP"， "Wanfang Data"， "PubMed"， "Web of Science"， and "Elsevier SD" with "Paris saponin Ⅱ"， "Polyphyllin Ⅱ" as the main keywords， and the pharmacological activities and mechanisms， pharmacokinetics， and adverse reactions were summarized. The findings are expected to serve as a reference for the in-depth research， development， and utilization of polyphyllin Ⅱ.

Establishment of risk prediction nomograph model for sepsis related acute respiratory distress syndrome / 中华危重病急救医学

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the risk factors of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in patients with sepsis and to construct a risk nomogram model.@*METHODS@#The clinical data of 234 sepsis patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of Tianjin Hospital from January 2019 to May 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into non-ARDS group (156 cases) and ARDS group (78 cases) according to the presence or absence of ARDS. The gender, age, hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease, smoking history, history of alcoholism, temperature, respiratory rate (RR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), pulmonary infection, white blood cell count (WBC), hemoglobin (Hb), platelet count (PLT), prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), fibrinogen (FIB), D-dimer, oxygenation index (PaO2/FiO2), lactic acid (Lac), procalcitonin (PCT), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), albumin (ALB), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (SCr), acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II), sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) were compared between the two groups. Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression were used to analyze the risk factors of sepsis related ARDS. Based on the screened independent risk factors, a nomogram prediction model was constructed, and Bootstrap method was used for internal verification. The receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC curve) was drawn, and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was calculated to verify the prediction and accuracy of the model.@*RESULTS@#There were no significant differences in gender, age, hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease, smoking history, alcoholism history, temperature, WBC, Hb, PLT, PT, APTT, FIB, PCT, BNP and SCr between the two groups. There were significant differences in RR, MAP, pulmonary infection, D-dimer, PaO2/FiO2, Lac, ALB, BUN, APACHE II score and SOFA score (all P < 0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that increased RR, low MAP, pulmonary infection, high Lac and high APACHE II score were independent risk factors for sepsis related ARDS [RR: odds ratio (OR) = 1.167, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) was 1.019-1.336; MAP: OR = 0.962, 95%CI was 0.932-0.994; pulmonary infection: OR = 0.428, 95%CI was 0.189-0.966; Lac: OR = 1.684, 95%CI was 1.036-2.735; APACHE II score: OR = 1.577, 95%CI was 1.202-2.067; all P < 0.05]. Based on the above independent risk factors, a risk nomograph model was established to predict sepsis related ARDS (accuracy was 81.62%, sensitivity was 66.67%, specificity was 89.10%). The predicted values were basically consistent with the measured values, and the AUC was 0.866 (95%CI was 0.819-0.914).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Increased RR, low MAP, pulmonary infection, high Lac and high APACHE II score are independent risk factors for sepsis related ARDS. Establishment of a risk nomograph model based on these factors may guide to predict the risk of ARDS in sepsis patients.

Early-effectiveness of unilateral biportal endoscopic laminectomy in treatment of two-level lumbar spinal stenosis / 中国修复重建外科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To analyze the early effectiveness of unilateral biportal endoscopy (UBE) laminectomy in the treatment of two-level lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS).@*METHODS@#The clinical data of 98 patients with two-level LSS treated with UBE between September 2020 and December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 53 males and 45 females with an average age of 59.9 years (range, 32-79 years). Among them, there were 56 cases of mixed spinal stenosis, 23 cases of central spinal canal stenosis, and 19 cases of nerve root canal stenosis. The duration of symptoms was 1.5- 10 years, with an average of 5.4 years. The operative segments were L 2, 3 and L 3, 4 in 2 cases, L 3, 4 and L 4, 5 in 29 cases, L 4, 5 and L 5, S 1 in 67 cases. All patients had different degrees of low back pain, among of which 76 cases were with unilateral lower extremity symptoms and 22 cases were with bilateral lower extremity symptoms. There were 29 cases of bilateral decompression in both segments, 63 cases of unilateral decompression in both segments, and 6 cases of unilateral decompression and bilateral decompression of each segment. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, total incision length, hospitalization stay, ambulation time, and related complications were recorded. Visual analogue scale (VAS) score was used to assess the low back and leg pain before operation and at 3 days, 3 months after operation, and at last follow-up. The Oswestry disability index (ODI) was used to evaluate the functional recovery of lumbar spine before operation and at 3 months and last follow-up after operation. Modified MacNab criteria was used to evaluate clinical outcomes at last follow-up. Imaging examinations were performed before and after operation to measure the preservation rate of articular process, modified Pfirrmann scale, disc height (DH), lumbar lordosis angle (LLA), and cross-sectional area of the canal (CAC), and the CAC improvement rate was calculated.@*RESULTS@#All patients underwent surgery successfully. The operation time was (106.7±25.1) minutes, the intraoperative blood loss was (67.7±14.2) mL, and the total incision length was (3.2±0.4) cm. The hospitalization stay was 8 (7, 9) days, and the ambulation time was 3 (3, 4) days. All the wounds healed by first intention. Dural tear occurred in 1 case during operation, and mild headache occurred in 1 case after operation. All patients were followed up 13-28 months with an average of 19.3 months, and there was no recurrence or reoperation during the follow-up. At last follow-up, the preservation rate of articular process was 84.7%±7.3%. The modified Pfirrmann scale and DH were significantly different from those before operation ( P<0.05), while the LLA was not significantly different from that before operation ( P=0.050). The CAC significantly improved ( P<0.05), and the CAC improvement rate was 108.1%±17.8%. The VAS scores of low back pain and leg pain and ODI at each time point after operation significantly improved when compared with those before operation, and the differences between each time points were significant ( P<0.05). According to the modified MacNab criteria, 63 cases were excellent, 25 cases were good, and 10 cases were fair, with an excellent and good rate of 89.8%.@*CONCLUSION@#UBE laminectomy is a safe and effective technique with little trauma and fast recovery for two-level LSS and the early effectiveness is satisfactory.

Complete chloroplast genome sequencing and phylogeny of wild Atractylodes lancea from Yuexi, Anhui province / 中国中药杂志

This study investigated the choroplast genome sequence of wild Atractylodes lancea from Yuexi in Anhui province by high-throughput sequencing, followed by characterization of the genome structure, which laid a foundation for the species identification, analysis of genetic diversity, and resource conservation of A. lancea. To be specific, the total genomic DNA was extracted from the leaves of A. lancea with the improved CTAB method. The chloroplast genome of A. lancea was sequenced by the high-throughput sequencing technology, followed by assembling by metaSPAdes and annotation by CPGAVAS2. Bioiformatics methods were employed for the analysis of simple sequence repeats(SSRs), inverted repeat(IR) border, codon bias, and phylogeny. The results showed that the whole chloroplast genome of A. lancea was 153 178 bp, with an 84 226 bp large single copy(LSC) and a 18 658 bp small single copy(SSC) separated by a pair of IRs(25 147 bp). The genome had the GC content of 37.7% and 124 genes: 87 protein-coding genes, 8 rRNA genes, and 29 tRNA genes. It had 26 287 codons and encoded 20 amino acids. Phylogenetic analysis showed that Atractylodes species clustered into one clade and that A. lancea had close genetic relationship with A. koreana. This study established a method for sequencing the chloroplast genome of A. lancea and enriched the genetic resources of Compositae. The findings are expected to lay a foundation for species identification, analysis of genetic diversity, and resource conservation of A. lancea.

Clinical application of serum Golgi protein 73 in patients with chronic liver diseases / 中华肝脏病杂志

Golgi protein 73 (GP73) is a transmembrane protein on the Golgi apparatus and can be cut and released into the blood. In recent years, an increasing number of clinical studies have shown that the elevated serum GP73 level is closely related to liver diseases. And thus GP73 is expected to be used as a new serum marker for assessing progress of chronic liver diseases. Herein, the clinical application of serum GP73 in chronic hepatitis, liver fibrosis, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma with different etiologies was reviewed based on available literatures; and a research outlook in this field is made.

Performance appraisal of the business operation of a public hospital based on entropy weighted TOPSIS method / 中华医院管理杂志

Objective:To evaluate the business performance of an urban public tertiary hospital in Jiangsu province since the comprehensive reform of urban public hospitals started from the end of 2015, for reference in developing relevant policies.Methods:Such level-1 indicators as risk management ability, asset operation ability, revenue and expenditure structure management, asset profitability and future development ability were selected based on literature review, along with 14 level-2 indicators, to build an operation performance appraisal indicator system for urban public hospitals. The entropy weight TOPSIS method was used to evaluate the business performance of an urban public hospital in Jiangsu province from 2015 to 2019.Results:The drugs proportion(a level-2 indicator) under the revenue and expenditure structure management, the growth rate of fixed assets(a level-2 indicator) under the future development ability, and the total return(a level-2 indicator) under the asset profitability, were important ones affecting the business performance of hospitals, with the weights of 0.099, 0.097 and 0.080 respectively. The business operation performance ranking as calculated by the relative closeness, was 2015(0.515), 2016(0.480), 2019(0.467), 2018(0.450) and 2017(0.356) respectively.Conclusions:The reform once resulted in fluctuations in the operation performance of this hospital, with constant declines from 2015 to 2017. With the deepening reform, its performance recovered after 2018 to some extent. It is suggested to improve the business operation performance of urban public hospitals by optimizing their income and expenditure structure, improving their asset operation ability, and matching rationally their asset liability structure, among other measures.

Preliminary experience with double-tract reconstruction combined with π-shaped esophagojejunal anastomosis after total laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy for the treatment of adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction / 中华胃肠外科杂志

Objective: To explore the feasibility and preliminary technical experience of the double-tract reconstruction combined with π-shaped esophagojejunal anastomosis after total laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy (TLPG) in the treatment of adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction (AEG). Methods: A descriptive case series study method was used. Clinical data of 12 AEG patients who underwent the double-tract reconstruction combined with π-shaped esophagojejunal anastomosis after TLPG from January 2021 to June 2021 at the Department of General Surgery, First Medical Center, PLA General Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Among the 12 patients, the median tumor diameter was 2.0 (1.5-2.9) cm, and the pathological stage was T1-3N0-3aM0. All the patients routinely underwent TLPG and D2 lymph node dissection with double-tract reconstruction combined with π-shaped esophagojejunal anastomosis: (1) Double-tract reconstruction combined with π-shaped esophagojejunal anastomosis: mesentery 25 cm away from the Trevor ligament was treated, and an incision of about 1 cm was made on the mesenteric border of the intestinal wall and the right wall of the esophagus, two arms of the linear cutting closure were inserted, and esophagojejunal side-to-side anastomosis was performed. A linear stapler was used to cut off the lower edge of the anastomosis and close the common opening to complete the esophagojejunal π-shaped anastomosis. (2) Side-to-side gastrojejunostomy anastomosis: an incision of about 1 cm was made at the jejunum to mesenteric border and at the greater curvature of the remnant stomach 15 cm from the esophagojejunostomy, and a linear stapler was inserted to complete the gastrojejunostomy side-to-side anastomosis. (3) Side-to-side jejunojejunal anastomosis: an incision of about 1 cm was made at the proximal and distal jejunum to the mesangial border 40 cm from the esophagojejunostomy, and two arms of the linear stapler were inserted respectively to complete the side-to-side jejunojejunal anastomosis. A midline incision about 4-6 cm in the upper abdomen was conducted to take out the specimen, and an abdominal drainage tube was placed, then layer-by-layer abdominal closure was performed.@*INDICATIONS@#(1) adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction (Seiwert type II-III) was diagnosed by endoscopy and pathological examination; (2) ability to preserve at least 1/2 of the distal stomach after R0 resection of proximal stomach was evaluated preoperatively.@*CONTRAINDICATIONS@#(1) evaluation indicated distant metastasis of tumor or invasion of other organs; (2) short abdominal esophagus or existence of diaphragmatic hiatal hernia was assessed during the operation; (3) mesentery was too short or the tension was too high; (4) existence of severe comorbidities before surgery; (5) only palliative surgery was required in preoperative evaluation; (6) poor nutritional status.@*MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES@#operation time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative complications, time to first flatus and time to start liquid diet, postoperative hospital stay, operation cost, etc. Continuous variables that conformed to normal distribution were presented as mean ± standard deviation, and those that did not conform to normal distribution were presented as median (Q1,Q3). Results: All the patients successfully completed TLPG with double-tract reconstruction combined with π-shaped esophagojejunal anastomosis, and postoperative pathology showed that no cancer cells were found on the upper incision margin. The operation time was (247.9±62.4) minutes, the median intraoperative blood loss was 100.0 (62.5, 100.0) ml, no intraoperative blood transfusion was required, the incision length was (4.9±1.0) cm, and the operation cost was (55.5±0.7) thousand yuan. The median time to start liquid diet was 1.0 (1.0, 2.0) days, and the mean time to flatus was (3.1±0.9) days. All the patients were discharged uneventfully. Only 1 patient developed postoperative paralytic ileus and infectious pneumonia with Clavien-Dindo classification of grade II. The patient recovered after conservative treatment. There was no surgery-related death. The postoperative hospital stay was (8.3±2.1) days. Conclusion: The double-tract reconstruction combined with π-shaped esophagojejunal anastomosis after TLPG is safe and feasible, which can minimize surgical trauma and accelerate postoperative recovery.

A comparative study on short-term outcomes and quality of life for gastric cancer patients between totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy using an endoscopic linear stapler and laparoscopic-assisted total gastrectomy using a circular stapler / 中华胃肠外科杂志

Objective: To explore the differences of short-term outcomes and quality of life (QoL) for gastric cancer patients between totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy using an endoscopic linear stapler and laparoscopic-assisted total gastrectomy using a circular stapler. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted. Clinicopathological data of patients with stage I to III gastric adenocarcinoma who underwent laparoscopic total gastrectomy from January 2017 to January 2020 were retrospectively collected. Those who were ≥80 years old, had serious complications that could affect the quality of life, underwent multi-organ resections, palliative surgery, emergency surgery due to gastrointestinal perforation, obstruction, bleeding, died or lost to follow-up within 1 year after surgery were excluded. A total of 130 patients were enrolled and divided into circular stapler group (CS group, 77 cases) and linear stapler group (LS group, 53 cases) according to the surgical method. The differences of age, gender, body mass index, number of comorbidities, history of abdominal surgery, ASA, tumor location, degree of differentiation, tumor length, tumor T stage, tumor N stage, tumor pathological stage and preoperative quality of life between the two groups were not statistically significant (all P>0.05). The observation indicators: (1) Surgery and postoperative conditions. (2) Postoperative complications: Any adverse conditions that require conservative treatment or surgical intervention after surgery were defined as postoperative complications, of which, complications occurring within 30 days after surgery were defined as early complications; complications occurring within 30 days to 1 year after surgery were defined as late complications. (3) Postoperative quality of life was assessed by the quality of life core scale (QLQ-C30) and gastric cancer specific module scale (QLQ-STO22). The higher the scores of functional scales and global health status, the better the corresponding quality of life. The higher the scores of symptoms scales, the worse the corresponding quality of life. Results: (1) Surgery and postoperative conditions: Compared with the CS group, the LS group presented less intraoperative blood loss [50.0 (50.0-100.0) ml vs. 100.0 (100.0-100.0) ml, Z=-3.111, P=0.002] and earlier time to flatus [(3.1±0.8) days vs. (3.5±1.1) days, t=-2.490, P=0.014]. However, there were no statistically significant differences between two groups of patients in terms of operation time, time to start a liquid diet and postoperative hospital stay (all P>0.05). (2) Postoperative complications: The early complication rates of the CS group and the LS group were 22.1% (17/77) and 18.9% (10/53), respectively, while the late complication rate were 18.2% (14/77) and 15.1% (8/53), respectively, whose differences were not statistically significant (all P>0.05). (3) Postoperative quality of life: After 1-year follow-up, 7 (5.4%) patients were lost, including 5 in CS group and 2 in LS group. One year after operation, the QLQ-C30 scale showed that the score of financial difficulty of the LS group was significantly higher than that of the CS group [33.3 (0 to 33.3) vs.0 (0 to 33.3), Z=-1.972, P=0.049] with statistically significant difference, and there were no statistically significant differences in the scores of other functional fields and symptom fields between the two groups (all P>0.05). The QLQ-STO22 scale showed that the scores of dysphagia [0 (0 to 5.6) vs. 0 (0 to 11.1), Z=-2.094, P=0.036] and eating restriction were significantly lower [0 (0 to 4.2) vs. 0 (0 to 8.3), Z=-2.011, P=0.044] in patients of the LS group than those of the CS group. There were no significant differences in scores of other symptoms between two groups (all P>0.05). Conclusions: Compared with the circular stapler, the esophagojejunostomy with linear stapler for gastric cancer patients can reduce intraoperative blood loss, shorten the time to flatus after operation, alleviate the symptoms of dysphagia and eating restriction but increase the economic burden to a certain degree.

Daratumumab combined with chemotherapy bridging to allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation followed by daratumumab and lenalidomide maintenance therapy for primary plasma cell leukemia: report of one case and review of literature / 白血病·淋巴瘤

Objective:To observe the therapeutic efficacy and prognosis of daratumumab combined with chemotherapy bridging to allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) followed by daratumumab and lenalidomide maintenance treatment for primary plasma cell leukemia (PCL).Methods:The clinical data of a patient with primary PCL admitted to the First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province in January 2020 were retrospectively analyzed, and relevant literatures were reviewed.Results:The patient was diagnosed with primary PCL and treated with daratumumab combined with BD (bortezomib + dexamethasone) for 1 course and BCDD (bortezomib + cyclophosphamide + liposomaldoxorubicin + dexamethasone) for two courses. The patient was treated with daratumumab combined with allo-HSCT after complete remission. The donor cells were successfully implanted and the chimerism rate of donor cells was 94.36% without acute graft-versus-host disease reaction. And then the patient received intermittent maintenance therapy of daratumumab combined with low dose lenalidomide after transplantation, and the current remission period after transplantation reached 4 months.Conclusions:Daratumumab combined with chemotherapy bridging to allo-HSCT followed by daratumumab and lenalidomide may improve the prognosis of primary PCL and prolong survival time.

Significance of Th1/Th2 cytokines in prognostic stratification of acute myeloid leukemia / 白血病·淋巴瘤

Objective:To investigate the significance of Th1/Th2 cytokines in prognostic stratification of acute myeloid leukemia (AML).Methods:A total of 83 patients with newly diagnosed AML from June 2017 to April 2019 in the First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province were collected. According to the Chinese guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of adult acute myeloid leukemia (non-acute promyelocytic leukemia) (2017 edition), AML patients were divided into poor prognosis group (45 cases), moderate prognosis group (19 cases), and good prognosis group (19 cases); moderate prognosis plus poor prognosis was treated as the not good prognosis. Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis H test were used to compare the expression differences of Th1/Th2 cytokines in peripheral blood of different prognosis groups; cytokines with statistical differences among different prognosis groups were selected, and the cut-off value of AML patients with different prognostic stratification distinguished by cytokines was determined by using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Finally, patients were divided into ≥ cut-off value group and <cut-off value group according to the cut-off value, and then the association of both groups with the prognostic stratification in guideline was also analyzed. Results:The median expression level of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-β of patients in moderate prognosis group [3.80 pg/ml (2.75 pg/ml, 15.32 pg/ml)] was higher than that of patients in poor prognosis group [2.78 pg/ml (1.28 pg/ml, 3.36 pg/ml)] and good prognosis group [1.61 pg/ml (0.83 pg/ml, 3.04 pg/ml)] ( U=216, P=0.02; U = 312, P < 0.05); the median expression level of TNF-β in good prognosis group was lower than that in poor prognosis group ( U = 562, P = 0.048). There were no statistically significant differences in the expression levels of Th1/Th2 cytokines of AML patients with different prognostic stratification (all P>0.05).The cut-off value of TNF-β was 3.23 pg/ml in good prognosis group and moderate prognosis group, the area under the ROC curve was 0.866 (95% CI 0.753-0.978, P < 0.05); among 26 patients with TNF-β≥ 3.23 pg/ml, 25 (96.2%) patients had not good prognosis. The cut-off value was 3.62 pg/ml for distinguishing between moderate prognosis group and poor prognosis group, the area under the ROC curve was 0.747 (95% CI 0.610-0.884, P = 0.02); 18 (100%) patients with TNF-β≥ 3.62 pg/ml had not good prognosis. The cut-off value was 2.19 pg/ml for distinguishing between good prognosis group and not good prognosis group, the area under the ROC curve was 0.719 (95% CI 0.595-0.842, P = 0.04); among 53 patients with TNF-β≥2.19 pg/ml, 46 (86.8%) patients had not good prognosis. Conclusions:The high expression of TNF-β may indicate that the prognosis of AML patients is not good. When the level of TNF-β was equal or greater than 3.62 pg/ml, it may contribute to the prognostic stratification of AML patients.

Correlation between 1H-MRS metabolites in hippocampal and T lymphocyte subsets and cytokines in peripheral blood of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective:To analyze the correlation between 1H-MRS in hippocampus and peripheral blood cytokines and T lymphocyte subsets in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy, and to explore the relationship between immune dysfunction and the degree of neuronal injury. Methods:Fifty patients with temporal lobe epilepsy were selected from Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from October 2020 to July 2021.Clinical data of all patients were collected and they were divided into two groups according to MRI results of epileptic sequence: abnormal hippocampal MRI group ( n=20) and normal hippocampal MRI group ( n=30). Bilateral 1H-MRS scanning of hippocampal and detection of T lymphocyte subsets and cytokines in peripheral blood during interictal period were performed in both groups. The levels of hippocampal metabolites NAA, NAA/(Cr+ Cho), T lymphocyte subsets and cytokines in peripheral blood of the two groups were compared.At the same time, the levels of NAA and NAA/ (Cr+ Cho) in the hippocampus on the abnormal side and the normal side in the abnormal hippocampal MRI group were compared within the group. Finally, the correlation between the levels of metabolites NAA, NAA/ (Cr+ Cho) in the hippocampus on the abnormal side obtained by 1H-MRS scanning and T lymphocyte subsets and cytokines in the abnormal group of MRI was analyzed. The data were statistically analyzed by SPSS 26.0 software. Independent sample t-test or Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison between the two groups. Paired sample t-test was used for intra group comparison of different sides. Spearman correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between each index. Results:The NAA and NAA/(Cr+ Cho) values of the abnormal MRI group(normal side NAA: (1.22±0.37), NAA/(Cr+ Cho): (0.56±0.15). abnormal side NAA: (1.02±0.34), NAA/(Cr+ Cho): (0.48±0.13)) were significantly lower than those of the normal MRI group (NAA: (1.51±0.36), NAA/(Cr+ Cho): (0.73±0.19))(NAA: t=2.705, 4.800, both P<0 05; NAA/(Cr+ Cho): t=3.394, 4.914, both P<0 05). The values of NAA and NAA/(Cr+ Cho) in the abnormal side in the MRI abnormal group were significantly lower than those in the normal side( t=6.467, P<0 05). The levels of IL-1β(11.19(3.56, 20.98)pg/ml), IL-5 (3.12(1.86, 6.41)pg/ml), TNF-α(2.55(1.19, 8.28)pg/ml), CD4+ T lymphocytes((43.13±6.82)%) and Th/Ts((1.96±0.66)) in the hippocampal MRI abnormal group were significantly higher than those in normal MRI group (IL-1β: 3.27(1.63, 6.17)pg/ml, IL-5: 1.15(0.96, 2.96)pg/ml, TNF-α: 1.34(1.02, 2.36)pg/ml, CD4+ T: (38.01±7.21)%, Th/Ts: (1.48±0.53))( Z=-3.041, -2.516, -2.496, all P<0.05; t=2.511, 2.810, both P<0 05). The level of CD8+ T ((23.48±5.33)%) in peripheral blood of abnormal MRI group was significantly lower than that of normal group CD8+ T((27.18±6.08)%)( t=2.210, P<0.05). In the abnormal MRI group, the levels of NAA and NAA/ (Cr+ Cho) in the abnormal hippocampus were negatively correlated with the levels of IL-1β, IL-5 and TNF- α ( r=-0.612--0.463, all P<0.05), and positively correlated with CD8+ T lymphocytes ( r=0.537, 0.478, P<0.05). Conclusion:There is neuronal damage and dysfunction in the abnormal hippocampal region of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy with abnormal hippocampal formation, and the degree of neuronal damage is highly correlated with CD8+ T lymphocytes, IL-5, IL-1β and TNF-α in peripheral blood. The imbalance of interictal lymphocyte subsets and chronic inflammatory response may play an important role in the pathogenesis of epilepsy and neuronal injury .

Imaging features of primary adrenocortical carcinoma / 中国医师杂志

Objective:To discuss the computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging features of primary adrenal cortical carcinoma (PACC) and improve the imaging diagnostic level of primary adrenocortical carcinoma.Methods:The imaging features of 15 patients with biopsy or pathology confirmed PACC were retrospectively analiezed. There were 12 patients underwent CT examination, 7 patients underwent MR examination, and 4 patients underwent CT and MR exminations.Results:All of 15 PACCs were unilateral (10 on the right, 5 on the left). The maximum diameters of the lesions ranged from 4.4 to 15.1 (8.9±3.3)cm. The shape of the tumor was oval in 6 cases and irregular in 9 cases. CT findings: 1 cases showed homogeneous density and 11 cases were heterogeneous attenuation (including 2 cases with hemorrhage and 1 case with fat) on plain scan. The CT values of triple-phase of PACC ranged from 28.8 to 62.0(39.2±8.5)HU, 32.7 to 83.4(52.5±14.4)HU and 43.4 to 86.4(61.1±15.0)HU respectively. All cases showed mild (7 cases) and moderate (4 cases) gradual enhancement, only one case excluded. MRI findings: inhomogeneous mild and moderate enhancement were detected in 6 cases and homogeneneous enhancement was found in 1 case. The solid parts of PACC showed iso-signal intensity in T1WI, hyper-signal intensity in T2WI and diffusion limited in the diffusion weighted imaging (DWI). There were 14 cases of vascular shadow in 15 patients, and 3 cases of involvement and metastasis of surrounding tissues and organs.Conclusions:PACC often present as a big solitary heterogenous mass with necrotic area, hemorrhage and intratumoral vascular. The mild to moderate heterogenous gradual enhancement can be seen after the contrast.

Prevalence and influencing factors of dental fear among 12-15 year-old children in Shenzhen / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To understand the prevalence and influencing factors of Children s Dental Fear (CDF) among 12-15 year-old children in Shenzhen city, so as to provide a framework to alleviate CDF and promote oral health.@*Methods@#Multi-stage stratified random sampling was used to select 5 509 children, aged 12-15 years, to participate in this study, which was carried out from October to November, 2018. The Children s Fear Survey Scheduling-Dental Subscale (CFSS-DS) and oral health examinations were conducted in Shenzhen.@*Results@#The prevalence of dental fear in children aged 12, 13, 14, and 15 years in Shenzhen was 30.3%, 30.5%, 33.6%, and 26.9%, respectively(χ 2=11.97, P=0.01). The CFSS-DS scores were(29.86±13.23)(29.72±13.59)(31.23±14.47)(29.79±13.24), respectively(F=3.60, P=0.01). The CFSS-DS scores of male and female participants were (27.92±13.69) and (32.62±13.12)(t=-12.97, P<0.01), respectively, and the CDF prevalence rates were 23.8% and 38.8%, respectively(χ 2=159.29, P<0.01). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that gender, brushing frequency, visiting experience, oral knowledge level, oral health attitude, oral health and general health status were correlated with CDF (P<0.05).@*Conclusion@#Attention should be paid to the prevalence of dental phobia among children aged 12-15 years in Shenzhen, and comprehensive intervention measures should be taken to improve children s oral health.

Low-level viremia in nucleoside analog-treated chronic hepatitis B patients / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

Low-level viremia (LLV) was defined as persistent or intermittent episodes of detectable hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA (<2000 IU/mL, detection limit of 10 IU/mL) after 48 weeks of antiviral treatment. Effective antiviral therapies for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, such as entecavir (ETV), tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), and tenofovir alafenamide (TAF), have been shown to inhibit the replication of HBV DNA and prevent liver-related complications. However, even with long-term antiviral therapy, there are still a number of patients with persistent or intermittent LLV. At present, the research on LLV to address whether adversely affect the clinical outcome is limited, and the follow-up treatment for these patients is open to question. At the same time, the mechanism of LLV is not clear. In this review, we summarize the incidence of LLV, the association between LLV and long-term outcomes, possible mechanisms, and management strategies in these patient populations.

Potential epitopes and mutation characteristics of 2019 novel coronavirus spike protein / 中华传染病杂志

Objective:To predict the epitopes of the spike protein of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) and to analyze the mutation characteristics of this protein.Methods:The gene sequences of 2019-nCoV was downloaded from GenBank and Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data database (as of March 4, 2020). ClustalW, MEGA 7.0, Immune Epitope Database and other software were used for predicting potential B lymphocyte and T lymphocyte epitopes of spike protein, and then mutations were compared in epitope and non-epitope regions. Statistical analysis was performed with chi-square test.Results:There were 130 potential epitopes, including 25 linear B lymphocyte epitopes, 18 non-linear B lymphocyte epitopes, 71 human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class-Ⅰ restricted T lymphocyte epitopes, and 16 HLA class-Ⅱ restricted T lymphocyte epitopes in spike protein. S 404-426displayed the higher antigenicity-score, and its population coverage was 73.4% in China. Compared with the spike protein before January 31, the mutation frequencies of spike protein were increased both in non-epitope (15.4% vs 21.7%) and epitope regions (6.2% vs 8.7%) after January 31, but the differences were not statistically significant (both P>0.05). Conclusions:The study identifies several epitopes of 2019-nCoV spike protein, which provides a preliminary basis for the study of 2019-nCoV vaccine. Mutations in spike protein have an increasing trend which needs more attention and research in the future.

Application value of artificial neural network in laparoscopic surgery training / 中华消化外科杂志

Objective:To investigate the application value of artificial neural network in laparoscopic surgery training.Methods:The prospective cohort study was conducted. A total of 158 trainees from the First Hospital Affiliated to Army Medical University between Semptember and November, 2019 who had no experience in laparoscopic technology were selected for laparoscopic surgery training, including 52 graduate students of surgery from grade 2019, 2018 and 2017, 58 surgeons receiving standardized residency training, 12 interns and 36 refresher physicians. The 158 trainees were divided into two groups using the random number table. Trainees trained by artificial neural network laparoscopic simulator were allocated into artificial neural network group, and trainees trained by box laparoscopic simulator were allocated into general laparoscopic simulator group. Trainees in both groups were trained using the laparoscopic simulator for 10 hours (5-day continuous training, 2 hours per day) on fundamentals of laparoscopic surgery. Observation indicators: (1) comparison of operation grades on laparoscopic simulator before and after training in the two groups; (2) comparison of improvement of the operation grades on laparoscopic simulator after training between the two groups. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean± SD, comparison within groups was analyzed using the paired t test and comparison between groups was analyzed using the independent sample t test. Measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M (range). Results:A total of 158 trainees were selected for eligibility, including 140 males and 18 females, aged from 23 to 34 years, with a median age of 27 years. Of the 158 trainees, 79 were in the artificial neural network group and 79 were in the general laparoscopic simulator group. (1) Comparison of operation grades on laparoscopic simulator before and after training in the two groups: operation grades of the nails transferring, pattern cutting, ligation, sewing knots in vivo and sewing knots in vitro for the artificial neural network group before training were 51.2±4.9, 45.6±3.7, 43.0±3.6, 42.1±3.1, and 39.6±3.1, respectively. The above indicators for the artificial neural network group after training were 78.6±3.0, 76.4±3.9, 79.9±2.5, 78.3±3.5, and 84.1±3.8, respectively. There were significant differences in the above indicators for the artificial neural network group before and after training ( t=-42.490, -56.256, -80.373, -70.802, -79.742, P<0.05). The above indicators for the general laparoscopic simulator group before training were 50.1±2.9, 45.4±3.9, 42.7±3.0, 42.3±3.4, and 39.2±4.7, respectively. The above indicators for the general laparoscopic simulator group after training were 70.4±5.0, 69.8±4.0, 72.3±3.3, 72.3±3.5, and 72.8±3.2, respectively. There were significant differences in the above indicators for the general laparoscopic simulator group before and after training ( t=-28.942, -42.436, -58.357, -52.322, -53.098, P<0.05). (2) Comparison of improvement of the operation grades on laparoscopic simulator after training between the two groups: improvement of the operation grades in the nails transferring, pattern cutting, ligation, sewing knots in vivo and sewing knots in vitro for the artificial neural network group after training were 27.4±5.7, 30.8±5.0, 36.9±4.1, 36.2±4.5 and 39.5±5.4, respectively. The above indicators for the general laparoscopic simulator group after training were 20.3±6.2, 24.4±5.1, 29.6±4.5, 29.9±5.1 and 33.5±5.6, respectively. There were significant differences in the above indicators between the two groups ( t=7.597, 7.946, 10.638, 8.200, 6.969, P<0.05). Conclusion:The introduction of artificial neural network in laparoscopic surgery training can improve the training effects.

Risk Factors for Acute Renal Failure after Thoracoabdominal Aortic Aneurysm Surgery / 中国医学科学院学报

To investigate the risk factors associated with acute renal failure (ARF) after thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) surgery. A total of 156 patients underwent TAAA repair between January 2009 and December 2017. Renal failure was defined based on the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes criteria. The patients were divided into ARF group and non-ARF group based on the presence/absence of postoperative ARF. The risk factors of ARF were analyzed by univariate analysis and multivariate logistic analysis. The subjects included 111 males and 45 females aged (40.4±10.9) years (range:19-65 years). The surgical reasons included aortic dissection (=130,83.3%),aneurysm (=22,14.1%),and pseudoaneurysm (=4,2.6%). The degrees of repair included Crawford extent I in 6 patients (3.8%),extent Ⅱ in 128 patients (82.1%),extent Ⅲ in 20 patients (12.8%),and extent Ⅳ in 2 patients(1.3%). There were 3 patients presented with aortic rupture and 6 patients received emergent operations. Nine patients (5.8%) died within 30 days after surgery,and 8 patients (5.1%) suffered from permanent paraplegia. Thirty-six patients (23.1%) had ARF after surgery,and 18 of them needed dialysis. Multivariate logistic analysis showed that smoking ( =2.637,95%=1.113-6.250,=0.028),packed red blood cell usage in operation (≥6 U) ( =5.508,95%=2.144-11.930,=0.000),reoperation for bleeding (=3.529,95%=1.298-9.590,=0.013) were independent risk factors for ARF after TAAA repair. Smoking,packed red blood cell usage in operation (≥6 U),reoperation for bleeding are the independent risk factors of ARF after TAAA surgery.

Single-cell transcriptomic analysis of adult mouse pituitary reveals sexual dimorphism and physiologic demand-induced cellular plasticity

The anterior pituitary gland drives highly conserved physiologic processes in mammalian species. These hormonally controlled processes are central to somatic growth, pubertal transformation, fertility, lactation, and metabolism. Current cellular models of mammalian anteiror pituitary, largely built on candidate gene based immuno-histochemical and mRNA analyses, suggest that each of the seven hormones synthesized by the pituitary is produced by a specific and exclusive cell lineage. However, emerging evidence suggests more complex relationship between hormone specificity and cell plasticity. Here we have applied massively parallel single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), in conjunction with complementary imaging-based single-cell analyses of mRNAs and proteins, to systematically map both cell-type diversity and functional state heterogeneity in adult male and female mouse pituitaries at single-cell resolution and in the context of major physiologic demands. These quantitative single-cell analyses reveal sex-specific cell-type composition under normal pituitary homeostasis, identify an array of cells associated with complex complements of hormone-enrichment, and undercover non-hormone producing interstitial and supporting cell-types. Interestingly, we also identified a Pou1f1-expressing cell population that is characterized by a unique multi-hormone gene expression profile. In response to two well-defined physiologic stresses, dynamic shifts in cellular diversity and transcriptome profiles were observed for major hormone producing and the putative multi-hormone cells. These studies reveal unanticipated cellular complexity and plasticity in adult pituitary, and provide a rich resource for further validating and expanding our molecular understanding of pituitary gene expression programs and hormone production.

Regulatory mechanism of MS275 on the p38 MAPK signaling pathway in rats with convulsion in the developmental stage / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To study the regulatory mechanism of MS275, a histone deacetylase inhibitor, on the p38 MAPK signaling pathway in rats with convulsion in the developmental stage.@*METHODS@#Thirty-two male rats were randomly divided into four groups: control, pentylenetetrazol (PTZ), PTZ+3 mg/kg MS275, and PTZ+6 mg/kg MS275 (n=8 each). A rat model of convulsion in the developmental stage was prepared by an intraperitoneal injection of PTZ. The rats in the control group were given an injection of normal saline alone. MS275 was given by an intraperitoneal injection at 2 hours before PTZ injection. At 24 hours after successful modeling, 6 rats were taken from each group. Western blot and qRT-PCR were used to measure the protein and mRNA expression of p38, MK2, cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the hippocampus. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used to observe brain pathological changes. Western blot was used to measure the expression of CD11b as a marker for the activation of microglial cells.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the control group, the PTZ group had significant increases in the mRNA and protein expression of p38, MK2, CREB, and IL-6 (P<0.05). MS275 significantly inhibited the mRNA and protein expression of the above markers in the rats with convulsion in the developmental stage (P<0.05), and 6 mg/kg MS275 had a significantly better inhibitory effect on the mRNA and protein expression of IL-6 and CREB than 3 mg/kg MS275 (P<0.05). HE staining showed that the PTZ group had marked neuron apoptosis, cellular edema, and inflammatory cell infiltration, while MS275 intervention alleviated neuron apoptosis and cellular edema and reduced inflammatory cell infiltration in the rats with convulsion. The PTZ group had a significant increase in the activation of microglial cells, while MS275 significantly inhibited the activation of microglial cells in the rats with convulsion (P<0.05); 6 mg/kg MS275 had a significantly better inhibitory effect than 3 mg/kg MS275 (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#In rats with convulsion in the developmental stage, the histone deacetylase inhibitor MS275 can inhibit the p38 MAPK signaling pathway, the apoptosis of hippocampal neurons, and the activation of microglial cells and thus reduce inflammatory response and convulsion-induced brain injury in a dose-dependent manner.