Repeated stellate ganglion blockade for the treatment of ventricular tachycardia storm in patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathy: a new therapeutic option for patients with malignant arrhythmias / 中华心血管病杂志

Objectives: This study sought to describe our institutional experience of repeated percutaneous stellate ganglion blockade (R-SGB) as a treatment option for drug-refractory electrical storm in patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM). Methods: This prospective observational study included 8 consecutive NICM patients who had drug-refractory electrical storm and underwent R-SGB between June 1, 2021 and January 31, 2022. Lidocaine (5 ml, 1%) was injected in the vicinity of the left stellate ganglion under the guidance of ultrasound, once per day for 7 days. Data including clinical characteristics, immediate and long-term outcomes, and procedure related complications were collected. Results: The mean age was (51.5±13.6) years. All patients were male. 5 patients were diagnosed as dilated cardiomyopathy, 2 patients as arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy and 1 patient as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The left ventricular ejection fraction was 37.8%±6.6%. After the treatment of R-SGB, 6 (75%) patients were free of electrical storm. 24 hours Holter monitoring showed significant reduction in ventricular tachycardia (VT) episodes from 43.0 (13.3, 276.3) to 1.0 (0.3, 34.0) on the first day following R-SGB (P<0.05) and 0.5 (0.0, 19.3) after whole R-SGB process (P<0.05). There were no procedure-related major complications. The mean follow-up was (4.8±1.1) months, and the median time of recurrent VT was 2 months. Conclusion: Minimally invasive R-SGB is a safe and effective method to treat electrical storm in patients with NICM.

Value of transrectal multimodal ultrasound combined with prostate specific antigen in predicting clinically organ-confined prostate cancer / 中华健康管理学杂志

Objective:To explore the predictive value of transrectal multimodal ultrasound and prostate specific antigen (PSA) in clinically organ-confined prostate cancer.Methods:It was a cross-sectional study. The clinical data of patients with suspected prostate nodules treated in the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University from May 2014 to April 2020 were analyzed retrospectively. Of the patients, 48 cases of clinically organ-confined prostate cancer and 51 cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia confirmed by clinical data and pathology were selected as research objects. The characteristics of transrectal multimodal ultrasound in the two groups were compared. Combined with PSA, logistic regression analysis was applied to screen the statistically significant features, and then the diagnosis model was established, and odds ratio of the variables were compared. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was constructed to analyze the predicting ability of the diagnosis model.Results:Four features were obtained with logistic regression analysis finally, including enhancement type, enhancement degree, elastography mode and PSA. The odds ratio of enhancement degree was higher than those of the other independent variables. The area under ROC curve of the diagnosis model was 0.868 ( P<0.01), the cut-off value was 0.514. The sensitivity and specificity of the diagnosis model in predicting clinically organ-confined prostate cancer was 79.2% and 80.4%, respectively. Conclusions:This combined diagnosis model of transrectal multimodal ultrasound and PSA has a certain clinical value in predicting clinically organ-confined prostate cancer.

Risk factors of long-term mortality in patients with acute pulmonary embolism and the predictive value of echocardiography / 中华全科医师杂志

Objective:To investigate the risk factors of long-term mortality in patients with acute pulmonary embolism (APE) and to explore the predictive value of echocardiography.Methods:A total of 109 APE patients admitted in First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University between December 2010 and November 2014 were enrolled in this study. APE was diagnosed by computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) or ventilation-perfusion pulmonary scintigraphy. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) parameters and clinical parameters within 48 h of onset were collected. All the patients were treated with standard anticoagulation, thrombolysis, or thrombectomy. Regular follow-up was carried out, with the average follow-up period of (7.20±1.04) years. The patients were divided into survival group and fatal group according to their follow-up results. The echocardiographic parameters and primary biochemical laboratory parameters within 48 h after onset were compared between the survival group and the fatal group by t test or χ 2 test. Cox regression analysis was conducted to analyze the influencing factors of long-term prognosis of patients with APE. Survival analysis was performed in patients with echocardiographic assessment of right ventricular (RV) enlargement and/or dysfunction and without RV enlargement and/or dysfunction by Kaplan-Meier method, and the survival curves were plotted. The comparison between the two groups was performed by log-rank test. Results:The average follow-up period was (7.20±1.04) years. Fourteen patients were lost in the follow-up, and 95 patients were included in the final analysis, among whom 58 survived and 37 died with a fatality rate of 39.0%. Cox regression analysis showed that age ( HR=2.32, 95% CI:1.31-4.13, P=0.004), malignancy ( HR=6.49, 95% CI:2.32-18.14, P<0.001), right atrial (RA)/left atrial (LA) area ratio ( HR=2.01, 95% CI:1.16-3.48, P=0.013), RV enlargement and/or dysfunction ( HR=5.90, 95% CI: 1.45-23.94, P=0.013), Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) score ( HR=1.75, 95% CI: 1.04-2.96, P=0.035), low oxygen saturation ( HR=1.70, 95% CI:1.14-2.53, P=0.009) were independent risk factors associated with long-term mortality in patients with APE. Kaplan Meier survival curve analysis showed that the cumulative survival rates of patients with RV enlargement and/or dysfunction at 1, 3, 5 and 7 years were 92.8%, 66.7%, 59.4% and 52.2% respectively, and those without RV enlargement and/or dysfunction were 96.2%, 92.3%, 84.6% and 84.6%,respectively (log rank test, P=0.006). Conclusions:Patients with APE have high long-term mortality. Early echocardiographic RV enlargement and/or dysfunction, RA/LA area ratio, age, malignant tumor, CCI score and low oxygen saturation are independent risk factors related to long-term mortality in patients with APE. Ultrasound evaluation of patients with RV enlargement and/or dysfunction has a certain value in predicting long-term mortality in patients with pulmonary embolism.

Sperm-specific protein ACTL7A as a biomarker for fertilization outcomes of assisted reproductive technology / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

Obtaining high-quality embryos is one of the key factors to improve the clinical pregnancy rate of assisted reproductive technologies (ART). So far, the clinical evaluation of embryo quality depends on embryo morphology. However, the clinical pregnancy rate is still low. Therefore, new indicators are needed to further improve the evaluation of embryo quality. Several studies have shown that the decrease of sperm-specific protein actin-like 7A (ACTL7A) leaded to low fertilization rate, poor embryo development, and even infertility. The aim of this study was to study whether the different expression levels of ACTL7A on sperm can be used as a biomarker for predicting embryo quality. In this study, excluding the factors of severe female infertility, a total of 281 sperm samples were collected to compare the ACTL7A expression levels of sperms with high and low effective embryo rates and analyze the correlation between protein levels and in-vitro fertilization (IVF) laboratory outcomes. Our results indicated that the ACTL7A levels were significantly reduced in sperm samples presenting poor embryo quality. Furthermore, the protein levels showed a significant correlation with fertilization outcomes of ART. ACTL7A has the potential to be a biomarker for predicting success rate of fertilization and effective embryo and the possibility of embryo arrest. In conclusion, sperm-specific protein ACTL7A has a strong correlation with IVF laboratory outcomes and plays important roles in fertilization and embryo development.

Analysis on repetitive reporting of hepatitis B in Fujian province, 2016-2020 / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective: To analyze the repetitive reporting of hepatitis B in Fujian province during 2016-2020, and provide evidence for the improvement of hepatitis B surveillance. Methods: The reporting cards from the China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention were collected and divided into repetitive reporting cards and non-repetitive reporting cards from the report cards collected according to the valid ID number on the cards, and the proportion of repetitive report cards and related factors were analyzed by using software SAS 9.4. Results: A total of 314 551 hepatitis B reporting cards were submitted in Fujian from 2016 to 2020, in which 90.93% (286 020/314 551) were included in the analysis. The repetitive reporting cards accounted for 10.48% (29 982/286 020). The annual proportion of the repetitive reporting cards from 2016 to 2020 was between 2.98% and 3.71%, showing an overall increasing trend year by year (Z=2.26, P=0.024). The proportions of the repetitive reporting cards in 1-5 years were 3.17%, 5.40%, 7.74%, 9.27% and 10.48%, respectively, showing an increase trend with year (Z=128.16, P<0.001). The proportions of the repetitive reporting cards in 10 areas of Fujian ranged from 5.44% to 13.48% with significant difference (χ2=2 050.41, P<0.001) and increased with the increase of reported incidence of hepatitis B (Z=26.92, P<0.001). There were significant differences in relationships between repetitive reporting proportion and sex, age and type of the cases between the areas with high incidence and low incidence of hepatitis B. Conclusions: The reported incidence of hepatitis B was seriously affected by the repetitive reporting in Fujian from 2016 to 2020. A cross-year and cross-area surveillance mechanism for hepatitis B should be established and targeted measures should be taken to strengthen the control of the repetitive reporting and improve the surveillance for hepatitis B.

Clinical characteristics and long-term follow-up results of radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of ventricular tachycardia in patients with arrhythmogenic left ventricular cardiomyopathy / 中华心血管病杂志

Objective: To investigate the acute and long-term outcome of catheter ablation for the treatment of ventricular tachycardia (VT) in patients with arrhythmogenic left ventricular cardiomyopathy (ALVC). Methods: This retrospective, cross-sectional study enrolled ALVC patients undergoing radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of VT at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from January 2011 to December 2018 and collected their clinical characteristics and intraoperative electrophysiological examination. Patients were followed up every 6 months after radiofrequency ablation until August 2021. Echocardiographic results and VT recurrence post radiofrequency ablation were analysed. Results: Totally 12 patients were enrolled (mean age: (42±15) years, 11 males(11/12)). The mean of left ventricular end diastolic diameter (LVDd) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were (51±5)mm and (65±5)%, respectively. Twelve VTs were induced in 10 patients during the electrophysiological study, and the mean tachycardia cycle length was (293±65) ms. Three-dimensional substrate mapping revealed the diseased area at endocardial site in one patient, at epicardial sites in the other 11 patients (involved endocardial sites in 2 cases) with the basal part near the mitral annulus being the predilection for the substrate (10/11). After the catheter ablation at the endocardial and epicardial sites respectively, the complete procedure endpoint was achieved in all patients (VT cannot be induced post ablation). The median follow-up time was 65 (25, 123) months. One patient was lost to follow-up, and the other 11 patients survived without VT. No significant cardiac function deterioration was detected by the echocardiographic examination ((51±5)mm vs. (52±5)mm, P>0.05 for LVDd, (65±5)% vs. (60±6)%, P>0.05 for LVEF) at the end of follow-up. Conclusion: After radiofrequency ablation, the complete procedure endpoint is achieved in ALVC patients, and the catheter ablation provides long-term ventricular tachycardia control during the long-term follow-up.

Arthroscopic debridement combined with platelet-rich plasma injection for the treatment of Kellgren-Lawrence gradeⅠ-Ⅲ knee osteoarthritis / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To explore clinical effect of arthroscopic debridement combined with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection for Kellgren-Lawrence(K-L) gradeⅠ-Ⅲ knee osteoarthritis (KOA) .@*METHODS@#Totally 117 patients with KOA who underwent arthroscopic debridement combined with injection from November 2015 to January 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. According to different injection drugs, the patients were divided into sodium hyaluronate group(group A) and PRP group(group B). In group A, there were 60 patients, including 27 males and 33 females, aged from 49 to 67 years old with an average age of (54.1±4.8) years old;12 patients with gradeⅠ, 23 patients with gradeⅡand 25 patients with grade Ⅲ according to K-L clssification, 2 ml(20 g) sodium hyaluronate was injected into knee joint after intraoperative, 1, 2, 3 weeks after operation for 4 times. In group B, there were 57 patients, including 25 males and 32 females, aged from 47 to 70 years old with an average of (55.8±5.0) years old, 10 patients with gradeⅠ, 20 patients with gradeⅡand 27 patients with grade Ⅲ according to K-L classification, injected 5 ml PRP at the same time. Postoperative complications was recorded between two groups. Postoperative visual analogue scale(VAS) and Lysholm score at 3, 6, 12 months were used to evaluate improvement of knee pain and joint function.@*RESULTS@#All patients were followed up for 12 to 19 months with an average of (14.1±1.6) months. There was no significant difference in postopertaive complications between group A and group B (P>0.05). Postoperative VAS score in group A at 3, 6, 12 months were 3.0±0.8, 2.0±0.8, 2.6±0.9 respectively, and 2.9±0.8, 1.9±0.7, 2.2±0.8 in group B respectively; and no differnece at 3 and 6 months after operation between two groups (P<0.05), while VAS score in group B was higher than group A at 12 months after operation(P<0.05). Postoperative Lysholm score in group A at 1, 6, 12 months (86.6±1.8, 93.1±2.0, 86.7±1.7) were lower than group B(88.9±1.9, 95.0±2.0, 89.0±1.9)(P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Arthroscopic debridement combined with sodium hyaluronate or PRP injection for K-L gradeⅠ-Ⅲ KOA could effectively relieve pain and improve joint function with higher safety in short term, but the medium-long-term effect of PRP injection is stable.

Efficacy observation of long-retaining scalp acupuncture plus interactive training for upper-extremity dysfunction after cerebral stroke / 针灸推拿医学（英文版）

Objective: To observe the efficacy of long-retaining scalp acupuncture plus interactive training in improving upper- extremity dysfunction in cerebral stroke patients. Methods: Ninety-five patients with upper-extremity dysfunction after cerebral stroke were randomized into two groups, with 48 cases in the treatment group and 47 cases in the control group. Conventional internal medicine treatment was offered to both groups. In both groups, Anterior Oblique Line of Vertex-temporal (MS 6, the middle 2/5) and Posterior Oblique Line of Vertex-temporal (MS 7, the middle 2/5) were selected from the same side of the brain lesion (the side apposing to the hemiplegic limb) for scalp acupuncture treatment. In the treatment group, the scalp acupuncture needles were retained for 7 h, in combination with interactive training, while the needles were also retained for 7 h in the control group but without interactive training. Prior to treatment and at 2-week and 4-week treatment, the two groups were scored using the functional test for the hemiplegic upper extremity-Hong Kong (FTHUE-HK) and simplified Fugl-Meyer assessment-upper extremity (FMA-UE). Results: The total effective rate was 97.9％ in the treatment group, higher than 74.5％ in the control group (P<0.01). The FTHUE-HK score was higher at 2-week and 4-week treatment than before treatment in both groups, presenting statistically significant intra-group differences (all P<0.001); the FTHUE-HK score was higher at 4-week treatment than at 2-week treatment in both groups, presenting statistically significant intra-group differences (both P<0.001). At 2-week and 4-week treatment, the FTHUE-HK score was higher in the treatment group than in the control group, showing significant between-group differences (both P<0.05). During the whole treatment process, the treatment group had higher FTHUE-HK scores compared with the control group, but there was no statistical significance comparing the change of the score between the two groups at 2-week treatment (P>0.05), while the between-group difference in the change of the score was statistically significant at 4-week treatment (P<0.05). The FMA-UE score was higher at 2-week and 4-weeks treatment than before treatment in both groups, presenting statistically significant intra-group differences (all P<0.001); the FMA-UE score was higher at 4-week treatment than at 2-week treatment in both groups, presenting statistically significant intra-group differences (both P<0.001). At 2-week and 4-week treatment, the FMA-UE was higher in the treatment group than in the control group, and the between-group differences were statistically significant (both P<0.01). The FMA-UE score rose gradually with the increase of treatment session, and there was statistical significance comparing the change of the score between the two groups at 2-week and 4-week treatment, respectively (both P<0.05). Conclusion: Long-retaining scalp acupuncture plus interactive training results in more significant efficacy than long-retaining scalp acupuncture alone in improving the upper-limb dysfunction after cerebral stroke and the advantage becomes more notable after 2-week consecutive treatment.

The clinical value of the logistic regression model with a combination of three-dimensional CT quantitative and qualitative parameters in predicting the invasiveness of pure ground glass nodules / 中华放射学杂志

Objective:To explore the value of the logistic regression model with three-dimensional CT quantitative parameters in combination with qualitative parameters in predicting the invasiveness of pure ground glass nodules (pGGN).Methods:The clinical data and image features of 191 patients (196 lesions) with pGGN on CT confirmed as lung adenocarcinoma by pathology from April 2019 to December 2019 in Anhui Chest Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Totally, 196 lesions were divided into atypical adenomatous hyperplasia (AAH)+adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS)+minimally invasive adenocarcinoma (MIA) group ( n=128) and invasive adenocarcinoma (IAC) group ( n=68). CT quantitative parameters included the maximum diameter, volume, average CT value and quality of pGGN, and the qualitative parameters included the intrinsic vascular changes, abnormal air-bronchogram, lobulated signs, bubble-like sign, pleura-traction sign, and fuzzy tumor-lung interface sign. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the quantitative parameters and the Pearson χ 2 test was used to compare the qualitative parameters between two groups. The independent predictors of IAC and predictive probability value were screened by univariate analysis in combination with multivariate logistic regression analysis. The ROC curves were drawn to compare the diagnostic probability of logistic regression prediction probability and each single parameter. Results:There were statistically significant differences in maximum diameter [0.92(0.77,1.14) cm vs. 1.41(1.12, 1.93) cm, Z=-7.366, P<0.001], volume[0.31(0.20, 0.53) cm 3 vs. 0.88(0.41, 2.00) cm 3, Z=-6.254, P<0.001], average CT value[-571.5(-637.2, -477.0) HU vs. -418.1(-532.4, -338.5) HU, Z=-5.882, P<0.001], quality[0.14(0.09, 0.25) g vs. 0.42(0.26, 1.21) g, Z=-7.438, P<0.001], intrinsic vascular changes(23 vs. 49, χ2=55.906, P<0.001), abnormal air-bronchogram(13 vs. 30, χ2=29.908, P<0.001) and pleura-traction sign(39 vs. 32, χ2=5.291, P=0.021) between the two groups. The logistic regression analysis showed that the maximum diameter, average CT value, intrinsic vascular changes and abnormal air-bronchogram were the independent risk factors of IAC, and the odds ratio value(95%CI) were 10.624(1.275-88.522), 1.004(1.000-1.008), 3.424(1.458-8.043) and 2.993(1.114-8.043), respectively. The ROC curve demonstrated that the area under the curve, sensitivity and specificity of the logistic regression model were 0.899, 0.912, and 0.711 respectively, which were better than separate analysis results from each single parameter. Conclusion:The logistic regression model with a combination of three-dimensional CT quantitative and qualitative parameters can predict the invasiveness of pGGN better.

Superior effects of thoracic epidural block for analgesia in patients with severe acute pancreatitis / 中华麻醉学杂志

Objective:To evaluate the superior effect of thoracic epidural block (TEB) used for analgesia in patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP).Methods:Fifty patients of both sexes, aged 18-64 yr, with SAP, with Japanese severity score (JSS) ≥3, onset time of SAP≤12 h, were divided into conventional analgesia group (group C) and TEB group.Sufentanil was intravenously infused for analgesia in group C. TEB was performed for analgesia in group TEB.In group C, sufentanil was intravenously infused at a rate of 0.2-0.3 μg·kg -1·h -1 after admission to hospital.In group TEB, an epidural catheter was placed at T 9, 10 interspace, and 0.66% lidocaine mixed with 0.33% ropivacaine was epidurally infused at a rate of 3-5 ml/h for 120 h after admission to hospital.Visual analog scale (VAS) score and intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) were recorded at 1, 24, 48, 72 and 120 h of analgesia.HR, respiratory rate (RR), oxygenation index, computed tomography severity index (CTSI), JSS and Ranson scores were recorded at 24, 72 and 120 h of analgesia, and the de-criticalization within 72 h following analgesia was evaluated. Results:Compared with group C, VAS score and IAP were significantly deceased at each time point ( P<0.05), the rate of de-criticalization (60%/90%) was increased ( P<0.05), and Ranson score, CTSI score and JSS score were decreased at 120 h of analgesia in group TEB ( P<0.05). Conclusion:TEB can not only produce good analgesic effect, but also improve the development of the disease, which has superior effect compared with routine analgesia when used for the treatment of SAP.

Effect of Safety Bladder Capacity Catheterization on Lower Urinary Tract Function in Patients With Suprasacral Spinal Cord Injury / 中国康复理论与实践

Objective:To evaluate the effect of safety bladder capacity catheterization on lower urinary tract function in patients with supracacral spinal cord injury. Methods:A total of 60 patients with lower urinary tract dysfunction after suprasacral spinal cord injury in our hospital from January to December, 2019 were divided into control group (n = 30) and observation group (n = 30) randomly. Both groups were given intermittent catheterization, the frequency of catheterization was determined according to postvoid residual volume in the control group, while it was according to safety bladder capacity in the observation group. Their maximum destrusor pressure, postvoid residual volume, safety bladder capacity, urinary tract infection and detrusor wall thickness were compared. Results:Eight weeks after intervention, the maximum destrusor pressure and postvoid residual volume decreased, and the safety bladder capacity increased in the observation group (t > 5.623, P < 0.05), and were better than that of the control group (t > 2.242, P < 0.05); the detrusor wall thickness significantly decreased in the observation group (t = 7.871, P < 0.05), and was lower than that of the control group (t = 3.049, P < 0.01). The number of urinary tract infection patients was less in the observation group than in the control group (χ2 = 4.320, P = 0.038). Conclusion:Intermittent catheterization based on safety bladder capacity can improve lower urinary tract function in patients with suprasacral spinal cord injury.

Identification of Prognostic Related Hub Genes in Clear-Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma / 中国医学科学杂志(英文版)

Objective To identify new genes that correlate with prognosis of clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC)

Association between periodontal indexes and biomarkers in gingival crevicular fluid and preterm birth in pregnancy: a nested case-control study / 华西口腔医学杂志

OBJECTIVES@#This study aimed to investigate the association between periodontal indexes and biomarkers in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and preterm birth (PTB) in pregnancy, as well as to assess the clinical value of these indexes as predictors of PTB.@*METHODS@#A nested case-control study was conducted. A total of 300 systematically healthy pregnant women were selected within 36 weeks of gestation and grouped according to the enrolled weeks. Periodontal indexes, including probing depth (PD), bleeding index (BI), gingival index (GI), and five biomarkers in GCF, including interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) were measured at the enrolled date. The detailed birth outcome was recorded.@*RESULTS@#Only women at 24-28 weeks of gestation per PTB case (four full-term births) were selected as controls subjects, PTB displayed significantly greater GI, BI, and 8-OHdG (@*CONCLUSIONS@#Increased BI and 8-OHdG at 24-28 weeks of gestation are risk factors for PTB. Their combined detection may have some value in the prediction of PTB, but further studies with a larger sample size are needed to explore it and thus provide experiment evidence for establishing an early warning system for PTB in pregnant women with periodontal disease.

Epidemiological characteristics of the notifiable infectious diseases reported in Zhejiang Province, 2020 / 预防医学

Objective@#To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of notifiable infectious diseases reported in Zhejiang Province in 2020 for prevention and control.@*Methods@#Data of notifiable infectious diseases reported in Zhejiang Province in 2020 were extracted from China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention. The incidence and death of notifiable infectious diseases were analyzed and compared with the averages from 2015 to 2019; then the characteristics of some key diseases such as coronavirus disease 2019 ( COVID-19 ), influenza and other infectious diarrhea were summarized. @*Results@#Totally 487 271 cases of 30 kinds of infectious diseases were reported. The incidence and mortality rate was 832.94/100 000 and 0.615 4/100 000, which were 7.05% and 14.60% lower than the average value of 2015-2019.The weekly morbidity of Class A and Class B infectious diseases fluctuated between 1.24/100 000 and 3.68/100 000, and hit the bottom in the sixth to eighth week. The morbidity of Class C infectious diseases was 154.19/100 000 in the first week, then dropped to 4.83/100 000 in the second to sixth week and maintained at a low level. High morbidity of infectious diseases were reported in Hangzhou ( 1 412.62/100 000 ), Jinhua ( 960.35/100 000 ) and Ningbo ( 921.25/100 000 ). The morbidity of class C infectious diseases in Hangzhou was 1 248.80/100 000, which was far higher than that of other ten prefecture-level cities. The diseases with high reported morbidity were influenza (438.45/100 000), other infectious diarrhea (140.29/100 000 ), hand-foot-and-mouth disease ( 99.64/100 000 ), pulmonary tuberculosis ( 41.92/100 000 ), syphilis (41.37/100 000) and viral hepatitis ( 30.48/100 000 ). More deaths were reported in AIDS and pulmonary tuberculosis, and the mortality were 0.482 1/100 000 and 0.116 2/100 000. A total of 1 306 confirmed cases, 302 asymptomatic infections and 1 death of COVID-19 were reported. @*Conclusion@#In 2020, the incidence rate of notifiable infectious diseases in Zhejiang decreased compared with the average value of 2015-2019. Pulmonary tuberculosis, syphilis and hepatitis B still have high morbidity, and the COVID-19 epidemic spread widely. The morbidity of some respiratory infectious diseases and imported infectious diseases have dropped significantly compared with previous years.

Risk assessment of public health emergencies in Zhejiang Province, March 2021 / 预防医学

Objective@#To assess the risk of public health emergencies in Zhejiang Province, March 2021. @*Methods@#An expert counsel was conducted to assess the risk of coronavirus disease 2019 ( COVID-19 ) , enteritis due to norovirus, chicken pox and influenza by professionals in Zhejiang CDC, based on the information from infectious disease and public health emergency surveillance in Zhejiang Province, domestic health administrative departments, World Health Organization, and European CDC. @*Results@#In March 2021, the risk of imported COVID-19 epidemic will be high in Zhejiang Province, and the possibility of local spread could not be ruled out. The possibility of a large-scale outbreak of enteritis due to norovirus and a small-scale outbreak of chickenpox in schools and kindergartens could not be ruled out after the new term begins. An increased risk of influenza epidemic is predicted in collective units such as schools and kindergartens, yet the risk of a large-scale one will be low.@*Conclusion@#High attention should be paid to COVID-19 and enteritis due to norovirus, and general attention should be paid to chicken pox and influenza outbreak.

The anti-neoplastic activities of aloperine in HeLa cervical cancer cells are associated with inhibition of the IL-6-JAK1-STAT3 feedback loop / 中国天然药物

Cervical cancer (CC) is recognized as the most common neoplasm in the female reproductive system worldwide. The lack of chemotherapeutic agents with outstanding effectiveness and safety severely compromises the anti-cipated prognosis of patients. Aloperine (ALO) is a natural quinolizidine alkaloid with marked anti-cancer effects on multiple malignancies as well as favorable activity in relieving inflammation, allergies and infection. However, its therapeutic efficacy and underlying mechanism in CC are still unclear. In the current study, MTT assay was employed to evaluate the viability of HeLa cells exposed to ALO to preliminarily estimate the effectiveness of ALO in CC. Then, the effects of ALO on the proliferation and apoptosis of HeLa cells were further investigated by plate colony formation and flow cytometry, respectively, while the migration and invasion of ALO-treated HeLa cells were evaluated using Transwell assay. Moreover, nude mice were subcutaneously inoculated with HeLa cells to demonstrate the anti-CC properties of ALO in vivo. The molecular mechanisms underlying these effects of ALO were evaluated by Western blot and immunohistochemical analysis. This study experimentally demonstrated that ALO inhibited the proliferation of HeLa cells via G2 phase cell cycle arrest. Simultaneously, ALO promoted an increase in the percentage of apoptotic HeLa cells by increasing the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. Additionally, the migration and invasion of HeLa cells were attenuated by ALO treatment, which was considered to result from inhibition of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. For molecular mechanisms, the expression and activation of the IL-6-JAK1-STAT3 feedback loop were markedly suppressed by ALO treatment. This study indicated that ALO markedly suppresses the proliferation, migration and invasion and enhances the apoptosis of HeLa cells. In addition, these prominent anti-CC properties of ALO are associated with repression of the IL-6-JAK1-STAT3 feedback loop.

Research progress in mechanism of mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomes treating spinal cord injury / 中华创伤杂志

Secondary injury and the glial scar after spinal cord injury can adversely affect nerve regeneration in the microenvironment, leading to treatment difficulties. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have multi-differentiation, self-renewal ability, participation in immune regulation and other functions and can be used to treat spinal cord injury, but they are not easy to pass the blood spine barrier and have high tumorigenicity and other disadvantages. MSCs-derived exosomes are nanometer exosomes secreted by MSCs, which contain many active substances. These exosomes have a strong neurorepair effect in spinal cord injury research, and have advantages of easy penetration, stability and low tumorigenicity, etc. These exosomes make up for the disadvantages of MSCs treatment, and are expected to replace MSCs in treatment of spinal cord injury. The authors review the biological characteristics of MSCs-derived exosomes and its mechanism in the treatment of spinal cord injury, so as to provide references for the treatment of spinal cord injury.

Analysis on SSR loci in transcriptome and development of molecular markers in Polygonatum cyrtonema / 中草药

Objective: EST-SSR loci were identified and analyzed based on the transcriptome sequencing data in Polygonatum cyrtonema, in order to develop SSR markers suitable for evaluation and application of germplasm resources on P. cyrtonema. Methods: SSR loci were identified and analyzed in all of 126 544 Unigenes by using MISA tool. SSR primers were designed by using Primer 3.0 software and 50 pairs of SSR primers were randomly selected for validation test. Results: A total of 12 317 SSR loci, including the types of 2-6 nucleotide repeats with occurring frequency of 1/5.91 kb, were identified from 9 982 Unigenes in P. cyrtonema transcriptome. The distribution frequency of SSRs was 9.73%. Dinucleotide repeat was the main type, accounting for as much as 53.14% of all SSRs, followed by trinucleotide repeat (33.31%). The validation test on 50 pairs of SSR primers showed that 29 of them (58%) generated fragments with expected molecular size from P. cyrtonema. The capillary electrophoresis using fluorescence-labeled SSR markers showed that nine genotypes were identified at seven SSR loci in P. cyrtonema, which further demonstrated the validity of these SSR primers. Conclusion: There are numerous SSRs in P. cyrtonema transcriptome with high frequency, rich repeat types and relatively high polymorphic, which will provide abundant valuable candidate markers for genetic diversity analysis and genetic mapping construction in P. cyrtonema, also can be used as a technical tool for molecular identification among Polygonatum species and for molecular marker assistant breeding in superior cultivars of P. cyrtonema.

Chemical constituents from stems and leaves of Aphanamixis sinensis and their antibacterial activities / 中草药

Objective: To study the chemical constituents of stems and leaves from Aphanamixis sinensis and evaluate their antibacterial activities. Methods: The compounds were isolated and purified by various column chromatography techniques, such as silica gel, ODS, Sephadex LH-20, and MCI, and their structures were identified by physiochemical properties and spectroscopic data. Moreover, antimicrobial activities against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Escherichia coli CICC 10003, and Salmonella enterica UK-1 8956 of compounds 1-13 were evaluated by filter paper method. Results: Fifteen compounds were isolated from A. polystachya which were elucidated as (23E)-25-methoxycycloart-23-en-3β-ol (1), 25-hydroxy-cycloart-23-en-3-one (2), 23 (Z)-9,19-cycloart-23-ene-3β,25-diol (3), 23 (E)-cycloart-23-en-3β,25-diol (4), ent-labd-8 (17), 13E-dien-15-ol (5), vulgaro (6), ambroxdiok (7), α-cadinol (8), 1 (10)-en-oxo-7α-isopropanoleremophilane (9), (5R,7R,10S)-isopterocarpolone (10), 1S,4S,5S,10R- 4,10-guaianediol (11), (4R,5R,7S,9S,10S)-(-)-eudesma-11 (13)-en-4,9-diol (12), phytol (13), ergosterol endoperoxide (14) and 7α-hydroxysitosterol (15). Conclusion: All isolates were obtained from this plant for the first time, and compounds 2, 5, 7-10, and 12-15 were isolated from the genus Aphanamixis for the first time. Compound 5 showed obvious activity against S. aureus ATCC 25923 with the MIC value of 5 μg/mL.

One-stage transpedicular debridement, posterior internal fixation and fusion for the treatment of senile thoracolumbar tuberculosis / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the clinical outcomes of one-stage transpedicular debridement, posterior internal fixation, RBK mixed streptomycin filled bone grafting for the treatment of elderly patients with thoracolumbar tuberculosis.@*METHODS@#The clinical data of 20 elderly patients with thoracolumbar tuberculosis underwent one stage transpedicular debridement, posterior internal fixation, OSTEOSET RBK mixed streptomycin-filled bone grafting from September 2006 to July 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 12 males and 8 females, aged from 62 to 83 years with an average of (72.4±6.9) years old. Visual analogue scale (VAS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI)were used to evaluate the pain and spinal function. The kyphosis angle (Cobb angle) of the lesion segment and the bone growth of the lesion area were observed by the X-ray films.@*RESULTS@#All the operations were successful, the operation time was (160.9±23.8) min, and the intraoperative blood loss was (317.9± 112.7) ml. The incisions were healed by first intention, and no sinus and incision were delayed. Spinal tuberculosis was completely cured, Frankel grade has one or more improvements. The VAS score decreased from (7.50±1.15) points before surgery to (1.70±1.39) points at 12 months after surgery (<0.05). The ODI score decreased from preoperative (92.50±1.17)% to (12.80±0.89)% at the final follow up (<0.05). The sagittal Cobb angle of the lesion segment decreased from preoperative (24.2±1.6)° to (8.3±0.7)°at 12 months after surgery(<0.05), the kyphosis deformity was significantly corrected. In all cases, bone fusion was achieved in bone graft area, without bone nonunion and device fracture complications.@*CONCLUSION@#One-stage transpedicular debridement, posterior internal fixation, RBK mixed streptomycin filled bone grafting is suitable for thoracolumbar tuberculosis patients with good general condition and less vertebral destruction.