Comparative study of surgical effects on patients with mixed deafness and otosclerosis with different air bone conduction differences / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

Objective: To analyze the surgical efficacy of patients with mixed hearing loss and otosclerosis with different air bone gap (ABG) before surgery, and to provide reference for the prognosis evaluation of otosclerosis surgery. Methods: The clinical data of 108 cases(116 ears) of otosclerosis who had undergone stapes fenestration technique artificial stapes implantation in Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from November 2013 to May 2020 and had mixed hearing loss before surgery were collected, including 71 women(76 ears)and 37 men (40 ears), with an average age of 38.5 years. According to preoperative pure tone audiometry ABG, they were divided into three groups: group S, 15 dB≤ABG<31 dB, a total of 39 ears; group M, 31 dB≤ABG<46 dB, a total of 58 ears; and group L, ABG≥46 dB, 19 ears in total. The hearing outcomes of three groups of patients at 6-12 months after surgery were compared and analyzed using SPSS 24.0 statistical software. Results: A total of 3 patients (group S: 2 cases; group L: 1 case) experienced severe sensorineural hearing loss after surgery and were not included in the statistical analysis. After surgery, the pure tone hearing threshold of patients with otosclerosis in each group was significantly improved compared to before surgery, with an average air conduction threshold improvement of(21.6±13.4) dB. The difference between before and after surgery was statistically significant(t=17.13, P<0.01). The average bone conduction threshold improved by(3.7±7.6) dB, and the difference was statistically significant before and after surgery(t=5.20, P<0.01). The postoperative ABG was(18.3±9.3) dB, which was significantly reduced compared to preoperative(36.2±8.6)dB. Among the three groups of patients, the L group had the highest improvement in air conduction threshold[(29.9±10.8)dB], while the S group had the lowest improvement[(15.7±11.4)dB]. There was no statistically significant difference in post operative pure tone hearing thresholds between the three groups(P>0.05). The postoperative ABG in group S was the smallest[(16.5±9.0)dB], while in group L, the postoperative ABG was the largest[(20.5±10.0)dB]. Compared with group S, group M and group L still had a large residual ABG at 2 000 Hz after surgery. The bone conduction threshold of both S and M groups improved to some extent after surgery compared to before (P<0.01). Conclusions: Surgery can benefit patients with mixed hearing loss and otosclerosis with different preoperative ABG. Patients with small preoperative ABG have better surgical results and ideal ABG closure at all frequencies after surgery. Patients with large preoperative ABG can significantly increase the gas conduction threshold during surgery, but certain frequencies of ABG may still be left behind after surgery. The improvement effect of surgery on bone conduction threshold is not significant. Patients should be informed of treatment methods such as hearing aids based on their actual situation for selection.

Role of blood markers in predicting the failure of prosthesis removal and antibiotic-loaded bone cement spacer implantation for treatment of periprosthetic joint infection / 中华外科杂志

Objective: To investigate the value of inflammation,coagulation and nutrition markers in predicting the failure of prosthesis removal and antibiotic-loaded bone cement spacer implantation for treatment of periprosthetic joint infection(PJI). Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 70 patients who undertook prosthesis removal and antibiotic-loaded bone cement spacer implantation due to PJI from June 2016 to October 2020 in the Department of Orthopedics,Henan Provincial People's Hospital. There were 28 males and 42 females,aged (65.5±11.9) years (range: 37 to 88 years). Patients were divided into two groups as the successful group and the failed group depended on whether reinfection occurred after prosthesis removal and antibiotic-loaded bone cement spacer implantation at the last follow up. Patient demographics,laboratory values (C-reactive protein (CRP),erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR),ESR and CRP ratio (ESR/CRP),white blood cell count(WBC),platelet count(PLT),hemoglobin(HB),total lymphocyte count(TLC),albumin、fibrinogen(FIB),CRP and albumin ratio (CAR),prognostic nutritional index(PNI)),and reinfection rates were assessed. Comparison between groups was conducted by the independent sample t test or χ2 test. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted,and the area under the curve (AUC),optimal diagnostic threshold,sensitivity,and specificity were analyzed to predict the failure of prosthesis removal and antibiotic-loaded bone cement spacer implantation. Results: All patients were followed up for at least two years,and the follow-up time was (38.4±15.2) months (range: 24 to 66 months). Fifteen patients suffered failure after prosthesis removal and antibiotic-loaded bone cement spacer implantation,while the other 55 patients succeeded. The overall failure rate of prosthesis removal and antibiotic-loaded bone cement spacer implantation in PJI treatment was 21.4%. Level of preoperative CRP(35.9±16.2)mg/L,PLT(280.0±104.0)×109/L and CAR 1.3±0.8 in successful group were lower than CRP (71.7±47.3)mg/L,PLT (364.7±119.3)×109/L and CAR 2.5±2.0 in failed group (all P<0.05).Whereas,level of preoperative ESR/CRP (3.3±3.1), Albumin (35.3±5.2)g/L and PNI 43.6±6.2 in successful group were higher than ESR/CRP (1.6±1.4),Albumin(31.3±4.8)g/L and PNI (39.2±15.1) in failed group (all P<0.05). AUC of ROC curve,optimal threshold value,sensitivity and specificity of CRP,ESR/CRP, PLT, Albumin,CAR and PNI for the predicting failure of prosthesis removal and antibiotic-loaded bone cement spacer implantation were 0.776(95%CI:0.660 to 0.867),35.4 mg/L,86.7%,67.3%;0.725(95%CI:0.605 to 0.825),1.0,60.0%,78.2%;0.713(95%CI:0.593 to 0.815),253,93.3%,47.3%;0.721(95%CI:0.601 to 0.822),35.7,93.3%,49.1%;0.772(95%CI:0.656 to 0.863),1.1,86.7%,67.3%;0.706(95%CI:0.585 to 0.809),45.7,100%,41.8% respectively. Conclusion: In patients with PJI,CRP>35.4,ESR/CRP≤1.0 and CAR>1.1 could predict the failure of prosthesis removal and antibiotic-loaded bone cement spacer implantation.

The application scenarios study on the intervention of cognitive decline in elderly population using metaverse technology / 生物医学工程学杂志

China is facing the peak of an ageing population, and there is an increase in demand for intelligent healthcare services for the elderly. The metaverse, as a new internet social communication space, has shown infinite potential for application. This paper focuses on the application of the metaverse in medicine in the intervention of cognitive decline in the elderly population. The problems in assessment and intervention of cognitive decline in the elderly group were analyzed. The basic data required to construct the metaverse in medicine was introduced. Moreover, it is demonstrated that the elderly users can conduct self-monitoring, experience immersive self-healing and health-care through the metaverse in medicine technology. Furthermore, we proposed that it is feasible that the metaverse in medicine has obvious advantages in prediction and diagnosis, prevention and rehabilitation, as well as assisting patients with cognitive decline. Risks for its application were pointed out as well. The metaverse in medicine technology solves the problem of non-face-to-face social communication for elderly users, which may help to reconstruct the social medical system and service mode for the elderly population.

Association between early-life factors and pubertal timing in girls / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To study the association between early-life factors (including birth weight, method of birth, gestational age, and history of gestational metabolic disorders) and pubertal timing in girls.@*METHODS@#The stratified cluster sampling method was used to select the girls in grades 2-3 and 7-8 from three primary schools and three middle schools in Guangzhou, China from March to December, 2019, and breast development was examined for all girls. A questionnaire survey was performed to collect the information on early-life factors. The multivariate logistic regression model was used to evaluate the association of gestational metabolic disorders, birth weight, method of birth, and gestational age with pubertal timing in girls. The Bootstrap method was used to assess the mediation effect of body mass index (BMI) (Z score) between high birth weight (≥4 000 g) and pubertal timing.@*RESULTS@#A total of 1 665 girls were enrolled, among whom 280 (16.82%) were judged to have early pubertal timing. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that high birth weight was associated with the increased risk of early pubertal timing (OR=2.12, 95%CI: 1.19-3.66, P=0.008). Nevertheless, no significant association was observed between other early-life factors and pubertal timing (P>0.05). The OR for the mediation effect of BMI (Z score) between high birth weight and early pubertal timing was 1.25 (95%CI: 1.09-1.47), accounting for 29.33% of the total effect of high birth weight on early pubertal timing.@*CONCLUSIONS@#High birth weight is associated with the increased risk of early pubertal timing in girls, and overweight/obesity may play a partial mediating role in the association between high birth weight and early pubertal timing in girls.

Study on mechanism of interfering with LncRNA expressing to reduce paclitaxel resistance in non-small cell lung cancer cells / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To study the mechanism of interfering with long non-coding RNA nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase-antisense RNA1 （LncRNA NNT-AS1） expressing to reduce paclitaxel （TAX） resistance in non-small cell lung cancer （NSCLC） cells. METHODS NSCLC TAX-resistant cell line （A549/TAX） was constructed， and the expressions of LncRNA NNT-AS1 in normal， parental， and drug-resistant cells were observed. The targeting relationship of microRNA-582-5p （miR-582- 5p） with LncRNA NNT-AS1 and high mobility group box2 （HMGB2） was verified. A549/TAX cells were cultured in vitro to observe the effects of interfering with LncRNA NNT-AS1 alone or interfering with LncRNA NNT-AS1 and miR-582-5p on the expressions of LncRNA NNT-AS1 and miR-582-5p， the mRNA and protein expressions of HMGB2， cell viability， clone formation and apoptosis. The effects of interfering with LncRNA NNT-AS1 on tumor growth and the expression of miR-582-5p and the mRNA and protein expressions of HMGB2 in tumor tissue were observed in nude mice. RESULTS Compared with normal cells， LncRNA NNT-AS1 was highly expressed in parental and drug-resistant cells （P＜0.05）， showing an increasing trend. It was validated that miR-582-5p had a targeting relationship with LncRNA NNT-AS1 and HMGB2. After interfering with the expression of LncRNA NNT-AS1， the expression of LncRNA NNT-AS1 and the mRNA and protein expressions of HMGB2， cell viability and the number of cloned cells in A549/TAX cell， decreased significantly， while the expression of miR-582-5p and the apoptotic rate increased significantly （P＜0.05）； simultaneously interfering with the expression of miR-582-5p could reverse above changes （P＜ 0.05）. Interfering with the expression of LncRNA NNT-AS1 in tumor cell could significantly reduce tumor volume and tumor weight of nude mice bearing tumors； at the same time， the expression of miR-582-5p was up-regulated significantly and the mRNA and protein expressions of HMGB2 were down-regulated significantly （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Interfering with the expression of LncRNA NNT-AS1 may alleviate TAX chemotherapy resistance in NSCLC through targeted up-regulation of miR-582-5p and down-regulation of HMGB2.

Effects of plasma lipopolysaccharide changes on platelet release of vascular endothelial growth factor and thromobospondin-1 in patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension after TIPS procedure / 中华肝脏病杂志

Objective: To investigate the effects of plasma lipopolysaccharide (LPS) concentration changes on platelet release of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and thrombospondin (TSP)-1 in patients with decompensated cirrhotic portal hypertension after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) procedure. Methods: 169 cases with cirrhotic portal hypertension were enrolled, of which 81 cases received TIPS treatment. LPS, VEGF, and TSP-1 concentrations with different Child-Pugh class in peripheral blood plasma of patients were measured. After pre-incubation of normal human platelets with different concentrations of LPS and stimulated by collagen in vitro, platelet PAC-1 expression rate, VEGF, and TSP-1 concentrations were detected. PAC-1 expression rate and the concentrations of LPS, VEGF and TSP-1 in peripheral blood plasma of patients before and after TIPS procedure were detected. The relationship between plasma LPS, VEGF and TSP-1 concentrations and Child-Pugh score changes in patients after TIPS procedure was analyzed. Statistical analysis was performed by t-test, one-way ANOVA or Pearson's rho according to different data. Results: Plasma LPS and TSP-1 concentrations were significantly higher in Child-Pugh class C patients than class A and B, but the concentration of plasma VEGF was significantly lower than class A and B (P < 0.01). In vitro experiments showed that concentration of LPS, TSP-1, and platelet PAC-1 expression rate was higher in the supernatant, but the difference in the concentration of VEGF in the supernatant was not statistically significant. Portal vein pressure and platelet activation were significantly decreased (P < 0.01) in patients after TIPS procedure. Portal venous pressure, platelet activation, plasma LPS, and TSP-1 levels were significantly decreased continuously, while VEGF levels were significantly increased continuously after TIPS procedure. Plasma LPS concentration was positively correlated with TSP-1 concentration (r = 0.506, P < 0.001), and negatively correlated with VEGF concentration (r = -0.167, P = 0.010). Child-Pugh score change range was negatively correlated with change range of plasma VEGF concentration (r = -0.297, P = 0.016), and positively correlated with change range of plasma TSP-1 concentration (r = 0.145, P = 0.031) after TIPS. Conclusion: Portal venous pressure gradient, plasma LPS concentration and corresponding platelet activation was decreased in cirrhotic portal hypertension after TIPS procedure, and with TSP-1 reduction and VEGF elevation it is possible to reduce the liver function injury caused by portal venous shunt.

Clinicopathological features and prognosis of high-grade B-cell lymphoma with MYC and bcl-2 and/or bcl-6 rearrangements / 中华病理学杂志

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of high-grade B-cell lymphoma (HGBL) involving combined rearrangements of MYC, bcl-2 and bcl-6. Methods: A total of 1 138 cases of large B cell lymphoma (LBL) that were treated at the Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine from January 2017 to September 2020 were analyzed using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with probes against MYC, bcl-2 and bcl-6. The clinical and pathological data of the 45 patients with HGBL that had rearrangements of MYC and bcl-2 and/or bcl-6 were collected and retrospectively analyzed. Results: Among the 1 138 LBL, 45 (4.0%) cases had combined rearrangements of MYC, bcl-2 and/or bcl-6 that included 6 HGBL cases with MYC, bcl-2 and bcl-6 rearrangements, 14 HGBL cases with MYC and bcl-2 rearrangements, and 25 HGBL cases with MYC and bcl-6 rearrangements. Of these 45 patients, 29 patients were male, and 16 patients were female, aged 29 to 83 years. HGBL with MYC, bcl-2 and bcl-6 rearrangements and HGBL with MYC and bcl-2 rearrangement were reclassified as the germinal center B-cell (GCB) subtype using the Hans algorithm. HGBL with MYC and bcl-6 rearrangement were reclassified as the GCB subtype (68.0%) and the non-GCB subtype (32.0%). The vast majority of HGBL cases had a high Ki-67 proliferation index. Most HGBL patients had advanced stage disease with a high IPI score and an increased LDH level. Also, some patients had clinical features including elevated plasma β2-microglobulin levels, B symptoms, and bone marrow involvement. The IPI scores and LDH levels were significantly different between the HGBL cases with MYC, bcl-2 and bcl-6 rearrangements and the HGBL cases with MYC and bcl-6 rearrangements (P<0.05). Compared with the HGBL cases with MYC, bcl-2 and bcl-6 rearrangements, the HGBL cases with MYC and bcl-2 or bcl-6 rearrangements had a lower incidence of bone marrow involvement (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in the prognosis among HGBL cases with MYC, bcl-2 and bcl-6 rearrangements, the cases with MYC and bcl-2 rearrangements, and the cases with MYC and bcl-6 rearrangements (P>0.05). Conclusions: HGBL with MYC, bcl-2 and/or bcl-6 rearrangements are rare types of B-cell lymphoma with high degree of malignancy and have a short overall survival. To reduce misdiagnosis and improve diagnostic accuracy, it is necessary to assess the patients' clinical features and conduct histopathological, immunohistochemical and FISH analyses.

Research progress on non-surgical treatment of ameloblastoma / 中华放射肿瘤学杂志

Ameloblastoma is a relatively common benign tumor that occurs in the dental epithelial tissues, which is characterized with local infiltration and growth, high-risk recurrence and metastasis, etc. At present, radical osteotomy is the main treatment of ameloblastoma, whereas it yields high recurrence rate and causes multiple postoperative complications such as facial and functional deformities, etc. For inoperable patients, non-surgical interventions, such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy and molecule-targeted therapy, are urgently needed to improve prognosis and retain organs. This article summarizes the current status and research progresses on non-surgical treatment of ameloblastoma, aiming to provide evidence for individualized treatment of ameloblastoma.

Progress for targeting adenosine A2A receptors in cancer immunotherapy / 药学学报

Immunotherapy has completely changed the paradigm of clinical tumor treatment, but immune checkpoint inhibitors still have low objective response rates and are prone to drug resistance for most solid tumors. The immune suppression tumor microenvironment and complicated tumor immune escape mechanisms are key factors that affect the clinical outcome and response rates. Therefore, it is critical to reverse the obstacle of the tumor microenvironment to improve immunotherapy efficacy. The immune suppression caused by the increased level of adenosine in the tumor microenvironment raises the attention of people. Targeting adenosine receptors, especially A2AR, will be an effective strategy to improve immunotherapy efficacy. Targeting the adenosine-A2A pathway can increase immune infiltration, enhance immune cell function, and partially reverse immunotherapy-insensitive "cold tumors" to "hot tumors" to enhance treatment response rates and improve the efficacy of current immunotherapy. At present, many adenosine receptor inhibitors have shown good results in clinical trials, especially in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors, chemotherapy, and adoptive cell transfer therapeutic drugs, which are expected to be used for tumor immunotherapy to bring new breakthroughs. This article reviews the accumulation mode of adenosine in the tumor microenvironment, the role of A2AR and their regulatory mechanism in immune response, the progress of A2AR inhibitors in clinical trials, potential risks to target A2AR, and the prospects for therapeutic targeting A2AR.

Prognosis evaluation of ameloblastoma—A study based on SEER database / 中华放射肿瘤学杂志

Objective:Ameloblastoma (AM) is a rare tumor derived from dental epithelial tissues, which is prone to recurrence and infiltration. This study aims to identify the prognostic factors of AM.Methods:207 ameloblastoma patients were screened from the SEER database. A Cox regression model and nomogram were constructed to evaluate the factors on the overall survival. Clinical data of 61 patients admitted to Hunan Cancer Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. The independent factors of recurrence rate were analyzed by the Cox regression model.Results:The results on the SEER database showed that age, tumor size, type of surgery, radiotherapy were important prognostic factors of the overall survival. The nomogram was constructed and the C-index was equaled to 0.821, indicating this model was moderately accurate. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve demonstrated that the area under the ROC curve (AUC) at 1, 3, 5, and 10 years were 0.852, 0.869, 0.856, and 0.879, indicating this model had relatively high sensitivity and specificity. Kaplan- Meier survival analysis suggested that overall survival in the high-risk group was significantly lower than that in the low-risk group ( P<0.001). Based on retrospective analysis, clinical symptoms and type of surgery were the independent factors of the local recurrence rate. Kaplan- Meier survival analysis found the recurrence rate of facial swelling and pain was lower compared to those of other symptoms. Compared with the palliative surgery, radical surgery could decrease the recurrence rate. Conclusions:Age, tumor size, type of surgery, and radiotherapy may be important factors of the overall survival. Type of surgery and clinical symptoms are probably the independent factors of the recurrence rate.

Factors related to compliance with adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with gastric cancer: A retrospective single-center study

Purpose@#Adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) improves survival outcomes in patients with advanced gastric cancer (GC) after curative surgery; however, some patients do not receive or complete chemotherapy. This study aimed to identify factors related to patient compliance with chemotherapy after curative surgery for advanced GC. @*Methods@#The data of patients who underwent curative gastrectomy for pathologic stage II–III GC between 2012 and 2016 were reviewed. Patients were divided into an AC completion group (group C), AC incompletion group (group I), and surgery-only group (group S). The AC regimen was either tegafur/gimeracil/oteracil (S-1) or capecitabine plus oxaliplatin (XELOX). @*Results@#The study enrolled 417 patients; group C had 222 patients, group I had 110, and group S had 85. The most common reason for not initiating AC was poor general condition (36.5%), while chemotherapy-related complications was the common reason for AC incompletion (43.6%). In multivariate analysis, age over 65 years, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status ≥1, Charlson comorbidity index ≥1, and the presence of postoperative complications were independent risk factors for not initiating AC (odds ratio: 4.32, 2.62, 1.84, and 2.17, respectively). Age over 65 years, longer postoperative stay, and XELOX regimen were significant risk factors for incompletion of AC (odds ratio: 2.68, 1.72, and 2.23, respectively). @*Conclusion@#Old age, poor performance status, comorbidities, and postoperative complications, longer postoperative hospital stay, and XELOX regimen were associated with poor compliance with AC in GC patients. Clinicians can improve compliance with AC by managing postoperative complications and selecting the most appropriate treatment regimen.

Factors related to compliance with adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with gastric cancer: A retrospective single-center study

Purpose@#Adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) improves survival outcomes in patients with advanced gastric cancer (GC) after curative surgery; however, some patients do not receive or complete chemotherapy. This study aimed to identify factors related to patient compliance with chemotherapy after curative surgery for advanced GC. @*Methods@#The data of patients who underwent curative gastrectomy for pathologic stage II–III GC between 2012 and 2016 were reviewed. Patients were divided into an AC completion group (group C), AC incompletion group (group I), and surgery-only group (group S). The AC regimen was either tegafur/gimeracil/oteracil (S-1) or capecitabine plus oxaliplatin (XELOX). @*Results@#The study enrolled 417 patients; group C had 222 patients, group I had 110, and group S had 85. The most common reason for not initiating AC was poor general condition (36.5%), while chemotherapy-related complications was the common reason for AC incompletion (43.6%). In multivariate analysis, age over 65 years, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status ≥1, Charlson comorbidity index ≥1, and the presence of postoperative complications were independent risk factors for not initiating AC (odds ratio: 4.32, 2.62, 1.84, and 2.17, respectively). Age over 65 years, longer postoperative stay, and XELOX regimen were significant risk factors for incompletion of AC (odds ratio: 2.68, 1.72, and 2.23, respectively). @*Conclusion@#Old age, poor performance status, comorbidities, and postoperative complications, longer postoperative hospital stay, and XELOX regimen were associated with poor compliance with AC in GC patients. Clinicians can improve compliance with AC by managing postoperative complications and selecting the most appropriate treatment regimen.

Association analysis between extracurricular physical activity and dyslipidemia among primary, middle and high school students in Guangzhou / 中华心血管病杂志

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of dyslipidemia, and to explore the association between extracurricular physical activity and dyslipidemia among primary, middle and high school students in Guangzhou. Methods: This cross-sectional study selected primary and middle school students in Guangzhou by the stratified cluster sampling method from March to December 2019. Physical examination and blood lipid test were performed. Information about students' basic characteristics and extracurricular physical activity was collected by questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the association between extracurricular physical activity and dyslipidemia in this cohort. Results: A total of 7 797 participants (mean aged (12.2±2.9) years) were included (4 194 (53.79%) boys and 3 603 (46.21%) girls]. The detection rates of high total cholesterol, high triglycerides, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and dyslipidemia were 12.49% (974/7 797), 6.44% (502/7 797), 6.62% (516/7 797), 11.31% (882/7 797) and 23.83% (1 858/7 797), respectively. Dyslipidemia rate was lower in the junior school students (21.39% (675/3 156)) than in primary school students (25.96% (896/3 451)) and high-school students (24.12% (287/1 190)) (P<0.001). The dyslipidemia rates of boys and girls were similar (23.15% (971/4 194) vs. 24.62% (887/3 603), P>0.05). Dyslipidemia rate was lower in students with extracurricular physical activity than in students without extracurricular physical activity (22.50% (923/4 102) vs. 25.30% (935/3 695), P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that extracurricular physical activity was associated with lower risk of dyslipidemia (OR=0.88, 95%CI=0.79-0.99, P=0.033). Among all types of extracurricular physical activities, participating in extracurricular large ball game was associated with 28% lower risk among junior school students (OR=0.72, 95%CI=0.57-0.91, P=0.006). Conclusion: The prevalence of dyslipidemia is high among primary, middle and high school students in Guangzhou. Extracurricular physical activity is associated with reduced risk of dyslipidemia in this cohort.

Utilization strategies of Chinese medicinal solid waste by pyrolysis and gasification technology / 中国中药杂志

With the advantages of extensive sources, easy collection, renewability, high yield, carbon circulation, low pollution, and so on, Chinese medicinal solid waste can be converted into clean gas by pyrolysis and gasification, which is then able to serve for industrial production. This is of great practical significance in the context of energy shortage and for solid waste recycling in China. This paper reviews the research progress on biomass gasification principle, gasification medium, and reactor in gasification technology of Chinese medicinal solid waste in recent years. Meanwhile, based on the summary of related research, the defects and improvement measures regarding raw materials, gasification agents, by-products, and reactors were discussed, which provides direction for further development in the gasification technology of Chinese medicinal solid waste in the future.

Exosomal microRNAs: an emerging player in systemic lupus erythematosus / 生理学报

Exosomes are nanometer-sized membranous extracellular vesicles that can be secreted by almost all types of cells in the body. Exosomes are involved in cell-to-cell communication through autocrine and paracrine forms. Exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) are stable in plasma, urine and other body fluids, and have various biological functions. They play an irreplaceable role in the occurrence, development, immune regulation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Recent studies have proposed that exosomal miRNAs have promising application prospects in the pathogenesis, early diagnosis, and treatment of SLE. Therefore, this review aims to introduce the current research progress on exosomal miRNAs in SLE and analyze their potential application value.

Macrophage exosomes transfer angiotensin II type 1 receptor to lung fibroblasts mediating bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

BACKGROUND@#Macrophages are involved in the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, partially by activating lung fibroblasts. However, how macrophages communicate with lung fibroblasts is largely unexplored. Exosomes can mediate intercellular communication, whereas its role in lung fibrogenesis is unclear. Here we aim to investigate whether exosomes can mediate the crosstalk between macrophages and lung fibroblasts and subsequently induce fibrosis.@*METHODS@#In vivo, bleomycin (BLM)-induced lung fibrosis model was established and macrophages infiltration was examined. The effects of GW4869, an exosomes inhibitor, on lung fibrosis were assessed. Moreover, macrophage exosomes were injected into mice to observe its pro-fibrotic effects. In vitro, exosomes derived from angiotensin II (Ang II)-stimulated macrophages were collected. Then, lung fibroblasts were treated with the exosomes. Twenty-four hours later, protein levels of α-collagen I, angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R), transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), and phospho-Smad2/3 (p-Smad2/3) in lung fibroblasts were examined. The Student's t test or analysis of variance were used for statistical analysis.@*RESULTS@#In vivo, BLM-treated mice showed enhanced infiltration of macrophages, increased fibrotic alterations, and higher levels of Ang II and AT1R. GW4869 attenuated BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Mice with exosomes injection showed fibrotic features with higher levels of Ang II and AT1R, which was reversed by irbesartan. In vitro, we found that macrophages secreted a great number of exosomes. The exosomes were taken by fibroblasts and resulted in higher levels of AT1R (0.22 ± 0.02 vs. 0.07 ± 0.02, t = 8.66, P = 0.001), TGF-β (0.54 ± 0.05 vs. 0.09 ± 0.06, t = 10.00, P < 0.001), p-Smad2/3 (0.58 ± 0.06 vs. 0.07 ± 0.03, t = 12.86, P < 0.001) and α-collagen I (0.27 ± 0.02 vs. 0.16 ± 0.01, t = 7.01, P = 0.002), and increased Ang II secretion (62.27 ± 7.32 vs. 9.56 ± 1.68, t = 12.16, P < 0.001). Interestingly, Ang II increased the number of macrophage exosomes, and the protein levels of Alix (1.45 ± 0.15 vs. 1.00 ± 0.10, t = 4.32, P = 0.012), AT1R (4.05 ± 0.64 vs. 1.00 ± 0.09, t = 8.17, P = 0.001), and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (2.13 ± 0.36 vs. 1.00 ± 0.10, t = 5.28, P = 0.006) were increased in exosomes secreted by the same number of macrophages, indicating a positive loop between Ang II and exosomes production.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Exosomes mediate intercellular communication between macrophages and fibroblasts plays an important role in BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis.

Research Progress on Molecular Mechanism of Lipid-lowering and Anti-inflammatory Effect of Zexietang / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Zexietang is a Chinese herbal compound prescription with a long history， which consists of Rhizoma alismatis and Atractylodes macrocephala. Zexietang comes from "Synopsis of Golden Chamber"， as "there is a drink under the heart， and its people are bitter and dizzy". Zexietang has the effect of removing water from drinking water and invigorating spleen for diuresis. Modern pharmacological studies have shown that its lipid-lowering and anti-inflammatory effects are very significant. It can be used to treat hyperlipidemia， anti-atherosclerosis and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. With the continuous development of molecular biology， the research on the pharmacological effects of Zexietang， extracts and their monomers has deepened to the molecular level gradually， and the relevant mechanism of action has also been continuously elucidated. In terms of lipid-lowering effect of Zexietang， the levels of cytokines or receptors such as 3-hydroxy-3-methyl glutaryl coenzyme A reductase （HMGCR）， cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase （CYP7A1）， and liver X receptors （LXR） are affected. It is widely involved in adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase （AMPK） and peroxisome proliferators-activated receptors （PPAR） pathways， while Zexietang's anti-inflammatory effect mainly affects inflammatory factors such as interleukins （IL） and tumor necrosis factors （TNF）， and simultaneously nuclear factor κB （NF-κB）， toll-like receptors （TLR） and other cytokines or receptor-related pathways. In order to promote the further research and clinical application of Zexietang and contribute to the development of modernization of traditional Chinese medicine， the studies of the past 15 years on molecular mechanism of the lipid-lowering and anti-inflammatory effect of Zexietang， Alisma and Atractylodes extract as well as their monomer components were reviewed.

Clinical Observation of Shenxie Zhitong Capsule in Treating Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy of Stagnant Blockade of Collaterals / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of Shenxie Zhitong capsule in the treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy（DPN） of stagnant blockade of collaterals， and evaluate its effectiveness and safety. Method:The 104 patients were randomly divided into the Shenxie Zhitong capsule treatment group （the treatment group， 53 patients） and the alpha lipoic acid group （control group， 51 patients）， and two groups were compared by random and contrast test. The changes of the Toronto clinical scoring system （TCSS）， utah early neuropathy scores （UENS）， traditional Chinese medicine（TCM）syndrome scores， visual analysis scale （VAS）， ankle brachial index （ABI）， vibrating perception threshold （VPT） before and after treatment were compared between two groups， and the endpoint events， such as foot ulcers， percutaneous coronary intervention （PCI）， death and composite endpoint events， related indicators of glucose and lipid metabolism and safety indicators were recorded among patients. Result:Compared with the data before treatment， the scores of TCSS， UENS， and TCM syndromes in two groups were significantly reduced （<italic>P</italic><0.01） after treatment， and VAS and glycosylated haemoglobin A1c （HbA1c） were significantly reduced （<italic>P</italic><0.05）， during follow-up visit， the levels of right ABI，total cholesterol （TC）， and low-density lipoprotein （LDL） in two groups were significantly reduced （<italic>P</italic><0.05）， and high-density lipoprotein （HDL） level was significantly increased （<italic>P</italic><0.05）. control group in control group， the 2-hour postprandial plasma glucose （2 h PG） and HbA1c levels were significantly increased （<italic>P</italic><0.05）. Compared with control group， the VAS of the treatment group after treatment was significantly reduced （<italic>P</italic><0.05）. After treatment and during follow-up visit， compared with control group， the 2 h PG levels of the right toe in the treatment group were significantly reduced （<italic>P</italic><0.05）. There was no statistically significant difference in endpoint events and safety indicators between two groups， but the incidence trend of composite endpoint events in the treatment group was lower than that in control group. Conclusion:Shenxie Zhitong capsule has definite clinical curative effect in treating diabetic peripheral neuropathy， which is more safe and effective than alpha lipoic acid in improving pain symptoms.

Early outcome of proximal femoral nail antirotation and bipolar hemiarthroplasty in treatment of intertrochanteric fractures in elderly patients aged 90 years or more / 中华创伤杂志

Objective:To compare the early outcome of proximal femoral nail antirotation (PFNA) and bipolar hemiarthroplasty in treatment of intertrochanteric fractures in elderly patients aged 90 years or more.Methods:A retrospective case-control study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 43 elderly patients aged 90 years or more with intertrochanteric fractures admitted to Henan Provincial People's Hospital from January 2017 to June 2018. There were 12 males and 31 females, aged 90-102 years [(92.3±2.5)years]. A total of 31 patients were treated by PFNA (PFNA group) and 12 patients by bipolar hemiarthroplasty (hemiarthroplasty group). Comparisons were made between the two groups in terms of operation time, intraoperative blood loss, time of weight bearing after operation, rate of blood transfusion, incidence of complications 2 weeks and 3 months after operation, Harris score 12 months after operation and mortality 12 months after operation.Results:All patients were followed up for 1-30 months [(19.1±9.8)months] in PFNA group and for 0.5-29 months [(18.6±10.6)months] in hemiarthroplasty group. Operative time was (95.8±31.0)minutes in PFNA group, shorter than (128.8±40.5)minutes in hemiarthroplasty group ( P<0.05). Intraoperative blood loss was (71.3±25.7)ml in PFNA group and (212.5±113.1)ml in hemiarthroplasty group ( P<0.05). Time of weight bearing after operation was (43.9±31.9)days in PFNA group, longer than (5.9±2.8)days in hemiarthroplasty group ( P<0.05). The perioperative blood transfusion rate in PFNA group (29%) was less than hemiarthroplasty group (75%) ( P<0.05). Incidence of complications 2 weeks after operation was similar between PFNA group (23%) and hemiarthroplasty group (42%) ( P>0.05). Incidence of complications 3 months after operation in PFNA group was 26%, similar with 42% in hemiarthroplasty group ( P>0.05). Harris score 12 months after operation in PFNA group was (56.3±32.3)points, comparable to (59.3±36.7)points in hemiarthroplasty group ( P>0.05). Mortality rate 12 months after operation was 19% in PFNA group and 25% in hemiarthroplasty group ( P>0.05). Conclusion:For intertrochanteric fractures in elderly patients aged 90 years or more, PFNA and bipolar hemiarthroplasty are both effective treatments, but PFNA may be a better choice with shorter operation time and less intraoperative blood loss.

Targeting role of CXCL10 and miR-34c-5p in invasive ductal carcinoma of breast / 国际肿瘤学杂志

Objective:To explore the targeted relationship between the CXC chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL10) and miR-34c-5p in invasive ductal carcinoma of breast.Methods:A total of 56 cases of invasive ductal carcinoma of breast and 14 cases of benign breast tissues surgically resected and pathologically confirmed in the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University were collected from March 2016 to March 2017. The expressions of CXCL10 and miR-34c-5p in the two groups were detected using HTA2.0 and miRNA4.0 chips and verified by reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR). The correlation between the two expressions was analyzed using Pearson correlation analysis and the targeted relationship was predicted by IPA software. The dual luciferase reporter gene system was used to verify the targets of the two and finally verified in breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and ZR-75-30.Results:The results of gene microarray showed that the mRNA expression values of CXCL10 in invasive ductal carcinoma of breast and benign breast tissues were 7.135±1.350 and 4.348±0.722, and the mRNA expression values of miR-34c-5p in the two groups were 1.309 (1.001, 2.055) and 3.948 (3.278, 4.371), with a statistically significant difference ( t=7.628, P<0.001; Z=-4.405, P<0.001). Pearson correlation analysis showed that the mRNA expressions of CXCL10 and miR-34c-5p were negatively correlated ( r=-0.327, P=0.004). The expression of CXCL10 mRNA was related to the expressions of human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 ( t=2.415, P=0.019) and Ki-67 ( t=2.483, P=0.016), and the expression of miR-34c-5p mRNA was related to the histological grading ( χ2=8.626, P=0.013) and estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor ( Z=-2.195, P=0.028) in patients with invasive ductal carcinoma of breast. RT-qPCR showed that the relative expressions of CXCL10 mRNA in invasive ductal carcinoma of breast and benign breast tissues were 6.059±1.714 and 1.000±0.232, the relative expression levels of miR-34c-5p in the two groups were 0.093±0.004 and 1.000±0.244, with statistically significant differences ( t=3.484, P=0.002; t=5.112, P<0.001), which was consistent with the results of microarray. The results of double luciferase reporter gene showed that, after overexpression of miR-34c-5p, the luciferase activities of WT-CXCL10 and MUT-CXCL10 were 1.117±0.040 and 1.647±0.031 in MCF-7 cells, and the luciferase activities of them were 0.885±0.051 and 1.430±0.020 in HeLa cells, with statistically significant differences ( t=18.120, P<0.001; t=24.040, P<0.001). After transfection with miR-34c-5p and miR-NC respectively, the relative expression levels of CXCL10 were 0.008±0.000 and 0.012±0.000 in ZR-75-30 cells, and the relative expression levels of CXCL10 were 0.315±0.000 and 0.386±0.004 in MCF-7 cells, with statistically significant differences ( t=20.384, P<0.001; t=3.473, P=0.026). Conclusion:The expression of miR-34c-5p in invasive ductal carcinoma of breast is down-regulated, while the expression of CXCL10 is up-regulated. CXCL10 is the target gene of miR-34c-5p.