Spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of seasonal A(H3N2) influenza in China, 2014-2019 / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective: To analyze the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of seasonal A(H3N2) influenza [influenza A(H3N2)] in China and to provide a reference for scientific prevention and control. Methods: The influenza A(H3N2) surveillance data in 2014-2019 was derived from China Influenza Surveillance Information System. A line chart described the epidemic trend analyzed and plotted. Spatial autocorrelation analysis was conducted using ArcGIS 10.7, and spatiotemporal scanning analysis was conducted using SaTScan 10.1. Results: A total of 2 603 209 influenza-like case sample specimens were detected from March 31, 2014, to March 31, 2019, and the influenza A(H3N2) positive rate was 5.96%(155 259/2 603 209). The positive rate of influenza A(H3N2) was statistically significant in the north and southern provinces in each surveillance year (all P<0.05). The high incidence seasons of influenza A (H3N2) were in winter in northern provinces and summer or winter in southern provinces. Influenza A (H3N2) clustered in 31 provinces in 2014-2015 and 2016-2017. High-high clusters were distributed in eight provinces, including Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shandong, Shanxi, Henan, Shaanxi, and Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in 2014-2015, and high-high clusters were distributed in five provinces including Shanxi, Shandong, Henan, Anhui, and Shanghai in 2016-2017. Spatiotemporal scanning analysis from 2014 to 2019 showed that Shandong and its surrounding twelve provinces clustered from November 2016 to February 2017 (RR=3.59, LLR=9 875.74, P<0.001). Conclusion: Influenza A (H3N2) has high incidence seasons with northern provinces in winter and southern provinces in summer or winter and obvious spatial and temporal clustering characteristics in China from 2014-2019.

Expert consensus on clinical practice in perioperative nursing for elderly patients with hip fracture (version 2023) / 中华创伤杂志

Hip fracture is considered as the most severe osteoporotic fracture characterized by high disability and mortality in the elderly. Improved surgical techniques and multidisciplinary team play an active role in alleviating prognosis, which places higher demands on perioperative nursing. Dysfunction, complications, and secondary impact of anaesthesia and surgery add more difficulties to clinical nursing. Besides, there still lack clinical practices in perioperative nursing for elderly patients with hip fracture in China. In this context, led by the Orthopedic Nursing Committee of Chinese Nursing Association, the Expert consensus on clinical practice in perioperative nursing for elderly patients with hip fracture ( version 2023) is developed based on the evidence-based medicine. This consensus provides 11 recommendations on elderly patients with hip fracture from aspects of perioperative health education, condition monitoring and inspection, complication risk assessment and prevention, and rehabilitation, in order to provide guiding advices for clinical practice, improve the quality of nursing and ameliorate the prognosis of elderly patients with hip fracture.

Effects of transient receptor potential vanilloid type 4-specific activator on human vascular endothelial cell functions and blood supply of rat perforator flap and its mechanism / 中华烧伤杂志

Objective: To analyze the effects of transient receptor potential vanilloid type 4 (TRPV4) activation on the function and endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), as well as to explore the effects of TRPV4 activation on blood perfusion and survival of rat perforator flap and the mechanism. Methods: The experimental research methods were used. The 3rd to 6th passages of HUVECs were used for experiments and divided into 0.5 μmol/L 4α-phorbol 12, 13-didecanoate (4αPDD) group, 1.0 μmol/L 4αPDD group, 3.0 μmol/L 4αPDD group, 10.0 μmol/L 4αPDD group, and phosphate buffer solution (PBS) group, which were cultivated in corresponding final molarity of 4αPDD and PBS, respectively. The cell proliferation activity at 6 and 12 h of culture was detected using cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8). Another batch of cells was acquired and divided into PBS group, 1 μmol/L 4αPDD group, and 3 μmol/L 4αPDD group, which were treated similarly as described before and then detected for cell proliferation activity at 6, 12, 24, and 48 h of culture. The residual scratch area of cells at post scratch hour (PSH) 12, 24, and 48 was detected by scratch test, and the percentage of the residual scratch area was calculated. The number of migrated cells at 24 and 48 h of culture was detected by Transwell experiment. The tube-formation assay was used to measure the number of tubular structures at 4 and 8 h of culture. The protein expressions of E-cadherin, N-cadherin, Slug, and Snail at 24 h of culture were detected by Western blotting. All the sample numbers in each group at each time point in vitro experiments were 3. A total of 36 male Sprague-Dawley rats aged 8 to 10 weeks were divided into delayed flap group, 4αPDD group, and normal saline group according to the random number table, with 12 rats in each group, and iliolumbar artery perforator flap models on the back were constructed. The flap surgical delay procedure was only performed in the rats in delayed flap group one week before the flap transfer surgery. Neither rats in 4αPDD group nor normal saline group had flap surgical delay; instead, they were intraperitoneally injected with 4αPDD and an equivalent mass of normal saline, respectively, at 10 min before, 24 h after, and 48 h after the surgery. The general state of flap was observed on post surgery day (PSD) 0 (immediately), 1, 4, and 7. The flap survival rates were assessed on PSD 7. The flap blood perfusion was detected by laser speckle contrast imaging technique on PSD 1, 4, and 7. The microvascular density in the flap's choke vessel zone was detected by immunohistochemical staining. All the sample numbers in each group at each time point in vivo experiments were 12. Data were statistically analyzed with analysis of variance for factorial design, analysis of variance for repeated measurement, one-way analysis of variance, least significant difference t test, and Bonferroni correction. Results: At 6 and 12 h of culture, there were no statistically significant differences in cell proliferation activity in the overall comparison among PBS group, 0.5 μmol/L 4αPDD group, 1.0 μmol/L 4αPDD group, 3.0 μmol/L 4αPDD group, and 10.0 μmol/L 4αPDD group (P>0.05). At 6, 12, 24, and 48 h of culture, there were no statistically significant differences in cell proliferation activity in the overall comparison among PBS group, 1 μmol/L 4αPDD group, and 3 μmol/L 4αPDD group (P>0.05). At PSH 12, the percentages of the residual scratch area of cells in 1 μmol/L 4αPDD group and 3 μmol/L 4αPDD group were close to that in PBS group (P>0.05). At PSH 24 and 48, compared with those in PBS group, the percentages of the residual scratch area of cells in 3 μmol/L 4αPDD group were significantly decreased (with t values of 2.83 and 2.79, respectively, P<0.05), while the percentages of the residual scratch area of cells in 1 μmol/L 4αPDD group showed no significant differences (P>0.05). At 24 h of culture, the number of migrated cells in 1 μmol/L 4αPDD group and 3 μmol/L 4αPDD group were close to that in PBS group (P>0.05). At 48 h of culture, the number of migrated cells in 1 μmol/L 4αPDD group and 3 μmol/L 4αPDD groups were significantly greater than that in PBS group (with t values of 6.20 and 9.59, respectively, P<0.01). At 4 h of culture, the numbers of tubular structures of cells in 1 μmol/L 4αPDD group and 3 μmol/L 4αPDD group were significantly greater than that in PBS group (with t values of 4.68 and 4.95, respectively, P<0.05 or <0.01). At 8 h of culture, the numbers of tubular structures of cells in 1 μmol/L 4αPDD and 3 μmol/L 4αPDD groups were similar to that in PBS group (P>0.05). At 24 h of culture, compared with those in PBS group, the protein expression level of E-cadherin of cells in 3 μmol/L 4αPDD group was significantly decreased (t=5.13, P<0.01), whereas there was no statistically significant difference in the protein expression level of E-cadherin of cells in 1 μmol/L 4αPDD group (P>0.05); the protein expression level of N-cadherin of cells in 3 μmol/L 4αPDD group was significantly increased (t=4.93, P<0.01), whereas there was no statistically significant difference in the protein expression level of N-cadherin of cells in 1 μmol/L 4αPDD group (P>0.05); the protein expression levels of Slug of cells in 1 μmol/L 4αPDD group and 3 μmol/L 4αPDD group were significantly increased (with t values of 3.85 and 6.52, respectively, P<0.05 or P<0.01); and the protein expression level of Snail of cells in 3 μmol/L 4αPDD group was significantly increased (t=4.08, P<0.05), whereas there was no statistically significant difference in the protein expression level of Snail of cells in 1 μmol/L 4αPDD group (P>0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in the protein expression levels of E-cadherin, N-cadherin, Slug, or Snail of cells between 1 μmol/L 4αPDD group and 3 μmol/L 4αPDD group (P>0.05). The general condition of flaps of rats in the three groups was good on PSD 0. On PSD 1, the flaps of rats in the three groups were basically similar, with bruising and swelling at the distal end. On PSD 4, the swelling of flaps of rats in the three groups subsided, and the distal end turned dark brown and necrosis occurred, with the area of necrosis in flaps of rats in normal saline group being larger than the areas in 4αPDD group and delayed flap group. On PSD 7, the necrotic areas of flaps of rats in the 3 groups were fairly stable, with the area of necrosis at the distal end of flap of rats in delayed flap group being the smallest. On PSD 7, the flap survival rates of rats in 4αPDD group ((80±13)%) and delayed flap group ((87±9)%) were similar (P>0.05), and both were significantly higher than (70±11)% in normal saline group (with t values of 2.24 and 3.65, respectively, P<0.05 or P<0.01). On PSD 1, the overall blood perfusion signals of rats in the 3 groups were basically the same, and the blood perfusion signals in the choke vessel zone were relatively strong, with a certain degree of underperfusion at the distal end. On PSD 4, the boundary between the surviving and necrotic areas of flaps of rats in the 3 groups became evident, and the blood perfusion signals in the choke vessel zone were improved, with the normal saline group's distal hypoperfused area of flap being larger than the areas in delayed flap group and 4αPDD group. On PSD 7, the blood perfusion signals of overall flap of rats had generally stabilized in the 3 groups, with the intensity of blood perfusion signal in the choke vessel zone and overall flap of rats in delayed flap group and 4αPDD group being significantly greater than that in normal saline group. On PSD 7, the microvascular density in the choke vessel zone of flap of rats in 4αPDD group and delayed flap group were similar (P>0.05), and both were significantly higher than that in normal saline group (with t values of 4.11 and 5.38, respectively, P<0.01). Conclusions: After activation, TRPV4 may promote the migration and tubular formation of human vascular endothelial cells via the EndMT pathway, leading to the enhanced blood perfusion of perforator flap and microvascular density in the choke vessel zone, and therefore increase the flap survival rate.

Clinical application of expanded internal mammary artery perforator flap combined with vascular supercharge in reconstruction of faciocervical scar / 中华烧伤杂志

Objective: To summarize the clinical experience of expanded internal mammary artery perforator (IMAP) flap combined with vascular supercharge in reconstruction of faciocervical scar. Methods: The retrospective observational study was conducted. From September 2012 to May 2021, 23 patients with postburn or posttraumatic faciocervical scars who met the inclusion criteria were admitted to Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, including 18 males and 5 females, aged from 11 to 58 years, all of whom were reconstructed with expanded IMAP flaps. At the first stage, one or two skin and soft tissue expander (s) with appropriate rated capacity were implanted in the anterior chest area according to the location and size of the scars. The IMAP, thoracic branch of supraclavicular artery, and lateral thoracic artery were preserved during the operation. The skin and soft tissue expanders were inflated with normal saline after the operation. The flaps were transferred during the second stage. The dominant IMAP was determined preoperatively using color Doppler ultrasound (CDU) blood flow detector. The faciocervical scars were removed, forming wounds with areas of 9 cm×7 cm-28 cm×12 cm, and the perforators of superficial temporal artery and vein or facial artery and vein were preserved during the operation. The flaps were designed according to the area and size of the wounds after scar resection with the dominant IMAP as the pedicle. Single-pedicle IMAP flaps were used to repair small and medium-sized wounds. For larger defects, the blood perfusion areas of vessels in the anterior chest were evaluated by indocyanine green angiography (ICGA). In situations where the IMAP was insufficient to nourish the entire flap, double-pedicle flaps were designed by using the thoracic branch of supraclavicular artery or lateral thoracic artery for supercharging. Pedicled or free flap transfer was selected according to the distance between the donor areas and recipient areas. After transplantation of flaps, ICGA was conducted again to evaluate blood perfusion of the flaps. The donor sites of flaps were all closed by suturing directly. Statistics were recorded, including the number, rated capacity, normal saline injection volume, and expansion period of skin and soft tissue expanders, the location of the dominant IMAP, the total number of the flaps used, the number of flaps with different types of vascular pedicles, the flap area, the flap survival after the second stage surgery, the occurrence of common complications in the donor and recipient areas, and the condition of follow-up. Results: Totally 25 skin and soft tissue expanders were used in this group of patients, with rated capacity of 200-500 mL, normal saline injection volume of 855-2 055 mL, and expansion period of 4-16 months. The dominant IMAP was detected in the second intercostal space (20 sides) or the third intercostal space (5 sides) before surgery. A total of 25 expanded flaps were excised, including 2 pedicled IMAP flaps, 11 free IMAP flaps, 4 pedicled thoracic branch of supraclavicular artery+free IMAP flaps, and 8 free IMAP+lateral thoracic artery flaps, with flap areas of 10 cm×8 cm-30 cm×14 cm. After the second stage surgery, tip necrosis of flaps in three patients occurred, which healed after routine dressing changes; one patient developed arterial embolism and local torsion on the vascular pedicle at the anastomosis of IMAP and facial artery, and the blood supply recovered after thrombectomy and vascular re-anastomosis. Fourteen patients underwent flap thinning surgery in 1 month to 6 months after the second stage surgery. The follow-up for 4 months to 9 years showed that all patients had improved appearances of flaps and functions of face and neck and linear scar in the donor sites of flaps, and one female patient had obvious nipple displacement and bilateral breast asymmetry. Conclusions: The expanded IMAP flap is matched in color and texture with that of the face and neck, and its incision causes little damage to the chest donor sites. When combined with vascular supercharge, a double-pedicle flap can be designed flexibly to further enhance the blood supply and expand the flap incision area, which is a good choice for reconstruction of large faciocervical scar.

Clarification on Kidney-deficiency Constipation Treated by Classic Prescription Jichuanjian / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Jichuanjian， from the Jing Yue’s Collected Works by Zhang Jingyue， a famous doctor of Ming Dynasty， is composed of Angelica， Achyranthes bidentata， Cistanche deserticola， Alismatis Rhizoma， Shengma and Fructus Aurantii. It is one of the first 100 classic prescriptions published by the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The original book states that where the disease is related to deficiency， with impacted stool， medicines such as Xiaohuang prescription cannot be used. If the treatment is needed， Jichuanjian should be applied. Through the textual research of ancient and modern literature， it is found that the efficacy of Jichuanjian has changed from ancient to modern times. In the medical books of the Ming and Qing Dynasties and the modern ones， the treatment is mostly carried out based on the constipation due to deficiency recorded in the original book， while in contemporary times， the treatment of Jichuanjian focuses on kidney （yang）-deficiency constipation and yin-deficiency constipation. Especially since modern times， Jichuanjian is frequently used to treat kidney-deficiency constipation according to the description in the planning textbooks of traditional Chinese medicine colleges and universities， which causes doubts among the authors. To actively respond to the call of General Secretary Xi Jinping that we should strengthen the sorting and excavation of the essence of classical medical books， this paper analyzed and demonstrated the original text and the drug composition， traceability and application by future generations of Jichuanjian based on the Jing Yue’s Collected Works. It was concluded that Jichuanjian was prepared for the treatment of constipation due to weak constitution， fluid deficiency， and emergent purgation， aiming for constipation due to weak constitution and fluid consumption rather than kidney-deficiency constipation described in modern textbooks. As Jichuanjian was developed for similar syndromes， it was reasonable that it was understood by later generations of doctors from the perspective of liver and kidney as well as earth dampness and wood stagnation， which however remains to be further explored and verified in clinic. By combing and discussing the efficacy of Jichuanjian， this paper could provide theoretical basis for the clinical application and modern development of Jichuanjian.

The accuracy and influencing factors of sleep staging based on single-channel EEG via a deep neural network / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

Objective: To investigate theaccuracy of artificial intelligence sleep staging model in patients with habitual snoring and obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) based on single-channel EEG collected from different locations of the head. Methods: The clinical data of 114 adults with habitual snoring and OSAHS who visited to the Sleep Medicine Center of Beijing Tongren Hospital from September 2020 to March of 2021 were analyzed retrospectively, including 93 males and 21 females, aging from 20 to 64 years old. Eighty-five adults with OSAHS and 29 subjects with habitual snoring were included. Sleep staging analysis was performed on the single lead EEG signals of different locations (FP2-M1, C4-M1, F3-M2, ROG-M1, O1-M2) using the deep learning segmentation model trained by previous data. Manual scoring results were used as the gold standard to analyze the consistency rate of results and the influence of different categories of disease. Results: EEG data in 124 747 30-second epochs were taken as the testing dataset. The model accuracy of distinguishing wake/sleep was 92.3%,92.6%,93.5%,89.2% and 83.0% respectively,based on EEG channel Fp2-M1, C4-M1, F3-M2, REOG-M1 or O1-M2. The mode accuracy of distinguishing wake/REM/NREM and wake/REM/N1-2/SWS , was 84.7% and 80.1% respectively based on channel Fp2-M1, which located in forehead skin. The AHI calculated based on total sleep time derived from the model and gold standard were 13.6[4.30,42.5] and 14.2[4.8,42.7], respectively (Z=-2.477, P=0.013), and the kappa coefficient was 0.977. Conclusions: The autonomic sleep staging via a deep neural network model based on forehead single-channel EEG (Fp2-M1) has a good consistency in the identification sleep stage in a population with habitual snoring and OSAHS with different categories. The AHI calculated based on this model has high consistency with manual scoring.

Short-term efficacy of primary treatment and dressing change with aflibercept for exudative age-related macular degeneration / 中华眼底病杂志

Objective:To observe the short-term effects of intravitreal injection of aflibercept (IVA) for initial treatment and dressing change on exudative age-related macular degeneration (eAMD).Methods:A retrospective clinical study. From June 2018 to February 2021, forty-nine eAMD eyes of 38 patients who underwent IVA treatment in Department of Ophthalmology of Central Theater Command Hospital of People’s Liberation Army were included in the study. Among them, there were 24 males with 29 eyes and 14 females with 20 eyes; the average age was 66.82±8.71 years. All affected eyes were treated with IVA. The initial loading dose was 2.0 mg, which was injected once a month for 3 consecutive months, followed by monthly review and treatment as needed. Of the 49 eyes, 26 eyes were initially treated (initial treatment group), they were diagnosed within 3 months of the first onset and followed by IVA treatment, and no intraocular drugs and surgery were performed from the onset to the first diagnosis. Twenty-three eyes were treated with drug exchange therapy (dressing change group), they received intravitreal injection of ranibizumab and/or conbercept more than 4 times 6 months before the replacement therapy, during which there was persistent interlaminar cystoid edema and/or subretinal fluid (SRF) in the macular area and no improvement in pigment epithelial detachment (PED). Before IVA treatment, there were no statistically significant differences in the best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), foveal thickness (CMT), PED height (PEDH), and PED volume (PEDV) of the two groups of eyes before IVA treatment ( P>0.05). The same equipment and methods as before treatment were used for related examinations, and the changes of BCVA, CMT, PEDH, PEDV and complications of the two groups of eyes were recorded in 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment. The comparison of BCVA, CMT, PEDH, and PEDV between the two groups were used repeated measures analysis of variance. Results:Six months after treatment, the number of IVA injections in the eyes of the initial treatment group and dressing change group were 4.15±0.73 and 4.39±0.72 times, respectively, and the difference was not statistically significant ( t=-1.141, P=0.260). The BCVA, CMT, PEDH, and PEDV of the the initial treatment group ( F=5.345, 22.995, 6.764, 5.425) and the dressing change group ( F=12.519, 15.576, 8.843, 9.406) were significantly improved compared before treatment with 1, 3, and 6 months. All were statistically significant ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in BCVA, CMT, PEDH, and PEDV between the initial treatment group and the dressing group at each time point after treatment ( F=1.741, 0.069, 0.876, 3.455; P>0.05). During the follow-up period, none of the affected eyes had complications such as persistent intraocular pressure increase, endophthalmitis, and retinal pigment epithelial tear. Conclusions:IVA can improve eyesight of patients with eAMD and reduce CMT, PEDH, and PEDV. The initial treatment and dressing change have the same effect.

Item d560 of the ICF is effective in assessing the swallowing function of convalescing stroke patients / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

Objective:To investigate the correlation between item d560 of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) and the swallowing function of convalescing stroke patients.Methods:A total of 140 convalescent stroke survivors were evaluated for dysphagia using the ICF-d560 and the modified Watian drinking water test. Linear regression was used to analyze the influence of clinical factors when choosing a swallowing function assessment scale. Spearman correlation was computed to explore the correlation between ICF item d560 and the modified Watian drinking water test.Results:According to the ICF-d560 results, 10% of the patients had a mild disorder, with another 37.1% moderate, 29.3% severe and 23.6% completely dysphagic. The corresponding percentages according to the improved Watian drinking water test were 44.3% mild, 31.4% moderate and 24.3% severe. The total correlation coefficient between the two sets of results was 0.86, which was related to the stroke type, age, gender and stroke risk factors. The correlation coefficient of the cerebral infarction group was significantly higher than the cerebral hemorrhage group′s coefficient, and that of the women was slightly higher than that of the men. The strength of the correlation increased with age. The correlation coefficient was 0.84 among both diabetics and hypertension sufferers.Conclusions:Results from the ICF-d560 and the modified Wada drinking water test correlate well, which can provide a screening tool for swallowing function based on the ICF theoretical framework.

Discovery and functional characterization of flavone O-glycosyltransferases in Scutellaria baicalensis / 药学学报

Huang-Qin is a traditional Chinese medicine with antiviral, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. Its major bioactive compounds are diverse flavone O-glucuronides and glucosides. Although three flavonoid O-glycosyltransferases have been identified from S. baicalensis, this information is not sufficient to elucidate the structural diversity of flavonoid glycosides. In this study, nine glycosyltransferase candidate genes were discovered from S. baicalensis by BLAST analysis and their functions were characterized after heterologous expression. Three new flavone O-glycosyltransferases were able to catalyze the formation of major compounds in S. baicalensis, including baicalin and wogonoside. These enzymes could also utilize exogenous flavones as sugar acceptors. This work further elucidates biosynthetic pathways for Scutellaria flavonoid O-glycosides.

Treatment of tibial osteomyelitis with versus without antibiotic cement after radical debridement / 中华创伤骨科杂志

Objective:To compare the therapeutic outcomes between use of antibiotic cement versus non-use of antibiotic cement in the treatment of tibial osteomyelitis after radical debridement.Methods:A retrospective analysis was made of the 68 patients with local tibial osteomyelitis of Cierny-Mader Type Ⅳ who had been treated at Department of Orthopaedic Trauma, The Second People’s Hospital of Shenzhen from January 2010 to June 2015. The dead space was filled with antibiotic-impregnated bone cement beans after radical debridement of the infected bone in 32 of them (cement group) but was not in 36 of them (no-cement group). The operations for both groups were performed by the same surgical team who filled the bone defects after excision of infected bone using Ilizarov bone transport. The 2 groups were compared in terms of Paley functional scores of bone and limb, external fixation index (EFI), infection recurrence rate, total hospital costs and other complications.Results:The 2 groups were comparable because there was no significant difference between them in the preoperative general data ( P>0.05). The cement group was followed up for (71.2±8.9) months and the no-cement group for (71.6±9.7) months, showing no significant difference ( P>0.05). By the Paley functional scores, the good to excellent rate for bone was 100% for both groups (32/32 versus 36/36) while the good to excellent rate for limb was 93.8% (30/32) for the cement group and 94.4% (34/36) for the no-cement group, showing no significant differences between them ( P>0.05). The EFI was (49.0±10.5) d/cm for the cement group and (49.5±11.4) d/cm for the no-cement group, showing no significant differences between them ( P>0.05). The infection recurrence rate at the final follow-up was 3.12% (1/32) for the cement group and 2.78% (1/36) for the no-cement group, showing no significant differences between them ( P>0.05). The total hospital cost was (70,944.1 ± 1,135.5) Yuan RMB for the cement group and (55,205.2 ± 897.3) Yuan RMB for the no-cement group, showing a significant difference ( P<0.05). No serious complications with sequelae were found in either of the 2 groups. Conclusion:In the treatment of local tibial osteomyelitis of Cierny-Mader Type Ⅳ, it is not necessary to fill the dead space with antibiotic cement when radical debridement is achieved.

Xinglou Chengqi Decoction improves neurological function in experimental stroke mice as evidenced by gut microbiota analysis and network pharmacology / 中国天然药物

The current study was designed to explore the brain protection mechanism of Xinglou Chengqi Decoction (XCD) based on gut microbiota analysis and network pharmacology. A transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model of mice was established, followed by behavioral evaluation, TTC and TUNEL staining. Additionally, to investigate the effects of gut microbiota on neurological function after stroke, C57BL/6 mice were treated with anti-biotic cocktails 14 days prior to ischemic stroke (IS) to deplete the gut microbiota. High-throughput 16S rDNA gene sequencing, metabonomics technique, and flow multifactor technology were used to analyze bacterial communities, SCFAs and inflammatory cytokines respectively. Finally, as a supplement, network pharmacology and molecular docking were applied to fully explore the multicomponent-multitarget-multichannel mechanism of XCD in treating IS, implicated in ADME screening, target identification, network analysis, functional annotation, and pathway enrichment analysis. We found that XCD effectively improved neurological function, relieved cerebral infarction and decreased the neuronal apoptosis. Moreover, XCD promoted the release of anti-inflammatory factor like IL-10, while down-regulating pro-inflammatory factors such as TNF-α, IL-17A, and IL-22. Furthermore, XCD significantly increased the levels of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), especially butyric acid. The mechanism might be related to the regulation of SCFAs-producing bacteria like Verrucomicrobia and Akkermansia, and bacteria that regulate inflammation like Paraprevotella, Roseburia, Streptophyta and Enterococcu. Finally, in the network pharmacological analysis, 51 active compounds in XCD and 44 intersection targets of IS and XCD were selected. As a validation, components in XCD docked well with key targets. It was obviously that biological processes were mainly involved in the regulation of apoptotic process, inflammatory response, response to fatty acid, and regulation of establishment of endothelial barrier in GO enrichment. XCD can improve neurological function in experimental stroke mice, partly due to the regulation of gut microbiota. Besises, XCD has the characteristic of "multi-component, multi-target and multi-channel" in the treatment of IS revealed by network pharmacology and molecular docking.

Surgical removal of a telemetry system in a cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fascicularis):a 12-month observation study / 한국실험동물학회지

Background@#Telemetry is a wireless implanted device that measures biological signals in conscious animals and usually requires surgery for its removal when the study is finished. After removing the device, the animals are either used for other studies or euthanatized.Case presentation: Herein, we report the case of a living cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fascicularis) that was used for the entire experimental period, instead of euthanasia, after surgical removal of an implanted telemetry system.Radiography was used to determine the status of the implanted telemetry, following which, a repair surgery was performed for removing the system; clinical signs were used to preserve the life of the cynomolgus monkey. Postoperative clinical signs, food consumption, hematology, and serum biochemistry were examined during the 12-month observational period. No abnormal readings or conditions were observed in the subject after implant removal. @*Conclusions@#This study may be a useful case report for living cynomolgus monkeys in telemetry implantations used throughout the study period. We suggest minimizing the suffering and improving the welfare of these animals.

Exploring the preconception of the first year of medical students on medicine before entering medical school / 한국의학교육

Purpose@#First-year students can form a preconception based on life experiences before entering college and identifying learners’ existing characteristics can be useful foundation data for curriculum development. This study examines what preconceptions freshman students had about medicine before entering medical school. @*Methods@#A total of 110 first-year students were asked about what preconceptions they had about “medicine”. A total of 1,124 data were used in the content analysis method. @*Results@#The results were extracted into 5, and 12 twelve categories. On the theme of “scientific discipline”, the knowledge students had about general health was based on scant expertise and little evidence. Students perceived medicine as Western and scientific, considering Korean traditional medicine as unscientific. Students believed that “medical practice” should be a “disease treatment” and “patient-centered” approach rather than a “social responsibility”. In “the role of the doctor”, students were concerned about the doctor's being financially stable on the positive side, and about the high-intensity workload on the negative side. In “medical education”, students believed that studying medicine would be “hard and difficult” because of the “importance of memorizing” and “extensive study load”. In “specialty stereotype”, students had biases that were mostly concentrated on “psychiatry” and “surgery” @*Conclusion@#Perception of “medicine” has been revealed to a varied range of themes, but some have been inaccurate or unrealistic. These prejudices and groundless beliefs have a gap with the learning outcomes that students should achieve in the curriculum, and these preconceptions seem to have been influenced by South Korea’s unique cultural context.

Aster ageratoides Turcz. extract attenuates Alzheimer’s disease-associated cognitive deficits and vascular dementia-associated neuronal death / 대한해부학회지

Dementia is the common neurodegenerative disorder affecting the elderly, with a progressive cognitive decline and memory loss. Since Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VD) share key pathologies including oxidative damage, oral supplement of phytochemical medicines, which are well-known for their antioxidant properties, can be a viable therapy for both types of dementia. In this study, the therapeutic potential of the Aster ageratoides extract (AAE), an oriental drug with multiple medicinal properties, was tested on experimental rat models of AD and VD. After confirming the in vitro attenuation of neuronal excitotoxicity by AAE, rats were orally administered with AAE for 7 days and subsequently tested under 2 different experimental paradigms: efficacy screening against #1 AD and #2 VD. For paradigm #1, the rats received intraperitoneal scopolamine and subsequently underwent 3 different behavior tests i.e., the Y-maze, novel object recognition, and passive avoidance tests. For paradigm #2, the rats were operated with the 2-vessel occlusion and hypovolemia (2VO/H) technique, and at postoperative day 7, their hippocampal neuronal viability and the neuroinflammatory changes were quantified. The results showed that the scopolamine-induced impairment of memory performance was significantly improved by AAE intake. Furthermore, while the 2VO/H operation induced marked hippocampal neuronal death and microglial activation, both these effects were significantly attenuated by AAE supplements. Some of the aforementioned effects of AAE intake were dose-dependent. These results provided evidence that AAE supplements can exert anti-AD and -VD efficacies and suggested that AAE might be used as an edible phytotherapeutic for the 2 major types of dementia.

Aster ageratoides Turcz. extract attenuates Alzheimer’s disease-associated cognitive deficits and vascular dementia-associated neuronal death / 대한해부학회지

Dementia is the common neurodegenerative disorder affecting the elderly, with a progressive cognitive decline and memory loss. Since Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VD) share key pathologies including oxidative damage, oral supplement of phytochemical medicines, which are well-known for their antioxidant properties, can be a viable therapy for both types of dementia. In this study, the therapeutic potential of the Aster ageratoides extract (AAE), an oriental drug with multiple medicinal properties, was tested on experimental rat models of AD and VD. After confirming the in vitro attenuation of neuronal excitotoxicity by AAE, rats were orally administered with AAE for 7 days and subsequently tested under 2 different experimental paradigms: efficacy screening against #1 AD and #2 VD. For paradigm #1, the rats received intraperitoneal scopolamine and subsequently underwent 3 different behavior tests i.e., the Y-maze, novel object recognition, and passive avoidance tests. For paradigm #2, the rats were operated with the 2-vessel occlusion and hypovolemia (2VO/H) technique, and at postoperative day 7, their hippocampal neuronal viability and the neuroinflammatory changes were quantified. The results showed that the scopolamine-induced impairment of memory performance was significantly improved by AAE intake. Furthermore, while the 2VO/H operation induced marked hippocampal neuronal death and microglial activation, both these effects were significantly attenuated by AAE supplements. Some of the aforementioned effects of AAE intake were dose-dependent. These results provided evidence that AAE supplements can exert anti-AD and -VD efficacies and suggested that AAE might be used as an edible phytotherapeutic for the 2 major types of dementia.

Investigation of postoperative complications in children after dental therapy under general anesthesia / 华西口腔医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#This study aimed to evaluate the postoperative complications undergoing dental general anesthesia in children and analyze the prevalence and related factors.@*METHODS@#This prospective study involved 292 systematically healthy children (36 to 71 months old) who received extensive dental treatment under general anesthesia. Data about patients' histories, characteristics, dental and anesthesia procedure were collected. Parents or caregivers were interviewed face to face preoperation and 72 h postoperation. Data were analyzed using logistic regression.@*RESULTS@#Approximately 93.5% of the enrolled children reported one or more complications. The most prevalent complication was postoperative pain, followed by weariness, agitation, problem in eating, drowsiness, oral bleeding, cough, fever, etc. The length of operative time and femininity were the risks of the postoperative pain. Nutrition status was the factor probably in association with fever.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The children receive longer operative time and girls show to be more susceptible to the postoperative pain. High nutrition status could be the protective factor of postoperative fever.

The effect of aflibercept in the treatment of exudative age-related macular degeneration combined with retinal pigment epithelial detachment / 中华眼底病杂志

Objective:To observe the efficacy of intravitreal injection of aflibercept (IVA) in the treatment of exudative age-related macular degeneration (wAMD) combined with RPE detachment (PED).Methods:A retrospective case study. From June 2018 to June 2019, 32 eyes (overall group) of 27 wAMD patients with PED were included in the study. All eyes were treated with IVA. The initial loading dose was 2.0 mg, which was injected once a month for 2 consecutive months and and then use a PRN regimen after evaluation. According to the maximum height of PED (PEDH) 2 months after treatment, the overall group was divided into the response group and the partial response group, with 20 (62.50%) and 12 (37.50%) eyes respectively. The response group: PEDH decreased by ≥25% compared with before treatment. The partial response: PEDH decreased by <25%. The macular fovea was scanned with the 3D-OCT 2000 instrument from Topcon (Japan). PEDH, PED area (PEDA), PED volume (PEDV), and macular foveal retinal thickness (CMT) were measured. There was no significant difference in BCVA, CMT, PEDH, PEDA, and PEDV of the eyes in the response group and the partial response group ( t=-0.791, -0.488, -0.900, -1.130, -0.400; P=0.435, 0.630, 0.380, 0.270, 0.690). The changes of BCVA, PEDH, PEDA, PEDV, CMT in each group were observed before treatment and 1, 2, 4, and 6 months after treatment. The comparison of BCVA and PED-related indicators and CMT before and after treatment were performed by repeated measures analysis of variance. Results:Compared with before treatment, the BCVA, CMT, PEDH, PEDA and PEDV of the eyes in the overall group, the response group, and the partial response group were obviously improved after treatment. Among them, there were statistically significant differences in all indicators of the overall group and the response group ( FBCVA=5.871, 3.798; P=0.001, 0.019. FCMT=24.526, 14.109; P=0.000, 0.001. FPEDH=12.569, 12.091; P=0.000, 0.000. FPEDA=7.534, 6.286; P=0.000, 0.000. FPEDV=5.139, 4.104; P=0.004, 0.014); there was no statistically significant difference in PED-related indicators in the partial response group ( FPEDH=3.210, P=0.054; FPEDA=1.913, P=0.183; FPEDV=3.500, P=0.051), the difference between BCVA and CMT was statistically significant ( FBCVA=3.033, P=0.027; FCMT=11.140, P=0.001). Two months after treatment, the eye number of PEDH reduction rate <25%, 25%-<50%, 50%-<75%, and ≥75% were 12 (37.50%), 8 (25.00%), 9 (28.13%), and 3 (9.38%) in the overall group, respectively. And PED in one eye (3.13%) was completely eliminated. Six months after treatment, the proportion was 13 (40.23%), 5 (15.63%), 7 (21.88%) and 7 (21.88%), respectively, among which 4 eyes (12.50%) with PED were completely resolved. Conclusions:Aflibercept treatment of wAMD combined with PED can restore its anatomical indicators and improve visual function of patients in a short time; the efficacy of PED in the PRN stage is related to the efficacy of the loading dose stage.

Preparation, spectroscopy and molecular modelling studies of inclusion complex of vincamine with hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin / 中草药

Objective The inclusion complex of vincamine (VIN) and hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) was prepared and characterized. Molecular simulation method was used to study the formation mechanism of inclusion complex. Methods The inclusion complex of VIN/HP-β-CD was prepared by saturated solution. The preparation technology of VIN/HP-β-CD inclusion complex was optimized by orthogonal design, and taking the drug-loading of the inclusion compound as the index. The stability constant of inclusion complex between VIN and HP-β-CD was studied by UV-Vis spectrometry titration, and the inclusion ratio was determined by Job plots method. The VIN/HP-β-CD inclusion complex was characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray powder diffractometry (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (IR), thermal analysis techniques (TG and DSC), and nuclear magnetic resonance (1H, 2D NMR). The water solubility of the VIN/HP-β-CD inclusion complex was measured and the stability test was conducted in the simulated human gastric juice and intestinal fluid environment. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics were used to study the forming mechanism of supramolecular system of VIN/HP-β-CD. Results Using saturated solution method, the optimum conditions of inclusion were: 1:1 for molar ratio of VIN and HP-β-CD, 40 ℃ for inclusion temperature, 7 h for inclusion time and volume ratio of methanol to water (1:6) as solvent; Job curve and UV-vis spectroscopy showed that inclusion ratio of host-guest inclusion complexes was 1:1; After VIN formed inclusion complexes with HP-β-CD, its solubility increased from 0.04 mg/mL to 16.5 mg/mL, and the thermal decomposition temperature of VIN increased from 240.5 ℃ to 306.1 ℃. 1H-NMR and NOESY spectra indicated that the inclusion complex was formed by the a-ring of VIN entering from the large end of HP-β-CD. Quantum chemical calculation and molecular docking indicated that the optimal inclusion mode was consistent with the results of NMR studies. Molecular dynamics studies showed that VIN can penetrate into the hydrophobic cavity of HP-β-CD in water environment, and the interaction between host and guest was strengthened. The space size of host-guest matched better. Conclusion The solubility and thermal stability were significantly improved after the formation of inclusion complex with VIN and HP-β-CD. Hydrophobicity, hydrogen bonding, and van der Waals forces were the main driving forces for inclusion complex formation.

Protective Effect and Mechanism of Extracts from Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma,Anemarrhenae Rhizoma and Paeoniae Radix Rubra on Hippocampal Neurons in Rats with Vascular Dementia / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective: To observe the effect of extracts from Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma,Anemarrhenae Rhizoma and Paeoniae Radix Rubra on N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors(NMDAR1) in hippocampal neurons in rats with vascular dementia and investigate its possible mechanism. Method: The 60 SPF male rats were randomly divided into normal group, sham-operated group,model group, traditional Chinese medicine group(0.20 g·kg-1)and memantine group(2.1 mg·kg-1),with 12 rats in each group. The model was established by repeated ischemia-reperfusion combined with intraperitoneal injection of sodium nitroprusside. After modelling, normal group, sham-operated group and model group were dosed the similar volume of normal saline once a day for 14 days. The learning and memory capacity was assessed by Morris water maze; pathologic change in the CA1 district of hippocampus was assessed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, and the expression level of NMDAR1 in hippocampal neuron membrane protein was detected by Western blot and immunohistochemistry(IHC),the NMDAR1 mRNA in hippocampal tissue was detected by Real-time PCR. Result:Compared with normal and sham-operated group, the latency period was prolonged in model group(PPPPPPPPConclusion:The extracts from Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma,Anemarrhenae Rhizoma and Paeoniae Radix Rubra can improve the learning and memory capacity of rats with vascular dementia, and alleviate the injury in CA1 district of hippocampus. The mechanism may be related to the down-regulation of NMDAR1 expression in hippocampal neurons.

Influence of Axial Length on Recurrence of Wet Age-related Macular Degeneration after Initial Treatment

PURPOSE: To evaluate the influence of axial length on the recurrence of wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) after anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy. METHODS: A retrospective review of the medical records for 45 eyes of 45 patients, who were diagnosed with neovascular AMD and treated with three ranibizumab injections per month, was performed. Axial length was compared between eyes with (recurrence group) and without (no recurrence group) recurrence of fluid during a 12-month follow-up period. In eyes with recurrence, the association between axial length and the time between the third injection and the first recurrence was also evaluated. RESULTS: The axial length was measured at a mean of 20.6 ± 10.1 months after the diagnosis of neovascular AMD. The mean axial length at that time was 23.33 ± 0.90 mm. The mean axial length was 23.29 ± 0.96 mm in the recurrence group (n = 30) and 23.40 ± 0.79 mm in the no-recurrence group (n = 15). There was no difference in the axial length between the two groups (p = 0.709). In the recurrence group, the period between the third injection and the first recurrence was not associated with axial length (p =0.582). CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant difference in axial length between eyes with and without recurrence after initial treatment for wet AMD. In addition, the time to first recurrence was not significantly associated with axial length. Because the present study was retrospective and the sample size was small, further prospective studies with a better design are needed to more accurately assess the influence of axial length.