Survey on current status of noise hazards in key industries in Tianjin in 2020 / 公共卫生与预防医学

Objective To conduct a survey on the status of noise hazards in Tianjin in 2020, to analyze the main distribution characteristics of noise hazards, and to put forward corresponding preventive and control measures. Methods A unified questionnaire was used to investigate the city-wide enterprises with more than 5 employees, normal production and operation, and noise hazards. The χ2 test was used to analyze the survey results. Results There were 8 560 enterprises with noise hazards, which were concentrated in the five outer suburban districts, the four districts around the city and the Binhai New Area, mainly small and medium-sized enterprises. Totally, 223 800 people were exposed to noise. The rates of noise hazard detection and physical examination of workers were 25.88% and 17.66%, and the rate of over standard detection and the rate of abnormal physical examination were 13.09% and 1.62%, respectively. The differences in noise detection rate, over standard detection rate and physical examination rate were significant in different administrative regions, enterprise scales and industries. The detection rate and physical examination rate of enterprises in the five outer suburban districts, micro-scale enterprises, and paper products industries were the lowest, while the rate of exceeding standards was the highest in the railway, shipping, aerospace and other transportation equipment manufacturing industries. Conclusion Noise is a common occupational hazard in enterprises in Tianjin. There are a large number of people who are exposed to noise. The detection rate and physical examination rate of noise are at a low level. Individual industries have a high rate of exceeding the standard. The current situation of noise hazard prevention and control is not optimistic. It is recommended to pay attention to it and take effective intervention measures.

Analysis of occupational disease incidence in Dandong in 2015-2019 / 公共卫生与预防医学

Objective To analyze the incidence of occupational diseases in Dandong from 2015 to 2019, discuss the characteristics and rules of occupational diseases, and provide theoretical basis for the formulation of occupational disease prevention measures. Methods The occupational disease report data of Dandong from 2015 to 2019 were collected and analyzed by using Excel and SPSS statistical software. Results From 2015 to 2019, a total of 112 new cases of occupational diseases were reported in Dandong, including 108 cases of occupational pneumoconiosis, accounting for 96.43%. Four patients with other occupational diseases, accounting for 3.57% . Among the newly reported cases of occupational diseases, 111 cases were male, accounting for 99.10%, and one case was female, accounting for 0.89%. There were statistically significant differences in the reported conditions of different types of occupational diseases according to gender (P 0.05). The length of contact at the onset of the disease was mainly concentrated in 11-20 years, and there was no statistical significance in the comparison of the length of contact at the onset of different types of occupational diseases (P > 0.05). In terms of industry distribution, the mining industry reported the most cases (87 cases, accounting for 77.68%). The private enterprises were more concentrated, accounting for 68 cases, 60.71%. Small and medium-sized enterprises reported the most new cases of occupational diseases, with 107 cases, accounting for 95.54%. There was statistical significance in the new cases of occupational diseases with different industry distribution (P 0.05). Conclusions Occupational pneumoconiosis accounted for the majority of new cases of occupational diseases in Dandong city from 2015 to 2019, indicating that occupational pneumoconiosis is still the focus of occupational disease prevention and control in Dandong City. In the future occupational disease prevention work, we should actively standardize the implementation of the “Law of the People's Republic of China on the Prevention and Control of Occupational Diseases”, do a good job in the supervision and management of key groups and positions, and effectively protect the health of workers.

Noise exposure and its impact on health in an auto parts manufacturing enterprise / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

Objective: To learn about the noise exposure and health status of workers and analyze factors that may affect the health outcomes of workers in an auto manufacturing enterprise in Tianjin City. Methods: In September 2020, occupational hygiene survey, noise exposure level detection and occupational health examination data collection were carried out in an auto parts manufacturing enterprise. Chi square test and unconditional logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the health effects of noise exposure and hearing loss of 361 noise exposure workers. Results: The rates of over-standard noise exposure, hearing loss and hypertension were 69.39% (34/49) , 33.24% (120/361) and 11.36% (41/361) , respectively. There were upward trends on age and noise-working years for hearing loss and hypertension rates (χ(2)=-5.95, -6.16, -2.81, -2.74, P<0.05) . Unconditional logistic regression analysis showed that age>35 years old, noise exposure length of service >10 years and noise L(EX, 8 h)>85 dB (A) were risk factors for hearing loss (OR=3.57, 95%CI: 1.09, 11.75; OR=4.05, 95%CI: 1.97, 8.25; OR=1.75, 95%CI: 1.00, 3.05; P=0.036, 0.001, 0.047) . Conclusion: This company has a high rate of job noise exceeding the standard, and noise-exposed workers have more serious hearing loss. Age, noise exposure and high noise exposure are risk factors for hearing loss.

Role of pyroptosis pathway related molecules in acute lung injury induced by gas explosion in rats / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

Objective: To explore the role and significance of pyroptosis in gas explosion-induced acute lung injury (ALI) in rats. Methods: In February 2018, 126 SPF male SD rats were selected and randomly divided into blank control group (18 rats) and experimental group (40 m, 80 m, 120 m, 160 m, 200 m and 240 m, 18 per group) . The experimental group carried out gas explosion in the roadway to build the ALI model, the control group did not carry out gas explosion, and other conditions were consistent with the experimental group. Respiratory function indexes such as respiratory frequency (f) , tidal volume (TV) , minute ventilation (MV) and airway stenosis index (Penh) were measured 24 hours after the explosion. 5 rats in each group were sacrificed after anesthesia, Hematoxylin-Eosin (HE) staining was used to observe the pathological morphology of lung tissue. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the content of Caspase-1. Western blotting was used to detect the content of cell pyroptosis including nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) , Caspase-1, interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-18 (IL-18) in lung tissue related protein expression. Results: The f and MV of rats in the experimental group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05) . Except for the 40 m and 80 m groups, the TV of rats in the other experimental groups were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05) . Except for the 40 m group, the Penh of rats in the experimental groups were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05) . HE staining showed that the lung tissue of the experimental groups at different distance points showed obvious edema of the pulmonary interstitium and alveoli, a large number of red blood cells and inflammatory cells exuded in the alveolar space, thickening of the pulmonary interstitium, and increased lung injury score (P<0.05) . The results of immunohistochemistry showed that the positive expression of Caspase-1 in each experimental group was higher than that in the control group (P<0.05) . Western blotting results showed that the expression of pyroptosis-related proteins in each experimental group was higher than that in the control group (P<0.05) . Conclusion: Pyroptosis is involved in the pathophysiological process of gas explosion-induced ALI in rats.

Spatio-temporal trend of female breast cancer mortality in Shandong Province from 1970 to 2013 / 中华预防医学杂志

The mortality of female breast cancer in Shandong Province has increased since the 1970. The differential decomposition analysis found that the slight decline in the crude mortality of breast cancer among women was entirely due to non-demographic factors during the 1970-1990, and the significant increase in the crude mortality was due to a combination of demographic and non-demographic factors since the 1990. The contribution rate of demographic factor has gradually increased from 53.5% in 2004-2005 to 59.5% in 2011-2013, while that of non-demographic factor has decreased from 46.5% to 40.5%. The women aged 45-64 years old were the major population of female breast cancer deaths, accounting for 40%-60% of total breast cancer deaths in different times, and then the mortality in female aged 55-64 years old increased rapidly, with increases of 52.12%, 115.19% and 29.01% in 2011-2013 over the 1970-1974, 1990-1992 and 2004-2005, respectively (Z=-7.342,P<0.001). Compared with 1970-1974, the age-standardized mortality rate of rural women increased by 41.86% in 2011-2013 (Z=-17.933, P<0.001), and that of urban women increased by 18.62% in 2011-2013 (Z=-25.642, P<0.001). The age-standardized mortality rate of breast cancer in urban women was higher than that in rural women in different times (all P<0.05). The spatial scan analysis found that eastern Shandong Province was found to be a sustained high-risk area for death, and other high-risk areas were transferred from north to southwest of Shandong between 1970 and 2013.

Aging weakens Th17 cell pathogenicity and ameliorates experimental autoimmune uveitis in mice

Aging-induced changes in the immune system are associated with a higher incidence of infection and vaccination failure. Lymph nodes, which filter the lymph to identify and fight infections, play a central role in this process. However, careful characterization of the impact of aging on lymph nodes and associated autoimmune diseases is lacking. We combined single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) with flow cytometry to delineate the immune cell atlas of cervical draining lymph nodes (CDLNs) of both young and old mice with or without experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU). We found extensive and complicated changes in the cellular constituents of CDLNs during aging. When confronted with autoimmune challenges, old mice developed milder EAU compared to young mice. Within this EAU process, we highlighted that the pathogenicity of T helper 17 cells (Th17) was dampened, as shown by reduced GM-CSF secretion in old mice. The mitigated secretion of GM-CSF contributed to alleviation of IL-23 secretion by antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and may, in turn, weaken APCs' effects on facilitating the pathogenicity of Th17 cells. Meanwhile, our study further unveiled that aging downregulated GM-CSF secretion through reducing both the transcript and protein levels of IL-23R in Th17 cells from CDLNs. Overall, aging altered immune cell responses, especially through toning down Th17 cells, counteracting EAU challenge in old mice.

Recent advances in isolation, identification, and culture of mammalian spermatogonial stem cells / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

Continuous spermatogenesis depends on the self-renewal and differentiation of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs). SSCs, the only male reproductive stem cells that transmit genetic material to subsequent generations, possess an inherent self-renewal ability, which allows the maintenance of a steady stem cell pool. SSCs eventually differentiate to produce sperm. However, in an in vitro culture system, SSCs can be induced to differentiate into various types of germ cells. Rodent SSCs are well defined, and a culture system has been successfully established for them. In contrast, available information on the biomolecular markers and a culture system for livestock SSCs is limited. This review summarizes the existing knowledge and research progress regarding mammalian SSCs to determine the mammalian spermatogenic process, the biology and niche of SSCs, the isolation and culture systems of SSCs, and the biomolecular markers and identification of SSCs. This information can be used for the effective utilization of SSCs in reproductive technologies for large livestock animals, enhancement of human male fertility, reproductive medicine, and protection of endangered species.

The impact of excessive gestational weight gain on fetal hepatic lipid metabolism and the regulatory mechanism / 中华实用儿科临床杂志

Objective:A rat model of excessive gestational weight gain (EGWG) was constructed to investigate the impact of EGWG on fetal hepatic lipid metabolism and the relevant regulatory mechanism.Methods:Healthy Sprague-Dawley rats were caged together and tested for pregnancy.Rats with the sperm observed under microscope were considered pregnant for 0.5 days.Pregnant rats were divided into the normal diet (ND) group and high-fat diet (HFD) group by the random number table method, with 8 rats in each group.The body weight during pregnancy of the pregnant rats was recorded.Cesarean section was performed at day 21.5 of gestation and the birth weight of the fetal rats was recorded.Hepatic lipid deposition of the pregnant and fetal rats was examined by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and oil red O staining.Triglyceride (TG) and cholesterol (TC) levels in livers and serum of the pregnant and fetal rats were detected by glycerol phosphate oxidase-peroxidase(GPO-PAP) method.The mRNA and protein expression levels of key genes FASN and SREBP1c in hepatic lipid metabolism of fetal rats were measured by real-time polyme-rase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot.Differences between the two groups were compared by independent sample t test. Results:There was no difference in pre-pregnancy body weight between the HFD group and the ND group, but the differences in the weight and the weight gain during pregnancy gradually enlarged between the two groups.At day 21.5 of gestation, the weight of the pregnant rats[(467.75±22.05) g vs.(430.88±18.80) g, t=-3.600, P=0.003], the weight gain of the pregnant rats during pregnancy[(181.50±9.68) g vs.(148.50±10.86) g, t=-6.415, P<0.001] and the birth weight of the fetal rats[(5.51±0.17) g vs.(4.85±0.35) g, t=-4.779, P<0.001] of the HFD group were significantly higher than those of the ND group.Both HE staining and oil red O staining presented increased hepatic lipid deposition in the pregnant and fetal rats of the HFD group.The hepatic and serum TG and TC levels of the pregnant and fetal rats of the HFD group were significantly higher than those of the ND group (all P<0.05). RT-PCR and Western blot showed that the mRNA and protein levels of key genes FASN and SREBP1c in hepatic lipid metabolism of fetal rats of the HFD group were significantly higher than those of the ND group (all P<0.05). Conclusions:An EGWG model can be successfully constructed by a 21-day HFD during pregnancy.EGWG can lead to hepatic lipid deposition in the fetal rats.The mechanism may be related to the expression changes of key genes FASN and SREBP1c in hepatic lipid metabolism of fetal rats.

Intelligent evaluation of the efficacy of smart stethoscope in monitoring childhood acute asthma exacerbation / 中华实用儿科临床杂志

Objective:To evaluate the effects of smart stethoscope on the monitoring childhood asthma exacerbation, so as to assist family management in childhood asthma.Methods:A prospective randomized controlled study was carried out.A total of 80 children with asthma who were treated at Department of Pediatric Respiratory, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and Shanghai Tonxin Pediatric Clinic from November 2020 to May 2021 were enrolled and randomly divided into a test group of 40 cases (used the smart stethoscope) and a control group of 40 cases(not used the smart stethoscope). Medical history data were collected.The control group received monthly routine follow-up, while the test group was followed up both routinely and by smart stethoscope.In the test group, hearing wheezing sound was regarded as asthma exacerbation, and in the control group, the asthma exacerbation was reported by the parents themselves.The frequency of asthma exacerbation, asthma control level and quality of life were compared between the two groups.The recognition, diagnosis, treatment and outcomes of acute asthma exacerbation in two groups of children were described and analyzed.Measurement data were analyzed by t test or Mann- Whitney U test.Numeration data were analyzed by χ2 test. Results:Respiratory sounds collected by smart stethoscope in the test group were assessed by 3 specialist physicians.There were 12 wheezing rales (42.86%), 1 moist rale (3.57%) and 1 rhonchi rale (3.57%). Besides, 12 files (42.86%) were difficult to distinguish, and 2 files (7.14%) induced inconsistent identification.The number of asthma exacerbation was 12 in the test group and 5 in the control group.In the test group, 12 were recognized by the smart stethoscope, and only 6 were recognized by the parents.Comparing the diagnosis and treatment measures between two groups, it was found that there were more children in the test group (38.1%) receiving home treatment through telemedicine than those in the control group (20.0%). Besides, there were less children (61.9%) in the test group receiving unplanned hospital treatment (including unplanned outpatient, emergency and hospitalization) than those in the control group (80.0%). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups of children during acute asthma exacerbation ( χ2=4.67, P=0.097). Parents were satisfied with the common functions, convenience and stability of smart stethoscope. Conclusions:Smart stethoscope can acquire the respiratory sounds of children with asthma in real time, achieving timely detection, diagnosis and treatment of asthma exacerbation in children.What′s more, smart stethoscope reduces the incidence of unplanned hospital diagnosis and treatment, and assists parents with better family management of children asthma.

The status quo of self-learning readiness for self-taught examination of in-service nurses and its correlation with general self-efficacy / 中华医学教育探索杂志

Objective:To explore the status quo of self-learning readiness of in-service nurses in self-taught examination and its correlation with general self-efficacy.Methods:Convenience sampling method was conducted with nurses who studied in the self-taught nursing examination of a university from a university in Sichuan Province from March to May 2020. General information questionnaire, Chinese version of Self-regulated Learning Readiness Scale for Nursing Education (SLDRS) and General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) were used to investigate the research. SPSS 24.0 was used to analyze the scores, multiple linear stepwise regression analysis was used to analyze the influencing factors, and Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between self-learning readiness and general self-efficacy. A total of 468 questionnaires were collected and 455 were valid.Results:The total scores of 455 nurses were (147.93±18.07) points, and the overall average scores were (3.70±0.45) points. Multiple linear stepwise regression analysis showed that the desire to continue to study for postgraduate students, the times of face-to-face classes in each subject, the preference for nursing major, aimlessness and satisfaction with the forms of assistance were the important influencing factors of autonomous learning readiness ( P<0.05). There is a positive correlation between self-learning readiness and general self-efficacy ( r=0.551, P<0.05). Conclusion:The self-learning readiness of nurses for self-taught examination is at a medium level. Their self-learning ability may be improved by encouraging them to carry out career planning, improving their professional identity and self-efficacy, and choosing teaching methods that are more suitable for in-service staff.

Antidepressant-Like Effects of Chaihu Shugan Powder () on Rats Exposed to Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress through Inhibition of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress-Induced Apoptosis / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the antidepressant-like effects of Chaihu Shugan Powder (CSP, ) and to explore its underlying mechanisms.@*METHODS@#Thirty-two Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control (CON), chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS), fluoxetine (FLU), and CSP groups, 8 rats in each group. All of the rats except for those in the control group were subjected to 3 consecutive weeks of CUMS to establish the depression model. The open field test (OFT), forced swimming test (FST), and sucrose preference test were used to assess the anti-anxiety and antidepressant effects of CSP. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) dUTP nick-end labeling was used to determine the apoptosis rate in the hippocampal tissues. The mRNA and protein levels of glucose-regulated protein (GRP) 78, spliced X-box-binding protein (XBP)-1, CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein homologous protein (CHOP), caspase-12, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) in the hippocampus of rats were evaluated by real-time PCR and Western blot analysis, respectively.@*RESULTS@#Administration of CSP alleviated anxiety and depression-like behavior in CUMS rats, as revealed by enhanced time and distance in the center of the OFT (P<0.05), an increased preference for sucrose, and longer swimming time and shorter immobility time during the FST (all P<0.05). In addition, CSP treatment significantly reduced the rate of apoptosis in rat hippocampal neurons (P<0.05). The mRNA and protein expression levels of GRP78, spliced XBP-1, and CHOP were down-regulated along with the expression of caspase-12 and cleaved caspase-12 proteins (all P<0.05), whereas total and phosphorylated JNK1 protein levels did not differ significantly between control and CSP-treated rats.@*CONCLUSION@#CSP can improve depression-like behavior in rats exposed to CUMS, possibly by suppressing CHOP and caspase-12 mediated apoptosis in the rat hippocampus.

Analysis of cytopathologic and sonographic features for false-positive diagnosis in fine-needle aspiration of thyroid nodules / 中华超声影像学杂志

Objective:To analyze the cytopathologic and sonographic features of false-positive diagnosis in fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of thyroid nodules.Methods:The false-positive diagnosis of thyroid nodules FNA which was confirmed by histopathology in the Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from Jan 2016 to Sep 2020 were collected and analyzed.Results:A total of 2, 626 patients with 2, 971 thyroid nodules were performed ultrasonography (US)-guided FNA, and 1, 061 thyroid nodules (35.7%) were confirmed by histopathology.Among these 1, 061 nodules, 817 (77.0%) were histopathologic malignancy, and 748(70.5%) were cytopathologic malignancy (TBSRTC Ⅴ-Ⅵ). Twenty-one patients with 23 thyroid nodules were false-positive diagnosis, showing TBSRTC Ⅴ, with a false-positive rate of 9.4%. In these false-positive cases, 18 patients showed normal thyroid function and 13 showed negative thyroid antibodies. All the false-positive nodules showed part of cytopathologic features of papillary thyroid carcinoma, but were insufficient to diagnose TBSRTC Ⅵ. In sonographic features, 16 nodules (69.6%) were classified as ACR TI-RADS 2-4, 12 (52.2%) were classified as C-TIRADS 3-4A or sonographic benign, and none of the nodules were found suspicious cervical lymph nodes metastasis.Conclusions:The overlapping of cytopathologic features is the main cause of false-positive diagnosis in thyroid nodules FNA. Sonographic features may play a role in decreasing the false-positive diagnosis.

Single-nucleus transcriptomic landscape of primate hippocampal aging

The hippocampus plays a crucial role in learning and memory, and its progressive deterioration with age is functionally linked to a variety of human neurodegenerative diseases. Yet a systematic profiling of the aging effects on various hippocampal cell types in primates is still missing. Here, we reported a variety of new aging-associated phenotypic changes of the primate hippocampus. These include, in particular, increased DNA damage and heterochromatin erosion with time, alongside loss of proteostasis and elevated inflammation. To understand their cellular and molecular causes, we established the first single-nucleus transcriptomic atlas of primate hippocampal aging. Among the 12 identified cell types, neural transiently amplifying progenitor cell (TAPC) and microglia were most affected by aging. In-depth dissection of gene-expression dynamics revealed impaired TAPC division and compromised neuronal function along the neurogenesis trajectory; additionally elevated pro-inflammatory responses in the aged microglia and oligodendrocyte, as well as dysregulated coagulation pathways in the aged endothelial cells may contribute to a hostile microenvironment for neurogenesis. This rich resource for understanding primate hippocampal aging may provide potential diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic interventions against age-related neurodegenerative diseases.

3D printed personalized lumbar spinal fusion device design and biomechanical performance analysis / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#The finite element analysis method was used to compare the biomechanical performance of the individualized interbody fusion cage, the clinically common double bullet type fusion cage and the healthy lumbar spine model under different working conditions.@*METHODS@#According to the CT scan data of the lumbar spine of a real healthy human body, a finite element model of the lumbar spine of a healthy human body was designed using finite element software as a normal control group. On this basis, the individualized lumbar fusion cage model and the clinical standard bullet type fusion cage lumbar spine model were further established. These three finite element models were applied with different loads such as vertical compression, forward flexion, extension, and lateral bending to observethe changes in the stress distribution and stress magnitude of each component of the lumbar spine.@*RESULTS@#The maximum stress values of the vertebral body and the fusion cage under the extension condition in the clinical standard bullet type fusion cage lumbar spine model were 45.81 MPa and 97.07 MPa, respectively. The stress of the vertebral body and the fusion cage in the individualized lumbar fusion cage model was closer to the stress of the vertebral body and the intervertebral disc in the healthy lumbar spine model. From the perspective of displacement, the displacement of each component of the lumbar spine models of the two fusion cages was smaller than that of the healthy lumbar spine model, indicated that the internal fixation of the fusion cage limited the range of motion of the vertebral body. On the other hand, it also confirmed the validity of the finite element model established in the study. The displacement of the fusion cage and the vertebral body in the individualized model under different working conditions was generally smaller thanthat of the standard model fusion cage and the vertebral body.@*CONCLUSION@#The fusion cage can replace the diseased intervertebral disc to a certain extent, so as to reduce the patient's pain and restore the lumbar function. The personalized design of the fusion cage can better meet the needs of individual patients, which has the great significance to the recovery of the patient's lumbar spine function, the service life of the fusion cage and the protection of the contact vertebral body, and provides certain guidance for actual clinical treatment.

Preliminary study of early diagnosis by contrast-enhanced ultrasound combined with mesenchymal stem cell therapy in improving prognosis of biliary ischemia after liver transplantation / 器官移植

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of early diagnosis by contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) combined with mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy in the treatment of biliary ischemia after liver transplantation. Methods Clinical data of 9 recipients presenting with biliary ischemia detected by CEUS within 4 weeks after liver transplantation and diagnosed with non-anastomotic biliary stricture (NAS) within postoperative 1 year were retrospectively analyzed. In the conventional treatment group, 4 recipients were treated with conventional treatment including liver protection, cholagogic therapy and interventional therapy. In MSC treatment group, 5 recipients received intravenous infusion of MSC at 1, 2, 4, 8, 12 and 16 weeks after biliary ischemia detected by CEUS on the basis of conventional therapy. The interventional treatment and clinical prognosis within 1 year after liver transplantation were analyzed between two groups. Results Two recipients in the MSC treatment group required interventional therapy, which was initially given at 7-9 months after liver transplantation for 1-2 times. All recipients in the conventional treatment group required interventional therapy, which was initially delivered at postoperative 1-3 months for 2-6 times, earlier than that in the MSC treatment group. Within 1 year following liver transplantation, diffuse bile duct injury occurred in 2 recipients in MSC treatment group, and no graft dysfunction was observed. In the conventional treatment group, all recipients developed diffuse bile duct injury, and 2 recipients presented with graft dysfunction. Conclusions Early diagnosis of biliary ischemia after liver transplantation by CEUS combined with MSC therapy may delay and reduce the requirement of interventional therapy for NAS, and also improve clinical prognosis of the recipients.

Clinical value of conventional ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasound in evaluating donor liver quality in liver transplantation / 器官移植

At present, a large quantity of patients with end-stage liver diseases are still waiting for liver transplantation. Evaluation of donor liver quality with rapid, convenient, non-invasive and accurate methods plays a pivotal role in improving the prognosis and quality of life of liver transplant recipients. No standard evaluation criteria of donor liver quality have been established in clinical practice. Comprehensive evaluation methods have been primarily adopted, including clinical parameters of donors, laboratory examination, imaging examination and pathological examination, etc. Conventional ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasound may evaluate the quality of donor liver before liver transplantation and predict the incidence of complications after liver transplantation, which are of significant application prospect in liver transplantation. In this article, the basic methods and research progress on conventional ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasound in evaluating the vascular variation of donor liver, micro-circulatory perfusion of liver parenchyma, degree of steatosis of donor liver, degree of fibrosis of donor liver, volume and quality of donor liver were reviewed, aiming to provide more methods and ideas for clinical evaluation of donor liver quality.

Gelation of small molecule amorphous drugs / 药学学报

Compared with crystalline drugs, their amorphous forms present long-range disordered molecular arrangements, and often exhibit higher apparent solubility and dissolution. However, several small molecule amorphous drugs may exhibit gelation phenomenon during the dissolution process, and show abnormal dissolution behavior with significantly lower dissolution than crystalline drugs. The current study aims to discover the relationship between the gelation of amorphous drugs and their abnormal dissolution, and further explore the internal gelation mechanism. Amorphous simvastatin (SIM), carvedilol (CAR), and irbesartan (IRB) were prepared by melt cooling method and characterized via X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Gel formation causes the dissolution of these three amorphous drugs to be significantly lower than their crystalline state. The formed gels were characterized as three-dimensional dense network structures by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Furthermore, amorphous SIM, CAR and IRB showed the critical gel temperature at 8-15 ℃, 25-30 ℃ and 45-50 ℃, and amorphous CAR and IRB showed the critical gel pH at 1 and 0.25. The mechanism of gel formation was proposed to be closely related to the transformation of amorphous drugs into the supercooled liquid state (as the important driving force) and the protonation induced self-assembling under acidic conditions. In addition, the wettability and properties of amorphous drugs also affect the formation of gelation.

Comparison of sequential feeding and continuous feeding on the blood glucose of critically ill patients: a non-inferiority randomized controlled trial / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

BACKGROUND@#Glucose control is an important aspect in managing critically ill patients. The goal of this study was to compare the effects of sequential feeding (SF) and continuous feeding (CF) on the blood glucose of critically ill patients.@*METHODS@#A non-inferiority randomized controlled trial was adopted in this study. A total of 62 patients who were fed enteral nutritional suspension through gastric tubes were enrolled. After achieving 80% of the nutrition target calories (25 kcal·kg-1·day-1) through CF, the patients were then randomly assigned into SF and CF groups. In the SF group, the feeding/fasting time was reasonably determined according to the circadian rhythm of the human body as laid out in traditional Chinese medicine theory. The total daily dosage of the enteral nutritional suspension was equally distributed among three time periods of 7 to 9 o'clock, 11 to 13 o'clock, and 17 to 19 o'clock. The enteral nutritional suspension in each time period was pumped at a uniform rate within 2 h by an enteral feeding pump. In the CF group, patients received CF at a constant velocity by an enteral feeding pump throughout the study. Blood glucose values at five points (6:00/11:00/15:00/21:00/1:00) were monitored and recorded for seven consecutive days after randomization. Enteral feeding intolerance was also recorded. Non-inferiority testing was adopted in this study, the chi-square test or Fisher test was used for qualitative data, and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for quantitative data to determine differences between groups. In particular, a repeated measure one-way analysis of variance was used to identify whether changes in glucose value variables across the time points were different between the two groups.@*RESULTS@#There were no significant demographic or physiological differences between the SF and CF groups (P > 0.050). The average glucose level in SF was not higher than that in CF (8.8 [7.3-10.3] vs. 10.7 [9.1-12.1] mmol/L, Z = -2.079, P for non-inferiority = 0.019). Hyperglycemia incidence of each patient was more common in the CF group than that in the SF group (38.4 [19.1-63.7]% vs. 11.8 [3.0-36.7]%, Z = -2.213, P = 0.027). Hypoglycemia was not found in either group. Moreover, there was no significant difference during the 7 days in the incidence of feeding intolerance (P > 0.050).@*CONCLUSIONS@#In this non-inferiority study, the average blood glucose in SF was not inferior to that in CF. The feeding intolerance in SF was similar to that in CF. SF may be as safe as CF for critically ill patients.@*TRIAL REGISTRATION@#ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03439618; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/record/NCT03439618.

Investigation and analysis of occupational hazards in dust related enterprises in Tianjin / 公共卫生与预防医学

Objective To understand the occupational hazards of dust related enterprises in Tianjin, and to provide a scientific basis for formulating regulatory policies and effectively curbing the high incidence of pneumoconiosis. Methods The basic situation of the enterprise, the occupational health management status, and the occupational health status of the workers were described and analyzed. Results Most of the enterprises exposed to dust in Tianjin were small and micro enterprises, manufacturing enterprises and private enterprises. The reporting rate of occupational hazard items was uneven (P < 0.01). As the scale of the enterprise decreased, the comprehensive training rate of occupational health, the training rate of enterprise leaders, the training rate of occupational health management personnel, the comprehensive implementation rate of occupational hazard detection and the detection rate decreased accordingly (P < 0.01). Conclusion Tianjin should focus on the supervision of small and micro enterprises, strengthen the occupational health training of small and micro enterprises, and implement hierarchical and effective supervision for enterprises of different sizes in different regions. Meanwhile, enterprises should bear the main responsibility of occupational health, so as to ensure the continuity of occupational health management measures such as occupational hazard detection and occupational health inspection.

The application value of urine γ-synuclein in the diagnosis of bladder cancer / 肿瘤研究与临床

Objective:To explore the application value of urine γ-synuclein (SNCG) in the diagnosis of bladder cancer.Methods:A total of urine samples from 129 patients with bladder cancer (malignant lesion group), 157 patients with urinary system benign lesions (benign lesion group), and 177 healthy people (the healthy control group) from January 2017 to April 2020 in the Fifth Clinical Medical College of Shanxi Medical University and Shanxi Provincial Cancer Hospital were collected. The concentration of SNCG in the collected urine was detected by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn to determine its sensitivity, specificity and accuracy for the diagnosis of bladder cancer.Results:The urine SNCG concentration in malignant lesion group [4.28 ng/ml (0.53-8.79 ng/ml)] was higher than that in healthy controls [1.44 ng/ml (0.56-3.51) ng/ml, H = 122.9, P < 0.01] and benign lesion group [1.97 ng/ml (0.51-5.87) ng/ml, H = 88.2, P < 0.01], and the concentration of urine SNCG in benign lesion group was higher than that in healthy controls ( H = 17.1, P < 0.01). ROC area under the curve (AUC) of urine SNCG in differentiating benign lesion group from healthy controls was 0.871(95% CI 0.819-0.923, P < 0.01), the best cut-off value was 2.79 ng/ml, the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity was 0.798 and 0. 977, respectively. AUC of urine SNCG in differentiating malignant lesion group from benign lesion group was 0.823(95% CI 0.769-0.877, P < 0.01), the best cut-off value was 3.54 ng/ml, the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity was 0.713 and 0.917, respectively. AUC of urine SNCG in differentiating malignant lesion group from healthy controls plus benign lesion group was 0.848 (95% CI 0.797-0.899, P < 0.01), the best cut-off value was 2.87 ng/ml, the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity was 0.791 and 0.901, respectively. Conclusions:The concentration of SNCG in urine of patients with bladder cancer is higher than that of patients with benign urinary lesions and healthy people. Urine SNCG has a good application value in the diagnosis of bladder cancer.