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Objective:To observe the expression level of bone morphogenetic protein 9 (bone morphogenetic protein 9,BMP9) in patients with sepsis-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome (acute respiratory distress syndrome,ARDS), and to explore the role of BMP9 in early recognition and prognosis prediction of sepsis-associated ARDS.Methods:From May 2022 to May 2023, total of 56 patients with sepsis-associated ARDS in Shanxi Bethune Hospital were selected as the ARDS group, 49 patients with cardiogenic pulmonary edema as the case control group, and 46 adults who underwent physical examination in the physical examination center of our hospital as the healthy control group.The patients in the ARDS group were followed up for 28 days and divided into survival group ( n = 26) and death group ( n = 30). The expression level of serum BMP9 and its correlation with clinical indicators in each group were analyzed and compared. The risk factors of sepsis-associated ARDS were analyzed by Logistic regression, and the diagnostic efficacy and prognostic value of related indicators were analyzed. Results:The serum level of BMP9 in sepsis-associated ARDS group [1401.14 (856.59,1982.86) ]pg/mL was significantly higher than that in case control group (438.26±128.52) pg/mL and healthy control group (398.96±96.55)pg/mL, the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.01). In addition, BMP9 expression significantly correlated with procalcitonin, lymphocyte count and SOFA score ( P < 0.05, P < 0.01, respectively). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that BMP9 was a high risk factor for the development of sepsis-associated ARDS ( P<0.01). The area under the ROC curve (area under the ROC curve,AUC) of BMP9 to predict the occurrence of sepsis-associated ARDS was 0.930. The specificity was 100.0% and the sensitivity was 80.4%, which was significantly higher than the specificity (89.8%) and sensitivity (67.9%) of the oxygenation index. Follow-up and comparison of BMP9 levels in patients with different prognosis of sepsis-associated ARDS showed that the expression level of BMP9 in the death group was higher than that in the survival group, and the difference was statistically significant ( P < 0.05). The ROC curve of BMP9 in predicting the prognosis of patients with sepsis-associated ARDS. The area under the ROC curve was 0.699, the sensitivity was 43.3%, and the specificity was 100.0%. Conclusions:The expression of BMP9 in sepsis-associated ARDS patients significantly increased, and its high expression was significantly correlated with inflammatory markers such as procalcitonin, lymphocyte count and SOFA score. BMP9 is an independent risk factor in patients with sepsis-associated ARDS, and it is promising as a new biomarker for early identification of sepsis-associated ARDS. However, it do not show a good predictive effect on the prognosis of the disease.
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Purpose To explore the pathological features of angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma(AITL)with bone marrow involvement and to improve awareness of bone marrow infiltration in AITL.Methods The tissue morphology of 32 cases of AITL with bone marrow involvement was retrospectively analyzed.Im-munohistochemistry using the EnVision method and ten-color flow cytometry were conducted to detect AITL-related immune markers.T cell clonality was analyzed through T cell receptor(TCR)gene rearrangement.Results The predominant pat-terns of tumor cell infiltration were nodular(20/32,62.5%)and interstitial or small clusters(10/32,31.3%).The nodules showed a mixture of cellular components.In some cases,the fo-ci contained a mixture of cells with characteristic"granuloma-toid"changes.The tumor cells were mainly small to medium-sized lymphocytes with inconspicuous atypia.Some cases showed plasma cell proliferation.19 cases were subject to immunohisto-chemical staining,which revealed a low count of CD4-positive T cells,with an average of 8.4%.The positive rates of T follic-ular helper cells(TFH)markers were as follows:CD10(7/14,50.0%),BCL6(6/19,31.6%),PD-1(13/19,68.4%),and CXCL13(13/19,68.4%).In most cases,tumor cells showed co-expression of PD-1 and CXCL13,but the number of positive cells was less than 1%.Flow cytometry analysis was performed in 24 cases,among which 22 cases all consistently expressed cytoplasmic CD3(cCD3),CD5,CD4,and CD2,with varying degrees of CD10 expression.In some cases,there was a lack of expression of surface CD3(sCD3)(12/22,54.5%),while there was a lack of expression of CD7(8/22,36.4%).and no abnormal T cells were found in 2 cases.TCR gene rearrangement analysis was performed in 7 cases,with 3 cases showing TCR clonality.Conclusion AITL with bone marrow involvement exhibits a lower proportion of tumor cells and less atypia,making it prone to misdiagnosis.The presence of lymphocytic foci with mixed cellular components in the bone marrow can indicate bone marrow involvement in AITL.Flow cy-tometry detection of abnormal T cells(double positive for CD4 and CD10)strongly suggests bone marrow infiltration in AITL.A comprehensive diagnosis of bone marrow involvement in AITL re-quires consideration of bone marrow biopsy,flow cytometry,and TCR gene rearrangement analysis.
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Objective To investigate the expression and significance of microRNA(miR)-4429 and microRNA(miR)-19-3p level in patients with pelvic floor dysfunctional(PFD)disease.Methods A total of 90 PFD patients admitted to the Second People's Hospital of Hengshui from June 2021 to June 2022 were selected as the PFD group.They were grouped into the pelvic organ prolapse(POP)group(n=50),the stress urinary incontinence(SUI)group(n=25),and the POP combined with SUI group(n=15).Meanwhile,80 healthy women who were examined in the Second People's Hospital of Hengshui were collected as the control group.The general data such as delivery mode,previous abortion history and family history were compared between the control group and the PFD group.The levels of serum miR-4429 and miR-19-3p in each group were compared.The diagnostic value of serum miR-4429 and miR-19-3p levels in PFD was analyzed by receiver operating characteristic(ROC)analysis.Logistic regression analysis was applied to analyze the factors affecting PFD.The paired sample t-test was applied to compare the changes in serum miR-4429 and miR-19-3p levels before and after PFD treatment.Results There were significant differences between the PFD group and the control group in terms of delivery mode,previous abortion history,and PFD family history,and the differences were statistically significant(t=4.415,6.444,4.707,all P<0.05).The serum miR-4429(0.71±0.19 vs 1.00±0.25)level in the PFD group was lower than that in the control group,while the miR-19-3p(1.44±0.35 vs 1.01±0.28)level was higher than that in the control group,and the differences was statistically significant(t=8.927,8.772,all P<0.05).The serum miR-4429(0.73±0.22,0.74±0.16 vs 0.59±0.16)level in the POP and SUI groups was higher than that in the POP combined SUI group,while the serum miR-19-3p(1.35±0.39,1.41±0.31 vs 1.77±0.56)level in the POP group and SUI group was lower than that in the POP combined with SUI group,with significant differences(t=3.531,3.411;5.003,3.865,all P<0.05).ROC analysis showed that the areas under curve(AUC)for miR-4429 and miR-19-3p to assist in assessing whether PFD occurs were 0.805 and 0.825,respectively.The AUC of the combined detection was 0.865.Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that miR-19-3p was a risk factor affecting PFD,while miR-4429 was a protective factor.After treatment,serum miR-4429(0.93±0.23 vs 0.71±0.19)level in PFD patients increased,while the miR-19-3p(1.12±0.29 vs 1.44±0.35)level decreased,the diffences were statistically significant(t=6.996,6.679,all P<0.05).Conclusion The serum miR-4429 level in patients with PFD decreased,while the miR-19-3p level increased.The levels of miR-4429 and miR-19-3p in serum were closely related to the occurrence and development of PFD diseases,which can be used as evaluation indicators to predict PFD.
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Objective To investigate the predictive value of lactate/albumin ratio(LAR),interleukin-6(IL-6)and CD4+T lymphocyte count in 28-day mortality in patients with severe pneumonia and sepsis.Methods A total of 73 patients with severe pneumonia and sepsis admitted to the Respiratory Intensive Care Unit(RICU)of Zhengzhou Central Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University from January 2022 to June 2023 were enrolled and divided into the survival group(n=43)and the death group(n=30)according to their 28-day outcomes.The clinical data of the patients were collected from their electronic medical records,including age,gender,comorbidities with hypertension,diabetes,and coronary artery heart disease(CHD),as well as sequential organ failure assessment(SOFA)score,acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ(APACHE Ⅱ)score,mean arterial pressure(MAP),confusion,uremia,respiratory rate,blood pressure,age ≥65 years(CURB-65)score,total bilirubin(Tbil),serum creatinine(Scr),platelet count(PLT),white blood cell(WBC)count,procalcitonin(PCT),and C-reactive protein(CRP)at admission to RICU.On the 1st,3rd,and 7th day after admission to RICU,the patients'arterial blood was drawn,and the lactate level was detected by a fully automated blood gas analyzer.The peripheral venous blood was drawn,and the serum albumin and IL-6 levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay,and the CD4+T lymphocyte subset count was measured by flow cytometry.The LAR of patients on the 1st,3rd and 7th day was calculated.The clinical data of the patients and the LAR,IL-6 level and CD4+T lymphocyte count on the 1st,3rd,and 7th day were compared between the two groups.The influencing factors of 28-day mortality in patients with severe pneumonia and sepsis were analyzed by logistic regression,and the predictive value of each influencing factor on the 28-day mortality in patients with severe pneumonia and sepsis was evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve.Results There was no significant difference in gender,age,proportions of comorbidities with hypertension,diabetes and CHD,length of stay in RICU,and Tbil,MAP,PLT,Scr,WBC,PCT and CRP at admission to RICU(P>0.05).The APACHE Ⅱ and CURB-65 scores of the patients in the death group were significantly higher than those in the survival group(P<0.05).On the 1st,3rd and 7th day,the CD4+T lymphocyte count in the death group was significantly lower than that in the survival group,while the SOFA score was significantly higher than that in the survival group(P<0.05).On the first day,there was no significant difference in the LAR and IL-6 level be-tween the death group and the survival group(P>0.05).However,on the 3rd and 7th day,the LAR and IL-6 level in the death group were significantly higher than those in the survival group(P<0.05).The LAR,IL-6 level and SOFA score on the 3rd and 7th day in the survival group were significantly lower than those on the 1st day,and these indicators on the 7th day were sig-nificantly lower than those on the 3rd day(P<0.05);the CD4+T lymphocyte count on the 3rd and 7th day was significantly higher than that on the 1st day(P<0.05),while it showed no significant difference on the 7th and 3r day(P>0.05).The IL-6 level on the 7th day in the death group was significantly lower than that on the 1st and 3rd day(P<0.05),while there was no significant difference in IL-6 level on the 1st day compared with the 3r day(P>0.05);moreover,there was no significant difference in LAR,CD4+T lymphocyte count and SOFA score between each time point(P>0.05).Pearson correlation analy-sis showed that on the 3rd day,the LAR and IL-6 level were significantly positively correlated with the SOFA score in patients with severe pneumonia and sepsis(r=0.385,0.394;P<0.05).On the 7th day,the LAR and IL-6 level were also significantly positively correlated with the SOFA score(r=0.418,0.402;P<0.05).On the 3 rd and 7 th day,CD4+T lymphocyte count was significantly negatively correlated with the SOFA score(r=-0.451,-0.454;P<0.05).Logistic regression analysis showed that the APACHE Ⅱ score,LAR,IL-6 level and CD4+T lymphocyte count on the 3rd day,and the IL-6 level and CD4+T lym-phocyte count on the 7th day were the influencing factors for 28-day mortality in patients with severe pneumonia and sepsis(P<0.05).The ROC curve showed that the APACHE Ⅱ score,LAR,IL-6 level and CD4+T lymphocyte count on the 3rd day and the combination of the three,IL-6 level and CD4+T lymphocyte count on the 7th day and the combination of the two had certain predictive value for the 28-day mortality in patients with severe pneumonia and sepsis(P<0.05).The area under the ROC curve(AUC)of LAR,IL-6 level and CD4+T lymphocyte count on the 3rd day combined to predict 28-day mortality in patients with severe pneumonia and sepsis was 0.891,and the AUC of APACHE Ⅱ score for predicting 28-day mortality in pa-tients with severe pneumonia and sepsis was 0.769.The AUC values of LAR,IL-6 level and CD4+T lymphocyte count on the 3rd day for predicting 28-day mortality in patients with severe pneumonia and sepsis were 0.795,0.757 and 0.770,respective-ly,and the AUC values of IL-6 level and CD4+T lymphocyte count on the 7th day and their combination for predicting 28-day mortality in patients with severe pneumonia and sepsis were 0.743,0.802 and 0.888,respectively.Conclusion The 3-day LAR,IL-6 level and CD4+T lymphocyte count,and the 7-day IL-6 level and CD4+T lymphocyte count after admission are re-lated to the 28-day mortality in patients with severe pneumonia and sepsis.The combined LAR,IL-6 level and CD4+T lympho-cyte count on the 3rd day can better assess the severity and prognosis of patients.
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Objective:To explore the diagnostic value of ultrasound elastography (UE) in patients with obese polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).Methods:A total of 86 PCOS patients diagnosed in the Second People′s Hospital of Beilun District, Ningbo City from June 2019 to April 2022 were selected as the study group, including 32 patients with body mass inde(BMI) ≥25 kg/m 2 (obese group) and 54 patients with BMI < 25 kg/m 2 (non-obese group). Another 40 women with healthy physical examination and matching age and BMI of the study group were selected as the normal control group. All of them underwent routine vaginal ultrasound and UE examination, and the differences of parameters in each group were compared. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of relevant parameters for PCOS and obesity PCOS. Results:The number of follicles and ovarian volume in the study group were higher than those in the normal control group, and the PI and RI of ovarian interstitial artery were lower than those in the normal control group: (17.50 ± 3.23) unit vs. (8.15 ± 2.01) unit, (12.97 ± 3.20) ml vs. (5.36 ± 1.82) ml, 0.82 ± 0.14 vs. 0.93 ± 0.20, 0.52 ± 0.12 vs. 0.58 ± 0.10, there were statistical differences ( P<0.05). The number of follicles and ovarian volume in the obese group were significantly higher than those in the non-obese group: (18.98 ± 3.45) unit vs. (16.62 ± 3.17) unit, (15.00 ± 3.15) ml vs. (11.77 ± 2.63) ml, there were statistical differences ( P<0.05); but the PI and RI between the obese group and the non-obese group had no significant differences ( P>0.05). In the study group, 56 cases (65.12%) had type 1 elastic pattern, which was significantly higher than 4 cases (10.00%) in the normal control group ( χ2 = 17.61, P<0.01). The elastic pattern was no significant difference between the obese group and the non-obese group ( P>0.05). The elastic coefficient (B/A ratio) in the study group was higher than in the normal control group:7.86 ± 1.51 vs. 4.53 ± 1.10, there was statistical difference ( P<0.05). The B/A ratio in the obese group was higher than that in the non-obese group and the normal control group: 8.76 ± 1.35 vs. 7.32 ± 1.34, 4.53 ± 1.10, there were statistical differences ( P<0.05). The ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of B/A ratio for the diagnosis of PCOS was 0.962, when the cut-off value was 5.56, the corresponding sensitivity and specificity were 93.02% and 87.50%. The AUC of B/A ratio for the diagnosis of obese PCOS was 0.788, when the cut-off value was 8.35, the corresponding sensitivity and specificity were 78.12% and 85.19%. Conclusions:The UE has great diagnostic value for PCOS and certain discrimination performance for obese PCOS.
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Objective:To report the results of national surveillance on the distribution and antimicrobial resistance profile of clinical Gram-negative bacteria isolates from bloodstream infections in China in 2022.Methods:The clinical isolates of Gram-negative bacteria from blood cultures in member hospitals of national bloodstream infection Bacterial Resistant Investigation Collaborative System(BRICS)were collected during January 2022 to December 2022. Antibiotic susceptibility tests were conducted by agar dilution or broth dilution methods recommended by Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute(CLSI). WHONET 5.6 and SPSS 25.0 software were used to analyze the data.Results:During the study period,9 035 strains of Gram-negative bacteria were collected from 51 hospitals,of which 7 895(87.4%)were Enterobacteriaceae and 1 140(12.6%)were non-fermenting bacteria. The top 5 bacterial species were Escherichia coli( n=4 510,49.9%), Klebsiella pneumoniae( n=2 340,25.9%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa( n=534,5.9%), Acinetobacter baumannii complex( n=405,4.5%)and Enterobacter cloacae( n=327,3.6%). The ESBLs-producing rates in Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus spp. were 47.1%(2 095/4 452),21.0%(427/2 033)and 41.1%(58/141),respectively. The prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli(CREC)and carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae(CRKP)were 1.3%(58/4 510)and 13.1%(307/2 340);62.1%(36/58)and 9.8%(30/307)of CREC and CRKP were resistant to ceftazidime/avibactam combination,respectively. The prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii(CRAB)complex was 59.5%(241/405),while less than 5% of Acinetobacter baumannii complex was resistant to tigecycline and polymyxin B. The prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa(CRPA)was 18.4%(98/534). There were differences in the composition ratio of Gram-negative bacteria in bloodstream infections and the prevalence of main Gram-negative bacteria resistance among different regions,with statistically significant differences in the prevalence of CRKP and CRPA( χ2=20.489 and 20.252, P<0.001). The prevalence of CREC,CRKP,CRPA,CRAB,ESBLs-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae were higher in provinicial hospitals than those in municipal hospitals( χ2=11.953,81.183,10.404,5.915,12.415 and 6.459, P<0.01 or <0.05),while the prevalence of CRPA was higher in economically developed regions(per capita GDP ≥ 92 059 Yuan)than that in economically less-developed regions(per capita GDP <92 059 Yuan)( χ2=6.240, P=0.012). Conclusions:The proportion of Gram-negative bacteria in bloodstream infections shows an increasing trend,and Escherichia coli is ranked in the top,while the trend of CRKP decreases continuously with time. Decreasing trends are noted in ESBLs-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Low prevalence of carbapenem resistance in Escherichia coli and high prevalence in CRAB complex have been observed. The composition ratio and antibacterial spectrum of bloodstream infections in different regions of China are slightly different,and the proportion of main drug resistant bacteria in provincial hospitals is higher than those in municipal hospitals.
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【Objective】 To evaluate the role of quantitative flow ratio (QFR) in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) by using regadenoson stress dynamic single-photon emission computed tomography (D-SPECT). 【Methods】 We selected 200 patients with unstable angina admitted to Department of Cardiology, Hebei Medical University First Hospital, from June 31, 2021 to June 31, 2023 for elective PCI. The patients were aged 57.56±8.23 years and were randomly divided into a conventional group (n=100) and a QFR group (n=100) according to a random number table. The trial was conducted using a double-blind method. The conventional group received PCI treatment based on the experience of the physician, while the QFR group received PCI treatment based on the QFR measurement results. All enrolled patients underwent pre-operative and 7-day post-operative D-SPECT stress imaging using regadenoson stress D-SPECT, and their images were acquired from short axis, vertical long axis, and horizontal long axis to calculate the total myocardial perfusion score and the total myocardial ischemia segment number under the distribution of 17 myocardial segments. 【Results】 There was no significant difference in the number of myocardial ischemia segments (7.59±3.14 vs. 7.48±3.36, P=0.811) or the total myocardial perfusion score (15.87±7.61 vs. 15.63±5.97, P=0.860) between the two groups before PCI. The number of myocardial ischemia segments (5.58±3.36 vs. 6.51±2.14, P=0.020) and the total myocardial perfusion score (10.55±4.41 vs. 12.96±6.50, P=0.002) in the QFR group were significantly better than those in the conventional group 7 days after PCI (P<0.05). 【Conclusion】 Applying QFR guidance for PCI can better improve the degree of myocardial ischemia in patients.
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OBJECTIVE To improve the diagnosis and treatment level of critically ill infectious diseases, standardize the clinical application of nanopore sequencing and promote the sound development of the technology. METHODS Division of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Chinese Pharmacological Society and Expert Committee of Precision Medicine for Clinical Treatment of Guangdong Pharmaceutical Association initiated and organized multidisciplinary experts to discuss and determine the consensus writing outline by using the nominal group method, forming a preliminary consensus draft; expert consultation was performed by using Delphi method, and then experts’ opinions were analyzed and revised to form consensus. RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS Consensuses of Experts on the Application of Nanopore Sequencing Technology in the Detection of Pathogenic Microorganisms covers targeted sequencing, metagenomic sequencing and whole genome sequencing, and is standardized in terms of sample collection and storage, detection process, bioinformatics analysis and report interpretation; the recommendations are provided for the key issues.
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Objective To investigate the expression level,diagnostic value and correlation of miR-497-5p and human fibroblast growth factor-2(FGF-2)in patients with Alzheimer's disease(AD).Methods The clinical data of 50 patients with first diagnosed AD and 37 normal subjects(control group)were collected,among which AD patients were divided into mild AD group(n=18),moder-ate AD group(n=18)and severe AD group(n=14).The expression level of miR-497-5p was detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR)and FGF-2 was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).Mini-mental state examination(MMSE)was used to evaluate the cognitive function of AD patients,and the correlation between miR-497-5p and MMSE and FGF-2 levels was analyzed.The diagnostic efficacy of miR-497-5p and FGF-2 levels for AD was evaluated using receiv-er operator characteristic(ROC)curve.Results Compared with the control group and mild AD group,the expression levels of miR-497-5p in moderate and severe AD groups were significantly increased(P<0.01),and the level of FGF-2 was significantly decreased(P<0.01).MiR-497-5p in AD group was negatively correlated with MMSE score and FGF-2 level(r were-0.724 and-0.748,P<0.01).ROC curve analysis results showed that miR-497-5p,FGF-2 and their combined indexes had higher area under the curve,sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of moderate and severe AD and in the differentiation of mild and moderate AD,as well as mild and severe AD,and the combined indexes of miR-497-5p and FGF-2had the best diagnostic and differential efficacy.Conclusion Serum miR-497-5p is up-regulated and FGF-2 level is down-regulated in patients with moderate and severe AD.The combined detection of miR-497-5P and FGF-2has certain diagnostic value for moderate and severe AD and provides certain reference.
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Objective:To explore the expression of growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) in patients with septic cardiomyopathy and its value in the diagnosis of septic cardiomyopathy.Methods:A observational study was conducted. Fifty patients with septic cardiomyopathy admitted to Shanxi Bethune Hospital from May 2022 to March 2023 were selected as the experimental group. Forty-six patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in the same period were selected as the case control group. Forty-nine healthy adults were selected as the healthy control group, who underwent physical examination in the physical examination center during the same period. The demographic data and clinical indicators of the subjects were recorded, and the serum GDF15 level was detected by double sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). And the 28-day outcome of patients with septic cardiomyopathy was followed up, and they were divided into survival group and death group. The serum GDF15 level of subjects in each group and its correlation with clinical indicators were analyzed and compared. Binary Logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors of septic cardiomyopathy. Receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC curve) was used to evaluate the value of GDF15 in the diagnosis of septic cardiomyopathy.Results:The serum GDF15 level of experimental group was significantly higher than that in the case control group and healthy control group [ng/L: 314.14 (221.96, 469.56) vs. 39.08 (26.27, 76.85), 6.39 (3.35, 14.42), both P < 0.01]. Correlation analysis showed that serum GDF15 level in patients with septic cardiomyopathy were correlated with cardiac troponin I (cTnI, r = 0.295, P = 0.038), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP, r = 0.464, P = 0.009), sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA, r = 0.363, P = 0.010) and acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ (APACHEⅡ, r = 0.316, P = 0.025). However, there was no significant correlation with white blood cell count, neutrophil count, lymphocyte count, procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, lactic acid, albumin and other clinical indicators ( r values were 0.086, 0.123, -0.051, 0.055, 0.119, 0.199, -0.234, all P > 0.05). Serum GDF15 level, SOFA score and APACHEⅡ score in the death group (30 cases) were significantly higher than those in the survival group [20 cases; GDF15 (ng/L): 382.93±159.61 vs. 289.66±158.46, SOFA: 10.00 (7.00, 12.00) vs. 6.00 (5.00, 9.50), APACHEⅡ: 21.70±6.07 vs. 14.85±7.57, all P < 0.05]. Binary Logistic regression analysis showed that serum GDF15 was an independent risk factor for the onset of septic cardiomyopathy [odds ratio ( OR) = 1.062, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) was 1.011-1.115, P = 0.016]. ROC curve showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of GDF15 for predicting septic cardiomyopathy was 0.971, the specificity was 100%, and the sensitivity was 90.3%. Conclusion:The serum GDF15 level of patients with septic cardiomyopathy is significantly increased, and GDF15 may be used as an effective biomarker for the early diagnosis of septic cardiomyopathy.
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This study investigated the application of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-based interpenetrating network temperature-sensitive hydrogels (notation: IPNT) as the delivery vehicle for phage endolysin Lys84 and the potential of drug-loaded hydrogels as antimicrobial materials. Interpenetrating network temperature-sensitive hydrogels were prepared by free radical polymerization of sodium alginate and N-isopropylacrylamide. Drug-loaded hydrogels (IPNT-Lys84) were obtained by dry soaking method with the endolysin Lys84 of Staphylococcus aureus phage. The physical properties of the hydrogels with and without drug loading were characterized by infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry. The swelling and deswelling of the hydrogels as well as the release of endolysin Lys84 were investigated. Moreover, the antibacterial properties of IPNT-Lys84 hydrogels at different temperatures and concentrations of the drug solution were studied. The results showed that IPNT-Lys84 hydrogel had uniform pores and a low critical solubility temperature (LCST) of 32 ℃. The equilibrium swelling of the hydrogel was 30 g/g, and the water loss rate was 88% upon deswelling. The release rate of endolysin reached more than 70% within 6 h at 37 ℃. The bactericidal rate of IPNT-Lys84 hydrogel was over 99.9%. The research results showed the feasibility of using IPNT to deliver the endolysin Lys84, and IPNT-Lys84 hydrogel might be an effective antimicrobial material against multi-drug resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
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Hydrogels/chemistry , Bacteriophages , Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus , Temperature , Anti-Infective AgentsABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate the safety and efficacy of excimer laser ablation (ELA) combined with drug-coated balloon (DCB) for the below-the-knee (BTK) artery lesions.Methods:From Jun 2019 to Nov 2022, 22 patients receiving ELA combined with DCB in atherosclerotic lesions of BTK artery at these two centers were retrospectively analyzed.Results:In these 22 patients there were 3 (13.6%) suffering from stenosis and 19 (86.4%) from chronic total occlusion (CTO) lesions. The mean length of lesion was (25.6±5.7) cm. The technical success rate was 95.5%. Flow-limiting dissection was found in 1 (4.5%) patient and a bailout stent was deployed. The mean ankle-brachial index (ABI) significantly improved during the follow-up period compared with that before the treatment. The median follow-up time was 21.5 months. The 1-year primary patency rate was 80.3%Conclusion:ELA combined with DCB was safe and effective in the treatment of atherosclerotic lesions of BTK artery, improving the primary patency.
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Objective:To identify the method to reduce X-ray exposure during ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) by comparing the cryoballoon (CRYO) ablation and remote magnetic navigation (RMN) ablation.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 144 patients undergoing CRYO ablation (CRYO group) and 121 patients undergoing RMN ablation (RMN group) in our hospital. Entrance surface doses at reference points online, exposure time during procedure and outcomes were analyzed for different types of patients.Results:Compared with the RMN group, the procedure time for the CRYO group significantly decreased [(165.0±23.6), (97.8±18.4) min, t=26.05, P<0.001]. However, the entrance surface dose value [(232.3±130.7), (669.0±387.5) mGy, Z=-12.29, P<0.001] and X-ray exposure time [(8.1±3.1), (23.4±6.2) min, t=-24.57, P<0.001] increased significantly for the CRYO group. No significant difference was found between the two groups in the proportion of maintaining sinus rhythm during follow-up of patients (71.9%, 75.7%, P=0.618). Multiple regression analysis showed that obese patients, patients with non-paroxysmal AF and patients with variant pulmonary veins were associated with an increase in entrance surface dose values in the CRYO group ( t=5.47, 2.23, 3.39, P<0.05). The X-ray exposure time for the three types patients above in the CRYO group also increased ( t=2.87, 3.86, 3.25, P<0.05) in the CRYO group. However, only obese patients in the RMN group had an increase in entrance surface dose value ( Z=-4.15, P<0.001) and no increase in exposure time. For the three types of patients above, there was no significant difference in proportion of maintaining sinus rhythm between the CRYO group and the RMN group during follow-up ( P>0.05). Conclusions:Compared with RMN ablation, the radiation exposure of CRYO AF ablation significantly increased, especially in obese patients, patients with non-paroxysmal AF and patients with pulmonary veins variation. The use of RMN for these types of patients may reduce the radiation exposure without affecting the procedure outcomes.
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Objective:To construct and validate a predictive model of fecal/urinary incontinence among older adults in China.Methods:Data was obtained from the Seventh Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey in 2018.In the questionnaire, "Are you able to control your bowel and urine" , was regarded as the main effect indicator.Receiver operating curves(ROC)were used to find the best cut-off values of calf circumference for predicting fecal/urinary incontinence, and univariate Logistic model method was used to explore the potential factors associated with fecal/urinary incontinence among community-living older adults in China.A random sampling method was used to extract 70% of the survey data as the training set, and the remaining 30% of the survey data as the test set.A multivariate Logistic regression analysis was conducted in the training set to build a prediction model that encompassed all predictors, and a nomogram was plotted.Results:Logistic regression analysis showed that age, small calf circumference(male <28.5 cm, female <26.5 cm), inability to walk 1 km continuously, inability to lift 5 kg items, inability to do three consecutive squats, limited daily activities, and a history of urinary system disorders, nervous system disorders, and cerebrovascular disorders were all risk factors for fecal/urinary incontinence for older adults in China.Female, better socioeconomic status, and normal body mass index were protective factors for fecal/urinary incontinence.The Logistic regression model for predicting fecal/urinary incontinence among Chinese older adults was constructed using the above twelve factors.The consistency index(C-index)value of the model was 0.907, indicating that the model had good predictive ability.The area under the ROC curve(AUC)of the overall sample, training set and test set were 0.906(95% CI: 0.896-0.917), 0.907(95 % CI: 0.894-0.921)and 0.910(95% CI: 0.892-0.928), respectively, indicating that the model had high prediction ability and good discrimination. Conclusions:Age, sex, calf circumference, ability to walk 1 km continuously, ability to lift 5 kg items, ability to do three consecutive squats, daily activities, history of urinary system disorders, nervous system disorders and cerebrovascular disorders, socioeconomic status, and body mass index were independent predictors for fecal/urinary incontinence among older adults in China.The nomogram based on the above indicators has a good predictive effect on fecal/urinary incontinence for older adults.
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Objective:To evaluate the status of T, B and NK lymphocytes in peripheral blood of patients with chronic hepatitis B virus(HBV) infection and low-level viremia after nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA) treatment and to provide ideas for solving low-level viremia.Methods:This retrospective study involved 344 patients with chronic HBV infection who had been treated with NAs. They were divided into two groups: low-level viremia group (LLV group) and complete virological response group (CVR group). Clinical data including basic information, biochemistry and coagulation test results, HBV DNA, peripheral blood lymphocyte counts, PD1 and CD28 expression by T lymphocytes, and perforin and granzyme B expression by NK lymphocytes were collected and compared between the two groups. Propensity matching analysis was performed to verify the accuracy of the results.Results:Among the 344 cases, 162 were in the LLV group and 182 in the CVR group. There were no significant differences in disease diagnosis, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) or albumin (ALB) level between the two groups ( P>0.05), but the differences in gender and age were statistically significant ( P<0.05). The differences in the counts and percentages of peripheral blood CD3 +, CD4 + and CD8 + T lymphocyte and CD4 + /CD8 + ratios between the two groups were not statistically significant ( P>0.05), but the expression of PD1 and CD28 by peripheral blood CD3 +, CD4 + and CD8 + T lymphocytes was higher in the LLV group than in the CVR group ( P<0.05). The count of peripheral blood CD19 + B lymphocytes in the LLV group was higher than that in the CVR group ( P>0.05), and the percentage of peripheral blood CD19 + B lymphocytes was also higher in the LLV group ( P<0.05). The count of peripheral blood CD16 + CD56 + NK lymphocytes and the expression of perforin in the LLV group were lower than those in the CVR group ( P>0.05). The percentage of peripheral blood CD16 + CD56 + NK lymphocytes and the expression of granzyme B in the LLV group were lower than those in the CVR group ( P<0.05). After propensity score matching, 108 cases in the LLV group and 108 cases in the CVR group showed no significant differences in basic information ( P>0.05); the percentage of CD4 + T lymphocytes and CD4 + /CD8 + ratio in peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets were higher in the LLV group than in the CVR group, while the percentage of CD8 + lymphocytes was lower in the LLV group ( P<0.05); the expression of PD1 and CD28 by CD3 +, CD4 + and CD8 + T lymphocytes remained higher in the LLV group ( P<0.05); the differences in the counts and percentages of peripheral blood CD19 + B lymphocytes as well as CD16 + CD56 + NK lymphocytes between the two groups were not statistically significant ( P>0.05); no significant difference in the expression of perforin by CD16 + CD56 + NK lymphocytes was found between the two groups ( P>0.05), and the expression of granzyme B remained lower in the LLV group ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Abnormal number and function of T lymphocytes and decreased function of NK lymphocytes might be related to the development of LLV in patients with chronic HBV infection after treatment. Therefore, in addition to adjusting NAs, targeting of T and NK lymphocytes might also be a feasible measure for future LLV treatment.
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Objective:To investigate the diagnostic accuracy of serological indicators and evaluate the diagnostic value of a new established combined serological model on identifying the minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) in patients with compensated cirrhosis.Methods:This prospective multicenter study enrolled 263 compensated cirrhotic patients from 23 hospitals in 15 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities of China between October 2021 and August 2022. Clinical data and laboratory test results were collected, and the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score was calculated. Ammonia level was corrected to the upper limit of normal (AMM-ULN) by the baseline blood ammonia measurements/upper limit of the normal reference value. MHE was diagnosed by combined abnormal number connection test-A and abnormal digit symbol test as suggested by Guidelines on the management of hepatic encephalopathy in cirrhosis. The patients were randomly divided (7∶3) into training set ( n=185) and validation set ( n=78) based on caret package of R language. Logistic regression was used to establish a combined model of MHE diagnosis. The diagnostic performance was evaluated by the area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic curve, Hosmer-Lemeshow test and calibration curve. The internal verification was carried out by the Bootstrap method ( n=200). AUC comparisons were achieved using the Delong test. Results:In the training set, prevalence of MHE was 37.8% (70/185). There were statistically significant differences in AMM-ULN, albumin, platelet, alkaline phosphatase, international normalized ratio, MELD score and education between non-MHE group and MHE group (all P<0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that AMM-ULN [odds ratio ( OR)=1.78, 95% confidence interval ( CI) 1.05-3.14, P=0.038] and MELD score ( OR=1.11, 95% CI 1.04-1.20, P=0.002) were independent risk factors for MHE, and the AUC for predicting MHE were 0.663, 0.625, respectively. Compared with the use of blood AMM-ULN and MELD score alone, the AUC of the combined model of AMM-ULN, MELD score and education exhibited better predictive performance in determining the presence of MHE was 0.755, the specificity and sensitivity was 85.2% and 55.7%, respectively. Hosmer-Lemeshow test and calibration curve showed that the model had good calibration ( P=0.733). The AUC for internal validation of the combined model for diagnosing MHE was 0.752. In the validation set, the AUC of the combined model for diagnosing MHE was 0.794, and Hosmer-Lemeshow test showed good calibration ( P=0.841). Conclusion:Use of the combined model including AMM-ULN, MELD score and education could improve the predictive efficiency of MHE among patients with compensated cirrhosis.
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Objective To investigate whether endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) can be an alternative method for diagnostic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) by comparing the ability of EUS versus CT and transabdominal ultrasonography (TUS) in the diagnosis of muddy stones of the common bile duct. Methods A prospective study was conducted for 53 patients suspected of muddy stones of the common bile duct who attended Nanxishan Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region from July 2019 to December 2021, and all patients underwent EUS, TUS, and CT before ERCP. With ERCP and endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) for removing muddy stones of the common bile duct as the gold standard for the diagnosis of muddy stones of the common bile duct, EUS, TUS, and CT were compared in terms of their ability to display the muddy stones of the common bile duct. The chi-square test or the Fisher's exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups. Results In the 53 patients, EUS, TUS, and CT had a positive rate of 88.68%, 50.94%, and 62.26%, respectively, in detecting muddy stones of the common bile duct. As for the positive results confirmed by EST under ERCP, EUS had a sensitivity of 93.75%, a specificity of 60.00%, and an accuracy of 90.57% in detecting muddy stones of the common bile duct, while TUS had a sensitivity of 56.25%, a specificity of 100.00%, and an accuracy of 60.38% and CT had a sensitivity of 66.67%, a specificity of 80.00%, and an accuracy of 67.92%. There was a significant difference between EUS and CT in the accuracy in detecting muddy stones of the common bile duct ( χ 2 =8.26, P =0.004), and there was also a significant difference in diagnostic accuracy between EUS and TUS ( χ 2 =13.05, P < 0.001). Conclusion EUS is more accurate than TUS and CT in the diagnosis of muddy stones of the common bile duct, and instead of ERCP, EUS is thus recommended for suspected muddy stones of the common bile duct when TUS and CT fail to identify the lesions in clinical practice, so as to make a confirmed diagnosis and reduce related costs and complications.
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【 Objective:】 To understand subjects’ experiences and opinions on clinical trials of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and the process of informed consent during the process of participating in TCM clinical trials, and to provide reference for obtaining high-quality informed consent in TCM clinical trials. 【Methods:】 Using qualitative research methods, semi-structured individual in-depth interviews were conducted on 6 participants who had previously participated in TCM clinical trials. 【Results:】 Through data analysis, five major themes and several sub-themes were obtained, including the reasons why participants are willing to participate in TCM clinical trials, the concerns about unwillingness to participate, the information that they hope to be informed during the informed consent process, the specific content that they want to know in TCM clinical trials, and the evaluation of understanding and satisfaction with informed consent. 【Conclusion:】 In the process of informed consent in TCM clinical trials, attention should be paid to the explanation of adverse drug reactions of TCM, the reasonable arrangement and clear notification of the time for participants to participate in the trial, emotional humanistic care in the process of informed consent communication, and the value embodiment of subjects and their expectations for acquiring special knowledge of TCM.
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{L-End}Objective To investigate the role and mechanism of Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2)/nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB) signaling pathway in the inflammatory response induced by aluminum in the rat GMI-R1 microglia cells. {L-End}Methods GMI-R1 cells in logarithmic growth phase were randomly divided into the control group, positive control group, and low-, medium-, and high-dose groups. The cells in the three dose groups were stimulated with maltolol aluminum at concentrations of 100, 200, and 400 μmol/L, respectively. The cells in the positive control group were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide at a mass concentration of 20 mg/L, while the cells in the control group were not treated. The morphological changes of cells were observed, and the cell survival rate was evaluated by CCK-8 method after 24 hours of culture. The secretion levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL) -12 and IL-4 were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The relative protein expression of TLR2, NF-κB P65, cluster of differentiation (CD) 68 and CD206 of cells was detected by Western blotting, and the expression of CD68 and CD206 of cells was detected by immunofluorescence method. {L-End}Results The results of cell morphology showed that the number of GMI-R1 cells decreased, the number of activated cells increased, the degree of cell cytoplasm filling decreased, and the cell protrusions elongated with the increase of exposure dose, showing a dose-response relationship. The cell viability of the positive control group and the medium- and high-dose groups were significantly lower than those of the control group (all P<0.05). The secretion levels of TNF-α, IL-12 and the relative expression of TLR2 and CD68 proteins increased (all P<0.05) while the secretion level of IL-4 decreased (all P<0.05) in the cells of positive control group compared with the control group. The secretion levels of TNF-α and IL-12 increased (all P<0.05) while the secretion levels of IL-4 decreased in the cells of the three doses groups (all P<0.05), compared with the control group, and all showed a dose-effect relationship. The relative expression of TLR2 protein in the cells of the three doses groups increased (all P<0.05) compared with the control group. The relative expression of NF-κB p65 and CD68 protein in the cells of the medium- and high-dose groups increased (all P<0.05), but the relative expression of CD206 protein decreased (all P<0.05) compared with the control group. The relative expression of TLR2 and NF-κB p65 protein increased (all P<0.05) while the relative expression of CD206 protein decreased (all P<0.05) in cells of the high-dose group, compared with the low- and medium-dose groups. The average fluorescence intensity of CD68 increased (all P<0.05) while the average fluorescence intensity of CD206 decreased in the cells of high-dose group and the positive control group (all P<0.05), compared with the control group. {L-End}Conclusion Aluminum participated in and promoted the inflammatory response of GMI-R1 cells through the TLR2/NF-κB signaling pathway.
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OBJECTIVE@#To explore the genetic basis of a patient with clinically suspected Loeys-Dietz syndrome (LDS).@*METHODS@#A child who had presented at Beijing Anzhen Hospital in September 2018 was selected as the study subject. Clinical data and family history of the patient were collected, along with peripheral blood samples of the proband and his parents. Whole exome sequencing (WES) was carried out through next-generation sequencing.@*RESULTS@#Candidate variants were searched through bioinformatic analysis focusing on genes associated with hereditary aortic aneurysms. Candidate variant was verified by Sanger sequencing. The patient was found to have cardiovascular abnormalities including early-onset aortic dilatation and coarctation, and LDS syndrome was suspected. WES revealed that he has harbored a heterozygous c.1526G>T missense variant of the TGFBR2 gene. The same variant was not found in either parent and was predicted as likely pathogenic (PM1+PM2_Supporting+ PM6+PP3+PP4) based on the guidelines from the American College for Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG).@*CONCLUSION@#The TGFBR2 c.1526G>T variant probably underlay the LDS in this patient and was unreported previously in China. Above finding has enriched the mutational spectrum of the TGFBR2 gene associated with the LDS and provided a basis for the genetic counseling for the patient.