A new method of microglia sorting and functional characteristics of spinal microglia in aged rats / 中国应用生理学杂志

Objective: To establish an improved method of separating microglia from aged rats and to observe the biological characteristics of spinal microglia of aged rats. Methods: Young SD rats (2 months) were used as control group. Single cell suspension of rat microglia were prepared by trypsin, trypsin substitutes or mechanical net rubbing method. Then, by assessing the purity and survival rate of cells, and observing the morphological characteristics and analyzing the inflammatory functional characteristics, we optimized the isolation and purification method of microglia from aged rats (20 months old) , and observed the functional characteristics of spinal microglia in aged rats. Results: The survival rate of cells digested by pancreatic enzyme was low(young rats 83%, aged rats 60%). Although the survival rate of mechanical net rubbing method was higher than that of pancreatic enzyme digest methods (95%), the cell acquisition rate was lower(young rats(0.207±0.020)×106, aged rats(0.243±0.023)×106). Trypsin substitute dissociation combining density gradient centrifugation method was the best way to get abundant, active and higher survival microglia, and the purity reached more than 85%. We used this method to separate microglia from spinal cord of rats. Compared with the young rats, the spinal cord tissue of old rats was larger, the digestive fluid volume was higher, but the digestion time was shorter. Compared with the young rats, the aged rat spinal microglia had larger and rounder cell body, fewer and shorter protrusions, it tended to be activated morphologically, the level of proinflammatory cytokine IL-1β of microglia in aged rats was lower, and the level of antiinflammatory factor IL-10 was higher. Conclusion: The method of trypsin substitute dissociation combined with density gradient centrifugation was successfully established to isolate and purify microglia from spinal cord of rats, the spinal microglia of old rats showed anti-inflammatory phenotype.

A comparative study of microwire electrode array with built-in and external reference electrodes / 中国应用生理学杂志

Objective: To compare the difference between the built-in and external reference electrode of microwire electrode array in the process of recording rat brain neuron firings, optimizing the production and embedding of the microwire electrode array, and providing a more affordable and excellent media tool for multi-channel electrophysiological real-time recording system. Methods: A 16 channel microwire electrode array was made by using nickel chromium alloy wires, circuit board, electrode pin and ground wires (silver wires). The reference electrode of the microwire electrode array was built-in (the reference electrode and electrode array were arranged in parallel) or external (the reference electrode and ground wire were welded at both ends of one side of the electrode), and the difference between the two electrodes was observed and compared in recording neuronal discharges in ACC brain area of rats. Experimental rats were divided into built-in group and external group, n=8-9. The test indicators included signal-to-noise ratio (n=8), discharge amplitude (n=380) and discharge frequency (n=54). Results: The microwire electrode array with both built-in and external reference electrodes successfully recorded the electrical signals of neurons in the ACC brain region of rats. Compared with the external group, the electrical signals of neurons in built-in group had the advantages of a higher signal-to-noise ratio (P＜0.05), a smaller amplitude of background signals and less noise interference, and a larger discharge amplitude(P＜0.05); there was no significant difference in spike discharge frequency recorded by these two types of electrodes (P＞0.05). Conclusion: When recording the electrical activity of neurons in the ACC brain region of rats, the microwire electrode array with built-in reference electrode recorded electrical signals with higher signal-to-noise ratio and larger discharge amplitude, providing a more reliable tool for multi-channel electrophysiology technology.

Compliance of oral anticoagulant medication and influencing factors among nonvalvular atrial fibrillation patients with new-onset acute ischemic stroke / 中华全科医师杂志

Objective:To investigate the compliance of oral anticoagulant(OAC) medication and influencing factors among nonvalvular atrial fibrillation(NVAF) patients with new-onset acute ischemic stroke (AIS).Methods:A total of 396 NVAF patients, who initiated OAC therapy after a new-onset AIS from August 2011 to December 2020 were enrolled from China Atrial Fibrillation Registry (China-AF). The demographic characteristics, medical history, comorbid diseases and medication of patients were collected before and after the index stroke, and the influencing factors of compliance of OAC medication were analyzed.Results:Patients were followed up for a mean of 26.9 months. Among 396 patients, 228 (57.6%) had continuous anticoagulant medication (persistent OAC group);while 168 (42.4%) discontinued OAC therapy within 2 years after the index stroke (non-persistent OAC group). Patients on persistence OAC had a higher proportion of atrial fibrillation episodes than patients on non-persistent OAC [83.3% (190/228) vs. 73.8% (126/168); χ 2=5.34, P=0.021], while lower proportion of radiofrequency ablation(RFA)[18.9% (43/228) vs. 32.1% (43/228); χ 2=9.22, P=0.002]. Multivariate Cox regression modelshowed that history of RFA ( HR=1.77, 95% CI: 1.25-2.50; P=0.001) was positively associated with non-persistence of OAC. Conclusion:The study indicates that quite large proportion of NVAD patients with a new-onset of AIS discontinued OAC therapy during 2 years of follow up, and a history of RFA procedure might be an independent factor associated with discontinuing of anticoagulant therapy.

The relationship between fasting blood glucose level and thromboembolism events in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation / 中华心血管病杂志

Objective: To explore the relationship between fasting blood glucose level and thromboembolism events in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). Methods: This was an observational study based on data from a multicenter, prospective Chinese atrial fibrillation registry cohort, which included 18 703 consecutive patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) in 31 hospitals in Beijing from August 2011 to December 2018. Patients were divided into 5 groups according to status of comorbid diabetes and fasting glucose levels at admission: normal blood glucose (normal glucose group), pre-diabetes group, strict glycemic control group, average glycemic control group and poor glycemic control group. Patients were followed up by telephone or outpatient service every 6 months. The primary follow-up endpoint was thromboembolic events, including ischemic stroke and systemic embolism. The secondary endpoint was the composite endpoint of cardiovascular death and thromboembolic events. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and multifactorial Cox regression were used to analyze the correlation between fasting glucose levels and endpoint events. Results: The age of 18 703 patients with NVAF was (63.8±12.0) years, and there were 11 503 (61.5%) male patients. There were 11 877 patients (63.5%) in normal blood glucose group, 2 023 patients (10.8%)in pre-diabetes group, 1 131 patients (6.0%) in strict glycemic control group, 811 patients in average glycemic control group and 2 861 patients(4.3%) in poor glycemic control group. Of the 4 803 diabetic patients, 1 131 patients (23.5%) achieved strict glycemic control, of whom 328 (29.0%) were hypoglycemic (fasting blood glucose level<4.4 mmol/L at admission). During a mean follow-up of (51±23) months (up to 82 months), thromboembolic events were reported in 984 patients (5.3%). The survival curve analysis of Kaplan Meier showed that the incidence rates of thromboembolic events in normal glucose group, pre-diabetes group, strict glycemic control group, average glycemic control group and poor glycemic control group were 1.10/100, 1.41/100, 2.09/100, 1.46/100 and 1.71/100 person-years, respectively (χ²=53.0, log-rank P<0.001). The incidence rates of composite endpoint events were 1.86/100, 2.17/100, 4.08/100, 2.58/100, 3.16/100 person-years (χ²=72.3, log-rank P<0.001). The incidence of thromboembolic events and composite endpoint events in the other four groups were higher than that in the normal blood glucose group (P<0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that compared with normal glucose group, the risk of thromboembolism increased in pre-diabetes group(HR=1.23, 95%CI 1.00-1.51, P=0.049), strict glycemic control group(HR=1.32, 95%CI 1.06-1.65, P=0.013) and poor glycemic control group(HR=1.26, 95%CI 1.01-1.58, P=0.044). Conclusion: Both high or low fasting glucose may be an independent risk factor for thromboembolic events in patients with NVAF.

Efficacy and safety of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants in patients with atrial fibrillation and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy / 中华心血管病杂志

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOAC) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Methods: This study was a prospective cohort study. The data of this study were based on the Chinese Atrial Fibrillation Registry (CAFR) Study, which was a prospective, multicenter registry study. The CAFR Study enrolled inpatients and outpatients with AF from 31 hospitals. Patients with AF and HCM were selected from August 2011 to December 2018. The patients were divided into NOAC-treated group and warfarin-treated group. General clinical data, echocardiographic results and treatment options were collected and compared between the two groups. Patients were followed up every 6 months; outcome events included effective endpoint events(thromboembolism)and safety endpoint events(major bleeding). The incidence of endpoint events in both groups was calculated and compared. Cox proportional hazards regression models and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis were performed to determine the association between NOAC use and endpoint events. Results: A total of 393 patients were included (average age: (60.5±11.8) years, 252 men (64.1%)). There were 133 (34.0%) patients in the NOAC-treated group and 260 (66.0%) patients in the warfarin-treated group. Compared with the warfarin-treated group, the patients in the NOAC-treated group had a higher proportion of paroxysmal AF, catheter ablation of AF, a lower proportion of hypertension, ischemic stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA), lower heart rate, lower usage rate of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors(ACEI)/angiotensin receptor blockers(ARB), β-blockers, non-dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers(NDH-CCB)(P<0.05). There were no significant differences on the echocardiographic results, including interventricular septal thickness, left ventricular posterior wall thickness, left ventricular end-diastolic diameter, left atrial diameter, left ventricular ejection fraction(P>0.05). After a follow-up of 42 (24, 60)months, the incidence rates of thromboembolism were 1.63 and 2.10 events per 100 person-years for NOAC-and warfarin-treated group, and those of major bleeding were 0.66 and 1.03 events per 100 person-years. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed survival rates free from endpoint events were similar between NOAC-treated group and warfarin-treated group(thromboembolism-free survival comparison, P=0.476; major bleeding-free survival comparison, P=0.855). Cox multivariate regression analysis revealed that there was no significant difference on risk of thromboembolism(HR=1.21, 95%CI: 0.42-3.50, P=0.720) and major bleeding(HR=1.50, 95%CI: 0.27-8.41, P=0.642) between NOAC-treated and warfarin-treated group. Conclusion: Patients with AF and HCM can be safely and effectively treated with NOAC.

Observation on the efficacy of liposomal doxorubicin intensive preconditioning regimen and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for treatment of leukemia / 白血病·淋巴瘤

Objective:To investigate the efficacy of liposomal doxorubicin intensive preconditioning regimen and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) in treatment of leukemia.Methods:The data of 20 patients with intensive preconditioning regimen allo-HSCT who were admitted to Shenzhen Second People's Hospital from January 2016 to June 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. The transplantation effect, occurrence of complications and prognosis of patients were analyzed.Results:The median time of granulocyte engraftment was 17 d (13-23 d); the median time of platelet engraftment was 22.5 d (minimum 13 d, maximum >90 d). The acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and chronic GVHD occurred in 2 cases and 1 case, respectively. Eight cases occurred hemorrhagic cystitis, 15 cases occurred Epstein-Barr viremia, 8 cases occurred cytomegaloviremia, 1 case occurred sepsis, 1 case occurred acute liver injury, and 2 cases occurred fungal pneumonia. The median follow-up time was 31.7 months (0.8-53.8 months). One patient died of intracranial infection on the 25th day after transplantation; 3 patients relapsed during the follow-up period, and 2 of them died; the other 16 patients carried 100% donor genes during the follow-up period.Conclusions:The liposomal doxorubicin intensive preconditioning regimen and allo-HSCT have a good effect on leukemia. Increasing the intensity of pretreatment does not increase the treatment-related adverse reactions. The incidence rates of Epstein-Barr viremia and cytomegaloviremia are high, but they are improved after active treatment.

EGCG and ECG induce apoptosis and decrease autophagy via the AMPK/mTOR and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in human melanoma cells / 中国天然药物

Catechins have been proven to exert antitumor effects in different kinds of cancers. However, the underlying mechanisms have not been completely clarified yet. This study aimed to assess the effects and mechanisms of (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) and (-)-epicatechin-3-gallate (ECG) on human melanoma skin A375 cells. Results showed that EGCG and ECG inhibited the proliferation of A375 cells and ECG showed better inhibitory effect. Flow cytometry analysis had shown that EGCG and ECG induced apoptosis and led to cell cycle arrest. EGCG and ECG decreased Bcl-2 expression and upregulated Caspase-3 protein level, indicating the development of apoptosis. Furthermore, EGCG and ECG could decreased mitochondrial membrane potential of A375 cells. In addition, the expression of Beclin-1, LC3 and Sirt3 were downregulated at protein levels, which known to be associated with autophagy. After autophagy was increased by rapamycin, the apoptotic trend was not change, indicating that apoptosis and autophagy are independent. Mechanistically, EGCG and ECG treatments decreased phosphorylated-AMPK (p-AMPK) and increased the ratios of p-PI3K, p-AKT and p-mTOR in melanoma cells. Conclusively, EGCG and ECG induced apoptosis via mitochondrial signaling pathway, downregulated autophagy through modulating the AMPK/mTOR and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. It indicated that EGCG and ECG may be utilized in human melanoma treatment.

Comprehensive Analysis of the Relationship between m6A Methylation Patterns and Immune Microenvironment in Lung Adenocarcinoma / 中国肺癌杂志

BACKGROUND@#m6A RNA methylation modification plays an important role in the occurrence and progression of lung cancer and regulates tumor immunity. Current studies mostly focus on the differential expression of some specific m6A effectors and infiltrating immune cell. m6A methylation modification is the result of mutual adjustment and balance between effectors, and changes in the expression of one or two effectors are far from enough to reflect the panorama of m6A methylation. The role of m6A in the immune microenvironment of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is still poorly understood. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of different m6A modification patterns in immune microenvironment of LUAD.@*METHODS@#LUAD data was obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), University of California Santa Cruz Xena (UCSC Xena) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. Gene mutation, differential expression and survival analysis were performed for 24 m6A effectors. The m6A modification pattern was constructed by unsupervised clustering method, and the m6A clusters survival analysis, gene set variation analysis, immune score and immune cell infiltration analysis were performed. The association between LRPPRC protein expression levels and infiltration of CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes and CD68+ macrophages in the tumor microenvironment was validated by immunohistochemistry in LUAD tissue microarray with 68 cases.@*RESULTS@#The mutations of m6A effector were found in 150 of 567 LUAD cases with a frequency of 26.46%. 6 readers and 3 writers were significantly up regulated in LUAD tissues compared with normal tissues. IGF2BP1 and HNRNPC are the independent risk factors for prognosis of LUAD. Abundant cross-talks among writers, erasers and readers were demonstrated. Three m6A modification patterns with different immune cell infiltration characteristics and clinical prognosis were established. Among m6A effectors, LRPPRC was found to be inversely associated with the infiltration of CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes and CD68+ macrophages, and was validated in 68 LUAD tissues.@*CONCLUSIONS@#m6A modification patterns play non-negligible roles in regulating the immune microenvironment. LRPPRC has potential to be a new biomarker for checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy.

Single-versus Two-port Video-assisted Thoracic Surgery in Thymoma: A Propensity-matched Study / 中国肺癌杂志

BACKGROUND@#In recent years, with the advancement of minimally invasive techniques, thoracoscopic thymoma resection has experienced a development process from three-port video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) to two-port (TP) and single-port (SP) variants. However, the feasibility and safety of SP-VATS have not been generally recognized. This study intends to explore the safety and feasibility of SP-VATS in thymoma resection, in order to provide a reference for clinical surgicalselection.@*METHODS@#The clinical data of 197 patients who underwent thoracoscopic thymoma resection in Beijing Tongren Hospital from January 2018 to September 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into SP-VATS group (n=42) and TP-VATS group (n=155). After matching propensity scores, there is no statistically significant difference in preoperative baseline data between SP-VATS group and TP-VATS group. Among them, there were 17 males and 25 females with an average age of 28-72 (48.00±9.43) years in the SP-VATS group, and 20 males and 22 females with an average age of 30-75 (50.38±9.83) years in TP-VATS group. The clinical effects of the two groups were compared.@*RESULTS@#The operation was successfully completed in both groups, and there was no conversion to thoracotomy or increased surgical incisions. Compared with the TP-VATS group, the chest drainage time and hospital stay in the SP-VATS group were shorter [(2.95±0.76) d vs (3.33±0.85) d; (4.57±0.83) d vs (5.07±1.13) d], and the visual pain score at 24 h and 72 h after surgery were lower [(3.64±0.85) points vs (4.05±0.66) points; (2.33±0.75) points vs (3.07±0.68) points] (P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in operation time [(130.00±26.23) min vs (135.24±27.03) min], intraoperative blood loss [(69.52±22.73) mL vs (82.38±49.23) mL] (P>0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#SP-VATS in thymoma is a safe, feasible, and less invasive procedure, with less postoperative pain and faster recovery than multi-port VATS.

Behavioral-electrophysiological observation of the involvement of dopamine D1 receptor of the rat anterior cingulate cortex in the regulation of pain-related emotion / 生理学报

The present study was aimed to explore the involvement of dopamine D1 receptor of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in the regulation of chronic inflammatory pain-related emotion. On the first day, the rats were acclimated to the environment and the baseline indices were measured. On the second day, the rats were administered with the dopamine D1 receptor antagonist SCH-23390 or agonist SKF38393 in the ACC, and then they were subcutaneously injected with complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA, 0.08 mL) in the left hind paw to establish conditioned place avoidance (CPA) response after pairing with specific environment. On the third day, the CPA response and the firing frequency of ACC neurons were observed synchronously, and the open-field behavior, mechanical pain behavior and paw withdrawal latency (PWL) tests were also observed subsequently. In other experiments, rats were given subcutaneous injection of normal saline (NS) on the left hind paw after SCH-23390 or SKF-38393 was administered in the ACC, and then the same observations were performed. The results showed that: (1) Compared with the control group, the PWL and mechanical pain thresholds of rats injected with CFA on the left hind paw were significantly decreased (P < 0.05); (2) The residence time of rats injected with CFA in the "pain environment" and open field center was significantly shortened (P < 0.05); (3) Pre-injection of antagonist SCH-23390 in ACC (10 μg) alleviated the anxiety-like negative behavior response induced by CFA (P < 0.05) and reversed CFA-induced increases of discharge frequency of ACC neurons (P < 0.05); (4) Pre-injection of agonist SKF-38393 in the ACC (10 μg) induced CPA-like behavioral response in rats injected with NS in the left hind paw, and increased the firing frequency of ACC neurons (P < 0.05); (5) Immunofluorescence detection showed that dopamine D1 receptor and NMDA receptor were co-expressed in the same neuron. These results suggest that inhibition of dopamine D1 receptor in ACC can alleviate the negative emotional response induced by persistent pain.

Venetoclax combined with azacitidine in treatment of myelodysplastic syndromes complicated with monoclonal globulinemia of unknown significance: report of 1 case and review of literature / 白血病·淋巴瘤

Objective:To investigate the therapeutic effect of venetoclax combined with azacitidine in treatment of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) complicated with monoclonal globulinemia of unknown significance (MGUS).Methods:The clinical data of a patient with MDS complicated with MGUS in the Second People's Hospital of Shenzhen in December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed, and the literatures were reviewed.Results:According to results of bone marrow smear, cytogenetics, and next-generation sequencing, the patient was diagnosed as MDS and MGUS complicated with ASXL1, RUNX1, EZH2, STAG2 mutations as well as t(11;14). No response was observed after 2 courses of azacitidine and 1 course of azacitidine plus HAG. Later the patient achieved complete remission and negative RUNX1 and STAG2 mutations after a course of venetoclax combined with azacitidine. Meanwhile, M protein exhibited a decrease more than 50%. To date, the patient was still in complete remission.Conclusions:The regimen of venetoclax combined with azacitidine shows a significant efficacy and good tolerance to patient with co-occurrence of MDS and MGUS with t(11; 14).

Efficacy and safety of azacytidine combined with low-dose HAG regimen in treatment of newly diagnosed elderly acute myeloid leukemia patients ineligible for intensive chemotherapy / 白血病·淋巴瘤

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of azacitidine combined with HAG regimen in the treatment of newly diagnosed elderly acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients ineligible for intensive chemotherapy.Methods:Eighteen newly diagnosed elderly AML patients ineligible for intensive chemotherapy from July 2019 to September 2021 in the Second People's Hospital of Shenzhen were prospectively enrolled in this study. They were non-randomly divided into azacitidine combined with HAG regimen (AZA-HAG) group (9 cases) and decitabine combined with HAG regimen (DEC-HAG) group (9 cases). The primary endpoint of the study was overall response [complete remission (CR)+partial remission], and the secondary endpoints included CR + complete remission with incomplete count recovery (CRi), overall survival (OS) and drug safety. Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze the OS.Results:The median age of 18 patients was 67 years old (60-77 years old) , and 8 of them were in high-risk group. After one course of treatment, the overall response and CR+CRi were observed in 7 of 9 patients in AZA-HAG group, and they were observed in 8 of 9 patients in DEC-HAG group, and there was no significant difference between the two groups (both P = 1.000). The median duration of CR+CRi was 7 months in both groups, and the median OS time was 12 months in both groups; there was no significant difference in OS between the two groups ( χ2 = 0.02, P = 0.895). In AZA-HAG group, 1 patient with TP53 mutation and 1 patient with ASXL1+RUNX1 mutation acquired CR, and 1 patient with NPM1 wild-type combined with FLT3-ITD and ASXL1 mutation did not respond. There was no significant difference in the incidence of grade 3-4 hematological adverse reactions between the two groups (all P < 0.05). Conclusions:Azacitidine combined with low-dose HAG regimen in the treatment of newly diagnosed elderly AML patients ineligible for intensive chemotherapy has satisfactory efficacy and long-term survival, and the adverse reactions can be tolerated.

Effects of in-class transition of proteasome inhibitors on curative efficacy and prognosis of newly-treated patients with multiple myeloma / 白血病·淋巴瘤

Objective:To explore the efficacy and safety of in-class transition from proteasome inhibitor bortezomib to ixazomib in the treatment of newly-treated patients with multiple myeloma (MM).Methods:The clinical data of 63 newly-treated MM patients in Shenzhen Second People's Hospital from January 2018 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. They were divided into transition group (23 cases) and bortezomib group (40 cases). Both groups were treated with bortezomib-containing regimen as the first-line treatment regimen. In case of intolerable adverse reactions, patients in the transition group were treated with ixazomib instead of bortezomib, while the patients in the bortezomib group did not undergo drug transition. The curative effect and progression-free survival (PFS) were compared between the two groups.Results:In the transition group, the overall response rate (ORR) before in-class transition was 95.7% (22/23), the rate of ≥ very good partial remission (VGPR) was 52.2% (12/23); the ORR after transition was 95.7% (22/23), and the rate of ≥ VGPR was 82.6% (19/23). In the bortezomib group, ORR was 90.0% (36/40), and the rate of ≥ VGPR was 72.5% (29/40). There was no significant difference in ORR and the rate of ≥VGPR between the two groups ( χ2 = 0.64, P=0.424; χ2 = 0.82, P = 0.364). The median number of cycles of PI therapy in the transition group was 9, and the median PFS time was not reached. The median number of cycles of PI therapy in the bortezomib group was 7.5, and the median PFS time was 30.0 months (95% CI 19.1-40.9 months), there was no significant difference in PFS between the two groups ( P = 0.275). In the bortezomib group, 12 patients discontinued bortezomib due to adverse reactions, the median PFS time was 20.0 months (95% CI 12.6-27.4 months), and the PFS of patients who discontinued PI in the transition group and the bortezomib group was compared, the difference was statistically significant ( P = 0.043). In the transition group, 21 patients (21/23, 91.3%) developed peripheral neuropathy, and the incidence of ≥grade 3 adverse reactions was 13.0% (3/23); in the bortezomib group, 22 patients (22/40, 55.0%) developed peripheral neuropathy, and the incidence of ≥grade 3 adverse reactions was 12.5% (5/40). Conclusions:For newly-treated MM patients, the transition from bortezomib to ixazomib can improve the depth of remission and reduce the recurrence caused by the discontinuation of PI.

Expression and Diagnostic Value of NPTX1 in Thymoma Patients / 中国肺癌杂志

BACKGROUND@#Thymomas are the most common primary malignant tumors of anterior mediastinal. However, there are no specific laboratory indicator for the diagnosis the diagnosis of thymoma. The aim of this study was to screen out a tumor marker for diagnosis of thymoma by mRNA microarray analysis and confirmed it.@*METHODS@#By mRNA microarray analysis of 31 thymomas and peritumoral thymic tissues, we found that the transcription level of neuronal pentraxin 1 (NPTX1) gene was up-regulated more than 4 times in thymomas. To further verify the above results, we detected the transcription and expression level of NPTX1 in 60 thymoma and 30 thymic cyst patients by quantitative Real-Time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), immunohistochemistry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Furthermore, the diagnostic value of NPTX1 in thymoma by receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was analyzed.@*RESULTS@#The transcription level of NPTX1 mRNA in thymoma tissues was significantly higher than that in the thymic tissues of control group [(2.88±1.02) vs (1.35±0.47), P<0.001); The expression level of NPTX1 in thymoma tissues was significantly higher than that in the thymic tissues of control group (2 vs 1, P<0.001); The preoperative serum level of NPTX1 protein in thymoma patients were significantly higher than that in the thymic cyst patients of control group [(1,018.29±209.38) pg/mL vs (759.95±66.02) pg/mL, P<0.001]; At the threshold of 842.22 pg/mL, sensitivity and specificity of NPTX1 as a serologic marker were 85.00% and 93.33%, respectively for thymoma. ROC showed that the area the under curve (AUC) of NPTX1 was 0.902.@*CONCLUSIONS@#NPTX1 was highly expressed in thymoma patients, and had diagnostic value for thymoma.

Bendamustine treatment of Chinese patients with relapsed indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma: a multicenter, open-label, single-arm, phase 3 study / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

BACKGROUND@#Bendamustine was approved in China on May 26th, 2019 by the National Medical Product Administration for the treatment of indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). The current study was the registration trial and the first reported evaluation of the efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics of bendamustine in Chinese adult patients with indolent B-cell NHL following relapse after chemotherapy and rituximab treatment.@*METHODS@#This was a prospective, multicenter, open-label, single-arm, phase 3 study (NCT01596621; C18083/3076) with a 2-year follow-up period. Eligible patients received bendamustine hydrochloride 120 mg/m2 infused intravenously on days 1 and 2 of each 21-day treatment cycle for at least six planned cycles (and up to eight cycles). The primary endpoint was the overall response rate (ORR); and secondary endpoints were duration of response (DoR), progression-free survival (PFS), safety, and pharmacokinetics. Patients were classified according to their best overall response after initiation of therapy. Proportions of patients in each response category (complete response [CR], partial response [PR], stable disease, or progressive disease) were summarized along with a two-sided binomial exact 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the ORR.@*RESULTS@#A total of 102 patients were enrolled from 20 centers between August 6th, 2012, and June 18th, 2015. At the time of the primary analysis, the ORR was 73% (95% CI: 63%-81%) per Independent Review Committee (IRC) including 19% CR and 54% PR. With the follow-up period, the median DoR was 16.2 months by IRC and 13.4 months by investigator assessment; the median PFS was 18.6 months and 15.3 months, respectively. The most common non-hematologic adverse events (AEs) were gastrointestinal toxicity, pyrexia, and rash. Grade 3/4 neutropenia was reported in 76% of patients. Serious AEs were reported in 29 patients and five patients died during the study. Pharmacokinetic analysis indicated that the characteristics of bendamustine and its metabolites M3 and M4 were generally consistent with those reported for other ethnicities.@*CONCLUSION@#Bendamustine is an active and effective therapy in Chinese patients with relapsed, indolent B-cell NHL, with a comparable risk/benefit relationship to that reported in North American patients.@*CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION@#ClinicalTrials.gov, No. NCT01596621; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01596621.

Prognosis and risk factor analysis of cases underwent thymoma resection in single center / 中华胸心血管外科杂志

Objective:To explore the prognosis and clinical risk factor of thymoma patients after resection.Methods:A retrospectively analysis of 154 cases of thymoma patients underwent thymoma resection in Beijing Tongren Hospital (Myasthenia Gravis & Thymoma Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Capital Medical University) from January 2005 to December 2015, and then the progress-free survival was calculated by Kaplan- Meier method, the differences between curves were analyzed by log- rank test. There were 74 males and 80 females; the median age was 52(22-77)years. 121 cases(78.6%)complicated with myashenia gravis. Thymoma cases were classfied into 5 cases A, 35 cases AB, 27 cases B1, 56 cases B2 and 31 cases B3 respectively. There were 80, 16, 45 and 13 patients with Masaoka-Koga type Ⅰ-Ⅳ, respectively. 122 cases were treated by thoracoscopic assisted operation, 32 cases were treated by median sternum. The risk factors about group of gender, age, thymoma-associated MG (Myasthenia Gravis), completeness of resection, histologic type and Masaoka-Koga stage were calculated by Cox regression analysis. Results:The overall 1-, 5- 10-year progress-free survival rate of 154 cases were 98.7%, 88.3%, and 78.7%, respectively. The adverse prognostic factors for progress-free survival were age, completeness of resection, WHO histologic classification and Masaoka-Koga stage at univariate analysis. The age, WHO histologic classification and Masaoka-Koga stage were the independent risk factors at multivariate analysis.Conclusion:For thymoma, we suggest early discovery and early treatment. For the thymoma patients who are available for surgical treatment, all the tumor, thymus and surrounding adipose tissue should be resected. For the thymoma patients whose tumors cannot excise completely, adjuvant radiotherapy can reduce the risk for tumor recurrence after resection. For patients with thymoma after surgery, MG treatment is particularly critical for prognosis.

Clinical analysis of left atrial appendage occlusion for stroke prevention in elderly patients with atrial fibrillation / 中华内科杂志

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) over 75 years. A total of 82 patients with AF who underwent LAAO successfully in Beijing Anzhen Hospital from March 2014 to March 2019 were divided into two groups according to age: the elderly group (aged>75 years) and the young group (aged ≤75 years). Risk of perioperative complications and incidence of ischemic stroke and major bleeding during follow-up were retrospectively analyzed. The results showed that there were no significant differences in procedure-related ischemic stroke(0 vs.1.6%, P=0.768) and major bleeding (0 vs.1.6%, P=0.768) during perioperative period between the two groups. No complications as death or pericardial tamponade occurred in the two group. During a (25.9±15.9) months period of followed up, ischemic stroke event rate was 3.6/100 person-years in the elderly group and 4.9/100 person-years in the young group, respectively. Major bleeding event rate was 2.5/100 person-years in the elderly group and 0/100 person-years in the young group, respectively. Compared with the expected ones, the relative risk reduction (RRR) of stroke in the elderly group was more profound than that in the young group (32.0% vs. 25.0%), while the risk of major bleeding in the young group was significantly lower than that in the elderly group (RRR 100% vs. 56.9%). Therefore, LAAO might be suitable for stroke prevention in the elderly AF patients.

The impact of digoxin on the long-term outcomes in patients with coronary artery disease and atrial fibrillation / 中华内科杂志

Objective:To investigate the long-term safety of digoxin in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and atrial fibrillation (AF).Methods:This was a prospective study, in which 25 512 AF patients were enrolled from China Atrial Fibrillation Registry Study. After exclusion of patients receiving ablation therapy at the enrollment, 1 810 CAD patients [age: (71.5±9.3)years] with AF were included. The subjects were grouped into the digoxin group and non-digoxin group, and were followed up for a period of 80 months. Long-term outcomes were compared between the groups and an adjusted Cox regression analysis was applied to evaluate the risk of digoxin on the long-term outcomes. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality.Results:The patients were followed up for a median period of 3.05 years. After multivariable adjustment, the Cox regression analysis showed that digoxin significantly increased the risk of all-cause mortality ( HR=1.28, 95% CI 1.01-1.61, P=0.038), cardiovascular mortality ( HR=1.48,95% CI 1.10-2.00, P=0.010), cardiovascular hospitalization ( HR=1.67,95% CI 1.35-2.07, P=0.008) and the composite endpoints ( HR=2.02,95% CI 1.71-2.38, P<0.001). In the subgroup of patients with heart failure (HF), digoxin was not associated with the risk of all-cause mortality, but was still associated with the increased risk of cardiovascular mortality ( HR=1.44,95% CI 1.05-1.98, P=0.025), cardiovascular hospitalization ( HR=1.44,95% CI 1.09-1.90, P=0.010) and the composite endpoints ( HR=1.37, 95% CI 1.01-1.70, P=0.004). However, in the subgroup of patients without HF, digoxin was only associated with all-cause mortality ( HR=2.56,95% CI 1.44-4.54, P=0.001). Conclusion:Digoxin significantly increased the risk of all-cause mortality in CAD patients with AF, especially in patients without HF.

Laparoscopic microwave ablation combined with partial nephrectomy for the treatment of cystic renal masses: initial experience / 中华泌尿外科杂志

Objective:To explore the safety and efficacy of laparoscopic microwave ablation combined with partial nephrectomy in the treatment of cystic renal masses.Methods:The 19 patients with cystic renal masses undergoing laparoscopic microwave ablation combined with partial nephrectomy from November 2017 to December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 13 males and 6 females. The average age was 46.2 years. The mean body mass index was (25.8±3.1) kg/m 2. The masses located in the left kidney in 7 cases and the right kidney in 12 cases. The ECOG scores were 0. The mean maximum diameter of the tumors was (2.8±1.3) cm. Five cases were diagnosed with Bosniak Ⅲ and 14 cases with Bosniak Ⅳ. According to R. E.N.A.L. scoring, 11 cases were of low difficulty (4-6 points), 7 cases of medium difficulty (7-9 points) and 1 case of high difficulty (10-12 points). The cystic renal masses were ablated by laparoscopic microwave ablation, then followed by partial nephrectomy. Postoperative complications were observed and the prognosis was assessed by CT or MRI. Results:The mean duration of operation was (84.0±20.8) min. The median intraoperative blood loss was 20 (10-50) ml. The median duration of postoperative hospitalization was 3 (2-6) d, and no complications such as bleeding, infection, gross hematuria or urine leakage were observed. According to the malignant degree of cystic renal masses, the patients were divided into low-risk group and high-risk group. The patients with benign cystic kidney tumors or with low biological malignancy were considered as the low-risk group, while the patients with high malignant pathology were considered as the high-risk group. In the low-risk group, there were 4 patients, including 1 patient with papillary adenoma, 1 patient with renal angiomyolipoma, 1 patient with low-grade malignant potential multilocular cystic renal tumor, and 1 patient with renal chromophobe carcinoma (stage T 1a). In the high-risk group, there were 15 cases, including 14 cases of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (AJCC pathological stage: T 1a stage 11 cases, T 1b stage 3 cases; WHO/ISUP classification: 7 cases in grade 1, 6 cases in grade 2, and 1 case in grade 3); 1 case of Type 2 papillary renal cell carcinoma (stage T 1b, grade 2). The median follow-up was 20 months (12-37 months). Both groups survived, and no signs of tumor recurrence, implantation or metastasis were found in chest and abdomen imaging. Blood tests were performed regularly, and no significant abnormalities occurred. Conclusions:The safety and efficacy of laparoscopic microwave ablation combined with partial nephrectomy for the treatment of cystic renal masses is satisfactory, and postoperative pathology is clear, providing a potential option for cystic renal masses treatment.

Survival Analysis of 76 Cases of Head and Neck Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma with Lung Metastasis / 中国肺癌杂志

BACKGROUND@#Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) of the head and neck often develops lung metastasis. At present, there are not many research reports on ACC lung metastasis, little is known about its exact clinical features and treatment results, and there is no consensus on the best treatment strategy. This study explored the effective treatment strategies, clinical outcomes and long-term prognosis of head and neck ACC lung metastases.@*METHODS@#The clinical and follow-up data of 76 patients with head and neck ACC lung metastases were retrospectively analyzed. According to the initial treatment of patients, they are divided into 4 groups: surgery, surgery+chemotherapy or radiotherapy, chemotherapy or radiotherapy and supportive treatment. The patients were staged according to the International Registry of Lung Metastases Staging System (IRLM). Kaplan-Meier method and Log-rank test were used to compare the statistical differences of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of patients with different treatment methods and different IRLM stages.@*RESULTS@#The OS and PFS of patients undergoing surgery are better than those of supportive therapy or radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy (OS: P<0.000,1; PFS: P<0.000,1). The OS and PFS of patients with low stage IRLM are better than those with high stage (OS: P<0.000,1; PFS: P<0.000,1). Patients with single lung metastasis and without pleural effusion have better OS and PFS.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The long-term prognosis of patients with lung metastasis of head and neck ACC who undergo surgery is better than other treatments, which is related to higher OS and PFS. For patients with ACC lung metastases who are operationally eligible, the significance of complete surgical resection should be higher than other treatment options.