Baihe Wuyaotang Ameliorates NAFLD by Enhancing mTOR-mediated Liver Autophagy / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the therapeutic effect of Baihe Wuyaotang （BWT） on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease （NAFLD） and elucidate its underlying mechanism. MethodC57BL/6J mice were randomly assigned to six groups： normal control， model， positive drug （pioglitazone hydrochloride 1.95×10-3 g·kg-1）， and low-， medium-， and high-dose BWT （1.3，2.5 and 5.1 g·kg-1）. Following a 12-week high-fat diet （HFD） inducement， the mice underwent six weeks of therapeutic intervention with twice-daily drug administration. Body weight was monitored weekly throughout the treatment period. At the fifth week， glucose tolerance （GTT） and insulin tolerance （ITT） tests were conducted. Subsequently， the mice were euthanized for the collection of liver tissue and serum， and the subcutaneous adipose tissue （iWAT） and epididymal adipose tissue （eWAT） were weighed. Serum levels of total triglycerides （TG） and liver function indicators，such as alanine aminotransferase （ALT） and aspartate aminotransferase （AST）， were determined. Histological examinations， including oil red O staining， hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining， Masson staining， and transmission electron microscopy， were performed to evaluate hepatic lipid deposition， pathological morphology， and ultrastructural changes， respectively. Meanwhile， Western blot and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） were employed to analyze alterations， at both gene and protein levels， the insulin signaling pathway molecules， including insulin receptor substrate 1/2/protein kinase B/forkhead box gene O1 （IRS1/2/Akt/FoxO1）， glycogen synthesis enzymes phosphoenolpyruvate carboxy kinase （Pepck） and glucose-6-phosphatase （G6Pase）， lipid metabolism-related genes stearoyl-coA desaturase-1 （SCD-1） and carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 （CPT-1）， fibrosis-associated molecules α-smooth muscle actin （α-SMA）， type Ⅰ collagen （CollagenⅠ）， and the fibrosis canonical signaling pathway transforming growth factor-β1/drosophila mothers against decapentaplegic protein2/3（TGF-β1/p-Smad/Smad2/3）， inflammatory factors such as interleukin（IL）-6， IL-8， IL-11， and IL-1β， autophagy markers LC3B Ⅱ/Ⅰ and p62/SQSTM1， and the expression of mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR）. ResultCompared with the model group， BWT reduced the body weight and liver weight of NAFLD mice（P<0.05， P<0.01）， inhibited liver lipid accumulation， and reduced the weight of white fat： it reduced the weight of eWAT and iWAT（P<0.05， P<0.01） as well as the serum TG content（P<0.05， P<0.01）. BWT improved the liver function as reflected by the reduced ALT and AST content（P<0.05， P<0.01）. It improved liver insulin resistance by upregulating IRS2， p-Akt/Akt， p-FoxO1/FoxO1 expressions（P<0.05）. Besides， it improved glucose and lipid metabolism disorders： it reduced fasting blood glucose and postprandial blood glucose（P<0.05， P<0.01）， improved GTT and ITT（P<0.05， P<0.01）， reduced the expression of Pepck， G6Pase， and SCD-1（P<0.01）， and increased the expression of CPT-1（P<0.01）. The expressions of α-SMA， Collagen1， and TGF-β1 proteins were down-regulated（P<0.05， P<0.01）， while the expression of p-Smad/Smad2/3 was downregulated（P<0.05）， suggesting BWT reduced liver fibrosis. BWT inhibited inflammation-related factors as it reduced the gene expression of IL-6， IL-8， IL-11 and IL-1β（P<0.01） and it enhanced autophagy by upregulating LC3B Ⅱ/Ⅰ expression（P<0.05）while downregulating the expression of p62/SQSTM1 and mTOR（P<0.05）. ConclusionBWT ameliorates NAFLD by multifaceted improvements， including improving IR and glucose and lipid metabolism， anti-inflammation， anti-fibrosis， and enhancing autophagy. In particular， BWT may enhance liver autophagy by inhibiting the mTOR-mediated signaling pathway.

Role of post-translational modification of basic leucine zipper transcription factors in response to abiotic stresses in plants / 生物工程学报

Abiotic stresses substantially affect the growth and development of plants. Plants have evolved multiple strategies to cope with the environmental stresses, among which transcription factors play an important role in regulating the tolerance to abiotic stresses. Basic leucine zipper transcription factors (bZIP) are one of the largest gene families. The stability and activity of bZIP transcription factors could be regulated by different post-translational modifications (PTMs) in response to various intracellular or extracellular stresses. This paper introduces the structural feature and classification of bZIP transcription factors, followed by summarizing the PTMs of bZIP transcription factors, such as phosphorylation, ubiquitination and small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) modification, in response to abiotic stresses. In addition, future perspectives were prospected, which may facilitate cultivating excellent stress-resistant crop varieties by regulating the PTMs of bZIP transcription factors.

A method for photoplethysmography signal quality assessment fusing multi-class features with multi-scale series information / 生物医学工程学杂志

Photoplethysmography (PPG) is often affected by interference, which could lead to incorrect judgment of physiological information. Therefore, performing a quality assessment before extracting physiological information is crucial. This paper proposed a new PPG signal quality assessment by fusing multi-class features with multi-scale series information to address the problems of traditional machine learning methods with low accuracy and deep learning methods requiring a large number of samples for training. The multi-class features were extracted to reduce the dependence on the number of samples, and the multi-scale series information was extracted by a multi-scale convolutional neural network and bidirectional long short-term memory to improve the accuracy. The proposed method obtained the highest accuracy of 94.21%. It showed the best performance in all sensitivity, specificity, precision, and F1-score metrics, compared with 6 quality assessment methods on 14 700 samples from 7 experiments. This paper provides a new method for quality assessment in small samples of PPG signals and quality information mining, which is expected to be used for accurate extraction and monitoring of clinical and daily PPG physiological information.

Role of melatonin receptor 1B gene polymorphism and its effect on the regulation of glucose transport in gestational diabetes mellitus / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

Melatonin receptor 1B (MT2, encoded by the MTNR1B gene), a high-affinity receptor for melatonin, is associated with glucose homeostasis including glucose uptake and transport. The rs10830963 variant in the MTNR1B gene is linked to glucose metabolism disorders including gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM); however, the relationship between MT2-mediated melatonin signaling and a high birth weight of GDM infants from maternal glucose abnormality remains poorly understood. This article aims to investigate the relationship between rs10830963 variants and GDM development, as well as the effects of MT2 receptor on glucose uptake and transport in trophoblasts. TaqMan-MGB (minor groove binder) probe quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assays were used for rs10930963 genotyping. MT2 expression in the placenta of GDM and normal pregnant women was detected by immunofluorescence, western blot, and qPCR. The relationship between MT2 and glucose transporters (GLUTs) or peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) was established by western blot, and glucose consumption of trophoblasts was measured by a glucose assay kit. The results showed that the genotype and allele frequencies of rs10830963 were significantly different between GDM and normal pregnant women (P<0.05). The fasting, 1-h and 2-h plasma glucose levels of G-allele carriers were significantly higher than those of C-allele carriers (P<0.05). Besides, the protein and messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of MT2 in the placenta of GDM was significantly higher than that of normal pregnant women (P<0.05). Melatonin could stimulate glucose uptake and GLUT4 and PPARγ protein expression in trophoblasts, which could be attenuated by MT2 receptor knockdown. In conclusion, the rs10830963 variant was associated with an increased risk of GDM. The MT2 receptor is essential for melatonin to raise glucose uptake and transport, which may be mediated by PPARγ.

Treatment of Renal Hematuria with Traditional Chinese Medicine： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Renal hematuria is caused by glomerular damage and basement membrane rupture due to coagulation dysfunction， ischemia and hypoxia， and immune function damage， resulting in red blood cells exuding through glomerular filtration membrane and excreting with urine. It is mainly manifested as microscopic and macroscopic hematuria. Among them， microscopic hematuria is characterized by microscopic urine sediment examination， there are three or more red blood cells per high-power microscopic field. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） believes that the pathogenesis of renal hematuria always belongs to ''asthenia in origin and sthenia in superficiality''， and ''asthenia in origin'' is caused by the deficiency of the three viscera of the lung， spleen， and kidney， while ''sthenia in superficiality'' is caused by the combination of dampness and blood stasis and the external disturbance of wind pathogens. The key pathogenesis features are ''deficiency， dampness， heat， blood stasis， and wind''. After consulting the TCM literature related to renal hematuria， the author found that the common syndrome types of renal hematuria in clinical practice were the deficiency of both Qi and Yin， the deficiency of both Yin and fire， the unsteadiness of kidney Qi， the deficiency of spleen and kidney Yang， the wind heat hurting the collateral， the dampness-heat blocking， and the blood stasis and internal resistance. The commonly used classical or temporal prescriptions included Shenqi Dihuangtang（参芪地黄汤）， Zhibai Dihuangtang（知柏地黄汤）， Wubi Shanyaowan（无比山药丸）， Jisheng Shenqiwan（济生肾气丸）， Sishenwan（四神丸）， Yinqiaosan（银翘散）， Bazhengsan（八正散）， Sanrentang（三仁汤）， Xuefu Zhuyutang（血府逐瘀汤）， Danggui Shaoyaosan（当归芍药散）， Xiaoji Yinzi（小蓟饮子）， Buzhong Yiqitang（补中益气汤）， et al. Self prepared prescriptions mainly include Tongluo Ningxue prescription （通络宁血方）， Qingre Zhixue prescription（ 清热止血方） and Wuteng Tongluo drink （五藤通络饮）. The traditional Chinese medicine is commonly used for the treatment of Xueniaoling granules（血尿灵冲剂）， Xueniaoan capsules（血尿安胶囊）， Ningmitai capsules（宁泌泰胶囊）， Huangkui capsules（黄葵胶囊） and Yishen nixuexiao granules（益肾溺血消颗粒）， which constantly enriched the treatment of renal hematuria. The combination of TCM and western medicine has obvious advantages. The treatment of renal hematuria in clinical practice often combines with modern medical methods， which has a good therapeutic effect on the improvement of symptoms and indicators of renal hematuria. At present， many doctors have made in-depth exploration on the etiology， pathogenesis， and clinical treatment of renal hematuria， but few scholars have made detailed induction and collation in recent years. Therefore， the author has collated the clinical data on the treatment of renal hematuria with TCM in the past ten years， and reviewed it from the aspects of etiology， pathogenesis， and clinical research， to provide useful references for clinical intervention and delay the progress of renal disease.

Early effectiveness of computer navigation system-assisted transiliac-transsacral screws placement for posterior pelvic ring injuries / 中国修复重建外科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the early effectiveness of transiliac-transsacral screws internal fixation assisted by augmented reality navigation system HoloSight (hereinafter referred to as "computer navigation system") in the treatment of posterior pelvic ring injuries.@*METHODS@#A retrospective analysis was made in the 41 patients with posterior pelvic ring injuries who had been treated surgically with transiliac-transsacral screws between June 2022 and June 2023. The patients were divided into navigation group (18 cases, using computer navigation system to assist screw implantation) and freehand group (23 cases, using C-arm X-ray fluoroscopy to guide screw implantation) according to the different methods of transiliac-transsacral screws placement. There was no significant difference in gender, age, body mass index, causes of injuries, Tile classification of pelvic fracture, days from injury to operation, usage of unlocking closed reduction technique between the two groups ( P>0.05). The time of screw implantation, the fluoroscopy times, the guide wire adjustment times of each screw, and the incidence of complications were recorded and compared between the two groups. The position of the transiliac-transsacral screw was scanned by CT within 2 days after operation, and the position of the screw was classified according to Gras standard.@*RESULTS@#The operation was successfully completed in both groups. The time of screw implantation, the fluoroscopy times, and the guide wire adjustment times of each screw in the navigation group were significantly less than those in the freehand group ( P<0.05). There were 2 cases of incision infection in the freehand group, and the incision healed by first intention after active dressing change; there was no screw-related complication in the navigation group during operation and early period after operation; the difference in incidence of complications between the two groups (8.7% vs. 0) was not significant ( P=0.495). According to the Gras standard, the screw position of the navigation group was significantly better than that of the freehand group ( P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Compared with the traditional freehand method, the computer navigation system assisted transiliac-transsacral screws internal fixation in the treatment of posterior pelvic ring injuries has advantages of improving the accuracy of screw implantation and reducing radiation damage and the time of screw implantation.

Analysis and enlightenment on the current situation of pharmacist team construction in Japanese hospitals / 中华医院管理杂志

With the acceleration of China′s economic and social development and aging process, the construction of the pharmacist team was increasingly valued.By combing and analyzing the status of pharmacist allocation in Japanese medical institutions, the path of pharmacist career development, and the content of pharmaceutical services and the training mode, the author proposed that China should learn from relevant mature experience to further strengthen the allocation of pharmacists in medical institutions, improve the Professional certification system of clinical pharmacists, establish a standardized pharmacist training mode, so as to provide a reference for building a standardized, professional and sustainable team of pharmacists in medical institutions.

Impact of sarcopenia on mortality in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis / 中华肾脏病杂志

Objective:To investigate the impact of sarcopenia on mortality in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients.Methods:It was a retrospective cohort study. MHD patients admitted to the blood purification center of Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital in March 2021 were recruited. Demographic data and laboratory indicators, grip strength, and bioelectrical impedance analysis indexes were collected. The patients were divided into sarcopenia group and non-sarcopenia group based on whether they had sarcopenia or not. By following up for 18 months, the survival status of the patients was documented. Kaplan-Meier method, multivariate Cox regression model, and Fine-Gray competing risk model were used to assess the relationship between sarcopenia and all-cause mortality, cardio-cerebrovascular disease mortality, and infection-related disease mortality.Results:A total of 143 MHD patients were enrolled in this study, with age of 65 (58,74) years old and 89 males (62.24%). The prevalence of sarcopenia was 25.17% (36/143). The sarcopenia group had older age ( Z=3.486, P<0.001), higher single-pool Kt/V ( Z=3.634, P<0.001), interleukin-6 ( Z=3.434, P<0.001) and extracellular water/intracellular water ratio ( Z=2.477, P=0.013), and lower body mass index ( Z=-3.210, P=0.001), serum phosphorus ( t=2.475, P=0.015), serum creatinine ( t=3.319, P=0.001), serum albumin ( t=2.851, P=0.005), serum prealbumin ( t=3.384, P<0.001), extracellular water ( Z=-5.124, P<0.001), intracellular water ( Z=-5.417, P<0.001), grip strength ( Z=-3.796, P<0.001) and appendicular skeletal muscle mass index ( t=3.862, P<0.001) than those in the non-sarcopenia group. Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed that the overall survival rate in the sarcopenia group was lower than that in the non-sarcopenia group (Log-rank test χ2=15.99, P<0.001). Multivariable Cox regression analysis demonstrated that sarcopenia was independently correlated with all-cause mortality in MHD patients after adjusting for confounding factors ( HR=2.75, 95% CI 1.07-7.10, P=0.036). Fine-Gray competing risk model result showed that there was no statistically significant difference in cardio-cerebrovascular disease mortality between sarcopenia group and non-sarcopenia group ( SHR=4.99, 95% CI 0.94-26.85, P=0.069); the risk of infection-related disease mortality in sarcopenia group was 5.76 folds than that in non-sarcopenia group ( SHR=5.76, 95% CI 1.15-28.96, P=0.034). Conclusions:There is prevalent sarcopenia in MHD patients. Moreover, sarcopenia is an independent risk factor of all-cause mortality and infection-related disease mortality in MHD patients.

Symbiotic homeostasis of Staphylococcus epidermidis is associated with common skin disorders / 中华皮肤科杂志

Staphylococcus epidermidis can exhibit both protective and opportunistic pathogenic effects on the skin: on the one hand, it suppresses pathogenic bacteria and inflammation, assists the innate immune system of the skin, and maintains homeostasis of skin microenvironment; on the other hand, it exhibits pathogenic potential. How Staphylococcus epidermidis affects human skin conditions depends not only on itself, but also on the communication among it, the host immune system, other microorganisms and environment factors. The balance of this interaction is the symbiotic homeostasis of Staphylococcus epidermidis, and when the homeostasis is disrupted, a variety of skin diseases such as acne vulgaris, atopic dermatitis, rosacea and melanoma can occur. Factors affecting the symbiotic homeostasis of Staphylococcus epidermidis include environmental conditions such as temperature, oxygen content and nutrition, antibiotics, the number of other microorganisms, microecological diversity, etc. This review summarizes recent research progress in symbiotic homeostasis of Staphylococcus epidermidis.

Three fixation methods in the revision of medial defective intertrochanteric fractures with failed treatment: a finite element analysis / 中华骨科杂志

Objective:To compare the biomechanical differences of dynamic condylar screw (DCS), locking compression plate (LCP) combined with DCS and medial anatomic buttress plate (MABP) combined with DCS in the revision of medial defective intertrochanteric fractures by finite element analysis.Methods:The femoral CT imaging data provided by a healthy adult volunteer were used to reconstruct the solid three-dimensional model of femur by Mimics 21.0 and Geomagics Studio 12. Evans-Jensen II B intertrochanteric fracture was established by Ansys Workbench18.0. The three-dimensional models of proximal femoral nail antirotation (PFNA), DCS, LCP and MABP were reconstructed in Solidworks 2015. The PFNA was assembled with the fracture model, and then the PFNA was removed to establish the postoperative failure model of femoral intertrochanteric fracture and then simulated the fixation in the hip-preserving revision surgery of femoral intertrochanteric fractures: non-medial support reconstruction group (DCS); indirect medial support reconstruction group (DCS+LCP) and partial direct medial support reconstruction group (DCS+MABP). Finally, the forces on the hip joint of 70 kg normal people during standing (700 N), slow walking (1,400 N), brisk walking (1,750 N) and going up and down stairs (2,100 N) were simulated in Abaqus 6.14, the relative displacement and stress peak value of fracture end and stress distribution and stress peak value of internal fixation in different models were recorded.Results:At 700 N axial load, the relative displacement of fracture end fixed by DCS, DCS+LCP and DCS+MABP was 0.28, 0.13 and 0.09 mm; the peak stress of the fracture end was 49.01, 15.29 and 1.35 MPa; the peak stress of internal fixation was 230, 220 and 174 MPa, respectively. At 1,400 N axial load, the relative displacement of the fracture end of the three internal fixation methods was 0.56, 0.24 and 0.16 mm; the peak stress of fracture end was 108.49, 28.96 and 3.12 MPa; the peak stress of internal fixation was 469, 352 and 324 MPa, respectively. At 1,750 N axial load, the relative displacement of the fracture end of the three group was 0.70, 0.30 and 0.20 mm; the peak stress of the fracture end was 139.59, 37.57 and 4.17 MPa; the peak stress of internal fixation was 594, 421 and 393 MPa, respectively. At 2,100 N axial load, the relative displacement of the fracture end of the three internal fixation methods was 0.85, 0.35 and 0.23 mm; the peak stress of the fracture end was 170.05, 46.36 and 5.24 MPa; the peak stress of internal fixation was 724, 504 and 460 MPa, respectively.Conclusion:The partial direct reconstruction of medial support under the neck by DCS+MABP may have better biomechanical properties in the revision of medial defective intertrochanteric fractures.

Open versus closed reduction and internal fixation in treatment of unstable pelvic fractures: a multicenter cohort study of long-term prognosis / 中华创伤骨科杂志

Objective:To compare the long-term prognosis between open versus closed reduction and internal fixation in the treatment of unstable pelvic fractures.Methods:The data of 402 consecutive patients with unstable pelvic fracture were retrospectively analyzed who had been treated at The First Medical Center and The Fourth Medical Center, PLA General Hospital, and Strategic Support Force Specialty Medical Center from March 2011 to March 2017. This cohort was divided into 2 groups according to the reduction methods. In the open group of 194 cases subjected to open reduction and internal fixation, there were 133 males and 61 females with a median age of 43.0 (30.7, 51.0) years, and 35 cases of type B and 159 cases of type C by the Tile classification. In the closed group of 208 cases subjected to closed reduction and internal fixation, there were 115 males and 93 females with a median age of 45.5 (32.0, 56.0) years, and 40 cases of type B and 168 cases of type C by the Tile classification. The 2 groups were compared in terms of 12-items Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) scores [physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS)] at the last follow-up, time from injury to operation, frequency of intraoperative X-ray fluoroscopy, intraoperative and postoperative blood transfusion, operation time, and quality of postoperative fracture reduction.Results:There was no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups in the preoperative general data except for the gender, showing the 2 groups were comparable ( P>0.05). This cohort of 402 patients was followed up for 7.8(6.2, 8.8) years. At the last follow-up, the PCS [49.9 (45.4, 55.4) points] and MCS [53.1 (46.4, 57.6) points] in the closed group were significantly higher than those in the open group [48.2 (41.4, 52.7) and 46.5 (40.6, 53.6) points] ( P<0.05). The closed group incurred significantly shorter time from injury to operation [6 (5, 8) d] and operation time [180 (126, 260) min] than the open group [9 (6, 13) d and 240 (165, 334) min], significantly less intraoperative and postoperative blood transfusion [1.5 (0, 4.0) U] than the open group [5.0 (2.9, 8.0) U], significantly higher frequency of intraoperative X-ray fluoroscopy [104.5 (85.0, 132.0) times] than the open group [21.0 (18.0, 26.0) times], and a significantly higher excellent and good rate of postoperative fracture reduction (92.8%, 193/208) than the open group (86.6%, 168/194) (all P<0.05). Conclusion:In the treatment of patients with unstable pelvic fractures, compared with open reduction and internal fixation, closed reduction and internal fixation can not only significantly shorten the waiting time and operation time of patients, reduce the transfusion during operation, but also achieve better fracture reduction to ultimately improve the quality of life of patients.

Clinical characteristics and prognosis of bacterial liver abscess in patients with diabetes mellitus / 中华传染病杂志

Objective:To compare the clinical characteristics and prognosis of bacterial liver abscess in patients with or without diabetes mellitus (DM), to provide a reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment.Methods:Patients with bacterial liver abscesses hospitalized in Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from January 2016 to August 2021 were enrolled, and their clinical data were collected. The patients were divided into diabetic and non-diabetic groups for comparison according to whether they had comorbid DM. Statistical analysis was performed by chi-square test or Fisher′s exact test, and multivariate logistic regression analysis.Results:A total of 131 patients with bacterial liver abscesses were included, including 47 cases in the diabetic group and 84 cases in the non-diabetic group. The percentages of platelet count <100×10 9/L, C-reactive protein>10 mg/L, and total bilirubin>17.5 μmol/L were lower in the diabetic group than that in the non-diabetic group, and the differences were all statistically significant ( χ2=3.90, 6.44 and 5.56, respectively, all P<0.05). The percentage of multiple abscesses in the diabetic group was 10.6%(5/47), which was lower than 29.8%(25/84) in the non-diabetic group, and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2=6.24, P=0.012). The positive rate of pus culture for Klebsiella pneumoniae was 64.9%(24/37) in the diabetic group, which was higher than 41.5%(27/65) in the non-diabetic group, with a statistically significant difference ( χ2=5.13, P=0.023). The incidences of pleural effusion and abscesses at other sites in the diabetic group were 29.8%(14/47) and 10.6%(5/47), respectively, which were both higher than 14.3%(12/84) and 1.2%(1/84) in the non-diabetic group, respectively, and the differences were statistically significant ( χ2=4.55, Fisher′s exact test, both P<0.05). The proportion of hospital stays>21 d was 34.0%(16/47) in the diabetic group, which was higher than 16.7%(14/84) in the non-diabetic group, with a statistically significant difference ( χ2=5.15, P=0.023). DM (odds ratio ( OR)=2.654, 95% confidence interval ( CI) 1.020 to 6.907, P=0.046) and abscess maximum diameter>10 cm ( OR=11.045, 95% CI 4.493 to 27.154, P<0.001) were significant risk factors for hospital stay>21 d. Conclusions:Bacterial liver abscesses combined with DM are more common with single abscess, a higher rate of Klebsiella pneumoniae infection, and more likely to develop pleural effusions and abscesses at other sites. Liver abscesses>10 cm in maximum diameter and comorbid DM would prolong hospital stay.

Microneedle-based interstitial fluid extraction for drug analysis:Advances,challenges,and prospects / 药物分析学报

Similar to blood,interstitial fluid(ISF)contains exogenous drugs and biomarkers and may therefore substitute blood in drug analysis.However,current ISF extraction techniques require bulky instruments and are both time-consuming and complicated,which has inspired the development of viable alterna-tives such as those relying on skin or tissue puncturing with microneedles.Currently,microneedles are widely employed for transdermal drug delivery and have been successfully used for ISF extraction by different mechanisms to facilitate subsequent analysis.The integration of microneedles with sensors enables in situ ISF analysis and specific compound monitoring,while the integration of monitoring and delivery functions in wearable devices allows real-time dose modification.Herein,we review the progress in drug analysis based on microneedle-assisted ISF extraction and discuss the related future opportunities and challenges.

Research Advances in Medical Materials and Products for Soft Tissue Repairs / 中国医疗器械杂志

Soft tissue is an indispensable tissue in human body. It plays an important role in protecting the body from external physical, chemical or biological factors. Mild soft tissue injuries can self-heal, while severe soft tissue injuries may require related treatment. Natural polymers (such as chitosan, hyaluronic acid, and collagen) and synthetic polymers (such as polyethylene glycol and polylactic acid) exhibit good biocompatibility, biodegradability and low toxicity. It can be used for soft tissue repairs for antibacterial, hemostatic and wound healing purposes. Their related properties can be enhanced through modification or preparation of composite materials. Commonly used soft tissue repairs include wound dressings, biological patches, medical tissue adhesives, and tissue engineering scaffolds. This study introduces the properties, mechanisms of action and applications of various soft tissue repair medical materials, including chitosan, hyaluronic acid, collagen, polyethylene glycol and polylactic acid, and provides an outlook on the application prospects of soft tissue repair medical materials and products.

Research progress of Mendelian randomization analysis in intensive care medicine / 中华危重病急救医学

The condition of critically ill patients changes rapidly, involving pathological changes in multiple systems and organs throughout the body. Exploring the causal relationship of mechanisms can further reveal etiology, treatment, and prognosis of diseases. However, traditional prospective studies in the field of critical care are still subject to numerous limitations. As an emerging research method, Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis uses genetic variation to provide causal evidence for instrumental variables, which is expected to provide clues in critical diseases. This article systematically describes the research progresson the application of MR analysis in critical care medicine from four aspects: the principle of MR analysis, the difference between MR analysis and randomized controlled trial (RCT), the use of MR analysis in the field of critical illness, and the possible methods of application, aiming to provide possible directions for the research in this field.

Clinical efficacy and long-term immunogenicity of an early triple dose regimen of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination in cancer patients

INTRODUCTION@#Three doses of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines have been recommended for cancer patients to reduce the risk of severe disease. Anti-neoplastic treatment, such as chemotherapy, may affect long-term vaccine immunogenicity.@*METHOD@#Patients with solid or haematological cancer were recruited from 2 hospitals between July 2021 and March 2022. Humoral response was evaluated using GenScript cPASS surrogate virus neutralisation assays. Clinical outcomes were obtained from medical records and national mandatory-reporting databases.@*RESULTS@#A total of 273 patients were recruited, with 40 having haematological malignancies and the rest solid tumours. Among the participants, 204 (74.7%) were receiving active cancer therapy, including 98 (35.9%) undergoing systemic chemotherapy and the rest targeted therapy or immunotherapy. All patients were seronegative at baseline. Seroconversion rates after receiving 1, 2 and 3 doses of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination were 35.2%, 79.4% and 92.4%, respectively. After 3 doses, patients on active treatment for haematological malignancies had lower antibodies (57.3%±46.2) when compared to patients on immunotherapy (94.1%±9.56, P<0.05) and chemotherapy (92.8%±18.1, P<0.05). SARS-CoV-2 infection was reported in 77 (28.2%) patients, of which 18 were severe. No patient receiving a third dose within 90 days of the second dose experienced severe infection.@*CONCLUSION@#This study demonstrates the benefit of early administration of the third dose among cancer patients.

Effect of recombinant human coagulation factor Ⅶa combined with Bakri balloon compression on oxidative stress and coagulation in patients with refractory postpartum hemorrhage / 中国输血杂志

【Objective】 To investigate the effects of recombinant human coagulation factor Ⅶa combined with Bakri balloon compression on oxidative stress and coagulation in patients with refractory postpartum hemorrhage. 【Methods】 Prospectively, 80 patients with refractory postpartum hemorrhage in Chengdu Fifth People′s Hospital from June 2019 to June 2022 were selected and grouped according to the random number table method. The control group (n=40) was treated with Bakri balloon compression, and the observation group (n=40) was treated with recombinant human coagulation factor Ⅶa combined with Bakri balloon compression. The bleeding-related indexes and adverse effects were observed in both groups, and the prenatal and 24 h postpartum oxidative stress, coagulation function and inflammatory factors were compared between the two groups. 【Results】 The blood loss in the observation group and the control group was (683.96±146.52) vs(796.63±152.41)mL during operation, (812.46±161.53) vs(965.39±166.22)mL in 2 h after delivery, (899.53±178.74) vs(1 084.31±203.67)mL in 24 h after delivery, and the transfusion volume was (512.31±104.76) vs(683.25±113.52)mL, and the onset time of hemostasis was (14.63±3.18) vs (21.72±5.29) min (P0.05). At 24 h postpartum, NE, Cor, SOD and MDA were higher than those before delivery in both groups, but the observation group was lower than the control group (P<0.05); TT, APTT and PT were longer and Fib was lower in both groups than before delivery, but TT, APTT and PT were shorter and Fib was higher in the observation group than in the control group (P<0.05); CRP, IL-8 and TNF-α were higher in both groups than before delivery, but the observation group was lower than in the control group (P<0.05). 【Conclusion】 Hemostasis in patients with refractory postpartum hemorrhage treated with recombinant human coagulation factor Ⅶa combined with Bakri balloon compression was effective, which can improve coagulation, reduce transfusion, decrease oxidative stress injury and inflammatory response without increasing adverse effects.

Stair climbing and incident atrial fibrillation: a prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND@#A protective role for physical activity against the development of atrial fibrillation (AF) has been suggested. Stair climbing is a readily available form of physical activity that many people practice. Herein, we investigated the association between stair climbing and the risk of AF in a Japanese population.@*METHODS@#In this prospective cohort study, we used data of 6,575 people registered in the Suita Study, aged 30-84 years, and had no history of AF. The frequency of stair climbing was assessed by a baseline questionnaire, while AF was diagnosed during the follow-up using a 12-lead ECG, health records, check-ups, and death certificates. We used the Cox regression to calculate the hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals of AF incidence for climbing stairs in 20-39%, 40-59%, and ≥60% compared with <20% of the time.@*RESULTS@#Within 91,389 person-years of follow-up, 295 participants developed AF. The incidence of AF was distributed across the stair climbing groups <20%, 20-39%, 40-59%, and ≥60% as follows: 3.57, 3.27, 3.46, and 2.63/1,000 person-years, respectively. Stair climbing ≥60% of the time was associated with a reduced risk of AF after adjustment for age and sex 0.69 (0.49, 0.96). Further adjustment for lifestyle and medical history did not affect the results 0.69 (0.49, 0.98).@*CONCLUSION@#Frequent stair climbing could protect from AF. From a preventive point of view, stair climbing could be a simple way to reduce AF risk at the population level.

Risk factors for osteopenia/osteoporosis and the diagnostic value of CT value in patients with chronic hepatitis B / 临床肝胆病杂志

Objective To investigate the value of the CT values of thoracolumbar vertebrae measured by abdominal CT in the diagnosis of osteopenia/osteoporosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B, as well as the risk factors for osteopenia/osteoporosis in such patients. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for 112 patients with chronic hepatitis B in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University from January 2019 to December 2020. All patients underwent abdominal CT, and some patients underwent dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). The CT values of T12 vertebral body to L3 vertebral body were measured, and the value of CT value of each vertebral body in the diagnosis of osteopenia/osteoporosis was analyzed in comparison with T-score of L1-L4 vertebral bodies measured by DXA. With the CT values of vertebral bodies as the diagnostic criteria, the patients with chronic hepatitis B enrolled were divided into osteopenia/osteoporosis group with 55 patients and normal bone mass group with 57 patients. Clinical features and biochemical parameters were compared between the two groups to analyze the risk factors for osteopenia/osteoporosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B. The t -test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between groups, and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between groups; the chi-square test, the Fisher's exact test, and the Bonferroni correction test were used for comparison of categorical data between groups. A Pearson correlation analysis was performed to investigate correlation, and a binary logistic regression analysis was used for multivariate analysis. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to investigate the value of CT values of T12-L3 vertebral bodies in the diagnosis of osteopenia/osteoporosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B. The Kappa test was used check consistency. Results A total of 46 patients who completed abdominal CT and DXA during the same time of hospitalization were analyzed, and their CT values of T12-L3 vertebral bodies were significantly positively correlated with the T-score values of L1-L4 vertebral bodies in DXA ( r T12 =0.694, r L1 =0.661, r L2 =0.781, r L3 =0.685, all P < 0.001). The ROC curve analysis showed that the CT value of L2 vertebral body had the largest area under the ROC curve of 0.863 and showed a good accuracy in the diagnosis of osteopenia/osteoporosis, which was consistent with the results of DXA ( K =0.648, P < 0.001). The clinical features and biochemical parameters of 112 patients with chronic hepatitis B were analyzed, and it was suggested that old age (odds ratio [ OR ]=1.108, 95% confidence interval [ CI ]: 1.026-1.196, P =0.009) and sarcopenia ( OR =2.788, 95% CI : 1.009-7.707, P =0.048) were the risk factors for osteopenia/osteoporosis. Conclusion The patients with chronic hepatitis B often need regular abdominal CT to evaluate the progression of liver disease, and it is of high clinical significance to identify the presence or absence of osteopenia/osteoporosis and sarcopenia by measuring the CT value of L2 vertebral body and skeletal muscle area of L3 vertebrae plane, thereby giving timely intervention and improving patients' prognosis and quality of life.

Diagnosis and treatment of fever-related recurrent acute liver failure in children / 临床肝胆病杂志

Acute liver failure (ALF) in infants and children is a severe life-threatening disease caused by multiple etiologies. Recurrent acute liver failure (RALF) is defined as the occurrence of acute liver injury two or more times, with at least one episode meeting the diagnostic criteria for ALF. Biochemical parameters usually return to normal between acute liver injury episodes in children with RALF. Clinical etiologies of RALF include infections, immunologic disorders, drug, and toxin, as well as hereditary or metabolic disorders, and some episodes of RALF caused by hereditary liver disorders are always associated with fever. This article discusses the diagnosis and treatment of fever-related RALF caused by genetic defects of NBAS, SCYL1, and RINT1.