Non-invasive biomarkers for liver inflammation in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: present andfuture

Inflammation is the key driver of liver fibrosis progression in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Unfortunately, it is often challenging to assess inflammation in NAFLD due to its dynamic nature and poor correlation with liver biochemical markers. Liver histology keeps its role as the standard tool, yet it is well-known for substantial sampling, intraobserver, and interobserver variability. Serum proinflammatory cytokines and apoptotic markers, namely cytokeratin-18, are well-studied with reasonable accuracy, whereas serum metabolomics and lipidomics have been adopted in some commercially available diagnostic models. Ultrasound and computed tomography imaging techniques are attractive due to their wide availability; yet their accuracies may not be comparable with magnetic resonance imaging-based tools. Machine learning and deep learning models, be they supervised or unsupervised learning, are promising tools to identify various subtypes of NAFLD, including those with dominating liver inflammation, contributing to sustainable care pathways for NAFLD.

Expression of FGL1, Distribution of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes, and Their Clinical Significance in Esophageal Squamous-Cell Carcinoma / 肿瘤防治研究

Objective To explore the expression of fibrinogen-like protein 1 (FGL1), the distribution of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), and their relationship with the prognosis of esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients. Methods We analyzed retrospectively the clinical data of 120 ESCC patients. The expression of FGL1 was detected through immunohistochemistry. The distributions of intratumoral TILs (iTILs) and stromal TILs (sTILs) were evaluated under a microscope. Survival analysis was used to evaluate the patient outcomes. Results The positive rate of FGL1 in ESCC was 18.3% (22/120), and it was connected to the TNM stage, lymph node status, and TILs. A total of 73 cases (60.8%) showed low levels of iTILs (iTILs≤10%), and 47 cases (39.2%) exhibited high iTIL levels (iTILs > 10%). Similarly, 82 cases (68.3%) presented low levels of sTILs (sTILs≤10%), and 38 cases (31.7%) manifested high sTIL levels (sTILs > 10%). The distribution of iTILs was associated with FGL1, tumor differentiation, and TNM stage, whereas the distribution of sTILs was associated with FGL1, tumor location, and TNM stage. The Kaplan–Meier survival analysis showed that tumor diameter, TNM stage, lymph node status, FGL1, and TILs were associated with the prognosis of patients with ESCC (P < 0.05). Multivariate Cox regression revealed that FGL1, TILs and TNM stage were the influencing factors of prognosis. Conclusion FGL1 expression is associated with the poor prognosis and may be a prognostic biomarker of ESCC. FGL1 combined with TILs can be used as a biomarker to predict ESCC.

Investigation of self-acceptance status and its influencing factors of elderly people in nursing home / 中国实用护理杂志

Objective:To understand the present situation of self-acceptance of elderly in nursing home and explore its influencing factors, so as to provide basis for improving self-acceptance level of elderly in nursing home.Methods:Totally 415 elderly people in 3 Medical and nursing homes in Fuyang city of Anhui province were selected by Self-Acceptance Scale, and influencing factors were analyzed.Results:The total score of Self-Acceptance Scale of the elderly in nursing home was (44.11±7.25) points, the score rate was 67.86% (44.11/65), in the middle level; the results of multiple linear stepwise regression showed that the relationship with children, hobbies, number of children, length of stay in nursing home, frequency of visits and age were the main influencing factors ( F value was 48.228, P<0.001). Conclusion:The self-acceptance of the elderly in nursing home is in the middle level. The nursing home or social should pay attention to the higher age group and the newly admitted elderly in nursing home, give such people timely psychological guidance, help them to plan their later life, cultivate their interests and hobbies through recreational activities, and take corresponding measures to harmonize their relationship with their children in order to improve their self-acceptance level and promote mental health.

Effect of oblique lateral lumbar intervertebral fusion on inflammatory factors in patients with degenerative spinal canal stenosis / 国际外科学杂志

Objective:To investigate the effect of oblique lateral lumbar intervertebral fusion (OLIF) on inflammatory factors in patients with degenerative spinal canal stenosis (DLSS).Methods:Retrospective analysis of clinical data of 64 DLSS patients in the department of orthopedics, Jizhong Energy Fengfeng Group Hospital from June 2016 to June 2018 was performed. There were 35 males and 34 females, aged (60.70±6.27) years, and the age range was 20 to 80 years. According to the different surgical methods, they were divided into posterior decompression and internal fixation fusion (PLIF) group ( n=32) and OLIF group ( n=32). The coperation time, intraoperative bleeding volume, postoperative bed rest time, hospitalization time , the back and leg pain visual analogue score (VAS) , Japanese Orthopaedic Association(JOA) score of lumbar vertebrae and serum inflammatory factors [tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α), interleukin-1alpha(IL-1α), C-reactive protein(CRP)] were observed at preoperative, 3 months and last follow-up. Follow-up using outpatient examination and telephone interview was performed and survial up to March 2019. Measurement data were expressed as mean±standard deviation ( Mean± SD), comparison between groups was performed using independent sample t test or analysis of variance of repeated measurement data. Internal comparisons were performed using paired t tests. Count data were expressed as percentage (%), and χ2 test was used. Results:There was no significant difference in operation time between OLIF group and PLIF group ( P>0.05). In OLIF group, the amount of blood loss (119.72±30.41) mL, bedridden time (2.16±0.35) d and postoperative hospital stay (5.18±2.06) d were significantly lower than that of PLIF group[(318.26±94.62) mL, (3.17±0.54) d, (7.35±1.24) d], the differences between the two groups were statistically significant( P<0.05). All patients were followed for 8 months. The 3 months after operation and last follow-up, the VAS scores of back pain in OLIF group [(1.93±0.54) scores, (1.74±0.63) scores]were significantly lower than that in PLIF group [(4.05±0.62) scores, (3.87±0.74) scores]. The VAS scores of leg pain in OLIF group [(1.56±0.71) scores, (1.37±0.52) scores] were significantly lower than that of PLIF group [(3.74±0.79) scores, (2.53±0.59) scores]. The JOA scores of lumbar vertebrae in PLIF group [(22.57 ±1.83) scores, (24.38±1.65) scores] were significantly higher than that of PLIF group [(20.35±1.78) scores, (22.14±1.35) scores], the differences between the two groups were statistically significant( P<0.05). At 3 months after operation, the levels of serum TNF-α(16.95±3.92) ng/L, IL-1α(9.17±3.78) ng/L and CRP (1.97±0.24) mg/L in OLIF group were significantly lower than those in PLIF group [(20.46 ±4.27) ng/L, (11.51±4.25) ng/L, (2.36±0.32) mg/L]. Last follow-up, the level of serum TNF-α(13.47±3.54) ng/L, IL-1α(6.52±2.09) ng/L and CRP (1.42±0.16) mg/L in the OLIF group were significantly lower than those in the PLIF group [(18.08±3.84) ng/L, (8.73±5.43) ng/L, (2.04±0.25) mg/L], the differences between the two groups were statistically significant ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Compared with PLIF, OLIF can reduce the amount of intraoperative bleeding, shorten the recovery time, reduce the expression of inflammatory factors and improve the prognosis of patients with DLSS.

Pathogenicity of an FAdV-4 isolate to chickens and its genomic analysis / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

Fowl adenovirus serotype 4 (FAdV-4) strain SD1511 was isolated from chickens with severe inclusion body hepatitis and hydropericardium syndrome in Shandong Province, China. The isolate was cultured in primary chicken embryo kidney cells. A study of pathogenicity indicated that SD1511 readily infected 7-35-d-old chickens by intramuscular injection and intranasal and oral routes, causing 50%-100% mortality. The 35-d-old chickens suffered more severe infection than 7- and 21-d-old chickens with mortality highest in the intramuscular injection group. The serum from surviving chickens showed potent viral neutralizing capability. The complete genome of SD1511 was sequenced and analyzed. The strain was found to belong to the FAdV-4 cluster with more than 99% identity with the virulent FAdV-4 strains isolated in China in recent years except for some distinct variations, including deletions of open reading frame 27 (ORF27), ORF48, and part of ORF19. Our findings suggest that SD1511 might be used as a prototype strain for the study of pathogenesis and vaccine development.

Cost-minimization Analysis of Interferonα1b and Interferonα2b in the Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE:To compare the economics of interferon α1b and α2b in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C. METH-ODS:By retrospective study,114 patients with chronic hepatitis C who received interferon were selected,60 patients received interfer-on α1b were divided into group A and 54 patients received interferon α2b were divided into group B. Negative conversion rate of HCV-RNA,normalization rate of ALT and the incidence of ADR in 2 groups were compared,and pharmacoeconomic analysis was conducted. RESULTS:Negative conversion rates of HCV-RNA in group A in 4,12,24,36,48 weeks were 55.00%,71.67%, 63.33%,61.67% and 65.00%,group B were 64.81%,66.67%,62.96%,55.56% and 61.11%,respectively,there were no signifi-cant differences between 2 groups (P>0.05);after treatment,normalization rate of ALT in group A was 95.23%,group B was 96.10%,there was no significant difference between 2 groups(P>0.05);and there were no significant differences in the incidence of ADR between 2 groups (P>0.05),so cost-minimization analysis was used to evaluate pharmacoeconomics. Therapy cost in group A was 13 216.56 yuan,group B was 7 929.60 yuan,group B was lower to group A;sensitivity analysis received the same results. CON-CLUSIONS:Interferonα2b is more economical thanα1b in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C.

Effect of arsenic trioxide on differentiation induction of chronic myeloid leukemia k562 cells and its potential mechanism / 中国实验血液学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>This study was to explore the effect of arsenic trioxide (ATO; As(2)O(3)) on differentiation of chronic myeloid leukemia K562 cells and its potential mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>ATO with different concentration (0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 5.0 µmol/L) were used to treat K562 cells, and MTT assay was used to detect the growth level of K562 cells; Benzidine staining was applied to measure the change of hemoglobin content; flow cytometry (FCM) was conducted to detect the expression of CD41 and GPA on K562 cells; RT-PCR and Western blot were used to measure the mRNA expression of BTG1 and TAL1 and the protein expression of BTG1 and TAL1, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>ATO significantly inhibited the growth of K562 with dose- and time- dependent manners by benzidine staining, the positive rate of K562 cells induced by ATO reached to 17.63% ± 1.18%, which was significantly higher than that of control (2.87% ± 0.63%) (P < 0.01), and GPA, as the specific marker of erythroid cell differentiation, achieved 68.46% ± 3.67%, while it in control was 3.39% ± 0.84% (P < 0.01), besides, the CD41 expression of megakaryocyte increased but not so obvious as GPA. Meanwhile, the differentiation-related transcriptional factors TAL1 and BTG1 mRNA and the corresponding proteins were expressed more highly.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>ATO can induce the differentiation of K562 cells into erythroid cells and megakaryocyte, which is associated with up-regulation of the related transcription factors TAL1 and BTG1.</p>

Nurses' evaluation of the constitution of current grading nursing system / 中国实用护理杂志

Objective To understand the nurses' evaluation of current grading nursing system.Methods Self-questionnaire was designed and used to investigate 141 clinical nurses coming from three general hospitals sampled conveniently.Results (1)Clinical nurses lacked in-depth study of grading nursing instruction principle;(2)Doctors and nurses lacked the cooperation during the process of identifying the level of care;(3)Level of care was not consistent with the patients' condition and self-care ability;(4)Disease inspection and primary care were not consistent with patients' level of care;(5)Health guidance and mental nursing couldn't meet the actual needs of patients;(6)Senior nurses' evaluation of the implementation of grading nursing was lower than Junior nurses; (7)Clinical nurses held positive attitudes to nurses and patients participating in grading nursing.Conclusions Nurses thought poorly of grading nursing system in operation,it was necessary to improve the content of principles about grading nursing manner,health instruction and psychological nursing,and implement grading nursing system correctly.It was also important to take patients' willingness of participating in care into account.