[Characterizing immune microenvironment cell composition of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps based on mass cytometry technology].

Objective: To analyze the cellular composition characteristics of the nasal tissue immune microenvironment in patients with control, chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps (CRSsNP), non-eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (neCRSwNP), and eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (eCRSwNP) using mass cytometry flow technology. Methods: Thirteen CRS patients who underwent endoscopic nasal surgery at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery of Peking Union Medical College Hospital from March to December 2022 were recruited, including 8 males and 5 females, aged 22.3 to 58.3 years. Three control mucosae were obtained from normal ethmoid or sphenoid sinuses of patients with benign tumors of the temporal fossa or non-functional pituitary adenomas who underwent endoscopic surgery, excluding allergic rhinitis and sinusitis. Sixteen clinical tissue samples (3 of control, 3 of CRSsNP, 4 of neCRSwNP, and 6 of eCRSwNP) were prepared into single-cell suspensions. Mass cytometry flow detection was performed using a combination of 42 molecular markers to analyze the differences in cell subpopulations among the groups. Data were analyzed using GraphPad Prism 9. Results: Based on the mass cytometry flow results, cells from control, CRSsNP, neCRSwNP, and eCRSwNP were divided into seven main cell subgroups, with detailed subgrouping of T/NK cells and myeloid cells. In T/NK cells, compared with the control group, the number of NK CD56bright cells increased in the CRSsNP group, while NK CD56dim cells decreased; compared with the CRSsNP group, the eCRSwNP group showed a decrease in NKT cells and CD4+Tem cells; compared with the CRSsNP group, the eCRSwNP group showed a significant increase in CD25 expression within Treg cells; compared with the CRSsNP group, the eCRSwNP group showed a significant decrease in Tbet expression in CD8+Teff cells and CD8+TRM cells; in eCRSwNP, the expression of CD103 in CD8+TRM cells was significantly lower than in CRSsNP. In myeloid cells, compared with the other three groups, the eCRSwNP group showed a significant increase in macrophages and a significant decrease in cDC1 and monocytes; compared with the control group and CRSsNP, the eCRSwNP group also showed a significant decrease in resting state macrophages; compared with the CRSsNP group, the eCRSwNP group showed a significant decrease in the level of CX3CR1 within cDC2 and monocytes; the expression levels of NLRP3 in cDC2 and macrophages in the eCRSwNP group were significantly higher than in the other three groups; compared with the control group, the expression levels of Gata3 in cDC2 and macrophages in the eCRSwNP group were also significantly increased; additionally, the expression of CCR2 within monocytes in the eCRSwNP group was lower than in the CRSsNP group. In ILC, compared with the control group, the expression of CCR6 decreased in the eCRSwNP group. Conclusions: Compared with the control group, CRSsNP, and neCRSwNP, eCRSwNP shows an increase in macrophage number, a decrease in cDC1 and resting state macrophages, and depletion of protective cells CD103+CD8+TRM. Additionally, the expression levels of CCR2 and CX3CR1 in monocytes of eCRSwNP are decreased.

[Theoretical models for influenza vaccination behavior at the individual level].

Influenza imposes a significant disease burden on society and individuals annually, and influenza vaccination is considered a significant public health measure to prevent influenza and reduce influenza-related severe disease and death. The low influenza vaccination rate in China is partly due to certain factors affecting the willingness and behavior of individuals to receive them. Scientific research and targeted interventions on these factors can effectively improve the vaccination situation. Commonly used individual-level theoretical models for influenza vaccination behavior include the health belief model, protection motivation theory, and theory of planned behavior. This study reviews theoretical models commonly employed in researching influenza vaccination willingness and behavior. An overview of these practical applications and challenges models is presented to provide references for relevant research and intervention programs in China.

Development of a diagnostic model for pre-washout screening of primary aldosteronism.

PURPOSE: Primary aldosteronism (PA) diagnosis is affected by antihypertensive drugs that are commonly taken by patients with suspected PA. In this study, we developed and validated a diagnostic model for screening PA without drug washout. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 1095 patients diagnosed with PA or essential hypertension. Patients were randomly grouped into training and validation sets at a 7:3 ratio. Baseline characteristics, plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC), and direct renin concentration (DRC) before and after drug washout were separately recorded, and the aldosterone-to-renin ratio (ARR) was calculated. RESULTS: PAC and ARR were higher and direct renin concentration was lower in patients with PA than in patients with essential hypertension. Furthermore, the differences in blood potassium and sodium concentrations and hypertension grades between the two groups were significant. Using the abbreviations potassium (P), ARR (A), PAC (P), sodium (S), and hypertension grade 3 (3), the model was named PAPS3. The PAPS3 model had a maximum score of 10, with the cutoff value assigned as 5.5; it showed high sensitivity and specificity for screening PA in patients who exhibit difficulty in tolerating drug washout. CONCLUSION: PA screening remains crucial, and standard guidelines should be followed for patients to tolerate washout. The PAPS3 model offers an alternative to minimize risks and enhance diagnostic efficiency in PA for those facing washout challenges. Despite its high accuracy, further validation of this model is warranted through large-scale clinical studies.

[Evaluation of the application value of seven tumor-associated autoantibodies in non-small cell lung cancer based on machine learning algorithms].

Objective: Based on the diagnostic model established and validated by the machine learning algorithm, to investigate the value of seven tumor-associated autoantibodies (TAABs), namely anti-p53, PGP9.5, SOX2, GAGE7, GBU4-5, MAGEA1 and CAGE antibodies in the diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and to differentiate between NSCLC and benign lung nodules. Methods: This was a retrospective study of clinical cases. Model building queue: a total of 227 primary patients who underwent radical lung cancer surgery in the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, from November 2018 to June 2021 were collected as the NSCLC group, and 120 cases of benign lung nodules, 122 cases of pneumonia and 120 healthy individuals were selected as the control groups. External validation queue: a total of 100 primary patients who underwent radical lung cancer surgery in the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, from May 2022 to December 2022 were collected as the NSCLC group, and 36 cases of benign lung nodules, 32 cases of pneumonia and 44 healthy individuals were selected as the control groups. In addition, NSCLC was divided into early (stage 0-ⅠB) and mid-to-late (stage ⅡA-ⅢB) subgroups. The levels of 7-TAABs were detected by enzyme immunoassay, and serum concentrations of CEA and CYFRA21-1 were detected by electrochemiluminescence. Four machine learning algorithms, XGBoost, Lasso logistic regression, Naïve Bayes, and Support Vector Machine are used to establish classification models. And the best performance model was chosen based on evaluation metrics and a multi-indicator combination model was established. In addition, an online risk evaluation tool was generated to assist clinical applications. Results: Except for p53, the levels of rest six TAABs, CEA and CYFRA21-1 were significantly higher in the NSCLC group (P<0.05). Serum levels of anti-SOX2 [1.50 (0.60, 10.85) U/ml vs. 0.8 (0.20, 2.10) U/ml, Z=2.630, P<0.05] and MAGEA1 antibodies [0.20 (0.10, 0.43) U/ml vs. 0.10 (0.10, 0.20) U/ml, Z=2.289, P<0.05], CEA [3.13 (2.12, 5.64) ng/ml vs. 2.11 (1.25, 3.09) ng/ml, Z=3.970, P<0.05] and CYFRA21-1 [4.31(2.37, 7.14) ng/ml vs. 2.53(1.92, 3.48) ng/ml, Z=3.959, P<0.05] were significantly higher in patients with mid-to late-stage NSCLC than in early stages. XGBoost model was used to establish a multi-indicator combined detection model (after removing p53). 6-TAABs combined with CYFRA21-1 was the best combination model for the diagnosis of NSCLC and early NSCLC. The optimal diagnostic thresholds were 0.410, 0.701 and 0.744, and the AUC was 0.828, 0.757 and 0.741, respectively (NSCLC vs. control, NSCLC vs. benign lung nodules, early NSCLC vs. benign lung nodules) in model building queue, and the AUC was 0.760, 0.710 and 0.660, respectively (NSCLC vs. control, NSCLC vs. benign lung nodules, early NSCLC vs. benign lung nodules) in external validation queue. Conclusion: In the diagnosis of NSCLC, 6-TAABs is superior to that of traditional tumor markers CEA and CYFRA21-1, and can compensate for the shortcomings of traditional tumor markers. For the differential diagnosis of NSCLC and benign lung nodule, "6-TAABs+CYFRA21-1" is the most cost-effective combination, and plays an important role in prevention and screening for early lung cancer.

[The efficacy and safety of standardized dust mite allergen subcutaneous immunotherapy in children with allergic rhinitis during treatment].

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of standardized dust mite allergen subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) in children with allergic rhinitis (AR) during treatment. Methods: A total of 283 children with AR diagnosed with definite dust mite allergy and completed 2 to 3 years of SCIT who attended the Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, from August 2019 to October 2021 were included, including 205 males and 78 females, with a mean age of 10.8 years. The total nasal symptoms score (TNSS), symptom medication score (SMS), rhinoconjunctivitis quality of life questionnaire (RQLQ) and visual analogue scale (VAS) before and after 2 to 3 years' treatment were recorded, and the differences before and after treatment were compared. Adverse reactions during SCIT were recorded to evaluate its safety. SPSS 22.0 software was used for statistical analysis. Results: The overall effectiveness rate during SCIT in 283 children with AR was 89.4% (253/283). Compared with baseline, all symptom scores, medication scores and quality of life scores were significantly lower after 2 to 3 years of SCIT (all P<0.05). Further group comparisons showed positive efficacy in patients with different clinical characteristics, including age, gender, smoking status, family history of AR, symptom severity, mono-or poly-allergy, and second immunization, with no statistically significant differences between groups (all P>0.05). A total of 12 735 injections were administered during the SCIT, and a total of 213 (1.67%) injections of local adverse reactions occurred, mainly in the initial treatment phase, and the diameter of the local air mass was mostly 5 to 20 mm; 71 (0.56%) injections of systemic adverse reactions occurred, mainly in the initial treatment phase, and most of them were grade 1 reactions with no serious systemic adverse reaction such as shock. Conclusion: Standardized dust mite SCIT has a good safety profile and definite efficacy in treating AR children with different clinical characteristics. It can significantly improve all symptoms, reduce the use of symptomatic drugs and improve their quality of life.

[Association between muscle mass and quality of life in Shaanxi adults].

Objective: To investigate the association between muscle mass and quality of life in adults in Shaanxi adults. Methods: The data in this analysis were part of the baseline survey of the Regional Ethnic Cohort Study in Northwest China from June 2018 to May 2019 in Shaanxi Province. The participants' quality of life, including physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS), was assessed by the 12-Item Short Form Survey, and the Body Fat Determination System measured muscle mass. A logistic regression model with adjustment for confounding factors was established to analyze the association between muscle mass and quality of life in different genders. Further, sensitivity and subgroup analyses were conducted to explore its stability. Finally, a restricted cubic spline was employed to investigate the dose-response relationship between muscle mass and quality of life in different genders. Results: A total of 20 595 participants were included, with an average age of 55.0, and 33.4% were male. After controlling for potential confounders, compared with the Q1 group, the risk of low PCS was reduced by 20.6% (OR=0.794, 95%CI: 0.681-0.925) and the risk of low MCS was lower reduced by 20.1% (OR=0.799, 95%CI: 0.689-0.926) in female Q5 groups. Compared with the Q1 group, the risk of low PCS was reduced by 24.4% (OR=0.756, 95%CI: 0.644-0.888) in the male Q2 group. However, no significant association between muscle mass and MCS in males has been found. In females, restricted cubic spline analysis showed a significant linear dose-response relationship between muscle mass and PCS and MCS. Conclusions: There is a positive association between muscle mass and quality of life in Shaanxi adults, especially females. With the increase in muscle mass, the physical and mental functions of the population continue to improve.

[Knockdown of ACC1 promotes migration of esophageal cancer cell].

Objective: To investigate the effect of acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1) knockdown on the migration of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) KYSE-450 cell and underlying mechanism. Methods: Lentiviral transfection was conducted to establish sh-NC control cell and ACC1 knocking down cell (sh-ACC1). Human siRNA HSP27 and control were transfected by Lipo2000 to get si-HSP27 and si-NC. The selective acetyltransferase P300/CBP inhibitor C646 was used to inhibit histone acetylation and DMSO was used as vehicle control. Transwell assay was performed to detect cell migration. The expression of HSP27 mRNA was examined by reverse transcription-quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and the expressions of ACC1, H3K9ac, HSP27 and epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related proteins E-cadherin and Vimentin were detected by western blot. Results: The expression level of ACC1 in sh-NC group was higher than that in sh-ACC1 group (P<0.01). The number of cell migration in sh-NC group was (159.00±24.38), lower than (361.80±26.81) in sh-ACC1 group (P<0.01). The protein expression levels of E-cadherin and Vimentin in sh-NC group were statistically significant compared with sh-AAC1 group (P<0.05). The migrated cell number in sh-NC+ si-NC group was (189.20±16.02), lower than (371.60±38.40) in sh-ACC1+ si-NC group (P<0.01). The migrated cell number in sh-NC+ si-NC group was higher than that in sh-NC+ si-HSP27 group (152.40±24.30, P<0.01), and the migrated cell number in sh-ACC1+ si-NC group was higher than that in sh-ACC1+ si-HSP27 group (P<0.01). The protein expression levels of E-cadherin and Vimentin in sh-NC+ si-NC group were significantly different from those in sh-ACC1+ si-NC and sh-NC+ si-HSP27 groups (P<0.01). The protein expression levels of E-cadherin and Vimentin in sh-ACC1+ si-NC group were significantly different from those in sh-ACC1+ si-HSP27 group (P<0.01). After 24 h treatment with C646 at 20 µmmo/L, the migrated cell number in sh-NC+ DMSO group was (190.80±11.95), lower than (395.80±17.10) in sh-ACC1+ DMSO group (P<0.01). The migrated cell number in sh-NC+ DMSO group was lower than that in sh-NC+ C646 group (256.20±23.32, P<0.01). The migrated cell number in sh-ACC1+ DMSO group was higher than that in sh-ACC1+ C646 group (87.80±11.23, P<0.01). The protein expressions of H3K9ac, HSP27, E-cadherin and Vimentin in sh-NC+ DMSO group were significantly different from those in sh-ACC1+ DMSO group and sh-NC+ C646 group (P<0.01). The protein expression levels of H3K9ac, HSP27, E-cadherin and Vimentin in sh-ACC1+ DMSO group were significantly different from those in sh-ACC1+ C646 group (P<0.01). Conclusion: Knockdown of ACC1 promotes the migration of KYSE-450 cell by up-regulating HSP27 and increasing histone acetylation.

[Current status and hotspot of minimally invasive surgery for pancreatic head carcinoma].

With the improvement of laparoscopic equipment and surgical technology,pancreatic surgery has entered the "minimally invasive era".However,the use of minimally invasive pancreaticoduodenectomy in patients with pancreatic head cancer remains controversial.In recent years,China's pancreatic surgeons have been at the forefront of the world in terms of surgical technology,however,surgical philosophy, selection of indication,and perioperative management should be further stregthened. Additionally, the development of medical standards in various regions of China is seriously uneven,and minimally invasive pancreaticoduodenectomy still needs to be further standardized and popularized.Through this article,the author discusses the development status of minimally invasive surgery for pancreatic head cancer and related hot topics with fellow surgeons,in order to further improve the standard diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer in China.

[Snakes as a source of drugs from the Han to the Song Dynasties].

This paper examined the history of snakes as a source of drugs from the Han to the Song Dynasties. Snake products, for medicinal purposes, were not widely used in the Han, Wei and Jin Dynasties out of worship and fear of snakes.The source of snake products taken for medical purposes might be partly because local people ate snakes in the South area. Palace snakes and pit viper products were taken as drugs in the Tang Dynasty for the treatment of leprosy and ulcers of the female external genitals. Zaocysdhumnades were seldom used as medicine because they were not recorded in medical documents in the Tang Dynasty, but only seen in some notes. They were widely used in medical practice in the late Tang and the early Song Dynasties and were formally recorded in medical documents for the diseases caused by Wind. Their effectiveness, rarity, high value and toxicity contraindication were repeatedly stressed while palace snakes and pit vipers were seldom mentioned and used.

Bioinformatic analysis identified common pathogenetic processes between epilepsy and COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: With the ongoing progression of SARS-CoV-2-induced COVID-19, the post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (long COVID) has garnered increasing attention as a novel multisystem disorder. Long COVID-19 has been shown to impact the nervous system, leading to various neurological manifestations, including epilepsy and seizures. Current studies have reported a significant increase in the prevalence and mortality rate of epilepsy in COVID-19 patients. Additionally, COVID-19 exacerbates seizures in patients with epilepsy. However, the mechanisms underlying the impact of COVID-19 on epilepsy remain elusive. This research focused on further identifying and elucidating the molecular mechanisms and biological processes underlying the induction of epilepsy by COVID-19 through bioinformatic methods. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrieved four gene expression datasets related to COVID-19 and epilepsy patients from the GEO and ArrayExpress databases. By crossing the major modules of weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), the commonly expressed genes of epilepsy and COVID-19 were identified. By establishing the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of the common genes, 20 hub genes were recognized through CytoHubba. Furthermore, functional enrichment and immune cell infiltration analyses were conducted to explore the potential mechanisms of COVID-19-related epilepsy. RESULTS: We identified a total of 373 common genes between the two diseases. The functional enrichment analysis revealed that the common genes were mainly involved in biological processes related to the immune response. Further analysis of the Hub genes revealed the important role of abnormal lipid metabolism in the crosstalk between COVID-19 and epilepsy. LASSO regression identified CD38 and PRKCA as the potential shared diagnostic candidates, which also exhibited excellent diagnostic value in the validation dataset. The immune infiltration analysis showed that activated dendritic cells (DCs) were positively correlated with the phenotypes of both diseases. CONCLUSIONS: This research revealed the potential mechanisms of COVID-19-related epilepsy, providing novel insights for the prevention, diagnosis, and clinical management strategies of COVID-19-related epilepsy.

[Inhibition of GAS5 promoted invasion, migration and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of colorectal cancer cells via miR-21/PTEN/Akt axis].

Objective: To explore the effect of growth arrest-specific5 (GAS5) inhibition on the proliferation, colony formation, invasion, migration andepithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT), cancer cell stem of HCT-116 and its mechanism. Methods: The colorectal carcinoma (CRC) cell HCT116 was divided into blank control, negative control (NC), si-GAS5 and si-GAS5+ miR-21 inhibitor groups. The quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to test the expressions of miR-21 and GAS5 at 48 h after transfection. The binding site of GAS5 and miR-21 was determined by luciferase reporter array. Cell proliferation ability was detected by CCK-8 assay. Cell colony ability was detected by colony formation assay. Cell invasion and migration abilities were detected by Transwell assay. Cell cycle and apoptosis were examined by flow cytometer (FCM). The protein levels of EMT associated factors including Snail, N-cadherin, vimentin, E-cadherin, stem cell related factors including CD44, SOX2, Oct2, and PTEN/Akt signal pathway associated factors were examined by western blotting. Results: The expression levels of miR-21 in blank, NC, si-GAS5 group were 1.00±0.10, 1.00±0.10, 1.80±0.20, the absorbance values were 0.51±0.02, 0.50±0.01 and 0.65±0.01, the cell clones were 90±4, 91±5, 200±8, the invaded cells were 118±3, 119±3, 150±4, the migrated cells were 110±2, 108±2, 127±2, the cell ratios in G(1) phase were (49.3±2.1)%, (50.1±2.0)% and (42.2±1.1)%, the cell ratios in S phase were (19.2±1.2)%, (20.2±1.1)% and (28.3±2.2)%, the cell apoptotic ratios were (14.4±2.2)%, (14.5±2.1)% and (7.2±1.3)%. These results indicated that inhibition of GAS5 up regulated the expression level of miR-21, promoted cell proliferation, invasion and migration, decreased G(1)-phase cells and increased S-phase cells, and suppressed cell apoptosis (P<0.05). Moreover, inhibition of GAS5 up regulated the expressions of Snail, N-cadherin, vimentin, Sox2, CD44, Oct2 and p-Akt in HCT-116 cells (P<0.05), while down regulated the expressions of E-cadherin and PTEN (P<0.05). Inhibition of miR-21 reversed the impact of GAS5 knockdown on PTEN/Akt signaling pathway (P<0.05). Conclusion: GAS5 can act as a competing endogenous RNA for miR-21, and down regulation of GAS5 can promote the development of CRC by activating the miR-21/PTEN/Akt signaling pathway and promoting the acquisition of EMT and tumor cell stemness.

Visualization of Chiral Electronic Structure and Anomalous Optical Response in a Material with Chiral Charge Density Waves.

Chiral materials have attracted significant research interests as they exhibit intriguing physical properties, such as chiral optical response, spin-momentum locking, and chiral induced spin selectivity. Recently, layered transition metal dichalcogenide 1T-TaS_{2} has been found to host a chiral charge density wave (CDW) order. Nevertheless, the physical consequences of the chiral order, for example, in electronic structures and the optical properties, are yet to be explored. Here, we report the spectroscopic visualization of an emergent chiral electronic band structure in the CDW phase, characterized by windmill-shaped Fermi surfaces. We uncover a remarkable chirality-dependent circularly polarized Raman response due to the salient in-plane chiral symmetry of CDW, although the ordinary circular dichroism vanishes. Chiral Fermi surfaces and anomalous Raman responses coincide with the CDW transition, proving their lattice origin. Our Letter paves a path to manipulate the chiral electronic and optical properties in two-dimensional materials and explore applications in polarization optics and spintronics.

[Expression of miR-17-5p in the plasma of patients with multiple myeloma and its role in tumorigenesis and development].

Objective: To investigate the expression of miR-17-5p in the plasma of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and its role in tumorigenesis and development. Methods: Patients diagnosed with unidentified monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) or MM in Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University from April 2013 to April 2018 were enrolled, as well as 20 healthy volunteers. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the expression levels of miR-17-5p in plasma circulation and bone marrow mononuclear cells. There were 22 cases with newly diagnosed MM (NDMM), 11 cases with complete remission MM (CRMM) and 59 case with recurrent refractory MM (RRMM). The expression levels of miR-17-5p in each group were analyzed. The correlation analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between plasma miR-17-5p and the proportion of serum M protein and bone marrow plasma cells in patients with untreated multiple myeloma. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the possibility of plasma miR-17-5p as a molecular marker related to MM diagnosis. After over expression or knockdown of miR-17-5p expression, CCK-8 method was used to detect the effect of miR-17-5p on the proliferation of MM cell line. The effect of miR-17-5p on the proliferation of MM cells was detected in nude mice subcutaneous tumorigenesis experiment. Results: The expression of miR-17-5p in bone marrow mononuclear cells in NDMM and RRMM group were higher than those in healthy volunteers [1.37 (0.47, 4.87), 2.68 (1.02, 5.02) vs 1.00 (1.00, 1.00), all P<0.05], and the expression levels of miR-17-5p in plasma were also higher than those in healthy control group [1.85 (0.92, 3.51), 2.79 (1.22, 5.04) vs 1.00 (1.00, 1.00), all P<0.05]. The expression of miR-17-5p in MM cell lines such as KMS-11, RPMI-8226, H929, MM-1R, U266B1 were higher than that in bone marrow mononuclear cells of healthy control group (3.96±0.68, 1.58±0.32, 3.51±0.55, 5.08±0.76, 3.22±0.75 vs 1.00±0, all P<0.05) ; Plasma miR-17-5p was positively correlated with the ratio of serum M protein and bone marrow plasma cells (r=0.50, P<0.05; r=0.60, P<0.01). ROC curve showed that the specificity was 0.591 and the sensitivity was 0.900 of plasma miR-17-5p as a molecular marker related to diagnosis (area under ROC curve=0.74, cut-off value: 0.491). CCK-8 results showed that over expression of miR-17-5p increased the proliferation of RPMI-8226 and NCI-H929 cell lines at 72 hours compared with the control group (1.37±0.11 vs 1.07±0.09, 2.14±0.09 vs 1.82±0.11, both P<0.05), and low expression of miR-17-5p reduced the proliferation of NCI-H929 and MM-1R cell lines at 72 hours compared with the control group (1.38±0.09 vs 1.83±0.11, 1.45±0.10 vs 1.73±0.09, both P<0.05). The subcutaneous tumorigenesis experiment in nude mice showed that the tumor volume of miR-17-5p over expression group was larger than that of the control group [(1 865±181) vs (1 389±227) mm3, P<0.05], and the tumor volume of miR-17-5p low expression group was smaller than that of the control group [ (1 006±171) vs (1 389±227) mm3, P<0.05]. Conclusion: miR-17-5p may play an oncogene role in MM cell lines as a plasma molecular marker related to the development of MM disease.

[Clinical characteristics and outcome analysis of COVID-19 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis].

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and tuberculosis (TB) are two respiratory infectious diseases with a high incidence of transmission, mainly via respiratory droplets and both can weaken the immune system and lower the number of CD4+T cells in patients. COVID-19 can occur before, at the same time or after the diagnosis of TB. Patients with pulmonary TB are more likely to have co-infection when they have a history of epidemiological exposure to COVID-19. At present, many cases of nosocomial infection of COVID-19 caused by ineffective prevention and control measures in tuberculosis hospitals have been reported successively at domestic and overseas. Therefore, it is urgent to strengthen the prevention and control of nosocomial infections in tuberculosis hospitals. The superposition of the two diseases can lead to a worsening prognosis, aggravating the patient's condition and making treatment more difficult. In addition, in the context of the new coronavirus epidemic, early recognition of co-infection with new coronavirus should be made when TB patients in chest hospitals present with symptoms such as aggregated fever or progressive disease. At the same time, we should focus on identifying the clinical and imaging manifestations of TB and COVID-19 co-infection. At present, research on COVID-19 complicated with pulmonary TB is scarce, and there are disputes on many aspects. As a country with a high prevalence of tuberculosis, it is of great practical significance to identify the clinical characteristics, outcomes, and treatment of the two infectious diseases in China.

[Application of cortical bone trajectory screw and sacral alar screw internal fixation for surgical treatment of lumbar adjacent segment degeneration].

Objective: To explore the application of cortical bone trajectory screw (CBTS) and sacral alar screw (SAS) internal fixation in the treatment of lumbar adjacent segment degeneration (ASD) and evaluate its clinical effect. Methods: Data of 24 patients who were diagnosed with ASD and treated by CBTS or SAS in Beijing Chaoyang Hospital were retrospectively reviewed. There were 14 males and 10 females with a mean age of (67.9±8.2) years. The patients were followed-up for (2.6±0.4) years. Perioperative parameters including operation time, intraoperative blood loss and postoperative time on the ground were counted. All patients were followed-up for at least 2 years. Visual analogue scale (VAS) and the Oswestry disability index (ODI) were compared between pre-operation and at the last follow-up. The internal fixation-related complications, pseudarthrosis and adjacent re-degeneration were evaluated in the follow-up. Results: There were 14 proximal ASD patients, 8 distal ASD patients, 1 both ends ASD patient and 1 ASD patient in between the fusion surgeries. Bone mineral density (BMD) T score of the adjacent vertebrae was -1.98±0.91 on average. The ASD patients were re-operated with CBTS and SAS internal fixation technique. A small incision was made in the revision surgery and the original fixation was not completely cut open and removed. The mean operation time was (125±36) min, mean blood loss was (85±33) ml. The postoperative ambulation time was (3.1±1.9) days, and the hospitalization time was (9.0±2.6) days. Before the operation, the average VAS (back pain) score was 5.2±1.0, the average of VAS (leg pain) score was 6.8±1.9 and ODI was 56.6%±12.8%. VAS score was reduced to 1.4±0.6 (waist pain) and 0.9±0.4 (leg pain). ODI was improved to 13.8%±6.3%. All the difference between preoperative and the last follow-up was statically significant (all P<0.01). No internal fixation failure, pseudarthrosis and adjacent re-degeneration were observed in the final follow-up. Conclusion: The application of CBTS and SAS internal fixation techniques in the surgical treatment of lumbar ASD has the advantages of less trauma, faster postoperative recovery, reliable internal fixation, and fewer complications, especially in patients with low bone mineral density.

[Hierarchical clustering analysis of congenital nystagmus waveforms].

Objective: To explore the feasibility of applying machine-learning hierarchical clustering algorithm to waveform-type automatic classification and diagnosis in congenital nystagmus (CN). Methods: A retrospective case series study. A total of 90 patients (90 eyes) diagnosed with CN at Tianjin Eye Hospital from December 2018 to September 2019 were included in the study, including 67 males and 23 females, aged (12±9) years old. Eye movement waveforms were recorded with the video eye tracker in all patients. Analyses with unsupervised machine-learning hierarchical clustering algorithm were performed on the normalized eye movement waveforms. The visualized clustering results were obtained for further waveform naming. The occurrence rate of each waveform type was calculated, and the correlation between the proportion of each waveform type and the visual function of CN patients was analyzed. Independent sample t-test and Pearson correlation analysis were used for statistical analysis. Results: The 46 620 cycles of validated waveforms from the 90 CN patients were categorized into 7 types of waveforms through machine-learning hierarchical clustering algorithm, named type Ⅰ, type Ⅱ, type Ⅲ, and types Ⅳ1-4, respectively. In the 46 620 cycles of eye movement waveforms from the 90 patients with CN, there were 14 259 cycles of type Ⅰ (30.59%), 11 498 cycles of type Ⅱ (24.66%), 4 083 cycles of type Ⅲ (8.76%), 5 430 cycles of type Ⅳ1 (11.65%), 3 451 cycles of type Ⅳ2 (7.40%), 3 015 cycles of type Ⅳ3 (6.47%), 2 663 cycles of type Ⅳ4 (5.71%) and 2 221 cycles of unclassified waveforms (4.76%). The waveforms of types Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ corresponded to the 3 basic CN eye movement waveforms (velocity-increasing jerk waveform, velocity-decreasing jerk waveform and pendular waveform) described in the textbooks, and the waveforms of types Ⅳ1-4 were complex waveforms. The proportions of patients with the 7 types of waveforms were 78.89% (71 cases), 41.11% (37 cases), 17.78% (16 cases), 20.00% (18 cases), 7.78% (7 cases), 15.56% (14 cases) and 11.11% (10 cases), respectively. According to the results of automatic classification, 38 (42.22%) CN patients presented with only one type of waveforms, and the remaining 52 (57.78%) CN patients presented with two or more types of waveforms, including 23 (25.56%) patients with 3 or more types of waveforms and 5 (5.56%) patients with 4 types of waveforms. The proportions of type Ⅰ component were significantly correlated with the patients' best corrected visual acuities (BCVAs;logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution) (r=-0.39; P<0.01), and there was no relationship between the proportions of type Ⅱ component and the patients' BCVAs (P>0.05). The BCVAs of the patients with type Ⅰ as the dominant component were better than those of the patients with type Ⅱ as the dominant component, with statistically significant difference (0.19±0.14 vs. 0.45±0.37;t=2.77; P<0.05). Conclusion: Machine-learning hierarchical clustering algorithm can be used for waveform-type automatic classification and discrimination in CN and provide an auxiliary method for the precise diagnosis and evaluation of the disease.

[Effects and mechanism of pressure treatment on hemodynamic changes in patients with hypertrophic scar secondary to extensive burns].

Objective: To investigate the hemodynamic changes of the main arteries and veins of the extremities and the heart in patients with hypertrophic scar secondary to extensive burns after pressure treatment, and to analyze the relevant mechanisms. Methods: A retrospective before-after self-control study was conducted. From January 2017 to February 2022, 37 patients with hypertrophic scar secondary to extensive burns who met the inclusion criteria were hospitalized in the Burn Rehabilitation Department of Guangdong Industrial Injury Rehabilitation Hospital, including 25 males and 12 females, aged 23-52 years. The patients were admitted to the hospital within 12 weeks after wound healing, and within one week after admission, rehabilitation therapists, occupational therapists, and tailors custom-made pressure products such as full-body pressure garment, pressure pants, vests, split finger gloves, split finger socks, hoods, and plastic collars, with the pressure at each part maintained at 2.67-4.00 kPa when wearing. Before the first treatment with pressure products (hereinafter referred to as before pressure treatment) and at 1 h of the first treatment with pressure products (hereinafter referred to as 1 h of pressure treatment), color Doppler ultrasonography was performed to check the pulse rate of the axillary artery, the lumen diameter, peak systolic velocity (PSV), and resistance index of the axillary artery and femoral artery on the left side, the lumen diameter, cross-sectional area, and average blood flow velocity of the axillary vein and femoral vein, and the mitral valve E peak, mitral valve A peak, tricuspid valve E peak, aortic valve PSV, and pulmonary valve PSV of the heart; an optical chromatographic skin detector was used to detect the red color, red pigment, and surface brightness of the scar on the back of the hand to reflect the filling and distribution of the scar microvessels. Data were statistically analyzed with paired sample t test. Results: Compared with those before pressure treatment, the PSV of the axillary artery of patients was significantly slowed down at 1 h of pressure treatment (t=55.42, P<0.01); the average blood flow velocity of the axillary vein was significantly accelerated (t=-60.50, P<0.01); the pulse rate, lumen diameter, and resistance index of the axillary artery, as well as the lumen diameter and cross-sectional area of the axillary vein did not change obviously (P>0.05); the average blood flow velocity of the femoral vein was significantly accelerated (t=-80.52, P<0.01); the lumen diameter, PSV, and resistance index of the femoral artery, as well as the lumen diameter and cross-sectional area of the femoral vein had no significant change (P>0.05); the mitral valve E peak and mitral valve A peak of the heart decreased significantly (with t values of 10.71 and 21.96, respectively, P<0.01); the tricuspid valve E peak of the heart increased significantly (t=7.57, P<0.01); the PSV of the aortic valve and pulmonary valve of the heart did not change obviously (P>0.05). At 1 h of pressure treatment, the red color and red pigment values of the scar on the back of the hand of patients were 15.3±1.1 and 16.8±1.2, respectively, which were significantly lower than 24.5±1.3 and 23.8±1.2 before pressure treatment (with t values of 8.32 and 8.04, respectively, P<0.01). The brightness value of the scar surface on the back of the hand of patients at 1 h of pressure treatment was similar to that before pressure treatment (P>0.05). Conclusions: After pressure treatment for the hypertrophic scar in patients secondary to extensive burn, the average blood flow velocity of the axillary vein and femoral vein in patients are obviously accelerated, the PSV of the axillary artery is significantly slowed down, the peak values of mitral valve E and mitral valve A of the heart are significantly decreased, and the tricuspid valve E peak is significantly increased. These hemodynamic changes may be related to the reduction of microvascular blood flow in the local area of scar after systemic pressure treatment.

[Clinical application and prospect of lumbar cortical bone trajectory screw].

For a long time, lumbar pedicle screw fixation and fusion has been regarded as the gold standard for the treatment of the lumbar spine degenerative diseases. However, in patients with osteoporosis, pedicle screw fixation often fails to obtain long-term satisfactory. In recent years, the emergence of cortical bone trajectory screw has become an alternative option for dealing with these problems. With the development of clinical and basic research, scholars have found that cortical bone screw internal fixation can help improve fixation strength, reduce surgical trauma, and accelerate postoperative recovery. Based on the current evidence-based research and clinical application experience, this article analyzes the research hotspots of cortical bone screws, introduces the experience and pitfalls in clinical practice, and provides references for colleagues.