Soybean GmGolS2-2 improves drought resistance of transgenic tobacco / 生物工程学报

Galactinol synthase (GolS) genes play important roles in plant response to abiotic stress. In this research, the plant expression vector of soybean GmGolS2-2 gene was constructed and transformed into tobacco to study the drought tolerance of transgenic tobacco. A GmGolS2-2 gene with 975 bp coding sequence was cloned from soybean leaves by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). GmGolS2-2 was linked to the plant expression vector pRI101 by restriction enzyme sites Nde Ⅰ and EcoR Ⅰ, and transformed into tobacco by leaf disc method. Genomic DNA PCR and real-time PCR showed that three GmGolS2-2 transgenic tobacco plants were obtained. The growth status of GmGolS2-2 transgenic tobacco under drought stress was better than that of wild-type tobacco. After drought stress treatment, the electrolyte leakage and malondialdehyde content of transgenic tobacco were lower than those of wild-type tobacco, but the proline content and soluble sugar content were higher than those of wild-type tobacco. The results of real-time PCR showed that the heterologous expression of GmGolS2-2 increased the expression of stress-related genes NtERD10C and NtAQP1 in transgenic tobacco. The above results indicated that GmGolS2-2 improved drought resistance of transgenic tobacco.

Role of the criteria based on preoperative serological indexes of AFP and GGT in predicting long-term survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after liver transplantation / 器官移植

Objective To evaluate the role of preoperative serological indexes in predicting long-term survival and tumor recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients after liver transplantation, aiming to explore its significance in expanding the Milan criteria. Methods Clinical data of 669 recipients undergoing liver transplantation for HCC were retrospectively analyzed. The optimal cut-off value was calculated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The risk factors affecting the overall survival and recurrence-free survival rates of HCC patients after liver transplantation were identified by univariate and multivariate regression analyses. The correlation between preoperative serum liver enzymes and pathological characteristics in HCC patients was analyzed. The predictive values of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) combined with γ -glutamyl transferase (GGT) and different liver transplant criteria for the survival and recurrence of HCC patients after liver transplantation were compared. Results Exceeded Milan criteria, total tumor diameter (TTD) > 8 cm, AFP > 200 ng/mL and GGT > 84 U/L were the independent risk factors for the overall survival and recurrence-free survival rates of HCC patients after liver transplantation (all P < 0.05). Correlation analysis showed that preoperative serum GGT level was correlated with TTD, number of tumor, venous invasion, microsatellite lesions, capsular invasion, tumor, node, metastasis (TNM) stage, Child-Pugh score and exceeded Milan criteria (all P < 0.05). Milan-AFP-GGT-TTD (M-AGT) criteria were proposed by combining Milan criteria, TTD with serum liver enzyme indexes (AFP and GGT). The 5-year overall survival and recurrence-free survival rates of HCC recipients who met the M-AGT criteria (111 cases of exceeded Milan criteria) were significantly higher than those who met Hangzhou criteria (both P < 0.05), whereas had no significant difference from their counterparts who met the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF) criteria (both P > 0.05). Conclusions Preoperative serological indexes of AFP and GGT could effectively predict the long-term survival and tumor recurrence of HCC patients after liver transplantation. Establishing the M-AGT criteria based on serological indexes contributes to expanding the Milan criteria, which is convenient and feasible.

Precise Introduction of Single Vanadium Site into Indium-Organic Framework for CO2 Capture and Photocatalytic Fixation.

The capture and fixation of CO2 under mild conditions is a cost-effective route to reduce greenhouse gases, but it is challenging because of the low conversion and selectivity issues. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are promising in the fields of adsorption and catalysis because of their structural tunability and variability. However, the precise structural design of MOFs is always pursued and elusive. In this work, a metal-mixed MOF (SNNU-97-InV) was designed by precisely introducing single vanadium site into the isostructural In-MOF (SNNU-97-In). The single V sites clearly change the interactions between the MOF framework and CO2 molecules, leading to a 71.3% improvement in the CO2 adsorption capacity. At the same time, the enhanced light absorption enables SNNU-97-InV to efficiently convert CO2 into cyclic carbonates (CCs) with epoxides under illumination. Controlled experiments showed that the promoted performance of SNNU-97-InV may be that the V═O site can more easily combine with CO2 and convert them into an intermediate state under illumination, and the possible mechanism was thus speculated.

The predictive value of emergency bedside echocardiography on acute pancreatitis severity by assessing cardiac dysfunction / 中华急诊医学杂志

Objective:To investigate the predictive value of emergency bedside echocardiography on acute pancreatitis (AP) severity by assessing cardiac dysfunction.Methods:The clinical data used in this study was prospectively collected from AP patients in the Emergency Department of Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University from June 2018 to December 2020. According to the Atlanta Classification revised at the 2012 Atlanta International Conference, patients were divided into three groups of mild acute pancreatitis (MAP), moderate-severe acute pancreatitis (MSAP), and severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). The differences of comprehensive score index, blood-related index, and echocardiography-related index were compared among the three groups. Besides, the predictive factors of SAP were analyzed by Logistic regression, receiving operating characteristic (ROC) curves of subjects were drawn, and the area under the curve (AUC) was analyzed to evaluate the predictive efficiency.Results:A total of 116 patients were enrolled in this study. Compared with the non-SAP group (MAP group+MSAP group), acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ(APACHE Ⅱ) score, sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score, Ranson score, procalcitonin, cardiac troponin I (cTnI), N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NTproBNP), EDD, A-peak, E/A, E'/A', and stroke volume (SV) exhibited significant differences (all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in end-systolic diameter, E-peak, and left ventricular ejection fraction among the three groups ( P>0.05). Logistic regression analysis revealed that SOFA score, Ranson score, cTnI, NTproBNP, E'/A', and SV were important predictors of AP severity (all AUC>0.7). Moreover, the predictive value of echocardiography cardiac function assessment index (E'/A' +SV, AUC=0.969) and score index (SOFA score +Ranson score, AUC=0.989) for SAP was better than that of blood index (cTnI+NTproBNP, AUC=0.732). Conclusions:Echocardiographic indicators E'/A' and SV have acceptable predictive values for SAP, providing certain guiding significance for the clinical treatment of AP patients.

Diagnostic efficacy of serum NT-proBNP and D-dimer for cardiogenic cerebral embolism based on population in southern Sichuan / 中国医师杂志

Objective:To investigate the diagnostic efficacy of serum N-terminal B-type brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and D-dimer for cardiogenic cerebral embolism (CE) based on population in southern Sichuan.Methods:We selected the clinical data of 313 patients with acute cerebral infarction (ACI) for the first time, 34 patients with simple atrial fibrillation (AF) and 30 healthy people who were admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University from June 2019 to April 2021. The patients with ACI were divided into four subgroups according to the Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST) typing: large artery atherosclerosis (LAA), CE, small artery occlusion (SAO), and indeterminate subtype (UT). The differences in clinical data in the groups were compared. At the same time, the differences of NT-proBNP and D-dimer in serum in CE group, AF group and healthy group were compared; The risk factors of CE were analyzed by binary logistic regression, and the diagnostic efficacy of serum NT-proBNP and D-dimer for CE was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.Results:The prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) at admission, prothrombin time (PT), international normalized ratio (INR), fibrinogen (FIB), D-dimer, fibrinogen degradation products (FDP), National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score at admission, NT-proBNP and AF rate were significantly different among ACI subgroups (all P<0.05); There was no significant difference in PT and NIHSS score at admission between LAA group and CE group (all P>0.05). The prevalence of D-dimer, NT-proBNP and AF rate in CE group was significantly higher than those in other three groups (all P<0.05). The D-dimer, NT-proBNP, FDP and SBP level in CE group were significantly higher than those in AF group and healthy group (all P<0.05). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that D-dimer and NT-proBNP were independent risk factors for CE (both P<0.05). When the optimal cut-off value of serum D-dimer was 1.015 mg/L, the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.896 (95% CI: 0.856-0.935, P<0.01); the sensitivity and specificity were 0.878 and 0.833, respectively; the positive predictive value and the negative predictive value were 0.705 and 0.953, respectively. When the best cut-off value of serum NT-proBNP was 657.145 ng/L, the AUC was 0.987 (95% CI: 0.977-0.998, P<0.01); the sensitivity and specificity were 0.959 and 0.963, respectively; the positive predictive value and the negative predictive value were 0.922 and 0.981, respectively. The accuracy of the combined detection of serum D-dimer and NT-proBNP in the diagnosis of CE was higher, and the AUC was 0.988 (95% CI: 0.978-0.998, P<0.01), sensitivity of 0.960, specificity of 0.977, positive predictive value of 0.950, negative predictive value of 0.982. Conclusions:The serum levels of NT-proBNP and D-dimer in CE patients increased significantly; NT-proBNP and D-dimer are important predictors of CE and have higher diagnostic efficacy for CE. The combination of them has a higher specificity for diagnosis.

The relationship between level of cytokines and onset of severe dengue and their role as early warning signs / 中华微生物学和免疫学杂志

Objective:To compare the levels of cytokines in patients with dengue fever (DF) and severe dengue (SD) at different time points during the course of disease, to seek the cytokines that can be used as early warning signs of SD, and to explore the relationship between the immune response and the pathogenesis of SD.Methods:Plasma samples at different time points were collected from 60 hospitalized patients including 48 mild cases and 12 severe cases in Guangzhou Eighth People′s Hospital during June to December, 2014. Levels of 19 cytokines including TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-15, IL-17A, IFN-α2, IP-10, MCP-1, RANTES, GRO-α, PDGF-AA, PDGF-AB/BB, MIF, VEGF, sVCAM-1, sICAM-1, sFas and sFasL were determined by a multiplex Luminex system.The viral loads were determined by using fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR and the correlation between viral loads and cytokine level were analyzed.Results:The levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-15, IFN-α2, IP-10, MCP-1 and sVCAM-1 increased in dengue patients, while RANTES, GRO-α and PDGF decreased.The levels of IL-17A, MIF, VEGF, sICAM-1, sFas and sFasL did not change. The levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IFN-α2, IP-10 and sVCAM-1 in SD patients were significantly higher than those in DF patients at the early stage (Day 2-5 after disease onset), and the differences were statistically significant. On day 6-10, the levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-15, PDGF, RANTES, IFN-α2, IP-10 and sVCAM-1 were significantly different between DF and SD patients. The results of correlation analysis showed that the level of IL-15 was moderately correlated with viral load, while other cytokines was only weakly correlated or not.Conclusions:TNF-α, IL-6, IFN-α2, IP-10 and sVCAM-1 can be used as early warning signs of SD. The level of cytokines is related to the severity of dengue fever.

Serotype distribution and phylogenetic analysis of virus complete genome from indigenous dengue patients in Guangzhou in 2019 / 中华微生物学和免疫学杂志

Objective:To investigate the serotype distribution and phylogenetic analysis of virus complete genome from indigenous dengue patients in Guangzhou in 2019 and provide evidence for the development of prevention and treatment strategies.Methods:Dengue virus serotypes of indigenous dengue cases in 2019 were detected using serotype specific fluorescent PCR kits. Complete genome in the culture was performed on Illumina platform. Phylogenetic analysis was conducted on complete genomes extracted from ViPR and the isolates from this study with MEGA7.0 software.Results:In 2019, three prevalent serotypes of dengue virus were found in Guangzhou, among which serotype 1 accounted for 80.35%, serotype 2 accounted for 12.97% and serotype 3 accounted for 6.68%. There were no significant differences in gender, age and severity among three serotypes. Phylogenetic analysis of virus complete genome showed that serotype 1 belonged to genotypeⅠand had two origins, which was close to the Cambodian strain; serotype 2 belonged to genotype cosmopolitan, which was close to the epidemic strain in Southeast Asia; serotype 3 belonged to genotypeⅢ, which was in the same branch as the Indian strain.Conclusions:The dengue epidemic was caused by dengue virus serotypes 1, 2 and 3 in Guangzhou in 2019. Each serotype belonged to a genotype.

cFos-ANAB: A cFos-based Web Tool for Exploring Activated Neurons and Associated Behaviors / 神经科学通报·英文版

cFos is one of the most widely-studied genes in the field of neuroscience. Currently, there is no systematic database focusing on cFos in neuroscience. We developed a curated database-cFos-ANAB-a cFos-based web tool for exploring activated neurons and associated behaviors in rats and mice, comprising 398 brain nuclei and sub-nuclei, and five associated behaviors: pain, fear, feeding, aggression, and sexual behavior. Direct relationships among behaviors and nuclei (even cell types) under specific stimulating conditions were constructed based on cFos expression profiles extracted from original publications. Moreover, overlapping nuclei and sub-nuclei with potentially complex functions among different associated behaviors were emphasized, leading to results serving as important clues to the development of valid hypotheses for exploring as yet unknown circuits. Using the analysis function of cFos-ANAB, multi-layered pictures of networks and their relationships can quickly be explored depending on users' purposes. These features provide a useful tool and good reference for early exploration in neuroscience. The cFos-ANAB database is available at www.cfos-db.net .

cFos-ANAB: A cFos-based Web Tool for Exploring Activated Neurons and Associated Behaviors / 神经科学通报·英文版

cFos is one of the most widely-studied genes in the field of neuroscience. Currently, there is no systematic database focusing on cFos in neuroscience. We developed a curated database—cFos-ANAB—a cFos-based web tool for exploring activated neurons and associated behaviors in rats and mice, comprising 398 brain nuclei and sub-nuclei, and five associated behaviors: pain, fear, feeding, aggression, and sexual behavior. Direct relationships among behaviors and nuclei (even cell types) under specific stimulating conditions were constructed based on cFos expression profiles extracted from original publications. Moreover, overlapping nuclei and sub-nuclei with potentially complex functions among different associated behaviors were emphasized, leading to results serving as important clues to the development of valid hypotheses for exploring as yet unknown circuits. Using the analysis function of cFos-ANAB, multi-layered pictures of networks and their relationships can quickly be explored depending on users’ purposes. These features provide a useful tool and good reference for early exploration in neuroscience. The cFos-ANAB database is available at www.cfos-db.net.

Associations of clinical characteristics and antiviral drugs with viral RNA clearance in patients with COVID-19 in Guangzhou, China: a retrospective cohort study

BackgroundThe novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) characterized by respiratory symptoms has become a global pandemic although factors influencing viral RNA clearance remained unclear to inform optimal isolation period and treatment strategies. MethodsIn this retrospective study, we included patients with confirmed COVID-19 admitted to Guangzhou Eighth Peoples Hospital from 20th January 2020 to 15th March 2020. The associations of clinical characteristics and treatment regimens on time to viral RNA clearance were analyzed. ResultsWe examined 284 consecutive COVID-19 cases, accounting for 82% of confirmed cases in Guangzhou during this period. At the time of reporting (20th March 2020), 276 (97.2%) had recovered and were discharged from hospital with a median hospital stay of 18 days (interquartile range [IQR]:13-24). Overall, 280 patients achieved viral RNA clearance with a median length of 12 days (IQR: 8-16) after onset of illness. Amongst them, 66.1% had viral RNA cleared within 14 days, and 89.3% within 21 days. Older age, severity of disease, time lag from illness onset to hospital admission, high body temperature, and corticosteroid use were associated with delayed clearance of viral RNA. None of the antiviral regimens (chloroquine, oseltamivir, arbidol, and lopinavir/ritonavir) improved viral RNA clearance. The use of lopinavir/ritonavir was associated with delayed clearance of viral RNA after adjusting for confounders. ConclusionIn patients with COVID-19, isolation for a minimum of 21 days after onset of illness may be warranted, while the use of antiviral drugs does not enhance viral RNA clearance. Brief SummaryViral RNA was cleared in 89% of the COVID-19 patients within 21 days after illness onset. The use of antiviral drugs (chloroquine, oseltamivir, arbidol, and lopinavir/ritonavir) did not shorten viral RNA clearance, especially in non-serious cases.

Analysis of immunological features of 135 patients with corona virus disease 2019 in Guangzhou City / 中华传染病杂志

Objective:To investigate the immunological features of 135 patients with corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and to provide reference for the pathogenesis of the disease.Methods:The clinical and laboratory data of 135 confirmed COVID-19 patients in Guangzhou Eighth People′s Hospital from January 23 to February 29, 2020 were collected. The features of lymphocytes (CD4 + and CD8 + T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, natural killer cells and natural killer T cells), and cytokines (interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interferon (IFN)-γ) of patients at a median of 19 (14, 27) days of admission were analyzed. Kruskal-Wallis test, Mann-Whitney U test, chi-square test and Spearman rank correlation were used for statistical analysis. Results:Patients were divided into three groups according to the relevant diagnostic criteria, including mild group (14 cases), ordinary group (92 cases) and severe group (29 cases). Decreased CD4 + T lymphocytes were found in 44.4% (60/135) patients, while decreased CD8 + T lymphocytes were found in 42.2%(57/135) patients. Compared to mild group and ordinary group, level of CD4 + T lymphocytes in severe group was significant lower ( Z=4.379 and 3.799, respectively, both P<0.01), and level of CD8 + T lymphocytes was also significant lower ( Z=2.684 and 3.306, respectively, P=0.022 and 0.003, respectively). Decreased B lymphocytes were found in 25.3% (24/95) patients and significant different among the three groups, with the lowest levels ((88(56, 189)/μL; Z=6.199, P=0.045) and most frequency of decreased levels ((52.2%(12/23); χ2=11.723, P=0.003) in the severe group. Compared to the mild group and the ordinary group, IL-6 level in severe group was significant higher ( Z=-4.022 and -4.108, respectively, both P<0.01) and IL-10 level was also significant higher ( Z=-3.261 and -4.006, respectively, both P<0.01). Similar levels of IL-2, IL-4, TNF-α and IFN-γ were found among three groups (all P>0.05). The IL-6 level was positively correlated with the persistence of viral shedding ( r=0.301, P=0.007). Conclusion:The immune-mediated inflammation may be the important cause of disease deterioration of COVID-19, which might be the key target of the treatment of severe cases.

Compliance of statin use among cardiovascular risk residents in a community in Tianjin / 中华全科医师杂志

Objective:To investigate the compliance of statins and influencing factors in population with cardiovascular risks in the community.Methods:One hundred and eighty-six residents with cardiovascular disease risks in a community of Tianjin were recruited from June 2017 to October 2017. The Chinese revised version of the compliance Morisky scale was used to assess the compliance, and the influencing factors were analyzed.Results:Among all subjects 119 were prescribed with statins (64.0%,119/186) , of whom 7.6% (9/119) did not take the drug. According to the risk assessment of arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in the next 10 years, among the 110 subjects taking the medicine, there were 18 subjects with intermediate risk and 92 with high risk. The subjects with good compliance accounted for 30.0% (33/110), and those with poor compliance accounted for 70.0% (77/110). Univariate analysis showed that education level, occupation, and drug types were significantly associated with statin compliance ( P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that higher education level and fewer total drug users were correlated with better compliance ( OR=3.530 and 0.388, P<0.05) . The reasons for subjects not taking medicine were fearing of adverse reactions ( n=6, 6/9) , and thinking no symptoms and no need to have medication ( n=3, 3/9).The reasons of poor medication adherence were thinking no symptoms and no need to have medication ( n=31, 40.2%), thinking ineffectiveness of medication ( n=28, 36.4%), fearing of adverse reactions ( n=16, 20.8%), and economic pressure ( n=2, 2.6%). Conclusions:The proportion of residents with poor compliance of statins is high in the community. It is suggested that targeted interventions and standardized management for subjects with cardiovascular risks should be conducted based on the related factors found in the study.

Design of a Multifunctional Indium-Organic Framework: Fluorescent Sensing of Nitro Compounds, Physical Adsorption, and Photocatalytic Degradation of Organic Dyes.

The detection of nitro compounds and removal of organic dyes remain urgent issues because they are poisonous to humans. Taking advantage of metal-organic framework (MOF) materials, we demonstrate herein an indium-organic framework (InOF) exhibiting sensitive fluorescence sensing of nitro compounds, prominent dye capture, and excellent photodegradation of dyes. By using 4,4',4″-s-triazine-1,3,5-triyltri-p-aminobenzoate (TATAB), an amino-functionalized BTB-like linker, the 3D SNNU-110 structure ({[In3OCl(H2O)2(TATAB)2]}n) is formed. SNNU-110 shows a 3,6-connected 3,6T22 topology with TATAB and [In3O(CO2)6] tricapped trigonal-prismatic clusters as 3- and 6-connected nodes. Thanks to the fluorescence properties and amine recognition sites of TATAB, SNNU-110 exhibits excellent performance of fluorescence quenching for six electron-deficient nitroaromatics. The intercrossing 1D channels in SNNU-110 formed from the a- and b-axis directions with dimensions of about 18 Å × 11 Å can capture diverse cationic, anionic, or neutral dyes effectively. What is more, the existence of an inorganic [In3O] cluster enable SNNU-110 to be a good photocatalyst. Upon irradiation with a 300 W xenon lamp, SNNU-110 shows outstanding photocatalytic activity toward rhodamine B (RhB) and methylene blue (MB), and there was almost no degradation. The catalytic activity can retain about 94.6% (RhB) and 93.1% (MB), respectively. Overall, SNNU-110 fully demonstrates the power of multicomponent MOFs, which provide a feasible route for the design of functional materials toward to pollutant identification and removal applications.

Clinical value of monitoring serum C1q and CTRP1 levels in patients with coronary heart disease / 中华检验医学杂志

Objective To explore the relationship between serum complement 1q (C1q) and C1q/tumor necrosis factor-related protein 1 (CTRP1) levels in patients with coronary atherosclerotic heart disease (CHD) and their clinical value.Methods Case-control study.115 patients with CHD who were hospitalized in the Department of Cardiology of Ningxia Medical University General Hospital from January 2018 to November 2018 were selected as the case group, including 72 males and 43 females, aged 35-82 years, average (59.96 ± 9.49) years old. There were three subgroups: stable angina group (SAP, n=12), unstable angina group (UA,n=69), and acute myocardial infarction group (AMI, n=34). The control group was selected from 43 healthy subjects in the same period, including 21 males and 22 females, aged 23-71 years, with an average of (45.00 ± 10.66) years old. Serum C1q and CTRP1 levels were tested by immunoturbidimetry and ELISA, and other biochemical indicators such as triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (CHOL) were detected.Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the influence of various factors on C1q level. ROC curve and area under the curve (AUC) to explore the diagnostic value of C1q and CTRP1. Results The C1q level in the CHD group (184.06±31.05) mg/L was higher than that in the control group (122.22±28.18) mg/L (t=-11.405, P<0.001). The AMI group (192.80 ± 34.08) mg/L was significantly higher than the SAP group (169.17 ± 27.13) mg/L (t=-2.328, P=0.021). The CTRP1 level in the CHD group [241.85(79.38)] ng/ml was lower than that in healthy control group [292.7(67.64)] ng/ml (Z=-3.64, P<0.001). Group B with higher Gensini score (t=3.672, P<0.001) and group C (t=2.529, P=0.013) had higher C1q levels than group A.After adjusting for the effects of age, sex and other indicators, C1q levels were correlated with HDL-C (β=-0.582, P<0.001),CHOL (β=0.384,P<0.001) and systolic blood pressure (β=0.142,P=0.038). The ROC curve shows that when the CHD is diagnosed,the sensitivity of C1q level>150.82 mg/L is 87％,the specificity is 88.4％, and the AUC is 0.942. The corresponding sensitivity and specificity of CTRP1<281.80 ng/ml are 76.5％and 60.5％ respectively, and the AUC is 0.688. The AUC obtained by combined predictors was 0.944, and the sensitivity and specificity were 89.6％ and 86.0％ respectively. When AMI is diagnosed, C1q level >178.3 mg/L, corresponding sensitivity and specificity are 70.6％ and 66.1％, the AUC is 0.726, CTRP1 has no diagnostic value. Conclusions Serum C1q levels in patients with CHD are elevated,and AMI patients are higher than SAP patients;C1q may be a potential marker reflecting the severity of coronary artery disease;there is no significant correlation between serum C1q and CTRP1 in CHD patients.

Clinical value of monitoring serum C1q and CTRP1 levels in patients with coronary heart disease / 中华检验医学杂志

Objective@#To explore the relationship between serum complement 1q (C1q) and C1q/tumor necrosis factor-related protein 1 (CTRP1) levels in patients with coronary atherosclerotic heart disease (CHD) and their clinical value.@*Methods@#Case-control study.115 patients with CHD who were hospitalized in the Department of Cardiology of Ningxia Medical University General Hospital from January 2018 to November 2018 were selected as the case group, including 72 males and 43 females, aged 35-82 years, average (59.96±9.49) years old. There were three subgroups: stable angina group (SAP, n=12), unstable angina group (UA, n=69), and acute myocardial infarction group (AMI, n=34). The control group was selected from 43 healthy subjects in the same period, including 21 males and 22 females, aged 23-71 years, with an average of (45.00±10.66) years old. Serum C1q and CTRP1 levels were tested by immunoturbidimetry and ELISA, and other biochemical indicators such as triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (CHOL) were detected.Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the influence of various factors on C1q level. ROC curve and area under the curve (AUC) to explore the diagnostic value of C1q and CTRP1.@*Results@#The C1q level in the CHD group (184.06±31.05) mg/L was higher than that in the control group (122.22±28.18) mg/L (t=-11.405, P<0.001). The AMI group (192.80±34.08) mg/L was significantly higher than the SAP group (169.17±27.13) mg/L (t=-2.328, P=0.021).The CTRP1 level in the CHD group [241.85(79.38)] ng/ml was lower than that in healthy control group [292.7(67.64)] ng/ml (Z=-3.64, P<0.001). Group B with higher Gensini score (t=3.672, P<0.001) and group C (t=2.529, P=0.013) had higher C1q levels than group A.After adjusting for the effects of age, sex and other indicators, C1q levels were correlated with HDL-C (β=-0.582, P<0.001),CHOL (β=0.384,P<0.001) and systolic blood pressure (β=0.142,P=0.038). The ROC curve shows that when the CHD is diagnosed, the sensitivity of C1q level >150.82 mg/L is 87%,the specificity is 88.4%, and the AUC is 0.942. The corresponding sensitivity and specificity of CTRP1 <281.80 ng/ml are 76.5% and 60.5% respectively, and the AUC is 0.688. The AUC obtained by combined predictors was 0.944, and the sensitivity and specificity were 89.6% and 86.0% respectively. When AMI is diagnosed, C1q level >178.3 mg/L, corresponding sensitivity and specificity are 70.6% and 66.1%, the AUC is 0.726, CTRP1 has no diagnostic value.@*Conclusions@#Serum C1q levels in patients with CHD are elevated, and AMI patients are higher than SAP patients; C1q may be a potential marker reflecting the severity of coronary artery disease; there is no significant correlation between serum C1q and CTRP1 in CHD patients.

Value of 18F-FDG PET/CT in differentiation of noninvasive and malignant pancreatic cystic lesions / 中华核医学与分子影像杂志

Objective@#To investigate the value of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT in differentiation of noninvasive and malignant pancreatic cystic lesions (PCL).@*Methods@#A total of 125 PCL patients (66 males, 59 females, age range: 13-83 years), who had pathology or typical imaging performance with ≥12 months follow-up between August 2010 and December 2015, were enrolled in this retrospective study. The diagnostic effects of 18F-FDG PET/CT were calculated. The size, maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), delayed SUVmax and retention index (RI) of noninvasive and malignant PCL were analyzed. The results of pathological examination and follow-up were used as the gold standard, and Mann-Whitney u test was used to analyze the data. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of SUVmax, delayed SUVmax and RI were drawn and compared.@*Results@#A total of 132 PCL were found in 125 patients, including 71 malignant PCL and 61 noninvasive PCL. The size, SUVmax, delayed SUVmax, RI of noninvasive and malignant PLC were 2.2 (1.4, 3.8) cm vs 3.9 (3.0, 5.0) cm, 1.5 (1.2, 1.8) vs 6.4 (4.4, 9.3), 1.5 (1.2, 1.9) vs 6.4 (5.4, 11.7), -6.3%(-19.4%, 5.6%) vs 17.5%(7.6%, 29.4%), respectively. All parameters were significantly different between 2 groups (z values: from -9.267 to -4.904, all P<0.05). The area under curve (AUC) and cut-off value of SUVmax were 0.969 and 2.5, and the corresponding accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) were 92.4%(122/132), 93.0%(66/71), 91.8%(56/61), 93.0%(66/71), 91.8%(56/61), respectively. The AUC and cut-off value of delayed SUVmax were 0.969 and 2.7, and the accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV were 94.3%(99/105), 96.7%(58/60), 91.1%(41/45), 93.5%(58/62), 95.3%(41/43), respectively. ROC curves of SUVmax and delayed SUVmax were not significantly different (z=1.799, P>0.05).@*Conclusion@#18F-FDG PET/CT has good performance in differentiation of noninvasive and malignant PCL, but the delayed scan cannot further improve the efficacy of differential diagnosis.

Expression of genes associated with pattern recognition receptors in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with dengue fever / 中华微生物学和免疫学杂志

Objective@#To investigate the roles of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) including Toll-like receptors (TLRs), retinoic acid-inducible geneⅠ-like receptors (RLRs) and nucleotide binding oligomerization domain-like receptors (NLRs) in the pathogenesis of dengue fever (DF) and the induction of immune responses to dengue virus.@*Methods@#Blood samples were collected from patients with DF at three different time points to isolate peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) by density gradient centrifugation. Then PBMCs were used to extract ribonucleic acid (RNA). Expression of genes was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) array.@*Results@#Expression of genes relating to PRRs signaling pathways in DF patients increased significantly in the early stage of the disease as compared with those in healthy controls, but decreased gradually during the recovery period. Expression of genes encoding TLR7 and TLR8 was enhanced at the early stage of DF. No significant changes in the expression of TLR3 and TLR9 genes were observed during the course of the disease. The genes encoding RIG-Ⅰ, MDA5 and LGP2 of RLRs family as well as NOD2 and OAS2 of NLRs family were all up-regulated.@*Conclusion@#Signaling pathways mediated by PRRs including TLR7/8, RIG-Ⅰ, MDA5 and so on play an important role in the pathogenesis of DF and the induction of immune responses to dengue virus.

Clinical Outcomes with Antiviral Prophylaxis or Preemptive Therapy for Cytomegalovirus Disease after Liver Transplantation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objectives：We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the clinical outcomes of patients after liver transplantation accepting antiviral prophylaxis (AP) or preemptive therapy (PT) for preventing cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease. METHODS: A literature search of PubMed, Cochrane, Embase was conducted up to June 1, 2016. References of the retrieved articles were also reviewed and relevant studies were included. The primary outcomes were incidence of CMV infection, incidence of CMV disease, mortality and opportunistic infection. The second outcomes were the mean time to CMV infection and CMV disease, adverse drug reaction (ADR). Sensitivity analysis and publication bias were evaluated. RESULTS: 6 cohort studies involving 1091 liver-transplant recipients (LTRs) were included. All studies were with high quality according to Newcastle-Ottawa Scales (NOS). Incidence of CMV infection and CMV disease showed significant difference between the AP and PT in high-risk patients. There was no significant difference of CMV-related mortality (725 patients, OR 1.27, 95%CI 0.12-13.47, p=0.84) and other opportunistic infections (311 patients, OR 0.85, 95%CI 0.49-1.45, p=0.55) in all "at-risk" patients between the two strategies, whereas late-onset CMV infection and CMV disease were found in patients receiving AP. CONCLUSION: We recommended the use of AP instead of PT in the high risk patients, and PT could be used in moderate or low risk patients for the similar clinical outcomes in preventing CMV disease. RCTs comparing the two strategies are warranted. This article is open to POST-PUBLICATION REVIEW. Registered readers (see "For Readers") may comment by clicking on ABSTRACT on the issue's contents page.

Effects of Dexmedetomidine on the Heart Rate Variability in Patients Undergoing Lower Limbs Operations with Application of Tourniquet / 中国医科大学学报

Objective To evaluate the effects of dexmedetomidine on the hemodynamics and the heart rate variability(HRV)in patients under-going lower limbs operations with application of tourniquet. Methods Forty patients undergoing lower limbs operations with application of tourni-quet were randomized assigned to dexmedetomidine group(group D,n=20)or control group(group C,n=20). After combined spinal-epidural anesthesia,group D received a continuous infusion of dexmedetomidine(0.5μg/kg for 10 min for loading dose and followed by 0.2μg·kg-1·h-1) until tourniquet deflation. The control group received normal saline instead. Mean arterial pressure(MAP),heart rate(HR),saturation of pulse ox-imetry(SpO2),low frequency power(LF),high frequency power(HF)and LF to HF ratio(LF/HF)were recorded at regular time points:imme-diately before loading dose(T0),before tourniquet inflation(T1),15 min after tourniquet inflation(T2),30 min after tourniquet inflation(T3),45 min after tourniquet inflation(T4),60 min after tourniquet inflation(T5),1 min after tourniquet deflation(T6),5 min after tourniquet deflation (T7)and 10 min after tourniquet deflation(T8). Results Compared with T0,the MAP of group D significantly decreased at T6-T8(P0.05). Compared with T2-T5,the MAP of group C significantly decreased at T6(P0.05). Compared with T0,the HF of group D significantly increased and the LF/HF of group D significantly decreased at T1-T4(P<0.05). Compared with group C,the HF of group D significantly increased and the LF/HF of group D significantly decreased at T1-T4(P<0.05). Conclusion The appropriate dose of dexmedetomidine(loading dose 0.5μg/kg and maintenance dose 0.2μg · kg-1 · h-1)can significantly increase vagal tone and improve cardiac sympathetic and parasympathetic balance during tourniquet appli-cation.

Application of 18F-FDG PET/CT metabolic parameters in differentiating focal autoimmune pancreatitis from pancreatic cancer / 中华胰腺病杂志

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic value of the metabolic parameters for differentiating focal autoimmune pancreatitis (F-AIP) and pancreatic cancer (PC) by dual time 18F-FDG PET/CT scan.Methods Ten F-AIP patients and 20 PC patients in Changhai Hospital from May 2011 to November 2014 were enrolled in this study.All the AIP patients were histological confirmed or diagnosed by clinical follow up.The PC patients were histological confirmed and gender-and age-matched with F-AIP patients.50％ SUVmax was set as the threshold to fine-tune the boundary of interest.The extracted parameters included SUV SUV metabolic tumor volume (MTV),total lesion glycolysis (TLG),target-to-background ratio (TBR) and the retention indexes(RI) of all the parameters above.The PET/CT imaging features were also observed.Results The high metabolic lesions were observed in both F-AIP patients and PC patients.There were 6 F-AIP patients whose lesion was located in pancreas head,4 F-AIP patients whose lesion was located in pancreas body and tail.There were 12 PC patients whose lesion was located in pancreas head,8 PC patients whose lesion was located in pancreas body and tail.In F-AIP patients,2 cases had dilated pancreatic duct,6 had dilated biliary duct,8 had increased metabolism in mediastinal lymph node and 2 had abdominal lymphadenopathy,which were 8,5,5 and 14 cases in PC patients.The positive rate of mdeiastinal lymphadenopathy in F-AIP patients was statistically higher than that in PC patients,while the positivity rate of abdominal lymphadenopathy in AIP patients was lower than that in PC patients.The difference was statistically significant (both P ＜ 0.05).There were no statistical differences on the positivity rate of the dilated pancreatic duct,intra-and extra-hepatic bile duct between two groups.SUVmax,SUVmean and MTV in F-AIP were 5.37 ± 0.88,3.48 ± 0.66,21.79 ±15.60 in early stage and 6.45 ±1.51,4.23 ± 1.10,19.36 ± 14.63 in delayed stage,and those in PC were 8.31 ±3.08,5.41±1.95,9.26±8.35 in early stage,and 9.75±3.86,6.36±2.56,9.09±10.71 in delayed stage.SUVmax and SUVmean in F-AIP were lower than those in PC,whereas MTV were larger in F-AIP than that in PC.ROC curves for SUVmax,SUVmean and MTV were made.The AUC of SUV was the highest at 0.85,the cut-off value was 4.45,the corresponding sensitivity was 65％ and the specificity was 90％.TLG,TBR and RI of all the parameters were not statistically different in F-AIP and PC.Conclusions The 18F-FDG PET/CT metabolic parameters,such as SUVmax,SUVmean,MTV,could be of special diagnostic significance in discriminating F-AIP from PC.