Label-free differentiation of pancreatic pathologies from normal pancreas utilizing end-to-end three-dimensional multimodal networks on CT.

AIMS: To investigate the utilization of an end-to-end multimodal convolutional model in the rapid and accurate diagnosis of pancreatic diseases using abdominal CT images. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, a novel lightweight label-free end-to-end multimodal network (eeMulNet) model was proposed for the rapid and precise diagnosis of abnormal pancreas. The eeMulNet consists of two steps: pancreatic region localization and multimodal CT diagnosis integrating textual and image data. A research dataset comprising 715 CT scans with various types of pancreas diseases and 228 CT scans from a control group was collected. The training set and independent test set for the multimodal classification network were randomly divided in an 8:2 ratio (755 for training and 188 for testing). RESULTS: The eeMulNet model demonstrated outstanding performance on an independent test set of 188 CT scans (Normal: 45, Abnormal: 143), with an area under the curve (AUC) of 1.0, accuracy of 100%, and sensitivity of 100%. The average testing duration per patient was 41.04 seconds, while the classification network took only 0.04 seconds. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed eeMulNet model offers a promising approach for the diagnosis of pancreatic diseases. It can support the identification of suspicious cases during daily radiology work and enhance the accuracy of pancreatic disease diagnosis. The codes and models of eeMulNet are publicly available at Rudeguy1/eeMulNet (github.com).

[Analysis of pollen sensitization characteristics of artemisia allergic rhinitis in three urban and rural areas of Inner Mongolia].

Objective: To investigate the distribution rules of artemisia pollen and the clinical sensitization characteristics of allergic rhinitis (AR) induced by artemisia pollen in three urban and rural areas of Inner Mongolia. Methods: From March to October 2019, in 3 central cities (Chifeng, Hohhot, Ordos) and rural areas of Inner Mongolia, an epidemiological investigation method combining multi-stage stratified random sampling and face-to-face questionnaire survey was adopted to screen suspected AR patients, and skin prick test (SPT) was applied for diagnosis. At the same time, pollen monitoring was carried out in 3 areas to analyze the distribution and clinical sensitization characteristics of artemisia pollen.SPSS26.0 statistical software was used to process all the data. Chi-square test was used to compare rates among different age, sex, region and nationality, Spearman test was used to describe correlation analysis, and pairwise comparison of positive rates among multiple samples was used Bonferroni method. Results: Among the 6 393 subjects, 1 093 cases were diagnosed with AR, and the prevalence of AR was 17.10% (1 093/6 393). Among them, pollen-induced allergic rhinitis, the prevalence of PiAR was 10.97% (701/6 393), accounting for 64.14%(701/1 093).The highest incidence was in the youth group (20-39 years old), accounting for 46.94% (329/701).The diagnosed prevalence was higher in females than in males (11.35% vs. 10.64%, χ2 value 12.304, P<0.001).The prevalence rate of ethnic minority was higher than that of Han nationality (13.01% vs. 10.65%, χ2 value 6.296, P=0.008).The prevalence in urban areas was also significantly higher than that in rural areas (18.40% vs. 5.50%, χ2 value 10.497, P<0.001).There was significant difference in prevalence rate among the three regions in Inner Mongolia (6.06% in Chifeng, 13.46% in Hohhot, 16.39% in Ordos, χ2 value 70.054, P<0.001).The main clinical symptoms of artemisia PiAR were sneezing (95.58%), nasal congestion (91.73%) and nasal itching (89.30%).Allergic conjunctivitis accounted for 79.60% (558/701), chronic sinusitis for 55.63% (390/701), asthma for 23.25% (163/701).The pattern of artemisia pollen sensitization was mainly multiple sensitization, and the frequency of clinical symptoms and clinical diseases induced by hypersensitization with other allergens accounted for more than that caused by single artemisia pollen. The spread period of Artemisia pollen in the three regions was from June to October, and the peak state was in August in summer. The peak time of clinical symptoms in artemisia PiAR patients was about 2 weeks earlier than the peak time of pollen concentration, and the two were significantly positively correlated (R=0.7671, P<0.001). Conclusion: Artemisia pollens are the dominant pollens in late summer and early autumn in Inner Mongolia, and the prevalence of artemisia PiAR is high. Controlling the spread of Artemisia pollens is of great significance for the prevention and treatment of AR.

[Bioinformatic analysis of CCND2 expression in papillary thyroid carcinoma and its impact on immune infiltration].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate cyclin D2 (CCND2) expression in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and its association with the clinicopathological features. METHODS: The public databases TCGA, TIMER 2.0 and UALCAN were used to explore CCND2 expression level in PTC and adjacent tissues, and its diagnostic value for PTC was analyzed using ROC curves. GO enrichment analysis of CCND2-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in PTC was performed, and tumor immune infiltration of CCND2 in thyroid cancer was analyzed using TIMER database and CIBERSORT data source. RT-qPCR and Western blot were used to detect CCND2 expression in normal human thyroid cell line Nthy-ori-3-1 and human PTC cell lines TPC-1 and BCPAP. CCND2 expression was also detected in clinical specimens of PTC and adjacent tissues by immunohistochemistry, and its correlation with clinicopathological features of the patients were analyzed. RESULTS: Informatic analysis revealed significantly higher CCND2 mRNA expression in thyroid cancer than in the adjacent tissues (P < 0.001) in close correlation with tumor stage, gender, age, pathological subtype, and lymph node involvement (P < 0.05). ROC curve analysis showed that at the cutoff value of 4.983, the diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of CCND2 expression for PTC was 83.6%, 94.9%, and 78.5%, respectively. CCND2 expression was positively correlated with B cells, CD4+ T cells, and macrophages (P < 0.001) and negatively with CD8+ T cells (P < 0.01), and also correlated with memory B-cell infiltration, CD4+ T-cell memory activation, M2 macrophages, resting mast cells, and mast cell activation (P < 0.05). RT-qPCR, Western blot and immunohistochemistry showed significantly higher CCND2 expression in the PTC cells than in Nthy-ori-3-1 cells (P < 0.01) and also in clinical PTC tissues than in the adjacent tissues (P < 0.05) in correlation with tumor size, lymph node metastasis and TNM stage (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: CCND2 overexpression is closely correlated with tumor progression and immune cell infiltration in PTC patients..

[Identification of potential pathogenic genes of intestinal metaplasia based on transcriptomic sequencing and bioinformatics analysis].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the potential pathogenic genes of intestinal metaplasia. METHODS: Twenty-one patients with intestinal metaplasia admitted to the Department of Gastroenterology at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine from January, 2022 to June, 2022, and 21 healthy subjects undergoing gastroscopic examination during the same period were enrolled in this study. All the participants underwent gastroscopy and pathological examination, and gastric tissue samples were collected for transcriptome sequencing to screen for differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The biological functions of the DEGs were analyzed using bioinformatics analysis, and qRT-PCR was used to validate the results. RESULTS: Transcriptomic sequencing identified a total of 1373 DEGs, including 827 upregulated and 546 downregulated ones. The top 6 upregulated genes (AGMAT, CCL25, FABP1, CDX1, SPINK4, and MUC2), ranked based on their significance and average expression level, were selected for validation, and qRT-PCR showed significant upregulation of their mRNAs in the gastric tissues of patients with intestinal metaplasia (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: AGMAT, CCL25, FABP1, CDX1, SPINK4, and MUC2 participate in the occurrence and development of intestinal metaplasia, and may serve as potential biomarkers for diagnosing intestinal metaplasia.

[Clinical features and surgical treatment of right cardiac system tumors].

A total of 25 patients with right cardiac system tumors in the Department of Cardiac Surgery, Beijing Anzhen Hospital from January 2012 to October 2022 were retrospectively included in the study. The preoperative data, and information of surgical treatment and perioperative management on these patients were analyzed and summarized. One patient developed pulmonary embolism and died before surgery, and the other 24 patients (16 males and 8 females) received surgical treatment, with an average age of (44.7±10.2) years (24-74 years). Nine patients were diagnosed with malignant tumors. Among the 24 patients who received surgical treatment, two patients died during the perioperative period, in-situ tumor recurrence was seen in three patients within about 1 year after surgery (two patients died without surgery, and one patient died 3 months after surgery), two patients had distant metastasis, and 17 patients had a good prognosis. Right cardiac system tumors are rare, with a high malignant rate, and the clinical manifestations vary greatly. Active surgical intervention is found to be effective, and the prognosis is closely related to the pathological type and extent of tumor invasion.

Design and fabrication of a coupled high-Q photonic nanocavity system with large coupling coefficients.

In a previous work, we demonstrated a coupled cavity system where photons in one storage cavity can be transferred to another storage cavity at an arbitrary time by applying a voltage pulse to a third cavity placed in a p-i-n junction. In this work, we demonstrate methods to improve the transfer efficiency and photon lifetimes of such a coupled system. Firstly, we designed a photonic-crystal structure that achieves a large coupling coefficient without reducing the radiation quality factor compared to the previously proposed structure: The photonic-crystal design was changed to a more symmetric configuration to suppress radiation losses and then optimized using an automatic structure tuning method based on the Covariance Matrix Adaptive Evolutional Strategy (CMAES). Here we added two improvements to achieve an evolution toward the desired direction in the two-dimensional target parameter space (spanned by the coupling coefficient and the inverse radiation loss). Secondly, to improve the experimental cavity quality factors, we developed a fabrication process that reduces the surface contamination associated with the fabrication of the p-i-n junction: We covered the photonic structure with a SiO2 mask to avoid the contamination and the electrode material was changed from Al to Au/Cr to enable cleaning by a weak acid. Owing to these improvements of the cavity design and the fabrication process, the obtained system provides coupling strengths that are about three times stronger and photon lifetimes that are about two times longer, compared to the previously reported system.

Dynamics of the Deformable Fluid Interface Interacting with an Approaching Solid under the Electrostatic Field.

A theoretical model was developed to describe the dynamics of a deformable fluid interface interacting with an approaching solid without contact by both the attractive electrostatic and van der Waals (i.e., vdW) interaction, analogous to the situation in the experiments by electric force microscopy (i.e., EFM) or electric-surface force apparatus (i.e., E-SFA) involved in the soft fluid interface. On the basis of this model, a numerical study of the deformation of the fluid interface, the force-vs-separation behavior, and the critical limiting conditions of contact has systematically been carried out. Our results show that the surface pressure induced by the electrostatic interaction plays a more prominent role in the deformation of the fluid interface than the vdW interaction does, and there exists a principal length scale associated with the relative strength of the electrostatic field to the surface tension, affecting the fluid interface shape under the electrostatic field. It was also shown that both the force-distance curves and the corresponding curves of fluid interface deformation peak versus distance for various electrostatic fields satisfy the universal scaling power law. Moreover, an analytical solution to the Euler-Lagrange differential equation governing the deformation of the fluid interface under the external electric field is obtained, and two extended formulas for explicitly describing the principal length scales that respectively characterize the lateral and longitudinal deformations of the fluid interface were determined.

[Effects of cerium oxide nanoenzyme-gelatin methacrylate anhydride hydrogel in the repair of infected full-thickness skin defect wounds in mice].

Objective: To investigate the effects of cerium oxide nanoenzyme-gelatin methacrylate anhydride (GelMA) hydrogel (hereinafter referred to as composite hydrogel) in the repair of infected full-thickness skin defect wounds in mice. Methods: This study was an experimental study. Cerium oxide nanoenzyme with a particle size of (116±9) nm was prepared by hydrothermal method, and GelMA hydrogel with porous network structure and good gelling performance was also prepared. The 25 µg/mL cerium oxide nanoenzyme which could significantly promote the proliferation of human skin fibroblasts and had high superoxide dismutase activity was screened out. It was added to GelMA hydrogel to prepare composite hydrogel. The percentage of cerium oxide nanoenzyme released from the composite hydrogel was calculated after immersing it in phosphate buffer solution (PBS) for 3 and 7 d. The red blood cell suspension of mice was divided into PBS group, Triton X-100 group, cerium oxide nanoenzyme group, GelMA hydrogel group, and composite hydrogel group, which were treated with corresponding solution. The hemolysis of red blood cells was detected by microplate reader after 1 h of treatment. The bacterial concentrations of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Escherichia coli were determined after being cultured with PBS, cerium oxide nanoenzyme, GelMA hydrogel, and composite hydrogel for 2 h. The sample size in all above experiments was 3. Twenty-four 8-week-old male BALB/c mice were taken, and a full-thickness skin defect wound was prepared in the symmetrical position on the back and infected with MRSA. The mice were divided into control group without any drug intervention, and cerium oxide nanoenzyme group, GelMA hydrogel group, and composite hydrogel group applied with corresponding solution, with 6 mice in each group. The wound healing was observed on 3, 7, and 14 d after injury, and the remaining wound areas on 3 and 7 d after injury were measured (the sample size was 5). The concentration of MRSA in the wound exudation of mice on 3 d after injury was measured (the sample size was 3), and the blood flow perfusion in the wound of mice on 5 d after injury was observed using a laser speckle flow imaging system (the sample size was 6). On 14 d after injury, the wound tissue of mice was collected for hematoxylin-eosin staining to observe the newly formed epithelium and for Masson staining to observe the collagen situation (the sample size was both 3). Results: After immersion for 3 and 7 d, the release percentages of cerium oxide nanoenzyme in the composite hydrogel were about 39% and 75%, respectively. After 1 h of treatment, compared with that in Triton X-100 group, the hemolysis of red blood cells in PBS group, GelMA hydrogel group, cerium oxide nanoenzyme group, and composite hydrogel group was significantly decreased (P<0.05). Compared with that cultured with PBS, the concentrations of MRSA and Escherichia coli cultured with cerium oxide nanoenzyme, GelMA hydrogel, and composite hydrogel for 2 h were significantly decreased (P<0.05). The wounds of mice in the four groups were gradually healed from 3 to 14 d after injury, and the wounds of mice in composite hydrogel group were all healed on 14 d after injury. On 3 and 7 d after injury, the remaining wound areas of mice in composite hydrogel group were (29±3) and (13±5) mm2, respectively, which were significantly smaller than (56±12) and (46±10) mm2 in control group and (51±7) and (38±8) mm2 in cerium oxide nanoenzyme group (with P values all <0.05), but was similar to (41±5) and (24±9) mm2 in GelMA hydrogel group (with P values both >0.05). On 3 d after injury, the concentration of MRSA on the wound of mice in composite hydrogel group was significantly lower than that in control group, cerium oxide nanoenzyme group, and GelMA hydrogel group, respectively (with P values all <0.05). On 5 d after injury, the volume of blood perfusion in the wound of mice in composite hydrogel group was significantly higher than that in control group, cerium oxide nanoenzyme group, and GelMA hydrogel group, respectively (P<0.05). On 14 d after injury, the wound of mice in composite hydrogel group basically completed epithelization, and the epithelization was significantly better than that in the other three groups. Compared with that in the other three groups, the content of collagen in the wound of mice in composite hydrogel group was significantly increased, and the arrangement was also more orderly. Conclusions: The composite hydrogel has good biocompatibility and antibacterial effect in vivo and in vitro. It can continuously sustained release cerium oxide nanoenzyme, improve wound blood perfusion in the early stage, and promote wound re-epithelialization and collagen synthesis, therefore promoting the healing of infected full-thickness skin defect wounds in mice.

[Clinical phenotype and genetic analysis of patients with left ventricular noncompaction caused by the biallelic mutation of MYBPC3 and MYH7].

Objective: To explore the relationship between pathogenic gene, mutation and phenotype of left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC) patients and their family members. Methods: The subjects were the proband with LVNC and her family members. The medical history including electrocardiogram, echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance examination of the proband and family members were collected. Whole exome sequencing of the proband was performed, bioinformatics analysis focused on the genes related to hereditary cardiomyopathy. Candidate pathogenic sites were validated by Sanger sequencing. The clinical interpretation of sequence variants were classified according to American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) guidelines. Results: The proband carried a heterozygous variation of the MYBPC3 gene c.C2827T and the MYH7 gene c.G2221C. The proband's sister carried heterozygous variation of MYBPC3 gene c.C2827T. According to the ACMG guidelines, the variant was determined to be pathogenic. Conclusion: The missense variant of MYBPC3 gene c.C2827T and MYH7 gene c.G2221C are identified from the proband with LVNC and her family member, which provides a genetic basis for clinical diagnosis and genetic counseling of the patients and the family members with LVNC.

The value of MRI in predicting hepatocellular carcinoma with cytokeratin 19 expression: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIM: To evaluate the overall diagnostic performance of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), different image features, and different image analysis methods in predicting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with cytokeratin 19 (CK19) expression. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic literature search was performed to identify studies using MRI to predict HCC with CK19 expression between 2012 and 2023. Data were extracted to calculate the pooled sensitivity and specificity. Overall diagnostic performance was assessed using areas under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Subgroup analyses were conducted for specific image features and according to image analysis methods (traditional image feature, radiomics, and combined methods). Z-test statistics was used to analyse the differences in diagnostic performance between combined and individual methods. RESULTS: Eleven studies with 14 datasets (1,278 lesions from 1,264 patients) were included. The overall pooled sensitivity, specificity, and AUC with corresponding 95% confidence intervals were estimated to be 0.72 (0.55, 0.85), 0.88 (0.80, 0.93), and 0.89 (0.86, 0.91) for MRI in predicting HCC with CK19 expression. Combined methods had higher sensitivity than image feature methods (0.86 versus 0.54, p=0.001), with no difference in specificity (0.85 versus 0.87, p=0.641). There were no significant differences between radiomics and combined methods regarding sensitivity (p=0.796) and specificity (p=0.535), respectively. CONCLUSION: MRI shows moderate sensitivity and high specificity in identifying HCC with CK19 expression. The application of radiomics can improve the sensitivity of MRI in identifying HCC with CK19 expression.

[Clinical efficacy and safety of venetoclax combined with multidrug chemotherapy in the treatment of 15 patients with relapsed or refractory early T-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia].

Objective: To explore the efficacy and safety of Venetoclax combined with multidrug chemotherapy in patients with relapsed or refractory early T-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (R/R ETP-ALL) . Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed 15 patients with R/R ETP-ALL who received Venetoclax combined with multidrug chemotherapy from December 2018 to February 2022. Among them, eight cases were combined with demethylated drugs, four cases were combined with demethylated drugs and HAAG chemotherapy regimen, two cases were combined with demethylated drugs and CAG regimen, and one case was combined with Cladribine. Specific usage and dosage of Venetoclax: 100 mg on day 1, 200 mg on day 2, 400 mg on day 3-28, orally; when combined with azole antifungal drugs, dosage was reduced to 100 mg/d. Results: Fifteen patients (10 males and 5 females) with R/R ETP-ALL were treated with Venetoclax and multidrug chemotherapy with a median age of 35 (12-42) years old. Of 4 refractory and 11 relapsed patients, the efficacy was evaluated on the 21th day following combined chemotherapy: the overall response rate, the complete response (CR) rate, and the CR with incomplete hematological recovery (CRi) rate were 67.7% (10/15), 60.0% (9/15), and 6.7% (1/15), respectively. For the overall study population, the 12-month overall survival (OS) rate was 60.0%, and the median OS was 17.7 months. The disease-free survival (DFS) rate of all CR patients at 12 months was 60.0%, and the median DFS did not reach. About 14 patients had Ⅲ-Ⅳ hematological toxicity, but these adverse reactions were all controllable. No adverse reaction in the nervous system and tumor lysis syndrome occurred in this study, and no adverse reaction of organs above grade Ⅲ occurred. Conclusion: Venetoclax combined with multidrug chemotherapy may be a safe and promising treatment option for patients with R/R ETP-ALL.

[Clinical effects of free transplanted pre-expanded scapular flap in reconstructing scar contracture deformity of neck].

Objective: To investigate the clinical effects of free transplanted pre-expanded scapular flap in reconstructing scar contracture deformity of neck. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted. From February 2010 to August 2020, 17 cervical scar deformity patients (9 males and 8 females, aged 8-42 years) who met the inclusion criteria were admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University. The patients underwent skin and soft tissue expander (hereinafter referred to as expander) implantation in scapular region in stage Ⅰ procedures, and the free transplanted pre-expanded flaps were used to resurface the wounds followed by neck scar resection in the stage Ⅱ procedures. The wound size after neck scar release was 12.0 cm×6.0 cm-30.0 cm×24.0 cm, and the size of the flap ranged from 13.0 cm×7.5 cm to 31.5 cm×25.0 cm. The wounds in donor site of 15 patients were sutured directly, and the wounds in donor site of 2 patients were covered with full-thickness skin graft from abdominal area. The survival of flaps was observed after the operation of stage Ⅱ. Six months after stage Ⅱ surgery, Z plasty was performed to treat the incision scar contracture in 2 patients. For the 5 patients of overweight or bloating appearance in the 1/3 proximal flap underwent debulking procedures in 6-9 months after stage Ⅱsurgery. Before the stage Ⅰ surgery and six months after the last procedure (stage Ⅱ or stage Ⅲ), mental cervical angle (MCA) and cervical mandibular angle (CMA) were measured and the improvement of neck scar was evaluated by the angle values. The cervical motor function, skin color and texture in recipient areas, and scar in the donor sites assessed by Vancouver scar scale (VSS) were observed during follow-up. Data were statistically analyzed with paired sample t test. Results: After stage Ⅱ surgery, 15 patients' flaps survived well; venous crisis occurred in 2 flaps within 24 h after operation, and the flaps survived well after emergency exploration and thrombus removal+vascular re-anastomosis. Compared with the angle values of MCA of (126±12)° and CMA of (148±13)° of patients before the stage Ⅰ surgery, the angle values of MCA of (107±12)° and CMA of (123±11)° of patients in six months after the last procedure were significantly decreased (with t values of 10.68 and 6.54, respectively, P<0.05). After 2 years of follow-up, the patient's neck dorsiflexion, lateral bending, or other motor functions were not restricted; the color and texture of the flap in recipient site were close to those of the normal neck skin; the patient cases with VSS scores of scarring of 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 were 1, 3, 7, 5, and 1 case, respectively. Conclusions: The free transplantation of the pre-expanded scapular flaps can provide sufficient tissue for wound coverage after the release of cervical scar contracture deformity; the expanded skin tissue is featured by thin soft tissue and good pliability, which is conducive to restore the neck appearance; the donor sites are relatively covert with less tension, therefore, the treatment is an effective method for correcting the contracture in the neck.

[Preliminary report on the use of total lumpectomyconical remnant gastric - esophagus side overlap anastomosis in radical resection of Siewert type II proximal gastric cancer].

Objective: There is no standard method for esophageal remnant gastric reconstruction for proximal gastrectomy. Reflux esophagitis caused by esophagogastrostomy remains a difficult surgical problem. To report the preliminary surgical results of novel esophagus-conical remnant gastric side overlap anastomosis (CGEO) , with particular emphasis on postoperative esophageal reflux. Methods: In June 2022, we developed a novel CGEO for laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy on two patients with Siewert type II esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma. Surgical procedures for CGEO: (1) Laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy and preparation of conically shaped gastric remnant; (2) Determining anastomotic site of residual stomach and esophagus; (3) Side-to-side anastomosis of right esophageal wall to anterior of conical gastric remnant; (4) Valvuloplasty of esophageal stump. Results: Case 1 was a 71-year-old man with an operation time of 305 minutes and was successfully discharged from the hospital on the 9th day after surgery, and the postoperative pathology was T3N0M0. Case 2 was an 82-year-old man with an operation time of 325 minutes. He was discharged on the 10th day after surgery. In both cases, only mild esophageal mucosal changes were seen in gastroscopy, there were no obvious symptoms of esophageal reflux. There was also no significant weight change at half a year after operation. Conclusion: CGEO is moderately safe in radical surgery for proximal gastric cancer, and may have a preventive effect on the occurrence of postoperative esophageal reflux, but long-term results need to be confirmed by further studies with follow-up.

Circular RNA 0000157 depletion protects human bronchial epithelioid cells from cigarette smoke extract-induced human bronchial epithelioid cell injury through the microRNA-149-5p/bromodomain containing 4 pathway.

BACKGROUND: Circular RNA (circRNA) has been reported to regulate respiratory diseases. In the study, we aimed to elucidate the role of circ_0000157 in smoke-related chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and the inner mechanism. METHODS: COPD-like cell injury was induced by treating human bronchial epithelioid cells (16HBE) with cigarette smoke extract (CSE). The expression of circ_0000157, miR-149-5p, bromodomain containing 4 (BRD4), BCL2-associated x protein (Bax) and B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) was analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) or Western blotting. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed to detect interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels. Malondialdehyde (MDA) production was detected by a lipid peroxidation MDA assay kit. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was analyzed by a SOD activity assay kit. RESULTS: Circ_0000157 and BRD4 expression were upregulated, while miR-149-5p expression was downregulated in the blood of smokers with COPD and CSE-induced 16HBE cells compared with control groups. CSE treatment inhibited 16HBE cell proliferation and induced cell apoptosis, inflammation, and oxidative stress; however, these effects were remitted when circ_0000157 expression was decreased. In addition, circ_0000157 acted as a miR-149-5p sponge and regulated CSE-caused 16HBE cell damage by targeting miR-149-5p. The overexpression of BRD4, a target gene of miR-149-5p, attenuated the inhibitory effects of miR-149-5p introduction on CSE-induced cell damage. Further, circ_0000157 modulated BRD4 expression by associating with miR-149-5p in CSE-treated 16HBE cells. CONCLUSION: Circ_0000157 knockdown ameliorated CSE-caused 16HBE cell damage by targeting the miR-149-5p/BRD4 pathway, providing a potential therapeutic strategy for clinic intervention in COPD.

[Prevalence and trends of anemia among pregnant women in eight provinces of China from 2016 to 2020].

This study analyzed the anemia status and change trend of 219 835 pregnant women in eight provinces from 2016 to 2020 in the Maternal and Newborn Health Monitoring Program(MNHMP). The results showed that from 2016 to 2020, the anemia rate of pregnant women in eight provinces was 41.27%, and the rates of mild, moderate and severe anemia were 28.56%, 12.59% and 0.12% respectively; the anemia rates in eastern, central and western regions were 41.87%, 36.09% and 44.63% respectively, and the anemia rates in urban and rural areas were 39.87% and 42.23%. From 2016 to 2020, the anemia rate of pregnant women decreased from 44.93% to 38.22%, with an average annual decline of 3.86% (95%CI:-5.84%, -1.85%). The anemia rate among pregnant women of the eastern region (AAPC=-6.16%, 95%CI:-9.79%, -2.38%) fell faster than that among pregnant women of the central region (AAPC=0.71%, 95%CI:-6.59%, 8.57%) and western region (AAPC=-1.53%, 95%CI:-5.19%, 2.28%). From 2016 to 2020, the moderate anemia rate in pregnant women decreased from 14.98% to 10.74%, with an average annual decline of 8.72% (95%CI:-12.90%, -4.34%), with a statistically significant difference (P<0.05); AAPC for mild and severe anemia in pregnant women was 1.56% (95%CI: 3.44%, 0.36%) and 18.86% (95%CI: 39.88%, 9.52%), respectively, without statistically significant difference (P>0.05).

[Evaluation of clinical safety and diagnostic efficacy of domestic liver-specific magnetic resonance contrast agent (gadoxetate disodium)].

Objective: To evaluate the clinical safety and diagnostic efficacy of domestic gadoxetate disodium (GdEOBDTPA). Methods: The imaging data from patients with space-occupying liver lesions who underwent GdEOBDTPA enhanced magnetic resonance examination at West China Hospital of Sichuan University between January 2020 and September 2020 were analyzed retrospectively. Clinical indicators were evaluated by the incidental condition of transient severe respiratory motion artifacts (TSM) in the arterial phase to assess the safety profile.The differences in quantitative and qualitative indicators for the risk factors of TSM in the arterial phase between the TSM group and the non-TSM group were compared by t-test and χ2 test. Observational indicators of the accuracy of diagnostic procedures: The 2018 version of the Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) was used to evaluate the main signs, auxiliary signs, and LR grades of lesions. Postoperative pathological findings were used as the gold standard for evaluating and diagnosing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Simultaneously, the relative enhancement degree of the liver, the contrast between the lesion and the liver, and the cholangiography in the hepatobiliary phase were evaluated. The McNemar test was used to compare the differences in the diagnostic efficiency of physician 1 and physician 2 in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma according to the 2018 version of LI-RADS. Results: A total of 114 cases were included in this study. The incidence rate of TSM was 9.6% (11/114). Age [(53.8 ± 11.3) years vs. (55.4 ± 15.4) years, t = 0.465, P = 0.497], body weight [(65.8 ± 11.1) kg vs. (60.8 ± 7.6) kg, t = 1.468, P = 0.228], body mass index [(23.9 ± 3.1) kg/m(2) vs. (23.4 ± 3.0) kg/m(2), t = 0.171, P = 0.680], liver cirrhosis ratio (39 cases vs. 4 cases, χ (2) =1.776, P = 0.183), proportion of mild to moderate pleural effusion (32 cases vs. 4 cases, χ (2) = 0.000, P = 0.986), and proportion of mild to moderate ascites (47 cases vs. 5 cases χ (2) = 0.000, P = 0.991) had no statistically significant difference between the groups of non-TSM and TSM patients. According to the 2018 version of LI-RADS for the LR5 category, there was no statistically significant difference between the two physicians' HCC diagnoses in terms of sensitivity (91.4% vs.86.4%, χ (2) = 1.500, P = 0.219), specificity (72.7 % vs. 69.7%, χ (2) = 0.000, P = 1.000), positive predictive value (89.2% vs. 87.5%, χ (2) = 2.250, P = 0.125), negative predictive value (77.4% vs. 67.6%, χ (2) = 2.250, P = 0.125), and accuracy (86.0% vs. 81.6%, χ (2) = 0.131, P = 0.125). According to physicians 1 and 2 film review results, 91.2% (104/114) and 89.5% (102/114) of the contrast agent were discharged into the common bile duct or duodenum, respectively. In addition, 86.0% (98/114) of the patients had good liver enhancement, and 91.2% (104/114) of the lesions showed low signals relative to the liver background. Conclusion: Domestic gadoxetate disodium has a good clinical safety profile and diagnostic efficacy.