Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of low-dose rituximab therapy and sequential maintenance for patients with refractory idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. Methods Thirty-three patients with refractory idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura received intravenous rituximab at the dose of 100 mg once a week for 4 consecutive weeks. Complete blood cell count and serum concentrations of immunoglobulin (IgG,IgM and IgA) were monitored regularly. The numbers of CD3+ and CD19+ CD20+ lymphocyte cells were assayed by flow cytometry before and after therapy. Twenty-five patients with responses(complete response and response) were divided into maintained group (12 patients) and control group (13 patients) by random digits table method. The patients in maintained group were treated with rituximab 100 mg every 6 months. The efficacy of maintenance therapy was evaluated through long-term follow-up. Results The complete response(CR) rate, response (R) rate and no response(NR) rate were 48.48%(16/33), 27.27%(9/33) and 24.24% (8/33), respectively. As a result, total effective rate was 75.76% (25/33). There were no significant changes of peripheral blood white blood cell count,hemoglobin,serum immunoglobulin and CD3+lymphocyte counts before and after treatment (P>0.05). However, CD19+ CD20+ cells were almost depleted in patients treated with rituximab: (3.71±2.64)×106/L vs. (279.33±92.78)×106/L, P<0.01. Five patients suffered from allergic response, and 1 patient developed pneumonia and respiratory failure. The relapse rates of maintained group and control group were 1/12 and 4/13, respectively. Conclusions Treatment with low-dose rituximab may be an effective and safe approach in patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. Relapse rates can be decreased through maintenance therapy with refractory low-dose rituximab. However, the optimal therapeutic schedule need further investigation.

Objective To explore the effects and mechanism of Baishile Capsules regulating SHH/Gli1 signaling pathway on hippocampal neurogenesis of depression model rats.Methods Totally 32 SD rats were randomly divided into control group,model group,fluoxetine(5.4 mg/kg)group and Baishile Capsules(2.88 g/kg)group,with 8 rats in each group.A depression rat model was established using chronic unpredictable mild stress and single cage feeding method.The model was established and administered simultaneously for 21 consecutive days.Depression-like behavior in rats were evaluated by sucrose preference experiment and open field experiment,ELISA was used to detect brain derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF)contents in rat serum and hippocampal tissue,the number of BrdU,BrdU/DCX,BrdU/NeuN positive cells in dentate gyrus of the hippocampus was observed by immunofluorescence,immunofluorescence and Western blot were used to detect the fluorescence intensity and protein expression of SHH,Gli1,Smo,Ptch in hippocampal tissue.Results Compared with the control group,the degree of sucrose preference significantly decreased in the model group(P<0.01),the number of horizontal and vertical movements significantly decreased(P<0.01),the contents of BDNF in serum and hippocampal tissue significantly decreased(P<0.05),the number of BrdU,BrdU/DCX,BrdU/NeuN positive cells in dentate gyrus of the hippocampus significantly decreased(P<0.01),and the fluorescence intensity and protein expression of SHH,Gli1,Smo,Ptch in hippocampal tissue significantly decreased(P<0.01,P<0.05).Compared with the model group,the degree of sucrose preference and the number of horizontal and vertical movements in fluoxetine group and Baishile Capsule group increased significantly(P<0.05,P<0.01),the contents of BDNF in serum and hippocampal tissue significantly increased(P<0.05,P<0.01),and the number of BrdU,BrdU/DCX,BrdU/NeuN positive cells in dentate gyrus of the hippocampus significantly increased(P<0.01,P<0.05),the fluorescence intensity and protein expressions of SHH,Gli1,Smo,Ptch in hippocampal tissue significantly increased(P<0.01,P<0.05).Conclusion Baishile Capsule can promote the hippocampus neurogenesis in depression model rats by regulating SHH/Gli1 signaling pathway,and play an antidepressant role.

Objective:To investigate the clinical manifestations of population following COVID-19 by using questionnaires.Methods:COVID-19 among anesthesia workers and the surrounding population was investigated between 11 November 2022 and 31 December 2022 in China.The Tencent electronic questionnaire(ID.11492813) was sent to different WeChat groups of the Association of Anesthesiologists or Society of Anesthesiologists via the WeChat platform of the medical personnel in China. The survey was conducted between January 7 and January 15, 2023. Results:A total of 17 000 questionnaires were issued for this survey, 11 060 valid questionnaires from 31 provinces and autonomous regions were collected all over the country, with a recovery rate of 65.059%.There were 10068 (91.037%) participants diagnosed as having COVID-19, and among of them, 47.606% were male and 52.394% were female. The main post-COVID-19 clinical manifestations included fever (85.777%), cough (83.731%), fatigue (75.338%), parasomnia (64.352%), limb soreness (58.890%), dizziness, headache, tinnitus (38.617%), loss or abnormality of taste (37.763%), and loss or abnormality of smell (30.960%); peripheral neuralgia was usually found within 3 days after positive nucleic acid test or positive antigen test; there were 2 963 cases accompanied with sweating, and among of them, 47.25% were male and 52.75% were female, and 37.80% of these participants continued to sweat after the nucleic acid test or antigen test became negative. There were 1 151 cases with premature heart beats among the study population, and the symptoms aggravated following COVID-19 were found in 34.32% of these patients.Conclusions:In addition to the respiratory system, the central and peripheral nerves of patients are also affected following COVID-19, and the peripheral and central nerve disorders last until several days after negative nucleic acid test or antigen test, suggesting that anesthesiologists should pay more attention to monitoring of various nerve function and impact of surgery and anesthetic drugs on the stress response of the body in such patients.

Objective To investigate the epidemic factors of schistosomiasis in wetlands in Sichuan Province, so as to provide scientific evidence for the prevention and control of schistosomiasis in wetlands. Methods The artificial and natural wetlands were selected from Sichuan Province, and the relevant data regarding wetlands were collected. Routine snail survey, investigation on human morbidity due to schistosomiasis, snail diffusion experiments, questionnaire survey, determination of water infectivity and retrospective survey were conducted. Results In Sichuan Province, the mean densities of living snails were 0.003 snails/0.1 m² and 2.033 snails/0.1 m² in the upper and lower reaches of the Meiwan Reservoir wetlands, 0.08 snails/0.1 m² in the Jinyan Lake of Guanghan City, 0.21 snails/0.1 m² in Muhe River of Guanghan City, and 0.02 snails/0.1 m² prior to the construction of Qiong-hai wetland park in Xichang City in 2015. Artificial simulation experiments showed that the largest distance of snail diffusion in water was 2 000 m. There were 8.80% (41/466) of subjects that lived neighboring wetlands, worked in wetlands and visited wet-lands having infested water contact behaviors. A total of 690 sentinel mice were assigned, and no Schistosoma japonicum infection was detected in the 677 mice dissected. Retrospective survey showed that the construction of the Meiwan Reservoir caused the spread of schistosomiasis in Dailing County, and snails were found in the ditches entering the Jinyan Lake and in Jinyan Lake areas 5 years following the construction of the Jinyan Lake in Guanghan City, with S. japonicum -infected snails detected in the ditches entering the Jinyan Lake. Conclusions O. hupensis snails are found in some wetlands in Sichuan Province. Protection of wetlands and snail control with environmental improvements are recommended for the prevention of snail importation in natural wetlands, while in artificial wetlands, thorough snail control is recommended during the construction of the wetlands because of the likelihood of snail importation via water systems. In addition, both natural and artificial wetlands require long-term systematic surveillance of schistosomiasis.

Objective: To investigate the clinical effect and safety of long-acting pegylated interferon-α-2b (Peg-IFN-α-2b) (Y shape, 40 kD) injection (180 μg/week) in the treatment of HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, with standard-dose Peg-IFN-α-2a as positive control. Methods: This study was a multicenter, randomized, open-label, and positive-controlled phase III clinical trial. Eligible HBeAg-positive CHB patients were screened out and randomized to Peg-IFN-α-2b (Y shape, 40 kD) trial group and Peg-IFN-α-2a control group at a ratio of 2:1. The course of treatment was 48 weeks and the patients were followed up for 24 weeks after drug withdrawal. Plasma samples were collected at screening, baseline, and 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, and 72 weeks for centralized detection. COBAS® Ampliprep/COBAS® TaqMan® HBV Test was used to measure HBV DNA level by quantitative real-time PCR. Electrochemiluminescence immunoassay with Elecsys kit was used to measure HBV markers (HBsAg, anti-HBs, HBeAg, anti-HBe). Adverse events were recorded in detail. The primary outcome measure was HBeAg seroconversion rate after the 24-week follow-up, and non-inferiority was also tested. The difference in HBeAg seroconversion rate after treatment between the trial group and the control group and two-sided confidence interval (CI) were calculated, and non-inferiority was demonstrated if the lower limit of 95% CI was > -10%. The t-test, chi-square test, or rank sum test was used according to the types and features of data. Results: A total of 855 HBeAg-positive CHB patients were enrolled and 820 of them received treatment (538 in the trial group and 282 in the control group). The data of the full analysis set showed that HBeAg seroconversion rate at week 72 was 27.32% in the trial group and 22.70% in the control group with a rate difference of 4.63% (95% CI -1.54% to 10.80%, P = 0.1493). The data of the per-protocol set showed that HBeAg seroconversion rate at week 72 was 30.75% in the trial group and 27.14% in the control group with a rate difference of 3.61% (95% CI -3.87% to 11.09%, P = 0.3436). 95% CI met the non-inferiority criteria, and the trial group was non-inferior to the control group. The two groups had similar incidence rates of adverse events, serious adverse events, and common adverse events. Conclusion In Peg-IFN-α regimen for HBeAg-positive CHB patients, the new drug Peg-IFN-α-2b (Y shape, 40 kD) has comparable effect and safety to the control drug Peg-IFN-α-2a.