Chronic cough can occur in children of all ages, and the incidence rate and consultation rate increase each year.Clarifying the cause of chronic cough is the key to treatment.At present, there are no convenient, operable and unified standards for etiological analysis of chronic cough in the world.Therefore, the etiological analysis of chronic cough has always been a hot topic in clinical research.With the development of diagnosis and treatment technology, the role of pulmonary function and exhaled nitric oxide in the diagnosis of chronic cough has attracted attention.This article reviews the application value of pulmonary function combined with exhaled nitric oxide in etiology analysis of chronic cough in children, to provide reference for etiology analysis of chronic cough in children.

Studies showed that low fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols (FODMAPs) diet can improve the symptoms of gastrointestinal dysfunction of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients, the mechanism may be related to decrease of secretion of intestinal liquid and production of gas.Specific carbohydrate diet and paleolithic diet may be suitable for IBD patients.This article reviewed the advances in study on effects of different diets on gastrointestinal dysfunction in patients with IBD.

Objective:To assess the changes in corneal endothelial cell density (CD) and morphology in patients with different stages of keratoconus.Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted.One hundred and nineteen patients (199 eyes) with keratoconus who were treated in the Eye Hospital of Shandong First Medical University were included from March 2018 to October 2021.The 199 eyes were classified into stage Ⅰ (111 eyes of 58 cases), stage Ⅱ (41 eyes of 30 cases), stage Ⅲ (47 eyes of 31 cases) keratoconus groups according to the Amsler-Krumeich classification.In the same period, 25 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects (50 eyes) were enrolled as a normal control group.Corneal topography and anterior segment parameters such as keratometry (K), central corneal thickness (CCT), thinnest corneal thickness (TCT), anterior chamber depth (ACD), corneal diameter and corneal volume were obtained by Pentacam 3-dimensional anterior segment imaging and analysis system.The corneal endothelial CD, percentage of hexagonal cells (6A), average cell area (AVE), maximum cell area (MAX), minimum cell area (MIN), cell area standard deviation (SD) and cell area coefficient of variation (CV) in the central area were evaluated by non-contact specular microscopy.The correlation between corneal endothelial CD, morphological parameters and corneal topographic parameters was analyzed by Spearman rank correlation.This study adhered to the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the Ethics Committee of Shandong Eye Hospital (No.SDSYKYY201803). All patients were informed of the purpose and methods of the study and written informed consent was obtained before any medical examination.Results:The CD of the normal control group and stage Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ keratoconus groups was 2 941(2 809, 3 072), 2 825(2 667, 3 030), 2 747(2 475, 2 903) and 2 370(2 142, 2 525) cells/mm 2, respectively.With the progression of keratoconus, CD decreased gradually, and there was a significant difference in CD among the four groups ( H=94.862, P<0.001). There were significant differences in CV and 6A among the four groups ( H=45.018, 20.421; both at P<0.001). CV was significantly higher in stage Ⅲ keratoconus group than that of the normal control group and stage Ⅰ and Ⅱ keratoconus groups and 6A was significantly lower in stage Ⅲ keratoconus group than that of the normal control group and stage Ⅰ keratoconus group (all at P<0.05). With the progression of keratoconus, MAX, MIN, AVE and SD increased gradually, and there were significant differences in MAX, MIN, AVE and SD among the four groups ( H=37.905, 32.437, 110.182, 72.941; all at P<0.001). MAX and MIN in stage Ⅲ keratoconus group were significantly higher than those in stage Ⅰ keratoconus groups and normal control group (all at P<0.05). AVE and SD in stage Ⅲ keratoconus group were significantly higher than those in normal control group and stage Ⅰ and Ⅱ keratoconus groups (all at P<0.05). In patients with keratoconus, CD was moderately positively correlated with CCT ( rs=0.47, P<0.001) and TCT ( rs=0.53, P<0.001), and was moderately negatively correlated with mean keratometry (Km) ( rs=-0.59, P<0.001).6A was weakly positively correlated with CCT ( rs=0.18, P=0.01) and TCT ( rs=0.22, P=0.002), and was weakly negatively correlated with Km ( rs=-0.32, P<0.001). CV was weakly negatively correlated with CCT ( rs=-0.35, P<0.001) and TCT ( rs=-0.37, P<0.001), and was moderately positively correlated with Km ( rs=0.48, P<0.001). There was no correlation between CD, CV, 6A and ACD, or corneal volume. Conclusions:As the keratoconus progresses, the cornea protrudes and becomes thinner with CD and 6A decreasing while CV increasing.Corneal topographic parameters are related to the density and morphology of corneal endothelial cells.

With further in-depth studies on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD),new evidence,concepts,and methods continue to emerge.Chinese Society of Hepatology,Chinese Medical Association,comprehensively updated and revised the previous guidelines based on the latest research advances in fatty liver disease in China and globally and released Clinical practice guideline of prevention and treatment of metabolic dysfunction-associated(non-alcoholic)fatty liver disease(2024 edition).This article introduces the updates in the new edition of the guideline from the aspects of related terms(metabolic associated fatty liver disease[MAFLD]),clinical typing and staging,diagnostic criteria,and natural history.The guideline particularly emphasizes the importance of screening,assessment,and noninvasive diagnosis of progressive liver fibrosis in disease management and proposes active multidisciplinary collaboration in the management of MAFLD.With the implementation and application of the new edition of the guideline,the standardization of screening,diagnosis,treatment and follow-up of MAFLD patients in China will be further improved to improve the prognosis of the majority of patients.

Objective: To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the Endurant stent graft for abdominal aortic aneurysm cases with proximal neck length <10 mm. Methods: This study was a retrospective analysis. From January 2010 to May 2015, 22 consecutive abdominal aortic aneurysm patients with proximal neck length <10 mm were treated with endovascular aortic repair by Endurant stent graft in Department of Vascular Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University. There were 19 (86.3%) male cases, aging from 57 to 84 years. All patients underwent preoperative CT angiography and the anatomic parameters of abdominal aortic aneurysm were measured. All patients performed standard endovascular aortic repair first and if there was obvious proximal typeⅠ endoleak, the CUFF or the chimney technology were applied to observed the perioperative technical and the clinical success rate. During follow-up, the incidence of adverse events and the reintervention rate were observed. Results: These 22 cases had proximal neck length 5 to 9 mm with the average of (7.2±1.4) mm. Immediate endoleak occurred in 5 patients with 4 cases of proximal typeⅠ endoleak, 3 cases were implanted proximal CUFF, 1 case implanted CUFF and left renal artery chimney. One case died perioperatively, the clinical success rate was 95.4%, the technical success rate was 77.3%. During the follow-up of 6 to 54 months, there was 1 case with delayed proximal type-1 endoleak, during operation the patient had no endoleak, but disappeared 6 months later without further intervention. So the incidence of adverse event was 4.5% and reintervention rate was 0. Conclusion The Endurant stent graft for abdominal aortic aneurysm cases with proximal neck length < 10 mm is safe and effective.

Objective: To explore the effects of microRNA-34a on regulating silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1) and influence of SIRT1 on myocardial damage of rats with severe burns at early stage. Methods: (1) Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into sham injury (SI) group, simple burns (SB) group and SIRT1 agonist (SA) group according to the random number table (the same grouping method below), with 8 rats in each group. Rats in groups SB and SA were inflicted with 30% total body surface area full-thickness scald (hereinafter referred to as burns) on the back, and rats in group SI were sham injuried on the back. Immediately after injury, rats in groups SI and SB were intraperitoneally injected with normal saline of 50 mL/kg, and rats in group SA were intraperitoneally injected with normal saline of 50 mL/kg and 1 mg/mL resveratrol of 50 mg/kg. At 6 h post injury, abdominal aortic blood was collected to make serum and myocardial tissue of rats was collected. (2) Myocardial cells of twelve neonatal SD rats were collected and divided into microRNA-34a mimic control (MMC) group, microRNA-34a mimic (MM) group, microRNA-34a inhibitor control (MIC) group, and microRNA-34a inhibitor (MI) group, which were respectively transfected with gene sequences of mimic control, mimic, inhibitor control, and inhibitor of microRNA-34a. The microRNA-34a expression level and protein expression level of SIRT1 in myocardial cells were respectively detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting. Another batch of myocardial cells were divided into microRNA-34a inhibitor control+ burn serum (MCB) group, microRNA-34a inhibitor+ burn serum (MB) group, and microRNA-34a inhibitor+ burn serum + EX527 (MBE) group. Myocardial cells in group MCB were transfected with gene sequence of inhibitor control, and myocardial cells in the later groups were transfected with gene sequence of inhibitor of microRNA-34a. After transfection of 48 h, myocardial cells in group MBE were cultured in Dulbecco′s modified Eagle′s medium (DMEM) solution for 6 hours, with serum in group SB of volume fraction of 10% and final amount-of-substance concentration of 1 mol/L, and myocardial cells in the other 2 groups were cultured in DMEM solution with serum from rats of group SB of volume fraction of 10%. The protein expression levels of myocardial cells of SIRT1, cleaved-caspase-3, and Bax were detected by Western blotting. (3) Myocardial tissue from (1) was collected to detect expression levels of microRNA-34a and mRNA of SIRT1 in groups SI and SB by real-time fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR. Morphology of myocardial tissue of rats in groups SI, SB, and SA was observed with biological image navigator. The mRNA expression levels of interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) of rats in groups SI, SB, and SA were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR. The expression levels of cleaved-caspase-3, and Bax of myocardial tissue of rats in groups SI, SB, and SA were detected by Western blotting. Data were processed with one-way analysis of variance and least-significant difference test. Results: (1) After transfection of 48 h, the expression level of microRNA-34a of myocardial cells in group MM was 4.67±0.92, significantly higher than 1.03±0.04 in group MMC (P<0.01); the protein expression level of SIRT1 of myocardial cells in group MM was 0.35±0.06, significantly lower than 1.12±0.11 in group MMC (P<0.01). After transfection of 48 h, the expression level of microRNA-34a of myocardial cells in group MI was 0.26±0.07, significantly lower than 1.33±0.07 in group MIC (P<0.01); the protein expression level of SIRT1 of myocardial cells in group MIC was 1.12±0.16, significantly lower than 1.74±0.34 in group MI (P<0.01). At 6 h after culture, compared with those in group MCB, the SIRT1 protein expression level of myocardial cells in group MB was significantly increased (P<0.05), while cleaved-caspase-3 and Bax protein expression levels of myocardial cells in group MB were significantly decreased (P<0.05). Compared with those in group MB, the SIRT1 protein expression level of myocardial cells in group MBE was with no significantly statistical difference (P>0.05), and cleaved-caspase-3 and Bax protein expression levels were significantly increased (P<0.05). (2) At 6 h post injury, compared with that in group SI, the microRNA-34a expression level of myocardial tissue in group SB was significantly increased (P<0.01), and the mRNA expression level of SIRT1 of myocardial tissue in group SB was significantly decreased (P<0.01). At 6 h post injury, myocardial cells in group SI arranged neatly with normal nucleus and no inflammatory cells infiltration; myocardial cells in group SB arranged disorderly, with no abnormal nucleus, and obvious inflammatory cells infiltration; myocardial cells in group SA arranged neatly, with normal nucleus and little inflammatory cells infiltration. At 6 h post injury, compared with those in group SB, the mRNA expression levels of IL-1β and TNF-α, and the protein expression levels of cleaved-caspase-3 and Bax of myocardial tissue in groups SI and SA were significantly decreased (P<0.01). Conclusions The microRNA-34a expression level of myocardial tissue of rats with severe burns at early stage increases, which decreases the expression level of SIRT1, and increases the expression levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, cleaved-caspase-3 and Bax, leading to obvious myocardial damage. Activation of SIRT1 can alleviate myocardial damage of rats with severe burns at early stage through decreasing expression levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, cleaved-caspase-3, and Bax.

Background/Aims: Colorectal cancer (CRC) patients often exhibit peritoneal metastasis, which negatively impacts their prognosis. CD31 and D2-40 have recently been suggested to be predictors of breast cancer prognosis, but their role in colorectal peritoneal metastasis (CRPM) remains unknown. Methods: The expression profiles of CD31 and D2-40 were analyzed in CRC patients with or without CRPM and in CRC cell lines with increasing metastatic potential. Overexpression and short hairpin RNA knockdown assays were performed in CRC cells, and the effects of these alterations on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in vitro, growth of xenograft tumors in vivo, and peritoneal metastasis potential in a mouse model of CRPM were examined. Results: The expressions of CD31 and D2-40 were upregulated in CRC tumor tissues and was elevated further in tumor tissues from patients with CRPM. CD31 and D2-40 expression levels exhibited increasing trends parallel to the EMT potential of CRC cells. CD31 and D2-40 are essential for CRC cell EMT in vitro as well as for xenograft tumor growth and peritoneal metastasis in vivo. Conclusions CD31 and D2-40 contribute to CRPM by promoting EMT and may serve as prognostic markers and therapeutic targets for CRC, particularly in patients with peritoneal metastasis.

Objective:To investigate the value of radiotherapy in patients with stage Ⅳ B thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) at initial diagnosis. Methods:A total of 199 patients with stage Ⅳ B thoracic ESCC at initial diagnosis (according to UICC/AJCC Eighth Edition Esophageal and Esophagogastric Junction Cancer TNM Staging) who were treated in the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University between January 2010 to December 2016 were recruited. Winthin the whole group, 130 patients (65.3%) had distant lymph node metastases alone, 51 cases (25.6%) of solid organ metastases alone and 18 cases (9.0%) of solid organ complicated with distant lymph node metastases. Among them, 16 patients (8.0%) were treated with chemotherapy alone, 50 cases (25.1%) of radiotherapy alone, 133 cases (66.8%) of radiochemotherapy (81 patients treated with concurrent radiochemotherapy and 52 patients treated with sequential radiochemotherapy). The survival rate was calculated by Kaplan-Meier method and the difference was analyzed by log-rank test. Clinical prognosis was assessed by multivariate Cox regression model. Results:The median overall survival (OS) of the entire cohort was 12.3 months (95% CI: 10.6-15.4m), and the 1-, 2-, 3-and 5-year OS rates were 52.1%, 25.2%, 19.1%, and 11.5%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that tumor length, the number of metastatic organs, and treatment modalities were the independent prognostic factors for OS. There was no significant difference in OS between concurrent radiochemotherapy and sequential radiochemotherapy ( P=0.955). The OS of patients in the radiotherapy dose of ≥6000 cGy group was significantly longer than that of their counterparts in the 4500-5039 cGy and 5040-6000 cGy groups (both P<0.001). Conclusions:For stage Ⅳ B thoracic ESCC patients at initial diagnosis, tumor length ≤3cm, single organ metastasis, and radiochemotherapy strategy are significantly correlated with longer OS. For stage Ⅳ ESCC patients with good physical status, radiotherapy can be supplemented on the basis of systemic chemotherapy. Concurrent or sequential radiochemotherapy needs to be individualized. If patients are tolerable, radiochemotherapy is recommended to the primary tumor or non-regional metastatic lymph nodes, aiming to prolong the OS of patients.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) in achalasia of cardia (AC) patients with the long course.Methods:A total of 159 AC patients who received POEM from January 2015 to March 2022 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University were divided into the long course group (≥10 years) and the non-long course group (<10 years). The baseline information, POEM procedure and postoperative recurrence were compared and the differences between the recurrent patients and non-recurrent patients in the long course group were explored.Results:The age (57.09±14.30 years VS 42.08±15.68 years, t=5.569, P<0.001), the rate of treatment history [28.9% (13/45) VS 9.6% (11/114), χ2=9.319, P=0.020], the proportion of Henderson grade Ⅲ esophagus [17.8% (8/45) VS 6.1% (7/114), χ2=7.020, P=0.030] in the long course group were significantly higher than those in the non-long course group. The recurrence rate in the long course group was significantly higher than that in the non-long course group [33.3% (15/45) VS 14.9% (17/114), χ2=6.811, P=0.009]. In the long course group, the age (62.50 ± 16.94 years VS 53.77 ± 12.95 years, t=-2.121, P=0.040), and the rate of treatment history [53.3% (8/15) VS 16.7% (5/30), χ2=6.544, P=0.016] in the recurrent patients were higher than those in the non-recurrent patients. Conclusion:POEM is safe and effective for long-course AC patients. In patients with the long course, the aged patients with previous treatment are more likely to relapse.

Objective To investigate the predictive value of labor progress angle(AOP),fetal head descent distance(HPD)and their change rates in the outcome of vaginal trial of cesarean scar uterus.Methods A total of 170 pregnant women who underwent vaginal trial production of scar ute-rus after cesarean section were selected as study subjects,and were divided into successful group and failed group based on the trial production outcomes.Advanced oxidation processes(AOP)and head-perineum distance(HPD)were measured by ultrasound during the active phase of the first stage of labor when the cervix dilated to 4 cm and at 1 hour after the cervix dilated to 4 cm,respectively.The AOP change rate and HPD change rate after 1 hour of progress were calculated.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to analyze the predictive efficacy of AOP,HPD and their change rates in the outcome of vaginal trial production of scar uterus after cesarean section.Delong test was used to compare the differences in area under curves(AUCs).Results Among 170 pregnant women with scarred uterus after cesarean section who were pregnant again,139 cases(success group)were succeed in transvaginal delivery,while 31 cases failed trial delivery,and transferred to cesarean section(failure group).The AOP of the successful group was significantly larger than that of the failed group when the cervix was opened to 4 cm,and the HPD was significantly shorter than that of the failure group(P＜0.05).The AOP change rate and the change rate of HPD of the suc-cessful group were significantly higher than that of the failed group when the cervix dilated to 4 cm and at 1 hour(P＜0.05).The AUC of AOP and HPD in predicting the outcome of vaginal trial de-livery of scar uterus after cesarean section were 0.846 and 0.812 respectively,and AUC predicted jointly by AOP and HPD showed no significant differences compared with AUC predicted separately(P＞0.05).The AUC of the change rate of AOP and HPD in predicting the outcome of vaginal trial delivery of scarred uterus after cesarean section was 0.899 and 0.852 respectively,and the com-bined prediction of AOP change rate and HPD change rate had a higher AUC value than the AUC predicted separately.Its AUC value was higher than that of AOP combined with HPD(P＜0.05).Conclusion The AOP,HPD and their change rates when the uterine orifice expands to 4 cm in the active phase of the first stage of labor have predictive value for the outcome of vaginal trial produc-tion of scarred uterus after cesarean section.