Objective: To study the prevalence and pathogenesis of TT virus (TTV) in hemodialysis patients. Methods: Serum TTV DNA was tested in 69 hemodialysis patients from our hospital by nested-PCR using primers from a conservative region of TTV genenome, genetic analysis and detection of hepatitis C virus antibody (anti-HCV) and the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were also carried out simultaneously. Results: The overall prevalence of TTV viremia was 27.5%. The PCR-amplified gene fragment from one patient was sequenced, and its gene sequence homologies with GH1,TA278, TTVCHN1 and TTVCHN2 ranged from 89% to 100%, its deduced amino acid sequence ranged from 87% to 100%. There was no significant difference of TTV prevalence between anti-HCV positive and negative patients. No significant elevation of ALT was found in all patients. Conclusion: High prevalence of TTV infection is found among hemodialysis patients, and TTV infection has no significant association with HCV infection or elevation of ALT.

The postoperative nervous system and neurocognition-related complications have become an important issue of research focus with the gradual increase of the survival rate after liver transplantation. Compared to other solid organ transplantation, the incidence of nervous system complications after liver transplantation is higher and closely related to death. This paper mainly overviewed the nervous system complications, neurocognition-related complications after liver transplantation and the risk factors inducing these complications. It also discussed how to evaluate, monitor, and prevent these complications in order to provide reference for future studies.

Objective     To investigate the surgical procedure selection, operation technique and safety of anatomic sublobar resection for pulmonary nodules. Methods     The clinical data of 242 patients with clinical stage ⅠA lung cancer who underwent anatomic sublobar resection in our hospital between 2017 and 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 81 males and 161 females with a median age of 57.0 (50.0, 65.0) years. They were divided into 4 groups according to the surgical methods, including a segmentectomy group (n=148), a combined segmentectomy group (n=31), an enlarged segmentectomy group (n=43) and an anatomic wedge resection group (n=20). The preoperative CT data, operation related indexes and early postoperative outcomes of each group were summarized. Results     The median medical history of the patients was 4.0 months. The median maximum diameter of nodule on CT image was 1.1 cm, and the consolidation/tumor ratio (CTR) was ≤0.25 in 81.0% of the patients. A total of 240 patients were primary lung adenocarcinoma. The median operation time was 130.0 min, the median blood loss was 50.0 mL, the median chest drainage time was 3.0 d, and the hospitalization cost was (53.0±12.0) thousand yuan. The operation time of combined segmentectomy was longer than that of the segmentectomy group (P=0.001). The operation time (P=0.000), intraoperative blood loss (P=0.000), lymph nodes dissected (P=0.007) and cost of hospitalization (P=0.000) in the anatomic wedge resection group were shorter or less than those in the other three groups. There was no significant difference in the drainage time, total drainage volume, air leakage or postoperative hospital stay among the four groups (P>0.05). Conclusion     The combined application of segmentectomy and wedge resection technique provides a more flexible surgical option for the surgical treatment of early lung cancer with ground glass opacity as the main component.

The risk of perioperative venous thromboembolism (VTE) is pretty high in thoracic cancer patients. Perioperative VTE influences the recovery of patients after operation and quality of life in the future, even seriously leading to death. To strengthen the knowledge and attention of thoracic surgeons on perioperative VTE in thoracic cancer patients, China National Research Collaborative Group on VTE in Thoracic Surgery released the edition of VTE prophalaxis in thoracic cancer patients: Chinese experts consensus in 2018. This article is to interpret the diagnostic value and risk prediction value of D-dimer in VTE in detail, and briefly introduce the role of other biomarkers in VTE of tumor patients. The consensus interpretation aims to deepen the understanding of thoracic surgeons on the clinical significance of D-dimer in VTE.

Background: Primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) is a common manifestation of Birt-Hogg-Dubé (BHD) syndrome, which is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by mutation of the folliculin (FLCN) gene. This study was established to investigate the mutation of the FLCN gene and the phenotype in a family with PSP. Methods: We investigated the clinical and genetic characteristics of a large Chinese family with recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax. Genetic testing was performed by Sanger sequencing of the coding exons (4-14 exons) of the FLCN gene. Results: Among ten affected members in a multi-generational PSP kindred, with a total of 18 episodes of spontaneous pneumothorax, the median age for the initial onset of pneumothorax was 42.5 years (interquartile range: 28.8-57.2 years). Chest computed tomography scan of the proband showed pulmonary cysts and pneumothorax. A novel nonsense mutation (c.1273C>T) in exon 11 of FLCN gene that leads to a pre-mature stop codon (p.Gln425*) was identified in the family. The genetic analysis confirmed the diagnosis of BHD syndrome in this family in the absence of skin lesions or renal tumors. Conclusions A novel nonsense mutation of FLCN gene was found in a large family with PSP in China. Our results expand the mutational spectrum of FLCN gene in patients with BHD syndrome.

BACKGROUNDThe aim of this study was to prospectively study the changes in neutrophil elastase (NE), fibroblast growth factor 9 (Fgf9), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1) in sputum induced during the early period after lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS).

METHODSFrom April to October 2005, ten consecutive patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) underwent LVRS. Ten non-small cell lung cancer patients (stage II - IIIa) received lobectomy as a control group. The induced sputum was collected from both groups at six different times (two weeks before operation and postoperatively at 1, 2, 4, 6 and 10 days). The level of NE, Fgf9, MMP-9 and TIMP-1 were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTSThe pulmonary function (FEV(1)%) and arterial blood gases (PaO(2) and PaCO(2)) were significantly different between the groups. There were no significant differences in age, ejection fraction (EF), and operation duration, but hemoglobin in the LVRS group was statistically higher than in the controls. At certain times, there were significant differences in NE, MMP-9, TIMP-1 and MMP-9/TIMP-1 (P < 0.05) but not in Fgf9 between the two groups. The levels of NE and TIMP-1 were maximal at 2 days postoperatively and that of MMP-9 and MMP-9/TIMP-1 at 4 days postoperatively in the LVRS group. In the control group, maximal levels of NE and TIMP-1 occurred at 2 days postoperatively and that of MMP-9 and MMP-9/TIMP-1 at 1 day postoperatively. Ten days after surgery, all values of the control group were not significantly different from the baseline. In the LVRS group, the levels were significantly different from the pre-operative values (P < 0.05) apart from TIMP-1.

CONCLUSIONThe levels of NE, MMP-9, TIMP-1 and MMP-9/TIMP-1 of the LVRS group were different from those of the control group. The time course of these changes may be related to LVRS and the underlying process of COPD.

Female ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 9 ; analysis ; Humans ; Leukocyte Elastase ; analysis ; Lung Neoplasms ; surgery ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; analysis ; Middle Aged ; Pneumonectomy ; Prospective Studies ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; surgery ; Sputum ; chemistry ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo explore the effective sexually transmitted infections (STI)/AIDS intervention strategies among female sex workers at the metropolis areas with low prevalence.

METHODSA comprehensive intervention was carried out among female sex workers in eight recreation establishments which have representative characters in Chaoyang district, and the effects of intervention was subsequently evaluated by a questionnaire from September 2005 to February 2006. The data were analyzed by SPSS11.5.

RESULTSThe study subjects aged 17-40 year old (25.22 +/- 5.81), and 203 (89. 82%) of them had high or middle school education background. 166 were unmarried, and 205 (90.70%) had no job, and 244 (99. 12%) subjects were migrants. After intervention, the correct answer rates for the knowledge of STI/ AIDS rose from 52.6% to 75.4% (chi2 = 22.701, P < 0.01); and the correct use of condom were higher than those of baseline, with the rise from 22.12% to 34.76% (chi2 = 8.14, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe STI/AIDS comprehensive intervention measures were effective and should be evaluated and generalized in the similar metropolis regions.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Adolescent ; Adult ; China ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Risk Reduction Behavior ; Sex Work ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult

Objective: To investigate the current status of prevention and treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE) after thoracic surgery in China. Method: Chinese thoracic surgeons were investigated by the online questionnaire which was based on the Chinese version of International VTE questionnaire added with 6 extra questions with Chinese characteristics. Results: A total of 1 150 valid questionnaires were retrieved, accounting for about 20% of all the Chinese thoracic surgeons. The surgeons participating in this survey came from all over the country, most of whom were experienced professionals with high academic titles.For lung cancer patients, 66.96% (770/1 150) of the surgeons suggested that VTE prophylaxis should start 1 day after lung cancer resection, and 64.61% (743/1 150) of the surgeons suggested extending after discharge. For esophagestomy patients, and 48.35% (514/1 063) of the surgeons suggested that there was no need for patients to extend VTE prophylaxis after discharge. More than half of the surgeons participating in this survey made decision of the method and duration of VTE prophylaxis after lung cancer resection (53.91% (620/1 150)) or esophagectomy (52.49% (558/1 063)) depending on the clinical experience.Low molecular weight heparin was the common choice of most surgeons in VTE prophylaxis. More than half of the surgeons thought that previous history of VTE, advanced age, complicated with thrombophilia, obesity (body mass index>30 kg/m²), duration of surgery longer than 6 hours and family history of VTE were key risk factors of the occurrence of postoperative VTE. Conclusions The results of this survey are highly credible and are a good reflection of the current status of VTE prevention and treatment after thoracic surgery in China. This survey will play an important role in promoting VTE prevention and treatment in Chinese thoracic surgery department, it will also provide data support for government setting new policies, hospital construction of VTE prevention and control as well as raising physicians′ awareness.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Bronchiolitis ; complications ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

Objective     To study the correlation of preoperative hemoglobin amount with venous thromboembolism (VTE) after surgical treatment of bronchiectasis and the clinical significance. Methods     A retrospective study was performed on patients with bronchiectasis who underwent surgical treatment in our center from June 2017 to November 2021. The differences in blood parameters between the VTE patients and non-VTE patients were compared. The relationship between preoperative hemoglobin and VTE was confirmed by quartile grouping and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results     A total of 122 patients were enrolled, including 50 males and 72 females, with a mean age of 52.52±12.29 years. The overall incidence of VTE after bronchiectasis was 9.02% (11/122). Preoperative hemoglobin amount (OR=0.923, 95%CI 0.870-0.980, P=0.008) and D-dimer amount (OR=1.734, 95%CI 1.087-2.766, P=0.021) were independent influencing factors for VTE after bronchiectasis. The incidence of VTE after bronchiectasis decreased gradually with the increase of preoperative hemoglobin amount. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of postoperative D-dimer alone was 0.757, whereas the AUC of postoperative D-dimer combined with preoperative hemoglobin amount was 0.878. Conclusion     Low preoperative hemoglobin is an independent risk factor for postoperative VTE. Postoperative D-dimer combined with preoperative hemoglobin amount has a better predictive performance compared with postoperative D-dimer alone for postoperative VTE.