Objective To evaluate the feasibility of CEUS in Crohn discasc (CD) activity.Methods Thirty-nine patients with CD were analyzed.The clinical disease activity index of 18 cases were less than 150 (inactivity),and 21 cases were between 150 and 450 (activity).The thickness of intestinal walls were measured and Limberg classification were determined by power-Doppler results.The CEUS was performed,and the parameters including rise time,peak intensity,mean transit time,time from peak to one half,wash in slope and time to peak were statistical analyzed.Results The thickness of the lesions,peak intensity and wash in slope of activity CD were greater than those of inactivity CD,which had significant difference (all P＜0.05).The Limberg classification of type Ⅰ was 1 case,type Ⅱ was 4 cases,type Ⅲ was 10 cases and type Ⅳ was 6 cases in activity CD.The Limberg classification of type Ⅰ was 10 cases,type Ⅱ was 7 cases and type Ⅲ was 1 case.The Limberg classification were mainly type Ⅲ and type Ⅳ in activity CD,and type Ⅰ and type Ⅱ in inactivity CD,which had significant difference (P＜0.001).Conclusion CEUS can provide quantitative parameters in CD activity and has great clinical value.

Objective:To evaluate the influencing factors of carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (CF-PWV) and its value to predict outcomes in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients.Methods:Eligible patients undergoing PD in Renji Hospital of Shanghai Jiao Tong University between August 2016 and July 2018 were recruited and prospectively followed up until death, PD cessation, or to the end of the study. CF-PWV was measured by an arterial pulse wave velocity meter to assess arterial stiffness (July 31, 2020). Overhydration was measured by bioimpedance spectroscopy. The patients were divided into CF-PWV≤10 m/s group and CF-PWV>10 m/s group according to the measured value of CF-PWV. The influencing factors of elevated CF-PWV were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression. Survival curves were generated using the Kaplan-Meier method and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to analyze the difference for all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality between the two groups.Results:A total of 224 PD patients were enrolled, including 133 males (59.4%). The age was (55.2±13.4) years old, and median PD vintage was 22.3(6.5, 59.3) months. Among them, 47(21.0%) patients were comorbid with diabetes, and 37(16.5%) patients had CVD history. The median CF-PWV was 9.6(8.4, 11.4) m/s for the cohort, and 105(46.9%) participants had CF-PWV over 10 m/s. Compared with CF-PWV≤10 m/s group, CF-PWV>10 m/s group patients had older age, increased percentage of diabetes and CVD (all P<0.05). Multivariate logistic analysis showed that increased age ( OR=1.070, 95% CI 1.043-1.099, P<0.001), diabetes ( OR=3.693, 95% CI 1.646-8.287, P=0.002) and higher overhydration ( OR=1.238, 95% CI 1.034-1.483, P=0.020) were independent influencing factors for elevated CF-PWV in PD patients. After followed up for 37.4(25.6, 41.7) months, 24 patients died, including 19 cases of CVD-related deaths. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that all-cause mortality and CVD mortality were significantly higher in the CF-PWV>10 m/s group than those in CF-PWV≤10 m/s group (Log-rank χ2=6.423, P=0.011; Log-rank χ2=6.243, P=0.012, respectively). Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models showed that increased age was an independent influencing factor for both all-cause mortality and CVD mortality ( HR=1.057, 95% CI 1.010-1.107, P=0.018; HR=1.062, 95% CI 1.009-1.118, P=0.022). Conclusions:Increased arterial stiffness is relatively common in PD patients. Higher CF-PWV in PD patients is associated with increased age, diabetes and higher overhydration, and it is probably a valuable predictor of outcome in PD patients.

DNA methylation is a prevalent epigenetic modification in vertebrates, and it has been shown to be involved the regulation of gene expression and embryo development. However, it remains unclear how DNA methylation regulates sexual development, especially in species without sex chromosomes. To determine this, we utilized zebrafish to investigate DNA methylation reprogramming during juvenile germ cell development and adult female-to-male sex transition. We reveal that primordial germ cells (PGCs) undergo significant DNA methylation reprogramming during germ cell development, and the methylome of PGCs is reset to an oocyte/ovary-like pattern at 9 days post fertilization (9 dpf). When DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) activity in juveniles was blocked after 9 dpf, the zebrafish developed into females. We also show that Tet3 is involved in PGC development. Notably, we find that DNA methylome reprogramming during adult zebrafish sex transition is similar to the reprogramming during the sex differentiation from 9 dpf PGCs to sperm. Furthermore, inhibiting DNMT activity can prevent the female-to-male sex transition, sug-gesting that methylation reprogramming is required for zebrafish sex transition. In summary, DNA methylation plays important roles in zebrafish germ cell development and sexual plasticity.

Objective To observe the changes of electroencephalogram (EEG) signal during the resting state in adolescents with smoking addiction.Methods Spectral analysis during the resting state was used to observe and analyze the EEG signals between adolescents with smoking addiction (n=21) and nosmoking control group (n=21) by using Brain Vision Analyzer software.Results Compared with the nosmoking control group,adolescents with smoking addiction showed increased alpha band signals in 3 brain regions (including left-anterior,right-anterior and midline-anterior regions,P＜0.05),and decreased delta band signals in 3 brain regions (including right-posterior,midline-anterior and midline-posterior regions,P＜0.05).Moreover,the signals in these brain regions were positively correlated with pack-years (alpha band:left-anterior(r=0.648,P=0.003),right-anterior (r=0.629,P=0.004),midline-anterior (r=0.456,P=0.043);delta band:right-posterior (r=0.602,P =0.005),midline-anterior (r =0.533,P=0.019),midline-posterior (r=0.692,P=0.001))in adolescents with smoking addiction.Conclusion The changes of EEG signals during the resting state in adolescents with smoking addiction may be associated with cumulative effects of smoking.

Objective To investigate the change of the error positivity(Pe)of event-related poten-tial(ERP)under Flanker task in adolescents with smoking addiction. Method The signals of ERP during the Flanker task in fifteen adolescents with smoking addiction were compared with that of 15 non-smoking ad-olescents. Results The Pe amplitude in adolescents with smoking addiction((3.575±2.299)μV)was sig-nificantly lower than that of non-smokers((5.865 ± 4.290)μV)(F=5.324,P=0.029),and the reaction time of the Flanker task in smoking addiction adolescent group((440.754± 36.051)ms)was significantly higher than that in the control group((422.850±20.194)ms)(F=0.620,P<0.05).The Pe amplitude in ado-lescents with smoking addiction was positively correlated with smoking index(pack-years)(r=0.599,P=0.018). Conclusion The adolescents with smoking addiction may exit worse ability of error monitoring dur-ing the Flanker task.

Objective To investigate the prevalence and risk factors of sarcopenia in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients.Methods The patients who underwent regular peritoneal dialysis at Renji Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine between November 2016 and March 2018 were enrolled.Handgrip strength (HGS) was measured to assess muscle strength.Bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy (BIS) was applied to measure the lean tissue index (LTI).Reduced LTI plus decreased HGS was defined as sarcopenia.The prevalence of sarcopenia in PD patients was evaluated.According to the presence or absence of sarcopenia,they were divided into the sarcopenia group and the non-sarcopenia group,and the differences in clinical indicators between the two groups were compared.Multivariate logistic regression was used to explore the risk factors of sarcopenia in PD patients.Results A total of 207 patients were enrolled in the study with age of (55.3±13.7) years and a median PD duration of 22.9(7.3,60.9) months.Of them,122 patients (58.9％) were male,45 patients (21.7％) had diabetics and 32 patients (15.5％) suffered from cardiovascular diseases.There were 27 patients (13.0％) diagnosed with sarcopenia.These patients presented with longer PD duration,more prevalent diabetics,lower residual renal function (RRF) and serum pre-albumin,greater ratio of extracellular water to intracellular water (ECW/ICW) and high sensitive C-reactive protein in contrast with those in the non-sarcopenia group (all P ＜ 0.05).Multivariate logistic analysis showed that male (OR=3.94,95％ CI 1.35-11.50,P=0.O12),longer PD duration (OR=1.01,95％CI 1.00-1.02,P=0.029) and higher ECW/ICW (OR=1.09,95％CI 1.05-1.14,P ＜ 0.001) were independent risk factors of sarcopenia in PD patients.Conclusions Sarcopenia is common in PD patients.Male,longer PD duration and higher ECW/ICW were independent risk factors of sarcopenia in PD patients.

Objective:To explore the association of abdominal aortic calcification score (AACS) with cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients.Methods:The patients who underwent regular PD at Renji Hospital between July 2011 and July 2014 were recruited and prospectively followed up until the end of the study (August 31, 2018), death, or dropout PD. Abdomen lateral X-ray was used to determine AACS for each patient at enrollment. Patients were divided into three groups based on the tertiles of AACS: non-calcified group, AACS group (AACS=0), mild-moderate calcification group AACS group (0

Objective:To investigate the predictive value of peritoneal protein clearance (Pcl) for cardiovascular events and cardiovascular mortality in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients.Methods:Eligible PD patients were prospectively enrolled from January 2014 to April 2015 in the PD Center of Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University. All patients were followed up until death, withdrawing from PD, transferring to other centers, or the end of study period (October 1, 2018). The patients were divided into high Pcl group and low Pcl group by the median Pcl, and the differences of related indicators between the two groups were compared. A multiple linear regression model was used to analyze the influencing factors of Pcl. The Kaplan-Meier method and Log-rank test were used to compare the cumulative survival rates of patients between the two groups. A multivariate Cox regression model was used to estimate the risk of cardiovascular events and cardiovascular mortality in relation to Pcl in PD patients.Results:A total of 271 patients were enrolled, with 135 males (49.8%), age of (56.92±0.84) years old and a median PD duration of 38.77(19.00, 63.10) months. There were 70 patients (25.8%) comorbiding with diabetes and 81 patients (29.9%) with cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The median Pcl of this cohort was 67.93(52.31, 88.36) ml/d. Compared with the low Pcl group (Pcl<67.93 ml/d), the high Pcl group (Pcl≥67.93 ml/d) had older age, and greater proportion of CVD, body mass index (BMI), pulse pressure, brain natriuretic peptide, mass transfer area coefficient of creatinine (MTACcr), and lower serum albumin (all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in gender, dialysis duration, proportion of diabetes, proportion of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor and angiotensin receptor blocker, proportion of continuous ambulatory PD, high sensitivity C reactive protein, fluid removal including 24 h urine volume and 24 h ultrafiltration, and residual renal function between the two groups (all P>0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that serum albumin ( β=-0.388, P<0.001), BMI ( β=0.189, P<0.001), and MTACcr ( β=0.247, P<0.001) were independently related to lg(Pcl). During the study period, 55 patients experienced one or more cardiovascular events and 39 patients had cardiovascular mortality. According to Kaplan-Meier analysis, cardiovascular mortality in the high Pcl group was higher than that of low Pcl group (Log-rank χ2=6.902, P=0.009). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that, high lg(Pcl) was an independent influencing factor of cardiovascular events in PD patients ( HR=7.654, 95% CI 1.676-34.945, P=0.009). Conclusions:Serum albumin, BMI and MTACcr are independently associated with Pcl, and Pcl is an independent predictor of cardiovascular events in PD patients.