Objective: To analyze the trend in burden of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in China from 1990 to 2021, so as to provide insights into reducing the RA burden in China. Methods: Data of Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 were collected, and the incidence, mortality and disability-adjusted life years (DALY) of RA in China from 1990 to 2021 were analyzed and compared with global and different Socio-demographic Index (SDI) regions. The trend in burden of RA was analyzed using average annual percent change (AAPC). Results: The crude incidence rates of RA in China increased from 10.87/105 in 1990 to 17.38/105 in 2021, the crude mortality rates increased from 0.41/105 to 0.72/105, and the crude DALY rates increased from 34.26/105 to 58.61/105, with the increases of 59.98%, 77.95% and 71.06%, respectively. From 1990 to 2021, the standardized incidence rates of RA in China showed an increasing trend (AAPC=0.545%, P<0.05), the standardized mortality rates showed a decreasing trend (AAPC=-0.783%, P<0.05), and the standardized DALY rates showed no significant trend (AAPC=-0.017%, P>0.05). In 2021, the standardized incidence rate, standardized mortality rate and standardized DALY rate of RA were higher in females than in males; from 1990 to 2021, the standardized DALY rates of RA showed a decreasing trend in females (AAPC=-0.200%, P<0.05) and an increasing trend in males (AAPC=0.316%, P<0.05). The crude incidence rates of RA first increased and then decreased with age in 2021, reaching the highest in the age group of 75-<80 years at 34.36/105. Both the crude mortality rates and the crude DALY rates increased with age, reaching the highest in the age group of 95 years and older at 26.72/105 and 285.67/105, respectively. The standardized incidence rates and standardized DALY rates of RA in China in 2021 were lower than those in high SDI regions, while the standardized mortality rate was lower than that in medium-low SDI regions. Conclusions The burden of RA in China from 1990 to 2021 showed an upward trend, and was at a high level compared to different SDI regions. Higher disease burden of RA was seen in females and the elderly.

Objective To investigate the effects of remote limb ischemic preconditioning (RLIP) on the lung injury in patients undergoing abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.Methods Sixty-two ASA Ⅱ or Ⅲ patients of both sexes,aged 54-72 yr,with body mass index 21-36 kg/m2,undergoing elective abdominal aortic aneurysm repair,were randomly divided to 2 groups ( n =31 each):control group (group C) and RLIP group.RLIP consisted of two 5-min cycles of left upper limb ischemia induced by a blood pressure cuff placed on the left upper arm and inflated to 200 mm Hg,with an intervening 5 min of reperfusion,during which time the cuff was deflated.RLIP was performed after anesthesia induction and before the start of surgery.Arterial and venous blood samples were taken at 10 min after intubation (T0),and 30 min and 4,8,12 and 24 h after aortic unclamping (T1-5) for blood gas analysis and determination of the concentrations of serum interleukin (IL)-6,tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α,and plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity.The alveolar-arterial oxygen pressure difference (PA-aO2 ) and respiratory index (RI) were calculated.The peak airway pressure (Ppeak),plat airway pressure (Pplat) and positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP) were recorded at the same time points mentioned above to calculate dynamic lung compliance (Cd) and static lung compliance (Cs).The incidence of hypoxemia,extubation time and duration of stay in intensive care unit (IGU) were also recorded.Results Compared with group C,PA-aO2,RI and the concentration of IL-6 were significantly decreased at T3-5,Cs,Cd and SOD activity were significantly increased at T2-5,and the concentrations of TNF-α and MDA were significantly decreased at T2-5 in group RLIP ( P ＜ 0.05).Compared with group C,the incidence of hypoxemia was significantly decreased,and extubation time and duration of stay in ICU were significantly shortened in group RLIP ( P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion RLIP can reduce the lung injury through inhibition of the inflammatory response and lipid peroxidation in patients undergoing abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.

Objective To evaluate the role of necroptosis in intestinal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats.Methods Thirty-two healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats,weighing 200-220 g,were randomly assigned into 4 groups (n =.8 each) using a random number table:sham operation group (Sham group),I/R group,necroptosis inhibitor necrostatin-1 group (Nec-1 group) and solvent dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) group (group DMSO).Intestinal I/R injury was produced by clamping the superior mesenteric artery for 1 h followed by 24 h reperfusion in rats anesthetized with chloral hydrate.Necrostatin-1 1.0 mg/kg was administered intraperitoneally at 30 min before occlusion in Nec-1 group,while the equal volume of DMSO was given instead in group DMSO.The rats were sacrificed at 24 h of reperfusion and the intestinal tissues were removed for microscopic examination.Intestinal damage was assessed and scored according to Chiu.Blood samples were taken for determination of serum diamine oxidase (DAO) activity.The expression of activitied caspase-3 and receptor-interacting protein 1 (RIP1) in intestinal tissues was detected using Western blot.Results Compared with Sham group,Chiu's score,serum DAO activity,and the expression of activitied caspase-3 and RIP1 was up-regulated in I/R,DMSO and Nec-1 groups.Compared with I/R and DMSO groups,Chiu's score and DAO activity were significantly decreased,the expression of RIP1 was down-regulated,and no significant change was found in the expression of activitied caspase3 in group Nec-1.Conclusion Necroptosis is involved in intestinal I/R injury in rats.

Objective To study the clinical outcomes of robotic extended thymectomy and thoracoscopic extended thymectomy for thymoma patients with myasthenia gravis compared with conventional median sternotomy extended thymectomy.Methods The clinical data of thymoma patients with myasthenia gravis treated by extended thymectomy between June 2013 and June 2016 were retrospectively reviewed.The clinical outcome parameters were compared according to surgical approach.Results 41 thymoma patients with myasthenia gravis,8 cases underwent robotic extended thymecotmy,11 cases underwent thoracoscopic extended thymectomy and 20 underwent median sternotomy extended thymectomy.The resected extension included tumor,thymus tissue and adipose tissue in anterior mediastinum.There were no significant differences between robotic group and thoracoscopic group regarding operative time,blood loss,chest tube duration,hospital stay,postoperative complications and postoperative myasthenic crisis (P ＞ 0.05).The blood loss of robotic group and thoracoscopic group was significantly lower than that in median sternotomy group(P ＜ 0.05).The chest tube duration of thoracoscopic group was significantly shorter than that in median sternotomy group(P ＜0.05).The effective rates of MG after extended thymectomy in robotic group,thoracoscopic group and sternotomy group was 65.0％ 、69.2％ 、62.5％ respectively and there was no significant difference (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Robotic thymectomy and thoracoscopic thymecotomy are both minimal invasive surgery approach with less bleeding for thymoma patients with myasthenia gravis.The clinical outcomes of robotic thymectomy and thoracoscopic thymecotomy are similar.

Objective:To observe the effect of Ba Duan Jin(Eight-brocade Exercise)plus Tuina(Chinese therapeutic massage)in treating primary dysmenorrhea due to cold-induced blood stasis in female college students and on the score of fatigue scale-14(FS-14). Methods:Seventy-two female college students with primary dysmenorrhea due to cold-induced blood stasis were randomized into a Tuina group and a joint group,with 36 cases in each group.The Tuina group only received Tuina manipulations.In the joint group,besides the same Tuina manipulations,patients practiced Ba Duan Jin.For both groups,the once-daily intervention was conducted from 6 d before the menstrual period until menstrual day 1 for 3 menstrual cycles.Changes in the scores of COX menstrual symptom scale(CMSS),visual analog scale(VAS),and FS-14 after the intervention were observed.Clinical efficacy was also estimated. Results:During the process,1 case dropped out in the Tuina group,and 35 cases completed the intervention;2 cases dropped out in the joint group,and 34 cases completed the intervention.The total effective rate was 94.1%in the joint group,higher than 88.6%in the Tuina group(P<0.05).After treatment,the symptom duration and intensity scores in the scores of CMSS,VAS,and FS-14 declined in both groups(P<0.05 or P<0.01);the CMSS symptom duration score and FS-14 score were lower in the joint group than in the Tuina group(P<0.05). Conclusion:Tuina manipulations alone or combined with Ba Duan Jin practice can effectively treat primary dysmenorrhea due to cold-induced blood stasis in female college students;when combined with Ba Duan Jin practice,Tuina manipulations can more significantly improve pain duration and fatigue,suggesting the advantages of combining Tuina Gongfa and manipulations.

Objective To assess the performance of PET-CT in pulmonary carcinoid and to evaluate the efficacy of lymph node metastasis.Methods We retrospectively collected the data of 33 patients with primary pulmonary carcinoid in our center between November 2008 and March 2017.The results of PET-CT were analysed and the relationship among pathological sub-type, tumor size and SUVmax was compared.Results Thirty-three patients had a diagnosis of carcinoid tumor, typical in 10 patients and atypical in 23 patients.The major axis of the tumor was positively correlated with the SUVmax value (P<0.001), and the mean SUVmax of the atypical carcinoid was higher than that of the typical carcinoid(11.27 vs 3.54).The major axis of the tumor was controlled.One-way covariance analysis suggested that the pathological subtype was related to SUVmax(P=0.012).Overall, PET-CT had a sensitivity of 66.7％(95％CI: 12.5％-98.2％) and specificity of 90.9％(95％CI:83. 0％-95.5％).Conclusion Atypical carcinoids showed higher SUVmax than typical carcinoids, but the PET-CT perform-ance of lung carcinoids is not specific.There was a high specificity in evaluating lymph node metastasis.

Background and objective Localization of pulmonary ground glass small nodule is the technical dif-ficulty of minimally invasive operation resection. The aim of this study is to evaluate the value of intraoperative computed tomography (CT)-guided localization using a hook-wire system for small ground glass opacity (GGO) in minimally invasive resection, as well as to discuss the necessity and feasibility of surgical resection of small GGOs (<10 mm) through a minimally invasive approach.MethodshTe records of 32 patients with 41 small GGOs who underwent intraoperative CT-guided double-thorn hook wire localization prior to video-assisted thoracoscopic wedge resection from October 2009 to October 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. All patients received video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) within 10 min atfer wire localiza-tion. hTe effcacy of intraoperative localization was evaluated in terms of procedure time, VATS success rate, and associated complications of localization.Results A total of 32 patients (15 males and 17 females) underwent 41 VATS resections, with 2 simultaneous nodule resections performed in 3 patients, 3 lesion resections in 1 patient, and 5 lesions in a patient. Nodule di-ameters ranged from 2 mm-10 mm (mean: 5 mm). hTe distance of lung lesions from the nearest pleural surfaces ranged within 5 mm-24 mm (mean: 12.5 mm). All resections of lesions guided by the inserted hook wires were successfully performed by VATS (100% success rate). hTe mean procedure time for the CT-guided hook wire localization was 8.4 min (range: 4 min-18 min). hTe mean procedure time for VATS was 32 min (range: 14 min-98 min). hTe median hospital time was 8 d (range: 5 d-14 d). Results of pathological examination revealed 28 primary lung cancers, 9 atypical adenomatous hyperplasia, and 4 nonspe-ciifc chronic inlfammations. No major complication related to the intraoperative hook wire localization and VATS was noted. Conclusion Intraoperative CT-guided hook wire localization is useful, particularly in small GGO localization in VATS wedge resection and has a signiifcantly low rate of minor complications. Lung GGOs carry a 90% risk of malignancy. Aggressive surgi-cal resection of these GGOs is necessary and feasible through the guidance of intraoperative CT localization technique.

Objective To analyze the clinic-pathological data and peritubular capillary (PTC) injuries of malignant nephrosclerosis (MN) patients and their correlations with the long term renal survival.Methods This was a retrospective cohort study of 52 MN patients in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2003 to March 2012.Their clinical data and renal biopsy samples were carefully studied.CD34 staining was performed to evaluate the PTC area,using Benign nephrosclerosis (BN,n=17) patients and glomerular minimal lesions (GML,n=19) patients as controls.Multivariate Cox proportional hazard model was used to identify the potential independent risk factors for long term renal survival.Results Fifty-two MN patients were enrolled.The sex ratio of male to female was 12:1 and the average age was (34.0±8.2) years.The maximum blood pressure (SBP/DBP) was (230.4 ± 25.0)/(156.4 ± 20.6) mmHg,companied with significant loss of eGFR and proteinuria.Glomerular sclerosis index,tubular atrophy and interstitial fibrosis correlated with eGFR and proteinuria (P ＜ 0.05).After aggressive treatment,BP control rate improved significantly (76.9％ vs 3.7％,P ＜0.01),Scr [(376.4±263.8) μmol/L vs (486.8±375.7) μmol/L,Wilcoxon test,P＜ 0.01] and proteinuria [(1.10±0.70) g/24 h vs (2.04± 1.26) g/24 h,P ＜ 0.01,n=21] also improved.PTC area in MN patients was significantly lower than those in BN patients and GML patients,and it correlated well with Scr (r=-0.553,P=0.001) and eGFR (r=0.476,P=0.004).The median follow-up time was 74 months,the cumulative renal survival rate at 1 year,5 year and 10 year was 90％,64％ and 23％,respectively.Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the patients with higher PTC area had longer renal survival time [(114.8± 12.4) months vs (63.0±8.3) months, x2=5.312,P ＜ 0.05].Univariate Cox proportional hazard model found that unsatisfied BP control,eGFR ＜ 30 ml · min-1 · (1.73 m2)-1 upon discharge,lower PTC area,severer tubular-interstitial damage and anemia were associated with poor renal outcome.Multivariate Cox model showed that unsatisfied BP control (RR=3.89,95％ CI 1.75-8.65,P=0.001),eGFR ＜ 30 ml · min-1 · (1.73 m2)-1 upon discharge (RR=4.27,95％ CI 1.40-13.09,P=0.011) were independent risk factors for long-term renal survival.Conclusions The correlation between PTC area and renal functions in MN patients are much better than that of classic vascular changes.Unsatisfied BP control and eGFR ＜ 30 ml · min-1 · (1.73 m2)-1 upon discharge are independent risk factors for long-term renal survival.

Objective To investigate the intrinsic neural mechanism of aggressive behavior in CD 1 mice.Methods CD1 mice with aggressive behavior were screened out by resident intruder test.After the aggressive conditioned pair preference was further verified,the activated brain regions of the whole brain were labeled with c-Fos,and the types of neurons activated by the aggressive behavior were analyzed by double immunofluorescence labeling.Finally,the effects of activity of these neurons regulated by optogenetics on aggressive behavior were observed.Results The c-Fos screening revealed that about 82％of the CD1 mice showed aggressive behavior.After the occurrence of aggressive behavior,the main activation occured in the medial prefrontal cortex(mPFC),and the results of immunofluorescence double labeling showed that the c-Fos positive neurons in the mPFC were mainly glutamatergic neurons.Finally,glutamatergic neurons in the mPFC could be activated by optogenetics,and the activation inhibited the aggressive behavior of CD1 mice.In contrast,optogenetics could inhibit glutamatergic neurons in the mPFC and then promote the aggressive behavior of CD1 mice.Conclusion Glutamatergic neurons in the mPFC are an important component in the regulation of aggressive behavior in CD1 mice.