Objective To explore the clinical features,imaging and pathological characteristics of the patients with congenital liver fibrosis(CHF).Methods The medical case data of 6 patients with pathological-ly diagnosed CHF in this hospital from January 2011 to June 2021 were retrospectively analyzed,and the clini-cal menifastations,laboratory indicators,imaging characteristics,pathological manifestations,treatment and outcomes were summarized.Results The clinical classification in 6 cases of CHF was mainly portal hyperten-sion(66.67％),and the most common clinical manifestations and signs were hepatosplenomegaly(83.33％),melena(50.00％)and abdominal distension(33.33％).Total bil irubin was normal,and only 2 cases(33.33％)were mildly elevated.The prothrombin time was in the normal range in 4 cases(66.67％),and mild abnormality in 2 cases(33.33％).Imaging showed abnormal liver morphology in 6 cases,spleen enlarge-ment in 5 cases(83.33％),portal vein widening in 3 cases(50.00％),diffuse dilatation of intrahepatic bile ducts in 2 cases(33.33％),and complicating Caroli disease in 1 case(16.67％).The pathological manifesta-tions were normal liver parenchymal cells,periportal fibrosis,and manifold-manifold bridging-like fibrosis.Six cases received the conventional liver protection therapy,3 cases underwent splenectomy+pericardia vascular dissection,the median follow-up time was 68.2 months,1 case died due to liver failure,and 5 cases were rela-tively stable.Conclusion The patients with hepatic disease whose portal hypertension is inconsistent to the degree of hepatic function damage,especially those complicating polycystic kidney disease should perfect the liver puncture pathological examination and genetic testing to clarify the diagnosis,and conduct the genetic counseling and intervention treatment as soon as possible.

Objective To investigate the prognostic value of atherogenic index of plasma(AIP)for the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events(MACE)in elderly patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI).Methods A total of 355 elderly patients with acute STEMI who received coronary interventional therapy in Department of Cardiology,Affilia-ted Hospital of Hebei University from January to May 2023 were recruited retrospectively,and fi-nally 343 of them with complete telephone follow-up data were included in this study.According to their AIP quartile level,they were divided into A1 group(＜0.212,84 cases),A2 group(0.212-0.339,87 cases),A3 group(0.339-0.434,86 cases)and A4 group(≥0.434,86 cases).The incidences of cardiac death,nonfatal myocardial infarction,ischemia-driven target vessel re-modeling and heart failure re-hospitalization were observed during 1-year follow-up.Kaplan-Meier survival curve was plotted to compare the incidence of MACE in the 4 groups.ROC curve analysis was employed to determine the predictive value of AIP.Results During 1-year follow-up,signifi-cant differences were observed in the proportions of ischemia-driven target vessel revasculariza-tion,heart failure re-hospitalization and non-fatal acute myocardial infarction among the 4 groups(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),and such difference was also seen in the cumulative survival rate among them(log rankx2=8.528,P=0.036).Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis showed that gender,hypertension,atrial fibrillation,multi-vessel disease,left main artery disease,number of stents,SYNTAX score,Killip grade,BNP,HbA1c,TC,LDL-C and HDL-C levels,and AIP were independent predictors of MACE.The AUC value of AIP in predicting MACE in elderly patients with acute STEMI was 0.855(95％CI:0.776-0.933),with a sensitivity of 66.7％and a specificity of 93.0％.When the above indicators combined together,the AUC value was 0.907(95％CI:0.954-0.987),and the sensitivity and specificity was 100.0％and 90.7％,respectively.The AUC value of combined prediction was significantly better than that of single indicator(P＜0.05).Conclusion AIP is a powerful biomarker,and can be used to predict the prognosis of elderly acute STEMI after coronary interventional therapy,and it combined with Killip grade,SYNTAX score,HbA1c,and number of stents shows better predictive efficacy.

Objective To investigate the effect of T cell immunoreceptor with Ig and ITIM domains (TIGIT) on the function of CD8⁺ T cells in the lungs of Plasmodium infected mice. Methods The lungs of the mice infected with Plasmodium yoelii were isolated, weighed and photographed after 12 days' infection. After dissolution, lung lymphocytes were isolated, counted and stained, and then the contents of CD8⁺ and TIGIT⁺CD8⁺ T cells were detected by flow cytometry. The expressions of L selectin (CD62L), CD69, programmed death 1 (PD-1), CD25, and C-X3-C motif chemokine receptor 1 (CX3CR1) on TIGIT⁺CD8⁺ T cells were detected by flow cytometry. After stimulation with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and ionomycin, the ability of TIGIT⁺CD8⁺T cells to secrete interferon γ(IFN-γ), interleukin 21 (IL-21), IL-4, IL-17, and IL-10 was detected. Results The body mass of mice with Plasmodium infection was reduced. The lungs became darker, and the ratio of the lung mass to body mass was significantly increased. Compared with the normal mice, the percentages and absolute quantity of CD8⁺ and TIGIT⁺CD8⁺ T cells in the lungs of the infected mice were significantly increased. The percentage of TIGIT⁺CD8⁺ T cells expressing CD62L in the infected group was significantly lower, while the percentage of the CD69, PD-1, and CX3CR1 cells were significantly higher than that of TIGIT⁺CD8⁺ T cells from the normal mice. The percentages of TIGIT⁺CD8⁺ T cells secreting IL-21, IL-4, IL-17 and IL-10 cells in the infected group were significantly lower. Conclusion The lung lesions from mice with Plasmodium infection are obvious, the numbers of TIGIT⁺CD8⁺ T cells increase, and these cells express a variety of activation-related molecules, but the ability to secrete cytokines is reduced.
Animals ; Mice ; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; Cytokines/metabolism* ; Interferon-gamma/metabolism* ; Interleukin-10/metabolism* ; Interleukin-17/metabolism* ; Interleukin-4/metabolism* ; Lung/metabolism* ; Malaria/metabolism* ; Plasmodium yoelii/metabolism* ; Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor/metabolism*

AIM: To investigate the preventive and therapeutic effects of Hawthorn flavone on hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis rats. METHODS: The atherosclerosis model was established by high fat diet plus vitamin D2. The blood lipid levels, heart index, atherosclerosis index (AI1, AI2) and coronary heart index were measured in each group. The histopathological changes of aorta were observed by oil red O staining, HE staining and Masson staining. ELISA experiments were used to detect IL-6, ICAM-1, MCP-1 and VCAM-1 protein level. RESULTS: Compared with normal group, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein (LDL-C), heart index, atherosclerosis index (AI1, AI2) and coronary index in atherosclerosis model group were significantly increased (P<0.01), while high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was significantly decreased (P<0.01). The pathological score of aorta and the degree of fibrosis were significantly increased (P<0.01). Compared with model group, TC, TG, LDL-C, heart index, atherosclerosis index (AI1, AI2) and coronary heart index were significantly decreased (P<0.01), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was significantly increased (P<0.01) in medium, high dose hawthorn flavonoids and atorvastatin groups. The pathological score of aorta significantly decreased and the degree of fibrosis significantly improved (P<0.01). The variation trend of blood lipid levels in hyperlipidemia rats is basically consistent with atherosclerotic rats. Meanwhile, compared with model group, the medium, high dose hawthorn flavonoids and atorvastatin groups could significantly inhibit the expression levels of IL-6, MCP-1, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 adhesion molecules (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The hawthorn flavone can inhibit the formation of aortic endothelial atherosclerotic plaque, reduce the degree of fibrosis and inflammation of atherosclerotic plaque in rats, and achieve the purpose of anti-atherosclerosis. Meanwhile, the hawthorn flavone has the effect of regulating blood lipid.

Glucose transporter 1(GLUT1)overexpression in tumor cells is a potential target for drug therapy,but few studies have reported screening GLUT1 inhibitors from natural or synthetic compounds.With cur-rent analysis techniques,it is difficult to accurately monitor the GLUT1 inhibitory effect of drug molecules in real-time.We developed a cell membrane-based glucose sensor(CMGS)that integrated a hydrogel electrode with tumor cell membranes to monitor GLUT1 transmembrane transport and screen for GLUT1 inhibitors in traditional Chinese medicines(TCMs).CMGS is compatible with cell membranes of various origins,including different types of tumors and cell lines with GLUT1 expression knocked down by small interfering RNA or small molecules.Based on CMGS continuous monitoring technique,we inves-tigated the glucose transport kinetics of cell membranes with varying levels of GLUT1 expression.We used CMGS to determine the GLUT1-inhibitory effects of drug monomers with similar structures from Scutellaria baicalensis and catechins families.Results were consistent with those of the cellular glucose uptake test and molecular-docking simulation.CMGS could accurately screen drug molecules in TCMs that inhibit GLUT1,providing a new strategy for studying transmembrane protein-receptor interactions.

The adverse health effects of air pollution remains a daunting public health problem globally. The research of the health effects of air pollution provides important evidence for ambient air quality standard establishments and air pollution interventions. In recent years, causal inference has been gradually introduced into the observational study of environmental epidemiology, which provides more statistical method options for the study of causal relationships between air pollution and population health effects. Controlling confounders in observational studies is a major challenge for causal inference. This study introduces the causal inference methods for the identification and control of confounding factors currently used in the study of air pollution and population health effects, in order to provide methodological reference and basis for the causal inference study of air pollution and population health effects in China.

The adverse health effects of air pollution remains a daunting public health problem globally. The research of the health effects of air pollution provides important evidence for ambient air quality standard establishments and air pollution interventions. In recent years, causal inference has been gradually introduced into the observational study of environmental epidemiology, which provides more statistical method options for the study of causal relationships between air pollution and population health effects. Controlling confounders in observational studies is a major challenge for causal inference. This study introduces the causal inference methods for the identification and control of confounding factors currently used in the study of air pollution and population health effects, in order to provide methodological reference and basis for the causal inference study of air pollution and population health effects in China.

Objective To establish a simple scoring system for the diagnosis of liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B (CHB), and to observe its sensitivity and specificity. Methods Two hundred and thirty-three patients diagnosed as CHB by liver biopsy were divided into model group (N = 154) and validation group (N = 79). The general information, biochemical parameters and imaging data of all patients were observed. With hepatic fibrosis being obvious or not as the end point of primary study in the model group, we established a simple scoring system for the diagnosis. The cut-off, sensitivity and specificity of the system were tested in the model group by ROC curve, and its diagnostic efficacy was tested in the validation group. Results(1) A simple scoring system for the diagnosis of liver fibrosis called MDFS was established in the model group, and the dimensions of the system included sex, HBV-DNA, Fibroscan (FS) value and splenomegaly. In MDFS, male, HBV-DNA≥ 107 U/mL,FS value≥7.3 kPa, and splenomegaly were assigned 1 point, -2 points, 3 points, and 2 points respectively. (2) The best cut-off value in MDFS was 2 points.(3) ROC curve of the model group indicated that the specificity and sensitivity were 92.86% and 54.76% respectively, the area under curve(AUC) was 0.790, and the Youden index was 0.4762. In the validation group, the diagnostic cut-off value was over 2 points, and the sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, and negative likelihood ratio were 52.17%, 82.35%, 2.96, and 0.58 respectively. (4) The scoring results of MDFS for different traditional Chinese medical syndromes of CHB showed that the scores of blood stasis blocking collaterals > damp-heat accumulation > deficiency of spleen and kidney yang> liver depression and spleen deficiency = stagnation of liver Qi. Conclusion The MDFS diagnostic scoring system has medium efficiency. The specificity of MDFS is relatively high and MDFs has a relatively low misdiagnosis rate for the diagnosis of obvious hepatic fibrosis in CHB. The MDFS is expected to be a noninvasive and simple diagnosing way for hepatic fibrosis in CHB.

BACKGROUNDBalloon release pressure may increase the incidence of no reflow after direct percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). This randomized controlled study was designed to analyze the correlation between balloon release pressure and no-reflow in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) undergoing direct PCI.

METHODSThere were 156 AMI patients who underwent PCI from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2012, and were divided into two groups according to the stent inflation pressure: a conventional pressure group and a high pressure group. After PCI, angiography was conducted to assess the thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) grade with related artery. Examinations were undertaken on all patients before and after the operation including cardiac enzymes, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, blood glucose, homocysteine , β-thromboglobulin (β-TG), Hamilton depression scale (HAMD) and self-rating anxiety scale (SAS). After interventional therapy, the afore-mentioned parameters in both the conventional pressure group and high pressure group were again analyzed.

RESULTSThe results showed that CK-MB, HAMD, SAS were significantly different (P < 0.05) in all patients after PCI, especially the CK-MB in the high pressure group ((25.7 ± 7.6) U/L vs. (76.7 ± 11.8) U/L). CK-MB, HAMD, SAS, and β-TG were comparative before PCI but they were significantly changed (P < 0.05) after intervention. No-reflow phenomenon occurred in 13 patients in the high pressure group, which was significantly higher than in the conventional pressure group (17.11% vs. 6.25%, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONIn stent implantation, using a pressure less than 1823.4 kPa balloon to release pressure may be the better choice to reduce the occurrence of no-reflow following direct PCI.

Adult ; Aged ; Blood Glucose ; metabolism ; Cholesterol ; blood ; Female ; Homocysteine ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction ; blood ; surgery ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; methods

Objective To investigate the management of pseudomyxoma peritonei originated in the appendix.Methods The clinical data of 51 patients with pseudomyxoma peritonei originated in the appendix who were admitted to the Beijing Hospital from 1970 to 2010 were retrospectively analyzed.The results of operation,reoperation,adjuvant treatment and follow-up were analyzed.The time from pseudomyxoma peritonei recurrence to the reoperation between patients who did or did not receive chemotherapy was compared by two tailed t test.Results Of the 51 patients,48 received operation,and the operation time was (135 ± 72 )minutes.Tumor recurrence was observed in 34 patients,and 16 of them received cytoreduction procedure,and 33 cytoreduction procedures were performed in total.The median time of follow-up was 49.7 months (range,3-132 months).The disease-specific survival was observed in 25 patients and disease-free survival in 16 patients.Four patients died of tumor recurrence or progression.The results of postoperative pathological examination confirmed that 19 patients were with benign disseminated peritoneal adenomucinosis (DPAM),26 were with malignant peritoneal mucinous carcinomatosis (PMCA) and 6 were with intermediate subtype (PMCA-1).The 3-,5- and 10-year survival rates were 75％ (38/51),55％ (28/51) and 22％ ( 11/51 ),respectively.The survival time and reoperation time interval for patients who received postoperative chemotherapy were ( 21 ± 4) months and ( 10 ± 6 ) months,which were longer than (19 ±7 )months and (7 ±4)months of those who did not receive postoperative chemotherapy (t =1.027,0.361,P ＞ 0.05).The median survival time of patients with benign DPAM,PMCA-1 and malignant PMCA were 96,63,23 months,respectively.The tumor recurrence interval for patients with benign DPAM and those with malignant PMCA were ( 15 ± 5 ) months and (7 ± 4) months,with significant difference ( t =2.193,P ＜ 0.05 ).Conclusions An active cytoreduction surgery is feasible for patients with pseudomyxoma peritonei originated in the appendix in improving survival.Repeated cytoreduction is a treatment of strategy to prolong the recurrence time and improve the prognosis of selected patients.