ObjectiveTo explore the clinical efficacy and safety of Da Chaihutang （DCH） for the treatment of sepsis with Yang syndrome. MethodsA total of 70 patients suffering from sepsis with Yang syndrome were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group， with 35 cases in each group. They both received standard Western medicine treatment. The observation group was additionally given a dose of DCH， which was boiled into 100 mL and taken twice. The control group was additionally given an equal volume and dosage of warm water. The intervention lasted for three days. The 28-day all-cause mortality and the changes in the following indicators before and after intervention were compared between the two groups， including sequential organ failure assessment （SOFA）， acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ （APACHE Ⅱ） score，white blood cell （WBC），the percentage of neutrophils （NEU%），C-reactive protein （CRP），procalcitonin （PCT），alanine transaminase （ALT），aspartate transaminase （AST），total bilirubin （TBil），creatinine （Cr），blood urea nitrogen （BUN），acute gastrointestinal injury （AGI） grade，gastrointestinal dysfunction score （GDS），serum intestinal fatty acid-binding protein （iFABP）， citrulline （CR），platelet （PLT），prothrombin time（PT），activated partial thromboplastin time （APTT），fibrinogen （Fib），international normalized ratio （INR），and D-dimer （D-D）. ResultsThere was no significant difference between the two groups regarding 28-day all-cause mortality. After the intervention，SOFA，WBC，PCT，and Cr were significantly decreased， and PLT was significantly increased in the control group （P<0.05）. SOFA，APACHE Ⅱ，NEU%，CRP，PCT，ALT，AST，Cr，BUN，AGI grade，GDS，and serum iFABP and CR were significantly improved in the observation group （P<0.05）. After the intervention，APACHE Ⅱ，PCT，AGI grade，GDS，and serum iFABP in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group ，while CR and PLT were higher （P<0.05，P<0.01）. There were significant differences regarding the gap of SOFA，APACHE Ⅱ，AST，TBil，AGI grade，GDS，iFABP，CR， and PLT between the two groups （P<0.05，P<0.01）. There were slight differences regarding PT，APTT，Fib，INR，and D-D between the two groups，which were in the clinical normal range. ConclusionOn the basis of Western medicine， DCH helped to reduce sepsis severity and improved multiple organ dysfunction with high clinical efficacy and safety， but further research on its impact on the prognosis of patients with sepsis is still required.

Purpose: Oligometastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients have been increasingly regarded as a distinct group that could benefit from local treatment to achieve a better clinical outcome. However, current definitions of oligometastasis are solely numerical, which are imprecise because of ignoring the biological heterogeneity caused by genomic characteristics. Our study aimed to profile the molecular alterations of oligometastatic NSCLC and elucidate its potential difference from polymetastasis. Materials and Methods: We performed next-generation sequencing to analyze tumors and paired peripheral blood from 77 oligometastatic and 21 polymetastatic NSCLC patients to reveal their genomic characteristics and assess the genetic heterogeneity. Results: We found ERBB2, ALK, MLL4, PIK3CB, and TOP2A were mutated at a significantly lower frequency in oligometastasis compared with polymetastasis. EGFR and KEAP1 alterations were mutually exclusive in oligometastatic group. More importantly, oligometastasis has a unique significant enrichment of apoptosis signaling pathway. In contrast to polymetastasis, a highly enriched COSMIC signature 4 and a special mutational process, COSMIC signature 14, were observed in the oligometastatic cohort. According to OncoKB database, 74.03% of oligometastatic NSCLC patients harbored at least one actionable alteration. The median tumor mutation burden of oligometastasis was 5.00 mutations/Mb, which was significantly associated with smoking, DNA damage repair genes, TP53 mutation, SMARCA4 mutation, LRP1B mutation, ABL1 mutation. Conclusion Our results shall help redefine oligometastasis beyond simple lesion enumeration that will ultimately improve the selection of patients with real oligometastatic state and optimize personalized cancer therapy for oligometastatic NSCLC.

Objective:To investigate the effectiveness of nasal endoscopic anterior lacrimal recess approach combined with temporary fenestration of the nasal septum in resecting recurrent nasal inverted papilloma. Methods:Patients with recurrent nasal inverted papilloma who underwent reoperation in our hospital during the past 2 years were included . The nasal septum may hinder full access to and effective treatment of the lesions at the anterior and medial wall of the maxillary sinus by endoscope, aspirator and surgical instrument in the narrow aperture of the prelacrimal recess, although these lesions could be observed by 70° nasal endoscope. Results:The nasal septum is temporarily opened on the basis of the prelacrimal recess approach, and the nasal endoscope and instrument was introduced through trans-septal window, so as to provide a better view of the operative field and the angular range of the instrument's movement. Conclusion:The recurrent nasal inverted papilloma could be successfully managed by re-endoscopic anterior lacrimal recess approach combined with temporary fenestration of the nasal septum, and no recurrence was observed during the 2-year follow-up. This surgical approach is recommended for the inverted papilla which originates from the anterior medial wall of the maxillary sinus, as the tumor can be removed completely using this surgical approach.
Humans ; Papilloma, Inverted/pathology* ; Endoscopy ; Maxillary Sinus/pathology* ; Lacrimal Apparatus/surgery* ; Treatment Outcome ; Retrospective Studies

Rejection after lung transplantation, including acute rejection (AR) and chronic rejection manifested with chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD), is the main factor affecting the long-term survival of allografts. Exosome, a type of extracellular nanovesicle for intercellular communication among eukaryotic cells, could carry complex biological information and participate in various physiological and pathological processes. Exosome has become a critical immune medium in rejection, regulates the incidence and development of rejection through multiple pathways, and also plays a key role in the monitoring and management of rejection. In this article, the type of rejection after lung transplantation, the mechanism underlying the role of exosome in regulating rejection, exosome acting as biomarkers and the application in rejection treatment were reviewed, aiming to provide a novel direction for comprehensive diagnosis and treatment of rejection following lung transplantation.

Objective:To explore the protective effect of Lindera aggregata on acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in mice and its possible mechanism.Methods:Forty C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into sham operation group, ARDS model group, low-dose Lindera aggregata (L-LA) group and high-dose Lindera aggregata (H-LA) group, with 10 mice in each group. ARDS model was established by injecting 5 mg/kg LPS through the trachea. The L-LA group and H-LA group were orally administrated 1 g/kg and 5 g/kg of the Lindera aggregate extract once a day, respectively, while the ARDS model group was given the same volume of normal saline, the sham group received no treatment. The Lindera aggregata was preadministered for 3 days before modeling, and continued for 2 days after modeling, then the animals were sacrificed, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung tissue were collected. The pathological changes of lung tissue in each group of mice were observed under the microscope and the wet/dry weight ratio (W/D) of the lung were measured. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to examine the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in mice serum and BALF, and flow cytometry was used to detect the expression rate of CD40 on the surface of BALF macrophages. The phosphorylation levels of p38 and extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) proteins in lung tissue were measured by Western blotting.Results:Lung histopathology under light microscope showed that the damage of alveolar structure, thickening of alveolar septum and infiltration of inflammatory cells in the H-LA group were less severe than those in the ARDS model group, while the pathological characteristics of ARDS in the L-LA group were not significantly different from those in the ARDS model group. Compared with the sham operation group, the lung W/D ratio, TNF-α and IL-6 protein contents in serum and BALF, BALF macrophage CD40 expression rate and lung tissue p38 and ERK1/2 protein phosphorylation levels were significantly increased in ARDS model group. The W/D ratio, the concentrations of TNF-α and IL-6 in serum and BALF, the expression rate of CD40 in BALF macrophages, and the phosphorylation levels of p38 and ERK1/2 protein in lung tissue in the L-LA group were not significantly different from those in the ARDS model group. The above indexes in the H-LA group were significantly lower than those in the ARDS model group and the L-LA group [W/D ratio: 5.70±0.19 vs. 6.20±0.31, 6.01±0.17; serum TNF-α (ng/L): 83.63±15.04 vs. 111.75±18.45, 108.12±13.98; serum IL-6 (ng/L): 111.38±8.75 vs. 244.13±26.85, 227.50±9.37; BALF TNF-α (ng/L): 36.25±2.82 vs. 51.13±5.44, 47.50±5.78; BALF IL-6 (ng/L): 35.63±2.20 vs. 49.63±4.90, 46.38±3.50; CD40 expression rate (%): 23.28±2.45 vs. 30.32±2.40, 28.17±1.98; p-p38/p38: 0.50±0.04 vs. 0.74±0.07, 0.69±0.04; p-ERK1/2/ERK1/2: 0.47±0.07 vs. 0.72±0.07, 0.68±0.05; all P < 0.01]. Conclusions:Lindera aggregata can inhibit LPS-induced lung inflammation and alleviate lung injury in ARDS mice. The mechanism may be related to the inhibition of the activation of p38 mitogen activated protein kinase/ERK (p38MAPK/ERK) signaling pathway.

Objective:To investigate the correlation between eosinophil count and short-term outcomes of patients with acute ischemic stroke.Methods:Patients with acute ischemic stroke treated in Fuyang People's Hospital from June 2017 to June 2019 were enrolled retrospectively. The demographic and baseline clinical data were collected. The modified Rankin Scale was used to evaluate the short-term clinical outcome at the time of discharge or 14 d after onset. 0-2 was defined as good outcome, and >2 was defined as poor outcome. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent influencing factors of poor short-term outcome. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the predictive value of eosinophil count for poor short-term outcome. Results:A total of 300 patients with acute ischemic stroke were enrolled, including 187 males (62.3%) and 113 females (37.7%); their age was 63.62±12.14 years; baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score was 5.48±4.85. Two hundred and twenty-eight patients (76.0%) had a good outcome and 72 (24.0%) had a poor outcome. Univariate analysis showed that age, hypertension, baseline NIHSS score, C-reactive protein, atrial fibrillation, and neutrophil count of the poor outcome group were significantly higher than those of the good outcome group, while male, smoking, eosinophil count and percentage of eosinophils were significantly lower than those of the good outcome group (all P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that baseline NIHSS score (odds ratio [ OR] 1.726, 95% confidence interval [ CI] 1.400-2.128; P<0.001), hypertension ( OR 3.744, 95% CI 1.227-11.426; P=0.020) and eosinophil count ( OR 0.287, 95% CI 0.102-0.616; P=0.043) were the independent influencing factors for the poor short-term outcome. ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve of eosinophil count for predicting the poor short-term outcome was 0.717 (95% CI 0.642-0.792), the best cutoff value was 0.075×10 9/L, and its sensitivity and specificity for predicting the poor short-term outcome were 88.6% and 51.4% respectively. Conclusion:The decreased eosinophil count had a certain predictive value for the poor short-term clinical outcome of patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Tocilizumab has been reported to attenuate the "cytokine storm" in COVID-19 patients. We attempted to verify the effectiveness and safety of tocilizumab therapy in COVID-19 and identify patients most likely to benefit from this treatment. We conducted a randomized, controlled, open-label multicenter trial among COVID-19 patients. The patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either tocilizumab in addition to standard care or standard care alone. The cure rate, changes of oxygen saturation and interference, and inflammation biomarkers were observed. Thirty-three patients were randomized to the tocilizumab group, and 32 patients to the control group. The cure rate in the tocilizumab group was higher than that in the control group, but the difference was not statistically significant (94.12% vs. 87.10%, rate difference 95% CI-7.19%-21.23%, P = 0.4133). The improvement in hypoxia for the tocilizumab group was higher from day 4 onward and statistically significant from day 12 (P = 0.0359). In moderate disease patients with bilateral pulmonary lesions, the hypoxia ameliorated earlier after tocilizumab treatment, and less patients (1/12, 8.33%) needed an increase of inhaled oxygen concentration compared with the controls (4/6, 66.67%; rate difference 95% CI-99.17% to-17.50%, P = 0.0217). No severe adverse events occurred. More mild temporary adverse events were recorded in tocilizumab recipients (20/34, 58.82%) than the controls (4/31, 12.90%). Tocilizumab can improve hypoxia without unacceptable side effect profile and significant influences on the time virus load becomes negative. For patients with bilateral pulmonary lesions and elevated IL-6 levels, tocilizumab could be recommended to improve outcome.
Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized ; COVID-19/drug therapy* ; Humans ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Treatment Outcome