Mast cells regulate inflammation and immunity.Experimentally induced abdominal aortic aneurysm in mast cells-deficient animals and animals treated with mast cells inhibitors demonstrate that mast cells are involved in the pathogenesis of abdominal aortic aneurysm via several different mechanisms.Mast cells-dependent activation of metalloproteinases and the renin-angiotensin system,contribution to smooth muscle cell apoptosis,and release of proteolytic enzymes are some key examples.Activated mast cells also contribute to neovascularization,inflammation,and atherosclerosis,all hallmarks of abdominal aortic aneurysm.Thus,we may envision that mast cells stabilizing agents,as well as leukotriene receptor antagonists and histamine receptor blockers already in clinical use for treatment of other diseases,could also be tested for their efficacy in treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Objective To evaluate the capability of virtual non-contrast (VNC)of the second-generation dual-source CT (DSCT), and to display the adipose tissue of gastric serosa.Methods 48 patients with gastric cancer undergoing preoperative DSCT and sur-gery were enrolled.The true non-contrast (TNC)values and VNC values of perigastric adipose tissue were measured and compared with conventional non-contrast scanning and VNC of arterial phase and venous phase.The VNC values of perigastric adipose tissue were compared between serosal involvement group and non-serosal involvement group.Results There was statistical difference be-tween TNC values and VNC values of perigastric adipose tissue (P <0.05),the absolute differences were under 13 HU.The differ-ence of VNC values between serosal involvement group and non-serosal involvement group was significant (P <0.05).Conclusion VNC of the second-generation DSCT can clearly display the adipose tissue of gastric serosa.It has certain capability in judging sero-sal involvement.VNC has the proficiency to replace conventional non-contrast scanning.

Objective To study the relationship between preoperative serum a-fetoprotein (AFP) level and early recurrence of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after partial hepatectomy.Methods 267 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who underwent partial hepatectomy in Xijing Hospital,the Fourth Military Medical University from January 2011 to November 2015 were retrospectively studied.The patients were divided into the AFP-negative group (AFP ≤20 μg/L) and the AFP-positive group (AFP ＞ 20 μg/L) according to the preoperative serum AFP levels.The risk factors of early recurrence of HCC in patients after partial hepatectomy were studied by multivariate regression analysis.The recurrence-free survival rates during 24 months after surgery between the AFP-negative group and the AFP-positive group were compared.Results In 267 patients,97 patients had low or negative AFP levels (AFP≤20 μg/L) and 170 patients had high or positive AFP levels (AFP ＞ 20 μg/L).Patients in the AFP-positive group had significantly more well differentiated HCC on tumor histology when compared with patients in the AFP-negative group (x2 =17.050,P ＜ 0.05).The proportion of patients with liver cirrhosis in the AFP-positive group was significantly higher than that of the AFP-negative group (x2 =4.374,P ＜ 0.05).On the other hand,the numbers of patients with adjacent tissue invasion (x2 =4.374,P ＜ 0.05) and early HCC recurrence (x2 =7.595,P ＜ 0.05) in the AFP-positive group were significantly less than those of the AFP-negative group.Survival analysis showed that the recurrence-free survival rates in the AFP-positive and negative groups were 35.3％,52.6％,respectively.The results on univariate analysis showed that portal vein tumor thrombus,HBsAg positivity,tumor number,tumor diameter,tumor tissue differentiation,preoperative serum AFP level and adjacent tissue invasion were significantly associated with early recurrence of liver cancer (P ＜ 0.05).Cox multivariate regression analysis revealed that serum AFP positivity (HR =1.605,P ＜ 0.05),portal vein tumor thrombosis (HR =3.936,P ＜ 0.05),HBsAg positivity (HR =1.621,P ＜0.05),tumor diameter (HR =1.977,P ＜ 0.05) and tumor number (HR =1.991,P ＜ 0.05) were significantly correlated with early recurrence of liver cancer after partial hepatectomy.Conclusion The preoperative serum AFP level had an important predictive value for early recurrence of primary hepatocellular carcinoma in patients after partial hepatectomy.

Objective:To explore the role of endothelial biomarkers in predicting damp-heat syndrome in diabetic kidney disease (DKD).Methods:A total of 183 patients with DKD were divided into 3 groups:the early DKD group,established DKD group,and advanced DKD group.All patients were classified according to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome type,and clinical indexes were collected for statistical analysis.Results:A total of 183 DKD patients were included in this study.Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23),chitinase-3-like protein 1 (CHI3L1),endocan,tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1),secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI),and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) were increased in advanced DKD.FGF23,CHI3L1,endocan,SLPI,and TNFR1 showed a negative correlation with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR),while they had a positive correlation with 24 h urine protein.After adjusting for age,gender,diabetes duration,body mass index (BMI),hemoglobin,glucose,uric acid,24 h urine protein,cholesterol,triglyceride,low-density lipoprotein,and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c),the multiple regression analysis showed that FGF23,endocan,TNFR1,and SLPI significantly correlated with eGFR.Conclusions:FGF23,endocan,TNFR1,and SLPI are elevated in advanced DKD compared with early stage,and they may take part in the pathogenesis and progression of DKD.Our study provides useful bio-markers for predicting the appearance of damp-heat syndrome,including FGF23,endocan,TNFR1,and SLPI.

Objective : To investigate the factors affecting concurrent sarcopenia among patients with cardiovascular diseases, so as to provide insights into early identification and prevention of cardiovascular diseases complicated with sarcopenia. Methods: A total of 250 inpatients with cardiovascular diseases in the Sixth Division Hospital of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps were recruited and divided into the sarcopenia and non-sarcopenia groups according to the diagnostic criteria of sarcopenia. Subjects' basic characteristics, body mass index, blood biochemical indicators and human body composition parameters were collected using questionnaire surveys, and factors affecting concurrent sarcopenia among patients with cardiovascular diseases using a multivariable logistic regression model. Results: Among the 250 patients with cardiovascular diseases, there were 149 males (59.60%) and 101 females (40.40%). The overall prevalence of sarcopenia was 8.40% among the study subjects. The mean age and body mass index were (75.19±9.74) and (20.77±2.19) kg/m2 in the sarcopenia group and (65.24±11.50) years and (25.85±2.87) kg/m2 in the non-sarcopenia group. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified age (OR=1.115, 95%CI: 1.030-1.207) and body mass index (OR=0.582, 95%CI: 0.445-0.761) were as factors affecting concurrent sarcopenia among patients with cardiovascular diseases. Conclusion Advanced age and low body mass index may increase the risk of concurrent sarcopenia among patients with cardiovascular diseases.

Objective To investigate the intra- and interobserver repeatability of coronary artery disease (CAD) diagnosis based on invasive coronary angiography (ICA) and CT coronary angiography (CTCA).Methods Two readers with comparable experience ( over 10 years) independently evaluated ICA results of 42 consecutive patients with a blind method. After 30 days,one of them reviewed the same patients again.Another two comparable-experience (over 10 years) readers evaluated the results of CTCA (prospectively ECG-triggering) from the same 42 patients in the same way.The inter-reader and intra-reader repeatability of ICA and CTCA were analyzed by performing Kappa test and calculating the percentage of the segments with agreement on stenotic degree.Using ICA as reference,the accuracy of CTCA in diagnosing CAD was studied by comparing the area under ROC. Results The Kappa between readers for ICA and CTCA were 0.91 and 0.81.Intra-reader Kappa were 0.92 and 0.83 respectively (x2 =509.4 and 432.5,all P ＜0.01 ).The percentage of the segments with agreement between readers on the degree of stenosis were 80.8％ (494/611) in ICA and 75.2％ (469/624) in CTCA ( x2 =2.75,P =0.10),and within the same reader,86.9％ (531/611)in ICA and 81.9％ (511/624) in CTCA(x2 =3.76,P =0.053).With≥ 50％narrowing as a CAD diagnosis criterion,the agreement rates for two readers were 96.6％ (590/611 ) in ICA and 94.4％ (589/624) in CTCA( x2 =3.36,P =0.07),and for the same reader,97.4％ (595/611) in ICA,95.4％ (595/624) in CTCA ( x2 =3.62,P =0.06).Using ICA as reference,two readers of CTCA results achieved a sensitivity and specificity of 84.9％ (530/624)and 98.1％ (612/624).The area under ROC was 0.94 (95％ CI 0.91-0.97).Conclusions Both ICA and CTCA demonstrate good repeatability in diagnosing CAD.The repeatability of ICA is superior to that of CTCA.A certain discrepancy exists in two readings from the same reader or two readers.

Objective:To observe the effect of CoCl2on the cisplatin sensitivity of human ovarian cancer SKOV3cells, and to clarify the possible mechanism.Methods:The SKOV3cells were cultured in vitro and randomly divided into control group, CoCl2 group, cisplatin (DDP) group and CoCl2 combined with DDP (combination) group.The cells in CoCl2group were cultured in normal cell medium for 20hafter cultured in 200μmol·L-1 CoCl2for 4h, the cells in DDP group were cultured in normal cell medium containing 10mg·L-1 DDP for 24h, and the cells in combination group were cultured in 10mg·L-1 DDP for 20hafter cultured in 200μmol·L-1 CoCl2for 4h.The survival rates of SKOV3cells in various groups were detected by MTT method, and the positive expression intensities of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the cells in various groups were detected by immunofluorescence method.Rhod 2-AM fluorescence probe was used to observe the levels of Ca2+in mitochondria in the cells in various groups.Western blotting method was used to observe the expression levels of cytochrome C (cyto C) , cysteinyl aspartase 3 (caspase 3) and cleaved cysteinyl aspartase 3 (cleaved caspase 3) .Muse○R apoptosis assay kit was used to detect the apoptotic rates of cells in various groups.Results:Compared with control group, the survival rate of the cells in CoCl2group had no significant change (P＞0.05) , and the survival rates of the cells in DDP and combination groups were decreased (P＜0.05) ;the survival rate in combination group was higher than that in DDP group (P＜0.05) .Compared with control group, the positive expression intensities of HIF-1αin CoCl2and combination groups were increased (P＜0.05) .Compared with control group, the positive expressions of iNOS in DDP and combination groups were increased (P＜0.05) .The Ca2+levels in the cells in DDP group and combination groups were higher than that in control group (P＜0.05) and the Ca2+level in DDP group was higher than that in combination group (P＜0.05) .Compared with control group, the expression levels of cyto C, caspase 3and cleaved caspase 3proteins in the SKOV3cells in CoCl2group had no significant changes (P＞0.05) , and the expression levels of cyto C, caspase 3and cleaved caspase 3in DDP group were increased significantly (P＜0.05) ;compared with DDP group, they were lower than those in combination group (P＜0.05) .Compared with control group, the apoptotic rate of SKOV3cells in DDP group was increased significantly (P＜0.05) ;the apoptotic rate of SKOV3cells in combination group was lower than that in DDP group (P＜0.05) .Conclusion:CoCl2can redece the mitochondrial apoptosis of human ovarian cancer SKOV3cells by inhibiting the DDP-induced enhancement of iNOS expression and decrease the sensitivity of SKOV3cells to cisplatin.

Objective To investigate the correlation between serum asprosin level and atrial fibrillation.Methods A total of 85 hospitalized patients with atrial fibrillation in the Department of Cardiology of Qingdao Municipal Hospital from October 2021 to October 2023 were selected as atrial fibrillation group,and 86 hospitalized patients with normal sinus rhythm in the same period were selected as non-atrial fibrillation group.Clinical materials and serum asprosin level of patients were collected and compared.Logistic regression analysis was performed to establish a linear stepwise regression model based on potential confounding factors for exploration in the independent risk factors for atrial fibrillation.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to evaluate the diagnos-tic value of asprosin for atrial fibrillation.Results Serum asprosin level in the atrial fibrillation group,was significantly higher than that in the non-atrial fibrillation group(P＜0.001).The linear stepwise regression model showed that asprosin was an independent risk factor for atrial fibrillation(OR=1.020,95％CI,1.005 to 1.036,P=0.01).The ROC curve showed that the area under the curve of serum asprosin in predicting atrial fibrillation was 0.745(95％CI,0.670 to 0.819).Conclusions Serum asprosin level is significantly elevated in patients with atrial fibrillation,and as-prosin is an independent risk factor for atrial fibrillation.Serum asprosin level has good diagnostic val-ue for atrial fibrillation.

Objective To investigate the correlation between serum asprosin level and atrial fibrillation.Methods A total of 85 hospitalized patients with atrial fibrillation in the Department of Cardiology of Qingdao Municipal Hospital from October 2021 to October 2023 were selected as atrial fibrillation group,and 86 hospitalized patients with normal sinus rhythm in the same period were selected as non-atrial fibrillation group.Clinical materials and serum asprosin level of patients were collected and compared.Logistic regression analysis was performed to establish a linear stepwise regression model based on potential confounding factors for exploration in the independent risk factors for atrial fibrillation.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to evaluate the diagnos-tic value of asprosin for atrial fibrillation.Results Serum asprosin level in the atrial fibrillation group,was significantly higher than that in the non-atrial fibrillation group(P＜0.001).The linear stepwise regression model showed that asprosin was an independent risk factor for atrial fibrillation(OR=1.020,95％CI,1.005 to 1.036,P=0.01).The ROC curve showed that the area under the curve of serum asprosin in predicting atrial fibrillation was 0.745(95％CI,0.670 to 0.819).Conclusions Serum asprosin level is significantly elevated in patients with atrial fibrillation,and as-prosin is an independent risk factor for atrial fibrillation.Serum asprosin level has good diagnostic val-ue for atrial fibrillation.

Objective:To understand the performance of public health risk assessment in emergencies of institutions for disease control and prevention at different levels in China, and provide suggestions for the improvement of public health risk assessment.Methods:A self-administered survey was conducted in professionals involved in public health risk assessment in emergencies from national institution, provincial institutions and some prefectural institutions for disease control and prevention (1-2 prefectural institutions were selected using convenience sampling in each province) between March and April in 2021.Results:A total of 79 institutions for disease control and prevention were investigated, including 1 national institution, 32 provincial institutions and 46 prefectural institutions. By April 2021, all the 79 institutions surveyed had conducted risk assessment of public health emergencies, in which 61 (77.2%) had established departments responsible for the public health risk assessment, i.e. emergency management office or communicable disease prevention and control office (section), and regular risk assessment mechanisms. The main sources of information for public health risk assessment were public health surveillance systems, including the National Notifiable Diseases Reporting System (100.0%) and Public Health Emergencies Management Information System (97.5%). Compared with the provincial institutions, the prefectural institutions were more likely to use specific disease surveillance systems (84.8% vs. 62.5%; χ2=5.09, P=0.024). The risk management recommendations made by 43 institutions for disease control and prevention (54.4%) after the risk assessment were accepted by the superior health administrative departments and used in epidemic prevention and control. Conclusions:Public health risk assessment in emergencies has been widely carried out by national, provincial and prefectural institutions for disease control and prevention in China. Specialized departments and mechanisms have been established, but the information sources are still confined to public health surveillance systems and the application of the risk assessment results still needs to be further improved.