Objective To conduct a systematic review on the need and experience of patients in end of life and provide evidence-based guidance for delivery of end-of-life care in hospital and community settings. Methods Two Chinese (CBM and CNKI) and four English relevant databases (PsycINFO,MEDLINE,EMbase and CINAHL) were in-cluded to retrieve literatures on Chinese dying patients' needs and experience between inception and August 2016. The JBI Critical Appraisal Tool for qualitative studies in Australia was used to evaluate the quality of studies. The searching results were synthesized by employing Integrating Methods. Results Seventy-five findings were extracted from 9 qualified studies. The 75 findings were sequently integrated into 5 categories and finally 2 synthesized re-sults were summarized from the 5 categories. Integration result 1:under the sufferings from both physical and psy-chological aspects,dying patients require support from both family and society. Integration result 2:although death is acceptable for patients,they still hope for dignity and goals of life. Conclusion Needs of patients in end-of-life should be understood and respected. Reasonable and effective measures need to be taken to meet their needs and improve their quality of life.

Objective To explore the mediating role of self-esteem in optimism and suicidal risks,and the moderate effect of life events in optimism,suicidal risk and self-esteem.Methods 1 750 college students were surveyed with the life orientation test-revised (LOT-R),the suicidal behaviors questionnaire-revised (SBQ-R),rosenberg self-esteem scale(SES) and adolescent self-rating life events check list (ASLEC).Results The total scores of SBQ-R,LOT-R,SES and ASLEC of college students were (4.78±2.10),(23.17±3.22),(29.58±4.43)and (36.54±21.73).Optimism scores were negatively correlated with suicidal risk scores(r=-0.23,P＜0.01),optimism scores were positively correlated with self-esteem (r=0.50,P＜0.01).Scores of self-esteem scales were negatively correlated with suicidal risk scores(r=-0.35,P＜0.01).A structure equation model consists of optimism,self-esteem,suicidal risk and it had a better degree of fitting (the path form optimism to suicidal risk were r =-0.05,P＜0.05,RMSEA =0.05,GFI =0.90,NFI =0.92,CFI =0.93).The relationship between optimism and suicide risk were mediated by self-esteem(P＜0.01),which accounted for 76％of the total effects.The life events' moderating effects between self-esteem and suicide risk were significant(P＜0.01).Conclusion Self-esteem has a significant correlation with optimism and suicidal behaviors,self-esteem plays an intermediary role between optimism and suicidal behaviors,and life events play an regulation role between self-esteem and suicidal behaviors.

Oligonucleotide microarray technology is a powerful data-mining platform and has been widely applied in biosciences. To improve the performance of assays on the oligonucleotide microarray, the factors that influence the hybridization effects such as surface chemistry, probe size, spacer length, hybridization conditions etc were intensely studied and optimized. However, it is a key problem with DNA microarrays how to generate higher fluorescent signals to improve the detection sensitivity. Two types of multiply labeled primers, termed multiply labeled linear primer and multiply labeled branched primer, were used to enhance the fluorescent signal obtained from two-dimensional DNA microarrays.The signal was intensified by increasing the number of fluorophores labeled on the target DNA segment. It was indicated that the detection limit (minimum template amoumt for detection) of the multiply labeled primers is about 1% of that of the singly labeled primer. Multiple labeling is an effective signal amplification method to increase the detection sensitivity of the probes in a miniaturized array format.

Objective To observe Rongxin Pills in the treatment of viral myocarditis in children (deficiency of both qi and yin and heart meridian stasis syndrome) and the effectiveness and clinical application of safety.Methods Viral myocarditis patients (280 cases,deficiency of both qi and yin and heart meridian stasis syndrome),according to 3:1 ratio as the test group (n =21 0) and control group (n =70).The test group took orally Rongxin pills each time 4.5～9 g,3 times daily;the control group oral coenzyme Q10 capsule each time 10 ～ 20 mg,twice daily.The course of treatment was 28 d.The experiment was carried out with the random and double blind method.The symptoms of myocarditis,integrated and electrocardiogram,echocardiography,myocardial enzymes,as well as the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine and improvement of the effect of the disease were observed.Results The results of FAS (PPS) analysis showed that 28 d after treatment,the symptom score and mean of experimental group and control group were 5.975 (6.000) and 4.721 (4.788).The syndromes of the total effective rates were 91.62％ (90.59％) and 70.59％ (71.21％),curative effect the total effective rates were 90.14％ (92.08％) and 72.06％ (72.73％).The total effective rate of experimental group was higher than that of the control group,the difference was statistically significant.In this experiment,three cases of clinical adverse events were reported,which were not related to the experimental drug.It also not belongs to adverse drug reactions.Conclusion Rongxin Pill in the treatment of viral myocarditis in children (deficiency of both qi and yin and heart meridian stasis syndrome) is more effective than coenzyme Q 10 capsule,and there was no indication of higher risk of clinical application.

Advance care planning(ACP)is designed to ensure that patients lacking autonomous decision-making capacity receive medical services in accordance with their expectations and preferences.Individuals with advanced cancer are a crucial target for ACP implementation.However,the current practice of ACP in this group in China is suboptimal,demanding high-quality implementation evidence to strengthen ACP in the clinical practice of patients with advanced cancer.The existing literature can be summarized into 27 pieces of evidence across 7 dimensions,including initiation time,intervention content,intervention providers,intervention modalities,communication skills,outcome indicators,and environmental support.The aforementioned evidence could provide crucial support for improving ACP implementation for patients with advanced cancer.Subsequent research efforts should integrate patient preferences and explore the most suitable implementation strategies for ACP in the Chinese population with advanced cancer,considering diverse aspects such as traditional culture,ACP education and training,legislative support,and healthcare system refinement.

Objective:To study the efficacy of different surgical methods in treatment of hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HCCA), and to analyze the factors affecting long-term prognosis of HCCA patients after surgical treatment.Methods:The clinical data of 105 patients who underwent surgical treatment for HCCA at the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from April 2010 to October 2021 were retrospectively analysed. There were 58 males and 47 females, with age (64.2±10.6) years old. Data analysed included surgical treatments, postoperative pathological data, perioperative complications and survival on follow-up. The Kaplan Meier survival curve was plotted, and the log-rank test and Cox proportional hazard model were performed to analyze the key factors affecting long-term prognosis.Results:Of 105 patients, 4 (3.8%) patients died during the perioperative period, and 58 patients (55.2%) developed complications with included 32 (30.5%) patients with pleural effusion and 12 (11.4%) patients with biliary leakage. The follow-up data was available in 85 patients with the overall median survival time of 19 months, and the 1-, 3-, 5-year cumulative survival rates of 58.1%, 27.0% and 24.8% respectively. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year cumulative survival rates for the R 0 resection patients ( n=59) were 69.4%, 36.2%, 27.4%, respectively, which were significantly better than 49.4%, 12.3%, 0% for the R 1/2 resection patients ( n=20), and 0% for the palliative drainage patients ( n=6) (all P<0.05). Univariate analysis and Cox multivariate analysis showed that age ≥70 years ( HR=2.158, 95% CI: 1.175-3.965), preoperative CA19-9 level ≥1 015 U/ml ( HR=1.981, 95% CI: 1.009-3.894), resection margin ( HR=2.587, 95% CI: 1.371-4.881), and lymph node metastasis ( HR=2.308, 95% CI: 1.167-4.567) were independent risk factors for long-term prognosis of HCCA patients (all P<0.05). Conclusions:R 0 resection was an effective way to prolong survival of patients with HCCA. Age, preoperative CA19-9 level, resection margin and lymph node metastasis were related to long-term survival of HCCA patients.

Objective:To investigate the value of CT radiomic model based on analysis of primary gastric cancer and the adipose tissue outside the gastric wall beside cancer in differentiating stage T1-2 from stage T3-4 gastric cancer.Methods:This study was a case-control study. Totally 465 patients with gastric cancer treated in Affiliated People′s Hospital of Jiangsu University from December 2011 to December 2019 were retrospectively collected. According to postoperative pathology, they were divided into 2 groups, one with 150 cases of T1-2 tumors and another with 315 cases of T3-4 tumors. The cases were divided into a training set (326 cases) and a test set (139 cases) by stratified sampling method at 7∶3. There were 104 cases of T1-2 stage and 222 cases of T3-4 stage in the training set, 46 cases of T1-2 stage and 93 cases of T3-4 stage in the test set. The axial CT images in the venous phase during one week before surgery were selected to delineate the region of interest (ROI) at the primary lesion and the extramural gastric adipose tissue adjacent to the cancer areas. The radiomic features of the ROIs were extracted by Pyradiomics software. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator was used to screen features related to T stage to establish the radiomic models of primary gastric cancer and the adipose tissue outside the gastric wall beside cancer. Independent sample t test or χ2 test were used to compare the differences in clinical features between T1-2 and T3-4 patients in the training set, and the features with statistical significance were combined to establish a clinical model. Two radiomic signatures and clinical features were combined to construct a clinical-radiomics model and generate a nomogram. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used to evaluate the efficacy of each model in differentiating stage T1-2 from stage T3-4 gastric cancer. The calibration curve was used to evaluate the consistency between the T stage predicted by the nomogram and the actual T stage of gastric cancer. And the decision curve analysis was used to evaluate the clinical net benefit of treatment guided by the nomogram and by the clinical model. Results:There were significant differences in CT-T stage and CT-N stage between T1-2 and T3-4 patients in the training set ( χ2=10.59, 15.92, P=0.014, 0.001) and the clinical model was established. After screening and dimensionality reduction, the 5 features from primary gastric cancer and the 6 features from the adipose tissue outside the gastric wall beside cancer established the radiomic models respectively. In the training set and the test set, the AUC values of the primary gastric cancer radiomic model were 0.864 (95% CI 0.820-0.908) and 0.836 (95% CI 0.762-0.910), and the adipose tissue outside the gastric wall beside cancer radiomic model were 0.782 (95% CI 0.731-0.833) and 0.784 (95% CI 0.702-0.866). The AUC values of the clinical model were 0.761 (95% CI 0.705-0.817) and 0.758 (95% CI 0.671-0.845), and the nomogram were 0.876 (95% CI 0.835-0.917) and 0.851 (95% CI 0.781-0.921). The calibration curve reflected that there was a high consistency between the T stage predicted by the nomogram and the actual T stage in the training set ( χ2=1.70, P=0.989). And the decision curve showed that at the risk threshold 0.01-0.74, a higher clinical net benefit could be obtained by using a nomogram to guide treatment. Conclusions:The CT radiomics features of primary gastric cancer lesions and the adipose tissue outside the gastric wall beside cancer can effectively distinguish T1-2 from T3-4 gastric cancer, and the combination of CT radiomic features and clinical features can further improve the prediction accuracy.

AIM: To explore the dynamic expression of high mobility group box 1(HMGB1)in scar tissues after glaucoma drainage valve implantation, and to further reveal the role and possible mechanism of HMGB1 in scarring after glaucoma surgery.METHODS: A total of 60 New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into control group(n=20), model group(n=20, silicone implantation under conjunctival sac)and model with drug administration group(n=20, silicone implantation under conjunctival sac combined with 5-fluorouracil injection). The conjunctival tissues were collected at 4 and 8 wk after surgery. HE staining and Masson staining were used to detect the proliferation and distribution of fibroblasts and collagen fibers in conjunctival tissues. Immunohistochemistry was utilized to detect the distribution and changes of HMGB1, transforming growth factor(TGF)-β1, Smad3 and α-smooth muscle actin(SMA)in conjunctival tissues. RT-PCR and Western blot were adopted to detect the mRNA and protein expression of HMGB1, TGF-β1, Smad3 and α-SMA in conjunctival tissues.RESULTS: HE staining and Masson staining showed that the proliferation of inflammatory cells, fibroblasts and collagen fibers in the model group was significantly higher than that in the control group at both 4 and 8 wk. Meanwhile, the proliferation of fibroblasts and collagen fibers in the model with drug administration group was significantly lower than that in the model group. Immunohistochemical staining showed that the expression of HMGB1, TGF-β1, Smad3 and α-SMA protein was observed in the conjunctival tissues of the model group both 4 and 8 wk, with brown and significantly deeper staining of the model group at 8 wk. Meanwhile, the positive staining in the model with drug administration group at both 4 and 8 wk was significantly lower than that in the model group. There was positive correlations between the number of fibroblasts stained with HE and the expression of HMGB1 in the conjunctival tissue of the model group at both 4 and 8 wk(r=0.602, 0.703, all P<0.05). RT-PCR and Western blot revealed that the mRNA and protein expression levels of HMGB1, TGF-β1, Smad3 and α-SMA in the model group were significantly higher than those in the control group at both 4 and 8 wk(all P<0.05). Meanwhile, the mRNA and protein expression levels of HMGB1, TGF-β1, Smad3 and α-SMA in the model with drug administration group were significantly lower than those in the model group(all P<0.05). There was positive correlations between mRNA expressions of HMGB1 and TGF-β1, Smad3 in the model group and the model with drug administration group(all P<0.05).CONCLUSION: The expression of HMGB1 increased at a time-dependent manner after glaucoma valve implantation. HMGB1 acts an indispensable role in the initiation and progression of scar formation after glaucoma surgery, which may be involved in the regulation of TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway.

The key pathogenesis of coronary heart disease （CHD） is spleen deficiency and phlegm stasis， and dysfunctional high-density lipoprotein （dys-HDL） may be the biological basis for the occurrence of CHD due to spleen deficiency and phlegm stasis. Considering the biological properties and effects of high-density lipoprotein （HDL）， it is believed that the structure and components of HDL are abnormal in the state of spleen deficiency which led to dys-HDL； and dys-HDL contributes to the formation of atherosclerotic plaques through two major pathways， namely， mediating the dysfunction of endothelial cells and mediating the foaminess of macrophages and smooth muscle cells， thus triggering the development of CHD. It is also believed that dys-HDL is a microcosmic manifestation and a pathological product of spleen deficiency， and spleen deficiency makes foundation for the production of dys-HDL； dys-HDL is also an important biological basis for the phlegm-stasis interactions in CHD. The method of fortifying spleen， resolving phlegm， and dispelling stasis， is proposed as an important principle in the treatment of CHD by traditional Chinese medicine， which can achieve the therapeutic purpose by affecting the changes in the structure and components of dys-HDL， thus revealing the scientific connotation of this method， and providing ideas for the diagnosis and treatment of CHD by traditional Chinese medicine.

An effective therapeutic regimen for hepatic fibrosis requires a deep understanding of the pathogenesis mechanism. Hepatic fibrosis is characterized by activated hepatic stellate cells (aHSCs) with an excessive production of extracellular matrix. Although promoted activation of HSCs by M2 macrophages has been demonstrated, the molecular mechanism involved remains ambiguous. Herein, we propose that the vitamin D receptor (VDR) involved in macrophage polarization may regulate the communication between macrophages and HSCs by changing the functions of exosomes. We confirm that activating the VDR can inhibit the effect of M2 macrophages on HSC activation. The exosomes derived from M2 macrophages can promote HSC activation, while stimulating VDR alters the protein profiles and reverses their roles in M2 macrophage exosomes. Smooth muscle cell-associated protein 5 (SMAP-5) was found to be the key effector protein in promoting HSC activation by regulating autophagy flux. Building on these results, we show that a combined treatment of a VDR agonist and a macrophage-targeted exosomal secretion inhibitor achieves an excellent anti-hepatic fibrosis effect. In this study, we aim to elucidate the association between VDR and macrophages in HSC activation. The results contribute to our understanding of the pathogenesis mechanism of hepatic fibrosis, and provide potential therapeutic targets for its treatment.
Humans ; Hepatic Stellate Cells/pathology* ; Receptors, Calcitriol ; Liver Cirrhosis/pathology* ; Macrophages/metabolism*