Objective To observe characteristics of the activity in resting brain of asymptomatic reflux esophagitis (RE) patients,and explore the role of default network in the pathogenesis of asymptomatic RE.Methods Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was performed to scan the brains of 15 asymptomatic RE patients,15 symptomatic RE patients and 15 healthy volunteers under no-mission-stimulation state.With fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (fALFF),characteristics of the strengthened and weakened regions of asymptomatic RE patients,symptomatic RE patients and healthy individuals were compared and analyzed.SPM 5 was applied for data preprocessing.Single-sample t test was performed to observe the noticeable active regions of each group under resting state,and then double-sample t test was used to compare the characteristics of active regions of the entire brain between asymptomatic RE patients and symptomatic RE patients or healthy individuals.Results Under resting state,the active brain regions of asymptomatic RE patients,symptomatic RE patients and healthy individuals were similar.The activity of only small part of brain regions in visceral sensory processing relevant networks changed.There was no significant difference in the active regions of default network under resting state between asymptomatic RE patients and healthy individuals.Compared with symptomatic RE patients,fALEF decreased at right central sulcus cover,right superior temporal gyrus,right insula,right transverse temporal gyrus,right postcentral gyrus,superior temporal gyrus and temporal pole (X=50,Y=-6,Z=12,t=2.7874,P＜0.01).Conclusion The difference in characteristics of activity in default network under resting state may play an important role in the pathogenesis of asymptomatic RE.

Objective·To explore the correlation between comorbidities of chronic non-communicable diseases(chronic diseases),phase angle(PhA),and muscle mass decline associated with sarcopenia in the elderly,and the predictive value of chronic disease comorbidities and PhA in muscle mass decline in the elderly.Methods·By retrospectively screening inpatients aged≥60 years who were admitted to the Department of Geriatrics,Renji Hospital,Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from August 1,2018 to July 31,2019,basic information and medical history of the patients(gender,age,number of medications used,number of comorbidities,presence of osteoporosis,smoking history,etc.)were collected,as well as laboratory examination indicators(hemoglobin,albumin,serum creatinine,serum uric acid,ferritin,vitamin D,triacylglycerol,total cholesterol,high-density lipoprotein,low-density lipoprotein,etc.).The age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index(aCCI)was calculated.The InBody S10 bioelectrical impedance body composition detector was used to test the body composition.Body mass index(BMI),skeletal muscle mass index(SMI),and PhA were collected.Some patients underwent measurement of grip strength.Muscle mass decline was diagnosed by using the SMI values recommended by the 2019 Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia(AWGS)(≤7.0 kg/m2 for males and≤5.7 kg/m2 for females).According to the measured SMI values,patients were divided into a group with normal muscle mass and a group with muscle mass decline.Univariate and multivariate Logistic analyses were employed to investigate the risk factors associated with muscle mass decline related to sarcopenia in the elderly.Additionally,the receiver operator characteristic(ROC)curve and the area under the curve were utilized to predict the significance of these factors in muscle mass decline.Results·A total of 359 chronic disease patients were enrolled,including 226 males and 133 females.There were 241 cases in the normal muscle mass group and 118 cases in the muscle mass decline group.The incidence of muscle mass decline related to sarcopenia in the elderly was 32.9%.The univariate Logistic regression analysis showed that age(OR=1.036,95%CI 1.013?1.060),comorbidities(OR=1.117,95%CI 1.025?1.217),aCCI(OR=1.123,95%CI 1.031?1.222),and high-density lipoprotein(OR=3.688,95%CI 2.065?6.622)were positively correlated with the risk of muscle mass decline in the elderly.BMI(OR=0.514,95%CI 0.443?0.597),PhA(OR=0.195,95%CI 0.126?0.303),hemoglobin(OR=0.984,95%CI 0.972?0.996)and triacylglycerol(OR=0.606,95%CI 0.424?0.866)were negatively correlated with the risk of muscle mass decline in the elderly.Multivariate Logistic regression model indicated that PhA(OR=0.338,95%CI 0.119?0.959)and BMI(OR=0.634,95%CI 0.476?0.844)were negatively correlated with the risk of muscle mass decline in elderly.The area under the ROC curve for predicting muscle mass decline related to sarcopenia in elderly by using BMI and PhA was 0.893(95%CI 0.855?0.931)and 0.786(95%CI 0.736?0.837),respectively.The sensitivity was 0.724 and 0.676,respectively.The specificity was 0.916 and 0.762,respectively.When BMI combined with PhA predicted muscle mass decline in the elderly,the area under the ROC curve was 0.917(95%CI 0.883?0.951).The sensitivity was 0.867,and the specificity was 0.860.Conclusion·aCCI is correlated with muscle mass decline associated with sarcopenia in the elderly.As BMI and PhA decrease,the risk of muscle mass decline in the elderly increases.The combination of BMI and PhA has a high predictive value in muscle mass decline in the elderly.No predictive value of chronic diseases comorbidities in muscle mass decline related to sarcopenia in the elderly is found.

A large spontaneous mass on the dorsal abdomen near the hip joint was found in an aged female Tupaia belangeri subsp. yaoshanensis after 5 years of routine feeding. The tumor in the diseased tree shrew was huge, with an intact surface and no ulceration; however, it caused inconvenience in movement while maintaining a good mental state. After inhalation anesthesia with isoflurane (2%-4%), the tree shrew was euthanized after the tree shrew entered deep anesthesia. Anatomical dissection of the tumor, the tumor boundary was unclear and infiltrated into surrounding tissues. HE staining showed that small focal pleomorphism and large areas of adipocytes were seen in the tumor tissue. The pleomorphic sarcoma area was mainly composed of atypical epithelioid cells with easily visible nuclear divisions. The size of the adipocytes was significantly different, and more pleomorphic adipocytes were seen. The cell volume was large, the nucleus was deeply stained and deformed, the edge was impressed, and the cytoplasm was seen with multiple vesicular lipid droplets. Immunohistochemical results showed that the tumor cells were positive for Vimentin, the small focal polymorphic adipocyte nucleus was positive for S-100, and Ki-67 exhibited a higher proportion of positivity. Combined with HE staining and immunohistochemical results, the spontaneous tumor in this tree shrew was comprehensively diagnosed as pleomorphic liposarcoma.