ObjectiveTo observe the curative effect of Xiangshaliujunzi decoction on critically ill patients with gastrointestinal dysfunction accompanied by spleen deficiency syndrome of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and its influence on tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6).Methods Forty-eight critically ill patients admitted to Department of Emergency Intensive Care Unit (EICU) in Zhejiang Provincal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Xiasha Campus from February to December 2015 were enrolled, and they were randomly divided into observation group (26 cases) and control group (22 cases) by random number table method. The patients in both groups were given routine emergency western therapy, and in the observation group, additionally, Xiangshaliujunzi decoction (ingredients: codonopsis pilosula 20 g, atractylodes macrocephala koidz 12 g, poria cocos 12 g, radix glycyrrhizae preparata 4 g, rhizoma pinelliae preparatum 6 g, pericarpium citri reticulatae 5 g, fructus amomi villosi 5 g, radix aucklandiae 4 g, rhizoma zingiberis recens 3 pieces) 80 mL was prepared and divided into two parts for nasal feeding, once 40 mL, twice a day, while the patients in the control group received the nasal feeding with the same amount of warm boiled water. Before treatment and 3 days and 5 days after treatment, the gastrointestinal function scores were assessed, and the changes of the levels of plasma TNF-α, IL-6 were recorded.Results There were no statistical significant differences in gastrointestinal function scores, the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 between the two groups before treatment and 3 days after treatment (allP ﹥ 0.05). But 5 days after the treatment, the gastrointestinal function scores, the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 were obviously decreased in two groups, and the degree of decrease in observation group was more significant [gastrointestinal function score: 0.92±0.85 vs. 2.27±0.77, TNF-α (ng/L): 17.7±2.4 vs. 25.0±4.2, IL-6 (ng/L): 16.9±2.4 vs. 25.0±3.4, allP < 0.01].Conclusion Xiangshaliujunzi decoction has therapeutic effect on critically ill patients with gastrointestinal dysfunction and accompanied by spleen deficiency in TCM, the mechanism may be related to decreasing the levels of TNF-α and IL-6, thereby depressing the inflammation.

ObjectiveTo analyze the clinical efficacy of open reduction and internal locking system (PHILOS) in management of three- and four-part proximal humeral fractures in the elderly patients.MethodsA retrospective study was performed on 18 elderly patients (age≥80 years) with proximal humeral fractures who were treated surgically from June 2008 to June 2010 and received complete follow-up.The fractures were Neer three- and four-part fractures and managed with PHILOS.Rehabilitation exercise was performed postoperatively and followed up regularly.ResultsThe patients were followed up for average 15.3 months,which showed sound healing of all fractures.Shoulder joint function was assessed by Constant-Murley score that was 55 to 83 points (mean 72.5 points) at 12 months,with an overall excellence rate of 67％.ConclusionOpen reduction and fixation with PHILOS can attain satisfactory clinical outcome for the elderly patients with three- and four-part proximal humeral fractures.

Objective To describe common dermoscopic features of primary cutaneous amyloidosis (PCA),and to explore the application value of dermoscopy in assisting the diagnosis of PCA.Methods Seventeen patients with PCA were collected from Department of Dermatology of Peking Union Medical College Hospital between April 2014 and December 2016.A total of 45 skin lesions were subjected to dermoscopy,and their dermoscopic features were analyzed.Results The common dermoscopic features of PCA included central hubs,which could be white,brown or scar-like areas,various pigment structures and shiny white streaks.Dermoscopy showed that central hubs could be observed in all the lesions (100％),while white center hubs alone were observed in 14 (31％) lichenoid lesions,both white center hubs and scar -like areas in 5 (11％) lichenoid lesions,brown center hubs alone in 8 (18％) macular lesions,both white and brown center hubs in 6 (13％) lichenoid lesions and 17 (38％) macular lesions.All the lesions showed various pigment structures.Shiny white streaks were observed in 4 (9％) lichenoid lesions.Conclusion Dermoscopy has good application value in assisting the diagnosis of PCA.

Objective To evaluate the additional efficacy of local anesthetic injection (LAI) as a part of multimodal anal?gesia in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) with respect to pain, narcotic use, knee function and complications. Methods A multicenter randomized, controlled, double blind study was performed. A total of 101 patients undergoing unilateral TKA in two centers were randomly divided into injection group and control group. Injection group (50 cases) received local anes?thetic injection of ropivacaine (200 mg), fentanyl (1μg) and epinephrine (1∶1 000, 0.25 mg) in operation and control group (51 cas?es) did not. All patients received standardized general anesthesia and postoperative intravenous patient controlled analgesia (PCA). Preoperative baseline data, surgery?related conditions, postoperative pain (on a 0 to 10 scale), knee function, time of open?ing PCA, narcotic dosage in PCA and complications were compared respectively. Results The time of opening PCA in injection group (4-10 h, M=8 h) was longer than that in control group (2-5 h, M=4 h) (P<0.05). The 12 h, 24 h and total narcotic use of PCA in injection group (8.62±3.601 ml, 21.22±9.220 ml, 38.52±7.764 ml) was less than that in control group (18.43±9.671 ml, 35.30± 11.414 ml, 55.52±12.405 ml) (P<0.05). At post anesthesia care unit the mean VAS in injection group (2.40±1.927) was lower than that in control group (3.06 ± 2.073) (P<0.05). There was no difference in mean VAS at other time points, knee function, length of stay between two groups (P>0.05). Conclusion LIA in TKA can relieve pain early after TKA, prolong the time of opening PCA and reduce narcotic use compared with patients without it. It is simple and safe to use.

Objective To investigate the adrenal steroidogenic function in genotype-proven heterozygotes carrying mutations in CYP17A1 gene in vivo. Methods Eight patients and 14 family members from 5 families with 17-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase deficiency (17OHD) were recruited. The mutations of the CYP17A1 gene in these individuals were screened by direct sequencing of PCR products. The hormonal response to ACTH was evaluated in the 14 genotype-proven carriers and 45 age- and sex-matched normal subjects. Results Three mutations were found in 5 unrelated families. 14 carriers with CYP17A1 mutation were identified, including 7 heterozygotes with D487_F489del, 6 with Y329fs, and 1 for H373L. Compared to the normal subjects, the carriers exhibited lower basal and ACTH-stimulated cortisol levels, but higher ACTH-stimulated corticosterone level. The ratios of corticosterone to cortisol in the genotype-proven heterozygotes were higher than those of normal individuals at baseline and following ACTH-stimulation. Similarly, progesterone level and ratios of progesterone to 17-hydroxyprogesterone in the male heterozygotes were also higher than that of normal individuals before and after stimulation. No significant differences were observed in the hormone levels between two genotypes (D487_F489del vs Y329fs). Conclusions Genotype-proven carriers of 17OHD without apparent clinical symptoms exhibit decreased enzyme activity,analogous to mildly impaired adrenal 21-hydroxylase activity in the carriers of CYP21 A2 gene mutation.

Objective To analyse the prognosis of 117 newly diagnosed nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients underwent intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). Methods From Jan to Nov 2005, 117 NPC patients who were treated by IMRT were enrolled. There were 81 males and 36 females with a median age of 42 years (range 18-76 years). According to Chinese Fuzhou Staging system(1992), 11 cases were Stage I , 15 Stage Ⅱ, 54 Stage Ⅲ and 37 Stage ⅣA. IMRT was carried out with Peacock plan. The prescription dose to the gross target volume(GTVnx) of nasopharyngeal tumor was 68 Gy, that of positive neck lymph nodes (GTVnd) was 60-66 Gy, clinical target volume 1 (CTV1) was 60 Gy, and CTV2 was 54 Gy. Results After a median follow-up time of 48 months (range 10.5-59.5 months), the 3-and 5-year overall survival (OS) rates were 95.7 % and 89.7 %, the disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 91.5 % and 87.2%, and the local-regional control rates were 94.0 % and 91.5 %. Univariate analysis showed the KPS, stage, Fuzhou clinical stage, status of blood platelet before treatment and uric acid after treatment were correlated with OS rate. T stage was the only independent factor of prognosis in the COX stepwise regression model. Conclusion Radical IMRT significantly prolongs the survival of NPC patients. T stage is the only independent prognostic factor for NPC patients.

Background: Porcine parvovirus (PPV) is a single-stranded DNA virus that causes porcine reproductive failure. It is of critical importance to study PPV pathogenesis for the prevention and control of the disease. NS1, a PPV non-structural protein, is participated in viral DNA replication, transcriptional regulation, and cytotoxicity. Our previous research showed that PPV can activate nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway and then up-regulate the expression of interleukin (IL)-6. Objectives: Herein, the purpose of this study is to determine whether the non-structural protein NS1 of PPV also has the same function. Methods: Real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, western blot, immunofluorescence assay and small interfering RNA (siRNA) were used. Results: Our findings demonstrated that PPV NS1 protein can up-regulate the expression levels of IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, PPV NS1 protein was found to induce the phosphorylation of IκBα, then leading to the phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of NF-κB. In addition, the NS1 protein activated the upstream pathways of NF-κB. Meanwhile, TLR2-siRNA assay showed TLR2 plays an important role in the activation of NF-κB signaling pathway induced by PPV-NS1. Conclusions These findings indicated that PPV NS1 protein induced the up-regulated of IL-6 expression through activating the TLR2 and NF-κB signaling pathways. In conclusion, these findings provide a new avenue to study the innate immune mechanism of PPV infection.

Objective To investigate the influence factors of tumor diameter and related prognostic factors on the prognosis of hilar cholangiocarcinoma.Methods The retrospective case-control study was conducted.The clinicopathological data of 240 patients who underwent resection of hilar cholangiocarcinoma in the West China Hospital of Sichuan University between January 1995 and January 2013 were collected,including 104 patients with tumor diameter ≤ 2 cm (8 with tumor diameter ≤ 1 cm and 96 with 1 cm ＜ tumor diameter ≤ 2 cm),85 with 2 cm ＜ tumor diameter ≤ 3 cm and 51 with tumor diameter ＞ 3 cm (40 with 3 cm ＜ tumor diameter ≤ 4 cm and 11 with tumor diameter ＞ 4 cm).Observation indicators:(1) surgical situations;(2) follow-up situations;(3) risk factors analysis affecting the prognosis of patients;(4) correlation analysis between related prognostic indicators and tumor diameter.The follow-up using outpatient examination and telephone interview was performed to detect the survival up to August 2016.The survival curve and survival rate were respectively drawn and calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method,and the Log-rank test was used for survival analysis.The prognostic factors and correlation between related prognostic indicators and tumor diameter were respectively analyzed using the COX proportional hazard model and logistic regression model.Results (1) Surgical situations:240 patients underwent successful resection of hilar cholangiocarcinoma and lymph node dissection.Of 73 patients with postoperative complications,1 died of intraperitoneal infection induced to systemic infection and multiple organ failure,1 diel of renal failure,and other patients were cured by symptomatic treatment.(2) Follow-up situations:240 patients were followed up for 12.0-98.0 months,with a median time of 47.4 months.The overall median survival time,1-,3-and 5-year overall survival rates were respectively 30.6 months,81％,47％ and 29％.The median survival time and 5-year survival rate were 46.5 months,34％ in patients with tumor diameter ≤ 2 cm and 30.5 months,30％ in patients with 2 cm ＜ tumor diameter ≤ 3 cm and 13.8 months,20％ in patients with tumor diameter ＞ 3 cm,respectively,with a statistically significant difference (x2 =17.83,P＜0.05).Results of further analysis showed the median survival time and 5-year survival rate were 31.3 months,38％ in patients with tumor diameter ≤ 1 cm and 46.5 months,34％ in patients with 1 cm ＜ tumor diameter ≤ 2 cm,respectively,with no statistically significant difference (x2=1.16,P＞O.05).The median survival time and 1-year survival rate were 14.7 months,62％ in patients with 3 cm ＜ tumor diameter ≤ 4 cm and 13.0 months,55％ in patients with tumor diameter ＞ 4 cm,respectively,with no statistically significant difference (x2 =2.34,P＞O.05).(3) Risk factors analysis affecting the prognosis of patients:univariate analysis showed that tumor diameter,surgical margin,lymph node metastasis,vascular invasion and histological differentiation were the related factors affecting patients' prognosis [hazard ratio (HR)=1.456,8.714,1.737,2.246,1.665;95％ confidence interval (C I):1.212-1.748,5.558-13.663,1.311-2.301,1.494-3.378,1.375-2.016,P ＜ 0.05].The multivariate analysis showed that 2 cm ＜ tumor diameter ≤ 3 cm,tumor diameter ＞ 3 cm,R1 resection,lymph node metastasis and low-differentiated tumor were the independent risk factors affecting poor prognosis of patients (HR =1.559,1.868,7.410,1.521,2.274,95％ CI:1.125-2.160,1.265-2.759,4.497-12.212,1.136-2.037,1.525-3.390,P＜0.05).(4) Correlation analysis between related prognostic indicators and tumor diameter:the results of univariate analysis showed that there was a correlation between lymph node metastasis,vascular invasion,histological differentiation and T staging of American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) and tumor diameter of 2 cm as a cut-off point (x2 =6.063,4.950,8.770,9.069,P＜0.05).There was a correlation between surgical margin,lymph node metastasis,vascular invasion and histological differentiation and tumor diameter of 3 cm as a cut-off point (x2=10.251,9.919,5.485,15.632,P＜0.05).The results of multivariate analysis showed that lymph node metastasis and T staging of AJCC were independent related factors affecting tumor diameter of 2 cm as a cut-off point[odds ratio (OR) =1.882,2.104,95 ％CI:1.075-3.293,1.220-3.631,P＜0.05];surgical margin and lymph node metastasis were independent related factors affecting tumor diameter of 3 cm as a cut-off point (OR=3.187,2.211,95 ％CI:1.377-7.379,1.133-4.314,P＜0.05).Conclusions The 2 cm ＜ tumor diameter ≤ 3 cm,tumor diameter ＞ 3 cm,R1 resection,lymph node metastasis and low-differentiated tumor are the independent risk factors affecting the prognosis of patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma.Three cm (T staging in De Oliveira staging system) as the second cut-off point is feasible,meanwhile,2 cm cut-off point may be become another potential tumor dividing point described in De Oliveira staging system.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of non-submucosal injection in endoscopic submucosal excavation (ESE) for small submucosal tumors originating in the muscularis propria of the stomach.Methods:A total of 138 patients diagnosed as having small gastric muscularis propria tumors (≤2 cm) at Digestive Endoscopy Center of Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medical from November 2018 to October 2020 were randomly divided into the observation group with non-submucosal injection of ESE and the control group with submucosal injection of ESE for a randomized controlled trial. The exposure time, tumor removal time, operation cost, hospitalization period, numbers of metal clips and complications of the two groups were analyzed and compared.Results:A total of 138 patients were enrolled, including 76 patients in the observation group and 62 patients in the control group. All lesions were successfully and completely removed. Compared with the control group, the observation group had shorter median tumor exposure time [2.00 min VS 3.30 min, Z=-2.426, P =0.045], shorter median tumor removal time [16.8 min VS 34.4 min, Z=-4.324, P<0.001], less median surgical cost [2 903 yuan VS 3 178 yuan, Z=-5.112, P<0.001], and fewer metal clips used (4.0±0.6 VS 5.1±1.3, t=1.452, P=0.003). The incidence of postoperative abdominal distension of the observation group was lower [9.2% (7/76) VS 22.6% (14/62), χ2=2.512, P=0.049], the incidence of postoperative abdominal pain of this group was lower too [11.8% (9/76) VS 32.3% (20/62), χ2=4.242, P=0.014], but there was no significant difference in the period of hospitalization, incidence of postoperative fever or perforation ( P>0.05). Conclusion:Non-submucosal injection of ESE is safe and effective for submucosal tumors smaller than 2.0 cm originating from the muscularis propria of the stomach , which might be more advantageous than traditional ESE.

Objective To investigate the dermoscopic features of vulvar lichen sclerosus (VLS).Methods Seventeen patients with VLS,who visited the Department of Dermatology of Peking Union Medical College Hospital between August 2015 and June 2017 and underwent dermoscopy and skin histopathological examination,were enrolled into this study.The dermoscopic images of 75 skin lesions were collected and analyzed retrospectively.Results The common dermoscopic features in these VLS lesions included yellowish-white structureless areas (89.3％,67/75),reddish-violet globules or patches (77.3％,58/75),brownish or bluish-gray pigment structures (49％,37/75),shiny white streaks (40％,30/75),dotted vessels with irregular arrangement (28％,21/75),linear vessels (58.7％,44/75),hairpin-like vessels (6.7％,5/75),comma-like vessels (13％,10/75)and branching vessels (20％,15/75).Under dermoscopy,rosette sign could be observed in 3 (4％) lesions,comedo-like openings in 3 (4％) lesions,and keratotic plugs in 1 (1％) lesions.Conclusion Under dermoscopy,VLS is characterized by yellowishwhite structureless areas,reddish-violet globules or patches,pigment structures and vessels with various vessels.