ObjectiveTo analyze the etiological characteristics and risk factors of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease （ADPKD） complicated with urinary tract infection （UTI）. MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed on 244 patients with ADPKD admitted to the Department of Nephrology. The patients were stratified into a study group （n=138） and a control group （n=106） according to the presence or absence of concurrent UTI. All patients in the study group underwent etiological testing and drug susceptibility testing. Clinical data of both groups were collected to identify the risk factors for ADPKD complicated with UTI. ResultsA total of 105 pathogens were detected in 138 cases in the study group， including 79 Gram-negative bacteria， 20 Gram-positive bacteria and 6 fungi. Escherichia coli showed a relatively high resistance rate to ampicillin， piperacillin and ciprofloxacin. Enterococcus faecalis had a relatively high resistance rate to tetracycline. There were statistically significant differences between the study group and the control group in terms of gender， history of urinary tract infection， C-reactive protein （CRP）， increased urine red blood cells， increased urine white blood cells， increased percentage of neutrophils， blood sodium， blood calcium， total cholesterol， serum iron and transferrin saturation （P<0.05）. Multivariate binary Logistic regression analysis revealed that female gender （OR=2.236， P=0.004）， history of urinary tract infection （OR=2.383， P=0.002）， increased urine white blood cells （OR=2.726， P=0.001）， increased percentage of neutrophils （OR=1.040， P=0.010）， elevated C-reactive protein （OR=1.011， P=0.007） and elevated blood calcium （OR=4.389， P=0.024） were risk factors of urinary tract infection in ADPKD patients （P<0.05）. ConclusionThe main pathogens of UTI in patients with ADPKD are Gram-negative bacteria. Female， previous history of urinary tract infection， urinary leukocytosis， increased percentage of neutrophils， increased CRP and increased serum calcium are risk factors of UTI.

Objective: To explore the correlation between small intestinal bacterial overgrowth(SIBO) and cognitive impairment in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis(PD). Methods: 60 PD patients and 46 non-dialysis patients with end-stage renal disease(ESRD) were included in this study. SIBO was detected by lactulose hydrogen methane breath test(LHMBT). The cognitive function levels of the subjects were evaluated using the Montreal cognitive assessment(MoCA) and mini-mental state examination(MMSE). The emotional states of the patients were assessed by self-rating anxiety scale(SAS) and self-rating depression scale(SDS). The gastrointestinal symptoms were evaluated using gastrointestinal symptom rating scale(GSRS). According to the results of LHMBT, the PD patients were further divided into two subgroups: SIBO-positive and SIBO-negative. The general conditions, laboratory data, and scores of each scale were compared between the two groups. Furthermore, according to the MoCA scores, the PD patients were divided into two groups: those with normal cognitive function and those with cognitive dysfunction. The positive rates of SIBO between the two groups were compared. Binary Logistic stepwise regression was used to explore whether SIBO was an independent risk factor for cognitive impairment in PD patients. At the same time, other independent influencing factors for cognitive impairment in PD patients were analyzed. Results: The positive rate of SIBO in PD patients was 40.00%. Among them, the positive rate of SIBO in the group with normal cognitive function during peritoneal dialysis was 27.27%, and the positive rate of SIBO in the group with cognitive dysfunction during peritoneal dialysis was 55.56%. There was a statistically significant difference in the positive rate of SIBO between the two groups(P=0.026). Further analysis by multivariate Logistic stepwise regression showed that in addition to age(OR=1.118, 95%CI 1.007-1.242, P=0.037), educational attainment(OR=0.655,95%CI 0.442-0.972,P=0.036), and hemoglobin(OR=0.946,95% CI 0.895-0.998,P=0.044), SIBO(OR=7.613,95% CI 1.160-49.979,P=0.034)was also an independent risk factor for cognitive impairment in PD patients. Conclusion The incidence of SIBO in PD patients is relatively high and is associated with multiple factors, among which SIBO may be closely related to cognitive dysfunction in PD patients.

BACKGROUND: Valvular heart disease (VHD) has become increasingly common with the aging in China. This study aimed to evaluate regional differences in the clinical features, management strategies, and outcomes of patients with VHD across different regions in China. METHODS: Data were collected from the China-VHD Study. From April 2018 to June 2018, 12,347 patients who presented with moderate or severe native VHD with a median of 2 years of follow-up from 46 centers at certified tertiary hospitals across 31 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities in Chinese mainland were included in this study. According to the locations of the research centers, patients were divided into five regional groups: eastern, southern, western, northern, and central China. The clinical features of VHD patients were compared among the five geographical regions. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality or rehospitalization for heart failure. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to compare the cumulative incidence rate. RESULTS: Among the enrolled patients (mean age, 61.96 years; 6877 [55.70%] male), multiple VHD was the most frequent type (4042, 32.74%), which was mainly found in eastern China, followed by isolated mitral regurgitation (3044, 24.65%), which was mainly found in northern China. The etiology of VHD varied significantly across different regions of China. The overall rate of valve interventions was 32.67% (4008/12,268), with the highest rate in southern China at 48.46% (205/423). In terms of procedure, the proportion of transcatheter valve intervention was relatively low compared to that of surgical treatment. Patients with VHD in western China had the highest incidence of all-cause mortality or rehospitalization for heart failure. Valve intervention significantly improved the outcome of patients with VHD in all five regions (all P  <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that patients with VHD in China are characterized by significant geographic disparities in clinical features, treatment, and clinical outcomes. Targeted efforts are needed to improve the management and prognosis of patients with VHD in China according to differences in geographical characteristics. REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT03484806.
Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; China/epidemiology* ; Heart Valve Diseases/therapy* ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Treatment Outcome

Objective:To study the consistency between post-processing bone mineral density(BMD)values of multi-slice spiral computed tomography(MSCT)scan and the BMD value of quantitative computed tomography(QCT)for lumbar vertebra,so as to explore the feasibility of utilizing MSCT scan-based post-processing BMD values for lumbar vertebra in clinical practice.Methods:The MSCT equipment and QCT equipment were respectively adopted to conduct imaging scan for the L2-L4 of lumber vertebra of QRM-ESP145 European Spine Phantom(ESP),and L2-L4 of lumbar vertebra of adult sheep,and L2-L4 of lumbar vertebra of adult volunteer.The L2-L4 of ESP lumber vertebra and L2-L4 of lumbar vertebra of adult sheep were scanned respectively MSCT and QCT for three times,so as to measure BMD values.The L2-L4 of lumbar vertebrae of volunteers were scanned respectively by the two methods for one time according to the standard of clinical examination,which were reconstructed by three times so as to obtain mean of them.The BMD values of QCT scan were set as control group,and the BMD values of MSCT scan were set as experiment group.The experiment group was further divided into experiment 1 group[two dimension(2D)regional volumetric BMD values of the lumbar vertebra]and experiment 2 group[three dimension(3D)global volumetric BMD post-processing of the lumbar vertebra]according to the reliability of experiment.Then,the consistency between the MSCT 3D post-processing BMD values of three groups and QCT-measured BMD values was compared and analyzed.Results:The MSCT 3D post-processing BMD values of L2-L4 of ESP lumbar vertebra of three groups were respectively(120.83±0.97),(199.57±0.54)and(119.19±1.04)mg/cm3,and that of L2-L4 of lumbar vertebra of adult sheep of three groups were respectively(414.89±1.72),(410.50±0.77)and(420.25±2.71)mg/cm3,and that of L2-L4 of lumbar vertebra of volunteer were respectively(141.22±0.09),(137.38±0.37)and(152.03±1.03)mg/cm3.There were not statistically significant differences in BMD values between MSCT examination and QCT examination(P＞0.05).Conclusion:MSCT 3D post-processing BMD values on lumbar vertebra has high consistency with that of QCT measurements,which post-processing technique can replace QCT to conduct BMD examination,and reduce unnecessary radiation exposure and examination costs for patients.

The advancement of surgical techniques enables effective treatment for many patients with oral and maxillofacial tumors.How-ever,post-surgery problems such as chewing,swallowing and speech difficulty may arise due to the defects in speech organs and inade-quate compensatory function of tissue flap repair.Speech disorders,in particular,isolate patients by making it difficult for them to com-municate with others,not only impact their quality of life but also potentially lead to psychological problems and social interaction disor-ders.Although the decline in life quality and other related issues caused by speech dysfunction due to surgery and radiotherapy or chemo-therapy have been widely recognized,there is currently no standardized and universally applicable assessment method and standardized re-habilitation treatment management guideline or consensus for speech disorders following oral and maxillofacial tumor surgery at home and abroad.Based on previous clinical practice,combined with the characteristics of speech disorders in patients after oral and maxillofacial tumor surgery,the clinical experience of the experts in maxillofacial tumor surgery and rehabilitation and the relevant domestic and foreign literature,relevant experts organized discussions and modifications,reach a consensus on core content such as the assessment of speech disorders and the implementation plan for early rehabilitation treatment management,providing a reference for clinical practice,in order to improve patients'speech-related life quality and enhance the assessment and rehabilitation treatment techniques for speech disorders after oral and maxillofacial tumor surgery.

Objective To investigate whether there is a synergistic pathogenic effect between triglyceride glucose index(TyG)and C-reactive protein(CRP)on new-onset nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)by observing the influence of combinations of TyG and CRP at different levels,and to provide a basis for identifying the high-risk population of NAFLD.Methods A total of 31 935 employees in Kailuan Group who participated in physical examination in 2006-2007 were enrolled as the observation cohort,and they had no history of drinking,fatty liver disease,cardiovascular disease,or malignant tumor and did not take antidiabetic or lipid-lowering drugs.According to the median of TyG and CRP at baseline,the subjects were divided into TyG<8.42 and CRP<0.60 mg/L group,TyG<8.42 and CRP≥0.60 mg/L group,TyG≥8.42 and CRP<0.60 mg/L group,and TyG≥8.42 and CRP≥0.60 mg/L group.A one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between multiple groups,and an analysis of variance was used for comparison of continuous data with skewed distribution between groups after logarithmic transformation;the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups.The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the cumulative incidence rate of NAFLD in different combinations of CRP and TyG levels,and the multivariate Cox regression model was used to investigate the influence of different combinations of TyG and CRP on the incidence rate of NAFLD.Results After a mean follow-up time of 7.59 years,a total of 16 592 employees developed NAFLD.The cumulative incidence rate of NAFLD in the TyG<8.42 and CRP<0.60 mg/L group,TyG<8.42 and CRP≥0.60 mg/L group,TyG≥8.42 and CRP<0.60 mg/L group,and TyG≥8.42 and CRP≥0.60 mg/L group were 59.5%,67.1%,73.8%,and 80.8%,respectively(P<0.001).After adjustment for confounding factors,compared with the TyG<8.42 and CRP<0.60 mg/L group,the TyG≥8.42 and CRP≥0.60 mg/L group had the highest risk of developing NAFLD(hazard ratio[HR]=1.54,95%confidence interval[CI]:1.47-1.61),followed by the TyG≥8.42 and CRP<0.60 mg/L group(HR=1.43,95%CI:1.36-1.49)and the TyG<8.42 and CRP≥0.60 mg/L group(HR=1.17,95%CI:1.12-1.22).Conclusion With elevated TyG and CRP levels,the cumulative incidence of NAFLD increased,and rising levels of these markers significantly augmented the risk of NAFLD development.

Objective To explore the mechanism of Pingchuanning Formula(PCN)for inhibiting airway inflammation in rats with asthmatic cold syndrome.Methods A total of 105 SD rats were randomized equally into 7 groups,including a control group,an asthmatic cold syndrome model group,3 PCN treatment groups at high,medium and low doses,a Guilong Kechuanning(GLCKN)treatment group,and a dexamethasone(DEX)treatment group.In all but the control rats,asthma cold syndrome models were established and daily gavage of saline,PCN,GLCKN or DEX was administered 29 days after the start of modeling.The changes in general condition,lung function and lung histopathology of the rats were observed,and inflammatory factors in the alveolar lavage fluid(BALF),oxidative stress,lung tissue ultrastructure,cytokine levels,and expressions of the genes related to the HMGB1/Beclin-1 axis and autophagy were analyzed.Results The rat models had obvious manifestations of asthmatic cold syndrome with significantly decreased body mass,food intake,and water intake,reduced FEV0.3,FVC,and FEV0.3/FVC,obvious inflammatory cell infiltration in the lung tissue,and increased alveolar inflammation score and counts of neutrophils,eosinophils,lymphocytes,macrophages,and leukocytes in the BALF.The rat models also had significantly increased MDA level and decreased SOD level and exhibited obvious ultrastructural changes in the lung tissues,where the expressions of HMGB1,Beclin-1,ATG5,TNF-α,IL-6,IL-1β,and IL-13 and the LC3II/I ratio were increased,while the levels of Bcl-2 and IFN-γ were decreased.PCN treatment significantly improved these pathological changes in the rat models,and its therapeutic effect was better than that of GLKCN and similar to that of DEX.Conclusion PCN can effectively alleviate airway inflammation in rat models of asthmatic cold syndrome possibly by modulating the HMGB1/Beclin-1 signaling axis to suppress cell autophagy,thereby attenuating airway inflammatory damages.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the mechanism of Pingchuanning Formula (PCN) for inhibiting airway inflammation in rats with asthmatic cold syndrome. METHODS: A total of 105 SD rats were randomized equally into 7 groups, including a control group, an asthmatic cold syndrome model group, 3 PCN treatment groups at high, medium and low doses, a Guilong Kechuanning (GLCKN) treatment group, and a dexamethasone (DEX) treatment group. In all but the control rats, asthma cold syndrome models were established and daily gavage of saline, PCN, GLCKN or DEX was administered 29 days after the start of modeling. The changes in general condition, lung function and lung histopathology of the rats were observed, and inflammatory factors in the alveolar lavage fluid (BALF), oxidative stress, lung tissue ultrastructure, cytokine levels, and expressions of the genes related to the HMGB1/Beclin-1 axis and autophagy were analyzed. RESULTS: The rat models had obvious manifestations of asthmatic cold syndrome with significantly decreased body mass, food intake, and water intake, reduced FEV_0.3, FVC, and FEV_0.3/FVC, obvious inflammatory cell infiltration in the lung tissue, and increased alveolar inflammation score and counts of neutrophils, eosinophils, lymphocytes, macrophages, and leukocytes in the BALF. The rat models also had significantly increased MDA level and decreased SOD level and exhibited obvious ultrastructural changes in the lung tissues, where the expressions of HMGB1, Beclin-1, ATG5, TNF-α, IL-6,IL-1β, and IL-13 and the LC3II/I ratio were increased, while the levels of Bcl-2 and IFN-γ were decreased. PCN treatment significantly improved these pathological changes in the rat models, and its therapeutic effect was better than that of GLKCN and similar to that of DEX. CONCLUSIONS PCN can effectively alleviate airway inflammation in rat models of asthmatic cold syndrome possibly by modulating the HMGB1/Beclin-1 signaling axis to suppress cell autophagy, thereby attenuating airway inflammatory damages.
Animals ; Rats ; Autophagy/drug effects* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Asthma/pathology* ; Beclin-1 ; HMGB1 Protein/metabolism* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Male ; Lung/pathology* ; Inflammation

Professor Lin Chuangjian noticed that middle-aged and elderly individuals,as well as patients with weakened spleen and kidney function,are prone to developing gouty arthritis of phlegm-turbidity and blood stasis obstruction type.The clinical manifestations of gouty arthritis of phlegm-turbidity and blood stasis obstruction type were characterized by recurrent and prolonged episodes,marked joint pain(worse at night),joint deformities,numbness and stiffness of the skin,difficulty in walking,spasm of muscles,and limited joint movement,and were probably accompanied by facial and pedal edema,chest and epigastric fullness,dizziness and tinnitus,flushed cheeks and dry mouth,and soreness and weakness of the lower back and knees.Gouty arthritis of phlegm-turbidity and blood stasis obstruction type is a fundamentally-deficiency and incidentally-excess syndrome,characterized by phlegm-turbidity-stasis as the symptomatic features,and spleen-kidney deficiency as the root cause.During syndrome differentiation,Professor Lin emphasizes the relationship between phlegm-turbidity-stasis and the zang-orga nis of spleen and kidneys,and considers that the dysfunction of spleen and kidneys is the root cause of phlegm-turbidity-stasis formation.During treatment,therapeutic principle of simultaneously treating the symptom and root cause was followed,primary methods of fortifying the spleen and tonifying the kidneys,removing phlegm and resolving turbidity,and activating blood circulation to resolve stasis were adopted,and Bushen Juanbi Yipi Decoction was used as the foundational prescription.Bushen Juanbi Yipi Decoction consists of the herbs of Notopterygii Rhizoma et Radix,Angelicae Pubescentis Radix,Cinnamomi Cortex,Gentianae Macrophyllae Radix,Angelicae Sinensis Radix,Chuanxiong Rhizoma,Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma Praeparata cum Melle,Piperis Kadsurae Caulis,Mori Ramulus,Olibanum,Aucklandiae Radix,salt-processed Morindae Officinalis Radix,Taxilli Herb,Saposhnikoviae Radix,Smilacis Glabrae Rhizoma,Microctis Folium,Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma,Pinelliae Rhizoma Praeparatum,Clematidis Radix et Rhizoma,and Eupatorii Herba.In clinical practice,adjunct herbs for fortifying spleen,ventilating lung,soothing liver,or tranquilizing heart may be added based on accompanying symptoms.Professor Lin's diagnostic and therapeutic approach will provide valuable insights for the traditional Chinese medicine management of gouty arthritis.

Objective:To explore the influence of artificial intelligence(AI)-assisted compressive sensing(ACS)technique with different acceleration factors on the image quality and scan time of three dimensional time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography(3D-TOF-MRA)for brain.Methods:Thirty participants who underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)at Tongzhou Branch of Beijing Friendship Hospital were recruited.All subjects underwent imaging scans about four different parameters:a non-accelerated technique(control group),ACS technique integrated with acceleration factor of 4.03(ACS4 group),ACS technique integrated with acceleration factor of 5.02(ACS5 group),and ACS technique integrated with acceleration factor of 6.06(ACS6 group).The image clarity,ranking of imaging capabilities of distal branch blood vessels and the ratio of pseudo-stenosis were qualitatively analyzed.The signal-to-noise ratio(SNR),contrast-to-noise ratio(CNR),edge sharpness,and scan time were quantitatively analyzed.Results:There was not difference in vessel clarity among three ACS groups at the proximal and middle intracranial segments.For distal segments of blood vessel,the ACS4 group[3.0(3.0,3.0)]and ACS5 group[3.0(3.0,3.0)]were better than ACS6[2.5(2.0,3.0)](q=29.800,27.500,P<0.05).The imaging capabilities of distal-branch vessel of ACS4 group and ACS5 group were better than ACS6 group.There was no stenosis in the proximal and middle segments of the images of the three ACS group,and there were no stenosis in the images of distal vessels of ACS4 group and ACS5 group.A total of 5 cases were pseudo-stenosis in the distal vessels of ACS6 group.Compared with the control group,the incidence of pseudo-stenosis in the distal vessels of ACS6 group was 16.7%.The SNR and CNR values of quantitative analysis for proximal vessels in ACS6 group were higher than them in ACS4 group(q=27.800,26.200,P<0.05),and there was not significant difference in them among ACS4 group,ACS6 group and ACS5 group(P>0.05).The differences of SNR and CNR values in the middle and distal segments of blood vessels among different groups were not significant(P>0.05).There was not significant difference in the edge sharpness of blood vessels among ACS4 group,ACS5 group,and ACS6 group(P>0.05),while all of them were higher than those of control group,and the differences were significant(q=48.150,53.367,44.883,P<0.001).Compared with control group,the scan-time of ACS4 group was reduced by 55.19%,and that of ACS5 group was reduced by 64.07%,and that of ACS6 group was reduced by 70%.Conclusion:ACS technique can accelerate the imaging speed of brain 3D-TOF-MRA and ensure image quality.It is clinically recommended to set the ACS acceleration factor as 5.02 to undergo brain 3D-TOF-MRA scans.