OBJECTIVE: To explore the feasibility of incorporating simple bedside indicators into death predictive model for elderly critically ill patients based on interpretability machine learning algorithms, providing a new scheme for clinical disease assessment. METHODS: Elderly critically ill patients aged ≥ 65 years who were hospitalized in the intensive care unit (ICU) of Tacheng People's Hospital of Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture from June 2017 to May 2020 were retrospectively selected. Basic parameters including demographic characteristics, basic vital signs and fluid intake and output within 24 hours after admission, as well acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II), Glasgow coma score (GCS) and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) were also collected. According to outcomes in hospital, patients were divided into survival group and death group. Four datasets were constructed respectively, namely baseline dataset (B), including age, body temperature, heart rate, pulse oxygen saturation, respiratory rate, mean arterial pressure, urine output volume, infusion volume, and crystal solution volume; B+APACHE II dataset (BA), B+GCS dataset (BG), and B+SOFA dataset (BS). Then three machine learning algorithms, Logistic regression (LR), extreme gradient boosting (XGboost) and gradient boosting decision tree (GBDT) were used to develop the corresponding mortality predictive models within four datasets. The feature importance histogram of each prediction model was drawn by SHapley additive explanation (SHAP) method. The area under curve (AUC), accuracy and F1 score of each model were compared to determine the optimal prediction model and then illuminate the nomogram. RESULTS: A total of 392 patients were collected, including 341 in the survival group and 51 in the death group. There were statistically significant differences in heart rate, pulse oxygen saturation, mean arterial pressure, infusion volume, crystal solution volume, and etiological distribution between the two groups. The top three causes of death were shock, cerebral hemorrhage, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Among the 12 prognostic models trained by three machine learning algorithms, overall performance of prognostic models based on B dataset was behind, whereas the LR model trained by BA dataset achieved the best performance than others with AUC of 0.767 [95% confidence interval (95%CI) was 0.692-0.836], accuracy of 0.875 (95%CI was 0.837-0.903) and F1 score of 0.190. The top 3 variables in this model were crystal solution volume with first 24 hours, heart rate and mean arterial pressure. The nomogram of the model showed that the total score between 150 and 230 were advisable. CONCLUSION The interpretable machine learning model including simple bedside parameters combined with APACHE II score could effectively identify the risk of death in elderly patients with critically illness.
Humans ; Critical Illness ; Machine Learning ; Aged ; Algorithms ; Intensive Care Units ; Retrospective Studies ; APACHE ; Prognosis ; Organ Dysfunction Scores ; Hospital Mortality ; Male ; Female

Abstract The large intestinal flora is interdependent and mutually restricted, and synergistically participates in the physiological metabolism of the body and the digestion of nutrients. The study on intestinal flora and cardiovascular health has become a very important research field. Changes in intestinal flora composition, metabolites and toxins produced by intestinal flora can cause cardiovascular system lesions. Cardiovascular disease(CVD) has become a major health problem due to high morbidity and mortality. The changes in specific intestinal flora have been identified as the key factors in the occurrence and development of CVD. However, the underlying mechanism of how intestinal flora and metabolites produce and affect CVD remains unclear. In this paper, the latest research progress of intestinal flora in regulating CVD through the intestinal cardiac axis are reviewed, focusing on the complex interaction between intestinal microorganisms and their metabolites and the occurrence and development of CVD, as well as the effect of changes in intestinal flora imbalance on the occurrence of cardiovascular events, to discuss a causal link between intestinal flora and the pathogenesis of CVD.

To investigate the clinical features and influencing factors for new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) early after coronary artery bypass grafting. Methods    The clinical data of 339 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting in our hospital from January 2012 to January 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 267 males and 72 females with an average age of 37-83 (58.03±8.90) years. The clinical features and influencing factors for new-onset AF after surgery were investigated. Results    There were 234 patients of off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCABG), with 36 (15.4%) new-onset AF patients after operation, among whom 16.1% were males and 12.5% were females. There were 105 patients of on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), with 39 (37.1%) new-onset AF patients, among whom 40.7% were males and 25.0% were females. The incidence was higher after the CABG surgery than that after the OPCABG surgery (37.1% vs. 15.4%, P<0.05). There was no statistical difference in the incidence rate between males and females (P>0.05). The incidence of new-onset AF after surgery was higher in ≥60 years patients for both  operations (18.9% and 45.8%), which was significantly higher than that in <45 years patients (P<0.05). For both operations, the incidence of new-onset AF after surgery was high on the second day (24-48 h) after surgery, and most of the AF lasted for 1 day (P<0.05). The hypertension (OR=4.983, P=0.036), frequent premature atrial contraction or atrial tachycardia (OR=17.682, P=0.002), postoperative creatine kinase isoenzyme MB (CKMB) (OR=0.152, P=0.042), left anterior and posterior diameters (OR=17.614, P<0.001) and preoperative ejection fraction (OR=7.094, P=0.011) were influencing factors for new-onset AF after OPCABG. Diabetes (OR=11.631, P=0.020), other cardiac malformations (OR=29.023, P=0.002), frequent premature ventricular contraction or ventricular tachycardia (OR=0.047, P=0.001), and postoperative CKMB (OR=3.672, P=0.040) were influencing factors for new-onset AF after CABG. Conclusion    The incidence of new-onset AF after CABG is higher than that after OPCABG, and it increases with age increasing. There is no difference in the incidence between males and females. The influencing factors for the two operations are different.

Objective:To explore the association between sleep duration, sleep quality and the prevalence of hypertension in the elderly aged 65 years and above.Methods:This study was conducted among the elderly in communities in Yiwu, China from April to July, 2019, and participants were recruited through physical examination in the hospital. Face-to-face interview was performed to obtain basic information. Sleep duration and sleep quality were evaluated by Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Associations between sleep duration, sleep quality and hypertension were evaluated by multivariate logistic regression analysis.Results:A total of 3 169 elderly persons, aged ≥65 years old, were included in the study. The overall prevalence of hypertension was 50.8%. The elderly with very poor sleep quality and short sleep duration accounted for 22.4% and 28.5%, respectively. After adjusting for demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status, lifestyle and health status, the OR of hypertension for the elderly with very poor sleep quality was 1.42 (95% CI: 1.12-1.80) compared with those with very good sleep quality. Compared with the elderly with sleep duration of 6-7 h a night, the OR of hypertension for those with sleep duration <6 h was 1.37 (95% CI: 1.15-1.65). As the sleep quality decreased, the risk for hypertension increased. An U-shaped association was found between sleep duration and risk of hypertension. Subgroup analyses showed that this association existed in both men and women, but only significant in the elderly aged <75 years. Conclusion:Poor sleep quality and short sleep duration were associated with risk for hypertension in the elderly.

Objective To report 9 HIV-negative patients with talaromycosis marueffei (TSM)complicated by Sweet syndrome,and to analyze the relationship of the anti-interferon-γ (anti-IFN-γ)autoantibody with TSM complicated by Sweet syndrome.Methods HIV-negative patients with TSM complicated by Sweet syndrome were collected from the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University between 2013 and 2018.Their clinical and laboratory data were analyzed retrospectively.Meanwhile,19 HIV-positive patients with TSM and 107 health checkup examinees served as controls.Anti-IFN-γ autoantibody was detected in peripheral blood samples of the patients and controls.Results A total of 9 HIV-negative patients with TSM (5 males and 4 females) were included in this study,and the age of onset ranged from 38 to 60 years.The 9 patients all presented with disseminated infections,manifesting as long-term irregular fever,multiple lymph node enlargement,cough,emaciation and anemia.All of the 9 patients met the diagnostic criteria for classical Sweet syndrome,and microbiological examination of Sweet syndrome lesions was negative.Besides Talaromyces marneffei,6 patients also were infected with nontuberculous mycobacteria,4 with varicella-zoster virus,and 2 with Salmonella.All the 9 HIV-negative patients with TSM were positive for anti-IFN-γ autoantibody,while the 107 healthy controls and 19 HIV-positive patients with TSM were negative for anti-IFN-γ autoantibody.Conclusion Anti-IFN-γ autoantibody may be associated with HIV-negative TSM complicated by Sweet syndrome.

Objective:To analyze clinical outcomes of myocardial incision and tearing for the treatment of myocardial bridge.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conduct to review the clinical date of 29 patients who underwent surgical myotomy from January 2014 to January 2018 in the Second Hospital of Lanzhou University. A total of 11 patients(incision group) were experienced traditional myotomy on myocardial bridge that the myocardium was longitudinally incised along the direction of the coronary artery, while 18 patients(tearing group) were treated by myocardial incision combined with tearing that longitudinally incised myocardium and deeply tissue tearing. The operation time of surgical myotomy, the amount of bleeding, the number of branches of vascular injury and the number of ventricular ruptures during operation were compared between the two groups. After followed up half a year to one year, the clinical symptoms of angina pectoris, myocardial ischemia by electrocardiogram suggested, and coronary stenosis by coronary CT suggested were collected.Results:The operation time of surgical myotomy, the amount of bleeding patients and the number of branches of vascular injury during operation in the incision group were higher than those in the tearing group( P<0.05). There was no significant difference for the number of ventricular ruptures during operation( P>0.05). After followed up half a year to one year, there was no significant difference in the clinical symptoms of angina pectoris, myocardial ischemia by electrocardiogram suggested, and coronary stenosis by coronary CT suggested( P>0.05). Conclusion:Myocardial incision combined with tearing is a surgical procedure with short operation time and low bleeding risk, which is more beneficial than the traditional longitudinally incised for the myocardial bridge.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the characteristics of mutations of four common pathogenic genes (GJB2, SLC26A4, GJB3 and 12S rRNA) among patients with nonsyndromic hearing loss (NSHL) from eastern Shandong. METHODS: Peripheral blood samples of 420 NSHL patients were collected, and a hereditary-deafness-gene microarray was used to detect GJB2 c.235delC, c.299-300delAT, c.35delG and c.176del16 mutations, GJB3 c.538C>T mutation, SLC26A4 c.2168A>G and c.IVS7-2A>G mutations, and 12S rRNA c.1555A>C and c.1494C>T mutations. For patients carrying single heterozygous mutations, the coding regions of the above genes were analyzed with Sanger sequencing. RESULTS: The results of the microarray assay and Sanger sequencing showed that 84 patients (20.00%) carried GJB2 mutations, with c.235delC (16.43%) and c.299-300delAT (7.86%) being most common. Seventy-five patients (17.86%) carried SLC26A4 mutations, for which c.IVS7-2A>G accounted for 15.71%. In addition, 5.95% of patients carried 12S rRNA mutations. Only one patient was found to carried GJB3 mutation (c.538C>T). CONCLUSION Common pathogenic mutations for NSHL in eastern Shandong included GJB2 c.235delC and SLC26A4 c.IVS7-2A>G. Of note, 5.95% of patients were due to 12S rRNA m.1555A>G mutation, which gave a frequency greater than other regions of China.
China ; Connexin 26 ; Connexins ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; Deafness ; Genes, rRNA ; Hearing Loss ; Humans ; Mutation ; RNA, Ribosomal ; Sulfate Transporters

Objective To investigate the polymorphisms of the 19 Y-STR loci in the Han population in Northeast China,and analyze the genetic relationships of 15 ethnic groups in northeast Asia region,and to evaluate their forensic value and population genetic value.Methods The 19 Y-STR unrelated Han males in 200 unrelated Han males in Northeast China were amplified with the Y-filer system,and the PCR products were analyzed by the 310 Genetic Analyzer.The AMOVA analysis,cluster analysis and MDS analysis were calculated by Arelquin3.11,Mega4.1 and SPSS17.0.Results The polymorphisms of 19 Y-STR loci in the Han population in Northeast China had generally higher gene diversity value which were ranged from 0.350 9 (DYS391) to 0.971 1 (DYS385a/b),and totally 200 haplotypes were observed.The 19 Y-STR loci displayed high genetic polymorphisms in the Han population in Northeast China,indicating that these 19 loci were useful genetic markers for forensic personal identification and paternity testing.There were distinctions among 15 ethnic groups.The genetic distance between 15 ethnic groups were ranged from 0.000 9 to 0.643 2,and the conclusion of cluster analysis and MDS analysis were similar to the ethnogeny research and ethnic migration history.Conclusion The 19 Y-STR loci displayed high genetic polymorphisms in the Han population in Northeast China,and these 19 loci were useful genetic markers for forensic personal identification and paternity testing.

Objective To investigate the quality of life and psychological status of donors and recipients of living-related donor kidney transplantation. Methods Selected the treatment of living donors in the hospital (n = 80)and recipients(n = 80)from January 2014 to January 2017 as the research objects,and 80 cases of hemodialysis patients at the same period as the control group. Using the SF-36,Zung Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS),and the Self-rating Depression Scale(SDS)to evaluate the psychological status of the two groups and com-pared.Results Scores of donors′physiological function,and general health compared with the norms were not sig-nificant(P>0.05),while the somatic pain scores were significantly lower than the norms(P<0.05).There was no difference between the donors group and the norms in scores of vitality,social function and emotional function (P>0.05).The scores of physical health and mental health of recipients were significantly higher than those of the control group(P < 0.05). The donors′ SAS and SDS anxiety and depression scores were significantly higher than the norms(P<0.05).Besides,SAS and SDS anxiety and depression scores of the recipients were also significantly higher than the norms(P < 0.05),but significantly lower than the control group(P < 0.05). Conclusion The living-related donor kidney transplantation does not affect the quality of life and psychological state of the donor, but can improve the quality of life and reduce the anxiety and depression of the recipient.

Objective To investigate the effect of Doula delivery ball apparatus combined with correct occipitoposterior.Methods Four hundred primiparas whose dilatation of cervix of 3 cm and position of foetus was occipitopostenor position, were randomly divided into observation group and control group according their wishes, and each group of 200 cases.Doula delivery ball was used for the observation group,while the free body position, the traditional delivery mode was the control group.The vaginal delivery rate, degree of pain, postpartum 2 h bleeding volume and neonatal asphyxia rate were compared between the two groups.Results The degree of pain Ⅲ degree was 4.0％ (8/200) ,lower than the control group(50.0％ (100/200), x2 =11.55,P＜0.01).The vaginal delivery rate in observation group was 84.5％ (169/200), higher than that in control group (60.5％ (121/200);x2 =28.905,P=0.001).Postpartum 2H bleeding was (156.3±53.2) ml, lower than the control group((268.1±54.6) ml, t =20.70, P＜0.01).The Postpartum bleeding rate was 0.5％ (1/200), lower than that in control group (4.0％ (8/200) ,P =0.018).Conclusion Doula delivery ball is applied to the first active stage of labor can effectively relieve pain, promote the safety of natural childbirth.