Objectives:To evaluate the valvular and cardiac function,cardiac reverse remodeling at 6-month after transcatheter edge-to-edge repair(TEER)for patients with functional and degenerative mitral valve regurgitation,and summarize the experience of echocardiography application. Methods:The clinical data of 93 patients with moderate to severe mitral regurgitation(MR)treated with TEER and completed 6-month follow-up in Yunnan Fuwai Cardiovascular Hospital from July 2022 to February 2023 were retrospectively analyzed.Patients were divided into functional mitral regurgitation(FMR)and degenerative mitral regurgitation(DMR)groups according to MR etiology.The valve characteristic parameters,as well as valvular function,chamber volume and cardiac functional parameters before and at 6 months after operation were compared.The key points of echocardiography application were summarized. Results:Among all patients,71 were FMR and 22 were DMR.There were differences in valve structure between the two groups.Mitral TEER were successfully accomplished and all patients completed 6-month follow-up.The key points of echocardiography application included:valve structure analysis,atrial septal puncture location,device delivery process monitoring and image optimization during clamping process.The mitral regurgitation grade and NYHA grade were significantly improved in all patients at 6 months after TEER(P<0.05),and the mean mitral valve pressure gradient was higher than that before operation(P<0.05).Left ventricular end-diastolic volume(LVEDV),left ventricular end-systolic volume(LVESV)and left atrial volume index in FMR group were significantly decreased(P<0.05),while left ventricular and left atrial volume in DMR group remained unchanged(P>0.05).There were no significant changes in left ventricular ejection fraction and left ventricular global strain in both groups during the observation period(P>0.05).The changes of LVEDV and LVESV before and after operation were more significant in FMR group than those in DMR group(P<0.05). Conclusions:Mitral TEER can reduce the degree of regurgitation and improve cardiac function in the early postoperative period for moderate and severe MR patients with different etiologies.There are differences in preoperative valve structure and postoperative cardiac reverse remodeling between FMR and DMR patients.Echocardiography is an important imaging technique for the evaluation and monitoring process before,during and post mitral TEER.

Objective:To evaluate the effect of sevoflurane on Ca 2+ transporter expression in cardiomyocytes during right ventricular remodeling in rats with pulmonary arterial hypertension. Methods:Twenty-four clean-grade healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats, aged 8-10 weeks, weighing 200-250 g, were divided into 4 groups ( n=6 each) by the random number table method: control group (CM group), sevoflurane group (CS group), monocrotaline group (M group) and sevoflurane + monocrotaline group (S group). Monocrotaline 60 mg/kg was intraperitoneally injected in group M and group S, and monocrotaline lysate was intraperitoneally injected in group CM. The rats in S and CS groups inhaled 2.5% sevoflurane for 1 h, twice a week, at an interval of 3 days starting from the first day after injection of monocrotaline. Pulmonary artery acceleration time and pulmonary artery ejection time were measured by transthoracic echocardiography at 6 weeks after monocrotaline injection. The chest was exposed under 3% sevoflurane anesthesia, the heart was perfused, and the pulmonary artery branch and right ventricular myocardial tissues were retained. The wall thickness of pulmonary arterioles and cross-section area of right ventricular cardiomyocytes were observed by HE staining. The expression of Ca 2+ transporter in right ventricular cardiomyocytes was detected by Western blot. Results:Compared with CM group, the ratio of pulmonary artery acceleration time to pulmonary artery ejection time was significantly decreased, the cross-section area of right ventricular cardiomyocytes was increased, the wall thickness of pulmonary arteriole was increased, the expression of type 1 sodium-calcium exchange and inositol triphosphate receptor was up-regulated, and the expression of voltage-dependent L-type calcium channel α1C subunit, type 2 ryanodine receptor, sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium pump 2α and proteinphilin-2 was down-regulated in M group ( P<0.01). Compared with group M, the ratio of pulmonary artery acceleration time to pulmonary artery ejection time was significantly increased, the cross-section area of right ventricular cardiomyocytes was decreased, the wall thickness of pulmonary arteriole was decreased, the expression of type 1 sodium-calcium exchange and inositol triphosphate receptor was down-regulated, and the expression of voltage-dependent L-type calcium channel α1C subunit, type 2 ryanodine receptor, sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium pump 2α and proteinphilin-2 was up-regulated in group S ( P<0.01). Conclusions:The mechanism by which sevoflurane improves right ventricular remodeling is related to regulating the expression of Ca 2+ transporter in cardiomyocytes of rats with pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Persistent Müllerian duct syndrome(PMDS) is a rare disorder that arises from a lack of active anti-Müllerian hormone(AMH) or type Ⅱ AMH receptor(AMHR2) deficiency in males with a normal 46, XY chromosome karyotype.It presents that the external genitalia appears normally while the Müllerian duct structure(uterus, fallopian tubes, upper vagina) persists in the body.Common pathogenic factors are mutations in the AMH and AMHR2 genes, inherited in an autosomal recessive manner.This study reported two families with PMDS.The first patient was diagnosed with PMDS due to cryptorchidism in May 2019.Gene sequencing analysis revealed a new missense mutation(c.579G>T; p.W193C) and a splicing mutation(c.622-3C>A; splicing) in the AMHR2 gene.His father had the missense mutation(c.579G>T; p.W193C), and his mother had the splicing mutation(c.622-3C>A; splicing).The second patient was diagnosed with PMDS due to bilateral cryptorchidism, transverse testis ectopia in the right testicle in March 2023.Undegraded Müllerian tube derivatives were found between the two testicles, and serum AMH levels were very high(565.00 μg/L).Gene sequencing analysis reported that the AMHR2 gene had a new deletion mutation(c.835_837del; p.Leu279del).Both his father and mother had a deletion mutation(c.835_837del; p.Leu279del).This study reports two new AMHR2 gene mutations that expand the mutation sites of this rare disease.It is recommended to consider PMDS in the differential diagnosis of cryptorchidism, undergo surgery as early as possible, and treat Müllerian duct derivatives based on individual anatomical characteristics.

An improved U-Net model(channel attention module U-Net,CAMU-Net)is proposed to achieve precise segmentation of retinal vessels.CAMU-Net model enhances its understanding of regional features by employing residual enhancement convolution to extract important information from the regions,improves the global feature acquisition capability by introducing feature refinement module to promote feature extraction,realizes precise segmentation by adding channel attention module to capture image features accurately,and enhances its capability to perceive target boundaries and details through a multi-scale feature fusion structure.The ablation study on the DRIVE dataset validates the role of each module in retinal vessel segmentation.The comparison with other mainstream network models on DRIVE and STARE datasets verify that CAMU-Net model is superior to other models.

Objective:To identify the risk factors for intraoperative hemorrhage and transfusion in patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCABG).Methods:A total of 1, 442 patients, regardless of gender, of American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status classification≥Ⅱ, scheduled for elective OPCABG from June 7, 2021 to March 8, 2023, were enrolled in a prospective, observational study. Patients′ general characteristics, preoperative hemodynamics, preoperative blood routine, duration of operation, the number of transplanted vessels, intraoperative application of vasoactive agents, intraoperative consumption of crystalloid and colloid, urine volume, blood products, use of tranatemic acid and ulinastatin were collected. Univariable and multiple linear regression models were used to screen the risk factors for intraoperative blood loss and infusion volume of concentrated red blood cell (CRBC), and univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were used to screen the risk factors for intraoperative CRBC infusion requirement.Results:One thousand four hundred and twenty patients were finally included. Prolonged operation duration, increased number of transplanted vessels and older age were risk factors for intraoperative blood loss, while male, increased intraoperative usage of fresh frozen plasma (FFP), increased urine volume, and application of ulinastatin and tranexamic acid were protective factors for intraoperative blood loss in OPCABG patients ( P<0.05). Prolonged operation duration and increased intraoperative usage of FFP were risk factors for intraoperative CRBC transfusion volume, while elevation of preoperative hemoglobin levels was a protective factor for intraoperative CRBC transfusion volume in OPCABG patients ( P<0.05). Prolonged operation duration and increased intraoperative usage of FFP were risk factors for intraoperative CRBC infusion requirement, while increased body mass index, elevation of preoperative hemoglobin levels and application of ulinastatin were protective factors for CRBC infusion requirement ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Prolonged operation duration, increased number of transplanted vessels and older age are risk factors for intraoperative blood loss, and increased intraoperative usage of FFP, increased urine volume, and application of ulinastatin and tranexamic acid are protective factors for intraoperative blood loss in OPCABG patients. Prolonged operation duration and increased intraoperative usage of FFP are risk factors for intraoperative CRBC infusion requirement and transfusion volume, elevation of preoperative hemoglobin levels is a protective factor for intraoperative CRBC infusion volume, and increased body mass index, elevation of preoperative hemoglobin levels and intraoperative application of ulinastatin are protective factors for intraoperative CRBC infusion requirement in patients undergoing OPCABG.

Objective:To statistically analyze the application and funding status in the endocrine system/metabolism and nutritional support(H07) since the establishment of the Department of Medical Sciences of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC). To understand the current states and development trends in the field of endocrine and metabolic disorders in China, providing a reference basis for future research.Methods:Based on the NSFC data platform, a statistical analysis was conducted on applications and funding of projects in the field of H07 in the Department of Medical Sciences of the NSFC from 2010 to 2023. The analysis covered funding rate, application code, and host institutions, summarizing the current status of basic research in the H07 field.Results:From 2010 to 2023, the total number of applications for grants under the H07 code was 22 566, with a total of 3 703 projects funded, resulting in an overall funding rate 16.4%, and the total funding amount of 187 687 million yuan. Applications and funded projects were primarily concentrated in General Projects and the Young Scientist Fund Projects. Over the 14 years, the total number of applications for General Projects, the Young Scientist Fund Projects, and Regional Science Fund Projects showed an overall upward trend, while the number of funded projects remained relatively stable and the funding rate declined year by year. Under H07 code, a total of 23 projects of the National Science Foundation for Outstanding Young Scholars Projects and 11 Distinguished Young Scholars Projects were funded, and the funding rates were 12.1% and 12.5% respectively. The annual funding volume of Key Program fluctuated from 1 to 7, and the average funding rate in the past 14 years was 25.5%. The top four secondary codes in terms of application volume were H0708(30.8%), H0709(11.6%), H0712(11.4%), H0710(9.1%), and the top four secondary codes in terms of funding volume were H0708(27.9%), H0709(13.5%), H0712(10.9%), H0710(10.8%).Conclusions:With the support of the NSFC, basic research in the H07 discipline has made significant strides. The funded research spans diverse directions, talent nurturing, and extensive regional coverage. Diabetes continues to dominate as a primary research focus, alongside obesity, abnormal energy metabolism, and lipid metabolism disorders, which represent critical research areas within the field.

Objective To investigate the clinical outcome of modified laparoscopic extravesical ureteral reimplantation for primary obstructive megaureter(POM).Methods A retrospective analysis was made on 11 cases of POM treated with modified laparoscopic extravesical ureteral reimplantation(Lich-Gregoir method)from December 2020 to October 2023.The patients were aged from 7 months to 10 years and 5 months old(mean,57.6±41.9 months).Intraoperatively,a tunnel was created longitudinally from the posterior bladder wall and the ventral end of the new tunnel was used as the ureteral anastomosis.Results All the 11 laparoscopic operations were successful with no intraoperative complications and no conversions to open surgery.The operation time was 105-145 min(mean,125.5±13.9 min).The 11 cases were followed up for 4-25 months(mean,16 months).None of them had difficulty in urination or urinary tract infection.The distal ureter maximum diameter and hydronephrosis were significantly reduced at 3-6 months after surgery than those before surgery[the distal ureter maximum diameter reduced from(23.0±10.0)mm to(5.2±3.4)mm(P=0.000),and the maximal separation value of the renal collecting system reduced from(35.2±21.1)mm to(11.6±6.9)mm(P=0.001)].Conclusion Modified laparoscopic extravesical ureteral reimplantation is easy to perform and can be one of the treatment options for primary obstructive megaureteropathy in children.

Objective To investigate the correlation between serum indirect bilirubin(IBIL)levels and carotid intima-media thickness(CIMT)of acute cerebral infarction patients.Methods A total of 229 patients with acute cerebral infarction at Wuxi No.2 Chinese Medicine Hospital from July 2021 to November 2023 were divided into the intima-media thickness group(CIMT≥0.9mm,n=108)and intima-media normal group(CIMT<0.9mm,n=121)according to CIMT values.The differences in gender,age,body mass index,smoking history,history of alcohol drinking,hypertension,coronary heart disease,diabetes,hyperlipidemia,total bilirubin(TBIL),direct bilirubin(DBIL),indirect bilirubin(IBIL),total cholesterol,high-density lipoprotein cholesterol,low-density lipoprotein cholesterol,triglyceride,fasting blood glucose,uric acid,and cystatin C were compared between the two groups.To further elucidate the association between serum bilirubin levels and CIMT using both univariate and multivariate analysis.Results The two groups showed significant differences in gender,body mass index and IBIL in the results(P<0.05).However,there was no significant difference in age,history of alcohol drinking,smoking history,diabetes,coronary heart disease,hypertension,hyperlipidemia,TBIL,DBIL,total cholesterol,high-density lipoprotein cholesterol,low-density lipoprotein cholesterol,triglyceride,fasting blood glucose,uric acid and cystatin C levels(P>0.05).Binary Logistic regression analysis indicated that gender,body mass index and IBIL were significant independent predictors of CIMT values(P<0.05).Conclusion Serum indirect bilirubin level is inversely associated with CIMT in acute cerebral infarction patients,which may be one of the protective factors of atherosclerosis.

Nearly a quarter of the world's population is infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and remains long-term asymptomatic infection. Rv2626c is a latent infection-related protein regulated by DosR of M. tuberculosis. In this study, the Rv2626c protein was prokaryotically expressed and purified, and its immunobiological characteristics were analyzed using RAW264.7 cells and mice as infection models. SDS-PAGE and Western blotting analysis showed that the Rv2626c-His fusion protein was mainly expressed in soluble form and specifically reacted with the rabbit anti-H37RV polyclonal serum. In addition, we found that the Rv2626c protein bound to the surface of RAW264.7 macrophages and up-regulated the production of NO. Moreover, the Rv2626c protein significantly induced the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-6 and MCP-1, and induced strong Th1-tendency immune response. These results may help to reveal the pathogenic mechanism of M. tuberculosis and facilitate the development of new tuberculosis vaccine.
Animals ; Mice ; Rabbits ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis/genetics* ; Tuberculosis ; Antigens, Bacterial ; Cytokines ; Immunity, Cellular

Background Public places are frequently polluted by cigarette smoking, and there is a lack of accurate, real-time, and intelligent monitoring technology to identify smoking behavior. It is necessary to develop a tool to identify cigarette smoking behavior in public places for more efficient control of cigarette smoking and better indoor air quality. Objective To construct a model for recognizing cigarette smoking behavior based on real-time indoor concentrations of PM_2.5 in public places. Methods Real-time indoor PM_2.5 concentrations were measured for at least 7 continuous days in 10 arbitrarily selected places (6 public service providers and and 4 office or other places) from Oct. to Nov. 2022 in Pudong New Area, Shanghai. Indoor nicotine concentrations were monitored with passive samplers simultaneously. Outdoor PM_2.5 concentration data were obtained from three municipal environmental monitoring stations which were nearest to each monitoring point during the same period. Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare indoor and outdoor means of PM_2.5 concentrations, and Spearman rank correlation was used to analyze indoor PM_2.5 and nicotine concentrations. An interactive plot and a random forest model was applied to examine the association between video observation validated indoor smoking behavior and real-time indoor PM_2.5 concentrations in an Internet cafe. Results The average indoor PM_2.5 concentration in the places providing public services [(97.5±149.3) µg·m⁻³] was significantly higher than that in office and other places [(19.8±12.2) µg·m⁻³] (P=0.011). The indoor/outdoor ratio (I/O ratio) of PM_2.5 concentration in the public service providers ranged from 1.1 to 19.0. Furthermore, the indoor PM_2.5 concentrations in the 10 public places were significantly correlated with the nicotine concentrations (r_s=0.969, P<0.001). Among them, the top 3 highly polluted places were Internet cafes, chess and card rooms, and KTV. The results of random forest modeling showed that, for synchronous real-time PM_2.5 concentration, the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.66, while for PM_2.5 concentration at a lag of 4 min after the incidence of smoking behavior, the AUC increased to 0.72. Conclusion The indoor PM_2.5 concentrations in public places are highly correlated with smoking behavior. Based on real-time indoor PM_2.5 monitoring, a preliminary recognition model for smoking behavior is constructed with acceptable accuracy, indicating its potential values applied in smoking control and management in public places.