Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of total aortic arch replacement in elderly patients with Stanford type A aortic dissection(TAAD).Methods:In this retrospective study, a total of 481 TAAD patients treated with total arch replacement in our hospital from January 2016 to January 2020 were divided into three groups: aged≤59 years, 60-69 years and ≥70 years.The differences between three groups in surgical method, extracorporeal circulation time, blocking time, circulatory time, stopping time, surgical time, ventilator use time, ICU time, hospitalization time, treatment rate of continued renal replacement, fatality rate, and cause of death were statistically analyzed and compared.Results:There were statistically significant differences in the stopping time between any two groups of the three groups(all P<0.05). The older the age, the shorter the circulatory arrest time.The difference of ventilator time and ICU time between ≤59 and 60-69 years was statistically significant( P<0.01). Patients with continuous renal replacement(CRRT)were 19.0%(71/373)in ≤59 years, 23.1%(18/78)in 60~69 years, and 26.7%(8/30)over 70 years.In-hospital mortality was 35/373(9.4%)in the group of ≤59 years old, 11/78(14.1%)in the group of 60~69 years old, and 5/30(16.7%)in the group of ≥70 years old.There was no death in patients undergoing type Ⅱ hybrid surgery. Conclusions:Age is one of the important death factors after total aortic arch replacement in TAAD patients.Total aortic arch replacement is an acceptable surgical method for elderly patients with TAAD.Hybridization may reduce hospitalization death in elderly patients.

Objective:To study the use of preS1-tp fusion protein as a novel vector to mediate the entry of small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting the carboxy-terminal nuclear localization signal (NLS) region of hepatitis B virus (HBV) core protein into HBV-infected hepatocytes, and to further explore the HBV replication inhibition and covalently closed circular DNA synthesis.Methods:HepG2.2.15 cells expressing the human sodium taurocholate co-transporting polypeptide were established on the basis of lentivirus infection system. siRNA against HBV NLS region was designed and synthesized. PreS1-tp fusion protein expression and purification was observed to test its ability to cell entry and DNA binding. NLS siRNA were delivered into HepG2.2.15- sodium taurocholate co-transporting polypeptide cells by preS1-tp fusion protein as a vector to observe the effects of NLS siRNA on HBV replication and covalently closed circular DNA levels. Analysis of variance was used for comparison between multiple groups, and the measurement data differences between groups were analyzed by t-test.Results:HepG2.2.15-sodium taurocholate co-transporting polypeptide cell line was successfully constructed. Screened synthetic HBV NLS siRNA had significantly inhibited HBV replication. The preS1-tp fusion protein was expressed and purified on a large-scale. The fusion protein as a vector for HBV NLS siRNA had targeted delivery. The result showed that the fusion protein had effectively targeted siRNA to Hepg2.2.15-sodium taurocholate co-transporting polypeptide cell, which not only had effectively inhibited the expression of HBV mRNA, HBsAg and HBeAg, but also had significantly reduced the levels of HBV DNA and covalently closed circular DNA.Conclusion:The preS1-tp fusion protein constructed in this study uses the dual functional characteristics of preS1 binding to hepatocyte HBV receptor, and tp binding to nucleic acids, and targets HBV NLS siRNA against HBV-infected cells and block rcDNA from being transported to nucleus. siRNA plays a role in inhibiting HBV replication and covalently close circular DNA synthesis, providing a new strategy for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B caused by HBV infection, and a new research perspective for the complete elimination of HBV from the body.

Objective:A multi-center and large sample volume study was conducted on the verification and improvement of the early established criteria for intelligent routine urinalysis validation (including the microscopic review rules and manual validation rules, referred to as intelligent criteria for short), in order to improve the clinical application of this intelligent criteria.Methods:A total of 31 456 urine specimens were collected from the inpatients and outpatients in six hospitals in China, from March to September 2019. Firstly, 3105 specimens were analyzed for preliminary verification and improvement of the intelligent criteria based on the results of the microscopic examination and manual validation. Secondly, 28 351 specimens were used to verify the clinical application of the improved intelligent criteria. All samples were manually validated as reference.Results:The approval inconsistency rate of the manual validation rules in the original intelligent criteria was 8.59% (202/2 352), and the interception inconsistency rate was 8.84% (208/2 352). The false negative rate and the microscopic review rate of the microscopic review rules were similar to the previous results. Based on an in-depth analysis of big data and the discussions by senior technicians from eight hospitals, one microscopic review rules and four manual validation rules were added, meanwhile two manual validation rule was deleted. The manual validation standards were unified. Finally, the intelligent criteria was improved. Based on the improved intelligent criteria, for microscopic review rules, the false positive rate, false negative rate (misdiagnosis rate), and microscopic review rate did not change significantly, which were 14.72% (457/3 105), 4.06% (126/3 105), and 24.73% (768/3 105), respectively. The approval inconsistency rate and the interception inconsistency rate of manual validation rules were both reduced to 0; the total manual validation rate of the intelligent criteria was 50.89% (1 580/3 105), and the auto-validation rate was 49.11% (1 525/3 105). The large sample volume verification results were consistent with the preliminary verification results of the improved intelligent criteria.Conclusion:This multi-center and large sample volume study had shown that the improved intelligent criteria had better clinical performance.

Objective    To summarize the clinical feature and treatment experience of patients with acute type A aortic dissection involving coronary arteries. Methods    The clinical data of 107 patients with acute type A aortic dissection involving coronary arteries, who received operation between June 5, 2012 and December 31, 2019 in our hospital, were analyzed retrospectively. There were 80 males and 27 females at age of 24-83 (49.8±11.2) years. Results    The right coronary artery was involved in 65 patients, the left in 17 patients, and both coronary arteries in 25 patients. There were 48 (44.9%) patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting, 49 (45.8%) patients undergoing coronary artery plasty. Fifteen patients died 30 d after the operation, with a mortality rate of 14.0%. Patients with preoperative cardiogenic shock and postoperative acute renal failure had increased risk of death (P<0.05). Eighty-two (88.2%) patients were followed up for 2 to 71 months, and 1 patient had sudden cardiac death during the follow-up period. Conclusion    Acute type A aortic dissection with coronary involvement is associated with high misdiagnosis rate and mortality rate. Taking proper strategies for surgical treatment of involved coronary arteries based on precise diagnosis may improve the prognosis of patients.

Objective Toinvestigatethecharacteristicsofclinicalpathologyand MRIofintracranialsolitaryfibroustumor/hemangiopericytoma (SFT/HPC).Methods ThisstudyanalyzedtheMRIimages,pathologicalandclinicaldataof14SFT/HPCpatientsretrospectively. AllthecasesweresubjectedtoMRIplainscanandenhancementexamination.CharacteristicsofMRIofallcaseswerereviewedtogetherwith clinicopathologicchanges.Results AllSFT/HPClesionswerelocatedintheintracranialbutextra-cerebralspace.6werelocatedabovethe tentoriumofcerebellum,and2werelocatedbelowit.Lesionsof6patientswereacrossthetentoriumofcerebellumandspreadfrom supratentorialtosubtenorialspace.Amongalllesions,4wereroundinshape,10werelobulated,and3weresmallnodulesaroundthe edge.9ofthemexhibitednecrosisandcysticstructures.11lesionsshowedhypointensityand3casesshowedisointensityonT1WI.All thelesionswereheterogeneoushyperintensetyonT2WI,and5ofthemdisplayed"yin-yang"patternonT2WI.11casesexhibitededema.Signalof vascularvoidflow wasobservedin6cases.Thesolidpartsofthetumorsshowedsignificanthomogeneousenhancementon MRI. StrongpositiveSTAT6stainingwasobservedforthenuclearoftumorcells.Conclusion ItisdifficulttodifferentiateSFT/HPCfrom meningeoma.The"yin-yang"patternonT2WIisthecharacteristicofSFT/HPC.Inaddition,nuclearpositivestainingofSTAT6isalsospecific featureofSFT/HPCcell.

ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical effect and safety of sofosbuvir (SOF)-ledipasvir (LDV) in the treatment of patients with HCV genotype 6a chronic hepatitis C (CHC). MethodsA total of 63 patients with HCV genotype 6a CHC who visited Department of Infectious Diseases, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital and Nanfang Hospital, from October 2014 to December 2016 were enrolled in this prospective observational study. They were divided into SOF-LDV group (treated with SOF-LDV for 12 weeks) and PR group (treated with pegylated interferon combined with ribavirin for 24 weeks). HCV RNA was measured during treatment and follow-up, and virologic response was evaluated. The chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups, and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of continuous data between two groups. ResultsThere were no significant differences between the PR group and the SOF-LDV group in rapid virologic response rate (85.3% vs 100%, P＞0.05) and virologic response rate at the end of treatment (94.1% vs 100%, P＞005). The SOF-LDV group had a significantly higher sustained virologic response rate than the PR group (96.4% vs 73.5%, χ2=438, P=0.036). The PR group had a significantly higher incidence rate of adverse events than the SOF-LDV group(χ2=754,P=0006). During follow-up, one patient with liver cirrhosis in the SOF-LDV group developed small hepatocellular carcinoma, while no patient in the PR group developed liver cancer at the end of follow-up. ConclusionSOF-LDV for 12 weeks is safe and effective in the treatment of HCV genotype 6a CHC, but liver cancer should be closely monitored in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Objective To compare the diagnostic values of magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) and T1ρ imaging in staging hepatic fibrosis (HF) in a rabbit model.Methods The institutional animal care and use committee approved all experiments.Sixty healthy rabbits were divided into HF group (n=44) and control group (n=16).Each eight rabbits in the HF group and 4 rabbits in the control group were randomly selected at the 4th,5th,6th week and the remaining rabbits at the 10th week after subcutaneous injection with 0.1 ml 50％ CCl4 oily solution per kilogram of body respectively,to undergo liver MR scan including axial liver MRE and T1ρ imaging.The values of liver stiffness (LS) and T1ρ were measured.Masson trichrome staining of liver tissue was used.According to the Scheuer scoring system,rabbits were classified into F0 to F4 group based on the percentage of hepatic fibrosis.The difference of LS values and Tip values among stage F0 to F4 were compared by the one-way ANOVA analysis.The correlations between pathological staging and LS,T1ρ values were performed by the Spearman correlation analysis.ROC curve analysis was performed to compare the value of MRE with T1ρ imaging.Results Forty three rabbits were included,there were 10,8,8,8,9 rabbits in F0,F1,F2,F3 and F4 stage,respectively.LS values were (1.051±0.155),(1.335±0.235),(1.401±0.163),(2.001±0.499) and (2.981±0.714) kPa in F0,F1,F2,F3 and F4,respectively,while T1 p values were (23.20±4.02),(24.28±2.93),(25.40± 1.82),(24.69± 1.85) and (31.54±3.39) ms (all P＜0.05).The correlation of LS values with hepatic fibrosis staging measured on MRE was stronger than T19 values (r values were 0.916 and 0.608,all P＜0.01).Area under ROC curve of LS value for differentiating hepatic fibrosis stage were 0.938 to 0.989,while the areas of T1ρ were 0.771 to 0.954.Conclusion MR elastography is an accurate technique for quantitatively staging hepatic fibrosis and superior to T1ρ imaging.

Objective To investigate the polymorphisms of human cytomegalovirus ( HCMV ) UL146 gene in asymptomatic children. Methods Urine samples were collected from 47 asymptomatic chil-dren who were positive for HCMV DNA. PCR was performed to amplify the open reading frame ( ORF) of UL146 gene. Positive bands were sequenced and variations in UL146 gene were analyzed by using bioinfor-matics software. Results Seventeen samples were successfully amplified and sequenced. Variations spread all over the sequence of UL146 gene and the variability in nucleotide and amino acid sequences ranged from 0％ to 42. 5％ and 0％ to 67. 7％ respectively. Compared with the Towne strain, there was diversity in sig-nal sequence and C-terminal region. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that UL146 in the 17 asymptomatic chil-dren belonged to four genotypes, which were G1, G8, G9 and G11. Forms of post-translational modification varied greatly among the four genotypes, while the important functional region of ELRCXC chemokine was highly conservative. Secondary structure prediction showed that random-coli conformation was the predomi-nant structure of active proteins. Isoelectric point ( PI) and molecular weight ( MW) were dissimilar among the four genotypes. Conclusion HCMV UL146 gene in asymptomatic children was hypervariable in both nucleotide sequence and amino acid structure. However, the important functional region was highly con-served. The predominant genotypes of UL146 in these children were G1, G8, G9 and G11, and the geno-type distribution in them showed no significant difference with previous findings in children with symptomatic HCMV infection.

Objective To explore the MSCT features,diagnostic values and the misdiagnosis causes of gastric schwannomas.Methods T he CT images,pathological and clinical data of 9 misdiagnosis cases of gastric schwannomas were analyzed retrospectively,which were later confirmed by the operation and pathology.The study examined the CT findings in the following aspects:the lesion location, size,contour,border,growth pattern,enhanced pattern,hemorrhage,necrosis,calcification,and the presence and absence of perirenal lymph nodes.Results The gastric schwannomas were ovoid or round,with well-defined boundaries.Tumors were found in the gastric body in 6 cases(4 cases in the large gastric curvature and 2 in the small gastric curvature),the gastric antrum in 2 cases and the gastric fundus in 1 case.The largest lesion diameters ranged from 2.5 to 7.4 cm,with an average diameter of 3.2 cm.Extracavitary growth was found in 2 cases,intracavitary growth in 2 cases and both intracavitary and extracavitary growth in 5 cases.The density of the tumor was low and evenly distributed,without cystic change,necrosis or calcification.2 cases were found to have ulcer formation. Another 2 cases were found to have enlarged lymph nodes,which were pathologically confirmed to be reactive hyperplasia.In the CT contrast enhancement,mild homogeneous enhancement was found in 4 cases in the arterial phase,but no obvious enhancement was found in the other 5 cases.In the venous phase,all the cases were found to have moderate homogeneous enhancement.4 cases were found to have further enhancement in the delay phase.Conclusion The gastric schwannomas appears to be homogeneous soft tissue mass on the MSCT,with clear boundaries and low-density and without hemorrhagic necrosis or cystic lesions.MSCT examination can help to locate and characterize gastric schwannomas,and to observe the relationship between the tumor and the surrounding tissue structure.

Objective: To investigate the effect of hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) in promoting the invasion of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2.2.15 and the role of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in the mechanism. Methods: TLR4 mRNA and protein expression in HepG2 cells and HepG2.2.15 cells was measured by reverse transcription real-time PCR and Western blot analysis, respectively. HepG2.2.15 cells were transfected with TLR4 specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) to silence TLR4 expression, and stimulated by recombinant HBcAg in culture. The invasion of cells was measured by Transwell invasion assay. The expression of TLR4 signaling pathway-related proteins in the cultured cells and proinflammatory cytokines in the supernatant was also determined. The student’s t-test, one-way ANOVA, and SNK-q test were used for statistical analysis. Results: TLR4 mRNA and protein expression in HepG2.2.15 cells was significantly higher than that in HepG2 cells. TLR4 siRNA transfection remarkably down-regulated TLR4 expression in HepG2.2.15 cells. Inhibiting TLR4 expression and/or HBcAg stimulation did not affect the proliferation of HepG2.2.15 cells. However, HBcAg stimulation significantly increased the invasion ability of HepG2.2.15 cells and the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines [including interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α]. Inhibiting TLR4 expression significantly reduced HBcAg-induced cellular invasion. Meanwhile, HBcAg stimulation elevated the expression of MyD88 and TRIF in HepG2.2.15 cells. TLR4 silencing inhibited HBcAg-induced increase in the expression of MyD88, while it showed no significant impact on TRIF expression. Conclusion HBcAg can promote the invasion of HepG2.2.15 cells. The TLR4/MyD88 signaling pathway may be involved in this process by inducing the expression of proinflammatory cytokines.