Background Metals and metalloids in fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) may cause damage to the respiratory and circulatory systems of the human body, and long-term exposure is prone to causing chronic poisoning, cancer, and other adverse effects. Objective To assess the distribution characteristics of metals and metalloids in outdoor PM_2.5 in a southern city of China, conduct source apportionment, and evaluate the associated health risks, thereby providing theoretical support for further pollution control measures. Methods PM_2.5 samples were collected in districts A, B, and C of a southern China city, and the concentrations of 17 metals and metalloids were detected by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Pollution sources were assessed through enrichment factor and principal components analysis, and the main pollution sources were quantified using absolute principal component scores-multivariate linear regression (APCS-MLR). Health risks were evaluated based on the Technical guide for environmental health risk assessment of chemical exposure (WS/T777—2021). Results The ambient air PM_2.5 concentrations in the city were higher in winter and spring, and lower in summer and autumn. The annual average concentrations of ambient PM_2.5 in districts A, B, and C were 36.7, 31.9, and 24.4 μg·m⁻³, respectively. The ambient PM_2.5 levels in districts B and C were below the second-grade limit set by the Ambient air quality standards (GB 3095—2012). The enrichment factors of cadmium (Cd), aluminum (Al), and antimony (Sb) were greater than 10, those of copper (Cu), lead (Pb), arsenic (As), nickel (Ni), mercury (Hg), and molybdenum (Mo) fell between 1 and 10, and those of manganese (Mn), vanadium (V), chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), barium (Ba), beryllium (Be), and uranium (U) were below or equal to 1. The comprehensive evaluation of source analysis showed that the main pollution sources in districts A and C and the whole city were coal-burning. In district B, the main pollution source was also coal combustion, followed by industrial process sources and dust sources. The carcinogenic risks of As and Cr were between 1×10⁻⁶ and 1×10⁻⁴. However, the hazard quotients for 15 metals and metalloids in terms of non-carcinogenic risk were below 1. Conclusion Cr and As in the atmospheric PM_2.5 of the city present a certain risk of cancer and should be paid attention to. In addition, preventive control measures should be taken against relevant pollution sources such as industrial emission, dust, and coal burning.

Human physiological indicators have become an important standard for assessing health in modern society.Traditional detection methods often require a separate laboratory,complex operation process and long detection time,so it is urgent to develop portable,fast and accurate on-site detection technologies for bioanalysis.Point-of-care testing(POCT),which differs from traditional laboratory testing,can realize the rapid in situ detection of biomarkers without the complicated analytical process of the laboratory.Smartphones,which are an essential tool in our daily life,not only have independent operating systems and built-in storage functions,but also have high-definition cameras,which have great application potential in POCT visualization.The combination of various biosensing technologies and smartphones has developed into a new direction in the field of POCT.This review mainly introduced the research progress of smartphone-based visual biosensors in POCT in recent years,including colorimetric sensors,fluorescence sensors,chemiluminescence sensors and electrochemiluminescence sensors.Finally,the problems faced by smart-phone-based visual biosensors in the application of POCT were summarized,and their future development was prospected.

Objective To summarize the medication law of TCM in the treatment of chronic bronchitis;To provide reference for clinical medication.Methods Medical records of patients with chronic bronchitis who were hospitalized in the Respiratory Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine from January 1,2016 to December 31,2021 were extracted based on HIS electronic medical record data.After screening,the TCM prescriptions used by patients with chronic bronchitis were input into Excel 2019 to establish a database.Based on the software Lantern 5.0,the latent structure model was learned,hidden variables and explicit variables were obtained,and the model was interpreted.SPSS Modeler 18.0 was used to establish model points with Apriori algorithm for Chinese materia medica with a frequency greater than 6%,to obtain the association rules between drugs,and to analyze the medication law of TCM in treating chronic bronchitis.Results A total of 3 410 cases were included,involving 423 kinds of Chinese materia medica,with a cumulative frequency of 82 766 times.Among them,109 kinds of Chinese materia medica with a frequency of>6 % had a cumulative frequency of 69 845 times.The top five commonly used medicines were Fritillariae Cirrhosae Bulbus,Poria,Atractyodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma,Asteris Radix et Rhizoma,Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium,mainly with medicines of reducing cough and phlegm,antiasthmatic medicine,tonifying deficiency,clearing heat,relieving superficies,promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis.The medicinal properties were warming,cold and mild,and the main tastes were bitter,sweet and pungent,and the meridians were mainly lung,spleen,liver and stomach meridians.Through analysis of latent structure,49 hidden variables and 149 hidden classes were obtained.Combined with professional knowledge,10 comprehensive clustering models and 21 core formulas were deduced,such as Sangbaipi Decoction,Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction,Xiaoqinglong Decoction,Erchen Decoction,Shashen Maidong Decoction,Liuwei Dihuang Pills,Yinqiao Powder,Zhisou Powder,Yupingfeng Powder,Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction combined with Daotan Decoction,etc.It was concluded that the chronic bronchitis syndrome included phlegm-heat stagnation lung syndrome,qi stagnation blood stasis syndrome,cold fluid attacking lung syndrome,phlegm-dampness accumulation lung syndrome,lung qi and yin deficiency syndrome,kidney yin deficiency syndrome,wind heat attacking lung syndrome,wind cold attacking lung syndrome,lung qi and spleen deficiency syndrome,phlegm stasis interjunction syndrome.A total of 41 strong association rules were screened in the analysis of association rules,including 5 strong association rules for two and 36 strong association rules for three.The high confidence rules were Saposheikovize Radix + Angelicae Sinensis Radix →Atractyodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma,Saposheikovize Radix + Codonopsis Radix → Atractyodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma,Codonopsis Radix + Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium → Atractyodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma;the higher degree of improvement were Bupleuri Radix + Mori Cortex → Scutellariae Radix,Perillae Fructus + Belamcandae Rhizoma → Fritillariae Cirrhosae Bulbus,Armeniacae Semen Amarum + Pinelliae Rhizoma → Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium,etc.Conclusion In the treatment of chronic bronchitis,TCM is mainly used to reduce phlegm,relieve cough and asthma,and the method of promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis is commonly used to help eliminate phlegm.In addition,TCM pays attention to the application of methods such as tonifying lung and securing the exterior,invigorating spleen and benefiting qi.

AIM To establish an HPLC method for the simultaneous content determination of gallic acid,protocatechuic acid,morroniside,loganin,sweroside,paeoniflorin,hypericin,astragalin,salvianolic acid B,salvianolic acid A,epimedin C and icariin in Bushen Huoxue Sanjie Capsules.METHODS The analysis was performed on a 30℃thermostatic Agilent 5 TC-C18 column(250 mm×4.6 mm,5 μm),with the mobile phase comprising of acetonitrile-0.1%phosphoric acid flowing at 1.0 mL/min in a gradient elution manner,and the detection wavelength was set at 240 nm.RESULTS Twelve constituents showed good linear relationships within their own ranges(r≥0.999 8),whose average recoveries were 97.11%-101.14%with the RSDs of 0.60%-2.65%.CONCLUSION This simple,accurate and reproducible method can be used for the quality control of Bushen Huoxue Sanjie Capsules.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the factors related to renal impairment in patients with diabetic kidney disease (DKD) from the perspective of integrated Chinese and Western medicine. METHODS: Totally 492 patients with DKD in 8 Chinese hospitals from October 2017 to July 2019 were included. According to Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) staging guidelines, patients were divided into a chronic kidney disease (CKD) 1-3 group and a CKD 4-5 group. Clinical data were collected, and logistic regression was used to analyze the factors related to different CKD stages in DKD patients. RESULTS: Demographically, male was a factor related to increased CKD staging in patients with DKD (OR=3.100, P=0.002). In clinical characteristics, course of diabetes >60 months (OR=3.562, P=0.010), anemia (OR=4.176, P<0.001), hyperuricemia (OR=3.352, P<0.001), massive albuminuria (OR=4.058, P=0.002), atherosclerosis (OR=2.153, P=0.007) and blood deficiency syndrome (OR=1.945, P=0.020) were factors related to increased CKD staging in patients with DKD. CONCLUSIONS Male, course of diabetes >60 months, anemia, hyperuricemia, massive proteinuria, atherosclerosis, and blood deficiency syndrome might indicate more severe degree of renal function damage in patients with DKD. (Registration No. NCT03865914).
Humans ; Male ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Diabetic Nephropathies ; Hyperuricemia ; Kidney ; Proteinuria ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic/complications*

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of liver transplantation (LT) and liver resection (LR) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT) and to investigate risk factors affecting prognosis. Materials and Methods: A total of 94 HCC patients with PVTT type I (segmental PVTT) and PVTT type II (lobar PVTT) were involved and divided into LR (n=47) and LT groups (n=47). Recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared before and after inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW). Prognostic factors for RFS and OS were explored. Results: Two treatment groups were well-balanced using IPTW. In the entire cohort, LT provided a better prognosis than LR. Among patients with PVTT type I, RFS was better with LT (p=0.039); OS was not different significantly between LT and LR (p=0.093). In subgroup analysis of PVTT type I patients with α-fetoprotein (AFP) levels >200 ng/mL, LT elicited significantly longer median RFS (18.0 months vs. 2.1 months, p=0.022) and relatively longer median OS time (23.6 months vs. 9.8 months, p=0.065). Among patients with PVTT type II, no significant differences in RFS and OS were found between LT and LR (p=0.115 and 0.335, respectively). Multivariate analyses showed treatment allocation (LR), tumor size (>5 cm), AFP and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels to be risk factors of RFS and treatment allocation (LR), AFP and AST as risk factors for OS. Conclusion LT appeared to afford a better prognosis for HCC with PVTT type I than LR, especially in patients with AFP levels >200 ng/mL.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the influencing factors of low back pain and the relationship of the influence of bad working posture, weight load and frequency of load and the dose-response relationship among the occupational workers of key industries in China. METHODS: A total of 57 501 employees from 15 key industries in China were selected as research subjects using stratified cluster sampling method. The occurrence of low back pain in the past one year, as well as occupational factors such as job type, labor organization and work posture were investigated by using the Chinese version Musculoskeletal Disorders Questionnaire. RESULTS: The prevalence of low back pain in the occupational population of key industries in China was 16.4%(9 448/57 501). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of low back pain in females was higher than that in males(P<0.01). Married, obese, occasional and frequent smokers, and a history of lower back disease were associated with increased risk of low back pain(all P<0.05). The risk of low back pain was associated with older age, higher education level, and lower frequency of physical exercise(all P<0.01). The risk of low back pain was higher with longer working time, greater back curvature, and the high frequency of long standing and sitting position work, uncomfortable working posture, repeated operation per minute, and lifting>5 kg weight(all P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The influencing factors of low back pain in the occupational population of key industries in China include bad working posture, high frequency load, weight load and other individual factors. There is a dose-response relationship with low back posture load and frequency of load.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical effect of acupuncture by stages on secondary dysmenorrhea of adenomyosis through prospective case-series study. METHODS: A total of 36 cases of adenomyosis patients with moderate-to-severe dysmenorrhea were treated with acupuncture by stages. The acupoints of Diji (SP 8), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Ciliao (BL 32) and Shiqizhui (EX-B 8) were selected and acupuncture was given once a day during menstrual period; the acupoints of Guanyuan (CV 4), Zigong (EX-CA1), Sanyinjiao (SP 6) and Zusanli (ST 36) ect. were selected and acupuncture was given twice per week during non-menstrual period. All the treatment was given for three menstrual cycles. The visual analogue scale (VAS), Cox menstrual symptom scale (CMSS), Endometriosis Health Profile-5 (EHP-5) scores and the menstrual blood volume of pictorial blood loss assessment chart (PBAC) were observed before treatment and at the 1st, 2nd and 3rd menstrual cycle into treatment. Before treatment and at the 3rd menstrual cycle into treatment, the volume of uterus was measured by transvaginal ultrasound and the correlation among the quality of life, the severity of pain and symptoms was analyzed. RESULTS: The VAS, CMSS and EHP-5 scores at the 1st, 2nd and 3rd menstrual cycle into treatment were lower than those before treatment (<0.01, <0.05), and the PBAC scores were reduced but without statistical different (>0.05). Compared before treatment, at the 1st, 2nd and 3rd menstrual cycle into treatment, the PBAC scores were reduced in patients with PBAC>100 points (<0.01). Compared between 2nd and 1st menstrual cycle into treatment, between 3rd and 2nd menstrual cycle into treatment, the VAS, CMSS scores were all decreased (<0.01, <0.05). There was a significant positive correlation between the severity score of CMSS and EHP-5 at the corresponding time points of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd menstrual cycle into treatment (<0.01). CONCLUSION The acupuncture by stages has significant analgesic effect in patients with secondary dysmenorrhea of adenomyosis, and has the advantages of relieving the menstruation-related symptoms, regulating menstrual blood volume and improving the quality of life.

Objective: To investigate the incidence of postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) and its risk factors after radical gastrectomy. Methods: The prospective study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 2 089 patients who underwent radical gastrectomy in 22 medical centers between December 2017 and November 2018 were collected, including 380 in the Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University, 351 in the Renji Hospital of Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, 130 in the Ruijin Hospital of Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, 139 in the Peking University Cancer Hospital, 128 in the Fujian Provincial Cancer Hospital, 114 in the First Hospital Affiliated to Army Medical University, 104 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 104 in the Affiliated Hospital of Qinghai University, 103 in the Weifang People′s Hospital, 102 in the Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, 99 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University, 97 in the Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 60 in the Hangzhou First People′s Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 48 in the Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 29 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi′an Jiaotong University, 26 in the Lishui Municipal Central Hospital, 26 in the Guangdong Provincial People′s Hospital, 23 in the Jiangsu Province Hospital, 13 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, 7 in the Second Hospital of Jilin University, 4 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, 2 in the Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital of Capital Medical University. Observation indicators: (1) the incidence of POPF after radical gastrectomy; (2) treatment of grade B POPF after radical gastrectomy; (3) analysis of clinicopathological data; (4) analysis of surgical data; (5) risk factors for grade B POPF after radical gastrectomy. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean±SD, and comparison between groups was analyzed using ANOVA. Count data were described as absolute numbers or percentages, and comparison between groups was analyzed using the chi-square test. Univariate analysis was conducted using the t test or chi-square test based on data excluding missing data of clinico-pathological and surgical data. Multivariate analysis was conducted using the Logistic regression model based on factors with P<0.20 in univariate analysis. Results: There were 2 089 patients screened for eligibility, including 1 512 males, 576 females and 1 without sex information, aged (62±11)years. The body mass index (BMI) was (23±3)kg/m². (1) The incidence of POPF after radical gastrectomy: the total incidence rate of POPF in the 2 089 patients was 20.728%(433/2 089). The incidence rates of biochemical fistula, grade B pancreatic fistula, and grade C pancreatic fistula were 19.627%(410/2 089), 1.101%(23/2 089), 0, respectively. (2) Treatment of grade B POPF after radical gastrectomy: 2 of 23 patients with grade B POPF after radical gastrectomy had drainage tube placed for more than 21 days and received anti-infective therapy. Four of 23 patients with grade B POPF after radical gastrectomy had ascites detected by imaging examination, of which 2 received peritoneal drainage guided by ultrasound, 1 received failed puncture drainage, 1 received no puncture drainage, and they were given anti-infective therapy. Eleven of 23 patients with grade B POPF after radical gastrectomy had no ascites detected by imaging examinations, and they were given anti-infective therapy and inhibitors of pancreas secretion for clinical manifestation as fever or elevated white blood cells. Six patients with no typical clinical manifestations were given somatostatin to inhibite pancreas secretion and prolonged duration of abdominal drainage tube placement (with a median time of 7 days). All the 23 patients recovered well after treatment, without reoperation. (3) Analysis of clinicopathological data: for the 2 089 patients, BMI, cases with or without neoadjuvant therapy were (23±3)kg/m^2, 1 487, 160 of patients without pancreatic fistula, (23±3)kg/m^2, 386, 22 of patients with biochemical fistula, and (24±3)kg/m^2, 22, 1 of patents with grade B pancreatic fistula, showing significant differences between the three groups (F=5.787, χ²=8.269, P<0.05). (4) Analysis of surgical data: for the 2 089 patients, cases with open surgery, laparoscopic assisted surgery, totally laparoscopic surgery (surgical method), cases with D₁ lymph lode dissection, D₂ lymph lode dissection, and other lymph lode dissection (range of lymph lode dissection), cases with no omentectomy, partial omentectomy, and total omentectomy (range of omentectomy), cases with no usage of energy facility, usage of CUSA, LigaSure, LigaSure+ CUSA as energy facility, cases with or without biological glue, the number of lymph node dissection were 737, 624, 292, 24, 1 580, 51, 418, 834, 381, 63, 1 530, 23, 16, 1 431, 201, 33±14 of patients without pancreatic fistula, 146, 189, 74, 11, 389, 9, 110, 171, 128, 35, 359, 6, 9, 378, 31, 31±14 of patients with biochemical fistula, and 14, 5, 4, 0, 20, 3, 6, 13, 4, 2, 18, 1, 2, 22, 1, 37±16 of patients with grade B pancreatic fistula, showing significant differences between the three groups (χ²=15.578, 9.397, 15.023, 28.245, 8.359, F=4.945, P<0.05). (5) Risk factors for grade B POPF after radical gastrectomy: results of univariate analysis showed that usage of energy facility was a related factor for grade B POPF after radical gastrectomy (χ²=9.914, P<0.05). Results of multivariate analysis showed that laparoscopic assisted surgery, combined evisceration, application of LigaSure + CUSA, the number of lymph lode dissection were independent factors for for grade B POPF after radical gastrectomy (odds ratio=0.168, 3.922, 9.250, 1.030, 95% confidence interval: 0.036-0.789, 1.031-14.919, 1.036-82.602, 1.001-1.059, P<0.05). Conclusions The incidence of grade B POPF after radical gastrectomy is relatively low. Laparoscopic assisted surgery, combined evisceration, application of LigaSure + CUSA, and the number of lymph lode dissection are independent risk factors for grade B POPF. Trial Registration: This study was registrated at ClinicalTrial.gov in United States with the registration number of NCT03391687.

Metastasis is one of the main complaints of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. After radiotherapy and chemotherapy, residual and recurrent lymph nodes in the neck are still partially seen. Neck dissection is an important salvage treatment to improve survival and life quality. The present review summarizes the distribution of residual and recurrent lymph nodes, the applications of different salvage surgeries and outcomes.