With the widespread implementation of immunoprophylaxis strategies, the primary challenge in HBV infection prevention and control in China has shifted to reducing the burden of existing infections. A crucial approach to decreasing the burden of existing infections is to develop the effective treatment methods to achieve clinical or functional cures within a limited treatment duration for infected patients. The existing infections can be divided into two parts: those that are easy to cure and those that are difficult to treat. Patients who meet the current drug withdrawal criteria and at the same time have HBsAg<100 IU/mL following treatment with nucelos(t)ide analogue therapy are the easier one to treat, accounting for about 12% of the total infections, and the remaining 88% are difficult to cure. A necessary step toward clinical cure is pushing the HBsAg levels of patients to <100 IU/mL, but this driving effect must stem from effective immune reconstitution against HBV. Recent prevention and control, certain characteristics and implementation of clinical cure, and the safe drug withdrawal are discussed here to offer new perspectives on issues related to hepatitis B.

Objective:To transform the categorical Long's Activities of Daily Living Assessment Scale(referred to as the Long's Scale)into a medical insurance version(continuous scoring)by assigning scores,enabling a more intu-itive reflection of functional changes in individuals with disabilities during the rehabilitation process.Method:The research team,through in-depth discussions and comprehensive literature review,revised the scoring and assessment methods of the Long's Scale(0 points,1 point,2 points),and proposed two im-proved scoring schemes for the Long's Scale(+7 points,+9 points).The Delphi expert consultation method was employed to consult experts and determine the Medical Insurance Long's Scale.Retrospective analysis was used to validate the reliability and validity of this scale.Result:A total of 24 experts were invited to participate in the consultation,with an expert consultation re-sponse rate of 87.5%(21/24).The average authority coefficient of the experts was 0.836,with 66.7%(14/21)of experts supporting the+7 points improved scoring scheme for the Long's scale.The Medical Insurance Long's Scale demonstrated good internal consistency and correlation with the modified Barthel index(MBI),consistent with the initial Long's Scale,demonstrating showing excellent reliability and validity.Conclusion:The+7 points scoring scheme in this study transformed the Long's Scale into a continuous scor-ing scale,enabling the measurement of functional improvement,thereby providing a new basis for value-based medical insurance payments in rehabilitation.

Objective:To transform the categorical Long's Activities of Daily Living Assessment Scale(referred to as the Long's Scale)into a medical insurance version(continuous scoring)by assigning scores,enabling a more intu-itive reflection of functional changes in individuals with disabilities during the rehabilitation process.Method:The research team,through in-depth discussions and comprehensive literature review,revised the scoring and assessment methods of the Long's Scale(0 points,1 point,2 points),and proposed two im-proved scoring schemes for the Long's Scale(+7 points,+9 points).The Delphi expert consultation method was employed to consult experts and determine the Medical Insurance Long's Scale.Retrospective analysis was used to validate the reliability and validity of this scale.Result:A total of 24 experts were invited to participate in the consultation,with an expert consultation re-sponse rate of 87.5%(21/24).The average authority coefficient of the experts was 0.836,with 66.7%(14/21)of experts supporting the+7 points improved scoring scheme for the Long's scale.The Medical Insurance Long's Scale demonstrated good internal consistency and correlation with the modified Barthel index(MBI),consistent with the initial Long's Scale,demonstrating showing excellent reliability and validity.Conclusion:The+7 points scoring scheme in this study transformed the Long's Scale into a continuous scor-ing scale,enabling the measurement of functional improvement,thereby providing a new basis for value-based medical insurance payments in rehabilitation.

With the widespread implementation of immunoprophylaxis strategies, the primary challenge in HBV infection prevention and control in China has shifted to reducing the burden of existing infections. A crucial approach to decreasing the burden of existing infections is to develop the effective treatment methods to achieve clinical or functional cures within a limited treatment duration for infected patients. The existing infections can be divided into two parts: those that are easy to cure and those that are difficult to treat. Patients who meet the current drug withdrawal criteria and at the same time have HBsAg<100 IU/mL following treatment with nucelos(t)ide analogue therapy are the easier one to treat, accounting for about 12% of the total infections, and the remaining 88% are difficult to cure. A necessary step toward clinical cure is pushing the HBsAg levels of patients to <100 IU/mL, but this driving effect must stem from effective immune reconstitution against HBV. Recent prevention and control, certain characteristics and implementation of clinical cure, and the safe drug withdrawal are discussed here to offer new perspectives on issues related to hepatitis B.

Hypothyroidism alone can lead to myocardial fibrosis and result in heart failure, but traditional hormone replacement therapy does not improve the fibrotic situation. Hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S), a new gas signaling molecule, possesses antiinflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-fibrotic capabilities. Whether H 2 S could improve hypothyroidism-induced myocardial fibrosis are not yet studied. In our study, H 2 S could decrease collagen deposition in the myocardial tissue of rats caused by hypothyroidism. Furthermore, in hypothyroidism-induced rats, we found that H 2 S could enhance cystathionine-gamma-lyase (CSE), not cystathionine β-synthase (CBS), protein expressions. Finally, we noticed that H 2 S could elevate autophagy levels and inhibit the transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) signal transduction pathway. In conclusion, our experiments not only suggest that H 2 S could alleviate hypothyroidism-induced myocardial fibrosis by activating autophagy and suppressing TGF-β1/ SMAD family member 2 (Smad 2) signal transduction pathway, but also show that it can be used as a complementary treatment to conventional hormone therapy.

Objective:To investigate the effects of exogenous hydrogen sulfide on myocardial fibrosis and apoptosis in rats after myocardial infarction and the underlying mechanisms.Methods:Forty-three Sprague Dawley(SD)rats were divided into 4 groups according to the random number table method: a control group(n=12), a myocardial infarction group(MI group, n=13), an hydrogen sulfide(H 2S)group(n=6)and an MI+ H 2S group(n=12). The rat model of acute myocardial infarction was established by intraperitoneal injections of isoproterenol(50 mg/kg, once a day, for 2 days). Electrocardiogram and troponin changes were recorded 48 h after the last drug administration to determine whether the rat model was successfully constructed.After successful establishment of the model, rats in the MI group and the MI+ H 2S group were intraperitoneally injected with sodium hydrosulfide(56 μmol/kg, once a day, for 6 weeks).6 weeks later, echocardiogram and Masson's trichrome staining were performed to assess changes in cardiac function and collagen volume fraction in each group.Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase(TdT)dUTP nick end labeling(TUNEL)was used to detect the myocardial apoptosis rate in each group, and Western-blot was used to detect protein expression of Yes-related protein 1(YAP1), WW domain containing transcriptional regulator1(TAZ), mammalian Ste20-like kinase 2(MST2), Bcl-2-associated X protein(Bax), cysteine protease 3(caspase-3), the ratio of matrix metalloproteinase 3(MMP3)/matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor 2(TIMP2), and B-cell lymphoma factor(Bcl-2). Results:Compared with the control group, myocardial collagen volume fraction was increased( P<0.05), the myocardial cell apoptosis rate was increased( P<0.05), and myocardial YAP1, TAZ, MST2, Bax, caspase-3 protein expression and MMP3/TIMP2 ratio were increased in the MI group(all P<0.05), while the expression of Bcl-2 protein was decreased( P<0.05). Compared with the MI group, collagen volume fraction and the cardiomyocyte apoptosis rate were significantly decreased in the MI+ H 2S group( P<0.05). Also, protein expression of YAP1(2.406±0.024 vs.2.830±0.063), TAZ(0.964±0.090 vs.1.329±0.018), MST2(0.780±0.082 vs.1.788±0.097), Bax(1.500±0.008 vs.0.613±0.003)and caspase-3(0.620±0.024 vs.0.780±0.012)and the MMP3/TIMP2 ratio were decreased(all P<0.05), while protein expression of Bcl-2 was increased( P<0.05)in myocardial tissue. Conclusions:H 2S can mitigate myocardial fibrosis after myocardial infarction, through inhibiting the activation of the YAP1/TAZ signaling pathway, thus reducing apoptosis of cardiomyocytes.

The hydroponic culture test method was used to study the physiological and biochemical responses of Paulownia fortunei seedlings under Zn stress, Cd stress, and combined Zn and Cd stress as well as changes in the enrichment and transfer characteristics of heavy metals. Under single and combined heavy metal stress, the biomass, plant height, and peroxidase (POD) activity of P. fortunei decreased as the treatment concentration increased. Combined Zn and Cd affected adversely plant height and biomass. As the concentration of Zn increased when applied alone, the chlorophyll content and catalase (CAT) activity of P. fortunei first increased and then decreased, the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity increased, and the aboveground malondialdehyde (MDA) content first decreased and then increased. As the concentration of Cd increased when applied alone, chlorophyll content and CAT activity increased, and SOD activity and aboveground MDA content first increased and then decreased. Under both Cd and Zn, the physiological response was more complex. Cd in the seedlings of P. fortunei was concentrated in the root. In contrast, Zn was concentrated in the upper part of the ground, and its transfer coefficient was greater than 1.00. Thus, the addition of Zn promotes the transfer of heavy metals to the above-ground portions of plants. Generally, P. fortunei can effectively promote ecological restoration under complex forms of heavy metal pollution.
Cadmium ; Chlorophyll ; Metals, Heavy ; Plant Roots/chemistry* ; Seedlings ; Soil Pollutants ; Stress, Physiological ; Superoxide Dismutase ; Zinc

OBJECTIVE: : To study the feasibility and effect of PeriCam PSI system guiding the establishment of ischemia/reperfusion injury model in rats. METHODS: : A total of 70 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into the control group(=6), PSI monitoring group(=34) and traditional operation group(=30). Ischemia reperfusion model was established with reference to improve Zea-Longa line plug method. After the model established, the blood flow to the brain of control group, PSI monitoring group (ischemic 2 h, 24 h reperfusion) were observed and recorded respectively with PSI. The rats were then executed after 24 h, and the 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining and HE staining were used to observe the brain tissue. RESULTS: : The survival rate and modeling success rate of PSI monitoring group were higher than those of the traditional operation group(all <0.05). The blood perfusion in the brain and the distribution of blood vessels were clearly observed in the control group, and the data were normal. In 2 h ischemic group, the arterial flow was interrupted in the right cerebral artery, and the blood flow in the middle arterial blood supply was significantly decreased than that in the control group(<0.05). After the recovery of 24 h, the artery in the right side of the brain was restored to blood flow, but the blood flow in the partial supply area decreased, unable to recover to normal level. The TTC staining results indicated that there were obvious infarcts in the right brain tissue of PSI monitoring group,and the infarct area was more stable than that of the traditional operation group. The results of HE staining showed that the structure of brain tissue in the control group was normal, and the morphological rules of nerve cells were not change. While in brain tissue from PSI monitoring group, cortex and ischemia half dark stripe, nerve cell degeneration, necrosis and glial fiber disintegration, liquefaction, and light color, screen mesh in ischemic central area were observed. CONCLUSIONS : PSI system can guide ischemia reperfusion model building and improve the success rate of the model.
Animals ; Brain Ischemia ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Disease Models, Animal ; Hemodynamics ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion ; instrumentation ; Reperfusion Injury ; diagnostic imaging

Background Small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) is increasingly applied in the correction of myopia and astigmatism.However,the early clinical outcomes of SMILE for different refractive myopia and astigmatism is seldom reported.Objective This study was to investigate the safety,efficacy,predictability and early stability after SMILE in low,moderate and high myopia.Methods A series of cases-observational study was carried out.A total of 195 eyes of 108 myopic patients were enrolled in Tianjin Eye Hospital from May to December 2012 under the informed consent.The patients were divided into the low (≤-3.00 D),moderate (＞-3.00 to-6.00 D) and high myopia (＞-6.00 D) groups according to different diopters,with 57 eyes,76 eyes and 62 eyes,respectively.SMILE was performed on all the eyes.The uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA)(LogMAR),best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) (LogMAR),equivalent sphere (SE),intraocular pressure,anterior segment and corneal topography were examined before operation and 1 day,1 week,1 month and 3 months after operation to evaluate the effective index (postoperative UCVA/preoperative BCVA),safety index (postoperative BCVA/preoperative BCVA),predictability and early stability of SMILE.The linear regression analysis was used to analyze the relationships between the attempted refraction and the achieved refraction postoperative 3 months in three groups.Results The percentage of UCVA (LogMAR)＜0.1 was 100％,97.1％ and 92.8％ in the low,moderate and high myopia group,respectively in 3 months after SMILE.The postoperative BCVA of all the operated eyes reached preoperative one.The residual SE was (-0.07±0.16),(-0.05 ±0.20) and (-0.08±0.27)D in the low,moderate and high myopia group,respectively in 3 months after SMILE.The percentage of residual SE±0.5 D was 100％,98.7％ and 93.6％ in the low,moderate and high group,and that of SE±1.0 D was 100％ in all of the groups.The postoperative corrected SE was gradually increased with the raise of predicted SE in the low,moderate and high myopia groups (r=0.942,0.959,0.957,all at P＜0.001).Conclusions SMILE is safe,effective,predictable and stable for the correction of low,moderate and high myopia.The corneal wound healing was slightly slower in the low myopia group than that in the moderate and high group.A slight regression of myopic power appears in high myopia eyes 3 months after SMILE.

Background The relationship between corneal central thickness (CCT) and corneal biomechanical property does not reflect the effective amount of ablated tissue because CCT measures only the change in a single point.Corneal volume (CV) is a representative parameter of corneal morphology,and it can fully reflect corneal thickness and tissue distribution.Objective This study was to investigate the correlation between volumetric corneal changes and corneal biomechanical properties after small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE).Methods A prospective series cases-observational study was carried out.This study protocol was approved by Ethic Committee of Tianjin Eye Hospital,and written informed consent was obtained from each patient prior to entering the cohort.Sixty-seven right eyes of 67 myopia or myopic astigmatism patients who received SMILE in Tianjin Eye Hospital from June 2014 to July 2015 were included in this study.Before and 3 months after surgery,the CV at 3,3-5,5-7 and 7-10 mm (CV3,CV3-5,CV5-7,CV7-10) was measured by Pentacam anterior segment analysis system,and corneal hysteresis (CH) and corneal resistance factor (CRF) were obtained by ocular response analyzer (ORA).The changes of CV (ACV),CH (ACH) and CRF (ACRF) were calculated,and the correlations between ACV and ACH or ACRF were analyzed.Results CV3,CV3-5 and CV5-7 values after SMILE were significantly lower than those before SMILE (t =36.24,20.38,16.17,all at P＜ 0.001).The CH values before and after SMILE were (10.06± 1.11) mmHg and (8.10± 1.05) mmHg (1 mmHg =0.133 kPa),and the CRF values before and after SMILE were (10.40 ± 1.38) mmHg and (6.91 ± 1.19) mmHg,respectively,showing significant reduces after SMILE than before SMILE (t =16.71,27.41,both at P＜0.001).Positive correlations were seen between the CV values at different corneal areas and CH value or CRF value.Moderate positive correlations were found between CV3 and CH or CRF (r =0.571,0.569;both at P＜0.001) before surgery,and 3 months after surgery,a weak positive correlation was seen between ACV3 and ACH (r =0.394,P ＜ 0.001) or a moderate positive correlation between ACV3 and ACRF (r=0.501,P＜0.001).Conclusions The CV value is gradually increased from the central cornea to periphery cornea.The CV change is associated with CH and CRF changes after SMILE,and CV3 probably is a useful parameter for the evaluation of corneal biomechanics after refractive surgery.