BACKGROUND: The clinical impact of post-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) quantitative flow ratio (QFR) in patients treated with PCI for chronic total occlusion (CTO) was still undetermined. METHODS: All CTO vessels treated with successful anatomical PCI in patients from PANDA III trial were retrospectively measured for post-PCI QFR. The primary outcome was 2-year vessel-oriented composite endpoints (VOCEs, composite of target vessel-related cardiac death, target vessel-related myocardial infarction, and ischemia-driven target vessel revascularization). Receiver operator characteristic curve analysis was conducted to identify optimal cutoff value of post-PCI QFR for predicting the 2-year VOCEs, and all vessels were stratified by this optimal cutoff value. Cox proportional hazards models were employed to calculate the hazard ratio (HR) with 95% CI. RESULTS: Among 428 CTO vessels treated with PCI, 353 vessels (82.5%) were analyzable for post-PCI QFR. 31 VOCEs (8.7%) occurred at 2 years. Mean value of post-PCI QFR was 0.92 ± 0.13. Receiver operator characteristic curve analysis shown the optimal cutoff value of post-PCI QFR for predicting 2-year VOCEs was 0.91. The incidence of 2-year VOCEs in the vessel with post-PCI QFR < 0.91 (n = 91) was significantly higher compared with the vessels with post-PCI QFR ≥ 0.91 (n = 262) (22.0% vs. 4.2%, HR = 4.98, 95% CI: 2.32-10.70). CONCLUSIONS Higher post-PCI QFR values were associated with improved prognosis in the PCI practice for coronary CTO. Achieving functionally optimal PCI results (post-PCI QFR value ≥ 0.91) tends to get better prognosis for patients with CTO lesions.

Humans ; Arthritis, Psoriatic/drug therapy* ; Interleukin-17 ; Interleukin Inhibitors ; Antirheumatic Agents/therapeutic use* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/therapeutic use* ; Interleukin-23/therapeutic use*

Ritlecitinib is an inhibitor that acts on Janus kinase 3 and the hepatocellular carcinoma kinase family.In June 2023,the FDA approved Ritlecitinib for the treatment of severe alopecia areata in patients aged 12 years and above.Multiple clinical studies have observed hair regeneration in patients after using Ritlecitinib,which is generally safe and well tolerated during use.This article introduces its pharmacological effects,pharmacokinetics,clinical research,safety,and usage and dosage.

Brucellosis,a worldwide epidemic bacterial zoonotic infectious disease caused by bacteria of the genus Brucella,jeopardizes livestock production and poses a major threat to public health safety.Among the various components of Brucella,the outer membrane proteins play crucial roles as the primary immune and protective antigens.These proteins are closely asso-ciated with Brucella's virulence,regulation of the immune response,and ability to survive and multiply within host cells.This article summarizes recent research progress in the primary outer membrane proteins of Brucella,and offers a synthesized view of the current knowledge landscape.Understanding the antigenic characteristics of Brucella outer membrane proteins may sub-stantially contribute to the establishment of new diagnostic methods and the design of new vaccines,thus potentially leading to more effective prevention strategies against brucellosis.The review provides a reference for future studies and may aid in brucel-losis control efforts.

The seventh article of Measures for the Ethical Review of Biomedical Research Involving Humans (2016) stipulated that medical and health institutions without an ethics committee shall not carry out biomedical research involving Humans. The Opinions on Strengthening the Governance of Ethics in Science and Technology, issued in March 2022, clearly stated that the institutions that do not meet the conditions for establishing a scientific and technological ethics (review) committee should entrust other institutions to conduct the review. The fourteenth article of Measures for Ethical Review of Life Science and Medical Research Involving Humans (2023) proposes that if an institution, which carries out life science and medical research involving humans, has not established an ethics committee or its ethics committee is not competent for ethics review, it can entrust a competent ethics committee or regional ethics committee in writing to carry out ethical review. Most medical institutions at or above the second level in China have set up ethics committees. While most universities and colleges, scientific research institutions, enterprises and grass-roots medical and health institutions have not set up ethics committees, which lack a working system to protect the safety and interests of the participants, and is difficult to conduct life sciences and medical research involving humans. At present, there is a need for some research institutions that do not have the conditions to establish ethics committees to entrust their projects of life science and medical research involving humans to other institutions for ethical review. The entrusted review is still in the exploratory stage, and there is no relevant specification. The hasty implementation of entrusted review may not achieve the goal of effectively protecting the safety and interests of the participants, and even cause legal disputes. Based on the thematic discussion, with reference to the relevant laws and regulations, departmental rules, ethical standards, and the experience of the ethics committees of some domestic institutions in implementing the entrusted review, the guideline was formulated for the reference of the current entrusted review to ensure the safety and interests of the participants.

The passing of ethical review is a necessary conditions and prerequisite for the development of life science and medical research involving humans. At present, some medical and health institutions have no or insufficient ethical review capabilities. The lack of ethical review ability has become a bottleneck restricting the development of life science and medical research involving humans. According to documents such as Opinions on Deepening the Reform of the Review and Approval System and Encouraging the Innovation of Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices, Opinions on Strengthening the Ethical Governance of Science and Technology, institutions can entrust competent institutional ethics review committees or regional ethics review committees in writing to conduct ethical review. Entrustment ethical review provides a viable solution for institutions that need to carry out life science and medical research involving humans but do not have an ethics (review) committee or the ethics (review) committee is not competent to review. To conduct the entrustment ethical review, the entrustment between the principal and the trustee is required. According to The Measures for Ethical Review of Life Sciences and Medical Research Involving Humans, if medical and health institutions and their ethical review committees do not accept the formal entrustment to provide the ethical review opinions for other institutions, the local health authorities at or above the county level will impose administrative penalties and sanctions on the relevant institutions and personnel in accordance with the law. Signing the entrustment ethical review contract, implementing legal compliance entrusted ethical review to protect the rights and interests of the trustee and the principal, and protect the research participants.

Humans ; Fibrosarcoma/surgery* ; Sarcoma ; Temporal Bone ; Soft Tissue Neoplasms/surgery*

Objective: To evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of the implantable ventricular assist system EVAHEART I in clinical use. Methods: Fifteen consecutive patients with end-stage heart failure who received left ventricular assist device therapy in Fuwai Hospital from January 2018 to December 2021 were enrolled in this study, their clinical data were retrospectively analyzed. Cardiac function, liver and kidney function, New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification, 6-minute walk distance and quality of life were evaluated before implantation and at 1, 6, 12, 24 and 36 months after device implantation. Drive cable infection, hemolysis, cerebrovascular events, mechanical failure, abnormally high-power consumption and abnormal pump flow were recorded during follow up. Results: All 15 patients were male, mean average age was (43.0±7.5) years, including 11 cases of dilated cardiomyopathy, 2 cases of ischemic cardiomyopathy, and 2 cases of valvular heart disease. All patients were hemodynamically stable on more than one intravenous vasoactive drugs, and 3 patients were supported by preoperative intra aortic balloon pump (IABP). Compared with before device implantation, left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVEDD) was significantly decreased ((80.93±6.69) mm vs. (63.73±6.31) mm, P<0.05), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), total bilirubin and creatinine were also significantly decreased ((3 544.85±1 723.77) ng/L vs. (770.80±406.39) ng/L; (21.28±10.51) μmol/L vs. (17.39±7.68) μmol/L; (95.82±34.88) μmol/L vs. (77.32±43.81) μmol/L; P<0.05) at 1 week after device implantation. All patients in this group were in NYHA class Ⅳ before implantation, and 9 patients could recover to NYHA class Ⅲ, 3 to class Ⅱ, and 3 to class Ⅰ at 1 month after operation. All patients recovered to class Ⅰ-Ⅱ at 6 months after operation. The 6-minute walk distance, total quality of life and visual analogue scale were significantly increased and improved at 1 month after implantation compared with those before operation (P<0.05). All patients were implanted with EVAHEART I at speeds between 1 700-1 950 rpm, flow rates between 3.2-4.5 L/min, power consumption of 3-9 W. The 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year survival rates were 100%, 87%, and 80%, respectively. Three patients died of multiple organ failure at 412, 610, and 872 d after surgery, respectively. During long-term device carrying, 3 patients developed drive cable infection on 170, 220, and 475 d after surgery, respectively, and were cured by dressing change. One patient underwent heart transplantation at 155 d after surgery due to bacteremia. Three patients developed transient ischemic attack and 1 patient developed hemorrhagic stroke events, all cured without sequelae. Conclusion: EVAHEART I implantable left heart assist system can effectively treat critically ill patients with end-stage heart failure, can be carried for long-term life and significantly improve the survival rate, with clear clinical efficacy.
Humans ; Male ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Female ; Heart Failure/complications* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Retrospective Studies ; Heart-Assist Devices ; Quality of Life

Objective To establish an animal model of sparganosis mansoni through oral administration of Cyclops infected with procercoids. Methods Domestic cats were infected with Sparganum mansoni under laboratory conditions, and fresh cat stool samples were collected, washed in dechlorinated water, and filtered. Spirometra mansoni eggs were collected and prepared into suspensions. Twenty C57BL/6j mice were randomly divided into the experimental group (n = 15) and the control group (n = 5). Wild Cyclops were infected with Spirometra mansoni coracidia to allow 3 to 5 procercoids in each Cyclop. Then, each mouse in the experimental group was given 15 Cyclops infected with procercoids by gavage, while mice in the control group were orally administered with the same volume of dechlorinated water. All mice were sacrificed after 5 months, and dissected, and suspicious Sparganum mansoni worms were collected. The serum specific IgG antibody against Sparganum mansoni was measured in mice using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Genomic DNA was isolated from suspicious Sparganum mansoni worms, and the specific Sparganum mansoni cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene was amplified using PCR assay. Results Among the 15 mice in the experimental group, six were positive for the serum specific IgG antibody against Sparganum mansoni, and milky white worms were found and collected from the subcutaneous regions of 4 out of 6 mice. Only one worm was detected in each mouse, and the worm morphology was similar to Sparganum mansoni. Capillary electrophoresis of the PCR amplification products of COI gene presented a specific band with 151 bp in size, and sequencing analysis revealed 100% homology with Sparganum mansoni. Conclusions A mouse model of sparganosis mansoni is successfully created through oral administration of Cyclops infected with Spirometra mansoni procercoids.

Objective: The relationship between serum uric acid (SUA) levels and glycemic indices, including plasma glucose (FPG), 2-hour postload glucose (2h-PG), and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), remains inconclusive. We aimed to explore the associations between glycemic indices and SUA levels in the general Chinese population. Methods: The current study was a cross-sectional analysis using the first follow-up survey data from The China Cardiometabolic Disease and Cancer Cohort Study. A total of 105,922 community-dwelling adults aged ≥ 40 years underwent the oral glucose tolerance test and uric acid assessment. The nonlinear relationships between glycemic indices and SUA levels were explored using generalized additive models. Results: A total of 30,941 men and 62,361 women were eligible for the current analysis. Generalized additive models verified the inverted U-shaped association between glycemic indices and SUA levels, but with different inflection points in men and women. The thresholds for FPG, 2h-PG, and HbA1c for men and women were 6.5/8.0 mmol/L, 11.0/14.0 mmol/L, and 6.1/6.5, respectively (SUA levels increased with increasing glycemic indices before the inflection points and then eventually decreased with further increases in the glycemic indices). Conclusion An inverted U-shaped association was observed between major glycemic indices and uric acid levels in both sexes, while the inflection points were reached earlier in men than in women.
Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Blood Glucose/analysis* ; China/epidemiology* ; Cohort Studies ; Diabetes Mellitus/blood* ; Female ; Glucose Tolerance Test ; Glycated Hemoglobin A/analysis* ; Glycemic Index ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Uric Acid/blood*